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right arm, devoid of strength, and the way Subaru appeared to be hiding his emotions. Towering before Subaru was a giant, sheer black demon beast. Judging from its size compared to the rest of the pack, it might well have been the leader. Under that fearsome gaze, surrounded by predators, Subaru ferociously ran. No matter how much she stretched out her fingers, no matter how much her heart quaked, she could not reach his back. And yet, Rem shouted, as if pleading. " Subaru!" She did not know if her voice reached him. All she saw was Subaru on the run, his left hand drawing the dimly glimmering sword as if responding to her call. He didn't understand it himself. Since when had he become a man stubborn enough to do something crazy like this...? No matter how much he wanted to put on a brave face and not make the sisters feel like they owed him, this was completely, thoroughly not like him. With his back turned to them, the look on his face crumbled the instant he knew they could no longer see it. He keenly felt both extremes of pain dull and sharp alike. His mask had fallen to pieces, Subaru's magnificent face scowling as his tongue pathetically hung out like that of a dog. "It hurts... It hurts. It hurts, Mommy, Daddy, Emilia-tan...!" He invoked the three most important people in his life as he glanced at his dangling right arm. The intermittent numbness in his shoulder was from his crash landing after his blow to Rem's horn. He hoped dearly it was merely dislocated. One way or another, he couldn't rely on his right arm for combat. With one less weapon at his disposal, Subaru had no idea how he was going to face the enemy standing before him. As Subaru ran, he found the demon beast pup standing in his path the one that had been the bane of his existence more than once. Subaru wondered if it had a grudge against him to be so darned persistent. "I'd like this to be the last time we meet..." Subaru kept running as he girded himself for the cascade of stones the demon beast would surely unleash. If that hit him when his guard was down, there was no way he'd get away with just a dislocated shoulder. Shaking off the unpleasant image of being whittled to death by a thousand stone cuts, Subaru mentally simulated dodging at the exact moment the stones would be unleashed. He gave the demon beast a half-resentful, gimme-your-best-shot glare when "Uhh?" He suddenly sounded quite clueless. Subaru could scarcely believe his eyes at the scene unfolding before him. The demon beast pup made a small howl before curling up its little body further. It seemed to be gathering all its strength. Before Subaru, whose eyes were narrowed with no idea what was coming next, it... *** The fur ball suddenly grew with explosive force. Poof in the blink of an eye, it grew from the size of a cute, huggable domesticated dog to something larger than the largest breeds, to the point one might call it jumbo sized. "I've seen this in manga a lot, but seriously, where does all the extra mass come from?!" The reply to his question was a howl that seemed to make the entire forest shudder. It used its hind legs for support as it vigorously sprang off the ground. The demon beast then struck together the claws of both its raised paws, revealing them to be sinister weapons that could slice through human bone with the slightest graze. "Oh, so you're not gonna settle this with magic? What did I ever do to you...?" Subaru shuddered at its decision to fight their final battle mano a mano as he looked around, searching for any avenue of escape but demon beasts in pursuit were cutting off the back and the sides, making escape a difficult proposition. "Man, coming after me instead of the beautiful sisters... You guys have seriously demon-cursed taste... Damn it all!" Once he noticed it, his steps slowed as the beasts surrounded him. Apparently, Subaru had brought every demon beast in the whole forest running. His decoy operation was a huge success. He didn't have time to have a nervous breakdown or piss his pants while begging for his life. With all avenues of escape cut off, his only option was to run straight forward. In other words, he had to take the giant demon beast down one-on-one. He fumbled in his side pocket. He felt a rock...a piece of hard candy...something that felt sticky and icky...and... "All I can do now is trust in Puck...!" He took it out and tossed it in his mouth as he prayed to the gray cat with all his might. There wasn't much time before Subaru would reach the demon beast. They would clash in mere seconds. That was when... " Subaru!" ...he heard it. That moment, Subaru heard someone call his name. It had a painful echo, drenched in sadness as if the whole world were about to end, knowing that whether Subaru lived or died determined whether her heart would shatter perhaps it was insensitive of him, but Subaru was happy. I'm too pathetic. A pervert. A two-faced jerk. It wasn't like he couldn't guess how the girl felt as she cried out his name. The fact that he smiled nonetheless was proof he was totally mad. He smiled, and smiled, and when he was done smiling, Subaru's left hand drew out the broken one-handed sword. The demon beast roared before him. Subaru put all his weight behind the sword as he, too, yelled out. Their voices raised a pair of discordant war cries. Soul clashed against soul. A moment before they were within each other's reach, Subaru inhaled deeply. He pictured the center of his body. He focused on the region between chest and waist, imagining a gate connected to the outside, just above his navel. *** The magical invocation permeated the air. The next moment, a black cloud erupted around Subaru. The cloud enveloped Subaru and all the demon beasts. The decisive battle in the forest was now sealed within the darkness. Within the black cloud, the world was incomprehensible. The shape of the world, its color, its scent none of these things could be discerned here. The single firm, solid sensation came from the soles of his feet touching the ground. If not for that, surely he would not have even known which way was up inside the darkness. He could see nothing. He could hear nothing. He could understand nothing. So this was the end of the world. As Subaru felt his feet pressing against his shoes, he searched for something within the haze. Surely there was something that awaited him within the black cloud, something he had to do. Something, something, something, something was missing. Faced with a world of incomprehension, he had to remember the world of comprehension. Why had this nothingness come? Who had brought it? What were the conditions for ending it? Remember, remember, remember the world beyond, the world that was firm under his feet. His command to his brain made thoughts erupt like sparks. He couldn't make it another step. His feet were drained of all strength. Sooner or later, the incomprehension would crush him, making him doubt even the sensation of his soles. If he could see that coming, the answer did not lie outside him. If the answer was not outside his body, it must lie within. Even if he could not bring the oblivion outside him to heel, he could call upon his internal organs, all subconsciously functioning even then. The roles had been assigned. It was time to move. And so, finally *** Suddenly, he felt like his entire body was on fire. The unendurable sensation of heat ripped through Subaru's body, bringing not words from his throat but a bestial cry... No, he thought it had. He did not understand even that. He didn't understand. He didn't understand, but his feet, once drained of strength, moved once more. Forward. His feet moved in the direction he believed to be forward. Awareness, oblivion, awareness, oblivion, awareness, oblivion, over and over and over, until finally The instant Subaru broke through the black cloud, leaping outside it, his sword hit something extremely thick. The sword in his hand was ripped out of his grasp. Subaru lifted his face and bit down his shock. Before his very eyes, the huge demon beast's head remained thrust into the black cloud and the single-handed sword Subaru had been grasping was deep in its chest. The surprise blow left an ugly feeling lingering in the middle of Subaru's hand the feeling of plunging a dull blade into the flesh of a living creature. The psychological shock was greater than he'd anticipated, giving rise to what was almost an eerie, out-of-body feeling. The demon beast, still in the world of incomprehension, couldn't even feel the blade in its body. Even as Subaru glanced at the contradictory spectacle of a dead beast that didn't know it was dead, he shamelessly ran, putting distance between them while he still could. His head was heavy; his whole body was sluggish. It was the aftereffect of using magical power without complete command of it, and thus burning excess amounts of mana. In the first place, using that magic should have spewed out all the mana in his body, leaving him on the ground and unable to rise again, but Subaru had played his trump card to get around that. " Thanks a million, brats." Subaru spat out the tiny remnants of the fruit's skin still in his mouth as a small smile came over him. He'd spat out a bokko fruit, a recovery item that brought strength back to a body devoid of mana. It was amid the completely useless things the kids in the village had pushed on to him when he was heading off to rescue Rem. He had no idea where they'd found one. The instant he was sure he had one, his head had been able to muster that plan alone. If he bit down on it at the exact moment he used his magic, maybe he'd be able to move afterward. He'd gambled his very life on it, but the scales had marvelously swung Subaru's way. Putting his back to the demon beast trapped in incomprehension, his feet took him in the direction the barrier ought to have been. Subaru was a beginner with insufficient mana, so he had no idea how long his Shamak would keep going. He couldn't think of any other way to buy time, so he had to get as close to the barrier as he " Ah?" But Subaru's scheme was instantly foiled by a single claw that grazed the back of his left thigh. The sharp pain heralded the bleeding. Subaru let out an anguished groan as he fell to his knees. But Subaru's mortal foe would not permit him to kneel. Its thick paw violently grabbed Subaru's neck, the tips of its claws digging in as it easily hoisted him up. "Damn it all..." Before his very eyes, he saw the gaping maw of the huge demon beast, open wide enough to swallow Subaru whole. Its fangs dripped with blood as its stinky breath hit Subaru's face. He could only smile desperately at the depth of the creature's grudge. "Go to hell, why don't you ?!" He yanked the sword out of the demon beast and plunged it into the creature's mouth with all his might. *** The fatal blow delivered to the inside of its mouth sent the demon beast roaring and flinging Subaru's body away. Subaru tumbled across the ground, holding onto the sword, then held it before him as he looked up at the demon beast. "Yeah! How's that, sucker?! Bite on that!!" The demon beast shook its head, facing Subaru in a berserk rage. Subaru, his

body drenched with blood, taunted it with trash talk. With blood all over their faces, they only had eyes for each other. They were whittling down each other's lives. They both understood. None of this would end until one of them slew the other. They stood off against each other. A single spark would be enough to set them off. The confrontation between man and beast no, two beasts was on the cusp of beginning. But the square impact of the fiery shot that rained down from the sky put it on permanent suspension at the sound of a man's voice. " Ulgoa." "Whoaaa?!" Subaru shielded his face as the shock wave enveloped his body and blew him back. All of a sudden, the ground in front of him exploded into flames. The high-temperature impact enveloped his entire body with a ferocious wave of heat. Subaru, lying on his side, shook his head as burns added to the wounds already peppering his flesh. "What the hell just...?" The hot, parched air seared Subaru's throat as he looked up...and saw. His cheeks stiffened in shock. Before Subaru's very eyes, the huge demon beast was wrapped in a pillar of fire. It was burning. The flames licked its entire body. The demon beast's paws shuddered and tore at the ground in agony. With the air scorching its lungs, the demon beast could not make a sound as it writhed within the crimson sea and finally dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. All that was left behind was a clump of blackened flesh that had lost two-thirds of its mass. *** The unforeseen end of the demon beast was not all that surprised Subaru. Flaming shots like the one that had burned the demon beast to death rained down from the sky one after another, plunging into the black cloud. From outside the spread of the darkness, Subaru could not see for himself the full power of the flames upon landing. But he could guess what they were doing. Inside the impermeable darkness, the demon beasts were being destroyed without even realizing. Subaru could no longer tell if that was cruelty or mercy. However "Myyy, my, myyy, who would have thooought that a mere Shamak, used chiefly for smokescreens, could be employed with this much impaaact?" The man who had directed the demon beast's fiery-death scene floated down from the sky, a flippant smile on his face. His long indigo hair swayed in the wind. His eyes were oddly colored: one blue, one yellow. He wore a bizarre outfit over his tall, slender body. The clownish lord, mightiest magic user in all the kingdom, Roswaal, had arrived. Upon landing, Roswaal brushed off his pant legs and swept his long hair behind him as he looked down at Subaru. "Ohhhh, you look rather teeerrible, I must saaay." "You're super late to the party, Rozchi. How many times do you think I thought I was gonna die there?" It was definitely more than a handful. After flinging his abuse, Subaru lost his strength; he fell down then and there, not even strong enough to get up on his knees. "You sure figured out where I was, though." "Ah, that is because of what Lady Emilia pounded iiinto me at the viiillage. She said, 'Even if it's crazy and reckless, if he's backed into a corner he'll probably use magic, so don't you dare miss it from the sky.'" "Damn it, Beako...you let Emilia figure it out real quick." Apparently Beatrice had not been up to the task. Perhaps it was for the better, given how Roswaal had miraculously entered the fray at the last moment. Subaru thought over the circumstances when a voice sounded in his ears. "Master Roswaal !" He saw Ram, who'd taken a detour around the burning black cloud, cutting through some thickets. Rem was leaning on her shoulder as Ram's expression melted in Roswaal's presence. "I am sorry to have caused you so much trouble." "Oh no, that is quite fiiine. Indeed, you have done veeery well in my absence." Blushing hard at the words of praise, Ram pressed a hand to her chest as she made a solemn nod. Watching the exchange between them, Subaru let out a deep sigh of relief. " Subaru!" Rem suddenly rushed over and embraced Subaru, drawing a sharp cry from his throat. "Guh!" Before his eyes, blue hair swayed right next to his face. The soft sensations in so many places made Subaru understand the circumstances. In any other context, he'd be overjoyed, but he had no such leeway at that moment. "Rem, my body's banged up all over the... Ah, my mind's kinda..." Maybe she couldn't control her feelings, but she was hugging him with all her might. Every wound on his body began to cry out as Subaru desperately tried to pat Rem's back to appeal to her. But "You're alive. You're still alive. Subaru, Subaru...Subaru!" Rem was too overcome with emotion to notice how Subaru was reacting. He felt her press her face against his chest and her warm teardrops flowing down her cheek. A wide range of ticklish sensations struck him, well beyond the capacity of Subaru's brain to deal with. In other words "Oh man...not this...again..." As Subaru spoke, his head slowly tilted forward, his neck no longer able to support itself. His mind grew distant. The voices grew faint. Finally... "Go ahead and sleep. When you awaken, I must thank you quite earnestly. At the very least, rest assured I shall eliminate that which threatens you." ...someone's voice sounded in his ears, serious and devoid of clownish affect. Feeling a deeper sense of security, Subaru gently let go of lucidity. Until the moment he fell asleep, he reveled in the warmth of the embrace and the relief of finally receiving it. Subaru's consciousness sank into a river of unconsciousness. *** Subaru's mind was invited to the land ruled by the black shadow once more. There was nothing. Only his consciousness seemed to hover in space. Subaru dimly realized that he existed. There was no one. There was nothing. Nothing began. Nothing ended. It was a world of no being at all. Subaru felt like he had been cast into the sea at night. He let his mind float with the fickle sensation. Abruptly, a change came over the world of darkness. In front, directly ahead of Subaru's mind, someone stood. The shadow grew vertically. Before he knew it, a human silhouette stood before Subaru. He couldn't see its face. The shape was indistinct. But he vaguely thought that it had the shape of a woman. The shadow wavered and slowly reached out a hand. For some reason, when her fingers gently grazed his mind, Subaru wanted to weep. The wave of strange emotion washing over him suggested that he had always been waiting for her to do so. He had an instinctive desire for the wriggling shadow to embrace him, to swallow him whole and then it stopped. Something had stopped it. Subaru's mind realized that there was another shadow, its white fingers embracing him from behind. Her touch felt soft, and not just warm but hot. The instant Subaru felt that heat, the shadow before him rapidly faded away. He faced his front. His heart trembled. He shouted ferociously. But the world of nothingness had no sound. He was left behind as the shadow became distant, fading, fading away. Finally, the shadow serenely stretched her fingers out toward Subaru, who was nearly in tears. " ve you." Even the words he could not hear faded, and the world fell apart. When Subaru awoke, the first thing his eyes took in was an unfamiliar, ornate ceiling. Unlike his bedroom, the chamber he awoke in was ornamented more than most parlors; even the ceiling was decked out to excess. Perhaps it was mandatory in an aristocrat's mansion, the better to show off the master's authority to other parties. At any rate, to a boy like Subaru, born and raised in a small city, it was distinctly uncomfortable. Subaru blinked several times in the moments it took him to arrive at that thought after waking. " It seems...you are awake?" The voice came from the edge of the bed, and at point-blank range. Subaru turned his head, which rested on an exceptionally soft pillow, and narrowed his eyes upon the girl sitting right beside him. "I suppose in one sense, having a maid by your side when you wake up is a man's cherished desire." "...Considering my degree of carelessness, this is the least I can do to atone." "Man, that's such a negative thing to say, Rem. More to the point..." With Rem's eyes downturned, Subaru sat up, punctuating each movement with a word as he took his right hand from under the blankets and lifted it up. It was firmly in Rem's grasp. "Did I do this? If I just grabbed you and didn't let go... That's kind of embarrassing. It's like when I was a kid and wouldn't let go of my favorite towel." "Er, no, that's..." When Subaru posed the question, still holding Rem's hand as he glanced at her, he saw her cheeks redden just a bit. "I...did it." "Why? I mean, I sweat a lot when I sleep, so my palm's probably pretty nasty, too." "Subaru, I..." "Yeah?" As Rem's words faltered, Subaru had a warm feeling as he quietly watched her, their hands still joined. There was no rush involved, so Rem took several breaths before looking at Subaru with upturned eyes. "You seemed to be suffering while you slept, so I..." "You held my hand?" "Yes, because I am weak and full of flaws. Hence, I do not know what I can do for someone when this happens. Since I did not know, I did the thing that would have made me happiest." Her halting, fumbling words suggested that this was linked to some kind of embarrassing memory. However, Subaru gave his hand a smile as Rem made her feelings clear. It was like that hand had rescued Subaru from a bad dream, as if he were a little kid. No doubt someone had held Rem's hand on some night when she seemed about to cry. Subaru couldn't help but be happy, even giddy, that she had done the same for him. With no reason to let go, their hands remained together. Subaru kept soaking up the warmth as he inclined his head. "Anyway, care to tell me what else happened before I read the sequel?" "Yes. How much do you remember, Subaru?" "Rozchi made fire rain from the sky, and you were worked up and bear-hugged me. That's it." "...So, what happened after, then...?" Haltingly, Rem explained the aftermath in a businesslike fashion. After Subaru lost consciousness, Roswaal had mopped up the demon beasts in the forest. The effect of Subaru's stench of the witch worked fine even with him out cold, so Roswaal had used him as bait to lure out the demon beasts, and then incinerated the remainder in the forest. "Then the curses on me...?" "In this case...the casters were the demon beasts that bit you. You need not be concerned about dying from those curses any longer. Master Roswaal and Lady Beatrice and the Great Spirit have already taken care of everything." "So all three are guaranteeing it, huh...? Well, I'll believe it this time." He'd been bitten almost everywhere else, so Subaru put a hand on his breast as he sighed with relief. Apparently the time bombs in his body had been successfully defused. He grimaced as he recalled just how many times he'd almost died and what pain and suffering he'd gone through to achieve this. "Master Roswaal also calmed the agitated villagers in person. Things have mostly returned to peace and quiet." "I see. So the brats are safe, huh? But they're probably worried sick about their beloved Big Bro Subaru coming back all beat-up, heh-heh." Subaru was lightening up

the mood when Rem made a murmur rich with meaning as she pulled down the blanket covering him. " Yes...so it would seem." What? thought Subaru, suspicious of Rem's demeanor, but his expression soon changed to surprise. Under the blankets, Subaru was dressed in a gown just like the one he'd worn on his first day at Roswaal Manor when he'd been severely injured. He realized there was something odd on the parts of the gown below the waist, namely... "There are scribbles all over it...like on a cast for a broken leg!" "The children Master Roswaal graciously invited to the mansion wrote these things." "Geez, those little brats...!" Subaru clicked his tongue as he looked over their notes to him. In the first place, they were written upside down from Subaru's point of view, and it wasn't good handwriting to begin with. But since they were written in the I-script Subaru had learned, he eventually read everything. "Thanks for bringing Rem back." "Thank you very much." "You look crazy, but you're cool." "Do aerobics with us like you promised." "Love you." Subaru grumbled as he leaned back against the pillow, looking toward the window. "Geez, those brats... It's so stupid. I don't even like kids..." He was glaring toward the village and the children there who had written such things. He was looking forward to paying them a visit as soon as he could. Then he'd give those happy, prank-playing children a real chewing out. Rem warmly watched how Subaru's words contrasted with the look on his face. Then her expression wavered, her lips trembling. "Setting aside the past, I need to speak to you about your body." "Mm, ah, suppose you're right. Setting aside the curse, I pushed it pretty far, huh?" It was only as he spoke that he realized his right shoulder, the same side as the hand Rem was holding, was in its socket. Even when he put weight on it, there was no ache. He felt no malaise from the scars all over his body where fangs had punctured his flesh. This world's healing magic can do anything, thought Subaru. "Subaru, I am sorry." In spite of Subaru's optimistic judgment, Rem bent forward at the waist and bowed her head before him. "Hey, hey," Subaru said with a wave of his hand, not able to grasp why Rem would be apologizing to him. "Lift your head up, Rem. My body's fine; there's nothing bad about it. I'm in perfect condition." "That is...not true whatsoever. Certainly the visible wounds have been healed, and fortunately, you need not be concerned about aftereffects hindering normal, everyday life. But..." As her words broke off, a bitter shadow came over Rem's face. "The scars remain...not only on the body but the heart as well. Also, due to repeated healing, your body's mana is on the verge of running dry." "Ahh, that's why my body's a little sluggish... But that's not a big problem, is it? Scars on the body are a man's medals as long as they're not on the back. And I'm pretty tough when it comes to mental scars." Subaru pointed his thumb at himself as he smiled to drive away Rem's pangs of guilt. He wasn't making it up. If his heart had been naive enough to have been broken beyond repair, he'd never have made it to that morning to have Rem holding his hand like that. After all, he'd undergone wounds to his spirit that could very well have made him unable to look Rem in the eye again. Subaru gazed at Rem intently. She had short blue hair. Her face was more the "lovely" than "pretty" type. At first, he thought she showed little emotion on her face, but she was coming around on that bit by bit. He wasn't afraid of her. He wasn't afraid of her at all. There was a Rem who had made Subaru loop more than once, but here was a Rem happy from the bottom of her heart that he had come back alive. It was all by chance. There was the Rem who ran amok for her sister's sake, the Rem who acted rashly to protect Subaru, the Rem who ran off before switching to Berserker Mode so that she wouldn't cause friendly fire "You may look like you have it all together, but you really aren't the calm type at all, are you, Rem?" In everyday life at the mansion, Rem had exceptionally sound, rational decision-making ability. But in a fast-moving crisis, Rem's thoughts also moved quickly, making her hasty and rash. Subaru wasn't really one to talk about snap judgments, but in Rem's case, it was scary how she held a hammer only to see every problem as a nail. Subaru had experienced that firsthand. When Subaru pointed that out, Rem froze for a moment before making a listless, low bow. "I...understand." Her murmur seemed like the first drop to break the dam of feelings she held inside her. "I am powerless, talentless, and a reject of the demon race. That is why I could never live up to Sister. I was so slow-footed compared to Sister, and I could not think of any way to catch up beyond running faster." Rem covered her face with her free hand, continuing her confession as if squeezing it out of herself. "Sister did everything better. Sister never blundered. Sister never wavered. Sister was right about everything. Sister... If it was Sister, she..." Rem's words trailed off as she meekly looked up at Subaru. What rested in her eyes were not tears but hollow resignation and despair. "I was always Sister's...substitute. I've always, always been inferior. Truly, I am a good-for-nothing. I could not catch up to Sister no matter how much I chased after her." Faint tears abruptly welled up in her eyes. "Why was I the one to keep my horn? Why wasn't it Sister? Why was Sister born with only one? Why...? Why were Sister and I twins?" Rem's lips trembled as she sought meaning for her very existence. The tears welling in her eyes rolled onto her cheeks, making Rem's pale flesh glimmer in sorrow. Subaru held his silence. Rem seemed unable to bear the quiet, hastily wiping the tears off her cheek. She spoke rapid-fire, trying to take back her preceding statements. "I...I am sorry. I said some very odd things. Please forget them. This is the first time I have said such strange things to anyo " "Hey, Rem." Subaru called her name, cutting her words off midway. Rem was afraid of what Subaru would say now that he had broken his silence but lifted her face nonetheless. And so, Subaru said to her... "From everything I've heard from you, you're a pretty big idiot." " Eh?" "I can think of three stupid things about you. Can you guess what they are?" Rem's eyes quivered, unable to grasp the meaning behind Subaru's words. Subaru smiled at her reaction and raised a finger in front of Rem. "Can't be helped, then. The first stupid thing is...you're going overboard given the fact that I was actually, you know, saved. You see me waving right before your eyes, right? I have both legs on and everything." Subaru wiggled his scratched-up legs. Rem realized that Subaru was speaking in regards to her confession but meekly shook her head even so. "That is...justifying after the fact..." "A wise man once said, 'All's well that ends well.' To be honest, I think my version's a lot more on target than trying to grade every part along the way. That leads me to the second stupid thing, which is you trying to carry everything on your shoulders by yourself." With a wink, Subaru raised a second finger. "Now, I'm super happy you flew off the handle like that for my sake, but everything has a time and a place. To begin with, if you'd talked to other people about it, we'd probably have come up with a better way." Where hunting the demon beasts was concerned, it was crystal clear that Subaru had a point. Rem, unable to refute him, lowered her eyes as if ashamed of her own impulsiveness. Of course, his criticism was something that could be said only in hindsight. But Rem did not realize that even the tiniest bit, nor did she realize Subaru was sticking out his tongue just a little. "As for the third... You know what it is, Rem?" "I...do not understand at all. I am always insufficient; I can never reach as far as " "Yes, that. That's the third stupid thing." Subaru pointed at Rem and how she never missed a chance to put herself down. Then he raised a third finger and waved the three about. "Rem, just because she's your older sister, you build her up and put yourself down to where it almost kills you... I don't think Ram's always in a stronger position than you, okay? Her stamina's worse than yours, her cooking's lousy, she slacks off work, she makes snide comments... I suppose she thinks a little too much, too?" In Subaru's mind, Ram's specs were a long way from the pillar of perfection Rem spoke of. She was an older sister with talents behind her younger sister in every area. Surely the sisters themselves were well aware of this. That was what Subaru supposed, but Rem shook her head, rejecting his suggestions. "N-no...you are wrong. Sister is truly... If she had her horn, you would never judge her so " "But Ram doesn't have her horn. So I don't know a Ram like that." Subaru, cutting off Rem's attempt to firmly deny herself, continued. "The Ram I know is just like I described. She can't hold a candle to you in cooking, sewing, cleaning, politeness, or the way she talks well, I don't think that last part is a bad thing, really." It wasn't bad to butt heads with her over her haughty manner of speaking from time to time. To Subaru, the distance between him and Ram was more comfortable. "It's probably only you who's worked up about whether she has a horn or not. Comparing someone else's good points and your own bad points just gets you bent out of shape." *** "Whatever she doesn't have, you have. So accept it already... You're gentle, a hard worker, always doing your best, and your breasts are bigger than Ram's, too " *** "Ow! Hey, don't smack me with tears in your eyes like that!" Subaru recalled his brief conversation with Ram in the forest. There, he had learned that Ram wasn't particularly hung up any longer on what she had lost as a demon, to the point where he believed Ram wanted Rem to get over it, too. Subaru was not arrogant enough to think that was a problem he was capable of fixing. In the end, Subaru was just a mouthy young man lacking the length or depth of life experience to handle the job. A lecture from someone like him wasn't going to get him anywhere. He put no pressure on himself. He imagined no gravitas in his words. It was simply something in him that refused to compromise: the idea that, in the end, you didn't get the answer from someone else you had to just roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. So Subaru was simply conveying to Rem his exceptionally simple feelings about the matter. "If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead and dog food right now. I'm safe and sound because you were there. I'm alive now thanks to you. That's your doing, not your sister's." "...Truly, Sister could have done it better." Subaru poured cold water on her weak rebuttal as he brought his left hand over his right, which still held Rem's hand. "Maybe she could have...but you were the one there for me." When Rem gasped and lifted her face, Subaru put enough gratitude into his voice to make

himself blush. "I'm glad you were there for me, Rem. Thank you." *** A choked sob escaped Rem's throat at his words. After that, Rem turned her face aside so that Subaru would not see the look on it. "I...I have always been a substitute for Sister..." "Stop defining yourself with lonely words like that, all right? You and Ram are different genres. I mean, she's the older sister and you're the younger sister sometimes you're gonna clash." There would always be differences between the two. Each had their unique good points. Whether Rem understood what he was saying or not, Subaru's encouragement made Rem squeeze her eyes shut. "Well, I haven't really asked why she lost her horn, and since I didn't ask I don't know. I don't know, so I don't want to talk like I do know, so..." Subaru put his left hand on the upper part of his own forehead patting it right where Rem's horn grew out of hers. "Ram doesn't have her horn, and you have yours, so you can just do whatever she would need a horn for. You can just be two demons getting along great. There's nothing stronger than love between beautiful sisters, right?" "...Ah..." "So I mean, you said you were a substitute, but Ram has no substitute for you, does she? I mean, if you weren't there for her, can you imagine the state she'd be in?" Rem, aghast, didn't know this, but Subaru had seen such a future. He had seen Ram, despairing at the death of her younger sister, go mad and use all her remaining strength for the sake of vengeance. "...But..." Yet even so, Rem did not simply nod in agreement. "I get it. So, how about we do this? You have an idealized Ram inside you that you can never compare to no matter what you do. Let's take that ideal Ram you have on a pedestal and send her packing." "That is...easier said than done. I have always compared myself to " "That's why I want you to listen to how I rate her. My rating's based on reality, not the ideal. Just so you know...I don't have any talent for reading the mood at all, so I just call 'em like I see 'em, no flattery or mercy. What you see is what you get." Subaru smiled at Rem, grinning as he stroked her blue hair. It tickled her, but she merely narrowed her eyes, drawing a small sigh out of Subaru. "Where I come from, they say, 'Talking about the future makes a demon laugh,' so..." Rem said nothing and merely tilted her head a bit as Subaru continued caressing her head and speaking. "Laugh, Rem. Don't make a glum face. Laugh. Let's laugh and talk about the future. Let's make up for all that living in the past you've been doing and talk about what's to come. I mean, even if we start with tomorrow." "...Tomorrow?" "Yes, tomorrow. Anything's good, all right? Like, whether it'll be Japanese or Western food for breakfast tomorrow, or even if you're going to put on your right shoe or your left shoe first. It doesn't matter how trivial, there'll be a tomorrow, so we can talk about it. How about it?" Subaru spread his arms, prodding Rem for an answer. Rem hesitated to reply for a while before lowering her brows with a conflicted look. "I am...very weak...so I will most likely lean on you a great deal." "What's wrong with that? I'm weak, too. I'm not very smart, I'm not good-looking, and I can't read the mood, which gets me down even when I'm the one saying it, but I still get by because the people around me help me. We just have to lean on one another and move forward." She had been unable to see a path for her to walk because she insisted on putting anything and everything onto her own shoulders. The least Subaru could do was offer his two empty hands and make the walk forward that much easier. Even so, he'd just been extra baggage himself more than once...but if you couldn't see ahead by yourself, you just needed someone to share the burden with as you moved forward. That's how he felt, anyway. "So let's laugh, hug each other, and talk about tomorrow. I've always dreamed of laughing with a demon and talking about the future, anyway." "...You truly are possessed by a demon." "You bet." Subaru closed one eye with the corner of his lips curled up. Rem apparently couldn't resist making a small smile herself. She laughed, and as she laughed, tears poured out of the corners of her eyes. The seemingly endless tears poured out, flowing and flowing, but Rem continued to laugh even so. Rem laughed, Rem cried, Rem buried her face in a pillow to suppress her laughing, sobbing voice. Even so, her mirthful, tearful voice quietly filled the room. Subaru gently caressed Rem's hair the whole while, his right hand grasping hers. Softly, softly, he stroked her hair. He thought back to the days he had repeated over and over in his first week at Roswaal Manor. Subaru had a place at the mansion with a good relationship with Ram and Rem. The children of the village had been saved, and the demon beasts in the forest had been wiped out, eliminating that danger. It was a grand adventure spanning some twenty-odd days. Yes, it should have been cause for celebration. And if not for the girl using a finger to toy with her silver hair, in a sullen mood as she laid into Subaru, it would have been. " It's not that I'm upset. No, I'm not upset. All that happened was the patient I'd been nursing was gone when I woke up, and when I was going to go looking for him, I found out I'd been tied to the chair and left behind. No, I'm not upset about that at all." A flood of cold sweat poured down Subaru's brow as he silently listened to Emilia's rant. It had already been some ten minutes since Emilia had come to the room, but most of that time had been chewed up by a mix of lecturing and venting. Her initial visit was out of concern for Subaru's condition. When she was certain he was fine, she had sighed with relief and switched gears to leveling her complaints on the spot. That was Emilia's personality for you. "I'm...not upset...so..." "Yes, Emilia-tan, you're right to be upset with me. I'm very sorry." "Sheesh, I said I wasn't upset. But since you apparently feel guilty I have no choice... I will accept your apology, Subaru. Really, don't make me worry like that." After Subaru gave in to her pressure, Emilia accepted the apology and punctuated her last sentence with a broad, charming smile. It wasn't even remotely fair. How could she say things like that and make that kind of face at the same time? After he'd made up with Rem, the maid had left, and Emilia had taken her place. The moment she'd arrived, he'd largely expected how the rest would go, but now that her lecture was finished, the way there was nothing in her purple eyes but concern for Subaru made it really hard for him to calm down. "I have to say, Subaru, you sure get hurt a lot. And the reason you got hurt was that you came to the mansion, too... I mean, it's only been four days." "Hey, it's not like I want all these injuries. I guess you could say the world kind of has it out for me...so, if I can at least have Emilia-tan fawning over me, it's all good!" "I fawned over you plenty and you just ran off. You can fend for yourself next time." "Nuaaa! I let my chance slip away! Damn it, if only Beako had done a bit of a better job!" Subaru shouted in anger at the coldhearted girl, having not seen a single trace of her curly hair since his recovery. Emilia pouted as Subaru's words made her remember how he'd left her behind. "I told you, when I woke up after falling asleep in the chair I was tied up in it. I was flabbergasted." "No one uses flabbergasted anymore..." "Don't make light of it... Puck tried to keep me from going after both of you, too. I don't know what would have happened if Roswaal hadn't come back. Understand?" Faced with Emilia's tight-lipped anger, Subaru could only feel ashamed of himself. Just as he had imagined, Puck attempted to keep Emilia from putting herself in danger. Apparently Beatrice had abandoned any thought of convincing her early on and had moved straight to physical restraints. Having both of them impeding Emilia must have been pretty hard on her mental state. Subaru knew that was exactly how he'd feel if it'd been him left behind like that. Even so, if he'd had to do it all over again, no doubt he'd have left Emilia behind once more. "You've saved me again, though." "Eh?" "I said, you've saved me again, even though the whole point of bringing you to the mansion was to thank you for saving me before. Thank you very much." Emilia put her hands together for emphasis as her face broke into a radiant smile. Subaru, bearing the full effect of it, finally felt something go plunk in his chest. "Err, that's fine, really! I just did it because I wanted to, and it's not like this has nothing to do with me, either. Yeah, that's right. I...did it." As he said it, it really sank in. That was what had fallen inside his chest. Having repeated events over some twenty days, Subaru had finally made it to the end. After having his heart broken and crushed so many times, his hand had finally reached that which he had long sought. He was finally able to register that feeling of I did it! "That's what you say, but that won't put my conscience at ease. I'm sure Ram, Rem, and Roswaal are all grateful to you, too." "That so...? All right, let me take advantage and have my contract with Rozchi amended so that Ram and Rem are my personal maids for a while, muah-ha-ha. And then!" Subaru put his hand over his mouth as he made a lewd laugh. He then swayed his body left and right as he drew closer to Emilia, thrusting a finger toward her, making her recoil ever so slightly. "Am I going to get an Emilia-tan reward, too?" "Goodness, if I can afford it. If it is within my power, then... Wait, last time, you asked me for my name." "Heh-heh. Do not underestimate my greed. This time I am a man unaffected by anything so weak. I am aroused by greed and avarice and a vortex of libido!" Though he never even got up from the bed, Subaru posed, furiously spreading his arms up at an angle. Perhaps seeing Subaru worked up to that degree made Emilia believe the subject couldn't be avoided. She sat down, properly facing him. As Emilia awaited the inevitable, Subaru browsed the "Emilia Reward List" in his brain. He carefully went over options ranging from the bittersweet to nighttime adventures, selecting one. And so... "All right, Emilia-tan, let's go out on a date." ...he would redo the promise he'd made with Emilia so many days before. "'Date'...?" "It means we head out together, see the same things, eat the same food, share the same memories together." "...You're fine with that?" "I'm fine with that." How many hardships had Subaru gone through to go on his long-desired date with Emilia? Along the way, various other intentions had piled up with it as he leaped over one hurdle after another, but he'd finally cleared the last obstacle and reached his wish. Hence, the promise was a

fitting way to tie all the loops together. "I want to brag about you to the brats in the village, Emilia-tan. Plus, the flower bed's just awesome. To me, it'd be special just to have a casual stroll there together." "I think your definition of greed is a bit different than for most people." "Don't say that. My shamelessness will freeze that cute smile on your face yet. Oh yeah!" Subaru's teeth glinted as he did a thumbs-up and a wink. "Yes, all right already, I'll go on a 'date' with you." The promise having been made, Subaru clapped his hands together and exulted. "Yessss! And that's why E M F (Emilia-tan's Majorly a Fairy)!!" Subaru, seeing Emilia sigh at his enthusiasm out of the corner of his eye, directed his hopes for a speedy physical recovery outside the window, toward the village where they would have their promised date. Visions of a glittering future danced when Subaru abruptly thought of the demon beast forest. The curses that inhabited his body had lost all their effectiveness. The demon beasts had been eradicated the end of a long chain of events beginning with a single one slipping past the broken barrier. This time, matters had ended with one species wiping out the other. The events left a bitter aftertaste that he didn't fully understand. He remembered how he was in a daze as he thrust his sword into the demon beast's body. The memory was fresh, and the sensation of taking a life lingered on his hands. He wondered if he would forget that sensation someday. Surely the passage of time would make the ache in his chest subside. But until that day came, what could he do...? "Subaru." "Yeah?" He looked back when she called his name. He wondered what Emilia would think of the meaning behind Subaru's distant, absentminded gaze. Emilia rose to her feet and opened the curtains. Light flooded into the room all at once. Emilia's silver hair was enveloped by vivid, dancing light that left him spellbound. Finally, as Subaru sat in silence, Emilia smiled at him out of the blue. "When we go on the 'date,' let's bring back a flower bouquet." " Sure." Subaru covered his face with his palms. There was no winning against that smile. He thought, before the day came when he forgot, he ought to carve it into his chest so that he could not. He knew it was hypocritical and would only force the pain on to him, but he felt it was the right thing to do. He felt like Emilia's pretty smile was telling him so. So he did. Emilia and Subaru continued to spend time together with smiles on their faces. Having finally and truly reached it, the morning of the fifth day continued to gently shine down upon them. *** About half a day had passed since Subaru and Emilia had promised to go on a date together. The man's gentle voice contained a masculine eloquence that was the product of years of experience. "First, I must thank you for your service during my aaabsence. The situation was salvaged thanks to your efforts." His tone was casual, but its firm, unwavering resonance made Ram's shoulders tremble. "I do not deserve such praise. Besides, in the end it was settled by your own hands, Master Roswaal " "I mind not. Incinerating harmful beasts in the forest is no great expenditure of tiiime." Roswaal waved a hand, speaking as if it was a trivial matter. Ram was well aware that his claim was not false modesty, hyperbole, or an empty boast. She could not say a word to refute him. They were speaking to each other in Roswaal's study on the uppermost floor of the mansion. As always, their nocturnal chats involved only the two of them. "Leaving past events aside, let us speak of something more construuuctive. For instance, what shall become of young Subaru from here ooon, I wonder?" "...His body is most certainly largely healed. Lady Beatrice made many complaints, but she fully exerted herself to heal him, so..." "I wonder what illness has befaaallen her. I have known her for quite some time, and the boy is the first time I have seen her become so involved. Surely she could not have...? Ah, surely not..." Roswaal closed his blue eye as he discarded the implication of his own words. Ram pretended not to hear the quiet portion at the end, not wishing to disturb her master's thought process as she said, "Either way, if not for Lady Beatrice, I doubt we could have saved Subaru." "Perhaps we should call that young Subaru's good fooortune. Indeed, there are few more accomplished healers than Beatrice. I am embarrassed to say that I specialize only in the infliction of harm." Roswaal shook his head and tilted it to the side a little. The corners of his lips formed a thin smile. It was a transparent, mild expression, the sort that would perfectly conceal his pleasure or displeasure from anyone but himself. "Howeeever, I am guessing, from your stating this as the preface, that his condition is not so rooosy?" "Yes. Barusu has had his gate forced back to life after running dry twice in a short period of time. On top of that, he has been healed from life-threatening injuries, so...I wonder how well his gate can function after being forced open and abused like this." "Is this the diagnosis of Beatrice and the Great Spirit?" "Yes." Roswaal folded his arms and closed his eyes as he mulled the report over. Damage to one's gate, and thus, one's ability to use mana, was a fatal affliction for any magic user. Roswaal, bearer of the title of court magician, keenly appreciated the state Subaru was in. "Though gates mend differently for each person, it would take years no matter what. He will face a very difficult choice." Ram nodded at Roswaal's conclusion before voicing how Subaru's condition was even graver still. "It is not merely an issue of his damaged gate but the remnants of the curses as well." " I thought the danger of activation has passed?" "The casters...in this case, the Urugarum...have been eliminated, so there are no casters to activate the curses...but the rites for them still remain in Barusu's body." "So they are intertwined with such complexity that even Beatrice cannot unravel them... My, my, that is a curse in an altogether different sense... I suppose this means we must reward his service all the mooore." Though the rites remaining in the absence of their casters was some cause for concern, there was essentially no danger of their activating. However, Subaru's body had taken the bullets that, in the worst case, would have spread to others still, those not only in his employ but also, more importantly, Emilia. As a result, Emilia's participation in the royal selection had been preserved. It was, in every way, service that merited a reward. "Incidentally, Ram...concerning the iiissue of the demon beasts, did you check on what I asked you to?" Roswaal asked with a meek look that was quite rare to see on him, and it threw Ram off a fair bit. He awaited her reply as she touched her forehead. Her finger prodded the old wound beneath her headdress. Ram felt the faint throb of the scar as she made her report. "As far as I have determined from the corpses that remain, the demon beasts were all hornless." Roswaal exhaled at Ram's reply. He leaned back against his chair. "The demon beasts I mopped up were the same. Howeeever, that makes this something far larger than an issue of mere noxious beasts, does it nooot?" "A demon beast with its horn severed will obey the one who severed it. That would mean some fool directed the beasts toward your manor or your lands in general, Master Roswaal." "It is no doubt relaaated to the royal selection. Like the invitation to Garfiel's land, this has interfered with us considerably." Ram raised her eyebrows at the invocation of the well-known name. "Gar...Garfiel, you say?" Roswaal had a conflicted look as he shrugged. His behavior was aloof, but Ram was acutely aware that this was no small matter. Indeed, it was a battle with low odds of victory. They needed every card they could add to their hand. Ram knew very well that she was one of those cards. Her inability to do anything but watch Roswaal battle alone chafed at her. "Let us return to the matter at hand. Do you have an educated guess as to the 'ringleader' who severed the horns?" "...Tentatively. But the trail has already gone cold. One of the children Barusu and Rem supposedly brought back from the forest vanished from the village the next day." When she'd asked about the girl with braids who the two had brought back, they had said the villagers all claimed they didn't know the girl. According to the children, she became part of their group at some point, but they couldn't say when. When she pressed further, they told her that it was that girl who had first brought the demon beast pup to the village, and it was she who had later brought the children past the barrier with her into the forest. She was all but certain that girl had been the ringleader. "First the Bowel Hunter in the royal capital, now the Beast Mage here. Certainly a strange cast of characters." "Yet they cannot best you no matter what they throw at you, Master Roswaal." "My, such a cheeky thing for you to say. Come." When Roswaal smiled and beckoned with his hand, Ram cut across the ebony desk to be at his side. As she did so, Roswaal reached his arm around Ram's small body, pulling her atop his lap. Then "Because I could not be here last niiight for you, it must have been hard on you." "I know that you are very busy, Master Roswaal. Even if you leave my needs for later..." "Ram, I have always tooold you..." Ram's eyes were downturned when Roswaal lifted her chin with a finger, turning her face toward his with a smile. "You and Rem are among those beings precious to me, so few I can count them on one hand. Indeed, if some terrible fate had befallen you in this incident, I am not confident I could have restrained myself." His finger remained on Ram's chin as the dramatic words Roswaal tossed at her put an enthralled look on her face. Heat seemed to fill Ram's eyes as she gazed at Roswaal from close up. "To Master Roswaal, Rem and I are " "Yes, to me, you and Rem are precious, vital, and irreplaceable..." As their words piled upon one another, so did their feelings as Roswaal beheld Ram with his yellow eye, pausing for a brief moment... "...pawns." So spoke Roswaal to Ram in theatrical style. His words did not carry the slightest hint of guilt, for he was stating what he regarded as pure truth. And Ram, upon hearing her existence described as that of a pawn... " Yes." ...her cheeks reddened as she nodded back. Ram's demeanor was perfectly docile and full of adoration as Roswaal pulled her even higher on his lap. "Nooow, then, shall we begin? You pushed yourself quite considerably, yes? You are quite mana-depleted, even though I told you to take it easy." "I am very sorry... Please." Ram untied the headdress atop her pink hair as she acknowledged Roswaal's words. Roswaal slid a finger past her hair to where a faint white scar rested on the upper reaches of her forehead. It was the last vestige of her life as a wonder child among the demon people. Roswaal grazed his finger across the scar like it was a beloved, wonderful thing. " The blessings of the stars upon thee." Four glimmering colors flowed along Roswaal's arm and converged upon

the tip of his finger to become a white light. The light coursed down his finger and poured into Ram's scar. The technique to transfer mana directly to another demanded exceptional skill. If the elemental composition of the mana was not perfectly balanced, the mana would harm the recipient's body when converted back into energy. It was a "therapy" that Roswaal could employ because he was attuned to all four major mana affinities and was accomplished at using them all at a very high level. For demons, the horns on their foreheads formed the pipeline through which mana passed in and out of the body. Their horns, which functioned much like stronger, finely tuned gates, were the foremost reason the demons were a powerful race. But Ram had lost her horn due to external factors, leaving her body unable to draw in mana or emit power as her body demanded, a loss all the graver because Ram's body was top tier, even by demon standards. Left to her own devices, her body would simply wither away. These private nighttime chats were a daily event so as to prevent that from happening. Ram felt her body come back to life as mana poured into her through the horn scar. She let herself luxuriate in the sweet feeling of warmth filling her body from the inside out when she said out of the blue, "Ah, I forgot something. There was something else I need to report to you, Master Roswaal..." "Mm? And what would thaaat be?" Roswaal continued the treatment with one eye closed while Ram sank into thought for a while. She seemed to be at odds about how to word it exactly. "Rem has...fallen in love with Barusu." "Mm?" "It would seem Barusu has...grazed all of Rem's weak points." Rem was the younger twin sister. As her older sister, Ram was painfully aware of her younger sister's state of mind. Put another way, she knew all too well that it was not in Rem's nature to be honest with herself. "Rem has, has she? Weeell, perhaps it is not so mysterious. After all, she does not serve me out of loyalty, unlike youuu." Ram remained quiet before her master's assessment of her younger sister in silent agreement. Unlike Ram, who loyally served Roswaal without asking anything in return, Rem viewed that as a betrayal of the self. To Rem, Roswaal was very much "Sister's patron." Since her sister was her very purpose in life, Rem's thought process never extended beyond that. It was that line of thinking that made Rem so reckless and rash when it came to defending her community; take your eyes off her, and she'd eliminate anyone she viewed as a threat to it without a second thought. Ram believed Subaru had been saved because he'd gained Rem's trust before she could assault him. Of course, all that being said, Ram still regarded Rem as the cutest little sister in the whole world, someone more important than Ram herself. But if someone asked her if Rem occupied the highest pedestal in her heart, Ram could not simply nod and agree. "Regardless of Rem's feelings, you shall remain firmly in my hands, Ram. Where you go, Rem shall invaaariably follow. You seeee, things shall be as before. Nooothing will change." "I...suppose so, though now that there is one more precious thing to Rem, the chance of her acting rashly is even greater, one might say." "Let us cross that bridge when we get to it. This is important work for tomorrow, after aaall." As Roswaal jested, light faded from his palm. The treatment was over. Ram felt full not only of life but also disappointment as she slid off Roswaal's lap. After Ram rose from his lap, he rose from the chair. "Things shall be busier from here on. It shall require much labor, but I am counting on you and Rem, yeees?" "As you wish. I am yours, Master Roswaal, as I have been since that fiery night." Ram grasped the hem of her skirt and bent her knees in a reverential curtsy. Roswaal noted her display of loyalty as he crossed his hands behind him and walked toward the window. He glanced at Ram, following beside him, as he opened the curtain. When he looked up at the sky, and the full moon floating within it, Roswaal narrowed his oddly colored eyes. "We must be victorious in the royal selection, no matter what...for the sake of my goal..." As he murmured, he reached out his arm, wrapped it around Ram's shoulders, and pulled her close. Able to feel the warmth of his tall body for a second time, Ram closed her eyes and leaned into him. She listened to the voice of the man beside her, her lord and master, the man she had given her soul. "...For the day the Dragon dies." *** How many times had he been slammed to the ground? He felt the hard, flat earth beneath him. A mix of blood and gravel made a mess of his mouth. His entire body burned like it was on fire. After so many blows to the head, his thoughts felt foggy and out of focus. His left eye had swollen shut. He heard a voice from somewhere high and distant, from someone looking down at him. " I believe it would be futile to continue further?" Subaru remained flat on the ground, limbs splayed, as he looked in the direction of the voice. He saw the violet-haired young man swaying the tip of the wooden sword in his hand. His mostly white ceremonial uniform did not have a single speck of dust on it, nor was he out of breath, nor even sweating. Only the bloodstained weapon he held detracted from his elegant mien. "If you take back what you said and bow your head before me, I will leave it at that. Do you accept?" It was the young man who had inflicted such pain on Subaru's body, relentlessly striking until he mercilessly drove Subaru to the ground. Each time he did, he would deliver his order for surrender again, as if some kind of rule demanded it. But Subaru's reply was set in stone. "...I'm not wrong... I'm not...bowing my head." Even with blood trickling from his nostrils in an unsightly fashion, Subaru leaned on his wooden sword and rose again. He coughed violently to spit out the blood clogging his throat. The difference in strength was clear. Everyone knew who the winner and loser would be. It'd take a miracle for Subaru to get a single blow in, let alone win. But he thought, Yeah, like I care. "...You should take back what you...!" Subaru bit back the pain in his mouth and cut off his last biting words before charging forward too slowly, too late. He poured all his strength into one desperate blow. "You can put everything on the line and it will never be enough. That is the difference between us, unchanged from birth." He smoothly parried the oncoming blow, and, after Subaru lost his balance, the young man slammed him hard in his chest. Subaru's breath deserted him, and the next moment, when his vision flickered, a blow to his face sent him tumbling backward onto the ground. The pain was tremendous. Amid agony so strong he forgot to breathe, Subaru stared up toward the heavens through his right eye. He saw the azure sky, high and distant, but nothing beyond it. It was so blue it made him sick. Subaru forced himself back to his feet and peered ahead, enduring bloodcurdling pain with nothing more than his inexhaustible anger. But it was as if that anger was a diversion from whether he was in the right or the wrong in the first place. CHAPTER 1 *** "And last, stretch your arms high in the sky for the big finish Victory! Victory!" He listened to the giddy voices as he wiped the sweat off his brow. Subaru raised both hands high as he spoke his trademark phrase. A chorus followed, ending another morning's workout. The people who joined him in his exuberant radio calisthenics were residents of Earlham Village, the one closest to Roswaal Manor. Probably half the village was present. Subaru's cheeks softened without him realizing it at the sight of the familiar buoyant faces. He wordlessly lowered his gaze a little, unable to watch them for a few moments. Subaru had suggested teaching Japanese radio calisthenics to help the village, where scars from the recent demon beast crisis were still fresh. This had improved his reputation among the otherworldly residents and exploded into a village-wide movement. At first, Subaru had been worried about the lack of participants. But seeing the children who had been victims of the demon beast attack enjoy themselves made him feel it was all worth it. The customs of his homeland were not to be underestimated. Radio calisthenics weren't the only popular tradition... "Okay, you brats, line up! It's stamp time!" Subaru raised his voice while taking out a raw potato with one end sliced flat. Subaru dipped the flat end into an ink container, then pressed it onto the sheets of paper that the queued-up children held out eagerly. The very in-demand "potato stamp" recorded that day's fruits of labor. "So how about it? In another week we'll start the long-awaited, much-requested event, Monday Puck. The highlight will be those floppy ears." "The kitty's so cute!" "He's wonderful!" "He's adorable!" He'd stolen the potato-stamp idea from radio calisthenics during summer break back home. A lot of kids had fun guessing what was going to be on that morning's stamp. Subaru thus used his oddly dexterous fingers to engage their young minds. After a time, his pleasant chat with the villagers came to a close. Subaru waved to them and went on his way. He approached a tree at the edge of the village square, wearily calling out to the girl leaning against the trunk in the shade. "Ahh, that wore me out. Anyway, sorry to keep you waiting, Emilia-tan." "No, it's all right. I see you worked hard, Subaru." Emilia smoothed her silver hair with a charming smile, readjusting the hood she wore low over her face. "The villagers seem much happier these days, and it's all thanks to you, Subaru." "It's no big deal. I just showed them how to do some healthy exercises that get the blood flowing. But I feel bad making you come with me every morning, day after day." "That's okay. You're not in tip-top shape yet, and Ram and Rem can't come because of their work at the mansion. Besides, I really don't mind doing this." "As in, you don't mind spending your mornings with me?" "Pfft, not that. More like...I like being even a tiny bit involved with the villagers I never used to come in contact with. I think maybe...I drew a line between us until now." He could make out a small blush on Emilia's face under her hood. The lovely sight warmed Subaru's cheeks before he even realized what was happening. Lately, Emilia had often gone with him to the village as soon as she finished her daily chitchats with the minor spirits, returning together after Subaru completed the morning workout routine. For about fifteen minutes, he and Emilia would walk side by side on the way from the village back to the mansion. Subaru treasured these rare moments more than anything. "I have to say, though, you really get along with the villagers, Subaru. You're probably more famous than Ram and Rem by now." "Well, I am kind of the hero who saved them. Plus, I'm the ultimate gentleman who never asks for thanks, never brags about my deeds... I'm sure you'll fall in love with me all over again!" "I wasn't in love to begin with, mind you... Also, I think your assessment is slightly off." Emilia put a finger

to her lips, tilting her head slightly with a conflicted look. For his part, Subaru was a little dejected at her brushing off his favor so easily. She continued, "I think that the villagers see you as oddly perceptive rather than a hero who saved everyone. I mean, you know some very mysterious things." "So they're treating me like a well-educated professor, huh... But, um, besides aerobics, I don't know all that much..." "There's the games you play with the children, potato stamping... Also, mayonnaise." Emilia clapped her hands together as her eyes sparkled. She'd become a huge fan of the experimental mayonnaise Subaru had made at the mansion. Subaru, a natural-born mayo lover back on his world, had reproduced mayonnaise to put some zest in his meals; the sauce was apparently a smash hit with Emilia and the villagers. "I think they're underselling my hard work a bit, if they think mayonnaise and rescuing children from demon beasts are on the same level. I mean, I put my body on the line and everything..." He'd gone into the forest to save the children, and got bitten all over. When Rem went out to save him from certain death, he protected her and got bitten, and he was about to be bitten some more when Roswaal showed up to save him... "Huh?! Come to think of it, I did, like, almost nothing!" Thinking back on his exploits, they amounted to considerably less than he'd originally thought. Perhaps it was better to say that he'd been involved in many exploits, but his individual efforts had accomplished close to nothing. "Sheesh. Don't worry about silly little things like that." "But, Emilia-tan..." "Everyone knows you worked very hard, Subaru. Roswaal, Ram, and especially Rem, right?" Subaru's expression remained pathetic in spite of Emilia's encouragement. She ran a few steps ahead of him and turned around. The sudden movement sent her hood falling back, letting her long, silver hair flow down her back, sparkling in the morning sun. "And me, too." " Huh?" "I know very well how hard you worked. That's why we will have no moping. Understand?" Emilia tilted her head and asked, "Your answer?" The dumbfounded Subaru vigorously nodded his head. His reaction prompted a beaming smile from Emilia. "What was that? You were moving like a broken toy. You're always like that." "Er, this time it wasn't on purpose... And besides, you're a hundred times more unfair. No matter how much I struggle, I just keep falling back in love..." "Yes, yes. I think you have very bad habit of glossing things over, like just now." Emilia wore a charming smile, oblivious to the sincerity of his words. Watching her put her hood back on and walk beside him once more, Subaru thought again that he'd never find a better girl than this. The gate of Roswaal Manor had come into view during the course of their conversation. A few meager minutes remained until they arrived and the regretful end to his morning bliss. "There's a...dragon carriage parked in front of the mansion." When Emilia paused beside Subaru and murmured, he stopped, too, looking in the same direction. There was indeed something like a horse-drawn carriage parked at the gates. It was "something like" because the vehicle was clearly not horse-drawn. After all, the creature pulling the carriage was a lizard as large as a horse. Subaru was so surprised at its sheer size, compared to lizards back home, that he wound up clapping his hands together. "Oh, right, I saw those passing through the royal capital here and there. Dragon carriages, you say?" "...? Yes, the land dragon pulls the carriage that's behind it, so it's a dragon carriage. Wait, don't tell me it has a common name I don't know?" "No, no, I'm the one who knows nothing about it. I'm sure you're right, Emilia-tan. Have confidence in yourself." "Really? You're not teasing me? You're not going to embarrass me by letting me use the wrong words in the wrong place, are you? If you're pulling my leg, I'll clobber you!" "Nobody says clobber anymore..." When Emilia raised a hand in mock anger, Subaru clutched his head and pretended to recoil. Their antics continued as they made their way forward, arriving in front of the dragon carriage. "Whoa... Damn, this is impressive. It's, like, so huge it's unreal." He'd seen these several times back during his time in the royal capital, but this was his first good look at one up close. The lizard that Emilia had dubbed a land dragon was indeed as large as a horse, but thinner and lighter. It looked like it'd beat a horse in a footrace. As the two approached, a man stood up from the dragon carriage's box seat and announced, "My, my. Please look out below." Before the startled pair's eyes, the man agilely leaped from the top of the seat to stand on the ground below. Subaru's breath caught a bit when he noticed he'd barely made a sound upon landing. The box seat was around Subaru's eye level not a height to casually leap from. The old man bowed and spoke with eloquence befitting an aged gentleman. "Welcome back. Please excuse me for currently occupying the front of your gate." He politely stroked back his solid white hair before donning an immaculately tailored black suit. Though advanced in years, his body was obviously honed into fine condition, and his aura made Subaru subconsciously stand up straighter. If this man was indeed the driver, and therefore a servant, the master he accompanied had to be quite the person. Thinking this, Subaru shifted his gaze back to the dragon carriage. "The envoy is already inside the manor and possibly engaged with Marquis Mathers." The aging gentleman seemed to read their minds and answered their question preemptively. Subaru was unexpectedly at a loss for words as Emilia, standing beside him, stepped forward and faced the old man. "Envoy...? Could this be...?" "As you have no doubt surmised, Lady Emilia, this concerns the royal selection." At the term royal selection, Subaru's head snapped up. The way Emilia's expression tensed had Subaru furrowing his eyebrows, suspicious about this turn of events. The man continued, "I believe the envoy has an official message for you. Please return to the mansion to receive it in person." "...Am I being summoned?" "Please ask the messenger personally." The old man's discreet reply caused Emilia's face to harden as she lowered her head. " Let's go." She began walking without even looking back at Subaru. He broke into a short jog to catch up. At the last moment, he glanced back, and saw that the driver was still bowing low, silently watching them go. "Welcome back, Lady Emilia." After the driver saw them off, the two arrived at the mansion's foyer and were greeted by a girl in a maid outfit Rem. Strangely, emotions were absent from her high-pitched voice, replaced with calm formality. It was Guest-Greeting Mode, something Subaru hadn't seen much in the mansion lately she'd been showing her smile to Subaru especially. "Thank you. I'm sorry for leaving the mansion. It seems that we have a guest?" "An envoy from the royal capital is visiting. Master Roswaal is engaged with the guest. Do you wish to join them?" "Of course. It's my problem, so we can't have me out of the loop." Rem nodded in response. Emilia began up the stairs. Subaru walked by her side, joining the conversation like it was a normal thing. "All right. Just because the pressure's on doesn't mean I can let it get to me. I better pull myself together and not do anything stupid." He was pumping himself up. But seeing Subaru so enthused, Emilia halted. "Err, what is it, Emilia-tan? Suddenly all stressed out? Need a massage?" "Err... Sorry, Subaru, this is an important meeting, so..." "...I know that. That's why I'm getting my head in the game and..." Emilia was finding it hard to let him down easy, so Rem dispassionately cut him off for her. "Sister is already attending in the reception room. There is no place there for other servants. Understand?" Subaru took in Rem's words and looked back at Emilia. "You're kidding, right? I'm the one who's out of the loop?" "Sorry, Subaru. Rem, lead the way." "Yes. Subaru, please return to your room." After Emilia's small apology, Rem spoke kindly to Subaru even while in Work Mode. Rem walked off to the upper floor with Emilia behind her. Subaru stayed in place and clicked his tongue. "Well, I don't know much about this world, so I probably wouldn't be of much use anyway..." He wondered if it was selfish that he still wanted to be a part of this. It had been approximately one month since Subaru had been summoned into another world. During that time, Subaru had taken it upon himself to favorably alter the destinies of the people with whom he'd become involved. Emilia was the first, but his rapport with the people in the mansion and the village was proof he'd done some good. In light of that, he was disappointed he hadn't been included in such an important issue. "I'm being left behind here literally and metaphorically." Of course, he accepted that his limited talents were the main reason why. "But accepting that and giving up are two different things. What should I do, huh?" Subaru Natsuki wasn't meek enough to simply wander back to his room and sulk in bed. He sank into thought, trying to cook up an approach to deal with the situation his way. Finally, Subaru's face twisted into an evil grin as he thought of something and snapped his fingers. " Ding." "Isn't it boring waiting out in front all this time? Maybe take a breather?" The old man on the box seat widened his eyes in surprise as Subaru came with some tea. The dragon carriage was still parked by the front gate of the mansion. "Forgive my rudeness. This is somewhat unexpected, and so, please watch out below again." With that, the aged gentleman leaped down from the box seat. Just as before, his landing was nearly silent. He continued, "I shall do as you suggest. Certainly, my throat has become slightly parched." "Well, then, here you go. I didn't know what you liked, so I just brought the most expensive tea I could find." The aged gentleman had a mild smile on his face as he accepted the tray. The expression deepened the age-appropriate wrinkles around his mouth, Subaru noticed, studying him intently now that he was close, when... "Whoa, what the...?" Suddenly, a light impact from the side took him by surprise. He quickly found the culprit the land dragon was poking its snout into Subaru's shoulder. The jet-black creature regarded Subaru with sharp, reptilian eyes. Its gaze felt strange, but not uncomfortable. Perhaps he simply didn't feel any hostility in those gentle eyes. The gentleman quickly addressed Subaru. "M-my apologies. This land dragon is the finest one in our house, but..." "Ah, no, don't worry about it. Actually I feel lucky to get so up close and personal." "I am relieved to hear that. I must say, it is rare for it to react in this manner." After apologizing for the animal's discourtesy, the aged gentleman turned his blue eyes on Subaru as well. The boy's body tensed, as if he were suddenly at knifepoint. The gentleman continued. " If I may ask, are those battle scars?" "These? Well, a bunch of things happened, but I wouldn't go as far as calling them battle scars..." "They are from the claws and fangs of beasts. That is why you are favoring your left side, yes?" *** Subaru was surprised the old man could tell exactly what had left the white traces exposed by the rolled-up sleeves of his track jacket. It was true that Subaru had been favoring his left side ever since he had been injured. " I am

deeply sorry for my repeated offenses. It may not be a question you wish to answer." Apologizing in response to Subaru's silence, the aged gentleman took a cup of black tea and brought it to his lips. He commented, "A fine taste. It has a considerable kick to it, I think." "...Well, I didn't exaggerate. It seriously is the most expensive tea in the mansion. I'll have a pink-haired maid on my case if I get caught for this..." That was no hyperbole, either. Ram would have quite the lecture waiting for him if she found out he used the "Do Not Touch" top-class tea without permission. The aged gentleman kept one eye closed as he appraised Subaru with the other. "Now then, what do you want from this old fossil after buttering me up with such wonderful tea?" Faced with the man's calm demeanor and shrewd discernment of his ulterior motive, Subaru could only tense up. As a youth, he knew he was sorely outmatched in this war of words, so he promptly raised the white flag. "Ya got me. My name is Subaru Natsuki. At the moment, I'm an apprentice servant here at Roswaal Manor. I'd at least like to ask what your name is." Acknowledging his status as a novice, he hoped to get his senior to offer a shred of mercy. Seeing Subaru meekly bow his head, the aged gentleman relaxed his expression. "My, that is polite of you. I am called Wilhelm. I currently serve the House of Karsten, and that work has brought me to this place." "Wilhelm, is it? Thank you very much... I'd be really grateful if you could at least tell me what brings you here... Ah, er, would you like to come inside?" "I believe that the envoy is speaking about the matter?" "Well, yeah, but they won't let me in on that. It's no fun to be left out of an event and not advance the story, so I figured I'd approach it my way." He knew this was not a man to spill secrets about important matters. But gradually growing on people was Subaru's specialty. He wasn't just a delinquent without any talent for reading the mood. For a brief moment, Wilhelm was at a loss for words at Subaru's ambitious behavior. "You remain levelheaded at unforeseen developments, and when your motives are exposed, you do not cower but only grow more defiant Such a personality will assuredly incur displeasure." "...So you're saying I can't even take a hint?" "As I do not know your position within this manor, I cannot carelessly run my mouth. I hope you understand." Wilhelm's expression sharpened for a brief moment, then softened as he politely brushed off the impudent request. If things continued this way, Subaru would just wind up making Ram angry. "I will say, you do seem very close to Lady Emilia. It does not look like you are a mere servant." "R-r-really? Emilia-tan and I don't look like an odd pair to you?" "'Tan...'?" Wilhelm raised an eyebrow at the odd manner of address. Then, he smiled thinly as he realized the nature of Subaru's feelings. "You walk a treacherous path indeed. She may become the next queen of Lugunica one day." "Right now, we're just a super-cute girl and a dull servant boy. With the infinite future ahead, you never know what'll happen. When you asked your wife to marry you, Wilhelm, did you think she was the loveliest woman in the whole world?" "My wife " Subaru's radical assertion made Wilhelm slip for a brief moment. He immediately nodded. "I see. Certainly, it is just as you say. I think of my wife as the most beautiful in the world. I felt like everyone was staring at her, and I needed to woo her while I could. Pathetic, yes?" "You see? I'm like, if she has to end up with someone, might as well be me, even if I'm 'unworthy.' It might take a lot of persistence, but that's my win-win ideal." "You certainly act according to some very amusing logic. Fascinating, really. However, in the end I am a mere driver. I do not think I shall be of much service." "I wonder. If you could tell it was Emilia-tan under her hood, I don't think the 'I'm just a driver' excuse works very well." *** Subaru's flippant statement wiped the expression from Wilhelm's face and silenced him. "The robe Emilia-tan wears is supposed to stop bad magic users from figuring out who she is. Plus, because of some stuff recently, a hooded mantle was added that makes it even stronger... People can't see who she is unless she wants them to, or they can break through the magic." The robe, put together with Roswaal's magic, was an effort to nip trouble in the bud before Emilia's half-elf background could cause it. It was to protect her from the unfair handicap she had to bear, being born in her world. " And you realized all that from the beginning. Very cunning." "Oh no, it was total dumb luck. When I was pouring the tea inside the mansion, I was like, 'Wait, wasn't that kinda odd?'" The color of Wilhelm's gaze changed as he watched Subaru smile very casually. At the very least, he probably figured Subaru wasn't just a tea fetcher. "I suppose I cannot call myself a mere driver, then... As you surmised, I am indeed related to the royal selection or related to someone related, I should say." "Related to someone related... That's pretty much the position I'm in here." "You and I are different, I believe, because my reason for involvement is not so romantic." "Well, of course not, when you're married to the most beautiful woman in the world. I think Emilia-tan would beat her out for cuteness, though." "No, even in loveliness, my wife has no match." Subaru had meant to make light of things, but the firm reply left him without a comeback. Wilhelm's cheeks seemed to slacken again as he successfully drove the riposte home. "However it would seem we are out of time." "Ah?" Subaru blurted like a dimwit as Wilhelm silently motioned to the mansion. "That's Rem coming out with... Who is that?" The familiar blue-haired maid was leaving the mansion with someone unfamiliar. Based on Wilhelm's behavior and their previous conversation, he reasoned this must have been the all-important envoy in question. "I guess, objectively, this fantasy stuff is extraordinary..." Perhaps he said that without thinking because the object of his attention didn't look like an "envoy" at all. The visitor noticed Subaru's gaze and responded with a teasing smile. "Hey, it's normal to fall in love with a beautiful person at first sight, but don't you know it's rude to stare?" The speaker was a girl with a lovely face, her flaxen hair cut semi-long. She was tall for a girl, almost the same height as Subaru. However, her figure was terribly delicate, and her every action terribly feminine everything just screamed girl at you. A white ribbon adorned her hair, and the sparkle in her wide eyes gave her the impression of an adorable cat. Indeed, atop her head were... "Seeing them in person, I have to admit, cat ears do have a certain magic to them." "Meow, meow?" As if responding to his murmur, the animal ears, the same color as her hair, quivered. He hadn't had any chances to get up close and personal with a demi-human before. The genuine article was really a sight. Subaru had never felt such anguish before at keeping his inner fur connoisseur in check. As Subaru drifted off into the clouds, the girl turned to Wilhelm as he greeted her. "Hey, Grandpa Wil. Sorry to make you wait outside like that. It was boring, meow?" "Not at all. This kind individual deigned to engage these old bones in conversation, helping me pass the time pass quite enjoyably." "Fumyu?" At the old man's reply, the girl put a finger to her cheek and tilted her head. Her catlike pupils narrowed as she observed Subaru. After a supercilious inspection, she clapped her hands together and announced, "Oh-ho. You're the boy Lady Emilia meowntioned." It was what she did next that caught him completely off guard. "Uh, eh, ehh?!" "Don't move. It's time for a little inspection." Subaru was dumbstruck as the girl wrapped one arm around his neck, embracing him with her slender body. Since their heights were similar, her face pressed up to the side of Subaru's. The whisper of her voice in his ear made his body tingle all over, and he blushed in acute embarrassment. The soft sensation was accompanied by a curiously nice scent. The sudden turn of events froze him solid as he devoted every ounce of willpower to keeping his cool. "Nom!" "Hyaa!" His efforts crumbled when he felt a single nibble on his ear. Laughing at Subaru's adorable yelp, the girl released him from her embrace with satisfaction. He hastily backed up, tumbling down onto his bottom. "Tee-hee, what a cute reaction. Anyway... The flow of water mana inside your body really is stagnant. If only there was time to do something about that, meow." "Wh-wh-what were you doing?!" "Checking your body out a little. The bite was complimeowntary." Her glossy eyes locked on him as she provocatively bit her own pinkie finger. Even knowing that she was teasing him, Subaru was still agitated and couldn't dismiss it as mere humor. "Oh, don't blush so much. Anymeow, I guess nobody's told you anything, have they?" "What do you mean? About what?" "About your body, and the deal, and things like that." Subaru's eyebrows rose as the girl seemed to be deliberately prancing around the details. Though he found it hard to ignore her peculiar disposition, he had to simply hang on for the ride. "It would kinda help if you could tell me what those things are, you know." "Oh, what to do? This is an important job, too... Tee-hee." "Let us leave it at that, Ferris." Wilhelm scolded the girl for her excessive teasing. She pouted in response. "Thhbt. You're too serious, Grandpa Wil. It's no fun." "I am grateful to Sir Subaru for the tea, and besides, it is time to be on our way." Wilhelm bowed as he exchanged what somehow seemed like lighthearted banter with the girl. The girl still had a sour look about her, but she seemed to recover her humor as she winked in Subaru's direction. "Sowwy. You look like you could use some more teasing, but we're meowt of time for today. If we don't get home soon, dear Lady Crusch will be so worried she won't sleep a wink tonight." "I don't want to ignore that first part, but who's Lady Crusch?" "A name you'd better remember she's the lady who'll rule this country someday." At the last sentence, her carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by total seriousness. Then she gave him the dumbstruck Subaru a little wave. Wilhelm set his empty teacup back on the tray. "It was a fine drink. Well then, Sir Subaru, may you be in good health." Wilhelm agilely leaped back up to the box seat and took hold of the land dragon's reins. "Well, sorry for no introductions but Ferri's real busy. Later!" "Hey, wait! There's a mountain of things I still want to ask " "You should take all that up with Lady Emilia. If fate permits, we'll meet again at the royal capital. Bye meow!" The girl left him nothing, her smile being the last thing he saw as she entered the dragon carriage. Realizing that his opponent had completely thrown him off balance, Subaru instinctively realized she was his mortal enemy. As Subaru held back his frustrations, Wilhelm cracked the reins with a brief "Farewell." The land dragon brayed while the wheels of the heavy carriage creaked into motion. It stomped the ground several times before taking a powerful step, accelerating rapidly

the next moment. Before Subaru's eyes, the land dragon burst into a high-speed sprint down the road, kicking up a large cloud of dust as it sped off into the distance. Subaru, left in abject defeat, had only the scent of the high-priced tea, largely left untouched, to console him. " And did you fulfill your duties as envoy?" "Well, of course. I would never fail to do anything my Lady Crusch requests of me. Oh, Grandpa Wil, you're such a worrywart!" Servant and envoy conversed as the land dragon left Roswaal Manor far behind. Wilhelm sat on the box seat, guiding the land dragon effortlessly. Behind him, the pale-haired girl poked her head out the window of the dragon-drawn carriage. In one sense, there were few places more suited to a private conversation. "But I have to say, Grandpa Wil, I didn't expect you to speak to that boy while you waited. You don't like talking to people, do you?" "That is a most grave misunderstanding." "Oh, is it now? Sowwy. It's just that you like slicing people more than talking to them, right?" "...That is an even worse misunderstanding." She had only been teasing, but Wilhelm offered no elaboration. The girl pressed her lips together in a pout, displeased with the stony reaction to her provocations. "You're no fun. What, it was more fun listening to that boy than your dear Ferris? He didn't seem that special, but you like him that much, meow? You think he's actually so strong he's hiding his abilities?" "Not so. He is an amateur a cub without a mane. Nor does he have any talent worthy of mentioning. I am certain he is very ordinary." "So why then, Grandpa Wil? You said you hated riffraff meowst of all." Everything the girl said painted him in the worst possible light. In response, Wilhelm calmly raised a hand and pointed at his face. "It's his eyes." " Eyes?" The girl lowered her head as she inquired. Wilhelm simply raised his gaze, thinking back. "The lad's eyes interested me ever so slightly. They said he has crossed the boundary of death. Many come close to the line, stop, and draw back, but..." Wilhelm lowered his lids in thought as his words trailed off. "Those are the eyes of one who has crossed once, no...several times, and returned. I know of no such being. You might say I was compelled by curiosity." But the girl blithely dismissed Wilhelm's expression of wonder. "Meow, that doesn't make much sense..." This time, Wilhelm answered with a strained smile. The girl continued, adding, "But if that's true, Grandpa Wil, that boy's won't find an easy path to follow." The girl narrowed her eyes as she tossed her glossy gaze toward the broad back sitting against the box seat. "Having the Sword Devil, Wilhelm van Astrea, interested in you is as unfortunate as the Witch having a thing for you." "You're going to the royal capital, right? Well I'm going, too!" With the guest having gone home, those in the reception room were able to breathe a sigh of relief an atmosphere thoroughly shattered with a single sentence out of Subaru's mouth. "You seeee?" Roswaal's grin drew a fatigued response from Emilia. "I suppose I do..." Subaru wore a sullen expression at being left out of their exchange, which prompted Emilia to let out a sigh. "Just so you know, I'm not going there to play around. This is an important summons...very important." "It's the royal selection stuff, right? I know, I know, it's a big enough deal to shake the whole kingdom up and everything, but I'm begging ya, take me, pleeease?" Subaru knelt on the carpet and brought his hands together in a desperate plea. Emilia seemed conflicted as she surveyed the reactions of the others in the room. However "Ah, do not mind meee, I would say you are free to choose as you desiiire." "This aroma... It can't be! Ram's treasured tea leaves?! Barusu is truly capable of anything...!" Roswaal washed his hands of the situation, grinning all the while. Ram, on the other hand, was preoccupied with shock at a sudden discovery about something, and barely registered Emilia's predicament. And Rem, the final person, said, "Taking him along is fine, isn't it? It seems that Subaru has acquaintances in the royal capital. He should visit them so they can rest easy." Until recently, Rem could be relied on to offer the most sensible opinions, but now she was solidly in Subaru's corner. "Ooh, nice assist there! Rem, Reeem, come over here!" "Yes!" Answering Subaru's call with a flower-like smile, Rem sat beside him and offered her head. Subaru began to stroke her hair with a clearly practiced hand, making sure he would not mess it up. Rem's obvious pleasure helped Emilia realize she had no allies in this argument. "In the first place, what do you intend to do by coming, Subaru? There'll be a really important meeting about the royal selection, so I'll have my hands too full to deal with you at all. On top of that, in a real sense, this meeting is different than all the previous ones..." "That's even more reason to go. I'll cry if I'm not involved at all in the critical moment that might make Emilia-tan into royalty, even if it's way off on the edge of things." "That's why I can't bring you. If you go with me, you'll try too hard again for sure. I don't want to make you do such a thing. Understand?" "You're the one who doesn't understand, Emilia. If trying too hard can help you, then I want to try too hard, see?" "I...don't..." With bewilderment in Emilia's eyes as she murmured, an awkward silence fell over the reception room. It was Roswaal who broke the unpleasant mood with a clap of his hands. "Yes, yeees, that is far enough. It seems this conversation is not maaaking any headway, so let us wrap things up. I have decided that Subaru shall accompany you to the capital. This is my command to him as his employer." "Roswaal?!" Roswaal completely bowled over Emilia's hesitance. As shock made itself plain in her expression, Subaru raised a thumb in approval. "Yesss! You said it, Rozchi!" "Howeeever, Subaru is going to the capital strictly for medical reasons. All matters pertaaaining to the royal selection are striiictly separate. Understand?" "Huh? Medical...reasons?" Subaru raised his eyebrows at the unexpected addition. He noticed that Rem's face, still resting against his shoulder, tensed slightly. Emilia wore a pained expression as well. "In the course of your battle with the demon beasts, your abuse of magic ran your gate dry. Even if your physical wounds have healed, treating this affliction is a different matter. Surely you have noticed this yourself, have you nooot?" "...Just 'cause you say I'm in bad shape because of some invisible thing doesn't mean " Emilia cut in. "Subaru. Mana circulating through the body is the lifeline of every living creature. When that flow stagnates, it retards the circulation of the very essence of life... Please, don't try to hide it." As Wilhelm had pointed out, he was still experiencing the aftereffects of his physical wounds, like his limbs feeling heavier than they should. Subaru scowled at having been found out so easily, but he couldn't just brush off Emilia's plea. "I know my body's in rough shape. So how is healing it connected to the royal capital?" Rem replied, "Because you need a top-quality healer to treat it. Subaru, did you meet the messenger?" "You mean the cat-eared girl? To be honest, not the type I want to bump into again, really." "That messenger is an especially accomplished user of water magic, even by the staaandards of the capital. With such skill, it is no doubt possible to restore your health. As the child has various quirks, Lady Emilia went through quite some trouble toooo negotiate for cooperation..." "Roswaal, wait a...! That's..." Roswaal, who'd apparently "slipped up" on purpose, feigned indifference to Emilia's indignation. "...Emilia-tan, seriously? For my sake?" Emilia blushed furiously as she raced down her list of excuses. "I-I mean, it's partly my fault that you're not fully healed, Subaru. You wound up at the mansion because you shielded me... And I should really have done something about the demon beasts, but you did that in my place. So this is paying you back, or compensating you for your loss, however you want to look at..." "Look, I know you're hiding your gratitude because you're embarrassed, but you don't have to put it like that!" Subaru wore a wry smile as he crossed his arms. "Sounds like you're all for me going to the royal capital. Why are you acting like you're against it?" "Because if I just came out and asked, you'd get carried away and do something crazy. I know what kind of mischievous rascal you are..." "No one says 'mischievous rascal' anymore..." Subaru murmured his retort as he pressed his hand to his neck. Emilia stuck out her tongue at him and the meeting drew to a close. "Weeeell then, the matter is settled. Subaru shall accompany you on your trip to the royal capital. Preparations will require about one day, so departure shall be the morning after tomorrow is this acceeeptable?" Roswaal's firm words were met by assorted replies from all assembled in the reception room. "Haaah, I understand." "No objections!" " As you command, Master Roswaal." And so, the plan for the Roswaal household's visit to the royal capital was established. And two mornings later, Subaru's voice quivered with admiration at the gate of the mansion. "Whoa, this is !" Subaru beamed at the huge carriage parked before him. Of course, it was a land dragon that drew the carriage, but this one boasted a sheer size that put every other land dragon Subaru had seen to shame. "He's so huge! And his scales are so hard! And his face is so scary!" Emilia's lips softened into a slightly exasperated exhale at Subaru's exhilaration. "He really is worked up like a little kid. Isn't he?" She shifted her eyes to Rem, standing by her side, in search of agreement. But Rem gazed at the excited Subaru, enthralled. "Subaru is cute when he gets like this. Do you not think so, Lady Emilia?" "Well, I do think it's cute, but... Mm, Subaru's been a bad influence on you, hasn't he?" Emilia exhaled once again. Subaru, paying no heed to the girls' opinions, reached to touch the land dragon without a second thought and shouted in a strange voice. "Hot damn! I'm so excited! I'm living the uber-fantasy dream right now, aren't I?!" The land dragon's tolerance reached its limit around when Subaru lost himself in the moment and his touches turned into taps. A single sweep of its tail sent Subaru flying, spinning sideways. Several seconds later, Subaru emerged from the foliage, spitting leaves out of his mouth. "Wh-what happened there?" "Subaru, land dragons are highly intelligent creatures. Even if they cannot speak, they can express themselves very well. That is why one must treat them with the utmost respect." "Couldn't you have told me that a little sooner?!" Brushing the leaves off his body, Subaru observed the shockingly huge land dragon. It narrowed its yellow eyes and let out a long breath, as if saying, That's what you get for running your hands over me. During the exchange, he finally caught sight of the people he'd been waiting for. Roswaal and Ram were coming out of the mansion. "Hey there, what's up? You're late, aren't you? You're the one who set up the schedule, Rozchi. The guy who sets the schedule oughta live by it, don't you think, Rem?" "I agree! Although, I'm the one who woke you up today when you didn't wake up on time... You may praise me for it, if you like." "Okay, all right, okay, that's enough, Rem." Subaru stroked Rem while urging her

silence after her unnecessary addition. That earned him a sharp stare from Emilia, but he bore it as best he could and dragged the subject back to Roswaal. "So why were you late? Everything looked in order at breakfast time." "Ah, so sooorry. You see, with Ram staying behind, I will not be seeing her for a little while, yes? Thaaaat is whyyyy, I siiimply wanted to have a sooomewhat thorough farewell before our departure." Roswaal adjusted his collar, raising a finger as he excused himself. Beside him, Ram hastened to ensure her hair and clothing were also in order, plainly in high spirits. "Okay, let's pretend I didn't ask. She's really gonna stay behind, though?" "It can't be helped. We can't leave the mansion unattended, and Miss Beatrice is here as well, so I must look after her. It's troublesome." "You put what you really think at the end, huh. Oh well, Beako would have it rough if you weren't there to spoil her." "I might point out that if Miss Beatrice heard that, she might smash you into little pieces this time." This trip to the royal capital was for Emilia, a candidate for the royal selection, and Roswaal, her sponsor. Subaru was going along for medical reasons, with Rem serving and guarding the other three. The group totaled four people. That left Ram and Beatrice, who would presumably be holed up in the archive of forbidden books, remaining in the mansion. "You gonna be okay here by yourself, Big Sis? It's not easy keeping a mansion running all by your lonesome." "You do not understand, Barusu. People can survive three or four days without food, after all." "No plans to eat your own food, huh?!" After Ram's lively, defiant statement provoked Subaru, she abruptly grabbed his collar and pulled him aside. Subaru's breath caught as her immaculate face drew close. "Understand, Barusu? Keep a firm grip on the reins so that Rem does nothing rash." "...You're the one who always goes to the royal capital, right? Why is Rem coming this ti...?" "It is infuriating you're forcing me to state the reason with my own lips." Ram shoved him in the chest, letting out a hmph as she walked off. By the time she was gone and Subaru looked back at the dragon carriage, Rem was just about finished loading the luggage. It seemed the time for friendly banter had passed; it was time to get the show on the road. "Beako didn't come to see us off, though... What a cold-hearted loli." Subaru glared at the distant entrance to the mansion, cursing the absent girl. Of course, he had expected as much, leading him to mercilessly tease Beatrice the day before so he could leave without any regrets. Still, without her around to say good-bye, their departure was a bit lonely. But " Oh." His eyes met those of someone covertly watching them from the entrance to the foyer, open just a tiny crack. For a split second, the person in the dress recoiled at meeting Subaru's eyes, but she immediately reopened the door so he could see her more properly. It was as if she was trying to hide her sullen, forlorn expression. Subaru waved at her with little smile thanks to her typical behavior. In response, the pale-faced girl waved at him like she was shooing him away. She returned inside a moment later, having fulfilled her duty to see him off with minimal effort. When he turned back, Emilia was looking down at him as she leaned out of the dragon carriage's passenger cab. " Subaru? What is it?" The others had begun to get aboard without him realizing it. Subaru hurried over and reached for the doorframe. But white fingers reached out to him right before he could take hold of it. "Here." Subaru hesitated for a moment before taking her hand. She pulled him up as he entered the cab. Now that Subaru was aboard, Rem nodded from her perch on the box seat toward Ram, standing alone on the ground. She took hold of the reins. The land dragon began to gently tread forward and pulled the carriage along. Subaru poked his head out of the window to give Ram one final wave. "Well, we're off! Let's both take care now!" "At least try to evade the blows if something happens, Barusu. I do acknowledge your talent...as a decoy." "I'm good for a little more than that, right?!" Such was their clumsy early morning farewell. The land dragon accelerated, and their speed began to rise quite suddenly. The mansion grew distant in moments, and Ram's figure beside the front gate quickly shrank. A moment before Subaru lost sight of her, she held the edges of her skirt and slightly curtsied. It was an exceptionally maid-like way to see someone off. "...I suppose that's picture-perfect for how a cute maid should do her job, huh...?" When they entered a dip in the road, Subaru was no longer able to see Ram at all, and he finally sat down on his seat in the carriage and exhaled. He finally felt at ease enough to begin enjoying the comfort of riding the dragon carriage. The seat had a high-class feel appropriate to the expensive design of the vehicle, making for a surprisingly enjoyable ride given that the road was not an especially well-maintained one. Judging from how fast the scenery was scrolling past the window and his experience with cars from his own world, he guessed he was traveling close to sixty miles per hour. And yet the vibrations felt far lighter than one would expect, on par with a typical sedan. Roswaal laughed as Subaru turned this way and that, seat creaking under him. "My myyy, are dragon carriages such a raaarity?" "Hey, is Rem fine all exposed on the box seat with us going this fast? It's not like I'm worried about her falling off... But won't her hair and clothes be a huge mess by the time we get to the royal capital?" Emilia cut in to reply. "There's no need to worry, since the dragon carriage is protected by a blessing." "Blessing?" "Yes, blessing. Gospel granted by the world itself when a life is born. There are numerous kinds so there is no universal rule for them, but some species always receive one particular blessing. The 'wind repel' blessing land dragons receive is one example." "Wind repel blessing, huh?" "When a land dragon gallops, the wind doesn't affect it whatsoever. The blessing extends to the carriage connected to it, so it isn't affected by the wind, either." "And that goes for Rem sitting outside, too?" When Subaru indicated he understood, Emilia replied with a satisfied look, "Very good." Then Subaru asked, "So, Emilia-tan, what about me? Do I have a blessing?" Being summoned to another world was supposed to provide cheat abilities. Certainly, Return by Death was a special power without compare, but Subaru still hadn't lost his craving for something special that was a lot less...painful. "Mm, I don't like to say this, but a majority of people are born without blessings. Also, everyone with a blessing is aware of it to my knowledge, so..." "Damn it, no good, huh... Nah, I get it. Meeting Emilia-tan was the miracle granted to me by the world, huh?" "Yes, yes. It'll be six hours until we get to the royal capital, so be a good boy and behave." "Emilia-tan's so cooold!" Emilia and Roswaal let Subaru sulk as they began to discuss what they would do upon arrival. It was serious business; naturally, Subaru couldn't get a word in edgewise. Unable to get involved in the conversation, he soon began to get bored out of his skull. "Emilia-tan, Emilia-tan, let me sit by the window!" "What's wrong? Ah, motion sickness, huh? It happens a lot to people who aren't used to riding. I understand. I'll lend you Puck, so..." "I'm happy for the concern, but it's not that. And I'm not sure why you'd give me Puck for motion sickness. What, am I supposed to use him as my emergency barf bag?" "If it goes that far, even Puck might get upset..." Emilia sank into thought, murmuring to herself, when Subaru shook his head. "No, I just meant, Emilia-tan's too busy for me, so maybe seeing the scenery would take the edge off my solitude?" At that point, a new voice cut in. Rem peered in through the small front window to the box seat. " Well, if that's the case, you should come to the front here, Subaru. There's nothing to do inside the carriage if you're bored, right? Here, you can see the sights, and I'll be glad to talk with you." "Th-that is a very tempting suggestion... Emilia-tan, you won't be lonely with me over there?" "To put it plainly, I'll be completely, absolutely all right." "Do you have to be that all right with it?!" Though the lack of effort to stop him gnawed at Subaru, he did have Emilia's permission to go. Since Subaru didn't mind, Rem, holding the reins, checked with Roswaal to confirm. "May I stop temporarily, then? The land dragon will not be able to run again for a short time, however." "Why's it gonna take time?" wondered Subaru. Roswaal replied, "Because blessings are not omnipotent eiiither. A land dragon's wind repel blessing, once suspended, cannot be reactivated for a brief period. Shall we stop for an early meal?" "Well, I don't wanna ask you to do that... If I open the door while we're moving, it won't slow down, right?" As Subaru rose and reached toward the door, Roswaal smiled as he inferred Subaru's intent. "If you have a certain degree of athletic ability, there is no proooblem, but if you fall, you will die." "Eh, a little detour's no big deal. Wait up, Rem, and don't make an acrobat out of me here." "I am concerned, but I understand. I shall wait. Come soon, come soon!" At first, Rem looked worried at Subaru's suggestion, but very quickly sounded like she couldn't wait. Smiling thinly, Subaru rose to circle around the carriage to the box seat. But Emilia called out to stop him, handing over a belt attached to the wall of the carriage. "Wait a moment, Subaru. Here you go. It's not that dangerous, so I won't stop you, but keep a good hold on this." "If this is connected to the wall of the carriage... It's kind of like a seatbelt?" "The belts are for when the dragon carriage tilts to the side. Use it as a lifeline. I'll take it back when you get to the box seat." Subaru gracefully acknowledged Emilia's concern and wrapped the belt around his right wrist. As a worried-looking Emilia saw him off, Subaru opened the carriage door and embarked on his short outing. It was strange how the scenery passed so quickly, yet he didn't feel any wind whatsoever. Like he was traveling inside a glass bottle. Careful to not let the uncanny sensation get the best of him, Subaru gingerly grabbed hold of the carriage's rail and wound his way toward the box seat. If nothing else, he had good spatial awareness. The footing felt precarious, but his movements themselves were smooth. "This is really something. So this is what having a blessing is like." Subaru took in the mysterious phenomenon of his current world as he suddenly regarded the whole situation objectively. The wind repel blessing affected the dragon carriage and everyone inside it. What would happen if something under the effect of the blessing touched something that wasn't? Feeling the desire to test his largely meaningless hypothesis, Subaru stretched his fingers up. Then, Emilia remembered something. "Ah, that's right. Subaru, I forgot to mention, please don't put any part of your body too far from the dragon carriage. You'll end up outside of the blessing." " No way." The moment after his fingers grazed

the air, wind slammed into Subaru's entire body so hard he thought his hand would be ripped off at the wrist. The unexpected impact loosened his grip on the railing, and thus his support, blowing him straight to the side. Off the dragon carriage, obviously. "Ahbuhbuhbuh ?! This is bad, seriously bad, oh man!" The wind buffeted him until he lost all sense of up and down. He would have smashed straight into the ground, but the belt around his right wrist snapped taut. Subaru's body floated parallel to the dragon carriage. Pain wracked his wrist until it seemed like it would tear off. His life was literally linked to Emilia's lifeline. The fierce strain and the unlucky turn had already blanked out Subaru's mind, but head snapped up amid the ferocious wind when the high-pitched sound of a chain reached his ears. Right in front of him, he could see a silver-colored snake with large, round, spiked head. " I'm gonna have nightmares again." A moment later, the snake wrapped around Subaru's body. He raised a pathetic cry at how much tighter it was than he expected. But his body was hoisted up just before he became roadkill. He floated up and over the dragon carriage with ease; at the apex of his arc, the chain released him and tossed him forward. Subaru saw Rem at the bottom of his revolving world. She held the reins and her morning star with one hand, extending the other to Subaru to guide him down. As he realized that his life had somehow been spared, Subaru reflected, "I'll live a slightly quieter life from now on..." Subaru, saved from a messy landing, promptly blacked out. CHAPTER 2 *** Subaru Natsuki's heart was beating at a fever pitch. "Um, Emilia-tan... I'm a little conflicted saying so, but shouldn't we cut this out?" Subaru wore an amicable smile, but cold sweat ran down his face as he made the suggestion. The point of concern was how they firmly held hands. They were in the royal capital. Specifically, Market Street, an exceptionally congested thoroughfare. No doubt, two people holding hands amid the constant bustle would look like an intimate couple. So long as no busybodies overheard scraps of their conversation, anyway. "Absolutely not. This is you we're talking about, so you will do something strange as soon as you're out of my sight. I won't permit a single step unsupervised while we're in the royal capital. Understand?" "I'm really sorry for my stupidity in the dragon carriage! But this is treating me too much like a little kid!!" The gaze Emilia leveled at Subaru was sharp and cold. Her trust in him had plummeted to rock bottom levels. Even if he was reaping what he had sowed, the treatment was extreme from Subaru's perspective. Following his close call with an "unscheduled stop" from the dragon carriage, and the tragedy of waking up to a Roswaal lap pillow, the subsequent conversation created a plan to limit his activities in the royal capital. This situation was the result. "I'm deeply aware that I was rash but... Could we at least not do the holding hands thing?" "Hmm, so that's what you're complaining about. We did this plenty in the village when it was a 'date,' didn't we?" "Back then I was fully prepared in mind and body, but I'm totally not right now. My hands are sweating!" Even though his hands were sweating from the exceptional tension, Emilia looked completely at ease, which only made him more nervous. And as for what the at-odds couple was actually doing in the royal capital A coarse, manly voice interrupted their cute little argument. " Hey, can you stop flirting in front of a man's shop like this?" Emilia's face stiffened. Well, that's sensible, accepted Subaru. After all, the voice of the scar-faced man carried an irrefutable argument. "You're driving my customers away. Buy something or get moving already." "Well, that's rude and inconsiderate. Here I came all ready to keep my promise. The shock alone could've made me forget completely, you know? Makes me wanna cry." As Subaru slumped his shoulders, the man, resting his elbow on the counter, indelicately snorted back at him. Subaru thought the shopkeeper's foul demeanor toward his customers was a good indicator that he'd picked the wrong profession. The shop, with a sign reading CADMON in I-script with bright colors, was a fruit vendor with colorful produce on display. The shop had a deeper significance for Subaru. "Here I am returning the favor to the first guy I met in a new world, and this is the thanks I get?" "That's overstating it. It was almost a month ago, and we only spoke a few words, right? I mean, I vaguely recall it, but..." The owner of the store, actually a very kind man, was striving to remember when Emilia pulled on Subaru's ear and bowed her head. "Subaru, don't say crazy things. Sir, please don't force yourself on our account." Subaru pleaded with her, yelping "Ow, ow!" as she gave him a sharp glare and said, "I thought you said you wanted to say hello to someone who'd helped you...but I never expected this promise to be a one-sided deal. Unbelievable." "Hey, Emilia-tan, you can't just throw a promise between men into the garbage like that!" "Don't exaggerate! How many people do you think a shopkeeper meets in the course of one day?" "Emilia-tan, you can hurt people when you overestimate them. I mean, there's no way a shopkeeper with a scary face like that is doing that much busin... Ow, ow, I'm sorry!" The shopkeeper, watching their back-and-forth, clapped his hands as he watched tears well in Subaru's eyes. "I remember that pathetic look now. You're the kid without a coin to his name. So the ingrate returns without buying a thing." "I'm gonna ignore how you remembered me...and I told you, I'm back so I can repay you!" "Ah, I see. Now that's a sense of responsibility. I like it." Now that he recognized Subaru, the shopkeeper smiled generously, hauling a wooden box from inside his store and placing it on the counter with a heavy thud. The red, round, vibrant fruits inside glistened under the sun. "Here y'go, abbles like you promised you'd buy. How many? They're two copper coins each now." "I'll go big and get ten. That'll cover the promise and then some." The shopkeeper clapped his hands at Subaru's magnanimity. In high spirits, Subaru put his hand into his pocket to get his wallet out when he noticed that Emilia, standing beside him, was doing the same thing. "Er, Emilia-tan, why are you getting out your purse?" "What do you mean, why? You can't pay for something without money, can you?" "No, I mean, it's weird for you to pay instead of me, Emilia-ta... Old guy, what's with that look?" "You said you'd buy them when you had the money, but I can't condone making a rich girl pay in your place..." "Can't you see me arguing with my lovely lady here?! I'm trying to pay!" The shopkeeper watched Subaru with suspicion as Subaru hastily thrust his wallet forward. The contents were his pay from his work at the mansion and, since Roswaal was a generous employer, Subaru really did have money to spare. "Lemme see, two coppers per abble... So two silver coins should cover ten?" "Hey, don't you know the current exchange rate...? It's nine coppers for a silver coin right now." "So two silvers and two coppers then? Here." Subaru fished the appropriate coins out of his wallet and handed them to the shopkeeper. The man was stunned into silence, tilting his head as he sighed at length. "Took my word for it, huh. Kiddo, you really need to not be so trusting. The changes in the exchange rates are posted on the sign at the entrance to the market. If you wander in without giving that a good look, some crooked merchant will have you for lunch." The shopkeeper seemed to be warning him because his honesty made him a sucker here. True, paying based on only what he was told might be overly trusting, even if it was common sense back home. Back at the village close to the mansion, everyone was so tightly related in an isolated community that deceit was inconceivable, but a huge city like the royal capital was fertile ground for mischief. In other words "Man, you really are a super-good person, old guy." Subaru smiled playfully in a show of goodwill to the scar-faced shopkeeper. "Only once in a while. I'd have nightmares if I swindled a customer who'd come back to fulfill a promise I'd nearly forgotten and who paid exactly what I asked for. That's it." "So you're mean-looking guy with a heart of gold. Got it." "Take it and go already! You've paid in full. Come again!" The first half was intimidatingly gruff; the second half, a paragon of customer relations. Subaru, having a good laugh at the two extremes, picked up his bag of abbles with one hand, while Emilia led him away from the shop by the other. "Thanks, old dude. Maybe I'll bump into you again someday." "You're quite welcome as long as you buy something... And, miss, you really need better taste in men." "Now, that's none of your business!" As the shopkeeper watched them go, Subaru shot him the middle finger as he and Emilia entered the throng of people. As the distance between them widened, the human wave obstructed his vision, and the good-natured shopkeeper disappeared from view. "I'm glad he actually remembered you... I'm a little surprised, though." "Yeah, he definitely seems scary at first, but you get used to it pretty quick..." "Not that. I mean, I'm flabbergasted you did the math that quickly." "No one says 'flabbergasted' anymore..." Even as Subaru teased Emilia for using outdated words, he didn't mind praise. He didn't look it, but he was actually pretty good at arithmetic. "I've got a knack for basic math. So you go for the intellectual, cerebral type, huh?" "Cerebr...? I'm not sure what you mean, but that's not the only reason I'm surprised... Just a little coincidence. Tee-hee, it's funny, actually." "Ah, that's a cute face. What, what, where's the coincidence?" "That's a secret between me and the shopkeeper's daughter. So what's next?" Subaru had some idea what Emilia meant by a secret, but he didn't probe deeper, opting to readjust his grip on the bag of abbles instead. The royal capital was far too big for casual strolling. His first objective of the day had been to visit the first person he'd met in this world. Now that he'd repaid his gratitude to the fruit merchant, his next objective was a no-brainer. "My next goal...is to see Felt and Old Man Rom. Reinhard took care of them after I blacked out, right?" "Mm, yes. At first, I thought he'd let them go without any problems, but...all of a sudden, Reinhard went pale and said he was taking the girl with him." "That sounds like a criminal kidnapping her, but that doesn't exactly fit him... Crap, the good-looking ones get all the breaks." Subaru clicked his tongue as he sullenly recalled the handsome, red-haired young man. Emilia watched from beside him, putting a finger to her lips as she pondered the issue. "If you want to get in touch with Reinhard, we should go to the garrison on this side of the Nobles' District. There's a building there that's... Well, it's nothing but a pile of rubble now." Subaru agreed with Emilia's suggestion. After all, the fact Reinhard had been walking the streets of the capital "off duty" made it clear he was a guard, most likely high-ranking a knight. "I guess that settles it. Let's head to the station and get ahold of Reinhard from there. Well, let's get a move o... Oh?" "What? Something wrong?" "Nah, I

was just counting the abbles in the bag... There's eleven of 'em." He had counted a total of eleven big, round, ripe, vibrant red fruit. It was highly unlikely the merchant, proprietor of his own store, had miscounted. "That old guy's too generous." As he recalled the prickly shopkeeper, he felt a warm, fuzzy feeling bubbling up inside and smiled to himself. Keeping his promise was the right choice. "Come to think of it, what did you mean, get ahold of him from the garrison? There're no phones, right?" As they walked toward the garrison, Subaru voiced a sudden doubt. "'Phones'?" Emilia's mystified expression suggested she'd never heard the word in her life. "I mean, like, a device to talk directly to someone in a distant location..." "You mean a metia? They should have magic mirrors..." "Magic mirrors?" "Metia that display one person to the other and let you talk between them. They're fairly common as magical artifacts go, so they're apparently used in a number of different places..." "Gotcha. So there is a way to do it. Mirrors! That's so magical." When Subaru thought about it, he realized he'd never laid eyes on a real metia. He'd heard the term metia from Old Man Rom at the loot cellar and pretended his cell phone was one, but that was it. "Either way, it's a ray of hope. If we can get in touch with Reinhard we can clear everything up." "I suppose so. Rem will be upset if we don't get back soon, so we'd better hurry..." Rem had wanted to go with Subaru on his tour of the royal capital, too. However, she had too much work to do as the entire group's caretaker so, with great reluctance, she allowed Emilia to be his guide in the city. No doubt she was tearing through her work out of spite at that very moment. "Well, it's too bad for Rem, but for me, not having her here is a bit of a perk..." "...? What did you say just now?" "Ahh, nothin'. I'm just like, I don't have to be embarrassed if she sees us holding hands and stuff... Hey, Emilia-tan, about that royal selection thing tomorrow..." Seeing the tense, guarded look on Emilia's face, Subaru abandoned his carefree tone. But then Emilia's expression vanished entirely, and the gloom filling her violet eyes only accentuated her demeanor. The morning the envoy came, as well as during the time before their departure, Subaru had questioned Emilia several times, but she never lowered her guard. Their arrival at the royal capital had not changed that. "I've told you several times, haven't I? I brought you here so you can keep your promises and get healed. You don't need to concern yourself with me." "There's no way I can do that. I mean, here I am, holding your hand... How could I not concern myself like this?" At some point during his reply, Emilia had stopped walking, holding Subaru back. Under her hood, a single lock of silver hair spilled down Emilia's face. Subaru couldn't help but think about how it looked like a falling teardrop. "I want to help you. If you're having a hard time, I want to do something. That's how it's been...and that's how it's gonna be." *** Subaru admitted his feelings honestly. He intended to exhaust every effort on Emilia's behalf. He knew exactly what motivated him, but "Why?" "......uhh?" "Why do you go to such lengths for me, Subaru? I don't understand." The incredulity in Emilia's eyes thoroughly bewildered Subaru. When her hand squeezed his in search of an answer, Subaru's throat caught as he struggled for words. "That's..." *** "Th...that's...!" Even if he knew what he ought to say, he needed the resolve and courage to speak the words. And suddenly put to the test, Subaru lacked both. In the end, Subaru said nothing as Emilia waited. As the silence dragged on, he ran out of the time Emilia had given him. "...Let's go. The sun will set if we don't do this soon." Emilia started forward again, pulling him along by the hand. Subaru followed, clenching his teeth at his own lack of nerve. As he watched her small, slender back, he hated himself for losing sight of what he needed to say. He despised his weakness in the face of the girl who had saved his life and his spirit the girl who lit the brightest fire in his chest. As Subaru sank into a vortex of negativity and self-hatred, he started as he suddenly heard a genderless voice, like someone whispering straight into his skull. " You'd best leave things at that, Subaru." *** "It's me. I'm speaking directly into your mind, so Lia can't hear you." The method of communication was odd, but the voice was certainly familiar. It was the spirit Emilia had formed a pact with, the supernatural cat always at her side Puck. Subaru was taken aback at the sudden telepathic communication. "...! So you can hear me, too, then?" "You catch on fast. I wasn't sure at first, but...it was easy to make a connection, so you might have a high compatibility with spirits. Maybe that's why Betty likes you." Puck's one-sided knowledge of the situation added irritation to Subaru's gloom. He felt left out. "Lia's all right. Don't lose hope from that conversation just now." "That's... How the hell do you know?" "I just know. I know everything there is to know about Lia, after all." Even if he didn't put it into words, Puck's fatherly love for her was evident in his tone. The spirit's guarantee made Subaru feel worse about his own powerlessness. Puck had only reminded him that, when all was said and done, he didn't know a single thing about Emilia. The Emilia he knew was a stunningly beautiful half-elf girl. She was a candidate to become the next monarch of Lugunica, under the care of her sponsor, Roswaal. He knew she was honest, naive, willful, and soft-hearted; her personality drove her to help others even at the cost of herself, making her like an older sister, but also an easy mark. But all these facts barely scratched the surface. He knew nothing of the girl inside, her emotions, or even how and why she came to pursue the monarchy. "Putting your heart and soul into everything is pretty rough on you, huh?" Even if closed lips could conceal his shallow thoughts, he could not silence his very mind. It was impossible to hide everything from Puck, who scooped up surface thoughts like so much soup broth. "Hey, Subaru." He didn't want to face his own wretchedness any longer. He weakly denied Puck, but these words, whispered to the mind and not the eardrum, never arrived. With Subaru expressing his will through silence, Puck instead continued, " Don't get my hopes up too much, or Lia's." "...Huh?" "Hope is a gentle poison. Even if you know it will ruin you, you can't help but reach for the illusion that seems close enough to grasp. You are truly a poison." To Subaru, who had viewed Puck as an unflappable, tranquil being, those words contained enough force to change his impressions completely. "What do you mean by..." But before he could finish his perplexed reply, Emilia, guiding his hand, stopped walking and said, "We're here." Subaru pitched forward, in danger of bumping into Emilia's back, but he somehow managed to right himself. When he raised his head, he belatedly understood why this was called the Nobles' District. The scenery was more refined than that of the slums or Market Street, with much more money invested in it. This was true for not only the buildings, but also the streets, the walls, and the trees had aesthetic appeal. As the name suggested, this was the ward where the upper crust resided. Their destination was a building that served as the gateway, sealing off the single street connecting it to the outside world. The solid stonework structure was far plainer than anything in the Nobles' District behind it. The back of the building contacted a section of the wall, allowing someone on the roof to survey the whole city in a single sweep. However, the purpose of this vantage point was obviously to keep watch over what was below, not to enjoy the sights. "This is the garrison for the royal capital guards. They also check the identity of people entering the Nobles' District." "So it's like a customs checkpoint, too. That's probably what they built it here for, huh?" He could appreciate it on logical and practical grounds, but his aversion to it was no doubt an instinctive reaction to something so emblematic of bureaucracy. Emilia said nothing to the reluctant Subaru as she headed for the garrison. Mindful of the time and place, she finally let go of his hand. He mourned the loss of her palm. And just as Emilia was about to knock on the garrison's door, it opened toward the outside as a young man poked his face out. " My, it is not often I meet an acquaintance in a place like this. It has been some time, Lady Emilia. You have not changed at all since then." The young man bowed formally to Emilia whom he had recognized even though she was wearing the hood. That alone put Subaru on guard, but Emilia's expression was serene as she nodded toward the youth. "...Yes, thank you. No changes in particular, no. I see you are also in good health, Julius." "I am honored that you remember me. Your beauty has only increased, Lady Emilia." The young man named Julius praised Emilia's good looks in a very polished manner. He had violet hair and an equal mix of snobbery and politeness. He was about half a foot taller than Subaru, putting him at around five foot nine, give or take. His body was slender, but he did not seem frail; rather, he had a handsome, supple frame. His amber eyes, no doubt bewitching to the opposite sex, suited him to a detestably fine degree. "Is it not a rarer sight for you, a royal guardsman, to be here at the garrison?" The man wore an extravagant uniform with a dragon emblem. A slender sword like a rapier hung from his hip. Julius's appearance and manner of speech suited such a title. "I've come to express appreciation to the soldiers for their services and take the opportunity to observe the city...or something like that. A friend asked me to pay a visit, and I suppose it is good to put friends first once in a while. After all, I was able to lay my eyes upon a beautiful flower along my path through these streets." With well-practiced motion, Julius intimately grasped Emilia's hand as he spoke, bending down on one knee. Without a single pause for breath, he brought his lips to the back of her pale hand. Subaru watched this course of events in complete shock. After a few moments' delay, his emotions came to a boil as this man's conceited behavior rubbed him in every wrong way imaginable. His breath ragged, Subaru was about to rush over and give Julius a piece of his mind when Emilia held him in check with her other hand. "Thank you, Julius. I regret that this is very sudden, but...I would like to get in touch with the castle about a certain matter." As Julius listened to Emilia's request, his voice lowered as he looked at Subaru. "Ah, so that is why you came to the garrison... This matter, does it concern him over there?" Not enjoying Julius's condescending gaze, Subaru locked eyes with him and glared back. " His character and demeanor form a poor match for those clothes. Such an appearance does not make a good first impression." "Thank you for the kind advice. I have some advice for you, too. If you eat curry udon in an outfit

like that, the broth stains will really stand out, so you definitely should pass." "Thank you for going out of your way to say so. I shall pay it heed if I should ever have such an opportunity." The smiles they exchanged were most certainly not friendly. Subaru did not like him. Julius no doubt thought the same. In that spirit, he promptly ignored Subaru and turned his attention back to Emilia. "I shall guide you to the magic mirror, then, though it pains my heart to bring you into a humble place such as this, Lady Emilia." "You needn't be concerned. I'm quite all right, so please." "Very well. Come in." With that, Julius went back inside first. Subaru snorted a bit and stepped forward. But Emilia turned to him in front of the doorway, obstructing his path. "Subaru, you wait here." "...Huh?" Subaru was taken aback. Emilia's long eyelashes trembled a bit as she lowered her eyes. "I'd like to have you come, but I don't think Julius will take it well, so wait here." "The heck? You care about that annoying jerk's feelings more than mine?" "It's not that. It's not about upsetting him, it's that I don't want to put you through something you'll probably hate, so please, Subaru, wait here." "I hate it enough as it is already. The way that bastard licked Emilia-tan's hand all over like it was nothing...!" Subaru had pegged that particular action as a sign of perversion, adding one more item to his list of negative impressions. It only compounded how he didn't want Emilia to have any contact with that man. Subaru's masculine instincts wanted desperately to warn her to watch out for Julius. "This won't take long, so please, be good and wait." Her words were very gentle, yet heavily tinged with rejection. Emilia was fundamentally distancing Subaru from her own affairs. But afraid of incurring her displeasure for intruding, he was unable to speak a word in protest. She vanished behind the door as it closed, separating them physically and metaphorically with a dull thud. Subaru murmured, "...I'm super-uncool." Kicking around a rock some distance from the entrance as he waited for Emilia, Subaru distracted himself from his seething self-hatred as he recalled the annoying man. "She said he was a royal guard, didn't she?" If Subaru's hunch was correct, that meant he was a Knight of the Royal Guard. If knightly orders existed in this world, surely Knights of the Royal Guard served the royal family directly. But where did they stand in a country with no sitting monarch? "The whole royal family died from plague, huh. They might make the elites in the Knights of the Royal Guard take responsibility for not seeing that coming and disband them, tossing them and their families out onto the street... Well, that sucks for the rest of 'em, but I wouldn't mind that annoying bastard going through a little hell..." The somber thought gave him some small measure of satisfaction. He wondered who he'd picked up that pettiness from. In the past, Subaru would have never directed his ire about the inconveniences that befell him toward another person. He wouldn't have given a single thought to speaking ill of heaven or venting his frustrations. In a good sense, he was now concerned with appearances in a way he had not before arriving here. He wanted to live a life that he could show the honest and forthright girl close to him without shame. It was a vague thought... But he wondered if he had really changed a little? He couldn't tell. " Mm?" As Subaru ruminated, he felt a disturbance and frowned at a glimpse of something at the edge of his vision. For a brief moment, his gaze had wandered toward the city for no particular reason and caught sight of a colorful dress disappearing into a back alley. The color was such a vivid red that it seemed to sear itself into his eyes, even with only a glance. And had the dress been merely traveling down the street, no doubt it would not have registered in Subaru's mind whatsoever. Even entering a back alley, the garment would not have caught his attention, save for the fact that the girl wearing it was being led there by seedy-looking men. "Just now... There's no way it could be a that, right...?" A major crime in broad daylight in front of the guards' garrison or so he thought, but perhaps this was a case of hiding in plain sight. Upon closer inspection, the location was in the garrison's blind spot. Subaru had seen them by dumb luck the instant he'd entered an alleyway while he moped. "Setting aside that I just feel calmer in narrow spaces, I'd better go get the gua " Subaru hesitated. He hadn't witnessed an actual crime taking place. It was very possible he'd misinterpreted what he'd seen. At any rate, Subaru bore a powerful, arbitrary grudge against the garrison at that moment. "Plus, if I'm wrong, it might make trouble for Emilia... It won't be too late to call for help after I confirm things first." Voicing this excuse to himself, Subaru shot a glance at the garrison as he ran toward the alley. He felt guilty about going back on his promise to wait patiently for Emilia, but a higher duty called. Plus, Subaru's resentment toward Julius. And hearing an angry shout the instant he entered the alley, Subaru was firmly convinced he'd made the right decision and picked up his pace. " Why, you little bitch! I'm not messin' around here!" "Don't mess with me, woman! You want a punch to that pretty little face?!" "Do not get ahead of yourself, peasant. Those of low character enjoy appropriately lowly fates." Several voices argued, and three men surrounded a lone woman in the narrow alley, cutting off her avenues of escape. This was a stereotypical street punk encounter, but what left a burning impression on Subaru was the striking appearance of the girl who repulsed the atmosphere hanging over the cramped alley. Her hair was a radiant orange like the sun itself, flowing through a single barrette before spilling down her back. Her dress was blood crimson, and above all, the overwhelming beauty of the girl herself shone in her sordid surroundings. Even untrained eyes could tell at a glance that the jewelry on her neck, ears, and fingers were of the highest quality. Her full outfit, coordinated from top to bottom, had to be worth at least a hundred times the money Subaru had on him. And yet, all that extravagant jewelry was incomparable to her face. She had red, defiant eyes. Her faintly pink lips emphasized the hue of her skin, white as the purest snow. One might spend an entire lifetime and fortune in search of such beauty and never find it. Subaru realized all over again how often this world defied his idea of common sense. The girl crossed her arms in a calm posture that only accentuated her bountiful breasts. He couldn't just stand back and watch while her attitude raised the men's hackles ever higher. " H-heya! Sorry to keep you waiting, honey!" Subaru immediately raised a hand and wedged himself into the middle of the action. Laughing by himself as he interrupted the surprised trio, Subaru put his hands together in supplication. "It seems that she's caused you a little trouble, but could you do me favor and let it slide? I'm sure you can tell just by looking at her, but the girl is a little...y'know...in the head. You get me?" Her celebrity-like style practically screamed "Rob me, please!" and she was hanging around the alleyways in a city with questionable levels of law enforcement. What sane person would be so reckless? Subaru asserted to the stunned men, "So that's how it is!" and grasped the girl's hand. "Mm...!" "Hey, let's move on before you cause the good boys here any more trouble. Let's do like we promised today and feed each other sweets, just the two of..." Subaru quickly laid things out, casting her in the role he'd assigned Emilia in his fantasies, aiming to get her out of there as fast as possible. However... "Uhh?" "Do not...touch me so freely!" She put her other hand on top of Subaru's, twisting her body to yank the boy forward. A moment after he realized he'd lost his hold on her wrist, his face slammed right into the wall. "Wht th hll?!" "Goodness, I take a step outside and this happens? Commoners drooling all over me..." As he stood back up, Subaru glowered at her, as if finding her words beyond comprehension. "Play along, damn it! That's the time-honored method of saving a girl from street punks! You're supposed to catch on to these things!" "I do not know what you mean. I simply do as I please." "A woman who slams your face into the wall is the worst kind of first meeting, you know?!" Not only had she not picked up on his attempt to extricate her, but she treated him as a pervert. The pain and humiliation made him regret exercising his limited courage. Thinking that the men must find it hilarious, Subaru turned toward their pitying gazes again. "Hey, wait a minute, I remember you guys." Subaru tilted his head with the bad feeling that he was reliving a prior crisis. Subaru compared the faces of the men before him against the ones in his memory, clapping his hands together when a light suddenly came on. "Ah, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest. Eh, wait, no way. Does this city have any other punks besides the three of you?!" Of course he remembered them. These were the Three Stooges he'd encountered on the first day of his summoning. Having experienced death at their hands once already, Subaru regarded them with caution. But... "I'm more depressed than anything else. Don't you guys have any other way to make a living?" The three men looked at one another and began to talk, oddly relaxed about Subaru's presence. "First he sticks his nose in, gets his face smashed on a wall, and now he says he remembers. He bonkers?" "Hey, I don't wanna mess with him. You deal with him." "I don't wanna, either. Why don't we just shiv him somewhere?" With the supposed thieves having finally lost all vestiges of belligerence, the silent girl broke the atmosphere. "Oh my, so irresolute. Are you a bunch of little girls? If so, adorn yourselves in a manner suitable for my eyes. Yes, some fine jewelry on your burly, hairy bodies would make for quite a sight." The girl put a hand over her mouth, ripping into them with a look of complete contempt. For an instant, the men did not understand what she had said to them. A moment later, they seethed as one. "Don't mess with me, bitch!" "Who do you think you are, girl?!" "What's with the high and mighty talk, huh?!" Subaru chimed in. "You're seriously off your rocker! We oughta spank into your girly butt the fact that we're guys wait, why am I jumping in with these idiots?!" Subaru was surprised at himself for impulsively taking part in a four-man gang. He was acutely aware that blame for the incident lay on the girl's side, too. "So I get where you guys are coming from, but I'm not turning back now. Besides, I'm carrying my own grudge from the first day we met." "I dunno what's with that little bitch, but what's the deal with you, shit face?" Apparently they didn't remember Subaru at all, a pretty meager reaction considering Emilia had sent them packing with magic, they'd suffered a crushing three on one defeat at Subaru's hands, and they'd knifed Subaru to death sometime after that. "Well, none of those events happened in this world, so all they'd remember here is... Oh yeah, the good-looking guy showing

up?" " ! Hey, I remember him! From an alley off Market Street a little while back..." "Oh, that one! The brat with a screw loose! He hasn't changed one bit, huh?" "It's really him. The clothes are different, so I didn't recognize 'im!" When realization came over Dumb's face, Dumber and Dumbest followed in short order. Though Subaru was no fan of how they'd characterized him, he clapped to applaud their effort. "Good, good, I'm glad you remember me. So since you know me, how about you let this slide?" "Are you nuts? We like you way less than someone we don't know. Just 'cause it's three-on-two instead of three-on-one doesn't change a thing." Even though Subaru hoped to bluff his way through the scene, the willful girl paid no heed to his plans whatsoever. "Correction. It is not three-versus-two, it is three-versus-one-versus-one." "Can you shut up for a bit?!" He wished he could have gone back in time five minutes and told himself not to bother, but the die had been cast. Besides, Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest weren't patient types. Watching the temperature in their eyes dropping, Subaru knew it was only a matter of time before there'd be blood. "...No choice, then. I really didn't want to resort to this, but..." "Ahh? Would you stop messin' around already? What the hell can you " "I'll have you know, I know Mr. Reinhard, guys. Reinhard and I are best buds. If I yell, he's gonna come running right over!" " Wha?!" This was his trump card, "The Fox Invoking the Lion," and it worked wonders. The mention of Reinhard's name scared the trio witless. The effect was immediate, and Subaru forced himself to act like a big shot to cow them further. "So what'll it be, guys? One shout and he'll make mincemeat out of you with his bare hands." It was a desperate bluff, but the men gritted their teeth resentfully. "W-we'll let you. This time." "Remember this, it's not like you beat us or anything!" "And it's not like we're scared of Reinhard's name or anything!" The men immediately fled the alley, their weak, stereotypical parting shots only enhancing their petty crook image. Only when they had completely gone did Subaru exhale deeply. Somehow he'd ridden the crisis out. Now if he could only get the girl to soften just a little "What? Are those the eyes of a beggar? You shall receive nothing from me, commoner." "They are not. Well, would it kill you to thank me for saving you at least?" "Save?" The girl inclined her head slightly with a mystified expression. She closed her eyes, sinking into thought, and let out a small sigh when she arrived at an answer. "So that prattling of yours earlier was meant to save me. Mm, I had not noticed." "You didn't notice?! This sets new standards for dense, you know?!" "Do not misunderstand. No difficulty would have befallen me even without your help. I can only marvel at your taking pride in resolving something that was not a problem to begin with." "I don't know what you mean, so what do you mean? I mean what, like, okay, you're super-strong, so you'd have been fine even if I hadn't saved you?" "Not at all. It is far simpler. This world is composed solely for my convenience. Nothing occurs that is not to my benefit. It is thanks to me that I was saved, yet you attempt to claim this as your own exploit. Have you no shame at stealing credit from another?" With one blatant forward thrust of her bountiful breasts, the girl was asserting, as if it was natural, as if it was obvious, as if it was common sense that she was absolute. The way her eyes radiated like an arrogant sun made Subaru keenly aware that this was someone he absolutely should not associate himself with whatsoever. "Th-that so. My bad for being too big for my britches. Sorry to interrupt. Bye now." He determined it was best to agree with such a person as much as possible not provoke her, just nod enthusiastically, avoid any defiance, and do a quick about-face away from her. But an unexpected call came from behind, and Subaru cursed his feet for stopping. " Wait." "Wh-what?" "What is in that bag there? Show me." The girl strolled around him, nodding to indicate that Subaru should put down the bag. He didn't want to oblige, but defying her would only prolong things, so Subaru reluctantly opened the bag and showed its contents a mountain of ripe, red fruit. "I do not recognize them. These fruits... What are they?" "They're, um, abbles. The fruit of knowledge. Never seen one before?" Blinking at his reply, the girl snorted as she looked at Subaru like he was an imbecile. "You lie. Do not make me laugh. Abbles are white, understand? I have absolutely never seen fruits such as these." Astonished, Subaru replied, "Well, they're white when you peel them..." It was the girl's turn to stare blankly. He remarked, "Wait, don't tell me you've never seen an abble that hasn't been peeled...?" "Mm, I have indeed never seen one that was not at the dinner table. Very well. Hand them over." Nodding in satisfaction, the girl audaciously demanded he give up his the abbles. He'd saved the girl from a robbery only for the girl to attempt robbery on him. Subaru wanted to see Emilia again. He wished Rem were healing him that moment. "Hand them over. I shall split one open and see for myself. Or is it only lies that dribble from your lips?" "...Handle with care, okay?" Judging resistance to be the fool's choice, Subaru took an abble out of the bag and placed it in her hand. The girl took the abble, turning it around as if studying the sensation upon her palm. Then, her left hand flashed toward the abble neatly severing it vertically and horizontally into four equal pieces. The girl licked the fruit juice off her fingers, satisfied at the cross section. "Sweet and sour... Certainly, this is the taste of an abble. I will spare your life." "Spare my... No, never mind. Anyway, you're satisfied now, I take it?" "Ab-so-lute-ly not!!" Her statement, crossing the line from arrogant behavior to tyrannical, made even Subaru erupt in indignation. "You don't even care that you sliced one up out of the blue. Why do I have to give you all of them? These abbles aren't just abbles. They're the bonds between two men!" "Enough prattle. How about this?" The girl pointed at the bag, her lips cracking into a wry smile. "We shall wager for them." " Wager?" "Yes, a simple wager. Something easy, flipping a coin and guessing whether it is heads or tails. A single abble shall rest upon each attempt. How about it?" She was proposing a contest, but all Subaru could do was laugh at her suggestion. "You just say the darndest things. Why would I agree to that in the first place? There's nothing in that gamble for me. I can just run like heck out of here!" "Of course, I shall have something worth winning at the ready. Let's see..." The girl touched her tongue to her lips as she sank into thought. She shifted her bewitching eyes toward Subaru, lifting up her ample bosom with her crossed arms. "Should you win the wager, you may touch my breasts. How about it?" Subaru sighed at length and shook his head at her offering up her own body as a gambling chip. The way she offered herself in a wager without a single reflection on the consequences of losing indicated the kind of personality that ruined gamblers' lives. No doubt she thought that her beauty allowed her to seduce any man setting eyes on her. He thought her worldview was regrettable and rather sad. The girl gave Subaru a slightly suspicious glance, perhaps wondering what was taking him so long. With that gaze bearing down on him, Subaru told her exactly what he thought. "You need to take better care of yourself. That's crazy talk... And you can't seduce me with that look!" And so, Subaru found himself still in the alley, having lost seven straight bets. "That makes seven wins for me. There are only three abbles left, you know?" "No way! You're robbing me blind!" "Now, then." The girl picked up one of the abbles lying before her and deposited it into the bag at her side. Subaru was down to his last two chips, so to speak. When their game had begun, he had ten he never imagined he'd go on an eight-in-a-row losing streak, leaving him in danger of losing the shirt on his back. "Now you know what happens to those who challenge me. I am the pinnacle, and you are suited only to wriggling around at the bottom." "Hey, isn't it a little extreme to treat me as the bottom of the pyramid just because I'm losing? Pride comes before the fall, you know...a fall to rock bottom!" "You may rest easy. All is rock bottom except for me. The world has me, and all else is beneath." Subaru wanted to refute her irrational logic, but that would only make him sound like a sore loser. "Now then, what shall we do next? If you do not trust your luck at coin flips, a different wager is fine." "Oh, now you've done it... I'm down in the bottom of the ninth, but I propose we do rock-paper-scissors!" "Rock, paper, scissors...?" When the girl raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar term, it gave Subaru a tiny ray of hope. "Rock-paper-scissors is a way to settle things. At the signal, you make a shape with your hand, and the stronger shape wins. There're three shapes: rock, paper, and scissors. Paper beats rock, scissors beats paper, rock beats scissors. Understand?" "Oh, yes, I understand. A rather amusing game, it would seem. What is this signal?" "Well, when you finish saying rock-paper-scissors, you show your hand when you get to the 'scissors' part. Oh, and if you both show the same hand, you say rock-paper-scissors again as the signal and do it over on the spot." "That is all there is to it? Very well. I shall go with paper." "You're already showing your hand?!" Subaru shuddered at the breathtaking speed with which she strategized. He'd just finished explaining the rules, and here she was, picking it all up like a pro, poised greedily with victory in her grasp. He supposed he should praise her. She said to him, "Let us begin, then. Rock...paper..." Subaru felt nervous about falling behind. "Ah, wait, time-out. I haven't decided what I'm gonna go with ye " With his thoughts still in a jumble, the girl reached the signal and raised her hand high. " scissors!" The girl's hand indicated paper, just as she had proclaimed. Subaru's hand was rock. She commented, "It would seem that you owe me another abble, complaints about the method notwithstanding." "It's not that! Statistically, people subconsciously keep their hand closed when they're tossed into rock-paper-scissors without warning! Ugh, I'm such an idiot!" The strategist had been defeated by his own scheme. Subaru certainly looked defeated as he handed the girl her abble. With this, Subaru was down to his very last abble. "Now, let us gamble for the last abble and bring this to a conclusion, shall we?" "You wouldn't show mercy on me and let me keep the last one, would you?" "All the abbles you carried belong to me. Leaving one in your hands is the same as leaving you all. It is all or nothing. That being the case, we may as well gamble for all the abbles on the final round. That goes for both of us," the girl added, meaning it would be her ten abbles against Subaru's one. It was truly emblematic of the girl's ruinous, high-stakes way of thinking. He asked, " How about

rock-paper-scissors for the last one, too?" "I have already made my decision. All that remains is for you to choose the method and present me with my abble." The girl showed no doubt about her victory, nor any intention of letting Subaru go. In other words, he had no choice but to harden his resolve to trap a Rakshasa by the vilest of means. The two called out simultaneously, "Rock...paper...scissors!" When both showed their hands, sound vanished from the world. With her fist clenched in a rock, the trembling in the girl's red eyes only grew. "Th-this is..." "Listen and be amazed, look and be astounded! Behold, the ultimate combat technique RoSciPer!!" "What is that...thing?! You did not inform me such a hand was possible!" "Shut up! I didn't mention it, but it's your fault you didn't ask! That part is rock, this here's scissors, and over there is paper! In other words, my hand's beaten your rock!" "If such logic holds, a different part loses to my rock." "Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! I can't hear you! My rock is borrowing power from the scissors and paper, forming the holy trinity of friendship, effort, and victory! It's all here, baby!" Raising the hand of RoSciPer to the heavens, Subaru boldly proclaimed victory with his flagrant cheating. He was well aware his logic was absurd, a desperately underhanded attempt to throw the wager itself into doubt. But the girl defied Subaru's expectations, sighing deeply as she said, "I see. Certainly, it is I who was in error. At the same time, I am amused at how my expectations have been surpassed... Very well, you have won. You may do as you please. Here you go." After her minimal warning, she abruptly stepped forward. Without thinking, Subaru, floored at how quickly she jumped to the next step, stepped back a distance equal to the one she had advanced. "...Do not tell me that now it is time to feel my breasts, you have lost your nerve?" "Huh?! I-I seriously don't know what you're talking about! Who's s-s-s-scared here?!" "...Truly, you are a vexing man. I suppose such bashfulness is adorable in its own way, but..." And there they stood, Subaru getting cold feet at the last moment versus the girl whose pride did not permit her to take back what she had offered. One advanced and the other retreated a standoff that continued until outside forces intervened. Abruptly, the girl's gaze left Subaru and focused on the entrance to the alley. " Mm, it seems this will become troublesome." "Er? It looks like some pretty rough-looking dudes are coming this way." "And the one at the vanguard is a commoner, I recall. Goodness, these fools do not interest me even slightly." "What are they thinking, coming back after hearing Reinhard's name like that?!" "It would seem they have called your bluff about being acquainted with the knight among knights. It is rather easy to understand. Even they have reputations to protect, so they have returned in greater numbers for retribution." "Damn it, this day is just nothing but trouble!" First, he had a close call back on the dragon carriage, then he had gotten on Emilia's bad side, and now this. Today's really not my day. Since the girl was just standing there, Subaru grabbed her hand and dragged her along, carrying the bag of abbles as he rushed deeper down the alley. She protested, "Hey, what are you doing? Do not touch me so carelessly." "Now is really not the time! If you don't wanna get all beat up before marriage, run!!" The girl wasn't very motivated to run as Subaru pulled her down the beat-up alley and plunged into the darkness. The men behind them pursued with a great shout and a flurry of footsteps. Subaru, cursing the heavens for his truly unlucky day, kept running with a desperate expression on his face. "If we do not hurry they will gain on us. Is this time to play around?" "I d-don't wanna hear that from y... Time out, seriously, wait a...!" They'd been racing through run-down streets for the last five minutes, but the girl was running well ahead of him, showing no sign of losing her breath. On the other hand, Subaru, never one to hold up for long sprints, was about to collapse from exhaustion. At first, he had been in front, but his endurance issues soon switched their positions. "I'm convalescing, so this is really pushing it... But we're in a pretty bad spot. Doesn't look like many people live here... You have any ideas?" The other group was a fair distance behind them. However, they were in one long alley, so slowing down meant it was only a matter of time until they were caught. He'd have liked to get on a thoroughfare, but all he could see was a maze of other back streets. "It is not my problem! Everything I set out to do turns out well for me. I do not think deeply about things, for I do not need to. I need only trust in this fact." "Yeah, well you lost at rock-paper-scissors to me earlier..." At least they hadn't bumped into a dead end, but that didn't improve their predicament. Right in front of the winded Subaru, the girl suddenly came to a halt. " Mm, this is indeed rather vexing." Subaru, still holding her hand, also stopped. He looked at her, wondering what the deal was. "Hey, we don't have time to stop here. If we don't put in as much distance as we can, they'll catch up with..." " I have lost interest." "I see, you've lost intere... Wha ?!" Subaru was in utter shock at the girl's unbelievable statement. She returned his gaze, apparently bored. "I said, I have lost interest. In the first place, why must I run? I shall decide what I do myself. I absolutely shall not be forced to do anything because of what lowlifes say or do." "Th-that's easier said than done, you know?! That ain't gonna fly in a situation like th " "Mm, I have decided. You shall have the honor of carrying me." "No thanks!!" As Subaru crossed his arms in a clear sign of refusal, the girl scowled as if he was putting a damper on her mood. "The honor of carrying me is not for just anyone to receive. Only a man who does not know fear would reject such a thing." "Do I look like a macho man that can carry someone and run?! Even when I was at full strength, it took everything I had to carry a girl with way fewer style points than you! And I'm about worn out now!" As Subaru used the remains of his energy in protest, the girl shot him a look of scorn, but he couldn't use what he didn't have. Her games led them to a stalemate costing them precious time. That was the thought in his head when, out of the blue, he heard an aged voice. "It's been some time since I've seen you. What are you doing here?" The speaker's large frame emerged from the darkness. Subaru lifted his gaze to a typical height for making eye contact, but found himself staring at this man's chest. He raised his gaze even farther to his ugly, balding head. A familiar and very muscular old man gazed down at Subaru and the girl. "Gramps is here to save the day! We can win this !" "You're quick to annoy someone who hasn't seen you in a while. I'm leaving you here." "Wait, I really need your help! It's, like, the tenth crisis I've had in the last month!" "That's too many!!" As they exchanged banter in lieu of greetings, the giant Old Man Rom peered at Subaru and the girl. "What, in more trouble, are you? Causing a ruckus with a woman? Quite the adventurer you are." "Do not look at me so rudely, you filthy gnarled tree." "Hey, I'm ribbing him, too, but that's really harsh!! Don't say that to the old man giving us a get-out-of-hell-free card! Don't take it personally, Old Man Rom. We've just got a little case of excessive honesty here!" "You certainly are good at wearing a man down. Hurry and hide!" Subaru covered the girl's mouth before she could spew insults again and rushed toward the place Rom had silently indicated. There was a pile of scrap wood there that seemed able to comfortably conceal two people. Subaru pushed the girl down first before squatting himself. She looked like she wanted to complain about the dust, but his hand over her mouth managed to keep her silent. "We're okay on this end, Gramps!" "No, you're not... I'll hide you with my body. If they see you it'll be trouble for me, too, so don't move." Grumbling all the way, Old Man Rom hid them completely behind his huge body. A mere ten seconds or so later, a commotion of footsteps came from a nearby alley The leader of the men shouted, "The hell, I thought it was the brats, but it's the old man! Shit!" Old Man Rom fielded the foul language with a serene expression. "What? You shouldn't surprise your elders like this." Old Man Rom hadn't put any special invective into his sentence, but the displeasure of a giant like him carried a force all its own. The entire group shuddered, the leader included. But one of the members of the group pointed at Old Man Rom and mocked, "Hey, wait, it's Grandpa Cromwell. Hey, should you really be talkin' smack to us here?" The furrows of Old Man Rom's wrinkled face deepened further in a bitter response. "I do not like being called that name." "Get outta here, old man, or we'll bust up your loot cellar and make you the laughingstock of the slums." "That place has gotten incredibly dirty over the years. If you destroyed it entirely you'd be doing me a favor. So how about I do as I please?" "Yeah, fine. Now, Cromwell... Did you see two brats runnin' this way?" "I didn't see them. Do you know where my blond daughter is?" "Beats me. You picked her up off the street, so what's the big deal? Man, goin' senile must suck." The men waved farewell, laughing derisively as they noisily left the area. Old Man Rom watched their retreating backs, biting his lip as he held back his anger. As Subaru watched his face through a small gap, he couldn't help but feel bad for him. He was glad that Old Man Rom was friendly for their belated reunion, but he seemed a little different from the Rom Subaru knew. "Hww wong rre..." "Mm?" A whisper-like voice interrupted Subaru's thoughts, prompting him to look to the side. Right beside him was the beautiful girl, so close they were practically breathing the same air, her mouth still covered by Subaru's palm. "...you gonng to cvrr my...MOUTH?!" Chomp. " Yipe!!" At the merciless bite, Subaru let out a high-pitched, puppy-like yelp that quietly echoed through the nook in the back of the alley. "Thanks for hiding us, Old Man Rom. The last time I saw you, I thought you'd had the sense knocked right out of you, but I guess you made it through fine." "...Do you want me to change my mind and call those youngins back?" "You sure are petty for a big guy! With me here, there's more than enough petty for everyone!" Subaru grinned and shot him a thumbs-up. Old Man Rom sighed with a worn-out look. They'd moved from the previous narrow alley to a more open city street. Old Man Rom conversed with Subaru while guiding the pair to a place where they could blend in. The girl, having kept her silence until that moment, finally tugged Subaru's sleeve in irritation. "Hey, you. I see you having an intimate conversation. Who is this old man? Explain it to me." "This old

man is the face of the royal capital's slums. The giant's Old Man Rom trader for the bosses of the sticky-fingered types and all-around stingy bastard. He's got bad eyes, loves his cute granddaughter, and he's not nearly as tough as he looks." "That is his worth after having lived a long life? I see. I pity your pathetic existence, gnarled tree." "Your lady friend is an annoying little girl, isn't she?" Old Man Rom was indignant at the harsh appraisal. Though Subaru's explanation was the truth, he set that aside and gave Old Man Rom a warm smile. "I'm so glad I ran into you, really. Even I was getting desperate back there. I didn't have a clue what I was gonna do." Old Man Rom made a strained laugh and casually looked Subaru over. "...The way you switch gears so quickly really throws an old man off. Seems you managed to escape with your life back then, too..." His face twisted painfully as he saw the scars on Subaru's body. "I may not be one to talk, but it seems that knife wielder got you pretty badly." "Nah, that babe only got me in the stomach. All the other wounds are from a thing that happened after." "Goodness! Something else happened to you, not even a month later?!" Subaru thought Old Man Rom's loud reaction was quite sensible as he reviewed the last month though in truth, the boy had experienced nearly twice that time. Those turbulent weeks had included the maid sisters, the demon-beast incident, and the Liliana issue. With Subaru keeping his mouth shut, Old Man Rom seemed to accept things all on his own, shaking his head as he brought up a separate issue. " Hey, brat. Do you know where Felt went off to?" "...Haven't you heard? Reinhard took her with him, or so I'm told..." "Reinhard...the Sword Saint? Why would the knight among knights take her with him?" Apparently, this news was a bolt from out of the blue. Subaru thought back to how things had gone down at the loot cellar, finally noticing the inconsistency. Old Man Rom was out cold before Reinhard had entered the fray. Rom and Reinhard hadn't interacted while Subaru was conscious. "So, what, you just woke up in a wrecked shop without any explanation, and all you could do was wonder?" "It wasn't nearly that bleak. I woke up in the guards' garrison. I appreciated their healing me, but I let myself out right after." "Ah, yeah. Not exactly a comfortable place for you, huh." A criminal wouldn't feel at ease waking up in a police hospital. Subaru couldn't blame him for getting out of there ASAP without hearing all the fine details. "So that's why you didn't hear, huh? Okay. Anyway, let me fill you in on what happened before I blacked out, plus the little bit that apparently happened after." After that preamble, Subaru acted out a dramatic retelling of the events at the loot cellar. Old Man Rom watched Subaru's meaningless theatrics with admiration, and even the bored-looking girl leaned forward, gripped by the performance from start to finish. Subaru concluded, "She was so surprised! And then I said, ' I want you to...tell me your name.'" The girl replied, "Ho-ho, a rather fine choice of words, if I do say so myself. I must grudgingly approve." Rom followed up, "Keh, you really told her... Bah, this is no time to admire! The bottom line is that you don't know any more about Felt other than the fact the Sword Saint took her with him, do you, brat?" "Part of why I came here today was to do some footwork to find out exactly what happened..." But he'd hit a roadblock right at the heart of it, the attempt to make contact with Reinhard. Rom murmured to himself so faintly that Subaru did not hear. "But... The House of Astrea, of all things..." Old Man Rom had a serious expression as he lifted his face. Subaru helplessly shrugged. "Well, I'm gonna see if I can get ahold of Reinhard, so I'll let you know if I hear anything. I mean, I wanted to find out if Felt was safe and sound to begin with." "That'll be a big help... You seem oddly trustworthy. Is this girl involved with this somehow?" "No, not a bit. I don't even know her name." "Just how many scrapes do you get into for girls whose names you don't know?!" "Hey, back when I didn't know Emilia-tan's name, I was pretty desperate, so I don't think anything I did was that weird." Subaru's indifferent reply made Old Man Rom rub his eyebrows in exhaustion. "No point thinking about it. All right, fine. I'll rely on you, so let me know if you find out anything about Felt. If I can repay you, I will." "You're really gushing. It's because it's your adorable granddaughter, huh?" " That's right. She's...like a granddaughter to me, so please." Subaru's jaw dropped at Rom's straight-up, unashamed agreement with him. He wondered if the blond thief girl really knew how deeply he felt for her. Knowing her, he figured she'd go red in the face and try to blow it all off. As Subaru's discussion with Old Man Rom wrapped up, the girl haltingly murmured, "Reinhard... To hear the name of Reinhard here, of all places..." She suppressed a laugh. Subaru's relaxed expression tightened again as he turned toward her. "Hey, it's not polite to eavesdrop. Don't go listening in on other people's business like that." "I did not listen in. You two oafs simply began speaking right in front of me. You. From the way you speak of him, it seems your claim to know the Sword Saint was not a bluff. Are you close?" "It'd be a bit much to say we met once and became best friends forever, but we're on good terms, yeah." Subaru owed a debt to Reinhard. He had enough of a sense of reciprocity to pay it back...even if he couldn't exactly imagine Reinhard in a crisis that Subaru could bail him out of. Subaru asked his new companion, "Well, what do you know about Reinhard? You don't seem like a fan of his." "From what I have heard, he is a rather twisted person. Beyond that, I have only seen him slightly from afar." The way she declared someone to be twisted without having even spoken to him suggested it was her own thinking that was twisted. But with the girl's silence indicating she had no intention to elaborate, Subaru turned his attention back to Old Man Rom. "Leaving her aside, how should I get in touch with you?" "There's a store called Cadmon on Market Street. Give my name to the grumpy-looking man there and he'll get in touch with me." "All right, all right. Cadmon... Cadmon?" As Rom explained how to get in touch, Subaru tilted his head at the familiar-sounding word. Either way, he'd fulfilled his promise to pay Old Man Rom a visit. That was one thing off his to-do list. To take care of the rest, first, he needed something else... "Incidentally, the girl and I are actually completely lost. I don't want my adventure to end here before I can fulfill my promise, so ah, could you lead us back to the main street?" "Mm, all right. Leave it to me. Which street is it?" "Back to the garrison. Please and thank you." "Didn't you hear me tell you I escaped from that garrison?!" Old Man Rom's exasperated shout filled the sky above the alleyway. According to that sky, he'd been separated from Emilia for nearly an hour. The orange-haired girl gazed at the back alley indifferently and muttered, "At first, I thought the disorder of such a grimy place held promise, but now that I am accustomed to it, it has nothing to draw my eye. It is quite useless for assuaging my boredom." She raised the hem of her dress and shook it, a blunt expression of her insufferable displeasure. "I don't think the royal capital's designer drew up these streets to be exciting," Subaru remarked. "The world exists for my sake, so should not everything in it serve to amuse me? I have no idea what the man who approved such boring streets was thinking. Royalty should have a keenly discerning eye. Lack thereof seems to have been decidedly fatal of late." Just hearing her statement set Subaru's heart racing. His head whipped back and forth to see if anyone had overheard. "Th-that's a pretty arrogant thing to say right at the king's door, you know..." The girl snorted at Subaru's caution, or rather, cowardice. "A dull reaction and a futile concern. It would seem that you, too, are part of the common rabble." "I'm well aware I'm a one-hundred-percent common, ordinary, straight-down-the-middle guy, and I'm fine with it. I don't want to waste any more time hanging around you, anyway. The girl who's waiting for me will hate me." "What absurdity. It is an insult for you to think about anyone besides me during the time we are together. I may be accompanied now, but I think nothing at all of walking alone." "Well, you should think about it. Being with you is miserable." He was the chaperone for a girl who seemed to be arrogance incarnate. Subaru's self-pity flared up again at how he'd once again thrown himself under a bus in no time flat for the sake of someone he'd never even seen before. But he remarked to himself, "Ah, whatever..." They were strangers to begin with. Neither knew the other's name. Once they reached the main street, they'd never see each other again. He wasn't magnanimous enough to shut off his own feelings of discomfort to try to make friends with just anyone. In Subaru's book, forcing yourself to like something you hate was among the most distasteful things around. That Subaru had decided this, yet had no intention of leaving the girl on her own until they'd exited to the main street, was evidence as to what kind of person he was. Coincidentally, Old Man Rom was not accompanying them. He abhorred going out onto the main street, so he led them to an adjacent alley before heading off. Subaru somewhat regretted the loss of his company, but... " While I was thinking about all that, here we are." Just ahead of a bend, he could finally see the bright, western sun over the road. Subaru beheld the uninterrupted flow of people passing to and fro, relieved that his suffering was finally at an end. "Now that we're out of there, we're total strangers again. I have to look for my cutie-pie companion, so I don't wanna get into any more trouble, like hanging around you. I'm sure your escort has been desperate to find you, so if you stay put I'm sure you'll meet up with him soon." With the moment of their parting so close, Subaru vented out all the resentment that had built up during that time. Naturally, the girl was poised to respond, but instead, she halted and crossed her arms in silence. "What, nothing to say? Okay, maybe I went a little too far, but I can't change how I feel. Things haven't exactly gone smoothly, but if you try a little prudence now and again, I'm sure..." Subaru was simultaneously excusing his resentful words and lecturing her when she sneered back. "Mmm, I think I pity you just a little. Whether you are aware of it or not, you so thoroughly play the fool. It is no virtue. It is merely a thin shell within which you conceal your weakness. It is as repellant to the eye as your face." "The first part sounded serious, but that last part was definitely making fun of my looks, wasn't it?" "If you intend to maintain the game to the very end, it is no concern of

mine..." Whatever the girl wanted to say wasn't registering with Subaru. Consistent with her bearing and actions, she made statements without any consideration for the comprehension of others. No doubt he wouldn't get a straight answer even if he pursued the matter further. With that in mind, Subaru gave up on speaking to the girl further. Or, perhaps telling himself the girl was incomprehensible was his way of avoiding the truth. But he wouldn't receive any more answers here to begin with. After all, the instant the two exited the alley, they were greeted by a voice Emilia's voice. " I've finally found you." Unlike the back alley, the bright rays of the sun illuminated everything on the main street. The sunshine dazzled and burned his eyes. That radiance haloed her white robe as she looked at Subaru. Her elegant brows were furrowed. Her fingertips restlessly toyed with her sparkling hair. Her gloomy, violet eyes quivered as her lips loosened in slight relief. It was plain as day how much she'd worried about Subaru. Subaru both deeply regretted making her worry and was happy she had worried. His expression brightened at their reunion, unexpected but eagerly awaited. "Ah, Emili " But as Emilia let out a soft sigh, he felt that something was wrong. He began to call her name but stopped when he saw someone beside her a male someone with a burly chest. "Wait, wait, wait! Don't go flirting with Emilia-tan when I'm not around!" Subaru dashed forward to put himself between the man and Emilia. But his glare at the silhouetted man froze in the face of a torrent of sharp words. "Hey, hey, lil' missy. I think your guy here has a screw loose. Is he all right?" The chummy voice addressing Emilia was a bit hard to make out. That was only natural, since the speaker's head was covered in a full-face helmet. The jet-black helm, meant to conceal his entire face, looked highly refined, but the headpiece alone wasn't what made him stand out though that description is misleading. He stood out because the helmet actually was alone. "More worried about an interloper than excited for your reunion? What a fascinatingly complicated sense of masculinity." "Well, you've got pretty horrible fashion sense, don't you?!" "And you've got quite some lip toward your seniors. I'm an easy-going old man, so I'll let it slide, but someone else might chop your head off." Subaru gaped as the man tapped a finger against the nape of his neck in obvious amusement. Yes, the bare nape of his neck, for while the man wore a pitch-black helm over his head, beneath he wore only a shabby mantle and an open linen vest-and-shorts combo that made him look like some bandit. His "shoes" were sandals with split-toe socks. Behind his waist, he carried a handsome sword with a fat blade resembling a Chinese crescent sword. Everything clashed with everything else. Subaru's tracksuit was no less out of place, but the man's attire was surely the greater offense to common sense. Subaru tentatively asked Emilia his burning question. "Emilia-tan, don't tell me this guy's outfit passes for normal here in the capital?" "Don't worry, Subaru. I'm as shocked by what he's wearing as you are." The man erupted into laugher and promptly divulged what he was doing with Emilia in the first place. "Oh yeah, she was really shocked. It was so cute. I said I was looking for someone, and I was pretty surprised when she said she'd come along, though." Subaru put a hand on Emilia's shoulder and stared at where the man's eyes probably were. "Emilia-tan's kind-heartedness is a real virtue, but you still have to pick who you help. Why do you think a poisonous mushroom looks so bad? It's saying, 'I'm poisonous. Danger. Eat me and you'll die.' That's to stop damage before it happens." The man replied, "You're making it sound like I'm a dangerous guy. That's horrible." "Back where I come from, one look at you and they'd bring all the local school kids together and tell them about kidnappers." Subaru blew off the man's flippant comment and returned to Emilia. "Anyway, Emilia-tan, like I'm always telling you watch out for men and cars. Men are wolves, so you can't show them that defenseless, adorable, smiling face... Are you upset?" "No, I'm just thinking that sounds more like something I've said to you than something you've said to me, Subaru. No offense." Subaru was tempted to cover his face, regretting that his slip of the tongue had only heaped more trouble onto him. But the coming lecture was mercifully interrupted by an outside party. The orange-haired girl stepped forward and pompously declared, "Mmm. How perceptive of you to wait for me at my destination. Your loyalty is admirable, Al." Her words made the man Al laugh out loud. "...To be honest, I want to say it was dumb luck I happened to be here, but that'll just put you in a bad mood. I agree with you, Princess. Yep, it's just like you said!" He stood beside the girl and ruffled her orange hair with the palm of his hand. "Apparently, by sheer coincidence, the person the lady here was looking for and the person I was looking for were together. Maybe you could call it fate?" "So it's like the saying, even chance meetings are the result of karma? No thanks, I don't want any threads of fate except red ones with Emilia-tan." There was a momentary pause before Al's reply. " This guy's got quite a mouth on him." But Al's laughter and the light wave of his hand wiped Subaru's doubts away. All his actions had been with his right hand the entire time for the man didn't have a left hand. So the man had one arm, a pitch-black helmet, and a haphazard threadbare outfit. Judging from his tone of voice and his appearance below the neck, he was probably a bit more than twice Subaru's age. In spite of that, he didn't come off much like Subaru's senior, sporting an attitude as light as his clothes. To put it kindly, he was easy to get along with. To put it rudely, he was an adult that needed to pull himself together. Subaru commented, "With Puck there as your guardian, I'm wondering why he let you go around with this guy..." Puck replied to Subaru's question telepathically. "Lia spotted him looking in garbage bins on the side of the street as soon as she stepped out of the garrison. Her meddling happens at lightning speed, so I didn't have any time to stop it." "Oh, come on..." Subaru's reply couldn't hide his exhaustion. True, Emilia's soft-hearted nature was nothing new, but Al looking for his traveling companion in trash bins was completely off the rails. He wondered if the man had put any funny ideas in her head while they'd been alone. Subaru gave Emilia a look of concern when he realized that... *** ...without a word, Emilia had slipped behind Subaru's back as if to avoid the eyes of other people. She pulled down her hood to hide her face again, keeping her voice quiet as if that would erase her presence. Subaru dubiously raised his eyebrows and looked toward the orange-haired girl who seemed the cause of Emilia's misgivings. "What, staring at me?" the girl said. "Drinking in the beauty you will dearly miss once I depart? Certainly, it is cruel that my beauty is so divine, but it is rude to stare in silence." "Sorry, my eyes are in perfect shape... Everyone found who they were looking for, so how about we break this up?" Subaru gave the girl the one Emilia seemed to be hiding from a dismissive reply as he directed the spotlight away from her and toward Al. He didn't know why, but Emilia seemed averse to the attention. So Subaru did what he felt would serve her best. Al replied, "Well, that's all fine... The decision to shift the talk to me instead of Princess included." "...I sympathize with you more than a bit... No, a lot." Al shrugged at Subaru's rather earnest words and looked down at the girl. "An adult with a broad mind can put up with a lot without gettin' sick of it. Even a proud cat that's never been housebroken. Maybe I've just gotten old enough to find it adorable." Subaru couldn't see his eyes through the helmet, but he sounded like a father figure protecting his beloved daughter. They get along pretty decently, huh, thought Subaru vaguely in his mind. He added out loud, "Well, we're gonna head this way... How about you?" The girl replied, "Then I shall go that way as well." "...Then, we're gonna head the other way." "Then I shall go the other way as..." "Oh, good grief. Are you stalking me?! What, did you fall in love with me or something?!" "I imagine that is a joke, and a petty one at that. Lackluster men die in lackluster ways, you know." With great pomp and ceremony, the girl, dispassionate to the bitter end, departed with her companion. Her hesitant steps proclaimed that even though she wanted them to part ways, she found it unamusing to do so. So with all the invective remaining in him, Subaru said to the departing girl, "Hey, arrogant chick, take this." "What an insolent tongue to direct at me. With one command, Al could take that head off your " As the girl turned around with some very menacing words on her lips, her red eyes widened. Her hands stretched and caught the pair of abbles lazily arcing toward her. "Take 'em. These are bonding abbles. In the end I may have won the bet, but the winner has the right to show mercy like a noble warrior. Take care not to wander into bad guys like that from now on, okay?" "I will have you know I did not become involved with those men by acting like some foolish child." "...Incidentally, why did you get involved with them?" "When I asked them if it was not inexcusable that they should live with such impoverished faces and attire, they became agitated." "You're the one in the wrong there!!" Subaru sympathized with Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest all over again and turned his back to the girl, pulling Emilia along by her arm. The small measure of payback gave him some satisfaction. Emilia kept her head down as she went along with him. As they quickly departed, they heard one final muffled shout from the street behind them, filled with apparently genuine gratitude. " Lil' missy, thanks for comin' with me on my search!" "Hey, Emilia-tan, they're gone now, so why don't we talk finally?" Subaru asked. Parting ways with the arrogant girl and her guardian, Subaru and Emilia walked together for a while before stopping. He was worried that something he'd said had brought about Emilia's sudden change in behavior. After a brief silence, Emilia lifted up her face and, just as Subaru expected, the subject was the girl she'd attempted to hide from. "Subaru. About that girl from earlier... She... Where did... Why were you...?" "Ehh, Emilia-tan! What, are you jealous? We're at the point where you're just burning with envy?" " Subaru." With one word, Emilia cut off Subaru's typically glib reply. She had a solemn expression, and the tension in her cheeks told even Subaru that bad jokes weren't going to cut it. "Err? Emilia-tan, what's with the really serious look...?" "Please, Subaru, don't make light of this. Why were you with that girl...?" Emilia seemed to want to hear something from Subaru. It threw him off, but he sank into thought to try to give her the earnest reply she sought. But just as Subaru focused properly about things for once...his efforts were for naught as an angry, rough, and coarse shout interrupted their conversation. "Finally found ya! You're a lot of trouble, damn it!!" At the voice, Subaru

scanned the area, aghast. Roughnecks were on both sides, blocking the street to prevent their escape. Dumb of Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest stood at the vanguard of the men, glaring at Subaru. "I've been lookin' for you and the woman to pay you back for makin' fun of me before." Subaru replied, "...So you brought all your friends for payback over a war of words? No matter how much you resent an insult, a man with a spine wipes his own butt... That's what I...always believed in...!" "Hey, don't try to make me feel bad! What do you know about me, anyway?!" Subaru listened to Dumb's abuse, complete with spittle flying, as he quietly looked around. There were fifteen or sixteen men blocking the street. He couldn't exactly expect Reinhard to bail him out of this one. "Meaning, it's pathetic, but the best thing I can do is rely on Emilia-tan and Puck, so...!" Puck telepathically praised Subaru's quick turn to the aid of others. "It really is pathetic, but I think it's commendable you accept your helplessness so quickly." Subaru felt sorry for Dumb and company, but Puck the Great Spirit could take on street thugs regardless of their numbers. It'd be WinterFest in Lugunica's summer. But before Subaru could shout, "Take it from here, maestro!" and yield the path like a villain in a historical play, a telepathic thought rich in meaning arrived from Puck. "You have quite a disturbing image in your mind there... But apparently I'm not needed." Faster than Subaru could ask what he meant, a rather scary statement came from overhead, heralding the descent of a certain blue-haired maid. " I came here tracking Subaru's scent. What kind of disturbance is this?" Tumbling end over end as she descended, Rem held down the hem of her skirt and landed with a boom. She brushed the dust from her sleeves as everyone gawked at her. Rem made an adorable little tilt of her head. "So, Subaru. Do you have something you wish to say to me?" Subaru pointed at her feet and voiced his question. "Let me start with, err... He's ah, not dead, is he?" Rem lowered her gaze. Underneath lay Dumb, smashed to the ground the moment she landed. Head buried in the city street, the hoodlum said one last thing before he ceased to move altogether. "Not another...maid..." Rem slowly nodded. "He is breathing." "It's all good, then!! That's Rem for you, the all-purpose maid everyone wants in their time of need!" "Oh no... Saying how you can do nothing without me, you are making me blush." Subaru and Rem engaged in their daily routine, even as Rem's violence had the thugs reeling. Subaru's praised made Rem's cheeks go red as she demurred. In the meantime, the men gradually regained their bearings. "D-don't toy with us here! You really think you're gettin' out of this alive...?" Rem's voice lowered as she switched to her emotionless Work Mode. "I judge that these men are threatening Subaru and Lady Emilia's safety." The hooligans faltered at the change. Subaru felt a pang of pity for them while raising a finger to Rem. "Rem." "Yes?" "Don't kill them, okay?" "You are as kind as ever, Subaru I shall half-kill them, then." In a miraculous combination of equal parts violence and loveliness, Rem leaped into the mob. Some lunged at her only to be thrashed. Others turned tail and ran. Others still squatted down and cowered, unable to grasp what was going on Rem heaped punishment upon them all impartially. Subaru gawked at the sight of people flying through the air like they weighed nothing. "Whoa, that's amazing." The impending end of the strife before his eyes filled Subaru's head with tranquility, as if he were removed from the uproar. He never even noticed the violet eyes staring at him, nor the pleading murmur that accompanied them. " Subaru." "So that's why we're gonna rough you up a little. Just a little, wee bit," said a thug to the girl. The men blocking off the road and laughing lewdly included Dumber and Dumbest. Their group, separate from Dumb's, had surrounded the girl and her companion. They didn't need to put into words exactly what kind of payback they had in mind after capturing her. The vulgar lust in their eyes said it all. But the girl paid the men around her no heed as she brought the slice of abble to her lips. "...Mm, bittersweet. It is indeed an abble on the inside. I am forced to conclude that the clown from earlier did not simply dye them red as some kind of joke. So abbles are indeed this color? I am shocked." Al replied, "Hey, ah, Princess, you seeing what's happening here?" "Whatever you wish to say, speak it clearly. I dislike all this indirectness." "Fine, I'll come right out and say it. There's two abbles, so ain't one of 'em mine?" "Ha! How absurd. Now hear this, I caught both abbles that the clown tossed. Consequently, both are mine." "It's common sense that if you have two of something and two people, each of 'em takes one." The disregard of both master and servant drove the ruffians' anger to its limit. With clear malice, each one drew his blade as they began to tighten the circle. Al asked her, "So, Princess. What about what the world around you wants?" "My choice is the world's choice. You should bear that in mind, Al." "I try." The girl nodded with satisfaction at Al's words and resumed nibbling on her abble. Her cheeks relaxed at the bittersweet taste, bringing an angelic smile over her beautiful face. And as if ripping off an insect's wings with cherubic innocence, she stated matter-of-factly, "I am now in a very good mood. Consequently, you may spare their lives." Hearing those words, Al put his hand on the handle of the large sword sheathed horizontally behind his hip. There was a slow shing the sound of a blade being drawn from its sheath. With that as background music, he stated, " Aye-aye, ma'am." The smile under the pitch-black helmet was vivid and fierce. CHAPTER 3 *** " Ehh?! You're leaving me behind?!" Early in the morning at the inn, Subaru raised his voice in shock as he learned the day's schedule. Subaru was stunned while Emilia and Rem sat before his eyes at the table. Roswaal had left the inn earlier, stating that he had a prior engagement; the other three were just finishing the breakfast Rem had prepared. Emilia answered him, "Of course I am. Subaru, the reasons you're here in the royal capital were to see if your acquaintances are all right and to get you treated. That was the deal." "Er, but, since I'm feeling pretty well, you could loosen up the interpretation a little..." "Absolutely not. Today really isn't fun and games, and outsiders are forbidden to enter. I can't even bring Rem with me." Emilia's atypically strict instructions were hard for Subaru to argue with given how he'd wandered off just the day before. He looked to Rem for salvation, but the blue-haired maid shook her head. "This time, Lady Emilia is absolutely correct. Please listen to her." "Crap, isn't anyone on my side here?! And I can't say anything because of what happened yesterday, either. Ugh!" Even if Rem was fundamentally biased toward Subaru, priorities were priorities. As a result of his failing to uphold Emilia's instructions and wandering off on his own the day before, he was totally grounded. With Subaru directing his lament skyward, Emilia put her hands on her hips and exhaled. "It won't be that long... Or I'd like to say that, but I don't really know when I'll be back. So go ahead and eat supper together with Rem. Otherwise I think it might be a rather long wait." "Pfft. If you're going to be that mean about it, I've got my own ideas, Emilia-tan. Hey, Rem. Let's have a feast all by ourselves!" "No, today's menu is abble chips with abble salad, abble pie filled with abble jam, and I have freshly squeezed abble juice ready for dessert." "Abbles all the way down?! Damn you, Scarface!" Apparently, since he'd returned with nine abbles in his bag, it meant the evening's menu would be a veritable abble festival. Subaru laughed desperately as the image of the scar-faced shopkeeper smiling and giving him a thumbs-up came to mind. "Well, that's fine, abbles are my favorite fruit, anyway! Being surrounded by abbles is heaven itself! Okay, Rem!! Let's eat the whole thing up between the two of us!!" "Oh, I couldn't. If you like it so much, I'll let you have all of it." "You act like you're cozying up to me, but sometimes you just chuck me over the cliff, you know?!" Subaru was aghast at how Rem acted less out of concern for his position and more out of how to use his position to her advantage. Emilia slumped her shoulders at the interaction between the two before focusing on the maid. "Anyway, I'm trusting you with this, Rem. I think Roswaal has told you this, too, but... Be strict... Really, be strict, okay?" "The way you repeated yourself after that pause Emilia-tan's super trusting of me, huh?" Subaru gave a thumbs-up at Emilia's earnest reminder. Emilia, already accustomed to the sight, gently rested a hand on his fact. Subaru's breath caught at the sudden contact. "Subaru, I'm not asking much of you..." "R-right...?" "Please, let me trust you, okay?" For a moment, the sound of Emilia's plea froze Subaru's thoughts solid. Then, he caught her meaning, chewed it over, and swallowed with a nod. "Y-yeah! I'll do just that! I practically live to meet Emilia-tan's expectations!" He still didn't understand the cause of the lingering unease in her eyes when he reflexively agreed to all her conditions. He'd just accept them for now and take them into account when he shifted to action. In contrast, Emilia's violet eyes darkened. Then, she quietly added... "Yes I trust you." It was probably less than an hour after Emilia had left for the royal palace. Subaru was spending his time studying the world's writing system under Rem's tutelage at the inn. He was mechanically copying characters, his thoughts consumed by just one thing. Namely, how he could be at Emilia's side as she competed in the royal selection. Emilia was right to worry about how he would take her entreaties for him to wait. Subaru hadn't considered patiently waiting at the inn for her return in the slightest. He felt a little guilty about disregarding his promise to her. Even so... "There's definitely people here in the royal capital who have it out for Emilia..." The last time she had been to the royal capital was the first day Subaru had met her. Apparently she had snuck her way in to visit. In spite of this, enemies had targeted the emblem she carried, attempting to rob her of her qualification for the royal selection, and even her very life. Thinking back upon their fateful encounter, Subaru could not endure the burning in his chest. Having been suddenly summoned into another world, he'd lived until that day without a single word from anyone. He still had no idea who had summoned him or why. He didn't have any leads. That was why Subaru was thinking about how to blow the current situation wide open. If no one was going to grant him a purpose, he'd decide his purpose for himself. " I'm gonna...help Emilia." Subaru had probably been summoned to that world for that very reason. And if not, he'd do it anyway. That was the thought that animated Subaru Natsuki and gave him strength. "And that's why..." *** Rem just happened to catch a glimpse of Subaru's eyes as he hardened his inner resolve. With a slight blush of her cheeks, the maid stood firmly in his way, forming an impassable barrier in front of the

door. He'd tried various methods to get her to leave her post already, but she'd even brought a chamber pot in with her. "Stare..." "What is it, Subaru? Those intense eyes are making this a little awkward..." "Stare..." "Y-you may not. Even if you look at me like an abandoned puppy, you may not." "Stare..." "I-I promised Sister that I would fulfill my duties. So you may not." The power of Subaru's silent stare was backing Rem into a corner. She seemed increasingly agitated as she endured Subaru's gaze, glancing back at him with reproach. "Are you...worried about Lady Emilia that much? The royal palace is filled with numerous privileged guests besides Lady Emilia, so I imagine security is very tight." "It's not how good the security is... I hate being left behind when Emilia has something really important happening." "Subaru..." What Rem was saying made complete sense. He was acutely aware of his own deficiencies. The power Subaru possessed was meager and useless, and could only lead to pain and sorrow. But he didn't care if he was useless. "If something happens, then I probably won't be any use. And if it isn't likely to happen, it's great if it doesn't. I get that." *** "But if something does happen, maybe it won't get resolved if I'm not there. I don't know when that something might come, so I want to be there with Emilia when it counts." If some events could not be undone save through Return by Death, a tactic that only Subaru Natsuki could use, then that was a stage he ought to be fighting on. Subaru did not realize that his thought process, taking his own "death" into the calculation, was warped to begin with. "...My goodness, Subaru, you really are incorrigible." Rem's halting murmur sounded like surrender, making Subaru lift up his face in the hope that his wish had been granted. "Then you'll..." "No, you may not. Even so, I cannot permit you to pass, Subaru." "Wait, what's with the way you were talking just now?! It totally sounded like..." As Subaru chewed her out, Rem dodged his question and raised a finger. "However... I will be working on a new abble dish that I suddenly thought of. As this requires great concentration, I will be extremely busy in the kitchen. It is highly probable that someone could slip out of this room without me realizing." *** "But you must not do anything untoward. Please continue your studies until I return. When everything is settled...I will treat you to the finest abble cuisine anyone has ever made." Subaru was cowed into silence as Rem gave him a motherly smile before standing. Just as she'd announced, she tied on an apron and left the room. Subaru listened to her light footsteps go down the stairs before he slumped back heavily in his chair. "Ahh, Rem's so adorable... I'm the worst for taking advantage of her." Closing his eyes, he thanked Rem for her clumsy idea and rose from his chair. Before leaving the room, Subaru reconsidered for a moment, took a pen, and tore out a page from the workbook. Rem returned to the empty room, touching the table as she murmured offhandedly, "...I am slightly disappointed that he did not say, 'Come with me.'" He'd left behind a note on the table with "Sorry, and thanks" written in crude I-script. "Subaru, you truly are incorrigible..." As Rem gazed at the note, her expression betrayed the true meaning of her words. Rem picked up the note, pressing it against her chest and closing her eyes as she treated it as a precious gift from Subaru. " But I wonder what Master Roswaal is thinking?" She inclined her head slightly as she voiced her doubts about the instructions her master had left that morning. "He said, 'Do not stand in Subaru's way no matter what Lady Emilia may say to you.'" It was as if he'd anticipated Subaru's actions and had instructed her accordingly. She also wondered why he was valuing Subaru's opinion above Emilia's. But at any rate... " Please come back to me safely, Subaru." She did not think he had run off without any plan, but she knew he was a boy who would do such a thing for the sake of another, putting the safety of others before his own. All Rem could do was fulfill his request and pray he would be unharmed. For a time, Rem closed her eyes, picturing Subaru in her mind as she offered up a prayer. She then finished the tidying up of the half-completed study materials Subaru had abandoned before she retreated to the kitchen. And so, Subaru Natsuki was let loose in the capital a second time, perhaps dancing in the palm of someone's hand though none could tell. Subaru, having skipped out of the inn thanks to Rem's kindness, ran downtown in the royal capital, his feet taking him to the Cadmon fruit store so he could contact Old Man Rom. "Sneaking into a castle...is not very realistic, is it? Well, nothing's gonna happen unless I make it to the entrance of the royal palace..." It might have been possible to gain entry by explaining that he was connected to Emilia and Roswaal. But Subaru had few cards to play to even get that far. "Even if I got to the garrison and explained, Emilia would probably turn down a magic mirror message..." If he could make it to the foot of the castle, he was confident he could verbally wear Emilia down. Emilia was weak under pressure. He didn't think she'd chase Subaru off after he'd undergone a dangerous adventure to reach her. Subaru went to Market Street in the hopes of improving his chances of success. He wanted to get in touch with Old Man Rom and relay his plan to infiltrate the Nobles' District as soon as possible. The day before, Emilia had attempted to contact the royal palace from the garrison, but her efforts had apparently failed. But as it was clear that Reinhard was assigned to the Knights of the Royal Guard, he would surely be attending the royal selection meeting that day. Before Emilia had left the inn, she'd said that she would ask him about Felt afterward. Subaru wanted to tell Old Man Rom, a worrier in spite of his large frame, as soon as he could. Weaving his way into the crowd with quick feet, Subaru found the shop sign that was still fresh in his memory. The eccentric colors of the Cadmon sign were easy to mentally associate with the unmistakable scarred face of the shopkeeper. It's a small world, thought Subaru as he leaped out in front of the shop, when... "Hey, old guy. Long time no " As Subaru tried to call out to the storekeeper, a congenial voice interrupted from right beside him. "You're late, bro! Just in the nick of time. Lucky you, I was gonna wait just a bit longer before heading off." A heavy metallic rattle accompanied a muffled laugh. Subaru shrugged off the arm openly wrapped around his shoulders, putting some distance between himself and the very close voice. "Who are... Wait, you're the guy from yesterday?" "Yeah, I'm the guy from yesterday. I'm glad you showed up. Now I won't get an earful over it." Not minding that his arm had been brushed off, the man in the black helmet Al patted his chest with his one arm. The appearance of the eccentric swordsman was just as unbalanced as it had been the day before. Al chuckled again, seeing Subaru's obvious shock at the unexpected reunion. "Hey, don't get bent out of shape. It's your fault for talking about meeting up here right in front of Princess. She's a sharp cookie to begin with." "Right in front of...she was eavesdropping! So why are you at the place I'm supposed to meet Old Man Rom, anyway? I get that the girl ordered you to, but not the reason why." "Hey, don't ask me why. Princess does things on a whim so much, a lot of the time there's no point asking why. So let's get goin' then!" "'Goin''?" Apparently, both master and servant expected him to charge off into a new affair without his misgivings being answered. With Al ready to move out without a sufficient explanation, Subaru furrowed his brows and objected, "Hold on a minute. Go where? You haven't explained one thing to me... I mean, I've got a place I have to get to!" "Why're you dragging your feet? Hey, it's a big world out there and people get carried away by the currents, so just forget your doubts and go with the flow. It's fun!" Subaru pointed at Al's helmet, unable to see the expression behind it as he soundly declared, "I don't wanna hear philosophy from a grown-up slacker like you. I've got things to do. I don't have time to mess with you or your princess!" Subaru had no idea how Al had wound up associated with said princess, but that didn't mean he had to shut up and play along. He continued, "You should really reconsider spoiling her before it gets both of you in really hot wa " " You're looking for a way to get into the royal palace, right?" *** Al's murmur stopped the stern lecture on Subaru's lips. "Whoa, that sure worked. That's Princess for you. It's just like she said." "Wh...what do you know...?!" "Nah, I don't know nothin'. I'm just saying it 'cause Princess told me to. And it worked, huh?" Al's shoulders rocked in delight as Subaru bit his lip and held his breath. If what the man said was true, Subaru was dancing on the palm of a girl who wasn't even there. Suspecting he was completely boxed in, Subaru licked his parched lips. "...I can...get into the castle, if I...go with you?" The way Al avoided the heart of the matter was unsettling. "Well... You'll find out if you come along, won't ya?" Subaru averted his eyes and resisted the urge to click his tongue. Al had tossed the ball into his court and now calmly awaited his reply. In spite of that, he seemed to know exactly what reply Subaru would give, which burned Subaru to no end. After a brief, silent pause, the boy scowled in defeat as he raised a white flag. " Understood. I'll go with you." "Don't look so sad. I knew how this was gonna go down the moment you arrived in front of this shop with me waiting for you, just like Princess wanted." "...You seriously believe in her like that?" Al didn't reply to Subaru's feeble question, using his one arm to fend off the issue as he moved the conversation forward. " Well, out of time. If we don't get a move on, she's gonna leave us behind. She's really strict about that stuff." Subaru was about to fall into step behind Al, but first he looked back and said, "So there you have it. There's stuff I wanted to talk about, but I'll save it for next time, old guy." He was speaking to the shopkeeper, who'd been grimacing as Subaru and Al conversed inside the store. The shopkeeper traced his facial scar with a finger and let out a brief snort. "I don't really mind. Can't be helped... Having a weirdo like that in front of my store was driving my customers away. Get going already." "I'm not sure Al's the cause of your customers staying away, but... I've got one favor to ask you. You can get in touch with this crazy-huge geezer named Old Man Rom, right?" Subaru, feeling confidence in the unusual connection, chose his words with great care as he added, "I want you to tell Old Man Rom this: Subaru Natsuki says, I'm heading to the castle to check on Felt. Wait up for good news." When Subaru reached Al's destination, he looked up, completely and

utterly overwhelmed. "This is... How to put this..." Standing beside him, Al nodded to display his sympathy with Subaru's halting words. "I know, bro. I get it, looking at this and wondering what you should say." Then, the two met each other's eyes, pointing at what stood in front of them, and said simultaneously, " Rich people." The dragon carriage was the very definition of needless extravagance. The passenger cab was subtly engraved and adorned with numerous flamboyant ornaments. Glittering, radiant gold leaf had been applied to the exterior, and even the wheels had been jewel-encrusted. The land dragon in front also had an ostentatious appearance. The crimson-skinned, two-headed land dragon had extravagant feathers all down its back, with the intricate designs on the reins and bit completing the image of quintessential opulence. "...People ride this? This isn't some kind of mistake?" "Unfortunately, even in a vast kingdom such as this, only Princess would ride such an embarrassing thing." Subaru did a double take as Al patted him on the back and walked ahead of him toward the occupied vehicle. It was parked on the side of the street, but nonetheless, an unnecessarily huge dragon carriage just sitting there made a large impact on passersby. It received many stares, more out of raw shock than indignation at the interference. Deeply conscious of their stares, Subaru finally resigned himself to climbing into the dragon carriage. He could almost hear the unvoiced whispers behind him: He's getting into that... Sitting by herself in a custom seat, a girl greeted them with a crafty smile. " You have made me wait some time. Such rudeness can cost you dearly." The girl's attire for that day polished and amplified her beauty more than ever. The dress was wide open at the chest, presenting her ample bosom with such assertiveness that her sensuality tempted eyes to wander. "...I'm extremely humbled and delighted by your invitation." " 'Tis no trouble. You are riding for my entertainment, nothing more. A minor amusement I am slipping in at the last minute." "So I'm a super-outstanding servant here to serve as your entertainment for the evening? You're gonna make me cry." As Subaru scoffed at the door, the seated master and servant traded glances with each other. The awkwardness had Subaru grinding his teeth by the time Al said to him, "Sit. We can't get this dragon carriage moving if you just keep standing there. Even if the blessing makes it not rock on the inside, it's a hell of a lot more comfortable sitting down. Besides, Princess hates being looked down upon." "Indeed, you understand me rather well, Al. So, commoner, that is how it is. Sit down at once. If you continue to tower over me like this, I shall have your height reduced...by about half." Since it really didn't sound like a joke, Subaru plopped down immediately. That instant, the dragon carriage started. The scenery outside the window moved gently. Very gently. Al guessed what was on Subaru's mind, trying not to laugh as he said, "Appearances were prioritized at the cost of speed. Form over function. Easy to understand, yes?" Subaru scratched his head at the way of thinking so different from the world he had come from, but the girl in the carriage prodded him, speaking in a fairly playful tone. "So, peasant. What is the purpose of your riding in this dragon carriage?" "Err... Uh? Purpose or not... It's because you told the guy there to invite me aboard, right?" "No. That was the trigger, but not the reason. I am not asking you why you came here. I am asking you, what is your reason for being here?" For a moment, Subaru refrained from a comeback as he searched for better words. It burned him, but it clearly was not the time to get on the girl's bad side. She might just threw him out of the dragon carriage, but worst case, he'd be finding out what it was like to be on the business end of the sword on Al's hip. Besides, she had chosen her question deliberately not why he had come, but why he was there at all. "...Because I need to go to the royal palace. That's why I'm in this carriage." "Correct. That is your reason for being here. Put another way, so long as you carry that reason with you, you would be hunting for another way to get into the palace, even if you were not on this carriage, yes?" Subaru lowered his head, unable to refute the girl's words. "That's...right... Maybe I'd end up sneaking in on one of the rich folks' carriages." So long as he could not accept "giving up" as an option, Subaru would have groped for a way to get into the royal palace by any means necessary, even if it meant sneaking in aboard a nobleman's vehicle. But as Al pointed out, "That's reckless talk. Even if you could normally, this is a real special day. The checks are gonna be a lot stricter. There's pretty much no way that'd work without help from guards at the garrison and people taking care of the carriages." Naturally, Subaru had no connections with which to make such arrangements. No doubt he'd have completely failed if he had attempted such a plan without being prepared. "If that's the case, getting invited here is a huge lifesaver, huh...?" "So you boarded this dragon carriage because you aim to enter the royal palace. In other words, you believe this carriage is heading to the royal palace... There is no meaning in hiding it. Surely you are well aware of this." "...Yeah, that's right... And if this isn't going there, let me off now because I'm on the wrong ride." Al interrupted with a low chuckle. "Sorry, this is a special express that won't stop until the fourth station down the line." Subaru raised his eyebrows at the expression, but the girl continued before he could follow up. She glanced over at Subaru as she said, "Luckily for you, this dragon carriage is in fact heading to the royal palace... And do you understand why this dragon carriage is heading to the royal palace?" *** "I pray you do not disappoint me by being a foolish commoner manipulated by the information before your eyes and fail to miss the obvious. If you are, that makes you a fool whose life bears no value. Answer with care." As Subaru swallowed his breath, the girl uncrossed her legs and sat up. She sat with her legs off to the side, her back straight and deep in her seat as she gazed at Subaru and asked, "Why is this dragon carriage heading toward the royal palace?" "This dragon carriage's...heading toward the royal palace, because..." Held captive by those two red eyes, Subaru felt his stomach squeezing. The extreme pressure rolling off the girl no doubt would make the weak of spirit buckle then and there. She was a proud girl who spoke and acted like she viewed the entire world from a position above it. She had an obedient servant and a luxuriant dragon carriage. These formed the outline, and when Subaru added the final piece, the puzzle was complete. There was only one possible answer. "...Because you're participating in the royal selection. This carriage is carrying a candidate." " My. In other words, you do understand." "...You're one of the candidates fighting for the throne of the Kingdom of Lugunica, aren't you?" At Subaru's reply, the girl narrowed her blood-colored eyes and let loose a bloodcurdling, sadistic laugh. " Al." "Right, right, understood. It's what you figured, bro. This young lady is a candidate for the royal succession of the Kingdom of Lugunica. This is Lady Priscilla Bariel." Al called the leisurely posing girl Priscilla a name he spoke with reverence. Priscilla nodded in satisfaction at her servant's words before looking at Subaru. "One might argue that even a fool would have answered thusly after being provided with so many hints. Regardless, you may rest at ease. At the very least, you have avoided an immediate shedding of your blood." "Well, I'm relieved, too. This thing may be huge, but I don't think we'd ever get the smell of blood and guts out of it." "I would simply arrange a new carriage in that case. Worry less about such trivial things and more about my mood." "A petty bourgeois like me just can't understand a princess's sense of money." Priscilla and Al engaged in casual master-servant banter. As Subaru watched, he subtly let out a long sigh. He'd hazarded a guess when they'd parted ways the day before. Without doubt, Priscilla's haughtiness marked her as someone from society's upper class, telling him she had a strong pedigree. But what had really settled it was Emilia's reaction. Emilia had been fearful of coming into contact with Priscilla in spite of the robe she wore meant to conceal her identity. If Priscilla was Emilia's political rival, it all fell into place. In that light, the fact she'd invited Subaru aboard the dragon carriage meant... "You knew who I was with yesterday, then?" "It would seem she attempted to conceal herself with some pathetic rags. The way she hid in a nook along the street suited her public image very nicely." "Why, you. There's things you say and things you don't..." Subaru was unable to conceal his indignation at Priscilla's mockery of Emilia. "Hey, lay off, bro. I only just got her to chill out on the spilling blood stuff." It took only an instant. As Subaru stood up, Al drew his crescent sword and touched the thick of the blade against the bottom of Subaru's chin. One step farther and Subaru's head would roll from his shoulders. Al continued, "You get how Princess is by now, right? That's her default mode, so just be the bigger man and accept it. If you don't... Well, you chose wrong." "For a one-armed guy, you're pretty handy with that thing." "I've lived longer with one than with two. People adapt." Unable to see Al's face to judge whether he was joking, Subaru clicked his tongue and backed off a step. Accepting this, Al twirled his razor-sharp weapon and returned it to its sheath. Subaru sat back down in his seat and calmed himself. He scowled as Al's helmet made a satisfied shake, rubbing salt into his wounds. Subaru gazed at him and broached the subject that had been nagging him all this time. "Is it too rude for me to ask where you lost that arm of yours?" He was pointing at Al's left arm, the most distinctive thing about him. If he has trouble answering for once, I wouldn't mind, he thought. But that spurred a turn of events far different than he had expected. "Sure, I can see why it'd bug you. It was my baptism to a whole different world. You know what I mean, don't you, bro?" " Ah?" Subaru had meant to gain some measure of revenge upon him, but the unexpected truth washed that thought away. He stared in abject shock while Al toyed with the gap of his helm with his left hand and tilted his head a bit. "Wha, don't tell me you didn't notice by now? I'm the only one who knows what you're going through, bro." " Huh?" Subaru let out a breath as his eyes opened as wide as plates. Al's words had frozen his thoughts stiff. With his brain blanking out, he was at a complete loss for words. The boy raised a hand, his head feeling dizzy as he chewed over the implications. "Wait... Wait. Understand what I'm going... You're, ah, really?" "Can't really blame you for doubting me. I couldn't believe my ears yesterday. That stuff about how even chance meetings are the results of karma, the red threads... Haven't heard those quotes in eighteen years." "Eighteen...?!" That outrageous length of time caused Subaru's voice to catch in

his throat. In real time, he had only been summoned one month prior. But if what Al said was true... "That's right, bro. It's been eighteen years since I got summoned here. I lost my arm around the same time... Right around the age you are right now." Just like that, Al confessed to Subaru that he'd experienced the same situation. However, Subaru was far from overjoyed at having so easily found someone like him. Al had spent eighteen entire years in that place knocked the wind right out of him. "Did you ever find out...how, or anything...?" "What, how I lost my arm, or the summoning? If it's the arm, it was when I didn't know right from left here. It was a plain, ordinary mistake. If you mean the summoning... I still don't know." *** "It's not like I've looked under every rock for the reason I got called to this world... I've been working my ass off to survive." So Al truly had lived eighteen years in another world. Being blessed with a relationship like Subaru's with Emilia wasn't common. It really did hit close to home: He could very easily have lost an arm or spent his days desperately trying to live, forgetting all about the time. It was by good fortune that Subaru Natsuki was not walking a path quite that bleak. Priscilla's haughty behavior shattered the gloomy silence that fell over the carriage. "You two men and your glum faces are dulling the luster of my dragon carriage. From what I have heard, 'tis all trifling issues of the past. Even those clownish tall tales about your homeland beyond the Great Waterfalls make for a more amusing conversation for me." "Beyond the Great Waterfalls...?" "Do you not know? At the ends of the maps of the continent, the land ceases at the four corners of the world, with all washed away by great cascades of water in other words, the Great Waterfalls. From time to time, there are rumors of people who have come from beyond them, such as you and Al. Most are simple nonsense... But Al is different." " ! Why do you think that? Do you have some kind of concrete reason to think...?" " Intuition." It wasn't what Subaru expected, but the response fit Priscilla perfectly. "Understand? Nothing happens in this world that is not convenient for me. In other words, my intuition is not a reason, for I require none. It is an answer all by itself. Al is a buffoon of a different breed than the other vulgar peasants and their nonsense. And...it would seem that you are, as well." "You're unbelievable... Does it really benefit you for me, someone related to your political rival, to ride on the same dragon carriage as you?" Even if her words were consistent, her actions were not. That was what Subaru was trying to get at. However, Priscilla smiled at him like a carnivore surveying her prey. "...How about this? I take you, someone related to my political rival, hostage and use you to blackmail her into abandoning the royal selection. Or, I deliver her your head and threaten her by telling her that she is next. Either way, 'tis a simple matter, is it not?" *** Priscilla rolled her tongue around in delight at how Subaru's eyes widened in distress. It was a possibility he had not even imagined until that very moment. The reason for this was simple: Subconsciously, he didn't think he was valuable enough to capture as a hostage to bait Emilia. "Your face says that is beyond what you anticipated. That makes you an even greater buffoon, yes?" Subaru hadn't even considered the risk he could become a liability to Emilia. Priscilla clapped her hands as if she were making sport of her own, hand-raised pet. "Judging from your eyes, you have taken the girl's side for reasons of passion. Your mad emotions have clouded your vision, making you neglect what lies at your feet... No words exist to describe your foolishness." Subaru was unable to even let out an ugh as he wilted before Priscilla. He'd meant to rush to Emilia's side because he wanted to help her, to be there for her, but that had turned into a tragicomic farce. Al interjected, "Hey, Princess, he's from my homeland. Don't tease him too much, okay?" Priscilla shrugged her shoulders as a look of tedium came over her. "I am not berating him, whatsoever. This peasant has realized his oversights and fallen into despair and gloom all by himself. It bores me. You need not overthink things, commoner. Had I intended to use you in that manner, I would have had you dismembered in the street yesterday. That I have not done so, and invited you to ride within my dragon carriage, makes my intentions crystal clear, does it not?" "...Whether you're taking me hostage or not isn't where my self-loathing's coming from... I'm pathetic for not having thought of it. And why did you get me to ride this thing, anyway?" Subaru couldn't help but think that many of his actions had rebounded on Emilia. Priscilla's declarations might have been hard to listen to, but they'd merely brought the facts to his attention. However harsh the lesson, it was the truth. When Subaru turned a questioning gaze toward Priscilla, she altered her position again, resting her chin on a hand. "I have told you already. You are here for my entertainment. I think it will be more amusing to bring you to the royal selection assembly than to use you as a hostage or for threats. That is my decision." Subaru was taken aback by her completely unexpected thought process. To this, Priscilla yawned. "Everything in this world exists to convenience me. Furthermore, I shall decide the course of whatever I please. Whatever I decide, it shall be. Therefore, all I need to do is decide what will entertain me, and what will not. There is no inconvenience to me." *** With Subaru still dazed, the girl closed her eyes, declining to discuss the matter further. Judging from her posture and demeanor, she intended to nap until the time of their arrival. Given there was a meeting crucial to the royal selection in under an hour, it was truly bold. When Subaru looked Al's way, the guardian raised one hand to indicate subservience to his carefree master again, sinking soundlessly into his seat. Subaru was unsure whether he should do similarly and settle in for the long haul when Priscilla added, "If there is one reason beyond my amusement..." "Eh ?" "The abbles." After those two words to a thoroughly dumbfounded Subaru, Priscilla went silent entirely. Since her conduct made clear she would not permit him any questions or doubts, Subaru wracked his confused mind, finally coming up with a single possible answer. In other words, "The old guy at the fruit store saved my life, then...?" He recalled that, for whatever reason, the shopkeeper had been involved in a large percentage of his exploits in the royal capital. The thought of having survived thanks to something so banal and trivial provided Subaru a brief respite from his self-loathing. The carriage arrived at the palace and entered through the main gates. As Subaru walked straight up the front stairs, he felt painfully aware of just what a little fish he was in that ocean. "Hey, um, am I all right here? To be honest, I'm so out of place it's kinda scary..." Subaru looked down at his own outfit before glancing at Al, walking beside him. "Well, yeah. We're basically party crashers. No question they aren't rolling out the red carpet for the two of us." Al's ever-aloof attitude suggested he had no qualms about looking far more out of place than Subaru. Apparently, his eighteen years in another world had washed away all concerns about dress codes. Not only that, all eyes were on the girl walking before them Priscilla as she continued toward the central chamber. The corridor was decorated with paintings and other works of art, and guards in full armor lined it on the left and right, swords raised in salute. Subaru had difficulty breathing under the pressure even though he wasn't the object of attention. In the meantime, they arrived at the end of the corridor. He raised his eyes to see an enormous pair of double doors before them. "Soldiers lining the corridor, huge doors..." The sight of the closed doors overwhelmed him with its grandeur. He felt himself standing straighter just from being in its presence, his discomfort reaching a fever pitch. As Priscilla led the party onward, a fully armored soldier in front of the door took a step forward, saluting her with his sword. He removed his great helm and looked over Priscilla and the others with an intellectual air. "We have been expecting you, Lady Priscilla." The man was around forty years old, give or take, with an expression that was not so much tough as stern. His face was as austere as an image carved into a boulder, giving off the air of a man who'd seen plenty of combat. Priscilla replied to his salute with a haughty nod and turned her head slightly toward Subaru and Al. "They are with me. One is my knight, and the other...my abble boy." "Hey...!" Subaru immediately started to refute Priscilla, but stopped very quickly when he realized that such a thing was impermissible in that place. The knight's face didn't even twitch. " Abble boy, is it?" "Yes, abble boy. He is a type of clown, bearing the exalted duty of providing me with red, bittersweet abbles. He is harmless. Surely you do not mind?" Without replying to the imperious Priscilla, the knight appraised Subaru and Al as his blue eyes faintly twinkled. "I cannot detect any dangerous magic. That sword is the only one you carry, sir knight?" ".........Oh, by 'knight' you mean me. Yes, yes, that's right. If I see any dark-haired, mustache-twirling villains around, I'll chop 'em in half with one hand." "Should an incident occur, please concentrate on protecting your master, Lady Priscilla, and leave the rest to us guards." With his casual banter brushed off, Al halfheartedly replied, "Sure thing." The man dipped his head and shifted his gaze toward the huge doors, which slowly began to open. "Everyone is already waiting inside, so with all haste..." "I am superior, so it is fitting that the masses wait for me. The reverse is impermissible, however." Entirely self-absorbed, Priscilla stepped through the door, all eyes still on her. Seeing Al follow her without hesitation, Subaru firmed up his resolve and entered as well. As his view expanded, he found himself in an enormous room with a red carpet covering it. The glittering adornments on the walls were illuminated by extravagant lighting hanging from the high ceiling. The room had few places to sit considering its size, though a small set of steps led to chairs on the far side of the chamber. There were five seats from left to right, and what stood out most was the one seat in the center. Resting against a wall, the innermost chair was fashioned into the form of a dragon, as if to show that he who rested in that chair shouldered the dragon upon his own back, while being protected by it in turn. It was a classical throne room of a royal palace. Meaning that chair had to be the throne of the King of Lugunica. After the throne caught his attention, Subaru timidly looked around the rest of the chamber. Unlike the exterior, he couldn't see a single sword-carrying guard. Instead, he saw rows of elite troops dressed in white-themed uniforms with knights' swords at their hips the Knights of the Royal Guard. Farther within was a group of apparent civil officials in ceremonial dress, all men of high rank based on their appearance. Their dignified faces suited a throne room. And

at the center of the room, removed from the cluster of knights and nobles, a small group of people stood in a line. And among them was A silver-haired girl. When she saw the three people entering through the large doors, she called out with obvious surprise. " Subaru?" Her wide-open violet eyes wavered with bewilderment, like she was unable to believe that Subaru was there. Inundated with Emilia's shock and surprise, Subaru's heart beat so loudly it hurt. Now that he knew Emilia was there, he felt joy, but also guilt at having betrayed her to get there. In spite of all the thoughts and feelings that had spurred him into action, he was at a complete loss for words in front of her quivering eyes. "Er, Emilia, I..." *** Even though this was what he had sought, words just wouldn't come out. Emilia's gaze wandered over Subaru as she, too, searched for words, but her lips were drawn tight. Neither of them broke the silence, but rather a voice and bump from behind... "What are you doing staring at my servant, you imbecile?" " Err." The touch against his back was frighteningly soft. The arms that wrapped around his chest and neck were outright bewitching. Priscilla, pressing against him from behind, rested her chin upon Subaru's shoulder so that they gazed at Emilia together, their faces side by side. "What are...! G-get off! Emilia-tan's gonna get the wrong idea!" "The wrong idea? Do the bonds between you and I not form a deep and intimate relationship? I permit it. Come close." "I didn't give you those bonding abbles to have you use them for nefarious purposes!" As Priscilla teased, Subaru extricated himself from her and put distance between them. The apparent rejection prompted Priscilla to stomp a heel, narrowing her eyes in displeasure. But before any unrest could break out, the familiar voice of a man with delicate features intervened. "My, oh myyy. Lady Priscilla, I am dreadfully sorry for the trouble my house's servant has caused you. And you even cared for him after he became lost in the castle... Please forgive this terrible rudeness." Before Subaru knew it, Roswaal, the character with long, violet hair, was standing beside him with a dubious smile, wearing a formal uniform with a maple emblem unrelated to his status as Court Magician. "And so the swindler steps forward. I have no recollection of such a thing. I picked up that peasant myself... And do you have proof that he is any servant of yours?" Priscilla had a crafty comeback. However, Roswaal greeted her question with a shrug. "Fortuuunately, I do. I have looong been in the practice of marking that which is mine. My family crest should be sewed into the liiining of his uniform." *** Priscilla's face went blank. She looked at Subaru as if seeking confirmation of the tale. Under her gaze, Subaru turned up the sleeve of his coat and saw that there was indeed something resembling an embroidered hawk in the lining. He showed Priscilla the embroidery as well, to which she responded with a short snort. "A cheap trick. Well, fine. Toying with the clown and the imbecile has driven away much of my tedium along the way And besides, my vassal asked it of me." "Princess, you promised not to mention that p..." "Do not be concerned about little things. You'll never grow taller otherwise." "You shouldn't expect a guy pushin' forty to be growing anyway..." Priscilla silenced Al with a glance before striding forward, not paying Subaru the slightest heed. She was heading toward the gathering at the center of the room near Emilia. Emilia stiffened when Priscilla walked close, but the orange-haired girl passed by without paying her the slightest heed. Emilia slumped her shoulders at being ignored before turning back toward Subaru. "But I must saaay, that you were found by Lady Priscilla along the way... Your jinx is truly quiiite something. I wonder what might have haaappened to you if she had not been the one to find you." "The hell? You're not trying to tell me that peacock is famous for her vast benevolence and compassion, are you?" "Oh, nooo. I simply thought that the others might have haaad you imprisoned or cut down then and theeere. In that sense, Lady Priscilla gave you equal odds of survival, depending upon her mood." "Yeah, I get that I'm walking quite a tightrope here... You're...not upset?" With Roswaal speaking to him like it was nothing, Subaru timidly posed the question. "Why would I be? After all, I was thiiinking that you might show up. And in truth, you have arrived. It would seem that the family creeest upon your uniform was of some value midway." "Midway...? Er, not really, I thought I was ninety percent likely to kick the bucket just now, but..." Subaru inclined his head at the odd choice of words, but it was Roswaal's face that registered surprise. "You were not stopped when entering the castle? Then just hooow did you get in to begin with?" "That selfish princess picked me up outside the castle. Er, it's a pretty long story..." They spoke past each other, each with a different understanding of the situation. But before Subaru could bridge the gap, he realized that Emilia was walking resolutely over to him. "Why...?" *** With a single earnest word, Emilia conveyed the full gamut of conflicting emotions swirling inside her. Her why, with the many doubts within it, made Subaru's breath catch. "How did you...? No, why. Why are you here, Subaru?" "That's...going to be a long story... I suppose I could sum it up in one word, but..." "Don't make light of this. Subaru, I told you. I told you, didn't I? Don't you remember...?" The way Emilia repeated her words for emphasis made Subaru shut his mouth and avert his eyes. She was, of course, referring to the promise he'd made with her at the inn the promise to wait for her that he had broken. On the one hand, he had indeed broken that promise. But on the other, it was no lie he had gone out of concern for Emilia. And so, relying on a series of coincidences, he had arrived for her sake. He wanted her to at least trust his motivation. But before Subaru could clarify how he felt inside, a clear voice echoed from in front of the throne. " All have been assembled. The Council of Elders may enter." The great doors opened once more. The armored knight stationed at the door led a group of old men filing into the chamber. All the men wore robes identifying their station. Each solemn stride made plain that these were men of great dignity and experience. The one who stood out the most was a white-haired man with a beard so long it nearly touched the ground. Though his back was not stooped, he stood almost a head shorter than Subaru. Even among the others, the deep wrinkles of his face made him seem especially old, but his eyes were sharp enough to cut steel. As Subaru observed the silent procession, he remarked to Roswaal with a whisper, "The Council of Elders, that's the people running the kingdom in place of a king, right?" Roswaal shrugged and stated with extreme disrespect, "Formally they are an adviiisory body, but yes. Matters of state currently rest in the Council of Elders's hands... But having said that, it is not reaaally much different from when the royal family still existed." It sounded like the Council had been holding the reins since the rule of the previous monarch, apparently a man of little talent in public affairs. Al, silent until that point, motioned with his chin toward a section with Knights of the Royal Guard neatly lined up. "It's time, bro. We need to line up over there, not over here." Those assembled had naturally sorted themselves out, with knights and officers on the left, and civil officials and nobility on the right. "Seems like it, but is it all right for me to line up over there?" Roswaal replied, "The proper thing to do would be to immeeediately throw you out of the castle, but as this will be amusing, you may go with him." Emilia's eyebrows shot up at Roswaal's attitude. She approached to object. "Roswaal, wait a...!" "Unfortunately, Lady Emilia, this is not the time or place for you to argue. If all the facts become clear, Subaru will be staying here...for a very, veeery long time." "But if we let Subaru stand over there, he'll " "The time for argument is at an end, Lady Emilia. The conference is beginning. To the center..." Roswaal's face tensed as he gazed at the seats around the throne, being filled by the Council of Elders that very moment. The only vacant seat left was the throne of the king at the heart of the chamber. And in front of the old men of the Council was a tidy line of people who had given off a special aura since the moment of their birth. The girl with orange hair was at the top of the list of three girls with magnificent posture, conspicuous and vibrant. Standing in the center, Priscilla put a hand on her hip and pushed her shoulders back, causing her skirt to sway slightly. Even before the elders that governed the nation, she still had that belittling look on her face. To Priscilla's right stood a girl dressed in clothes resembling an army uniform. The color of her hair was such a deep green it nearly seemed black, but upon closer inspection, the glossy luster definitely reflected green. Her long hair was tied at the end by a white ribbon. Her beautiful, dignified face was trained straight ahead. She was tall for a girl, about the same height as Subaru, but their legs were very different lengths. On her hip, she wore a sword bearing a family crest with a lion baring its fangs. She looked like a beautiful girl disguised as a handsome man. And in contrast to the green-haired girl's serious ambiance, the girl to Priscilla's left with light violet hair exuded a serene image. Her wavy hair fell down to the middle of her back, looking cottony soft. She was short compared to the other two girls and wore a white dress made with generous amount of fur. Particularly eye-catching were the white fox muffler and the ridiculously large purse at her hip. All were beautiful, projecting a particular unique aura. They were clearly cut from a different cloth. Emilia bit her lip in regret, delivering Subaru a reminder before trotting back to the line of girls. " We will discuss this later." When Emilia lined up with the others, her silver hair dancing about, her attire definitely seemed a step behind everyone else's. However, the loveliness within excelled above all the others, at least according to Subaru. "In other words, they're the future royal candidates for the selection... Huh?" All the participants were girls, Emilia included. As he realized this with surprise, the people around him began moving one after another. Subaru followed Al's lead and headed toward the lined-up Knights of the Royal Guard. As he did so, a certain red-haired, handsome young man standing at the head of the knights, greeted Subaru with a bright, friendly smile. " So you did come, Subaru." It was Reinhard. The agreeable young man apparently hadn't forgotten him in the last month. He still had flaming red hair and eyes as blue as if very sky had been trapped in them. The only change was that he was wearing a formal royal guard uniform. He added, "When I heard that Lady Emilia would be attending, I wondered if you might show up." "That's a crazy-high appraisal of me on your part, isn't it...? I thought the main image you had of me was pathetically crying for help and getting

sliced open..." Reinhard replied to Subaru without the faintest trace of sarcasm. "I think you underestimate your own virtues. You, of course, protected Lady Emilia from a wicked blade, but you also made virtuous choices in other areas as well." He shrugged good-naturedly. Even that gesture was perfectly polished, and Subaru couldn't help but be a jealous. And so Subaru stood to Reinhard's side, and Al to his. Just as he realized that they were in the front row among the knights in a very prominent position, he heard the overly friendly call of a cat-eared girl, accompanied by a playful smile and a wave... "Subawu, it is you!" It was the messenger girl who'd triggered their trip to the royal capital. Subaru was a little surprised to see her standing with the knights, dressed in a female uniform for the Royal Guard, complete with a skirt. And standing by the cat-eared girl's side, giving him a silent nod, was none other than Julius. "Subaru, what's with that scowl all of a sudden?" Reinhard asked. "In my homeland, they teach you to make this face when you look at an insect called archnemesis." Reinhard attempted to smile as Subaru tried to hide the disgust making itself plain on his face. "I hope you don't take this personally, Julius. It would seem Subaru does this to make a more humble first impression on people." "No, there's no deeper meaning here. Can you not make me out to be sneakier than I am?" Reinhard ascribed uncomfortably great praise to Subaru's words and deeds, so Subaru shot him down immediately. Julius, in response stroked his hair back as he said, "I do not mind, Reinhard. It is the duty of a knight to behave in a manner befitting his station. I am Julius Juukulius of the Knights of the Royal Guard. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance...and that of the good knight beside you." After his pompous introduction, Julius tried to draw Al into the conversation. Without much energy, Al replied, "Aw, don't get stuck on formalities, okay? Stop calling me good knight or sir knight or whatever. I'm, whatchamacallit a common cutthroat. I'm not one of the high and mighty like you." Subaru reflexively raised an eyebrow at his behavior. He'd thought Al was the type to get along with anybody, so his attitude toward Julius was unexpected. But unfortunately, there was no time left for a follow-up. " The gentlemen of the Council of Elders and the candidates have been assembled. If I may be so bold, I, captain of the Knights of the Royal Guard, Marcus, shall oversee these proceedings." "Mmmm... Very well, please do." Still at his seat, the one who crossed his arms and made a faint nod was named Miklotov. Marcus, captain of the knights, nodded and presented a solemn expression to all assembled. "I have an important announcement to make to this assembly for the election of the next ruler...for the royal selection. It is for this purpose I have gathered the Council of Elders and called you all the way to the palace." Marcus's voice was not especially loud, yet it reverberated so that everyone in the throne room could hear. The captain of the knights had a voice fitting his title, one that marked him as a man destined from birth to lead others. "Half a year ago...beginning with the late king, the members of the royal family passed away in rapid succession. Any kingdom lacking a king is in crisis, but it is an especially grave matter for the Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica, deeply related to the Covenant." The Covenant apparently this indicated the pact between the kingdom and the Dragon. He'd heard the term in fairy tales and in conversations at Roswaal Manor several times. However, just like the royal selection itself, there were numerous details that remained unclear to him. In that sense, Subaru was grateful for how the conference was unfolding. "The kingdom's relationship with the Dragon began several centuries prior. The king of that time, His Highness, Falseil Lugunica, and Holy Dragon Volcanica formed a covenant between them. Since that time, the kingdom has been rescued from crisis by the Dragon several times over, preserving it and its prosperity." "Holy Dragon Volcanica is extremely faithful, with a deep sense of duty. Even many generations later, he has continued to protect us from beyond the Great Waterfalls far away." As Marcus delivered his solemn speech, Miklotov stroked his beard and nodded. "Mmmm. Furthermore, the continuance of the royal family is deeply related to maintaining the Covenant. This makes the loss of all members of the royal bloodline to plague an especially regretful matter. A Dragon Maiden is required to begin the next era without a moment to spare." "Renewal of the Covenant through the Dragonfriend Ceremony, a meeting of the minds with the Dragon, requires a maiden that meets select criteria. This duty was shouldered by succeeding generations of the royal family, but now we seek another to carry it." Keeping the emotions in his voice as restrained as possible, Marcus faced the Council of Elders sitting on the dais and touched a hand against his chest. "For this purpose, we, the Knights of the Royal Guard, upon the command of the Council of Elders, have undertaken the duty of locating maidens selected by the light of the Dragon Jewels." Marcus slid his hand into a pocket. Upon his palm, he raised up a gemstone with a tiny emblem upon it. It was one Subaru had seen many times, for it marked those qualified to participate in the royal selection. "Everyone, present your Dragon Jewels " The girls responded, presenting their own emblems. Instantly, the throne room was bathed in a vivid glow from the jewels bearing the insignia. The one in Emilia's hand was red, and each other emblem dazzled the room with a different color. The knights sighed in wonder. Even the wrinkled faces of the Council of Elders showed a faint sign of relief. "As you can see, each of these candidates is qualified to become a Dragon Maiden. Having beheld this fact, we shall do as commanded by the Dragon Tablet and..." The solemn proceedings came to a halt at a soft voice. "...Excuse me?" As Marcus's breath caught, a girl in front of him bearing a twinkling blue Dragon Jewel inclined her head. She had violet-hair and wore a white dress. "I understand the captain wants to tell his story, but as folks say in Kararagi, time is money." In contrast to her gentle tone and docile face, her request was as straight and to the point as a fastball. She put her Dragon Jewel away and smiled softly. "If you're repeatin' what we already know anyway, I'd rather hear more about why we're here." The demand by the girl with a peculiar accent seemed to rock Marcus back on his heels. But Subaru was rocked to a far greater degree. "Hey, wait a... No way, that's Kansai dialect?" Al, standing next to Subaru, could only whisper back in sympathy to Subaru's murmur. "Oh, first time you've heard it, bro? Apparently they all talk like that in the Kararagi area to the west. I mean, I've never seen the place myself, but the way they talk sure stands out." To him, hailing from the same homeland as Subaru, Kansai dialect should have been familiar to him. The way he phrased things put Subaru off a little, but he suddenly became very curious about what this Kararagi land to the west was like. The next girl over said, with a clear voice that echoed across the surprised occupants of the throne room, "She has a point." As the violet-haired girl crossed her arms and tucked in her chin, the green-haired girl offered her agreement. Marcus appealed to her, "Lady Crusch, the head of the House of Karsten should not be..." "Formalities may be important, but we don't have all the time in the world. We should touch upon the reason for our being gathered as quickly as possible. In fact, I have largely guessed already." The girl Marcus addressed as Crusch closed one eye, surveying the Council of Elders with the others. Miklotov let out a sigh of admiration. "As expected of the Duchess of Karsten. So you already understand the meaning of this gathering?" "Yes, Lord Miklotov. A banquet, yes? We shall eventually be rivals, but there is still much we do not know about each other. By sitting us at the same table to exchange toasts, we may gain some understanding of the character of our competitors..." Crusch had decided the occasion was a particularly formal banquet when Miklotov interrupted. "No, that is not the case." The girl raised her eyebrows at his reply and slowly turned toward Subaru and the others. "Ferris, this is not what you told me." "Oh no. All Ferri said was that they're bringing lots of food and wine into the castle so maybe they're going to have a banquet. Oopsie." "I see, I assumed too much. I'm sorry for doubting you." It was an odd kind of master-servant banter, without much affection. Crusch faced the front again, letting out a small sigh as she put that brief conversation behind her. "And so, with some embarrassment, I take back my previous statement." "Oh my, Lady Crusch, you're being way too manly...!" The girl named Ferris put a hand to her cheek with an air of concern. Apparently, she wasn't particularly bothered that she'd leaked false information to her master. Given her current reaction, Subaru felt she'd done it on purpose. The girl speaking in Kansai dialect clapped her hands in search of agreement from the other candidates. "Hey now. Just because Crusch backed off doesn't mean my opinion's changed. Everyone knows the gist of this royal selection thing by now, right?" Crusch nodded in reply to the question, but Priscilla rudely blew it off with a small snort. Then, Emilia raised her hand a little. "I think th-that we should listen to the full story." But the girl's treatment of Emilia was altogether too cruel. "Sorry, but I'm not asking your opinion here." As if she had been struck by the hostility, pain ran across Emilia's profile. Subaru couldn't bear to watch. "Why, you, what's with that attit " As Subaru bellowed angrily, Al stepped in front of him from the side, raising his arm up high. "Yeah! I don't know about this royal selection business, so I want to hear the rest and stuff!" As all eyes gathered on Al's buffoonish behavior, he comically waved his hand to further establish his harmlessness. "Hey, don't look at me like that, I'm gonna blush. I know I'm really out of place, so don't treat me like some suspicious intruder or something. You're gonna drive a middle-aged man to tears." Marcus seemed to be the only one keeping his complete cool. "Lady Priscilla, your knight has requested it, but...would you like to hear the explanation about the royal selection?" Priscilla fanned the flames in a grandiose tone. "Whether I desire it or not, you love your long-winded stories all on your own. It is a waste of time to me. Repeated words are no different than nonsense. I do not even speak nonsense in my sleep." In contrast to the selfish bearings of the others assembled, Emilia's good character stood out. But it was clear from the earlier exchange she was not being treated fairly. Al said to him, " That's one you owe me. No, two now?" With Al holding up two fingers and tilting his head toward the younger boy, Subaru was grateful on the inside. It was scary to even think about what would've happened if he'd continued and blown a gasket. Al had taken all the blame on himself in Subaru's place. Priscilla continued, "By my grace, we shall follow the commoner's view. Rejoice and dance upon my palm. Continue, Marcus. Tell my

knight how I shall become monarch." The violet-haired girl slumped her shoulders and threw in the towel at Priscilla's demeanor. "It's really somethin' how you pass the buck onto everyone else. I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut." With a consensus seemingly forming, Marcus looked at Emilia and Crusch, with both nodding as well. "Very well, with that brief digression finished, I shall return to the topic. You who are qualified to become Dragon Maidens are assembled here because of the prophecy carved into the Dragon Tablet. This prophecy states, 'Should the Covenant of Lugunica lapse, the nation shall be guided by she who forms a bond with the Dragon anew.'" Miklotov replied, "Mmmm. The words on the tablet are providence itself. The Dragon Tablet, with a history at least as long as that of the Covenant, contains the words by which the fate of the kingdom shall be decided. Considering the impact of these details upon subsequent history, surely it is our duty to obey them." The other members of the Council of Elders solemnly nodded in response to Miklotov's words. Marcus continued, "The Dragon Tablet, handed down by Holy Dragon Volcanica, has guided our kingdom's path since the days of yore. They have provided the land with advance warning of various crises, from the Great Cuedegra Famine and the Nightmare of Blight Dragon Balgren, to the onslaught of the Black Serpent in recent years, enabling us to minimize the damage incurred." "Mmmm. There is no need to continue listing these achievements. They are known to all present." The aforementioned achievements were likely major affairs in the kingdom's history, but they didn't ring a bell with Subaru, ignorant as he was. He thought that a prophecy letting you plan for upcoming events was a pretty nice thing to have. Either way, apparently Emilia and the other candidates, or rather, maidens able to communicate with the Dragon, had been gathered in accordance with this prophecy. In a quiet voice, Subaru raised a doubt he'd been harboring with Reinhard beside him. "I just thought of this, but if the problem's just the Covenant with the Dragon, the Dragon Maiden doesn't actually have to become queen, right? Can't you have the ruler and the maiden be separate?" The corners of Reinhard's lips rose in a strained smile. "I think you have a valid point, Subaru. But it can't be done." "Mind if I ask why not?" "Because the Covenant for the prosperity of the kingdom is formed between the Dragon and the king. The Dragon isn't simply choosing someone able to communicate with. The pact is formed because that person is carrying a kingdom on his shoulders. In other words, the Dragon is very particular about his partners." "But if that's the case, won't rushing a maiden into a monarch just annoy the Dragon more? It's, like, I close my eyes for one moment and poof, the king is gone, and here's a maiden to take the place of the king. Would the Dragon go for that?" "That's a fairly strong argument. But in the end, the Dragon Tablet upon which the fate of the kingdom is engraved takes precedence. That is what the Council of Elders has decided, and they have commanded us knights accordingly. I want to think that it was the right thing to do." Even if he had doubts, the higher-ups had settled the issue. The only one who knew how the Dragon would judge was the Dragon himself. It was truly as Ram had said: Only the Dragon knows. With one issue having been settled, Marcus's voice echoed across the quieted gathering. "The prophecy continues thus: 'There shall be five able to lead a new nation. Of these, one shall be selected as the maiden to form a new Covenant with the Dragon.'" Hearing that sentence from the prophecy, something tugged at Subaru's mind and made him frown. "Five...?" "Yes, five. Currently there are only four candidates so the royal selection has not even begun yet. It is our shame that we have been unable to find a fifth." "Your population's, like, fifty million people, right? Finding four in half a year sounds downright speedy." They had to search for people on a world without any national transportation networks. Those were pretty harsh conditions. Subaru thought finding four candidates in such a short time was worthy of serious praise. Marcus finished his explanation, apologizing to the girl who'd raised the initial objection to his carrying on. "That summarizes the present circumstances. Lady Anastasia, please forgive my great rudeness." "Don't, don't. This mess isn't my fault. Happy now, Princess?" "I wonder. Al, has your little head gained any new insights?" "Yeah, I've got it. Sorry for makin' ya go through the trouble. Sorry to the lil' lady from Kararagi, too." As Al flippantly waved with his one arm, Priscilla replied, "There you have it." The girl Anastasia rubbed her forehead at the irresponsible master and servant and looked back up to the Council of Elders. "Anyway, if there's still more, can we get on with it? I don't have forever, and I got a lot to do later. You old men with the purse strings get what I'm sayin', right?" The rudeness of Anastasia's statement stirred the room up, and Subaru stiffened. But Anastasia seemed to have a very good read on her position, and the Council of Elders showed no sign of irritation. Abruptly, Miklotov lowered his voice. "It pains me to take so much of your busy time, Lady Anastasia, but I must ask you to remain with the conference a little longer. After all...this day shall be marked in the history of the kingdom." Though the room had gradually lost its original tension, the statement triggered an ambiance that compelled everyone to stand a little straighter. And moving the proceedings forward was Priscilla, pushing out her chest without a single ounce of shame. "So history shall move, you say, old fossils? In other words, you mean that, yes?" Miklotov replied to Priscilla's quiet question with a small nod from his perch. Then, the eyes under his thick eyebrows sought Marcus. The look was some kind of signal, as Marcus saluted and suddenly bellowed across the chamber. " Knight Reinhard Astrea! Come!" Subaru's shoulders trembled out of the blue as Reinhard, seemingly having waited for the call, replied, "Yes, sir!" He advanced straight forward, saluting the four candidates before standing to attention before Marcus and the Council of Elders. "Very well, Reinhard. Report!" "Sir!" Marcus took a step back and yielded the center of the platform. With all eyes upon him, Reinhard stepped forward and faced the Council of Elders without a single trace of timidity. "Esteemed members of the Council of Elders, I am Reinhard van Astrea of the Knights of the Royal Guard, here to report that my mission is complete." Miklotov instructed, "Mmmm. Say it so that all may hear." Reinhard turned around, looking over everyone in the room. " We have finally found the fifth candidate to become Dragon Maiden, and monarch." The ranks of knights stirred and formed a space between them. The expressions of the candidates changed, registering strong emotions: determination, delight, tedium, and bewilderment. "Bring her in," Reinhard curtly called. Receiving his command, two guards before the entrance saluted and slowly opened the doors. Beyond them a girl, accompanied by ladies-in-waiting, was led into the throne room. When Subaru laid eyes upon her, his jaw instinctively dropped in absolute shock. The hem of her light yellow dress fluttered as her high-heeled shoes stepped upon the carpet. Her scrupulously arranged blond hair practically sparkled. The girl was remarkable for the strong determination in her red eyes and the impish appearance of her snaggletooth smile. She looked so different that he almost doubted what he was seeing. He couldn't help but be lost for words. With Subaru paralyzed by surprise, the announcement seemed to echo against his eardrums several times over. "This young lady who seeks the crown is called...Lady Felt." And so, the royal selection that would determine the fate of the Kingdom of Lugunica began. CHAPTER 4 *** The wild-eyed girl with scruffy blond hair had worn, grimy old rags. She was a tempestuous girl of the slums, more grubby than hardy. That was the image of the girl named Felt in Subaru's mind. As Reinhard made his declaration, the ladies-in-waiting quietly accompanied Felt as she walked into the throne room. Gracefully walking atop the red carpet, she looked like a nobleman's daughter. Subaru had thought long before, She might sparkle if someone polished her up. But this unhewn stone, polished via the power of Reinhard's family, was not only sparkling. Indeed, the only term to do her justice was radiant. Felt slowly passed by Subaru's dumbfounded gaze and stood before Reinhard. He nodded with a charming smile at her appearance and addressed her with the utmost respect. "Lady Felt, thank you for gracing us with your presence." Felt raised her eyes and called out to him. " Reinhard." Reinhard responded to her clear-as-a-bell voice. "Yes?" Knight and lady, their eyes met. And then... " Why you. What's the big idea, dragging me in here with no explanation?!" ...she raised the hem of her dress, her long, slender leg tracing an arc an arc that was about to slam right into the tip of Reinhard's chin when the knight raised a hand, stopping it short. "I am quite surprised. What brought this on so suddenly?" Remaining balanced on one leg, Felt violently slapped at her dress in anger. "Don't block me and then play dumb! It's this place! These clothes! Them! You! What the hell is going on here?! I can't take any more of this!" It was an expensive dress, no doubt custom-ordered for her. Seeing it treated so roughly sent the ladies attending her wilting to the floor as if their eyes were spinning. "You did not like the dress? I believe it looks very good on you." "This isn't about the dress, and it's not that it's embarrassing! I'm saying that I hate it! And not just the dress! I hate you too! Don't you think abducting and holding a girl against her will is embarrassing for a knight of honor?!" Reinhard declared without hesitation, "If it is for the prosperity of the kingdom, it must be done." Felt put a hand to her forehead as if he was giving her a headache. Subaru remarked to himself, "I'm so glad. I thought she'd completely changed, but it's only how she looks. I guess leopards really don't change their spots, and it isn't just me!" It would've made a sorry story for Old Man Rom if he'd had to report back that she'd become a whole different person. He was relieved at being able to confirm she was safe and sound in a place he never expected. On the other hand, he couldn't help but think Felt being dragged into becoming a royal candidate was prearranged rather than mere coincidence. After all, Reinhard had met her in the first place because she'd been the one to steal Emilia's badge... Emilia, realizing who Felt was, had apparently reached the same conclusion as Subaru. "That girl...from back then...?! That's why Reinhard was so surprised..." From Emilia's point of view, Felt had gone from the thief of her badge to her rival for the very throne. The other candidates, the knights, and the nobles all displayed appropriate reactions to the newcomer's crude behavior, none friendly. Under the austere stares, Felt clicked her tongue rudely. In the short time Subaru had known her she'd never been this much of a brat. He guessed that it was a product of various things during the last month. Subaru had been through a lot, but her transformation from a street urchin to a royal candidate was a Cinderella story to rival his. Felt was scanning the chamber to size up her surroundings when she suddenly noticed Subaru among the knights in the front row

and brightened. "Oh, hey! What are you doing here, mister?" Felt shoved Reinhard away with a hand on his chest and walked over without a care. Where did all that ladylike behavior go? Subaru wondered as he raised a hand, delighted to greet a friendly face. "Hi, it's been a while. Looks like you're in good health!" said Felt. The instant the sunny greeting escaped her lips, she kicked Subaru straight in the stomach, sending him crumbling to his knees. Violence out of the blue. Subaru groaned, forcing himself up with one leg as Felt crossed her arms and nodded, remarking, "Looks like your belly's all healed up, but you've got a whole bunch of new scars in other places. You okay there?" "If you're worried, take it easy on me, damn it...! What's with the hard smack instead of a hi? Geez, what if you'd broken something... It's not like it's been that long, either." Even though the wound was now fully closed, Subaru had a big, white horizontal scar right across his belly. He had scars from demon beast bites all over his body, too. He couldn't talk about scars on the back being the shame of a knight any longer. Though calm and reserved on the surface, Marcus motioned toward the dais, wanting to continue the meeting's proceedings. "Lady Felt, if you are finished greeting your old friend, could you please come this way?" Felt scowled at the solemn look on his face, glowering as she stepped forward. "So what do you want me to do here?" Reinhard replied, "'Act more like a lady,' I would like to say, but instead, I would have you hold this." Felt scowled at Reinhard's joke. Reinhard took a dragon emblem out of his pocket and deposited it in her palm. The gemstone immediately emitted a white light. "I thought this back when I stole one of these, too, but these are strange rocks. Why do they glow?" Felt had blithely said something very dangerous. Marcus seemed to notice her careless statement. "Stealing?" But Reinhard immediately followed up, "As you can see, the Dragon Jewel acknowledges Lady Felt as a maiden. Now that her participation has been confirmed, I believe that this royal selection now begins in a true sense." Marcus put a hand to his chest and knelt down on one knee. Reinhard followed suit, then all the Knights of the Royal Guard. The knights reported their mission was a success. Thanks to their efforts, five Dragon Maidens had been found in other words, the candidates for the next queen of Lugunica had been assembled. Priscilla remarked, "I see. Thus, this day will go down in history." This was the very definition of a huge, must-see event. Surely, everyone present had to be deeply moved by the occasion, or so Subaru thought as he watched and noticed that, for their part, the government officials appeared troubled, with bewilderment and astonishment plain in their expressions. And one man from among them stepped forward. "Pardon me, if I may?" He was a middle-aged man with a stoop and unhealthy-looking bags under his eyes. He stroked his thick beard as an apparent nervous tic. "I have no words sufficient to thank the knights of the kingdom, and the Knights of the Royal Guard in particular, for everything related to this royal selection ceremony. Without their assistance, it surely would not have been possible to arrange this in such a short time." Marcus replied, "You are too kind." "However, and it brings me no joy to say this, even though we are following the Dragon Tablet, are there not various...issues, with those selected?" "You are saying what, exactly?" "I am wondering if we have been too focused on those qualified to be Dragon Maidens, and not enough on those qualified to wear the very crown of the kingdom without becoming an object of ridicule?" The declaration of the hunchbacked man was clearly tinged with anger. "Hear, hear!" said a few other civil officials in a display of support. He continued, "The Covenant with the Dragon is the gravest matter. Lugunica has come this far as the Dragonfriend Kingdom and cannot survive as a nation without the Covenant. But valuing the Covenant so much more than the people will sow the seeds of future discord." "In other words, the Dragon Maidens that we knights spilled our blood to search for would not make kings worthy of our fealty?" "Th-that is not how I would put it, but essentially, yes." The man broke out in a cold sweat at Marcus' frank summation, and after a moment he acknowledged the true meaning of his oblique comments. The knights had desperately toiled to solve a nearly unsolvable problem. This ridicule of their efforts did not exactly instill pleasant emotions in them. Subaru, standing with the knights, felt the hot anger all around him on his skin. He remarked, "Smells like something's burning in here..." Hearing Subaru's murmur, Al cheerfully spoke to two other people in the same row. "Well, it sure sounded like he was insulting the knights. I don't mind, but what do you two think?" The two he'd addressed, Julius and Ferris, turned their heads toward Al and Subaru. Ferris spoke first. "Your dear Ferri doesn't really mind, meow? I mean, whatever Beardy says, Ferri's fealty is already to one person alone, you see." Julius followed up. "I will not go quite as far as Ferris, but I feel the same. I have already pledged my blade. One day, they will offer their fealty to another. I do not intend to be so narrow-minded that my heart should be disturbed prior to that day." Not one to be outdone, Al said, "Ha, that's mighty fine of you. Of course, it's the same with me where Princess is concerned." The two others could only make wry smiles at that. Subaru wasn't exactly enjoying being the odd man out. Ferris had Crusch. Al had Priscilla. That would have to make Julius a supporter of Anastasia. They were three knights, bearing the full trust of their masters. Comparing their position to his own sent a keen sense of inferiority through Subaru, even though he no doubt wanted to fulfill Emilia's wishes at least as much as any of the rest... Subaru felt a strange feeling of unease as the back and forth in the throne room intensified. The earlier opinion was only the beginning as the civil officials aired their discontent one by one. "One must be both maiden and king. Perhaps they are not sufficiently aware that they must wear the crown?" "No matter how dressed up they are, their demeanor exposes their true natures." "They are not refined enough. Their education is lacking. How can they be monarchs like this?" A familiar voice interrupted the civil officials. "Surely it is not a proooblem. I would think such a bounty of personaaality will make for a highly amuuusing royal selection." "You be quiet!" Subaru looked at Emilia and the others. No doubt Felt's crude, in-your-face attitude earlier was what had really set the civil officials off. But he couldn't say the other candidates hadn't sparked any unease themselves. In truth, Emilia's expression, as if trying to endure the pain, hurt him acutely. He wanted from the bottom of his heart to rush over that moment and give her a shoulder to lean on. Miklotov's single word quieted the throne room. " Silence." As the man of highest stature there, Miklotov narrowed his eyes as he regarded Felt. After keeping his silence for a time, the old man let out his breath. "Mmmm. That was somewhat irreverent behavior, so I do understand Mr. Rickert's view. In that light, I believe everyone should hear a brief summation of the candidate's personal history." A bald, stern-faced old man seconded Miklotov's opinion. "...Indeed. We can decide whether she is suitable or not from that." Seeing the rest of the Council of Elders nod, the civil official apparently named Rickert took a step back. Miklotov continued, "Sir Reinhard. We would first hear the highlights of what you know." After he was called, Reinhard bent down on one knee in a show of the utmost respect. Subaru wasn't even involved, but a cold sweat broke out over him nonetheless. After all, a blunt telling of the truth would naturally expose Felt's life of crime and stir up more problems. "Until approximately one month ago, Lady Felt was living in a corner of the Lower Quarter of the royal capital also known as 'the slums.' An occasion arose where she had an opportunity to touch a Dragon Jewel. Having judged that she was qualified to be a Dragon Maiden, I brought her with me as a matter of course." Assuaging Subaru's concerns, Reinhard made his report while deftly dancing around the problematic parts. The explanation had huge, glaring gaps, but the assembly did not focus on those, but rather, certain other things. "A waif from the slums... Sir Reinhard, are you insane?!" Rickert exploded. "You bring a vagrant from the streets to a ceremony to select the monarch who must shoulder the future of Lugunica?! Just what do you think the royal throne is?!" *** Reinhard had done as asked, expressing utmost courtesy to those on the platform. His gallant profile did not reveal the slightest hint of negativity. Rickert directed his words at Miklotov next. "Someone should be selected who is suitable for the crown. We cannot simply lay our hands on whoever happens to walk be " As Rickert eloquently attempted to sway Miklotov, a familiar voice dashed cold water over his efforts. "Mr. Rickert, you are sliiightly too heated over this matter, are you nooot?" "Nonsense, Roswaal. Nor do I approve of your conduct. Not only I, but all of the officials. Until now we have overlooked this because we are in a time of crisis, but I shall still my tongue no longer. Not about the House of Astrea hauling a waif into these halls, nor you, the fool nominating a half-demon to be monarch...!" " Mr. Rickert. I would suggest you amend your comments." The frigid words reverberated throughout the chamber. Rickert's face, red from indignation, paled. Roswaal continued, "It is poor manners to address a half-elf as a 'half-demon.' Furthermore, Lady Emilia remains a royal candidate... Do you understand which of us should remember his place?" Roswaal's tone of voice was unchanged from the norm, but the power behind it made Rickert avert his gaze. He shook his head, as if to conceal his intimidation, and dramatically motioned to the dais. "A-and what of it? I do not believe my claim to be in error. Qualified as Dragon Maiden does not mean qualified to be king. Lord Miklotov! Please reconsider! The future prosperity of the kingdom cannot be built upon the election of an obscene royal candidate such as " " Sir Reinhard." The sage addressed not Rickert, attempting to sway his view, but the red-haired knight. "Is this girl...?" "I cannot be absolutely certain, for the means to prove with certainty no longer exist. However, I must resist the urge to call this coincidence happenstance." "What would you call it, then?" " I would call it fate." At Reinhard's reply, Miklotov closed his eyes as if that statement held some special meaning. Neither Subaru nor those around him had any idea what the two were talking about. It seemed only the pair knew to what they referred. Surrounded by such confusion, Miklotov put a hand to his forehead, as if lamenting the situation, and looked across the other old men. "Have you not noticed? Take another good look at Lady Felt. If you cannot tell even then, I must question your fidelity to your own kingdom." In response to Miklotov's challenge, the occupants of the chamber held their breaths and gazed at Felt. Felt, at the eye of a storm of unrestrained stares, scowled openly. Rickert bluntly pointed out Felt's shortcomings. "Looking at her, of course one can tell...she

is still very young, and there are far too many things she would have to learn before setting foot near a thro !" Suddenly, his face stiffened as if he'd realized something, his eyes opening wide in shock. "B-blond hair and crimson eyes ?!" Once Rickert said it, the other officials were struck with similar force like a row of dominos. The only one not affected was Subaru, ignorant of common knowledge in that world. When Subaru glanced to the side, Ferris and Julius appeared to understand. He couldn't tell what in the world Al was thinking, per usual, but Al showed no special sign of surprise. "Blond hair and crimson eyes these are peculiar to the bloodline of the Lugunica Royal Family. But! It cannot be! The entire royal bloodline passed away in that incident half a year ago! It is simply impossible that this girl could " Reinhard calmly interrupted Rickert's forceful denial. " Mr. Rickert, are you aware of a certain incident in the palace some fourteen years ago?" The words from Reinhard's lips struck Rickert with even greater force. "Sir Reinhard... Surely, you are not saying that..." "Fourteen years ago, thieves infiltrated the castle and abducted the daughter of the late second prince, Lord Fold. The thieves were permitted to escape, and the daughter was never found." This was the kind of national failure that was never leaked to outsiders. "As the matter was not written upon the Dragon Tablet, the thieves were easily permitted to infiltrate the royal palace at the time. Since there were a number of other urgent matters, an all-out search for the daughter was not conducted." "Mmmm. That incident was the trigger for the dissolution and reconstitution of the Knights of the Royal Guard. Your kinsmen were not uninvolved in this matter, I believe?" "Thus, I have information that would otherwise be unknown to me. And based upon this..." Miklotov replied to Reinhard's minimalist reply with a nod of his own. However, Rickert's frenzy showed no sign of diminishing. "That is an extreme no, an irrational position! Are we to believe a daughter of the royal household vanished without a trace fourteen years ago, came to live in the slums, and now you incidentally discovered her with the royal selection nearing?! And furthermore, you just so happened to find out that she is qualified as a Dragon Maiden?!" Even after the barrage of information Rickert was still standing. "This is absurd!" he laughed. "This is all too contrived. You could easily have found a girl with maiden qualifications and dyed her hair and used magic to alter the color of her eyes. Surely you have not engaged in such shameful behavior?" "I swear it upon my sword." Reinhard laid the sword at his hip upon the floor, offering it in a show of the highest respect. Rickert, seeing the knight among knights displaying such deference, sank into a heavy slouch. "...With all of the royal family already lost, no means exist to confirm whether she has royal blood or not. I do not think anyone will bow their heads based on mere supposition about her identity." "That is natural. However, I am certain that Lady Felt is worthy of throne...even without a claim by blood." Reinhard's unshaken reply drew a resigned sigh from Rickert. "It seems that the Sword Saint of our age is rather invested in her." Once more, he turned his gaze to Felt, the subject of the matter at hand. "Setting aside your maiden qualifications, you hail from the slums. And it is possible you possess the royal bloodline, presumed lost. I cannot even begin to fathom the distress this must bring you. Are you determined to see this through?" The statement sounded like a test, a ritual so that Rickert could use her reply to let go of his misgivings. Only when he received Felt's reply could he allow the discussion to end. But Felt flatly denied her qualification, completely ignoring the flow of the conversation to that point. "Huh? What are you talking about, old guy? I never said one word about being king." The unexpected reply caught everyone in the chamber off guard. "I got dragged here out from the slums against my will," she continued. "I told him to take me back and he wouldn't, and he hid my old clothes so I had to wear this stupid thing. I am way past ticked! I'm annoyed a million times over! No, I don't accept this!" Felt's rage-filled rant brought another awkward silence over the hall. Even Subaru, famously unable to read the mood, could tell that things were going south. Among the silent remaining candidates, Priscilla, her arms crossed with a bored expression, spat out, " How long are you going to entertain this boring, pointless discussion?" As all eyes fell upon the girl, her full bosom shook above her folded arms. "Even if it is in name only, five have been assembled so the process can commence. All we need do is begin, and the unworthy will be culled in due course. After all, I shall be the last one standing. Whether the excess baggage is qualified to be king or not is completely beside the point." Priscilla's brash, irrational argument drew a heated reaction from Felt. "Ahh...?" She leaped down from the dais and glared at Priscilla head-on. "I was thinking earlier you were a good-looking chick, but I guess it's a flower bed inside your head, too, huh? If you wanna pick a fight, I'm game. Everyone knows with me you get more than you bargained for." "Such arrogance. Do you know who I am...?" "Ha, like I'd know...!" Felt brushed off Priscilla's statement with a loud laugh. Priscilla's eyes cruelly narrowed. With Subaru's breath catching from the decisive change in the atmosphere, Al shouted from beside him, "Princess, this is " He must have known exactly what Priscilla was about to do. Then, at Al's shout, a gust wind cut across the chamber. Reinhard moved directly in front of her in a split second and spoke in a quiet voice. " Pardon me, Lady Priscilla." In the literal blink of an eye, the knight, on one knee on the dais a moment before, had come between the two royal candidates. The red-haired knight was facing the orange-haired girl and behind him, Emilia held Felt close to protect her. Emilia's violet eyes filled with anger as she chewed Priscilla out. "Such hostility in an important place like this... What are you thinking?!" However, Priscilla waved off the nuisance with a hand, numb to any pangs of guilt. "I am merely teaching an untrained bitch her proper place. After all, impoliteness toward me can only be repaid with one's life." Emilia pressed the point against the unrepentant Priscilla. "Won't you say you're sorry? Or do you actually not realize you've done something wrong?" For an instant, the words made Priscilla's face go blank. Then, she glanced at Emilia with barely constrained laughter. "Ahh, this is most amusing. I have rarely been so entertained. You may take that as a compliment." "What a disagreeable child you are. What are you talking a " "One should apologize for doing something wrong, you say? If that is the case, why do you not apologize, silver-haired half-elf? In your case, 'I'm sorry I was ever born.'" Even Subaru could tell that the shock had shot right through Emilia's entire body. Her shoulders shuddered, and her fearlessness faded from her eyes, replaced by acute pain. "I-I have...no relationship to the Witch..." "Does such an excuse mean anything to anyone? You are the spitting image of the being that is taboo to the world. The very sight of you fills people with fear and makes their hearts tremble. Is that not why you cover yourself and obscure your appearance?" Assaulted on all sides by Priscilla's acrimonious words, Emilia silently bowed her pale face. Even Subaru understood Priscilla's meaning. He understood it, but he could not accept it, for it unjustly brought pain to Emilia for reasons that had nothing to do with her whatsoever. He couldn't take it anymore. Yet, once again, Subaru had to wait to act as Al, his face unreadable under his helm, offered a frank critique of Priscilla's despotism. "Princess, can we leave it at that? Adding more enemies here seriously puts us in a bind, especially if one of 'em's the Sword Saint. How 'bout you just apologize?" "My vassal should not make such a pathetic display. And what of the Sword Saint? Merely the supposed mightiest in the land. Do something." "I wouldn't last one minute..." Al had calmly assessed the tale of the tape, raising the white flag in short order. His demeanor brought exasperation to Priscilla's face, and all the malice and enmity to that point seemed to dissipate. No one in the room, Subaru included, could conceal their shock at Al's skillful handling of such a ferocious beast. But at the very least, the immediate threat of an explosive situation had been defused. With that matter settled, the chamber settled into silence once more. Abruptly, a high-pitched ring echoed throughout the sound of a coin being tossed into a bowl. Miklotov thus gathered the group's attention. " Is everyone satisfied? It would seem that both Lady Felt and Lady Emilia have calmed sufficiently..." Emilia replied first. "Y-yes... I'm all right. It would seem she is also..." "Let me go, already! It's not like I even did anything!" In response to Felt's outburst, Emilia hastily nodded and let her go. "I was fine, so you didn't need to do nothin'!" she fumed. "Do I look like some weak little kid to you?!" "...Yes, it was unnecessary. I am sorry." " I'm not thanking you." Felt scowled. Noticing her attitude, Reinhard politely nodded to Emilia before returning to the knights, leaving Emilia and Felt to uncomfortably line up with the other candidates. Only Priscilla seemed unchanged, wearing the same bored look she had begun with. She didn't look like she was reflecting on the error of her ways in the slightest. Either way, Miklotov, seeing that the dispute had been settled, announced anew, "Then, let us proceed with our agenda the dispute over the royal succession. The Council of Elders hereby proposes a meeting between all the candidates for the royal selection." Miklotov's most solemn announcement brought tension to the chamber again. Spontaneously, even the candidates stood a little straighter; the faces of the spectators no longer looked relaxed. Miklotov scanned the expressions of the other members of the Council of Elders, seeking confirmation with his announcement of the formal start of the meeting. In answer, the old men dipped their heads in assent one by one. "I thank you for your approval. Let us begin the debate. Though the subject under discussion is who shall be king...the issue is the method of selection. We have assembled candidates via the Dragon Jewels, but the method of selection is not set in stone. To determine this, I thought it best to first ask how far the candidates are willing to go." The members of the Council of Elders nodded alongside Miklotov's words. Seeing that there were no objections, Miklotov looked toward Marcus, standing at the ready on a corner of the dais. The knight stepped forward once more, bowing deeply as a proxy for everyone in the hall. "Then, if I may be so bold, I shall continue. I believe each candidate present has a case to make. I would have all in the chamber hear these arguments. First, let us please begin with Lady Crusch. Sir Felix Argyle!" Crusch calmly nodded at Marcus's words. "Mm." Ferris casually raised a hand. "Yes, sir!" As Ferris jogged ahead to join Crusch's side, she looked up at Marcus along the way, pushing up her cheeks with her index fingers. "Captain, Ferri keeps telling mew, it's Ferris, not Felix. It hurts Ferri's feewings." Marcus's chin shot up immediately. "I have no intention of granting special treatment to any subordinates, including you. Present yourself."

Ferris stuck her tongue out in dissatisfaction as she stood by her master's Crusch's side. "Crusch Karsten, royal candidate and head of the House of Karsten." "Ferris of the House of Karsten, Lady Crusch's knight." Crusch announced herself without the slightest display of timidity, and Ferris remained as casual as ever. Marcus amended her self-introduction. "Sir Felix Argyle." The scowl on Ferris's face was quite blatant. Subaru remarked, "Huh, so her real name is Felix? That's a very guy-ish name there." In Japan, the eldest children of old samurai families were known to inherit a certain name regardless of gender. There was also a well-established fad where dating games would gender-swap generals out of the history books and turn them into very pretty girls. "Subaru, haven't you heard?" Reinhard replied. "Heard what?" "Ferris doesn't just have a man's name. He is very much a male." *** Reinhard's statement brought Subaru's thoughts to a halt. He folded his arms, inclined his head, closed his eyes, and earnestly mulled over the meaning of those words. "What...did you say...just now?" "Ferris doesn't just have a man's name. He is very much a male." Word for word, syllable for syllable, Reinhard repeated the very important statement. The instant his mind processed the information, Subaru's yell echoed throughout the hall. "Whaaaaaaaa ?!" "That's a guy?! Or is the knight among knights just really bad at jokes? This isn't funny!" He wailed as he looked Ferris over from top to bottom. Certainly, Ferris was tall for a girl. But those facial features and body contours struck him as completely feminine. Some parts were understated for a woman's body, but there were plenty of women in the world with flat chests, even as adults. That wasn't proof of anything. However, Crusch, having maintained her silence on the matter until then, affirmed that the cause of his shock was the truth. "Ah, it is your first time seeing him? I can firmly declare that my knight, Ferris, is a man." "A-anyone can say anything... I need proof. Yeah, I won't believe without proof!" "When I was young, Ferris and I bathed together, and he certainly had a male organ between his..." "I'm very sorry!! I don't want to make a pretty girl speak of male organs! My mistake!!" And thus, Subaru surrendered in spectacular fashion. He glared at Ferris, now standing at Crusch's side. "This is your fault, too, damn it! You led me on! A guy under those cat ears, ugh! Just remembering that nibble is making me shudder!" "Hey meow, you got it wrong all on your own, Subawu. Ferri never said one word about being a girl." "Don't mess with me, you bitch correction, you bastard!" Ferris giggled, sticking his tongue out with a wink. Crusch seemed satisfied as she commented, "Everyone makes that face when they find meowt. It's so amusing and never gets old. Not many have such a big reaction, though." This brought an uncharacteristic scowl to Miklotov's face. "Mmmm. It is in poor taste to continue this, knowing what shall result, Lady Crusch." For her part, Crusch's face firmed up again slightly as she shook her head. "It seems that you misunderstood, Lord Miklotov. I do not instruct Ferris to dress like this. All of it is of his free will." Rickert lodged an objection to Crusch's words. "Though I believe it is a master's duty to see that a vassal is appropriately dressed..." Crusch's eyes narrowed in response. "It is a master's duty to see that a vassal is appropriately dressed, you say? In that case, I indeed desire that Ferris be dressed as he is now. Do you understand why?" "Why, I wonder?" "It is very simple. One should be attired in the manner that makes one's soul shine the brightest. Ferris's current attire suits him far better than knightly armor, just as I wear my own outfit because it suits me better than any dress." Crusch pushed out her chest in a display of personal pride as she spoke. As Ferris stood beside her, she or rather, he smiled at the sight of his gallant master. The sight of Crusch so poised made Rickert lose all stomach for an argument. As he kept his silence, Subaru too could not help but feel his chest stir in the face of Crusch's composure. Reinhard remarked, in a voice that seemed rather loud considering the circumstances, "That is Lady Crusch for you... Among the candidates, she is the first to voice her opinion but also the one with the strongest support. Whatever she says, she speaks with a different sense of confidence than the others." "What do you mean?" Subaru asked Reinhard from the side. "The House of Karsten that Lady Crusch heads is a family of dukes and duchesses that have supported the Kingdom of Lugunica since early in its history. The house has proven its loyalty to the nation through many deeds. And the wisdom with which Lady Crusch herself leads as such a young duchess makes her the favorite of the royal selection." "So she's... I see, the favorite based on early scoring." Even Subaru, lacking detailed knowledge of ranks and titles, knew that she was only a few steps removed from the top of the pyramid. With the royal family wiped out, public opinion probably favored someone close to the late king. The faint murmur spread through the hall as people all around nodded to each other about Crusch's superiority. Apparently, her being the favorite in the royal selection was something to accept as fact. However, it was Crusch herself who interrupted the murmurs. "It would seem many here harbor a minor misconception." As calm returned to the hall, she nodded with a composed look. "I strive to be fully aware of what everyone expects by having me take the throne. The House of Karsten is a house that has carried great authority and political influence for many years. Should I succeed as monarch, politics and national policy are guaranteed to continue without so much as a ripple... Correct?" Several people in the chamber nodded as they listened to Crusch's eloquent speech. "I regret to dash your expectations, but I can guarantee no such thing." At Crusch's statement, the throne room briefly fell silent, only to erupt in an earthquake several seconds later. "What's the meaning of this?!" several of those assembled exclaimed as Crusch looked up at the dais, her expression unchanged. She shook her deep green hair as her gallant gaze looked past them to a mural etched on the wall behind the royal throne. "The Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica... This nation has remained prosperous by honoring the Covenant made with the Dragon long ago. Thanks to the Dragon, various crises have been averted, from war, to plague, to famine. The word Dragon has never vanished from the kingdom at any point through its long history." All of this was according to Marcus's tale of "The Covenant with the Dragon" at the start of the meeting. Upholding the Covenant between the Kingdom of Lugunica and the Dragon had brought fame and prosperity throughout history. As everyone mulled over the meaning of her words, Crusch folded her arms and scanned the gathering. "For the most part, prosperity brought by reaching the Covenant with the Dragon has been a good thing. If war arises, the Dragon breathes and burns our enemies away. If there is plague, it employs its mana to heal people. If there is famine, soaking the soil with Dragon's Blood grants the blessing of bounty. And so, the guidance of the Dragon has saved us from hardship and guaranteed our glory " In spite of the glowing details on Crusch's lips, her face did not brighten. Under the silent attention of the entire assembly, she remarked, "Let me ask you. Do you not think it is shameful?" The chamber returned to silence with an even greater sense of tension than before. But if one were to compare the emotions of its occupants, the most heated, raw anger was without doubt coming from Crusch, standing before the throne. "The Covenant guarantees we will be protected from any crisis and any hardship so long as we uphold it. And so, we have descended into softness and depravity, relying now upon a change of leadership for its continuation. To think that you take this for granted." Crusch's stern lecture spurred one among the Council of Elders to rise, his voice shaking with anger. " You go too far, Lady Crusch! I cannot permit anyone to make light of the Covenant! Do you have any conception of the sacrifices the kingdom has been spared since the Covenant with the Dragon long ago...? Are you denying the weight of history itself?!" "I have already stated that this past prosperity is mostly a good thing. No words have passed my lips claiming that I myself have not been a beneficiary of its blessing. The House of Karsten was born with the kingdom and has shared in its glory. Had a crisis destroyed the kingdom, my house would have shared its fate. Whenever the Dragon has saved the nation, it has saved my house as well." Crusch paused briefly. "However, the future is a different matter. Do you think nothing of the pathetic sight you make at this moment? Have you not ceased to use your minds because you cling to the Dragon and the Covenant? When war, plague, and famine assail the kingdom anew, is there nothing we can do but sing the Dragon's praises?" "That is " "This nation has relied upon the writings of the Dragon Tablet for too long, becoming so soft and weak that it cannot stand on its own power. The nation takes for granted that the Dragon and prophecy will aid it whenever it is shaken. But can you argue that we have strived to avoid such matters from occurring to begin with? A number of calamities in recent years, including the failure of the Great Subjugation fourteen years ago, are things we courted through that weakness." Everyone held their breath in shock, eyes wide at Crusch's declaration. Bathed in gazes of shock and anger, she raised a fist and nobly declared, "If the kingdom is to crumble without the Dragon's protection, then crumble it should. A nation too blessed stagnates, that stagnation courts corruption, and corruption brings about its demise. That is what I think." "Are you... Are you saying you will destroy the nation?!" "No. If the nation is to crumble without the Dragon, we should become the Dragon ourselves. Everything that the kingdom has relied upon the Dragon for until now should be borne by king, minister, and people. Furthermore..." Crusch took a deep breath. "When I become king, I will make us forget about the Covenant with the Dragon until now, come what may. The Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica belongs not to the Dragon, but to us." *** "Hard times await us. Perhaps they will be disasters we averted in the past due to the Dragon's power, or perhaps even greater calamities. But I do not wish to live in a manner that shames my very soul." Crusch's voice dropped. She shook her head and lowered her gaze. "I have long harbored doubts about the state of the kingdom. I believe that this course of events is a Heaven-sent opportunity to set it right." In terms of loyalty to the late king, or lack thereof, it was a blasphemous statement for which one could be cut down on the spot. Subaru took in all of Crusch's words. "The nobles are right in theory, but..." A lot of what she said is hard to deny, he thought to himself. Looking around, he saw he wasn't the only one; no one was willing to raise a voice against the girl's boldly voiced argument. Here was a girl willing to smash the history of the kingdom the very essence of what it took to be a monarch. Miklotov, having listened to Crusch's claims to the very

end, passed matters along to Ferris, standing beside her. "Mmmm. We understand Lady Crusch's point of view. Now then, Sir Felix Argyle, is there anything you wish to add?" Apparently, it was the place of the vassal to advocate for the master. "Thank you for asking, but I have nothing further to add. Lady Crusch's thoughts are exactly as she says. And history will prove that Lady Crusch's actions are correct. I have no doubt whatsoever that it is my master who shall become king." Ferris solemnly bowed at his slender hips as he expressed his immense trust. Then his face returned to its usual fawning expression as he smiled at Crusch. "Lady Crusch, you're just as incredible as ever. Ferri's swooning " "From time to time, I fail to understand what you are saying, Ferris. But I forgive you. You would never do anything that costs me." The warm regard for Ferris in Crusch's eyes made the strength of their relationship plain. With the conclusion of that expression of trust in Crusch, Miklotov briefly set things in order. "Mmmm, we have finally heard from one person... Mmm, though it seems her opinions have created quite a stir." To the Council of Elders and the civil officials, the plans of the candidate with the strongest backing were a thunderbolt out of the blue. It was evident the entire exchange had alienated many would-be supporters. But anyone hearing that speech would harbor no doubt that those who supported her held the highest trust in her possible. Subaru remarked to himself, "I still don't know how they're actually gonna pick someone, though..." The whole point of this display was to determine how they would go about it. The lack of hard-and-fast rules meant that all he could do was keep watching the debate, mixed feelings notwithstanding. Marcus, having apparently regained his composure, proceeded. "Then, let us continue, following with the next in line beside Lady Crusch." The orange-haired girl stepped forward with an arrogant look on her face. "Hmph, finally. It's Hyper Priscilla Time, then." Subaru was in complete shock at the strange combination of words. "Just now, did she say, Hyper Priscilla Time...?" Al walked over and stood at Priscilla's side, giving her a thumbs-up like he was taking credit. "It would seem that the riffraff's eyes are all upon my gorgeous self." "You used that pretty nicely, Princess. Totally nailed 'em with a big uppercut." Ignoring the fact that the looks regarded her less as "amazing" than "bizarre," Priscilla thrust her shoulders back in pride at Al's off-the-mark flattery. "Very well, Lady Priscilla Bariel, if you please..." "Though it pains me, I shall humor you. I need only demonstrate my majesty to the old fossils and establish that they should simply choose to obey me, yes? A simple matter." As she spoke, she pulled a fan out of the yawning gap of her cleavage, loudly snapping it open and using it to conceal her mouth as she giggled. Her adorable looks clashed with her evil, sadistic laugh. " The Bloody Bride. What gall." Such words of deep, seething resentment ran across the entire chamber. Thanks to Crusch's explosive declaration, the atmosphere in the hall was far from warm. The murmurs chilled the air frostier still. And the prologue of the royal selection had barely begun. Without hesitation, Priscilla cut through the disquiet governing the chamber with a thoroughly wearied voice. "Such boring, insignificant jeers. I am so accustomed to them that they do not even serve as a lullaby." She was no doubt referring to the reaction around her moments earlier, including boisterous jeers that called her the Bloody Bride. Priscilla did not let it bother her, nor did she make any attempt to refute them. Following Priscilla's statement, Miklotov interrupted inquisitively. "This has been on my mind since well before. Bariel... As in, Mr. Lyp Bariel? Mmm. Now that I think of it, I have not seen any sign of Mr. Lyp. Where is he...?" "That lewd old man suddenly went senile half a year ago. He remained unable to tell the difference between dream and reality, and passed away but a few days later." "What, Mr. Lyp has...? Mmmm. Lady Priscilla, what does that make your relationship to Mr. Lyp?" With Miklotov expressing surprise, Priscilla dully commented on the death of her partner. "I suppose it makes me his widow. He had not touched me with so much of a fingertip, so our relationship is, quite literally, in name alone." Al promptly stated, "Princess, isn't it just a little too harsh to put it that way?" Priscilla paid him no heed, sweeping her gaze across the crowd as if daring anyone else to complain. "A meaningless death to end a worthless life. If the life of that old man had any meaning whatsoever, it is in the fact he transferred his entire estate to me. Accordingly, the House of Bariel is mine." Her stare only increased the discontent in the hall, but no one actually lodged an objection. Even Rickert, having protested against Crusch with such vehemence, apparently lacked the courage to enter a war of words with an opponent immune to logic. And so, Miklotov replied, "Mmm. I understand, then. As Mr. Lyp was an acquaintance of many years, I regret to hear of his passing... But I see that your claim is on firm ground, Lady Priscilla." "But of course." As Priscilla arrogantly nodded, Miklotov now shifted the conversation to the vassal at her side. "Though I would like to press for further details, does the knight beside you have anything to add?" "Aahhh... Ah, me?" Al's yawning reply did a splendid job of drawing the antagonism all around him. It was as if the servant was cooling off the heat that his master had brough to the hall. "Yes, you. Your attire is highly unusual. I have not seen you among the Knights of the Royal Guard...and your helm?" "Oh, can you tell? This was made in Volakia down south. It was a lot of trouble getting it out of there. It's tough, so it's held up for a long while. Also, it looks cool, so it's pretty important." "A Volakia Empire...? Then, you are not assigned to the Knights of the Royal Guard." "I've cut all my connections to Volakia. Now I'm a wanderer who goes with the flow... So please, just call me Al. Also, you seem a little upset that I'm not showing you my face... Can you gimme a break on that?" Al's profusion of rude statements drew even sharper glares. Under so much attention, Al deftly slipped his one hand under the chin of his helmet and began to lift it up. "Urk !" Out of the blue, someone let out a pained cry as the helm rose to about mouth level. It was hard to blame him for that. After all, the visible part of Al's face was blanketed with old scars from burns, cuts, and perhaps other sources still. It was no exaggeration to say his scars were ten times as bad as Subaru's. "So y'see, my face is a sorry sight. That's why I hope you permit me the discourtesy of keeping my face covered in front of everyone." Marcus interrupted. "This may be an even greater discourtesy... If you hail from Volakia with such wounds, were you a Sword Slave by any chance?" "Hehhh, that's the captain of the knights for you. That Empire likes to keep its secrets, but apparently you know a thing or two about the darker parts of it. Yes, I was a Sword Slave, a ten-odd-years vet at that." Murmurs spread across the chamber once again as the term Sword Slave was repeated on the lips of many a knight. From the words forming the compound, it seemed to mean "a sword-wielding slave." "I take it you were in a battle or two, then?" "That's the size of it, bro. I messed up when I was young and lost an arm that way, y'see." Al, ever playing the fool, didn't flinch from discussing the gruesome experience. For their part, those who had gazed upon him with such hostility moments before were now dumbstruck. But Subaru was shaken by the impact even more than the rest. Back in the dragon carriage, Al hadn't said much about his own body. He downplayed the cause of losing his other arm and dodged the subject of his helmet altogether. But Subaru had been subconsciously avoiding that subject, too. After all, just like him, Al had been summoned there from another world in other words, his experiences hit Subaru very close to home. Losing an arm, having his face scarred up to the point he couldn't show it to anyone else that was a future Subaru, with countless scars already carved into his body, could easily have encountered for himself. If the icy chill running up his spine was any indication, Subaru would never have been able to endure it. Miklotov spoke again. "Mmmm. Hailing from the Empire of Volakia... Is that why you came to stand at Lady Priscilla's side?" Priscilla replied, "Not at all. It is the result of a little game of mine. From the beginning, my becoming king was as good as divine providence. The result will be the same regardless of my vassal. And so, I am free to select the vassal that I like. As a showpiece, this man is sufficiently amusing and then some." "How did you come to select him, then?" "What, you want to know? I caught sight of him in a bodybuilding contest I held on my estate, with the winner to be offered the job of my vassal. It was an amusing sight." Priscilla gave Al a glance rich in meaning as she replied to Miklotov. "Mmmm, I see. So he was the winner of that contest, I ta..." Al corrected him, "Nah, I didn't win it. Life's not kind enough for a one-armed guy to beat a pack of beefy bodybuilders. I was lucky to round out the top five at the victory ceremony." Miklotov's face registered surprise that Al would interrupt even him. "My word. Then how did you become Lady Priscilla's vassal...?" Priscilla straightened with pride as she gave Al's back a hard slap. "I told you. I am free to pick whomever I please." Al yelped a loud, dry Ahhnn! audible to all, as she continued, "To begin with, my keen eyes allowed me to discern that he is a physical wonder, far more than a collection of dim-witted louts overconfident in their muscle-bound arms. And more than that, only he boasted an escape from Volakia and a birth beyond the Great Waterfalls." Priscilla briskly concluded her tale, loudly stomping with a high heel as all eyes fell upon her. "And so, I selected Al to be my vassal. It is providence that my selection of Al, and my path to become king, shall both shine in accordance with my glory." She did not bear even the smallest molecule of doubt or hesitation. She was so full of confidence it was frightening. "You say that...Heaven has chosen you...?" "But of course. After all, nothing happens in this world that is does not benefit me. Furthermore, 'tis I who is worthy of becoming king, and no other. You need only bow before me and serve." Everyone was agape at her insolent declaration. The only one unaffected by her haughtiness was the man who called the girl his master. "Princess, what's your basis for all that?" " 'Tis very simple. Serving me means siding with the winner. You may have anything you desire; I allow it. But I shall not permit you to serve anyone else. That is all." Priscilla brushed her orange hair back, raising her hand in a lofty wave toward the heavens. It was a gesture that meant, I have said all that there is to say. With that, she turned her back to the Council of Elders

on the dais and walked away. Before turning his back to follow, her knight looked up at the dais and said, "You might not like how she says it, but Princess is on the money. If she wants something, so long as she doesn't change her mind, she gets it. That's because the heavens themselves have chosen Priscilla. I'm sure you've heard how the old... Er, Mr. Lyp's lands have bounced back lately?" Al sent a meaningful look in Marcus's direction. "We have already confirmed this for ourselves. Following the passing of Mr. Lyp Bariel, Lady Priscilla took control of policy within his lands...resulting in the region's unprecedented prosperity." "Well, don't mistake that as us working hard for the sake of everyone else or something, okay? Princess's guesses are always on the mark like she's a natural. She's just right about everything, no ifs, ands, or buts." *** "Well, if you're under Princess, you can do whatever you want. If you're gonna bet on the winning horse, I think it's best to do it sooner rather than later, though." It was as if both master and servant, so full of confidence, had forgotten their humility back in their mothers' wombs. When they returned to their place among the candidates, the tension in the air relaxed as a matter of course. "A cross-dressing guy and pretty-girl combo, a rich widow and a guy from another world, this is totally genre-breaking stuff here..." As Subaru murmured, the royal selection ceremony continued on. The next person called by Marcus was the girl with violet hair. "Next, then, is Lady Anastasia, and her knight, Sir Julius Juukulius. Come forward!" The girl reacted elegantly, but Priscilla had left vestiges of feverish agitation hovering over the chamber. That was when Julius lifted a hand up to the sky and swung it downward. The dry crackle echoed, forcing an inescapable change in the atmosphere. To this generous deed, Anastasia said, "Thank you kindly," smiling pleasantly as she advanced. Julius stood at her side. Thus the most conventional-looking master and servant advanced to the fore. Faced with the next royal candidate, Subaru cleared his thoughts and focused ahead once more. Anastasia smiled warmly. "If y'all expect me to be as intense as those last two, I'm in a bit of a bind. I doubt you'd want me to come on too strong, so I guess my gimmick is that I don't have one." Her demeanor and pleasant smile relaxed some of the tension in the room. "Now then, I Anastasia Hoshin will speak for a spell. I hope you'll forgive my indiscretion, since I'm an outsider and all." Julius stroked the front of his hair in an unnecessarily polished motion to draw attention to himself. "I am Lady Anastasia's knight, Julius Juukulius. Please be gentle with her." Subaru finally reasoned that the talk about her "gimmick" was a high-level joke. But what he couldn't get out of his head was the contrast of Anastasia's accent. Apparently, Subaru wasn't the only one who noticed, as Miklotov asked, "With that peculiar accent, are you a native of Kararagi, then?" "Exactly. I was born in Kararagi to the lowest class in the League of Free Trading Cities." Miklotov's eyes narrowed slightly at that. "Mmmm. The lowest class then what is your connection to Lugunica?" If lowest class meant the same thing there that it did in Lugunica, Anastasia was born a commoner. Depending on the meaning of the term, it could imply something even lower. "I was born in the lowest class, but now I have a right proper mansion in the city. I have stores in a host of other cities... That's how I first imposed on Lugunica." Julius added, "She serves as chairwoman of the Hoshin Company, the most influential company in Kararagi. For many years, this position in her nation was occupied by the Lushika Industrial Company, but thanks to Lady Anastasia's personal commercial genius, it was reconstituted under a new name, the Hoshin Company." Standing beside Julius, Anastasia's eyebrows peaked as if she were a little embarrassed. If Julius's declaration could be taken as fact, Anastasia's pronouncement had been humble in the extreme about her exploits. Julius continued, "Accompanying its vast expansion across Kararagi, there was talk of expansion into Lugunica as well. That was the impetus for my meeting Lady Anastasia for the first time." Miklotov replied, "Mmmm. So in spite of being born to humble beginnings, she established herself as a brilliant young merchant... I must say, this reminds me of the tales of the founder of Kararagi itself." As Miklotov's lips bent into a smile, Anastasia clapped her hands together, and her eyes sparkled. "Yes, exactly. I always looked up to that man, Hoshin of the Wastes. When the time came to establish my family name as a merchant, I decided to adopt the name Hoshin in his honor." Miklotov praised Anastasia's spirit. "Hoshin is the name of a great man known across the entire continent, revered from ancient times to the present. To name yourself after him... I see, a splendid display of spirit." Even Subaru had heard of Hoshin of the Wastes. If he recalled correctly, the man was the main character in one of the ballads sung on that world. Anastasia continued, "One of the great things about Kararagi is how it gave a gal like me a fair shot. It turns out I have a real knack for sniffing out the scent of gold, and it's fun, too." Subaru saw that these statements were creating a considerable stir all around. Judging from appearances alone, Anastasia was younger than he was. Given her age and the reaction around him, she apparently had a reputation as a monster in the business world. Julius remarked, "Lady Anastasia's commercial genius is a divine gift... It is no exaggeration that she rivals Hoshin himself. My own lack of ability in this area leaves me envious of her." Julius's rhetorical flourish drew a generous nod from Miklotov. "My, my, she must be quite something indeed for 'The Finest of Knights' to boast of her so." But Subaru, unable to accept that last sentence, asked the man beside him, "Did I hear wrong? Did he just call him 'The Finest of Knights'...?" Reinhard replied to Subaru's question matter-of-factly. "That is what they call him. Among the Knights of the Royal Guard of the Kingdom of Lugunica, Julius is second only to Marcus, captain of the guard. There is a vice captain, but it is a ceremonial position that exists in name only, so it's best to think of it as vacant. In skill with a sword, employment of mana, pedigree, and exploits, Julius fulfills all the qualifications of a knight and is second to none. He is without question worthy of being called 'The Finest of Knights.'" "But when people in the capital talk about the 'knight among knights,' they're talking about you, right? You're really well known, plus you never denied it, right?" "The qualifications for that nickname are somewhat different. Certainly, in terms of strength with the sword alone, I'm stronger than Julius. I have yet to meet someone stronger than I am." Just like that, he declared he was mightiest of all. Subaru wasn't sure how to respond to that, but Reinhard wasn't boasting. If anything, his eyes were filled with envy, his lips pursed taut. The way Reinhard looked cornered left Subaru wondering what to do, but, faster than he could say anything, the debate proceeded with something that could not be ignored. Miklotov said, "It is plain that relations between master and servant are very good. Mmmm. Lady Anastasia, there is something I wish to ask you. You are a native of Kararagi. What is your purpose in seeking to be king?" "Ahh, so my birthplace really bothers you, doesn't it?" It was a natural subject to raise. Nations existed in this world, too, meaning that borders existed between states and peoples. Subaru didn't know how high the barriers were, but even in a state of emergency, the throne of your own kingdom was not something to hand to a visitor from another nation lightly. The entire chamber held its breath as Anastasia, surrounded by the tension, smiled wryly. "Y'all have such high expectations, it's makin' me nervous. Unfortunately, I don't have any high ideals like Miss Crusch, or Miss Priscilla confidence that she's been chosen for greatness." "Surely you are not saying...the Dragon Jewel responded to you purely by chance?" Faced with Miklotov's question, Anastasia stuck her tongue out and replied casually. "Ah-ha-ha, if it was like that even I wouldn't show my face here. 'Course I've got a goal of my own. You see, I'm actually real greedy." The declaration, so at odds with what was expected, made most present doubt their ears. "I think I've been greedier than normal since I was teeny-tiny. The reason I became a first-rate merchant with a nose for gold is because I want it more than everyone else." "You want it more?" "As a maid at the first little company I worked for, I made a couple suggestions to the owner and they were big hits, so I got involved in bigger and bigger deals, and soon I was livin' so large I forgot I what it was like to be low class. It should have been fun, but I found out I wasn't free. I was even less free than before." Anastasia, counting on her fingers the steps she had climbed, shook her head. "...Mmmm. And why was that?" Miklotov asked. "That's the scary part about greed. The more you get your hands on, the more you wanna get your hands on. 'I want this. I want that.' It's not enough. It's never enough and that's when I realized it." Anastasia grinned as she pointed toward her feet. It was clear what she was indicating the palace itself. "I'm greedy, so I want anything around. But I'm not satisfied yet. I don't know what real fulfillment feels like. So I want a country of my own." "You are saying, you want this kingdom to weigh your greed?" Anastasia responded to Miklotov's rebuke with a robust smile. "Hey, if that smashes my scale to bits, smash away. I'll be real happy to have my fill and be totally satisfied." In other words, she was announcing that she sought the royal throne out of her own avarice. "But if gettin' my hands on the kingdom isn't enough... I'll probably use this country as a stepping-stone to get even more." "And what shall become of the kingdom if you obtain it, yet it holds no value for you?" "I told you, didn't I? I'm greedy. So once somethin's mine, it's mine through thick and thin. And if I get an even stronger hankering, I use whatever I have to satisfy it. My life in Kararagi, the Hoshin Company, and all the people who work there, they're all part of my drive for fulfillment. I would never throw them away. So..." Anastasia swept her gaze over the faces of everyone in the chamber. " How about you just relax and become mine?" She looked across the chamber with the same warm, gentle smile she had initially worn. Her way of thinking was founded on desire, but that made her argument very simple. She wanted the throne for her own desires, and, from the day it was hers, she'd work tirelessly for the prosperity of the kingdom. She wouldn't throw it away, given that her personality demanded she make anything she owned into something greater and grander than before. That was her message. "Mmmm. Lady Anastasia has surely pressed her claim sufficiently. Do you have anything to add, Sir Julius?" With his master's speech concluded, it was time for the vassal to make his case. Both had argued beforehand about the master's fitness to be king, but Julius stepped in front and indicated Anastasia with his hand as he said, "Lady Anastasia used the word greed

to express her desires, but put another way, this reveals the depth of emotion behind her ambition. On the other hand, from a business point of view, she is able to make any decision without emotional involvement, an indispensable quality in a statesman." "Mmmm. Certainly, it is as you say." "Furthermore, as I stated earlier, Lady Anastasia is a brilliant businesswoman something this kingdom desperately needs at this hour. Repeated, serious clashes with neighboring nations in particular, skirmishes with the Empire have drained our coffers; with the large famine last year, the finances of the Kingdom of Lugunica are in a precarious state." Faces went red as Julius abruptly touched upon the nation's dirty laundry. "I believe such details ought not to be so lightly divulged in a public place, Sir Julius." "The importance of financial reconstruction to the nation has been common knowledge for several decades now. I do not feel any reason to hide this from those assembled here. Do you not think that the very reason the affairs of the nation have stagnated is because we have averted our eyes from this difficult financial state for so long?" "So a mere knight speaks to us about political affairs beyond his purview...?" "That's right. These affairs will affect the House of Juukulius very little. Even if we avert our eyes, it surely will be nothing irreversible for my generation. However, even if my house will emerge unscathed, I cannot ignore the matter of the throne I serve falling into distress." With veins bulging from the foreheads of the Council of Elders, Julius looked back at Anastasia. "However, the Hoshin Company has connected us to the extreme prosperity enjoyed in Kararagi, bringing a fresh wind to Lugunica. I have seen for myself that Lady Anastasia is worthy to be king if we continue along this path. What can you call this, if not fate?" Perhaps Julius had been overcome by fervor, for his tenor rose and his words quickened. "If Heaven chooses the king, then it has chosen Lady Anastasia. I, devoted to the Royal Family, having pledged my loyalty to the kingdom, hereby declare that Lady Anastasia is worthy of the throne. I thank you for lending me your ears." Julius behaved much like a stage performer as he summarized his address for the audience. Those attending, mesmerized by his aura, seemed to come to their senses as they looked back upon master and vassal. Yet, even then, Marcus's calm expression did not waver. "Sir Julius, may I judge this sufficient?" Julius, probably accustomed to the attitude of his superior officer, stated, "Yes, thank you very much," and returned to Anastasia's side. "You were splendid, Lady Anastasia. It is indeed a place such as this where your flower may truly bloom." "Yes, yes, you are very kind. Sheesh, you didn't need to say that. It's so embarrassing." A red-faced Anastasia fanned herself with a hand as she returned with Julius to the other candidates. Now that the third candidate's camp had asserted its claim, the next in line was After a brief silence, Marcus called the name of the silver-haired girl who had kept her silence to that point. "Then, the next candidate Lady Emilia." She was the only candidate lacking a knight of her own. After her name was called, she raised her head. From the side, Subaru could see worry on her pale, beautiful face, but, with a look of strong determination, Emilia replied. "Yes." She stepped forward. Her part in the royal selection had now begun. That was when Subaru Natsuki had a thought. The instant Emilia's right hand and foot moved forward together in her first step to the center, Subaru thought... I've gotta do something. On any normal day, he could fully appreciate how adorable she looked E M P (Emilia-tan's Majorly a Puppy) but it boded ill under the circumstances. Somehow, even though Emilia's hands and feet were moving at a normal clip, he noticed that her stride seemed strained just before she reached the center. The Council of Elders gazed down at her as she stepped forward. And yet, the whispers did not stop. Repeatedly, Subaru's ears picked up the word half-demon. Reinhard moved to soothe Subaru's nerves, raw from the unpleasant atmosphere. " It's all right, Subaru. You need not worry." "Don't read my thoughts like that. Am I an open book here?" "Foul words are overcome by seeing a person's qualities before your very eyes. Believe in Lady Emilia." But Subaru should have been the one to assert this. Having Reinhard say them to him left a nameless disappointment in his chest. Following Reinhard's statement, the chitchat receded like the tide as if to prove him right. Roswaal had advanced to stand by Emilia's side. Seeing Roswaal next to Emilia, Marcus, the master of ceremonies, bowed his head with a weighty look. "Then, Lady Emilia, and Lord Roswaal L. Mathers, if you please..." Roswaal's tone was casual even now. "Yes, yeees. Myyy, following in the footsteps of all these knights, I feel so teeerribly out of place." He prodded Emilia with an "Am I?" Of course, he earned no reaction. A normal response may have been too much to hope for given her tension from moments before. Roswaal's insensitivity rubbed Subaru's nerves even rawer. But he instantly set even those strong feelings aside a moment later. After all "Members of the Council of Elders, it is my pleasure to meet you for the first time. My name is Emilia. I have no family name. Please, simply call me Emilia." Her name, spoken with a voice clear as a bell, seemed to engrave itself upon the very hearts of all present. Her voice did not quaver, and she gazed forward, steady and strong. Subaru had to wonder where all that anxiety from a moment ago had gone. Emilia, stating her name before the Council of Elders, was not to be outmatched by the other candidates whatsoever. Roswaal followed, "And I am the humble man nominating Lady Emilia, Roswaal L. Mathers, bearing the rank of Marquis. We are grateful for the Council of Elders' valuable time." Miklotov stroked his beard while directing where the conversation should proceed. "Mmmm. So she is nominated, not by the Knights of the Royal Guard, but by the Court Magician. I would very much like to hear the details of why this is so." Miklotov gave Emilia a penetrating once-over. To Roswaal, he continued, "Please provide us details about the candidate Lady Emilia, including her lineage." "Understood. First, though I believe all present are well aware, I shall begin with the circumstances of Lady Emilia's biiirth. As you can see from her lovely silver hair, her skin so pale one can nearly see through her, violet eyes that seem to capture the very soul, and her voice, like a silver bell, one echoing unforgettably in the ears, even in one's dreams. As you well know, these enchanting qualities are proof that elven blood flows through Lady Emilia's veins." A bald old man sitting among the Council of Elders interrupted Roswaal's explanation. "And the other half of her blood is human in other words, she is a half-elf?" A vein bulged on the large-framed old man's forehead, hatred in his eyes shooting through Emilia as he spat out, "How dare you. Have you no shame, bringing this silver-haired half-demon filth before the royal throne?" Miklotov countered, "Mr. Bordeaux, your words go too far." "Mr. Miklotov, do you not understand? A silver-haired half-demon with an appearance matching the Witch of Jealousy as handed down by the old tales! She once consumed half of the world; she leads all living things to despair, chaos, and annihilation! Do not claim ignorance!" *** "How much do you think your appearance and lineage alone makes others tremble? You ask us to place such a being on the royal throne? Inconceivable. Even the commoners of other nations would call us a collection of madmen, to say nothing of the people of the Dragonfriend Kingdom of Lugunica the nation where the Witch sleeps!" Bordeaux stomped his foot, his arms wide as he shouted, his tone and manner frayed. Even this act brought no reaction from Emilia. The atmosphere in the hall chilled at once. And then, Roswaal replied, "Master Bordeaux, are quiiite finished?" "If you ask whether that is all I have to say, then I have not said nearly enough. Do you even comprehend what you have done, High Sorcerer of the Court?" Bordeaux seemed like he was trying to cow Roswaal into submission. "I understand veeery much. Master Bordeaux, speaking on behalf of the Council of Elders, expresses that the reaction of the populace upon seeing Lady Emilia would be of conceeern, yes?" Roswaal raised a finger. "Howeeever, perhaps you have forgotten, Master Bordeaux? The issue of which you speak has no beaaaring upon the royal selection whatsoever." "...What do you mean?" Roswaal lowered his voice as he looked up at the Council of Elders. "If I may, it is preciiisely as Lady Priscilla stated at the beginning. Even if as a mere formality, there are five candidates, so the royal selection may begin. And if it begins, one need merely see it through, yes?" Miklotov's eyes narrowed. "Mmmm. In other words, you are saying that what is important is that the Dragon Jewel chose Lady Emilia, and that her actual suitability to succeed as monarch is...irrelevant?" "Though it might be a cruuude way to put it, think of her as a stalking horse. Lady Emilia's appearance is very particular. Virtually no human being can look at her and not think of the Witch of Jealousy. She is easily employed as a pawn upon our chessboard." And just like that, Roswaal denied all possibility of Emilia actually succeeding to the throne. The sheer shock of it was enough to make Subaru completely forget his anger at Roswaal's earlier intemperate remarks. He was Emilia's sponsor and backer, who knew just how hard Emilia was striving to be king, and yet he said that. Bordeaux asked, "So the royal selection between five candidates would in actuality be between four?" "Do you not think that reducing the options reduces the possibility of dissolution? The current lack of a king invites other nations to intervene in our internal affairs. Should we not prepare countermeasures to dimiiinish this threat?" Roswaal's suggestion sent Bordeaux into deep thought. The other members of the Council of Elders appeared ready to say, Well, if it's like that... To decide to abandon all of Emilia's hard work by the roadside to use her as the stalking horse of the race. An angry shout reverberated throughout the chamber. "Don't give me that crap !!" As the echoes died, the hall was silent once again. The only sound left in the hushed chamber was the ragged breathing of the boy who had called out Subaru. With his face red with anger, the back of Subaru's mind announced, Now you've done it. But it was too late to back out now. He could not retreat. Now that Subaru had walked forward out of the blue, Roswaal turned his head and gave him a cold look. "I did not think you were this obtuse. This is not a place for the likes of yooou to speak. Apologize and leave." "Don't give me that crap. I said what I meant. And I'll add this. You all should be apologizing." Gone was Roswaal's aloofness. In its place was an overwhelming, bloodcurdling aura; just looking at him chilled one to the bone. Perhaps the wavering of the air around him was from a vast quantity of mana. "I am all the more surprised at your disregard for your own life." Subaru clenched his teeth. The back of his mind knew what to expect overwhelming power, a vortex of great flame. He recalled the sight of the Urugarum demon beasts in the forest, burned away without mercy or pity. "If you grovel on your knees this instant, I shall permit you to simply leave.

But if you insist on being stubborn..." The royal selection was the gravest issue for the entire nation. For disgracing it with individual feelings, Roswaal would sentence Subaru to the flame on behalf of the dignity of the kingdom. The vast danger made Subaru's knees cry out for mercy. The shaking spread from his fingertips; had he not clenched his teeth, everyone would be hearing them rattle by then. But "I-I said, it's not me who should apologize, it's all of you!" His shrill voice quivered. But even so, Subaru would not kneel. He couldn't kneel, for Emilia had not done a single thing wrong. "Veeery well. One can do nothing without power. I shall drill this lesson into you. Though it cannot serve you in this world, perhaps it shall in the next." With his final ultimatum ignored, the power flowing from Roswaal manifested in the form of a flaming sphere, so bright that its light dazzled the entire chamber. The mass of fire on top of Roswaal's hand burned with intensity like a miniature sun, enough that Subaru, standing at a distance, felt his skin start to burn. "Behold, fire mana of the greatest power. Algoa." With one cruel, final word, Roswaal turned his hand toward Subaru. The fireball launched from his palm, with the heat slowly approaching Subaru to burn him to a crisp. Subaru immediately tried to dodge, but his body simply wouldn't move. Perhaps it was because his legs were shaking, or perhaps it was because the knowledge of impending death had spread from his eyes to the rest of his body. No. It was because Emilia was standing behind Subaru. That was why, that very moment, he could not move from that place... *** Instantaneously, everyone held their breath at what followed. The instant the fireball collided with Subaru, it was wiped out by a pale blue glow that covered his entire body. The powers of red and white jostled with each other and vanished into nothing more than white steam. And as the onlookers gaped, a voice, clear as a bell, spoke with the same frigid tone. " That is enough. I shall permit no further violence in my presence. If you wish to continue this " Emilia's resolute voice was followed by a more neutral one. " Then I am prepared to wield my power as my beloved daughter demands." Dubious eyebrows rose at the source of the voice, but the next moment, everyone noticed it the biting cold spreading throughout the chamber manifesting the Great Spirit's frigid anger. The little gray cat folded his arms, making a small snort with his pink nose as he slowly floated down. His black eyes were frozen in an expression of unprecedented coldness. "You lowly humans are saying quite some things in front of my daughter." *** As Puck's emotionless gaze swept the area, the strongest reactions came from the knights. Their swords were already drawn as they raised their guard toward the small cat floating above their heads. Subaru, left behind by the shift in events, hadn't entirely grasped what was going on. " Ah? Er, what?" It was a moment after he was certain Roswaal would really burn him to death. He had thought he was shielding Emilia, but she stood in front of him, and everyone was warily eying Puck, poised in a position to defend her. And their wary gazes also contained something that looked like fear. Miklotov's hoarse murmur struck the silent gallery like a thunderbolt. " The Apocalypse Beast of Eternal Frost." Upon hearing these words, Puck's ears twitched as he answered the old man. "Ah, that's right, some people have called me that. Seems you're informed for a youngin." Though everyone else was tense, Miklotov's razor-sharp wit permitted him to maintain his cool in Puck's presence. "To be treated like a youngster at my age is an experience I ought to treasure deeply." Puck responded to the old man's attitude with a pompous flick of his tail. "You are free to call me whatever you like. But if you want details about who and what I am, you should ask him over there, not me." At Puck's suggestion, Miklotov called out to Roswaal. "I suppose so... Lord Roswaal?" Accepting the call, Roswaal solemnly lowered his head before motioning to Puck and Emilia with one hand each. "As you have surmised, Lord Miklotov... This is a supernatural being, one of the Great Spirits of yore, known to our forefathers as the Apocalypse Beast of the Eternal Frost. And currently, he is Lady Emilia's contracted spirit." Bordeaux's fixed Puck with a stare, his voice hoarse from the extent of his shock. "It can't be! One of the Four Great Spirits in someone's service...and that of a half-demon at that!" But not even the old man could summon the courage to point at a being capable of turning him into an ice sculpture. "That youngin included, the lot of you should all be grateful to Lia that I'm not turning this place into a glacier right now. My cute, beloved daughter pleaded to me, so I will behave. If she wasn't stopping me, you'd all be icicles right now." The casual way he said it only made the threat seem that much frostier, chilling all those in the chamber to the bone. Faced with his presence, it was all too clear that he was making no boast. When the lives of everyone present were at the mercy his supremely powerful paw the sudden sound of an inhalation sounded awfully loud. " Ho, ho, ho!" The sight of Miklotov jubilantly slapping his thighs seemed enormously out of place. "Even my heart skipped a beat. Allow me to call this a most amusing presentation." Miklotov's words caused Puck to drop his expression and shrug his shoulders. "Mm, we're busted. See, Roswaal? I told you it wasn't good to overdo things." That instant, the cold enveloping the chamber vanished. Amid the bewildered onlookers, Roswaal lightly smacked his own forehead. "Oh myyy, and I had such confidence... It is so dispiiiriting." "W-wait...! What in the world are you talking about?" It seemed only Puck, Roswaal, and Miklotov were in on this elaborate joke. Roswaal finally shifted his gaze to the bewildered Bordeaux and said, "To put it simply this exchange was the speech from Lady Emilia's camp. I understand that the format somewhat differs from that of the other candidates, but..." Under Miklotov's gaze, Roswaal raised both hands in a show of surrender. Subaru stomped on the floor, glaring at Roswaal as the latter adopted his familiar, clownish expression once more. "So you're saying this was all a performance to show everyone Puck's power and pound into them that he can do more than this?! Is that it?!" As Subaru shouted the explanation, it was Bordeaux who had the strongest sense of being had. "That was acting... Acting, you say?! Then all this was a farce from start to finish! Roswaal! Damn you, what do you think this place is?!" Puck began with an apology. "Yes, yes, of course you're upset. I apologize. I deeply apologize. Forgive me. Sorry. My bad. But everything I said was the truth." The last part, though, made Bordeaux's heart beat louder. The little cat circled around the old man and added, " The reason I'm not freezing you right now is Emilia's benevolence. Don't forget that." Puck's voice was tranquil, yet somehow threatening. Bordeaux rebutted with an old man's stubbornness. "A-and now you make threats. These words and this show of force convey, 'Do as I say or you shall be an icicle.' If this is not blackmail, what is...?!" Then, Emilia wholeheartedly affirmed his suspicions. " Yes, I am threatening you." She continued, "I shall make my case to the esteemed members of the Council of Elders once more. My name is Emilia. I spent a long time in the Great Forest of Elioor, the World of Eternal Frost, and am served by Puck, the Great Spirit that governs fire mana. I am a silver-haired half-elf. The people of the nearby villages called me..." Emilia paused, surveying the faces of the Council of Elders on the dais. "...the Freezing Witch, born in the Frozen Forest." Witch. At that word, the atmosphere in the chamber shifted. Everyone's mouths snapped shut, unable to speak; all save one, Miklotov, who was apparently made of sterner stuff than the rest. "You displayed your power, and now you state your demands. Truly this is the way of a witch. Then, what does the Freezing Witch seek in threatening us so?" "I have but a single demand. I simply want fair treatment." "...Fair?" "I understand I am regarded with prejudice, both for being a half-elf and a witch. But even so, I completely reject that this should rob me of this possibility." "And so you desire to be treated fairly as a candidate for the royal selection?" No doubt her memories were filled with the inexpressible malice she had experienced on a daily basis. Surely being persecuted because of the circumstances of her birth had not occurred only once or twice. "Fairness is an exceedingly valuable thing to me. That is the only thing I demand of you: to be treated impartially. In turn, I shall do nothing unjust, such as use my contracted spirit as a shield with which to usurp the royal throne." That was surely one option available to Emilia. But she did not choose it, instead opting for a situation that, if anything, put her at a handicap. After all, as she explained, "Compared to the other candidates, I am inexperienced and lacking in too many areas. There is a mountain of things I do not know and that I must study. Even so, I believe my effort to reach my goal is no less than that of any other." Subaru had seen for himself how Emilia took her studies at the mansion very seriously. That was why he knew the truth behind her assertion more than anyone else present. He couldn't hide his shaking. It was strange how his throat was so dry, yet his eyes stung, ready to shed tears. He desperately held back from bawling his eyes out. Emilia continued, "I do not know if my efforts are worthy of the throne. But my desire to make my efforts equal to the task is genuine. I believe these feelings are not unequal to those of the other candidates. Therefore, please look at me with unbiased eyes. Look at me as Emilia, of no family name, and see not the Freezing Witch, nor a silver-haired half-elf. Look at me." The final murmur echoed like a solemn plea. But the strength of the will behind it did not diminish the power of her request. The chamber fell into silence for a time. It was not that they were at a loss for words. They were waiting. Finally, Bordeaux, bathed in the gazes of all assembled, sighed at great length. "My view shall not change. It is unmistakable that your appearance, reminiscent of the Witch of Jealousy, will have ill effects upon the populace. It would place the royal selection in a precarious state." His low voice had, to that point, argued against Emilia's position. A faint shadow formed around Emilia's violet eyes. But Bordeaux continued. "However sentiment is an area where none may intrude. Furthermore, it is something no one can do anything about, no matter what he may think. Even so, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. No, I deeply apologize for my rudeness, Lady Emilia." Bordeaux knelt then and there, displaying the greatest respect he could. "You could freeze me where I stand if I do not submit to your will. Yet, even so, you have not, asking only for fair treatment. This is an act worthy of respect." Now that he was speaking calmly, Bordeaux's face was gentle and intellectual; now Subaru could understand why he was on a Council of Elders. His reply drove the shadow from Emilia's eyes, replaced by a brighter, more natural

expression of joy at being accepted. Her lips curled in a pleasant, flowery smile. Bordeaux, under the full force of her gaze, lost his breath and turned red in the face. Miklotov redirected the conversation. "Though that was a rather stormy digression, enough has been said, I believe. Lady Emilia, Marquis Roswaal, do you have anything left to say?" "No." "I have not spoken suffiiiciently. What to do, what to..." Marcus swiftly brought an end to Roswaal's playful comment. " Thank you very much, then." He gave Roswaal's tall back a light pat before Emilia turned toward Subaru, still standing right behind her. Her violet eyes betrayed a whirlwind of conflicted emotions. Her red tongue poked out of her mouth as if she was about to say something From the dais, Miklotov raised an eyebrow and looked down at Subaru. "Incidentally, what is that young man's position?" The question, concerning the unmoored Subaru, brought tension back over Emilia's face. "Ah, err, this is my, ah... Err..." All her prior composure went flying out the window. And so Emilia had returned to the girl who'd ignited the love burning in Subaru's chest day after day. Relieved by the sight, Subaru patted Emilia's shoulder as he stepped forward. "It's all right, Emilia. I'm ready for this, too." "Ready for...? Hold on, Subaru, what do you think you're...? Wait a..." As she called from behind, Subaru boldly stepped forward. Beneath the gazes of the Council of Elders up on the dais, the boy grit his teeth and briskly raised his head. As he had learned by observation, Subaru bowed on one knee like the knights had and opened his mouth, his heart racing as he spoke with the highest respect he could muster. "Pleasure to meet you, members of the Council of Elders. First, I'd like to apologize for the late introduction. My name is Subaru Natsuki! A servant at Roswaal Manor and knight of the royal candidate, Lady Emilia!" Subaru, feeling the weight of the hall's silence upon him, grit his teeth to beat back the tension. "I am extremely pleased to make your acquaintance," he continued. The out-of-place Subaru had joined the battle to clearly define his own place in the world. He felt the temperature drop, even colder than when Puck had appeared. Subaru Natsuki had shrugged off Emilia's efforts to stop him and declared himself her knight. When Subaru made his announcement, the hall became bereft of sound, replaced by a thick, unpleasant cloud. Seeing the conflicted gazes of onlookers, Subaru realized that something was going deeply, unexpectedly awry as Miklotov asked, "Mmmm. A knight, are you. Marquis Roswaal... Who is this?" "Ahhh, a somewhat ignorant boy, is he not? ...This is a poor showing, even for him." "Indeed, what is the status of Lady Emilia's actual knight?" "Unlike the other candidates, Lady Emilia currently lacks a knight that she can place her trust in. That is most certainly a matter of concern. Howeeever, that does not mean simply aaanyone can be a knight, particularly one claiming to be a knight of someone who may become king someday." Roswaal continued to speak in his normal tone, seemingly for Subaru's benefit. "Fidelity toward one's master is one of the qualifications of being a knight. Furthermore, the power to defend one's liege is required. He must have some special quality enabling him to blaze the path for his master to become king. If he does not, then..." A voice abruptly interrupted Roswaal's speech, hailing from the line of candidates. All eyes fell on the handsome young man with violet hair Julius. " That alone is not enough, Marquis Roswaal." Julius elegantly bowed. "Forgive my intrusion. However, there is something I must ask him." When Julius indicated him, Subaru scowled, remembering the former's hostility from before the royal selection. "You need not be so defensive. I have only one question. Once it is done, you may do as you please." "Do I look tense to you? Why not let me relax a little, ditch the question, and save it for tomorrow?" "Cease with the clown act. At least, if you truly wish to be Lady Emilia's self-declared knight." "...What do you mean by that?" Julius regarded Subaru with exasperation, as if he was a complete dunce. "It seems you do not understand. Just now, you announced yourself as a knight before the entire body of Knights of the Royal Guard of the Kingdom of Lugunica." Julius slowly motioned to indicate the knights lined up behind him. Prompted by his words, the knights in their rows stood at attention without disturbing a single thread of the carpet, saluting with their swords raised. "Th-that's pretty good stuff there. Did you all practice that just for today?" Subaru was sniping to keep his wits under the pressure, but Julius's calm composure did not falter. "Indeed we did, for we are highly aware we embody the dignity of the kingdom on a daily basis. We train in body and spirit, including how to behave in a ceremonial place. Are you prepared to learn all this?" Only then did Subaru truly appreciate the true intent behind the question posed to him. Julius was asking him if he was prepared to shoulder the weight of the title of knight, like the Knights of the Royal Guard behind him did. Subaru had called himself a knight to demonstrate that he was Emilia's supporter and the person who held her the foremost in his thoughts to her rival candidates, to the knights, to the Council of Elders, and everyone involved in the royal selection. "I...I want to...make Lady Emilia king. No, I will make her king." "Do you have enough resolve, and enough strength, to do this?" "Resolve isn't everything, and I know I'm not strong enough. The feeling in my heart may not be the same loyalty and fidelity that other people have...but my answer won't change." Subaru took a deep breath, wet his tongue, and braced himself as he stepped forward. " I'll make Lady Emilia king. I'll make her wish come true." "...Do you not think that this is an exceptionally arrogant reply?" Dismay entered Julius' expression, as if he were listening to a tale of an empty dream. "Do you understand? People are divided according to their birth. Perhaps it is best to use the term capacity. Nothing is gained by attempting to surpass one's own capacity. Furthermore, you will never gain what you seek in doing so, especially not the title of knight, which falls so frivolously from your lips." Julius drove the scabbard of his own sheathed sword into the floor with a thump. On cue, the knights assembled behind him produced the same sound a moment later. The hard, heavy echo displayed that he had all the knights behind him. "Those who pursue knighthood require loyalty to lord and kingdom and the power to protect their liege by force. No one may call himself knight without either one of these things. Can you still say there is the will, the power, the resolve within you?" "Don't get all high and mighty on me with your buddies. I know I don't have the power to follow through on how I feel as I am now..." "You say that you accept your current lack of power? I see; that is a precious thought. If you had not acknowledged your weakness, I might have been forced to reduce myself to your disgraceful level." Subaru was helpless to respond as Julius, unable to conceal his contempt, heaped scorn upon him. "You understand that you are lacking in strength? Did you declare it so loudly in expectation of a reward? Weakness is a matter of shame, not pride." *** "Next you will no doubt say your feelings will carry you through. I see. Your emotions conquer all. Fine and well. Did you strive to earn the right to stand in this palace with the might of your strong and lofty feelings? Did you come here in an effort to insult us, the Knights of the Royal Guard, to the highest degree possible?" The stern words bit into him. But even then, Julius did not sheath his verbal blade. "Only those of certain birth may be recommended for entry into the Knights of the Royal Guard, the pinnacle of knighthood. This is not out of deference to lineage, but because their ancestors have displayed their loyalty to the kingdom, down to the very blood that flows through their veins. I do not accept that you, nor the mercenary calling himself Al, have any qualifications to call yourselves knights." "Bloodline... It's not like a person can do anything about something like that...!" "Indeed. It is just as I have said. People are separated by birth. It was the same in your home. Just because two people have been born does not make them equal." *** "Of course, not all born to knightly households become knights. Many lack the will. A knight eternally strives for greater heights, ever willing to cast his life aside, coughing up blood, to protect whatever greatness stands behind him. That is the ultimate honor of those qualified." With classical nobleman's thinking, Julius stomped on Subaru's feelings, rejecting the essence of his very existence. And every knight there felt the exact same way. Not a single person in that place acknowledged Subaru as a knight. And yet, he replied, " Even so, I'll make Emilia king." "I do not understand. In the face of such rejection, why are you still even here?" Cold glances from throughout the chamber watched Subaru's recklessness with scorn and contempt. But Subaru couldn't feel any of that. He felt something far stronger the gaze of the silver-haired girl behind him. He felt Emilia. He couldn't look back. He didn't have the courage. Feeling her presence, he hesitated for a brief moment, and then answered. " Because she's special." That was his answer. Julius's eyes widened slightly in apparent surprise. However, the surge of emotion was immediately concealed when his face calmed again. "You are obstinate. I accept that you have a reason for standing here regardless of whether you are qualified or not. In that case, I have nothing more to say to you." Julius turned his back to Subaru as if he was returning to the line of candidates. But his very first step halted, and his head alone turned back toward Subaru. " However, do not think that I accept you as a knight, or ever will." "What are you..." "I understand that you esteem her enough that you wish to protect her. However, your thoughts are... No, it would be ugly to elaborate deeply upon it." Julius shook his head, pitying Subaru. "A man who brings such an expression to the one he wishes to stand beside...is not a knight." Subaru's thoughts shifted behind him. Everything felt cold. He wondered what kind of look was on Emilia's face. He was too frightened to find out. That was why the next thing out of Subaru's quivering lips was a transparent attempt to get in the last word. "Y-you're saying that whether you can be a knight or not is settled from birth? What, every one of you was a golden child, the best at everything? Don't make me laugh. You're not the one who gets to be called the knight among knights around here. Don't think anything you say can get to me." It was a cheap insult. But Julius did not display his emotions as he casually replied, "Subaru Natsuki, you said? You should know that speaking such cheap insults to others diminishes not only your own worth, but damages the worth of everyone around you. Subaru Natsuki. There is no beauty in it." And so, Julius summarized Subaru's words and actions to date, rejecting them, and him, in one fell swoop. That single remark made Subaru realize that he, and his own conduct, had hit rock bottom. The candidates gave Subaru blank stares. Behind the dignified Julius, many of the

knights seethed with resentment at Subaru's rude statement. For their part, the rows of civil officials had no love lost for Subaru, who seemed unable to make any argument not based on sentimentality. He didn't even have the courage to look up and see what the Council of Elders thought of him. Even if it meant making an enemy of the whole world, he'd be in Emilia's corner. Until that moment, his resolve for that part, at least, had held strong, but... Before Subaru summoned the nerve to look back, a voice, clear as a bell, moved around to his front. "Subaru, that's enough." The trembling of the hand touching his shoulder shocked him enough that even he wanted to look away. Emilia took hold of Subaru's wrist as she bowed her head to the Council of Elders and said, "I apologize for the waste of your time. He will leave immediately." The words waste of your time sliced into Subaru's heart sharper than any razor. But he could say nothing. He had indisputably taken his resolve, determination, and himself, and trampled on them all. Subaru did not resist as he was led away from the stage by his arm. As Emilia pulled him forward, he still couldn't look at her face. From the dais, Miklotov sounded hoarse, yet mysteriously, his voice carried far. "I judge some of this to have been time well spent, Lady Emilia." Neither of the two stopped walking as Miklotov continued. "He showed us that, at the very least, you are not a half-elf like the one the world fears. You have a good vassal." Emilia paused and looked back. " Subaru..." She was watching the Council of Elders on the dais. Subaru, standing beside her, was not in her field of vision whatsoever. But when she turned, he could clearly see her face. Her expression was frozen over. Her eyes were frigid with the readiness to emotionlessly cast something aside, when her tranquil, clear voice stated plainly "...is no vassal of mine." Thus, she spurned Subaru's words and feelings up to that very moment. Subaru wandered around in a corridor outside of the chamber, completely rudderless. He didn't remember much after he'd humiliated himself in front of Emilia and a huge audience. All he remembered was that the captain of the knights had permitted his departure and had left his fate to Emilia's judgment. It would have been wrong to say he was there because he didn't want to cause Emilia any more trouble. The reason he'd fled, even after he had gone against her instructions to reach the palace in the first place, was far simpler. He couldn't bear Emilia's frigid eyes any longer. Subaru was mentally berating himself as the guard who'd escorted him to the castle's waiting room gave him a concerned look. "Did something happen to you?" He hadn't seen Subaru's humiliation because he'd been stationed outside the huge double doors. Furthermore, his demeanor showed respect toward someone he believed to be involved with one of the royal candidates. "It's...nothing. Sorry for all the trouble in the middle of a really important job." "I don't mind. Inside the throne room, they're deciding the future of the entire nation. Even if I'm not qualified to be inside, I'm proud just to be on the edges of it." The irony of the words, spoken with a clear voice, left Subaru with an uncomfortable awkwardness. Here was a guy full of pride for what he was doing at the edges of the selection of the next king. What of Subaru? Could anyone take pride in what he had done? No one would. And the one person he had wanted to acknowledge his efforts had rejected him. *** Unable to stand still, Subaru shifted his gaze when he suddenly noticed a ruckus at the end of the corridor. Just as he turned his head to look, a guard popped in, apparently in a hurry. "Pardon, open the way! We've captured an intruder. We need orders from the captain!" "Wait, they're still in the middle of the conference! Hold the intruder in the barracks until..." "The circumstances do not allow us to do that. Either way, we cannot make this decision ourselves!!" Ignoring the urgings of his comrade, the guard shouted back down to the corridor. Several men were dragging forward the intruder that'd snuck into the castle. Subaru, wondering what was so bad they needed to interrupt the royal selection, glanced at the intruder. Then... Regret stronger than anything else that day struck Subaru Natsuki. " Ah?" He stared dumbfounded as four men dragged the man along by his hands and feet, desperately trying to move forward with a balding old man Subaru knew well. It was Old Man Rom, who had no business being there whatsoever. *** He'd left a message at the fruit seller's place for him to wait. What was Old Man Rom doing there Subaru's mind went blank, but then, for once, he instantly found the answer to his question. "W-wait... Don't tell me, he..." He followed me. At first, Subaru doubted himself, but then certainty welled within him. If Old Man Rom had tried to sneak into the castle there and then, the trigger could have been none other than the message Subaru had left at Cadmon. The sharp old man had deduced that Subaru had reason to think Felt was at the royal palace. And he'd tried to enter by any means necessary. No doubt Old Man Rom's own clumsiness had led to his discovery and capture. But Subaru was the one who'd brought that result about. Subaru knew how precious Felt was to Old Man Rom. He should've known Rom might lose his head over it... *** The guards passed before his eyes. By the time he reached out, Old Man Rom was already too far away. Subaru froze in place, watching them go in silence. If he spoke to the guards then and there, he could explain to them who Old Man Rom was. But that also meant admitting that Subaru was connected to an intruder who'd attempted illegal entry of the palace. It wouldn't end just with Subaru. It would make him an even weightier ball and chain on Emilia's ankle. That was as far as he got before he did a mental double take. When he considered the possibility he'd leave Old Man Rom to rot, using Emilia as the reason why, he felt filthy. "Hey, wait a...!" Subaru called out to stop them, but a foul-mouthed shout buried his words. Quietly, his eyes went wide as he realized the torrent of insults was coming at him from Old Man Rom himself. "Ha! You high-falutin' nobles have some awful taste! Is one bumbling old captive something to stare at?! If you're going to laugh, laugh, you filthy-minded youngin!" Old Man Rom, watching Subaru holding his breath, made a disgusting grimace with his bruised face. "If you wanna stare, take a good, hard look at this dirty old man from the slums!" One of the guards, offended at the rude words from the intruder toward Subaru, a VIP, swung his fist down in punishment. " Watch, your, tongue!" "Ugh!" Subaru countered, "Wait, please! There's no need to go that fa " Rom replied, "You are very kind, young one. Heeey, how about it, knights? Your beloved master's giving you an order. Why don't you just wag your tails and do what he sa ugh!" "Haven't you said enough, vagabond?!" The knights responded to Old Man Rom's continued verbal abuse with even harsher strikes than before. For a moment, the boy's gaze met Rom's, and Subaru understood his intent. Even in that place, Old Man Rom was covering for him, because if Subaru said too much, it would only put Subaru in a worse position. " Don't butt in, youngin." The small, faint murmur was followed by insults like those from before for the benefit of the guards. Subaru alone realized the true meaning of Rom's words. And that sentence left a very deep scar in Subaru. Subaru had reached out, only to have his hand rejected, his assistance refused, just like in the chamber. No matter what he tried to do, the person concerned didn't need, or want, his help. *** Subaru fell into silence. The guards saluted, dragging Old Man Rom with them once more. Their destination, the throne room, lay ahead. He wondered what treatment Rom would receive at the site of the royal selection. He shook his head, driving the images off. Rom had a much better chance at a pardon without Subaru opening his big mouth. Besides, there were three people present that knew him, with one practically a relative. Nothing bad was likely to happen to him. Probably nothing. Almost definitely nothing. His judgment shouldn't have been wrong, but "What am I...doing this for...?" Murmurs spread through the throne room. The cause of this exchange of whispers was obvious. The uproar had begun when Marcus, receiving a report from the guards, dragged a vagabond who had infiltrated the castle into the throne room. At first, many doubted the judgment of the captain of the guard, but one look at the intruder made numerous participants understand the reason for his decision. And then... "I told you, let Old Man Rom go. That's all I'm asking." " Unfortunately, I cannot comply." In the center of the chamber, a tense deadlock continued, with Felt and Marcus squared off against each other. A vein bulged on Felt's forehead at the way Marcus dismissed her demand. Reinhard raised his voice in an attempt to mediate. "Captain, I believe that explanation is insuffi " But Marcus rebuffed his intervention. "Silence, Reinhard. I understand you wish to support the master you have sworn your sword to, but her acceptance of your sword is premised on her willingness to become your king. During the proceedings of this conference for the royal selection, Lady Felt publicly announced she has no intention of participating in the selection process. Abandoning her qualifications means abandoning any right she might have to give commands to us Knights of the Royal Guard... Do you understand?" Marcus laid out the logic of his refusal to comply with Felt's demand. His words brought a scowl to the former thief's face as she furiously clawed at her own blond hair. "This is getting annoying, so let's sum it up, 'kay? In other words, you won't do as I say because I don't wanna do this royal selection thing?" " That is indeed the crux of it." "Ohhh, I see. I get it... You are so annoying." Felt's catlike eyes glared fiercely at Marcus. Marcus easily maintained his usual poise under the pressure of the young girl's near murderous gaze. Then the old man, having kept his silence up to that point, made a plaintive yell that echoed throughout the chamber. "Never mind all that...! Hurry up and save me!! Felt, it's me! The Old Man Rom you lived with in the slums! I don't really get all this, but you can save me now, right? Then save me! I don't wanna die!!" Kneeling on the carpet spread across the floor, the old man made the most amicable smile he could as he pleaded to her. The shameful display left Felt speechless. Even the attendants showed hints of disgust at the miserable old man. "I always saved you when you were in trouble! Many, many times over! Pay those favors back, now! Now, I say! Quick, quick!! Do something, will you?!" The old man sent spittle flying as he cried out for a quick rescue, flailing around with self-serving logic. It was such a mean and disgraceful sight that even those predisposed to sympathy and compassion would be sorely tempted to walk away. In a brief span of time, the old man had made enemies out of most occupants in the hall. Reinhard, sensing danger in the old man's behavior, instantly began to step forward. "This is bad " The red-haired

knight instinctively realized the old man's true intent and judged he needed to adapt to the circumstances. " Do not move, Reinhard. 'Tisn't good to do anything untoward here..." But his efforts were frustrated from the outset by Priscilla, smiling craftily as she hid her mouth with her fan. "Why do you act in such haste, Reinhard? ...It almost looks as if you wish to silence this elderly man before he says something troublesome for you. Simply frightening..." She got me, thought Reinhard, clenching his teeth as he realized his mistake. Priscilla shrugged her shoulders in a manner more typical of her. Around them, people seemed to recover from their stupor, whispering about what they had just seen an old man pleading pathetically for his own life. "Did you see? How unsightly." "And that face is even worse. I cannot even feel sympathy. It is the spitting image of a thief." "He shouldn't be released, though Lady Felt defends him..." Even the knights hoping to have the crime dismissed began to faintly scowl at the old man. "Lady Felt was raised in the slums...where people like him live?" "Even if she really does have royal blood, can someone with such an upbringing handle royal duties...?" "We need to rethink this. Or just do what the Dragon Tablet says in name only..." Reinhard bit his lip as the spreading murmurs confirmed his worst fears. He had been too late, denied any opportunity to refute the words putting down the girl he revered as his master. Then, with the knights' murmurs all around her, he watched from behind as the girl slightly lowered her head Finally, unable to listen to any more, the young girl let loose with a high-pitched, foul-mouthed shout, " Would you all shut up, you ball-less jerks!!" A wave of shock plunged the chamber into silence. Attendees looked at one another, seemingly unable to believe what their ears had heard, when the girl, her shoulders slumped, marched forward. The giant old man was kneeling, and she was a little girl, but she still had to look up at him. Her red eyes filled with grief. "What's with you here? That's the worst-looking, most pathetic plea for your life, ever, and I really, really hate it." *** The old man's amicable smile at her approach froze over. "Hey, Old Man Rom. We people from the slums, there's no help for us, right? We know the people above us look down at the poor lives we lead, and we all have rotten personalities, me included. It's a terrible place to live." Having rated so many things so lowly, including herself, Felt paused for breath and added, "But... "Yeah, we're a pile of garbage at the bottom of the trash heap...but even if we do live in a place like that, we've come this far by having at least a smidgen of pride in ourselves. No matter how lowly other people see us, we don't lower our heads." "Felt..." "I wish I could show you your face in the mirror right now. Looking all meek and submissive, wagging your tail and eager to please, just to save your life... You can't call that living!" Many of the attendants gravely nodded at Felt's words, with Crusch among their number. The ideas Crusch had voiced were very much in tune with Felt's words. The small girl put her hands on her hips and bluntly stated, "If you wanted me to spare your life, you went about it all wrong. There's no way I'd give up my right to run from a crummy place just to save you, if that's how you're gonna be." The red-haired young man watched. Her declaration meant she was abandoning someone very close to her, abandoning her right to issue commands and refusing to participate in the royal selection. "...Lady Felt." Reinhard couldn't bear the pain that her declaration sent running through his heart. He'd seen it coming. He'd guessed what reaction the proud girl would display when she saw the old man's behavior. In that sense, she was playing right into the hands of Priscilla and the old men no, of one old man. Now abandoned, the old man's shoulders fell, bending forward onto the floor as if all strength of will had left him. But Reinhard did not miss the faint, instinctive slackening of the old man's lips. This was a display of neither despair nor regret; no, he was filled with a sense that his actions had achieved their intended result. The old man had gambled his very life, and had succeeded in grand fashion. Truly, Reinhard wanted to expose the old man's scheme even then, to tell Felt that she needed to change her decision. But Reinhard could do no such thing His hands were tied, precisely because of who, and what, he was. Marcus, watching the old man hang his head before the girl, must have decided the discussion was over. The knight pulled on the old man's manacles, sending the clink of the chain echoing through the chamber. "I deeply apologize for causing this uproar before the throne. I shall immediately remove this " Suddenly, Felt interrupted Marcus's apology and attempt to leave. "Or something like that, I guess. I was waiting for someone to jump to conclusions..." Marcus's mouth closed with a rare look of shame. Seeing his solemn facade crumble, Felt beamed, feeling very proud of herself. She twirled before the dumbfounded audience. "Sooo, get his hands loose, captain. Those shackles are way too small for him. It hurts just to watch." "I have already informed you several times over, Lady Felt, I cannot comply with your comma " "Because I didn't wanna do this royal selection thing, right? Then it's simple. I'll do it, the royal selection. I just gotta try to be king, right?" *** The declaration, accompanied by a laugh showing off her snaggletooth, sent a shudder throughout the entire chamber. Many of the onlookers seemed aghast at how lightly she made such a critical decision. But naturally, the old man's reaction was even greater, his feelings about her announcement plain on his face. "Wh-what are you saying, Felt? I-I accepted it. What you said is right. You can't live by losing your pride. Having you cut me loose couldn't be hel " "Cut the crap, you shitty old man. What, you've lived this long without knowing you can't act worth a damn? I've been with you long enough to know all sorts of things about you, like when you tell a lie, the swirl on your forehead turns backward!" Felt raised her cheeks and drew a little pattern on her head to demonstrate. Her gesture made Old Man Rom's face go pale. He cried out, "You're lying!" and touched his bound arms to his own head in haste. Felt watched him and said, "Yep, I'm lying. Wow, do you look stupid. No sympathy from me." " Ah?!" Old Man Rom was beside himself at falling so easily for her trap. Felt shook her head. "So there you have it. Get those shackles off him. Everything up to now was just the wild fantasy of a senile old geezer." Marcus dragged his feet even then. "We cannot simply let him go on such flimsy grou " " This old man's my family," Felt resolutely stated. "Let him go, now." Hearing these words, Marcus's face registered surprise for a brief instant. The next moment, the hesitation vanished. "As you command." Marcus stood at attention and let go of Old Man Rom's shackles. Then, he ordered the guards behind him, "Unlock the manacles." But Felt raised a hand to stop them. "Too slow Reinhard!" "Here." Reinhard responded instantly to the girl's sharp voice, his tall frame advancing to the chamber's center. As the red-haired young man stood at Felt's side, Felt didn't even look at him. Instead, she crossed her arms and motioned with her chin. "Do it." It was the world's shortest command. "Yes, my Lady " Reinhard raised a hand up to the sky, fingers straight, slicing down through the air like a knife. The old man's wrists were bound by metal shackles, but the knight's hand sliced through them as if they were paper. The manacles, cut clean in two, slid off as if they melted, falling to the floor. A high-pitched clink echoed in the chamber. In a true sense, this sound announced this was the moment the two had become lord and vassal. Felt remarked, "So this all went the way you wanted, didn't it?" "Not at all. This was guided by the hand of Fate." "Ha! Fate again. What, are you a slave to fate?" "No I am, more than anything, your knight, Lady Felt." Felt seemed to yield in the face of his unrelenting support as she murmured, "You're no fun..." Old Man Rom was still prostrate as the two bantered right in front of him. "Why, Felt... I I wanted you to..." Felt replied, "I have a pretty good idea why you said all that embarrassing stuff and what you were after You saw how I hated being here so much I couldn't stand it, right? So you thought you'd give me a helpful nudge." "If you understand that, then why " When the old man tried to pose the question, Felt broke into an awkward laugh. "What, you think I can sneak back into the city after abandoning my own family? There's no way I could be that shameless." When Old Man Rom heard these words, his face broke into an expression different from bitterness. He turned his back to her, rubbing an arm over his face to hide it. "I-I've lost! And all because..." Old Man Rom looked up to the heavens, his hoarse voice quivering with chagrin and something powerful and inexpressible. "...I raised her too well !!" Rom's plaintive cry about how he had raised the girl resounded in the hall. Miklotov, perhaps moved by the lament, cleared his throat, seeking to clear the air in the process. "Well, then, Lady Felt, Sir Reinhard, may I conclude that you both intend to participate in the royal selection?" "Sure, go ahead." "Yes, as my Lady wills it." Felt's behavior was insolent to the end, with Reinhard following her. The lenient sage let the incongruity pass without comment, quietly replying, "Understood," as he nodded. He continued, "Though there have been some minor uproars, I judge that all the preliminaries have concluded. Lady Felt, do you have anything else to add?" Surely he thought it proper to give Felt the same chance to give a speech that the other candidates had received. She answered the prompt with a, "Hmm," and thought about it a bit. "One thing, then." Landing on a proposal, Felt raised a finger and looked up, bathed in gazes from the dais. Her red eyes flared as they surveyed the faces of those assembled. Finally, she took a deep breath and smiled buoyantly as she swept one hand toward the Council of Elders. " I hate nobles." She kept that smile on her face as she pointed at the Knights of the Royal Guard with her other hand. " I hate knights." Then, with both arms still spread wide, she said, with a spectacular smile and maximum venom... " I hate this kingdom!" She continued. " I hate all of you in this room, I hate the structure you built, I hate every little thing here. That's why I think I'll break it all. How 'bout it?" Felt inclined her head. For a single moment, her behavior brought time itself to a halt. Then, the chamber exploded. "Wh-what is she saying?!" "This is where the king is selected, and she says she'll destroy the nation?!" "What have we spent all this time for!!" Felt blew off the vociferous, angry shouts of the onlookers all at once. "Ohh, where's all your high-and-mighty talk now? What about that proud history? Now look, when I become king, I'm breaking all of it. I'm smacking down the lot of you knuckleheads who still can't see the floor

crumbling underneath. You all need a breath of fresh air." The speech of the bright-faced girl threw the hall into chaos like never before. Miklotov, listening to the proclamation that was reckless without precedent, nodded generously, his expression unchanged as he glanced at the knight standing beside the girl. "Your lord is quite a feisty one. Having heard her words, what do you think of them?" " Truth be told, I believe Lady Felt's wishes are, unfortunately, still in the realm of fantasy." "Hey, you!" "However, someday, Lady Felt's words will reach everyone. It is my duty to give her my full support until that day comes." Miklotov countered, "But Lady Felt counts you among those things she intends to destroy, does she not?" Reinhard bowed deeply on one knee toward Miklotov, showing no sign of relenting. "Surely after destruction, there will be renewal. If she will have me, I have no greater desire than to be at her side during that time." Felt furiously scratched at her hair as she watched his chivalrous profile. "So in the end, which one are you, my ally or my enemy here?" "Your ally. Yours, and yours alone." "...Fine, then. I'll put you to good use." With her acceptance, the final candidate for the royal selection declared them lord and vassal. Miklotov dipped his head as he gazed at the radiant row of royal candidates. "Finally, all the candidates have been assembled. I ask the Council of Elders, do we have a consensus?" As Miklotov closed his eyes, the atmosphere around him shifted. The old man's voice carried the power of a strong will. " My brethren, I ask for your consent to announce that this royal selection shall begin with the five candidates assembled to date." " By the authority of the Council of Elders, I assent." "And I." "I assent as well." One by one, the members of the Council of Elders agreed to Miklotov's proposal with solemn nods. Listening to them until the end, Miklotov finally rose from his seat, walking beside the empty throne before opening his eyes. " Then, I shall announce the rules for the royal selection!" Crusch Karsten, lord of the House of Karsten. Crusch's foremost knight, the Blue Knight, Felix Argyle. "The candidates are Crusch Karsten, Priscilla Bariel, Anastasia Hoshin, Emilia, and Felt. All of these five bear the qualifications to be Dragon Maidens!" Priscilla Bariel, the Bloody Bride. The mercenary Al, one-armed wanderer from another world. "The day shall be one month prior to the Dragonfriend Ceremony in three years, renewing the pact with the Dragon!" The young company president from a foreign nation, Anastasia Hoshin. Anastasia's foremost knight, the Finest of Knights, Julius Juukulius. "The selection shall be made according to the guidance of the Dragon via the radiance of the Dragon Jewels and the combined will of the nation's people!" Felt, of the lost royal bloodline (unconfirmed). Felt's foremost knight, Reinhard van Astrea, the Sword Saint. "Until the appointed day, all candidates for the throne shall work to uphold their own lands and the kingdom to the greatest possible extent!" The silver-haired half-elf, Emilia, the Freezing Witch. And absent from that place, her self-declared knight, Subaru Natsuki. "With the minimum conditions fulfilled, I hereby announce the royal selection has begun !" Miklotov's great shout filled the chamber with an incredible fervor. No one spoke, but they all were unable to contain their heartfelt cries. Miklotov, feeling the waves of excitement rolling against him, straightened from his stoop and declared "Let the royal selection commence!!" CHAPTER 5 *** Subaru learned of how the tale had proceeded in his absence thanks to Reinhard and Ferris, who had shown up together in the castle's waiting room. "And so the meowgnificent royal selection began," Ferris concluded. "Subawu, you're going to serve as Lady Emilia's knight, huh? Good luck to both of us." Ferris wrapped up his summary, but the sarcastic twist of the knife at the end was very sharp indeed. He'd been in the chamber from start to finish; surely he knew quite well what kind of mental state Subaru was in. But Subaru had no time to pay the jab any heed. The royal selection details were crucial, but at that moment, there was an issue Subaru had to find out about even more than that. Seeing how Subaru was too timid to properly ask, Reinhard answered his unspoken question. " The old man is unharmed. His safe release has been secured through Lady Felt's kindness." *** "I didn't think he'd come in through the same corridor without you seeing his face, and I knew you two know each other. It was easy to guess why you were anxious." When Subaru lifted a finger, Reinhard moved quickly to assuage his concerns. But even he didn't know the true source of Subaru's sense of guilt. The instant Subaru had let himself leave Old Man Rom to rot, a dark cloud formed at the bottom of his heart from which there was no salvation. Ferris chimed in, "That's wonderful. You should thank Reinhard and Lady Felt because it's all thanks to them. Now you don't need to make any excuses at all, Subawu!" *** An icy shudder ran up Subaru's spine. He looked up and turned to face Ferris. His amber eyes glittered like they could see right through Subaru, all the way into his soul. Having someone look inside him felt deeply unpleasant. So Subaru forced his stiff face into motion to cover it up. "Y-yeah... I'm so glad! Totally like I figured! It really was a good idea to leave it all to Emilia-tan and Felt better than anything I could've done... Right? That's right, isn't it?" Subaru spread his arms wide as he gave both a dose of deliberate, exaggerated, clownish behavior, his next words even hastier and more flippant, "But man, Felt really set her heart on winning the royal selection 'cause of me, and that means one more strong rival for the throne. Emilia-tan might give me a real scolding for this one." In different ways, the expressions on Reinhard's and Ferris's faces changed in response to Subaru's sudden shift, but in the end, they chose not to press the point. Both knights were showing him pity. Subaru, painfully aware of the fact, ignored his crippled heart's pleas. "So now that the talk is all over, where is Emilia-tan and everybody?" "The candidates remained in the chamber to discuss the fine details of the royal selection process. During that time, I said I would go to check on you, and Ferris came with me," replied Reinhard. Reinhard's actions made sense, but he couldn't stop wondering why Ferris was showing his face, too. Thus, Subaru asked the latter, "Thanks for checking up on me, but is this all right, not being by your master's side?" "It's totally fine. Lady Crusch is much stronger than Ferri, so it's perfectly safe!" "Just laying that out there like that... How's a slacker like you in the Knights of the Royal Guard, anyway?" Ferris gave Subaru a sidelong glance and wagged a finger at him. His fingertip glowed with a blue light. "Mew know why. Ferri's got a special talent that's in high demand." "Uh... Why do I feel lighter, like my shoulders, knees, and hips aren't working as hard anymore...?" "Subawu, your body's aching all over like an old man." "That's your selling point, eh...? Right, I heard you're a really good water mana user." In the first place, the reason Subaru was allowed to go with Emilia to the capital was to improve the poor physical condition he was in. The one who was supposed to heal him was none other than the cat-eared man before his eyes. Reinhard replied to Subaru's comment, saying, "The words really good do not suffice, Subaru. It is fairer to call Ferris the greatest master of water-type magic on the continent. It is not for nothing that he bears the title of 'Blue,' standing at the pinnacle of those who share his magical affinity despite his young age." Reinhard's praise prompted Ferris to push his chest out, displaying not the slightest shred of modesty. "Meow, the title came from all Ferri's fans." Given that he really was a healer as good as his title, Subaru saw his numerous admirers in a new light. It really put into perspective that this person was treating him. Subaru's tone was heavy and pained as he arrived at the answer he'd expected. " So Emilia-tan really did..." "So Lady Emilia indeed organized it," Reinhard concluded. Subaru could only guess at the back-and-forth that arranged for his healing. That was why he couldn't stop the heavy melancholy rising deep in his heart. Asking Ferris, in the Crusch camp, to treat his body meant relying on a political rival on the very eve of the royal selection. In other words, Subaru had been deadweight for Emilia...again. He asked, "Hey, why do I have to accept the treatment no matter what?" "Because she already paid. If Ferri doesn't heal you, Subaru, it'll mean Lady Emeowlia went through aaaaall that effort for nothing." "What's this payment? If it's just some object, you can hand it back, ri " "It's not an object, and once you know it you can't give it back. So Ferri has to say no to your request, Subawu." Shot down at point-blank range, Subaru could only put a hand to his forehead and cradle his head. Even though Subaru didn't want to be a liability, it seemed that was all he had been to Emilia. He wanted to help her. That was Subaru's whole reason for being there. It was the one and only reason that gave his existence there any meaning. A tranquil voice echoed through the waiting room. The speaker was neither Reinhard nor Ferris, but a man with refined features leaning against the open door Julius. " If you curse your own lack of strength so much, I believe you have one choice you can make." Subaru's face shot up like it had been slapped. "What? Oh, it's you." Subaru scowled with resentment. Julius received his gaze with a calm, composed look. "I would rather you did not make such a disagreeable expression. I did not expect a warm welcome, but letting your emotions get the better of you..." "The better of me... So what?" "...It brings the character of those who stand with you into question. Strive to remember this." "Ugh...!" Subaru's throat constricted with anger. It wasn't the words themselves, but the sensitive places they jabbed. He maintained his silence as Julius strode past him toward an open window. "Now, I suppose you wanted to ask me what I am doing here?" The knight turned his back, surveying the grounds beyond the palace, narrowing his eyes as a breeze blew. "Naturally, I came to see you. I would like you to accompany me for a brief time." How about it? Julius asked with a wave of his hand. The man's sharp gaze even then implied this was not some friendly suggestion. "Just so you know, I'd never say yes to something like that, not knowing the place or what it's for, even on one hour's sleep." "The place is the parade square. The objective... Yes." In response to Subaru's seemingly casual but extremely biting words, Julius looked down in apparent thought. Then, with an arrogant smile, he spoke with as much venom as Subaru had. "How about...teaching you a lesson or two about reality?" Some ten minutes after that precariously sarcastic exchange, Subaru was standing atop tightly packed, sandy soil. They'd moved from the waiting room of the castle to the knights' garrison adjacent to the castle. The tamped-down reddish training ground was ringed by stout walls that gave off a strong sense of the place's history. The area was perhaps half the size of a high school campus, providing plenty of space for running around and crossing swords. Subaru tested his footing, then casually began stretching. Reinhard, standing

at the entrance of the parade grounds, tried to get Julius to relent. "Julius, you should stop this. It isn't like you." The expression on his face was not one of haste or anger, but pure concern for Subaru's well-being. He continued, "I accept it was a petty thing for him to say, but it was nothing that couldn't be settled by a retraction. Normally, you would judge as much yourself, no?" "That is precisely so, my good Reinhard. Normally, I would." Julius was removing the ceremonial decorations from his Knights of the Royal Guard uniform one by one as he looked back at Reinhard, his eyes betraying no emotion. "Had it not been this day, and had I met him in a different place, I might have simply let him be. However, it was not meant to be. My good name was sullied before those connected to the throne, and he spoke lightly of chivalry itself. Furthermore, he has not only failed to apologize but has heaped on additional insults." Just like that, the faint murmurs that had filled the parade square fell silent. " I shall now chastise the base ruffian who has besmirched my knightly honor! Any objections?!" *** Abruptly, a wordless typhoon roared through the air over the training grounds. The gathered knights and guardsmen shouted, their voices creating the gale. No doubt they saw things very simply: Julius was their representative against Subaru, the man who had disrespected them all. Never in his life had Subaru stood before so many people directing such hostile emotions at him. He remarked, "Odds are about seven hundred to zero with no one betting on me. I'm so unpopular, I could cry..." Truthfully, it chilled him to the bone; his body was filled with an overwhelming urge to fall to his knees. Yet, his heart was calm, and though his limbs felt heavy, they did not shake. It was not that he had resigned himself to his fate. Subaru really didn't understand the mental state he was in when Julius spoke up again. "Now then, before we begin, I shall ask once more: Do you intend to apologize for your earlier impropriety and ask for forgiveness? If you make a full apology for your repeated transgressions here and now, I shall pardon you." "Repeated transgressions, huh. I can't think of any... And apologize how?" "Put your forehead to the ground with tears in your eyes. Or, if you find it more fitting, roll onto the ground and show me your belly to curry favor like the good lapdog you are." "Neither choice is very elegant, so if you don't mind, I'll pass on both." No doubt he'd never expected Subaru to accept. "I see," Julius murmured to himself curtly as he finally handed his knight's sword to one of his fellows standing beside him. He accepted a pair of wooden swords in its place. "Properly speaking, it would not be strange for a man to cut you down for your foul tongue. However, you are Lady Emilia's vassal, whether she desires it or not. Accordingly, I shall face you using these wooden wasters." Any objections? asked Julius's eyes. Subaru answered with a curt wave of his hand, signaling there was no problem. Concluding that his opponent had accepted from his gestures and expression, Julius nodded. "The referee shall be Ferris." Julius glanced sideways at him, while Ferris casually lifted up his palm and waved back. "Sure, suuure." He'd easily accepted the role of referee. There was no way to know what he thought on the inside. Unlike Reinhard's hope to put a stop to this, Ferris seemed all too eager to get things under way. "Have at it, you two. No matter what horrible wounds you suffer, Ferri can patch you up as long as you don't actually die, Subawu, so good luck!" "Why say that to just me? Worry about the other guy, geez." "Meow, what strong resolve! Hear that, everyone? All right, one, mew, three!" Turning to the onlookers, Ferris raised both hands high and brought them down. At his signal, the parade square erupted in uproarious laughter, pouring scorn on Subaru's reckless words. Bathed in laughter, Subaru stepped forward and turned to face Julius. When Julius offered him one of the practice weapons, he gripped the hilt firmly, as if he was used to it. Similarly, Julius gripped the other waster and announced the start of the mock duel. "At least you are enthusiastic. Shall we begin?" Subaru, his skin crackling with the electric energy of the audience, poised the wooden sword and pulled back, then twirled the waster in his hand around as he complained, "Ah, time-out. The feel of this doesn't seem right." "Is that so? I do not think they differ much, but you may use this one if you prefer?" "Sorry, sorry. I'm a child of the modern era, so I don't wanna use something that doesn't feel right." As he spoke, he accepted the wooden sword Julius offered with one hand. In its place, he offered Julius the sword handed to him just earlier "Oops." *** Subaru's hand let the wooden sword go a moment before Julius's fingers could take it. Naturally, gravity caused the waster to fall. Julius instantly bent forward as his hand chased after it. The knight, his body curved forward, had lost his height advantage over Subaru. "...Hmph." Subaru stepped forward and flipped the waster in his hand from down to up, aiming squarely at the tip of Julius's chin. Simultaneously, his left hand thrust straight forward, tossing the sand he'd covertly picked up during his warm-up exercises toward Julius's eyes a classic blinding, two-step surprise attack. Got him now, thought Subaru, smiling with malicious satisfaction at his little trick. The next moment, he heard a voice right against his ear. "It seems that you truly have no shame It must make the vulgarity easy to come by." Simultaneously, a blow struck Subaru. He felt a sharp, hard jab right to the solar plexus. The shock to his torso shuddered through the rest of his body. He felt weightless; just after his feet left the ground, his face slammed hard into the earth. Sandy dirt smeared his face, mixed with vomit forced out by the blow to his solar plexus. Pain and heat struck his brain with equal force. The next moment, the parade square erupted in boisterous cheers at how Subaru, the fool who did not know his place, received what he deserved. The boy curled into himself on the ground as the pain caught up, screaming into the sky above the parade square. Higher, higher. Farther, farther. "Reporting. Currently, Sir Julius and...Lady Emilia's vassal, Sir Subaru Natsuki, are engaged in mock combat with wasters in the parade square." "...Eh?" Upon hearing the guard's report, Emilia's thoughts slipped out in a breathless whisper. Stay calm, stay composed, the voice inside her kept saying. She didn't know what it meant. "Wh-why would they be doing such a...?! The parade ground, you mean the knights' building next to the royal palace, right? Julius and Subaru are...brawling there?" Emilia could not conceal her bewilderment. The guard, however, could not let one part go uncorrected. "Pardon me, but it is a mock combat. It is no brawl arising out of a personal grudge, but a matter of Sir Julius's honor." His manner, on the verge of open disrespect, shook Emilia all the more deeply. She thought back to the war of words between Subaru and Julius in the throne room. Neither had a good impression of the other, and if that was the reason for a private duel... "Anyway, I need to stop this immediately. Lead me to this parade square..." Emilia was about to rush off to the square to talk some sense into them when a high-pitched voice interceded Anastasia's. "Ah, I think you oughta let them be." When Emilia turned, she saw that Anastasia had raised a hand, gathering attention on her. Having moved from the throne room to a conference room, the candidates were seated, with their associates at their side. Naturally, everyone else had heard the report as well. Anastasia continued, "I want to make sure of somethin'. Who proposed this mock combat?" The guard replied, "I understand that Sir Julius did. However, because Sir Subaru Natsuki accepted, we are in the present situation " Anastasia gave the guard's reply a generous nod before looking back at Emilia. "Ahh, that's fine, that's fine. I just needed to know it was Julius's idea Since Julius started it, I'm against stopping it." Anastasia's reply put her squarely at odds with Emilia. "Your knight and my...my friend, are clashing. Aren't you worried?" "Worried? About what? That Julius might go too far and make me pay to heal your boy?" Anastasia tilted her head a little as she replied, looking mystified. Emilia was at a loss for words. In the half-elf's place, Priscilla poked a small smile out from behind her fan. "Certainly. From what I saw, he is an incorrigible fool. I imagine he is having his face rubbed into the dirt for a second time today out of excessive stubbornness." Anastasia added, "Perhaps. Back in the hall, he had some nerve. Makes you wanna look up to him since someone probably threw him across the room." The ill-natured smiles the two were trading left Emilia unable to believe her eyes, her voice quivering. "D-don't you have anything else to say...?" But only adding to her shock, Crusch broke her silence and announced her own opposition to Emilia's view. "If Emilia's vassal had requested a duel, I would agree that it is correct to stop them. However, since it is Sir Julius who requested it, and Emilia's vassal who accepted, I believe stopping them is a mistake." "Why? I mean, Subaru isn't my..." "If you do not understand, no explanation shall suffice. Besides, though his temper was quick, this is a necessary thing." Crusch cut Emilia off with a strong tone that did not allow further discussion. Crusch, too, had taken a hard stance that Emilia should not get involved. The stalled conversation brought a sour expression to Felt's face before she raised her voice in annoyance. "So why did that guard come to tell us about this, anyway? I mean, it's one thing if you're gonna report before they start, but why get all weak-kneed in the middle of it? Just wait for them to finish fighting and tell us what happened after." Felt's question, posed with arms crossed and a bad attitude, made the soldier's face visibly blanch. Marcus, sensing from his demeanor that something was amiss, stepped in front of his subordinate and broke his silence. "Report." "S-sir! I have come to request orders because...the mock duel between Sir Julius and Sir Subaru Natsuki is excessively one-sided!" "...What do you mean, one-sided?" "Sir Julius is surely holding back...but it does not appear that way." The guard seemed distressed, as if he'd seen such a miserable sight that he couldn't bring himself to look in Emilia's direction. That announced to all present just what a terrible spectacle was occurring. That news was the last straw for Emilia, who threw her indecision to the wind and rushed out of the room. "I have to stop them...!" She ran down the corridor toward the knights' garrison and the parade square within. Once Emilia left, the room seemed on the brink of an uproar when Al raised his hand and suggested, "So, how 'bout we follow the lady and take a look, too?" he motioned toward the open door and shrugged his shoulder to Priscilla, standing beside him. "You like this sort of thing, right, Princess? Watching a ferocious beast toy with a weak critter." Priscilla lightly turned her back away from him as her charming laughter shook her bountiful breasts. "Do not cast aspersions upon me with your petty delusions, Al. Well, I do enjoy it... Very well. I wanted a break from this dreadfully long-winded

talk, anyway. Looking down upon a variety of fools and laughing at them is good for the soul." The haggard guard broke out in an icy sweat as Priscilla thrust the tip of her fan toward him. "Lead us to this parade square I command it." Blood from Subaru's head wounds seeped into his eyes. He raggedly wiped at them to clear his red-tinged vision. He'd already lost count of how many times he'd been knocked to the ground. His left eye was already swollen shut; he tasted too much blood to tell if it was just his lip, or if the inside of his mouth was cut, too. He didn't really feel the pain. He wasn't sure if the aching had become so great that he had grown numb or if it was the adrenaline soaking his brain. It was probably a number of things. But what was driving the pain from Subaru's mind was pure anger. The strength of Subaru's spirit, so deviant from the norm, earned him exasperation from Julius, not praise. "How about you finally acknowledge your own limitations?" His handsome face was still untouched by a single speck of dust or a single drop of sweat as he calmly swayed the tip of the frayed wooden sword he had used to beat Subaru to a pulp. He continued, "Surely by now you are painfully aware of the difference between us, and how grievously you insulted me by treating the word knight with such casual contempt?" It was not an attempt to appeal to Subaru's heart, but to smash it to pieces. Julius was only pounding on Subaru to show him what being a knight meant. Subaru was only recklessly, stubbornly resisting the reality Julius was drilling into him. There was no room for anything to grow between them. And nothing did, no matter how long their confrontation continued. Julius said to him, "I believe going any further may put your life in jeopardy." "...Like this much is gonna kill someone. Don't talk about it like you know." "You sound as if you have prior experience." "I know more about it than any man in this world." Since Subaru had set foot upon that land, he had perished a total of seven times. There was no one in that whole, wide world that had faced death as many times as Subaru. People used words like hurts enough to die, mortified enough to die, enough to die, enough to die, but he knew that people did not die of these things. Shaking his cut, throbbing head, Subaru sluggishly lifted up his weapon, raising his voice as well. The instant he brought Julius into range, the tip of his wooden sword cried out as he raised it for a swing "There is no beauty in you." A moment before Subaru was about to unleash a downward strike, a blow struck his right wrist his sword hand. The sharp smack sent his wooden sword flying, and Subaru's eyes instinctively followed it. The next moment, he was bowled over by another blow to the solar plexus. His breath caught, and, unable to break the fall whatsoever, Subaru rolled onto the ground, the earth and sky trading places about five times before he ended up flat on his back, arms and legs spread wide. Subaru literally coughed up blood. The knights and guards were still gathered to watch Subaru's public whipping at Julius's hands. But there were no cheers any longer. Subaru was the villain who had belittled the very nature of knights at the royal selection that would determine the kingdom's future. And so, Julius rose to represent the Knights of the Royal Guard and rebuke him, making him taste pain until he apologized That was the scene they had come expecting to see. Indeed, when it had begun, they cheered heartily in delight, or laughed in mockery at Subaru's pathetic display, unreservedly supporting their comrade, Julius. What had changed was that everyone now understood this was a beating, and nothing more. There was a vast, yawning chasm in ability between Julius and Subaru. Unskilled in attack and wide-open in defense, the boy was knocked down over and over. At first, derisive laughter rang out each time he went down. The exasperated sighs began when the number exceeded ten. By the time people had lost count, everyone wanted to avert their eyes. Just end it already, they thought. Anyone could see who had won and who had lost. They had learned all over again that knights were superior. Beyond that, this was a meaningless dispute. But Julius continued to beat Subaru and showed absolutely no sign of relenting. As referee, Ferris had the authority to stop the fight at any time, but made no sign of stopping, regardless of how hurt or injured Subaru became. And Subaru himself betrayed the knights' hopes, standing up again. Everyone understood. This no longer held any meaning, any significance. It was nothing more than a pathetic display of senseless stubbornness. Therefore, in the end, it was the least they could do to watch Subaru be bullheaded to the bitter end. They did not leave, because those who watched the spectacle unfold had become part of it, and shared responsibility for it. *** Subaru's quivering upper body sat up before the eyes of the knightly onlookers. He picked up the waster that had fallen beside him, using it as a crutch to prop himself up. He coughed violently, spewing a large volume of blood. The somber sight confirmed everyone's thoughts. As if by nature, they understood The next exchange would be the final blow in this pointless dispute. One more hit and I'm done. Funnily enough, Subaru had managed to reach the same conclusion as the onlookers watching his absurdity. But he no longer cared about what anyone saw. Inside Subaru, there was no one but him and Julius. He wouldn't get up after the next blow. Even if Subaru's sword miraculously made contact, Subaru would be unable to continue. Why challenge him, then? If the end result would be the same either way, why even try? He couldn't see the answer. He had lost his original reason for starting the fight, filled purely with hatred for Julius standing nonchalantly in his swollen field of vision. And so he decided he'd put everything he had into one final blow, aiming to break the bridge of Julius's nose. *** His lungs ached simply from breathing. Exhaling made his mouth hurt that much more. Pushing the agony away with his threadbare consciousness, Subaru collected his remaining strength and waited for his chance hoping Julius would let his guard down for even a moment. He couldn't let this opportunity slip away. PainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainDIE. *** Julius's gaze seemed to drift for an instant. In his tattered state, Subaru took his shot. He heard nothing. He left everything behind, lifting his sword up with all his spirit. Julius, having taken his attention ever so slightly off Subaru, hadn't reacted yet. Something had attracted his attention, but every cell of Subaru's brain was devoted to thinking about that single blow. *** He thought he heard something something in that world without sound, where only he and his target existed. " ru!" He heard a voice. Someone's voice. Someone's voice in his ears. His mind was being pulled away. But everything was forgotten, drowned out by his furor. That moment, his eyes trained on the single thing that gave his existence any meaning. " baru!" The voice became clearer. It began to hold meaning. If he heard it clearly, there would be no going back. That was why Subaru brushed everything away, to escape from the overwhelming fear that pursued him still, right on his heels. With every ounce of his being he shouted. " Subaru!!" *** Betraying the clear-as-a-bell voice in his ears, Subaru chanted the incantation at the top of his lungs. A black cloud erupted, dying the reddish-brown soil of the parade square black, blotting out everything. A realm of oblivion unfolded. Within it, Subaru rushed forward, shouting in his guttural voice. In this space where reason held no sway, his brain commanded his arms to swing down. The dark cloud swallowed the limbs stretching in front of him, ignoring all else to do as they were commanded, so that the tip of "something" might reach "So this is your secret weapon, then?" Clear as day, Subaru heard the voice in a world that should be soundless. The black cloud brightened And from within the source of light, a wooden sword cut through the air, mercilessly slamming Subaru's body down to the ground. The voice flitting his way from above sounded surprised rather than hurt. "I did not expect that you would use Dark-type magic. I admit you caught me by surprise." Subaru, lying on the ground with his limbs splayed, gazed up at the sky in a daze as he faced reality head on. "However, your training is deficient. Such low-level magic can only work on someone of lower ability than you, or perhaps an unintelligent beast. Such a plan would not work against a single Knight of the Royal Guard." The voice seemed to carry pity. Pity that crushed Subaru's heart and told him to give up on everything. He had thought he could change his situation. He thought that even he could accomplish something. "You are irredeemably powerless. You have no place by her side." Those words, at least, he wished to refute words that denied that his life held any meaning. Subaru moved his neck to glare at the man, trying to get him to at least take that part back... *** ...but instead, he caught a glimpse of the silver-haired girl with violet eyes. She was leaning over a terrace on a floor midway up the royal palace wall that overlooked the parade square. Behind her were girls he recognized, each one coldly surveying the results. The thoughts behind her blanched face no longer mattered. Subaru no longer cared what anyone at all thought of him. Or rather, that would have been true if the person standing there hadn't been the absolutely last person in the entire world he wanted to see him in this state. *** Inside him, Subaru heard a sound like a thread snapping. That was the last thing he knew before his consciousness began fading far, far away. With his mind, distinct until that point, cut loose, the world quickly lost its color. This time, Subaru's mind truly left anything and everything behind as it plunged to the bottom of the abyss. " Subaru." He thought he heard a murmur he should have been unable to. Then, it vanished along with the rest. When Subaru awoke, his brows furrowed as he stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling. To Subaru, who usually woke up more quickly than he liked, the brief period of mental vagueness between sleep and fully waking was precious time. For several seconds, Subaru immersed himself in this boundless, nebulous state as his mind groped for its memories, such as what he'd done before sleeping, what that place was... Subaru felt his temple throb painfully. That ache brought everything rushing back. "I...remember..." He remembered the disgrace he had endured before he ended up where he slept. He raised a hand to his forehead, but his eyes were drawn in by the discovery of a serious scar near his wrist that he didn't remember. He immediately realized it bore the traces of healing magic. And that he could feel the traces of wounds on his body meant " I didn't...die." Touching his presumably cracked forehead and most likely fractured wrist, he let out a sigh, lamenting that the healing had removed all physical pain. If not for the smoldering feeling of humiliation in his chest, he'd almost think the whole thing had never happened. No Now that Subaru had regained consciousness, the betrayed look she gave him was something no spell could heal. " Subaru." Emilia sat on the side of the bed, her

violet eyes full of melancholy. For no reason he could discern, she'd folded the white robe she'd been wearing over her lap while watching over Subaru. The rays of the western sun filtering through the open window made Subaru guess it was several hours later on the same day. The first thing on his lips was harmless and inoffensive enough. " The royal candidate discussion's over already?" Emilia apparently waited for him to make some kind of excuse before she opened her eyes a little wider, caught off guard by how he tried to pretend nothing had happened. "Yeah, it's finished... Most of what everyone wanted to say came out in the throne room, so the rest was mainly working out the minute details about the royal selection. Most things were settled by Roswaal approving them." Emilia shook her head, a subtle lament in her voice at her own powerlessness. Subaru realized he took comfort in that Emilia, regretful she couldn't do anything in the royal selection, was somehow sharing in his misery. Subaru tried to hide it from himself by making an attempt at being glib. "That so. Then you probably wasted a lot of time waiting for me while I overslept. Anyway, let's get straight back to the inn. Gotta pick up Rem and work out plans for the royal selection, right?" "Subaru." "Here in the castle you don't know who's watching or listening, so best to save the deep talk till we're back at the mansion, right? Or do you have to talk with high-ups in the capital here first?" "Subaru..." "Errrr, maybe it's best to make non-aggression pacts with some of the candidates here instead? It's tough when you don't know who's coming at you and when..." " Subaru!" Emilia sharply shouted Subaru down amid his rambling, cutting off his excuses. He turned his averted gaze back toward her. She spoke to him quietly, but gravely, not be swayed. " Let's...talk." Emilia rose from her seat, her arms tightly hugging the fabric of her folded robe. The stiffness of her cheeks conveyed better than any words that the coming conversation was not about anything good. "There are things that I want to ask you... Truly, many things." Her lips quivered, as if in hesitation, groping for exactly what subject she should broach. "...Yeah, I, suppose so." Subaru had a pretty good idea why she was hesitant. Everything Subaru had done until then had been completely unexpected. Therefore, Emilia was seeking the right way to ask about Subaru's true intent behind his actions that day. He had only a single, unabashed reason to give. But the question on Emilia's lips was not what he wanted. "Err, then... Why did you...come to fight with Julius?" This answer was much harder to come by. What significance did that battle have ? "You had a reason for it, didn't you? It's you, so I'm sure you had an important..." Already beaten down, Subaru had been waiting in the corridor when Julius appeared before him. When Julius invited him to the parade square, Subaru immediately deemed it would be payback for the rudeness he had shown in the throne room. He certainly tried to appreciate the difference in the power Julius wielded compared to him. He knew from the start he had no chanceof victory. And yet, Subaru had taken the wooden sword, challenged him to the hopeless battle, and had been pounded into the dirt. Why did he do all that? The answer was "I wanted...payback." "...Ah?" Subaru lifted his face. Looking up at the bewilderment in the silver-haired beauty's eyes, he continued, "I wanted to show him that...I'm not something to throw away on the side of the road. I thought I could pay him back, and show him I could...stand by guys like him even if only a little." His words were all jumbled. He resented himself for not being able to put it more clearly. If not for the emotions smoldering in his chest, ramming against his heart, he wouldn't need to endure such conflicted thoughts. "Subaru..." "I was...stubborn. I hated him. For saying I'm disgraceful, powerless, how I'm in the way...how I'm not worthy of you, how he tried to push me away from you... So I took him on." He figured the last one was the straw that broke the camel's back. Yes, Julius had been sternly rebuking Subaru, telling him he wasn't worthy of Emilia. But he didn't even have to say that. Subaru himself knew that more than anyone. To gloss that over, he had desperately worn a mask, feigning ignorance, but that man had easily called his bluff. So unable to forgive him, Subaru had taken him on, leading to the inevitable result. The boy's listless reply, spoken with a hung head, made Emilia's breath catch a little. "That's...why you...?" No doubt it was not the concrete reply she had been searching for. Whatever lofty ideals she had held onto, the truth behind Subaru's banal stubbornness betrayed them. Subaru listened to the trace of disappointment slip past her lips. "...Emilia...tan, you..." Her quivering words had scolded the powerless-feeling Subaru into a confession. Emilia hadn't intended to do it. She did not understand how cruel and relentless her act was. That was why, as Subaru spoke with a frail voice, he was unable to even look at her. " You just don't understand." That was what he said. The moment he said it, Subaru realized he'd been lashing out. To deny that someone understood was the worst kind of excuse, cutting off that person from your heart. Subaru was unable to keep his face raised when he heard a breathless-sounding voice. " You're right." Her agreement, spoken almost like a sigh, made it sound like she grasped what he had said, that she was agreeing not to push the issue any further. Her reaction made Subaru's shoulders ease with a sense of relief. That was when she said, "Tomorrow, Roswaal and I will be returning to the mansion. You will remain in the royal capital to focus on medical treatment." Subaru couldn't make sense of her words "Huh?" When he tilted his head in confusion, Emilia strove to hide her heavy emotion as she turned toward him. "That's what we agreed to in the first place, yes? You came to the royal capital so that your depleted gate can be healed. Ferris agreed, so you will be healed by him, then recuperate." "W-wait a minute." Emilia stated the plans for Subaru at a rapid clip. "While staying in the capital, you will be in Ferris's...or rather, Lady Crusch of the House of Karsten's care. Rem will be staying with you, so you won't need to worry about a thing." Subaru, realizing that his intent had been completely missed, called out to her in a desperate voice. "I said wait!" His fingertips immediately reached out, taking hold of her sleeve as if that would stop her from pulling away. "Why are you...all of a sudden...I..." In reply to Subaru's frail voice, Emilia looked away as she said, "...You push yourself too far when you're around me. Don't you?" Subaru held his breath at her words. Emilia's expression was unreadable. He strained, trying to get her to look at him. "You don't have to...put it like that..." "I'm not wrong, am I? It was like that when we first met, and like that at the mansion. And it was like that today... All of it's because you were together with me, wasn't it?" Her way of speaking was thick with discontent. Faced with negativity and cynicism that was all too out of character for Emilia, Subaru could only shake his head. "That's not what I was trying to say... I just..." "Just?" "I just did those things...because I wanted to give you something..." "For...me?" When she echoed his words back, Subaru sent a determined nod back her way. He had earnestly struggled against destiny for Emilia's sake, and hers alone. It was that feeling, above all others, that he wanted her to understand. ...That was why the next words out of her mouth left Subaru in complete shock. " It was all for your own benefit, wasn't it?" *** Beyond the silence, Subaru's brain was a complete blank. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what he wanted to say. "I...I just...wanted...to give you..." Sadness? Suffering? Regret? Anger? Sorrow? I want to give you happiness. I want to help you get what you desire. I want to protect you from everything that makes you sad. Those were the pure feelings Subaru had for Emilia that formed the foundation of his every deed. He had acted in the belief that his efforts would convey his feelings stronger than any words. But that had been his conceited assumption, made without any consideration for other people's feelings. " Mff!" The dazed Subaru yelped in surprise at the sudden impact of soft fabric on his face. When he immediately pulled the material away, he realized it was the white robe with an embroidered hawk that Emilia had been holding in her hands and that she had struck him with it. But he couldn't associate Emilia with such a violent action. Even if he accepted that, logically, Emilia had thrown it at him, he could not emotionally accept it. After all, the Emilia Subaru knew was always kind, filled with motherly affection, and, though she was not consciously aware of her own stubborn streak, she was a soft-hearted girl who couldn't stop helping others if she tried. Why, then? Emilia's violet gaze quivered with a wave of emotions. Her face was tense as she bit her lip, which seemed to tremble from fierce emotion. He'd never seen either before. Neither her expression nor her gaze fit the girl he knew whatsoever. Yet, both were aimed at him, of all people. He understood how out of place the sentiment was, but he thought that she was...beautiful, like this. The wave of emotions turned to tears that filled her purple eyes. "Stop lying about doing all these things for my sake !" With a small shake of her head, she seemed to be venting about every last thing eating at her. "Coming to the castle, fighting with Julius, using magic... You're saying it was all for me? I didn't ask you for any of those things!" *** "All I wanted was for you to do the things I asked you to do!" *** "Hey, do you remember? What I asked?" *** Hearing her reject his actions so clearly froze Subaru's mind with terror. That was why he couldn't produce an answer to her question from within his jumbled head. With Subaru unable to answer, Emilia firmly closed her eyes. "I asked you to stay at the inn with Rem and wait." *** "Using any more magic would be very bad for you, so I asked you not to use magic." He remembered that she'd used the word please for both. Both times, Emilia had strongly urged him to behave out of concern for his health. But Subaru had trampled on her words each time based on his own selfish delusions. Somewhere deep down inside, he had thought of things so frivolously, as if good results would always let him smooth over his broken promises. But as a result, Subaru had not only disregarded her pleas, but didn't have a single proper thing to show for it; indeed, he'd only disgraced himself and held her back. But even so, he at least wanted her to understand that the underlying motivations were genuine. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I'm really, really sorry. But! But you're wrong, I, I didn't do them for my sake..." But Subaru's tongue cramped like it had gone numb, rejecting his efforts to put feelings into words. As he flailed for words, Emilia stared at him with sadness. His words were unforgivably selfish. He never should have said them. "Emilia, don't you...believe me?" Someone who had just

denied that she could understand him had no right to say any of it. "I want to believe you... I want to believe you, Subaru." She sounded like she wanted to cry. She might have already been crying. But Subaru didn't have the courage to find out. He couldn't bring himself to look at her, even though she might be in tears; even though he might have been the reason why she was in such a state. Subaru had continued running forward trying to avoid that, but at the most critical moment, Subaru Natsuki just Her emotions exploded. "I wanted to believe you...but you're the one who stopped me, Subaru!" Though she had sometimes lost her calm and logical demeanor to anger before, this was the first time he had seen her cast them aside, like shackles on her emotions. Freed of those restraints, Emilia poured her overflowing feelings into words. "You didn't uphold a single promise, did you, Subaru? You...promised, but you broke them all like they were nothing and ended up here, didn't you?!" He'd trampled on the promises they made together in other words, her trust. His claim, that he had done it all for her, was moral justification that only held meaning for Subaru himself. Emilia carried on, saying, "You haven't kept your word, but then say you want me to trust you...? However you ask, I can't do that. I can't..." No!, he wanted to cry out in a loud voice. But in reality, Subaru's trembling throat made no sound; his head felt as heavy as lead, too heavy to lift from its lowered, face-down position. In front of the crying girl, whose emotions he had toyed with, who sought an honest answer from him Subaru chose to turn his back to her, and thus, continue to betray her. She asked him, "...Hey, Subaru. Why do you want to help me so much?" It was surely the doubt nestled in Emilia's mind that kept her from asking many times before. Seeing Subaru running around covered with injuries, forcing himself to smile all the while, or watching him endure great pain and leap into the jaws of death, she must have entertained those doubts for some time. Thus, it was inevitable she would press the issue now. If Emilia didn't let it all out there, if she kept her misgivings forever deep inside, not understanding why Subaru kept doing his utmost for her, it would only bring her more pain. The question was Emilia's final offer of salvation to Subaru. He had thought that, having so lightly treated his promises, there was nothing he could say that could reach her, but even so, she was asking him to honestly tell her. Why did Subaru work himself to the bone for Emilia? Why had he tenaciously clung to her since arriving in that world? "I want to do everything I can to help you because you saved me..." "I...saved you...?" "That's right." When he had been suddenly invited into another world, he was at a complete loss, not knowing right from left, with unavoidable violence threatening him; for all he knew, that world would have been the end of him. He continued, "I don't think you understand how...much you helped me. But that...saved me, more than words can express." What Emilia had saved back then was not his life, but Subaru himself. It didn't start with Subaru. The first time, it was Emilia who did the saving. Everything he'd done since was nothing more than repaying her for what she had given him. "Subaru, I don't understand..." "That can't be...helped. But it's true. You saved me. That's why I tried to...pay back the favor...but now, it's..." It's not just that, were the words that should have followed. But Emilia exploded in emotion, her silver hair violently swaying as she shook her head, so the words never arrived. " I told you, I don't understand!! I saved you? I did no such thing. The first time I met you was at the loot cellar. I'd never seen you before in my life!" "No, listen to " "If I'd met you before that, if that was true, I'd... I'd...!" Burying her face in her hands, Emilia rejected Subaru. She would listen to him no longer. His words did not have the strength to stop her from fully retreating into her shell. He had no idea what kind of sore spot of hers he'd brushed up against. He didn't know, but he had to keep talking. That's why Subaru quickly pulled himself together and said, "Maybe you don't understand, but listen to me anyway. It's the truth! The first time we met when I came to this world " Instantly, the scene ground to a halt, and Subaru realized he had brushed against the forbidden. This was the world where time was frozen and everything stopped. He could no longer hear even the furious beating of his heart. Emilia's voice, which he had heard until that very moment, grew distant. Even the high-pitched ringing sounds vanished without a trace as the world of silence beckoned. Subaru could not contain his anger, both at himself, and at the enforcing shadow with no respect for the mood the shadow that inflicted unending pain upon Subaru when he spoke about his peculiar trait. After the warning from the halted world that he had nearly violated the taboo, time began to tick once more. With a thump, Subaru realized his entire body had broken out in a cold sweat. By the whim of the shadow, he had not received a painful penalty. He remembered that. If he kept talking like he had just been about to, the shadow would mercilessly torture his heart in the frozen world. The words he would have spoken tumbled back down his throat. The sincere thoughts he wanted to share had no place to go, a millstone Subaru's shoulders had no choice but to bear. Emilia said, "...Once again, you're not saying anything." Her cold, hard voice battered his eardrums. It sounded like despair like she'd given up. The uncharacteristic anger, the surge of sadness within her chest that had no outlet what could he do about them? Even if he tried to tell her how he really felt, she wasn't listening to him anymore. And if he tried to tell her everything, that accursed shadow would get in his way to stop him. He asked, "Why...don't you understand...?" "...Subaru." "I thought, you... You of all people would understand..." "The me inside your head is really something, isn't she?" That one sentence was filled with enough distance and isolation to make him cry. When Subaru lifted his face, astounded, Emilia averted her eyes and faced away from him. He wondered whom the lonely smile that came over her lips was meant for...him, or her? She continued, "She understands it, all of it, without even having to ask. Your pain, your sadness, your anger she feels all of them as her own." "......Huh?" " If you don't say it, I can't understand, Subaru." He'd been rejected. He'd been smashed to bits. His illusion crumbled into dust. The one thing he truly thought he could believe in since falling into that world vanished. *** He'd risked his life, endured the pain of being bitten all over, wiped away his tears and surpassed them, all to continue to protect the idol he had erected in his mind. And so, his arbitrary utopia, one that had never existed, crumbled without a sound. His lips quivered. His eyes were hot inside. His tongue was twitching. His heartbeats were so fierce he could hear them. "Everything...I've done..." He lifted up his face and met Emilia's violet eyes. They were filled only with sadness. When he saw his own face reflected there, it was truly pitiful and beyond salvation. He raised up his shrill voice in anger, so much that the room seemed to shake with it. " You got this far because of me, didn't you?! Like at the loot cellar when your crest got stolen! I saved you from that uber-dangerous serial killer! I put my body on the line! All because you're important to me!!" His fingertips trembled as they gripped the sheets. His nails dug into his palm and slowly drew blood. He continued, enumerating every deed to his credit that he could think of as he tried to chase after her shadow, far in the distance. "Like at the mansion! I barely hung on there! My skull got cracked, my head went flying, but everyone in the village got saved anyway, didn't they?! And things turned out the best way possible with Ram and Rem, I'm sure of it! That's because I was there, right?!" The fact that he had saved everyone at the loot cellar, and at the mansion all that had been possible because of him. These were the deeds Subaru ought to be proud of, and rewarded for. He'd come that far. He'd done so much. He added, "You have to owe me something for everything I've done for you !!" He shouted because the meaning of all his actions, and the thoughts behind them, had been refuted. Subaru's vainglorious search for praise, his gnawing desire for satisfaction, and his egotistical wish to be wanted, had been the unconscious extremes that had led him down his path. And all were summed up in a single, defining word. With a halting, shaky voice, Emilia said to Subaru, who was breathing roughly with sweat on his brow, "...Right." Her words had a tone of acceptance, of resignation, of resolve in other words, it was the end. "Subaru, I owe you a huge, incredible debt for many things you've done, so..." "Yeah, that's right. That's why I " "So I'll repay it all to you. Then we can end this." Her statement, incredibly clear, raised Subaru's face like he'd been kicked. And when he saw that Emilia's gaze was even hollower than before, he realized that his hasty words should never have been spoken. In a childish tantrum, he had trampled even his purest thoughts underfoot, throwing it all away. " That's enough, Subaru Natsuki." If the relationship between them was only about repaying favors, that relationship would end as soon as the debt was repaid. That was the only conclusion the situation could reach, now that he'd tallied up the things he'd done in the hope of giving her something without the slightest thought of a reward. Ever since their first, intimate encounter, she had called Subaru by his first name. He understood all too late that he could not recover the affection he had lost. She stated, "Rem will come later. Do as she says. Everything else, I will arrange afterward, so..." He couldn't even reply. Nor was there anything he could ask of her. Emilia began to walk, putting distance between them physical distance, but an emotional distance that was far greater. In that moment, Subaru lacked the courage to reach his fingers toward her back, or even to watch her as she left. When Emilia reached for the door, she abruptly stopped and murmured. *** She spoke in a soft voice, like she wanted to say it less to Subaru than to herself. "...got my hopes up. I thought, just maybe, you...you wouldn't give me special treatment, Subaru. I thought you could look at me like an ordinary person, like an ordinary girl, the same as any other..." This was the girl that had demanded fair treatment in the chamber at the royal selection. The fact she was a half-elf must have caused her intense and prolonged suffering for her wish for something so meager. But... Subaru replied with a faltering, quiet murmur of his own. "I can't...do that." Emilia hadn't spoken as though she sought a response. Therefore, Subaru's own murmur was not a reply, but a statement for his own benefit. Mulling over Emilia's words, Subaru weakly and limply shook his head. "Even if you tossed out every other person in the

whole world, I couldn't do that. I can't look at you the same as everyone else, I just can't." That, at least, was the unmistakable truth. He heard the door close. The air became still again. Left alone in the room, Subaru curled up on top of the blankets, his gaze wandering. Abruptly, he pulled himself to the corner of the bed. He saw the robe that had fallen on the floor. He reached out, pulled it close, and embraced it. As he hugged it, he felt like a trace of human warmth remained in it when all others had vanished. Subaru squeezed it against his chest, as if trying to bind that warmth to himself. That day, for the first time in that other world, Subaru Natsuki became truly alone. *** "So do you have anything to say, Sir Julius?" "No, nothing at all. Everything is in accord with the report." Two men spoke in the darkness of a room untouched by the sun's rays. The space belonged to the captain of the guards in the knights' garrison, adjacent to the royal palace. Marcus was sitting at his official desk, with Julius standing ramrod straight in front of the table. "I could offer no complaint if you were to banish me from the Knights of the Royal Guard for my breach of conduct. Do as you will, captain." Julius pulled his sword out of the scabbard at his hip and offered it across the top of the desk. The sight of Julius offering up his sword drew a deep sigh out of Marcus. "So during a discussion about the royal selection, you detained a man related to one of the candidates, led him to the parade square, beat him senseless, and sent him off to be healed. Judging from the contents of this document alone, I cannot simply let this pass with a slap on the wrist." But the better question was what in the world the "finest" of knights was thinking when he did such a thing. Naturally, the knightly blood was not so thin in Marcus that he could not hazard a guess. He continued, "I am at liberty to take circumstances into account. Many of your fellow knights at the parade square have entreated me to show leniency. Having said all this, you indeed went too far." The wounds endured by the young man at the parade square far exceeded what was tolerable for mock combat. Marcus asked, "Did you find his tarnishing of your knightly pride unforgivable to that extent?" "Glossing this over will only give rise to personal grudges. My personal shortcomings are solely to blame. Please, captain, do not waste any more words for my benefit." Julius did not relent, meekly awaiting his punishment to the very end. Marcus lowered his eyes, considering what words to use in light of his unyielding stance. Then, Ferris opened the door, entering the room with his well-worn guard uniform and a casual attitude. "Hi, sorry to keep you waiting. Your dear Ferri has returned!" Seeing Marcus and Julius facing the other, Ferris put a hand to his mouth and smiled mischievously. "Meow, did Ferri come at a bad time? You're sharing such passionate looks..." Marcus replied, "...Cease that idle prattle and report, you precocious brat." "Ohh, captain, your true colors are showing." "I suppose I should behave before my men the same as in public... Well, fine. Make your report." With Marcus shooing him off, Ferris stood right beside Julius. "As per the captain's orders, Ferri went all meowt healing Subawu. His wounds are closed, his bones mended, even his teeth have been restored. He'll be all right." "Well done. You didn't miss anything?" "If Ferri missed it, it couldn't be found in the first place. There's no problem with his body... Though, the same can't be said for his heart." Ferris's cat ears twitched as he shot Julius a teasing sidelong glance. "You really are a softie, Julius. How many girls have you made swoon with that thoughtfulness and devotion? You're even making Ferri's heart flutter." "I do not know what you speak of, Ferris." "You don't need to keep playing tough. That girl with good instincts already noticed, and it still worked wonders on the guy who didn't, so why worry? Or maybe dear Ferri comes off as an airhead who won't notice what Julius and the captain are thinking?" When Julius held his silence, Ferris's eyes narrowed in even greater delight. "Tee-hee, you're so cuuute when you're quiet. But don't worry. Because you put him through so much torture, we don't need to worry about other people going after him that don't know how to stop." *** Ferris's teasing words dragged a faint smile out of Julius. Marcus, having listened to their conversation in silence, nodded and indicated he understood Julius's decision. "The young ones were no doubt on edge from how the brat's statement demeaned the knightly class. Being assigned to the royal guard means great skill with the sword and pride to match." The knights' discontent, created by Subaru's conduct at the royal selection conference, had been in search of a place to explode. Marcus continued, "Had someone else run off and started a confrontation, the lad might well have lost his life for his insolence." Ferris picked up where Marcus left off and pointed out what Julius had concluded. "So a knight had to smack Subawu around before that could happen. If it wasn't for Julius, Ferri might have had to take care of it..." Julius explained, "It's using the right person for the right job. We can't have you becoming his enemy when you have to heal him. Besides, it seemed more natural if I was the one to do it. I could also say...I was confident that I could pull it off the best." Marcus commented, "It was no doubt correct to leave a weaker opponent to Julius's hands. Practice with your sword more often, why don't you?" "Nooo! Swinging swords around makes you all sweaty and gives you callouses. Meow, Ferri could never show these pearly white palms to Lady Crusch again!" Marcus, seeing Ferris so casually brushing off his captain's commands, sighed with a resigned look. "Sir Julius Juukulius, this is your punishment. For five days, you are suspended from your duties and forbidden to enter the garrison or enter the royal palace. I shall retain your sword until that time has passed." " As you command." Julius, closing his eyes as if digesting the stated punishment, handed Marcus his knight's sword. Marcus, accepting the weapon that was the very symbol of his pride as a knight, quietly shook his head. "Sorry. Properly speaking, this was not a burden you should have had to bear." Julius rebutted, "Captain, you always strive for the best possible outcome. The Knights of the Royal Guard were once disbanded, but today, they boast the strongest and most gallant of men because of you." Ferris chimed in, "That's right. Ferri would never say this to anyone besides Lady Crusch, but have more confidence in yourself, captain." Marcus bluntly replied, "If you're going to say things like that, put on a proper man's clothes!" Ferris shrugged his shoulders as if to say, That's the one order I'll never obey. Marcus laid Julius's sword on top of the table with care before sitting back down in his chair. "The matter is concluded. There are other duties I must attend to. Dismissed." Marcus's formal words announced he had returned to his public persona. When the other two left the room, the atmosphere became tranquil once more. Marcus, now alone, leaned back into his creaking chair and glared up at the ceiling. The affair on his mind was separate from the mock combat, and concerned a report he had received from the castle guards after the conference's conclusion. "'Should an intruder in the castle bear the family crest of the hawk, let him pass'..." So read the order issued to the guards at the palace gate. That order was why the guards had requested instructions from Marcus after they captured the old man related to Felt. In other words, the appearance of an intruder was set in stone from the very beginning. When the clownish visage of the man who had issued the command came to mind, Marcus ground his teeth. "Damn you, Roswaal. What the hell are you planning...?" His stony face burned with irritation as he pondered what the eccentric might be up to. "Meow, the captain's not too smooth, either. He saw the whole thing through, so why couldn't he just drop it altogether?" "Allowing such an act to go unpunished would be unacceptable even under these circumstances. I wouldn't wish for that, either." Ferris was gazing at the side of Julius's handsome face as the two walked down the corridor of the garrison side by side. Ferris's lips pouted at how Julius looked so satisfied. "So, Julius, what are you going to do meow?" Ferris asked. "Naturally, I will follow my captain's command and spend time at the mansion. I will explain the situation to Lady Anastasia... My only concern is whether she can take it easy in the meantime." "But you like that about her, don't you? Ferri can tell!" Ferris's cheeks puffed up as he put his own spin on Julius's words. Julius then looked at his cat-eared companion as if he'd just remembered something. "Incidentally, Ferris, about the boy from earlier..." Before the question was even fully posed, Ferris replied, all warmth draining from his lips. "He's with Lady Emilia right now. After...he'll be staying at the Karsten mansion to convalesce." Accepting the reply, Julius closed his eyes and pondered for a time. "Convalesce...is it? It would seem he has suffered an injury far graver than any seen from without." "Mew didn't hear one word about that from your dear Ferri." Ferris's behavior, however, made the situation clear as day. Julius could guess what had happened since handing Subaru over to Ferris. The wise young man soon arrived at his answer. " It is truly in Lady Emilia's nature to cause pain in others." "Are mew thinking, 'Even though she could live a much wiser life'?" "No. That very nature is what allows her to live as nobly and beautifully as she does. I do not deign to wish her to change. Thus, all I can do is hope that she lives more righteously, more genuinely, without anything to be ashamed of." Julius lifted his face and resumed his walk. Ferris followed half a step behind, hands crossed behind his back, leaning his body forward as he looked up at Julius. "Does that go for the boy, too?" "It goes for everyone, Ferris. It is for that very reason I wield a sword." He will probably break, thought Julius. If he was going to break, breaking him then and there would be a mercy. But if just if all that was not enough to break him, then... "It would not be such a bad thing to trade swords with a fool full of idealism once more." "Well, even if that's what you think, Julius, Subawu might not wanna do that again after the public beating you gave him. Hey, hey..." "What is it?" "Lots of things came together to cause that duel, but he got on your nerves juuuuust a little, didn't he?" With Ferris's words seeming meant to test him, Julius stopped and looked over. "Ferris, you wound me. I am a knight. However imperfectly, that is the precept I live by." Julius, deeming his own conduct to have nothing to be ashamed of, looked straight at Ferris. "As for an annoyance...perhaps he was that, a little bit." "Well, he got on Ferri's nerves quite a bit, mew know?" The two exchanged laughs as if it was the funniest joke they'd ever shared. They finally arrived at the entrance to the garrison and shook hands. Julius said, "Well, then, we must part. I

deeply wish that you and your lord remain in good health." "Lady Anastasia will probably complain, so good luck with that, Julius... You can just leave all the mopping up to Ferri." Ferris casually waved before turning his back and walking off. Julius watched from behind as his friend departed and an enemy took his place. "Lady Anastasia shall succeed as king." "Nuh-uh. Lady Crusch is the fittest for the throne." And so, the knights exchanged their declaration of war before returning to their respective masters. The rays of the setting sun poured down from the evening sky, dying all who dwelled in the royal capital equally red. In so many ways, the royal selection had now begun. *** The man was skin and bones. Surrounded by a darkly robed group, he was covered in a black priest's habit himself. Slightly taller than Subaru, he had deep-green hair that was long enough to catch the eye. His cheeks were gaunt; his bones seemed to have only the minimum amount of flesh necessary to maintain a humanoid physique. Judging from such an appearance, one might think his body was devoid of vitality...save for the twinkle of madness in his eyes. "I see... Certainly, certainly, this is of great interest." The man leaned his body forward, bending his neck more than ninety degrees to the side as his wide-open eyes gazed unflinchingly at Subaru. Behaving in a manner that could only be described as bizarre, he nodded as if something was clear to him. Then, still leaning at an angle, he thrust his right thumb into his mouth and crushed the tip without any hesitation. The flesh was mashed and the bone broken; he sucked on the drops of blood as his dead eyes opened wide. "Could you...possibly be 'Pride,' by any chance?" The man's question was directed at Subaru, who was bound to the wall. However, the boy did not reply to the question. He only blankly stared up at the face of the man standing before him, with merely a flippant and thoroughly out-of-place smile coming over his lips. Subaru's black eyes blinked, but just like the man behaving in deviant fashion, they were empty, devoid of sanity. "Hmm... That doesn't seem to be a reply." The man drew his thumb out of his lips, tapping his own head with his bleeding hand as if he had just remembered something. "Ahh, I see. It occurs to me that I have been rude. My goodness, I have yet to introduce myself, yes?" He acted with courtesy that seemed wholly out of place and then gave a malevolent laugh that tore the edges of his pale lips. He politely bowed at the waist as he stated his name. "I am Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti " After that, he stayed bent over, twisting only his head to face forward before he stated his title. " Archbishop of Sin of the Witch Cult...entrusted with the duties of Slooooth!" The man Petelgeuse pointed at Subaru with the fingers of both hands and laughed. Cackle, cackle. Cackle, cackle. Cackle, cackle CHAPTER 1 *** The clear, refreshing-looking sky spread overhead, filling Subaru's vision as he lay on the ground. Thinking back, about two months had passed since he had been summoned to this other world. He wondered just how many times he had gazed up at the blue sky in the same way during that time. The thick cumulonimbus clouds intercepted the sunlight, but bright, dazzling rays broke through the thick cover, pouring down to the surface. The sun's radiance was burning the insides of Subaru's eyes when he suddenly had a thought. Come to think of it... I haven't seen a single rainy day since I came here. He'd experienced small sprinkles late at night and showers right around sunset several times over, but there was nothing even close to resembling a long downpour that lasted an entire day. The temperature of Lugunica was slightly too hot for long sleeves, which felt not unlike June in Subaru's old world or perhaps the lingering effects of summer stretching into September. Maybe the lack of rain was due to his current world's dry season. "Shall we bring this to an end?" As Subaru lay on the ground, idly thinking, an elderly male voice suddenly called out to him. The boy remained faceup, raising his head to peer at the older man standing there. He was a tall man dressed in a black servant's outfit. He stood perfectly straight, his extremely toned body inconsistent with his apparent age. His bountiful white hair was perfectly combed, suggesting his refinement. The senior's peaceful face had gentle wrinkles carved into it, giving him the look of a warm, elderly gentleman, but his hand gripped a long wooden sword. Subaru replied to the man's question. "Nah, not yet. I was just thinking about a philosophical question." "Ohh, how interesting. And what did you ponder?" "Fire above and water below... So I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. Or something." Subaru swung both legs high, and then brought them down with enough force to pull him to his feet. The core of his body still felt heavy in some respects, but the pain of his bruises and other wounds had largely subsided. Subaru rotated his limbs a little to check before swinging the wooden sword still in his hand to the fore thrusting it straight at Wilhelm. "One more lesson, if you please." "Incidentally, what was the answer to the earlier philosophical question?" "Nothing major just me getting pissed even though I'm the one who wet the bed." With that nonsensical answer, he stepped forward and swung with his waster, tracing a semicircular arc from a low posture. The tip swept through the air, the wind whipping around the full-force blunt strike. However... "Unah!!" "You are using too much energy. In your hands, feet, neck, hips, and in your head." Wilhelm parried the hard-driving blow, smoothly deflecting it away from its target. The attack, aimed at his head, sailed above it. The old man turned his body, and the sword danced in his hand to accurately and gently rap the boy's head, throat, and solar plexus all vital points of the human body. The slight impact of Wilhelm's waster sent Subaru's body flying. Thanks to his extreme restraint, the damage was practically nil. But even so, the shock to Subaru's vitals hindered his breathing, and his failed defense ended up making him groan audibly. "Gwoeh!" The hit to his back made him dizzy. He was flat on the ground with his limbs splayed out once again, the sky laughing down at him. He was starting to resent this decidedly pleasant sight for some reason. "Shall we bring this to an end?" Wilhelm inquired gently without the slightest hint of sarcasm or disparagement. How many times had he already voiced that question, gauging Subaru's intent? "It seems you are working hard." As Subaru gazed hatefully upward, a female voice interrupted. He lifted his head to see a woman standing at the terrace, gazing down at Subaru, limbs spread wide as he lay in the courtyard. "I only heard your voices, but you seem to be quite worked up about this." The beautiful green-haired woman leaned on the railing as she looked down at Subaru and Wilhelm. Her long, dark locks had a lustrous jade sheen, and she gave off the air of someone who naturally stood straight, bold, and proud. Her body, blessed with very feminine curves, was clad in a rather masculine military uniform. She was the lord of the manor as well as Wilhelm's master Duchess Crusch Karsten. In spite of her young age, she was a brilliant woman occupying a critical national post making her someone extremely important to the Kingdom of Lugunica's present and future. "My, Lady Crusch. Have we interrupted your duties?" "No, I was just thinking of taking a break. No need for concern." Crusch nodded amicably at Wilhelm before shifting her gaze toward Subaru, prone on the ground. She added, "Besides, I do not want to be so haughty as to stifle the earnest efforts of others. Employees need time off. By all means, make full use of yours, Wilhelm." Wilhelm bowed deeply in thanks for Crusch granting permission in her typical manner. "Understood. Having said that..." Then, the old man shifted his attention toward Subaru. "Shall we bring this to an end?" "Even I'm smart enough to tell that you mean, 'Let's end this now.'" Subaru pulled up his grass-stained body, moving his limbs to confirm for the third no, tenth time that all was well. He cracked his fingers and sighed audibly. "I feel like getting my butt kicked while a pretty girl's watching is kinda hard to swallow as a guy... My manliness gauge is dropping fast." Subaru made a strained smile as he tossed the wooden sword back to Wilhelm, who caught it with ease. Crusch replied, "There is no need for concern. It is hardly the first time I have seen you getting hurt." "Urgh!" The merciless statement had Subaru clutching his chest as he groaned. "I only heard about what happened after the fact, but I believe your words are a little too direct, Lady Crusch." "Is that so?" Crusch reacted to Wilhelm's comment with an innocent rise of her eyebrows before continuing. "It is evident when a far superior opponent is impossible to match. But I do not think an unflinching display of determination is anything to regret or be ashamed of." As Crusch touched her chin and expressed her thoughts, Subaru felt moderately uncomfortable. Putting aside the unexpected appraisal of his humiliation the day before, he was reminded of everything that happened before and after that episode. The greatest failure of his life when they had parted on the worst possible terms in the castle waiting room. "Truly, if I were you, the events last night would have been far harder to accept. I have only hearsay to go on, but...knowing myself, I imagine I would be indignant." Feeling Crusch's partially sympathetic gaze, Subaru scratched his cheek and laughed drily. "...Ta-ha-ha." It was the only reaction he could muster when thinking about what had occurred that evening, a mere half day prior: an unscheduled meeting with Reinhard, the Sword Saint, who'd gone out of his way just to visit Subaru at the Crusch residence. Seeing the change in his expression, Crusch returned the conversation to the previous topic. "And besides, even if it is painful to receive instruction while a woman is watching, is it not something you have already done many times over?" She leaned halfway over the rail as her gaze, rich with meaning, crossed to the other end of the courtyard. There stood a blue-haired girl who had quietly watched everything. Realizing that Crusch was looking at her, Subaru grimaced in embarrassment. "...Embarrassment feels a little different when it's in front of a friend." "I would think continuing to reveal your hand before your eventual enemy is a problem in and of itself... But the same could be directed at me for welcoming such a person to my mansion. For once, I am somewhat at a loss about my own thoughts." Crusch nodded a few times, as if her reply led her to some internal reflection. Then, she set such thoughts aside for the time being and addressed her servant. "Wilhelm." "Yes." "I feel up for a little exercise. I shall delegate the remaining affairs to others. It is earlier than scheduled, but could you give me today's lesson?" "As you command. Please take as much time as you need." "That is a somewhat difficult request given my current mental state..." A wry smile came over Crusch as she moved away from the railing, standing and returning to the study. She was the picture of dignity. Her green hair fluttered and danced, softly taking in the light of the sun until it vanished from Subaru's field of vision. The boy watched her go as he released the tension inside him

with a sigh. Subaru smiled bitterly at himself when he realized the raw sense of relief he felt when she left his sight. Put bluntly, Crusch was exactly the sort of lady he had a hard time with. Her straightforward and unyielding gaze was so sharp, it seemed to pierce straight to the heart. There had been many cases where her honest, sincere personality, and the words and deeds supporting it, left him distinctly troubled. She lived strong and proud, full of confidence, without a single shred of hesitation about what she should do. Comparing his position to hers, Subaru seemed all the more pathetic. "Shall we finally bring this to an end?" As the boy shook his head to change emotional gears, Wilhelm turned back to him and asked again. "That didn't sound like a question, so I guess that's that..." Wilhelm gracefully shifted into position with his wooden sword, and the disappearance of the question mark at the end of his sentence told Subaru that this kind yet stern session was coming to a close. The older gentleman made a thin smile when he saw the sincere regret in Subaru's black eyes. "Now that Lady Crusch has arrived, I must fulfill my duties as an instructor. This is half the reason the House of Karsten employs me, you see." "Hey, I'm not gonna be selfish like a little kid. You did me a big favor, spending some of your time off with me like this." Subaru pointed the wooden sword directly at his opponent's eyes, feeling intense loneliness as the training approached its conclusion. He'd quit kendo in middle school, but he'd still picked up the basics of swordplay. Seeing Subaru's straight posture and quiet disposition, Wilhelm's face abandoned all trace of softness. " En garde." "Any time." Subaru replied to his tutor's declaration, leaping forward across the ground. He didn't even try to feint. His attack was a plain downward swing, no tricks involved. From a high position, the blade sliced through the air in a helm-splitting strike, but the tip lost sight of its mark and thrust into the ground. Subaru, missing his target, found his forceful lunge turning into a forward roll. Then, " !" Subaru sustained what seemed like countless sword blows. It had already been three days since Subaru Natsuki had entered Crusch Karsten's manor. The home of the duchess of Karsten was located directly in the middle of the Nobles' District within the royal capital's upper strata a mansion that stood out even among the luxuriant dwellings alongside it. He had been told that it was a villa used only during stays in the capital, but its size and sheer extravagance rivaled that of Roswaal's primary residence. But Crusch herself had no interest in the decor of the overly ornamented manor. No doubt she saw it as a display of consideration for the many nobles who might visit the capital. And one of those visitors had been Reinhard van Astrea. The incident from half a day prior was bitterly etched into Subaru's memory. "I am truly sorry I was unable to stop the incident at the training ground. I am ashamed of myself for being unable to do anything but watch." After calling for Subaru, the first thing Reinhard did was apologize, bowing his head under the magic lamps illuminating the Karsten residence's front gate. It was an apology from the man so trusted and respected by his nation that he was commonly known as the Sword Saint. Subaru, who didn't think himself worthy to even face Reinhard, was taken completely by surprise. "Wa-wait-wait-wait. Why do you have to apologize for everything? You didn't do anything wrong, did you?" "That isn't the case at all, Subaru. I'm your friend, and Julius's as well. Not stopping my friends from making a mistake was a failure on my part." "Fr...iends..." Subaru's breath caught a little at the mention of the second-to-last name in the world he wanted to hear. But Reinhard bore no malice. Indeed, he was apologizing for not intervening at the time. If he'd involved himself, no doubt Subaru wouldn't have experienced a fraction of the misery he was going through now. The "duel" between Subaru and Julius might not have qualified as the real thing, but it was not the place of others to interfere with a bout that was held to settle an issue. That much was set in stone. Therefore, Reinhard had been feeling guilt for something he shouldn't have given a second thought. The fact that he still felt compelled to apologize showed why Reinhard was the "knight among knights." "...Well, whatever the case, I'm real happy you came all the way over to see me. You have to be busy with a million things right now?" Subaru said. "I do not want to balance my schedule and my friendships on a set of scales. If I hadn't taken the opportunity tonight, I wouldn't have had a chance to apologize to you for some time." "'Some time'? What, you're heading off somewhere?" "Lady Felt will be away from the royal capital, under the care of my family. There are many things she needs to learn, and there are new recruits who require training." Reinhard talked with a thin, wry smile at the numerous hardships he expected. But at the very least, the knight didn't harbor any unease about the rapport in his master-vassal relationship. Subaru posed a question. "You think Felt can really pull this off?" " Strangely, more so than I ever did before. I'm sure her determination and talent will surprise everyone. I will be merely encouraging her to help bring that future about." Hearing that unreserved reply, Subaru subconsciously shifted his gaze away from Reinhard. "...Is that so? Glad to hear it." He couldn't bear to look straight at the knight. The red-haired young man didn't worry about hardships, nor did he hold any concerns about his relationship with his master. He had not even the slightest ambivalence about doing his duty to his utmost abilities. At that moment, the difference between him and Subaru was simply too great Noticing Subaru was averting his gaze, Reinhard's brows furrowed in a sympathetic look. "Do you...have regrets?" Regrets. ...Subaru bit his lip as the word floated inside his head. He'd always had regrets. Yesterday, he felt remorse for the day before that. Today, he was bitter about yesterday. Tomorrow, he'd no doubt be anguished about the present day, too. The choices made over the course of his life amounted to a never-ending trail of regrets. It was impossible not to yearn for the world he'd missed due to choices he hadn't made. With Subaru silent, Reinhard lowered his eyes. "I will not say anything as flippant as, 'I understand how you feel.' But I am equally ashamed of what transpired. Perhaps it is the first time I've said such a thing, but I regret what happened." The words seemed not quite apropos to the chagrin that enveloped Subaru, but that was only natural. Their positions were different, so their points of view were different. The two didn't see events the same way. That was why Subaru braced his heart for what Reinhard might say next. And yet "The duel that day between you and Julius...was a meaningless battle. I knew, but I did nothing, and as a result, you were unjustly hurt. It has pained me ever since how I simply stood back and watched." *** But his meager resolve didn't prepare him to hear that. " No meaning at all?" "Yes, that's right. What happened because you and Julius clashed there? You were injured, and Julius has a black mark on his record, nothing more. Are you aware that he was placed under house arrest afterward? I'm sure Julius is regretting his own actions this very moment." Julius's punishment was news to Subaru, and it actually surprised him. So many knights watching the spectacle had been in Julius's corner. Subaru had been convinced his opponent had made arrangements to avoid trouble afterward. And yet, he had been disciplined. But Subaru didn't think the knight felt any regret at all. He had crossed swords with him, albeit wooden ones, more than enough to understand that loud and clear. Unaware of what was in Subaru's heart, Reinhard said with sincerity in his eyes, "If you had both had more time, you could have calmly discussed the matter. I should have ensured you had it... Things could have been resolved peacefully with no ill feelings instead of with a duel." "...So there'd have been no fight at all?" "Correct. This may seem somewhat hard to believe, but normally Julius is a man who sincerely listens. If you'd fully aired your differences, the misunderstanding could have been immediately " "Reinhard." With an earnest voice, Subaru interrupted him. The red-haired young man closed his mouth, looking back at Subaru with an unclouded gaze. Not a single negative emotion resided in his azure eyes. In other words, Reinhard had been completely serious. He truly believed that duel held no meaning. He couldn't understand that it was a matter of pride, with neither side able to pull back from the brink. "I understand how you feel, and I'm glad. You're...a really good guy." "Then..." "But I won't accept what you said. I can't accept what you said... This conversation's over." The sight of Subaru breaking off the discussion and turning his back left Reinhard beyond surprised. When the boy passed through the gates to return to the mansion, the knight instantly began to reach out to him. "Reinhard. You're a super-good guy. I totally understand that everything you said just now was out of pure goodwill, and you meant no harm at all... I get that." The remark stopped Reinhard mid-motion. Sensing it behind him, Subaru didn't turn back as he passed through the gate. "But...just don't. I won't let you rob that duel of its meaning. Anything...but that." Subaru didn't want that, and neither did Julius or the knights who had seen the duel to the end. Their fight had to be worth something. It had concrete, definite value, even if Reinhard, the Sword Saint, couldn't understand it. While Subaru distanced himself, Reinhard attempted to bridge the gap. "Even if that is so... What did you gain from that duel? You've only lost things, haven't you?" But the words he chose for that purpose provided the last nail in the coffin. "You've even lost Lady Emilia." The very last name in the world Subaru wanted to hear at that moment had materialized. He replied to the Sword Saint indifferently. "Go home, Reinhard. Before your master gets lonely and starts yelling." With a loud noise, the gate closed between them. And so they parted ways. "...He didn't need to bother, geez." Subaru gritted his teeth at the memory of the previous night as curses he couldn't bring himself to say to Reinhard's face spilled out. His lips twisted as he tore at his head, as though brushing away the still-raw memory. "Do not be like that, Subaru. You've been hit on the head, so behave while I tend to it." As Subaru lay there, a voice full of affection gently brushed his eardrums. When he glanced up, he saw the blue-haired girl smiling down at him pleasantly. She was wearing a rather short black-motif apron dress. The maid with the adorable face Rem was kneeling on the green grass with Subaru's head on her lap in the venerable "lap pillow" position. Rem, appointed as Subaru's maid, ran a finger through his hair as she whispered softly. "You've worked hard in special training. Please, relax and rest on my lap for a while." "Doesn't really deserve to be called 'special training'... Just simple sword practice. Must've been boring to watch, huh?" "It was not boring at all. Just spending time with you makes me very happy, Subaru." Everything pouring out of Rem was positive, but in his current state, Subaru couldn't accept

any of it. He covered his face with a hand, averting his gaze from her, who saw even his most unsightly moments in a positive light. She'd watched the sword practice, hardly anything more than playing around, from beginning to bitter end without complaint. Even despite Subaru concealing his emotions, Rem didn't speak a single cross word. She silently waited out his attempt to hide his true feelings and affectionately supported his weight, softly running her finger through his hair as if to simply remind him that time hadn't stopped. Unable to bear the silence any longer, Subaru spoke first. "...Hey...Rem." His halting voice brought Rem's finger to a standstill. As she indulgently waited for him to talk, Subaru took a fair bit of time before continuing to speak. "Do you...think I'm pathetic?" It had come from his own mouth, but he genuinely wondered what answer he was hoping to hear. Did he want her to say yes? Did he want her to say no? What exactly did he want her to appraise about him? Did he mean right then, or three days prior, or perhaps long before that...? "I do." Rem easily answered, interrupting Subaru's rumination. As his concerns unraveled, Subaru glared at Rem from below in protest. "So you think that, too? Why are you sticking with me if I'm pathetic, then? 'Cause you were told to?" Rem, upside down in his field of vision, gently shook her head at Subaru's acerbic reaction. "Thinking you are pathetic and being with you is not a contradiction. Even without a command, I believe I would have stayed with you regardless, Subaru." "...Why's that?" "Because I want to." Her reply was brief. The matter-of-fact delivery left Subaru speechless. He had no idea what to say, although the words made his chest feel light. It was as if his incomprehensible self-examination had received an equally baffling answer. "Rem... You're really something else." "I am. But Sister is even more incredible." "I still don't understand why you put your sister on a pedestal, but you're incredible." Subaru raised a hand in surrender, letting his entire body relax as he sank into Rem's lap fully. He closed his eyes, leaving her to stroke his forelocks with her finger once more as she said, "I am here because I believe you want me to be here, Subaru." "So I want you to watch me get beaten up and then act pathetic and embarrassing after? That makes me sound like some kind of masochist..." Rem curiously inclined her head, asking with a completely innocent look, "You aren't?" Subaru could only exhale deeply through his nostrils in a wordless reply. Time continued in a quiet, lazy fashion, without any intrusions. Finally she asked, "Perhaps we should head back in? Any longer and we might be in the way of Lady Crusch's sword practice." When Rem's thighs seemed about to move, Subaru grabbed hold of them, his cheek savoring the feeling. "Just a little longer. I've been hit on the head. Might be dangerous to move this soon?" Rem let her legs relax as she acceded to Subaru's suggestion. "Yes... If that is what you desire, Subaru." Thanks to her unlimited kindness, he didn't have to think about the things he didn't want to. He let his body sink deeper and deeper into that gentle quicksand. It had been three days since the declaration of the royal selection. Three days since Subaru and Emilia had parted ways. Subaru Natsuki was steadily rotting away. I must've done something wrong, Subaru thought once he had time to reflect. He knew it was an unpleasant memory, but before he realized, he was going back over and over to that evening and the sight of a silver-haired girl turning from him and walking away. As the sound of a closing door echoed, Subaru thought, I must've come up short somewhere. He was well aware that his words had gone too far. The fact that it had come right after receiving a beating had been part of it. When Emilia's words forced him into a corner, he'd ended up blurting out a lot of really unacceptable things. As a result, Subaru and Emilia had ended up separating. Did the suddenness of his words mean that they were just jumbled half thoughts? Or did it mean that they had been dwelling in his heart all along? He cared for her, and he wanted her to acknowledge that; both feelings were true. But how much he meant the rest of what he'd said... Even he wasn't sure anymore. " Hey, kid. Kid!!" Subaru was submerged in a sea of self-doubt when a throaty voice from nearby reeled him back to reality. When he blinked, the man standing right in front of him slumped his shoulders, lamenting as he creased his brow. "Come on, kid. Don't be glaring like that in front of a man's shop. You'll scare off the customers," he lamented with a frown on his stern face, marked by an attention-grabbing vertical scar. Subaru, back in the present, gently rubbed his eyelids, quickly recovering from the impact of the man's fierce countenance. "Hey, Pops. I think it's your glaring at customers that scares 'em off." "I'm not glaring! I'm worrying about you, damn it! You come here with some weirdo in tow, and then when Old Man Rom hears your message, I can't get in touch with him anymore. I should be giving you an earful for all the trouble you put me through!" The shopkeeper raised his voice in anger and pounded the counter with one of his thick arms. As he did, the slam caused a basket with fruit on display to tilt, threatening to send his produce tumbling. However, with a flutter of the hem of her skirt, Rem landed in the space right in front of the shop. "That is no way to handle food." Her fingers gripped the basket on the counter, gently catching it before it could fall along with all the fruit within. "Ohh, thanks a lot, miss." The man Cadmon sighed with admiration at her skillful move, taking the basket back from Rem with visible relief. Then he lowered his voice as he directed a look back at Subaru. "So take my advice. Get away from this mean-mug guy. It won't end well." "Hey, what are you talkin' about here? Don't go around spreading unfounded rumors, geez," Subaru countered. "It's not unfounded at all. You were here with a girl not long ago, and now you've got a different one, don't you? The earlier girl... Ah, I can't remember clearly, but that just means this young lady is prettier. Two-timers can go to hell." "Do I look like I can handle two-timing girls? In the first place, how did you...?" Forget about Emilia, Subaru had been going to say. But Cadmon's lack of memory was an effect of the anti-recognition magic she used to conceal her identity. Recalling that brought her face to the forefront of his thoughts, accompanied by a painful throb in his chest. As Subaru fell into silence, Cadmon gave him a suspicious look before resuming his speech to Rem. "You see? Incorrigible. You'll end up with nothing but hardship no matter how hard you try." "Thank you very much for your consideration... However, I am doing this because I want to." Rem's cheeks reddened as she glanced at Subaru to gauge his reaction. Cadmon's look, even sourer than before, made plain that he thought her unfortunate. "I have to say, though, the feel on the street's different today. There aren't more people than usual, but... It's like there's a stir in the air. Maybe more people are...stopping and standing than usual?" Subaru gazed at the hustle and bustle, changing the topic to distract them from how he hadn't finished his previous sentence. "Surprisingly sharp eye. Well, that's how it is. When big stuff's going on, it's time for merchants to make some money. Right now, everyone's hungry for the next rumor." Cadmon nodded at Subaru's musings as he grabbed one of the fruits lined up in front of his shop and took a bite. Subaru gawked at the owner holding fruit with teeth marks. "That's your merchandise...," he remarked before he continued. "Well, I'm not sure what business opportunities the royal selection has for a fruit vendor, but I'm impressed you weren't left behind when it started. Guess you're a natural genius at this, Pops." "Oh, shut your mouth. At any rate, it's because there're more people rubbing shoulders and whispering to one another. Everyone's talking to everyone else right now. See, look over there." Cadmon forcefully pointed with the core of his fruit, indicating a sign at the edge of the street. Even among the signs desperately competing to stand out along Market Street, this one stood taller than all the rest. "Well, if it's anything but I-script, I can't read it." "What? How uneducated. You can read my store's sign, then?" "I feel like the characters are close to I-script, but they're so bad that I can't read them." Cadmon was taken aback at Subaru's ill-natured attempt to cover up his own lack of education. "So what is written on that sign, anyway?" "The same thing we've been talking about. 'The Royal Selection Has Commenced.'" Subaru frowned, unsure what Cadmon's point was, so the shopkeeper roughly scratched at his head and added, "All right. Let me spell it out to you. Miss, take care of the store for a bit." "As you request." The way Cadmon abandoned his station as if it was nothing, and the way Rem followed up without the slightest hesitation, left Subaru simply uneasy as he slouched. "Don't let amateurs run your shop just like that, geez. And Rem, don't make promises you can't keep." "All she has to do is exchange merchandise for coin according to the prices listed. It's not like I'm getting customers anyway." "So you finally admit it?!" Subaru wore a defiant look as Cadmon led him away. Rem waved after them as she headed toward the counter. "I have to say, though young or old, everyone seems super interested in the royal selection. What do you think, Pops?" Cadmon scowled bitterly at Subaru's words and replied. "Hmm. Well, there's a lot of hot air about who'll become the next ruler, but it's not as if they can leave the throne empty forever. I wish they'd just hurry up and decide already." "This is only what I've been told, but doesn't the Council of Elders handle running the country? How badly does not having a king affect the people?" "Hey, if that's a joke, it's in bad taste. Now, some people snub the king as a figurehead when it comes to administration but... The Covenant with the Dragon is made with the royal family generation after generation. We have the Dragon protecting Lugunica to thank for the clashes with Volakia down south not turning into anything besides skirmishes." Gusteko to the north, Lugunica to the east, Kararagi to the west, and Volakia to the south those were the names of the great nations that ruled this world. Subaru had heard that smaller nations existed, too, but they were treated as client states of the great four. Subaru asked another question. "Volakia, huh... What, you think if the Dragon's gone, they'll invade?" "Their imperial motto is, 'Many troops, strong nation, eat the weak, grow strong.' They say Lugunica was in the middle of a war with them four hundred years ago right before the Covenant with the Dragon was first made. Some say they're still sore about the Dragon butting in." "So that's how the people feel about not having a king, huh..." "Even if it wasn't for that, a country without a ruler's in as much of a bind as a beast without a head. The last king wasn't a wise one, but he wasn't bad, either. That's what I think, anyway." Cadmon cut through the

throng of various races before standing in front of a sign that towered above the already tall man. He blended in with the people looking up at it with the same objective, craning his neck to read the characters that Subaru could not. "It's an announcement that the royal selection has begun, and a summary. The king will be determined three years hence before the Dragonfriend Ceremony, who shall conduct the ceremony thereafter, et cetera. Then it lists the candidates." Cadmon, reading the details in Subaru's place, relayed things the latter already knew. Subaru's interest had begun to fade, but the last word, candidates, put a stop to that. Cadmon, watching from the side as Subaru licked his parched lips, nodded appreciatively. "The candidates are on your mind, huh? There're five royal selection candidates in total. The best-known are Duchess Crusch Karsten and the Hoshin company president, a girl named Anastasia." "Is that Duchess Crusch famous?" "Well, she's a duchess. It'd be pretty bad if people living in the capital didn't know her name. She's still young, but as duchess and heir to her household, she's already considered one of the most brilliant women in national history. The tales of her first sortie in the duchy of Karsten, the reason she inherited the title, are common even here in the capital." "First sortie...?" "The duke of Karsten at the time her immediate predecessor was injured by a horde of nasty monsters that appeared in the duchy of Karsten. So she took over command for him and brought things under control in the blink of an eye, and then everyone knew her name. There'd always been rumors that she was brilliant, but she was so good that her father had his seventeen-year-old daughter take over for him." Listening to someone outside Crusch's sphere of influence evaluate her made Subaru's shoulders feel tighter and tighter. Not noticing Subaru's internal turmoil, Cadmon traced the scar on his face with a finger as he went on. "And there's not a merchant around who hasn't heard about how much progress the Hoshin Company has made these past few years, even for them. That young lady at the helm Anastasia she's even taken down major companies and brought them under hers. Just like that old legend, Hoshin of the Wastes. It's like she's a reincarnation of the man." Subaru wondered if the proud way Cadmon spoke of Anastasia was due to his identifying with her as a fellow merchant. Going from a mere trader to a royal candidate was a real Cinderella story. On the one hand, there was Crusch, a woman with an inspired demeanor, pursuing her beliefs with an iron will. On the other was Anastasia, the girl with light-purple hair, standing out due to her Kansai accent. The details on the sign before them had no discrepancies from what he'd heard in the royal selection conference. The contents were conveyed to the populace with thoroughness and sincerity and no unfairness whatsoever. Cadmon resumed. "So rumor has it that those two are the leaders for the royal selection. Personally, I think Lady Crusch, in a crucial position in the kingdom, has more weight than a merchant born in another country." "So both are leading the pack, huh." No doubt Cadmon's words were colored by personal opinion he'd ventured at the end. Even so, it was without doubt that Crusch's position and family name constituted powerful backing. To the people, unaware of her speech, it was most natural to assume that Crusch would inherit the throne. "So Crusch is the favorite, and Anastasia is the runner-up... So who's the dark horse?" After Subaru's comment, Cadmon read the names of the three remaining candidates, crossing his arms with a conflicted look on his face. "It's hard to talk about dark horses. Putting those two aside, the three others are basically unknown. I've lived in the capital for a long time and even I don't know them. This Priscilla seems to have a noble's name, but I don't even see family names for the other two. Given how the president of the Hoshin Company became one, I really have to wonder how they're picking these candidates." On that point, Subaru imagined he'd be in perfect agreement if he didn't personally know the details. You had the current heiress of a hereditary duchy, the young president of a foreign trading company, an unknown bearing a family name of noble pedigree, and two remaining candidates with no family name and uncertain origins. Withholding information about the basics of how they'd been selected was unfair to the general populace. Even Subaru, who knew that the crests with the Dragon motifs had been used to select the candidates, had no idea what the Dragon's motives were in choosing the girls. But just when Subaru was about to burst into laughter at all the idle speculation, Cadmon narrowed his eyes, twisted his lips in disgust, and spat his opinion. "But I'm hopping mad they included a half-elf. I can't help it. It lists some basics about each royal candidate, but this Emilia... Apparently they made a half-demon a candidate. I tell you, it's stupid any way you slice it." "Half-demon...huh?" "It's what we call people who look like witch accomplices. What the hell are the high and mighty thinking...?" Cadmon glared up at the tall sign that was a full two heads above him, his eyes filled with disgust. Subaru couldn't immediately react. *** He had a not-insignificant amount of goodwill toward the scarred shopkeeper. This was the first man he'd spoken to in this other world, and when reunited with him later, he'd grown to view the man as someone he could trust. In contrast to his stern appearance, his personality and character were amiable, and he was full of love for his wife and child. At the very least, Subaru didn't doubt that he was a benevolent person. The boy couldn't help but be surprised to hear such a man speak such slander about another as if it were a matter of course. Besides, to Subaru, it couldn't be casually dismissed. And so, his lips blurted out a denial. "...It doesn't mean everyone who looks like that is involved with the Witch, does it?" "Hah?" Under Cadmon's curious gaze, Subaru's emotions got the better of him as he pushed on. "D-don't go judging her just because she's a half-elf. That 'Emilia' girl, she's incre... She might be doing this for the sake of the country. She might be a good, incredible girl for all you know." "Hold on. I don't know why you're trying so hard, but stop covering for a half-demon. If someone else overhears, they ain't gonna understand." "Yeah, I suppose so. And you wouldn't want the pretty girl doing on-the-job training to see a grown man making a scary face, talking trash about someone he doesn't even know." Subaru's large helping of invective mixed with sarcasm made Cadmon put a hand to his forehead. "I get it, give me a break. I said too much. I apologize, okay?" "...Tch." Though it was an apology he was pushed into, Cadmon's mature reaction made Subaru back down. Yet as Subaru relented, Cadmon carried on. "You're free to think what you like. But it's not possible for a half-elf to become king." "You're still...! Why not? Because of the Witch of Jealousy? What, because the Witch was a half-elf, that means all half-elves are dangerous?!" " That's right." To Subaru, worked up again as their argument resumed, Cadmon's voice had a shockingly cold ring to it. "There you go again...!" Subaru was about to make a rebuttal when his voice caught in his throat, because he saw the look of fear in Cadmon's eyes. "The Witch is scary. That goes without saying. It's a feeling everyone shares. I don't know how you grew up not knowing this, but at the very least, the vast majority of people avoid half-demons for the same reason." *** "Look. They say the Witch...the Witch of Jealousy...is a monster completely off the charts. Four hundred years ago, her shadow swallowed up half the continent. Famed heroes and dragons succumbed one after another before that. If it wasn't for the Holy Dragon's power, the Sage's knowledge, and the Sword Saint of the day, the world would've been destroyed for sure." Subaru had never heard this before, and he was unable to avert his eyes from Cadmon's deadly serious expression as he heard the details he couldn't dismiss. "But in spite of all that the Witch of Jealousy has done, we know next to nothing about her. What we do know is that she's a half-elf with silver hair. That, and the fact she can't be reasoned with, can't understand how others think, and she seems to rampage around out of a hatred for everything in the whole world." The wave of surging emotion behind Cadmon's trembling pupils conveyed the raw emotions of every person living in the world in a way dry sentences alone never could. Like the picture book Subaru had seen, the story of the Witch was passed down orally and through the printed word. Depending on the storyteller, the means and the amount of repetition varied, but the final result was always the same: absolute terror that the people born in that world would never shake, as if it were a nail driven through their very hearts. "The Witch is a symbol of terror. Everyone's afraid of things they don't understand. So people want to use the few details they do know to keep as far away from them as possible." "...And that justifies discriminating against half-elves?" "At the very least, a lot of half-demons having twisted personalities is the literal truth. I will admit that I don't know if it's just their natures or if it's the circumstances that make them like that." Cadmon was grimacing as if chewing on a bitter insect, likely because Subaru's words had backed him into an uncomfortable corner. The man seemed well aware that what he was saying was irrational. But the emotions about the Witch welling up inside dimmed his view of any rebuttal of that logic. Moreover, that thinking may well have been a universally held opinion in their world, from the lowest rungs to up on high. When Subaru realized that, only then did he truly appreciate the meaning of the plea Emilia had made at the royal selection conference. *** She was a half-elf. Her destiny was something she could not divorce herself from no matter how hard she tried. She wore an iron shackle that others starting in the same position did not, one she could never remove. Cadmon crossed his arms and spoke sullenly. "And since that's what people think, she has no chance of winning at all. Someone being fond of that half-demon and promoting her like this... It's a bad joke, I tell you." The object of his argument, and his anger, seemed to have shifted from the candidate herself, Emilia, to whoever had hoisted her onto a palanquin when she had no chance of victory. It was a benevolent concession on Cadmon's part, but it was small comfort given the thoroughly negative image of half-elves. The girl Emilia first needed to overcome the obstacle of prejudice. To the uninformed Subaru ignorant of the tyrannical history of half-elves and why people feared the Witch as a result Cadmon asked, "Why put her through it if she has to carry a handicap like that?" Certainly, Subaru was completely inexperienced where the history of that world was concerned. He couldn't know about the wicked deeds of the Witch beyond the details written on a page. It was hard for him to imagine just how much people feared half-elves, how deep their aversion ran, and for that matter, what half-elves living in such an environment thought of other people. But he'd heard the girl's words, spoken with a voice clear as a bell... " Hold it right there, evildoers!"

She had saved Subaru, who had been crawling on the ground in pain and humiliation. Where were the expectations and calculations behind her actions back then? Subaru didn't know their world's history, about the Witch or half-elves. But he knew Emilia. "My name is Emilia. Just Emilia. Thank you, Subaru." He understood that the girl with silver hair and stubborn benevolence who always acted with no regard for her own loss or gain might resemble the Witch of Jealousy, but that had absolutely nothing to do with her. He knew that she, who had lived in a world that showed no kindness to her whatsoever, possessed heartfelt good will toward others even so. No matter how badly the world might treat her, at least Subaru would Suddenly, a chill ran up his spine as a frosty voice interrupted his thoughts. " It was all for your own benefit, wasn't it?" In the back of his mind, her lovely, charming smile transformed into a sharp gaze and a stern voice. "I wanted to believe you...but you're the one who stopped me, Subaru!" He had trampled her trust underfoot, and her pained voice reverberated inside his cramped skull. He tried to understand. He thought he got it. He'd acted as if he did. And he'd frivolously broken and tossed aside the promise he'd made to her. The blame impaled his chest once again. " If you don't say it, I can't understand, Subaru." In his memories, Emilia berated him for his actions on that day over and over. He felt agony as if pieces of his chest had been ripped off, and sadness bore down on him to crush him, but Subaru's anger toward the girl glaring at him also surfaced. He'd worked so hard. He'd helped her so much. He'd been hurt so much. What was wrong with hoping for a reward? What was wrong with wanting her to respond? If I don't say it, you can't understand? I could say the same to you. Emilia hadn't told him anything about the royal selection, discrimination, or her feelings on that day. She'd shunned Subaru, pushed him away from her goal, treated him like he was barely a side character. Of course Subaru didn't know anything about Emilia. She wouldn't tell him anything. He didn't know how she had lived up until then, how she felt as she aimed for the royal throne, what she thought about the world seeing her as the Witch herself... And as for what Emilia thought about Subaru, he didn't want to know. " Kid. You all right? Hey!" "...Eh?" Subaru, realizing that Cadmon's face was leaning in extremely close, recoiled with a start. "Waah! Pops, don't do that! Your face could kill someone like that, damn it!" "That's a horrible thing to say! You were staring into space again, just like earlier. You got some chronic illness?" "W-well, if the passionate feelings burning in my chest are a disease, I might have been infected with something. It's a feverish, nasty illness that seduces mankind, sometimes gently and sometimes severely..." Cadmon, unable to keep up with Subaru's joking attempt to hide his empty, wounded heart, shook his head. "Yes, yes, you're afflicted with poor character is what it is. Fine, let's head back to the shop." Subaru, following him on the way back, came to realize that his entire body was drenched in a cold sweat. Perhaps it was due to the roiling emotions inside him, but each step felt very heavy. His head drooped as Cadmon abruptly murmured, his back still turned, "And this might be sticking my nose in, but stop talking about the Witch out in the open. If anyone hears you, they're not gonna be understanding...me included." It didn't seem like an effort to revive the earlier debate. Sensing the seriousness in Cadmon's voice, Subaru silently indicated his acceptance. With such thorough prejudice, there was no telling whose ire he would earn by running his mouth. At the very least, he had no desire for any more trouble in the royal capital. Cadmon ignored Subaru's agreement and repeated himself for emphasis. " You never know who's listening." As they cut through the throng and made their way back to the shop, the air between them seemed weighty somehow. Subaru hadn't managed to sort through his feelings, and Cadmon seemed annoyed and embarrassed about the dispute. There was barely a word spoken between them as they returned to the shop. However... "Welcome back. The final customer was just departing." Cadmon's mouth dropped open, and he stared agape at the sight of Rem exchanging merchandise for money and seeing off a customer with a polite bow. Dumbfounded, he peered at the empty display cases on the counter. For a moment, perhaps he thought that he'd abandoned his shop, trusting it to Rem only to have her sell his merchandise at fire-sale prices, but the store's till filled with coin showed that wasn't true. In other words, she'd sold it all. Cadmon sank to his knees, covering his face with his palms, his pride as a merchant apparently wounded. "I-in that short time, you sold more than my shop normally sells in an entire day..." With no regard for the store owner's dignity, Rem smoothly slipped around the counter and rushed to Subaru's side. She glanced expectantly toward the boy, and it seemed like an invisible tail was swaying behind her. "How did I do, Subaru? I heard he helped you in the past, so I worked my very best to at least be of assistance. You can praise me if you like?" The rare sight of Rem going, Praise me, praise me! made Subaru realize his heart felt just a little lighter. "...You really are incredible, Rem." "I am. But Sister is even more incredible." Subaru forced a smile and, following Rem's lead as she offered her head, gently petted it. He savored the totally familiar texture of her hair, and Rem's throat let out a small sound from Subaru's soft touch. "I still don't get how that logic of yours works, you know..." Watching the interaction between the two from behind, Cadmon stroked his own scar with a finger and slumped his shoulders. He murmured, "I guess appearance does matter..." The reason for his shop's slow sales was now all too clear. "Interesting. So that's why he gave mew these abbles for your troubles." Cat ears twitching, the speaker thrust a fork into a mountain of sliced red fruit and raised a juicy morsel to smiling lips with perfect grace. Those short feline ears were the same color as the shoulder-length flaxen hair below them, and the white ribbon adorning those locks joined large, round, teasing eyes to complete the picture of a pretty girl who was actually a boy. Subaru replied, "Well, I already taste tested them, so all I had to do was hand them to the kitchen. Setting that aside, don't give me sidelong glances and lick your lips. It's giving me chills." No, knowing both his external appearance and his actual gender, the proper term was definitely pretty boy. It was in between meals, some time prior to supper, and abbles had been brought in as a light snack. Cadmon had given them the fruit as a souvenir, looking both grateful and deeply burned at how Rem had broken his store's sales record in a short span of time. She had returned to her quarters for a change of clothes, intending to rendezvous with him later in his room as the daily ritual during Subaru's stay in the capital continued until suppertime. Subaru remarked, "That said man, returning to my room only to find a pretty boy sneaking into it ahead of me... I was careless for not leaving the door locked, but isn't that, you know, impolite for a knight?" "Aww, it's fine, no, isn't it? It's just proof how much Ferri can relax around you. Besides, Lady Crusch could never see Ferri act so lazy, even by accident." The pretty boy Ferris flopped right down next to Subaru's flank. As Subaru felt the bed bounce against his rear, Ferris looked up meaningfully from his position on his belly. "Did your heart flutter just now?" "It skipped a beat. I don't think anything bad about you, but I just don't have those kinds of interests at all. I like girls, as ordinary and regular as they come." No matter how adorable he might look, the fact they were the same gender was a barrier that Subaru had no intention of crossing. He shook his head in exasperation at Ferris's shocked expression. "In the first place, I have no idea what your reason is for being so relaxed around me. I mean, it's not like I remember getting along especially well with you before. I'm not giving off some kind of pheromones I should be worried about, am I...?" Ferris put his chin on his palms and responded blithely. "Ah, that's pretty simple, actually. It's because there's no doubt meowtsoever that you're weaker than Ferri, Subawu. You're a weakling, so no worries." Subaru blinked once and murmured, "You have a really bad personality, geez." "Wooow, what a surprise! Ferri was sooo sure mew were going to blow your lid there..." "Hey, facts are facts. I'm not gonna get bent out of shape over that." Subaru had learned many times over just how feeble he was. Since being summoned from his own world, he'd had his powerlessness repeatedly pounded into him. If the day of the clash with Julius at the parade square was the greatest example in terms of quality, the number of times Wilhelm had smacked him to the ground there at the mansion provided quantity. Besides, that sense of powerlessness wasn't particular to his new world, either. The pain of his own frailty was something he'd experienced everywhere he had ever lived. "Well, you can keep saying I'm weak, but how about you? I mean, since you're a part of the Knights of the Royal Guard, you've probably been trained some, but..." "Mm, me? Ferri doesn't have any skill with a sword at all. Knights' swords are heavy, so Ferri doesn't carry one just the dagger from Lady Crusch. Nothing good will come of waving it around, so Ferri doesn't." Ferris's cackling laugh and kicking feet embarrassed Subaru. The sight of the cat-eared boy so casually admitting his own shortcomings made his chest burn, plain and simple. His attitude not thinking of weakness as a failure was not one Subaru could dismiss so easily in his current state. Ferris seemed to see right through the silent Subaru's inner thoughts as he made an addendum. "But Ferri has other redeeming features, mew know? That's why being completely mewseless as a knight isn't upsetting at all." "Good save. Well, if you accept it then that's totally fine... Totally fine." Ferris's confident declaration was no doubt built on a very strong foundation. Subaru, with no such footholds, averted his gaze in distinct discomfort. Perhaps because Subaru turned his back doing so, Ferris sat up from where he lay on the bed and nestled into Subaru's shoulder, letting it support his weight. Then he asked a question. "Nervous?" "On the first day I was, but not anymore. If you're gonna do it, please, go ahead." "Boooooring." Pouting, Ferris sat Subaru up and put his hands on both of his shoulders. It was a shoulder rub posture, but Ferris held still in that position, silently closing his eyes. The warmth passing from Ferris's palms began to circulate from Subaru's shoulders into his whole body. The power of the water mana in his hands met the magical mechanism inside Subaru's body called a gate, rising and flowing through it. Ferris spoke again. "Gently, slowly, softly. Ah, found a split end. It feels like you've been working unusually hard, Subawu. Ah, a gray hair, too. Yanking that..." "Ow! And could you not babble when you're working? All this mana sloshing around in my body feels pretty

icky. If you aren't careful, you're gonna make me dizzy." His head felt a little heavy, and his limbs were sluggish. His body felt like it was reacting poorly to the attempted treatment. Ferris was the preeminent water magic user in the royal capital real name Felix Argyle. The reason Subaru was lodging at the Crusch villa was so that he could take advantage of the healing magic to heal his damaged gate. The idea of healing via water magic might have called to mind something cool and refreshing, but in practice, it was nothing that simple. A gate was the means by which one used magic. The direct cause of the damage to Subaru's gate was repeated overuse, as well as doping when his mana was depleted. Thanks to that continual abuse, just bringing his gate back to a normal state required rather rough measures. Subaru offered a comment. "So this healing technique is like taking a hose that water only trickles out of, plugging the leak and pushing out all the mold and junk that's built up inside..." "What? From the way you're speaking, it feels like mew aren't very happy about this, meow?" "I'm just beating myself up. Don't worry about it. Ugh, this feels gross." Subaru shook his head, enduring the sensation while trying to placate Ferris, whose mood had worsened. It was the third day he had been living at Crusch's mansion in other words, the third day of Ferris's treatment so perhaps he had begun to grow a little accustomed to that part, too. On the first day, he'd groaned out loud from the very start, unable to silently endure the urge to vomit. It was Ferris's turn to speak up. "Well, that first day couldn't be helped. Ferri had to pump this directly through the worst, ickiest part. That's what happens when you're a living corpse with wounds all over your mind and body, meow?" "You don't go halfway when you poke at uncomfortable stuff, do you?" Subaru hated how Ferris, who should have been unable to see the look on his face, seemed able to read his thoughts through his body. One might say that the way he unflinchingly dug at Subaru's scars was far craftier than how Reinhard unconsciously peeled the scabs off his heart without even realizing. "Oh, Subawu, it feels like mew really are thinking of getting payback. The training you're doing with Grandpa Wil isn't unrelated to that, is it?" "Can you stop jabbing at a guy where it hurts? I'm sure even you understand how I feel... Wait, do you?!" "Of course. Ferri's been like, 'I wanna be strong!' too... Well, Ferri's given up on doing anything reckless like that, though." Ferris's tone sounded slightly more serious as he used his pretty-boy speaking style to dance around the matter. Subaru was a little surprised, sensing Ferris's reaction contained his real feelings on the matter. Even someone as unflinching as that had had moments in the past when he was uncertain or lost. But eventually, he had realized his potential for magic and gave up the path of the warrior. What about Subaru, then? Did he have anything he could boast of to others? And if he could find such a thing, would it be able to drive away the miserable aching in his chest...? "Point being, you should give up on dark thoughts like getting payback, okay? It's a little hard to say, but... If there is a next time, you might die, mew know?" With a sulky look, Subaru closed one eye, his reply a barely spoken murmur. "...Even I know that." The earlier battle with Julius had ended with Subaru being pummeled beyond description. And in spite of the pounding he had received, he understood that the knight had gone easy on him. There was no other way to explain how he had been struck so many times yet had not suffered any lasting effects. That wasn't due to Ferris's skill as a healer alone. The difference between Subaru and Julius had simply been that overwhelming. Fully aware of this, Subaru had asked Wilhelm to teach him. He wasn't dreaming of becoming exponentially stronger in a mere several days of training. It was just... "Can't you just let yourself be lazy? Your body's in bad shape, Subawu. No one would blame mew for sleeping the day away in recovery. Who would complain if mew take it easy and give your mind and body a rest?" Ferris's words came out in a rush, not giving Subaru any time to make excuses. The way he said it grated on Subaru's nerves a little, but the message was extremely seductive given his current state of mind. For some reason, his heart wavered at that moment, though normally he would feel indignant. But... The sound of a gentle voice pulled him back from his chaotic emotional state. " Master Felix, please do not toy with Subaru too much." Rem was standing at the doorway of the room with a neutral expression on her face. She had supposedly returned to her room for a change of clothes, but her outward appearance was not visibly different from when she had been sightseeing with Subaru in the royal capital. Noticing the questioning rise of Subaru's eyebrows, Rem grasped the hem of her skirt and twirled around as she said, "I changed out of my maid-uniform-for-errands into my maid-uniform-for-visiting." "R-right, is that so. You always seem to know what I'm thinking, Rem." "Yes. I always want you to see me fresh." "I'm happy you feel that way, but your phrasing makes you sound like fresh vegetables..." Subaru answered Rem's apparent request to evaluate her freshness, and the maid did not follow up. Rather, she shifted her gaze toward Ferris. "I am grateful for the treatment you conduct for Subaru day after day. However, please desist from using that as an opportunity to lure him into temptation." Ferris made a suspicious-sounding laugh and nestled into Subaru's back once more. "'Luring into temptation' sounds so bad, meow. Ferri is only saying these things out of concern for his well-being." The flow of power from his palms, coursing in via Subaru's shoulders, suddenly flooded through his back and into his entire body. The influx of mana beyond Subaru's capacity to bear distracted him for a moment. However, a soft impact against his head brought his wandering mind fluttering back into place. "Master Felix. Please give these pranks a rest. There are some things I cannot let pass as a joke." When Subaru gasped and regained his senses, white fabric covered his face. Straining his eyes, he realized that his face was pressed into a very familiar apron dress and that Rem was caressing his head. "Hey, um, Rem, this is a little embarrassing to do in front of someone else...!" Subaru tried to cover up his bashfulness with his usual jokes as Rem embraced him even tighter. "Subaru, be quiet for a moment Master Felix?" Her tongue formed polite words, but they carried cold emotion. Ferris traced little patterns on Subaru's back like a child whose prank had been figured out. "Oh. They did say you can use a few water arts, Rem. Guess that would make you object to what Ferri has been doing..." "Hey, Ferris. Having a pretty boy do weird finger stuff like that doesn't make me happy one little b... Er, wait, Rem? My head, ah, feels good, but don't...hug...so...strong l... Gyah!!" "Ahh, Subaru, I'm so sorry. Master Felix just wouldn't pull back... I thought, if someone was going to take you from me, it was better that I..." "That statement's going dangerous places!!" Feeling like his skull was creaking, Subaru rolled to the floor to escape from both Ferris and Rem. He warily glared at the other two from the corner of the room, while Rem visibly lamented as she shook her head. "Subaru, you poor thing. You've gone through quite an ordeal, haven't you?" "What you were saying at the end was the scariest of all, Rem! There's a crazy little yandere in you, isn't there?!" Ignoring Subaru's objections, Rem faced off against Ferris across the bed. She gazed emotionlessly as the cat boy twirled his finger around his flaxen hair with a mischievous expression. "You have a reason to be angry, Rem, but it wasn't all some scheme by Ferri, mew know? It was for Subawu's sake, just a teeny widdle bit." "And everything besides that 'little bit'?" "The rest was for my friend's feelings, and everything else was for Lady Crusch. That's natural for a retainer, isn't it? It's no different for you, is it, Rem?" "It is not. Accordingly, you must understand what my reply must be, Master Felix." Ferris must have sensed something in Rem's stare, because he soon raised both hands in surrender. "Okay, okaaaay. Ferri will stop using the treatment to brainwash him." "From here on, I shall be present for all treatments." "Meow, no trust at all. Well, that's fine, really." Ferris glanced sideways at Subaru. When Rem shifted, as if protecting Subaru from that gaze, Ferris stretched up and looked down at him over Rem's shoulder. "So that's enough lecturing from Rem for today. Our next date will be somewhere she won't find us, meowkay?" "I don't remember dating you, and you just said 'brainwash,' didn't you?! I'm not meeting up alone with a guy who'll say something freaky like that!" "Okay, okay, that sounds like a yes." "No doesn't mean yes, geez!!" Ferris, waving as if the matter were settled, hopped off the bed and stretched as he headed toward the door. He stopped right before putting his hand on the doorknob as he looked back. "Rem." "Yes?" "You might not believe this, but... The part about this being for Subaru's sake, it wasn't a complete lie, mew know?" "...I...understand." Since Subaru was standing behind Rem, he couldn't see her expression. But he sensed that her brief reply held just a slight bit of hesitation. "Ah. Well, that's good. Bye-bye, then!" With a smile, Ferris gave his carefree salutation and finally left the guest room. Subaru, feeling utterly exhausted for some reason, flopped down from the sudden rush of lethargy. "I'm supposed to be getting treatment. Why do I have to feel this tired from it?" "Are you all right, Subaru?" "Mmm... I'm all right...I think. I don't really get it, but you saved me from something?" "That is unclear. Master Felix does not appear to hold any ill will toward you, so... I do not know the true motives behind his previous behavior." Seeing Rem ponder the matter, Subaru turned his head, perplexed. "Errr, so what state was I in earlier, anyway?" "Until just now, Master Felix was interfering with all the mana in your body, Subaru." "That so? Just figured healing required it. It's not a good feeling, and it's pretty awful, to be honest, but somehow I put up with it..." "Having another person's mana in you like that is the same as taking that person inside you. That made Master Felix's words much easier for you to accept, you see." "The way you said that sounds pretty bad, you know?!" Subaru stood up in a hurry, patting his body down to check things out. "Am I all right? There's nothing weird going on? My heart isn't becoming more womanly or my speech having more feminine twists to it or something?!" "It is all right, Subaru. You are quite splendid. I am always watching you, so please believe me." Subaru thought for a moment that he couldn't allow the peculiarities of her statement, but instead, he let it roll over him as he patted his chest down in relief. He also gained a new appreciation for just what position he was in. "Now that I think of it, this is, like, one of the enemy's main headquarters. I've been relaxing and letting my guard down a lot, though..." "Please be at ease. It is

true that you are incorrigibly laid-back and slow to catch on, but I am keeping guard, so there is nothing for you to be concerned about." "You couldn't leave out the 'incorrigibly laid-back' part?!" That moment, the truth struck him clear as day. Just imagining how much Rem had been waging a one-woman war while he was idly whiling away his time made him want to run out the door. "I'll try to be a bit more careful from now on. Everyone here is an enemy, after all." "...An enemy, you say?" He was trying to pull himself together after having been so focused on one thing. But in his determination, Subaru didn't notice that Rem was murmuring something. After ensuring his body was safe and sound, Subaru gazed at the magic crystal on a wall of the room to check the time. "Oh, time's a-wasting. How about you help me study until we get called for dinner, Professor Rem?" Subaru headed to a desk in the room. The remaining abbles were on top of the desk, sitting alongside study material he had brought with him from Roswaal's mansion. In other words, it was study time for Subaru, who had not yet mastered the language of this other world. "I really cannot get accustomed to being addressed like that." "Well, I think it's all right, since you're the one doing the teaching... If you don't like it, I can stop, Professor." "No! Please continue! It is something you call only me by! So Subaru may not call anyone else that! If you do, I will be upset!" "Well, if you're gonna be like that, I'll be relentless, too! Nggggh, you won't outdo me...!" Subaru chose an odd point to make a show of stubbornness, fiercely turning toward the table. Rem stood behind Subaru, watching him affectionately. But from time to time, she would stare into the distance, her mind wandering as her face showed faint signs of strain. "Professor, I don't understand this part very well..." But all traces of that look vanished the instant she heard Subaru's voice. "Oh Subaru, you are helpless. You could not get anything done if I were not here with you. I would not mind if you demonstrated your gratitude from time to time...?" "Excellent timing. Subaru Natsuki, would you come with me for a while?" Subaru had finished bathing and was on his way back to his room when someone addressed him in the lobby on the second floor of the Crusch residence. The long-haired woman was ascending the stairs and carrying a tray when she called out to him. For a moment, he wasn't sure who it was, since the outfit and aura she gave off were completely different from usual. Subaru's only reaction was to raise his brows. "...Miss Crusch?" "It is. Is there something odd about...? Ah, I see, this is the first time you have seen me in an outfit unrelated to my duties. I imagine it has startled you." Crusch seemed to realize what had unsettled him. The outfit she normally wore that resembled an army uniform was gone; in its place, she wore a nightgown with thin, dark fabric and a cape over the shoulders. Unlike the scrupulously buttoned-up military uniform, the nightgown showed off her very feminine physique with every step, greatly altering the aura she projected. Subaru was averting his eyes, feeling vaguely embarrassed, but Crusch apparently hadn't noticed. She continued, "Either way, it is fortunate that question has been resolved. To return to the original question, do you have some spare time? If it pleases you, I would like to have a drink with you this night." "...I don't drink alcohol, though." "You may sip water if you wish. I do not intend to drink enough to become inebriated." Crusch smiled a little as she rose farther up the stairs. Subaru was a little thrown off but, finding no reason to court her displeasure, made a short run to catch up. She led Subaru to a balcony on the third floor of the mansion. A white table and chairs had been placed in one corner of the terrace. Crusch sat down first and indicated the opposing chair with her gaze, so Subaru meekly complied. "The breeze is very refreshing tonight. It's the perfect weather, since I like to drink my liquor while watching the night sky." "I'm wondering why you invited me today, though. You could have invited Ferris or someone?" "Of course, normally I would have Ferris with me... However, he must work late this evening." Crusch must have been referring to Ferris's work as a healer, in great demand even in the royal capital. Just as Ferris had done for Subaru in the evening, he treated numerous people on a daily basis. It was a packed schedule that made almost no allowance for free time. "Besides that, it's good to exchange drinks with someone of a different rank and position once in a while." "I said it once already, but I don't drink alcohol, you know?" "You can simply add plenty of ice. You may even fill it with cold water if you wish. Now, then?" The tray on the table had a pair of wineglasses on it. In one, she poured amber-colored alcohol; in the other, she poured clear water. Subaru accepted the water, reluctantly touching his glass to Crusch's. The light clink was accompanied by the sound of the ice shifting within it as Crusch narrowed her eyes. "It seems you are anxious about a number of things, but please be at ease. I have not brought you here out of any desire to interrogate you. I swear that it is no such petty trick." "Ah, no... I wasn't worried about that." "There is no need to try to hide it. I can see anxiety and doubt in the night breeze around you. As we belong to rival camps, I am actually relieved by your wariness. That way, I do not forget my own principles." Crusch made a show of enjoying her half-filled glass, savoring it with her red tongue. Subaru, desperate to wash away the sense that she could see right into his mind, poured the cold water down his throat. "So these last few days, you've been pretty busy... Is it related to the royal selection?" " Ha-ha-ha! As soon as I tell you caution is unnecessary, you plunge straight into the heart of the matter. I certainly did not expect that. I do think that is exactly how rival camps should be, however." "Not knowing my place and not reading the mood are kind of my defining characteristics." "I would add spinning your own vices into virtues to the list. Certainly, it is the royal selection that has kept me occupied these last few days. It has added to Ferris's and Wilhelm's labors as well." Her wineglass held at an angle, Crusch spoke smoothly and in good humor. She seemed even more attractive than usual to Subaru's eyes, so he shifted his attention to the courtyard, which was in sight of the balcony. "And it's related to all the stuff you've been hauling into the mansion and the people coming and going?" "A sharper eye than I expected... Or rather, the scale was large enough that you could not fail to notice." With no sign that her good mood was waning, Crusch loosened her lips and replied to Subaru's question. "It's not unrelated at all. My house is currently assembling all the men and materiel possible for a particular task. It may cause you and Rem some trouble in the coming days." "I feel like it's us who are causing you a lot of trouble, but... What's this particular task?" " Have you heard the details of how Wilhelm came to enter my service?" After his question was answered with another question, Subaru couldn't say anything. He understood only that the "particular task" Crusch had mentioned concerned Wilhelm and that the details were not a topic he could broach without the old man's permission. "You are free to speculate... It seems I have said too much. Wilhelm might well scold me for this." "Wilhelm doesn't look like someone who'd talk to his master like that, though..." "He is a man without mercy. You should watch him instruct me in the sword at least once. He must think of our first meeting as a rather embarrassing one himself." Crusch made a wry smile, savoring the wine with the colorful tip of her tongue as she switched subjects. Subaru also sought a change in subject to reset his mind. "So you have sword lessons every day, too, huh?" "Surely you are not saying I should not wield one because I am merely a woman?" Subaru instinctively responded with embarrassment, but Crusch winked at him. "I jest. It is merely something I am accustomed to hearing since my youth that the little Karsten princess is both a maiden as well as a crazed fencer. I was considered the fool of the duke's house for my love of getting my hands dirty more than flowers." "...That's pretty different from the rumors I've been hearing. In public, all the common folk are praising you, saying you'll leave your mark on the kingdom's history." "The people changed their appraisal when they learned of my exploits. The sudden shift was rather calculating of them in my opinion, but it is my own fault for not having produced results in all that time. I do not intend to blame lords for altering their public stances. As for the rumors in the city, I can only call them embarrassing." She was apparently a big enough person to accept whatever people said about her deeds, for good or ill. Crusch never averted her eyes from discussion about being "merely a woman." Public opinion had dramatically changed because of her exploits which jogged Subaru's memory about something. "So that famous first battle was what changed how everyone thought of you?" "Mm..." As Subaru pursued the topic, Crusch rested her lips on her wineglass as she let out a small sound. Her amber eyes narrowed. "It is embarrassing." She turned her head with an uncharacteristic pout on her face. Subaru countered, "How can it be embarrassing? I heard demon beasts attacked your land, and you handled it great in your father's place. That's pretty cool for a first battle, isn't it?" "Of course not. Let me correct one misperception. I did not fell the demon beasts. I merely drove them off. I was a princess hastily and impudently taking command in place of her injured father." "But it worked, didn't it?" "Of course it did. I could not allow my first sortie to end in failure after I brushed aside my father's objections. However, the problem is the extent of the results. To me, my naïveté at the time is a shame most difficult to bear." Her mood had not fallen, but Crusch wasn't sugarcoating anything, either. She didn't think it was worthy of heroic tales. The topic Subaru had chosen was, from her perspective, a sore point of sorts. Thus, Crusch concluded the topic, shooting Subaru a jovial look. "You are rather fond of needling people yourself. As expected of a political rival, I suppose?" Subaru was completely unaware that he was such a person, but she'd given him no room to argue. He brought the ice-cold glass to his lips and tried to change the topic in an attempt to smooth over the awkwardness. "S-so incidentally, what else has changed besides that?" " Let me see. Since word of the royal selection spread, the number of proposals has increased by leaps and bounds. Though such talk comes with the territory of being a duchess to begin with." "Pfft!" Subaru spewed out water without thinking when his probing of a rival's internal circumstances took an unexpected turn. "P-proposals, as in, proposals for marriage?" "I will soon be twenty years of age... Marrying then is

not uncommon. It is awkward due to my gender and position, so I have deftly evaded such talk until now." "Ahh, the...duchess thing must really intimidate the men..." "A rather blunt way to put it. But that is indeed the case. A few have come forward to take my hand, each trying to make me his, but... That was then, and this is now." Crusch closed her eyes as a larger sip of wine flowed across her tongue. Her position as a royal candidate made her an especially pivotal person for the nation. No doubt there was a horde of potential suitors coming out of the woodwork who'd never made an attempt for her hand. "Miss Crusch, you're pretty optimistic about this proposal talk. Are you looking to get married?" "I wonder. It is a topic I have pondered myself. If I were to marry someone, he might be of great assistance to me in many situations, including ascendance in the royal selection. But all the candidates are single women, so the conditions are the same for all. I suppose matters are slightly different for Priscilla Bariel, who is a widow." Hearing Crusch's opinion, a wave of anxiety pressed against Subaru's innards. "I-I see... Everyone's single. Similar conditions... Marriage, huh..." Marrying someone of high status meant bringing that person into one's political camp. If Crusch had received marriage proposals, the other candidates probably had, too. Naturally, the same could be said for the young Emilia. "Forgive me, Subaru Natsuki. I have been somewhat mean to you in revenge." "...Eh?" Subaru, distracted by the possibility of Emilia marrying, was slow to react to the apology. "All individuals chosen as candidates for the Dragonfriend Ceremony are forbidden to marry during the royal selection period. Nominally, it is because one should put the kingdom before the self, but in reality, it is more of a desperate measure to prevent marriage ties from exacerbating political conflict." "Th-then all these marriage proposals you've been getting?" "I will assess them all after the royal selection is complete. Making the proposals beforehand rather than after the fact is more acceptable, I suppose. I will not make empty promises only to revoke them later, however." Subaru sighed with relief. If marriage arrangements were prohibited, there was no danger of Emilia being married off to someone behind his back. "But one can hammer out all the details while leaving the actual marriage for later." Subaru sullenly complained, "...Miss Crusch, do you enjoy toying with the hearts of men?" "You prodded at my own source of shame first. The least I could do was to return the favor." Crusch tilted her glass without a single hint of guilt. "Besides, people are usually too conscious about differences in rank to be honest with their own hearts. I have a rather deep interest in how such affairs will be settled." "Worry about your own love life before someone else's, sheesh. If you're pushing twenty, you must have one?" Since she'd been toying with him, Subaru tried to counterattack, but the reply he received was unexpected. "Unfortunately, having been born a Karsten means I cannot hope for freedom in marriage. I am still a woman, however much I may deviate from the conventional norms." In contrast to Subaru's romantic fantasies, Crusch had already given up on her own freedom to decide her relationships. It was a natural view of marriage in a world where status and family determined partners regardless of personal interest. As Crusch's eyes gazed at the melting ice in her glass, they quietly held unshakable will and resolve. Subaru took his time trying to form a rebuttal, but he was unable to speak a word. With the night breeze blowing across the balcony, Crusch ran a hand through her fluttering hair. She had pale skin. Almond eyes. Beautiful green hair, and a profile filled with such beauty and elegance as to shake others to the core. As much as she said that she deviated from the norm, Crusch was a beautiful woman. That fact did nothing to detract from the sublime nobility of her beliefs. Unable to bear the silence, Subaru chose a topic that might have been overly vague. "Miss Crusch... What do you think of the royal selection?" "Mm," she began in response, closing her eyes as she thought it over. "I spoke of it at the royal selection conference, but I harbor misgivings about the state of this country." "...You did say that, yeah." "If I take the throne, my policies will be as I stated. In spite of that, the Dragon Tablet selected me as a candidate, someone who would surely reject the Covenant. This is either the Dragon's will or that of some divine being. Do you not think so, Subaru Natsuki?" As Crusch posed her question, Subaru fell silent. Since he was unable to immediately give her a reply, she continued. "I do not overestimate or underestimate my own abilities and position. Reputation comes not from within but from others. That is especially so for one who rose to the status of candidate as I did, judged by those who thought nothing of me. It's not how I have lived until now that should be judged but how I live from now on." "It sounds like you want to make people pay for judging you like that." "Quite the contrary. Reputation is something granted by others, but I believe it should be granted after the fact, not before. If someone has a certain level of ability, judge her once you have seen the results. And yet the Dragon Tablet brought me, one convinced of these things, within reach of the throne... Perhaps that was a smart thing to do." Crusch's amber eyes narrowed slightly as they gazed at the ice in her glass. Subaru couldn't think of a response. He felt like she viewed the world in a very different way than he did. Unable to bear his silence, Subaru tossed the ice in his glass into his mouth and crunched it down. Just as he tried to use the sound of crushing ice to break the silence, a scornful voice suddenly interrupted him. "Aaah! Why is Subawu here with mew, meow?!" In the direction of the cry, he could see Ferris rushing onto the balcony, his shoulders heaving. He hurried to the table and banged a hand on it, shaking the glass bottles as Crusch thanked him for his labors. "Thank you for your hard work, Ferris. I'm sorry, I thought you would be back much later, so I had a drink with Subaru Natsuki as an appetizer." "Did you just call me an appetizer?!" "Goodness, Ferri can't leave you alone for one second, meow! Ah? And Lady Crusch, you've had much more wine than mewsual, haven't mew?!" Ferris looked at how much liquid remained in the bottle as he spoke. "Being all friendly with Subawu... Having such a fun conversation... Aaaagh, so jealous!" "It is true I've enjoyed more wine than usual. He is a rare conversation partner, and we leaped from topic to topic. Some of it was rather embarrassing, however." "People are gonna get the wrong idea if you put it like that!" "Grrrrr! What is this?! And Lady Crusch, you're wearing such a defenseless outfit!!" When Ferris pointed it out, Crusch looked down at her mere nightgown. She inclined her head slightly, raising her glass a little. "What of it? Do I not always dress like this when I have drinks with you in the evening, Ferris?" "That! Is! The! Problem! Mew can't compare your time with Ferri to a ravenous beast of a man like this! Men are wolves, meow!" As Ferris admonished Crusch like an aggrieved parent, Subaru yelled back. "Hey, don't single me out here! You're a man, too, aren't you?!" Subaru had not forgotten about how Ferris's gender had thrown his heart for a loop. "That's because Ferri would never cast a lascivious gaze upon Lady Crusch! But the way Subaru wanders this way and that, he can't be trusted, meow." "That's enough toying around, Ferris. All at the royal selection conference know who Subaru Natsuki cares for. He would not set his sights upon a woman as lacking in charm as myself." When Crusch eyed Subaru in search of agreement, he hesitated for a moment. "Err... Well, that's true...I suppose?" Ferris instantly cut in. "Haahh? What? You're disappointed with Lady Crusch in some way...? Do you want Ferri to kill mew?" "Why do I need your approval for my answers?!" Crusch interrupted. "Wait. Why did a wind of hesitation and deception flow from your direction just now...? What does this...? Ah, I see. You have Rem as well. Certainly my words were not adequate." "And now she really has the wrong idea!" Crusch wore a very accepting expression while Ferris glared frostily at Subaru. The conclusion she had come to was trouble enough, but the usually adorable cat boy was quite intimidating when his expression was serious. Subaru desperately tried to explain and clear up the misunderstanding as the night breeze again washed over the three on the balcony. In front of Subaru, who was taking little sips of his water, Crusch and Ferris filled their glasses to the brim with wine. As he watched them, he abruptly voiced something that had been nagging at him. "You two get along really well. Been with each other a long time?" "Hmph. Continuing to gather intelligence on the enemy?" Ferris asked. "Not at all. You just look so close, I wanted to come out and ask." Ferris sat alongside Crusch, glancing at his master while enjoying the same wine. Subaru didn't think feelings that ran as deep as Ferris's were formed in a short period of time. "You are right. Ferris and I have been together for a long time... Ten years now, is it?" "Ten years, one hundred twenty-two days, six hours. Give or take, meow." "That's so specific it's scary, you know." Ferris glared at him. Subaru regretted his comment as the pretty boy put a hand to his own cheek. "Even now, Ferri can't forget that first glimpse of Lady Crusch. It's engraved in my meowmery. Since that day, Ferri has been Lady Crusch's eternal servant." Crusch commented, "You make too much of it, Ferris. I did no more than what was required of me. The fact that doing so earned me your loyalty is what I would call the most fortuitous event of my life." There was no distance between them. From a simple crossing of paths, they had become so incredibly close. Their relationship as master and servant surely made them the pair with the strongest foundation out of everyone vying for the royal throne. "We get along fabulously, right? Unlike some other pairs I could meowntion?" Ferris said. *** "Goodness, Subawu, you're too easy to see through!" Ferris smiled, having bluntly revealed the thoughts currently rising to the surface in the back of Subaru's mind. His cheek twitched as he glared at Ferris, but the feline eyes watched him innocently as their owner tilted his wineglass. Crusch took up the topic instead, closing one eye and giving Subaru a stern look. "I presume that what has brought you to a standstill is your relationship with Emilia as lord and vassal." Crusch drew her chin in a little, gently licking her alcohol-drenched lips. "You cannot use my relationship with Ferris as a reference for resolving that stalemate. The issues between Ferris and me were resolved an entire decade ago." "...My 'stalemate'?" "Perhaps I should call it a rite of passage... Something that must be overcome by people before they can become lord and vassal in a true sense. Now that I think of it, right after Ferris decided to serve me, he explored what he could do through pure trial and error." Like a child being teased, Ferris's face turned red at having his past abruptly revealed. "W-wait, Lady Crusch! Please

don't talk ameowt that. It's embarrassing!" Crusch watched Ferris and shook her head. "It is nothing to blush over. How could the sight of one doing his best to locate his place and appropriately serve another be shameful? Impressed by your resolve, I went to equal lengths to be a master who would not bring you disgrace. Even now, I do not know if I have achieved such a thing." "Ferri will never harbor dissatisfaction toward his lady Crusch, not in an entire lifetime!" "You spoil me. You would say the same thing if I spent all my days in complete idleness. This is why I must have a strong character: to resist the temptations of depravity." It was a very humble-sounding statement, and Crusch seemed to be earnestly speaking from the bottom of her own heart. Ferris sent her an even more passionate look, but Subaru simply wanted to run away. Seeing their relationship, and the absolute, unshakable trust between them, tore at his heart. Crusch said to Subaru in a sharp voice, " Do not lower your eyes, Subaru Natsuki." "...Eh?" "If your eyes become clouded, your soul will go astray. That will mean your future is closed and you have lost your purpose for living." *** "When you follow your own sense of justice, you can do any number of things if you just look at the ground. Lift your face, look forward, reach out your hand. Even when doing something for others, you must be able to see them for your feelings to get across." Subaru's throat caught. Every drop of blood in his body froze. For a moment, Crusch's words drove a nail into his heart. Still, she didn't look at the frozen boy, but at the wine in her inclined glass. Subaru wondered: if those eyes pierced him at that very moment, what would have happened? Perhaps, at that instant, he would have fallen on his hands and knees without a single moment's hesitation. Subaru was not only surprised at her seeing right through him, but he also had to take his hat off to her skill as a great stateswoman. Still, he was able to avoid kneeling before her because Ferris was the first to respond to her words. "Ahh, Lady Crusch... I swear again to exhaust my life in service of my master." "Then I can only respond to your loyalty with the entirety of my spirit Subaru Natsuki, strive to do nothing that would diminish yourself. I do not want to think of you as an insignificant foe." Ferris's loyalty, Crusch's nobility both stirred Subaru's heart deeply. He wet his parched tongue, failing to form words several times before he managed to speak. "Lending an enemy a hand, huh... It's awfully nice of you to give your opponents a fighting chance." "This matter is important enough to decide the future of the entire nation. This may be highly impudent of me to say, but if I must struggle for the throne, I wish for it to be against worthy rivals. A crown earned by defeating weaklings will do nothing to impress the lords of the land." "...Wanting strong opponents means you're confident about beating them, huh?" "I have no such confidence whatsoever. What I have is will, and I have poured effort into achieving optimal results so that I can do what I must. Furthermore, I hope that my rivals do the same." This was the individual named Crusch Karsten, her every thought humble until the bitter end. Having exchanged drinks with her like this, the impressions he held of her "sincere," "high-class" changed. This was a woman like a sword, fierce as a firestorm, pitiless as a naked blade. Ferris relaxed his voice, clapping his hands together as he dissolved the tense atmosphere. "Somemeow, the conversation became so formal. Let's unwind now." Bathed in a cool breeze, Subaru realized that his brow was covered with sweat. Crusch replied, "I am sorry for speaking so stiffly. I mustn't get carried away with entertainment or my drinks." "No, no, mew needn't apologize for anything, Lady Crusch! Subawu understands what he needs to do meow." Ferris's words, summarizing the earlier conversation, sounded very hollow to Subaru's ears. "What I...need to do now...?" Surely he understands had been the implication, but Subaru couldn't put his finger on it. The only things he'd picked up during the evening spent over drinks were that Crusch and Ferris shared an unshakable bond and that he was small and confused. Subaru didn't see anything about what was to come or what he needed to do. Yet in spite of that, what could Subaru tell them that he now understood? *** "As far as Ferri is concerned, having Lady Emilia and Subawu all split up is kinda fun, but that's not what Lady Crusch wants at all. Sooooo you need to make up with Lady Emilia as soon as meowssible. And do what mew can do to make that happen." "What I can do?" Could he really accomplish anything, worn to the bone as he was? "Yes. A long time ago, back when Ferri became Lady Crusch's knight, he thought very, very hard about what he could accomplish." Ferris put a hand to his chest as he returned to that time in his memories. Crusch's lips slackened slightly as she glanced over at him like that. For a moment, Subaru heart beat faster in his chest. Something only Subaru Natsuki could do? He realized it, as if it had come down to him like a revelation from the heavens itself. "There...is something I can do." Both of the others glanced at him as he continued, "There's something only I can do Yeah, that's right. No one should've had to tell me that." Now he knew. No, he'd always known. He'd been reminded when he had been on the verge of forgetting. Truly, Crusch and Ferris were benevolent people. They were providing aid to the enemy with everything they had, like the famous Kenshin Uesugi. They had reminded Subaru of exactly what he could do for Emilia's sake. "Yeah... I have something. I've always had it." It had nothing to do with power, or knowledge, or rank, or status. It didn't need to. For, just as Ferris had said, Subaru possessed a single, ultimate weapon. It had been in him from the beginning. But everything that had happened to him had shoved it into a dark corner of his mind. Images of Julius, Reinhard, and Emilia came to him, one after another. All of them looked at Subaru with contempt sharp enough to cut his soul. These were the people Subaru Natsuki had to prove himself to. "I just need a chance. If I can get that... I can make all my problems go away." Subaru felt like a dark cloud had lifted as doubt left his heart and he gained confidence in its place. He clenched a strong, tight fist, picturing a silver-haired girl in the back of his mind. Crusch gently turned her wineglass around in her hand as she murmured offhandedly. "The wind blows stronger. It would seem tomorrow's weather will be somewhat stormy." Then, with a small sound, the melting ice cube within her glass neatly split in two. CHATER 2 *** The tip of the wooden sword made contact with Subaru's forehead. The next instant, centrifugal force immediately blew him away. He felt like the sky and the ground had been swapped as he wrapped his arms around himself, cushioning the blow as he made a well-formed roll. Having neutralized the damage from the tumble, he proudly licked his lips at his own mastery. "Geh, there's dirt on it. Ptoo, ptoo, ptoo. Tastes like grass. Ptoo, ptoo!" "Shall we bring this to an end?" "Surely you jest. You saw my expert falling technique, didn't you? My genius has finally blossomed!" Saying the words almost broke Subaru's heart. He had mastered the skill in the course of being pounded day after day. The boy had sparred with Wilhelm every day during his stay at the Crusch villa. He still couldn't land even one attack, but his ability to improve his falling technique suggested that Wilhelm wasn't simply smacking him around without a purpose. The older man presented a rebuttal, though. "However, it is a useless technique for a duel with real swords." "You didn't need to point that out!! The pine tree of my heart has a lot of cracks right now!!" Certainly, in a bout that could end in a single sword stroke, a martial arts skill for properly receiving a blow and falling was not very useful. Improving a skill used solely for practicing was a misplaced priority, but it was still well worth it during sword training. "I must say, you seem to be more spirited this morning somehow." "Last night, I had a little discussion with Miss Crusch about my concerns Thanks to that, all my hesitation's disappeared. I feel pretty good at the moment." "In a book I read yesterday, a character who was only beginning to become accustomed to the battlefield spoke much like you are now. He lost his life because he took his fight for granted, Sir Subaru." "So there's death flags even in other worlds?!" Apparently even in a small corner across the cosmos, there were lines that marked you for death, just like back home. But Subaru had been anxiously awaiting Wilhelm's words of concern. The older man raised his eyebrows in a questioning expression. "Sir Subaru?" A smile came over the boy as he shook his head. "...Nothing. Really, nothing at all." At that moment, "the field of battle" and "death" were things he could welcome with open arms. Those were opportunities for Subaru Natsuki to establish his worth in an undeniable way. "So much waste." "Ugah!" When sword practice resumed, Wilhelm exploited the opening created by Subaru's wandering thoughts, using a minimal motion to strike with his sword. He took advantage of all the boy's excess power and unnecessary momentum and easily sent Subaru's body dancing into the air with no visible power behind the sword attack. "I can handle this!" Subaru, desperate to keep from falling on his head and causing serious damage, instantly shifted his head and curled up, adopting an ironclad fall-breaking posture that could let him land anywhere without major injury. However... "Do you really think that is the last of it?" With one smooth motion, Wilhelm inserted his wooden sword through a gap in Subaru's curled-up limbs, wrecking his posture. The boy's arms and legs spread out wide, and unable to grasp what was happening, he slammed into the ground, limbs splayed. "Gyah!" Subaru rubbed his still-smarting nose and shot an objecting glare at Wilhelm. His sword-fighting tutor responded by thrusting his wooden weapon straight down into the grass. Subaru's breath caught in his throat under the calm gaze. "Adopting a position to break your fall and prepare for whatever might come next is the first meaningful progress you have made. But more important, I refuse to accept the premise of teaching you to fight in a manner that assumes defeat from the very beginning." "Uhh..." "If I may, before teaching you how to swing a sword and techniques to break a fall, I shall tell you how to prepare in a more fundamental manner." As Subaru grunted, showing Wilhelm had hit the mark, the tutor raised a finger. " If you have decided to fight, fight with all your body and soul. Forget all pretty words that lead to defeat. Hunger and thirst for victory using any means necessary. If you can still stand, if you can still move a single finger, if your fangs have not yet been broken, stand. Stand. Get up, get up, and attack. So long as you live, fight. Fight, fight, fight!" *** "That is what it means to do battle." Wilhelm's visible pause lifted the tense air that had come to dominate the courtyard. Only then did Subaru

realize just how loudly his own heart had been beating. At the same time, each deafening throb drove home the fact that he was alive. Living had never felt better. The feelings that had made him welcome the prospect of death until mere moments before had suddenly flown away. The instant Wilhelm began to speak of preparing for battle, the air around him completely changed. He might have looked like a mild-mannered gentleman, but Subaru felt a sword-wielding demon within him. Perhaps that was the true nature behind the old man named Wilhelm. The one who wielded such strength that he was employed as the personal sword instructor of Crusch Karsten, favorite to win the royal election the aged swordsman, Wilhelm Trias. "So fight to win, even if you know...you're gonna lose... It's a little inconsistent, but I understand what you mean. It's not logic; it's a matter of emotion. Then..." Subaru, still in awe of the elderly man, felt the fighting spirit in him rekindled as he replied. I can handle this, said his stubbornness. He couldn't let that breakthrough to his doubts, that ray of hope come apart in such a short time. The feelings of Subaru Natsuki were not that cheap. He couldn't let them be. " If I can do that, can I get a little stronger?" "That is a different matter. The desire to be stronger and actually doing so are separate matters altogether." "So now you deny me?! Don't you think saying yes would make for a more beautiful tale?!" "...I have learned the cruelty of lies through bitter experience. I could not forgive myself for telling one." Subaru did not notice how the other man's eyes momentarily fell as he spoke. "I believe sometimes the truth is crueler than a lie, just so you know..." Subaru felt like Wilhelm was dodging the question, so he re-gripped his wooden sword and abruptly murmured, "Do you see any sword talent inside me?" "From where I stand, unfortunately, you have none. Your aptitude for the blade goes no further than the common man's the same place as mine." The strained, self-deprecating smile that came over Wilhelm made Subaru raise an eyebrow in surprise. "That's pretty humble coming from you, saying you have no talent with a sword." "It is the truth. I have no gift for it. If I did, I surely would not have had to wield one nearly as much. Therefore, it is possible for you to arrive at the same level as I." "...Incidentally, how long would I have to work at it?" "Nothing so great. You would only need to devote half your natural life to it." "Only, he says." It was often said that continually striving to improve was true talent. In actuality, even with Wilhelm telling him that he could arrive at the same level, Subaru couldn't fathom the drive to devote as much time to the sword as the old man, or a reason to do so. In the first place, the reason Subaru had Wilhelm teach him like this was "I thought, like, pouring myself into the sword without worldly thoughts might let me find enlightenment for the first time..." "I wonder now. Whatever you might grasp will not make you suddenly stronger, after all, and I do not think a clear mind or lack thereof determines who will win and who will fall in the end." Wilhelm drily conveyed his opinion. "Besides," he continued, "if I must say so, I have rarely wielded my blade with a clear mind. Particularly when I first began, I had very few thoughts about the way of the sword." "So what did you think of?" "My wife, and my wife alone." "Sheesh, Wilhelm! Sometimes you really go on about that wife of yours." Subaru remembered how he had spoken of his beloved wife when they had first met, but Wilhelm had also praised his bride to high heaven during Subaru's stay at the mansion. It must have been a harmonious marriage. Seeing Subaru break out in a strained smile at the latest episode of this behavior, Wilhelm rubbed his chin. "Someday, you will reach a point where such preparedness is necessary to become stronger. Well, it's nothing you need to worry about at present, Sir Subaru." "What do you mean?" Subaru tilted his head slightly. Wilhelm shook his head a tiny bit at the gesture. "I simply mean that there is little point in lecturing someone about what it takes to become stronger when he has already abandoned the choice to do so." *** For a moment, Subaru's face froze over, unable to comprehend what he was being told. However, the breakdown was momentary. He immediately shrugged, as if dismissing it as a joke. "Hey now, what are you saying all of a sudden, Wilhelm? I'm as surprised as a burglar who gets stopped before he actually steals anything. I've done what now?" "If you are aware of it yourself, it would be inelegant to speak further of it. I have said what I wished to say. It would have been difficult to tell you had I let this opportunity slip by." Wilhelm, speaking as if he understood everything, left no room for Subaru to pursue the matter. Unease smoldered in Subaru's chest. Wilhelm's words had left him with an undeniable sense of nervousness. And Wilhelm could tell exactly what that feeling meant. Instantly, that truth tore unbearably and mercilessly at the boy's heart. Subaru, sweating in the throes of a phantom chill, raised his head when Wilhelm looked toward the mansion and spoke. "Sir Subaru. It seems that this morning's practice is at an end." " Ah?" When Subaru followed his gaze, he noticed a small silhouette racing into the courtyard Rem. Normally, she was not one to show emotion on her face, but he could see a sense of quiet tension on her as she ran. Had something...happened? For Subaru, at that moment in time, it was fortuitous salvation, a golden opportunity to forget his conversation with Wilhelm. He looked at Rem's haste and agitation with relief. Or maybe that was because Subaru had suspected where things had been headed. "Subaru We need to talk." When Rem stood right before him, her serious expression made his heart tremble. But Subaru would never speak to another about the anticipation he felt in that moment. Lady Crusch, waiting in the reception room, gave a knowing nod as she saw Subaru approach. "It would appear that you have already heard." Crusch and Ferris were together in the reception room, waiting for Subaru and Rem as master and vassal. Subaru, last to enter the room, couldn't deny he felt late to the party as he shook his head a little. "I haven't heard the details yet. Seems like Rem only has a vague idea, too." When Subaru's eyes shifted to indicate Rem beside him, she dipped her head with a tense expression and said, "What I have felt is only a result of the consciousness I share with Sister. Sister's clairvoyance would be able to gather more details about the situation, but..." Rem lowered her eyes as her words trailed off, looking dismayed at her own powerlessness. Rem's reply caused Crusch to exhale in apparent admiration. "Shared consciousness I have heard of this, that close relations from a select few humanoid species, such as twins and blood relatives, can understand each other's thoughts without requiring words... And you can do this from the royal capital to a place as far removed as the Mathers dominion?" "As already stated, it is a vague thing. Powerful emotions and words that one wishes to convey very strongly can be related. However..." As Crusch sat, Ferris adopted a casual posture behind her, his kitty ears quivering. "From how mew put that, mew must have felt something pretty unsettling over that telepathy, right?" Subaru, put off by Ferris's demeanor, shifted to stand in front of Rem. "Don't keep us in suspense here. If you know anything about this, say something. Don't just leave Rem twisting in the wind like that. Spill the beans already." "Ooh, mew don't like me now? Besides, intelligence doesn't come for free. You're just a patient and a guest, Subawu. Why should we tell you anything?" "You...!" Properly speaking, Ferris was right. Even if he was a guest on the surface, Subaru's position was that of a patient and an outsider. He could insist it concerned him all he liked, but since he was part of a political faction, only a fool would toss him a bone just because he'd begged for it. But as Subaru cursed his own shallowness, it was Crusch who rebuked Ferris. "Ferris. Do not be unkind. There is no reason for you to play the villain here. All toying with Subaru Natsuki will earn you is an angry glare from Rem." "Fiiiine." Crusch, still seated alone on the sofa, motioned for Subaru to sit in the chair opposite her. "Self-reflection leads to personal progress. But that depends on the time and situation. I would like to prioritize trading opinions here and now. How about it?" "...Sure thing. Hate to take a free ride, but I really want to hear what you have to say." Subaru accepted her offer and sat with Rem standing at his side. Crusch began. "In the Mathers dominion that is, in the fiefdom of Marquis Roswaal dangerous activities have apparently been reported around his manor. Part of the domain has already been placed under lockdown at the marquis's command." Subaru's brows rose at the unsettling language. "Dangerous activities? Lockdown?" The fact Rem's telepathic connection had been triggered had prepared him for bad news, but even hearing the details made unease churn within him. "We do not actually know what is occurring within the Mathers dominion. But I can hazard a guess, given that the marquis's support for Emilia in other words, a half-elf as a royal candidate has come to light." "What, you mean the serfs are on stri They're complaining left and right?" When Subaru voiced the first misgivings that came to mind, Crusch easily agreed with them. "That is quite possible, of course. The infamy of the Witch of Jealousy makes prejudice against half-elves a battle she cannot avoid." Once again, Subaru couldn't allow the circumstances of her birth to be her shackles. He was growing to hate the faceless mob that talked trash about Emilia without knowing anything about her as a person. "Your rage is surely misplaced. She chose this path, knowing what she would face." "Misplaced? You mean me or those people? ...So what, they're kicking up trouble in Roswaal's fiefdom for a stupid reason like that? Are these little brush fires that'll burn out, or is it going to turn into a massive firestorm?" "Setting aside whether the reasons are petty or not, the summary is sound. This also explains Rem's telepathic reaction." Crusch turned to Rem as she spoke, drawing all eyes to the previously silent girl. "The feelings I am picking up from Sister are partly unease and largely...anger. I believe she did not mean to convey these things but did so subconsciously." "Do these shared sensations between you occur with great frequency?" "No, it is quite rare. We are always controlling our thoughts to a certain extent. I believe that in this case, Sister transferred these things to me in spite of self-restraint." When Rem reached the latter half of her explanation, she could not conceal the anxiety coloring her words. It was not an exaggeration to say that Ram had the most mental strength of anyone at Roswaal Manor. A crisis that could shake even her restraint was clearly no small matter. And yet, beyond what Ram had let slip telepathically, she had made no effort to call for Rem's aid. Subaru murmured to himself alone as his conclusion burned him up inside. "It's like she's...trying to keep us from getting involved..." The only explanation he could come up with was that Ram had told

Rem of the danger over their mutual link without calling her sister back, because she intended to convey that information to Rem...and avoid letting Subaru know. Did she want to keep Subaru out of her problems to that extent? "But she's in trouble, isn't she...?" The situation was bad enough that it had reached Crusch's ears, there camped in the capital. As was typical, there were few that Emilia could count on, and she had enemies numbering beyond reason. In such circumstances, who would take her side without some kind of ulterior motive? The answer was no one. After all, there was nobody currently at her side who would be her staunch ally. She had left behind the one who would have. No doubt, when Emilia realized that, she would regret what she had done. That was why Subaru lifted his head and murmured with determination, "I've...got to go save her, don't I?" This time, all gazes fell upon him. Crusch raised one eyebrow, and Ferris softly closed his teasing lips. Then Rem tugged on Subaru's sleeve with a nervous look. "N-no, Subaru, you mustn't...!" The anxiety and mournful pleading in Rem's eyes startled him. She continued, "You must do as Lady Emilia and Master Roswaal have told you and concentrate on your own treatment. I, personally, agree with them. You must focus on healing your body for the time be " "If I do that, stuff will happen that can never be undone. Rem, it's like that time back when we talked before going into the demon beast forest. We've...got to do something." *** Rem's expression stiffened in pain at Subaru's words. They had spoken like this in the past, just before entering the demon beast forest to rescue the abducted children. Subaru had said the same things to Rem when she'd tried to stop him. Those actions had consequences. As a result of his decision, the children had been rescued safe and sound. That was why Rem knew very well what was behind Subaru's resolve now. Keeping Rem at bay as she clung to him, he shifted to look straight at Crusch, seated before him. "It's as you heard, Crusch. Rem and I will go back to the ma... To where Emilia is. Until things are settled, I'll have to put off the treatm " Subaru was delivering his verdict as a member of his political camp when Crusch curtly interrupted him by calling out his name. "Subaru Natsuki." Subaru's breath caught under Crusch's penetrating gaze. His heart beat much harder; he had the sinking feeling that he'd forgotten who he was dealing with. Then she coldly stated... " If you leave this place, it means that you have become my enemy." Subaru felt those words as keenly as a blade slicing into his flesh. Then, when the meaning began to dawn on him, like a laceration just beginning to ache... "Wh-what do you mean by...?" "Let me correct your misunderstanding. My treatment of you as a guest and Ferris's healing you is the result of a contract." "Contract...?" "Yes, a contract for your care between Emilia and me. My house has received collateral in exchange for treating you as a guest. However..." As her words trailed off, Crusch put a hand to her chest to indicate herself. "The circumstances before the royal selection, when the contract was formed, and now are different. Now that we are publicly political enemies, I must take great care in any negotiation with Emilia's camp. It is the same for the contract governing your treatment. If there is any violation of its terms, I have no obligation to uphold an agreement formed before the commencement of the royal selection now that it has begun in earnest." To Subaru's ears, the word contract that she kept repeating sounded like promise. It sat very poorly in his chest, mingling with his memories of parting ways with Emilia. Crusch pressed on. "In these circumstances, your departing from my residence would be a violation, a unilateral abridging of the contract midway. After all, though there is no enmity attached, Emilia and I are enemies." Subaru's mind couldn't catch up with Crusch's blunt declaration of war. He understood that the duchess and her people were "enemies" on paper. He'd barely finished saying to Rem that he was sorry for leaving himself defenseless in the manor and would adopt the right mindset going forward. And yet, Subaru had yet to fully grasp what that meant. The person standing before him was the greatest enemy standing in his and Emilia's way. "I did have it all wrong... I thought for a little bit that we might be able to be friends or something." *** "That was just dumb talk over drinks. 'If you can do something, do it...'? I was a fool to take an enemy's words at face value. I'm being petty. Tripping up your opponent is the right thing to do." The same hazy sense of alienation that he'd felt at the royal selection conference seeped into his chest. Subaru saw his memory of their conversation over drinks the night before in a new light and felt betrayed, since it was Crusch herself who had told him to do whatever he could. To stand in his way despite those words: Was that not a betrayal? Ferris, silent to that point, spoke as if he couldn't stand to watch. "...Don't misunderstand, meow!" His sharp look made Subaru bite his tongue and swallow his words. "Lady Crusch isn't acting out of malice but kindness. It wouldn't hurt her at all if mew left to return and try to help Lady Emilia " Crusch interrupted. "Ferris, stop." But Ferris brushed off Crusch's rebuke and glared at Subaru. "No, I will say it. For such a minor meowsunderstanding, it's far too cruel, so someone has to say it... Subawu, going will do nothing to change things. It's pointless to go. On top of that, you'd be wasting Lady Emeowlia's contract, which she paid for with a fair sum. After the humiliation you went through at the royal palace and what happened with Julius at the parade square, you still don't get it? Staying put, hoping for the best, and focusing on healing your body is the far better choice." Subaru heard something. The sound of something snapping inside himself. He'd been stuffing his anger into a sack within him, and when he realized it was now open, Subaru was seized by such a rage at the humiliation inflicted on him that his teeth cut into his lip. Those provocations were more than enough to harden his resolve. "I've decided I'm returning to the mansion where Emilia is. It's been a short time, but thanks for your hospitality." As Subaru spoke his farewells, Rem shouted to hold him back. "Subaru!" But he held up a hand to Rem as he rose from his seat, looking down at Crusch. Crusch folded her arms and closed her eyes. He had no idea what was inside her heart. Ferris, seated beside her, let out a long sigh, his face making his sullen mood clear as he said, "No respect for others' feelings... Shouldn't a good man take warnings at face value?" "Your warning let me make my decision. Thanks." Ferris apparently gave up on discussing the matter after Subaru returned his sarcasm. Instead, Crusch unfolded her arms before looking at him and resuming the conversation. "Subaru Natsuki. Unfortunately, all of this house's dragon carriages for long-distance transportation are already assigned to other tasks. All that I can lend you is a slower freight carriage or a midrange carriage that would require you to dismount and go part of the way on foot." "...Er?" Subaru's eyes widened. He'd expected her to berate him for unilaterally breaking the contract, but Crusch...almost sounded like she agreed with Subaru's decision. The unexpected reply made Subaru's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets. She raised an eyebrow with a questioning look before turning toward Ferris. "Ferris. Did I say something odd?" Ferris put his hands to his cheeks and squirmed as he replied. "Even Ferri's dazzled at how incredibly you can adapt, Lady Crusch. But, ah, you aren't actually going to lend Subawu a dragon carriage, are you?" Crusch nodded in the affirmative. "It is as I said. I respect the decisions of others. No matter what the decision, it is very important to take responsibility for it. And no matter what burden you bear, you must work to achieve what you want to achieve and bring no dishonor to your soul Is it not so?" "...Yeah, it is. That's exactly it. I don't want my soul to become shameless. If that girl's in trouble, there's no way I can stay here as a patient and spend my days without a care in the world." Crusch's affirmation made Subaru uncomfortable, as if he had been gearing up to fight an opponent that didn't plan on doing battle. Perhaps Subaru had conveyed his resolve, because Rem closed her eyes, seemingly berating herself for a single moment. When she opened them again, she had returned to her normal neutral expression. "In place of my master, let me extend my deepest thanks for everything you have done to date." "I don't mind. There is benefit to us as well. However, I would like to speak to you concerning the last leg of the journey..." Rem lowered her head, treating Crusch's offer with great courtesy. "If I may be so bold, we would be grateful for the help. We wish to confirm that the dominion is safe without a moment to spare. However, time is short. It will no doubt take two and a half days to reach the Mathers lands from the royal capital." Subaru exclaimed, "Over two days?! Why? When we came it didn't even take half of one day to get here!" If his memory was correct, the dragon carriage left Roswaal Manor in the morning, arriving at the royal capital just past noon. Even without a long-distance carriage, the disparity in the lengths of the journeys was too extreme. "That's impossible now. The Liphas Highway we used to get here cannot be used currently. The season is poor, and fog is covering the road... Therefore, we must take a detour around it." "So what if there's fog on it? If we just cut right through that " Ferris interrupted, swatting Subaru's opinion down with what was apparently public knowledge. "It's the White Whale that makes the fog, mew know? If mew stumble across it inside the fog, your life is gone. That's just commeown sense, right?" Subaru scowled at the unfamiliar term White Whale. But Rem set aside the fact that Subaru didn't understand and proceeded with the larger discussion. As a result of her negotiations, they came to the following terms: Subaru and Rem would borrow a medium-range dragon carriage from the House of Karsten and then board some other dragon carriage at a village along the way to return home as fast as possible. Subaru gritted his teeth over the inconvenient lack of a dragon carriage that could go the whole way without stopping. It was times like this that he painfully missed cars, something that needed only fuel to make it run farther. It was a bad situation that made him want to hurry, but hurry he could not. The fog that covered the highway seemed like a manifestation of the worry spreading before his eyes. The sense that this was a looming bad omen wouldn't stop pricking at Subaru's heart. Once the plan had been hashed out, things moved quickly. In short order, Subaru and Rem were headed toward the front gate of the Crusch villa with their luggage, yet there was already a vehicle awaiting them, stripped of all ornamentation to lighten it, with a single red-skinned land dragon drawing it. Wilhelm was holding the beast's reins as he awaited their arrival. When he noticed Subaru and Rem rushing over, the

aged man bowed deeply. "This is the fastest land dragon that this house is able to lend under these circumstances. Even so, I dearly regret that it is inferior to the long-range dragons employed by the marquis..." With Rem taking the reins, Subaru stood beside her and looked at Wilhelm. "I'm immensely grateful you're lending me anything at all... I'd love to say I'll return it for sure, but..." His tone dropped at the end. Wilhelm was the only one to see off Subaru and Rem at the front gate. They had said their farewells to Crusch and Ferris at the entry hall of the mansion. The least he could do was politely return the dragon carriage later as a final parting of ways. "In my position, I can but obey Lady Crusch's decision. Once you depart from the mansion, my master and your master will no doubt become mutual enemies This dragon carriage will serve as a parting gift for the half-fulfilled treatment and sword instruction." "But that's... I don't think they said one word about that when we left the mansion." At the very least, the farewell from master and vassal suited them almost too well. "I pray your efforts shall be valiant, and that you will strive to make your choices proudly, without shame to your soul." "With Lady Crusch being this nice to mew, you'd better make up with Lady Emilia in a hurry. Now get going already!" That last sentence probably left the strongest impression. There hadn't been any hint of the kind of consideration he felt from Wilhelm, but... "I, too, serve Lady Crusch, so I am somewhat familiar with my master's way of thinking." "Incidentally, when did you start working for her?" "I believe it is just over half a year now..." "Hey, that's way shorter than I thought!! From how you talked about it, I thought you'd been master and servant for years and years!!" Rem was piling luggage onto the dragon carriage while Subaru and Wilhelm traded words in that manner. Rem took the reins again and gave the land dragon's snout a gentle stroke. " Understand? Then do as I say. That's it, good boy, good boy." "Rem, how's it looking?" "He seems to have a slightly wild disposition, but I have just instructed him who is on top, so there shall be no trouble. I believe he will obey my commands." "R-right... Gotta establish the hierarchy. You really know how to crack the whip, huh?" As a result of Rem's "conversation" with the land dragon, they seemed to be getting along. Given the fact they'd be racing together for over a day's worth of time, the relationship between driver and land dragon was crucial. Rem discussed their plan. "Taking a detour across the plains to avoid the fog, we should pass through two villages on our way to the marquis's lands. We can likely procure and switch to another dragon carriage at a village named Hanumas near the border." "Incidentally, how long till we get to Hanumas?" "It will likely take fourteen to fifteen hours. If we run the dragon carriage into the ground after we switch, we might be able to arrive at the fiefdom in another half a day..." Subaru scratched at his head, biting back his words of dismay before bowing his head to Wilhelm. "Thanks for everything. It's a shame to leave practice half-finished like this..." "I believe I have taught you the most important things. Beyond this, if you desire to increase your skill at the sword, there is no better way than to continue swinging one. May you stay in good health." Wilhelm offered his hand, Subaru accepted it, and the two exchanged a good, hard shake. Rem took over the driver's seat as Subaru entered the small carriage. Poking his head out of the window, he gave one last wave to Wilhelm, who was seeing them off from the front gate. "Well, we're heading out. If fate allows, I'd love to spend some time together again." "If you enjoy being welcomed with blows from a wooden sword, come back anytime." Wilhelm gave a gentlemanly smile as he saw off Subaru and Rem with a very fitting joke. The land dragon neighed and began gently picking up speed. The carriage accelerated further, leaving the Crusch villa farther and farther behind them. The figure at the front gate kept his head bowed until Subaru could no longer see him. They headed downhill, passing the guardhouse that formed the entrance to the Nobles' District, heading straight down the main street to the gate that linked the royal capital to the highway outside that was their destination. Thanks to the land dragon's blessing, the vibrations in Subaru's rear were exceedingly soft. He nervously looked out the small window, unable to bear the sense of urgency inside him. Leaving the streets of the royal capital behind, his field of vision was dominated by green grassland and blue sky and nothing else. Since Rem was concentrating on driving, he couldn't speak to her, so there was nothing for him to do while in transit. Inside the carriage, Subaru sank into a sea of thought. Crusch had declared that they could not lend a dragon carriage for long-range use. Accordingly, the feel of the passenger seat was much shoddier. It was probably for rushing servants from place to place. He'd entered and left the Crusch residence in the blink of an eye. The fact that the duchess had kindly lent him a single dragon carriage upon his departure left Subaru in a tangle of complicated thoughts that were difficult to put into words. Only the night before, he'd judged her as strict but not indifferent. The back-and-forth before his departure had only added to the complexity. What he did understand was why many people wanted to converse with her. No doubt Emilia would have to work hard to build up a network of personal connections as Crusch had. That was a necessary hardship for her. Yet unnecessary ones burdened Emilia as well. "That's why...I need to get over there, and fast..." Of course, these were political questions and a matter of connections between people of privilege. Subaru did not have such an inflated view of himself as to think he would be of help with those issues. He knew there would be difficult problems where he would be nothing but dead weight. But it wasn't in him to use his powerlessness as a reason to cast aside someone he cared about when she was in trouble. If he poured his heart and soul into it, he was certain that he could overcome these obstacles. Subaru Natsuki possessed that power. "Nothing will work unless I'm with her... Now she'll understand that." It was unfounded certainty no, it was nothing but hope. Emilia had fallen into peril. If he was there, galloping to her rescue, somehow everything would work out. That was his slender, flickering hope, in danger of being snuffed out by the wind. He wanted to prove his worth. He needed to. If Emilia was in distress, Subaru would save her. No, that's how it had to be. Subaru needed Emilia to fall into peril so that he could discover his own value and show others that he had worth. "That's right... It's no good if I'm not with her. For sure...!" In the back of his mind was the incredibly lovely girl with silver hair. Her smiling face was enveloped by an amorphous darkness, buried by malice attempting to quench her sublime spirit. *** With that vision in his mind, Subaru closed his eyes and bit his lip. In the carriage, he silently let the time pass, alone. With the exception of Rem in the driver's seat, he was isolated in that place, unable to sense the presence of any other. And he never noticed the faint twisting of his lips. Late that day, instead of Hanumas, where they had planned to switch carriages, they rested at a stopover town ahead of it named Fleur. Rem had suggested it as the sun was setting, just before night began to fall. "Traveling by night will increase the probability of encountering bandits and demon beasts. I am also concerned about passing close to the fog, so I believe it's best to lodge at a nearby inn tonight." "How long is it to the halfway point at Hanumas? We can't just rush the rest of the way there?" "It would take until midnight to arrive at Hanumas from here. We might not be able to get an inn, and procuring a dragon carriage is difficult in the middle of the night, so..." "Ugh... That's true. So it's not like we can just get there and everything will work out, then." Rem had been thinking while Subaru was mulling things over. Naturally, she had made her proposal with much deeper consideration than Subaru's. Though he was irritated at having to stop, he accepted Rem's suggestion. "So let's get an inn here in Fleur and head out first thing in the morning. That'll give the land dragon some rest and maybe cut down on the time needed to find a carriage in Hanumas?" "Yes. If we leave early in the morning and things go well in Hanumas midway, we just might be able to make it to the mansion before nightfall tomorrow." As Rem replied, her voice was filled with relief that Subaru had accepted her proposal without complaint. Fortunately, their hope of finding an inn upon arrival in Fleur was granted. They entrusted the land dragon to the stable adjoining the inn, filled their bellies with an exceedingly crude evening meal, bathed briefly, and dove into bed so that they could rise immediately at daybreak. But when Subaru thought of Emilia, his sense of urgency and impatience drove off all drowsiness. "Can't sleep..." Desperately trying to doze off, all he ended up doing was blindly changing positions in bed over and over. After all, he'd spent quite some time at Roswaal's mansion and Crusch's villa, the finest laps of luxury that world had to offer; the hard bed of a backwater inn made it hard for him to sleep. Of course, given that he wanted to wake up as early in the morning as possible, curses for time and his own body welled up his chest. He didn't need more time to think. What he needed was an opportunity to link the conclusions drawn in his mind to tangible actions. Thus, all he yearned for was the morning sun. How many times had he glared at the ceiling and at the backs of his eyelids? How many times had he turned in bed? A sound slid into his eardrums; a knock at the doorway, then someone hesitantly opened the door. "...Subaru, may I come in?" When he lifted his head and looked over, he saw Rem's upper body leaning into the room. She'd slipped out of the servant's outfit he was used to and had changed into a thin blue nightgown he'd seen at some point before. Rem, realizing Subaru was awake, looked relieved as she headed toward the bed. Subaru asked her, "What's wrong? If you're here to say you feel lonely and can't sleep by yourself, it's a hard day for it. If I was a little calmer, I'd have a really good laugh at that, but right now..." "That proposal makes my heart flutter, but no. I could not sleep, so I wanted to talk a little." "I see... You, too, then. Well, nothing we can do about that, huh?" Subaru crawled out of bed as Rem timidly sat down by his side. Feeling like their shoulders were close enough to touch, he turned his attention to her pale face and opened his mouth. "I feel bad that you've had to take care of me ever since we left the mansion, Rem." "Please do not apologize for that. I do not think

of anything as hardship if it is for your sake." Her strong shake of her head pricked at Subaru's conscience. He knew that was what Rem would say. Ever since the demon beast uproar, she had been his ally through thick and thin. Ironically, she was probably the one who most understood his worth. "...Finding out by telepathy must've made you way more worried about the mansion than me. And here you are worrying about me on top of that We still don't know that anything's happened, right?" Rem nodded stiffly in reply to his question and lowered her eyes. " Don't worry about it. I'm sure something rough has happened, but she's not cute enough to fold that easily. We'll get back soon. I'll manage to take care of it somehow." Subaru smiled with unwarranted cheerfulness, trying to lessen even a little the burden weighing Rem down. He wanted to make her feel at ease. As was typical for him, Subaru's claims were baseless. It wasn't as if he had some brilliant, tangible plan to overcome difficult obstacles. Anyone ought to have doubted a declaration like that. And yet... " Yes. I believe you, Subaru." Rem smiled pleasantly at him with relief, as if ten thousand cavalrymen had come galloping to her aid. *** Realizing that her smile had captivated him, Subaru's face reddened as he averted his gaze. He'd said something embarrassing, and her acceptance of it had been equally shameless. Subaru immediately turned his back to her without continuing. He didn't know what Rem must have thought of him. His breath caught when he suddenly felt the weight and warmth of her body against him. "M-Miss Rem? Er... I wonder, why are you hugging me like this?" The soft sensation against his back and her breath made Subaru unconsciously slip into a more formal form of address. "...Because I want to." The answer she gave in response, rich with meaning, carried a warmth that set off alarm bells in his heart. Behind Subaru, still sitting on the bed, Rem had her arms around him, as if to cover him up. Her feminine softness, sweet scent, and arms around him drenched Subaru's entire body in warmth. "Er, ah... This feeling is..." Subaru, sensing it from head to toe, tilted his head when he suddenly realized that the "warmth" Rem was imparting was something apart from body heat greatly resembling something he had felt over the past several days. In reply to Subaru's misgivings, Rem maintained the contact and opened her mouth. "I am healing your gate, the same as Master Felix did for you, Subaru. After all, I had several opportunities to watch while standing right beside you. Compared to Master Felix, perhaps I cannot do much more than put you at ease a little, but..." "R-right, treatment! Treatment, yes! I see, I see. Yes, yes. E-exactly, huh. Ha-ha." Feeling embarrassed at his impure delusions, Subaru glossed things over with a hollow laugh. He felt Rem smile slightly behind him as the strength of the mana flowing into him increased. "Whoa, incredible... This feels way better than Ferris's stuff ramming into me." "Thank you very much. But that assessment is unfair to Master Felix." "Not at all. I'm totally serious. It feels good and...makes me feel...sleepy..." Maybe the effect of the treatment was inferior to Ferris's, but Rem had far greater consideration for her patient. He felt like he was immersed in warm water, wrapped in softness. He felt comfortable, relaxed, and drowsy, so he did not catch Rem's faint whisper. "That is most likely...the difference between our feelings toward you, Subaru." His head was slipping down when Rem brought her lips close to his ear. "It's all right to fall asleep. I'll lay you down in bed properly, cover you with blankets, and leave after I've had my fill of watching you sleep." "I wasn't worried about my belly being out in the open, and that's quite a line at the end... But when you're working so hard, how can I fall asleep in the middle of it, Rem?" It was petty stubbornness, but he didn't want to come off as rude after everything she'd done. He sensed Rem beaming as he felt her hands touch his head. The warmth coming from her palms increased, making his eyelids even heavier. "Aww, crap... Why am I...? I mean, it's...hard for you, too, but... Rem, why are you...doing this for me...?" He rubbed his eyes, irrationally resisting the drowsiness, continuing to speak to hold on to his consciousness. "Rem, why...so much...for me...?" "Because I want to... I do not need any other reason." He let go of his mind before her words really sank in. Even so, he heard Rem reply, "I want." That part was important. That was probably the starting point for all the thoughts enveloping Subaru What would happen when he returned to the mansion and reunited with Emilia? He was full of anxiety. "She'll...yell at me at first, won't she...?" Subaru's eyes fell as he shook his head. As he wobbled, Rem's arms gently embraced him to provide support. "It'll be all right, Subaru. You're a wonderful person. With time and a proper meeting, if you tell her how you feel, I'm sure she will understand." "Is that...so. Guess...I am, for you to think...like this about me..." Sound grew distant. No, his mind had begun to withdraw from reality. The comfortable drowsiness coursed through him like a curse, his eyes closing to become a cage around his mind. Just before his consciousness completely slipped away from reality, Subaru thought he felt the faint touch of Rem's lips against his neck as she said, "So please keep me in a little corner of your thoughts, and don't go anywhere else, Subaru..." Subaru no longer had the mental strength to reply to the seemingly pleading whisper as his mind gently sank into the darkness. What woke Subaru up was the feeling of hot sunrays burning his eyelids. He remained lying in the bed as he absentmindedly lifted a hand to block out the sun. The light entering through the room's large window was strong; with him covered in bed up to his shoulders, they made him so hot that it was hard to sleep. He indulged in that feeling for several long seconds before enough blood flowed into his half-asleep head for him to realize... "The...sun's up?!" Subaru threw off his blankets, leaped off the bed, and sprinted to the window. When he pushed it open, a cool breeze flowed into the room, and he gazed dumbfounded at the sun watching him from high in the sky. That sight struck him with the terrible truth. "No way... At a time like this... Am I an idiot?!" Having arrived at the despairing conclusion he'd overslept, he rushed with all haste to Rem's bedroom next door in the inn. Subaru knocked furiously on the door before throwing it open. "Rem! Wake up! We massively overslept!" Cursing the fact that he'd slept nearly half the day away, he scanned the room in desperation. Anyway, he had to get Rem up so that they could resume their march Or so he had thought. "...Rem?" The room was completely empty. There was no bulge on the bed. The sheets were untouched. Subaru had a bad feeling about the lack of evidence that anyone had been in the bed at all. The room held no warmth from a human presence. Unable to even see any luggage, he ran out of the room to the inn's front desk. The innkeeper who had greeted him and Rem the previous evening was sitting at the desk, smiling sociably when he noticed the boy. "My, my, good morning. It would seem you slept very well last night..." Subaru did not return the innkeeper's courtesy, slamming his fist on the desk to drive his question home. "What happened to the blue-haired girl who came here with me?!" The innkeeper reacted with surprise. Seeing Subaru's expression, he raised his hands in an attempt to mollify him. "D-dear guest... Please calm down; you will disturb the other patrons..." "Answer me! Where is she...? Where did Rem go?!" "Y-your companion... Who came with you on...the dragon carriage late last night...?" "That's not an answer!" Cowed by Subaru's threatening demeanor, the innkeeper practically shouted his reply. "Hear me out!! She left during the night! She left on the same dragon carriage you came in on! She paid for your stay and left a bag for you on the way out! She actually paid enough for you to lodge here for several days, so there is no problem whatsoe " "No...problem...you say?" The innkeeper had tried to take care not to provoke Subaru, but the words he chose enraged him further. "There damn well...is a problem!!" Raising an angry voice, Subaru slammed his arm against the bag on top of the counter and clutched his head. Welling up inside him was distrust. Doubt. Anger. Sadness. The irrational feelings wrestled with one another in his head as Subaru tore at his black hair and looked up to the sky. "Rem... What... What the hell are you thinking...?!" The fact that even the person who knew him best had failed to understand him weighed down on him as he wailed in despair. To Subaru. By the time you read this letter, you will no doubt be quite angry with me. I will not ask you to forgive me for leaving you to head for the manor. However, please understand. It is dangerous to bring you to the mansion as you are now. I am thinking not only of the state of the mansion but the state of your body, Subaru. Therefore, please wait for me here in Fleur village. I will be back for you when everything is taken care of. I have left behind all the money. I have already paid the innkeeper thoroughly, so you can stay for several days without any trouble. Please take care of yourself, and please wait until I return I beg you. From, Your Rem CHAPTER 3 *** He'd been betrayed. Betrayed. Betrayed. Betrayed. "Rem, you idiot...!" When Subaru read the letter accompanying the bag left for him, he spat in irrepressible rage. He was sitting on a hard sofa in a lounge on the first floor of the inn. No one else was around. The reason for that was his prolonged, violent behavior. The innkeeper who'd led him to the lounge hadn't even been able to look him in the eye when answering his questions. A wise decision. That moment, anyone who appeared in Subaru's line of sight was his enemy. "And I thought...at least you understood me...!" The letter was written completely in carefully penned I-script. Subaru, who was still learning the written language, couldn't read anything except I-script characters. Rem had been considerate in that sense, but in light of her abandonment of him, that only shoved Subaru's heart deeper into darkness. The letter overflowed with concern for Subaru's well-being, but so much sadness filled his head that he had no chance to realize that. He gleaned only one thought from reading the letter. "Even you think I'm useless and powerless, Rem..." His conversations at the Crusch residence, his dialogue with Rem the previous night, and Emilia's lecture in the royal capital came rushing back to him. Words upon words piled on him in their voices, berating Subaru for his helplessness and incompetence. He'd brushed them all aside and seized the perfect opportunity to prove to them Subaru Natsuki's value or so he had thought. He'd thought that at least Rem believed he was worth something, yet... "Yeah, I get it...! You're tellin' me that I'm dead weight, so you're cutting me loose... And if I don't believe you, you want me to look at how much I've been relying on you...!" Subaru spat, clenching his teeth as he rose to his feet. The luggage and the allowance Rem had left

were lined up on the table in the lounge. There was quite a lot of money in the sack. Apparently Roswaal had left a small fortune in Rem's hands. With that much money at his disposal, Subaru wouldn't have any trouble with daily necessities for quite some time. He knew that was exactly what Rem had in mind when she left it with him. She underestimated him. Did she really think she could betray his trust, leave him with nothing but money, and expect him to meekly kneel and submit? There was no way he'd do as she pleased. No, Subaru was coming up with all kinds of ways he could use money to break the stalemate. "If I hire a dragon carriage and driver, I might be able to get to the mansion... That said..." Rem had made careful preparations to trip up any such plans Subaru might have. According to the innkeeper, that village didn't have any establishment that could lend a dragon coach. In addition, the appearance of the "fog" had thrown off the schedules of carriages that regularly connected the various villages. There was no dragon coach at any price. No doubt Rem had begun planning everything out as soon as they'd lodged at that village inn the night before. It was as if she was laughing at Subaru's paper-thin knowledge, politely smashing his options flat one by one...all to strand him in that village and stop him from returning to the mansion. "Then I'll just have to hoof it... That's stupid. I don't have a map, and I can't deal with monsters." If bandits or demon beasts appeared, that chapter would be over. He'd seen world maps several times over, but he didn't know the local lay of the land. Wandering around aimlessly would reduce his chances of arriving at the mansion to practically zero. It was all a result of his own ignorance. Subaru's lack of education and strength kept letting him down. He had never anticipated having to deal with bandits and demon beasts to begin with. The fact that he'd never carried even a single sword on him was proof of that. He'd had Wilhelm instruct him in the art, but he could do nothing with that training if he set out empty-handed. Subaru hadn't taken such normal, prudent measures because he was relying on Rem. The price of an overnight stay at an inn was far less than the fare for a dragon carriage. Even if he had a small fortune, his inability to procure something of value made it worthless. It was the cost of his lack of education, which was the direct result of Subaru's letting numerous opportunities to study slip away. "Well, I can't help that now. I've gotta do what I can with what I have." Subaru himself was the root cause of the stalemate keeping him penned in. His knees bounced in annoyance as he tried to pretend he wasn't well aware of that fact. "So no hoofing it. I have to get a dragon carriage... There's gotta be a way. Think." Subaru put a hand to his forehead, desperately reviewing everything he'd seen and heard in that world and everything he'd learned from the people in his original world, trying to come up with a plan. *** He ran through every memory and shred of knowledge in his head, focusing all his body's resources above his neckline. Then he looked at the possibilities that might exist for breaking out of his cage. "This village...has no establishment that can lend a dragon carriage. The regularly scheduled carriages aren't available...meaning..." The village was now occupied by its original residents, travelers who'd arrived by regular carriage, and "Maybe there's someone who came in on their own dragon carriage, like Rem and I did, who stopped over?" If anyone were to enter and leave the village freely, they would have to have their own means of transportation. That very inn had stables for the use of its guests; his thought couldn't be far off the mark. "To have a dragon carriage you'd have to be rich... No, a merchant would be perfect. A merchant who hasn't settled down is either working for someone else or a peddler going around with a horse-drawn wagon. That's just basic." The lantern light of Subaru's extinguished hopes began to flicker once more. To find the right person, Subaru immediately went to the innkeeper and explained. At first, the innkeeper was reluctant, but he introduced several merchants, albeit with a strained expression. "But most traveling merchants will be intent on shipping goods to their destination. I don't know if any would be willing to take on someone as a passenger..." "Well, I'll give it a try anyway. Thank you very much for telling me about them." Thanking the considerate innkeeper, Subaru visited the traveling merchants one by one. But in line with the innkeeper's concerns, negotiations proved very difficult. Just as he had claimed, they had little inclination to alter their travel routes, but the situation was far direr than that. Each and every one responded to Subaru's suggestion the same way, shaking their heads. "The Mathers dominion? Sorry, but I can't go there now," said a very scrawny man as he ended negotiations with Subaru. He stood with his canopied dragon coach as his eyes lingered on Subaru with some sympathy. "I hate to say this, but I don't think I'll be the only one saying no. In my case, though, it has to do with the cargo I'm carrying." "Cargo?" "I'm transporting weapons, armor, and other metal wares. Rumor has it prices in the royal capital for this stuff are through the roof, so tomorrow I'm rushing there with my dragon carriage. My profits are on the line." The man patted the cargo in his dragon carriage as he spoke, gazing distantly in the direction of the setting sun. Then, when he saw the slump of Subaru's shoulders, he adjusted the position of his bandanna and said, "There're a lot of people who use this as a stopover to the royal capital like I do. That's why this village is pretty well-off for its size. So there're merchants who come in twos and threes but... They'll probably all turn you down." "...Yeah. You're the sixth one to say no." "That's because every decent merchant is rushing to the royal capital with revenues on the mind. No way around it. After all, there's the uproar over the royal selection. Everyone's caught the scent of gold." "So that's how it is, huh..." The man's reply and sober expression made Subaru frown as he surmised the reason for his successive failures namely, he'd misread the merchants from a business perspective. It wasn't the prospect of a temporary payday that was luring them to the royal capital but the sight of bigger, longer-term profits. For a trader to abandon such plans to accommodate Subaru would be nothing short of madness. The merchant continued. "On top of that, there're all kinds of fishy rumors about the Mathers dominion flying around. Even if you find someone who's not heading to the capital for profit, they probably still won't go." "Fishy rumors...? Related to the royal selection, by any chance?" "Groundless speculation, I think. There's talk that one of the candidates is a half-demon and the lord of those lands is supporting her... But I haven't heard the details of the election yet. Do you know anything?" "...No, I don't know much about it." Subaru lied on the spot because he didn't want to be exposed as a related party, which would only make negotiations harder. But covering for Emilia's lineage still left a strange feeling in his heart. As Subaru grimaced like he'd swallowed a bitter pill, the man suddenly clapped his hands together. "Oh, that's right. I just remembered someone who might accept your proposal." "Seriously?! I was pretty much at the point of giving up and falling to the dark side here!" "I'm not sure what you just said, but it's true. Come on, I'll introduce you." The man patted Subaru's shoulder with an easygoing look and beckoned him forward. Subaru followed a little behind him until he pointed to a building across the road. "I'm pretty sure he's been there since last night. Wait here, I'll call him over for you." The man left through the wide-open double doors as Subaru watched him go, looking up at the sign. "...I feel like it probably says 'Tavern' or something..." He had only moderate confidence, since the sign he was looking at was written in Ro-script, which he had only just begun to learn. The faint whiff of alcohol wafting from the entrance made Subaru about 89 percent sure he was right. The energetic way the man headed in suggested the people inside would be troublesome. "What is this person doing, glugging alcohol when he's traveling...? Doesn't this world have laws against steering dragon carriages while under the influence...? Back in my world, you'd lose your license with one violation." Not that he was sure there were dragon carriage licenses to begin with. If the newcomer in question showed up looking drunk and dangerous, Subaru resolved to make a run for it and spend as much money as he needed to do so. And just as Subaru hardened such tragic resolve, the man came back outside. "Sorry for the wait. Here he is. Hey, Otto, introduce yourself." The man roughly dragged along a young man, practically tossing him forward as they approached. He had gray-colored hair and looked no more than a year or two older than Subaru, though he was a fair bit shorter. He had a slender and fairly symmetrical face. Subaru deemed that, at the very least, this was not the drunkard he had feared. "My name's Subaru Natsuki. Sorry to drag you out here. I heard that you just might accept my request, so... Ughh! You stink! You totally reek of booze!" His efforts to get negotiations started on the right foot were immediately short-circuited by the scent of alcohol wafting from the other party. The young man before him glowered sullenly, giving off a stench so strong that Subaru's stomach was on the verge of emptying itself. He might not look scary or dangerous, but he was a tottering drunkard nonetheless. "Why hello, hic. Let me introduce myself. My name, hic, is Otto, hic." He hiccupped three times during his brief greeting. His face red from drunkenness, the young man named Otto looked between Subaru and the other man. "So what is it that y'wanted? Business? Was it business, hic? My business is, hic, ah-ha-ha-ha, hic. It's kind of a joke right now, hic." Finally, Otto squatted down and suddenly burst into laughter. Subaru, sensing that was the sound of his hopes grinding to a halt, shot a hard glare toward the man who'd introduced them. On the receiving end of that gaze, the man quickly pointed back at Otto. "Wait, wait! I didn't deceive you!" "If you actually meant for this to be an introduction, I'm seriously doubting your head's screwed on straight. It's not fun getting arrested for drunk driving. A student would get sent to the principal just for being in this state." Subaru had salivated at the prospect of finding a solution, and yet the man introduced to him was a drunkard. The man sighed at Subaru's words and roughly shook the squatting Otto's shoulders. "Otto! Hey, get up, damn you! You're the one who told me to introduce you to anyone who could turn your situation around! What, you're going to let booze ruin it all?!" "A way to turn things around ?!" Otto's ears quivered, while his eyes, dead until that point, completely changed. With the support of the man's hand, he rose to his feet, as if his drunken state had never been. "I have been most impolite. My name is Otto Suwen. I am a humble

independent merchant, making his way in life as a traveling peddler." Otto faced Subaru and assumed an expression so crisp one could almost hear the snap to attention. While Subaru was speechless at the instant turnaround, Otto examined him from head to toe. "I see. It seems that he has a certain degree of status. He certainly has the makings of a good customer. Mr. Kety, thank you very much for introducing us." "Sure thing. You'll be all right from here out, yes? I'll get going, then. Don't forget to keep your chin up. And you owe me one, Otto." Otto had brightened to the point one would doubt he'd ever been in his drinks, so Mr. Kety patted his chest with relief and departed. Subaru watched the man who'd made the friendly gesture leave before turning back toward Otto. The young man had scrutinized him and acknowledged him as someone he could do business with. Otto clapped his hands together, smiling broadly, and began, "Well then, let us talk business... What is it that my customer desires?" Subaru's breath caught, knowing he could not let him or that chance escape, and he got down to brass tacks. "This is a bit of a far-out request to make, but..." With that preamble, Subaru explained the situation, careful about what not to say. If Otto said no, he was finished. He spoke as naturally as he could despite his tension as he talked business. And then... After Subaru gave him a simplified explanation of events, Otto thought about it a little, then nodded. "Mm, I do not mind accepting that at all." Hearing his well-formed reply, seemingly coming from an entirely different person than the one brought before him, Subaru grabbed him with both hands in surprise and gave him a good, hard shake. "Th-thank you! I see, you'll do it! That would be a huge help! Seriously, a huge help!" "Oww! Ow, ow, ow! D-don't squeeze so hard! P-please wait, I'm glad that you are satisfied, but I have conditions, too!" Otto freed his captured arms from the shaking and retreated a step from Subaru as he spoke. The word conditions made Subaru tilt his head. Now that his hands were free, Otto gave a light wave. "My dragon carriage is a resource for my business... Or rather, my lifeline. I cannot part with it lightly. Of course, this will be lending aid rather than formally loaning the carriage, particularly because there are many disquieting things happening in the Mathers lands at the moment." "That's only natural. I won't go as far as to say you can jack up the price, though." Subaru was a little worried that he'd be subject to price gouging. All he could offer was what he had on hand. If that wasn't enough, he'd have to get the price cut somehow. Seeing Subaru's wariness, Otto gently loosened the corners of his mouth. "I suppose not. Then for all the money you have here...yes?" And so, Otto struck first in the negotiations, seizing the initiative as he thrust his conditions to the fore. No doubt he'd already deduced from Subaru's demeanor how much money was in the bag. He pressed his strategy, firmly controlling the pace of negotiations to enhance his own profits even a little, just like a textbook merchant. It was mouth versus mouth, tongue versus tongue. The battle had begun, a verbal clash pitting the speech and business acumen of both parties against each other Well, not quite. "Is that okay? All right. I'll hand this bag to you, then. Can we leave right away?" Shock overcame Otto as Subaru readily handed him the whole bag. The weight of the purse made Otto swallow as he nervously looked at Subaru. "Wha...? This isn't how it goes!! Normally, both people lay out their demands and then start the negotiations to find common ground, don't they?! It's never this eas " "It'd be a waste of time, and I'm not going to win any verbal sparring matches anyway. There's no meaning in fighting a pointless battle, and if what's in that bag is enough, you'll be granting my request regardless." If all the money he had on hand resolved everything, it was a bargain as far as Subaru was concerned. Otto scowled at Subaru's calm demeanor, probably wondering if he'd been too hasty. "This is... Perchance I've been introduced to a very troublesome individual." "Relax. I don't intend to cause you any trouble. Not on purpose, anyway." "Are you aware that the way you phrased that only makes me even more concerned?!" Even Otto, a man he'd just met, was indignant at his exceedingly unconvincing statements. However, he sighed in apparent resignation and adjusted his grip on the bag in his hands. "Understood. I presented my condition and you immediately accepted. I do have pride as a merchant, after all. Just allow me to see exactly how much money this... Ehh?! Wh-what is this fortune here?! What are you doing handing off something like this so ea...? Uaaagh." Checking the contents of the bag, Otto was so surprised at the amount of money that his nausea returned. As Otto squatted, Subaru stood behind him, clutching a fist as if he finally had hope in his hand. So many obstacles had been placed in his path, but he'd overcome them all somehow. He still didn't know the true nature of the obstacle blocking Emilia's path, but if he stood at her side, he'd no doubt find out. And that was the kind of problem only Subaru could solve. "Just wait. Soon...soon." The twisted smile on Subaru's lips was plain for anyone to see. That smile might have come over him from the thought of fulfilling his objective of saving Emilia. Perhaps it had another cause. Even he didn't know, since he didn't even realize he was smiling at all. Subaru enjoyed the gentle rocking as he gazed at the rolling landscape. The sky, on the verge of evening, was dyed orange; soon, night would fall. Normal travelers would be preparing to camp or lodge at a nearby village at that time of day. It seemed that only the likes of Subaru and Otto would choose to set out when they did. Otto said, "So the destination is in the Mathers domain, the marquis's own mansion, on the condition that we ride right through half the night to shorten time as much as possible... I accepted it because a fee is a fee, but this is reckless, you understand?" "I don't wanna hear it from a guy who instantly changes his mind at the sight of money. Please. My future's riding on this." "I'll do my best. My own future is riding on this, too, after all." As Otto spoke, he guided the land dragon with the reins as it raced across the ground. The dragon carriage Otto owned was a large, canopied vehicle for hauling freight, so his land dragon was correspondingly huge and powerful. Subaru was concerned that such an apparently heavy beast would lack in speed, but Otto had explained, "It makes up for that with endurance. This is an especially hardy species even among long-distance land dragons. It could run for three days straight without getting worn out." "You'd think running for three days straight would wear out the people riding it instead." "Two years ago, I had to do that to not let a particular business opportunity slip. Humans can go through a lot if they're ready to risk death to achieve it. Having said that, I keeled over just after trade negotiations were over, and I hovered between life and death for about a week afterward..." "Like you're ready to risk death, huh." As Subaru watched the side of the merchant's face, Otto looked toward him with a look that seemed to say, "What?" Subaru silently waved him off, averting his eyes to face forward as he put his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands. "I'm quite sorry, I never imagined I'd be carrying a passenger, so I never prepared proper seating for one," Otto said. "Hey, I'm the one who pushed for this, and I don't mind a little pain in my butt. That blessing keeping the wind from tossing me around is more than enough for me." Otto's dragon carriage, meant for the simple objective of hauling cargo from place to place, had no extra space for passengers to ride. Naturally, that left Subaru with no choice but to sit next to the other young man on the driver's seat. Otto continued, "If you get sleepy, it might be a little rough, but please use the wagon. I have to camp frequently myself, so I have a number of blankets on hand." "That's very gracious of you... So since I don't have to switch dragon carriages anymore, we can just leave Hanumas aside and keep on going, right?" "That is correct. As a stopover, Hanumas is more affluent than Fleur, but I have plenty of food and water as it is. This is an urgent request, after all, so we'll bypass it." No doubt he was very accustomed to traveling. Though they had set out on their journey without a plan, Otto didn't show a single shred of concern as he kept his grip on the reins. Otto himself had probably already traveled this route several times over. As Subaru watched the side of his face, he sensed a gravitas that belied the great similarity in their ages. Subaru bit his tongue as he unwittingly compared the difference in experience and courage between them. "Hey, why did you agree to this, anyway? I have no idea why you said yes." "Y-you just came right out and asked a very difficult question, Mr. Natsuki." From the side, Subaru saw a strained smile on Otto's face, but the amiable atmosphere soon returned. Since he had arrived here, Subaru had rarely been addressed by his family name. Feeling a bit strange at being called that for the first time in forever, he realized that he'd thrown a fastball straight at something the other party didn't really want to discuss. "Well, can't take it back now... Confess, and things will go easier for you." "Yes, Officer. I didn't mean to do it, honest... Wait, why does this feel like I did something wrong?! I didn't mean to do it; it was an accident!" Otto followed up his exaggerated reaction to Subaru's joking comment by slowly turning his head with a sullen look. "The wagon behind us is filled to the brim with my cargo... What do you think is inside?" "...Now that I'm looking at it, seems like vases or something. What, were you carrying artwork?" "Close, but not quite. What I'm selling isn't what's outside but what's on the inside. The pots are filled with high-quality oil. Originally, I planned to haul these to the northern nation of Gusteko, but..." Otto's shoulders slumped, his abject expression making plain that things had not gone as expected. "I wonder if it is an effect of the royal selection? The path between Gusteko and Lugunica has been temporarily closed. I tried to plead my case that I couldn't get my goods to market... But they ended up chasing me away with swords." In a country as cold as Gusteko, you should be able to make a killing selling oil, but it was more of a great wasteland than a market. To add insult to injury, Otto had sold off metal wares at fire-sale prices to buy the oil he could no longer trade. As a result, he'd forfeited an excellent chance to sell metal wares on top of losing access to the market where he would have sold the oil instead. This was apparently why he'd drunk himself into a stupor. "There's no way I can sell a large amount of oil like this in Lugunica for a fair price, and if

I sell it at bargain prices again, I'll be bankrupt. And so, I was halfway to throwing my life away when you appeared, Mr. Natsuki." "And what I paid you makes up for your losses?" "I can sell all this oil at any price and stay solvent. It will certainly let me keep working." Otto clapped his hands together to convey his earnest thanks to Subaru, but Subaru waved off the gesture. "Cut that out." He was equally grateful to Otto. If anything, Subaru's feelings ran even stronger. For a while, they went back and forth: "It's all thanks to you," "No, thanks to you," "I'm here only because of you," "Yeah, it's fate that we both met," and so on as their bond deepened. Finally, their casual praises died off, and silence abruptly fell between them. Subaru's gaze shifted from the road they were galloping down to the plain, continuing as far as the eye could see, as he murmured, "Hey, Otto. Can't we cut across this plain?" Hearing Subaru's suggestion, Otto slapped his knee as if it was the best joke he'd ever heard. "My, my. That's too much, even for a jest. When the fog falls on the plains, that's where the White Whale appears. It is the most famous of all demon beasts... Should we meet it, our lives will be forfeit." "It's that dangerous? No one tries to put it down?" "No, because by avoiding the fog, you can also bypass the White Whale, so the damage is minimal. I imagine that is the real reason why it persists to this day." In other words, people had tried to subdue the beast and failed, with the damage sustained in the process discouraging further expeditions. Complicated thoughts enveloped Subaru when he heard the words demon beasts. To him, a demon beast meant an Urugarum, like those he had encountered fairly recently the same creatures that had gravely injured Subaru and perished at Roswaal's hands. He had something of a history with them. Subaru mused aloud, "White Whale...huh. So it's shaped like a whale and white colored, then?" "According to witnesses, at least. Apparently it is so enormous that no one has ever seen its full size, and those people were tossing anything and everything aside as they fled for their lives while it rampaged. A frightening story," Otto concluded. He shut his mouth and would say nothing more. For a merchant like him, the White Whale was no doubt an odious being indeed, since its loitering on these plains for days on end would throw travel schedules into great disarray. Though he would be grateful if someone got rid of it, he had no intention of encountering it himself. Perhaps Otto's point of view was common to all merchants. Subaru changed the subject. "So how long is it going to take to get to the Mathers dominion at this pace?" "Hmm, let's see. Though night is coming, my land dragon has excellent night vision, and there's no sign of any fog. Plus, I imagine there are no bandits willing to risk their lives by working near the plains right now, so...if things go well, tomorrow morning perhaps?" After providing that answer, Otto glanced over at Subaru, who raised his eyebrows in response. Otto quickly played innocent, averting his eyes and going, "Ah, nothing." He soon continued, though. "Our destination is...the mansion of Marquis Roswaal...isn't it?" "Yeah, that's right." "The small fortune you paid me... Those clothes must be expensive... This is just between us, but who are you, Mr. Natsuki? Are you...involved with the marquis somehow?" Subaru understood why Otto harbored such misgivings to the point of meekly raising his doubts. From the merchant's point of view, Subaru's identity was a complete mystery, and yet he'd pushed a small fortune into his hands and proposed they rush to the mansion at a time when the rumors swirling around the place were uniformly bad. "That's right. I'm involved with Roswaal...the marquis. You might have heard some strange rumors, but I don't know what's true or false yet. And I already told you, I don't intend to cause you any trou " "No, no! I'm not worried about that at all! It's just, uh...that... According to rumor, the good marquis is famous for his...eccentric interests... I was wondering if it is true?" "...If what is true?" Subaru inferred from Otto's equivocation what he wished to ask. Even so, he concealed the hardness of his voice as best he could while prompting Otto to carry on. "If the good marquis really is backing a young half-elf lady." *** Figures, thought Subaru, the inside of his chest sinking in dismay. The anxiety in Otto's voice made it clear that he was nervous to learn the truth. Emilia's birth was about to be slandered again. Subaru spoke quickly to head off his prejudice. "Even if I told you no...you'd find out for yourself soon enough. It's true. The candidate the marquis is supporting is a half-elf. But that girl's nothing like you all think she..." "Is that so I'm so relieved." However, Otto's reaction was not the one Subaru expected. The merchant lowered his brows and put a hand to his chest in apparent relief. Realizing that Subaru was gaping at him in shock, he smiled awkwardly, visibly embarrassed. "Ah, ahh... I'm sorry, getting worked up all by myself here. I mean, when I heard those rumors... She seemed an odd person to champion." "To champion... Emilia, you mean?" "Ah, Lady Emilia is her name? Yes, well, you know. A half-elf would have had a hard life until now in various ways. For someone to rise from an unpleasant background and stand as a royal candidate... Yes, it's very impressive." Otto's eyes were distant as he watched the road, his voice quivering faintly. Listening to the merchant's reply, Subaru realized it had thrown him completely off guard. Complex emotions thrashed around in his chest, leaving him unsure of what to say. Otto, unaware of the chaos in Subaru's heart, rubbed his nose with a finger as he said, "These might be small concerns compared to those of someone like Lady Emilia, but I know what it's like to be misunderstood... An odd point of sympathy, perhaps. I think becoming king will be very difficult, but if she tries hard, maybe... Well, I just wanted to ask." Otto cut things off there, since going any further would require him to speak more about himself. Once again, Subaru found himself unable to say a word to Otto. He folded his arms and continued looking downward. *** Normally, Otto's words would have helped Subaru so much that he'd come right out and thank him. Emilia had irrational obstacles blocking her path. However, even in a world filled with such problems, it didn't mean that everyone hated her. Some people in that world, like Otto, would cheer for her when they learned about her background. To Emilia, that fact had to be the greatest silver lining of all. It had to be, and yet... *** For some reason, Subaru was unable either to communicate his gratitude to Otto or to keep down the incomprehensible aching in his own chest as the dragon carriage continued to sway. " Mr. Natsuki! Please wake up! We are finally entering the Mathers dominion!" Subaru, curled up under a blanket in the wagon, opened his eyes as Otto called his name. He hadn't been able to sleep much. His head was still hazy when he poked it out of the curtain, and he was greeted by the rays of the morning sun, a line of mountains, and hope. The sun had risen once again, pouring sunrays down among the mountains and making Subaru squint. In the half day and change that they had spent in their overnight journey, Subaru had arrived back at the Mathers dominion. "Good job, Otto. Working like a horse while I was asleep like that..." "Can you not say that as if I have no professionalism here?! More importantly, there is a village named Earlham near Marquis Mathers's mansion, yes?" Otto had a map spread across his lap, glaring at it and the road ahead as he asked the question. His eyes were a little bloodshot from the all-nighter, but fortunately, he didn't seem worn out from it. "It's my second all-nighter in a row with some spirits in me in between, but I feel great! If we head straight forward we'll reach the mansion after all! Fueh-heh-heh!" "Are you really all right?! You didn't take some weird drug to forget about being tired or something?!" "Do not be concerned. Lugunica is a law-abiding country that bans medicines of that nature." Subaru warily watched Otto, who seemed to be straddling the line between lucidity and insanity, as his own heart lightened a little at having returned to the Mathers lands. "I'd love to run straight there without a break, but we might pass by Rem along the way." "Nah, I don't think so. She did have over half a day's head start on us, after all. More importantly, Mr. Natsuki, shouldn't you prepare yourself for returning to the mansion? You should comb your hair and so forth." Otto raised a hand as he spoke in a half-joking manner. Subaru was putting his hair back in order when his breath caught. Now that the mansion was so close, right in front of his nose, all the things about a prospective reunion that Subaru had tried not to think about came rushing to him with a vengeance. He thought it unlikely that she'd simply welcome him back with open arms. After their parting of ways at the royal capital, he'd deliberately abandoned the half-finished treatment for his gate to return. Rem had surely arrived first, and ignoring her admonishments, too, meant he might have no allies at all. But whatever they might think of him, even so "I came back to do what I have to do. I'm not ashamed of that at all. I'm not wrong about anything." He said it to justify it to himself or, perhaps, to make excuses to someone who wasn't even there. He murmured similar things over and over as if they were the magic words that continued to sustain his spirit. " It's for Emilia's sake. She can't get by if I'm not here." Such were the arguments that kept Subaru's fragile mind from crumbling, somehow suppressing the words that would otherwise be ever-present in his memories. They entered via the highway between the hills, traveling along the road at a safe speed. The road cut through the mountain forests ahead of them, with increasingly familiar scenery. At that pace, it would be less than an hour before they arrived at Roswaal's mansion. That was when the carriage's wheels came to a screeching stop, and the land dragon let out a ferocious sound as it violently clawed at the ground. " ?! H-hey, Otto?!" The instant Subaru felt the carriage stop, the land dragon's blessing must have cut out, since he keenly felt the full impact as the vehicle rocked to the side. Subaru yelped as he was suddenly jostled around inside. "Otto! What was that just now?! We haven't gotten there yet, have we? Why'd you stop all of a sudd ?" Otto held the reins low as he spoke to Subaru without looking at him. " Mr. Natsuki. Can we make this as far as I proceed with you?" For a moment, Subaru couldn't process what had been said to him, but then he immediately grabbed Otto by his lapel and pulled him close. "What do you mean? That wasn't the deal! Damn you, we've come this far; don't cut and run out on me midway. Stay with me until we get to " The end, Subaru was going to shout, but his breath caught when he saw that Otto's face was as white as a ghost. He released the pale-faced merchant, who sat on the driver's seat

and hung his head. "I am...very sorry. I had intended to remain with you until the end, Mr. Natsuki. Even so, I don't have the courage to go any farther." "What are you going on about? What does this have to do with courage? Just a little farther and we'll reach the mansion. It's not like the road is bad. Otto, please!" "Even if you beg me...I cannot. I don't need the entire reward. I shall return half to you. Therefore, please allow me to pull out of our deal." Otto put his hand on the driver's seat with a genuinely apologetic look toward Subaru, though still refusing to get into the details. Subaru couldn't hide his bewilderment at the tragic look in Otto's eyes. "What is it, all of a sudden? Did something happen...?" "My land dragon...is afraid. And it's not only that. The area around us seems too quiet to me. This is why traveling merchants use land dragons. A land dragon's instincts tell him about places he mustn't approach!" Otto's hands trembled on top of his lap as he focused on his land dragon. When Subaru peered closer, the land dragon made quiet, ragged breaths as it awaited its master's command. But the way it was snorting at the direction they were traveling announced loud and clear that it held danger for them. That behavior, and Otto's trust for his own land dragon, explained where the merchant's reaction had come from. Asking Otto and the land dragon to accompany Subaru when none of them had any idea of what situation awaited them it would have been too cruel to both. "...Thanks for everything. Sorry to put you through something scary, Otto." " Eh?" Subaru heard a surprised voice behind him as he hopped off the driver's seat down to the ground. The land dragon beside him looked back up at Otto, moving a foot around as it silently pled its case. "I'll head to the mansion on foot from here. Hey, I've come this far; it's practically right in front of me. You've brought me far enough. Take all the money and go." "I cannot do such a... No, more importantly, Mr. Natsuki! You mustn't go! Come back with me! Fog is approaching this place right now!" "The White Whale's gonna show up?" "To a traveling merchant this is a black omen! When fog covers our destination, it is a matter of life and death for us... No, that doesn't matter here! Anyway, please reconsi " "Sorry." Subaru wore a pained smile after Otto shouted his concern for him. He was far too much of a softy for the cutthroat, deceptive world of the merchant. He pondered the benevolent Otto's suitability for his chosen trade as he walked away from the dragon carriage. "Just like you're weighing your life and money on your scales, I'm weighing my life and something I value just as much. Something worth that much to me is waiting just ahead." "Mr. Natsuki, please wait! L-let's discuss this. We can talk it over!" "I don't blame you at all for turning back. I mean, if you know there's danger, turning back is the right call. Knowing beforehand is enough for me." Now Subaru knew that the road ahead, as well as his destination, held enough danger to make even a land dragon afraid. But he had to hurry. He had to run forward. The chance for Subaru to find the answer he sought surely awaited him there. " Mr. Natsuki!" "Thank you." Otto's voice held concern for Subaru until the very end. Leaving him behind, Subaru rushed full-tilt down the tree-lined highway. He headed for his destination, casting aside the man who had guided him without trying to overcharge. The sights seemed almost familiar to him, but it was only a resemblance. Just how far did he have to go before arriving at Roswaal's mansion? One way or another, running down the road would lead him there. With the danger loud and clear and his destination right before his eyes, Subaru's emotions ran wild inside him. At any rate, he wanted to get there without a moment to lose. If he did, the painful, lingering emotions inside him would come to a head. He'd settle this, whether it turned out how he wanted it to be or not. "...? The...hell?" Subaru was running without a care or rather, while suppressing his innumerable worldly worries when he came to a halt. It wasn't because he'd arrived at his destination. The scenery remained unchanged, and it seemed to stretch on so much that he had to wonder just how far the highway continued, with the thick trees on both sides seeming to block all escape. He was out of breath, but he had yet to run out of endurance. Why, then, had Subaru stopped? That was because "It's...too quiet, isn't it...?" Subaru had paused because he sensed something was wrong. Unintentionally, he repeated what Otto had said earlier. When he looked around, there was no change in his surroundings whatsoever. Compared to the rustling of leaves as the wind passed through, his own breath was quite noisy. But that was all he heard. And to Subaru, who'd spent nearly two months in these lands, it felt wrong. The oppressive silence, without even the sounds of insects, was abnormal. And then, something suddenly appeared, slipping neatly into Subaru's consciousness. "Wh...what?!" He recoiled a step, his throat tightening from shock. Without a sound, a person had appeared in front of him. Furthermore, the figure's entire body was shrouded in black clothing, with something like a hood on, so that even the face of this complete stranger was concealed. Furthermore, that wasn't all that shocked him. "This guy... No, these guys...!" One after another, black figures emerged all around Subaru, as if they were responding to his confusion and his shifting gaze. In the blink of an eye, they numbered more than ten, surrounding Subaru as if mocking his efforts at caution. *** Particularly abnormal was the insane quiet that continued even after the shadowy group's appearance. They continued to watch Subaru in silence; he didn't even hear any of them breathe. There was no way they were friendly. That said, they hadn't shown any hostility, either. The eerie figures left him tongue-tied, unable to even move a muscle. How did they stare at each other like that? Feeling the pressure, Subaru felt like time was moving incredibly slowly. Then, that turbulent silence crumbled just as easily as it had begun. *** All at once, the figures faced Subaru and reverently bowed their heads to him. " Ah?" Subaru's brain was unable to process the scene before him. The incomprehensible band that had emerged was paying Subaru respect for reasons unknown, and leaving him behind in his confusion, they began sliding out of sight. The wordless scene before Subaru's eyes left him more dumbfounded than anything. Rather than do something to the frozen boy, the figures departed with silent footsteps. It was probably the silence of their footsteps that had allowed them to slip through Subaru's mental blind spot. But though he understood that much, he knew absolutely nothing else about them. Subaru tossed aside any attempt to comprehend the figures, suppressing the worry churning around inside him as he continued to run. He focused on heading back to the mansion, as if doing so would shake off the fear and discomfort. He didn't understand who the figures were or what they were after, so he stopped trying to understand them. That was why he never noticed it. Why he never noticed the fact that the unknown figures sliding out of his line of sight were headed in Otto's direction. Nor would Subaru reflect on this later. Not even once. His thoughts had stopped as he ran forward, as if he truly believed that it would save him. Worry. Worry dominated his entire body to the point that he wanted to tear and scratch at it. His feet moved forward. His heart was set on the future. The destination of his mind was ahead of him, and yet he felt like fear of those unknown figures was stalking him from behind. His ears were ringing loudly. Nausea was rocking his head. He felt like every drop of blood in his body had turned into muddy water. The anxiety that tormented him was rapidly eclipsing everything within him, making the physical organ housing his formless heart feel like it was going to burst. Why did it have to be like this? Everything seemed to be going well. Everything seemed to be going in the right direction. It was just a twist of fate. It was merely the timing that had been thrown off. He should've been able to do it. It should have been clear so that he could do it without hesitation. The stuff at the royal capital was just a bad dream, the result of simply pressing the buttons in the wrong order. That was why he wanted to meet Emilia now. He knew what he had to do. He just had to save her. She was in peril. It was his time, just like it had been before. That's how it'd always been. It'd be like that this time, too. Everything would turn out all right. Subaru would be redeemed in Emilia's eyes. She'd accept that she was wrong, that it would work out only if Subaru was there with her. She would allow him to be at her side once more. "Ha...ha...ha!" He was out of breath. His lungs hurt. His overused limbs creaked. His body was crying out in pain. But he couldn't just stand there. If he did that, it would catch up with him. Something irrational was chasing him from behind. "Shit... Shit, shit... Shit!" He wanted to meet Emilia. He wanted her to smile at him. He wanted Rem to be nice to him. He wanted to stroke her head. He missed and adored Beatrice's insults and Ram's put-downs. Roswaal's eccentricities and Puck's making the world revolve around him put Subaru's heart at ease. He wished he'd never left. He'd headed to the royal capital, but the time he'd spent there, and the royal capital itself, was the root of all evil. Reinhard. Felt. Old Man Rom. Ferris. Wilhelm. Julius. Anastasia. Al. Priscilla. The Council of Elders. The Knights. One after another they rose up in the back of his mind, all of them objects of hatred at that moment. Curse you. Suffer and die painfully. If it weren't for them, Subaru would have never lost sight of himself. If he'd reconciled with Emilia, returning to live his days in peace, he would have obtained perfect happiness. All of it had slipped out of his hands. That was why he was there to pick it all back up. "Just a bit farther...and I'll...be back there...!" His lungs burned with agony. Subaru averted his eyes from the regrets forming cracks in his heart as he ran. It was cursing everything, and trusting that what he desired lay beyond those damnable things, that was keeping him alive. " Aa." Subaru had been staring at the ground as he ran for all that time, and when he could hardly breathe anymore, he raised his head. The scenery lining the road had begun to change from what he'd been seeing as he ran. The gaps between the trees were widening, and the natural traces of human labor appeared among them. When he caught sight of the rising slope of a familiar hill, a raspy voice of joy left Subaru's mouth. He could see white smoke rising above the tree line coming from the other side of the smoke. Maybe it was from cooking, or maybe it was from boiling hot bathwater, but either way, steam was rising, produced by human hands. The village. On the other side of that hill was Earlham Village, the one closest to the mansion. " Whe...w." Until that point, only

the faces of the people at the mansion had graced the back of his mind, but now he imagined the villagers he had so dearly missed. They included the very pushy children and the astoundingly unguarded adults. These were the good people who had welcomed the trivial things Subaru had brought into this world without laughing them off as absurdities. He missed their smiling faces so much that the memory of them almost made him cry. He didn't know why he had forgotten them. It was living proof that Subaru had been in this world. He had saved them. They might have been wiped out had it not been for him. It was Subaru's feat. Was there any other result of his actions he could take that much pride in? With the pillar that supported him right before him, Subaru's steps quickened. The dissipating white smoke nearly vanished in the wind. Subaru pressed on, as if fearful of that very thing. Someone was there. People who knew Subaru, people who knew his worth they were definitely there. That moment, it was enough. He wanted proof that someone cared for him, that someone had affection for him. He ran. He sprinted up the hill. When he neared the crest of the slope, he could finally see the source of the white smoke. Subaru climbed up to the peak, using his sleeve to wipe off the sweat trickling down his brow, and cheerfully looked at the village. And then, the nightmare finally caught him. When Subaru ran to the village entrance, his gaze shifted around to find the first citizen he could. That was when he frowned, sensing something was wrong. The moment his legs stopped, the accumulated stress on his heart and lungs crashed down upon him. He gasped for breath over and over, coughing up spit, and strived to let his body recover as his eyes searched the area. At first glance, he thought that nothing odd had occurred in the village. The air that morning was very fresh, enough to snap a sleepy person awake. It was such a clear and sunny day, and yet he couldn't sense anyone in the village whatsoever. Having been up so late, Subaru didn't fully appreciate the fact that it was still very early in the morning, enough that people might still be asleep. He slumped his shoulders at the sleepyhead villagers and moved on, searching for the cause of the white smoke. If he looked for the source, he'd surely stumble across someone. *** But Subaru's hopes were in vain. He didn't come across a single face. By the time he'd nearly reached whatever was burning, everyone was long gone. What had once been a fire was still faintly smoldering, causing the smoke, but he couldn't sense anyone's presence. That was when Subaru was haunted not by vague anxieties but by very tangible ones. For reasons unrelated to fatigue, his breathing and heartbeat quickened. With his body reacting to that panic, Subaru banged on the door of a nearby house. There was no response. When he rushed in, it was an empty shell. No one was home. Maybe the whole family was out doing farm chores No, he couldn't dismiss the situation with a silly joke. He rushed into the next house, searching for people. There were none. It, too, was unoccupied. An amorphous chill came over him. Subaru, realizing that it greatly resembled what he'd felt when he met the figures in the forest, almost lost himself as he desperately kept searching for a human presence. *** He shouted enough for his voice to go hoarse, pounding on house after house, not caring that it was splitting his fingernails. The result was nothing but silence. Subaru, all alone in the world, collapsed to the ground, powerless. No matter how often he might encounter them, he couldn't get accustomed to these incomprehensible situations. Naturally, the same went for senseless developments that he did understand. Forsaken by all, prospects grim, all avenues of escape cut off. This was always Subaru Natsuki's future. *** Having lost count of how many sighs he'd made, Subaru made one more as he decided that further searching was meaningless. No matter how many times he looked around the village, he wouldn't find anyone. There was no one left. Subaru rose up, brushed off his butt, and tried not to slip on the muddy ground as he stepped forward. Though there was no trace of rain having fallen, there was mud everywhere. He'd lost his footing and tumbled several times over when he'd been running around the place. So Subaru avoided the mud, bypassed anything that might cause him to trip, and headed to the center of the village, the direction of the white smoke. The fire that had caused the smoke was already out. The smoldering remnants were nearly extinguished. Subaru gently lowered his gaze, looking absentmindedly at the remains. There was nothing odd to see, save for the charred corpse of the old man from which the white smoke was rising. *** Subaru scratched his head, averting his mind from the sight as he walked toward the village exit. If there was no one inside the settlement, there was no point staying there. He had to hurry to the mansion. He stepped around the carelessly strewn corpse of a young man, walking carefully so as not to slip on the bloody mud. He gave the bodies of the young couple, piled on each other, a wide berth, passing right beside the old woman lying faceup as he entered the village square. Subaru searched for any signs of life among the numerous dead therein, seeking any salvation, anyone who might call his name. But his hope went unfulfilled, for inactivity was all that remained. Too many detours. He hadn't fulfilled his original intention, and this was the result. He'd taken too much time, and futility was his reward. Everything in that place was in vain. There was nothing there that wasn't, Subaru included. *** Abandoning everything as futile, he dragged his feet in a daze as he crossed the village square. As he did so, his foot abruptly caught on something, sending the half-aware boy tumbling forward. Groaning from the pain of landing on his shoulder, Subaru reflexively glared at what had snagged his foot. And so, he met Petra's empty, unseeing eyes. "AAAAaaaaaaa !!" He couldn't escape. Subaru cried and screamed until his trembling voice went hoarse, a flood of tears pouring down as he wrapped his arms around Petra's remains, cast aside on the ground. Warmth had long faded from the girl's body. Rigor mortis had set in. The body of an unconscious person ought to have been heavy, but even considering Petra's youth, her body was far too light. That was probably because of all the blood that had flowed out of the gaping wound in her chest. Petra had died with her eyes open and an expression of surprise. The only comfort to be found was that the absence of pain or suffering on her face meant that she'd died instantly when her heart was impaled. After all, there was no reason for her to die with a gaping hole in her chest and then suffer in agony on top of that. Subaru laid Petra's corpse upon the ground and covered her with his track jacket, the only funeral he could provide her. He'd tried to close her eyes, but with her body already stiff, he couldn't grant her even that small mercy. Praying that Petra would rest in peace, Subaru trembled as he turned his back to her He continued to avert his eyes from the hellish scene the familiar village had become. The cause of the white smoke was Muraosa's charred body. The young men had no doubt fought with the swords they had. There were weapons and farm implements scattered about, with the blood of the slain villagers drenching the bare earth around them. Death had befallen the village. It had all been over long before Subaru arrived. Far too late, Subaru was now the only person to bear witness to the results of the tragedy befalling that place. He offered up both his hands, as if pleading for someone, anyone to take them. What happened? What had happened? What terrible, horrible thing had occurred? Who had violated the village in a merciless slaughter of its innocent denizens, trampling upon their dignity even in death? No one still breathed. Not a single person was left alive. A memory of days long forgotten arose in the form of a carefree voice. "Oh, Master Subaru. Good morning to you. Here to play with the children again?" He remembered the brash, noisy, fond, and very pushy voices of the young children. "Subaru's here!" "Subaru came!" "Subaru's all alone!" One girl had pretentions of adulthood as she made a cheeky promise about the future. "Eh-eh-eh, Subaru's the one who saved my life, so when I'm bigger, I'm going to return the favor." He couldn't see her face anymore. His track jacket now covered it. No one was left. His memories had been trampled underfoot, shredded, discarded, lost. It wasn't sinking in. Liquid was pouring from every cavity in his face. Whether it was tears, snot, or drool, he had lost the will to hold it back as it continued to sully his face. " Aaa." Then, as Subaru wallowed disgracefully, practically drowning in tears, he came to grasp something far too late. He finally understood the obvious. There was no reason for the senseless tragedy to have stopped at the village's edge. *** A chill worse than any that had come before shot through Subaru's entire body. Since Subaru had fallen into that world, he had overcome mortal crises several times over. Even then, he had never known fear and despair as he did in that moment. The despair that, somewhere beyond his reach, the people precious to him had been taken away. His teeth chattered to their very roots. His eyes, painful from too much crying, could see little, but he raised his limited field of vision to the sky. The clear blue ether seemed innocent in the face of the tragedy beneath it. And under that sky, the mansion awaited. That place he'd wanted so much to return to, that he'd yearned for, the place practically right before his eyes, was now too frightening to contemplate. But whatever had turned the village into hell surely hadn't overlooked the mansion. " Ah, ahh." He was scared. He couldn't help but be scared. He didn't want to think of the possibility that this "something" had torn through the mansion. He was afraid that if he thought it, let alone spoke it aloud, that would make it real. He shook his head, casting off the fearful images. But though Subaru tried to drive them to the back of his mind, one of them obstinately held on, whispering in Subaru's ear, refusing to be forgotten. That was why Subaru clung to it, the lowest means for him to escape. If he could voice even the possibility, the chance that something had happened to her, then... "Rem...? Rem...where are you...?" It was the name of the girl who ought to have arrived before him, the girl who had cared for him, who had cuddled with him, who had affirmed him, and who had betrayed him in the end. Subaru instinctively knew what it meant to call her name. And knowing this, Subaru had chosen to do it anyway. In the name of worrying about Rem's safety, he was fooling his heart with the most sordid of means. "If Rem came back... She'd never sit back after that happened to the village..." Excuses. It was another excuse, spoken in a place where he stood alone, and it didn't even fool him. He was the worst. He was the lowest of the low. He didn't want to understand, but he did. If he could

voice the possibility that he'd lost the girl he cared for and the possibility his own heart could break, then why not offer up a sacrifice so that he wouldn't have to? Subaru told himself such lies so that he could pretend not to see his own overly unscrupulous heart. He felt like the blue-haired girl's pleasant smile, the warmth of her nestling against him, her voice that called Subaru's name, were growing further, further away. "That's right... Rem... Rem can... Rem..." Subaru began listlessly tottering along the road to the mansion. He dragged his feet, leaving Petra's remains and the corpses of the villagers behind, covering his ears to block everything out. He still didn't know what awaited him. He thought both that he didn't want to know and that he needed to know, but he didn't have the courage to run to find out. Subaru slowly, slowly climbed the upwardly sloping path, clinging to the girl's name like she was the pillar supporting his heart as he walked toward the mansion. Rem was dead in the courtyard. The courtyard he had seen on many a morning had turned into a hell unlike anything he'd ever seen. The small but vivid flower bed had been trampled awry, and the trees standing around the mansion had been felled, snapped in half. The green grass had been dyed black with blood, with the prostrate corpse joined by the remains of several black-robed figures. Each showed signs of being subjected to incredible violence, with few remaining relatively whole. The gruesome damage to the remains exceeded what he had seen in Earlham Village, no doubt evidence of the great rage behind the murder weapon that had turned these unfortunate victims into mincemeat. The deadly tool that had wreaked such havoc upon them, a bloodstained iron ball, lay fallen among the dark figures in the center of the garden. The metal orb, linked to a handle via a chain, had smashed apart a number of foes, but in the midst of battle, its mistress had somehow relinquished her grip; it seemed to regret having been unable to fight alongside her to the very end. And as for the demon who he presumed had wielded it one-handed in ferocious battle... " Rem." ...She was long gone from that place. In a corner of the courtyard, a short distance removed from the iron weapon, was Rem, her servant's uniform dyed crimson red. The surface of the ground where she had fallen was drenched with a great quantity of blood that spoke of the heroism of her demise. *** Looking at the large number of corpses besides Rem's in the courtyard, he knew. She had fought. The fangs that had slaughtered the villagers had menaced the mansion with ill intent. She had battled hard to defeat a number of them, struggled while heavily wounded, and died. *** What had the group of black figures been thinking in killing Rem? Why? Why? Why, why, why, why, why? What did they know about her? Rem tried her best, always worked hard, always took care of others, jumped to too many conclusions, was kind and gentle and stern to Subaru; when times were tough, she was on his side, but she'd left him behind; she loved her sister and hated herself, but she'd just begun to like herself a little more, and Just when she'd stopped calling herself a substitute for her older sister, just when she'd begun to walk down her own path in life, she... "...Rem." Though he called out to her, she made no response. Though he shook her, her body had already gone cold and hard. He tried to stroke her soft hair several times over, but it clung to her forehead, sticky with blood. Subaru didn't even have the courage to turn her over and see the look on her face. Maybe her expression was bitter, locked in place as she struggled against death to her final breath. Perhaps it was peaceful. He didn't have the right to accept either. After all, it was Subaru Natsuki who'd as good as killed her. *** He left Rem, fallen with her arms wide to the sides, when he noticed the shed containing gardening tools. Rem's unnatural location. The shed that she seemed to be protecting. And the blood that had flowed out from under the closed door. Despite the scent of death, Subaru suppressed his nausea as he reached toward the shed. With a creak, the door opened; the next instant, the scent of overflowing blood assaulted Subaru's nostrils. He reflexively covered his mouth with his hands as he beheld the results of Rem's attempt at defense. Not a single one of the children inside the shed was still alive. Subaru fell down and pathetically crawled onto the grass, heaving the contents of his stomach upon the lawn. He thought that his overflowing tears and vomit would stop, but there was no apparent limit. "Uh, fuggh..." Rem had died to protect the children and failed. He thought back to the villagers who'd apparently picked up arms and fought. They hadn't run, either. The adults had stayed in the village so that the children could escape. The little ones had run to the manor, with Rem fighting heroically in the courtyard to protect them as they huddled in the closed shed, praying for salvation. But their prayers were cruelly, mercilessly trampled on, and then their lives were taken from them as well. "Hyeek." Abruptly, a cry in falsetto escaped his throat. It wasn't that anything had happened. It was simply that the forgotten terror had suddenly reared its ugly head once more. Subaru had returned to the village and the mansion in the hope of finding someone who knew him. And yet, not a single living soul was left. Only the silent dead greeted Subaru. He felt like those hollow, empty eyes were saying something to him. He felt like the blood-drenched tongues in their wide, gaping mouths were berating him. He felt like they hated him. He recalled the days they had spent sharing smiles with each other. "No... No, no, no, no, no...!" Why are you alive? Why did we have to die instead? "No... I didn't... This isn't what I wanted at..." He'd had an ideal. He had dreamed of a hope. When Subaru heard that Emilia had fallen into peril, he had thought it a blessing from heaven. Since she had lost all faith in him, he believed this was his chance to get back into her good graces. He'd believed he would save her from peril as he had done before, she would thank him, and they'd put their meager differences behind them to walk side by side, hand in hand. He had disparaged the suffering, the danger, the tragedy that had occurred as nothing more than a means to that end. He had taken it lightly, believing he could fix anything, no matter what happened. And if the cost of that was a vast number of dead bodies "It's...not my fault... I-I didn't...!" Subaru shook his head, rose to his feet, averted his eyes from the shed, turned his back on Rem's corpse, and ran toward the mansion. He cut through the courtyard, kicking in a window on the terrace and climbing through to intrude into the mansion. The dimly lit manor seemed to treat Subaru like an outsider as the soles of his shoes crushed fragments of glass. He began to run around the building, clinging obsessively to the search for another living soul. "Someone, anyone, anyone, anyone, anyone, anyone, anyone, anyone, anyone..." Just as when he had run from the village no, even baser hopes continued flowing from him. "It's not my fault... It's not my fault... It's not my...fault...!" I didn't want this to happen. So it's not my fault. He wanted someone to be alive so that they could agree. Or perhaps, the fact that someone had survived at all would be enough to affirm his claim. So Subaru kept searching for survivors. He had to find one. If he couldn't, he'd never be able to live with himself. Now faced with the notion that his own, flippant thoughts had brought this tragedy about, there was no way that he could stay composed. To stop his mind from shattering, and to not have to bear the burden of the multitude of dead, he required a more tangible defense. He violently thrust open the door of the nearest room, peering in to find it empty. Dejected, he moved to the next chamber. Checking whatever room was closest at hand, Subaru continued his search for the four people who ought to have been at the mansion: for Ram, for Beatrice, for Roswaal, and above all, for Emilia. Subaru's half-crying voice carried a heavy imprint of despair. "Come on... Come on... I'm begging you... Help me... Help me, please...!!" Normally, Subaru would have been able to easily reach Beatrice's archive of forbidden books, even without trying. Yet when he needed to most, he was unable to find it no matter how hard he looked. He wanted to hear invective from her sharp tongue almost more than air itself. Subaru, dragging his feet along in unmanly fashion, still had tears rolling down his cheeks. Distracted by sobbing breaths, Subaru continued to walk in search of the living, his own eyes like those of the dead. He found Ram's body in the room at the end of the second floor. Having seen so much death in such a short time, Subaru knew immediately that she was not asleep as she lay on the bed. Her light skin had grown so pale that you could almost see through her. In contrast, her tongue stood out for being redder than normal. Unlike how her identical younger sister had passed away, Ram, adorned by the cosmetics of death, was lovely even after her passing. Subaru had always glibly said that she'd be cute if she only kept her mouth shut. But he'd never said that out of a desire to see her like this. "Hgheee." Subaru felt like he heard a curse. The same curse upon Subaru's life spoken by the dead in the village and the courtyard. Subaru stumbled clumsily out of Ram's bedroom and fled. He put his hands on the wall, slapping his uncooperative knees, and distanced himself as fast as he humanly could. Closing his ears, shaking his head, Subaru arrived at the dance hall on that floor. He crawled on hands and knees, stumbling several times midway, and pathetically climbed up the stairs. Ram was dead. That left three survivors. As if they had a mind of their own, his feet avoided the floor where Emilia's room was and climbed to the top level toward the chamber at the center of the main wing. This was Roswaal's study. The thick double doors remained shut in silence, their formidable solemnity making them seem removed from the wickedness that had infested the rest of the mansion. The doors weren't locked. He stepped inside and looked all around, feeling half resigned to the possibility of finding Roswaal's corpse slumped over the desk. Rem was dead. Ram had passed away in the mansion. Subaru himself was no longer certain if he was really looking for survivors or to find the despair that would eradicate his last hope. *** There was no one in the study. There was no sign of anyone having broken into the room. The desk and the writing supplies on it were just like he remembered. A slight feeling of relief took hold of Subaru, not only because he was unable to confirm that Roswaal was dead or alive but also because there would not be another casualty to weigh upon his battered conscience any further. *** No, he realized that his earlier feeling, that the room looked just like he'd remembered it, was off. There was actually one thing that was significantly different

from his memory. Namely, the bookshelf wasn't in the same location as usual. "A secret...passage...?" The bookshelf on the wall had slid well to the right, revealing the entrance to a dark corridor behind it. He timidly drew close and peered within, finding stairs spiraling downward. A thought rose up in the back of Subaru's mind. An emergency escape route. As a marquis and lord of the land, it was no surprise that Roswaal had such measures in place for his own protection. It was the sort of thing he'd gleefully arrange beforehand. The cold wind blowing through the secret passage suggested that it continued for quite a way down. He naturally imagined that the route was for safely escaping from the mansion itself. "If so, then Emilia..." Subaru took several deep breaths, hardened his resolve, and stepped into the escape route. When he touched the rather cold wall, he wondered what it must be made of; as he did so, it gave off a pale-blue glow that allowed him to see several meters ahead. Relying on the light, he kept one hand touching the wall as he carefully followed the steps downward, making sure not to slip. Apparently the hidden passage went underground. When he reached the end of the stairs, the tunnel stretched forward in a straight line. The source of light didn't change, leaving him relying solely on the radiance from the walls. But the feeling that he was really chasing after survivors was enough to support Subaru for the moment. Whether he himself was dead or alive seemed ambiguous to him now. " Nn, oh?" The wall he had been touching suddenly ended, leaving him abruptly groping into thin air. Subaru unwittingly flailed forward and was greeted by a hall in the middle of the passage. Really, it was more the size of a lounge than a hall. Smaller than a guest room, the space was supported by unevenly distributed pillars, so haphazard that he felt like the architect had a twisted mind. Slipping past the annoying supports, Subaru sluggishly advanced. Ever since he'd gone underground, he'd felt like his limbs were stuffed with lead as languor dulled his movements. Even his thoughts were clouding; even his memories from mere seconds before seemed vague. It was a hard battle to take even a single step at a time. His eyelids were heavy; both his shoulders felt like millstones holding him still. Even so, a combination of tenacity, hatred, sense of duty, and madness pushed Subaru's body forward. Threading between the pillars, he headed straight forward to see an iron door at the back of the room. When he reached it, the breeze slipping between the split at the center told him that the path continued ahead. What was I looking for, anyway? He reached out with bloodless fingertips before his stagnant thoughts could produce an answer. Subaru opened and shut his mouth as he breathed hard, grasping the door for no reason other than his sense of responsibility. " Agauaa!" Screaming in fierce pain, Subaru shook his right arm as if trying to tear it off. Touching the doorknob had left his entire hand in scalding pain. Subaru anticipated further agony as he lowered his eyes onto his right hand. He saw that it was missing its index finger. " Huh?" Dumbfounded and astounded, Subaru lifted his hand before his eyes and spread it out. Now colored white, with cracked skin, it was missing its index finger from the knuckle. The middle finger and thumb were also missing their tips. *** Slowly, his gaze returned to the door. Subaru's finger was stuck to the door where he'd grabbed it. More precisely, it had ripped his finger right off. Gotta get it back on, quick. With only that incoherent thought in his head, Subaru reached out once more to take back the finger he'd lost. But lethargy afflicted his body even more than before; his thoughts reached his shoulder and elbow but not any further than that. Impatient that his arm would not move, Subaru tried to step toward the door, but the instant he did, his right foot shattered from the ankle down. " aaa!" Subaru fell on his side, his voice trickling out of his throat though he was unable to form words. He didn't know if he was screaming out of pain or in a futile struggle to live. The instant he drew in breath to scream more, white frost filled the inside of his chest, and he could move no more. His lungs convulsed. In a single moment, his ability to breathe came to an end. He made short, shallow gasps, but his lungs could not expand nor take in oxygen anymore. In that perilous state, Subaru's eyes alone desperately shifted about. He had very little feeling anywhere in his body. It was the second time he'd lost a leg, but the pain and sense of loss from its shattering were on a different level than mere severing. The right side of his torso, now the underside of him, was cracked in several places. His tongue stopped trembling as white breath came over it. Only then did Subaru realize the truth. His cheek was now in contact with the ground. If he moved his head, his flesh would probably crack and tear right off. He no longer felt any pain. He moved violently, tearing his right cheek and ear right off, but he didn't care. He spent some time repositioning his body so that he was lying faceup. When he looked back at the upside down view of the little room, he understood. Of course the pillars were in irregular locations. They weren't pillars at all. No, they were pillars, but their function wasn't to hold up a structure. These were human pillars, men who had frozen over and died. Subaru had wandered into the same white apocalypse, and his body would become a frozen statue like the other victims'. And it would happen very soon. His breathing had already stopped. His limited oxygen flowed to his brain, but in the world of absolute cold, which would end sooner, his brain functions or his life? He understood nothing. He saw nothing. From the tips of his fingers, the being called Subaru Natsuki was coming to an end, replaced by a fragment of ice. Or perhaps it would have been more accurate to say it was no longer Subaru Natsuki there but a madman wearing his flesh? Perhaps his mind had died long before, the moment he arrived in the village. He lost all feeling in his lower body. He couldn't see his arm anymore. It was strange that his brain was functioning at all. Where did one's life reside? The brain or the heart? There was no way that he would find the answer in that freezing world. In the realm ruled by nothing but white, there was a frigid murmur. " You are far too late." And then... Subaru Natsuki shattered into tiny pieces, into white crystals, and vanished from the world. CHAPTER 4 *** When the darkness split apart and he awoke, it began with the pain of sunlight burning his eyes. " id?" Warm blood flowed through his limbs. His shattered lower body was firmly standing upon the ground. Right after the first blink, all his lost mental functions seemed to return at once. His brain instantly restarted and then short-circuited from information overload, making his eyes literally spin. Where the ringing in his ears had dominated his world, the sounds of thronging humans going about their lives came rushing in. Various people mingled along the dusty road, burying his field of vision in the living souls he had so craved. Subaru stood rooted in place as the human wave parted around him. The beating of his cracked heart grew fiercer. "Hey! Hey there! You listening?!" Along with a click of the tongue, the rough voice reached him from right beside him. Subaru slowly shifted his gaze toward it and saw a stern, scowling face with a vertical scar on it. The man rubbed the white streak with a finger. "Gimme a break, kid. Don't just stare into space like that." "Eh, ah?" The very faint reply drew a sigh out of the man. "What's with that weak reply? Well, whatever. More importantly, something happen to you?" The speaker held out his hand with a nice, shiny red fruit sitting on top of it. Subaru came to the conclusion that the man's appearance was a truly terrible match for the person inside. It seemed surreal. Subaru remained silent as he gazed absentmindedly at the fruit. His situational awareness was badly lacking. However, the man didn't suspect that something was wrong with Subaru, instead leaning forward as he said, "Hey, enough fooling around here. I asked, how many abbles? Don't make me say it over and over." The man reached over the counter and grabbed hold of Subaru's shoulder. He roughly pulled him closer, and Subaru's defenseless body pitched forward and crashed against the shelf. The man let go with a surprised look on his face. "Wh-what are you doing?! Stand up properly. Your legs are all wobbly, damn it..." "L-l-legs?" The man pointed to Subaru's lower body with an exasperated look on his face. "You've got two good ones attached to your hips. What, daydreamed you'd lost them or something?" When Subaru looked down, he did have legs, trembling and shaking though they were. Since they were unreliable and unable to support his body, he was leaning on the shelves at the moment. With an annoyed voice, the man said, "I'm begging you, quit the bad jokes. This ain't normal conversation, and it's messin' with me." But Subaru's body did not respond. Reality didn't register as real. He felt detached somehow, like some sort of discord had developed in the connection between his body and his soul. What was he doing there? What had happened to him? He felt like something had happened to him, but what? What am I doing here? What, what, what...? Suddenly, a girl's voice sounded in his ears. " Subaru?" *** Unable to speak a word, Subaru felt his eyes go wide as he lifted up his face. Behind the counter, there was a tiny silhouette standing near the stern, tall man, cleaning things up. She wore an apron dress that was mostly black, with a white apron and white headdress. She stood straight with a small stature and an elegant body. With the counter between them, she turned her lovely face toward Subaru. Her shoulder-length blue hair fluttered in the wind, drawing attention to her refreshing, gentle image. Tears formed in his eyes. "Ahh?" "Subaru?" Sobs poured out of him as his field of vision blurred. He earnestly rubbed both eyes, fearful that the clear, distinct image of the girl would fade. And yet, she grew more and more distant as the murmurs loudened. Before he realized it, he'd lost the support of the counter and fallen onto the street. Unable to send strength and will to his feet, he lay there amid the pedestrians coming and going, tears flowing as he gasped with disjointed breaths. No, it was not breathing... "Hu-hee... Hi-hi, ha-ha... He-hi, hi-ha-ha-ha...!" It was laughter. The murmurs broadened. He could tell that more and more people were shifting their gazes to him. Someone was watching him. Someone saw him. He wasn't by himself. He wasn't isolated. From this alone, he knew he was accepted, even lying there in the street like a marionette with cut strings. Rather than run around the counter, the girl leaped right over it to move to his side. "Subaru, what's wrong?! Are you all right? Get a grip on..." The girl wrapped her arms around the fallen Subaru to sit him up. As she did... "Eh?" She felt so defenseless, and he hugged her back with all his strength. The girl accepted the embrace with astonishment. Her breath was so close, and

her warmth was so comforting as he buried his nose into her shoulder and hugged her tight. Perplexed, she tried to say something. "Er... Um, Subaru? Umm..." Each word, each syllable, each character, each breath, was a hymn to Subaru. He embraced her firmly, his arms refusing to let go. Nor did the girl stir even an inch, quietly accepting the embrace, making no move to brush him off. The warmth of her body, the heartbeats of life, made him feel that others were alive like nothing else could. "Hi-ha... Uhi-ha, hi-hi-hi-hi." The madman named Subaru Natsuki continued to simply laugh. Ferris, sitting in a leather-covered chair, put a finger to his cheek and solemnly declared, "To be frank, Ferri can only say that it is all over now, meow..." His ears twitched, and he swept back his flaxen hair as he shifted his gaze away from Subaru, sleeping in a feminine-looking bed. He looked instead to Rem with a pitying look in his eyes. He continued, "Ferri can only do something about physical wounds, you see. Issues with the body are workable, whether within or without...but there is nothing Ferri can do for the mind, meow." After Ferris's apology for his powerlessness, Rem bowed in a show of respect. "...No, thank you very much for exhausting all your efforts." But somehow, her flat voice sounded devoid of emotion. This was not like her normal suppression of her opinions. Rem's inner turmoil was simply too great and had turned into profound sadness. Ferris closed one eye in a pained look. Rem did not notice his reaction and gently leaned her head forward, shifting her attention to Subaru where he lay on the bed. They had Subaru in bed to tend to him, but that didn't mean he was asleep. Both his eyes were wide open as he stared straight at the ceiling. From time to time, he'd make a fragmented laugh, like he'd just remembered something, and when that passed, he would suddenly break into tears. In his unstable state, Subaru's torment continued apace. Truly, the change in the boy had been a sudden one. Until that morning no, the entire time he'd been walking with Rem through the royal capital that morning he had been his normal self. Certainly the incident the day before weighed on him, and his behavior showed some signs that he was stressed, but Subaru was striving as he normally did. Rem deeply respected his wishes and sought to be close to him without changing his behavior. She didn't think anything had happened that could trigger this. Rem painfully regretted that the instant Subaru had abruptly changed was when she'd taken her eyes off him. Even so, she was right there at the shop, listening to the shopkeeper converse with him. Thanks to Rem's tireless efforts, the store had sold its merchandise nicely, and the shopkeeper, in quite high spirits, seemed inclined to give them a souvenir. He was asking how many abbles Subaru wanted to take with him, and she remembered him answering, "How 'bout all of 'em?" The very next moment, his demeanor abruptly changed, and he fell limply onto the street. When Rem sat him up, he seemed so overcome by sadness and tears of joy that he kept laughing. Deeming he wasn't well, Rem carried Subaru back to the Crusch villa, accepting all the trouble it might cause. Suspecting it was some kind of magical interference, she politely insisted that Ferris examine Subaru. However, it had all come to naught. Even Ferris, the most accomplished healer in all of the royal capital, could not identify the cause of his sudden change. If Ferris could do nothing, it might well mean that gathering all the great magic users in the entire royal capital would still not be enough to heal him. Subaru's present condition was unrelated to magic. But his mind had suddenly become unbalanced. Ferris asked, "Ferri doesn't really want to ask, meow, but what will you do?" "Without understanding the cause, dealing with it is difficult... I am sorry to have troubled you, Master Felix." "Mmm, don't worry ameowt it. As a matter of fact, it's better for Ferri's treatment now that he's not making a weird fuss, in a meownner of speaking." Subaru hated Ferris's treatment and often voiced his complaints. On that level, Rem could understand how he was easier to deal with lying down and listless. The words were still highly insensitive. Ferris continued, "But...but is it really good to continue treatment meow?" Rem, who was watching Subaru, lifted up her head and shifted her gaze toward Ferris. "...What do you mean?" "Don't be upset by my asking, meow, but the treatment for Subaru's gate is to make life easier for him, yes?" "Yes." "If he can no longer live a normal life, treating him is meaningless, isn't it?" " Subaru is...!" The even more insensitive remark drove Rem to forget Ferris's status as she yelled. But even faced with the maid's emotions, Ferris's look of doubt did not falter. "Are you saying don't stop now, meow? Seeing him like this? Are you serious? It's true some things happened to him, but if that's enough to break him, he's not likely to ever recover!" Ferris looked down at Subaru with undiluted scorn. To Rem, who knew that this was the man to whom Lugunica had granted the title of "Blue," the archetype for all water magic users, his behavior was all too callous. If someone couldn't be healed, throw the person away. That was the judgment of the kingdom's foremost healer? What did he understand about the individual named Subaru to judge that he had no prospects for healing? "Oh my, what a stare mew have... Subawu's a lucky man. Not that he ever realized it." "Subaru's current situation is unrelated to the royal selection. He is not a person who would lose his mind over minor failures." "Believe that all you want. As far as Ferri is concerned, keeping his sanity after everything that's happened presents problems of its own, meow. And besiiides..." Ferris set aside his flippant tone as he looked frostily at Rem. "Don't misunderstand. Ferri doesn't hate Subawu, so this isn't meowt of some kind of special grudge against him." *** "This isn't particular to Subawu as a person. Ferri just hates people who lose their will to live, pure and simple." Ferris pointed at Subaru, and then he touched his finger to his own chin. "Even for someone with my meowgic specialty, there's no way to use that power besides healing. Ferri helps all kinds of people day after day to be of service to Lady Crusch. Meow, everyone struggles hard to live, so thanks doesn't matter, but Ferri hates wasting this power on anyone." "I think that is admirable." "Thank you But it's not right to save people who don't want to live. Even if you heal the body, isn't it just saving an unused life? If that's the case, end it before it causes other people trouble. Well, in this case it already has, meow." Ferris delivered his blunt assessment with a stern face. Behind that hard demeanor, Rem keenly felt Ferris's sincerity concerning the many lives he had no doubt saved. His way of saying it was dismissive, but it was what Ferris had learned from watching life and death in all that time. That had informed his views on life itself. "Even so, Subaru is..." Rem, battered by Ferris's words, looked at the boy with pure regret. Subaru was unaware that he was the subject of the conversation as he made faint, intermittent, warped giggles, as if hearing these things had stirred the wounds remaining in his mind. Deep inside, Rem wanted nothing more than to lose her grip on herself, cling to Subaru, and cry aloud. But that would bring dishonor to him and tarnish the good name of Roswaal, her benefactor. More than anything else, it would be a betrayal of the feelings she herself had carried while watching over him all this time. A clear voice flowed into the room, abruptly breaking the awkward silence within. " Ferris, I believe your view is just a little too strict." Rem reflexively raised her head at the voice. When Ferris noticed the visitor, his expression brightened. After all, his eyes were always full of zealous devotion when they gazed upon her. "Lady Crusch," said Rem. "I do not go as far as to say weakness is a crime. I do believe, however, that condoning that weakness and wallowing in it while leaving the situation uncorrected is very much a vice." When Rem hastily lowered her head at Crusch's arrival, the duchess checked her with a hand. With a shake of her long green hair, she moved to the edge of the bed. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at Subaru, who had a wicked smile on his face even then. "I see. This certainly is an alarming state. Do you know the cause?" Hearing Crusch's question, Ferris raised both his hands up as he replied, "No. According to Rem, he suddenly fell over, so Ferri examined him from head to toe. But there's no sign of any interference with his mana, meow." "Is it possible this is some kind of curse? It is difficult to imagine, but I can think of someone taking measures against those with knowledge of the royal candidates. Or one could suspect that this is a show of force by another camp. However..." "Neither is very likely, is it, meow? There's not much time to set something up, and who'd go after Subawu in the first place? Anyone involved would know he's powerless, and there is no meowgical interference anyway, curses included. Ferri's positive. And besides..." As Ferris's words trailed off, he tilted his head and gently leaned into Crusch, who stood there with her arms folded. "Lady Crusch, do you doubt Ferri's abilities?" "Of course not. I could never question your ability, personality, or loyalty. Even if you were to hold a dagger in front of me, ready to run me through, that thought is set in stone." "Oh my, Lady Crusch, what a meowgnificent line... Ahh, Ferri's falling to pieces." Crusch left Ferris to squirm and wallow as she shifted her penetrating gaze toward Rem. "Ferris has spoken. And if Ferris's power will not suffice, none in my house is capable of treating Subaru Natsuki. I'm sorry we can be of no assistance." Crusch's apology, despite doing nothing wrong herself, sent Rem into another low bow. " Not at all. Your deep consideration leaves me speechless." In truth, beyond the reach of words and pleasantries, Crusch had conveyed warmth to her that she could never return. The finest healer in all the kingdom had rendered his diagnosis, and the head of a rival political camp had conveyed sympathy nonetheless. What more could Rem hope for from them? Crusch and Ferris had done nothing wrong. Rem knew that. After all, she had her own suspicions about how Subaru had ended up in that state. " The Witch." The presence, the "miasma" of the Witch enveloping Subaru's entire body had become denser still. What linked that miasma to Subaru's abnormal state was unclear, but it was a fact that she'd sensed an outpouring of it just before he had collapsed. If the cause was the Witch's poison, she could not criticize Ferris's judgment that there was nothing he could do. Very few beings were able to sense the presence of that substance in the first place. Not even Ram could catch the scent the way Rem could. Nothing good came with such pall. Those who planned wicked things were rich with it. Her physiological distaste for it, and the hateful memories that accompanied it, made her deeply prejudiced against those who bore it. Although the actions of the boy with the strongest Witch smell she'd ever met had melted her hard heart and swept those prejudices aside... Even

so. Yes, even so. Rem knew that nothing good came from that miasma. The demon in her knew this. Rem bowed and conveyed her deepest gratitude. " You have gone through great trouble for us. On behalf of my master, I thank you for your benevolence until this day." Crusch and Ferris stood before her. Rem and the others were meeting in the Crusch villa's reception hall in other words, Rem was bidding them farewell. "I am sorry we could be of no help. By rights, it is presumptuous to receive compensation for such a thing..." Seeing Crusch's eyes fall slightly, Rem lifted her face and firmly replied, "Not at all. Ending our request before it was finished is due to our own circumstances. You have given us your utmost consideration until now, Lady Crusch. It is only right that we pay compensation as promised." Receiving her reply, Crusch made one final apology: "I am sorry." She would say nothing more. With his master's lips closed, Ferris followed up. "To be honest, it does leave things half-done, but it can't be helped, meow? Rem, be in good health. As for Subawu...get well soon, is what Ferri should probably say?" With one eye closed and one finger raised, Ferris indicated Subaru, standing behind Rem, leaning against the door in a slovenly state. His condition had not improved. His reactions were as dull as before, with his consciousness stranded somewhere between dream and reality. In spite of that, he followed like a child when they led him around by the hand, and he could at least manage not to fall over. Though he still suddenly broke into little fits of laughter and tears from time to time. Rem replied, "My words are insufficient to apologize for the rudeness caused by a member of our house. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for treating him with benevolence." Crusch replied, "We had a contract, and at the very least, I have exchanged words with him. I could never treat him in an uncouth manner. I believe things will be difficult from here, however..." Rem glanced at the faintly smiling Subaru, grasping the hem of her apron in a display of resolve. "I am...prepared for that." Just as Crusch had gloomily pointed out, she knew there were many hardships to come. Even so, Rem had appointed herself to be the one who would walk with Subaru through thick and thin. After all, she'd never forgotten what he had said to her long ago. Let's laugh, hug each other, and talk about tomorrow. I've always dreamed of laughing with a demon and talking about the future. She'd remembered that scene in her head many times, tens of times, hundreds of times over. That was why she could give Subaru no less than what he had given to her. For what she had received was too precious for any sum of money to ever repay. Crusch lowered her eyes and shook her head. "I regret that I was unable to fulfill your request." Rem smiled a little. She was grateful for Crusch's considerate words, especially then, when she felt ready to crumble. "It is all because of our shortcomings Though this chapter has reached an unfortunate result, I pray that you will do many great things, now and in the future, Lady Crusch." "And you as well. Tell Emilia, 'Let us both fight to bring no disgrace to our souls.'" With that exchange, Rem keenly felt that her duty in that place had come to an end. Subaru's treatment had been abandoned before it was over, and she wasn't able to fulfill Roswaal's secret command. She would no doubt be sternly scolded for scurrying back. Even so, she had to return to the mansion...for Subaru's sake. "Ferri understands you're returning to the mansion, but do mew have any leads for treatment?" Rem held back the regret in her voice and replied to Ferris's question with her single ray of hope. "At the very least, if he can meet Lady Emilia..." No matter how much she spoke to him, how much she touched him, how much she continued in vain, the boy never responded to Rem with his usual Subaru-like reactions. But even in this state, sometimes words rich with meaning would tumble out of Subaru's mouth. "Names..." "Mmm?" "From time to time, he says names. My name, Sister's. And..." She was happy that her own name was among those he whispered. On the other hand, the fact that he didn't respond when she called his made her sad. Though much of his behavior was meaningless, the name he murmured with the most frequency was... " Lady Emilia's. If he is able to meet her, perhaps it will change him somehow." "But Ferri heard they parted on really bad terms. It hasn't even been four days since then; is that enough time for her to calm down, meow? If you could wait a little longer... Ah, you really can't, huh?" "I am well aware that Lady Emilia has a poor understanding of her own heart. However, this is no longer something I can decide on my own. I must return and receive instructions..." Rem's words, full of concern for her lord and master, were for the purpose of deceiving her own heart. She was hiding what she truly desired, burying it under her duties as a servant. After all, it pained her to the point of tears that she was not enough to save his heart and mind. Abruptly, Crusch lifted her face and narrowed her eyes. " Wilhelm has arrived." Following Crusch's gaze, Rem saw that a dragon carriage was entering the courtyard of the villa from the iron gates. A familiar aged gentleman was sitting in the driver's seat. Crusch continued, "At the moment, this is the only long-distance dragon carriage that my house is able to lend. I cannot reveal the details, but a large number of these vehicles have been required for another matter of late." Ferris followed up, "You're in luck, meow. If you head along the Liphas Highway, you should get back to the mansion before tomeowrrow. It might take you half a day's travel, give or take." Rem, watching the dragon carriage's arrival, thought that the rays of the sun high above were dazzling indeed. Since it was around noon now, an all-out carriage ride would mean arriving back at the mansion around midnight. If they were close to the manor, her shared consciousness with Ram would no doubt inform her sister of their return. "Thank you very much for your kindheartedness." Crusch replied, without a single hint of false pleasantries, "I do not mind. It is still a far cry from what I would normally be able to provide, so I can only hope that this modest offering nonetheless accommodates your needs." Rem thought that getting to know Crusch as a person might have been one of the few happy things she'd gained from the time she had spent there. "Then this time I must excuse mys " As Rem was stating her final farewell, Crusch interrupted her. "Rem." When Rem stopped, she saw indecision in Crusch's eyes for the very first time. The duchess continued, "This is extremely inelegant of me...but there is something I wish to ask." "Yes, what is it?" "Why do you strive for Subaru Natsuki so?" Watching Rem and the boy leaning against her, emotion vanished from Crusch's amber eyes. She continued, "The relationship between you and Subaru Natsuki is not the master-retainer relationship Ferris and I share. I simply find it distasteful to judge men and women by appearances alone." *** With Rem falling into silence, the tone of Crusch's voice dropped, as if she was apologizing for her own lack of clarity. "I do not mind if you do not wish to answer. I am embarrassed to even ask." Ferris silently watched his master as Rem shook her head at both of them. "No, I am not hesitating to answer. I am simply unsure about what words I should use It is a difficult thing to explain." When she was on the verge of putting it into words, she felt it change into something else entirely. It was natural for Crusch to have doubts. What existed inside Rem didn't stay the same for even a second. Its size, strength, and heat shifted from moment to moment, putting down its roots inside Rem. She didn't want to come out and say it. She couldn't come out and say it. How, then, to describe something formless inside Rem to another person? "I suppose it is because...Subaru is special?" *** Rem didn't really understand if that qualified as an answer or not. However, she felt like that response best exemplified what was at the bottom of her own heart. "Did something...happen to both of you?" As she supported Subaru, putting a hand to her chest, she inclined her head at the lack of a reaction. When she looked, both Crusch and Ferris were standing there, gaping with somewhat surprised expressions. Rem had a gnawing feeling that their reactions might indicate she'd said something rude. Master and servant traded gazes, nodding to each other. "I am sorry. I am somewhat astounded at what I was doing." "No, nooo, it was unavoidable. Ferri was surprised, too. Like...Rem, you weren't even there for the talks at the royal palace..." Rem didn't really understand what they were saying. However, Crusch seemed satisfied with her reply as she stated, "I apologize for my impolite and unrefined question. I'm very sorry Subaru Natsuki is a lucky man." Crusch was smiling a little. Ferris followed up teasingly, "He really is. If he ever gets his senses back, Ferri has to tease him about it, meow." They had conveyed, by fairly undiplomatic means, that they wished for Subaru's recovery, so Rem gave them a small smile rich in gratitude. The two sent her off. "Be in good health." "Good luck, meow!" Rem gave them both one deep, final bow before leading Subaru by the hand out of the Crusch villa. Wilhelm, waiting at the gates, greeted her with a nod as he offered her the reins. She accepted them, bowing to the aged gentleman in return. "You have also been exceptionally benevolent to us, Master Wilhelm." "Not at all. Words wasted on these old bones. Besides, I feel as powerless as my master. It never occurred to me to do something before this happened." Wilhelm narrowed his eyes as he watched Subaru, his pupils filled with complex emotions. Now that Rem thought about it, the old man was probably the person at the Crusch villa who'd had the most contact with Subaru. Though it had been for a mere four days, one might say that the sword training had given the two a relationship as master and pupil. Perhaps Wilhelm felt regret that he could not save Subaru, either. He commented, "It would seem I have indeed not advanced a single step since that time..." Wilhelm murmured to himself, apparently gazing through Subaru at something off in the distance. "Master Wilhelm?" When Rem called out to the older man, he blinked and shook his head. "Pardon me. There is nothing I can do, but I shall at least pray for Sir Subaru's convalescence. Miss Rem, take due care while traveling that path." Rem did her best to ignore the faint, fleeting anxiety in the aged gentleman's eyes at the end. "Thank you very much. Be in good health, Master Wilhelm." Even at the best of times, Rem was more awkward than other people. She could only reach out with both hands and do one thing at a time. And now, she'd decided just what her hands would support. "Subaru, this way." "...U, aa?" Supporting his wobbly body, she hoisted Subaru up from behind and sat him in the driver's seat. Rem took her place beside him, accepting Subaru's presence atop the cramped-feeling seat. She sat right up

against him, wrapping her left arm around his hip and firmly grasping the reins with her right hand. "It might be a little cramped, but please bear with it." They would have to race in this posture for a long, long time. Rem was worried about the strain on Subaru, but she would also need to protect him after they arrived back at the mansion. Roswaal and the others were unlikely to give him a warm welcome. If Subaru would be without other allies, Rem had to be the one he could count on. "Because...I will always be by your side, Subaru. Always." Rem, deeply hardening her resolve, snapped the reins, and the land dragon began to race along the ground. As the mansion receded behind them, the elderly gentleman watched them go. Slowly, the carriage's wheels gradually turned faster and faster. Rem felt the sensation through the reins, as if the wheels themselves were expressing the state of her heart. Setting out from the royal capital, the journey to the Mathers dominion was a comparatively quiet one. Rem had been concerned about Subaru acting up, but fortunately there was nearly no sign of that while atop the dragon carriage. Yes, Rem was right at his side, limiting his movements, but he spent the majority of the time quietly in his seat, gazing absentmindedly at the scrolling landscape. So far as she could tell, the mental issues that caused his laughter and tears had also lessened. Perhaps the change in scenery had produced some small change in Subaru's heart as well. Hope sprouted in Rem's chest that Subaru really might be able to recover. However, the scent of the miasma tickling her nose dashed cold water on her heart's expectations. *** Gradually, having Subaru's head resting on her own shoulder brought a faint smile to Rem's lips. In truth, she was happy that he was defenseless, guileless, completely entrusting his whole body to her. Rem knew that this Subaru was not his normal self and that what he was doing was not of his actual will. Even so, having him rely on her like that was the pinnacle of joy. "Subaru, this way, a little farther." "...Mm, u." Close enough feel his breath, Rem pulled Subaru's body even deeper into her own. Atop the narrow driver's seat, they had half-melted into each other already, but Rem instead rested Subaru upon her own left knee. Her right hand firmly re-gripped the reins as she secured his body in place. Rem was thoughtfully doing as much as she could to prevent Subaru from pushing himself during the drive. She let him occupy most of the cramped driver's seat; when Subaru's snoring seemed troubled, she lent him a reassuring hand; sometimes she would stop the dragon carriage to get Subaru to drink some water and assist him with physical necessities. Moving by dragon carriage put a not-insignificant burden upon the driver. Paying close attention for over half a day at a time, a normal person would collapse from exhaustion before the journey was over as often as not. However, Rem's physical body was made of sterner stuff than a normal person's. Her mental endurance was also strong, and more than that, the fact that her labors were for Subaru's sake was the best match to light a fire under her. "By rights, I really shouldn't put my personal feelings into it, though..." Subaru, embracing her, made no reply. From the look of his profile, he was still hovering between dream and reality. Rem's murmur was more for her own benefit than his. "Perhaps remaining in the royal capital was not what you really wanted, but...in truth, I was just a little happy. I cannot have you to myself at the mansion, after all." At Roswaal Manor, the time that Rem could spend together with Subaru every day was fairly limited. After all, she had her hands full with work at the mansion while he was always off with someone or other. "During work hours it is with Sister, in your free time, with Lady Emilia...and you even spend some of your limited time teasing Miss Beatrice... I had to put up with all that." "...Nn, hu." "You were always so busy; you never had time to stand still... At the mansion, you worked for the villagers and for me... In the royal capital, for Lady Emilia... Always, always so busy." So far as Rem knew, Subaru was always running and running, never at a standstill. Perhaps it was for someone else, perhaps it was for himself; there was no single reason. But seeing Subaru run to and fro like that put a single emotion into Rem's heart. "That's why I was...just a tiny bit happy that I was able to have you all to myself at Lady Crusch's mansion, even though I knew you had many worries. I'm sorry, Subaru." Subaru snored on, grimacing as Rem apologized with a faint smile. She softly caressed the forehead under his bangs, barely a tickle, and sighed slightly. "Even though I heard that you had an argument with Lady Emilia. I'm sorry, Subaru." She apologized again. She was thinking back to the day of the royal selection assembly at the palace. Rem hadn't actually been there, so she didn't know exactly what Subaru and Emilia had said to each other when their relationship ruptured. "After all, neither Lady Emilia nor Master Roswaal spoke to me in detail about it. The gist was, 'Subaru is at the castle, go get him, he will be in the care of Lady Crusch...' I was truly surprised when I met you at the castle after that, though." Nothing could make her forget the blow to her chest when she found Subaru's haggard state in the waiting room at the castle. She was both concerned at his condition and convinced that he must not be left alone. "That is why I am at your side as much as I can, Subaru. But half of it is out of worry, and the other half is for my own sake... Being around you has made me into a naughty girl, Subaru." Even though she ought to be thinking of him, it was there that she discovered her own joy. It was always like that when she was with Subaru. She always discovered parts of herself that she didn't know existed. Rem counted off on her fingers things that she had come to realize about her old self. "I have discovered many unpleasant things about myself. I discovered that I am lonely when you are getting along well with Sister, I am annoyed when you speak to Lady Emilia with your face all red, and I think it most unfair when I see you playing with Miss Beatrice." But her present self hadn't discovered only bad things by any measure. "I am happy when you are getting along well with Sister. I think it is adorable when you speak to Lady Emilia with your face all red. When I see you playing with Miss Beatrice, I think, He's so gentle... I have those kinds of warm feelings in me as well." She continued whimsically confessing things to herself as if the lack of a reply was a good thing. Rem's words wouldn't stop, with feelings flowing out of her that she could never have said to his face. That moment, the things normally trapped in her heart were pouring out all at once. "I would never have discovered these feelings, both good and bad, if I were not with you, Subaru. That is why I have thought of my time with you as happy... That makes it difficult right now." Having expressed those warm thoughts, Rem bit her lip, lowering her head at her own meekness. Even though such gloom had enveloped Subaru, Rem had been prepared for whenever he would spit it out. Had her passive stance not brought the current situation about? If they had grown so close, shouldn't she have asked Subaru about his worries? And wasn't her own weakness, her own desire to monopolize him, the reason why she had not done so? As Rem brooded, Subaru turned in her arms, sleeping uneasily. "Subaru, it is all right. Relax and go to sleep..." Rem spoke in a gentle voice, breaking the train of thought that was devolving into self-hatred. The forced march had indeed put quite a strain on his body. She'd meant to ride right through the night to reach the mansion, but it seemed better to camp somewhere for a short while. Since it would be midnight in another two to three hours, that pace would have them arriving at the mansion before the crack of dawn. "In that case, it will be difficult to convey matters to Sister through our mental connection..." It worked only for a given range, and only on the condition that both their minds were awake. The limitations of range and willpower were particularly strict when Rem was transmitting to Ram. It was not possible to link to Ram at the present range, and even if range were not an issue, it would soon be late at night. "...Yes, we should camp." Having made that decision, Rem directed the land dragon to come to a stop through the reins. The creature gently halted, breathing through its nostrils as it looked up at Rem. She left Subaru in the driver's seat, leaping down to the ground to confirm that the area was safe. Night had already fallen over the Liphas Highway. For illumination, Rem had only the light of the moon and a lagmite crystal attached to the dragon carriage to rely on. Fortunately, there was little cloud cover that night, so the light of the moon was plenty to see by. There was probably little chance of being attacked by some kind of highwaymen. "Pardon me, Subaru." Rem picked up the boy sleeping on the driver's seat bridal-style, resting him upon a blanket inside the carriage. After watching Subaru's relaxed breathing and his sleeping face, Rem exited the carriage and proceeded to stand watch over the campsite. She had little concern about bandits, but more than a few wild-dog and demon-beast packs were known to roam the highway at night. Rem knew that wild animals and demon beasts hungry for the taste of flesh and blood were far more dangerous than human beings. "But you are here, too, tonight, so perhaps I have little need to worry about that." Rem reached out with her hand, stroking the head of the land dragon as it lowered the tip of its snout toward her. This was the wise and prudent creature that had stuck with her throughout the reckless forced march. Though he and Rem were first-time acquaintances, he had shown no sign of rebelling against her commands. She imagined the duchess's family ought to be praised for the scrupulous training of its beasts of burden. It was not unrelated, however, to the fact the land dragon's instincts told it that a demon occupied a higher place on the food chain. Among the various species of dragons, land dragons were conspicuous for their friendly relations with the humanoid races. They often occupied crucial roles in the lives of mankind and were beloved for their gentle personalities. Flying dragons and water dragons required special training, and many of them were ill-tempered. Thanks to that, they had relatively little place in the daily lives of humanoids. At any rate, land dragons were well known among dragon-kind for their gentleness and intimacy with people, but as a species, they drew the line when it came to all other beasts. There were virtually no wild animals so ignorant that they would willingly attack a land dragon. Plus, the land dragons themselves possessed an unusually keen nose for any kind of danger. Nothing short of a sizable band of highwaymen or a particularly large pack of demon beasts would attack

them, and land dragons could sniff out such a large gathering before it ever arrived. This was the greatest reason that they were prized treasures for merchants and other travelers. Rem whispered toward the dragon carriage, "Rest well, Subaru." She continued to pet the nearby beast as she sat on the ground. As she did, she leaned against its tough hide, covered herself with a blanket, and she spread her attention to the surrounding area. If they departed the next morning with the rising sun, they'd surely arrive back at the mansion before noon. She would return without having fulfilled her objectives. She had to take her scolding without a single word of complaint. Even so, she at least had to work to keep Subaru from being hurt in the process. "And to get him back to his old self..." Surely only Emilia could do that. Rem could not help but be irritated by that. In the first place, Emilia was a very difficult person for Rem to get close to. Even Roswaal, who had welcomed her as a guest, treated her as a superior now that she was a royal selection candidate. In fact, he had also ordered both Rem and Ram to get close to her. Her master, Roswaal, treating Emilia more highly than himself did not particularly bother Rem. Ram seemed displeased with Roswaal's adherence to hierarchy, but Rem's regard for such things was not as strong as her older sister's. Of course, Ram was not such a fool as to openly air her opinion on the matter. Nonetheless, Rem frequently picked up hints of deep dissatisfaction over their telepathy, whereas normally she would sense very little. The complicated feelings Rem felt toward Emilia had nothing to do with Roswaal. It was terribly vulgar, but Rem's conflicted thoughts toward Emilia were the product of the circumstances of her birth the fact that she was a half-elf. In other words, because she was a half-demon. In her head, Rem understood that Emilia herself had done nothing wrong. However, the emotional part of herself just couldn't accept it. Emilia was not in the wrong. However, half-demons had affected Rem's life, their influence far too large to lightly dismiss. She still remembered how the Witch Cult had laid waste to her birthplace. That fact pricked terribly at Rem's heart. As a result, she had firmly maintained her position of "guest and servant" where Emilia was concerned. Rem disregarded her emotions and responded to Emilia's instructions like an automaton. If no special occasion demanded it, Rem avoided coming into contact with her so that she would not pick up on her demeanor. Their tacit relationship was to never encounter the other by choice, whether their intentions were fair or foul. Time passed, and Rem had thought their weak relationship would continue unaffected by the royal selection. Based on her position, she thought it highly unlikely she would be involved with the matter at all. When thinking of her own role to play, she decided that going out of her way to support Emilia went beyond her duties. And yet, Rem's feelings toward her had changed since back then. She wondered if it was herself who had changed or Emilia? It was probably both, set in motion by a common cause Subaru. Since the moment he wedged himself into her daily life, Rem's world had undergone great changes. When how you feel about the world changes, everything looks different, like black and white bursting into vivid color. Her work at the mansion felt more rewarding than before. No longer afraid of standing by her sister's side, she gained the confidence to approach Roswaal and Beatrice more. In spite of her decision not to lend her support, she'd found herself exchanging words with Emilia more often. After all, she knew that they shared a common interest. And though she held the boy in her own fleeting thoughts, she knew just who was the apple of his eye. That was why Emilia remained a source of irritation for Rem. "I cannot bring myself to love, or hate, Lady Emilia. I am indecisive, aren't I...?" It was a quiet night. The only things she heard were the faint sounds of insects and the breathing of the land dragon at her side. Relying only on the light of the moon, the boundary between dream and reality was indistinct. Her thoughts shifted from place to place of their own volition. Time seemed to flow slowly. She felt like she'd looked up at the moon numerous times, only to find its position unchanged. The night was long. That time alone was a deep, cold eternity. Abruptly, Rem was seized by the urge to sneak back inside the carriage behind her, which she was protecting. There, Subaru was sleeping with a gentle expression, too deeply to be dreaming. How good would it feel to slide under the blankets at his side, to share that warmth between them? "Even though I was touching him so closely until just earlier... It is a luxury I cannot afford." Rem rebuked herself for being affected by the urge, but her heart would not stop picturing the fantasy. A temptation arose, the temptation to throw anything and everything to the winds. At this rate, harsh realities far removed from Subaru's ideals awaited him upon his return to the mansion. She could still run off with the dragon carriage somewhere, with nothing but her own conscience to chide her. The funds Roswaal had granted her for traveling expenses were considerable. With that, she and Subaru could no doubt head somewhere and live in seclusion together. With time and continued contact with people, Subaru could move past his present childlike state and regain himself. Even if it was different from before, they might be able to share the same moments together. Surrounded by people who had no idea that they had fled there, she and a recovered Subaru could begin brand-new lives together. It would be a quiet life with the one she cared about, with no one to get in her way "Tee-hee, now that's a fantasy..." Rem shook her head and, holding her knees, pressed her forehead against them, smiling weakly at her own imagination. There was no way that she could choose to turn her back on everything. To even have the thought was a sin. She could never simply abandon Sister, abandon Ram, back at the mansion. Sister and Rem were two halves of a single whole. On top of that, she couldn't even imagine what burdens Ram would have to carry in her absence. She was a kind older sister who indulged Rem, so no doubt she would forgive even this. That was why she could never betray Sister. Roswaal had entrusted Rem with such a fortune precisely because he had faith in her loyalty. Her diligent personality would not permit her to betray such trust, either. "More than that... I cannot leave Subaru in this state after all." To begin with, Rem was well aware of her strong personal desire to have things to herself. If at all possible, she wanted everyone precious to her to be right at her fingertips. Doing her utmost for others helped her feel the worth of her existence deep down. It was no exaggeration to say that she was born predisposed to be a maid. That was why the effort required to care for Subaru in this state was not really a hardship from her perspective. Indeed, she would feel fulfilled if Subaru was unable to live day to day without her. But this wasn't the real Subaru. The words she had used to reply to Crusch when they parted ways came to mind. I suppose it is...because Subaru is special? Yes. That was everything. She remembered his smile. She remembered his voice. She remembered his words. Rem remembered what he had said to her and the warmth of his hand reaching out to her back when everything in her life was stagnant, when she was drowning in resignation. It was Subaru who had rescued Rem from the mistaken path of despair that she walked. Rem had made an error in judgment and planned to abandon those children, and it was Subaru who had saved them. Even though he was bathed in demon-beast curses, walking his own tightrope between life and death, Subaru had abandoned no one. Not Ram and not Rem. It was enough. It was plenty. Nothing more was required. What more did Rem need than to devote herself to Subaru Natsuki, body and soul? What more was required than the feelings burning in her chest? She would do whatever was necessary so that he could regain his true self, so that she might know his company once more. And why? Because the person known as Subaru Natsuki "...Is a bedeviled, incredible person." Rem stroked her hair back, moist from the foggy morning air, and gently raised her head. Perhaps it was accurate to call her half awake. Rem felt a little woozy, hovering somewhere between sleep and waking as her internal clock told her it was time to finally rise to her feet. There had been no changes of note during the night. No demon beast or highwayman had appeared; she hadn't even sensed any. All that said, Rem seemed to have been fairly worn out as well. Certain of her comparative safety, her body had strived to recover while she was half-awake. She rose to her feet, stretching up high as she felt the cool morning breeze. It was a lazy, unladylike gesture. She would never do such a thing where others could see, but she had no concern about that at the moment. The only one around was Subaru, sleeping soundly beside h "S-Subaru?!" Rem jumped in surprise when she noticed Subaru was right beside her, curled up under a blanket. Since he'd been leaning on Rem for support, the young man gently flopped onto the grass, scowling as he turned his body a little. "H-he came out of the carriage while I was sleeping and cuddled up next to me...?" Rem hastily looked between the boy and the dragon carriage behind him. Even putting the truth into words sent her into quite a panic. On the one hand, she was shocked that she hadn't noticed him moving; on the other, she blushed hard as she realized just how tolerant her heart had become where Subaru was concerned. In other words, even if Subaru had assaulted her in her sleep, she would never have resisted. "...I have been too careless." Even as she made that maidenly lament, Rem thought deep down that Subaru's action might be a good omen, the next step after he behaved himself so well during the dragon carriage ride. Subaru made no response except laughing or crying. Yet even in that state, he had performed a voluntary action, getting out of the dragon carriage under his own power. Rem held onto the hope that his broken heart was beginning to mend and his personality beginning to reform. " All right. Let us go back, Subaru." If a change had been initiated, things would probably head in a good direction thereafter. Such optimistic thoughts were not like her, but this, too, was no doubt the influence of the young man before her eyes. And that internal shift was something Rem considered very dear to her. She believed that the thoughts rising into her head the night before had been a bad dream caused by her timid mind and tired body. She'd completely forgotten it, a cheerful future having overwritten it as if it had never existed. She lifted up the still sleeping Subaru, resting him upon the driver's seat as she roused the land dragon. She brought water for the awakened beast to drink, rewarding him for his long hours standing watch, and prepared for their departure. With one hand embracing Subaru over her knees and the other holding

the reins, they departed once again. The carriage wheels turned, and the scenery moved. They were about halfway there. It would probably take another seven to eight hours of travel. Her mental and physical endurance was far stronger than on the day of their departure, with its tragic circumstances. Subaru was deeply asleep, and Rem gazed at the side of his face, conveying her impatient feelings through the reins so as to pick up the pace. A faint vibration ran through the dragon carriage. Rem adjusted her embrace of the curled-up Subaru, intertwining her own fingers with his. "It looks so slender...but this is indeed a boy's hand." Resigning herself to her weakness in fleeing to that hand, she hoped her meek desire to touch him could be forgiven. It was a little ritual for forgetting about a bad dream. "This warmth, having you so close... If I have that, it is enough." After all, hoping for more was simply her own selfishness. Her feelings from sensing that warmth, and the fact he needed her, had been carved into Rem's heart. She would give him her utmost efforts. She would give him everything she had. There was something amiss in the air. As the dragon carriage raced onward, Subaru seemed to be sleeping poorly, so Rem had rested him atop her knees, using her supporting arm to stroke his black hair when she finally realized it. Maybe it was the fact she'd had a lot of time to think things over the night before. Rem, having accepted to a certain extent the complicated feelings within her, was jubilant on the inside when she saw that Subaru had gotten out of the dragon carriage in the dead of night to snuggle up against her. If that was the reason she had failed to notice the change sooner, she was a great fool indeed. "It is...too quiet..." In all that time on the Liphas Highway, Rem had not come across another land dragon even once. This was an offshoot from the main highway, but seeing none at all, even on the distant horizon, was clearly unnatural. Normally, traveling merchants en route to the royal capital and peasants returning with new farm implements were here and there all over the highway. And yet, the road had been deserted since the day before. She had not taken any special measures to avoid farms, but she hadn't seen a single person, man or child. What was particularly wrong was that the cries of birds and insects had vanished from her ears a short while earlier. A bad feeling rushed into the back of Rem's mind. Such silence meant that the creatures of the wild were in hiding. It was a sure omen of something beyond the ken of man. As they cut through the hills and entered the mountain road, drawing closer to the mansion, that malaise had only increased. With unease, Rem snapped the reins to spur the land dragon, already running at a desperate speed, to hurry even faster. She knew she was pushing it too far, but she had no time to spare to locate the cause of that unease. She didn't mind if it turned out to be a baseless fear. She would apologize to both Subaru and the land dragon for accompanying her on the reckless journey. She would face them just as she had faced her own anxieties the night before. And just after she had that thought... " Sister?" Suddenly, thoughts that were not her own threw her mind into chaos. Nearly unbearable levels of anxiety, anger, and fury flooded her, and then it all immediately vanished, leaving Rem on her own. It had been Ram. Those feelings had flowed into her from her sister through their shared link. Ram was always a model of self-control on the outside, but in truth, she was built of stern stuff on the inside, too. Normally, the only things that could shake her were related to Rem or their master. And yet, Ram had been possessed by such fury that she'd communicated it to even Rem via their shared connection. Furthermore, the fact it had cut out immediately meant that she was controlling herself so that Rem would not pick it up. Rem guessed that her sister assumed she was in the royal capital, not able to make it in time as her older sister fell into peril. But Rem was close enough to do something, even if that was not Ram's wish. That was why... "I must hurry back !" With a concrete reason to make haste, she gripped the reins so hard that her hand went white. In an instant, Rem's sense of urgency and impatience cast all her misgivings about her surroundings to the winds. On the surface, Rem was normally emotionless, always striving to maintain her inner calm, but when lives were on the line, she lost sight of everything around her. It was Rem's defining flaw, one that Ram had pointed out to her many times and one a former colleague had pointed out to her as well. And now that flaw was rearing its ugly head once again. When the land dragon's head sailed before her eyes, Rem saw it in slow motion. CHAPTER 5 *** The head of the running land dragon flew from the base of its neck. Without a conscious creature to pull it, the large frame of the carriage tumbled accordingly, leaping off the road and turning onto its side. The overturned vehicle made a spectacular gash in the ground, kicking up a dust cloud with a great roar. In an instant, they formed a disastrous picture with the carriage wrecked and the fallen land dragon's body tangled in one of the wheels. They were in a tranquil, forested area in the mountains, surrounded by trees on all sides. The dragon carriage had already entered the Mathers dominion; it was probably about two hours of running from reaching its destination. But the dragon carriage had been cruelly destroyed along the way, with only the sound of a free-spinning wheel resounding through that hollow place. With the land dragon a corpse and the vehicle nothing more than a wreck, the scent of blood began to hover over the area. "...Uu, uua." And there, a young man lay, raising a voice of lament after being thrown from the dragon carriage. He had fallen into a cluster of bushes a short distance away from the half-destroyed dragon carriage. Mosses and vines had likely cushioned his fall. Miraculously, the youth's injuries were quite light. But his defenseless state didn't mean that he didn't feel the pain of his wounds. He was scratched and bruised in several places. Fortunately, he had no broken bones, nor any major blood loss from his wounds. But the pain was more than enough to make him cower like a little child in shock. "A, huu... Gu, hi...!" The dark-haired young man cried and moaned in pain as he lay upon the grass. The ground had scratched his forehead, and the soil was stained with red. His tears and mucus were especially unsightly. The disgraceful picture of a grown man splayed on the ground, along with the wrecked carriage, formed an unbearable scene that told of the tragedy of the crash. *** And yet, the shadowy black-robed figures continued to stand in place and watch, as if they were part of the background. Over ten such figures stood encircling the young man and the dragon carriage. Having ascertained that the headless corpse of the land dragon was indeed good and dead, their attention was focused on the young man. The figures wore hooded black outfits from head to toe, leaving their faces and even their genders impossible to fathom. They wavered, seemingly gliding along the ground as the circle closed in on the teen. Then, one of the figures, walking soundlessly, mumbled something. " la." As soon as one had voiced it, the next murmured something similar. The low murmurs continued like this as a ceaseless chain, a cascading chant as the shadows enveloped the young man. The world was composed of two things alone the sound of leaves in the wind and the black figures' murmurs. Eventually, the young man heard those whispers, and they sparked a change in him. " Agaa, aa! Aa, aaa!" The young man's injured, pain-filled body thrashed around, flopping on his back, wriggling like a fish suffocating out of the water. His anguish was clearly of a different nature than before. It was as if his distress came not from without but from within his own flesh. He agonized as if there were something running amok inside his body, chewing away at his heart. From all appearances, he had noticed the muttering of the figures around him and reacted to them. The shadows looked down at the suffering boy, making no move to halt their chant. But one of their number seemed to come to some kind of conclusion about the writhing young man and extended a hand toward his body. " Don't touch Subaru!" The next moment, an iron ball howled as it sailed through the air, shattering the head of the figure who had tried to touch Subaru, the young man on the ground. Skull fragments flew around the area as the figure fell and the chain clinked lightly. The weapon danced toward the others like a ferocious silver snake in search of further prey. However, the group made its decision quickly. Instantly abandoning their dead comrade, they scattered voicelessly to evade the chain's pursuit. As if by reflex, they drew cross-like daggers from their flanks and gripped their weapons of poor taste with both hands, together keeping watch over north, south, east, and west. The figures numbered eleven. The way they had instantly responded to a surprise attack by taking up a formation to eliminate blind spots was nothing short of commendable. However, that mattered against only an attacker whose options were limited to two dimensions: front, back, left, and right. " Shii!" Above the group, someone sprang from among the trees, her apron dress fluttering. With enough power in her legs to leave shoe marks in the trunk of a tree, her body shot forward at an angle. The girl leaped down with incredible speed, moving just a moment before her prey could detect the sound above them. What descended was the end of the deadly weapon's handle, driving into an unfortunate figure's skull. With a sharp sound, a cavity opened in its cranium; blood spilled out of the victim as they wobbled and collapsed. The girl kicked the body toward another figure standing to the side to obstruct its vision as she leaped behind it. However, this one did not hesitate to strike its comrade's corpse. With a swing of two blades, the figure sliced its comrade-turned-corpse apart, regaining its field of vision The next moment, a twisting iron ball fell upon the menace in black, turning it into bloody fog. Having hurled her weapon out in front of her, the small girl froze in position. Seeing that she had stopped, the figures took the brief opening to hurl their cross-like swords in unison. The girl, apparently defenseless as blades rushed toward her from all sides, drew a miniature version of her weapon from her side with her left hand and batted down all the daggers in one swing. After the girl's incredible feat, it was her attackers who were open now. They paused for less than a second, but before the opponent they now faced, that time was lethal. "Roaaaaa!" The girl shouted, howling as she bared her teeth. With a great backhand swing of the flail, she mowed down every tree in its path, tracing a semicircle of utter destruction. Another enemy was caught in the iron mass's advance, slain as blunt trauma ripped their limbs right off. The beautiful blue-haired girl who had taken their lives had an ivory white horn protruding from her

forehead. That truth was enough to identify her as a monster in a girl's flesh. "You shall not lay one finger on Subaru." The adorable demon's lovely face was stained with blood; her eyes were brimming with ferocity and aggression. But the position she had taken made clear that she was protecting Subaru from the figures surrounding him. Having spoken her warning, Rem ignored her own bloody left shoulder and swung the iron ball around above her head. She had sustained the wound to her shoulder when the dragon carriage went on its side, unable to completely evade the carriage as it bounced. If she had been by herself, she would most likely have escaped uninjured, but that wasn't possible with Subaru in her arms. It was all she could do to use her own body to shield Subaru and throw him to a safe place. She had seen him fall on the bush as she intended while she shared the same fate as the wrecked dragon carriage. As a result, her forehead had been lacerated, and a branch had stabbed her left shoulder fairly deeply. She seemed to have a fracture in her left femur close to her hip; moving sent a shot of ferocious pain through her that made her white cheeks go numb. But Rem stepped forward with a gait that betrayed none of that pain. She glared at the group in black, spewing in a voice filled with hatred, "Witch Cult !" Rem spat blood as she called out to them, but as before, the figures made no sign of a human response. Unchanged, they faced off against Rem, almost as if they weren't even conscious of what they were doing. They were at an impasse the instant Rem made that judgment, she moved first to break the stalemate. " Yaa!" She altered the course of the iron ball she was swinging above her head, lengthening the chain to its full extent. The single blow snapped the trees along the side of the road, smashing wood and soil together and sending them flying toward the figures. Her opponents variously leaped and ducked to evade, then rushed at Rem to seize the opening she had given them. Rem, her arm extended, twisted her body so that she could draw her limb and distant weapon back to her. However, a blade would to tear into her chest before the iron ball could arrive " Raa!" A moment before the tip of the figure's knife reached Rem, her demon foot rose from below to send its jaw flying. No, this was not a metaphor for its head being kicked aloft the blow was so powerful that her enemy's jaw literally sailed away. The figure's face was covered in fresh blood. Even so, it did not hesitate out of pain as it thrust the blade forward. The action, made in complete disregard for the attacker's own life, was wrong for any living thing. *** The head of the figure who had failed such a basic biological test was shattered from behind as Rem's iron ball returned. Showered in blood and pieces of flesh, Rem gripped the iron ball with her left hand. Holding it such that the iron spikes posed no danger to her, she used what was now an iron fist to flatten the face of the enemy rushing right at her flank. Where there had once been twelve, now there were six. Rem breathed raggedly as her demon gaze pierced the assassins, now half their original number. A rock tapered and sharpened at one end like a lance sailed into that gaze. With a tilt of her head, she dodged it just before impact. Her hair, moving a fraction slower, was ripped from the side of her head; the pain and surprise turned her vision pure red. As the shock to her head robbed her of her decision-making ability, Rem went by the sudden slushy feeling beneath her feet and leaped. The moment after she jumped, her delayed thought process told her just what a mistake she had made. She had sprung into the air, rendered herself unable to move, against an enemy capable of long-range attacks. A fireball appeared and burned its way through the great treetops, charging at Rem as she sailed through the air. She felt like the high temperature was setting her flesh alight as she instantly thrust her left hand in front of her. "Hyuma!!" Rem deployed a thin layer of ice in front of her. The instant the fireball slammed into it, white steam erupted, and the dying hiss of the vaporizing ice clawed in her ears. She had managed to reduce the force of the flames, but she was unable to nullify it completely. Her decision was instant. She plunged her left fist, still in motion, into the inferno, sacrificing it to break the flames apart. " Uaaa!" Withstanding the explosion in midair, Rem's body spun as it was blown away, and her back collided with the trunk of a tree. The thick trunk broke and crashed to the ground with Rem on top. When she got up, she groaned in agony at the dull pain in her left arm. When she looked at the scorched remnants of her limb, she couldn't even feel pain past the elbow. Without the services of a healer on Ferris's level, no doubt she'd never have use of that hand again. Even with a grave wound like that, Rem bit her lip and dragged her mind back to reality. She grit her teeth against the pain, using her aggression and rage to light a fire in her belly and drive the anguish out of her mind. She roared, asserting her own existence, and tried to draw even a little of the figures' attention to her. She prayed only that Subaru had vanished from their awareness. But. *** One of the group had approached without a sound, and it drove a hand into Rem's torso with incredible force, slamming her into the great tree behind her. The force, enough to crack Rem's sternum and crush her internal organs, left her spitting out a copious amount of blood. Coughing up the sticky liquid burned her throat. Her body sank in the agony that coursed through every corner of it. When the hand lashed out again, by sheer luck, she fell to her knees and escaped having her skull crushed. The palm thrust into the great tree behind her, sending it sailing away with unbelievable ease. The unarmed figure, able to form craters in the ground's surface with a single stomp, was clearly different from the others. When it leaped sideways in pursuit, Rem rolled to evade it, spat out the blood remaining in her mouth, and searched for the iron ball she had dropped. "Ah, uh?!" The instant she dodged a stone lance, which still grazed the side of her face, a rock slammed right into her body from behind. Her spine creaked ferociously, and her small form crashed into the ground and bounced into the air. The unarmed figure was waiting for Rem at the end of her arc. They were holding in their hand the iron ball Rem had released, and they swung the deadly spiked weapon up to meet her mid-bounce. " El Hyuma!" The chant she'd built up burst out of her lungs. Mana combined with the blood she spat out, freezing it over. A blade of crimson ice sliced off the arm of the one holding the iron ball, forcing his thick limb to drop the weapon. "Gaurururu!" Crashing into the ground, Rem regained control of her body and snatched up the handle of the fallen iron ball into her right hand. Simultaneously, she kicked the weapon itself at the figure from behind, using the weight of the ball to tightly wrap the chain around its thick neck. A dull sound echoed as she snapped its spine. Seeing her foe's head turn at a 180-degree angle back at her, Rem relaxed slightly after felling a powerful foe. That instant... *** The figure's body, which should have been powerless, lashed out with a ferocious kick that devastated Rem's torso. The blow connected with her left side, fracturing every bone in that half of her rib cage and completely snapping her fractured left thigh. After that one blow, the figure expired for good this time, but the damage Rem suffered was severe. "Uu, aaa...!" Moaning and coughing up blood, she cursed her now-useless left side as she stood back up. She'd likely just taken care of the best that the enemy group had. There were five left. The fact that they hadn't approached her meant that close combat wasn't their specialty. She could still do this. She could get close and snap their necks. But could she really do that when only her right side could move properly? "What a weak thing I am...!" Rem shook her head, suppressed her frail musings, and roused her despairing self. Whether she could didn't matter. She had to do it. She had to. So her left side was dead to her. What of it? She could still move her right side. If her right arm became useless to her, she'd stomp them with her foot. If her right leg became unusable, she'd tear out their throats with her teeth. If she killed the last one, and Subaru was still alive, Rem would have won. *** The moment she thought of why she fought, Rem's heart sought the sight of the young man dear to her. She looked toward where he had fallen to suppress the last of the hesitation within her. She would burn that final image in her eyes, and it would be the kindling to set her heart ablaze. " Subaru?!" He was gone. Subaru ought to have been there, gasping from pain, from agony, from fear...but he was not. Rem hastily scanned the whole area. She wondered if he'd been caught up in the battle and knocked away somewhere. But search as she might, she couldn't see him anywhere. Then Rem finally realized: "They're one short...?" There were five figures left among the group. But Rem could make out only four. The figures had shifted to stand side by side, blocking the road, arms lowered with crosses in both hands. It was as if they had moved to conceal their comrade from Rem's field of vision. To keep her away from their ally as they fled with Subaru. "Why...you..." Her shaking voice fell from trembling lips. Her lips, which felt bloodless due to all she had lost, were dyed crimson from the great amount she had coughed up. Such violent war paint transformed Rem's adorable face into that of a veritable demon. "You weren't content with Sister's horn...so you had to take away my reason for living...?!" The iron ball danced around as her right hand gripped its handle. Her good leg was filled with explosive energy. The figures before her thrust their crosses forward in some kind of pose, rushing at her all at once. That instant... "Do you wish to take even my reason for dying here away from me ?!!" Rem's roar rent the air as her leg pushed her up, as if the ground itself had launched her. To the front, an enormous wall of flame spread out before Rem as she leaped. She broke through that barrier, smashing in the face of an enemy standing beside it. The moment after, a fireball bore down on her, large enough to bury her entire field of vision. *** A thunderous shout. An orange glow rose up amid the trees bathed in the morning sun, then another and another. The inferno surged wildly, burning away the trees, with the very world groaning as the high temperature turned the area to ash. On that scorched plain, the charred remnants of a white apron dress fluttered and vanished into the wind. Subaru drooled as he swayed on the figure's shoulder, not offering any

resistance. He no longer felt most of the pain from the wounds he'd suffered from falling out of the dragon carriage. It wasn't that he couldn't feel them, but other pain blotted out anything external, so it didn't matter. He moaned, the agony tearing at his heart robbing him of all will to put up a fight. Back where the dragon carriage had fallen on its side, the figures surrounding Subaru had begun some kind of chant. As he listened to that sound, Subaru felt something alien well up inside his body, wriggling and eating at him from the inside, as if the ringing in his skull wasn't enough to drive him into raging madness all by itself. Over and over, he heard someone's voice over the chant. It sounded different, like the whisper of a woman's voice a whisper like a curse. In her kind, gentle way, she berated the agonized Subaru and drove him mad. If it went on a little more, just a little more, he thought and then shuddered. That pain broke the hearts of men. It bent them into unrecognizable shapes. It changed them. It made people into not-people. That was the kind of curse that it was. "Hu-he, hi-hi-hi, he-hi-hi-hi..." Suddenly, the corners of his lips curled into a crazed smile, drooling as he seemed to remember something. The reverberation of the wriggling black thing grew distant, and his attention began to shift from his internal agony to his external once again. Accordingly, he forgot the eerie feeling that had threatened to shatter his heart and began to cry plaintively in response to the more immediate pain. "U, higu, a, uu..." Subaru's body hurt all over. He sought a hand to console him. A voice. Warmth. But the figure running through the woods, seemingly rushing along a game trail, paid Subaru no heed. It gripped Subaru with such incredible strength that he could not move an inch, and yet the delicate body possessed unimaginable agility, running through the forest like the wind itself. The depths of the woods had no markings, yet the figure's steps held the certainty of one with a guide. How many tens of minutes had they been running like that? Gradually, the speed eased, and they finally came to a complete stop. In front of them was a prominent wall of rock, bare except for the lichens covering its surface. The wall, stretching up above eye level, was a natural fortress that could not be easily overcome without the aid of appropriate tools. Perhaps he'd taken a wrong turn. However, the figure showed no hint of confusion as he stood before the rock face. Gently, he stepped forward and pressed a hand to one section of the stone. *** The faint goose bumps on Subaru's flesh were similar to the ones he felt when someone used magic right next to him. Where his abductor touched the wall before him, the mass of rock blocking his path vanished instantly, as if truly by magic. It was a stupefying supernatural phenomenon. Apparently the hole left by the vanished rock now belonged to a cave. The figure adjusted its hold on Subaru and carried him gracefully into the hole. The air in the cave was cold and chilly, but the figure's gait was calm. From time to time, Subaru's moans seemed to spoil that tranquility, but his kidnapper showed no sign of caring. After advancing several dozen yards, even the light filtering in through the entrance faded. Likely, the rock had been restored, hiding the cave again. They could see within the hollow space even without the light from the entrance. The narrow, rocky corridor had white crystals at regular intervals, and their glowing light guided the figure down the path. Following that light, the black-robed being went deeper and deeper into the cave, carrying Subaru farther and farther into darkness. The deeper they went, the more the black wriggling thing inside Subaru's body began to stir. This time, instead of tearing at Subaru's internal organs, it licked at every corner of his being, as if showing its affection. The unceasing pain and accelerating, increasing uncanny feeling made Subaru quiver on his captor's shoulder. Tears flowed from the corners of his eyes as he continued his frivolous laughter. Finally, the seemingly interminable corridor of rock came to an end. The glow of the crystals was a little stronger. He was able to make things out more clearly than in the corridor, and this was an especially large natural cavern. There, Subaru would come face-to-face with the true "malice" of that world. "Oh my?" There was a thin man. The man in the cavern, surrounded by shadows, wore black robes like the others. He was a slight bit taller than Subaru, but his physique was skin and bones, as frail as a corpse. His deep-green hair was lifeless; he looked weak and unhealthy. Were it not for the madness in his eyes. The figure carrying Subaru bound his unresisting body to the cavern wall. With iron chains and shackles attached to his limbs, Subaru's mind appeared absent as he was tossed onto the hard ground. The man opened his eyes, eyeing Subaru with deep interest. He leaned forward a fair ways, with his hips bent at a ninety-degree angle and his head bent perpendicular to his neck. His gaze, as cold as a reptile's, shot through Subaru. "I seeee... Certainly, certainly, this is of great interest." He stared at Subaru, taking him all in, and nodded as if he understood something. The one who had brought Subaru knelt earnestly on the spot, awaiting the man's next words with great reverence. As the first knelt, the others followed suit. However, the man in the center did not react to the show of respect around him, instead sticking his right thumb into his mouth as he sank into thought alone. It seemed like he might bite his nail for fun; instead, his back molars crushed the digit itself. Drawing the red flesh from the corner of his mouth, the man paid no heed to the bleeding from his mangled finger as he tossed out a question. "Could you... possibly be 'Pride,' by any chance?" But even with an insane man calling out to him, Subaru was not in his right mind, either. Subaru watched the self-mutilation, seeming like he wanted to look away but continuing to frivolously laugh all the while. The two men, neither in his right mind, stared at each other. The madness in the eyes of each one seemed to startle the other. "Hmm... That doesn't seem to be a reply." The man roused his own body, their rivalry disintegrating with a whimper. The man pulled his thumb out of his lips as he seemed to remember something, with no sign of a dampening mood. He touched his blood-smeared hand to his own forehead. "Ahh, I see. It occurs to me that I have been rude. My goodness, I have yet to introduce myself, yes?" A wry, malevolent smile came over him as he acted with wholly incongruous courtesy. Subaru's insane smile seemed to strike him as proof positive of some kind of intimacy between them. "I am Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti " The man politely bowed at the waist as he stated his name. After that, he turned his head alone forward and stated his title... "...Archbishop of Sin of the Witch Cult... Entrusted with the duties of Slooooth!" The man Petelgeuse pointed at Subaru with the fingers of both hands and cackled. His obnoxiously loud laughter ripped through the tranquility of the cave with a gloomy echo. The guffaws echoed off the walls of the cold, dark cavern. It was unclear what struck Petelgeuse as so funny he would laugh, but he shook with joy as he bared his bloodstained teeth. Faced with the man's amusement, Subaru's cheeks were stretched from his own dry laughs. The iron manacles were fastened to him so tightly that his hands and feet had changed color; numbness spread through him thanks to his constricted arteries. It seemed that his welcome was in no way a warm one. "Ahh, what a comedy! What a very, very, very, very interesting scene. Truly, truly, truly, truly, truly!! My brain trembles...!" Wild laughter came over Petelgeuse as he traced some kind of symbol on the wall with the drops of blood from his hand. The shape's lack of meaning made the makeshift mural a reflection of the man's state of mind. As the two men with a diminished appreciation of reality faced off against each other, one of the kneeling figures intervened. It was the tall one who had carried Subaru there. The figure murmured something to Petelgeuse. *** It was a whisper like the sound of an insect's wings, reaching only Petelgeuse. Once he listened to it, Petelgeuse's wild laughter vanished. He set aside all jest and tilted his head to form a right angle. "Iiis that so... Ahh, that makes my heart leap; it makes my heart shiver, yes!" The tone of his voice and his expression were completely different. With a serious look, he changed his tone instantly; this time, Petelgeuse crunched down on the hitherto undamaged fingers of his left hand, one by one, without the slightest hesitation. The sounds of cracked bones and crushed flesh resounded. "Ow... Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Ahh, I am full of liiife!" Petelgeuse shook the crushed fingers of his left hand, splattering blood as he looked up at the ceiling. Unmoved, the shadow watched him, remaining on its knees as it whispered again to Petelgeuse. "My left ring finger, destroyed! Ahh, what a sweet ordeal this is! For our diligence to have been so richly rewarded... Today, we have shown this uncertain world what love truly is!" *** "Ahh, that is just fine. The remaining bones of the left ring finger have fused with the middle and index. There are still, still, still, still nine fingers left, many, many more opportunities to prove my devotion." He stretched out his hand, dripping with blood, and placed it on the kneeling figure's head as if in thanks. Subaru could not see into their mind as their entire body shook, but they seemed deeply moved by Petelgeuse's action. "Yes! An ordeal! An ordeal! This is an ordeal! A test of faithhhh, all to convey our affection! Illuminate! Guide! Ahh, my brain treeeeembles!" As Petelgeuse laughed in delight, spraying saliva, the figures clapped their hands together in apparent adulation. It was a strange, eerie gathering, one only they comprehended. The figure's report became more detailed, but within the tranquil cavern, it was quieter than a mouse's paws. Furthermore, it was almost as if its purpose was to provide vile material for Petelgeuse's one-man comedy routine. Petelgeuse twisted his hips, lowered his body, and leaned forward to bring his face close to Subaru's. "Setting that aside, him! Ahh, himmmm! Just what is this man?" With stinky breath blowing on him at close range, Subaru's crazed eyes looked up, unmoved. "Certainly, certainly, certainly, certainly-ly-ly, this is straaange. Turbulent, unfathomable... What is someone like you, not recorded in the Gospel, doing in this situation, on the eve of the ordeal?" *** "Dragon carriage! Ahh, land dragons are looovely! Adorably loyal, diligent in obedience, diligent in work, a marvelous species striving for diligence in all things!" *** "You killed one! Ahh, that too iss good! It drew the carriage, so it could not be helped! Ahh, you have been industrious once again! As long as there are still fingers on my hands, diligence is the most crucial thing of all! Ahh, love! Life! People! Diligence in all things!" Petelgeuse was so worked up, he bent his body so far back that he almost touched the ground. He sprang back to his feet like a drawn bow with a look of ecstasy. "My fingers are so diligent, they brought down a land dragon, a living symbol of diligence!

Ahh, my brain trembles. Trembles, trembles, treeeeeeeeeeeembles!" Petelgeuse, his madness rising to heights unknowable to normal men, had blood trickling out of his nose. As it reached his lips, Petelgeuse licked it with his tongue, his cheeks relaxing with an intoxicated look about him. He closed his eyes, his body shuddering as his fervor reached its peak. Petelgeuse wildly wiped away the nosebleed with the sleeve of his religious habit and let out a long sigh. "Ahh... The land dragon that died was slothful, was it not?" With that, the previous excitement was nowhere to be found as he pointed toward the entrance of the cavern and spoke with a calm demeanor and a deliberate voice. "Here on the eve of the day of the coming ordeal, the immediate disposal of the wrecked dragon carriage will keep from revealing our existence. We have eliminated all human presence, so there is no concern about witnesses from...others on board? You did take care of them, didn't you?" *** Petelgeuse, listening to the figure's report, shook his head. The bones in his neck creaked. "One other in the vehicle... A blue-haired girl. The left ring finger engaged, demolishing the dragon carriage, and entered combat while the boy was being secured. The girl destroyed the ring finger in the process... It is unclear whether the girl is dead or alive." For a while he sank into thought, his head turning left and right like the pendulum of a clock, tilting, twisting, turning, swaying, and finally, leaning forward. "Unclear...whether...she is dead...or alive?" Petelgeuse murmured with a hint of darkness in his voice as he raised his face up and looked at the figure's hollow eyes. "Are you sloth...?" As the figure's eyes snapped wide, Petelgeuse ferociously grabbed both sides of its face. His crushed fingers on both hands smeared its cheeks with blood, but Petelgeuse didn't care as he yelled, "You left an element of uncertainty here, on the eve of the trial?! That! That, that, thaaat! Is how you faaaaithfully repay the Gospel?! Ahh, such sloths! Sloths, sloths, sloths, sloths!" It was unclear where a man of skin and bones held such power, but Petelgeuse easily shook the head in his hands, shoving the figure's back to the ground and straddling it. Then he looked up toward the sky, tears flowing down his cheeks. "And! My finger's laziness is my own! Ahh, please forgive the indolence in this flesh, filled with affection for thee! Living solely to work diligently for body and soul of the Gospel! For how things must be! Forgive that I have wasted my time in idleness!" As tears poured down from Petelgeuse, the figure on the ground let out a sob of its own. Making a humanlike reaction for the first time, it looked up at the sky and prayed, just like Petelgeuse. "Love! This is love! One must sacrifice for love! Laziness cannot be permitted! I must obey the Gospel! I must return the love granted to me with my own!" *** In a shrieking voice, Petelgeuse gave a command to the black robes. "The girl whose death is uncertain... Find her! If she is alive, wring her neck. If she is dead, cut her head off her corpse and bring her here! Reward her with love!" In response, the figures seemingly melted into the darkness of the cavern and vanished. As they departed, Petelgeuse was gazed off absently, breathing raggedly on his knees for a while before turning toward Subaru. "Now then, then, then, then, then, then, then, then." Still kneeling, Petelgeuse drew close to Subaru, who was in a crouch. "So in the end, what are you?" "Uh, aah..." "The Gospel does not seem to have guided you here, but Her affection hovers thickly all around you. Truly, truly, truuuly a most interessting thing!" Petelgeuse stuck out his tongue, drawing near enough to lick Subaru's eyeballs. The green-haired man clapped his hands, unable to conceal his delight at the boy who was staring at things that weren't there. "I should know the faces of all except 'Pride,' but having said that, I don't think the affection you have received is unrelated to the Gospel." With that murmur, Petelgeuse reached within his habit and pulled out a single tome. It was a book with a black cover, about as large and heavy as a dictionary. At first glance, he looked like he was simply carrying his favorite book with him, but that was too normal an act for a madman. "Ahh... I feel the love of the Gospel. My brain, it shivers..." Petelgeuse rested the book without a title in his hands, calmly and reverently turning the pages. "You are not recorded within the Gospel. Of course, there is also nothing here about any problems occurring here today, on the eve of the Great Ordeal! In other words!!" Petelgeuse slammed the book shut, spit spraying as he lifted up the closed book. "It means you are nothing to get seriously worked up about! Even though you have received such deep, deep, deep, deeeep affection... It is quite an inconsistency!" He poked a finger at his temple, clawing at it with the nail as if he were trying to dig a hole. He tore the skin, yet the bloody, violent sight right before Subaru's eyes elicited no reaction. The boy merely continued his frivolous laughter, watching idly as Petelgeuse harmed himself. "Ah, ah, ah, ahh... It is so lonely to be ignored! Even though! Even though! I have been soooo warm and friendly to you, you, you, youuuuuuu..." His words trailed off, and the next moment, Petelgeuse's hands grasped Subaru's face. The boy's expression was frozen, his mind off somewhere else as Petelgeuse forced Subaru to look at him. Unsurprisingly, even in his stupefied state, Subaru scowled and resisted the rough treatment. Petelgeuse's voice was quiet, but there was a power in his eyes that would not take no for an answer. " Look into my eyes." Startled, Subaru shuddered. His face was blank as he looked at Petelgeuse like he was told. Those gray eyes, giving off the glow of madness, evaluated Subaru's mind. "You will respond. Your mind will respond. I demand answers to my questions. What are you doing here? Why have you been granted such affection? Why do you not have a Gospel? Does that mean she whispers directly to your heart?" "Uu, a, uaaa..." "It seems we are at an impasse. Therefore, I shall rearrange my questions." After his string of questions was rebuffed, Petelgeuse tilted his head ninety degrees to the right. With his head horizontal, he glared up at Subaru from below. "Do you hearrr me?" " Auu!" Petelgeuse stretched out his tongue, licking Subaru's left eyeball. Subaru's chains clinked as he tried to get away from Petelgeuse after the extremely creepy gesture. However, that lasted only until he heard the next sentence. " Why, might I ask, are you preteeending to be crazy?" "Aa! Aaaa!" Gross, no, I'm scared, forgive me, save me, scared, scared, scared, scared. He didn't know what was being said to him. The ghastliness of someone licking his eyeball, the discomfort of being stared at like that, and his urge to flee the madness of the eyes looking at him, all made his body freeze. With his mouth gaping absently, his open eye having been licked, Subaru was asked again, "Why are you pretennnding to be crazy?" Subaru tried to slam him with a manacled arm. The chain went taut, denying his freedom. His arm flailed in the air a little before falling back to the ground on its side. "Guu! Auaaa! Aiii!" "No, no, no, no, it is a very important question. Why, for what purpose, with what meaning, are you acting like you are seized with such madness?" He mustn't listen. He mustn't let the words into his ears. He mustn't know. He shook his head, yelling as he struggled against the manacles. His consciousness was somewhere far away. He had to blot from his ears the words of the man in front of him, for he was forbidden to listen, to know, to realize. "The subconscious does not prepare such convenient escape routes. You consciously, and with full knowledge, wrapped yourself in such madness, yes?" "Aaa! Gauaa! Guruaaa!" "Your madness is too lucid. The crafty, deliberate way you seek sympathy and beg for love, it is quite rude to those who are actually insane." Subaru raised his voice, shouting enough to tear his throat apart, trying to make the man's words go away. But the man seemed to mock his resistance, and his voice drove into Subaru's eardrum like a needle. "Your pretense of being a madman is quite lacking. If you were truly insane, if you were drenched in lunacy in a true sense, you would never recognize the eyes of another. For you would not understand anyone exists beyond your mad self, a world of one person, trapped in the desolate wasteland of his own mind!" " Baa! Baaa! Baaaaaa!" "Ahh, what a comedy, what a farce indeed! Why, why are you pretennnding to be a madman?! If you were truly a deviant, the pretense would not fall away so quickly! I can't stop laughing!" It hurt to breathe. He felt horrible. Something was pushing its way up inside him, trying to assert its own existence. No, it had been there from the start. He'd simply sealed it away and pretended not to look at it. It was because he knew of its presence that he absolutely could not allow it to surface. "Pitiable! Pathetic! You, such a lowly and deep sinner, drunk on your own pathos I pity you from the heart! You are loved so much; why do you need to deny it?! Do you desire to remain in stagnation as the wind whittles you away, without drowning in the love you have been granted freely, without returning their devotion?! Ahh, how can this, how can this beee!" The gray-colored man grabbed Subaru's head and violently tossed him toward the wall. The powerful motion slammed his upper body against the rock, sending sparks scattering as his head began to bleed profusely. "Ah, ah, ah, you...are indeed slothful!" There was a clang, and Subaru felt like something in his head had split in two. I don't hear you. I'm not listening. It's all the ravings of a madman. None of it hit the mark. None of it arrived at any truth. I still don't get anything. That's as it should be. That's as it ought to be. It has to be like that. If it's not, I'll "Ahh, that's quite far enough." The black thing inside him reached its peak, ready to explode at any moment. Just before it did, the man pulled him back from the brink with a calm murmur, as if the previous madness was a distant memory. Bereft of the world of thick madness, the sense of danger Subaru felt from the man redoubled, raising goose bumps on his skin. The man said to him, "Yes, backing you into a corner will cause a trifle, yes, a trifle, trifle, trifle too much trouble later. Take your time, slowly face up to the truth of your devotion, and you shall surely find your own answer." "Aa... Uguu...!" What was the man trying to say to him...? From beginning to end, the words out of his mouth had been a string of insults. Subaru didn't get it. The man was acting like he understood something about him. One moment, he was like an adult kindly leading a little boy by the hand; another, he acted like a monster tempting lost people while they tried to cross a bridge. He was a monster beyond fathom. The distance between them could stay as it was, forever. Before he crossed the divide into the land of no return. The man said, "Ahh, in other words... You are not a sloth. You are diligent." Subaru's eyes bore a

lack of understanding as the madman's perceptive words pressed upon him. Petelgeuse folded his arms, gazing up at the heavens, murmuring as if he was praying. This was the only action that made his title of archbishop seem not to be a farce. After praying for a while, Petelgeuse seemed to notice something and looked back. " Oh my?" He was gazing at the figures emerging one after another within the cavern, the ones that had vanished and gone outside. The black robes seemed to sprout right out of the ground, their numbers exceeding ten. They knelt in reverence to Petelgeuse, bowing their heads low as they awaited instructions. "What is the meaning of thisss?" *** "What, the girl is coming here? Ahh, that is why you have returned? That is good! That is very good! By all, all, all, all, all means, let us welcome her. I must welcome her with my very own handsss!" Petelgeuse was bursting with joy. The meaning of his words did not reach Subaru. However, the boy was panting as if he had a fever. Nothing trickled out of his mouth but a moaning voice, but on the inside, an inexplicable feeling was guiding something inside him to the surface. But, " !" His mouth felt like some invisible object was blocking it, leaving his voice trapped within. What he felt shutting his throat was different from fear or his other emotions. It was like something tangible, something physical was keeping his lips sealed. Subaru opened his eyes, sensing something like an unseen hand was constricting his throat. When he looked over, he saw Petelgeuse cackle. "Now, no need to be hasty... We have plenty of time." Petelgeuse's dry, cackling laughter reverberated throughout the cavern. Even if the invisible gag disappeared, Subaru would have no way to stop the eerie rumble from echoing against his eardrums. Forbidden to even laugh or cry, all he could do was wait in silence. It was a bit under an hour when the change he waited hopefully for finally arrived. The figures remained on their knees, keeping their silence was their custom. Between them, Petelgeuse paced around without speaking a word, leaving only his footsteps and Subaru's ragged breaths to disturb the air of the chamber. The first figure to raise his head was the one closest to the corridor connecting to the chamber. Following that individual's movements, the other fanatics lifted their faces one after another. Petelgeuse, noticing their movements, looked toward the cavern's entrance just as they did and laughed. An expression of glee came over his face, wide enough to split the corners of his mouth. "It seems she has arriiiived." The echo of a great roar drowned out Petelgeuse's delighted murmur. An incredibly heavy-sounding explosion shattered it, and the sound of destruction sent fierce vibrations through the cavern's cold air. The successive sounds reached Subaru through the hard ground as well, and all present were able to sense that the entrance had been smashed by a most violent knock. The figures swayed and stood up, drawing their crosses from their flanks and posing with their hands held low. Though they were in a chamber, when ten-odd people moved together it was impossible to claim they had plenty of room. They deployed with the urgency of a school classroom fire drill, readying themselves to respond to the assailant. There wasn't anywhere near enough space to leap and run around. It was a favorable condition for an intruder at a numerical disadvantage. " I've found you." Her roaring iron ball sailed and mowed down the shadowy figures, creating several red smears against the wall. The flail, butchering three figures with the first blow, was an unstoppable murder weapon that robbed life from everything it touched. There was no option but to dodge it, but the confined cavern made that a difficult proposition. Falling to the ground, the iron ball shattered the rocky surface, and its barbs, smeared with blood and flesh, made a dull sound as they split the earth. The blue hair of the girl walking ahead of it was dyed completely black as her brilliantly glowing eyes surveyed the chamber. They landed on the boy lying on the ground. Her lips quivered as she made a shallow breath. "Subaru. I'm so glad..." The demon Rem relaxed her shoulders as she called the boy by name with relief. Her appearance was ghastly, with the cuts all over her expressing the heroism involved in her arrival. There was not a single part of her body not drenched in blood. Her blue hair was now pitch-black; there was no visible trace of the apron dress that had been burned to a crisp. Her legs, poking out of her ripped and shredded skirt, were lacerated. Her left arm had been burned so cruelly that Subaru wanted to avert his eyes. With her entire body covered in the perfume of blood and death, Rem smiled reassuringly toward him even so. And with Rem looming so violently before him, Petelgeuse raised his voice in acclaim. "Ahh oh my, how marvelouss!" He had forgotten that Rem had slain his subordinates before his very eyes; to the contrary, it seemed to have stirred him all the more, with his excited voice bursting with praise. "A girl! A single girl! Bearing all these wounds yet moving forward! And for what? For this young man! You have gone to these lengths to rescue this beloved boy! You are possessed by love; you live for love!" "You may save your sermon, devotee of the Witch..." Petelgeuse was standing between Subaru and Rem, practically frothing at the mouth as he shouted in joy. Rem gazed coldly at his crazed state as she continued, "You are a band of fools to enter the dominion of Master Roswaal, lord of the Mathers territory, and commit illegal acts. With my master absent, I, Rem, sentence you to death in his place." "As tattered as you appear? You should not make promises you cannot keep. To begin with, you have come only to take this young man away from here, so enough with your convenient excuses." Petelgeuse crouched and clutched Subaru's head, lifting it up. Enjoying himself, he grabbed Subaru by the hair, nodding it up and down against his will. "...ch him." "What was that?" "I said, don't touch him!!" Rem's face contorted in fury at Petelgeuse's antics. Seeing the demon girl lose her composure, he laughed in satisfaction. "Yes, very good. Bare your true desires, bare your heart, bare your love! Love! Love! This is love! Love is what guided you here! To deny that love, to conceal it, to disguise it with falsehoods, all are betrayals of that love! Insults! Ahh, and so slothful!" "One insult after another...!" "I am so glad for that shout. That is your true desire, devoid of all unnecessary impurities, for you rushed here purely out of your feelings for this young man!" Rem, still enraged, was cowed into silence as Petelgeuse pressed his point. His mad eyes gazed at her with a glint of compassion; then his gaze fell upon the boy at his fingertips. "It is deeply regrettable. A devotee of love to such an extent as thee... Why are your eyes firmly locked on one such as this? An effete, ignorant, disgraceful, shameless sight such as this... Truly the product of sloth!" "What do you know about Subaru?! Do not speak out of turn, devotee of the Witch!" "You are upset because you do not accept this, are you not? That this young man, the object of your love...is already finished, long lost to you." "He isn't finished! I am here. I have not forgotten Subaru's words. I will take him by the hand and lead him away. So long as I am here, he is not finished!" These were not mere words of consolation. They were words conveying a firm truth inside Rem. As Rem shouted, Petelgeuse laughed, slowly lifting up Subaru's head while leaning him against the wall. *** Some kind of voice came up from inside Subaru. He didn't know what was being said or why. Rem saw the partial change in the boy drowning in a sea of rejection. She leaped with her wounded body. As Rem sprang into the air, the figures that had maintained their silence so far did the same in pursuit of her. Two figures kicked off the wall to approach. Their cross-shaped swords, melting into the darkness, stabbed at the small girl. She yelled back, "Don't get between Subaru and me!!" She swung her right arm with the chain for the iron ball wrapped around her forearm. With a high-pitched sound, she deflected the crucifixes, following through to gouge out large parts of one figure's face. Another tried to grapple with her after its blade was deflected, but the iron ball, trailing behind, easily caved in the back of its skull. The two corpses fell to the ground as Rem landed in the center of the chamber right in the middle of the fanatics. Just before the blades around her were about to slice her apart, Rem spat out blood as she shouted, " El Hyuma!" The incantation surged cold, making the corpses at Rem's feet bounce. No the fresh blood flowing from the corpses froze, forming sharp-tipped blades of red ice that turned on the enemies around her. The black robes leaped in hard, but it was they who were impaled. When they came to a stop, their torsos run through, Rem's fist and flail mercilessly smashed them to pieces. Petelgeuse exclaimed, "Splendid. Splendid indeed! It is no exaggeration to say that you are splendid! And yet, why! Ahh, why! I cannot accept love! I do not acknowledge this! I do not understand! Without the words, there is no salvation, no more than you can grasp a cloud! And yet, why is it?!" "Do not speak such words so cheaply! I already have my salvation! After that night when I should have lost all, there is no greater than what I had that morning! That is why!" Rem brushed aside the madman's voice, her eyes staring straight at Subaru. "I will repay everything I have received with everything I am. I have no intention of labeling the feelings behind my actions, behind my desire to take those actions, as cheaply as you do!" The figures in the chamber once numbered around fifteen. Already, nearly half of them had perished from Rem's attacks. The remainder seemed incapable of halting her fury. Her superiority was beyond question. The might of the demon race was very real. And yet, why? Petelgeuse clutched his head, letting out hot breaths as he surveyed the cruelty inflicted on his faithful. "Aa, aa, aa..." He didn't seem shaken by grief, fear, or anxiety. Her anxiety only grew as it became clear to her that his reaction was one of pure excitement. At Petelgeuse's side, Subaru watched Rem's rampaging battle. Slowly, the meaning of the scene, and the girl's reason for fighting, seeped into his brain. He didn't understand. He didn't want to understand. He wasn't trying to understand. And yet, it reached him all the same. The sight of her bleeding, wounded, and yet continuing to fight stirred something inside his chest, bringing it to the surface. Perhaps he had to put into words what troubled him. Yet if he did, he could no longer remain in a stupefied state. It meant facing up to what was right, what was wrong, and why he was there. For Subaru, to fear this, to prioritize his love of himself over all else, was just Petelgeuse rose to his feet as he said, "My brain trembles." The sleeves of his black habit swayed as he calmly stepped forward. Unlike his adherents, his hands held nothing in them. Indeed, the relaxed way his open hands swung before him held not a single smidgeon of visible hostility. His body was skin and bones; his behavior betrayed no suggestion he was

strong. Noticing Petelgeuse's advance, Rem knocked down yet another of the black robes and leaped. Hanging upside down from the ceiling, she glared as Petelgeuse advanced beneath her. An instant later, she would shoot out like an arrow with an attack that would surely smash Petelgeuse's thin body to pieces. And yet, why? Why was a terrible feeling clawing at her heart even so? "Get away from Suba " Rem's voice cut off. The rest of his name never reached Subaru's ears. But the echo of her voice delivered a decisive tremor to Subaru's heart. Rem herself had surely not intended any such thing. But the girl's repeated, earnest cries thawed Subaru's frozen heart. " m." He made a faint sound from the back of his throat and crawled. It was a meaningless fragment of a word, carrying not even an iota of the feelings he wished to convey. And yet, as he gasped for breath, Subaru lifted his face and put all his emotions into one short word... "...Rem." His voice was as frail as a whisper. He didn't know how long it had been since he had spoken that name on his lips. And yet his voice was so weak, threatening to disappear completely. " Ah." His feeble voice seemed to die on the wind. He wondered if she could even hear it. As the blood-drenched girl grasped the ceiling, a faintly soft look came over her face. Her lips slackened just a little, her eyes radiating with joy as they beheld Subaru. "Subaru " As the boy returned from stupefaction to reality, he clearly heard Rem call out his name. And then... In an instant, her entire body was torn to pieces that audibly fell onto the cold, hard floor. Subaru lost his voice as he beheld the blood spreading from Rem's fallen body. "...aa?" Her corpse, fallen to the ground, had been cruelly destroyed for all to see. When she had intruded into the cavern, she was wounded all over yet lovely. Now, each of her limbs was bent in a different direction; the wounds to her front and back looked as if the fingertips of a giant had gouged out her torso. And what had wreaked such violence upon her body was... "The authority of 'Sloth' " As Petelgeuse murmured, Rem's body, limbs destroyed, floated up before his eyes. There was no visible sign of magical interference, yet neither had anyone lifted her up. Even so, Rem's body hovered. It was as if hands had stretched up from beneath her to raise her overhead. " Unseen Hands." Petelgeuse looked back, raising both hands before his own face while Rem's body floated behind him. There was no one in her vicinity with hands to place on her. No one was touching her. It was a bizarre spectacle. "The power to reach places the hand cannot and do anything without moving one's body. Utmost diligence while being a sloth of the flesh Ahh, such slothful feelings make...my... brain...shiver." Subaru watched Rem's final moments, dumbfounded. She would never move again. His voice wouldn't come out. His eyes widened as he forgot to breathe and his grip on the world around him felt less real, slipping into stupefaction once more. His mind was wrapped in darkness, as if he were falling and falling down a bottomless pit As he tried to flee from reality, Petelgeuse stopped him, roughly grabbing hold of his bangs and using them to lift his head. "You are not permitted to run from this." The shock of the pain made Subaru grimace as he thrashed around, trying to thrust Petelgeuse back. Petelgeuse did not allow him to do any such thing, though the boy stretched his chains to their limit. The metallic bonds tore at Subaru's flesh to the point of drawing blood, but Subaru's eyes were forced to face forward. "Look. Go ahead, look. Look, please. The girl is dead. She died for love. She fought while injured, struggled against her fears as she stepped forward, and died with her desires unfulfilled." "Ua, aa..." "Look, please. Look at her burns. This is the result of your actions." " aa?" Rem's body floated as Subaru's head was thrust forward as far as the chains around him would permit. Even so, Subaru writhed and stomped on the ground as a pair of hands held him in place. The madman's putrid breath washed over him; Subaru panted with the bloodstained Rem before his eyes. "It is the result of your actions. You were slothful and did nothing. And because of that, she is dead! Because you killed her!" "...You." "It was by my hand! It was by my fingers! It was by my flesh! But it was you, you, you, you, you, you who, who, who...killed her, yes!" Petelgeuse's abnormal power toyed with Rem's body as he chirped, almost like he was singing. Rem's body, lying down in midair, shifted like a marionette on a string as her arms and legs dangled. Her twisted limbs danced according to the madman's whims. "...op it." There came a scrish of something ripping apart. Unable to handle the manipulation, Rem's body broke...and so did something within Subaru. "Owww, ow it hurts, it hurts, the pain, the pain, save me, save me... Ahh, Subaru?" It was a cheap taunt, the lowest of base humor. The madman violated Rem with his antics. With easy enjoyment, he debased the girl Subaru revered directly in front of him. That spectacle was so ugly that he dearly wanted to avert his eyes and make himself forget it. " Petelgeuuuuuse!!" Subaru was afraid of seeing reality, but the rotting stench hovering around him had been enough to pull him back to his senses. He stretched his neck, trying to bite at the windpipe that was tantalizingly close. But the manacles intervened and his canines fell just a little short. He stumbled forward, tumbling hard onto his face. His nose was bleeding and he had chipped a front tooth. Petelgeuse laughed in delight as he looked down at Subaru. "I'll kill you, I'll kill you...kill, kill, I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you! Kill, kill...die, I'll have you killed, die, die, dieeeee!" "To hate another so that you may live, that fierce passion toward others is the opposite side of the coin of love! Ahh, how splendidly warped this is! This spurs both my fingers and me to greater heights of diligence!" "Kill... I'll kill you. You...killed...Rem. I'll...kill, kill, kill. I'll have you killed. Yeah! I'll kill you! Kill, kill! Die, damn you! Damn you, aah! Die, damn you!" He spewed saliva as he spat out curses and raised a resentful howl. He didn't care if his arms tore off. He didn't care if his legs tore off. If he could get free of those manacles and kill the man before his eyes then and there, it was enough. He hated, hated, hated the man to no end. The man had to die. He could not be suffered to live. He had to make very sure that the man died then, that moment, that very instant. Subaru thrashed his entire body around in rage as Petelgeuse stood beside him. Abruptly, the latter's crazed laughter faded, and he murmured, "This has been a rather untidy affair, but it is finally time that we must part." With a hand, he assembled the surviving figures together and pointed toward the cavern's wrecked entrance. "We shall abandon this place. You will disregard the number of fingers remaining, continue the role of the left hand, and join with the other five fingers The ordeal shall be conducted as planned." "Die! Die, damn you! Die, die, dieeee!" Having issued his brief orders, Petelgeuse clapped his hands. On that signal, the black robes vanished, melting into the gloomy darkness of the cavern. And one by one, all trace of life vanished from the hollow, with Petelgeuse himself finally departing, walking leisurely toward the entrance. The loud clicks of his shoes echoed off the rock walls of the cavern, with Subaru howling, cursing him with death over and over as his back grew distant. "Wait, you piece of shit! Kill! I'll kill you! Die here! Die here, now! Die right now! Die! Die! Die!!" "Ohh, I forgot one thing, it would seem." Even with the bloodthirsty shouts directed at him, the madman stopped and called back as lighthearted as ever. As Subaru glared at Petelgeuse, the latter looked back, nodded to the former, and crossed both hands over his own chest. "You truly do not understand your position. In spite of this, I would have you make a decision here and now." The madman's head tilted into a perfect right angle with enough force to break his neck, or so it seemed. A dark smile appeared. "I will leave your arms and legs bound. All that awaits you is death. And yet...if you were to take up the Gospel in this place, you can still be saved." "Go to hell! Die here, right now! I'll tear you apart! Blow you away! Blast you to pieces!" "You can be saved if you become one of us. If not, you are a mere stranger. It is clear and simple, yes?" Petelgeuse, stating what seemed to him like a most wise plan, proceeded to turn his back on Subaru. He treated the foul curses flowing out of the boy's mouth like nothing more than a breeze, with his feet regarding the pool of blood like a puddle of water left by an early afternoon shower, his casual demeanor wholly unaffected. By rights, Petelgeuse would have departed without taking any further notice of Subaru. However, he did not, for a heavy, watery sound drew his attention to the side. " Aaah." Petelgeuse looked toward the sound, nodding as he stared at the blue-haired girl who had fallen there. Having lost all interest in playing with her as a doll, he was just about to leave when he noticed her tossed by the wayside. It was no exaggeration to say that this, too, was treating her like a toy. "You, too, are a devotee of love. Yes, yes. You tried very hard." Petelgeuse stood still and corrected the posture of Rem's corpse, making a sign of the cross over her. He seemed to praise and acknowledge the girl's actions up until several minutes prior. However... "You died for love, defying your destiny with all your might. However, you lie ruined and unfulfilled, having lost the object of your love, unable to fulfill your desire with emptiness hovering all about you..." His acclamation turned on a dime, lamenting the futility of Rem's actions as his cheeks twisted into a mocking smile. "Because...you were slothful!" There was no greater way to belittle the existence of the lone girl Rem. *** Howls and shouts fiercely echoed throughout the cave. Subaru Natsuki raised an inhuman cry, his anger great enough to fill his entire throat, his rage enough that he couldn't form words, his regret enough to produce tears of blood. Hearing this, Petelgeuse laughed, as if it were a shower of the highest possible praise. He cackled and cackled. *** He did not stop walking. Of course, Subaru could hope neither to stop him from behind nor wring his neck. He kept hearing that cackling voice for long after. Even with Petelgeuse himself gone, even though his own curses couldn't reach the man, even though the light inside the cave dimmed all at once and left him alone with the corpse in the darkness, it wouldn't stop. Cackle, cackle. Cackle, cackle. Cackle, cackle, cackle, cackle, cackle. "Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill." Amid the darkness, dead to the world, he spewed enough bloodlust and hatred to burn a man alive. He murmured and spat over and over, forgetting how many times it had been, yet his scorching hatred did not subside. *** He had never hated anyone, not a person, not any living being, as much as he did then.

Since arriving in that world, he had experienced hatred of the formless thing called Fate several times over. He had been beaten down into the ground, with reality pitilessly thrust in his face, with that callous world making him pay for bad decisions with his life but the times he had hated and cursed were fewer than the number of his fingers. But to this point in his life, he had never hated another individual to that extent. "Petelgeuse...Romanée-Conti...!" Voicing the name on his lips, he recalled the man behind his eyes. His eardrums wallowed in his own shout. When his brain thought about that man, a fire raged inside him that made every drop of his blood boil. What the hell was with that man, anyway? Subaru understood nothing about his identity. All he knew was that Petelgeuse walked far from the path of sanity, that he was a demon in human flesh who could not be reasoned with, and that he was a despicable person, the foulest of villains. He was the most awful of men who'd hurt Rem, the girl who'd sacrificed her own body in an attempt to rescue Subaru, and went on to humiliate and dishonor her life. He couldn't even imagine the damage that letting that man live would wreak. That was why Subaru had to kill him. Subaru needed to kill him with his own hands, not letting anyone else do the deed. He had to kill Petelgeuse with his own hands. If he couldn't do that, how could he pay him back for Rem's death? "Kill, kill, I will...kill you with my own hands..." Subaru embraced the bloodlust pouring from his own mouth and earnestly twisted his own body, clinking his shackles. He'd tried to force his arms out of the manacles or kick them off his legs several times over. The manacles were clasped tightly and rather painfully on Subaru's limbs, to begin with. He felt the pain. His fury would not permit him to forget it. But even as that discomfort clawed at his nerves, he bit it back with thoughts of what Rem had undergone. Even if the manacles tore off his hands and wrists, he didn't really care. As long as he could escape, as long as he could move a single finger, as long as he had a single tooth left, he'd snuff out Petelgeuse's life. Several hours had already passed since his foe had departed the cave. The lagmite ore had lost most of its power, so the cavern fell into darkness. Subaru wondered if it was some kind of mistake. He was inside a natural cavern, yet not even a single insect lived within it. He was the only living being there. " ! Petelgeuse!!" A moment before Subaru noticed the darkness and silence, he wrung the hateful man's name from his throat to keep his thoughts intact. Within the gloom, unable to see a thing, Subaru could sense nothing beyond himself in the whole world. His ragged breaths, the beats of his heart, the sounds of the chains chafing, the drip-drops of water isolation and solitude quickly weakened the human heart. If he remained in this place like that much longer, with no change whatsoever... "Woaaaaa! Petelgeuse! Petelgeuse!!" Subaru abandoned his body to hatred, as if rejecting the image of his mental balance crumbling away. A human mind walled off from the outside world was well on its way to decay, to collapse, to a final end. Subaru screamed as if trying to avert his eyes from reality, trying to shake off the fear of being left behind. As long as he could shout his hatred, he would remain sane. As long as he was enveloped in bloodlust like a madman, he would not go mad. To keep his sanity, Subaru needed hatred. Subaru did not know how many more hours passed after that. "Hff, hff... Kuh...ll." Subaru's consciousness hovered somewhere between alertness and unconsciousness. Fatigue, debilitation, the abrasions on his body all these dragged down Subaru's body and spirit. Still bound by the manacles, his limbs, abused beyond their limits, no longer accepted the brain's instructions. The metal scraped his flesh and even wore down the bones of his wrists and ankles. Just moving around sent him into convulsions from the ferocious pain. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill. In spite of that, even then, bloodlust welled up from the very bottom of his heart. That moment, with both body and head no longer listening, it was the heart alone that kept Subaru going. It had been dozens of hours since he had been abandoned in that world of solitude. His body and spirit had reached their limits, but Subaru's consciousness had not shut down. Archbishop of Sin. Petelgeuse of "Sloth." Witch Cult. Right hand. Left hand. Unseen Hands. Index finger. Ring finger. Little finger. Diligence. Sloth. Sloth. Sloth These were the keywords Subaru had gleaned from Petelgeuse's high-pitched, shouted ramblings. With his head dying on him, he recalled these terms, wondering what they meant, thinking about Petelgeuse to keep his consciousness together even a little bit and to keep his hatred astir. He needed to remember a fresher, firmer, clearer image of the man's face. He reflected along the same lines the man's voice, his appearance, his way of walking, his manner of speaking exactly as if thinking about one's dearly beloved. The direction of Subaru's sentiments was the only thing that had changed. He was still using it as fuel to ignite his soul and keep himself awake. From afar, it seemed Subaru's spirit had already arrived at the dimension of madness. Perhaps the mind would wear down and vanish first. Perhaps his body, unable to keep up with his active mind, would expire first. He was on a path where the end was nigh; it was simply a choice between one dead end or the other. Surely keeping his mind intact no longer had any meaning other than that. Subaru continued his futile struggle, but he was truly alone in all the world. " aa?" His panting within the darkness had been frail, but his breath abruptly caught when he felt that something was off. It was troublesome to even move his head, but Subaru looked in the direction of the disturbance. Of course, his field of vision displayed nothing but the darkness of the cavern. But he felt something from that darkness nonetheless. Slowly, truly slowly, he felt a presence rising. It moved at only a snail's pace, bit by bit, but inexorably drew closer to Subaru. *** Somehow, even within complete darkness, it seemed to know where he was. Subaru shuddered with urgency and unease at the individual. But that feeling immediately fell away as a different feeling rose up in the back of his mind. Where is this feeling coming from in the first place? He heard a sound like clothes rustling and extremely faint breath. The distance was rather close, no more than several yards away from Subaru. Having thought that far, he suddenly realized: it was at close range, not from the entrance, that the presence had abruptly appeared No, what if she had started breathing again...? "R-Rem...?" He called out the name of the girl to whom the sounds and presence were likeliest to belong. That can't be right, Subaru's logical mind denied. Though he couldn't endure looking straight at her, the last thing he had seen while the cave still had light was the horrific state of Rem's body, to the point that he thought one of her fallen foes was far more likely to rise from the dead. She couldn't be alive. She was dead. Of course she was dead. Yet in spite of that, he half believed that the presence in front of his own eyes was alive, and it must be Rem. And if she were dead, it was probably her just the same, coming to take him away. It had to be Rem either way. Therefore, there was no reason to be worried about the presence at all. "Rem, Rem...?" *** He addressed her, clinging to hope, but the silence returned with a vengeance. Even so, perhaps Subaru's voice made the other being certain of its goal, because it felt like it started crawling just a little faster. Yet it was truly only a very slight change. Slowly, slowly, he heard something pulling closer across the cold, rocky surface of the ground. Subaru pulled himself up, with the chains attached to his hands and feet ringing as he moved as close to her as he could. He'd advanced such a short distance, and the tormenting shame summoned tears once again, though he had thought they were dry. He kept himself from sobbing. He didn't want Rem to hear that. Within the darkness, only the sound of crawling continued, with the distance closing and closing. And then Subaru felt the struggling presence reach his body. The instant he felt something graze his upper arm, he instantly tried to take her hand and call out her name. "Re..." His throat froze over. The grasp on his arm was so light, so cold, that none would think it came from a living person. "R-Rem...?" Rem's body lay facedown beneath the kneeling Subaru. The girl's slender arm was shaking a little, but it was as cold as could be, devoid of warmth-giving blood. She was as icy as a corpse. She could no longer be here in this world. Yet though she should have been finished, she had dragged her body over and clung to Subaru. She touched his arms, his shoulders, his chest, his head, as if to make sure they were there; she pressed everything against him in a hug from the front. *** Subaru, silently accepting the embrace of the dead, had no idea what would happen. A breath away from each other, Subaru was certain that it was Rem hugging his body. However, her flesh felt dead to the touch, unreal, as if she were animated solely by the dying embers of her life. But it was not unpleasant. Subaru meekly returned her continuing embrace. When he thought about it, they'd been close against each other many times, but that might have been the first time they'd touched like that. Perhaps that was how Rem wanted the final moment of her life to be. If so, the least he could do was to respond to her wishes. Even with Rem already dying and Subaru having already given up, perhaps his arms could transmit his feelings to her. It was Rem who brought the continuing cold, silent embrace to an end. "Rem?" As Subaru hugged her, her body surrendered its strength, collapsing onto his lap. He hastily moved to support her, but the next motion made that impossible. After all... " Uuu?!" ...Rem grabbed his outstretched arms and smashed them to the ground. Subaru, pulled forward and down, was shocked at the sudden violence achieved with strength far beyond his imagination. Hence, he was slow to react to Rem's next action. Subaru's arms, pressed to the floor, were bathed in a large amount of liquid. It was a cold, viscous substance with a rusty scent. The fact that Subaru had become so used to the smell made him rather slow to realize that Rem had coughed up blood. A chill ran up his spine at the discomfort of so much of another person's blood pouring over him. But the bad feeling vanished in an instant. " ma." The whisper vibrated faintly in the air as the intervention of mana achieved its result. " Dwaa!" Pain, like something sharp digging into his wrists, seized Subaru. The unexpected numbing ache shot from his wrists straight through his forearms, all the way to his shoulders. He didn't know what was going on. He shuddered at the thought that Rem was doing this, coughing blood on him, sending sudden jolts of pain through him, and proceeding to turn both arms into useless appendages. But the

next moment... The wrist manacles, unable to bear the pressure pushing out from the inside, noisily blew apart. " Oh." The destruction sent metal fragments flying, and a tinkling sound echoed throughout the cavern. Subaru breathed raggedly as his pain radically eased, and his entire arms felt incredibly free despite the scalding sensation. He opened and closed both of his now-unfettered hands, confirming that they could still move. Then he understood. "Rem, you..." Rem had used magic to freeze the blood from her mouth, utilizing the pressure to destroy the manacles from within. Of course, both of Subaru's arms, having directly endured the effects of magic, hadn't emerged unscathed. That said, he could rotate his wrists and get his fingers to do as he asked. If he disregarded the pain, he could move them normally again. In other words, Rem had succeeded. "Re...?" Subaru was about to voice his thanks when he felt a very light body bump against his chest. Light. So very, very light. She'd lost so much blood, the last of her consciousness was a candle in the wind, ready to be snuffed out. In other words, her life would soon expire. "Rem...wait, Rem. Wait...don't..." Don't leave me, he might have meant to say. Do you hate me? he might have wanted to ask. Subaru despaired at the true thoughts and feelings behind both. That once again, she had protected a weak, miserable creature such as him. She'd literally come back from the dead to save him, yet he... "...Nn." "Rem?" Rem's tongue, as cold as a corpse's, tried to form words with some kind of meaning behind them. She barely had the strength to speak a single syllable, yet she'd wrung magical energy out of her immobile body and hazy mind. She'd worked herself past the point of death to accomplish her objective, but she wanted to leave one last thing behind. Subaru, not wanting to let such a message slip by, embraced her body and drew it close. He brought his ear near her quivering lips so that he could carve each word, each syllable, upon his very soul. The girl's last words were... "L...ive." *** "I l...o..." She died. That moment, Rem died. Within Subaru's arms, her light body grew heavy. Her form, both light and so, so heavy, her frame completely bereft of her soul, burdened Subaru's entire being with its excessive weightlessness. In the end, haltingly, haltingly, Rem had told Subaru, "Live." His wails resounded throughout the dark cave. By the time Subaru removed his leg shackles and exited the cave, it had been several hours since Rem had died. His hands, free from the wrist manacles, had snatched a cross sword from the nearest figure's corpse. Using that, he'd unfettered his legs over a period of long hours. "...Light, huh." Subaru rotated his scraped ankles. Each step sent pain running through him fierce enough to make his mind go blank. If he ignored that, not a problem. His legs were more than enough to support him while he carried Rem's remains. He tossed the broken crucifix sword against a wall. The impact made the lagmite ore in the wall glow, bathing the cavern in pale light. Subaru felt like his eyes were burning. With Rem in his arms, he gazed at her face, not having seen it in the light for over a day. Tears gently fell from his eyes. Subaru would never be able to forget the cruel state of the girl in his arms. "Let's go, Rem." Subaru relied on the light as he made his way through the dark cave, following the narrow corridor to the entrance. From inside the passage, the rock blocking the entrance was transparent. Subaru passed right through it. It was probably some kind of magic trick to obstruct vision. It was probably closer to a hologram than a mirage. Subaru had neither the determination nor a compelling reason to consider the matter further. When Subaru exited the cave, it was not the light created by lagmite ore that greeted him but the orange rays from the sun. The light pouring from the sunset scorched the world beneath it. The sun was sinking past the horizon of the forest and hills beyond it, giving its final greeting before retiring from its daily duty and dyeing the world in the same color as its own flames. Subaru, greeted by that scene, stood with the rock wall behind him and unfamiliar trees standing everywhere he looked. A quick glance around the area revealed no trace of a road, forest trail, or anything else that resembled a path. He should have expected as much. A group infiltrating an area would logically set up far from human habitation. "But I'll walk..." His destination was the same as before: Roswaal's mansion in the Mathers dominion. Subaru was sure that Rem had been heading to the mansion with him when his mind was a hazy abyss. He rummaged through his memories of the dragon coach rocking him as he rested peacefully on Rem's lap. Thinking of Rem made his heart tighten painfully. He wanted to thank her and tell her he was sorry. When he remembered Petelgeuse, his body creaked with hatred, almost as if it would snap. Rage. Sadness. Hatred. Love. These supported Subaru. These kept Subaru alive. His path was uncertain, and there was nothing to guide him. Even so, Subaru's mind rebelled, and his feet stepped forward to search for an uncertain destination. Perhaps it might be said that what happened to him was nothing short of a miracle. Without anyone's aid, with nothing to rely on, Subaru arrived at his destination. The one desire of his shriveled mind was granted surely it could be called nothing else. It was the first miracle that world had bestowed upon Subaru since his arrival. If there was indeed a deity that governed fate, that god was finally smiling upon Subaru. And then, Subaru knew. "Ha." If there was a deity that governed fate, its manner of laughter was surely the same as Petelgeuse's. The village had been violated in exactly the same hellish manner he had seen before. The houses had been burned down; the villagers were covered in blood. The remains of those who had futilely struggled against the theft of their lives had been carelessly gathered in the center of the community, piled into a mountain of corpses. He looked right; he looked left. There were only smoldering embers and the stench of death. He could not hope for any survivors. Looking over the corpses of the villagers, Subaru realized that this world held one difference from the one before it. "Petra. Mildo. Luca. Meyna. Cain. Dyne..." The cruel sight of the children's corpses was a part of the mountain of corpses and the river of blood. *** With Rem still in his arms, Subaru's knees let go. He fell on the spot, clutching tight the cold body in his arms, and wept. What had he been doing all that time...? Knowing what would happen, why did he sit back and watch...? Until he slipped through the game trail and saw the smoke rising from the direction of the village, Subaru had completely banished from his own brain the hellish sight that had shattered his mind. No, he'd averted his eyes. He'd wrapped himself in grief over Rem's death and used it and his limitless hatred of Petelgeuse as excuses to deny his memories of that hell. Once again, Subaru Natsuki had fled from reality due to his selfishness. The result was the sight before his eyes. The children had died there because Rem, who would have protected the children like last time, had been unable to arrive at the village. The adults were not able to let the children escape. The sight of their own children being murdered, as if for sport, had been burned into their eyes before they, too, died in agony. Not a single one had been spared. Subaru had stood by and done nothing, and this tragedy was the end result, leaving only despair and resentment in its wake. That contemptible reality ate at Subaru's heart. I get it now. I get all of it. Petelgeuse. The man who had killed the villagers, the children, and Rem. He, the madman, had committed those unforgivable acts not once, but twice. " Ha." His plan was set in stone. He knew what he needed to do. "Petelgeuse..." He had to kill Petelgeuse. Murder him, kill him, keep killing until the last cell of his body was burned away, his entire being erased from that world. Nothing short of that could even begin to make up for these deaths. His thoughts were dyed with nothing but hatred. His field of vision turned crimson red. He knew that what was left of the blood he'd lost had mostly gone to his head it was even bleeding out of his nose. He roughly wiped away the nosebleed, re-gripped Rem so that she would not be stained, and rose to his feet. His knees shook, his ankles quivered; whether he could stand, let alone walk, was an open question. "Kill, kill, kill, kill, I'll kill you..." But if he could walk, if he could move forward, then he could surely tear out the man's windpipe with his teeth. Dragged forward by his hardened, bloodlust-dyed mind, Subaru headed toward the mansion. He'd seen the hell at the village. Next was the mansion. What was it that awaited him there? Right before his death, right before he started things over, something had happened, but his memories were broken, unclear. He thought that he'd arrived at the mansion and seen something that decisively cracked his psyche. He desperately lit up the neurons in his head trying to remember what it was. He'd found Rem dead. And this time, that experience had already run its course. "Khah." Spontaneously, laughter spilled out of him. Really, really, nothing has changed at all, has it? Only the order had been altered. Nothing had changed in terms of what had happened. Had he ever before spent his relived time in such idleness as he had then? Before, no matter what had happened, Subaru gained something over the course of death. But trapped in his own cage, he hadn't been able to salvage anything. Now that he'd encountered the same hell once again, was there anything he could gain from it? Having wasted his Return by Death, did he have any value at all? *** At some point, he'd begun to lose sight of the target of his bloodlust. Petelgeuse. That name was all that kept Subaru going. That was a good thing. He was who Subaru wanted to kill, right? So kill him already. After he'd been killed, " " could die for all he cared. Who is " ," anyway? Just kill them, too, then? Yeah, if everyone dies, all the better. When such static began to invade Subaru's thoughts, his mind flickered on and off, over and over. Subaru looked ahead of him with bloodshot eyes as he once again straddled the fence between sanity and madness. Having already decided to head to the mansion, come what may, he chose to postpone dealing with the immediate problem, like he always did. Then... *** The instant he crested the hill, Subaru witnessed the destruction of Roswaal Manor. A ferocious sound erupted, and smoke rose all around. The roof collapsed; the terrace fell to pieces. All at once, the glass windows cracked and shattered into glistening shards, the cracked white walls wailing like a maiden as they were rent asunder. When he arrived, Subaru stared up at the front gate, dumbfounded at the overpowering devastation. The mansion had lost its shape in a single instant, just as if someone had demolished it with explosives. The familiar building had lost all integrity, its meticulously arranged garden was buried in rubble, and the ruin that had once been the mansion was falling to pieces.

"Wh-what the..." He groped through his memories. But he had no memory of this experience. Something had happened that he didn't remember. Or perhaps the shock of being on the verge of death was so vivid that he'd forgotten the destruction surrounding him as he died. Having lost his bearings, an all-too-thin man's crazed laughter rose in the back of his trembling mind. If the slaughter of the village had been that madman's deeds, he'd surely directed his vile actions at the mansion as well. If that was the case, was this destruction Petelgeuse's? "What in the world is he doing...?" Faced with a spectacle beyond his understanding, Subaru continued to carry Rem as he exhaled white breaths. Discouraged, he craved a stronger sensation within his arms, but it was cold that flowed through his hands and turned to sadness in his chest. His body shivered; he coughed at the cold pain in his lungs. Far too late, Subaru finally realized that his own ragged breaths looked like white clouds. *** The moment he realized it, pain enveloped his body, stabbing at his skin. His exhalations were white, and the air he inhaled was freezing his internal organs, like he was breathing blowing snow. He felt like his body was dying from the inside out. Subaru's instincts screamed to him that his life was in jeopardy. I...don't...know...what's...going...on. His entire body robbed of its warmth, it became hard to even stand, and so he buckled. He squatted down on the spot, leaning forward before he hit the ground, and fell on his side, still carrying Rem. That was his final act of resistance. His fallen body froze to the very core, his limbs no longer able to even tremble. Unable to convey his thoughts to his limbs, Subaru knew that his mind had been severed from his body. Subaru had already experienced it several times, but he'd never get used to that feeling of desolate helplessness. His nervous system sent commands to his entire body to resist the impending end even a little, to somewhere, anywhere that could move. Behind his closed right eyelid, his eye was barely functional. With all his spirit, Subaru moved his eyelid, using his barely functional eye to look up at an angle, in the direction of the mansion. Once it reached that position, it would probably never move again. Before the view faded, he saw something... "...a." He saw a beast standing on the wreckage of the collapsed mansion. It was a holy beast, with gray fur all over its body, with glowing golden eyes. The sight of it standing on all fours, calmly swaying its long, long tail, was most mysterious. More than anything, the beast was enormous, rivaling the mansion itself. *** Beholding the sight from afar, Subaru understood what had caused the mansion's collapse: the sudden appearance of that beast from inside it. Of course the building couldn't withstand the pressure of something that huge emerging from inside. *** The gray beast swayed, surveying the area with its eyes. Its face most resembled that of a great feline predator. Sharp fangs poked out of its mouth; the giant being exhaled breaths like blowing white snow, repainted the world into a frozen hell with the white powder to freeze all that lived. What was that? As he thought about it, his vision whited out. He realized then that he'd stopped breathing. At some point, he'd stopped feeling the bitter cold. Warmth, though, he could feel. That warmth tempted Subaru to give himself entirely to it, to forget the burning hatred, to forget sadness enough to tear his soul asunder, to forget anything and everything. Forget, forget. Let your mind wander to oblivion and the frozen warmth within. Just before he fell asleep, he felt like he heard someone's voice. "Sleep...together with my daughter." It was a low, ferocious voice. Yet it somehow sounded forlorn and sad. He didn't understand. He didn't understand. Not within the meaningless serenity. Subaru Natsuki melted. He melted, he melted, he melted, and then disappeared. He realized that his mind was in deep, deep darkness. His consciousness, dead to the world within the expanding, eternal darkness, shifted its gaze in search of any change. It wondered just how long the pitch-black world of the end would continue. It felt as if it had been locked away, completely beyond the world's reach. What is this place? What am I doing here? It was odd for him to have such questions. To begin with, he didn't understand who he was to be thinking in such a manner. His mind was all that hung in emptiness, lacking any body to support it or receive its thoughts. He stood. His legs were on the ground. But what he thought was beneath his feet blended with the darkness covering his vision, and so his footing was uncertain. Abruptly, there was a change in the vast world of nothing but darkness. A shadow warped and flattened out, and a crack emerged in the nothingness. Without a sound, the rip in space rent apart the world of eternal darkness, connecting the interior of that void to another void. Just after the momentary anomaly, a lone human silhouette emerged from the widening crack. *** He thought that the figure was a woman. The instant he recognized it, emotions he could not put into words nearly took over his mind. He felt fierce, explosive emotions well up. He wanted to run to the figure, embrace her slender body, put his lips to her nape, to drive home that he was himself. And yet, he lacked the legs with which to rush to her, the arms with which to embrace her, the lips with which to kiss her and prove that he existed. Even though his chagrin made him want to cry, he didn't understand why these emotions manifested. He didn't know. He didn't understand. He comprehended nothing. But the figure seemed to understand how he felt, slowly reaching out with her arms, somehow closing the unchanging distance on her own. Those two hands gently came close enough to firmly embrace him. As the fingertips touched him, great happiness flooded into him, as if joy was gushing from every cell in her body, filling every nook and cranny of his consciousness. And then she said... " I love you." The moment Subaru's consciousness went back in time and inhabited his body once more, the boy spectacularly tumbled to the ground. Cadmon, standing behind the counter as he watched him fall onto the road without any forewarning, leaned over in a rush. "Whoa! Wh-what's wrong, kid?!" Subaru scowled, having fallen right over without softening the blow and earned himself meaningless injury. "Er... I just slipped a bit." "That 'slip' was so bad, I wondered if you'd lost a leg or something. Can you stand and walk? I can't associate with you if you don't quit all this crazy stuff." "What do you mean, 'crazy'? You're making me sound like some sort of scoundrel with no common sense." "A mischief-maker either way, and that goes for how you come and go without proper clothes on, too. I get the sense you're a troublesome sort who's hard to deal with, to be honest." Having said those terrible things, Cadmon tut-tutted in a show of dissatisfaction. And when Subaru abruptly felt a tug on his sleeve, he looked back. He couldn't help but gasp. "Subaru, are you all right?" He saw a girl standing there, setting her hand on his wounds. When she began to heal him with magic, she noticed Subaru staring at her and tilted her head a little. Her pretty blue hair swayed above her shoulders. Seeing her stirred fierce emotions in Subaru's chest. Memories, memories, memories flooded in, rushing to the back of his mind. He silently widened his eyes as he felt the raging torrent wash over his freshly returned consciousness. What should I say? What can I say? he thought, his mouth agape as answers escaped him. *** He tried instantly to call out her name, but his parched tongue wouldn't immediately form the sounds. His consciousness whirled in the air as the welling emotions weighed upon his chest enough to crush it. Biting his tongue in his impatience, Subaru's lips quivered as he spoke the girl's name. "Re...m..." The word was formed so softly within his mouth and was so faint and halting, he didn't know if it reached her. Concerned she hadn't heard it, he breathed in to immediately speak her name again. " Yes, I am Rem." And yet, a reply came. A moment before he repeated her name, the girl Rem smiled in response to Subaru's clumsy address. He had called out to Rem, and she had answered. "Rem." "Subaru?" "Rem, Rem...Rem." Rem raised her eyebrows, looking conflicted at hearing her name so many times. Subaru, too, thought it was strange and bizarre. Yet even knowing this, he couldn't stop the word from pouring out. He'd called her name, and Rem had answered, right before his eyes. That was enough to make him happy. After she died so brutally, he was happy just to have her before his eyes again. He had never been that happy in his life. "What is wrong? You are making an expression like you have just seen a ghost. I assure you, I am right here. I am your Rem, Subaru." Rem smiled pleasantly, joking for once. It surely hurt her to see Subaru as haggard as he was. And the phrase she had used, that he had "just seen a ghost," was not one he could laugh away. Really, truly, he couldn't laugh off those words at all. "Rem, I... I..." "You are a difficult audience. I think that a smile suits you far better than that dark expression, Subaru. Therefore, I thought I would make you smile, but..." Rem lowered her eyes in disappointment. During that time, she'd finished neatly healing Subaru's wound. After a visual confirmation, she declared, "I am finished," and began withdrawing her fingertips. "Subaru?" As her fingers began to move, Subaru caught them with his hand to keep that warmth from slipping away. Rem's face registered surprise at his bold action, but she immediately noticed the keen emotions thickly covering Subaru's face. "Really, what is it? I mean... I am happy to have you be the one doing this, but it is rather sudden and took me by surprise." "Thin. Small... Warm, huh." He felt Rem's small fingers as they rested snugly in his own hand. That soft warmth was proof that she was alive. Her body with blood flowing through it felt so different than her stiff, bloodless flesh. She lived. She was alive. She'd come back to life. Such an obvious thing consoled Subaru's heart, once shattered. "Subaru, I somewhat mind being called small, so I do not wish to hear it often, but it is fine if it's you. As for warm, that goes without saying. I am alive, after all." That last phrase made Subaru gasp and look up at Rem. Face-to-face, their eyes met, with deep compassion in Rem's pale-blue irises. "Are you anxious? But I am here. I will save you, Subaru, even at the cost of my life, so it's all right." No. She was wrong. Subaru had let Rem die. He'd killed her. Twice. Ruthlessly. Mercilessly. The first time, one could claim he had nothing to do with it. But the second time was different. The second time, he could make no excuses whatsoever: Rem had died for Subaru's sake. To protect him, to save him, for his sake, she had used her life and wrung it out to the last, dying for Subaru's sake. The Rem before his eyes didn't know this. Subaru alone knew. *** Before he realized it, he was gripping Rem's small hand, bowing his face so that she would not see it. Seeing his behavior, Rem felt her fingers tremble in anxiety, wondering

if she had done something to inconvenience him. But that was only for a single moment. "It's all right. It's all right. Everything is fine." Rem realized through her fingers that Subaru was afraid. So she used her free hand to pat his back, gently consoling him like a child. And this she did, stroking him, showing him affection, until Subaru raised his head. Always gentle, always loving. "Sorry to interrupt your touching moment, but I can't do any business like this." Cadmon gazed at the episode in front of his shop and waved both away as he spoke. Normally, that would have rubbed Subaru the wrong way, prompting him to say something like, "It's not like you were gonna get any business done whether we were here or not," but here, Subaru followed the lead of Rem's hand, gently departing from that place. If Cadmon had really wanted to get in the way, he would've done something five minutes earlier. He was a fundamentally good person, and that was why he'd waited for Subaru to calm down before breaking out his capitalist spirit. For his part, Subaru did not have any room to notice such benevolence. That moment, the inside of his chest was governed by one emotion alone. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Even though Return by Death had remade the world, that hatred was the one thing that had not been erased. This time, Subaru had a mortal enemy. And that enemy had a name. Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti. He was the worst of all madmen and had committed the great, unforgivable crime of slaughtering Rem and the villagers. It was Subaru's duty to use the power of Return by Death to kill that man. As Rem led Subaru away from the front of the shop by the hand, she stopped. "...Subaru, if you have a moment?" When Rem looked back, Subaru replied, "What is it?" with a casual shrug of his shoulders, making light of the dark emotions inside his heart. She stared at him, making a small sound through her well-shaped nose. "No... I might be mistaken. It is simply that...I feel like the bad odor coming from you has grown stronger." "A bad odor, huh?" When she pointed it out, Subaru gave his own arm a sniff, but he couldn't make out anything. Coming from Rem, those words likely meant that she smelled the scent of the Witch. Thinking back, he felt that Petelgeuse had ranted about Subaru's nature in some capacity. "So my Return by Death does have to do with the Witch...?" The more he Returned by Death, the stronger the Witch's presence became around Subaru. He'd used that to strike back at the demon beasts in the forest, and afterward, he'd been too busy to look into the matter deeply so had dropped it. Maybe that subconscious urge to make that conclusion was part of the Witch's power. As Subaru pondered these thoughts, Rem watched him with a look of concern. Subaru hadn't meant to cause her any trouble. He pushed those thoughts off for later. "Don't make that face, Rem. Your lovely features will go to waste, and that would make for a dark future." "I'm sorry. I'm quite a worrywart, really..." As Rem babbled, Subaru thought of what he might say to put her at ease. Promptly, he lightly lifted their still-intertwined hands. "Well, if you're worried about my running off somewhere, just keep a hold of me like this, okay?" "Eh?" "There's no way I can out-muscle you, so you should feel safer that way, right?" As he made the statement, hiding the unexpected blush that came with it, Rem looked between Subaru and their joined hands. "Yes." With a pleasant smile, she nodded, standing neither before Subaru nor behind him but right at his side. From there, the two walked abreast. Rem stared at the hand she was holding, firmly shut her mouth, and matched her pace to Subaru's. As he walked with that adorable girl, smiling softly from the warmth she felt through the touch of his palm... Subaru continued to seethe with bloodlust and hatred. Even though their hands were together, their hearts were at opposite poles. Subaru Natsuki's heart was tempted far into that deep, deep, dark abyss *** Right now, the Return by Death phenomenon was on the third series of loops from Subaru's point of view. The first set concerned the loops related to the badge-theft incident on the day of his summoning. The second was centered around the demon beast attack on Roswaal Manor. "This is the third one... I've died twice already, and what do I have to show for it?!" In the previous loops, Subaru had pieced things together from information gleaned over several run-throughs of Return by Death, managing to break out of seemingly impossible situations. Yet this time, Subaru had blundered to his "death" not once but twice; he didn't even have the full picture of what had happened in each loop that led to his death. But even with such paltry gains from Return by Death, he'd gained one, and only one, solid piece of information. "Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti...!" He, the commander of the oddballs in the Witch Cult, was the root cause of the entire tragedy that had befallen the village and mansion. Eradicating that abominable madman was now the driving force behind all of Subaru's actions. To escape from the loop, he needed to cast a very wide net and dredge the depths of his memory. The hatred that Subaru had accrued from his first and second deaths stoked the flames of his bloodlust. "First, I need to figure out how much time I actually have." The Witch Cult raid on the mansion and village had taken place in the preceding half a day before Subaru had reached the village. Pathetic details of his second death aside, Subaru had arrived in the village at more or less the same time. "Working backward from that, I have at most five d... No, four and a half days?" Upon voicing the words, Subaru ground his teeth at just how little time it was. When considering how long it took to travel from the royal capital to the mansion, that didn't leave him more than two days. In that limited interval, he had to stop the Witch Cult by wringing Petelgeuse's neck. "I can cry about it later... Next is figuring out the victory condition for breaking out of these loops." An absolutely unavoidable tragedy would unfold at the mansion and the village, and the Witch Cult was responsible. The only answer that Subaru could come up with in response to his current fate "I'm going to butcher Petelgeuse." By putting an end to that crafty murderer, that madman, the root of all evil, everything could be saved. And clearing that simple condition required an equally simple solution in other words, power. Subaru needed a group of his own to face the Witch Cult under Petelgeuse's command. When he considered that, the military might of the Emilia faction was actually quite meager. In the first place, Subaru had never seen a hint of private troops under the command of Roswaal. Perhaps Roswaal himself was so powerful that he didn't need an army to defend his territory. "Come to think of it, where the hell was Roswaal during the attack...?" Subaru hadn't caught sight of him during his first or second time through the current series of loops. The magic user was gaudy in both appearance and fighting methods; if he'd fought seriously, there would have been clear evidence around the mansion. But no such signs were apparent. "The Witch Cult attacks right when Roswaal's away? Or maybe Roswaal couldn't fight because he was assassinated out of the blue?" If it was the latter, then the Witch Cult had been meticulous, and if it was the former, Roswaal had truly dropped the ball. Subaru could only sigh either way. "...Besides, I still don't know anything about that monster that wrecked the mansion at the end of my second time around." He recalled the sight of the four-legged beast he had caught a glimpse of right before his death, so massive that the creature could have been mistaken for a mansion itself. Its breath froze everything around it; no doubt Subaru had died from the freezing cold. If that monster was part of the Witch Cult's arsenal... "I really don't have enough strength to put up a fight." Barring his way were the Witch's disciples, Petelgeuse, and quite possibly that snow-breathing monster as well. The balance of power simply put Subaru at an overwhelming disadvantage. He needed a way to bolster his side. And Subaru knew just the place for that. After dropping by the shops and stalls along Merchant's Street, running through the middle strata of the royal capital, Subaru and Rem arrived back at Crusch's mansion right on the cusp of evening. Holding each other's hands under a sky gradually becoming scarlet, they were greeted by Wilhelm at the front gate. "I see you have returned." The aged gentleman, dressed in long-sleeve, formal black clothing, narrowed his blue eyes as he saw the two of them nestled so close. "Sir Subaru, I believe it is the nature of a boy to have a fickle heart, but as an individual, I cannot approve." "What are you talkin' about, Wilhelm? I'm just holding Rem's hand so I don't get lost. Isn't that right, Rem?" "Yes, of course it is. Subaru's sense of caution is rather lacking, so I would be too worried about what might happen were I to take my eyes and hands off him. Even when we were at the mansion, I couldn't let my guard down." "Er, I think that might be overstating it just a little..." Subaru and Rem lightheartedly responded to Wilhelm's remark. Subaru smiled weakly after hearing Rem's seemingly earnest reply as he shifted his gaze to the area in front of the mansion's entrance. "Seems like someone's meeting with Crusch again?" He was looking at the dragon carriage outside the iron-barred front gate as he posed the question. The carriage lacked showy ornamentation but was still somewhat refined, no doubt to display the owner's status. Subaru saw that the red land dragon drawing it along had a very glossy-scaled hide. The driver, wearing formal clothes of his own, did not engage in pleasantries beyond a simple acknowledgment with his eyes. "Correct. Now that she is participating in the royal selection, Lady Crusch cannot refuse those who request an audience with her. Of course, she invited some of them herself." "Guess all sorts come out of the woodwork to meet with a potential future king. Well, I guess even people like that have their own problems..." Wilhelm broke into a wan smile as Subaru briskly stated the facts. But then, the old man's face twitched. His blue eyes peered into Subaru's, seemingly searching for something. "Sir Subaru. Have you had some change of heart while you were away?" "Ehh? What is it all of a sudden? Did I become a lady-killer in the two or three hours I was gone?" "You wear the visage of a man haunted by an ordeal...and one of no small consequence." Subaru responded to the words with nonchalance, but his expression changed. It shifted from a vague smile to a "real" one. "Oh, Wilhelm, you big kidder. What, you think I went through some kind of weird transformation?" "It is difficult for me to call it a minor change. There must be a reason why there is now such a dark glint in your eyes I understand better than most." As the man nodded, Subaru realized that he had never taken a good look at Wilhelm's eyes. Wilhelm was an individual seething with hatred against someone for some unforgivable sin, which was no doubt why he had noticed the flames of hatred burning within Subaru. "Are you...going to

kick me out?" "No. It is no doubt best to let you do what you wish, Sir Subaru. I much prefer you as you are now, rather than how you were but a short time ago." The two exchanged dark smiles. Though neither shared what tormented him on the inside, they understood each other at least on the surface. "Subaru. You are making a bad face." "Hee-hee-hee... Er, ow, ow, ow! Hey, Rem! You'll tear it off...!" The pair's excessively dark exchange was interrupted when Rem painfully pulled on Subaru's ear. "Please do not give me reasons to worry." "Hey, it's super rare for you to ask for something, but you're being way too vague. In any case, you can relax. I'll deal with everything from here on out, somehow." Rem, unable to keep track of the conversation, had grown concerned. Subaru poured as much affection as he could into a smile. Now that he knew what he needed to do, Subaru didn't feel apprehensive at all. After all, it was reassuring to know that the only thing he had to do was murder someone. So Subaru wondered why Rem's face seemed even more concerned than before. Her eyes showed her hesitation, but just before she said something... "It would appear that the guest will be taking his leave." As Wilhelm murmured, a man exited the mansion's entry hall and began striding toward them. He was a tall man with long blond hair, clad in formal clothing with sophisticated trimmings. He was probably thirty years old, give or take. He had an air of capability about him. The man casually acknowledged their gazes as he reached the front of the gate, touching the well-groomed beard on his chin. "My, my. What unusual people." The visitor's smile was warm, his manner of speaking was gentle, and he had a low, beautiful voice that seemed to naturally filter into people's minds. He gave them a friendly look, but Subaru did not recognize him. Naturally, this brought furrows to the young man's brow. "Ahh, pardon my rudeness. I am called Russel Fellow. I hope we can see more of each other in the future...Subaru Natsuki." "...Thank you kindly. Incidentally, how do you know my name? Someone give it to you? Anonymity is more my speed, so if my name gets around, I'll be too embarrassed to go about my business." "Just a little something I heard through the grapevine. After all, you are a famous man who declared himself the knight of Lady Emilia, candidate at the royal selection conference. That being said, few are aware that this very person is currently staying at Lady Crusch's residence." Subaru was guarded, but Russel displayed no ill will on his face. Even so, Subaru was cautious of what might be hidden in the reply. The man seemed to be intentionally engaging him in a verbal joust, which made it hard for Subaru to like him. The atmosphere was steadily worsening when Wilhelm briskly interrupted with an aside. "Mr. Russel. Did your meeting with Lady Crusch go well?" Russel shrugged and shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Lady Crusch is a remarkably strict person. She turns rather sharp eyes toward us, as she is quite strict in her views. Judging from events to date, swaying her will not be easy." "Is that so? How unfortunate. If you have not yielded, it will be difficult to make others agree." "With a noble title and you on her side, I think it is the other candidates I should pity, Mr. Wilhelm... You call yourself Wilhelm Trias now, yes?" Wilhelm nodded in response to Russel's words, lowering his deeply wrinkled face. "As I am now, nothing good will come from invoking the name of my wife's family." "You are very strict as well, so much so that I am mightily impressed as someone who cannot live in the same fashion. That being said, allow me to cheer on your side." The conversation, which was inscrutable from the outside, came to an end, and Russel walked to the dragon carriage in front of the gate. Then, just before climbing in, he looked back and said, "Should Lady Crusch succeed in her current endeavors, we would feel nothing but delight. It would help achieve your great ambition as well, Mr. Wilhelm. I have high hopes." With that, Russel climbed aboard the dragon carriage. Wordlessly, the driver saluted and spurred the land dragon to a run. Like the man holding the reins, the land dragon was very unsociable and surprisingly silent as it galloped away. Subaru watched the dragon carriage fade into the distance as he asked Wilhelm about the visitor. "Wilhelm, who was that guy?" "Russel Fellow, treasurer for the Merchant's Guild operating here in the royal capital. In name, he is a merchant like any other, but he is a crafty manipulator of both legitimate and unscrupulous movements of goods in the capital. It would be wise to assume he knows more about you than simply your name, Sir Subaru." "Eww. It's downright creepy to have an older man interested in me instead of a girl." "Mm, I share that sentiment. Now, then " After his response to Subaru's casual banter, Wilhelm turned to face them once more. "Mr. Russel was the last visitor for today. I had thought to finally head in, but...did you have something you wished to discuss, Sir Subaru?" Subaru scratched his face, feeling awkward about throwing off Wilhelm's plans. That said, beating around the bush wasn't going to help anything. "Sorry, but I'm the last visitor for today. I want to have a talk with Crusch the topic is...whether she could lend me a hand with something." "That you are my final visitor for today is an amusing turn of events." Heedless of the fact that her schedule had gone awry, Crusch responded with a good-humored smile. Dressed in male attire, Crusch was sitting heavily in a chair in the reception room with her legs elegantly crossed. She stroked her deep-green hair, her amber eyes narrowing as her gaze pierced his chest. Subaru thought her sharp look would have bowled over his old self in an instant. Now, with Rem at his side, he didn't feel nervous at all facing her like this. In the meantime, Ferris stood behind Crusch, his feline ears twitching as he glared at Subaru in obvious dismay. "Fortunately, there is a break in my schedule between now and supper. I am able to humor you without any issues until then." "Since mew asked out of the blue, this is the only time she has available, meow. The depth of Lady Crusch's indulgence should make mew bow your head to the ground in gratitude, Subawuuu." "Do not be concerned. I need no thanks nor groveling." "Oh my, Lady Crusch. Your gallantry and generosity are making me fall for you even more... I'm in love!" Ferris and Crusch engaged in their usual game where the master rebuked her servant for his attitude. "Beating around the bush won't solve anything, and I don't think you like that stuff, anyway." Subaru needed to be careful how he broached the topic, but a roundabout discussion would only draw Crusch's ire. "You sought this audience. I shall let you start What is it you want?" She really did get right to the point. Subaru licked his dry lips to moisten them, took a deep breath, and dived in. "The Witch Cult or whatever it's called is planning to attack Roswaal's territory. I want you to lend me your strength so we can crush them." Subaru cut right to the issue at hand: These were the conditions necessary for fulfilling his goal. He needed raw fighting power to oppose the Witch Cult. Without Roswaal to rely on, he had to go elsewhere, and Crusch was a good fit. "I see. The Witch Cult, is it?" Subaru's request garnered various reactions from the others in the reception room, but Crusch nodded. When her glossy lips turned up in a wry smile, Subaru was startled by this side of her he hadn't seen before. Her response had betrayed all of Subaru's expectations. But the fuse had already been lit. Subaru's heart beat hard and fast as he waited for Crusch's next action, when... "What is the matter? I told you, this is your time to speak." While Subaru hesitated, the thin smile remained on Crusch's face as she inclined her head. The unexpected remark threw him off somewhat. "Er, I mean... It's as I said just now." "Surely you do not intend to conclude with that request alone? What is your reason for asking this of me? What will come about as a result? What advantage would I gain from accepting your call for aid? One cannot dub this a negotiation when those things are not yet clear." Urk. Subaru's voice caught. Crusch seemed turned off as she closed one of her eyes. From that gesture alone, Subaru knew just how impudent he had been. "I suppose you're right about that. Sorry, that was rude of me. I mean, er, bear with me a little; I don't really have any experience with negotiations like this." "It's only natural to acknowledge personal shortcomings. Do not worry. But this conversation lasts only until supper keep this in mind." Mentioning the time limit directly after a display of generosity plainly showed that she was employing both the carrot and the stick. "First, the reason I'm asking for your help... Put simply, we don't have enough manpower, way too little to stand up against the number of Witch Cult attackers. As a result, we can't fend off the assault." "A simple story. But is Lord Mathers not sufficient by himself? He may well be the strongest fighter out of anyone in Lugunica. The Witch Cult should be no match when relying on numbers alone." "If they all gathered in one place, that might be the case, but it's not. There's only one of Roswaal, and they'll be attacking at least two places at once." If nothing else, the village and the mansion were already two targets for certain. He remembered hearing "sweeping clean" and the like multiple times. It was possible they'd assault even passing dragon carriages and traveling merchants. "I see. I understand your position. However, is this not Lord Mathers neglecting his domain? The duty of a lord is to maintain his martial might to keep the peace. If his overconfidence has led him to be lax in these duties, his reputation as marquis will inevitably suffer." "I can't disagree with a single word you said. Anyway, for those reasons, we don't have enough to deal with the Witch Cult. I want something to fight with, the power of numbers." For the purpose of negotiations, Subaru concealed that Roswaal and the power he brought to the table might not even be present. He glanced sideways at Wilhelm. If his request was accepted, Wilhelm was of course a part of Crusch's forces that he hoped to borrow. Perhaps understanding the meaning behind Subaru's gaze, Crusch exhaled as she seemed to sink into deep thought. "The Witch Cult... They are finally making a move, I see..." "Mm-hmm. Well, we figured as much when Lady Emilia, a half-elf, rose onto the stage..." As Crusch murmured and Ferris agreed, master and servant nodding to each other, Subaru furrowed his brows. But before he could ask anything, Subaru shifted his focus to his side where Rem, seated there, silently pursed her lips as fierce emotion poured out of her. The expression on her profile was intentionally blank, but her internal turmoil was obvious. The Witch Cult, the object of Rem's hatred, was now Subaru's greatest enemy. He probably had the same look in his eyes as she did. "Your circumstances are clear now. Next, I'll hear the reason for choosing to ask my house for aid...and your logic in doing so." "I picked you and your people because you have the

best chance of turning this thing around. Besides, you've given Rem and me your hospitality, and I think it's easier to work with you than the other candidates." Subaru had expected this line of questioning, so he had an answer prepared. Deep down, he believed there were others who were easier to deal with than Crusch. But Subaru's own sentiments, and the ease of contacting her at the moment, had led him to the current meeting. "Easier to work with, you say." "Yeah, that's right. That's why I wanted to come speak to you about th " "Subaru Natsuki, allow me to correct you about one thing." As she received Subaru's reply, Crusch gave him a beaming smile, rich in meaning, as she raised a single finger. "My hospitality for you as a host has engendered a misunderstanding. For this, I apologize." "...What do you mean, a misunderstanding?" "I am not treating you like an enemy. However, Emilia and I are already political rivals. Do you see? Emilia stands in opposition to me." "Er, but you took us under your roof..." "Because a contract had been formed. Your treatment is part of that agreement. Regardless of how I treat you in this mansion, it does not change our position as rivals beyond these doors." Even the first time around, Crusch had declared that Subaru would be her enemy the moment the contract was over. It was both a sincere statement of fact and a declaration that it was useless to seek anything from her. "In other words, there's no chance of joining forces with you?" "That is a different matter altogether. As I said before, Subaru Natsuki, if there are to be negotiations, there must be acceptable benefits for both sides. Everything until now, including your motivations, have served only to clarify your premises. I merely wish to ask from your point of view what I stand to gain from lending you military strength. After all..." At that point, Crusch's words trailed off. She put down an elbow, resting her chin against her palm. "It could be said that no explanation was really necessary. Now that Emilia's lineage is common knowledge, we have been expecting the Witch Cult to make a move. Regardless of the circumstances, we were already sure of this." Apparently, Crusch had never questioned that the Witch Cult would try something. Perhaps it could be called common knowledge peculiar to her world. Either way, it was working in Subaru's favor. "That being the case, this negotiation hinges on mutual benefit. In your case, you would be able to borrow my house's might to eliminate the menace of the Witch Cult. What of my house, then? This is what I ask you." "S-simply saving people isn't " "It would be ideal, in a sense, if that were reason enough for us to mobilize." The gaze Crusch turned upon Subaru was like a blade, cutting apart the illusion in his reply as it aimed to inflict a mortal wound. Subaru desperately grasped for a comeback before he was shut down altogether. "Ahh, right. For example, lending a hand in this time of crisis would mean that our camp would owe you a pretty big favor..." " Am I to take that to mean you understand that if I accept your proposal, it would entail Emilia's forfeiture in the royal selection?" "Eh?" The sharp thrust of her comment left Subaru's mouth hanging open. "It is natural, yes? Throwing yourself at the mercy of another lord when your own territory is in danger is an issue of fitness for the throne. If someone cannot protect their subjects through the rule of law and strength of arms, how can they be expected to shoulder the burden of an entire kingdom? Subaru Natsuki. I shall correct you about one more thing." Crusch pointed the tip of her finger toward Subaru, cowed into silence, as if ready to drive it through him. "By conducting these negotiations, you bear Emilia's fate on your shoulders. Naturally, everything you say affects her, and it carries the same weight as Emilia's words. This is not a decision you should make lightly, nor are the words you say easily taken back." "...Ah, uh..." "Moreover, I ask again should you owe me in this matter, it will mean the defeat of the Emilia camp. Are you truly fine with this?" It was only at this moment that Subaru began to genuinely understand his position. They were not participating in a lighthearted after-school debate club where Subaru had no real responsibility to bear. Theirs was a great stage where a single statement could alter the fates of many people or even decide the direction the entire kingdom would take. "But even so..." Too late, he realized what a heavy burden he carried on his shoulders. But Subaru ground his teeth. Just as Crusch said, borrowing her strength under the present terms meant that Emilia would lose her place in the royal selection a failure from which there was no turning back. But if he didn't lean on Crusch's strength, all that awaited was the rampage of the Witch Cult's fanatics and tragedy. Subaru's brain painfully creaked from the ceaseless back-and-forth of the scales in his head. " Still, I want you to help us." "...Even if it means losing the royal selection?" "It's better to be alive than not. If you die, that's the end of everything." Subaru's shoulders fell as he replied, unable to conceal his dejection and despair at his own powerlessness. If you die, then it's over. The terrible spectacle of the ruined village, of Rem, who was sitting right beside him, meeting a cruel death Subaru didn't have the courage to witness it again. He lowered his head and swallowed the humiliation. It was necessary so he could at least save their lives. "Understood. In that case, the House of Karsten shall not lend you any assistance whatsoever." For an instant, Subaru froze, unable to process what had just been said to him. " Huh?" It was less a word and more a sound of doubt that was also a simple indication of incomprehension. But Crusch brushed it off, crossing her slender legs. "I repeat. Your request for my house to send aid to the Mathers domain to lend military forces to Emilia is hereby rejected." Subaru gritted his teeth as Crusch spelled it out in terms he could understand. Feeling belittled by her composed statement, Subaru flew into a rage. "Don't f ! Why are you...?!" "First, the advantage to my side that you so bitterly conceded Emilia's defeat in the royal selection has no weight as a bargaining chip of use in these negotiations. Do you understand why?" "Wh-what the hell? Kissing one of your rivals good-bye should be plenty worth it for you..." "Do you realize what you have said? As far as Emilia's defeat is concerned, it will come about without any intervention on my part whatsoever." "What are..." ...you saying? Subaru would have said, but then he realized it for himself. "As you have stated, without aid, Emilia cannot protect the Mathers domain. Meaning, at this rate, and completely without my involvement, Emilia will be defeated in the royal selection." *** "Indeed, were I to recklessly lend assistance, the knowledge I was involved in Emilia's defeat would itself become a problem with the other candidates. As you are aware, my house is currently the favorite to win this royal selection. If it became known that I booted another candidate from the contest, I could not fail to attract the enmity of all the others." In other words, as long as she quietly watched, Crusch would gain the benefit Subaru had indicated with no harm to herself. There was no reason for her to court danger unnecessarily; it would be akin to snatching chestnuts out of a fire. But that meant "You're going to let the people in Roswaal's...in that village be slaughtered by the Witch Cult's attack?!" Subaru had shouted, but Crusch's icy gaze gave him pause. "I shall correct your misunderstanding. And I am changing the subject, Subaru Natsuki." "Ugh...!" "It is Emilia's lack of power to protect her domain and Emilia's lack of ability that has invited disaster upon her populace, not mine." Lack of power...lack of ability the weight of those words shocked him. Subaru felt a need to rail against Crusch's claims. And yet, the childish, emotional retorts welling up within him did not grant him the strength to refute Crusch's sound argument. "It would seem you have said your piece." Crusch checked the time, as indicated by the amber light of the magic time crystal above the reception room's door. "It shall soon be Earth Time. Time for supper. All according to schedule, apparently." Seeing Crusch about to rise from her seat, Subaru was suddenly stricken by nervousness as he called out, "W-wait!" He raised his hand to stop Crusch from breaking off the conversation, desperately searching inside his head for some way to keep negotiations going. "Y-you'll really abandon them? The folks in the village haven't done anything wrong! There's no reason for them to die!" But the words that came out of Subaru's mouth were little more than a feeble attempt to appeal to another's charity. A faint look of disappointment entered Crusch's eyes as she listened to his immature reasoning. "I told you. I am not the one whose strength is insufficient..." "Don't you feel bad knowing and abandoning them anyway?! If you have the power to save them, why won't you?! What's wrong with helping people?! Because it's someone else's land, it's not your problem?!" "Would you just shut up and listen a little " "It's fine, Ferris." "But Lady Crusch! This time he's gone too far, meow!" "He has bared his spirit. It does not sit well with my beliefs to withhold an answer." Though Ferris howled in dismay, he quietly bowed to Crusch's command. Watching him from the corner of her eye, Crusch sat straighter in her chair. After taking a deep breath, she mulled over Subaru's statement. "You ask is it wrong of me to overlook this, to allow them to die?" "That's right! You're aiming to be king, right?! Carry the whole country on your back? What kind of king overlooks a whole village?!" "I shall correct one misconception of yours." Crusch raised a finger. Her gaze shot right through Subaru, seemingly reproaching him for his frivolousness. "When I rejected your proposal, I stated one reason. I shall elucidate the other chief reason for my doubts." Crusch had another reason for not being open to Subaru's proposal the reason she was abandoning Emilia. And that was "And that is because I do not trust your story enough to order my house into action." Her statement threw the premise of the entire meeting back at Subaru, stunning him. "Wh...aa?" "The Witch Cult? Yes, it's possible that they would make a move at this juncture. It would be consistent with their creed and their activities to date. I can make a deduction based on those factors. However, the problem lies elsewhere." "Elsewhere...?" "It is a simple matter. How is it that you can determine the exact place, date, and time of where they will strike next?" Pointing her finger toward Subaru, Crusch's eyes and voice were like daggers. "The Cult is absolutely inscrutable, to the point that its true nature is completely unknown. It's telling that their organization has survived for hundreds of years while evading destruction, causing immense damage in the meantime. So how exactly have you learned of their next vile act?" "That's... But you never said a word of that before...!" "I did not feel the need to be that explicit. Since you could not accept it, I pointed out the heart of the matter for you. If you still cannot, there is but one possibility." In place of Subaru, cowed into silence, Crusch slowly spelled it out for him. "Naturally, wouldn't you know about the Witch Cult if you were part of it?"

"Don't mess with !" This time, fierce, irrepressible emotion rushed to his throat to turn into a scream. But it stopped just on the verge of that, though not because of Subaru's self-control. *** That reason was the increasingly ghastly aura rising from Rem as she silently watched the exchange between Crusch and Subaru. "Lady Crusch, surely you jest." Crusch tilted her head at the modesty of Rem's tone, no different from before. "There is no way that Subaru could be part of the Witch Cult." "Is that so? Judging by Subaru Natsuki's statement, if he cannot voice the reason he has such knowledge, I can reach no other conclusion. Have you not sensed for yourself why I say this?" " I have not." No doubt Crusch detected the slight hesitation in her statement. Rem, who could sense the Witch's scent coming from Subaru, had been tripped up by Crusch's casual, leading question. "At any rate. For both of these reasons, my house cannot lend Emilia aid due to insufficient trust. Moreover, you have not been granted the right to act as a negotiator in the first place, have you?" "Ugh..." "Earlier, I threatened you by stating that Emilia's advance or retreat rested upon your shoulders, but in truth, the problem precedes even that. At this juncture, you have no responsibility at all." He'd charged ahead alone, tried to protect things alone, and failed alone. Crusch's words calmly tore into Subaru's bared heart. "...As you are now, meekly remaining here under my protection, you possess no power that can move me." *** Over and over again, her words crashed into him, exposing Subaru's helplessness, pressing onto him his ignorance, driving home his spinelessness, and mocking him for being senseless, rash, indiscreet, and ugly, with backhanded sympathy thrown in for good measure. Subaru was overwhelmed by the realization that absolutely nothing had gone the way he wanted. Had he made a mistake somewhere? He was only trying to do the right thing. Thinking himself correct, he believed someone would help him, and so he had searched, beseeched, and begged. Wasn't that what you were supposed to do? "The Witch Cult is coming! They're going to slaughter everyone in the village...!" Subaru pleaded with so much anger and sadness that he felt like his throat was about to burst. He'd seen it. He'd felt each and every one of their deaths. All the precious people he cared about had turned to white crystal as everything in the world froze over. If nothing was done, the heartless reality of the situation meant that it was certain. That tragedy would happen again. Why can't anyone understand that? Why won't people get out of my way and let me prevent such a terrible fate? "Kill them...just kill them already! Don't you get it?! You can't let people like that live! Kill them! Help me, damn it...!!" Subaru fell to his knees, prostrating himself as he earnestly implored her for assistance. If he needed to put his forehead to the floor and beg, he would happily play the clown. As long as Crusch would lend her strength, he didn't mind being looked down upon or insulted. He'd even bark like a dog or cluck like a chicken. As long as his bloodlust could be sated, then " So that is the true motive for your actions?" But in the face of Subaru's sincere, unwavering, humiliating plea... "You hate the Witch Cult. That's the reason you approached Emilia, is it not?" This woman of influence, who never made decisions based on her emotions, held not the slightest shred of pity. Torn apart by her cold voice and gaze, Subaru was speechless, his shoulders trembling. Engulfed by a torrent of emotions, Subaru no longer knew whether he was feeling anger, sadness, or some strange mixture of the two. "No... I I just want to save everyone..." Crusch's conclusion was off the mark. The idea that he acted solely because of hatred for the Witch Cult was nothing more than a misunderstanding from an incomplete perspective. Subaru's feelings were always rooted in trying to help others, weren't they? And yet, he could not raise a single word in rebuttal. "You cannot deceive others with the lies you tell yourself. Right now, the glint in your eyes can only be called bloodlust or madness. Have you not noticed, Subaru Natsuki?" Crusch's gaze was both harsh and yet filled with something that resembled pity. "They have been like that ever since the moment you returned to the mansion." Her dry observation elicited a dramatic reaction from Subaru. Unwittingly, he covered his eyes, as if to find out for himself that which he could not see, even though it only further proved that he could not refute Crusch's accusation. "I do not know why you are so obsessed with the Witch Cult. The Cult has perverted the lives of many. Perhaps you are one among them. Perhaps your anger and hatred are entirely just. However, that is irrelevant in these negotiations." "Even if even if I hate the Witch Cult, so what? Th-they're the blight of this world. It'd be better if you just killed every last one of 'em. It's true, that's what I think, but it isn't a reason to break off negotiations and abandon people...!" "Do not change the subject again, Subaru Natsuki. It's true; my suspicion that hatred is the reason for your conduct is unrelated to negotiations. More precisely, the fact that you are unfit to negotiate with me is of great import, for it brings into question the propriety of what you seek to discuss." "What do you mean...unfit?" Subaru, clenching his teeth to the point that they seeped blood, kept lobbing questions in an attempt to cling to something. The end of this conversation meant the end of negotiations. That was his pressing fear. "If my hypothesis is correct, and the motivation for your actions is an unbridled loathing for the Witch Cult, then I can only wonder if you approached Emilia purely to use her as a stepping-stone in the first place." "I...approach her...stepping-stone...?" "It was clear that if Emilia participated in the royal selection and the circumstances of her birth were made public, the Witch Cult would predictably move according to its beliefs. If someone was hoping to catch the cultists under their thumb despite the fact that it was normally impossible to find even a trace of their activities, no other plan could have greater odds of success." "You're saying I'm using Emilia as a pretense to get revenge?!" Subaru pounded his fist into the table before him, raising a shout at the unbelievable accusation. "Do you think your display just now and simply yelling 'no' can convince me...? Hatred shows clearly in your eyes, and bloodlust oozes from your every word, the sort that clings to a person so thickly and grows so hard, it can never be scraped away, let alone forgotten." No! No, no, no, no! Crusch's statement did not capture Subaru's true character in the slightest. "They're evil whether I hate them or not! You can't let people like that live! That's why we should kill them all! That'll save everyone! It'll help everybody! No one has to suffer those bastards just need to die!!" "I have told you already, Subaru Natsuki. If you do not even believe the lies you tell yourself, there is no chance they will deceive anyone else." While Subaru breathed raggedly, his eyes bloodshot, Crusch refuted him in a hard voice. As Subaru's shoulders heaved, she looked up at him with narrowed eyes from her seat and spoke. "Bereft of hatred, bloodlust, and bile toward the Witch Cult, your statements are unconvincing." "Wh-why...?" When Subaru spoke with a broken voice, Crusch looked at him with sympathy and pity in her eyes. "Do you really not understand?" However, Subaru's brows furrowed with perplexity at what Crusch was getting at. She lowered her eyes, unable to conceal her disappointment and dismay at his reaction. " You have not said, 'I want to save Emilia,' even once." "...Huh?" "You claim to want to save people, to protect people, smoothing things over on the surface while darker emotions boil up inside you. At the very least, it is inconsistent with what I saw of you in the throne room." Unable to understand the meaning of Crusch's words, Subaru wavered, his gaze hollow. I wasn't thinking about saving Emilia? *** It couldn't be true. Ever since he had been transported to this new world, from the first time she had saved his life, Subaru had lived for Emilia. His feelings were no different in the throne room, during the incident at the parade ground, or even during his negotiation with Crusch. If the situation was left to play out as it was, he'd lose her and the village. His actions were for the sake of saving them. And absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not because hatred had seized his heart Abruptly, a voice struck Subaru, breaking the silence. "I cannot permit you to advance any farther." Subaru's mind was instantly jolted back to reality. In front of him was Wilhelm, standing straight. The elderly man had placed himself beside the table separating Subaru and Crusch with compassion on his deeply wrinkled face. For some reason, that downward, tender gaze was really rubbing Subaru the wrong way. Abruptly, something tugged on his sleeve. " Subaru." Rem was grasping Subaru's sleeve, her eyes filled with sadness. "Please calm down. Nothing will come of losing control here. And if you do, I won't be able to fight off Master Wilhelm." "...Control? What are you talking about? I'd never do anything viole " "Wait, wait, wait. Then what do mew intend to do with that tablespoon you're squeezing so hard? Maybe your parents raised you badly, but that's not how you hold one, meow." When Ferris pointed it out, Subaru realized for the first time that he was holding a tablespoon in his right hand and that he was crudely gripping it backward, like he was going to stab someone with it. How... When did I...? "Just like Rem pointed out, violence will get you nothing, meow. If you fly into a rage here, I'll just keep Rem occupied while Old Man Wil slices you in half." "Moreover, I do not want to issue such a command. To do so after you have stayed here for several days would cause political problems, and I would rather not stain the carpet that my father sent me as a present." In the face of Subaru's insolence, Crusch still behaved reservedly. This was at once a display of the greatness of her character and scorn for the powerlessness of Subaru, who had nothing to wield in anger save a tiny utensil. All of it really rubbed him the wrong way. But instead of an apology, dogged insistence came out of his mouth. "...So you're not going to lend a hand, no matter what, then?" "Correct. Your statements are not credible, nor does cooperating with you hold any attractiveness for my side. Accordingly, I shall observe from a distance." "The Witch Cult...is coming. When they get here, they're going to kill all the people in that village. Knowing but not doing anything means it'll be your 'Sloth' that kills the village." Subaru glared at Crusch, invoking the title of a certain despicable madman. "Quite arrogantly put. Consequently, there is one more thing for me to add." While Subaru gave her a filthy look, Crusch stood up, staring straight back into his eyes. "I am able to largely discern whether a person is lying. I can boast that, since far back, I have never once been cheated in negotiations." Suddenly, Crusch began to speak on a different topic. She continued to peer into Subaru's eyes as they clouded with doubt. "If my experience is anything to judge by, what you speak are not lies." "Th-then...!" "You wholly believe that your assertions are the truth, and therefore, they are not

lies to you. Those in such a state are called madmen, Subaru Natsuki." It was then and there that Subaru clearly understood that negotiations had failed. *** Continuous clenching of his teeth had cut the edge of his lip, sending blood dribbling down his jaw. Crusch narrowed her eyes as she watched the painful image. "Ferris, go ahead and heal him." "I don't need it!" Before Ferris could move a muscle, Subaru rejected the offer and stood, practically leaping from his chair. "Suppertime is here. Will you not be joining us?" "You wouldn't want to eat at the same table as a madman, would you? No matter how eccentric your taste or style might be, that'd be a bit too far even for you." Subaru replied to sarcasm with sarcasm as he reached for the reception room door. Following suit, Rem stood at attention and politely bowed to Crusch. "It has been a short time, but thank you for the hospitality. On behalf of my master, I offer my thanks." "So this is your...no, Marquis Mathers's reply?" "Yes. He instructed me to respect Subaru's wishes in all things." Subaru couldn't see Crusch's expression during the incomprehensible exchange, but Crusch's voice seemed to bear no small amount of regret as Rem stated her farewells. Whatever she felt, it was clearly not the coldness she'd shown to Subaru, and it was infuriating him. "Rem, let's go." Picking up the pace, Subaru called out to Rem and opened the door. "Have you anywhere else to turn to?" "Make sure you become a good king, okay? The despotic type that tosses aside the weak." Spitting out his reply without turning around, Subaru slammed the door shut. And thus, in pathetic fashion, the curtain lowered on the negotiations. It was well into the evening when Subaru bolted out into the Nobles' District after negotiations had broken down. The sun had already dipped low in the west. The aura of night was slowly creeping over the world. With the light of the crystal lamps lining the road shining down upon him, Subaru leaned back against an iron fence, spitting out curses. "Shit. One thing after another..." The exchange with Crusch rose in the back of his mind and with it, the humiliation he had suffered. "Those know-nothings... Why don't they understand I'm doing the right thing...?!" The swirling vortex inside his chest was emotion close to hatred toward the woman who had impeded his path. Things had turned out this way because she hadn't seen for herself that tragedy or the laughter of that cruel, conniving madman. It was because she had not heard it. She hadn't experienced it for herself, so she didn't understand: They were beasts and could not be suffered to live. "Fine. Fine already. My messing up, people with no feelings, gotta forget all that. Right now I need to focus more on what's in front of me...!" Rather than stand still and mope, the right choice was to move forward, one small step at a time. After all, to Subaru, with so few cards to play, time was a precious thing. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Subaru." While Subaru tapped a foot in annoyance, Rem passed through the gate, returning to her spot beside him. She was carrying the luggage they had brought with them to the Crusch residence, neatly packed up and ready to go. After Subaru's caustic outburst and furious exit, he had been waiting while Rem went to gather their things. "...Sorry. Gimme the luggage; I'll haul it." "It is fine. The bags are not heavy, and you are still recovering, Subaru." Rem politely declined Subaru's offer and hefted the luggage in her arms. Normally, Subaru would have insisted, but with his mental resources otherwise occupied, he did not dwell on the matter. "Come to think of it, you weren't opposed to leaving, were you, Rem?" "Correct. It was your choice, Subaru." "Well, after all that, I can't exactly come crawling back for more healing. Whatever Emilia bargained for it, I feel bad for her." Emilia had tendered something to pave the way for Subaru's medical treatments. Subaru had distinct feelings of guilt on multiple levels for wasting her kindness again. But Subaru was sure it'd be all right. Once he rescued her from this crisis, they'd be able to make up, so she'd probably forgive this, too. To that end, among other things, Petelgeuse had to die. "Subaru. About the...negotiations with Lady Crusch..." "She made a big deal about trustworthiness, benefits, and other pointless crap. No shred of human decency in her. How can anyone put up with that high-and-mighty attitude ?" Subaru interrupted Rem with his curses, cutting off her attempt to raise the subject. Perhaps she sensed his desire to not revisit the matter, because she brought up something else. "What will we do now, Subaru? If what you say is true, there is not a single moment to lose." "If?" "...There is not a single moment to lose. Will we be returning to Master Roswaal's mansion?" Subaru interjected about a part of her line that bugged him, but Rem didn't bite. Subaru shook his head in response to her latter question. "Nah. Right now, if it's just us heading back, there's not a whole lot we can do. We've gotta go with a big enough crew to put up a decent fight. And if we can't do that, we need to find another way somehow." If only Subaru and Rem showed up to help, it would result in a repeat of what had come before. Yes, if they departed sooner than previous times, there was a chance they could make it back to the mansion safely without encountering the Witch Cult. But it would probably be very difficult repelling the Cult with nothing but the resources the mansion had on hand. "We just don't have the numbers. What the hell has Roswaal been up to...?" By himself, Roswaal was powerful enough that they might be able to send the Cult packing. So what was that court magician doing at the very moment they needed him most...? "Subaru. Actually, in regards to Master Roswaal... There is a very high chance he will be absent from the mansion for several days." " ?! You knew? So Roswaal not being at the mansion was preplanned?" "Master Roswaal was to visit Garfiel's... Er, the place of an important individual within the dominion, and he planned to stay there for several days." "Shit, his timing sucks! So that's why they can't repel the attack!" Rem's answer bolstered Subaru's concerns, and he clawed at his head as he spat his frustrations like a curse. Now that Roswaal, their greatest weapon, could not be relied on, his earlier estimate rang true: They were at an overwhelming disadvantage. Subaru and Rem turning back early wouldn't make any difference. "Looks like I was right. I've gotta bring the cavalry with me somehow..." Subaru, revisiting his first conclusion with renewed confidence, nodded to Rem, who watched him all the while. The objective was set, but time was short. If he wanted to at least do better than the previous two loops, he had to leave the royal capital the following day. Considering that night was falling, this left him with about half a day to work with. "Anyway, we've got no choice but to look for help from someone else. Rem, how well do you know the layout of the capital?" "Fairly well, since I have come here several times before and spent quite a bit of time looking around with you over the past few days... But who?" "First, let's find an inn. The rest comes after that. At the latest, we need to leave the capital tomorrow or we won't make it in time. Anyway...I'll think about everything after that." Subaru bluntly told Rem that they had to prepare to the greatest extent possible. Seeing out of the corner of his eye that Rem had quietly accepted his plan, Subaru looked up at the sky without another word. From the other side, darkness was creeping across the sky above the capital. It felt like it was an ill omen. The shadow moved eerily and sluggishly, as if implying storm clouds were gathering along Subaru's path... CHAPTER 2 *** " I may not look it, but I am a surprisingly avid reader." The girl who spoke was sitting in an extravagant chair, resting one elbow upon it. She was flipping through an exquisitely bound book in her other arm, already perusing the latter half, and the sight made her seem different from the girl Subaru remembered. She wore a long-sleeve red nightgown similar to a negligee with an identically colored cape draped over her shoulders. Her voluptuous body was plain to see in her outfit, but the girl showed no outward sign of concern that a man was present. The girl was so natural, completely immersed in her book, that it was easy to forget she was in the middle of receiving a guest. *** Subaru felt himself unintentionally taken in by the solemnity of her gestures. Her graceful white fingertip traced the characters as her eyes passed over them. The young man felt like he could watch her all day. Perhaps it was because this unknown side of the girl before him had enchanted him. *** As Subaru stepped on the carpeted floor in his sneakers, he felt unsure of what to do now that he'd been ignored. He was wondering if he was permitted to enter, but the lady of the household was not paying him any attention. When he'd tried to forcefully begin a conversation, she'd rebuffed him at the first word. Surely she wasn't telling him to wait until she finished reading her book... "That's excessive no matter how you cut it..." Though he tried to deny his unease, seeing her leisurely turn the pages made that difficult. In point of fact, Subaru knew that the girl's personality was not incompatible with such irrationality. Her hair was orange, reminiscent of the sun; her eyes were crimson, like a fire that would scorch away everything it touched. She had glossy white skin and a striking feminine figure. The thick perfume wafting around her was like poison. It was difficult for the word beautiful to sufficiently capture the sight of her as she silently examined her book. How much favor must the heavens have shown her for her to be loved by all? Her name was Priscilla Bariel. She was one of the candidates for the royal selection, as well as the next prospective cooperator Subaru sought an audience with. Subaru's shoulders sank when he learned Reinhard was absent from the royal capital a fact he'd confirmed after departing from the Crusch compound and while Rem was securing an inn. Reinhard was the last one Subaru had hoped to rely on. An elderly couple inhabited the villa in the capital set aside for the Astrea family and had been charged with its care. When Subaru arrived without any forewarning, the two had welcomed him in and lent an ear to his request, but... "The young master returned to the main household with his liege, Lady Felt, and her family some two days ago. We can offer contact with him from our side, but..." Just as he'd mentioned during his visit to the Crusch residence, Reinhard had left. Even though he remembered what Reinhard had said, Subaru had still clung to a slender thread of hope, but his pleas went unanswered. Even if he could reach Reinhard somehow, the distance from the royal capital to the main household of the Astrea family, and from there, the distance to the Mathers lands, was fatal. The odds of him joining their forces in time were despairingly low. Subaru said his farewells to the elderly couple. Then, once he was out of sight of the mansion, he clutched his head. "Roswaal and Reinhard are seriously useless, and right when I

really need 'em, too...!" This time, everything was going wrong. One prospective collaborator fell through after another, leaving Subaru truly at the end of his rope. If only his Return by Death restore point brought him back to the night when he'd parted ways with Reinhard "If you don't have it, you don't have it... Think, think, think, think. I don't have strength, numbers, time anything. Racking my brain is the only thing I can do." Desperately turning the gears in his head, Subaru earnestly fought to come up with the next best plan of action. Now that he'd scratched Crusch and Reinhard off the list, Subaru had scant few cards left in his hand to pick from. Considering the circumstances, pleading with the Knights of the kingdom would no doubt produce the same results as his negotiation with Crusch. Besides, Subaru felt nothing but mistrust toward them. At the very least, now that Crusch, someone he thought he had a good relationship with, had abandoned him, a storm of paranoia toward others brewed inside Subaru. Not even realizing how this was narrowing his already limited options, Subaru could think of only two other people. However, one meant bowing his head to "The Finest of Knights," someone he hated more than the Knights in general, which was unthinkable. That left Subaru with a single candidate. Rem caught up finally. Seeing Subaru deep in thought, she called out to him. "Subaru, what should we do now? I " "It's all right. Leave it to me. You don't have to do anything. Don't...do anything. Just stay right behind me. That's enough." After that interruption, Rem turned a frail smile toward Subaru as he continued thinking to himself. I absolutely have to stop Rem from bearing the brunt of everything. Subaru knew that if it was to save him, Rem wouldn't hesitate to hurl herself at danger and cast her life away. He had to protect her, no matter what. Subaru was certain that she was emotionally dependent on him, and it was his duty to save her. Whatever might happen, he had to avoid losing her. There was no other option. If he couldn't protect Rem, saving Emilia and the villagers would lose all meaning. Even indulging his hatred of Petelgeuse would be "Wait, that's..." Subaru touched his temple as an exceedingly violent thought instantly came to mind. Just then, it had almost seemed as if eliminating Petelgeuse was a higher priority than saving Emilia and the others. Wasn't that exactly the thing Crusch had pointed out earlier...? "It's all right. Everything's all right. I'll...get this right. I'm gonna do it. I...gotta do it." Subaru reassured himself, seemingly speaking for his own benefit. He ruminated on those words and pretended he had noticed nothing, as if he were putting a lid on top of a bottomless pit. This was the only way Subaru Natsuki could maintain his own sanity. The next morning, as dawn broke, the two returned to the Nobles' District to follow the slender thread that bore Subaru's remaining hopes. The Nobles' District on the upper section of the royal capital was lined with dazzling buildings. The showy facade of the stately mansion Subaru and Rem arrived at did not betray their expectations. No, it was more appropriate to say that it was showier and more extravagant than they had imagined. "No need to ask around for who this belongs to. I can't imagine anyone would have a hard time figuring out the owner of this place..." Subaru was nonplussed. The sight of the luxurious mansion was not one he'd soon forget, even from afar. The roof was painted over with gold that cast the light of the morning sun in all directions, while a number of intricate images had been engraved into the walls. As far as he could see, there were even reliefs adorning the windows, and a number of statues he could only call avant-garde art dotted the courtyard. The home was an acute reflection of the tastes of a big spender. Subaru couldn't help a dry smile when he considered how the spectacle so aggressively asserted the owner's will. As Subaru was rooted to the spot in front of the gates, Rem stood beside him with a dumbfounded expression on her face for once. If the point of the building's outward appearance was to give guests a shock, it had accomplished its goal ten times over. "You're not gonna tell me this was the previous owner's style, are you? I feel sorry for him." "Ahhhh, well actually this is the Princess's tastes at work. It was a pretty extreme makeover, you know? I sympathize with the folks who worked straight through the night, but she slapped their cheeks with sacks of gold coins so they couldn't complain." "Hey, that's completely different from slapping people around with a wad of bills. Whacking people with a bag of coins would totally count as actual violence." The man standing on the other side of the gate laughed at Subaru's joke. The man slid his thick fingers into the gap between his black helmet and his neck and scratched. Below his pitch-black full helm, the gateman was dressed roughly, like some kind of bandit. Though he made for an odd sight in general, what stood out most had to be the fact that he was missing his left arm from the shoulder down. This casual one-armed man who concealed his face named Al served as the retainer of the woman Subaru had come to see. Calling himself a mercenary, he was similar to Subaru, summoned from the same world. That was the basis for the strange rapport between them, as well as the reason for Al's friendliness upon their early morning visit. "So what are you doing out here at a time like this? As you can see, I have low blood pressure, so I'm seriously not a morning person. If you're inviting me to go hunting for a bite or something, I might not be completely up for it." "Nothing so tame as a family restaurant. Today, I'm here to speak with your Princess." "Princess...?" Unable to see the expression behind the helmet, he had no idea how Al was looking at him at that moment. An unpleasant pause followed as the one-armed man seemed to mull it over. "Well, I did get to recharge my supply of maid energy, so I guess I can take a message." "That was more meaningless than I expected. Besides, it's not like you don't have any maids in this mansion, right?" "Hey now, you don't understand Princess. You think we can have maids waltzing around when Princess thinks she's the cutest in the whole world? The only thing we have in the mansion is a cute young butler." "My fault for asking... It might lower the value some, but yeah, can you pass on a message for starters?" "Sure thing," answered Al in a casual voice, leisurely vanishing back inside the mansion. Rem, standing to the side and a single step behind him, maintained her silence as her neutral expression tightened. But through her fingertips, lightly grasping his sleeve, he could sense the worry she couldn't hide. Subaru wanted to wipe away her concerns, but that wasn't possible when he harbored the same ones. "Well, it is ridiculously early in the morning... In that girl's case, I'd expect her to say something like, 'You are interfering with my precious time for slee '" "Hey, you can come in and meet her!" Al poked his head out from the mansion's entrance, his laid-back voice interrupting Subaru's barb. For a moment, Subaru was taken aback at the unexpected speed of the reply. "I-isn't it insanely early, though?" "You wouldn't expect it, but Princess is one hell of a morning person. The flip side is that she goes to bed really early at night. Either way, come on in." Al laughed at Subaru's hesitation and invited them inside with a carefree demeanor. As they followed behind him, it soon became clear that the building's interior was similarly intense to the exterior. Even an untrained eye could tell. Expensive-looking fixtures and pieces of art were on display in the corridor, almost to the point of impeding movement. The apparently compulsive need to adorn even lamps and picture frames with gold felt like a form of insanity. "I suppose it's all a little blinding at first, but you get used to it. It's not as bad in the morning like this, but the halls are seriously scary at night." "I'm not a little kid, so you don't have to tell me the halls are scary at night. What kind of adult are you?" "The eyes of the statues glow." "Your master's messed up in the head." When Subaru examined the statues lining the hallway more closely, he noticed they had something like gemstones embedded in their eye sockets. They probably would glow when it got dark. Both purchaser and designer had a screw loose. Rem followed behind both of them, and he could hear noises coming from her nose every so often. Rem had a keen sense of smell, and she'd apparently picked up some kind of unsavory scent, staring at the back of the iron helm as they walked along. The trek of the mismatched trio soon came to an end. "Princess is in the top room up there. The whole floor's one really decked-out room." "Sounds kinda like a hotel suite. Can we go in?" "Well, you can, bro." Al's reply contained a clear implication when he approached the stairs and indicated the floor above with his thumb. At the unsettling undertone, Subaru shifted a guarded look his way. "Hey now, I'm not saying it to be mean. Princess said she'd only meet with you. The young lady'll be escorted to the guest room." "You think I'll just hand her over when you were talking about recharging your maid energy earlier...?" "You got me there, but don't worry, I'll be waiting right here in front of Princess's room. It's a pity, but I'll leave escorting the young lady to my senior, Schult." Anticipating Subaru's concerns, Al's voice suggested he was barely restraining his laughter when he snapped his fingers. Immediately, a young man with curly pink hair and red eyes appeared. The only words Subaru could think of to capture the youth's essence were pretty boy. His small frame was dressed in a butler's outfit, while his face showed a stern, fervent devotion to his duties, but somehow, he gave off the impression of a pervert. "Take good care of our guest, now." "Yes, leave it to me." When Al gave the youth a pat on the shoulder, the pretty-boy butler offered a formal reply and proceeded to escort Rem. Instantly, she glanced back at Subaru, seemingly at a loss. "Sorry. Wait up for me until we're finished talking. All the dangerous people in this mansion, Helmet Guy included, are gonna be on the top floor, so just relax and wait up." "That's harsh, bro, making me out to be some suspicious guy. Though intruders do say that about me pretty often." Subaru ignored Al's peevish reply and stroked Rem's head to put her at ease. Rem almost closed her eyes like she was ticklish, bowing her head as she resigned herself to the inevitable. Afterward, she gently drew close to him and whispered an additional word of caution. "Understood please be especially wary of that person." Rem's eyes looked at Al for only a single moment. Apparently, he'd really set off her alarms. "Mm, got it." Though Subaru truly wanted to believe in his amiable compatriot, Rem's appraisal of his trustworthiness was more natural. Considering the back-and-forth at the Crusch residence, it was best to regard Priscilla's people as opponents as well. Subaru nodded and smiled. The pretty-boy butler led Rem along, vanishing down a corridor. "Phew. Not bad, bro. I see she's really sweet on you." "If

you're gonna do that, just do a proper whistle. Not that I can whistle with you." It wasn't as though the weather was cold enough that it physically prevented anyone from whistling. For the most part, Subaru had bitter memories of how he'd tried and failed to learn to whistle since way back. "Ah, no can do. Lips aren't intact. I can't manage a real whistle." "Th-that so. Sorry 'bout that." The answer was heavier than Subaru had expected, so he abandoned any thought of pursuing the matter. "Well, it's a pity to keep the young lady waiting like this, and Princess gets annoyed and scary if you make her sit around too long. Better head upstairs, pronto." "Short and sweet. Big help... Incidentally, what's Priscilla's mood like today?" Since he was dealing with Priscilla, her current disposition would affect the results of any discussion to a rather frightening degree. "Mm, I don't think it's particularly good or bad, so that means you really can't go in expecting anything. Princess's moods can change before, after, or during a conversation, and they can go up, down, left, right, or bounce all around the place. What she likes to talk about isn't set in stone. You need to be good at ad-libbing to get by." "So a no-prep match... The worst kind for me." He climbed upstairs, slipped past a dancing hall, and came to a door an exceedingly ornamented one. "This is Princess's way-too-big private room. She never calls me inside, so I'll wait here while you go ahead." Ever relaxed, Al sat on the stairs leading up to the door. As he did so, he drew his curved broadsword from his back-of-the-hip sheath and laid it over his lap. "She's not in that bad a mood, is she? I don't wanna get sliced to ribbons, and I'm tired of dealing with her when she's unreasonable and in a temper." "...Sorry, but she's dumped a lot of her unreasonable demands on me, too." After Al gave his petition a blunt reply, Subaru took a deep breath and pushed open the door. And so, we return to the beginning of Subaru's standoff with Priscilla. After he entered, Subaru spotted Priscilla waiting for him at the far end. She sat in a chair positioned above some stairs, elegantly continuing to read, not acknowledging Subaru at all. Without an opening line to get things started, Subaru's bewilderment and nervousness only grew as time steadily pressed onward. That's why when the sound of Priscilla's book suddenly closing shut reverberated through the room, Subaru's shoulders jumped in surprise. " Now, then." Subaru gritted his teeth a little, feeling like his weakness had been blatantly exposed. Priscilla, not looking like she cared one bit, stroked the cover of the closed volume as she made her remarks. "'Twas a boring tale." "...You sure looked like you were into it, though." "When reading any book, it is proper to become immersed in the world between the pages and be able to state what was gained after finishing a tale. Only a fool would declare something boring without completing it." It seemed she was as avid a reader as the claims said. After declaring the foolishness of appraising unfinished books, Priscilla took the volume she had read in full and tossed it into the air without warning. " Ahh." Subaru watched, lost in bewilderment, as the soaring tome suddenly burst into flames. Scorched by the incredibly powerful fire, only black ashes remained dancing in the air. "Now then, this is robbing me of my precious morning reading time. At the very least, have you brought me a tale to pique my interest more than that book?" With a devious, crafty smile, Priscilla recrossed her lithe legs and pointed a white finger at Subaru. He felt as if the heat of her fingertip were pressing against his forehead when he willed his parched tongue to move. " It's about Emilia, a royal selection candidate, same as you. I want you to lend me your strength so I can break her out of a tricky situation she's in right now." *** Closing a single eye, Priscilla silently prodded Subaru to continue. Under her red gaze, completely unmoved, Subaru earnestly concentrated on the words he'd rehearsed. And so, he laid out everything over the course of several minutes before reaching his conclusion. "The Witch Cult...is it? ...Hmph." Propping herself up on her elbow, Priscilla supported her head with her hand as her other hand slapped her knee. Having listened to the very end of the modified version of what he'd said at the Crusch mansion, she had murmured to herself with some deep-seated emotion before she closed her eyes. "Yes, the Witch Cult. If no one does anything, they're going to hurt an awful lot of people. Emilia won't be the only casualty. I want to take them down before that happens. That's why I need " "Hee-hee. Heh." *** Abruptly, Priscilla leaned forward, her shoulders slightly trembling. Subaru's brows rose at the small sound from her mouth, and Priscilla's head snapped up. "Ha-ha-ha-ha! Amusing! You are very amusing. I see, you've certainly swayed my heart more than that book. You must be incredibly talented to come up with a farce like this!" Priscilla laughed and laughed, mocking Subaru. It was the howl of a fiendish, carnivorous beast. He instinctively understood that this was the kind of smile that a cat might wear while tormenting a mouse to death with its claw. "...! What's so funny?" "That you do not understand makes it a true masterpiece. Tell me, do you actually fail to comprehend just how illogical your actions have been?" Priscilla ran a finger through her orange hair, twirling it around as she giggled in amusement. Subaru remembered this manner of speaking, proclaiming the speaker had seen right through him. It was the same tone that Subaru had heard a number of times at the Crusch mansion. It was saying, You just don't understand. "I do not know if you simply have no one to rely upon, but going around informing the opposition of your own side's weakness serves only your enemies' interests. For us, seeing you lower your head and say, 'We're too weak and desperate, please help us,' is a matter for celebration." Priscilla tapped her temple with a finger as she ridiculed Subaru's desperate plea. He'd considered the possibility that she would brush him off. But he hadn't expected she would tear into him like this. "Not caring about appearances is fine, but you have considered this too little far too little. Aiding the enemy to help your own camp when it falls into crisis... Your behavior is that of a talentless employee. You are hopeless. Death would be far preferable." Priscilla rose from her chair while hurling insults without restraint, going down the stairs until arriving right in front of Subaru. "Indeed 'twould be better if I severed your head myself." The next instant, Priscilla pulled a fan out from her cleavage, resting it upon the carotid artery on the right side of Subaru's neck. He had seen neither her step nor the swing of her arm; only a master could pull off this move. Even though the fan was not a bladed weapon, Subaru felt like it could lop off his head the instant it moved. "You couldn't even see it?" Priscilla moved aside her fan, speaking as if Subaru's unwitting gulp bored her. "Not just foolish but slow as well. There's no saving you... Though, to bear with such terrible treatment and still be thinking of your master I admit such devotion is admirable. And so..." Priscilla narrowed her eyes, audibly opening her fan and using it like a red curtain to conceal her own lips. "Even I would have a bad taste in my mouth if I dismissed you with nothing but a laugh. Thus, I shall grant you an opportunity." "...A-an opportunity?" "Yes, an opportunity. 'This is your big shot,' in other words." Priscilla's pronunciation of the modern phrase was strange; perhaps she'd learned it from Al. Priscilla folded her fan once more and extended it toward Subaru. For some reason, Subaru could not evade its straight, silent motion as the end of the fan pressed into his forehead, sending him tumbling onto his backside. Then... "Lick it." Priscilla offered her bare foot before his eyes. *** Not understanding what she meant, Subaru felt his gaze wander between Priscilla's face and leg. With Subaru seemingly lost, Priscilla spoke to him gently, as if explaining for the benefit of a poor student or to torment her slave. "Crawl across the floor, ruminate on your humiliation like a pathetic wild stray, and lick my foot like a babe suckling its mother's teat. If you can do this, I shall consider your proposal." "Wha ?!" "If you don't want to, that's perfectly fine. If your meager personal pride comes first, wave your tail and your master shall abandon you to the wilds. Either way should provide amusement." Priscilla concealed her lips and smiled, as if to say she would enjoy his fall regardless of his choice. Subaru felt his guts boiling over in anger at the pure malice of Priscilla's behavior. But though he was on the brink of crying out something in a coarse voice guided by emotions, he restrained himself. If he gave in to his feelings and charged ahead, these negotiations, too, would end in failure. *** He looked between the foot still hanging before him and Priscilla's mocking smile. When he closed his eyes, he saw their faces one after another: Emilia, Ram, Beatrice, and the children and adults of the village. Little by little, he cooled the magma seething inside his belly. In anguish and consternation, he came to the conclusion that "I...got...it." Enduring the humiliation, Subaru kneeled and took Priscilla's foot in his hand. When he thought of the agony-filled deaths Emilia and the villagers had to endure, how could the humiliation Subaru would taste in their place even compare? To avoid that hopeless future, to find the world he needed to reach, he didn't mind being a dog or worse. His trembling lips neared the top of her white foot, about to press against her fair skin when "Ahh, it seems you truly are nothing but a very, very boring man." The kick, from right before his nose, sent Subaru flying, as if he weighed hardly anything. *** He flipped head over heels, losing track of which way was up. Subaru couldn't comprehend what had happened. An incredible blow slammed into his head and, after a few moments in the air, his entire body crashed into something. At that point, he stopped feeling anything. It took his intermittent conscious thoughts an ill-defined amount of time to catch up and realize he was lying on the floor, limbs splayed. A large volume of some kind of viscous liquid poured out from his nose. "What you have is neither loyalty nor faithfulness. It is filthier than that. It is a dog's existence and a pig's greed. A lazy pig that wants, wants, wants. A swine's greed is the most unsightly of all." Neither the ringing in his ears nor his nausea would stop. The inside of his skull was spinning. He heard Priscilla's voice from somewhere, but the details weren't sinking into his head. "Even if you drive off the Witch Cult, I shall destroy your camp by my own hand for harboring such a beast. I have reached this decision based on your thoughtless actions." As he lay down, she gripped his collar and violently lifted up his body. When his torso was raised, more blood flowed out of Subaru's nose. Subaru coughed, finding it hard to breathe as she insulted him mercilessly at close range. " Take pride in this. It is you who has invited that woman's Emilia's destruction." She thrust him away at full force, and Subaru's body rolled and slid all the way to the entrance. " Aldebaran!" When she yelled in a

sharp voice, the sole door to the outside opened from the other side. Al poked his face in and looked at Subaru, who was covered in blood by the door. "What in the world happened here...?" "Throw out this repulsive fool. Or cut him in half, I care not." "Well, I sure care... Hey, c'mon, bro." Without a single word of rebuttal to his enraged master, Al easily hoisted up the fallen Subaru and passed through the door. But on his way out, he gently turned his face toward Priscilla in the center of the room. "Don't be so angry, Princess. Violence ruins your pretty face, y'know?" "If you do not wish me to break your broken visage even further, take him and go. I will not say it again, Aldebaran." "Like I said, don't call me that." Quick on his feet, Al descended the stairs with Subaru over his shoulder and spoke in a considerate voice. "Anyway, it's best if you get out while the going's good. It's Princess. If she changes her mind, it's not unthinkable for her to tell me to cut you down. Get out of here while she still thinks it's all right to not kill you." "A-huu...?" "This...is bad. I'll call the young lady you brought with you. Just get outside, okay?" Al shrugged at the barely conscious Subaru, a deft feat under the circumstances. After that, he picked up his pace even more, leaping his way down the stairs. " Subaru?!" When she saw Subaru sitting slumped against the mansion's gate, Rem's face went pale as she ran over. Subaru was slack-jawed as Rem touched him. She checked the state of his injuries as she chanted a healing spell. A pale light enveloped the wound on Subaru's face. "What happened upstairs?" "Ahh, that. Looks like our Princess's mood turned sour. I told him to be careful, but... Well, you have about as much chance trying to perfectly predict the moods of a cat." Al's reply was rather awkward but his statement did not carry a single shred of guilt or apology. Rem, aghast at his demeanor, was about to raise her voice in protest. "...You don't...need to say anything." " ! Subaru, can you think clearly?" In accordance with his healing concussion, his fuzzy mind had begun to clear. Rem's face brightened at the sound of Subaru's voice, but she closed her eyes, focusing on his treatment. "I really cannot let you out of my sight, Subaru. You were away not even an hour, and yet you return with such grave injuries." "Hey, it's not like I'm trying to get hu " Now that his circulation had returned to normal, blood poured freely from his nose once more. Rem immediately caught the trickle with a hand she had held over him, drawing a handkerchief from her side and placing it against his head. "Please hold this on your nose. The bleeding will stop on its own. I will continue treatment." "......ight" Subaru held his nose as Rem had told him while he received gradual treatment via mana. Meanwhile, Al watched, nodding as if to say, Looks like you'll be okay. "There's no point just standing around, so I'll head back inside. I don't know what you were talking about, but from the looks of things, it didn't go well. If you take too long leaving, Princess'll seriously tell me to cut you down, bro." "Cut Subaru down...?!" "Hey, don't make that scary face, young lady! I'm saying she will! So get outta here before she gives me any orders. It's not like I wanna do something like that." After his dramatic reply to Rem's overreaction, Al's shoulders sank as he shook his head. "Well, take care of yourself, bro. And young lady... Ah, that's right, you're Ram. Take good care of bro here." " Ram is the name of my older sister. My name is Rem, Master Al." When Al gave his flippant parting words and turned his back, Rem formally introduced herself. That instant, Al's feet stopped. "...Rem?" The one-armed man stopped before he looked up, then slowly turned around. "Don't be silly. You're Ram, right?" "I am Rem... Forgive my rudeness, but where have you met Sister, Master Al?" Rem explained how he'd mistaken her for her nearly identical older sister as she posed the question. However, Al made no reply. He raised up his one arm and touched his helm, busily poking the metal. "What the hell's goin' on here...?" Al sounded nervous, seemingly unable to process the information. The increasingly rapid tapping offered further proof. "So you're Rem...and your sister is Ram?" "Yes, that is correct." "This might be a weird thing to ask but...is your older sister alive?" "...? I do not understand the meaning of your question. Sister is alive, as she should be." The instant Rem gave that answer, Subaru, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, felt goose bumps all over his flesh. " This ain't funny." A low, cold voice accompanied by a grave echo reached his ears. Al was leaning forward, his hand over the forehead of his helm, murmuring as if wringing the words out of his throat. It was only then that Subaru understood that Al was the source of the dreadful chill he was feeling. An instinctive alarm went off, telling him that he could not stay here. Rem, sensing the same thing, gently pulled close to Subaru. She suspended the treatment, still bent over as she asked a question in an audibly guarded voice. "Subaru. If I lend you my shoulder, can you stand?" At those words, Subaru dipped his head in a nod, doing his best to match his movements to Rem's. "Hey, relax. I'm not gonna do anything." With a shake of his head, Al reeled in his ghastly aura and acted like they were needlessly concerned. Subaru's shoulders subconsciously eased as the tension in the air dissipated. Even Rem's neutral expression softened as she, too, felt a sense of relief. "Sorry to say this when the bad atmosphere just lightened up, but you'd better get going. Feels like I'm not in a great mood myself." "...Understood. Please tell her thank you for her time." "Roger that. Take care, now." Concluding the proper social pleasantries with Al, Rem lent Subaru her shoulder. They walked off together, her petite frame supporting his weight as they put Bariel Manor far behind them. They descended the hill, growing more and more distant from the mansion, as all the while Al continued to stare at their backs. "You gotta be joking me. So that's what it was... Makes me wanna puke." Now that negotiations with Priscilla Bariel had broken down, all paths were well and truly closed. "My top priority was borrowing some muscle, but I guess I can't even manage that, huh...?" Battered by despair and powerlessness, Subaru held his nose as the words poured out. Priscilla had crushed him on that crucial day's morning, and already it was nearing noon. Only half a day remained until the time Subaru had set for them to depart from the royal capital time-wise, he had even less margin for error. Yet in spite of that, he couldn't claim it was one step forward, one step back every step had been backward. "Setting that aside, that shitty, arrogant woman... She forgot all about the time I helped her...!" Subaru was referring to having helped Priscilla escape the ruffians who had been surrounding her when they'd first met. The corner of his lips warped, and his tongue twisted in disgust. The fact was, she'd behaved without the slightest shred of gratitude at the time, but even he hadn't expected her to be that heartless to someone desperately reaching out for aid. And then there was Al, so uncaring that he didn't say a single thing about his master's violent act. They might be from the same world, but the man was useless to him. "Damn every last one of those bastards. They don't know a thing. They don't understand... It's not like they're protecting anyone, but they still get in my way...!" Subaru ground his molars in irritation. A cut on the edge of his lip dampened his tongue with blood, but the taste of iron didn't register only that of anger and humiliation. " Switch gears, switch gears. This ain't the time to get sidetracked by those two idiots." He had a lot to process. Having sent Rem off in one final act of resistance, Subaru headed to their rendezvous point. His feet took him down the street, out of the Nobles' District and to the capital's central strata, the Commercial District. From there, he navigated the crowds, heading straight toward his destination. "Wow! Hey you, mister! You look really hurt! Are you all right?" "Huh?" Subaru, surprised by the abrupt voice, shifted his gaze down, looking for its source. The person who hailed him was short in stature, not even reaching Subaru's hip. It was a beast-man child with an orange pelt, big round eyes, and an adorably joyful face, who was apparently stretching upward to get a better look at him. "You're bleeding, aren't you? Sometimes I cut my mouth when I'm eating, so I know! That must really hurt! You look like you're ready to cry." "I'm not bleeding for a little-kiddie reason like... Er, I'm busy so, later." "Don't you want me to heal it? Sniff-sniff, sniff-sniff. Besides, the smell isn't just from your mouth, mister. You're bleeding from your nose, too, you know?" The wound Priscilla had given him ought to have already closed, but the girl's sense of smell could apparently still pick it up. The unpleasant memory resurfaced as Subaru tried to brush the girl off. But before Subaru could do so, another girl found her first. "Hey, Mimi. Don't be causing people trouble. You know you shouldn't make so much mischief." At the sound of a soft voice, Mimi looked back, waving energetically with her short arms. The person who had found her approached, smiling at her enthusiasm. *** "I'm very sorry that my girl caused you trou... Mmmn?" Subaru's breath caught. She immediately noticed his expression, which made her stop mid-apology. The momentary surprise vanished. Instead, a look entered her eyes that seemed ready to welcome an unexpected event with open arms. "You're... That's right, you're Subaru. Emilia's knight, Subaru Natsuki So you're still in the capital, huh? What an unexpected surprise." She was a small girl with soft pale-purple hair. Her narrowed light-blue eyes suggested she had gentle regard for others but Subaru knew that the girl was avaricious deep down. Even if he was meeting her in a different place, there was no way he could mistake her aura. "Anastasia Hoshin..." "Mm, I see, you actually remembered me. I was right worried I didn't make much of an impression back there, so I'm kinda relieved... If you still recognize me after everythin' that's happened to you, everyone else should be able to, too." Anastasia smiled as she spoke in a Kansai dia a Kararagi dialect unfamiliar to his ears. Subaru, shocked to have bumped into Anastasia, scanned the area. If Anastasia was there, that man had to be somewhere around "Relax, Julius is on other business. He's not comin'." "...That so." Subaru let his discomfort show in his reply once he realized that the reason for his unease was plain as day. Anastasia, putting a hand to her mouth in amusement, seemed to be under the impression he held little love for servant or master. Subaru couldn't bring himself to think of the unexpected encounter as a golden opportunity. In the first place, there was Julius. Given the antagonism between them at the parade grounds, Subaru assumed joining forces with the Anastasia camp was utterly impossible. "Well, you seem to be mostly healed up. I was just a teensy bit worried." "...Thanks. You seem in pretty good health, yourself." "I'm muddlin' through, I s'pose." "Yeah! Muddlin' through!" The Western-sounding reply to

Subaru's sarcasm made the kitten laugh with amusement. Apparently, she was called Mimi, and she was accompanying Anastasia. "Should one of the big players in the royal selection be walking around without an escort these days?" "I am trying to travel incognito, after all. Is it not working?" Anastasia looked around before showing off her outfit that she had created with the attire of local city girls in mind. Her clothes certainly fit in, but her trademark white fox muffler and huge purse didn't make for a convincing disguise. Apparently, Anastasia gathered as much from Subaru's look of disbelief and laughed. "Well, how do you hide charm like mine? Besides, if anything happens, I have my very reliable, hard-working deputy captain, so no worries!" "Reliable...deputy captain...?" Anastasia stuck out her rather flat chest in pride as she spoke, but when he saw that she meant Mimi, Subaru adopted a dubious expression. Mimi, who was shooting the breeze at the different stalls, didn't look the part at all. "I see you don't believe me, but it's true. She's the second-in-command of my private army. I think she'd hold her own against Julius a lot better'n you would." *** "Ahh, did I make you mad? Sorry, sorry, my apologies. You just look like a fun person to tease. So, oops?" Oops my ass. Subaru pursed his lips, making his displeasure clear. "If this is just small talk, would you mind letting me be on my way? Unlike you, I have things to do." "Well, you're no fun. Things to do like what?" "I have to meet up with the girl who's traveling with me. After that, gotta get a dragon carriage and leave the capital. Stuff." He was supposed to meet back up with Rem at one of the restaurants lining the royal capital's main street. Whether his pathetic attempts met failure or success, the two had planned to procure the dragon carriage they needed to leave the royal capital within the next few hours. "Hmmm. Gettin' a dragon carriage. So you say, but can ya really? Right now, it's a lotta work findin' one here in the capital. I hear it's just one mess after another recently." "Hard getting a dragon carriage? That shouldn't be a..." Subaru would have continued to say problem, but the word caught in his throat. In previous loops, he'd taken his dragon carriage for granted when he returned to the Mathers domain, but the vehicle from the first time around was a loan from Crusch. Considering that circumstances had been similar the second time around, he had assumed Crusch had lent them one then as well. "Someone's buyin' up all the dragon carriages in the capital or somethin'. So if you wanna rent one right now, it's gonna take a lotta legwork." "...Seriously?" Anastasia suppressed a giggle while Subaru could only murmur in bewilderment. She had no reason to lie. That would be an obstacle to even exiting the capital. Subaru clutched his head, almost unable to believe the difficulties besetting him. "Miss, you shouldn't tease people!" Mimi tugged on Anastasia's sleeve at the sight of Subaru bent over. "Dragon carriages, you mean those lizard thingies? You can just lend him one, can't you, miss?" "Wait, you have a dragon carriage I can borrow?!" "I'm company president, so a dragon carriage or two is no big deal, see? But it seems you don't wanna talk with me very much, Natsuki..." "Ugh...Sorry for... how I behaved earlier..." When she pointed out how Subaru had tried to cut off their conversation, he replied with an awkward expression. Anastasia put a hand to her mouth and giggled when she saw it. "It's fine, it's fine. I forgive ya. In exchange, would you stick with me for another chat? It's very important to maintain smooth relationships with others. How about the shop where you're meetin' the girl?" Subaru couldn't summon the words to refuse the adorable merchant's smile. "It's still a bit early for lunch, but it ain't good to sit down without orderin'." Anastasia said this as she returned from the counter carrying a light meal vegetables and meat sandwiched between two pieces of bread, kind of like an elongated hamburger. Mimi took it from Anastasia and happily buried her face in it. It was a casual eatery along Main Street, right in front of the main gate of the royal capital. This gate had the most traffic in the entire city, where people ceaselessly entered and exited. The shop was packed; Subaru and the others had taken the last open seats. "Natsuki, you should eat all ya want. Since you were plannin' to meet that girl here, you musta meant to eat, right?" "I feel kinda bad making you treat me to lunch when I'm asking you for a favor. If I really wanna eat something, I'll take my meal with my friend later. Ana... Er." There were many people around, but the establishment wasn't very large. He hesitated to call Anastasia by name in such cramped quarters. "I don't really mind much, but if you're havin' trouble usin' my name, you could call me 'young lady'?" "It'd be even harder to say that... Anyway, about the dragon carriage." "Cuttin' right to the chase, hmm? You won't please your business partner if you prioritize only what you want. The core of negotiation is how much you can please the other party. You're not too good at that, Natsuki." Chiding Subaru for being in such a hurry, Anastasia bit into her meal of vegetables and meat; the way she licked the sauce was charming somehow. Though she differed from Crusch and Priscilla, Anastasia similarly possessed a unique charisma in each and every gesture that was nothing like ordinary people. Perhaps he ought to say that all the royal candidates had a special essence. "It's a little awkward if you stare at me while I'm eatin'. I wasn't raised with very good manners, y'see. Am I doin' somethin' strange?" "I haven't been educated in high culture enough to judge something like that... I don't think it's weird at all. You just don't, uh, often see a woman opening her mouth wide like that." "...Are you tryin' to get into my good graces? If so, you gotta do way better'n that." Anastasia snickered as she criticized Subaru's clumsy approach. Her heartless appraisal had quickly brought Subaru to his knees. "Um, I'm not kidding around here. I'm really in a bind, that's why I wanna get to the point." "If you wanna appeal to my sympathy, that's the worst plan possible when you're dealin' with a girl like me. But I applaud you for tryin'. You need a dragon carriage, right?" Anastasia spoke while pulling a pen out of a pocket. From there, she spread open the paper wrapped around the pen, quickly jotted something down, and neatly folded the sheet. "I've written down the location of a shop that should still have a dragon carriage and added my signature. This is all you need to accomplish your goal, Natsuki." "Well, no need to act all high and mighty about it." "I sure will it's no fun if I just hand it over for free, is it?" Speaking softly, Anastasia put the folded piece of paper down on the table. She gently rested her palm over it, hiding it from view, and grinned at Subaru when he winced. The smile on her face looked different from the ones he had seen on her before. "Don't tense up your shoulders like that; it'll be fine. I just want you to stick with me for a little chat. It's sad when you can't talk about anything except what you really need to. I don't think I'm being too greedy for wantin' to shoot the breeze with ya till that girl of yours shows up." "Why? This is a lot of trouble just for some small talk with a guy like me. Not like you're gonna get anything out of it." "I don't think there's a single thing in this world that's meaningless. You never know who might end up giving you insight. And out of everyone, I feel like you might have somethin' special for me, Natsuki." "...I'm not really grateful if that's the impression you got from me at the royal selection assembly." "It's not like I've met you anywhere else, Natsuki." Subaru's desperate attempt at sarcasm was sliced down and cast aside by a sound argument. After evaluating Anastasia's request and goal, Subaru immediately resigned himself to his fate. "Just to be clear, we're only going to talk until Rem gets here. And then I'll have you hand over that paper." "I certainly lie and deceive people, but I assure you this is true. I can put that in writing if you'd like." "You didn't even blink when you said that... What do you wanna talk about?" "I told you when we started, didn't I? The core of negotiations is to get in good with the other party. If you wanna get better at talkin', you gotta get better at listenin'. A solid start would be findin' out what your partner's interested in." Or more candidly, Don't look like you're simply putting up with the conversation. It would be bad for Subaru to stray from his commitment and sour her mood. He scratched his head and sank into thought. "Hey, hey, miss, miss. I wanna eat more of what I just had. Pleaaaase?" "Sure, eat all you like. Ah, don't make your mouth messy with the sauce. We don't want that adorable face gettin' dirty, do we? Well, that's kinda cute, too." "Wipe it for me! Rub, rub! Yay! I'll be back!" Once Anastasia cleaned up her face, Mimi flew over to a shop worker in very high spirits. Subaru did a double take as he watched the tiny girl. "Earlier, you said that runt is second-in-command?" "What? You're asking about Mimi and not me? You swing that way, Natsuki? Is it because you have a thing for kitty ears? That's why you're tryin' to get close to my girl?" "I don't have any weird fetishes like that. In the first place, if I were into that..." Subaru clenched his teeth as he recalled the image of a cat-haired knight at that mansion full of know-nothings. "Anyway, no. It simply caught my interest. I think you said something about a private army?" "For what it's worth, they're pretty famous in Kararagi. They're the Hoshin Company's own mercenary band, the 'Iron Fangs.' I'm their sponsor, so of course I get the privilege of choosin' the members." Anastasia spoke while shifting her gaze to Mimi, who looked absentminded all the while. "She's suuuuper cute, isn't she? She's so much fun to hug and go to sleep with, you know?" "It's my turn to ask if you 'swing that way,' geez. You're not telling me you twisted arms to get someone like that in as second-in-command, are you?" "No need to worry; it's fine. I told ya, didn't I? That girl's the number two of the Iron Fangs all right, and she has skills worthy of deputy captain. That's why I can stroll around the capital with only her." Sensing absolute trust in Anastasia's comments, Subaru observed Mimi's back once again. She really didn't look strong at all. But her master's words were convincing all the same. A candidate for the royal selection would never walk around with a lone bodyguard if that person wasn't capable. "Ah, just to get this out, I won't talk in detail about the members, okay? I'm not generous enough to put all my cards on the table. In fact, I'm pretty confident it's a bad idea." "Well, that doesn't make you sound as confident at all..." Though she'd blunted any effort to poke deeper, Subaru engraved the name of the Iron Fangs into the back of his brain as one more potential threat. If he and Anastasia became overt enemies at

some point, it would be yet one more wall to overcome. "Natsuki, your brow is too wrinkled. You look like you're glaring." "Hey, I was born with this face, okay? No need to go picking at a guy's complexes." "Complex? Mm, that's fine. That said, you mentioned your birth, but where were you born, Natsuki? We don't see black hair very often around these parts, and your outfit stands out, too." "I was born in Japan on Earth, and this is a tracksuit, probably the only one in the world." It was a strange topic. His honest answer sounded like he was dodging the question entirely. Sure enough, it made Anastasia pout; her face clouded. "Japan of Earth. Never heard of it. But...where is that?" "Past the Grand Cascade. Far to the east, and then farther east past that is Zipang." "The Grand Cascade..." Subaru gave a flippant answer, expecting her to burst into laughter, but Anastasia sank into thought. Subaru raised an eyebrow at her completely unexpected reaction. "You're not gonna laugh? Reinhard thought it was pretty stupid..." "Mm. Well, you see, once in a very great while, you hear about people who hail from beyond the Grand Cascade. I never expected for you to claim your homeland is there, though." "What, there's other jokers besides me? Famous people even?" "If you want to know more, I think you should study up on 'Hoshin of the Wastes.'" Anastasia still wasn't laughing when she offered him a piece of advice. Subaru cocked his head at the mention of "Hoshin of the Wastes." After all, that was Anastasia's family name. And Subaru recalled that "Hoshin of the Wastes" was also a heroic tale. "You're not actually related to this Hoshin, are you? I thought I heard you saying you took up the name for yourself." "It's the name of the founder of Kararagi. As a Kararagi native, I'm not completely unconnected, but there's no blood relationship. I just decided to call myself that. Fitting for someone who rose up to become a goddess of commerce, don't ya think?" "Damn, you've got a lot of guts to come right out and say that." She apparently rated her exploits high enough to warrant declaring herself a goddess without any hint of irony. He recalled Anastasia's boast at the royal selection meeting that she wanted to get a kingdom for pure self-interest. That performance put her on a one-way train; there was no going back for her now. "If I fail, people will point at me and laugh, though. But I've come this far. I'm not gonna talk too highly of myself when I'm still halfway to where I'm going." Subaru had heard only a tiny bit about Anastasia's birthplace during her demonstration of conviction at the royal selection meeting. Apparently she'd been born in the slums of Kararagi and afterward rose to her present position on the merits of her genius alone. A great mercantile house, as famous as any nation, served her, and she had declared herself as a candidate for the royal throne. Not for the first time, Subaru felt like the person before his eyes was unlike any he had seen before. "How can you do that much...? Aren't you afraid of failure?" "Oh my, my, my. Natsuki, have you finally taken a proper interest in me?" Subaru didn't have a plan; he'd simply voiced his honest doubts. Perhaps, just as Anastasia had taken it, he asked the question because he was finally looking straight at her: not a troublesome opponent, not someone connected to Julius, but Anastasia, the individual. "Failure, huh? I'd say I'm afraid of that, too. I'm not exactly claimin' I've won every battle I've fought to get to where I am now. I've just kept winnin' the ones that really mattered." "You never wonder if you've won enough of your bets? I mean, you have plenty as it is. You're a big-time merchant, you have lots of people around you, and..." " Can I really say I have plenty? I don't even know what would satisfy me." Her low voice and piercing light-blue eyes made Subaru unwittingly stare at her. As Subaru fell silent, Anastasia finally softened her lips and suddenly changed the subject. "I...have a dream." Subaru said nothing as she tapped a finger against the counter, ignoring him. "I've carried that dream with me since my time in the slums, never knowin' what the next day would bring, tryin' my hardest to live... I want everythin' I can get my hands on." "Everything...you can get your hands on..." "My dream is to see just who I can become, just how far I can go. But I won't compromise one bit until I'm satisfied I've done that. As long as I live, everything I can reach and take hold of will be mine. Will I die penniless? Or will I die fulfilled by the innumerable possessions around me? My life is one big contest until I get one result or the other." Subaru was overwhelmed. He realized that the small-statured girl before him was an amazing person, someone he might even look up to. Her fundamental character as a human being differed from Crusch's and Priscilla's. The power of her charisma was in no way inferior to theirs. No, to Subaru, in that moment, he had a much more favorable impression of her than the other two. With the division between him and the know-nothing Crusch, and considering Priscilla's arrogant dismissal, he thought that Anastasia might just be a heaven-sent final thread of hope that he might be able to count on. For Subaru, unable to gather any reinforcements, this was one last possibility if he wanted to borrow strength from others. "Hey, Anastasia. There's something I really wanna talk to you about..." Subaru, who had initially treated Anastasia as a nuisance to be swept aside, was now meek toward her. I can depend on her. At that though, the image of Julius flickered in the back of his mind, stabbing Subaru's chest, but he suppressed that emotional wound with all his might as he tried to broach the topic. "Hey, time-out. It's just been you askin' questions this whole time. I'm happy that you've taken an interest in me, but this isn't very fair, is it?" Anastasia cried foul and brought his determined move to a halt. "That's not really enough to call it unf No, never mind. Talk to me." "Yes, yes, compromise is real important. It's an issue of personal relations that comes even before negotiating... Natsuki, you look like you're leavin' the royal capital, but have you done enough sightseein'?" "Don't call it something casual like sightseeing, geez. I'm not, and I'm sure you aren't, either. Is this really the time for a trip just to feel better?" Subaru shot down the topic interrupting his subject. "I don't plan to just travel around, but don't turn up your nose at seein' the sights People get something out of just explorin' a place with lots of people in it and takin' a look here and there." Midway, Anastasia's strained smile vanished as she lowered her voice slightly. That change in her demeanor and expression stole Subaru's attention. She indicated the street with her chin. "The atmosphere on this avenue's changed, like the shoppin' area before it. Did you notice, Subaru?" "...Now that you mention it, it feels way more hostile somehow." Subaru had known the sights of the royal capital for only a total of several days and hours, but even he could sense that the air of the royal capital felt different on his skin. "The looks on people's faces have changed. The talk about the royal selection's brought all kinds of misers out of the woodwork." "I think you're the pot calling the kettle black, especially when you're the one poking into their business..." "Hey, when you compare the people goin' for tiny piles of coins to a gal who's after a whole kingdom, they're pretty pathetic. Besides, in business, speed is the name of the game... When you look at what people with a nose for money are doin', you see more of the big picture." Anastasia thought about "the big picture" in a way Subaru could not fathom. "When the ones at the top move, then the people start to move. When the people move, things move, too. So right now, traveling merchants are pouring into the royal capital from all over. If the people are there, things follow. So I can see this and that about what's to come." "The things you see...are merchandise? Is there some special meaning to what they're selling in the capital right now?" "You caught on fast. Incidentally, the prices of quite a few goods are in flux around here at the moment, but things made of metal have gotten especially expensive. Someone's snappin' up weapons like swords and spears inside the capital and out." "Iron and weapons. I feel like I've heard about that before... Ahh, from Otto." The conversation was from when he'd traveled with Otto during the first time going through the loop. Otto had been drowning in drink because he'd been carrying a large quantity of hard-to-sell goods; apparently, his bankruptcy really had been assured. "Swords and armor... So not just iron itself but weapons and stuff? You don't think the people gathering up all that are planning to start a war, do you...?" "Who's to say? It's possible the goal is more financial in nature. Workin' the market to favor you is more than enough reason. Merchants collude with one another quite a bit... If they think something's worth gettin', they'll grab it by the throat." Subaru readily accepted Anastasia's reasoning. Certainly, merchants would be grateful toward another party creating a favorable business opportunity for them. A thriving industry was connected with a thriving city. "From the way you're talking, is the person gathering up iron pretty well-known? Who is it, then...?" "It's someone you know very well, Natsuki." "Someone I know...?" " Duchess Crusch Karsten. She's been on an iron-buyin' spree here in the capital." "Crusch is...?" Subaru, who had been blithely following the conversation, was shocked to hear the name of someone that closely related to him. But when he thought about it, things added up. Crusch had been receiving guests day after day; maybe she wasn't just dealing with influential political figures but negotiating with merchants and bargaining for merchandise as well. "I see, so that's why Russel showed up..." "Russel Fellow? He's a big fish." Quite naturally, Anastasia instantly recognized Russel's name. And thanks to Anastasia's information, scattered pieces of the puzzle were connecting inside Subaru. "So all those people heading in and out, putting cargo in the courtyard even in the middle of the night, that was all a strategy to get merchants on her side?" He remembered that on the night he'd exchanged wineglasses with Crusch, servants were busily working all around the place. But they seemed to move with a purpose greater than simply gathering metalwares. They seemed to be expecting something bigger than that "...Well, not like it has anything to do with me now." Subaru initially felt the urge to pursue his doubt but gave up midway and cast it aside. Whatever Crusch was planning or whatever was disturbing the economy of the royal capital had nothing to do with him. All that mattered to Subaru now was finding a way to oppose the Witch Cult. There was nothing else. So why did he need to puzzle over unnecessary considerations like that? While Subaru's thoughts ground to a halt, Anastasia murmured across from him. " My, my, I'll have to keep that in mind." Subaru looked up, sensing a particularly weighty tone in her voice, when he saw she was gently holding out her palm. Without thinking, Subaru took the scribble that he would need to obtain a dragon carriage. "Thank you, Natsuki. You've given me enough of what I wanted

to hear." The scribble and Anastasia's smile told Subaru that the conversation was over. But Rem still hadn't arrived at the establishment. And yet, she'd used the word enough When Subaru's thoughts reached that point, he realized far too late that something wasn't right. "...Was this a coincidence?" " Well, Natsuki, what do you think?" While Subaru gritted his teeth, Anastasia addressed him casually. Her light-blue eyes seemed to see right through Subaru, as if they would never let the change in his expression slip past her. Just like a con artist watching someone who'd completely fallen for her act. "So you set up that whole little 'chance meeting' in the street just to ask me about this." "You got into a tiff with Crusch last night and went your separate ways, didn't ya? I figured you'd be easier to read now, in all kinds of ways. Your words, your eyes, and your expressions." She'd tricked him. It made Subaru's blood boil, and his throat tightened. "H-how can you be so satisfied with yourself?! Ambushing people like this...!" "It pains my heart, too. But it's hard to smile and trade info smoothly with our relationship. It's natural to want some insurance when you're doin' business with someone you don't trust." The way she looked straight at him and pegged him as untrustworthy needled his heart. Putting a hand on his chest, Subaru glared at Anastasia with resentment. "So you misjudged me just because you don't like me, too..." "Misjudged...?" "I'm saying you're distracted by the stupid stuff right in front of you and missing what's important! Even though you'll regret your mistakes and missing the right path later...!" "I wonder just what is right and what is mistaken here? Well, everyone's got their own opinions, but I'll give ya mine." Anastasia cocked her head slightly while Subaru ground his teeth, her charming smile never faltering. "If you want people to believe your path is just, you have to show them something concrete that backs up your claim. I don't see that in you, Natsuki. I can't help but value you less for the lack of it." *** "Your worth is decided by what you've done... In other words, your past. No matter what you do, you can't change the past. So the worth of the Natsuki I know hasn't changed one whit." Anastasia patted her own modest chest, looking at an enraged Subaru with upturned eyes. "When you make a mistake, it never, ever goes away." *** "Hey, mister, don't get any closer to Miss Anastasia. Mimi's super-strong, okay?" When Subaru unwittingly took a step forward, Mimi thrust a large staff against his face. She'd wedged herself between Subaru and Anastasia, preempting Subaru's loss of control. "Thank you, Mimi. But you don't need to do anything. I'm sure there's nothing Natsuki can do." "...! How can you just...decide that I can't do anything like that...?!" As Subaru spit and shouted, Anastasia put distance between them and crossed her hands behind her, tilting her head. "Ahh, did I hit a sore spot there? Sorry if I did. But I won't apologize for using you. It's an ironclad rule among merchants to take anything that isn't bolted down. Besides, neither of us said anything that hurts us personally, did we? You asked me whatever you wanted, and you answered several of my questions, Natsuki." "That's just because you led me into it! It's dirty... It's underhanded, damn it!" "I told you at the start, I lie and deceive. And when I offered to put it in writing, you're the one who didn't want me to, aren't you, Natsuki?" "I never said anything like tha...! You're the worst, master and servant alike! Eat shit!" He should have remained true to his initial instinct, the distaste he'd had the instant he'd seen her face on Market Street. He should have known she was the worst of the worst from the simple fact that Julius served her. She'd manipulated him through the art of conversation into expecting that she might be trustworthy. Truly, just how much disgrace did he have to endure before people were satisfied? "...Haven't paid him back for Julius, either. Well, that was partly my fault, too." Subaru gave no heed to Anastasia's words as he was about to rip up the paper in his hand and throw it away, but he hesitated right on the cusp of that impulsive action, knowing that he would then have truly gained nothing for all he'd endured. "I'm relieved that you really aren't that stupid Mimi." "Riiight! Mister, turn this way!" Subaru was breathing raggedly and clutching the paper in his hand when Mimi held her staff aloft. Subaru stood rooted to the spot while a pale light softly enveloped his face. "Pain, pain, go away...!" *** Using magic, she healed the cut on his lip that had been there before their initial encounter. While Subaru was speechless, Mimi smiled at him, apparently without a single care in the world. "Miss is high-maintenance, but she never means to do bad things, so forgive her, 'kay? This is why she doesn't have any friends." "Mimi, you don't have to tell him that... Well, see you 'round, Natsuki." Anastasia had thoroughly wrecked him to the point that even her follower had taken pity on him. Subaru's shoulders quivered as Anastasia turned her back on him. "I'll add just one last lesson about the basics of negotiation, Natsuki." Standing still, Anastasia's back remained turned to him as she raised a single finger and spoke. "The secret is to prepare everything you can before you ever reach the bargaining table. Learnin' little tricks is all part of turnin' the situation in your favor. You have to know yourself and dangle what the other party wants in front of them. Where you come up short, Natsuki, is that you want and want, but you got nothin' to offer in return." He didn't know Anastasia's real motive. Even if he listened to her, it was meaningless. But he would understand the meaning of those words soon enough. " All right, let's go, everyone!" Anastasia called out with a clap of her hands. Subaru raised his eyebrows at her gesture when the customers in the place rose from their seats all at once. Together, every last customer in the packed-to-the-brim establishment followed Anastasia out. Every single person in the group was wearing a hood, concealing their true identity. However, when he looked more deeply, there were unnatural bulges under their hoods. From this, Subaru deduced they likely concealed animal ears. Clear as a bell, the name of Anastasia's private army leaped out from the back of his mind the Iron Fangs. "What, you were all here? Ah, mister, see you later!" Mimi smiled at her comrades as they filed out, giving Subaru a wave of her hand before she, too, darted away. The only ones left in the place were Subaru and the proprietor. That was what she'd meant by preparing everything you can before you sit at the table. "Shit!!" Unable to endure his own worthlessness, Subaru slammed his fist into the tabletop. With no customers remaining in the establishment, the proprietor quietly withdrew into the back. His face was as conflicted as Subaru's. Subaru stayed like that, his shoulders shaking from humiliation, when a voice called out to him. " Subaru?" It was Rem. She had arranged for them to meet at that place, and now she rushed over to Subaru. "Subaru, what's wrong? Did something happ " " It's nothing, Rem. How about on your end?" Subaru interrupted Rem's concerned voice, covering up his current humiliation with all his might. Even if he told Rem about how Anastasia had gotten the better of him, it would change nothing. Faced with Subaru's stiff demeanor, Rem closed her mouth, then she politely reported the results of her activities. "I reported the covert maneuverings of the Witch Cult to the Knights' garrison. By invoking Master Roswaal's name, I was not dismissed immediately at the gate, but..." The awkward wording and frail tone of her voice for the latter half pretty much told Subaru how that had gone down. Rem, Roswaal's servant, was more likely to be successful in spurring the Knights to action than Subaru, who had a grudge against them. Trying to exploit that was his final act of resistance, but... "They didn't give you a good answer?" "...It would seem that the Knights have a jumble of similar reports. Few concrete details are known about the Witch Cult's underpinnings, and apparently an endless stream of tips constantly flows in with no practical way to verify it." "Ahh, I get it now. This is seriously like back when they had real witch trials... It ain't much of a joke if that's how the Witch Cult actually hides itself." The sheer number of people afraid of the Witch Cult lurking nearby gave birth to imaginary phantoms in every corner of the land. Those fears took form as tips to the Knights, dragging down the value of any real leads as a result. That seemed backward somehow. Both the arrogance of the Knights and the vileness of the Witch Cult were at fault. The Knights should have been rigorously checking out any and all potential leads related to the Witch Cult, considering how they were a blight to all. With that, Subaru understood that all his plays had failed. "If gathering reinforcements isn't possible... I hate it, but there's no avoiding it." "What will you do?" "Goes without saying. We head back to the mansion and get Emilia and Ram out of there. We'll bring them here to the capital or wherever Roswaal went off to the destination doesn't matter. Anyway, where they are now is dangerous." Petelgeuse's loud laughter came back to life in the back of his head. Subaru's fist trembled in frustration. Even if he wanted nothing more than to pulverize that bastard's skeletal face, he didn't have the means. Even if he did choose to take on the enemy with his current resources, it would invariably entail putting Rem at the tip of the spear. He would avoid that at all costs. Getting Rem hurt because of Subaru's thoughts and actions was unthinkable. He couldn't bear it. If he couldn't drum up the strength to battle Petelgeuse, taking them on was unthinkable. Any option that meant losing Rem was out. Even then, bloodlust made his insides seethe. The inexhaustible hatred was like a curse echoing over and over inside his skull. "Excuse me, Subaru. Actually, about the dragon carriage needed to return to the mansion..." " It's tough to get one, you mean? In that case..." While Subaru's blood boiled, Rem broached a topic that seemed difficult for her to bring up. He nodded at her concern and revealed the paper Anastasia had handed him. As promised, it had the name of the store and her signature. It was Subaru's consolation prize for his ignominious defeat during negotiations. "If we go to this place and talk to them, they should treat us all right... I'm sure of that much." "Really? Where in the world did you... Just as I'd expect of you, Subaru!" "'As you'd expect.' Expect, huh... Ha-ha, you're funny, Rem." *** Rem, having no idea how he'd gotten a hold of it, couldn't have meant anything malicious or ironic by it. Even so, Subaru couldn't stop a dry laugh from coming out. "There's no time. Let's get moving." Pulling the bewildered Rem along behind him, Subaru walked out onto Main Street, heading for the indicated store. Annoyed by the jarring, disorganized noises, he clicked his tongue as he walked along. "If we can get out of the capital within half a day, we can be back to the mansion by the third day. If we do that, we should have time to rescue Emilia and them." Subaru had gone over his memories of the first time around again and again to make sure of that. The reason

he couldn't state it with absolute certainty was because he couldn't rely on his memories from the second time around. Subaru Natsuki had frittered away the time that would have allowed him to compare and be on surer footing. "The second time... Shit! How many days was I not in my right mind...?!" He scratched at his head, berating his useless memories and his useless self as he continued to walk. Behind Subaru, Rem, whose strides were a different length from Subaru's, worked earnestly to match her speed to his. But Subaru never noticed Rem doing that, for he had forgotten to look back. CHAPTER 3 *** Anastasia's introduction had led him to borrow the largest dragon carriage he had yet seen. Boasting a huge size, the land dragon's hind legs thudded along, making the ground shudder as it raced across the grassy plain. "It's as fast as it is huge... That's great, but could it do something about kicking up all this dirt?" The dust dancing upward clouded his field of vision, making Subaru squint in the driver's seat. "This appears to be a land dragon normally used to haul freight. Therefore, its manner of running has no consideration for passengers, and since it is specialized for speedy travel, it has not been trained in running quietly..." "It was the last one, and it's running without a break. Beggars can't be choosers, but...this is still kinda tough." Fortunately, thanks to the land dragon's blessing a special power belonging to particular individuals and species of that world the dust did not directly affect them, though Subaru could not help but be annoyed at the poor visibility. Subaru wound up looking at the sky, hoping for any change. The clouds flowed overhead as the sun gradually changed its angle. These signs meant the passage of time, and thus, Subaru's heart smoldered little by little. Surely they were moving far quicker than they had during the previous iterations of the loop. They had not been able to gain reinforcements, but departing by dragon carriage on the second day was a major departure from before. They would be able to make it over the highway in half a day, arriving at the mansion on the dawn of the third day. They were gaining more than half a day over the first time around surely enough time to get Emilia and the others out of the mansion and to flee from the Witch Cult. "The problem is...the possibility of encountering the Witch Cult along the way like last time." According to his vague memories of the second time around, he'd been inside a cave when he truly regained consciousness. If he had been en route back to the mansion, it was possible that the same thing could happen this time, too. When he thought of how Rem had been killed, and how he had spent nearly an entire day pulling her along before they left the cave: "It means they must have infiltrated the area outside the mansion days in advance." But he didn't know exactly which day that was. The tragedy would fall the morning of the fifth day. The second time around, Subaru's deduction that it had taken him a day's worth of time to get out of the cave put his encounter with the Witch Cult between the third and the fourth day. "In other words, even if we arrive tomorrow morning, that doesn't mean that we're any less likely to bump into them...!" Not knowing what they could expect made him grind his teeth hard enough that blood seeped into his mouth. Subaru glanced to the side at Rem, who was holding the reins and concentrating on driving. Once again, were they to encounter the Witch Cult, he'd have no choice but to rely on Rem. Subaru had thought of making clear beforehand that they might encounter the Witch Cult, but when he tried to speak the words, he realized that his voice simply wouldn't come out. It was not fear of the penalty for divulging information gained via Return by Death. Certainly, he was terrified of that pain. No sane person could endure the agony of that squeezing on the heart. He didn't even want to think about tasting it again. But that pain was not the reason Subaru hesitated to speak of the Witch Cult. He had another reason, one he could not escape. Would Rem really believe what Subaru told her? *** Just thinking about it sent a chill running up Subaru's spine. Unable to endure it, he hugged his own shoulders. His heart rate quickened to a stupid degree. The urge to vomit seized his innards. The stress of his extreme situation had kept him from getting a wink of sleep. The physical fatigue was rotting his mind and body alike. At that moment, Rem was the person he could trust most in that entire world. Even Emilia had cast him aside. After Crusch, Priscilla, and Anastasia had rejected him one after another, Subaru had fallen into paranoia, doubting anything and everything. In that moment, Rem was all Subaru had. Rem was the only one he could call an ally beyond suspicion, someone in whom he could unwaveringly place all his trust. If he revealed things about the Witch Cult to her, and her face became clouded with suspicion, what would it do to him? It frightened Subaru to even think of it. "This isn't the time to get cold feet...!" Venting in a hoarse voice was the only thing he could do to drive away his cowardly emotions. The land dragon drowned out his voice, fainter than a whisper and reaching only Subaru's ears. Afraid as he was, he couldn't keep it to himself. Now that the possibility of encountering the Cult remained, keeping his silence was nothing less than a betrayal. After all, Subaru had lost his life and returned to take hold of the best possible future. "R-Rem... I need to talk to you ab " "Subaru there is a gathering of people on the road ahead of us." "Eh?" As Rem glared to the front, Subaru followed her gaze to see a number of silhouettes hovering in the cloud of dust. He gaped openly. Was it really the Witch Cult lying in ambush? Though Subaru had lost his voice at the too-soon turn of events, the contours of one of the vague silhouettes gradually grew more distinct, finally becoming a clear figure. This figure stood right in the middle of the road, waving both arms and loudly calling for the dragon carriage to halt. "Heyyyyyyyy! Can you stop your land dragon so we can trade information?!" The man, with a delicate face and gray hair, was Otto Suwen, traveling merchant. "Ahh, I'm so glad. These days, most people are heading to the royal capital, and there's precious few coming out of it. So I thought I'd ask you a couple of things if possible." With the dragon carriage stopped, Otto came to greet Rem and Subaru with a handshake and a smile as he spoke. He seemed neither drunk with wine nor in sorrows about the world. He didn't strike Subaru as a wounded man. Rather, Otto the peddler felt alive and well. The memory he'd expunged of Otto desperately trying to stop him the first time around returned. Subaru tried to wash away the bitter taste of it while surveying the people behind Otto. "Is everyone in this whole group a traveling merchant?" "Indeed they are, every last one. We're headed to the capital with a yearning for profits in our hearts." Otto replied to Subaru's question with an amiable smile. There were various dragon carriages stopped on the side of the highway, and the men, presumably the dragon carriage owners, were gathered together. There were more than ten of them, ranging from the young to men in their forties. Judging that Otto, Subaru, and Rem had concluded their pleasantries, they congregated around the latter two, introducing themselves by name as they began establishing the topic of conversation. The contents mostly concerned the current situation in the royal capital and changes thereof. Furthermore, the merchants spoke mainly of things like trends in coinage prices and the atmosphere in the marketplace. Put bluntly, every minute wasted there was precious. Now that he had confirmed Otto was safe, he would have been happier to pass on such mundane conversation and leave. But... "You'd head out now...? Isn't that dangerous? It's night already. We plan to camp here tonight. You could remain with us if you like." Just as Otto said, the sun was already sinking in the west, with night creeping over the highway. The Liphas Highway would soon be subsumed by night. They would have only the light of a magic crystal lamp and the stars to rely upon. The traveling merchants had already begun preparing to camp, lighting a brilliant fire in the center of the group. With this many people, even wild beasts and bandits appearing along the highway could surely do little. But even time spent in safety was time Subaru could hardly afford. "So you say, Otto. You're just trying to pawn off some of that oil you bought at the wrong time, aren't you? Don't pull that oh-so-friendly face on me!" The instant Subaru declined the invitation, a chorus of voices started needling Otto, and raucous laughter spread through the group. Otto, the butt of the joke, pursed his lips and made a sour face. "That is not my motive at all. This is purely well intentioned. Well...you'll need food and lanterns. Though I grant you...if I could interest you in even a small bit of oil, I would like that very much." As Otto lowered his shoulders and voiced his obvious dismay, Rem inquired, "What is this about oil?" "Oh, I simply wound up getting something of a short straw. At present, the merchandise I am carrying is a somewhat large quantity of oil. I'd really meant to trade it in Gusteko for a large sum, but now, my very life hangs in the balance, and I must mitigate the loss as much as possible..." It was plain as day that he was seeking sympathy for his plight...and a buyer for his oil. No doubt Rem understood this full well. Sympathetic as she might be, she would offer him nothing beyond perfunctory condolences. "I do not know if I will be able to sell all this oil even if I go to the royal capital. If I sell it for the price of dirt, I will be bankrupt bankrupt!" Repeating himself for emphasis, he opened the door wide for a highly generous person to take all the oil off his hands. Though the man had helped him during the first time around, it was precisely why Subaru sought to avoid getting deeply entangled now. He could pray for Otto's prospects, but at that moment, Subaru and Rem's futures came first. To get to the Mathers domain as soon as humanly possible, they could not avoid rushing along the highway at night. But just as Subaru was about to say his good-byes, he suddenly realized something. If trust wasn't enough to put things into motion, maybe he should move them with money... "Otto, there's something I... No, I have a business proposal." Otto's eyes opened at how the expression on Subaru's face vanished, and the air around him changed. But perhaps sensing from Subaru's voice that he wasn't joking, he immediately adopted the posture of a salesman. "If it is business, I will listen to anything you have to say. Dear customer how may I be of service?" "I'll buy every drop of oil in your dragon carriage. In return, give me a hand." Subaru pointed to Otto's land dragon, which he remembered, and then opened his arms wide, shouting in a voice loud enough for all the merchants setting up camp to hear. "Every merchant with a land dragon here... If your services

are for sale, let me buy everything you have!" At first, the merchants looked at one another and laughed at Subaru's "business proposal." But when Rem, sensing what Subaru had in mind, lifted up her sack and showed everyone the coinage within, the expressions of all the men who'd dismissed it as a joke changed in an instant. After that, Otto acted as the ringleader and recruited those willing to participate. As a result, of the fourteen traveling merchants in that place, ten decided to go along. The conversation had a rocky start, but Otto's proposed split of the profits neatly resolved the issue. "Everyone will entrust their cargo to the four with the largest dragon carriages. The net proceeds from joint sales in the royal capital will be distributed at a later date. The sales will offset the freight cost of accompanying Mr. Natsuki." Thanks to Otto's skill in bringing everyone to a consensus no doubt an effect of his desperation when faced with the chance of a lifetime he was unanimously voted to represent the group. Seeing Subaru with his arms folded, concerned about their departure time as he watched fellow peddlers transferring their cargo, Otto asked him, "I'm pleased that you're buying up my oil, but what do you intend to use all these dragon carriages for?" Subaru touched his chin as he mulled over the question. "We're on our way to the Mathers domain. I happen to be a manservant working for Marquis Mathers, you see." "I'm aware of him. Marquis Roswaal L. Mathers, with his 'penchant' for demi-humans. They say that he is an eccentric, even by the standards of Lugunica nobility." Had Ram overheard that appraisal, she would have no doubt been indignant. Subaru's shoulders sank at Otto's description. "Well, no denying that. It's true he comes off as a perv." "But he is your employer, you say? Er, I broached the subject because I rather expected a reply of that sort. Though I must confess that you do not look like a nobleman's servant, Mr. Natsuki." "I'm still in training. I only make the grade in sewing and making beds so far." "Either way, I'll trust your story about serving the marquis... But why hire all these dragon carriages? A marquis can surely afford his own?" Otto's probing questions were proof that he doubted Subaru's true intent. "Like I said, we need a bunch of dragon carriages. We have a lot to haul, so it's best to have them as empty as possible. In your case, that means having to buy up all your oil." "For which I am very grateful. What is the freight you intend to transport, then?" From Otto's repeated questions, it seemed he did not doubt Subaru's station. He appeared to be pressing out of simple concern that the freight to be transported might be dangerous. *** There was no need to conceal it with a lie. He couldn't let this talk foster doubt and lead to the deal being called off. "We're transporting...people." "Don't tell me this is slave trading?!" "Nothing shady like that. There's a village near the marquis's mansion. It's a small settlement, and the villagers put together don't even number a hundred. I wanna get those people aboard and move them out." That flash of inspiration was why Subaru had hired Otto and the others. The large dragon carriage for commercial freight that Subaru and Rem were using could run with more than ten people aboard. With similar dragon carriages put together, he figured they could evacuate every last villager. "You are not telling us to carry corpses, I take it. If so, I would have to decline with deep regrets..." "...I want you to bring them out of there so it doesn't come to that." In his haste to reunite with Emilia, Subaru had forgotten about the villagers. He was upset with his own lack of consideration, but coming across Otto and the others was a very considerable stroke of good fortune. Be it coincidence or fate, Subaru was fortunate to be on something's good side for once. "Actually, we're planning on doing a large-scale mountain hunt in the area around the marquis's mansion in the near future." "A mountain hunt, you say?" "There's been a bunch of demon beasts breeding in the wilderness around there since way back. Barriers isolated the people from the demon beasts until now, but... Not long ago, those monsters injured some people in the village." "And this 'mountain hunt' is the result of that? But..." Otto couldn't quite let it go; he seemed to be having trouble with something in Subaru's explanation. Subaru remained silent as he rolled up the sleeve over his right arm, showing him the cruel scars the beasts had left on him. Otto drew a small, sharp breath at seeing the deep wounds of claw and fang. Many more had been carved into Subaru's body that would never fade. "In his goodwill, the marquis sent me off to the royal capital to be healed. Now that I'm partly recovered and no longer at death's door, I'm on my way back." "I I see... Er, but why, then, are you procuring dragon carriages along the highway without the marquis being directly involved...?" "The marquis decided to start the hunt right away before moving the residents. That's why I want to make sure it's covered. It's not that I don't trust my master; I just have prior experience with this." As Subaru offered that humble statement, lowering his eyes, Otto made a small sound and sank into thought. "Understood. Sorry for prying into things you didn't want to speak about. I shall explain this to the others without mentioning the scars." A pained expression came over Otto's good-natured face as he made a show of consideration for Subaru. No doubt he regretted unintentionally dredging up Subaru's past trauma. Subaru thought that his sudden change in demeanor, shifting from thoughts about commerce to simply worrying about his business partner, showed that Otto was a real softie at heart. "Don't sweat it. Please just explain it to everyone straight so that no one gets any weird doubts." "Well, if you insist, though I'm not really cut out for that." Making light of Subaru's decision, Otto smiled apologetically. Subaru thought himself a far greater villain for internally making excuses. Namely, that he wasn't really lying; he just wasn't telling the whole truth. It was another two hours until all preparations to pull out of the campsite had been completed. After the freight was transferred to the four large dragon carriages, Subaru and the others departed along the highway by night. There were eleven dragon carriages heading toward the Mathers domain. They might prove somewhat cramped, but they should be more than enough to get all the villagers out. Otto called to him as his dragon carriage ran parallel to Subaru's. "By running through half the night, we'll probably arrive in the Mathers domain near morning..." It was the land dragons' wind repel blessings that enabled them to have a normal conversation while two dragon carriages ran side by side. They did more than nullify the effects of wind and vibrations on them, apparently. "Sorry to make you keep running without a break." "Not at all! I have no complaints. Now that I can dispose of my stock and defray the freight costs, I am invincible. I could keep this up for three days and nights!" "And then you can fall asleep right after the deal is done?" "Huh?! Did you read my mind?!" The punch line to a classic joke was stolen right out of Otto's mouth. From there, Subaru shifted his gaze toward Rem, holding the reins beside him. He could not read any emotion from the side of her face as she stared straight ahead. To Subaru, it wasn't a very pleasant situation. " Subaru." "...Y-yeah. What is it, Rem? Something's up?" "No. It is quiet, so I wondered if you might be tired. The dust makes for poor visibility, but with other land dragons about, the path is not uncertain. If you are sleepy, it is all right for you to rest." "I'm happy to hear you say that, but it's not cool to make you do all the work." "But Subaru, you are still convalescing, so..." Rem's considerate stance toward Subaru made him shut his mouth. Her manner of speaking was gentle, but there was a stubborn, steely will behind it. He keenly understood that she wished to reduce the burden on him as much as possible. But her tenacious efforts made him fearful that he didn't know her true intentions. The thorns he could not dislodge from his chest were the product of both wanting to know and not wanting to know. "Rem, do...?" "Yes?" Subaru's breath caught as Rem's pale-blue eyes stared at him, as if seeing right through him. He wanted some way to redirect her attention from his doubting, hesitant silence, but Subaru shook his head, brushing aside such thoughts. If he doubted Rem's intentions enough that it hurt, it was far better to get them out in the open. "Rem, do you have any doubts about what I'm doing? I didn't explain anything to you. Not about the Witch Cult, not about the traveling merchants..." He was painfully aware of how Rem had kindly indulged him in spite of his duty to explain himself. That was precisely why he was worried about how Rem felt about following him without question or debate. Rem closed her eyes but once at Subaru's question. "Master Roswaal told me to respect your actions in the royal capital." *** Subaru's expression stiffened, the reply leaving him lost for words. "Roswaal...told you to...?" "Yes. He did not command me to do any specific thing, but rather, to go along with your plans in the royal capital, whatever they might be. I also planned do so as much as I could." "Roswaal's orders..." Rem's words somehow weren't sinking into his skull. Instead, the fact that Roswaal had ordered Rem repeated itself in his head, over and over. Rem's lack of dissent toward Subaru's actions was because her master had directed her to shut up and obey. Did that mean, in other words, that Rem's actions to that point had not been of her own will? Hell, even her staying by his side at that very moment might not have been... "Subaru?" As Subaru fell silent, Rem peered at him, her shapely eyebrows drawing together. Yet in that moment, Subaru was unable to take even that expression of concern at face value. "I-I'm all right. It's nothing." Shaking his head to flee from Rem's gaze, Subaru gave a perfunctory reply to keep the peace. Her caring concert, her support when he was on the brink of collapse, her being by the isolated Subaru's side, were all of these because of Roswaal's orders...? Beyond that, deep down, did Rem approve of what Subaru was doing...? *** As paranoia brought bile up from his stomach, Subaru swallowed down the acidic liquid filling his mouth. With his nausea having nowhere else to go, fright and despondency raged inside his body. His limbs felt numb, his vision narrowed, and there was an unbearable, physical itch in his brain. His breath was ragged as he fought the urgent desire to crack his skull open and jab his fingers in to scratch at it. He didn't want to think. About anything. The more he thought about things, the more he mulled them over, the more he sought answers the more distant his desires would become, the more his ideals would turn to fantasies and his dreams to hopelessness and despair. "Subaru, did you fall asleep?" He hated it. He wanted no more of it. He didn't want to think. He didn't want to doubt. He didn't want to trust. He didn't want to be betrayed. He clutched his head, shutting himself in and cutting off all responses to the

outside world. Rem called his name several times. Seeing that there was no response, she gave up after a while and shifted her gaze back to the highway. By then, Subaru had finally, and by his own hand, become truly alone in that world. " ru. I'm sorry, Subaru. Please wake up." Subaru sensed someone calling him and shaking him awake. The touch on his shoulder roused him from the abyss of unconsciousness. When he absentmindedly rubbed his eyelids with his hand and opened his eyes, he found the face of a familiar girl right in front of him. "...Rem, huh. What's wrong?" The instant he was sure it was Rem, Subaru remembered their exchange before he slept. He felt a dull ache in his chest. Rem, not noticing how hard Subaru was working to endure that pain, lowered her head apologetically. After another brief apology for waking him, she said, "We are about to reach a fork in the road. As it is a landmark that cannot be mistaken even in the dead of night, it should be all right...but I want to be certain before we reach it." The area around them was filled with deep darkness. Even with Rem sitting right beside him, her face seemed indistinct. The crystal lamp hanging from the land dragon's neck and a simple light attached to the dragon carriage itself provided the only illumination. It was very little to go on if not for land dragons with good night vision, then certainly for the humans. "I see your point. What do you want me to do, though?" "I want to check the map, but I cannot take my hands off the reins... I put the map in the sack at your feet. Could you get it out for me?" "At my feet. This, huh?" In the dark, he pulled over a fairly heavy sack. He set it on his lap and thrust in his hand to fish around, but finding what he was after proved rather difficult. "I can't even tell what's a map and what's not. Isn't it too dark to even read it?" "That is... Mm, that could be a problem. What shall we do...?" "Yeah, what can we...? No, wait a sec." Rem's expression was clouded when a light suddenly turned on in Subaru's head. Once again, he searched at his feet, picking something out of a different sack the one with Subaru's personal belongings. "Oh, I found it!" He took out the object, cool and hard to the touch, and thrust it in Rem's face. Right in front of her wide eyes, Subaru pressed the power button of something he hadn't held in ages. "It hasn't been charged in a while, so I hope the battery isn't dead... Ohh!" After a single tense moment, the boot-up sequence appeared on the screen. A few seconds later, a dazzling light shone from Subaru's hand. Rem looked at Subaru with surprise at the brilliant sight. "Subaru, what is that?" "Lost technolo... Er, future technology. A cell phone. Looks like it still has a little juice left, luckily for us." The cell phone had been off ever since his generous use of it on the day he had been summoned to this other world. It was one of Subaru's few possessions from home. He had a few other personal belongings, but this was by far the priciest and most useful at least, as long as its battery held out. "I never imagined the next time I'd use it would be as a flashlight, though." Using it in a manner inconsistent with its original purpose, Subaru shone the light of civilization upon the contents of the luggage. After he easily found the map he'd been searching for in the sack, Subaru spread it out over Rem's lap. "I'll shine this on the map, so take a look-see." "Yes, thank you very much." At that moment, Otto poked his head in from the side, his interest keenly piqued. "Mr. Natsuki, what is that? I've never seen such a thing." Leaning over from his dragon carriage, immediately to the left, he tilted his head in confusion. "A crystal lamp I have never seen bef No, not a crystal. It seems to be made of some material unfamiliar to me." Noticing Otto's reaction, a man in his prime with a bandanna wrapped around his head pulled his dragon carriage along the right side as well. The eyes of the driver glimmered as his gaze remained pinned to Subaru's cell phone. Ordinarily, their reactions would have doubtlessly brightened Subaru's mood, inspiring him to casually show off and brag. However, the current Subaru was in no mood for such pleasantries. "Sorry, it's a secret item the marquis gave to me. If I told you about it, you might vanish without a trace. Best to forget you ever saw it." "Whew, that secretive explanation just reeks of money..." Otto's interest seemed to have only deepened. But before a long cover-up conversation became necessary, Rem lifted her head from the map and nodded. "I realize where we are now. A little farther and we should be able to see the Great Flugel Tree. From there, we take the road northeast and enter the Mathers domain shortly after." "The Great Flugel Tree?" Subaru inclined his head at the unfamiliar term. Otto raised a finger. "The Great Flugel Tree is a huge tree found along the Liphas Highway that seems to pierce the very clouds. The tree really is huge like you wouldn't believe. According to legend, a sage named Flugel planted it." "So that's why it's the Great Flugel Tree. Why'd the sage do that, anyway?" "Er, well, this was hundreds of years ago, you see. Aside from the story of how he planted the tree, next to nothing is known about Flugel, not even why he is treated as a sage." "The hell is that? Why treat him like a big shot if you don't even know what good he's done?" Subaru was itching to hear the rest after Otto's incomplete account, but when he saw that Rem and the other merchants weren't adding to the story, it was apparent that his exploits really hadn't been passed down. Subaru mulled over the thought, and around half an hour later, he saw the Great Tree for himself, to his shock. "Whoa... Yeah, incredible is about the only word I can use for it." The venerable tree, its branches rising into the night sky, towered over Subaru and the others with an overwhelming presence. Its size dwarfed the trees from his old world that were often said to be more than a thousand years old. According to Otto, this specimen was centuries old, making Subaru wonder if plants grew at a much faster pace in his current world. Before he realized it, he was seized by a considerable sense of awe. The enormous tree had put down its roots not in a great forest, but alone in an open field. Along the Liphas Highway, there was no landmark more prominent. Passing by the calmly towering Great Tree, the dragon carriages headed northeast in accordance with the map. As the distance to the Mathers domain lessened, Subaru finally began to feel a little regretful at leaving the Great Tree behind. "Geez, this isn't the time to get all sentimental. Er, ah?" If he had been less troubled, he might have taken a picture of it with his cell phone. Subaru, who was sitting on the driver's seat when he had the thought, felt uneasy as he redirected his attention from the Great Tree. "Where'd the bandanna guy to the right of us go?" Subaru could see no sign of the dragon-carriage owner who had shown interest in his cell phone while running on their right. Subaru checked behind him to see if it had suddenly slowed down, but he saw only the dragon carriage that had been running behind the bandanna man; he was gone from the convoy, leaving an empty space. "Don't tell me he was so enchanted by the big tree that he wandered off?" "What is it, Mr. Natsuki? Are you looking for something?" "Not something one of your guys, the one who was running on this side till just now, a manly looking guy with a bandanna. This ain't the time to go tree climbing like a little kid." Subaru harshly answered the carefree Otto with sarcasm, inwardly scolding him for poor management. But Otto, on the receiving end of that annoyance, stared blankly and tilted his head, as if he had no idea what Subaru meant. "What are you talking about? No one's been on the opposite side of you." " Huh?" Subaru's mouth hung open, and the meaning of the reply failed to sink in. "What are you sayin'? He was all curious and staring at my cell phone just earlier, same as you." "Ahh, so it's called a cell phone? Wait, ah, can you guarantee my safety for having heard that? I don't want to disappear..." "Don't play games with me!" Subaru roared at Otto, who was casually ignoring Subaru's question as if he thought it was all some big joke. Subaru looked to the right again, but the gap was as wide as before, and the carriage that should have been there nowhere to be found. *** Then, as Subaru stared at the gap, his field of vision suddenly became indistinct. He sensed a blur, as if there was a haze right before his eyes. Subaru blinked several times, but that did not wipe away his unease. The dark empty space continued to run parallel to Subaru and Rem's dragon carriage. The darkness was terribly ominous, and he couldn't help the nervousness welling up inside him. That was why Subaru opened his folded cell phone, shining light upon the gap to drive away the darkness. He meant to look for a trace of the person who should have been there, and to ascertain the source of the uncanny feeling that just wouldn't go away. And within the shining light "...Ah?" There, floating in space, Subaru met a truly gigantic eye. The next moment, something roared, and mist covered the Liphas plains. Mist. Bathed in a powerful gust of wind, Subaru felt like he'd been smacked in the face. *** Pounded by the gale, Subaru's body floated up, in danger of being tossed from the driver's seat altogether. He instantly reached out, but his fingers found nothing to grasp; Subaru's body flew straight forward, hurtling toward the darkness or it would have, if she had been a moment later. "Subaru!!" His collar was grabbed from behind, forcefully pulling him back down. The hard impact of his butt upon the seat made him see stars; amid them, he saw Rem, holding him down while handling the reins. Rem's mouth was open as she abandoned her usual neutral expression, howling desperately. Her shouts became a chant. Mana gathered according to Rem's will, transforming the world around them with magic to create spears of ice as long as Subaru was tall. In the blink of an eye, three frozen missiles formed in midair, shooting out like arrows with incredible force. The ice spears raced through the sky, landing with a sound like steel smashing stone and the darkness before them was shattered. "Oh, wahhh?!" The next moment, Subaru was grabbed by his neck once again and instantly hoisted straight up. As he floated upward and away from the driver's seat, he saw the dragon carriage beneath him. The land dragon, not realizing its passengers had vanished, continued kicking up dust as it sprinted along the highway with all its might. In the next instant, a hit from the side with enormous mass behind it reduced the dragon carriage to splinters, sending the land dragon hurtling along with it. The unadorned vehicle for hauling commercial freight was torn apart like paper; the huge animal, slammed into the ground, burst apart from the impact, turning into a smear

of blood, innards, and fragments of flesh on the highway. Subaru's mind went blank from the overwhelmingly unreal spectacle. "Left !!" He thought he heard a shout from right beside him. A second later, his body landed on a hard floor. The dull pain coursing through his shoulder and hip dragged his mind back to reality. However, the blows assailing him one after another gave him no opportunity to lift up his head. The dragon carriage he was now riding made a sudden turn, and the centrifugal force flung Subaru to the side. When the vehicle tilted, the rope wrapped around his fingers was the only thing keeping him from being hurled right out. Turning his head, he came to realize that he'd leaped onto Otto's dragon carriage. Wrapping the rope for securing freight around his wrist, Subaru tried to get up amid the shaking. "No, Subaru, you mustn't! The dragon carriage's blessing has given out. It's dangerous for you and Rem to get up!" When he looked, Rem had impaled the floor with her own right arm to support herself. It was difficult for her to keep steady during the rocking, even with her physical abilities. Without the effects of the wind repel blessing enveloping the land dragon, Subaru's body was mercilessly subjected to the ferocious wind and shaking. He grew ill; he couldn't even try to stand. Rem had clutched Subaru and leaped from their dragon carriage to Otto's. If she'd made that decision even a second later, she and Subaru would have shared the same fate as the pulverized cart. "Wh-what happened?! What the hell's going on here?!" The overwhelmingly destructive change had happened in mere tens of seconds. Subaru couldn't even begin to wrap his mind around the sequence of events. "Don't you get it?!" Otto responded to Subaru's confused question in a near scream. When Otto looked back, his face was white as a ghost, his teeth chattering as he pointed to the sky. "The fog appeared! That giant thing swimming in the sky can only be one thing!" It was as if Otto was convincing himself because he refused to accept it; he grudgingly shook his head, convulsing with fear as he desperately drew air into his lungs and shouted with all his might: " The White Whale!!" As if responding to Otto's shout, the White Whale's roar shook the air, echoing across the plains. The White Whale. Subaru knew he'd heard the name during the first time around. The name of the monster shrouded in mist that had shut off the highway. With the highway blocked due to this creature, he'd had to take a huge detour to get back to the mansion. One might say it was the reason he didn't get back before the Witch Cult's onslaught. But until that moment, Subaru had never laid eyes upon the monster itself. Furthermore, Subaru had forgotten its existence; he couldn't deny that he'd been too naive. Namely, that... "How could it come out like this, right now?!" Subaru knew that the highway was closed whenever the White Whale appeared. The first time around, the blockade had occurred on the third day of Subaru and Rem's journey back due to the appearance of the White Whale's mist along the road. And that moment was the night of the second day no doubt the royal capital would be informed of the appearance of the mist in the morning, with the highway sealed during that day. That night was the only one when they were unaware of the White Whale's presence, and they had blundered into the menace. "To think...running into the Wh-White Whale... O Dragon, O Dragon, please deliver us...!" With hollow eyes, Otto murmured a prayer to the Dragon in search of salvation. As Otto lost the will to fight and even his very spirit, Subaru saw with his own eyes how, among traveling merchants, the existence of the White Whale was synonymous with absolute terror. The previous time around, Otto had indicated how the White Whale was an evil omen among all merchants. Otto's lips trembled, his mind somewhere else as he managed the reins. His land dragon, sensing the presence of the White Whale, had fallen into a state of terror, exhausting its remaining strength to kick the ground and propel them forward at an unsustainable speed. The White Whale had sunk into the night, its giant body nowhere to be seen. "Shit... Just when it starts coming after us, the fog comes out...!" Subaru scowled as he felt cold droplets of sweat on his brow, wiping them off with the palm of his hand. With few sources of light to begin with, the emergence of mist made maintaining visibility all but impossible. Subaru looked behind, to the side, and above, searching for any trace of something that resembled a fish. "Rem! Do you see the White Whale?!" "I cannot; it is too dark! But...!" Rem replied bitterly to Subaru's question, but for some reason, she trailed off. The catching of Rem's breath tugged at Subaru, but when he tried to look at her, all he could see in the deep mist was a silhouette; he couldn't tell what was on her face. The mist grew even thicker, to the point that he wasn't sure where his own hands were. *** When Subaru had first met the White Whale's gaze, it was bigger in circumference than Subaru's arms could reach. If the giant eye was anything to go by, the White Whale had to be truly as large as the name implied. It struck him that such a monster was hiding without any sound or sign of its presence, and it was able to swim freely through the night sky. They'd lost sight of the White Whale in the deep fog, a fact that aroused even greater terror. "But I believe my preemptive attack struck... It is possible the creature has retreated." That was surely too optimistic. The might of the ice spears Rem had rammed into it with her incantation was on par with the most powerful magic Subaru had yet seen. If he were ever the target, it'd be enough to kill him three times over. Perhaps even a gigantic creature like that might hesitate to pursue them too far. "What happened to the other dragon carriages?!" "They seem to have scattered and run for it. If you split up and flee the instant the mist arrives, you might be able to escape without the White Whale pursuing if you're lucky." No doubt it was standard operating procedure when encountering the White Whale. It made sense. Certainly, the dragon carriage that had been running parallel to theirs was nowhere to be found. The other vehicles that had followed behind them until that point seemed to have obeyed the unwritten rule and scattered to the winds. Subaru clenched his teeth at the fact that he'd lost the carriages he'd worked so hard to obtain. The timing was a disaster. His plan to evacuate everyone in the village had fallen to pieces once more. "No point crying over spilled milk. Anyway, right now I've gotta focus on a way to get out of this fog..." As the rocking jostled his internal organs, Subaru pushed aside all other concerns until after they escaped. They had few cards to play to deal with the immediate crisis. Now that his own dragon carriage was unavailable, he needed at least Otto's to get back to the mansion. That was why, right then, they had to get past that dangerous fog *** A mouth cavity lined by giant teeth resembling rows of millstones suddenly opened wide before their very eyes. The overpowering violence of the sound and the blast winds of its thunderous roar sent the land dragon reeling. The ground split, tripping up its feet, and the dragon carriage's wheels lifted as the wagon tilted far to the side. The canopy holding down jugs of oil broke, and the cargo went flying outside; Subaru, holding his cord, was in danger of being thrown out himself. Subaru desperately clung to the wagon as he saw the enormous mouth lined with filthy teeth in front of them bearing down, seeking to swallow them whole. It was in that moment that Subaru truly grasped just how little he'd understood. And now, in that instant, plunged into that encounter with the White Whale within that deep nighttime mist, was the gambling table upon which they would wager their survival. " Roaaaaa!" The instant the maw came to swallow the dragon carriage, there was a great shout as something shot into the air from the wagon's floor. Rem had leaped, shooting in front like a bullet, shattering the floor in the process. From the hair under her hairpiece, buffeted by the blast winds, a sharp horn protruded as she entered her Oni state. She swung her personal weapon, a spiked ball on a chain. " Slip past it on the left!" "Left, left, left, left, left!" The iron ball smashed straight down into the White Whale's upper jaw, sending a pitch-black cloud of blood spurting forth as the enormous, yawning mouth snapped shut. The lower jaw gouged out the earth, but even so, momentum continued to propel the giant head forward. Otto poured his entire being into controlling the land dragon, slipping right past the side of the head. However, the wagon behind the sprinting animal could not completely evade the gargantuan body to its right; the two met, kicking up a sound like that of rubbing against solid rock. With a heavy creak, the wagon lost a wheel; without that balance, it flipped right over. Naturally, Subaru, who was atop it, was powerless to avoid being tossed toward the ground in the process. Am I gonna die? Just before his inability to respond led to his death, a silver snake wound around Subaru's chest with a loud roar. Subaru was forcefully dragged up from his steep descent and plopped headfirst onto the driver's seat. "Take thiiiis !" After dragging Subaru up with the iron ball in her right hand, Rem smashed the joint connecting the luggage compartment to the driver's seat with her empty left hand, grasping the edge of the separated section. Instantly, the land dragon pulling the dragon carriage let out a painful neigh from the strain as the parts of the large commercial freight vehicle were torn apart. Even if half of it was gone, it was a supersize bullet made of almost as much wood as a log cabin. It squarely struck the White Whale's straying belly. The White Whale thrashed, its tail blasting apart the earth and the trees, kicking up clouds of dust. "D-d-did you get it?!" Even if Otto didn't know what had just happened, he'd surely noticed the fact that most of his dragon carriage was missing. His voice was tinged with bitterness as he sought hope that would warrant the sacrifice. A roar made the air tremble as an even worse mist blotted out the light. From the pressure bearing down on them from behind, one known as absolute despair, he knew that hope had been shattered. "Wh-why is it only after us...? Aren't there other carriages?!" Otto let out a lament as he cursed the misfortune that had befallen him. He blamed the sheer irrationality of the other eight carriages being ignored while his was attacked. Subaru felt the same way, but he swallowed his complaints when Otto launched a string of curses. He felt like he was getting a good, hard look at an ugly truth against the Witch Cult, he and the others Subaru brought along would have served only as sacrificial pawns, or perhaps meat shields. "Besides, cursing my fate won't change a thing..." The menace of the White Whale continued to press upon them from behind, swimming through the sky faster than the land dragon. Even though the land dragon was running with a lightened load now that they had abandoned the freight, it

was only a matter of time before the whale caught up. "Think, think, think. There has to be a way, something, something...!" Subaru desperately put his head to work, but no plan for a counterattack came to mind. With a sense of urgency weighing on him and the night mist so thick that he couldn't see his own feet, Subaru couldn't find even a single hint. And as time idly wasted away, fate forced yet another difficult choice upon Subaru. The carriage was heavily rocked. As Subaru clung to the floor, Rem approached. She should have been shaken, too, but she didn't seem bothered by it as she nestled close. "Subaru. Please take this." "What?! Did you think of something?! Now we can do something ab " Believing that Rem might have come up with an off-the-wall plan to escape the crisis, Subaru lifted his head as she pushed a small sack onto him. From the heavy weight, he immediately realized it was the traveling money. What use would money have at a time like this...? Feeling a deep chill at Rem's offer, Subaru's cheeks stretched into a stiff smile. "R-Rem...? I know there's a coin-toss skill to at least knock someone off balance, but that's just in games..." "I will get off the dragon carriage and counterattack. During that time, please cut through the mist, Subaru." Though Subaru tried to deny reality with a joke, the firmness of Rem's voice shattered the effort. Rem turned, facing Otto instead of Subaru. "Master Otto. Please take care of Subaru. He is able to pay the promised reward Cut through the mist and report the appearance of the White Whale to the Mathers domain." Otto, not having heard the previous exchange, replied, "R-reward...? There's no time for that! Right now, our v-very lives hang in the balance!" Despite his protest, Rem was relieved to see that he was earnestly making his land dragon run so that he might live. Her lips softened as she looked back at Subaru. "Subaru, please forgive me. I am not very bright, so this is the only plan I can think of..." "W-wait, Rem! You said to report about the White Whale showing up, didn't you? Don't tell me...you don't plan on coming back alive?" Subaru desperately tried to make Rem reconsider the tragic decision she had made. Even though the darkness that had befallen them continued to blot out the rest of the world, for some reason, the only thing he could see clearly was Rem's face before his eyes. "I won't let you go! I won't let you! If you... If you die, too, I'll...!" As Rem stood before him, Subaru dropped the money sack to his feet, putting his hands on Rem's hips and pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her petite figure so that she could not withdraw. If he loosened his arms, he would be releasing Rem's life to fly away, too. He had to at least stop that. At least that "Ahh..." With emotions raging within her, nearly enough to bring her to tears, Rem let out a heated breath as she accepted his embrace. As she looked up at Subaru, holding her in his arms, she lowered her gaze with a charming smile on her lips, seemingly enthralled by the sound of his voice. "I was surely born for this very moment..." "What are you sa...?" Saying, but his mouth wouldn't form the word. Something hit the back of Subaru's neck, and it seemed like the whole world had turned upside down. Rem had stretched out an arm, as if to hug him back, and delivered a chop to the back of his head. Strength drained from Subaru's body, and he crumpled against Rem. "Re...m... What did you...?" Not only was the swaying of the dragon carriage affecting his vision, but it was swallowing his fading consciousness as well. Subaru desperately clung to Rem as it became difficult to even hold his head aloft. Rem gazed affectionately at Subaru as he struggled. Then, she gently brought her lips to Subaru's ear, whispering as if to reach the last remaining shred of his consciousness. "It's all right, Subaru. I will always be watching you from behind." You don't need to do anything. Just always be right there behind me. Those had been Subaru's words to Rem on the morning of their departure. Hence, just as he had said, she now stood behind him as his rear guard. "No...I never intended..." "Subaru. I " His mind fell away. It grew distant and went white. For a moment, he felt like someone was embracing him strongly. He felt something soft touch his forehead and then immediately depart. And that was the last thing he knew. *** Ah. He could feel the repeated rocking and jolting of the carriage, as well as something bumping into his head over and over. Gradually, it called to Subaru's blanked-out mind, bringing him back to reality. He tried to lift his head and sit up, but the rocking was fighting him. His hand was slippery, and he was about to fall onto the floor headfirst once more, but this was averted because something heavy was pressing down on his belly. The pressure on his gut came from something hard. When his hand touched it, he knew from the texture that it was money of some sort, and the memories from just before his consciousness faded rushed from back of his mind. " Rem?!" "Mr. Natsuki?! You're awake?!" Subaru cast aside the bag of traveling money on his stomach, remaining seated and leaning back on his hands as he looked around. The world was still mired in darkness, but the sound of violent shaking told him that he was still on the dragon carriage. And noticing that Subaru was up, Otto turned his head to check on him. Subaru was trying to get up when Otto raised his voice, still looking back from the driver's seat. "Please do not move! You hit your head and the carriage's blessing has been gone for some time. Even now, the land dragon is running with all its strength; I have no time to be concerned about you, Mr. Natsuki!" "Never mind any of that! Rem, what happened to Rem?!" Shouting back, Subaru searched every corner of the driver's seat for the girl. Without the wagon, the dragon carriage was very cramped. Anyone would understand in an instant that there was no need to search. Yet even so, until he checked for himself, he just couldn't accept that she wasn't there. "Answer me, Otto. What happened to Rem...?!" "That young lady..." Realizing that Subaru's voice was rough, agitated enough that he might pounce at any moment, Otto no doubt hesitated to reply because he knew how dangerous things were. "...disembarked from our dragon carriage to engage the White Whale...so that we could have a chance to escape." This told Subaru that the exchange just before he'd lost consciousness was no dream or illusion but fact. *** Having dragged the answer out of the man, Subaru sucked in his breath but once. Then, he said, "Turn back." "...Huh?" "I said, turn back. Rem we have to save her! Turn back right now!" Subaru leaped into the narrow driver's seat and grabbed Otto by his collar. Confused and still occupied with controlling the land dragon, Otto was unable to respond to Subaru's act of violence. His face went pale as his collar was grabbed. "A-are you serious?! Turn back... Turn back and do what?! Did you not see how terrifying that monster is?! It's suicide!" "I'm telling you to go back to where we saw the monster so we can save Rem, damn it!!" When Otto refused his command, a vein bulged on Subaru's forehead as he shouted in anger. The menace of the White Whale had been burned into Subaru's very eyes. The giant creature swam through the air faster than a land dragon could run; a single, casual slap of its tail could rend a carriage asunder. Even within the blinding mist, it unerringly located its prey; even Rem's magic hadn't inflicted any damage. Without doubt, it was the largest and mightiest of all the foes he had seen since arriving in this other world. Compared to the menace it posed, dealing with Elsa, classified as a human being, and the pack of countless Urugarum was far easier to plan for. But he couldn't even dream of a way to defeat a monster on that scale. "And Rem couldn't, either... We can't just leave her. If we do that...!" Subaru was well aware of how strong Rem was in her Oni state. But his familiarity with her abilities meant he could plainly state that it meant nothing before the might of the White Whale. If he left Rem behind, he would lose her for certain. Then everything would be pointless. Then there would be no meaning in Subaru surviving. Rem was an irreplaceable part of the future Subaru desired. If she wasn't there, Subaru would lose sight of even his own self. He would have no one to accept him. Subaru needed her to give him affirmation. "I won't let her sacrifice herself to buy time! Turn back right now, Otto! If you don't..." "Have you lost your mind?!" However, Otto's angry shout interrupted Subaru's plea. Still grasping Otto's collar, he felt a squeeze on the back of his wrist; in the next moment, he was slammed against the driver's seat back first. "Agah!" "You think you can force a traveling merchant tearing down a highway without a blessing? You underestimate me!" With Subaru facedown, Otto twisted the wrist in his hand, straining Subaru's shoulder to its limit still grasping the reins with his other hand all the while. "At any rate, calm down! Look at yourself. What can you do in a state like this? Do you plan to put to waste the feelings that girl left behind?" "Don't you talk about Rem! You left her... You left Rem to die! You have no right to talk about her! Turn back! Save Rem right now...!" "Ahh, goodness! You're not listening! Please regain your composure!" Subaru chewed Otto out as he writhed, struggling to get his pinned arm loose. Meanwhile, Otto gazed at the road ahead as the land dragon ran down the center. "You still don't understand how terrifying the White Whale is?! There are many tales of those who tried to kill it, ever since it descended upon the world centuries ago! Don't you get it?!" Misery clouded Otto's face as he ranted at the obstinate Subaru. "They couldn't kill it, even with hundreds challenging it all at once! We don't even have weapons or power to fight with, so what can we do?! Stand before it and rescue the girl?! We can't do that! There's no way!" "Shut up already! I've heard all that bef " "Then it should be obvious! Even when the Kingdom of Lugunica assembled a great expeditionary force to quell it, the monster killed the last Sword Saint! We can't beat it!" Otto's face trembled with bitter regret as he unwillingly confessed the truth. Otto, too, held great rage toward the White Whale that would never fade. But even so, the menace of the White Whale that stirred his anger was untouchable for man. To teach the ignorant Subaru the error of his ways, Otto had to force himself to acknowledge the enormity of the White Whale, experiencing heartbreaking pain in the process. "It killed...a Sword Saint...?" As Otto bared his soul, a part of the story Subaru had never heard before took the wind from his sails. Sword Saint that was the title granted to the most powerful human being Subaru had laid eyes upon since being summoned to that world. To Subaru, it was the very symbol of strength without equal. It was not for certain that the previous Sword Saint could not boast the same strength as Reinhard,

the epitome of "The Mightiest of All." But if the person bearing a title equal to Reinhard was someone with comparable power, and the White Whale killed that person... "It's stronger than Reinhard...?" A monster surpassing the mightiest of all beings could only be called the worst of all calamities. In short order, Subaru lost the baseless feeling of urgency pressing against his spine. Without the thing pushing him forward, Subaru realized that he lacked the strength to even sit up. "What am I doing...? This ain't the time to be lying down on the j..." He wanted to save Rem. He wanted to rescue her. If he didn't turn back now, that wish could not be granted. Yet, even though his heart understood, none of the will to fight reached to his limbs. His soul was too weak. Otto released Subaru from the hold, and with pity in his voice, he said, "I am weak, and so are you. That is why we cannot save her we cannot hold a candle to her strength." But deep down, Rem wasn't strong, either. Even though Subaru knew that, surely had always known that, he could say nothing. He hung his head as the shaking dragon carriage jostled his body. The land dragon continued forging ahead straight through the night mist. Rem remained behind them, abandoned as the dragon carriage grew distant, pulling Subaru farther and farther from her. *** He stayed bent over like that as time passed maybe five minutes, maybe ten. "Mr. Natsuki, that's..." Otto, having made the land dragon run in silence until then, seemed to doubt his own eyes as he called out to Subaru. Subaru lifted his head and clawed his way to sit beside Otto on the driver's seat, looking in the same direction and found a light flickering amid the darkness. "There is mist in the way, but...that is the light of a crystal lamp!" "We made it...out of the mist...?" "Even if we have, we are still on the highway at night, so any light is unnatural. It's probably someone who was caught in the mist, just like we were...!" As if to support Otto's deduction, the other party seemed to have noticed them, too. About half a minute later, a dragon carriage, and the man driving it, emerged from the mist. "F-finally someone...! Hey, this is just mist, right?! Don't tell me this is the White Whale?!" The man in his prime was frothing at the corners of his lips as he desperately shouted, falling into a state of terror. When he saw Subaru and Otto in the night mist, he must have clung to the hope that they were saviors of some sort. Tensely, he tried to deny the obvious, but Otto shook his head. "I'm afraid that it is. We have already encountered the whale ourselves. Fortunately, we should have shaken it off by now, but until one leaves the mist, you never know where it will appear." "F-for real...?! Ahh, this is terrible. Why, why did this happen to me...?" After a sidelong glance at the man clutching his head, lost in his personal lament, Subaru glared at Otto, seated beside him his use of the word fortunately sounded like Otto had already shed his guilt at leaving Rem behind. "Otto, watch what you say." "What is it, Mr. Natsuki?" "I'm telling you not to make light of things. 'Fortunately'...? That ain't funny. What do you think Rem went through when she...?" As far as leaving Rem was concerned, Subaru and Otto stood in the exact same place. Despite that, Subaru was angry when he thought about Rem an effort to assuage his own feelings of guilt. Subaru understood. He'd understood all along. The idea that Rem, left behind, would stand before the White Whale, exercising her wits, and survive it was nothing but a fantasy, not even wishful thinking. There, inside that mist on the third time around, Rem had died again to save him... "Rem? Who is that?" His thoughts of Rem's tragic resolve were undermined with shocking ease. " Huh?" "Er, I mean, who is this Rem? There was no one by that name among the traveling merchants who scattered... Of whom are you speaking?" Otto tilted his head, not understanding what Subaru had meant. To Subaru, that casual treatment toward her existence was like trampling mud all over her noble spirit. He swung his fist into the side of Otto's face at full force. Instantly, the reins communicated the chaos atop the vehicle to the land dragon, resulting in the dragon carriage swerving violently to the right. Having lost his footing, Subaru crashed backward onto the driver's seat as the man he'd just struck hit the seat on his side. "Wh-what was that for?!" "Don't mess with me!" Unbelievable, said Otto's wide-open eyes in response to Subaru's act of violence, but Otto's words and actions were just as unbelievable to Subaru. "What the hell are you saying...?! Asking who Rem is? She's the girl who stayed behind so we could get away! Don't mess with me! Do you have a death wish...?!" "I'm telling you, I don't understand what you're saying!! You're just spouting strange things all of a sudden... Did seeing the White Whale drive you mad?!" Even in the face of Subaru's accusation, Otto proclaimed his own innocence. Subaru's field of vision was dyed crimson by fierce, irrepressible emotions. The passage of every second felt agonizingly slow as the bloodlust seething through him commanded him to snap the slender neck of the man before him. And just as his hands stretched out to wring the life out of the ingrate The man in the dragon carriage alongside them, in shock as he saw the angry quarrel on the verge of escalating to murder, shouted to try and stop them. "What are you two doing?! This isn't the time to argue! We have to get out of the m " But his voice did not reach the two and was lost in the heat of the moment. It was man's next action after he spoke that broke up the ugly dispute. "Getting out of the mist and running from the White Whale comes first, doesn't ?" The man was continuing his realistic, heartfelt logic. Behind him, the dragon carriage was sucked into the giant mouth of the White Whale, vanishing from Subaru's and Otto's field of vision in the span of a single second. The head of the White Whale turned upward, swallowing the dragon carriage and land dragon whole in a single, enormously weighty bite. As wood and steel were crunched together, the land dragon let out a death cry as its flesh was ground between the millstone-like teeth. The great scream and the sound of its annihilation drowned out the voice of the man, no doubt similarly turned to mincemeat. "Wh...y ?" The silent approach of the enormous creature shocked both Subaru and Otto beyond words. Otto's knees trembled as he beheld the awesome spectacle of the White Whale once more; Subaru's eyes were wide, unblinking. "Why are...you here...?" The White Whale, still alive and well, did not pay the slightest attention to the two little people right beside it as it licked its lips, savoring the dinner spreading through its mouth. "Your being here...means..." What happened to the girl who had stayed behind to draw away the monster? With the overwhelming creature before him, he couldn't help but demand an answer. Naturally, the White Whale offered none. Having finished its chewing, it moved its giant eye down to look at the dragon carriage beside it and Subaru as it assessed its next prey. "Uaaaaaahhhhh !!" Otto shouted, cracking under the pressure before the creature even moved. The land dragon, also panicking due to the White Whale's presence, increased its pace to a gallop without a command from its master. The distance between them and the monster widened in the span of an instant, but then the White Whale swam faster. "Why, why, why, why...? We should have shaken it off; why is it...?!" On the driver's seat of the accelerating dragon carriage, Subaru remained sunk in despondency. Otto, driven to the edge of his wits, wailed as they cut from the right of the head to the left. "Why is it after only us this stubbornly...?! In all this darkness... Why...?! Do I have s-some sort of target painted on my back...?!" Otto wailed as he took the crystal lamp attached to the dragon carriage and threw it away. Even if it was futile, he wanted to hide from the White Whale's eye even if only for a tiny moment longer. But Otto's shout suddenly called an image to the back of Subaru's mind. During his lament, Otto had wondered aloud if there was a bull's-eye on the two of them that the White Whale was doggedly following. If there was any reason why it was so focused on them, then "It couldn't be..." Subaru pulled himself up to the driver's seat, doubting his own eyes as he stared toward the White Whale swimming behind them. Within the night mists, the darkness all around obscured the creature's giant frame. However, when Subaru strained his eyes, he could just make out something on the head of the White Whale facing them. He saw a twisted, spiraling horn protruding from its head. With his own eyes, he'd also seen horns on the Urugarum, the wild demon beasts living in the forest around the mansion that resembled oversize dogs. And he'd learned from experience that those demon beasts, said to be born from the power of the Witch, were attracted to her scent, given off by Subaru. In other words... "...That monster...the White Whale is a demon beast, too...?" When he voiced the hard-to-believe possibility, he shook his head at the unpalatable reality. But when he thought about it, everything fit. It explained why the White Whale had found their dragon carriage first out of all the ones that had scattered. It explained why it had obstinately pursued Otto from the moment Subaru had come aboard. It explained why the creature had pursued that dragon carriage after Rem had resigned herself to death to buy them time. He recalled how Rem had hesitated to tell him something about the White Whale as it pursued them through the darkness. That was when Rem had realized it. "The White Whale...is drawn to my body...?" The White Whale had assaulted them in pursuit of Subaru in pursuit of the scent of the Witch. Rem had realized that fact before anyone else; to protect Subaru, she'd disembarked from the dragon carriage in a bid for more time. To protect Subaru. For Subaru's sake alone. "No, Rem... Because of me... Because of me...!" Subaru lowered his head and sank down, fighting back the overflowing sorrow within him. The knowledge that Rem was gone, and that he bore all the responsibility for losing her, weighed heavily on both Subaru's mind and body. "Mr. Natsuki..." Stricken by despair, Subaru felt Otto pat his shoulder from behind. His fingers were shaking, his voice dry. He trembled as he looked in Otto's direction. "Otto, I..." "Please die." The next moment, the shove to Subaru's shoulder easily sent him tumbling from the dragon carriage. " Huh?" His field of vision inverted as he violently tumbled down, losing track of which way was up. Amid the chaos of his vision, he saw Otto loudly laughing. His mouth was open so wide that Subaru could see his white molars, spit dribbling from the corners of his mouth as he spoke. "I-it's your fault! I-if you're why it's after us, then take responsibility! Ah-ha-ha! Die! Die and save meee!" Hearing Otto's maniacal laughter, Subaru realized that his mind had completely snapped. Otto had been driven to the edge. Overhearing Subaru's frail murmur, he clung to the tiniest of hopes, not bothering to ask for confirmation before shoving him to his doom. Right around the time Subaru realized this, his body reached the ground. His

back slammed mercilessly against the earth. Without hyperbole, the pain was like he had broken every bone in his body. Crying painfully as his internal organs were crushed, he spat out blood and kept rolling. The impact was hard enough to dull even his ability to register pain. Subaru vomited bile and blood over and over, raising his wobbly head. He could hear the far-off, fleeing dragon carriage from which he had been shoved. Oddly, no words of reproach came to mind. Granted, he was in far too much pain and suffering to voice any complaint, but even ignoring that, he just didn't have the heart to fault Otto. The merchant had merely been in the wrong place at the wrong time and shoved off Subaru in a desperate struggle to survive. Maybe Subaru forgave him because he could hardly have been expected to do otherwise. "Ehuh! Guheh!" Such sentiments, the taste of blood filling the inside of his mouth, the ferocious pain his body was trying to remember... *** ...all these things were forgotten when the overwhelmingly huge creature showed itself before him. With a single glance, Subaru came to understand just how foolish it was to defy this awesome and terrible menace. As Subaru lay prone, the White Whale was close enough to touch, expelling putrid breath out of its incomprehensibly huge mouth as it examined the tiny being before it. To the body of a diminutive man, a mere exhalation from the White Whale was a ferocious gale. Subaru, unable to support his own body, was sent rolling across the ground with that single burst of air. *** Then, while Subaru writhed with agony, the White Whale remained silent as it looked down at him, almost as if toying with him. A word like careless did not apply to the creature as it casually loitered in place. The difference between them was simply that great. It would have been like an ant challenging an elephant or a man challenging a whale under the ocean's waves. Inside Subaru's head, overwhelmed by pain and nausea, he knew he was feeling death drawing near. It was a feeling of despair that he had felt several times over. Slowly but surely, he was keenly aware of the despondency from what he had lost and his helplessness, that once more he had left the things he had to do unfinished. The emotions came to him like old friends, wrapping their arms around his shoulders like best buds as they laughed at his embarrassing troubles and his laughable struggles. He no longer had any idea what had gone wrong. But now that Rem was lost to him, Subaru had nothing left. He chuckled at himself for his ridiculous attempts at resistance and survival, even in his pathetic state. Stupid. Worthless. The lowliest of all lives, with nothing left to do whatsoever. He felt the White Whale, right before him, drawing its nose close. Its open mouth was lined with the unyielding teeth that had chewed up even hard-scaled land dragons with ease. These teeth would bite down on him, chewing and grinding his flesh, bones, and very soul. His lips quivered, trying to say something defiant, like, "Kill me already," or, "Hurry up and do it." "I don't...wanna die..." This time, Subaru truly despaired at how he was too weak to manage even that. Inside his chest, a sense of powerlessness like none he'd ever had before impaled him like a cold blade. His blood froze throughout his body. He despaired as everything in front of him turned black. "N-no...I don't wanna die! Save I don't wanna die... I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die... No, no, no... Save me, Rem, save me...!" Tearful words and whimpers poured out of his mouth as the inevitable end to his miserable life drew near. It was pathetic. Repulsive. It could be called only a truly shameful sight. Anyone would avert their eyes at the spectacle and scoff at him. No doubt it would have hurt to even watch. He could not cling to life like this and hold on to his dignity as a human, too. It was wretched. Even bugs were more adorable and lived with more pride. This self-pitying boy, too filthy to count as a higher life-form worthy of respect, was truly "the greed of a pig." "N-no...I don't wanna die... Save me..." Even so, he crawled in an effort to escape, grasping for whatever possibility might let him keep his life. His body, its strength exhausted, would go no farther. His fingertips merely pawed at the grass, lacking the power to claw the soil. Even the will to cry was now lost to him. Rolling onto his side was his final act of physical resistance. "I don't wanna die...!" Then he rolled onto his back, a plea for his life trickling out of his mouth. That was his final struggle to live. He could do nothing more. He could think no more. He could only await the inevitable. Yet even so, no matter how long Subaru waited, the blow that would end him never arrived. Though his old friend, the aura of death, preceded the bite that would be his violent end...it never came. The terror of knowing the end was near, but not when, was something that easily wrecked the human heart. As unendurable terror gripped him, Subaru forced his trembling body to comply. His gaze shifted around, and he sought an end to his despair, when... "...Eh?" ...he realized that the White Whale, supposedly drawing nearer with every moment, was nowhere to be found. From there on, desperately clinging to life was the only thing that kept Subaru going. "I don't wanna die... I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die..." He was out of breath, tottering on his feet, with droplets of blood in his eyes clouding his vision. But Subaru took no heed as he ran. It changed nothing; he'd been lost in darkness and mist to start with. Within the embrace of the moonless, starless night, Subaru couldn't even see his own feet. Or perhaps the White Whale had swallowed him long ago and he simply hadn't realized it. Perhaps, even in that very moment, he was in the belly of the demon beast, running only toward his own doom... "Hic." Amid the darkness, Subaru kept running and running, all alone. He had lost Rem, Otto had abandoned him, even the White Whale had left him behind. He didn't know why I don't wanna die was the only thought he had. What meaning was there in living? What meaning was there in not dying? Perhaps the incoherent thought rose to the fore as a simple, instinctive means of protecting himself from fear and pain. It was disgusting how, even at that juncture, his self-pity was at work. " Ah?" As he berated himself to no end, the mist suddenly, and without the slightest fanfare, fell away. Subaru crumpled to the ground with an expression of disbelief at the abrupt end to the darkness that he thought would continue forever. Soft moonlight poured down on him as it sunk in that he had survived. Subaru, feeling blood flowing through his limbs once more, stretched both hands toward the night sky. What made him do so was not unbridled joy at grabbing hold of life. "I did it again..." He despaired at himself, having once more cheated death after another wretched struggle. Having obtained the life he had so craved, Subaru could take little joy in it. An unquenchable sense of guilt burned in his chest, and his shame at forgetting about her almost made him crave death again. "Rem... Rem...!" Covering his face, he called her name as irrepressible hot tears continued pouring out from him. In so doing, Subaru sought her forgiveness so that his own soul might find comfort. He rubbed his head against the soil as he wept. He didn't know how much time passed like that until he heard a slow creaking sound drawing closer to the hunched-over boy. "Y-you're..." It was a land dragon, pulling the bloodstained remnants of what had once been its carriage. He remembered it. There was no mistake it was Otto's land dragon. But there was no sign of the young man who had shoved Subaru off. "Why are you...? Where is he? Where's Otto?" Though he voiced the question, he of course received no reply. The land dragon tottered closer; Subaru, in turn, rose and walked toward it. As Subaru looked up at the cruelly damaged animal, he realized it. The driver's seat was stained with blood, impaled with crucifix-like daggers. Someone had attacked when they'd left the mist. Subaru couldn't even imagine what despair Otto must have felt, having gone mad and even leaving Subaru to die in his efforts to escape with his life, only to be ambushed afterward. But the fact that his land dragon was alone made it all too clear what had resulted. "...Let's go." With a muted murmur, Subaru dragged his pain-racked body up onto the driver's seat. Grasping the reins with his right hand, which was somehow still functional, he did as he'd seen others do and ordered the land dragon to move out with a flick. Sensing someone not his master through the reins, the beast looked up at Subaru with its round eyes, seemingly at a loss. But when Subaru flicked the reins once more, it gently began moving down the highway. Under the gleam of the silvery moon, the land dragon smoothly ran along. The man and land dragon, having both lost someone precious, were licking each other's wounds in a sense as they bathed in the soft, soft laughter of the moon and the stars. Gently, gently, the land dragon continued to run. And kept running. CHAPTER 4 *** Making creaking sounds, the land dragon continued moving forward. Subaru's mind was hazy; leaning deep into the driver's seat, he was the driver in name only. It was partly fatigue, partly the effects of his wounds, but it was chiefly the wearing down of his spirit. His broken bones and cut forehead had not healed; his dislocated left shoulder was crying out painfully. His broken teeth felt extremely unpleasant; his clothes, filthy from blood, mud, and urine, transferred the chill directly to his skin. Why had he survived? Protected by Rem only to lose her, abandoned by Otto, spurned even by the White Whale that had spared his pathetic life. He'd blundered his way along the highway through the night mist, breaking free of it and thus prolonging his life. Just where would this path lead him and the surviving land dragon? And once he arrived, would there be anything he could do? The desire to protect someone, to save someone he'd trusted it was that feeling that had spurred him forward. Yet, having seen things he wished he hadn't, he knew he had simply been consoling himself with pretty words. He'd come to realize that he needed his own life above all else; he was a lump of flesh wrapped up in self-pity. When they'd left Rem to face the White Whale, and Subaru had ordered Otto to turn around, maybe he'd only pretended his heart was broken by Otto's rebuttal but was actually relieved deep down? If it was an opponent even someone like a Sword Saint could not defeat, going back meant only a dog's death. Rem wouldn't want that. So he'd told himself he didn't need to go back. He didn't need to die. As a matter of fact, Subaru hadn't gone back to save Rem; he'd even begged the White Whale, the purported target of his hatred, for his own life. He'd shouted, I don't wanna die, as he fled in a daze, peeing on himself all the while. At the time, Rem's safety or lack thereof never entered the back of his mind even once. Rem had done a pretty stupid thing, throwing

her life away for a man like him. "But...the stupidest thing is..." There was no Rem anymore. Otto was gone, as were all the other traveling merchants. Subaru was alone, save for the land dragon silently continuing to advance along the well-maintained highway in search of human civilization. It didn't matter where. Subaru just wanted it to bring him somewhere. Subaru grew apathetic, releasing his hand from the reins as he collapsed onto the driver's seat. As he rolled onto his side, he could see the crucifixes still jabbed into a hard-to-see nook. It was evidence that Otto had been attacked by Witch Cult adherents he'd apparently encountered after slipping past the mist. All that time, Subaru had been wondering if the Witch Cult would appear before him as well; would he meet the same fate as Otto? Would his meaningless life be cut down as well? Or if it came to that, would he be spared once more, even if he was face-to-face with Petelgeuse? "Petel...geuse..." Haltingly naming the object of his hatred, Subaru knew just how hollow his own heart was. Even when voicing the name of the madman who'd brutally murdered Rem, mocked Subaru, and was the root of all evils, Subaru's heart didn't feel a twinge, even though only a few hours prior, Subaru's anger toward him was the only thing keeping him going. "What the hell's wrong with me...?" The dragon carriage's wheels creaked; an extremely high-pitched sound clawed at his eardrums. Almost in pain from the discordant sound, Subaru grimaced and sat up. "A forest...?" The land dragon had stopped its walking some time before. When he observed his surroundings, the land dragon was clawing at the ground of a woodland road surrounded by trees. Apparently the sun had risen some time ago, because white sun rays from above were baking Subaru's body. Now that he'd noticed it, Subaru savored the heat on his skin, soaking it up like a wick, when... " Ah, Subaru?" ...he was surprised to hear an innocent, high-pitched voice call him by name. A number of diminutive figures had climbed onto the stopped dragon carriage, peering down at Subaru as he sat on the driver's seat. They pointed at Subaru and began to laugh at the sorry state they'd found him in. "It really is Subaru." "What's wrong, Subaru?" "Subaru, you're filthy." "You stink, Subaru." But these were not laughs of ill-willed mockery but rather, warm chuckles reserved for those whom they bore deep affection. "Y-you're..." He knew their faces. He'd seen them several times in the last few days. He'd seen them contorted in pain and agony, never to smile again. These were the grinning faces of the children living in Earlham Village, on the outskirts of Roswaal Manor. In a daze, Subaru lifted his head and saw that there, ahead on the woodland path, was the human civilization he'd sought. He had finally arrived at the place he'd longed for, that he'd craved so much. Subaru had made it back before he'd surrendered completely to despair and lost everything. "Subaru?" "Er, what's wrong?" "Ahh, look out!" The children's voices rose. Subaru knew what they were trying to tell him. Regardless, his head had already grown heavy, and he could no longer support his body. Something stretched taut made a sound as it snapped, and once again, Subaru's mind fell toward a dark, quiet place, as if he were trying to shove all his troubles away. "Wait a Don't fall " He fell. When Subaru opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a familiar white ceiling. The plain room, adorned with only a crystal lamp, was something of a rarity among the dazzlingly ornamented rooms of the mansion. When he was here, he could feel at ease as the rank commoner he was. And so he had taken a liking to it, selecting it as his own room. Under his head was one of the pillows so eternally soft that he could never get used to them. The fact that sheets had been meticulously pulled up to his shoulders made it clear that someone had tucked him in as he slept on the bed. It was Subaru's nature to become alert as soon as he opened his eyes, no matter what the situation. He looked around the room, seeing for himself that it was indeed where he always woke up. " Ah." There was a girl sitting near the side of the bed, her eyes quietly lowered upon a book. She wore a customized, very exposing maid outfit, with black as its chief color. She had a white flower hair ornament and a lovely face; the sharpness of her stiff, beautiful features displayed her inner refinement. The instant Subaru realized she was there, he practically leaped up into a sitting position, taking her hand into his before she even realized he was awake. Her face registered surprise... " Do not touch me so casually, Barusu." ...as her cold, blunt words; the tone of her voice; and the feeling of his hand being shaken off shattered his illusion. In that instant, he realized that the girl before his eyes had pink hair. His reunion with someone precious whom he had lost was nothing but an illusion. This was the older twin sister of the girl he longed for, two peas in a pod, differing only in hair color. "I can understand you are happy at seeing me after several days, but to leap at me by instinct is less like a man and more like a male. It is indecent." Ram glared reproachfully at Subaru, shifting her chair away as if to distance herself from the bed. The frigidity of her gaze and voice drilled into him that this was not her look-alike younger sister. "Yeah......that's right, I don't have any right to that anymore..." Ram suspiciously lifted an eyebrow as Subaru clawed at his head, bit his lip, and hunched forward. From Ram's point of view, she'd done nothing but greet his awakening with a suitably sharp tongue. The usual Subaru would make some sort of frivolous comeback, but he was falling silent with a grave expression. "...I really would rather you did not make me do something so atypical, but..." As Ram spoke, she drew near to Subaru and gently patted his head with her palm. The soft movement of her fingertips had a quiet, gentle rhythm that unsettled Subaru. "Your face says you are thinking something rude, Barusu. You did not expect kindness from me?" "No, I...didn't... I thought you were the type to kick me when I'm down." "I imagine there are few maids who have as much generosity and kindness as I. I'm too crafty to torment you in your current state, Barusu. I'll save the kicking for another time and place." "Correction. You really are the woman I thought you were." Ram declared that she'd redouble her antics next time, but Subaru did not sense any less affection from her fingertips. Even if her speech was blunter and her personality was completely different, she really was Rem's sister. His chest grew tight with the knowledge that they really did think the same way. He bore the inescapable pain of what he had to tell her... "Ahh..." As he sank into thought, Subaru felt her fingers pull away, causing him to blurt out a sound in regret. He rushed a hand to his mouth, but Ram broke into a smile even faster as she shot him a teasing look. "You wanted more?" "I don't need it. I'm not some little kid...!" "Bold words, when you look ready to bawl like a child. You're as stubborn as a little brat." Ram slumped as Subaru gave her a sulking sidelong glance. Her condescension was fully intact as she said, "Now then, Barusu." *** Ram returned the chair in front of Subaru, sitting directly opposite him and staring at him. " I must ask you what you have to say. Yes," she said, before launching into the topic at hand. "You were in an awful state, Barusu. You appeared at the village with an unfamiliar dragon carriage, filthy and half-dead. At first, when people from the village called for me to come over, I thought it must be some kind of joke." In a businesslike tone, Ram recounted how she'd carried Subaru back to the mansion while he was unconscious. "Dislocated shoulder, cut forehead... I connected the broken bones, but your wounds will open if you force yourself. I disposed of your filthy blood- and mud-covered clothes I shall refrain from telling Lady Emilia that you relieved yourself in them." "...Yeah, that's a big help." Subaru's muted reaction made Ram lower her shoulders with chagrin apparent on her face. To Ram, that last part was just a tiny bit of humor, but it would have been a big problem for Subaru otherwise. "And the one who healed my wounds was..." "Lady Emilia." Just like that, Ram said what Subaru had feared. When Subaru hung his head at the reply, Ram put her hands on her hips and humphed through her nose. "It could not be helped. I asked Lady Beatrice first, but she refused. Though, given how fickle she can be, I fully expected that she might decline." "Did...Emilia say anything about me?" "I shall tell you nothing of it. That is something you should ask her yourself." Ram replied icily to Subaru's meek question while patting his formerly dislocated shoulder. "I have not heard what occurred between you and Lady Emilia in the royal capital. I am not interested. From your reaction just now, it would seem that you did nothing good regardless." "That's pretty harsh." "I think it is a fair statement, is it not? More accurately, you are afraid that I will address the main topic of concern, and you wish to clumsily put it off as long as possible by talking about something else." "Uhh..." Unable to even manage a proper groan, Subaru understood what Ram really wanted to hear. After all, the individual who should have returned by Subaru's side was absent. Naturally, he needed to tell her about that first. He wondered if it was Ram's kindness or her strictness that made her broach the conversation when Subaru had said nothing of it himself. It was probably both. He couldn't allow her benevolence to spoil him forever. " Rem is dead." The instant the words were on his lips, Subaru felt something inside him gently come loose. The instant he made the confession, the weighty mass in the innermost depths of his chest broke apart and sank into his stomach, demanding acknowledgment from him. The hot sensation he felt through his forehead told him exactly what that mass was. I've lost Rem. A flood of tears poured out of him. And he realized it. Only then did he realize: Subaru had let Rem die, over and over. Including the previous mansion loop, this made the fourth time Subaru had let her die, four times Subaru had felt her passing. Finally, it sank in that he had let Rem die four times over. And yet, that was the first time Subaru had shed tears over her death for her sake. Not out of self-pity, not out of guilt, but purely for Rem's own sake. "I...couldn't do anything. On the highway, the mist... The White Whale showed up. Then, so I could get away, Rem... But I was left behind in the mist...and then, finally..." He couldn't put what he wanted to say in proper sentences. With periodic sobs, his account jumped from idea to idea, failing to arrange the topics in an orderly manner. Unable to keep his excuses at bay, Subaru grew afraid, feeling that he had somehow sullied Rem's final moments. He acknowledged his crime. He would accept his punishment one befitting an unsightly man such as him. That was why he had to explain everything as clearly as possi "Who is Rem?" *** "Ah, er,

huh...?" He didn't...understand...what was being said to him. Unable to grasp the meaning of Ram's question, Subaru made incoherent sounds in response. Who is Rem? What did that even mean? But seeing Subaru lost in doubt, Ram cocked her head and opened her mouth once more. "Barusu. Who is this Rem?" Her eyebrow hadn't even twitched at the mention of her twin sister's name, and now she was asking who she was. "Wh-whaddaya mean, who...? Don't say stupid things like that! It's the name of y-your little sister, isn't it?! Rem, right? R-e-m. Rem! This isn't the time for j " "My little sister...?" Ram put a finger to her lips, closing her eyes as she seemed to sink into serious thought. Subaru had seen the gesture before, but in his present state, it was extremely difficult to endure. He felt the urge to yell, What the hell are you doing?! and punt Ram all the way into the mist at that very moment. "My little sister, Rem. Ahh..." "You remember now?!" "I cannot remember what never was. I have no little sister. I have always been an only child." Subaru's face went very pale as Ram's plain statement defied his every expectation. "That's crazy... What are you saying...?" " I do not have a little sister." "Don't mess with me! If Rem didn't exist, what happened during that mess with the demon beasts in the forest?! You, Rem, and I went there and..." "Truly, what is wrong with you, Barusu? I am loath to admit it, but half the credit for exterminating the Urugarum pack is yours. The remaining half goes to my own efforts and Roswaal's power... There is no place to slip in some long-lost little sister named Rem." Even when hearing Subaru's protests, Ram obstinately refused to acknowledge her little sister's existence. Inside of Ram, things that had most certainly happened had been overwritten with false memories. He didn't know what it meant. He didn't know why she was answering him in that manner. "This ain't funny... Not even a nightmare...would have a script this bad..." "As always, I am quite serious. It's you who's dreaming, Barusu." "Dreaming... Dreaming? You're saying I'm dreaming?! Stop messing with me!" With Ram completely at sea, Subaru pushed aside the sheets and got out of bed. His endurance hadn't returned; his lower body wobbled as he walked out, driven by his fierce emotions. "Barusu, you should not be up y " "Shut up! Be quiet and...come look!" Ram extended a hand toward his tottering body, but Subaru brushed it aside angrily. Subaru had been sleeping in his bedroom on the second floor of the mansion's east wing. Rem's room was on the third floor, so he walked to the stairs leading up in search of some trace of her. "Your endurance has not returned. If you continue to force yourself and collapse, it will only cause me trouble." Ram followed behind him, speaking to him, but Subaru, his shoulders shaking in anger, had no intention of listening. Taking more time than usual to climb up the stairs, Subaru headed straight down the third floor corridor of the mansion before stopping in front of a room Rem's room. Once Ram saw it, surely her ridiculous notions would shatter into dust. Subaru grasped the doorknob to the room and marched in. He didn't hesitate. If he did, Subaru's timid heart would let him make more excuses. He had no time to be worried or conflicted. The room he stepped into was plain but decorated in a reserved, feminine fashion "...No...way." There was...nothing. The space he'd just entered had a made bed and a little table, no different than any of the other empty rooms. Rem's had been simple, but this was different, completely devoid of personality. The little feminine touches and decorations had certainly been in hers. "This can't be rea..." Looking around the room, Subaru couldn't believe it and rushed out into the hallway. Ignoring Ram's gaze as she stood beside the door, Subaru counted the rooms from the stairs to this one. He'd made no mistake. There was no way he could have. He could find the place with his eyes closed. Then why...? "C-could it be Beatrice? Maybe she shuffled the spaces around on me like that first time..." "Barusu." "That's right! That has to be it! Why that little Playing her games to make fun of me..." "Barusu, stop it." Seeing Subaru grow hysterically desperate, Ram quietly dropped all hint of affection. Shocked, Subaru looked at Ram. She gazed back at him, the almost unthinkable, plaintive look in her eyes expressing just how much she was concerned for his well-being. But it was wrong. That wasn't what Subaru was looking for. "Rem... This is her..." " There has never been such a person at this mansion." Ram shook her head, her eyes clouding as she said, as if to slap him to his senses, "I do not have a little sister." And so she finally destroyed his doubts. He'd meant to own up to his responsibility, to bear his crime on his shoulders. He had meant to accept that all-too-heavy burden, the responsibility he wished to cast aside and flee from at that very moment, and face up to Rem's death. *** Did he not even have the right to mourn Rem's death and plead for forgiveness? He'd done things thinking it was for Emilia's sake, but she hadn't accepted him; their feelings were at odds and still remained on different trajectories. Rem, who'd thrown everything away for Subaru's sake, had expended her life in heroic fashion as the world repeated itself. And yet, the world had robbed Subaru of the duty to shoulder the responsibility of her life. Time, the world, the Witch Cult, the White Whale various obstacles stood between Subaru and what he desired. Why was the world so cold to Subaru, betraying him and all his feelings? That was, that was "Barusu, please return to your room." As Subaru stood dumbfounded in the unoccupied quarters, Ram spoke thusly to him. With Subaru rooted to the floor, Ram, standing beside him, pressed a hand to his back to lead him out of the room and said, "You must be confused about many things because you are tired. Head back to your room and keep dreaming in bed. I have things to do, so I cannot stay with you like this forever." Even though Subaru was beaten down, Ram's decision was strict toward Subaru. She meant to carry out her assigned duties without coddling him any further. "Back to your room, and sleep." Repeating the command one more time as she left, Ram went down the stairs and vanished from view. Certainly, if he slept as she said, he might be able to escape that sense of alienation. It was all a bad dream, surely. He was dreaming, so he'd go back to bed to dream. He should just run away, run away, run away. He'd fled all the way to where he stood now. If he kept trying to get away, like he always had, like he always would if he ran and ran and ran and ran, then "Then...what...?" Subaru murmured, his foot stopping just as he was about to take the stairs down. Judging that he needed to escape into a dream, he'd dragged his feet over to the stairs. Slightly raising his jaw, Subaru looked at the steps up to the next floor. No matter how far he fled, it'd all be the same. And Subaru would have betrayed Rem again. Rem had protected Subaru, gambling with her own life so that he might escape from the White Whale... And for what? So that Subaru could finish what he'd started. For his goal of saving the people precious to him from the evil clutches of the Witch Cult. If he abandoned that objective then and there, letting go and fleeing into his own mind... "That's...a lot lower than begging for forgiveness..." Subaru turned away from the stairs leading downward. This time, there was no hesitation in his gait. Subaru put his foot on the first step and went up, not down, because that was where he would find the reason for his return. Stepping firmly upon each step, Subaru slowly headed up. Arriving at the topmost floor, he breathed out as he found the door he had been fighting toward this whole time. When he reached for the doorknob, Subaru realized that he was oddly calm. It seemed unreal how much his heart had quieted down after its frantic pounding when he'd burst into Rem's room. He wondered if he had actually calmed down or if he had moved beyond stress entirely and sunk so far that he could no longer hear its powerful thumping. But: "Rem, lend me...your courage " When he voiced that name, Subaru felt his hand become stronger. That strength transferred to the doorknob; he gently opened the obstinate-seeming door. And on the other side of the open entryway, a girl was sitting at the desk, looking back toward him as she said, " Subaru?" When Subaru heard the chime-like voice calling out his name, he closed his eyes. He finally remembered the deep emotions rushing through his chest that were difficult to put into words...and that he had returned for the sake of hearing her voice. She was a girl with fluttery silver hair, pale skin, and violet eyes. Sadness marred her fleeting, beautiful features. The girl Emilia rose from her seat and said to Subaru, "...Why...did you come back?" It was not the words themselves but the trembling tone of her voice that robbed Subaru of all thought. Here was Emilia, lacking all strength in her eyes, her lips quivering. It had been a little while since he had seen her. He felt like she was thinner than when they had parted. Both her voice and her eyes were clouded with fatigue, enough to suggest she hadn't been getting any sleep. She'd probably been backed into a corner, her spirit worn down by external influences. Thus, Subaru stepped forward, ignoring Emilia's question as he offered her his hand. "Come on. You can't stay here." Subaru's forceful behavior surprised Emilia; she pulled back slightly from him. When the original distance between them was restored, Emilia shook her head toward the troubled boy. "Go where...? No, why?" "Anywhere will work, as long as it's not here. If you're gonna ask what it's for, my answer is that it's for your sake. I came back for your " "This again, Subaru?" Emilia seemed disappointed in his reply as he spoke. Her velvet eyes watered slightly, glaring up at him through her lashes and cowing him into silence. "Returning all of a sudden, covered in wounds and making everyone worry... Aren't you supposed to be undergoing treatment from Ferris in the royal capital? Why are you here now?" "A lot happened! There's a mountain of things to explain, but I don't have the time to do it right now. Please listen to me. We have to get out of this mansion this " "I told you I can't, didn't I? I can't trust you like this, Subaru... I told you." Grudgingly, Emilia shook her head and rejected him with a trembling voice. It was a direct continuation of their exchange back in the waiting room at the royal capital, without the slightest progress. Subaru had been unable to convey to Emilia his willingness to do anything for her sake, and he had failed to understand why Emilia refused to understand how he felt. But one thing was different from before. "I'll drag you out of here if I have to. In a few days, you'll know I'm right whether you want to or not, so...!" "Wait. Wait, Subaru. What's wrong? This isn't like you, Subaru. I... And yet " "Just shut up and listen to me!!" The instant he shouted, Emilia's shoulders trembled. Before her unbelieving eyes, Subaru's ragged breaths came with as much

force as his angry yell, and he glared intensely at her. "You can't stay here. You'll regret it. I know you will. It won't help anyone. It won't save anyone. I don't want to suffer anymore. I don't want to cry anymore!" "What are you talking about...? Subaru, I don't understand." "Shut up! If everyone would just... If you do exactly what I tell you, it'll be all right! Everything will turn out okay. It's true! Why doesn't anyone understand that...?!" Subaru clawed at his head, raising his voice not toward Emilia but at the irrationality of the situation. No doubt Emilia could not understand the meaning behind Subaru's angry outburst. But this was the only place where he could express these curses aloud. Only before Emilia could Subaru vent about all the senseless things he had encountered and bring out all the ugly emotions he had borne with such difficulty. Seeing Subaru plead in a tearful voice, Emilia lowered her eyes in sadness. "I'm sorry, Subaru. I don't get what you're saying. I really can't understand it." Emilia's eyes remained lowered as she softened the tone of her voice in an effort to soothe Subaru's spirit. "I want to understand. But even if I could understand with time, I can't give you that right now... There are so many things I need to do. That's why right now, I " "It'll all go wrong." Subaru interrupted her show of concern with a few short words, trampling upon Emilia's feelings. Hearing the malice filling his voice, Emilia was in shock, blinking as he repeated the words. "It'll all go wrong. You're no good. You'll fail. There's no way you could do it. There's no chance. You're all talk. Totally beyond saving. No one can rescue you. You'll just keep doing rash and reckless things, and the number of corpses in the pile will be the same. That...is your future." The satisfaction filling Subaru's body was pitch-black, mean, ugly, and contemptible. As each word that fell from his mouth sounded in Emilia's ears, the pain on her face let him truly see the effects of jamming his feelings like blades into the weak points of her heart. At that moment, Emilia was forced to pay attention to everything he said. In that instant alone, he took morbid joy in the fact that she could not ignore him. He'd rejected her determination, laughed off her resolve, callously trampled on her actions, scoffed at her past idleness, and prophesied a completely dark future. As Subaru watched Emilia, stunned by all he'd said, his heart Quietly, Emilia murmured, "Why?" Grief at Subaru's heartless words, along with pain at his description of an inescapably dark future, caused Emilia's expression to stiffen. But even then, her violet eyes remained unclouded. Captivated by the haunting, dimmed gleam of her eyes, he watched the world reflected in them in other words, Subaru himself, as seen by her. Then, "Why do you look like you're crying from so much pain, Subaru?" Only then did he realize that a twisted smile had come over him while his tears poured out. He knew that everything he'd said had been thrown back in his face. Reflecting upon each and every word with which he'd crushed Emilia's feelings, eyes running all the while, he realized they amounted to nothing. With everything he said, Subaru had managed only to slice himself to ribbons. Determination, resolve, actions, past, future Subaru's had been rejected as much as hers. He felt like it was futile no matter how hard he tried. He knew that he was seized by an urgent need to do something. As for what he was struggling against, he had no idea. He knew only one thing. "She...she brought me this far... No. She stayed with me this far, and there are things I have to do for her..." "Rem?" Subaru anxiously searched his heart for the original feelings that had brought him to where he currently stood. Emilia, listening to his seemingly meaningless utterance, tilted her head slightly. *** His breath caught. The way Emilia had said her name. It was clearly how people sounded when they were confused. " You too." "Hmm?" "You've...forgotten Rem, too " Not only had her own twin sister forgotten her existence, not only had all traces of her vanished, but the person who was the entire reason for Subaru's return didn't remember her, either, even though Rem had staked her life on making it happen. The days she had spent, the time, the feelings, the way she'd lived, all had vanished. Her smile, her anger, her tears, the touches they'd shared what had happened to all the things that made her who she was, that were firm proof she had lived? " All right. I'll tell you everything." "Eh?" Emilia responded, surprised by Subaru's words. Looking up at her beautiful, refined face, Subaru found anew the source of the emotions that had driven him to such lengths. If the alternative was for Rem and her feelings to vanish into the ether forever... "It's better to get everything out, even if it makes me cough up blood." Subaru had decided. He'd reveal it all. He'd tell her the truth about what clouded the depths of his spirit. Emilia, seeing that the look in Subaru's eyes had changed, swallowed stiffly. Standing before her, Subaru put a hand to his chest. His heartbeats were fast; he knew and feared exactly what was about to happen, what the result would be. That pain. Pain enough to drive a man mad. The suffering of those ministrations on his heart, the sensation of it being crushed, his inability to even let out a sound, continuing on and on, never knowing when it would come to an end... But he had thought about this, too. As if I care. I don't care. What's that pain compared to this suffering right now? She couldn't trust him. She couldn't understand him. If he would have to endure the suffering of no one remembering Rem on top of that, mere physical pain paled in comparison. If you're gonna come, then come, damn it. If it's my heart you want, you can have it. "Emilia." "Yes?" "I've...seen the future. I know what's gonna happen. And if you wanna know why, it's because...I can Return by Death " The instant he reached the verge of revealing everything, the world indeed came to a halt. As he'd expected, everything gradually slowed, finally stopping altogether. In that instant, the environment lost its color; all the sounds he had heard to that point vanished. The wind, his breath, his beating heart all grew further and further away and did not return. With all five senses deserting his mind, Subaru was isolated from the world. Then, as if unable to leave him alone in his solitude, the hands slowly appeared, bearing their unsought benevolence. The black cloud that spawned seemed to slide through the air as it wriggled, shifting to form arms. In past times, only the right arm had the well-defined contours of a limb. But as the frequency of the evil hands' occurrence had increased, they formed a left hand as well with disturbing speed. Both hands drew near to Subaru, with the left stroking his cheek, seemingly fond of him. The right rudely refused to be patient, plunging into Subaru's chest, slipping past his ribs, and gently enveloping his heart. The frightening sensation of that alien limb softly, gently toying with his heart coursed through his entire body. Unlike the unimaginable pain inflicted on him previously, the blackness that held Subaru's life in its hands seemed to be craftily manipulating his ultimate fear to break his determination and resolve. With the impending agony failing to arrive, a new fear began to quietly take root in Subaru's mind. He'd made his peace with the excruciating discomfort and had sworn to endure it. The evil hands seemed to be mocking Subaru's determination, delivering no more pain to his body and mind than pinpricks, and relying on his imagination to fill in the rest. It was that way of inflicting pain, so different from what he'd expected, that made the immobilized Subaru want to scream. But he clenched his unmoving teeth and rejected the urge. He was in pain, afraid, ignorant, but Subaru did not allow that suffering to affect his spirit. If he failed, he would gain nothing. If he failed, he would never be forgiven. In a world where no one remembered that Rem had ever existed, Subaru had nowhere left to beg forgiveness for his responsibility in her death, save the confines of his own soul. If the hand wanted to inflict suffering, he would let it carve as much into him as it pleased. But that determination was the one thing that would not shatter so easily. Subaru glared at the evil hand toying with his own heart, holding his breath as he waited for the inevitable moment. But the hand made no move to do so. If it could do the deed anytime, it could also delay as long as it wished. In that world of stopped time, all he could do was wage a war of attrition until his mind was worn away. Even if Subaru's determination held firm for the moment, it would eventually falter, and his spirit would be subsumed and broken. If that's what it thought, it had another think coming. He'd endure the agony, no matter how many hours or days it might take. He hadn't died over and over for nothing. If it wasn't going to kill him, he'd endure anything mere pain had to offer. Such was Subaru's resolve " Ah?" Suddenly, something began to animate that stilled world. All traces of the looming pain, of which he'd received only a preview, vanished from his world. Subaru and his resolve were left intact as sound, color, and time returned. A flood of sounds his breathing, his heartbeat, of moving things moving in the world swirled around Subaru, as if that other realm had spat him out in derision. Perhaps the evil hand had judged that it was futile in the face of Subaru's obstinate resolve? Like hell, thought Subaru. His repeated suffering at those hands led him to scoff at the notion. Even then, he felt the black cloud's right hand softly grasping his heart. If it'd squeezed, Subaru would that very moment be *** At that point, a doubt crept into Subaru's thoughts. Subaru had a firm memory of that abominable right hand touching his heart. But what had the left hand been doing during that time? At first, it had touched his cheek, but after that " Hu." Before he could find an answer to his question, Emilia, standing before him, seemed to murmur something. Her voice roused Subaru to his senses. He recalled the rest of the sentence he had started before time had stopped. Though his sudden release from the nightmare had thrown him off, if violating the taboo would bring no further price, he needed to concern himself with it no further. He'd reveal everything, sharing with her what lay moments into the future, so that Subaru, and everyone, could get the world they hoped for. Finally, his determination to see that through would bear fruit "Ahh." A moment before he could, Emilia's body abruptly leaned forward toward Subaru, who was standing just in front of her. Subaru instinctively reached a hand out to catch her. Her breath caught a little at the soft, warm touch against his hand when... Splat. " Eh?" Splat, splat, splat. " Emi...lia?" Splatsplatsplat, spurt. Emilia made strange sounds while she embraced him as an enormous amount of blood poured from her mouth. Where had the left hand gone while the right was touching Subaru's heart? Emilia rested her head on Subaru's shoulder, continuing to cough up blood. The sheer amount coming out dyed half of Subaru crimson as her body grew lighter. "Stop i... Wha? Wai...? Huh?" She lifted her head, seemingly trying to stop the

blood she was heaving up, but in that instant, her listless head dropped. She slid down his shoulder. Her lifeless gaze told him everything he needed to know. Right then, before Subaru's very eyes, Emilia's life "WaaaAAAHHHHHH !!" A scream rang out. He screamed and howled enough to tear his throat apart, as if that would let him forget everything. If it were so, he wanted it to break at that very moment, to claw at it and rip it out with his own hands. Emilia's limp body was still growing lighter within his arms. The blood wouldn't stop flowing out of her. Subaru's body turned redder. Redder. And redder. While the right hand had been touching Subaru's heart, the left hand had reached for Emilia's. His determination, his resolve, his actions, his past, and his future had all been stomped down and mocked. His stubborn determination, the resolve that he had only just decided would never be broken, had been smashed to pieces, and Subaru Natsuki plunged into an abyss of despair. His scream reached higher and higher, never fading. It had finally come to this. Subaru had killed Emilia. This time, he surely had no more blood to cough up, no more tears to weep. He had been wrung dry. How much did he have to cry? How much did he have to suffer? Had he done something so unforgivable? His spirit had been wounded and trampled upon. He'd been robbed of someone precious. He couldn't protect the people he needed to protect. And by his hand, the most important person to him in the world had cruelly lost her life. Had someone levied some kind of judgment upon him? *** He'd been wrong. He'd misunderstood. He'd gotten cocky. He'd become conceited after skillfully using the curse of the Witch on his soul to turn things around before. Encouraged by the thought that he'd come back even if he died, he'd dismissed the abominable being known as the Witch along with her evil hands, and this was the result. All those things, accumulated together, had produced the tragic spectacle now before him. Subaru fell to his knees, resting Emilia's corpse atop them, as his hollow eyes wandered aimlessly about. How much time had passed since Emilia had lost her life? When he touched her cheek, it had gone cold. The heat had faded from the blood that poured from her mouth. Her soft limbs had begun turning stiff, leaving him with less and less with which to deny her death. Subaru, understanding that, remained unable to move from the spot. He was exhausted. He'd suffered so much. Surely it was all right for him to stop now? Was there any human being anywhere in that world who had undergone as much as he? He'd made efforts unthinkable for his old self, trying to manage somehow. Even so, he'd been unable to avert the worst case, the calamity had overtaken him, and he had lost everything. Then what more could " Your face seems to say, 'I am the unluckiest man in the whole world.'" No one should have been there, so Subaru doubted his own ears when he looked toward the entrance. As he sluggishly brought his head around, he saw a single girl standing in front of the door. She gazed at Subaru with disdain. Her long cream-colored hair was split into two beautiful rolls, and she wore an ornate dress fit for a Western doll. She had an adorable face, one Subaru had not seen upon his return to the mansion the last two times through the current series of loops. "Bea...trice..." "In the time since I have last seen you, has your witless face grown even more foolish, I wonder?" Making that harsh declaration, Beatrice surveyed the tragic sight in the room. Then she said, "Well, now you've really done it..." With a sigh, Beatrice summed up the tragic spectacle with extreme bluntness. Seeing Emilia immobile in a pool of blood, eyes hollow in Subaru's embrace, was Beatrice truly moved so little? But even if animosity was the obvious reaction, Subaru could no longer manage it. Indeed, in that moment, Subaru was grateful for Beatrice's reaction, not asking him a single thing. He would have been more grateful still if she simply turned around and left Subaru there. "Will Puckie not come out, I wonder?" As Beatrice spoke, she walked closer and kneeled right beside Subaru. "Even if I tell you to look, I doubt you would listen... I do so hate to get my hands dirty." Speaking indifferently, Beatrice reached out toward Emilia. Subaru did not know what she meant to do with the deceased girl, but he made no reaction as her fingers touched Emilia's neck. Subaru, feeling uncomfortable with the action in a way he couldn't put into words, began rebuking her. "It's disconnected, I suppose?" But Beatrice accomplished her objective before he'd even gotten a word in. As Beatrice's hand moved away from Emilia, it held a beautiful, glimmering green crystal. This was the pendant that Emilia never took off Puck's abode, and the physical representation of the pact formed between Emilia and the spirit. But now, it was... "Bro...ken...?" "A bold thing to say for the one who broke it... Though you seem to be unaware of the fact." Gazing desolately as the two pieces of the crystal rested on her palm, Beatrice tucked the ruined thing away. What had happened to Puck, the spirit who should have been inside the broken pendant? What had happened to the spirit who had loved Emilia, now resting in Subaru's arms, so much that he had called her his daughter? Where had he gone? "Are you concerned, I wonder? Puckie is not dead. He has simply been returned to his true body for the moment. It is only a matter of time until he comes... But it shall not be too long, I think." Responding matter-of-factly to Subaru's unstated question, Beatrice stood up with a slight flutter of her skirt. Subaru watched the girl's bouncing hair rolls as he took solace in her answer. If that spirit was alive, if he would be returning here, then he'd probably... " Do you have something you wish to say, I wonder?" Seeing Subaru's extremely inappropriate relief, Beatrice gazed at him evenly as she posed the question. Subaru did not notice the feelings in Beatrice's voice. But if she was asking if he had anything to say, then "Kill me." he wanted someone to end his life, then and there. He was sick of everything. It had been one thing after another, and he was worn out. So he wanted to die. He wanted to die and end everything. Even if he died and did it over, he'd probably lose it all again. If things started over when he died, or even if they didn't, he no longer wanted to be in that world. In a world where Emilia had died and Rem's existence had been erased, there was nothing left for him. That was why... "Kill...me..." ...putting an end to it all was Subaru's only hope for salvation. If there was someone out there who would hear his plea, he wanted his good-for-nothing life plucked away. He had trod the dignity of his life underfoot, rendered everyone's feelings meaningless, and abandoned everything in a pathetic effort to save his own life, and he wanted to be burned away and utterly destroyed. Surely the girl with supernatural powers standing before him could grant that much. Beatrice surely hated Subaru. If she listened to Subaru's request, there was no doubt he could expect a cruel punishment that matched the gravity of his crime. He was a foolish human being. Dying nine times over had done nothing to change that. Why not cut him down for the tenth time, then? Now that the benevolence of God, Goddess, Buddha, and Witch were exhausted, there was no better time. Hence, "Kill me here, please." Subaru earnestly pleaded to Beatrice as he embraced Emilia's remains. If this was going to be the end, he wanted it to be with Emilia in his arms. Having achieved the worst of all worlds through his self-interested efforts, Subaru would indulge himself to the bitter end. Subaru squeezed Emilia harder, closing his eyes as he waited for the end. He imagined he would soon fall into that silent time. "...t to." Subaru, having selfishly decided to end it all, abruptly heard something. " Eh?" It was a small, frail, halting voice. Without thinking, Subaru let out the breath he had been holding and opened his eyelids to look up at her. As before, Beatrice was standing in front of him, gazing down at him all the while. She embraced her tiny body with both arms, biting her trembling lips as if she were freezing. "To ask Betty to kill you... Is that not too cruel, I wonder...?" She said it with a tearful look and a choked voice, leaving Subaru completely at a loss. No matter how many times he blinked, Beatrice's thick sorrow would not vanish. The girl Subaru knew would never wear that expression. After all, she was supposed to hate him. Even though she was always blunt, she'd put up with Subaru because she had some goodness in her, but he thought she was someone who could heartlessly lay into you by nature. Even though he thought she might not readily accept, or might even turn him down, he expected it to be accompanied by disdain and mockery. "You don't understand... You don't understand anything...!" Subaru had never dreamed she would refuse to kill him with such a sad expression. "B-Beatrice...?" "Shall I refuse every single thing you ask, I wonder? If you want to die so much, go die by yourself... I refuse to do it." Beatrice shook her head and covered her eyes with a hand, suppressing the emotion on her face. Hiding her welling tears rather than letting them fall, she turned that hand toward Subaru. "What are you...? Everything is ?!" In that instant, the world began to distort. Everything around Subaru warped, and a crack appeared. These were preludes to the destruction of the world, or so he thought, instantly clutching the body in his arms close to him. Looking down at him, Beatrice spoke again with cold eyes. "If you're going to be this useless, having you here is a bother At the very least, perhaps I can protect this mansion, I suppose?" "What are you say ? No, Beatrice, you're...!" " Do not think Betty is like Roswaal. Pain, anguish, suffering, sadness, fear... Perhaps Betty hates all these things?" She replied to the question that was not a question with an answer that was not an answer. Space distorted, and the resulting fissure enveloping Subaru brought him beyond the reach of all known physical laws. It didn't hurt. "If you are going to die, can you do it in a place where Betty will not see, I wonder?" Though her final murmur was cruel, she could not conceal even a tiny fragment of her desolation. He could say nothing. He understood nothing. But her emotions did tell him one thing. Subaru's decision and behavior had made Beatrice sad. The distortion reached its zenith, and then it snapped back to normal. Something like static ran across his field of vision as the world was instantly swept away; in the next moment, the distorted air succumbed without a trace and vanished. The gouge in the bloodstained floor was the only sign that Subaru and Emilia had ever been there. Beatrice watched the two vanish before leaning back against a wall with a tired look. She sluggishly raised her palms, lifting them over her eyes as if that would hide the world from her. " Mother. How much longer must Betty...?" The murmur of the girl left alone in the world petered out, reaching no one. Without warning, Subaru was cast out of a rip in space,

plunging headfirst onto mossy plants. "Bwah!" Subaru spat out saliva that tasted like dirt, then lifted his head and looked around. Bunches of trees appeared in his dim field of vision. Surrounded by nature in all directions, Subaru realized that he had been cast into the middle of a forest. "A forest at night...? Somewhere in the mountains...?" He was only able to see at all because the moonlight was unhindered. A cold breeze rustled the leaves of the many trees, with the sounds of insects dominating the gloomy forest under the twilight sky. The fact that it was night outside the mansion made Subaru aware that he'd slept for more than half a day. "Teleportation...or something like it, I guess?" The air had bent, and right after the resulting fissure had swallowed him up, he'd been dumped out into the forest. Using the Passage magic spell, Beatrice was able to freely rearrange where each door in the mansion connected. Maybe there was no reason to expect she couldn't relocate people one by one if she had a mind to. But even if he could understand that much, he still had no idea what Beatrice had really been thinking. Even then, the final image of her crying refused to fade from his mind. Though she had turned him down, he had been sure she'd disdainfully leave him there. And yet, Beatrice had looked at Subaru with dejection and despair in her eyes "It's as if...she..." as if she'd expected more of him. Subaru himself had rejected such notions, thinking them exceedingly self-serving. He'd acknowledged he was a spirit of pestilence, unable to do anything, hadn't he? He'd accepted it, hadn't he? If he couldn't expect anything from himself, no one else could, either. Having even someone who hated him expect something of him was nothing but the height of "Pride." Even though he had kept running and running from other people's expectations long before he'd reached that world. "Man, I'm hopeless, aren't I...?" A crooked smile came over Subaru as he slowly knelt up on the grass. His legs seemed less mobile than expected. When Subaru looked down, he realized that there was something other than him weighing on his knees. Even then, after tumbling through space, Emilia's remains continued to rest atop his lap. "Emi...lia..." In that world of gloom, a trickle of moonlight shone upon her pale face. She seemed neither in pain nor at peace in death. Instead, she seemed full of conflict, unable to understand the cause of the misfortune afflicting her body. Namely, how her heart had been crushed while she was still alive, in a world of frozen time. But even if she hadn't felt any pain, that was no saving grace. There was no such thing as a peaceful death, nor was death a saving grace for anyone. Except for Subaru himself, in that moment. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry..." As he looked down at Emilia's face, droplets fell upon her pale cheek. He had thought his tears had run dry, but they flowed from a bottomless well as Subaru was racked with ceaseless torture. He heard voices voices blaming him. The people Subaru had met were shouting down at him in frigid anger. There was a girl with silver hair and a girl with blue hair among them "Someone...someone, anyone..." Please kill me. Under a hail of shouts that would not vanish, Subaru picked up Emilia and rose to his feet. From there, he stepped on the grass and broke branches as he began slowly walking into the forest. He could hear beasts howling in the distance. If he met those black demon beasts now, he felt like he'd greet them with a smile on his face. He wanted them to consume his flesh, his mana, his life anything they pleased. For if they did not, if that did not happen, there would be no salvation for Subaru Natsuki. *** Heading toward the howls, Subaru advanced into the dark depths of the forest. He no longer felt the weight of carrying Emilia, nor fatigue from walking along the cold mountain road with poor visibility. He wondered if it was because he had a clear goal and was earnestly working toward it. That would be pretty pathetic. Nor did the word pathetic begin to describe his fate. "Here... Past this ravine...and then..." Carefully heading downhill, he climbed up the twisting tree roots as if they were stairs. Like a candle on the verge of burning out, he was exhausting the last strength his life had to offer. But that was not the only cause of the lack of hesitation in his steps. Put simply, he remembered the path. After all, this place was "Yeah, there you are." A thin, heartfelt smile came over his lips as if he was relieved not to have missed his mark. Mad laughter came over him the sort only a man smeared with blood and free of his sanity was capable of. Subaru knew a man who laughed like that. If he looked in the mirror at that moment, he'd probably see the same smile on his own face. Seeing such an expression ate away at your mind, its sheer malevolence giving rise to a physiological sense of revulsion. But those to whom he turned that crazed smile were accustomed to the sight. *** Inside the nighttime forest, a group in black outfits that blended in with the darkness surrounded Subaru. As if rising from the shadows themselves, they had silently encircled Subaru, not even allowing him to sense their auras as they continued to stare right at him. Their gazes held no hostility, nor amiability, nor malice, nor benevolence. He couldn't sense anything resembling "will" at all. Subaru, under their scrutiny, recalled his encounter with them from the first time around. "Same thing, huh...?" Just as in Subaru's memories, the black-robed figures all lowered their heads then and there. Like marionettes lacking wills of their own, they showed Subaru "respect" for the first time. Subaru had no idea why they demonstrated admiration for him. All he knew for sure was that they were all devotees of the Witch Cult, and that the darkness enveloping Subaru had some relationship to the Witch they worshipped. " Outta my way." Really, there were many things that he wanted to ask them. If this had happened before he'd resigned himself to death, he'd have had a mountain of inquiries. But by then, even that sentiment was a mere worthless relic. At Subaru's brief command, the black-robed figures did not voice a single sound of dissent as they melted into the darkness and vanished. As they disappeared from his sight, Subaru noticed that the world was filled with silence. He no longer heard the howls of the beasts he wanted to come after him, nor the ceaseless cries of insects not even the wind. It was as if all living creatures scorned the Witch Cult. Perhaps the reason wasn't just the Witch Cult but Subaru's presence, too. Perhaps the Cult and Subaru being together in one place painted so repulsive a picture that the world itself recoiled. He thought that this latter assessment suited the current him far better. A faint laugh came over Subaru as he advanced past where the Witch Cultists had surrounded him. He passed beyond the roots, stepped across the soil, crushed the tree leaves with the bottoms of his shoes, and finally, the forest opened. A rocky, sheer precipice spread out before his eyes. "Beloved acolyte, I have been waiting for you." Standing before the rock wall was a gaunt man bearing the same mad smile that Subaru did. "My, my, my? And furthermore, furthermore, furthermore, you carry in your arms... Could that be the half-demon girl?" When Subaru approached the rocky area, Petelgeuse cocked his head and looked at Emilia, whom Subaru held in his arms. The madman's head remained parallel to the ground as his tongue slid out in amusement, dribbling spittle. "Heavens, for her to lose her life before even undertaking our trial... What a tragic fate! What an untimely demise! Ahh! And, and, and...what diligence upon your part! On the verge of the trial, before I even act, you have stolen the half-demon's body and life...!" Petelgeuse shouted, hailing Emilia's death with exaggerated gestures, waving his arms around. Subaru then noticed that the Witch Cult adherents had gathered around Petelgeuse at some point, all of them on their knees as they devotedly listened to the madman's ravings. "Me, diligence...?" Hearing Subaru's halting murmur, Petelgeuse rushed over with jubilant laughter. "Yes, that is right! Diligence! It is splendid! Unlike us, slow to decide, meager of wit, and lacking decisiveness, you made the Witch's will manifest before any other!" Then he slid onto his knees and fell prostrate, virtually slamming his forehead against the rocky ground. "Compared to you! My fingers and I were so slow, so foolish, so lacking! Ahh, forgive me! For being unable to requite your love! Forgive this slothful, unfaithful flesh! Forgive this stupid man unable to respond to the love you bestow upon me!" A flood of tears poured from Petelgeuse as he pounded the rock with an arm, nearly splitting his forehead with the intensity of his apology. The fervent act of self harm was accompanied by a spray of blood. Subaru could see bone from where his wrist was cut. Despite that, Petelgeuse did not cease his violent action; indeed, each of the faithful kneeling all around rushed to emulate the madman's self-destructive actions. It was a cacophony of blood and agony and as he watched it all, Subaru felt nothing. Even with the man he had so hated right before him, his heart was unmoved whatsoever. "Ahh, what can I do for you, who fulfilled the trial in my place while I failed to respond to Her feelings? Tell me, please. What may I do for you, so that I may prove that my love is not slothful?" Petelgeuse came close, the blood trickling from his head causing tears of blood to flow as he made his earnest plea. Subaru replied, "Kill me." Surely even the expression on that madman's face would register shock from the sudden request "Are you sure about that?" but it did not. Without a moment's hesitation, he kicked Subaru away. The wind kicked out of him, Subaru sailed back as Petelgeuse watched him with an expression of ecstasy. "Ahh, splendid, splendid indeed...! With the trial fulfilled in search of salvation, my actions, and those of my believers seeking salvation, may have thus become diligent...! Ahh, we are spared from being slothful! Both you and I! You have my thanks! And my diligence has earned Her love!" Petelgeuse harbored no misgivings about the brooding Subaru's reply, nor felt a single pang of conscience over his own actions, seeing neither as contrary to the laws of the world in any way. Under the guise of diligence, his bloodlust had been unleashed. Subaru, seeing this in the madman, closed his eyes, his heart hardly stirred. At the very least, it was what Subaru wanted to see just then. "Though I must say..." When he heard Petelgeuse mutter something, Subaru felt hostility press upon his skin. "Unable to even pass a single trial, not even facing a single Deadly Sin, bearing great expectations only to stumble over the first stone in her path..." The madman looked down at the sleeping Emilia, sighing. " Ahh, you were lazy!" He had no greater words to demean Emilia's death. Subaru knew this, because he recalled how the madman had disgraced the life of a girl precious to him in a world long past. *** Subaru opened his eyes. That instant, he saw a dark cloud approaching, taking the form of a hand. For a single moment, he recoiled from the painful memories rushing into the back of his mind. But this evil hand was different. His body could move. His feet could move. His

arms could move. Hence, his body evaded it. As the black hand gently slid toward him, Subaru leaped to the side, holding Emilia in his arms. The hand slipped past, seeming perplexed as it vanished. Subaru's breath was ragged as he watched it disappear. Petelgeuse stared at him, eyes wide with a fire raging in them, asking in a shaking voice, "...You. Just now, you saw my Unseen Hands, did you not?" The madman inserted his twig-like fingers into his mouth, crushing his fingertips with his teeth one by one. As each part of his flesh burst with the horrible sound of bones snapping and fresh blood seeping out, he continued, "That will not do, that will not do at all. It is strange, it is wrong. There is some error, some mistake. My power, the power of Sloth, the Unseen Hands, Her favor bestowed unto me...! That another has set eyes upon them is unforgivable!!" Spitting blood, Petelgeuse chewed on fragments of bone and nail as he glared at Subaru with bloodshot eyes. In the next instant, black arms rose out from Petelgeuse's back. Petelgeuse's shadow exploded into seven black limbs that madly danced about. A chill ran up Subaru's spine at the resemblance to the two evil hands that punished Subaru when he touched upon the taboo. "But if I can see them, and my body can move..." He could dodge them. The speed of the black hands was not all that fast. Though they boasted the power to rip a human limb from limb at a distance, their greatest menace was their power of Invisibility. Their greatest advantage no longer worked on Subaru. And with the last wisps of his life burning down, Subaru exhibited physical abilities beyond his limitations. "Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhyyyyyyyyyy...? Why can you avoid them?! Do you see them?! This love belongs to me! To me alone!!" "Deep down, there's only one guy I don't wanna be killed by, and that's you." Subaru twisted to evade one hand and leaped forward to dodge a different set of fingertips stretching up toward him. He crouched instantly to avoid the two coming at him from the left and right, practically falling forward and closing the distance with Petelgeuse. Seeing the insanity on Petelgeuse's face twist into shock, a dark pleasure filled Subaru's belly. He'd just remembered the fact that he had wanted to kill that madman. " Bgah!" Taking the shortest possible route, Subaru slammed his head into the bridge of the madman's nose, violently kicking his body as he rocked backward. The black hands flailed about, unable to strike precisely. Now blood was pouring from Subaru's forehead, too, cut by Petelgeuse's front teeth. The heavy bleeding got into his eyes, blotting out his vision on the right side. A moment after he noticed something sliding under his feet, it grabbed Subaru's legs and sent him flying. The instant before he slammed against a large tree, Subaru abandoned all thoughts of cushioning the blow, clutching Emilia's remains even more strongly. Not to cling to her but to protect her. " Gweh!" And so his back collided against the tree, making him feel a seemingly lethal crack in his spine. Several vertebrae broke, and his recently closed wounds opened all at once. Each one cried out in a chorus of ferocious pain as Subaru fell onto the ground, writhing, and bubbles appeared around his mouth. "Disgraceful! Disgraceful, is it not?! Ahh, I am so relieved. Truly relieved! At that rate, I would have wallowed in idleness, all my actions rendered meaningless! But I am indeed diligent, exhausting my efforts for love..." "Shut up, dim...wit...!" His breathing sounded strange. He felt like he'd taken heavy damage to his lungs. Even so, he laughed and mocked Petelgeuse, bubbles of blood dripping from his lips all the while. "What love, you moron? That so-called love you say you got... I can see it, too, can't I...? She's been cheatin' on you, sucker." "What...are you saying...?! Saying, saying, sa-sa-sa-sa-sayiiiing... My brain, my brain treeeeeembles!" Petelgeuse tore hair from his head as he raged, eyes wide open. He walked toward the fallen Subaru, violently kicking Emilia from his arms as if to deliberately distance her from Subaru. Emilia's body rolled, slamming into the roots of various trees. Petelgeuse glanced sideways at it and laughed. "Denigrating my love is impermissible! Ahh, I have decided. It is decided! Though the half-demon who should have undergone the trial perished beforehand, those sheltering her yet remain!" Petelgeuse ranted and raved as one of his black hands lifted Subaru by his neck. Subaru's eyes snapped wide as the force threatened to rip his head off his shoulders; the brutal pain left him unable to speak. "First, I shall eradicate those associated with the mansion; next, I shall sacrifice the residents of the village nearby for Her affection. Nothing shall remain, for any survivors would be proof of Sloth. I, the pinnacle of diligence, and my fingers shall render judgment upon all the highway is sealed by the mist, so there is no one to interfere with my love!" Shouting and spitting in his agitated state, Petelgeuse laid out his diabolical scheme. "Before that, you seemed to clutch that half-demon's flesh as if it was quite precious to you... If I destroy it, I wonder what wonderful sounds I will hear you make?" Petelgeuse's head tilted, his lips twisted, and his eyes filled with inhuman curiosity. Five arms other than the one holding Subaru up crawled out from the madman's back, each moving independently as they wriggled their way toward Emilia's remains. One grasped each of her limbs, with the last hand wrapping around her slender neck. "Do you see them? Do you understand what is about to happen?" "...S...top!" At that moment, Subaru was racked with fear precisely because he could see it. It made him remember every detail of what this man's black hands did to Rem's body when he couldn't see them. And now, those same destructive impulses were directed toward Emilia's flesh. He had no power to prevent the vile act. Subaru's grief only deepened Petelgeuse's crazed, amused smile. All that remained was for him to cruelly rip Emilia's flesh asunder " What are you doing?" Without warning, the voice poured down from the heavens, coldly thrumming in the ears of all present. *** Petelgeuse's expression shifted, his gaze drifting around in search of the speaker. The voice had enough power in it and well-honed anger to make even his expression change. Finally, Petelgeuse's gaze turned toward a single point in the sky and stopped. A second after, Subaru, still held aloft by his neck, looked at the same point in the sky, too. "I repeat..." An incredible number of icicles poured down, filling their vision, seemingly blotting out the nighttime sky. A breath surged, dyed white; in the blink of an eye, a cold that threatened to chill the whole world spread throughout the forest. The black-robed figures still on their knees and Petelgeuse, with a crazed smile, over him, were at a loss for words. "What are you lowlifes doing to my daughter...?" The Apocalypse Beast of Eternal Frost dyed the world white. To Subaru, it was the being who would bring him death at the end of his tenth time the tenth world. Since being invited to this world, Subaru had experienced death time and again. Under normal circumstances, it was an ordeal no one faced more than once a lifetime. That common-sense rule had been violated, and Subaru, who had already been granted ten opportunities to grapple with death, knew as much about it as anyone. And having come to know it so well, Subaru had become able to sense its approach. His refined senses told him loud and clear that death was on its way. "You lot sure like to do whatever you please." The voice, bearing penetrating cold and oppressive might, had come from the icy veil in the sky above. The voice hailed from a small, mouse-colored cat, its emotions as frigid as the horde of sharp-tipped icicles accompanying it on its way to the ground. It was small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, with a tail about as long as it was tall. It had a pink nose and round eyes. Its short arms were folded, almost humanlike, as its expression was fraught with deep hatred. Petelgeuse and the other members of the Witch Cult were silent before the supernatural being that spoke the language of men. And Subaru, who was with them, felt his throat closing up in shock for a different reason. He had never before seen that being, that spirit, shaking in anger like that. As one present in that place, feeling the overflow of his anger, he knew that death had come to the world. "...Puck." Under the white mist surrounding the floating spirit Puck the forest in their vicinity let out a crack-like sound as it was transformed. The trees turned white, as if the green had been sucked out of them; their mana absorbed, leaves, branches, and trunks froze over, dead as they fell. The ground itself displayed identical effects. First, the flowers died, then the cold crept over the soil, and finally, it reached Subaru, also on the earth, stabbing him all over with burning pain. He felt lethargy gradually rising from the depths of his body, causing his breathing to falter as his mind began to fade. Long before, Subaru had experienced being forcibly robbed of his mana at Beatrice's hands. The angered Puck was employing that power on a global scale, turning the world's power into his own. Beside Subaru, holding back a whimper, Petelgeuse backed up a step with heavy sweat on his brow, and the kneeling Witch Cult was gasping for oxygen through their open mouths, almost like fish. "The Witch Cult no matter how much time passes, you never change, do you? In every age, it is you who bring me the saddest things of all." Puck spoke as if dealing with noxious insects as he trained his eyes on a single point in the forest. Subaru, following his gaze, saw that there was a single space left that Puck's power was not affecting. Only the prone girl's corpse was protected from the end of the world. "Ahh, my poor Lia... You died without understanding anything." After gazing longingly at Emilia, Puck turned his eyes toward those who still lived. "Depriving my daughter of her life is a grave crime. Do not think any of you will escape alive." "How dare a mere spirit...! How, how, how, how, howww dare you speak?! A half-demon failing an ordeal is nothing but a filthy pretender! The blame is yours for your Sloth and inability to protect this fool! Ahh! Ahh! Ahhhhh! My brain is trembling!!" Petelgeuse responded to Puck's threats by raising both hands to the sky, flying into a rage. The madman's bloodshot eyeballs were unfocused as Petelgeuse's welling bloodlust erupted in a geyser of froth. "All that shall transpire, all that must transpire, the proper course of history is recorded in my Gospel! The Witch loves me, and I must repay Her with diligence! Whereas you, lowly spirit, wallow in idleness!" Love, was it? To Petelgeuse, acts of worship toward the Witch were nothing but repaying her for her love. For the madman, actions that displayed his adoration for the Witch had absolute priority over everything else. The Witch was supreme and the Witch was the greatest. Furthermore, nothing and no one was permitted to defy his love for the Witch. "Death to half-demons! And you, too, must pay for your idleness! The Witch's favor is the truth that lets my heart beat! All must be sacrificed for it!" Petelgeuse waved his arms, ranting, raving, and loudly stamping his foot. Puck looked down upon Petelgeuse's madness with eyes that were cold to their very core. They contained neither pity nor anger, only a lucid view of the low worth of the object

before them. Puck's and Petelgeuse's absolutely incompatible wills clashed, fueling each other's bloodlust. "My fingers! This fool must pay for his " "Die." The descending icicles poured down on the Witch Cult adherents, skewering them and pinning them in place. The cultists' bodies and limbs were impaled against the ground, pierced like bugs for study. The air creaked, and the flesh of the dead Witch Cult worshippers froze over, turning the rocky area into an ice sculpture exhibit. *** Instantly, without warning, Puck had taken nearly twenty lives. During that time, his gaze did not waver in any way; neither did Petelgeuse's. Unmoved by the loss of the followers who obeyed his commands, who were now literal sacrificial pawns, he exploited Puck's temporary shift of attention away from him. " My brain...is...trembling." His lips twisted darkly, and a moment later, Petelgeuse's shadow exploded. Simultaneously, Subaru's body was cast aside as a total of seven arms bore upon Puck, floating in the sky. With Puck's power, dealing with the gently advancing evil hands was child's play. But Puck made no reaction to the advance of the hands because he didn't see them. "Puck !" When Subaru tried to raise his voice to warn of the danger, the voice and eyes Puck turned toward him made his blood run cold. "Be quiet, Subaru. I will deal with you la... Ngh?" But before the spirit finished speaking, the black hands trapped his tiny body, which vanished from Subaru's view. "Ahh..." Puck's body was so small that a normal adult's hand was more than large enough to conceal it from view. There was no way anyone could have seen it through seven hands. And each of those black hands were so overwhelmingly powerful that they could rip a human body apart with ease. "Carelessness! Negligence! In other words, Sloth! You should have eliminated me immediately! You possessed such power, yet you neglected its proper use! And this is the result! This! Thisss! Thisthisthisthiiiisssss!!" The Unseen Hands that only Subaru could detect enveloped Puck's body and crushed it. Before Petelgeuse, who danced with mad delight, the Great Spirit was cruelly erased "Don't make me laugh." In the next moment, Subaru saw the converging black limbs being blown apart. "That's all? You're four hundred years too young to be invoking the Witch. If you really want to kill me " The frozen trees, unable to bear their own weight, shattered into shards of ice with one flick of his tail. The corpses of the Witch Cult followers who had become ice sculptures were smashed to smithereens. The front paws responsible for this made the ground under them into an absolute-zero zone of death. Its softest breath rivaled a raging blizzard, and within that white mist, its eyes were like dazzling, glittering gold eyes that mercilessly towered over a world of death. "Then stretch half of Satella's Thousand Shadows, toward me." It was a four-legged, feline beast with gray fur, boasting such size that it stood above the forest. It was the Beast of the End that had destroyed the mansion and brought death to Subaru in a prior world. It was indeed a grand manifestation of the End. *** The intensity of the cold went up another level, and it hurt to even keep his eyes open to watch the world go white. Subaru endured the pain as he looked up at the beast, agape. "What...?" A shaking voice echoed from a tiny corner of that world of ultimate cold. "What is it you are telling me to bring?!" This time, Petelgeuse's scream brought a vertical cut to his parched lips, from which a trace of blood trickled but in the blink of an eye, this, too, froze over, bringing an end to the bleeding and pain. Subaru feared that closing his eyes amid the blowing cold meant he would never open them again. He took in Petelgeuse's final cry and looked up at the beast once more. "Puck, is that you...?" "I suppose it would be a little mean to say, 'Isn't it obvious?'" The gray-colored beast's titanic mouth moved in reply to Subaru's broken question. Each word came with a gale, but it was the enormous beast's sarcasm that confirmed Subaru's suspicions. With that answer, Subaru came to accept the fact that in the previous world, and the world before that, Subaru had died at the end because While Subaru was compelled to stay silent, Petelgeuse glared at Puck and murmured, "Im...possible..." The madman thrust his intact hand into his mouth, crushing his fingers one by one, and they oozed blood. It was as if that pain was what tethered his perpetual madness to the world. "This is impossible; it cannot be! A mere! Spirit! A lowly spirit! Cannot possess such power! If that was possible, I !" " Echidna." *** Petelgeuse's movements stopped as bloody froth trickled from the corner of his lips, his eyes wide open. Puck had whispered a word that had interrupted Petelgeuse's denial. The color of Petelgeuse's face had changed the instant he heard what was apparently a name. "As a man of the Cult, you understand what that name means, don't you?" "Filthy...!!" Petelgeuse's reaction to it was nothing short of dramatic. Along with the sound of something hard, blood gushed from his mouth. It came from his molars. He was so angry, he'd bitten down on his teeth hard enough to break them. "It is repugnant to even speak that name! Ahh, you poor, lazy fool, ignorant of fear! You dare speak the name of a fallen witch, a witch other than Satella, before me...!" Petelgeuse's eyes had gone from bloodshot to scarlet-dyed; maybe the arteries had burst open. Tears of blood flowed from the corners. The madman turned his bitten and torn fingertips toward Puck. "My faith! My love! That is nothing less than an insult to everything I offer to Her!" " A human living mere decades has no business arguing time with a spirit." Just like that, Petelgeuse ceased his mad writhing. No this was not something he had done consciously. He had frozen from the feet up, and that had made him stop. As Subaru lay on his side, his vision blurry and white, he saw his mortal enemy brought to the verge of death. Petelgeuse, too, knew that his freezing meant his death was not long in the offing. However, to the very end, his madness was directed not toward his own impending death but at Puck, towering before him. "The depth of one's faith has nothing to do with time! You are a lazy beast, born with eternal time, yet exhausting most of it in idleness! Do not compare me with a fool such as you! Ahh! Ahh, ahh! My brain is treeeeeeeeeeeembling!" Even knowing his own end was near, Petelgeuse's madness never wavered. To Subaru, who knew no phenomenon more absolute or terrifying than death, Petelgeuse's behavior was truly deviant. Seeing him profess his faith at the moment before his demise was proof that he was a truly corrupt being. "Death is not punishment enough for you that's why I hate your kind." "The trial has been fulfilled! No matter what happens to this filthy body, so long as my feelings reach the Witch I revere, She shall grant Her favor... Ahh, it will be so good to see Her again!" Spreading both hands before the sky above, Petelgeuse let out a cackle. The snow blew with greater intensity, dyeing his gaunt body white. Subaru wasn't sure whether his voice or his movements gently slowed first. Yet even then, Petelgeuse's laughter did not cease. He was one with his buoyant madness until his laughter finally ceased and, with it, his life. " Quit while you were ahead, didn't you?" The gray beast murmured as it thrust down its front paw, smashing the Petelgeuse ice sculpture into dust. Even as Subaru watched the madman's life expire, his shattered fragments carried away by the wind, no strong emotions stirred within him. He had hated the man so; he had so wished to kill him. Petelgeuse was where it had all started; Subaru had believed that killing him would make everything turn out all right. But was that truly the result? Though he had witnessed the death of his hated foe, Subaru had only hollow emptiness inside him. The defeat of Petelgeuse meant clearing away the threat posed by the Witch Cult. But Rem, who ought to have been there sharing his joy, had been erased from the world; Emilia, who should have been quietly waiting for him to bring good news upon his return, had died at Subaru's own hands. The accumulated weight of both their deaths had made Subaru desire his own demise, but in the end, he could not even manage that, and a different avenger had claimed retribution Subaru had nothing left. He'd done everything over and, as a result, achieved nothing. " Now, then." Subaru felt his own powerlessness beaten into him as the beast quietly looked down upon him. He was reminded anew that the giant beast was Puck; the enormity of that truth made his body quake. He was reminded of how, previously, he'd watched with detached bemusement when the Knights and the Council of Elders at the royal palace had acted so terrified of fighting Puck when they heard his alias. "Let's talk, shall we?" Now, he was painfully aware of just what they had felt back then. The cold was making it hard to think. Already, the pain tearing across his whole body had vanished. Subaru heard the gentle footsteps of his own death drawing near. And just as his body slackened from the sweet premonition that the end was nigh "Oh, this won't do. You're bleeding out too much I'll put a stop to that." " Dwah!!" He felt like he was being roasted alive, waking up his fading senses. With merciless pain blocking his throat, Subaru saw that each wound on his body was audibly freezing over. White steam rose as sharp ice connected, stitched, and tethered his wounds, even the ones inside his body. Through this act of treatment, abandoning all consideration for the human body, Subaru's flesh was violently healed. Blood vessels exploded within his eyes, dyeing his vision scarlet. It was more than an ow, ow, ow. The hell that had erupted within his body transcended even pain. "Subaru, you have committed three sins." Subaru reeled, howling with a voiceless scream. The giant beast continued to speak as if nothing had happened. Though he had become enormous in size, his mouth lined with endless sharp fangs, and the tone of his voice had changed, the cadence was as gentle as always. That terrified him all the more. "First, you broke your promise with Lia. It seems you do not truly understand just how weighty a promise formed between two people is to a spirit mage. I suppose you truly do not know how much your rashly breaking that promise hurt Lia." His mind rejected an understanding of what Puck was saying. No his mind was dominated by pain. His internal organs were frozen, and his broken bones were connected to one another by ice gouging obstructed flesh. The crimson ice over his open wounds had been ripped away, the areas affected frozen to the core, violently stopping the bleeding. The freezing had spread farther. The pain had spread farther. Death was spreading. It hurts, hurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurts... "Second, you ignored Lia's wishes and came back. Do you even know how much that drove her into a corner and made her suffer, when she didn't want to see you again? Not only did you break your promise, you had to trample on Lia's heart as you pleased." With Subaru on the white ground, limbs spread wide, Puck drew his face close and blew with his icy breath. Subaru's flowing tears became needles stabbing his eyeballs. His brain convulsed from the intense agony. "And third, you let Lia die." It was like having his very soul filed down. The extreme

pain made Subaru forget how to breathe. Amid that agony, like having every nerve in his body immersed in magma, Subaru cursed his own shallowness. He'd thought that pain was a lesser thing than death. He was wrong. He was wrong about everything. "Pain," "Death," "Fear" these smashed the heart of the weakling named Subaru Natsuki in equal measure. The soul of Subaru Natsuki had been backed into a corner with nowhere to run. As Subaru's sluggish mind began to appreciate that terrifying truth, Puck stated to him, " In accordance with the pact, I'll be destroying the world now." Puck's eyes had contained anger. Only at that juncture did a new emotion begin to come to the fore. "I will bury everything under ice and snow, as my parting gift to Lia." "...That won't..." "It has nothing to do with making her happy or not. No matter what the pact, I will not break what has been agreed upon." Puck's eyes narrowed as he responded to Subaru's incoherent voice. "But that act will end unfulfilled, I imagine. Even if I spread this world of ice to cover every land, like the forest where Lia and I dwelled...the Sword Saint will stand before me. That is a battle I will not win." Puck seemed to lament the disparity in strength when he brought up a certain red-haired hero's other name. Subaru couldn't believe he was hearing those words. Puck, wielding such overpowering might, had bluntly stated that he had no chance of defeating the Sword Saint. And if Puck knew he'd be struck down in the process, why would he sacrifice himself in such a battle? "Wh-why...?" " Lia was the entire reason for my existence." Puck responded to Subaru's inquiry. The wind grew even colder, stabbing Subaru's flesh, filling up his eyes, freezing his blood The end was nigh. "It is meaningless for me to remain in a world without her. Now that I've lost her, I will not allow the world to move on. For me, everything ended when that girl died." When Puck finished speaking, the wind's intensity suddenly spiked. "How long will it take for a person to die if he's slowly, gradually frozen from the tips of his extremities on up? Have you ever wondered that, Subaru?" *** "I'll take that as a yes. I want you to learn the answer." Slowly, slowly, the chill consumed more and more of his flesh. His wounds and internal organs were already frozen, so they were exempt as the rest of Subaru's flesh expired from the fingertips up. If pain could truly drive a person mad, his sanity would have been shattered long before. He wanted his mind to be ripped apart, smashed to bits, scattered in all directions. For if not... " Mist is coming. It seems you've lured quite a nasty one." He couldn't hear. Someone was saying something, but he couldn't hear. "Gluttony's... Ahh, nowadays they call it the White Whale, don't they? Calling it over, letting Lia die, losing your own life... You truly are incorrigible, do you know that?" He couldn't hear. He couldn't hear. But even though he shouldn't have heard it, he heard the voice. He heard laughter from somewhere. A mocking voice. Cackle, cackle. He knew that laughter. The voice of the man he hated to the point of death. Where is it coming from? With the end near, his consciousness sought an answer to that question. Then he realized it. The incessant cackling was coming from his own throat. Ecstasy began to rule his brain, drowning out his pain. He took his first steps into a spreading world of madness. The way it warped everything around him felt...good. The laughter wouldn't stop. His own laughter was mocking him the one who had let Rem die, who had killed Emilia, and who was dying like a dog himself. Ah yes. He was truly...how would you put it... " Subaru, you're lazy." With a sharp sound, he blacked out. It probably was not only his consciousness, and his life, that had been severed. It was something more, something that had been barely holding him together, that audibly came apart in that moment. Snap. CHAPTER 5 *** Amid the white world, everything vanished. He couldn't tell if his flesh had dissolved, if it had been smashed to pieces, or if it would remain as an ice sculpture for all eternity. No matter how terrible the end of the body he had left behind, it was all the same to him now. There was only one thing he understood with clarity. Over the course of repeating, repeating, repeating, he'd seen things end cruelly, with the situation growing worse with each repetition, and now, having destroyed with his own hands that which he most wanted to protect, he finally realized it. No one expected anything of Subaru Natsuki. Not even him. No matter how many times he experienced it, he'd never get used to the feeling of the senses he had lost suddenly come rushing back. He no longer felt frozen to the core, or even cold at all, and he could tell that white world into which he had sunk deeper and deeper was gone. In the blink of an eye, all his dulled senses became clear, and every last thing was just as it had once been. Blood flowed through the limbs that had known so much pain. The agony of his nerves being immersed in ice was no more. The cold stabbing his skin had been peeled away, replaced by dazzling rays that could give him a sunburn. *** " aa." Sounds from hustle and bustle to the left and right intermingled as his dead sense of hearing returned with a vengeance. Blocking out the meaningless noise, Subaru checked the condition of his body. His frozen limbs, his injured spine, and his internal organs that had been turned to sherbet were all functioning without any problems. Everything was back as it should be. Subaru felt relief that the body lost to him was under his control again. And what brought Subaru more tranquility than anything was... "Why are you staring into space like that, Subaru?" Behind the counter, Rem tilted her head slightly, gazing at him with concern. He had been abandoned by everything and everyone, had an implacable sense of powerlessness drilled into him, had despaired at the loss and disappointment at what his own actions had wrought, and after dying like a helpless dog, he had returned. " Rem." "Yes, it is me, your Rem... What might be the matter?" Rem responded to the call of his voice, slipping away from behind the counter and heading out of the shop. Subaru was rooted to the spot as Rem walked right in front of him, reaching out with her hand and touching him on the cheek. Her brows knit in worry, revealing a tinge of gloom on her noble face. "I am sorry for not noticing. The crowd has worn you out, yes? I am a failure as a maid to have forgotten my most important duty of all." "Tired. Yeah, that's right... I am." As Rem's hand rested on his cheek, he slowly lifted up his hand, pressing it down upon hers. The touch between them made Rem raise her eyebrows in surprise, but Subaru's haggard voice and expression left her at a loss for words. Rem looked like she was trying to say something, but Subaru didn't even look at her; instead, he felt Rem's firm, solid presence against his hand as if clinging to that warmth to keep it from running away. "I guess all that...falling and getting worn down...was exhausting..." Yet in spite of all that, the Rem he had surely lost was right there with him at that very moment, so... "Subaru?" Subaru resolved that, if nothing else, he would never let go of the girl right before his eyes. He ran rapidly through the crowd, heading down a gently descending slope. He scowled from the dust kicked up by a passing dragon carriage, but Subaru's gaze was aimed straight in front of him. He knew where he was going. His running feet were sure. When he thought back, Subaru had harbored nothing but uncertainty during those repeated days: uncertainty about what he should be like, about what lay in Emilia's heart, about whether his existence held any purpose, about whether he could bring out the best of all possible futures, all amid a vortex of madness. He was an unsure man lost in an uncertain, foreign world. But Subaru, unable to make a single manly step in one direction throughout, advanced with clarity of purpose he had never before known. Finally, he'd come to understand. Now that he'd arrived at that answer, the repeated days had not been in vain. Backed into a mental and physical corner, Subaru truly realized for the first time what he could do, what he must do. " ru!" His uncertainty lifted, his gaze was trained squarely on his objective, his legs powerfully thudding along the earth. His body was light. Relieved of the pressure on his heart, Subaru wasn't afraid of anything anymore. "Please, Subaru, listen to me!" Pulling his arm forward, he could see the main street at the end of the downward slope. Even in the royal capital, it boasted the greatest width, continuing all the way to the main gate through the stout walls that surrounded the capital. Everyone entering or leaving the royal capital had to pass through that gate. With the announcement of the royal selection, the main street was even busier with people coming and going; at that very moment, it was bustling with the numerous people along it. He cut past the shadow of a building. Abruptly, sun rays slid into his field of vision. Subaru used a hand to shield his eyes from the bright light as he raised his face up, looking at the symbols carved into the gate that read, LUGUNICA, THE ROYAL CAPITAL. One more step, and she and Subaru would be "Subaru!" Having brought him all that way, his feet stopped when he felt a sharp tug on his arm. The unanticipated resistance made Subaru look back. As Rem stood still, her eyes wavered with bewilderment. When Rem freed her hand from his grasp, she seemed to shrink as she pleaded with him. "What's wrong? What has happened? If you do not explain, I..." Hearing those words, Subaru accepted that it was right for Rem to harbor misgivings. In her eyes, Subaru's transformation had to look sudden, even unthinkable. It was natural for her to be angry with him for dragging her by the arm all that way without an explanation. "Ahh, my bad. I was in a bit of a hurry. I have a lot of things to think about. Sorry for cutting corners on explaining." "It troubles me, you know. Even I understand you have many things on your mind, Subaru, but you must speak to me about them... Though I do not mind you being assertive." Rem put both hands to her very slightly reddened cheeks as she let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps she had sensed from the tone of Subaru's voice that he had regained his composure and concluded that she'd made too much of his odd behavior over the last little while. I see. Observing Rem's relief, Subaru thought his own lack of consideration was even more pathetic. No doubt Rem, who only knew the Subaru of before, thought that his transformation in the seconds after Return by Death was nothing short of dramatic. The experiences of several days changed Subaru in the span of a single second. Furthermore, on that day, in his own way, Subaru was busy trying to avert his eyes from the gloom in his own heart. He'd put on a disgraceful show at the royal selection conference, had been beaten half to death by Julius at the parade grounds, had created a fatal chasm

between himself and Emilia and, having been left behind in the royal capital, had lost the purpose for his existence. He'd been idly spending his time at the Crusch residence, sinking deeper into the doldrums as he asked himself what he could do, what he needed to do, without finding any answers. It couldn't be called anything short of ridiculous. Subaru very much thought that now. From Rem's point of view, that uncertainty in Subaru had vanished in a literal blink of an eye. If you couldn't call that a thunderclap out of the blue, what could you call it? "Sorry for making you worry. I'm all right now. I feel like you've had to see me all pathetic and bent out of shape, but I understand finally." "No, to me, time spent thinking about you is time well spent... You understand finally?" Subaru was speaking with unclouded eyes. There was a liveliness to Rem's voice as she replied. She couldn't hide her reserved delight at being able to converse with Subaru like that again. Then Subaru smiled shyly and nodded at the question Rem raised. "I really do feel more than a little sorry for the trouble I caused everyone running around and worrying like that, but I finally know how to put everything in order. Well, no, now that I think about it, I saw it from the start, and people mentioned it to me, too... I'm just bad at giving up." "I think that is a marvelous thing about you, Subaru..." Subaru smiled weakly at Rem's soft-spoken reply. Then he looked up at the sky. Its height and breadth gently made his chest feel lighter. The world had probably been looking down at Subaru in frustration all along. But with this, that oppressive time would finally come to an end. The answer had been under his nose all along. No matter where Subaru headed, no matter what challenges he recklessly faced, no matter how much he ran around doing stupid things, she'd followed him without a word of complaint. Yes "Rem, I've decided." She stood close enough for him to reach out and touch as he looked straight into her eyes. Her short blue hair fluttered in the wind. Her pale, clear blue eyes held only Subaru within them. Her petite figure was clad in a modified black-themed apron dress. The overly serious way she carried herself projected her nobility and steadfastness. The vivid floral hair ornament delicately added to the loveliness of her small, refined visage. "Yes, Subaru." Her pink lips formed a small smile. She narrowed her eyes, the benevolence in them piercing right through Subaru. The soft echo of her voice, full of affection, enchanted him; she seemed to be hanging on to his every word. "First, we'll rent a dragon carriage. With the capital in such an uproar, hiring one seems to be rough, but we'll play dirty if we have to. No intro from Anastasia, so it's best to keep this on the up-and-up if possible." They needed a fast land dragon with plenty of endurance; if it was friendly on top of that, great. They'd need to keep running. They needed to travel light, to keep running without pause, day and night. "A dragon carriage, you say...?" Rem cocked her head slightly and echoed Subaru. From the confusion welling in her eyes, Subaru's rush to the conclusion meant his explanation had told her little. But he pretended not to notice Rem's natural misgivings and pointed at the huge front gate. "We'll have to kill some time while we pick out a dragon carriage, so we should go buy some food during the downtime. Ah, I'm no good with old-style rations, though. Plain water's better than those things." He'd actually eaten simple rations and preserved foods on field trips and the like back in his old world. The hateful memory had made Subaru brand both as "no good." "Ah, wait, maybe there's some nice magical power to preserve food here...? We managed to make mayonnaise, so maybe we can experiment and find something good..." "Er, Subaru?" "Mm, ah, sorry. My thoughts started running in a weird direction. What's wrong?" Realizing he'd gone off on a tangent, Subaru righted himself and smiled kindly as he looked at Rem. That smile made Rem go briefly silent. Then she lifted her head, seemingly trying to set aside her doubts. "Er, I'm sorry. I am a poor guesser, so I do not understand what you are trying to do, Subaru. Er, what are...?" "Ahh! Right, my bad! Sorry, I didn't realize at all! Er, just now I was completely caught up trying to make plans for stuff we've gotta do. So embarrassing!" Subaru slapped his knee, grinning in recognition of his mistake. "It took a whole lot of experiences for me to realize a few things, but the answer was obvious a good while ago." A wry smile, a truly wry smile, appeared. He'd tasted bitterness. He'd chewed on his regrets. He'd shed tears over the absurdity and irrationality of it all. He'd been toyed with by a cruel fate. He'd been smeared with the blood of others, dying an absurd number of times. All of it had led to a single answer, one he now keenly understood. "Rem." Calling her name, Subaru slowly stretched a hand toward her. Rem watched his hand, waiting for his next words. Responding to Rem's unspoken request, he put the feelings welling within him into words "Let's run away together. As far as we can." His defeat at Fate's hands was loud and clear. "...Huh?" Rem, unable to grasp the meaning of the words spoken to her, let out only a faint gasp from her throat. Subaru, unsurprised at Rem's reaction, shook his head and said, "We'll leave the royal capital and head west...that, or north. I've heard that we can't get into the empire down south, so it's one of those two... I'm not good with cold, so personally, I vote for west." "Er, um, excuse..." "It'll be a long journey with no clear end, and I don't think we'll have an easy time just 'cause it's a good chance to start over. Besides, in the first place, if we rent a dragon carriage, I can't see us ever getting a chance to hand it back. What should we do about that, huh...? Maybe buy a dragon carriage instead of renting one?" He'd left procuring dragon carriages to Rem. Subaru didn't know if they had some rental car–like system in place. He didn't even know where you'd buy one. He figured there had to be some means so that you couldn't just grab one and run, but "P-please wait!" Subaru was in the middle of that thought when Rem urged him to pause. She kept her palms pointed toward Subaru as a rare expression of nervousness came over her. "Er...what do you mean by 'run'? Subaru, from the way you are speaking right now, you sound as if you are trying to go to a different nation, one that is not Lugunica..." Rem's gaze wandered as if she half doubted her own words. Then her expression changed to an Ah! look as she clapped her hands together. "Since it is you we are talking about, you have another incredible idea, don't you? Something that will aid Lady Emilia and Master Roswaal..." "Nothin' of the sort, Rem." "Eh...?" Rem seemed to be clinging to the best possible interpretation of the true intent behind Subaru's words. But right in front of the girl who believed this of him, Subaru decisively repudiated that thought. "I told you, we'll run away. Even if I stay in the royal capital, I can't do anything. But if I return to the mansion, that won't change the fact that I can't do anything I understand that now." His powerlessness, his emptiness, the irrationality of the world these weighed heavily on Subaru. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, the absurd would never leave him. But how light his heart had become, now that he had accepted it. Now, Subaru was free of the troubles he had endured, almost as if they had never existed. "So run away with me, Rem. Every last person's told me that I can't stay here. I didn't want to accept it, so I kept on desperately denying it, but...ah, that's right. I'm weak. No one's ever told me, 'I need you.'" He thought he'd been...too full of himself. He'd thought wrong. He'd been mistaken. He'd gotten carried away. Having arrived in another world and, through the power to rewind fate and just the tiniest bit of good fortune, he felt like he'd saved people on two separate occasions, but he'd been wrong. He didn't even possess the power or feelings deserving of being saved by others. "That's not...!" "No one's said it. And I have been told, loud and clear...over and over." No one needs the likes of you. The first time around, Subaru had ignored Emilia's wishes and rushed out of the Crusch residence. He didn't listen to Rem's attempt to stop him, courting a massive tragedy as a result. The second time around, he'd been unable to change one iota of the result, everyone had died again, and through fleeing from reality, he'd caused Rem to lose her life; again, no one was saved. The third time around brought about the most despicable of all outcomes. He'd gotten even innocent merchants on the roadside involved, offered Rem up to the White Whale, and had robbed Emilia of her life with his own hands. Puck had slaughtered the Witch Cult, but if, after Subaru's death, Puck had indeed destroyed the world as he had proclaimed, the damage was surely greater than any time that had come before. What about the time unrelated to the power of Return by Death that could not be rewound? When the candidates had assembled at the royal palace, Subaru had dragged down Emilia in epic fashion. Merely by standing at her side, let alone speaking his impertinent words, he'd tarnished her reputation, and his "duel" to save face had resulted only in even greater humiliation. As a result, he and Emilia had had a falling out, and he had hurt her heart with his emotional arguments, which had been little more than outbursts of anger. "...Kha-ha-ha!" He laughed drily at the realization. Now that he thought back, it was a masterpiece. When he calmly reflected on his own actions, it was painfully clear that he'd been a pestilence. He wanted to lend Emilia his strength? There had to be people only he could save? There was no doubt everyone was done for if he wasn't there? What thoughtlessness. What arrogance. Yes, what hubris. Subaru's actions had only worsened Emilia's standing. Even so, he'd betrayed her enormously generous heart, and his foolish undertakings had only dragged Rem with him to her death. Incredible. Just incredible. No doubt everyone knew that would be the result. That was why everyone had told Subaru, You need to behave, don't do anything, your strength isn't required, don't butt in, just go away. Those around him who had told him so knew a great deal about the future. They were very different from Subaru, who ought to have known that he could do nothing, that he understood nothing, that he was able to comprehend nothing. Maybe they were the ones really doing things over? "If they aren't, I'm the only one...screwing up like this." It was pathetic. There was no one lowlier, more unsalvageable, or more miserable than he. What did you call a man who resigned himself to being laughed at by others and acted so as to make others laugh? You called him a clown. Subaru, who wasn't even aware of the customers pointing at him and laughing, was unworthy of the title. He was just a simple, irredeemable fool. "So I've decided to go away. That's best. I