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had lived a life of disappointments. She had been betrayed, repudiated, estranged; to her these were natural, expected things. She wanted to be trusted, accepted, sought; but to her these things were impossible. That was why, when Subaru behaved kindly to her, she'd rejected even him, and all the kindness he offered. It was not that she couldn't believe he was being considerate to her. That she was worthy of his compassion this Emilia could not believe. If she piled expectation upon expectation, the blow when it all came crashing down would be unfathomable. Therefore, if he would someday distance himself from her, it was better if she distanced herself from him... ...before the pile between them climbed high enough to come crashing down. And yet, why ? "Subaru...came to the village? He...came back?" With the children maintaining an awkward silence, Emilia could only let out that dumbfounded murmur. Even then, the dragon carriage rocked ferociously as the battle between the knights and the pursuers continued. Emilia had a duty to protect the children, and that duty came first. Yet Emilia's heart was being rocked far harder than the carriage, swaying greatly to and fro. If Subaru had returned to the village, a number of mysteries began to make sense. It explained why Ram knew so much about the expeditionary force rendezvous. It explained why the villagers had been so cooperative with the order to evacuate. It explained why the members of the expeditionary force had so deftly handled the affairs of a domain of which they should have known little. The simple presence of one person, Subaru Natsuki, neatly tied these mysteries together. If Subaru was with the expeditionary force, she understood why Ram did not go against his word. To the villagers, Subaru was the savior of the village; it was natural that they would not reject his proposal. More than anything, evacuating the villagers and Emilia, sending them ahead while he stayed behind with the expeditionary force to deal with the threat, was very Subaru-like. Too like him. The actions were too like the Subaru Natsuki that Emilia knew "Why...?" Her murmur was tinged with incomprehension and sorrow. The emotions welling into her violet eyes made them faintly tremble. If this was all the result of Subaru's actions, they had changed little from before far too little. She'd hurt him, pushed him away, and yet, even so, Subaru had stayed the same. "I hurt him that much, and put that sad a face on him... Why did Subaru come again to...?" She didn't know why he'd tried to save her. She'd tossed the question his way after Subaru was deeply wounded in both body and heart at the royal selection conference and the training square. At the time Subaru had not given her an answer. And so Emilia still didn't know. Even though she'd given up, breaking the relationship between them, bringing it to an end without ever knowing... "Why...?!" "That's obvious...!" Emilia spoke, her voice breaking and on the verge of tears; it was the wild voice of a red-faced Petra that answered. The reaction, which made it sound like the girl knew the answer to the question she harbored, made Emilia look at her, hanging on her words. But before the two could open their mouths any farther, the dragon carriage was assaulted by the largest jolt to that point. *** The dragon carriage wended its way forward with incredible force, flinging around the bodies of Emilia and the children within. Instantly Emilia grasped hold of the wagon, stretching her arms and wrapping them around the children to the greatest possible extent. However, the dragon carriage continued wending its way, not leaving her a single moment to calm down; the movement was as if they were fleeing from something. Simultaneously, a voice echoed inside Emilia's brain. "Lia, someone's coming from the rear at incredible speed " Prompted by Puck's warning, Emilia shifted her eyes toward the dragon carriage's rear. Beyond the curtain flapping in the wind, she caught a glimpse of the cause of the dragon carriage's meandering movements: Something was chasing them...and drawing nearer. "I'll...!" I have to face this, thought Emilia, instantly trying to move. But when she tried to stand up, her body was held back by light weights, unable to move. When she lowered her gaze, she saw them: the children grabbing her arms and clothes, not letting her go for anything. "We won't let go!" "You can't go!" "We promised!" Emilia, firmly grasped by the children, could not escape. They were bonds she could have shaken loose, but Emilia did not move. When Emilia hesitated, Petra glared sharply at her face, shouting with a tearful look, "Are you going to make Subaru cry this time?!" *** The girl's shout sent a ferocious tremor both through the meandering carriage and through Emilia's heart. The dragon carriage braked all of a sudden, and centrifugal force struck, sending Emilia, still linked to the children, flying into the air. Reflexively, she oriented herself onto the blankets, safely protecting everyone from the impact. Swallowed by the rocking and the blankets, Emilia somehow managed to shake her head loose and sit up. "Just now, what was th ?" "Lia, it's right behind us!" Puck materialized beside her head, pointing behind the tilting dragon carriage. Heeding Puck's voice and motion, Emilia swiftly rose up, shielding the children behind her. At the same time, she unleashed her magical energy, and cold air dropped the temperature inside the carriage with incredible force. Just as Puck had said, someone had caught up to the dragon carriage. The next moment, someone raised the dragon carriage's curtain. Then, when she saw who was standing there, Emilia was dumbstruck. "Why...?" With ragged breaths, his shoulders heaving up and down, a lone young man climbed into the dragon carriage. The sight made Emilia's eyes shake fiercely in bewilderment. Her lips trembled. Emilia forgot the circumstances, and with a frail, minute voice, she spoke his name. " Subaru." She spoke his name. 8 When Subaru thought back, it was a horrible way to meet someone. It hadn't even been an hour since Subaru had been summoned to another world, adrift and unable to tell left from right. In that state, he'd walked into an alley, and according to script, he'd been surrounded and half-killed by punks. His trip to another world was about to end in death within the first few hours. Subaru remembered every little thing from that time: her words, her demeanor, her grandeur. He'd never, never, never, never forgotten. It was because of her that Subaru Natsuki could live in that world, standing on his own two feet. "Mr. Natsuki, that's !!" Having dispatched Petelgeuse's delusions earlier, the dragon carriage had been racing down the Liphas Highway when Otto, watching the horizon from the driver's seat, shouted to Subaru as he caught sight of their target. When Subaru followed his gaze, spotting the wriggling silhouette at the edge of the horizon, he too shouted. "There!! Otto, give it everything you've got!!" "I've been giving it everything this whole time!!" With a powerful flick of the reins, the two land dragons picked up speed. The jet-black land dragon stared straight ahead, wringing everything out of her spirit as she raced to fulfill Subaru's wish. After she saved him in that first encounter, he learned about her as he forced his way into her life. He knew she was stubborn, she was obstinate, she put on a strong front, and she was kind. He knew that he was unworthy to gaze at the side of her face. The very shame of it rang shrill within his chest. He knew that his own incorrigible foolishness had made those sweet feelings go to waste. Back then, he'd sworn. Subaru had certainly sworn it. "I'll...save you." He'd striven to uphold that promise. The deaths had piled up, he'd cut a hole open in Fate, and somehow making it past all that pain and suffering, Subaru had reunited with her, reforged their bonds, and earned her smiling face once more. Subaru would never forget the flood of emotions that had struck his chest at the time. "Wilhelm!!" "Sir Subaru?!" By the time they caught up with the silhouettes on the horizon, it was already a battlefield where knight and black figure clashed. Already a number of corpses lay upon the ground. The gallant figures riding around responded to Subaru's voice. Wilhelm blinked hard at the sight of Subaru, for the speed of the dragon carriage atop which he rode did not relent. The Sword Devil gripped a bloody blade, and the question of what Subaru was doing in that place nearly came to his lips, but "Where's Emilia?!" Subaru's next shout, and the emotion filling his black eyes, made Wilhelm instantly cast the question aside. Then Wilhelm pointed the tip of his sword ahead of the galloping dragon carriage and spoke. "There! Straight ahead! Toward the Great Tree!!" Lifting his face, Subaru set his sights on an even more distant horizon. He realized that they'd already made it halfway across the Liphas Highway, reaching as far as the Great Flugel Tree, where they'd waged the decisive battle against the White Whale. *** That much having been confirmed, the dragon carriage sped through the battlefield, never lowering its speed. He didn't stop. He needn't inquire about their safety. That would be an insult to the brave fighting of Wilhelm and his men, and more importantly, they were words Subaru should have spoken when they'd parted ways. Subaru had asked Wilhelm to put Emilia and the others' safety on his shoulders. Wilhelm was acting in accordance with the trust Subaru had placed in him. Accordingly, there was no need for Subaru to stop, nor for Wilhelm to question why he raced forward. Their exchange of glances was over in an instant, whereupon Subaru and Otto's dragon carriage left Wilhelm behind. However, the Witch Cultists were not about to simply let him go. Several of the figures kept the knights busy while others kicked off the ground, chasing after the dragon carriage, when "I am your opponent." Caught by surprise from behind, a Witch Cultist was sliced in half like a tall stalk of bamboo. Bathed in blood spatter, the Sword Devil swung his treasured sword as he shot the dragon carriage a satisfied smile as it raced into the distance. "It is a perfect opportunity to repay my debt of gratitude. And even though he did not say the words, I am pleased the one who asked it understands indeed, I am...honored." With the treasured sword granted by his liege in his right hand, he accepted a cavalier's sword tossed by one of his men in the left. The Sword Devil poised the swords crossed as his glare shot through the Witch Cultists. "As if I would let anyone stop a man who wants to meet his woman. You and I both stink too much of blood to be present at their reunion You will all remain here...as corpses." His pronouncement of their sentence of death made the Witch Cultists, purportedly shorn of emotion, tremble all over. Amid that sense of tension pulled taut, the Sword Devil bent forward, racing onward with a smile carved onto his lips. The expression was a complex one both that of a happy devil bathed in blood and the strained smile of an old man reminiscing on the sins of his youth. "Mr. Natsuki, I see them! The evacuating dragon carriages are over there!" With the battlefield left behind them, Otto, in the driver's seat as the dragon carriage picked up speed, raised his voice. As he pointed forward, Subaru, sitting right beside him, caught sight of the dragon carriage convoy moving off in the distance. The throbbing in his chest strengthened as Subaru clenched his fist, his emotions astir. As they closed the distance bit by bit, the dragon carriage convoy was thrown into confusion when it sensed Subaru's carriage catching up. The

column of dragon carriages began to weave around, and Subaru earnestly raised his voice. "Stop! It's me! Not an enemy! Stop, please stop !" " ?! Mr. Natsuki?!" "Please stop! It's an emergency! I need to check inside the carriages!" The knight in the driver's seat of the leading carriage realized it was Subaru pulling alongside and shouting to him; he rushed to bring his carriage to an urgent halt. At his command, the land dragon neighed, and one by one, the dragon carriages behind him lowered their speed with such force, they nearly rolled onto their sides. And then "Ia, come on out! Otto, get Patlash loose from the dragon carriage, please!" Time was precious. Subaru didn't even wait for the dragon carriage to stop before leaping down. He broke his fall with a pathetic-looking roll that was a far cry from a graceful landing. He instantly rose to his feet, the red quasi-spirit Ia floating right before his eyes. "Ia, can you tell which dragon carriage is booby-trapped?" The quasi-spirit did not reply. But she asserted her existence with an increase of heat, rushing ahead of Subaru toward the column of dragon carriages, and flew circles above a carriage with a canopy. From Ia's reaction, Subaru rushed to the dragon carriage without the slightest doubt in his mind. He violently stripped away the curtain covering the wagon, squinting as he peered into the poorly lit interior, and " Subaru." When he realized a voice, clear as a bell, had called his name, Subaru was struck by a wave of anxiety that threatened to make him break down then and there. Inside the wagon was a beautiful girl with silver hair and violet eyes, staring dumbfounded at Subaru. It was the sight of the girl he had pursued over and over, hoped for over and over, bent and broken himself over and over in the process, yet even so, he had never once managed to give up. He was overflowing with emotion. Irresistible urges welled up within him. However, Subaru gritted his teeth, instantly cutting his indecision away. "Ia! Where is it?!" Trailing behind Subaru, the quasi-spirit emerged within the wagon, flying around inside like an illusion. Scattering her mana like tiny specks of fire, the red quasi-spirit strongly illuminated one of the wagon's corners. "Puck! Can you let me strip only this part off without setting off what's behind it?!" "An unexpected reunion, and already you're making dema...... Mnggh, so that's how it is?" Puck, eyes wide at Subaru's presumptuous call, realized something was wrong under the floor. The little cat narrowed his eyes at the area indicated by the quasi-spirit, swishing his tail as he made use of his power. Gathering his mana, he froze the floorboards, whereupon Subaru violently stomped on them, shattering them. Then he thrust an arm into the hole thus created; when he felt his fingertips wrap around it, he yanked it out. " Found it!!" With a shout, what emerged from under the floor was a sack made of unusual material with complex symbols written upon it. It seemed to be made of some creature's hide, but the repulsiveness of the feel of it instinctively made him ill. "A sack of demon beast hide " As Puck put into words the cause of his distaste, Subaru opened the sack. The inside was jam-packed with glowing magic crystals, corroborating Otto's testimony. But that very moment, the magic crystals grew hotter, like they'd just begun a countdown sequence. "What timing...! Puck, can you stop this?!" "I don't think I can. I can contain the blast, though." Puck looked at Emilia as he shook his head, seemingly offering a glimpse of his final trump card. The gesture made Subaru realize that it probably meant Puck manifesting in his true form, overcoming the problem by brute force. It was a crude measure, but certainly it was possible for Puck to minimize the damage. It was possible, but... "No, you can't!" Subaru turned that plan down. Certainly that method would do to keep everyone safe. But it would come at the cost of revealing Puck's form as a Great Spirit, and awe at the sheer enormity of that power made the rupture of Emilia's relationship with the villagers inevitable Subaru couldn't even stop himself from shuddering as he protested. After all, just then, Emilia and the villagers were finally on the same stage, coming closer together bit by bit It wasn't like at the royal selection conference. Showing her power off like she had there would only be a hindrance to her relationship with the villagers. That was why he could rely on Puck like that only if it was truly the only way, the most final of final resorts. "Think. Think, think, think...!" If the magic crystals he'd retrieved lived up to their billing, they'd turn the entire prairie into a sea of flame when they exploded. There was practically no time left until they exploded. It would be difficult to toss them somewhere far away. But if he relied on Puck, it would leave a dark shadow over Emilia's prospects in the royal selection. He wrung all his cunning to think of something before he'd have to redo things at the cost of his life. This time, there had to be something he could do for Emilia " That's...it." He let out a murmur. Exactly one way had come to mind. It was a ridiculous, laughable conclusion. He wasn't sure he could actually pull it off. However, within the current limitations, it was the one possibility he could think of that had miraculous prospects of victory. The instant he thought of it, Subaru's body practically leaped into motion. With difficulty he picked up the heavy sack, his arms and chest scorched by the incandescent magic stones. Subaru ignored the pain and leaped out of the dragon carriage. And behind him "Wait...!" In a shaking voice, Emilia called for Subaru to stop. His legs, which had no time to stop, stopped. His body, which had no time to turn around, did. He stared straight at the eyes into which he could not look. They did not have the time to exchange words, yet exchange words they did. "Subaru, why...?!" This why included the various whys apart from that moment. There was the why of that instant, when he had come aboard the dragon carriage; there was the why toward his creation of this situation; and from long, long before... She was likely repeating the question she had posed in that room in the royal palace, too. At the time, Subaru had been unable to give Emilia an answer to her question. At the time, numerous emotions had surged within him that he had yet to sort out. Taken individually and separately, it was not that they were mistaken...but they were not correct, either. It was the place where he had been given only one chance to reach out to her, and he'd let it slip through his fingers. That place was the one chance he had earned, and he'd lost even that, kicking everything down the road. He'd reunited with Emilia, gaining the chance to talk with her, and he had a mountain of thoughts and feelings he wanted to share. No matter how much he tried, it would never be enough to cover it all. Many, many words floated into his thoughts, filling his throat, but that's where they vanished. Contained with him was a flood of emotions and ideas, but in that moment his entire body and soul yearned for one thing. What to talk about? What to tell her? What words to choose? How would he face her? "Why...?" She asked him once again. He took a short breath. And then, in a single phrase, Subaru told her. He told her the one and only thing that gave his life meaning, even when covered in all those wounds. " I love you, Emilia." 9 In one go, they passed through the curtain of the dragon carriage, practically ripping it as they leaped out. The instant the dazzling light of the sun burned Subaru's eyes, a huge black frame stood before him, blocking the sun's rays. It was Patlash. Subaru's favorite dragon had predicted everything before he had even called her, offering him her back. Subaru leaped on, placing the leather sacks emitting high temperatures between his own belly and Patlash's saddle. He proceeded to take the reins, and the land dragon galloped on a path in the direction of the sun. Behind him Otto was surprised by Subaru's actions; the knight in the driver's seat was shocked as well. The children leaping out from behind the curtain raised their voices, as did Emilia. Subaru heard them calling out to him. But he didn't look back. There wasn't time. Every feeling he wanted to convey, every word he wanted to speak, it had all been summed up in that single phrase. There was nothing left for Subaru to do there. In that moment there was only one thing he needed to follow through on. *** Patlash became the wind, instantly leaving the landscape behind them. The effect of the wind repel blessing had expired, so the shaking and gusts assailed Subaru without mercy. But the land dragon's agile movements protected her master, and Subaru, trusting his favorite dragon in equal measure, left everything to her. He could feel through the leather bag that the magic crystals were becoming white-hot. Quietly, that heat increased with every passing instant. They were on the very brink of exploding. Subaru's belly, and Patlash's back, sensed this as they desperately dashed forward. As his eyesight darkened from pain, he saw their destination coming into view at the edge of his vision. It was the legendary Great Tree, snapped at its base and lying on its side. Lying beside that legendary tree was the headless corpse of a demon beast that had grown over the course of a long, long time. The expedition force had probably had its hands full just hauling the head of the enormous demon beast away. Due to their freezing the massive fallen body to hold back the onset of rot, there was a chill in the air all around it. Patlash ran toward the frozen carcass as Subaru ran his eyes toward the center of the White Whale. There rested the fatal sword wound inflicted by the Sword Devil. *** Drawing up right alongside the corpse, Subaru leaped off Patlash. Then, without hesitation, he raised the powerfully hot leather sack high and stuffed it into the demon beast's wound. The giant corpse's wound was large enough that, even in its frozen state, there was plenty of space to pack the leather sack into it. *** Having disposed of the leather sack, he instantly turned back. Subaru leaped back onto Patlash and grabbed the reins to immediately turn away, then the two of them circled around the corpse, slipping under the fallen Great Tree's shadow. Subaru was practically dangling from the saddle as Patlash raced onto the grasslands. By the time the land dragon had taken a second or perhaps third step, the magic crystals reached the point of ignition, and light surged up from them. All Subaru could feel was the shaking and wind from their mad dash. With his body shaken all around, he lost sight of which way was up, but he knew from the impact he felt that they'd escaped to where he'd intended. Subaru fervently clung to the trunk of the tree while Patlash curled up her body, covering Subaru with it. Immediately after that *** There was a ferocious shock wave and blast of wind, along with the sound of the explosion, which echoed over the highway so fiercely that Subaru thought his eardrums would burst. A torrent of heat streamed past the White Whale's remains and the Great Tree, singeing Subaru and Patlash's flesh. The light from the explosion passed through his closed eyelids, searing his eyeballs.

But Subaru clung firmly to his handholds, gritting his teeth as he endured the pain. The shock wave churned up his internal organs, and it felt like even the powerful roots of the Great Tree would be ripped from the soil. However, the tide of destruction finally began to abate *** Subaru, realizing that at some point he'd stopped feeling anything, lifted his head. He tried raising his voice, but his ears were ringing so badly he couldn't hear a thing. When he opened his eyes, he couldn't see anything through the hanging blast cloud. He reached out with his hand and felt the hide of the land dragon right beside him. He couldn't tell from warmth, but his palm felt the movements of a living creature. She was alive. His shoulders eased in relief. *** The next moment, he felt something moist touch the surface of his unseeing face. When it repeated over and over, he wondered if it might be Patlash's tongue licking his face. He made a strained smile at the doglike show of affection. Also, her tongue was so coarse, he felt like his face was being filed. However, he didn't lift a finger to stop it, nor did he raise his voice. It figured that he was tired. He was completely out of endurance, no longer able to move a single step. He wondered if it would be such a sin if he gave his body a little break. *** When he felt the faint stirring of the air against his skin, Subaru somehow managed to move his head. He could see nothing. He could hear nothing. But for some reason, it felt good. He could hear nothing. At that moment, nothing at " Subaru!" Ahh, whaddya know. Turns out I can hear something. The sigh of relief was the last thing Subaru did before his mind fell into a deep, deep sleep. 10 When Subaru came to, his mind had entered a world of darkness once more. Having lost his body, Subaru Natsuki continued to hover in that vast, empty space as nothing but consciousness. As usual, the world had neither ground nor a discernable sky. Nothing but darkness spread out before him in an ephemeral dream, one he would forget when he awakened. " I love you." But in that blank, hollow world of nothingness, there was an charming "someone" he couldn't meet anywhere else. Always it gave Subaru a soft, numbing throb, as if he were filled with joy at a painful embrace. " I love you." The darkness unwound, the shadow formed, and the captivating "someone" appeared, approaching Subaru as she whispered her love. He could not see the expression on her face. However, that "someone" was likely spinning words of love with a face drenched with anguish. He wanted to be touched. He wanted to be longed for. Reflexively, Subaru's heart was drawn in. He wanted to respond to her love, to repay her for it. He would never be able to repay love granted to him with anything less than love of his own. And yet " Subaru." He heard it. A lovely voice from other than "someone" was calling his name. His thoughts alone understood. A lovely voice apart from the "someone" filling the dream with black shadow was calling him to the world of white light. As he understood this, a white light, something that should not exist in the land of darkness, was born. " I love you." " Subaru." Simultaneously, the voices were tossed his way. He wanted to respond to the shadow's love. He absolutely had to respond to the love of the light. He realized that his mind was being drawn away from the voice of that "someone" toward she whose voice reached him from the land of light. The voice of that "someone" held grief at the state of Subaru's heart, for she was being left behind. Two arms woven from shadow stretched out, but they did not reach his incomplete body. As Subaru grew distant, he heard the voice tremble, sadly calling out as it sought him over and over. " I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you." " Subaru, please." The whispers of love repeated over and over, whereas the call of his name contained a simple plea. Remember who you are. Remember what you have to do. Remember the words you must exchange, in the world where you belong. He couldn't stay there. So "Next time, I'll probably come to meet you." With nonexistent lips, surely unable to convey his feelings, he spoke his farewell to the "someone" fading in the distance. They were words of departure, an oath that they would meet again. That "someone" let out a small gasp. Then Subaru's mind was enveloped by a light that blotted out the world of darkness as he slowly melted away. " I'll be waiting." That echo was the only thing left as Subaru Natsuki was torn from the ephemeral dream... 11 His mind floated up through the sea called sleep, breaking the surface called waking as his eyes opened. The tears of his waking eyes stung them like poison. His blurry vision saw thin, wavering violet. Her breathtaking beauty was so close that they practically breathed the same air, truly close enough for the hot breath from her pink lips to reach him making him nervous enough to die on the spot. "Isn't your face a bit close?!" "Wah! Ah, Subaru! You're awake! I'm glad, really I am." The violet that was so near turned out to be Emilia's eyes; the realization that it was her face that had been close enough to breathe on him snapped his mind awake. As Subaru flew into a panic, Emilia watched him, patting her breast with a look of pure relief the angle was odd. "Emilia-tan was super close while I slept. So this heavenly feeling against my head is..." "You don't need to say it out loud. It's a lap pillow. Not bad for...a good sleep?" "How can I complain? There's no pillow that's more luxurious than this. It's a pretty nice reward for working so hard." Subaru shot her a teasing smile as he let his head rest upon her without complaint. As he did so, Emilia pursed her lips in a small smile, quietly gazing upon Subaru's smiling face. The mood had shifted. It had changed from each making sure the other was safe...to their exchanging the feelings lying beyond that. "Errr, can I ask you about a few things? For instance... Right, is Patlash okay? I remember I felt like she was licking my face right before I passed out..." "Goodness, and there's so many things I want to ask, too... That land dragon was licking you quite awhile after you passed out, too, Subaru. She really, really raised a fuss when people tried pulling you away, and if Otto hadn't had a word with her, she might never have left your side." "Whoa, Patlash, how far are you gonna take this loyal dragon thing? I'm falling in love." They'd known each other for only two days, but the number of ordeals they'd been through together was already unmatched. If Crusch was going to give him a reward for helping deal with the White Whale, he couldn't even conceive of one besides Patlash anymore. "She was badly burned, but her life doesn't seem to be in danger. I conducted the initial treatment, but Sir Wilhelm is having Ferris examine her right now, so..." "Eh? Ferris caught up, too?" Subaru was both relieved and surprised to hear Ferris's name come from Emilia's lips. The kingdom's greatest healer having joined up with them was good news. And the fact he was there meant "Does this mean I've been sleeping for a long while?" "Two or three hours, maybe? Don't worry, thanks to conversation mirrors, Ferris and them were able to link up, so all the wounded people are all right." Emilia smiled pleasantly. One of the conversation mirrors originally owned by the Witch Cult rested in her hand. It was the one Subaru had kept for communicating with the expeditionary force left back in the village. She'd used it to converse with Ferris and the others, which accounted for the smooth rendezvous. "So everyone's gathered around here, huh?" "Ferris is still treating people... Julius, too. I was surprised. I mean, I would never have imagined you and Julius together, Subaru." "I had a reason for that bluer than the mountains and higher than the seas. Explaining the circumstances of that subject from part one would get really long and messy, y'see..." The relationship with Julius that had surprised Emilia was difficult to explain with words. Or rather, that very moment, even Subaru didn't know how to describe it. If he had to put his complex emotions into a few short words that represented his overall appraisal of the man "I will hate that guy forever." "What's with saying that all of a sudden?" "I was trying my best to express the feelings I have for him that are hard to put into exact words... So where is everyone right now?" Not wanting to talk about that any further, he switched topics. "Let's see," said Emilia, making a small, strained smile at Subaru's demeanor as she spoke. "Ferris told everyone to take a break until he finished healing people, but he should be right about done. Once that's over, we'll be heading for the capital again. There's a lot of things I have to speak to Crusch about, after all. That's thanks to your hard work, Subaru." "Yeah, it totally was hard. Seriously felt like a game as the away team. I got through it with bluff, bluster, and guessing right about some little things. Just thinking about it twists my stomach!" "Yes. Really...thank you." Emilia's sincere gratitude made Subaru, attempting to hide his blush, able to hide it no longer. But credit was credit. There was no point hiding it any longer. "That's, right...I've, finally gotten back, haven't I?" When he finally looked around, Subaru saw that he and Emilia were all alone inside the canopied dragon carriage's wagon. The surrounding area held no sign of people; only the sound of the wind broke the silence. It was as if they were the only two people in the whole world it was just like back then. Wounded all over, his mind hazy, he'd awakened to find the two of them all alone. "I feel like I've been seeing a long dream..." As a matter of fact, the events from the moment of their departure to that time around the final loop seemed unreal, very much like he'd been dreaming. That was how extreme and prolonged a situation it had been. It had been nothing but a veritable nightma "A bad dream...... No, not that." "Was it a good dream?" Emilia cocked her little head slightly, and her question prompted Subaru to continue. The question made Subaru close his eyes, reminiscing on the time he had nearly declared a nightmare. He remembered the many despairing situations that had visited him, places that he wanted to drive out of his head many times over. His string of foolish acts. His self-serving behavior. His overbearing arrogance. How he'd cruelly betrayed expectations. How his spirit had been pummeled and broken by loss and despair. How he had once been ruled by madness, enough that when he sank into clarity, he sought to throw everything to the wind and how, at the end of that, someone saved him. He couldn't pretend it hadn't happened. Were it not for all those things, the Subaru of that moment would not exist. Therefore, even if those days had been like a nightmare, inflicting nothing but hardships upon him... " It was good, really." That long, long, nightmarish time remained nowhere, save for inside Subaru himself. He could treat it as the past. But he could not allow himself to treat it as a dream. The

tragic results created by his own actions, and the horrific results they'd courted, were all his to bear. Subaru was prisoner of the supernatural power of Return by Death. He had used that power to blaze open a new future. So this cross was his to bear. "...How much have you heard?" "Almost nothing. Julius said I should hear it from you." "That meddling piece-of-shit bastard." Was this his idea of being considerate? Inside his brain, Subaru spit invective at the handsome young man. Then Subaru gently sat up from Emilia's lap, meeting her gaze with his own... ...as if to continue his words where they'd left off back then. "That day, you asked me why. Why did I come save you? Why did I try so hard for you with this and that? Why, you said." "Yeah, I asked that. And also, why you claimed I had saved you... I never did anything like that. I haven't at all. It's been only you saving me... I haven't given you anything. And in spite of that, you get so hurt for my sake..." "Nah, back then I was all messed up..." A part of him could not dismiss himself as just messed up. It wasn't that he was messed up at all. At the time, thinking of himself only in terms of foolishness and frailty, the human being called Subaru Natsuki had honestly believed those words. He had been pushing his own conceited emotions onto her, and wanted only for her to accept them. Subaru knew of a man who had loudly asserted such self-serving love in his final moments, for it was Subaru himself who had watched this while leading the man to his demise. Properly speaking, the sight of the Sword Devil offering up proof of his love had also been burned into his eyes. "At the time, I was thinking only about me. I accept that. I was saying it was for your sake, but I was just drunk with the idea of 'I'm doing this for you.' I put into my own head that if I acted drunk on that, you'd accept me." "Subaru..." "Sorry. I was using you, and drowning in my own joy. Everything you said back then was true. I was wrong...but I wasn't wrong about everything." He conceded that he'd used Emilia for his own benefit. But there was one thing that he would not concede. "I want to help you. I want to be there for you. That's serious, that's true, not a lie." "...Yeah, I know." Emilia nodded at Subaru's words. Then her violet eyes greatly wavered and, blinking once, she stared at Subaru. And then " Subaru, why do you help me?" They were the words she had spoken then. It was a question she had also posed several hours before. Then, like before, the words were offered in search of an answer. Subaru had but one to give. "I want to be there for you, because I love you, Emilia." Subaru looked straight back into Emilia's eyes and stated it plainly. In the end, the summary of the basis of Subaru's actions was exceedingly simple. Wanting to be there for her, to stand by her side, to render her aid, to see her smiling face, to walk beside her, to live with her from now on Every last part of it was because he loved Emilia with all his body and soul, from the crown of the head to the tips of his toenails. That was why, even at the risk of death, and in fact numerous deaths, no matter how hurt or hated or anguished he might be, even if he had to crawl to do it, he'd come back. Just how many opportunities had he missed, only belatedly coming up with that simple answer? He was truly in awe at the extent of his own stupidity. *** Listening to Subaru's reply, Emilia opted to close her lips and keep her silence. But that silence did not last long. Abruptly her composure crumpled; she bit her closed lips, and her wide-open, violet eyes grew moist. It was the look of a girl who might break into tears at any moment, a girl who didn't know how to cry. "I...I'm...a half-elf..." "I know that." Emilia earnestly shook her head, replying in a shaking, halting voice. "I'm a half-elf, with silver hair... I'm hated by all kinds of people because I look like the Witch, they hate me. They truly, truly hate me." "I've realized. I know. And those guys are blind." Judging from appearances alone, and on top of that, basing everything on a resemblance to an arch-criminal from the distant past was ridiculous. How did anyone who didn't know a single thing about Emilia's true nature have any right to hate her? "I have almost no experience interacting with people, and I don't have any friends. I have no common sense, and I'm ignorant of how the world works. That's why I say weird things from time to time...and because of my pact with Puck, my hairstyle practically changes on a daily basis, and my reason for wanting to be queen is...really, really selfish..." She lined up her shortcomings one after another, even including things she didn't need to mention, offering a glimpse at her deepest vulnerabilities. Yet that timidity, that frailty, that lack of confidence in that moment, Subaru thought it was all lovely. Hence, Subaru gently shook his head. "Emilia, whatever anyone says to you, whatever you think of yourself, I love you. I really love you. I super love you. I want to be together with you, always. I want to hold your hand, forever." "Ah..." "If you tell me ten things you hate about yourself, I'll tell you twelve that I love about you." When Emilia seemed to try to pull back into herself, Subaru wouldn't let her escape, keeping his eyes glued to her as he stated how he really felt. Emilia closed her little lips, looking at Subaru, and as she continued to look, tears welled in her eyes. When they grew to the point of overflowing, she blinked, letting droplets fall, tracing paths down her white cheeks. "That's the special way I want to treat you." "...This is the first time since I was born that I've been so happy to be treated as special." He reached out with his hand, gently suppressing the flow of tears. With Subaru's hand touching her cheek, Emilia put her hand over his, and the body warmth exchanged between the two felt intensely hot. "Why...twelve?" "Because one hundred percent ain't enough to express how I feel." When Subaru laughed, face brimming with a wide grin, Emilia answered with a tearful smile. Her face was dazzling, as if each and every falling tear were a diamond. Subaru felt so satisfied from seeing just one charming smile that he had to laugh at himself for how easily content he was. And so they smiled together, as Emilia rubbed her cheek against Subaru's hand. "I'm so happy. Really happy. I never once thought the day would come that someone would tell me they loved me." In the days until that point, special had meant something entirely different to Emilia. That was why she was extremely frightened of receiving special treatment from anyone. Subaru knew how she felt about it, but had given her special treatment despite it all. Even if it wasn't from anyone else, even if it was only Subaru in that whole world, the way he treated her truly was...special. "Is this really fine? For me...for someone like me to be this happy, to have such happy feelings, it feels like an indulgence..." "It's absolutely fine. Let's indulge ourselves. No matter how happy you are, it doesn't bother anyone else, and you can always give some of the excess to other people." Which was why "You can take it slow, Emilia. Slow, gentle, take your time falling in love with me. After all, I'll be walking right by your side, doing my best to make you weak in the knees." *** "Eep," went Emilia, making a little sound from her throat. She proceeded to grow red in the cheeks, lowering her eyes. Then she touched a hand to her breast, quietly staring at Subaru as he smiled at her. And then... "Thank you, Subaru. For helping me." ...Emilia smiled pleasantly as she said those words to Subaru. They were words she had spoken once before. Realizing that fact, Subaru laughed. Emilia, realizing the same, laughed, too. She laughed and laughed, and suddenly, tears began to flow from the corners of her eyes. Subaru reached his hand out to Emilia's long, beautiful silver hair, gently stroking it as if combing through it. He remained by the adorable girl's side as she gently continued to cry. *** Under the sky of the approaching dusk, a boy from another world and a silver-haired half-demon drew close to one another, sharing their mutual feelings. There had been repeated tribulation and despair continuing for a very long time. Having overcome these, they had finally earned a quiet, tranquil time for them alone. This was a tale about earning that time, and nothing more. This was a tale about missed opportunities, continuing along different paths, remaining lost, and nothing more. Everything had happened so that a single insecure boy could share his feelings with a single insecure girl. This was a tale of striving to do exactly that one thing and nothing more. *** With a rattling sound, the dragon carriage quietly advanced along the highway. Protected by the blessing, Subaru was truly able to enjoy a tranquil journey in a dragon carriage for the first time. Subaru's dragon carriage experiences had always been messy, so it was the first time he was able to travel in such peace and quiet. The first "peaceful" journey to the royal capital had been ruined by Subaru's selfish excesses, so it didn't count. And amid this first experience "Hey, Petra...aren't you kinda...close?" "Isn't this fine, Subaru? After all, Big Sis has been hogging you the whole time until now." Subaru strained a smile as Petra said that to him and looked up with big, round eyes. She was sitting to Subaru's left and had been nuzzled against him, never leaving his side, since they'd set out again. "Er, that's not true, Petra. Earlier, Subaru and I had...yes, we had something really important to talk about, so..." "Pfft. Just so you know, Big Sis, I am definitely not losing to you!" A red-faced Emilia tried to make excuses, but Petra didn't heed her one bit. But they weren't acting like they seriously scorned each other; if anything, they looked like they'd been teasing each other forever, which brought a big grin to Subaru's lips. "Emilia-tan, you're talking with a child. You need to laugh and let these things slide with a smile on your face." "I will not. Even with a child, I cannot behave in such an off-the-cuff manner." "No one uses off-the-cuff anymore..." "Grrr, playing that game again...!" Emilia's lips tensed in displeasure, and Petra, unhappy to be treated like a child, tugged on Subaru's sleeve with a look of dissatisfaction. "Sorry, sorry," begged Subaru, giving a little, pained smile as he apologized to both of them. At present Subaru and the others were heading to the capital with the children in a carriage after they'd had to change from the one that had been booby-trapped. Other than Petra, the exhausted children were asleep, and to be blunt, their snores and Petra's pressing up against Subaru were like his salvation. After all, he couldn't handle being alone with Emilia after what had happened earlier. He'd confessed to her, making all kinds of embarrassing statements in the process. Now that he calmly thought back upon making all kinds of cool-sounding statements, like about patiently waiting for her answer, he was about ready to expect jets of

fire to sprout from his face. "Subaru, what is it? You're making a strange face." "I was just thinking that Petra's been a big help. I mean, she kept her promise not to leave Emilia-tan alone. She's been a very good girl!" "Eh-heh-heh-heh." As Petra looked up at him, Subaru gently stroked her hair and explained the second thing he was grateful to her for. If, by some chance, Petra and the other children had let go of Emilia, she might have done something reckless and gotten herself hurt again. This had been avoided, and Subaru was able to see all his efforts come to fruition thanks to Petra and the other children around them. Truly he had been blessed; perhaps too much, even. "Once things calm down, there's way too many people I need to thank..." He owed Crusch's followers a big thank-you, then another to the Anastasia faction for the aid of the Iron Fangs, and though it pained him, Julius's assistance had been a godsend as well. Russel had helped out in regard to the White Whale, plus he still owed a debt to Otto for his aid at the very end. Subaru had a lot of things to do. "There's a mountain of stuff I've gotta think about, huh...?" There was the issue of credit being due to the expeditionary force for taking down both the White Whale and Sloth, plus the alliance that had been struck with the Crusch camp. There was also the matter of pressing the absent Roswaal to take responsibility for compensating Earlham Village and dealing with various other matters that remained. Many difficulties lay before Subaru especially the talk that loomed largest on that mountain-like pile. "Um, er, Emilia-tan... There's...something really important I have to talk to you about." "Mmm, what is it?" As Subaru gingerly brought the matter up, Emilia looked over to him with eyes full of trust. When Subaru gazed at those eyes and the emotions resting within, the task he had to carry out truly sunk in. At the same time, to be blunt, it frightened him to ponder whether the look in those eyes would change after he cleared the air. Naturally, the matter he could not avoid telling Emilia about concerned another girl Rem. During the current loop, there was no one who'd aided Subaru as wholeheartedly as Rem. It was Rem's deep love and devotion that had gently healed Subaru's broken heart, allowing him to summon the will to rekindle the fight against fate every time he had to start over. Had it not been for Rem, the Subaru sitting before Emilia would not have existed. That was why Subaru harbored deep feelings for Rem that were special in their own way. Even if they were different from those he felt for Emilia, nothing else could compare to their strength and size. Accordingly, Subaru settled on framing it around that he knew full well that it was an awful way of thinking. "This is really hard to say, but please, listen to me. Of course, I'm resigned to Ram kicking my ass when I tell her about this, but...I wanted to tell you first, Emilia-tan." "...Mm-hmm?" Subaru's odd, halting preamble left Emilia with a perplexed expression on her face. Seeing that nearly dulled his determination, but he hardened his resolve, feeling his courage bolstered by the battle with the Witch Cult. He worked the wheels in his brain at maximum speed, multiplying everything by Return by Death to reach the most optimal way to explain "Actually, I wanted to talk about Rem. Where I'm concerned, Rem, um...well, you must have figured it out, right? I mean, well, she said a fair bit about it..." Sweat oozed from Subaru's brow as he desperately tried to find the next words. Now that he was faced with giving the most awful confession in history, his courage, resolve, and experiences from Return by Death all failed him. With Subaru already devolving into rambling excuses, drenched with cold sweat as he found it hard to speak, Emilia raised a hand. "Hold on a moment. Subaru, calm down. I don't understand what you're trying to say, and I know that you're trying really, really hard, Subaru. Be a good boy and take it slow." "I'm not sure what to think about the good-boy part...! No, wait, I'm not being very manly here. Okay, I'll just spit it out! See, Rem told me that she loves me just as much as I love you, Emilia, so...!" He meant to build on the momentum from where he had just left off, but his words died out. Having put his feelings into it with all his strength, he was sure that Emilia would be shocked at exactly what he was confessing to. The mere thought of how she might react terrified him. Very, very tenderly, he watched for her response. *** However, Emilia's reaction was completely different from what Subaru had expected. Subaru's words made Emilia's brows draw up. She touched a finger to her lips as she silently sank into thought. Was she mulling over his words, her anger building toward Subaru? It didn't seem like that at all. "Subaru." "Yes?" When Emilia called his name, Subaru looked straight her. Emilia resolutely faced Subaru's determined eyes head-on. However, her gaze also contained bewilderment, and Subaru couldn't understand why. Then, the next words she spoke were literally beyond Subaru's comprehension "Who's Rem?" *** 1 A loud, crying voice echoed under the clear, blue sky. It was the crying voice of a baby girl. Already she was crying with all her heart and soul. Displaying emotions with every bit of available strength was a privilege reserved for babes. As he embraced that sentiment, he was shocked with himself, for it was not the thought of the young. "So this is longing for youth... Maybe I should cry like Spica and return to the innocence of childhood?" "If an adult acts like that on a public street, there's nothing I can do to help, you know?!" When Subaru, feeling the weight of his years, made that murmur, the boy beside him played the straight man. Upon that exchange, the baby in Subaru's arms the girl named Spica took a deep, deep breath and went, "Aa !!" "Whoa! Spica's crying! Hey, uh, Rigel, you're her older brother! Do something!" "You say that, but the fact you yourself aren't doing anything about it is a lot worse!" The two males of the household batted responsibility back in forth with the baby between them. The uproar attracted the attention of nearby pedestrians, but when they saw which three people were making the ruckus, they all thought, Same as usual, and promptly lost interest. As a result, the crying baby girl and the two caretakers remained as they were. Subaru, dead center amid that noisy, passingly amusing scene, covered his face with a hand. "So we have a little girl crying like this, and not a single person offers a lifeboat... Shit, have people's hearts hardened that much?!" "This ain't the time to philosophize about the world! At this rate she's gonna give us a lecture when she gets back..." "When who gets back, Rigel?" "Well, that's obvio " The young man named Rigel cut off his words there as he looked over his shoulder in shock. Subaru went, "Ohh" as he followed Rigel's gaze, raising his eyebrows as he arrived at the figure standing behind him. "Done with your shopping?" "Yes, there were no problems... It seems things did not go so well for you." "Nah, Spica's super lively. This one's growing up to be the type who runs all around and keeps men wrapped around her finger. She'll grow into a little devil before you know it. My heart's all aflutter. I can't wait!" As Subaru flapped his lips, Spica, the girl he held in his arms, extended a little hand toward the woman standing there who was no larger than a leaf. Subaru desolately realized she seemed to be saying, Change me. "Well, all that being said, we can't have her crying again. With that, I'll leave her to you." "Yes, leave her to me." Though his tone remained mischievous, Subaru handed the baby over with exceptional gentleness. The woman made a charming little smile as she took Spica, handling her like a precious treasure. Then she hugged Spica snugly against her chest, gently rocking the baby's body to put her at ease. "Yes, Father and Big Brother are helpless, aren't they? Spica, you need to grow up soon so you can give them the proper scolding they deserve." "Hey now, she can't understand words yet, so can we not give her the special tutoring?" An image of the future came to mind: his mischief being followed by her and Spica sandwiching him, hands on their hips in a pronounced huff. That scene, with them angry at him and Rigel both, was just "Er, now that I think of it, that's not as bad as I thought, it's really not! If anything, it comes off as one hell of a happy image of the future, doesn't it?" "Leave me out of it. Having a little sister angry at me makes me look bad as an older brother." "Well, it wouldn't make you look bad if you're lumped in with me. Your future... I can see it, I can see it...! Too soft to the little sister you like too much, kept under her thumb forever...you will be the Siscon King!!" "Hey, you're the one who's wrapped around a woman's finger! I'll never, ever be like that!" Subaru wagged his finger to fan the flames; a vein bulged on Rigel's forehead as he protested. But Rigel's statement made the blue-haired woman holding Spica knit her brows together. "Rigel what is this manner of talking you've been using outside? It's intolerable," she said. "Uh, but, I mean..." "Mother hates hearing but and I mean. Besides, your earlier words are mistaken." As Rigel hemmed and hawed, she scolded him without mercy; then she pressed her lips to Spica's cheek and spoke. "Mother does not have Father wrapped around her finger. After all, Father is always Mother's Number One." Her cheeks reddened as she uttered something far more embarrassing than a baby crying on a public street. This time, confronted with a mother able to say that out loud, Rigel raised both hands in abject surrender. Even Subaru couldn't do anything but awkwardly scratch a cheek. The reactions from her beloved family sent her happily passing a hand through her long hair. The stroke left Rem's hair, blue and pretty like the sky, swaying gently in the wind. 2 In a corner of Banan City, part of the city-state of Kararagi, Subaru sat on a bench at the corner of a public park dotted with playgrounds, gazing absentmindedly at affairs inside the park. Directly in front of him, Rigel, his blue hair combed backward and spiky, was running around the public park, having fun with his friends. He might be cheeky to his own father, but he was an adorable kid, as befitted his age. "Now if only we could do something about those awful serial killer eyes..." "We will do nothing of the sort. That nasty look is part of who Rigel is. No matter how much fun he has, no matter how joyful he may be, his face will still make first acquaintances flinch with discomfort that's our Rigel." "Hey, I can hear you. And Mom, your attempt to help hurt even more, you know?!" Rigel was caught and frozen in a game of freeze tag passed down by Subaru himself as he raised his voice in anger. Subaru and Rem both waved to their adorable son, seemingly to fan the flames like a proper husband and wife. The foul, vein-bulging look of dissatisfaction on Rigel's face made him a dead ringer for a young Subaru. "In other words, I can already expect his future to go something like

mine. I'd be in shock too if I were him... I mean, in twenty years he's gonna turn into me." "Would that not mean...a future where he marries a valiant wife, skilled in cooking and capable of all domestic affairs, who is also a wonderful and ideal bride?" "Hey, what's that normie sellout garbage about? That can go jump in a... Wait, you meant me!" When Subaru put a hand against his head and stuck out his tongue, Rem couldn't keep herself from sighing a little. "If you don't deny it even a little, your wife will get carried away from being smothered in praise." "What this about smothering you in praise? It's just the truth. I seriously am a real-life sellout." If Subaru were seriously trying to kill her with flattery, he would go much, much further. But they were in a public park in broad daylight. If he started saying sweet nothings to her, the idle chatter around them would drown out everything else. That wasn't such a bad thing, but he wanted to fully enjoy the moment. His son was playing; his wife was gently holding their baby daughter. Subaru felt like falling asleep beside them. Sitting beside her was somehow making Subaru sleepy. "Er..." "If you wish to sleep, I will lend you my shoulder. Spica has monopolized my arms, after all." When he opened one eye, he found that his head had come to rest on Rem's shoulder as they sat side by side. With Rem so close, he could smell her sweet scent and feel her warmth. Subaru's cheeks slackened as he looked Spica's way. She had her father's black hair and her mother's adorable face. Her life was innocent, delicate, and so very lovely. "Damn you, Spica. Beloved daughter you may be, you're one frightening schemer, taking over my holy ground like that." "My breasts are occupied until evening, so please wait." "Right now, we're in a park in the middle of the day, so we'd better watch what we say, you know..." When Subaru's eyes bulged at the audacious statement, the woman who had said it turned beet red. "Man, my family's super adorable." "Because you love them all each and every day." Their gazing at each other made him feel funny, so Subaru accepted Rem's offer and rested his head on her shoulder. The feel of her blue hair brushing against him felt amazingly good, making Subaru rub his face against it without thinking about it. "Someone wants to be tickled." "Ah, sorry, it just felt sooo good. I'll just learn from Spica and behave. Rigel can be the only one who can't calm down. Wow, Rigel's such a little kid!" "I can hear you, stupid dad! Don't compare me to you!" "Rigel, your sister is sleeping, so please be considerate." "It just ain't fair!" The still-frozen Rigel shouted at the absurdity, but no one in the family backed him up. Adding to his woes, no one came to rescue Rigel from his frozen state. He was in quite an isolated position. Though he resembled Subaru in appearance and mannerisms, the surrounding children did not tease him about that, which Subaru thought was incredibly kind on their part, but... "You can't turn out like that, Spica! Only Big Bro acting like that is enough. Well, you take after Mother, so your future is bright. I only pray you don't get caught by a no-good man like me." "There is no substitute for you. My darling is the greatest in the whole world." Subaru gave a strained smile at Rem's enthusiastic seal of approval. Silence fell between them for a time; but this was not an uncomfortable silence in any way. With the sun's rays behind them, he gazed wistfully at his son being teased by his friends as he cuddled up to his wife, holding their daughter in her arms, and rested it was a sweet, happy time. " Subaru." The abrupt calling of Subaru's name made him open his closed eyes. When he glanced upward, Rem's clear, light-blue eyes were gazing into his. Her moist eyes loosened Subaru's tongue. "...It's been a while since you've called me that. It's been 'darling' and 'Father' for ages." *** The words Subaru spoke upon waking made Rem purse her trembling lips. He was looking at the face Rem had often worn several years ago, right after they ran away. Subaru could tell even when Rem tried to hide it. After all, he'd always had his eyes on her. Bathed by the wind, Subaru narrowed his eyes. It had been Rem who'd invited him on a family outing that day. He'd guessed that she had a reason for that. After all "Today...it's been eight years since that day, huh?" "...You noticed?" "Well, to me...no, to us, that was the day everything changed, right? It's not that I noticed or remembered, it's that I can't forget there's no way can I forget." It was the day he had submitted to fate, the day he had thrown everything away and fled with Rem. It was a day when he'd meant to give everything up, but there was one thing only he hadn't given up on. On that day he'd had her love and the Subaru sitting there existed thanks to that. "Subaru, do you...?" Rem had consciously stopped calling him by that familiar name since they'd fled to Kararagi. It was no doubt a ritual by which she'd left their old lives behind. All that time, Subaru hadn't asked her to divulge the true intent behind it, nor had Rem told Subaru on her own. As for what led her to depart from the ritual she had continued for so long, that was "...regret it?" "Regret?" "Yes, that you ran away. That you gave up. That you threw everything away. That you " "If you're gonna say, picked me, I'm gonna be ultra mad. I'll grab Rigel and Spica and head back home right now! Ah, nah, I'll leave Rigel here." He saw that Rigel was giving him a foul look, but Subaru spoke anyway "Mother and I are having an important discussion" thrusting his son's concerns into a bottomless pit. "Now look here," he said afterward, turning back toward Rem as he spoke. "That's quite something to ask all of a sudden after eight years, and I'm not sure how many dozens or hundreds of times saying this is gonna help, but..." "Yes." "I love you the most in the whole world. You're the only bride for me, and I'm the only man for you. You're not a cheap woman...a guy like me doesn't settle for someone like you." As they gazed at one another, Subaru's fingertip gave Rem's forehead a light flick. Then he drew close to the surprised girl's face and spoke. "It's like I swore that day. I'm yours through and through. I'll do anything for you. I'll give anything to you. I live for you alone Well, nowadays I have to add our kids to that." With Rem's eyes closed, he crinkled his nose and stole a kiss from her lips. A smile came over Subaru just from the touch of their lips and being close enough to feel her breath. No matter how many years passed, that childish mischievousness of his always stayed the same. "Can't you stop worrying now?" "...I am sorry. I always worry. I mean, I love you more and more, Subaru. Even though I keep thinking...there can never be a happier time than this...I become happier and happier. I love, I rejoice, and so I worry." Tears appeared in Rem's eyes. She shook her head a little, even as she professed her own happiness. After shaking her head, she touched her cheek to Subaru's, allowing their mutual warmth to flow between them as she spoke. "I worry that you'll go away, and I won't be able to touch you like this anymore." "Relax. I'm not leaving your side and I'm not going away. As long as you love me, I'm never pulling away from you." "My love for you will never run out, Subaru " "We'll be together forever, then. I love you, Rem." Rem didn't know what to do with her own feelings as Subaru kissed her again. Frozen in surprise, she sank deep inside herself as their hot tongues intertwined once more. When she felt his tongue depart, savoring the sensation of his saliva on her front teeth, her breath was slightly ragged when Subaru continued, "Don't make me say stupid stuff like maybe I settled for you in the first place. So what then? Instead of love for Rigel and Spica I should pity them? Spica's the crystallization of our love all according to plan, and Rigel's the kid born from our youth and burning love running wild." "...It was quite a time when Rigel was born." When Subaru put a hand on his hip and lectured her, Rem smiled softly as she looked back at him, reminiscing. "Even though we needed to find a house and a job here in Kararagi and set up a calm, stable life..." "Well, um, hey, we were young, so we couldn't just hold off." "And even though you were tired from work, you became very energetic in the evening, Subaru." "Er, um, hey, when you're young you have energy to spare, right?" "I got pregnant almost at the same time as getting full-time work, so my head was pretty much a haze at the time..." "A man really doesn't like acknowledging the so-called mistakes of his youth..." Subaru deeply felt Rem's vigorous counterattack as he gazed into the distance and murmured. On the other end, Rigel grimaced at being treated like Subaru's mistake, but he apparently read the mood and refrained from intruding. Not bad for a son of his. "Well, um, I was happy, too. When you told me, at first I had just a little bit of blood dripping from my nose, and then when I tried to check if it was a dream or not, it was actually bleeding from after you slugged me..." Rem had lost her temper a fair bit, too, so the haymaker punch he'd received had sent him crashing into the wall with enough force to make their temporary residence tilt. It had been bad enough he had resigned himself to possibly experiencing Return by Death once again after a long hiatus. At any rate, Subaru was able to recall every detail of when Rem had informed him of her pregnancy, including the warm feelings welling up in his chest at the time... However, Rem responded to Subaru's words with a shake of her head. "You are mistaken. My happiness is likely a different happiness from yours. What I think of happiness is...happiness that I did not have to lose you, Subaru." *** "Rigel is the tangible bond born between Subaru and Rem. It may be a poor way to say it, but a child born between us firmly tied you to me so that you would never leave my side... That made me happy." Perhaps he'd been leaning on her ever since those days of uncertainty. He'd thrown away anything and everything until that point, the two of them fleeing to a new land with nothing but each other. Back in those days, with nothing to cling to but each other, Rem had always been shaken by the irrational fear that she would someday lose Subaru again. In Rem's lack of confidence in herself, Subaru had met his match. To Rem, worth much more than her minimal appraisal of herself, her life with Subaru was one of maximal happiness and anxiety, nurturing both fortune and fear as two sides of the same coin. And it was the new life between them that had served as the marker to put an end to that time. "You didn't believe?" "No. I believe you more than this entire world, Subaru." "Not that. I don't mean believing me...I mean, you

didn't believe in yourself?" Subaru's words drew a small gasp from Rem; then she nodded toward him. Inside her, Subaru loomed disproportionately large. Rem, thinking she was very tiny in comparison, must have felt anxious on account of that. Enough not to notice that Subaru had harbored the same worry all that time. Subaru couldn't help a pained smile at how they were intensely self-deprecating, husband and wife both. The sight of that made Rem's cheeks puff up. "It is fine. I am an idiot. You cannot be faulted for laughing...," she said. "No, no. I was just thinking all over again that our personalities are a perfect match, that and yes, my wife really is the cutest in the whole world." For but a single moment, the surprise confession made Rem blink and brought a flush to her cheeks. Subaru's breast warmed at the response; he had managed to make Rem truly feel his love for her. He liked, and loved, Rem most in the whole world. He was capable of yelling that in a loud voice. In fact, from time to time, he did just that. It had made them locally famous as a particularly passionate husband and wife. " Rigel, Spica." "Mm?" All of a sudden, Rem spoke the names of their two adorable children. When Subaru cocked his head, Rem said, "It's nothing," gazing at Subaru with upturned eyes. "Both are the names of stars, yes? Stars in your homeland, Subaru?" "Yep. My dad had a fundamentally lousy personality, but I straight-up admire him for naming me Subaru. I like this name. Subaru's the name of a star, y'see." When, during his elementary school years, he brought up the topic of the origin of his name, Subaru had learned that he was named for a star cluster in the nighttime sky. Subaru had held an interest in illustrated books about stars ever since. So he knew a whole bunch of star names, and when he needed to stick a name onto something "I was always taking names from stars. I used the name of a star for my handle on the net, and if I used an alias I'd usually take one from a star. So even in that sense, these names really shine!!" "I am uncertain what you mean by that, but I do think names of stars are wonderful. If a third child is born, I am sure it shall be the same." "Isn't it a little soon to talk about a third? Spica's not weaned yet." "I was thinking I could leave everything but breastfeeding to Rigel. Why do you think I was so careful not to have the next child until he got bigger?" "Hard to notice with me around, but you're pretty hard on Rigel, too, aren't you, Rem?!" Subaru made a strained smile at Rem's routine treatment of their son as he got up from the bench, brushing his rear. Then, as Rem looked up at him, he extended a hand toward her. "Let's head back. A man can only do so much flirting with other people's eyes on him, you know," he said. "I suppose so. Right now, I feel like you want to flirt with me with all your strength in a way that you haven't in a while." "Oh yeah. Right now, my libido might be enough to keep up with even a demon's endurance..." With that nervous murmur, he used the hand Rem was grasping to pull her into his embrace. "Wah!" she exclaimed in surprise as Subaru hugged her, Spica and all, deftly conveying his warmth to his family. "Well, let's head back, then to our house." "Yes, darling." Subaru walked forward, a basket of groceries in one hand, Rem's hand in the other, with Rem, carrying Spica, cuddled up against him as she followed half a step behind. That was how they walked close to their still-frozen son at the center of the public park. "Hey, son, still stuck in WinterFest on your own? This is slow even for freeze tag, and I'm bored, so Mother and I are taking your sister back home. You can sleep over at a friend's house tonight." "That's blatantly ditching me, damn it! And this is after having my parents be all lovey-dovey in a public park in broad daylight." "You jelly? Sorry, Rigel. Rem here is all mine." "Shut up!" Subaru fanned the flames, drawing an angry shout from Rigel, but he didn't play the jilted son for long. He immediately took a deep breath and spoke. "Stay calm, stay calm. Don't let Dad fling you around willy-nilly. Calm, I'm calm... OK, I've calmed down. So what were you and Mommy talking about?" "Where your name came from. Come to think a bit, I think Vega was my first candidate for your name." "That sounds strong! Why'd you drop it?" "Nah, when I thought of the original backstory it seemed pretty rough for a name. No way am I raising a son who can only meet his lover once a year. Lovers are important...especially my bride, the cutest of all." "Yes, I am Subaru's Rem." "Would you stop using topics about me to act all sappy like that?!" His parents' sweet marital exchange drove Rigel to stamp the ground as he vented. The other children playing freeze tag noticed Rigel's antics. "Aah, Rigel moved! You can't break the freeze tag rules!" "Geh!" The children who had abandoned Rigel to that point showered accusations of rule breaking upon him. As Rigel froze, his throat tight, Subaru patted him on the shoulder. "He who breaks the taboo of freeze tag must be punished. You must face the hell of being tickled by demons until you are unable to either laugh or cry Be strong." "Don't make up rules as you go with a serious look on your... Hey, what do you guys think you're...! Wait a sec! Don't just take what he says at face value! Wa, uwaaa !!" Rigel desperately ran away as the various children pressed upon him. However, they headed him off. They proceeded to press Rigel to the ground as several sets of fingers closed in... "Farewell, my son. Father and Mother have something very important to discuss, so don't you dare come back until nighttime. Also, use of your horn is forbidden. And make sure you don't tear your clothes." "Y-you heartless parents, I'll remember this !" Fingers pressed upon Rigel from all directions, toying with him as they pleased; his laughing voice echoed through the public park like a cry for help. The laughs of her older brother made Spica go, "Kya-kya," laughing in obvious delight. Subaru sensed fine future prospects. Probably Spica's growth would further solidify Rigel's place in the Natsuki family. Having displayed his boundless love for their beloved son by tweaking his nose just a little, Subaru walked forward, leading Rem by the hand. And so he headed toward his own house, the place where he lived with his precious family in tranquility and happiness "Subaru." "Mm?" When he abruptly felt his arm tugged, Subaru stopped and looked back. That instant, a powerful gust of wind blew between Subaru and Rem. He unwittingly closed his eyes, slowly opening them again when the wind relented. Rem's long, blue hair was fluttering in the wind, glittering as if it were making the sunlight melt. Rem had grown her hair long. The current Subaru somehow understood that this was due to her rivalry with someone. And so too did he understand that when he thought of a woman with long hair, the first image that came to mind was the one before his eyes: that of the girl most precious to him in the whole wide world. The long hair silently flowed as Rem smiled at Subaru, reembracing their beloved daughter in her arms. To Subaru, that loving smile was the loveliest thing of all. "Right now, I am...the happiest woman in the world." *** 1 As they traveled along the highway, Rem let the dragon carriage rock her as she thought of him alone. Rem was lying down, eyes narrowed from the dazzling morning sun and the moist breeze, when she gently lifted her head. Straight ahead of her was the convoy of dragon carriages in military formation as they headed back to the royal capital. The carriages were carrying the wounded from the battle to defeat the White Whale; many of them were gravely wounded and had received only the bare minimum of treatment. But the atmosphere of the unit was far from somber; it was that of an overflowing sense that their earnest desire had been achieved. To them, the current trek to the royal capital was a triumphant return. The pain of their wounds did not hold a candle to their sense of fulfillment from achieving the wish they had waited years for. Indeed, their hauling the severed head of the White Whale to the royal capital would surely be greeted by praise from the masses for their valiant efforts. In contrast to their deeply held sentiments, Rem was concerned with a young man not present. "Your face is downcast, Rem. It seems your worries indeed know no bounds." "...Lady Crusch." When Rem looked toward the voice, she saw Crusch Karsten sitting right beside her. Though she was bandaged under her light armor, Rem did not sense that her demeanor was affected by her wounds in the slightest. But there were traces of fatigue upon even her gallant face. She was in precarious enough territory that she was riding a dragon carriage, not on her favorite land dragon. However, as Rem nodded toward her, Crusch cast her fatigue aside in the blink of an eye. "Ferris, Wilhelm, and the expeditionary force accompanying them are brave, highly trained warriors. He shall surely have Ricardo and the Iron Fangs aiding him... Besides, it is difficult to believe that Anastasia Hoshin does not have other measures prepared. The Witch Cult's numbers are unknown, but it is not a losing battle." "I wonder if it is selfish of me to worry, even so?" "Once the seed of worry has taken root, stepping on it is not helpful. If you are the cause, you must overcome yourself with devotion and resolve. But one finds the self to be a difficult opponent Forgive me, helping others find peace of mind is not my specialty." Seeing the gloom on Rem's face deepen, Crusch lowered her eyes, realizing that she had misspoken. That instant, Rem broke into a small, spontaneous smile at how the woman who had felt so detached to date suddenly felt very close to her. "Very good," said Crusch, drawing her chin in upon seeing that smile. "Subaru Natsuki said it well. That a smiling face suits you better, Rem. Hearing it from the side, I thought it mere flattery, but it is less idiotic than I expected." "If you were to smile, Lady Crusch, the air you give off would surely change as well. You are always so imposing... I believe you would display a wonderful smile." "...I wonder. I am a woman poor at smiling. I have always regretted it, and do so even now." Rem's suggestion caused Crusch to avert her gaze and murmur thusly. There was a smile carved upon her lips, but this was a slight smile, one plainly at her own expense. Rem was surprised to see Crusch display such disgust with herself. To Rem, lacking in confidence, Crusch, always valiant and composed, was one of the ideal images of womanhood. Though as far as Rem was concerned, Ram, her elder sister, was the most ideal of all... But before she could press the issue, Crusch hid her smile and changed the topic. "Concerning Subaru Natsuki and the others... This revolves around Emilia's lineage. I anticipated the threat of the Witch Cult from the beginning. Surely Marquis Mathers has prepared measures of his own?" "I do not understand Master Roswaal's thinking. For

that reason, it shall do you no good to pry." "How strict. Now that we are allies, he surely would not mind your letting a few words slip." Likely, her jesting manner of speaking was her being considerate toward Rem. As a matter of fact, Rem had managed not to sink into a swamp of worry thanks to Crusch's speaking to her like that. Besides, Crusch's hypothesis made perfect sense. It was a certainty that Roswaal, of all people, would have some kind of countermeasure for the current incident. After Subaru's having fallen into misfortune, his actions to assist Roswaal would surely restore his good name. No, his cooperation in the battle against the White Whale had already made his name echo far more than that. The hero, Subaru Natsuki. To Rem, it was natural to assess the man who had saved her heart and her future thus; there was no other appraisal fitting Subaru, who would surely perform other shining exploits thereafter. And if Rem could exist beside that shining light, have it turn toward her from time to time, Rem sought nothing more. Rem would be fulfilled by that alone. When Rem thought about Subaru, her heart was always filled with complex emotions. It always made her feel warm and at ease. And yet at some point anxiety crept in, bringing anguish; she felt like worry was tearing her apart. It was Subaru, and Subaru alone, who gave her heart such joy and distress, ceaselessly alternating between one and the other... "Subaru...truly is a very vexing person." With a small, wry smile, Rem whispered loving words toward the image of the man rising in the back of her mind. Crusch watched the side of her face in visible relief. She let her long hair flow down her back as she silently shifted her eyes toward the dragon carriage on the road ahead but her amber eyes abruptly narrowed. " Mm?" Crusch let out a tiny murmur. Rem lifted up her face, for she had detected a jarring sound at nearly the same instant. The dragon carriage in front caught by the amber eyes was in the same direction as the discordant sound Rem had noticed. The two discrepancies were linked to the same event, which occurred a moment later. Namely, the sudden destruction of the dragon carriage directly in front of Crusch. It was destruction in its purest form. Out of the blue, the dragon carriage's entire frame was swallowed up by an overpowering shock wave, which blasted it away in pieces. To Rem, the sound of the devastating blow was like that of rainfall. Red mist spewed out as the dragon carriage was instantly transformed into a bloody spectacle. The land dragon, the carriage, and surely the wounded inside the carriage as well, had been pulverized by wholly merciless destruction. " ! We're under attack!!" Instantly, Crusch shoved all distress from the blow aside and called the formation to arms. The expeditionary force's warriors, immediately sensing something was very wrong, raised their weapons, girding against enemy attack. Rem, too, ignored her physical fatigue, rising up with an iron ball in her hand... Then she saw a figure on the other side of the bloody mist. Unarmed. Unguarded. Unconcerned. Unmoved, unmerciful, unreserved malice " Trample them!!" Crusch shouted toward the driver's seat. Hearing this, the knight loudly snapped the reins in lieu of a nod. The neighing land dragon accelerated, and the dragon carriage became a weapon, charging to run over its foe. And so they would score a direct hit on their target, the figure standing rooted to the spot, making no move to avoid it, sending him flying "Lady Crusch !" Rem shouted as she grabbed Crusch by her slender hips and leaped, escaping to the dragon carriage's side. The knight on the driver's seat was beyond her reach. Rem clenched her teeth in regret, and just after, she heard a voice. "Goodness, could you not? I think running over someone who's done nothing is slightly beyond what decent people would do." It was a gentle voice speaking with all the urgency of someone taking an early-afternoon stroll in a public park. In fact, if she'd heard such words in a public park, Rem would have been far less shocked. Yet that voice had unleashed the destruction that had shattered a dragon carriage in a tragic spectacle of blood spatter. At a glance, he was an utterly unremarkable individual. He was of medium height, with a medium build, and he had naturally white hair that was neither short nor long. The white suit that he wore to match the hair on his head was neither extravagant nor shabby, nor did his face have any defining characteristics; he looked like a completely average man. Yet as a matter of fact, the land dragon coming into contact with him forcefully cried out as half of it was torn asunder; the knight on the driver's seat and the smashed dragon carriage were destroyed together to the point that it was impossible to tell them apart. And what shocked Rem the most was not the man's demeanor as he treated the awful spectacle like it was nothing, but the fact that the man who had assuredly destroyed the dragon carriage had simply stood there. The man had done nothing. Merely by standing, he had taken a head-on collision from a dragon carriage, and won. "I thank you, Rem. You saved me...but it seems the situation has improved little." As Rem stood frozen, Crusch, embraced in her arms, rose to her own feet. She remained wary of the still-unarmed man as she turned a painful eye toward the bloody remnants of the dragon carriage. "How dare you inflict such cruelty on my retainers...? Who are you?" Razor-sharp will to fight rested in Crusch's eyes as she posed the question to the man in a hard voice. Upon receiving Crusch's question, the man touched his own chin, nodding multiple times as he spoke. "I see, I see. That means you do know nothing about me. But I know all about you. Right now, the royal capital...no, the entire nation is astir where you are all concerned, candidates to become the next ruler. Even if I have little interest in titles and the affairs of the world, I can imagine it takes a great deal of resolve to bear such burdens. It must be so hard for you." "Enough idle chitchat Answer my question or I shall strike you down." "What a terrible thing to say...but perhaps arrogance of this level is mandatory if one is to support a nation on her shoulders...not that I can understand even a smidgen of that emotion, mind you. Well, I suppose I could never understand the thoughts of someone who actually wants the throne and having that responsibility piled upon her. Ah, not understanding does not mean I am putting them down. You see, unlike you, I simply lack such arrogance..." The man continued to ignore Crusch's demand as he spoke glibly at length. But " I told you there would not be a third chance." Crusch made that calm statement at the same time that she waved her arm, unleashing a blade of wind. This was Crusch's technique, One Blow, One Hundred Felled the product of wind magic and her blessing of wind reading. The man was slashed by the invisible cutting attack, able to slay a person, before he even realized he had been sliced. It was this might with the sword by which Crusch had protected the Duchy of Karsten in her first sortie, preventing damage when the demon beast known as the Great Hare appeared, causing rumors of the Valkyrie to quickly spread. It was a hearty sword blow that could even rend the thick hide of the White Whale, sending a beast of that size crashing to the ground a man's flesh, with a mass greatly inferior to that of the demon beast's, could not possibly withstand such a blow. And yet "...Who raised you to cut a man down in the middle of a pleasant conversation?" Tilting his head, the man stood there, his body showered with the slicing blow, only to easily shrug it off. The cutting attack that had rent even the White Whale hadn't even made him twitch. There was no sign of the man's flesh no, not even of the man's clothes having been cut. It was thanks to an unknown phenomenon that did far more than merely defend against Crusch's invisible blade. Crusch gasped; Rem's body froze up from the work of a different abnormal phenomenon. Looking at the two in front of him, the man sighed and pushed up his forelocks in annoyance. "Now hold on, I'm speaking. I'm speaking, okay? Isn't it strange to interrupt a man when he's speaking? Not that I feel like asserting the right to speak, but it's common sense not to bother a man when he's trying to say something. Now, you're free to listen or not, so I won't complain about that part, but you deciding not to let me speak, that's just...I mean, how self-centered is that?" The man spoke rapidly as he began to scuff the ground with the tip of his shoe. The pair maintained an awkward silence as the man pointed at them, clicking his tongue in further annoyance. "And now silence. What's up with you people? You heard me. I know you heard me. I asked questions, didn't I? Then answer me. That's how it works. And you won't even do that. You don't want to. Ahhh, liberty. This is your liberty at work. This is how you employ your own liberty. That's fine, do as you please. But you know what that means, don't you?" The man leaned forward as the mad glint in his eyes grew stronger. Then "It means that you're belittling my rights...the very few things I personally own, yes?" A chill raced up Rem's spine. The next moment the man moved. Without warning, he listlessly raised his dangling arms, and a faint vortex of wind erupted. Right after, in a line directly above the man's arms the ground, the air, the world, broke. *** Around and around, around and around, Crusch's left arm, severed at the shoulder, danced in the air. The arm, still posed as if it were holding the invisible blade, flew, scattering blood droplets all around as it fell to the earth. The blow sent Crusch's body crumpling down; she began to convulse from the bleeding and intense pain. "Lady...Crusch " After spending several seconds dumbfounded, Rem snapped back and leaped toward Crusch. Putting her hand against Crusch's bleeding wound, Rem wrung out the scant mana she had to stop the bleeding and treat it with all her strength. Crusch's arm had been cleanly severed flesh, bone, and nerves sliced through. No matter how out of place, Rem couldn't help but admire the terrifyingly perfect cut. "Ferr...is... Uaa...u?" In Rem's arms, Crusch's vision wandered as she spoke those words. Her right hand gripped Rem's foot hard enough to make her bones creak. Rem bit down, enduring Crusch's struggle to live. She glowered at the wicked deed of the man before her. Rem had absolutely no understanding of the indecipherable man's means of attack and defense. As she pondered how to shield the wounded Crusch and get her away from the man, Rem suddenly realized that something else felt off. During all of this, the other knights had strangely not joined the battle. "Aaah... No matter how much I eat, it's still not enough! This is why we can't stop livin'. Eat, eat, bite, chew, swallow, swallow more, tear, crush, drink! Gorge! Aaah, that was a feast!" The same time the insight hit her, the high-pitched voice of a youth reached her from behind. A chill equal to that caused by the man before her caused Rem to look back in fright. And behind her, at the center of the stopped convoy of dragon carriages, she saw

a blood-smeared youth kicking the knights who had fallen before him. He was a short youth with light-brown hair that went down to the knees. His height was equal to Rem's or even lower; he was probably twelve or thirteen years of age. Under his unkempt hair, he wore tattered clothes over his diminutive frame. His bare limbs were covered in dirt and grime, and stained from large amounts of blood spatter. Not one of the knights tumbled at his feet was moving. The youth had wiped out the surrounding knights while Crusch was battered in the white-haired man's attack. "You...are...?" Rem's lips quivered, for she was dumbfounded that she had not even sensed the combat taking place. Hemmed in by bizarre opponents to the front and the back, Rem picked Crusch up and slowly backed away. Blood flowing from Crusch's wound was staining the grassland red; the air felt chill, as if to mock Rem's fearful heart. Rem's trembling question prompted man and boy to glance at each other's faces. Then the pair nodded, as if giving each other a signal, whereupon devilish smiles came over both, as if such violent acts were deeply familiar to them; then they introduced themselves. "Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Witch Cult, Regulus Corneas, charged with Greed." "Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Witch Cult, Lye Batenkaitos, charged with Gluttony." 2 They were members of the Witch Cult and archbishops at that. Ignoring Rem, who froze when their titles reached her ears, the excitable-looking youth Lye Batenkaitos looked around at the fallen knights, fondly licking his lips. "Oh yeah, coming here for a bite like this was a great idea. Considering that they took out our pet, this is...a rich harvest. It's nice, it's great, it's neat, it's all right, it's good, it's good, it's great, isn't it, of course it's great! It's been a while since we've been able to eat our fill!" "To be honest, I just can't understand that part about you. Why can you not be satisfied with what you have right now? You know, people can only carry what will fit in the two hands they are born with. Why can't you understand that and hold your own cravings in check?" "We hate lectures, and we don't need any. We don't care if what you say is right or wrong, either. To us, nothing matters besides the feeling of an empty stomach." Batenkaitos of Gluttony slurped his saliva as Regulus of Greed let his shoulders sink. With two Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins having appeared simultaneously, Rem desperately searched her nearly stalled head, earnestly hammering out a plan to break out of the situation. With the combat ability present, it was impossible to crush the two men who had appeared before them. Crusch's bleeding had stopped, but she was in nearly as precarious a condition as before. As it was unclear if the knights were dead or alive, Rem could not count on them to bolster her fighting strength. Rem herself had depleted her tiny reserve of mana by treating Crusch; even if she went into demon mode, she could not picture an outcome where she was triumphant. *** When she glanced around the area, she could not see any sign of the Iron Fangs. One of their units was transporting the wounded beast men and hauling the recovered head of the White Whale. Likely their commander, Hetaro, had seen an opportunity and beat a hasty retreat. Perhaps, if she bought some time, they might return with reinforcements. Even if that was true, she doubted they would arrive in time. "Are you here because...we defeated the White Whale? To avenge the demon beast...?" "Ahh, don't misunderstand. We're not interested in the dead White Whale. We're interested in the people who killed the White Whale. Somehow it did whatever it liked for four hundred years, but you managed to kill it. I hoped you all would be ripe for the slaughter...but it turned out even better than I expected!" Batenkaitos bared his very sharp teeth as he wildly shook his head in vigorous excitement. "Love! Chivalrous spirit! Hatred! Tenacity! Triumph! All bottled up and simmering for such a long, long time! Just having them passing down my throat makes me feel full! Is there a more beautiful food in the entire world?! No, no, nay, nothing, surely nothing, certainly nothing, absolutely nothing!! Drink! Gorge! That is what brings joy to our hearts, and our stomachs!!" Rem couldn't understand anything he said. Batenkaitos continued to writhe as if he'd dined to excess. As his laughs reverberated for a time, Rem silently shifted her gaze; that gaze caused Regulus to wave a hand with an exasperated look. "Relax. I'm not anything like him. I'm just here by pure coincidence. You think I hunger and thirst like that? I have nothing to do with such vulgar behavior. Unlike him, always pathetically unfulfilled, I would be satisfied with, well, you, even as you currently are." Regulus motioned to Crusch's lopped-off arm, wearing a sunny expression as he stood before Rem. "I dislike...conflict and the like. If times remain ordinary, peaceful and gentle, that is enough for me. That is best. I have no ambitions greater than what I can reach with my meager hands. As an individual, my hands are full simply protecting what little I call my own." Regulus closed his fist, drunk on his own performance. Rem wondered how someone who could take the lives of a land dragon and several humans, or inflict a grievous wound on a single woman, could speak like that. On the one hand was Batenkaitos, who writhed from incomprehensible hunger, immersed in self-satisfaction while waving around his pet self-serving theories; on the other was Regulus, a strange man through and through. They truly had to be Witch Cultists. Simmering anger welled up within Rem as she rose to her feet. Rem laid Crusch, sleeping like the dead, down on the ground; she lifted up her own weapon in Crusch's place. Rem's little remaining mana swirled around, and a number of icicles rose in the air around her. Seeing this, the expressions on Batenkaitos and Regulus changed. "Have you listened to a single word I said? I told you, I don't want to fight. After hearing that, if you're going to act like this, that would be...ignoring my opinion. That would be infringing upon my rights. That is something even my unselfish heart cannot forgive." "Is that all you have to say, Witch Cultist?" As Regulus inclined his head, Rem spoke thus, her demeanor resolute. In contrast to Regulus, taken aback by the sight, a strong glint rested in Rem's eyes as the chain of her iron ball rang out. "Someday a hero shall appear a hero to destroy you all. However self-serving you are, however much misfortune your self-satisfaction creates, that man, the only hero Rem loves, shall surely bring you what you deserve." "Heh, a hero? Well, that's more fun. If you trust him that much, that'll make him all the tastier for us!!" Batenkaitos clapped his hands in delight as he stared at Rem, seeming to assess her. He was looking at her neither as an enemy nor as a woman. There was but a single, undiluted sentiment resting in that gaze: that of a hungry beast licking its chops in front of its food. They were an ego run amok and a violent hunger demon. Rem boldly faced them both with pride. "I am a senior servant of Marquis Roswaal L. Mathers..." As Rem made her introduction, she stopped halfway after speaking her title, shaking her head. At that moment, for that instant only, Rem introduced herself the way she truly wished her name to be known: "Now I am but a woman in love I am Rem, the woman assisting Subaru Natsuki, the man I love most, the man who will become a hero." A beautiful white horn jutted out of Rem's forehead, granting Rem vigor as it collected the mana stored in the air around her. Power filled her entire body as she moved the hand gripping the iron ball's handle in a rhythmic motion and called forth more and more icicles. Her eyes were wide open. She was aware of the whole world around her. She felt the air around her. But the only thing traced by the back of her mind was an image of him. "Prepare yourselves, Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins Rem's hero shall surely come to strike you down!!" Raising her iron ball high, Rem leaped, her body shooting out, pounding the icicles home the same instant. Batenkaitos seemed set to strike them down as he opened his fang-filled mouth wide and spoke. "Ahh, that's the spirit... Then, without holding back, let us feast!!" Something struck her. Something struck her. And in that instant, she thought... I hope that when he learns that I am gone, it sends a ripple through his heart. In her final moment, that was Rem's only wish. CHAPTER 6 *** 1 As she lay on the bed, her face was tranquil, enough to make someone think she was merely asleep. When he looked at the lashes on the borders of her closed eyelids, he could absentmindedly think, Wow, it's been a while. Her expression while awake was usually taut, but one could catch a true glimpse of her age on her face when she slept. Now that he thought of it, he'd never once had a chance to see her sleeping face. She was always waking up Subaru, always being strict with him, and only now did he realize just how lovely she looked when she let that hardness soften. He'd seen her surprised face, her blushing face, her pouting face, her crying face, and the smiling face she showed him when they'd made up. He'd had so many chances to realize it before. " Rem." Rem was not sleeping in the maid uniform she usually wore. There was no flower adornment for her pretty blue hair. To a maid, those were armor for battle now she needed those things no longer. "So this is where you were." Subaru was idly spending his time in that quiet, unmoving room when someone spoke to him. When he slowly turned around, he saw a woman standing at the room's entrance wearing a light-purple dress. The woman had long, beautiful hair, and behaved with refined elegance as she walked over. But there was a faint bewilderment to her gait, as if she sensed something awry that did not match the nobility she had been born with. And when she approached, that discordant feeling spread to Subaru as well. "Is she...?" "Nothing's changed at all. It's not like I can do anything, so I'm just sticking around. It's kind of pathetic how I'm clinging to her like this..." "I wonder if that might not...make her happy, somehow." As Subaru hung his head, the woman timidly offered words of consolation. But those words, which could not possibly put his mind at ease, made Subaru unwittingly glare at her. "...I am sorry. It seems I went too far and offended you." "...I'm sorry, too. I'm just frustrated. Rem would be angry with me. She'd say, 'Subaru, you must not take things out on other people' or something." Subaru lowered his head to the apologetic woman, weakly smiling as he mimicked Rem's manner of speech. In the back of his mind, he could hear her voice saying those exact words. And yet her voice reached no one. There was no one to point out that Subaru's act was nothing like the real thing. Subaru's hollow, farcical action made the woman before him don a pained look, covering her eyes. Without thinking, she shifted that right hand to her own left arm holding it as if to support the freshly reattached limb. Silence descended on the room, and Subaru shook his head, knowing he could not allow it to continue.

When you're feeling despondent, continued silence becomes comfortable, and it is easy to become apathetic and stop your legs. But that was not what the man Rem believed in ought to do. "Did you...need something from me?" "Yes. The others have assembled in the office for some kind of discussion. It would be good to have...uh..." The woman looked like she'd been rescued by his prompting as she continued her words about the business he'd surmised. But halfway through those words, her cheeks awkwardly tensed. Seeing this, Subaru pointed to himself and spoke. "I'm...Subaru Natsuki." "...I am sorry. Master Subaru Natsuki, is it? I shall properly remember. I am very sorry to have been so rude to you after all I have heard you have done for me." "It can't be helped. There's way too many things you have to keep track of right now, so don't worry about it." The woman's demeanor was genuinely apologetic but the ill feeling from that very graceful, feminine behavior tore at his chest. He wasn't rude enough to actually say that, though. "Well, I'll see you later, Rem." Turning his head back, Subaru gave the sleeping Rem a gentle pat on the head. Her chest faintly rose and fell; her body was warm to the touch. Her living, physical body was firmly present. For her, lost to the memories of others, that was the only thing that remained. "The office, you said. It's bad to keep everyone waiting, so let's go, I guess?" "Yes, let us do so, Master Subaru Natsuki." The woman smiled charmingly as she addressed him by name. The fleeting femininity of the gesture really rubbed him the wrong way. Recognizing his distaste, Subaru turned his face aside, making an amiable smile to conceal what truly lay in his heart as he spoke. "Sorry to make you come all this way to get me...Crusch." He addressed her by name, even though she already seemed to be another person entirely. 2 It was all over by the time Subaru arrived back at the royal capital. "Who's Rem?" Emilia had spoken those words to Subaru, turning her head to the side quizzically. Perhaps, if the words and gesture had given the slightest hint of Emilia making a bad joke, Subaru would have followed suit and said something flippant in turn. But Subaru had not seen even a single smidgen of such hope from Emilia's demeanor, and as shock overtook Subaru, Emilia never broke into a Just kidding! no matter how long he waited. It was the same for Petra and the other children. None of them remembered Rem. Faced with that fact inside the dragon carriage, Subaru desperately had it race to the capital. It can't be. There has to be some mistake. That was what he believed. After all, everything should have turned out all right. Subaru ought to have grabbed hold of the best possible outcome. He'd accomplished his objectives, protected the people precious to him, and overcome sadness and anguish, carrying on the struggle in spite of his heart being scarred many times over. And yet *** When Subaru's feet stepped into the office, the gazes of those already in the room gathered upon him. He imagined the uncomfortable feeling he got from them was damage wrought from the blame they harbored toward themselves. The three people in the office were Emilia, Ferris, and Wilhelm. Adding the recent arrivals Subaru and Crusch, that made five people participating in the discussion. "...Ah, I'm glad you're back. Lady Crusch, sorry I made you run an errand." "Not at all. It's quite all right, Master Ferr " " Ferris is fine. We've been together far too long, it'll make me feel lonely if you add Master or anything else at this point, meow. No labels, okay?" Greeting Crusch upon her return, Ferris spun his words with a reassuring tone of voice. He'd stripped off his royal guard uniform in favor of a feminine outfit with a short skirt. Led by Ferris's hand, Crusch looked conflicted when she sat beside him and spoke. "I cannot guarantee it will be like before, but I shall try, Ferris... Mm, Ferris." "You don't need to rush. Ferri will always be your ally, always by your side. Besides, it feels like the current Lady Crusch has discovered a new way to be beautiful." Ferris held her hand just as he had always done with the more valiant Crusch before. Ferris's behavior made Subaru harbor complicated feelings inside himself. Even though Crusch had changed so much, Ferris's approach to her had not. He couldn't even begin to imagine how much melancholy Ferris was hiding underneath that smile. "Subaru..." Then, as Subaru stood still, Emilia shifted her considerate gaze toward him. The sorrowful gaze made Subaru's breath catch; he sat beside her as if it was the only natural thing to do. "It's all right, Emilia. I've calmed down now I'm all right." His voice sounded all right. He maintained his calm. But he could not meet Emilia's gaze; he was so busy acting nonchalant that he didn't notice his hands were shaking. " Now that Sir Subaru and Lady Crusch have returned, let us begin our discussion." In a low voice, Wilhelm spoke, cutting short the awkward silence about to fill the air. It was rare for Wilhelm to lead a discussion. Ferris, deducing that this was the Sword Devil clumsily trying to be considerate, reluctantly took up the role of guiding the conversation and spoke. "Well, let's do as Old Man Wil said... First, how about we go over the situation again?" With those words, they began to discuss the events that had occurred after the fall of the White Whale and the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of Sloth. The situation that had befallen Rem, Crusch, and the expeditionary force members with them had been very simple. Having split from Subaru and his group, Rem and the others were in the middle of returning to the royal capital with the head recovered from the defeated White Whale when they had come under attack by separate Witch Cultists. As a result, half of the expeditionary force had been slain during its return journey and according to the tale, the Iron Fangs, instantly separating at the direction of their lieutenant, had managed to escape losses of their own. "The Iron Fangs that had fled returned with reinforcements from the capital, but...the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins were gone, and all that remained were the dead and..." "...Those in circumstances similar to mine, yes?" Crusch finished off Ferris's words, furling her brow with chagrin. The anguish of the expression that came over her was doubtless caused by how helpless she felt inside. After all, she couldn't help but feel like what they were talking about had happened to someone else "Their own memories erased...was it. You think this is the work of the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins, too?" "I'm all but certain of it. There've been all kinds of reports of people with memory damage long before Lady Crusch and the others. They stated that the victims' memories had suddenly vanished, and even healing spells could not restore them. The cause had been unknown until now, but considering Sloth..." " There is surely no doubt this is the Authority of a Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Witch Cult." Wilhelm crossed his arms as he nodded grimly. The old man had a grave look on his face as he shifted his blade-like gaze toward Crusch. The gaze made Crusch unintentionally cringe. "No, Lady Crusch, you are blameless. I am very sorry to have frightened you." "...It is I who am sorry for being such a timid liege. Master Wilhelm, I have striven to remember you as well, but..." A faint tremor of pain passed through the side of the aged swordsman's face when Crusch called him Master Wilhelm. No doubt he felt responsibility as the shameful retainer causing the lord to which he had offered his sword to put on such a painful display. Subaru felt similar regret, for now he knew painfully well just how deep Wilhelm's loyalty ran. "We finally took care of Sloth, only to have other Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins appear right after. That's just the worst, meow. Well, we knew the Witch Cult would make a fuss as soon as Lady Emilia entered the royal selection, though..." "...So it really is...my fault...?" Emilia cast her eyes down slightly when Ferris pointed the conversation her way. "I suppose it is," said Ferris, agreeing with Emilia's faint murmur without the slightest hesitation. "Lady Emilia is a half-elf, so there was no way the Witch Cult would let this go. After all, they went from their usual creepy quiet act to causing this huge ruckus, so it's definitely linked to that." "These people...hurt others because they hate half-demons...?" "Hatred is painting it too softly. They're obsessed with exterminating Lady Emilia...with exterminating all half-elves. This was just...a fraction of it." "A fraction, and they did such terrible things. Subaru, do you ?" Emilia's voice shook as she called Subaru's name; her words caught in her throat. However, when her eyes met his, the interrupted words were conveyed to him nonetheless. Emilia was probably going to ask him... Subaru, do you hate me too...? " ! This is ridiculous. Ferris, think more carefully about how you phrase things. Don't say it like Emilia's at fault. It's those scumbags at fault through and through." Seeing Emilia racked by guilt, Subaru felt hurt by the implication and rose to defend her. He glared at Ferris, rebuking him for his barbed demeanor toward Emilia throughout. "Don't blame the wrong person. Hurting your allies by mistake doesn't help anything." "Hmm, that sounds convincing when Subawu says it. Guess you have prior experience?" *** The sarcasm contained crystal clear malice toward Subaru. Hence Subaru grit his teeth and unwittingly began to get up. But a moment before he did so "Ferris I cannot ignore what you have said just now. Apologize." Before Subaru could put strength into his knees, it was none other than Crusch who scolded Ferris. Wearing her dress, Crusch, who was so frail until that moment, tightened her expression; she sternly rebuked her own knight for his rudeness, training a bold, sharp gaze upon him like the Crusch of old. "As Master Subaru Natsuki has stated, it is clear who should bear the blame for this matter. Also, you have no standing to mock him for stating an opinion that is correct. You understand, yes?" "...Yes, Lady Crusch." The current Crusch softened her stern speech slightly at the end. Her words and actions were very much like her, something that surprised Subaru. Ferris, not yet able to hide the surprise on his own face, bowed his head toward Subaru and Emilia. "Lady Emilia, I apologize for my rudeness. And Subawu, sorry, 'kay?" "You litt Nah, it's fine. More importantly, let's get back on track. I pretty much understand Crusch's...memory-loss incident. That leaves Rem......the people wiped from other folks' memories." Subaru responded to Ferris's apology, farcical to the bitter end, by moving on to Rem's situation, the main issue or at least the main issue to him. "Mind you, Rem's not just some delusion on my part. She's a...very important girl to me. We wouldn't have beaten the White Whale without her, either." "Sir Subaru..." Wilhelm, too, lowered his voice as Subaru rued the difference in how the memories had been consumed. Unlike Crusch, who had lost her own memories, Rem had been erased from the memories of others. The memory damage of the attacked expeditionary force's victims was split between those two symptoms. But where the latter case was concerned, Subaru and the others knew of similar previous cases. "Like the effect of the White Whale's mist, meow. The people erased by that mist are erased from everyone's memories." "According to Sir Subaru's information, the White Whale is associated with Gluttony. If that demon

beast could do it, the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins that attacked Lady Crusch and the others are connected to Gluttony as well." "So the Authority of an Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins...huh... Ferris, you've examined Rem's body, I take it?" Rem, sleeping in bed that very moment, had already had all her external injuries healed. When Subaru asked if Ferris had diagnosed anything other than external wounds, Ferris shook his head. "To put it bluntly, I found nothing unusual even though the result certainly is. The same goes for how the body continues to sleep, not waking no matter what anyone does. It's Sleeping Princess symptoms through and through." "...What'd you say?" Subaru raised an eyebrow at the abrupt metaphor. But in Ferris's place, Emilia lifted up her face and spoke. "I've heard of it before. Certainly the symptoms are sleeping and never waking up...aren't they? Also, the people affected never hunger, nor do they age." "It is an illness rarely seen even in this large a kingdom. There have been various reports of people falling into a Sleeping Princess state, but I have never heard of any of them awakening. Besides the issue of disappearing from memory, the symptoms match." Wilhelm added to what Emilia had to say, but his voice sounded far more grounded in reality. Perhaps an acquaintance of his had fallen into a Sleeping Princess state. Either way, nothing related to the Sleeping Princess condition, or Rem's situation in general, was beyond the realm of speculation. "So short of asking Gluttony, there's no way to know the details. In the end, there's no avoiding slamming into the Witch Cult again. I was prepared for that, though..." Subaru glanced at the side of Emilia's face as he verbally renewed his determination to oppose the Witch Cult. The Cult's obsession with half-elves would doubtless cast a shadow on Emilia's path thereafter. Even without the Rem issue, they couldn't avoid clashing again. Hence, in his own thoughts, he became even more resolved than before. "So, Subawu, your side is planning to be all gung ho and face the Witch Cult, meow... I see." Ferris seemed tired somehow as he sighed. And then "In that case, can we just...forget about that alliance agreement, meow?" *** Ferris's nonchalantly tossed words brought a silent chill to the air. For a moment Subaru didn't understand just what had been said. However, the instant comprehension caught up inside him, his insides grew hot with rage. "What do you mean by that? How does what we were talking about lead to talk of scrapping the alliance?" But despite his anger, Subaru asked the question in a calm voice that belied the burning in his chest. Ferris was not someone who would speak out of turn without a thought. At the very least, Subaru trusted that he would not do such a thing. Subaru hadn't shouted in anger, and Ferris put on a surprised look as he spoke. "I said exactly what I meant. An alliance is formed out of mutual benefit...but the pros are now outweighed by the cons, right? So I thought that cooperating now is meaningless, meow." "What about the mining rights for the forest? Maybe you think that all debts are paid for helping with the White Whale and the Witch Cult, but..." " You're telling us to cooperate even when the Witch Cult will keep going after Lady Emilia? Subawu, can you promise me that Lady Crusch won't be hurt even more in the process?" "Th-that's..." When Ferris asked him that, Subaru hesitated to continue. Seeing the drastic change in Crusch, he could not reject Ferris's concern out of hand. After all, Subaru bore wounds at least as deep as his. Accordingly, the task of telling Ferris he was wrong did not fall to Subaru. "Ferris, I must disagree." Still sitting in his chair, Wilhelm glanced at the side of Ferris's face as he spoke. Ferris glared at the Sword Devil for raising a dissenting voice from within. "Why are you against this, Old Man Wil? With Gluttony attacking Lady Crusch like this, what's the point of cooperating with Lady Emilia's side any longer?" "In doing so...an opportunity to avenge our liege against Gluttony shall surely come." " ! Are you saying that's more important than Lady Crusch's life?!" Wilhelm, calm in his rebuttal to the end, caused Ferris's emotions to finally explode. Ferris looked down at his own palm as he bit his lip in regret before he continued. "If we involve ourselves with the Cult again, more things like this will happen. When that time comes, the current Lady Crusch won't be able to defend herself and I won't be able to help her." "Ferris..." Subaru understood that Ferris felt something close to hatred when he looked at his own pale fingers. Coming into contact with a small portion of that anger had made Subaru finally comprehend the feelings of remorse behind them. Subaru harbored a sense of powerlessness just like the one tormenting Ferris. Ferris hated himself for not having the strength to protect Crusch, someone so dear to his heart. Even his healing magic, purported to be among the best, was unable to aid Crusch as she was now "It must be very hard for Lady Crusch, too. Not being able to remember anything, understand anything...so she wouldn't even think of fighting like this. Right? ...Right?" When Ferris looked back at Crusch, seemingly clinging to her, his expression crumbled. He lost the usual, everyday look he'd maintained until moments before, having hidden the frailty of that face, on the verge of tears at any moment, behind a paper-thin shell. Everything he did, he did because he wished with all his heart not to let Crusch get hurt "When it comes to your memory, I'm sure I'll manage to fix it somehow. Even if my magic is useless at the moment, I'll figure it out eventually. So please, don't do anything dangero " "Ferris, thank you for worrying about me." When Ferris pleaded with her, showing how he truly felt, Crusch smiled gently toward him. However, what lay behind that smile was not the look of a liege acceding to her retainer's request to pull back from danger. What lay behind it was firm will and resolve. Faced with Ferris's heartfelt plea, she still had the will to gently but strongly reject it, and the resolve to fight. The memories inside her might have vanished, but the will of Crusch Karsten persisted. Even Subaru could tell. There was no way that Ferris, her very own knight, could not. Crusch put her own hand over Ferris's shaking hand; then she firmly looked at Subaru and the others. "There is still much I do not understand. I cannot remember a single thing about who I once was. I believe that you will all find contact with me to be bewildering... Even so, let me first thank all of you for holding me so dear." "Lady Cruuusch..." "Ferris, I understand that your words are founded in genuine concern. I understand the path you wish to lead me down by the hand... To follow your words means to walk a path of safety...but..." One by one, Crusch looked between Subaru and the others, finally gazing gently at Ferris, whose voice was tearful. "I do not wish to know nothing, understand nothing, and simply be swept away. If a choice must be made, I want to make it on my own, and not do as others say I intend to continue striving for that." Even without her memories, she still had the utmost respect for free will. Perhaps a person's will and character rested not in memories, but somewhere else. Crusch had lost her past, yet even so, Subaru couldn't help but think that the Crusch he saw before him was strong. Perhaps this was the soul that the old Crusch had once spoken about. " Uu, ngh, haafh!" "Now that Lady Crusch has spoken, it would seem we do not desire to break off the alliance." "Correct. Lady Emilia, Master Subaru Natsuki, we have caused you a great deal of trouble." Ferris, who had broken into tears, was no longer in any state to continue the conversation. In his place, Wilhelm carried on, Crusch apologizing as she cradled Ferris in her arms. "No, that's all right... We are in no position to complain. We must reunite with Ram and those who evacuated to the Sanctuary and discuss things thoroughly with Roswaal." "You have my thanks. Master Subaru Natsuki, are you satisfied with this conclu " " Yeah, it's fine. Besides that, what's happening with Anastasia and her people?" Subaru agreed with Emilia and Crusch that they should uphold their alliance; at the end he invoked yet another name. This was the name of someone not participating in this final meeting, even though she was directly involved with both the White Whale and Sloth for dealing with Anastasia Hoshin was a difficult issue for both camps. "...Julius is one thing, but there's no way Lady Anastasia won't use this to her advantage, meow." Ferris sniffled, and his eyes were red as he murmured resentfully from within Crusch's arms. In point of fact, Crusch's position in the royal selection she had been deemed the most powerful royal candidate by the public had been deeply shaken. That was an enormous issue, even compared to the honor of defeating the White Whale, and there was no way Anastasia would not exploit it. "But she wants to share the credit for the White Whale, too, right? How about hiding what happened with Crusch?" "That's what...I was going to say. Subaru, can you...keep things secret until we decide how to deal with this? This is an extra condition for the alliance, okay...?" Ferris said the last part rather quickly, as if trying to shoo Subaru away. Subaru almost felt like complaining about how self-serving he was, going from trying to erase the alliance to adding new conditions, but "Yeah, got it since you asked with a crying face and all." That invective was probably fitting, given the relationship between Subaru and Ferris. For Subaru knew painfully well how it felt to be powerless and consoled by the person most precious to you. 3 "Wilhelm, thanks a ton for the supporting fire earlier." With the conversation in the office complete, Subaru left the sobbing Ferris and the consoling Crusch behind as he flagged down Wilhelm in the corridor. "No," said the Sword Devil as he looked back, unable to conceal his fatigue from the string of battles as he continued, "It was nothing at all. If anything, I was of little help at critical junctures." "That's not true at all. We couldn't have beaten the White Whale without you, and after, there was no one I could trust to keep Emilia and the others safe more than you. I'm grateful, Wilhelm." It wasn't that everything had gone off without a hitch. But these were Subaru's true feelings. However, Subaru's gratitude made Wilhelm's expression darken. He was the type of person who had a deep sense of duty and felt responsible when others got hurt. Subaru somehow managed to form a smile toward the all-too-kind Sword Devil. "The situation hasn't calmed down that much, but you're going to visit your wife's grave or something, right? It's too early to relax, but you did avenge her, and that's important, right?" *** Subaru's words, an attempt to change the topic, made Wilhelm's cheeks faintly stiffen. As the reaction made Subaru's eyes go wide, his bewilderment was redoubled when Wilhelm did something even more surprising he suddenly bowed his head deeply in Subaru's direction. "Sir Subaru, I must thank you again." "H-hey, hold on a sec! I'm seriously trying to thank you here, Wilhelm..." "No, truly I must. Until now, I have not thought of you as my ally. At the very least, in stating we should continue the alliance with Lady Emilia, my viewpoint was founded upon my own personal reasons. After the

fact, I am ashamed at my own audacity in hiding my true thoughts." Subaru, not understanding the reason for Wilhelm raking himself over the coals, could only watch as a question mark rose over his head. In front of Subaru, Wilhelm abruptly pulled an arm out of the sleeve of his jacket. His left shoulder was bandaged; blood slowly oozed out of it that very moment. "That looks painful. But Ferris should be able to heal a wound like..." "This wound cannot be healed. It is an untreatable wound inflicted by the blade of one with the blessing of the grim reaper." "Untreatable... But, Wilhelm !" As Wilhelm shook his head with a grave look on his face, Subaru gaped at him in disbelief. Even Subaru could imagine the terror of a wound that would never close. If gradual blood loss was not stanched, it was the same as putting a countdown on a person's life. Subaru was racked with feelings of nervousness, but Wilhelm appeared quite calm. "My life is not in any jeopardy from this." "There's no way that it isn't! What the hell can you do about a wound like...?" "This is not a wound borne from the events of today or yesterday. It is an old wound from much longer ago that has simply reopened and that fact weighs very heavily upon me." Subaru listened to Wilhelm speak in a quiet voice when he realized that his own body was shaking. The shaking had begun with his limbs, but at some point it had spread to even the roots of his teeth. Then he immediately realized the cause: the frighteningly dense aura of hostility given off by the Sword Devil before his eyes. The Sword Devil continued in a quiet voice. "The power of a wound inflicted by the blessing of the grim reaper increases the closer the victim is to the one who carries the blessing. If they come near one another, even a closed wound will reopen... Such is the nature of the injury." "Then the one who gave that wound to you was close by..." "The one who wounded my left shoulder is the previous Sword Saint." Those words made Subaru's breath catch as he looked at Wilhelm. A quiet fire was burning in the eyes with which he looked at Subaru. He continued, "This sword wound was opened by my wife, Theresia von Astrea. I must continue to pursue the Witch Cult in order to uncover the truth." 4 He'd meant to walk without thinking of anything, but before he knew it, he'd once again ended up standing in front of the room where Rem slept. His feet took him toward her whenever free time allowed it. He knew full well that he was just indulging himself, clinging to Rem as she continued to slumber. "You told me to be strong, but...it's like, now that you're gone, Rem, I can't find that strength anywhere." Morning, noon, or night, the sight of Rem lying there never changed. She breathed in her sleep. Her heart continued to beat. But beyond those things, there was not even a single proper sign that she was alive. She was there, and yet she was not. By that time, Rem didn't exist except in Subaru's heart. *** Subaru sat at Rem's bedside, looking at her sleeping face as he thought back... ...and remembered when, in an effort to bring Rem back, he'd used a dagger to pierce his own throat. He could not remember the exact instant in time. But the fact remained that he'd overcome various obstacles, grasping the best possible result for everyone with both hands and hadn't hesitated to throw it all away. If it meant losing Rem, if it meant advancing into a future without her, he didn't care how many times he had to fight Sloth, how many hells he had to go through...or so he had thought. After the dagger punched through his throat, he felt himself fading in the face of blood, pain, passion, and loss Then, when Subaru came to after Returning by Death, the sight of Rem sleeping in bed lay before him. "...Shit. I never thought there'd be an auto-save just before committing suicide. That's really messed up." Subaru, thinking that the change in restart points must have been some kind of mistake, tried to take his own life again. But when the paradox sank in that, even if he Returned by Death, he could not save Rem, he stopped his impulsive behavior; the dagger fell from Subaru's hand as he crumpled to the floor. Even if, via Return by Death, he somehow managed to return to the point before the decisive battle with Petelgeuse, Rem and the others would have already gone their separate way hours before which meant that no matter what he did, there was no way catch up with Rem before they were attacked on the return journey. And supposing, by some miracle, he had caught up to them, he had no plan for defeating new Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins. Besides, if he went back and left Petelgeuse to his own savage devices, it would mean losing Emilia. If he tried to save Rem, he'd sacrifice Emilia; if he tried to save Emilia, he'd sacrifice Rem without sacrificing one, he couldn't even put his finger on the merest possibility of saving the other. When Subaru realized the cruel choice facing him, he couldn't even kill himself anymore. And so he remained without a plan, doing nothing but lingering close to Rem in the time since " So this is where you were." A voice, clear as a bell, abruptly reached Subaru from behind; his shoulders jumped as he looked back. There stood the girl precious to him gazing at him with a thin smile on her lips a girl he'd left alone for the last several hours. Even he wasn't pathetic enough to say something like, What are you doing here? I'm busy. "Emilia...? You need something?" "Do I...need anything in particular to come? I'm supposed to be close to that girl...to Miss Rem, as well, right?" "Miss Rem, huh?" Emilia walked to the bed and peered at Rem from Subaru's side. It felt odd hearing Emilia add an honorific to Rem's name as she stroked her own silver hair. "Ah, that's right," murmured Emilia in response to Subaru's words. "I called her just by her name, didn't I?" "You were Roswaal's guest, Emilia-tan. She's Ram's little sister, so no need to explain, right?" "Mm, I understand that much. I mean, she looks just like Ram. There's no way you could be wrong." The image of Ram was probably in the back of Emilia's mind as she gazed at Rem's sleeping face. The twin sisters were two peas in a pod. Aside from their hair and eye colors, facial expressions, and the sizes of their breasts, they looked exactly the same. The very late realization that Ram had no doubt forgotten Rem as well tore deeply at Subaru's chest. "Subaru, you haven't slept at all, have you? You really should rest a little." "I'm not tired, really. It's not like I'm actually doing anything." "But you really want to do something, don't you? If you keep your mind tense like that, your body will be the next to go. So please." The echo of her heartfelt plea finally made Subaru look in Emilia's direction. When their gazes met, for the first time since she had entered the room, Subaru's breath caught at the sullen look in her violet eyes. Then he finally understood just why Emilia had come. "I'm pretty pathetic, huh?" "No, not at all. You've been a reeeally huge help to me. Really-really." Emilia shook her head at Subaru's self-deprecation. From the beginning she'd been concerned about Subaru running himself ragged. With Subaru pushing himself too hard, she'd come to give him a gentle touch. With Subaru seated in his chair, Emilia sat down herself; their gazes met as she earnestly tried to weave her words. "I won't say something like I'm sure it'll all work out. I can't promise such a thing. I want to understand your feelings, Subaru...but I don't know anything about a girl I've forgotten, so if I say anything, I think it'll just hurt you." *** "But I do know this you can't worry about Rem and shoulder that burden alone. Subaru, let me share that burden with you." "Emilia..." Emilia's surprising words made Subaru's eyes widen in astonishment. To Subaru, Emilia was truly speaking completely beyond his expectations. "But you don't even remember anything about her..." "Is it wrong to want to do something, even if I don't? She's a precious-enough girl to you to give you such a sad face, isn't she? Subaru, is it so strange that I want to help?" *** "I want to help you in the same way that you helped me. If you're hurt, I want to do something for you. That's normal, isn't it?" He could trust those feelings and approach them without hesitation; that affection needed no doubts. For the first time, Subaru's stubbornness fell away, dissolved by the words Emilia had gone out of her way to speak. When he realized that, he thought himself a real idiot for having been so obstinate in the first place. "...You really are something, Emilia-tan." "Really? I feel like you're reeeally amazing, too, Subaru." "Nah, no way I'm glad you're here, Emilia." Emilia's face went blank when Subaru slipped that last part in. Subaru made a strained smile at her demeanor, looking like she almost understood, but not quite. And when it dawned on Subaru that his lips were forming a smile, he finally realized... This was the first heartfelt emotion he'd experienced since he learned that Rem was asleep. "Emilia, there's something I'd like to ask of you..." "What is it?" "Can you turn around? I'm gonna cry a bit." "Mm-hmm, got it." Emilia asked nothing more, turning her back to Subaru as he had asked. Her consideration was a relief to Subaru as his gaze fell to his own knees. He gave in to the emotions surging inside him; he sniffled, and tears fell. As Rem continued to sleep before him, he'd wasted time, beating himself up over his own powerlessness. Emilia, too, was concerned for Rem, yet he'd never even noticed. Because he was the only one who remembered Rem, he'd convinced himself that he was the only person concerned about her, and that only he could save her. Subaru continued sniffling at his own stupidity. And then... *** In that quiet room, filled only with the sound of his own sobbing, Subaru's throat caught from the abrupt sensation of warmth. From behind, over the back of the chair, Emilia embraced Subaru, gently stroking his head. *** She said nothing. She didn't have to. Saved by her simple act of kindness, Subaru stanched the flow of both his tears and his whining. And then, in that moment, he made an oath. "I'll bring you back. Count on it, Rem." He had told her before. He, the man she'd fallen in love with, would stand before her as the greatest hero of all. Wasn't he still only partway down that road? "I'll definitely... Your hero is definitely coming for you just you wait." This was both a promise to himself, and his declaration of war against the enemy called fate. Any who stood before Subaru Natsuki while doing evil, encroaching upon that which was not theirs to sully, would be pounded flat. And it would be Subaru Natsuki who would do it. "There's no doubt no doubt!!" In the time starting from zero, losing someone precious like you...is unthinkable. That's why I'll get them back. The days lost. The time I spent walking with you. The time I wanted to spend walking with you. I'll bring them back again with my own two hands, so just wait, Rem... *** The cool, placid air in the ruins

greeted Subaru with a strange tranquility. The clack of his shoes rang out with each and every step. The rather jarring echoes of his footsteps were causing Subaru's unease, but they also helped him stay grounded. When he couldn't even see anything right in front of him, those sounds were the only things that reminded him he truly existed. *** The place was completely shrouded in darkness. Quite some time had passed since he'd lost track of the wall he'd found by touch earlier. He walked and walked along a path without end; for Subaru, it was almost as if he were actually standing still, as though his movements were mere hallucinations. Hearing his footfalls abated that concern. More importantly, Subaru's reason for being here urged him onward. He continued to walk, relying on the echoes of his shoes. He couldn't stop he wouldn't allow himself. No matter how deeply resignation had rooted itself in his heart, no matter how heavy his burden weighed on his shoulders, he had to grit his teeth and keep walking. If he didn't, how could he ever face her ? " I see. This is the desire that drives you. How curious, I must say." Suddenly, a voice rang out. The moment he heard it, Subaru froze. The unending eternity he had felt suddenly fell away. In the blink of an eye, the darkness he'd thought would continue forever quickly faded while the world that had been drained of color now seemed painted in a dazzling array. There were tufts of green beneath his feet and a cloudless, blue sky stretching out far overhead. Subaru realized he was standing on a grassy plain that should not have been there. He felt a gentle breeze stroke his hair, and then his throat constricted in shock. " Ngh." "Would you please stop playing around and come here?" As Subaru stood there frozen, a voice called out to him from behind. When he turned around, his noticed a slightly raised knoll. At the top, a parasol had been set up to provide shade for a white table and chair underneath and in that seat, he saw a girl. *** Her figure filled his mind with thoughts of white pure white, as if all color had been bleached from her existence. The long hair reaching all the way down her back and her barely exposed skin were like porcelain, more than enough to seize attention; a pitch-black dress veiled her slender limbs, like an outfit someone might wear to a funeral; her black eyes shone with an extraordinary intellect these were the only things that seemed to prove the ephemeral girl was actually there. White and black: her extraordinarily stark beauty was expressed by those two hues alone. It would only take a glance for her captivating appearance to put anyone under her spell but the sight of this girl injected overwhelming fear into Subaru's soul, the likes of which he had never felt before. Even his first encounter with the White Whale had not struck him this way. "Oh my, have I surprised you?" *** Subaru didn't say a word to the girl who had come so close to him. When she saw his reaction, her eyes filled with amusement. The girl paused before nodding, seemingly taking stock of the situation. "Ahh, I see. I have yet to introduce myself. How embarrassing. It has been so long since I've spoken to anyone, my emotions seem to have gotten the better of me." Unlike the tone of her voice, the girl's expression barely changed at all as her tiny shoulders dipped slightly. She turned to Subaru, who was still silenced and frozen in utter terror, then touched a hand to her breast as she calmly introduced herself. "My name is Echidna..." The girl's lips softened into a thin smile as she added: "Or perhaps it would be better to call myself the Witch of Greed?" CHAPTER 1 *** 1 To Subaru, the cloudy sky above seemed to be an accurate reflection of his mind. "This place shall feel emptier without you." As Subaru stood in front of the mansion's gate, a woman in a dress spoke those lonely-sounding words. The woman was distinctive, with long, flowing green hair and amber, almond-shaped eyes. Subaru still couldn't set aside his unease at the delicate way Crusch Karsten faintly lowered her eyes like a stereotypically proper young lady. All in spite of knowing full well why this was happening. "Crusch, I'm grateful to hear you say that, but..." Subaru scratched his head as he averted his gaze, looking straight ahead instead. Multiple dragon carriages lined the grounds of the Karsten estate; aboard were the villagers who had evacuated to the royal capital to escape from the cultists under Petelgeuse's command. The Archbishop of Sloth had since then been defeated, meaning it was safe to return to the mansion and Earlham Village now. For that reason, they were scheduled to traverse the highway back to the village with Subaru accompanying them back to Roswaal Manor. Put bluntly, a mountain of problems lay before them, even setting aside the Witch Cult. Crusch's sudden change was one of them, but "I hate leaving at a time like this, but nothing's gonna get solved if I stay here. I don't want to abuse your hospitality, either." "If it is Master Subaru Natsuki and Lady Emilia, I hardly mind if you stay at my residence as long as you desire... But it seems that is not an option." "I'll accept your kind words and leave it at that. We both have a lot of issues to face right now, yeah? Especially you, since there's that greedy merchant's crew to deal with. If you don't handle it well, they'll steal all the credit for the White Whale and Sloth right out from under you." Shaking his head at Crusch's request, Subaru urged her to be wary of Anastasia's followers. It would be most accurate to call the victory over the White Whale and the Archbishop of Sloth a joint operation by the forces of three royal candidates. However, at the moment, Anastasia was the only one to have emerged as a clear victor. The Crusch faction had established supremacy over enemies who had gone undefeated for over four centuries but the price their leader Crusch had paid was not low. Subaru and the rest of Emilia's supporters who had led the way to Sloth's defeat had taken casualties as well. Subaru wouldn't say that his loss was as critical as what Crusch and her people were enduring, but at the very least, Subaru had suffered a grievous wound that agonized him at that very moment. Meanwhile, Anastasia's faction had both candidate and knight intact even after playing a large role in dispatching both foes, taking minimal damage while reaping great rewards. Accordingly, everyone would need to keep an eye on Anastasia's movements from then on. That was simply one more reason to maintain the secrecy around the alliance between Emilia's faction and Crusch's faction. "We need to head back and get our ducks in a row before we discuss anything. We gotta have a little talk with Roswaal, Emilia's sponsor, and I wanna bring the worried villagers back home, too." "It must be a trying time for the families that have been separated. It would be best if you could help them." Crusch showed him a slight, fleeting smile as she turned her gaze toward the villagers aboard the dragon carriages. Half of the village had been evacuated to the royal capital; the other half had been evacuated to another safe area by a separate route. Just as Crusch had mentioned, families had been separated in the commotion. Subaru wanted to reunite them as soon as possible. "I'll come back to the capital once we have that settled. I guess this is goodbye for a little while, then." "Yes, I shall be waiting. When that time comes, I will be pleased to finally repay the great favor I owe to you." "Aw, you're making a big fuss over nothin'. We're helping each other out, that's all. Plus, I already have my reward." Subaru put on an awkward smile for Crusch as he pointed to the dragon carriage at the head of the column. This carriage seemed of a higher class than the rest, and a beautiful, jet-black land dragon was hitched to the front. The black land dragon was what Subaru had received as his reward for his part in the hunt. "You ask for too little. To think you would ask for a single land dragon as a reward for defeating one of the three great demon beasts." "Hey, I owe this dragon my life. I haven't been with her for long, but I've been on the brink between life and death with her more than anyone...and maybe the reason for that is 'cause I'm one hell of a nuisance to Patlash, but..." "An unnecessary concern, I believe." As they spoke, Subaru and Crusch watched over the land dragon, Patlash. That was the moment the aged swordsman, Wilhelm, walked over and gently voiced his disagreement. Having finished checking on the state of the carriages, the Sword Devil bowed as he joined the conversation. "The Diana breed is said to be the most temperamental of all land dragons, and few grow this fond of someone in such a short time. It would seem Sir Subaru and this land dragon are most compatible." "I suppose you're right about that. When I was picking a mount before the fight with the White Whale, I only picked her on gut instinct, but..." The compatibility part was likely a fact. Subaru felt like it was a match made in heaven. He didn't think he could have made it past both the White Whale and Sloth with any land dragon besides Patlash. Subaru had been saved by that wise dragon so many times he was convinced. "In other words, I won't be satisfied with any land dragon other than you...!" When Patlash nestled close, Subaru stroked her neck with renewed gratitude. As he did so, she rubbed the side of her proud face against him, which unfortunately made her hard scales feel like a file sliding against Subaru's hand. "Guaaah! Those scales hurt more than I figured! Now I know what radishes must feel when run against a grater!" "Hmm, land dragons find such playing to be quite pleasant. This is simply another way to deepen mutual trust." "Are you serious?! Won't that make the power in this relationship like when a cat keeps toying with a mouse?!" Perhaps, even with the land dragon shaving away his hand, this was mere child's play to Wilhelm. The Sword Devil's pleasant composure made Subaru scratch his head with a guilty expression. "Well, setting aside the issue of how Patlash and I should get along for now... Wilhelm, it's sad, but I have to say goodbye to you for a while, too. Take good care of that wound, okay?" "Thank you for your concern judging from how the bleeding has now largely ceased, it would seem that I am farther away now. It is difficult for me to speak about that as a fortunate thing, but..." They were discussing Wilhelm's left shoulder the spot where his wife, the previous Sword Saint, had wounded him. The fact that his old wound had opened up filled the Sword Devil's eyes with a maelstrom of complex emotions. As to what it meant, there was no way to find out except through questioning the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins who had attacked Crusch. The Archbishop of Gluttony if something other than the White Whale had been responsible for the death of the Sword Devil's wife, that archbishop was the prime suspect. And considering the doctrine of the Witch Cult, Subaru and his friends were sure to clash with them again someday. The cultists were the true enemy of their alliance. They had to defeat the Witch Cult and take back what

had been lost: Crusch's memories, and more "Subawuuu, I've secured Rem to the bed. Come see for yourself." His thoughts interrupted by the calling of his name, Subaru turned toward the speaker. It was Crusch's knight, Ferris, his iconic flaxen-colored kitty ears visible as he leaned out of a dragon carriage. Obeying his beckoning hand, Subaru walked over and peered into the interior. Upon examination, he realized that seats had been removed from within the wide carriage and replaced by a simple bed. A lone girl slept in it. Seeing her made Subaru's heart ache. Instead of her usual maid attire, the blue-haired girl's body was wrapped in a thin, water-colored blanket. She had been left unconscious by a slumber from which she would never awaken, her very existence forgotten by the people around her "Rem isn't going to fall out the back or anything while we're moving on the road, right?" "I'm telling you that I made preventing that a priority already. Believe it or not, Ferri is a genuine healer, so I'm kind to all my patients... Though I'm not sure if calling Rem a patient is...accurate." He gazed at the girl's face as she seemingly slept in peace, and Ferris's shoulders sank. Though his tone of voice was lighthearted, Ferris's face bore deep, unconcealable grief and disappointment with himself. Subaru wasn't the only one who resented being powerless. Here was another who felt great pain at not being able to do anything to help. Ferris still regretted his inability to protect his master when it mattered most. "You're really returning to the mansion?" "Yeah. It's not like Rem's going to be cured by staying in a place like this... Uh, I didn't mean that to sound rude." "It's okay, Subawu. I get it. You're just that terrible of a person, meow." Ferris forced a smile when Subaru tried to explain his poor choice of words. After that, his eyes immediately grew more serious as he thrust a finger at Subaru. "More importantly, it's not just Rem who needs rest. You do, too, Subawu." "I do?" "Yes. Did you forget why you came to the royal capital in the first place? This time, all the commotion with Sloth that made you abuse your gate... Does your body feel...sluggish at all?" "No, not especially, but..." When Ferris posed the question, Subaru stretched his neck and shoulders as he replied that there were no apparent problems. His external wounds had already been treated, meaning his body felt fine. As for Ferris's concern about his gate... "In the first place, I didn't rely on magic for day-to-day life, so I'm not really gonna miss it." "Something only a non-magic user would say. Speaking for myself, I think using magic is a good thing, including for emergencies... Well, if you're not concerned about it, that's fine." Ferris sighed with a look of resignation at Subaru's indifference and his lack of a sense of danger. "But I will say that nothing has changed. You must not abuse your gate by using magic. Mark my words, the poison inside the gate has been cleanly drawn out, but that doesn't mean it's healed. Let's see. You should rest your gate for...two months." "Two months, huh? Pretty low hurdle for a human being who's lived for seventeen years of his life without any magic." That was when Subaru remembered that technically not even two months had passed since he'd been summoned to this new world. Though he'd personally experienced something like four months' worth of time, chronologically speaking, it was right around two When he reflected on all that had happened during those months, he wasn't sure whether two months of rest was a low hurdle or a high one. "Well, there's no way incidents like that will just keep on happeni Wait, was that an event flag just now?!" "Unfortunately, healing the inside of your head is outside of Ferri's specialization, meow." While Ferris was verbally laying into him, Subaru shuddered. His physical reaction made Subaru realize that they needed to bring the chitchat to an end. He reached out a hand toward Ferris. "Meow?" "You've been a big help. I don't think I've ever addressed that properly. You healed my wounds and my gate, but more than that, I never would've made it past the White Whale and Sloth without you... Thanks for Rem, too." "...You probably didn't mean that in a mean or sarcastic way, but that's what it sounds like, meow." "The moment I said it, I thought it totally came off that way, too." But he genuinely felt grateful. Certainly, Subaru had his differences with Ferris, and each had posed an existential threat to the other at some points. But when Subaru added it all up, his gratitude to Ferris far outweighed any hard feelings. For a while, Ferris remained silent, looking down at the hand Subaru had offered. Then "...Your fingers are thin! Your hand's super-small! Guess I can't say, 'Oh, your fingers are the only manly thing about you!'" "Ferri is adorable, so why would you be hung up on something like that?!" After a moment's hesitation, they shared a handshake that left Subaru surprised by the feel of Ferris's hand while Ferris wore a suspiciously charming smile. It was adorable. When you added in his slender limbs and light skin, Ferris seemed like the ideal beautiful maiden "But, you're still a guy. Damn it, what the hell..." "Hey, it's Lady Crusch who wanted Ferri to wear this. She said the outfit suits me and makes me shine the brightest... Besides, it reflects my entire body and spirit." "But that's..." Subaru had been about to say, not something this Crusch knows, but he stopped himself midway. Ferris knew that without Subaru's having to say it. It wasn't something for which mere words sufficed. Subaru flapping his lips and acting as if he understood would only upset Ferris. "Regardless of what happens with the royal selection, I will protect Lady Crusch no matter what." "...Huh?" The unexpected cold words that rang in Subaru's ears drove him into silence. It was a quiet whisper, echoing emotions that had frozen over. Even though he had been talking with Ferris right up until that very moment, it took a moment for Subaru to fully realize who had spoken those words. Ferris's head was lowered; Subaru couldn't see his eyes past his hair. But the palm in Subaru's grasp was very hot. "Ferris...?" "And thaaat's why you have to keep your promise, right, Subawu?" However, that ominous presence lasted but a single moment. Subaru was still at a loss for words when Ferris's head seemed to bounce back up, his demeanor the same as usual. His eyes had a mischievous glint to them as he continued. "You'd better, or I'll make you suffer before killing you by making the mana inside your body go craaaazy." "Could you stop saying stuff scary enough to kill people with such a cute voice and that pretty face of yours?!" Ferris pulled back his hand, laughed as he disembarked from the dragon carriage, then bowed. Subaru felt weary just watching him, though that brief instant where he'd seen an unknown side of Ferris still weighed heavily in his chest. Those intense words had to be how Ferris truly felt, an expression of both his tenacity and his resolve. And Subaru was no bystander in the matter that was what both believed. "Ah, Subaru. Is Rem's bed all ready?" It was just after Ferris hopped out of the dragon carriage that Emilia appeared at the front gate. When the dragon carriages were ready to depart, Emilia came over. Her silver hair was bundled into a triple braid. "Does everything seem fine? Will it hold up until we make it back to the mansion?" "No problemo. Patlash and I are pumped up and ready for some stunt driving. I'll pop a wheelie." "I don't really understand why, but I have a reeeally bad feeling about this 'wheel-ee,' so I forbid it." "Aww, that's too bad. And I was planning to use some risky driving to set Emilia-tan's heart aflutter with the suspension bridge effect." Replying with typical jokes like he usually would, Subaru gave the dragon carriage a tap to knock on wood. His reply made Emilia's violet eyes slightly worried, but she didn't say anything. "Yep. Anyway, though with some lingering regrets, it's time to get this show on the road, meow?" With a clap of his hands, it was Ferris who brought an official end to the awkward pause. When all eyes gathered upon him, attention immediately shifted to Crusch, standing right beside him. "Now, Lady Crusch. If you have any final things to say to Lady Emilia..." "Yes, I suppose I do." With Ferris ceding the stage to her, Crusch took a step forward. With the men who served her Ferris and Wilhelm at her back, she stood at attention as she turned toward Subaru and Emilia. "First, though I have said this many times, I am deeply grateful to both of you. I may have lost my memories, but I believe it is thanks to your cooperation that our lives have been connected, intertwined with my desires from before I lost my memories. Thank you very much." "N-not at all... There is nothing you need to thank me for with such words, Lady Crusch. I spent most of the last several days out of the loop rather than doing anything." "It's a fact that you were out of the loop for the main events. But, relax, 'kay? I got a lot of stuff done right. Any credit I earn belongs to you, Emilia-tan." "All Subawu's sins belong to Lady Emilia, too, meow." "Don't pick at my scars!!" When Subaru moved to reassure the apologetic Emilia, Ferris swiftly inserted himself into the conversation, poking fun at him for what had transpired at the royal palace. Laughter erupted in front of the gate the instant Subaru raised his voice. A few days prior, Subaru wouldn't have even dreamed of laughing those events off. Of course, that didn't mean he could just forget about how and why he had acquired those scars, but "It's all right. From here on, I have many things I need to properly talk about with Subaru." *** Emilia, the only one not to laugh, spoke those words with a sincerity in her eyes. They seemed to say that whatever the results of Subaru's actions, she would face them head-on. This was proof she had truly accepted Subaru. In name and fact, Subaru truly stood by her side. "Let us be sure to meet again in the near future. Lady Emilia, Master Subaru Natsuki, I believe we shall maintain friendly relations for a long time to come." Crusch smiled pleasantly as she offered those words, turning a gaze toward the pair that left no room for deceit. Even after she'd lost her memories, her nobility remained undiminished. Crusch, whose existence radiated honesty, did not deal in lies or conceits. Perhaps that had been conveyed painfully clearly. Emilia lowered her eyes, her lips trembling. "I...am a candidate in competition with you, Lady Crusch. Even with an alliance, we will someday become enemies again." "Yes. I must strive to do my best so that I do not lose to you, Lady Emilia." "Besides that, I am a half-elf, with silver hair at that... You're not...afraid of me?" "Emilia, that's..." Subaru tried to stop whatever she was trying to say, but when he saw Emilia's expression, he said no more. Emilia had posed that question with a desperate, serious look in her eyes. At that point, no one who understood even a tiny fraction of her feelings could thoughtlessly intervene. Besides, Subaru knew Crusch and knew that even now, her soul remained unclouded. " The worth of the soul is determined by the worth of a person's actions. Whether for themselves, or for others, we should all live in whatever fashion makes us

shine brightest, to live in a way that brings no shame on our souls." *** "Or rather, I apparently used to say that often. Hearing it now...from the perspective of the listener, the words sound rather pretentious, do they not?" Unable to help herself, Crusch let a smile slip as she talked about her own past statement. While listening to the words, Emilia had pursed her lips in silence, likely considering them emblematic of a deeper truth. "Lady Emilia, do you believe the way you live now is shameful?" "...I...do not. I have lived this far believing that whatever others may think of me, at the very least, I must not hate myself." "Then there is nothing for you to fear or regret. Hone yourself, strive harder, and walk straight and true on your own path you possess a...wonderful soul." Once she had finished speaking, Crusch unflinchingly offered Emilia her hand. "I am pleased to have had a chance to come to know you. I feel no fear." *** As if she felt pain in her chest, Emilia's cheeks stiffened as she stared down at Crusch's hand. Crusch quietly awaited Emilia's response without any attempts to hurry her. Finally, Emilia very, very gently touched Crusch's hand, exchanging a handshake with her. "I hope you remain in good health. I look forward to meeting you again soon." "I... No, I do as well. Most likely, I will be able to stand firm before you when that time comes, Lady Crusch. Until then, please be well." The two royal candidates swore to do their best, exchanging promises to meet again. As he watched them share those oaths off to the side, Subaru's chest was filled with a sense of accomplishment. Subaru had suffered, struggled, and endured much agony. This was the moment they had finally gained something tangible for it. He hadn't been able to manage a perfect finish, but "I don't wanna regret anything I've done, or forget what I've accomplished and make you feel like it's somehow your fault." Subaru glanced back at the dragon carriage before he closed his eyes, imagining the sleeping Rem. This was a place for celebration. He couldn't use Rem as an excuse to feel sorry for himself. She wouldn't want something like that, either or perhaps he was selfish to think that. "Master Subaru Natsuki, I hope you remain in good health as well. I pray from the bottom of my heart that...your future exploits help this girl recover as soon as possible." "It's not really a good thing if it requires my exploits in the first place... I'm a useless man except for extreme situations, when I'll borrow anyone's help to get things done... What happened to Rem, and what happened to you, Crusch, aren't someone else's problem. I'll make sure to find a way." Crusch smiled pleasantly, seeking a handshake from Subaru as well. Too embarrassed to place his hand over the one she offered, Subaru did not shake her hand; instead, he briefly met her palm with his. A small, dry sound rang out, and with that, the touch between Subaru and Crusch was over. "Let us certainly meet again." These words spoken, Lady Crusch and retainers bowed, seeing Subaru & Co. off on their way. 2 A delicate, stifling atmosphere filled the dragon carriage on its way back to the mansion. *** Crusch had added the large dragon carriage to Patlash as part of his reward from her. Wide enough to seat ten passengers, it was total overkill, with plenty of room to spare. At present, the only occupants were Subaru, Emilia, and Rem, who slept on the simple bed. With Subaru sitting beside the Sleeping Princess, and Emilia sitting a short distance removed in silent consideration for the unconscious Rem, a rather awkward air had spread throughout the carriage. "...Feels like it was a mistake to put the brats on a different carriage, huh?" The village children who had ridden in the dragon carriage with them on their way to the capital were in a different one for the return trip. He'd arranged it out of consideration for the villagers, thinking they wouldn't want to hear talk related to the royal selection, but this had backfired on him. There certainly was a lot they needed to talk about. But a trigger was nary to be " Um, by any chance, is the absence of a topic putting you in a bind? This oppressive silence, this heavy atmosphere, I simply cannot bear it." "Why are you butting in all of a sudden? Wait, you were here?" "I was indeed! Of course, I have been here the whole while! In the first place, how do you think I ended up cooperating with you and getting abused by the Witch Cult, Mr. Natsuki?!" "Personal hobby of yours?" "Not even a cat has enough lives for that kind of hobby!!" Peering in through the intervening window from the driver's seat and letting a grandiose amount of spittle fly was a young man the merchant Otto Suwen, who had cooperated in the final battle against the Witch Cult. Subaru smiled mischievously at Otto, who'd volunteered to accompany them as their coachman for the return trip. "I'm kidding. Your objective is to talk with Roswaal and have him buy up all your cargo. I didn't forget." "I am truly counting on you. Truly, my very life depends on it!" Otto was all worked up for a big showdown, but Subaru could see no future for him save Roswaal leading him around by the nose. Having been aided by him, Subaru wanted to lend a hand, but... "I can't speak for the man himself, but your odds are pretty slim..." "I can hear you, you know?! You meant to hide it, didn't you?!" When Otto, eyes bulging, overheard Subaru speaking to himself, Subaru's shoulders sank. When she witnessed this exchange between the pair, Emilia's big eyes went wide as she spoke. "I'm so surprised. Somehow, you two reeeally get along with each other." "I don't get along with him at all. He's just someone who saved my life, that's all." "You can't deny it, so don't explain it away!!" When Otto had been captured by the Witch Cult and was on the verge of becoming a human sacrifice, Subaru was the main person behind his rescue. Strictly speaking, it was the Iron Fangs who had saved Otto's life, but that was something of a tangent. Either way, thanks to Otto, the awkward atmosphere inside the carriage had greatly abated. "And while I thank you for the current mood, it is time to bid you farewell for a while." "Hey, wait a ! You keep treating me like a pest at the drop of a h " Subaru closed the shutter, cutting off Otto midshout. With Well, that job's done on his face, Subaru looked back. Emilia wore a surprised look as their eyes met. And then "Pfft." "Ha-ha-ha." Unable to take any more, the two abruptly broke up in laughter. For a while thereafter, the pair's laughing voices echoed inside the dragon carriage. When their laughter finally died down, Subaru said, "Reading the awkward atmosphere and keeping quiet, that's really not like me, huh?" "No, it really isn't like you, Subaru. The Subaru I know is more...a boy always full of energy and doing reckless things, stirring up trouble with almost no regard for my feelings at all." "I feel like that translates to a braggart who can't read the mood to save his life!" In point of fact, this was without doubt an assessment he could not refute. Laughing awkwardly as he scratched his face, Subaru slowly sat down beside Emilia. She narrowed her eyes toward him. "...Subaru, you sit next to me like it's a natural thing." " ? Huh? Something strange about that?" "No... At first, it made me nervous, but for some reason, it doesn't now, so it's all right." Emilia shook her head as her thoughts on Subaru's sitting beside her trickled out. For meals at the mansion and the conversations with minor spirits that were a daily ritual for Emilia, and in many other everyday settings, Subaru had stood and sat by Emilia's side as was his wont, but... "All that hard, painstaking work finally paid off. I'm so moved...!" "There you go making light of things again... Even though I don't want you to do that weird bluffing." When Subaru clenched a fist and murmured, Emilia's cheeks puffed up in dissatisfaction. Then, after ever so slightly moving her hips away, she turned her eyes to the simple bed at the back. "You've been thinking about Rem the whole time. You don't need to hide it." "Ta-ha-ha..." With Emilia's sullen gaze sealing all avenues of retreat, Subaru conceded with a listless laugh. "Yeah, I have been. I've been thinking about her a huge ton. I think she's been on my mind this whole time because I felt I've gotta do something. I want to think of Emilia-tan first and foremost, but...this time I just couldn't keep things in the right order. Sorry." "I'm not upset about that at all. I said it back at Lady Crusch's mansion, too, didn't I?" She'd said she wanted to understand all the concerns and worries Subaru harbored. Yes, he remembered Emilia had spoken those words to him. He had been so happy, he'd cried. Even so "She's very precious to you, isn't she?" "Precious, super-precious. As precious as you are to me, Emilia-tan." "...Do you realize that's a reeeally selfish thing to say?" "I do. To be honest, I feel so bad about it I wanna roll over and die. But I'm super-serious, so..." He conveyed his honest, undisguised feelings to Emilia loud and clear. Scoundrel though it made Subaru, Rem's presence inside him was simply that large. Without exaggeration, it was every bit as large as his feelings toward Emilia. Hence, he continued praying for Rem's recovery, glad that he had not upset Emilia in the process. To find a way to make that recovery happen, Subaru Natsuki would take on any trial. " I'm sure you'll find it. A way to bring her back." "Emilia-tan?" With Subaru engaging in that extremely selfish reasoning, Emilia gave a thin, charming smile and nodded. She ran a finger through her silver hair as she stared straight at Subaru's raised face. "I think, in the sense of being motivated by selfish reasons, you and I are probably very alike, Subaru... I'm well aware I joined the royal selection for a selfish reason of my own." "A selfish reason... You mean, a world of equality without any discrimination that reason?" Subaru reminisced about the desire Emilia had spoken of when she declared her beliefs at the royal selection conference. As a half-elf, Emilia had been exposed to discrimination like few others. Was it not natural for her to want an egalitarian world? However, Emilia sadly shook her head in the face of Subaru's understanding of the matter. "Not that. I started this with something that was reeeally personal..." *** "...I'm sorry. I can't really explain it with words. I don't want to hide it from you, Subaru. But I'm not sure what I should say." Emilia was at a loss for words, vexed that she could not speak well about what was in her head. If there was no tangible answer to be had, Subaru didn't want to try to force her to give him one. If the details about the emotions welling in her breast were secretly related to why she had entered the royal selection to begin with " We'll talk about everything after we catch up with Roswaal." "You'll forgive me, then?" "You haven't done anything wrong, so I don't need to forgive you. If anything, the stuff I talked about is more of a problem... Besides, Roswaal might know something about the Rem issue, too." So far as Subaru knew, there was no one in that world better connected to both the top

and the underside worlds than Roswaal L. Mathers himself. Considering the detail that the clown-looking eccentric had nominated Emilia for the royal selection, it was about time they got him to spill his guts. There was also the matter of what the hell he had been thinking, not even lifting a single finger during the Witch Cult attack. "But if we're putting that off until after we get back to the mansion..." "Yeah?" "If you don't mind, Subaru...I'd like you to tell me about Rem." For one moment, the suggestion sent pain running through Subaru's chest. But this was not because he rejected Emilia's suggestion. It was from pure worry and hesitation. Could Subaru speak words that could truly suffice about Rem, the girl who had saved him? "Ahh, yeah, that's gonna get a bit long, but I'll tell you all about it. To me, memories of Rem are as precious as my memories of you since meeting you two months ago, Emilia-tan." Hiding his sentiments behind his words, Subaru began to speak of day-to-day life during those two months. When, after meeting Emilia in the royal capital, he'd awoken in the mansion, greeted by Rem and Ram *** Once he started telling the tale, he couldn't stop. Emilia continued quietly listening to Subaru's story. And in the end, he continued without pause until they arrived back in the Mathers domain. 3 "Hey, you two, we've finally arrived at our destination." When Otto shared that news from the driver's seat, it was evening, half a day since they'd departed from the royal capital. The report through the shutter made Subaru break off his story and turn his eyes to look through the side window. "Oh, really? Faster than I thought." "It seems you were caught up in your story. We made excellent time down the highway as well. Perhaps, thanks to departing in the early morning and arriving before nightfall, everyone from the village will be that much more relieved." "I'm so glad. Otto, thank you very much. It's a relief we made it to the village safe and sound." As Subaru leaned forward, Emilia was right beside him, gazing through the same window as she thanked Otto. "I am honored that you would say so, Lady Emilia... I wish Mr. Natsuki would praise my endeavors in a more straightforward manner." "Hey, don't be that way. My personality means I say a lot of things that don't match what I'm actually thinking. Catch on already." "How can those words come from your mouth after all the things you've said to date?!" Otto's voice rose at Subaru's poor treatment. "Now, now," said Emilia, scolding Subaru for his attitude toward Otto. "I'm sorry, Otto. It's Subaru's bad habit to tease the people he is fond of..." "Wait, wait, you've got it all wrong! I don't do that to you, Emilia-tan!" "But you do it to Beatrice, don't you?" "Considering how much of a loli that girl is, that statement's all kinds of wrong!" In terms of experiencing Subaru's teasing, Beatrice and Otto certainly had something in common. But how he felt about either of them wasn't related in any way to his being nice. It was simply an issue of the company he kept. "Mr. Natsuki, Lady Emilia." "What? Right now, I'm busy clearing up Emilia-tan's grievous misunderstanding..." "We've arrived at the village... But there seems to be something amiss." *** The abrupt call in a low voice made Subaru and Emilia make eye contact. When they hurried to follow Otto's gaze, they were drawing near Earlham Village, their destination right down the road. The village was a familiar sight. The lack of human presence made this eerily similar to the last time Subaru had seen it: an uninhabited village, right after the villagers had been evacuated to flee from the Witch Cult. In other words " Ram and the villagers in the Sanctuary haven't come back?" That was the conclusion they reached after Subaru and the others split up to check out Earlham Village. Concern stood out clearly on the faces of the returning villagers after they failed to find any sign of the others the ones who had split off and fled to the Sanctuary midevacuation, and who should have long returned by now. "According to Ram, the Sanctuary is a seven-to-eight-hour trip from here. To not have returned ahead of us after we spent three days in the capital..." "We mustn't be hasty. It might be simple prudence until they're certain the village is safe." "Would Roswaal act that passive once he heard the circumstances? During the demon beast incident a while back, he immediately ended it with brute force. It's just weird that he hasn't done anything this time." Roswaal possessed magic that gave him the ability to fly through the sky. That was a simple and effective way to reconnoiter his own territory, even if he was being cautious. Even discounting that, Ram, with her Clairvoyance, would be right by his side. It was obvious he had already learned about their victory over the Witch Cult. The fact that he had not returned to the mansion despite that meant "There's a reason he didn't come back... Did something happen in the Sanctuary?" Subaru and Emilia turned their faces toward each other, both having arrived at the same point of view. The pair's concerns were shared by the remaining people of Earlham Village. They had hoped to be reunited with the family members who had returned to the village ahead of them. Considering the villagers' mental state, they all had to find out what had happened as quickly as possible. They had to, but "So, Emilia-tan...do you know where the Sanctuary is?" "Eh?! S-Subaru, don't you know where it is?" Emilia's surprise at Subaru's question raised a fundamental issue. It was simple, and large: they didn't actually know where this Sanctuary was actually located. "It's kind of late to be asking this, but this Sanctuary, what sort of place is it?" "I don't know... Roswaal said it was kind of like a secret hideout. Besides..." "Besides?" "...No, it's nothing. Sorry, I wish I'd asked him more properly at the time." When Emilia made that rather awkward-sounding apology, Subaru shook his head and reflected on his own sins. However much in a hurry they'd been to evacuate the villagers, it was Subaru's fault a thousand times over for being careless. Worst case, they'd probably find some sort of clue about the location of the Sanctuary inside the mansion, but... "For that, too, we'd better go to the mansion for now. I want to put Rem where she can have proper rest... Otto, you don't have a place to stay, do you? Come with us." "Ueeeh?! T-to the marquis's mansion?! I-I would be more at ease sleeping in the dragon carriage!" "Oh, shut up and play along. Sorry, everyone! Just wait a little longer!" Squishing Otto's tearful words flat, Subaru called out to the people of the village. His appeal to them could not wipe away all their anxiety, but they sent spirited voices back Subaru's way nonetheless. With the villagers watching them go, they had the dragon carriage gallop once more and ten minutes later, they saw Roswaal Manor in all its familiar splendor. "It is even larger than it appears to be when seen from afar... I feel even more out of place..." "Don't chicken out after coming this far. Even if you do, you'll never make it all the way back home." With Otto struck by the majesty of the mansion, Subaru offered those words of persuasion as they headed through the front gate onto the manor grounds. They proceeded to stop the dragon carriage outside the front door, inside which, in a sense, the mansion of old times awaited. "It's supposed to be three days for me, same as Emilia-tan, but..." When Subaru looked up at the mansion, deeply moved, he murmured as he felt complex emotions in his chest. As a matter of fact, Subaru had returned last to the mansion four days prior, engaging in an elaborate act to get Emilia to flee. However, emotionally speaking, he didn't want to think of that as coming home. It was at this very instant that he felt he had finally returned. "Well, that's what I think from the bottom of my heart..." "Mr. Natsuki, setting aside whatever you may have thought, shall I put the dragon carriage in the stables? As for Miss Rem sleeping in the bed in back... " I'll carry Rem. You don't need to do anything." Subaru closed his mouth, realizing he'd unconsciously let out a hard, barbed voice. Otto, who had no doubt his own suggestion had been a good one, appeared stern at the sharpness of Subaru's reply. Subaru couldn't help having an exaggerated reaction where Rem was concerned, even though he knew that Otto and Emilia had shown plenty of consideration for her to that point on their journey. "...Sorry. Please put Patlash and the dragon carriage in back of the mansion. I'll get things ready on the inside." "Understood. Think nothing of it, Mr. Natsuki." Otto accepted the apology, heading for the stable without any sign of offense. Subaru disembarked from the carriage with Rem on his back, headed toward the mansion's front doorway along with Emilia. "Come to think of it, I don't remember locking the door when we left. Could burglars get in?" "Not that...it's her job, but I don't think we need to worry with Beatrice here. I wonder if she'd...come greet us at the door if we knocked?" Without touching on the exchange with Otto, Emilia voiced a very un-Emilia-like joke. It was rather difficult to picture that Beatrice greeting Subaru and Emilia at the door with a face full of joy, particularly considering the way she and Subaru had last parted. Even so, there was no harm in trying. "Maybe she'll rush out to set eyes on Puck..." "It really would be odd of her, though." Half-jokingly, Emilia smiled as she made the door knocker resound. The sharp, hard sound reverberated inside the mansion. Naturally, there was neither master nor servant in the mansion to repl " Yes, please wait a moment." "Eh?" Subaru and Emilia were both dumbstruck by the reply that ought not to have existed. Then, before the pair could recover from being frozen stiff, the entry doors to the mansion slowly opened. "Welcome back, Lady Emilia. I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival." Standing on the other side of the open double doors was a woman greeting the pair with perfect courtesy. She had long, gleaming blonde hair, and emerald eyes that seemed as transparent as gemstones. Her tall figure was clad in a classical maid outfit; she carried herself in a splendidly tidy, feminine manner. Her age was twenty years, more or less, and any way he looked at her, she was a maid through and through the problem being, she was not either of the two maids who had been assigned to Roswaal Manor. Subaru was frozen solid at the sight of the unfamiliar maid. But his tension soon eased. Emilia, standing stiff at Subaru's side, furled her refined eyebrows and said, "...Frederica?" She knew the other party's name. When addressed, the woman replied once more. "Yes," she said, and the woman Frederica released her hands from the hem of the skirt they had held as she said, "I am Frederica Baumann, returning to duty from leave granted by the master." Slowly lifting her face, Frederica sent a warm, amiable smile the pair's way. When that smile struck Subaru's eyes, he opened his mouth wide. "You must be tired from your long journey. First, allow me to show you inside the mans " "Scary face !!" Subaru's very, very loud shout echoed across the sky of Roswaal Manor. Frederica's smile was completely ruined by the bizarre fangs filling her mouth. 4 When looking at her as a maid, Subaru found the woman named Frederica to be perfect.

She dressed in a maid uniform that was not gaudy in any way, her words and gestures were exceedingly refined, and her behavior bore not a single trace of waste. Seeing her standing straight like it was natural made one's own body straighten up. In all functional matters, she scored a perfect 100 as a maid appearance-wise, too, that mouth excepted. "Subaru, you idiot! You can't go saying that to a girl! Apologize properly!" "P-please cease, Lady Emilia. It is fine. I am accustomed to people being surprised the first time they meet me. I do not mind it whatsoever." "No, I will not! When you do something bad you need to apologize, especially when you've hurt someone. Isn't that right?" Frederica, the aggrieved party, had a conflicted look on her face at Emilia's red, anger-filled expression. Emilia's point of view was good and proper, something Subaru deeply acknowledged when he went down on his knees on the entryway's floor. Subaru proceeded to bow his head deeply toward Frederica to show he had reflected on the error of his ways. "No, what Emilia-tan's saying is right. I was completely in the wrong just now." "Err..." "I'm sorry I said something terrible all of a sudden when meeting you for the first time. Boil me, fry me, do whatever you like...though I'd prefer it be as painless as possible." Subaru apologized in a manner that was more effeminate than manly. After he'd said such rude words to a woman he'd just met, he couldn't blame Frederica for any reply she might wish to make. "Um, Frederica, listen, Subaru's not a bad child. It's just, he has a bad habit of saying things without thinking from time to time..." Emilia added her own words to bolster Subaru's apology. The oddly maternal words weighed on his mind, but Subaru was happy she'd spoken up nonetheless. Frederica fell into silence at the look of the pair for a time, but " Tee-hee. Lady Emilia, Master Subaru, you are both quite amusing..." "Frederica?" "I said I am not upset in the slightest, yet you did this anyway. And Lady Emilia, acting so maternal in making Master Subaru apologize like this... Oh, this has become so amusing." Frederica forgave Subaru while hiding her mouth behind her sleeve as she smiled. Even with Subaru kneeling in proper Japanese fashion, she cut his feet right out from under him. "Besides," she continued, "I cannot put off asking about the circumstances forever. There is the reason I have been recalled, the absence of the master...and that girl, the spitting image of Ram." *** Frederica's gaze shifted toward a sofa the sofa upon which Rem had been laid down to rest. The words she used "Ram's spitting image" proved that she had a prior association with both sisters, Ram and Rem. "Oh, now I remember. There was a maid who quit a little before I came to the mansion." "Quit is not quite accurate. I was given leave so as to attend to personal matters... It is just that I have ended up returning sooner than I expected." "If it's before Subaru came to the mansion... Three months ago, then? I'm happy to see you again, though." Emilia and Frederica smiled at one another, pleased to be reunited. Even then, Frederica hid her mouth behind her sleeve; maybe Subaru's rude words had given her something of a complex about it. Subaru was even more ashamed of his slip of the tongue, but Frederica spoke nothing of it as she motioned to the mansion with a hand. "After being called back, I found the mansion an empty shell... I was completely at a loss. Fortunately, I was able to grasp the situation from a letter in the master's office." "Letter?" "Yes, a letter penned by Ram. Even though she had called me back, this was the only word she left... Perhaps I am being too soft on her in saying it is just like her?" Frederica gave a strained smile. From that smile, Subaru felt the weight of years of familiarity and trust between her and Ram. Likely, she'd had a similar relationship with Rem. "And the reason Ram called you back, Frederica?" Subaru brushed aside the budding sentiment in his chest as he prodded Frederica onward. That said, the question had an obvious answer. The mansion had been on high alert with the Witch Cult aimed straight at it only a few days ago. In other words, Ram had called Frederica back as emergency reinforcements for battle. "By the time I returned, the mansion's kitchen and garden were in a rather terrible state." "There was a compelling reason for that! Right, Emilia-tan?!" "Wait, Subaru. It's not like this is Ram's fault. It's just, an odd breeze seemed to blow through the mansion for some reason, more as time went on... I wanted to help, too, but..." "A-ahh, that's okay, it wasn't anything you could have coped with, Emilia-tan..." "Yeah... And Ram said, 'This is nothing. Leave it to me. I shall manage somehow.'" "Man, she really isn't all she makes herself out to be! ...No, when she said she'd manage somehow, she meant to throw it all onto Frederica's shoulders from the start, didn't she?! Ram, not that your self-assessment is wrong, but geez, try, damn it!" It was a decision so like her, Subaru could practically see her snorting "Ha!" in the back of his mind. Emilia gave a pained smile at Subaru's reaction and said, "But it's so strange. Ram should have been working hard all the time you were gone, Frederica. I wonder why she was all a mess for only those d Ah..." After speaking about it that far, Emilia found her own answer. She'd surmised what had been happening at the mansion during Frederica's absence. That there was "someone" working with Ram to maintain the mansion. "And without that, Ram couldn't keep the mansion going by herself, so she...asked Frederica for help?" Subaru sadly accepted the natural conclusion. The very fact that Ram had gotten into contact with Frederica was proof she didn't remember Rem. No, he had more than enough reason to deduce as much. He didn't need direct confirmation. "I'll take Rem to her room and explain to Frederica along the way. Emilia-tan, Otto's waiting outside... Can I get you to go invite him in?" "Mm, understood... You'll be all right?" "If Emilia-tan shows me a smiling face, I'll give even a Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins a butt kicking." Emilia had a downtrodden expression on her, but Subaru spoke flippantly with a little smile. She proceeded to do as asked, heading out of the room to invite Otto, most likely waiting at the mansion's entrance, inside. Watching her back as she left, Subaru said, "Now, then..." and turned back toward the sofa as he said, "This is Rem, Ram's little sister... You probably don't remember her, right?" "Unfortunately, I do not. However, there really is no room for any doubt." When Subaru, adjusting the sleeping Rem's position on his back, posed that question, Frederica drew in her chin. Subaru sighed at her reply, indicating the corridor with a motion of his chin. "We'll talk on the way. I want to let Rem...sleep in her own room." "I understand. This way, please." Keeping her words to a minimum, Frederica opened the door as if to lead Subaru out. Together with her, Subaru headed to the mansion's east wing toward Rem's bedroom. "As far as I could tell, Rem and Ram are sisters that really get along..." On the way to that room, Subaru told Frederica about facts lost to her: what kind of girl Rem was, what she'd been doing to that point in her life, just how lovely she was. He spoke much like he had to Emilia on the road back to the mansion *** As Subaru spoke to Frederica, he stated, and replied to, a number of thoughts inside his own head. There had to have been a better way. During the battle, he'd thought I've done the best I can. Somewhere, though, there had likely been a better, a more perfect outcome, one with the greatest possible results. And yet, Subaru had let it slip through his fingers. If only he was smarter, surely Subaru would have noticed it. As one example, the letter of goodwill that Crusch's envoy had brought to Emilia. Subaru had concluded that this letter, the root of much misunderstanding because it was blank, was a plot by the Witch Cult, but in that, he had been mistaken. At that point the Witch Cult surely hadn't caught on to Subaru's actions, and no opportunity had presented itself to swap one letter of goodwill for another. In the first place, sleight of hand such as swapping missives wasn't the Witch Cult's style; it favored more direct acts of violence, something Subaru knew better than anyone. In that case, there could only be a single truth behind the blank missive. "The contents of the letter of goodwill were written by Rem. I'm the one who asked it to be sent, so if Crusch handed it to the messenger...only the fact that it was handed over stayed the same, and only the contents were erased." That was the sloppy adjustment to the erasure of the memory of Rem from the world. If only he'd noticed, if only he'd stopped to think more seriously about why the letter of goodwill was blank, if only he'd seen the truth behind it, he would have realized the tragedy that had befallen Rem. Even if it was a tragedy occurring at a time when there was no turning back. "That is a rather difficult story to believe." He arrived at the usual answer to his own question at the same time that Frederica, having finished listening to his story, quietly spoke those words to him. The words held no ring of denial behind them. She looked around the area. "So this is her...Rem's room. It is completely tidied up, but..." When the two entered the room Rem's bedroom it looked like a guest room, with all personal possessions removed. It was the same sight Subaru had seen previously, on the go-around when he had returned powerless after the White Whale had stolen Rem from him. That time, too, Rem's existence had been forgotten. Her bedroom had been just as clean and empty then as it had now become. "Ram was probably dealing in her own way with the unnatural gap left by Rem being erased." The faint hint of her breath and the warmth of her body were the only proof that she was alive. The symptoms of a Sleeping Princess were to require no food or water simply to breathe and to sleep. "Master Subaru, if she must be cared for in any way, I shall..." "I want to do it. Let me do it. It's Rem's first return to the mansion like this, so I have to...no, I want to do it. Sorry to be so selfish." Subaru put on a brave face and tucked Rem in bed, determined to do whatever he could for her. Subaru's words made Frederica pull back the outstretched hand she had offered him, narrowing her eyes. "No, it is not selfish in the least. If anything, it makes my chest get a little tighter. For someone with eyes like a murderer, you are very kind, aren't you?" "Hey, don't casually dis me like that, it really wounds my heart!" When Frederica pointed out the look of Subaru's eyes, his voice went shrill as she smiled mischievously. He immediately realized that she was paying him back for the rude words he'd spoken to her earlier. In a true sense, the exchange just then had fulfilled the conditions for reconciliation between them. "To begin with, you won't need to care for Rem. She doesn't need food or even baths... But please, pay her as much mind as you can. That's the only thing I

ask." "I shall take that to heart. If she is Ram's little sister, she might as well be my own. I wonder what kind of reaction the master and Ram shall have when they return?" "I can't read Roswaal's... I don't really want to think about how Ram will react." The sisters truly got along well. The older sister doted on the younger; the younger revered the older. It was a relationship filled with love. He didn't want to see that scene fracture before his eyes, even if its fracturing was a fact from which there was ultimately no escape. "I understand about the master and Ram. As for the reason for their absence from the mansion, if it was the Witch Cult going on the move due to Lady Emilia's entry into the royal selection...it is the natural decision to make." "Did you hear about the royal selection stuff before you stopped working?" "Lady Emilia came to the mansion about half a year ago. I was still here at the mansion at the time. My being given leave was related to it as well." While Subaru put things in order at Rem's bedside, Frederica continued preparing everything besides the bed. Subaru knit his brows, sensing that something was off about the conversation he was having with her. "What do you mean by, your stopping working and taking a leave of absence was related to the royal selection...?" "My duty was essentially to tidy up the master's personal affairs for the royal selection." "Personal affairs?" "It was clear that nominating Lady Emilia, a half-elf, as a candidate would invite troubles. Before that, the master sent those around him away. Even here at the mansion, he left only Ram, capable of defending herself... Ram and most likely Rem, making two." That answer accounted for the weird feeling Subaru had experienced upon first arriving at the mansion. Considering the sheer size of Roswaal Manor, it would be nigh impossible to keep only the sisters Ram and Rem as servants. In actuality, Rem's skill kept the mansion afloat, but still. "Upon the master's instructions, many servants were sent off to perform duties elsewhere. As a senior staff member, I assisted in this. In the end, I, too, left the mansion...though I ended up returning, as you can see." *** Frederica's return to the mansion had been an effect of losing Rem. Subaru had already arrived at the answer to that question, but at the same time, hearing her words then and there made doubts sprout inside his chest. Namely, Roswaal's steps to prepare for the royal selection had been a far cry from his actions ever since. "Hey, Frederica. How much has he actually told you?" "Master Subaru?" "From what you're telling me, Roswaal made all kinds of preparations for the royal selection. It's common sense that half-elves and the Witch Cult are connected, so he had to know it'd be dangerous. In spite of that..." There, Subaru's words trailed off as he continued to stare at Frederica. "Where are his countermeasures against the Witch Cult, then? Rem and Crusch both said he had to have 'em. But I don't think he was relying on me. And if not, why'd it come to..." The sights of the people of Earlham Village, slaughtered and tormented by the Witch Cult, and Rem and Ram, casualties in the battle against the cult, came rushing to the forefront of his mind such was the tragedy that had befallen the Mathers domain. Where were the countermeasures in those scenes? Roswaal wasn't anywhere to be found. "If you know there was something, then...!" "Unfortunately, I have no way to know the master's thinking in its entirety. There are most likely only two people in this world that he deems worthy of trust." "Two people...? Who? Who are these two people Roswaal trusts?" " Ram, and the Great Spirit in the archive of forbidden books." According to Frederica, as far as she knew, there were two people who might know Roswaal's intentions. He had no room to doubt the first. Ram, offering Roswaal her undivided fealty, was surely worthy of that trust. However, the second possibility was a bolt out of the blue. "The Great Spirit, in the archive of forbidden books..." "A room inside this mansion separated from the rest via magic. Exactly how the Great Spirit separates the archive of forbidden books from the outside world via her own magic is...especially secret." Frederica's respectful explanation left Subaru wide-eyed and at a loss for words. It was too far removed from his own recollections. But, unable to form any other reply "Her name is?" With decisive certainty, Subaru posed that question to Frederica. Perhaps the reaction was not what she had expected, for Frederica seemed taken back for a moment. Finally, she replied: "Lady Beatrice. That is the Great Spirit serving as the librarian of this mansion's archive of forbidden books." 5 The instant he turned the doorknob, somehow, he was sure. As he walked around the mansion, his attention was abruptly drawn to the presence of the door. When he walked over and touched the doorknob, the suspicion that something was off about it instantly changed to certainty. When he reacted to the open door that was simply "there," peering inside it "Heya. Been a while." As Subaru lightly waved a hand, the archive of forbidden books spread before him, not changed whatsoever from before. The large room packed with bookshelves was filled with the aroma particular to old books. Neither the thin gloom of the windowless room nor the serenity of the air had changed one iota. That applied not only to the room itself, but to the girl who guarded the archive as well. The girl Beatrice sat on a stool instead of a chair, eyes lowered to the book resting on her lap. " Considering the ruckus in the mansion, is it from your return, I wonder?" Beatrice glanced upward, beholding Subaru in her blue eyes as she murmured in apparent boredom. Then the girl seemed to lose interest, her eyes returning to the book once more. "If you have returned, I should presume that the uproar of late has finally abated." "Yeah, thanks to y Or rather, you sure gave me a hard time. Do you have any idea how scared I was to have you not listen to me and run during the operation?!" "Do I know or care, I wonder? I never asked you to worry about me in the first place." "I'm pretty sure I said I have a reason to worry about you. I don't think I'm wrong, then or now." Beatrice's words were unapologetic. Nor did Subaru retreat a single step with his reply. When, on the eve of the Witch Cult's onslaught, Subaru's words urged Beatrice to evacuate, she had rejected them. As things turned out, the mansion had not incurred any damage, but going by that would be nothing more than argument by hindsight. "A lot of people worried about you, Emilia and Ram in particular. You can do it later, but you should give them a proper apology." "Apologize? Betty should apologize? Am I at pains to understand why it is necessary to do such a thing, and to whom?" "Don't get all stubborn for nothing... If you're gonna be that stuck up about it, I'll go apologize to everyone in your place. I'll tell them you were bawling your eyes out with tears of gratitude when you told me to thank them." "Do not speak such falsehoods! Do my tears truly flow for that long, I wonder?!" His provocations with a flippant tongue raised the volume of Beatrice's voice, just like usual. Oddly, this filled his own chest with deep emotion, which made Subaru narrow his eyes. There he was, exchanging words with Beatrice like that once more. Even after they'd parted ways in such a deeply meaningful manner, even though he still had a mountain of things he desired to ask her, things were as boisterous as before. Exceedingly relieved by that fact, Subaru let out a listless sigh. "You can dial back the drama a notch. It's not a bad thing to bawl your eyes out once in a while, you know?" "Coming from a man who cried like a little baby on the lap of the woman he likes, those words do bear a certain weight." "Can't you just forget about that already?!" Once that had happened, when impassable hurdles piled higher and higher, sending his emotions crashing against a dam until they smashed apart. When he thought back to that time, his face burned so much he felt like it might catch on fire. All the same, though, the glow of the precious memory burned in his chest just as much. Trying to paper over those complex emotions, Subaru loudly cleared his throat and changed the course of the conversation. "...Anyway. I'm glad we're both safe and sound. Now is the time to come to an understanding." "Understanding? Were you not the one to speak on your own, I wonder? Always so self-serving." "Yeah, I suppose I always am self-serving. Most of the times I talk to you go like that. Do you remember? When we played tag here in the mansion, when we had the snow festival..." Beatrice narrowed both eyes as Subaru began talking in a whimsical fashion. As her blue gaze shot through him, Subaru made various gestures as he reminisced out loud. It was as if he was choosing his words with great care, diving deeper and deeper into their memories so that they touched upon the truth. "It was like that during the demon beast uproar, too. Back then you helped me a ton when you lifted that curse." "Stop it." "As a result, I sucked up an even bigger curse, which backed me into a seriously bad corner. After that, to heal me it'd take going after the Urugarums in the forest, so !" Subaru's rapid-fire speech was powerfully cut off by an explosion of dry sound. When he looked, he saw that the source of that sound was Beatrice's lap or rather, the open book upon it she had so sternly closed. Sensing Beatrice's irritation from that gesture, Subaru awkwardly pursed his lips. With Subaru falling silent, Beatrice glared at him with a sharp glint in her eyes. "Would you get to the point already, I wonder? Spineless coward." "...Sure." He couldn't summon a rebuke for the insult. That itself was proof the girl had judged him correctly. He'd used this trick and that to prolong the conversation, keeping it lukewarm while putting off the conclusion, for which Subaru could only blame his weak heart. He already had the words he ought to ask inside his chest. He required nothing more than the courage to put them on his tongue. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and took pains to listen to his beating heart. After that, he opened his mouth. "How much do you...do you and Roswaal know about what happened this time around?" *** Upon receiving the question coming from Subaru's lips, Beatrice concealed her eyes under the edges of her long eyebrows. The resulting silence weighed heavily. When it felt very long, Subaru exhaled as if he were breathing hard. "...Beatrice." She made no reply. Even as that fact burned him, Subaru realized his own hypocrisy. What exactly did he want Beatrice to say? Even within himself, no answer was forthcoming. Did he want her to be a mastermind with a grasp of everything? An ignorant girl who knew nothing about it? Someone who was neither of those things? Even he didn't know. Finally "For the sake of argument...what reply do you desire from Betty?" "Th-this ain't some what-if! Besides, it's got nothing to do with what I want you to say. What I want is an answer to my question. I want an answer deeper than just yes or no!" The unexpected counterattack made Subaru

unintentionally coarsen his voice. But Beatrice's cool demeanor toward Subaru did not falter. "Betty finds it unfortunate you are so worked up, but perhaps she does not understand what you mean? Betty is not your instructor. If you expect her to politely educate you on every topic, you are sorely mistaken." "Ugh...! Don't gloss this over! Someone told me that if I want to know what Roswaal's thinking, I should ask you. Sorry, but seeing the attitude you're giving me, I agree." "Who said such a... Ahhh, you saw the half-beast girl who recently returned?" When Beatrice spoke the word half-beast, a word he could not unhear, she made an adorable face as she clicked her tongue. The girl proceeded to close one eye, pointing a finger at Subaru. "That girl's opinion might have some merit, I wonder? But though Betty and Roswaal are certainly connected, that has nothing to do with this latest affair. Might Betty know nothing of it at all, I wonder?" "But he left you in the mansion. Here, in this mansion, alone, without any plan to deal with it." "He left Betty because she is at least capable of protecting herself. Is that unrelated to Roswaal, I wonder? ...But Betty does not think that he did so without a single thought." Beatrice's reply made Subaru go over his memories once more. But when he thought back, he could not recall any countermeasures by Roswaal whatsoever during the battle. Rem, Crusch, Frederica, Beatrice they'd all said there must be some, yet he couldn't find any. "It's not just that you, me, and everyone thinks too much of Roswaal? Everyone says a guy like that had to have a plan against the Witch Cult... Right, that's it!!" That instant, he remembered something as if the very heavens had spoken. In accordance with his revelation, Subaru rummaged through his pocket in great haste, presenting to Beatrice the other thing he wanted to ask her about. And that was "Beatrice, here. Look at this." a black-bound book, its pages and contents sullied with blood. Subaru had the worst history possible with its original owner. He figured that some kind of weird enchantment kept the contents illegible, making it little more than a paperweight unless the reader shared the owner's personality. "This should be deeply connected to what that Witch Cult bunch is thinking. If you're not gonna show me what Roswaal's really thinking, at least you can tell me something about this b " " A Gospel?" Increasingly nervous about the lack of response, Subaru spoke rapidly until his words caught in his throat. Beatrice's dramatic reaction when she stared at the Gospel in Subaru's hand included a look of fright in her eyes. Her lips trembled weakly, almost as if she could not believe her own eyes. "...A war trophy I took from the ringleader of the Witch Cult bunch that had the mansion surrounded." "And...the owner?" " He's dead. Crushed by a carriage wheel. I killed him." When Beatrice posed that delicate question, Subaru spoke the truth firmly without averting his eyes. Strictly speaking, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti had not been a person. He had been an evil spirit employing the bodies of others as hosts under his control. Accordingly, the cause of death Subaru gave might not have been precisely accurate. But it was Subaru who had dealt Petelgeuse the final blow, robbing him of life. Knowing in his soul that nothing short of that would defeat him, Subaru had calculatingly killed him. Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti was the first being Subaru had personally slain Subaru wouldn't claim he'd never hesitated, or that he had no regrets about sullying his hands. He had not bluffed about it to anyone else because he couldn't lie to himself. The fact he had killed Petelgeuse and the fact he had been killed by Petelgeuse were engraved into his own heart, never to be forgotten. *** However, though Subaru had poured many thoughts into those brief words, Beatrice had given him no reaction. Still staring at the book in Subaru's hand, she seemed to whisper to it instead of responding to his words. "Geuse...have you also...left Betty behind, I wonder?" " ? Who's that?" "...No one at all. More importantly...if you killed him, what happened to the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly...to Sloth's Witch Factor?" "Witch...Factor...?" The words Beatrice mentioned meant it was Subaru's turn to show his incomprehension. He remembered having heard the term Witch Factor several times to date. However, the term had come from Petelgeuse's mouth each time; he'd never thought it would retain any meaning after the man's death. Subaru's bewilderment made Beatrice lower her face, confusion resting in her eyes once more. "Hey, you can't just toss jargon onto a guy who doesn't understand the circumstances. What the heck is that Witch Factor stuff? Honestly, I have a feeling it's nothing good." "You do not know? Could you truly not? If that is so, for what purpose did you kill Sloth...? Furthermore, what was Roswaal doing...?" "All I did was smother the embers someone tossed my way! As for Roswaal, that bastard's in the Sanctuary! What's he thinking? That's what I wanna ask you, damn it!" Subaru shouted, practically bellowing in impatience as they talked past each other. When his fierce emotion slammed into Beatrice, all emotion was instantly gone from her face. The resulting silence threw Subaru off. Her expression was shorn of ferocious anger and sadness, and perhaps confusion and everything else. The sight made Subaru's breath catch as if he were out of air; Beatrice gave a long, deep sigh. " Are all the answers you seek...in the Sanctuary, I wonder?" "What?" "Roswaal's scheme, the meaning of the Gospel, even about the Witch Factor...if you desire answers to all these, go there. Will the half-beast girl show you the way, I wonder?" "Wait a sec! What's this all of a sudden? You were acting so high and mighty all that time, what made you decide to talk all of a sudden? Besides, even without going to the Sanctuary, you could..." " Betty shall not speak of it. Betty has a right...not to speak of it." The obstinate answer silenced Subaru. He remembered her adopting a stance of rejection like this previously. It was the exact same rejection she'd given him when she shook off the hand he offered when he wanted to lead her out of the mansion to safety. In other words, the result was exactly the same. " ?! You're planning to push me away again?! Again, just like before?!" From behind, in the direction of the door to the archive, he felt a supernatural force twist the air to create wind pressure. The distortion became a wind that took Subaru into its grip, dragging his body toward the portal to shove him outside. It was an exceedingly compelling use of the magic power known as Passage. "The path to your answers has been made clear. Will Betty stop indulging you any further, I wonder? Your high-handed arrogance is truly irritating." "Beako... Beatrice!!" he shouted, stretching out his hand. But, with rejection in her gaze and posture, Beatrice rebuffed the gesture. The girl atop the stool closed her eyes, weakly shaking her head from side to side. "Perhaps Betty is not a tool for your convenience." *** "I am not such a convenient being...that is here to say what you want to hear, at a time you wish to hear it, in the manner that you prefer." Beatrice seemed to wring her voice out. Subaru could not offer any denial or complaint. It was not that her words had resoundingly hit the mark. What he felt was shock, as if he'd been smacked from a completely unanticipated direction. The gaping hole in his thoughts robbed Subaru of his power to resist. He would soon be sucked into the door, hurled beyond, and locked out: from the door, from the archive of forbidden books and from the heart of the girl known as Beatrice. "Why...are you making that crying face again?" Eyes lowered, there was no reply from Beatrice to Subaru's final question. " Daa!!" "Gyaah!!" Shot out from the open door, Subaru spectacularly toppled backward. The place was a corridor in the mansion, the result of his having been indiscriminately teleported via Passage. But this time it was not Subaru alone who was wrapped up in Passage, but "M-Mr. Natsuki, how did you come out of the washroom I just left...?!" *** "A-and how long do you intend to sit upon me?! Could you please move?!!" Otto pleaded with a pathetic expression on his face as he lay on the floor with Subaru's butt upon him. However, the only thing in Subaru's head that moment was the final instant with Beatrice. Why had she made such a sad face? Perhaps that answer, too, was " If I go to the Sanctuary, will I find that out, too?" "I do not know of what you speak, but I would truly like for you to move as soon as possible!!" When Subaru murmured thoughtfully, Otto raised his voice from below, bitter at Subaru's continuing to ignore him. 6 "But really, why did you tumble out of the washroom? Please do not tell me something frightening like there is a hidden door or a hidden passage connected to it..." "That's not it, you moron. It's a one-time miracle brought about by my wanting to do a two-man comedy routine with you." "That's not an answer, though for a reply that is not an answer, it is quite frightening!" Having been reunited with Otto via Passage, Subaru bit back his feelings of futility over the fruitless conversation with Beatrice as he engaged in suitable conversation with Otto on their way to the guest room. Just as Beatrice had said, she had made his path to arrive at answers clear. Though the forceful manner in which she had done so had only added to his worries and misgivings. "Haa... Grim prospects, huh?" "What is with that sigh...? Is that sigh suggestive of good fortune slipping from your grasp?" "Your prospects are just that grim. I'm sighing in your stead." "Then it is my good fortune you have let slip?! Could you not do such things behind my back?!" Unable to clear up the complexities inside his chest, Subaru's flippant tongue could still pull the wool over Otto's eyes just fine. At any rate, the pair arrived at the guest room over the course of such trivial conversation. "Oh my, I see Master Subaru is with you. I shall immediately prepare tea." Frederica, who had thought Otto alone would be returning, began pouring a fresh cup of tea when she noticed Subaru was with him. Subaru, making a sound with his nose at the warm aroma of the tea leaves, sat down beside Emilia on the sofa at the back of the room. He glanced sidelong toward her, just in time for their eyes to meet. "Subaru, I see you were with Otto. You two really do get along." "I keep having to say this, but you have it wrong. My relationship with him ends as soon as I fulfill my promise to buy up all his oil. So don't make anything more out of it!" "What, you cannot remain forthright till the end, so you add an insult? What a futile performance." Otto was tired and dispirited at Subaru's averting his face and engaging in tsundere comedy. During that time, Emilia brought the tea that had been poured for her to her mouth, taking a sip and giving Subaru a little smile. "Subaru, you must be reeeally stubborn to act like this even though you became friends with Julius after everything that happened." "Boys should be stubborn. I'm kind of old-fashioned about that. Also, allow me to point out, Julius and I are not friends. I will hate that guy forever." "Yes, yes." Subaru's lips tapered as a certain handsome young man arose in his mind's eye, but Emilia saw

things differently. He grasped with a certain reluctance that the more he said about the matter, the deeper the misunderstanding became. "Is it quaint to think that the more you argue, the closer you are?" "No one says quaint anymore... Besides, I thought people who argue a lot get along poorly, with pretty much no exceptions?" "Well, Subaru, when you and I had a big argument, did we end up getting along worse?" "...Emilia-tan, you've gotten good at this." Subaru had an awkward look on his face; Emilia had him dead to rights. Subaru's reaction made Emilia narrow her eyes, her voice practically a whisper as she continued. " So, were you able to speak properly with Beatrice?" Emilia had not asked if he'd met her. She'd asked if they'd spoken. She posed that question because she had no doubt Subaru had arrived at the archive of forbidden books. He wasn't sure he should call that trust, but one might say he would only respond to her trust halfway. "I met her. I met Beatrice. But as for speaking properly with her...I'm not really sure." "...I see. But you were able to meet her, Subaru. In the time I've been at the mansion, Ram and I hadn't managed to go meet Beatrice even once. I'm just a little miffed about that." Emilia spoke it with the air of a pout, adorably sticking out her tongue. But the lack of strength in Subaru's voice had apparently conveyed something, because her violet eyes seemed hesitant about her continuing her words. In place of Emilia, a response came in the form of the faint sound of ceramics. "So you truly are able to enter Lady Beatrice's archive of forbidden books..." "What, you doubted me?" Subaru's shoulders sank as he acted just a little wounded at Frederica's deeply moved murmur. She shook her head. "Considering the very few encounters I have had with Lady Beatrice during over ten years of service under the master, I could not but doubt. When you told me, 'I'm gonna go chitchat with Beako for a bit. I'll be back soon!' or the like and rushed off, I had no way to confirm for myself." "Ahh, err, can't really excuse myself for putting it that way, huh?" "To be honest, I thought it would take hours until you would be able to meet Lady Beatrice..." Subaru, remembering how he'd given a threadbare explanation and rushed off, cringed and reflected on the matter. As Subaru did so, Frederica put significance behind the look she gave Emilia as she continued her words. "However, afterward, Lady Emilia took the time to speak exhaustively about how reliable Master Subaru had become, so I awaited you half in expectation and half in concern." "Huh?" "Wait a Frederica?!" Frederica's unexpected statement left Subaru bewildered and Emilia beside herself. Emilia jumped to her feet, cheeks red, vigorously waving a hand back and forth toward Subaru. "Errr, it wasn't like that. Certainly I spoke to Frederica about you, Subaru, but she's blowing it out of all..." "No, I heard her speak as well. To be honest, I was thinking Mr. Natsuki, you lucky scoundrel..." "Even Otto now!" Sold out not only by Frederica, but also by Otto, Emilia was red to the tips of her ears. Then she slapped her hands against her flushed cheeks, furtively glancing in Subaru's direction. The reaction from Emilia, one she rarely permitted to be seen, made Subaru strongly clench his fist. "Why don't you talk like that when I'm around...?" "I can't talk like that in front of you, it's embarrassing... Sheesh, Frederica! Move on already!" "Oh my, even though you glossed it over previously, that childlike charm of yours is falling by the wayside." Frederica hid her mouth as she smiled, shifting her gaze from the eyebrow-twitching Emilia toward Subaru as she said, "Master Subaru, I heard plenty about you from Lady Emilia... No, more than plenty." "Fred er i ca!!" "Yes, yes, I understand So let us speak, Master Subaru, so that whether you found the archive of forbidden books or whether you did not, it does not become a roadblock." "Become a...roadblock?" Unable to get the gist of the mystery phrase, Subaru knotted his brows in incomprehension. As he did so, Emilia gently touched Subaru's shoulder, nodding as she continued. "Subaru, we didn't doubt you'd meet Beatrice, but whether that girl would answer your questions is another matter, yes? I mean, both you and Beatrice are reeeally stubborn..." "The excessively cute way you put that bothers me a little, but you have a point. So?" "I made a promise to the villagers, and I have a lot of things I want to ask Roswaal about myself so I asked Frederica to tell me about the Sanctuary." *** Subaru's throat caught over the fact that Emilia had acted for the sake of achieving their original objective. The Sanctuary Emilia sought was the very same Beatrice had revealed as his path to answers. With such a sad face and voice, she had told him that the answers to all his misgivings were there in the Sanctuary. So, too, had she said the "half-beast girl" would show him the way, namely "And did Frederica tell you about the Sanctuary?" "I lost to Lady Emilia's persistence. I had been told to disclose as little about that as possible...but it seems strange to conceal it from the two of you." "Um, I happen to be here as well..." "It seems strange to conceal it from the two of you." "Would you please correct that line?!" Setting Frederica and Otto's remarks aside, Subaru was surprised the issue had moved forward in his absence. As he had the thought, Emilia kept her hand on Subaru's shoulder, lowering her brows. "Subaru, was that all right? You're not upset I decided without you?" "N-nah, I'm not upset at all. I whiffed it on my end, so if anything it's a huge help." "Really? I'm so glad. So, Subaru, there's a favor I wanted to ask of you..." Subaru was still off balance as Emilia looked relieved, lowering her eyes as she continued. When he heard the word favor, Subaru suddenly felt a bad premonition. The word favor had precipitated something once before in precisely the same fashion "Wait! Don't tell me that favor is...me staying here at the mansion?" "Eh?" "If so, time out! Let's talk this over! Certainly, I can't call myself in tip-top physical condition, and Ferris stopped being my doctor, but it's not like I live a life of combat alone! If anything, fighting with the mind is where I really shine, well no, that's a little off, too, but...!" Emilia's eyes went wide as Subaru desperately tried to make his case. But it was a place where such fervor was necessary. The situation certainly resembled when they'd headed to the royal capital for purposes of the royal selection. However, what was decisively different from then was the readiness in Subaru's heart. He wasn't following Emilia without a plan or a care. This time was different from what had taken place before. "Don't even try to stop me. I'm going with you. I can't let you just leave me..." "Of course I'm not leaving you here. Come with me." "If you tell me you're leaving me, just no, no way, no h What did you say just now?" As Subaru's ferocious emotions reduced the breadth of his vocabulary, her words seemed to slap his face, knocking him back to his senses. As that sank in, Emilia took the hand in contact with Subaru, touching it to her own breast as she spoke. "I told you, come with me. I'd be worried sick on my own." *** "Subaru, I'm...relying on you. Subaru, I...need your strength." Subaru could not put into words the impact of Emilia's quiet plea upon his own heart. His mouth hung open. With Subaru unable to say a word, Emilia's expression clouded over with concern. Her violet eyes wavered as she stroked her own long, silver hair and said, "Err...did I say something strange?" "...My motivational switch is all yours, Emilia-tan. Whether you're flipping it on or flipping it off, one word from you and everything's on auto. I seriously can't get enough of you." Covering his face with his palms, Subaru extolled Emilia's graces with a deep sigh. "Eh? Eh?" went a confused Emilia, buffeted by the deeply meaningful statement, to which Subaru replied, "Back at you," sticking out his own tongue. After all, Emilia was throwing Subaru for an even bigger loop than he was throwing her for. "It would seem you have put your differences in order." "Yeah, sorry for the lovey-dovey stuff. I just couldn't help myself." "Lovey-dovey...?" When Frederica tried to revisit the topic of conversation, Subaru turned to face her once more. Off to the side, Emilia seemed to have a question mark floating over her head, but she immediately regained her composure and gazed Frederica's way. Frederica nodded toward their gazes, and her emerald eyes beheld the pair as she spoke. "As has been conveyed to you, I have no objection to speaking about the route to take to the Sanctuary. It is just, a little time is necessary to prepare... Two days, perhaps?" "Prepare... Ah, that figures, it'd be leaving the mansion empty. That shouldn't take..." "No, I shall be remaining here at the mansion. It is Lady Emilia and Master Subaru's duty to head toward the Sanctuary. Managing the mansion is mine." "Wait, you won't come with us?! How are we supposed to get to the Sanctuary, then?" Subaru was taken aback, never having expected her to refuse to go with them. Frederica's cooperation was limited to her telling them about the Sanctuary rather than actually leading them to it. Now he understood the source of Emilia's worry during the earlier exchange, but Subaru simultaneously noticed something else. Namely, the sight of Otto Suwen leaning back, arms crossed, exceedingly confident, even cocksure. "Hey, you over there, what's with that self-confident, puffed-up look? We're in the middle of an important conversation." "Ho-ho-ho. You are a poor guesser, Mr. Natsuki. In the first place, should you not have wondered just why I am in attendance during such an important conversation?" "You have a point. This isn't something an outsider should hear. Say, does this mansion have a dungeon?" "Such statements are not where I meant to steer the conversation, you know?!" "The mansion has a cell, yes. I can assure you that it is reasonably comfortable." "Miss Frederica, could you please leave such questions unanswered?!" Subaru had meant it as a joke, but it had brought the existence of a cell, and Roswaal Manor's dark underside, to light. Either way, Otto's shoulders sank in dejection at his being tag-teamed when "Hey, cut it out, both of you. You mustn't treat Otto like some kind of outcast." In Otto's stead, it was Emilia who rose to her feet in righteous indignation. Putting her hands on her hips, she glared at the comedic combo in question, Subaru and Frederica both. "What a terrible thing to say to someone who went out of his way to offer his cooperation. And without Otto's help, it's going to be reeeally hard going to the Sanctuary, won't it?" "Ohh...! Did you hear, Mr. Natsuki? Now this is how you should have reacted!" "Ahhh, it's been a while since I've said E M D, so I'll say it now. E M D !!" "E, M...eh?" When, in high spirits, Subaru invoked the old phrase, Otto registered the highest bewilderment score of that day. Setting his confusion aside, Subaru had grasped the circumstances from Emilia's statement. "In other words, Otto said he'd go with us as far as the Sanctuary. To be blunt, I'd have had to leave all the dragon carriage driving to Patlash, so it's a huge help, but..." "But what? That method of speaking implies something. Does my goodwill sit ill with you?" "Sorry, the only merchant I

expect freebies from is a guy with a fruit store and a scary face. That might be nicer on a human level, but it's a lot simpler to believe a merchant wants more than goodwill for collateral." Cadmon, Anastasia, Russel names and faces of merchants he'd come into contact with in the capital came to mind. In terms of personality, Otto was the closest to Cadmon, but in terms of mercantile tendencies, he was closer to the last "I can read your ulterior motive. The gist is, be cooperative with Emilia to get as close to her as possible and make a good impression on her backer Roswaal. Even more than getting your oil bought up, the point of coming with us is to get close to Roswaal, right?" "Er, um, having my deepest secrets brought out into the light is a little..." "Otto...is that true?" "Lady Emilia's sincere eyes are painful, painful, painful! I am very sorry! It is for the most part exactly as he said! But believe me, I did not mean for any harm to come from it whatsoever, so please forgive me!!" Though Otto tried to be defiant, he did not quite manage it, confessing as he conceded defeat to her sincerity. Subaru wearily shook his head at Otto's demeanor; this time it was his turn to pat Emilia on the shoulder. "Well, let's not be too hard on Otto. You make it look easy, Emilia-tan, but it's really hard for people to act on someone else's behalf out of goodwill from the heart alone." "I don't think I'm really such a good person...but doesn't that go for you, Subaru?" "I exhaust all my efforts for Emilia-tan for my own personal reasons. Hmm, if it's one hundred percent impure, does that make it pure...?" You want other people to think well of you. When you boiled things down, that was the starting point for actions taken in the course of interpersonal relations. That said, human life was not so dry that you could declare it an iron rule. It was merely a matter of degree. Human beings were simply too complex to express in a single sentence. "Even with your ulterior motive plain to see, we actually think pretty well of you. So relax already." "That does not sound very reassuring coming from you, Mr. Natsuki, but..." Subaru responded to the dejected Otto with a teasing smile before turning back toward Frederica. "OK, Otto's helping. So the three of us get to hear you talk about the Sanctuary." "Understood. Incidentally, has the master spoken to either of you about the Sanctuary?" With Subaru & Co. sitting side by side on the sofa, ready to listen to her speak, Frederica posed them that question. Upon receiving it, Subaru and Emilia glanced at each other's faces as she said, "To be blunt, he said almost nothing about it to me. From the snippets I heard, it sounded like some kind of secret base several hours away... The fact that it was the first suggestion for evacuating people makes me think I wasn't wrong." "Once...Roswaal told me that it was a place that would someday be...necessary for me..." "Necessary for you someday...?" The unexpected statement left Subaru looking toward Emilia with surprise in his eyes. That gaze sent Emilia apologetically lowering her own eyes. But before Subaru could ask a follow-up question: "It sounds like something the master would say." Frederica closed her eyes, her tone sounding faintly amused. Then she grasped the hem of her skirt, curtsying deeply. And then "I shall now speak of how to enter the place called the Sanctuary of Clemaldy. You must not speak a word of this to anyone else. Also, upon going to the Sanctuary, there is one name you must not forget." *** "Garfiel. You must pay heed to the individual by that name. In the Sanctuary, that individual is the one you and Lady Emilia must approach only with the greatest of caution." Complex emotions resided in Frederica's open emerald eyes as she put that name upon her lips. CHAPTER 2 *** 1 As a result of the conversation with Frederica, they set off for the Sanctuary in the morning two days after. "To be honest, I'm gettin' restless just waiting around, but..." Arms crossed, Subaru made a sound in his throat, the impatience in his heart unavoidable. But, according to Frederica, two days of preparation were necessary to get to the Sanctuary. Subaru could not dismiss her opinion. "The Sanctuary is protected by a special barrier...the Lost Woods of Clemaldy. The barrier keeps outside presences away by leading them astray, hence why it is called the Lost Woods. Two days of preparation are required to nullify that barrier." Thus had Frederica explained, intuitively calming Subaru so that he was not tempted to let haste make waste. Though at first, Subaru found the talk of the "barrier" rather fishy, Frederica's explanation after the fact made him accept that it was the case. "It's a place with a history of accepting demi-humans... Huh." When he voiced the special way it had been expressed to him, Subaru vigorously scratched his own head. It was something of an iron rule in fantasy worlds that there was friction between human and demi-human races. This world apparently was no exception. In the Kingdom of Lugunica, too, scorn against demi-humans was customary with many people. Subaru's experiences to date had led him to form a particular conclusion. The prejudice and scorn toward demi-humans was likely an extension of the deep-rooted enmity toward half-elves. Even so, perhaps due to some kind of conciliatory policy in the capital, he'd seen quite a few demi-humans in the Merchants' District and in the slums. However, he'd seen none in the Nobles' District "From what I read in a history book, they had this civil war called the Demi-human War in just the last century, too. Come to think of it, I heard a song related to that from Liliana, too, didn't I...?" Liliana was a bard who had stopped by at Roswaal Manor during one of her journeys. He was certain that one of the songs she had sung during her stay at the mansion touched on that historical event. "Kind of late to realize it, but...'The Ballad of the Sword Devil' sounds a lot like Wilhelm's nickname. Maybe that song's why he came to be called the Sword Devil in the first place..." Subaru gave a satisfied nod as the manly sight of the swordsman he imagined melded with the heroic tale inside his head. As a matter of fact, Wilhelm was indeed the main character of "The Ballad of the Sword Devil," but Subaru, petty man that he was, dismissed out of hand the idea that he personally knew a man whose name was recorded in the annals of history. "Ah, Master Subaru, so you were indeed here." Subaru was thrown off his train of thought when the door quietly opened and a voice spoke to him through it. When he looked back, he met the eyes of the girl peering in through the gap of the door. The girl with reddish-brown hair and a ribbon on her head entered with an adorable smile as she addressed him. "It's almost time to leave, so I thought if you weren't in your room, you might be here..." "Servant lifestyle got me used to waking up bright and early... Wait, properly speaking, I still am a servant, so I'd better stop talkin' like that..." "But I think... I believe those odd clothes suit you better than a servant's uniform, Master Subaru." "You're payin' attention to your words, but you need a little more practice choosing them, I guess?" The girl gave a pained smile as she quickly corrected her own words as Subaru rose from his chair and gave his back a stretch. The young girl in the servant's outfit Petra Leyte gazed at Subaru with her round eyes. Petra was one of the children living in Earlham Village who'd long befriended Subaru. There was a reason she was dressed in a maid outfit that very moment. "Gotta say, it's only two days since asking for maid applicants in the village, and only one since you've actually been in the mansion... I'm impressed you were able to find me without getting lost. That's almost too good for a girl your age away from your parents like this." "I'm already twelve years old, plenty old enough to be a working g I mean, an adult. Master Subaru, please treat me like a proper adult." "I'll think about it when you master polite speech and get Frederica's stamp of approval. Until then, you're an apprentice maid in on-the-job-training, so I'm gonna treat you as cute as I feel like!" Subaru shot the precocious Petra a smile as he mussed her hair with strokes of his hand. Petra gave an enjoyable kya! sound as she squatted, perhaps certain she was making a clean getaway. Either way, it had been a simple process to get Petra into the mansion as a maid. Frederica was keenly feeling the limits of a single person's power to manage the vast mansion. When she'd sought applicants from the village to help her, it was Petra who had responded. At first, there was concern about her young age, but Petra's personality and suitability for the job had both proved exceptional. "Compared to you, Master Subaru, she is highly proficient, and her future prospects are bright. She stands out among all the girls I have taught to date... Ah, Master Subaru, please sit down and relax." That was the assessment Frederica had given after instructing Petra over those last two days. As a matter of fact, it was difficult to recruit someone like Petra who could grasp the details of the mansion and its environs in such a short time. It was enough for her to understand exactly where Subaru had unconsciously let his feet take him "You came to say goodbye to Miss Rem, right?" "...Well, somethin' like that. I don't plan to be away that long, but I wanted to see her face. I'm countin' on you to take care of her while I'm gone, Petra." Subaru conveyed his words in a joking tone as he gazed within the bedroom and at Rem lying on the bed within. Her appearance never changed no matter how many times he came, or how many hours he spent at her side. Even so, he visited when he had time. "...Master Subaru, it's almost time to set out, so..." After Subaru fell silent, Petra tugged at his sleeve, indicating that it was time for him and Petra to part ways. Indulging in her generosity, Subaru said only one final thing: "...Well, I'm off, then. Be a good girl and wait, 'kay?" After saying goodbye to Rem's sleeping face, he brushed his hair back as he left the room. "Master Subaru, it must be pretty hard for you, having so many people in your thoughts..." "I feel that's like what people say to describe a playboy... Ah, well, it's not like I'm splitting my feelings into two prongs or something, but I have to admit..." Subaru, heading for the rendezvous point at the mansion entryway, cringed under Petra's exasperated-sounding verbal assault, despite the fairly indirect way she put it. That being said, Petra was not referring only to such things, but also to the context of the pair's current actions. "I kinda figured I wouldn't find anything, but no luck here. You?" "I checked every room, too... Is there really a mysterious room like that here? You're not playing some kind of trick on me?" "I can't fault you for doubting me, but you know that Beatrice really exists, right? That's the loli in drills you were playing tag with in the mansion a while back." "She was in a dress, not 'in drills'..." Petra made a stern face toward Subaru's assertion as she closed the

open door of the final room. With that, they had finished checking every door on that floor. Unfortunately, they had not found one that led to the archive of forbidden books. "When she really wants to hide, it gets seriously rough... What's up with her, sheesh." Looking like he was chewing a bitter insect, Subaru disparaged the girl who had not shown her face whatsoever. Even though he and Emilia had decided to set off for the Sanctuary, Beatrice's demeanor in their last encounter was another matter altogether. Over the last couple of days, he'd gone around the mansion searching for her room as much as he could, but the results had not improved. So he remained in the dark both about her relationship to the Sanctuary and about the truth behind the sad face she'd made "I can't talk to Rem. I can't meet Beatrice... What the hell have I been doing?" "Master Subaru?" "Well, keep an eye out for Beatrice for a bit, would you? Maybe you'll have a random encounter with her from opening one of these doors once in a while." Naturally, even Petra grimaced at Subaru's unapologetic request. There were a lot of things for her to learn in a new environment. Subaru felt guilty about adding to her burdens, but... "Sorry, I get it. But you're the only one I can count on, Petra. I'm really sorry about this." "...I'm the only one you can count on?" "Yeah, that's right." Frederica was devoted to Rem, but having her pay extra attention to Beatrice was too much to ask. He couldn't help but think that she was an unsuitable person to entrust Beatrice to at the moment. But Petra seemed a similar age to Beatrice, so excess politeness ought not to be any barrier to contact. Those were the various factors he'd taken into account when entrusting Beatrice to Petra, but "Tee-hee-hee. I guess it can't be helped... If you put it that way, just leave it to me." "Oh, really? Seriously, big help. You're such a good, goooood girl, Petra." Petra's demeanor suddenly softened. Subaru stroked the smiling girl's head as he breathed a sigh of relief. Now no night would pass without anyone paying Beatrice any mind. Though Subaru would truly have liked to have had a chance to exchange words with her one more time... "Master Subaru, Petra. This way, please." As they engaged in such conversation, Emilia and Frederica were already waiting at the entry hall ahead. When Frederica bowed, Petra hurried to her side. "Petra, you did well to find Master Subaru. A job well done." "Thank you, Miss Frederica. Anything about Master Subaru, please leave to me." "My, she's reeeally full of confidence." Petra proudly pushing out her chest made Emilia and Frederica look at each other's face with a smile. When Subaru immediately walked over, Emilia tilted her head a little and offered a greeting. "Good morning, Subaru. Did you sleep properly?" "I'm glad you didn't oversleep from having way too much fun on that picnic, Emilia-tan. Feels like the other guy might've done something that stupid, though..." "Ah, you mean Otto? It's all right. Otto woke up a long time ago and has been preparing the dragon carriage in front of the mansion." "The hell? Sorry I worried, then. But, oh yeah...his life is riding on this, too." Talking business with Roswaal would make an enormous difference in Otto's life as a merchant, be it for good or ill. His drive was that of a man taking up the opportunity of a lifetime, and Subaru felt his high motivation reassuring. "Plus, I'd better think up some words of consolation for when he's kicking himself at having come up short..." "Could you not speak such awful things the moment I come back to call you?!" Just that instant, Otto's eyes were wide as he returned, barging into the hall. Subaru listened to the pleasant sound of the morning breeze, taking a deep breath before he made a declaration. "Well, now that we've had our clichéd banter, let's be off!" "Do you not feel even a single shred of guilt?! Well, ahh, not that it really matters!" Otto, splendidly swept up in the flow, was drawn along as everyone headed out to the mansion's courtyard. The dragon carriage was already parked in front of the entrance, with a jet-black land dragon and a blue land dragon perfectly in order. In particular, the black land dragon Patlash stretched out the tip of her nose when she noticed Subaru. "Just like usual, you really act all friendly toward me, huh?" "However, it seems the lady concerned is merely saying, 'You may stroke me if you wish'..." "Her breed's supposed to be really proud. Is that really the only thing left from her rearing...?" Subaru put on a skeptical face at Otto's cross-species translation, an effect of his language blessing. Everyone's lips treated Patlash as if she was temperamental, but in truth, from the time he'd first met her, Subaru hadn't felt any such thing, only great amiability. Even now, when he reached out his palm and rubbed her neck, the corners of her mouth were relaxed, and she was fond of people as far as he could tell. "I really don't understand why. What, did I save you in a past life or something?" Putting aside the notion of reincarnation, he was in a different world, so it wasn't likely a past life had anything to do with it. It's probably just simple compatibility, thought Subaru, and he left it at that. And that was one of the few strokes of good fortune that had bounced Subaru's way. "Of course, to me, the number one stroke of good fortune was meeting Emilia-tan!" "Eh? I'm sorry, I didn't hear quite right. Can you say that again?" "It's pretty embarrassing, so I can't force it out a second time! I'll say it tomorrow!" When Subaru hung his head, playing dumb as a defensive measure, Emilia went "Really?" with a mystified look. However, she immediately switched mental gears and turned to face Frederica. "Well, please take care of the mansion...Rem, Petra, and Beatrice included." "You can count on me, Lady Emilia. Please take care on your journey Also, take this..." Just as Subaru had done, Emilia freshly entrusted matters to Frederica. Frederica accepted the responsibility with a bow; finally, she offered something that came from her pocket. This was a necklace a necklace adorned with a glimmering, blue, transparent crystal. "With this, you will be able to penetrate the forest barrier and enter the Sanctuary. After that, I have instructed the land dragons as to the location, so they shall surely lead the way." "So that crystal is the condition for passing through the barrier, huh...? That's what took two days to arrange?" Subaru peered at the glimmering crystal in Frederica's hand, twisting his neck slightly in artless skepticism. The crystal looked rare. She hadn't left in those two days, so how had she obtained it? Frederica covered her mouth and laughed in response to Subaru's skepticism. "Strictly speaking, the two days of preparation were not for this alone...but the two are not unrelated. At any rate, the place and qualifications are in order. The rest comes down to resolve and a strong will." "Pretty exaggerated way of talking. Not that I mind...," Frederica said gravely. "Mm, I understand that it's reeeally precious to you. I will take proper care not to lose...Frederica?" Emilia said, knitting her brows and nodding. When Emilia's hand took the crystal offered to her, Frederica strongly grasped that hand. *** Instantly, emerald and violet gazes intertwined, and Frederica's cheeks faintly stiffened. But she followed the impulse to harden her cheeks by closing her eyes, quietly letting go of Emilia's hand as she spoke. "Lady Emilia, please take care of the Sanctuary. And do not forget about what we discussed." "Y-yes, it's all right. Just what kind of place the Sanctuary is, and..." "Please...be mindful of Garfiel." "Mm, I get it. I'll give Garfiel my attention. Count on it." Emilia gravely accepted the repeated warnings as she stuffed the crystal handed to her into a pocket. Subaru was watching the exchange to its conclusion, at which point they were just about ready to head out "Um! Master Subaru...could you take this with you?" Red-faced, Petra held up a hand as she offered something to Subaru. She was trying to emulate Frederica as she offered a plain, white handkerchief with her hand. Subaru, suspicious concerning Frederica's demeanor, went "Err?" as the gesture caught him completely by surprise. "A white handkerchief to see you off on your journey. You can clean yourself with it along the way and return it when you get back I understand it's not done much these days, but it's an old custom to wish for someone's safe return from a journey." "Ohh, that sort of thing. Got it. Thanks, Petra. I'll bring this back to you safe and sound." Having been taught the meaning of the handkerchief being given to him, Subaru wrapped it around his wrist. His reply made Petra lower her red face; she gracefully slipped behind Frederica's back. "Ah? What's with that reaction all of a sudden? That difficult-age stuff's leaving me out on a limb here." "From the looks of it, Lady Emilia, Master Subaru has no right to criticize you." "Me? Did I say something strange?" Frederica sighed deeply as both Subaru and Emilia twisted their necks, wondering what was amiss. In the end, they went without an answer to that question as Frederica stuffed the pair into the dragon carriage, all preparations to depart complete. "Yes, yes. Both of you hurry along now. The Lost Woods of Clemaldy that the Sanctuary is in becomes a dangerous place when night falls." "We get it, we get it, geez. On your end, take care of the villagers, 'kay? Also, make sure to dispose of the mayonnaise in storage before it goes bad." "I really have to wonder about lining up those two issues in the same sentence..." With an exasperated voice, she pushed on their backs, and Subaru and Emilia boarded the dragon carriage. When Subaru looked back out the window, two maids, short and tall, stood straight side by side as they looked up at the carriage. "I pray for your safe return. Please give my best regards to the master and to Ram." "Master Subaru, take good care of Big Sis, okay? Also, to the noisy person, good luck." "Is that not a horrible assessment of me?!" Heedless of Otto's reaction, Frederica and Petra quietly gestured, giving Subaru and the others a completely courteous send-off. With that send-off pressed to their backs, the dragon carriage powerfully set off. "Well, all aboard! Otto, we're counting on ya!" "I really cannot approve of this treatment...!" Otto left behind his lament at his treatment, poor to the bitter end, as they departed from the mansion. 2 "And just who taught you about that old custom?" Right around when the departing dragon carriage vanished from sight, Frederica posed that question to Petra, still bowing right beside her. The young girl's big eyes went round at the question as she bashfully said, "I heard about it from Mother. She said it was how she won over Father." "So you get that tenacity from your mother, do you? However, it seems the man concerned did not realize its significance." "It's fine. Even if he doesn't know, if he thinks of me when he looks down at his wrist..." The reply was more forceful than expected. Frederica gave a strained smile at Petra's positivity. Truly, she was a precocious girl at a mere twelve years of age It made Frederica think of Ram. "She was a woman starting at a young age, too...in great contrast to her ability as a servant, however." "Miss Frederica? Is something wrong?" "Not at all. I was simply thinking of your senior. She should be at the

Sanctuary right now, dealing with a particular problem child." Thinking back to the girl who accompanied her liege, offering her life to him, Frederica exhaled in melancholic fashion. Her hand reflexively touched the breast pocket of her servant's uniform. "Now then, even if Lady Emilia and others are absent, there is still Lady Beatrice here at the mansion. I will have you learn all the basics within a week's time." "Yes! Ready and willing!" "What a wonderful reply this girl gives..." With an invigorated look, Petra raised her hand and happily ran into the mansion. Frederica smiled and observed her positive demeanor before finally turning in the direction of the dragon carriage one last time. Frederica's beautiful emerald eyes faintly wavered, seemingly resisting the emotions filling her chest as her slender fingers took stationery out of her breast pocket. Then "With this, I have done as the master instructed. It all comes down to whether Lady Emilia can overcome the Sanctuary. There is nothing I can do now, save pray." Her fingers traced the edges of the letter she had read many times over. Finally, those fingers turned toward her own neck. However, the sensation she sought was nowhere to be found... "Please, Lady Emilia...be heedful of Garf." 3 "So that Puck guy really hasn't shown his face all this time?" "...Yeah, that's right. I've called out to him over and over, and I can feel the link of the pact...but I'm reeeally worried. It's not often he doesn't show his face for a long time like this." The interior of the dragon carriage racing toward the Sanctuary in good order echoed with Subaru and Emilia's conversation. Thanks to the intervention of the wind repel blessing, neither loud sounds nor shaking were conveyed to the carriage interior. In that quiet atmosphere, they were not trading words about their enthusiasm at approaching the Sanctuary rather, they were discussing an anomaly that had occurred during the last several days: Puck's absence. In those several days, Subaru hadn't seen any sign of him, Emilia's contracted spirit and self-declared father figure. Beatrice's plan had been to conceal herself through the use of Passage; this was different. "Come to mention it, I hadn't seen him before getting back to the mansion, either. Since we left Crusch's, maybe?" "Mm...since we returned to the mansion, maybe. I really wanted to talk to him about the Sanctuary, but I don't feel like my voice is reaching him." "Does Puck normally disappear from time to time?" "Errr, it happened a lot before he and I formed our pact...but the frequency's reeeally gone down since then. Not meeting him for several days makes me a little concerned." Subaru folded his arms as Emilia broached the subject of Puck prior to their pact. It was obvious, but there had been a time before Emilia and Puck were linked. He'd always seen the two together, so imagining them acting separately really didn't seem right to Subaru, but "Do you know where Puck goes when he's not by your side?" "I think he's probably doing something for the sake of world peace." "Sounds like a little girl with fantasies about her dad's work, but if he ain't here, that's the least of our problems." Setting Emilia's exaggerated expectations aside, she was the most precious thing to Puck in the entire world. The idea of him abandoning her to run off and do stuff somewhere sounded downright strange. "Plus with Puck not here, I'm straight-up worried about our combat strength. Otto isn't exactly a master of the fighting arts, and my insides are all rattling around. Emilia-tan, it's tough for you without Puck here, right?" "Subaru, it's reeeally hard to set aside hearing that your insides are rattling around, but..." When Emilia gave him an exaggerated stare, Subaru gave a vague smile and waved her off with a hand. "Goodness...! But relax. Even if Puck isn't with me, I have my contracts with the minor spirits. Those children can fight, too, so I'll protect you no matter what happens." "Whoa, that's a real man's line...! Just wait, someday I'm gonna be able to say that with a straight face." "I know. I'll wait, I'm reeeally looking forward to it." She raised a finger, and faintly glowing minor spirits floated all around Emilia. Subaru figured that, compared to Puck's, their power was like Earth compared to Heaven, but even so, they had fine combat strength on their own. All the same, it was pathetic to be relying on the only girl in the group, and the one he had his eye on, to do the fighting. "As for 'no matter what happens'...Frederica warned us, didn't she?" "About Garfiel, yes." Emilia shared Subaru's concerns, lowering her voice as her lips spoke the name. Garfiel was the name that they'd heard repeatedly from Frederica's lips over the last two days, the person they needed to be wary of. As a matter of fact, Subaru had heard the name itself several times before that. "Bunch of times it came up that Roswaal was off to have a chat with the guy. On top of that, Ram spoke the name when the plan to evacuate to the Sanctuary came up, didn't she...?" Ram had spoken the name as if he was someone she could trust. But the contradiction with Frederica's warnings made Subaru question his own judgment. It wasn't simply a question of which one, Ram or Frederica, he wished to believe... "I've been around Ram a lot longer, but her usual attitude makes me wanna shove that aside...!" "I wish Frederica had told us about it in more detail, but...she said she was constrained by a vow not to speak about the Sanctuary, so it couldn't be helped." "All the same, I sure have been hearing a lot about vows and stuff..." Subaru leaned back in his seat as he made a sound of dissatisfaction in his throat. In fact, Frederica hadn't really said much about the Sanctuary. What she'd conveyed to Subaru and the others had been limited to the special characteristics and dangers of the place, where it was located, and the name of a particularly dangerous individual. She'd helped them pass through the barrier, but her cooperation had ended at that. "Compared to that, she sure said to watch out for Garfiel a lot, including right before we left... Do people at the mansion have some sort of quota for cryptic statements?" "I don't think there's any such thing, but that was Frederica doing all she could. We should be grateful she warned us as much as she did without breaking her vow." "I'd be even more grateful if she wasn't bound by that vow, though..." "Don't sulk. A vow is a holy, inviolate pledge, not something one should breach for any reason. Vows, pacts, and covenants may bear different weight, but they should all be treated with equal respect." Emilia wagged a finger left and right as she spoke those words, seemingly for Subaru's benefit. It went without saying that Emilia was obstinate when it came to oaths of any kind. To Subaru, vows, pacts, and covenants were simple wordplay; the two appreciated their importance in very divergent ways. "I'm not saying you should break pledges every which way, but...there's a time and a place for everything, right?" "Absolutely not. Oaths...promises are very important. Properly speaking, there's nothing forcing you to uphold a promise, but people uphold their promises anyway. They work hard to uphold them, don't they? Even if no one's watching, even if no one notices, they do it, because the other party believes they will do so." Emilia touched her chest, staring at Subaru in dismay at his words. Her tone of voice was gentle, with no hint whatsoever of reproach. The words hurt all the more for it. "It's because people believe in you that you strive to uphold the promises you've made. A promise is like a ritual tying two people together through mutual trust, isn't it?" Subaru crept onto the carriage's seemingly rock-steady floor and bowed his head straight down. When he apologetically touched his forehead to the floor, Emilia went "Ah," touching a hand to her own lips. "Um, I'm not trying to criticize you, Subaru. Certainly, you didn't uphold your promise with me, and if you do it again I'll be rather annoyed, but..." "The pain, the pain, my ears hurt!!" "Also, I've reflected on being too emotional about it. I needed to make up with you right away, Subaru, but I was being stubborn. Sorry." "The pain, the pain, my chest hurts!!" "Hey, um, I am a spirit mage, so oaths hit reeeally close to home with me. To a spirit mage, pacts with spirits are extremely important, so...yes, promises are really important. Subaru, you should reflect on that more, after all." "The pain, the pain, my heart hurts!!" As Emilia began to sulk, perhaps from the deep melancholy of the time coming back, Subaru lay prostrate before her. At that moment, he could truly appreciate why Emilia had flown into such a rage in the waiting room at the royal palace: unaware of just how insensitive he was being, Subaru had been trampling on the most important parts of Emilia's psyche. "You've reflected on the error of your ways?" "I've reflected. Deeper than the sea, taller than the mountains, wider than the sky, vaster than outer space." "Then it is fine. I forgive you... I'm not sure what you mean by outer space, though." As Subaru wore a pathetic look on his face, Emilia nodded toward him and smiled pleasantly as she touched a finger to her own lips. The charming smile bore no hint of anger; the adorable gesture made the look on Subaru's face crumble. He was deeply grateful to Emilia for smiling and forgiving him for the way they'd parted ways in the capital. At the same time, he thought anew that she was not the only one he needed to apologize to for his behavior that day. "It seems that we've entered the forest." As Subaru immersed himself in thought, Emilia's voice suddenly pulled him back. Her eyes were turned toward the window; the change in the landscape had apparently told her they were nearing their destination. The Sanctuary was said to be protected by a special barrier well within the deep-green forest. There, in that place, were Rem and Roswaal, two other parties to whom Subaru needed to apologize. "Well, setting Ram aside, I might have a duty to apologize, but I think I have just as much of a right to smack Roswaal in the side of the face." "...Yeah, I suppose so." "I'll start with 'Do you have any idea what I had to go through because you weren't around?!' And then, I'll make him spill his guts about everything! I have a right to that much, don't I?" "...Yeah, I suppose so." " ? Emilia-tan, the side of your face is cute when you're thinking. Can I give you a hug?" "...Yeah, I suppose so." Subaru didn't have the courage to go "I'll help myself, then," at her cut-and-pasted reply. The stiffness of Emilia's cheeks and the stress in her eyes drew his attention. "Emilia-tan, are you nervous by any chance?" " ! That's amazing, how could you tell?" "I'd love to say I can tell everything about you, but I think anyone could in this case." Emilia's look of surprise brought a strained smile out of Subaru as he prodded his own cheek with a finger. Emilia followed suit by touching her own cheek, whereupon she realized just how tense her own expression was. "Sorry to worry you. I was thinking, we'll be in the Sanctuary soon...a village only for demi-humans." "...Ahh, that so? I'm sorry, too. I hadn't thought about that." When Emilia divulged the reason for her nervousness, Subaru felt pathetic for not realizing it himself. According to Frederica's explanation, the Sanctuary was not merely a

settlement for demi-human races. It was a settlement where "demi-humans in particular circumstances" came to settle. So it was possible that There might be half-elves who went through the same stuff Emilia did... "...I've...never met any half-elves besides myself. I hadn't really...thought about it very much. But in the Sanctuary, it might be possible..." Emilia's voice trembled with nervousness. But he couldn't tell if that nervousness was from worry or hope. Emilia probably couldn't tell, either. The only way to get a solid answer was to go to the Sanctuary and see. But " ! Emilia?!" "Eh, ah... What's this...?!" The next moment, Subaru and Emilia simultaneously raised their voices at the strange occurrence inside the carriage. The source of the occurrence was none other than Emilia, herself quite nervous. A blue radiance was welling up from inside her chest, instantly tinting the interior of the dragon carriage with a bluish glow. Startled by the light, Emilia thrust a hand into her pocket and pulled out the shining blue crystal emitting that light. "The crystal's shining... Subaru!" "The hell... I have a really bad feelin' about this! Emilia, I'm borrowing that!" Thinking that the ferociously shining blue crystal looked much like a magic crystal on the verge of exploding, Subaru instantly snatched the crystal away from Emilia. Then he rushed to the dragon carriage's window "If it's nothing we'll pick it up later! For now, I'll toss it outs wait, wha ?!" " aa..." Just as he was about to throw the dangerous object away, the faint moan made Subaru look back, aghast. "Emilia?!" When he looked back, his gaze was met by the sight of Emilia listlessly collapsed onto the dragon carriage's floor. Emilia was prone, limbs spread out and unconscious. It had happened suddenly without any forewarning "No, the forewarning was this?! Shit, Emilia, are you all ri ?!" For an instant, Subaru hesitated in deciding whether to prioritize Emilia or the crystal. Prioritizing Emilia's safety, he was attempting to rush to her side when " Ah? Hey?!" The instant he stepped forward, the blue, shining crystal emitted an even stronger light that enveloped Subaru's entire body. He had no time to regret his choice of priorities. The next instant, the world vanished. "Emilia !" He stretched out a hand and shouted. However, neither his voice nor his arm reached the fallen girl before the air connecting him to her was severed. *** It was over in an instant. Feeling the shine of the light, Subaru swiveled his head, but he couldn't see a thing. The world had been erased no, rather, it had been temporarily blotted out by being bathed in a light too strong for his sense of sight. Blinking repeatedly, he finally realized that contours were gradually forming within his indistinct vision. But regaining his sense of vision did not put his confusion to rest. After all... "...Where is this?" He was not in the dragon carriage's interior, where he should have been. Rather, Subaru was standing in an unfamiliar forest, alone. 4 " ! Not the time to say that! Where's Emilia?!" Setting aside his momentary daze, Subaru surveyed the area, desperately striving to grasp the situation. Trees suggestive of being deep in a forest stood left, right, and center around him. Moss and grasses stretched unhindered at his feet, without the faintest trace of human passage. "Cheek... Ow, it hurts when I pinch! Meaning this isn't a dream...!" Ruling out the choice of avoiding reality, Subaru largely grasped just what had happened to him. It was the shining crystal in his hand. The powerful light that had shone until just prior had already vanished, but there was no way it was unrelated to his circumstance. It was probably the blue, shining crystal that was the cause to begin with. " Teleportation. Kinda like Beatrice's Passage." The mechanism was unclear, but Subaru, having been shifted by similar incantations in the past, made an educated guess. He'd experienced Passage a number of times during his dealings with Beatrice. The problems were the reason and purpose behind the shift, and how to rendezvous with Emilia and the others. "Plus, Emilia was on the floor when I left. I've gotta get back ASAP...!" If the shift was from something similar to Passage, Subaru's jump couldn't have been that far. At the very least, it ought not to have been to some far-flung place on a map of the world. At the very least, he must be in the same forest. "I mean, it was all Beatrice could do to send me as far as Earlham Village. There's no way this rock has enough power to send me farther than that." Coming to that conclusion, Subaru smoldered with impatience as he gazed down at the crystal in his palm. The crystal had been the cause of the shift. Having momentarily hesitated to throw it away, he'd ended up stuffing it in a pocket instead. Though walking around with it was dangerous, he was scared of throwing it away in case he might need it later. Besides, he didn't know Frederica's intentions in handing them the crystal. Or even whether Frederica was related to the shift. "Shit! Right now, gotta save the thinking for later. If I can at least figure out direction from the location of the sun..." Brushing excessive thoughts aside, Subaru racked his brain to raise his chances of a rendezvous by any extent he could manage. Then, when he was about to begin walking in search of any clearing in the forest "...aa?" The next moment, Subaru lifted his head, coming eye to eye with the figure appearing right before him. *** The unexpected jolt of meeting the unemotional eyes brought Subaru's thought process to a complete halt. If the other party had intended him harm, the opening would have proved fatal. But, fortunately, the opponent made no reaction. Save for backing away slowly, Subaru was the same. "And you...are?" When Subaru took a step back, the other person's entire body entered his field of vision, and he comprehended this was a girl. The young girl had long, rose-colored hair and looked like she was in her early teens. Her visage had almond-shaped eyes and a long, refined nose; her skin had a pale, fleeting look, as if it would break apart the moment you touched it. In height, she did not even reach halfway up Subaru's chest. Her small body was clothed only in a white, poncho-like garment. A doll that was the impression he received, not from her beautiful appearance, but from the air hovering all about her. She had emotionless eyes, an emotionless, unchanging face, with a muted presence and so little apparent willpower that it felt insufficient for a person. But she had one feature that strongly tugged at his attention. Namely "Those long ears... Are you an elf?" *** When Subaru asked the question, the girl's doll-like expression remained intact as she said nothing. However, the tapered ears, longer than those of a normal human, poking out of her rose-colored hair told Subaru that the answer to his question was, without doubt, a yes. Subaru had been speaking to Emilia about the possibility of encountering half-elves besides her just moments before. Subaru's thoughts were exceedingly thrown off by the surprise of encountering an elf in the flesh so very quickly. Furthermore "Aa...! W-wait! Where do you think you're going?!" Moving like an apparition, the girl turned her back on Subaru and ran off. It was so sudden that Subaru reacted late, and began pursuing the girl in great haste as she widened the distance. "Wait! Please, wait...! Are you...are you someone from the Sanctuary...?" The agile girl practically flew as she raced into the overgrown woods. Subaru, desperately pursuing her over bad and unfamiliar footing, felt pain rising as his breath rapidly grew louder. "S-shit... Damn it all!" How was the forest related to the Sanctuary, and to begin with, who was that girl ? Knowing that asking would only deplete his endurance, Subaru gritted his teeth and focused his strength into his legs. For several minutes, Subaru proceeded to chase the girl's fleeting back as if his life depended on it. Then his field of vision suddenly widened. " ! I got through the woods...but where the heck is this?" Coming to a stop in the clearing, Subaru bent his knees as he breathed raggedly over and over. He wiped off the sweat coursing down his brow. When he raised his agonized, grimacing face, Subaru found a strange structure ahead of him. The structure, constructed from stones piled onto one another, was a ruin of particularly primitive architecture. Most of the outer facing was covered in green moss and vines; the few exposed portions of the rock face were spectacularly cracked. It was unclear how many centuries had passed since its construction, but, considering that the structure was half-overrun by the forest, it hadn't been buried to start with, making it at least several centuries old. The ruin, standing in the tranquil forest air, seemed like a temple, or perhaps "It kinda feels like a tomb. For a sec, I thought it was a pyramid... Hey, wait a...!" Thrusting his admiration for the ruin aside, Subaru hastily looked for any sign of the girl he was pursuing. He'd arrived by following the girl there; she was the real priority. But however much he surveyed the area, the girl who ought to have been there was nowhere to be found. Her presence, her lingering scent, and even her footsteps were absent. It was clear as day that he'd lost track of her. "This is the worst... After I get teleported, I let my only lead get away...!" Roughly scratching his head, Subaru despaired from the bottom of his heart at his own ineptitude. But he had no time to be down in the dumps. Even if the girl, his one lead, had vanished "Maybe I can hope for something from this ruin...? It kinda feels like a temple, so I can't call it unrelated to someplace called the Sanctuary..." Wishful thinking though it might be, Subaru cautiously began walking toward the ruin. Even when he saw it up close, his initial impression of the stone structure didn't change all that much. There was no sign whatsoever of human presence, of human handiwork, or any sense that a living soul dwelled there. "Heyyy, is anyone here? If this is the Sanctuary, someone answer, please !" Though he called out to the ruin and the surrounding forest in a loud voice, it echoed fruitlessly in the air. Sighing deeply when he did not get the hoped-for response, Subaru grudgingly walked around the ruin " Well, there's an entrance..." About halfway around the ruin, Subaru spotted a set of moss-covered stairs. When he climbed the stairs, careful not to slip, he found an opening with a dimly lit passage within no doubt continuing into the ruin. He'd found his entrance. Naturally, the interior of the ruin was not lit, and the corridor he saw from the entrance continued into darkness. Even when he timidly called out, he heard nothing but the lonely echo of his own voice. Put bluntly, he didn't have a good premonition in the slightest, but it is said that one can only get a tiger cub by going into a tiger's den. "Not that I really want a tiger cub...but if it's the girl who brought me here earlier, turning back now would be giving up the store." Having come that far, Subaru did not doubt that the girl and the ruin were related. If the teleportation via the crystal was related to the girl as well, the ruin had to be related to the Sanctuary. In the first place, it should have been Emilia, the one possessing the crystal, who was teleported. "Then it being me instead of Emilia wasn't part of the plan... Whether snake or Oni, only way to know is to see what pops out..." The very fact that he'd been teleported

had already limited their options. With no clear way to rendezvous with Emilia, Subaru decided it was best to accept the invitation and play along for the moment. *** Breathing deep, Subaru clenched his teeth and stepped into the ruin. He employed the trick of keeping his right hand constantly against a wall to never lose his way in the dark. The sensation against his hand was less of a stone wall than of the slender, delicate vines covering it. The vines had overgrown the passage so thickly that it was hard to tell where the original wall stood, and it felt more like the artery of a living entity the bizarre atmosphere of the ruin itself made him feel like he was entering the body of some giant creature. *** The only things he could hear in the darkness were his own breathing, his loudly beating heart, and his shoes. He had lost his sense of sight due to lack of light, and the cold, serene air robbed him of all use of his nose. His sense of hearing loomed large in his mind, but at some point, he'd lost track of the wall that he'd been touching. The feeling on his tongue was that of air mixed with sand and dust. Tasting nothing despite the sensation, Subaru relied more and more on his sense of hearing. The sounds of his shoes, his heartbeats, and his breathing were the only things he could depend on. These things proved to him that he was connected to the world, not adrift for all eternity. His sweating increased, his heart quickened, and his soul raged, pleading for release. Where he was, what he was doing, whom he sought these things grew vague. But he was seized by a powerful drive not to stand still. Someone kept pleading with him not to stop, to grit his teeth and bear the weight he carried on his shoulders. At some point, his mind became churned. The still-echoing voice, the warmth of a touch, an earnest plea, all mingled together when "I see. This is the desire that drives you. How curious, I must say." Amid the darkness, Subaru Natsuki heard the amused voice of a Witch. 5 Returning to the moment in the story when Subaru found himself facing the Witch on top of a hill... *** A faint wind tickled the back of Subaru's neck, rekindling the chill that traveled up his spine. His back was moist from a great deal of cold sweat, and the overwhelming pressure he was under had not abated at all. He stood opposite the girl Echidna as she sat in a white chair, doing nothing besides tilting her teacup. "It hurts to see you so on guard. However I seem to you, am I not but a single, innocent maiden?" "...Sorry, but lowering my guard for a girl I just met declaring herself the Witch of Greed is seriously not happening." "Ah, I see. Certainly, that was another oversight on my part." Echidna touched the back of her hand to her lips as she giggled and smiled in an amused fashion. The sight of the nonchalant girl did not drain the tension from Subaru, who remained ready to rush her at any moment. He opened and closed his sweat-drenched hands, as prepared as he could be to instantly overwhelm his opponent. The problem was that such preparations, full or not, were likely futile before Echidna. "There are a mountain of things you wish to ask. However, you do not know what may cause me to take offense. Therefore, you watch how your opponent moves in silence... The demeanor of a bird watching its prey, is it not?" *** "And you ignore me? Goodness, that wounds me on a fundamental level. As you can see, I am nothing more than an innocent maiden. I cannot help but wonder when a boy gazes at me with such eyes." "You being a maiden on the inside is like a piece of paper with death flag written on the backside. Just so you know, my internal danger alarm is ringing like crazy." Having experienced death repeatedly since arriving in that world, Subaru had an acute nose for danger. It hadn't diminished the number of his deaths at all, but it at least allowed his mind to keep functioning. According to his senses, the danger posed by the girl before him rivaled that of the White Whale and Sloth no, it exceeded them. "It is natural for you to be on guard, but a coward like you can do nothing to me, can you? At the very least, I would like you to sit before the tea goes cold." Speaking these words, Echidna offered Subaru the empty seat opposite her. On the white table between the two rested a cup of steaming tea, likely poured for Subaru's benefit. Sit down, drink her tea, speak with her that was what Echidna requested. Nothing would improve even if he refused. Indeed, the odds things would get worse were higher that way. Subaru had virtually no choice but to accept. "Let me ask you one thing... I was inside a ruin that was completely dark. Where is this, and when did I get teleported here?" "Teleport... Ah, you mean that Dark spell. Unfortunately, you have misunderstood. What you experienced was not physical movement through space. I simply invited you into my castle for tea." "Into your castle...for tea...?" Subaru knitted his brows at Echidna's words, turning his eyes to the hill's surroundings once more. The hill stood at the center of grassland rustled by the wind that seemed to continue infinitely. In all four directions, the world was completely flat with no obstacles to be seen, full of a sense of liberation. It was downright surreal. The fact that this didn't seem like a real place lent weight to Echidna's claim that he hadn't been teleported. "But there's no castle here. If this is your territory, did some debt collector walk off with everything except two chairs and a table?" "Tee-hee-hee. You are amusing. Except for fellow Witches, I cannot even count on my hands the number of those who would speak with such impudence before me. I never thought the number would increase after my own death." With a lighthearted laugh, Echidna counted the memories on her fingers, delighted with Subaru's reply. Subaru grimaced. He couldn't simply ignore her demeanor, nor the significance of after my own death. In the first place, he had to consider her self-declared title. When he combined it with the current supernatural circumstance, he had no reason to doubt Echidna's identity or her power. "Aw, shit! All right, all right already! I'll sit! I'll drink your tea!" With no way to advance or retreat, Subaru did the only thing he could out of visible despair, sitting across from Echidna and practically snatching the steaming cup from the table, draining its contents all at once. It was neither water, nor green tea, nor black. The drink had a mysterious flavor that wasn't unpleasant. For the first time, Echidna's eyes went wide in apparent surprise at Subaru's disdainful actions. "To drink something offered by a Witch in one gulp... You are quite a brave soul." "Hah?! Like chickening out at this point is gonna do me any good. For starters, if you wanted to kill me, you'll probably turn me to ash the next instant. No point being on my guard about one cup of tea." Subaru waved off the smiling Echidna's words, saying "Thank you for the drink" as he put the teacup down. "It wasn't particularly good- or bad-tasting. What kind of tea is this...?" "It is generated from my castle. I suppose you could call it my body fluids." "Damn it, why'd you make me drink that?!" Subaru leaped from the chair to his feet, then went down onto his knees in what seemed to be an attempt to vomit what he had just imbibed. Echidna giggled and smiled at Subaru's exaggerated reaction. "You wound me. When I examine my appearance, I do not think I seem quite that evil." "No matter how beautiful the girl, I don't wanna drink anyone's fluids without being ready for it! Wait, I can't drink anything called body fluids, prepared or not!! I'm not a damn pervert!!" At the very least Subaru didn't think he was inclined toward becoming aroused by secret ingredients like saliva and sweat. "Shit, can't vomit it out...! Hey, this isn't gonna make me sick, is it?!" "You may rest at ease. They are body fluids, after all, and thus readily absorbed by the flesh." "That isn't exactly good news, so quit it with that face!" Echidna's demeanor came off as proud for some reason, which made Subaru wince. Echidna carried on. "Putting that aside, you are indeed a mysterious individual. The fact that you can stand unaffected before me like this is proof enough." "What? Are you so beautiful that people normally shut their eyes when they see you? Just to make it clear, my eyes are fed a steady diet of the most beautiful girl around as far as I'm concerned. When I look at you, I can only go 'Wow, she's cute' so many times." "No, a normal person in my presence would vomit. Amusing, isn't it?" "What's amusing about that?!" These exchanges, filled with concerning thoughts since the beginning of their time together, made Subaru feel exhausted in body and spirit as he slumped into his chair. He took another glance at the Witch before his eyes. She had white, seemingly bleached hair, and a black dress that seemed like something a person would wear at a funeral. Somehow, she seemed at once fickle and baby-faced, yet also mysteriously seductive. She certainly possessed a face that stirred the heart. But he felt pressure from her that was wholly undiluted, marking her as no normal being. "Now then, while I am most pleased to have a fresh conversation partner like this, that is not the case for you, is it? You have things you wish to ask me, yes?" "...That, that's right! I got swallowed up by the mood, but that's right. You're... No, before that, where is this place? I should be in some weird ruin. How'd I end up in your castle?" After the teleportation, Subaru had entered the ruin in search of clues about the Sanctuary. Somehow, he'd blindly stumbled into Echidna's castle the realm of the Witch of Greed. "In the first place...are you really a Witch? According to what I'd heard, aside from the Witch of Jealousy, every other Witch in the world had been killed..." "Whatever doubts you might harbor, you are not mistaken in that assessment. Jealousy destroyed the other six Witches, and I am no exception. This is merely my tomb." "Tomb... You mean I'm inside your grave?" Echidna's collected reply made Subaru recall the sense he'd had before entering the ruin that the solemn atmosphere was suggestive of a temple, or a tomb. His gut feeling had been right. The ruin was, properly speaking, a tomb. But it was the tomb of a Witch. "After my death, my soul became a captive of this place, the Witches' Tomb. It is not my body but my spirit that has invited you into my castle. Put one way, you are inside my dream." "Just the spirit, is that even possible? Meaning my body's sleeping outside somewhere?" "Why is it not possible? You know of a space similar to this, do you not?" *** Echidna's probing question caused Subaru's breath to catch, a reaction even he found suspicious. Nothing came to mind. Yet, why was there a strange hesitance in his heart? "...I don't know what you're referring to, but what you're saying isn't wrong." Echidna's words were not lies. However, nor was Subaru's answer any kind of deceit. When told that he was inside a dream, Subaru was both surprised and quick to accept...as if his heart

alone instantly understood the impression that world gave off. As to why he thought so, he could not find the reason anywhere within his memories, but... "I get that this is inside a dream and inside of your tomb. So how do I get out of here?" "The method of awakening from a dream is simple. You must either strongly will yourself to awaken, or be awoken from the outside. Though it must be said, mine is a special dream. You might not be able to awaken unless I will it to be so." " ! Then don't tell me you...!" Subaru's gaze sharpened as Echidna's emotionless statement shocked him. The words inside a dream and Witch's castle suddenly weighed heavier in his mind. If Subaru's spirit was a prisoner there, both Subaru's flesh and his soul were in the palm of her hand. "You don't intend to let me escape, then...?" "Ah, it's not really like that. If you really want to go back, I'll send you back. I mean, it's not that I called you here. You intruded all on your own, you know." "Can't you do something about my sense of tension? Mr. Serious can't breathe like this, okay?" "That is because, unlike you, Mr. Serious is not standing before me. Perhaps he is vomiting behind a tree?" Mentally exhausted from Echidna smoothly spewing poison, Subaru was completely thrown off his stride. In the end, he still wondered just why Echidna had made contact with him. Or was it really nothing more than the Witch responding to the arrival of a guest "You said you didn't call me. In other words, the elf who was outside isn't involved in this? Or this crystal?" Subaru rummaged in his pocket, locating the blue crystal with his hand. Since she'd told him he was invited in spirit only, he was worried about what he was carrying, but Subaru had apparently arrived with everything he'd had on him. However, when Echidna received Subaru's question, she put an elbow to the table. "Unfortunately, though my complexion is in good order, I am quite dead. I know little of the happenings outside of my tomb. Therefore, I am not related either to the elf you speak of or to that blue crystal. Are you satisfied?" "I'm unsatisfied 'cause it means everything's still a big mystery. But that's the stuff I wanted to ask." Subaru nodded at Echidna's reply, returning the crystal to his pocket as he rose to his feet. He was unsure whether the crystal's teleportation was truly unrelated to the Witch or not, but he had no reason to stay there any longer. Staying and chatting over tea left his primary objective, rendezvousing with Emilia, unaccomplished. "At any rate, if you're gonna send me back, then send me. I'm super-worried about the girl I got split off from on the outside. If I've got the time to drink your body fluids, I wanna meet back up with her at the earliest second possible." "I do not mind, but are you really fine with that?" "With what...?" "Leaving my little tea party others wishing to speak with the Witch of Greed rarely have the opportunity, even if you do." When she said it, Subaru realized it for the first time. He realized the true nature of the malaise he'd felt from the being called Echidna since arriving in that place the strange oppressive feeling that continued without any hint of gradually abating. *** Echidna's deep, black, bottomless eyes had a suspicious glint to them, as if they knew everything about Subaru. The true nature of that ill feeling was Echidna's inexhaustible curiosity. It was her deep interest in the existence before her eyes that made her scrutinizing gaze feel so oppressive. "What are you? ...Do you know the things I want to know?" "And so you ask me the nature of my knowledge Truly, you are an amusing one." Subaru made his rapidly drying mouth move, wringing out his voice for the question he tossed her way. The words made Echidna giggle and smile, and Subaru's entire body was wrenched by a sense of oppression even greater than before. "There is no need to reflect deeply upon it. All that is required for questions and answers is for two beings to be present." That instant, the air warped, and the landscape the vast, blue sky and the grassland suddenly began to fall apart. The sky cracked, the grassland melted, and the horizon of the world was smashed into tiny pieces. As the world crumbled without a sound, Subaru touched the table, seemingly clinging to the one certain thing left. The table, too, crumbled into dust, and Subaru closed his eyes, seemingly girding himself against a nonexistent tremor. "All we need are words. Your curiosity, your hunger to know I acknowledge your greed." Then he realized it: All that remained of the castle of dreams was the hill, and chairs for the two of them. Subaru gingerly opened his eyes and sat in the opposite chair as he gazed at the Witch. Aside from her and the white chair, the world had been stripped down to its barest essentials, with nothing but gloomy, stagnant darkness spread over where the grassland had been. The one thing he was certain of was if he fell into it, there would be no coming back. That sent a chill running up Subaru's spine as Echidna, in high spirits, joyfully clapped her hands toward him. "Now, what do you wish to ask about? Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony, creator of beasts in defiance of the will of Heaven to save the world from starvation? Camilla, the Witch of Lust, filled with love for the world, granter of emotions to they that are inhuman? Minerva, the Witch of Wrath, who, lamenting a world filled with conflict, sets people straight through her fists? Sekhmet, the Witch of Sloth, who, wanting a moment's peace, drove the dragons beyond the Great Waterfalls for that reason alone? Or Typhon, the Witch of Pride, the young, innocent, merciless one who continued to render judgment onto sinners?" He'd never heard of these no, these were lost vestiges of history unrecorded in the present world. Hearing her speak the name of one Witch after another, Subaru was speechless. Echidna smiled all the more as she continued. "Or perhaps Echidna, the Witch of Greed, the embodiment of craving for knowledge, whose search for any and all wisdom lingers even after unto the afterlife?" Touching a hand to her own breast, Echidna said the words in a self-depreciating fashion. "Or perhaps," she continued, "the Witch of Jealousy, the abominable woman who destroyed and consumed the other six, and made the whole world her enemy?" 6 Subaru Natsuki felt a powerful aura of death in the form of the girl seated before his eyes. That was the desolate insight Subaru had gained about Echidna, proven by her own witchy ways. She was a being nothing like him. It had nothing whatsoever to do with her enmity, or lack thereof. In the face of truly inescapable terror, it was easy for a person's emotional responses to go on lockdown. "Awww. It seems I have intimidated you too greatly. It has always been thus; my lips grow too loose when I become interested in something. A Witch's nature is truly a troublesome thing." With Subaru cowed into silence, Echidna remained seated as she voiced words of self-reflection. However, there was not a single trace of actual reflection. The wall separating the two remained absolute. The true nature of the malaise he'd subconsciously ignored until he realized its presence was laid bare a second time. "Knowing that makes me feel rather lonely. But you should begin to adjust to it soon. I hope that this circumstance, where you cannot even look directly at my face, changes somewhat..." Echidna's bizarre statement made Subaru grimace; the fear he tasted froze him stiff. But Echidna tilted her head, the black eyes she trained upon the uncomprehending Subaru indicating anticipation of some kind. Her white, bleached, beautiful hair fell down onto her shoulders. As Subaru gazed at it, he felt as if the agonizing seconds would extend for all eternity but this came to a sudden halt. "Haaa ah?" "Mm, faster than I thought. That is a compatible person for you. It is helpful that you acclimated so quickly." "What...are you...talking about?" As Echidna nodded and smiled in satisfaction, Subaru broke out in a cold sweat and restrained his chest with a hand. His heart was loud, as if it had forgotten how to beat for a while, and his painfully numb limbs pleaded for mercy. However, he had escaped the fear that had held him in its grip until a moment before. It had vanished like magic. "You drank my tea, yes? That activated your Witch Factor and strengthened your resistance. Now you and I can speak. My, my, a very good thing for both of us, is it not?" "Wait, wait, wait... I've heard that term before... I can't just let it go. What did those body fluids from before do? What did you to do my body?" "Please do not misunderstand... I did not have you drink it with ill intent. If anything, I think rather fondly of you... That is a little embarrassing to say out loud." Echidna's cheeks reddened a bit, and she looked shy at having spoken so affectionately of him. But at that point Subaru was well past reacting to her games. What he wanted was her true intent. "You have killed someone possessing Witch Factor in the last several days, yes? Upon his death, the Witch Factor selected you as its new bearer. It is thanks to this that you were able to safely enter my tomb." "So you're saying...the Witch Factor is the condition for being invited into this castle of dreams?" "No, it is merely what qualified you to enter the tomb itself. You are an exception among exceptions. To begin with, you seem to have leaped quite a bit ahead of schedule by rights, you should be aware of far more than you are...about me, about the tomb, and about the Sanctuary." " ! You know about the Sanctuary?!" Pouncing on the term lobbed his way, Subaru closed the distance and grasped Echidna's shoulders. When Subaru touched her slender shoulders and drew his face near, the beautiful Witch averted her gaze. "...I have little experience in such matters, so I cannot decide if you are brave or simply brazen." "Don't make light of this! If you know about the Sanctuary, that makes this simple! Is this...no, do you know about the forest outside of the ruin? Should I think of that as the Sanctuary?" "You're so cold. But you asked, so I shall answer: It is so. As you hoped, the area outside the ruin is the Sanctuary. Properly speaking, the Sanctuary is the name given to the place that protects this tomb." "Then...!" If he got out of the castle of dreams, raced out of the ruin, and cut through the forest, he could rendezvous with Emilia and the others. Even if he didn't meet Emilia, he ought to be able to meet those dwelling in the Sanctuary and get out of his predicament. All that meant the elf who'd led him there was indeed a resident of the Sanctuary. "All of a sudden, I wanna go outside even more. You said you'd send me there, right?" "Eh? Ahh, I guarantee it... I guarantee it, but I would be very lonely if you simply rushed off like that. Um, is there nothing else you wish to ask me?" "Sorry, but Emilia should be outside. I wanna link up with her more than I wanna talk with you. Besides..." Echidna furled her brows in dismay, her words causing Subaru to scratch the tip of his nose as he carried on. "You don't know about things on the outside, right? It's tough saying this after all that

sound and fury, but to be honest, there's not really anything I want to ask you..." "...Eh? You're kidding, right? That cannot be. I mean, I am the Witch of Greed, you know? People all over the world seek me to grasp at my knowledge: knights, people of privilege. You sit before me, permitted to ask anything to wish, and you say that?" Taken back as she was by the unexpected reply, Echidna's expression distinctly faltered for the first time. The Witch flailed about as she exhausted all the words she could to prevent Subaru from leaving. "Calm down, let us speak. Certainly, I am ill versed regarding the present era. But in turn, I possess vast knowledge about the older era, to the point I can boast there is nothing I do not know about it. I possess historical truth no one remembers, undiminished after four centuries...and you possess an opportunity to gain that knowledge." "But I'm not all that interested in Witches. Even if we talk about them, they're all dead, and there's a lot of other things besides that I need to think about..." "Ehhh...!" As he made his farewells in earnest, the unsatisfied Echidna's eyes grew tearful. Their positions had been completely reversed, with Subaru shrugging off the Witch who had felt so oppressive before. The image of the Witch of Greed had thus been ruined. Without malice, it seemed she was just an ordinary girl. Certainly, there was no lack of information he wanted to know. He'd like to know about the Witch Factor she'd spoken of, or the Sanctuary there to protect her tomb. Or perhaps, perhaps, perhaps "For example, that. Do you know details about the Witch Cult's Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins?" "Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins? Hmm, unfortunately, I do not know the term. Could you tell me about them in more detail?" "Our positions really are reversed, sheesh... Well, if you don't know, that's fine." A smile came over Subaru at the sight of Echidna being thrown off it hid the pain in his chest. "Yeah, it's fine." He'd hoped. But those hopes had been easily dashed. So there was no point staying there any longer. If she knew nothing of the archbishops, she knew nothing of their Authorities, the damage they did, or ways to repair it. Meaning she didn't know how he could save Rem. "Can you send me out already? I'll come chat with you over tea another time, okay?" "Is that really a promise you can easily make with a dead person, and a Witch at that...?" With Subaru in a hurry to make his escape, his words made Echidna sigh, all poison seemingly drawn out of her. Then, in a resigned fashion, she waved an arm, and Subaru felt wind behind him. When he looked back, a single door had appeared in the world of bottomless darkness and a broken sky. "Pass through that door, and you shall awaken outside. Goodness, I have never had a tea party such as this." "Sorry for not indulging in your hospitality. Incidentally, about this ruin... Can I ask, when I leave the tomb, where should I go to head toward the residents of the Sanctuary?" "I told you before. I know little about the outside. Quite naturally, I do not know the location of the settlement, either." "Man, for a calm, collected know-it-all character, you really come up short..." He meant to needle her, but Subaru's shoulders sank at how Echidna amply puffed out her quite average breasts. After that, he raised a hand toward her in lieu of words of departure, thus announcing he was taking his leave. Though he had been fiercely on guard at the beginning, it was a surprisingly gentle way to end a tea party with a Wit " Now then, since you are heading back from a tea party with a Witch, it is about time I take the compensation due." Most improperly, it was a demand tossed toward him at the very, very end. Subaru, feeling horror as the echo of her words terribly clawed at his spirit, turned his head alone toward her. Echidna, the Witch, said not in malice, but with nothing more than a quiet, gentle smile "...It bears mentioning that I'm a pauper up there with the best of 'em. A Witch's compensation is not paid in coin. What I seek from you is a pact. My terms are that you are forbidden from speaking to others about what took place at this tea party. You are bound by a similar pact, so it is a simple matter for you, is it not?" "A similar pact..." What Echidna described facts known to him that he was forbidden to divulge to others it was almost as if she was talking about Return by Death. "The invitation to the tea party, the Witch Factor taking root... Considering my good fortune in getting to know someone deeply interesting such as yourself, I too have gained greatly. That's right, I shall grant you one final souvenir..." Stroking her white hair, Echidna stood up and stretched a pale finger toward Subaru's chest. For some reason, Subaru found himself gazing at her slow movement, unable to budge an inch. To a bizarre extent, he could neither reject nor rebuff the finger that seemed to glide toward him. "I grant thee the qualification to challenge the trial of this Sanctuary." "The trial of...the Sanctuary?" "Even if you do not understand now, you will realize the value this place holds. I wonder what emotions you will bear toward me when that time comes... I very much look forward to finding out." Pulling back the finger touching his chest, Echidna gently licked its tip. The gesture was seductive enough to give Subaru a chill, reconfirming in his mind her witchy nature. However amiable her behavior toward him, however teenage her smiling face, what was before his eyes was "You really are a Witch, huh?" "Yes, it is so. I am a very bad magic user, you see?" Along with those words, Echidna used that finger to give Subaru's forehead a very light nudge. Subaru seemed to fall back, tumbling downward; the next moment, the open door swallowed him whole. *** He fell into the darkness. Then the darkness vanished within the light. Cast out of the dream, the being called Subaru Natsuki floated upward and outside, his consciousness awakened. 7 The instant Subaru awoke, the first thing he felt was a hard sensation against his cheek. "...aa, uu..." Moaning with a half-asleep voice, Subaru became aware that he was lying prone. He blinked several times, and reality poured into his vision, awakening him over the course of several seconds. Pressing his arms to the ground, he slowly lifted himself up "This, is... errr...?" He brushed off the dirt on his cheek with his fingers and squinted into the darkness. When he looked, Subaru saw that he had fallen inside an old ruin to be precise, several tens of meters into the corridor leading into it. To his back was the entrance to the tomb, and it was from there that light entered into his eyes. Thanks to that, his escape route was plain to see, but it made for a pretty crummy ruin exploration. "Anyway, I'd better get out and hook back up with Emilia and Otto..." Shaking his heavy head, he placed a hand against the wall, wobbly as he rose to his feet. He had no business inside the ruin. The Sanctuary lay outside. Having gone astray, he needed to be outside to rendezvous with Emilia. He couldn't quite put his finger on why he was so certain of that, but "I feel like, someone said that to me..." "Yo. Ya sure got some guts, comin' straight out from a place like that, outsider." "Ah...?" As he exited the ruin with fragmented thoughts, a voice called out to him the instant his eyes narrowed from the light. His vision, accustomed to the dark, was hazy. As it gradually adjusted, Subaru found himself looking down at the surrounding landscape from the modestly elevated ruin. In front of the ruin was a single dragon carriage, and a young male driver with a most pitiable look on his face. "M-Mr. Natsuki..." "Otto? What are you doing in a place like... No, before that, where's Emilia?!" "Inside the dragon carriage! I-it has been most terrible since that moment! I-I...!!" When Subaru raised his voice at the unexpected reunion, Otto shouted back even louder. But thanks to that, Subaru was able to confirm Emilia's presence, and this made his shoulders sink in relief. Otto was pleading about something, but that concern could wait. The immediate problem was "Hey, forget the whiny guy. I come first here, damn it!" The individual standing right beside the dragon carriage spoke to Subaru with a voice that issued seemingly through clenched teeth. Turning his face toward the speaker, Subaru shrugged. "What a coincidence. I was just thinking the same thing." "Hah! That's 'ganglion before you think' for ya!" "Gangl... Ah?" As Subaru knotted his brows at the mystery phrase mixed in with the reply, the other party took a step forward. With a coarse manner of speech and a hostile glint in his eyes, the speaker's external appearance in no way betrayed Subaru's first, ferocious impression of him. He had short, combed-back blond hair and a highly visible white scar on his forehead. There was ferocity in his sharp green eyes, and he was dressed in crude clothing Subaru could only call that of a country bumpkin. For a man, he was fairly short, especially in a stooped posture, but the dense, ghastly aura coursing from his entire body made certain others would not underestimate him due to his small stature. More than any of those things, the individual had one external feature that set him apart. And that was "Hey, are ya shakin'? Well, yer luck definitely ran out. Here ya are in a place ya shouldn't be, and now I caught ya!" As the man spoke, his eyes narrowed, and he laughed with a mouth full of sharp, extremely distinctive fangs. Subaru had déjà vu. He'd seen a smiling face just like that extremely recently. "Well, if yer gonna curse yer bad luck, do like 'Bazomazo swept away right and left'!" "Wait! Hey, you, listen to us bef " "'Tear and tear but Kalran's skin's still blue'... I ain't listenin'!" Lending no ear to the voice urging him to stop, the fanged man stepped forward; the next instant, he vanished from sight. An impact made Subaru's breath catch. Before he realized it, he had been caught by his collar. When he turned his head to the side in surprise, the man's ferocious glare was right beside him, close enough to share a breath and his own feet were rising into the air. "Oowaa !!" His view of the world was flipped upside down as he was hit by a powerful sense of floating, from which he understood that he had been hurled. Subaru proceeded to soar toward the dragon carriage in a powerful straight line. If he was to collide with it, he would suffer injury, be it light or heavy, but "You're kidding ?!" "Da, huu !" The voice of utter shock was not that of Subaru, but that of Otto as he watched through the fingers of the hands with which he covered his own face. With no way to stop it, Subaru thought he'd collide with the dragon carriage, breaking every bone in his body. But, by seemingly miraculous coincidence no, it was an inevitable reaction that rescued him from peril "Patlash is simply too incredible!" The pitch-black land dragon neighed proudly as Otto's voice praised her exploits. It was none other than Patlash's benevolent decision that had saved Subaru from crashing into the dragon carriage. The land dragon had adeptly set the dragon carriage in motion on her own, thus ensuring that Subaru crashed into the door of

the carriage proper. As a result, Subaru punched through the carriage door, sailing in only to have a seat bring him safely to a halt. "Shit. That one was a little too... Hey, Patlash, wait!" Tumbling out of the seat, Subaru looked out of the carriage to see the land dragon roaring and charging the man. With a twist of her body, Patlash had unhitched herself from the dragon carriage, seemingly consumed with rage toward the man who had injured Subaru, baring her fangs to bring them to his neck. "Ha! That decision gave me chills. Yer a good land dragon...nah, a good woman." However, the land dragon's biting attack missed its mark, and the left arm the man thrust out stopped her in her tracks. Even so, Patlash put strength into her jaw, moving her head as if to bite the man's arm off. But that head, and that jaw, stopped cold, her power inferior to the man's simple brawn. "I won't hurt ya. Just put ya to sleep a bit." As the land dragon's pupils contracted in fright, the man proudly made that statement. Then, with the land dragon still biting his arm, he tucked a hand under her broad head and hurled her huge body. With a softness that belied the heroic image, he tossed down her large frame, quietly rendering the land dragon powerless. "He threw Patlash...?!" "H-his skill is no joke... Eh?!" Subaru and Otto doubted their own eyes as the man before the pair leaped very high, onto the driver's seat of the dragon carriage. With the assailant so close, Otto adopted a combative pose in great haste. "D-do not underestimate me! I may not look it, but I too am a merchant! I have ways to deal with midjourney violence! Fear the power of Suwen School violence repulsion ar dahuu!" "Shut up, amateur. Thanks to your land dragon, I'll settle for half killin' ya. Go to sleep." Otto was in a worked-up pose, but fainted in anguish as soon as the man flicked his forehead with a finger. It was less of a finger strike than a forehead poke, but its might was such that Otto went down in the blink of an eye without so much as a groan. Now that he was past Patlash and now Otto, no obstacles remained between him and the dragon carriage. " Ugh!" Biting his lip, Subaru looked back inside the dragon carriage. Where one section of seating had been removed in favor of the simplified bed used to carry Rem, right then a different girl Emilia slept upon it. Otto must have laid her there after Subaru teleported. Even now, Emilia had yet to return to consciousness. Subaru had to protect her no matter what it took. "Thank yer land dragon for fightin' so hard. I'll half kill ya and toss ya outside the forest. After I make ya swear that ya won't tell anyone else about this place, ya hear me?!" Just as Subaru hardened his resolve, the man bared his fangs and boarded the carriage. The sharp glint of his fangs at the tip of his upward swinging arm cleanly robbed his declaration about half-killing of all its persuasiveness. Before the man's wicked deeds, Subaru raised both arms wide to shield Emilia and shouted. "Wait! You're Frederica's... You're involved with Roswaal and his people, right?!" " ! Huhhh?" With a loud voice and a scowl on his face, the man stopped his blow right before it connected with the tip of Subaru's nose. From there, the man gazed at Subaru for a while, surprise and anger residing in his eyes in equal measure. "...What the hell is that name doin' comin' outta your mouth?" "Hmm, I wonder why? Think about it nice and hard." "Already did. I dunno. I'll think about it more after I smash your face in!" "Cut it out with that nasty way of thinking!! We're with Roswaal, geez!!" When his opponent took a step toward him in earnest, Subaru hastily raised both hands high and pleaded his case. His words made the man's sharp fangs audibly clench. After thinking it over for a while, he said: "Aah? Wait, you're sayin' the one sleepin' is that Lady Emilia chick?" "You know...Emilia's name?" This time, it was Subaru's turn to be surprised, because the man had referred to the sleeping Emilia as Lady. His reaction made the man cross his arms, nodding with a smug face as he answered. "Oh yeah, heard all 'bout her. The silver-haired half-demon that bastard Roswaal's taken in, right?" "She's a half-elf. Don't call her that in front of her ever again." "Hah! Well lookie here, guess you can put some backbone into your voice." The man gave Subaru a sharp, scornful gaze before making a sound through his fangs and turning his back. Then, when he left the dragon carriage, Subaru suddenly rushed over, gripping the door and forcing it closed. The man's shoulders jumped at Subaru's violent action. He shrugged, looking back. "Relax already. I ain't worked up no more. I don't wanna have Ram yellin' at me." "I really relate to how you feel about that, but...that doesn't answer my first question, you know?" "Ahh?" Though the man spread both arms wide, asserting that he had no intention of fighting, Subaru did not lower his guard. Such behavior made the man sink into thought briefly, finally making an ahhh noise and nodding as if he finally understood before he spoke. " Me, I'm Garfiel. Haven't you heard of me?" "So you're Garfiel...!" Garfiel was the name of the individual he'd been told over and over again to be wary of back at the mansion. Subaru's brow furled at the gobsmacking development of having encountered the man himself so soon. His reaction made Garfiel click his tongue, then stare intently at Subaru. "I've got somethin' to ask you, then. How'd you know I'm related to Frederica?" "...You're...seriously asking me that?" When Subaru batted the question back, Garfiel audibly bared his fangs in visible displeasure. Taking his silence as a yes, Subaru felt energy draining from him as he scratched his face and replied. "Anyone could tell just by looking at your face, sheesh." The shape of his fang-filled face was undoubtable proof that he was related to Frederica by blood. CHAPTER 3 *** 1 "I have been thoroughly molested. Where, exactly, should I direct my anger?!" "Oh, shut up, coachman. It's just a little bump, so whatever. I apologized, right?" "When did you apologize? Surely, you cannot mean your earlier statement of 'Sorry for smackin' ya, I got ahead o' myself'? That was more abuse, not an apology. Am I wrong?" With the dragon carriage resuming its trot, Otto stubbornly vented at Garfiel from the driver's seat. Perhaps Otto's change in demeanor after having undergone such a painful experience so recently revealed he was surprisingly tough. Though Subaru was deeply impressed, Otto disregarded this as he gazed up at the heavens and lamented. "There was a flash of light inside the dragon carriage, and Lady Emilia collapsed, with Mr. Natsuki nowhere to be found! Do you understand how terrible I felt when I was at the end of my wits?! And then to be captured by a man dressed like a brigand!" "I'm really sorry about that. You were a huge help. Emilia's safe thanks to you. I'm really thankful." "R-right... Ah, well, if you feel properly thankful, all is well, really..." "Super easy to please, wow..." With Otto telling his tale of woe from right after they were separated, Subaru spoke respect infused with pure thankfulness. In point of fact, it wasn't hard at all to imagine Otto's panic at being attacked. That he had protected Emilia afterward, keeping her safe pending Subaru's meeting up with them again, had earned Subaru's thanks and enormous gratitude. "Waaait, what's this brigand thing, you don't mean me, do ya?" "Whom else could I be referring to?! You forced the dragon carriage to a stop, bullied me with your claws, and forced us to proceed with you until we reached Mr. Natsuki..." "Right, I was wondering about that. How the heck did you end up where I was?" Considering how he had been teleported via the power of the crystal, Subaru had assumed it was difficult to discern where he was located. Subaru didn't remember sending up any smoke signals, so how had they met up with him at the ruin? Subaru's question made Garfiel, riding in the dragon carriage with them, rub his own nose with a finger. "Me, I just caught the scent of an outsider. Didn't think you'd snuck in all the way to the tomb, though. I'm tellin' ya, I was pretty nervous." " My scent, you reached me following your nose? A special scent?" Subaru lowered his voice a little, unable to let the remark slip by. Subaru had a special scent wafting around him the strange physical condition that had been pegged as the lingering scent of the Witch. Rem and the Witch Cultists had been able to sense it, so if Garfiel could sense it as well... However, Subaru's suspicions were belied by Garfiel's shaking his head and the words that followed. "It ain't good or bad. The scent comin' from ya is just plain normal. I found ya 'cause it ain't a scent I've smelled before, that's all. It's like, 'Sometimes, even Meimei is busy.'" "...Sorry, I think there's a bug in the translation between you and me from time to time." Subaru tilted his head as the enigmatic phrase flew right over it, his nose crinkling as he wondered just what Garfiel was saying. There'd always been words that didn't mesh well from both sides, but he felt like he'd suddenly hit the limits of otherworldly translation. Either way, Garfiel's nose apparently had not caught what Subaru suspected. That being the case, his next question would have concerned either the ruin or the teleportation but then something changed inside the carriage. " a, huu " With a faint exhalation, the girl sleeping on the simplified bed awoke. "Ah...Emilia!" Emilia sat up in bed, velvet eyes blinking. Subaru hastened to her side and took her hand, as if to check Emilia's body temperature to make sure she was real. "I'm glad you're all right. Man, you really had me going for a while there..." "Su...baru...? Er..." Emilia looked up at the relieved Subaru, looking like she had no idea what had happened. But when she looked around the interior of the dragon carriage, she noticed the presence of an unfamiliar man and leaped to her feet. Then she stood opposite Garfiel, shielding Subaru behind her. " Who?! I'll say this once, you won't lay a single finger on Subaru!" "Wait, wait, Emilia-tan! I'm happy, but it's really complicated, everything's all right, so just...!" "Hah, quite some lip for someone who was sleepin' all this time. Interestin'...!" "Hey, don't you get all worked up, too! Calm down! Let's talk this through!" Emilia, taking an unusually aggressive, worked-up stance, triggered Garfiel's combative spirit in turn. Subaru wedged himself between them, grasping Emilia's shoulders. "Please, Emilia-tan, just relax. Some stuff happened while you were asleep, but it's been worked out already. He's Garfiel. You get it now, right?" "Garfiel... Wait, you mean the one Frederica talked about?" Blinking several times over at the name, Emilia looked at Garfiel. When she did so, he puffed out his chest and answered. "Yeah, that's me Garfiel. The world's strongest man." "Right, right, the world's strongest... Huh? What did you say just now? You said world's strongest? With a straight face?" "I said it, yeah. What's so strange about that...?" He meant it as an explanation to Emilia, but the unexpectedly grandiose statement surprised even Subaru. Garfiel crinkled his nose, seemingly offended by their reactions. "You've heard my name, so you heard about all that from Roswaal, right...?" "I heard your name with the nuance that you were a powerful person, but...that didn't mean physical power, did it...?" If it

meant martial might, the term powerful was being used in an unusual way. But, given the present circumstances, the chances of that seemed rather high, and they still had no certain proof he was an ally. Subaru had never thought Frederica's telling them to be wary of him would come to fruition like that. "I'll ask this again, but you're Garfiel who lives in the Sanctuary. You've got a relationship to Roswaal, and right now Ram and the people from Earlham Village are here, too. We can believe you on that?" "You're free to doubt me, but either way, you've crossed the barrier. It's not like you can turn back now, right?" "Eh? We crossed the barrier? Since when?" Emilia's eyes widened in shock at the surreal fact. Incidentally, Subaru was just as surprised as she was. "Hey, hey," said Garfiel toward them, and continued his words: "Gimme a break. In the first place, didn't you fall asleep when you got close to the barrier?" "I slept because of the barrier...? Now that you mention it, the crystal got bright then, too..." "The timing was the same. Meaning they were both reactions to the barrier!" Subaru snapped his fingers. The crystal's radiating light inside the dragon carriage matched up with the facts. Subaru got the crystal out of his pocket and rolled it on his palm; Emilia nodded deeply as well. Then " ? What is it, Garfiel?" Hearing Emilia pose the question all of a sudden, Subaru followed suit, lifting his face. When he did, he followed her gaze to find Garfiel staring at the crystal with a conflicted look on his face. He looked like the blue glow made him recall some kind of painful memory. "Something about this? You probably went through some scary stuff on account of this rock. Besides, I'm kinda wondering why the barrier that made Emilia-tan collapse didn't do anything to Otto or me." "The rock's nothin' to me. And of course the barrier reacted to Lady Emilia. The barrier's a test that reacts to dirty blood." *** "Hey, Garfiel. What's this business about dirty blood?" Garfiel's statement sent pain running across Emilia's cheeks. Angry at that fact, Subaru probed to determine the true meaning behind Garfiel's words. "Don't make me repeat myself. She's a half-elf. Get it into your..." "Hah, don't get bent out of shape about it. I'm not tryin' to single out Lady Emilia by sayin' it. Dirty blood don't mean just half-elves. It applies to me, the others... She ain't no exception... She's mixed, just like we are." "Mixed...mixed blood, you mean?" Without a word, Garfiel indicated yes to Emilia's question. Receiving his answer, Subaru realized just why he'd heard the Sanctuary was special beforehand and what was meant by "particular" demi-humans. "In other words, the Sanctuary is where demi-human people with mixed blood live..." "Correct... Gotta say, though, you came to the Sanctuary without Frederica even tellin' you that much...?" "She kept saying she couldn't tell us the details. Within what she could say, she kept saying to watch out, but...because of some vow, she couldn't say much more than your name." "Vow this, vow that... Huh? Ha, excuses from head to toe. Just like her master, huh?" Clicking his tongue, Garfiel gave an answer that was closer to a cursing than an expression of malice. There was no doubting he was related by blood to Frederica, but it was no atmosphere for asking anything him about it. Maybe Frederica refused to speak of him because "You don't really get along well with Frederica?" "Emilia-tan?!" "If you're gonna ask if we get along well or not, we don't. Besides, everythin' from here on don't concern her. Everythin' from here is about us, and you people who came through the barrier, nothin' else." Emilia's straight-to-the-point question took Subaru by surprise, but Garfiel replied in a surprisingly calm fashion, sinking his hips deeper into his seat as he indicated the outside of the dragon carriage with his chin. Subaru understood what his gesture meant: They would soon arrive at their destination, the Sanctuary. "We welcome you, Lady Emilia and her two servants." The words of welcome had a title of respect attached, but there was not a shred of respect or warmth in them. Having spoken them, Garfiel replied to Subaru's and Emilia's suspicious gazes with an audible clenching of his fangs. With that, he spread his arms very wide, indicating the entire area. "For whatever reason, Roswaal calls this the Sanctuary, but...it ain't a place suited for pretty-sounding words like that. It's a place where rejects gather and live together, a dead-end laboratory." "Laboratory...?" "Rejects." Subaru and Emilia knit their brows as different words tugged at their respective minds. For his part, Garfiel laughed, not concealing his mouth like Frederica did. "As for me, I think it's more accurate to call it the tomb of the Witch of Greed!" "The Witch of Greed?!" As Garfiel continued, Subaru tilted his head at the never-before-heard statement; in his stead, it was Otto, overhearing the discussion inside the dragon carriage, who had an exaggerated reaction. In a fierce panic, Otto peered into the carriage from the driver's seat and said, "Um, ah, er, excuse me... You don't mean to say this is genuinely related to the Witch of Greed, yes...?" "Wait, wait, WAIT! 'Cause you got super surprised I'm reacting late, but what's the Witch of Greed to begin with? When people say Witch, they mean the Witch of Jealousy, right...?" The Witch of Jealousy had plunged the world into the lowest depths of terror; even in the present, she was feared as the most awful of calamities. Subaru knew only of the Witch bearing the title of Jealousy. He'd never heard of any others. Despite that, the term beyond his expectations sailed overhead, bringing the worst of possibilities rushing to the forefront of his mind. "Don't tell me the Witch Cult has one Witch for each of them? Seven Witches, so seven archbishops in total?! How hard do you think it was defeating even one of them?!" Subaru exclaimed. "Having to defeat all of them would be an especially harrowing prospect, but there is fortunately no concern about that. It is just that for a Witch besides Jealousy to become an issue is a very, very great problem in itself..." Subaru was relieved to have his worst imagination rebutted, but Otto's concern had not been wiped away. Subaru found himself suspicious when Emilia, sitting beside him, took up where Otto had left off. "Well, you see, a reeeally long time ago, and this would be four hundred years ago...there were six Witches other than the Witch of Jealousy. But the Witch of Jealousy killed them all, supposedly..." "Seems like she ate 'em. Matter of fact, there ain't much for records left of the Witches the Witch of Jealousy killed. But there's exceptions to that." "So you're saying this is one exception? There's something odd about the names of other Witches?" With Garfiel bolstering Emilia's words, Subaru pulled what was left of his question back toward Otto, who sighed as he continued, seeming to detest even speaking the words. "It is not a topic I enjoy speaking of, but it concerns the traits of Witch Cultists. As you already know, they are adherents of the Witch of Jealousy, but...they do not acknowledge the existence of other Witches. Even merely hearing the name of one is enough to drive them into terrible rampages." "That's awfully oversensitive..." "In the Volakia Empire to the south, rumors spread of the name of a Witch besides the Witch of Jealousy. A metia supposedly related to the Witch emerged, but there is no telling whether it was true or false." The empire to the south, and the Witch Cult those two elements coalesced in Subaru's memory. He remembered a story Julius had relayed to him while they were traveling together at the height of the campaign to subdue Petelgeuse. "You mean the story that a single Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins wiped out a city?" "That is the one. Perhaps the rumor of a metia was fact, or perhaps it was merely a convenient scapegoat after the fact... Either way, the cost was the downfall of an entire city. Speaking about Witches has been strictly prohibited everywhere since." With Otto concluding his harrowing tale, Subaru nodded in sympathy. Subaru hated the Witch Cult and everything surrounding it, but the current conversation had added one more reason to hate it. "Isn't it dangerous to spread around scary trivia like that?" "It's not like it's gonna leak outside. But the old hag says it's the tomb of the Witch of Greed, so there ain't no mistake. It's just like, 'Peromio festered from the point he heard it.'" "Not that I'm really interested in what was festering, but I take it you don't know the fine details?" "If you wanna know details, pry 'em outta Roswaal At the moment, I ain't sure you even could, though." " ? What do you mean by that? Has something happened to Roswa " "I'm sorry. We seem to have arrived at the vill is this a village? The settlement. Shall we enter?" Emilia probed deeper to discern Garfiel's meaning, but before she could get anywhere, Otto announced from the driver's seat that they had arrived at their destination. His words made her look outside, whereupon she said... "So this is the Sanctuary..." Emilia's whisper-like tone made Subaru let out a similar breath as he narrowed his eyes. There, after taking so long to cut through deep forest, was cleared space, with a lonely settlement lying within. When it was compared to the image given by the name Sanctuary, it was impossible to wipe away the impression of an undignified, dirt-poor habitation. Stone towers at the settlement's entrance lay fallen and mossed over. They could see stonework pillars in the distance, all of great age, covered in moss and vines so far as they could tell. The impression was much like that given off by the ruin, but the settlement gave off a fragment of that only, something Subaru could only call... "Feels like a pretty run-down place..." "Just to say it, the people are pretty run-down, too, okay? They're all wrinkled hags and old men. It's got that 'Man or Kegelmo, we all grow old' feel to it." "That's the first time I understand what one of your sayings means, but man, you aren't pulling any punches." Garfiel's words about the settlement he himself lived in were absolutely merciless. Some people liked to talk poorly of their homelands out of modesty, but Subaru didn't sense a shred of that from his voice. It seemed to be a fact that he was alienated from this place, the Sanctuary. Either way "Let's keep going until we find a good spot to park the dragon carriage..." "I see you're back, Garf. You certainly took your sweet time." "Yeah." Putting everyone's impressions of the Sanctuary on the back burner, they made the dragon carriage run to the center of the settlement, where Subaru was surprised to hear a familiar voice. It was tossed their way from the center of the settlement, right along the route the dragon carriage was following. There, a lone girl revealed herself, her demeanor cool as she stood tall. The sight of the girl made Garfiel dash right out of the dragon carriage; he leaped down, waving a hand with a smile. "Yo. Pretty rare for you to come out and welcome me back like this. Did the bastard finally kick the bucket?" "If that were the case, Ram would be turning this entire place into a sea of flames. You should be most grateful to Master Roswaal that it is not so." "I don't know what ya mean, but geez, that's some thinkin'!" Garfiel approached her, seeming very amused by the abuse from the girl in the familiar-looking servant's outfit. As he watched from a distance, Subaru's lips

slackened in visible relief. "Hmmm, so that is the older sister of the girl whom you were speaking of. I see... It is quite obvious, but she looks just like the sleeping Miss Rem, yes." Otto, laying eyes upon the girl for the first time, was deeply moved as he murmured. Just as he'd said, in appearance she and Rem were two peas in a pod, but the individuals on the inside were completely different. Subaru was reuniting with Ram, the nonworking servant of Roswaal Manor, after several days of separation. "Ram!" Ram noticed Subaru leaning out of the dragon carriage and waving toward her. Her pink eyes narrowed slightly, followed by an easy-to-understand sinking of her shoulders. "I know not where you were, Barusu, but I am disappointed at your late arrival. If only you had noticed something was wrong and come running... Ah, I was a fool to expect such a thing." "If you don't know where I've been, then follow that part to the end, damn it! Also, this goes mainly for Roswaal, but it's hard to figure out what you people are up to. Also, I need to talk to the man himself face-to-face!" When Subaru rebutted, Ram replied with a "Ha!" that was the same as it had ever been. From there, her gaze turned toward Emilia, who was right at Subaru's side. "Lady Emilia, I bid you a warm welcome. As Master Roswaal is awaiting you within, I shall escort you to him. Garf, please guide the dragon carriage and coachman to a suitable place." "Man, you're rough with people! That's fine, though. Hey, driver bastard. Come with me, I'll show ya in." "Do you mean me by that?! That is the worst thing you have called me to date, you know!" Even though he'd introduced himself by name, it was "driver bastard" now. On top of that, the prospect of being all alone with Garfiel made Otto look toward Subaru and Emilia in search of salvation. Subaru responded to his clingy gaze with a deep, knowing nod. "I'll bury your bones later!" "Those are not words ever used with a good connotation, are they?!" Leaving that lament behind, Otto was led off by the overbearing Garfiel, dragon carriage and all. Upon their separation, Subaru gave Patlash a concerned rub of her nose, but Otto was no doubt safe under her protection. Perhaps it was strange to entrust a human being to a land dragon, but oh well. "That Patlash, she's reeeally trustworthy and dependable, isn't she?" "Plus, where Otto's concerned, I feel like there'll always be uncertain elements no matter how much I'd worry about him." Watching driver and dragon carriage depart, Subaru said, "Well, then," and turned Ram's way. Having gazed in silence at the previous exchange, she turned her face away from Subaru's gaze with a neutral look and said, "What?" "...Nothing, I've just been wondering if you were all right. I mean, given how we parted ways, and not being in touch with you at all after, to be honest, I was really nervous." "I suppose you were. As you can see, today Ram is as robust and adorable as ever. No harm has come to pass for the villagers evacuating to the Sanctuary with me. You may rest easy about that." "That so? That's, yeah, I'm relieved to hear it... That's comforting." *** Subaru's shoulders sank with relief, but the odd wording at the end of Subaru's sentence made Ram look at him suspiciously. Her reaction made Subaru grit his teeth, locking down the emotions that had surged as far as his throat before he made them into words. *** "Ah, Ram. It's odd for us to just stand here and talk like this, right? Could you show us in?" With Subaru sinking into silence, unable to immediately speak, Emilia spoke those words to Ram in his place. Ram slightly knitted her brows at the words, but she immediately said, "As you wish," bowed, and turned her back. Not probing any further and immediately marching off was very Ram-like, but... "Subaru, are you all right? You're not angry I butted in?" "Nah, it's fine. I was just being pathetic... I was just scared of asking Ram about Rem right this moment, you see." Subaru listlessly shook his head, giving a pained smile at Emilia's consideration for him. He was afraid to be certain. Several times over, he'd already experienced a sense of loss through Emilia, Petra, and others but it wasn't something he'd gotten used to. For that matter, hearing it from Ram would probably have the greatest weight of all. The fact she hadn't asked about Rem's whereabouts under those circumstances was more than enough proof that she had forgotten her younger sister. "Emilia?" "It's natural for you to be afraid. I don't think that is pathetic at all, so..." As Subaru hung his head, Emilia took hold of Subaru's hand, meeting his eyes as she spoke those words in a sincere voice. Floating in her purple eyes were deep worry and a great deal of affection those feelings gave him some consolation. Gathering the scraps of his nearly lost courage, he thought he just might be able to find the words to ask her next time. "Let's go and make everything better. Rem, and lots of other things, too." "...Roger that. Whatever happens, I'll protect you as your meat shield, Emilia-tan." Subaru and Emilia were still holding hands as they walked behind Ram, going deeper into the Sanctuary. Subaru did not realize that it was he alone who gained courage from it. 2 The house was the most intact structure in the Sanctuary. The residence formed of stone material was about the same size as an average stand-alone house from Subaru's world. The interior was divided into simple corridors and rooms, feeling like a reasonably comfortable place to live. Between Roswaal Manor and the Nobles' District in the capital, Subaru had seen extravagant structures, but one of this size felt much closer to home. But ignoring Subaru's impressions "Myyy, Lady Emilia and our good Subaru. It feeeels like it has been quite a loooong time since I have seen you." Roswaal waved to the pair with a fishy smile, something that felt out of place to the extreme. His eccentric clown makeup, his exaggerated words and gestures, and the very aura of his presence were so unbefitting an ordinary person, it simply felt wrong for him to be inside an ordinary house such as that. However, now that they were before him, feelings of things being wrong or out of place were trifling affairs. "First, it is good that you are saaaafe and sound, Lady Emilia. I heard the circumstances from Ram, but it would be difficult to liiiive with myself if anything should have happened to you." "If you really think so, you could cough up a more proper reaction to... No, more importantly, what the heck happened to you?" Roswaal expressed relief at Emilia's safety, but Subaru and Emilia were left as perplexed as before. As for why, Roswaal was a painful sight while greeting the pair, lying in bed and wrapped in bandages stained with blood coming from his own body. His unclothed upper body lacked a single space unwrapped by bandages; he had multiple deep wounds and was in a grave condition. That the makeup on his face was unmarred felt like a sign less of robustness than of a bizarre level of obsession. But he did not give off the slightest hint of being injured, acting completely normal. "My myyyy, you ask me that? I, too, am but a man. It truly pains me to be seen in such a shameful state. I suppose you are not so geeentle as to refrain from asking why?" "As if I could! Truly, Roswaal, what happened? To get hurt this badly... And on top of that, you're..." His flippant tone about something impossible to gloss over put the genuinely angry Emilia in a bind. Indeed, the wounds were so grave she hesitated to press the point. She wanted to ask, but she didn't want to force the issue. Roswaal responded to the discord with Emilia by closing one of his differently colored eyes, specifically the blue one. "I wonder where I should begin the taaale? In regards to my wounds...perhaps I should call them a baaadge of honor, or the unavoidable consequences of my actions." "Please do not paper over things like that. I am asking a serious question. I want a serious answer from you." "Hmmm... It would seem Lady Emilia is not in good humor, either. Considering the place, I do not believe that can be...helped." It felt wrong to Subaru that Emilia was taking an interrogatory tone. When Roswaal, apparently agreeing with him, pointed out that very thing, Emilia exhaled with an air of resignation. "Since I came here no, since I came in contact with the barrier, I think my chest has been astir. I can't calm down. What is this place? Even though it's called the Sanctuary, it doesn't feel like any such thing to me. If anything, it's the opposite..." "Perhaps you can accept that the tombs of Witches have aaaalways been referred to thus?" *** Emilia's breath caught strongly when Roswaal invoked the other name of the Sanctuary. Hearing the term from a mouth other than Garfiel's lent it greater weight. However, since that only added to the information they needed to ask him about "Wait, let's put what we want to ask about in proper order. I feel like we're just gonna be running around in circles at this rate. We need to get to a conclusion." "Myyyy, a most sound suggestion. It seems that our good Subaru's mental state has changed since last I saw him." "That story's gonna get seriously long, so I'll brag properly about it later... Ah, one thing, though." As Roswaal prodded him, trying to make light of the matter, Subaru stared straight at him before continuing. "I succeeded in forming an alliance with Crusch. Satisfied with the results of leaving me there now?" "Ahh, I am most saaatisfied. Truly, truly, you have acquired something difficult and long yearned for." "...That so." The affirmation felt more sincere than Subaru had expected. While surprised, he accepted it in good grace. He'd expected as much for a while, but Roswaal really had left Subaru in the royal capital with the expectation that he'd fight hard. Roswaal's having used that to his own advantage wasn't amusing to Subaru. The fact that his countermeasures against the Witch Cult had been conspicuously inadequate amused him even less. Setting aside that dissatisfaction for the moment, Subaru ordered the more immediate questions in his mind before starting. "First, the people of Earlham Village. Ram said they were safe and sound, but is that really true?" "Please rest at ease. The state of my body may make that diiiifficult to believe, but I aaaam a lord, after all. I negotiated earnestly upon their behalf and had the cathedral opened to give them shelter." "Cathedral, huh? I'll ask for more details about that later. Next..." "Tell us what you meant by 'Witch's Tomb' earlier." As Subaru moved ahead, Emilia intervened, choosing the next topic for herself. It was one of the issues on Subaru's list, so he had no objection. But Subaru didn't think the hard voice and the way she asked felt very Emilia-like. Roswaal responded to the tense Emilia's question with a wry smile and closed one eye. "It means exactly what it says. This is the final resting place of the Witch named Echidna, once known as the Witch of Greed and to me, these grounds are holy." "The Witch Echidna..." The tone with which Roswaal replied to the question, and put the name to his lips, made Subaru's breath catch. His reply was quiet and gentle, yet filled with sharpness that clawed at the mind. There was no echo of his normal

clownish demeanor; what filled his voice was emotion that pounded hard into Subaru's chest. The instant Roswaal invoked Echidna's name, his expression looked softer for what might have been the very first time. *** Seeing the side of his face, Ram, attending at his bedside, gently lowered her eyes. Subaru did not notice her reaction; rather, he touched a hand to his own chest. For some reason, the name Echidna a name he shouldn't have known strangely churned within him. "Subaru, are you all right? Is something wrong?" "Nah, I'm fine... More importantly, we know this is the place a Witch died. But, Roswaal, why are you safekeeping a place with a history like that? Do you have some kind of connection with this Witch?" "The reason is simple. This land has been under the care of the Mathers family, passed down from generation to generation. It began under the lord of this house at the time...the Roswaal from which I inherit this name. In other words, it is from this Roswaal in history that this Sanctuary has been passed down." When Subaru broached the issue of his relationship to the Witch, Roswaal followed suit, filling in the blanks. The explanation left Emilia touching her own lips, knitting her refined eyebrows. "'In history'... Then the Mathers family has been involved with the Witch of Greed since long..." " Echidna." "Eh?" Emilia's eyes opened wide when the name alone was abruptly slipped in. Roswaal trained his eyes toward Emilia. "Echidna," he repeated, making certain she heard him. "Pleaaaase, employ her name when referring to her. Calling her the Witch of Greed implies all sorts of nefaaarious things, does it not? And it is somewhat looooong." "Errr, I understand. Then can I take this to mean...this is Echidna's final resting place, and the Mathers family has taken care of it because it was involved with her for a reeeally long time?" "Yes, that is correct. Having said that, 'taken care of it' is somewhat exaggerated. Echidna's barrier means that outsiders cannot pass through the Lost Woods without the proper formalities. On top of that, the barrier has a special effect on those whose blood fulfills a particular condition. You have experienced this as well, Lady Emilia?" "It's true, I lost consciousness when I came into contact with the barrier. But, according to Garfiel, the barrier only causes trouble when half-bloods like me come into contact with it. It didn't do anything to Subaru, right?" "Er, actually, I can't really say it did nothing to me..." "Eh? What do you mean by that?" When Subaru scratched his cheek and murmured, Emilia lifted her face in surprise. She didn't know that once the barrier had knocked her out, Subaru had been teleported while she slept. Along the way, Subaru hadn't found a good time to bring it up, but also, he had hesitated greatly to do so. After all, he couldn't discuss it without discussing its connection to Frederica's crystal. If Frederica had conveyed that Garfiel was a dangerous person, entrusted Emilia with the crystal, and on top of that, plotted to have that crystal teleport her, he wondered what objective Frederica had in doing so. "Subaru, if something happened, tell me. We decided we'd discuss important things, didn't we?" "We did, but this is..." "Subaru." The earnest gaze and the plea of her voice made Subaru's shoulders sink in resignation. From there, he took the blue crystal out of his pocket and explained the circumstances to all present. He explained that the crystal had reacted to the barrier, teleporting Subaru alone to a different location in the Sanctuary. There he'd met a girl, been led to the ruin, and lost consciousness while inside. Later, he'd been caught by Garfiel and brought along, bringing them back to the present. "Frederica handed over this crystal before we left the mansion. There's no question it reacted to the barrier and made the teleport happen. Emilia was the one carrying the crystal to begin with, so..." "Barusu, what you are trying to say is that Lady Emilia must have been the target?" As Subaru spoke of the circumstances, Ram summarized the last part in his stead. Her assertion made Subaru draw in his chin. The image of the young girl he'd met in the forest came back to him. The girl had been emotionless, doll-like. She had done Subaru no harm, leading him to the ruin and running away and he had to wonder, had that been intended for Emilia instead? "If that is true, it was Lady Emilia who would have been teleported by the crystal during the time the barrier had robbed her of consciousness. If so, it is most fortuuuitous it was Subaru who was sent in her place." "And then I hooked back up safe and sound. Body doesn't have...anything special wrong with it." Subaru rotated a wrist, smiling at Emilia as he asserted his robustness of health. But, as he smiled at Emilia, she lowered her head and gingerly posed a question to Roswaal. "Frederica said the crystal was necessary to pass through the barrier, and why she was giving it to me... Was that true?" "...Unfortunately, the proper formalities for passing through the barrier do not involve an object. I suppose that is proof Frederica was up to some kind of scheeeeme." Roswaal's reply made Emilia's words catch in her throat as her listless shoulders sank. Of course they did. The talk just then had established Frederica's infidelity as a virtual certainty. "Frederica's worked for you a long time, right? Over ten years is what I heard." "...Yes, that girl was still veeeery young when I first employed her. She is a very capable girl, and not once has she acted in defiiiiance of my will..." When Subaru posed a question in Emilia's stead, Roswaal shook his head in apparent dismay. Then he glanced meaningfully toward the edge of his vision, whereupon Ram accepted his gaze with a solemn nod. "And so Frederica's scheme has ended in tears... That just now was a joke." "Was it really a joke? It sounded pretty serious to me..." "It was. But the punishment will not be now we know that Frederica is deeply related to the present circumstance here in the Sanctuary." To Ram, Frederica was a coworker of particularly long standing. Knowing her coworker had been unfaithful, she nonetheless spoke calmly, her face betraying no unrest concerning that fact. "What do you mean by the circumstances in the Sanctuary? What is happening here right now?" "Lady Emilia, did you not think it strange? That Ram and I, and the villagers fleeing to the Sanctuary, remained in this place rather than return to the mansion?" he asked. "Eh? That's... I thought it must be because of your wounds, Roswaal," she answered. In point of fact, Roswaal, lying on the bed, bore wounds that were quite deep. Even if he was to return to the mansion for treatment, he couldn't be moved without having recovered to at least some minimal degree. But Roswaal shook his head, seemingly telling her that was not the reason. And then "Currently, all present fiiiiind ourselves imprisoned in the Sanctuary... Ram, the villagers, and myself... Ah, now that you have entered, that includes the two of you as well." "Huh?" Subaru and Emilia were both dumbstruck at the casual yet explosive statement. 3 "...Imprisoned? That doesn't, well, have a very nice ring to it." Somehow, Subaru managed to recover from the initial shock and wring out those words. Emilia managed to swallow down her own surprise, giving the injured Roswaal a painful stare as she said, "Then, Roswaal, don't tell me that those wounds were from..." Emilia was in shock as she combined the sight of him wounded with his earlier statement. Neither could Subaru, having arrived at the same thought, conceal his own shock. "There's someone in this village who can overpower Roswaal, hurt him this much, and keep him captive? That's no laughing matter." Subaru touched a hand to his chin, nervously pondering a foe powerful far beyond his expectations. Roswaal was the kingdom's preeminent magic user; the demon beast disturbance had proven that in earnest. Subaru could not believe that anyone could easily put Roswaal through this much pain and suffering. Who in the world had done this to "Wha ? You're still doin' chitchat? You shouldn't push a wounded guy too much. 'Make a mottled Kuchibashi run and it turns black,' you know?" *** Surprised by the sudden voice, Subaru turned around in a hurry. At the end of his gaze was Garfiel, who'd appeared at the entrance to the room. He took a look around the room and whistled toward Emilia. "Hey now, what's this greeting all of a sudden? Wha ? Are you that ticked off with me?" "I'm being on the safe side, since the earlier conversation made me think the most dangerous person here is you." Garfiel audibly clenched his teeth in amusement. Emilia stood on guard with Subaru and Roswaal at her back, seemingly to shield them from him. Being shielded by Emilia was a thing in itself, but Subaru blinked hard at a separate issue. Namely "Hey, what'd you do with Otto? He was with you, right?" "Ahh? What, that noisy guy? Him, well... You get it, don't ya?" Garfiel nodded defiantly, and his sharp gaze turned even sharper. Subaru, sensing bottomless hostility from his statement, felt the hairs on his back stand up. Emilia lowered her stance, as if she had the same sense from Garfiel as he. The atmosphere grew strained. At the drop of a pin, combat between the two would become unavoidable. "Ha! Fine, if you want a piece of me, I'll be happy to... Daaah?!" "It is not fine at all. Know your place, stupid Garf." But the atmosphere primed to explode was smashed apart by the powerful impact sound of an iron tray. Circling around his back during the exchange, it was Ram who had brought Garfiel down with a single, merciless blow. As Garfiel writhed in agony, Ram looked down at him, sighing as she addressed the others. "Lady Emilia, Subaru, it is equally unsightly of you to jump to conclusions so quickly. Garf has nothing to do with Master Roswaal's injuries... He may look like a simpleton, but he is not quite that thoughtless." "...Is that so?" "Yes, Lady Emilia, he had nooothing to do with it. I was about to say so that very moment." Roswaal's utterly shameless exaggeration left Emilia lowering her arms, astonished. Then she rushed over to Garfiel, kneeling upon the floor, in great haste. "I-I'm very sorry! I completely misunderstood... I was certain you'd eaten Otto or something...!" "Wow, Emilia-tan, your ideas are really something! Even I didn't think he'd gone that far!" Though it was certainly true Subaru suspected Otto's life had been in danger, he hadn't suspected Garfiel of doing such a thing. Following in the flustered Emilia's footsteps, Subaru checked to see how Garfiel was doing. Garfiel, shaking the head Ram had struck with that hearty blow, opened his mouth wide at the pair's assertions. "As if I'd munch on a guy like that. He's noisy, and he says stuff a guy ain't emotionally prepared for, so I ditched him back at the dragon carriage." "You're being pretty vague there, and you kick up a ruckus even without Otto..." His suggestive demeanor had caused a misunderstanding that had nearly led to a great disaster. That disaster had been averted by Ram. "Thanks a bundle, Ram. Don't want any unnecessary bloodshe Hold on, your tray's all bent out of shape!" "A necessary loss to stop Garf. Next time, it would seem I should use the corner, not the flat of the tray." Ram took inspiration from the bent tray for how she would deal with him next time. Setting Ram's demeanor aside, Garfiel, the victim of her pummeling, plopped himself into a chair in a corner of the room. Then he rubbed

his head as he looked at Ram and said, "Ram, if you feel sorry 'bout that at all, how 'bout some tea?" "Please wait while I head out briefly to gather fallen leaves." Making a sound from her nose at the grandiose request, Ram really did head out of the house. Subaru had to wonder just what she intended to do with fallen leaves. Though that tugged at his mind, what also tugged at it was the ardor with which Garfiel watched Ram's back as she departed. "I was wondering this from the exchange at the village entrance too...but what? You have a thing for Ram?" "She's a fine woman, ain't she? Ain't exactly weird for males to be attracted to strong, capable females." "We're not dividing chicks by male and female, so stop chirping about that, sheesh..." Garfiel had replied openly to Subaru's question, but his road to romance was treacherous. Ram's affection for Roswaal ran deep, hanging over his prospects almost like a curse That was an unmistakable side of romance in any world, but "Well, then. Based on that reaction, you don't look like ya talked about the important stuff yet. You're free to turn into pieces of garbage if ya want, but...you should talk 'bout it to Lady Emilia, at least." "To me?" With Ram absent from the room, Garfiel tapped his foot as he refocused the conversation. Emilia was surprised that her own name was in his statement, but Garfiel paid her surprise no heed, sending his dangerous look stabbing right through Roswaal. "The fact she got past the barrier means she's wrapped up in our business. What the hell's with this peaceful, pleasant conversation? You people playin' around or somethin'?!" "I'm not sure why you have a bee in your bonnet, but...this business we're wrapped up in doesn't sound unrelated to this whole imprisoned business." Garfiel, as snippy as ever, narrowed his eyes at Subaru's assertion. Feeling as if he was facing off against a fierce, overbearing beast, Subaru put the conversation to that point in order in his head and said: "According to Roswaal, this isn't imprisonment by brute force. Regardless of how you look and act, you can't be short-tempered and violent enough to..." For an instant, being hurled by Garfiel reemerged in his memories. "...to do that kind of thing." "Subaru, you seemed reeeally unsure just now..." Subaru, on the receiving end of a rare quip from Emilia, looked straight at Garfiel. Receiving his gaze, Garfiel said, "Go on," urging Subaru to continue. "I'll listen. If you ain't the dirt stuck to a half-demon's foot, that is." "Half-elf. Next time I'll get Roswaal to light your butt on fire." Garfiel lowered his head as Subaru shamelessly proclaimed he would borrow another's power for his retribution. At his reaction, Subaru lifted a finger, turning that finger to indicate the Sanctuary outside. "I'll continue. Now that imprisonment by force has been crossed off the list, what other way can I think of? To be honest, I don't have much information to go on...but there's one thing that sticks out in my mind." "...You mean the barrier?" "That's right. You're so smart, Emilia-tan." Coming up with the answer on her own, Emilia had sounded unsure in her answer, but her view was in line with Subaru's own. If neither Garfiel's brawn nor Roswaal's injuries was responsible for the imprisonment in the Sanctuary, it left the barrier as the only possibility the barrier with a special effect originally meant to protect the Sanctuary. If it had been a simple barrier, Subaru might not have come to such a farfetched idea, but at any rate... "When she came in contact with the barrier, Emilia fainted. According to Garfiel, that's not an effect limited to Emilia it's like that for most of the people living in this Sanctuary, he said." "In other words, Subaru...you think that it's the barrier's effect that's keeping Roswaal and the others in here and preventing them from returning to the mansion?" "There you go again! Exactly. Wow, Emilia-tan and I are in perfect sync today!" Elated that they were thinking along the same lines, Subaru went for a high five. But, when Emilia tilted her head rather than play along, Subaru gently eased his hand down and looked at Garfiel. "So, that's what I was thinking, but...am I right?" "...Sorry, I've gotta drop my assessment of ya. Three steps down from a piece of mud." "That assessment is pretty out there, but, mm, I'll aim to gradually raise it back up." Taking that as a roundabout way of saying yes, Subaru nodded and looked over to Roswaal. As he did so, Roswaal closed one eye at Subaru's and Emilia's thought processes, amusement resting in his yellow eye. "My myyyy, there truly has been quite a change in the span of several days. The optimism in both Subaru and Lady Emilia is quite reassuring. It was well worth making my heart that of an Oni and letting matters be." "I have a mountain of things to say to you later about that 'letting matters be' part. Keep in mind, if you weren't wounded, the iron fist of my anger wouldn't be a soft thing." "Myyyy, how frightening." With Roswaal in such high spirits, Subaru brandished a clenched fist. Whether he'd have seriously let Roswaal have it was another matter, but his irritation at the previous statement was no act. He'd give the man a tongue-lashing later for his lack of countermeasures against the Witch Cult's attack during his absence. "But right now, talking about the barrier comes first. Is that reaction the cause of the imprisonment?" "I cannot call it correct in the strictest sense. However, it is not far off from the truth. It is a fact that the cause of our being hindered here in the Sanctuary is a circumstance involving that barrier." The barrier had the power to rob mixed people of their consciousness and make intruders get lost in the forest. But it did no harm to those of mixed blood already inside it lacked the power to hinder Roswaal and the others on its own. "So the fact you've been stuck here anyway means..." "That's 'cause the people under the barrier's effect are gettin' in their way." The answer to his question was bluntly revealed from the mouth of one of the people concerned. When he turned toward the speaker of that ferocious declaration, the sharp, green eyes of the golden-haired man of mixed blood glared back at Subaru and the others. "Garfiel..." "Way I see it, it's a simple story. As long as the barrier's up, we can't get out of the Sanctuary. The barrier's got nothing to do with ya...but that ain't very fair, is it?" "...Then because you want to get out but can't, you're holding Roswaal and the others captive? Even to the point someone gets hurt like this?" Subaru, feeling like the issue had just become very petty, felt anger toward the short-tempered act. However, when he pressed the issue, Garfiel grimaced unpleasantly. "Say whatever you want about it. But it's not like it don't have anything to do with ya?" "...So, for the same reason, you don't intend to let us go, either?" "No, no! It ain't that, it's way simpler! Your precious little princess can't get out of the Sanctuary for the same reason me and the grannies can't, damn it!!" "Ah..." Subaru gaped when Garfiel laughed loudly and pointed at Emilia as he made the statement. Truly, he was fed up with himself for not having realized such an obvious possibility. It was exactly as Garfiel had said. It was already proven beyond doubt the barrier's effect was active upon Emilia; she, too, was a prisoner of the Sanctuary. "Can't anything be done about that? Like... Right! If the barrier knocks people out when they touch it, how about having them carried out by people not under its effect..." "Ah, Subaru, amazing! We could use that method to get people o " "An amusing suggestion, but 'tis best avoided. If you do not seek to leave us as soulless husks, at least." Yet again, a third party intervened in Subaru's conversation that day. The intervention of an unfamiliar voice caused Subaru to turn toward the entrance. Just like Garfiel had done earlier, a small figure was standing there whereupon Subaru let out an "Eh?" She had long, pink hair, doll-like beauty, and pointed ears, all things he had seen before. The features were without doubt those of the elfin girl Subaru had encountered in the forest "You're that... Agh hot-hot-hot-hot-hot?!" "Here, Barusu. Tea, as requested." Subaru, surprised by their reunion, instantly began to speak, but the sudden feeling of a hot, steaming drink pressed against his cheek made Subaru yell from the burning pain, tumbling onto the room's floor. The clumsy servant having returned, Ram gazed down at Subaru's state with a look of scorn. "Such a big fuss. How unsightly for a man." "That has nothing to do with being a man or not! You burned my cheek, you know?! What were you thinking?" Sitting up in the face of heartless, merciless abuse, Subaru vented his grudges with tearful eyes. It was hardly Ram's first act of violence toward him, but this was the least logical of them all. Subaru was enraged at the high-handedness toward him. "Goodness," said Ram, and pressed a damp cloth to Subaru's cheek as she said, "Please keep quiet about the elf from before." "Huh?" Subaru said, dumbfounded and wide-eyed as Ram was so close that she was practically touching his ear. However, Ram said nothing about that and handed a different steaming cup to Garfiel and said, "The very essence of crude tea." "Ain't that usually said with more, oh, modesty?" "It is the juice from fallen leaves. You should be grateful it was poured by Ram's hands and drink it to the bottom." Subaru put his own thoughts aside as he watched the terrible treatment she gave the man. "Subaru, are you all right? Should I cool your cheek with ice?" "A-ahh, it's okay, I'm all right. I'm used to Ram doing crazy stuff. It's like an everyday ritual." "I-is that so... When did things become like that while my back was turned?" That prompted Subaru to reminisce about the tragedies of his life as a servant. But it was not that upon which Subaru's mind was focused; rather, it was Ram's whisper into his ear. She'd told him to keep quiet about the elf. But his questions about that were soon answered. "I'd heard Young Gar brought in humans from the outside again... Quite a rambunctious youngster." Speaking those words, the elf concerned lowered her eyelids. The voice, the expression, the emotions lacking from the earlier individual they felt as if they came from someone very old, something that threw Subaru off. "Err, and you are...?" "I apologize for my late introduction, Lady Emilia. I am Ryuzu Bilma. I suppose you might call me this village's representative. As you can see, I am a tottering old woman." "R-right... You are as old as you look..." When the girl calling herself Ryuzu bowed and named herself, her declaration made Emilia seem conflicted. Subaru's reaction was the same as hers. Apparently, he wasn't the only one thrown for a loop at Ryuzu, who looked like a young girl, declaring herself a tottering old woman. On the outside, she looked like an adorable early teen. She was dressed only in a white robe, one that made it impossible to see her limbs past her cuffs and hem. Furthermore, her words and actions from her years of maturity clashed with her appearance "It's a loli hag in the flesh...! I thought I might see that stereotype here someday..." "To think I would be called 'hag' upon a first meeting. The youngster is ruder than even Young Gar and Young Ros..." "When you add loli to the pejorative hag, it goes from an

insult to a badge of honor. It is a status highly esteemed back in my homeland. No, I'm serious." Replying with appropriate flippancy, Subaru tried to somehow put a lid on the chaos inside his own mind. Ryuzu was the spitting image of the girl in the forest, but the air she gave off was clearly different. And Ram had forbidden him from speaking of the other girl's existence. Something's goin' on here, said Subaru's instincts, ringing like an alarm bell, but... "Hmm... Very well, then. So you must be Barusu... Young Su, in other words." "Paired with the 'Young Gar' thing, calling me that makes it sound like we'll start getting treated as brothers, but that's fine. Just please at least remember that my proper name is Subaru Natsuki." Subaru introduced himself to nip the mistaken name, obtained via Rem, in the bud. His line caused Ryuzu to slap her hip, saying, "I get it, I get it," in an elderly fashion before she said, "Now, Young Gar, would you be a sensible boy and yield your chair to me?" "Ya get ticked off when I treat ya like a hag, but you turn into a totterin' old woman when it's convenient, damn it..." "Did you say something?" "Nuttin'..." Garfiel clicked his tongue and yielded the chair in which he sat to Ryuzu. As he did, he brushed some dust off the chair and, in deeply devoted fashion, lent Ryuzu a hand so that she could sit in it more easily. "Somehow you seem like some hick from the countryside whose rudeness is all mouth..." "Oh, shut up, third rate! What are you comparin' me t ? Whoa! This tea's awful! It tastes like grass!!" Garfiel grimaced spectacularly at the fallen leaf tea Ram had poured for him. Subaru took advantage of that interlude to get the topic back on track again as he said, "So, now that Ryuzu is with us, let's get back to the earlier topic... What's your basis for saying my idea's bad?" "Earlier, Miss Ryuzu said something reeeally scary sounding, but..." Emilia glanced sidelong at Ryuzu. Subaru nodded at her words. "She said 'soulless husks,' right? What did you mean by that?" "I meant exactly what I said. When the mixed come into contact with the barrier, they lose consciousness. But I cannot call that impression quite correct. The souls of the mixed are repelled by the barrier, it is more correct to say." "The souls are repelled...? Err?" Emilia didn't seem to quite get that explanation for the mechanism by which the barrier knocked people out. Subaru gawked at Ryuzu, somehow managing to digest her words. "In other words, if the mixed force their way across the barrier, body and soul will be separated from each other? And that'll leave the soul inside the barrier without a body... That's how I should interpret 'husk'?" "Ho-ho, the boy understands rather quickly. That is the long and short of it." When Subaru replied with his own interpretation, the impressed Ryuzu smiled. After she saw that smile, Emilia's eyes were still wide with surprise when she looked at Roswaal. "B-but how is that related to Roswaal's injuries? If the barrier's power does not function for anyone except those of mixed blood, someone else inflicted those wounds on Roswaal...and it wasn't Garfiel, right?" Emilia asked. Roswaal's shoulders sank. "As Ram said earlier, he is not quite thaaat thoughtless of a man Though I do not denyyy that Garfiel is capable of inflicting such pain upon me." "Serious...?" Subaru was aghast. "He is serious." Ram's brief words affirmed they were true. It meant a great deal coming from Ram, both a realist and someone placing Roswaal at the summit of her mental pyramid. Apparently, Garfiel had the might to back up his claim to the title of world's strongest man. The exchange was another way of saying, There is no escaping this imprisonment by force. "Me, I feel like I should be kind of insulted by the way you're talkin', th Ram, don't make a scary face like that! Anyway, it wasn't me. He got hurt like that 'cause the trial rejected 'im." Whether he knew the depth of their surprise or not, Garfiel violently dragged the conversation forward. Subaru gaped and gulped, calming his mind down somewhat as he voiced his thoughts. "...First the Sanctuary has a barrier from a Witch, and now there's a trial. Just gets better and better." New problems only added to the number of topics. When Subaru scowled at that fact, Roswaal replied, "I suppose soooo," and stroked the bandages over his chest as he continued. "Howeeeever, this is most likely the final piece of information to be added. Those who are qualified obtain the right to take the trial to lift the barrier. My wounds are proof of what happens when that precondition is disregaaarded." "Disregarded the precondition? For the trial...?" "The precondition is to have blood affected by the barrier in other words, to have mixed blood. If anyone else undertakes the trial, their flesh is repelled and shredded." *** Subaru and Emilia simultaneously gasped in surprise. So that was the cause of Roswaal's own body being bandaged to such an extent. Were it not for the bloodstained bandages, Roswaal's wounded body would be naked such was the cruel state he was in. Countless lacerations ran across his upper body, almost like a bomb had exploded inside him, with blood oozing out that very moment. It seemed like perhaps healing magic had little effect, or perhaps something was continuing to wound him afresh "So let me get straight to issuin' ya our demands." Speaking those words, Garfiel pointed straight toward the shocked Subaru no, toward Emilia. He seemed to be saying that Emilia was needed to resolve the circumstances involving the Sanctuary. With Emilia's breath catching as she gazed at that finger, Garfiel continued, saying, "Lift the barrier around this Sanctuary. To do that, take the trial. Until that's lifted, no one leaves not that you personally can leave anyway." 4 The instant Subaru stepped into the place called the Cathedral, he felt a change in the air. It was not a bad change. Surprise registered where, until that moment, a quiet atmosphere without conversation had reigned, followed by a cascade of attention and the onrush of joy. "Master Subaru!" "Ohh, thank goodness you are safe!" "Is everyone else all right?!" The ones welcoming Subaru when he showed himself were the people lodging in the Cathedral the people of Earlham Village who had evacuated, fleeing from the Witch Cult to the Sanctuary together with Ram. They looked happy to see Subaru, but their situation was little different from when they had left the village. Subaru was relieved that they had not been treated poorly in the Sanctuary, though. "I'm the one who told you to take refuge here, after all. I'm glad you're all safe." "Master Subaru, it is we who are glad you are safe... How is the village, and the others?" "Yeah, relax about that, okay? We drove off the dangerous folks, and the people evacuating to the royal capital are back in the village. No one's hurt, they're all in great shape." "Ohh !" When Subaru pounded his chest, giving the villagers his metaphorical stamp of approval, all the villagers' faces brightened. Subaru responded to their reactions with a smile as he finally took a look around the Cathedral. The stonework structure had a high ceiling, and was filled with a solemn, serene air that lived up to the name. So far as Subaru knew, the atmosphere was probably close to that of the chapel of a church. Because the temple site was fairly large, it was able to comfortably accommodate the fifty-odd residents who had evacuated. Put frankly, there had to be many inconveniences involved, and they did raise such dissatisfactions with Subaru as they said, "We're worried about the fields and livestock we left behind. Besides, we're separated from our children, too, so..." "But are the lord's injuries all right? Such terrible wounds, for our sakes..." Their statements, showing less concern about the disorder in their daily lives than pure concern for the future, hurt Subaru's heart. Here they were, far from their families, with their own lord bearing wounds. The seeds of their anxieties were inexhaustible. But Subaru's feet had brought him there to bring an end to their situation. For that reason, among others, Subaru loudly cleared his throat, drawing all eyes of the villagers upon him. "Err, listen to me, everyone! As you know, the dangerous elements threatening the village have been driven off! The other group that evacuated has returned to the village, and they're waiting for you to return as we speak!" The moment Subaru reached "waiting for you to return," shadows of anxiety came over the villagers' faces. Naturally, they too knew why they remained in the Sanctuary. They also knew Roswaal had sustained his wounds with the aim of liberating them. However "Looks like you all know that getting out of here won't be easy. But it's all right! After all, there's a girl right here to undertake the trial to free everyone!" "Master Subaru...you can't mean?!" "Whoa, whoa... Nah, it isn't me. If I could, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but..." Subaru scratched his head with a pained smile at the reaction from the freshly enthused villagers. His words were no lie. If he could be the challenger, he'd take the trial without a moment's hesitation. But Subaru did not fulfill the conditions to challenge the barrier. Accordingly, the one who would undertake the trial would be "I'm sure you all know her the royal candidate, Emilia. She's facing the trial." *** Subaru's declaration sent the villagers gasping once more. Nodding back at their reactions, Subaru reached a beckoning hand toward the entrance to the temple and the girl waiting there for him. After a moment's hesitation, Emilia slowly revealed herself, silver hair flowing behind her. Her cheeks were stiff from tension as Subaru stood at her side and surveyed the villagers. Those gazes had rejected her once before. Now, she had the courage to face them without the "identification scrambler" robe. Even so, Emilia bit her lip, bowing her head deeply then and there. "I I am sorry to have made you wait. In place of your lord, Roswaal L. Mathers, I shall undertake the trial of this Sanctuary. I may not seem very formidable...but I'm sure I will overcome and liberate everyone from this barrier." At first, she was timid, with little confidence, but by the end, she was speaking more quickly and fluently. Emilia's proclamation left the villagers perplexed as they looked at one another's faces. Once before, Emilia had extended her hand to them only to be rebuffed. That rupture had hardly been repaired. All Subaru had done was slam a lid on top of it so that you couldn't see the cracks and punt the can down the road. As far as the villagers were concerned, Emilia was stuck in their stereotypes of half-elves. *** Emilia kept her head lowered as she awaited the villagers' response. Her lips were tightly pursed, and on her face, Subaru saw resolve, and a hint of fear, about the prospect of rejection. But a figure walked closer to Emilia the old woman who was both the head of Earlham Village and someone who had often touched Subaru's butt. Sensing her presence, Emilia lifted her head; the old woman nodded and spoke. "A few days ago, you lowered your head to us, and we rejected your assistance. In spite of this, you reach your hand out to us once more. Why? For the sake of the royal selection?" *** "To maintain the support of the populace, you lower your head and say that you shall save us. That is natural. I have no complaint about this, if that is indeed the case. But what we find frightening...is that we do not understand the reason why." "You don't understand

the reason why...?" Emilia asked, eyes shaking in bewilderment at the old woman. "We rejected you because you are a half-elf. We do not understand the reason why you, a half-elf, would do this again despite that. That is what we wish to know." "And that you are not a Witch beyond our ability to comprehend." Emilia was surprised. She was being compared to a Witch to her face, and yet, she'd been asked to deny she was one. It was probably something she was experiencing for the first time. No doubt Emilia had been always tormented by discrimination that permitted no rebuttal, the conclusion simply forced upon her. *** For an instant, Emilia shifted her eyes toward Subaru, who was standing by her side. Her gaze clung to him, apparently in search of an answer. Subaru tucked in his chin, nudging her forward without a word. It was Emilia's own words they were seeking. Borrowed words would be meaningless. "I...have no confidence that I can give an eloquent reply to your question. Right now, I do not have any reeeally convincing words to make you all accept what I say." Reluctantly, and with Subaru's affirming nod pressing her onward, Emilia began to speak. With her own clumsy words, she sought to explain why she wanted to do this. "It's just... It may have been a short time, but I spent the last several days with the family members who aren't here with you. So I thought all over again...families need to be together." Emilia touched her own chest as if looking for something, stroking the dim crystal hanging from her neck. Inside it was surely sleeping family of her own, family she could not speak with at the moment for reasons unclear. However, believing that her feelings about family were not different from theirs, Emilia surveyed everyone's face. "I want to return you to your families. That is...not a promise I made in that village, but it is something I swore to myself. That is what I want to fulfill. That's all." *** "I haven't really thought much about...maintaining your support and so on. But, if possible, I'd like everyone to...no, err, rather, I want to...get along with all of you." At the very, very end, Emilia's words weakened, and the pace of her speech slowed. Once she had spoken her piece, she and the villagers were mutually silent. The silence continued for seconds, perhaps tens of seconds... "Lady Emilia." "...Y-yes?" "We know this is very selfish of us to say however, please take good care of us." For a moment, Emilia looked like her thought process had ground to a halt, unable to digest the meaning of those words. But when she saw the old woman's head bowing before her, she finally grasped their meaning. "Ah...I I may be a greenhorn, but please bear with me!" "No one says greenhorn anymore." Subaru gave a pained smile, instantly tossing his own quip on top of the obsolete language sailing out. Emilia had no time to deal with it, for she was busy dealing with other villagers' follow-up comments, engaging in scattered conversation. Satisfied at the turn of events, Subaru distanced himself from the throng and headed to the entrance of the Cathedral. And there stood "Lady Emilia seems to have...changed somewhat. Did you put her up to this, Barusu?" "This is something she came up with on her own. You shouldn't go crediting someone's determination to someone else, you know." "...I suppose not. Ram is at fault this time." Ram apologized for the somewhat cold impression she gave from the entrance concerning the exchanges taking place at that moment. The apology, rare coming from her, surprised Subaru, which made Ram narrow her pink eyes. "What? Even Ram apologizes when she feels she has done wrong. It simply does not happen very often." "From time to time, I'm seriously envious of that brimming-with-confidence attitude you have." "It is not a matter of confidence whatsoever. It is natural providence that Ram is correct so often." The way Ram crossed her arms in self-affirmation grander than mere overconfidence ever could be made Subaru's shoulders sink. "With this, Lady Emilia shall undertake the trial. She has received voices of support from the villagers...just as Master Roswaal wished." "Hey, stop saying it like that. Emilia doesn't calculate things like that, you know." "And you intend to shoulder the burden of the dirty work yourself, Barusu? How heroic." Ram's slender lips eased up a little as she bantered with Subaru in sarcastic fashion. But Subaru didn't feel genuine scorn for him from either her eyes or the tenor of her voice. Perhaps what he sensed was distress. He couldn't say That's not like her. Ram's kindness just happened to be difficult to see on the surface. "So you're worried about Emilia, too, huh? I'm a little surprised." "...Ram is the epitome of kindness and benevolence. Besides, if Lady Emilia can perform as Master Roswaal hopes, there will be meaning to his body's having been whittled down like that. Of course I am concerned." "Roswaal went pretty far, putting his own body on the line..." Ram's morose statement put a pained face on Subaru as he let those words trickle out. As to what Roswaal's true intentions regarding the Sanctuary were, Subaru could only sigh. Roswaal, lacking the proper qualifications, had undertaken the trial only to be rejected by the enchantment, suffering grave wounds that left him at death's door. Such a reckless challenge could only have calculations bordering on madness behind it, things no normal person could even conceive of. Passing the trial was unavoidable if the barrier of the Sanctuary was to be lifted and, faced with this fact, Roswaal had taken the initiative, sustaining wounds as a result. That even Roswaal, in an attempt to fulfill his duties as lord, was unable to succeed in the trial had established to all his people the difficulty of the matter. He had acted without hesitation before his people, wounding his name, reputation, and even body in the process "And here comes Emilia out of the blue, galloping in to undertake the trial and liberate the Sanctuary..." "The residents of this Sanctuary and the refugees held captive... Either way, they shall have a great deal for which to thank Lady Emilia. It would be good if they thought of her being a half-elf as a trifling matter..." "People's hearts don't dance in your palm that much... Besides, Emilia doesn't weigh things like that. You and I both need to have that fact sink in." Subaru watched from a distance as the villagers interacted with Emilia at the center of the Cathedral with hard, smiling faces. He understood Roswaal's thinking. This was a necessary challenge if she was to make it to the end of the royal selection ahead. He could appreciate the true intent behind Roswaal's telling Emilia this place would, at some point, be necessary to her. But he could not raise both hands high in approval. This was Subaru's stubbornness at work. "Incidentally, Barusu...there really is nothing wrong with your body?" "Ah, yeah, no problem. I wasn't lying when I said as much when I talked about the teleport. Even though Roswaal got all beat up like that, I only fainted... Dunno what to say." "I suppose you should be grateful to have such a puny Gate." "It's the truth, so I can't argue, but geez...!" Raising his voice at the very blunt remark, Subaru gave his hips a big twist on the spot before continuing. "Um, I was surprised that the ruin I teleported to was the place for the trial. Plus, there's the thing about bad stuff happening to unqualified people trying to get in... Totally a trap that kills on first sight." "You saw from Master Roswaal's wounds, right? Even someone blessed with only an average Gate should receive a rather stiff punishment. There is no telling what would have happened to Lady Emilia if she'd entered unawares, either." "...You think Frederica planned it like that?" Subaru lowered his voice and aired the suspicion he'd been harboring for a while. Ram sank into thought for a brief moment, then closed one eye as she said, "I wonder. The circumstantial evidence suggests Frederica planned something. In point of fact, Lady Emilia only avoided such a fate by a hairbreadth, escaping by Barusu's noble...relatively noble sacrifice." "Hey, don't correct that. Well, I don't mind you correcting the 'sacrifice' part because I got through it fine, but if I had sacrificed myself, call it noble even if it's a lie!" "I shall take it under advisement. In regards to Frederica, there is something I ought to tell you, Barusu." Following that preamble, Ram confirmed the state of the area around her with a sharp gaze. It was as if she wanted to be careful that no one overheard their conversation No, it was not "as if" at all. Ram approached a half-step closer to Subaru, her voice a whisper as she spoke. "Not everyone living in the Sanctuary supports being liberated from it." " ! What do you mean by that?" "There is also the matter of the elf being hidden from Miss Ryuzu and Garf, as well as Frederica's actions...but Miss Ryuzu is only the titular leader, guiding the militants like Garf. Among the residents, there are also those who do not desire liberation from the Sanctuary and who choose to remain sheltered within the barrier." "Sheltered inside the barrier... What's up with that?" Subaru, knitting his brows at Ram's warning, indicated incomprehension toward the behind-the-scenes maneuvering. If all was according to Garfiel's explanation, everyone living in the Sanctuary was of mixed blood. Naturally, that meant they were affected by the barrier and unable to leave...so long as the barrier existed, at least. "They're fine with this. To those who wish to stay, the current state, with minimal interaction with the outside, is ideal. And thus, to break this state is...highly troublesome to them." "You think Frederica's working with folks like that?" "It is possible. At present, it is mere supposition based on the available information." With Ram's subtext sounding like Do not even suggest I am being emotional, Subaru backed off and dropped the subject. However, the words left Subaru twisting his lips, his internal nervousness undiminished. Reflexively, his hand touched the white handkerchief tied around his own neck. "And that is? A rather old-fashioned protective charm, yes?" "Petra... Ah, a cute girl in the village. She gave this to me before I left. She was hired as a new maid to help Frederica out at the mansion... That's why I'm worried." If Frederica was operating from a position of malice, it was quite possible she'd take Petra hostage. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to the girl who'd offered her cooperation in such good faith. Even more than that, Rem was back at the mansion. He'd spoken exhaustively to Frederica about just how important the girl was, both to him and to the other people at the mansion. But Ram exhaled and said, "Ah, that," in reply to Subaru's misgivings, then continued. "Rest at ease. Frederica would never do ill to a new worker at the mansion. She has surely not fallen into heresy such as that. You need not be concerned for the girl." "...Do you trust Frederica, or do you not trust Frederica? Which is it...?" "I know not what she schemes. But that Frederica is indeed Frederica, I do not doubt." Having asserted the point with such force, Ram averted her gaze from Subaru's face. She folded her slender arms and motioned with her chin indicating Emilia at the center of the Cathedral. "Be careful, Barusu. The most certain means for those opposed to liberating the Sanctuary to achieve their aims is to cause Lady Emilia harm. We do not know who our enemies are. Remain ever vigilant." "So this is secret from Ryuzu and Garfiel, too, huh...? Those two being opposed

to liberation is too far-fetched, I suppose?" "Even if those two are not involved, someone related to them might be. It is best that as few people know as possible...even if one of them has very loose lips, yes?" Subaru couldn't even manage a groan as she drove the implication in like a nail, making it painfully clear just whom she meant. Either way, now that he was in the Sanctuary, Ram's warning was exceptionally important. In particular, he'd never have known there was an antiliberation faction if she hadn't told him. "Man, that girl really did look just like Ryuzu..." Ryuzu herself might disagree, but he couldn't imagine they were unrelated. There was a mountain of things he wanted to ask her about, not least of which was her own lineage. However, this was not the time to question her about his various misgivings. "Master Roswaal made time for you this evening. Be satisfied with that." "After seeing those wounds I'm not gonna complain... I still feel like suspecting that was part of his scheme, though." "That is even more farfetched. Garf came to see how Master Roswaal was doing... Does he look like the kind of man who would cooperate with Master Roswaal's plans?" "You're pretty harsh with the guy who's fallen for you!" "Even though he knows it is hopeless." That last comment was the harshest of all, enough to make Subaru sympathize with the absent Garfiel. "This evening, huh?" Once his sympathy ran its course, he murmured to himself about the time pledged to them for conversation. Unlike during the day, when they had been able to ask little about the circumstances surrounding the Sanctuary, Roswaal had set time aside so that they could speak about those matters. However, the time promised to them would come after Emilia undertook the trial. "It would seem the sun is finally setting." Ram murmured as she turned her head outside the temple, looking up as the sky of the setting sun was repainted in the colors of the night. Night was coming. A night when people would be tested by the trial so as to set the Sanctuary free. 5 The atmosphere of the Sanctuary underwent a great change after sunset. The settlement had been little more than a lonely, destitute village to begin with. It had only the minimum lighting necessary to ward off the darkness of the night; except for the weak lighting coming from houses, there was no aid for a nighttime stroll save the light of the stars. That was why a bonfire had been lit in the center of the settlement to illuminate the path toward the tomb, making that night an exception. "Thanks to that, we were able to hook up safe and sound. Thank goodness for fire! Right, Otto?" "Look me in the eye once and try saying that one more time! Damn it all!" There in the Sanctuary, in the clearing illuminated by the bonfire, Otto's face was red with anger as his outraged voice echoed. He stamped the ground with his foot, thrusting a shaking finger at Subaru as he ranted. "Do you think this is something that can be papered over with a little light conversation?! You completely left me behind at the dragon carriage, unable to move away from it, since morning, you understand?!" "Having said that, you're the one who told Garfiel you'd stay with the dragon carriage, right? Patlash, my fave dragon, was here, too, so you shouldn't have been lonely... Well, it's a fact that I forgot you, though." "That fact sinks deeply into my empty stomach!" Subaru's brazen reply left Otto fuming amid the bonfire light breaching the darkness of night. After arriving in the Sanctuary, he'd been on the same page when stabling the dragon carriage was left to him, but, having been completely forgotten over the course of furious conversation, had only just reunited with Subaru under his own power. Incidentally, it was already the dead of night, with supper at the Cathedral long over. "I can't really call it an awesome-tasting meal, but beggars can't be choosers." "So I am not only a chooser, but a beggar as well?! I really am holding a grudge over this!" "My bad, my bad. I'll apologize properly later... Right now, I've gotta focus over here." When Otto drew close, Subaru nudged his forehead back, giving a pained smile as his gaze shifted elsewhere. When Otto followed suit, he narrowed his eyes, gazing at the girl at the center of the clearing surrounded by faint points of light. "Lady Emilia and minor spirits, yes? Just how many difficult issues arose while I was unaware?" "'Difficult issues'... Don't say it like anything and everything's all troublesome stuff we've got on our shoulders." "Am I wrong to call these issues difficult, then?" "They're difficult issues. Ultradifficult. On top of that, Emilia has to take 'em on all by herself." Humphing at the knowing look on Otto's face, Subaru proceeded to walk over to Emilia. With her eyes closed as she received the blessings of the minor spirits, she sensed his presence, lifting her face and pursing her lips. "Get enough cheers of support from the minor spirits to satisfy you?" "Mm, it's all right. But I suppose I do want one final push." "May I?" "If you want to, Subaru. Please." "Good luck, don't lose! E M D !!" Emilia let out a little laugh at Subaru's enthusiastic cheer, briefly adding "Thank you" before shifting her gaze toward the tomb she was to challenge. Standing beside her, Subaru licked his lips and looked up at the ruin, which gave off a very different impression compared to during the day. "It is a tomb, so it's waaaaay creepier at night than daytime. You're all right, Emilia-tan?" "I'm a little worried, but it's nothing. This is something I have to do." Clenching a pale fist, Emilia took a deep breath infused with plenty of vigor. At the same time, Subaru began to worry that she looked a little too worked up. "Hah! Well, she's full of pep. Ya'd better be, not that I'm expectin' anything from ya!" "Garfiel and Ryuzu." Turning toward the voice, Subaru saw two short figures walking through the entrance to the clearing one a young-looking girl, and the other a teenage boy. Though very different people, the pair without doubt represented the Sanctuary. In addition, Ram came in, following in Garfiel and Ryuzu's footsteps. It seemed they were the only ones who would be watching Emilia undertake the trial. "It's a little lonely having this be the entire audience." "The humans of Earlham Village have been forbidden from venturing out at night. There is no proper lighting for them at this hour, after all..." "Besides, we do not want to kick up an unnecessary ruckus. The elderly are very sensitive at night." "Ya sure wake up bright and early in the mornin', though!" Ram and the others replied to Subaru's musing in sequence as they lined up before the tomb in good order. Ram was a proxy for the injured Roswaal; Garfiel and Ryuzu represented the interests of the Sanctuary. Subaru, Emilia's retainer, and the outsider Otto filled out the roster. Otto was the only one whose presence seemed tentative and not strictly necessary, but setting that aside... "I'll watch you take up the challenge in place of the people from the village. I'm sure they really wanted to cheer you on." "Mm, thank you. I'll work hard to fulfill your expectations, those of the villagers...and everyone else watching." *** It was only when Emilia added the part at the very end that her gaze shifted beyond the clearing. Subaru wondered what her gesture meant, but he had no time to pursue the matter. Emilia exhaled briefly and turned back toward the tomb, walking toward the stairway at the entrance. The next moment, there was "A light, from the tomb..." It was Otto who murmured it, but his surprise was shared by everyone present. The five watched as the surface of the ruin Emilia was to challenge glowed with a faint light, seemingly welcoming the challenger, illuminating the Witch's final resting place with a green, phosphorescent glow that seemed to sink into the darkness. "This is proof that the tomb recognizes Lady Emilia as being qualified to undertake the trial." Ryuzu looked up at the phosphorescent light surrounding the tomb, putting into words the reason for the beautiful scene. Subaru and the others were speechless as they stared at it, with only Emilia unhesitant as she climbed the stairs. Then, when she reached the top of the stairs, she was greeted by the entrance to the deep, dark ruin biding its time. " I am off." Subaru felt like he heard her speak those words in a little voice. He watched Emilia proceed into the tomb's corridor until he could no longer see her back. The entire ruin remained enveloped in the phosphorescent light; the trial had surely begun. The ruin had rent Roswaal's body into tatters and had caused Subaru to faint and lose consciousness. When Emilia stepped within, worry welled in Subaru, almost as if someone were grasping his beating heart "Do not be concerned, Young Su. The tomb has firmly welcomed Lady Emilia into it. The light you see is proof of that. You need not worry that she will bounce off like Young Ros." "The image of him bouncing off is bouncing right off of me... Er, sorry. You're just being concerned for me..." "Ho-ho. I do not get upset when someone apologizes. Perhaps that is why I was too soft in raising Young Gar." Subaru put on a strained smile, struck by the great contrast between her little-girl appearance and the elderly smiling face she presented. As Ryuzu spoke, she glanced sidelong at Garfiel, watching over the tomb some distance away. He crossed his arms, audibly clenched his fangs, and kept scraping the ground with the tips of his toes, unable to calm down. "I was just thinking..." "Mm? About what?" "The trial of this tomb only those of mixed blood affected by the barrier can take it, right? Now that I think about it, Ryuzu, have you or Garfiel done it already?" "Logically, it is possible to merely undergo the trial. However, we cannot liberate the Sanctuary. This is because of the never-ending pact that binds us residents to this place." "...Another pact, huh?" Subaru's distasteful tone and the bitter look on his face made Ryuzu raise an eyebrow. "Ohh? Young Su, you dislike pacts?" "I don't have a good impression of them. I have bad memories of trials over the last few weeks, too. The guy I hate most in this whole world talked about them a bunch." "My, my, what a poor impression indeed. It must cause the spirit-user girl no small amount of trouble." Spirit mages took all oaths very seriously. Ryuzu's words were proof this was a publicly known fact. As a matter of fact, pacts and oaths were among the reasons Subaru and Emilia had once split up. It went almost without saying that Subaru had internally concluded it was his own fault. All the same "Accepting it and liking it are two different things. I'll keep putting a red line through them in my lexicon going forward." "Obstinate, aren't you...? Well, a little stubbornness in a young one like you is adorable, too..." It was really hard to wrap his head around the young one part. At the same time, Subaru saw a whiff of chagrin rising onto the side of Ryuzu's face. Perhaps it was nothing more than her having been robbed of the opportunity to challenge the trial for herself and having to rely on an outsider to lift the barrier. She might have quietly felt powerless on the inside. Thinking along those lines, he could understand Garfiel's irritation, too. Considering the grasp of his personality Subaru had arrived at in a short time, there

was no doubt he was the type who'd rather die than leave his problems for someone else to solve. *** From there, time proceeded to flow. Subaru did nothing and said nothing as he waited for Emilia to return. There was no visible change in Garfiel. Ryuzu continued to stand beside Subaru in silence. When he shifted his gaze a little, he was surprised to see pleasant-looking conversation passing between Ram and Otto. To Subaru, who had experienced little pleasant conversation with Ram, this was an alarming development. He was about to think fruitless things, such as I'll have to get him to spill conversation tips for Ram later but something happened first. "Ah?" When the change met the eyes of all others present, they instantly gasped as one. Reflexively, Subaru blinked and looked back, by which time the source of light over all that time had already been lost. In other words, the almost dazzling phosphorescent glow surrounding the tomb...had been extinguished. "The light's gone?! Hey, is everything all right?!" "The light of the tomb should not cease so long as the trial continues..." "Meaning something went wrong?! Emilia!" Raising his voice at the sudden disaster, Subaru raced toward the tomb without a first or second thought. Ryuzu reached toward his back, shouting with urgency in her voice. "W-wait, Young Su! You are not qualified to enter the t !" "Aaah? What the hell?!" Ryuzu's voice trailed off in shock, leaving a bewildered Garfiel to send spittle flying as he picked up where she'd left off. Ram and Otto were just as surprised; even Subaru's breath faintly caught. The tomb lit up the instant Subaru's foot hit the steps, beginning to radiate a green, phosphorescent light. "The same as Lady Emilia... Er, Mr. Natsuki!" "If I can get in, it's the answer to my prayers! Everyone stay outside! I'll call if anything happens!" "Barusu!!" Shrugging off the voices trying to stop him, Subaru raced up the stairs and dived into the tomb. The ruin's air was cold and dry. The corridor in which his steps echoed was enveloped by the same green, phosphorescent light covering the outer walls, giving him a pretty good view of the moss- and vine-covered interior. The strange sensation accompanying each and every step clawed at his chest. The scene, the location somehow seemed familiar to him, the inside of his head anguished as if being violated by some unknown memory. "Of course I know this place... I came here before, in the dayt !!" Deciding that his memory from that time was the culprit, he impulsively stomped on the thought in his head with a shoe as he dived deeper. The air deep in the ruin was stagnant, invading his nostrils with a dusty scent. He felt his lungs worsen with each and every breath. He shook his head as he went deeper, deeper, deeper "A room?" When he finally reached the end of the corridor, Subaru beheld a door before his eyes that led into a small room. The grimy stone door was already open, having abandoned its duty of warding off intruders, so Subaru slipped in without resistance. *** He raced into the room, a cramped chamber surrounded by stone walls. Strangely, the vines and moss had not encroached upon it, and it had deteriorated only insofar as the ruin's age would suggest. In back of the not-particularly-large stone room was another closed door that likely led deeper still, and in front of it " Emilia!!" A silver-haired girl was spread out on the floor, seemingly having sprawled her limbs when she collapsed upon it. Unable to see her face from the entrance, Subaru desperately ran to her side. He didn't know what had happened. All he knew was that he had to pick her up and escape from the tomb as soon as poss " First, face your past." The next instant, Subaru gasped when a voice seemed to whisper right into his ears. *** Strength drained from him, leaving him no time to ponder what the voice might be. His knees buckled, and Subaru's body went down like a doll, making no move to break his fall. Since he was in midrun, he tumbled onto the floor with limbs sprawled like a snow angel, ending up right next to Emilia by pure chance. *** I've fallen right beside her once before, haven't I? he suddenly thought. Before he could recall the memory, his first memory of death, Subaru's thoughts were swallowed up by the darkness 6 As he always did, when Subaru awoke from slumber, he felt short of breath, as if his head were breaking the surface of the water. The feeling was much like that of floating in a sea of unconsciousness, floating upward in search of the air called reality. Then, when his awakening lungs had breathed in enough of that reality, Subaru's mind awo *** "Hmrabhttnn?!" That cool, refreshing morning, his poetic rise from slumber, was smashed to pieces by an incredibly destructive impact. From above, something heavy squeezed the air out of his body, forcing Subaru to let out a cry much like a frog being squished. He batted the top of the futon away as he hacked and coughed. "Hey, hey, heyyy, what's the matter? That's just my diving press to wake you up with love! Same as usual. Really gets those carelessness-is-your-greatest-enemy fires burning, huh?" "Koff! Koff!... That's expecting way too...much from a guy who's asleep... Wait, just now..." What the heck happened? he wondered, lifting his face with tearful eyes. As Subaru brought half his body out of bed, the other party pointed a finger to the ceiling right before Subaru's eyes. And then "What is it with you? You've got the look of a guy looking at his father buck naked in the morning!" It was his father Kenichi Natsuki as he posed half-naked there in the morning, blessing his son's awakening with a cackling laugh. CHAPTER 4 *** 1 The annoying cackling, laughing voice made Subaru appreciate that yet another normal morning had arrived. He was in his own, very familiar room. There was a bookshelf stuffed with manga and light novels on the wall, and the student desk he'd been using since a young age held a variety of small tools and the fruits of various hobbies scattered over it. In the back of the room was an old television used exclusively for gaming, and before that was the very familiar sight of his half-naked father. Such was the morning scenery surrounding Subaru Natsuki atop the now-unmade bed. *** But amid that very familiar scenery, he felt an odd stirring in his chest "Heyyy, are you ignoring me?! If you ignore me I'm gonna cry! I'm your real daddy related to you by blood and no spring chicken. Do you really think I can take that? There's no way. I'll die from embarrassment!" "Same goes for me, then! Or rather, the press just now killed me. Now I will sleep forever." Subaru responded appropriately to his half-naked father's statement and ducked under the futon. Faced with his son's cold demeanor, his father Kenichi groaned out in dissatisfaction. "Well, whaaaat is this?! Is this your rebellious phase?! Shit, I thought it'd come someday, but I never expected it'd be this morning. I should've spent less time preparing breakfast and more time preparing to speak with my own son...!!" "You say that, but what are you tryin' to do with a guy's legs... Hey, wait a Ow! Owwww!" "Okaaay, I've decided that today, I'll have a heart-to-heart talk with you! First, let's talk with our muscles! You just try breaking out of my figure-four leg lock infused with looove! Oh yeaaah !" With Subaru's legs bound in a lock atop the bed, Kenichi lay down facing the opposite direction as he applied pressure to the joints. Unable to resist, Subaru let out a painful cry, which Kenichi greeted with a laugh as he mocked his son. "Gwahahah! What's wrong, what's wrong? You work out every day so you can grow big and strong, so aren't you ashamed of having such a hard time against one middle-aged ma Ah, wait a second! Ow! Owwww!" "You're a fool to pick a figure-four leg lock, it's weak against reversals. You're getting old, Dad! All I have to do is reverse my body and the damage flies the other way! Here's my revenge for you putting a figure-four leg lock on... Ah, wait! You can't reverse my reversal... Owow! Owowowow!" As the victim shifted that morning, painful cries arose, boisterous voices filling the Natsuki residence to the brim. Thus did the horseplay resembling a father-son dispute continue until "Put a sock in it, you two. Your mom is getting pretty hungry over here and wants to eat breakfast." When an uneven knock and a casual voice flew into the room, the pair engaged in a war of holds came to a complete halt. Both of them teary-eyed from pain, they looked at the entryway, where a single woman stood a middle-aged woman with a foul look in her eyes. At first sight, one might think the look grave, filled with considerable displeasure, but in truth, she wasn't the kind of person to think anything of the sort on the inside, something Subaru knew from seventeen years of being acquainted with her. Subaru could derive all that from a single glance at her foul look, for the woman appearing was his mother, Nahoko Natsuki. Nahoko's words made Kenichi go "Whoopsie!" He stuck his tongue out while leaping to his feet and said, "Sorry, sorry. I lost myself scuffling with Subaru there. You could've eaten without us, you know..." " ? Why would I, when we can eat as a family? It's better to eat with everyone together." When Kenichi turned his attention her way, Nahoko inclined her head with a mystified look. There was neither sarcasm nor resentment in her speech; it was simply how she really felt. His wife's reply sent Kenichi nodding strongly several times over. "That's right, so very right. That's my bride! You really get it. Breakfast is much tastier when everyone's faces are gathered in one place! " "The taste doesn't change. Everyone eating together means I can wash all the plates at once, though." "Ah, you were talking about the cleanup? Sorry, I guess I got overly worked up by my lonesome." Kenichi said a rather nice line, but Nahoko's statement bluntly shot it down. Nahoko looked curious as the blow sent her husband's shoulders sinking. Then she looked in Subaru's direction and said, "You're coming for breakfast, too, Subaru. Your mom worked hard for your sake today, after all." To this, she added a thin smile, which only those close to her understood meant she was in a very good mood indeed. 2 "Whoa, this is amazin', Subaru. It's a super-special course. It's like a green forest." Thus spoke Kenichi, gone from half-naked to clothed, as he went down to the first floor with Subaru. Standing by his father, who wore comically eye-catching glasses, Subaru gazed at the dining table and sighed. "I'm straight-up grateful. Mm, I seriously feel that way...but what's up, Mom? Why is my plate the only one with a big pile of green peas plopped on top of it?" Just as Kenichi had pointed out, before Subaru's spot on the dining table was a special course, a large heaping pile of green peas. Incidentally, Subaru really didn't like green peas. He was bad with green vegetables in general, but especially these. "Hey now, you're always saying how you hate green peas, aren't you, Subaru? It's not good to be picky about your food, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to make you eat lots and put that whole business to rest." "So you relied on a memory you'd eventually forget anyway and decided to correct my likes and dislikes. But what do you mean, this opportunity...? Is today some kind of special day or something?" "Heh,

you're so naive, Subaru. The day that is today...no, any day, any hour is precious time that will never return again in your life, so today may not be special, but it's special in its own way..." "You can, um, stop now." When Kenichi wedged himself into the conversation, throwing him for a bit of a loop, Subaru sat down with resignation on his face. Then the first thing he did was push the plate packed with green peas away from him. "Anyway, I'll accept the feelings you felt for me on their own merit...but I'll pass on the green peas. I'm not eating these things even if it's Armageddon." "Sheesh, that kind of like-and-dislike stuff will be a big hindrance to life down the road. Ah, Mom, there's some tomato in my salad. I hate tomato, so give me something else to eat." "That's my father for you, damn it...the first part of what he says has nothing to do with the second." The husband passed the tomato in his salad on to his wife, stealing the boiled egg from her salad in turn. Such trades between husband and wife were always occurring in the Natsuki residence. Glancing sidelong at that, Subaru pressed his hands together over everything on the menu except the green peas, which that morning consisted of tofu, miso soup, and honey toast heavy on the honey. "I think you're always doing this, but why the eclectic Japanese-style food?" "Mom used seaweed as an ingredient in the miso soup. I like strawberry jam on my toast, too." The reply was not an answer, nor was it consistent with that day's menu. If he pointed that out, Nahoko would no doubt simply give him a mystified look. Accordingly, Subaru didn't trouble himself with pointing it out. "Mm, this miso soup... That's Mom for you. You've gotten better at this behind my back, haven't you?" "You can tell? Actually, I recorded a thirty-minute cooking channel video yesterday over lunchtime." "No way she watched it." Kenichi's statement felt strongly appropriate to the moment, and Nahoko's reply felt incongruous with equal strength. Furthermore, if Nahoko's statement were dragged in line with the truth, it would likely go from her having recorded the show to her having only recorded it, most likely never to consider it again. "Setting that aside, what are you gonna do about this plate of green peas? I tried to pass it to Daddy, Daddy passed it to Mom, and Mom passed it to me, and we've been going around in circles..." "But Mom hates green peas. I hate even looking at them." "And you were trying to overcome me being picky?!" "Ah, don't misunderstand me, it's not just green peas that Mom hates, it's all food that's little and round like that. It feels icky to put them in my mouth." "That's not a misunderstanding, then if anything it just sounds even fishier than before!" Deflated by his mother's impactful statement, Subaru grudgingly pushed the plate of green peas Kenichi's way. "Well, it's the husband's place to take responsibility for the wife, so I'll leave it to Daddy to reap the fruits of defeat." "Hey, don't make me feel all lonely here, Subaru. We're family getting along like few do these days, right? In other words, if Mom hates it, Daddy hates it, too." "Man, I really feel for this forest of green, nobody's happy with it!" In the end, Kenichi made a face like a mischievous brat as he said, "Guess we'll have to plop 'em into pilaf until they're all gone. Heh-heh-heh..." And thus, how to dispose of them was settled. No longer having to solo the green peas, Subaru readily promised to cooperate in their disposal. For her part, Nahoko declared, "I hate even looking at them," completely rejecting them in every way. In the end, it became a competition between the two men to dispose of the green peas, and the family breakfast finally came to an end. "It was a feast." "Oh, it was nothing special. OK, let's wash all the dinnerware in the sink, then it's a race to school to help with digestion, Subaru!" "I keep telling you, give it up with this cliché rushing-me-off-to-school routine. I'm gonna sleep till noon." As the dinnerware was piled into the sink, Kenichi made the offer with a glint of his teeth, leaving Subaru to listlessly shake his head. Then, as he watched both parents head off, Subaru scratched his head as he went toward his bedroom then his feet stopped. " Ugnh!" A throbbing pain ran across his temples, making Subaru strongly rub his head and eyes. The light flashing on the backs of his eyelids made him blink, and he felt like he could hear something hot smoldering inside his chest. Something was off. Something about that morning was odd. "Subaru?" From the back of his head, the halted Subaru felt the gazes of his parents. Subaru knew just what emotions were infused into his father's gaze, his mother's gaze, the gazes of both his parents. He didn't turn around. He silenced his head, practically fleeing no, literally fleeing to his own room. "What? Why, why am I getting these weird feelings like this...?" Touching a hand to his own breast, Subaru sensed his rapid heartbeats, and even fear. Practically crumbling, he knelt on top of the futon, focusing his restless mind on the clock mounted on the wall. The time was eight AM school started at eight thirty, and it was a twenty-minute jog from home. If he changed clothes, he could just make it without being late. *** But Subaru made no sign of changing clothes as he stared at the movement of the clock from atop the futon. Gradually, the second hand notched forward, and the minute hand moved to ten crossing the deadline. From then on, he would not make it in time for school to begin. However he might struggle, that was absolute. "...So it can't be helped. Yeah, it can't be helped." Perhaps, if there'd been just a little more time until he could harden his resolve, he might have made it to school. But reality had imposed its time limit on Subaru to an exceptional extent. He'd gone beyond it. Therefore, no more would the choice press upon him that day. And yet "...Usually, this would calm me down, wouldn't it? What gives...?" His breath was ragged, his heart rate wouldn't settle, and Subaru desperately tried to suppress the shaking of his body. This was the time for his daily ritual of fear to come to a close. Even though he knew that the same fear would come every day at the same hour, that day's had exceeded all bounds. That morning, no one would censure Subaru any longer. No one would hurry him, or back him into a corner. Whether to go to school the time that tiny question would cause such powerful pain to Subaru had come to an end. It had been several months since he had rejected school and become a delinquent. Though this had given root to a powerful sense of inferiority and self-revulsion, he became relieved every time he confirmed that the time to go to school had passed. This was something Subaru had repeated many times over. Thus, the palpable sense of relief should have been well ingrained in Subaru's flesh. And yet... "What is it, today of all days...?" The sense of guilt and self-hatred, the clinging sense of unpleasantness...they just wouldn't vanish. He didn't know where the sense of nervousness plucking at his chest was coming from. Without understanding how to set his breathing straight, Subaru agonized on top of the futon, smeared in disagreeable sweat. Now that he thought back, something had been off from the moment he'd awoken that morning. His father, Kenichi, hatching schemes like that to wake Subaru up was a daily fact of life. Once Subaru stopped going to school, becoming a good-for-nothing in name and fact, his father's approach toward him hadn't changed from before. And yet, the physical contact, the conversing, the holds from his father, now hurt for a different reason. Even if his mother, Nahoko, had all kinds of harebrained ideas that strayed from the mark, with those that misfired, like the one that morning, far more common than those that did not, she'd always put Subaru first always, for seventeen years. Even so, his mother's gaze that morning had instilled a sense of loneliness and thoughts of self-reproach well beyond the norm. Everything was the same as usual, not a thing out of place. And yet, he'd sensed something off about his parents, and about himself. "The heck. What the heck, what happened? Yesterday wasn't anything spec Ugh!" When he thought back to the day before in search of the cause of that morning's change in tone, fireworks scattered inside his head. The pain interrupted his thought process, feeling strangely as if it was preventing Subaru's attempt to touch on his own memory. To prove whether it was so, Subaru would have to challenge the sea of his memory once more and this he did not do. There was no special reason for the odd pain that morning. That day, his feelings of guilt had simply decided to assert themselves as pain. Probably he had been unable to look either of his parents straight in the eye because "Subaru, can I come in for juuust a bit?" A voice came through the door, but the door opened before he could reply. When he let out a heavy breath and turned his head toward it, Kenichi was moonwalking his way into his own son's room. Subaru spontaneously smacked his forehead. "...Coming in before I answer kind of defeats the point of asking me, doesn't it?" "Hey, now. With the hard bonds tying me and you, father and son, together, that's not really nece Er, it kind of is! Sorry, I wasn't considering that you're in puberty. I'll come again after you've taken care of things." "Don't go back to form and lob weirdly realistic conclusions out like that! I wasn't even doing anything!" When a crack was evident in the chain between father and son, he made a show of consideration. When Subaru spoke with a ragged voice, Kenichi went "Reaaally?" with a suspicious air and entered the room once more. Then he sat on the futon and crossed his arms in Subaru's direction. "Well, it's fine. We'll leave what just happened as a secret shared by the two of us alone." "There's nothing that needs to be a secret! Just be honest, sheesh! All you're doing is assaulting me before I get back to sleep again!" "I get it, I get it So, then. Let's get to the point. Actually, Subaru, I took time off from work today. Surprised?" "...Yeah, I figured that. Daddy's not at the house on a Monday morning very often. And?" "Don't be hasty jumping to conclusions. A father-son conversation is like boxing. The jab comes first." Kenichi's laid-back smile and demeanor made Subaru feel like he was just drawing out the conversation. He was dancing around the main issue, using words and gestures to make light of things and giving himself and his opponent time to harden their resolve. This was a kind of habit in interpersonal relations Subaru knew well. It was not simply because the apple did not fall far from the tree there was a separate reason, one steeped in incorrigible idiocy. " Ow!!" The instant he embraced that sentiment, a sharp pain ran through Subaru's head once more. He began to vaguely suspect just what was causing the pain. But Subaru averted his gaze from Kenichi as he said, "...And? Now that you've landed the jab, what's Daddy's right-handed punch, your conversation topic, gonna be?" "Yes, let's see. Subaru, do you have a girl you like?" "What is this, middle school?!!" "Ohh, that overreaction is like making a confession, don't ya know?" "What gives with you

saying that with that smug look on your face? Exasperated sighs of lament don't mean anything, you know." He'd meant to paper over the sentiment, but that blow had been an unexpected one. But, as a matter of fact, the assertion was off the mark, because Subaru didn't have any interest in such things at that time. He had neither the interest nor a belief that he ought to have one. "Keh, well, aren't you boring. I laid it all out when you were little, didn't I? Girls have a weakness for promises that happened years ago and situations like that, so go make some and set up some flags, damn it!" "If I sincerely took that as truth, I'd have every girl in town pointing me out as a dishonest bastard. I already have too many sins to deal with...you trying to drive me down into a living hell?" "...If only you'd inherited my gentle mask. You've got Mom's I-don't-give-a-damn look, plus Daddy's short legs and bad jokes. Your status points are pretty low, huh?" "I've been sayin' that since I had a umbilical cord..." The tension dropped between father and son as they bantered about their hardwired genetic situations. As the diversion ran its course, Subaru returned to "So?" once more and asked, "What was the issue at hand, anyway? After this, I have an important duty to fulfill: sleeping two to three more hours. So if what you want draws a total beeeep, then talk to Mom downstairs, okay?" "Don't brush me off all natural like that. Besides, this talk would just fly over Mom's head. My wife and your mom is the worst woman at guessing in the whole world. That's why I can't let her out of my sight, but..." The natural way he tossed out fond phrases bored Subaru, his adolescent son, to tears. When Subaru hung his head, Kenichi went "Hmm," then twisted his neck a bit and smiled mischievously as he said, "Well, it happens to be nice weather out how 'bout we dress up and have a little father-son talk outside?" 3 "Ohh, Ken. Not often I see you in the morning. They finally fired you, huh?" "Don't be stupid. Nothing's getting done in that place without me. Felt bad to work so much that I'm stealing everyone else's job, so I've gotta lay off once in a while." Kenichi lobbed his insult with a raise of his middle finger, smiling toward the owner of a nearby bakery as he passed on his bicycle. He proceeded to toss warm words the store owner's way as the latter vanished around a bend, adding afterward, "Sheesh, everyone talks like I got fired just 'cause they see me taking a day off. Is it so bad I'm nurturing a loving family here? And if I was fired, I'd get a new job before I got busted." "...As a person you're nurturing, I'm praying you don't toss any heart-stopping surprises like that on me." Hands thrust into his tracksuit pockets, Subaru watched the conversation with the baker from a distance, with sinking shoulders. "Hey, hey," went Kenichi at his son's demeanor, adjusting the position of his highly conspicuous glasses as he said, "It's bad enough in your own darned room, but there you are, making that suspicious face when I've dragged you out and the sun's shining this bright on a nice crisp morning like this. You might get stopped by a cop like that." "If I got stopped by a cop, it'd be because Daddy dragged me out at a time like this!! I...said I didn't wanna, but you twisted my arm anyway." "What are you sayin'? That foot dragging was just goin' through the motions. You really love everything about Daddy, don't ya, Subaru? Relax, I love you, too. Next after Mom, that is!" Their stroll recommenced, and Kenichi's feelings didn't seem all that hurt as he gave Subaru a slap on his back. Subaru grimaced at the force of it, but that moment, his thoughts were stolen by an even greater ache in his breast. After all, simply walking close to his father instilled so much pain, he felt like it would crush his chest. "Don't be all guarded like that. It's not like I'm gonna talk about anything scary. It's an actual legit father-son talk." "'Legit father-son talk,' eh?" "Yep, legit father-son talk Incidentally, Subaru, which would you rather have...a little brother or a little sister?" "Being asked that at seventeen is nothing but scary!!" He'd lost count of the unexpected blows, but this one left Subaru aghast, voice coarsened. Seeing his son like that, Kenichi went "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," showing off his teeth with a smile. "Well, Mom and I are certainly still on lovey-dovey terms, but at our age we really don't wanna see more than one of you. So be happy. You're monopolizing my and Mom's love." "Ahh, right, right. Happy, happy... You really are joking, right?" "That sounds like the lead up to Nooo, do you hate me that much? and that kind of stuff, huh?" When the possibility it wasn't merely a joke finally surfaced, Subaru wordlessly reflected on that possibility. Taking in the insecure, objecting gaze, Kenichi laughed keh, keh as he nodded. Subaru and his father were walking on a footpath a short distance from home. Subaru lived in a place with a mildly famous riverside doubling as a spring tourist spot, with cherry trees growing along the embankment. It was currently the wrong season for cherry blossoms, so the embankment was in full leaf instead. Subaru glanced at the trees as he walked with his father around town. "Ken, what are you doing here in the morning? It's a late hour for starting pachinko, don't ya know." "Oh my, Kenichi. By any chance, were you seduced by the aroma of curry in the daytime?" "Oh wow, you're here, Ken? Now that's really funny. Isn't this bad for you? It's funny, though..." The bright, sunny, average day made the time fly as father and son walked around town that morning, with numerous voices tossed their way. No, the voices were not being tossed their way. They were limited to the father, Kenichi, alone. Regardless of whether male or female, young or old, there seemed no limit to the people who knew Kenichi's face. That went for the store owner in the shopping district, the housewife taking out the garbage, the senior high school girl with the ganguro look that was rarely seen nowadays, et cetera, et cetera "Kenny, it's been a while. You still hanging out with Ikeda, hmm?" "That Ikeda guy? He won big at horse racing and used the money to retire and vanish ten years ago. He still sends New Year's cards, summer greeting cards, winter greeting cards, Christmas cards, and cards on his mom and pop's birthdays, though." "I wouldn't call someone in touch that much 'vanished'..." When Subaru inadvertently interrupted with a quip, he quickly covered his mouth. Overhearing his murmur, Kenichi and the solidly built old man he was speaking to looked over. The other man was wearing green overalls and a tag with the name of the riverside on it, so he seemed like a caretaker of some sort. The old man spurring the conversation must have gone way back with Kenichi, his eyes going round as he looked at Subaru. "Kenny, it's not often you bring someone along with you... Could that child be...?" "Ahh, yeah. This is my son. Nah, I should correct that, my beloved son!" "Ohh, I knew it! Somehow, he seemed like the spitting image of you when you were... Ahhh, maybe not so much. He takes after his mother, perhaps?" "Errr, ha-ha... I get that a lot. Especially about the look of my eyes." Amid the very average construction of his face, he'd inherited Nahoko's extremely characteristic three-whites-eyes look. In terms of outward appearance, about the only thing Subaru had inherited from Kenichi was the somewhat limited length of his legs. When Subaru gave that noncommittal reply, the old man eagerly nodded. "I am surprised, though. That Kenny got old enough to have a boy this big? Guess I'm getting old, too. If Ikeda was drowning, I don't have any strength in my body left to go swim and save him." "Well, I don't think even that Ikeda guy is enough of a kid to go play in the river and drown..." "I certainly hope not. Ikeda and your father just won't settle down like they should at their ages... Did you know they both used to be brats who walked around town kicking up all kinds of ruckus?" "...Well, kinda." Subaru's reply was on the awkward side. Receiving this, the old man knotted his eyes with a somewhat suspicious look. However, the next moment, the creases of his brow deepened further. "Come to think of it...today's Monday, isn't it? What are you doing with your father at this hour?" *** The question he did not want asked, the words he did not want to hear, made Subaru's heart strongly jump. Next came the sharp, stabbing pain like that which had visited him in his own bedroom. Spontaneously, Subaru clutched his painful head and closed his eyes, wringing out "I'm sorry" as he turned his back upon the old man. "Ah, hey, Subaru! Sorry, pops. I'll come again when we can take our time!" "R-right... It seems I shouldn't have said that. Apologize to the lad for me, would you?" The conversation exchanged behind him did not enter his ears. At any rate, Subaru tried to run from the pain threatening to crack his skull, seeking a place where he could get the pounding heartbeats in his chest to calm down, fleeing from the embankment with rapid steps. "It's nothing you need to apologize for and the rest is his problem." While he fled, he never heard Kenichi utter those words behind his back. 4 "Here, a cold, tasty cola packed with loooove. If you give it a nice, good shake, it's even tastier... Well, I'd like to say that, but this doesn't seem to be the time." "...No one has time to pack anything with love on the way back from the vending machine." Accepting it, Subaru felt the coolness of the can on his palm as he put his fingers on the pull tab. Then, after a moment's thought, he pointed the can's lid toward no one in particular before putting strength into his fingers The instant he opened the lid, the contents spewed out with incredible force, reducing its contents by about a third. And, witnessing this "Tch." "Don't click your tongue! I've seen this movie before! Aww, my hand's all sticky now!" Shaking off his cola-bathed hand, Subaru clicked his own tongue at Kenichi's childish prank. Then he put the lightened can to his lips, swallowing down and healing his parched throat in one sitting. He savored the carbonic acid bouncing down his throat, wishing it would wash away even the discomfort welling in his chest. "So, you've calmed down?" "...A little." Replying with a sober look, Subaru sank his weight into the bench upon which his butt rested. As his son proceeded to heave a deep sigh, Kenichi, standing right in front of him, opened his can of cola and brought it to his own lips. After fleeing from the footpath, father and son had ended up at a desolate public park for children. Naturally, it being morning on an ordinary weekday, there was no sign of anyone in the park, which liberated Subaru from the strange feeling of being backed into a corner. Even then, the headache was asserting itself, but it had abated to the point that he could converse. He wanted to change the subject, and soon. "...Incidentally, it took you a bit of time just to go to the vending machine and back. Did something happen?" "Mm? Ah, nothing big. I just met a

high school girl skipping class on my way to the machine. I lectured her about going to school, treated her to juice, traded e-mail addresses, and sent her on her way." "There's no way I'm believing you got to trading e-mail addresses in that short a time!" He had no words for the notion his father had gotten an e-mail address from a high school girl who was probably just going to the ladies' room for a few. "Is that so?" Kenichi asked Subaru, and he inclined his head as he said, "It doesn't take that much for a girl to give out her e-mail at least. My cell phone's address book has almost three whole pages full of high school girls' addresses I've picked up on the way." "Even if I went to a government office or something I'd probably only get two. Daddy, you're not gonna get caught for some weird offense, are you?" "Moron. I'm not interested in doing anything indecent with high school girls. They're children. The destination for my love was set long ago. My passions are for my family alone." "Categorizing it like that makes it sound like I'm included, you know?!" "...Well, I do love you. Like a puppy!" "Like hell you do! Which one's the moron here?!" Kenichi responded to Subaru's angry voice with a vulgar, cackling laugh. That laughing voice left no refined echo upon the ear. And yet, for some reason, people didn't find it unpleasant at all. All Kenichi's actions were like that. Everything he did was over the top, deprived of common sense, excessively theatrical, completely the sort of thing other people shunned you for, but for some reason, everyone took it in a really friendly way. It was just that, merely by their going outside for a walk, the decisive difference between Subaru and his father was driven home to a distinctly painful extent. *** "Looks like you're in pretty bad shape across the board. That being the case, Subaru, how 'bout I carry you home on my back?" "I don't need that, and I don't need to go back... Even if I go back, it'll be together and all." If anything, his mother, Nahoko, was home, so Subaru's condition would probably get even worse. He was coming to understand the cause of the pain arriving without cease. If his guess was right, the pain began to assert itself whenever he was in the same place as Kenichi and Nahoko, his father and mother. In other words "So what, even my body decided to finally chew me out?" Did it mean his body had finally begun to cry out at the sense of guilt racking him from continuing to flee? He spent day after day holding his knees inside his room as the hands of the clock reproached him for remaining inside his shell. He had an unpleasant feeling, almost as if someone were railing at him over his procrastination in a loud voice from inside his own head. I dunno who you are or from where, but what the hell do you know about me? "Hey now, Subaru. Let's change the topic you have a girl you like, or something?" With Subaru cowed into silence, Kenichi repeated the question Subaru had blown off once before. The flippant way he asked it wasn't funny. The first time, Subaru had replied with a strained smile, but now that the question came a second time, it really got on his nerves for some reason. With the aid of the unceasing headache, he felt like replying to the question with extremely crude language "Subaru." "Huh?" Lifting his face, he tried to locate where the whisper in his ear had come from. But, however much his gaze wandered, he could not locate the speaker. The only person in the park besides Subaru was Kenichi. Subaru's making that sudden, idiotic-sounding voice put a suspicious look over that very same Kenichi, who said, "What's wrong? You look like a guy just about to blurt out the name of the pretty girl he's not supposed to have." "I really do look like that, so I can't say anything about it...but did someone call out my name just now? Daddy, don't tell me you've been practicing mimicking a pretty girl's tone of voice?" "Daddy has a variety of little tricks, but that one is not among them. OK, gimme about a month." "I wasn't giving you suggestions! Really, the heck was that?" The voice had a beautiful echo to it that resonated in the bottom of his heart like a silver bell. It was exceedingly gentle, its reverberation making his chest grow warm, and had such power to it that it made Subaru forget the headache that continued intermittently. Subaru didn't know whence it had come, but the voice had saved Subaru. "So, back to the earlier question. Have a girl you like?" "...What is it with all this? Even if I had one, why ask her name? Not like you'd know who she is, Daddy." "You're the one who doesn't know that. For all you know, maybe I have the e-mail address of the girl you like on my cell phone?" "Even a century-long love grows cold." To that blunt retort, Kenichi went "Whaaat?" raining "Boos" upon him in dismay. Glancing at the behavior wholly inappropriate for a man his age, Subaru drank the rest of his cola in one gulp, leaving the can dry. "You don't need to put it off anymore. You can come right out and say it: 'Why aren't you going to school?' and whatever." "And here I was actually being considerate to someone for once. You're a son who can't read the mood Well, it's not like you're wrong, that actually is what I wanted to talk to you about..." "...I think I'm doing a bad thing to both of you." "You don't really need to think about that. I had a vague idea you had something on your mind, and even if you weren't thinking, well, I can overlook a decent amount of that, so no need to dwell." With Subaru airing his side of things a little, Kenichi drank his own pop can dry and sat on the bench. A gentle, refreshing breeze blew between father and son as they sat side by side. The two proceeded to stare ahead, neither looking at the other's face as they wove their words. "This might not exactly be the prevailing view, but I don't think school is everything. I mean, you won't hear that out of my mouth when I didn't take school seriously, either. I even skipped my graduation ceremony." "And that's why, when you got your high school graduation certificate, you were with a woman two grades below you when she was graduating. My ears are octopuses from hearing that one over and over." "Well I'll make you listen to it till they turn to squids. Since this is me talking, if you don't want to go to school, I don't really think you need to. Now that I'm my age, I do think Sure would've been nice if I'd taken school seriously, but that's not something you're gonna get for a while." Kenichi seemed to be gazing somewhere far off as Subaru stared at the side of his face, internally cursing his father for being underhanded. Even though he normally played dumb and showed only his flippant side, he'd set the clownish behavior aside in a place like that. It wasn't fair, not fair at all, enough to make him feel like crying. "These days, human beings seem to live till they're eighty years old. Isn't that great? If you have eighty years, you can get one or two of 'em back while you're still young. Luckily, I earn some pretty decent money. Like this," went Kenichi, tracing a circle with his finger as he laughed with a vulgar look. Subaru didn't even make a sound to Kenichi to show he was keeping up, but his father nodded several times, showing no sign of caring. "Going through life, you bump into questions without answers that leap out at ya. In my case, I move around and go looking for 'em, but for all I know, maybe you can find answers to some questions rolling around in your room. If you're mulling something over, I ain't gonna complain. If you give up, though...then I might give ya a piece of my mind." "...Why?" "Hm?" "Why did you feel like talking about this all of a sudden today? It's not like it's some kind of special day, right? It's just a...green peas commemoration day." "That plate sure was full of 'em, huh?" Though he'd emptied the cola just moments before, it suddenly seemed very dry inside Subaru's mouth. As Subaru seemed to gasp for air, his father patiently waited for a reply. Watching from the side as Subaru became agitated, Kenichi went "Hmm," twisting his neck several times before saying, "Why, I wonder. I just happened to be off work, and I was wiping myself with a dry towel this morning, and I was like...the horoscope said Aquarius would have a great day, plus there was the look on your face this morning... Somehow, you looked just a little better, so I figured you might be up to talking about it." "My face looked better? "I'm talking about the expression on your face. Your face itself is the same, and you still have that villainous look in your eyes just like your mother." Setting the three-whites-eyes business aside, Subaru touched his own face with a hand as he mulled over Kenichi's words. There was no proof for what his father had said. That his face was better meant that there had been a change. But whence in Subaru's way of life to date had such a change come about? Nowhere. Therefore, Kenichi had to have misread him. Nothing had changed yesterday, nor would it tomorrow. That was fine, and that was what he intended. If he kept it up, no doubt at some point Kenichi and Nahoko would realize it just what, exactly, Subaru was really after. " Nhhha!" The moment he thought it, an impact shot through his brain enough to make him think fireworks had gone off in front of his eyes. His heart rate became like an alarm bell; he could hear the exaggerated sound of blood flowing through his eardrums. The world going hazy before his eyes and his having a rising urge to vomit had a common cause: the unpleasant feeling inside his chest had begun to assert itself once more. The sharp pain in his head, the uncomfortable feeling in his chest both were trying to tell Subaru something. "Hey now, you seriously look like you're having a hard time. Are you all right, Subaru?" Naturally, Kenichi couldn't ignore the sight; he reached out a hand to Subaru's shoulder with a worried look on his face. When Subaru felt the touch of his palm, he lifted up his face, sweat on his brow as he tried to think of some kind of reply. "It's been hard for you, hasn't it?" *** Subaru's entire body ran hot when the silver bell voice made his ears quiver once more. It was a voice full of affection and sympathy. The voice seemed to melt Subaru's strained heart, impeding his suffering as the swelling heat swallowed up the pain and the cracks therein. The voice was scorching him. He chased after it. Without restraint, he clung to it to take back "Thank you, Subaru." "You're..." The sight of silver hair dancing in the wind was seared into his vision. She gazed straight at Subaru with eyes like radiant, violet gemstones. The words she wove with her lips were all filled with loveliness. "For coming to save me." What, what, what, what, what the hell? Who, who, who, who, who, who, who was this? " Subaru." His breath caught. His throat was

hot. Something was welling behind his scorched eyes. "May the blessings of the spirits be with you." His fingertips trembled. He couldn't put strength into his legs. His lungs convulsed, and his soul began to scream. "I think you're the one who's reaaally incredible, Subaru." He covered his face with his shaking hands, holding back the sobs in his trembling throat. The welling heat was trickling from his eyes... " Subaru, why do you come to save me?" The answers to his questions were already inside him. The instant he found them, the ferocious emotions and the sense of discomfort inside Subaru both vanished. The skull-splitting pain, the rising urge to vomit, the dizziness making the world grow hazy, the heartbeats growing more urgent as a decision seemed to draw near where all of them converged, Subaru Natsuki found his answer. He lifted his face, wiping away the tears that seemed due to trickle down any moment. As if to shake off the tears of regret on that sleeve, he strongly, strongly clenched his fist. And then "Sorry to make you worry. I'm all right now." "That so? If you're just down in the dumps, that's fine, but don't make me worry so much." "Yeah, my bad. Besides, about the question from earlier..." Shrugging off the hand of his father supporting his shoulder, Subaru turned toward him. As they sat closely on the bench, his father's face was peering into his own with a look of concern. Now that he thought about it, he realized that even though they'd exchanged words many times that day, he had not looked straight at his father's face even once. Wanting to flee even then, he smiled bitterly at his own weakness. "I found a girl I like so I'm all right now." With the sight of the silver-haired girl still fresh in his mind, Subaru Natsuki confronted his own past. 5 "I found a girl I like." When he put the words on his lips once more, Subaru had the palpable sense of his heart walking forward. The inside of his head was clear. The pain, like a prolonged curse, had vanished. As he was then, Subaru had resolve sufficient to face his father and tell him everything. Before his eyes, Kenichi blinked several times over, surprised by the confession disconnected from the conversation to that point. "...Is that so?" With a quiet voice, he lent the words of Subaru, the words of his own son, his ears. His demeanor was a blessing to Subaru. Even though Subaru ought to have always known he was the kind of man to lend an ear like that, Subaru had continued to hold his tongue. But that had come to an end. That was because there was someone gently pushing on his back, urging him forward. "What might've shaken me up, what might've made me curl up in a ball, I remember it all now no, I knew everything all along. I knew it, but I just pretended to not see the weakness in me that I thought only I noticed... But while I was pretending, someone..." He couldn't hide it by saying someone. He knew who that someone was. "I wanted...Dad and Mom to smack me." *** "I was an unsalvageable little good-for-nothing idiot, a complacent piece of garbage, so I wanted you two to smack me...to make me give that up." Without a word, Kenichi gazed at Subaru, his eyes never wavering. The face Subaru saw reflected in those eyes was altogether too weak, unworthy of pity, and thus, he continued. "I've used any petty little tricks I could since a long time ago. Whether it's studying or athletics, I easily pulled off stuff that not many people can do, leaving the people who can't do it all mystified." Thinking back to his youth, he could have called what he'd had an adorable sense of omnipotence. At a young age, Subaru had been quicker on the uptake with both athletics and academics than the average person. As if by nature, he was more clever and fleeter of foot than those around him, inevitably becoming the center of attention among children his own age "He really is that man's son." Thus was Subaru appraised; thus did the adults close to home praise him frequently. Since that him was his father, the young Subaru had been proud to be valued as his son. For in the eyes of the son, the father Kenichi Natsuki was an attractive individual. He laughed a lot, he smiled a lot, he cried a lot, he got angry a lot, he moved a lot, he worked a lot. There were always a great deal of people around his father. He was adored by many, and his smiling face was the axis around which they revolved. And that very father announced in public that the two members of family Subaru and his mother were the most precious things to him of all. Subaru took pride in that. He felt it gave him a special right to a boastful sense of superiority. Someday, he wanted to be like his father to Subaru, that was a natural wish. "But at some point down the line... I don't remember it, but I lost a footrace to someone. I went from being number one to not being number one. Faster, smarter guys than me came out of the woodwork, and I dropped from number one bit by bit... I thought There's gotta be something wrong with this." The more the wrongness got to him, the more the star above his head seemed to move away, with each and every glimmering star between him and it forming the path he needed to take to get closer. He harbored nervousness that the star might disappear. But even with that impatience within him "He really is that man's son." Those words alone were Subaru's salvation, the hope to which he clung. Even if he was not as fleet of foot, even if he was not as good at studying, those words bolstered the young Subaru's dignity. More than training to run fast, more than doing his homework, he came to put stupid things first. He sneaked into school at night with his friends, wandered aimlessly around the town, chased a famously dangerous stray dog from everyone's hangout spot in this way, Subaru ran around protecting his pride to keep everyone from being fed up with him, thus protecting the meaning of his own existence. "It's stupid to work hard. Having fast feet is nothing to be proud of. How I made everyone laugh was a lot stronger, a lot more impressive than that." What others feared, he made his priority; what others detested, he made his own desire. Thus, he continued to challenge himself with precious care, with bold recklessness, so that he did not lose his place. "But of course, the longer that continued, the next thing I was gonna do had to be even bigger. I couldn't do anything that was smaller than what came before it. I didn't want anyone to think I was boring." Thus, Subaru's actions had to be more and more extreme. Subaru Natsuki had to be braver than anyone, more extravagant than anyone, more liberated than anyone he had to be someone everyone could continue to look up to. That was the veneer he adopted. Using the veneer, he hid the fact that it was a veneer so even he couldn't notice it, and he had to do more, more, more, to deceive himself and the people around him. After all, he was Kenichi Natsuki's son Subaru Natsuki. "I thought I can do anything. I made myself think I can do anything. That's how what I did got stupid, just me flailing around without any thought..." And so he was like a moth drawn to the flame, seeking light, never realizing that it would burn him. However, Subaru was not a moth, and the same went for Subaru's friends. His friends had gotten it a long, long time ago. There hadn't been any particular trigger for it. The number of friends associating with Subaru's recklessness dwindled. "I thought Those guys are dimwits. You'll never have this kind of fun if you aren't together with me. I'd make those guys regret it. They could just idly pass the time away with boring stuff. I was aiming for even higher places." If he continued chasing the star like that, he'd lose sight of the other stars above his head. Unable to see all the stars filling up the sky, Subaru desperately chased after the glimmer of the one star that remained, gazing at that star alone as he continued running after it when he suddenly realized. "There was no one left around me but me." Naturally. With Subaru continuing to do things his own way, heedless of everything around him, even the people who'd thought it was funny at first would not follow as he escalated his exploits to new heights. Not noticing this, he distanced himself from them, laughing derisively at them and calling them dimwits, but Subaru, now the only one left, found his thoughts harboring worry and doubt, and thus, he distanced himself even more. And thus did the cycle repeat itself until "Even though the sky has so many glittering stars, I lost sight of every last one." Having lost sight of the starlight, and having lost all the friends around him, when Subaru was left all alone, enveloped by darkness, he finally came to realize it for himself. He wasn't a special person at all. "He really is that man's son." Those were the magical words that the young Subaru had embraced with pride. But somewhere along the line, the words transformed into a curse. The curse rotted his heart. When he lost his place, he felt as if someone was chasing him, making him unable to breathe. "By going outside, walking around town, I understood. Wherever I went, whatever I saw, there were traces of my dad everywhere... Of course there were." In Subaru's confined world, he had come to admire his father. He'd wanted to see the same sights his father had. To Subaru, who sought the same things his father had found everywhere he went, there was nowhere he could look within that confined world and not sense traces of his father. In stages, the world became a scary place to Subaru. What simultaneously rotted Subaru's heart was the realization he himself was mediocre, and the realization he didn't want either of his parents or any of the people who knew his father to know this; in other words, shame. Subaru Natsuki, the son of Kenichi Natsuki, could not become known as a person who shrank in timidity from the public's gaze, a coward whose head harbored misconceptions and fear about a widening world. From late elementary to middle school, through strenuous effort, Subaru managed to pass the time without standing out whatsoever. Classmates who knew Subaru from his lower school years couldn't wrap their heads around the change in Subaru, but even they, children at an emotionally sensitive point in their lives, never noticed the darkness enveloping their fellow classmate's heart. And what put him beyond salvation was that Subaru was crafty where the issue was concerned. Though he passed his school days without standing out, he continued to behave in the same old uninhibited manner at home. "Even just remembering it, I shudder at how I passed the time back then. But that's how I managed to get through middle school... Even though we lived in the same town, most of my classmates stopped going to the same school as me. Guess because of test results?" Even Subaru, who'd spent several years in such a backward-thinking fashion, harbored a faint hope from the radical change in environment. When he advanced into high school, the environment, one where no one knew his past, might generate new relationships and if that was to happen, no one would see Subaru as

Kenichi Natsuki's son. Mustering all the meager courage inside himself, Subaru decisively stepped off the beaten path. "Even for me, I totally blew my grand high school debut. A guy who couldn't have proper interpersonal relationships in little and middle school was never gonna cut it in a place with all new faces. I did bold and reckless stuff to shake off the tension, and the result was... Even an idiot could guess." Even though it would be plain to an idiot, to Subaru it was not. The result hardly needed to be spelled out. Subaru had never seen examples of how to approach other people beyond those of his father. He had nothing save his father as a reference for how to build relationships in a new environment. Even if he knew stuff to make people laugh at a young age, to classmates undergoing psychological changes on the way to the second stage of their lives, it was nothing but poison. From the first step into a new environment, he had gone badly astray. Thus, Subaru established his isolated position as a dork, someone who couldn't read the mood. He wasn't ostracized. He simply spent his school life being treated like thin air. And then, as the days passed, one morning, he thought... "I just don't wanna go to school today. It was a morning when errands meant Dad and Mom were both out, so even when it was past the usual wake-up time, I turned over and nodded back off I was super surprised when I realized it was just before noon. After that, when I got up to change in a huge hurry..." Subaru realized that his own mind and body were exceptionally at ease. "After that, it was just a drag. I skipped one day a week, then it was once every three days, then once every two... It didn't take even three months before I stopped going to school altogether." The days that followed hardly needed to be spoken of. Once he stopped going to school, Subaru's heart was filled with a sense of relief. Yes, he was liberated from the painful times he underwent while at school, but that wasn't the main reason. It wasn't a big reason, either. He'd become Subaru Natsuki, smug juvenile delinquent. Looking at that Subaru, no one would think He really is that man's son anymore. But more than that, the exceedingly pathetic sight of Subaru like that would make both his father and mother stop loving him. No matter how unsightly, how deplorable Subaru had become, both his parents had loved him. That's what scared him the most. Nothing frightened Subaru as much as that fact. And then, to Subaru Natsuki, Kenichi Natsuki and Nahoko Natsuki would say "'I don't love you. I hate you. You're...not my child.' I wanted you to do that, to say that, to throw me aside. I wanted to make you...give up on me." With fleeting hope, he'd looked up at the sky, expecting to find the star that could never have been. A human being as pathetic and mewling as Subaru was a fool unworthy of being Kenichi Natsuki's son. And thus, he wanted to be cast aside. Not even Subaru himself realized that was what rested within Subaru's heart. Unable to accept how weak and stupid he was, pushing onto others the task of cleaning up the mayhem that appeared in his wake, he averted his eyes, hating himself all the same. In spite of all that, Subaru had not ended up shunned and abandoned by all, because someone had been there to support him. "It is easy to give up However...it does not suit you, Subaru." The image of the silver girl imprinted on the backs of his eyelids now had a flickering blue radiance superimposed upon it. With that, a warm breeze blew into Subaru's heart, making him pledge to move his listless limbs once more. "Subaru, I love you." With those words, she had given Subaru a push right when he should have been finished. Because he realized that, because he remembered that, he set his heart on walking forward from zero and to do that, he had to settle things with the past, the minus that came before zero. " Yes. My hero...is the greatest in the whole world." *** Having listened to Subaru's long monologue to its completion, Kenichi closed his eyes, sinking into thought. In the end, the same as before, Subaru was forcing someone else to clean up after him. Because he lacked the courage to identify his own flaws, because he didn't want to become the greatest villain in his own world, because he wanted to be the heroic main character, he kept making someone else play the villain. He'd believed that if he did that someday, Kenichi would break the door down, bringing it all to an end. He'd spent day after day in foolish sloth, expecting that someone else would handle things. It was with that deadlocked mental state that he had arrived in that other world. And, even in a place like that, Subaru had continued his conceited ways, until finally "Subaru." Eyes closed, Kenichi stood before Subaru and addressed him by name. When those words brought him back to reality, Subaru looked up at his father. To Subaru, ready to accept whatever Kenichi might say, whatever Kenichi might think, in its full, unvarnished form, he "Father head!!" "Gahhh?!" Taking an unexpected blow to his cranium, Subaru reeled as fireworks scattered in his eyes. Toward his son, eyes tearful from the sharp pain, Kenichi powerfully thrust a finger and said, "You see that, Subaru? That's my angry blow, the father head move I've filled with love." "Wasn't that a heel drop?! What 'head'?! Was that just to throw me off?!" "That's what stretching after a bath does for you. Got my leg pretty high up there, didn't I?" Kenichi began stretching his supple hip joints on the spot. His father's demeanor defied his expectations, leaving Subaru half in tears, unsure what he should say. Subaru had been expecting something else "Gotta say, though, Subaru. You're, well...a pretty big moron." "Uhh...?" Insulted by the rather disconnected words, Subaru couldn't get a single word out when Kenichi crossed his arms and continued. "In the first place, there's a lot that rubs me the wrong way, but there's one thing that's the biggest. You're the one who thought you'd get me to hate you. The way you did it was by rejecting school. And you thought, somewhere along the line, your dad would blow a fuse and yell at you... That's stupid on a fundamental level, you know?" "I can't really say I disagree, but..." "I mean, if you want me to abandon you, you've gotta be more proactive about it. Who abandons his own kid just because he crawls into his own shell? If you want me to hate you, you should commit genocide on half of humanity for no particular reason. Then I'll hate you." "That's a crazy thing to ask for!! You don't see many villains like that even in shonen manga!!" "To me, what you wanted me to do is just as crazy." The blunt retort silenced Subaru. "Got it? Even if you were as slow-witted as a snail, a big idiot who can't even pick a banana hanging in front of his face, or even someone who bragged about harming yourself on some big high-profile blog..." "I ain't that slow-witted or stupid..." "But even if you were slow-witted, an idiot, or a moron, I wouldn't hate you or abandon you. That's how it should be, right? I'm your father, and you're my son." Exhaling in exasperation as he spoke, Kenichi made a nggh sound as he stretched his back. When he sat, and Subaru, dumbfounded, gazed up at his father, Kenichi closed one eye. "It's my son's twisted nature to be just short of dumb, just shy of an idiot, and on a straight line toward being a moron. If you really want, I can smack that out of you by force, but..." *** "It seems like you got up again after breaking down to the point that I don't need to." Perhaps Kenichi had seen something in Subaru's face. His words made Subaru slowly get up. When father and son faced each other head-on, the son's expression made the father moisten his lips. "This morning, I thought You've changed from before all of a sudden. What happened to your face?" "...I told you. I found a girl I like." A silver radiance led Subaru Natsuki by the hand. "Besides, there was a girl who said she would love even a guy like me." A warm, blue light gently pushed on Subaru Natsuki's back. "Those girls, they don't know me as the son of Kenichi Natsuki. When I'm with them, I'm just Subaru Natsuki... No..." Shaking his head, he gazed firmly at the father before him and went on. "I was Subaru Natsuki in front of everyone. All on my own, I worried about being some poster child and ended up crushed by a weight that wasn't even really there. I finally get that now." "Took ya long enough. I'm the central pillar of the family. A guy who didn't inherit the job had better not carry any social burdens like that till you're a full member of society. I'll slap you silly otherwise." "This coming from a guy who dropped his heel onto my head just now?!" When Subaru complained again about the painful blow, Kenichi went "Sorry, sorry," smiling without a shred of guilt. Then Kenichi's eyes became tense. "More importantly, you said you found a girl you like, and you said there was a girl who said she likes you... What's up with that? Are you two-timing them? A guy like you...?" "Whaddaya mean, a guy like me?! To be honest, even I think I'm not qualified! But I can't help it! So I have two number one stars, what's the big deal?!" It was unforgivable no matter how he might frame it, but at the moment, those were Subaru's honest feelings. He loved Emilia. He loved Rem. They had given Subaru the strength to stand, to walk, and to face his own past, even in front of Kenichi. The light that the pair gave off rivaled the starry sky Subaru had once had above his head. When Subaru was outside his room, unexpectedly invited to another world, he became desperate, suffered pain and anguish, cried out in tears, lamented and raged, laughed in delight, and finally obtained a new sky filled with stars. "Well, it's fine if you can get by without making the two of 'em cry... By the way, don't make 'em cry. If you can manage that, I won't object. Looks like you've got your own way with people." "If I had that, my high school debut wouldn't have been such a black stain on my past. I can't do it like you, Dad." "Do you really think that? You're my son, y'know. Besides, seems like you've got a bunch of misunderstandings about me, but that one's the worst, I figure." "That?" As Subaru inclined his head, Kenichi wagged a finger atop his crossed arms. "Yeah. I'm all bouncy like this in front of you and your mom, but Daddy completely behaves according to time, place, and occasion, okay? Maybe you wouldn't know it because I'm always in full-throttle family-love mode in front of you, but what, you think Daddy can pull an act like that and it'll just work on everyone...?" "Wait, wait, hold on..." "Ain't it obvious? No one wants to get close to a guy who's that high tension the first time you meet him. That's why you've gotta keep your collar straight until you get along better. You've gotta wait a while before you undo the buttons. If you start in April, gotta hold out until the end of June for

that." The Shocking Truth: Father Revealed to be a Man of Common Sense and Appropriate Conduct. Ignorant of this until now, Subaru had been shallow enough to believe he could just mimic his father to become a popular guy. "Why'd I agonize for all that time, then...!" "Aww, don't worry about it. It's my fault for not noticing how much you looked up to me because I'm simply that awesome. Sorry that I'm just too big a presence in your life!" "Even though it's true, I really don't feel like acknowledging it!!" Patting the lamenting Subaru on the shoulder, Kenichi did what he always did: step on the naive parts of Subaru and grind them underfoot. As he quipped at his father, Subaru felt something hard and heavy inside his heart fade away and vanish. The dark recesses were brightening with the approach of daybreak, and his vision opened to greet the dawn. Subaru had confessed that he was conceited and self-serving, and yet the result was only relief. Facing his past like that was making a statement: parting ways with his weakness and embracing what he wanted for himself in the future, his current self could walk forward with pride from now on. That was why "Ha-ha-ha. Don't blush so much. You're still my son with my blood in ya. I'm sure you've got it in you to be half as cool as I am." "Only half, eh? Normally, your genes get refined as you spend time in the world, right?" "But half of you comes from your mom, y'see. Even if you've got my coolness in ya, the Nahoko part cancels it out, so I don't feel like I can expect much from the final judgme " "Sorry, Mom, he's got me there!" Unable to stand up for his mother, who wasn't present, Subaru put his empty hands together and apologized. Laughing at the sight, Kenichi let his shoulders sink in exasperation as he moved on. "This should lessen the burden on your shoulders a bit. The rest is talk about the future. It's all ahead from here." "Ahh, yeah. Err, I really am sorry for causing you all that tr " "If you feel sorry for it, just spend a proper amount of time paying us back. You're the oldest son, so you'd better take real good care of me and your Mom later in life." When those words were spoken to him, Subaru was unable to move. *** He'd had the resolve to apologize for how he had been to date. He'd had the determination to confess his current feelings. These things, he had accomplished, finally dissolving that which had haunted Subaru for many long years, making him think he could face his father and mother again with sunny feelings. He'd confessed everything about himself to date "Ugh!!" But the instant the conversation broached "from there on," what permeated Subaru's entire being was "...I-I'm sorry..." "Subaru?" "I'm s...I'm so...I'm sorry...s-sorry, sorry...shorry...!!" From in front of him came Kenichi's bewildered voice. But Subaru didn't see his face. The flood of tears pouring forth clogged Subaru's vision, making the contours of the world vague. He covered his face with his palms, desperately trying to wipe the overflowing tears. However, as much as he tried, the tears were unending. They wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop them. "I'm sorrrryyy... I-I...can't be together with... I'm so...s-sorry..." He'd realized it. Somewhere in his heart, he'd realized it long before. He'd been invited into another world. The first instant the dazzling light of its sun shone down on him, making him squint, it had been like a revelation, and somewhere deep inside, Subaru had known. He'd probably never return to his own world again. His parents had raised him well enough for him to find the strength to repent before his father like that, confess the dark emotions roiling inside his chest, and yet gain forgiveness. All that was underpinning his resolve to walk forward once more. "But in spite of that, I...haven't given anything back... I'll probably never see you again... I'm sorry, I'm sorry. "...I'm sorry. I'm shworry. I'm sorry." The tears would not stop. There, that moment, ferocious emotions seemed to churn inside him. Yet even so, Subaru remained standing, not crumbling to the ground. Here, there was someone who held Subaru as he cried. Supporting his son, now almost as tall as he was, he patted Subaru's back with his big, strong palms like he would for any crying child. "...Goodness. No matter how much time passes, you're still a high-maintenance son." 6 "You've calmed down?" " Yeah, sorry. I really caused you a lot of trouble." "Ya sure did. Look at my shirt. I've got tears and snot all over the middle of it. I can't walk around and have the neighbors see me like this, it's embarrassing." Subaru was no longer crying when Kenichi flicked his forehead with a finger, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. With that grin on his face, he gazed at Subaru who, after bawling his eyes out, wore an expression that was equal parts sad and apologetic. Kenichi sighed as he spoke again. "I'm not sure what you were sobbing like that for, but it's embarrassing, so I'll keep it a secret. Be grateful to me for that at least." "...Yeah. I'm grateful. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, more than anyone in the world." "If you put it that way even I'm gonna blush..." When his father scratched his own face with an embarrassed smile, Subaru lowered his listless gaze. Kenichi's shoulders sank when he saw his son's demeanor. Then he waved as if shooing a fly away as he pushed on. "OK, crybaby, head home already. Daddy's still in the mood to stroll around a bit, so I'll head back after a little detour. I'll get weird looks if I'm walking around with a guy crying like you." "...They'd wonder what in the world that father and son are doing at their age, huh?" "Damn right they would. If I go back home with you together now, I'll get embarrassed by weird rumors between my friends, so..." "You know, those are, like, famous last words, so watch out, okay?" Poking fun at his father's statement reflexively, Subaru felt painful nostalgia running through his heart. Gritting his teeth and biting it back down by force, Subaru went, "Later," raising a hand Kenichi's way. "I'll head back first, then. Just make sure the cops don't stop you for anything, 'kay, Daddy?" "Sorry, I ain't biting on that joke. Everyone round these parts knows me already." "I wasn't joking." Once again, he was saved by his father's unchanging demeanor. Subaru hated himself for that. Just how much did he crave the chance to depend on and wish to be indulged by others? He really was incorrigible. *** He didn't want to show Kenichi such weakness any longer. Taking a single, deep breath, Subaru then turned his back on his father, setting his mind on becoming a stronger person. At that rate, he was set to walk out at a rapid pace, departing as quickly as poss " Hey, Subaru." From behind, Kenichi's voice brought his feet to a spontaneous halt. "I'm sure you've got a lot of stuff goin' on, so I only have one thing to say to you." *** "Hang in there I've got high hopes for you, Son." Subaru had always clenched a worry of betraying his father's expectations without ever letting it go. So to Subaru, his father's expectations were fear itself " Yeah, you can count on me, Daddy." His back still turned, Subaru extended an arm. He thrust a finger toward the heavens, speaking in a loud voice. "My name is Subaru Natsuki. Son of Kenichi Natsuki I can do anything, and that's how it's gonna be. Your son's hot stuff." "Yeah, I know. I made half of ya, after all!" "Hee-hee," went Kenichi, his faith-filled, laughing voice showering Subaru from behind. When he heard this, Subaru's own lips broke into a smile. Back still turned, he set off. His knees weren't shaking. His heart wasn't wavering. He simply stared straight ahead as he walked forward. Behind him was the man he had looked up to for so long. This time, Subaru would let that man watch his back as he walked on. He did that while thinking to himself how much strength he had needed from others to achieve that one simple thing. Then Subaru Natsuki continued walking forward, never to stop again. 7 With his arms through the sleeves his freshly ironed white shirt, Subaru put his legs through his good-as-new slacks. Waging a difficult battle, he tied his deep-green necktie in front of the mirror before finally putting on his navy-blue blazer. "Student Subaru Natsuki, complete... Man, it's been around three months, huh?" Checking his completed version reflected in the mirror, Subaru breathed out, his face proclaiming that one task was done. There hadn't been a Subaru wearing his long-sleeved student uniform reflected in the mirror for quite a while. He recalled that tying the necktie of his blazer-type high school uniform every morning had been a real pain in the butt. Flicking a finger off the flat knot of the necktie, he turned his back to his reflection and picked up his schoolbag. For all appearances, that much, at least, looked well within the realm of perfect preparation by a student preparing to attend high school. "Unfortunately, it's about time the third homeroom period started. Ain't well within at all." Scratching his head with a bitter smile, Subaru stretched his hand out a little on his way out of the room. Stopping just before he left, he looked back. To Subaru, who'd never experienced a change in residence, that room was the only place he could call "my own room." Since entering middle school, he'd spent over five years in that room. It would be the last time he saw that place, too. *** Subaru said nothing. He merely lowered his head in silence. That single gesture contained five years' worth of feelings in it. When his long, long period of bowing ended, Subaru lifted his head and departed the room with sunnier feelings. He proceeded to head down the stairs to the first floor, pushing open the living room door. And then "Oh my, when you asked me where your uniform was, I thought you might burn it, so I made all kinds of preparations...all for nothing, it would seem." "Your son asks where his uniform is and the first thing you think of is burning it? Wait, when you guessed I'd burn it, your 'preparations' meant getting sweet potatoes and sausage skewers ready...?" The reclothed Subaru was met by his mother, Nahoko, who seemed quite disappointed her off-the-cuff prediction had not borne fruit. Behind his mother, he saw that she was done preparing for a barbecue in the cramped kitchen. After parting ways with Kenichi, Subaru had returned home and asked Nahoko where his uniform was. Having shaken free of his past, her son had made the statement with a sunny look on his face and this had been his mother's reaction. "I give up on whether it's good guessing or bad, but this angle is definitely not what I expected..." "Yes, yes, it looks very good on you. The outfit cancels out the foul look in your eyes. You look rather calm..." "Mom, your current approach is taking all my serenity away from me!" " ? What are you all riled up about? Hey, want to glug down some mayonnaise with Mom?" With a mystified look, Nahoko presented the mayonnaise she'd placed on the table. The mayonnaise in the Natsuki residence was somewhat famous to all local mayo lovers. Kenichi, Nahoko, and of course Subaru employed various mayonnaises, and glugging mayo was a daily sight during mealtime, getting out of the bath, and sometimes even in the middle of the night. Indeed, when Subaru fell

into distress from lack of mayonnaise in that other world, he'd used modern knowledge to successfully re-create mayonnaise on that end. Mayonnaise was inseparable from the Natsuki family. It was a must-have item. "But right now, I don't feel like..." "I suppose not." The mayonnaise had SU written on the lid, marking it as belonging to Subaru. When he gently pushed the mayonnaise offered to him away, Nahoko gave a knowing nod. "I mean, Subaru, you really don't like mayonnaise that much, do you?" *** "You were just licking it with Dad and Mom because we like it so much, weren't you?" Placing the mayonnaise marked for Subaru on the table, Nahoko murmured thusly in roundabout fashion. Hearing this, Subaru gasped in surprise. He breathed in, virtually wringing out his voice before gingerly posing a question. "Wh-what basis do you have for...?" "Well, Subaru. If it was the world or mayonnaise, which would you choose?" "Er, probably the world..." "You see?" "That's a really bad example! Don't go 'You see?' with that smug look! Anyone picking mayonnaise there isn't picking out of love for mayo, but hatred for the world!!" As he raised his voice at Nahoko's rather off-the-mark view, Subaru's shoulders heaved with heavy breaths as he glared at the mayonnaise on the table on the inside, he wasn't calm in the slightest. Whether he was a card-carrying member or not, Subaru had pride as a mayo lover, enough that if someone asked him to pick between it and a deserted tropical island, he'd pick mayonnaise in a heartbeat. But if asked the reason he was so hung up on mayonnaise in the first place, he'd have to say "I guess I hard-core have a complex for a happy family..." "You'd slap super on it?" "That'd make it a Super Family Complex aka Sufami, and that just sounds wrong." Having engaged in such absurd conversation, Subaru let out a long breath with a pained smile. Then he slowly picked up the mayonnaise atop the table. "Ah...," Nahoko began. "Mmm, delicious! Genuine mayonnaise really is way different! Can't enjoy this taste anywhere but my homeland! Over there isn't bad, either, but it's a pale shadow compared to the real deal!" Wringing off the lid from the nearly full mayonnaise jar, he guzzled it down in one go. The tasty acidic flavor atop his tongue raced through him, with heat shooting down his throat that seemed to burn his chest. This was the supreme, a-mayo-zing taste that mayo addicts could not help but love. "Maybe I don't love mayonnaise as much as you two do, but I'm still a genuine mayo lover. I swear on the mayo lids of all the mayo I've licked to this day." Incidentally, Subaru had kept the lids from his old mayonnaise jars, stuffing them into a corner of his room. They actually numbered 776 "And this makes triple sevens. I'll have to stick it in my collection later." "Ohh, congratulations on your third seven. Your father was really happy when he got his fourth a little while back." "My love's literally incomparable to his!" Nahoko accepted the empty mayonnaise bottle with an amused look. His mother's comment made his sense of accomplishment feel somewhat tarnished, but Subaru immediately smoothed over his feelings. "Well...guess I'd better head off, then." "Ah, if you're going to the store, I want some cream puffs, so make sure to buy some." "You see me like this, put your guessing gears in motion, and you say that?!" As he spread both arms out to show off his school uniform, Nahoko went "I'm kidding, I'm kidding" and smiled at her son as she said, "Ah, you're going to school now? Mom's happy for you, but...won't you stand out in a bad way? If you can put it off till tomorrow, why not put it off?" "Hey, stop putting a damper on your son's enthusiasm like that. Even if others are strict with me, I'm soft on myself and a slacker to the core, you know." "If you were really like that, your mother wouldn't have such a hard time, Subaru." When Subaru quipped at his own expense, Nahoko pretended not to get it as she shook her head. Her reply made Subaru narrow his eyes, but Nahoko went "All right then" and straightened her back as she said, "Well then, hold on a second. Mom's going to get her coat." "What do you mean, wait... Hold on, you're coming with me?! Having a parent go with you to school when you quit being a hermit is, like, a level worse than a humiliation game!" "I'm not going all the way to school. I'm just going out to the store to buy mayonnaise and cream puffs. What, I can't indulge you that much?" "Huh?! That makes it sound like I was asking you to come with me?!" The incomprehensible flow of events made Subaru's eyes bulge. "Yes, yes," said his mother in a perfunctory reply as she headed to her own room. It felt like a prelude to having a parent chaperone him to school for sure. "No, no... Man, gimme a break here." As he spoke those words, Subaru's cheeks faintly relaxed from relief. At that point, even Subaru was aware the reason for his relief was that the time when he'd have to say goodbye to his mother had been pushed a little farther down the road. 8 "It's been a long time since I've walked side by side with you, Subaru." "I suppose so. We were together when you went shopping at night quite a bit." "Sigh. You know, given the flow of the current conversation, I'm speaking about daytime, not nighttime. You really must pick up on the context and the literary intent." "Where that subject's concerned, you're the only one I can't accept hearing that from, Mom!" Nahoko Natsuki was truly bedeviled by one of the world's dullest senses, possessing world-class bad guesswork. This was well understood by both men in the Natsuki family; indeed, it was virtually 100 percent certain that hypothetical or humorous conversations wouldn't work on Nahoko. That said, she herself was unaware of how complete her obtuseness was, which exponentially increased the stress arising from speaking with her. Even understanding all that, though, Subaru happened to like speaking with his mother. "I'm glad that it's warm today. What did you talk to your Dad about?" "Ohhh, there it is, Mom's beginner-level 'first half disconnected from the second half' conversation topic! I know you don't mean anything special by it, but ummm..." As they walked side by side on the way to school, Subaru tried to wrap his head around the question his mother had posed. The details of his conversation with Kenichi involved Subaru's confessing his embarrassing internal complexes and bawling his eyes out, but that didn't amount to a proper explanation. Also, he didn't want to say it in those words. It had been a necessary conversation, but he'd cut himself off from the emotions he imagined were unique to that place. No way in hell was he going to start crying again on a public street. "Ahh, it wasn't really anything major. Actually, we talked a bit about old times with Mr. Ikeda." "Ahh, Ikeda, yes. He moved after winning at the horse races, and his young wife there swindled the shirt off his back, so he had to do manual labor until the sun scorched his skin pitch dark, didn't he?" "The tragic development in the second half of that is news to me!" "Ill-gotten money really is no good for you. His heart may be in sorry shape at the moment, but his mind is still holding up, so he sends letters." "So you experienced being stripped bare in an unfamiliar land, Mr. Ikeda... I can relate!!" Though Subaru had been in a different world rather than a different country, he'd experienced things not so different from what Mr. Ikeda had been through. Though Mr. Ikeda was little more than an acquaintance whose face Subaru had known when he was little, for some reason, he harbored a strong feeling of fellowship with the man. Subaru inwardly prayed for his good health. Beside him, Nahoko made a mmm sound, then said, "So, talking about old times made you want to go to school?" "Ahh, well...that's the simple version, yeah. There were a whole bunch of triggers making me look back, and that led to it." "So you stopped trying to do anything and everything just like your Dad, then." *** When Subaru tried to keep things vague, Nahoko spoke with a gentle tone that did not permit him any escape. A wry smile came over her, making it look as if she was about to break into a hum. The look in her eyes was the only sharp thing about her, but you could never tell what his mother was thinking by looking at her. However, Subaru had the distinct feeling she'd cut him off at the pass. "You're a hardworking type, Subaru, and you do all kinds of things in haste. Thanks to your father blindly taking interest in so many things, you've had plenty of opportunities... It wore you out, didn't you?" "M-Mom...how much did you realize I was..." "Now, now, Subaru." The true feelings Subaru had continued to conceal, even to himself, had been plain to Nahoko all along. Subaru was still at a loss for words when Nahoko, pulling slightly in front, turned back to face him. "It's often said the child looks at the parent far more than the parent thinks." *** "But the reverse is also true. The parent is also always watching the child, much more than the child thinks. Subaru, even your mother has been watching over you the whole time, you see?" Truly, he could do nothing but gape dumbfounded. He'd been so convinced he'd kept his inner feelings hidden, but in truth, it had all been in vain. This in spite of the fact that he'd thought himself lonely and miserable with not a single person the wiser. "I had to put suppositories in you when you were little, so I've seen everything, including the hole in your butt. Mom's even seen your body's intestines, something you've never seen, Subaru." "Umm, I'm sorry, the conversation was flowing in a good direction, so I really didn't need that information." Where one's intestines were concerned, that wasn't something one had many chances to see, let alone those of parents or siblings. Though Subaru had been graced with the occasional opportunity to see his own intestines... But in any case "About the mayonnaise, and the reason for not going to school..." "If your mother could have done something about that, you can be sure she would have. Mom felt that no matter what she tried, it probably wouldn't work. But..." Nahoko tossed in a little smile as she stared straight at her son's face. "It seems like you managed somehow with the help of someone besides your mom or your dad. I think that's a very good thing. I really must thank that person." "...Yeah, I suppose so. That person saved me from my incorrigible ways. She's the one who told the incorrigible me I wasn't incorrigible. That's why I can walk forward like this now." When Subaru awakened to his own foolishness, she'd accepted him even so, so Subaru was able to stand there and face his past and his father and mother with it. "She's an amaaaazin' girl. Almost to the point she really is wasted on me." "But you're not giving her to anyone, are you?" "Damn straight. It ain't an issue of being the other's equal. If anyone's gonna do it, equal or not, it's gonna be me. I'll just raise my own worth from here on out." "Yes, yes you really are that man's son." To Subaru, just how much meaning did those words carry? This was the mother who knew the

things inside Subaru of which he'd never spoken a word to anyone. Probably Nahoko had seen right through him. If she knew, and she was speaking those words with that knowledge, then... "I wonder, if I can really do it right...if I can really have kids with her and do things right..." "It'll be fine. I mean, your mother may be half of you, but if you act half as cool as your father, you'll do all right, yes?" "You're acknowledging your own genetic inferiority in my body's makeup?!" "I said you can act half as cool as your father...the other half, why don't you just be yourself, Subaru?" Unmoved by what Subaru blurted out, Nahoko indicated that the path forward was very simple. Upon hearing her words, Subaru was dumbfounded, thoroughly beside himself. "So, Subaru, your mother thinks you will hang in there in your own Subaru-ish way." *** "Incidentally, what happened to your father after the stroll together? Did you ditch him?" "You ask that now?! Uh-oh, we're up to Mom's intermediate-level 'question that resurrects the past midconversation'!" If Subaru cordially indulged her and ended up explaining the circumstances under which he'd parted with Kenichi, all his prior work would be undone. In the end, before being forced to speak about his bawling his eyes out, Subaru ignored the context surrounding the words and echoed his mother's words. "In my own way, huh?" "Yes. Over the course of thinking, I wanna be just like Dad, you'll end up just like Subaru." Even though he'd ignored the question, Nahoko acted quite satisfied with the conclusion Subaru arrived at. Then his mother headed forward, but her feet suddenly came to a halt. Having arrived at a fork in the road, Nahoko indicated the path to the right. "Well, the convenience store is this way, so this is as far as Mom's going with you... Will you be all right?" "I haven't been...maybe I have been wounded deeply enough for you to worry, yeah." He couldn't laugh it off as Nahoko's overprotectiveness. Even if Subaru wasn't pathetic enough to completely lose heart, the concern with which his mother gazed at him did not cease. Therefore, to put his mother at ease, Subaru said, "I'm all right. There's some things I need to do and some things I want to do, but I'll chew on 'em all. I don't have even one reason to shut myself in anymore." "That so? I'm glad to hear that. Good luck, then." Apparently pleased with Subaru's reply, Nahoko nodded, then headed down the right path with a visible skip in her step. Subaru went down the left path, parting from his mother. They were going their separate ways. Probably for far, far longer than his mother thought, at that "Mom!" Unable to bear silently gazing at her back and watching her go, Subaru brought his mother to a stop with a loud voice. His mother's feet, skipping as she sought more mayonnaise, came to a stop; she twisted her hips and looked back. Subaru seared the ever-normal, never-changing image of his mother into his eyelids. "Ah..." Goodbye. He needed to say goodbye. But Subaru hesitated to speak the words. Even if he said goodbye and parted ways there, his mother still had no idea just how long she and Subaru would be apart. With his mother not knowing they would never meet again, Subaru would be spared seeing her cry. He didn't want his final memory of his mother to be her crying face, so was it not best that he leave his mouth shut? Pulling the wool over her eyes out of consideration for her, and himself "There's something I have to do. So it'll be a long goodbye." was something the heart of Subaru Natsuki would not permit. *** Nahoko greeted the spoken words with silence. There, before she could react in some way, Subaru continued his words. "It's kind of far away, so I won't be able to stay in touch. I think you'll probably worry about a bunch of things. I...can't firmly say I won't do anything dangerous. If push came to shove, I'd say it's all pretty dangerous, because the girl I've gotta save gets herself in all kinds of dangerous messes." His mouth moved rapidly. The information he wanted to enumerate, the words he wished to speak, poured out of him. "I think Dad and Mom are both gonna worry about me a lot. You've worried enough about me where you can see me, and now I'll be somewhere you can't. But I'll be thinking of you no matter where I am, and I'll never forget about either of you..." "Subaru." "I'll never think I don't wanna be Mom and Dad's child ever again, and I'll never hate myself again. I know those words don't really let you send me off with peace of mind, but..." "Subaru." Even Subaru no longer understood what he was saying when Nahoko called out to him from very close. When he looked up, his mother was standing right before his eyes. And then "Subaru it's all right." "...Wh-whaddaya mean, all right?" "I know exactly what you're trying to say, Subaru. So you don't need to try so hard to find the words." "You...know...? But how...!" "Because...I'm your mother, Subaru." There was not a single shred of logic behind the statement. So why did it feel irrefutable? The backs of his eyes grew hot. He'd sensed the same thing only a few hours before. Just how many times would Subaru need to bawl like a little child? How many tears had to flow before he could regain an unshakable heart of steel? "I-I'm like...a little kid here... So lame..." "If it's lame to cry when you need it, then that makes every single baby born in the world lame as well." "That's not...what I mean..." "Yes, yes, I told you, I get it. From Mom and Dad's point of view, you'll be our child no matter what your age, Subaru... When you want to cry, go ahead and cry." The world began to blur. Tears came running out. Subaru hid his face behind the sleeve he used to rub it so his mother wouldn't see it. Out of respect for Subaru's stubbornness, Nahoko didn't peer any closer. All she did was slowly stroke the short hair on Subaru's head. As she stroked him, Subaru straightened his back. "...Sorry, Mom. In the end, I can't do a damn thing for either of you." "You know, I didn't give birth to you because I wanted something from you. I gave birth to you because I wanted to give. Subaru, your mother gave birth to you because she wanted to give you love." How much of this, the very definition of love, Subaru had already received from her was simply incalculable. "If you really want to do something for Mom, take those feelings and give them to someone else. And if you happen to give that love to a girl you like, Subaru...isn't that wonderful? "...Yeah, it's wonderful." "Of course it is. What your mother says is never wrong." With a satisfied smile, Nahoko toyed with Subaru's forelocks with her fingers. The feeling of those fingers tickled Subaru, making him smile back at her with his tear-marred face. "Aw man, I'm super pathetic, just crying and crying..." "It's fine to cry. Subaru, you cried so much when you were born. At first, everyone cries in an ugly way. A lot of things happen, and you cry in lots of places." *** "But if, after crying a lot, you end with a smile, everything's all right. What's important is not where you start, or what happens midway, but how it ends." "So if the results are good, everything's OK, then?" "You're taking that the wrong way. Consider this homework from your mother." An opportunity to revise his answer would likely never come. In the name of homework, she had offered him words of farewell. Accepting them as such, Subaru took them to heart. Surely, the day would come when the answer would emerge, and he would understand it, as if by natural design. *** It was neither a very manly nor a very valiant farewell scene. Neither father nor mother faced with a son who'd holed up for so long before saying goodbye while unable to even say where he was going had spoken a word of resentment; instead, they were able to send him off with smiling faces. For him, this place and his parents who were both too good for him they were things he loved. " Well, I'm headin' off." "Mm-hmm, go ahead." Turning his head back at the end, he forced his cheeks to move and make a smile. Leaving that awkward, smiling face behind for his mother, Subaru turned his back to her and walked forward. The commute to school would be anticlimactic. After the fork, all he had to do was go straight down the road, then up a hill, and then the school campus would come into vi "Ah, that's right. Subaru, Subaru, I forgot." Then, just when he was all hyped up to get going, a scatterbrained voice called out to him from behind. Subaru, worried about what the very, very end might bring, turned to see his mother raise a hand as she said, "Come back soon." Then, with a little wave of her hand, his mother spoke those words with a pleasant smile. The last night before he had been summoned to another world, before heading out to the convenience store, his mother had surely seen Subaru off the exact same way. But at the time, Subaru, perhaps being in a sour mood, had said nothing, simply opening the door, and... *** This was the last chance for him to wipe away his regrets from that day. His mom's advanced-level conversation piece was, "No matter how many detours you may take, you will always arrive at the right answer in the end." The instant he remembered that, a genuine smile, not a forced one, broke out as he called out to her. " Be back soon!!" 9 At the school campus, he didn't see a single student, or teacher, or anyone. When he headed from the entrance to the foot locker, he opened the ill-fitting door that had remained closed for a while. He switched from outdoor shoes to indoor shoes, then walked into the linoleum-floored corridor. Third year, sixth class, seat twenty-two. That was Subaru Natsuki's spot in school. The classroom for third-year high school students, the senior class of the school, was on the first floor. His own footsteps echoed down the silent corridor as Subaru wasted no time heading to his own classroom. Then he stood in front of the door and took a deep breath. *** Putting his hand on the door, he slid it sideways, opening it wide in one go. That instant, Subaru, blatantly arriving so very late, had reproachful stares converge on him from all over the classr " I must say, you came far sooner than I expected." No such thing happened. When he surveyed his classroom after so long, the seats, including Subaru's own, in the back row and against the window, were empty everywhere he looked save a single seat filled in the very center. Then the individual sitting in that seat turned toward Subaru, seat and all. "Welcome Tell me, what did you gain from the time you spent facing your own past?" Stroking her own white hair, such was the question that the Witch of Greed posed to him, her eyes filled with inquisitiveness. CHAPTER 5 *** 1 The white-haired girl remained seated in her chair in the middle of the classroom as she gave a wry, charming smile. Receiving her gaze upon him, Subaru leaned his upper body into the corridor, checking until he reconfirmed there was no one else around. Then he turned back toward the classroom once more, scratching his head. "First,

there's something I want to tell you..." "Mm, you may speak it. I am very interested in whatever you might be thinking." "That school uniform really looks good on you." The Witch's eyes had an inquisitive glint as Subaru pointed and conveyed his impression. For a moment, the Witch blinked at that impression, and then she gave a burst of irrepressible laughter. "Ha-ha! Thank you. That makes it well worth rummaging through your memories to reproduce it. These clothes are seared into your memories particularly strongly. Perhaps you are rather fond of them?" The girl Echidna rose from her seat, grasping the hem of her skirt as she twirled around on the spot. The sight of her white hair swaying down her back made her look like nothing more than an attractive teenage girl. She wore a gray skirt and a navy-blue blazer. The red ribbon adorning her breasts marked her as a student of the same grade as Subaru, providing a vivid contrast to the white shirt underneath. "It's just that I like longer skirts more than short, personally. Long skirts twirl around for longer, so it tugs at your thoughts even stronger that way." "I see. Well then, I must ensure that my skirt twirls for longer the next time." "Not that there's gonna be a next time! Also, it's not as if I really like everyone wearing that outfit. Here, it's just what you have to wear. It's as obligatory as a knight's dress uniform." Echidna giggled at him, looking like she only took his explanation half seriously. Humphing through his nose at her, Subaru sat down in the empty chair in front of Echidna, turning to face her. "I really thought you would be more surprised..." "If you meant to hide it, you should've put more effort into the background. This goes for the commute to school, too, but there isn't a single adult or child inside the whole school, and that's impossible." Even if he'd reasoned it was late afternoon of a normal day, the world simply felt too bereft of human presence. It was as if the world had been stripped of everything that was not useful information from Subaru's perspective. "This world's way too convenient from my point of view... What's with this place? I was just entering the place called your tomb, and then..." "You entered my tomb, possessing the qualifications to do so. Therefore, the trial began. That is all. Did you not hear the words? 'First, face your past.'" Echidna, replying to confirm Subaru's impressions, crossed her hands behind her back as she tilted her head. The beautiful girl's hair swayed with the wind, a gentle, cool breeze blowing into the classroom as the school uniform on her casually melted away. Sensing that each of her nonchalant gestures was a trap she had laid around his heart, Subaru consciously averted his gaze from her. "It's gradually...coming back to me. What did you do to the memory of when we first met? I completely forgot about you until the moment this trial was underway." "I told you, did I not? You are forbidden to speak of having met me at my little tea party to anyone else. It was faster and more reliable to affect your memory than trust in the tightness of your lips. Ahh, I would like you to relax... I did not play around with any other memories. I would never do such a banal thing." "...What basis do I have to believe what you just said?" "Perhaps your understanding of a Witch's true nature? I am the Witch of Greed, lust for knowledge incarnate." Echidna crossed her arms as if embracing her own elbows, leaving Subaru unable to read what rested within her black eyes. Whether to trust the Witch felt like a stupid question that did not require any elaborate thought. He'd already undergone terrible ordeals at the hands of the Witch of Jealousy and the Cult that worshipped her. The same went for Echidna. "But first I want to set you straight about something. The fact is, you're the one who gave me the qualification for the trial." "Set me straight, you say? Somehow, that sets my heart just slightly aflutter. How strange... I feel slightly elated that you would speak to me in such a manner. "All I did was to upgrade you from an unpalatable thing to a maybe-unpalatable thing." When Echidna's smile deepened, Subaru responded by tossing words her way that seemed intended to fend her off. "Tch," went Echidna, tapering her lips as her almond-shaped eyes gently narrowed. "Everyone harbors regrets from their past. Living day to day makes it impossible to exist without regret regret is a function built into all people." "Don't put it pessimistically like that. That regret thingy turns into reflection, reflecting on yesterday lets you scrape by today, reflecting on today lets you bust through tomorrow. That's a function built into people, too, isn't it?" " Precisely!" The air audibly leaped; this was caused by Echidna, speaking in a strong voice, bringing her hands together in a powerful clap. She drew close to the surprised Subaru, her face approaching so close that they could share breaths, opening her mouth as if to press him for more. "Such a simple observation engenders what is, in the end, a minor difference. But which answer one chooses greatly affects whether one views the past optimistically or pessimistically. Most view the past pessimistically, repudiating the path that has led them to the present. And in that repudiation, they avert their eyes, never closing the lid upon what has happened." "Um, your face is...close...!" "Such a thing cannot be helped, for the you of yesterday was infinitely ignorant compared to the you of today. The you of now is at an absolute deficiency of knowledge compared to the you of tomorrow. In the sum amount of knowledge, and in the total number of memories, the past is inferior to the present, and the present is inferior to the future. That is a fact!" Paying the overwhelmed Subaru no heed, Echidna spoke exceedingly passionately, punctuating her speech by strongly slamming both hands onto the desk. "Accordingly, when people face the past, they sift through hesitation, bewilderment, anguish, and sorrow, all in search for an answer. I shall affirm whatever answer they arrive at as a result. I shall find no fault in any answer, for it is proof that you have faced your past, absorbing it and using it as your cornerstone as you overcome it." "...So that's the objective of this trial? Huh, mission accomplished, I guess?" "Facing your own past can mean accepting or rejecting it. What is important is arriving at an answer. One cannot overcome the trial with fear, anger, or cowering. However, I extol those who have either accepted their past or made a clean break with it. For that, I shall offer as many opportunities as one might desire... That is this trial!" When Subaru took this as meaning he'd passed, Echidna made that powerful declaration, raising her clenched fist. Immediately afterward, Echidna audibly gasped as she came back to her senses, her cheeks reddening as she cleared her throat and said, "I became a t-trifle too excited. I am sorry for the unsightly display." "I don't really mind. I did get to smell your breath a lot, but it smelled like citrus fruit. More importantly...from what you're saying, I passed the conditions for clearing the trial, right?" "I believe you have displayed sufficient results for me to declare that this portion is finished." Echidna touched a hand to her chest, her face full of satisfaction, like one savoring the aroma of luxuriant black tea. "In regards to your trauma and your lingering feelings of guilt toward your past, you have found an answer to both. This, I wish to praise with thunderous applause." "One portion... Wait, you saw me bawling my eyes out, didn't you?!" "So sowwy, before I knew it, even my eyes were moist." "Shaddap!! Don't tell a soul, it's embarrassing!!" Subaru couldn't keep his cool at her being a Peeping Tom in regards to his farewell with his parents, both longing and regret bared. Her inquisitiveness that instant was a slight against Subaru's family. "But what a pity...it seems you already had your answer for facing your painful past." "Ahh?" "I welcome any answer. But it is my belief that an answer means more when one must take an excessive time to arrive at it. I was hoping that you would arrive at your answer as a result of racking your brain...but it would seem the trial unfortunately came too late for you to amuse me to the fullest, more's the pity." Echidna made a morose sigh. Knotting his brows at her words, Subaru slowly realized it for himself. If Echidna's desired outcome for the trial was for Subaru to face his past trauma in the form of both his parents, overcoming that past after much agony, he could only give his condolences. "A girl told me, a totally helpless no-good guy, that I'm her hero. That's why I've already accepted how much I come up short. I don't need to face my past now to teach me that." "So you resigned yourself to it in a different manner. It is not at all amusing that this has gone contrary to my will. Should you meet that girl on the outside, I would like you to convey that a Witch bears a grudge against her." Subaru's breath caught at the way she so casually stated that extremely frightening complaint. He knew he was at the limit of his ability to avert his eyes from comprehension he did not wish to accept. Echidna's presence, the world without people, and her saying she was reproducing a school uniform from his memories even an idiot would realize that... "Not that I even need to ask. This world, it really is..." "Yes, that's right. This is a fictitious world reproduced using completely faithful reliance upon your memories. Therefore, naturally your real parents remain with no knowledge of where you are and what you are doing, and are no doubt worried about their son, vanished without a trace." "Really faithful in every way, though? They talked about a whole bunch of things I didn't know about..." "Did you truly not know these things? Perhaps you saw a letter sent by an acquaintance of your parents once? Did you not meet an old man who knew your father when he was young? Did you truly not suspect even once that this image of your father was at odds with what you believed?" When Subaru seemed to cling to her, Echidna indulged him, pounding home point after point. "You thought they didn't know, but in your heart, did you really want to conceal it? Can you truly say you didn't want a fictional father and an idealized mother to know all along, out of the self-serving desire to be loved in spite of them knowing?" With Subaru cowed into silence, Echidna drew her face close to his, the tenor of her speech gradually diminishing to a whisper as it gained an ever-more-suspicious-sounding ring. Then, when she was close enough to breathe on him, she said, "That is a little too idealistic, a little too convenient do you not think so?" *** Echidna gracefully smiled as those soft, seemingly adoring words dug deep into Subaru's heart. At odds with the age-appropriate appearance she had displayed to that moment, this was the malevolent smile of a Witch. In the face of that captivating smile, infected with a Witch's seductiveness, Subaru closed his eyes and "Don't mock my parents out of some half-baked resentment, Echidna." "...What?" "I gave my entire answer to them. Both my mom and my dad accepted it. I told them everything I hadn't said, and they said everything I wanted them to say: Hang in there, come back soon." Subaru stood up, put his hands

on the desk, and put his forehead to Echidna's. Subaru watched the Witch's black eyes blink in surprise as he pounded his own chest. "Those voices, those smiling faces...every last bit was what my imagination poured into them they're not vases for you to pour your half-baked ideas into. Don't look down on them. Those are my parents." *** "I told them everything I had to say. I'm not gonna be led astray by words from someone like you." Turning her bladelike words back upon her, Subaru snorted and set his hips down on the chair once more. His brusque crossing of his legs, rough nasal breathing, and hard glare made the Witch look taken aback as she exhaled. "Goodness, to not leave any room for doubts in the answer you have given... You truly know how to make a little Witch cry." "Sucks to be you. I reeeally love Mom and Daddy." He puffed out his chest as he asserted it, though he couldn't quantify just how long it had taken before he could do so. Echidna greeted Subaru's stance with a resigned shake of her head. "In a true sense, this trial is over. I hope for great things for the next question." "Yeah... Er, next question?! The hell, the trial isn't just one thing?!" "My, did I not tell you when you first entered the tomb? 'First, face your past.' You should have paid more attention to the first part..." "Stop talking like a Japanese language teacher!! And that deceptive face really annoys me!!" Subaru was shocked at the notification that it would be a longer fight as Echidna leaned an elbow against the desk, forming a mischievous smile. "The condition for liberating the Sanctuary is to pass the tomb's trial, three parts in total. I am pleased I was finally able to speak to you about this. My chest is aflutter that I have surprised you to quite this extent." "Yeah, I've got a real lively look on my face 'cause you didn't tell me about this back at the tea party, damn it..." She'd no doubt been full of frustration concerning the uncooperative visitor arriving for tea with far too little information. Unlike that previous time, he had more he wanted to ask her about, but "Either way, you're not gonna hand out cheat sheets on the contents of the trials or how to answer, are you?" "Of course not. Stealing my fun from me after my death would simply be far too cruel." "Don't talk about this like some geezer's fun, sheesh..." Wincing from the witchy reply, Subaru slowly rose from his seat. There was no longer anything he wished to speak to Echidna about. Nor was there any reason to stay in that place, that fictional world, for long, save for lingering attachment. He'd said his farewells to the regrets in his heart; that was enough. "Hey, Echidna." "What is it? Ahh, a grudge to vent, or perhaps you wish to punch me once? Certainly, you have the right to do that much. I know my amusement comes at your expense. But I am a woman. At least avoid the fa " "Thank you." *** Echidna's face froze when she heard those words. The sight of Echidna in shock, eyes wide open and taken aback, felt a little creepy to Subaru as he spoke. "Even if it wasn't real, even if I didn't really say those things to the two of them, thanks to you, I was able to say out loud what I wanted to tell them. To put it bluntly, even if it's the result of your shitty curiosity, I was able to say goodbye to them If nothing else, I'm grateful for that. So thank you." "...You are an incredibly interesting person, one I am no longer able to understand to a degree that is...frightening." Echidna's reply contained neither jest nor falsehood; rather, it felt as if she was speaking from the heart for the very first time. After hearing her reply, Subaru shrugged, smiling like a mischievous boy. "I'm honored to have frightened a Witch. So how do I get out of this world?" "This world has served its purpose. It has already begun to disappear. Nothing save this building still holds its proper shape exit the building, and you should find yourself in the tomb where you started." "Well, that's pretty convenient." When Echidna's answer prodded him to look out the window, the distant sky was indeed warped like some kind of mirage. Having fulfilled its duty, the false world was vanishing back into a distant dream. With it went the father who had given Subaru a push forward, and the mother who had sent him off. "They already taught me the important stuff, though." The emotions filling his chest and the hot sensations in the backs of his eyes made Subaru rub his eyes once with his sleeve. Then he lifted his face, and there was room for tears no more. Subaru turned his back to the Witch and faced the classroom's exit to bring that world to an end and "That's right, one more thing. It seems like you want me to challenge this trial again going forward...but I can't do it." "...Meaning what?" Echidna knitted her refined eyebrows as Subaru paused on the verge of leaving the room, turning only his head back toward her. Subaru lifted a finger toward her, wagging it left and right as he spoke. "It's not my job to clear the trial and liberate the Sanctuary. This is a commemorative exam, just 'cause I happened to have an exam ticket on me. It'll be a different kid who'll fulfill your expectations." He remembered Emilia, who had challenged the tomb and had surely undergone the same trial. It was her duty to liberate the Sanctuary. Subaru's challenge had been completely unplanned; he couldn't raise Echidna's hopes. So he said that last thing, waving his hand toward the Witch he was probably seeing for the last time... "Will that truly be the case, I wonder?" Subaru Natsuki never noticed Echidna's deeply suggestive whisper as he was enveloped in white light. Then he left the world of the trial 2 The instant he awoke, the first thing Subaru felt was the bitter taste of sand and dust inside his mouth. "Blargh!! Ptoo, ptoo! Some weird rock's in my mouth... Bleh!!" Feeling drool and something else shaped like a rock on the tip of his tongue, Subaru retched as he instantly sprang up. When he surveyed the area around his dirty body, he saw an empty room shrouded in thin darkness. The cold, chilly air and musty, acrid scent they reminded him that he was in the tomb. "That's right, I completed it..." Now that Subaru was awake, his mind finally caught up as he recalled all that had happened since he collapsed. He'd been pulled into the trial, had been reunited with his parents, spoke with them, then returned to reality. There didn't seem to be any gaps in his memory from start to finish. He remembered it all. "Not like I can forget bawling my eyes out like that... Ahh, I'm glad." Leaving his father and mother was a sad, nostalgic memory, but also the ritual that had hardened his resolve. Relieved he had not forgotten it, he clenched his teeth as he belatedly recalled why he had rushed into the tomb in the first place the answer was sprawled on the floor right next to him. "Emilia!" Kneeling, Subaru saw Emilia lying on the cold floor beside him. Peering at her face, he confirmed she was breathing. He was initially relieved by that fact, but the pained look on her sleeping face stabbed into his chest. " ah, ngh..." Emilia was moaning, with sweat on her brow, as her face twisted in anguish and fear. Every so often, she shook her head in denial, as if she were desperately trying to run away from something "A past you don't want to look at...something you have to face and deal with, huh...?" Subaru didn't know how much time had passed, but Emilia had entered the tomb long before him. That Subaru had come back first in spite of that meant she was having an exceptionally difficult time with the trial. Emilia moaned faintly, like she was begging for help, as if ready to break into tears at any moment. The sight of her like that made Subaru's breath catch. Wanting to somehow ease her suffering, he touched her cheek with his finger. That instant *** "Emilia?!" Emilia's slender body sat up fast, almost like she'd been zapped with a jolt of electricity. The dramatic reaction made Subaru reach out with his arms, hugging Emilia against his own chest. Then, when she shuddered like she was having spasms, he called out to her over and over. "Emilia! Get it together, Emilia! Emilia!" " Wuu... Su...baru?" " ! Y-yeah, that's right. You can tell it's me? I'm so glad." Subaru's arms had been wrapped around Emilia while he desperately cried out. After some time, the anguished expression on her face finally eased as she slowly opened her eyes. She seemed to be coming to her senses, letting Subaru breathe in relief after calling out her name since the episode started. "This is... Er, I was..." "Take it slow, don't panic. We're inside the tomb in the Sanctuary. You came in here to fulfill a very important duty...and, er, sorry for taking so long!" Remembering that he was embracing her, Subaru abandoned his explanation midway and pulled back from Emilia's body. When Emilia hazily turned her head toward him, Subaru scratched his cheek and tried to pick up where he'd left off. "Emilia?" "That's right... I began the trial, and then..." Emilia's thoughts returned to the moment right before she'd lost consciousness, to the test. But her reaction had clearly been abnormal, and the sight of her set Subaru's heart deeply astir. Emilia embraced her own shoulders, as if remembering the shuddering from mere moments before. Her face was pale, drained of blood, and he could hear her teeth chattering. "I-it...wasn't me...! I...said it wasn't...me...but..." "Wait, Emilia? Calm down, please. Emilia, look at me, Emilia!" "No...don't look at me like that... No, no, no, you're wrong... Don't...blame me...!" Subaru's voice never registered as Emilia cowered on the spot, covering her face with her palms in denial. Her tearful words turned into sobs, and her crystal clear voice was so full of grief that it pained his heart. When Emilia crumpled onto the floor, Subaru still had no idea what had happened. "It's all right, it's all right. I'm here. You're not alone. It's okay." As Emilia shuddered in tears, Subaru tried his best to console her, to protect her, to care for her. He gathered her in his arms and gently stroked her back. During that time, Emilia continued to sob, seemingly unable to hear Subaru's voice. "...ve me, Dad. Save me... Puck, Puck...Pucckkk..." It was not the man at her side consoling her, but the absent spirit whose name she continued to call. 3 "She finally calmed down a short while ago and is now sound asleep." Ram whispered the news when she came out of the room after Subaru had questioned her with a glance. Given her considerate demeanor, what had happened inside the room behind her must have been something else. While relieved at her reply, he wasn't relieved enough not to turn his worried eyes toward the closed door. "That expression isn't like you, Barusu. Normally you have such a sloppy face. Now that I have seen that somber grimace of yours, I truly have no wish to see it ever again." "Nobody asked you... Sorry, making you worry about me like that." Ram reacted to those words with a "Ha!" and walked away. Before following in her footsteps, Subaru bit his lip as he turned his eyes toward the door one last time. Perhaps repeated regrets over his

insufficient strength, his weakness causing failure to pile upon failure, had steeled his heart. "Ohh? I wonder, is Lady Emilia already weeeell?" Cutting short his lingering sentiments at the closed door, he chased Ram deeper into the building. When he stepped into the room farthest back, he was greeted by Roswaal, lying upon the bed. The place was at the back of the building in the Sanctuary devoted to Roswaal's convalescence. From what Subaru had heard, it was actually Ryuzu's house, but it was currently on loan, the needs of the lord of the land being the highest priority. Thanks to being able to use that room, he had ended up carrying Emilia, fallen into disarray at the tomb, into the very same building. "Yeah. Right now she's sleeping in her room. Thanks to Ram, she shouldn't have to see any nightmares." "I used aromatic tea that acts as a sedative. Normally it would not work, but the Great Spirit is not currently at her side, so..." After Subaru replied to Roswaal, Ram put a hand on her pouch as she added her words to his. The tea ingredient seemed to be a different one from what Ram had previously used to lead Subaru astray with an illusion; that there were multiple types rather surprised him. It went without saying that he ought not to be concerned about bad effects inside his body, but "I still have this nagging suspicion you've been serving me poison all that time..." "Too large a dose of any base ingredient for tea will become poison, nothing more. You are a petty man to hold a grudge all this time." Speaking those words with a composed expression, Ram stood right at Roswaal's bedside. For all intents and purposes, the room was host to a one-on-one meeting between Subaru and Roswaal no other connected persons were welcome. "Garfiel dragged his feet, but Ryuzu being so sensible was a huge help." "Due to her age and seniooority, she has learned the value of discreeeetion. Even Garfiel understands that they cannot achieve their objectives without our cooperation, you see." Roswaal's words made Subaru recall how they'd looked when Subaru had parted ways with them at the tomb. The liberation of the Sanctuary was Garfiel & Co.'s cherished desire. If their side didn't cooperate, the other side might resort to force, but "If we intend to liberate them, they'll lend us a hand, huh? Damn complicated situation to be in..." "Because Lady Emilia is with us, our interests are aligned. The obstinacy their side has displaaayed to date should ease... Incidentally, I heard that a follower of yours was preeesent?" "Follower... Ah, you mean Otto? He's, well, we stuffed him in the Cathedral for tonight. He actually came to the Sanctuary because he wanted to meet you in the first place, Roswaal, but..." "Buuuut what?" Roswaal had one eye closed as Subaru scratched his head. The reason for Otto's absence was exceptionally clear. "We're talking internal camp business from here on. I don't intend to drag a half-outsider like him into our problems past the point of no return." "I see, a wise decision. It would seeeem that you do not enjoy involving friends of yours in your troubles." "I wouldn't exactly call us friends, but...well, pretty much, yeah." Having mulled over and accepted the circumstances, Subaru shrugged his shoulders, making no great effort to deny the point. From there, despite the absence of Emilia, the subject of their discussion "How about tonight we hammer out important stuff for this camp that we've been kicking down the road?" 4 "You were the instigator behind the hunt for the White Whale, you dispatched the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Witch Cult taking aim at the mansion and the village, you formed an alliance with Lady Crusch, candidate for the throne. That seems to be your meritorious seeervice record." Roswaal's white-painted brow wrinkled as the detached tone of his voice deepened. When Subaru attempted to speak about their internal affairs, it was Roswaal's mouth that summarized the ferocious combat occurring in his absence that Subaru should have spoken about first. When they were enumerated like that, even Subaru thought his exploits sounded unreal, but he made no effort to deny them; all of it was pure fact. "I had not asked in detail before the evacuation...but I cannot think the contents anything but fiction." "I thought you might say that, but there's no point hiding it, and I hadn't boasted about it before! Now come on and praise me!!" "Yes, yes, good boy, good boy." "Put some heart in it!!" In contrast to the serious Subaru, Ram treated him as flippantly as ever. However, the dull edge to the sarcasm behind her words was likely due to her surprise that Subaru had truly done all of those things. And the same seemed to go for Roswaal, silent as he strove to comprehend those facts. "These are unexpected, unanticipated results." Lowering his eyes with extremely deep feeling, Roswaal spoke thus as his breath trickled out. Subaru, utterly convinced Roswaal would praise him in some halfway frivolous manner, was dumbstruck by his reaction. Then Roswaal fixed Subaru in his differently colored eyes as he said, "Subaru. Do you recall the declaration you made at the beginning of the royal selection?" "Like I could forget it. Like I should ever forget it. I remember each and every word." Suddenly, he recalled the abominable memory, and the shame and self-loathing of it scorched his breast. Even if the numerous people of power and influence in that place had laughed it all off, Subaru alone was not permitted to forget, so that he might never repeat the recklessness, naivete, and stupidity of forgetting what was really important ever again. But Roswaal responded to Subaru's reply with a solemn nod. "In that light, I think your meritorious service should be rewarded. You have proven the words you spoke in that place upon our safe departure from this place, I shall appoint you knight." *** "Subduing the White Whale with the duchess and taking down an Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins are exploits that should be commended. You shall be known as Subaru Natsuki, knight. No one will laugh at you anymore." In the name of helping Emilia, he'd opened his big, fat mouth as a youth ignorant of his position. His naive dreams were broken on harsh reality time and time again. He had fallen first into despair, then madness; then he'd cast everything aside as he raced forward with vengeance in his heart, only to be saved by deep feelings of love These were the events that had brought him to where he was now. The prestige Roswaal promised would demonstrate all that time had actually meant something. It would mean everything Rem had done would also be rewarded; though memories of her actions existed in the minds of none, save Subaru himself. "...If doing so gives meaning to that battle, I...gratefully accept." "You should be proud of these exploits. With your own power, you have won the right to stand at Emilia's side." "...It wasn't...my power alone." Subaru murmured it quietly enough that only he must have heard it. When Roswaal knitted his brows as a result, Subaru tightly closed his eyes for a moment, audibly cracked his neck, then continued. "You acting serious really throws me off. I'm grateful we can move this talk along, mind you." "You wouuuund me. Am I not always serious? Besides, I promised, did I not? That I would face you directly the next time." "...You as in me and Emilia. Emilia really should be here, but she's not..." "Oh myyyy. You are quite mistaken." When Roswaal averted his face, apparently uncomfortable at being misunderstood, Subaru's breath caught a little. Roswaal closed one eye as he corrected Subaru's correction, leaving the gaze of his yellow eye alone that was his tell when he was hiding something deep within himself. Subaru got a bad feeling when he looked at Roswaal's eye and considered the earlier statement. "What do you...mean by that? Why did you go out of your way to leave Emilia out of this?" "Is it not rather oooobvious? Dirty matters should be discussed only between trusted coconspiiirators. I am not so gracious as to include someone I do not fully trust in such a meeting." "You mean you don't trust Emilia? What the hell are you talking about out of the blue like that?!" When Roswaal, resting his back against the bed, calmly revealed his opinion, it drove Subaru into a rage. Of course it did. He was practically saying Emilia was not worthy of his trust. He Roswaal L. Mathers, none other than Emilia's backer in the royal selection. "You're the one who nominated Emilia for the throne! Where do you get off saying that you don't trust Emilia...!" Giving in to his anger, Subaru closed the distance between them to say what was on his mind. He violently rubbed his brow with his fingers over and over as if it were a spell meant to convince his head, flush with blood, to calm down. It was his bad habit to suddenly lose it in the middle of a conversation. Just how much had he run in circles at the royal capital because of that short temper? He focused on deep breathing. Breathe in, breathe out. He did this a second time, and then a third. "...Let's...talk about everything in order, starting with this coconspirator business." "Very well. Once you understand that point, it should serve as a reply to your earlier misgivings." Subaru chained down his anger, which made Roswaal appear quite satisfied. Subaru crossed his arms and glared at the man, silently prodding him to continue. "Now then, first, the true meaning behind my use of coconspirator in regards to you...it is quite simple. I wish you to continue providing Lady Emilia aid as you have done to date. Do as much as your feelings dictate until the day she sits upon the throne." "That goes without saying...but what the hell will you be doing?" "Naturally, I shall do the same. Lady Emilia shall have my full support for victory in the royal selection so that she may become the ruler of this kingdom. You see, you and I share the same goal. Thus, we are coconspirators." "If that's all you were planning, I'd just call you an ally. Coconspirator means something different." Gritting his teeth as Roswaal presented his terms, Subaru controlled the tone of his voice. He didn't think Roswaal would invoke the word coconspirators if his motives were limited to the proper ones he had just presented. In the first place, there would be no reason to exclude Emilia from the conversation if that were true. Besides "What you're saying is full of contradictions. If you seriously wanted to put Emilia on the throne, what's your excuse for slacking off before coming here to the Sanctuary?" "What do you meaaan by slacking off?" "That's obvious! It was common knowledge Emilia publicly entering the royal selection would set the Witch Cult off on a rampage! Everyone said, 'Oh, Roswaal has to have prepared countermeasures,' so where the hell were they?! If that's not slacking off, what is?!" Subaru replied to Roswaal's feigned innocence with anger as he pounded home the suspicion he'd wanted to express for some time. Once he'd reached a boiling point, his dissatisfaction had only grown and grown without pause "For starters, you hid info on the Witch Cult from Emilia, didn't you? Emilia didn't know a damn thing about the Witch Cult. She didn't understand at all what would happen when she joined the royal selection. If she'd known, everything could've gone differently! None of that would have had to...!" As Subaru spoke, those hellish scenes came rushing back to mind, hells he had peered into several times over. The villagers slaughtered, the children cruelly put to death, how

Petra's corpse had stripped his mind bare, how Ram's dead body had carved a hole out of his soul, how Rem's death had robbed him of even the ability to mourn, and how Emilia's death "...You should have been there. If you'd been there, none of that would have happened. So why...weren't you there...?" "Barusu..." The unconcealable pain and anguish in his voice made even Ram's cheeks stiffen. No tears flowed from him. However, with a disheveled face, Subaru accused Roswaal. Only Subaru, who had seen those hellish scenes, had the right to accuse him. "If you'd stayed behind and protected everyone...I..." "But while I was absent, you fulfilled my duty in my place, exploits that would make even a knight's heart swell in pride..." " ! That's not the point!" His gratitude for being honored with the prestigious title of knight rapidly diminished. Certainly, being awarded the knightly title gave firm meaning to that battle. However, to the Subaru of the present, that battle, in and of itself, was a symbol of his mistakes. If that battle had never happened "Barusu, please, calm yourself." "Ram...!" When Subaru unwittingly took a step forward, Ram glared at him from right up close. She shielded Roswaal behind her back, quiet anger resting in her pink eyes. "Master Roswaal is injured. Even so, he can surely put a stop to any violence from one such as you with a single finger... I shall permit no rudeness when I am present, Barusu." "You're okay with this? It's the same for you, he left you behind like a sacrificial pawn! Roswaal curled his tail and ran from the Witch Cult! Are you telling me I'm wrong?!" "I accept that without reservation. Ram forgives all Master Roswaal's deeds, including however she might be treated, or even eventually cast aside." "Then you forgive Rem being sacrificed for stupid stuff like this, too?!" The incomprehensible loyalty in Ram's reply set off Subaru like nothing else. He had avoided the issue several times, telling himself it wasn't the right time, putting off the truth he needed to speak to her about Rem and how her memory had faded from the world, now existing only within Subaru's heart. With the master she had served for many years, even with her older twin sister who was her other half, Rem " ? I know not of whom you speak, but no other name means anything to me. To Ram, Master Roswaal is everything, and all others come second." The words Subaru had spat out, giving in to his emotions, were cut down by Ram without the slightest hesitation. Though Subaru had not planned it that way, her words were solid proof there was no memory of Rem within Ram, presenting him with the painful reality he had repeatedly ignored and avoided. *** Drained of strength, Subaru retreated a distance greater than the step forward he had made. The sight of Subaru's shoulders sinking made Ram knit her brows, whereupon Roswaal weightily shook his head. "Ram, stand aside. This conversation is between him and me only. I permit you to attend, but I do not permit you to speak. You understaaand, yes?" "...Yes. I have no excuse for intruding." Ram bowed, then attended Roswaal's bedside once more. As Subaru watched the exchange, he felt something like a breeze blowing through his exceptionally empty chest. Both of Roswaal's eyes narrowed at the sight of Subaru hanging his head at that desolate reality. "Tonight, I respond to you in earnest. This is what I have decided. Thaaaat is why I shall respond to the doubts you toss at me with the truth." *** "Why did I conceal information from Lady Emilia that I should have disclosed? Why was I absent from the mansion when the Witch Cult was coming to attack? These questions have a single answer." Subaru put strength into his neck and lifted up his head. When accepting someone's reply to your suspicions, you at least had to look him in the eye. As Subaru did so, Roswaal closed one eye and said... " I guided events so they would be resolved without me needing to confront the Witch Cult." "...Huh?" Subaru was dumbstruck, unable to digest the meaning of the words Roswaal had spoken openly while looking him in the eyes. When he crunched, chewed, and swallowed the words down, tasting their meaning with his brain, the contents permeated his very soul. "I don't...get it. Then you mean...what? You ran? You actually did get cold feet when the Witch Cult was coming, and then...? How...could you!" "Is it truly incomprehensible? That I, among the kingdom's sages, a prominent man of influence...I, capable of a violent rampage even greater than the menace of the Witch Cult, would avoid battle with the Cult?" "Damn right it is! You of all people could've easily taken care of all of " "That is precisely why I did not. Had I resolved the matter, no credit would have gone to Lady Emilia, nor would there be any fame to be won by you, would there? That would have rendered it meaningless." "Wh-wha...?" Subaru genuinely couldn't comprehend what was being said to him. The statement would have been a hundred times better if it had been a joke or Roswaal toying with him. But Roswaal's face showed nothing that could fulfill Subaru's wish; Roswaal kept one eye closed as he continued. "The effect was tremeeendous, was it not? Indeed, ever since the Witch Cult was driven off, the attitude of the residents of Earlham Village toward Lady Emilia has been the complete opposite of what it once was. She has gone from a Witch beyond their comprehension to the savior whose efforts protected their very lives...and their assessment of you has similarly risen, yes?" "Y-you... Do you even understand what you said just now...?" The jolt inside Subaru's throat made his voice quiver indistinctly. However, the sounds that were not garbled made Roswaal cock his head, his lack of comprehension clear. It was that demeanor that gripped the bottom of Subaru's heart in incomprehensible fear. Roswaal had essentially said this: His understanding of the menace of the Witch Cult had been in no way deficient. He had anticipated that the Cult would launch an attack. And, so forewarned, he had used the expected disaster for public relations purposes. But "That's just judging by hindsight. It ended up that way, that's all. If you'd resolved it all, Emilia definitely...maybe Emilia and the villagers would still be in the same place. But !" He recalled the scene from the previous evening Emilia exchanging words with the residents who had evacuated to the Sanctuary, where they had entrusted their hopes to her. Certainly, that scene might never have become reality if things hadn't gone as Roswaal had planned them. "But that's all hindsight!! Did you even think about how many people would die because you weren't there to save them?! Certainly, the casualties were minimized. I worked my ass off for that! But they weren't zero. People died!" "Allow me to express my regret for the harm that befell our allies. It is, of course, only natural that our enemies are dead. The Witch Cult force was laid to waste, not a single member surviving. I could not have done it better myself. For this, you seek to apooologize to me?" " !! No! No, no, no, that's not it! That's not it at all!" In revulsion, Subaru weakly shook his head, rejecting Roswaal's words. Why wasn't he getting through? Why didn't he get it? Roswaal's intent had been just too cruel, too heartless. It was fine to charge straight toward your goal, but couldn't he just listen? But this wasn't simply charging forward. It was as if he was ignoring every obstacle that had fallen upon the roadway before him. "...If I'd stayed a piece of garbage that couldn't accomplish anything, where would you be then? The result would be that nobody was saved, not Emilia, not the villagers." As a matter of fact, Subaru had laid eyes upon that result multiple times over. If anything, that result was inevitable. In most worlds, entrusting the matter to Subaru Natsuki had led to the worst-case scenario. " I left it in your hands...because I trusted you." Subaru wanted to know if that reply was sincere. When he heard it, all he could do was laugh out loud in despair. "...That means you don't intend to give me a serious answer." "Perhaps it is not the answer you hoped for, but I have stated the truth. I decided that tonight, I would not deceive you in any way. If I cannot speak of something, I shall say so, and if something is inconvenient, I shall hold my tongue, but I swear to you that no words I have spoken are lies." Roswaal's words were solemn. However, they invited too much distrust for belief. From the conversations they'd had to date, Subaru had no faith left over to take his words at face value. Despite Subaru's silent distrust, Roswaal's expression did not falter as he continued. "I say again: Where this matter is concerned, I made the decision to trust you. I trusted that you would strive for Lady Emilia's sake, that you would exhaust all efforts to achieve an alliance with Lady Crusch, that you would put your life on the line to successfully fend off the attack by the Witch Cult, and thus increase your renown." "What do you know about me?! You've known me for only two months. Do I look like a man who can accomplish things like that?!" Subaru was indignant. He was fed up with eloquent, pretty-sounding phrases that only made his ears hurt. His teeth were bared, his beady eyes grew tense, and Subaru pointed straight at Roswaal as he howled. "There's no way in hell. When you parted ways with me, I was a piece of garbage through and through. It was only after that I changed from garbage to something halfway decent. What came after was only because it was the only thing left to find inside of me What did you see that lets you trust me like that?" It wasn't a discussion. If the other party had no intention of being serious, conversation was futile. Roswaal's demeanor toward the raggedly breathing Subaru had not changed one iota. Therefore, that gaze itself was his reply. He intended neither to correct Subaru's view nor to state the objective truth. "...It would seem our conversation for this evening is at an impaaasse." Roswaal declared the conversation over, almost as if he could see straight into Subaru's inner being. Subaru had no objection, either. At the very least, not until he was ready to engage in a real conversation. "Though your esteem of me has plummeted, I cannot call that a pure disappointment... Incidentally, I think I hardly need to confirm, but concerning tonight, Lady Emilia..." "I'm not saying a word. Like I could tell her anyway. Besides, whatever you're planning, whether you're laughin' behind whatever face you make or not...what matters now is the result of Emilia's own choices." Her determination to challenge the tomb's trial, her promise to liberate the villagers urging her onward from the barrier, her resolve toward the royal selection from that point on Emilia had chosen all these things for herself. It was absolutely not because she was dancing to Roswaal's tune, manipulated by his shady schemes. "Though you are governed by anger, within your mind, you correctly grasp the situation. For the sake of Lady Emilia's royal selection, there must be no discord created between her, myself, and the villagers." *** "Meaning you have become an adult you are a worthy coconspirator indeed." "...There's no good death waitin' for you." "I am aware of this. I shall without doubt fall into hell. Therefore, I must exhaust all efforts to bring my ambition to fruition in this era before that day comes." Subaru breathed hard at the stifling situation as

Roswaal gave him the adoring gaze a predator had for his prey. Subaru returned that gaze in enmity before turning his back. The conversation was over. He didn't want to spend another instant in the man's presence. But "I have one last thing to ask you. I'm not sure you'll want to give me a straight answer, though." "What is it? My earlier promise, to answer truthfully, remains in effect. Ask whatever you wiiiish." "It's about Beatrice." The instant Subaru invoked that name, all composure vanished from Roswaal's face. "Beatrice," he murmured to himself, regaining the aloof, clownish demeanor that had reigned until the moment before. "You pay a great deeeal of attention to that girl. What is it you wish to ask?" "I had a chance to speak with her before coming here to the Sanctuary, and though she wouldn't tell me much...she said all the answers to my doubts can be found here. If you're in a mood to speak seriously, what do you think she meant by that?" When their conversation in the archive of forbidden books drew to an end, Beatrice had spoken those words to Subaru with a tearful face. Frederica had also said Beatrice was one of the very few people related to Roswaal with whom he shared his thoughts. If that was so, then Roswaal might understand just why Beatrice had had that sad look on her face. "Before I reply to that question, there is something I wish to ask for myself." "...What, then?" "To aid Lady Emilia, you entered the tomb. By whatever twist of fate, it seems the tomb's punishment did not go into effect... Did you meet someone within the tomb?" The question Roswaal posed made Subaru sink into thought for one brief moment. Despite hearing that it was dangerous, Subaru had rushed into the tomb to rescue Emilia. Though Subaru had, in fact, undergone the trial, he hadn't spoken a word of that to Roswaal. One reason was that the flow of conversation hadn't given him much of a chance, but the biggest reason was Subaru's lack of trust toward him. Roswaal had decided to use even the Witch Cult's onslaught to increase Emilia's popularity. If he knew that Subaru had challenged the tomb, Subaru couldn't even fathom what schemes he might come up with this time. In the first place, it was unclear to whom he was referring. Subaru hadn't metin the tomb, or anyone else. "What are you talking about? It was inside a tomb. Like there was room to meet anyone. A zombie, maybe?" "I do not know what you mean by 'zombi,' but...no, that answer is suffiiicient. Thus, my reply to your question is simple: it is not yet time to speak about the matter." "Ha! So that's your story in the end. When will you be able to talk about it, then?" "That depends on you. Though, if possible, I would like tonight's pact to be invoked as soooon as possible." *** His manner of speech was deeply suggestive, but Roswaal did not seem ready to explain any further. Thinking back, Subaru felt deeply despondent at how evasive Roswaal had been from start to finish. Everything, even the prestige that came with the title of knight, had been for the purpose of setting up a favorable conversation with Subaru. "Well then, Subaru. Let us share pleaaasant conversation again." *** Subaru, showered by Roswaal's sarcastic-sounding words even on the eve of his departure, vengefully slammed the door shut. 5 "Subaru?" Subaru scratched his head at the fact that he'd been addressed by name despite entering the room with great care. When he quietly closed the door and turned around, the girl on the bed Emilia seemed to have just awakened from a deep sleep as their eyes met. "Sorry, did I wake you?" "No...I woke up a little earlier. I was surprised you were sooo quiet, Subaru." "Keeping the noise down when I walk has become a habit. But my scheme has been foiled. I was actually thinking I'd play a prank on Emilia-tan while she slept..." "A prank...? You mean like writing on my face?" "You got me! I definitely don't have the courage to try a worse prank, either...!" The way Emilia tilted her head, the thought of other things between boy and girl not even crossing her mind, took the wind out of Subaru's sails. Regardless, now that she'd awoken, he sat by her side and checked the state of everything else. The color of her face and her breathing were both normal. Her face was cute, too. She'd returned to her normal self without any noticeable issues. "I'm sorry, Subaru. I reeeally lost it when I woke up in the tomb." "Eh, ah, that's fine, that's fine. More importantly, I was worried you might have bumped something when you first fell down. It really is a lot easier on both of us if I can watch you without being separated." "...Yeah, it might well be." "Mm?" Subaru, replying in what he thought was his usual flippant tone, narrowed his brows at Emilia's reaction. She lowered her eyes, looking as if she was thinking about something as she clutched Subaru's sleeve. It was as if she were unconsciously grasping his hand to allay her worries. Subaru stared at the gesture when " ? Ah!" Following Subaru's gaze, Emilia was startled when she realized her fingers were grasping the sleeve of his tracksuit. She proceeded to release her fingers, her face reddening as she waved her hand to and fro. "I-I didn't mean to. Huh, that's strange. Why did I do something like..." "My, my, Emilia-tan finally wants me enough to subconsciously reach out her hand. Hey, if you want to rely on me for everything, you can just come out and say it." "That's...totally not it. My hand probably just...slipped." "You sure denied that fast, and what do you mean by slipped?!" Emilia shook her head at the half-joking assertion, wearing a strained, embarrassed smile. Subaru did not press the issue. After all, she didn't seem to want to talk about the worries subconsciously connected to her actions just then. And naturally, those were related to the trial that night... "Can I ask you something about the trial? What kind of past did you see inside?" " !! Subaru, how do you know about...?" "If it's tough to talk about, I won't ask about the details. I have a past I don't wanna talk about, too." "Th-that's not what I... How...do you know that the trial showed me my past?" As Emilia's violet eyes opened wide, her words made Subaru let an ah! out of his throat. Certainly, no one was supposed to know the details of the test within the tomb before entering, and even then, they would only find out if they were challengers themselves. Of course, Subaru could have just told Emilia that he'd undergone the trial just like she had, but *** Looking back at Emilia's trembling eyes, Subaru swallowed the words with which to convey that fact. Given that she was already shaken and discouraged, he feared that telling Emilia he'd taken the same trial, but had overcome it, might push her farther into a corner. Nor was this the only reason not to tell her. Accordingly, Subaru closed his eyes, pushing the role of the villain onto someone absent from that place. "That jerk Roswaal was keeping quiet that he knew about the trial. He said something about facing your past, but, ah, I don't really know the details past that..." "Is that so... Did Roswaal...say anything else?" "Err, maybe that it's three parts in all, and seeing the past is the first one?" A barefaced lie, Subaru's reply made Emilia look dispirited. "Three parts...," she echoed. At least she didn't question Subaru's assertion that Roswaal was the source of the information. In reality, he'd heard it from, but he avoided such a problematic explanation. "Setting the number of problems aside, today's challenge...didn't go all that well, did it?" "...Mm. So it would seem. I tried hard, but it suddenly ended midway..." "Sorry, I think that's because I woke you up. Seems being touched from the outside wakes you up. Come to think of it, I feel like I got told that from the start." "Who...told you that?" "...Who was it, I wonder." The creases of Subaru's brow deepened as he tried to wrap his head around it. The thought easily rolled off his tongue, but where had the idea come from? When he thought about it, nothing came to mind, so he put off forming a conclusion. "Let's switch topics. Tonight was no good. But that just means you can take it again. You can take it as many times as you need to... So the rest is up to how you feel, Emilia-tan." "How I...feel?" "I could tell from the look on your face as you slept that it wasn't a warm, fuzzy past. But if it's not you who liberates this Sanctuary, there's no meaning to it... That's what I think, anyway For that, are you going to challenge it again?" *** When pressed to choose, Emilia took in a deep breath and fell silent. Her trembling fingers went to her own neck, touching the green crystal that dangled from it...but her only family made no response. Emilia was hard-pressed for an answer as Subaru watched her, silently awaiting her decision. If, for example, by any chance, Emilia recoiled from challenging the trial again, too afraid to face her past, Subaru did have an idea. It just took someone else qualified to do it instead. And that would be Subaru Natsuki. But " Subaru, you idiot." "Hey, I'll accept any answer you... Wait, what's with the sudden insult?!" "If you say that with gentle eyes and a gentle voice, there's no way I'll say I can't, is there? I'm not a very smart girl...but even I know that this is my duty." "Emilia..." "Don't pamper me. Trust me... Maybe I don't sound very convincing saying that after today, but..." Right after speaking with such strong resolve, Emilia flushed as she lowered her eyes. However, her words made Subaru exhale at length. "That's not true at all," he said, shaking his head. Emilia had said she'd do it. Then she certainly would. From all the time he'd seen her, not just that night, Subaru genuinely trusted her. "Hey, I'm with you for makeup tests or anything else. I trust you. I'll wait." "Mm, thank you." When Subaru smiled at her, Emilia finally regained the strength to send a charming smile back at him. It was a small, fleeting smile, but the resolve it contained made Subaru lose himself in the sight of it for a moment. "But the one thing that pains my heart is...the trouble it must be for the people of Earlham Village..." She'd promised them she would definitely liberate them from the barrier and return them to their village. She hoped that they were not people to shun someone upon learning of her failure, but she couldn't help its weighing on her mind. But Subaru had an idea where that was concerned. "Can you let me handle that part?" "You have something in mind?" "I do. I don't plan on causing Emilia-tan or the villagers any trouble." "...Understood. I trust you, Subaru." When Subaru thumped his hand on his chest, Emilia narrowed her eyes and immediately nodded. Subaru was a little surprised at the instant decision, whereupon Emilia gave a tiny, pleasant smile. "As if I'd doubt you now, Subaru I trust you." *** Those words left Subaru quietly closing his eyes, thinking hard in his own mind. Emilia's trust was a product of Subaru's actions to date and even if those had proceeded according to the sketch drawn by Roswaal's own hand, it would not be that way from here on. " No way I'm gonna let everyone dance on top of your palm." He would not

permit Roswaal's will to intervene as it had so far. And, there in the Sanctuary, it was Subaru Natsuki's job to prove it. 6 Three days later, Subaru executed the plan that he had mentioned to Emilia. "I must say, I am impressed you managed to persuade Garfiel." Otto shared his thoughts while Subaru checked the condition of the dragon carriage with Patlash, his favorite land dragon, hitched to it. Subaru's back was turned as he responded with a "Yeah" before continuing. "It took a little time, but it's a big help that I somehow got through to him." "Though from my perspective, it was difficult to believe he would listen to what we had to say..." "...You might be a merchant, but you're not a good judge of people, are you?" "I suppose not! Having associated with all kinds of company to date, and never earning even the slightest bit of profit without a great deal of toil, it's enough that even I doubt my own eyes!" Otto responded to Subaru's barb with a shrill, resentful comment of his own. But Subaru understood why he felt that way. To begin with, the point of taking Otto to the Sanctuary was that Subaru could fulfill his promise of granting him an audience with Roswaal. "And yet, to think I would go three, no, four whole days without meeting him once, only to return to the village where we started..." "I'm sorry about that. But you won't be able to talk to Roswaal until the heat dies down. If you want me to introduce you with a ton of sparks flyin' in the air, I can force the issue, but..." "No, no, no! Please, there's no need! I do not want to become involved in a strange situation like that!" Otto's recoiling like that had been partly responsible for the delay in introducing him and Roswaal. Scratching his cheek, Subaru focused on what lay ahead of their dragon carriage the other carriages for evacuating the villagers assembled at the entrance to the Sanctuary. There were a total of fifty villagers and cooperating traveling merchants in seven dragon carriages, all moving in one rather large convoy. Subaru and Otto had arranged to bring them along on their return to Earlham Village. The condition that was required for it to happen that the barrier enveloping the Sanctuary be lifted remained unmet, but... "Lady Emilia ain't got a choice. From the moment she stepped inside the barrier, she either lifts it, or she ain't leavin'. They ain't got no value as hostages no more, so go ahead and return 'em to their village..." " Garfiel." As Subaru watched the villagers prepare to embark, a figure with blond hair and a bad attitude approached. The man who always had a dangerous look in his eyes glanced over, glaring at Subaru and Otto as they stood side by side. "Waaah!" That gaze made Otto let out a small cry as he meekly retreated to the other side of the dragon carriage. Even considering the impact from their first meeting, it was quite an attitude. "Don't boss him around too much. He's a super-important... Wait, why is he important again?" "If you're wonderin' out loud, how the hell am I supposed to know? Besides, him actin' like a chicken is his problem." Garfiel crinkled his nose as he sourly folded his arms. But though his actions were frequently crude, Garfiel was a man unexpectedly attentive to details. Subaru had learned that thanks to having come into contact with him repeatedly over the last few days. "Who'd have thought you were taking care of the villagers who'd evacuated..." "What's that? Can't be helped, damn it. Not like I can have the old hags pushin' themselves too hard, and a lot of 'em don't wanna get friendly with strangers either... The less trouble the better." "Meaning my suggestion put us in the same boat?" "Pretty much. 'It's the Maringo Island way' and stuff." Subaru was tempted to ponder how he was managing to hold such a normal conversation with Garfiel. But Subaru ignored that and lightly bowed his head to Garfiel once more. After all, without Garfiel's cooperation, the freeing of hostages wouldn't have been possible. "Cut that out, it's embarrasin'. I told you not to bow your head an' stuff." "Even if you say that, I have to do this much. I know you guys have your own circumstances, and you accepted this because it suits your own interests, too, but..." Welcoming strangers into the Sanctuary meant exhausting some resources. The settlement did have its own fields, and Roswaal had arranged for the regular delivery of supplies, but a prolonged emergency situation wasn't good for either population. That was why Subaru had brought the matter up with Garfiel, who had in turn spoken with Ryuzu and the other residents, resulting in that morning's freeing of the hostages. "That's why I'm grateful. The villagers, their feelings are a little mixed, but they're happy, too besides, we really stuck it to Roswaal." "Yeah, that makes me feel good, too. I'll accept yer thanks, then." When Subaru gave a mischievous grin, Garfiel revealed his fangs and let out a hearty laugh. Not only had the proposal been Subaru's idea, but Roswaal had approved when he had been informed after the fact. From what Subaru had picked up through Ram, that had to have given Roswaal plenty of heartburn. Ever since the nighttime discussion a few nights earlier, Subaru had stubbornly resisted meeting Roswaal again. At the very least, he didn't intend to forgive Roswaal until the latter made a proper apology. That was unfortunate for Otto, but "Subaru!" Just when there was a tiny break in the conversation, a voice clear as a bell called out Subaru's name. When Subaru looked back, Emilia was waving as she walked toward them. "...We'll talk again later. When we're on the road." Noticing her approach, Garfiel whispered only that into Subaru's ear before moving off from his side. He walked off with an exaggerated swagger as Emilia arrived, cocking her head to the side as she posed a question. "Err, did I butt into your conversation with Garfiel?" "Oh, that's all right. It's not like it was anything important, and Emilia-tan's my top priority." "I'm reeeally happy to hear that, but right now the villagers should be your top priority." When the corners of Emilia's eyebrows lowered as she gave a conflicted smile, Subaru nodded in reply to her request. Then she turned her mind's attention toward the villagers' dragon carriages, where preparations to return were underway. Subaru had a strong grasp on the complex feelings Emilia harbored inside. "I really do think lifting the barrier and heading out like a big parade would be great, but..." "...I'm sorry. It's because I haven't overcome the trial even after several days. But I don't think it's right they shouldn't be reunited with their families because of me." Her voice full of feelings of self-reproach, Emilia bit her thin lips in apparent regret over her own powerlessness. In the three days since they'd first challenged the trial, the tomb's methodology had become clearer bit by bit. Just as Subaru had remembered, it was possible to undertake it any number of times. However, it could only be undertaken once per night. Emilia had made an attempt every night without rest only to be met with failure each time. When night fell, Subaru watched Emilia confront her past at the tomb, and he saw the pain break her heart, causing her to return tearful and haggard. Repeated painful experiences had resulted in a rising pile of failures. Moreover, he couldn't even begin to imagine how much her spirit had been worn down in the process. "Anyway, you can't get impatient and force yourself. Since ancient times, no one has managed to accomplish anything good with those two things. I'll get the villagers back home and come back here right away...but it still won't be till tomorrow that I can make it. You can put off tonight's challenge if you want, you know." Subaru couldn't remain in the Sanctuary to be at Emilia's side that night. Because of that, Subaru had proposed several times already that she take a break from challenging the tomb. But Emilia firmly shook her head this time as well. "It's all right. It's true I'm...a little impatient...but I'm the one who said I'd do this. I don't want to disappoint the villagers or the people of the Sanctuary." "...Gotcha. All right, then. I won't say any more." "Thank you. Also...though you should also be mindful of the villagers, be mindful of Frederica." Now that they'd checked off what each had to do, Emilia worriedly added that at the end. Her worry was rooted in their lack of knowledge about where Frederica stood. If Ram's warning was anything to go by, Frederica was involved with those opposed to the liberation of the Sanctuary. Subaru hadn't the faintest idea how she'd treat him and Otto upon their return to the mansion. " If Frederica bears Lady Emilia ill will, the mansion should be an empty shell right about now." "...Huh? Ram? What'd you come here for?" Ram, slipping through the line of dragon carriages, came over and promptly joined their conversation. Much like with Roswaal, Subaru wasn't feeling particularly positive about her. Considering the issue of Rem and her behavior namely her taking Roswaal's side Subaru was standoffish with her. Ram feigned ignorance of the discord with Subaru, narrowing her almond-shaped eyes as she spoke. "Greetings, Barusu. I have merely come out of my way to see you off in Master Roswaal's stead. As a lord, it pains him greatly to not be present as his people begin to depart." "You've got some nerve to be..." "In addition, he sends a message to Barusu for his return to the mansion. If Frederica concerns you, I believe it is all the more important you should hear it." When Subaru clicked his tongue at the preamble, Ram dangled the existence of information he could not afford to dismiss in front of his nose. Truth be told, it was very difficult for Subaru to endure going along with it, but... "What should I do, then, if Frederica is a concern?" "Lady Emilia is so forthright. You should learn from her, Barusu." Ram employed Emilia to sarcastically pester Subaru, clapping her hands with excessive glee. Then, as they caught their breath, Ram continued in a quiet tone of voice. "He said that if you are concerned about confronting Frederica, rely upon Lady Beatrice." "Rely on Beatrice? Hey, listen closer when people explain stuff. That's a majorly high-difficulty thing in itself. In this situation, just meeting her isn't simple at..." "It is you who should listen, Barusu. Please be quiet until I am finished Certainly, it is not easy to speak to Lady Beatrice. That is where Master Roswaal's message should come into play." The grave accents of her voice made Subaru swallow his words and indicate for her to continue. His gaze made Ram lick her lips before she spoke. "He instructed, upon returning to the mansion, to say this: 'Roswaal said ask your questions.'" "Questions...?" "Ram does not know the details. However, Master Roswaal stated that once this reaches Lady Beatrice's ears...the situation shall change. I came only to deliver this message to you." Ram made that declaration with a composed look, showing that she was not of a mind to entertain any questions about the matter. Subaru mulled over her demeanor and the words she had spoken. In the end, he grimaced because he didn't understand their meaning. "So if I tell Beatrice that, she'll listen to what I have to say...is that it?" "Who knows? That surely depends on you, Barusu... See the villagers home safely, please." Placing a very strong emphasis on that last part, Ram turned her back to him and left, her business concluded. Taken aback by her attitude, Subaru scratched his head.

"Ram...no, Roswaal's probably hiding something, damn it." *** "Emilia?" "Eh? Ah, yes, nothing. No worries." In the blink of an eye, Emilia's gloomy expression vanished as she straightened her back and turned to face Subaru. Then she smiled pleasantly at Subaru once more before she continued. "I don't know how far we should trust the advice from Roswaal that Ram gave us, but...don't be reckless May the blessings of the spirits be with you." To a spirit mage, this was an important phrase, special words to send others off. Subaru answered with a solemn nod. "Though that might not sound very convincing coming from me right at this moment." "That's not true I'll be back. You hang in there, too, Emilia." Instead of telling her not to be impatient or reckless, he tried to say something else. Rather than reinforce her worries, he tried to convey his trust to bolster her spirit, even if it only helped a tiny bit. "...Mm-hmm. You, too, Subaru." Emilia nodded, and it was right around then that the preparations to depart were complete. 7 With Emilia, and subsequently Ram, seeing them off, Subaru and the others set off from the Sanctuary in their dragon carriages. At a steady pace, it wouldn't even take a half day to reach Earlham Village. The main concern on the road ahead was the barrier that blocked the passage of those who were mixed and led people astray, but "If ya know the right path and yer a pureblood who doesn't trigger th' barrier, ain't no problem. Ain't like either o' us wanna keep more people with grudges than we need." "Beyond that, I'm grateful that you offered yourself as a guide to make sure we don't get lost, but..." Garfiel was inside the dragon carriage, sitting in his seat at an angle and having a great time. Sitting opposite him, Subaru leaned on an elbow and sighed. "You're not guiding us. Hell, you're practically falling asleep. Did you ditch the job?" "Naw. It's just, that black land dragon of yers is too damn good. She's got a perfect grasp of the road from just runnin' down it once, so there ain't nothin' for me to do." "Aside from her taste in men, my Patlash really is perfect, isn't she...?" Subaru was very fond of his favorite dragon whose specs were so high they had earned Garfiel's seal of approval. But that she'd picked Subaru as her owner might have been indicative of a certain flaw in her character. Either way, her amazing performance was why Subaru had ended up one-on-one with Garfiel. Over at the driver's seat, Otto made a point of having nothing to do with the conversation. And so their chatter naturally drifted to the topic that they had set aside until now. "So. Before ya head out, there's somethin' I wanted to talk to ya about. Unless yer real bad at guessing, I think ya can imagine what it is." "...Sorry, setting aside opinions on whether I'm good or bad at guesswork, there's a whole bunch of problems I can think of. Unless you tell me the specifics, no way I'm gonna understand what you mean." "Well, ain't that rough. In that case, I'll lend ya a hand in solvin' yer problems." Garfiel spread his thighs where he sat, turning a sharp gaze toward Subaru. Subaru's breath caught as he recoiled from those eyes that were not so much piercing as they were cutting. "The way you say that doesn't sound like a good omen to me... In other words...?" "Hey, third rate you took the trial, didn't you?" *** The question Garfiel posed in a low voice, like the guttural growl of a beast, ran right through Subaru. When Subaru narrowed his eyes at the question, Garfiel shook his head. "Don't hide it. I ain't picking on ya. I'm wonderin', like, people not qualified take the punishment once, and then they're free to enter the second time an' after... That's just a guess, not like anyone's tried it." "If you wanna tell Roswaal to try it, I'm not gonna stop you." "Me, I'd love him to try, too, but Ram'd smack me to death, so I'll pass." With a pained look and a flippant tongue, Garfiel bared his fangs and laughed a little. As he'd pointed out, he'd come to the conclusion that Subaru had been able to enter the tomb because it was his second time. There was no way for Garfiel to be sure, but it seemed he intended to make something out of it. "Let's say for the sake of argument that's true... What do you plan to do about it?" "Now, hold on. I figured ya wouldn't cop to it. That's just a what-if, so I'll talk about somethin' easier for ya to agree to. This is 'Gam and Gum Bridge Building'–level stuff." Garfiel unleashed another one of his trademark mystery phrases, and while Subaru felt his mouth go dry from the incredibly not-casual level of pressure it suggested, he drew in his chin, indicating he would at least hear out the proposal. Accepting this, Garfiel continued. "It's real simple. If yer qualified...then you take the trial in Lady Emilia's place. Lift the barrier for me and my people." " !! Wait, I can't do that! That assumes Emilia's gonna fail!" Garfiel was proposing that Subaru challenge it in Emilia's place. Certainly, the thought had grazed Subaru's head several times over. As a matter of fact, Subaru had already passed one of the three parts of the trial, leaving two obstacles to go. If pressed, he would admit he held a strong desire to challenge it. But that was something he wanted to avoid. If he did that, all Emilia's struggles to date would be for "Don't get me wrong. Me and the old hag wanna be freed from the Sanctuary. An' we don't much care who does it." "That's..." "You wantin' Lady Emilia to do it so she can have the old hags and the hostages thankin' her that's your problem. Includin' wantin' her to overcome a hateful past and take the sting off it, that's all your problem it ain't got nothin' to do with us." Subaru couldn't summon a rebuttal to Garfiel's words. Looking at it from Garfiel's point of view, of course that's how he saw the Sanctuary situation. Just as he'd said, having Emilia undertake the trial, and hoping that she would overcome it, was essentially the solution to a personal problem. When Subaru hung his head at this sound argument, Garfiel sighed as he added more. " Is the past really something ya gotta overcome in the first place...?" "Eh?" "For three days I've been watchin' Lady Emilia challenge the trial, same as you. It's breakin' her. Seein' her come out all messed up like that I can't stand to watch." Crinkling the skin of his nose, Garfiel brought up the heartbreaking sight of Emilia right after emerging from the tomb. The number of times Emilia had failed to overcome the trial were adding up. But it wasn't just that it was the sight of her turning back: broken, panicked, calling for Puck, then finally sleeping as if her strength was exhausted. The ordeal was excruciating. But what lay beyond her after she overcame that was "I believe Emilia will overcome it. That's why I'll..." "And yer free to hope she does. But can Lady Emilia really overcome her past? Could it be that crying and going all I'm scared I'm scared is what she really wants to do? Me, I can't really tell." "What Emilia...really wants..." The words Garfiel threw out struck Subaru like a shower of cold water. Subaru had meant to respect Emilia's wishes and devotedly support her until the matter was resolved. However painful it was to climb that wall, as long as Emilia challenged it without fail, he would continue lending her a hand. Emilia, challenging the tomb in spite of her trembling legs, heedless of the cry of her heart. *** Right then, when Garfiel said it out loud, Subaru arrived at the possibility for the first time. The possibility that she wanted to be rescued, that she was searching for salvation. If, in her own heart, she truly wanted someone else to fight in her place... Then who should be that someone, if not Subaru himself? "...That's one more thing I've gotta really talk to her about when I get back." "Huuuh?" "Nothing... Setting aside whether to accept your proposal or not, it sure does sound like it'd help solve my current problems. Gotta say, you really are a surprising guy." "Ha! Don't say stupid stuff. Me, I just wanna improve my odds even a lil' bit." Clenching his fangs in annoyance, Garfiel turned his face away from Subaru. Rather than this being a cute reaction in the vein of concealing a blush, he seemed genuinely irritated, which brought a pained smile to Subaru's face. But when it came to his assertion about improving the odds, there was a lot there Subaru could agree with. "What do you wanna do when you get out of the Sanctuary?" "...Well, ain't that outta the blue. What I wanna do once I'm out, huh?" "You've been twisting arms left and right to get the barrier lifted and escape, right? I was thinking you had to have something you wanted to do on the outside..." *** He'd innocently raised the topic, but Garfiel looked completely taken aback. It was as if he found the question unexpected, or even as if it was something he'd never thought of before. "...That's somethin' only a person who can freely come 'n' go would say. If ya can go wherever the hell ya want, ya can understand how me an' the old hags feel, right?" Finally, Garfiel slowly spat those words out. Subaru felt like he'd been insulting, but Garfiel stood up, giving him no opportunity to apologize. "We're close to the barrier. This is as far as I go with ya. Take care of the rest, ya hear?" "You bet... Er, I'll be coming back real soon. Not like I have zero worries about stuff, though..." He was worried about returning to the mansion. On top of that, he felt a duty to make sure of certain things. Petra's safety was obviously one concern, but even more than that, making sure whether a certain sleeping girl was safe "...Well, crap. Can't be helped." "Garfiel?" Garfiel scruffed up his blond hair as he harshly clicked his tongue. Surprised by the gesture, Subaru turned toward him as he put a hand into his own waistcloth. Then " Take this with ya." "This crystal...it's the same as the one Frederica had." The piece of jewelry Garfiel took out of his pocket and offered Subaru was a necklace of a blue crystal on a string. The gem looked identical to the one Frederica had possessed. The twin blue crystals were undeniable proof that Garfiel and Frederica shared some kind of bond. "I don't intend to talk about our circumstances. Just...it's trouble for us if ya don't come back. So I'm givin' this to ya. In a pinch, show it to Frederica." "...Taking this before I head off makes me worry I'll get teleported by the barrier all over again..." "If ya don't need it, just give it back. But havin' it might help ya in a pinch." When Subaru turned the crystal over in his palm, Garfiel reached out like he wanted to take it back. With a grand gesture, Subaru escaped from his hand and stuffed the crystal he had received into his pocket. He didn't know what lay between Garfiel and Frederica. They were likely blood relatives the barrier that supposedly rejected the passage of anything considered mixed seemed like a literal impassable wall between the pair. If, perhaps, the barrier was the reason Frederica had been scheming "I have to find out what Frederica meant to do. So, well, wait for good news, 'kay?"

"Ha! What's this good-news business? If it ain't like 'Balulumororoi makes the sun go down,' then no way I'd ever tell the difference." Subaru, in his attempt to bid Garfiel farewell on a positive note, drew the first smile from Garfiel he had seen that wasn't related to his ferocity. However "I still have no idea what makes the sun go down." Subaru remained ignorant of just what the mystery phrase pressing against his back meant. 8 Eight hours after setting off from the Sanctuary and six since parting ways with Garfiel Subaru arrived back at Roswaal Manor, just before sunset. "Will you really be all right without me there with you?" Otto spoke with a concerned, subdued voice from the dragon carriage halted in Earlham Village. Now that the refugees had been safely transported back to the village, Otto and Subaru watched as moving reunions broke out between family members who had been temporarily separated. Otto was no doubt keeping his voice down because he didn't want to interrupt the reunions. "Yeah. I'll head back to the mansion by myself for now. If nothing happens, I'll send my thoughts over to you straightaway, so hook up with me after getting that, 'kay?" "Mr. Natsuki, you have so many distractions, I am concerned that my accepting your precious thoughts might leave you in dire straits... I'm joking, but let me speak seriously. If you are trying to be considerate toward me, then..." "I won't say that's completely inaccurate, but...you're my insurance." When Subaru scratched his cheek and spoke those words, Otto tilted his head and asked, "Insurance?" Nodding back toward him, Subaru explained. "At the very least, you're the only other person here who knows our circumstances. If you figure something really did happen to me, I want you to avoid doing anything crazy and report back to the Sanctuary." "...I would rather not speak of such things, even if it's only just in case, but..." "Well, since you're our crew's Mr. Dependable Merchant, I'm countin' on ya!" "Yes, leave it to... Wait, since when have you arbitrarily lumped me in with your faction?!" When Otto went shrill at being entrusted with a job he didn't remember accepting, Subaru forced a smile and set out from the village. Straddling Patlash, he raced like the wind up the road from the village to the mansion. *** "What, are you worried about me? It's all right. I'm not gonna cause you any trouble." When they arrived at the front gate, Subaru dropped off Patlash's back and rubbed the tip of her nose. His favorite land dragon responded with a lively gesture, rubbing him with her head, and accompanied Subaru on his way to the mansion's entrance hall. The day had stretched into dusk. The orange sun shone on Roswaal Manor, nestled between the mountains; gradually, he sensed night approaching from the sky to the east. "...First, door number one." Subaru spoke those words as he stood before the doors and put his hand on the knocker. Taking a deep breath, he strongly knocked with it, announcing the arrival of a guest to all within the building. For a time, he waited for a response from inside, but " Door number one, no good. Proceeding to door number two." When the supposedly present servants didn't reply, Subaru suppressed a sigh as he gently pressed his hand to the doors. When he applied a little pressure, he found that they had been carelessly left unlocked. Without much difficulty, he slipped through the gap between the doors and trespassed on the mansion. *** The worried breath given off by the land dragon at the very end, a moment before the doors separated them, weighed heavily on Subaru's heart. Steeling himself, Subaru turned his eyes toward the interior of the mansion he hadn't seen for three days. At the very least, the broad entry hall was quiet, with no sign that anyone was near him. The words Ram had shared prior to his departure abruptly rose from the back of his mind if Frederica did bear any ill will, she was no doubt already gone from the mansion. If the worst case was that Frederica had gone off somewhere, he didn't care. The problem was "Whether she left by herself...or took Petra and Rem with her." He wasn't thrilled with either possibility, but he especially didn't want to think about the latter. He had the handkerchief on his wrist and the crystal Garfiel had entrusted to him. Relying on the presence of those two things, he advanced, stepping farther into the mansion. *** His brows scrunched up at his sense of foreboding. Subaru was on the verge of calling out to the occupants in a loud voice. Without the sight of the people who ought to have been there, the familiar mansion corridors felt like unknown territory. When Subaru walked into the hallway of the main wing and peered within, he was greeted by a strange sight. As far as he could see, every single door in the corridor had been opened. "...Doesn't seem like someone did this to air the place out." From what Subaru could tell, only the doors had been thrown wide open; there was no sign anyone had touched the windows. All the rooms were impeccably tidy. Though that served as proof of Frederica and Petra's capabilities as servants, the empty tidiness clawed painfully at Subaru's chest. Something was wrong. Something felt off. Something was very...unnatural... *** A detestable feeling, a foul timidity crept around inside Subaru's body. With a deep breath and a hand to his chest, he held it in check by force. He'd already noticed that this was a bizarre emergency situation. After the many dangerous situations he'd found himself in, Subaru's survival instincts were currently ringing loud and clear: there was some kind of issue there in the mansion. If he'd followed his initial judgment call, Subaru would have immediately left the mansion and rendezvoused with Otto. The best plan was to tell his allies of the strange occurrence in the mansion so that they could devise a way to address it. If the mansion hadn't contained so many people he wanted to save within its walls, that's exactly what he would've done. *** He understood it was reckless and irrational. Even so, he had to be sure. Subaru didn't know how long it would take to return here with allies. The more time passed, the greater the chance the girls inside the mansion would be spirited away. He couldn't weigh them all on a scale. He just couldn't. "Who...to put first...?" Gripping the handkerchief on his wrist, as if to make sure it was still there, Subaru's brain tossed and turned enough to bring it to a boil. The people in the mansion related to Subaru in some way numbered four, all girls. Among them, Frederica was the lowest priority. At the moment, it was unclear to Subaru where she stood. Besides, she probably possessed combat capabilities. If any of them could deal with problems as they arose, it was her. As Subaru stepped forward with trembling, wavering knees, he realized if he had to go over them one by one and decide whom he had to check on first then he could only think of Rem. *** He had any number of excuses he could cite. Asleep and immobile, Rem was completely defenseless. With her existence forgotten, there was no way to be sure what value it held to a potential enemy, so he couldn't simply leave her alone. "In her own room...!" She had to be asleep. There was no reason she would have moved. Rem ought to be sleeping in the same room that very moment. With so many conditions piled together, wasn't it natural he would check on her first? Subaru repeated unnecessary excuses over and over inside his head as he headed to the east wing of the mansion to where Rem's bedroom was located. His breathing in disarray as his lungs convulsed, he clutched his chest as his loudly beating heart protested in concern. He abused his knees with rapid, tottering steps as he carefully hurried to catch up with the anomaly. *** Along the way, every door in the main wing had been flung open. This continued into the east wing, remaining the same as he reached the floor that contained Rem's bedroom. Rem's room was at the end of the corridor. The doors of every room before it remained open. "Shit...Rem!!" Clicking his own tongue as he climbed up the stairs, Subaru ran toward the back of the corridor. The color of the evening sun thickly filled the corridor through the windows. Some kind of sweet aroma was mixed in with the serene air. Breathing hard, Subaru's own body was dyed orange as he quickened his ragged steps. His heart beat louder and faster, sending painful throbs and a feeling he could not describe racing through his eyes. Horror poured in, intruding upon his brain and leaving him able to think of only one thing. He had...to find out...if Rem...was safe " Wh-whoa?!" As Subaru's thoughts raced, his feet suddenly tripped two rooms short of his destination. Subaru's chest slammed into the corridor's floor, leaving him gritting his teeth at his own folly. Clenching the fist that had landed on the carpet, he tilted his head and came back to his senses. His feet had snagged on something that's what had tripped him. He'd been focused solely on the doors of the rooms he'd been passing when something slender at his feet had made him fall. With everything dyed in the glossy light of the setting sun, it was difficult to tell what its original color had been. But the thing was slender and long, stretching out without interruption, and when Subaru's eyes followed it to its end point he realized where it came from. It was no great mystery. It had simply tumbled out of the rent side of Subaru's abdomen. " Huh?" The right flank of his track suit had been cut clean. That was where the yellowy intestines had tumbled out. A large amount of blood was pooling beneath him. He wasn't sure if his right foot had stumbled over his small or large intestines, but at any rate, his innards had been expelled, seemingly clinging to their owner. "...Oghu." The instant he confirmed this fact, his throat was blocked by a rising clump of blood, and the world was dyed crimson. His trembling fingers tried to stuff back in the innards pouring out due to the pressure exerted by his belly, but he didn't have the strength. Then his knees failed as well, and before he realized it, he had tumbled forward onto the carpet. He didn't know what had happened. Only that his belly had been fatally slashed " I told you, didn't I? I promised you, yes?" Suddenly, there was a voice. Straight ahead, from the direction that Subaru's fallen head pointed, someone was talking to him. He couldn't lift up his face. His consciousness was draining away with his organs, mixing with the coursing blood and spreading thinly across the floor. Subaru desperately gurgled, as if trying to cling to a world that was growing more distant. It's over, his instincts proclaimed. He understood that, but somewhere in his heart, Subaru rejected dying for nothing. It wasn't over, it couldn't be over, not until he gained something, obtained something. If he didn't return with something, anything, somethinganythingsomethinganythingsomethinganything *** There was the high-pitched echo of shoes striking the floor. A shadowy figure stood in the corridor, dyed crimson from the spring of fresh blood. She wore a black outfit on her slender physique. Her long, black hair was tied back in a triple braid. Adoringly, with a coquettish look, she gazed down at his dying moments. When he sensed those things, along with the sensation of having his belly cut, Subaru understood. Why...are you here...in front of Rem's room? " I told you to

take care of your bowels until the next time we meet." It was a declaration of love that had gone astray, the pure affection of a murderer that no one else could understand. As Subaru Natsuki's consciousness grew hazy, that was the only thing that grazed the fingertips of his soul. Hazy, hazy, hazy. Dark, dark, dark. And finally... Everything vanished. It was the end. And then...they began anew. The curtain of Subaru Natsuki's fourth loop...had risen. *** Yes, yes, yes, hiya, I am Tappei Nagatsuki! I am also the Mouse-Colored Cat! This time, I wanted to thank you very much for buying and reading Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Vol. 10! Huh?! I'm getting déjà vu, like I've somehow written a greeting like this very recently?! So, while I was stricken by a sense of familiarity, it is not déjà vu. It's that Volume 9 and Volume 10 are being published back to back in November! With the anime broadcast ending in September, it's a treat to be able to read about the immediate aftermath in Volumes 9 and 10, but not so great for the author. Truly, the days were spent going from the frying pan into the fire. From start to finish, this was the fault of the author for blithely saying "Hey, once the anime's finished I'll be able to pick up the publication pace!" No, that is not the case! If anyone would be at fault, it would be you readers for saying "That sounds really fun, please do it!" And I would never lay blame like that! The delight of all the readers at back-to-back publication in November is the fruit of Nagatsuki's soul as an author! Also, the fruit of the senior editor saying in a great burst of hot energy, "We can do it, we can do it! Mr. Nagatsuki can do it!" And you see? We did it! Back-to-back publication in November was pretty hard to pull off, enough that I forgot about that silly conversation until just before going to print. Back-to-back publication added various burdens, which of course included Nagatsuki's own workload. Furthermore, this time, with Volume 10, Re:ZERO enters a brand-new arc! By a new arc, I obviously mean changes in the scenery and the characters appearing onstage. So that means Otsuka has designed plenty of new characters. Of course, I would call all the characters he's designed gems, so it was quite an ordeal, even for a superhuman like Otsuka! Yeah, who was that guy who mouthed off on his own to the tune of "Once the anime's over I'll raise the production pace"? Who, me?! It was me. Mr. Otsuka, I'm so sorry. Maid Petra and School Uniform Echidna are soooooo cute. As this is the general consensus of everyone who has read Volume 10, best regards for Volume 11 and beyond! Also, the story has changed from the web version, where it got fairly gnnnnh, so if readers also have fun with things besides the illustrations, that is a very good thing, yes. Even if what precedes them is more of a jumble than usual, things tighten up once the words of praise and thanks begin, so let us begin. Senior Editor I, thank you sooooo much for your work on Volumes 9 and 10 following the anime! You were a huge help in so many areas! For Volume 9, it related to how to portray the climax of Arc 3, and for Volume 10, how to set up Arc 4 going forward. I intend to race forward at high temperature that is in no way inferior to Arc 3, so let's look forward to Arc 4! To Mr. Otsuka the illustrator, I mentioned you in the middle of the afterword already, but thank you very much for the many character designs this time around. The Witch, the punk, the girl, the maid you gave them all such adorable touches that I can't help but gush. I'm counting on your fine service during their hardships and exploits hereafter! To designer Kusano, this marks the fourteenth Re:ZERO-related book you've done, but where rankings are concerned, number 10 is right there at the top. Kusano, I've come this far because of your sense of how to attract people's eyes. Thank you very much. Let's strive to aim even higher in the future! To Daichi Matsuse and Makoto Fuugetsu, who are in charge of the comic versions, thank you very much for sticking with me all the way to Re:ZERO's anime finale event. I think it was a really good thing to get us all together right on the verge of it ending. Best of luck on the way to completing Arc 2 and Arc 3! To others in the editorial department of MF Bunko J, the various bookstore and enterprise-side persons, and the anime staff and cast for whom my feelings of gratitude have yet to diminish in the slightest, and everyone else involved in Re:ZERO, thank you. And last but not least, my greatest of thanks to all you readers who have followed this tale thus far. The long third arc is over, and with this volume, the fourth arc begins. If the theme of Arc 3 is "self-awareness," the theme of Arc 4 is "self-reliance." New hardships block the characters' paths, so by all means, watch as they aim to do whatever it takes to overcome these obstacles. Thank you very much for your time, and I hope to see you again for Volume 11. September 2016 Tappei Nagatsuki (Written while challenging the sudden cool spell with a Hawaiian shirt for as long as possible) "Ha-ha-ha! So there you have it, this is Kenichi Natsuki, magnificent previewer!" "I am Nahoko. Ah, I'm Ken's wife... Also, did something happen to you?" "Suddenly hearing what you called me before marriage threw me off, but you said what you needed to say so it's all OK, my bride. So let's get down with this preview stuff!" "Errr, concerning the next volume of this story...Re:ZERO, was it? This is where you talk about new information, I think. Also, this is Subaru's story? I wonder what kind of story it'll be..." "Ohhh, you really got it, which is a totally super-rare thing! You can do it when you really try, Nahoko!" "Tee-hee, I can certainly do it when I try. Today was nonflammable garbage day, wasn't it?" "There it is, Mom's beginner-level 'the first part's disconnected from the second part' conversation piece! Let's set aside talking about the garbage for now and try to keep the conversation focused." "Okaaaay. The next book after this one is Volume Eleven, expected to come out in December...the month before New Year's? Others came out in September and October, too, so it seems to be a rather busy schedule." "Well, that just means they're in that much demand. "And at about the same time as Volume 10 comes out, disc Volume 5 of the Re:ZERO anime will be out with a novella, and on top of that, there's talk of a book on the setting called the Re:ZEROpedia, too! Even with the anime finished, there's lots and lots to do. Feels like Subaru's won't be gettin' a chance to rest anytime soon." "Come to mention it, Subaru's written it's his dream to become an author, and that 'I'll become like Dad, and then marry Mom.' So adorable." "There's Mom's intermediate-level conversation piece, 'sudden resurrection of the past'! All of a sudden, that Subaru guy gets his dark past revealed when he isn't even here!" "I just thought, the more everyone knows about Subaru, the more they'll like him, and the harder that child will try." "...Yeah, I suppose so! I think that, too! Why, you truly are perfect, bride of mine! 'No matter what detours you may take, the final answer is always the right one!' Right?" "Of course I am perfect. I am Subaru's mom and Ken's wife, after all." "That's my wife for you, and that's my son. Better keep at it, Subaru... I have high hopes for ya." "Yes, hang in there, Subaru." CHAPTER 1 *** 1 The restoration of Subaru Natsuki's lost life came with the usual, nigh-unbearable agony. The power of Return by Death caused no lag between death and resurrection. Subaru's mind didn't perceive a pause or transition from his final moments, as only time itself and his body reverted to their previous states. This inconsistency between his mind and reality disturbed his soul deeply. The instant return to a cold, hard floor made it was clear this time was no exception to the usual rules. The first thing that broke into Subaru's consciousness was a revolting sensation. " Ueegh?! Geho!! Oegh!!" Before his mind could catch up to reality, he violently retched from the foreign matter he found in his mouth. A bitter taste and the stench of soil lingered on Subaru's tongue; he coughed as he desperately forced open his eyes. "Th-this is..." A hoarse breath escaped Subaru as he sat up, squinting at the gloom. After blinking a few times, his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, and he could make out the interior of an old stone room one familiar to him. He realized he was in the ruin. "Inside...the tomb...?" The peculiar putrid air stood out in his memory. There was no mistaking that this was the tomb in the Sanctuary. Placing his hands on the rough floor, Subaru pushed himself to his feet while connecting the tangled threads of his memory to piece together what had happened. Fresh back from Return by Death, his brain couldn't cope with the amount of information flooding into it. He was sure he'd gathered the Earlham Village residents that had evacuated to the Sanctuary and brought them back to their homes on his way to Roswaal Manor. He'd planned to confront Frederica once he arrived, only to find the mansion abandoned, causing worry to stab at his chest. He was concerned about the others who were supposed to be there: Beatrice, Petra, and above all, Rem " I told you, didn't I? I promised you, yes?" With a shudder, Subaru's throat went taut as the lush voice brushed directly against his nerves. It was a bloody voice, the very essence of vulgarity and pleasure. The speaker had reached her climax when she witnessed the loss of life, heaving a satisfied sigh as she spoke of her one-sided promise. Subaru touched his stomach where it had been slashed and his innards had spilled out. Naturally, after Return by Death, his body was unharmed; however, the deepest scars had been carved not in his flesh but his soul. No "Getting my gut sliced open was the biggest reason I was brought to the mansion, wasn't it?" Pulling his finger away from his right flank, Subaru gently traced the center of his abdomen. The wound was nowhere to be found, but in Subaru's true history, it was a cold, hard fact that he had been sliced wide open. And for Subaru, the culprit was the first obstacle he had faced after arriving in his new world " So the Bowel Hunter returns to the stage... Gimme a break... geez." He used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat beading on his brow. In the back of Subaru's mind, he could see a beautiful woman of pure darkness with long hair every bit as black as his own. Brandishing a vicious blade, that butcher had taken Subaru's life twice over and her name was Elsa Gramhilde. "Why was that woman at the mansion...? Forget it. Not that isn't important, but..." Having reviewed what had happened since his Return by Death, Subaru's mind focused back on the present. Where had his ability brought him? As far as he could tell, since he was in the ruins, there could only be two possibilities and given the cramped, stone room, he narrowed those down to one. "This must be right after I took the tomb's 'Trial'...or right

before? Which one it is...doesn't matter! More importantly, if this is after the Trial, then..." When Subaru's mind and reality connected with the speed of a blitzkrieg, his head practically snapped back to look over his shoulder. Inside that claustrophobic chamber, the figure he sought was lying on the floor right behind him. " Emilia!" There lay Emilia, her silver hair fanned out around her head and her pale cheeks twisted in anguish. Subaru knelt at her side and was about to touch her sleeping face when...he hesitated. *** If he touched her, Emilia's Trial would end right then and there. Outside interference would cause whatever vision she was seeing in the Trial to instantly vanish, like popping a bubble...regardless of how hard Emilia was working to overcome her past. "But I know that tonight it won't do any good...!" Shaking his head, Subaru pushed away his uncertainty. He embraced the tormented Emilia, sitting her up and holding her against his chest. That instant, Emilia's body heavily arched back. And after trembling for a while "Su...baru...?" "Yeah, that's right. It's me, Emilia. You all right?" Subaru shot Emilia a small smile when she recognized him and called out his name though she was still dazed. The warmth of his smile and embrace stalled Emilia's grasp on reality for a time. Soon, the situation she'd been placed in and the result of the Trial would crash down upon her. After that, she would cry like a child. He waited for it in silence. " aa." The least Subaru could do was to gently embrace her so that her heart would not break in the process. And so until Emilia calmed down, he held her firmly in his arms, not allowing her to leave his grasp. 2 "I-I'm really sorry... I-I've calmed down, so...let's talk." Now in a guest room in Ryuzu's house, Emilia's voice was choked as she spoke. A faint redness tinged her eyes, where heavy traces of the confusion and sorrow she felt a short while ago were still visible. Still, she was doing her best to be strong, so Subaru didn't want to interrupt. "Well, sorry...for causing you trouble in the tomb. Really, I'm still..." "Emilia-tan, it's okay. When you send trouble my way, it's not a bother. Helping you is what I want to do. More importantly, you didn't hit anything when you fell down, right? If you did, I can give it a really gentle rub." "Mm. Seems like I hit my butt a bit when I went down. It feels a little numb..." "Gulp. Th-then, I'll be very caref Miss Ram? Is that you jabbing your cane into my back?!" While Subaru was being particularly silly, Ram drove the tip of the cane she was gripping directly at him. When he pointed this out, she twisted the cane, causing Subaru to yelp with pain and leap away. "H-hey, you?! Th-that's a little too much, isn't it?! Look at this blood's oozing and everything!" "Lady Emilia, how's your condition? Don't leave out a single detail." "Are you seriously gonna ignore me after all that, Ram?! You really are a piece of work!" As Ram respectfully checked on Emilia's health, she responded to Subaru's complaint by glancing at him as if he were an insect, snorting "Hah!" in an amused sort of way. The exchange brought a weak smile to Emilia's face. "...Thanks, both of you. I'm feeling all right... So we should...talk about what happened inside." Her lips made a small smile, but she could not conceal the worry and fatigue dragging down the corners of her eyes, pulling on her cheeks, and filtering into her voice. Surrounding Emilia was everyone who had gathered at the tomb for the Trial in addition to Subaru and Ram, there was Garfiel and Ryuzu, and, for some reason, Otto, who made five. With everyone's eyes upon her, Emilia held her emotions in check to properly convey the details of the Trial and to announce that it had ended in failure. Most of the conversation was identical to the previous time around. The only difference was "Then why is Mr. Natsuki safe and sound after having gone inside?" Raising his hand, Otto posed the question that Subaru had managed to wiggle his way out of answering the last time. He had hidden that he'd actually taken the Trial and kept quiet about the fact that he was qualified to take it. That had been out of consideration for Emilia, to avoid putting extra pressure on her when she was facing the same Trial, but... This time, after some thought, he changed his reply to the question. "The reason's simple. Just as you saw from the light in the ruin, I was qualified to take the Trial, too. So I took it...and I passed." " Huh?" At first, Subaru's declaration left everyone taken aback. Then, fierce unrest ran among them. In particular, Emilia's shock was tremendous; she'd taken the same Trial and failed. Her purple eyes opened wide, looking like trembling gemstones as they focused on Subaru. Subaru nodded toward her as he continued to survey the other surprised reactions in the room. "Sorry to surprise you like that. But to be honest, I was only lucky. The details of the Trial just happened to be something I'd made my peace with beforehand... I wouldn't call it an easy win, though." "Hmm. Is that so, Young Su? However, that...complicates things." A throbbing pain returned to Subaru's chest as he reminisced about meeting his parents in the world known as the Trial. It was Ryuzu, representative of the Sanctuary, who mulled over Subaru's words and furled her brows. The youthful-looking elder's grave voice made Ram fold her arms, narrowing her pink eyes. "This has gotten complicated... There's no doubt about that. But if Barusu isn't spouting nonsense, then it's a great achievement. If his story is true, the barrier should be lifted now. Garf, what is the state of the barrier?" "...All I can say is, the pact feels the same way to me 'n' the old hag." "So that was all a lie. Please die." "Damn, you decided that way too early!!" Reeling from the sting of Ram's uncharacteristically hasty judgment, Subaru was clutching his head when he belatedly realized something. "...What's wrong, Garfiel? Why you making a scary face like that?" " It's nothin'... Barrier ain't down yet, right? What did you expect?" "I was just about to explain that stuff. Man, you guys are so impatient." Garfiel, who'd been glaring at Subaru, crinkled his nose and averted his gaze. Put off by his demeanor, Subaru turned back toward Emilia. Just as before, Emilia's eyes were filled with worry and bewilderment as she said, "...Tell us, Subaru. What...did you see when you...overcame the Trial?" "Probably more accurate to say what I learned rather than what I saw. The Trial's a real bully... And there ain't just one. Apparently, even after you finish the first, there's still two left, for three in total." "Two more..." The worry in Emilia's eyes deepened, which made Subaru's chest tighten so much it hurt. The first challenge, the Trial of the past, provoked unspeakable anguish for her. The thought of two more was simply staggering. "This might be going too deep into the weeds, but who exactly did you hear all this from while you were in the tomb?" "Who...? Er, I didn't talk to anyone... When I started the Trial, I heard my own voice in my head. I think it probably affects different people in different ways." It was close to the truth for him to say that he'd simply come to understand the information rather than hearing it from someone else. Subaru had no memory of meeting a person in the tomb, so it was a natural assumption to make. "It is said that in rare cases, one can understand how to use a metia merely by touching it. This could be something similar." "Ahh, I have not yet had the opportunity to touch something as precious as a metia..." "I suppose you wouldn't. You have the look of a pauper." "It hasn't even been half a day since Miss Ram and I first met, has it?!" Ram had quickly decided how she was going to interact with Otto. Setting aside their exchange, Subaru sat right beside Emilia on the bed she was resting in. Then, he locked eyes with her as he addressed her directly. "Emilia, there's something I want to suggest. You might not like it very much, though..." "Suggest? What...do you mean by that...?" " Can I challenge the Trial in the tomb in your place and clear it?" *** The words Subaru had uttered fiercely unsettled Emilia. From her perspective, they were completely unexpected; from his, they required courage and resolve to say. Subaru would take the Trial, liberating the Sanctuary in her place. It was a thought that had occurred to him during his conversation with Garfiel on the way back to Earlham Village the last time around. Mid-trip, Garfiel had questioned Subaru, who was sending Emilia to the Trial in spite of the agony she had to endure because of her repeated failures. Garfiel had wondered whether overcoming one's past was truly necessary. Naturally, Subaru couldn't simply accept that idea without any thought, but it had undoubtedly been a bolt from the blue. He acknowledged it was worth suggesting as an option, at least. "I want to be there for you. I don't know what you're facing from your past, but if it's enough to make you cry like that and bring out so much suffering on your face... I want to reach out to you." "...Subaru." "It should be fine even if it's me taking the Trial and liberating the Sanctuary. There's nothing that says you have to go through a hard time and face up to your past." The way Subaru slowly shook his head and spoke gently to her made Emilia's gaze wander. He understood Emilia's inner turmoil. Facing her past had been excruciating. If there was some way to avoid it, some part of her must have wanted to do exactly that and leave the rest to Subaru. It was her strong sense of responsibility and nobility that did not permit her to abandon a burden once she had decided to carry it on her shoulders. Moreover, her gentle nature left her afraid that Subaru might have to endure a pain comparable to hers in the Trials that would follow. If that kindness was the shackle binding her, Subaru had to tell her it wasn't necessary to " Man, I shut up and listen for one minute, and you suddenly think you can decide every damn thing on your own, huh?" Before Subaru could say anything that might have broken those shackles, someone in a particularly foul mood called him out from behind. The speaker growled through his fangs, crinkled his nose, and curled his back in a catlike posture as he unleashed another stream of words. "Me, I'm opposed to anyone besides the Princess...besides Lady Emilia takin' the Trial. At the very least, I'll be damned before I let the likes of you lift that barrier." "Wha ?!" From Subaru's perspective, this was the second time Garfiel had struck him with a bolt from the blue. However, the impact of the first paled in comparison to that of this one. Subaru, unable to reconcile the words with their speaker, was completely dumbfounded. Seeing his apparent confusion, Garfiel pounded the incomprehensible reality home. "Let me say it again. If you ask me, no one but the Princess should take the Trial. I ain't lettin' the old hag get it twisted either. Think of this as my rule." "Wait! Wait, wait, wait...!" Subaru desperately rambled in response to Garfiel's sudden declaration. Inside his mind, he was unspeakably shocked and baffled. Of course he was. The source of Subaru's suggestion was none other than Garfiel from the last time around. "Why the hell

are you the one who's against it...?" "Huh? That surprised I'm not all for this plan? Ain't you an optimist." "Hey, don't get all bent out of shape. If anyone should be frowning and complaining here, it's me..." Last time around, Garfiel was the one who had browbeaten Subaru to take the trial. Yet here he was, shooting down the very same plan. He couldn't figure out the true intent behind Garfiel's change of mind. "I'm not doing a great job reining in my whirlpool of emotions right now...but can you tell me exactly why you're against it? As far as you're concerned, the faster the Sanctuary is liberated, the better, right?" "It ain't a question of sooner or later. This is one of those, ya know, issues of status. Ain't that right, old hag?" "Though the way he put it was unbearable...I cannot refute what Young Gar says. That said, there is an issue with how he phrased it." "Hell, even Ryuzu is against it..." Subaru was bewildered that not only Garfiel was stubbornly opposing him, but the elder was as well. Considering how emotional and temperamental Garfiel appeared, it was at least understandable how his opinion could change at the most inopportune time and place. However, Subaru wouldn't have guessed Ryuzu would react this way. In response to Subaru's earnest gaze, Ryuzu waved an oversized sleeve as she picked up where she had left off. "I understand Young Su's point about lifting the barrier because the sooner that happens the better... However, I wish to follow Young Ros's plan as closely as possible." "Roswaal's plan..." " Lady Emilia should obtain the Sanctuary's freedom by her own hand." *** Emilia's breath caught as soon as she heard those words when Ryuzu narrowed her eyes and spoke. Emilia touched a hand to her own breast, her long lashes hovering over downcast eyes as her voice quivered. "I I have to do it... It's no good if it isn't me... I...need to do this..." "No, Emilia, there's no..." "I-it's all right! Subaru, you don't need to force your way into going in my place. I'm just...I'm just a little surprised because this is all so sudden. But now that I know what needs to happen..." Knowing the Trial was about facing the past, she could emotionally prepare for it. That's what Emilia insisted, but it was already a proven fact that no matter how strong her resolve, it wasn't the same as a foolproof plan. If nothing else, letting Emilia continue like this would mean watching the past devastate her for the next three days. This foreknowledge was what brought such sorrow to Subaru's eyes. That was why "Subaru... A-are you thinking that you can't trust me with this?" " Wha?" Right as his mind drifted off for a second, Emilia posed a question to him, her voice quivering with worry. When he let out a surprised breath, Emilia weakly shook her head side to side and continued. "It's because you saw me fail... That's why you think you can't trust me to complete the Trial... That's why you want to do it in my place." "No, Emilia, that's not it. It's just... It isn't like you absolutely have to deal with the past and..." "But I ! If I don't face it, then I can't pass the Trial! I-if I can't do even that much, there's no way I can become King... I have to help the villagers and the people of the Sanctuary get out of this place." Emilia firmly embraced her own shoulders as she swept Subaru's words away. Her slender nails dug into the skin, as if she meant to hurt her timid self. "I...can't keep relying on you all the time, Subaru. It was just the other day that you became so badly hurt for my sake...and now it's about to happen again. I won't put you through that..." "...It's fine that way, Emilia. This might be the wrong way to say this, but this is one of those, you know, give-and-take situations. Wait, would it make more sense to say giving the right person the right job? What I'm trying to get at is that I just so happen to have a better matchup when it comes to this Trial. Since it seems I can handle this, might as well have me take care of it. That's all. You'll definitely have great opportunities to give it your all in the future." "Isn't this one of those important opportunities? If I avert my eyes simply because I don't like what I see, then push everything onto you, Subaru, before running away...what does that make me?" How good would it be if he could simply yell back, And what's wrong with running away? If running from something awful was possible...if someone had a chance to not look at something bitter or to turn away from suffering, and in so doing, they could breathe easier, then that's exactly what they should do. That was how Subaru had lived his life up to that point. Even if people looked down on that way of living as the weakling's path, he could almost certainly say with conviction that it was not something to be ashamed of. *** And yet, Subaru was unable to affirm Emilia's weakness. He didn't understand why he couldn't bring himself to say the words. But when she noticed that Subaru had fallen silent, Emilia shut her eyes with all her might, casting them downward as her lips tightened. Seeing that stabbed at Subaru's chest, and when he tried to say something even though he hadn't been able to think of anything meaningful " For now, let's leave it at that." It was neither Subaru nor Emilia who punctuated their discussion with that brief statement. The speaker had quietly circled around Emilia's back, gently touching a pale palm to the young girl's mouth. An instant later "...Ah" Emilia, her strength suddenly draining out of her, lost consciousness, tipping forward as she crumpled. Subaru hurried to catch her. Laying in his arms, tranquil breaths slipped from Emilia's sleeping face. Then he turned to another Ram's and asked, "What did you do?" "I gave her a whiff of incense to help her relax. Perhaps you're upset that I used such a forceful method." "That was definitely aggressive... But you did the right thing. Sorry for making you go through the trouble." "Receiving an apology about Lady Emilia from you, Barusu, is strange indeed. When did you inherit Lady Emilia's guardianship from the Great Spirit?" "That wasn't what I..." Meant, he wanted to say, but his shoulders drooped instead. Subaru knew the retort wasn't very convincing. It was a fact that, whatever the reason, Puck's refusal to show himself made Subaru even more protective of Emilia than usual. His knowledge of how the Trial would wear her down made him rash as well. What's more, it seemed Emilia was well aware of this tendency of his. "Ha. Either way, looks like we're done talking for now." Subaru was at a loss for words, and Emilia was unconscious. Seeing the two of them like that, Garfiel snorted as if he was bored. Though Subaru took issue with his attitude, he couldn't bring himself to snap back with a retort. The conversation for that evening was over. There was no denying that fact. However "It'd be nice...if we could talk to the Princess again tomorrow." Subaru had no reply for the murmur that Garfiel added, either. 3 "Can I talk to you for a minute? There's something I wanna ask." There, in the settlement, illuminated at night by a bonfire, Subaru called out to the figures walking ahead of him. "What's that? Ya got somethin' more to say?" Two individuals Garfiel and Ryuzu came to a halt so they could turn around. Garfiel was in a foul mood, while Ryuzu's expression was unreadable. Subaru scratched his cheek as he spoke to the pair. "Hey, don't be so combative. I just have a little question." "A question, is it? If it's something we can answer, then I don't see why not. What is it you wish to ask?" Garfiel loomed with his fangs bared, though Ryuzu held him back and gave Subaru permission to proceed. Grateful for her demeanor, Subaru abruptly puzzled over something. "Come to think of it, this house used to be where Ryuzu stayed, right? Then where is Ryuzu staying while Emilia and the rest of us are staying here?" "...Hey, why are you even askin' a question like that? Lemme make this clear. If you even try and do somethin' to the hag, you can bet I ain't gonna forgive...ow, ow, ow! What gives, lady?!" "It's time to give the stupidity a rest, Young Gar. Do you think a youngling would want to do anything with a fossil like me? It's obvious he's simply curious." Ryuzu sighed with an exasperated air as she dug her nails into Garfiel's hip. Certainly, Garfiel's suspicion was way off the mark, but it still felt kind of strange to hear Ryuzu describe herself as an old lady. Either way, Subaru had come to talk about his idle curiosity, so he cleared his throat and continued. "You opposed my suggestion back there. I wanna know the real reason why. Mind telling me?" "...Like we said before, liberating the Sanctuary should be something Lady Emilia accomplishes on her own. That's what Young Ros desires, after all." "You said that it's Roswaal's plan. Meaning..." When Subaru suddenly recalled the heated debate he had shared with Roswaal the last time around, his ignorance caused wrinkles to break out on his brow. Dealing with the menace of the Witch Cult and liberating the Sanctuary Roswaal claimed he'd set everything up so that Emilia would be credited with the success of both. Subaru could agree that Roswaal's plan presented unique advantages for Emilia's bid for the throne. However, he felt that line of thinking was too heartless. "...Do the two of you agree with that guy's methods?" "Hey, don't get the wrong idea. Me? I hate the bastard, too. But things ain't that simple." "Young Su, I understand how you must feel. I hardly find it a pleasant topic either. But as the settlement's representative, my position also requires me to think of what will come after the barrier is lifted." Prodded by Ryuzu's statement, Subaru grimaced in bewilderment. Garfiel observed Subaru's state and went, "Now look," scratching his head in irritation as he went on. "Even if the barrier's lifted, that don't mean the people livin' here just go poof and vanish. If how and where they live changes, who do ya think is gonna take care of geezers and hags who can't even tell left from right?" " I get it now. Even if the barrier's lifted and everyone formally moves into the fiefdom...you're still under Roswaal's care. That's why Ryuzu and the others are..." "We do not wish to risk our relationship with Young Ros. I am sorry for you and yours, Young Su." "...You know, this is making me trust Roswaal less and less..." Considering how low Subaru's opinion of Roswaal had dropped the last time around, the current conversation was a truly bitter pill to swallow. Subaru's reply elicited a pained smile from Ryuzu, while Garfiel gave a single, strong click of his fangs. "Aaanyway, we've laid out our demands. The Princess takes the Trial. Me, I won't let you take it, whatever qualifications you've got." "Stop calling her Princess. It sounds like you're making fun of Emilia." "Can't call her half-demon or Princess? Man, you complain a lot. Besides, Sir Knight, if she ain't a Princess, then who the hell have you been protectin' this whole damn time?" Twisting his hip, Garfiel peered up at Subaru as he spoke in a provocative tone. Subaru fell into his thoughts a short while, before coming to his senses and lifting a finger to thrust toward Garfiel. "The part where you called me Sir Knight just now,

could you say it one more time?" "The hell you gettin' all worked up for..." Garfiel seemed fed up with Subaru's unexpectedly bashful reaction when Ryuzu raised a hand between them. Then she brought that hand to her mouth as she let out a little yawn. "Young Su, could we leave it at that? The late hours of night are hard on the elderly. Let's continue this tomorrow." "Given your appearance, it feels super-weird hearing that from you...but roger that. Sorry for keeping you." "Hah! 'The Abengam comes on thick.' Don't you dare go anywhere even near the tomb." "Not sure what that phrase is supposed to mean, but I get the gist of it. I've had enough of the tomb for one night, anyway." After seeing off the sleepy Ryuzu and the thorny Garfiel, Subaru, by his lonesome, lifted his head and gazed up at the starry sky. The night sky was full of clouds, but since there were barely any light sources on the ground, the starlight was incredible. He felt like nature was cleansing his heart. "The situation's too dire for a warm and fuzzy mood, though..." After a dizzying day and Return by Death, Subaru's body and spirit were both laden with fatigue. But he slapped his cheeks to energize himself and turned toward the group's temporary accommodations. And then "So what'd you think of that discussion just now? I'd like to hear an outsider's opinion." "...Normally, wouldn't one call it a third-party opinion? When you call it an outsider's opinion, you make both my position and opinion feel overly estranged..." "This is my way of being considerate of your position. If you're just an outsider in the end, it gives you a chance to save face, right? Damn it man, don't make me say it out loud." "Such consideration is pointless when you already involved me in the earlier conversation!" As they bantered, Otto slowly emerged from the temporary accommodations. He'd probably eavesdropped on the last conversation from beginning to end. "However," he prefaced without the barest hint of shame, "if you were asking for my honest opinion, then I'd have to say that what Garfiel and Ryuzu said makes perfect sense, doesn't it?" *** "They understand the Marquis's aim, and there is Lady Emilia's standing as a royal selection candidate to consider as well. Mr. Natsuki, you no doubt believe that even if you overcome the Trial in her place, the prestige of the exploit would still belong to Lady Emilia...but would something like that be accepted by all the involved parties present here? In other words, would doing things that way win their support?" "Even I get the logic behind that. However you think about it, Emilia liberating the Sanctuary would be the ideal move. But..." As Subaru trailed off, a third party smashed right through his hesitation. " Lady Emilia cannot overcome the Trial?" When Subaru turned toward the voice, there stood Ram, who had supposedly been tucking Emilia into bed. Subaru reacted with a bitter expression and shook his head. "I'm not saying it's impossible. But anyone can tell it's hellish to make any progress in a short span of time, right? The barrier isn't a problem we can leave alone for a long time." "I suppose not. At the very least, I would like to conclude it within three years, before the royal selection is decided." "That's way longer than I was thinking!" At first, Subaru thought this was another display of Ram's peculiar brand of flippancy, but her frank expression made him seriously consider the possibility. Meanwhile, Otto silently crossed his arms and nodded before adding his thoughts. "I actually understand why Mr. Natsuki is so concerned. Considering the burden on the evacuated villagers and the current living conditions in the Sanctuary, food stores included...the day it all breaks down does not seem far off to me." "Suddenly being forced to live as refugees puts a lot of stress on people. And then there's the inhabitants of the Sanctuary who have to give out all their food. Their dissatisfaction is probably about to explode any moment." "Which is why you would like to do something before that happens. So what's your plan?" "Feels...kinda unsettling to have the conversation move so quickly... If possible, I'd like to propose freeing the villagers from the Sanctuary before there's an irreparable breakdown in relations." With Ram and Otto, Subaru brought up the idea of releasing the hostages just like he'd done the previous time around. His proposal had been accepted once before, but he didn't know if that would happen again. After all, the condition for agreeing to the proposal last time had been for Subaru to take the Trial. This time, the representatives of the Sanctuary had precisely forbidden him from doing that. He expected negotiations would not be easy. "I'm sure they have no desire for mutual destruction either. Given the nature of the barrier, Lady Emilia cannot depart until someone brings the Trial to an end... It would seem most of the proposal's premise has already been fulfilled." Otto nodded as he interpreted the parts of Subaru's proposal that hadn't been elaborated on enough. Seeing Otto logically break things down, Ram went "Hmm," narrowing her eyes as she spoke with a hint of praise. "I'm surprised. The pet you took in is worth more than I presumed, Barusu." "Isn't he? I found him tied up on the side of the road. I'll take care of him, so can I keep him?" "Only if you take proper care of him." "Could you two stop referring to me like I'm a dog or a cat?! Both of you are seriously in tune, aren't you?!" When Otto bit back, Subaru and Ram both let out a hearty sigh. This was solid proof they were truly in sync, but Subaru sank into thought about something weightier. Based on the earlier exchange, he didn't think Garfiel would simply go along with his proposal to free the villagers. That said, Subaru had a reason why he couldn't take things slow. He had to seriously start thinking ahead, to the situation that had caused his Return by Death. "All things considered, it would seem that this proposal will become the focus of the conversation to follow." "Yeah, I suppose it...wait, what conversation?" "...He really is hopeless, no?" "What are you talking about?! It's a bad habit of yours to decide things all by yourself!" Ram seemed like she seriously felt sorry for him, which made Subaru stamp the ground as he asserted the unfairness of it all. His childlike reaction caused Ram's shoulders to sink as her pity deepened. "Since Lady Emilia was haggard after the tomb's Trial, and the ongoing situation has been hard on Barusu's small head, I am trying to be considerate, but I cannot have you forgetting a most important promise." "You know, I have a bit of trauma about not keeping promises. Remind me what this one was again?" " That after the Trial, Master Roswaal would make time for you." The words, which Ram said in a rather sour tone, made Subaru go "Ah" as his mouth fell open. Folding her arms at the stupid look on his face, Ram continued nonetheless. "That's where you were supposed to speak about circumstances to date, and what's to follow. Isn't that right?" 4 The important points of the latest Return by Death were completely different from those of previous times. During a normal though it was difficult to use that word in these situations or usual instance of Return by Death, Subaru often presumed that the situations instigated by various assailants and the labor required to counter the threat they posed were the most important. Using the previous loop as an example, the hostile party that had caused the Return by Death situation was the Witch Cult, and Subaru had borrowed the power of other factions, such as Crusch's, to deal with them. In a similar vein, the attacker this time around was Elsa, the Bowel Hunter, and his options for dealing with her would probably come down to fight or flight. But this time, there was an issue he clearly needed to prioritize above that. Namely " What had happened to Frederica and the others by the time Elsa killed me?" In the current loop, after he'd returned to the mansion, Subaru had felt extremely wary toward Frederica. The crystal she had given Emilia was the reason he had been teleported while they were on their way to the Sanctuary. He later went back to the mansion fully intending to figure out her true motives. "Who would've ever thought it'd be Elsa's blade greeting me. Thanks to that...well, crap, thanks to that I got a Return by Death without learning a damn thing." Subaru wouldn't say he had truly come away with absolutely nothing at all, but what little information he'd gleaned was not enough. Now that he knew there was an enemy lurking, the largest pending issue was the uncertainty of who her victims would be. Besides Frederica, there were three others at the mansion: Petra, Beatrice, and Rem were the girls at the mansion all right? If Frederica was in fact hostile to Subaru and the others, did that mean she was connected to Elsa? Either way "I doubt that insane woman would have any reason to hold back against Rem and the others...!" His memories bubbled up unbidden: the pain of Elsa's wicked blade and his sense of helplessness at being unable to stop her vile deeds. She'd killed Emilia. She'd killed Felt. She'd killed Old Man Rom. She'd killed Subaru himself. There were few things Subaru had greater faith in than the tastes of the butcher known as the Bowel Hunter. Elsa would never let her prey at her chosen slaughterhouse slip away. That was why " I've gotta get back to the mansion without a moment to spare. I have to figure out what happened." Along with the liberation of the Sanctuary, this was a challenge Subaru had to take on. " I seee. Now I graaasp the situation." After hearing Subaru's long explanation, Roswaal, lying on his side in bed, nodded deeply. The room set aside for Roswaal's convalescence contained only him and Subaru. Setting Otto's thoughts aside, Ram seemed unhappy she couldn't also be in attendance, but this was how it had to be. After all, when men met to plot wicked deeds, the fewer of them, the better. "I must say, these are results beyond anything I could have hoped for. Not only was the Witch Cult driven off, to think you eeeven participated in the hunt of the White Whale at the Liphas Plains..." "We can discuss that again when invitations for an award ceremony get thrown around. My exploits weren't exactly small, so I figure some prestige is coming my way." "I get the seeense that some prestige is hardly enough to accurately describe the acclaim you've earned. Moreover, I wish to thank you on a personal level for your cooperation in subjugating the White Whale... And what of Sir Wilhelm?" Closing one eye, Roswaal posed the question with only his yellow eye open. It made Subaru gulp down. "I didn't think I'd hear Wilhelm's name out of your mouth... He was there. Wilhelm was the one who finished off the White Whale. It was incredible... He's seriously something else." "I see. That is most splendid." *** Subaru knitted his brows, suspicious of the intensity in Roswaal's murmur. The fact that Wilhelm had avenged his wife, achieving his long-cherished desire, had delighted Roswaal. "Roswaal, do you know Wilhelm?" "...No, I have neeeever met him. One of my ancestors did, briefly. Therefore, I choose to toast the Sword Devil's tenacity from a distance, entiiiirely on my own whim. That is all." That is all, Roswaal had said, but the emotions surfacing in his expression seemed conflicted. Subaru couldn't bring himself to blindly trust what he had just heard, but he also

had no time to pursue the matter any further. "This really, really bugs me...but let's move on to the main issue. You've read my proposal, right?" "I haaad intended to discuss rewarding you for your exploits as well, but...no matter, let's continue. You wanted to discuss your plan to request the freeing of the Earlham villagers from the Sanctuary, yeees?" When Subaru urged him onward, Roswaal smiled back and touched the bandages wound around his chest as he nodded. "Certainly, the fact that Lady Emilia has entered the barrier means Garfiel and the others' aims have already been realized. Lady Emilia cannot depart unless the barrier is lifted. Suuurely it is not necessary for other hostages to remain within the barrier as...insurance." "Seems like a rational plan to me. It's not kicking the Sanctuary's problems down the road or abandoning them. This is a reasonable proposal, so the other side ought to be willing to compromise." "A reaaasonable proposal, you say. It is not that you actually have a diiiifferent concern? For instance, when Lady Emilia's heart is crushed by the Trial, the people of the Sanctuary might use the presence of the villagers as a shield, using them as leverage to force her to challenge the tomb against her will. Which would make this your way of nipping that in the bud...or something like that?" Closing one eye, Roswaal stared at Subaru with only his yellow eye, something Subaru was used to seeing by then. Subaru folded his arms, then leadenly drew in his chin as he replied. "Nah, sorry. Never thought of that. In fact, just imagining it is scary. Gimme a moment." "Oooh my? Perhaps I overthought it? How rude of me. I'm sooorry to surprise you." Roswaal smiled, glossing over what was either bottomless pessimism or a vicious thought process. While those disinterested eyes and that smile were still trained on him, Subaru mentally refuted the possibility Roswaal had raised. Purely as an option, it was certainly one potential course of action. However, no one involved in the current events was the kind of person to carry it out. It had only been a few days, but Subaru was confident he knew where Garfiel, Ryuzu, and the other residents of the Sanctuary stood on this. "...Either way, I understand your proposal, so...what is it you deeesire from me?" "I want this proposal to go to Ryuzu and the others through you, not me. This time, it seems like...they're not gonna compromise with me." " This time, hmmm? And why is that?" "Seems like that Garfiel bastard's taken a disliking to me. I don't have the time to get through to a moody guy like that. That means it's better to have the idea come from someone other than me." Opposition to Subaru taking the Trial included, Garfiel's demeanor had clearly changed from the last time around. His stubborn demeanor and the almost outright hostile glint in his eyes were things Subaru didn't remember encountering before. He wondered if it was something he'd said, or if he'd done something to rub the guy the wrong way. Either way, Subaru decided it was best for him to avoid coming into contact with Garfiel this time around. "If he gets hard-headed about my point of view for emotional reasons, that'll put everyone in a bind. It's a little scary how Ryuzu just goes along with whatever Garfiel says, too." "And thus, my turn has come. Okay, very well. I shall speak to the elder. But Garfiel hates me as well, so I am concerned I may not be able to bring him around riiight away." As a fellow person whom Garfiel hated, Roswaal readily consented, leaving Subaru to make a pained face as he entrusted his hopes to the man. The plan itself would likely be accepted by the other party after considerable grumbling. They would probably promise to free the villagers within the next several days. However, this was only the first step of Subaru's ultimate plan. "Noooow then, is your business with me at an end?" " Not yet. If anything, this business is more important than that proposal and everything that's wrapped up with it." That preface made Roswaal's cheeks harden for just a moment, but that stiffness soon morphed into a smile as he ran a finger through his long, indigo hair. Then " Tell me. What is it that you desiiiire?" "I want to go tell the people back at Earlham Village that the hostages will be released from the Sanctuary just like we discussed. I want to tell all the worried folks that their families are coming home." "Hmmmmm. In other words, you wish to go before the hostages are freed and the barrier is lifted..." "I'll return to the village alone. Of course, I'll be heading to the mansion, too, where Frederica's scheming something or other." With his shrill voice and heated gaze, Subaru transmitted his exact thoughts to Roswaal. Subaru had thoroughly reviewed the circumstances surrounding Return by Death, had shown consideration to Emilia, who was giving it her all to face the Trial, and had been wary of Garfiel, resident of the Sanctuary. At a glance, it seemed as though Subaru had handled everything quite calmly. However, even at that very moment, an undeniable impatience threatened to tear the inside of his chest asunder. How was Elsa connected to Frederica, one of the few remaining at the mansion, and what in the world had happened there? Subaru desperately wanted to find out as soon as possible, to the point that he couldn't bear to sit around and wait for however many days it would take to persuade everyone. "I understand your concern. However, to the extent of my knowledge, Frederica is not one prone to rash..." " The hell do you know?" *** Somehow, Subaru's interruption silenced Roswaal's attempts to alleviate his worries. Dark, heavy emotions were infused within the young boy's low voice. Of course there were. Roswaal's private opinion of Frederica was entirely irrelevant. What Subaru had seen was the truth. In the future, something would occur, and that reality held far greater weight to him than anything Roswaal thought. "Don't say stuff like that. It doesn't suit a smart guy like you. Frederica's the one who put that crystal in Emilia's hands. That's evidence she's up to something. You said as much, didn't you?" "...Even so, she isn't one to intentionally bring harm to others. She has not the couraaage to do so." "I don't have much courage either. But that's doesn't guarantee she wouldn't try something desperate." There was no firm, clear answer what exactly prompted humans to take dramatic actions in extreme circumstances. It certainly wasn't courage that drove Subaru forward. It was nothing more than a sense that something bothered him. "Roswaal, the trip will only take half a day. If it's just me going with Patlash, I can be back in a day's time. Please, give me the permission I need to do just that." "Even assuming I do permit it, if it becomes clear that Frederica bears enmity toward you indeed, if she takes hostile action against you...what will you do?" *** "The girl has demi-human blood flowing within her. The circumstances of her duties at the mansion mean that she has learned a certain degree of martial arts. Uuunfortunately, I do not think you stand a chance against her." "Th-that's none of your business..." The straightforward problem Roswaal pointed out made Subaru's throat tighten. Depending on how events played out, it was possible Subaru would have to face both Frederica and Elsa at the same time. Opposing them would be Subaru alone; Petra and the sleeping Rem couldn't be considered ready for a fight. He had no confidence he could even get in touch with Beatrice. All things considered, the only combat strength he could bring from the Sanctuary back to the mansion was "Emilia can't go because of the barrier, Roswaal's heavily injured, Otto's definitively a noncombatant...wait, is this checkmate?" "I suppooose it is, though with a single exception." When Subaru blanched, Roswaal spread his fingers toward Subaru's pale face. The fingertips stole Subaru's attention, as Roswaal smoothly wiggled them around and continued. "I shall add a condition of my own to your proposed plan of action. As I was just saying, I cannot send you alone to a ceeertain death. Therefore, to ensure that does not come to pass..." "To ensure that...?" Roswaal clapped his hands together, opened them, then spoke. " Take Ram with you and go. I am quite ceeertain she shall be of aid to you." 5 " To put it bluntly, I am not thrilled with this situation." "...You're saying that after we've come this far, Big Sis?" The next morning, Ram was the first to open her mouth when they arrived at the settlement's entrance. With a sour look on his face, Subaru followed suit. It was a rather Ram-like thing to say, eliciting a wry smile from Subaru as he scratched his head. As a result of the discussion the night before, Subaru had swallowed Roswaal's terms. It was plain fact that Ram was the only one who could be relied upon for combat, making her the sole countermeasure against Frederica. Ram had indicated her disapproval but relented and came along obediently in the end. That said, it didn't mean her chagrin had simply vanished "With Master Roswaal's poor condition, I can't help but feel concerned about leaving his side." "I mean, it's not like you can do anything by staying here either, right? Also, I was speechless when I heard it was Garfiel who bandaged those wounds and not you." "Don't be ridiculous. If I did it and Master Roswaal's injuries worsened, where would we be then?" "You should feel a little worse about the fact that you'd make it worse!!" Subaru's voice rose as he took in Ram, who was utterly shameless about her poor ability. He sighed deeply, hearing his voice echoing in the distance as morning embraced the Sanctuary. It was the start of the day after the discussion. Their preparations had been as quick as humanly possible. But considering his unease over his Return by Death, Subaru truly wished they could have departed the preceding night. "At night, the Forest of Cremaldi is quite dangerous. Even without the barrier, those woods form a natural stronghold that bars the entry of humans." "...Don't be reading a man's mind, sheesh." "It was written all over your face. Are you that worried about the girl you left at the mansion?" Ram had a sharp intuition and had handily discerned the reason for Subaru's unease. Ram was referring to Petra, freshly employed at the mansion. If Frederica turned out to be hostile to them, the girl's presence was Subaru and Ram's Achilles heel. He wanted to avert a situation like that at all costs. But that wasn't all. "It's not just Petra I'm worried about." " ? If you mean Lady Beatrice, she should still be in the Archive." Ram regarded Subaru's sullenness with a questioning look, not mentioning the other person left in the mansion namely, Rem. That was natural; Ram didn't remember Rem, and Subaru hadn't spoken about her yet. The nice way to put it was that he hadn't had a chance to bring it up, but in truth, he was simply afraid. Of course, he believed that it was absolutely necessary for him to bring it up during their trip to the mansion. "I'm not super eager to talk about it, but...emotionally, it'll be better to bring it up when it's just the two of us, huh..." *** "Er, sorry, that's my bad, Patlash. It's not like I forgot that you're here, too." Overhearing Subaru's murmur, the land dragon rubbed her nose against Subaru's shoulder in apparent objection. Patlash, Subaru's beloved land dragon, would play the most important role in their journey from the Sanctuary back to the mansion. He was relying on Patlash's grasp of the

way home, and this time, no one would be riding a dragon carriage; it'd be him and Ram mounted on Patlash's back as she ran for the entire return trip. "She's a good land dragon, making up for her all-too-lacking master. I pity her taste in men, though." "I can't say anything back about that. I really can't, but it still bugs me..." " Headin' back snuggled between two fine ladies, huh? Just showin' off at this point, ain't ya?" When Subaru's shoulders sank in misery, he heard a voice coming from behind, causing him to turn back with a scowl. The speaker, who was the very person he had expected, walked over while trampling the grass before stopping right beside the two riders and one mount. "Didn't think you'd be seeing us off at this early hour. Real polite of you." "Geezers and hags get up stupid early. Me, I live here so I picked up the habit... Wait, none of that's important right now." "You were the one who started talking about it, Garf." When Garfiel came into view, Ram looked genuinely surprised. However, that was true for Subaru as well. He'd seriously never expected Garfiel to give them a proper send-off. "Are you that worried about me and Ram riding together? Just so you know, it's not like my back's touching anything. And even if it did, all there'd be is something hard as a board." "Oh shut it. Me, I know that more than anyone in the whole wor ow?!" "You certainly do not know that. I'll slap you silly." "Don't say that after ya slap someone!!" "Incidentally, stop smacking me, too!!" Ram simultaneously slapped the vulgar pair's cheeks as her shoulders sank in exasperation. Then, with handprints plastered on them, Subaru and Garfiel's faces met. "Anyway, thanks for coming to see us off... Also, does that mean...you've heard?" "The talk about lettin' that lot of outsiders leave? I heard it straight out of that bastard Roswaal's mouth last night. I don't like you holdin' talks without me but...I ain't got any problems with it." "Yeah? That's a big help. I couldn't help thinking that in the worst case, you were here to stop us by force. If that happened, I'd be forced to throw Ram as far as I could and use her as a decoy." "Hey, I'd never fall for that! ...I wouldn't, right?" "Hell if I know!! Ram, say something to him already..." After shouting angrily at Garfiel, who'd suddenly lost his confidence, Subaru called out to Ram, who was right beside him. And it was then that he noticed Ram was knitting her brows, apparently contemplating something. "Ram? What is it?" "...I am merely getting a headache from Barusu and Garf's idiotic conversation." However, when Subaru asked to see if everything was okay, Ram shook her head and replied in her usual manner. In so doing, she cut off that line of conversation, leaving Subaru unable to pursue the matter. With that concluded, Subaru reoriented toward Garfiel to speak with him. "Well, we're off for a little bit. I intend to be back tomorrow, so take care until then." "...You're fine with not greetin' the Princess first?" "I'm even more surprised you're worried about Emilia and me... But it's fine. I left a letter, and I asked Otto to stay with her if she's having nightmares or anything." "That guy's got it rough, too. He's going through the middle of Temtem Manor for sure." When Garfiel rattled off one of his mystery phrases, Subaru accepted his concern with genuine gratitude. He hadn't gotten a chance to debrief Emilia about the discussion he had with Roswaal the night before. He was setting out before she even woke up. Subaru didn't have time to offer explanations, arguments, or excuses. Since, of course, his leaving would make Emilia worry, he'd left a letter behind "But when I'm not by her side, I can't stop worrying... So I'm leaving her in your hands, Garfiel." "Wha? The hell are ya thinkin', entrustin' the Princess to me...?" "I suppose because you're strong, you're thinking of the Sanctuary, and you're well aware it's gonna be a problem for you if anything happens to Emilia." *** "Also, worst case, I can try asking Ram to seduce you into going along with...guaaaa!!" "It seems you haven't done any reflection yet, Barusu." "Don't smack me right in the same spot you did earlier!! Are you a demon?! ...Wait, you are!" Teary-eyed, Subaru raised a complaint about his punishment, which Ram met with an amused "Hah!" Garfiel was completely lost, having gone from mid-conversation a moment before to speechless. But after a brief silence, he audibly clenched his sharp fangs and said, "...Fine. For now, I'll go along with all this madness..." "Really? That's great... I'm so happy my face's swelling up..." "Ram, I'll take care of that bastard's wounds, too, so quit looking so damn worried. This ain't like you." As Subaru rubbed his cheek, Ram seemed to show no outward emotion when Garfiel made his comment. Ram's cheeks tensed ever so slightly as she responded. "What an impertinent thing to say, especially coming from you, Garf." Having said her piece, she turned her back to him. She was no doubt signaling that the conversation was over. It was true that taking too long before departing would be a problem. Subaru also wanted to leave the Sanctuary right away, but... "...Come to think of it, do you have anything to hand to me this time?" "Huh? What are you talkin' about?" Right before mounting Patlash, Subaru asked a question that left Garfiel perplexed. He acted like a question mark was hanging over his head as Subaru idly reminisced about his old world. Last time, when Garfiel had accompanied him for a portion of the journey back to Earlham Village, he had handed over a crystal to Subaru, who had been anxious about his reunion with Frederica. At the time, Garfiel had said he didn't know if it would be of any help. In the end, Subaru had perished without ever meeting Frederica face to face During the previous series of events, three more days had passed before his return trek, but this time, no more than half a day had gone by. It was natural that Garfiel had no reason to be generous with Subaru. However " Garf, will you show any consideration to your dear Ram as she heads off to meet Frederica?" "What are you sayin' I should do...?" "You should do your duty for the woman you have fallen for. Do you not wish to be of aid to her?" "Actin' like a woman only when it suits ya... Damn it all." Ram maintained her brazen demeanor. Garfiel clicked his tongue and tossed something her way. For an instant, the morning sunlight reflected blue off the crystal, just like Subaru remembered. Guessing what Subaru had been aiming for, Ram forced Garfiel to cough it up. All Subaru could say was that it was completely in character for her. Internally sighing in admiration at Ram's skill, Subaru mounted Patlash and reached out to her with his hand. Unexpectedly, Ram politely accepted, and with that, the pair finished mounting the land dragon. After that, Subaru waved a hand to Garfiel, entrusting the Sanctuary to him once more. "Take care of Emilia. And as much as you can, let her know I apologize with all my heart and mind, 'kay?" "You can tell her crap like that using the mouth you were born with, damn it!!" As though Garfiel's angry shout was a starting signal, Subaru commanded Patlash to set off. The pitch-black land dragon accelerated, tearing through the serene air as they cut through the forest. As they continued to go faster and faster, Garfiel quickly receded from sight. "So, Barusu? Do you think that thing of Garf's will be of any use?" The effect of the wind repel blessing meant the riders didn't feel any shaking or wind, even on the back of a running land dragon. As they sped on, Ram, sitting behind Subaru with her hands around his hips, tinkered with the crystal she had just received. It was a crystal pendant tied with a string, and it really did look a lot like Frederica's. "I have no idea what effect it'll have. What do you think? You've known him a lot longer than I have." "I didn't even know he had this, so of course I have no clue... But the fact that the two have similar objects does make one wonder, doesn't it?" Frederica and Garfiel, connected by blood, though their views on liberating the Sanctuary diverged what role did the crystals play in their relationship? *** "...You know, you've had a pretty somber expression for a while now." Around the time Subaru had reached that conclusion, he noticed Ram had gone silent and her face was unusually gloomy. Subaru remembered seeing the same look when he'd tried to sweep things under the rug during the earlier conversation. "I'm no Garfiel, but it's true that this isn't like you. If there's something on your mind, you should talk about it." When he prodded a second time, Ram's pink eyes narrowed, and after a moment's hesitation, she spoke. "...Barusu, something felt amiss earlier." Her statement caused Subaru to tilt his head as he asked, "Amiss?" "At the height of your ridiculousness, you mentioned throwing Ram somewhere as a decoy, yes?" "I did...or at least I think I did? It was mixed up with a lot of other stuff, so I don't remember too clearly..." "You did. And for some odd reason, those words tugged at my chest. It's as if " Her words trailed off, but after a pause, Ram continued. " as if such a thing had actually happened before." *** For a brief moment, Ram's murmur made his brows furl, but then Subaru realized something. It dawned on him so late he wanted to strangle himself. Subaru hurling Ram was indeed something that had actually taken place. The only catch was that fact probably didn't exist anywhere save inside of Subaru after all, it was a memory that was related to Rem. At the height of the commotion surrounding the Urugarum demon beasts, Subaru had used Ram as a decoy to stop Rem's rampage. When all trace of Rem vanished from the world, established facts connected to her were sloppily rearranged to maintain consistency. "Barusu?" A world where Rem did not exist was slowly settling into place. By all rights, there was probably no way to stop such a thing. But it was possible the existence of Subaru Natsuki might keep it at bay...perhaps by driving in some nails fastening Rem's existence to the world. " Ram, I have to talk to you about something important... To you, it's probably the most important thing in the world." "...Beyond Master Roswaal, I do not believe any such thing exists." "Nah, there is something That's what we're gonna talk about." Subaru was embarrassed that he'd chickened out and avoided this conversation for so long, considering how important it was. There was still a fair bit of time until they reached the mansion. There were countless things that he had to ponder. Even so, he could at least take the time to "There was...a girl named Rem." And so he spoke to build a place for that girl in her beloved older sister's heart. 6 His second return to Roswaal Manor went off without a hitch. "That said, the awful experience I had took place inside the mansion..." Scratching his cheek, Subaru murmured to himself as he dismounted Patlash before the gate. His other objective reporting to the residents of Earlham Village had been taken care of beforehand. He'd told them that their families remaining in the Sanctuary would soon be released, and their reunion would occur within a few short days. They had been delighted at the news, but Subaru felt guilty for using it as the justification for

his return. Still, this was to make sure everyone made it through the coming danger safe and sound...or at least that was what Subaru told himself. "You seem stricken by pangs of guilt, almost like a proper adult. Take care to remember that feeling in the future." "Future, huh? You're thinking about Frederica just as much as I am..." "I'm not speaking of today's future, but far beyond that. Considering Lady Emilia's royal selection, the opportunities for Barusu to engage in wicked deeds shall only increase...though I am probably wasting my time bothering with you." Subaru couldn't even muster a groan of complaint at her harsh appraisal. Ram dismounted the land dragon like he had. Gazing at the mansion from beside Subaru, she appeared calm and ready. Her face didn't reveal a trace of the gloom and frailty Subaru harbored. He was genuinely envious about that. "Well, excuse me for being unable to leave that boorish lower middle class mindset behind..." "You have served but a few months, Barusu. Ram has served ten years. Our degree of loyalty and length of service differ. It is impertinent for you to think you can stand upon the same stage... More importantly, have you managed to harden your resolve?" "I'll turn that question right back at you." Ram, putting their differing mindsets on the back burner, asked him whether he was ready for something far more immediate. Subaru closed one eye. With their destination, Roswaal Manor, right before their eyes, Subaru couldn't exactly back off. Compared to the previous loop, he'd arrived back two entire days early, but "Please don't let anything have happened yet..." Put bluntly, his latest return to the mansion was more or less the fastest option possible, given the current point of Return by Death. The only way to get back any faster would have been to drop everything and run back the moment he got out of the tomb. Subaru wondered if Patlash would even cooperate if he had tried that. Unfortunately, that course of action was not something that Emilia, Roswaal, or the others involved would have understood. Of course, if it meant he'd make it back in time to do something, Subaru would have charged forward regardless, but... *** As Subaru sank into thought, a hand moved to his right arm as if by nature touching the white handkerchief wrapped around its wrist. This charm symbolized a prayer for his safe journey...and the promise Subaru had made with Petra that he would come back safe. "Even if Frederica is an enemy, whether she intended to start something right away matters a lot. The fact that she showed her face at the village yesterday doesn't eliminate the possibility she did something right after we left, but..." "Barusu." "Attack or run away. It's a hard choice to make, huh? This time, Ram's here, but if it comes down to a fight, it'll be a drop in the bucket... When we're up against Elsa, running for the hills is way smarter. The problem with that is Beako still holed up here..." "Barusu." "What? Can't you tell I'm desperately tryin' to put my thoughts in order right now? If I don't work things out well enough, we'll seriously pay for it later. Could you put up with me talking to myself for a litt " " If you are going to do that, I think you should do it inside of the mansion, right?" Subaru, turning when Ram tugged at his sleeve, pleaded with her about the importance of his fevered mumbling. But then a cute, amused giggle brushed against his eardrums, making Subaru look toward the gate in surprise. When he did so, he saw a maid standing on the other side of the gate with a demure smile on her face. She had reddish-brown hair accented by a big ribbon on her head. Her adorable smiling face convinced Subaru that an angel had appeared. He was taken aback when he finally laid eyes on the girl "Pe...tra...is that you?" "Welcome back, Master Subaru. You are back far sooner than expected, no?" "Y-yeah, I'm back... Er, ah. I'm uh, happy to see you." In front of the surprised Subaru, the girl Petra elegantly grasped the hem of her skirt and politely bowed. After staring intently at her, confirming that she was safe and sound, Subaru let out a deep sigh. *** Subaru's strange demeanor made Petra cock her head to the side, completely mystified. Then, she let out a little "Ah!" as she nervously turned her back to Subaru, carefully arranging her clothing and hair. Then, saying to herself "Okay," she turned back around and smiled adorably once more. "Is there something wrong, Master Subaru?" " ! Aw, geez! You. Are. Soooo damn cute!" "W-wah?!" Petra's unbearably charming behavior drove Subaru to impulsively embrace her and stroke her head. The complex, unreservedly adoring motions of his hand made Petra's eyes go wide as she raised a bewildered cry. "Wh-what are you?! S-Subaru...th-this is embarrassing...!" "Gahhh, you really have no regard for people's feelings... You really don't, damn it all...!" "...Subaru?" The girl's cheeks reddened as the brows on her blushing face furled with a questioning look. Still buried in Subaru's chest, Petra examined him with worried eyes as she asked in a low voice, "Does it hurt somewhere...?" The worried girl's fingertips brushed Subaru's trembling cheek. "Nah," he replied, gently taking into his hand the slender fingers touching him as he shook his head. Breathing deep through his nose, he stopped for a moment. Then, he slowly met the girl's gaze as he answered fully. "I'm just relieved from the bottom of my heart. Hi Petra, I'm home." 7 " To put it bluntly, I am not thrilled with this situation." "That's the second time I've heard that today." "I suppose it is. It's sarcasm after all adorable sarcasm from dear Ram, who's at a loss from being thoroughly forgotten." Ever since Subaru's reunion with Petra, Ram kept shooting off sarcastic remarks. Moved by the mere sight of the girl being safe and sound, Subaru had unwittingly gotten quite emotional, but Ram's silent anger at having been ignored in the meantime ran deep. Subaru was on his knees as he apologized. "I'm sure you already understand, but I was worried about her. I'm just relieved that she's all right." "How indecent." "You're way more indecent for saying that about a tiny girl like this!" Subaru deflated as Ram folded her arms and snorted with a "Hah!" But as she watched the exchange between the pair, Petra gingerly walked closer to Ram. The big ribbon on her head swayed. With a fair bit of tension on her face, she asked "Errr, you're Miss Ram, right? This is the first time we have properly spoken, so... I am Petra, new servant here at the Master's mansion. I am pleased to meet you." "My, you aren't calling me Ramchi today?" Raising an eyebrow, Ram teased the girl about the nickname that had spread among the children of the village some two months prior. Her reply brought a blush to Petra's face. "B-back then I..." she panicked in her embarrassment. "I was still just a child. But please watch me. I will be different from now on." "...Unlike Barusu, you are quite discerning. Very well, you pass." "Hey, who do you think you are?" "Incidentally, Barusu fails. As he is, I cannot allow him stay at the mansion." "Then what was the point of me coming back?!" Naturally, seeing Subaru and Ram mess with each other like they always did helped relieve the tension from Petra's face. Seeing this effect on her made Subaru think that Ram's way of being considerate was as hard to understand as ever. He never raised it though because he soon focused on the mansion and changed the topic. "Uhh, so Petra, has anything changed while I've been gone?" "Mhmm, that's what I wanted to ask you. Why have only Subaru and Miss Ram come back? What about Lady Emilia and the noisy guy?" "Emilia-tan is in the middle of an important job. Otto... What is Otto doing, anyway?" "I do not know, nor am I interested in knowing." Ram's dismissiveness aside, even Subaru wasn't aware what Otto was up to from day to day. Within the Sanctuary, he had been approaching people as a traveling merchant who'd simply accompanied the other evacuated villagers. Other than that, there wasn't any particular job Otto had been entrusted with, but "I expect he can help ease Emilia-tan's heart for a short while, though I doubt that'll work for long." "I suppose not. His face betrays a lack of endurance, so he'll likely break down in no time." "It's not like I left him behind to be a punching bag, you know?!" In the first place, Emilia wasn't the kind of person who could cheer up by directing her resentments at others. If things stayed reasonably simple, consoling her when she was crestfallen was a simple matter as well. Subaru's and Ram's replies made Petra go "Hmmm," accepting them for the time being. Accordingly, questioning rights shifted back to Subaru, whereupon he repeated his earlier question. "All right, rematch time. Has anything changed during the time you've been holding the fort? Especially with Frederica..." "Miss Frederica? She's very gentle, and she's so thoughtful about teaching me things. Besides that, nothing's really happened...except maybe, once in a while, she looks outside with a worried look." "Outside?" "Sheesh!! She's worried about you and Lady Emilia! At least figure out that much." Subaru deflated when he was scolded for being a blockhead. What he gleaned from his current conversation with Petra was that she and Frederica got along curiously well, and Frederica had not engaged in any obviously suspicious behavior. Also, since he failed to properly appreciate the feelings of others, he was in danger of Petra hating him. "If anything, it's that last bit that's the most serious problem... If I don't quietly patch things up, I'll be in a real bind." "Setting Barusu's nonsense aside, Petra, where is Frederica right now?" "Miss Frederica went into the forest to check on all the barriers. She said that until all the villagers are back, it's her job to make sure the barriers are properly woven. It should still be...a little while before she's back." "I see. I wonder if that is for better or ill... Barusu, what will you do?" Ram posed that question to Subaru, secure in the knowledge that Frederica was absent. Reading between the lines, Ram was posing a choice. Withdraw? Advance? At the very least, if they evacuated Petra to Earlham Village at the current juncture, she wouldn't become involved even if Frederica did resort to drastic measures. However " I want to check on something else. Let's head to where Rem is." "...Rem." The circumstantial evidence seemed to point to Frederica harboring an intent to betray them, but it wouldn't be possible to discern her true intent until they exchanged words. Subaru held high hopes for that talk, and in turn, made a choice to take things in a favorable direction for Ram. On the way back, he'd told Ram about the existence of Rem as well as their relationship, as time permitted. He couldn't possibly speak about her as thoroughly as he would have liked. At the very least, he had managed to explain that they were sisters and what circumstances had caused her to forget the person who was her other half. *** She would reunite with the sister she had been forced to forget. Understandably, even Ram could not fully maintain her composure; her cheeks were stiff, and her pink eyes were filled with worry. Subaru peered at her from the side. "...What?" "I thought you looked tense." "I am not tense at..." "Nah, you're definitely tense. I figured you would be, and I'd rather you be." This wasn't anything like an emotional reunion between sisters who had been living far apart. Rem would not

awaken from her sleep, and to Ram, the reunion was one that genuinely didn't bring back any memories. Even so, Subaru, as the one person left who knew them both, had a single wish. If nothing else, when they reunited, he wanted Ram to feel a pang in her heart, however tiny it might be. "Petra." "Yeah...whoops, I mean, yes. Rem is...in the same room as before." When Subaru called out to her, the quick-witted Petra said, "This way," and began guiding them. Following her petite back, Subaru and Ram both stepped into Roswaal Manor for the first time in several days. Their destination was the bedroom devoted to Rem on the second floor of the eastern wing. They proceeded through the mansion interior, meticulously maintained by Frederica and Petra's work; after a short while, the three arrived at their destination. "I'll...go back to cleaning the west wing some more. Please call me if anything comes up." Not wanting to be insensitive in any way, Petra courteously bowed and excused herself. Subaru watched the newly minted maid depart, shrugging his shoulders at Ram, who was staring at the door. " A very well-mannered child. She is a suitable candidate for serving Master Roswaal." "I agree that she's no mere village girl... So you're mentally prepared?" "I am, always. Unlike you, Barusu." When Ram replied with a demure look, Subaru forced himself to smile as he slowly put his hand on the doorknob. He hesitated only for a single moment. The door creaked slightly as it opened up. And inside the room *** There was a blue-haired girl, quietly sleeping atop a well-kept bed. She looked just like he last remembered her. It was as if the room had been frozen in time. The slight rise and fall of her chest and her faint breathing were the only outward signs that she remained alive, meager proof that they were. "Rem." Subaru said her name. Anyone could tell there was a great deal infused within that single, brief murmur. It held an unceasing torrent of emotion, one that was directed toward only a single person in the entire world. He had steeled his heart, determined never to waver, no matter what struggles he might have to face. But her sleeping face easily shattered that resolve and determination. "...So you were...safe and sound." He hesitated to say "safe and sound," given her condition as a helpless sleeping beauty. Even so, Subaru's heart did find some measure of peace from seeing with his own eyes that she was the same as how he left her when he had departed. He felt like someone had told him, There's no such thing as something that you can never make right. He also felt like someone had told him, Don't give up on making this right. *** His emotions were too intense for true relief, but they also weren't enough for him to come to a final resolution. Completely unrelated to what was rumbling in Subaru's chest, Ram was completely at a loss for words as she stared at Rem, asleep in bed. She unconsciously took half a step forward. Subaru couldn't see her face, but "Barusu." "......What is it?" "Could you...leave us alone for a little while?" " Sure." It was neither an order nor a demand from Ram. It was a simple request. With no reason to go against it, her request made Subaru draw in his chin. After brushing the hair out of Rem's sleeping face a tiny bit, he quietly left the room, leaving the sisters by themselves. He proceeded to look back, leaning against the door as he sighed deeply. He'd confirmed that Rem and Petra were safe. "Only for the moment... For the moment." In the worst case, he would find himself in checkmate, unable to arrive in time to make everything right no matter how quickly he left the Sanctuary. He still had to find out what cards his opponent was bringing to the table, and which hand she would play. To discover that, he had to " Master Subaru, what a surprise. I did not expect you to return so soon." "...I don't see much surprise on your face, though." "Please do not speak about my face. I am quite self-conscious about it." The jesting tone Subaru heard made the corners of his lips twist as he tried to smile. Though his expression couldn't be considered friendly by any means, the only other person present decided to interpret it that way as she glanced at the door behind Subaru. "You paid Rem a visit?" "Yeah. It's only been two days, but each one felt like ten lifetimes... Right now, the sisters are meeting." " Sisters...I see. That girl's existence is...very complicated for Ram, isn't it?" The woman's eyes looked quite concerned for the girl past the door. Her seemingly genuine distress made Subaru feel uneasy at the increasing discrepancy with the conclusion he had drawn from circumstantial evidence. The fact that she hadn't instantly launched an attack, let alone taken Rem and Petra hostage, and was even freely engaging in a friendly chat, was wholly inconsistent with Subaru's assumptions. "It is best to leave them by themselves for a while longer. Let me pour tea for you in the reception room, Master Subaru. We can speak at greater length there." "I guess that's fine. Going ahead without Ram isn't the wisest thing I've ever done, but..." He'd brought Ram along in case of emergency, yet he was about to go alone to a place where such an emergency might very well arise. It seemed suicidal, but Subaru dismissed that for two reasons: There probably wouldn't be an emergency, and he didn't want to be the idiot who intruded on someone's special moment. "Don't betray my expectations, okay? I'm trusting you, Frederica." "Then I shall strive to do my very best to live up to them I have taken to heart that this is a maid's duty." With that reply, the woman Frederica hid her sharp fangs behind her hand as she smiled softly toward Subaru. 8 "The fact that Lady Emilia is not with you must mean affairs in the Sanctuary are not yet settled, I take it?" After relocating from Rem's bedroom, the pair sat down on sofas in the reception room. Spread out between them was a table and cups of freshly poured black tea. Having finished setting the table, Frederica made the first comment. Subaru confirmed her inference with a "Yeah," nodding as he gazed at the steam wafting up into the air. "I'm grateful for you coming out and saying that you understand what's going on...especially after I had to talk with a guy who apparently knows everything but won't be straight with you about any of it." "When you say that, Master Subaru, I believe we have the same person in mind." "I'm sure you're also thinking of a certain...hard-core eccentric who won't let his makeup slip even when he's badly hurt." Subaru's sarcastic reply brought an "Oh my" out of Frederica as she met his words with amusement. After that exchange of minor jabs, Subaru leaned forward quite a bit as he got directly to the point. " When we were setting off for the Sanctuary, you deliberately withheld a fair bit of information, but...that was the vow at work, right? And that's still in effect even now?" Frederica had told Subaru and Emilia about the Sanctuary, but she had hidden a number of facts from them, saying "I cannot speak of it." Frederica had strenuously insisted that this vow of hers was the reason why. When Subaru questioned whether that yoke was still on her neck, Frederica shook her head side to side. "Unfortunately, I cannot respond as you wish me to. The vow is still in effect...in the first place, unlike a pact or a covenant, a vow has no compulsory power by itself. This is simply what my heart has settled upon." "If there's no compulsion, then can't you bend it just a little? Even if it's against your beliefs, you understand the situation we're in here, right?" " Ten years, seven months, thirteen days." As Subaru pleaded his case, Frederica suddenly rattled off those words. The span of time didn't mean anything to Subaru. While he was thoroughly perplexed by this tidbit of information, Frederica gently brought her cup of black tea to her lips and explained. "That is how long it's been since I left the Sanctuary and began serving Master Roswaal. That is also when the vow went into effect... Master Subaru, are you asking me to throw all that time aside?" "...Ram was just talking to me about time, actually." Scratching his head over the quiet statement, Subaru took a single, deep breath before pressing on. " If it's necessary, then yeah, throwing it aside is exactly what I want you to do. I'd like to respect the time and emotion that went into keeping your vow. But if it's in the way of something truly important, I think it's something that should be broken and tossed." "You say that rather lightly." "I'm not saying that you should be super-excited to break your vow and throw it away. But if you're up for doing that..." Subaru made a paper-ripping gesture, which made Frederica's jade-colored eyes tense up. With neither side willing to concede any ground, this was nothing but crashing their opinions against one another. No one would call this a negotiation. Subaru knew nothing good could come from continuing this. Accordingly, he came at her from a different direction. "...I get that you're dead set against the idea. Let's try talking about something else, then. Frederica, please look at this." "What is it, Master Subaru?" Putting a hand into his pocket, Subaru presented Frederica what he had been given: the blue, glimmering crystal. Her first glimpse of it only made Frederica put on a questioning face, but soon enough, she realized its identity. "That is...the crystal I handed to... No, it's not? That necklace... Ah." "It looks just like that one but it's different. Take it and see for yourself, please?" Frederica blinked, her hand trembling as she accepted the necklace. She stared at the crystal resting in her palm, feeling it in with her hand over and over, after which... "This is...Garf's stone, isn't it?" "Yeah, that's right. When I was heading out, he... Well, technically, he handed it to Ram, but..." Garfiel no doubt had never intended for Subaru rather than Ram to hand it to Frederica. No way am I telling him about this, Subaru firmly decided in his heart. "Either way, the only people who call him Garf are people close to him. That's true whether it's Ram, Ryuzu...or you, Frederica. Though I kinda figured you two were related, even without that revelation." "...Then it isn't as if you heard about it from Garf." "I can tell from your faces that you're related by blood. Besides, you give me the impression of an older sister. In the end, it was just my intuition based on your attributes." "I am uncertain what attributes you might be talking about, but you are correct. There's no mistake, for I am Garf's...Garfiel's older sister by blood." With a wry, pleasant smile, Frederica lightly touched the corner of her eye with a fingertip. Subaru averted his eyes because the gesture seemed like she was wiping away a tear, which made him feel like he was watching something he ought not to. "My, Master Subaru, you are unexpectedly timid." "Sheesh, any man has it tough when he makes a girl cry. Here's a handkerchief to wipe that off." "A different handkerchief than the one Petra gave you... How surprisingly gentleman-like." Walking around with a handkerchief was a habit he'd learned from when he lived back with his own family. Thanking his mother for having instilled the practice in him, Subaru blushed when Frederica teased him about it as she accepted the handkerchief. She was dragging the conversation

in an odd direction, but the last thing he wanted to do was simply go along with it. "Anyway! I didn't expect the necklace to change anything. In the end, I only wanted it to trigger a different conversation. I'll get to the crucial point." "A crucial point, you say?" "Yeah, the main thing I wanted to discuss What did you set up a teleport trap in the Sanctuary for?" Plunging straight into that topic was a large gamble on Subaru's part. The crystal Frederica had handed them had triggered the teleportation upon Emilia's and his arrival in the Sanctuary; in other words, it was proof that Frederica had intentions of some kind regarding Emilia. Frederica was familiar with the Sanctuary, so she surely knew that Emilia would lose consciousness once she came in contact with the barrier. What was she scheming, teleporting Emilia when she was unconscious? Subaru cut straight to the meat of his interrogation. "Answer me, Frederica. Or is it that you can't talk about this either 'cause of the vow?" *** "Even if that's the case, I can't let you be quiet about this. I'll make you talk, no matter what." The moment he said that, he felt the interior of his mouth instantly run dry. The tension in the air sped up his heart rate. With his gaze, he pinned Frederica where she sat, assessing her every move and gesture. He knew it was a risk to approach the crux of the matter without Ram present, but Subaru was seen as weak and underestimated by many. At the very least, if he could wring out a little information so he could piece everything together " Master Subaru." While Subaru studied her, stiff all over because of his enormous gamble, Frederica curtly called out his name. Subaru's only response was to watch her even more intently. His black eyes met her jade eyes head on, when "...What do you mean by 'teleport'?" "Eh?" The sincerity of Frederica's question made it seem like a question mark floated above her head. Her reaction left Subaru flabbergasted. "E-even if you look at me like that...I honestly cannot tell you something I do not know." "Wait, wait, wait, you can't fool me! If you don't know anything, then my whole premise goes out the window! Dunno if I should call them the conservative faction or the stay-at-home faction, but you're cooperating with people from the Sanctuary, right?!" "Conservative? Stay-at-home? What...are you talking about...? Could you please explain from the beginning?" "Me, explain to you what's happening with the Sanctuary?!" For Subaru, seeing Frederica not understanding a single thing he had mentioned so far was truly a thunderbolt from a clear blue sky. To begin with, the whole point of this conversation had been to question Frederica about various things in the Sanctuary that she had to have known. And yet, Subaru realized their positions were reversed. "Th-this isn't...an act...right?" *** Seemingly clinging to hope, Subaru stared at Frederica, but she shook her head with a look of pity. Her gesture destroyed the last footholds Subaru had remaining. Of course, he couldn't take everything Frederica said at face value. But even with that in mind, it really didn't seem like she was lying at all. " Barusu, meeting Frederica one on one without Ram suggests you truly have no need for your life." The door to the reception room opened in grand fashion at the same time they heard that remark. Crossing the threshold was Ram, haughtily folding her arms. After sighing slightly, she addressed an astonished Subaru. "In the end, your speculation was wildly off the mark. You are so pathetic, I can barely stand to look at you." "Yeah, sorry about... Hey, wait! Didn't that wild speculation about Frederica maybe cooperating with the stay-at-home faction in the Sanctuary come from you to begin with?!" "I said it was a possibility, nothing more. You really should find more constructive things to do than fixate on finding fault in others." "It just ain't fair!!" Subaru clutched at his head, forcibly trying to sweep away his embarrassment, but Ram paid no heed whatsoever. She boldly sat at Subaru's side, bringing his untouched black tea to her lips. "...It would seem that your skill at making tea has not improved in my absence." "My, even though pouring tea is my specialty. What an uncharming girl you are." "I do not need to be charming. Ram is plenty cute enough. Any more so and the world would be imperiled." "Truly, your tongue is as sharp as ever! Goodness...how very like you." Though she showed her fangs as she shouted angrily, Frederica's final words oozed with softness. And while Ram's face was unchanged from always, it was instilled with just a faint whiff of affection. This conveyed to Subaru how they had been colleagues for a long time, or perhaps it reminded him more of people who had been friends from a rather young age. "Though you may not have been away for very long, you are still in good health?" "Yes, Ram is always... I suppose I cannot lightly say that this day." "...Did you spend enough time with Rem?" Frederica lowered her voice to a whisper and posed a question that was no doubt difficult to ask. Subaru wanted to know the answer, too. To these paired gazes, Ram slightly lowered her head as she said, "It's mysterious. Just as I heard from Barusu, that girl is the spitting image of Ram. When I touch her forehead, I know that blood of the same tribe flows through her, and yet..." *** "Inside of Ram, that girl's existence is still nothing but a blank." Suppressing her emotions, she strove to speak in a normal tone of voice to maintain her normal, steady self. The loneliness and desolation Ram carried, the sadness that made her voice tremble; her attempts to hold them in check made their effects on her stand out all the more. It was not Ram's fault. Of course, it wasn't Rem's, either. Fault lay with the sinner that had consumed Rem's very being, tearing her away from the world. If, beyond that blasphemer, there was anyone else to blame " Sorry." "...Barusu, why are you apologizing?" "I didn't...want to make you meet Rem like this. But..." Subaru was insufficient. He was fatally, idiotically insufficient. That was why he was helpless to help the sisters meet except this way. If Ram was hurt as a result, it was none other than Subaru who ought to bear that blame "So I'm sorry. It's not something that you'll forgive even if I apologiiiiii-iiiii-iiiiiiiiiii?!" "Stop making such a suspicious face. It degrades an already almost worthless man, though I suppose I am too late to do anything about that." Mid-apology, Ram's hand stretched forth and mercilessly pinched Subaru's cheek. When Subaru let out a lament at the amazing pain, Ram snorted "Hah!" and let a laugh slip out. "Do not go making that face. It is as if you decided you were something important to Ram and Rem, lowly Barusu." "Y-you said it yourself. I really am a lowly..." "Ram has no interest in Barusu's feelings of guilt. At the very least, she doesn't blame Barusu in the slightest. Do not insult Ram and her little sister by wallowing in tragedy all by your lonesome." Thrusting a finger at his forehead, Ram made a truly Ram-like statement as Subaru's mouth flapped open and closed. "...Y-you don't even remember her, but you act like Rem's older sister all of a sudden?" "It is quite mysterious. Though I have no memory of her, I am very firm about holding such a position. It would seem Ram is an elder sister much respected and loved by her younger sister. This is natural, of course." "That way of thinking is seriously Big Sis of you!" Even though Rem's existence had fallen away, Ram's authority remained undaunted. Subaru, conflicted as he was about whether this was a happy or a desolate thing, admired Ram's nobility of spirit regardless. "Yes, yes. It is quite clear, even to me, that you two get along very well." Frederica, intervening in the pair's exchange, offered Ram fresh tea as she said, "I, too, think an unchanged Ram is a happy thing... But the main issue at hand was something else, yes?" "I suppose so. Let us return to the conversation that strayed due to Barusu the issue of the teleport." "The one Master Subaru was speaking about just earlier, I take it?" The atmosphere had been relaxed, but with one word out of Ram's mouth, it tightened anew. Seeing the grave look on Frederica's face, Subaru pointed to the blue crystal she was holding. "Let me get to details, then. The crystal you gave to Emilia reacted to the barrier, triggering a magic teleport in the dragon carriage...one that rather conveniently launched its victim directly to the tomb." "Teleport to the tomb...?! A-and was Lady Emilia all right?" "Fortunately, she was, thanks to Subaru's sacrifice. A noble deed by his standards." "...In other words, I was teleported in Emilia's place. I'm all right, though." Ram accepted more tea as Subaru did a little dance on the spot, demonstrating that he was in good health. The sight made Frederica forget to cover her mouth with her hand, openly displaying the shock on her face. With this, it was finally established that Frederica really hadn't been involved with the crystal causing the teleport. "But if that's so, what'd you give her the crystal for? According to Roswaal, what you need to get into the Sanctuary is the correct path. Having an object doesn't make you qualified." "That's..." "You can't speak because of the vow, I figure? If so, that is a poor excuse, Frederica." Anticipating Frederica's hesitation, Ram unleashed words so cold, they made Frederica bristle. But she immediately nodded. " It is true, as you say. That is not a topic of conversation that may pass from my lips." "So you chose to rely on that poor excuse anyway Still that cannot be the end of the matter." "H-hey! Ram, wait!" Frederica stubbornly refused to relent. Seeing Ram's reaction to this made Subaru nervous. After all, Ram had stood up, her hand gripping her cane. It was short and slender, apparently made of wood. The cane was her weapon, which she lovingly employed when she was casting magic. "Don't get ahead of yourself! We were just talking peacefully... What gives, all of a sudden?!" "You are too lenient, Barusu. Frederica will not respond to the question. Her rebellious intent is clear." "Frederica wouldn't do something that stupid! And you're the one who said that!" Her conclusion was too hasty to be called decisive. In fact, it was Ram herself who had most trusted and defended Frederica's nature as a person. "Then why are you..." "We shall restrain Frederica and bring her with us to the Sanctuary. By doing this, we shall flush out the one giving Frederica instructions. Actions are more certain than words, and produce faster results, too." "Well, you've got a point, but you can't think it'd go that smoothly..." With an unyielding posture, Ram was essentially saying, we'll tie her up if that's what we have to do to find answers. But if Ram resorted to such measures, Frederica would surely resist. If it came to that, it might not be the way he'd imagined it, but they would indeed be unable to avoid an undesirable battle nonetheless. Faced with Frederica's silent posture, a part of Subaru wanted to do just that, but "Even so, I don't want any bloodshed! Frederica! Your being quiet is part of the p " "If you wish to take me with you to the Sanctuary, I shall not resist." "You see! Even Frederica's saying stuff like...er, wha?" Subaru, his face pale from the explosive situation, was flabbergasted at what had just entered his ears. However, to an astounded Subaru, Frederica calmly kept her

posture straight, as she explained further. "I am saying, I shall yield to Ram's judgment. If you wish to take me to the Sanctuary, that is fine. Though I do not understand how this would accomplish your objectives." "Y-you won't resist...? Why? What's the meaning of...?" "Quite a slow learner you are." Standing beside Subaru and bewildered to a comical extent, Ram sighed, pointing her rod at Frederica before continuing. "Frederica cannot break her vow of her own will. Therefore, if Barusu drags her off by force, it cannot be helped... Such an excuse is required." "The part about me dragging her off by force sounds unlikely, but...you're fine with this?" The suddenly cooperative attitude that had sprung up between Ram and Frederica had thrown Subaru for a loop. After all, until just moments before, Frederica had done a fine job of setting her heart on that "vow," speaking as if leaving it unbroken was a question of her beliefs. And yet "With the excuse that she was forced, she's not going against it... Is that it? To be honest, there's an opposition party inside me complaining that's too arbitrary of a plan to resolve things, but..." "Then simply silence that voice. This is the best of all possible plans to put this matter in order." It didn't sit well with him. But it would be meaningless for Subaru to whine and groan about it. Just as Ram had said, this was a three-person consensus. He need only shut his ears to the moderately discordant sounds in the background. But he did want to say just one thing about it. "Even though you didn't arrange it in advance, you two sure were on the same page..." "But of course." "We have known each other for nearly a decade." Hearing those perfectly matching replies, Subaru completely took his hat off to them. And with that, the situation had well and truly been sorted out. First, barring the possibility of her being an actress of exceptional skill, it seemed that Frederica had absolutely no involvement with the teleportation incident. Her circumstances for remaining silent because of the vow would surely become clear if she went to the Sanctuary. In so doing, they would also be able to expose the mastermind trying to infiltrate through cracks in the camp's framework. "Hiding the teleportation and then instructing you to keep it secret... When I put it like that, the guy you made a promise to has the worst personality ever." "I...suppose so... Even I cannot willingly obey instructions that make a fool out of me to this extent. It is said, 'The Empire makes you carry lead as heavy as your deceits.'" "...What'd you say?" "It is a Volakian Empire saying. It expresses that nation's cold view toward decep What is it?" "Nah, it's nothin'. Just thought that blood will tell, huh." Frederica seemed proud of her knowledge, but Subaru's reply was only accompanied by a lukewarm expression. He felt like he'd gotten the answer he wanted, if not quite in the way he had intended. "Either way, getting Frederica's cooperation...even if in a roundabout way, is a big win for us. Thanks to that, I think I can toss away the extra misgivings I had inside of me." "Extra misgivings?" "Ahh, basically, I thought that if Frederica did turn out to be hostile and the mansion was under attack, that'd be a huge disaster." Frederica inclined her head, looking like she had not the faintest idea pertaining to this "disaster" he spoke of. That state held, with nothing of the disaster not even "E" for Elsa escaping her lips. Based on the reaction of the Frederica before his eyes, it seemed safe to assume there were no ties between her and that butcher. If that was so, they had to get away from the mansion with all haste and draw up a plan to deal with that black-robed butcher. Subaru knew her attack was coming. That would let him seize the initiative, giving them time to concentrate their forces, encircle her, and take her down. "That's another reason I want to pull out of the mansion. There's no time to lose. We march Frederica along, grab Petra, and go. And if we pick up Rem and one Beako whose current location is unknown, then..." At least for the moment, they could escape the peril that was about to befall the mansion. Seeing that beacon of light, Subaru felt like he'd found a compass pointing a way out of the darkne " Oh my, I would prefer if you weren't so cold." Right as Subaru was counting on his fingers the various things he ought to do, a glossy voice violently brushed against his eardrums. Instantly, Subaru's heart beat louder, accompanied by pain that made it feel like his heart was being rent asunder. Looking like he'd been slapped, he turned toward the reception door entrance and there stood a figure he knew well. She had black hair in a triple braid, lavish black clothes that exposed a scandalous degree of skin, and deep, captivating jet-black eyes that seemed to pull you in black, black, black; she was the very epitome of pitch-black bloodlust. Her familiar beauty, and a devilish face he'd never wanted to see again, suddenly blotted out the light of day with her dark presence. "Now, let us fulfill our promise, shall we?" These words spoken, the Bowel Hunter charmingly licked her red lips, a prelude to the slaughter to come. CHAPTER 2 *** 1 Instantaneously, Subaru got the sensation that time had simply stopped. It was an odd feeling, but he remembered having that sensation before. When his life was in danger, his brain's survival instincts kicked in, urgently trying to keep its body alive from there, things would be decided in seconds. Why was Elsa there? He had no time to ponder such a question. It was not why he needed to think about, but rather, how? Calmly, to the extent possible, he tried to grasp the situation he was in. On the one hand, the black-robed butcher was in the doorway; on the other hand, inside the room, Subaru and Frederica were sitting on sofas, and Ram was standing rooted to the spot, cane in hand but they were not the only ones present. *** Petra was there. Elsa had made the young Petra stand right beside her as she opened the door. A blade rested against the girl's throat, and her round eyes had large tears welling up in them. He understood. She'd led Elsa to the room. Elsa forced her to, forbidding her even from crying. Right then, there was surely a vortex of fear wildly swirling within Petra's heart. Her life was in danger; she'd been made to lead Elsa to Subaru and the others; she wanted so desperately to cry out, "Help me" "...Frederica, Ram, Subaru..." With a quivering voice, Petra called out their names. What could he do for that voice? He wanted to nod to let her know to rest easy, to tell her it was all right for her to cry " Run!!" *** Instantly, Petra shouted not "Help me" but "Run," stoking a searing-hot fire in the trio's hearts for Subaru, it was because he recognized the great threat; for Ram, it was the butcher's ghastly aura; and for Frederica, it was seeing the girl's tears. "El Fulla !!" In a show of force, Ram raised her cane and unleashed a blade of wind at maximum velocity. Mana coalesced into an invisible slash, tearing its way toward the leisurely standing Elsa. The blade of wind could not be stopped with physical force. However "What a refreshing breeze. But the sunlight is gentle today... You needn't be so considerate." Elsa maneuvered her nimble upper body, evading the wind blade of certain death. The figure in black dodged a continuous series of attacks with great ease. It was as if she could read the wind no, it wasn't merely a figure of speech. Ram had launched her attacks in such a way as to avoid Petra, who had been taken as a hostage. Elsa took advantage of that, slipping into the blind spots between her and the wind to dodge the blades of air. "If you were willing to hit this little maid along with me, it might be a different story..." " Unfortunately, it is an ironclad rule in this household that servants support and aid one another!" "Oh my." From behind, Elsa raised an eyebrow, stroking Petra's cheek, which made something catch in the girl's slender throat. Both of Frederica's arms whipped out as she leaped into close combat, apparently aiming to tear Elsa's torso asunder. The five-fingered strike was similar to the martial arts move known as a Tiger Claw. But there was one simple difference: The two arms Frederica was attacking with had transformed into genuine bestial claws. Her slender, pale fingers changed shape and became the talons of a tenacious, ferocious beast, and both of her arms were now wicked implements for the rending of flesh. With a cacophony of furious creaking sounds, sparks flew between Frederica's bestial claws and Elsa's kukri. "Partial transfiguration...! Demi-human blood, yes? Delightful!" "Thank you for the unwanted praise... I can do this, too! Petra!" With Elsa overjoyed by the unexpected clash, Frederica lowered her stance in front of the butcher. The instant she called out Petra's name, the girl's round eyes flew open. As the girl stood still, a golden sash seemed to stretch before her. It was a slender animal tail covered with golden fur stretching from the back of Frederica's skirt. *** The instant she understood that, Petra leaped toward the tail. At the first touch, Frederica used the tail to yank Petra close, pulling out of the butcher's range with the girl in tow. When Petra leaped away, Elsa tried to close the distance with her blade, but Ram wouldn't allow it. "Fly into pieces!!" Robbed of her hostage, and thus her safety zone, Elsa was enveloped by wind. Spherical wind blades expanded to cut off her escape route, converging on their prey in the center all at once, the surrounding gale blowing savagely. *** It was certain-death timing. Fresh blood spattered about, and there was no doubt the wind had bitten into Elsa. But "Her arm...!" "Ahh, ow, ow... I thought I was going to die." Lifting her cruelly gouged-out arm aloft, Elsa licked the blood trickling from the terrible wound. It was a painful-looking injury, but that single arm was the only damage she had taken. Elsa must have used her arm as a shield while the blades of wind flew in, minimizing the damage. At a glance, it seemed like a reckless choice, but it had very much been the optimal course of action "You are a detestable woman." "I rather like you, Miss Medium-Size Maid." When Ram spat a scathing comment, Elsa shifted her kukri around with her intact arm. One by one, the dully gleaming knife blade displayed the faces of each of the four in the room besides Elsa when she said, "A man and three women, maids large, medium, and small. I shall line you up on the table and compare what is inside your bellies." "A pick-up line even worse than Garf's. In that case Barusu!" "I'm on it !!" Petra, in Frederica's embrace, landed behind the others. That instant, at Ram's signal, Subaru heartily thrust his right arm toward Elsa. His silent observation of the situation up to that point was not because he lacked the power to intervene. Of course, that was a plenty good reason, but more importantly, he had been calculating the right time. Time to play the trump card he'd decided to use in advance should he encounter Elsa. " Shamaaaaaaak!!" He was weaponless, with no means of striking back, with inadequate preparations and resolve, and he was engaged with an enemy defying all expectations. However, the least he could do was take advantage of the best card in

his very meager hand. He fired up the imperfect magic reactor inside of him, causing the blood coursing through him to light up from its heat. "Don't use it," warned Ferris's voice in the back of his head. The instant he crushed his hesitation between his molars, black mist explosively flooded out of his right hand. Less a shadow of the light and more a thick, all-consuming darkness, the black-attired woman that was his target was swallowed whole. Through the power of magic, the spells victim would plunge into incomprehension, robbed of its powers of thought and movement. "How's that...! If you can climb over that wall of oblivion, then..." Managing to cast his magic exactly as intended, Subaru let fly with some caustic words and the next moment, it arrived. " Giii?! Gaaaah!!" With the sound of something being sliced apart, nearly unendurable pain exploded in the center of his skull and torso. The excessive pain blew Subaru's thoughts away. As he screamed, his vision was dyed in a mix of red and white. Wringing mana out of his incomplete Gate made him feel parched and numb at the same time. Agony came crashing down on his soul. His vision went blurry, and strength drained out of his knees. At that rate, he'd lose his grip on reality, and with it, his mind "Subaru!" A moment before plunging into darkness, a distant voice and the touch of a palm connected to his mind. His dimming vision beheld a teary-eyed Petra right in front of him. Her voice was making his heart burn hotter. He had no time to yield. For a brief moment, he forgot the pain that was shredding his nerves and chipping away at his soul. During the time that the "bluff" was effective, Subaru grasped her hand back. " We're pulling out!" "This will get a little rough!" "Hyaaa! M-Miss...?!" When Ram swiftly decided they must retreat, Frederica put a hand around Petra's waist without hesitation. Then, her remaining arm pulled the wobbly Subaru against her chest as well. It was a soft sensation. "A-at a safe time I'd like to appreciate this more thoroughly...!" "As if I'd let you touch me normally! Anyway, out from the window " Subaru, still moaning from pain, made a joke that earned a blunt reply from Frederica as she headed to the back of the room. If she broke that window, they'd be able to jump down all the way to the mansion courtyard. The Shamak smoke screen wouldn't postpone things for long. Instant assessments, instant decisions, and instant actions were required at that moment "uu?" When Frederica crouched down, Subaru realized something soft had hit his back. Something felt wrong from around his left shoulder and shoulder blade. Breathing hard, he twisted his neck to check. Something like a skewer was sticking out of it. The lingering shudder of the long, slender object was proof that it had hit only moments ago. Countless similar objects came flying from the direction of the black haze all at once. " Fredericaaa!!" He shouted. It didn't come in time. A flurry of sounds followed as the sharp, glimmering surge sank into soft flesh "!!!!" "El Fulla!!" The roars of a demon and beast layered atop one another as a blast of wind blew them out of the reception room. 2 Clearing the reception room, Subaru and the others fell straight toward the mansion courtyard. The expected blow from the fall never arrived thanks to an exquisite performance by Frederica, landing on the grass from the second story with Subaru and Petra under her wing. But the cost of the retreat had been unexpectedly high. "Miss Frederica!!" Thrown by the landing, Petra raised her voice into a near-shriek as she rolled on the grass. Her gaze was on Frederica, down on one knee in the yard with skewers stuck in her bloody back. "I...underestimated our opponent...!" Frederica was making labored breaths as slender skewers rose from her back like a mountain of swords. The skewers were nearly eight inches in length, and more than a few had doubtless reached her internal organs. Frederica wasn't the only one who understood their might, for Subaru had gotten a taste as well. "Ow......! Shit! She's like Julius: an enemy that Shamak doesn't work on...!" "Surely not. She simply threw them past of the cloud of darkness. She has exceptional intuition." Subaru wailed at the skewer impaling his right shoulder as Ram stated her thoughts. Examining Subaru and Frederica's wounds, her refined eyebrows gently formed a scowl. "There is no one here capable of using healing magic. If I remove the skewer, you will die of blood loss." "I don't have the courage to touch or even look at it twice, let alone pull it out... Did you get Elsa?" "I blew the entire room away, but I didn't get the sense that I hit her. We cannot be optimistic." "Damn it all...! I thought I'd bought us a little time at least..." Gritting his teeth at Ram's reply, Subaru quietly lamented that no one present was suited to treating their injuries. Previously, Rem had healed his wounds, and Beatrice had healed graver ones still that was when he belatedly realized it. "Rem and Beatrice are both...!" Both were still in the mansion, and Elsa was right there with them. At that point in time, the idea of running vanished. He couldn't distance himself from the mansion with both of them inside. "If we don't save the two of them...!" Burning with the pain of his wound, he thought at full-speed, examining their options. One thing for certain was that Rem was in the mansion's east wing. The problem was that Beatrice was constantly running her Passage spell. At that critical juncture, the peculiarities of the Passage became poison. If, then and there, he prioritized saving Rem, could he hope for Beatrice to deal with the matter herself? Considering the capabilities of the Passage, that was without a doubt another potential plan. As a matter of fact, at the height of the battle with the Witch Cult some days before, Subaru had failed to bring Beatrice out of the mansion; she'd remained behind, trusting in the power of the Passage during the decisive battle. If the conditions were identical to back then, the possibility harm would befall Beatrice was "Am I...stupid? No, I am stupid. The situation's totally different from last time...!" The Witch Cult's objective and Elsa's objective were fundamentally different. In the end, the Witch Cult's target Petelgeuse's target had been Emilia. Since they had no information about the occupants, leaving Beatrice behind at the mansion was a viable option because she was wholly unrelated to their objective. However, Elsa was different. That butcher's objective was clearly to slaughter everyone in the mansion. She'd targeted Subaru, Frederica, and Petra; naturally, she'd try to kill Rem and Beatrice, too. *** He couldn't leave them behind. He couldn't. There was no way he could just let them die. So even without a flash of inspiration for a way to save everyone, he had to act before his useless brain burned out completely "Barusu." "What?! Right now, I'm thinking of a way to get Rem and Beatrice out of there somehow..." Subaru was desperately trying to think when Ram abruptly called out to him. When he looked at Ram, it seemed like his burning brain was leaking out of his earlobes while he desperately searched for a way out of their predicament. As he prepared himself to hear a proposal for a comeback from the brink of certain doom from her pink lips " Given our current situation, the best thing to do is leave those two at the mansion while the four of us escape." "Wha?" Their equal-height gazes met, and the declaration, delivered with great firmness, blanked out Subaru's thought process. His eardrums trembled, conveying the words to his brain, his mind immersed in the words as he arrived at comprehension of what she had said to him. Then, the instant he achieved understanding, his emotions came to a boil. "Wh-what are... What, are you ! What! The hell are you saying!!" "Angry shouts get us nowhere. Please compose yourself. I believe it is an exceptionally natural thought." "Like hell it is! Rem's in the mansion! Your little sister!! She loves you, and you love her! She's your little sister; it's natural for you to protect her!!" The moment he shouted, the pain of his wound increased. But he didn't care. Filled with agony and rage, he spat blood as he slammed his ferocious emotions into Ram as hard as he could. However, though showered by Subaru's voice, Ram continued with a serene look on her face. "It is the correct decision under the circumstances, nothing more. Losing Ram and Frederica, and, more to the point, Barusu, will be a heavy blow to our faction. Such sacrifices must be avoided." "But! That means sacrificing...!" "I suppose so. She may well be Ram's little sister But if she is Ram's little sister, she would surely say this." To Subaru, at a loss for words due to fierce emotion, Ram paused. Then, she pressed on. " Please, sacrifice Rem for Master Roswaal's sake." *** The instant he heard those words, Subaru felt something inside him being smashed to dust. It was a blow rivaling the cracks in his incomplete magic user's Gate no, it caused a greater impact than even that, shaking the soul of Subaru Natsuki to its very foundation. "I-I didn't... This isn't why I..." He hadn't brought Ram and Rem together so that she could speak such words to him. All memory of Rem had been erased from the world, and nothing of her was left inside of anyone. Even so, if the twin sisters, sharing mutual love and even their souls with one another, yet existed, something of her had to remain. That was the faint expectation Subaru clung to, something he could not even call a hope. That was what he carried within him when he brought Ram back to the mansion. He didn't know the result would be Ram saying to him the words he never wanted to hear. "In this world, Ram... Even you won't be on Rem's side...?" This was perhaps the greatest sorrow he had known since Rem's existence had been taken away. After all, Subaru knew just how much affection the sisters, Ram and Rem, held for each other " Both of you, this is no time for us to be arguing!" Subaru was reeling while Ram's pink eyes were utterly lucid. One shout from the gravely wounded Frederica interrupted their exchange. In the current situation, allowing a verbal argument to chew up even a couple of seconds could prove a fatal loss of time. "Cool your heads, both of you! How can you argue at a time like...!" "...Ram is perfectly composed. Barusu has merely worked himself up all on his own. Frederica, surely you, too, understand whose view is justified and whose is not." "Certainly, Ram, you are correct. I shall not say you are mistaken." Speaking quickly, Frederica acceded that Ram's assertion was properly justified. When she took that position, it seemed Frederica, too, was of a mind to leave Rem and Beatrice behind, putting Subaru on the brink of despair. But before he could cross that precipice, Frederica continued, saying, "However, I think we should rescue both of them." "...Are you sane?" "Yes, of course. You are the one who brought up losses our faction would incur, yes? Based on that, it is indeed best to rescue both Lady Beatrice and Rem are both important." Frederica's assertion brought a dubious look over Ram's face. Subaru, too, was taken aback. But with the others at a deadlock, the final person present slowly raised her hand and spoke up. "I-I also... I also agree with going to save, to save them...!" "...Please be quiet, child. This is not a majority vote." "E-even a child can be a proper adult!

Miss Frederica says I'm more helpful than Miss Ram!" Under Ram's cold glare, Petra did not retreat even one step as she pushed her own view. Pressed into silence by the teary-eyed retort, Ram shifted her gaze toward Subaru and Frederica. "Are you saying we have a chance?" "! We know where Rem is! Finding Beatrice is my job!" "I suppose so. Barusu and Lady Beatrice do get along so very well." "Since I'm trying to persuade you, I'll let that one go this time..." Though hardly at her wits' end, Ram made a show of carefully considering the trio's views. Of course, at that late juncture, even Subaru could not help but acknowledge which plan held the greater odds of survival. However, what meaning did survival have if Rem and Beatrice were sacrificed for it? It was meaningless. If that was the form the updated world took, it was better if *** "...We are undermanned. We must search for Lady Beatrice and extricate Rem. The enemy interferes with both." " It was I who spoke out, so that is my duty to bear." When Ram listed the pending concerns, Frederica, breathing in intense pain, patted her own chest. Her self-recommendation took Subaru and Petra by surprise, leaving Ram the only one who sighed in understanding. "There you go again, too stubborn to back down when dealt a bad hand. Exactly like Garf." "You are both my adorable junior coworkers. Besides, it is not I who resembles Garf. Garf is the one who is imitating me." Frederica said it with a wink, hiding the fangs in her mouth as she smiled. Subaru unwittingly sucked in his breath, sensing the resolve and determination behind that sunny smile. And as Subaru drew his breath in, Frederica did something even more surprising right in front of him. "Miss Frederica...?!" Petra was struck with wonder, but that was a natural reaction. Frederica put a hand to her blood-ridden maid outfit, violently ripping it apart. Her pale flesh, bloodstained and covered in a light sweat, became exposed. The spectacular force of the move made Subaru see a part of her underwear, something that made his eyes bulge in spite of the emergency situation. " This may surprise you, but please do not raise your voice." With those words of warning, the half-bare Frederica knelt onto the lawn. Then, she put Garfiel's necklace around her own neck an instant later, the very air grew taut. "aa" Had there been no warning beforehand, Subaru might not have been able to keep himself from crying out in surprise. First, he saw Frederica's long, beautiful, golden hair shrink. Next, golden fur began to sprout over her exposed flesh, and her skeleton ferociously creaked as it changed shape and grew larger. She set four paws on the ground as the fangs that defined the inside of her mouth became something sharper, more powerful a transformation taking but a few, brief seconds that made him doubt his eyes. " So this is transfiguration, huh?" As Subaru murmured, there was a ferocious, golden beast standing before his eyes the bestial Frederica. It was a slender, supple feline predator with a stature nearly six feet in length. Of the animals Subaru knew, she resembled a cheetah or a leopard, but her body had no black spots upon it; he could only call the form beautiful. Were it not for part of that lustrous, golden mane being marred by blood, he truly would have been enchanted by that beautiful beast. "So it's not Beauty and the Beast; the Beauty is the Beast... Ahh, I want to get her in the bath and snuggle." "I categorically reject the idea of bathing with you." "! Y-you can still talk like that?!" Subaru, trying to conceal his unrest with his flippant tongue, gaped at the face of a ferocious beast seemingly ready to roar. Subaru was surprised on two levels that the tone of voice was that of the pre-transfiguration Frederica. "I remain myself. Though my appearance has changed, I am completely rational... In addition, thanks to this, my wounds have closed to a fair extent." Taking in Subaru's surprise, Frederica's body twisted, and numerous skewers fell away. Simply changing forms had closed some of her wounds, expelling the skewers from her body. But the wounds themselves still remained. She needed complete healing to fix those. "Frederica..." "Please do not ask me 'Can you do it?' I can, and I will." "...Yeah, I get it. Please do. You're the only one we can rely on right now." Frederica clawed the ground in high spirits as Subaru ceded the battlefield to her. Accepting Subaru's request, the ferocious beast turned her eyes toward the two remaining, Ram and Petra. "Petra, I'm sorry for scaring you. You did very well not to shriek." "Yes... Yes, Miss, take care...!" "You're a very good girl Ram, I entrust the rest to you. Worst case, use the Master's office." "That goes without saying. Frederica, if you are late, we shall have words." The few words exchanged between them told just how much trust lay between Ram and Frederica. Finally, Frederica looked overhead at the freshly broken reception room window through which they had fallen. With the crystal necklace hanging from her large neck, the ferocious beast bared her lion-like fangs, ferociously crouching down *** She let out a very brief growl. The next instant, Subaru saw the ferocious beast crushing the smashed windowsill under her paw. Subaru's eyes gaped at the blink-of-an-eye speed. Her outside appearance brought to mind the cheetah, the fastest animal on land, but Frederica's sprinting easily put its speed to shame. Passing through the breached wall, the ferocious beast raised a roar as she charged into the mansion interior. The black mist's effect was soon to expire. Not long in the future, the battle between the two would resume "We cannot just stand here! We must go and make the best of this opportunity while Frederica buys us time." "Y-yeah! That's right! First, Rem in the east wing!" Elsa's combat ability was terrifying, but Frederica's speed was superhuman, too. With her swiftness, she ought to be able to get away safely if Subaru and the others accomplished their objectives sooner rather than later. With Frederica headed off to act as a decoy, just how quickly could they move " No complaints about property damage, okay?!" Charging through the front yard, the three raced to the east wing as one. And after climbing over the east wing wall, Subaru picked up a shovel for yard work, smashing a window before leaping into the building. Sullying the carpet with dirt, he rolled onto the mansion floor and lifted his head. The stairs to the east wing, and Rem, were right before him. But the instant he lifted his head, Subaru was struck by the odd sense something was wrong. Namely "...The doors are open?" In front, so far as the murmuring Subaru could tell, all of the doors of the first floor were open. Turning his head around, the doors behind him were the same; every door in the entire corridor was open. "Simple forgetfulness cannot account for leaving this many doors unclosed. Petra?" "I-I haven't done anything weird like this!! Miss Frederica hasn't either!!" Entering the corridor just as Subaru had, Ram gazed at the same sight and questioned Petra about it. Petra was equally bewildered as she denied involvement, but that was nothing compared to Subaru's strong suspicion that something was horribly wrong. Open doors weren't the problem the problem was that he remembered this scene. "The doors were open like this last time around, too..." Subaru had seen something similar in the mansion just prior to Return by Death. At the time, Subaru hadn't been able to decipher the identity of that bad feeling prior to his "death." Now that he was seeing the image again, he still didn't know what it meant. But he was certain it was an ill omen. "If it wasn't Petra or Frederica, then..." Naturally, it wasn't Subaru or Ram either. Rem, still asleep, couldn't have done it. Perhaps that left Beatrice as the only possible suspect, but she had no reason to do it. The only possible reason would be "!! R-Rem's! Rem's in trouble! Second floor, quick!" The only kind of person who had a reason to open rooms one after another was an outsider who didn't know where anyone might be. At that moment, that description corresponded to only one person in the mansion. And if that individual had already opened every door in the mansion's east wing "Calm down, Barusu! Frederica is pinning down the enemy! There is nothing..." "What are you saying at a time like..." Even when her little sister's life in danger, Ram maintained her cool. Rather than being impressed at how reliably steady she was, Subaru felt angry. However, Subaru's raging emotions vanished and flew away in the next instant. *** Howls resounded from outside the building, in the direction of the yard from which Subaru and the others had leaped in. The next moment, the window no, the window and the windowsill were broken apart, seemingly gouged out along with the wall itself. With a high-pitched sound, the glass shattered in a violent dance, and heavy footsteps intruded upon the mansion interior. There, filling up the corridor, stood a bizarrely shaped monster, its wicked visage resembling that of a lion. The second floor, where the Sleeping Princess awaited, felt far, far away. 3 The situation kept moving. It was bewildering, something far beyond Subaru's imagination, and now leaping far, far beyond his comprehension. *** Its stout, bizarrely shaped frame, twelve feet long, trod upon the carpet as it pushed its way into the cramped corridor. It had black fur and a head resembling that of a lion. It had a horse's hindquarters, and its long, slender tail greatly resembled a snake. A ghastly aura befitting its brutal nature brimmed from the entirety of its body and on its forehead was a misshapen white horn. "Demon beast...?!" Even if the creature was unknown to him, that characteristic, evident from a single glance, made Subaru reel. Hearing his voice from the side, Ram clicked her tongue and pointed her drawn cane toward the demon beast and said, "Fulla!!" Without hesitation, Ram pounded a single attack into the demon beast at maximum velocity. But in spite of its great size, the black demon beast agilely leaped within the corridor to evade the blade of wind. The slash of raging wind grazed past, minimizing the damage before it tensed, bellowed, and charged. "Subaru! This way!" Subaru was frozen stiff before the charging demon beast when Petra pulled him by the arm, practically throwing him into the room right next to them. A moment later, Ram leaped into the same room, violently closing the door "Stand back!" Her sharp voice and her arm shoved him deeper into the room. The next instant, a monster claw broke the door with ease. The hinges blew apart, and the door split into two pieces as the demon beast leaped into the room; Subaru instantly held Petra close. *** The room's doorway was for human use, not something the size of the black demon beast could use to get in. However, the demon beast paid no heed, swinging a claw and demolishing the wall as it pushed into the room. "Whoaaaa?! Waitwaitwaitwait! Wh-why is a demon beast...?!" "This isn't the time! It's here and that's that! Petra, the window!!" As Subaru raised his voice at the menacing demon beast that had savagely widened the entrance, Ram ordered Petra to open the window. They would escape outside of the east wing they had only just entered. *** The situation, from which they could only flee, made him nervous. But amid the chaos, a question outweighed that. It was a strange, unnatural situation. The last time around had had no such turn of events. Over the course of his various experiences with Return by Death, Subaru had

changed circumstances a number of times. Along the way, no matter what actions he had taken, the events that were to unfold were the same each time. He thought that was a hard rule. For example, no matter how many times he repeated events, the Witch Cult never stopped targeting Emilia. For the calamity at the mansion not to have been caused by Elsa Gramhilde was simply...bizarre. "El Fulla!!" "!!!!" As the irrationality clawed at his thoughts, behind Subaru, Ram's magic sliced into the demon beast's face. It was so focused on enlarging the entrance, it forgot to defend itself as its black lion-like face was smeared with black blood. Reeling, the demon beast abandoned its destruction midway. But shocking resiliency made it extremely difficult to slash to death. "Humiliating, having to run from a dim-witted foe like this...!" Ram insulted the demon beast and rued her own lack of ability as she rushed toward the window. Then, she grabbed Subaru by the collar, leaping out the window Petra had opened in one go. He felt grass. Having entered the east wing from the front yard, they'd gone out the opposite side of the building, into the back yard. "Geh! Th-that demon beast back there..." "A blockhead...or rather, a Giltirau. Without its eyes, it shouldn't be able to follow us." "B-but...that demon beast, it had a horn!!" Ram named the demon beast, and Petra continued, pointing out something that shouldn't have been there. "Yeah," went Subaru, nodding at both statements, particularly Petra's. "No way a demon beast like that just wandered in here from the wild. Someone set it loose on the mansion...!" Demon beasts were enemies of all living things, manifestations not of the instinct to fight but the instinct to slaughter. However, each one had a horn growing from its head; it was said that they learned to obey the person who broke that horn, and only that person. Using that characteristic, perhaps it was possible to make a simultaneous attack by Elsa and the demon beast a reality, but... "But this time the horn ain't broken... How the heck did someone bring that demon beast in here?!" "It couldn't be..." " ?! Ram, you know something?!" Ram reacted as if something had come to mind. Subaru bit down hard, training a sharp eye on her. "Surely you did not think the previous Urugarum incident was merely a rampage by wild beasts?" "At first I did think that... But now that the royal selection's started, it's hard to think that way." He thought back to the curse from the demon beasts, and the mansion loop that had begun as a result. Just like the crest theft incident in the royal capital, that incident was clearly sabotage directed at Emilia, a participant in the royal selection. In point of fact, a girl involved in that incident had vanished without a trace " You don't mean that girl controlled the demon beasts, and she's come to attack again? If that's so, this is..." A simultaneous attack, by the perpetrator of the crest incident, and the perpetrator of the mansion incident both. *** "...Ah! Subaru, are you all right?" The instant he realized the true awfulness of the situation, Subaru wobbled, and Petra held him up. The odd heaviness of his head felt annoying, but that was largely the effect of blood loss from his right shoulder. They'd left the skewer stuck in him, but the bleeding hadn't been sufficiently stemmed while they'd been running all about. " Barusu." "D-don't...! We just...can't leave both of them and run...!" "I have not yet said a word... I understand. I shall bring the land dragon from the stable." "Bring, Patlash...?" Ram looked to the rear, and Subaru, his breath ragged from anemia, followed suit. At a distance, he caught sight of the stables indicated by the direction of her glance. Going around the back of the mansion put them close to the stable at the back of the grounds. Patlash was tied there, and she would definitely be of service whether they resisted or fled. "The bleeding hasn't stopped at all... Subaru, this needs treatment!" "I-I gave my handkerchief to Frederica..." "Then I'll use this one!!" Ram raced toward the stables; in the meantime, Subaru obeyed Petra's earnest instructions. She untied the handkerchief wrapped around Subaru's right wrist, shifting it to his shoulder wound. "This will hurt, but just bear it! Three, two !!" "Gigui !!" Midway through the countdown, she drew the skewer out, the intense pain causing Subaru to raise an odd voice as he writhed. But Petra promptly tied the handkerchief over the wound, using it and the sleeve of his tunic to deftly stop the bleeding. "Y-you saved me... but what happened to saying 'one'...!" "You were more relaxed that way... I'm really glad I gave you that handkerchief, Subaru." Petra's deeply relieved voice drew a long exhale from Subaru. The pure white handkerchief she'd given Subaru as a protective charm was now pure red from Subaru's blood. Petra showed no sign of caring about that, but instead, it was Subaru who was stricken by pangs of guilt. "Sorry... I'm always getting you into trouble like this..." "Don't say weird things like that!! I'm very grateful to you, Subaru. You're the one always saving me when I get into trouble!" Shouting in anger at Subaru's attempt to apologize, Petra's face remained red as she indicated the forest. Then, she continued. "When Ryuka, me, and the others went into the forest, Subaru, you came after us by yourself. I was really worried later when I heard you'd been bitten so badly all over..." *** "That's why it's all right!! This time, I'm the one saving you. We'll rescue Beatrice and Miss Rem, and with Miss Ram and Miss Frederica, we'll get out of this together." He wondered if she talked so much because she was frail. Petra earnestly raised her voice to encourage Subaru, who was becoming weak-willed from blood loss and distress over the situation. The sight made Subaru want to lament the extent of his own foolishness all over again. "...Petra, you're incredible. I'm being pathetic." "Not at..." "Nah, I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I'm saying, since you're so incredible, Petra, I've gotta be, too." He shook his heavy, stooped head, raising it as if to sweep away his weak-mindedness. If he tried to devise some scheme to raise his spirits, he wouldn't have enough wisdom left for the hopes he should have been still striving for. This time, Subaru Natsuki would put it all on the line to offset everything he lacked. Subaru calmly rose to his feet, extending his left hand toward Petra. For an instant, Petra hesitated to take hold of Subaru's bloodstained hand, but " Petra, let's go. We're going to escape with everyone, just like you said." "...Yeah!!" Subaru's declaration made Petra's face brighten in an instant as she took his hand. Then, a moment after he sensed her gripping his hand, the girl went "Ah," seeming vexed as the ends of her eyebrows fell. "What's wrong?" "It's not 'yeah'; you gotta say 'yes'... I mean, you should have said yes." Saying this, Petra mischievously stuck out her tongue. The girl who had spoken so bravely under such circumstances had forgotten to keep speaking politely. Subaru, feeling saved by her valor, let his tongue slacken just a tiny bit as he clapped back. "After all this, I've gotta get Ram and Frederica to scold you for th " That instant, a roar and a blow from right above him blotted out Subaru's mind with red. 4 His mind was distant. *** Scrape, scrape. Something was being dragged. Scrape, scrape. Scrape, scrape. Scrape, scrape. He was being dragged over the ground, in a state of not knowing whether he was faceup or facedown... "A Rock Pig...! Barusu! Can you hear me? Barusu!" He couldn't hear very well. Someone was desperately calling out to him. Be it to reply, be it to respond, he couldn't do either very well at the moment. "It wasn't just that blockhead... This is my failure. I should have seen it sooner..." *** "Do what you must. Ram shall as well Yes, that's a good girl." Scrape, scrape. The speed increased. The force with which he was being dragged increased, resulting in faster scraping. He searched for someplace somewhere that was free. Head, neck, hip, foot, hand left hand. Only his left hand was gripping something. He felt something. He was gripping something, something important, from which he must not let go. *** At the same time as he poured his remaining strength into his left hand, not letting that something go, the speed accelerated faster. His body was floating higher. Something was tightly sandwiching him around hip level. The sway, the breathing, these things conveyed the devotion of the being from which they came "Paa...rach..." The delicate touch, as if handling a fragile object, told him exactly who the unseen party was. Though he meant to call out her name, only a hollow moan trickled out of his throat. Froth was bubbling up from the corner of his mouth. The froth tasted like iron. Why was he spouting blood froth? It had to be related to why his body couldn't move, why his entire body's senses were so delicate, why his mind was still hazy "aa" His mind connected one dot to the next, and he remembered who he was. He was Subaru Natsuki. He'd returned to the mansion to save everyone from impending calamity. Elsa, demon beast, Frederica, Ram, Petra, Beatrice, Rem, Rem, Rem "Gnh, oo......!" With a coughing sound, a large volume of blood flowed out of him, seemingly along with his life. Having his stomach wrung out was too weak a metaphor; he hurt as if all of his insides were being whisked around. The outpour from his throat would not halt, and his liquefied inner organs seemed to be drooling out of him. Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough hard cough hard cough, and finally " I'm..." He remembered how to open his eyes. After several blinks, he was freed from the world of darkness. Tears flowed together with the sharp pain of reality jabbing into his eyeballs. He couldn't determine whether the tear droplets were clear or the color of blood. One thing, however, was clear. Namely, that the world enveloping Subaru Natsuki was dyed the color of blood. *** Subaru's body swayed. Up, down. Left, right. The pitch-black land dragon had Subaru's hips in its jaws while it raced away from the mansion grounds. *** Next, when his eardrums came back to life, the sounds of explosions pressing upon them all at once made him want to doubt his ears. There were high-pitched, earsplitting leaden noises, combining to make him feel physically ill. Resounding around him were high-octave voices, roars, neighs all the cries of the demon beasts hot on their tail. There was a giant mouse with black fly wings spread. There was a ferocious frog that featured black spots. There was a multi-headed serpent with innumerable necks sprouting from its torso. They were surrounded by misshapen creatures beyond all description. Beast Master was the term that popped up into the back of his mind. *** With Subaru in her jaws, Patlash was desperately searching for a way out. However, even a land dragon, the fastest of ground creatures, could not overcome such numbers; the roads were blocked, the skies were dangerous, and she was surrounded with no way to break free. Already, there were lacerations beyond counting on her pitch-black scales, from which she was bleeding profusely. Not far in the future, she would reach her limit No, her limit had already arrived. Patlash was simply exceeding that limit, burning the remaining fire of her life away for Subaru's sake. *** Right after a conspicuously huge roar, the land dragon's speed was dulled as a creature with over twice her bulk pulled alongside. The black lion had a wound on its

face, with blood flowing from the sockets of its smashed eyes the demon beast from earlier. He'd forgotten its name. But even if he tried, he would never be able to forget the blow from its claw. *** Its vision was compromised. It had unleashed a wild strike. And yet, that blow was aimed directly at the land dragon's right abdomen. This creature was not relying on sight but something else smell. The demon beast was drawn by scent. Faster than he could register the impact, penetrating with the force of an explosion, the world was dyed red with fresh blood. But it was not Subaru who was affected by that impact. That was because, a moment before the claw strike landed, the land dragon's neck swung up, hurling Subaru's body into the air. "Patl " In her final moment, she did not let out a single cry. Such pride suited the sublime land dragon well. As he spun, a flower of blood bloomed beneath his eyes. Subaru had no time to avert his gaze as his body's back collided with something, breaking through it with a spectacular sound, before finally smacking the floor, hard. "K-kha...!" He was racked by a coughing fit; his right eye had closed from the blood coursing from a cut on his forehead, but even so, he immediately realized it. He'd been hurled to the second floor of the mansion the second floor of the east wing, exactly where he'd been heading. *** Subaru no longer knew what to think about his beloved land dragon's final act of devotion. He'd shed too much blood. It was as if his determination and resolve had flowed out of him with it. He couldn't summon any energy. His head wouldn't turn, either. His mind was slowly dying, too. Even so, even with Subaru like that, there was one, and only one, place that had not lost its strength. He felt a sensation in the grip of his left hand. Even though his mind was dead, the part telling him not to let go was still alive. He remembered that, right before everything collapsed, he was holding someone's hand. "Pe...tra..." His gaze arrived at the hand he felt, the wrist, the elbow and there, it came to an end. *** Though he was holding her hand, the girl who should have been there did not go past the elbow. She had been smashed, crushed, torn away " oooaaAAA!!!" Subaru Natsuki had managed to protect...nothing. 5 Just how much time passed as he stared at that arm, torn off at the elbow? *** His thoughts were still as he stood in a daze. Ironically, during that time, his senses of sight and hearing gradually recovered. They helped Subaru understand just how desperate the situation he was in truly was. Subaru's state was so terrible, the wound on his right shoulder seemed cute in comparison. His left leg bent in two more places than it should, and his left arm was flattened, crushed by something. Petra had probably been struck by the same blow. Accordingly, there was nothing of her past the elbow. *** That was all his eyesight could tell him of the terrible spectacle. But the information conveyed from his hearing was more terrible still. Beneath the second floor corridor in which Subaru had collapsed, he could hear the roars of demon beasts around the building from every direction. He couldn't be bothered to count their numbers and types. But a voice kept pressing into his mind, There's nowhere to run. He'd let Petra die. Patlash had been ripped apart before his eyes. He didn't know what had happened with Ram afterward. Perhaps she was still fighting hard. Perhaps the cunning girl might even survive, but " Ahh, I've finally found you." These words spoken, he tilted his head, seeing and hearing the presence of a raven-haired woman. From Subaru's position, in the middle of the corridor and kneeling on the carpet, the woman was standing straight ahead. It was the butcher whom Frederica had stayed behind to slow down. If she was there, that meant... "Fre...derica's..." "The big maid? Relax. She amused me quite a bit. If possible, I would have liked to see whether transfiguration changes the contents of a person's belly, but I was unable to confirm that with my own eyes." "...I didn't...ask you about that." He wasn't asking. However, she made him acknowledge what he knew without needing to question her further. That she had put up a good fight was no doubt true. Elsa had lost her mantle, and her black clothes were ripped all over the place; her pale skin was splattered with blood Even so, she was in such a good state that it would be fair to say she was in fine health. "I must praise you. You have done well coming this far with wounds like those." "Throwing me a bone, are you... If it's your life, I'll take it..." "I wonder, should I interpret that as, 'I want your life'?" "If I...get to trample it right now, then yeah..." Venting at Elsa's off-the-mark answer, Subaru leaned his weight against the wall and lifted himself up. With his left leg wrecked and his left arm twisted, he had wounds running across his entire body. "Even so, there is a whiff of anger accompanying the scent of your blood... Your intestines are probably sublime." "You're messed up... I don't, get what you're sayin'." As Subaru rose to his feet, Elsa embraced her own body and let out a hot breath of ecstasy his way. Whatever he said and did, it only brought greater delight to the ravishing butcher's mind. "Who hired you to come after us...?" "I shall not speak of my employer. I owe him that much courtesy, at least. Your return was earlier than expected, so things worked out a little differently than in the contract, though..." "Worked out...different...?" "It was supposed to be two maids and one 'shut-in,' and everything was supposed to be timed to coincide with your return..." A wry, blood-colored smile came over Elsa as she pointed the tip of her kukri toward Subaru. Her verbal summation of the plan fit with the tragedy that had occurred in the mansion the last time around. At that time, Petra and the others' corpses were probably waiting for Subaru and the others' return to the mansion "I've heard enough..." Shaking his head, he rebuffed Elsa, pressing only cruelties upon him. Subaru's reply made Elsa's refined eyebrows grimace. "Is that so?" she murmured in visible disappointment as she started to wrap up. "I suppose so. Let us finish this. If this carries on any further, Meiri might be captured, and we cannot have that, so I shall console myself with your hot stuff before that happens." *** "All done, are you? Then I shall send you to meet your angels." This spoken, Elsa's posture sank. Running with her posture so low she seemed to crawl across the corridor, the black figure charged, making a beeline toward Subaru. She was so fast. One wouldn't even think counterattack was possible. But " Like hell I'm gonna just let you kill me." Dragging his smashed leg along, Subaru reached the door beside him quicker the door to Rem's bedroom. His decision made Elsa knot her brows. Even if he fled into the room, it would only prolong the amount of time until the end. Even so, seeing his reaction made her tone down her gloating smirk just a little. There was no longer any way to break through the encirclement. It was impossible. Accordingly, he abandoned the thought. His wounds were deep. His life was pouring out. He was on the verge of expiring without having saved any of the people he had to protect. Then, at the very least, he'd get back at Elsa just a little, so that everything would not have gone as she pleased. *** Neither the Bowel Hunter nor the Beast Master had reached Rem's bedroom. He absolutely would not allow them to defile the girl who slept within. Even if the world was soon to end, he would not lose Rem a second time, not to anyone *** He opened the door wide and leaped into the bedroom. Lifting his head in search of the bed where Rem slept, Subaru was taken aback. Subaru, resigned to his end, was greeted by the bookshelves of the archive of forbidden books. 6 The choking musk of old tomes seemed like a rebuke presented to its noisy visitor. The room's interior was packed with bookshelves that were chock-full of books. When that aroma and visual information finally hit home, Subaru realized he had stepped into a different place than that he had desired. And the late realization of that fact courted a most fatal result. *** Subaru's head was dominated by one question: Why?! That instant, Subaru felt he was enveloped by wind. That wind peeled Subaru away from the door, forcefully drawing him toward the middle of the room. With the feet he had planted down nonfunctional, Subaru, unable to resist, tumbled into the room's center. The very next moment, he heard the great sound of the door slamming shut straight behind him " W-wait, please!!" Lunging for the firmly closed door, Subaru desperately tried to open it. But his will couldn't reach his half-destroyed arms; the ferocious creaking sound only served to fuel his frustration. And as Subaru, smeared with blood all over, turned toward the door, behind him was " Struggle as you might, you are not leaving this room." When he heard a voice and footsteps, he turned to see a girl slipping past a gap in the bookshelves and walking toward him. She had long, cream-colored braids and a gorgeous, extravagant dress. She had a young, adorable face, but at that moment, a terribly cold expression rested upon it as she glared straight at Subaru. "Bea trice..." "Are you in a simply horrid state, I wonder? Do not walk around; you will only sully the archive's floor..." "Open the door!! Right now!! Let! Me! Out!!" When the girl Beatrice gazed at his wounds with a chilly look, Subaru shouted unsparingly at her in anger. The admonition not to sully the room never even entered his ears. Blood dripped from his bleeding arm as he screamed. "Why did you come out now?! Why this of all times?! Send me back! Send me back right now!!" "...And what would you do if I did? What can you do in your current state, I wonder?" "I know better than anyone I can't do anything!! But even so...!" He had to return to that place, to the second floor of the east wing, to the bedroom where Rem slept. The Passage had activated at the room he had presumably entered. The door leading to the bedroom became the entrance to the archive of forbidden books, whereupon the door immediately cast that duty aside. In other words, the door had resumed its normal duties: those of the door leading to Rem's bedroom. "That's why!" "It is too late." "What do you mean, too late?! There's no such thing as too late!! I have to get there, right now..." "Did I not say 'it is too late,' I wonder?" Subaru's angry voice, straining upward to resist the horror racing through him, fell silent. In contrast to Subaru, eyes wide and blinking while unable to speak a word, Beatrice continued. "Just now, the reason you wish to return to that room became no more." The proclamation left Subaru at a loss for words Any means of putting it into words...had vanished. Beatrice had said it in a calm, composed fashion, but the sheer cruelty of her words asserted their claim to reality and truth. "aa" Before he realized it, Subaru had crumpled to the floor right there. His shoulders fell, his head bent down, and there was a ferocious ringing in his ears echoing throughout his skull. He wanted it to be louder, noisier.

He wanted it to tear at his brain until it split in two. He wanted it to be bad enough that he couldn't think, so he wouldn't have to understand. He wanted it to tear his life away with it. And yet "...What are...you doing?" Haltingly, his voice trickled out. He heard a whisper-like, delicate voice from right beside him. "Perhaps I cannot stand to see you in pain. Therefore, I am healing your wounds, out of disgust and nothing else." The girl who murmured her reply was incredibly close. Her palm had a faint glow around it as she held it over his wounds. The light asserted its own existence, gradually softening the unrelenting pain that had been eating away at him. He felt it carry heat into his body bit by bit, mostly his horribly injured left side. The bleeding stopped, the bones returned to their proper positions, the gouged-out muscles attached to them, the slashed nerves "Are you kidding me?!" *** With his remaining strength, Subaru howled, wholly rejecting Beatrice's healing light. While Beatrice was still reeling from his threatening attitude, he rolled away to put distance between him and the girl. The carpet of the archive of forbidden books was marred by blood. Blood frothed from the corner of his mouth, and in that ghastly state, Subaru glared at Beatrice. "I don't...need you to heal my wounds...! Why are you trying to save me...?!" "That is because...y-you are simply too pathetic; I cannot stand to look at you..." "Why me?! If you wanted to save someone...why didn't you save Petra or Frederica?! Or Ram, or Rem!! You could have saved everyone...!!" With Beatrice's power, she could have escaped and helped others escape with ease. "They should have been saved...! I'm stupid, I'm weak...even if I couldn't do anything, you could have reached them...! Why didn't you......!" "Wh-why, should Betty do such a... Perhaps Betty does not have a single reason to save anyone? I do not know. I do not have any such reason...!" "If that's true...then you didn't have any damn reason to save me either, right...?!" Shaking her head in disgust, Beatrice denied Subaru's entreaty. Adding his denial to hers, Subaru slowly raised his crushed left arm aloft. He painfully squeezed Beatrice's throat. His emotions were exploding. "Who the hell...asked you to save anyone...?!!" "aa" "Do you even know what you've done?! Thanks to you, everything might be completely ruined now!! All of this might've overwritten the possibilities, and this piece-of-shit present might be set in stone......!" Why had she showed herself then, when it was too late? Knowing that Subaru had been teleported, Elsa would recognize the Passage for what it was. She was getting closer to Beatrice. Why, in spite of that, was she trying to make a half-dead Subaru live? Why had she saved Subaru the instant he'd given up instead of allowing him the death he desired? "I...should have died there...! You...should have killed me......!!!" When it was his time to die, but he let the opportunity slip, Subaru Natsuki was worthless. The only way Subaru could gain the right to redo things was to use his life without a care. When, spitting blood, he shouted from his very soul, the girl, bathed in his pleas head on, opened her eyes wide. "I-I do not understand... Can I understand, I wonder...?" Incomprehension, and perhaps even fear, crossed Beatrice's face as she shook her head side to side. The reply made Subaru clench his teeth. If that was how it was, fine. He wouldn't cling to her. "Fine, then. If even you... If you won't save me, then...!" From the beginning, relying on someone hadn't been an option. He should have understood that. His gaze shifted, and his eyes caught sight of a stool near the entrance. It was the stool Beatrice was always sitting on. He kicked it over and then slammed it against the wall with all his might. "What are you...?!" Beatrice let out a shriek, eyes bulging at Subaru's act of violence. A hard sound reverberated, and the wooden stool was cruelly smashed apart, scattering in a number of fragments. From those fragments, he picked up the biggest, sharpest one. *** It wouldn't be his first suicide. Even a piece of wood like that was enough to easily end a person's life. If, in a single breath, he stabbed his own throat, his life would come to an end, and Subaru Natsuki would surely be granted another chance. In another world, it would be the third time Subaru had chosen suicide. The first time was in the middle of the mansion loop. He had been determined to fix something that couldn't be undone. The second time was at the very end of the loop that had started in the capital. It was from remorse, to save Rem after she'd been taken from him. And now, the third time would be from indignation, after giving into rage and cursing his own powerlessness to take everything back. It was a "death" with meaning. It was a "death" with value. Everything besides "death" was worthless "Don't!!" And yet, the instant he had committed himself to stabbing his throat, a tiny body leaped at him to get in his way. The hem of her dress fluttered as Beatrice raced through the middle of the archive, impeding Subaru's suicide by force. She grappled his arms, bit into the right hand containing the fragment, and attempted to wrest the vile implement away. "You...! Why...!!" "I won't let you! I will not...let you die here......!" "!! Quit it! Let me go, already!!" His voice grew ragged as they jostled with one another. However, in his current state, Subaru could not easily get even a helpless little girl off him. They desperately grappled, violently bumped their bodies against a bookshelf, and finally, furiously collapsed onto the floor. He didn't know if it was the impact that made a moan trickle out. But it had been Beatrice who had accomplished her goal. "Haaa-haaa......!" After Subaru had fallen onto his bottom, Beatrice cast the fragment far aside and moved away from him. Glaring at the girl in resentment, Subaru collapsed faceup, unable to move any farther. "Wh y..." For what possible reason had she stopped him from killing himself? Regardless, the end result wouldn't change. His blood loss was severe. Subaru would soon perish. Beatrice's action was completely irrational. He didn't have a single clue what purpose she had in mind. Maybe she hated him dying before her eyes? Maybe she just didn't want him to kill himself? She didn't want anything to do with it? He didn't understand, not at all, not one little bit, but even though he didn't understand that "eh?" Beaten senseless with incomprehension, Subaru tried to avert his eyes from everything: from Beatrice, from the archive of forbidden books, or perhaps from his own powerlessness, or even his impending "death." But when he averted his gaze to do so, Subaru noticed the presence of... it. *** "It" had fallen at the edge of the wreckage from the destroyed stool. It was a thickly bound, simply covered book, as large and inconvenient to carry around as a dictionary...yet the malevolent aura emitted by the black book bore not the slightest resemblance. Subaru had seen "it" many times over. He'd seen "it" in the hands of a madman. "What's that...doing here...?" Was it actually a copy of the Witch Cult's Gospel? The volume once possessed by Petelgeuse ought to have still been packed in the dragon carriage they took to the Sanctuary. It certainly wasn't there in that room. No, he had to face facts. The stool had been hiding the evil black book. *** As if affirming Subaru's shock, the girl in the dress picked up the book. The girl hugged the book to her chest, letting out a seemingly relieved sigh as she stroked a finger across the cover. Her touch was tender and loving. With gentle eyes, Beatrice embraced the Gospel. "...Why...are you treating that book...like it's so important?" *** "It's not one of the books the Witch Cult has...is it? It just looks like one, right?" *** "You hid it because I'd jump to conclusions... Jump to conclusions, get angry, and then..." *** "Why...won't you...deny any of it...?" For that moment alone, Subaru forgot the anguish of blood loss and his impending "death" as he wove the words together. If she said only one thing, that would have been enough. That would have been plenty to clear Subaru's worries away. Subaru's words, pleading for nothing more than that, were answered, and just as he had hoped, Beatrice said but a single thing. " Betty has not been instructed to answer that question." Beatrice spread the book she clutched to her chest, scanned its contents, and emotionlessly spoke those words. He'd heard that for the Witch Cult, a Gospel was like their Bible. Petelgeuse had said the text functioned as a book of prophecies, showing the future to its owner. Accordingly, the Witch Cult obeyed the Gospel, doing as the text instructed. If he matched that fact with Beatrice's reply "What's written in that book... What is it telling you to do...?" "Perhaps that question is not in the book, I wonder?" "You can't do anything if it's not in the book...? Then, you sheltering me here before was...?" "That question is not written in the book, either." "And talking to me right now? Saving me, when I was on the verge of dying...!" " I wouldn't know." Eyes still cast down at the book, Beatrice continued her empty replies without looking Subaru's way. She sent replies that weren't answers back at him, her obstinate mind closed within the tome. Her doll-like appearance, her eyes with emotions locked away, sent a tremor through Subaru that seemed to make his lungs convulse. Assaulted by dizziness, seemingly forgetting even to breathe, he raised his voice. "Are you saying...you can't do anything...anything, if it's not according to what's written in that book?!" "...I wonder? Yes, it is so. Perhaps the Gospel's guidance must be obeyed in all things, for that is Betty's reason for living, and the sole reason for Betty to exist." "Did you...try to save me because the book told you to?! That time you saved me when I was cursed, too! Lending me a hand when I couldn't stand on my own! All the time we spent fooling around, yelling at each other, having fun like a couple of idiots, all that time...was all thanks to that book?!" " Is that not precisely what am I saying, I wonder?!" When Subaru, who had been criticizing Beatrice, now tried to appeal to her emotions for his own convenience, she exploded. Beatrice's face was red with anger, her round eyes glaring at Subaru as she raised a finger and screamed. "It is as you have seen, and as I have told you! Everything Betty has done until now, all of it was written right here. Is there any way you, the likes of you, could move Betty's heart, I wonder? Do not be so full of yourself, human." *** "All of Betty is for Mother's sake. For Betty, her connection to Mother is everything...! The likes of you, the likes of you...human, human, human......!!" It was as if a dam had been breached. Emotions poured out of Beatrice. The vast torrent of fierce emotions instantly rendered Subaru speechless; there was nothing he could do but be swept away. Facing the wordless Subaru, Beatrice very, very tightly clutched the book. "Do not touch Betty, human. Do not come close, human. Do I even know you, I wonder, human? I hate you. I hate youI despise you!" This time, the girl's teary-voiced shout clearly rejected Subaru's entire existence. The inside of his chest was filled to the brim with confusion and dismay. That was how great the rejection was for Subaru. He'd stubbornly believed, without any basis, that there

was a bond between them. Even if neither he nor she would acknowledge it openly, he believed there was something. After all, Beatrice had saved Subaru a number of times during the loop that started at the mansion. It was her presence that had saved his mind, on the verge of breaking as he repeated those days over and over. And whatever form it took "Back then...I...was happy..." Once again, words Subaru had never spoken aloud slipped out at the very end. "uu" His vision warped badly. He vomited something up. It was neither blood nor bile, but life itself. He instinctively knew it his time had run out. Blood loss, useless. Grave wounds, worthless. Betrayed, a dog's death. Gospel, butcher, Beast Master, dying in a rage. There, having achieved nothing, Subaru Natsuki would perish. *** Then, on the verge of death, Subaru heard a miraculous sound. His ears, on the verge of death, probably picked up the sound of a door opening. Footsteps; someone was entering the room. The footsteps beheld the fallen Subaru, and exhaled. "How disappointing." The murmur was distant. The footsteps advanced farther ahead, seemingly losing interest in the dead man. The owner of the voice, a black-clad Grim Reaper, leisurely walked toward the little girl clutching the book. Just what would result from this chance encounter between the girl and the butcher? "Oh my." The surprised voice belonged to the woman. A bloodied hand was entwined around the butcher's long leg. Meaninglessly, Subaru, on the precipice of death, acted to slow her down with all of his body and soul. "...eaa, triii..." "How marvelous. Truly, you are treasured." Instantly, a wind blew. The next moment, the right hand with which he grasped her came off and the wrist along with it. No blood came out. The wicked blade reversed, and a black glint went...somewhere. Subaru's head, his neck, his torso...somewhere. Wherever it was, it would surely impale him in a critical location *** In that final scene, he saw the face of the little girl as she sucked in her breath. There was sadness and pain upon it. But as death came for him, that had nothing to do with Subaru Natsuki anymore. CHAPTER 3 *** 1 He heard a deluge-like sound, like that of a muddy stream. It was a ferocious watery sound. It coursed downward, obeying the power of gravity, obeying the flow, obeying its destiny: a waterfall. Inside his ears, or perhaps his skull, it echoed with a ceaseless roar. The ferocious muddy stream seemed to churn his very brain, even as it led Subaru's consciousness from oblivion to awareness. "a, eh, goho!" Subaru retched, feeling like his throat was clogged, which was totally throwing off the rhythm of his breathing. Breathe in the air, blow it back out. Having completely forgotten how to repeat those alternating actions, he convulsed like a fish on land, and as drool trickled out, Subaru returned to life. "Gahu! Aha!" He was in a facedown position, collapsed on the ground. Putting his arms on the hard floor, Subaru was seemingly prostrate as he forced oxygen and comprehension into his lungs, remembering the procedure for breathing once more. The pain softened, and he spat out the saliva that no longer had anyplace to go. Then, when his body calmed down and recovered its grip on reality, his oxygen-deprived brain came around his mind was restored. "D-did I...die...?" Wheezing as he murmured, he confirmed a fact that needed no checking: he had Returned by Death. No, he didn't need to check whether he had Returned by Death, for that was Subaru's worth. It wasn't important that he had gone back rather, when and where he had gone back to were the most critical. "Ah..." Lifting his head, Subaru squinted at his surroundings when he immediately realized it. It was a darkness he remembered, a darkness he knew. It was the stone room of a tomb, the cold air holding an otherworldly ambience. The darkness hovering over the roughly constructed stone floor extended to a stone door leading deeper within. And lying on her side, collapsed right beside Subaru, was a lovely, silver-haired girl. "Emilia..." Wiping the light sweat off his brow, he stared in the dark at Emilia's sleeping face, her suffering clear upon it. Having confirmed that much, Subaru finally managed to accept the situation. The time passed, the life lost, the impending calamity, the unbelievable betrayal one after another, everything that had happened crashed against him like waves, driving Subaru's heart into a corner. "No change in the restart point...!" It was the place right after he had overcome his past and there, Subaru Natsuki had returned. In exchange for being unable to take anything back, he had returned to a place where he had not yet lost everything. "H aa." The moment he abruptly came to understand that fact, relief spread through Subaru's chest. The left hand he'd unwittingly touched to his chest wasn't crushed. It was fine. When he looked at his right wrist, Petra's pure white handkerchief was still wrapped around it, not a trace of blood to be seen. Knowing this, he let out a long, deep breath, patting his chest with relief and then, he was shocked. "You've gotta be kidding me." "......nn, aa" He was shocked at his own nerve, checking that he was all right, not at all concerned by the sight of Emilia suffering. That very moment, Emilia was being tormented, crushed by the past from the Trial. No matter how long her pain continued, nothing good would come of it. Subaru knew that it was a time of hardship, and nothing more. And yet, just then, setting his eyes on the girl's pain, he had patted his chest in relief. As if the fact Emilia was suffering at the time of his return was a good thing. "That's, not...the thought process of a sane person..." Swallowing back his lamenting voice and gritting his teeth, Subaru flared in anger at his own ugliness and fragility. If he put the people precious to him, the things precious to him, the things he ought to prioritize, on the back burner, how could he save anyone? Had not that foolish way of living invited the calamity at the mansion? "Anyway, Emilia first..." Right then, putting the situation in order, confirming that he'd Returned by Death, and devising countermeasures against issues and obstacles could wait. Right then, he had to wake Emilia from her nightmare, console her as she cried, and bring her outside. That was the right thing to do And by doing so, he would preserve the sequence of events. "Deal with things the right way, one at a time..." He had to rescue everyone from that terrifying, calamitous fate. Setting his heart, hardening his resolve, he was filled with determination as he reached a hand out to wake Emilia up. As he did this, there was something that Subaru himself still did not realize... His face was entirely devoid of any emotion. 2 After Emilia awakened in the tomb, developments differed little from what had come before. Tormented by the past, Emilia was confused by grief and remorse as Subaru brought her outside. There, he met with Ram and Garfiel, both of whom were present when they had entered the tomb together, and returned to their temporary lodging. "? What is wrong, Barusu? You're staring at Ram's face." "...Nothing at all. I just think you have a pretty face." "How indecent." Taking Subaru's apology for staring at her during the walk back from the tomb, Ram snorted with a reproachful gaze. Having Returned by Death, it went without saying, but Ram looked fine upon their reunion. Without anyone knowing, that fact brought him relief, and the gaze and sharp-tongued reply she sent back at him brought further relief still. *** Carrying Emilia to her bedroom at the Ryuzu residence, their temporary accommodation, was the most he could do as a man. With Emilia's heart in pain from the nightmares she had seen, he gently laid her in bed. "aa" Emilia was lying on her side when Subaru took his hand away. Her voice trickled out at the loss of his touch. With worry on her face, Subaru smiled at her to set her at ease, after which he left everything to Ram. That night, it was fine to leave Emilia to Ram. She'd do a good job calming Emilia down. During that time, there was something Subaru ought to be doing. And that was " The discussion that Roswaal promised." Roswaal had established a seat for Subaru to speak with him on the first night Emilia challenged the Trial. Last time, Subaru had used that opportunity to propose returning to the mansion in the morning. In accordance with his request, he'd returned to the mansion at maximum speed, and the result was a calamitous failure. Subaru had saved no one. Subsequently, he'd returned with a number of pressing questions " Mr. Natsuki? Mr. Natsuki, are you listening?" "...Sorry, wasn't listening." He was leaning his back against a building, concentrating on his own thoughts, when his mind was summoned back to reality. When he looked over, it was Otto, brows furrowed in a questioning look, who had called out to him. The place was outside the Ryuzu residence. In the middle of the night, with no light save that of a bonfire and the stars, Subaru was putting his thoughts in order for the coming conversation with Roswaal. "So what did you want to talk to me about, using up valuable time like that?" "The way this man speaks really takes the wind out of one's sails...! ...I just wanted to ask you something." "Ask me what?" "I simply mean, right now, are things...all right?" When Otto repeated his question, that time it was Subaru's turn to put on a questioning look. He thought it was obvious that if someone was listening to you, it was, by definition, all right to ask." Perhaps surmising what was in Subaru's mental space, Otto went, "Ah, not like that," waving a hand as he continued. "By 'all right,' I am not asking about the time. I mean, Mr. Natsuki, you seem very...busy, so I imagine your time is very precious at the moment..." "Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. Right now, I don't even have time to worry about Emilia-tan. So I don't really have time to shoot the breeze with..." " That is precisely what I wish to speak with you about." Tapering his lips at Otto's roundabout speech, Subaru tried to swiftly cut off the conversation. But instead, Otto bit on Subaru's words like a hook, continuing with his own. "If I may, Mr. Natsuki? You brought Lady Emilia out after something happened inside the tomb. I imagine your head is something of a mess from things I know nothing of, but I shall ask nonetheless." "? Yeah, ask away." "Then, without further ado Mr. Natsuki, are you all right?" All that lead-in and that's your question, thought Subaru, seriously perplexed. That said, it wasn't that he couldn't understand Otto's concern. Emilia had gone into the same tomb and had fallen into a panic as a result. He could understand Otto suspecting some anomaly befalling Subaru as well. Hence "Of course, I'm full of pep and in super-duper condition. With Emilia like that I understand why you'd be worried, but I'm fine. Besides, does anything look wrong with me?" "...No, nothing looks wrong with you. You appear very calm." "You see? Then..." "Particularly, with Lady Emilia in that condition. Does that not suggest a particularly grave state?" When Subaru tried to assert there was no problem, Otto's follow-up put his words on lockdown. *** Otto narrowed his eyes, peering intently into Subaru's black pupils. He was concerned for Subaru's current mental state. Certainly, in his current state, knowing future circumstances gave Subaru a sense of the past being prolonged that Otto could never share. Where he was seeing things for

the first time, Subaru was seeing them for the third, and the effect of that gap was that Subaru took things far more mentally calmly than he. "So you think I'm too calm about this, then." "Yes, exactly. I do not think it is a bad thing. Just..." " Nah, thanks to you I feel more confident about this. Thanks, Otto." "Eh?" Interrupting Otto, Subaru leisurely shook his head side to side. Considering the situation Subaru had been placed in, the composure Otto had drawn attention to was something deserving a warm welcome. "It's proof I can still have composed thoughts about things after everything that's happened." "Er, I believe there is an exceptionally large and deep chasm between seeing things calmly and taking composed actions..." Otto seemed left in the dust as he said it; perhaps the conversation had gone awry from what he had sought. But for Subaru's part, the exchange with him had deepened his own confidence. Even after that tragedy in the mansion, with anger burning in the deepest depths of his mind, his head was still working. "I'm going up against Roswaal. This time, ain't no place for letting him give me the slip." He'd had it with how Roswaal ducked and weaved, concealing the things he knew during their conversations. At the very least, he had innumerable things he wanted to ask Roswaal that time around. He absolutely wouldn't let Roswaal behave like last time, holding back about Beatrice, among other things " Heya, got a moment?" Just when he was determined anew, someone interrupted his conversation with Otto. Holed up in the entrance of the de facto boarding house, poking his head out their way, was Garfiel. When he clacked his canine teeth and walked over, Subaru rubbed his own nose and said, "Garfiel, huh... You really just don't stick to one pattern, do you?" "Ahhh? The hell ya talkin' about?" "Talking to myself. About how it's tough dealing with someone who has as many whims as a kitty cat." Subaru's attempt to gloss things over made Garfiel sourly crinkle his nose. Subaru had assessed Garfiel to be as whimsical as a cat, and that was not wholly untrue. That night was taking place a third time for Subaru, and Garfiel's attitude had changed each time. Of course, alterations in the actions committed by Subaru changed others as well, such as Emilia, in subtle ways. However, Garfiel's changes deserved special mention. His opinions reversed course, his like or dislike flipped on its head, and reasonable positions in conversation were replaced with obstinate ones. The changes were such that Subaru almost started doubting that he was dealing with the same person. This time, Garfiel's going out of his way to come over and speak to him was further evidence. "And there last time you'd have headed right off if I hadn't called out... Besides, what'd you wanna talk to me about? I have important business after this." "Business, ya mean wicked schemin' with that bastard, don't ya? Don't think that'll be fun." "I'm offended you're treating it as wicked scheming. Well, I won't argue about the not-fun part, though." "I must say, you two are saying quite some things about the Marquis..." As far as distrust of Roswaal was concerned, Subaru and Garfiel held a mutual opinion. Subaru could sympathize with Otto, who had yet to have his first contact with Roswaal, seeing them both take that attitude. Subaru's shoulders slumped in exasperation at the naiveté of Otto's view. "You just don't get it, Otto. This Roswaal guy, he's a man who pokes you in all kinds of places. If you don't understand that, his pokes'll wear you down to death." "Right now, you are speaking seriously? Or is this something safe to ignore?" "You wanna talk seriously about that bastard Roswaal...? Bro, are ya all right in the head...?" "And this time you are concerned for me?! The problem is not with the Marquis?!" "I'm telling you, that's just the kind of guy he is." Having been told so much, Otto was finally beginning to worry seriously about just whom he was trying to gain an audience with. He folded his arms, mumbling this and that about preparing to encounter the genuine article. "My worries grow and grow, and this is the only way for a turnaround with one blow... No, no, but my very life depends on facing this man, yet the people who are his allies say such things about him..." "Well, take your time worrying, okay? You're not talking to him tonight, at least." Considering the issue of Roswaal's scheduled conversation with Subaru right after that, it was a virtual impossibility that he would allow Otto to greet him at that juncture. Besides, Subaru didn't really have any time to spare for that. He probably didn't have the time to loosen the corners of his lips and forget his worries about the future just a little, as he was doing right then, either. "So then. It's not bad for three guys to talk stupid stuff, but what did you want? What'd you wanna talk about?" "Ohh, forgot 'bout that. It's like, 'Kukuruu was so thoughtless.'" Garfiel clapped his hands together when Subaru dragged the straying conversation back and prodded him toward the real topic. However, he went, "But y'know," his jade eyes shooting a meaningful glance Otto's way as he carried on. "Ahhh, you want the Bro here to hear this too? I'll leave that up to whatever judgment ya make." "...If you're leading in like that, it's something related to the Sanctuary, right?" "What else did ya think I'd be talkin' to ya about...?" "I thought you might've wanted to do some research on Ram... How she likes guys that have the three heights: high back, high station, high education. Also, makeup like a clown." "Stop it... I don't wanna hear it, and if I do it'll depress me..." As the man seemed genuinely distressed, Subaru relented in his verbal assault, granting him a warrior's mercy. Either way, he was grateful for Garfiel's consideration. It wasn't as if he could forget on the verge of a huge appointment, but the prospect of involving Otto in their faction's issues left him feeling uneasy. At the end of the day, Otto was someone who'd simply been caught up in these events, a bystander who was supposed to be eventually returned to his normal life safe and sound. "So we're gonna be talkin' love stories from here on out. The night's late, so go on ahead and stay at the Cathedral, 'kay? Your business rivals are there with the villagers they evacuated, y'know." "Uu...if someone who knows me saw me acting so impertinently, I would be mocked for sure...! Er, that is not the point! Now listen here, Mr. Natsuki, I..." " Wait." Otto's face flipped from pathetic to clingy as he advanced a step. But Subaru cut him off, taking the wind out of his sails. Subaru could understand Otto's desire to get involved in Subaru and company's circumstances to make a better impression upon Roswaal. But "Please, Otto. See you again tomorrow." "Gnnnn... U-understood. I shall behave, sleeping as my small-fry competitors laugh at me!" Discerning that Subaru's obstinate posture would not falter, Otto ruefully took off his hat, gently squishing it in his grip as he walked off in the Cathedral's direction. The sight of him from behind, shoulders slumped in dejection, somehow came off as well-done heart-tugging acting. "That lonely-looking back suits that guy pretty well..." "Me, I think that, too, but are ya all right with this?" "It's fine. I'd sleep worse if anything happened to him." When Subaru, watching Otto recede in the distance, made that reply, Garfiel twisted his neck. Then, he went, "Well, fine," tossing the thought aside as he gave Subaru's shoulder a light pat. "Something I wanna talk to ya about. I'm switchin' places, so come on." With that, and an attitude that wouldn't take no for an answer, Garfiel walked off without waiting for a reply. Watching his back, Subaru scratched his head, reluctantly following as he murmured to himself. "Gimme a break... Another different development, geez." 3 As Garfiel walked ahead, Subaru followed in his wake and trudged deeper into the woods. It was common knowledge that forests were dangerous at night. And among them, Subaru had heard that the Lost Woods of Cremaldi were particularly perilous. That alone made him somewhat apprehensive about the stroll. "Just don't leave me alone out here, 'kay? I'm begging you." "Hey don't say depressin' stuff like that. It's just a damned forest at night." "There's a lot of people who think 'just a damned forest at night' is a lot more dangerous than you do. This goes for holding up in a fight, too, but I don't have a nose that can pick up outsiders from a long range like you do." "Ha, you mean during daylight? Who'da thought ya still had a grudge over that?" "Nah, not particularly. Otto's forehead was the only thing that took real damage anyway..." Besides, from Subaru's perspective, the events during the daytime were days and days ago. Even if Otto was a close friend of Subaru's, it would be too long a period for Subaru to sustain his anger. "Besides, he's not a close friend of mine. I'm the guy who saved his life; that's about it." "That bro's had it rough, too, huh..." Subaru let the comment, sympathetic to Otto for some reason, slide as he took a good look at Garfiel. He was short in stature, and while he looked slender, his flesh was supple and well honed. In the end, his stature wasn't radically off from what made sense for human beings, but Subaru couldn't put much stock in that personal perspective. In the first place, in that world, shape and form didn't correspond with physical ability whatsoever. After all, even Rem, with her small frame, could whip around an iron ball. Accordingly, at that juncture, Subaru had a different thought aimed at Garfiel's back. " How long has it been since you've met Frederica?" When the sentence suddenly sliced in, Garfiel's shoulders made a visible jump of surprise. He'd already confirmed that Frederica and Garfiel were related as older sister and younger brother. He'd also heard from the people concerned that their relationship was not harmonious. It was just, he understood next to nothing about Frederica's stance toward the Sanctuary. At the very least, she'd engaged in a duel to the death with Elsa. The possibility of Frederica having invited Elsa into the mansion was zero More importantly, there was definitely some other mover-and-shaker who ought to be topping his suspect list. So to chalk up Frederica as an ally to a very firm extent, among other reasons "...And why the hell do I gotta talk to someone like you 'bout somethin' like that?" "I just thought I'd ask and see. Figured if I did, you might actually give me an answer." "Ha! Thought I talked about that to ya this mornin', too. That one ain't got no relation to anyone here on the inside. She left this place. Ain't related in any way." "Yeah, about that." What Garfiel, without turning in his direction, seemed to chew up and spit out, Subaru picked right back up. Ever since he'd learned of the relationship between Frederica and Garfiel, it kept tugging at him. "Garfiel, I know you and Frederica are brother and sister." "...Shit, someone's loose-lipped. The bastard, or Ram maybe?" "Not something worth hiding, is it? Besides, it's thanks to that I'm wondering about something now. If you and Frederica are siblings, Frederica has to be mixed, too. So why is she outside?" *** The barrier that enveloped the Sanctuary sealed demi-humans of mixed blood the so-called "mixed" inside. Accordingly, Emilia, Garfiel, and the others were held captive by the barrier, and it was in search of liberation from this that the scheme to challenge the Trial was

hatched. At the very least, that was how Ryuzu's explanation portrayed it. Therefore, it was strange that Frederica, related to Garfiel by blood, was not held captive by the barrier. "The fact that she isn't means that there's some kind of loophole. If you know of one, can you tell me about it?" "And what if I told ya? The barrier ain't openin' up unless the Trial's beaten. That ain't changin'." "I just want to know. If I know, our choices increase. I'm the type of guy who wants to cram every bit of info in his head to figure out a way to clear stuff." *** During the time they spoke, Garfiel never looked back, so Subaru could not read his emotions. It was just the oppressive sense conveyed by his back that told Subaru the expression on his face was not a pleasant one. Even so, the fact that Garfiel, a man of short temper, had not cut the conversation off meant he was unsure That thought was probably Subaru's bias at work. "...Here we are." Rather than replying directly to Subaru, Garfiel said that while shoving aside vines blocking his path. During their conversation, the pair had continued to walk, apparently reaching their destination before Subaru could get an answer to his question. That said, leaving the current back-and-forth with an ambiguous finish put Subaru in a bind, but " Could you please not tease Young Gar too much, Young Su?" Subaru opened his mouth, but before he could press for an answer, a young voice was cast his way. When he looked, he could tell there was an open space in the forest beyond the vines Garfiel was moving aside. This place, a natural spectacle of light from the waning moon and the stars pouring down, engendered a surreal, almost phantasmal air. The beautiful girl standing under the moonlight and starlight only added to that sense. "...But I will comment that your outward appearance is too young to be my type." "For a lad, you have quite a venomous tongue. Are you trying to compete with Young Ros for Most Uncharming Child?" "Come on, that's going too far. Not giving up on being charming is one of my charms." Subaru made a pained smile at the various harsh assessments, as he stepped into the moonlit clearing. If he was facing just Garfiel, lowering his guard seemed a poor move but "If there's a guarantor with him, that's a different story, huh." Clicking his tongue with the air of a pout, Garfiel cut past Subaru's flank and went straight to the center of the clearing. He went beside the girl standing there the ephemeral individual called Ryuzu. Subaru smiled a bit at how both stood at seemingly prearranged places, but that was when he sensed something was off. Ryuzu's clothes were not the black outfit she wore at the inn, but a white, hooded robe. "Er, Ryuzu, did you change your outfit?" "This is a difficult time for someone my age, you see. Unfortunately, I am not a night owl like you, Young Su..." "I watch late-night anime, so I'm not suffering, but...you wanted to see me, Ryuzu?" "I do not mind if you take it as such. Young Gar is serving as my escort." When Ryuzu nodded in apparent confirmation, Garfiel stood still, arms folded. Closing one eye, his demeanor seemingly broadcasting that he wouldn't butt in, Subaru lightly tilted his face up. Overhead, a gentle breeze blew. He heard the sound of the leaves shaking, and the stars glimmered in the clear sky above. "...This is a nice place. It's like a secret base here in the forest." "'Tis merely an open field. It is altogether too empty to be called a base, is it not? ...Though perhaps that is why I feel so comfortable in this place." "Anyway, it's a relaxing place for you, Ryuzu? Guess we're getting along really well in half a day for you to be inviting me to a place like this. Guess I'm close to a chance for you to divulge your secrets?" "You are speaking in a rather good mood." With a neutral look on her face, and only her choice of words showing her age, Ryuzu was gentle during the exchange. That said, Subaru and the two of them had experienced a far different period of time. Considering only half a day's time had passed for Ryuzu and Garfiel, it was far too optimistic to think they had opened their hearts to him. There had to be some reason behind their actions. "Garfiel's whims...ended up relieving his suspicions of me...maybe?" That was about all he could come up with as a cause for the change in Garfiel's response. Garfiel had changed each time around, but each being a change for the worse had really put Subaru in a bind. This time things were turning in the right direction. If that was so, he wanted a suitable return on his investment. "Either way, I'm happy we're having a meaningful conversation...a friendly match before the war of words with Roswaal that's coming." "The baggage Young Ros bears is heavy by its nature. Well, I suppose I shall strive to live up to your expectations." Ryuzu said it with the nuance of a pained smile as she slapped her own hips. Naturally, Subaru didn't think she needed to play the part of an old woman that far, but he set that aside and proposed a different matter for debate. Namely "Earlier, I asked Garfiel this question, but maybe you could answer, Ryuzu?" "...The reason Frederica could depart the Sanctuary, was it? You heard this from Young Gar as well, but what do you intend to do with the knowledge, Young Su?" "I don't think my answer's changing either, namely that I'll think about that once I hear it. But...maybe this, then?" Frederica, who'd slipped out of the barrier using some kind of exception, showed no special signs of bearing any penalty from it. If it was possible to create a loophole he could make applicable to all residents of the Sanctuary, then... "I'd use that to bring all of the Sanctuary's people outside the barrier. During the day it got rejected because it'd leave people soulless shells, but if this worked, it'd be okay without having to take the Trial, right?" "According to logic, perhaps. However, the Trial is obstinate. Evading it is..." "I don't want to make Emilia take the Trial. That's completely me being selfish, though." *** When Subaru lightly scratched his cheek and made that reply, the ends of Ryuzu's eyebrows fell in apprehension. Tormented by the past, Emilia would continue to face the Trial and suffer, unable to surpass it. At the very least, Subaru knew that would continue for several days, if not longer. "From the looks of it, I really don't think she can overcome her past. So I don't want to let her do it." "In terms of the Trial, perhaps that is for the best. But one does not choose the time and occasion for one's troubles. Days of tranquility are not necessarily fated to continue. One cannot continue to flee from facing one's troubles forever..." "I'm not talking about forever. I'm talking about a retreat to prepare for facing it properly...one of those so-called strategic retreats. Ryuzu, just as you said, there's times when you have to face trouble on disadvantageous ground...but shouldn't a person work hard so you don't have to?" As Ryuzu continued her explanation, Subaru replied to her words to justify running away. This was because, at the very least, Subaru didn't think there was any shame in turning your back on something. More than that, if, for instance, Emilia turned her back on her current troubles, there was absolutely no way that was enough to finish her. "Even if it's not now, Emilia will definitely be able to face her past someday. The Trial made her remember that stuff. So Emilia has to make a choice, whether to overcome it or to forget it. That being the case, it's my role to knock down as much stuff blocking her way as I can." "...Even if one tries to run, one can never escape the most trying times of all." "I'm saying this 'cause I totally believe she can beat this without running away." He didn't know if it was a suitable conclusion to the conversation, but Subaru smiled as he said it nonetheless. His smiling face, teeth on display, made some kind of deep impression on Ryuzu as she narrowed her eyes. Perhaps the elder who didn't look her age was laughing at the idealism that smacked of youth. " Old hag, ya got bad taste." The one offering those blunt words was Garfiel, standing there with his arms folded, silent last Subaru had checked. He opened the eye he had previously kept closed, glancing at the youthful elder right beside him as he said, "I'm tellin' ya. It's just like Gaddgii Guaddzeadd the Hermit." "I'm grateful, but same as usual, I don't have one clue what you're sayin' to me." "What Young Gar wishes to say is, there is no such convenient loophole. I was in the wrong to allow you to jump to such conclusions, a bad habit of the elderly." Breaking down the mystery phrase, Ryuzu twirled her pink hair around her finger. Taking in her reply, Subaru gave her a look that pressed his request for a more detailed explanation. "In the end, it is because Frederica is an exception that she was able to go outside the barrier. She does not fulfill the conditions for being held captive by the barrier. Accordingly, she was able to leave. That is all it is." "Conditions for being held captive by the barrier? Is there something besides being mixed?" "No, it is not so. That is the only condition to be held captive by the barrier. There are no exceptions." Even though Subaru was reflecting on her first roundabout statement, Ryuzu made an even more roundabout one that made him knit his brows. Unraveling her statements, there was no change in the condition for the barrier encircling the Sanctuary. In other words, it wasn't an issue with the barrier; it was an issue with Frederica. For it to be true that Frederica wasn't caught by the barrier... "That means Frederica can't be mixed?" "Strictly speaking, the barrier fundamentally discerns mixed blood based on the 'thickness' of the blood. If one thickly carries both human and demi-human blood, he or she is held captive by the barrier. However..." "If you're less than half...like, a quarter or something, the barrier doesn't work on you? Meaning..." Breaking off his words, Subaru looked Garfiel's way. His lips were twisted, and making a sour face, he clicked his fangs and went, "That's right," continuing his words with, "Me an' Frederica have different fathers Me, I'm Garfiel Tinzel. She oughta have called herself by a different family name." The family name that Garfiel had not invoked even once before bolstered Subaru's deduction. The family name Garfiel claimed was certainly different from that of Frederica, who had introduced herself to Subaru and others as Frederica Baumann. "So Frederica's blood is thin... That's why she could get outside the barrier." "She was the child of a human mother and a mixed-blood father. Accordingly, she is free to enter and leave the forest." "Ha! Free to enter and leave? Don't make me laugh!" When Ryuzu nodded gravely and murmured, Garfiel snarled in annoyance. He touched his fist to the white scar on his forehead, the pupils of his jade eyes narrowing. "Enters and exits, my ass. She ain't come back once in ten years, right? Frederica abandoned this place. That's why that woman has nothin' to do with it anymore." "Young Gar..." Spitting the words out, Garfiel averted his eyes with a bitter look on his face. The youth curled his back, reducing his short frame even further,

whereupon Ryuzu stretched and gave his shoulder one good smack. After that, Ryuzu turned toward Subaru anew and spoke again. "That is how it is. I am sorry to have dragged out a fruitless conversation." "...Nah, that's fine. Certainly it wipes out one choice, but it beats keeping one on the list that can't ever be used. But that leaves the Trial in the end, huh?" He couldn't claim not to have been disappointed. But his current words were no mere bluff, either. There was no disadvantage to learning more about the complicated situation between Garfiel and Frederica. But having made a loop around that issue, he'd ended up right back at the topic with which they had started. Breaking through the Trial was indispensable to liberate the Sanctuary when he saw that, he felt like amorphous Fate was laughing down at him. However, this time wouldn't end with Fate laughing at his expense. "Ryuzu, Garfiel. Actually, I have a proposal." "...Proposal, meaning what?" "I have to talk to Roswaal, too, and I need Emilia's consent for this also...but I'll talk to you two about it first. It's a really important issue, so I'd appreciate if you didn't talk about it to anyone else." Touching a raised finger to his lips, Subaru implored Garfiel and Ryuzu. That preamble brought questioning looks from the pair, but he owed them at least that much advance warning. *** Last time around, the attack on the mansion had proven Frederica's innocence. However, she had yet to reveal the mastermind who had brought about the teleportation. Frederica didn't know of the existence of the "militants," but it was difficult to think that the manipulator was unrelated to that faction. Accordingly, if Subaru's proposal leaked, that would provide an opening the mastermind could take advantage of. For that sake, he wanted to divulge the information only to the Sanctuary's two representatives in absolute confidence. "Can you promise me that?" "A promise, you say? Did you not say that this was a difficult word for you, Young Su?" "Various circumstances have made me hate stuff like pacts or vows more and more, yeah. But promises are different. Someone's convinced me those are things you have to uphold, so... Both of you, please." He didn't mind if it was an oral promise. Subaru trusted that neither of the two would say no. To Subaru, the seeker of that promise, the pair fell silent for a time. But in place of the wordless Garfiel, Ryuzu made an elderly-sounding sigh and nodded. "Understood. As you wish, we shall not speak of it to others. Speak of what you will." "Big help. Thanks." Thanking Ryuzu for her acquiescence, Subaru shifted his eyes toward Garfiel as well. He remained wordless, but he did not object. Taking his demeanor as acceptance, Subaru continued. "I want to talk about the Trial. When I said earlier that I don't want Emilia, I meant it. I want both of you to accept that." "Ah? Like hell. If the Princess ain't takin' it then what happens with the barrier, huh? Cryin' scared of old stories as much as ya want, the barrier ain't gonna yie..." "I get that. So I'll take the Trial in her place How about that?" *** As Garfiel bared his fangs, Subaru interrupted him and showed the card in his hand. The contents made Garfiel's eyes open wide, and though Ryuzu had a neutral expression, her cheeks seemed to harden. Faced with the pair's reactions, Subaru explained what had happened at the tomb. "When I went into the tomb to help Emilia, I was safe and sound, right? That's because I had the qualifications to take the Trial...and more to the point, because I broke through the Trial." "Ya overcame the Trial...?!!" He was reproducing the conversation they'd had after carrying Emilia to the Ryuzu residence. That time, too, Garfiel had been similarly surprised at Subaru's qualifications. Given that, Subaru also anticipated the reaction coming from Ryuzu, standing right beside him. "You're thinking this makes things complicated, Ryuzu?" "I cannot dispute a single word, let alone the entire sentence. However, I do understand what you are saying, Young Su." Unlike Garfiel, who had yet to recover from his surprise, Ryuzu looked like she'd quickly absorbed the impact. Even so, she seemed to be mulling a variety of things as Garfiel glanced toward her, bewilderment in his eyes. It was a glance seemingly in search of a judgment. Receiving this, Ryuzu exhaled slightly. And then "Young Su, I too have something important to speak with you about." "What is it?" "That, here and now, I must ask you to behave yourself, Young Su." "Huh?" Yes? Or no? Having been given no responses other than those, Subaru was catastrophically late in comprehending the words making his eardrums tremble. No, it was not that he was late simply that he didn't understand in time. After all " G, uu?!" "Don't thrash around, 'kay? Or I'll just have to hurt ya more." As Subaru stood still, it was Garfiel who grasped his neck, hoisting him aloft. Garfiel used his exceptional strength to leave Subaru's legs floating in the air, and his grip put enough pressure on Subaru's throat that he could barely breathe. "K, a, ku...na, a...!" "'Why,' you seem to be asking. However, I do not ask for your forgiveness." Slowly shaking her head from side to side, Ryuzu somehow seemed lonely as she spoke the words. He didn't understand the reason why. Why, all of a sudden, was this act of violence being committed against "I shall uphold my promise. I shall tell no one This, I swear upon the name of Ryuzu Shima." She grew distant. Both what Ryuzu was saying, and the voice with which she said it. In its place, his mind focused on the heat from Garfiel's hand, evaporating along the border between reality and dream. It was as if the strings holding him up were snapping one by one Where had he gone wrong? Within the darkness, still comprehending nothing, Subaru's mind flipped over and fell. 4 The first thing that tugged at the edge of his mind was the repeating sound of water droplets. *** The water drops fell at regular, rhythmic intervals, which, in that soundless space, seemed like a roaring cacophony. In accordance with that hallucination, his sleeping brain resumed activity, and he keenly felt blood coursing through the entirety of his body. As that blood coursed, he strongly felt numbness in his hands and feet, and when he tried to squirm around he could not. *** That was the moment his mind instantly awakened, and Subaru reclaimed his own existence. At the same time, he reconfirmed that which was not natural: he could not see the presumably visible world, and his presumably mobile limbs could not move. Had his eyes been mangled, and his hands and feet lopped off?! The worst of possibilities rose into the back of his brain, but before he could despair at the hasty conclusion, he noticed the oppressive sensation over his head. The tightness he felt around both of his eyes was probably a blindfold. Similarly, his hands and feet were likely tied to render them unable to move. He felt the backs of his hands were tied; his ankles were firmly bound as well. And there was a gag in his mouth. At that point, he could comprehend it, like it or not He was imprisoned. *** Though confused at the sudden circumstance, Subaru used his brain to somehow understand the present situation. Unless the Return by Death point had changed, he would begin again at the same restart point: the stonework room in the tomb. In other words, his current predicament had nothing to do with Return by Death. Therefore, it was related to the events that had occurred just before he blacked out *** He'd headed for the woods with Garfiel, and in the middle of conversing with Ryuzu, he'd been mugged " From the looks of it, ya just woke up. Lucky, ain't ya." It happened right after Subaru's memory came back, allowing him to grasp the present circumstance. A voice descended from right above, almost as if it had been waiting for that exact moment. Subaru, belly down on the floor, lifted his head, and though unable to see, he was able to guess the other party's position as he called out. "A i u..." "Not sure what ya even sayin', but it's probably my name. Hold on a sec. I'm takin' the gag out right now. I'll tell ya in advance, ain't no point callin' for help." He felt footsteps drawing near. Someone right beside him audibly squatted down, touching his hand to Subaru's mouth. The hand undid the tightly tied gag, freeing Subaru's jaw and tongue. "There we..." " Anyone!! I'm over here!! Save me!!" "Gah?! Why you, I told ya not to shout!!" When Subaru broke the admonition the instant he was free to do so, his jaw was closed by force. His cheekbones creaked under the strength of Garfiel's grip. Subaru managed not to moan from the pain as he said, "L-like there's one prisoner told not to call for help who wouldn't......!" "Shout in anger or scream, it'll do ya no good. This is a hideaway, no one in the Sanctuary is comin'. Of course, it ain't nowhere close to the settlement. Look, keep yer mouth shut or I'll gag ya again." Right up close, he butted foreheads with the presumably blindfolded Subaru while delivering the warning. Subaru gasped, taking his words as meaning that even if Subaru struggled, no one would come to his aid. "Looks like yer gonna behave now. I don't wanna hurt ya." He clicked his tongue, and the enmity coming from Garfiel stabbed into him. Showered in it, Subaru clenched his teeth, still needing to ask as to his true intent. Why had he imprisoned Subaru? He had to ask, and that went for what Ryuzu was thinking, too. "...First, can I ask where this is, in detail? I'd like to use it for reference when I escape." "Ha!! Man, ain't you composed! I thought ya'd be shakin' in yer boots. I think a tiny bit better o' ya." "That's 'cause I learned lately that chattering teeth get you nowhere. I'll broaden my questions bit by bit until I make you answer one... How long did I sleep?" "...That, I can answer. 'Bout half a day. It's the middle of Fire Time." With Subaru negotiating from the palm of his hand, Garfiel lowered the tone of his voice as he replied. With the state of his stomach, he could believe that half a day had passed. If that was the case, on the outside, Emilia ought to already have noticed Subaru's absence and grown concerned, but "I have confidence I stand out enough no one would forget me in half a day. How did you fool everyone?" "That ain't a problem you need to worry about. Ya got somethin' more important ya need to worry about Or, maybe ya don't?" Abruptly, the tone of Garfiel's voice grew graver. Behind his blindfold, Subaru knit his brows. The power behind Garfiel's words just then felt...off. They carried conviction, certainty. Garfiel was sure of something about Subaru, yet Subaru had no idea what that was. Hence, Garfiel's current statement felt very off to Subaru. "Don't play dumb at this point. Where are yer heroics now, huh?" "...Sorry, but I seriously don't know what you're saying. If you've got something against me, could you just come out and say it? Just like Ram would." "Cheap trash talk there, damn it And I just loooove cheap trash talk." Spitting out a sharp breath, Garfiel grabbed Subaru by the collar and lifted him up. Subaru remained unable to move as his back was pressed against the cold, hard wall. He remained like that when he felt something sharp probably one of Garfiel's claws touching against his throat. "Not afraid o' death, huh. You

guys are all famous for bein' messed up in the head, y'know." "W ait... This seriously doesn't add up... What are you accusing me o..." "Don't act dumb!! With that much miasma comin' from inside yer body, you wanna say ya don't know? Think that excuse'll work, huh? Like hell, Witch Cultist!!" "H uh?" The claw strongly pressed in, and Subaru's throat slightly tore. There was a faint, sharp pain to it, and he felt blood bubble up from the laceration, but Subaru had no mind to spare for pain. Surprise and impact greater than it pounded into Subaru's brain, exceeding his comprehension. "The scent's been thick on ya since the moment ya came out of the tomb. Buuuut, sometimes even normal guys have thick miasma. 'The suspicious Pitero was acquitted.' So I meant to do nothin' to ya...but then, take the Trial for the Princess, huhhh?" *** "That ain't funny. Who'd follow heartless words like yours, ya bastard fool!!" "Heartless...?" "Hell yeah. Ya used all those big fancy words, made this excuse 'n' that, but where was there any concern for Lady Emilia in that attitude, huh? Ya got the same eyes as the jerk I hate the most. Ya got eyes that don't see anythin', except yerself." He wished he could have shouted in a large voice, It's all a big misunderstanding. But the deep emotion he'd felt just following Return by Death at the fact he'd put his own relief upon ascertaining he'd Returned by Death before thinking about Emilia prevented him from refuting Garfiel's suspicions. Furthermore, the searing words he had hurled made the back of Subaru's mind recall a prior event: a past situation greatly resembling the present scene "A-a Witch's miasma from my body...?" "Thaaat's right. Don't ya dare try and act like ya didn't know. It's real bad in yer case." "...And when I...came out of the tomb, it was thicker...?" It had changed because he had taken the Tri no, because he had Returned by Death. Over the course of being revived by the power of the Witch, its color, its scent, thickened as it entwined around Subaru's existence. Rem had called it the aroma... "The lingering scent of the Witch...!" "Ha!! An interestin' name for it. It's the stench of one smelly Witch!!" The moment after he wrung out his voice, Garfiel violently hurled Subaru onto the floor. Unable to break his fall, Subaru slammed shoulder-first with the floor. The dull pain would have made him let out a moan, but he forced it back inside, cursing the awfulness of his situation anew. Once upon a time, it had been the trigger for Rem to suspect Subaru, and this had caused his death more than once. Once again, the lingering scent of the Witch reared its ugly head before Subaru to impede him once more. *** "What do ya wanna go into the tomb for? What are you plannin'? It's a Witch's tomb. Ain't nothin' good, that's for sure." Every time he'd returned, he'd decided Garfiel's shifts in attitude were based on whim. He was wrong. The changes in Garfiel's demeanor were based on the changes in the density of the miasma enveloping Subaru. That was why, the first time around, when the miasma was thinnest around him, he'd proposed that Subaru clear the tomb, and why, ever since, as the density of the miasma increased, he became visibly distrustful of Subaru. It was also why, that time around, he had landed in a cell. And for Subaru, that fact meant his situation was bad to the extreme. *** His relationship with Garfiel had worsened because of Return by Death and would worsen further according to the number of times he did so. On top of that, with the restart point being the tomb, he was overwhelmingly short on time to improve that relationship. When they'd first met, Rem had likewise viewed Subaru as dangerous due to the miasma, but even so, she deferred judgment while she kept him under her eye. But the short-tempered Garfiel would do no such thing. If he saw the miasma enveloping Subaru as a danger, he wouldn't flinch from instantly eliminating that danger. "W-wait... if that's so, why did you lock me in here...?" "Huhhhh?" "You said I'm abnormal... If you decided it's dangerous to let me in the tomb, it's...weird that you'd lock me in here like this. Why didn't you get rid of me...?" "Get rid of you! Hah! Man, stuff like that just rolls off yer tongue!!" Subaru's query drew a sharp exhale as Garfiel clicked his tongue in disgust. "Me, if I could, I'd have done it already. But no can do." "Can't do it...?" "Because ya did a good job of wormin' in with other people, that's why. If I get hasty 'n' lay a hand on ya, it'll be an explosion like the Fall of Fort Tesla. No thanks." He used one of his frequent mystery phrases, but this time, he was able to understand the content based on what preceded and followed the statement. The outburst Garfiel feared was from people learning Subaru was not safe and sound likely meaning Emilia and the people of Earlham Village rebelling against the Sanctuary. But his seeing the danger in that meant "Your home's not as whipped as you want, huh... To you, I'm a dangerous ingredient and a way to keep them in line, then?" "A crafty lil' bastard, ain't ya. I suppose if ya weren't, ya wouldn't be acting so cunning either." The voice was very close. With Subaru on the floor, Garfiel must have crouched and brought his face very close. He continued to feel very close when he grabbed Subaru's head and continued. "Ta be honest, the Trial stuff shook me up. But I got over all that. There ain't no change in the barrier. Plain as day yer lyin'." "Ahh, that... Actually, the tomb's Trial is three parts in all." "Got some guts, in the situation yer in. I'll praise yer shitty courage at least." "Guess you don't believe me, huh... I completely messed up the order of that conversation..." He should have spoken of his having the qualifications for the Trial, stated he'd overcome it, and brought to light that there actually was more than one gateway through which to pass. It was no exaggeration to say he'd disclosed that to a distrustful party in the worst manner possible. "...What'll happen to me?" "Suppose I'll say, depends on Lady Emilia. For now, ya stay locked up. I'll make sure ya don't die on me...but how 'bout we have a little chat after the barrier's down?" In other words, I won't kill you. Garfiel's announcement of Subaru's continued confinement made him swallow his spit. While he was stripped of the ability to move, various issues arose in the back of his brain. Emilia was dealing with the Trial, Roswaal was off duty with Ram attending to him, Puck was unresponsive, Elsa was assaulting the mansion with her probable coconspirator the Beast Master, the puller of Frederica's strings remained hidden, Petra would be swallowed by the tragedy, Rem continued to sleep that very moment, and Beatrice was clutching that magic tome. And amid all that, Garfiel viewed him as dangerous because of miasma; Ryuzu concurred and was on Garfiel's side; plus the people of Earlham Village were primed to explode in Subaru's absence. "Ha." The hell was this. What the hell was this? What could what should he do, and how...? What the hell did he need to do to break through, to smash apart the situation with so many obstacles in his path? From the very point he'd entered a confined state, he was caught in a state of "check" *** " Oh no ya don't." A foreign object was stuffed into Subaru's mouth, making him fiercely retch in shock. But having done the deed, this did not make Garfiel hesitate; as Subaru writhed, he swiftly repositioned the gag. Now he couldn't raise his voice. And simultaneously "I don't know what the hell yer thinkin', but I ain't gonna let ya kill yerself either." *** When he'd impulsively tried to bite his tongue, Garfiel had obstructed him from doing so. Having the gag stuffed in robbed his jaw of its freedom; nor could he wipe away the drool spilling out of the corners of his mouth. Suicide, and thus, Return by Death, were locked away from him. Garfiel had a reason to keep him alive. Accordingly, he couldn't let Subaru die. "Me, what I can't stand the most is that attitude." "A i u......!" "It ain't just the miasma Those eyes, they're just like that bastard Roswaal's." Lobbing those words, Garfiel kicked the moaning Subaru. Subaru rolled onto the hard floor, slamming into the wall, and remained faceup afterward, while desperately exhaling raggedly over and over. "Just leave food 'n' stuff to me And don't try anythin' funny." With those threatening words as his last, Garfiel's footsteps grew distant. "Aeee! A i u! Aeeee!!" Squirming his body, he lobbed his voice at the receding presence. His incomprehensible voice did not make the other party halt. Subaru's desperate voice continued to fall on deaf ears until he could sense the presence no more "a i uu!!!" To Subaru, the worst of all prison lives had begun. 5 The hollow passage of time slowly whittled away at Subaru's mind. *** It had been several hours since Garfiel had departed, and he had fallen into a full-blown state of captivity he was vague as to whether it was really a few hours, but he could only wonder what was going on outside in the Sanctuary. Thinking back to his exchange with the now-absent Garfiel, there was no way the situation was sweet and rosy. The heck am I doing at a time like this? Gagged and thus unable to even speak to himself, he mostly sucked up the drool as it dripped, and berated himself. Subaru had a veritable mountain of obstacles he had to overcome. And yet, that very Subaru was unable to do anything, writhing around like a potato worm as he was at present. *** Could he resolve anything by trusting someone and explaining the problems? He wanted an answer to that. He held love for Emilia, distrust for Roswaal, remorse for Beatrice, anger for Garfiel, hatred for Elsa, and these swirled and swirled, further muddying Subaru's heart. The blindfold was tied so tight it hurt. Unable to see anything, Subaru could only direct his questions at his own heart. His interior was packed full of suspicions and mysteries; in other words, he was at a stalemate. All of his thoughts were deadlocked, actions held in check, and Subaru, not permitted even to kill himself, felt a sense of impatience eating away at him. As time passed, the countdown to the calamity that would inevitably arrive advanced, one second at a time. *** With the fires of impatience burning away at his heart, the horror show at the mansion played anew in the back of Subaru's mind. Though he had saved no one from that tragedy, that didn't mean his gains from it were zero, either. He learned that Frederica was unconnected to the attack, and the attackers were Elsa and the Beast Master. More than anything else, his greatest gain was learning that the day of the attack on the mansion changed according to his own actions. Between the last time around and the time before that, there had been a gap of around three days between the attacks on the mansion. Besides, Elsa had clearly stated that the timetable been moved up. That information was a big deal. Subaru had hard evidence he had at least until the evening of his return to the mansion the first time around the fifth day from the starting point. *** But at the same time, that fact raised a different issue. Given the mansion would be attacked upon his return, evacuating Rem and the others wasn't realistic. There was no option besides repelling the

attackers, Elsa and the Beast Master, on site. As fighting strength for the sake of that, Frederica and Ram just weren't enough by themselves. In the present circumstances, the only people besides that pair that could be relied on for combat power were Emilia, Roswaal, and Garfiel. Roswaal had his wounds, Emilia had the barrier, and there was a wall stopping Garfiel from trusting him. Or, perhaps, if he could borrow the strength of the final person left in the mansion "ea, oiu..." He seemed to weep as he murmured the girl's name. In the end, Subaru still didn't understand where Beatrice stood. Beatrice had shouted that she'd obeyed everything written in the Gospel in her hands to date. They'd slammed invective into one another, glaring with mutual disgust. When Subaru pondered if anything could be nurtured amid such a relationship, every part of him felt very alone. Was it really like that? That's right, affirmed a loud voice within him. A tearful voice declared firmly that Beatrice had made it all up. Even after everything that had happened, Subaru wanted to believe that Beatrice's words were lies. What he had seen on the verge of death, her tearful eyes and tearful voice, made Subaru doubt Beatrice's words. "A, oe..." Even if everything to date had been according to what was written in the book. Even if the tragedy at the mansion had come to pass because of her obeying what was in the book. Right now, I want to hear your voice so much. *** No one was coming. No one could hear him. He'd been left behind in that place, all alone. Amid that unrelenting darkness, Subaru gradually traced that very faint hope and continued clinging to it. And so more time passed while Subaru remained in the dark. He was having a nightmare from which he could not awaken. Over and over, he experienced his moments of remorse at things beyond his reach. Petra, reduced to only an arm. Frederica, sliced to death in a place beyond where Subaru's eyes could reach. Ram, whereabouts unknown. Rem, of whom all he knew was the statement that he was too late. And in the final instant, Beatrice. *** More, more, over and over, the red-dyed scenes repeated. Emilia, collapsed on the floor in the loot cellar. Old Man Rom, his throat rent apart like glass. Felt, cruelly sliced apart in a single blow. Rem, dying from wasting away. The people of Earlham Village dead at the hands of the Witch Cult. The children stuffed into the storage shed. Petra, with her eyeballs gouged out. Ram, wearing the makeup of death. Rem, her entire body defiled. The villagers slaughtered a second time over. Ram, impaled as she shielded them. The subjugation force members, crushed by the White Whale's giant body and erased by the mist. The beast men torn to pieces by the hands of Sloth. The villagers and subjugation force members swallowed up by the deadly blast Corpses, corpses, corpses, surrounded by death, regrets piled atop each other as far as he could see. *** His body squirmed, seeking the pain from the ropes tying his legs and hands. Pain was good. Right then, it was what he wanted. In that pitch darkness, unable to see anything, he saw images of scenes of regret over and over and over. Unable to hear a thing, he heard the death cries of the people he had failed to save, replayed countless times. His despair at how his hands were unable to reach them came back again and again, wearing away at his soul. *** It wasn't the first time he'd been left behind in the dark. He'd been abandoned in a cold, lightless cave, once. But at the time, his heart had been ruled by anger and hatred, and Rem, in a near-death state, was present, so in a real sense Subaru had not been alone. This time, he was alone. In a real sense, this was the first time Subaru had tasted isolation rotting his heart away. *** During his state of confinement, it was not literally true he had no contact with anyone. Just as Garfiel had stated, he had a reason he couldn't let Subaru die. Because of that, he brought food to Subaru and ensured Subaru's other bodily functions were accounted for. Though neither pleasant nor polite, he had a caretaker nonetheless. For the victim of confinement, it was nothing praiseworthy whatsoever. After all, the existence of such care did absolutely nothing to help cure Subaru's isolation. *** He heard the putter of bare feet walking on the floor, thus sensing someone's approach. It was the second time, or perhaps the third, Subaru had sensed his caretaker coming to bring him food. *** His caretaker remained wordless, likely having placed the metal tray on the floor. Then, he slowly lifted up Subaru's head, removing the gag. That instance constituted a chance to bite his tongue, but "aghh" With a robotic movement, a small fist thrust into his mouth. The fist blocked the motions of his jaw as the other party used an open hand to retrieve a plate from the tray. The contents of the tray were poured through the gap in his mouth, conducting a forced feeding. The food was closest to chilled-over soup. He had no time to taste it, desperately swallowing it down as it invaded his throat, gasping as it fell into his stomach. It was not so much eating as simple oral intake. Once this was done, the gag was contemptuously shoved into the coughing Subaru once more. Making no move to wipe the soup from his dirty face, the caretaker checked Subaru's underwear to see that they were not soiled, whereupon the caretaker swiftly departed. During that time, the caretaker had not spoken to Subaru even once. The first time, Subaru had tried to speak through the gag, but the other party had not responded in any fashion. The caretaker gave off the impression of an unthinking doll. *** Coming into contact with such a caretaker drove Subaru's heart deeper into a corner. Knowing that someone was there had only deepened Subaru's isolation. Time was passing. It wasn't simply in his head; it was time he could not take back. What time was it, then? What day was it? What had happened, what hadn't happened, what was going on? When, and how, would he die? Subaru thought in that fashion as he experienced the unpleasant sensation of the soup drying on his cheek. A man's heart was weak to darkness and isolation. He'd heard something like that from...somewhere. When he'd heard that talk, Subaru had probably given it a good laugh. In terms of mental strength, he couldn't really compare to a lot of people, but even so, he must have found being broken by isolation and the dark to be absurd. He didn't know what experiment that talk resulted from, but he'd never end up that way. Without any empirical basis, he simply figured he'd be all right. What a little fool that made him. *** And left in actual darkness and isolation, a fair bit of time came to pass. Right then, all Subaru could think of was death. He was thinking of ways to die. He yearned for "death." Perhaps, even, that desire might not have been related to Return by Death. He was afraid of the dark. He was terrified of isolation. He hadn't known. If he stopped breathing, wouldn't he die? If he kept chafing his arms against the ropes, might he die of blood loss? If he rammed his head against the floor, how about that? What if the next moment, an earthquake happened and he tumbled into a crevice? There was food that had fallen all over the place. What if worms came and ate Subaru whole? He'd heard that mice gnawed on the fingers and ears of the sick. Why didn't he make himself bait and find out for himself? If he forgot that he was even himself rather than just a simple collection of meat, then *** He was so thick with love of death; he was late in noticing. Footsteps. He sensed a human presence approaching. Was it time for his care again? Another opportunity to deepen his isolation. He heard the sound of something pounding on the hard floor. Slowly, it was heading for the prone Subaru. It drew nearer, even as Subaru had lost track of whether he was faceup or facedown at the moment. Death from hunger. How about starvation? If he obstinately refused to eat, death would approach, slowly but surely. Thinking it worth a try, he tried to reject the hand his caretaker stretched toward him " I imagined you would be in a terrible state, but this is even graver than I presumed." For a moment, Subaru didn't understand what it was. In that world, a sound beyond his own filthy breathing and his beating heart that could make his eardrums tremble? He felt like it was something beyond his knowledge. Very, very late in the process, he comprehended it was something called a "voice." Someone's voice. The voice of another person, something he hadn't heard in how many centuries? And of someone known to him. "a" "Oh, please do not raise your voice. We are crossing a rather dangerous bridge, so I would rather not be caught here by a guard. Neither of us is very good at giving up, you know?" With an easygoing tone, the other party replied to the fallen Subaru's lamenting voice while doing something to his body. The light sound made Subaru comprehend the bindings on his hands and feet had been untied. His arms, his legs they could move freely. Rolling his body over, he faced upward. Why was it so hard to breathe? "I shall take out the gag. Incidentally, the blindfold, too." *** With the cause of his difficult breathing removed, saliva flowed out from the corner of his mouth. Along with that, the blindfold tied around his head all that time was undone. It was a liberating feeling. His tear-coated eyelids moved around. With a sound like starch being ripped off, his eyelids opened. The darkness, and time itself, brightened "In any case, I am relieved to have found you alive, Mr. Natsuki." These words spoken, after what seemed like centuries had passed, Otto Suwen smiled. 6 To the face before his eyes, Subaru was speechless, reduced to staring in astonishment. "What is it? You have the look of a man in complete disarray, seeing the seemingly impossible, unable to believe the work of your own brain, and as a result, suspecting it may be a dream or illusion?" "...That's not..." Otto had a hand on his hip with a fairly indignant look on his face. Subaru looked up at him, somehow managing a murmur. His throat was a mess, his entire body fatigued from wasting away, enough that the air itself felt heavy. Just moving his body and his previously bound hands and feet a little sent pain running through them, multiple ills he hadn't noticed during his confinement. Even so, he was alive. And so too "You coming is the last, last thing I expected." "Well, I can understand that. To be honest, I do come off as rather unreliable..." "More like, on a level it just flows out of you from head to toe... I'm not exaggerating here. In all that time...you coming here didn't enter my mind the tiniest little bit..." "Even in this situation, this person really knows how to mercilessly shave one's spirit down...!!" "Hey, you're the one who said...not to talk loudly..." When Otto raised what seemed like a voice of lament, he made a face unaccepting of Subaru's admonition. This exchange, too, brought back old times. It seemed the man there was the real Otto. "All that isolation, seeing hallucinations... What state would I be in if you were

the first guy popping up in 'em..." "It is remarkable you can say all that with your throat and body in such a difficult state. Here, water." Otto tendered a metallic canteen to silence Subaru's sharp tongue. Taking it, he practically bathed in it, drinking the remaining water, amounting to half or so of the container. As a matter of fact, he did shower a portion onto his face. After dampening his throat with the cold water and crudely washing his dirty face, his mood improved a fair margin. "So finally ready to speak?" "Geho! ...Just barely, yeah. Can I ask something first? Right now, how many days have passed?" "If by that, Mr. Natsuki, you mean in reference to the night of your disappearance, three days have passed since then. Outside this structure, it is night...the time of the Trial." "Three days......!! And the Trial is still continuing?!" The answer to his question, and the information appended to it, abruptly changed the look on Subaru's face. If it was nighttime three days later, the time was half a day after the time limit regarding to the mansion. And the continuation of challenging the Trial had a direct bearing on the situation in the Sanctuary after Subaru's confinement. Subaru's reaction elicited a tired shake of Otto's head as he spoke. "Mr. Natsuki, I understand how you feel, but Lady Emilia has her own ideas. Lifting the barrier remains just as much a necessity as before, for one thing..." "...Mind if I ask what's happened in the time I've been gone?" "Due to the circumstances, I cannot speak about it in much detail, but..." Thus, inserting that odd preface, Otto began slowly speaking about what had happened since. The real issue was what had happened the night Subaru had disappeared in other words, what had been triggered by Subaru's disappearance. "Quite naturally, of course, news of Mr. Natsuki vanishing immediately spread. It was said that you had a promise with the Marquis for that night, and even without that, Mr. Natsuki, you are a rather famous individual, so..." "You can ditch the flattery. Go on, please." "I did not particularly intend it as flattery, but...at any rate, Mr. Natsuki going missing stirred up the settlement considerably. In particular, Lady Emilia seemed to be in a rather large panic, enough that she did not challenge the Trial the following day." "Emilia did that..." Hearing the word panic made him imagine Emilia's mental state had been in a pretty bad state. Without Subaru there at her side, she had to do without his emotional support on that first day. Well after the fact, he regretted being unable to encourage and console her with gentle words. "...Shall I continue, Mr. Natsuki?" "...Yeah, please." In a composed manner, Otto explained the happenings in the Sanctuary that followed from an observer's perspective. Subaru's disappearance had been blamed on having entered the Lost Woods at night. Ram had been unable to locate Subaru even with her Clairvoyance, and for a time, Emilia had gone into the forest to search. Volunteers from the people of Earlham Village gathered together as well, forming and dispatching search parties that searched around the forest. And without any foot-dragging, Garfiel had cooperated unreservedly with their efforts "Lights the match, then comes running with a water bucket......somehow, he's managed pretty well on the outside." Though his comment suggested Subaru's disappearance was covered up nicely, opening the lid of the barrel could not have revealed any sloppier method. Garfiel's actions seemed completely random. "But in point of fact, Emilia did call off the search for me..." "That was at once Lady Emilia's thinking, and the Marquis's voice at work." When Subaru lowered his head in doubt, Otto raised a finger, wagging it left and right. "It was the Marquis who made the suggestion to Lady Emilia. If searching the forest with small numbers was to no avail, a large-scale search party was the only viable means. For that sake, the liberation of the Sanctuary needed to take precedence." "A search party for the forest... And Emilia swallowed that down?" "The Marquis made a solemn, formal vow that he would in no way slight Mr. Natsuki, whose meritorious service had subjugated the White Whale and destroyed an Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of the Witch Cult." Otto awkwardly lowered his eyes, but inside his heart, Subaru was outright stupefied. Setting aside however Garfiel may have explained things away, there were far too many mysteries behind Roswaal's attitude. In the first place, Subaru had meant to pin Roswaal down with questions that time around. He wanted to inquire about the tragedy at the mansion; how Beatrice, with a Gospel in her hands, was connected to it, and what she, a spirit, was thinking; and the one most knowledgeable about all of those things had to be Roswaal, who'd promised to answer his questions. This time, Subaru's objective was to get Roswaal to divulge the relationship between the pair, allowing nothing to remain hidden. Though Garfiel and Ryuzu's interference had gotten in the way of that "With that vow made, Lady Emilia was challenging the Trial yesterday and today with great intensity evident. Her heart seems quite pained at being unable to overcome the Trial even so..." "...Something's been bothering me a little since earlier, actually." "Yes? What is that?" Breaking off from his tale, Otto raised an eyebrow. "It's just," said Subaru as a preamble before continuing to say, "that really sounds like a chat between other people. How do you explain that you heard it, too?" Setting aside the crux of the story, Otto was himself one of the people concerned when it came to the various issues happening in the Sanctuary. Why did his story since earlier sound so much like something overheard from another group's discussions? "Ahhh, that is what you are asking... This is somewhat difficult for me to say, but..." Receiving Subaru's query, Otto behaved in a blatantly suspicious manner. Scratching his own cheek with a finger, he made a pained smile with an awkward look on his face. What the heck did he mean by "difficult to say"? wondered Subaru, girding himself a little. "What? You've made one shocking report after another. Throwing something else in might stand out less than you imagine. I think you should reveal whatever secrets you may have, like the amount left in your bank account." "If you were to see my bank ledger, you might end up frightened out of your wits, Mr. Natsuki." "Don't try to gloss things over." Subaru was the one who started the flippant comments, but he wouldn't let Otto escape through playing along. Discerning Subaru's will from his gaze, Otto sighed with an air of reluctance and finally answered. "Er, actually, you see...just like you, Mr. Natsuki, Garfiel has set his eyes on me, and I am currently in the middle of fleeing this way and that throughout the Sanctuary." "Huh?" "I mean! If you are a victim of imprisonment, Mr. Natsuki, then I am a fugitive being pursued! All of this information, I gathered while on the run... That is why, as a matter of fact, they are things I have heard." With Subaru taken aback, Otto looked him over as his shoulders sank with an exceptionally tired expression. Blinking several times at his explanation, Subaru stared at Otto more intently. Then, he belatedly realized that Otto, standing right before his eyes, was in a grimy, tattered state. Given his standing as a merchant, Otto, mindful of visual impressions, was always very nicely groomed. He'd also heard directly from Otto that this was part and parcel of his preparedness as a merchant. It was this Otto who, at present, had sweat and soil marring his face, his hair all a jumble. His hat was squished, his clothes were damaged from snagging all over the place, his boots were grimy with mud, and appended to all of that was " Man, you reek! It's getting into my eyes!" "That was exceptionally blunt of you, but you realize this applies not only to me, but to you as well?!" "Ahh, well, I suppose so... I suppose you're right, ha-ha." Subaru made a listless laugh as he put his nose to his own sleeve. He indeed smelled terrible. Thanks to being blindfolded and isolated, his vision and hearing had grown exceptionally sensitive, but his undamaged nose seemed to have been wildly thrown off as well. But the largest reason for that was that it was not his body odor at work. It was a more distinct, sharper stench that filled the area around him, seemingly piercing his nose. "This really bad smell, it couldn't be... It's not the scent of miasma, right...?" "I do not know why you are speaking of miasma all of a sudden, but you need not be concerned. We are indeed near a Witch's tomb, but nothing that dangerous is hovering about. That is not to say the cause of this scent is a completely safe thing, but..." "You know about miasma?" "Enough to know that my head would be acting strangely if it was miasma lingering in the air..." For an instant, his statement that he could sense miasma put Subaru on guard. But Otto's subsequent testimony cleared his wariness away. Either way, the scent had nothing to do with miasma "Meaning, this place must really smell. I don't wanna stay here for long." "In a quite different sense, I concur. I would like us to distance ourselves before the guard returns." "The way you keep mentioning guard this, guard that sounds real scary. But before that..." Otto kept his expressive voice down, trying to advance to the actual escaping part. However, before following his plan, Subaru had something he had to make certain of first. He had to get Otto to continue talking about his standing in the Sanctuary. "Let me ask this. How did Garfiel end up after you? Running around from him is why you look all messed up like that, right?" *** "I'm genuinely grateful you came to help me. To be honest, before I saw your face, I was backed into a corner so hard I thought death was better. But..." There, Subaru's words trailed off as he gazed at Otto, pressed into silence. For once, Otto received Subaru's gaze head on with an expression close to dead seriousness. Subaru continued. "I can't figure out why you'd lend me a hand. Logically, I can see the possibility, but..." It wasn't that he was doubting Otto, but Subaru couldn't put a finger on his motives. If things were bad enough that he was in a serious mess, having made an enemy out of Garfiel, the strongest fighter in the Sanctuary, then why help Subaru? Of course, there were a few potential reasons. By gaining Subaru's favor and laying the foundation for dealing with the Sanctuary's other various problems, he would gain a lot of goodwill with the Emilia faction. Even Roswaal, the greatest contributor to the faction, would surely remember his deeds. That would be sufficient for Otto's original objective of gaining favor with the Marquis. But it was merely sufficient. In terms of profits, big scores, and any other mercantile affair, the odds were stacked against him. Total defeat seemed inevitable. With no clear means of victory, it was no gamble; it was suicidal conduct, simple as that. If he had a reason for that act not to be suicidal conduct, that might have been a different story, but "You don't seem the type who likes getting himself killed." "...Is there any person who does like getting himself killed?" To Otto's question, Subaru twisted his neck and went, "Who knows?" At the very least, there was one man in the room who'd spent the last three days thinking of nothing but death. Yes, during those three days, Subaru had begged for death a number of times. Even as he begged for death,

he saw once more all the deaths he had experienced to date. He had told Otto the truth. It was not in jest whatsoever: In those entire three days, he had not remembered Otto even once. In one sense, this was the trust Subaru held toward Otto. With so many terrible situations piled atop one another, he didn't want there to be any reason to be on his guard even against Otto. It was a very evasive kind of trust. "So answer me, Otto. Why did you come help me?" The quiet question was the watershed dividing the pair standing in that place. With bated breath, Subaru awaited Otto's reply. Receiving Subaru's inquiry, Otto swallowed for one brief moment, staring back with his own black pupils. " Mr. Natsuki, it is your fault Garfiel has a reason to come after me." "...My fault?" "Mr. Natsuki, that night, you know for a fact I was the last one to meet with both you and Garfiel, yes? When Mr. Natsuki disappeared afterward, naturally I suspected him. He surely found my eyewitness testimony to be inconvenient, so he wanted me to keep it to myself." The explanation resonated deeply inside Subaru's chest. In other words, Garfiel was after Otto to silence him. That being the case, it was entirely natural for Otto to decide that rescuing Subaru was ultimately the best way to break out of his dilemma. "However, he stated that if I was to keep his meeting with Mr. Natsuki secret, he would do me no harm. He showed me some kind of crystal, offering it as compensation." However, it was Otto himself who poured cold water on Subaru's premature conclusion. Garfiel had not attempted to silence him by force, but with words and compensation. Now his earlier acceptance made no sense. Otto had a choice that would have ensured his safety. "And in spite of that, you turned him down? And that's why Garfiel's after you?" "Well, it might have been a compelling choice, but not a particularly palatable one..." "Don't joke at a time like this! Are you an idiot? Why did you do something like that?! What..." What reason did he have to cross such a dangerous bridge? What could have possibly been the impetus to make him do so? "What were you th..." "My goodness, Mr. Natsuki." With Subaru at his wits' end, Otto interrupted his words, passing a hand through his own ashen hair. Then, he fixed his squished hat as he finally answered. " Is it really that strange to help out a friend?" For an instant, time came to a halt for Subaru, unsure just what had been said to him. It was several seconds before time moved again a slow, slow restart. However, even when it moved, his confusion did not cease. The meaning of the words would not sink in. At that moment, just what magic spell had Otto cast upon Subaru? Friend? What was this word, friend? What, was this person saying to him? "Wh-why is this person's face frozen in such a look of surprise..." "Nah, someone I don't recognize just got mentioned... Mr. Fred, you said?" "That conclusion is wrong from head to tail! Not Fred, friend! As in friendship!" "Friends... Friendship?! Between whom?!" "Between me! And Mr. Natsuki!!" Stamping his foot, Otto pointed at both Subaru and himself. But his action left Subaru's eyes even wider. Subaru's reaction made Otto go, "Oh, good grief!" as he plucked at his head, seemingly to drive the numbness away. "Certainly! Our mutual interests coincide where my coming here is concerned! It is so I can meet with the Marquis, and through such business, aid and support Lady Emilia. And in the first place, Mr. Natsuki, it is you who saved me when I was captured by the Witch Cult!" *** "But setting all these troublesome matters aside, I simply believe I am Mr. Natsuki's friend. There is the normal manner in which you treat me but also the sense of a friend's distance between us." Scratching his head, Otto averted his gaze from Subaru, perhaps getting blushy midway. And having heard the entire story, Subaru made no reaction whatsoever. His silence drew a questioning look from Otto's face. There was a fair bit of concern in his eyes, for Subaru displayed no reaction to his words at all. Perhaps Subaru was reflecting upon the high-pressure friendship sales pitch. Otto's pupils seemed to represent a hundred faces at once. And what this brought gushing up from Subaru's heart was " Pfft." "Pardon?" "Wahahahahah! F-friends? Friends, huh!! Ahhh, so that's it, that's it! Otto, you actually wanted to be my friend!" "Wha ?!" Unable to take it anymore, Subaru broke down laughing as he rabidly slapped the red-faced Otto's shoulder. Even so, the mirth had not vanished from him; Subaru stamped the ground and squirmed, still clutching his belly. "Bwa-ha-ha, friend! Awww, damn it! Otto, damn you, you bastard!" "Ow, ow! What was that for?! Ahhh, I was such a fool to say it! I can understand why you are laughing, Mr. Natsuki! But surely it is not that funny!" "No, no, no, I have to laugh at it. You're not the weird one here... I'm laughing 'cause my foolishness is so huge and awful, I amaze even myself." Wiping away with his left hand the tears surging up from his outburst of laughter, Subaru was still struck by it all as he straightened his posture. To his front, Otto wore a face that revealed regret that he'd spoken the word friend. But toward the sight of him like that, Subaru bore gratitude...and near-bottomless derision for himself. He couldn't understand Otto. He didn't know what to believe; and yet, here was Otto, coming to Subaru's aid for no more reason than being Subaru's friend. Faced with such a man before him, it was less that he trusted his feelings than he rued his own idiocy in suspecting what might lie beyond. He'd been too buffeted by the situation, rendered too unable to understand the feelings of the people around him. He'd believed in malice so strongly, he'd forgotten goodwill even existed. He'd truly been an enormous fool. He'd come to feel like having crossed through death to redo things a few brief times had taught him something. The battle wasn't over. He didn't have to abandon anything, not yet. "Mr. Natsuki?" A question mark floated over Otto's head. He did not understand the meaning of Subaru's self-derision and self-admonishment. Subaru shook his head at the man's reaction and somehow feeling brighter, breathed in and spoke up. "Sorry. You're my friend, Otto Thank you for coming to help me." To his friend, he conveyed the thanks that should have been the first words out of his mouth. CHAPTER 4 *** 1 The place Subaru had been confined was removed from the settlement, deep into the woods a remote place where the Lost Woods of Cremaldi very much felt like they lived up to their name. The instant they exited the structure, Subaru took deep breaths over and over as he felt his skin bathed in outside air for the first time in three days. "Really have to say, though, what a stench... What's actually making that smell, anyway?" "Who knows? It differs from the stench of flesh or rot, but its ill effect upon the nose is no different. It feels like some sort of oil or aromatic, but..." "Considering how active a smell it is, maybe ammonia or something like that. Nah, let's think that one over later..." As he looked back at the building in which he had been imprisoned, he set aside the issue of the scent that had made such a deep impression. It was a white weathered stonework building. In terms of materials and apparent age, it felt akin to the tomb, but seemed far better preserved in Subaru's mind. That was probably a by-product of the environment...smell included. "I felt this while I was captured, but man, there's not one bug or mouse here?" "There is no mistaking it is a strange environment. I meant to use my blessing to search everywhere for you, Mr. Natsuki, but I would have been in dire straits if I had not noticed the ill feeling in this place." "Ill feeling?" "When I am seriously employing my blessing, there are few places in this world untouched by the rhythmic voices of bird and insect. It is human nature to find such rare places suspicious, is it not?" When Otto winked, Subaru crossed his arms in response. Then, quite earnestly, he said, "Hmm, you're a pretty useful guy. I seriously don't understand why you come off like such a flake." "Could you decide whether you want to praise me or insult me, and just pick one?!" "Why are you such a flake? That's, like, an incredible, unspeakable flaw for someone?" "Why did you pick insults?!" When Otto grumbled about the insufficient praise for his exploits, Subaru responded with a wry smile and a sigh of admiration. According to Otto, his blessing the blessing of the spoken word enabled him to achieve mutual understanding with any living creature. Thus, he was able to converse with the land dragon in his service, and contact birds and insects to tell him which routes were safe. "So that blessing is how you searched for me and gave Garfiel the slip, then. You really are a hell of a convenient guy to have around." "It is hardly all a good thing. All it does is bring them to the table. The result of the negotiations is on my shoulders. If I put them in a sour mood, they shall lead me not to a road but to a cliff." "Natural wildlife is scary!!" He who had the blessing spoke, admonishing him who did not. Carving the words upon his breast, Subaru put his interest regarding the white building back on the shelf for the time being. The place tugged at him, but thinking about it wouldn't get him any answers no matter how long he spent. Right then, there was a more pressing issue in need of an answer. "What if, for instance, we went back to everyone, and exposed what Garfiel's done?" "...Actually, I truly cannot recommend acting upon that thought." "And why's that?" "Ahh, I did not sufficiently explain during our earlier conversation, but your disappearance has caused even larger effects than are apparent on the surface, Mr. Natsuki..." Averting his gaze as if he found it difficult to say, Otto brought all five fingertips from both hands together in front of his own chest. The feminine gesture gave Subaru a bad feeling that tore at him. Subaru began with the preamble, "Man, you're scarin' me..." and continued, "You're scarin' me, but talk. Really, what's been going on while I've been gone?" "Errr, it was a factual explanation, I assure you! Simply, the situation is a little more difficult, perhaps more extreme, than a dry explanation can convey..." "Spill it already!" "Lady Emilia has been backed into a corner, and the concerns from the evacuated villagers are coming to a head, so if they heard, at this point, Mr. Natsuki had been imprisoned, they might...explode!" Raising both hands in an act of surrender, Otto seemed desperate as he revealed the current state of affairs. The contents just exposed left Subaru opening and closing his mouth for several moments before he managed to get something out. "It's that bad?" "...Mr. Natsuki, it would be best if you gain a little more self-awareness of how much you are the mental pillar of support for the people around you. Though I do not know the details, Lady Emilia still has not heard from her contracted spirit, and you have saved the people of the village twice over, have you not?" "That's, well, it's true, but..." "A rather unreliable, halfhearted reply, yes?" Goodness, seemed to say the slumping of Otto's shoulders, but Subaru couldn't just come out and nod

his head. He understood Emilia being worried. With Puck not there for her, Subaru was her only absolute ally. That said, if she could make it through the Trial, it probably wouldn't have been reason enough to shake her up that far. For the people of Earlham Village, he'd resolved the demon beast uproar and the Witch Cult issue. He didn't mind the gratitude, but this was too much. Subaru had let them all die over and over. It was an extreme over-appraisal. But if either part was true, it meant the situation was exceptionally perilous. "If finding me means a huge explosion in the Sanctuary... Seriously, why'd you come looking for me? If it's like this, finding me doesn't solve a thing." "Well, if I hadn't found you, you would have died! Is that not reason enough?" *** "Ow, ow, ow! What?! Why are you slapping me without a word?! Could you stop?!" With rock rather than paper, Subaru punched Otto's shoulder, each blow packed with emotion. At any rate, he kissed goodbye the plan to expose Garfiel's scheme. Subaru didn't want relations in the Sanctuary to worsen, either, naturally. Nor did he intend to cry himself to sleep... "Exposing the truth here and now is a bad plan, huh? Can't be helped, then. Let's go with Plan B." "What is this Plan B?" "Ah? There isn't one. I was just trying to think one up while I said it." In the first place, he'd been thinking of nothing but death until just prior to his escape. Even if he'd dragged his thoughts away from giving in to his fate, his head hadn't done much for thinking as of yet. "But unlike me, you look like you have a proper plan. That's the friend who came to save me for you. It's not like you just charged in with an empty head, no thought about what comes next?" "Uwa! Uwaaah! Goodness, you really know how to lay into someone out of the blue! Although it is not the case that I came without any thought, I assure you!" Wanting to live up to expectations, Otto spoke along the same lines as Subaru had. An impish smile came over him as he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Mr. Natsuki, your existence is a source of great worry to Garfiel. The fact he has kept you alive without any means of using you is proof enough... Therefore, I wish to use that worry as a bargaining chip." "Meaning what exactly?" "Mr. Natsuki, you shall escape past the barrier. With the barrier still up, the residents of the Sanctuary, Garfiel included, cannot pursue you. When the barrier is lifted, the conditions shall stabilize, dousing the embers, yes?" As things were, without the Sanctuary being liberated from the barrier, any explosion inside of it would be fatal. Otto's proposal was simple. To avoid that explosion, Subaru, the ember in question, would be sent outside it. This done, negotiating the release of the villagers held hostage would not be particularly difficult. "The problem is whether we can do it. As they say, 'easier said than done.'" "You say that as a quote, much like Garfiel. Either way, I shall state you need not be concerned about that matter. I already have a highly reassuring sympathizer." "Sympathizer?" "Yes. Thanks to this, I am able to learn many things even while on the run. Even if I hear things from other living creatures, complex human relations and changes in emotional states are a bit much, you see." It was less even blessings have their limits than the difference in priorities between different living things. However, he was a little surprised by the existence of a sympathizer. The Sanctuary apparently wasn't all on the same page. He could understand the sentiment, though wanting to spectacularly hurl the ember away before it set off the powder house that the Sanctuary had become. "Just escape, huh?" "Yes, that is best, I think. I understand your wanting to tell Lady Emilia you are safe and sound in person, but..." "I do feel like that, of course..." He had no objection to Otto's plan. He could even endure Otto's worry and consideration for Emilia. However, the reason he hesitated to simply run for it was something else entirely. "At any rate, I'd like to meet this sympathizer. If I'm gonna make a run for it, it has to be while Emilia challenges the Trial... In other words, it's now or never. That's the idea, right?" "That makes it a short discussion, Mr. Natsuki...truly rare for you. The sympathizer is waiting for us outside of the forest. First, let us proceed that way. Please do not stray." Acknowledging Subaru's judgment, Otto listened attentively as he headed toward the forest. He had no doubt activated the power of the blessing of the spoken word, lending his ears to the words of the living creatures in the area. *** From time to time, Otto's mouth let slip sounds of a sort that should never have come from a human being. The blessing seemed to function by matching his wavelength with those of the other parties when he spoke. It was like communicating with bats via ultrasonic waves, something that tugged at him a fair bit. They moved to rendezvous with the sympathizer as he awaited Otto's negotiations. The thought of traversing a forest in the deep night, relying on the words of insects and small animals with very different points of view, depleted his morale far more than he'd expected. "Don't tell me they're guiding us to burrows people can't pass through..." "Certainly they are not people. But this toil has come to an end." As the tired Subaru took long breaths, Otto, his hair smeared with leaves, replied thus. When Subaru responded to the optimistic words by lifting his head, he saw a faint bonfire straight ahead of them and made out the presence of the settlement. If the bonfire was there, Emilia was conducting the Trial at the tomb. By rights, he wanted to race over there to be at her side, but "...Can't do that, huh. So where's this sympathizer you spoke of?" "This is the rendezvous point. She is exceedingly punctual, so she should already be here..." " You certainly took your time. I thought I would become an old woman while I waited." " Eh?" Subaru gasped when a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. He felt the grass part as a person approached. When he turned his face that way, a pink-haired girl emerged, pushing her way through a thicket that very moment. She brushed the hem of her short skirt. And then "Though even an elderly Ram would be adorable, I am sure." These words spoken, Ram turned toward Subaru and Otto, snorting in her usual manner. 2 When they arrived at the rendezvous point with the sympathizer, it was none other than Ram who appeared. Stunned by that fact, Subaru was frozen in place as Ram's pink eyes narrowed. The dangerous look in her eyes made him swallow his saliva, whereupon Subaru quickly glanced at Otto, standing beside him. "...Otto, on three, we split up and run. Your job's to cry out in a loud voice and draw her off. Mine's to be quiet, wordless like a snake. Any objections?" "I have nothing but objections! For that matter, why are you taking such a guarded posture..." "Idiot, you were followed. Look at Ram's eyes. She's planning to kill us, no mistake. Trust me. They're the same eyes as when I messed up back at the mansion." "Trust you, because you're a man that people regard with bloodlust on a daily basis?!" In a small voice, Subaru contrived to flee, but Otto's reaction was far too dulled. Against Ram, his poor intuition was a fatal flaw. Unfortunately, Otto would perish. "And when you die, I will carve your dying will upon my breast and see that the people of the Sanctuary are freed..." "May we set the games aside and advance the conversation? Wasted time leads to a wasted life." "This useless treatment makes it sound like I am already dead either way!" Otto persisted against Ram's bluntness, but her response to his behavior was a frighteningly cold gaze. Torn apart by that gaze, Otto tragically sank in an instant. Watching the one-sided interaction, Subaru went, "At any rate," and continued his words with, "Even with his life in extreme peril, I don't see Otto nervous...so what, you're the sympathizer?" "I object to the ring of the word 'sympathizer.' I am the instigator." "Man, Otto really comes off like a familiar here..." The familiar concerned seemed dissatisfied with being treated as such, but Subaru took his lack of objection as assent. Whatever you wanted to call it, Ram apparently really was lending Otto a hand. In other words, she didn't want an explosion in the Sanctuary either, and thus intended to let Subaru escape outside "I can't say I ever expected Ram and Otto to team up..." "I suppose you did not. However, facts are facts. Accept them." "I could do that, but it's more natural for me to see this from a different point of view." *** "You letting me escape, that's an instruction from Roswaal, isn't it?" When Subaru's question pressed further, Ram was silent as her expression froze over. Ram independently cooperating with him would have made his chest heat up quite a bit, but Subaru knew intimately that she wasn't prone to acting in such a convenient manner. Ram's actions were fundamentally based on her loyalty toward Roswaal. Accordingly, it was proper to think that Roswaal's intentions always rested behind her every action. *** "No denial, huh? Not sure if Otto knew that, though." "I have made a deal regarding you, Mr. Natsuki. She shall not send your head flying." "Meaning it's Ram who approached you, huh? If that's Roswaal's instruction, too, did he tell you to do anything else? What's his thinking behind sending you?" "...For Barusu, blood flows through you rather quickly, doesn't it?" Accepting Otto's defense of himself, Subaru's certainty deepened, which caused Ram to sigh deeply. He thought the sigh contained a whiff of both exasperation and exhaustion. "This behavior really ain't like you." "That is Ram's line. It is strange that you can be this calm after being confined somewhere beyond everyone's knowledge...or rather, quite creepy." "Don't say creepy; that hurts. Besides, I can only look at it calmly 'cause it came after a big, hard laugh." He had to grudgingly admit that the exchange with Otto just prior did much to restore his spirits. Between pep and bravado, Subaru was without doubt on the pep side of the coin at present. So while the pep lasted "I want an answer to my earlier question. I'll base what I decide on that." "What to do? Here, is not fleeing the only option? Mr. Natsuki, to put it bluntly, if someone spots or finds you, the situation becomes worst case, does it not?" "I get what you're saying. I'm incredibly grateful that you came to help me. But I'll never win anything if I let things end with only the other guy landing a punch." Otto's opinion hadn't changed since the outset: He should wholeheartedly flee. However, Subaru knew the situation would only deteriorate. He had to gamble in order to break the deadlock. And, as dealers for wagers went, the Ram standing before him worked just fine. Faced with the resolve in Subaru's gaze, Ram's long-lashed eyelids gently fell. And then "...Yes, it is as you say. Assisting Barusu is Master Roswaal's instruction. Setting eyes upon Otto for that purpose was Ram's own personal judgment, however." "So he fit the bill in your eyes, huh." "I merely reasoned that without a competent handler, Otto would die for nothing." "Ugh... Can't deny that!" "Well, deny it anyway!!" Otto shouted in anger, but in light of the background circumstances, Ram's guess was correct. Having blown off

Garf's demand, he saw no path for Otto to survive without Ram's cooperation. In that case, prolonged confinement would have probably left Subaru crippled. "It would seem Ram's greatness has sunken into you." "Accepting it is off in another dimension, though... Besides, I want to ask you something more. If you're obeying Roswaal's instructions, were they to get me outside?" "...His instructions were, Aid him. But, in the present Sanctuary circumstances, you understand that getting you outside is the optimal plan, Barusu?" "You're certainly right about that How did you plan to get me out?" If the powder house was on the verge of an explosion, just how did you plan to carry the ember out? At Subaru's question, Ram folded her arms. "It is simple," she prefaced before saying, "Garf cannot leave the tomb during the time Lady Emilia challenges the Trial. We need to simply mount Barusu on his land dragon and get him beyond the barrier while still outside of Garf's sight." "That really is simple. Sure you want to pull that without a double for me or something?" "Do not complain. At times like this, simple is best." Immediately turning her back on him, Ram meant to lead Subaru in the direction of his escape. Obeying her instructions and breaking away from the Sanctuary as soon as possible was the right call if the Sanctuary was the only issue, at least. But it was not so. Therefore, to arrive at other correct solutions " Ram, change of plans. Running comes later." "Mr. Natsuki?! What are you saying?!" "I'm not saying I won't run. But with Garfiel at the tomb, it's a chance to do something besides just running, ain't it? A chance to do something else without anyone butting in." When Otto let out a shriek, Subaru strongly thrust a finger toward him. The gesture pressed Otto into silence; in his place, Ram looked back toward Subaru. "And just what do you intend to do?" With a calm, collected tone of voice and eyes betraying no emotion, she questioned the intent behind Subaru's statement. Subaru exhaled deeply at that gaze, and the corners of his mouth twisted as he replied. " I want to pick up where we got interrupted three days ago." 3 " Roswaal, this time, let's talk without you hiding anything." Subaru was the first to open his mouth, letting those words fly. Roswaal narrowed his pair of heterochromatic eyes. His injured body resting on the bed in his bedroom at the Ryuzu residence, Roswaal betrayed no sign of surprise at the sudden arrival of this rare guest. It was almost as if he knew Subaru would come. Indeed, his deep nod seemed only to support that conclusion as he spoke in greeting. "A reunion after three days a miraculous return at that there is a rather dangerous air about you, is there nooooot?" "No jokes. Right now I don't have any time for foolin' around. I don't care how badly you're hurt. I'm ready to use force if I have to." "I see. I suppose three days of suffering will do that to someone. No, no, noooo, even if I speak words of praise for this, it shall only disgust you, I am sure. Let us get to the point, shall we?" The sight of Subaru clenching his teeth with no margin for error made a smile come over Roswaal as he shook his head side to side. After that, his eyes shifted to the closed door behind Subaru as he said, "Ram let you through, yes? I did give that girl instructions to aid you, but..." "Yeah. That's why she brought me here without any fuss. If you ask me if I wanna run, I'd probably tell you yes, but I pushed that choice down the road." " Really." Roswaal closed one eye as he replied. Under the gaze of his open yellow eye, Subaru lightly moistened his lips. He'd come to speak with Roswaal, putting fleeing the Sanctuary on the back burner. Naturally, Otto had objected vociferously, asserting that it would only put Subaru in greater danger, but Ram had set the stage at Subaru's request. Paying due attention to the fine details, she had brought him there, to the stage built for a conversation with Roswaal beyond the Sanctuary residents' prying eyes. "I'll ask you this, Roswaal. It's three days late, but are you gonna claim you changed your mind about your promise?" "Strictly speaking, I had intended for the promise I made to be effective for that night alone...but it is fine. I am not a spirit mage, after all. I have no interest in nitpicking the fine detaaaails." Originally, Roswaal had promised to speak no lies in the discussion they were to have had that night. He had sworn that, though he might remain silent about matters inconvenient to him, the words he spoke would be the truth. He'd make use of that. Ironically, it was just like the Roswaal from the last time around had said. "I understand the situation in the Sanctuary, and the danger of me being here. That's why I want to ask you about the mansion as a major precondition of my leaving here." "Hmm, about the mansion, you ask? If it is something within my understaaaanding..." "More like you're the only guy who can give me an answer What I wanna ask about is Beatrice. Why is she in the mansi No." There, Subaru cut off his own word, interrupting his question. He couldn't ask it that way. Roswaal had already given a similar question the slip once before. He hated to follow Roswaal's words of advice once again, but he needed to pose his questions "well." Things were decisively different than the last time around. He needed a question Roswaal couldn't gloss over "...I'll change how I phrase the question. Is she, is Beatrice...a Witch Cultist?" Choosing his words, Subaru paused, endured the palpitation of his heart, and posed the question. The decisive difference from the previous time around was that Subaru knew Beatrice possessed that magic tome. Namely, he harbored a suspicion that she might be connected to the Witch Cult. *** Roswaal, receiving Subaru's question in silence, sank into thought for a time. That silence felt detestably long, further accelerating Subaru's heart. Finally, before the nervous Subaru, he exhaled and said, "Why do you think that Beatrice be a Witch Cultist?" "...Because I've seen her room." "And by seen, you mean...?" "Because! She... The book! Because she has a Gospel...!" Subaru's voice was tinged with anger. He was angry at having to say aloud even the part he did not wish to speak. The raw bitterness in his shout revealed the real reason Subaru wished to pose that question. Beatrice, clutching the Gospel to her chest, shouting that she obeyed its notations as she rejected Subaru; if she was truly a mad devotee of the Gospel, instigator of the tragedy at the mansion " If that time comes, she'll be our...my enemy." He'd see Beatrice as an enemy, as an obstacle that had to be removed. "Strong words. Truly words of resolve." Roswaal nodded deeply at Subaru's declaration. Then, he closed his open eye. "...Though the pain upon your face makes such words less convincing." *** "You having to be pitted against the girl is such a terrible tale. Certainly to me, having seen you two smile and play together so. Therefore, I wish to extend a hand of salvation." "A hand of salvation? You, to me? ...That's like, top-level worldwide fishy." Feeling something raging inside of him, Subaru's cheek twitched as he wrung out his voice. Roswaal no doubt saw right through the bluff, yet he said not one disparaging word, merely raising a finger as he said, "Certainly, the book you saw is very similar to the Gospels that Witch Cultists possess. It is no fault of your own that you suspect Beatrice as a result. But I guarantee this " "Guarantee...?" "That girl is not a Witch Cultist. She has nothing to do with those hurling themselves over the Great Waterfalls in search of love that does not exist. Though it is true that the book is of a similar nature." " !! Not the Witch Cult...! You mean it?!" Gazing with eyes open wide, Subaru leaped at Roswaal's response. It was pretty much the first piece of good news for Subaru that time around. Though the fact that it was Roswaal's guarantee bore its own whiff of concern, his vow to speak the truth made up for that. "If Beatrice isn't part of the Witch Cult...then..." Then, there was no reason it was an irreconcilable conflict. He didn't have to give up on her "W-wait! I don't wanna get happy over just that. The problem isn't what flag she's under. If she's not part of the Witch Cult, what is that book? Why does she have a Gospel?" "I suppose saying it is from an archive of forbidden books where numerous magic tomes are gathered...would be too much of a stretch. So I shall reply plainly... That book is not a Gospel." "It's not...? But she definitely called the book a Gospel." "Because it does not have a proper name. Hence, she called it via the name used for the inferior product." Even then, Beatrice's rejection lingered in his ears. Subaru refuted Roswaal with that difficult-to-forget shout in mind. With a knowing look, he said to Subaru, "If I may?" and continued his words with, "I do not know how much of which you are aware, but the Gospels possessed by Witch Cultists are incomplete. The number of notations is limited, their contents vague, varying depending upon the interpretation. To have such an unfriendly tome determine the path of the possessor's fate...is rather arbitrary, is it not?" "...You're crazy detailed about this. All I'd heard was that it was holy writ that prophesized the future." "Witch Cultists can gush forth from anywhere, particularly Sanctuaries connected to a Witch such as that which I administer. It is not merely once or twice that I have skirmished with them. I have found traces of their tomes amid the cinders of their corpses. However, I know they are frauds because only the possessor may read their contents." "I've had that experience once..." Subaru, too, possessed a single Gospel, but he wasn't able to understand its contents. It was like staring at cursive handwriting from a foreign land; the character information wasn't being conveyed to his brain. Even at present, when he tried to remember the single page he had seen, not even a portion floated into his head. "It feels a lot like the ID-blocking robe's effect... In other words, it might not be common, but books like that aren't super-rare either. So, you're saying it's not strange that Beatrice has one, too?" " No, the tome Beatrice possesses is a complete edition. It is a magical tome that records the true future, of which only two volumes exist in the whole of the world. It is the closest thing to a Tome of Wisdom that currently exists." With his eyes closed, Roswaal spoke the name of the book, which Subaru didn't recognize. Then, a moment after it became clear exactly what book Beatrice possessed suddenly, Subaru's body stiffened, feeling like the air in the room had suddenly gotten colder. The cause was Roswaal, head hung just before him. The ghastly aura emanating from him made Subaru draw in his breath. "Ros...waal...?" "Sorry. It seems I was recalling an amusing memory for a short while." "...I-if that just now was a funny memory, slipping up and asking about old stories seems like a really bad idea." "There will be other opportunities to speak of unamusing old tales. At present, time is limited, is it not?" Abruptly, his mood seemed to soften, his smile dispersing the strained air about them. The relaxation of the atmosphere made strength drain from Subaru's body as well, but his horror at the abnormal demeanor did

not vanish. However, Subaru bit down the persisting horror with his back teeth, forcing his mind to right itself. Every moment that passed brought the Trial closer to an end, and so, too, Garfiel's return. A sense of duty to finish the discussion before that happened burned within Subaru as he turned to face Roswaal once more. "I'd really like to ask for the details about this Tome of Wisdom, but right now the gist will do. What I need to know is how do I convince the Beatrice with that book to back down?" "Perhaps if you broke into tears and begged, she might listen to you?" "I said no joking around! I'm not asking you to be funny. This is a serious question." "I did not intend it as a particularly frivolous reply, mind you..." Bringing the obstinate Beatrice around was an absolutely irreplaceable component of breaking through the calamity arising at the mansion. Even if the option of taking her and fleeing had vanished, he'd be at a marked advantage if he had her cooperation. They could shelter the noncombatants, Rem and Petra, in the archive of forbidden books and jump them to Earlham Village. "Beyond that, even if Frederica were to become hostile, that girl would surely fend her off without difficulty." "...I don't particularly suspect Frederica as an enemy." "Oh my, you seemed to suspect her due to the crystal incident. Your opinion changed at some point?" "...Yeah, that's right, it did." "A rather uncertain reply, no? If you are concerned, take Ram. Surely she will not refuse." Subaru had only cleared up his suspicions of Frederica based on the memories of the Subaru who had returned to the mansion. From Roswaal's perspective, Subaru's two worries for his return to the mansion surely appeared to be Frederica's rebellious intent and Beatrice's possession of a certain book. Accordingly, proposing that Ram accompany him was a natural decision. Aside from the point that Subaru had already tried that and failed " Roswaal said, 'Ask your questions.'" "...Huh?" As Subaru sank into thought, the abrupt statement made his jaw fall open. Roswaal sat up from lying on his side in bed, looked up at Subaru, and repeated himself. "If you remain concerned about the matter, upon your return to the mansion, tell her, 'Roswaal said, Ask your questions.' When Beatrice hears this, she will surely respond." "That's..." He blinked. Subaru remembered hearing those weighty words before. The first time around that loop, just before setting out from the Sanctuary to return to the mansion, Ram told him those words, hailing from Roswaal after their relationship had worsened. The shock of death had caused him to forget them, and he had not remembered the words on the last, and second, time around, but "...I see. You do not believe these words are sufficient." "W-wait. Insufficient, that's... Nah, before that, it's just..." "Then I shall continue. Or perhaps, this way of speaking it would be surer footing?" Roswaal ignored Subaru's confusion; indeed, a smile came over him. Then, in his usual manner, he closed one eye, seeing right through Subaru with his yellow eye and speaking thus: " Simply tell her you are That Person." "That Person...?" "Make Beatrice ask this of you, and affirm that it is so. Do this, and she will most certainly be your ally, sure to lending you her power without reservation." He firmly declared this, his words infused with powerful conviction. When that conviction caused Subaru to look back into Roswaal's eye, the tranquil yellow glint therein betrayed none of his thoughts. Still, if that all turned out to be true, then the words he'd been told to speak were simply that powerful. "What's...up with that? How can you say that so confidently?" "Because to that girl, to Beatrice, it is a pact she is unable to defy." " A pact." When the word made his eardrums tremble, Subaru felt his smoldering anger rekindled once more. Pact, vow, covenant, promise just how much, how far did these bind one's heart? "Her staying in the mansion...in the archive of forbidden books, was all due to a pact, I heard? What kind of pact did you two form...?" "You misunderstand, Subaru. No pact has been formed between Beatrice and me whatsoever." "...What?" To Subaru's question, posed as he trembled with anger, Roswaal refuted with a sideways shake of his head. Then, as Subaru stood dumbfounded, Roswaal touched the bandage wrapped around his chest as he said, "I shall repeat myself. No pact-based relationship exists between Beatrice and me. She is under the same roof because our mutual interests coincide... Her pact to protect the archive of forbidden books was formed between her and a different individual." "Someone else...?! Then, who the heck was it!" "It is best you ask her. That is a question for Beatrice herself. It is not for me to speak of." Roswaal's reply, in contrast to Subaru's rage, gradually caused the latter to lose its heat. Roswaal's demeanor and reply made Subaru go "Shit!" as he strongly kicked the floor. "This again! She tells me to ask you; you tell me to ask her! Stop making me run around in circles! I want to know the answer, damn it!" "I have handed you the key so that you may arrive at your answer. All that remains is for you to place it into the keyhole and turn it. I shall not permit crudeness such as peeking into the box...rather, the archive, on the sly." Unexpectedly, Roswaal asserted his own view in a most straightforward manner. Clenching his teeth at the obstinate stance, Subaru forced his resentment down to the bottom of his belly. "...Based on the state of affairs up to yesterday, Lady Emilia should finally be exiting the tomb...regardless of her success or failure. So what shaaaall you do?" Perhaps he'd consciously put a lid on it up to that point, but now, Roswaal spoke in a blatantly jester-like tone. It annoyed Subaru, but he had a point. Timewise, he was right on the edge, a half day left until the deadline when the mansion would be attacked. Any longer, and he wouldn't make it even with Patlash running full-speed. The forces available for repelling the calamity of the twin raiders consisted of Frederica back at the mansion, Otto and Subaru set to return to it, and if they added Ram "...Is it true that Beatrice will go along with what you said just now?" "I made a vow that I would speak no lie. At the very least, it is what I believe." "If it doesn't work, I don't care what anyone says, I'm punching you in the side of your face. Remember that." For once Subaru's one-sided promise made Roswaal's eyes go round. Of course, if Subaru failed, his life was forfeited. It was a promise that would be gone the next time around. But Subaru would remember. That was what he was declaring, then and there. "Understood. Do as you like. Should you and Beatrice pair together, it shall likely be of great aid for the issues enveloping the Sanctuary as well." "Don't lay deep stuff like that on me when I'm leaving. Not like you plan on talking anymore either way." "Surely you can allooooow me this much After all, it seems I am not up to the task." Averting his gaze, the tone of Roswaal's voice fell slightly as he whispered. When Subaru, unable to clearly make out the latter half, prompted him with "What was that?" he shrugged his shoulders. "I was speaking to myself. Ah, please set your reluctance aside. If you fail due to being late, you cannot fulfill your promise to punch me?" "...Roswaal, let me ask you one last thing." " Please do." Subaru refused to go along with the jesting demeanor, straightening his back as he stared right at Roswaal. Receiving that sharp gaze, Roswaal beheld Subaru in his differently colored eyes. Beholding Roswaal in return, Subaru posed the final question of the evening. "You're not...our enemy or anything, are you, Roswaal?" *** After a pause, Roswaal answered... "Of course not You are all...my allies." 4 With the secret talks concluded, Subaru headed for a rendezvous point outside the Sanctuary. There, the arrangement was for Subaru to meet Otto and Ram, with Patlash in tow, other preparations for his escape already at an end. Sometimes sneakily, sometimes boldly, Subaru hurried along his path. "Haaa... Shit, my side hurts..." However, it was a stretch to say Subaru's hurried gait was in good form. His three-day imprisonment was the cause. Both the environment and the food were poor, leaving his debilitated body more weakened than he had thought. But he'd save his sob stories for later. If he returned to the mansion, a far harsher situation awaited him. "Even if it's as Roswaal said..." Even if Beatrice responded to Subaru's call, it was incalculable whether she could truly oppose Elsa and company. Either way, Subaru's duty wouldn't come to an end just by getting back to the mansion. If anything, there he could finally begin to fight. *** When he looked at his right wrist, there was a handkerchief tightly tied to it. Never having been removed during his confinement, the handkerchief had been blackened, and the fraying and bloodstains really stood out. Even so, his promise to return it remained unblemished. Strength surged within him. Once again, the effect of that promise lent him strength. "...Just from that." Even as pacts and vows rubbed his mind the wrong way, Subaru's own promise was a pillar of strength to him. According to the talk with Roswaal, Beatrice was bound by her own pact. To her, not a human but a spirit, a pact likely held far stronger, weightier meaning than it did to Subaru "What the hell are 'pacts' to me anyway..." The various promises that had reached Subaru's ears to date rose in the back of his mind: the pact between Emilia and Puck, the pact binding Beatrice to the archive of forbidden books, the vow Roswaal had made that very evening, the Covenant between the Kingdom of Lugunica and the Dragon, the promise between Subaru and Petra And what Subaru had said to Rem, and what Rem had cast upon Subaru like a curse " Mr. Natsuki!" The voice hurled at him from the side brought Subaru, running like a madman, to a halt. When he looked over, out of breath, Otto was waving him over, and Ram was standing beside him. Apparently, he'd gone past the rendezvous point while astray in his own thoughts. Wiping off his sweat, he headed over to them, and between them was Patlash, too, with luggage on her back. When Subaru saw that preparations were already in order, he let out a long breath. "What is wrong? When I thought, he's finally here, I was concerned when you ran right past us." "...S-sorry. A lot on my mind. My bad." "Barusu not playing mischief upon Otto? It is worse than I feared." "I would like to object to the basis of that judgment!" When Subaru linked up with them, the pair greeted him in their usual manner. But with no time to spare, Subaru did not play along, which made both knit their brows in suspicion. "You were speaking with Master Roswaal, were you not? Why, then, is your face so clouded?" "Can you quit it with the assumption everyone's happy to talk to Roswaal...?" "But you are making a rather dissatisfied face. You resolved to meet with the Marquis in spite of the danger. Can you please stop acting as if nothing was gained?" "There was a lot gained. There was, but..." Is what I dug up a good thing? he pondered belatedly. But when he thought about it, there had been gains, too. Of course, one was the possibility of breaking open the stalemate. Now that he had gained a countermeasure plan, Subaru wouldn't have to face giving

up without being able to accomplish anything like the last time around. He might be able to prevent the calamity at the mansion, rescue Rem and Petra, and even fulfill his goal of improving relations with Beatrice. And yet "...Why does my chest feel this queasy?" If he made an ally out of Beatrice and saved Frederica, they could deal with the Sanctuary's issues, too. If she exposed the mastermind behind her actions, all they had to do was beat the Trial to take care of the other problems. "The logic's sound. So why am I..." "Sorry to interrupt when you are so troubled, but time is an issue. We cannot wait any longer." Mercilessly, Otto sliced Subaru's indecision apart. His judgment was heartless, but his words were correct. Subaru hesitating at that juncture wouldn't resolve anything. Everything else hinged on first slipping out of the Sanctuary and returning to the mansion. "Bringing the dragon carriage would attract too much attention. This means I shall be riding Patlash with you, Mr. Natsuki. You do not mind?" "It'll be real bad for you if you stay, so no obje...ah, wait." When Otto was ready to beckon Patlash by hand to adopt a mounting posture, Subaru made him wait. Then, when Subaru looked behind him, Ram, standing right there, asked "What?" as she narrowed her eyes. "When we get out of the Sanctuary, we're heading straight for the mansion. We can't leave Frederica as things are. But Otto and I aren't really..." "You're really lacking in combat capacity In other words, you want Ram with you?" "I talked to Roswaal about it. He said you'd come...which is very reassuring." If he managed to persuade Beatrice, and Frederica lent him her strength, and he added Ram on top of that, Subaru was fairly confident that would be the maximum possible fighting strength he could prepare. When Subaru made his request, portraying it as the best option, Ram fell into thought briefly, immediately exhaling. "It cannot be helped." "You're sure?" "Master Roswaal did command me to aid Barusu." Her acceptance, far easier gained than he had expected, bewildered Subaru all the more for it. But Ram folded her arms. "However," she said, continuing, "I am fine with going with you, but how? With Ram, that makes three people for one land dragon." "...Ah..." "Even if Barusu and Otto are only half a man in human terms, your physical weight is that of full men. Even for a land dragon, it is difficult to carry three people." "You called me half a man?!" Ignoring Otto's lament, Subaru clutched his head, seeing that Ram's view was sound. He hadn't thought about the physical means. Given Ram's light body weight, adding her probably meant Patlash could still run with ease, but in that case, the way they'd be riding was "Considering safety, it'd be a Ram Sandwich between me and Otto...then?" "Incidentally, there is also the option of one of us running rather than riding." "In that case, considering fatigue and physical endurance, it'd definitely have to be Otto..." The choice would make for a particularly tragic scene. Of course, Otto vociferously would protest Subaru heard no such voice. Finding this quite unnatural, Subaru and Ram gave him a suspicious look. Receiving the pair's gazes, Otto's cheeks were hard as he glared in the direction of the next day's sun. At the end of his gaze, there was the bonfire that illuminated the settlement " Ain't you all havin' a nice lil' stroll 'n' chat. Why don't ya include me after I've come all this way?" An orange-hued figure walked between them and the flickering red flames. A figure audibly clenching his sharp fangs, a smile coming over him, as a ferocious, ghastly aura emanated from him. *** Instantly, Patlash let out a low growl, her anger toward the figure clear. The sight of the proud land dragon preparing for battle deepened the figure's smile, his delight deepening still. "Ha! Got whipped that much and not even a flinch. Fine woman, that land dragon. It's that whole 'The more she shines, the farther she is from Magrizza' thing." "Garfiel..." Subaru wrung out the word as the appearance of the figure of Garfiel made his body tremble. Why was he there? Such a basic question clawed at his trembling heart. The sight of him, the direct cause of his confinement, made him remember the darkness of those three days. The fear came back again, too. He touched his shoulders; he clenched his teeth; and driving back his terror, he lifted his head. "...Right now, you're on duty as a representative. Should you really be wasting time in a place like this?" "Me, I'm the protector o' these people of the Sanctuary. So if there's someone threatenin' 'em, of course I'm doin' my real job. Ya never shook off the eyes of the Sanctuary." "The Sanctuary's eyes...?" "I'm sayin' stuff comes right to me. So where the hell d'ya think yer goin', huh?" Crinkling his nose, Garfiel asked Subaru what he was up to. Subaru hesitated to give the question a straight answer. But " From here, we are getting Barusu out of the Sanctuary. Having him here is as much trouble for you as for us, so is this not more convenient for you, Garf?" "...Ram." "I shall say it once: this is your mess, Garf. Enough that I would appreciate hearing thanks for cleaning it up in your place." Puffing up her chest, Ram provocatively conveyed the plan to Garfiel. For an instant, Subaru felt that was a very dangerous posture, but he held his tongue, judging that she'd probably chosen correctly. Ram's point of view was correct. Surely, Garfiel, too, understood that Subaru's presence in the Sanctuary could only lead to an explosion. Getting him outside without an explosion was therefore a good plan. Accordingly, Garfiel plucked at his own head in annoyance and responded. "So ya see right through me, huh. Not a cute woman. Well, nothin' wrong with that..." "...Meaning, you're considering letting us go?" The words spat out along with a sigh made Subaru's eyes widen as he saw a glimmer of hope. The way he took that made Garfiel go "Aa?" with a sullen growl. "Ya don't just smell o' the Witch, ya smell of trouble. Me, I do get why leavin' ya here ain't convenient. But put another way, I gotta consider 'Hoshin was Banan's setting sun'." "Is that so? Another mystery phrase that doesn't make sense to me, but what you're getting at is..." Erasing the fact of his imprisonment aligned with their mutual interests on that single point alone. But when Subaru was relieved, taking Garfiel's words as a statement that he'd let them go the other two, stepped to the fore, interrupting his thoughts. "Wh-what's with you two...?" "I suppose your poor education means you do not understand, Barusu." "'Hoshin was Banan's setting sun' refers to an anecdote about the legendary trader Hoshin bringing the small nation of Banan to ruin It refers to giving the opponent two choices: surrender or face all-out attack." "Surrender or face all-out attack... You don't mean!" Along with the pair's statements, the vivid guardedness from Ram and Otto brought an abrupt change in Subaru's expression. Seeing this, Garfiel folded his arms, loudly cracking the bones of his neck. Then, he bared his sharp fangs, militancy gleaming from his jade eyes. "Garf! What's the meaning of this? Are you too stupid to understand the meaning of Ram's words?" "Ya better watch how ya say that stuff, Ram. I might be in love with ya, but that don't mean I won't twist yer arm. Look, just get 'im back to where he was before, 'kay?" "M-man, you really want me in a cell. Maybe this sounds like begging for my life, but I really am a coward. Me being here is nothing but bad news, and letting me go is going for the low, low price of free, so shouldn't we aim for that?" "'Confusing price for bargain brings ruin.' That was one of Hoshin's sayings, too." Saying something similar to there is nothing more expensive than something offered for free, Garfiel refuted and rejected his proposal. He couldn't understand the obstinate posture. For what reason was Garfiel so obsessed with Subaru? "Me, I can't let a shady guy like you outside. Better ya stay inside with me, the strongest guy around." "That decision might court Master Roswaal's displeasure. After all, to Master Roswaal, Subaru is " Cutting off her words there, Ram suggestively glanced sidelong at Subaru. Subaru, ignorant of the gaze's meaning, was perplexed, whereupon Ram looked back at Garfiel and carried on. "A useless servant... It is best to discard him, yes." "I'm pretty amazed you can say that in this situation, Big Sis..." The way Ram was covering for him before abandoning him midway made Subaru forget his situation as it depleted his morale. However, the target of the statement took it in a completely different way. "Worsen Roswaal's mood...?" *** That instant, Subaru's entire body went tense, feeling goosebumps all over his flesh. When he looked at them, Ram and Otto's cheeks had hardened as well, eyes looking forward, warily watching as Garfiel stood before them. "And just how much is that bastard thinkin' of here and of the old women? He ain't. That bastard only thinks of himself! Ram! Even you know that!" "Garf, Master Roswaal..." "Shaddap, shaddap, shaddap! The hell do you know about the bastard! Last warning! Hand him over! I'm gonna tie him up, and you two are gonna shut up and wait " Flying into a rage, Garfiel had no ears with which to hear as he unleashed an angry shout. His ferocious fighting spirit proceeded to surge upward, and along with it, Subaru sensed Garfiel's very flesh growing all at once. But that instant, as if on reflex, the situation broke into motion. " Miss Ram!" "Go!!" "Whaaa?!" The same time as Subaru heard the hard-pressed voices, an arm wrapped around Subaru's body. It was Otto's. Without asking permission, he hoisted Subaru right up. "Patlash ?!" Patlash ferociously broke into a run, practically scooping Subaru and Otto up onto her back. With Subaru's eyes wide open from the unexpected turn of events, Otto paid no heed to him, gripping the reins and Patlash, squatting to raise her speed, darted out of the night-shrouded settlement. "Damn it, ya lil' minion !!" "You have no time to be distracted, Garf!" " !! Won't let ya get in the way of my vow!!" The voice, bellowing with anger, was snuffed out by the howling gale. Subaru sensed the two forces powerfully exploding, bouncing off one another, but his mind couldn't catch up. Right next to him, cheeks hard, Otto kept hold of his torso, nothing more. He raised his voice. "W-wait, Otto! Why leave Ram in a place like that?!" "Any longer and you would be in peril! This is my and Miss Ram's decision!" Shouting back in an angry voice, Subaru gritted his teeth as he squinted behind him. The bonfire had been bowled over, rendering his vision vague. But he could hear angry voices mixed with the sound of ferociously whipping wind. Considering fighting strengths, it was the best choice for holding off a Garfiel turned hostile. But the logical issue wasn't something his emotions were capable of endorsing. *** His brain was tied into knots from doubts and confusion when a sharp, high-pitched sound slammed into his eardrums. The source of the sound was very close; in tangible terms, from Otto through his own fingers. The high-pitched sound reverberated throughout the night-shrouded Sanctuary, only to echo twice and then a third time. "Is that finger-whistling some kind of signal?!" "...It is a means I had rather hoped not to employ. I would rather have done without." "Don't say deeply suggestive stuff like that! Ram's still there; any more chaos and..." Colluding with Patlash, Otto had contrived to escape without Subaru's input. Though he wondered what Otto

was still hiding, Subaru, his voice ragged, immediately realized just what it was. " Aa" It was not to the back but the fore that one light after another was lit along the sprinting land dragon's path. These were not the red lights of torches but the white lights of crystal lanterns. They were guiding lights, showing the way through the Lost Forest. And the people carrying those guiding lights amid the darkness were "The people of Earlham Village..." " I told you. We have reassuring sympathizers!" The blow from the words spoken by Otto made Subaru's chest tighten. Sympathizers, this was what Otto was calling the people lending a hand to help Subaru. Subaru had thought that Ram was that sympathizer, and that it was Ram alone offering her aid. " Master Subaru! Please be safe!" The instant he passed one of the lights, the man holding the crystal lantern raised his voice. Naturally, it was a familiar face. It was one of the villagers at the Cathedral, who was yearning to be reunited with his family and placing his hope in Emilia breaking through the Trial. He wasn't the only one cooperating by any means. The settlement, the forest, held as many allies as it held lights. "You said if they knew, they'd explode..." "And as a matter of fact, they did! So they had me keep quiet to you about it! With Mr. Natsuki escaping, they did not wish to become shackles!" *** He couldn't tell what it meant. Otto's shout, the villagers' consideration...he couldn't tell what any of it meant. Why were they doing such a thing? Shackles, who, on whom? There were countless lights floating amid the darkness. *** Patlash made a short neigh, seemingly to display respect for the devoted villagers that had made the path of light. Even Patlash, who knew the correct path through the Lost Woods, had no guarantee of not being swallowed by the darkness. The white light wiped away that uncertainty, and as she followed it, the land dragon's speed gradually outstripped that of the wind. "This way! Farther in, Master Subaru!" "Mr. Otto, take good care of Master Subaru!" "Please stop trying to die before us elderly folks, Master Subaru...!" Both bodies and hearts were crouched as many, so many, voices were tossed in Subaru's direction. The voices reverberated as the villagers desperately, earnestly, wholeheartedly called out Subaru's name. "Why are you all doing something as stupid as..." "That is not very convincing coming from you, Master Subaru!" Unable to put the emotions filling him in order, the near-lament Subaru let out brought pained smiles. When he looked up, straight ahead was a large, distinctive tree with multiple villagers standing at its roots. "Go straight from here and you'll cut straight through the barrier! Then you can get away!" "And you all?!" "We'll slow down the pursuit! Why, giving Master Subaru time to get away is the least we can do..." The figures numbered five, a group of male youths. The five men were poorly equipped, but even so, they had decided to hold Garfiel off for as many seconds they could with stubbornness and guts. In staying behind, Ram had probably calculated along the same lines as they *** A roar bellowed across the forest, and the next instant, Subaru was swallowed up by a ferocious shockwave. 5 " ..aa" Ting, went the ringing in his ears. Subaru slowly opened his eyes. The instant they opened, his head heavily swayed. He'd fallen to the ground. And yet, his semicircular canals had lost track of the world, and he kept rocking right and left, as if swaying on top of a wave. The world was covered in a dense cloud of dirt. With a heave, something flowed backward from his stomach. It was liquefied food, water, and stomach fluid. It tasted bitter and acidic. He wiped it with his sleeve, laid his head down, and... " Aa" In the world inclined at ninety degrees, he saw a hole gouged out of the ground, a great broken tree, and a crouching figure. Subaru saw a single giant tiger covered in golden fur. *** The ferocious tiger's body was crouched low. Its jade eyes were looking down at the fallen Subaru. Its body length was about twelve feet long, far larger than the tigers Subaru knew. Its four legs were very thick, and its closed mouth could not contain all the fangs growing therein. At a glance, the visual broadcast the menace that the tiger's very presence presented. "...uu" The blow, the circumstances, made him think of something very similar he'd recently experienced amid the tragedy at the mansion the last time around when he'd lost Petra to the attack of a demon beast. *** Desperately pivoting his head, Subaru turned his eyes to the area around him. At the base of the broken tree lay the young men, sent flying from the shockwave. From very close, he heard Otto's groaning voice; he sensed Patlash, too. Everyone was alive, if only barely. They hadn't been allowed to die. After all, their opponent was "Gar, fi...el..." A distinctive loincloth was still tied around the lower half of his enormous frame. He immediately realized that this was one and the same as that Garfiel wore around his hips. The sight of Frederica's beast form was in the back of his mind. Simultaneously, the truth of the blood connection between her and Garfiel was laid thoroughly bare. The ferocious tiger before him was the transfigured Garfiel. In a matter of seconds, Garfiel had broken past Ram, ferociously chasing Subaru and Otto down. As for how much combat strength his bestialized form possessed, all Subaru knew for certain was that no one could help him. It was over, he thought. He could escape no further. But he was strongly determined about one thing alone. "I'll do as you, say...but just don't..." Don't hurt anyone else. Don't kill anyone else he declared, just not that. Frederica had proven that however ferocious a bestial form appeared, it was still possible to think logically in that state. He knew Garfiel, having exposed that form to them, was serious. However, Subaru was serious, too. Even if he had to return to that darkness, he didn't want anyone else to get hurt. This, from Subaru Natsuki, who could fairly say he feared that darkness more than death. *** Without a word, he sat up and rose to his feet. The large tiger received his gaze, equally wordless. The tiger simply stared and narrowed the distance. Subaru swallowed, close enough to feel the breath coming from the beast's snout. He proceeded to await Garfiel's decision, for him to release the transfiguration and return to his normal fo " Eh?" Gently, the world slowed down. In that extreme situation, his brain awakened, moving beyond the limits of comprehension. In that sluggish world, he saw the ferocious tiger raise a front paw high, unleashing its razor-sharp claws. Even if he tried to immediately move his body, the thoughts of his awakened brain would have no effect upon his body. The talons sharper than naked blades would lethally mow Subaru's torso apart " You big idiot!!" The loud voice slammed into his side, and simultaneously, a blow sent Subaru flying. Before his eyes, crimson scattered. The world was still in slow motion. Red blood mixed in with the black of night, and a silhouette cried out in agony as it fell. The silhouette that had shielded Subaru, Otto Suwen...fell. The claw gouged out his chest and abdomen, sending blood gushing out onto Subaru's cheek. "Wha..." Wound. Fresh blood. Shielded. Great tiger, surrender, darkness. Garfiel, Otto, talons, Return by Death, Petra, transfiguration, demands, why, why, whywhywhy "Gaaaarfiiiiellll !!" Subaru, howling with the emotions exploding in his gut, witnessed the ferocious tiger's wicked deed with bloodshot eyes. His brain seethed with ferocious emotion, fury changing the blood in his body to gasoline. Coursing through his entire body, they poured onto the fires of his rage, causing a chain reaction of hot explosions burning his thoughts, his emotions, and his life away. He shouted, he howled, in an incoherent voice. That moment, there was only anger and hatred within him. He wanted to burn the monster before his eyes to cinders. If anger and hatred became power, he would have ripped the monster asunder. *** But his voice was not imbued with the power to change fate. Subaru's scream was blotted out by an even greater roar, and it seemed he would be the one to be killed instead. In fact, the voice accompanied the ferocious tiger raising an arm, slamming down with a blow identical to the one launched at Otto. It would penetrate his skull, rip out his rib cage, gouge out his inner organs, and with it, his life he would die a squishy death. *** He closed his eyes. With impending death before his eyes, Subaru swore to make him pay in the next world. He would get revenge. The flames of his anger would not abate. I'll chew you to pieces. Carving hatred upon his soul, Subaru awaited the moment. And yet, the surely approaching end failed to arrive. The timing of his death had been thrown off. Why? He opened his eyes, glaring at the great tiger. The ferocious tiger remained right there, arm still raised. The single point of difference was that the beast's jade eyes were aimed not at Subaru but off to the side. Subaru followed that gaze. Something was flying in from the end of that gaze, striking the ferocious tiger's head. Making a light sound, something fell to the ground and rolled around. It was a completely unremarkable rock. The thrower of the rock was one of the young men of the village, blood flowing from his forehead as he wobbled to his feet. "Get away from...Master Subaru, you, filthy monster..." Wringing out his voice, groaning in pain, the young man strongly demonstrated his own intent. It was clumsy, weak, ephemeral resistance against a ferocious beast he could not defeat. The other young men stood up, picking up the rocks and branches at their own feet, wielding them as weapons. "H...ey..." What do you think you're doing? he tried to say, to halt their recklessness. Where do you think you're looking? he tried to say, slamming his deep resentment into the ferocious tiger. He didn't understand But it was so simple to imagine the result that would follow, even a child could do it. *** The ferocious tiger swung his claw, and fresh blood gushed. This continued a second and a third time. There was the agonizing sound of death cries, the watery sound of the sharp gouging of flesh, the scream enough to ruin Subaru's throat Why. Why. Whywhywhywhy. Why. "Whyyyyyy !!!" He grabbed hold of the beast before his eyes. He bit into its thick hide. It threw him off. The blow had taken his front teeth with it. His thought process was overheated. He spat out blood and teeth, and leaped again. The tail slammed him from the side, easily blowing him into the air, and he landed on the ground, limbs spread out. It was no time to sleep on the job. Stand, stand, if anyone's gonna die here, you die first. "W ait, up... If anyone dies, it should be me... Let the others...!" If he was going to kill anyone, just kill Subaru first. In the first place, Subaru had to be Garfiel's target. There was no reason to take the lives of such gallant, kindhearted men. He categorically rejected that. There wasn't any reason at all, and yet " U, aa?" As Subaru clenched his teeth and coughed out blood, his body was hoisted upward. There were blood-ridden black scales right next to him Patlash. The profuse volume of blood coursing from her was visible proof that she had shielded Subaru from the ferocious tiger's initial attack. Her wounds were deep; she was half alive, half dead. Just like back at the mansion, Patlash

was protecting Subaru even at the verge of death. "That's...enough... That's enough. It's enough, Patlash..." He begged her to stop. As Subaru clung to her, the deeply benevolent land dragon rejected his plea. As she took Subaru in her mouth, there was a powerful will residing in Patlash's yellow eyes. With reserves of strength unthinkable for one near death, she rose on two legs. To protect Subaru, to get him off the battlefield, the land dragon left behind those desperately fighting, ferociously breaking into a run once more. *** Don't leave everyone behind, he tried to shout. The instant he forced himself to look back, he saw the last person sent flying into pieces in the far distance. With a roar, the twin jade eyes swayed in the darkness, chasing after Subaru and the land dragon as they fled. He was too fast. The distance was closing. Even if they ran, it was meaningless. Why was Patlash running? " Aa" Putting strength into her jaws, Patlash's head twisted as she hurled Subaru as hard as she could manage. She hurled him forward, to get him even a little farther away from the menace, putting every inch of devotion into the act. Then, as Subaru danced in the air, he realized that there was something, a light, twinkling in his pocket. *** The crystal. Frederica's crystal. The stone in his pocket was shimmering blue. Instantly, he understood. Patlash hadn't grabbed Subaru and run without a plan. She was sending Subaru as far as the barrier to a place the menace of the ferocious tiger's fangs, the menace of Garfiel, could not reach. "Patlash!" As the world spun around him, he sought her, called out her name. Miraculously, they exchanged gazes. In her yellow, narrow, reptilian irises, he saw a glint of impossible compassion. *** The claw of the pursuing ferocious dragon slammed into the pitch-black land dragon's side. Patlash was severed in two. Without even raising a death cry, the loyal dragon perished, doing her utmost for Subaru until the very end. *** That was the same, too. It was completely the same result as at the mansion. His friends had died, his beloved dragon had died, his brain and his blood boiled. He rolled onto the ground. A light glimmered. Had he gone past the barrier? Like he cared. The ferocious beast, the wild creature, rushed toward his eyes. It leaped, passing through the barrier, killing intent undiminished. *** There was a crash. Instantly, light welled up, and Subaru Natsuki was bathed in blue. He had teleported. 6 When he regained consciousness, the first thing Subaru felt was a fiercely stimulating, repulsive stench. *** The foul stench, one that was impossible to forget, thrust itself into his nostrils. The scent was like some kind of chemical. It made Subaru grimace as he sat up from the cold floor. He coughed as his body creaked with pain. Coughing more, he slowly put a hand on the wall and stood up. The handkerchief on his wrist was grimy with dried blood and vomit. With that, he confirmed the passage of time and the fact he had not Returned by Death. He had not died. The world had continued after the tragedy. In the back of his mind, images arose of people felled by the claws of a ferocious tiger, one after another, and of his beloved dragon's final moment. "...Ugh." He had survived. For whatever reason, he had survived. His chest was choked with remorse that made him want to die that very moment. Subaru resisted the impulse to sever his tongue with his teeth, putting his weight against the wall as he unsteadily walked forward. The stench made it easy for Subaru to understand just what that place was. Groping through his memories, dragging his feet, he grudgingly dragged himself forward, heading for the exit. He was in the building in which he had been imprisoned. He didn't know why he had made the jump to that place. But he instinctively understood that the crystal was the cause and that it had come in contact with the barrier. *** He grasped the crystal in his pocket and hurled it away. The stone made a light sound as it tumbled somewhere far away. The stone had no value any longer. Not in that world. Not then. It was a finished world. It was a world he had to bring to an end. *** Before granting himself death, he went to gaze at the world he had to bring to an end. He had to take a good, hard look, drink it down, and smash it into dust. After all, it was the duty of Subaru Natsuki to die when it was his time. Straight ahead, the exit of the small building was near. The white wall his fingers were touching was so cold, it made them numb. The light filtering in from the outside made him narrow his eyes. During his time unconscious, night had ended, and morning had come. It seemed that Garfiel had not realized he was there. Lazy bastard, thought Subaru, exhaling a white breath, walking outside when " Ah?" The snow blanketing the world was a blow far beyond his expectations. 7 Comprehension and despair, layered atop one another, canceling each other out over and over. Subaru's soul blazed, for the painting was a portrait of hell. Subaru had meant to exhaust himself to the brink of death to overwrite such a scene. In point of fact, he had crossed death twice, something that surely put him in reach of the painting's brush. Little did he know that the instant he touched the brush, the details of the painting had morphed into a different hell. " Ha-ha." The wintery world made his breath a white cloud, and as he trod through the snow, Subaru put his hands on his seemingly gasping knees. It had already been several hours since he had left the structure, walking aimlessly ever since. Subaru safely reaching the settlement the night before had been thanks to Otto leading the way via his blessing. At present, he was without that, in the heart of the Lost Woods of Cremaldi the landscape changed abruptly by the falling snow, with not a single thing to aid him present. "Sh it...!" His endurance was depleted, the snowy landscape's low temperature robbing his body of warmth. To prevent a drop in body temperature, even to a tiny extent, Subaru tied Petra's handkerchief around his forehead before resuming his walk once more. "My promise with Petra..." The sun had risen high. There was no longer any way to prevent the tragedy from befalling the mansion. He'd been unable to do anything. He hadn't saved Petra or Frederica. Probably not Rem, either. Beatrice was still clutching that magic tome; Otto was dead; Patlash was dead; what had happened to Ram? Garfiel, Roswaal, what were they thinking? Emilia was "But I'll..." He'd take it all back. He'd redo everything. It was his duty to walk the path where everything was right. Only Subaru could do it. It was something Subaru had to do. For that reason, the memory of everything that had been lost had to continue in Subaru alone. For that reason, the sacrifices paid for it had to continue on inside of Subaru. For that reason, Subaru, and Subaru alone, had to pay a commensurate price. He'd pay the commensurate price. He'd let the casualties pile up. And then, he'd bring everything back. *** The instant his responsibility to do what had to be done burned within him, the forest opened before Subaru's eyes. The landscape he thought would continue forever ended, and he rushed into the settlement, which was also buried in snow. He wasn't surprised. He was already resigned. There, a giant tiger would suddenly blot out his vision, as he died laughing with nothing but hatred burning within him. His heart had long frozen over. However, contrary to his resignation, the ferocious tiger did not appear. No, rather than that "No one's here...?" The fallen bonfire had vanished in the snow. He couldn't sense that anyone was present in the Sanctuary whatsoever. He couldn't pass it off saying it was a low-population settlement to begin with. It felt like an uninhabited wasteland. Indeed, he couldn't see even a single footstep on the accumulated white snow. There was no sign of anyone walking around. "Snow fell... No one's here..." Touching a hand to his forehead, he dug his nails into his forehead as he began to doubt his own sanity. The Sanctuary was filled with tranquility. There was no sign of human presence, nor the sound of any insect. From time to time, he heard only the sound of the leaves swaying in the wind, a change announced by the faint shift in his eardrums. He heard nothing in this world " Aa?" In that soundless world, that white-marred hell, he was taken back by a change within. At first, Subaru sensed something like a white ball of wool tumbling in the wind. However, he immediately understood that it was no ball of wool at all. It rolled to Subaru's feet, and there, made a tiny tremble. Then Subaru, eyes wide, realized it had two long ears protruding from it. It had long ears, a soft white pelt, short legs, and two red eyes. With a tilt of its head, its mouth moved in unhurried fashion as it made a high-pitched kii. "Rab...bit...?" Subaru's eyes beheld a rabbit and a particularly small one at that. The rabbit was as small as Subaru's closed fist, a creature no larger than a mouse. The long ears characteristic of a rabbit were fairly short and, combined with its round tail, all of the parts were in order, if at a very compact size. In the Sanctuary, where insect, animal, land dragon, man, and all others had vanished in the snow, a rabbit had suddenly appeared. "Why is a rabbit here...? ...Should a rabbit be here?" An inexhaustible supply of mysteries was born, and the crush of information made Subaru feel like even his brain wanted to retch. Was the rabbit at his feet a clue for learning what had happened in the Sanctuary? Clinging to that thought, he stretched a hand toward the rabbit The next instant, from the wrist down, Subaru's hand was ripped off. "...Aeegh?" Blood gushed out of the raggedly cut wound; his reddish-black arteries drooped downward. Perhaps the thin white threads pulled out were muscle fibers or nerves. Either way, the spectacle of human flesh being destroyed was particularly grotesque. Such evasion of the reality of his lost hand prevailed for exactly two seconds whereupon his brain was wrecked by the ferocious pain from another dimension. "G, aah?! Uoaa! Aaa, gaggaaaa !!!" The world blazed white. His mind, dominated by pain, had lost all pain ability to recognize pain reality. What pain had happened that pain he had to endure such pain? What was the cause of pain? What had pain happened? Why this pain? Pain, painpainpain Agonizing further and further, he pressed his blood-spilling left wrist against the ground. Unwittingly, he bit into the snow, a seemingly meaningless mixture of ice and mud. He tasted the soil, crunched down the ice, and his vision whirled in search of what had happened At his feet, the white ball of wool had red spots scattered over its pelt. It was moving its mouth. It was chewing. Subaru could see his fingers hanging out of its moving little mouth. He understood. It had been eaten. His hand had been eaten. "G Gaaaaa !!" An understanding he didn't want to be aware of, a pain he didn't want to feel; the agony dragged his spirit toward madness. His mind was like stained glass as it cracked, shattering and turning into vestiges of fine sand. "Gi iihigiiii!!!" And yet, pain had roused his shattered mind. He felt a burning sensation in his calf. His eyes reeled from a stimulus like flesh and

bone being mercilessly raked by a file. Reddish-black bubbles poured into the middle of his throat, causing him to convulse like a fish out of water. He didn't faint. He couldn't. The pain was too strong for that. The pain was too strong for that. The cruel pain forced his mind to remain awake. Kii, kii, went the countless cries that his eardrums picked up. The number of these high-pitched voices was vast, and he was surrounded by presences he couldn't bother to count. His eyeballs were already derelict in their duty, having giving up on looking at his surroundings. That was a mercy. He was glad it was only his ears still working. He could not have borne the sight. *** Fangs tore into his entire body. From the feeling of the fangs biting into him, he knew it was a horde. He screamed. He rolled onto his back, sending his voice toward the heavens. That very moment, he sensed something furry enter his mouth, ripping out his tongue. His throat was violated, opening a path from his windpipe to his stomach, from which his viscera could be voraciously eaten. He was being chewed away. Fangs invaded from his anus, crashing inside his body against those that had entered from the mouth. As if in a contest, they raced left and right to consume his inner organs, making mincemeat out of Subaru Natsuki. He was alive. He was being eaten alive. He could feel his flesh being torn into fragments. He wasn't afraid. He couldn't feel pain anymore. He didn't even know where his mind was. He was being eaten. He was being consumed. His left eye was eaten. His ears were gone. His inner organs had been torn away, and just then, the skin of his face was ripped off. A hole was opened in his skull, and fangs thrust into his brain *** aa . 8 His flesh...had been rebuilt. The torn, consumed flesh of his cheeks, the ripped-off skin of his face, his bitten-apart skull, his chewed-away nerves, his lapped-up blood, and his fiendishly violated, ravenously consumed soul were restored to their former state. " aa" Blood passed into his fingertips, and Subaru's entire body ferociously convulsed. On the cold, hard floor, Subaru moaned as froth gushed out, his eyes rolling in every direction. There was no pain. There was no sense of loss. His four limbs were connected to his torso, and his chest had all of the viscera required to sustain life. His flesh and blood had been returned to him. But what of the spirit that had been eaten apart? Whose mind could return to the world of the sane, when the memory of being "devoured" was still fresh? "B, b, b...!" Subaru slammed his head against the ground as if he was having a seizure. His brain bounced back from the hard blow, making his brain shake. For a moment, the vestiges of having been chewed away eased. In search of this, he repeated the act. Why. It was not his spirit or his flesh, but his soul, which refused to acknowledge reality. With the most critical part of his decision-making systems refusing to reboot, Subaru Natsuki could not return. But his soul repeated the word why over and over again, searching for an answer. What had occurred? Just what had happened? Why had such a thing taken place? Why did it have to be that way? What was happening with him now? What to do? What should he do? Why, why, why, why, why. No answer came forth. Before that vague thesis, not even a written problem, his soul simply broke into lament. Why! Why! Why!! Drowning in reality, haunted by a nightmare, having lost sight of the path of life, all he could do was ask himself, "Why?" For that was " Once more, you have gained the qualifications." As Subaru made little trembles, he heard a whisper-like voice in his ear. "I invite thee Come to the Witches' Tea Party." The next instant, the soul of Subaru Natsuki returned but moments before, was once again severed from reality. CHAPTER 5 *** 1 Atop a small hill jutting up from a verdant plain, a gentle wind reminiscent of spring blew. Subaru's forelocks and the tall, green grass swayed in the wind as cumulonimbus clouds danced, racing toward the blue yonder. *** Subaru touched his forehead, tickled by the wind, and narrowed his eyes at the dazzling sun rays. Then, he slowly brought his gaze down from the sky, reorienting it straight ahead. At some point, Subaru had come to sit in a white chair. It was large, resembling an easy chair, and before his eyes, there was a small pure-white table. Across from the table, in an identical chair, sat a figure with her long legs crossed. She was a beautiful girl with long hair, precious little of her white skin exposed, and beyond that, everything was covered in black clothing " That's not quite accurate. More like, you're a bound spirit that's spent four centuries unable to move on." "Quite a greeting, such short shrift the very moment we are reunited? In the first place, where I am concerned, I was nineteen years of age at the time of my death therefore my outward appearance is that of a young maiden much the same age as you?" "Dying at nineteen is straight-up heavy stuff... Sorry. I shouldn't joke about the dead." " ? Quite a laudable response. I suppose we have not known each other long enough for me to say that is not like you?" As Subaru leaned forward, his fists opening and closing, the girl the Witch Echidna narrowed her eyes in apparent deep interest. She rested an elbow upon the table, and her cheek against her palm, provocatively looking back at Subaru with a sidelong glance as she spoke. "It is rare for the same guest to be invited to a tea party twice. It does not happen often at all. You should be proud!" "A host shouldn't be so blunt to the guest. If I stop being honestly thankful, where will you be then?" "Oh, my! Then you intended to be honestly thankful to me, yes?" "Ugh..." When Echidna hit the bull's-eye, Subaru averted his gaze from her suppressed laugh. Thanks to his mental state just prior, he'd blithely let the words slip. But that "mental state just prior" was the very issue at hand. "I...was in the tomb..." The words he was too frightened to add were, going crazy. As a matter of fact, Subaru's spirit had completely broken down. That was how much death that time around had carved indelible wounds into his soul, combined with how repeated Return by Death experiences had beaten him down. He'd rather have his mouth rent than ever speak the words accustomed to death. But he thought he was prepared for it. So very easily, that assumption had been ripped away "But right now, I'm fine. So normal it feels bad." "You don't like that? You would rather lose your cool, fall into a panic, pathetically bawl your eyes out?" "...I'm not saying I want stuff like that. I thought you understood, Echidna." "I suppose so. Right now I'm being an evil tease. Sorry, I just wanted to smack you around a bit." Sensing the rebuke in his voice, Echidna raised both hands as if to declare surrender. Then, with a flutter of her palm, she went, "It's just," tilting her head as she said "I did not invite you to this tea party merely to tease you. Had I not done so, your mind would have shattered... You are aware of that, perhaps?" "That's why I was honestly going to thank you out loud, sheesh. Then you..." "I see. It seems my words and deeds carry the same faults as they did in life. Now then, I would like to properly hear your words of thanks right now Well, knock yourself out." With a wry smile, Echidna puffed out her chest, a posture for accepting words of thanks. Staring at the smug, proud look on her face, Subaru took in a deep breath, exhaling at length. If he had to break it down into raw terms, she was being a very witchy witch. " ? What is wrong; anytime is good?" "...Is the reason I returned to form the instant I came here that I drank your tea before?" "Ahhh, I would suppose so. The tea set your Witch Factor into motion to promote stabilization. Leaving and entering the tea party does not cause it to lose its effect... Incidentally, the words of thanks?" "That so? I'm just a little relieved. Should I understand that to mean it'll continue when I go outside?" "Because we are discussing your mental state. Since you have regained your cool...... I suppose if you were to remember about this place, you might retain your peace of mind even outside of the dream. So hey, the thanks?" The reply, including how she said it like it didn't concern her, made Subaru's breath catch. If he were to remember this place, Echidna had said. As a matter of fact, that made things very difficult. The fact he'd come into contact with the witch twice, forgetting both times, proved the vow was at work. The vow had made Subaru forget Echidna. As a result, Subaru had lost sight of even himself. " Echidna, is there a way to rewrite a vow?" "Huh?" "Is there a way to leave here without forgetting about you? As long as the vow makes me forget you, my mind will break. Isn't that right?" "Well, it is, but..." "Besides, it's not just an issue of my mind. Even setting that aside, I want to remember you." " Eh?" Yes. It was not an issue of Subaru's mind alone. Remembering Echidna's existence was a necessary piece to unravel the mysteries of the Sanctuary and prevent it from changing into that hell. That was why Subaru thrust his hands onto the table, drawing near enough to the Witch's face he could feel her breath, and made a firm declaration. "If you need compensation, I'll pay anything else. In return " *** "Don't hide my memories." " O-okay..." In the face of Subaru's strong demand, Echidna acted particularly awkward, nodding meekly. Her demeanor gave him an odd feeling, but the reply was a yes. I did it, thought Subaru, clapping his hands as he celebrated. "Got you to say it! Big help! No taking it back!" "I would not do such a shameless thing. I would not, but...you are somewhat underhanded, I think." Subaru cocked his head in confusion at the sudden accusation. His response made Echidna turn her face with a fairly sour look. Then, the Witch indicated the opposing chair to Subaru as she said, "Anyway, I understand what you have said. For now, do sit. Let us take our time and speak." "Yeah...er, I don't have time for all that. More importantly, gotta take care of the vow business..." " I prefer you do not misunderstand, Subaru Natsuki." Her lackadaisical demeanor quickened Subaru's mood. Echidna called out to him when he tried to hurry things up. The words brought him to a halt. For some reason, her tone of voice carried a power that was difficult to defy. Then, as Subaru swallowed, Echidna or rather, the Witch continued. "Rewriting a vow is not a difficult thing in itself. Nor do I mind how you are boldly stating things that are difficult to say. But I will not have statements ignorant of your position." *** "In the end, you are a guest invited to this tea party. And this castle of dreams is my territory. "Under my rule. If you say things that are simply too selfish, it becomes an issue of my honor." Her voice was quiet, with no change in its tenor; only the voice's power had changed. Having changed the atmosphere to such an extent, her eyes of bottomless darkness gazed up at Subaru.

Therein rested the supernatural being known as a Witch. "...a, uu" The feeling of oppression grabbed firm hold of his soul, making Subaru recall the initial impression he'd had of Echidna: namely, his terror toward an overwhelming menace outstripping even the White Whale and the Witch of Sloth. And that Echidna, the Witch of Greed, the Witch of white and black before his eyes, lived up to both name and title. "Having been invited to this tea party, you have a duty to behave politely. That only makes sense, yes?" With Subaru's spiritual body marred with an unbecoming level of cold sweat, the Witch stroked her own white hair as she continued. With his throat and tongue feeling dry and his breathing ragged, Subaru barely managed to wring out a reply. "Politeness as a guest, you mean..." "It is quite simple. I am the hostess; you are the guest Let us behave as such." The feeling of oppression was intact as Echidna slowly reached out with a hand. The Witch's slender fingers touched the table, tapping upon its surface thrice. Her fingertips indicated a point atop the table upon which rested an untouched, steaming cup. "...Ah?" "If you are a guest to a tea party, you should begin by accepting tangible proof of your invitation. Is that not proper?" "...! You're not easy to understand." "I am a Witch, after all. It would be a shame for normal girls if you were to lump me in with them, would it not?" Smiling as if she'd pulled a fast one on him, the sense of oppression from Echidna's demeanor dissipated. Subaru felt like the mental anguish she'd inflicted as revenge for his rudeness was completely over the top, but at any rate... "Shit... I get it, geez!" Clicking his tongue, he snatched the cup from the table and poured the liquid down the hatch. Even though time had passed since its pouring, its temperature had not diminished at all, as might be expected of tea served by a Witch. Subaru strongly gulped it down, concerning himself little with the taste, and raggedly wiped his lips with his sleeve. "Well, I swallowed it down. Now you'll accept me as a guest of the tea party?" "Having my bodily fluids swallowed down with such fervor... Mmm, it makes me blush a little." "Gehhh! I forgot about that !!!" The Dona Tea Trap was at the first tea party, and upon his second arrival, Subaru had fallen hook, line, and sinker for it once more. The sight of her guest earnestly retching on the spot made the Witch hostess's shoulders sink in chagrin. After that, the Witch abruptly clapped her hands together, seemingly just remembering something as she spoke up. "Come to think of it, your words of thanks? I feel as if I have not heard them yet..." "Thank you for pouring me tea that tastes like shit! You damned Witch!" Though he thanked her just as she told him to, Echidna was less than thrilled with the words of gratitude he provided. 2 Beginning with Subaru and Echidna sitting on opposite ends of the table once more, the tea party recommenced. Just like the previous time around, he had been unable to expel the Dona Tea he had absorbed no matter how desperately he retched. Pretending that nothing had happened, Subaru sought to blot out his sense of nausea with his sense of duty as he attended the tea party. "Having the bodily fluids I offered rejected to that extent wounds my maidenly heart." "A maiden wouldn't talk about offering bodily fluids once in her whole life. More importantly, I want to continue talking about important stuff. About the vow issue, you promise to... Nah, you'll do it, then?" "You have an aversion toward the word promise, do you? This, too, I accept." The joking exchange weighed on his mind, but Subaru was relieved he'd gained a firm promise from her: that even when he woke from the dream, he would not forget Echidna's existence. This would surely prove a necessary key to finding the answer to the Witch's laboratory known as the Sanctuary. Having gained confirmation on that point, there was one other thing he wanted to confirm with the Witch " Echidna, how much do you know about my circumstances?" "What I know is how much I want to know about you. And how much I want to know is all there is to know in the entire world." "Don't kid about this. I'm sure you've realized how weird it is that I'm here at all." "That is not so. You fulfilled the conditions to be invited to the tea party you reached my territory, and in that place, you were filled with such longing for some reason. And that desire aroused my Greed " Echidna made a play on words, whereupon Subaru placed his hand on the table once more. By this he indicated he didn't mind playing along with the tea party...but he had no intention of playing along with a farce. "It is strange. I mean, from your point of view, I only just left, right?" *** "I returned from the Trial...from overcoming my past. And here I am, right after that." The reference point for that loop was set to right after he'd overcome the first Trial. Even though Subaru had returned, he ought to have been in the stone room in the tomb. That was both immediately after his conversation with Echidna had concluded, and to the Witch, an extremely quick reunion "You're so smart, there's no way you wouldn't find that strange. If you don't, that could only mean..." "...Could only mean?" Hesitating to continue his words, Echidna gave his hesitant back a proverbial shove. He breathed in, then out. If Echidna did not harbor suspicions about their reunion, that meant " You know the circumstances that caused it." *** When Subaru pressed onward, Echidna made a tiny smile and maintained her silence. The basis for his suspicion was the words he'd exchanged with Echidna in the virtual classroom at the height of the first Trial, when she'd stated that world was nothing but a charade. Even that very moment, the answer he'd conveyed to his parents in the past had not changed. They rested strongly in his chest. Accordingly, it was not that which weighed on Subaru's mind, but how that world had been constructed. Echidna had created a different world using Subaru's memories as a reference, recreating even his school's uniforms. If that was the power of the Witch of Greed, sleeping eternally within the tomb, then " You have the power to see my memories. So, you don't think this situation's strange." If she had the power to use his memories as a reference, she knew that from Subaru's perspective, their reunion was not directly after parting inside of that classroom. She also knew he had spent several days since then, letting everything slip through his fingers as "death" greeted him once more. And so, too, did she know that Subaru Natsuki had Returned by Death, going back in time. *** Subaru hesitated, sealing his words away. His heart beat ferociously, as if to tell him that going any further was dangerous That if Subaru revealed much more, he would most certainly brush up against the taboo. He would expose Return by Death. That would violate the one inviolate rule that the Witch had laid down. And should Subaru break it, he would taste agony to his very limits as punishment. Or perhaps he would invite a different tragedy, and those evil hands would take the life of someone precious to Subaru, as they had with Emilia. "Haaa...haaa...!" His spiritual body's brow was drenched with sweat. The droplets fell onto his cheek, rolling down to his jaw. The state of his soul vividly reflected that of his body. That was how far he was backed into a corner. That moment, what backed Subaru's mind into a corner was not fear of the taboo, but fear of the unknown. Subaru's tongue rejected spinning the words in that unknown state. After all, the current situation was different from any other situation he had encountered relating to Return by Death. If Subaru spoke, willingly breaking the taboo, his heart would be crushed. If Subaru pleaded from his heart that he wanted to reveal the truth the evil hands would take the life of someone he cared for. Then what happened if he said aloud that Return by Death had been exposed via a completely different tangent? It was a complete unknown, a circumstance beyond all imagination "Why do you not try it?" *** To Subaru, afraid of the taboo and the unknown, Echidna casually tossed those words. Taken aback by the casualness of it, Subaru was indignant next. Echidna didn't understand. She didn't comprehend what might arise if he just tried it, how horribly unprofitable the prospect. But in the face of Subaru's anger, Echidna shook her head and said, "To test in hope of a result is an action to be praised. We only covet that which has value." Without even knowing if she herself might be harmed, she criticized Subaru's inde No, that wasn't it. The Witch Echidna had seen right through to Subaru's reason for indecision. She knew it was possible that it would be her, not Subaru, who might be in peril. And, knowing this, she had said to do it nonetheless. She said this, because her conviction was unshakable. The "Witch of Greed," the very epitome of hunger for knowledge, would gamble even her own life on an action with no way to foresee the result. "You might not have time to regret it...?" "If that time comes, may I expect that you will break down in tears before my remains?" To Subaru, hesitating until the last moment, Echidna replied in a tone that was sunny to the bitter end. Her position was one she adopted out of consideration for Subaru, so that her personal feelings might not excessively sway his decision. That was less sympathy toward Subaru than the Witch's sincerely not wishing for an external impurity to skew the result wrought by his decision. There were no expectations, nor wishes, attached. He saw that it was her way as a Witch to seek the purity of the result. And that gave his back a shove. He felt like her way of life, not harboring the slightest of doubts, was mocking his own smallness "Echidna. I Return by Dea " He spoke the words that were taboo. Just as he had done many times before, he spoke the words, the special phrase, that walked across the prohibited line. Several times had he done this: to serve as a decoy for the demon dogs, to lure in the White Whale, to deceive the Witch Cultists. In the course of doing so, he was robbed of words, and the world's time came to a halt " th." Firmly closing his eyes, Subaru gritted his teeth against the ferocious pain he expected to come. However, his touching resolve amounted to nothing. "...Eh?" He opened his eyes. The world had not changed. Time had not stopped. There was no pain. And this being the case, he shifted his gaze toward the Witch sitting directly in front of him, who went... "Hmm..." Sitting in her chair, the Witch recrossed her long legs as the eyebrows of her refined visage grimaced ever so slightly. However, that was her only reaction. Even when he glanced at the area of her breasts, there was no change in the Witch. "...If you keep staring at me like that, I shall be embarrassed. Though I am rather proud of my outward appearance, I have no such confidence about my figure. Unlike Sekhmet and Daphne, that is." "I ain't starin' at you for a reason like that. No, more importantly..." Subaru responded to her misdirected demeanor, his thought process still at a halt. No punishment of the taboo had

been applied within the chest that Echidna hid from Subaru's gaze with her arms. In the face of that fact, his thoughts slowly began anew as he touched a hand to his mouth. The roots of his teeth, and his voice, were shaking. "When, when I die, I go back in time, and I restart the world. I Return by Death." "I heard you. And I perceived it before I heard. I see it is an exceedingly rare circumsta..." "I! Return by Death! Return by Death! Return by Death! Return by Death!!" "W-wait a ?!" Echidna was horrified at Subaru repeating the forbidden words over and over. Her composure from the moment before was lost; the Witch's eyes opened wide as she hurriedly urged Subaru to calm down. "C-calm yourself. I understand how you feel, but..." "I've! Returned by Death! Over, and over, I die and restart! I! Return by Death..." "I get it already! So let's advance the conv..." "I...! Return by Death, starting things over, over and over......!" *** He shouted numerous times, unable to contain himself. As Subaru shouted, hot droplets poured from his eyes. The droplets trickled down his cheeks, rolling down to his jaw, and fell This was not sweat. These were tears. "All this time... I've...!" He'd seen this dream so many times. He'd anguished so many times, wanting to shout it out. He'd probably begged for it many times over. Yet he could reveal Return by Death to no one. He thought he was forced to defy it, alone *** " I understand." His revelations became lamentations, and his shout scattered into sobs midway. Faced with Subaru's voice, the Witch quietly nodded. As Subaru wept, the Witch stood at his side. Her fingers touched his black hair, seemingly ready to enter it. Then, her slender, delicate hand gently stroked his head. "I know, the footprints you have made until now. I saw them, after all." *** "But, I have merely seen them. If possible, I would like you to tell me about them from your own lips. I want to know what you thought, what you felt, how much you embraced." Stroking his head, the Witch added, "I mean," and continued, " I am Echidna, the Witch of Greed, she who craves knowing everything in this world." 3 Bit by bit, Subaru spoke the words in what had to be an exceptionally plodding process. However, as a long period of time passed, the Witch lending her ears to Subaru's clumsy tale did not speak unnecessarily even once, nor had she done anything to hurry him. Until the very end, she simply listened in silence as Subaru spoke. Then, seeing from Subaru's lowering of his head that he had finished his tale, she offered a short remark. " How awful." The voice with which she spat out the words was tinged with unconcealed disgust. For a single moment, the words made Subaru concerned. He feared the Witch was disparaging the footsteps Subaru had laid down up to that point. But his reaction made Echidna go, "No," shaking her head sideways as she said, "I am sorry to have misled you. I was not speaking of your tale just now. I simply feel anger that is difficult to bear toward the being that made you walk such a path of suffering." "The being that made me walk a path of suffering..." " The Witch of Envy." When Echidna's voice became like a whisper, Subaru came to a complete stop. Amid the sense that his body, his breathing, and even the beating of his heart had come to a halt, Echidna's black pupils narrowed. "I am sure that you, too, understood long ago. The power to rewind death... No, the power to deny you the peace of death, could only come from Envy." "...That's because I've heard so much about the Witch from so many different people. I've never met this Witch face to face, but I figured as much from the 'outstretched hands' that appeared once in a while..." The shadowy woman who appeared in the world of stopped time to inflict the punishment for breaking the taboo On the one hand, the shadow granted him agonizing pain; on the other, it touched him lovingly. At first, it was only one arm, but now he could see two arms and the contours of a torso that was progressively drawing nearer. He suspected that, as he Returned by Death more and more, a time of reckoning was approaching. "I have absolutely no idea why she's infatuated with me, though. Do you know the reason?" "Not really. After all, understanding that thing's way of thinking is beyond not only me but all others as well. Even if I could, I would prefer not to." Averting her gaze, Echidna spoke with invective. Subaru raised an eyebrow at her attitude. "Man, for someone who declares she wants to know everything in this world, you sure have a thing against the Witch of Envy. Well, she is the one who killed you, so that is kinda natural..." Echidna was purportedly a supernatural existence in a different dimension than what mere mortals could ever achieve. Even if 'castle of dreams' was an exaggeration, the Witch had transcended death to construct an entire world while only a soul, yet she bore personal likes and dislikes the same as any normal human being. Seeing a glimpse of humanity like that, Subaru felt an odd sense of closeness to her. However, Echidna herself noticed nothing of Subaru's sentiments, sighing as she said spoke again. "I believe you harbor no small grudge either, but speaking of her depresses even me. Therefore, let us discuss something else. If there is something you wish to ask, ask it, whatever it may be." "Something else, huh..." When she sought a change in subject, Subaru fell into thought. Put bluntly, he was disappointed. By divulging Return by Death, Subaru had broken free of the sense of being besieged that had plagued him for so long, filling him with a sense of liberation at his confined world opening right up. Accordingly, Subaru had gotten his hopes up for a dramatic change. But Echidna had affirmed that the Witch of Envy was the cause of Return by Death like it was nothing, opening her heart to other conversational topics. The complete lack of dramatic developments made all those tears seem like they were just his imagination. "For example...yes, how about, if there was a way to remove the powerful Authority that inflicts the never-ending agony of repeating death, would you be curious at all?" "...Even if a way did exist, that's a problem. Not interested." With Subaru at a loss for words, the Witch made a proposal, but he shook his head, refusing her statement without hesitation. Certainly, the power of Return by Death brought Subaru great agony. But even so "It galls me to say it, but I need Return by Death. There's a lot of results I couldn't have gotten without it. There's also a lot of people I wouldn't have been able to save." *** "Without that power, there's a lot of people I want to save that I couldn't. So I need it." Putting it into words made him aware of the fact all over again; Return by Death was Subaru's only weapon. At the same time, it gave rise to something he wanted to ask, making him think of a question he'd always harbored. "Echidna, do you think there's a limit to the number of times I can Return by Death?" "...I see. That is a logical question for you to arrive at." Since arriving in that world, Subaru had already experienced over ten Returns by Death. Tasting agony and a sense of loss, Subaru had restarted the world via death. The fear he harbored, that this time might be his last, was a natural emotion. "I mean, that figures, right...?" He'd already overturned the bounds of death many times over, something that by rights happened no more than once. Over the course of each death, Subaru tasted the sense of despair from perishing with his objective left unfinished Just how terrifying would death be, if it could erase that sense of despair along with everything else? And just how long would that power of heresy against death postpone that moment for Subaru "Let me precede this by saying this is, in the end, purely my own speculation. My knowledge of the principles of your Authority is too vague for me to do anything but extrapolate. So I first wish you to forgive the vagueness of my reply." "...Yeah, please tell me anyway." "Your Return by Death, as a power that triggers according to specific conditions, I believe it likely has " He sucked in his breath as he awaited her reply. Echidna's eyes were looking straight at him. The brief pause in her modest words made Subaru feel like he was waiting for an eternity. And at the end of his nervous waiting, she said " No limit." *** "Your deaths will never end. No matter how many times you die, no matter what results, your soul will go back in time, seeking to restart until such a time as you break past the fate that led to your death, no matter how cruelly you might be slain, or how mind and body might be broken." For a time, the inside of Subaru's head was wholly occupied by a blank space that resisted comprehension of Echidna's conclusion. Then, the conclusion spread forth, pushing into that blank space, causing it to break down little by little as comprehension permeated him. At that point, he finally let out a quavering breath as words trickled out of him. " That so." "You accepted that surprisingly easily." "The thin reaction wasn't to your liking? Sorry 'bout that." He finally returned to a state of mind that could manage a strained smile. That strained smile was still on Subaru's face when he assented to the Witch's view, running his thoughts over Return by Death being unlimited. It was the most favorable conclusion among the hypotheses inside of Subaru. But " Strictly speaking, what you said wasn't unlimited; you said subject to specific conditions. What are those specific conditions?" "...Though it vexes me, the Authority that allows you to Return by Death is rooted in the Witch's wild delusion. If the Witch's delusion were to expire, you would cease to reject death I do not know what would occasion such a thing, but..." "We don't even know the reason she's obsessed with me, so it wouldn't be weird if she suddenly dropped me like a hot potato, you know?" "Perhaps you have somehow picked up on that being utterly impossible?" Subaru could not summon a retort to her teasing banter. In point of fact, he was oddly certain of it. The Witch would not permit Subaru to truly die. By the same token, she would not permit Subaru to leave her grasp, either. That baseless yet absolute confidence had been driven into the innermost reaches of Subaru's being like a nail. "...What do you think this power is for? What do you think about it?" "The power is for not allowing you to die, for not allowing you to do wrong." "Why would the Witch...the Witch of Envy hand me that kind of power? It might disgust you to guess, but do you know the...meaning, of my power?" Gradually speaking faster and faster, Subaru feared the sense of evasiveness toward the odd certainty dwelling inside his chest. Subaru gradually lost the composure in his demeanor, or perhaps it had never been there to begin with. At this, Echidna knit her brows and said, " I do not understand what you are afraid of. What has you so frightened?" "I'm afraid? Yeah, I am afraid! I'm afraid of! I'm afraid of..." Echidna's inquisitive bent mercilessly sliced open the part of Subaru covering his fears. In place of red blood, her slice resulted in

the emotions stuffing his chest gushing out instead. Fear, regret, unease, sadness nothing but negative emotions flooded out. "Even if I die, I'll come back... I didn't want to indulge in thinking I can die any number of times. I didn't want to think it... but if it's the only thing I can rely on, I'll rely on that. But..." Even if death was without limit, gradually the Witch's shadow would take shape, and Subaru would inevitably have to confront it. Besides, Return by Death was not omnipotent. It could leave situations where something could never be regained. And the greatest thing that he was unable to get back was " I...couldn't get Rem back." The biggest problem Subaru had with Return by Death was that it had not returned Rem's existence to him. Subaru could never forget, knowing Rem was lost to him, the impulse to stab his throat before her as she slept; nor could he forget the despair when, immediately afterward, he'd returned to the point just before stabbing his throat. "Why couldn't I get Rem back? If Return by Death is the power for me to restart my fate, why'd it put me in a place where I couldn't get her back...!" "So that is the reason for your fear? ...It is both the fountainhead of your remorse, and the source of your desire, I see." Gripping his fist so much his nails dug into it, Subaru spoke through clenched teeth. Echidna narrowed her eyes. The Witch's words made him raise his head. When black pupils crossed with black pupils, the Witch said, "I am about to tell you something that is very cruel." With that preamble, the Witch's expression hardened as she continued speaking to Subaru. " That thing does not take into consideration your regret at not saving the girl from her fate." *** "What it seeks is that your fate is not held captive to a dead end. The Authority is a means to that end and thinks nothing of the harm to anyone beyond you. Employing this power to save others is strictly your own doing, your own desire... The Witch of Envy has nothing to do with it." "aa..." "Therefore, I shall declare one more thing." Subaru was still reeling from the blow, but Echidna continued speaking of cruel things. That moment, it was what Subaru needed. The Witch of white and black closed her eyes but once, her expression seemingly enduring pain, whereupon the black eyes beheld Subaru within them. "Hereafter, no matter what damage may occur, you will likely challenge fate without limit, breaking through its deadlocks. However, even if you do change fate, the numerous sacrifices that permitted you to do so..." " You're saying a chance to get those sacrifices back will never come my way." "...That would be the end result, yes." Echidna thus firmly declared that the Witch of Envy held regard for Subaru's fate alone. So long as Subaru overcame his fated death, everything else was trivial. She trusted that no matter how much things looked like a stalemate, Subaru, challenging without limit, would break past his destiny. And someday, as he repeated, her shadow would thicken, become complete, and then the time of their reunion would " Fine. If that's how you want it, being partial only to me, I've decided in my gut." *** "This favor, the Return by Death you gave me... I'll use it till it breaks." As a result, he'd arrive before the Witch, not allowing a single thing to fall from his grasp. That's what he'd show her. "Yeah, I've decided. I've decided There ain't a soul under heaven who can betray other people's expectations like I can." Turning supposition into conviction, the flames of anger, resolve, and decisiveness were lit within him. Subaru Natsuki was back. If Return by Death saved nothing but Subaru, Subaru would save everything else himself. If the Witch showed no such discretion, Subaru would...and he'd use the Witch's love to do it. Obsession, obsession: he'd grab onto it and never let go. He'd pile it higher and climb over it, carrying everything with him. This would be Subaru Natsuki's first act of payback toward the Witch of Envy. "...You certainly recovered rather easily...so, too, your recklessness in regard to this despairing situation." "There's nothing easy about it. Maybe I'm just duct-taping my own heart, same as always, desperately stopping my heart from breaking like it did this time. But..." That moment, the fact that he was not alone loomed large. He no longer had to bear Return by Death alone. Somehow, that fact alone had been of great relief to Subaru's psyche. And, considering just who was responsible for that *** "Mm? What is it? I mean, what? Hey, go on, won't you?" "You totally know as you're saying it, don't you...?" Subaru clicked his tongue in irritation as Echidna, talkative and in a jovial mood, prodded him to continue. The Witch saw completely through him, even as to what that click of the tongue meant. Namely, that in having listened to him reveal the forbidden, Echidna's existence had been of great relief to him. That was something he had absolutely no intention of saying to Echidna's face. "Anyway! I'll take your opinion to heart, and the help with my resolve. I'll thank you for that." "That is all? Those are all the words of thanks you wish to speak to me? Hey, really-really?" "Shaddap! Be quiet! Yeah, that's it! Let's talk about the next thing!" Yelling in anger at the pesky Witch, Subaru furiously pressed his hips down upon his chair. Then, as the Witch went booo, he looked up at her, went "Please," and continued his words with, "Lend me your wisdom. I can't rely on anyone but you." "What convenient words. Though you say this, I believe I have entertained you more than enough as the hostess of this tea party. If you seek any more from me, then..." "I get it. I'm sure I said it at the start about the vow. If you need compensation, I'll pay whatever it takes. So please, that included, lend me your strength." Putting his hands to his knees, Subaru bowed his head deeply. Of course, if that proved insufficient, he was resolved to scrape his forehead against the ground, too. At a point like that, what value did pride have? He needed a Witch's wisdom to break through a Witch's scheme To save everyone, that was the best hand to play. *** Echidna gazed down at Subaru, silent for a time as he conspicuously bowed his head in request of her aid. But finally, the Witch let out a sigh, seemingly unable to endure her own silence any further. And then "...It may well be that you have a talent for sweet-talking Witches." Her lips loosened, and a charming smile came over the Witch, the words trickling out as she reluctantly gave in. 4 There was no end to what he wanted to discuss with the Witch. But, at that juncture, there was something Subaru first wanted to confirm that was completely separate from the rest. "I know you called me to the tea party right after Return by Death. But what's happening outside during the time I'm here talking with you?" "Did I not speak to you of it previously? This is my castle of dreams, and you and I are merely souls at present. During your time here, you are isolated from the outside, even the passage of time thereof. I will not say that time does not pass whatsoever, but the effect on the outside world is meager at best. Therefore, it is unlikely to the extreme anything is happening outside at all." "That so... If that's the case, at least I'm not leaving Emilia on a cold floor for long hours at a time. That's good news." Since the restart point had not changed in any way, Subaru's body was on the floor of the stone room that very moment. Emilia, challenging the Trial, lay right next to him, presumably writhing in a nightmare from which she could not wake. He was worried that his chance encounter was prolonging that nightmare, which would be tragic. "Such charming consideration for your Princess is unnecessary for the time being. So what is it you wish to borrow my wisdom about? Surely it is not the Princess's sensitivity to cold that is on your mind?" "Well that might be true, but that's a pretty thorny way of putting it." "Not really? It is simply, from a normal person's point of view, is it not poor form to pay attention to a different girl immediately after seducing a Witch?" "I don't remember seducing you, and in the first place, you're the one who said it's rude to compare a Witch to a normal person." He already had his hands full with obsession from a Witch of Envy he didn't remember knowing. Where would he be if he let Echidna's banter just then intimidate him? It was high time to set the teasing aside. Just as Echidna had said, it was time to seriously discuss something about which he had to speak with her. "This time around, there's so many things I don't understand. But among them, the biggest comes last... The stuff that ate...ate me to death." *** "It's pathetic, but I was killed by fist-size rabbits. They seemed omnivorous and acted like they were raised by someone who starved them. Thanks to that, they cleaned me right off the plate..." Subaru used frivolous words to describe the experience, which was horrifying to even remember. He'd used a gentle expression, but it was just plain difficult to express the sheer gruesomeness of it. Having fangs bite into his entire body, the memory of having his flesh, bones, and blood violated left a deep mark on Subaru's soul. It was so bad, he was virtually certain that had it not been for the tea party, for Echidna's intervention, his mind truly would have shattered. "'Raising' is overstating it. As a matter of fact, Daphne did not train the Great Rabbit Horde whatsoever." "...Great Rabbit?" "Correctly speaking, the Great Rabbit is plural, not singular. Great Rabbit Horde morphed into Great Rabbit. The demon beast Great Rabbit is considered one of the three great demon beasts, the negative legacies left by Daphne, the 'Witch of Gluttony.'" "So that was the Great Rabbit of the three great demon beasts that Julius talked about before..." He remembered hearing about it. The name of the demon beast had popped up during the conversation when Julius had met up with them after the subjugation of the White Whale. From that, it posed a menace equal to that of the White Whale, worthy of being named among the three great demon beasts. From Echidna's words, she knew that a Witch had created the legacies that had gone on to cause much trouble for others. "Three great demon beasts...? This, right after the White Whale was beaten? Gimme a break..." "Even I cannot help but sympathize with your plight. Furthermore, the Great Rabbit is the worst of foes." Subaru clutched his head at the peril being beyond all expectations. Somehow, Echidna's expression seemed very dark. "I have a bad feeling from the look on your face... Between the White Whale and the Great Rabbit, which is stronger?" "In terms of pure combat power, the White Whale wins by a substantial margin. However, what should be prioritized under the circumstances is not combat power but the difficulty of subjugation. In that, the Great Rabbit is overwhelmingly victorious." "Difficulty level of subjugation...? You mean it's hard to beat." It seemed the best result would be subjugating the Great Rabbit as had been done with the White Whale. As Subaru had such thoughts, Echidna went, "Now hold on," and raised a finger as she said, "It seems that you humans think the three great demon beasts are merely

a little more problematic than normal demon beasts." "Nah, I know they don't really fit a lovely assessment like that, actually..." "The appropriate term for the three great demon beasts would be 'natural disasters.'" When Echidna continued after his interruption of her words, he couldn't laugh off her statement as an exaggeration. It was precisely because Subaru had directly confronted the White Whale, and thus knew how frightening it was, that he could not laugh the Witch's words off. "The Great Rabbit always operates as a horde, fueled by an insatiable hunger that makes them consume all. To the Great Rabbit, all other living things are food. Aside from eating others and sating that hunger, it has no other desires whatsoever. It simply eats. There is nothing in its wake save uninhabited wasteland. You have surely seen this firsthand." "An uninhabited wasteland, you don't mean... You're talking about the Sanctuary from then?!" When Echidna spoke of the damage characteristic of the Great Rabbit, the look on Subaru's face changed as he shouted. In an uninhabited Sanctuary, those rabbits had consumed Subaru's entire body. What if those demon beast fangs had been turned against the people of the settlement and that desolate scene had been the result? Then Emilia, Roswaal, Ryuzu, and the bestial Garfiel were no exception. With no one left out, they too had felt the agony and sense of loss from that horde of fangs shaving their lives aw "O, ee...!" The instant the thought came to mind, Subaru was assaulted by a stomach-wrenching sense of nausea. Precisely because it had happened to him, he vividly sensed, and understood, just what pain everyone had experienced. Locust plague as Subaru retched, that was the term arising in the back of his mind. A locust plague was said to be the phenomenon of a huge explosion in locust numbers. Strictly speaking, it wasn't referring to the locusts themselves so much as their sudden appearance as a horde, and that enormously large horde became a calamity that devoured cultivated fields, ruining the farmland and causing outbreaks of famine. What Subaru had just learned about the Great Rabbit greatly resembled what he knew about locust plagues. Though, unlike locusts, this was a true natural disaster that consumed not fields but the flesh and blood of animals. "Isn't there...some way to drive them off?" "It is very difficult. Each individual Great Rabbit is not all that powerful, but the problem is its power to survive... Each individual is able to multiply without limit. You can hunt them to no end and it still won't be enough." "Individuals...multiply without limit?! What are they, amoebas?! N-no, wait a minute! They're a horde, right? You can't take down the boss of the horde and they'll scatter?" According to the rules of the human world, take down the head and the group will crumble. In the animal world, it might mean the top one or the top two of a horde, but which living creatures did demon beasts take after? Faced with Subaru's hypothesis, Echidna went, "Unfortunately," shrugging her shoulders as she said, "I did call them a horde, but the Great Rabbit does not fit that concept. I said it, yes? It is a demon beast that can infinitely divide from a single individual. In other words, they all began from the same individual creature. The countless Great Rabbits share the same sense of hunger, and if they have no prey, they make do by eating each other. That is their nature." Even cannibalism was not beyond them. Their terrifying ecology left Subaru aghast. Certainly, it was an iron law of living creatures that life was linked to consuming other life-forms. But infinite division and propagation from a single individual, then consuming each other to satisfy their hunger, was an insane concept. The Great Rabbit was a monster completely devoted to eliminating the very possibility of life. "If you were to destroy the Great Rabbit, it would require destroying the thing in its entirety. I believe that would be an act on par with vaporizing the lot of them, not allowing a single droplet to fall." It was exaggerated talk for the sake of argument. But that simply represented the scale of the problem. Accepting Echidna's explanation, Subaru felt dizzy at just how difficult it was to beat the Great Rabbit. With subjugating it so difficult, the only realistic option to deal with a Great Rabbit attack was to flee. But if the horde of Great Rabbits appeared inside the Sanctuary " There's the barrier. As long as that's there, Emilia and the others can't go outside." It was almost like a cage, meticulously set in order to obstruct those within. The Great Rabbit's ecology and the Sanctuary's environment could not mesh in a more horrible manner. There was a murderess coming to the mansion, the Great Rabbit coming to the Sanctuary, and both menaces would arrive in five days hence. Before that, the Sanctuary's barrier had to be lifted so that Emilia and the others could flee. Before that, he had to assemble the combat strength to drive Elsa and company from the mansion. In that loop, that was Subaru's duty, one only he could accomplish. *** He absolutely would not vent weak words like, Can I do it? It was Subaru himself who decided as much, for he had sworn to overcome, no matter what travails might stand in his way. However, in contrast to that determination and that vow, just what ought he do to address the situation " Echidna?" Subaru, plunged into a labyrinth of thought, abruptly realized that something about the Witch sitting opposite to him had changed. Echidna, so leisurely exchanging words with Subaru as she sat in her chair, had a faint crease on her brow. Subaru thought it was an expression of hesitancy about something in regard to him. "Did you think of something?" "...To be quite honest, it is not something I particularly wish to recommend." "But it's something meaningful for breaking this situation open...isn't it?" Closing her eyes, Echidna neither affirmed nor denied Subaru's words. Her demeanor was tacit confirmation in and of itself. The Witch boasting vast reserves of knowledge had come to a possibility Subaru had not realized for himself. When Subaru leaned his body over the table, Echidna instantly thrust out her palm to hold him at bay. Then, as she squished the tip of Subaru's nose, the Witch continued, "Please hear me out." "I do not wish to recommend this means. It is truly dangerous." "I'm aware of the dangers. That's why..." Of course, he couldn't come out and say, That's what Return by Death is for. However, that prevarication aside, Subaru had no doubt conveyed his true intent. Receiving this, Echidna shook her head from side to side. "The danger is not external. It is here. Danger would befall you in this place." "Here...? What the heck are you trying to tell me...?" " What if I said I could grant you an opportunity to speak to Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony?" *** Offered an impossible proposal, Subaru felt the rhythm of his breath thrown awry. Before this Subaru, the seriousness on Echidna's face did not falter. It didn't feel like a joke. That being the case, the contents from the Witch's mouth were genuine. And if that was true, then "All the other Witches are supposed to be dead. There's no way I can speak with that Witch." "If that were true, how are you speaking with me right now? How do you explain this circumstance? Surely you know quite well the fact that I am already among the departed, and yet you claim there is 'no way' you could be speaking to me." "That's, well that's true, but..." "Sekhmet, Minerva, Typhon, Camilla, Daphne " As Subaru hemmed and hawed, Echidna touched her chest, reciting the names like she would for those dear to her. From their previous chance encounter, Subaru knew that these were the names of Witches from long ago. " They are dead, but their souls are here with me in this castle of dreams. So that I might not lose them, I gathered them all into my own flesh before Volcanica destroyed my body and sealed me away." "You gathered their souls...so you can call them here...?" "Yes, albeit by allowing myself to serve as their avatar. During that time, I would be literally replaced by them." "That's...!" If that happened exactly according to her words, it would be quite an incredible thing. And more to the point, if he could speak to the Witch of Gluttony, he might be able to get a hint as to how to defeat the Great Rabbit. However, in contrast to Subaru leaping at the ray of hope, Echidna had a truly unenthused look on her face. "...For the one who proposed this, you really don't look thrilled with it, you know." "I told you, it is dangerous. You probably harbor a misconception as to what kind of being a Witch is. You only know of me and that thing, neither holding any animosity toward you." "You're saying the other Witches will hold animosity toward me?" "...If you treat them the wrong way, it can be dangerous, safe, very dangerous, extremely dangerous, or absolutely dangerous." "The fact that 'safe' is part of that lineup actually makes it sound worse... So what about Gluttony's case?" "Absolutely dangerous." Closing her eyes, Echidna rubbed her brow at just how temperamental these Witches were. But her demeanor toward those Witches had been friendly just before. It wasn't as if the Witches got along poorly with themselves. Subaru had a number of cases where friendships and positions were badly mismatched, too. It had to be something like that. "I understand why you're concerned. But can I ask you to do it anyway?" "If you truly desire it, I cannot stop you from doing so. Besides, if I may say something extremely personal I am not disinterested in what you might think after meeting the other girls." Speaking thus, Echidna beheld Subaru in her own black pupils. The dark glint in her pair of eyes was inquisitiveness that knew no bottom but this did not overwhelm Subaru as he twisted the corners of his mouth. Faced with that witchy smile, he, as a guest to a Witch's tea party, responded with his dignity intact. "Incidentally, what happens if I die here?" "Only your spirit has been invited into this world. It is a world unrelated to death. Naturally, however, if your spiritual body suffers wounds enough to make you believe you have died, those cracks in your mind will remain even after returning to your body." "In other words, I'd be a complete wreck? That's, like, a lot more risk than anything external?" "So do you wish to stop?" When Subaru raised his voice, the risk of becoming a wreck was pointed out to him, and Echidna sent a provocative smile his way. That smile lit a fire in him. He couldn't back down. "Do it." " I pray for your good fortune in battle." It wasn't set in stone that her final smile was really meant as a prayer for his good fortune. The joyful craving in it that of a girl waiting expectantly in ultimate delight for the result was too strong for such an assumption. Besides, Subaru immediately lost the free time with which to pay any heed to such a thing. *** Echidna's charming smile suddenly melted into the air. The particles from which Echidna was composed unraveled, and her very being was dismantled...only to be reconstructed into a completely different shape. Right after that veritable blink of an eye, appearing across the table from Subaru was "Ohh, we finally meet..." "...Huh?" "Huh? What do you mean, 'huh?' Huh, what? Wow, aren't you a rude one?" These words spoken, bare feet wiggled in front of Subaru as the other party's cheeks puffed up. There sat a little girl maybe ten years old a being

one would never think a Witch. 5 The little girl had brown skin and a bright, adorable face the very image of youth and innocence. Her deep green hair mixed with big round red eyes. She wore a lovely white dress with blue flowers at its hem and similar blue flower decorations on her head. The young girl was the epitome of the words pure and innocent, a sight that made Subaru's breath catch. If what Echidna had said during their exchange a moment before was true, the little girl before him was "You're...er, you're a Witch, too, right?" "Mm, you heard from Dona, right? And you're... I know, you're Baru! Baru it is!" Dona had to mean Echidna, and Baru had to mean Subaru. The way her reply came off as young or younger than her apparent age threw Subaru for a loop. Certainly, Echidna had portrayed making contact with the other Witches as a difficult battle. "She didn't mean in the sense of having to deal with kids, right...? So uh, do you know what Echidna and I were talking about?" "Kinda-sorta? I heard from inside Dona, so yeah." "The inside Echidna part of that info kind of weighs on my mind but...anyway, I'm glad we at least have some basis to go on. So to get right to the point, about the Rabbit..." Subaru leaned forward with every intention of asking about the Great Rabbit. But his action made the little girl tilt her head. "Incidentally," she went, bringing him to a halt. "Baru, are you an evildoer? I've been wondering about that the whole time, you see." "...Evildoer?" The question, from a completely unanticipated angle, made Subaru unwittingly drop his jaw. As he did so, the little girl swayed her legs, which did not reach the ground, and her chair rattled as she began rocking it back and forth. "I'm asking if you're an evildoer or not. Which is it...?" "You mean like a bad guy...? Er, I'm not sure what you're getting at with that question, but..." "Hmm, I get it! I'll check something out, then!" She turned him an innocent smile, making painfully clear just how difficult it was for Subaru to converse with this Witch. Ignoring that sentiment, the little girl leaped off her chair, trampling the grass with her still-bare feet, and walked over to Subaru. Then, going "Nn!" she showed her teeth as she smiled at him and put out her hand. "...You wanna shake hands? You'll know something if we shake?" "Nnn!" "I-I get it. I get it. If that makes you happy, hear me out, 'kay?" He truly felt like he was touching a little girl. Nervous from how she gave off an air younger than the kids of Earlham Village, Subaru took the little girl's hand. Her hand was small, and her palm was soft. But the body temperature was high, like a baby's hand. He thought idly, So spiritual bodies have body temperature, too, huh " I take this in compensation for your sins." "What?" Failing to pick up what she'd said, Subaru initially tried to ask her to repeat it. But before he could, he felt a light blow. Together with the feeling of his arm being ripped off, he felt a sense of liberation, as if freed of some heavy burden. He gazed down at the girl, wondering what had happened. The little girl had a smiling face as she clutched a single arm to her chest. It was an adult male's arm, the area where it had been torn right from the shoulder fully exposed Subaru's right arm. *** "Ohhh, the fact it didn't hurt means you're not an evildoer. I'm so glad..." In that emergency situation, Subaru looked at his own right shoulder and the wound left from his stolen arm. The jagged surface of the severed arm was exposed, but just as the little girl had said, he'd felt no pain from his arm being torn off whatsoever. There was no pain, no bleeding, no sense of anything different from before. As he gazed at the bone and arteries marking the fresh, bloody flesh of the wound, it was like looking at meat in the window of a butcher shop. Faced with the abnormality of what had occurred to his own body, Subaru screamed. "A aaaaaaaaa! M-my arm...my aaaarm?!" "Hey, it didn't hurt, right? If you rant in a huge voice like that, Dona's gonna hate you!" "Y-y-you?! What are you sayin'...? G-give it back! Give it back!!" The little girl's easygoing and bizarre worldview blew a hole in Subaru's unaccepting brain. He instantly determined that he needed back the arm she was clutching to reattach it to his shoulder immediately. A human body was not a simple enough thing that this alone would heal it, but he was too confused for that to sink in. Anyway, I've gotta get my arm back, went Subaru, attempting to grab hold of the girl when " Thou shall not be among the condemned." The next instant, both of Subaru's legs shattered from the knees on down. Having lost his right shoulder, then both his lower legs, Subaru lost his balance, tumbling forward. The blow cracked his hips, sending a fissure into his chest, and his face was flattened at an angle. "K aa...!! Wh...ut dud..." "Oh, you're not an evildoer, but you have a guilty conscience anyway! Awww, Baru, you're so nice, you poor thing. It must be so haaard..." There was no pain from his shattered legs, his cracked torso, or his head. They were simply broken and lost. Squatting, the little girl gently stroked Subaru's head as he lay on the ground. The earnest benevolence in the stroke of her hand, and the voice she cast toward Subaru, became frightening. He could not comprehend. It didn't compute. He couldn't cope with the abnormality. "Typhon's completed her goal After that...eh? Ahhh, I get it!" Standing up, the girl brushed off her knees and said something, but his mind wasn't paying attention. The little girl seemed to have lost interest in Subaru, too. In the view from lying faceup, the little girl vanished, and in her place, he saw the clear blue sky. *** Perhaps Subaru felt no pain because his body was a spiritual one, formed from his soul alone? He'd been advised that if it was wounded enough to make him think that he had died, it would be something that couldn't be undone. It's all right, I'll endure it, you'll see, he thought, and this was the result. The cracks on his limbs, his hips, his torso, his head, were growing, until finally, within the dream, he would become fine particles of dust " Oooone! The absurdities of the human world must be punched!" There was a voice. The voice strongly reverberated through Subaru, on the verge of shattering to dust. The voice continued. It was imposing...imposing without a hint of shame. " Twooooo! Nefarious misdeeds can go to hell!!" The voice echoing in the distance gradually grew nearer. Moreover, it was a voice with a high-pitched echo. " Threeeee! Be it unsightly or beautiful, all is part of this transient world!!" As he broke, Subaru listened to the voice. As his limbs turned to dust his torso having already lost its shape and his soul received wounds rivaling death itself, there was a great rumble as something stepped close. With wide-open eyes, Subaru saw something twirling around. " Do not think! You'll just! Get away with this!!" As Subaru lay faceup, the fist made a direct blow to the bridge of his nose, penetrating to the back of his skull and making the ground behind it explode. A crater was formed in the grassy plain, and a plume of dust rose from the destructive force of the explosive blow. *** He didn't understand what had happened. But with his psyche on the verge of death, he was caught by his neck and forcefully swung about. It was as if he was being dragged away from death...as if it was too soon for him to die. He was dragged up and pummeled. Fists punched wildly, continuing to dig into Subaru like rain. Engulfed by the impact, he completely lost his bearings. His psyche was dyed white. His field of vision beheld only the unrelenting fists and the side of the face of the girl hurling them, drenched in sweat and tears. The girl's tears glistened as they scattered into the sky. The girl wept as she swung one fist, then another, pounding the nearly dead Subaru over and over and over and over again. "Through my fists, the world is reborn! Through my anger, the world is cleansed!! My wrath! My healing fists! This is my answerrrr !!" Putting her hips into what truly deserved the wording, she slammed a mighty blow into Subaru's face. I'm gonna blow, thought Subaru, utterly certain the impact would do just that. "Eh?" However, the blast he was certain would come never arrived. His skull was intact, as was his life that was surely disintegrating, the fists affecting nothing at all. No, they had an effect. His arm, his legs, his torso, his head, his face the cracks had vanished from them all as they returned to their former state. Subaru's soul, breaking apart to become dust of the dream, had been pieced back together. "Th-this is..." "Arm and both legs are fine, huh! That's me for you. My work is awesome!!" As Subaru sat cross-legged on the ground, confirming his limbs were safe and sound, he heard a powerful force come at him from behind. When he nervously looked over his shoulder, he saw that the speaker truly was standing close enough to touch. When he looked up at the other party, what immediately leaped into Subaru's eyes were "...Breasts?" " !! Wh-where the hell are you looking?!" The other person was so close that he saw not her face, but the breasts that obstructed his vision before it. Subaru's dumbstruck voice made the owner of the breasts go shrill as she leaped backward. Finally, he could see her entire body. "P-please look at someone's eyes when you speak with them. Eyes! Goodness! Men are always like this, that's why I can't trust them!" Yet another unfamiliar girl raged, venting her naked anger at the male gender. The beautiful girl had gleaming golden hair, worn in a side ponytail that rubbed against her face, and vivid, nearly transparent blue eyes. She wore a short skirt that prioritized ease of movement, wearing a white-based tunic over her torso. She looked similar in age to Subaru, though she was a fair bit shorter and she had big breasts and a large butt that lent her a very appealing figure. Combined with the person's demeanor, Subaru felt he ought to call it a healthy sex appeal. The girl's hostile demeanor and actions put Subaru at a loss as to what he ought to say to her first. During that time, a change came over the girl. Her blue, fairly slanted eyes moistened dramatically. "Y-you're crying...?" "I am not crying at all! I'm simply angry! That's right, I'm angry! It's Typhon's fault! Hurting you this much when I hadn't had any intention of coming out...! Stupid Typhon! I hate the world that makes her do these things! I really hate everybody!" Stamping her foot upon the ground, her tears flowed profusely as she made the ground tremble beneath her feet. When Subaru looked with greater care, this, plus the blow to him earlier, was causing extreme damage to their surroundings. The hill upon which he'd had the tea party with Echidna had been flattened, and the table and parasol had been sent flying. It was abnormal for there to be such damage yet for it not to have any effect upon Subaru. Between the exchange just prior and the girl's current behavior, he somehow guessed what the girl before him was. "Th-thank you for saving me? But this must mean you're also a..." "I am Minerva, the Witch

of Wrath! No one is worthy of invoking her name!!" "You did it just now, didn't you?!" "Anyway! I healed your wounds! My duty is finished! You no longer have so much as a trace of a bee sting on you! That is a Witch's promise, so there!" "Don't talk so casually about Witches and promises! Do you even know how much both of those things scare me?!" Averting her face, the girl the Witch Minerva vented her anger in adorable fashion. However, the abnormal claim was true after all. He'd felt the effects of literal "tough medicine." After receiving a thrashing that left the area around him destroyed, his wounds had been healed. As far as mysterious phenomena went, this was something else. But he could only think of events up to that point as having been broken and healed according to the whims of others "Gaaah...! I get it!" Minerva abruptly glared at the sky, looking like she was exchanging words with an invisible person. When this made Subaru grimace, the girl finally pointed right at him as she delivered a scolding. "Now see here, don't do anything rash from here on out! Or next time I'll heal everyone!" "Don't say that like you're gonna slaughter everybody..." With that finger thrust toward him, he was overwhelmed by her voice and the powerful will infused within. When Subaru somehow managed that mumbling reply, before his eyes, the sight of Minerva swayed like a mirage "...Seeing your face makes me feel so relieved it's like I'm back at my own house." "...That appraisal leaves me somewhat conflicted. I was somewhat nervous that we would not be able to converse anymore." Before the exhausted Subaru, Echidna appeared with displeasure upon her face. The Witch twirled her long, white hair around a finger, not looking in Subaru's direction very much. Subaru sighed at the Witch's timid demeanor. "Your warning was correct. I almost died and got zero to show for it... Pathetic." "That could not be helped... More to the point, an issue came up, which forced that result. Even though my objective was to let you speak to Daphne, the instant I relinquished my body, Typhon ran on ahead and..." "Mm? Wait, that was Typhon, not Daphne?" When Subaru, seeing that the name was off, tilted his head, the interrupted Echidna nodded. "The first Witch to appear before you was Typhon...the Witch of Pride. I believe you know this from your contact with her, but she is such a child. She set off running, wanting to meet you with all her heart." "Meaning I almost got killed by a girl not even related to this stuff...?" Strictly speaking, he was in peril not of death but of becoming a wreck of a man, yet the effect was the same. Besides, had she mistaken wanting to meet him for wanting to kill him...? "She named herself, but the one who saved you from the verge of death was Minerva, the Witch of Wrath. In terms of what I explained earlier, that girl is the Witch you would be 'safest' with." "Yeah, she came off like a, hmm...a fresh-feeling explosive, Tsundere, big-breasted loli healer. Thanks to her, I didn't have to die but..." Subaru broke off his words and looked around the area. There was no little hill left anywhere to be seen on the grassy plain. Sensing from Subaru's gaze what he was getting at, Echidna flashed a strained smile and snapped her fingers. Instantly, there was a puff of wind. Simultaneously, for a brief moment, the world was enveloped in darkness as if a curtain had fallen. Then, when the curtain lifted everything was back as it had been for the tea party of dreams. "Ohhh...man, you really are a Witch." "I am shocked you would doubt such a thing after all of our conversation together. Well then, what now?" "What do you mean, what now?" "Do you wish to continue? I can firmly state that this time, I can grant you an audience with Daphne for certain, without interruptions...but Daphne is more dangerous than Typhon." Subaru audibly gulped. Naturally, Echidna's words had given rise to fear. "...If Wrath was safe, where did Pride land on the scale?" "Typhon was 'very dangerous,' I suppose? Just not as much compared to Camilla and Daphne." "Hearing that really makes a guy think, huh..." When he was told he'd spoken to Typhon, conversation seemed like a distant memory to him. If he dealt with someone even less inclined toward proper speech, his life truly would be in danger. Even if that was not the case, she was still the creator of demon beasts, which were collections of murderous instincts. Perhaps it truly had been a reckless challenge that Subaru had been doomed to lose from the beginning. Then, just as he began to think of his battle as one with no chance of victory " That's why I have to pry the door open, damn it." If it was just a matter of victory or defeat, Subaru Natsuki couldn't win against anyone. It was Subaru's manner of fighting to challenge so that odds of victory might be born. "Your determination is firm, then? Understood." Before Subaru's eyes, Echidna's provocative stance gave way to a sigh with an air of resignation. However, the Witch then went "However," raising a finger as she said, "I do want to make this much very clear. You absolutely must not free Daphne of her restraints." "Restraints..." "Moreover, I forbid you from touching her. If possible, I would like you to avoid meeting her eyes as well." "If I upheld all that I'd be a guy so creepy I'd wanna die, you know?! " In the first place, she hadn't explained the word restraints, something he could not dismiss. But before he could pursue the matter further, Echidna had finished preparing on her end. The Witch's form slowly wavered, her existence unraveled, and the world melted as she switched places with a different Witch. Then, with Subaru's body hard and tense, it slowly emerged before his eyes. "...Come on, isn't this a little excessive?" Drawing back his chin, Subaru let those words out in a quivering voice. If it was truly the Witch of Gluttony that had appeared before his eyes, the sight of her was truly difficult to ignore. " Subaruuu, is there something youu want to ask Daphnee?" With a sweet voice, Daphne the Witch of Gluttony asked with a sniff of her refined nose. The Witch was inside a coffin, firmly bound by chains, both eyes sealed by a black blindfold. 6 It wasn't that there was nothing distinct about her. Rather, the Witch's external appearance was peculiar in very awkward ways. The coffin was shaped closest to the torture device known as an iron maiden. The Witch, packed into the vertically standing black coffin, outwardly looked thirteen or fourteen years old. She wore her ashen hair back in two tails that reached down as far as shoulder level. A pitch-black straitjacket worn over white clothing was affixed to the coffin with chains. Both of her eyes were covered by a blindfold wrapped to cross over the center of her face, lending her appearance an ominous witchiness greater than those who had preceded her. "I came out because Donadona said to, even though sleeping felt really goood... I don't want to be up that looong, so don't talk about anything boring, okaaay?" "Y-yeah, thanks for the trouble of coming out. That statement sounds more like Sloth than Gluttony, so...you're the Witch of Gluttony, right?" The other party was blindfolded and surely not at liberty to step back. But there was Echidna's warning just prior, so Subaru carefully closed the distance by only a single step. But that move made Daphne, inside the coffin, murmur "Ahh," humming through her nose before saying, "...This might be poison for Daphne's body Centipede Coffin." *** She called out, and Subaru's surprise at the subsequent spectacle made his throat catch. To put it matter-of-factly, all Daphne did was move backward, seemingly to maintain the distance with Subaru. However, it was how she moved that was beyond Subaru's expectations. *** The lower part of the coffin binding Daphne suddenly floated up off the ground. The cause was the legs that sprouted on the bottom of the coffin legs moving like those of a crab or a spider. With these legs, the coffin moved backward. It was like a mobile iron maiden or, more accurately, it moved like a living creature. "Can I...ask you what that is...?" "Meaniiing? Daphne cannot see, so say it in a way Daphne can understand." "That um...super-aesthetic coffin you have there. From what little I know, coffins don't have feet, and they definitely don't move like insects at amazing speeds like that." With a creaking sound, the coffin set itself down, as if having reached its destination, drawing the legs it had sprouted back inside again. The action was like a turtle hiding in its shell, but vastly more repulsive. "Daphne cannot move freely, so Daphne made the Centipede Coffiiiin for thaaat. It moves from Daphne's sweat and pee, very convenient, yeees?" "Suddenly I feel like that's waaaay too much information." The gist was that it was a creature living off its host's waste products. Inside his head, he mulled whether it was just poorly phrased, but the abnormality of it was conspicuous indeed. The greatest abnormality was surely the part about her having "made" it. "When Subaruu is by Daphne's side, Daphne's body throoobbbs... It's a scent that Daphne really, reaaaally likes... It makes Daphne want to eat youuu." "By eating you mean, ah...swallowing me up?" "Swallowing youuu..." Daphne replied with a red face, almost like someone drunk. The words probably meant something different to her than they did to him. Her expressions were adorable, but the Witch had said without hesitation she wanted to "eat" Subaru. This indicated that she meant nothing beyond the literal meaning of consuming food in other words, cannibalism was not too far for her. Common sense or ethical considerations would be of no aid to him. Seizing hold of the pace required a preemptive strike. "I get that neither of us wants the conversation to drag too long. I get it, so I'll get right to my question. It's about the three great demon beasts you made." "Three...great?" " !! The White Whale, the Great Rabbit, and the Black Serpent, those demon beasts! You made them, right?!" Her demeanor, like she didn't remember them, set Subaru off, making him shout the names of the demon beasts. At those names, Daphne tilted her head left and right a number of times as she answered. "Ahhh, you mean Whaley, Buuunny, and Snakey?" "That's what I'm telling y..." "But you called them by strange names. I don't knoooow the names other people giiive them. I mean, those children just picked uuup and left Daphne all on their ooown..." Squirming inside the coffin, Daphne seemed to try and evade Subaru's anger. Apparently, she didn't have much self-awareness about creating life being a veritable act of God. Meaning that in creating the demon beasts, Daphne wielded power rivaling that of proper deities. "Geez, why did you create guys like that, anyway...?" " ? Whyyy?" "Why! Did you let! Guys like that loose on the world!" Unable to bear her attitude any longer, like it was someone else's problem, Subaru rang out an angry shout at the mother of demon beasts. Wrath made his face red, as he pointed a finger at Daphne and howled. "Even if you're dead, it's been four hundred years! How much rampaging do you think those demon beasts have done?! All the people, tens of people, hundreds of people! The casualties are still increasing even now!" The ferocious clash with the White Whale on the Liphas plains rose to the back of his mind. He remembered Wilhelm's tenacity, his shouting the name of his slain wife, the days of lament and anger spent by the knights

participating in that battle and the source of it all was the Witch in the coffin before his eyes. "What for! What did you make a monster like the White Whale for?!" " ? The bigger a creature is, the more people it can feed, riiight?" " Uh, wha?" The thoroughly mystified look on Daphne's face brought Subaru's forceful, sharp recriminations to a halt. When, as her demeanor rendered his vigor fruitless, he murmured, Daphne inclined her head even farther as she said, "The White Whale, it's big, right? A lot of people could be satisfied from eating it." "What are you..." "The Great Rabbit, weeell...they just multiply more and mooore. As long as it's around, no one will go hungryyy. Isn't that wooonderful?" "That's because the Great Rabbit ate so many of them!!" Daphne's speech was incoherent. If he took the words at face value, the reason she created monsters was to resolve the problem of hunger. To save people from the anguish of starvation, she'd created monsters as a source of food And yet, so many people had fallen victim to those monsters. "You got everything totally backward! The number of people taken by monsters is way higher than the people whose bellies were filled by..." "You're going to eat the other oooone, but you don't think it's possible you'll be eaten yourseeelf... Isn't that a little too unfaaair?" As Subaru wore a bitter face, Daphne smiled charmingly, speaking the words as if they were the most natural in the world. *** Drinking down her statement, Subaru strived to understand, and he finally understood that he could not understand. He'd been mistaken. From her appearance and her capacity for words, he'd thought he could speak to her person to person. But he was wrong. The girl before his eyes was not a "person" at all. "That's animal logic..." The strong eat the weak this was truly the concept behind Daphne's actions. Furthermore, it was not that she saw value in a world where the strong ate the weak; her eyes were solely focused upon eating. Now he understood Echidna's explanation: Daphne really was dangerous, someone who could not be reasoned with. Subaru and Daphne had different values. She was a Witch. Even among the Witches, of which there were only seven in the world, she was a true Witch. "Subaruu...don't you think about easing everyooone's Gluttony, toooo?" *** "In liiiife, Gluttony is the most important craving of all, you knooow? I meaaan, if you can't satisfy thaaat, you can't live, can youuu?" *** "Even if you have no peaaace, even if you are not loooved, even if you can't vent your emoootions, even if you can't respect yourseeelf, even if you can't get what you cooovet, even if you can't get excited about aaaanything, that won't kill aaanyone. But..." *** "If you can't eaaaat, you die, riiiight?" Of all the seven deadly sins, only the sin of Gluttony was directly connected to life itself. In a proper sense, Gluttony meant a craving for food beyond that which was necessary. But in this case, Daphne truly believed it to mean the craving for food that was necessary to sustain life. She had a point, one he could not refute. However "What you're saying is partially right. I acknowledge that. But that's just..." "Subaruu, you should try hunger up to the very limit ooonce. Then you'll understand what Daphne's words meaaan... What kind of world Daphne and Buuunny live iiin." Certainly, when she referred to starvation in the utmost extreme, Subaru lacked any words to speak in reply. Subaru had never experienced hunger to the point that it had threatened his life. In a normal household in modern Japan, a lack of food to the level of starvation basically didn't exist, and even once summoned to another world, he'd been blessed with the good fortune of meeting Emilia in short order and being taken in by Roswaal Manor. Even if hunger pangs assailed him that very moment, inflicting difficult-to-endure anguish, it wouldn't make him understand the Witch's psyche. "So that monster, the Great Rabbit, was created out of your own hunger, then..." "All those childreeen took after Daphne after they were born, especially Daphne's empty stomaaach... You can understand how they feel when they eat each otheeer..." "...Doesn't that make your conscience hurt? How you made the monsters you created feel that emptiness in their stomachs." " ? Even if Buuunny's stomach is empty, it doesn't make Daphne's stomach emptieeer?" "...I was stupid to ask." They were talking past each other. No matter how long he tried, he'd never understand this Witch. To Daphne, even the monsters she had created were nothing more than emergency rations there for the nabbing whenever her belly was empty. She gave birth to them, she ate them. It was the ultimate in self-sufficiency truly, this was the mother of the Great Rabbit. Perhaps it was pointless to exhaust words upon Daphne any longer, but "If I said I want to send that Great Rabbit packing, any hints you could give me?" "Ehhh, you want to destroy Buuunny? That child, it's weak but easy to eaaat and spreads so easy, tooo. It's Daphne's masterpieeeece." "If you're gonna push that weak-eats-the-strong, eat-or-be-eaten stuff, then I'd like you to acknowledge that killing so you can live is basic survival instinct." Toward Daphne, who was stubborn in her off-the-wall judgment, Subaru framed his rebuttal in sophistry. Their values were different, so they couldn't communicate in the same realm. Trying to play ball and establish space between Subaru and Daphne where they could see eye to eye was a long shot, likely fruitless for both parties. However " The Great Rabbit relies on mana to search for prey, you seeee." "...What got into you all of a sudden?" "I meaaan, if you have to eat to liiiive, you have to accept you have to kill to live, tooo, or it won't make seeense?" Subaru was suspicious about Daphne coming right out and telling him about the Great Rabbit as he'd asked. As he did so, Daphne nodded over and over, apparently accepting Subaru's sophistry from earlier. He'd expected some kind of instant counterargument, but he'd apparently filled the chasm between his and Daphne's values from different realms. Ignoring Subaru's surprise at that, Daphne spoke about the characteristics of her child as the mother of demon beasts. "It's attracted to large amounts of mana, sooo you could use a strong magic user as a decoy to lure them togeeether. Then you could take them out all at oooonce?" "...I heard they increase with no limit. Won't there be guys away from the pack?" "No matter how many bodiiies, there is only one miiind. So it's liiiike, one set of thoughts is shared across the whole hooorde. It doesn't have any smarts for keeping it from being destroooyed." "That so. So if we do take them out, it won't be like, they all come back from one survivor like something out of a cliché horror movie ..." It was an obligatory plot in a monster panic movie, but combined with the Great Rabbit's characteristics, it wouldn't be funny at all. But the information from just then was a huge contribution for how to deal with the impending Great Rabbit. It didn't mean he'd worked out a sure way to eliminate it yet, but the data was plenty to make all that worth the effort. He saw a tiny glimmer of hope. "Fuwaah... Is it all right if Daphne rests noooow?" To Subaru, his head pondering how to subjugate the Great Rabbit, Daphne yawned and spoke thusly. To the bitter end, she did things at her own pace or rather, was heedless of all around her. To Daphne, just like the Great Rabbit, all began and ended with her individual existence. Accordingly, the Witch had utterly no interest in the results; not for Subaru, not for the Great Rabbit. Perhaps the only thing that interested her was insatiable hunger. What did that even mean for a Witch who was no longer alive? "Yeah. Took a while, but I'll keep that tucked away. Thanks also." One was alive, and the other was dead; the eras of their lives were different. Had it not been for such a fashion, Subaru and Daphne were two lines that would never, ever have crossed. Hence, there was no issue whatsoever with giving up on their different values and parting ways. There was no issue, but " I will destroy the Great Rabbit. I already killed the White Whale. I won't accept any complaints from their mommy dearest." *** "Four hundred years ago, you might have thought you did a good job. If you didn't, well, setting that aside, they've rampaged on and on. They've done enough I'll erase them, with no trace left." There was a vast chasm between their values and, fully aware of this, Subaru spoke. Not knowing whether it would reach, he'd wanted to fire off at least one arrow at the Witches toying with him until the bitter end. Faced with Subaru's declaration of war, Daphne showed him a reaction like none before it. "...Uppity human." The murmur that trickled out was utterly bereft of the sweet atmosphere up until that point. The Witch's mouth opened broadly to one side, and for the first time, he caught a glimpse of tangible will beyond mere Gluttony. " Do iiiit, if you can." Baring her all-too-sharp fangs and sticking out her red tongue, the Witch of Gluttony laughed with delight. 7 *** A powerful wind blew, and Subaru unwittingly threw up his arms, obstructing his field of vision. His eyes followed as the gust buffeted the grassland, and a swirl of wind made the petals of wild flowers dance aloft in the sky. He watched until they were swallowed by the light of the sun, whereupon his gaze returned. And then " Sorry for insisting, Echidna." "I need no thanks. In this place, it is good for the girls to exchange words with someone besides me once in a while. Of course, if it was not a being like you, he or she could not stand before us." "...You pulling my leg?" "It would be great if all could be solved by pulling legs, but many things cannot." Echidna, manifesting in Daphne's place, spoke in a jesting manner as she shrugged her shoulders. At the very least, though Subaru felt the same sense of oppression from his first meeting with Echidna, he did not receive the same urge to vomit. He'd felt the same when meeting the other Witches. He'd felt fear due to the girls' abnormality. But there had been no instinctive sense of rejection. That was the difference. "So did you pick up anything from that talk with Daphne?" "I suppose so... First, I picked up that among the Witches, you're incredibly sane." "Ha... Goodness gracious, this will not do. I cannot have you look at me more lightly from such lovely-to-hear words putting me in a good mood." At Subaru's deeply felt reply, Echidna made a sound through her nose, plus some small jest. After that, the Witch hummed a tune as she put fresh tea and cookie-like treats onto the table. The tune wasn't very good. At any rate, she was an easy-to-understand Witch. "But I'll pass on your body fluids and cookies with who-knows-what mixed into them." "I have not put any hair in them." "At this point I've gotta second-guess each and every thing you tell me!" From that moment forward, Subaru firmly swore in his heart that he would not eat or drink again at that tea party. In contrast to Subaru's determination, Echidna made a pained smile and narrowed her black eyes. With those dark-colored eyes staring at him, Subaru grimaced, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. "I don't really like how those eyes seem to see through everything." "If I could understand everything about someone by staring, I would stare at you until you burst into flames... Besides, I really must say,

you have little self-awareness, do you?" " ? What are you talking about? Self-aware of what?" "Perhaps the distorted situation? For instance...if you had a mind to, you could calmly exchange words with even Typhon, provided she said she wants to speak with you. Am I wrong?" With Subaru tilting his head, Echidna tossed him a question. Accepting it, Subaru twisted his head one way then the other, pondering. What did the Witch want to say, or what was she trying to make him say? "...If she wanted to talk I think I'd hear her out. What of it?" "After Typhon did all that to you? Normally, a person could never accept someone who shattered his arms and legs and nearly killed him, not even if those wounds had been completely healed." *** The instant she pointed that out, Subaru's breath caught. His reaction made the blackness of Echidna's eyes thicken in ever-deeper interest. During that time, Subaru slowly remembered something he had forgotten how to breathe. "It seems you were not wholly unaware of it." "...I wonder if it's an issue with how my mind's working right now. Certainly I'm self-aware that my thinking is a little less than sane. But I can't just come out and say certain stuff, right?" What would happen if he said in anger about Typhon, who'd nearly taken his life, that he couldn't forgive her? Even Rem had killed Subaru once upon a time. And once upon a time, Ram had helped her do so. Even so, Subaru had forgiven them both. Love toward them had won out against anger. He'd chosen a tomorrow he could spend with them over a tomorrow without them. "Of course, it's different with Witches I only just met than with Rem and Ram. I'm not gonna put up with talking to Typhon unless she apologizes. Tell her that." "...Understood. I do not know if she will listen or if she will desire to speak with you again, but I shall have a firm word with her about the matter." Puffing out her chest, Echidna undertook to do as Subaru said in a most commendable manner. Nodding at her reply, Subaru abruptly looked down at his two hands. He had an odd sense that something was off. He opened and closed his fists, knitting his brows with a questioning look. "The heck? I'm getting this weird, creepy feeling..." " It would seem that the time for you to awaken draws near." "Awaken? ...Meaning..." Subaru felt dizzy as his upper body swayed. Tasting something like dizziness from getting up too fast, Subaru, still seated in his chair, blinked, as he wondered what was going on. Awakening meant liberation from the castle of dreams. But what was strange about that was "According to what you told me, I can't leave here so long as you haven't given permission?" "That should be the case, but there are exceptions. For instance, in the case that your flesh and blood is being urged to awaken from without......but that is odd. Certainly this time we have spoken at length, but even so, this is not a common occurrence by any means." "Woken from the outside...? Don't tell me, that means..." Subaru's eyes opened wide as Echidna's explanation made him think of something. In his present condition, Subaru was only a soul invited into Echidna's dream. The flesh and blood meant to contain it ought to have still been lying on the stone floor in the tomb, limbs spread like a snow angel. Time flowed differently between inside and out, so he figured it was basically impossible someone had sensed something wrong and entered the tomb. In other words, there was only one person who could be waking Subaru up. "Emilia's trying to wake me? No, wait, in the first place..." That was when Subaru realized a strange fact. There was no mistaking that Emilia was challenging the tomb's Trial. Subaru had entered there during that time, after all. But if those events were happening in the castle of dreams during that Trial, then "Weren't you playing the part of the examiner for the Trial? What are you doing here, then?" "Mm?" "I mean, Emilia's challenging the Trial, too, right? What are you doing here instead of supervising that? Isn't that weird?" "...Ahhh, that is what you mean. But I already see the result, so..." "You see the result...?" The terribly blunt reply left Subaru unable to continue to the next phrase. This was because Echidna's apathy about Emilia's trial came from referencing Subaru's own memories. So far as Subaru knew, Emilia would be unable to beat the Trial for three days hence. Even if one thought she could do it with more time, the Great Rabbit would rob her of the time required. "Therefore, I am no longer interested in the result of her challenge. I surely cannot expect her to have a breakthrough in three days, even through trial and error. Or perhaps you could do it?" *** "Would you, he who has decided to redo over and over, spread your wings for the cowardly Princess's sake?" The sarcastic, teasing way she said it made Subaru shut his eyes. On the back of his eyelids, all that floated up was the image of Emilia crying, her heart broken by the Trial. To make her overcome the Trial, would he die over and over, to avoid making her wear that face? His heart strongly implored him not to behave in a manner so cruel. "I hate to be a sucker for your taunt, but I can't let you make Emilia cry anymore." "Er...mm, it is not as if I am the one making her cry, however." "For that sake, I'll challenge your bad-taste Trial. I meant to do that last time around, anyway. People got in my way, so I couldn't then, but I'll make it happen next time." "You really did not have to say it is in bad taste..." Echidna commented with a pout, but that did nothing to dampen Subaru's resolve. Either way, the declaration he had made to Echidna was genuine. This time, Subaru wanted to take the Trial. He'd already overcome the first Trial. If he broke past the second and the third, the Sanctuary would be liberated from the barrier. After that, he could race to the mansion and, borrowing Beatrice's power, send Elsa and the Beast Master packing. For that, he'd challenge as many times as he needed to. The last thing to tug at his mind was "...Garfiel." Even then, having restarted, he couldn't pin down how he ought to act toward the man who could bestialize into a giant tiger. The fact was, the more he Returned by Death, the more the miasma thickened, prompting unnecessary disputes between him and Garfiel. If so, in spite of the overwhelming power gap between Garfiel and others, he wound up turning his claws against Ram, Otto, and the villagers. Even if he survived, the other guy wouldn't listen even if the circumstances changed, how could he reconcile with such a man? "...There's no way." At the very least, Subaru was incapable of forgiving Garfiel in his current mental state. Of course, it wasn't someone he ought to be antagonizing, either. He'd have to avoid confrontation as best he could. There was no chance of victory through arms. He could not yet bring himself to imagine Garfiel becoming an ally, but... "Shit, not good... My mind's really breaking down." In the middle of such thoughts, his mind swayed. He was struck by the sensation that he was falling asleep. From the sight of Subaru, Echidna said, "It seems our time is at an end," and continued, "From my perspective, this time was particularly fruitful, and this after not even being asked a question last time. Have I lived up to the name of the Witch of Greed, at least a little?" "I suppose you have... Yeah, to be honest, it's a big help...both for making a plan and for my psyche." Compared to the previous occasion, when he'd indeed exchanged words with Echidna for only a short time, they had spoken long. During that time, a number of people who had not shown themselves before Subaru to date had revealed themselves. Most of all, he'd divulged Return by Death. His eaten-to-death psyche's wounds had also apparently healed. Even if the outside world would doubt his sanity for the thought, he didn't find being aided by a Witch to be so mysterious. "One Witch's power makes me redo from death; another's saves my psyche, huh?" "What was that?" "Nah, just talking to myself Echidna, what should I do to come here again?" *** Through Return by Death, Subaru would be certain to return to the tomb. But an invitation into Echidna's territory required qualifications beyond that. Opening the door of dreams required a key, just like his desperate struggling had acted as a trigger that time around. "I know it's selfish to ask. But down the road, a time will come when I want to borrow your wisdom again. You know a lot of stuff, and besides..." " Because I know about your Return by Death, yes?" "...Yeah, that's right." Until that point, Subaru had no one who knew he Returned by Death that he could also actually converse with. But that was possible with Echidna, the Witch before his eyes. Echidna was sharper-witted than Subaru. Her power was necessary to overcome the current loop. "I do not mind the feeling of being relied on. However, the living should not so easily welcome the dead into their thoughts or lend them their hearts...particularly when dealing with a Witch." "You mean, it's no good?" "I am not saying it is no good. But I believe it will probably be more difficult from here on." With dejection and hope both dwelling in Subaru's eyes, Echidna's cheeks went taut as she made a strained smile. "The conditions for inviting a guest steadily become more difficult. The first time, I am free to call someone, but from the second onward, it is not so. This is the second time you have been invited. Your voice and its heartfelt craving to know reached me. The third time requires it be even greater than the second Do you think you are capable of this?" "A bigger voice than this time around, meaning I have to die with a bigger impact than being eaten by bunnies? ...Even if I could, I would, um, prefer not to." In the first place, when he'd died this latest time, it was enough to spark madness. He'd been in a veritable oblivion, his soul shaken to the very core of his being as he cried out, why Just what kind of pain and loss would he have to arrive at to one-up that? "Since you have rejected it, this may well be the final time you and I come face to face. But if you engage with the Trial according to your plan, that might not be so." " ? Ahh, I get it! So that's how it is!" He palmed a fist. He understood what Echidna was getting at. He'd have a chance to speak with her outside of a tea party. Just like during the first Trial, if Subaru challenged the Trial in Emilia's place, his desire for reunion would be granted when he met the Witch during the second and third Trials. "So if I do that, then? That said, there's more to that than a cup of tea..." "If you insist, I am willing to pour you some there as well..." "Nah, the more I see of what goes into it, the less I wanna drink that stuff." When he thrust out the palms of his hand, rejecting her offer, Echidna wore the most dejected face she had to date. He had no idea why the Witch was trying to supply him with her own bodily fluids to that extent. Maybe it aroused

her to have part of herself become part of another. That would be sinful indeed. Either way, he'd put the next opportunity on his to-do list. There was one thing left to do before he departed. "Feels like I'm about to wake up for real. So Echidna, please, before that." *** "Hey, don't leave me hanging! Compensation for the tea party! You're the one who said it!" "A-ahh, compensation. Of course, obligatory for a Witch's tea party. It would be bad if I forgot such a thing." For an instant, he was nervous that she had genuinely forgotten, but Echidna spoke those words with a suspicious-looking smile. Normally, Subaru would have wanted her to forget about making him pay compensation before being swept outside, but this time, the "vow" business was included in the compensation. He couldn't omit it. The vow would be rewritten, and he would return outside of the dream with his memories of Echidna, and the tea party, intact. Worst case, if he forgot about the conversation with Daphne, the only future waiting for him was being eaten by the Great Rabbit a second time. "Last time, I forbade you from speaking of the tea party. This time, you desire that I unbind you from that vow, and I have given you a warm reception in other ways still. I must have appropriate compensation." "Just thinking of it all makes me nervous about what I'm gonna pay for it." "Perhaps after you die, I shall collect your soul, and you may enjoy an eternal party with us..." "Sorry. I can't die, remember?" "I suppose not. I find that thing's obsession even more detestable than before." He thought it was a joke nonetheless, but as penultimate choices went, it was frightening compensation indeed. Just thinking about spending all eternity there with the Witches left him unable to stop shaking. If I have to offer compensation on the same level as that Just as Subaru was worrying along those lines, Echidna went, "In that case," stretching out her hand as she said, "I really had my eye on that one, but I suppose this will do?" As she spoke, Echidna's fingers touched the white handkerchief wrapped around Subaru's wrist. Given to him by Petra, the proof of his promise to her to return safe and sound had followed him even to the world of dreams "This will do...? It's just a handkerchief, right? There's nothing special about it at all." "Then there's no harm in giving it to me, is there? If there is nothing special about it." "Er, well that might be true but...this is..." Echidna's behavior, clinging to obstinacy, made Subaru shield his wrist as his words grew awkward. The handkerchief was infused with a promise, one that would carry him back to Petra without fail. It carried Petra's thoughts wishing him safety on his journey. He couldn't simply hand it over. After all, returning it to Petra safe and sound was one of Subaru's goals. "Besides, how can compensation be something physical like this? This is a mental world. You can't actually keep something from the world outside, right?" "How perceptive of you. Certainly, even if you hand it to me here, the handkerchief will not vanish from your wrist when you return to the outside. But there is the wish infused within." "The wish, in the handkerchief?" Unlike with Subaru's figurative thoughts, Echidna nodded with a completely serious look of conviction. "The one who conferred this to you has heartfelt concern for you. The feelings behind her wish for your safety become a power that protects you. Such charms existed even in my time, but you must not mock them." "Had no intention of doing so... But, that so, huh?" When Subaru gripped his wrist, handkerchief included, he felt the consideration from that adorable girl within. Gradually, his chest was filled with warmth. In his heart, he vowed anew. He would rescue the girl from her tragic fate. "This may be my territory, but that does not mean I am completely free to do as I please. Just as I cannot deny you your freedom, I cannot do with the feelings infused within the handkerchief as I wish. Therefore, no concern is necessary." "I'm a bit concerned about that preamble, but in that case, how does the handkerchief become compensation for you?" "It lets me be certain of the existence of those feelings, and perhaps...interfere, somewhat?" Replying thusly to Subaru's question, Echidna touched Subaru's handkerchief with her supple finger. The Witch proceeded to gently close her eyes, lowering her head as she stood right beside him. The feeling of proximity and the Witch's scent made him uncomfortable. Internally, he prayed for her to hurry up, but Echidna, unaware of this, took a full ten seconds before going "All right" and pulling back from him. "With this, I have collected my compensation. There is a new vow between us. Do not forget this!" "...Um, my old vow was to forget this stuff, you know." Using invective to paper over his embarrassment, Subaru took a step away from Echidna. Already, Subaru's vision had warped. The world lost its shape, save for Echidna alone. "Well, big help. See you next Trial, I guess?" "It would be nice if your challenging the tomb went smoothly, but..." Subaru made a pained smile at how she could lob mental millstones with such ease. Then, it felt like this time he was truly being cut off from the dream " Subaru Natsuki, if you ever come for a third tea party..." "Eh?" The instant he was enveloped by a floaty feeling, Echidna, fading from view, said something to him. When Subaru spoke back, the Witch, growing misty, smiled as she continued. " If such a time comes, it shall be I who wishes to speak with you about something." *** With those final words seemingly tugging at the back of his hair, the Witch vanished from Subaru's field of vision. A misty feeling remained in his chest. But Subaru turned his way, facing overhead. He lost the floaty feeling. He did not know if he was rising or falling. But the dream was ending. And as the dream ended, the determination he embraced was " Next time, there won't be any mistakes." The murmur accompanied his resolve. The next moment, he heard a sound like ice cracking, and all at once, his vision went white. CHAPTER 6 *** 1 "Uegh! Geho! Gehh!" The instant he awoke, Subaru spat out the bitter taste of dirt inside his mouth in spectacular fashion. Kneeling on the cold floor, he desperately retched until there were tears in his eyes. He earnestly spat out saliva reeking of mud and gravel. "This gonna happen every time...?!!" When he finished spitting out the foreign substances, Subaru cursed as he shook his head, urging his waking mind to fully awaken. Slowly, he reflected on what had happened while he slept, and a fog seemed to lift as his memories came back to life "The Great Rabbit got me... I came back and got invited to the tea party..." Tea party and Witch when those keywords floated up, a rich variety of memories about the Witches played on the back of his eyelids. The fact that he remembered made Subaru comprehend that Echidna had fulfilled her part of the vow. Without thinking, he touched his wrist with his hand. He felt cloth; Petra's handkerchief was there too, safe and sound. "...So Echidna kept her promise, huh? For a Witch, she really doesn't seem that bad." Subaru made a little sigh. Perhaps it was a sigh of lament; perhaps a sigh of praise. Echidna, not as witchy as her title suggested, was one of his precious few allies for that loop. She had both intellect and wisdom. The tea parties and the Trial provided limited opportunities to rely on either, but " The flip side is, they bring the biggest advantage. That's a big deal." Touching a hand to his chest, Subaru mentally trembled anew that he'd been able to confess Return by Death. The conditions had been limited to that place, where it was only him, Echidna, and the other Witches. But being able to reveal Return by Death to someone and talk to her about it was something he didn't dare wish for by that point. Thanks to that, he'd gained information on the Great Rabbit and hypotheses about Return by Death's characteristics. Perhaps the most disturbing piece of information he'd returned with was that the Witch of Envy was the cause of the Authority dwelling in Subaru and that, one day, he would most certainly come to face the Witch. "But right now, I'll rely on that power of yours. I'll use the lives you give me as many times as I need to." If this put him closer to the answers, he was all the gladder for it. It was a small price to pay for the sake of the future. Subaru crudely wiped his lips with his sleeve and stood up then and there. He wore a strong expression full of determination, but then it flipped; an ill feeling changed it to apprehension. "Emilia had to have been the one who...woke me up, but..." Properly speaking, Subaru's mind had been called awake through external interference. But in this case, it was a slight and trivial difference...one that evaporated in light of the larger current issue. Namely, there in the tomb's stone room where the first Trial took place Emilia was nowhere to be found. "...No way, right?" Murmuring in astonishment, Subaru looked all around the dimly lit stonework room. However, there was no sight of Emilia anywhere within the Trial room. Emilia, who should have been in anguish from the nightmare she was having until the moment Subaru touched and awakened her, was gone. "So she woke up before me, then tried to wake me up, and then...and then?" And then, with Subaru not awakening, she just left, leaving him there? That would not have been a very Emilia-like act. It was more likely that Emilia would carry the unconscious Subaru out of the tomb than go outside to call for aid. Or perhaps her mental state was so much at odds with its normal condition that she'd commit such an un-Emilia-like act. *** It was then that Subaru realized he had come far too late. As he repeated events, it was the fourth time he had awakened in that place. But until then, never once had Emilia awoken before him; this was the first time. Now, he was unable to console the brokenhearted Emilia, a hole bored in her heart by nightmares from the past. "Don't tell me she ran outside all in a panic...!" Thinking back to how much Emilia was flustered by the past, he couldn't say with any certainty that it was impossible. Ram and Otto were outside of the tomb. Even if Emilia did leave in tears, they ought to have been able to skillfully calm her back down. Besides, outside were " Garfiel and Ryuzu are there." When he turned around, about to make a run for the tomb's exit, his legs came to a halt. Right after Return by Death, Subaru's miasma had probably increased in density again. He still hadn't been able to work out countermeasures for that. If his miasma was thicker than the previous time around, there was no telling when Garfiel and company would come after him. It wasn't certain they wouldn't attack him right after he left the tomb. "...Nah, I have to go." He was concerned for Emilia's safety. There was no way he could put that on the back burner. Besides, if his miasma thickened the more he repeated, every error in judgment made the situation worse. Subaru's excuses might only pass muster while the count was still low. That time might have been his last for that. Subaru's emotional state also made the short-tempered Garfiel difficult to persuade. But

he might get somewhere with Ryuzu by pleading that the miasma business was a misunderstanding. "This time gotta bet on that conversation !" Betting everything on a possibility limited to that time around, he forced his once-stopped legs to move. After the first step came down, there was no more hesitation. He ran across the hard floor full-force. The sounds of his shoes echoed throughout the cold tomb, mixing with Subaru's breathing as he hurried outside. A lukewarm breeze blew in from the entrance, rubbing Subaru the wrong way, something he brushed aside as he ran. As Subaru clenched his teeth tightly, the moonlight filtering in straight in front of him brought the entrance into view. Subaru leaped over the vines covering the corridor's floor and walls, determined to move even if he could see nothing on his way outside. When he raced out of the tomb, he wondered if it would be Emilia, or perhaps Garfiel, first entering his eyes. " Huh?" Instantly, he hit the emergency brakes, crudely bringing his body to a halt. He pitched forward, then righted himself. However, his heart, struck by surprise at the unexpected, could not be righted so easily. *** In his mind, he traced two scenes Emilia in tears, Garfiel turning with enmity as Subaru raced out of the tomb that represented his worst-case scenarios. But the result was neither of the two. There was neither Emilia nor Garfiel nor, for that matter, Ram or Otto or Ryuzu either. What was there was " A shadow." Haltingly, without thinking, Subaru let the murmur trickle out, bluntly describing the scene. Outside the tomb, the Sanctuary, surrounded by both forest and barrier, was entirely engulfed in pitch-black shadow. 2 Shadow truly, there was no other way to express the spectacle before his eyes. A change had come over the landscape he surveyed from the entrance of the tomb. The clearing in front of the tomb, the settlement visible in the distance, and the bonfire for illuminating the nighttime path...none of these entered his vision. He turned his face skyward. There, the waning, pale moon and the countless stars glimmered, giving off their light. Neither the moonlight nor the starlight had any effect upon the shadow smothering the Sanctuary in darkness. *** Swallowing his breath, Subaru hardened his will and stepped down the tomb's stairs, setting his feet upon the clearing before his eyes. His soles came into contact with the shadow. He felt the soles stepping on grass and soil, though his eyes could not see either. There was no sign that he was sinking into the shadow like quicksand. But he was engulfed by shadow up to ankle level. Instantly, the creepy shadow felt repulsive. Subaru's throat shuddered as he yelled. "E-Emilia! Emilia, where are you! Where are you?! Please answer me, Emilia!" The uncertainty about the world that was present, the warping of the world shown through his eyes these sent fear running through Subaru. His resolve in the face of come-what-may was blotted out by the absurdity of not even understanding what had happened. Emilia did not respond. There was no sound or sight of her to be found. "Ram! Ryuzu! Even Otto! You're here, right?! Come on out, please!" If that moment was right after taking the Trial, all of the people he named ought to have been present in the clearing. What ought to have happened was Subaru soothing the panicked Emilia and being greeted by those people when he brought her outside. That was what ought to have happened, but this time, nothing was going according to Subaru's experiences. "Am I stupid...? No, I am stupid. This ain't the time to get cold feet. Whatever happened, I've gotta be as cool as if I was wearing a watercooler over my head...!" Biting his lip, blood coursing to his jaw, Subaru strived to maintain his calm in the face of the anomaly. He'd wasted enough time in futile things like his mind going awry, getting emotional, and being buffeted by events; no more. Hadn't he only just hardened his resolve at the tomb, at Echidna's tea party? However indecipherable the circumstance, if he faced it resolutely, even if he didn't arrive at the right answer but simply took a step forward closer to where his hand could reach, a step closer to payback, such a death would have meaning. "...I have to find out where the heck Emilia and the others went." Speaking aloud that which he must do, Subaru settled on challenging the shadow before him as his interim plan. He was walking toward the settlement. His options were the Cathedral that had taken in the people of Earlham Village and the Ryuzu residence where Roswaal was convalescing the Cathedral was closer and had more people. So he headed there. Pursuing that thought, Subaru lifted up a foot from the shadow to break into a run " Uh?" The instant he tried to run, Subaru stopped moving at the very first step. It wasn't out of timidity. The reason he stopped was that the wind was suddenly blowing right before his eyes. It was a lukewarm wind, and there was a color to it. Its black color greatly resembled the shadow enveloping the Sanctuary. *** The wind brushed against Subaru as if licking his entire body, passing behind him. Feeling the skin on the back of his neck tickle from the graze, Subaru slowly, slowly turned around. His eyes followed the wind. It was a foolish act, but there was a tangible reason why he did it. "Aa" In the Sanctuary, befallen by darkness, shadow shrouded the surface of the clearing, in which there was no one besides Subaru. But there, close enough to breathe upon it, that shadow silently stood. He hadn't noticed until it was very close. He hadn't noticed it getting very close. Even having come so very close, it had raised no voice, though it gazed at him. He could not see the other person's face. And yet, it was that face he could not see, more than anything else, that revealed who this was. *** The next moment, the shadow blanketing the ground swelled up in explosive fashion, and the fragile landscape known as the Sanctuary completely collapsed, swallowed by a sea of shadow that blotted out the darkness-covered forest, the settlement, and the world. But faced with such an enormous anomaly before him, Subaru could not spare a thought for the world being swallowed by the shadow. His thoughts were stolen by the being before his eyes and remorse that should not have existed. "You're..." His voice trembled. He could not continue further. With Subaru's voice caught in his throat, the shadow whispered in his stead. It could not have expressed what it intended in a fashion easier to comprehend. " I love you." Thus did the shadow whisper, infused with hot, passionate affection, enough to set the entire world aflame. 3 Before the shadow's erosion, physical barriers such as doors and walls held no meaning. Stonework walls, weathered wooden doors, metal tables...they were placed here and there like a child's toys of questionable value. They became dyed in shadow, along with the time and thought that had gone into piling them up. " Goodness. I truuuuly have no luck. To think I do not even know if the Trial was overcome or no." The individual lying upon the bed let such deeply sentimental comments trickle out while he gazed absentmindedly at the residence being eroded thus from the center of the room being engulfed by shadow. The voice was not nervous. There was no surprise at the presence of the shadow whatsoever. It simply felt hollow, with an air of resignation. Hollowness and resignation: these were the emotions lingering in the individual's differently colored eyes. However, to a degree others could not even begin to surmise, he felt deeply and at great length the pondering weight of months and years as they passed. He had kept up the struggle for such a long period of time, only to ultimately arrive at hollowness and resignation. That was exactly how he felt. "Lady Emilia went to challenge the Trial, and you go to save her. This, and eventually, inevitably, the situation shall change... But it seems it is not I who shall see it." Sighing, the individual slowly sat up and then gently moved from the bed down to the floor. The room's floor had already been engulfed by shadow, and that erosion began to reach his feet as well. The shadow was merciless, grabbing hold of his slender ankles. It writhed as it climbed higher and higher, blotting out his existence. There had to have been pain accompanying erosion by shadow. However, as the shadow pervaded the flesh of his legs, the color of the individual's face did not change whatsoever No, his face was concealed under white makeup. Therefore, his expression would never falter. Perhaps such mental strength was wondrous...or simply mad. When the shadow swallowed his legs in their entirety, the erosion arrived at his hips. During that time, the individual unbound the bandages wrapped around his upper body, revealing the painful wounds remaining on his supple flesh. He dropped the blood-smeared bandages to his feet. Not watching as they were engulfed by shadow, the individual stretched a hand toward the bed. He moved the pillow aside and picked up that which lay beneath. Then, very, very tenderly, he held it to his chest: a black-covered, title-less book. He embraced it like a loved one. It was as if the book itself was someone he cared for very deeply. His crimson-smeared lips took on the shape of a strange-looking smile as his voice trickled out like a whisper. "If it is hell that you have chosen, it is there I shall greet you. If you walk the path of hell, I shall gladly accompany you. If it is in hell you live, then it is that hell I desire." His whisper reached no one. It was simply a fruitless, meaningless act to kill time, a soliloquy that would be eternally unheard. But he continued those lonely words, that lonely charade, as he tightly clutched the book. In a place none could reach, with a voice that could reach no one, with only himself around to hear, he stated... " Next time, make no mistakes, yes, Subaru Natsuki?" It was then, finally, that the smile was consumed by shadow. The book fell to the floor whereupon all sank into darkness and vanished. CHAPTER 1 *** 1 The whisper of love echoed. It sweetly, gently echoed against his eardrums, his brain, his heart, his soul. " I love you." The whisper of love was muffled. Did it come from a man or a woman ? Even this was left vague. But beyond any doubt, this whisper of love was directed at Subaru Natsuki and he alone. A black wriggling shadow spoke to him softly. It took the shape of a person, clad in a dress the color of darkness, with long raven-black hair. The shadow stared at him with an inky sable face. Everything composing the shadow ensnared Subaru's mind and body, smothering him in sweetness. " I love you." His thought process had ground to a halt. Subaru had even forgotten how to breathe. All he could manage was to simply gaze forward, unable to make the slightest move. A dense miasma made his skin prickle as the terrible spectacle of the Sanctuary sank into shadow. Like a small animal encountering a menace so overpowering that it struggled to breathe, Subaru was trapped in a world that had lost its vitality, ripped out by its very roots. Subaru knew this place. He had tasted its agony and despair over and over again. This was the world that always appeared whenever he broke the taboo, a place where time stopped and the Witch " I love you. I love you." As Subaru was frozen in silence, the shadow slowly extended a finger toward his cheek. He couldn't avoid

it. The issue wasn't the shadow holding him down or anything like that. His inability to move was because Subaru's own flesh and blood would not permit it. Subaru's soul refused to offer any resistance against the shadow. Accordingly, the shadow touched Subaru as it pleased. " I love you. I love you. I love you." Subaru couldn't sense any malice from the shadow. There was no animosity. But this wasn't because it was indifferent toward Subaru. Indeed, quite the opposite. The shadow inundated Subaru with an overwhelming level of adoration that bordered on madness. It was blind, almost stubborn devotion enough to make a person ask, Why go to such lengths? Subaru felt like he was being blotted out by the inescapably crazed passion in that moment, the shadow had no interest in anything besides Subaru. " I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you." The whispers of adoration swirled around inside Subaru's skull like they were caught in a vortex. Love stirred his eardrums. Love drenched his brain. As love filled his consciousness to the brim, love was also boiling his soul until it fell to pieces. It was an assault by love, a slaughter by love, a violation by love. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you." Love controlled Subaru. Love had enslaved Subaru. Love was robbing Subaru of every drop of love he had " Hey, stop screwin' around!!" Suddenly, an unspeakably destructive force wedged itself between Subaru and the shadow's loving embrace. It crashed violently into the shadow, shattering the blackened earth. As a dark shock wave erupted, the impact sent Subaru flying directly backward. "Whoaa ?!" Tumbling across the hard ground after landing, Subaru finally came to a halt when he slammed into an old graveyard wall. Once he gave his head a good shake and looked up, he noticed his mind had been freed from the supernatural fever that had gripped him only moments earlier. Now that the static in his thoughts had cleared, he forced his eyes open to see what was happening. Then "This is seriously the worst-case scenario. Hey, can you move, damn it?" there was a voice. Subaru spotted golden hair and a short person backing away from the shadow. Subaru recognized that abrasive tone and overflowing readiness to leap into battle. He remembered the sight of the peculiar stance that kept the body low to the ground and those bared fangs. The realization that he knew this person shook Subaru to his core. Even in his wildest dreams he never would've guessed who would come to shield him from peril. "Garfiel... Why are you...?!" "You serious? In this situation? Don't make me laugh. Definitely not my first choice, but no way I ain't pickin' ya up." Garfiel reacted to Subaru's shock with annoyance. Still wary of the shadow before him, he grabbed Subaru's collar even though the boy was still in a heap on the ground. "We're jumpin'. Might break your neck but just grin 'n' bear it!" "That really isn't somethin' you can just grin and b ?!" Before Subaru could finish his quip, Garfiel tensed his knees and launched upward, drawing a "Gwah!" of agony out of Subaru as they escaped into the air and a moment later, the shadow on the ground swelled up and exploded. Rapidly gaining mass, the black shadow billowed into a wave that chased the flying pair, threatening to smash them flat. The black wave engulfed everything nearby, scattering destruction over a wide area with dreadful force and scale. The cascade was so fierce that the forest, the houses, and even the Witch's tomb were indiscriminately swallowed whole. "Don't go bitin' ya tongue now!!" Subaru could only gape at the apocalyptic spectacle, but Garfiel didn't falter. Obeying his instincts, Garfiel continued bounding ahead in search of a foothold where they might find refuge from the wave. As the encroaching darkness cracked open the muddy ground and knocked over one tree after another, they leaped and leaped and leaped "C'mon! C'mooon! Hoaaaa!!" As the black wave mowed down the forest tearing up the very earth and blotting out the ground wherever it passed everything Subaru could see was churned up and consumed by the shadow as it seemed to grow large enough to envelop the entire world. That was when Garfiel finally arrived at their destination. There was a lone stonework house left standing at the edge of the settlement in the Sanctuary. The moment he touched down onto its roof, Garfiel tossed Subaru some distance away while continuing to draw ragged breaths. "Aww, damn it all!! That bastard...!" "Th-thanks for saving me..." "The hell? You sure don't seem like the type who'd say thanks. Ya got a problem or somethin', huh?" Garfiel bared his fangs at Subaru, who was crawling along the roof. Looking up at the ferocious darkness forming overhead, Subaru grimaced. The discomfort he felt was showing on his face as well. "I ain't complaining... It's just...I didn't think you'd save me, so..." "Ha! Treatin' me like I got no heart or somethin'. The Rose Knights of Tileos have no need for cradles, y'know? If ya don't like it, go ahead and jump right into that thing's bosom." "Sorry, I've already settled on a favorite bosom, so I'll pass." Sighing at Garfiel's jab, Subaru gently placed a hand on his chest. Besides the incomprehensible situation, there was another reason that made his heart leap. Getting saved by Garfiel was a shocking development. After all, Garfiel was supposed to be his greatest foe within the Sanctuary. The last time around, after rejecting Subaru's declaration that he would challenge the Trial, he was the one had who incarcerated Subaru before training fang and claw on Ram, Otto, and the people of Earlham Village who had helped him try to escape. He hadn't forgotten the anger he felt. It had been unforgivable. This was his mortal enemy who he needed to defeat. That was why Subaru had no idea why Garfiel was doing his best to save Subaru... "Garfiel, don't you...?" "Don't make me repeat myself. Can't ya see the situation we're in? Who gives a damn about our differences? Right now, what's important is figuring out how to tear out that thing's neck. Nothin' else matters." When Subaru pressed the point, Garfiel brushed his idle concern aside with a quiet comment. His tone had been calm, but that's exactly what instilled Subaru with the greatest fear he had felt that day. It was then that he belatedly realized the fire blazing in Garfiel's jade eyes... Rage, indignation, fury the intensity in those eyes immediately brought those words to mind. As Garfiel nursed those emotions, Subaru finally found the words to ask the question he ought to have brought up earlier. " Garfiel. What happened to Ram and the others?" *** "By the time I came out of the tomb, the surface of the whole area had been swallowed up already. You're here in perfect shape, but where's everyone else...?" "...They're inside the shadow." After Subaru raised his fears, hoping they would be laid to rest, the only thing that came back to him was a cruel reply. As Subaru's breath caught in his throat, Garfiel made a growl of remorse and said, "It came out of nowhere. By the time I noticed what was happening, everything was already covered by the darkness. As for me, if Ram hadn't sent me flyin' with her wind, I probably would've gotten caught up in it, too." "...You mean...Ram just got caught by that thing? Ryuzu and Otto, too?" "Yeah, that's right. The old hag, the noisy dude everyone." "And...Emilia...?" *** Garfiel offered no reply for the trembling Subaru. That was all the answer he needed. Below where they stood, the ominously undulating shadow continued its encroachment upon the Sanctuary. Stunned to see the treetops of the forest steadily sinking, Subaru forgot to breathe. Everything was being engulfed by the pitch-black body. What happened to everything that was swallowed by that darkness? The hope that the people inside were only unconscious was dashed the moment he took a good hard look. Subaru could only imagine that the chances of finding survivors inside the shadow were despairingly bad. "Wh-what the hell's going on...? How could...at a time like this?" The Bowel Hunter, the Beast Master, the Great Rabbit...and Garfiel. Subaru had come flying out of the tomb ready to defy any disaster that threatened to befall him. After obtaining Echidna's cooperation, he had hardened his resolve to face and overcome any obstacle that stood in his way. ...Naturally, he had decided all that completely unaware of the incomprehensible entity before him now. "Why here, why now...?!" Subaru glared at the center of the swirling shadow that was devoid of rhyme or reason. He screamed with everything he had. "Tell me why the hell you're here Witch of Jealousy!!" His ears had heard the name over and over. He'd felt the being's existence countless times before. The stories handed down for generations named her as the worst of all calamities. She was the one responsible for Subaru's suffering. She was the root of all evil the shadow that had engulfed Emilia and the others was none other than the Witch of Jealousy. "Think. Thinkthinkthink. If I don't do something, figure something out and and and defeat it somehow..." Pounding his dull-feeling head, Subaru desperately searched for a path to victory. He had to drive back the shadow and retake the Sanctuary now enveloped by darkness. What for? You've already lost Emilia and the others in this world. " Ah." Subaru, slammed by the internal thought, made a slight sound in his throat. In contrast to Subaru's roiling emotions, his inner voice had delivered an exceptionally cold-blooded judgment. It was mocking him for stubbornly clinging to a doomed world that had already gone past the point of no return and demanding that he take logical, decisive action. What would we do even if we did manage to overcome this? There's no way to go on. Not in a world like this. "...Bastard. Tryin' to say there's no point in comin' after me?" "Wha...?" With one murmur from Garfiel, Subaru's deep introspective thoughts vanished. Not bothering with the young boy right beside him, Garfiel turned his sharp, jade-colored eyes toward the shadow. "Scratch that. This bastard isn't even looking this way! After doin' all this, now ya head outside and ignore me, huh?!" Garfiel roared, practically spitting blood at the humiliation. But the shadow paid him no mind. Like he had said, it was already attempting to leave the Sanctuary, exiting the forest. After displaying such obsession earlier, the shadow suddenly wasn't even acknowledging Subaru's existence as it proceeded out of the Sanctuary. Unable to discern what the true intent might be, Subaru was left confused then he shuddered, as if struck by a thunderbolt. A sudden flash of inspiration came to him without a single factual basis. And yet, he knew there could be no mistake. He could declare with absolute certainty that... " To the mansion." "Ah?" "The mansion! That Witch, she's trying to head for Roswaal's mansion!" The memory of the Witch's whispers of love as well as how that it had intruded upon his thoughts even as it violated his mind and soul all came roaring back. The goal hadn't been to love Subaru. The purpose was to dive deep inside of Subaru in search of everything that he cared about, to understand those things. The ultimate goal was to rob the world of everything Subaru might turn his love toward, monopolizing his affections. "As if I'd let you do whatever you want... We gotta we've gotta stop her...!" Stop her how? asked the cold, whispering inner voice, but he stubbornly flung it aside. Stop her how? Figure out a plan; then just stop her, obviously. He had to find

a way to strike down that Witch. It wasn't pointless. There had to be some meaning in trying to stop her. "Garfiel! Can't you attack her?! Slow her down somehow?!" "Now the idiot asks... Stop runnin' your damned mouth! Me, I've been slammin' every attack I could think of into that thing for ages! Nothin' gets through that shadow dress. Doesn't even leave a scratch!" "If Garfiel can't..." Even what seemed like a surprise attack hadn't inflicted any damage to the Witch. If even Garfiel's mighty blows had no effect, it was very possible that the shadow dress nullified physical attacks. If that was the case, only magic would work. And the top contender for that was "I'll tell ya right now, there ain't a single reason to look for that damn Roswaal. The only ones left in this forest are me 'n' that legendary lady Witch." "Even Roswaal?! You're sure?!" "The old hag's house and the Cathedral are both gone, down to the last brick. Can't rely on the loon. It's just us." Even if he was far from full health, Roswaal was unmistakably a powerful man. Unfortunately, Garfiel curtly cut down the optimistic image Subaru had in mind. If they couldn't even rely on Roswaal's aid, the overwhelming power required to win simply didn't seem to exist. This was the worst Witch, the one who killed even the other Witches of the Deadly Sins and swallowed half the world. "Can't we...do anything? At this rate, even the mansion is gonna get..." Everything would be engulfed, stolen by that shadow, mercilessly trampled. Was there something, anything, Subaru could do besides despair ? " Wait." Watching the Witch grow distant, Subaru had the odd sense that something was wrong. Was there really no way to stop her? Was there well and truly no move that might come to mind? Think, remember, consider, recall. Find the one thing that only applies in this particular place " There's the barrier." "...What?" "The barrier! The Witch of Jealousy has to fulfill the conditions to pass through the barrier covering the Sanctuary! The tomb's Trial hasn't been cleared and she's a half-elf!" It was said that Satella, the Witch of Jealousy, was a silver-haired half-elf. This fact had caused Emilia to endure irrational discrimination from a great deal of people. At the same time, it was the stories about those notorious features passed down from four centuries ago that made him certain the Witch of Jealousy would be bound by that forest. That said, if the Witch turned out to be something like a vestigial mind with no physical body, things might not go the way he hoped " No need to worry 'bout that." The certainty behind the murmur made Subaru raise his eyebrows. After seeing his reaction, Garfiel clicked his fangs together. "The Witch has a physical body. Right now it's just like the root of Balgren's left wing, ain't it?" "...You mean, like, it's a weak point?" "Ain't got no other meanin'! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it now!" Slapping Subaru's shoulder as if praising him for his insight, Garfiel smiled ferociously and carried on. "She'll be beggin' under that disgusting veil when I finally tear her head off!!" 2 The Witch of Jealousy brazenly advanced straight toward the boundary of the Sanctuary, dragging shadow behind her. Chasing after that vast body of shadow, Subaru or rather, Garfiel carrying Subaru set out, traversing the treetops and circling around the Witch's path. "Don't know how much effect the barrier'll have, but if she weakens even a little..." Garfiel's claws would have an opening. If that was the case, even the Witch of Jealousy would not escape unscathed. Subaru was confident because he had personally experienced what it was like to face Garfiel when he was in his beast form. He needed no explanation to know that a single blow from the bestial Garfiel contained overwhelming raw power. The only other thing they needed was a way to guarantee the two would clash. And for that "Garfiel, she's drawn to me. So..." "Hey, if you're tellin' me to use ya as a decoy, I'll bite your fingers off one by one." Leaping through the forest from branch to branch, Garfiel chewed out Subaru over his proposal. Faced with his standoffish attitude, Subaru was daunted for a moment; then he lobbed an angry retort. "I'm not sayin' this as some kind of joke! Barrier and decoy! They'll make our chances better, even if only a bit! Isn't that right?!" "Oh, shaddap. If you're gonna be that ignorant, I'll throw ya overboard right now." " !! You should know already! About the miasma coming from my body that attracts it..." Irritated by Garfiel's stubborn attitude, Subaru brought up the miasma swirling around him on his own. Surely Garfiel could not refute an argument made on that basis. However... "The old hag! And Ram! And everyone else... They all got swallowed up right before my eyes...!" *** "Like I'm gonna live with the shame of lettin' even a bastard like you join 'em! The scars of Pararagurara never fade! No way, no way in hell I'd accept that! These scars'll be carved on the Witch's heart!!" Eyes bloodshot, Garfiel vented his raging emotions as he adamantly pushed away Subaru's plan. Garfiel's anger stemmed from stubbornness the pointless kind, at that. Subaru understood why the inner voice of his cold, callous side spat out that Garfiel's insistence was worthless. But the rest of Subaru couldn't laugh at him at all. After all, unlike Subaru, who had arrived late to the scene, Garfiel had witnessed the horrors with his own eyes. Watching Ram, Ryuzu, and all the other people he cared about get swallowed whole, vanishing within the shadow. But even after so many precious people were stolen from him, Garfiel refused to use revenge as an excuse to throw all decency aside. He wouldn't tolerate any talk about a victory that involved sacrificing Subaru. If this was indeed the rationality and conviction at Garfiel's core that guided his actions "Then how could he be capable of doing that to everyone ?" How had he ended up killing the brave villagers and Otto when he shielded Subaru in such a cruel manner? When he, too, knew full well the pain of losing something precious, the sadness of loss... "We're here." With no answer to that question forthcoming, the pair arrived at their destination. They had chosen a tiny open space within the forest as the site of the decisive battle. The forest had been clear-cut there, leaving the waning moon and the stars overhead as the only audience to witness the Witch of Jealousy's return to the stage. Behind them was the barrier; ahead of them, Subaru sensed the wriggling shadow drawing closer. The Witch was headed straight toward them. All that remained was to counterattack but there was a simple problem with that. "Garfiel, what are you gonna do? The barrier affects you the same way, right?" Half-bloods mixed-blood demi-humans could not go past the forest's barrier. That applied to both Garfiel and the Witch. If he was weakened, it wouldn't matter how much power the Witch lost. In response, Garfiel took something out of his loincloth. And that something was "...A crystal? That's yours?" "I don't owe ya an explanation. Just shut up and watch. Gonna put this early risin' Witch back to sleep so fast that we won't need decoys or anythin' else." The crystal glimmered blue a glimmer he had laid eyes upon several times amid the twists and turns surrounding the Sanctuary. He knew that Garfiel possessed one identical to the one Frederica owned. In earlier laps he had been through in the current time loop, Subaru had seen those crystals change hands several times over. Even now, he still didn't know the finer details surrounding the items, but " ! Who's there?!" The faint sound of footfalls landing on grass made Subaru instantly turn around. It was not the Witch. The direction and the mental pressure were far too different to be her. However, that alone wasn't a reason to lower his guard. "...Huh?" And yet, the instant he set eyes upon the newcomer, Subaru's caution was blotted out by shock. *** A thicket parted and a young girl emerged. He had seen her before. The long pink hair and a white poncho-style outfit. Her ears were a little longer than those of the average person, making her impossible to mix up with someone else. This was Ryuzu, the representative of the Sanctuary who had allegedly been swallowed up by the shadow. But there was no way this was Ryuzu. What Subaru saw next completely refuted that possibility. "Is this...some kind of joke...?" Multiple figures stepped barefoot onto the grass and made their way through the underbrush. Every single one wore the same clothing, the same expression, the same demeanor in fact, all of them were perfectly identical. More than twenty perfect copies of Ryuzu appeared from all directions. *** The great throng of girls bearing the same face as Ryuzu were silent, not speaking a single word. Their expressions unchanging, the girls gathered together and stood in a loose row at Garfiel's back. There was no way Subaru could call it a sight for sore eyes. It was like something straight out of a nightmare. "Didn't wanna show ya this if I didn't have to." Unlike Subaru's obvious astonishment, Garfiel reacted with only a slightly bitter comment, showing no sign that he was amazed. This wasn't something worth gaping over for him. As Subaru slowly overcame his initial surprise, a realization dawned on him: He had probably met one of the people in this group face-to-face already. "...The moment we got here, I was teleported to the forest out of the blue..." It had occurred right after the magical relocation Subaru experienced upon arriving at the Sanctuary. The crystal had reacted to the barrier, and the power of the stone had sent Subaru flying into the woods. It must have been one of the perfect copies of Ryuzu that had led the stranded Subaru to the tomb. Once he reunited with Emilia, Otto, and the others, Ram had admonished him to conceal the fact that he had encountered the elven girl. Until that very moment, Subaru had shoved the girl into a corner of his memory. However, given this unexpected reunion, he understood for the first time that it had been a mistake to overlook that first encounter. As the doll-like girl no, girls stood in silence, it was evident that they were identical beings. "Don't tell me these are...clones? Copies...? Is that even possible...?" Seeing the girls easily evoked those words in the back of Subaru's brain. They were terms deeply associated with stories that had science-fictional themes, but they were a poor fit for his new world, a place dominated by swords and spells. In the first place, who could have reproduced that kind of technology ? " Sorry to interrupt ya thoughts, but it's time." Giving the confused Subaru a shove on the shoulder, Garfiel reoriented himself toward the forest. The impending pressure was making the hair on Subaru's back stand up as he glanced back and forth between the forest and the girls. "Garfiel! Don't tell me your plan is " "Crush her with numbers. Reid always fights head-on, y'know!" Bringing both fists together in front of his chest, Garfiel revealed that his plan followed the doctrine of "simple is best." There was no hidden twist, but there was no argument that it wasn't the most suitable choice. Of course, it was an operation that accepted there would be casualties. "Don't get bent out o' shape worryin' over them. They ain't like the old hag. This lot is totally empty on the inside. Still, they should be able to follow orders, no problem. We'll make an openin' and take that bastard's damn head!" There was no time to lodge any complaint about the operation nor to ask the girls the copies what they thought. "...As for you, lemme say

sorry in advance." That was all Garfiel said in the final moments before Subaru was thrust into the heart of a new battlefield. Not comprehending the meaning of the words, the powerless Subaru was relegated to the rear. Garfiel stood at the head of the formation with the twenty-odd copies lined up behind him while Subaru brought up the rear. With their formation decided, an eerie moment of tranquility settled into place, filled only with his breathing and the beating of his heart. Slowly, the menace showed itself as it trespassed upon the world. The forest was being slain before his eyes. Swallowed by a shadow of immense mass, the trees lost their shape like something dissolving into water, leaving no trace behind as the very concepts of tree and forest were contaminated by shadow. This was heresy. This was violation. This was a slaughter. The Witch blotting out the world with her love noticed Subaru standing in the path of her advance. And then " I love you." Subaru was beset by an unending revulsion; his instincts kept clamorously ringing an alarm bell to shout Danger! After uttering that lone phrase, the Witch leaped over Garfiel and the Ryuzu brigade, whispering her love to no one but Subaru. In that instant, the Witch directed all her interest and concern onto Subaru and Subaru alone " Gaaaaaaa!!" Garfiel, who was their only hope for victory, raised a great howl. A moment later, the ground exploded. Kicking up plumes of dust, Garfiel leaped up like he had been launched from a slingshot. Garfiel's mouth was open wide, fangs bared as he hurtled toward the shadow. As Subaru watched, he saw Garfield's entire body swell up as his clothing ripped from the inside, unable to endure the expansion of his flesh. His entire body became covered in golden fur, and his hands and feet transformed into bestial claws Garfiel the great tiger, the ferocious beast Subaru was hard-pressed to forgive, had reared his head. *** Roaring as he went, the savage tiger's speed exceeded all normal bounds. Given how his beastly movements were unchanged, it was apparent that Garfiel had nullified the effect of the barrier somehow. Accordingly, with neither hesitation nor sorrow, he brought his fangs down to bite into the pitch-black dress and rip it apa *** Instantly, shadows stretched away from the Witch's feet, coiling around the leaping great tiger. The shadows bound the great tiger's limbs, stealing away his momentum and trapping the growling creature. As dark tendrils sank into animal limbs as thick as Subaru's hips, the sound of tearing flesh rang out, accompanied by the spurting of a bloody mist. There was a scream. The raging great tiger heaved as the shadows tightened their hold and cruelly tore into his body. " Ah " While Subaru could only watch helplessly with wide eyes, the Ryuzu copies that Garfiel had summoned and left on standby began to join the battle. Letting out unemotional voices devoid of intelligence, the young girls sprinted toward the shadow all at once. Moving with surprising swiftness, they pursued the great tiger held captive by the shadow, drawing closer to the Witch all the while. A pair of copies leaped in with arms spread wide as if inviting the Witch into their embrace. Just before they could close the distance, shadows burst outward in the shape of spears, impaling them in the abdomen and hoisting them aloft. Two girls with identical faces, impaled through their abdomens, were lined up at the same height as Garfiel, his four limbs still bound. The shadow swayed their bodies back and forth as if to mock him. It was excessively vicious. However, the Witch's overconfidence had caused her to make a mistake. There was barely any warning before the change occurred but it was the change itself that was grand and terrible. "Wha ?!" The two impaled Ryuzus began emitting a pale light, and a second later, scattered in every direction like an explosion. Their battered bodies transformed into particles of light, blowing away the shadow surrounding them. For a single moment, this breathed life back into the world steeped in shadowy darkness and started a chain reaction. Following the two who had been blown away, the remaining copies shouted at the Witch all at once, launching a suicide charge against her. It had already been demonstrated that an all-out charge with no thought for survival would prove effective. In response, the Witch didn't hesitate to direct all her shadows to meet the girls rushing at her. The shadows welled up, dividing into groups to crush the girls trying to overwhelm the Witch with sheer numbers. There were five razor-edged shadows for each of the girls, a mass of about one hundred raging limbs dancing madly as they fell upon the girls who tried to take evasive action. The shadows impaled and rent skulls and bodies alike as they sliced the girls to death. Leaping all at the same moment, the remaining copies launched a simultaneous attack from numerous directions. Now that their little schemes had all been defeated by brute force, the Ryuzus used their last option, transforming into pale light and exploding one after another in a staggered, rhythmical fashion which temporarily thinned the shadows spawned by the Witch, prying clear a path to the pitch-black dress behind. That was when " Rrrrrrraaaa!!" The fierce beast that had been riddled with wounds flew into the gap that had been wrenched open. Escaping the shadow bindings during the replica suicide attack, the ferocious beast crouched low to the ground, and immediately following the pale blue explosions of light, a roar seemed to break through that dazzling glow as the claws of a wild animal swung at the Witch. *** The great tiger became a torrential gale that surged forward as the Witch bundled a few remaining shadows to form a blocking wall. However, the great tiger swung an arm toward the bulwark of shadows, pulling a silhouette forward with its front paw slamming the last of the replicas home, pulverizing the wall and his own arm. Then fang and claw pierced the veil of pale light, sinking deep into the dress of shadow. He got her, thought Subaru. The setup had been so perfect that he was certain of the final outcome. Without any regrets, the twenty-one Ryuzu replicas had expended themselves in a self-destructive suicide charge. Against a blow delivered at such a high cost, even the Witch of Jealousy had to be " I love you." The firm belief to which Subaru clung was rebuffed and smashed to pieces, along with Garfiel, who turned to bloody mist. 3 Speechless, all Subaru could do was watch as the golden-colored great tiger was eviscerated. His claws should have torn the Witch's body apart, and his fangs should have crushed her skull. The tiger's murderous intent could have pulverized a human body with ease; not even a Witch would have been able to endure it assuming the attack struck home. What had robbed Garfiel of his life were shadowy blades that had slipped into his body through the wounds on his limbs. The shadows that had initially bound Garfiel used his wounds as an entryway to race around, cutting his body to shreds from within. In other words, Garfiel's death had been decided the moment he suffered his first injury. His life had been whittled down relentlessly. There were no words for the cruelty of that act. The fragments of flesh that were once Garfiel were mercilessly scattered about the murky black ground. Even these were swallowed by shadow, all traces of his existence erased. The Ryuzu replicas had also been annihilated, so only Subaru and the Witch remained no, that wasn't right. " I love you." From the beginning, the Witch had no eyes for anyone but Subaru, rooted to where he stood. Not Garfiel, slashed to death; not the Ryuzu replicas, slaughtered; not the people of the Sanctuary and Earlham Village, no doubt engulfed by shadow at a time unbeknownst to him; not Ram; not Otto; not Ryuzu; not Roswaal; not Patlash; not Emilia anything and everything else was a distant afterthought. " I love you." "Shut up." "I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you." "I said, shut up...!" As Subaru stood still, the Witch walked along a path formed of shadow, moving past the clearing to approach him. Her contours were hazy. He couldn't even put a finger on her height. Just as before, he could not distinguish her voice. And yet, her clingy zeal alone touched Subaru's heart without reservation to an abominable extent. "I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you." To the immobile Subaru, the Witch whispered her love as it if was a curse. She acted more out of place and was worse at reading people than even Subaru. Not only did her whispers of love inspire anger in him, the adoration she was offered was completely selfish. Her love was repulsive. But in that moment, what sent Subaru into even more of a rage was "I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you Subaru." " You don't get to call me that!!" That sweet, enchanted form of address made Subaru explode in anger. The charming voice, the sweet gesture, the feverish way in which she said it rubbed Subaru the worst way possible. "Who gave you permission to call me that name?! Don't screw with me! God damn it!!" It was a form of address filled with trust, with pride, with mutual love meant for those who stood at each other's side. In that world, there was only one person Subaru permitted to address him by his first name imbued with such affection. "This ain't a joke!! That's for one person alone. Who the hell would...? No! Letting you go for what you've done, forgiving even one lock of your hair or one part of a single cell of yours, is too good for you !!" Indignant, Subaru let his anger reign, mercilessly driving home the maelstrom of emotions swirling inside his chest. He had no chance of victory. He had no chance of survival. Besides, that world held no reason for him to live on anymore. Even so, he absolutely could not simply stand and watch her trample on that bond as she pleased. "I love you I love you I love you I love you." Her love was relentless. That was why Subaru absolutely refused to respond to that love. "In this world, when I heard 'I love you' spoken seriously to me for the first time...it gave me, an unredeemable bastard, enough power to make me think I could become a hero." He was a piece of garbage, twisted down, broken, and ready to flee from everything, but those words had made him believe he could face the future head-on, never giving in to challenge it once more, over and over, however many times that it took. Compared to that, the substance of the Witch's love was insultingly weak. "I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you." "The number one and number two spots in my heart ain't changin'. There's no place in there for the likes of you." She started it; he finished it Subaru's visage contorted vilely as he flatly enumerated those he loved. "So I'll roll up your love and toss it aside. And if I've gotta compare..." He had no way to mount a physical attack. But he still had verbal attacks. Getting on other people's nerves was a particular specialty of his. What could he say, what should he say, that would rub the Witch the worst way? There was no one better armed to get under someone else's skin than Subaru. So

he knew. Accordingly, Subaru gave a shallow, cruel laugh, turning a look of scorn toward the Witch. " I'd rather love Echidna and the other Witches than you." *** The instant he made the statement, the Witch's curse-like words of love halted for the first time. And then " Ah." In an instant, Subaru's field of vision and the world itself was swallowed by shadow. 4 "I love you. I love you. I love you. Love me." Amid the darkness, he heard a voice. Swallowed by shadow, he was upside down and shaken around. Not only his body but the inside of his skull was being ransacked as the shadow whipped Subaru Natsuki about. Within, as Subaru Natsuki dissolved into the shadow, he heard a whisper. "Love me. Love me. Love me. Love me. Love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me love me. Love me." It was horrifying. He trembled in ecstasy. He shuddered in fear. He cried tears of joy. He spat blood in a rage. He cried out in exultation. His emotions were being sliced apart, bounced around, as what was right became wrong and what was wrong became right *** Subaru Natsuki's field of vision was growing hazy. He knew his body was being dissolved. Why did he know that? Was it Subaru Natsuki who knew or was it something else? *** Inside the shadow, he sensed some kind of separate presence beyond the whispers of love. No, he did not sense them, for they were not separate at all. It was Subaru. It was Subaru Natsuki. If he was dissolved, mixed, and combined with one mass, there would be no boundary between him and others. Everything that had been swallowed would become Subaru Natsuki. There was warmth, sadness, hatred, generosity, dejection, ecstasy, despair, relief, lamentation, satisfaction. Yes, there was satisfaction. Amid the many despairs and many laments, there was satisfaction. That satisfaction was a part of Subaru. If that could fill Subaru, then *** He reached a hand out toward the satisfaction no, it was not a hand. He had no body to be found no, that was not so. His body had been swallowed by shadow, so it was all there: his dissolved heart, his crumbling consciousness, the remains of Subaru Natsuki's soul. There they were all gathered together. And in gathering them, he comprehended the reason why they were gathered. There was heat. Subaru Natsuki felt heat in the midst of his return. And so to a place completely different than that false satisfaction, he extended an arm, a right arm, a right wrist. And then in that darkness-colored world, a prayer-imbued handkerchief glimmered vividly. 5 His consciousness floated upward. As if in struggling to reach the water's surface in search of oxygen, he frantically clawed against the darkness, desperately moving higher, higher. His consciousness was enshrouded in darkness. It was as if he had sunk into a swamp. His mind was immersed in weight and weariness, yet Subaru earnestly pressed on even so At the end of his struggling, his field of vision suddenly opened. Subaru's mind had floated back up to the real world. He had returned from the world of shadow alive but that did not mean he had escaped peril by any stretch. "Hagh...! Haa...ah? His breathing was clumsy. There was some kind of shadow stuffed in his throat. His feet were not on the ground. Bound by shadow, his body was being held aloft at an angle. He could not move. He was not being allowed to move. But as if clinging to it, he touched the handkerchief wrapped around his right wrist with his left hand. "...Petra's handkerchief." In that world covered by shadow, Subaru's field of vision was dyed the color of darkness. Amid that pitch-blackness, Petra's handkerchief alone dazzled, radiating a white light as if trying to drive off the dark. The feelings with which Petra's handkerchief was imbued had granted this miracle to Subaru no, such a thought was hard to justify. Subaru had a different culprit in mind for the crafty trick that had saved him. Namely, the Witch of Greed who had touched that handkerchief upon the occasion of his departure, leaving words of deep import with him. "That damn Echidna... Did she know this would happen, damn it...?" It's insurance. Just to be safe, he could almost hear the Witch's face say as it floated up in the back of his mind. That one time, he was well and truly grateful for that inconsiderate, boastful Witch. If not for that light, Subaru would surely have been engulfed by the shadow, vanishing without a trace. What was happening inside that shadow? It was a blender. The shadow was dissolving Subaru's very being. It was melting him and mixing him into something else: everything that had been swallowed by shadow. Mixed with all the many, many things that had been swallowed whole by the Witch's shadow. Becoming one with those who had been melted before him had exposed Subaru to a great many emotions. Coursing into him were sensations, feelings, memories, knowledge that was not his own. It became natural to be instantly aware of those things as they let themselves in, carving into his body, his mind, and his soul. He'd escaped by a hair's breadth. He'd escaped with his life with only fractions of a second to spare. Being engulfed by that shadow was not death. Subaru Natsuki would be stirred into something else, erased through becoming part of a heterogeneous whole. That was an intolerable defeat, one from which even Return by Death could not bring him back. Had it not been for Echidna's aid, Subaru would have come to an end, unable to slip out of the shadow's embrace. It was because he could feel that in his bones that he wanted to call the Witch right back to thank her. "Guu...agh..." But delaying the inevitable with Echidna's aid had gone as far as it could. Slowly, Subaru's body was being engulfed by the shadow once more. As if his lower body was sinking into the ground, as if his extremities were being meticulously digested bit by bit, the Witch's shadow was consuming Subaru. He was gradually losing himself. Not only was the sense of loss frightening but the relief. There was relief. There was joy that he would be swallowed, dissipated, and erased, his fate arriving at its end. Accordingly, he was certain in his belief. He could not die from being engulfed by shadow. He would continue to be "loved" forever. "Damn...it all..." The light created by the Witch had bought him tens of seconds, but that postponement would not save Subaru's life. It was only a brief matter of time until he was pulled in and erased. Just what did Echidna want there? "That...shitty Witch...!" The instant he arrived at his conclusion, Subaru cast aside his gratitude from the moment just prior, tearing at the light with his left hand. The single saving grace was the light that had saved Subaru, brushing aside the shadow engulfing him and it was here that Echidna's desire rested. Echidna had a goal. Echidna had left in Subaru's hands the means to accomplish it. It was a lifeline. A lifeline not for saving Subaru but to let him take his own life. *** As if sensing his tragic resolve, the light changed shape, transforming into a radiant dagger. She had no doubt thought it would be difficult to accomplish with nothing but a single handkerchief. Her polite consideration brought tears to his eyes. It was just, though they were tears, what coursed out were tears of blood. He closed his eyes, let out his breath and with that impetus, he thrust the dagger of light toward his own throat. " gh." Though the sharpness of the blade of light was unclear, it penetrated his windpipe with ease. Blood coursed backward into the fatal wound, and as it flowed from his throat down to his lungs, his consciousness began to drown. The protective charm of light was not a weapon. Echidna had put it in his hands so that he could take his own life. That was what the postponement of tens of seconds was for, so that he might realize, so that he might carry it out, so that he might Return by Death. Echidna had most likely anticipated that the Witch of Jealousy would appear outside of the tomb. The reason why remained unclear to Subaru, but he had to pay for it with his life. *** For the first time, Subaru's suicide caused the Witch of Jealousy to shout something other than her love. However, drowning in his own blood, already having let go of his consciousness, Subaru did not comprehend the words. But he stretched his hand toward the face of the Witch covered in shadow as if it was the natural thing to do. It seemed right. The dagger of light fell away, and the fingers of the final vestiges of light touched the shadowy veil. The veil came apart, and the half of the Witch's face hidden by the shadow was exposed to him. She had purple eyes that were like gemstones. She had shimmering silver hair that was like moonlight. And she had a lovely and familiar face Seeing that face twisted in grief, he felt not so much surprise as pain within his chest. Sadness had impaled his chest. With his throat filled with blood, he could not form proper words. Nonetheless, to the one before his eyes, the sad girl who spilled countless tears, he made a declaration... "I will " I will save you. The instant he stated it, Subaru Natsuki lost his life. 6 When he straddled "death," the first piece of reality to arrive was the bitter taste of dust. " U-geh!" Coughing violently, he spat out foreign substances tasting of dirt along with his saliva. After that, Subaru sat up and confirmed that he had been lying on a floor in a cold, dark room. The stone walls were very faintly glowing blue, and it was tranquil enough to rattle your nerves he was inside the tomb. "I've re...turned..." With a raspy voice, opening and closing his hands right before his eyes, Subaru made the result of Return by Death sink in. His memory from just before was still fresh, both from having been swallowed by shadow and having ended his own life. So, too, the violent pain in his throat. "Not the first time I've killed myself, is it...?" The sharp sensation boring into his throat, the feeling of it being gouged out this made Subaru breathe hard. There was the suffering of drowning in his own blood and the sense of loss from his consciousness slipping away. No matter how many times he'd tasted death, the horror never dulled. No matter how many times or instances he felt death, it never got easier. He was afraid of death. Death was terrifying. It was painful, agonizing, yet even so "Even so, coming back...beats the hell out of ending with everything lost...!" He'd chosen to come back. In that place, he'd chosen death without hesitation. This way, Subaru could still fight. He could resist. He could fight to win his future. "But I can't get all mushy about death all the same... I still have things I have to do." Gazing anew at those things he had to do, Subaru tried to calm the sound of his heart as he checked around. Having returned to the tomb, there was a silver-haired girl lying right at Subaru's side. This was the tomb, the starting point of Return by Death where Emilia was continuing her nightmare about her past. He had to shake her slender shoulder and awaken her from that nightmare. Tell her she didn't have to go through those terrible thoughts

anymore, gently embrace her those were the first things Subaru ought to do. Hence, as Emilia gasped in anguish, Subaru gently stretched a hand out toward her "...The hell?" There was a tiny tremble in his fingers as he tried to touch Emilia with them. Wondering what was up, he tried to stop the shaking in his fingers. However, though Subaru was aware of the trembling, his fingertips disregarded his will; if anything, the trembling increased. And that was not all. A strange clattering sound was echoing off the stone walls. The annoying sound and the trembling fingers left Subaru confused as to what in the world was going on, but belatedly he realized. The clattering was coming from Subaru's teeth. Without his teeth pressed together, his jaw was trembling, causing the miserable rattling. It was as if Subaru was hesitating out of cowardice. His fingers continued to tremble, and his teeth kept clacking. The cause behind that trembling was the face he had seen on the other side of that shadowy veil. "Why am I shaking...? Don't tell me I'm afraid of..." He had seen the Witch's face in the moment just prior to Return by Death and it was the same face as Emilia's. After straddling death to come back, he had dragged along a fear of the Witch that stuck with him. Enough fear to make his soul forget a very basic thing... Emilia was not the Witch of Jealousy. "A stupid trick like that... Come on, I know better than that, damn it...!" Subaru didn't know what had brought on the sudden revival play. However, he did have an idea of why the Witch had taken that form. There was one possibility he could think of. The Witch had probably manifested in the Sanctuary through taking possession of Emilia's body. Petelgeuse, an Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins, had been an evil spirit able to possess the bodies of others. Knowing of that madman, Subaru could easily accept the possibility that the Witch could take over other people's bodies as well. What had convinced him the most was that it perfectly explained everything Garfiel's demeanor had implied. For the plan to use the barrier, Garfiel had been absolutely certain the Witch had a physical body. Subaru's memory was also fresh that he had said he was "sorry in advance" just prior to the decisive battle against the Witch. In other words, Garfiel had seen the Witch possess Emilia. That was why he hadn't given a clear answer as to whether Emilia was dead or alive and why he'd apologized to Subaru for striking down both the Witch and Emilia-turned-avatar. It added up. It explained everything. That was it. Wasn't it nothing more than that? It had nothing to do with Emilia. It wasn't any knock against her. There was no reason to be afraid of Quit it with the bald-faced lying, his inner self coldly spat. Bald-faced lying. His inner self's words made Subaru aware that he was deceiving himself. He was not afraid of Emilia. That was the truth. But that was one thing. His fear of the Witch was in another dimension. *** Subaru's Return by Death was through the power of the Witch of Jealousy. That was Subaru's opinion, and Echidna's had affirmed his own. And understanding this meant that the Witch of Jealousy possessed the power to roll back time. Therefore, it was not unthinkable for her to employ the same power with which she made him Return by Death to go back in time herself. Subaru couldn't firmly declare that she wouldn't or couldn't. The possibility terrified him. There was no answer to that question. In its place, there was an answer lying right at his side. *** Touching Emilia and making her awaken would make everything become clear. If Emilia opened her eyes, smiling softly as she always did, all those things would become a needless worry. But if that wish was not to be granted " Emi...lia." Whether he sought to save her or sought to be saved himself, he no longer could tell even that. But he thought that the fact that his voice called her name and the finger touching her cheek did not shake was miracle enough for him. *** Her pale cheek transferred enough warmth to his fingertip that he thought it would melt. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and light came to rest in her downcast eyes. Her purple eyes blinked several times as they beheld Subaru in them. And then "...Suba...ru?" When he heard her whispered voice, something heavy dissolved inside of Subaru. One word, hearing that single call, let Subaru make the fear up to the moment before into a thing of the past. Everything about it was different from the false love that had been showered upon him. "This is... Until now, I've been..." Subaru let out a long, long breath. Slightly perplexed by the lack of a reply, Emilia slowly sat up, knitting her brows as she looked around the room in which they were. Awakening from her nightmare, her comprehension was belated. However, she gradually caught up to reality. " Ah." That tiny voice probably trickled out from remembering something about the dream she saw. He knew that Emilia would immediately descend into a panic. He had already seen Emilia's heart crushed by her past three times over. He had to offer her gentle comforting. For the sake of that, without hurting her in any way, he had to call out to her, to tell her it was all right " Subaru." And yet, in spite of Subaru having prepared to do just that, Emilia engaged in an action completely contrary to his expectations. Her panicked eyes had already regained their calm; her lips, on the verge of trembling, were now pursed with a strong will. To a surprised Subaru, Emilia proceeded to gently reach out with her hand as she spoke. "Why do you have such a pained look on your face?" Hgh, went the broken breath that trickled out of him. Subaru was frozen in surprise as Emilia's finger gently stroked his cheek. Her white fingertip gently wiped the corner of his eye, pulling down the dam holding back the tears welling up, letting them fall freely. There were tears. Only then did Subaru realize that he'd been on the verge of completely breaking down. "Ah, uh, I?" Once he realized the fact, it only took him a moment to crumble. The tremors that hit him were in a totally different dimension from what had afflicted his fingers and teeth from moments before. The trembling robbed him of his body's internal strength, and Subaru, who had been on his knees, lost his balance, sinking onto his rear. "It's all right, it's all right, Subaru. I'm here, I'm right here..." As his crumpling body leaned forward, a delicate touch embraced him from the front. Emilia's temperature was hot enough that he could feel it through the thin fabric of his clothing. A gentle beating came through the chest where he laid his head; he could tell that relief was filling the cracks of his broken heart. Relief. Yes, this was beyond all doubt relief: that Emilia had remained herself, that the Witch had not stolen her body away. And pathetic as it was, Subaru's body had chosen quivering and crying as its way of expressing that relief. "I'm so sorry, making you worry like that. It's all right, it's all right..." As Subaru trembled and cowered, Emilia gently consoled him, calling out to him over and over as if pitying him. Ever so quietly, Emilia continued to console Subaru in that fashion. CHAPTER 2 *** 1 "So that is how Lady Emilia returned with Crybaby Barusu in tow..." "Somehow, that sounds like the title of a fairy tale or something..." Subaru had bawled his eyes out, and Emilia had consoled him. The time of warmth and being pathetic had come to an end. When their legs brought them out of the tomb, Ram was there to greet them, and having listened to the circumstances, she made the aforementioned kind words. Unfortunately, Subaru, well aware of how pathetic he was, had no mental energy left with which to refute her. "After having raced inside in such dramatic fashion, he faints just like he did during the day, causing trouble to the Lady Emilia he was supposed to save... Why are you alive exactly?" "I said I have no mental energy; that's not a reason to come after me even more, you know?!" "That's right, Ram. Subaru was worried about me. Those feelings are precious." Ram, unable to conceal her scorn, emitted a heavy sigh as her shoulders fell. When Subaru lodged an objection about her demeanor, Emilia, completely recovered, offered him reassuring support. Emilia stood at Subaru's side, angling her refined eyebrows in a dignified manner as she continued. "Though given that he went out of his way to help me, it is really disappointing that he ended up collapsing all of a sudden and broke down crying from worry after " "Emilia-tan? Emilia-tan? I'm going to cry all over again." "But ! Lately, Subaru's done nothing but help me...so a part of me is relieved that Subaru showed me his weak side like that..." Touching a hand to her chest, Emilia's words caused Subaru to unwittingly catch his breath. Emilia had an overinflated view of Subaru's worth. Up to that point, Subaru had showed her his pathetic side on more than one occasion this time was only the latest example in the long list of embarrassing moments since they had first met. "I'm both happy and embarrassed to hear you say that, Emilia-tan, but I don't really want to show you stuff like that much..." "Eh, why not?" "That's because I always want to show Emilia-tan my cool side. I want you to forget that I'm really a weak, pathetic, totally unsalvageable guy." "Sheesh. I won't hate you just because you show me a few moments of weakness, Subaru." Emilia put her hands on her hips, cheeks puffing up in indignation. Subaru tried his best to smile to gloss things over. Emilia's words were kind, but Subaru's vanity didn't let him gain any comfort from them. His displeasure was completely unrelated to Emilia's personality and it certainly wasn't because he was worried about disappointing her this was simply Subaru's stubbornness talking. "Ha! Aren't you full of yourself? Seeing you act this pigheaded makes it difficult to believe you are fresh from bawling your eyes out." "And there Big Sis goes pouring cold water on right when things were going nicely..." "Now, now, do not say that, Mr. Natsuki. Miss Ram's demeanor belies her concern. When she had no idea what was occurring inside, Miss Ram was particularly worried out of... Hiii!" Otto looked quite pleased with himself, but one cross look from Ram instantly made it fade away. No way she's seriously acting sour because of an adorable reason like that, thought Subaru as he squinted at Ram. "What?" "...No, ah, nothing at all." But her sharp glare made him beat a hasty retreat as well. Unlike Otto, the damage to him was light because he was more accustomed to facing off against Ram. Either way, Ram and Otto had been there to warmly greet Subaru and Emilia upon their return. That being the case, the remaining issue became quite simple *** His averted gaze fell upon a golden-haired youth standing nearby with his arms folded Garfiel. The sight made Subaru's cheeks harden, and he strove to conceal his emotions behind them. Subaru's feelings toward Garfiel were exceptionally conflicted. It was a fact that he had temporarily cooperated with Subaru in the battle against the Witch. The memory of his gruesome death was still burned on the back of Subaru's eyelids. And so Subaru accepted that fact. But he also remembered the great many he had cruelly killed in the world prior to that. That was the reason

Subaru couldn't lower his guard. Especially not right after a Return by Death. The reason for Garfiel's hostility, the Witch's miasma, would currently be at its thickest. How would he move? With Subaru under that tension, Garfiel clacked his fangs and spoke up. "When ya charged in there, I wasn't sure what was gonna happen, but I'm relieved ya made it out safe 'n' sound. I can't laugh at ya for it; 'the wind can't bring down Gafgari on fruit' 'n' all!" "Ow! Hey, wait a Ow! Owww!" Garfiel laughed heartily as he violently swatted Subaru's shoulder. The slap was hard enough to make Subaru's entire body go numb, which made him shudder and think, He's gonna do it with everyone watching?! But he sensed no malice coming from Garfiel's smiling face. He was simply welcoming Subaru and Emilia back after they returned safe and sound. The reaction was a little no, absolutely beyond his expectations. "That's...it?" "Aah? Wha...? Are ya such a crybaby ya need me to rub your head and say it's all right?" "Like that'd make anyone feel better. That's not what I meant but...nah." Subaru pulled back his tongue, on the verge of saying something that risked stirring up a hornet's nest. After all, the current Garfiel didn't seem to bear him any ill will. That, at least, was something to be welcomed. "I was kinda worried if I'd stuck around you, you'd look down on me for my body odor..." "The heck are ya...? Me, I really don't like bein' associated with body odor like that." " . Just take that as meaning it's an issue with my body, would you? More importantly, let's sit down somewhere before discuss all the fine details. Talking while we're standing like this isn't great, right?" "That's true. Subaru must be tired from crying so much, after all..." "Emilia-tan!" Emilia agreed with Subaru's point of view while adding further fuel to the crybaby fire. She responded to Subaru's sorrowful voice by sticking out her tongue. "I'm sorry," she offered in a cutesy apology. Forgiving her teasing because of how adorable she was, Subaru harbored a different set of thoughts within his chest. This time, unlike all prior runs, Emilia had not become terribly despondent due to failing the Trial. The trigger for that change was the pathetic reality of Emilia recovering from panic faster than Subaru, but either way, this time she had confronted her past but still retained a strong heart. It was not set in stone that her mental state would have a positive effect on the Trial going forward, but "It's worth giving it a shot, huh?" "Mr. Natsuki? Is something the matter?" "Nothin' really." As the group started to change locations, Otto called out to Subaru when he began lagging behind. Responding with a shrug of his shoulders, Subaru quickly caught up to them. Emilia's heart was still unbroken by the Trial and Garfiel remained neutral. The circumstances surrounding the Sanctuary had shown him different faces upon every repetition. This time proved no exception, but Subaru was keenly aware how this was the most solid starting situation to date. "After that, it comes down to what I try and what I get out of it, huh?" To hell with dying for nothing. I have to use death more effectively. All the death until that point had meaning to it...even the repeated deaths of the world and the Sanctuary. Hence "Making it back from inside that shadow has gotta be worth something." His head complained of slight pain. In a corner of his mind rested a lingering memory of being mixed with other people. Surely something in there could provide some meaning to his death and that chance encounter with the Witch. 2 The party left the tomb, heading toward Ryuzu's residence, which served as a de facto inn. Where the conversation passing between them in the guest room was concerned, there was no great change in the issues regarding the Trial. But unlike before, there was the exceptionally major difference that Emilia was participating in that conversation. Up until the last run, Emilia had been wedged between her sense of duty and her fear toward her past, with the seemingly insurmountable weight causing her to waste away. But this time was different. "I'm sorry about today. I made everyone worry, and I really caused trouble for Subaru...but I think it's plain to see that I have to do this." Subaru could not tell what everyone thought of Emilia proclaiming her determination at the end of the meeting. But for his part, Subaru was proud of her, feeling a desire to applaud. In fact, he did. On that note, the day's meeting came to a conclusion, adjourning so that people might prepare for the morrow. "Emilia-tan, make sure you bundle up; take your time and rest, okay? If you don't feel sleepy anymore, I can stay by your bedside from 'good night' to 'good morning' but..." "Mmm, I'm completely all right. You need a break as much as I do, don't you, Subaru? Noon and night makes twice you've collapsed in that tomb today, so..." "Ahhh, I guess it does. Yeah, you're right. I'll take care, too." As Subaru gave Emilia her send-off to bed, her observation made him scratch his head and give off a vague smile. Having accepted this change in Emilia, Subaru hadn't told anyone about him and the tomb in other words, the fact that he had taken the Trial and overcome the first part. This was out of consideration for Emilia, for if she knew Subaru had overcome the Trial she had failed, it would make her harbor unnecessary thoughts of self-reproach. If this time, Emilia could preserve a strong mental state, then the results of her second attempt might change as well. He remained hopeful. And even if the result was the same, the knowledge of that was still something worth obtaining. There was value in trying. More importantly, this time Subaru wouldn't be overly focusing on clearing the tomb. If he challenged the tomb, he could meet Echidna within the Trial once more. There was no mistake that this would be of aid to him, but at the moment, Subaru lacked the qualifications sufficient to meet her. His preparations were insufficient. He was still lacking new information, new results, new everything under these circumstances, even if he met Echidna, it would only amount to her indulging Subaru. He would rather avoid that if he could help it. Accordingly, Subaru needed to accumulate something that was merited another meeting with the Witch. For that sake as well, Subaru's current top priority was proving that the "memories" resting inside of his head were not mistaken. "Ram, I need to talk to you for a second. Is now good?" "How indecent." "You jump to bad-sounding conclusions fast!" After parting with Emilia, Subaru addressed Ram as she tidied up the guest room. Staying in the Ryuzu residence were Emilia and Roswaal, and Ram, who was tending to their needs, for three guests total. By rights, Subaru ought to have been spending the night with the people of Earlham Village in the Cathedral but "But today I have something that comes first. You remember the promise we discussed before challenging the tomb, right?" "Of course. But I am surprised that you remembered, Barusu. You had quite a busy time in the tomb, I am sure." Though she was obviously referring to him collapsing inside and crying his eyes out, Subaru kept his mouth shut about that. This was after having been laughed at for the Crybaby Barusu incident aplenty. Right now, Subaru had more important things to talk about. "Anyway, the promise...by which you mean Master Roswaal making time to speak with you, I take it..." "Because of extenuating circumstances, I want to defer that promise until later. In exchange, Ram, I want a favor from you." "How indecent." "Don't make this a running gag!!" He sighed at the scowl Ram was giving him. He hadn't gone as far as scrapping the promise completely, but from her demeanor, Ram didn't think much of Subaru's arbitrary request. Even so, she shrugged her shoulders. " Fine. Master Roswaal did tell me to put myself at Barusu's disposal. And should this be some manner of vulgar scheme, it is Barusu who will regret it later." "Can I just point out that I'm not looking at you with indecent eyes or anything?!" "I suppose not. What Barusu turns toward Ram is not a gaze of carnal desire but something vaguer." The sudden statement perplexed Subaru. However, he immediately realized what she was really getting at. And from Subaru's perspective, it amounted to being sucker punched from a blind spot. After all, Ram was asserting that Subaru was looking right through Ram and seeing "someone" else instead. Even though he'd been trying his best to be careful and avoid this "What a pathetic face. It is not a repulsive gaze, though, so I won't speak of it any further..." Noticing that Subaru was unsettled made Ram narrow her eyes. This was not exasperation or scorn but an emotion of gloom so thin it was almost invisible to the eye. That made it stab at Subaru's chest all the more. Though their personalities differed greatly, that gentleness was commonly shared by the sisters who looked like two peas in a pod. *** He thought it his true desire to divulge to Ram every last thing about Rem. He wanted to tell her that she had a doting little sister at the mansion trapped in a slumber from which she could not awaken. Subaru wanted to speak about the feelings, the memories he had for the two of them until he could speak no more. But Subaru knew of a world where this had led to Ram's attempt to sacrifice Rem. The despair and dejection of that moment kept Subaru from speaking of Rem. A world where Ram abandoned Rem, where the elder sister abandoned the younger, would undoubtedly drive him mad. "...You had something to ask of Ram?" "Uh, er?" "Please close your mouth and stop making that idiotic face. It was not my intention to make you feel bad, Barusu. Ram wishes to carry out Master Roswaal's instructions. To do that, all that is required is for me to listen to your story." "That's a big help... Er, actually I wanted to ask a favor having to do with Garfiel." Graciously going along with Ram's rare generosity, Subaru finally reached the main issue. The name he brought up as the topic made Ram narrow her eyes just a tad. "Has something happened with Garf?" " . It's about what's gonna happen. The odds are pretty high that he's going to get in the way of my covert activities. If I could have you keep him occupied, I can " "Seize the opportunity and give his head a good wham from behind, yes?" "Even if I did that, wouldn't it just end with me being sent packing? Geez..." In fact, Garfiel's strength was so great that an ordinary person like Subaru wasn't even in the right dimension required to consider delivering a knockout blow. He'd already seen Garfiel fight three times during their initial encounter, later in his bestial state, and of course, the battle against the Witch, and that was plenty. Even if Ram actually did charm him, the results of a fight would no doubt be the same. Ram seemed to agree with his assessment. "While it is true that Garf is rather taken with me, but the one has nothing to do with the other. I assume you require no explanation for how absurdly strong he is." "Yeah, if it came to violence, I'd go down in one blow." "You would hardly be worth the time. How cheeky of Garf." Ram's manner of speaking was belied by the gentleness in her eyes whenever she spoke about Garfiel. It was impossible to tell precisely what emotions

lay behind those pink eyes, and Subaru, failing to glean anything, abandoned the attempt. Garfiel was an obstacle. He was a wall that needed to be climbed over. There was no room to see him as anything more than that. He'd determined Garfiel to be his foe. If Ram was the most appropriate means for overcoming him, he just needed to make her trust him. "...There is a disagreeable look in your eyes, Barusu." But when Subaru fell silent, Ram murmured as the temperature of her cruel gaze dipping. "I do not know what you have seen on the way h No, what you saw in the tomb, but it is unlikely to have been anything good. Compared to the gaze that clearly sees someone else when you look at me, this is far viler." "...Quit it with the weird suspicions. All I did in the tomb was sleep. The dream I had wasn't all that bad." The dream his passing encounter with the white-haired Witch, Echidna, floated up into the back of his mind. Having conversed with Echidna three times already, he wouldn't say he knew everything there was to know about the Witch, but her existence was a very big deal so far as Subaru was concerned. Amid those precious few opportunities, his mind had been saved, he had obtained the strength to move forward, and she had even saved his life. She was someone he could reveal Return by Death to, someone he could speak to about it that alone was unspeakably precious. *** For a time, Subaru's black eyes and Ram's pink eyes stared at each other. He almost felt like she was reproaching him for having been saved by a Witch, but Subaru denied that with his gaze. It was not clear whether his intent had been properly communicated, but Ram abruptly averted her eyes. "...I shall draw Garf off. Do whatever wicked deeds you have planned." "Thanks, I'm counting on ya... Sorry. You're not in the wrong. I get that." As if to paper over the awkward atmosphere, Subaru appended those words and, not waiting for a reply, made his way out of the room. When he left the building, the warm breeze filtering through the Sanctuary tickled Subaru's bangs. Smelling the scent of grass mixed in with the nighttime breeze, Subaru's legs slowly took him in the direction of the forest. The settlement's bonfire had already been extinguished, but thanks to the moonlight, his footsteps were steady. After walking for a little while, he abruptly heard the sound of finger whistling coming from the direction of the Ryuzu residence. "...Don't tell me that's her way of calling Garfiel over?" Guessing that it was Ram doing whistling, he pictured Garfiel being called over by it in his mind. It made him think that the relationship between them was owner and pet and definitely not that of a man and a woman. Either way, he was grateful for Ram keeping Garfiel occupied. At the moment, he had bigger worries and priorities than their relationship. To determine whether it was true, Subaru arrived at a path that was not a path and entered the heart of the forest. 3 Subaru breathed deeply to endure the powerful, throbbing pain of the memories. Biting down on his back teeth, thick sweat came onto his brow as he forced open his field of vision, matching the scenery with the memories. He used his arms to part the overgrown vines and branches, advancing into the heart of thick green that even beasts disliked, heading deeper and deeper. The throbbing memories he gained when he was swallowed by shadow, and his very being had been on the verge of dissolving into the murky water, he saw a ray of hope. Murky water that was the only thing he could call that situation. When his existence was whisked into the shadow, melting into the darkness, Subaru was merged with the numerous "consciousnesses" within. These were probably the minds of the victims who had been engulfed by the Witch's shadow. Subaru had managed to escape only moments before he would have shared their fate. What followed was fruitlessly losing his life despite fighting his hardest, but Subaru's living or dying was not important. Having touched upon the memories of others held in that shadow's embrace, the fact that he had returned with a part of those thoughts was crucial. From a fragment cut off from the memories, he had deduced he'd been seeing things wrong, coming up with mistaken answers for important questions. This came via the vile practice of mixing with numerous other people, but even so, the return on investment was exceptionally large. After all, he'd managed to come back with a great deal, even if it took one of Subaru's lives to fish it out. "That leaves confirming what those memories say... The details kinda give me the willies, though." With the scenery around him all the color of green, he just couldn't find the hidden facility inside the forest that was his destination that hard-to-find white building that Subaru had unwittingly arrived at twice. The first time was when he'd been incarcerated by Garfiel; the second time, he'd arrived at the place through a teleport via the crystal's power. Subaru did not know the truth behind the building. But the memories were urging him onward. They kept urging that this was one of the Sanctuary's secrets, and believing in this, Subaru continued walking until " Found you." In the depths of the forest, Subaru spotted the weathered white structure. He wiped the sweat off his brow. The building, standing quietly amid the deep green, had an air about it that seemed to reject the entry of people no, it was not people alone whose entry it rejected. It was animals, insects...everything. The proof of this was the strange odor prickling Subaru's nose the instant he spotted the building. "Ughh...this scent's still going strong, too, huh?" Wiping his lips with his sleeve, he didn't think anyone would enter that structure without a very good reason. "But I'm going in... Can't get a tiger's cub without going into a tiger's den and all." Slowly, carefully, Subaru approached the building's entrance. The stonework building was fairly weathered, but just like the tomb, there seemed to be no need to worry about it collapsing. Seeing that there was no door, leaving him free to enter and exit through the entrance, he confirmed that there was no sign of human presence as he began his infiltration. It was fairly dark inside the building, but moonlight filtered in through cracks in the ceiling. Relying upon this to ensure he could still see, Subaru scrupulously inspected the floor and walls as he headed deeper inside. Subaru had been to that place twice before, once through confinement and once through teleportation, but neither occasion permitted him any leeway to scrutinize the structure, so he'd put studying the place on the back burner. He had come to regret putting many things on the back burner in that fashion. This, too, he now had cause to mourn, but "This cavity in the wall... This is from the memory... Gii?!" Sparks scattered across the backs of Subaru's eyelids, his eyes becoming teary as he became certain that this and the memories matched together. As he looked around the facility, there was a room in the farthest reaches that was twice as large as any along the way. This was the room in which Subaru had been held during his captivity. The back wall of the room maintained an unnatural whiteness, as if it had been bleached, and it was here he discovered a strange cavity. The cavity had clearly been purposefully created, and when he timidly peered closer, Subaru thought it looked like a place where you'd hide something. No, he did not "think" it. The memories knew. This was where the crystal had been placed. "Placed but why?" He took out of his pocket the blue crystal that Frederica had possessed. Having been teleported by it twice over, Subaru handled the stone with great care as he placed it within the cavity. Maybe something will happen or maybe nothing will happen but the instant after he had the thought... *** The instant the crystal left his hand, light gushed from it. The dazzling blue made Subaru's breath catch as he instantly shielded his face with his arm. Then he slowly squinted toward the light, and... "...Oh come on." He unwittingly let his voice trickle out. The blue light generated from the center of the cavity gradually waned. In the place the light vanished from was No, rather, the issue was what wasn't: the white wall that ought to have been there. The wall with the cavity vanished, and so came to be an entrance to another room hidden behind it. Then, when Subaru looked at what was in the hidden room, he was at a loss for words. At the center of the room was enshrined a huge crystal large enough to just wrap his arms around it. On the inside of the beautiful blue light was a curled-up girl, her body sealed inside the crystal. "Th-this...is..." Wobbly, Subaru entered the room with a precarious gait, drawing nearer to the crystal. The sight stole his eyes away. Such was the extent of the surreal beauty before him. The blue transparent crystal put on display a girl so beautiful it was tragic. The impression given was near to that of a block of ice, but unlike ice, which could be melted to free someone from it, the crystal was eternal so long as it remained unbroken. And breaking the crystal would be the same thing as breaking the girl's life. It was a cruel work of art, with the crystal girl as the centerpiece and her face was familiar to him. "...Ryuzu, is that you?" The person inside the crystal had long pink hair. The still-young physique was clad in a simple one-piece dress. Her body was curled up like someone sitting with folded legs in phys ed class, and the girl's long-eyelash-bearing eyes were closed as if she was asleep. This was, without any doubt, Ryuzu Bilma, the representative of the Sanctuary. Or more precisely, he ought to have called her a girl who was Ryuzu's spitting image. "It's not just the crystal. What's with the whole atmosphere of this room...?" The metallic pedestal supporting the crystal gave off a faint light, granting dim lighting to the entirety of the room. Subaru's eyes, then accustomed to darkness, found the light sufficient to survey the entire layout of the room. The impression the scene gave Subaru was that of a bizarre experimental facility. Of course, this was a world far removed from mechanical technology. That place was no exception, and he could see no extravagant devices within it. And yet, Subaru had without doubt received the impression it was an experimental facility. Perhaps that impression had come not from Subaru but through the memories within him. And the answer was likely "Something you only get from coming here. That's the sense I get. Close enough?" "...I wonder. I am not confident I have the answers you seek, Young Su." "That excuse stopped working the second you showed up here, I gotta say." Turning around, he offered a strained smile to the figure that spoke after appearing at the entrance. The familiar face seemed tired somehow as it pleasantly returned the smile and moreover, there were two of them. The one with the staff with whom Subaru had exchanged words was Ryuzu Bilma. And the other one was "This is the...girl who guided me after the teleportation?" *** Without replying to Subaru, the girl looking exactly like Ryuzu maintained an expressionless silence. Unlike Ryuzu, she did not have a cane, and the simple poncho-style robe matched up with the girl who'd guided Subaru to the tomb. However, that did not mean it was the same girl for certain. As if

to underline Subaru's guess, Ryuzu shook her head. "Probably not. This girl is one of those who stand watch over this place. The one who you met in the forest, Young Su, was a different...was no more than one part of the Sanctuary's eyes." "The Sanctuary's eyes, huh...? It sounds like some kind of surveillance net. So a group of multiple Ryuzus keeps watch in the forest. No wonder you know everything that goes on around here." Subaru's words, spoken with complete confidence, caused Ryuzu to slightly raise her eyebrows, whereupon she nodded. The eyes of the Sanctuary Subaru now had an answer for the question about that metaphor he'd carried over from a previous time around. It was two runs prior. Having escaped his confinement at that facility, just how had Garfiel seen through the plan to escape the Sanctuary the plot hatched by Ram and Otto? The answer to that question was the Sanctuary surveillance net employing multiple Ryuzus. "I had never thought Young Su would uncover this place a mere half a day after arrival. I have lived here many years, but I have rarely been surprised so." "The credit doesn't go to just me. It's thanks to the memories that brought me here." "Memories, a strange answer indeed. Just whose memories were they?" "I wonder. I think they're probably from someone who knows about this place." Ryuzu skeptically furrowed her brows, but Subaru did not disclose the secret of the memories. This was not maliciousness on his part but because he had judged that revealing any more would be dangerous. This information had been gleaned from falling deep into the Witch of Jealousy's shadow. If he explained where he'd gotten them from, the odds of breaking the Witch's taboo were rather high. Accordingly, he chose to not tell Ryuzu anything else. But what had developed from that, namely Subaru acting based on his belief in those memories, was another matter. He believed that by going there and asserting these memories, he would draw closer to Ryuzu's secret. "And in point of fact, I turned out to be the bait drawing Ryuzu out. Wasn't far-fetched or reckless at all, was it?" "It was certainly a gamble for you. Did you think about what Young Gar might do if he spotted you?" "I did think about it, so I asked Ram to keep him occupied. In the meantime, it's a date between you and me, Ryuzu." "I am unsure what it is you mean by dayte...but I cannot defy you at this point, Young Su. You may do with me and the girl here as you wish." "That's giving in a little too much! In the first place, I just want to ask you some things. If possible, I'd like to ask you for your cooperation afterward, but..." This was hardly his first choice but if push came to shove, it was entirely possible that he would have to confront Garfiel. As a matter of fact, he didn't know for sure that Ryuzu agreed with all of Garfiel's positions. Subaru needed to think of inflated hopes or easy trust as dangerous things. " There is no need for concern. It is as I said. I cannot defy your words, Young Su." However, in the face of Subaru's concerns, Ryuzu repeated herself as if trying to remind him of something. The weight of those words left Subaru downright perplexed. Ryuzu wore a thin, pleasant smile that confused Subaru as she glanced at the girl standing right beside her who bore the same face as she did. Then she picked up from where she had left off. "We cannot defy the Apostles of Greed. This is the pact that has been imposed upon us, the replicas of Ryuzu Meyer." Somehow, resignation seemed to cross her powerless smile as she spoke. 4 They exited the facility and led Subaru to a single house in a place that was isolated even by Sanctuary standards. They could not simply return to the settlement, and Subaru was reluctant to hold a conversation in a place with such a caustic odor, so this suited him just fine. It seemed a little too good to be true, but "Such a deeply suspicious child. With that personality, you will die of mental fatigue at a young age." "That's unexpectedly unfunny, and sometimes things get to you whether your suspicions are deep or shallow." When Subaru was looking around the room in dead seriousness, Ryuzu gave off a sigh with the air of a strained smile. Then she set her cane aside, picking up a pot for pouring tea in its place. "Sit somewhere suitable. I will pour the tea." "I know how to pour tea at least. Ram taught me so I'm a bit confident in my skill." "A great part of me would be grateful for that, but now is simply not the time, is it?" With the smiling, eyes-narrowed Ryuzu watching him, Subaru sat down on a bed, and the Ryuzu look-alike girl grasped Subaru's tracksuit, as if trying not to let him escape. Subaru was at a loss as to what to call the girl who Ryuzu herself had called a replica, until finally "She's really clingy... Er, no, that can't be it. Piko doesn't plan on letting me escape, I take it?" "Nicknames aside, she bears no ill will. Apostles must be welcomed with special favor. I assure you, she will not mind if you give her a little slap for being naughty." "Calling it naughty makes it sound a lot less like a bold confrontation, you know..." Ryuzu's elderly advice brought a look of dissatisfaction from Subaru. With Subaru like that, Ryuzu handed him a steaming cup, then proceeded to sit in a chair and turn to face him. "It is hot tea. 'Tis it not best to blow on it first?" "I'm not a little kid, so I'm not gonna bring it to my mouth all nervous and give myself a big burn, okay?" "There is a restless one close to me with a cat's tongue, so I am in the habit of giving warnings." From the teasing way she said it, the one with the cattiest tongue, least able to take the heat, had to be Garfiel. Bringing the poured tea to his lips and finding it fairly hot, just as Ryuzu had said, he wet his dry lips and took a breath. When he thought about it, this was the first moisture he had received since his Return from Death in other words, since awakening in the tomb. His throat was craving that moisture beyond what he'd expected. And so Subaru promptly drank the cup dry, audibly placing the cup on the table as he spoke. "There we go. I know this is right after an unsettling conversation, but can we get to the point?" "How impatient of you. But I have no reason to refuse or the personality to do so. Do as you please." "You being cooperative is a big help... And I take it that this Apostle of Greed is kind of the reason you're so cooperative?" As they began the Q&A session, Subaru efficiently cut straight to the most recent question on his mind. It was the first time he was hearing the term, but it was the sort of thing that required little in the way of imagination after hearing it. After all, there was just too strong a whiff of a connection to the Witch of Greed. The question made Ryuzu close her eyes and sink into thought. By no means was she rejecting his first request of the conversation. It was just that the silent girl was displaying a quite gloomy expression. Finally, Ryuzu let out a sigh that sounded far older than suited her appearance as she said, "...Young Su, surely you know whose hands first established this land?" "Whose hands? That'd be Roswaal's fami No, it wouldn't." Answering reflexively, Subaru shook his head midway, realizing his answer was wrong. The Sanctuary had purportedly been administered to by the Roswaal family for generation after generation, and the current Roswaal had inherited that role. However, it sounded like the administrator and the creator were two separate parties. "Meaning the one who built this place was the Witch of Greed... Echidna." "Yes. A certain Witch built upon this soil a place to accomplish a certain Witch's purpose. It is a testing ground to fulfill a dream traced by that certain Witch." "Testing ground... Garfiel said something pretty close to that." Garfiel had made the statement when Subaru and the others arrived at the settlement in the Sanctuary. He had called this deadlocked testing ground the tomb of the Witch of Greed. At the time, the word Witch had seemed most important, so he'd let the testing ground part slide, but now that he had seen the girl in the crystal, the impression given by that facility made him unable to forget those words any longer. "If this is the Witch of...Echidna's testing ground, what kind of test is she running?" "The details of the test, you ask? Where that is concerned, the examples of success are right before you, Young Su." The corners of Ryuzu's lips twisted as she spread both arms out in a theatrical gesture. Her behavior made Subaru's breath catch. When he guessed the true meaning of her words, he sent his gaze toward Ryuzu and Piko. "So Ryuzu and this girl are the results of the experiment being conducted here." " There was a girl who looked exactly like me shut inside the crystal, yes?" "...Yeah, your spitting image. Ryuzu, are you, Piko, and her triplets of some kind?" "If you wish to treat those with the same faces as sisters, three is a number that is just a little insufficient." "Just a little, huh?" "Just a little, yes." By joking around "just a little," Ryuzu delicately evaded the truth. But Subaru already knew what Ryuzu was trying to gloss over that there were over twenty replicas. That said, there was nothing to be gained from pointing that out. The important things were the fine details about the relationship between that facility and the replicas and the experiment being conducted in the Sanctuary. "That crystal...or a magic crystal rather? That girl inside of it, what's her relationship to you, Ryuzu?" Switching his wording from crystal to magic crystal, Subaru unhesitatingly cut to the heart of the matter. Receiving his question, Ryuzu shifted her gaze toward the wordless girl. "The answer to that question is not an issue for me alone. This girl and I stand in identical positions." "The girl in the magic crystal included, right?" "No, that girl alone is different. That girl alone is the exception, for that girl alone is the real one." Having been told this yet being unable to digest the contents, Subaru skeptically knit his brows. "Real one? What do you mean by 'real one'...?" "Now, now, do not be hasty. An elder's tale is constructed by sifting through old memories. One must be prepared to come along for the ride." "I've come this far, so can you stop appealing to your age, which aside from tone of voice doesn't show at all? I've got tasteless, odorless Pico right beside me already, so if there's nothing but that old granny scent for seasoning, I'm gonna split in two right here." "Hmm...this has given rise to a rather unfortunate misunderstanding. To me, everything I have constructed about myself is precious, for that is how I gained my individuality." "Gained your individuality?" Having heard the turn of phrase, he repeated it, unable to simply let it go. Subaru desperately tried to make his brain digest it, but Ryuzu, paying no heed to his mental anguish, added, "That's right," before continuing her tale. "Tasteless and odorless... It is as you say, Young Su. That girl is empty on the inside. And I began the same. The 'me' that you see today is