Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World – Vol. 15 Ch. 8

Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World. Volume. 15.

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‘Chapter 8:- FACES FASHIONED FROM SNOW.’

 

 
Sub-chapter 1.

In the snow-marred Sanctuary, their fields of vision were filled by the great horde of demon beasts that were Gluttony incarnate.

But his trust in the lovely girl at his back and the warmth he felt in his palm were definitely the real deal.

—That was why Subaru Natsuki stood there without the slightest hesitation or doubt.

“You sure stomped the heck out of ’em, Emilia-tan…!”

Subaru’s face was buffeted by the thunderous blizzard as he praised Emilia’s valiant fighting.

The falling snow had instantly turned the Sanctuary into the front line of the Great Rabbit’s attack. But on previous attempts, by the time that situation arose, the destruction of the Sanctuary was halfway written in stone. This time, he’d averted failure because Emilia had fought valiantly against the demon beasts without retreating a single step.

“—You evacuating everyone to the tomb means you cleared the Trials, right?”

Emilia was taking on the demon-beast horde while shielding Echidna’s tomb at her back. At the tomb’s entrance, he could see people from the Sanctuary and from Earlham Village watching the state of the battle hand in hand. Ryuzu, who was standing at the congregation’s head, told him that this union between the two groups was the result of something that went beyond a simple weighing of pros and cons.

And the one who’d worked hardest to bring that situation about wasn’t Emilia or Ryuzu.

“—Ram.”

There was no reply to his call. Her eyelids were closed, and her body was limp, bereft of strength.

Ram had remained in the Sanctuary, vowing to fulfill her greatest wish. Now she was continuing to sleep in the arms of Roswaal, who was sitting on the steps of the tomb in a daze, his expression lost and empty.

Just what had happened between Ram and Roswaal? At present, Subaru had no way of knowing.

“Subaru, for now, could you focus over here, I wonder?”

Subaru was sinking into thought when he felt a tug from the little hand connected to his own. Hearing that familiar voice address him in unfamiliar fashion, Subaru replied with a spontaneous “uhyah!”

“…Why are you giving such a bizarre reply?”

“Er, having you call me by my first name is so fresh and vivid that I have to hold back my joy.”

“Is that all…? Could you indulge in such deep sentiments later, I wonder? …S-Subaru.”

“Beako, you are so cute.”

When Subaru voiced his honest opinion, Beatrice went red-faced, shaking their joined hands around with considerable force. Smiling at her adorable reaction, Subaru gathered himself and let out a breath.

“So, Beatrice. The opponent’s the Great Rabbit. You ready for this?”

“This is the worst situation possible. We have only just formed our pact, the opponent is one of the three great demon beasts, and we are unprepared. My contractor is an amateur, and it has been four centuries since Betty has been in a real fight.”

“And?”

“One might call this an appropriate handicap.”

Beatrice smiled impetuously as the clacking fangs pressed upon them all at once. Stepping forward as if to greet them, Subaru gave a thumbs-up to Emilia as she stood behind them.

“Me and Beatrice’ll send that horde packing. Emilia-tan, take down any that slip by us, ’kay?!”

“—Understood—leave it to me! So the rest is up to you.”

“Yep, we got this.”

The rule was to assign the right person to the right job. It also reminded him about the saying that the happiest wives were the ones whose husbands were well and often away from home.

Emilia exhaled deeply behind him as mana surged all about, forming an icy, defensive line. Standing in front of the zone of freezing cold, Subaru stood face-to-face against the demon beasts filling his vision.

In contrast to its adorable appearance, the Great Rabbit was ferocious, its very existence odious. Twice, he had lost his life to those fangs. His fear of slipping away as he was devoured was difficult to forget. But—

“Are you scared, I wonder?”

—as Subaru held his breath, Beatrice posed the question with a composed expression. Seeing her eyes and the profile of her face told him more than mere words—they told Subaru exactly who was with him then and there.

“Nah. I’m not scared.”

“Oh?”

“I have Emilia behind me and you beside me—gotta say, best feeling ever.”

“As it should be.”

Beatrice smiled wryly. Meeting her adorable, smiling face, Subaru donned a wicked smile of his own.

The Great Rabbit Horde raised a disturbing howl, leaping all at once toward the pair, who wore bold, fearless smiles.

Faced with that attack—no, that act of feeding—Beatrice and Subaru raised their joined hands, her left, his right.

“First, how about a minor test, I wonder? —El Minya.”

The moment the chant was complete, a vortex formed in midair, summoning purple-colored crystals all around the pair.

The gleaming crystals, which were shaped like icicles, resembled the purple arrows Beatrice had used on a previous go-around to skewer Elsa; it was a spell she’d called her specialty. Yet, the sheer number of arrows loading the sky was incomparable to what he had seen before.

Targeting took but an instant. Locking on to the heads of every demon beast that made up the Great Rabbit Horde, the purple arrows shot forward at the same time.

Each missile found a skull, slaying every one of the demon beasts. Their dead bodies turned into purple crystals, like the arrows that had felled them, then shattered, unable to withstand the raging snow. The world of white was filled with glimmering purple fragments.

With a single blow at the outset of the battle, the Great Rabbit vanguard was nearly annihilated. Of course, it was difficult to call this a painful blow to a demon beast that could infinitely propagate, but the spectacular feat left Subaru amazed.

“Th-that’s incredible—!”

“R-really? This is nothing at all. For Betty, this is but a piece of cake, I suppose.”

“Oh, come on, be real…what’s this magic that has so much power?! What element is that?!”

“The Dark element, of course. Also, is this even a fraction of its full potential, I wonder?”

Seeing Subaru’s animated reaction made Beatrice proudly puff out her chest.

She took pride in the magic Mother had taught her, the magic she had worked so hard to master.

“I shall demonstrate the mastery of the Dark element and show you that the power of Dark magic is the greatest this world has to offer.”

“What…should I do?”

“Would you hold Betty’s hand and not leave her alone, I wonder?”

Beatrice spoke such endearing words as she strengthened her grip on Subaru’s hand. Squeezing her palm back, Subaru glared at the menace before them, as if to tell Beatrice it was time to let loose.

Devouring the fragments of their comrades’ corpses, the Great Rabbit host prepared to advance as a ravaging horde once more. But before they could start…

“Subaru, this is a good lesson for a spirit mage—rather than use the spirit mage’s own mana, as is typical, shall I use magic to directly manipulate the mana in the air, I wonder?”

“I see—in that case, even with my busted Gate… Okay, I’ll leave Shamak to you!”

“Do not expect anything as paltry as Subaru’s useless Shamak! Can Subaru, who’s equally useless and nothing more than dead weight, do anything for Betty save showering her with praise?”

Beatrice’s imperious pop quiz left Subaru falling into thought a little. But as he pondered, the clacking of the Great Rabbit’s fangs pressed near, and with nothing but his direct experiences with impending death coming to mind, Subaru shouted.

“I don’t know the answer!”

“Then I should teach you, I suppose. Focus on Betty’s hand and imagine it. Imagine the weaving of mana, the power to shape it into the form of an arrow, the power to materialize and shatter our foe—imagine a mighty attack.”

“I imagined it!”

“Then is there anything left but to chant, I wonder?!”

Beatrice’s voice made Subaru snap open his closed eyes and thrust his left hand forward. Simultaneously, Beatrice moved her right hand forward, aiming it toward the Great Rabbit Horde—power surged forth.

“—El Minya!!”

The two chanted as one. Purple-streaked power manifested in the sky, pouring earthward upon the demon beasts.

The explosive, destructive force made the stage known as the Sanctuary glimmer with purple fragments—the ferocious battle had begun.

Sub-chapter 2.

To Subaru, using magic had always been an act tantamount to whittling his own soul away.

Just as Roswaal and Puck had guaranteed from the beginning, Subaru had no talent for magic. In the end, he’d abused Shamak, the one spell he’d learned, finally wrecking his own Gate, closing the path of the magician to him forever.

Therefore, he’d never thought another opportunity to use magic would visit him ever again, but—

“Minya! Minya! This is tough to say, damn it! Minyaaa!”

Relying on the vast surge of mana, Subaru did the seemingly impossible, rapidly casting Great Magic again and again.

The purple arrows thus spawned opened one hole in the demon-beast force after another, turning the ferocious Great Rabbit into purple fragments. Glancing at these, Beatrice tugged on Subaru’s arm, and with a light step, they sailed into the air.

Strangely, Subaru was not surprised by the feeling of weightlessness brought by ignoring gravity. Stepping upon the sky, Beatrice twirled and wove to evade the fangs in what truly looked like the dance of a fairy.

“We’re crossing.”

“Got it.”

An instant after she made her announcement, space distorted, and the pair vanished from the sky. It was a short-range warp that differed from Passage. The jump through space threw off the Great Rabbit; the horde did not notice when Subaru and Beatrice emerged behind it.

“Will you take care of the left, I wonder?”

“Then I’ll leave the right to you.”

Giving form to the magic in his mind, Subaru influenced the world through Beatrice.

It felt like he was profiting with someone else’s hard-earned money, robbing the moment of any enjoyment. Subaru followed the power of his imagination, loading the sky up with purple arrows large and small, using them as deadly weapons to bore holes into the demon beasts.

In his mind, he was loading a gun. He felt like he was creating bullets of mana and then pulling the trigger.

But his imagination had an undeniable effect in reality, shooting down the onrushing demon beasts like he was hunting ducks.

The Great Rabbit Horde on the opposite side was being similarly attacked by the destruction wrought by Beatrice. Cracks came forth from thin air, and it was like hundreds of the creatures were being shut inside the surface of a painting. The picture fragmented, seemingly being broken apart, and the demon beasts inside were all returned to ash.

All Subaru could do was twirl his tongue at the breadth of her magical skill.

Unlike Subaru, an idiot who’d learned only one spell, Beatrice could employ multiple varieties in multiple fashions. It was as if she was going out of her way to make plain to Subaru all the cards she held in her hands.

“That said, blasting ’em without a plan won’t solve anything. Beako, you have a plan, right?”

“Of course I have a plan. Is the first stage of it not already complete, I wonder?”

The Great Rabbit increased its numbers every bit as much as they dwindled. As Subaru sensed this special nature put them at a stalemate, Beatrice made a reply that sounded quite dependable indeed.

He gave her a look that demanded an explanation, and in response, Beatrice sniffed proudly.

“All that is necessary is to assemble the demon beasts in one place. Have we truly gathered the entire horde in this forest…in this Sanctuary here in front of the tomb, I wonder?”

“Well, I suppose we have. But they infinitely reproduce. It’s not like we’ve taken a roll call.”

“—Infinite, you say, but that does not mean there is no limit.”

The sentence made Subaru narrow his brows; then comprehension struck him like a bolt of lightning. He looked at the horde of demon beasts. As usual, the white fur balls were visible for as far as the eye could see—yet, if they really were reproducing infinitely…

“It doesn’t add up… If they could really do that, they’d cover the whole planet and even space…!”

“Most likely, even if they can propagate endlessly, there should be an upper limit. Therefore, they will not increase beyond that fixed number. In that case…”

“Get them to that upper limit and wipe them all out in one go!”

Subaru’s eyes glimmered as he saw the strategy laid out before him.

“But the problem is in the second stage—how should we go about eliminating them, I wonder?”

Beatrice’s concern was just how to simultaneously strike down the Great Rabbit, which numbered in the tens of thousands.

If you had force on par with some kind of missile, you could just burn them away along with the Sanctuary itself, but if even one of them survived, they would recover in full. The risk was incalculable.

It was difficult to wipe them off the map with simple brute force. The other way would be to—

“Your face says you have thought of something.”

“Like usual, I settled on a plan that depends on you. Sounds good?”

Beatrice used magic even in the midst of their conversation to attract the demon beasts’ attention toward the pair. Subaru drew his lips close to her refined ear and whispered his idea into it. Beatrice nodded after a few moments of thought.

“Betty did think of something rather similar, I suppose. But even with Betty and Subaru, these numbers are…”

“Hey, hey, you’ve got something wrong here, Beako. You don’t get it at all.”

“—?”

“In a situation like this, it’s not like we have to settle everything with you alone or just the two of us, you know?”

Listening to Subaru’s reply, Beatrice let an “ah” slip out as her eyes shot open. Then the girl heaved a cloudy sigh as she turned toward Subaru with the faintest of pouts.

“Truly, Subaru…no one in the world is better at relying upon others than you.”

“I promise in the future I’ll become a vibrant, high-end contractor so you’ll never get frustrated again.”

“Did you really think that would sound even slightly convincing when it comes from the mouth of a serial promise-breaker, I wonder?”

She said that with a smile, and Subaru couldn’t deny any of it. Seeing his reaction, Beatrice pressed her palm against his chest, nodding deeply with a gaze filled with trust.

“Even Betty requires time to prepare for this. Would you serve as a decoy during that time, I wonder?”

“Relax. There ain’t a single person in Lugunica who can beat me when it comes to distracting powerful enemies.”

Beatrice closed her eyes and sank into contemplation. This was the first step toward putting Subaru’s operation into motion. Picking up her tiny body, Subaru powerfully kicked off from the snow.

Homing in on Subaru and Beatrice as they raced across the snowy plain, the approaching demon beasts clacked their fangs and moved in for the kill. Too slow. Considering the sticky situations he’d found himself in over the last couple of days, the Great Rabbit swarm he faced now just seemed tame in comparison.

“Outta my way, you little gnats! I don’t have time to deal with you right now!”

Evading their fangs, leaping over their heads, Subaru trod upon purple fragments as he raced through their pack.

Chanting and loosing purple missiles to force open a path, Subaru continued carrying Beatrice as he rushed right through the battle-worn clearing toward Emilia, who stood in front of the tomb.

“Eh, Subaru?!”

Subaru’s sprint made Emilia’s eyes bulge wide. Sliding to a stop right beside her, Subaru put Beatrice, still deep in contemplation, down on top of the snow, patting her head as he spoke.

“Sorry, Emilia-tan! It’s too tough for Beako and me to handle this on our own!”

“Th-that’s fine. But what should we do? Maybe I can…”

“Nah, I’ve thought up a way to beat them, so there’s no need for you to wear yourself out trying to land a knockout blow! Actually, please don’t even try. It’d make coming this far meaningless.”

It surprised Emilia that he had seen right through her and gleaned she was considering self-destructive techniques to win the day. He wasn’t going to let her do it. He absolutely wouldn’t let her, now or later. He fully intended to make sure she would never have to do it ever again.

He didn’t want any part of her thinking it didn’t matter how badly she was hurt as long as she could save everyone else.

“Everyone safe, everyone saved. That’s obviously the best outcome.”

“Subaru…”

“Emilia-tan, I want you to be just a little more selfish from here on. If you can’t, I’ll think a little harder, but if you can, I just want you to do your best. Let’s win this for everyone’s sake.”

“”

Emilia put a hand to her chest and blinked as if she sensed something in Subaru’s words.

Subaru tried to hold the demon-beast horde in check with more purple arrows to buy time until she made up her mind. But when he turned forward, it was not purple missiles that smashed into the Great Rabbit Horde but icicles.

Emilia had a renewed determination in her eyes as she clenched her right fist and laid into the demon beasts with her magic.

“Got it. Let’s do it, Subaru. Tell me what you need. Anything!”

Emilia’s reply, containing determination and resolve, made Subaru clench his own fist.

“That’s my Emilia-tan—let’s do this thing!”

Sub-chapter 3.

The upsurge in magical energy was so incredibly powerful that even Subaru could feel it.

Emilia was standing in front of the tomb. Subaru was holding Beatrice within his arms. Believing in Subaru’s plan, both of them were fully devoted to controlling their respective mana to bring it to fruition.

And it fell to Subaru to buy the time they both needed until they were prepared.

“C’mon, c’mon! I’m your opponent, same as usual! Follow meee!”

Smiling and waving, Subaru mercilessly pounded the horde with a vicious blow.

The explosive bombardment created a wild dance of purple light, which sent the demon beasts flying and made them wriggle as one. The horde moved like one gigantic body and began chasing Subaru in a mad dash around the Sanctuary.

This was the beginning of the operation. At the very least, his worry that they might hit the tomb first was gone.

“It’s not as if you can ignore the smell of mana and my stench, either!”

It was the Great Rabbit’s nature to be attracted by mana. It was Subaru’s nature to have demon beasts want to devour him. With Beatrice, her eyes still closed, resting in his arms, Subaru Natsuki was a veritable, mouthwatering feast on the hoof as far as the Great Rabbit was concerned.

He heard the clacking of fangs. Subaru heard the deadly footsteps chasing them from behind.

“—! For one of the three great demon beasts, you’re so slow! You half-wits, do you actually want me to make you extinct like ol’ Whaley?”

Biting fear back with his molars, Subaru hurled the unnecessary insults he kept in the far corners of his mind. If he didn’t flap his gums to maintain his calm, he’d never be able to conceal that he was trembling to the core.

He couldn’t look that pathetic to the girl behind him, nor to the girl in his arms.

“Subaru—!”

As Subaru put on his own performance, a voice like a silver bell reached his ears through the gale-like snow. When he looked in the snow-filled reaches of his vision, Emilia was thrusting a fist toward the heavens—it was the signal that her preparations were complete.

Receiving this, Subaru put more strength into his legs, with which he kicked at the snow—Emilia was ready, but until Subaru’s end was ready—a little more, just a little farther, just a pinch, go, go, go!

Without even time to let out his breath, Subaru laid a marker on the snowy plain at his own feet. With this, his do-or-die escape from the Great Rabbit, which was hot on his tail, had finally neared its end.

With that purple-arrow marker thrust into the snowy plain, everything had come together—so he shouted:

“Now, Emilia! Trace the lines—!!”

Plowing through the snow as he came to a halt, Subaru relied on magic for his last stand, commanding the purple arrow, “Let there be light!” The very next instant, countless purple arrows that had been shot into the clearing began to glow, forming a glittering cage.

A horde of tens of thousands of wriggling white demon beasts had been penned up inside that square cage—

“That’s Subaru for you! Really good job!”

Praising the splendid outcome, Emilia let up a voice of joy that she’d normally never ever make. Then as her eyes glimmered with equally rare aggression, she trained a graceful finger toward the demon beasts within the cage.

—And then she unleashed all the mana she had been forming while Subaru had bought her time.

“Cocytus!”

Applying that incantation, unfamiliar to his tongue, Subaru activated the vast amount of surging mana, transmitting power to the purple crystals, which were arrayed in a square around the clearing, one after another. The lines connected.

With a roar, the ground, the snowy plain itself, floated skyward.

“Amazing…”

Seeing this unfold left Subaru dumbstruck. The spectacle was so overwhelming, it left him speechless.

Emilia carefully supplied magic energy all along the sides of the cage of purple arrows in the clearing, shutting the Great Rabbit inside a snowy cage and lifting them into the sky. Of course, had they been normal demon beasts, they would surely have noticed the abnormality and escaped from the cage—but the Great Rabbit possessed no such decision-making capacity.

They were incarnations of hunger, felt inexhaustible urges of Gluttony, and were children gifted with Daphne the Witch’s empty stomach—

“That’s why now you’re all one step from a Giltirau and stuff!”

“—With this, there’s nowhere left for you to run!”

As Subaru raised a middle finger and levied his insult, Emilia put on the finishing touches.

Emilia used magic energy to weave together an icy lid she simultaneously slammed down onto the patch of snowy ground that had floated into the sky, completing the cage and trapping the massive number of demon beasts.

Even if the Great Rabbit had a will of its own, there was no escape now that the icy prison was fully formed.

From the snow-stripped clearing beneath the prison, he looked around. Stragglers, zero. Wriggling figures, zero.

The whole Great Rabbit Horde had been in one place, enclosed within a square perimeter about twenty yards per side. With this, the conditions had been met.

“Now, the final blow if you please, Great Spirit Beatrice—”

Rocking the girl within his arms, Subaru announced it was time to follow the appetizer with the main course.

Answering his call, the girl gently opened her eyes that had remained quietly closed up to this point. Then, when she set her gaze upon the spectacle before them, she cracked a smile.

She was not surprised whatsoever. She was merely following up on the result she was sure he would deliver—

“—Al Shamak.”

A moment after the incantation, the ultimate manifestation of the Dark element dyed the world black.

Sub-chapter 4.

—For an instant, the Great Rabbit was whipped around by a feeling of weightlessness before all its weight was slammed against the ground.

That impact freed it from the sense of tightness pressing against the entirety of its form. First, it shook its body, ridding itself of the snow that caked its fur. It made a sound through its nose as it swiveled its head around.

With its eyes, nose, ears, and whiskers, it searched for prey and consumed it. This was its only desire. It surveyed the area with its red eyes, craving the luxuriant aroma of the mana of its prey that made its whiskers tremble.

It felt nothing. Until just a moment before, it should have been surrounded by a feast. The prey was tantalizing, offering soft flesh and sweet blood that might grant it a sense of fulfillment, a momentary respite from its eternal sense of hunger.

Its eyes saw nothing. Its nose smelled nothing. Its ears heard nothing. Its whiskers did not tremble.

Disappointment. Despair. Foul feelings resembling such things instantly overrode its sense of hunger. To keep the loneliness of its mouth and the emptiness of its stomach at bay, it bit into the clump of white closest to it for the moment.

It tore with its mouth, rending the flesh, sipping the blood, and savoring its innards. It violated the clump of meat to its heart’s desire, eating it clean, when it realized similar meals were occurring all about.

Its prey had vanished.

Following its instinct for survival, it was in a daze as it chewed on the white clump that had become its meal, swallowing it whole.

This happened over and over again, driven by insatiable hunger, feeding on the next prey, the prey next after that, the prey next after that after that, next after that after that after—

Finally, having at some point devoured everything in the surrounding area, it found itself alone.

Sipping on clumps of blood, licking up fragments of scattered flesh, it left behind neither dirt nor grass as it savored the fresh blood. If in so doing it had run out of things to eat, it was well and truly alone.

On the inside, it continued to be assaulted by a sense of insatiable hunger beyond its capacity for flesh.

It raised a cry. It clacked its fangs. The maddening hunger was torture—No, it was already mad. For all eternity, it was forbidden from sating its inexhaustible hunger and satisfying its limitless cravings; this was the madness of Gluttony.

—Did Mother also harbor such feelings?

For a single instant, reason bloomed in the back of its mind, which was ruled by hunger. However, it was immediately blotted out.

Its body trembled. As a consequence of its madness, it had subconsciously reproduced, creating a being separate from itself.

It ate this spawn without the slightest hesitation. There was not even an anguished cry as it stuffed itself with the flesh. Afterward, it suffered again from renewed hunger. Then, as a consequence of its hunger, it birthed another one of itself into the world.

It ate. It raged. It birthed. It ate. Over and over. It continued these things over and over.

It was alone. It was in a world without any others. There was forest. There was soil. There was air. All that was missing was prey.

It was alone. It continued eating.

It was alone. Finally, it ate the it that was different from itself, causing it to vanish.

It was alone. It was truly alone, yet it ceased to be lonely as its gluttony continued over and over again.

—Its insatiable hunger would never be sated.

Sub-chapter 5.

The living darkness swallowed up the cage of ice and snow, compressing it along with the Great Rabbit Horde within. Finally, they vanished without a sound.

This, the creation of an isolated space, was the effect of Al Shamak—the greatest of the Shamak line of spells. Enveloped by the magic, the Great Rabbit Horde had been blasted into what was essentially another dimension.

Regeneration and propagation had lost all meaning, for both were literally sequestered in another world.

“I know the plan was to send them into an isolated space like the archive of forbidden books, but…”

“Are you dissatisfied, I wonder?”

As Subaru’s voice trembled in the face of the overwhelming feat, Beatrice tapered her lips by his side. Putting her hands on her hips with an arrogant posture, she seemed most displeased with Subaru’s attitude.

“It really is incredible…”

In Subaru’s stead, it was Emilia who voiced words of honest praise.

Being far more versed in magic than he, Emilia was doubtless more surprised than Subaru. Now that she had released her combat posture, the freezing across half her body had gradually relented. The worst-case scenario had been avoided.

Swiveling his head about, Subaru made sure the Great Rabbit, which once blanketed the clearing, was nowhere to be found.

Turning around, he also confirmed the tomb was safe. When he saw the various residents of the Sanctuary and Earlham Village were giving him a thumbs-up, he lifted a hand toward them in return. When he looked closer, he noticed Ryuzu replicas were mixed in among them. Sharing information about what happened in the Sanctuary is gonna be a pain, huh? Subaru mused with a wry smile.

And sitting on the steps on the tomb was Roswaal, holding Ram in his arms—Ram’s hand was touching Roswaal’s cheek. His clownish expression contorted, and even from a distance, Subaru could see the tracks of tears.

“”

The scene swiftly gave Subaru the feeling that a great burden had been lifted from his chest.

It wasn’t that everything had been resolved. But it was just as he’d said to Beatrice. Subaru didn’t need to personally resolve every single thing. The Great Rabbit had been defeated through Subaru’s, Beatrice’s, and Emilia’s valiant efforts, just like how incredible deeds had been accomplished in the Sanctuary and at the mansion both.

More than anything, it was the sight of Ram smiling and Roswaal crying that told Subaru as much.

“Hey, Subaru.”

As Subaru exhaled at length, Emilia abruptly poked his cheek with her finger.

Emilia tossed him a pleasant smile as she used a hand to indicate behind him. Beatrice was still right there waiting for him, arms folded with a sour look on her face.

“I think you should say something to the one who worked the hardest.”

Subaru couldn’t help but give a short sigh when he saw her childish, cheek-puffing gesture. Then—

“Waaah!”

—sweeping an arm under her, he hoisted up her light body.

Ignoring her cutesy, plaintive cry, Subaru continued to embrace the girl as he twirled around on the spot.

“You did awesome! That’s my Beako! I love you!”

“W-wait a—! That’s not… W-would you let go, I wonder?! Betty is not…!”

“Good girl, good girl! You’re so, so cute! You’re wonderful, Beako! You’re the best, Beako! Beako forever!”

Grandly singing her praises, Subaru lifted Beatrice way up as he spun all around.

Beatrice’s face was beet red as she dangled from his arms. Emilia watched the worked-up pair with gentle eyes. Behind her, she heard the various villagers clapping their hands together and raising cheers.

And as the contractor continued spinning around with his spirit, expressing joy with the entirety of his body…

“Ah—!”

…his foot slipped, sending the pair tumbling headlong into the snow.

CLOSING CHAPTER

MEETING EACH OTHER HALFWAY

Sub-chapter 1.

“—Okay, it’s finished!”

Picking up a pair of twigs, Subaru thrust them into the mass of snow before his eyes and wiped off the sweat on his brow.

It was constructed in a short time with amateur workmanship, but he was quite proud that it had come out fairly well. Even the onlookers admired his handiwork and went “ooh” in praise.

“This really does make me feel like I’m a genius at this stuff. If we’re ever short on food money, I can have Emilia-tan make the snow fall, and I’ll be a living national treasure as a snow artist.”

“Goodness, don’t say such ridiculous things… But you really did a good job, huh?

Sitting on the stone steps, Emilia let out a white breath as she watched Subaru’s handiwork.

Displayed in her violet eyes were Subaru and the horde of snowmen—no, snow-Pucks he had finished. He’d gathered up the snow left in the clearing and had made a dozen snow sculptures. Even to Subaru himself, it was a mystery where he’d mustered the passion to craft Pucks of every emotion and for every occasion.

It was probably something like thanks, given how Subaru had heard of Puck’s bravery in his absence.

“I am sure this was not his aim, but I think Barusu is indeed an idiot.”

In contrast, Ram, her head propped up on Emilia’s lap, gave Subaru’s actions a quite harsh assessment.

With her burned maid outfit stripped away, Ram’s white garment gave her a very different impression. That was probably because it somehow felt like she had finally left behind something that had been haunting her. Of course, her poison tongue cut as sharply as ever.

“Hey, I’m the guy who worked hardest during this whole mess. Aren’t you praising me too little?”

“Mm, I guess that’s true. I’m really grateful toward Subaru. But while you were gone, I was the one working hard, so I think it’s only natural I would want some praise for it.”

“Emilia-tan’s suddenly gotten a lot more direct, huh…?”

Perhaps this was the influence of her having overcome the Trials. There was a type of confidence blooming from Emilia’s demeanor and expression. It was a good trend for Emilia, long prone to putting herself down and understating her own worth.

Subaru had been unable to deal with all the problems of the Sanctuary with his own power no matter what he tried. Now that he had others to help cover his weaknesses and deficiencies, enabling this miracle that allowed them all to be together, he wanted to thank her.

“If nothing else, though, I meant to take on the toughest job and stuff…”

“I won’t allow something so thoughtless. If Subaru runs around and does everything, we won’t even have a reason to be here. If anything, Subaru has been running around a little too much.”

“Er, but I’m way short on firepower, so running around is about the only tactic I have.”

“But that will not be the case going forward, will it?”

Emilia was stroking Ram’s head atop her lap as she spoke, smiling at how they were both understating the other’s worth. Deducing exactly what her words were getting at, Subaru rubbed under his nose with a finger as he replied, “Ahhh.”

He’d overlooked a lot of things and had ended up being saved by many people around him, but he’d also gained pretty much everything he needed. He probably would never be worrying about things alone ever again.

“”

Lifting his face, Subaru turned his gaze from the snow sculptures in the clearing in front of the tomb.

Now that the Trial system had vanished, a pair of individuals had stepped inside.

He had some idea of what they might be talking about.

“Well, even I can read the mood enough not to intrude on that.”

They’d had untold opportunities to speak to each other, yet they’d never taken advantage of them.

All the words left unspoken must have piled high enough to become a mountain.

Sub-chapter 2.

—The Witch sleeping in the transparent coffin was just as beautiful as the day she’d died.

“Mother…”

In the small room in the deepest part of the tomb in which the coffin was placed, the remains of Echidna the Witch rested in silence.

In front of those remains, Beatrice was stricken with such worry that her feet felt like they couldn’t stay grounded. She felt neither the sense of elation from during the battle nor the sense of loss and liberation from losing the archive of forbidden books—she felt guilt.

The Witch had long, beautiful white hair and a comely face that spoke of intellect and tolerance. Though the instances were rare, her memories of the Witch regarding her with soft smiles came rushing back.

There and then, the memories of how her mother looked, which she had been on the verge of forgetting after four centuries, were fresh once more, digging their way into Beatrice’s chest.

“Has Betty managed to uphold her promise to Mother, I wonder? …I am sorry.”

Stroking the edge of the cracked coffin with her finger, Beatrice began their first meeting in four centuries with an apology.

Beatrice had lost both the intellect of the Witch and the book of knowledge given to her upon their parting. She had deigned to come crawling back, her promise unfulfilled.

“Betty never met That Person…and the book has been burned away. Are the words I am sorry enough to make up for it, I wonder?”

Beatrice judged herself to be a poor daughter.

She was a foolish girl who’d been unable to fulfill Mother’s last request with four centuries on hand to do it. She could not help but regret that from the bottom of her heart as she reunited with her mother, who by rights she should have been unable to even face.

“…For all that, you have quite a relieved look upon your face, do you noooot?”

The man on the other side of the coffin—Roswaal—easily guessed how Beatrice truly felt.

As always, the man was disgustingly good at pointing things out. However, Beatrice could not help but put her discordant feelings aside. It was hardly unrelated to the man having taken off his makeup and exposing his bare face.

“You look most relieved of all, Roswaal. It is not like you to stand before Betty without your makeup on… Truly, is it like you at all, I wonder?”

Roswaal said nothing in response to Beatrice’s words. All he did was make a lonely smile.

That was even more unusual. Lowering her eyes at his reaction, Betty continued:

“Besides, you must have your own things to say to Mother. To you… To your family, meeting Mother again was your long-cherished desire, I suppose.”

More than anyone else, Beatrice witnessed the changes four centuries had wrought upon the House of Roswaal—founded by the first Roswaal who apprenticed under Echidna.

In the battle against Hector the Devil, Roswaal had lost all his capacity to use magic rather than his life. After Echidna’s passing, he had entered the archive of forbidden books and immersed himself in search of something, and then he died, entrusting his dream to the next generation.

For each and every generation since, the head of the household inherited the name of Roswaal. The genius of the first Roswaal was rediscovered time and time again, and the House of Mathers grew.

Roswaal L. Mathers was the living compilation of all that had come before him.

Beatrice was actually quite bewildered that his talent surpassed even that of the first Roswaal, who Echidna herself had considered remarkable. The likes of him had never been seen in the past; none other could claim to be the world’s mightiest magic user.

“Yet, even with all that talent, you could not escape from the curse that binds the Mathers family. You are ghosts, dreaming of reuniting with my dear, departed mother… I sympathize with you, if only slightly.”

Beatrice was speaking of Roswaal’s way of life, able only to obey the destiny laid out generation after generation. His family greatly resembled her, continually bound by a single pact made four centuries prior.

Ironically, the moments she had spent with the first Roswaal before the day of that pact four hundred years before remained fresh in her mind.

“—May I ask you one thing?”

It was as Beatrice reminisced that Roswaal raised but a single finger and posed that question. The low, earnest tone of his voice made her lift her face. Beatrice tacitly consented with her silence.

“I must wonder, did Young Subaru become That Person for you?”

The question made Beatrice’s breath catch for a moment. This was not surprise—No, there was surprise. It was just that she felt no impact from Roswaal’s words.

She was surprised by her own heart, which didn’t ache as expected at the words That Person.

“…Why do you laugh?”

“Ahhh, sorry about that, I suppose. I am not particularly laughing at you. Perhaps I simply find myself amusing at the moment. I truly am such a fool.”

How easy had it been for her to forget the proposition that had bound her heart so much the instant after she had let go of it?

It probably was not so. It was not that she had forgotten. She had said good-bye to That Person forevermore.

“That man… Subaru is not suited whatsoever to be Betty’s That Person.”

“Whatsoever, you say… That is a rather harsh assessment.”

“Is that really true, I wonder? Betty is strict. Is that why every opportunity in four hundred years came to nothing, I wonder? …Betty’s selfishness is why the idea of That Person controlled her fate for so long.”

Beatrice now understood just a little of the feelings of the people who had tried to bring her out of the archive of forbidden books.

By no means had all of them stretched hands toward Beatrice out of nothing but their own selfish ambitions. Among them were those who Beatrice had continually driven away with her own thoughts and words.

“Then how was someone like you able to come out? How did Subaru become That Person?”

“Did I not say it already, I wonder? Subaru is not suited to be That Person whatsoever. But that is fine. Betty has chosen Subaru. Not That Person—but Subaru, I suppose.”

Beatrice’s reply caused Roswaal’s breath to catch as he opened his eyes wide.

Perhaps it was an answer difficult for an adherent of Echidna’s like Roswaal to accept. Beatrice, standing in the same position just a short time prior, painfully understood just how he felt.

It was because she understood that she thought it necessary to elaborate.

“When I wanted Subaru to become That Person, he laughed it off. He prattled on with something like, I can make you happier than some guy whose face you don’t even know, I suppose.”

“That is…a most arrogant answer.”

“But I do not mind him being pushy.”

Compared with an array of polite words spoken to Beatrice to tell her what to do or a speech on how she should put Echidna’s intellect to use, he was akin to an unadorned blade.

“But is that really fine with you? No matter how you might struggle, you will never be Subaru’s first. One can tell just by watching how he lives… I know this to be true.”

“Roswaal, are you misunderstanding something, I wonder?”

“Misunderstanding?”

“Betty did not leave the archive of forbidden books because Subaru made her his number one. Did Betty not leave the archive because she wants to make Subaru her number one, I wonder?”

—Pick me. He had said that to her.

I’ll be too lonely to live without you. Those had been his words.

She thought them very convenient words. Yet, they had resonated within Beatrice, shaking her heart.

And the instant she took his hand and left the archive of forbidden books, she knew a feeling of liberation that brought tears to her eyes.

She was well aware that she was defying both Mother and Roswaal, committing a terrible betrayal against them.

But her heart was already set. Her hand had already joined with his.

“”

Roswaal fell silent as Beatrice awaited his words. Even if he was to accuse her of betrayal, she could do nothing save gently accept them. Such was the resolve within—

“—No matter how much time passes, you never change, Beatrice. You are the same as you were then.”

“—?”

His words had an odd ring to them that made Beatrice faintly knit her brows. What he said made Beatrice suspicious, but the tone of his voice even more so. It felt so very gentle, soft, and nostalgic.

“Truly, you and I have not had nearly enough conversations. It has been so ever since we were at Teacher’s side.”

“Teacher…?”

When she heard Roswaal’s gentle word, a term that should never have been heard from his lips, a shudder ran through her.

Simultaneously, a possibility arose in the back of Beatrice’s mind from the very depths of the time she had experienced.

It couldn’t be. Yet, if it was so—

“—Roswaal, is that you?”

“I have always been Roswaal?”

“No…! That is not what I… You—you surely know what I meant!”

“I jest. It is precisely so, Beatrice. It is I—the very same Roswaal.”

The instant he changed how he referred to himself, Beatrice saw two Roswaals overlap.

A tall, handsome man with long indigo hair overlapped with a young man who possessed the same characteristic features. This was the young man who had once doted on Echidna, who had asked the Witch to mentor him, and who Beatrice had lived alongside.

“It couldn’t be… Are you using soul transcription, the theory of immortality that Mother pursued? But that failed.”

“The soul will not graft to an empty vessel. That issue was a temporary impasse…one that I overcame by force. If the issue is compatibility between vessel and soul, this can be eliminated through greater proximity of the two.”

Beatrice could not conceal her utter shock when she grasped the meaning of those words.

When Echidna’s research into immortality failed and led instead to Ryuzu Meyer becoming the core of the Sanctuary, the Witch attempted to make efficient use of the replication technique created as a by-product, yet in terms of her lust for knowledge, she had erred. In the end, unable to graft the soul of another to an empty vessel, the research was considered a failure—but Roswaal had succeeded where she had not.

The first Roswaal had transferred himself to the bodies of the Mathers children in an unbroken line, reaching all the way to the present generation.

“Are you going to denounce me as inhuman, Beatrice?”

Such was the question Roswaal posed to Beatrice. Unlike back then, Roswaal’s left and right eye colors differed; only half of the blue from his original form remained.

Beatrice felt like that tentative blue eye was waiting for her to unleash blame upon him.

Did Roswaal wish to be punished again? Just like how she had confessed her sin of breaking her pact with Echidna to her mother’s remains? —Did he want to be condemned for his own foolish actions?

Condemned by Beatrice, the one who best understood her mother, the woman who was the object of his tenacious, unrequited love that had caused nothing but trouble to others across four hundred long years.

“Roswaal. Would you squat down over here for a moment, I wonder?”

“—Here?”

When Beatrice pointed to the flooring to the side of the coffin, Roswaal closed one eye. When that blue eye saw Beatrice nod, Roswaal seemed dubious as he knelt there on one knee. Gazing upon this, Beatrice removed her right shoe, firmly gripping it with her right hand.

“Clench your teeth.”

“Clench my… Guh?!”

She slammed the shoe in her hand into the side of his face, currently at just the right height.

She made a very pleasant sound as Roswaal’s head reeled, eyes wide open. Glancing at him, Beatrice put the shoe in her hand back on her foot once more.

The refreshed look on Beatrice’s face brought Roswaal, now with a red and taut cheek, back to his senses.

“W-was that something like your very own mark of disdain just now?”

“Not really. Do I even know why you want me to be angry at what you have done, I wonder? …Your actions are unworthy of praise. But is there anyone who has the right to blame you save the children whose bodies you have made your own, I wonder? Ugh, is all that Betty thinks of the matter.”

“Ugh, is it…? Then what was that blow just now for?”

It seems a poor reason to strike me, Roswaal seemed to be trying to say. Beatrice stuck her tongue out at him.

Certainly, Beatrice took no issue with the soul transcription. But—

“Is it not obvious this is payback for the archive of forbidden books burning down, I wonder?!”

“—About the mansio—”

“Betty is very generous and therefore will leave it at that… If Subaru forgives you, then perhaps I can, too, I suppose.”

Interrupting Roswaal, Beatrice let the words pour from her lips, preventing further discussion of the matter. The demonstration of her intent made Roswaal fall silent.

Enumerating Roswaal’s schemes would require far more than the fingers on both hands. If he counted every single one of them, Beatrice would probably be unable to forgive him anymore—hence, she would not let him speak them.

Besides, if Beatrice’s eyes did not deceive her, Roswaal had lost his book of knowledge.

“”

The mystical tome that was the basis of all his schemes was in his grasp no more. Just like hers had been to Beatrice, Roswaal’s mystical tome had been the embodiment of his hopes.

He had clung to it, relied on it, yet after walking across four centuries, nothing had changed.

At the end of their journey, Beatrice and Roswaal found themselves reunited back at the Sanctuary.

Therefore, Beatrice had only one thing to say to him.

“Roswaal.”

“…What is it?”

“Welcome home.”

That brief phrase made Roswaal’s breath catch.

To Beatrice and Roswaal, to Echidna, to Ryuzu, this place represented the old days—

That was why Beatrice’s words faintly made Roswaal’s lips tremble.

“Yes, I suppose I am. I’m back, Beatrice—welcome home.”

Sub-chapter 3.

“They’re not coming out, huh? I’m sure they had a load of things to talk about, but isn’t this excessive?”

Growing impatient due to the lack of any new developments after returning from making his thirtieth snow-Puck in the clearing, Subaru turned toward the tomb. It had been just short of an hour since the pair had entered, yet they still had not emerged.

“I understand you’re worried, Subaru, but I think you’re the one being a little excessive.”

Subaru appeared unable to calm down as Emilia stood beside him, stroking a snow-Puck with what seemed like exasperation.

Incidentally, Ram, who’d been borrowing Emilia’s lap and making Subaru envious for quite some time, seemed largely recovered by that point as she gently sat upon the steps, looking like she was also waiting for the pair to return from the tomb.

With Beatrice now enlightened, the possibility that Roswaal would slip into despair didn’t even register as a concern to Subaru.

“Maybe I’m just deluding myself that it’s all going to just work itself out…”

“Hee-hee, you’ve become quite a believer in Beatrice…but you two have always gotten along so well, haven’t you? I can really understand how you two formed a pact.”

“Now and again, I wished she’d talk like we get along a little more… Also, is that Puck?”

Scratching his cheek after hearing Emilia’s honest opinion, Subaru then gestured toward the blue crystal on her neck. This had been his trump card in the battle against Garfiel, the same thing that had bolstered Ram’s resolve in the Sanctuary, and now served as the icon of the Great Spirit who slumbered in tranquility at Emilia’s side.

Having broken his pact and pushed himself several times over, this was the sealed bed in which Puck had fallen into a deep sleep.

“I wanted to tell him, Thanks for the assist, but that’s not happening in his state, is it?”

“Mm, no, it’s not. Seems he pushed himself a little too hard; there’s no way… Even this stone isn’t strong enough to wake Puck up. Doesn’t look like I’ll be able to talk and joke around with him just yet.”

“But he’ll definitely be back someday, right?”

Closing one eye, Subaru confirmed something that didn’t even need to be said aloud. For one moment alone, Emilia closed her eyes and said, “Yes,” nodding back. The conviction of her expression was exceedingly dignified and beautiful.

“…You’ve sure changed, Emilia-tan. It’s like you’re still every bit as cute, but you’re stronger now.”

“If that’s so, it’s thanks to you and everyone else, Subaru. I’ve always been on the receiving end before. I need to hurry up and give back to everyone in all kinds of ways.”

“When it comes to just taking, I feel like I’ve done a lot of that, too…”

Subaru and Emilia both keenly felt their own powerlessness. That did not mean they would be licking each other’s wounds, for they also took pride in having become more dependable.

“Incidentally, Subaru… Um…”

Subaru was immersed in deep sentiments when Emilia abruptly tossed her voice his way. That voice made him go “ahhh” and come back to his senses, but Subaru’s eyes bulged as he turned toward Emilia.

“E-Emilia-tan?! Your face is super red all of a sudden—are you all right?!”

“I-I’m all right. Completely fine. More importantly, there is something we need to discuss.”

“R-right. I guess, um, please go right ahead…”

When for some reason Emilia broke into formal language, Subaru stumbled into a formal reply of his own.

Emilia, red to the tips of her ears, made no comment about his response, staring straight at Subaru before continuing.

“Um… Subaru, you said you…l-love me, yes?”

“Er, ah, yes. I did say that. I love you. I super love you.”

“—! That…that makes me really, really happy, but…”

Subaru got a bad feeling as Emilia, blushing hard, trailed off—if he had to put it into words, he was afraid she was about to say, Let’s be friends instead.

“W-wait! Wait a sec! I-I’m in this for the long haul, so to speak!”

“Th-that’s… I understand that already. But…if I don’t do this properly… Back when we were in the dragon carriage and the time at the tomb, I never gave you a proper reply, Subaru…and…”

Even as an unbearable anxiousness shot through him, Subaru lent his ears to Emilia. The present situation didn’t necessarily seem like the worst-case scenario, but his chances didn’t seem too great, either. If anything, it was like the status quo ante.

As long as she didn’t find his repeated confessions of love terribly intrusive, Subaru was ready to bounce back as many times as it took.

However, it was about to become crystal clear that they were on completely different pages.

“It’s just—I think we need to have a proper talk about the baby in my belly!”

“…Excuse me?”

“I don’t know if it will be a boy or a girl, but we need to give it all the love and attention it needs! Still, I don’t know anything about these things… That’s why I have to discuss it with the child’s father…”

“Emilia-tan, wait, hold on, like, seriously, please wait a second…”

Emilia’s face was red and teary, but Subaru’s mind couldn’t keep up.

Calm. He needed to be calm. A baby in Emilia’s belly? Emilia was the mother? Subaru was the father? He didn’t know what any of that meant. Subaru was positive that he had not climbed the final stairs of adulthood yet.

“Emilia-tan, by baby, you mean a little kid, right?”

“Th-that’s right. It’s a really big deal in the middle of the royal selection…but it isn’t the baby’s fault it’s going to be born, so I want to give the child all the love I can. I just wanted to tell you that.”

He admired the nobility of Emilia’s resolute heart. He could even appreciate the beauty in her kind words.

But they were talking past each other. It was almost as if people had children differently in this world.

“Emilia-tan, you know babies aren’t delivered by birds or harvested from cabbage patches, right?”

“But babies are made when a man and a woman kiss, aren’t they?”

Subaru was in shock.

Emilia’s lack of knowledge was a part of it, but he was mainly astounded by how adorable her misunderstanding was.

“Subaru? Um, Subaru? What’s wrong?”

As Subaru fell silent, Emilia seemed worried as she peered into his face with the look of someone who had accepted her impending motherhood. That was commendable. However, her misunderstanding inflicted a grievous wound upon a pure heart.

He couldn’t help but wonder if it was better to simply declare himself the father of the nonexistent child.

“Subaru, could it be that you regret kissing me…?”

“Absolutely not. In fact, I’d love to do it again and again!!”

“Oh…okay…”

The misunderstanding deepened further still. Her blushing face made Subaru regret how he had replied reflexively.

Given Emilia’s mindset at the moment, Subaru’s words were tantamount to saying he wanted to have lots and lots of children with her. Certainly, there was a part of him that did wish for that, but his top priority was setting Emilia straight.

“C-curse you, Puck…!!”

Subaru directed an angry murmur toward the absent kitty spirit, who continued to sleep deep inside the magic crystal.

—In the back of his mind, he felt like he could see the kitty spirit putting a paw on his head and sticking his tongue out with a thbpttt.

Sub-chapter 4.

The instant the blow landed, his cheekbone groaned under the impact. His tall body was easily flung into the air and slammed into the wall. It did not end there. The momentum sent him right through the fragile wooden wall, blowing his body into the snowy outdoors.

“”

At the end of his somersault, he finally came to a stop, spread-eagle on the snowy plain, unable to move a muscle. The silence that descended made it tempting to assume he had actually expired then and there.

Subaru’s eyes went wide as he stared at the wall that had been punched clean through, the tall, slender man sent flying through it, and the one who had sent him flying to begin with.

During that time, the attacker let out a satisfied breath.

“Phew… Man, I really sent the bastard flyin’, huh?”

With an audible clack of sharp, canine teeth, the blond boy Garfiel spoke those words with a sunny, beaming face.

Watching as Ram rushed toward Roswaal, who had been the victim, Subaru scratched his head.

“Y-yeah. Sure did.”

That was all the reply he could manage.

Sub-chapter 5.

“Errr, so now that we’ve formally settled some outstanding business, I think it’s time we had a mutual discussion about the things that happened this time around and the various events going into the future.”

Taking the reins like an MC redirecting a conference’s agenda, Subaru surveyed the faces of the people packed into the Cathedral.

Those assembled inside were the principal actors involved in the latest incident. That said, it still amounted to quite a large number of people, which made Subaru deeply appreciate just how greatly their proverbial family had grown.

The mansion team had caught up on the dawn after Emilia’s imaginary pregnancy crisis.

Fortunately, everyone who had been present at the mansion fire was safe and sound, with Garfiel and Frederica, Otto and Petra, and Ram all returning in one piece to the Sanctuary via a dragon carriage drawn by Patlash.

After, with Subaru plus Emilia and Beatrice of the Sanctuary team, as well as Ryuzu in attendance to represent the Sanctuary, the participants amounted to a whole eleven people.

“From the perspective of the royal selection, this might seem like one small step. But it’s one giant step for the Emilia camp…!”

“Wow, that sounds really impressive… But you’re absolutely right. That means I’ll have to work even harder now.”

Taking Subaru’s silly talk completely seriously, Emilia earnestly sought to repay the trust in her. Setting the whole baby-in-her-belly thing aside, her genuine, forward-looking nature was one of the things that made her beautiful.

Indeed, she was a little too serious, which made relieving her of the baby misunderstanding quite an arduous chore.

“Ahem, I’d better straighten myself out before the conversation goes off the rails. Let’s get right to the point. Should I assume everyone here knows everything that happened already? What comes after is the jury’s verdict in regards to the accused…”

To be perfectly honest, it was a difficult issue to broach, yet there was no means to avoid it.

Subaru scratched his face as he moved the conference forward, making all the other Cathedral attendees shift their glances to the rear—toward Roswaal, lying limply on a couch as Ram offered her lap to his head.

“…Oh my? Could it be, you have not yet made enough sport of me in my defenseless staaate?”

“Don’t make me out to be the bad guy. That was settling things. Well, some of it was what some might call excessive, though…”

Roswaal’s abrasive words made Subaru recall the violent scene that had taken place not long ago.

In summary, it was a ceremony where Roswaal, the mastermind behind many of their troubles, was punched once by every one of his victims. What had begun with Garfiel’s bare fist was followed by Frederica’s beastly fist, Patlash’s charge, and so on and so forth.

Personally, the one Subaru liked most was Petra swinging a wet towel right into Roswaal’s face. The moist slap had a really nice echo to it, instilling force and exhilaration that went beyond what the eye could see.

“Not to trivialize all that, but it’s what brought everyone to the same table so we could talk. That said, there is one little thing I wanted to say about your standpoint…”

Cutting off his words there, Subaru looked not at Roswaal but at Ram as she let him rest his head in her lap. Accepting his gaze, Ram said, “What?” as she narrowed her pink eyes.

“Even if you’re not at full health, you just stood back and watched while people settled things with Roswaal. I was sure you’d flip out seeing him get smacked around that much.”

“What a foolish thing to say… Even Ram does not think Master Roswaal is someone who is never mistaken. If being punched is the natural course of events, he must accept what he deserves. But Ram is free to treat him with great gentleness after the fact. To not comprehend such a thing is the height of foolishness.”

Subaru grimaced hearing her call him a fool at both the head and the tail of her remarks. Beatrice heaved a hearty sigh at Ram’s obstinacy in Subaru’s place.

“Goodness, does this girl love trouble, I wonder? Even after incurring such severe burns to her belly… Had Betty not been here, scars would have remained for certain.”

“I am deeply grateful to Lady Beatrice for healing me. However, that does not mean I care to be lectured as to how I may love someone with this life of mine and a body that is alive and well.”

“…I don’t intend to be quite that kind, I suppose. I will merely say it is a difficult life you choose.”

As always, Ram fearlessly pursued her love. During her fierce battle to halt Roswaal’s schemes, she had suffered wounds so grievous, they had put her on death’s door, but apparently, they were not nearly bad enough to get in the way of her feelings.

Since Ram was by no means blinded by her love, Beatrice could only breathe a hearty sigh.

Naturally, there was someone else present who couldn’t accept things just like that.

“—Figures Ram ain’t bendin’ one bit. But, General, you serious about this?”

Speaking this with a noise from his fangs was Garfiel, standing between Ryuzu and Frederica. He was giving Roswaal a sharp glare in contrast to the smiling face he’d had right after settling prior business.

The glint in his eyes held blatant hostility within them.

“You’re seriously gonna have this bastard be on our side? Just don’t sit right with me.”

“Garfiel…”

“Maybe we haven’t smacked him enough? Ahhh, yeah, we definitely ain’t smacked him enough! How much has that bastard done up until now? If it weren’t for the general, the village’d be rabbit food, and the folks at the mansion would’ve been toyed with and killed by the belly woman! All ’cause that bastard planned it. Ya don’t know when he’ll come chop our heads off in our sleep!”

Garfiel howled and took a step forward that made the Cathedral faintly tremble. But there was no one present who could immediately refute his words. Garfiel’s opinion had sound logic behind it. Roswaal had simply done that much.

He’d exposed many lives to danger for the sake of his own objective. As a matter of fact, Subaru had personally and repeatedly witnessed a great many deaths with his own eyes, present company included.

—It had taken a miracle to set this situation right.

Subaru shared the same anger Garfiel had. He also shared the feeling that Roswaal could not be among them.

“But even so, we need Roswaal’s power.”

“General…!!”

“There’s no replacing Roswaal’s cooperation if Emilia’s gonna fight her way through this royal-selection business. If we lose him as her sponsor, Emilia will be forced to drop out. Of course he’s got to pay compensation…but we can’t just go okay, see ya and leave it at that.”

“Are ya tellin’ me to forgive the guy who tried to kill family of mine?!”

Garfiel’s words were emotional, yet the terrible pain in them struck Subaru.

Even if Subaru tried to suppress them with words and logic, Garfiel still probably wouldn’t accept it. Garfiel had nearly lost Frederica and Ryuzu both.

To him, having fiercely fought as a one-man army to protect his family for over a decade, it was a betrayal most difficult to forgive.

“I…forgive the master.”

“Sis?!”

But it was none other than Frederica who refuted Garfiel’s assertions. His elder sister’s words made Garfiel blink hard before powerfully clacking his fangs.

“What are ya sayin’?! This bastard tried to kill you and everyone else at the man…”

“Yet, even so, I am alive, thanks to you, Garf.”

“That’s just lookin’ at things in hindsight, damn it!! This bastard almost killed my sis and my granny! But I’m supposed to just forgive him?!”

“…The master has taken care of me for more than ten years.”

Frederica narrowed her jade eyes in the face of Garfiel’s ragged voice. The deep affection that could be felt from her gaze showed she was deeply moved by the indignation of her younger brother, who had grown so much in the years they spent apart.

“I have borrowed from the master’s power for the sake of my own goal. And I have arrived at this point having learned a great deal in the process. Put another way, I shall use the master’s goodwill for the sake of my own goal. In one sense, does lending and borrowing not amount to the same thing?”

“You’re gonna put life and debts on the same playin’ field?! Sis, that’s how you and Ram get used like tha…”

“Ahhh, I am sorry to intrude at such a passionate point, but may I have a word?”

Garfiel was still choking on Frederica’s words when Otto urged a pause. “Ahhh?” went Garfiel, making a sour noise at the intrusion, but Otto deftly ignored it.

“For the moment, let us leave emotional arguments for later and speak of matters pragmatically. In other words, we must discuss to what degree the marquis intends to yield to us.”

“…Another thing out of the blue. Feels a bit like we can’t just drop this, though.”

Otto sought to advance the conversation in a measured, businesslike tone, but Subaru knit his brows, unable to read what his intentions were. At that point, Otto said as a preamble, “It is a simple matter. To put it plainly, Garfiel’s anger is justified. I am quite vexed myself, and by any normal standard, one punch is hardly enough to lay everything to rest.”

“Gotta say, I feel like you sure put your hips into the one punch you gave him…”

“I was merely collecting the interest on my losses. At any rate, it is clear to anyone’s eyes that this cannot be simply forgiven, yes? I am certain the marquis understands this as well. In other words…”

“—The issue is therefore to what extent I intend to swallow the terms you offer.”

At the end of the explanation, it was Roswaal who sat up and picked up where Otto left off. Closing one eye, he gazed back at Otto with his yellow eye.

“It would be poor of me to accept your terms before you have spoken them, I beliiiieve.”

“Then I shall take my revenge with all interest accrued.”

Otto was quite collected as he faced the marquis with a great deal of nerve. Roswaal made a pained smile.

“You say that so calmly. Now, returning to the previous subject, Garfiel is concerned that you do not know when I might become your enemy again…but this is an unnecessary worry.”

“…How can ya be so sure? Ya think we’d believe a promise outta your mouth even a little?”

“Unfortunately, that would be impossible. So I shall prove it in a form visible to the eye.”

Roswaal slowly shook his head before Garfiel’s wariness. He stood up and proceeded to open his tunic, brusquely stripping away the bloodstained bandages wrapped around his upper body.

—Everyone held their breaths when they set their eyes upon Roswaal’s exposed flesh.

It was known to all that Roswaal’s body had been injured when the tomb had rejected him. But it was not those wounds that attracted their eyes now; rather, it was the pale, glowing symbols carved into his flesh.

Realizing at a glance that the symbols were vestiges of a magical ritual, Beatrice looked at Subaru.

“—Is this a vow sealed with a curse, I wonder?”

“A vow sealed with a curse? The hell? I’ve never heard of that one.”

However, the malevolent ring of the words certainly fit the symbols perfectly.

Beatrice nodded as if to bolster Subaru’s impression of them.

“Oaths come in various forms, such as pacts, vows, and covenants. Pacts, like the ones with spirits, are two-party oaths. Covenants extend across bloodlines. And vows bind a single party.”

“Bind a single party?”

“Perhaps the one taking the vow expects to gain compensation commensurate with the oath that must be fulfilled, I suppose. As for carving a cursed seal into one’s body like this, the effect would be…”

“—I have lost the battle. In accordance with my vow, I can inflict no harm upon you.”

Receiving Beatrice’s words, Roswaal divulged the vow he had taken.

“Should I renounce this vow, my soul shall be tainted and my flesh enveloped and burned away by purifying fire. And my soul shall fall into the void, never to return to Odo Ragna again. That is what I have sworn.”

“S-somehow, that sounds really ominous…”

“Why? This is only appropriate. Did we not make a wager, you and I?”

He let out a wry laugh, or perhaps a muted, spontaneous laugh. The sentence that had come from Roswaal’s loosened lips made Subaru sink into thought, immediately locating the answer—he was speaking about the final bet between them.

This was the result of the bet Subaru had made when he’d told Roswaal this would be his last attempt.

And should Roswaal have been triumphant, Subaru had said he would do Roswaal’s bidding—

“My terms were that you’d genuinely come on board if I won.”

“And so this cursed seal brings those terms to fruition.”

“…In other words, if I’d lost…?”

“Then I would have carved this cursed seal into you. Had you defied the vow, you would have been reduced to cinders.”

“Scary—!!”

He felt as if he’d unwittingly signed away his soul with no memory of the act whatsoever. As a matter of fact, it was precisely so, but the better way to view it was that there probably were no loopholes in the process.

Besides, whatever the possibilities, the fact remained that Roswaal himself had carved the cursed seal into his own body.

“Roswaal won’t betray us so long as that’s on him. How about it, Garfiel?”

“”

“Like I said, Roswaal’s power is necessary and indispensable for the royal selection. It’s on a level that even if we don’t want his cooperation, we’re tied to him so much that we need it anyway.”

“…General, that ain’t the same as comin’ to an agreement.”

“Yes, it is. We’ve gotta look for some point of compromise. Roswaal won’t betray us. What do you wanna do to Roswaal on top of that? Sorry, but I can’t let you actually kill him.”

He was essentially indicating Garfiel’s short temper was blocking their path. Of course, if Garfiel was minded to push the issue, he could knock Subaru out of the way easier than a bowling pin.

But Garfiel’s nature prevented him from being emotional enough to go that far.

“Garf…”

Ryuzu tugged on Garfiel’s sleeve with a worried look on her face. The sensation brought Garfiel back to his senses as Ryuzu slowly shook her head.

“Shima chose her own fate. No matter what Young Ros did, it would have always been one of us who needed to serve as the key to lift the barrier.”

“”

“Surely, she believed she had been relieved of her duty, yet it was she who saved us by fulfilling her role as administrator at the very end… That is how we think of it.”

Ryuzu Shima had offered herself as the key to lift the barrier.

If there was one person who could be called a sacrifice for the Sanctuary and the mansion, it was Shima herself. It pained Subaru’s chest to think of how it hurt Garfiel to learn of this after the fact.

It was Subaru’s earnest wish to take back everything he could take back, to carry everything with him. But Shima’s sacrifice had been the unavoidable key to liberating everyone trapped within the Sanctuary. Subaru couldn’t help but be annoyed at how the design of this system seemed emblematic of the rotten personality of the Witch who had crafted it.

Of course, Garfiel was angry about that, too. He couldn’t help but look for a place to slam that anger into.

“Shima said she has not been lonely these past ten years. She said that was because of…”

“…I know that already. Don’t make a sad face like that, Granny.”

But Garfiel interrupted his grandmother’s words, replying with a coarse yet gentle voice. Surprisingly calm, he let out a deep breath before pointing straight at Roswaal.

“Swear it, Roswaal. I don’t care what ya swore before. I want ya to swear it again here and now.”

“”

“Y’all never pull this crap on us again—swear it.”

Roswaal’s breath briefly caught when Garfiel spoke these words, which were every bit a compromise. Then, tracing the cursed seal carved into his flesh with a finger, he nodded.

“I shall never sacrifice anyone present in this place, nor use you as pawns to achieve some greater goal—I swear this upon the soul of my cherished teacher.”

From Roswaal’s point of view, just how weighty were those words? Probably only Subaru, Ram, Ryuzu, and Beatrice fully appreciated the significance of that promise.

But the depth of his resolve had been conveyed even to those who could not comprehend it in its entirety.

“—If ya break your word, I ain’t lettin’ no fire get ya. I’ll crush your head with my own damn fangs.”

It was not swelling, overwhelming bloodlust that made Subaru shudder but fighting spirit. This spirit was being sent squarely toward Roswaal, but just the wake of its passing made the skin of everyone else present feel ablaze.

Having made that vow, Garfiel let out a heavy sigh. Then he extended a hand.

“…For now, that’s enough for me. Looks like this kid here agrees, too.”

With that, he placed a hand on the head of Petra, who’d been glaring at Roswaal the entire time. The sensation made her grip Frederica’s hand tightly. “But,” he added, letting out a long breath before continuing, “talkin’ to your parents and friends about this ain’t gonna make no one happy.”

At present, the fact that it was their own liege behind the current uproar had not been divulged to the Earlham villagers or the residents of the Sanctuary. Nor did Garfiel think they needed to know it was Roswaal.

Petra wasn’t in attendance as a representative of the village but because Frederica insisted Petra should be individually recognized as a servant of Roswaal Manor. She also did so partly out of faith that Petra was a clever enough girl to eventually arrive at the truth from fragmentary information alone.

“No matter how much…Master Subaru says so…I don’t want to. The master… The lord did terrible things to the village, didn’t he, even though everyone trusted their lord? I did, too. I thought he was a good person.”

“…Those words do wound me deeply.”

The blame levied by the little girl made even Roswaal frown.

Cutting out the interests of the faction and the finer circumstances, Petra’s feelings as a direct victim were the most appropriate of all. That wasn’t because she was a child. It was a straight and honest assessment of just how much faith Roswaal had accumulated as liege lord and just how deep his betrayal had cut.

“But…but I don’t want to make things hard for everyone by running my mouth like some ignorant little girl. But that’s exactly why I absolutely won’t forgive this. Still, that’s all I’ll do.”

“”

When Petra spoke the words with tearful eyes, Roswaal closed his own.

Then, as large tears began to spill from her eyes, Petra clung to Frederica and squeezed. Frederica gently embraced her, telling her, “You did very well.”

“This is ’cause Sis, Granny, and the girl there allowed it. Better not forget.”

Accepting Petra’s tearful voice, Garfiel warned Roswaal to uphold his vow.

“But of course—I have been an expert in upholding my oaths for a very long tiiiime.”

That was Roswaal’s reply. Everyone’s anger had been settled for the moment.

“That’s right. Petra’s a good girl, and you’re shit. So aside from the burned-down mansion, all the trouble caused to the people of Earlham Village and the Sanctuary and other assorted stuff…does anyone else have something to say?”

Subaru waited for Petra to stop crying before seeking a consensus anew.

In one sense, the present situation had come about from everyone in their camp scowling at Roswaal all at once. If this meant the end of the first stage of the meeting, they could move on to the issues the future would bring—

“Yes, I do.”

It was then that a sole figure broke the silence and raised her hand.

It was Emilia, leader of the group, yet to offer her opinion on how to deal with Roswaal.

“Okay, Emilia-tan. This is the right time, so say whatever you want.”

“Then I’ll indulge myself and say this…”

Thus recognized by Subaru, Emilia stared straight at Roswaal. Receiving her gaze, Roswaal awaited Emilia’s words with a meek expression. It was unclear just what thoughts lurked beneath.

“All of you are being really strange. Roswaal still hasn’t done the most important thing, has he? We can’t end this conversation until he does.”

“The most important thing…?”

“When you’ve done something wrong, you have to say you’re sorry.”

Emilia’s statement left absolutely everyone taken aback, eyes wide open.

“Earlier, everyone was telling you to prove you’ve reflected on this and that, and Roswaal swore on his teacher, but there’s something he should have said before that, isn’t there? Roswaal, have you said it to everyone even once? I sure didn’t hear you.”

Emilia was flushed and in a huff as she spoke perfectly bluntly to Roswaal.

The contents of her words sounded astoundingly childish, leaving everyone at a loss for words. But Emilia was not speaking in jest. She was expressing her genuine anger.

This, she did to make him do the obvious, natural thing that everyone had forgotten about.

“—Apologize, Roswaal.”

“Eh?”

“It’s the least we can expect from a person who’s gonna be with us from now on.”

Roswaal looked thoroughly taken aback at Subaru following Emilia’s example, boldly speaking those words.

Subaru’s intentions were conveyed to everyone in the Cathedral. All eyes gathered upon Roswaal. Then Roswaal, consternated at the situation he found himself in after coming this far, drew in his breath, and—

“—Yes, that will do.”

After watching Roswaal apologize, Emilia flashed an impressive smile.

Sub-chapter 6.

“That is quite a miserable-looking face.”

“…So it’s you, huh, Beako?”

Subaru raised his eyebrows as a cute face poked over his shoulder, peering intently at him.

He’d been sitting on the floor, deep in thought. Subaru made a pained smile as he realized he hadn’t noticed someone had approached him. He dusted his pants off as he rose to his feet.

They were in the coffin room in the deepest portion of the tomb. No one else was here, so he’d come to think things over.

“What are you doing in a place like this while staring so intently at the corpse of Betty’s mother, I wonder?”

“I was just thinking of the future like a normal person, but your phrasing is gonna land me in a heap of trouble!”

“Not really. If Subaru has an unspeakable hobby, I shall not reveal it. I will think ugh, however.”

“Seriously, if you ever think ugh as soon as I come to mind, then I’m never gonna recover!”

Though they bantered much like before, their intimacy was incomparable to anything prior, even including that exchange. Mysteriously, ever since their pact, Beatrice was just too cute for Subaru to resist.

It wasn’t romantic love, but it was undoubtedly affection. He wanted his stomach filled with it full-time. That was simply how he felt.

Thinking about it calmly, he seemed to have had quite a bit of that feeling even back when he first met her.

“Does your face reveal yet another worthless thought in your head, I wonder?”

“It ain’t worthless at all. I was thinking about you, Beako. You’re so adorable, it puts me in a bind.”

“R-really, now…? Certainly, that would be a problem. But perhaps I prefer to continue doing so, I wonder?”

That was so cute that Subaru picked Beatrice up without a word of warning. This surprised Beatrice, then made her angry at him in turn. She smacked him, but it didn’t hurt, so he let it slide.

Then, after getting their fill of messing around, Beatrice’s demeanor became serious as she shifted her gaze toward the coffin.

“…This is your mother, right?”

“More importantly, this is Echidna, Subaru. Not the ‘Witch of Greed’ you are familiar with.”

Subaru echoed a question first hailed by Emilia, wondering about the two different Echidnas. At present, neither she nor Subaru had found a suitable answer to what that actually meant.

Subaru, too, had been surprised the first time he’d encountered the Witch’s remains inside that room. For Beatrice’s sake, he was simply grateful from the bottom of his heart that it truly was her Echidna sleeping there.

He was glad Beatrice had been reunited with her mother, even if only Echidna’s remains were left, though there were other reunions that could never take place.

“It’s…really too bad that Miss Shima and your…friend from the crystal couldn’t make it.”

“…Has it not been four centuries since we parted, I wonder? There is no helping it now.”

Beatrice’s halting murmur felt like she was mostly putting on a brave front. Subaru turned his face toward the sky.

Echidna’s old laboratory site was within the Forest of Cremaldi. When the Sanctuary had been liberated, Ryuzu Meyer and the crystal sealing her, both of which formed the core of the Sanctuary’s barrier, had vanished together.

He’d been told the coffin where the Witch slept, along with the magic crystal sealing the girl within, had been the keys to the barrier. Shima had sacrificed herself to open these, granting them true liberation.

Albeit, perhaps she would be angry at having what she did referred to as a sacrifice—truly, it would be just like her to say she’d done her duty, cutting a path open for the youngsters’ future.

He had little doubt that deep down, it was for the sake of her beloved Garfiel, though.

The day was surely approaching when they could match her proud way of life. At the very least, he wanted to swear he would live up to it all, bringing no shame to what she had bequeathed to them.

“Well, even if I made a lofty-sounding vow like that, it wouldn’t sound very convincing coming from me.”

“—? Subaru, what are you smiling to yourself for, I wonder? It feels creepy.”

“Er, nothi… Wait, creepy?!”

“Ah, maybe not, I suppose! I did not mean you are extremely creepy! Only a little, I suppose!”

The naked insult and guileless poison thrust several times deeper than anything preceding it. When Subaru fell to his knees, Beatrice hastily and earnestly tried to cheer him up.

It took a little while after that for Subaru to recover, at which point he let out a long sigh.

“Whew, I was in danger of dying from shock. I understand a little of how Puck felt…”

“You have grown quite conceited if you think you can understand Puckie’s feelings, Subaru. But could you not forget that feeling of devotion, I wonder? If you do not, you will become a fine spirit mage in no time.”

“Yeah, yeah… Er, hearing the words spirit mage made me remember just now, but you were seriously awesome. I’ve never been able to let loose with magic like that before. Sure was one heck of a ride!”

He hadn’t had the time to calmly think back upon it, but Subaru’s manly heart had danced during that battle against the Great Rabbit.

He’d gone with the flow during the collapse of the archive of forbidden books and formed a pact with Beatrice. Subaru’s original objective was to bring Beatrice out of the archive, so forming a pact relationship, as a spirit mage was nothing but a by-product of that goal. Even so, it had been an incredible experience.

Subaru’s honest appraisal made Beatrice’s cheeks stiffen. Her gaze wandered about.

“Subaru, about that… In other words, I may have something important to say about spirit mages, I suppose.”

“Oh? Why all the formality?”

“This is a matter between Betty and Subaru that cannot be put off.”

Beatrice seemed rather subdued as she sat Subaru back down on the floor. He had a bad feeling about this, having barely finished hearing Emilia get similarly formal before talking about her imaginary pregnancy.

That said, now that she’d stated it concerned the pair’s future, all he could do was quietly listen.

“First, Subaru formed a pact with Betty as a spirit mage…but Betty is somewhat different compared to a regular spirit, I suppose. Therefore, there are certain things that differ from what would be common sense for other practitioners.”

“Well, you don’t usually see humanoid spirits, and I know you’re especially cute.”

At present, Subaru knew exactly two spirit mages: Emilia and Julius.

Emilia had a pact with Puck but also had formed pacts with lesser spirits besides him. In contrast, Julius had pacts with multiple quasi-spirits more powerful than lesser spirits, which meant he was a powerful practitioner himself.

Technically, the evil spirit Petelgeuse had been something similar, but that was a case best left forgotten.

“Betty is an artificial spirit created by Mother. Did you know this, I wonder? Mother infused Betty with special power…but in turn, she has certain flaws.”

“Flaws, huh? What sort?”

“Betty’s flaws… First is that she monopolizes a contractor, I suppose.”

Betty was red-faced as she explained her own shortcomings. Subaru, girded for whatever issue might come flying out, let out a silly-sounding “huh?” at the detail thereof.

“Monopolize—you mean you’re a greedy girl? Don’t worry. Relax, you’re the only spirit for me.”

“That may be so, but that is not the point! The short version is that a spirit mage contracted with Betty is unable to contract with other spirits and lesser spirits, I suppose. There are no exceptions whatsoever.”

“…Ahhh, that’s what you meant. In other words, I’m all out of contracts.”

The gist was that the cost of maintaining Beatrice as a spirit was high, chewing up a spirit mage’s entire capacity. No free room remained to employ other spirits because of that.

“So there’s no using lesser spirits depending on circumstances or anything like that. Well, that’s slightly disappointing, but I’ll just take it in stride. No way I’m letting you go so I can pick up other spirits.”

“…W-well, that’s only natural, I suppose. Of course you would not. Might one even call that ordinary sound judgment, I wonder?”

Beatrice was unable to hide how happy Subaru’s reply made her. Subaru gave her head another few circular strokes. Beatrice was letting Subaru do so when she cleared her throat with an audible “ahem.”

“Actually, there is still more. But compared with the matter just now, is it no great issue whatsoever, I wonder?”

“So the hurdles got a lot lower. Okay, hit me. Tell me anything.”

“Er, this is mildly embarrassing… However, Betty is rather…fuel-inefficient.”

“Now you’re talking like you’re some kind of car.”

In video games, powerful magic and summoning spells consumed a lot of MP. Efficiency was calculated by comparing the usage cost to power, but he had no idea how hard it was for Beatrice to say something that was probably incredibly difficult to admit.

“Er? You say that, but you hurled huge spells into the Great Rabbit one after another, right? You even let me use your mana, ’cause it’s not like you were sucking it out of me.”

“Was that mana not what Betty stored away over a long period of time, I wonder? Draining Subaru thousands and thousands of times would not be sufficient to suddenly use that much mana in our first battle.”

“That figures. Incidentally, by stored over a long period of time, you mean…”

“…I—I suppose I was helping myself to mana from everyone at the mansion a little at a time.”

Beatrice was red-faced as she divulged the information, perhaps embarrassing from a spirit’s point of view. Subaru didn’t have a very clear idea at how unladylike using some kind of mana drain was.

“Beako, it seems like you’ve done some deep reflection about it, so I won’t poke fun at you. Well, as your contractor, I’ll just have to put up with whatever you’re going to take from me. How much is stored in this vault anyway?”

It hardly needed to be said that Subaru’s mana capacity was lower than that of the average person. If he was to work around Beatrice’s poor fuel efficiency, he needed to break down how to make good use of what had been stored to date.

Naturally, he had to get an idea of just how much magic energy was left, but—

“—Nothing.”

“…Hmm?”

“Did I not say nothing, I wonder? What was stored across four centuries flew out the door during our first battle. Though I still held on to a majority of it despite the loss of the archive, the Al Shamak that served as the finishing blow…might have depleted it completely, I suppose.”

“”

Beatrice’s explanation left Subaru silent. He sank into thought. After pondering the matter, he arrived at an answer.

In other words, it went something like this.

Beatrice’s stored mana was zero. It would take all of Subaru’s mana just to keep her corporeal on a day-to-day basis. Beatrice could not employ fuel-inefficient high-powered spells, and his pact with her left him unable to rely upon other spirits.

“You’re telling me…a duo between a spirit who can’t use magic and a spirit mage who can’t use magic has just been born?!”

“W-well, I suppose you could put it in those terms.”

“How else would you put it?! Eh? No way—you’re serious?!”

In conclusion, Subaru had become a spirit mage, winning the hand of a little girl—and that was pretty much it.

“Should I say, Eh-heh-heh, thbbt, I wonder?”

“I’m not laughing!”

And that was how an incredibly ill-prepared team of spirit mage and spirit was born.

Thereafter, the pair’s quarreling voices continued echoing within the tomb for a long, long time to come.

ENDING CHAPTER

OFFBEAT STEPS UNDER THE MOONLIGHT

Sub-chapter 1.

—The dignified great hall’s appearance had changed into something completely at odds with what Subaru remembered.

A number of candlesticks lined the red carpet covering the floor. The flickering of the red flames lent the chamber a solemn atmosphere that caused those in attendance to unconsciously straighten their backs.

Familiar, nostalgic faces were lined against the walls in orderly fashion. It was because those were familiar, nostalgic faces that they looked amusing while dressed in solemn, ceremonial outfits.

Particularly hilarious were Garfiel, locked in a brutal struggle with his formal garb, and Otto, who looked every bit the pampered nobleman. The contrast with their normal appearances was really something else. Were they deliberately trying to make him laugh…?

Frederica and the other servants treated their work uniforms as their ceremonial clothing, so it made sense that Ram was in her maid outfit as they walked in unison. Subaru drew in his breath when he realized there was someone right beside Ram.

—There, sitting in a chair, a blue-haired Sleeping Princess was also in attendance.

Perhaps this was Ram’s idea of being considerate. Ram was glancing at him with an expression that feigned ignorance. He was so grateful that it hurt.

Petra was standing beside them, attending the ceremony with a dignified demeanor, wearing a dress that glimmered so much, no one would ever think she was a simple village girl. He could only let out a strained smile. No stage fright for her.

Standing beside Petra was Beatrice, whose normal clothing was plenty elaborate to begin with. She relaxed her lips slightly and stood straighter, feeling reassured at the sight of her partner, Subaru, keeping an eye out for her.

Then, when he shifted his gaze from the participants, turning his head toward the innermost part of the great hall—

“”

Waiting for Subaru was Emilia, looking his way as she wore ornaments beautiful enough to make him tremble.

Her silver hair looked like glistening moonlight. Her violet eyes seemed like inlaid gemstones. Her expression was faintly tense with such an important ceremony before her, but that only brought her mysterious beauty into sharper relief.

Her attire differed from that for everyday rites, emphasizing purity befitting a formal ceremony. It seemed much like a priestess’s attire; the fabric, thin enough to let the color of her skin shine through, made it look like the raiment of a celestial maiden.

Before Emilia, all feelings of tension seething within him instantly dissipated.

The profound thoughts about the other participants but a moment before became distant. Everyone but Emilia flew off to the far corners of his mind. This was by no means belittling those who were there to watch over the ceremony—he was merely putting his heart where it rightfully belonged.

“”

No one had indicated he should, but Subaru stepped forward as if someone were guiding his hand.

He was wearing unfamiliar ceremonial attire with a brand-new knight’s sword on his hip. Otto and the others did not laugh at how awkward he looked, but the occasion made him forget such trivial things regardless. He strode over to Emilia, his heart as calm as an ocean breeze.

He knelt before the slightly raised platform upon which Emilia stood. He was on one knee, head bowed.

Subaru was barely aware of even his own breathing as he focused all his attention on Emilia, who stood before him. Bathed in the audience’s comfortable yet seemingly tense gazes, Subaru removed the knightly sword from his hip, drawing it from its scabbard.

The steel blade reflected the flames of the candlesticks, causing the same light to reside in Subaru’s and Emilia’s differently colored eyes. Burning the beauty of the sight into his mind, Subaru presented the knight’s sword to Emilia.

With graceful fingers, Emilia gently accepted the sword, which was presented to her like an offering. Her violet eyes were filled with deep emotions as she pointed the tip of the knight’s sword skyward, seemingly as heavy as the feelings that permeated it.

Before Emilia, Subaru bowed his head once more, closing his eyes.

A knight’s sword was his pride. A knight’s body and head constituted his loyal spirit. Here, he offered both.

—A knight offering his life to his liege.

“”

Silence befell the great hall—No, the great hall had already been filled with silence throughout. But the silence so far had been suffused with faint excitement, the tranquility laden with quiet zeal.

This time was different. It was true silence, with excitement, zeal, and expectations left far behind.

The right to break that silence had been granted to but a single one among them.

“—O sun watching over the dazzling world beneath. O stars watching over the sleeping world. O wind, O water, O earth, O light, O spirits that fill all.”

The silence was broken.

Emilia wove the ceremony’s prayer like a song.

“—O great world that has accepted you, raised you, and now sends you forth.”

It trembled. His heart trembled.

The borders of his mind collapsed. His chaotic soul churned. That moment, all he wanted to do was drown in her blessing.

“—O pride, that which supported you, protected you, nurtured you.”

He endured the mania rushing through him. He withstood the searing heat pounding at his heart. He waited for the question to come.

“—May you become someone worthy of all that protects you, of the world that has raised you, of the pride that sustains you. May you live without shame. Fear not, cower not, stray not. May your heart remain true.”

The prayer was over.

The question was coming.

The set structure of the ceremony ended there. Not even Subaru knew the answer to the final question to come.

“—Just as you have aspired to until now, just as you have done for everything and everyone around you, do you swear to protect me from this moment forth?”

—But his heart already knew the answer to the question Emilia posed.

“On the sun, on the stars, on the spirits, on the world, on my pride—and—”

That moment, he listed everything in the prayer to express his conviction and his gratitude.

And before he put the vow on his lips, Subaru recalled in the back of his mind the images of those to whom he truly needed to convey his gratitude. That was why his lips wove the words seemingly on their own.

“—on my father and my mother, I swear.”

“”

“I will protect you. I’ll make your wish come true—My name is Subaru Natsuki.”

He lifted his head.

The radiance of the raised sword overlapped with Emilia’s. But the light of mere steel meant nothing to him.

All he could see were the dazzling violet eyes gazing back at his own.

“Emilia—I am your knight and yours alone.”

“—Yes.”

When Emilia responded to the words he spoke, an irresistible wave of emotions brought tears to her eyes.

Yet, even then, Emilia somehow managed to maintain her composure as she gently brought down the sword she had raised. She returned to Subaru, who continued to kneel, the symbol of a knight’s pride.

Reverently accepting it with both hands, he returned the sword to its scabbard.

Completing the ritual, Subaru looked up. With Emilia nodding in assent, he stood on the spot.

And then—

“Emilia-tan, it’s a bit late to mention this, but you look cute and superhot in that outfit.”

“Idiot.”

—with the solemn atmosphere of the ceremony shattered, Emilia stuck out her tongue at him with a reddened face.

Sub-chapter 2.

A great variety of food was arrayed atop the table that was being brought into the great hall.

At this buffet-style feast, none of the participants in the ceremony paid much attention to stuffy manners and merrily helped themselves in any which way they pleased.

“Everyone sure is having a good time. I’ve never been so tense before in my life, though.”

Subaru was out on the terrace, showered by the nighttime breeze as he watched the festivities with distant eyes.

A dinner plate and drinking glass had been placed on the handrail, but he hadn’t touched either. The burning sensation shooting up his neck made it unlikely he would manage to get anything down his throat.

Inside the manor, Petra was doing a little dance performance in her dress in the middle of the hall. It looked like a sort of dance that was often performed at festivals in Earlham Village, but Petra seemed to have arranged this one herself; the dignified way she carried herself meant she didn’t look out of place even at a nobleman’s court.

Dragged along by Petra and dancing with matching steps was a red-faced Beatrice. She desperately tried to maintain her composure, but Subaru couldn’t help but notice her ears and the tip of her nose were trembling with bashfulness.

Mysteriously, Beatrice seemed unable to act headstrong whenever Petra was concerned. Petra seemed to have taken Subaru’s words to heart and had somehow managed to make a friend out of Beatrice.

The heartwarming scene made Subaru feel more at ease when—

“—Watching something like that makes you deeply appreciate having brought Beatrice out, does it noooot?”

“Ugh.”

A tall body abruptly cut into Subaru’s peripheral vision, coming beside Subaru to rest its weight against the handrail. He glanced over to see Roswaal wearing a formal, long-sleeve dress outfit that differed from the norm.

With his long hair in proper order and wearing clothing with minimal pomp, he would be very much a handsome aristocrat at a glance. However—

“…All that kinda clashes with the clown makeup.”

“Oh my, how harsh. But if I don’t have this on, it just isn’t me. Is that not sooooo?”

“I wish you’d respect the time, place, and circumstance for self-expression. Not that I’m one to talk, but this is a formal occasion, y’know?”

Subaru flashed an expression of exasperation at Roswaal, who was wearing his clown face without a shred of guilt. He was recalling his own barbaric actions that despoiled the royal-selection conference. This said, that hadn’t been a formal occasion, so his judgment was technically sound.

“Speaking of this formal occasion, I gotta say… You sure went all out for this conferring-knighthood thing.”

“I had reasons to hurry. However, I believe you have yearned for this for quite some time.”

“Well, you’re not wrong about that, but I’m just not cut out for this stuff…”

Roswaal had poked right at the crux of the matter, leaving Subaru with a wry smile on his lips without any words to refute him.

—Subaru had craved knighthood ever since he found out about it. It qualified him to stand at Emilia’s side.

Roswaal had a number of reasons for allowing Subaru this and holding a formal occasion for the event.

The ceremony to confer honors on Subaru would play up his meritorious deeds in quelling the White Whale and dispatching the Archbishop of Sloth, spreading the news to even neighboring kingdoms.

Ultimately, he wished to announce Subaru had become Emilia’s knight to foreign and domestic interests alike. For that, it was necessary to confer knighthood over any mere medal, and with appropriate urgency, pomp, and ceremony at that.

“All that said, isn’t allowing a knighthood ceremony in a place we’re borrowing and staying at temporarily stretching our goodwill really far?”

“When you put it that way, it is difficult to denyyyy. Well, the Miload family is a branch of the Mathers family, and its head, Annerose, is head over heels for Lady Emilia. If we must live away until the main estate is restored and can serve in the burned mansion’s place, should we not have a little fuuuuun with it?”

“You sure say that so casually…”

Roswaal tilted his glass as his lips loosened with amusement.

Annerose Miload—this was the name of the head of the household where Subaru and company were staying for about a month after Roswaal Manor had burned down. Her being a distant relative of Roswaal’s and already being on good terms with Emilia beforehand made the place a perfect location for a temporary stay.

Seeing how close Emilia and Annerose, age nine, were made Subaru just a little jealous, though.

“Mentally speaking, Anne and Emilia are not as far apart as some might think. If anything, Anne puts on greater airs than Lady Emilia. She might very well be the more mature of the two.”

“I’m still holding a grudge against her for planting the idea in Emilia-tan’s head that babies are made by kissing.”

As the victim of that childish, adorable, and tragic misunderstanding, he absolutely would never forget.

“”

He and Roswaal let the frivolities lapse. A silence fell over the terrace save for the passing wind. The sounds of music being played, dancing, and voices of delight conveyed the excitement of the feast.

—And yet, the terrace seemed the only place apart from the tumult as a faint whiff of tension stretched across it.

“Did you put some kind of people-repelling barrier around us or something?”

“Your intuition has truly improved. Or perhaps to you, this evening is not…”

Your first, he might have said, but Subaru’s gaze silenced those barbed words.

It was an insult. He did not want that night, that ceremony, sullied by such slights.

“You made sure it’d be just us at a time like this ’cause you have something to talk about, right?”

“—Teacher was assuredly alone without a single relative. That of course includes any sisters. She had none save Beatrice she could call her own daughter. I know this better than anyone.”

When Subaru sharpened his gaze and pressed the point, Roswaal cut straight to a rather uncomfortable topic. He was talking about Echidna—for the issue of the Echidna at the tomb concerned them both.

Roswaal’s opinion was the same as Beatrice’s from back at the tomb. Namely, that the remains in the coffin were those of Echidna, and the being who had imposed the Trials on Subaru and Emilia was someone else.

It was difficult for him to nod and accept the being he met was a fake. That Echidna—the Witch of Greed in the castle of dreams, along with the other Witches of the Deadly Sins—was unmistakably real.

There was no way to decipher the mystery. The tomb had lost all functionality, and there was no way Subaru would ever meet her again. Besides—

“So the woman inside the coffin was your goal. There’s that cursed seal, too. You…”

“—My objective was to be reunited with Teacher, young Subaru. However, please do not misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand what? You and Beatrice… You met her… You met Echidna. Now you can…”

“What I desire is a reunion with blood flowing through her, a soul resting in her—a living, breathing Teacher. It is all I desire. It is my greatest wish, and I cannot relinquish it.”

Subaru blinked hard not only at Roswaal’s dreamlike speech but also at the content of his words.

“But that means…bringing her back from the dead. Do you have a…way to do that?”

“No, not a theory that would work upon ordinary souls. But because this is Teacher, a way remains. The liberation of the Sanctuary…the recovery of her remains…these are but preliminary steps.”

So that was why he wanted the Sanctuary liberated. Roswaal had achieved his own objective.

But as for a method to revive the dead, and one that would work only upon the Witch in the coffin…

“So as to not give rise to misunderstandings, I wish to be clear about this one thing, young Subaru.”

“…Say it.”

“The book of knowledge has burned to ash, denying me my promised future. As I am bound by the cursed seal, I cannot continue any of the machinations I have attempted to date—however, I have no intention of giving up on Teacher because of this.”

Tilting his glass to his lips, Roswaal spoke those implacable words without crossing gazes. It was more than enough to send a shiver of fear through Subaru, supposedly in an advantageous position now that Roswaal had given up on his secret plotting.

“I really don’t mind you not giving up… Er, this might be gutsy to say to someone like you, but just do whatever you like. Thing is, what can you do to make that goal come true?”

“It is a simple matter—I shall continue watching over you.”

“”

—He’d keep watching.

This ominous phrase left Subaru at a loss for words. Roswaal turned and faced Subaru with his differently colored eyes—and with the same fire burning in both, he continued:

“Fortunately, your goal of placing Lady Emilia on the royal throne aligns your objective with mine. And so we shall continue our relationship as coconspirators just as before… It is merely that, just as before, I pity you for remaining unchanged.”

“What the hell?”

Subaru raised his eyebrows, unable to easily dismiss the word pity. His reaction made Roswaal pull back his shoulders. He’d deciphered the emotions resting in Roswaal’s eyes—sympathy and compassion.

“You should have known loss. You should have felt loss so great that you would have become a Sage who would doggedly protect only that most precious to him—in my own way, I wanted to save you.”

“What the hell’s wise about that? What does simply accepting loss get you?!”

“You, who have rejected loss and have decided to carry everything in your arms, will continue to suffer. You will experience wounds that can never be undone, experience loss over and over, and you will rise up for the sake of regaining what you have lost, continuing to add to your invisible injuries. That is simply…too cruel.”

“—!”

Roswaal’s words carried too much weight to dismiss without a second thought, because the man knew. Even if he didn’t know it was through Return by Death, Roswaal knew Subaru repeated events. Accordingly, he was the only one who could realistically imagine just what a road of thorns Subaru walked.

“And now that you have rejected the path of the Sage and chosen the path of the Fool, I will never allow you to compromise. Is this not natural? It is you who wished for this.”

With Subaru unable to speak a word, Roswaal took a step forward, closing the distance between them. Then, reaching out with a hand, he grasped Subaru’s shoulder, gently pulled his face close, and whispered into Subaru’s ear.

“—Hereafter, if you lose someone around you who you should have protected, I will swiftly burn the remaining others away without hesitation and, with the cursed seal, become ash myself.”

“—?!”

“You have decided to shoulder all. You must not abandon anything. I will not allow a lost world to continue into the future. I reject your compromise—now that I have lost the book of knowledge, I have only you to guide me to Teacher, young Subaru. You and the path you walk.”

Pulling his face away, Roswaal gave Subaru’s chest a light shove. Even though it had little strength behind it, Subaru wobbled as if he had been thrust away, grabbing hold of the railing to support his body.

—This was Roswaal L. Mathers, the man who lived for a wish that was four hundred years old.

He would never seek to inflict undesired suffering upon Subaru and Emilia again. If Subaru wished it, he would no doubt cooperate to work toward Subaru’s objectives, even lending Emilia a hand with his full strength.

But if Subaru miscalculated even slightly, Roswaal would flip the table over, rendering everything futile.

This was no lie or deception. Roswaal absolutely would do it for the sake of his greatest desire.

“My, there is no need to be so frightened. So long as you remain true to yourself and continue in your duty, I shall cooperate with you fully—this is simply the new pact between you and I.”

“…I’ve learned that for pacts, you have to check not just the fine print but the guy you’re signing it with, too.”

Subaru’s sarcasm and anguished sigh made Roswaal widen his eyes. Immediately after, he put his hand to his mouth as he began to laugh. He laughed for a while before saying, “Ah, yes,” and lifting his face. “I only just said I would cooperate in full, so there is something of which I must properly inform you.”

“You’re still holding on to secrets to shake me up?”

“In the royal capital and this time, that makes it twice that I have hired the Bowel Hunter. But the girl in bonds underground…this Beast Master, I had nothing to do with either of her attacks.”

“—Huh?”

Subaru, on guard for what more might come, could only drop his mouth wide open.

The girl held in bonds underground meant Meili, captured at the mansion and kept prisoner since. At present, the death of her partner in crime, Elsa, had left her too uncooperative to deal with in any other fashion.

That had hurt his head enough, but Roswaal’s next words were a thunderclap out of the clear blue sky.

“This time, my contract only targeted Beatrice. In accordance with the book of knowledge, I was to liberate that girl from her twisted fate… But if I heard correctly, those girls had plans that went beyond my request, did they not?”

“Yeah, Elsa and Meili were part of the same group, I figure, so Meili was helping her out with her contract. Because if that wasn’t the case, who could’ve tipped them off about the mansion’s interior like that…?”

“—In other words, there was another culprit who planned this attack on the mansion besides meeee.”

“”

“Your troubles shall continue. Truly, that is where you shine. You really are cut out for struggling, are you not?”

Letting those words of sarcasm dangle, Roswaal inverted his now-empty glass over his mouth. A single droplet of alcohol fell and struck his lips. With that, he departed from the terrace, advancing in the direction of the great hall.

“Congratulations, young Subaru. Take this as praise from a Witch’s apprentice—you have won…today, at least.”

Leaving those final words behind, Roswaal left the terrace.

A cold wind blew. The chill from wind and his sweat sent a small tremble through Subaru’s body.

The traces of the fire continued to smolder. Subaru felt the heat of those lingering flames as he let out a very deep breath.

Sub-chapter 3.

“—So this is where you were, Subaru.”

Subaru was resting his weight against the handrail and gazing at the stars in the night sky when a voice called to him. When he lowered his gaze, the moonlight only increased the beauty of the silver fairy standing before him—

“Emilia-tan? I thought an angel or a fairy had come for me.”

“There you go saying strange things again. Don’t tell me that you’re drunk?”

“I messed up bad before, so I’m really careful about alcohol. This time, I’m just drunk on the atmosphere.”

“So you really are drunk.”

Emilia shot Subaru a smile as she leaned on the handrail right beside Subaru. The white flesh poking out from her pure ceremonial garment, the nape of her neck, and her cheeks were ever so slightly reddened as she made a small, amused-looking smile.

“I’ve been looking for you this whole time… Where did you run off to, Subaru?”

“Setting aside the location, event-wise, it sure felt like a long, drawn-out battle against the final boss. Somehow, I got through it, but I feel like it shaved years off my life span. Emilia-tan, will you console me?”

“Yes, yes. Today, Subaru is drunk on the mood as well as himself.”

Mysteriously, he returned to his normal state after talking with Emilia. Now that he was freed from the weighty mental state left by his exchange with Roswaal, the feeling of exhilaration over the ceremony came rushing right back. Setting that aside, standing in front of Emilia was making him feel awkward, so Subaru put his glass to his lips to conceal his blush.

“By the way, did you manage to make up with Roswaal?”

“Geh! Ack! Th-that’s one hell of a timely question…!”

“From the looks of it, Roswaal really teased you quite a bit.”

She touched a sore point for him. Her use of the word teased was so cute that it bothered him somewhat, but Subaru made no effort to refute the point. “A bit, yeah,” he straight-up admitted with a nod. “After all that, it almost feels like nothing changed from before…or if anything, it got even worse.”

“Roswaal’s probably afraid of everyone forgetting what he’s done. That’s why he’s doing that to draw everyone’s attention to himself. He’s really childish deep down, you know.”

Subaru was taken back by how Emilia put her hands on her hips, speaking those words with the faintest hint of anger.

He was not taken back by her cuteness—it was because Subaru, too, believed this was the truth.

The instant he had the thought, his interpretation of Roswaal’s earlier admonition changed considerably.

“…You’re really something, Emilia-tan.”

“Is that so? Tee-hee, thank you. I think Subaru’s really something, too.”

“Hmm, I wonder.”

“Yes, you are! Goodness, Subaru… Hey, look over there.”

Emilia irritably walked over to Subaru, whose face showed scant appreciation for everything he’d done, and then she spread both arms wide to indicate the scene in the great hall.

—Inside were all their companions and the visible result of Subaru’s, Emilia’s, and everyone else’s efforts.

“Everyone’s having fun, aren’t they?”

“…I suppose you’re right. It’s like an at-home banquet, kind of the ideal for my small-time, common-man sensibilities.”

“Mm, I think so, too. This is a really nice scene.”

Her violet eyes contained affection and envy in equal measure. Glancing at them from the side made Subaru’s heart tremble.

—This was the scene Emilia had wanted to see. In a broader sense, this was the ideal she was seeking to make a reality.

The atmosphere offered tranquility for nobles, merchants, commoners, humans, demi-humans, and mixed-blood people, without any discrimination of social standing or race.

“—Subaru, you’re making a really gentle face.”

“Guess that figures. I think I’m just happy watching the same scene as Emilia-tan and also thinking how nice everything is.”

“Ahhh, I get it. I’m happy Subaru feels the same way I do, too.”

“Hmm, I wonder. I might disagree with you on that. Sometimes, it’s fine to be different.”

Even though they were looking at the same thing and sharing the same feelings of happiness, they were still looking at the scene before them two different ways.

It wasn’t necessary for lovers to be the same in anything and everything. The thought he had that moment was, It’s fine to be different.

“”

Emilia narrowed her violet eyes, gently gazing at Subaru.

He didn’t know if the entire meaning of his words had reached her. But the important part had been conveyed.

If they could share this much, it was plenty. Beyond that was not just extravagance but arrogance.

“…Hey, Subaru. After this, there’s something I want to discuss with my knight.”

“What a coincidence. I have plenty of things I want to ask Emilia-tan, too.”

The words Emilia spoke in a show of courage left Subaru shrugging and flashing a smile back at her. Emilia breathed out in relief, gently offering him the pinkie finger of her right hand.

“It’s a promise, then. You did this with Petra. This is a tradition from Subaru’s homeland, yes?”

“Ohhh, it sure is. What sharp eyes you have. Break this promise, and your meals will be needles for breakfast, lunch, and supper.”

“Oh no, so scary… You better keep this promise, then.”

Nervously, Emilia wrapped her slender finger around Subaru’s right pinkie.

“When the celebration is over, let’s have an important talk in my room. Don’t break our promise this time, okay?”

“I’m a serial promise-breaker and all, but is it even an option to not keep my word to go to Emilia-tan’s room at night after I’ve been summoned? I’m thinking no.”

“I’m sorry—I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”

The two engaged in such typical banter as they formed that promise between them. Missing the touch of their joined pinkies as they parted, Subaru went, “Now, then,” as he winked. “I’ll have fun finding out what this talk’s all about.”

“…I need to talk to you about…me. One night might not even be enough to finish.”

“If it’s that important, I’ll be with you as many nights as it takes. I’m your one and only knight, okay?”

“O-okay.”

She did her best to mimic Subaru’s usual jesting tone. Emilia’s nervous behavior reflected her underlying concern. She felt uneasy talking about herself.

If this was connected to the past she saw in the Trial, Subaru could understand her unease. He understood, but he wanted to tell her it was an unnecessary concern nonetheless.

“It’s all right, Emilia-tan. No matter what happens, you’ll never disappoint me.”

“Subaru…”

“It’s just like I told you at the tomb. I love you, so everything’ll be okay. That’s all there is to it.”

No matter what she’d tell him, no matter what it triggered, nothing would change.

“—What’s important isn’t where you start or what happens midway but how it ends.”

Led to his parents and the thoughts they’d conveyed to him, this was the answer he’d arrived at in the tomb.

—He really couldn’t hold a candle to his mom. Or his dad, either, for that matter.

“Besides, even if there are issues, it’s not like it’s a big deal now, right?”

“…How can you tell?”

“It was the way you looked at the great hall with gentle eyes just now. I can already tell from that.”

The scene spread forth in the great hall of Miload Manor was one without discrimination between human and demi-human, noble and commoner. When Subaru called that his ideal, Emilia accepted it with a look of longing.

Whatever ideals might be raised high in Emilia’s heart, Subaru had no doubt he could believe in them.

“If you want to make this happen everywhere, I’ll help. I think this is a good cause. If that scene becomes a part of why Emilia-tan always works so hard, then I’ll be first in line to help you.”

“Subaru, can I…really depend on you?”

“What do you think that oath I swore to you earlier was all about? Go and depend on me before anyone else. I’ll do anything I can do to help, and if I don’t understand something, we’ll think about it together.”

“”

Emilia’s eyes trembled more than at any point before, almost like the reply wasn’t the one she had expected at all.

She was searching for something appropriate to say. But she couldn’t find anything.

“—Okay.”

Hence, Emilia murmured that single word, nodding.

Then she made a small, lovely, captivating smile.

—That was the best answer. It was plenty.

“All right, all doubts cleared up.”

Saying this, Subaru took the glass standing on the handrail and went bottoms up. Then he grasped the now-cold meat pie and stuffed his cheeks, chewing it down.

The delicious taste was undiminished by the temperature; he savored the texture as the pie crumbled in his mouth. The flavor was the final product of a rather large commotion involving Garfiel, Frederica, and Ryuzu, but that was another story.

Either way, to Subaru, the pie formed by those familial bonds was exquisite.

“Oh. Subaru, if you eat it so fast, you’re going to choke on it.”

“Well. I’m hungry. I’ll savor the taste more if Emilia-tan says aah for me, though.”

“I feel like I’ve done that before when Subaru was all tired…”

Emilia wore a slight, strained smile as she replied.

“Now then,” said Subaru, leading her by the hand toward the great hall.

As she was led by the hand, Emilia looked up at the sky but once. Then she smiled and let Subaru escort her, entering the hall at his side.

The pair’s return in the middle of the banquet only served to heighten the excitement.

Maybe Otto had imbibed too much; his clothes were all disheveled as he stumbled around in a drunken stupor. Garfiel was right there with Otto, but when he tried to bring alcohol to his mouth, he received a lecture from Frederica about it.

Petra and Beatrice had reached the climax of their disparate dancing. Petra had sweat on her brow as she smiled like a flower; Beatrice was putting on quite a passionate performance of her own in her desperation to not be beaten.

Ryuzu and Roswaal sat beside each other, lightly tapping their glasses together and exchanging words a little here and there, like old acquaintances rekindling their relationship.

Subaru spotted Ram nearby, watching the scene from a distance, her lips relaxing in apparent relief. Instead of staying at Roswaal’s side, she stood by the younger sister she had lost all memory of and yet still felt a tangible, lingering bond between them. It was almost like she knew Rem would have wanted her to be close.

Others partaking in the festivities included various associates of the Miload family. Numerous demi-human servants busily hurried about, while their mistress, the young lady of the household, was venting in annoyance at a rather courteous butler.

Later, Subaru would have to celebrate that special night with his favorite dragon, waiting patiently for him outside the manor.

—It was with various such thoughts that he spent the evening of festivities with everyone.

“It’s a really nice atmosphere, Emilia-tan.”

“Yes. This really does represent everything I’m trying to achieve. I’ll never forget this.”

They began by entering the great hall at the most prominent place, suddenly joining the two dancing girls.

They didn’t know the first thing about dancing, but the feelings of enjoyment would probably be the same regardless.

Even if the steps were haphazard and offbeat.

The knight and the witch—now officially master and servant—stepped forward amid a mix of bewilderment and laughter.

ADDENDUM

—THE RETURN

—In a dark, cold, and indistinct space, the soft patter of bare feet continued to echo at regular intervals.

In that lightless world, that space with nothing but unfathomable darkness spreading forth, the source of those footsteps had arrived without ever going astray. The trip had been made with the ease of someone walking into their own bedroom.

The sound of dripping water, the cries of insects crawling about, the sensation of mud and gravel beneath the soles of her bare feet—she pushed past them all.

Finally, she arrived at the deepest reaches of that darkness. She stretched out a hand and stroked a mossy, slippery wall.

Instantly, faint lights floated up and danced around her as a lukewarm wind blew through the wall. Her long pink hair and white cloak flapped in that wind. The hovering pinpricks of light circled around her as she slowly passed through the barrier.

“So the reactivation ritual has remained intact.”

The figure—no, the girl—murmured offhandedly as she slipped outside. The next instant, a dazzling shaft of light made her close her eyes. After walking through the darkness underground, the sunrays outside were like daggers to her eyes. She blinked several times before she could see the world anew.

—In the sky taller than the trees of the forest, she saw the sun had only just begun to rise.

“…Surprisingly, I am unmoved.”

With the sunlight striking her eyes, the girl seemed disappointed as she tilted her head.

Just as she had said, there was no surge of emotion visible within her impassive eyes. She’d expected something from seeing the real sun after gazing upon a false one for so long, but it didn’t affect her as much as she’d thought it would.

All that said, she was free to applaud the trick she had played, the performance she had delivered. She felt a sense of accomplishment. She’d recovered the magic crystal she’d had her eye on from the very beginning, and for the moment, she had nothing to be concerned of while wandering about.

“My only regret is that since I was forced to borrow that thing’s help, I was unable to see her crushed by the Trial…but she did lift the barrier. I suppose I shall chalk it up as breaking even.”

Had it not been for that, she—no, the vessel—would never have been able to venture out from the Sanctuary.

She had been in a veritable deadlock, drowning in the cleverness of her own scheme. Atypically, thinking of the girl who’d freed her from that situation made her chest overflow with emotions that were difficult to put into words.

“…Well, I don’t really mind. I really can’t overwork this body, and I’d anticipated having to walk around for a while to fill in all the blanks. There’s no need to obsess over such things…for now.”

The girl opened and closed her hands to check on the condition of her body.

This was the result of repeatedly exerting herself on the replica, who had a soul identical in nature to the girl whose body had become the core of the barrier. She’d grafted a piece of her soul inside the replica who had once entered the tomb, taking over bit by tiny bit.

Revival by attaching a soul to the body of another—strictly speaking, this differed from reviving the dead, but it was unquestionably similar, rough around the edges as it might be. It would take time to become fully accustomed to the body, but there was no way around that.

Surely, it was a time to be grateful that she could walk around with her old soul and her new body at all.

“As for a name…it has been so long. Perhaps, in accordance with his knowledge, I should call myself Omega?”

The word bore the meaning of “the end.” Given her current situation, there was no name more fitting.

The girl relaxed her lips as she stepped onto grass, slipping through gaps between the trees and emerging from the forest.

An ever-so-slight discomfort could be detected in her gait, but it was nothing truly significant. Fatigue and pain merely meant body and soul were well and truly connected. She could not help but enjoy the feeling of being alive after so long.

“Beatrice has parted ways with the archive of forbidden books. Roswaal has lost his guiding light. But that young man pulled something from the embers, and Garf… Garfiel, with all that anger stored up inside, is a pile of smoldering coals indeed. From the shadows, I suppose I should watch over their valiant exploits as they face him under the light of day.”

The girl intentionally avoided commenting on her slight mental slip as she walked forth.

A world was waiting for her—a world where nothing was faded and muted, a mountain filled with treasure to satisfy her inexhaustible greed for knowledge.

“And as I go, perhaps the day will come when I finally understand?”

The girl smiled as she gazed at a single flower along the road.

Plucking one of its petals with her fingers, she breathed in its scent and subsequently tossed it into her mouth.

The flower, so proudly displaying its beauty to the world, would someday wither. Why did flowers wither?

Why did beautiful memories shared by people grow faint one day?

“—Ahhh, why does love fade so…?”

The girl walked forward, her long pink hair swaying as she murmured to herself.

The Witch had been released unto the world once more.

 

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Diamond. Diamond. Diamond.

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