Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In a Miload family hall, a ceremony is being held. In the center of the hall, two people are seen dancing: a half-elf with silver hair and amethyst eyes, along with a young man with black hair in his ceremonial knight attire. Thus culminating this story, in which the young man from another world, Natsuki Subaru, becomes the knight of the half-elf candidate named Emilia.

Everyone except the Sun Baroness Priscilla and Margrave Roswaal are cheering at the scene.

Emilia: I really don't deserve you, Subaru, my foolish knight. >Holding a sleeping Subaru's hand.

Rem: I knew Subaru-kun was going to be someone wonderful, that's why Rem loves you. >While saying it with stars in her eyes and a smile on her face<

Garfiel: THE CAPTAIN IS GREAT! My great self will be the best for the captain. >Jumping out of the chair and raising his fists in the air

Wilhelm: Subaru-dono, your determination is amazing. Thank you very much. >He said it with a slight smile.

Crush: Subaru, you really are someone incredible. I hope we can do more for you. >He said it with his typical Valkyrie-like determination.

While everyone was still excited, a screech was heard throughout the theater, making everyone cover their ears.

What the fuck!

Damn!

What the fuck is that!?

“Testing one, testing two, can you hear me okay?”

A voice that wasn't their guardian's spoke throughout the theater.

Crush: Who are you and where is the guardian? >While standing on alert with Felix and Wilhelm <

Emilia: Yes, please, who are you and what will happen now? >Standing up from her chair with Rem and Beatriz<

“Well, well, I apologize. Well, you can call me Vielma if you like, and by your guardian Duchess Karsten, since she's currently engaged in a battle royale against the global tops. And as for you, Emilia-sama, I have three options.”

Garfiel: “Batele rojal?” >Trying to say the strange word the new guardian was saying<

Otto: Yes, tell us what that means, Mr. Vielma. >With a cautious tone, trying to see if he saw anyone<

Al: Brother against global tops. Are you a try hard or what? >While letting out a light laugh from the expression I'd heard.

Priscilla: Explain yourself, buffoon. My divine being wants to know.

Beatriz: Hmm, actually, Betty's Subaru explained it to her. >Puffing out her chest, feeling proud since she was the only one who knew. <

Emilia: Beako, can you please tell us?

Beatriz: I suppose I don't call Betty that. Only Betty's Subaru can call her that. And in fact, a "battle royal" is a free-for-all. >Raising a finger as if she were teaching a class. <

Anastasia: So, the guardian is fighting someone? >With a brief curiosity and wanting to know exactly who or whom.

"As always, our merchant Loli, yes. To put it in a more precise context, it's as if our Subaru is fighting against Reinhard, with Kararagi's Admirer, the demi-human Halibel, Vollaquia's Blue Lightning, Cecilus Segmunt, and Gusteko's Mad Prince.

That's saying something, everyone in the theater was in shock. At the example set by the new guardian, an individual fighting hand to hand against the strongest.

All: WHAT!!!?

Roswaal: And what would those options be, Vielma? >With his usual speech and a half smile<

Garfiel: If you speak at once before my incredible self-beats you up. >Bumping his fists and standing on the chair<

"Well, if you'll let me speak, these are the options. 1st, I'll simply send you to your world just as your previous guardian told you. 2nd, you'll see different timelines from your world. And the 3rd is the next: see other worlds.

Emilia: Different timelines from our world and other worlds? >Tilts her head slightly and brings her index finger to her lips<

Garfiel: My incredible self doesn't understand. Aren't they the same thing? >Scratches his head while looking at Otto.

Reinhard: If I may ask, Vielma-sama, how would those timelines and worlds you just told us about be different?" >With great interest in those other destinations the new guardian mentioned. Guardian<

Beatriz: In fact, Betty's Subaru told her something about that. Different timelines have a factor called "divergence," which causes the events we know to be totally different from what happened, thus also having a butterfly effect, which means that the flapping of a butterfly's wings can cause a tornado a week later, and the worlds are totally different, in fact, completely changing our appearances, race, gender, even the world itself. >Seeing how once again she was seen by everyone<

Roswaal: Wow~ so we could see different Subaru-kun~ how interesting >with his disgusting clown smile as always<

Rem: But Subaru-kun, I don't care, I can love them all >While letting her imagination run wild and Ram looking at her with a resigned face<

Emilia: Other Subaru’s? How would they be with me too? >It doesn't matter, I have mine and only mine<

Crush: So we can see how different these Subaru’s will be from ours. >Perhaps they'll be more of a warrior than a strategist, a captain of their platoon or a general<

Ricardo: Ha, maybe we can see an army of Lolimancers in action >with a long wolfish grin on their face<

Al: They'd be unstoppable and would conquer the entire world >Playing along with the wolf and raising their single fist in the air<

Just as subtle laughter and giggles began to be heard in the theater at the comments of the demi-human and the one-armed knight.

Julius: Tell us, Vielma-sama, what alternate lines are there? >With her elegant tone typical of a knight's knight <

Mimi: Mimi wants to know the worlds of the mini-boss >Jumping off Ricardo's thigh, causing Tivey to almost fall<

Tivey: We already barely know that there's anything beyond the great waterfall, and now it turns out there's much more to learn, it would be interesting >Unconsciously while wagging her tail

"Well, speaking of the different lines, they are related to sins. I'll just say that there's sloth, greed, anger, gluttony, lust, and pride. Each one represents what would have happened if our Subaru had made another decision or action, for example, what would have happened if Subaru had never asked for help in the alley, thus avoiding Reinhard.

Emilia: Elsa would have killed us all, and Puck would freeze half the capital >Feeling a slight pain in her chest since her other father would be willing to destroy the world if she died, in addition to having killed his knight and his love<

Felt: Old Rom and I would be dead without older brother's help >in an embarrassed tone, knowing that she could have helped prevent Elsa much earlier.

Reinhard: I wouldn't have met Felt-sama and would have failed to prevent the destruction of the capital. >Looking down and blaming himself as he watched his friend's journey while he did nothing.

"What would have happened if Rem had taken Subaru's hand and they escaped together?"

Rem: Nee-sama would have died along with the entire mansion and the others. >Even if I wanted to see that distant future, I have no regrets. I know my hero will do his best.

Petra: The Arlam village would have been destroyed. >Remembering that loop where Subaru found Ram and her dead. <

Crush Felix Wilhelm: The white whale would have killed us. >Singing in a sad tone, knowing that this would have been his fate. <

"If Subaru hadn't been willing to jump off the cliff when Rem died from the curse.

Ram: I would be alone and probably would have died. >Knowing that Barusu was the only one who remembered Rem, I couldn't imagine what it would be like if He wouldn't have sacrificed himself.

"If I had taken Echidna's hand."

Beatriz: It would be a mother's title, and only Od will know what else she would have done. > Feeling somewhat annoyed since she knows what Echidna is like and wouldn't hesitate to use Betty's Subaru like that as a simple experiment. <

"Or if Subaru lost his memories."

Otto: What, you lose his memories? What would it be like then if he doesn't know or remember anything. > In a worried tone since he would end up the same as Crush or Rem. <

"That would be all I can tell you, and about the good worlds, it's better if you see for yourselves.

Anastasia: Listen, I lack lust, although I don't want to imagine it. > Blushing a little. <

Crush: Lust, what would that Subaru be like? (Imagines a Subaru dressed as a soldier carrying Crush like a princess and begins to blush.)

While good Rem would start to fantasize about things that only God knows. lol.

Thoughtful Ram: Damn Barusu, putting himself like that. My dear little sister, hmp. >Ram would say in the same sarcastic tone as always. <

"Well, that's really problematic. I say that since that's the only timeline that, well, how do I put it, was eliminated."

All: Eliminated?

Emilia: I don't know why, but I felt uncomfortable with the way he said it.

Rem, Ram, Anastasia, Crush; Frederica simply nodded.

Well, without further ado, let's begin.

(Coordinates xxx World xxx located, key guardian: RacseThicnairs)

The distant sound of earth dragon carriages blended with the city's bustling nature. But that wasn't the case for a certain silver-haired, snow-white-skinned half-elf. Anguish seeped from his amethyst eyes. It was his first day in this bustling city, and he'd lost touch with his caretaker. The colorful shopping district had caught his attention, causing him to lose his sense of direction and caution, to the point that his caretaker disappeared from his sight. Although his relationship with her was merely formal, he still worried about whether she was safe or lost.

Ram, who was currently looking at Emilia with a withering look, said, "Seriously, Emilia-sama, am I lost? Ha! Of course..."

All Emilia could do was look embarrassed and lower her gaze.

"Miss, are you okay?" Suddenly, a young voice stopped her.

As Felt watched the scene, she asked, "Hey, by the way, why are we seeing big brother's first day, but from big sister's perspective?"

Reinhard nodded, continuing, "You're right, Felt-sama. This hasn't happened before."

Yes, I'm fine... it's just..." Stammering until his voice dropped to a whisper, "I lost track of my companion, and I'm..."

Oh, well," the lively girl interrupted, "I know you'll find them." She patted her waist and then said goodbye with a peculiar phrase: "Live strong!"

Crush: With amusement and a hint of admiration in her voice, "So that's how she was able to steal the dragon stone from you? It was actually pretty fast, I admit, but Emilia-san was very naive."

Emilia, already red-faced, let out a squeal as she put her hands to her face.

Lia, that girl was very suspicious."

Do you think so?

I think she was a thief, check your pockets.

No sooner said than done, the badge assigned to her as a candidate for governor had disappeared. Anguish began to take hold of her, and she ran in the same direction as the blonde girl. Her hood no longer hid her face, revealing her silver hair. With her eyes, she could see that she was entering an alley.

"Stop, villains, and give me back what you've stolen!"

Scene change.

"What's wrong?" She asked, noticing the boy was a little anxious.

To tell you the truth, I still don't know your name.

"My name," he said with a bit of uncertainty and doubt. "I don't know yours either."

Putting on his iconic pose, he said, "I'm Natsuki Subaru. I'm currently broke. I'm completely ignorant of this world, I'm nowhere to be found, and I'm new to this city!" He finished with a smile.

And I'm Puck, a Great Spirit and father to this beautiful girl.

Ummm... >She thought for a moment, and then said,

I'm Satella, just Satella

You have such bad taste, she whispered to your father.

Satella, how beautiful it is for such a pretty girl.

Rem: Seriously, Emilia-sama, I still don't understand why she told him that name. Honestly. >Shaking her head.

Ram: My little sister is right, so many ways to make me stop helping him, and she chooses that one. How naive. >While Ram glared at the half-elf.

Night had already fallen, and Puck had finally gone to sleep. They finally arrived at the button house where his badge was found.

As the boy entered the dilapidated building, the half-elf felt guilty for lying to him. Because of her stupid distrust, she had lied to that kind boy. Being called by that name was the best punishment for lying to Subaru.

Suddenly, a loud knock caught his attention. He was coming from the loot house. Without hesitation, he ran and opened the door. Worry filled his chest.

"Subaru? What's wrong?" He asked as more footsteps entered the dark place.

"No... Run! Run away quickly!" He heard Subaru's weak voice, choking on something. He kept walking.

Felix: "Nya," he said, "even though we've seen more things, it's still terrible. How does it feel to die and then try again?"

Wilhelm: "I agree with you, Felix. It's not easy, much less for what we've seen Subaru-dono do."

Both of them were bleeding out on that floor of that ruined building, watching their lives slip away. Subaru grabbed his hand and, hearing the boy's voice for the last time, said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

I... I'm going to save you... Satella

She wanted to scream at him that that wasn't her name, that she was sorry, that she should forgive her for lying to her, but her fragile life didn't allow it. She felt everything going dark. She gathered all the strength she had left to correct her mistake.

Emilia, my name is Emilia, just Emilia, >She said in an inaudible and desperate whisper, squeezing Subaru's hand with all her strength, <Please live, live…

Darkness, an eternal darkness, the half-elf, and a voice repeating over and over again <I hate you>, a voice just like hers, proclaimed all its anger to her, and suddenly the hatred that consumed her vanished as if it had never been there.

>Protect him for me, I hate you, Protect him for me, I hate you, protect him for me, I hate you, protect him for me, I hate you… I love him, protect him for me, I simply hate you, protect him, please… Save him, I love him.

Everyone was terrified by this, of course. They'd already seen it with Subaru, but NEVER with Emilia.

Emilia, horrified by what she saw, stuttered, "She's talking to me, why she is telling me that? What does it mean?"

Reinhard, who was also seeing this, decided to speak. "Perhaps this is what Beatriz-sama meant by the worlds, that even her own world was completely different from hers."

Rem decided to speak. "But then this means Emilia-sama also has...

Crush: YES, she has Subaru's return due to death.

In a matter of seconds, she remembered who she was. She felt dizzy. The noise of the shopping district pounded her faint consciousness. She felt her body again. Her stomach churned, and she wanted to vomit. It was daytime. She was back in the shopping district. Her eyes noticed Felt running away and disappearing into the crowd, but she didn't chase after her.

S-Subaru >Tears fell and she fell to her knees. The loss of that boy tormented her. <Sorry for lying to you, I wanted you to be my friend, my first…

Lia, the thief is escaping, get up! >Said her spiritual father< We have to catch her!

Puck, Subaru is dead… Her voice cracked with tears. H-he's dead because of me, I…

Lia >Said the confused Puck<

Puck, because of me. >His tears continued to flow down his beautiful and tired face<

Who is Subaru?

Okay, okay, that's it for this. Prologue? The truth is, I don't know if I should leave it canon or not, depending on how this potential story progresses. I'm not a writer or anything. This would be my first fic, but I know I have a lot of room for improvement. I hope to count on your support by voting for this fic and leaving your opinions. Also, I'm curious if by chance I leave his as non-canon. What story would you like to see react to? In my opinion I'm between Kasaneru or Tsusihagu greed and gluttony. I've seen very few fics of those two since the most popular ones I've seen are ayamatsu and oboreru. So, have a nice day, afternoon, or night, depending on where you're reading from. Bye, nice to meet you.

Chapter Text

>Who is Subaru?<

As the big screen faded away, leaving that final scene of a heartbroken Emilia and a confused Puck, the viewers were the same or worse than they had imagined.

Emilia was in a state of absolute shock, her eyes wide open, watching the final scene, shaking her head and stuttering in a simple whisper, lowering her gaze.

Emilia: No no no no no no her of all people why >SHE< would have me under her gaze S Subaru please wake up I beg you

Meanwhile Rem watched the scene with confusion it is true that >SHE< tore him from his home and gave him that curse disguised as an ability that >Return by Death< in addition to imposing a taboo that only makes him suffer more because in this world >SHE< why did she give her mistress that cursed ability too

Ram who was silent watching what happened couldn't help but snort at the scene in a way maybe just maybe that Subaru wouldn't be as lost as ours and maybe the fate that happened to his little sister would also be different

Beatriz knowing how the >AUTHORITIES< work couldn't help but bring out her curious nature and try to find out what or why the >AUTHORITY< was divided like that the stupid half-elf girl would also have that >AUTHORITY<

Roswaal thought the same of course unlike Beatriz he had a little more knowledge and knew with Accurately, the >AUTHORITIES< being the antithesis of the divine blessings of Od Laguna, these could be passed between users due to the "witch factor" and were also linked to the user's >SOUL<, giving a possible theory as to why the half-elf could remember the >LOOPS<

Ricardo nervously scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile.

Ricardo: Well, I didn't expect this. So Emilia-sama also has that power?

Felt, clearly angrily, snorted and squinted at his knight.

Felt: Rein, what do you think happened to the older sister because she also got that shit?

Reinhard, while thinking before answering his lady's question, looked at the great spirit of Yin and asked.

Reinhard: Excuse me, Beatriz-sama, but those >AUTHORITIES<, in addition to being passed between users, could also be divided?

Beatriz snorted and responded as she glanced at Roswaal.

Beatriz: I suppose not. In fact, those things are rooted in the strongest user of all, but I think someone knows something more about it, I suppose.

Following Beatriz's gaze, she saw that he was looking at Margrave Roswaal. Of course, perhaps in his quest to resurrect his master, the Witch of Greed Echidna, he'd researched the >AUTHORITIES< or heard something about it.

Roswaal, with a look and an amused smile, spoke in his typical tone.

Roswaal: Well, Beatriz, you made me think I'd know something about those things.

Garfiel, hearing this, stood up from his chair and, bumping fists bumped his head.

Garfiel: Speak, clown, if you don't want the incredible me to beat you to a pulp.

Emilia: Yes, Roswaal, it's better if you tell us what you know about it.

Resigned, Roswaal chose to speak.

Roswaal: Well, about those >AUTHORITIES<, I'd say they're linked to the same >SOUL<, so perhaps it was Subaru-kun who made Emilia-sama remember the loops. And no, she doesn't have the ability; Subaru-kun still has it, but he possibly gave her part of his soul.

Everyone remained silent, not knowing what to say. An AUTHORITY that is an extension of the soul of the person who possesses it can be given just like that? No, of course not. The soul should belong to oneself and exclusively to oneself until one dies, and that's when Od Laguna purifies it, giving it a new opportunity. Then how is such a case possible?

Crush: So if he only knows about the loops, and assuming what we saw, there's some kind of delay in Subaru and Emilia's time.

Ram: You're right, Crush-sama. It seems to happen a few minutes after Barusu returns after dying, but...

Anastasia: How could it affect and change the entire course of our world as we know it?

Well, what did you think of this wonderful world? You didn't expect it, hahahahaha. Your faces really give me a thousand years to live.

Priscilla, who was silent, closed her fan and glared at the screen.

Priscilla: Answer me, commoner. How can that half-devil remember those Loops?

Emilia, glancing at the screen, clenched her fists and, stuttering, decided to speak as well.

Emilia: And those conditions also apply to me? Do I also have to die to remember all the pain Subaru goes through?

Well, starting with Baroness Priscilla... it's like Roswaal said. Subaru, in his last attempt to protect Emilia, gave part of his soul to her. And as for Emilia-sama, no, you don't have to die to go back. He dies, and you go back too.

That relieved the half-elf's chest a little to a certain extent, but also because in that world, from the beginning, she can help her knight avoids falling so far into the abyss he finds himself in.

Well, this is unexpected, but right now I have a new guest.

Everyone tilted their heads since it seemed someone would also be coming to this theater with them. The million-dollar question was: Who would come now? Who or what could come with them to see Subaru's adventure, the final arc, which according to them should be the last, since they were previously on their way to the water city of Priestella at Anastasia's invitation and were kidnapped to this place, where they witnessed the new life in this world of the boy from beyond the waterfall.

Falling into one of the seats in the front row, a figure was seen wearing an orange scarf and a green trench coat with black hair like a certain boy they know.

What?: Oh, man, did anyone write down the truck's license plate?

Holding his head from the impact on the chair, everyone's eyes widened as they heard the voice they knew very, very well.

Subaru?

Subaru-kun?

Subaru-sama?

The boy jumped out of the chair, facing the audience. It was Natsuki Subaru, but he was wearing a different outfit than usual.

Subaru, seeing all his acquaintances in that room that looked like a movie theater opened his eyes and enthusiastically began to greet them.

Subaru: Emilia-tan nee-sama, Beako, everyone, what are you doing here? Crush's camp, Felt and Rein, Anastasia and two of the triplets, and Ricardo Ros-chi. Priscilla and Al? What are you all doing here?

Until his eyes fell on a blue-haired maid who hadn't woken up for over a year and was stuttering.

Subaru: Rem? That's you, Rem!

Running and jumping between the seats, he arrived before the oni maid and hugged her as tightly as he could. He began to sob like a little child.

Seeing him like this, Rem grabbed him tightly, placing his head on her chest and nodding to his questions.

Rem: Yes, Subaru-kun, am I your Rem?

Sobbing, Rem hugged him even tighter. She said,

Rem: Thank you so much, thank you, my greatest hero. You saved me, you saved us all.

After a while, they separated, and returning to the main topic, Subaru asked.

Subaru: So exactly what is this? Sure, I know the architecture, but this isn't where I was before.

Seeing this, Emilia decided to ask about his clothes and what he was doing before coming here.

Emilia: Subaru, may I know, where were you and what were you doing before coming here?

Before Subaru could answer, the guardian interrupted.

First of all, without too many spoilers, since I don't want the surprise to be ruined. Subaru, I don't want you to say anything for now. As you know, this is a movie theater, and everyone here has seen your journey through this new world. What if they know about >RETURN BY DEATH<?

Subaru shuddered when he heard that. Did they see that? Did they see how he failed them again and again and again? No! It's impossible for them to see it. Do they see him as a monster? Were they going to put him in a dungeon for the rest of his life? No, they wouldn't do something like that.

So, take a seat and watch, and from here you can answer any questions.

The screen lit up once more, but what was there was something strange.

There were two Subaru’s, one kneeling with a look of frustration and sadness, and the other standing with a happy look and a bright smile.

Subaru: You're an amazing guy, Natsuki Subaru.

That was her honest opinion, devoid of any exaggeration, having witnessed Return from the Dead more than twenty times.

Everyone quickly looked at the new Subaru who arrived, feeling the pressure on his neck and beginning to stutter.

Subaru: Uh, well, before coming here, I was, or rather, we were, at the Pleiades Watchtower looking for the great sage to learn about the victims of Gluttony and Lust.

What?! Everyone screamed at what he said. He had reached the Sage's Watchtower when not even Reinhard could. They couldn't believe it, but it was Subaru who was saying it, and knowing how good logic is, he went on sabbatical.

Subaru: But there was no Sage. Only the Guardian of the Stars named Shaula was the only one there at that moment, and she was almost as naive as Emilia-tan. We passed the tests and arrived at the Taygeta Library, where those books aren't pretty at all, to be honest.

Swallowing and lowering his gaze for a brief moment, he continued speaking.

Subaru: Those books are called the Books of the Dead. Every dead person is there, and it shows their entire life, from birth to death.

Also, in one of them, we discovered that there is a Third Archbishop of Gluttony.

A Third Archbishop of Gluttony, he said? Not impossible. Then, if we can divide those damn authorities, we have to kill three of those bastards.

Subaru: To be more precise, the one who attacked Crush and Rem was the one called Ley Batenkaitos. We met him as "Gourmet" in Priestella. We met the 2nd Roy Alphard "Bizarre Food" and the last one, Louis Arneb, the last of the 3 who was trapped in the watchtower. That scene we just saw is because I lost my memories and while reading my own books of the dead, I found myself.

Mental note to ask him at length about what happened in Priestella.

While everyone was staring at Subaru, the screen began to light up, and what they saw satisfied them.

Ley: "Nee-samaa tsu!"

With a well-timed roar, after being launched by his kick, Batenkaitos bounced towards Ram, smiling.

Using the power of the apparent "jumper," the magical technique erased the existing distance in the blink of an eye. However, even that ghostly teleportation technique was useless if the opponent saw it in its entirety.

Ram: You're too slow, lazy. At this rate, Ram will turn into an old woman.

Ley: Ghia, a a a a!!

Ram: What an ugly scream, coming from such an adorable face.

Ram created multiple invisible wind blades and began bombarding the archbishop, slashing and tearing, cutting a blade into his left eye. Without further ado, the archbishop began to laugh like a madman when suddenly the archbishop saw everything spinning until he saw his own body standing still. A wind blade had decapitated him.

Tears and sobs were what could be heard from a blue-haired oni maid and her older sister, hugging each other, knowing that she was the one who killed the archbishop who had taken his beloved and precious little sister. Subaru, who also saw this, also began to sob, knowing that his Rem was already waiting for him in that white space where two older brothers had previously been protecting their beloved siblings. But the love the oni sister felt surpassed everything the older brother of the archbishops of Gluttony felt, thus resulting in his elimination from this world.

I want to be happy.

A voice sounded from the screen. Everyone was confused except for the new Subaru, since he knew whose voice that despicable was.

"Awa! Sorry, sorry. I still had to give the name, right? But, excuse me! After all, showing up like that while sober doesn't happen often in this place, you see?" "Well, I guess that's one more introduction! We are the Archbishop of Sin of the Witch Cult, representing Gluttony, Louis Arneb." I don't know if it will be for a long time or a short time, but please be careful, okay, onii-san? "Natsuki Subaru." What will your taste be?

"Let's eat.

"Searching for the answer to that glazed curiosity of his, Louis tenderly licked the back of the young man's neck with his scarlet tongue. Calling out his name, while tasting a languid texture on the tip of his tongue, he gently and gently licked. "Thank you for the gift."

Why are there [Memories] of the moment of dying?" "No, that's not all. That's not all, onii-san. Of course, it's strange to have [Memories] of the moment of dying. Quite strange, you know. But, it is strange. After all…" "After all, in the Memories we ate, there's nothing like the Memories of killing onii-san, yet onii-san has the Memories of being killed!" That was it, something abnormal. There was no origin; what was happening was a mysterious paradox. Ah, the influence of Natsuki Subaru's Memories.

In the theater, everyone was shocked. Not only did Subaru resist Gluttony's authority, perhaps because he had already lost them, but what this archbishop was experiencing, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. To experience death not just once but more than a dozen times in different ways—frozen, sliced, devoured alive, incinerated, decapitated—and for this girl to be experiencing it firsthand, the reason for murdering her would be more merciful than this, than witnessing every pain, suffering, betrayal, and anger of the kindest person in this world.

???: "So. Did you see what you wanted to see? Louis Arneb."

Louis: Huh?

No, NOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOoo... Louis: "We don't want to die! We don't want to die! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I hate him! I hate him~t~tsu!!"

Someone who can endure that isn't human! A monster! A monster~tsu!" He couldn't. No way. Louis had enjoyed countless lives, had affronted all kinds of "Souls," and had sought a life of his own. He believed he had the right, the privilege, to do so. That's why he reached out his hands even to Natsuki Subaru's soul, and as a consequence, his naiveté was shattered. Because...

Louis: "I don't want to die." I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

Everyone thought the same thing at that moment. Despite being an archbishop, that kind of torture wouldn't even be wished on the worst enemy. It would be much better if she were killed right then and there.

Subaru: "You'll definitely regret it."

No one said anything. They just stared as the screen went black, but a thought arose in the minds of those who saw it: Subaru was the natural enemy of the archbishops. Those monsters who terrorized this world with their massacres, destroyed villages, murdered families, and only God know what else. And this boy, he's not the strongest physically or the smartest, but this one boy has achieved the impossible time and time again until those same monsters called him a "MONSTER."

Garfiel, unable to hold back his excitement, jumped out of his seat, raising both arms with a toothy grin.

Garfiel: The captain is as cool as my awesome self. Only he can handle those bastards. WHOA! He couldn't finish speaking as Frederica let go of his hand. "Garfiel language"

The theater filled with laughter at the interaction between the brothers while a certain merchant princess began her play.

Anastasia looked at the other Subaru with a certain sparkle in her eyes and began to speak.

Anastasia: "Well, Natsuki-kun, how about you tell us if you found the great sage Shaula or whoever else you discovered?" A slight smile appeared on his face.

Subaru stared at Anastasia and then at the scarf she was wearing.

Subaru: "Er, Anastasia. Is Foxidna awake?"

No one understood who Subaru was talking about, while Anastasia shuddered to know that the boy knew about her mother. Julius, noticing this, looked at his lady.

Julius: "Anastasia-sama, are you okay?" With slight concern in his voice, he waited for his lady to answer.

Anastasia: "Eh?" A-ah, yes, Julius, calm down. And as for you, Natsuki-kun, yes. If she's awake.

Subaru, averting his gaze, only nodded at what Anastasia said, causing the others to feel slightly worried and confused by the two's strange interaction.

Subaru: I think I already mentioned it, but no, Shaula isn't the great sage or anything. She's the guardian of the Pleiades watchtower. From what I discovered, well, there was Reid Astrea, well, a vestige of him, to be honest.

Julius, who was a scholar of history, was in a knot when he learned that history was wrong and that the great sage wasn't actually that person.

Julius: So, Subaru, who is the great sage? While others nodded, others simply waited excitedly for what this Subaru would say.

Subaru: Well, while we were exploring the watchtower, we found names in some records. Among them were Reid as the sword saint, Volcanica the divine dragon god, the apprentice of the great sage Shaula, and the great sage named >Flugel<.

Otto, knowing where he had heard that name from, spoke with complete enthusiasm.

Otto: Flugel? Like the great tree that led to the hunt for the great white whale?

Subaru nodding and raising a finger as if he were about to give a lecture.

Subaru: That's right, Otto. Apparently, 400 years ago, during the great calamity, from what I understood, he died while sealing >ENVY< in his seal, or so we thought. Besides, I suppose everyone already knows about witches, right? Everyone nodded at the question.

Subaru: Perfect. As you know, it wasn't >ENVY< who created the witch beasts and the 3 great witch beasts, but Daphne, the witch of >GLUTTONY<. She has the 5th one in her possession, which is that type of coffin that restricts her.

Reinhard, hearing the 5th witch mentioned, decided to ask.

Reinhard: Subaru, you said the 5th, so are there more wandering around the earth?

Subaru, seeing that everyone was tensed, shook his hands and began to speak quickly.

Subaru: "No, it's not that. Rein, well, maybe it is... Shaula is the 4th great beast. Apparently, this Flugel asked Daphne to make a beast for her. I don't know the details, but it's the great crimson scorpion."

"Also, we went, Emilia-tan, Beako, Ram, Rem, Julius, Anastasia, to the watchtower expedition."

And so the minutes passed until the guardian made an appearance.

Well, well, I'm glad you were able to get information, or whatever information you were able to get, but we still have things to see, and well, like I said, it could be a possible story. If

At the same time, the guardian relayed all the information to Subaru about what he'd said and the world he'd shown the others earlier, nodding while holding his head in sudden pain.

Well, without further ado, ShowTime.

Alternate timeline XXX, located key guardian: Na_sung

The scene began with a town on fire, with charred and mutilated corpses seen everywhere until the camera focused on a girl as footsteps were heard approaching the girl.

???: Hey, do you know my name?

Everyone was shocked; their eyes wide open as they recognized the voice they had just heard.

Subaru

Subaru-kun

Subaru-sama

Natsuki-kun

Subaru-kyun

Subaru-dono

The girl, Amue Sears, held her breath at that question.

It was a fairly common question, with no real coherence. It should have been a boring question that didn't require much time or preparation to answer. If you know, you know. If you don't know, you don't know. That's all there is to it.

Amue:…

But Amue's voice didn't come out at that question, even if it was taken literally.

Life was a series of decisions. This was the reality that even Amue, who had just turned 14, knew well from the experiences of her short life.

In life, decisions must be made about almost everything. They start with small, everyday things, or perhaps a variety of big decisions that affect your life. But, regardless of whether they were big or small, life is entirely made up of decisions.

And now, at Amue Sears, she faced the question that weighed most heavily on her 14 years of life. Or perhaps, it was the most important decision of her life. That boring, insignificant, and unremarkable question she had asked herself just before was precisely that.

???: Hey, do you know my name?

The repeated question was tight in Amue's throat. However, the person who had asked it didn't seem to want to provoke him. It was even a kind gesture to repeat it once more; such consideration seemed a great imbalance.

If it was the question that tormented Amue, it was also the one that distressed her the most. In truth, she understood that he was only looking for an answer. Therefore, Amue would have to grope for the right solution among the options, with no clues other than those offered by her own reflection.

Which would really be the correct answer?

To know or not to know: which was the questioner looking for? Or perhaps it would be better to answer that she knew, even if she didn't know? Or would it be better to answer that she didn't know, even if she did know? Amue's heart pounded at the two agonizing options.

???: Hey. Do you know my name?

Every part of the question, repeated once more, was marked by impatience. Even if they didn't understand each other, would that make him anxious? That fear tightened Amue's chest. Honestly, she was convinced that if she didn't answer with either a "Yes" or a "No," it would be absolutely impossible to meet the interrogator's expectations.

She couldn't finish it without saying anything, without giving an answer, without making a decision. She wouldn't be released. In that alone, there was no doubt.

Amue: …

Even so, she couldn't speak. She stared back into those black eyes right before her. Amue considered. In those black, empty eyes, the terrible face of the gaunt Amue was glimpsed. She really didn't want to say it out loud, but in her own appearance, she was aware of how they saw her; she had become a mere shadow of her former self.

Absolutely terrified by the dominance of the interrogator before her eyes, she shrank away.

Amue's face was drawn, exhausted, as if she had aged dozens of years suddenly. If things continued like this, she would end up dying from the simple pressure of the question; fragilely, she...

???: Hey, do you know my name?

Amue: N...no...

According to her heart, Amue replied that she didn't know. She freed her thoughts from the options that had been constantly swirling in her mind until then. She answered the question with the utmost clarity. In fact, she didn't know the name or face of the person questioning her.

When it came to her, living in a place that should be called borderlands, a rural area that was remote, so to speak, events in the Kingdom, even serious ones, were like rumors from a distant land.

That's why, no matter how important he was, to her, he was a stranger she didn't know.

???: Is that so?

It was a brief response. She didn't know if she had expressed herself with deep emotion or dejection. But Amue had already made a decision. What came next was the questioner's problem.

If life were a series of choices and decisions, then it would be the same for everyone. Since Amue had chosen, the person questioning her would also have to choose.

Amue: …

The 14-year-old girl waited silently for the questioner's decision.

She waited for his answer, completely alone in the middle of a village where no one remained except her.

Emilia, Rem, Frederica, Petra (Brother, I forgot Petra, lol), and Crush put their hands to their mouths. They were trying not to cry. Frederica covered her disciple at the images that were shown, only clenching her fists.

Subaru felt disgusted. It wasn't possible that he would do something like that. Simply... it was impossible. He wasn't a murderer.

Walking down the road, he only began to hear the footsteps of earth dragons. He simply let it pass, not caring. The carriage that passed by him suddenly stopped a few meters away. Then someone spoke. It was a young merchant.

???: "Are you Natsuki Subaru-san, by any chance?"

However, that vigilance also quickly faded due to the call of the individual who had descended from the driver's seat of the dragon carriage. After shouting his name, the tall young man who should have been sitting behind the wheel approached Subaru, who had lost his vigilance.

He was a man about Subaru's age, with gray hair tied back in a ponytail. Although his gentle features weren't striking, his build was unexpectedly quite robust. He didn't give the impression of doing manual labor, but his work did seem to involve something.

Despite that first impression, what mattered most to Subaru was that the young man recognized him and called out his name.

???: "Ahh, it's as I thought. It's Natsuki-san, isn't it? It's been a long time."

Subaru: Aaah, well...

It was a young man who greeted him with the familiarity of an acquaintance, despite the distance. While hesitating on how to respond, Subaru looked around.

That was Subaru's signature move, but he didn't want to do it now for several reasons. Seeing Subaru lost in confusion within his mental state, the young man furrowed his tightly drawn eyebrows and said:

???: Oh, perhaps you forgot? It's me, Regin Suwen... My older brother, Otto Suwen, is helping you. We met once in the village.

Subaru: You say Regin... Ah, that's Otto!

Regin: When you say it like that, Otto, it's almost as if you're saying it as if it were someone else's business, isn't it?

With a forced smile at that unnatural expression, Subaru clasped his hands in understanding in front of the young man, Regin. Unfortunately, he didn't remember Regin's figure, but he did remember Otto's.

Now that he mentioned it, Regin and Otto's features did have many similarities. There were no doubt they were brothers and also acquaintances of Subaru.

Subaru: "It was my fault, it was my fault. As if you caught me just now, with various things going through my head. That's why I didn't remember your name right away, or something."

Regin: "No, no, I guess it can't be helped, since you're so busy." The royal selection has even reached my ears, living in a remote rural area... Nii-san isn't causing you any trouble, is he?

Subaru: "Yeah. Otto's become a great help to everyone at the camp... something like that. If that guy hadn't been there, it would have seemed like everything would be a lot more disorganized."

Regin: "Really? I guess it's okay then..."

Regin: "Even so, Natsuki-san, what are you doing in a place like this? I think it would be quite arduous to walk down the main street without even getting on a dragon carriage..."

Subaru: "Ah, you're absolutely right, or rather, how should I put it? I'd love to use a dragon carriage or something similar if it was possible, but for various reasons it would be difficult. And, regarding what you said earlier about what I'm doing..."

Subaru paused and thought for a second. And then, he found the right words.

Subaru: My current self is in the midst of reconsidering my own being... you could call it a journey of self-discovery.

Regin: A journey of self-discovery...?

Subaru: Hmm, that's right. A journey of self-discovery... Hahahaha!

His own words were amusing; Subaru laughed involuntarily. Although "self-discovery" was a common word among young people, were there other relevant words that fit the current Subaru so well? On second thought, it wasn't that amusing.

Regin seemed to have vaguely sensed that something was off about Subaru's condition, and said, "Are you okay?" with a tone of concern for Subaru.

Regin: "Is something wrong with your body? For a second, I knew that was the reason Natsuki-san recognized me so late, but since I've been mistaken for someone else many times..."

Subaru: "Actually, I don't feel sick. "If you're referring to how I'm feeling emotionally, I guess I'm at my worst. But thanks to you, Regin, I'll hold on. I was relieved to find you here, you know?"

Interrupting Regin's words, Subaru bowed his head deeply and expressed his gratitude. Seeing Subaru's attitude, Regin felt increasingly puzzled. However, it seemed to have strengthened his conviction that Subaru's attitude in his eyes was quite abnormal. Regin assumed a determined expression and called out to Subaru with a "Natsuki-san."

Regin: "I don't quite understand the situation, but for now, please come with me to the village. We'll discuss it in detail at my clinic. You need to rest."

Subaru: "Are you speaking like a doctor?"

Regin: "Although my patients are earth dragons, livestock, and the like, I am a doctor. Have you forgotten that too?"

Subaru: Forgotten. Ah, that's right. Have I... forgotten?

Regine: Natsuki-san?

If only he had forgotten, for Natsuki Subaru, everything would probably be over without experiencing the feeling of isolation he had felt until then. However, those feelings that tormented Natsuki Subaru weren't easy to forget.

Subaru: "Your village is up ahead, right? Have I ever stopped by here?"

Regin: "Yeah, right. Before, when there was trouble, you, my older brother, and that other guy joined forces..."

Subaru: "I see. Thank you."

He had been able to hear more or less what he wanted to. He turned to Regin, who had been intimidated by Subaru's words, and continued.

Subaru: "The way you... and your older brother talk are very similar."

Regin: "Huh?"

Subaru: "You're a good boy. Your brother seems to be one too."

That's why, from now on, their "First Reunion" would also be terrible. It was by no means something he liked or looked forward to.

Subaru: "I'm sorry."

Subaru apologized to Regin, who was standing in front of him, with a single sentence. The true meaning of his apology this time was much clearer than the vagueness of the previous one. However, Regin never understood the true meaning.

That was because before Regin could understand, his head had been engulfed by light and evaporated.

Subaru:

Regin's decapitated body collapsed onto the main road without even uttering a cry of pain. Intense heat seared the wound, and not even blood could flow from the cross-cut across his neck.

Although it was ethically wrong to praise the skill with which the murder had been carried out, it was such a refined blow that he wanted to evaluate it reflexively.

Subaru: It's a splendid thing no matter how many times he sees it.

No one could believe it. Natsuki Subaru had ordered someone killed, especially the brother of one of his best friends. Otto was pale, trembling with fear at such a scene. Emilia and Rem began to cry when they saw their Subaru saying those things as if it were art. But Subaru was having a panic attack. He knew it was the light that had decapitated him. He knew who he was with, and he didn't like it at all. He tried not to vomit and did everything possible to maintain his composure.

???: Natsuki Subaru has gone crazy and killed Emilia, Julius, and everyone with him. I barely escaped with my life, and somehow, I managed to escape and get here.

Everyone present frowned upon receiving the report Anastasia had brought. The meaning of what was reflected on their faces was quite clear.

Anastasia: "It's only natural that everyone finds it hard to believe. I am deeply sorry for having to return this report. But, considering the danger it poses, we cannot afford to ignore reality."

???: Anastasia-sama, even if she says that, I don't think so...

Echidna: "I'm Echidna. Ana still sleeps in this body. Although perhaps staying like this is a blessing for her."

Priscilla, who frowned, spoke in her usual arrogant tone.

Priscilla: "Hmph, it seems we have another witch cultist among us," the cunning fox. "Huh?"

Julius, wanting to defend his mistress, glanced at her but felt a hand stop him.

Julius: "Anastasia-sama?"

Anastasia simply shook her head, making him let him pass.

???: "Sounds like a very far-fetched story."

The one who had lowered his gaze and then answered while standing in front of Anastasia. "No, Echidna, it was a red-haired knight; it was Reinhard van Astrea."

They were in the city of water, Pristella. Those gathered there were those participating in the Royal Selection. The battle for the city had long since ended, and everyone present awaited the report on the return of Subaru and the others who had headed east.

Emilia and the others had headed east to borrow the wisdom of the Sage to find a way to restore the calamitous damage the Witch Cult had caused as a result of the Sin Archbishops' appearance in Pristella.

They were plunged into anxiety. But they expected good news.

The reason for believing this lay in one of the members who had headed east. That reason lay in none other than Natsuki Subaru himself. That would demonstrate, among other things, how he had gone mad.

Reinhard: If I fully understood everything you said, then I can't simply nod at this story.

Echidna: "Believe it or not, it's the truth. She's not the same person you all knew. Natsuki Subaru has lost her memories and is obsessed with regaining them. She's chosen the worst way to do it."

Reinhard: What would be the worst way...?

Echidna: "The Books of the Dead found in the Pleiades Watchtower... They contain the impressions and memories of the deceased. They can be read and understood. Unfortunately, since I haven't read any of them, I don't truly understand the extent of their power."

More confusion arose after they received Echidna's reply informing them of the strange power the books held.

Of course, the threat of losing one's memories had already been amply demonstrated. That was also one of the effects Subaru and the others had tried to address.

But who could have predicted that their journey to find a solution would end up causing something similar?

Subaru let out a short sigh as he looked at the city being swallowed by the flood.

The city's layout was built in the shape of a mortar, so that if water was poured into it, there would be no way out. It was undoubtedly extremely effective, like pouring water into an anthill.

Subaru: As expected of the city used for the decisive battle against the Mabeasts... the effectiveness of the trap was incredible.

The last scene showed this Subaru, and you saw him clearly. He was totally different from his own: white hair, heterochromatic eyes, and behind him, a scene that made everyone's stomach turns.

That's it.

The city of

Priestella.

But why is it flooded?

Subaru-kun?

Garfiel: "Shit! What the hell happened...!?"

Otto: "I think the city's floodgates have opened. As a result, the streets have been flooded." "Although we fought desperately to contain the Witch Cult, it was all in vain."

Otto murmured this to Garfiel, whose fangs were quivering as they looked around at the spectacle of the submerged city. Hearing this, he looked into the green eyes of his friend, whom he considered a younger brother, and noticed they were distorted with pain. Otto lowered his gaze.

The city's current state of dire straits could be seen everywhere, even with the naked eye. Luckily, Garfiel had picked Otto up and carried him on his shoulders, fleeing to a height where the water barely reached. However, how many people in the city would have managed to do the same?

Garfiel: B-But… Brotto… You see…

Otto: "WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO US NOW IF WE JUST SIT HERE LIKE FOOLS AND DO NOTHING!? NEITHER NATSUKI-SAN NOR EMILIA-SAMA IS HERE! PLEASE, GARFIEL, STAND UP! THERE'S ONLY US LEFT!"

Garfiel: Tch!

So to avoid thinking about that, Garfiel gritted his teeth and shook his head frantically.

But in the end, no matter how hard he tried, nothing he thought would change. It wasn't sadness or anger that mingled deep within Garfiel's chest; rather, a dark fury engulfed him as his anger grew.

If he were to summon that dark fury into his fangs and claws and attack the enemy with it, then...

???: Garfiel

Suddenly, a voice reached his skull in the midst of his tempestuous rage. The voice had just spoken his name. If it had been only that, Garfiel wouldn't even have listened.

However

Garfiel: Captain?

It would be a completely different story if that voice belonged to the person he had been waiting for. With his green eyes darting around in all directions, Garfiel searched for the figure who had spoken in the midst of the battle at high speed.

Frederica: No, Garfiel.

Mimi: Garfiel, you can.

Subaru: Your heart can't grasp the most important thing about you. Still, your family's gaze is sharp.

The moment she appeared before his eyes, Garfiel frowned, puzzled. Not because the murmur had reached his ears. Her murmur had been inaudible. What had caused the change in Garfiel's expression was simply surprise at what was before his eyes.

Garfiel: …

Beneath his eyes, a figure was staring at Garfiel, who leaped into the white light. Its appearance certainly seemed the same as the one he knew, but…

Garfiel: Who the hell are you?

As he turned his attention to his nose, a familiar scent wafted into his nostrils. However, it was his instinct, not his five senses that tried to deny the familiar figure beneath him.

A moment of thought dawned in his mind that didn't last even a fraction of a second.

However, it was a fatal mistake.

Moving toward him was

???: "Understood! Tah-dah!"

Garfiel: Ngh

In front of him, a black-haired woman lunged at him and launched a kick with an almost enthusiastic cry. Garfiel, who immediately parried her with both shields, absorbed the attack, which felt like he'd been rammed by a dragon carriage.

Even so, she wasn't an opponent he could deal with in this situation. He couldn't afford to have his attention directed in two different directions, both in front of him and below him.

Black-haired woman: "It's not that bad, but my love for the Master is 100 times better than that."

With a satisfied smile on his face, his palm rose toward Garfiel's face. In an instant, with all his hair standing on end, Garfiel tensed his body and quickly threw his face back...

*Silence*

The blow pierced Garfiel's abdomen, and his organs spilled out through his back.

Many couldn't help but vomit at the scene. Subaru and someone had massacred innocent people without knowing why, even though they knew it was unforgivable. Many shuddered at what had happened, but Subaru was trembling with rage. He knew whose attack it was, he knew whose voice it was, but he wouldn't accept it. WHY WOULDN'T HE ASK SOMETHING LIKE THAT OF POOR SHAULA!

???: "It's a shame, but even rats drown in so much water. It seems the guy you were talking to is nowhere to be seen."

Otto:…

A voice, accompanied by the sound of footsteps, silently struck Otto's eardrums.

The sound of footsteps slowly approached in a world that seemed plunged into a terrible silence. He turned his head to see where the footsteps were coming from, and Otto held his breath for a moment.

And then he let out a short gasp.

Otto: …You really are beyond recognition, Natsuki-san.

Subaru: “Really? If you’re referring to me, then I’m not quite understanding, but…”

Otto: ……What do you mean?

Subaru: “Didn’t you find out what I’m doing because of Echidna? My memories have faded, I’ve been going crazy… In short, that’s all.”

Otto: “Of course I have. I even heard you’re obsessed with recovering your memories.”

Subaru: “I don’t remember saying that much, but… well, it’s a reasonable assumption. After all, you’re all quite competent. The only incompetent and despicable one is me.”

Subaru: “Who’s… the most troublesome guy among those who know me?”

Otto-kun

Emilia replied.

Subaru: Who's... the most troublesome guy who knows me?

Otto, I suppose.

Beatriz answered.

Subaru: Who's... the most troublesome guy who knows me?

That would be Otto, right? How annoying.

Ram answered.

Subaru: Who's... the most troublesome guy who knows me?

That would be Ottoooooooo-kun.

Roswaal answered.

Subaru: Who's... the most troublesome guy who knows me?

Otto-san.

Petra answered.

Subaru: Who's... the most troublesome guy who knows me?

I'm Otto-sama.

Frederica answered.

Subaru: "It's unanimous. Even if Garfiel joined them, he'd probably say the same thing."

Otto: Who the hell are you talking to...?

They simply lowered their heads. They knew why they were saying that because they were dead. Subaru had killed them to find Natsuki. Subaru felt sad because they couldn't help him. And these, these are the consequences of that act.

But Subaru knew that fate was one of loneliness and understood that Subaru didn't know how "Return by Death" worked.

Subaru: It's useless.

Everyone turned to see what he was saying.

Subaru: He thinks that by reading his memories he can go back, but everyone would be the same. They would be dead. He thinks he went back in time, but that's not the case.

They shuddered, knowing that everything he had done would be in vain.

Otto: No way. To be considered the most valuable thing in life and for it to go wrong like this... this feels absolutely terrible.

Subaru: "Valued in life? You're misinterpreting it."

There was not a trace of sarcasm in Subaru's response to Otto's words; he had spoken from his heart.

This was the truth Subaru had seen from reading all the books at Camp Emilia. There was no doubt about it.

Subaru: You were always the most valued by everyone in the camp, Otto!

Otto: Eat shit, you faker.

To Subaru, who had bared his teeth and smiled, Otto also bared his teeth and twisted his face into a terrible grin.

Though those words pierced Subaru's chest quite deeply...

In the next instant, a flash of white light pierced Otto's body, and their conversation was forced to end.

A scene cuts to three individuals. Two of them are Natsuki Subaru and the Sword Saint Reinhard Van Astrea, but there is a woman among them, the same one seen when Garfiel and Otto were killed.

Subaru: I also need the piece inside you to get Natsuki Subaru back. That's why I will come to kill you one day.

Reinhard: …

Subaru: "But not now. Not today. "It's a matter for tomorrow."

A trace of bewilderment clouded Reinhard's eyes immediately after hearing Subaru's proclamation.

Reinhard was trying to sort things out right now. In fact, if Reinhard wanted to, Subaru was in a position to close the distance with a single step and take him down in an instant. Even if Shaula tried to defend him, it wouldn't change the outcome.

But despite that, Subaru could still tell...

???: Assuming Felt managed to take refuge in all this, I think she'd be somewhere on the outskirts of the city.

And turning in the direction indicated by the bald giant, Shaula shot a flash of white light in that direction.

Reinhard, seeing this, felt disgusted with himself. There were threats he alone could defeat, in his life as an idle knight. On the other hand, his best friend, Natsuki Subaru, faced those threats, died, and faced them again. He wasn't a hero, but that boy was a better hero than him. But now that he sees it like this, he feels frustrated.

Subaru and Shaula are shown resting in a forest around a campfire.

Subaru: "...After I kill Reinhard, I'll kill you last. I, who am not Natsuki Subaru, will kill you last. That's what I'll do for you."

Shaula: ...

Subaru: "That's all I promise."

Shaula: "Ah, aha, aha! Master, Master... really? Will I be the last? Will I be Master's last wife?"

Subaru: When you say it like that, it makes me want to break that promise right now.

Shaula: "Ehh~! No! It's a promise! It was definitely a promise!"

Subaru: I was joking.

Shaula: "Eeeeeh!? A joke? What part was a joke? Master, Master~!"

The screen fades to black as a title appears.

『 Rebuilding a Life in another World from Scratch 』 THE END

Chapter Text

"Rebuilding a Life in Another World from Scratch" END

Silence, an absolute silence fell over the theater. No one wanted to speak because if they did, they would immediately vomit—some out of sheer fear from the spectacle they had witnessed, and others out of the most absolute rage. And in that rage, a boy with black hair stood up from his seat, clenching his fists until they bled, and a voice that sent shivers down more than one spine.

Subaru: HEY, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT! HEY WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT! THAT ALTERNATE TIMELINE OR WHATEVER IT WAS IS A DAMN ABOMINATION, AND I WOULD NEVER DO THAT! THAT BASTARD IS A MONSTER, A COLD-BLOODED KILLER JUST AS BAD OR WORSE THAN ELSA, DON'T PESTER ME, BASTARD

Huh? From what I see, you didn't like it. I understand your point, but pfft, brother, it's a different "YOU." Accept it and get over it, man, it's the only thing you can do with that bastard line you said. Besides, I was planning to send you back immediately, but there are some problems, and I can't do it until they are resolved.

Everyone tilted their heads at what the guardian said. "Problem"? What could interfere to make it a problem, or maybe it's just a glitch in the system, it should only be that. But while some were thinking about that, someone asked something quite logical.

Crush: Problems, if you are a guardian, shouldn't you be more powerful than all of us? The duchess asked with her arms crossed and a piercing gaze at the screen.

Mmm let me explain something to everyone, unlike my siblings I am not completely a being of pure energy, I am mixed.

Mestizo?

Priscilla, with her fan swaying and frowning, let out with disdain and huffing

Priscilla: Hmp, you had to be a plebeian, all of you are equally incompetent, you can't even do your job. Hmp, you had to be a plebeian, all of you are equally incompetent, not even able to do your job.

He kept quiet to avoid a 3,000-plus ultra fan from his lady sending him flying, he thought.

Al: Brother, why do I feel like my stars are going to betray me? I hope not. Brother, why do I feel like my stars are going to betray me? I hope not.

Let's see, baroness, despite not being completely made of energy and being half earthling or human, to put it simply, physically I am average/weak compared to my brothers, but despite that, I have mana reserves and was able to extract "Chakra," thus having better magical control and being able to cast more spells from a safe distance. Besides, I am a strategist; unlike Subaru, I won't throw myself into the mouth of the white whale or the great rabbit.

Subaru/Al: Are you a support/buffer?

Subaru, seeing that they were looking at him strangely, raised his hands and began to explain.

Subaru: A support/buffer would be almost like Félix, healing his allies in addition to providing physical enhancements, and from what he said, he also develops strategies to ensure they don't lose.

That's right, my dear Watson, even when I'm not with you, I'm supporting the previous guardian in his fight, just imagine. A Subaru with better control over the "Return by Death" that can travel at will without dying to any part of its history, and adding to that if it concentrates more and gathers more energy to activate it but not to go back but to move forward at least 5 or 10 hours into the future, thus knowing even the most exact details for an absolute strategy. Besides, since I am half human, I have carnal desires, and uff, fried food and a really cold soda give me a hundred thousand years of life.

Many were fascinated by the possible ability of this guardian, a Death Return unlike any other, who can not only go back to any point in the past but also see the future—a truly terrifying ability for many.

Well, if you want to talk to this Subaru about some things, now is the exact moment to do it. For now, I bid you farewell. Adieu.

The first to speak was the merchant princess, although she wanted to know more about the Tower of the Pleiades, the boy had previously mentioned that there was something in Priestella about an archbishop.

Anastasia: Well, Natsuki-kun, I want to know more about what happened in Priestella. What exactly happened there? Well, Natsuki-kun, I want to know more about what happened in Priestella. What exactly happened there?

Subaru, who had been distracted along with Emilia and Rem, composed himself and spoke with a firm voice.

Subaru: A joint attack by the archbishops, among them were the two gluttons and, as I said, lust, if I remember correctly, was called Capella Emerada Lugunica. I read about it when I had free time in the mansion, and honestly, his appearance perfectly matched the traits of the royal family. Moreover, his authority is a complete nuisance; he can change his body into whatever he wants, a dragon or a familiar.

Everyone nodded, and some took notes on the mentioned data so that when they left there, they could outline a priority plan on whom to confront and whom to avoid.

Subaru: Then there are two more, Wrath, called Sirius Romanee-Conti, and Greed, called Regulus Corneas.

Upon hearing the name Regulus, several growled at the man in white who was involved in the siege of Crush and Rem and the freezing of the Elior forest.

Subaru: Sirius was captured and is currently on her way to the capital prison, as for Regulus, Emilia-tan, Rein, and I killed him. Her ability was a problem at first, but I solved it and gave instructions to Emilia-tan.

They were surprised by what was mentioned; the same man in white who seemed invincible was eliminated by him.

While Subaru continued speaking, static was heard from the screen and it began to turn on momentarily.

The theater lights began to flicker more and more, the dim light that was a warm blue transformed into a strong red, and something started to be written on the screen.

Space/time gap detected, alternate lines connecting, system error, system error

The next moment everything turned black, the theater room was engulfed in pure darkness. Gradually, the lights turned on in the same dark red color as before, and the screen began to transmit something.

Hello, Emilia.

"Subaru?"

The boy chuckled to himself: "Man! You look as impressive as ever under the moonlight!" Oh! I can't stand it! Paramedic!

"Subaru... What's wrong?" Concern took over his words. "What's wrong?" Concern took over his words.

Ah. That." The boy playfully hit his head. "You see, I've had a revelation." All this time I have been stressing over my memories, trying to imitate who everyone expects me to be. But the solution turned out to be so simple! Aha! Honestly, I feel like an idiot for not having seen it until now...

Subaru...

"But everything is going to be fine now!" said the boy. Even if it takes a long time, I promise you that Natsuki Subaru will be back in top form!... Although I suppose from your perspective it won't take long, right? he murmured.

Nodding to themselves, they ended up saying: "Everything is going to be alright!"

Murmuring to himself, the boy continued: "What I am doing is right." It's the only way, the only way. I have to do it! I'll fix everything! So forgive my presumption in asking you to trust me. I will restore everything, just trust me.

"Subaru." I trust you...

Oh, thank God! You'll see! I'll fix everything...

The girl clicked her tongue softly and finished the sentence.

But if that were true, why do you sound so hurt?

"Hrk-!"

The boy shuddered when the girl's words struck a chord.

"No, no, it's...", he continued slapping himself. "It may not be easy, but I swear I will be worthy of standing by your side again." Even though I'm not yet, I will strive! I will connect all the pieces until I remember everything! I will work and work until I can carry the name of Natsuki Subaru. But until then, I hope you can endure Natsuki 

Subaru. Hahaha..."

-...-

My name is Emilia. Just Emilia.

"Huh?"

A silver bell resonated amidst the destructive ramblings of a crumbling child. A child crying for help, begging to be saved from himself. Being saved from his imminent fate. Being saved from the path of darkness that I was determined to follow.

She couldn't allow him to go down that path.

"Subaru and I met at a place called Casa del Botín, in the capital." He started: Back then, Felt stole a very important badge from me. I was in a panic; I was running back and forth while Puck helped me look for it. Finally, we found the Loot House, and that's when I met Subaru.

*...*

The memory comforted her heart, but it wasn't over yet: "At first, I was confused." I was worried about myself and my badge, but I'm pretty sure it was the first time we were seeing each other.

"Why are you...?”

But she saved me for the first time that day from Meili's sister. We fought and she was really strong. But Reinhard arrived and repelled her.

*...*

When she unleashed that super strong attack, I thought it was all over. But it was then that Meili's sister tried to deliver the fatal blow.

"...Enough."

It was then that Subaru saved me for the second time. And despite suffering serious injuries, the only thing he asked for in return was my name.

"Enough!"

"That was the day I met Subaru." Don't you remember?

"Enough!"

The child whimpered: "I don't remember!" No, no, no! I'm not that person! I can't be that person! The "me" you're talking about no longer exists! Who are you?! Who are you?!

The boy collapsed. Tears streamed down his face as he asked: "Who is that 'me' that everyone loves?" Why do they care?

And so, the girl approached the boy. Her hand rested on his hair as she comforted him: "My name is Emilia." Just Emilia."

*...*

Even though there are so many things I would like to ask you, only one question matters right now. —He whispered—: The Watchtower has fallen silent. I haven't seen the others in a while and I'm worried. But if I can be selfish for a moment, the only thing that matters to me right now is saving the person in front of me.

*...*

I am sure that everyone in the tower feels the same way. Beatrice, Ram, Echidna, and Julius... none of them would be happy to see you in such trouble. So, I have to ask you a question.

And then, a voice sounded.

"You, who have made us feel this way, who are you?"

*...*

"Please." Let me hear your name.

And as the sobs intensified, a hoarse voice responded.

"...I can't." The boy held back the tears, but they refused to run down his eyelids. "I can't." I can't.

The girl stroked the boy's back. She whispered sweet words in his ear: that everything would be alright. If not now, someday. If not soon, sooner or later.

That was his promise.

"I can't do it, but it has to be done."

"... Subaru?" Subaru?

The child choked: "Shaula? ... P-Please."

"Subaru?"

And a few moments later, the girl's body collapsed to the ground and a ray of light pierced her heart.

That's how Emilia –only Emilia– lost her life.

The scene, although they had seen several die before, was more explicit this time; they saw the heart shatter into pieces, blood gushing more and more from where the stinger had struck and from the mouth of the half-elf. Her eyes, those wonderful amethyst-colored eyes, gradually lost their shine, and on her face, despite everything, she maintained a warm smile—a smile they would never see again.

In that room, sobs began to be heard at such a respectful scene. Frederica quickly acted and protected the little maid, Ricardo did the same for Tivey, and Anastasia for Mimi.

Emilia, unable to believe what she was seeing, began to cry silently; tears welled up in her eyes. Rem, covering her mouth, also cried as she watched her hero turn into a killer.

And the Subaru that arrived at this theater only felt anger, a pure and immaculate anger towards that Subaru that killed the person he loved the most.

And from there, the theater was filled with >DESPAIR<

Mom, are the stories about the terrifying man with white hair true? —A young, hesitant voice full of unease broke the calm of the evening. The child's little hands clutched the fabric of his mother's skirt as he looked at her with wide, anxious eyes.

The mother, a kind woman with soft blue eyes and matching hair, looked at her son and smiled, although there was a hint of concern in her expression. "What do you mean, son?" "Have they been telling you strange stories again?" Her voice was calm and soothing as she knelt to his height, placing her hands on his small shoulders.

The boy nodded, gripping her skirt tighter. "They said..." They said there's a terrifying man with white hair who comes at night. They said he kills those who know his name...". Her voice trembled and she nervously looked towards the door, as if she expected the figure to appear at any moment.

The mother sighed softly, realizing the weight of her son's fear. She extended her hand and cupped his face between hers while looking intently at him. "Listen to me, dear." Those kids just want to scare you. That's all: stories to scare you before bed.

His thumbs brushed her cheeks, dispelling any trace of anxiety in her eyes. "There is no man with white hair who is scary." And even if there were, your father and I would protect you. We would never let anything happen to you. I promise you.

The child's lower lip trembled, but he nodded. The reassuring words of his mother provided him with a small comfort. "Do you promise?"

"I promise," she repeated, giving him a gentle kiss on the forehead. Her voice was warm, full of all the love and protection a mother can offer.

And for an instant, the boy believed him. He believed that the world outside his door was safe, that the stories were nothing but fantasy. He believed that no strange figure with white hair would come looking for him.

But the promises made in the warmth of home are sometimes no match for the coldness that lies beyond.

The boy didn't know it then, but that would be the last conversation he would have with his mother. The last time he would hear her voice, soft and soothing, before *he* appeared.

N no please no

And this isn't true, right? Right!?

Petra, come and don't see

Tivey Mimi come too

It was late at night when the boy woke up in his dream, the peace of his dream interrupted by something he still couldn't identify. He wrinkled his nose, a strange and acrid smell invaded his dreams: ash, smoke, and soot.

He opened his eyes abruptly, blinking with difficulty in the darkness as the penetrating smell became overwhelming. The boy rubbed his eyes, trying to steady himself.

"Mom?"

Her voice came out trembling, weak, the fear boiled in her chest even before she understood why. He listened, the silence around him was louder than usual. Normally, his mother would respond immediately, with her soft voice calling him back to bed. But that night, there was nothing to be heard. The only sound was the distant crackling of the flames, although he hadn't noticed it yet.

He waited, with his heart pounding. There was still no answer. The silence dragged on, suffocating.

Gathering his courage, the boy slid out of bed. His small body trembled as he tiptoed towards the door. Each step felt heavier than the last, each creak of the floor only heightened her anxiety.

"Dad?"

He tried again, his voice barely louder than a whisper. But the house remained unsettlingly silent, without a single response. He swallowed hard, telling himself that his parents were probably outside. They were always busy, always doing something important. It had to be that; there had to be a reasonable explanation. That was the only thing preventing him from running back to his room.

With trembling fingers, the boy reached for the doorknob; the cold metal dug into his palm as he slowly turned it. The door opened with a creak, and as soon as he stepped out, his breath caught in his throat.

The village, the only home he had ever known, was burning.

The flames danced over the rooftops, licking the night sky as dense clouds of smoke rose into the air. The streets, once filled with laughter and the voices of neighbors, were now filled with heart-wrenching and desperate screams.

They echoed around him, disconcerting and painful to hear. His eyes, wide open, took in the scene before him, but it wasn't until he looked closely, squinting through the fire haze, that he saw her.

Bodies.

His stomach churned violently at the sight of mangled and charred corpses scattered like broken dolls, while the flames eagerly devoured what remained of them. Some were still burning, their faces twisted in silent screams. She covered her mouth with her hand as bile rose to her throat.

Her legs trembled and before she knew it, she collapsed to her knees, unable to look away from the devastation.

This was his home. These were her neighbors, her friends. And now, they are gone.

Normally, a child his age would cry in a situation like that, scream, run to ask for help. But he couldn't do any of that. The shock left him completely motionless. His body was paralyzed, his mind racing, but unable to catch his breath. The heat of the fire, the stench of burnt flesh, the screams still ringing in his ears... it was all too much.

And then he heard footsteps.

At first, I didn't want to believe it. Maybe... maybe it was his parents. Maybe they were coming to get him, to take him away from this nightmare. Please, he thought. Please, let it be them. Let it be someone who can save me.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze, with hope clinging to his chest despite the horror surrounding him. But the figure standing before him was not the savior he had prayed for.

He was a man, a man with white hair and a penetrating gaze that seemed to pierce through the smoke and chaos. He was calm, with an unsettling tranquility, his face expressionless as he looked at the boy. The man's gaze was cold, empty, as if what he saw around him were nothing more than a fleeting annoyance.

He didn't seem bothered by the flames or the destruction. He didn't even look at the burning corpses at his feet. It was as if this were normal for him. A habit, so to speak.

The child's heart almost stopped when the man's gaze fixed on him. For an instant, neither of them moved; the crackling of the fire was the only sound between them.

Hey, kid... —The man's voice cut through the air like a knife; sharp, though not particularly loud. It wasn't threatening, but it had a force that sent shivers down the boy's spine, as if he shouldn't speak when he did. The authority in his tone was suffocating, enveloping him like a vise.

Do you know my name? —asked the man, slightly narrowing his eyes, although his face remained as expressionless as before.

The same scene, but this time many felt bile rise and vomited until they couldn't anymore, sobbing and sadness for the child on screen, and the brutality of the scene was much greater than the other. In this one, you could perfectly see the entrails and intestines being cut in half, bones protruding from the bodies, the smell of burnt flesh that for some reason reached the theater. The mutilated bodies, the unprecedented amount of blood, body parts strewn across the floor.

"Hey, brother...", shouted a wavering but familiar voice. "Actually..." Can I still call you that?

Subaru's expression changed slightly upon seeing Al step into the circle of smoldering debris. His smile, practiced and realistic, spread across his face like an old mask being removed for a special occasion.

Al! "Long time no see!" Subaru greeted cheerfully, without his tone betraying the carnage surrounding him. His voice conveyed a feigned sincerity, as if they were two old friends meeting on the street rather than two former comrades confronting each other in the ruins of a village reduced to ashes.

Al, standing a few steps away, remained expressionless, partly due to the helmet that concealed his face, but also because the situation had stripped away any trace of amusement. There was a palpable tension in the air between them, a tension that Subaru's fake smile coul

"I like what you've done with this place," Al said in a dry tone, his words laden with sarcasm as his eyes scrutinized the destruction. From what I've seen, you've taken a liking to fire.

Subaru tilted his head slightly, without wiping the smile off his face. "Oh, it wasn't me who suggested the fire, Al," he said nonchalantly, waving his hand as if dismissing the idea. "It was them." But I will gladly accept your compliments on their behalf.

He laughed under his breath, but it was a hollow laugh, devoid of any affection. It wasn't the kind of laughter that comes from amusement, but from exhaustion. "Dude, your head is even more of a mess than I thought," he said in a monotone, though with a hint of sadness.

Subaru did not respond immediately. Instead, he continued tracing lazy circles in the dirt, with an unwavering smile. For a moment, he seemed almost thoughtful, as if he were considering Al's words.

I know, Subaru said quietly after a pause, with a slight change in tone. There was no trace of remorse in his voice, just a simple acknowledgment of the truth—. I'm good for nothing... I am a repugnant man. —He looked at Al, his eyes shining in the firelight. Isn't that why you came here? To stop me?

Al shifted restlessly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Despite the tension, he hesitated. There was something in Subaru's voice, an unsettling calmness, as if he had resigned himself to being the villain of this story.

Priscilla, despite being expressionless in the face of the scene unfolding, seemed serene, but the truth was she was anxious, for some reason she was anxious and she disliked that feeling.

On the contrary, he did look nervous, but not because of his presumed death, but because of one of his secrets.

"All this place is my web... and you are the fly caught in it." His words brimmed with confidence, and the unsettling calm in his voice made it clear that it was no deception. He had set intricate traps all over the area, each one the result of his meticulous planning.

The ground was strewn with hidden mana stones, traps designed to immobilize, mutilate, or kill. Each one placed with precision and carefully hidden.

Only someone as obsessive, and perhaps as crazy, as Subaru would take the time to memorize each of the traps he had set. His strategic mind was sharp, even cruel, and Al now found himself in the center of a battlefield that belonged entirely to Subaru.

Subaru continued, without taking his eyes off Al. "There are no reinforcements either..." I sent Shaula away to take care of the others. So it will just be you and me, here and now.

His mocking smile widened, but it wasn't the kind of smile of someone looking to enjoy a fight. It was the smile of someone who had already envisioned victory, who had considered all possible outcomes, and who enjoyed knowing that their opponent had little chance.

Al stood firm, while the flames cast long shadows around him, flickering in the chaotic environment. His helmet concealed his expression, but the way he rested his hand on the sword with indifference and the disdainful tone in his voice were clear signs of his absolute confidence.

"Are you done yet?" He raised an eyebrow under the helmet, his voice casual. "Or do I have to endure another villain monologue before I go kick your butt?"

Then, without warning, Al began to walk towards him. His movements were calm, measured, almost indifferent to the chaos around them. Subaru tensed, ready to activate the trap under Al's feet. But just as Al's foot was about to touch one of the hidden mana stones, it slightly veered of

f, dodging it with precision.

Subaru's eyes widened in disbelief. Impossible... Did he avoid it?

"It took me 50 attempts to figure it out," Al murmured, in a casual tone but with a hint of annoyance as he dodged another trap, his steps calculated as if he knew exactly where each danger was hidden.

Subaru's heart began to beat strongly. He walked through his minefield of traps as if nothing, as if he had been there thousands of times. "Impossible..." Subaru whispered, his voice barely audible. He watched with growing frustration as Al carefully navigated the intricate field of traps, without hesitation or falter.

"Those needed a total of 1213 attempts," added Al, with a tense voice and a hint of irritation. He kept walking, unfazed by the lethal magic lurking beneath the surface; his figure, an unyielding presence amidst the turmoil.

Subaru's frustration turned into anger. He clenched his fists upon realizing: He wasn't falling into his trap; he had already mastered it. It wasn't a stroke of luck or a coincidence. He knew it. He knew where every trap was, as if he had memorized the entire battlefield. But how? The thought gnawed at Subaru's mind, unraveling his carefully laid plans.

Fear seized Subaru's heart as Al closed the distance; his imposing figure drew nearer with each step. Subaru instinctively stepped back; the confident smile he had shown earlier turned into a flicker of nervousness. "What... what are you?" Subaru murmured softly, his voice trembling. No information, no warning, had prepared him for this.

But it was too late. Al had crossed the threshold, approaching Subaru with an almost lazy ease. Before Subaru could react, Al's hand shot out, grabbing him by the lapel of his coat with aggressive force. The strength of the grip caused a sharp pain in Subaru's chest, making it clear that Al was not beating around the bush.

Al tilted his head slightly, and even through the visor of his helmet, Subaru felt the intensity of the fixed gaze on him. "Memorizing your field of nonsense took me a total of 5431 attempts... thanks for that, by the way," Al said with a grim and mocking tone.

By shaking his head, he already knew what would happen next.

Al: Brother, the stars have truly betrayed me. Brother, the stars really betrayed me.

Subaru, who saw this and drawing his own conclusions, remembered what Petelguese had told him about the missing sin.

Subaru: "Hey," Subaru said almost expressionlessly.

Upon seeing the boy with black hair, she looked up and responded to him.

Al: What happened, bro?

Subaru: You... are the missing one, right? You... are the missing one, aren't you?

Everyone looked on in confusion at the interaction between the two until Subaru said something disconcerting.

Subaru: You are >Pride<, right? Well, let's go, I'm not going to say anything since if we talk about position, I'm worse off because they know that my >AUTHORITY< is >ENVY<, so I'm worse off than you.

No one said anything because they k

new it wouldn't get them anywhere.

Without warning, Al slammed Subaru to the ground with enough force to rattle his bones and leave him breathless. The impact caused a sharp pain that coursed through Subaru's body, leaving him breathless. It wasn't enough to kill him, but it hurt: a clear message from Al.

Trapped under Al's hand, Subaru tried to manage, searching frantically for a way out. His carefully crafted plan had crumbled before his eyes, and the realization hit him hard. Al was not someone you could play with. He was a force of nature, relentless, calculating, and perfectly familiar with every move Subaru made.

Al looked at him intently, in a low but firm voice. "You're not the only one who's been through hell, brother."

Subaru's jaw clenched... he was in pain, he was suffering... but this was probably nothing compared to the pain Natsuki Subaru had likely gone through.

Al stood next to Subaru, his gaze cold beneath the helmet, as he watched the young man writhing in pain. Subaru's voice, hoarse and tense, barely managed to escape his lips. "Sha..." His whisper was almost unintelligible, but Al's instincts kicked in. He knew something was wrong.

Without taking any risks, Al withdrew his fist, preparing to slam Subaru against the ground once more, this time with enough force to knock him unconscious. But Subaru's voice suddenly resonated with renewed strength. "Shaula!"

The scream pierced the air, resonating across the battlefield. In that fraction of a second, Al hesitated, his fist still raised as he processed the name. But before he could continue, a beam of bright light rushed down from the top of the hill, where Crusch's soldiers had been regrouping.

"Shit!" cursed Al as the bolt struck with precision, scorching the air with blinding speed. He barely had time to react before the bolt pierced his only healthy arm, launching it through the air in a grotesque arc. The force of the explosion made him stagger back, reeling as the pain burned through his body.

For a brief moment, there was nothing but the repugnant crackle of energy in the air and Al's ragged breathing as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. His arm... had disappeared. The pain was sharp, relentless, but the shock had not yet fully dissipated.

Subaru, seizing the opportunity, delivered a powerful kick to Al's chest. Although it wasn't enough to cause serious harm, the sudden attack pushed him even further back, throwing him off balance.

Subaru stood up with difficulty, gasping for breath, but a soft, almost disconcerting laugh escaped his lips. It was a laugh that did not match the face of someone in his situation, someone who had been on the verge of defeat. However, there she was: cold, distant, and strangely amused.

That girl... always makes me worry for nothing —murmured Subaru, his voice still trembling but with a touch of relief. She was far away, but her presence had just saved his life.

Al's body was shaking as he struggled to breathe despite the pain. The loss of his arm was taking its toll, but he was not done fighting yet. As the shock clouded his vision, he saw Subaru approaching, with a glimmer of unsettling satisfaction in his mismatched eyes. Before Al could try to get up, Subaru's boot struck him in the chest, pinning him to the ground with surprising force.

He coughed, trying to move under the weight, but Subaru pressed harder, digging his heel into the armor plate over his chest. The pressure caused a sharp pain in his ribs, and each shallow breath became more difficult. Subaru's expression remained cold, distant; his face was a mask of absolute apathy.

You will bleed out here... that is the fate I have decided to give you —murmured Subaru, with a voice devoid of emotion, as if he were simply stating a fact.

Al's gaze shifted towards the young man who was watching him, trying to comprehend the utter insensitivity of the matter. There was no anger or personal vengeance in Subaru's tone, just a chilling indifference that was much worse.

Subaru leaned slightly forward, without altering his expression, as he continued: "Don't worry... you won't die." You will simply join the others here. Slowly and deliberately,

Subaru pointed to his blind eye

Everyone turned their gaze at the scene. Shaula's attack hit the target dead on, although almost always the heat radiating from the attack would seal the wound, this time it was different. As if a tap had been turned on, blood began to gush out like water, shooting from where his arm had once been, torn off from the shoulder, and then Subaru stepping on his chest with force, the sound of Al's bones breaking echoed.

Al's body involuntarily shuddered; the pain became unbearable. He let out a dry, humorless laugh, coughing as blood splattered in his mouth. "Heh... brother, you talk as if you've already won..." His voice was weak, but the challenge persisted. "I'm not dead yet."

Subaru didn't turn around. He simply kept walking, waving his hand dismissively behind him. "You will soon," he said softly, his voice fading into the distance as he disappeared among the flames and shadows.

Al, alone, gritted his teeth and his vision faded. But even as darkness loomed over him, his determination did not waver. The pain, the loss of blood... everything felt too familiar to him. He had been through worse things.

"I have more lives than you think, brother..." he whispered to himself, a slight smile tugging at his lips as his consciousness began to fade.

The Princess of the Sun knelt over Aldebaran's fallen body. Her elegant and ornate fan, which she used to conceal her expressions behind an air of mystery, lay abandoned by her side, forgotten in her grief. The flames flickered around her, casting dancing shadows on her face as the heat quickly dried the blood that had pooled beneath her.

He extended his hand, his fingers hovering over her motionless body, hesitating as if the touch itself would shatter some delicate illusion, his emotions clashing with each other. He could feel the heat of the flames against his skin, but he didn't feel their warmth.

"Aldebaran...", he murmured, his voice fragile as a whisper. A note of sadness trembled in her words, but beneath it simmered a hint of anger, pain... betrayal. She was so accustomed to his presence, so sure that he would always be there, a constant in her life, unbreakable like the sun.

He had never shown signs of hesitation, not even of considering another path. So, why, why now?

Aren't you my possession, Aldebaran? —His voice hardened, his words sharper, imbued with the pain of abandonment. He stepped closer, his gaze piercing through the flames, searching for answers that his silent body could not provide—. When did I give you permission to leave this world?

The words hung in the air, laden with pain and resentment. He hated how empty the space beside him felt, how bad it was to look down and see him motionless. Aldebarán had always been unyielding, a mountain of strength by his side; yet there he was, motionless, leaving his questions unanswered.

She clenched her fists and felt her nails digging into her palms, as if the pain could anchor her to the ground and keep her away from the void that threatened to swallow her.

For so long, he had been hers. Not just a servant, not just a protector, but an anchor, someone who belonged only to her. Someone she could command, someone she could care for in her own way, discreetly. And yet, he had the audacity to leave her without saying a word.

"Answer me..." Her voice was barely a whisper, a futile plea to the void. His fingers brushed her forehead, tenderly moving a strand of hair from her face. "Why did you do this?" My part... wasn't enough?

The firelight reflected in her eyes, and a trace of moisture gathered at the corners, but she blinked to dissipate it, hardening her expression. No matter how much she wished otherwise, she would not get an answer, and understanding washed over her once again. She clenched her fists, her own heat almost lost in the fire that surrounded them.

"Fool..." she whispered, her voice slightly trembling. "You were meant to stay." You were destined to be with me, to carry this to the end. To be by my side..." Her words faded, bitter and unsatisfied.

In slow and resigned movement, she bent down, took her fan, and held it again in front of her face. But this time, it was not to hide a serene and calm expression, but to conceal the pain that she refused to let anyone see. The Sun Princess stood up and cast one last sad glance at Aldebaran.

It tires me then, Aldebaran —he whispered, his voice barely audible above the crackling flames.

"...rest easy knowing th

at I myself will not forget you."

Several lowered their gaze out of respect for the fallen knight, even though they could have captured him once more. That theater showed them what Subaru could do if he joined the witch's cult or simply got tired of being treated with indifference, but from that feeling, a promise was born.

Subaru, I will always be there for you as it should be.

Subaru-kun, I will help you become a better hero than you are.

Subaru-dono, as I promised you that time, I will be your sword.

When the screen abruptly went dark, showing those words from the beginning again.

Space/time gap detected, alternate lines connecting, system error, system error

A scene change is shown eight years after what happened, the royal palace where the current Queen of the Dragon Kingdom, Priscilla Barielle, was located. Reinhard could also be seen, but he looked emaciated, sad, >DEFEATED<.

"Don't worry about this, Priscilla, Natsuki Subaru will fix everything." See you at the second meeting." Three red lights floated above his head almost like a halo. "Only two pieces now." The red spirits floating above Subaru's head began to glow.

"Al Goa," he whispered. The flames erupted around him and the castle began to catch fire. Two of the fire spirits ran to set the rest of the castle ablaze.

A circle of flames formed around her torso, although they kept their distance. Priscilla could do nothing as she heard the flames battering the capital, and the tremors continued to resonate from Shaula's relentless bombardment.

After a few minutes, Natsuki Subaru's gaze returned to her. "Otto says enough time has passed." He turned his head to wink at nothing. Then he extended his hand and flattened it towards her.

Fear took hold of Priscilla when her lips parted and a spirit of fire flickered in front of her crushed palm.

"Goa."

"¡AHHHHHHHH!"

A scream that echoed throughout the castle, a scream of despair, of anger, of frustration, and of regret.

Hell. If Priscilla could think, she would have called her situation hell. But her mind was being dragged, scraped, torn, shattered, crushed, and burned.

Just like his body.

Priscilla was engulfed in flames; her dress had burned a long time ago. Her skin was melting. The drops of boiling liquid quickly burned away from the heat. The pain was tearing her apart.

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? That weak word was all that could come to his mind as his lungs collapsed and burned like dry sponges.

I didn't even know if I was screaming anymore. His ears had burned out a long time ago. He could barely see what was in front of him. A small part of her brain felt the liquid running down her eyelids. Priscilla couldn't understand that the heat was burning her eyes, drying out the liquid.

With his hazel eyes, he barely noticed the intrusion of a red-haired man into the room. The flaming doors splintered before the might of the Sword Saint. The blue eyes of Reinhard van Astrea shone in the fire. They shone with hatred. Even in her state of deep desolation, a small part of her mind knew that her hatred was directed towards herself.

Reinhard. Please, don't blame yourself. A small glimmer of sanity in Priscilla whispered before fading away. Her thoughts completely faded away as her brain cooked inside her fragile skull.

The last thing Priscilla Barielle saw was the Saint of the Sword falling to his knees before her.

A few minutes later, a book titled "Priscilla Barielle

" appeared in a distant library.

That scream shattered what little sanity remained in the theater. How was it possible that this boy could easily kill everyone? He was a threat, a monster, and he was the champion of >ENVY<. Meanwhile, on the screen, Natsuki Subaru and Reinhard were both kneeling, with Subaru comforting Reinhard as if he were a father.

"Can you really bring Felt-sama back?" Tears welled up in Reinhard's eyes and evaporated in the intense fire.

I can. Just like Natsuki Subaru killed the white whale, the great rabbit, Sloth, and Greed. And just like I killed Lust and Wrath. Exactly like Natsuki Subaru saved Felt from Elsa. I can save Felt, Reinhard.

Reinhard raised his arms. Subaru's hands separated from his, but the knife remained standing. The determination burned in Reinhard's eyes. His body tried to prevent him from committing suicide, but Reinhard easily overcame his fear.

The knife pricked his neck and a stream of blood ran down his skin. "I can save Felt." And you can rest. "Don't worry, Rein." Subaru gently stroked the hair on the crown of his head. It was as if he were comforting a child.

Upon hearing these words, Reinhard clung to his reason for dying. He plunged the knife into his neck, driving it in by the handle.

Reinhard's determination began to fade. Exhaustion and relief replaced it. The feeling of sleepiness after spending an entire day awake and focused on work overwhelmed him. Od Laguna eliminated the pain.

Reinhard rejected the divine protection of the phoenix.

"REINHARD!" shouted the voice of Od Laguna. The world seemed frightened. He tried to impose a new divine phoenix protection on Reinhard, but the Sword Saint rejected it with an apology.

I'm sorry, but I can't continue. Subaru is right. Reinhard's blood sizzled in the fire.

"Reinhard, please." The world pleaded with him. "You have to move on."

I'm very sorry, Od Laguna, but I can't keep failing. I no longer have the strength to give you." The blood gurgled in Reinhard's throat as he tried to breathe. His consciousness began to fade, but it was still enough to hold back the lesser spirits trying to heal him.

"I'm sorry, but I'm done." The hero gave up.

The eyes of Reinhard van Astrea closed one last time.

And finally, Taygeta became the home of a book called "Reinhard van Astrea."

>FEAR< An absolute fear took over the theater. That weak, reckless boy, lacking true strength, did the impossible—he killed the saint of the sword. Nausea, pain, anger—a seed planted since the previous viewing. That seed was sown by the guardian. No one noticed, no one realized. Images burned into their memories: the screams, the deaths, the bodies strewn about, the blood, the smell of burnt flesh. One could even smell the immense amount of blood. The screen slowly faded as the camera focused on Reinhard's lifeless face, his blue eyes completely devoid of light, and an immense darkness could be seen in them, which had once been full of life and color.

Chapter Text

>FEAR< Absolute fear gripped the theater. That weak, reckless boy, lacking real strength, did the impossible: he killed the saint with a sword.

Nausea, pain, anger—a seed sown from the previous viewing. The Guardian dished it out, and no one noticed. No one noticed the images burned into their memories: the screams, the deaths. The bodies being thrown, the blood, the smell of burning flesh. You could even smell the immense amount of blood. The screen slowly faded as the camera focused on Reinhard's lifeless face. His blue eyes were totally devoid of light, and such immense darkness could be seen in those eyes that were once full of life and color.

Behind the screen, there was a room where the Guardian had a plate full of food, knickknacks, and a cold two-liter bottle of Coke. He watched on one of the theater room's several screens where everyone sat in complete silence.

Vielma: "Wow, I expected them to be more traumatized. Maybe it's because the seed is not so big, and that's why, even though I increase the effects of visualization, they don't look broken. Well, I don't care either. Besides that, the semi-elf disappoints me more and more every day. She says she will help her dear knight, but she sees something impossible. Since then, she starts crying. How pitiful! Instead, the blue-haired maid is as devoted as always. I admit that I knew she was strong, but not that much. I feel sorry for little Petra, but since that semi-human is taking care of her, I don't care.

One of the screens captured a shadow moving with surprising speed through the theater's endless corridors until she saw the figure and knew who it was.

Vielma: "Isn't that Satella? Or is it Envy?" Either way, they're both dangerous. Thank goodness there are more rooms to hide in. What the hell is Kasaneru doing with Reinhard? He must be a disgusting faggot. Gul-suba and that doll have something written on them. Let's see. It's me! How the fuck do you know? Forget it. Better. If it's good, it's time to go.

They left the old operating room as if no one had been there in the first place.

In the theater, the sobs gradually calmed down. Although fewer people were in complete shock, a voice echoed through the walls. It was the guardian making his presence known.

"Good morning, my dear spectators. I'm back, and this time, we're doing well.

Crush tilted his head, frowned, crossed his arms, and in a firm voice began to say:

"Hey Guardian, what did all that mean?" We hadn't finished that visualization when that thing appeared.

Duchess Karsten, as I said, I'm human, and I make mistakes.

Several people clicked their tongues at the guardian's stupid answer, but before anyone could say anything, he began to speak.

"Well, Subaru, if you could go back to your original line, thank you very much for coming and making an appearance."

Subaru, still annoyed at the visualization, nodded and clicked his tongue in answer.

Subaru: Yes, yes, of course. Thank you very much, you damn bastard. While his body faded away, he asked one last question: "Any advice or information you can give me as compensation?"

The Guardian snorted and answered.

"Yes. If you want to avoid a possible tragedy in the future, I suggest you don't seal Roy Alphard. It's better to kill him once and for all. You'll thank me later!"

With a slight gesture as if dismissing someone with his hand, Natsuki Subaru was returned to his timeline.

Do you all know the concept of an alternate timeline or world? Well! There is a third variable: universes!

How is this "universe" different from the others? Simple. The essence of this reality is completely different from yours and Subaru's world.

Everyone was clearly astonished by what was said. The same life, and absolutely everything, is different? People like Beatriz, Roswall, and Anastasia were excited at the idea of acquiring knowledge for their own pleasure.

Others, like Emilia and Rem, wanted to see if this Subaru would be different from theirs, and, if so, what it would be like.

As the theater lights returned to their usual warm blue, they began to see something on the screen: a city. But it was amazing—buildings so tall they could touch the sky, "cars" appearing everywhere, and a sea of people walking peacefully among the streets. Then, an unfamiliar voice began to speak.

"Universe xxx located Key Guardian: Zombieman_sama.

The phrase 'All men are created equal' is a blatant lie.

Jujutsu wizards are responsible for preserving peace and protecting humanity from the threats posed by cursed spirits. Their numbers vary by nation, but Japan is home to the majority of these wizards. The study of cursed energy thrives here, leading to the establishment of specialized schools and a government department dedicated to training young sorcerers.

Among these sorcerers are ancient clans that have existed for centuries and raised some of the most skilled practitioners. The three dominant clans that rule the jujutsu realm are the Zen'in, Gojo, and Kamo clans.

Unsurprisingly, these clans often clash in their quest for power and supremacy, employing harsh and ruthless methods to gain the upper hand.

Each clan has its own unique skills, known as "Cursed Techniques," that are passed down from generation to generation. All three clans have powerful techniques that distinguish them from one another.

The balance of power rarely tipped entirely in favor of one clan until one crucial day: April 1, 1985.

That was the day Subaru Gojo was born.

He was a child who had won the genetic lottery in every way. He inherited the Gojo clan's cursed technique, "Unlimited," as well as the innate attribute "Six Eyes."

“Unlimited” granted him the ability to manifest the concept of “infinity” in reality, allowing him to manipulate space at will. Meanwhile, the "Six Eyes" gave him exceptional perception, enabling him to see the invisible, such as the flow of cursed energy, and to understand any anomalies he encountered.

He earned the nickname "Eye of the All-Seeing God" for good reason.

One might assume that with such extraordinary gifts, he would lead a content life.

However, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Considered more of a weapon than a human being, the Gojo clan put him through intense training from an early age to prepare him to lead the clan. He had no childhood worth mentioning.

Because of his abilities, other sorcerers feared him. Although most of his relatives sought his favor, they showed little genuine interest in him. As a result, Subaru Gojo grew up feeling isolated.

He once had a friend—the most vibrant part of his life, full of memories he wished he could keep and enjoy. But, as is often the case, all good things must come to an end.

Ultimately, Subaru Gojo desired neither fame nor wealth nor the attention of women, who seemed to flock to him.

What he longed for most was a chance to live a normal life.

Genuine pity went through all of them, especially for the Sword Saint, Reinhard, who could identify with this Subaru. However, thanks to some divine protections, he could see beyond those words and knew that this Subaru had gone through much worse.

Why do they always do this? I tell them to stop, but they never listen to me. Subaru snorted as he entered the dining room, relieved to find that none of the "sycophants," as he called them, were there. Instead, he saw one of the few people he really liked, his cousin.

"Oh, Satoru, how are you?" Subaru dropped the ketchup next to Satoru.

Satoru looked a lot like Subaru, sharing the same hair color and similar facial features. However, his brown eyes set him apart from Subaru's striking blue eyes, a gift from the Six Eyes.

They talked about the usual things: jujutsu society and respecting elders. "How boring," Subaru snorted.

"If it's so bad, why not... "I don't know. Run away? No one can stop you," Satoru suggested. Subaru arched an eyebrow. "Where did that come from?

"You know I can't do that. The higher-ups wouldn't allow it, and it would hurt a lot of people." Besides, there's already a shortage of jiu-jitsu wizards. They need all the help they can get to fight the cursed spirits. I cannot allow my selfishness to harm anyone.

"Wanting the best for yourself is not selfish, Subaru," he replied.

"But it is. What about you, Satoru? Do you know that if I leave, you will be responsible for the entire clan? In fact, it will fall on the entire jujutsu society since you are the second strongest."

"I wouldn't mind," he said.

This immediately caught Subaru's attention. "Really?"

"Yes, really," said Satoru, sitting down on the bed next to his cousin. "You see, I have a dream..."

"When it comes to you, 'nightmare' would be a more appropriate term."

Ignoring his cousin's comment, Satoru continued, "Subaru, I want to transform the jujutsu society. I want to get rid of those senile bastards who make our lives miserable! They see us as puppets to be used and discarded when we fulfill our purpose, and that infuriates me!"

Satoru's gaze fixed on Subaru's six eyes. "This is what you've always wanted, isn't it? To bring a breath of fresh air to jujutsu society?"

Subaru looked away. "Yes, I do. But a lot of people would get hurt if I did. It's not something I want."

Satoru sighed upon hearing this. “Dude, you’re too lenient for your own good. You don't have to sacrifice yourself just to make others happy. You deserve to be happy, too. Be selfish for once."

Despite everything he did, Wilhelm started to reflect on how he called his grandson a monster when he was just a child. It only did more harm than good, but now he would vow to regain that relationship with his grandson.

He wore a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up, sunglasses, black pants, and orange and black shoes. Subaru strolled through the streets of Tokyo with a plastic bag filled with his latest finds: instant ramen, potato chips, soda, and ketchup.

As the sun set over the horizon, it bathed the surroundings in a warm orange hue. This area of town was unusually quiet, with hardly any cars, making it an ideal place to take pictures.

However, Subaru was oblivious to the serene scene around him. His thoughts were lost in a loop as he replayed the conversation he had with Satoru. "You deserve to be happy, too. Be selfish for once."

Those words echoed in his mind, feeling strange and familiar at the same time. Deep down, it was exactly what Subaru longed for: true happiness.

However, his particular situation complicated things, with high expectations and responsibilities weighing him down. He never sought status, wealth, or power.

All Subaru really wanted was to live a simple, normal life surrounded by friends and family, blending into the background like anyone else.

With a deep sigh, he rubbed his eyes, feeling the strain of his thoughts. "Phew, this is all giving me a headache. I'll deal with it tomorrow."

As he walked, an unsettling feeling came over him. The cursed energy he used to perceive from other humans had disappeared. It was as if reality itself was bending around him, as if space were twisting and being pulled in an unknown direction by an invisible force.

A dull ache began to throb in his head, quickly followed by a sharp pain and overwhelming brightness. What the hell was going on?

Years of training and instinct kicked in. He was clearly under attack, and his life could be in danger if they approached him so stealthily.

The blinding light gradually faded and was replaced by a familiar warmth.

Was it the sun? Wasn't it already night?

Subaru snapped his eyes open and was met with a shocking sight. The quiet streets of modern Japan had disappeared, replaced by cobblestones beneath his feet and buildings that evoked a medieval past.

The silence was replaced by a cacophony of chatter and noise as the once-empty streets bustled with life and were filled with people dressed in garb from a bygone era.

Some looked like humans, much like those in Japan, while others resembled walking, talking animals of various sizes and features. The scene looked like something out of a fantasy novel.

Amidst it all, Subaru stood stunned, gaping in disbelief. Anyone looking under his glasses would see the surprise etched on his face.

He blinked, pinched himself hard, and, when nothing changed, placed his hand on his chest and felt his heart beating rapidly.

"I'm not dreaming or dead. That means..."

"I have been summoned to another world!"

Many snorted at the scene, remembering when Subaru was taken to that world. Despite his past in the Gojo clan, where he was treated unfairly for being the supposed pride of the clan, everything seemed exactly the same.

Subaru possessed a form of magic through cursed energy, but it was a rigid system that limited his ability to reach his full potential.

A sorcerer could wield an incredible cursed technique, but if his reserves were low, he would not be able to reach his full potential.

Here, however, things could be different. Perhaps there was a magic system similar to the one in the manga and novels I enjoyed, where a mage could expand his reserves and learn a variety of spells, reaching the peak of magical prowess.

I hope this isn't the kind of place where you have to recite endless chants to cast spells or use wands. If so, I'd paint everything I saw purple.

"Here goes nothing." With a graceful gesture, Subaru removed his glasses, blessing the world with his captivating sky-blue eyes.

Soon after, he began to perceive what had eluded him before. Particles floated gently in the air, colorless and resembling drops of water. His six eyes identified them as "mana," specifically atmospheric mana. It could be the equivalent of the cursed energy of this world.

Then, as he observed the people nearby, he noticed something intriguing. Each person had two distinct objects within them. The first was an orb located in the chest, precisely where the heart is. His six eyes revealed that it was the "Od," the source of a person's life energy—in other words, his or her soul.

The second element resembled a vessel filled with mana of various colors, each unique. It had a spinning vortex for an opening. This vessel was known as the "Gate," the organ responsible for storing mana and facilitating its flow in and out of the body. Subaru speculated that it was the origin of all magical phenomena.

As for the Gates, Subaru noted their variety. The colors of the mana ranged from blue to red and green to yellow, and the size of the vortex and container varied from person to person. This was similar to how sorcerers possess different reserves of cursed energy; the colors represented their cursed techniques.

The elements included were red, representing fire and associated with temperature; blue, symbolizing water and linked to life and healing, similar to a reverse cursed technique; and green and yellow, representing wind and earth, respectively. These colors imply the manipulation of their respective elements.

Also, the absence of cursed energy among the people here makes it clear that he is truly in a different world.

"Fire, water, earth, and wind... This is the most common magic system, and it seems everyone here has it. Which means..." Subaru's voice trailed off as a wide smile spread across his face as he watched his own body.

If everyone else had it, surely he must have it, too.

However, Subaru's smile quickly faded into a pout.

With his Six Eyes, he could see that he possessed an Od similar to those around him, along with a door. However, it was disappointingly small. Its container looked like a large water bottle, and its door was tiny, like that of a newborn.

Interestingly, its mana was a completely different color: black. This type of magic is known as "yin" magic. Unlike the others, it is mainly used to weaken targets. In other words, it weakens them rather than attacking them directly.

"Man, I was really looking forward to shooting fire out of my hands or doing something cool. But, hey, maybe this debuff can come in handy," he muttered to himself as he continued walking and noticed the unwanted attention he was attracting.

Reinhard and Julius's eyes opened wide at the prospect before Subaru. They could see the mana floating and the magical affinity of people. As for the women in the theater, including Priscilla, they blushed quite a bit when they saw Subaru's intimidating yet kind blue eyes. If they could read his mind at that moment, they would go crazy imagining it.

Using the "cursed energy," the same events occurred differently: the boy was saved from being run over by a carriage; he encountered a salesman called "Kadomon"; and he visited an exclusive bar for semi-humans. There, he knocked out a rude semi-human with extreme ease. Finally, he entered the women's restroom by mistake.

Sitting on the stairs of an alley, Subaru checked his belongings. Seeing that his food was intact, he searched his pockets and took out his cell phone. When he opened it, he saw a "no signal" message. Disappointed that there was no internet, he heard a voice in front of him.

"Look what we have here, guys!" shouted a voice. Subaru sighed. It seemed that the three figures he had sensed earlier were up to no good.

"With those clothes, he looks like a nobleman. We could get a good price for him," commented the lanky thug. The trio consisted of a short, round-headed one and a larger, more muscular one.

"Hey, Skinny and Ogre, are you sure you want to do this?" Subaru asked, pointing at each assailant as he uttered their nicknames.

They didn't take it well.

"What did you just call me?" the smaller one shrieked.

"Don't belittle us! We're three against one!" The skinny one replied, brandishing knives from his waist.

"We were only going to beat you up, but now we're going to kill you and throw your body in a ditch," said the big one, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

Oh, I'm so scared! My legs are shaking. Anything else? Subaru replied with a smirk, standing up and flexing his legs. Maybe facing them would help him let off some steam.

“That's right! We tried to ask nicely, but.... Phew!" He was interrupted when someone ran past him straight toward Subaru.

"Move! You're in my way!" He shouted. The petite girl with medium-length golden hair and striking red eyes wore a ragged outfit and a scarf. She clutched a shiny object in her hands. She rushed past Subaru, who stood his ground. In an instant, she leaped onto the roof and disappeared from sight.

The alley was silent until Subaru broke it. "So, you're really sure about this?"

"Of course. It further ruined our mood and made things even worse for you."

Subaru shrugged and approached them, cracking his knuckles as he passed. The assailants braced themselves as they watched him approach until...

“Wait there!”

A girl with porcelain skin and long, wavy silver hair adorned with a delicate white flower laughed at the scene of Subaru taunting the three assailants and at Felt's appearance. The story followed the same course until a bell-like voice made its presence known.

There stood a girl with porcelain skin and long, wavy, silver hair that cascaded down her back. She wore a delicate white flower in her hair. Her striking amethyst-colored eyes shone with an intense light, and she wore a dress in shades of white and purple.

Without a doubt, she was the prettiest girl Subaru had ever met, second only to Mei Mei.

The half-elf blushed, but her expression changed when someone she didn't know was mentioned, making her curious about the girl.

What started as a one-on-three battle turned into a three-on-three battle with the appearance of Puck, who was mentioned as a user of spirit arts by the assailants.

This caught Subaru's attention. "A spirit arts user? Wait, are there spirits here, too?" he wondered, observing the newly recognized spirit.

As a jujutsu sorcerer, Subaru was well acquainted with cursed spirits because it was his job to combat and exorcise them due to their hostility toward humans. However, upon sharpening his senses, he did not detect any cursed energy emanating from it.

This gave rise to two possibilities: either it was not a spirit, and the assailants were mistaken, or it was a spirit operating on a different energy source—probably mana. Subaru leaned toward the latter.

Most captivating, however, was the connection between his Eyes, similar to a string of mana. His six eyes quickly revealed the necessary information: it was a "Contract." The girl and the cat were bound by a contract that allowed them to support each other. The spirit used magic to protect the girl while drawing her mana as a source of power.

"Interesting. I wonder if something like that could exist at home. I wouldn't mind having a cursed spirit or two watching my back, even if they are ugly as hell."

Beatrice snorted, puffed out her chest, folded her arms, and said, "In fact, you just need Betty, I guess," with a slight pout.

Instead of continuing the story, Subaru offered her a deal: she would answer some questions for him, since he was new to the place. He asked about the remaining kingdoms and the type of currency used there.

"Hey, I hope this doesn't sound rude, and I understand this may be a touchy subject, but why are these people looking at you like that?" He asked, noticing Satella stiffen as if she were a statue.

She hesitated, unsure how to respond, but finally spoke. "Well, it's because I'm a silver-haired half-elf," she said, looking at the ground.

"Is that all? Just prejudice? I see half-humans walking around with no problem. Is it something against elves, or is it because Satella is a half-breed?" He looked at Satella, who was nervously avoiding his gaze, probably expecting the same hostility from him.

She would soon realize, however, that Subaru Gojo was different from most people, even if he was still an average guy.

"So, that means you're old, right?" Satella's head shot up in shock.

"I mean, I'm not sure how aging works for elves, but humans get white hair as they get older."

"Wait a second—"

"I guess it's similar for elves, but they have silver hair instead."

"No, it's not—"

Since your hair is completely gray, it means you're old. So..." He snapped his fingers and looked at her expectantly.

How old are you? A century? Two centuries? Should I call you grandmother? Or maybe great-grandmother or great-great-grandmother?"

No! I'm not that old! I don't have any children!" She shouted, turning as red as a tomato and pouting at him.

Subaru held up his hands in a playful gesture of surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm just teasing you," he said with a smile. However, his expression quickly turned more serious.

"I don't see anything wrong with being a 'silver-haired half-elf,' and honestly, I couldn't care less," he stated. This caused Satella to look at him in surprise.

"D—really?" Are you serious?" She asked in a whisper.

"Sure! We may look different on the outside, but inside, we're all the same: pink, wet, and gross. So judging people by their heritage and blood seems silly to me."

Satella looked at him, then looked down at her feet. Her expression shifted from conflicted to relieved, and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Thanks, dummy."

"What the hell is a fool?"

There was silence, then one guffaw, then another, and then another. The crowd laughed at the black-haired boy's actions. Many chuckled mildly, while others didn't hesitate to burst out laughing at the scene.

Then, they found the missing girl. However, thanks to his six eyes, Subaru noticed a similarity and connected the dots. He confirmed that she was the daughter of the Appas seller when the seller mentioned a reward. The half elf refused the reward, but Subaru took advantage of it to get information and find the thief, now called Felt, who was in the slums.

As the sun set, Puck had finished his schedule, leaving the half-elf called "Satella" with Subaru.

After bribing some locals, they found the location of the "booty house." Subaru, with a plan in mind, convinced an old giant named Rom to let them pass. Thus, they attempted to trade his cell phone, which had only six percent battery, for the stolen badge.

While negotiating, Subaru noticed a knife heading straight for Satella.

An imposing woman with long, dark hair adorned with a dark purple flower descended gracefully. Her revealing attire enhanced her figure, and a cloak draped across her back hinted at magical powers.

"Attacking someone in the middle of a negotiation is stupid," Subaru replied seriously.

"Who are you?!" Felt shouted, regaining his defensive posture as Rom clenched his weapon tighter.

The woman landed effortlessly in front of the front door. "Blocking the exit, huh?" What a smart move!"

"I am your client—or rather, your former client, since we cannot negotiate with the original owner. I don't understand why I gave this task to a scoundrel like you." He smiled, amusement shining in his eyes as he watched Felt's furious expression.

"Bitch!" Felt shouted, ready to pounce on her. Rom put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "Felt! Calm down.

"Since you failed your mission, I'll have to kill everyone here," he declared, revealing two kukri swords from somewhere.

A laugh echoed through the room. It was Subaru. He had stabbed the table with a knife and stood up with a playful grin.

"Kill everyone? What makes you think you can pull that off?" he asked, visibly amused.

Just coming out of her trance, Satella noticed the defiant gleam in Subaru's smile. He was baiting her for a confrontation.

She couldn't let that happen. He had done so much for her in such a short time, and it was time for her to return the favor.

"Subaru..." she began, but he interrupted her.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll take care of this. Rom and Felt, stay out of it. This fight is mine," he ordered.

"But I—" Subaru ignored her as he advanced toward his opponent.

"My, my. To think you can take me on alone. I admire your determination." But will it be enough?" She asked, intrigued by him.

"Absolutely. I know my own worth," he replied, stretching his limbs in preparation for battle.

"Now, before you are completely destroyed, may I know your name?"

"How bold!" she said, taking a stand. "I am Elsa Granhiert, known as the bowel hunter." Someone made a noise at the sound of her name, but no one paid attention.

Some feared this was a trap, letting themselves get carried away; others were excited by the boy's posture; and others were just looking on with amusement at what would come next.

“Say hello to the angels for me.”

With that, she lunged forward, moving faster than the eye could follow. Her blades were already poised to strike the overconfident fool down.

She struck, her sword slicing the air.

Turning around, she was startled to see him streaking through the air. Before she could react, he spun in midair and slammed his legs into her chest, sending her crashing into a table that shattered.

Subaru landed gracefully and shook her shoulder as if to dislodge dust. Satella watched in amazement from a distance. She barely noticed the woman's movement. Not only did the woman evade her attack, she also countered with a strike of her own. Felt and Rom were equally astonished by the scene.

"Is that really all you've got?" Subaru sneered.

The woman jumped to her feet. Her beautiful, albeit damaged, face wore a broad smile. She seemed unfazed by the encounter.

"Ah, it hurt me! You can back up your words. I underestimated you," she replied. Her wounds healed visibly in a matter of seconds.

Subaru knew her abilities well. Her six eyes revealed that she was a "Cursed Doll," which gave her extraordinary physical strength and fast regeneration. He decided to skip the part about the user's loss of identity because he wasn't interested in the details of her curse. Some things he would rather ignore.

"Don't worry. You're not the first to make that mistake," he replied with a smirk. "Shall we continue?"

"Of course. I can't wait to see your insides. What color will they be?" he said with a chilling smile.

Elsa pounced on Subaru more cautiously this time. She threw a slash at his face, but he pulled back just in time and dodged her attack. When she attempted a kick, he jumped backward to dodge it.

With a swift movement, Elsa grabbed a handful of throwing needles and tossed them at him as he advanced. She anticipated that he would dodge them, which would allow her to strike him while he was off guard.

What she didn't anticipate was his ability to catch every single needle she threw.

"Back at you!" she shouted, hurling all the needles at him with a speed that far surpassed her own. They hit their mark, tearing through his skin and clothes.

Then, he took the initiative and threw a punch at her face. She tried to deflect it with her sword, but he broke through and smashed it, delivering a crushing blow. He then spun and delivered a roundhouse kick, sending her flying into the wall.

This space is a bit small. Let's move outside, shall we? He extended his hand toward her, and a palpable force radiated from it.

Cursed Technique Failure: Blue. Before she could move, she felt an overwhelming pressure and was surrounded by a strange blue energy. In an instant, she flew out.

Subaru shook hands and looked at those present. "You should stay inside. I'll take care of this." Without waiting for a response, which was unlikely as everyone's jaws were wide open, he rushed out.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, watching with the utmost care as Subaru not only dodged, but also attacked, showing such skill in battle that he far surpassed the assassin without making any effort to fight. Everyone was amazed at the boy's strength, and the last thing shown sent a shiver down Roswall's spine, recalling the power of the brooding sorcerer, Hector.

Garfiel said, "That's my captain! Look at him as he single-handedly finishes that bitch off!" Suddenly, he received a blow to the back of the head from Frederica. Garf, language!

Emilia watched the scene, her eyes shining, knowing that Subaru was more powerful than she was. Meanwhile, Rem drooled at the boy's show of strength.

Julius watched this, giving a slight smile at the screen. Knowing that this boy was not only reckless but also capable of such a feat filled Julius with pride.

Reinhard looked happy for his friend, as it seemed he wouldn't have to experience all those deaths since coming to this world. He wondered if he would show up and meet his mistress.

He soon arrived at the place of impact, which turned out to be a ruined house. She had broken through one of the walls, and the weakened structure was shaking with her inside.

She kept her distance and surveyed the scene. There was no sign of movement. In fact, she couldn't make it out even with her six eyes. She wasn't in the house, which meant...

"Wow, you're pretty sly. You must be an assassin." He turned around only to find Elsa's sword ready to strike. However, it was now suspended uselessly in the air and unable to pierce his skull.

How...? Confusion overcame her, and she frowned. She felt her sword move, but it was still stuck.

She jumped back, trying hastily to figure out what had happened. Was it a barrier or some form of stray magic? None of the six magical attributes should have been capable of this. If it was, what kind of spell was it?

"Ah, you sure are confused, huh?" I can explain it to you if you want." He raised his right hand. "Come on. Try touching my hand with yours."

"..."

Come on, I promise I won't bite."

"..."

"Come on, come on..."

She gave in with a sigh and sheathed her sword. She moved closer to him. If she had made a move, he would have anticipated it and counterattacked.

Curiosity also drew her in, driving her to learn more about her power.

She slowly approached, raising her hand, but her movement slowed despite her efforts to maintain speed. Finally, she stopped, hovering just above him.

"See? If you concentrate on your hand, you don't really stop. It keeps moving," he explained. She realized he was right. She sensed a slight movement toward him but immediately backed away.

This is not a barrier that stops an attack in the traditional sense. The closer you get, the greater the distance between us. Eventually, you will find yourself completely immobile even though you are still moving in reality. If that's too confusing, imagine being stuck in limbo.

"It's confusing enough," Elsa mused. "How could getting closer mean getting farther away?"

"Of course I have complete control over it. I can even do this." She moved her hand closer until their fingers touched. "We can hold hands like this," she thought.

"He has such smooth, callus-free skin," she thought, gently shaking his hand. He reciprocated. She watched the strange cloak covering his eyes, certain that he was staring at her. They shared a moment of silence, enjoying each other's presence.

Then, Elsa began to feel something warm. A bubbling warmth slowly spread from her stomach, making her nervous yet elated. She didn't know what it was, but she wanted to experience it more. She knew it was something she could only share with him.

As much as she wanted them, she couldn't be with someone who was dead. A lifeless body was unattractive no matter the circumstances.

Suddenly, another feeling rose from her stomach, one she recognized and relished: pain.

Subaru's fist slammed into her stomach, causing a shockwave that made her cough up blood. Several more blows followed, each delivering pleasurable pain.

Then he threw an uppercut that sent her flying through the air.

Some were equally confused by her explanation, while Tivey had smoke coming out of his ears from thinking about it so much and felt a strange sensation from Elsa's thoughts.

"As much as I would like to fight, I have to go back. If I don't, Satella—or whatever her name is—will start to worry." She raised her index finger, on which a red, swollen orb formed, and pointed.

"Inverted Cursed Technique: Red." An overwhelming crimson engulfed her, and she was propelled backward by an even greater force.

She crashed into a wooden ceiling, splintering it under her weight. She was in terrible condition, her clothes torn and blood gushing from her wounds. Her arms were twisted and broken, and her legs had been torn off.

Still, she laughed softly.

She had failed in her mission.

She had neither gotten the badge nor killed the half-demon.

Not a single gut had been extracted that night.

But none of that mattered to Elsa. What really mattered was something else entirely.

That boy—no, that man. She longed to see him again, to feel his warmth, and above all, to look into his eyes.

She had the chance to end his life right then and there but decided against it. There was something so mysterious and captivating about him that she almost felt the urge to turn around and go back just to take another look. But she restrained herself.

"Ah, is this what it feels like to be in love?"

Meanwhile, Subaru scratched his head, puzzled. Why did she turn red? he wondered. "Whatever. I'll be back. It's been a busy day."

With that, Elsa Granhiert, the Gutbuster, was defeated by Subaru Gojo.

Garfiel jumped out of his seat with great enthusiasm after witnessing the scene, his eyes wide with excitement. Others saw the absolute destruction left by the technique and realized it was extremely dangerous.

In the booty house, Satella was impressed by the boy's strength, but then she thought about the alley. No doubt he didn't need her help now. She remembered seeing him approach the assailants with a smile. Meanwhile, Felt was being scolded by Old Rom for accepting an "too good" assignment.

Moments later, the man himself walked through the shattered wall with a broad grin. He looked completely unharmed as he calmly walked in.

"Hey, sorry for the delay. I had to deal with that pesky cockroach," he said nonchalantly, as if talking about something trivial.

Then, he looked at the wall and scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry about the wall, by the way. And no, I'm not going to pay for it.”

Satella didn't know what to say. Luckily, Felt was there to save the day.

"A cockroach?!" You're calling the Gut Slayer, the lethal assassin who hunts people for their bowls, a cockroach? Are you sure you took care of her? What if she comes back? What then?" she shouted at him.

Subaru reassured her with a wave of his hand. "Okay, okay, I get it. You're too loud. Look, I already took care of her, so it shouldn't be a problem anymore, okay?"

Rom sighed and gently stroked the girl's head even though she tried to shake him off. "We trust you, child. Don't worry about the wall. I'll take care of it myself. Anyway, that troublemaker started it all."

"Great! I didn't have the money to fix it anyway," she replied. "Now that it's fixed, can we get your badge back?

Felt finally broke free from the giant's grip. "It's okay. You can keep it. That thing caused us a lot of trouble anyway." He reached into his bag for the badge.

"I'm sorry I took it and caused so much trouble. "You seem like a very nice girl," he said. Satella smiled back.

"Don't worry. I see you were just trying to get away from here. I wouldn't want to stay here either," she replied, smiling.

Just as Felt was about to hand over the badge, a voice interrupted them.

"Excuse the intrusion, but is everything all right?"

Felt, who was like everyone else in the theater, recognized the voice that just came in.

Felt: Hey, Rein. Look, you've arrived.

Reinhard nodded and confirmed.

"Yes, it seems so, Felt-sama," he said with a smile.

They passed by, and Reinhard saw that the stone was shining in Felt's hands. He asked her name and age. Felt replied that she was about fifteen years old. Before he left, Subaru interrupted him.

"Wait! Before you go, will you tell me your name?" Subaru asked. Reinhard blinked, realizing he hadn't introduced himself.

Oh, right! Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I am Reinhard Van Astrea, also known as the 'Saint of the Sword,'" he said, bowing while still holding them both.

"Saint of the Sword? I've never heard that before." Reinhard was incredulous. It was hard to believe that someone didn't know what a Sword Saint was. His divine protection confirmed Subaru's honesty.

"Anyway, you seem like a great guy, so let's be friends, okay?" Subaru smiled.

Reinhard was incredulous once again; the idea that anyone would want to be friends with a monster like him seemed impossible. His only friends were two gentlemen, mainly due to their professional ties. So the idea that someone would want to befriend him unconditionally was astounding.

"Of course! I would be honored to be your friend, Subaru-san," he replied, beaming with joy.

"I'd love to chat more, but duty comes first. See you soon," he added before disappearing through the opening.

Once he was sure Reinhard was gone, Subaru exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Reinhard was incredibly powerful, even more so than Subaru himself.

Upon arriving, he was stunned because he hadn't sensed anyone. He quickly turned off his Six Eyes when he tried to use them to see better because he was overwhelmed by the sight.

The mana radiating from Reinhard was so dense and bright that it was like looking directly into the sun. His Od was filled with so many Divine Blessings that Subaru could barely keep track of them.

"Reinhard Van Astrea... If we had fought, he would have defeated me in an instant," he thought.

However, he was neither worried nor discouraged; quite the opposite, in fact.

This meant that there were people stronger than him, and that he wasn't always the exceptional one he was at home.

It also meant that he could finally live a normal life, just as he had always wished.

Upon hearing this, Reinhard smiled and nodded silently as he looked at the screen. Others were shocked to learn that even for Subaru, the divine protections were so numerous that he couldn't count them all.

In the scene, the girl named Emilia—since Reinhard had said her real name—apologized to Subaru for lying and deceiving him. At that, Subaru started to joke with her, telling her that everything was fine. Emilia asked him why he was helping her, and Subaru replied,

"Because you're a good person, Emilia."

"You didn't know that! I was just a stranger to you! She shouted.

"True, but when you saw me being assaulted, you could have ignored me and moved on. Instead, you decided to stay and help a complete stranger not be assaulted."

"But you could have controlled them. They were nothing compared to Elsa," he said, his voice trailing off as he looked down at the floor.

"I could have, but you didn't know that at the time. He was just a man about to be assaulted, and you couldn't let that happen, even though you were dealing with your own problems.

"..."

"And then there was Plum. You could have easily ignored her like the rest, but you decided to waste precious time helping her find her parents."

"..."

You forgave Felt when you had every right to punish her. The law would have supported you, but you didn't want to go down that path.

He reached over and gently lifted her chin. Their gazes met through her glasses. "You may doubt yourself and think you deserve to be judged by your appearance, but that doesn't matter to me." He pointed to his heart.

You have a heart of gold, Emilia, and I would love to have you as a friend. Just like Reinhard.

"He wants to be my friend?"

The word seemed strange to her, something she had never really known or experienced.

But hearing him express his desire to befriend her, a silver-haired half-elf, made her heart leap with happiness.

She smiled radiantly.

Everyone nodded at the scene and the boy's response. The half-elf blushed even more.

"To celebrate our friendship, how about we reintroduce ourselves? I'll start.

He pointed to himself, still smiling. "My name is Natsuki Subaru! I'm a normal guy trying to lead a normal life. Nice to meet you."

He chose the name "Natsuki" to honor his mother, as it was her maiden name.

However, it also had two meanings: a declaration and a promise.

It was a declaration of his separation from the Gojo clan and an end to being known as "The pride of the Gojo clan."

It was also a promise to live his life freely, without chains or expectations.

Emilia couldn't help but laugh. Hearing Subaru refer to himself as an ordinary guy was as absurd as saying the sky is green—it just didn't make sense.

"You're a funny guy, Subaru.

"A funny guy, huh? So I'm not a weird person anymore?" She nodded, and he enthusiastically replied, "Yes!"

"My name is Emilia, just Emilia." No last name," she replied.

"Well, it's nice to meet you. Just Emilia." She pouted playfully at him, and he chuckled. Her laughter followed.

After a moment, they both fell silent, enjoying the comfortable atmosphere around them.

Subaru finally decided to speak up. "Hey, Emilia, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Do you have a couch I can sleep on tonight?"

"Yes, but why would you want to sleep on the couch?" That sounds weird to me. Is it a hobby? She touched her chin thoughtfully.

Subaru simply slapped his face.

Chapter Text

Subaru slapped his face.

The screen faded as the screams and cheers of the spectators echoed throughout the theater.

Julius was in disbelief at how Subaru had repelled the bowel slayer as if it were nothing. In that moment, a memory surfaced. He remembered his visit to the capital with the royal team, and he felt an absolute dread at the thought of facing Subaru. (No shit, Julius. They even gave you the crazy one.)

Reinhard, on the other hand, looked happy, knowing that this would also be part of his only friend's life. "Not to mention his only real friend," since he had Felix and Julius, but only as professional gentlemen.

Priscilla looked amused, with total interest in this commoner. He would make a good jester for her as the world moved in her favor.

Rem was in shock and drooling at those soul-piercing eyes, wanting him to do it somewhere else, too. Ram looked at her little baby sister with disgust at her feelings toward Barusu and thought about whether their relationship would be the same or different. Deep down, she wanted it to be the same.

Emilia was enchanted by his vivid, beautiful blue eyes, feeling all her blood rush to her face, her pointed ears growing hot.

Roswall, on the other hand, was nervous. How could his other self manipulate Subaru, who could see everything besides his four-century plan?

Garfiel, on the other hand, was doing push-ups from the excitement of seeing his much cooler captain, who was almost as cool as he was.

Petra had stars in her eyes, watching the scene with a goofy grin while Frederica stroked her head.

Mimi wanted to see this little boss again! She said this as she lifted herself off Ricardo's thigh, almost making Tivey fall down.

Tivey: Sis, watch out! You're making me fall! Tivey: —while receiving a blow from Mimi's cane.

Ricardo, with his wolfish smile, caressed the little semi-human children.

Rem: "Yes, I want to see this Rem hero." Stepping out of his imagination, he nodded at the little girl.

At her call, the guardian appeared.

"They liked me a lot, huh?" I'm glad, but no. As you saw, we will continue until we reach the fourth arc. Therefore, we will look at the first world that I showed you. Who knows? Maybe your Subaru will wake up.

Everyone jumped for joy at the guardian's last words, but a green-haired duchess spoke up.

Crush said, "He's lying. My divine blessing was activated." She crossed her arms with a determined look.

Of course, I forgot about the lie detectors. Well, it's not like I care about the truth either.

Who is Subaru?

Emilia: Huh? I don't understand why we came back to this part." She cocks her head and puts a finger to her lips, looking totally naive.

Ram: Emilia-sama, it's obvious. The incompetent guardian just said that we were going to continue seeing this world."

Sighing at her lady's stupid question, Ram spoke in a firm tone that made the half-elf shudder.

Priscilla: Hmph! It's obvious that a half-elf wouldn't understand something so simple. Mind the truth—saying the Sun Princess clearly insulted the half-elf.

 "What?! In her voice, there was only surprise and doubt. The tears wouldn't stop.

Subaru, Puck! He was with us the whole day. He helped us look for the badge. Night came. You were gone, and he...

Subaru is a boy, Lia?" Irritation seeped into her androgynous voice as she interrupted Emilia.

"Yes, he's very nice. He's funny..." Her tears stopped, and a sincere smile lit up her face as she remembered all the time they spent together. He says I'm 'cute,' even though I'm not. It's just his way of teasing me by telling me I'm beautiful. I know I'm not, but he....

"How long have you known this Subaru, Lia?" Although he was smiling, his tone was angry.

"I don't know, but I think this Puck will try something from the beginning," said the merchant, caressing her scarf to calm down at the thought.

Emilia: No, no! He... Trying to defend her other adoptive father, she remembered how he wanted her to be a doll with no will and how he had kept her in absolute ignorance.

Beatriz: Hmph, I must be getting old, but I think the same as her: Bubby's voice is clearly annoying. The little yin spirit got a knot in her stomach, knowing Bubby might be more involved, in a bad way, with her contractor.

Rem: "I agree with Beatriz-sama and Anastasia-sama. Emilia-sama clearly looks annoyed that a boy is paying attention to her." Rem: Rem is angry with the spirit that froze her in the third arc, and she sees that he may be in more danger.

We met him today. I saved him from some thugs! He has black hair and wicked eyes, but he's kind. He wore very fine, strange clothes. He looked like a young nobleman—a foreign nobleman, I think.

Lia, I've been with you, and I've never seen that person. Didn't you dream it? >>

I didn't... Wasn't it a dream?

 Suddenly, she took in her surroundings. The people in the shopping area had stopped and were looking at her, some curiously and others with mild disdain. She looked at the sky with bewilderment. The sun was high in the sky. It was noon. Her mind was clouded for a few seconds.

"Wasn't it night a minute ago?" he wondered, his eyes fixed on a familiar Appas stand. "Could it be possible?" An absurd thought invaded his mind. "Could it be... Didn't I die?"

 Puck, Subaru is real. He got up from the brick floor. His tears had already stopped. "I'll prove it to you."

 Wilhelm: This is how Subaru feels when he comes back." With a hint of sadness, he confirmed that he had initially thought it was a lie or an illusion.

Felix nodded at what the old butler said, his ears twitching. "Right, old Will. Not knowing what's going on, anyone could have gone crazy."

Emilia whispered, "Subaru..." but no one heard except for the spirit sitting on the boy's lap.

Beatriz: "Actually, stop that, I guess." She looked at her sideways, and Emilia, understanding, threw her a smile.

While visiting the Appas store, she asked the salesman about a black-haired boy. He told her that he was there an hour ago and pointed to an alley where he said the boy went.

Otto asked, "So, are we going to see the first three loops before the prospect of Emilia-sama?" He grabbed his hat, and Garfiel patted him on the back to reassure him.

"It seems so, Otto-sama," said the maid, nodding her head.

"What happened here?" Puck asked in surprise.

"They deserve it. They mistreated Subaru."

 Emilia passed near them, grabbed the neck of one of the thugs—the thinner, lankier one—and shook him. She didn't mind being rough; they had hurt Subaru before and didn't deserve her kindness. She was grateful to the stranger who had hit them; normally, she never wished ill on anyone. One sign of this was her ability to withstand the countless insults directed at her race and her vile heritage. Though it hurt, she was incapable of hurting the people who hurt her. But messing with that boy was something she would not forgive. She felt anger, a new emotion for her. Without realizing it, a part of her was changing.

 "I swear I'll fucking kill you, you fucking shit!" The petty thief shouted as he woke up, only to feel slight fear when he saw who was holding him.

 "Where's Subaru?" Asked the half-elf, letting her contempt seep out.

Have you seen him?

 "Lía, I don't think this guy knows what you're talking about."

 "Puck, please be quiet..." He looked coldly at his father. "Subaru is not a dream."

Reluctantly, Puck accepted that his daughter was going crazy. The badge theft had apparently affected her in a way he never imagined. Still, he had to go along with it until she gave up and accepted that Subaru only existed in her imagination.

Everyone was surprised by Emilia's actions; they had never seen her act like that before. Even Roswall's eyes widened slightly.

Priscilla said, "So the half-elf can have a worthy character. I'm amazed." Staring at the half-elf, the baroness made a sarcastic comment about the scene.

Meanwhile, the younger Garfiel, Mimi, and Felt laughed at Puck's comment that Emilia was going crazy. If only they knew what was coming next!

Emilia: "Of course I have a temper. Right, guys?" Stuttering and lying, she could only put her hands over her face and feel embarrassed.

"Where is he?" Emilia repeated.

 "Who?" The crook replied, turning his eyes to the left to meet the irritated gaze of a small gray cat.

 "A boy with black hair and strange clothes." "They were black, white, and orange," said Emilia, snorting with annoyance. "A foreigner, I think.

 That kind of shit. I'll kill him. I remember. Resentment poured out of her mouth. The son of a bitch took me by surprise. Oh, I'll take it out on him.

Without warning, a clumsy blow from the strong, frail half-elf knocked him out instantly. The culprit stood up. She couldn't believe what the boy had done. The last time, she had saved him. But this time, he had confronted and defeated them. That seemed great to her coming from him. She couldn't help but smile, thinking about how brave he was.

"Subaru, you are amazing," she sighed with joy.

"Where is he now?" he thought, trying to understand the actions of his future friend.

She had already decided. She would take him to the mansion. It sounded selfish, but she remembered what he had said: "I have nowhere to drop dead." It was the perfect solution. She wouldn't be lonely anymore, and he would have a place to live.

"Lia, if we keep this up, we'll never get the badge back," her spiritual father reprimanded her, snapping her out of her musings about the future.

"The badge is in the 'Booty House,'" she said casually, forgetting the painful experience. "Yes, the 'House of Booty.'"

Emilia: W, well, obviously, this didn't happen. Haha! Trying to hide her embarrassment and blush, she said the obvious and made her situation worse.

Crush: Yes, Emilia-san, we all know this obviously didn't happen. The Valkyrie, smiling slightly, decided to do the obvious, annoying her even more.

Felt: Haha, you knocked Rachins all out! Felt said with a snort, chuckling at what happened.

Ram: "Really, Emilia-sama? You had already decided to bring that Barusu dog to the mansion?" Felt said with mock irritation at what was mentioned on the screen.

Rem: Sister! Don't call Subaru-kun that." Rem made a tender pout directed towards her dear older sister.

Beatriz simply put a hand to her forehead and massaged her temples.

The half-elf ran out of the alley and headed for the slums. She couldn't remember the way and ended up going around in circles ten times until she remembered she could ask the lesser spirits to find the loot house. As the once blue sky turned orange, she hurried her pace.

Many sighed at the narration, and one could not miss someone's comment.

Ram: Really, Emilia-sama? When will she learn to be more alert to her surroundings? She slapped her face.

Emilia said nothing, blushing with embarrassment at her innocence and ingenuity.

She arrived at the entrance. She knocked on the door, but it was already open. She let out a deep sigh and opened the door. Her sharp ears caught the amused voice of a woman, but nothing else.

Puck—he called out to him in preparation; his instincts told him that he was in danger.

Puck nodded, reading the environment. After a few steps, he saw a woman with black hair. She was wearing a very suggestive black dress that girded her seductive figure. She was on her back, revelling in a dying body. Blood stained the wooden floor.

"Doesn't it hurt? Does it hurt? Do you want to die?" The stranger pronounced, her voice seeping with pleasure.

 The sensual, sadistic voice mocked the poor wretch at her feet. Her violet eyes gazed tenderly at her victim as he lay dying. Her sensual lips teased her prey. Emilia turned her weary gaze to the dying prey. The prey looked at her and, forgetting the pain, moved her lips. Her eyes radiated guilt.

All but Priscilla and Roswall looked down solemnly at the now-recognized scene.

Emilia: "When will I be able to help him instead of receiving help from him? I hope I can do a lot for this one. Much more for Subaru." Whispering something that no one heard, she lowered her gaze as tears accumulated in her eyes.

Rem thoughtfully said, "Subaru-kun, I promise you that you will never be alone again because you never were."

Petra said, "Subaru-sama, I hope you will let us help you. From now on, we will no longer distrust anything you tell us." Petra made a promise to herself while her teacher hugged and caressed her.

Otto said, "Yes, Natsuki-san. You won't be alone anymore.

Garfiel: That's right, Captain, because I will beat the crap out of anyone who threatens us. Otto showed his teeth and clenched his fists.

"I'm sorry, Satella." He pronounced the prey while his eyes lost luster with each word.

The dying prey was none other than Subaru. Emilia ran in desperation and pushed the terrifying killer, taking her by surprise and slamming her against the wall. She took him in her arms. Her pristine dress was painted with the boy's blood, but she didn't care. She tried to use water magic to heal him with the help of the spirits. However, her confused, painful emotions prevented her from concentrating. Tears clouded her vision. Subaru was slowly fading away in her arms, and she could only look into his guilty and resigned eyes. Suddenly, she felt the boy's weak fingers wipe away her tears.

"Don't cry. I'm sorry for everything." The red-haired boy's voice trailed off.

"It's all my f-fau...."

"No, it's not your fault," the half-elf replied, revealing her own self-deprecation. "Forgive me for being such an idiot, for cheating—"

"Sate...

Oh! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! A seductive voice echoed in the bar. "They forgot about me. Too bad, but how romantic."

The assassin unsheathed her weapons, ready to appreciate her new prey. Her smile widened as she prepared to attack. Suddenly, an icicle forced her to defend herself. She dodged it with a leap.

"I will not let you near my daughter!" Puck pointed more than a hundred icicles at the assassin. "You will die for hurting my precious daughter's heart!" "

"Oh, a spirit. I've never fought one before. It will be my pleasure..."

The fight between the great spirit, Puck, and the black-clad assassin began. They tried to kill each other, just as the assassin had tried to kill her daughter, but Puck stopped the attempts. For Emilia, however, the sounds of the fight disappeared, and her gaze focused only on the frail and dying Subaru.

"Don't leave me," were the last words of the desolate half-elf as Subaru's weak hand fell away from her wet face.

The black-haired young man, Subaru Natsuki, whom the silver-haired half-elf had been searching for, passed away in her arms. A pain tasting of loss stabbed into her heart, and without warning, everything turned to darkness.

Emilia stuttered, "Subaru, I'm so sorry, Subaru." Stuttering and sobbing, the half-elf could not stand it anymore and began to cry at the scene. It was an experience she did not personally have, but it hurt her as if she were the one embracing the lifeless, bloody body of the poor boy.

Petra was crying too, just as she had the first time she saw it, but seeing it this way was painful. The semi-human Frederica comforted her.

Garfiel gritted his teeth at the scene of his captain's second death. He lamented killing that bitch without making her suffer more.

Rem felt the same way, harboring anger towards the filthy murderer hired by his damned lord for that damned book of witchcraft. If it weren't for this theater, the clown bastard would have been dead long ago (that's why Echidna makes him NTR the asshole).

Scene change: You see a half-elf running through the busy shopping streets of the capital city, along with her hired spirit, who looks eager to kill someone—a black-haired boy who dared to name his adorable daughter after the vile monster who destroyed half the world, Satella. But it was a ruse, or so the spirit thought, since, moments later, a blonde girl stole his daughter's precious badge, Lia. However, he sensed that something strange was coming from his daughter.

Crush: "Then we were right to suspect that there was some sort of time difference between Subaru's and Emilia-san's consciousnesses. "Said the duchess, her chin resting on her hand, watching the scene unfold.

Ram closed her eyes, watching the connection of Barusu's ability unfold. "So it seems, Crush-sama," she said.

Roswall: "Maybe if Emilia-sama had been more attached to Subaru-kun, my plan would have worked better." He had a wide smile at the thought of the possibility of one of his targets.

"Subaru—" was the only thing he uttered, leaving him completely baffled.

"Who is Subaru, Lia?" His daughter was crying disconsolately over the name of an unknown person. This seemed strange to him, especially when his daughter covered her face and moaned in pain for a few seconds. Then, out of nowhere, she smiled.

"I'm a hopeless fool," he said, as if all negative emotions were extinguished. "Puck, he's alive." I have to catch up with him."

 "What are you talking about?" Who's alive? The badge, Lia?" He looked reproachfully at his emotional daughter. The thief had already disappeared; it would be harder and harder to find her.

 "We'll save that for later," he said cheerfully as he started to return to the shopping area. "The first thing is Subaru."

Felt: Okay? I must say, big sister's reaction was scary. He grimaced at his big sister's expression on the screen.

Rem: "I agree with you, Felt-sama." She felt a shiver run down her back.

Others simply nodded.

He returned to the Appas stall, asking for the boy, but the vendor seemed reluctant to answer. Since minutes ago, he had been calling the boy "Satella," insisting that the poor vendor point him to the alley from where he left. He also asked why he always went into dangerous alleys.

This time, instead of finding the three crooks, he found a black-haired boy lying on the ground wearing strange clothes. He had a deep wound on his back, and his blood was scattered on the ground. The boy was pale, but he was still clinging to life. There was nothing more that could be done for him. She took him in her arms again. His eyes were tired from crying, but the sadness remained. She fixed her gaze on Subaru's faded black eyes; they no longer looked at her. Subaru's breathing slowed, as if every process in his body were shutting down, unable to be stopped.

"Lia, that bastard was the one who called you Satella," hatred and confusion overflowing through Puck's small body.

"I know," she whispered contemptuously to herself. "It's all my fault, Puck."

 "Lia, I don't understand," the spirit said. He didn't know how to act. He wanted to end this guy once and for all, but his daughter's sadness held him back.

"I'm sorry for lying to you." She moved her lips, pleading to be heard. "That's not my name, Subaru."

 Subaru's breathing stopped permanently; his dim, evil eyes ceased to glow. The half-elf cried again in despair. The kind boy she had met several hours ago—Natsuki Subaru—died in her arms for the second time without her being able to save him from his cruel fate. The immense darkness swallowed everything again, uncaring.

Ricardo said, "Well, thinking about it, that salesman did well. Let's say they insult you and rob you moments later. Anyone would think it was planned. Would I be worried?" The wolf scratched the back of his head, and the others nodded at the prospect of Mr. Save Point.

But the atmosphere was heavy. It was only the first day in this world, and he had already experienced three deaths. Od Laguna, this guy has made for such bad luck.

Emilia was simply reflecting. She saw her other self's attitude on the screen, and boy, was she different!

Some, like Reinhard, saw this possible growth as dangerous because they knew this attachment would be the dependency Roswall wanted him to have in the fourth arc of the Sanctuary.

Others wondered if it could lead to a relationship. Plus, they thought that other events would change because of this discrepancy in their own world.

But Rem and Beatrice were thinking of her possible release. Rem saved her from the bottomless pit, and Beatrice was saved from waiting for the someone her creator told her about.

"This is hard to believe," he thought in disgust. But he couldn't deny it. Even a fool would realize it after experiencing it three times. "So go back in time."

Now conscious, his mind focused on the cityscape. He was far from the business district and the slums. A little calmer, with a clearer mind, she understood the thief's plan. She felt like a fool. Felt had taken a path opposite her true objective, only to slip away and return to the slums. Meanwhile, she would be lost, looking for her in the wrong place. That aside,

"Back in time," she repeated with annoyance and anguish as she rubbed her chin.

He had never heard of such a power or ability. Perhaps it was divine protection or something else more obscure. His knowledge was limited, and this was beyond what he could comprehend as real or fantastic. The most terrifying and distressing thing about it was its activation. There was no doubt about it, but understanding it hurt his heart. She didn't want to accept or believe it; the thought hurt her. That kind and funny boy—the one who would

He looked at her differently, at the person she wished could be her friend. Subaru Natsuki had to die; he was triggered by her death.

"No, no, he didn't deserve this." She didn't understand her feelings, but one thing was clear: "I won't allow it. I won't let him die. I don't want to see him die."

Roswall: Then, they both realized almost at the same time how interesting it was. Roswall: With his usual mocking tone, he connected the dots between Subaru-kun's and Emilia-sama's visualization in the winning loop. Both realized the power and how it was activated.

Emilia said, "Yes, this would be the winner, but how will it happen? I know where it is, and if it is as we know, it will also meet Reinhard." She said this in an animated tone. Reinhard had a bright smile on his face, and Felt covered his eyes at such a glowing smile.

Everyone without exception started laughing at the damsel-in-distress performance of the screaming woman searching for her man.

"I'll take care of the rest on my own somehow." Subaru smiled and waved to the knight as he walked away. He didn't want any more victims of that woman-like monster. However, he paused for a moment. "But..." I would appreciate it if you could deliver a message to me.

"I'd love to," the sword saint smiled again. "To whom, and what is it?"

"Well, I don't know her name, but..." His mind filled with her memory. He wished to see her again. Have you seen a girl with white robes and silver hair nearby?

White robes and silver hair?

 Yes. Joy seeped out as he remembered the first loop next to her. Suddenly, Subaru turned and pointed at Reinhard with a wide smile. "She's extremely beautiful, too!"

"No, I haven't seen her." He replied graciously, understanding the sentiment.

"Then, if you see her, tell her to stay away from the booty house, no matter what. I'll find what she's looking for and bring it to her myself." The red-haired boy smiled confidently.

Very well. I'll pass on your message if I see her.

Thanks, buddy! I'll pay you back someday. Subaru quickly turned around and ran toward the booty house.

"Subaru!" Reinhard called out, his voice full of surprise.

"Yes, friend," he replied, turning his head as he ran.

"I think I found the extremely beautiful, silver-haired girl." Mocking his new friend.

"Eh..." was all that came out of his mouth when a silver-haired half-elf appeared out of nowhere and embraced him.

"Subaru, I found you!" A silver bell voice said, speeding up the heart of the otherworldly boy.

Al, Garfiel, and Ricardo said, "You lucky bastard!"

Crush: Wow, wow, Emilia-san, how bold! She said with a clear smile of amusement at the scene, but also feeling jealous.

Rem thoughtfully said: "Mmm, Emilia-sama, I won't let you take him away so easily." In her eyes, there was a burning fire.

Ram simply shook his head at his little sister's thoughts.

Emilia was happy and jealous. She was happy because she had confidence in him, but she was also jealous because of the way she hugged him.

Beatriz snorted at the scene. "What a real girl, I guess."

They were both sitting on the stairs of the alley when the semi-elf's expression turned serious.

"Tell me, Subaru—" Her voice was cold to show the seriousness of the matter.

"Yes, beautiful, nameless girl." A faint smile accompanied his voice.

This hurt Emilia, but she couldn't help it; she had managed to keep Reinhard from mentioning it. She wanted to be the first to tell him. She didn't know why, but her heart burned with the desire to hear Subaru say his name. Instead, she had to be tough about it.

"You can go back in time?" — Her lips faltered as she struggled to ask the hateful question.

"I—I—" Subaru's voice stuttered, lost in the silence as he remembered the repetitive day.

"Subaru, answer me. Please don't lie to me." She stared at him, not missing a single detail of his reactions. Can you go back for death?

Beatriz said, "Boy, you're direct, I guess." She shook her head at the tactlessness of the half-elf girl.

Ram: Hmph, as usual, no communication skills, and sticking it to Barusu's evil ways. He raised his chin with pride, as always, and snorted at the action.

Emilia chose to be smart and kept quiet before what the spirit Beako and servant Ram said.

"Apparently—that's—that's—so—" the red-haired man said in a breathy voice. She lowered her gaze, feeling some guilt. Unable to maintain eye contact, she whispered, "I'm sorry for everything. I didn't mean to see you hurt like this. I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you. I tried to help you, and..." Her mischievous eyes filled with tears. "I screwed up, not just once, but three times." He looked up, expecting to be hated by the girl he was attracted to. "Oh my god, how pathetic I am! I'm sorry!"

Subaru, it's not your fault. Forgive me. I'm the cause of all this.

It's not. It's all my fault, not yours. I'm...

You fool! It's my fault. It's my fault, you big pacifier.

It's mine alone, silly girl. Nobody says "bobo" anymore.

Subaru, you idiot! I'm not a child.

Beatriz: "In fact, you are both as naive and stubborn as mule children, as Betty's contractor says." As she said this, she puffed out her chest and glanced at Emilia and her sleeping contractor.

Emilia stroked Subaru's hand as she smiled at one of his jokes.

Rem simply pouted and felt jealous.

"Since when have you had that power, Subaru?" Her voice was soft, as she tried not to hurt the boy. Were you born with it? Why me? I remember.

"It's the first time I've died. You know, the first time I've kicked the bucket three times," he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I wasn't born with this, that's for sure. I'm not from this world. In my world, there's no such magic or anything like it. Hell, just seeing you makes me think it's a dream, a beautiful dream.

You told me you were from a small country to the east. You lied. He felt a soft, painful pang in his chest. He hated lies. "There is no small country. There are only four nations. Lugunica is the easternmost country, and then there is the big waterfall."

"I didn't lie. The country I come from is east of my world. It's an island." Her eyes widened in surprise as she learned more about this fantasy world. "Four nations? Mine has almost two hundred."

That's a lot of nations. Are you from beyond the great waterfall?

"If that means I'm from another world, then yes." Well, yes.

Then this world knows that you are from beyond the great waterfall. Maybe you will decide to open some kind of business here and benefit your lady. Nah, I don't think so. Said the resigned merchant princess.

On the other hand, Roswall and Beatriz suspected that this idea would benefit Emilia's candidacy and their own interests.

Rem just wanted Subaru to do something for her and her sister.

Once in the booty house, Emilia was impressed by how Subaru got the approval of the thief and the old giant. Suddenly, they started knocking on the door, and a moment later, Subaru grabbed Felt and threw her to the old Rom.

The door flew off its hinges and footsteps echoed in the entrance. The shadow of a tall, seductive, black-haired woman stood in the light of the counter. Her sadistic eyes scanned the room. A happy smile broke out on her face when she recognized one of her targets. Apparently, this would be an easy job.

"Oh, wow. Apparently, the deal was broken. What a shame," she said. Said the woman, looking with pleasure at her next victims. "What could you expect from slum rats?"

Puck, what are you waiting for?" shouted the desperate Subaru. It was still half an hour to five.

"Sorry, Subaru. Your acting skills were so impressive that I missed a bit."

"Not even you believe it."

"Sorry...hehehe."

Suddenly, two icicles the size of a person appeared, floating above Emilia's head. Then, they took different routes. One aimed at the ceiling, and the other aimed at the assassin. In just a second, the icicle went through the ceiling and exploded in the sky, drawing the attention of a certain red-haired sword saint. The other icicle was barely dodged by the assassin, who didn't lose her smile during her acrobatics.

Crush: An incredible strategy for the occasion, plus a warning for Reinhard to act very Subaru-like. Said the Duchess, chuckling at the boy's performance.

Others listened as the Emilia on the screen listed every good quality of Subaru, and they heard several understudies in the audience agree.

Felt: "Shit! If she weren't so stubborn, this wouldn't have happened. Besides, she wasn't paying attention to old Rom."

Reinhard, who was nodding his head, intervened.

Reinhard: "Felt-sama, don't swear." He let out a light laugh at his mistress.

She unsheathed her sharp weapons, ready to lunge at her nearest prey—the black-haired boy. She accelerated, but an indestructible wall stopped her. Then, she was pushed toward the building's entrance. She looked at the obstacle: a young man with fiery red hair. She did not know when he appeared, but the sword at his waist was well known in Lugunica and Gusteko. The only person who could wield it was the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint—what luck! He said, licking his lips as he prepared for his next attack.

"Shall we get this over with at once?" Reinhard smiled at Elsa.

Otto thought, "Well, this was less torturous than the first time this happened." He sighed with relief as he watched the scene unfold.

Felt pumped his fists. End Rein.

The confrontation between the Sword Saint, Reinhard von Astrea, and the Intestine Hunter, Elsa Granhiert, happened just as everyone knew it would. Subaru told Reinhard that he had another sword hidden until Reinhard activated all his divine blessings.

"Oh, what will you show me?" The assassin asked as she watched the mana being absorbed by the swordsman's sword.

The swordsmanship of the Astrea family!

The sword saint prepared his sword. Elsa smiled and readied two swords in both hands.

Elsa Granhiert, the intestine hunter.

Reinhard Van Astrea was from a line of master swordsmen.

The two clashed, and Reinhard's sword glowed so brightly that it blinded everyone around him. Lugunica's strongest knight raised his glowing sword and struck Elsa with an attack so powerful that it blew up the entire "Booty House."

"What the hell!" Subaru looked at Reinhard in shock as the Booty House exploded. "Monster hunting is your specialty, my ass!" You're a monster yourself!"

Even I'm a little hurt by a comment like that, Subaru. ─The Sword Saint looked at the sword in his hand as it vaporized into dust from the great power used in the strike. I'm sorry for asking too much of you. Rest well now.

And so ended the battle that had taken three lifetimes to win. Everyone involved was safe and the assassin had disappeared from a powerful attack. Subaru's determination, his plan and the strength of the sword saint had brought this result, and this was Emilia's most honest and sincere thought.

Garfiel, Mimi and Felt rose from their seats at Reinhard's show of strength although they had seen it before it was still amazing.

Emilia with a wide smile on her face and blushing for her knight.

And Reinhard had an equally wide smile at the sight of the best friend he had. -Thank you Subaru.

Happening the same way Elsa attacking once more and Subaru preventing her from hitting Emilia, then demanding her name as a reward for saving her and finally realizing that her stomach was cut open.

The moon behind them both shone brightly, startling them and forcing them to look at it.

Today might be our last chance to gaze at the moon calmly.

And so ended Emilia's first walk in the capital, as she looked tenderly at the sleeping and weakened Subaru in her lap and heard the sound of the wheels of an approaching carriage, turning out to be the driver, her caretaker Ram, one of the oni maids of the Roswaal mansion.

─You'll be safe at the mansion, Subaru. I promise. ─Declared Emilia with determination and happiness. ─My dearest and first friend.

Chapter Text

"You'll be safe at the mansion, Subaru." I promise." Emilia declared with determination and happiness. "My dearest and first friend."

The lights turned on in the theater, ending another visualization that left a half-elf and an oni pouting happily.

While everyone talked about what they had just seen, the screen beeped.

"But weren't we done already?" Reinhard asked. In front of his mistress, in case of any inconveniences, likewise Julius with Anastasia.

"Crush-sama, beware," said Felix, his ears flicking all over the place for any unwanted noise.

Petra said, "Look, the screen is showing something."

When Petra finished saying that, the screen showed a big tower that a certain sword saint identified immediately.

I'm not a good drawer; maybe only this chapter will have illustrations, and they will serve as references.

Reinhard: That's it! He was impressed by the tower, which, for some reason, was not deserted, but rather, there was life in it.

Felt: Rein, what the fuck is that? Shouting at her knight, the blonde gave a glance to the sword saint.

"That's the Watchtower of the Pleiades.

Everyone but Priscilla, Al, and Roswaal.

"What?"

It's impossible!

Isn't it supposed to be a desert full of mabesties?

It looks so full of life!

Reinhard, are you sure that's the Pleiades' watchtower?

Before he could respond, sounds of battle began to be heard, and then the screen showed him.

Someone with two swords was seen: one crimson red as if bathed in the blood of his enemies and the other blue as the sky. Both had black handles and gold details on the blades.

The man was approximately 23 years old with short black hair combed backwards. He wore light armor, black gauntlets, and a flannel shirt. His pants were black, and his boots were orange with black accents. He wore shoulder pads, one black and one orange. His face was not visible; only his muscular, toned body was seen.

He was seen wielding his swords against beasts unlike anything he had ever seen before. Some had wings, some were quite tall at almost three meters high, and others were horrible-looking quadrupeds.

With incredible precision, he killed the beasts one by one, decapitating them.

The camera slowly moved up to show the man's face.

Is that him?

¿Subaru?

¿Subaru-kun?

¿Subaru-dono?

The boy with black hair on the screen looked much older and more masculine. His hairstyle highlighted his face, which had some slight cuts. A scar was visible on his right cheek. More surprising than his skill with the swords was that they had never seen anything like it before. The strength that came from those twin swords was immense.

Subaru said, "Wow, the cult has been busy. These mabesties are taking experimentation further than I thought."

He had a bracelet on his arm, a communication device developed and distributed by Pleiades Technology. It has the same functions as a modern cell phone, plus it can store and retrieve things.

Emilia: Heh, Subaru looks good. The half-elf stuttered and blushed, babbling incoherently.

While Rem was lost in his imagination, he saw those big arms and the face carved by Od himself. He started to drool.

Ram, on the other hand, was still Ram, cursing Barusu for putting her precious little sister in such a situation.

Meanwhile, Petra, Garfiel, Mimi, and Felt had stars in their eyes as they watched how great Subaru looked on screen.

Anastasia watched the Metía with intense curiosity and jotted down "Pléyades technology" in her notebook.

Julius was amazed by his friend's swordplay and felt proud.

Wilhelm watched with a faint smile as the boy grew strong.

For some reason, Reinhard compared the Reid dragon sword to the others, sensing a similar energy. As Subaru said, the witch cult was behind this.

Subaru said, "Emilia-tan, respond here, Subaru..." Emilia, respond! I have a bad feeling. Adjusting the bracelet, he started to speak again. "Rem, answer it. Rem, are you there?" He looked nervous, and to his bewilderment, several hordes of mabesties had arrived.

Emilia: "Why don't I answer? Shouldn't I be watching?" Feeling the tension of the scene,

Rem: "Did something happen to make us not answer your call?" He grabbed the hem of his suit tightly.

Otto: Those beasts are too many.

Garfiel: The captain can handle them; you'll see.

Feeling that something was definitely wrong, he raised his right hand."Sorry, guys, but I'm in a hurry!"Hundreds of Minya crystals appeared around the man, impaling and killing the hordes of beasts.

Roswaal: "That spell shouldn't be possible at such a magnitude." He narrowed his eyes and spoke without his usual tone.

Beatriz: Hmm, I guess Betty's Subaru can do much more than we thought. She inflates her chest with pride at the boy on screen.

Having already eliminated most of the hordes, he put away his twin swords, raised both hands, and said, "Al-shamac." A portal immediately opened in front of Subaru.

Everyone was impressed by Subaru's capabilities. How did he do it? Wasn't his door completely destroyed? There was no spirit with him, and not even Beatrice-sama could be seen.

After crossing the portal and arriving in the capital of the dragon kingdom, he shuddered at what he saw: the destroyed streets and houses were clear signs of an attack. Then, he saw some bodies he recognized immediately. "Witch cultists."

Crush: But how could there be no one defending the capital? Who could plot such a plan and avoid its defenders? He squeezed the armrest of his chair, feeling fury at the scene.

Anastasia: Clearly, they had everything planned out, but who?

Mimi: Look! The scene is changing."

As Subaru ran up the stairs to the royal castle, he felt a pang in his heart. What he saw was much worse.

Emilia, Rem, Crush, Anastasia, and Priscilla were lying on the floor in bloody costumes while healers attended to them.

The aforementioned, except for Priscilla, who was threatening to burn her chair from the anger she felt, were in complete shock. How was such a situation possible? Such a planned attack, and Od did not want it to happen while neither Reinhard nor Subaru were present.

Julius and Felix were angry, seeing how their ladies were possibly in critical condition, while Reinhard was frustrated because he was not present to help once again.

"You know, my beloved. As much as you have six authorities at your disposal, you must improve them. You are more compatible than you think. Even one authority could get two skills."

If they did not know whose voice it was, they would have imagined it was Emilia's. But it was not.

She is.

She is the witch.

Satella.

Subaru could be seen with his hair hiding his eyes. He heard nothing, his gaze fixed on the women being attended until he started to say something.

>SLOTH< for not saving all of them.

>WRATH<because I hate how weak I am.

>GREED< because I want it all!

>GLUTTONY< because I crave everything.

>LUST< because I want it all!

Satella, remember, my beloved, you can't release all the miasmas at once. You could poison everything around you. I recommend you do as I taught you.

>ENVY< because I envy those who are stronger than me.

A red aura began to emanate from Subaru. It was his second Wrath ability, just like Minerva's. His aura, when expanded, can heal. He wasn't at Minerva's level, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to save them.

Emilia: W, why is he reciting that? No, no, please, no, Subaru! Stuttering and feeling terrible about it, Subaru said,

Roswaal thoughtfully said, "It's different from the one I've heard, plus the same Envy Witch taught it to him. How interesting, Subaru-kun.

Crush said, "He's saying the sins, but why?"

Otto asked, "Excuse me, Beatriz-sama, but can you have two abilities from one authority?"

Beatriz: No, not really. She lowered her eyes, probably because she had failed him again.

Suddenly, something exploded.

GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

It was a heartbreaking scream, a scream of pain, anger, and frustration, and it came from the kindest boy they had ever met. To give you an idea of what the scream sounded like, imagine the song "Give It Up" by Linkin Park, but louder and more heartbreaking.

A red aura emanated from Subaru's body and spread throughout the royal palace. Initially dark red, the color changed to dark purple and finally to absolute black.

Emilia, Beatrice, Petra, and Rem were crying. Frederica was comforting little Petra. Ram was hugging his little sister.

Crush and Wilhelm had eyes full of rage, thinking that the boy could let out such a pure and immaculate cry of hatred. Meanwhile, Felix, Ricardo, Mimi, and Tivey covered their ears; being semi-human, they were twice as sensitive.

Julius and Reinhard clenched their jaws, watching the scene. Felt was glued to her knight's chest, sobbing.

Veins popped out of his face as he forced his second Wrath ability, which was working as the wounds started to heal and slowly awaken.

In the distance, an ethereal figure appeared: a girl with platinum hair, deep blue eyes, and a dress with blue details. It was none other than the Witch of Vainglory, Pandora.

What the hell is she doing there?

Pandora!

Bastard!

They hurled insults and curses at the witch on the screen, remembering that she was the one who pulled the strings and caused all their pain.

Pandora: Come on, Subaru-kun, show me that anger and hatred again. I don't want to see the heroic or sage candidates. I want to see the warlock." A genuine smile adorned his face.

Emilia and Rem: "Warlock?" They stuttered and couldn't believe what they had heard.

With wide eyes, Reinhard asked, "Did he just call Subaru a warlock?"

Petra, with tears in her eyes, shook her head. "No, Subaru-sama can't be a witch. It's impossible."

Subaru quickly turned back and saw her—that disgusting woman who had been teasing him for a long time. With clear anger, he said, "What was it, you damn bitch?"

He raised his right hand, and the bracelet glowed: "Valgren!" A sword of shiny black color with gold and purple details came out. Unlike the others, it was a long sword, and the power he felt from it was no joke.

He got into position and rushed toward Pandora, but several cultists blocked his way. Without losing momentum, he began to eliminate them. A downward slash of the dragon Valgren's sword eliminated three cultists, and with another slash, he eliminated three more.

Everyone was astonished, including Priscilla, who had a smirk behind her fan; Roswaal, who had narrowed his eyes and had a creepy smile; and Wilhelm, Julius, and Reinhard, who were impressed by Subaru's swordplay.

Emilia and Rem blushed. They watched their knight/hero make his way through the cultists.

Garfiel, Mimi, and Felt were startled to see their captain, mini-boss, and big brother become even cooler.

Seeing more cultists approaching, he abruptly stopped. With a twist, he threw a slash of the sword that split all the arriving cultists in half. He threw the sword, impaling another cultist. Running at full speed through the rubble, he approached Pandora and threw another shout of tangible wrath toward the witch.

"PANDORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Her fist was covered by her Wrath ability, but it was also covered by a black gauntlet formed by her Laziness ability. She can shape her hands into invisible armor or weapons.

There was also an aura of purple and black flashes.

Emilia: Come on, Subaru! She raised her fist toward the screen.

Rem: Get that bitch, my hero!

Garfiel/Otto: "Come on, Captain/Natsuki-san!

Crush/Wilhelm: Subaru-dono!

Pandora didn't move, confident in her authority. Oh, what a mistake!

In a desperate attempt, Subaru activated his Sage powers, rendering all space around him obsolete and causing the natural laws to cease functioning. Pandora realized her mistake too late. Subaru's punch hit the witch directly in the stomach, and she felt pain for the first time. This feeling, impossible for her to experience, made her feel pure pain.

The next moment, she shot through the air, through debris and half-destroyed buildings.

All: GO!

He made it!

Subaru-kyun!

Subaru-dono!

Subaru, Subaru-kun.

Captain, Natsuki-san.

Reinhard said, "I've never seen such incredible power. I feel the magnitude of the impact is unimaginable." With wide eyes and a smile, the sword saint enjoyed watching the strike.

But it was not over.

Pandora said, "How amazing, Subaru-kun! I expected nothing less from the sorcerer who defeated the Sacred Empire of Gusteko. I am very satisfied." Warlock of destruction.

They were face to face, possibly before the final fight between the two.

The screen went off immediately, leaving everyone in suspense.

Hey!

We want to continue watching!

Guardian, let it go!

Boos and complaints could be heard throughout the theater until the Guardian appeared.

As far as I can tell, they are interested in the original universe, saying it with pride.

Original universe?

Yes, the original universe is not registered to any guardian. Why the drums? Because I will be your next guardian, therefore I will be in charge.

Petra asked, "So, Guardian, can you please tell us what happened?" Petra had stars in her eyes, eager to find out what would happen with Subaru.

"Excuse me, my little one, but I still don't know. You know, the paperwork is tedious. The truth is, well, without further ado, please use the door I just unlocked. There, you can go to the common room to talk, play, or go straight to your rooms."

One by one, the spectators got up from their seats and went to the living room to talk about what they had seen.

Anastasia: "Well, what do we know so far?"

Felt: That there are several strong older brothers who can rival Rein.

Emilia: That Subaru is awesome?"

Rem: Rem's hero is awesome!

Anastasia: No! First things first, you heard what that Subaru said when it arrived, didn't you?

Julius: Yes, Anastasia-sama. A scale attack on Priestella.

Reinhard: It's a joint attack by the five archbishops of the witch cult.

Emilia: Yes. Regulus:

Rem, Ram, and Crush: Gluttony."

Anastasia: Good! According to what Subaru told us, as well as the details in the notebook he left us, we can start our counterattack.

First, Sirius defeated Priscilla-san and captured her along with Priestella's diva, Liliana, as we read.

Priscilla: Hmph. Don't even think about it. I'll take that singer with me.

Next:

Julius: Gluttony, Ley Batenkaitos, and Roy Alphard, two of the three Gluttony brothers. They took my name and left Joshua in a sleeping beauty state.

Crush: Lust is possibly of royal lineage from Lugunica Capella. He can transform into anything and carries dragon blood.

Emilia: Regulus, Greed. First of all, we must freeze his wives, and then have Subaru eliminate mine so that Reinhard can kill him without difficulty.

Anastasia: Yes, we have to decide what to do about him.

Rem: I agree. We can't let Rem's hero get hurt.

Wilhelm: Besides Kurgan and my Theresia.

AJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA

But what?

You were there!

Spying is bad!

I'm sorry, but knowing that they'll try to make Subaru stay still makes me laugh. They know it won't happen; Subaru is an unstoppable force, and they know it.

They wanted to renege, but they knew it was the truth. In spite of everything, without him, they would all be dead long ago.

You know what? I suggest you go rest. It's the best thing you can do until the next visualization.

One by one, they went to their respective rooms, knowing they couldn't stop Subaru, but that acting first against the archbishops was the best option.

Chapter Text

One by one, they went to their respective rooms, knowing they could not stop Subaru, but that acting before the Archbishops was the best option.

In a room full of screens, the Guardian was relaxing until a white light appeared. From the light emerged a tall woman (around 1.95 or two meters). She had white skin and black hair like the night. She wore sports clothes and overalls with a flannel shirt.

"Well, here you are, my dear little brother." He sounded gentle, but his smile was not. Vielma felt it was out of fear for his only older sister.

"Hehe, there you are, Zareka. What are you doing here?" Vielma asked. She was totally flustered by her older sister's appearance.

Zareka, the woman, raised her voice, imposing her authority as a superior.

Zareka: You know very well that it was me. Your mother and the boss screwed me, and now I'm here to screw you.

Vielma: ...

Zareka: You won't say anything?

Vielma: I really don't know what you're talking about, and you know I'm not lying. To tell you the truth, what am I accused of? I haven't broken the guardians' rules, nor do I think I've broken the theater's rules.

Zareka: An object.

Vielma: Huh?

Zareka: We know you didn't break the rules directly, but there was a discrepancy in the information that your audience should have received.

Vielma: Is that discrepancy about the creative magic of theater? You know, I don't have a say in that. I can't use my voice, so I use these rooms designed to supplement that ability. Besides, I've only brought one Subaru, and... SHIT, THE BOOK!

Zareka: Until you figured it out, asshole, as usual.

Vielma: Hey!

Zareka: It doesn't matter. You're assigned a punishment. You have to clean the theater yourself. Here, I'll get you some headphones, a broom, and a bucket.

Vielma: ... Resigned, he heads back to the theater with about two hours left until the next show.

Having decided that they had rested enough, the campers headed to the theater, opening the large doors carefully until they saw someone cleaning up.

It was a boy about Subaru's age with black hair a little shorter than Subaru's. He was dressed in a gray jumpsuit, black sneakers, and a black flannel shirt (like Toji or Satoru in their final fight).

"Wo wo oppa ganga style eeeeeeeee sexi leidi wo wo wo wo..."

Feeling a presence, he turned around little by little, seeing that everyone was there, until a single noise exploded.

Pft!

JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA!

Hey, bro, you dropped your ID.

Hmp, incompetent as Barusu.

?: Hey, what are you doing here? There's still an hour left! Startled, he began shouting.

Emilia: "Excuse me, but who are you?" She asked the confused half-elf.

"Vielma" "That's right. You haven't seen me. I am your guardian. As I said before, my name is Vielma."

Anastasia and Reinhard watched as the man identified by the merchant princess seemed uneasy with the subject's small but present presence. Reinhard sensed the man's power, which was not to be taken lightly.

Vielma said, "So you will stand there?" Come on, have a seat. Everything is clean."

Vielma: Okay, first of all, there's a change of plans since you guys cheated. Ana, you recognize this, don't you? She took out a notebook from one of her pockets, knowing it contained the details of Priestella's attack.

Anastasia: What? I had it right here a second ago. She checked her pocket but found nothing.

Vielma: Thanks to this, I got their attention, so the programming will be changed. I had planned to show them the same thing, but there must be something wrong with it. Goodbye, Priestella's visualizations. You can learn that I'm in charge here, you little shit brats.

Releasing a light blue aura, she made the atmosphere heavy, causing everyone to get on guard, but to no avail. They were trapped in their chairs by energy ropes, leaving everyone seated again.

Vielma: Don't be surly. I'm frustrated because you called my attention, and I just wanted to give you that information. Well, here is the new visualization.

Where am I? How did I get here?

That man dresses funny, Mom!" A boy laughed and pointed at Subaru. There was no malice in his laughter; he was simply too young to know better.

"Shut up," Shinji sternly ordered the woman holding his hand.

"What is this?"

This is new!

Another world?"

Subaru stared at them. The boy appeared to be wearing a headband with cat ears. That wasn't unusual, except that he had apparently convinced his mother to wear a similar headband; she also had cat ears. Were they playing a video game or going to a comic book convention?

Anastasia wondered what that would be like, with props and some kind of event from their world.

Beatriz puffed out her chest. If, in fact, Betty's Subaru explained all that to her, then I guess.

The mother pushed her son hard past Subaru and eyed him suspiciously. Subaru only belatedly realized that the way she was looking at them, fascinated, could well be considered threatening. Shinji, the boy, noticed nothing strange and waved to Subaru as he and his mother hurried past. The mother continued to glare at Subaru, wiggling her ears disapprovingly, then turned away.

Wait a second... Had her ears really wiggled?

Subaru watched the crowd more closely, wide-eyed. As he paid closer attention, he realized that many of them did not look human. They had animal hair and ears. One guy approaching him had a wolf muzzle covering his face!

The wolf-faced man glared at Subaru. "You got a problem, buddy?" he growled. Subaru decided it really was a growl when he saw the man's sharp teeth.

He realized he had been staring open-mouthed and in awe at the werewolf, and he quickly shook his head.

The werewolf snorted, "I didn't think so." He turned and scurried down the path, grumbling to himself.

Subaru's surprise slowly turned to astonishment.

Wait a second. I'm in another world! I'm not a loser like I was back home. This is my big chance! Fate has summoned me here! I'm finally going to be somebody. People aren't going to look down on me or pity me anymore. I'm not just a NEET. I'm going to impress people, defeat the Demon King, and marry the beautiful princess. I can't believe it; all my dreams are coming true! I'm not a loser anymore!

Crush: There are those thoughts of destiny again, and that I have to save the world from the demon king.

Reinhard: But he looks different. I don't know how to be more confident or proud."

He felt a pang in his chest as he said that word.

Rem: "Yes, Rem, I feel the same way, Reinhard-sama."

"Excuse me, sir. Are you all right?" asked a polite voice.

Subaru quickly came down from his natural state of euphoria and discovered that a small crowd had gathered around him. The locals were watching him with a mixture of concern and fear. The only exception was the man who had spoken. He was a tall, handsome young man with bright red hair, and he had a bearing that could only be described as polite. He wore what looked like a uniform and carried a sword at his belt. The man looked at Subaru with kindness and concern.

Felt: "Wow, Rein, didn't take you long to show up, huh?" He nudged the red-haired man.

Reinhard nodded his head. "So it seems, Felt-sama."

Great! Maybe this guy will be my first partner on a daring adventure to save the world! I thought finding my first partner would be more difficult. I'd better put on a good show to impress him. That should be easy. I'm so happy right now that I can't imagine worrying about anything. "I'm not a loser; I'm the hero!

I'm great!" Subaru said cheerfully. "I'm having the best day of my life!"

The small crowd that had gathered around Subaru dispersed, though not without a few disgusted looks. They were either bored or confident that the red-haired man had the situation under control.

The man smiled at Subaru. "I am very glad to hear it. My name is Reinhard van Astrea. May I have the pleasure of meeting you?"

"I'm Subaru Natsuki, and it's a pleasure to meet you!" exclaimed Subaru, looking bemusedly at the passing crowd. "I'm new to this land. I have no money, no friends, no idea where I'll sleep tonight, and no idea what I'm doing!" he laughed.

Reinhard's face became more worried. "That sounds really terrible," he said, unsure whether to be sympathetic. This Subaru was saying horrible things with a smile. Reinhard concluded that the young man was either suffering from a nervous breakdown or possessed remarkable fortitude.

As many on the screen rolled their eyes at the black-haired man, others laughed as civilians watched him.

Emilia: Yes, he really looks more confident and self-assured.

Ram said, "Hmp, Barusu is still Barusu; he will never change." He raised his chin and crossed his arms.

Tivey: So he expects to have the sword saint as a companion on his adventures. He adjusts his monocle. (I forgot this one had a sheath.)

Reinhard's eyes widened. "I greatly admire your confidence, Natsuki-san. I doubt I could be so optimistic or convinced if I were in a similar situation." He knew that all his positive qualities came from his Divine Blessings, which were bestowed upon him by his magical powers. He didn't need anyone to tell him that he would be practically useless without them, although more than a few people had told him so in person over the years.

Wow, thought Subaru. This guy seems as insecure as I am. I mean, as insecure as before. I'm better now. Anyway, he looks like he needs sympathy. I'd probably encourage him anyway, but since he's going to be my first partner on this adventure, I should try to connect with him. He stands out too much to be a secondary character. He'll probably play an important role in my hero's journey. Besides, he seems like a nice guy, and we all need support sometimes.

Subaru shook his head with a smile. "Hey, buddy, don't sell yourself short! Oh, and please call me Subaru. If you say 'Natsuki-san,' then I think you mean my dad. Anyway, you should have more faith in yourself. Honestly, I was thinking the same thing not too long ago. You never know what you're capable of until you're in the right situation."

Reinhard couldn't help but smile back. “I thank you for your kind words, Natsuki-san,” he said. “You mentioned that you’re new to the area and have nowhere to sleep tonight. I would be happy to offer you lodging while you settle in." He paused, absently fingering the satchel hanging at his side. "Unfortunately, my father has asked me to deliver these packages to his various acquaintances today, and I have agreed to do so. If you come to my house tonight, I will gladly receive them."

Oh, really? I suppose he won't be joining my group after all. That's too bad. Maybe he's not included in the main mission, although I don't know what it is. That's all right. I've already raised the flag. I'm sure he'll be included again when the plot is ready. I'd better see how I can finish this prologue.

"Great, Reinhard! I'm sure we'll meet again very soon, and I'm looking forward to it," Subaru said, tapping Reinhard on the shoulder with a fond laugh as he walked away to look for the next plot.

Al: "Wow, this brother sure talks, huh? Chuckling. He took a direct hit to the helmet from Priscilla.

Priscilla: "Don't talk. I didn't give you permission."

Wilhelm: At least this Subaru keeps in mind that it's not bad to ask for help from time to time."

Felix: Yeah, old Will. It's comforting.

Roswaal: Looks like this Subaru-kun is more perceptive than ours.

He looked at the screen with amusement and continued talking.

He walked as if he owned the world, smiling and winking at everyone until something happened.

Everything around him froze, and the world turned gray.

Subaru could never explain exactly how he felt at that moment. It was as if something had found him—something that had been searching specifically for him for longer than a human could comprehend. Or maybe it had been with him all along, searching for him constantly, but unable to contact him. In any case, Subaru felt complete. He felt polished and finished, like a masterpiece crafted over a long period of time that had finally been perfected.

An instant later, a searing pain swept over him. He felt as if a colossal iron spike had set his head on fire and pierced it. Subaru tried to scream, but he was paralyzed and could not move or breathe.

At that moment, three phrases were engraved in Subaru's heart with letters of fire: "The Authority of Pride," "Reason and Judgment," and "Indomitable."

Then, without warning, the world began revolving around Subaru again.

Subaru stood there, gasping for air, when someone bumped into him from behind. "Asshole!" he blurted out, circling around the trembling Subaru.

What the hell just happened? Did I level up or something? Already? I haven't even done anything yet! The Pride Authority? What the hell is that?

Maybe the world recognized my newfound self-confidence and decided to reward me for it.

Wow, leveling up hurts! Now I know where the term "ding" comes from because my head feels like it's been hammered. What is "Reason and Judgment?" Could it be a new skill?

The moment Subaru thought this, the world froze around him. At least this time, it didn't turn gray. This made Subaru feel a little more relaxed until he realized he couldn't move, which made him feel much less relaxed.

He found that he could still move his eyes, but that was it. He was trapped in that frozen instant alongside everyone around him. An instant later, he realized he couldn't breathe.

Everyone felt a shiver when the world suddenly stopped, thinking the Envy was going to show up, but something else entirely happened.

Wilhelm squinted at the sight of the Authority of Pride. In the past, he had faced the Archbishop of Pride, Stride Vollachia—a true monster who killed both enemies and allies.

Al shuddered, thinking about what had happened to him.

Emilia and Beatrice were worried because he continued to act as if it were one of his games.

Priscilla snorted. She was the only one the world recognized, not him.

Then, to show his new authority, time stopped and no longer turned gray, but his confidence and outlook changed as he began to analyze details meticulously.

Anastasia said, "That ability doesn't seem to have a time limit." It's quite useful for negotiations and strategies, and it's much more useful in the hands of Natsuki-kun, who overthinks everything.

Crush: What will happen now? Will he be stronger, or will he make a comeback through death?

Everyone shuddered at what was said and hoped it wouldn't come to that.

As he walked nonchalantly, he entered the famous alley where he would meet the Three Stooges.

"Hey, what do we have here?" asked one of the young men. He was a pale, skinny boy with long, dirty hair and a smirk on his face.

Subaru saw the wolfish grins on their faces and suddenly remembered his school days.

These guys are a mess, he thought. I knew a lot of guys like them when I was in school. They're young, dumb, and aggressive. They're just as likely to hurt someone as part of a prank gone too far as they are to do it intentionally. Sometimes that can be even more dangerous.

Subaru used reason and judgment to stop the scene. His apprehension vanished, replaced by disdain.

It is characters like these that give rise to the term "scumbag mafia." It's a complete waste of valuable time. Unfortunately, the problem still needs to be solved.

"Well, Subaru, this doesn't look good," he thought. These three are unshaven and wearing ragged clothes. They look like they've been living in squalor. The bulges under their clothes look like daggers. That's not good. Reinhard was carrying a sword in plain sight, but these guys want to hide the fact that they're armed. They use small, concealable weapons that are easy to use in tight spaces.

Julius: This ability certainly looks more beneficial on Subaru than on anyone else. His analytical and reaction skills are much better.

Felix: But doesn't he get paralyzed too? That can be bad, too.

Subaru restarted time with a sigh. "Hey, guys! I'm Subaru Natsuki!" he said, forcing an amused smile. He tried to cling to the supreme confidence of Reason and Judgment. “What brings you guys here? Are you looking for a dance partner?” he asked, slurring his words.

The men blinked, their smiles fading as they exchanged confused glances. They were puzzled by Subaru's refusal to "read the situation" and be intimidated by three men, one of whom was significantly larger than he was.

That's it. They should recognize that he is not afraid of them and that their lack of fear should make them apprehensive. Never underestimate the power of a good bluff.

Subaru had been involved in a surprising number of fights growing up. One thing he learned early on was that pretending you can defend yourself is sometimes just as effective as actually being able to do it. It makes people wonder if that easy target might not be as easy as it looks, and if they might get hurt in the altercation too. The more thought that goes into this, the better. The more someone debates whether starting a fight over nothing is worth it, the more likely they are to decide it isn't.

The three looked uncertain for a moment, but then their faces hardened, and they began to grumble at each other.

Wow. I may have been wrong. I don't need reason or judgment to analyze this situation. These three are insecure and feel disrespected. They've probably been manipulated by big shots their whole lives. They make up for it by hunting easy prey. They had a good payday today—maybe their first—and now they feel great. I made them doubt themselves, which they consider unforgivable. If they don't make me feel sorry, they will doubt themselves again to avoid it.

Hey, guys, maybe we could talk about this over a beer? Trust me, no one knows more about insecurity than I do. Seriously, you guys don't need to beat me up.

Beatriz: Hmph, look at Betty's Subaru. I just wish she was that rational, though. She's puffing out her chest and pouting as she pulls the sleeping boy's cheek.

Riling up the three stooges, the skinny one pulled out two knives, the big one pulled out some brass knuckles, and the midget pulled out a club with nails embedded in it.

Seeing the situation, he once again used his reason and judgment to assess the options and variables at hand. He remembered his cell phone and, as he deactivated his ability, noticed a young woman with crimson eyes and yellow hair a few steps behind him.

Reinhard said, "It seems that this ability has no limit. He can use it as many times as he wants, and the time it stays frozen seems to stay the same."

Felt: Look! There! I'll make my entrance!

Emilia: Maybe that other Indomitable ability is strength.

Rem: Hopefully, Emilia-sama.

Priscilla: Ha! Look at those two cowards, trying to avoid confrontation. How pitiful!

The girl ran past Subaru and jumped over a wall. For a long moment, the four men in the alley stared at the wall where the girl disappeared. Subaru was probably the most stunned. He felt like a performer whose co-star had forgotten his lines and walked off stage, leaving him alone.

He had the uncomfortable feeling that his plot armor had malfunctioned in this particular scene.

Double Blades snarled and lunged at Subaru, who took a shot directly to the face. Double Blades staggered backwards, rubbing his eyes and wiping his face.

"What the fuck did you just do to me?" he asked, sounding scared.

"What?" asked Subaru jovially. "I thought you wanted to see a sample of my magic. Don't worry; it won't activate until later."

Double Blades took a step back, his face growing pale.

"Shit, he's buying it!

"Stop right there!" a clear voice demanded from behind Subaru.

"Now he thinks he's the leading man he always talks about?" Anastasia asked. By Od, what a boy.

Mimi laughed at the sight of Subaru being ignored by Felt.

Julius: "It could have been better, but it was a good move. Plus, they don't know it's not magic."

Emilia: That's where I come in to save Subaru."

Many snorted at what the half-elf said.

Subaru frowned. "Are you sure this is the man who stole your badge?" she asked the girl. She was surprised that he could speak so calmly to what had to be the most beautiful woman in creation. He would have assumed her mind would go blank, leaving her unable to speak. Perhaps it had something to do with the calmness of reason and judgment?

"No, my badge was stolen by a blonde-haired girl," she replied.

Subaru frowned at the silver-haired girl. "Then... Why did you accuse them of stealing it from you?"

The girl looked at Subaru, blinked, and blushed. "Well, I saw her run in..."

"Yeah, she scaled that wall and disappeared," Subaru explained, pointing to the wall.

The same half-elf who had been so proud a moment ago started squealing and blushing in embarrassment at the scene.

Ram simply sighed and rubbed his temples at his mistress's antics.

Priscilla said, "Hmph, as always, the semi-diabla is flaunting her idiocy, just like her knight." Behind her fan, the baroness smirked with smugness and arrogance.

It's time to help this girl find her lost insignia. This is almost certainly part of the main mission, and there's no way I'm letting this living angel walk away. The timing of this encounter is perfect. I can show off my talent to a beautiful girl, and she has found the perfect person to solve her problem. By chance or by fate, everything fits together perfectly. Unfortunately, this alley gives me few clues to work with.

"Damn," thought Subaru. "Too bad it didn't occur to you to scan the girl on sight."

No sooner had he thought this than the girl reappeared before his eyes, close enough to touch. The three thugs were also there, all paralyzed in place. Subaru realized that he had been moved back to where he had been during the double-bladed confrontation.

Mmm... This is a memory, isn't it? Reason and judgment should allow you to review what you've already seen.

Subaru found this very exciting. He began to break the unnatural calm of Reason and Judgment.

Huh? So, this ability allows me not only to see details but also to record and replay previous events? Cool! It even lets me freeze people's poses as long as I've seen them in that position before! So, if I happen to come across a pretty girl while she's changing...

I can concentrate on her and see as much detail as possible.

Expressions of disgust, discomfort, and repulsion could be seen on several faces after the boy's last statement, but they focused on the authority's new function.

Julius: "Wow, that's really useful for reconnaissance. In addition to the multiple strategies that can be used, they can also see the enemies' weaknesses."

Felix: Yes, but that doesn't take away from what he said he can do.

Rem was already in her fifth fantasy, imagining how Subaru could observe her at any time.

Ram always wanted to beat up Subaru for putting his little sister in such a situation.

He made a report about the knife she was carrying, her worn-out shoes, and her possible malnutrition. He also mentioned the possible location of the girl, which would be the slums.

The girl looked at him in confusion. "Why are you trying to help me?" she muttered. "I'm a silver-haired half-elf."

Subaru paused. "I'm new around here," he admitted. "I don't know where I am, what I'm doing here, or anything about this place. But I think—I hope—I'm here to do some good. Helping you is the first chance I've had to do that so far." Subaru gave the girl a tired smile. He took a step toward her and held out his hand. "My name is Subaru Natsuki."

The girl looked at his hand as if she had never seen one before. Subaru didn't understand why this seemed so significant to her, but doubt, distrust, and hope flashed across her face.

"This is Puck," the girl explained slowly, taking Subaru's hand. "And my name is..." Satella concluded.

"What a beautiful name," Subaru replied.

Satella's eyes widened.

"Well, shall we head to the slums then?" Subaru asked as he walked out of the alley.

Crush: Yes, he is more cautious and insightful than ours. With his new skills, he will undoubtedly be the best strategist of our generation.

Rem: Rem thinks the same. Crush-sama, Rem's hero, will always be the best.

No matter how many times Emilia saw him, when she referred to herself that way, she felt a pang in her chest. Why do I always have to give him that name?

When she saw where the three stooges went, she saw a bag full of gold coins. Satella told her that stealing is bad, but her attitude changed when she heard the boy's nickname, "Tella."

Seeing this, the pang in Emilia's chest became stronger. Feeling uncomfortable with the nickname, she said,

Upon arriving in the slums, Satella began talking to the lower spirits, trying to find the blonde girl. Meanwhile, Subaru checked the surroundings and encountered a merchant who gave him a gold coin as a bribe. In exchange, Subaru received information and a robe for Satella, which allowed him to begin his plan.

Crush said, "It's a good analysis. With the owner there, they can become aggressive and avoid unnecessary conflicts."

Ram whispered, "Do I congratulate Barusu?" No, of course not, and whoever says otherwise is lying."

Reinhard: That's a good conclusion. Really, we already knew it was Margrave Roswaal, but not them. The most suspicious ones would be the nobles that Emilia-sama spoke about.

The door opened slowly, and a huge man with brown skin and gray hair peeked out warily. "That's not the password," he growled.

"Really?" asked Subaru. "It always opens doors in my land."

"Yes, how cute," the old man snorted. But Subaru saw a slight smile on his face. "What do you want?"

"We wanted to buy a valuable item, and someone suggested that you were exactly the person we should talk to about it," Subaru explained.

The old man stepped out onto his porch. He must have been at least ten feet tall. "And what exactly are you looking for?"

"I guess you're Rom, then?" Subaru asked. The merchant had said Rom was a giant, and he wasn't exaggerating.

The old man didn't answer.

"How do you do?" "This is a private matter, and perhaps it's best not discussed at the door," said Subaru cheerfully. "Could we persuade you to serve us something while we talk?"

The old man thought about it for a moment, then turned away. "Fine," he grumbled, leading them inside.

Felt: It's amazing how well Big Brother gets along with everyone, even old Rom.

Emilia: Yes, the truth is that he's well known by the kids in Arlam Village, as well as by the chief and everyone in general.

Petra: Yes! Subaru-sama treats us all well. He's super nice and funny!

Rem: Rem's hero is Rem's hero. As he said proudly.

Subaru made a quite believable alibi that he was also behind the stolen object. The old giant looked cautious, asking how much he knew about the thief. Subaru said only the basics, stating that he only wants to negotiate and buy the object. Suddenly, the door opened, and the same blonde girl who had been stolen from him appeared.

Otto said, "Well, for the moment, he's been doing a good job, Natsuki-san."

Garfiel: Obvious! He's the captain, almost as cool as my awesome self."

"Twenty gold coins is a lot," Felt commented to Rom with a worried frown. "Maybe you should keep the winnings and get out of here. I'm starting to worry that you've gotten yourself into something big and dangerous." Twenty coins would get you out of the slums. You could have a real life."

"Yeah, and for thirty, I bet we could both get out," Grandpa replied.

"Not me, Felt. I'm too old. I'm too tied to this place," Rom said, shaking his head.

Felt was about to reply, but the door opened again, and a woman walked in.

"Oh, my other buyer has arrived," Felt said.

Subaru stopped time and examined the woman closely. She was tall and beautiful with pale skin and dark, flowing hair. If she had any fat, it was concentrated in her large breasts. Subaru couldn't tell much about her except that she was hiding a pair of short swords under her clothes.

"I don't like this. Concealed weapons are never a good sign. If you carry weapons as a deterrent, you don't hide them. People hide them to ambush their prey.

Priscilla thoughtfully said: "Now, show me, commoner, what you are capable of."

Emilia whispered, "Subaru."

Garfiel gritted his teeth, and Felt clenched his fists.

Rem felt angry that she was one of the causes of Subaru-kun's suffering; she wanted to kill her.

Seeing the other buyer's attitude, he felt that something was very wrong. She didn't look upset that she was outbid; she simply accepted it. He made a proposal to Elsa to exchange information, to which she readily agreed. "I am a member of a Gusteko assassin guild that fulfills contracts all over the world. I work for Mother Capella. She's the one who sent me to buy the trinket," Elsa said.

Ricardo said, "I don't like this at all.

Al: "I feel the same way, my friend.

Crush said, "He has orders to get the badge and kill everyone here. It's logical for him to talk, knowing what he has to do."

Mmm. That's...that's really bad. Subaru said in a breathy voice. He looked at Rom and saw a similar fear in his eyes.

Rom slowly walked away from the table, dragging Felt with him.

Felt looked at his grandfather in confusion.

"What's really bad?" Elsa asked.

"Well, let's see. You just admitted to being a professional killer and gave us the name of your boss. Usually, private information is shared privately, but you just told the whole world. You don't seem to care who in this room knows that information." What conclusion can we draw from that?"

That you don't intend to let anyone out of this room alive," Rom replied, reaching behind the bar and picking up a heavy club. Felt looked at him with wide eyes.

"Good job, Rom," said Subaru. "I guess age does bring wisdom."

"You're very smart," Elsa commented, showing no irritation whatsoever. "I was hoping you would simply tell me what I wanted to know. I could always pry it out of you later, but I don't like being distracted while torturing someone with little details like, 'Did they really answer my questions?' Too bad."

Garfiel: "Tch, I would have made her suffer a lot more if I went up against that bitch again." He couldn't finish speaking when Frederica smacked him in the back of the head. Garf language. For some reason, Otto blushed at the semi-human's attitude.

Julius: As Crush-sama said, it was obvious that his target was going to kill them all independently.

Feeling the weight of death, Subaru began to criticize himself. He knew he was not a hero, but he had done what he said he would do: help Satella with his badge. While he saw her frozen in time, he noticed her sadness, thinking she was going to die. However, he decided to make one last move. "I'm going to activate Indomitable by restarting time. Who knows? Maybe it will do something."

Subaru took a deep breath, and the world resumed its activity. Elsa continued her slash, and Subaru activated Indomitable.

Elsa's short sword slammed into Subaru's side, and his attack stopped as if the blade had hit a mountain. She tried again but couldn't even scratch his skin.

Wow! Nice!

Then, feeling like his heart was going to burst, Subaru doubled over as he watched the Indomitable fade away. Elsa threw another punch at Subaru's torso, but a flurry of ice crystals sent her flying through the air like bullets.

Subaru felt a wrenching pain in his side as Elsa flew through the air.

"I guess she hit me with that one," Subaru said, squeezing his side hard. He looked at the jagged wound on his hip and stomach and almost fainted. Then, he felt like he was going to throw up.

"Take it easy! That won't do any good!" It's a big cut, but at least it doesn't look that deep." Sure, you could have fooled me judging by the pain.

Come on!

His skill really stood up for him.

That's Rem's hero.

The door to the looted house suddenly opened and the same young man Subaru had seen hours ago entered. His name was Reinhard van Astrea. Instead of drawing the longsword hanging at his side, he stepped forward and quickly picked up a rusty old sword from a nearby box.

"Please help me in this battle," he asked the sword politely. He turned to Elsa, his voice becoming stern. "You are a murderer, a marauder, and a danger to the people of this kingdom. As a knight of the realm, I will bring you to justice myself."

Reinhard swung his sword, and the world dissolved into blue flames. An explosion was heard, and Subaru had to close his eyes tightly.

When he regained his sight, half the roof of the building was gone. Elsa perched on the beam like an enormous spider. Then, she jumped up and fled.

Garfiel, Mimi, and Felt raised their fists in the air as they watched the assassin be taken off their hands. Others were thankful that there was no loop; if he had been killed, he probably wouldn't have gotten a second chance.

Anastasia: Did he really leave him the bag of coins? "Hey, Natsuki-kun."

Emilia: But he's still injured because he won't let himself heal.

Subaru limped back to Satella with difficulty. Reinhard was standing next to her with a confused expression.

Mrs. Satella addressed Subaru formally. He noticed that everyone around him was startled when he said this, but he didn't know why.

Satella looked away awkwardly. "I promised you I would return the badge," she said, offering it to him. "I kept my promise," Subaru said with a proud smile. The pride he felt at that moment almost eclipsed the pain of his injury. He felt that he had accomplished something, and that he had done so well. It wasn't slaying the dragon. It wasn't saving the world. But he said he would help Satella, and he did.

"Let me see that!" demanded Reinhard, grabbing Subaru's hand and staring at the tiny red jewel glowing on the plaque. "Impossible," he whispered.

Subaru looked at Reinhard painfully. "Look, Reinhard, my friend, I'm very grateful for your timely rescue. Seriously, I owe you big time," he said as Reinhard stared at him. "But I'm trying to spend some time with Satella, and you're taking advantage of the situation."

Subaru looked at Satella and smiled. She stood there, as if frozen. "Here you go, Satella," Subaru said, placing the badge in her palm.

Satella's face contorted with guilt and shame. "Subaru," she groaned. "That's not my real name."

Subaru blinked. "Isn't it?"

Reinhard's eyes widened as he saw the badge gleaming in his friend's hands. How is it possible that Subaru is a candidate?

Priscilla and Ram rolled their eyes at the moment when he supposedly took the saint from her sword, snorting.

Emilia felt that characteristic gratitude for her knight once again, and Rem pouted at the scene.

Subaru felt something tear in his side and fell to the ground. Blood gushed out of him. A lot of blood.

"Hold on, Subaru!" said Reinhard, trying to stop the wound. Satella knelt beside him, crying. Rom and Felt ran over, too.

"Subaru!" Satella shouted.

Subaru reached out to touch her face, and she took his hand. Her face was divinely exquisite, even covered in tears, as the rest of the world darkened and blurred around her.

"Satella?" Subaru asked in a breathy voice.

"Yes, Subaru?" she asked tearfully.

"What is your real name?" Subaru asked softly as the darkness took him.

Chapter Text

"What's your real name?" Subaru asked softly as darkness took him.

As the screen faded, they began to talk about the last thing they had seen and how this Subaru was different from theirs.

Felt: "That big brother sure is quite different from ours, isn't he, Rein?" The former thief nudged her knight and smiled.

Reinhard: "Certainly, Felt-sama, but the possibility of Subaru being one of the candidates to rule the kingdom worries me a bit, truth be told." Although he smiled, he felt anxious about his possible new lord, or rather, his friend.

Priscilla: Hmph, the commoner would be a better candidate than the semi-devil she has as a mistress. As we have seen, my divine self knows it will be fun and entertaining for me, as always, to have the world give me everything I want. Priscilla, who had been watching silently, let out one of her many arrogant comments, and Al just nodded his head.

Crush said, "If Subaru is like this, he will probably be among the favorites for the candidacy. Besides his better understanding and deduction, he will be a worthy rival." The Valkyrie was expectant and excited about the possible rivalry or friendship with her from that world.

Anastasia said, "Without a doubt, we must maintain and improve our relationship with Natsuki-kun. Who knows how many inventions he has that have been treated like scrap metal and are gathering dust? If possible, Anastasia's eyes would have the shape of money as she noted possible negotiations with the semi-elven's camp to temporarily bring Subaru to her camp."

Ricardo and Tivey, who was adjusting his monocle, as well as Julius, had beads of sweat trickling down their foreheads at the sight of their mistress, who had determination and fire in her eyes. Meanwhile, Mimi raised her little arms, knowing that they could have the mini-boss, and thus Garfiel, with her.

Emilia had clear concern in her amethyst eyes, knowing she would have to compete with her knight for the candidacy. Even though Roswaal would surely have a countermeasure for them to form an alliance, she didn't want that to happen.

Roswaal narrowed his eyes, thinking of ways his other self could keep Subaru close until an idea popped into his head, amusing him.

Rem was equally worried about being away from her hero and beloved because they would both be candidates, which would not be socially accepted. This led her to think that Roswaal might take them to court to keep Subaru and not risk Emilia-sama.

Well, that was fun, wasn't it? A much more analytical and logical Subaru than ours.

Garfiel: Hey, Guardian! We want to see the blue-eyed captain kick ass and blow everything up with his powers! Garfiel is anxious to see if Subaru still remembers how he easily defeated the intestine hunter with a red ball of light.

Petra: Yes! I want to see Subaru-sama too."

With starry eyes, the little servant, Petra, moved from her seat while her teacher, Frederica, patted her head.

"Well, I don't deny that I want to tell you everything about Subaru Infinity, but there are also many other things to see, and for sure, funny things to show you. If you aren't going to say anything else, ask for whatever you want, because the next chapter is loading."

Several people sat down, and Al ordered a Coke and some Cheetos. Priscilla snatched them from him, but Al simply asked for more when the world gave them to him.

" Does this have to do with your hateful book, Master Roswaal?" The Oni maid Ram wondered internally as she watched Lady Emilia guard a stranger as if he were the most precious thing in the world.

 Aside from her orders to let the half-elf roam the city, she suspected that the outcome was already anticipated by her master and the accursed book he carried. Her opinion mattered little; she was just a servant. She followed the last order to drive the carriage to the slums and take Lady Emilia and the stranger to Mathers Manor. Now, this stranger would also dance to the tune of Roswaal L. Mathers. He would be yet another tool for his master's dream.

 "Miss Emilia," she said sarcastically, "I hope it doesn't become a habit of yours to pick up any stray dog you find." Still, her honest sarcasm came out as usual.

Emilia: Ram! Don't call Subaru that; he's not a stray dog. Pouting, she scolded the pink-haired maid.

Rem: "Yes, Nee-sama, Subaru-kun is nothing like that. On the contrary, he's a good man!" Saying the last with a slight blush, the blue-haired maid defended her hero/love.

Ram: Tch! Barusu's lustful tricks affected not only Emilia-sama, but also my dear, precious sister. He must be castrated!

"He is not a stray dog. He is Subaru, and he saved me," said the girl, smiling. Then she became serious. So please treat him with respect.

 Ram is sorry, Miss Emilia.

 "Well, all right then."

The oni noticed a substantial change in her mistress. She was no longer the naive girl she had been hours ago, although her behavior remained similar to Emilia's usual manner. Now, she felt less lonely and less childish than she had always been. It was as if she had discovered a new, ugly truth about this world. What she missed most was her attachment to the black-haired stranger who stroked the boy's hair and smiled, losing herself in pink thoughts. This was a surprisingly new experience for the silver-haired half-elf; Emilia was enchanted by the subject.

Felix: To tell you the truth, I would also find it strange if my lady behaved totally differently.

Crush: And supposing what we've seen of Emilia is quite a change from how she was before, in Ram's eyes.

Felt: Estem, don't you think it's strange that this older sister is stroking the older brother's hair?

Reinhard nodded to his lady and answered her with narrowed eyes, "It's true, Felt-sama. Besides, to the outside world, without knowing about that ability, it will seem even stranger."

"Miss Emilia, we must leave," said Ram, preparing to leave this poor place. "The great spirit Beatrice can perform a more complete healing for her savior, so we must hurry before his condition worsens."

 Yes, Ram. Emilia carried Subaru as if he were a princess, walking gently so as not to reopen his newly healed wound. "I hope you get along well with Subaru. He's a good boy."

Ram doesn't promise anything, Miss Emilia, but he will try.

"Sis, I hope this guy doesn't trouble you. If he does, I swear I'll beat him without any modesty," thought the pink-haired oni, evoking the memory of her excellent, hardworking younger twin.

After the half-elf accommodated the black-haired boy in the carriage, Ram whipped the reins and the earth dragon began to move, pulling the carriage and leaving the slums behind. They headed for the Mathers territory and finally left the night capital of Lugunica.

Ricardo started whistling and making fun of the boy: "Wow, look at the mini-boss being treated with care and love! Hahahahahahaha!

"Hahahahaha, oh boy, brother, look how they treat you like..." He couldn't finish speaking, though, since he was thrown to the floor by the baroness's fan.

Priscilla said, "Shut up, Aldebarán. You irritate me with your dog comments."

As the screen faded, a change of scene was shown.

Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die…

Her voice was filled with anger. Tears stained her face and cold invaded her body. Her hatred spread like the ice that began to cover her. Each time, the green forest around her was covered with snow. Her screams of hatred would not stop. The culprit would not die. She insisted on a stupid key. For a stupid key, she had died. He was no longer him. He had taken away her only family. He had to die. He had to kill her. But he would not die, no matter how hard she tried. His body was covered in ice.

"We will meet again." Those were the last words he heard before freezing for eternity.

Wilhelm: That scene...

Felix: Yes, old Will, the tests of the sanctuary.

Emilia: Am I remembering it correctly? The half-elf stuttered. She didn't understand why those memories that should be sealed were coming out until she had an idea. Maybe someone was helping her, but she didn't like who it was.

Roswaal, who already knew about Pandora thanks to the arc of the shrine, came to the quickest conclusion: the interference of someone who could break a memory seal was more than predictable. The witch herself was there to help and be of use to Subaru.

Everything went dark. She couldn't see her hands because she had no eyes. She couldn't feel anything because she had no skin. She couldn't hear anything because she had no ears. She was nothing in the darkness. She had no head to think, no mouth to speak, and no life because she felt dead. There was no light because everything was darkness. But she was afraid. Almost instinctively, something inside her stirred, trying to escape this darkness. This feeling grew when a voice filled the dark void.

"I just love him. I just hate you. I just love him. I just hate you." I just love him. I just hate you." I only love him. I only hate you. I only love him; I only hate you. I only love him; I only hate you. I only love him; I only hate you. I just love him; I just hate you. I just love him; I hate you. I just love him and hate you. I love him and hate you. I just love him. I just hate you. I just love him. I just hate you. I just love him. I just hate you. I just love him. I just hate you. I love him and hate you. I only hate you; protect him. I only hate you; save him. I only hate you; take care of him.

Her voice, filled with excessive passion and hatred, flooded what remained of his nascent being and tried to overwhelm his weak will to exist. But this time, he was undaunted. First, eyes appeared, adorning his amorphous being. Then, a mouth appeared, followed by a nose. Finally, a face appeared. He could feel his body in the darkness. He could feel his hands, and then his legs. His heart pounded, and fear filled his mind, but he refused to tremble. He moved his lips and asked the darkness.

Everyone tensed instinctively at the sight, that primal fear instilled in them since birth by the world's most feared being, the witch who brought half the world to ruin. There she was: the Witch of Envy.

The youngest, Petra, Mimi, and Tivey, quickly rushed to their caregivers, clinging to them, trying not to see or hear anything.

The others were not exempt from the witch's presence. Unconsciously, Julius, Reinhard, Al, Wilhelm, and Crush put their hands on their swords to feel safe, while Felix huddled in his seat, shivering.

Roswaal was the only one who looked calm, but deep down, he felt anxiety as he saw those eyes in the shadows looking straight into his soul.

The Oni twins, Rem and Ram, clenched their fists, feeling anger toward the despicable witch. If it weren't for the theatrics, Rem would have pulled out his horn from the intense emotion he felt.

The half-elf, who had been discriminated against by the witch for her absurd kinship, was conflicted by her emotions. At first, she hated the witch with all her being because she had the bad luck to resemble her. The other side felt pity for her because she knew in the sanctuary that she was sick, not physically, but mentally.

"Who are you? Aren't you me?" she asked in her own voice.

You're not me; I want to be you. You're not me; I want to embrace that. You are not me; I want to please him. You're not me; I want to be his light. You're not me; I want to be his motivation. You're not me; that's why I hate you. Let me be you. I want to give him my love. I want to be loved by him. You're not me. I want you to be me.

"No," she replied in fear and irritation. "I am me. You will never be me. I am Emilia, and you are not me. I don't want to be you. Whoever you are, I won't be you.

Suddenly, thin rays of light pierced the immense darkness, arresting her body in the light. As her consciousness remembered more than just her name, a familiar voice echoed in that luminescent place:

"Emilia, I am so proud of you." You are my treasure.

She opened her eyes and found herself in her room. It was strange to wake up before being awakened. She touched her face, which was wet. The tears would not stop. Her mind was still not recovering from her drowsiness. Her lips moved on impulse, naming the reason for her sadness:

"Mother Fortuna." She said this without knowing who it was about. A pang penetrated her chest. "Does it hurt? Who is it, Mother?"

But it all faded as clarity washed over his consciousness. It was already another day. It was the fourth day since his new friend had moved into the Mathers mansion. Tears dried at the thought of Subaru; that boy was quite a case. She knew he was from another world. He was certainly a nobleman, judging by his strange clothes. He had yet to speak of his world. So far, she had avoided embarrassing or misleading him with her jokes. However, she always ended up laughing when she tried to find out what he was doing when he wasn't with her.

Oblivious to what was going on around her, Emilia let out a tear as she remembered her beloved aunt and mother, Fortuna, and Guese, who came into her life.

Ram said, "Ha! Of course Barusu is a nobleman... in his dreams." The pink maid launched one of her many sarcastic remarks toward the poor boy, and many rolled their eyes. However, her sister Rem and Roswaal knew that this was her way of expressing her affection, although there were undoubtedly better ways.

Crush: On the fourth day, that means...

Felix: Yes, that's right, Crush-sama. The curse of the beast is on Subaru-kyun.

Felt, Otto, Frederica, and Rem paled and shuddered at the comment and at what was said on the screen. It was the fourth day since he arrived at the mansion, and it was his first death in that turbulent week.

He still remembered what had happened on that first day. After waking up, the black-haired man had met the Great Spirit of Yin Magic, Beatrice. Without anyone's help, he found her library, which very few could find since it was protected by one of the Great Spirit's great spells. He always found it very easily. Puck told him that his sister was irritated by how easily Subaru found the library, but he also said that he saw her happier. Although the spirit played a very bad joke on him that first day by sucking up his mana, it seemed that they were now friends. He didn't like Beatrice's rough treatment of Subaru, but he forgave her because thanks to her, the black-haired boy was completely healed.

He initially found the radio calisthenics exercises embarrassing, but they turned out to be fun. Seeing his friend smile was a guilty pleasure. He was glad that Puck got along with Subaru. They were always joking around and teasing him. It didn't matter because his father accepted his friend. Puck wanted to thank him for saving her, but he only asked to pet her fur whenever he wanted.

It was a silly reward, and she doubted her friend's intelligence for a moment. At the same time, she was happy because the selfless boy made her happy. Subaru was a simple person and a rare nobleman—the rarest boy she had ever met. Not that she had met many people, but he cracked what little she thought she knew about people or what Puck had taught her.

But it didn't end there; that boy hadn't stopped surprising her since she met him.

"Tan," she thought, her cheeks flushing at the nickname he gave her. Emilia-tan, silly Subaru.

Piscilla: Hmph. If you doubt your dog's intelligence, you should consider your own.

—Shutting her fan and smiling arrogantly, the Sun Princess spoke without mincing words.

Felt: Shut up already! By Od, you sound like a broken record, as Big Brother says.

Piscilla: Poor you, having to be. Hmph, lack of education abounds around here.

Reinhard: "Felt-sama, please stop fighting your rival for the throne."

The little blonde did as she was told.

As for Al, he was kicked by the Baroness.

Beatrice said, "Hmph. I guess you're right. Betty's contractor obviously makes her happy."

Anastasia: Seriously, I still doubt that Natsuki-kun is greedy. First, he asked for a name, then he stroked that wretched cat's fur, and finally, he asked to be a simple butler.

Emilia: Subaru, you really are a fool. But you are my fool. While blushing, she grabbed the sleeping beauty's hand.

"Did you hire a clown to entertain you before every meal? I'll never understand how rich people think."

She let out a giggle; she couldn't help it. The lord of the manor was a total eccentric, so she couldn't blame Subaru for that comment. But his way of making friends still perplexed her. When she heard about his candidacy for queen and learned that the badge was more important than she thought, she saw the shocked look on his face. She thought he would stop confiding in her, but it was a vain fear; he was still the same old Subaru. She knew very little about Lugunica's situation, but she couldn't blame him. He was from another world, and they had first met on the first day in this world. But what he proclaimed as a reward shocked her.

Come to think of it, I did a very good job! This totally raises my expectations for a reward.

Yes, you are right. You are a real savior. So ask me for whatever you want.

You can have any reward you want. Just tell me what you want. Roswaal said, raising his hands.

"In that case, I only have one request," said the red-haired idiot, smiling to keep them in suspense. Everyone in the room waited. "Hire me to work in this mansion!"

Garfiel, Mimi, and Ricardo burst out laughing, remembering the first encounter between the boy and Margrave Roswaal. Petra chuckled, and Frederica let it go just this once.

Ram clicked his tongue, remembering the moment that started everything in the mansion's peaceful life.

Priscilla snorted in amusement at the dialogue between Fool Number One and Fool Number Two.

Roswaal paid no attention to anything, concentrating on his fingernails.

He could not forget the silence broken by Ram's sneeze. Subaru, his friend, was now part of the mansion as a butler in the Mathers household. Although they didn't spend much time together, they could chat about anything. There were times, though, when she didn't understand him because he used unfamiliar terms. She was pretty sure he came from her world. Roughly speaking, her friend had told her that her world didn't have magic but was technologically more advanced. He could not believe that such a world existed.

For example, she could not sense magic from the device, but according to Subaru, it could be used to communicate with others over long distances, listen to music, create portraits, perform large calculations, tell time, and, most importantly, connect with friends. The extraordinary thing about it was that it was common in Subaru's world. It would be extraordinary if that meter could be replicated. However, according to Subaru, it required knowledge he neither had nor remembered.

"Why are you here for me?" For a moment, she thought the boy was in this world to be her friend. However, upon further reflection, she realized how selfish that assumption was, and she wondered:

 Did he miss his loved ones?

Hey, don't you think there are a lot of inner thoughts? Somewhat disoriented, she saw her older sister's view of history.

"Now that you mention it, yes, you're right, Felt-sama," Otto said before she could say anything else.

"That is something easy and simple to answer. The truth in a nutshell: LORE."

Lore? Everyone waited for an answer from the Guardian when a small Great Yin Spirit flaunted her knowledge of Subaru.

Beatrice: Hmph. In fact, Betty knows he is her contractor and has explained everything he knows. The lore is a set of information about the universe's history and backstory. She inflates her chest, stands on the black-haired man's lap, and feels proud to be the only one who knows (not counting Al, who doesn't really care at the moment).

Lia, what do you think of Subaru? "

 "Why do you ask, Puck?"

 Well, my dear daughter, she suddenly became a compulsive liar. She's also neglecting her studies because she's thinking about a boy she barely knows. Even if he has no bad intentions. I don't want my dear girl to lose focus on her goals. I still want to save my people.

 I still want to save my people. But he's my first friend. I don't want him to forget me. I'm afraid he'll hate me or leave me.

 I doubt it; that boy likes you very much. >>

 Really? A radiant smile lit up her face. Subaru, you goof.

 Since he likes the maids Oni and Beatrice too, he's a danger to the girls in this mansion." The spirit cat said mischievously.

 Danger? He looked at his father with annoyance, pouting tenderly. "No, Subaru is not like that. I just want to get along with everyone."

"And there he goes, sowing chaos," said Anastasia.

Beatrice, frowning, clenched her little hands, knowing where this was going.

Emilia felt a tightness in her chest at the words of her former foster father and hired spirit. They were trying to push Subaru away from her, making her doubt herself.

Ram said, "Hmph. Obviously, he is a danger to all the women in the world. Not content with seducing Emilia-sama, he also seduced my little sister, the lustful pig." She raised her chin and crossed her arms.

Rem: Sister! Subaru hasn't seduced me, although I don't object. He whispered the last part, which no one heard, but it was obvious.

It passed just like the story, without showing the part where Ram and Roswaal talked about Subaru.

The black-haired man was sitting outside the mansion, watching Emilia talk to the spirits. They talked about their day, teaching cooking, and the children. Subaru told her to accompany him to take revenge on the children, and they said goodbye, waiting for the wonderful day.

She sat in front of her desk. The book, The Foreign Policies of the Kingdom of Lugunica, was half open. Her notes were a quarter of the way through the last page.

He yawned as his vision cleared. For a moment, everything was alien to him, as if nothing belonged to him. But the feeling disappeared in a few seconds. He did not remember when he had woken up. The sensation seemed familiar. A fragment of a memory invaded his mind, telling him that it had happened four hours after waking up.

 No, he vehemently denied it. It wasn't true.

Julius: That little girl and her beast—that's the truth.

Rem: Same here, but... feeling anxious about the next loops.

Sensing this, Ram hugged her tighter to comfort her.

Emilia squeezed her sleeping knight's hand, holding back tears that didn't fall.

With moist amethyst eyes, she got up from her chair. She barely remembered that it was the book she had been reading before leaving for the capital. She continued reading it the next day after bringing the black-haired man inside. She opened the door to her room, ran down the hall, and rushed to the guest room. It didn't take her long to get there. The door was open. She entered, her heart in her mouth, ready to kiss his hand and wipe her eyes. But he was still sleeping peacefully.

"Still not awake?" the half-elf whispered.

 "No, Miss Emilia." Ram answered. Rem just nodded.

 The Oni maids were waiting in front of the room's wall for the boy to wake up. She looked at Rem and Ram. Relief washed over her, but she didn't like the sharp look of the blue-haired Oni. Rem was always serious and uncommunicative, but Subaru's presence over the past four days had made her more approachable. However, that wasn't the case now. She didn't know how, but she could feel his hostility, and it was directed at her friend.

Roswaal: "Well, well, well. I see what's going on here." With a smile and his usual manner, Roswaal, who had been watching, decided to speak.

Garfiel: Speak, clown! If you don't want me to beat you up."

Ram: Garf, shut up! Roswaal-sama.

Emilia-sama will grow in mind. In other words, she will become more possessive and aggressive with others. If we assume that Subaru-kun forgives everyone, maybe Emilia-sama will not.

While some nodded at the margrave's explanation, others shuddered at the possible wrath of the half-elf.

A new dawn has come! A dawn of hope! Her self-flagellation came to an end when she heard the rambunctious voice of her only friend. Natsuki Subaru is going to make great strides today!

 "Subaru. She said sadly.

Under different circumstances, she would have laughed at the boy's antics, but that was impossible now. Subaru didn't know he had died either; his words and exaggerations made that clear. Suddenly, the boy noticed her and looked at her puzzledly.

 "Emilia-tan," he said, embarrassed, then smiled. "It's not time for our date yet,

Subaru. He repeated, his voice mixed with sobs.

"Emilia-tan?" She called out, feeling anxiety seep into her soul.

Subaru looked around and recognized the guest room. He looked at his hands, which were now completely healthy without any marks from his time as a butler. His clothes confirmed this. His body began to tremble as he realized this. A grimace of despair formed on his face, and tears ran down his cheeks. All of her efforts and the bonds she had formed at the Mathers Mansion were gone, except for one.

"It must be a bad dream, right?" The boy thought as he watched Emilia, the lovely girl he had wanted to protect, cry for a worthless piece of trash like him. Then she hugged him.

"I'm sorry, Subaru.

No, I'm sorry for all this."

Natsuki Subaru died in the mansion on his fourth night with no clue how it happened. His recklessness and ignorance had caused the kind silver-haired half-elf in front of him to cry, but it wasn't only his fault; the wretch who ended her life was also to blame. At that moment, he swore that the cause of this would pay for every tear of the sweet, kind Emilia.

Priscilla snorted at the buffoon's scene. Al looked down at his isekai brother.

Wilhelm: "A bad dream... Even so, it sounds better than it is," he said, clenching his fists at the sight of the black-haired boy and the half-elf.

Crush said, "I feel the same way, Wilhelm. It's disgusting to see something like that, but maybe it's different and doesn't involve the same kind of death.

Rem: Yes, Crush-sama is right. For sure, it won't be the same as ours.

Emilia had already forgiven Rem for killing Subaru, but seeing her again with that expression of hatred stirred something unpleasant inside her.

"Subaru, you are not of this world. She said with certainty.

"It's true. I am not."

Subaru wasn’t from this world. There were things he didn’t know. Maybe he had come into contact with something that could kill him. But, as everything was either strange or very familiar to his world, he didn’t know how to identify it as a danger. Suddenly, he remembered the bite on his hand. He had been told it was from a dog.

Crush: Apparently, what the margrave said about Emilia's growth was true.

Rem: Yes, it seems so, Crush-sama.

Felt: But how can one thing change everything? She looked between Emilia and her knight, somewhat confused.

Subaru: She was ready to check her theory. That dog—how did it look?

What does that puppy have to do with it?

Subaru, please answer me.

"It was a black puppy. The children were playing with it. Ah, yes. It had a bald head as if its hair had been cut off or was missing." It bit me when I tried to pet it. Right, its eyes were red.

Did you run into anything else you didn't know about? He asked to make sure.

"No," said the boy, trying to remember the last day of the loop.

"Good. I figured it out," he said, a relieved smile appearing on his face. "It was a Wolgarm. A puppy of that beast. That thing is responsible."

Felix: Wow, he really solved it. They already know who's casting the curse, but what now?

Wilhelm: You're right, Felix, but we can't underestimate them. Maybe they'll make a plan and repel him.

Emilia and Rem were anxious for their knight, even though he helped with the Od beast thing she didn't want. Rem looked at Subaru with hatred, thinking that if it wouldn't hurt her hero, she wouldn't bear to see him again.

"Can you use magic?"

"Uh, I don't know.

"Puck woke up," he called to his father, who was sleeping on the glass. "I need your help."

What do you want to do with it?"

"I want you to act as usual."

You can see what kind of magic Subaru can use."

"No problem."

Magic, really?!

"Rejoice, Subaru. Your magic is very rare."

It's a powerful magic that only appears every thousand years.

Well, not exactly. You're compatible with yin, or shadow, magic."

Beatrice: Hmph. I suppose they're going to have me teach him. Actually, I'm not opposed.

Julius: To tell you the truth, this Emilia-sama has been quite assertive, and she's been helping Subaru become stronger so that nothing happens to him.

Mimi wants to see how the mini-boss throws a boom, and then—Bam!—Jumping from Ricardo's thigh, and Tivey sighing at the sight of her sister.

Anastasia: All that's left now is to wait and see what happens next.

The Roswaal meeting continues as it did in the previous loop, except for the blue-haired Oni's stern look. All conversations followed the same course until—

"Roswaal," Emilia said, killing the awkward silence and dropping something absurd: "I want Subaru to be my personal butler."

Crush: Ara, I didn't know you were so bold. I think you're the bolder one, not Subaru," she said with an amused smile, teasing the half-elf.

"It's not that, Crush!" She stammered, covering her face with her hands, and blushed.

Many laughed at the half-elf's misfortune, and others snorted.

"Miss Emilia, when I asked you to choose a personal servant, the choices were Ram or Rem. Since they are women, they can help you with domestic matters, and they are experienced in their work."

"You told me it could be anyone, so I want it to be Subaru. I won't take it back." Then she put her hand on her chin as if thinking of something else. Besides, he comes from an isolated village with advanced knowledge that would help me.

"I understand, Miss Emilia. Then I will make an exception and keep my word. Ram will train him to be a good servant for you."

"It pains someone as great as me to teach Barusu how to read and write," the pink-haired servant said, feigning horror and sarcasm.

Emilia just pouted, knowing Ram was acting, but the others did not see it that way.

"Ram, he handles a different script. Teach him ours." The half-elf turned her gaze to the spirit of the forbidden library. In his land, they didn't use magic. Although it is compatible with Yin magic, Puck told me. "Could you teach him, please, Beatrice?"

"Yes, Miss Emilia. I will do my best to get him to sub..." The pink Oni immediately corrected herself. "I mean, Barusu is a decent butler for you."

Was that correction necessary?" The boy protested with annoyance.

"Who gives you the right to look for apprentices for Betty, Bubby's brat?" Betty won't accept it.

Can't you teach me, Beako? He started to provoke the black-haired boy.

"I'm very capable. He said with disgust, then realized something. "What's that way of talking to me?" he asked.

"It's a friendship nickname. I want to be your friend, Beako."

Frederica: "Seriously, Ram, can't you be a little more honest with Subaru-sama?" The semi-human, who had known them for a long time, noticed that her supposed insults were nothing more than an unorthodox show of affection.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Frederica," Ram said.

Otto covered his eyes when he saw Subaru's smile. "It's too bright," he said.

Al: "I feel my depression lifting.

Priscilla snorted at her jester's comment.

"Good morning, Emilia-san." A blushing boy answered her.

"Subaru, what are you doing in my dreams?" He smiled and squeezed his friend tighter. He was too warm to let go. "You're a bad boy, Subaru." Bad, bad, bad, bad, and dumb."

Ram asked me to wake you up." A grimace of pain appeared on his face. Now I understand why he gave me the bucket of cold water. You are such a sleepy Emilia-tan." I'm happy about this, but it hurts. Could you

Subaru?" Her mind cleared. She let go of the boy, stood up, and hid her flushed face. She felt everything inside her heat up while still feeling the warmth of her friend. Some guilt seeped through. "I'm sorry for that."

No, I should have listened to Ram." The boy let out a big smile as he bowed. "Thanks for everything. I'm going back to work now. See you later." He ran away in panic, then shouted down the hallway with joy. Thank any god for this!

Emilia: "Subaru, you silly!" She blushed, watching the scene. You could almost see smoke coming out of her head, and the tips of her ears reddened.

Rem was pouting, wanting Subaru to hug her like this while she spent her days before starting work, watching him sleep peacefully in his room.

Ram snorted and crossed his arms. "Hmph. Damn Barusu getting into a lady's bed. No doubt he needs to be castrated."

Many rolled their eyes, while others just sighed at the pink-haired girl's comments.

They couldn't believe Subaru's magical ability. In only two days, he had learned two complex yin spirit spells: the Minya and the Murak. Puck reported this, and although he didn't know what the spells consisted of, if they were more effective than the Shamack, they would be of great help to his friend. He was happy for Subaru, but something worried him: Subaru's gate was not developed, so most of his classes were based on strengthening and developing it.

Julius: Wow, Subaru has such an affinity for learning that he has already learned those spells.

Garfiel: Of course. He's the captain; he can do anything.

Felix: But his door is still like that of a newborn. If they help him with exercises, though, he will surely develop gradually.

Apparently, her relationship with Beatriz was improving. The girl-like spirit now came out of her library more often. She was always around at mealtimes and always chatted with Subaru. Although it always ended in quarrels and inside jokes, Subaru's ability to fit in anywhere made her proud. She had to admit that it bothered her because she was his first friend. The saint of the sword didn't count in all this. She was his first friend, and there were no more arguments. She wished that her time with her friend would extend to infinity. She never imagined herself to be so greedy. She wanted Subaru all to herself. Her desire to monopolize him grew every day. Even though he was already her neighbor, she wanted him closer.

Beatrice: In fact, it's obvious, since Betty's contractor is the best. She felt a sense of pride as she saw herself on the screen, as if the whole sanctuary thing were already over.

Felt: Hahahahaha, big sis, not to be rude, but are you serious? Rein also counts, you know."

Emilia: No, I didn't mean that, Felt-chan. It's just that...

Ram: Emilia-sama is greedy? Pff, by Odin, that's impossible!

Mimi: Hmm, don't you feel like something bad is about to happen?

Ricardo: Don't raise that flag, Mimi, as the mini-boss says," Ricardo said, scratching the back of his neck nervously about what his adopted daughter said.

On the fourth day, Emilia's routine was interrupted at noon when the broken barrier was discovered before it could cause any real damage; her friend was unharmed. Thanks to the vigilant work of the villagers and Onis maids, the culprit was captured. It turned out to be a little girl named Meili, a child murderer.

Crush: She was captured much earlier; this might be favorable for the upcoming shrine event.

Rem: Yes, Crush-sama. I hope so too. Besides that...

I remember how the Archbishop of Gluttony, Ley Batenkaitos, put her to sleep. I just hope that changes, too.

Night came, and the problem was solved. Emilia breathed a sigh of relief; her friend was out of danger. There was nothing to worry about. They had overcome it, and everything would be fine tomorrow. While she slept, a loud knock brought her out of her reverie. It was coming from outside the door. After a second, she heard a loud scream echoing. She immediately got up but, when she opened the door, only silence reigned. Her eyes adjusted to the dark hallway. The first thing she saw was blood. Blood covered the hallway, staining the carpet and walls only a few meters away from her room.

"Fuck!"

For the dragon!

What the fuck?

Shit!

Rem was sobbing as Ram hugged her. He didn't want to see her kill his hero, but he had to endure her pain as well.

Emilia felt hatred toward Rem once again, but she didn't realize that something inside her was stirring again, making her feel nauseous.

"Why?" she whispered, her voice filled with anger, sadness, and pain. She repeated it again. Why, why, why, why?

Her heart was in agony. Her fear made her body tremble. Her fear of never seeing him again burned her soul. Her sadness prevented her tears from stopping. Her pain turned to hate. The desire for revenge began to grow within her. The pyroxene crystal in her room exploded. Her connection to her spirit disappeared. But she didn't care. Hatred and anger dominated as she embraced her favorite person's body as she died in her arms. Suddenly, the sound of chains brought her out of her trance. In front of her was a familiar person with a hollow, cold look.

"Why?" she asked angrily, addressing the person responsible. She saw her peculiar weapon, stained with blood.

"Miss Emilia, step away from the cultist." Her monotone voice echoed in the hallway.

—I thought I killed him, but he turned out to be tougher than I thought. He won't hurt us anymore." A smirk graced his face. Everything's all right now.

Priscilla said, "Tch, how disgusting. And he kept taking care of her all this time. What a stupid dog."

Neither Ram nor Emilia decided to speak. It was hopeless to talk or even argue with Priscilla. All they did was glare at her.

Rem began to cry, looking at herself with a smirk of satisfaction at her hatred for the cult. If she hadn't been as impulsive as her sister suggested, this wouldn't have happened.

However, Reinhard sensed something on the screen: mana from Emilia on stage was seeping into the theater.

"Why?!?" His question was accompanied by a scream and twenty sharp icicles, ready to kill.

"Why, Rem?"

He's a witch cultist and a monster who tricked you, Miss Emilia!"

"Subaru is a good boy. He's kind and tender." He said in a painful whisper. He's my friend, my first friend, my favorite person—my Subaru. Why?

Don't be fooled, Miss Emilia." She said as if she had the truth of the world on her lips. "That guy has the despicable stench of the witch. He's a witch cultist." He's a monster and must die.

Rem—" Her voice was soft and cold.

"Yes, Miss Emilia."

Emilia opened her eyes when she saw herself on the screen. It was her, but she looked different. That expression she had, and more, when she saw the icicles of ice floating next to her.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no

Ram decided to hug her little sister tighter when she saw the scene. She knew it very well; Rem was not going to survive.

For a moment, Rem stopped crying. She was stunned to see that she was possibly going to die at the hands of Emilia, the girl who wouldn't hurt anyone, who was going to kill her.

That was it. There was nothing more. She didn't want to understand. It was all worthless. This world can go away and destroy itself at once. It doesn't matter anymore, not even the stupid things the murderous cretin said. Without Subaru, everything should disappear. Black shadows emerged from her body. The hatred of the world grew so fast that she felt her soul burning. Forgotten memories flooded her mind. Her past in Elior's forest flashed before her eyes. But it didn't matter. Everything had to end. The murderess had to pay for her stupidity. Her time had come.

"What's going on here?" he asked. He ignored the new voice that had appeared.

Rem— He looked at the satisfied assassin with hatred. "Please die."

Wilhelm narrowed his eyes. That shadow aura was already there, and the only thing it portended was death itself.

Crush: She's unaware of her surroundings; she's blinded by anger. Plus, Rem is still there, so that will most likely happen.

Emilia kept repeating to herself that it wasn't her and that she wouldn't do such a thing, yet there she was, watching herself go to kill one of her friends.

Twenty icicles hit the blue maid without giving her a chance to defend herself. They stabbed the maid while an expression of fear and despair engraved itself on her face. It lasted an instant because, without warning, everything went dark. Because of Rem's stupid paranoia, Natsuki Subaru died, and Emilia failed her only friend again. Her tears never stopped.

Chapter Text

Twenty icicles hit the blue maid without giving her a chance to defend herself. They stabbed her while engraving an expression of fear and despair on her face. It lasted an instant because, without warning, everything went dark. Because of Rem's stupid paranoia, Natsuki Subaru died. Emilia failed her only friend again; her tears never stopped.

A sepulchral silence ruled the room. The naive half-elf, who was childish, spoiled, and oblivious to everything else, had just killed someone in cold blood. Nobody wanted to talk about it, nobody wanted to remember that scene, and, above all, nobody wanted to mention the expression and shadows that emerged from the silver-haired half-elf, as she was the living image of the >ENVY WITCH.

The youngest, Petra, hugged her teacher, Frederica, tightly, not wanting to see kind Emilia like that.

Mimi was cuddled while her foster father, Ricardo, protected her. Tivey was with Anastasia.

But an orange-haired baroness spoke up.

Priscilla snorted with sarcasm, "Hmph, at least this half-devil has the determination to rule and protect what is hers. I like her."

Garfiel said, "Don't talk to the princess like that if you don't want me to beat you." Coming out of her trance at the sight of her childhood friend being killed, she returned to defend the half-elf.

"You flea dog! Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" Understand your place as a commoner!

Al: Princess, already... Without being able to finish speaking, he was thrown by a blow from Priscilla's fan, smashing him onto the floor.

Felt: Yeah, shut up already. No one wants to listen to you because of Od.

Priscilla said, "Hmph, another one who doesn't understand her place. Typical of a sewer rat."

As they exchanged words, Emilia, totally oblivious to what was happening, went blank. She tried not to believe that she had killed someone she considered a friend so easily. IMPOSSIBLE! It was Rem, one of her friends. And just like she loved Subaru, why did it have to be me?

But something came to her mind: a half-elf dressed in black, reflecting on herself. She looked just like that monster from four hundred years ago.

For her part, Rem felt sad, not only because she saw her hero killed again, but also because her lady and friend, Emilia, did not hesitate to kill her while Ram hugged and comforted her.

Others felt that primal fear again when they saw Envy in the sanctuary, but this time, they felt it from the half-elf named Emilia.

Anastasia rubbed her scarf, trying to calm her fear. Julius tightened his grip on the handle of his sword.

Crush, as well as his butler, Wilhelm, had stoic expressions, but they were not exempt from such feelings. Felix was huddled in his chair.

The screen came on again, but this time it started with a title:

"Dispelling All Your Doubts."

Dispelling all your doubts?

What does that mean?

Roswaal: Assuming it is an extension of our world, it must refer to our Reeeeem.

Many looked at the clown with disdain, and others nodded at the explanation.

The book The Foreign Policies of the Kingdom of Lugunica was the first thing her amethyst eyes saw, but it immediately became blurry and tears flowed. His mind was a jumbled chaos of memories and pain. His childish past surfaced, along with the mangled body of his friend and his hatred and loathing for a certain blue-haired maid who had once wanted to be his friend. All of these memories were intermingling and burning on her nerves, but there was no time to process them. She had to wait. She could do it; he was worse off, and his condition was her priority.

Subaru— was the first thing she said before getting up and running. "I have to..."

While running down the hallway, she almost tripped over the Oni twins. Her mind froze when she saw Rem. Just seeing her made her angry, but she kept calm. Something unusual was happening. A strange rationality kept her calm, but it made her head crackle with intense pain. She repeated the absurd reason: This Rem has nothing to do with the other. She's not the same. This one is not Subaru's murderer. But it's not too much to keep an eye on her. Not to lose sight of her. Only a hint of negativity against her friend would make her stop holding back. She would kill Rem without any guilt. She wanted to cry. She had always looked for the good in others to be a friend, but she could no longer do so. She felt betrayed by her own thoughts. She couldn't help it; she now understood that there was always evil in people, to a greater or lesser extent. With great pain, she also understood that there were very bad people—monsters in human skin—capable of destroying everything you love, like Pandora, "The Witch of Vanagloria." But Rem had lived with this girl for a year. He could never really know her. Now, he only knew that she was a potential murderer, the murderer of his favorite person.

Emilia, who had already come out of her trance, submerged herself again while listening to herself talk that way. She felt repulsed, although she agreed with Pandora. However, hearing herself say that she would kill so naturally made her want to vomit.

Roswaal, smiling broadly, looked at Emilia. This was what he wanted: dependence on Subaru to fulfill his dream of resurrecting his beloved teacher.

Rem shuddered again at the words, "a damn potential murderer." It hurt her very much, and she had thoughts of self-loathing again. Ram, who felt this, grabbed Rem's hand.

"Miss Emilia, the dog you brought in is out of his mind. Out of nowhere, he screamed and chased us out of the room," Ram said, pulling her away from her negative thoughts.

"Ram," she said with annoyance. "He is not a dog. His name is Subaru. He is my savior and the person I trust the most after Puck. Treat him with respect."

"Miss Emilia," interjected the blue Oni, leaving modesty behind and taking on a warning tone. Rem thinks she shouldn't trust that person.

Rem— The half-elf said with anger caught in her throat.

"Yes, Miss Emilia.

Shut your mouth. Just shut up. Her voice was soft and cold. You don't know him. He hasn't done anything to you. You don't know anything. I understand your caution, but it's unnecessary. You can understand that.

You met him yesterday, Miss.

One day was enough, Rem. Her voice softened as she remembered the boy from that day: the foolish, kind Subaru. But it hardened when she looked into the maid's sky-blue eyes. That was enough for me to know how great my friend is. And you, Rem, for one year. One year, Rem. So far, I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. I don't know what you think. You're not even my friend. You have no right to question my choices.

Miss Emilia— The Blue Oni's eyes welled up with tears. "Rem is sorry for everything. I didn't mean to..."

"No, Rem, I don't believe you. I can't believe you.

Rem, just...

The blue-haired maid lowered her head. Without any formality, she fled from the threatening amethyst eyes. She tried to maintain her posture as a servant while leaving her older sister behind. Everything was chaotic in Rem's mind. Ram was only surprised; the girl in front of her was not the Emilia she thought she knew. This confirmed it. The naive girl had changed, but Ram wasn't sure if for the better or worse. That attitude worried her a little, but she wouldn't judge for now.

Al: "Wow, bro, you've got another yandere in the boat." He was going to make a joke, but was greeted by the cold floor of the theater when Priscilla hit him again.

Felix: "I am concerned about her psyche. Such growth may affect her even more if these feelings become habitual," the healer said, his ears and tail down.

"Mimi wants medium-rare meat!" The little half-human waved her arms around, thinking about juicy meat.

Tivey just sighed at her sister's foolishness.

"Miss Emilia, I'll take my leave." Ram said, remaining aloof from her sister's situation and maintaining formality. "Excuse my sister. She is only fulfilling her duties." Sir, your friend is not well. I hope you can calm him down.

I will try," she said. The determined half-elf said. "Subaru is a good boy, Ram."

I don't know him yet, Miss Emilia." The pink Oni said, then followed her sister.

"I understand," she said. She said resignedly.

After that, she continued on her way. She arrived at the black-haired boy's room and opened the door, expecting the worst. She tried to harden her heart, but it was impossible. Her tears fell when she saw the grief-stricken boy hiding under the blanket. She closed the door and slowly walked toward the bed. She sat as close to the boy as possible. Seeing him like that squeezed her heart. She wanted to hug him but restrained herself. She didn't have the right. She didn't feel worthy of her friend. But her desire to be with her friend overcame her other inhibitions and ambitions.

"Subaru, let's run away." She said with determination, ready to leave everything behind. "Let's run away far from here, where no one knows me. Let's leave Lugunica." I don't care about being queen anymore. Karagarui would be the best place for us to live together. I know I'm not very smart. At first, I'll be a hindrance. Sometimes, I don't understand things. I'm a silly girl. I know.

Emilia-tan?

Emilia: Yes, I am a complete fool. Unlike her counterpart, I was depressed thinking about those moments when I was called a witch and subjected to all kinds of insults.

Ram: Emilia-sama, who calls you a foolish girl nowadays? Some snorted at the comment, lightening the tense atmosphere.

Priscilla: Hmph, at least she knows she's useless.

I will try my best to be worthy of your friendship. I feel inadequate now, but I don't want to lose you if you leave. If you want to leave, I want to go with you. I don't want to see you die. Please, no more, Subaru. I was alone for a long time; I don't want to lose you. She held out her hand to him, her amethyst eyes reddening with tears. "Let's run away, Subaru."

What about your dream? Subaru asked, showing his haggard face. His mischievous eyes didn't wait for an answer. "Tell me what your selfish dream is."

Subaru, I...

I need to know, Emilia.

"I want...my dream, my selfish wish, is to unfreeze the elves of Elior's forest."

He told her, holding nothing back, no matter how recently those memories had returned.

Felt: "Well, to tell the truth, that's anything but selfish, isn't it, Reinhard?"

"Indeed, Felt-sama," Reinhard said, nodding his head to his mistress.

Priscilla snorted, "Hmph, commoner after all." Many at the bar snorted in agreement.

Rem: "Emilia-sama," she finally said, addressing the half-elf. "It's not your fault that Emilia-sama is not you. I'm sure Subaru-kun would say so, too. They are them, and we are us."

Many opened their eyes, seeing the Oni say something logical. If it's not them, then they shouldn't feel burdened by such situations.

"Yes, you are right, Rem. Excuse me," said Emilia, straightening her posture and wiping her tears.

"I speak of his beloved mother, Fortuna; of Papa Guese; of the elven forest; of his brother, Archi; of the monsters with human skin; of the white-haired archbishop; and of the platinum witch. I speak of his sin, of his promises, and of all that went wrong that day: his father gone mad, his foster mother dead, and most of his acquaintances dead, frozen by their own rage-filled power. Of how that monster mocked her misfortune while she was frozen by her own magic in the forest of Elior. She was frozen for a century or more until Puck pulled her from the ice. She spent seven years in Elior's forest. Roswaal promised to fulfill his selfish wish: the dragon's blood would thaw the elves. Puck lied about his memories. She thought of her loneliness in the mansion and her selfishness in wanting to make friends. She thought of her deepest fears and her joy in meeting him. She omitted the last thing she did in that loop because she felt something strange happening inside her when she remembered Rem's face.

"I am a bad girl, a selfish girl, Subaru. I only think of myself.

She couldn't contain herself. Her lips went off the rails, letting out the stormy tension in her mind. But when she finished, there was only silence. The idea of being hated by her favorite person distressed her cowardly heart. She dropped her gloomy look, waiting for a reprimand from the black-haired boy. It never came. She only felt his hand caressing her head. She couldn't deny that it felt good.

"Now I get it, Emilia." The glow returned to Subaru's eyes. There was no more doubt; everything made sense. Everything will be all right. You're neither bad nor selfish. You were just a scared, angry little girl who had everything she loved taken away. There's nothing selfish about your dream; it just shows how kind you are. If that monster shows up again, I'll fight alongside you. I know I'm not strong, but I'll do everything I can to protect you. I'll save you, even if fear brings me down. I'll be there for you.

Subaru, I don't want to...

I know, Emilia-san. She let out a grandiose smile. You know it well. I can't help it. I'm like that. I don't want to abandon you to your fate. Nor do I want to leave you to destroy all your chances of being happy. Emilia-tan, you are very important to me. I want to help you with your selfish wish. I want you to be queen.

I am a silver-haired, half-elf with amethyst eyes.

"I know, Emilia-tan. You are very beautiful.

But I'm not. Everyone hates me for it. Becoming queen will be very difficult. I may never become one.

 You told me so. The boy took the girl's hand. "I promise nothing," he said, "but I'll stick with you no matter whether you win or lose. Let's fight together.

"Yes, but please don't die."

"I'll try. I'm weak, Emilia-tan." The boy stood up from the bed and struck a strange pose. He declared enthusiastically, "I'm a Natsuki, and a Natsuki never gives up!"

Emilia felt a warmth in her chest as she watched her counterparts talk about how Subaru saw her as just another girl, not the witch.

Rem pouted at the sight of them, but she was happy that he was her hero and her love.

In Emilia's eyes, Subaru glowed. The man in front of her was amazing: too brave, too stupid, too reckless, too kind, and too silly. The urge to hug him overwhelmed her, but the fact that he had been killed did not disappear from the half-elf's mind. She didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm, but the situation with the murderous servant still angered her. Desires for revenge emerged from her hatred. Not even in a thousand years would she forgive her. She didn't want to forgive her; she didn't deserve it. He didn't care about justifications, reasons, or evidence proving that his savage act was only to protect her.

Subaru, Rem? — His amethyst gaze was intense as he hoped his friend shared the same thought.

"It was my fault."

The half-elf rolled her eyes. She thought she hadn't heard correctly. Her pulse stopped, and her mind wandered for a moment. A distinct hint of anger marked her face. She couldn't process that stupid statement; she could only feel rage. Sure, Subaru was her favorite person, but everything had limits—even for the boy in front of her.

"Rem killed you! How can that be your fault?"

That night, after I said goodbye to you, I went to the dungeon and talked to Meili.

I don't know what to think.

I just wanted to help," he said, dropping his arms in a gesture of self-deprecation. Then he looked into her amethyst eyes. I found out she was sent to attack the village, not you directly, Emilia-tan." Besides, her older sister is Elsa—the same Elsa from the 'House of Booty.'" She told me about you. Apparently, I made a strong impression on that crazy woman. There is no doubt that someone is trying to ruin your candidacy. However, it seems strange to me.

They wanted to kill you; now they just want to ruin your reputation. It's more complicated than it seems. She didn't want to say more; she seemed afraid of someone. And no, it wasn't Elsa. In fact, she adored her.

Elsa? She was surprised by the information, but not clueless. And Rem?

I ran into her on my way out. She called me a witch cultist. Damn it! I was sure the mabestie attack was my doing. It was all my plan: infiltrate the mansion, gain her trust, and then destroy everything.

"Only a witch cultist can love a silver-haired half-elf," the black-haired man recalled Rem saying.

Petra asked, "Could it be the mama Meili talked about?

Frederica: "I don't know, but don't worry about it, Petra.

Others saw the clown with withering looks.

Rem shuddered to hear himself say that to Emilia.

Why did he believe that? The half-elf asked, her anger seeping into her voice.

The smell of the witch. The witch's despicable stench. A grimace of pain and betrayal crossed her face for a brief second before she closed her eyes. Every time I tried to convince her, she repeated that like a mantra. According to her, it was my fault that you were acting strangely—brainwashed and other such nonsense. When I turned my back on her, she tried to kill me. Fortunately, I was able to defend myself with the magic I had learned. I didn't mean to hurt her. I just threatened her to make her stop. Then, I ran, and that was it.

The boy ignored the pain of losing his arm, only to have part of his face shattered. He died slowly, consumed by the burning that plagued his entire body while his consciousness faded into nothingness and despair. Emilia didn't need to know; it would only worry her more.

Subaru, I shouldn't have brought you here. The tears welled up again.

Emilia-tan was afraid. Rem was afraid of me. The boy wiped away the girl's tears. He called me a monster several times. His hatred and fear were so intense and suffocating that he couldn't see me. She saw the worst monster ever.

Subaru...

I was very suspicious. I always ended up ruining things. I don't know what he's afraid of, but I provoked him. Heck, I'm a useless, pathetic little...

"That's enough, Subaru!

Emilia-tan.

Priscilla, complaining about what's already happened shows how weak and cowardly you are. First, you wanted to run away and quit your career, but I don't care since I'll win the crown.

Felt: Could someone please put something in her mouth to shut her up?

Garfiel, stop insulting the princess if you don't want to fight. A blow to the back of the blonde's head was none other than from his sister, Frederica. Garf got down and sat right down.

No matter what you say, whether it's true or not, it's not your fault. You're not useless. You're not pathetic. The half-elf took the boy's hands and said, "You are my friend, my precious friend." My friend is neither useless nor pathetic. I will never forgive her. I can't forgive her. I don't want to forgive her. Even if you forgive her, I won't. You are very important to me. I care about you.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

No, Subaru. Intervened the beautiful half-elf. "It's better to say one 'thank you' than a thousand 'I'm sorrys.'"

Thank you, Emilia-tan. Thank you for caring about me.

That's what friends do. Your friend, Subaru." A smile was enough to brighten her tired face.

"She's so cute, so beautiful, so gorgeous. She's divine. She's an angel." thought the otherworldly boy.

Subaru's heart was filled with joy. He knew he would always be useless—a hopelessly pathetic being and the biggest jerk in the world. But at that moment, he felt like the luckiest man in the two worlds he knew. The woman he loved cared about him. It was too much. He felt unworthy but so happy that he could die in her smile.

"What do we do?" She asked, calmer now.

"Let's be honest—" Let's start with Puck. Call him, Emilia-tan," Subaru said with a calm smile.

Are you sure about it?"

Tivey: Will they decide to tell the truth? But won't there be an equal taboo here?" While adjusting his monocle,

Ricardo: "I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no. Let's hope it doesn't backfire," he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

Mimi: Mimi doesn't like that big sister cat. I hope she never hires him again.

Anastasia: I feel the same way, my dear Mimi.

I'll tell them I'm from another world. It's the other secret I'll only share with you and Puck. You already know. I'll only tell that kitty. I trust you, Emilia-tan. So I can trust your father. We need more people to help us figure out how to lower Rem's hostility.

He lied to me about my memories. I don't like lies. Annoyance accompanied her voice. But there was something else that angered her more than she could imagine. "Subaru, don't you hate Rem?"

Puck did it to protect you. Not all lies are bad, even though most of them are. You should consider that, talk about it, and then draw your conclusion.

Second thing.

You know, I felt betrayed. It was painful; I can't lie. But I'm not sure if I hate her. Besides, she's not the same Rem I met before. I met a different Rem: a serious, hardworking girl who is also good. The previous one was scary. I don't understand yet, but we will find out. This Rem doesn't know me yet. She's not afraid of me, I think. I already gave her a bad impression, but I can't blame her for something that hasn't happened yet. I have to clear this up first. Emilia, would you help me with this? I'm not asking you to forgive the previous Rem; she did something horrible. But this Rem hasn't done anything to me. We can avoid it.

Emilia just looked at him; she couldn't believe it. It was beyond her understanding. She didn't want to accept this reasoning; it hurt her too much. The sad and cruel thing was that this was the same Subaru who had forgiven her for cheating on him. He was the guy she wanted to be friends with. He was too kind—a bighearted fool who could give her killer a second chance. He wanted to be her friend, but she resented that attitude. Now, she could see that her friend didn't value himself. She set a goal: she would make him realize his worth. To her, Subaru was worth as much as the crown of Lugunica. She just knew it.

Crush: Maybe knowing that she's from beyond the great waterfall would help a little, but I doubt it would appease Rem.

Wilhelm: To tell you the truth, Crush-sama, I agree with you. The Rem on screen will doubt all of Subaru-dono's actions and words, even though Puck and Beatriz-sama can corroborate them.

Felix: I'm worried about the cat, Nya. He might become more cautious if the taboo is activated, or if Od doesn't want it.

Emilia: The value of Subaru is that if it's true for me, then Subaru is worth much more than anything in the world.

I will help you; I am your friend. After I declare it, I touch the gem, and Puck wakes up.

"Good morning, Lia. Good morning, Subaru." The spirit cat yawns but immediately becomes alert.

"Something is wrong," she thought when she felt her daughter's emotions. Everything in her was more complex: a motley mixture of contrary emotions that coexisted within her. Her hatred stood out in that mixture but was contained by her appreciation and almost romantic liking for the boy next to her. This was beyond her means. Her daughter

She had changed more than she could have hoped for. Her head was spinning trying to figure out what had happened; the change was too sudden. Now was not the time. She would wait to be alone with the person responsible. Having a quiet talk might put her mind at ease. She would try to hold back a little, but she would have to make it clear.

Felt: Tch, clear up right now, if not, damn cat.

Reinhard: "Felt-sama, don't say those words."

Felt simply rolled his eyes.

"Puck, I have to tell you something—" The clueless boy said, "I, Natsuki Subaru, am from another world—a world without magic that is more advanced than this one."

"Another world? I don't understand."

"Subaru is from beyond the great waterfall," Emilia added, keeping a serious voice. He was not born in any of the four nations."

At first, he hesitated. Puck knew that people who said they were "beyond the great waterfall" were usually liars, tricksters, or people who wanted to take advantage of others. For a moment, he was angry with the red-haired man. It didn't matter that he had saved his daughter or helped him get his badge back. He concluded that the man wanted to take advantage of his daughter's current title. However, that thought disappeared when he confirmed the statement's truth. The boy believed it; there was no falsehood or malice in him, only exhaustion and repressed stress. Faced with this, there were only two options: the first was crazy, and the second was the truth, which was difficult to accept.

Petra said, "Maybe that's why Subaru-sama didn't tell us he was from another world. Maybe he thought we would think he was crazy."

Many nodded at what the little maid said, and it was true; only those who wanted fame or were crazy would say such a thing.

"I can tell you're not lying, but it's hard for me to believe it's Subaru."

"Well, I have this—" The boy said, showing the cell phone. "This is not a Metia; it's a multipurpose communication device from my world."

In just a few minutes, the spirit cat was surprised by the versatility of the artifact. He could not detect any magic in its operation, and the functions he saw were only additional; the main function could not be used since it needed another similar artifact to function as a receiver. The main function could not be used since it needed another similar artifact to function as a receiver. That was enough for the spirit to be convinced.

"Your world is more advanced, right?" The cat questioned, assimilating the new term.

"Yes." The boy replied proudly. "From what I've seen, this world has a thousand years of development behind it, maybe a little more."

Anastasia: And all that wasted development, even the mayonnaise. I guess I just gave away the recipe, right?

Roswaal: Wellll, Anastasia-sama. I offered Subaru-kun the opportunity to distribute it and generate profit, but he refused.

Puck, after that, the boy erased his smile and replaced it with a serious and determined look. I have another thing to tell you. I trust Emilia-tan, so I have no hesitation in trusting you.

Puck, I trust Subaru as much as I trust you."

No problem. I'll listen. If my daughter has a good impression of you, I can't fail Lia by continuing to doubt you, Subaru."

Well," said the boy, preparing to feel a little more relieved. Since I came to this world, I, Subaru Natsuki, have regretted...

Suddenly, the whole world stopped, and the dim shadows absorbed the light. A faded violet scene emerged, and the silence consumed all the noise of the environment. The bodies of the half-elf and the boy from another world froze, as did the spirit cat's. But Emilia's consciousness was awake. She was surprised and frightened by this unnatural phenomenon. That didn't end, though. Two shadows with violet edges blossomed in that frozen time. The shadows took the shape of gloomy hands with sharp claws. One hand went to her friend's chest and pierced his skin. She wanted to stop the dark hand from harming Subaru. That thought stopped when the other hand went to her. She expected to feel pain, but the hand covered her lips, and a voice similar to his echoed in her mind.

["It's our secret! You shouldn't know. No one else should know!"]

It was only a few seconds, but she felt as if her head were exploding. It was as if her own voice wanted to kill her, to replace her with someone else. It was as if the hate could be transmitted through sound, infecting her until she desired to end this torture by dying. She wanted to cry, to despair, to scream, to run to her friend's arms, but that thought only increased the pain, which this time tried to reach her soul. In that instant, the violet shadows disappeared, and time began to flow. However, the fear and feeling of being possessed and invaded by something not herself remained engraved in her soul as a warning. Her amethyst eyes fixed their attention on the black-haired boy. He was touching his chest. His face showed an expression of bewilderment, but there was pain in his eyes. The hand on his chest showed it. They had both experienced it. It was obvious what it meant. Talking about "Return by Death" was taboo. It was forbidden. The two looked at each other and nodded in thought.

"Subaru? Lia? "Subaru? Leah?" asked a puzzled Puck.

Rem: "Of course, that damn witch isn't going to let him off that easily, still having that despicable taboo," grunted the blue-haired oni.

Emilia: "Yes, but it doesn't matter. Just as I am of help to her, I will be of help to Subaru," the half-elf proclaimed, her eyes no longer dark, but determined.

"Yes, as I said, I have the witch's scent. That's what they told me. Do you know what they mean?

"No, I really don't know, Subaru." Puck lied with a satisfied smile.

Garfiel clicked his tongue and showed his teeth. "Tch! I hate how that wretch has that smirk on his face!" he said, expressing his hatred toward the big cat spirit.

Mimi: "Mimi wants to hit him with her cane to see if he'll take it off!"

Ricardo: Bhwajaajaj! I'm with you, Mimi!

"Well, I'm Natsuki Subaru. I'm from another world," the cultist said, using an unknown term that left her blank. This one continued. "A world without magic and with advanced technology."

"Subaru comes from beyond the waterfall," the foolish and easily manipulated Miss Emilia interjected. He was not born in any of the four nations.

Rem was surprised when the guy revealed his dubious identity to his master. She was even more surprised when all the residents of the mansion gathered. This cultist was an idiot. At the table, there were two great spirits who could tear him apart: the most powerful magician in the Kingdom of Lugunica and two Onis with superhuman strength. That obvious lie would bring him to his end. He was already dead in their eyes. But that did not happen.

"He speaks the truth," declared the cat spirit while being fed by the library guardian.

Interesting. His master replied melodically while analyzing the guest's statement. "You have proof of it. Not that I want to doubt Lady Emilia's savior, but you should understand me, Subaru."

Subaru is the person she trusts the most after Puck. The lady, dazzled by the subject, enunciated. Roswaal, Subaru is not a liar.

Emilia-tan, Roswaal is right. This artifact is my proof. She displayed a curious, hand-sized metia and handed it to the court magician.

Lord Roswaal and the great spirit Beatrice checked the artifact. His curiosity was impossible to hide; it bothered him to see the half-elf lady show pride for the stinky guy. He knew he couldn't fool the great sages with a strange Metia, but that idea was shattered by his master's and the great spirit of Yin's curious words.

"This is the first time I've seen something like this. Fascinating."

It doesn't have a hint of magic in it. How does it work?

It uses electricity, a source of energy that we discovered in our world and learned to use, though it usually occurs in nature in the form of lightning during storms.

How curious your world is! Her strange accent aroused curiosity. Could you tell us more?

Emilia: Rem, did you think the same about Subaru? Or was it different?

Rem: To tell you the truth, Emilia-sama was almost the same. Of course, no one knew about his otherworldly state, but they knew about his smell.

Mmm, I see.

While Anastasia and Tivey, with a notebook, were writing everything about the other world.

Before he finished, the boy announced again with a quiet smile. Since I came to this world, someone told me that I emanate the despicable stench of a witch. Can anyone tell me what that means?

Witch cultist!" Without realizing it, Rem shouted.

All eyes turned to her; she couldn't hide her hatred. She knew her sister would understand her. That didn't happen. Her sister looked at her reproachfully. It was the first time she had looked at her that way. For a moment, she wanted to scream about the monster in front of them, but her master's stern voice silenced her.

"Rem, calm down," Roswaal ordered with a satisfied smile. Roswaal ordered with a satisfied smile. "Beatrice?"

She doesn't lie. I guess. The great yin spirit replied calmly. "Her body emanates miasma. Brat, do you have a gospel?"

What's that?"

Every member of the witch cult carries a gospel, a book that guides their perverse desires, so it is common knowledge. Master Roswaal's voice lost its accent and sounded more serious than usual. "For your information, Subaru." The cult of the witch is a dangerous organization that has been active for less than four hundred years. All four nations have been their target in pursuit of freeing the witch from envy.

Julius: But would it be the same for us?

Felix: What do you mean, Juli?

Julius: Well, if Subaru's name were removed, for example, I think only Beatrice-sama and Garfiel could smell the miasma, couldn't they? If Beatrice-sama accuses a nameless Subaru of being a cultist, the most realistic thing to do would be to condemn him.

No one responded, not because they were at fault, but because they were afraid. They were afraid that they would be caught and tortured for smelling more than an archbishop.

Garfiel, trying to defend his captain, could only grit his teeth and clench his fists as hard as possible.

All doubts about the unknown boy were dispelled, except for Rem. No matter how convinced her master, her sister, or the spirits were, that scent could not disprove this guy's nature. She would watch him and wait for the slightest

error to act. What she didn't know was that she was also being watched. A semi-elven girl had not taken her amethyst gaze away from Rem.

Rem could only look down. Of course she had thought so before, but not to this extent. Besides, she had her mistress as a possible enemy.

Suddenly, the margrave changed the subject to the reward for saving the candidate. The boy only asked to work at the mansion, but Miss Emilia intervened, adding that her sister would teach this world's studies and that Beatrice would teach magic. She convinced him by offering Puck as a reward, although the blonde spirit asked for knowledge of the other world in return. She also named the stinky boy her personal advisor and servant. But that wasn't all. The most shocking surprise was what she said next.

"I want Rem to be my personal servant, too. I want her to take care of things Subaru can't handle since he's a boy." The lady said seriously, in an almost immature tone. Rem will help me with girl stuff.

Anastasia: Well, at least he did something with it.

Crush: Yeah, but how will Rem react? He won't only be looking out for Subaru; they'll be close.

Three days passed and the boy had already adapted to his job as the mansion's butler. He still hadn't found any hint of his perverse intentions, although there were a few suspicious moments when he knew the order and location of things in the mansion as if he were familiar with it. This only made his suspicions grow. The new routine continued as usual until Miss Emilia summoned her to a tea party to practice her manners. It was afternoon when she served the tea. She sat looking at the candidate's amethyst eyes. Her blue eyes felt scrutinized by them. Now, the practice felt like an excuse.

"Do you want something else, Miss Emilia?"

"Yes, I want to have a conversation with you." The half-elf said serenely. "First, I apologize for my bad behavior. I still feel bad about what happened in the capital that day. If it hadn't been for Subaru, I wouldn't be here anymore. I mean it, Rem. He saved my life. I felt the need to defend him. I'm sorry for my attitude and for putting you on the spot."

"No, no. Rem is sorry," said the blue-haired woman. "Rem intruded unnecessarily, Miss Emilia.

"And tell me, Rem—"

"Yes, Miss Emilia."

Do you hate Subaru?

"What?"

The room suddenly grew cold. The half-elf did not change her neutral expression, but her amethyst eyes still burned with an inscrutable hatred. Rem did not understand, but he felt that his life would be in danger if he answered incorrectly. He remembered that threatening look from days ago.

"Why do you hate Subaru, Rem?"

Al: Fua, direct. Huh? So much for feeling the Himalayas. Snorting at the scene:

Himalayas?

Felt: Reinhard, what does he say?

Reinhard: "I don't know, Felt-sama. Maybe it's a subarism."

Priscilla: Speak, jester. What is that?

Al: Well, Princess, it's a mountain range. It's considered the highest in our world.

Petra: Hey, Mr. Guardian!

Mmm, what's up, little Petra?

Petra: Do you know anything about Subaru-sama's world? Can you tell us about it?

Yes, I have knowledge, but I am more attracted to mythology than anything else. Mythology consists of the myths and legends of different parts of the world, including tales of gods, heroes, giants, and monsters.

Everyone, especially the little ones, including Garfiel and Felt, were eager to hear that.

Now that I remember what Julius said, it makes me laugh.

Julius: "What did I say? What do you mean?

Think about it yourselves. In the meantime, let's keep watching this world."

Emilia looked at the blue-haired maid angrily, waiting for a logical explanation. She knew Rem hadn't done anything yet, but she couldn't shake the possibility of that loop. She couldn't forget Rem's satisfied smile as she held her dying friend in her arms. The nightmares wouldn't leave her. It had only been three days, but a strange sense of warning persisted. The girl in front of her showed continuous dislike of Subaru. She waited for the hardworking maid to speak. She didn't realize that some of her magic was seeping out, cooling the room's atmosphere. Her emotions were getting out of control.

Rem... The oni maid sighed, pausing. She was swallowed by tension. She had been found out by none other than the one who protected the stinky boy the most. Her heart raced, but she had to be clear about this. "Rem can sense the witch's scent on Subaru. My sister should sense it, too.

I asked Ram about it. Her amethyst eyes were steady, and her voice remained serene with no hint of hatred in her tone. "She doesn't have that ability. Apparently, it's just you, Rem."

Mimi asked, "So the pink servant can't smell?"

Tivey: I don't know what you're thinking, but please don't finish it, sis.

Emilia: Is it true, Ram? You can't smell the miasma?

Ram: Hmph, no, and I'm thankful that I already have to put up with Barusu. I can't imagine being with him and his stench every day.

Rem's eyes rolled back. She supposed she wasn't the only one who could feel it. Her twin sister had also lived through the same hell on that fiery night: It was the day she lost everything except her big sister. She was flooded with hatred. Long ago, Lord Roswaal had allowed her to take revenge on those monsters, but the hatred still lingered within her. That damn scent fueled her anger. Every time that boy was in front of her, it was hard to keep her composure. Seeing that guy get along with her sister angered her beyond belief. She thought her sister was a better actress, but it was never that. Her dear, great Ram couldn't sense that despicable stench; it was only her.

Subaru could be a cultist. She tried to affirm the maid, but the room went cold again, stopping her words.

"Rem, you forgot what Beatrice said, and what Subaru said." There was only reproach mixed with anger in Emilia's amethyst gaze. "It's hard to believe, I know. My friend is from another world." Beatrice clarified why she had that smell.

"Miss Emilia, his smell is too penetrating. It's superior to that of an average member of the cult."

Felix: It's either a trauma or a more developed sense.

Garfiel said, "Actually, I couldn't smell it either. It was Grandma who told me that the Captain gave off the miasma."

Julius, who had heard this, remembered what Garfiel had said before about Subaru's miasma. Realistically, if Gula took his name and Od didn't want it, Garfiel would be tortured.

"And you think he's here because of me?" His silver voice grew colder. A silver-haired, amethyst-eyed half-elf. You know, Rem. When he asked my name, I tricked him by giving him the witch's name to keep him away. The sucker didn't go away. Then, I told him the reason for that name. He forgave me and said, "I was me, and I wasn't her. He was only helping me because I was me." Just because it was Emilia."

A smile removed all the cold atmosphere. He didn't even mind being hurt to death for saving me. Would the cultists you're talking about do that?

Not one of those monsters would be capable of it. But, if it's all an act...

Your paranoia is going too far, Rem. Emilia couldn't understand that stubbornness. She didn't want to go to the extremes of her hatred. Subaru is not a monster. You've seen it, right? You've seen how he tries hard, how he laughs, how he jokes, and how he always looks for ways to get along with everyone.

How hard he tries, how he laughs and jokes, and how he always looks for ways to get along with everyone. Suddenly, the half-elf's voice became pleading. "Subaru, it's not what you think!

My village was attacked by the witch cult!" " The blue Oni said with tears in her eyes.

 "I'm sorry, Rem, but..."

Wilhelm: Resentment is a strong thing. I speak from experience: the white whale not only hurt me, but that hurt spread to my family because of me. I understand, Rem, but what Emilia-sama says is true.

Reinhard, who was listening, looked down as he remembered how his grandmother blamed him for her death, and how everything went downhill from there.

Crush just nodded at his butler's words.

"Everyone was brutally murdered. My parents were burned, and my great sister lost her horn protecting me. Those monsters had no mercy on anyone. Miss Emilia, I am afraid this misfortune will happen again. I don't hate Subaru, but I can't stand his damn smell. I can't. I can't, Miss Emilia. I'm afraid. I'm afraid of losing everything again.

Subaru is very kind and a good boy. Even Beatrice has changed for the better; she leaves the library more often now. Forget the smell. Now, tell me what you see.

Rem wanted to believe in Miss Emilia, but the fear of the past still assailed her. Her heart squeezed as she remembered her burned parents. The witchy scent lingered in her violent and sad memories while her sister's horn appeared before her eyes. However, if she was wrong, then her master, Roswaal, had accepted the boy as part of the manor; her sister got along with him—it wasn't an act. She had even given him a nickname. Though derogatory, it showed that they were friends. Even the lonely spirit in the library used to seek out the boy to ask questions about the world. Miss Emilia was livelier and more cheerful when he was around. She had never been like that before; now, this half-elf shone brighter than before. Many things had changed in just a few days. However, that unpleasant aroma prevented us from seeing the panorama of the mansion.

I only see a silly, boisterous, clumsy, hardworking, and very stupid boy. Rem replied, clenching his hands into fists. He didn't want to accept it; that boy was a potential danger. "I don't hate Subaru, but I can't control how I feel when that scent is present."

"Rem, my village was attacked by the witch cult a hundred years ago." His amethyst eyes moistened at the memory. "I had the unpleasant honor of meeting their leader, an archbishop. Subaru is nothing like those monsters. They have nothing in common. Don't compare them." Please, I don't want you to do something you'll regret.

Priscilla: Hmph, it's too late for that, half-demon. If they were more conscious, that dog would be much better than what we see, but of course, the leash is too tight.

Emilia: Priscilla-san, I ask you not to talk about my gentleman like that. Enough is enough. The truth is that Subaru is not like those monsters. They have nothing in common. Don't compare them.

Priscilla: Oh? What will you do, Semi-Diabla?

Al and Rem intervened before anything could happen.

Emilia-sama doesn't pay attention; it's not worth it.

Princess, it's better than... Again, it crashed to the cold floor of the theater.

"It's okay, Rem. Thank you."

Who gave you permission to speak, Aldebaran?

I understand that you can't forgive the monsters who destroyed your home. I won't forgive those who murdered my loved ones either. None of them. Rest assured that if I ever meet them, I will not hesitate to kill them. Subaru has nothing to do with them. Subaru is my friend. I will protect him from your unreasonable hatred.

I will not hesitate if Subaru proves to be what I believe him to be.

It won't happen, Rem. Of that, I am very sure. The royal candidate affirmed with certainty. "Give him a chance. That's all I ask."

Rem looked at Emilia with a defiant gaze. Her sky-blue eyes searched for something she did not know: a reason to leave her fear behind, a way to be certain of her suspicions, and excuses to refuse to believe the lady. But she was tired of her own paranoia. She softened her gaze and let her mind go blank, dropping the stress that the boy's appearance in the mansion had caused her.

"Rem will give you a chance. I will no longer blame without proof. I will try for you," Rem said, being sincere. Then she got up. Rem said sincerely, then got up. "Excuse me. Rem will continue with his duties."

Ram snorted. It was obvious that her little sister was suspicious of Barusu, and Ram was right, since he had seduced her and led her to the dark side. He snorted while raising his chin.

Al let out a light laugh reminiscent of Star Wars.

Rem: "Nee-sama, Subaru-kun hasn't done anything. I already told you."

"This is apparently my fate," the boy thought as he looked at the biggest puppy being carried by a blue-haired girl with pigtails.

 This was his third loop, and today was the fourth day. If he did not act today, he might die. But he was not the only one at risk; the Arlam Village was too. The village was a few minutes away from the Roswaal mansion. He could not abandon it. In past loops, he had grown fond of the children and people of this place. Besides, the reputation of his beloved Emilia-tan was at stake. He could not wait any longer for things to resolve themselves; that Subaru was in the past. This time, he would act. But that was easier said than done. He knew that if he warned her without proof, the situation from the second loop could repeat itself. No matter how calm Rem seemed, knowing that he could smell it was a death sentence. Convincing the girl seemed impossible to him. Apparently, her scent in the first loop was not as incriminating as in the second. Could this be related to her gift? The scent was unbearable for Rem. The bad thing was that he knew how idiotic it was not to be suspicious. Somehow, he would be more suspicious if it weren't for his Emilia-tan. How many times had he died trying to gain Rem's trust? Well, on this fourth day, the judging look in his sky-blue eyes had disappeared. Something told him that the pretty Emilia was responsible for that change. He would thank her later; that appointment was still pending

.Currently, he was not just anyone; he was the advisor and personal butler of a royal candidate. Doing common things like shopping for people was within his duties, or so the pink maid had stated without mockery. The boy wanted to claim otherwise, but he decided to let it pass because it was convenient for his plan. The good thing was that he was not alone. The two Oni maids accompanied him—or rather, he accompanied them. His time in the village had only been used to entice the masses to exercise with him over the radio, which he had successfully accomplished while keeping a sidelong eye on the little assassin. So far, she hadn't hurt anyone.

"She's leaving so innocently," thought the black-haired man, not giving up his beloved calisthenics.

Roswaal thoughtfully said: "Only three loops, huh? Wonderful, Subaru-kun, but we'll have to see if everything changes here, or if he'll just be one more of the bunch."

Emilia, fiddling with her fingers and seeing what would happen, was already different from how it was in her world. She hoped this wasn't a loop; just as Rem was anxious.

As for Emilia, he knew he couldn't count on her this time. She had her own problems; her restored memories were taking a toll on her. It was easy to see how stressed she was. He had forgotten about Meili and the Mabesties. The plan they had worked out in the previous loop was perfect, but it depended on the lovely girl's performance. However, she had forgotten. He could tell by her appearance that she was tired and needed time to relax. This led him to conclude that, in order to take care of this, Emilia had to rest. Rem's hostility diminished as if by magic for the day. One less worry, albeit temporary. Besides, the future queen had to study to be a good ruler; sometimes, self-study was necessary to reflect on what she had learned. That was the excuse he gave the day before. He was either too good or too foolish, but she fell for his poor excuse. In the end, she didn't know.

"I hope she doesn't get mad about this," she thought, fearing her anger. It was tender to see her angry, but she still remembered the dejected Puck during that all-important family conversation. Well, he brought it on himself. Still, he didn't want to be the next victim.

Emilia: "Of course I'm angry, Subaru. How many times do we have to tell you not to do everything just for Od?"

Rem: "But, Emilia-sama, Subaru-kun is right. Even though he could have warned her, it was for the best."

Ram: Hmph. Barusu is incompetent after all.

Ram: Nee-sama!

Subaru's behavior felt stranger than usual. Rem was puzzled by the boy's actions. She had barely talked to the lady about how suspicious the boy was. Here the idiot was, acting even more suspiciously. She didn't know what to think. Until the red-haired man spoke to the girl.

"You should stop that beast, Meili," Subaru said, looking like a father scolding his daughter. "It's dangerous. It could hurt the village. It could hurt you, Meili."

"You know nothing, sir!" The girl responded defiantly.

"I don't know much, but I think..." There was only certainty in Subaru's voice: "A cute little girl shouldn't play the cold and evil assassin, Meili."

"Are you guessing, sir? You're scaring me." The girl started to back away; the boy's mischievous eyes worried her.

"I'm not," he said. "But I know you don't want this. Even if she is a very cool sister, she's not a good example to follow."

"My sister?"

Suddenly, the girl understood. She had been discovered. She turned around and ran into the forest as fast as her little legs could carry her.

"Shit!" she cursed, slapping her thighs. "I screwed up, you fucking idiot. Me and my big mouth."

The maids looked on in bewilderment. The guy was usually outgoing and theatrical, but this felt strange; he had frightened a little girl. Besides, a beast couldn't cross the barrier, but the guy's face was more serious than expected.

Barusu, your weirdness sometimes worries me.

Rem felt it; something bad was happening. He didn't want to blame the boy. Explain the situation.

Rem and Ram, help me with this. The black-haired man said in a serious voice as he turned his gaze to the girl walking away. It wouldn't be hard for him to catch up with her. "Get ready for an attack of Mabesties! That girl can control them!"

Ram and Rem were perplexed for a moment. It was foolish to believe that the Mabesties could be controlled by a little girl. But all uncertainty vanished when they saw it with their own eyes: Six Wolgarms covered the girl as she entered the forest through a fence. Subaru prepared to fight. He was still a novice at using magic; his gate was weak, and he was still strengthening it. But it was time to put his hard training to the test.

Anastasia: "It's quite an interesting ability, in my opinion. It would be comforting for any merchant to travel without fear of a mabestial attack."

Crush: Where is that girl currently locked up?

Emilia: Well, she's in the basement of the mansion. Subaru is in charge of her.

Julius: A prison?

Frederica: Not exactly. It's just a room, and he sews dolls for her so she won't get bored.

Minya! She shouted. Six violet crystals floated around her, and in an instant, they were aimed at the mabesties. Three were hit, and three were missed. "Damn, I still need to improve my aim."

The three remaining Mabesties rushed to attack him. Two were stopped by wind blades from the pink maid. The other was crushed by Rem's blunt weapon. The blue maid held a spiked ball on a chain. Her weapon, a "morning star," was stained with the blood of the doggy monster. A cold sweat ran down Subaru's back as he remembered that the same weapon had separated his arm and shattered his face.

What trauma I have! The boy whispered with a vacant smile.

The maidservants approached the boy. The two were surprised by his quick reaction to this unknown threat. More suspicion seeped in for Rem than for Ram.

"What does this mean, Barusu?"

That girl has the ability to command beasts. Subaru said, looking intensely at the forest.

"Besides, she's being manipulated by Elsa, the same madwoman who tried to kill my pretty Emilia-tan."

Garfiel said, "Come on, Captain, finish those things!"

Otto: It's amazing how knowing magic and having Beatrice-sama teach you can change your perspective.

Beatrice snorted and puffed out her chest proudly. "It's obvious that Betty's Subaru is skilled with Yin magic. We're unstoppable!"

Subaru, if that's true, Rem didn't want to suspect more than he already did. How do you know?

It's not my first encounter. She just doesn't remember me. Time was passing, and Meili was no longer visible. We must not lose her.

Barusu, I will alert the village. I'll go to the mansion to protect Miss Emilia." If what you say is true, the assassin may be nearby.

"Rem came with me." The boy said, starting to run again. "There's no time. If you meet that woman, just run away with Emilia.

I'm demonically inspired, so screw fate and my damn luck!" The red-haired guy said with a smile as he ran.

"What?" Rem asked, surprised, looking at the guy he was suspicious of.

"I'll explain later."

Subaru and Rem entered the forest and ran along the path. In Rem's case, his Oni characteristics gave him more endurance and speed, leaving the boy behind. Unwilling to become a hindrance, the boy used Murak on his body to lighten his weight. Each jump he made was wider. Although the blue maid had the advantage, only a few centimeters separated them.

"Magic sure is convenient," the boy thought as he threw a violet crystal at the beast that jumped out of a bush.

Rem: Subaru-kun, you're amazing!"

He blushed as he heard that again.

Emilia watched as he used his magic to advance faster, which was impressive.

Beatrice was still proud of her contractor/apprentice, though she could improve.

They climbed a rise of land. At the end of the path, Meili stood at the edge of a cliff, hugging the cursed puppy. There was nowhere else to run. An army of more than fifty Wolgarm surrounded her, protecting her as if she were the king on a chessboard. A new difficulty presented itself. The boy's mind had been assaulted by the fantasy nature of this world.

"You are an awesome girl!" — said the boy at the sight of such a spectacle. The boy exclaimed at the sight of such a spectacle. "How do you do it?!"

Sir, you are the one who impresses me. My sister was right. She tried to imitate her older sister's sultry voice. "Are you a fortune teller or something?

"No, I don't think so." The black-haired man started scratching his head. "You could say I'm a very unlucky guy. Running into you is proof of that. I'd be dead if your cute pets bit me.

My sister is really upset because you ruined her plan."

Sorry, but he was just a strange guy who happened to meet a cute girl and tell her not to take it to heart.

It will be difficult, sir. The girl continued, showing pity for the boy. "My big sister is very spiteful. If she survives this, don't count her out for the next one."

"Great news, Rem. I earned the resentment of a sexy monster."

Ram: Hmph. Men.

Al: Well, in my defense, if it were any different, it would be quite... Al challenged his mistress's patience once again by taking a hit and leaving himself embedded in the wall.

Ricardo silently sympathized with him.

The butler and maid duo somehow managed to close the gap between the girl and the monsters. Only a meter separated them. Subaru decided to use his custom spell before things got worse. It took him four days, more or less, to master it; it wasn't quite finished yet. He aimed with his right hand, mimicking the shape of a gun while dodging.

The shamack— A black arrow with a purple edge sprouted from his finger and shot out with the speed of a bullet. He felt his mana drain. But in the end, it hit its target.

Julius: "A custom spell?"

Beatrice: Hmph. In fact, Betty's Subaru has already cast several spells, although their names are quite embarrassing.

A half-elf sneezed.

Rem: Emilia-sama, are you all right?

Emilia: Yes, Rem, I'm fine.

Let's go back, Rem. The boy said while carrying Meili like a princess. Mission accomplished, I think.

Do you know how to get back?" asked the boy, ready to resume the journey. "What's wrong, Rem?"

"I apologize, Subaru," The maid said, lowering her head. "I'm sorry for mistrusting you. I'm sorry for my bad behavior and for that unpleasant scent."

"Wait, Rem," the boy said, puzzled by that. He spoke without thinking anymore. "You weren't wrong. A stranger with the smell of those sick people would come just like that. It was clear that you would suspect me. So, I don't feel I need an apology. I mean, I'm sorry, Rem, for causing you trouble."

Miss Emilia was right. The girl whispered as a soft laugh escaped her. "It's dangerous here. Let's go."

Al: "Your level of altruism is over nine thousand," referring to one of your otherworldly series.

Emilia: Subaru is Subaru. He will never change. What will change is his need to face things. He's just like that. Yes or no?

Rem: I agree with Emilia-sama. We have to change Subaru-kun's taste.

As they ran through the forest, a large number of wolves followed him. He didn't know why this was happening. The tamer was unconscious, so they went back to their wild nature. That was the theory he came up with, whether it was true or not. The reality was that they were screwed. The beasts did not stop attacking, and he could barely use any mana. But that was not all. Rem was also showing signs of fatigue. Every lunge against the beasts was met with gasps of exhaustion. Things were getting harder and harder. Suddenly, he saw a small puppy looking down at him from the top of a hill as if commanding the endless pack of dog beasts.

That thing is still alive. Damn it!

Subaru is still running; it won't be long now.

That's what I'm trying to do!

Garfiel: "Tch, that damn beast can't get enough, or what?"

"Come on, Natsuki-san. It won't be long now," Otto said.

Petra: Subaru-sama.

Suddenly, the boy's legs faltered. The girl in his arms felt heavier. In the end, he stumbled after taking a wrong step. Several beasts jumped up, ready to enjoy their feast of miasma, as they found their prey vulnerable. But all of them were swept away by the swing of the Oni's mace.

"Rem—" was all the boy could say as he looked at the blue maid.

A red glow covered her body. A demonic look of anger was etched on her face, but the most striking thing was the horn that sprouted from her forehead. She was no longer the hardworking girl of Roswaal Manor; she was a wild animal with an insatiable thirst for blood. Rage, cruelty, and instinct alone drove her to lash out at the beasts that rushed to tear her apart, ignoring her survival instincts. A maniacal grin adorned her face as she laughed shrilly while tearing the wolgarm's bodies apart and scattering their visors across the disturbed earth.

Rem: Hmph. Subaru-kun, it's rude to say that to a lady.

Ram: It's Barusu. You were expecting my dear little sister, weren't you?

He remembered that he could use spiritual arts as well. He concentrated, trying to call the nearest spirits. Some spirits answered him. That was enough for him. According to Emilia-tan, the spirits yielded to the boy's orders without the need for a contract. It was as if they enjoyed being at the red-haired man's command. In this case, that was a good thing, as his life depended on it.

"Please help us." Only those words were enough for the five spirits that answered his call to spring into action.

Julius: Is it incredible Is Subaru's spiritual affinity such that the spirits help him without a contract?

Emilia: Mmm, the truth is not ours. Well, you know, he didn't pay attention to that, and well...

Beatrice: I guess he doesn't need any of that. In fact, since he has a great spirit with him, I guess he doesn't need inferior spirits.

Roswaal considered the possibility that Subaru had the "Divine Protection," but dismissed it as a legend. However, Subaru always does the unthinkable. It would be interesting if he really had that divine protection.

Sharp icicles stabbed the beasts, and small balls of concentrated fire exploded inside them. Sharp gusts of wind cut off their limbs and heads. Subaru mustered what little strength he had left to continue. Then he looked at the unleashed Oni.

"Let's go, Rem!" He shouted, but the girl did not respond. She was still dancing in a pool of blood, laughing endlessly. The beasts' attack had no end.

Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die...

Damn luck!

Regardless of her safety, she jumped and pushed the rampaging Oni. The agitation brought the maid back to herself, but it was too late. As the land mass fell on Subaru, a mabest lunged toward the boy and pushed him aside. Rem wanted to stop it, but the scent that seeped into her nostrils again made her hesitate. Loosening the chain of her weapon, she had just a moment of doubt. In that instant, several Wolgarm made the boy their feast, pressing their hard canines into his skin. The black-haired boy's cry of pain snapped her out of her doubt, and she lunged at the beasts. Subaru was left unconscious and covered in deep bites.

Rem took the boy in her arms while carrying the small, light assassin on her right shoulder. She ran, dodging obstacles and monsters. Her clothes were torn, but she didn't care. She continued, no matter how much she hurt herself dodging or how much her white skin was torn by branches. She continued until she could see the town. Only a few meters remained. Her mind was lost, trying to control her own nature until, at last, she could escape.

Exhaustion took over her body as she jumped the fence. Her eyes met an angry, intense amethyst gaze belonging to a silver-haired half-elf and the anguished look of butterfly-shaped pupils belonging to the spirit of yin.

"Rem?" Emilia said, trying not to be swallowed by her negative emotions and make a mistake. She kept her rationality with all her might. What does this mean?

I guess I missed what happened.

Shit!

Subaru!

Subaru-kun!

Subaru-sama!

Captain/Natsuki-san!

Crush: Calm down. Remember, this happened before, so we're sure this won't be a loop.

Felix: Crush-sama is right, nyan.

The two girls glared at the oni maid. A cold air began to fill the atmosphere as frost covered the ground around the half-elf. The dam in her blue eyes broke, and she walked slowly, tears filling her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault. He saved me, and I didn't..." Her voice cracked with regret. "I couldn't save him. I hesitated. I... Help him, please."

Emilia: Huh? What's wrong? Why did the screen go off?

Rem: "It's a scene change, Emilia-sama."

Crush: We will most likely see things from Emilia's perspective now.

She was lying on the book she was reviewing. Her tiredness had overcome her. Her amethyst eyes opened, full of drowsiness. Her mind was confused as she withdrew her head from the open book. When her mind cleared, she checked the book on her desk and let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was not the same book. She got up from her chair and looked out the window. The sky was red, and the night was beginning.

A bad feeling sank her heart as she left her room. She walked toward the kitchen but found no one. She searched other places in the mansion but had the same result. The bad feeling grew into a frightening fear. Her anxiety made her act, and she began to run to the main door. While running through the mansion's extensive corridors, a small figure stopped her.

It was a little blonde girl with pigtails. She wore a frilly red dress. Her childish appearance concealed her four hundred years of existence. Under her arms, she carried Puck, her adoptive father, like a baby. The girl looked at the half-elf worriedly, as if she wanted to ask something, but her pride wouldn't let her.

"Lia, have you seen Subaru?" Puck asked, with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"No—" Anguish took hold of her.

"What an irritating disciple," complained the blonde spirit. Today, we had scheduled to review the technological advances of their world. I was so emotional... I mean, analyzing the operation of radio waves was very important to Betty.

They are good friends.

But Betty is not even a friend. She is only interested in the new knowledge of that world.

Emilia: There's a cute Beako hugging the little big spirit.

Beatrice: Kyaa! Let go of me! Only Betty's Subaru can call her that.

"Miss Emilia, trouble!" Ram's voice brought her out of her thoughts. Thanks to Barusu's stupidity, the coordinated attack by the mabesties was stopped. Besides, it's possible that she's not working alone. From what Barusu implied, the assassin involved in the capital's attack is involved too.

Beasts? Emilia repeated, as if this situation felt familiar.

"Yes, Miss. Barusu and my sister are taking care of it," Ram said proudly and confidently. Ram said proudly and confidently. "With my little sister, it will be easy to capture the tamer. I bet the situation is already under control.

Rem and Subaru together—you beasts!

"Yes, Miss. My sister will take care of the whole problem. Barusu will most likely be a hindrance, but I'll spare him this time.

He clenched his fists, hurting the skin on his palms. He stopped listening to the pink maid's voice. His amethyst eyes were fixed on the spirit girl. Without asking, he took her in his arms and started running toward the Arlam village. He had to save her from the beasts, from Rem.

He didn't understand why his friend was in that situation, on the brink of death. But she wouldn't let it happen, not this time. She was determined to save the boy she cherished so much.

"Let go of Bubby's brat," she said. An irritated Beatrice said.

"Lia, what are you doing?" " asked a surprised Puck at his daughter's erratic behavior.

"Miss Emilia, come back! You're in danger!" Ram shouted, worried about her mistress's strange attitude.

"I have to save him. Puck and Beako are helping me save Subaru." Then she looked at the oni maid and, feeling guilty about what might happen, cried out heavily. "I'm sorry for everything, Ram."

"Buby brat! Only my disciple has the right to call me that. Don't be disrespectful."

Beatrice: Hmph, indeed. If only Betty's Subaru could call her that.

Ram: Emilia-sama is becoming like Barusu. He needs to be castrated.

Rem: Nee-sama! Stop saying you'll castrate Subaru-kun!

Emilia: By the way, what does castrate mean? Ram has been saying it a lot, but I don't know what it means.

—...—

-...-

Roswaal: Frederica, I'll ask you to explain that to Emilia-sama when we come back.

Frederica: It's fine," she said, lowering her eyes and accepting her cruel destiny.

But when they arrived at the village, neither Subaru nor Rem were there. She only met the villagers, who looked at her with contempt—the norm for her. The villagers were prepared for the worst. With fear in her heart, she asked,

"Where is Subaru?"

The villagers' displeased expressions changed to kind ones. The boy's name brought them joy and concern. Most of those present turned their gaze to the forest, expecting the worst for the boy. Emilia could understand the feeling Subaru awakened in people, but she also understood their concern.

"Miss, Subaru and Rem went to save Meili. They haven't returned yet," said an orange-haired girl. "Please save them!"

Emilia knew Meili was the cause of all this, but the children didn't know that. Nor did they know that Rem could become their friend's murderer. Emilia could only nod to the girl, determination evident in her amethyst eyes, as she lowered the spirit to the ground.

"I promise I will save him."

My disciple is quite the troublemaker.

Beatrice, Emilia, Rem, and Ram. And quite a Lot/in fact

Many snorted at the three girls, and others were already bored.

She headed to the forest, ready to face any danger to save her favorite person. But everything collapsed when she saw her best friend bleeding in the arms of the blue oni. He was still breathing; he could still be saved. Even so, her soul burned with rage. For a moment, the painful scene was superimposed before her eyes. She tried to contain her negative and repulsive emotions. Her desire to impale the maid blossomed, but it was stopped by her enormous appreciation for the boy who was still in Rem's arms. He was still alive. There was hope. It was still possible to save him.

Rem? The half-elf asked in a soft, cold voice, not realizing that her rediscovered power was seeping into the atmosphere. "What does this mean?"

What happened?

Otto rubbed the back of his neck nervously and said, "To tell you the truth, I think we're all pretty well saved. I think neither Natsuki-san nor Emilia-sama are like that."

I support Otto-sama.

According to Ottobro.

Actually, yes, I guess.

Barusu had to be it.

Beatrice, please help me save him. Emilia said, her heart in her mouth.

"Yes, I guess—" The spirit replied out of inertia.

"You were right, Miss Emilia." Rem's wailing reduced her concentration. "Subaru's not a monster. He's the nicest guy I've ever met." I'm sorry for everything."

Emilia only nodded as she continued healing him. It was true; Subaru, her favorite person, was very kind. Rem did not know that the same boy she had judged as a monster had given her a second chance. Now, when her life was in danger, she understood. What irony! Emilia just wanted to cry because of it. She did not know what had happened in the forest. The tamer girl was still on the maid's shoulder, as if Rem herself had forgotten the extra weight. She looked at her badly wounded friend.

She did not know what actions her friend had taken to bring about these results. She was angry at her for forgetting and at Subaru for acting recklessly, as usual, and for saving her. Subaru was a hopeless idiot. This was exhausting, yet she liked him. She didn't know when another problem would appear. But one thing was certain: Rem was actually worried about her friend. All her doubts about the maid had vanished, just as Rem's unwarranted suspicions had.

"You did it, Subaru." He thought with annoyance; the cost was the grievous wounds he and Beatrice continued to heal. In the end, she could not smile at that accomplishment because there was no real reward, only pain for her and much more pain for her dear friend.

Anastasia: "Well, at least we know it's not a loop, but..."

Julius asked, "How will you cope now that you know about the curses, and what else will change?"

At that moment, however, the great Yin spirit felt uneasy about her beloved Bubby for some strange reason.

Garfiel said, "Of course he will get over it, and even faster if the princess is present."

But the cheering stopped abruptly because of the next scene.

"What's that?"

Why am I tied up?

Because of Bubby, I suppose.

Emilia-sama!

She sat on the chair next to the bed where her tired friend was sleeping. She opened her eyes, expecting to find Subaru. She had waited so long for her friend to awaken. In the end, however, she was exhausted from using her magic and fell asleep. Now, her gaze focused on the bed her friend had occupied, but the boy was nowhere to be found. Her body shuddered with worry. She tried to get up but couldn't. She did not know what time it was or how long she had slept. The bindings were not simple ropes; they were black ropes made with yin magic. She did not know this spell and felt that her strength had been reduced. It was impossible to tear them off with her elven strength. Despair gnawed at her anguished heart.

"I'm sorry, Lia." Her adoptive father appeared in front of her and said, "I'm sorry."

"Where is Subaru, Puck?!"

"It's not worth the risk for that boy. You barely know him, Lia."

Emilia: Puck, why are you keeping me like this? I don't understand!

Rem: "Are you preventing Emilia-sama from helping Subaru-kun?"

Petra: But why would she do that?

Priscilla: Hmph, it's obvious. Her doll is revealing herself, and that's why she wants the boy to die.

Dad— Tears and anger mingled with confusion. What's going on with Subaru?

He will probably die today.

Chapter Text

"He will probably die today."

Emilia, puzzled by Puck's actions, couldn't help but feel rage toward him for the sole reason that he was not the doll that someone unrelated to anything else wanted.

Beatrice clenched her small hands around the previous contract of her beloved Bubby, along with the absurd clauses that were part of her contract.

As the screen went off, marking the end of the chapter, many did not survive to share their theories.

Of course, they were only theories. No matter how much they wanted to, they could not confirm anything absolutely.

Others remembered how that same spirit had condemned the world several times, especially during the events of the third arc when the cult attacked, killing the half-elf named Emilia.

But before they could sink into their thoughts, the Guardian's voice rang through the theater.

"Well, well, one less episode to watch. As you may know, this will be the end of the second arc of The Re:Zero - Life of Natsuki Subaru and the Ice Princess Emilia. But before we start, I want to do something first."

Some cocked their heads in confusion. What exactly did the Guardian want to do?

Others frowned, knowing they probably wouldn't like whatever he was going to do.

Suddenly, square devices came out of the chairs. At the same time, a light emanated from the theater. From that light came the guardian, but he was dressed differently. He wore a white flannel shirt with a black vest, blue and gold details, and black pants and shoes with the same details. He also wore something similar to Subaru's infinity, but this time his eyes were brown.

Those devices that came out of the chairs are called "Tablets." They are tools similar to telephones, but more comfortable for work. Now, you will decide what you want to see.

Anastasia opened her eyes wide. She hoped one of those transmissions would be related to Natsuki-kun's world. She looked at her campmates, who understood the message except for Mimi.

Roswaal was equally curious about the possible stories or worlds they could see, and he wanted to find out if his teacher had been resurrected in one of those worlds.

Priscilla narrowed her eyes, catching his attention, wondering if the commoner would be in their camp.

Emilia watched this with expectant eyes. Not only were they going to learn more about Subaru, but they would also have the opportunity to choose one of their liking.

First, I want to clarify that this will not have any repercussions with those already mentioned. You can continue to see this world as Infinity or the King of Pride. Without further ado, here are the options:

Spacetime/Dimensional Gap >Greed< Category: Suitable/Not Suitable.

Spacetime/Dimensional Gap > Rem > Category: Suitable/Not Suitable.

Localized xxx world > Glaciation Witch <

Timeline: Forgotten, with various ramifications.

Spacetime/Dimensional Rift >Wrath< Category Eligible/Not Eligible.

World XXX located: GALADRIEL.

Spacetime/dimensional gap >PRIDE< category: suitable/not suitable.

Black and red star worlds localized.

Black star/green star localized.

Black star/purple star localized.

Roswaal stared at the greedy option. "Is my teacher alive, or is it the If story I mentioned earlier?"

Crush: What does that last one about the stars mean? What does it have to do with us?"

Emilia: B Witch of the Glaciation? No, that title was the one I had before.

Anastasia: Julius, you had to bring up the possibility of Natsuki-kun being forgotten.

Rem: A world about me? I want to see it!

Reinhard: Wrath? That's the one where Subaru refuses to commit suicide after Rem-san died from the curse of the beast.

Felt: Who the hell is Galadriel?

Al: Really, brother? Another pride?

Ricardo: What about classifications?

First, Frederica, Ricardo, and Anastasia, please take this.

The guardian held up some objects that looked like headbands, but they reached up to his ears.

I ask that you put them on the children in the room to explain the first part.

As the guardian explained, Petra, Mimi, Tivey, and Garfield had these things on, so they couldn't hear anything.

As you can see, some contain the words "safe" and "not safe." The safe ones are shown to the public, and the "not safe" ones are shown to an adult audience.

Several people realized what he was talking about and blushed, knowing what such stories imply.

But don't worry. That would be my last resort if the system doesn't receive good stories. I would have to fill it with those, but I repeat: LAST RESORT.

On the other hand, there are different worlds and different Subarus, among other things.

Lastly, just because there are many worlds doesn't mean Subaru is with Emilia in all of them. The stars are the reference, as well as possible love interests.

Everyone except Priscilla blushed when they saw themselves as Subaru's romantic partner. When they went to make their vote, the tablets disappeared.

Thank you for voting at the end of the chapter. If there's nothing else to say, let's begin.

AN UNINTELLIGIBLE DISCOMFORT IN THE HEART.

"That's all I can do, I suppose."

The blonde girl looked at the boy resting on the bed. Her eyes were full of sadness. Buby's brat was asleep in a chair. Her mana had been depleted from closing the boy's wounds. She didn't know how to break the tragic news to the half-elf girl. She could understand the naive brat's feelings. She was the one who would suffer the most from this—or at least, that's what she wanted to believe. Her heavy heart ached as she felt another disappointment. This boy was different from all those who had tried to take her out of the library or take advantage of her. The desire that had grown strong in her heart with his arrival was now worthless. Her spirits fell again, and hope leaked from her soul. Apparently, four hundred years of loneliness and being the guardian of the forbidden library would continue.

"Idiot disciple," she said with moistened eyes. "I was a fool to believe you were 'that person.'"

He couldn't save him. The curses clinging to the black-haired man were many and intertwined in a chaotic tangle. He couldn't get rid of them. Soon, the beasts would claim their prey, draining him of his mana and extinguishing his life. She felt helpless. Being the curse expert, she knew this was more than she could solve. She looked out the only light exit. The faint ray of light filtering through told her it was already dawn. A small sigh of pain escaped her body. Suddenly, the door opened and Roswaal's maid, the blue Oni, entered. Her face was full of worry and guilt. Thanks to her, his disciple was in this unsalvageable state. He wanted to insult her with every insult he knew, but he also understood that his disciple was reckless, especially when it came to helping someone. It only took her a short time to get to know him: a foul-mouthed disciple with a kind heart.

Beatrice: Hmph, indeed, yes. A kindhearted idiot, I suppose, but he is Betty's idiot, indeed. She gave the sleeping, black-haired man a pinch.

Rem looked down, and Emilia remembered that day, the day her hero had made her frozen time begin to move forward once again.

Emilia thought, of course he would suffer; he's my friend, but I love him too.

"What do you wish for?" she asked.

How is Subaru?

All his wounds are healed. A relieved smile appeared on the maid's face. "But still, my disciple will die, I guess."

"No, that's not true. You're lying."

Beatrice's face remained neutral as she delivered the terrible news. I could see the maid's relief disappear as guilt took over her face. Her eyes moved from side to side as she looked for something to hold on to. I could tell how badly she felt. Tears covered her face, and a look of self-contempt appeared on her face as she looked for reasons to self-flagellate. That girl understood that it was all her fault, so she mentioned the alternative option without waiting for anything.

"She can still save herself, I guess." She looked at the maid, hoping for a glimmer of resolve. Instead, she was surprised by her strong determination.

"Tell me. I'll do whatever it takes. I swear I'll save him."

"It's simple," The spirit said, letting his words determine the fate of his disciple. "You have to kill the shaman who placed the curse. In fact, you must kill the beasts of the forest that bit my disciple. Will you try?"

The maid said nothing and left in a hurry. No words were necessary to understand what she intended to do, but that did not give him a shred of hope; the boy's future was inevitable. With nothing else on which to concentrate his thoughts, he decided to leave the small room. But before he could leave, his older brother got in his way.

Ram: Really, sis? You didn't hesitate to put yourself in danger for that inept Barusu. If it had been worse, what would have happened? The pink-haired servant sighed and reprimanded her younger sister.

Rem: B But Nee-sama, Subaru-kun has done so much for us. Will you still talk about him like that?

Ram let out a snort in response, but she knew she was right and obviously wouldn't admit it.

"It's a pity, Betty," said his brother, keeping a satisfied smile. "I didn't dislike him. He was funny."

"Betty doesn't care, Bubby." This was the kind of thing she really shouldn't care about, although she wanted to appeal to her brother's malice. "The brat will cry. She'll be so sad. Don't you care?"

"She barely knows him. She'll get over it."

Betty didn't believe that. She understood the feelings roiling inside Bubby's brat. She knew how much he would suffer for this. She needed to say it to make it clear. "The silly girl is in love with my disciple, even if she doesn't know it. Do you want to break your dear Lia's heart into a thousand pieces?"

Lia is still a child. She's just confused. Only excuses came out of Puck's catlike mouth: "She doesn't need anyone else, only her father."

Garfiel clicked his tongue, cracked his knuckles, and wished he could beat the hell out of that damn cat. Who does he think he is, talking about his captain like that?

Emilia was most disturbed by what her ex-father said. What kind of father would do that? Good grief, how stupid she is.

Beatrice didn't want to respond; she remained silent. Puck's overprotectiveness was beyond her understanding. Her brat wouldn't always be a child. The reality was that she wasn't a child anymore. Caring about someone else was strange, but he couldn't help feeling a little sorry for Buby's brat. Without realizing it, that fool would lose her first love. He wished the maid would succeed in her mission. However, he knew the challenge was too great for Oni. He had become too closely tied to the members of the mansion in such a short time. Now, the idiot was leaving not only to hurt Betty's heart but also to harm Bubby's brat without hesitation. His disciple was certainly a troublesome fellow.

"I'll be back later, I guess.

"Betty, I'll tell you again: Don't tell Lia any of this. I'll take care of what's best for my daughter."

He said goodbye quietly because the brat was Bubby's business. She had her own problems. She used her door-crossing spell, which led her to the forbidden library, her mother's legacy. Sometimes it was a prison; sometimes it was the comfort that "That Person" would show up someday. But it was also the immovable proof of her loneliness. She walked by the bookshelf and took a book with a black cover. When she opened it, it had only white pages. Once again, her mother's gift showed her nothing. Her eyes filled with tears, and she hugged the memory of her mother tightly. Her tears wouldn't stop. Her stupid disciple. It was only temporary, but she really wished that idiot was "That Person." In the end, she fell asleep.

Beatrice could only nod as she watched this, but she corrected herself, knowing that her creator was quite happy with her person.

Rem nodded in agreement, but she knew that she wouldn't have been able to do it without Subaru-kun and nee-sama's help, and it surely would have left another scar on Subaru.

Only four hours had passed when she woke up. Without thinking too much, she decided to return to the village. She looked in the room the villagers had given her, but the boy was not there. Only Buby's brat was still sleeping in the chair. A sheet covered the half-elf. She was sure this gesture belonged to her disciple. Apparently, her disciple had already woken up and could not stay still. He wandered around the village, not knowing his future. After searching for him for a few minutes, she found him. Without waiting to see more than his face of dismay, she was on her way to confront him. The boy ran up to the spirit with a happy smile.

"Hey, I heard you helped me. Thanks."

"No big deal." Betty only helped because Bubby's brat made her. Disciple, I have something more important to discuss.

Subaru blinked in confusion. The spirit kept his expression neutral as he dragged Subaru to a place farther from the village. Then, the boy leaned against a wall. Beatrice stood in front of him. The red-haired boy refrained from making a joke; the seriousness of the little blonde girl overwhelmed him.

"What did you bring me all the way out here for?" The boy asked.

Beatrice looked at the ground for a moment, trying to find a good way to say this. In the end, the spirit decided it was best to be direct and looked at him.

"In less than half a day, you will die."

Anastasia asked, "Seriously, how come none of you have thought of doing anything for Natsuki-kun?" The guy does everything for you, and you just stand there like it's nothing." She said this while pinching the bridge of her nose.

Everyone in Emilia's camp except Roswaal looked down in embarrassment.

Crush: "True, Subaru is simple, but that doesn't mean they can't do something to make him happy. Maybe that way, they can prevent him from self-harming."

Felix said, "Crush-sama is absolutely right, ya."

He will probably die today. That's what his father said.

For a moment, all thought processes stopped and her mind went completely blank. Tears kept falling and her lips smiled ironically. Her heart ached again. She was tired and lost. She wanted to laugh at the stupid situation she was in more than anything. She questioned herself, thinking painfully that she didn't deserve to have friends. She didn't want to admit it, but the circumstances proved that she didn't deserve friends. The boy she cherished the most—the only one who saw her—was suffering far away. She wished to comfort him, to hug him, to listen to him, and to tell him that they would find a solution. But here she was, looking at her father, feeling useless, angry, hurt, and sad. No matter how much strength she applied, she couldn't untie herself; every time she tried, she felt more tired. For a moment, she felt betrayed by her own father.

Why? How? She questioned her unfeeling spirit. "I helped heal him. Beatrice didn't tell me anything. Subaru should be fine." I don't want him to die. I don't want...

You will forget, Lia," Puck said, looking at his daughter with understanding. Spoke Puck, looking at his daughter like an understanding father. "Subaru is a funny guy. I like it when he tries to make you laugh." I thank him for saving you and treating you without prejudice. Seriously, he's a great guy. I wish you had met years earlier to ease your loneliness. I understand, Lia. That guy is important to you. But he's not worth risking your safety. I don't want you to get hurt for a guy you barely know! I can't accept it!

Papa, Puck. Emilia's voice became a plea. Her father had never behaved this way before. "Where is Subaru? Please tell me."

Do you care that much about that boy?" The spirit cat's gaze was too cold. "That boy doesn't belong in this world. He shouldn't even be here."

He's my only friend. I don't want to lose him. I don't want to.

Lia? >>

At that moment, Emilia was already fed up. It's true that she was—or is—naive, but this was the last straw. Puck's overprotection now seemed suffocating and unpleasant; she hated it.

The same feeling of hatred spread through her camp.

If it weren't for the theater, Rem would have already pulled out his horn to lunge at the screen, his fury directed at the great spirit that hurt his Subaru-kun.

Garfiel clenched his teeth and fists tightly, and small drops of blood trickled out from under his fingernails.

Ram narrowed her eyes at the sight of the spirit.

Roswaal averted his gaze since, at the beginning of the royal selection, he had made a contract with himself. The contract stated that, if Subaru did not interfere and if they insulted Emilia, Roswaal would kill everyone.

Emilia looked sadly at her spiritual father. He did not understand how much Subaru meant to her. Since her friend appeared, she no longer felt alone. Subaru had filled her world with feelings she didn't understand, but they made her so happy. The world wasn't so bad when her favorite person was around. She tried to force the black ropes again, but to no avail. She realized that, in her father's eyes, she was still a child. Sometimes she felt like one. But right now, the feeling of being a helpless child was part of her being. She had to be strong and control her chaotic emotions. She had to make her father understand that her friend was as important to her as her father was to her.

"At least you can tell me," she said, letting out a sigh. She stopped crying and stayed calm. "Why is he going to die?"

Puck looked at his daughter. He was hesitant to tell her, but he remembered the promise he had made earlier. He could no longer hide anything from her. During their discussion about the return of his memories, Puck still didn't understand how his daughter had broken the seal on the spiritual contract. Moreover, how could she go against the authority of that detestable witch? Even Puck had forgotten her existence, but his daughter remembered her perfectly. All of this began with Subaru's arrival at the mansion. The boy had no malice; that was true. But the chaotic complexity of his daughter's changing emotions and her reckless behavior to protect the boy bothered him. Her way of solving problems had changed; she depended less and less on her father. All of this was somehow related to that boy. The innocence he had tried to protect had disappeared. The most hateful thing about all this was that he had no idea when it happened. Despite all that, I couldn't ignore the promise.

Al: Mmm, this sounds a bit like the Garden of Eden, in my opinion.

Priscilla: Speak, jester. My divine self wants to know what this garden you speak of is.

Al: Well, it was where the first people in the world were, and they were banished for trying to be like God.

Subaru is cursed. He was the victim of several curses due to the bites. Betty could not remove all of them. It is impossible to save him.

The world was cruel, but ten times crueler to his favorite person. So much effort had been put into eliminating Rem's hostility, yet it had brought about this result. Through her mind, she reviewed all the efforts her friend had made to gain the trust of the two maids. She remembered her tired eyes and exhausted smiles. She remembered how she had tried her best not to make him feel alone. If it had not been for her intervention with Rem, things would have been worse. But her final reward was to die again. Of course, she could start again, as if all her efforts did not matter. She could only resign herself to this end. But she didn't want it to end like this. She didn't want to wait. She could still do something. Something inside her told her that there was a solution.

"There must be another way," she thought. Now, more determined than ever, she looked at her overprotective father. "Puck, is there a way to save him?"

"Yes, there is," Puck replied angrily.

He hated that promise with all her being. If it hadn't been for her, her daughter wouldn't have had to worry about Subaru's condition. She wouldn't have bound him with yin magic. He hated taking it to this extreme, but he knew his daughter's kindness and how reckless she had become. Imagining the worst was his job. He would have to be hard on his daughter. This girl had to understand that he only wanted to protect her.

Felt: "Pfft, yes, of course. Protect, yes, of course."

Mimi wanted to hit the cat with her cane.

Tivey sighed for her sister.

"Which one is it?" Her amethyst eyes looked fiercely at her foster father, but then softened. She knew the hatred growing inside her wouldn't help the situation. She tried to understand Puck and make him understand. "Thank you for always taking care of me, Puck. I really appreciate it. Without you waking me up and taking care of me for seven years in Elior's forest, I wouldn't know what would have become of my life. You are very important to me; you are like my father. I know how much you care about me. Even if you sometimes exaggerate, I understand.

Lía, I...

Puck, you are important in my life. You are my father. I don't want to hate you. I don't want to feel this way about you. His amethyst eyes pleaded for understanding. So is Subaru. He is important. He is my only friend. He's not afraid of me. He doesn't despise me. He's kind to me. Since I met him, everything has changed. The loneliness I felt has disappeared. His presence makes me happy. Even after I found out about his painful past, he gave me the courage to continue. I was upset with you for lying to me, but thanks to him, I understood that you did it to protect me. That sucker is very kind. Puck, I don't want to lose him. He's my favorite person.

"You have to kill all the beasts that bit him. He's still dangerous." Puck flew back and forth as if in thought. Then he looked at his daughter sternly but with a smile. "You shouldn't worry. Nor is it necessary for you to go, Leah." The maid is taking care of it. She swore she would save him. Maybe Rem can save him."

Rem is helping Subaru.

"They've been getting along very well lately," Puck lied with a serene smile.

Al said, "Wow, he really wins the award for the best father in the world."

Ricardo: "You don't say. Even I'm not like that with my dear Mimi."

Anastasia: Ricardo...

Well, a little.

Mimi thinks you're the best father she could have.

Emilia suddenly felt a soft pang in her chest and an unintelligible discomfort in her heart.

She should have felt grateful that she wasn't the only one who cared about her friend. But she didn't. Annoyance spurred her anger. She was angry at the fact that she wasn't the one saving her friend. She was angry at Subaru for not including her in this. She was angry at Rem for no longer wanting to save her friend. Where did all that hatred of her scent go? She was angry at feeling displaced. The annoyance made her feel inferior and unworthy of her favorite person's friendship. The idea that he would rather spend time with Rem than with her filled her with insecurity. Rem was prettier than her. She was just a half-elf with a cursed appearance. Another thought went through her head: Subaru's reason for forgiving her for her death was that Rem was more trustworthy than she was—a silly girl who still depended on others. The feelings of insecurity that her friend had extinguished returned, threatening to shatter the friendship she thought she had formed. As those thoughts began to consume her, it happened.

"This can't be happening." Time stopped.

In an instant, the silence of the violet room was accompanied by a gloomy, shadowed hand with a violet glow. In an instant, that hand covered her mouth.

[Save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, save him, please.]

It sounded a lot like her voice, but this time, there was no hatred—only despair, sadness, and pain. It resembled what she was feeling right then, but the instinctive fear of the unknown entity remained. According to Subaru, this being had given her such power, yet she had no idea who it was. Besides, that thing had hurt Subaru for wanting to talk about her ability. She had been threatened for sharing it. This was another reason to believe that the world was unfair to Subaru. Once again, she was able to control her fear when everything went back to normal, and her gaze focused on her father.

"Puck, where is Subaru?"

"I don't know. He left after he woke up. Then Betty came looking for him."

Puck noticed the fear his daughter was trying to hide. It was a fear that made no sense to him. Then there was the anxiety about the boy's situation, controlling every thought. "I don't know what else to tell you. I've been here with you, Lia."

Emilia remained silent and thought about what her friend would do in this situation. Her friend didn't value himself much. Most likely, he had already accepted this ending and would try again next time. He hated that part of himself, but the entity's desperation told him that the boy hadn't just stood by. There was something else that made him act besides activating the taboo, no matter how much his heart squeezed.

Rem:

Ram: Hmph, of course he did something that always makes him dive headlong into danger.

Rem: This time, I agree with you, Nee-sama.

Ram: This time? This is Barusu's fault.

Otto: That voice again. What does the witch want with Emilia-sama?

Frederica: Do you think it will happen the same way it did at the shrine?

He understood that Rem was risking her integrity to save him, and that Beatrice was most likely aware of it. She had told him that, knowing him, Subaru was risking his life again. This time, it was to save the blue maid from the Mabesties.

The same broad who had murdered him. He didn't know what to think anymore. His favorite person could sometimes be the coolest person in the world, and at other times, the most idiotic person he had ever met. That thought brought a smile to his lips. But that meant she was in danger again. The memories in the "Booty House" erased the smile from his lips. It was a fact: Subaru was in the forest again, facing endless Mabesties. She had to do something, but convincing her father was proving difficult.

"Puck, release me. I need to help Subaru." She went back to straining at the dark ropes, but to no avail. "I don't want to hate you, Puck."

It's too dangerous, Lia. Never mind hating me!" "

"I'm not a child! I'm not a child anymore! I want to save my friend!"

 As she screamed, time stopped again. The hand-shaped shadow covered her mouth, and the voice echoed in her head, more desperate than ever. She was beginning to worry, too. She didn't know what the boy was doing, but it was surely dangerous. Her outburst stopped; it was impossible to negotiate with his overprotective spirit. Time was moving forward, and her father was not backing down. Suddenly, silence fell between them. Their gazes remained fixed, analyzing every expression, looking for an argument to convince the other until Puck decided to break the deadlock.

"It's Subaru's fault, isn't it?" "

"What?"

Emilia looked at her father with bewilderment. Her amethyst eyes saw a different side of her beloved father. This time, she saw a hint of hatred when he blamed his friend. She didn't understand what he was blaming his friend for. She wanted to reply, but no words came out of her mouth. A small part of her thought he was right. Before meeting him, the world was easy when she followed her father's advice. But she knew there was more to it than that.

"Because of him, you are a bad child who doesn't listen to her father." You remembered something you were not yet ready to face; that explains those unintelligible fears. You're more reckless than you used to be. By the dragon! What did you gain by confronting Roswaal's maid? Do you know what he's capable of if you hurt one of his maids? Did you think I didn't know what you were trying to do, Lia? And all because of that boy! >>

Felt: Okay, you lost me. Now it's big brother's fault? What the fuck?"

Reinhard: Felt-sama, please don't talk like that.

Al: I think the same thing, brother. It's bullshit.

Priscilla: Until you say something sensible, Aldebaran!

Al: Princess! Don't call me if you know I don't like it.

Felix: That overprotection is not normal, it's almost an obsession.

Crush: Ferris is certainly somewhat alarming.

Subaru was in danger. I just wanted to help him. Rem hated my friend. He wanted to kill me.

And that's why you almost ruined all your efforts, all because of that guy. You only have four days to meet him, Lia. I don't understand. I don't understand, Lia. What's going on with him? I'm afraid.

"I'm afraid.

Afraid of what, Lia?" "

"Let him go. Let him leave me. Not as a friend. Let him forget me. Let him hate me." Resignation filled Emilia's heart, but she couldn't bear it. She didn't understand why it hurt so much. May he find a better friend than me. I never want to see him again. I was always alone with you. I never felt this way before. It hurts, Puck. I don't want to lose him. I don't want him to leave. I don't want to say goodbye.

Emilia knew it: Subaru could return from the dead, but he could also choose to leave next time. He could leave her forever and live a better life away from her—a life where he wouldn't have to die for stupid paranoids, damned Mabesties, or assassins who wanted to kill her. He could choose a path of peace, but without her. For some reason, it pained her not to be part of her friend's life. It sounded selfish. She didn't want him to leave or hate her. She wanted him to always tell her how cute she was, even though she knew she wasn't. She wanted to see his smile always. She wanted him to be there to motivate her and laugh at her antics. The thought of him being gone forever squeezed her heart. She looked at her father, but the expression on his face was inscrutable.

Emilia: At last, I understand the happiness I feel in my chest. That fear and insecurity is love, and I know what I must do from now on.

At that moment, Rem also made a promise to herself: she would be with her hero and confess her love to him again.

Ram sighed when he saw his sister.

"That guy has authority. That's the only reason I can think of why you got everything back without losing anything. Wow, that explains his smell. I'd like to know what he loses every time he uses it or what this one is about."

"An authority?"

"You're not ready to know, Lia."

"I'm not a child anymore. I can make my own decisions."

"If those decisions only lead you to risk your life, I won't allow it." Puck let out a yawn; his time was running out. "Well, this is settled. Subaru is not your problem. I'm going to sleep."

His father disappeared without another word. Any attempt to free himself was futile.

"Subaru," she whispered sadly, the name of her favorite person on her lips.

Beatrice thoughtfully said, "If only you knew, Bubby, what Betty's Subaru does for your so-called daughter and me."

Roswaal narrowed his eyes as the spirit commented on Subaru's authority and smell.

For a moment, Wilhelm was not reflected by his overprotectiveness, but by his actions toward his loved ones and how he treated his son, Heinkel, and grandson, Reinhard.

This was annoying in every way. Her anger was starting to show on her face. Somehow, it was all annoying, hateful, incomprehensible, absurd, painful, ironic, and even blatantly funny. This was a fact. The world hated her and didn't want her to be happy. It was trying to take away the only light in her life. Four hundred years ago, it was the same. This stupidity was repeating itself. She was imprisoned here, helpless, and helplessness was consuming her. The discomfort in her heart echoed in her mind again. The hatred of this cruel world was beginning to take over her. Her heart ached, and her consciousness distorted. Her mind was dominated by the idea of saving her friend. She didn't want to lose him—not again and not forever. She would be an idiot to make the same mistake again. She had waited too long to feel his embrace again. No, that wasn't enough. She wanted more of him. She wanted all of him.

—Subaru— I plead with nothingness.

I plead for his smile, his kindness, his voice, his jokes, his care, his awkwardness, his attention, his understanding, his warmth, his determination, his wit, and his love. Everything that made up the boy she wanted for herself—no matter how selfish he could be—was worth saving, even if it meant destroying the world.

Subaru, I need to save him. I need him. His voice was getting weaker and weaker.

A dark fog began to sprout from the half elf's body, gradually covering the room. Her sense of reality was fading. A part of her felt lethargic as if something wanted to take control of her. Each time her eyes felt tired, however, Emilia's amethyst eyes opened hastily. Time stopped again. The hand-shaped shadow began to approach. This time, she was not afraid and faced it.

"E, that's...

Then it's true that the witch can possess Emilia's body.

Hmph, half-demon after all.

Emilia was having a hard time. If her suffering wasn't enough, now she had to see the witch possessing her body.

Felix: Is L confronting her?

Wilhelm: It seems so, Felix-dono.

"I want to save him, too!" Emilia shouted, determination burning in her eyes as she defied the frozen time. "Release me, and I'll save him from anything!"

The hand paused for an instant as if in thought. It moved again, coursing through the half-elf's bindings. In less than a blink, the magical bindings vanished at the touch of the shadowy hand. Just as it appeared, it disappeared, and time flowed again.

"Well, I don't know what happened. Subaru is first. He looked at the empty bed, then touched the green gem hanging on his chest. "Puck, I don't know what to do with you. I don't want to hate you."

The half-elf forgot the foreign thoughts that had taken over her mind. She was unaware of how they had come, but the slight feeling of betrayal by her father remained in her heart. Without thinking too much about what had happened during that frozen moment, he got up and ran out of the room. His eyes were fixed on the nearly dark red sky; night was about to fall. He had apparently slept too much and missed his normal hours of sleep. He looked at the forest and started to move, letting his elven strength do the work. After a few steps, his image became completely blurred, proving that he wasn't holding back to reach his favorite person.

Julius: Shall I help her? How?

Anastasia: Well, if Natsuki-kun is in the way, then I guess she's capable.

Felt: You go all out, huh, big sister? With a mischievous smile, the blonde glanced at the half-elf.

Emilia: F, Felt-chan, be good. Yes, yes, but that's beside the point! Emilia stammered, feeling more embarrassed, but happy to see that she was on her way to help him.

He was tired. He felt heavy. The air entering his lungs was barely enough to feel relieved. His muscles ached, and the extra weight of the two maids worsened his situation—the worst of all—which was a slightly higher bar to his already unpleasant lot. The pink maid had exhausted him, and the blue maid was unconscious after he stopped her frantic snatch. He was getting more and more out of breath, straining his body to the limit.

"The world hates me, doesn't it?" He thought with contempt.

His magic was depleted. If he used what was left, he would certainly collapse. The continuous attacks of the Mabesties had prevented him from communicating with spirits.

Yes, it was difficult to deal with a maddened Blue Oni and the Mabesties at the same time. The funniest part was that there was no end to it. There was no end to the Wolgarm, and that obnoxious puppy was leading them.

"Barusu, go to the right of the broken tree up ahead!" You're too slow!

Don't ask me for more! I'm running as fast as I can!"

The blue maid slowly opened her eyes and found herself being carried by the black-haired boy. As she ran through the forest with her sister in tow, her mind was chaotic and full of confusion. The last thing she remembered was her intense fight with the Mabesties as her Oni nature took over.

"Subaru," he called, trying to understand the situation. "What...?"

Crush: From here, huh?" Looking at the screen, she knew where she was in the story.

Petra: Yes, it's almost over with Subaru-sama.

Tivey: Emilia-sama will arrive once everything is over." She couldn't finish speaking, though, since her sister hit her with her cane.

Mimi: But she went to help, and that's what counts!

Are you awake, Rem? Subaru interrupted as he kept running.

"Thanks to the dragon—" Ram smiled relievedly at her little sister. "Rem. You really are a challenge." As her relief for her little sister grew, a canine beast charged at them. "Fula!" Ram slashed at the beast's paws as it stood up, and then she continued running alongside Subaru.

The two stopped and hid inside a bush. Rem rested on Subaru's chest. The blue oni didn't understand. The boy should hate her for not saving him. But now, he was here, rescuing her. She couldn't understand this boy. Didn't he care about her life? Didn't he care about risking himself for a nuisance like her? For a bad copy of his older sister?

"Why?" Rem asked.

Subaru looked at the maid curiously. "Why didn't you leave me alone?" Rem groaned and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "If you and my sister hadn't shown up, all this would be pointless. I should be the one to do it. No one else has to get hurt."

It's too late for that now. Ram and I are already shattered—maybe even more than you! My right shoulder is dislocated!"

Subaru smiled uneasily as Ram looked at his sister. The beasts moved about, busily looking for their lost prey. Amidst the chaos, the blue maid felt uneasy. She looked down with an anguished expression.

"It's my fault. I have to take responsibility. If I don't, I can't do anything for my sister or for you." Subaru and Ram were surprised when Rem moaned and sobbed. "I haven't changed at all. I committed the same sin as I did back then. Because I hesitated to lend you a hand, the scent of the witch... You almost died for me because of me.

Ram, who witnessed this, hugged her sister tightly, surprising her with the gesture.

Rem: "N, Nee-sama?" What's wrong?"

Ram: "Rem, I'm really sorry. Even if you say no, I haven't been a good big sister, and I regret it. I should have pulled you out of that abyss, but I didn't."

Rem returned her sister's hug, nodding at what she said.

Roswaal looked on with a happy smile, knowing this was the best thing for her.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, but did you decide to do this just to atone for that?" Rem stopped crying when Subaru closed his eyes. "Rem," called the boy in annoyance. The maid looked at him slowly with a shattered expression.

"Yes," she replied softly.

"Super tackle!" Subaru headbutted the girl, making her take a step back and look at him in shock. "For starters, are you dumb? No, you're an idiot!"

"Barusu, the cut on your forehead has reopened and is bleeding again."

"Yes, I know I'm an idiot, but your sister is an even bigger idiot!" The boy turned to Rem, who was shocked and had blood running down her face. "Listen, where I come from, there's a saying: 'Three heads think better than one.' Or is it two heads?" It doesn't matter! The point is, three heads are better than one, and together, they're harder to beat than one arrow alone. That means you should trust those around you instead of thinking about things all by yourself!"

Huh? Rem looked at him, puzzled. "Subaru..." she said softly, her eyes widening as the noise increased around her.

The beasts had found their prey and were cornering them. They were getting closer and closer to the bushes where they were hiding. Their growls were getting louder, and the pack was becoming more visible.

Julius: "I still think we have to teach Subaru to treat women much better. These acts have become common for him."

Ram: It's Barusu. He's incompetent through and through. No one expects anything from him.

Crush: I agree with Julius, but that's Subaru. He's always reckless but sincere.

Rem: That's right. Subaru-kun is the best man for Rem.

Emilia: For Rem? Like this?

*...*

*...*

Roswaal: Frederica, please listen to what I said.

Frederica: -...-

Will you get the Wolgarm's attention while I grab Rem and run? Ram interrupted him, being the polite maiden that she was.

"Couldn't you expose my attempt to hide my shame so easily?"

There's no way you'll survive. Please don't. If you do, I'll—"

Rem closed her eyes guiltily.

"Don't worry. I have a brilliant plan to round up all the beasts that you don't know about.

Subaru, why are you doing all this?"

Well... Subaru turned around and lifted Rem, placing her on Ram's back. He stood in front of them and smiled at Rem, remembering what happened in the second loop before capturing Meili. "You were my partner on my first date." He patted her on the head and smiled warmly. "I wouldn't be so cruel as to abandon you."

The blue-haired maid looked at him in astonishment. The red-haired boy smiled, turned to the beasts, and pulled something small out of his pocket. Then he looked at the maids and smiled.

"All right, I guess I'd better go do this. Take care of Rem, big sister!" She ran off to confront the monstrous dogs.

"I'll pray for our safe reunion," said the pink maid as she ran with Rem on her back in a different direction.

Wilhelm: "First, we should make it clear to him that he's not alone, so he won't keep playing bait for everything."

Garfiel: Of course we should! My amazing self will protect him!

Otto: Yes, Garfiel. Natsuki-kun should trust us with his responsibilities a little more.

Emilia: Maybe Subaru always does it alone because he doesn't trust us. We should show him that he can trust us.

Subaru kept running to get away from the Wolgarm chasing him. He looked ahead and saw the little cub grinning at him with bared teeth and wide eyes, while the pack behind him snarled in derision.

"El Minya!" The otherworldly boy shouted at the top of his lungs.

The beasts could only blink in shock as, out of nowhere, over a hundred violet crystals covered the space between them and their prey. The crystals floated around the red-haired boy and shot like bullets at the surrounding beasts. They scattered like grenade shards toward the farthest wolgarm. Subaru felt weakness seep through his entire body as he spat out a piece of bocco fruit.

"I could do without the bugs, but I appreciate the bocco fruit. Thanks for that, you brats!"

In just a few seconds, most of the beasts had fallen to the young man's sneak attack. But this wasn't over. The puppy was still standing. It began to glow, and its small form deformed into a gigantic dog, three meters tall. The boy exhaled a tired sigh. He was too exhausted to complain about his bad luck. He pulled out the broken sword he had borrowed from the village and ran toward the great beast, throwing the last Minya. It was effortlessly dodged, but that was enough of a chance. He jumped and thrust his sword straight into the king's neck. But that wasn't enough. The beast still had vitality. Without wasting a moment, it captured the boy with its big paw and crushed him to the ground. It was ready to tear the boy apart with its bite.

"Damn. This is as far as I've come." The boy said as he waited to be torn apart by the creature. "I hope to do better next time."

Otto said, "Natsuki-san, you idiot! When will you stop saying those things? For Od, it'll give me a headache if we have to reform you.

Rem: Obviously, since Rem will be there for her hero, I'm more than enough to accomplish that."

Emilia: Rem! I'll do it, too. You hear me, too.

Many walked away as they saw the sparks between the two maidens.

—Subaru!

"But it was not so," a silver voice echoed through the forest as the beast succumbed to the large icicle embedded in its chest. An instant later, a fireball struck the dying creature, reducing it to ash. The same fate awaited the surviving Mabesties.

The whole Mabestia thing was finally over. Subaru stood up, his body aching, and turned his gaze toward the source of the silver voice.

An angel! His gaze was captured by the beautiful image of the half-elf he loved. She was standing in the distance with the imposing aura of an angelic knight rescuing his princess. He already knew who the princess in danger was. "You are a beautiful angel warrior, Emilia-tan. Thank you." Sorry for not being so manly.

"Rash fool." The silver-haired girl said with a relieved smile. At least she had arrived on time.

"Oh, wow!" Said a melodic clown while floating in the sky. Did they forget about me?

Hey! The boy looked up at the great court mage in the sky. It's just Roswaal. Wait, what are you doing here?"

Emilia said, "Subaru, silly." She brought her hands to her face and blushed as the black-haired man looked at her.

Ricardo: Hahahahahahaha! The mini-boss is a real case, huh?" Laughing as hard as he could, the wolf wiped an imaginary tear.

Al made the same gesture and gave a thumbs-up.

"He'll never change. He's the same reckless jerk he's always been," Anastasia said.

Mimi laughed at the clown's face. The little half-human chuckled and jumped out of her chair.

Ram sighed. Barusu talking like that to his master? Hmph.

Oh, well. When I arrived, I met our cute Beatrice, who said to me in distress, "My troubled disciple is an idiot. He's about to be eaten by those graceless dogs. You should help him." Roswaal imitated the spirit Yin in an amused tone.

A tsundere, as usual.

Emilia walked over to her friend and could tell how exhausted he was. But she was happy because Subaru was alive. Then she looked at Roswaal. She had to make sure of this, no matter what.

"Roswaal, you can take care of the missing mabesties." He returned his gaze to his tired friend.

"Enchanted, my lady. Anyway, as the owner of this land, it's my job to keep my people protected." The clown looked at Subaru with gratitude. "Beatrice told me. Thank you for your service, Subaru. I can't believe that I am indebted to you again."

"It's nothing. It's just part of my job," said the boy, letting out all the stress of this dangerous adventure. The boy said, letting out all the stress of this dangerous adventure and taking away all the merits he had achieved.

Two pairs of footsteps approached. They belonged to the two oni maids of the Roswaal mansion. Their state was not the best.

Beatrice: "Actually, don't do that again. It's disgusting."

Hmph.

Roswaal just smiled at the little big spirit.

Garfiel said, "Ha! Yeah, right, your job, you damn clown."

Ram: Garfiel, don't insult Roswaal-sama if you don't want trouble. When he felt a hand on his head, he instantly blushed because it was his master's.

"Lord Roswaal!" Ram shouted as he and his sister limped toward the lord. "I am sorry to cause you so much trouble." The pink maid curtsied while holding her sister.

"Oh, not at all. In fact, you both did a good job while I was away. He reiterated to the margrave, dropping his eccentric accent. "I will certainly show them my gratitude for what they have done for me. You have my word."

Roswaal smiled gratefully at the butler.

Emilia was happy because her favorite person had achieved a great accomplishment and had not died. She wanted to hug him and feel his warmth. Her heart pounded with joy. But it was not the time. She had to behave like the candidate she was in front of her sponsor. She was not pleased to receive reprimands from her instructor, Ram. But what she saw completely erased her smile:

"Subaru!"

Rem shouted as he broke away from his sister and ran to embrace his friend. Subaru could do nothing but remain crushed under Rem's body as she fell on top of him and hugged him tightly. Emilia froze, unable to do or say anything. The annoyance in her heart appeared again. She had held back, but this seemed too unfair. She wanted to hug him, too. The anger grew for this idiot who always made her worry, and for the hypocritical woman who said she hated him. Yes, this was an annoyance.

"Since when are they good friends?" He asked with resentment in his silver voice.

"Emilia-tan, it's not what it seems," the tired boy tried to retort, but pain forced him to stop. "Rem, that hurts!" Stop! It hurts again."

"You're alive. You stayed alive...." Rem wouldn't let him and cried on his chest. "Subaru! Subaru! Subaru! Subaru! She moaned and cried disconsolately on his chest.

"This again..." Was the last thing the black-haired boy said before he fell unconscious.

Al: "Well, maybe this won't confirm it, but maybe this bro doesn't have two..." Again, he was greeted by the cold floor of the theater and a blow to the helmet by the Baroness.

"Shut up, Aldebaran. Not another word. Dogs don't talk."

"Princess, don't call me if you know I don't like it." Without raising her head from the floor, she sighed.

Rem, instead, blushed. His second wife thought. Then, she started kicking her chair in excitement.

She opened her amethyst eyes and looked around. She was in her bedroom, lying on her bed. She got up and looked at her desk. The books were different from the day before. She sighed with relief. The loop was apparently over. Today was the sixth day. Many things had happened yesterday, including an argument with her father. Still, she needed him in moments like these.

"Puck, help me." She called out to him, but there wasn't a trace of endearment in her voice.

"Lia, are you all right?" >> >>

Subaru is fine. He didn't die, Puck," she said coldly. "Now he's resting. I'll go see him. Help me."

Puck nodded to his contractor's request. After an hour of silence, the half-elf was ready. She went to the door and looked at her father again. She could tell how distressed he was by the situation, but it didn't matter. It was all his fault. Seriously, she didn't want to listen to him for a long time. She didn't know if she would forgive him. She didn't want to hate him, but she already did.

"No matter what you do, go to Beatrice." At least she's happy to see you. I'm not."

Puck didn't answer; he just left. Apparently, he understood his mistake. He closed the door and continued walking toward the guest room where she had put him yesterday. She remembered wanting to stay and accompany him until he woke up. However, Ram's insistence convinced her to go back to her room. Without realizing it, her tiredness overcame her, and she fell asleep.

Ugh, burnt friend!

More like freezes...

Silence Aldebarán.

—....—

Poor Mr. Helmet.

Don't look at Petra; it's for the best.

As he approached the door to his friend's room, he heard voices. One was his friend's familiar voice, and the other belonged to Rem, one of Roswaal's maids. She wanted to enter, but Subaru's words stopped her. She wanted to hear what they were talking about.

If you hadn't been there, those dogs would have killed me. You saved me, and as you can see, I'm alive. It's not just because of your sister; it's because of you, too.

The half-elf touched her chest; a sharp pain suddenly surfaced. The guilt of not being there for him hurt her. She leaned against the closed door. She didn't want to listen anymore, but her legs wouldn't obey her. Her sensitive hearing could still hear everything clearly.

"My big sister could have done so much more.

Maybe she could have. But the one who was there for me was you." Subaru thanked his assassin for saving him. He didn't like her. He didn't like her. He wouldn't forgive her, though he was already doing so. This Rem would never do it; she wasn't convinced. "I'm glad you were there. Thank you."

"I told you, I'm just my sister's replacement." The maid's voice was weak, as if she were denying thanks.

"Don't define yourself that way. It's very sad. I haven't heard the details of how he lost his horn, and I won't ask. So, I'll never know. Since I don't know, I can talk as if I know everything. His friend's voice showed only consideration for the oni. All you have to do is be the horn that Ram doesn't have. You two can be demons together. Besides, you call yourself a replacement, but no one could replace you, Rem."

"But—" Rem tried to argue.

Once again, the pink-haired servant girl felt her heart crumple. Her dear little sister was the only thing she had left of her family. She felt so useless and replaceable. Even her parents had treated her that way for the damn pride of the Oni clan.

Rem: "Nee-sama, don't feel like that, please. Rem has changed, and you know it." Gripping her sister's hand, the blue-haired maid gave her a determined, lively look.

Emilia was doubtful. Why? She accepted her counterpart, Rem, but not this Emilia. She understood her and understood that she could not forgive Rem, but going to such an extreme seemed repugnant to her.

"Where I come from, there's a saying: 'Demons laugh when you talk about next year.'" So. Laugh it up, Rem."

Emilia smiled, although she didn't like how her favorite person cheered Rem up. She had to admit, though, that she was amazing with words. Take off that sad face and laugh. Laugh while we talk about the future. Let's talk and hope to make up for all the time you wasted looking back. We can start by talking about tomorrow.

"Tomorrow?"

Yes, tomorrow. You can talk about anything, like whether you'll make a Japanese or Western breakfast tomorrow or which shoe you'll put on first, the right or left. It can be something silly like that. No matter how silly it is, you can talk about tomorrow because you have one. How about it?

I'm very weak. I'm sure I'll end up leaning on you.

Emilia thought the same thing. She felt weak and always needed the support of others: Puck, Subaru, and everyone in the mansion. She knew that she would collapse alone, unable to get up. She could see it. Subaru was strong in his own way. He could endure anything as long as someone needed his help. She felt unworthy to be his friend. She was easily overcome by pain and the sadness of losing him. She wished to overcome her weakness and be like her favorite person.

"What's wrong with that?" Subaru asked, startling the half-elf behind the door as well as Rem in the room. "I'm weak, stupid, and I have scary-looking eyes. But I still live my life waiting for others to take care of things for me."

The candidate reflected that her friend was physically weak, a far cry from her elven strength. But that didn't matter to her; she never judged by physical strength. However, she couldn't understand why Subaru thought her eyes were terrifying. To her, they were the cutest thing about him. They were too tender; she always wanted to get lost in those sharp amber eyes. The idiot wasn't a fool; he was just a pacifist who didn't understand his own worth. He was also a liar who always tried to fix everything on his own. That was proven yesterday. Actually, she felt like admonishing him for his recklessness but also wanted to hug him.

Tivey: "But it's also wrong to think like that, isn't it? If you die, then..." He received a blow from his sister's cane. Tivey: "Shut up! You're ruining the mood!"

Rem, with a beaming smile, looked at the screen, especially at his hero, his dear, stupid hero.

Despite what she thought of this version of herself, Emilia nodded at what was said about her eyes. She also remembered her mother, Aunt Fortuna, and her kind eyes. When she realized this, she blushed to the tips of her elven ears.

Wilhelm nodded at the young man's strength. Though somewhat reckless, he was sincere, and his strength of will was unmatched.

"We can lean on each other as we go along. Let's laugh and talk about tomorrow with our arms around each other. It's always been my dream to laugh and talk about next year with a demon!

"You're demonically inspired." Oni's voice sounded more cheerful.

"Like a demon, right?"

The half-elf heard the honest laughter of the Blue Oni. She couldn't deny it; her friend was cool. She knew about the maid and her sister Ram's past. In that blue look, she could see that Ram hadn't gotten over it. But just now, her friend had. He had not only vanquished Rem's hostility but also freed her from her past, almost as he had done for her. She could tell by her hearty laugh. Her friend's kindness was extraordinary at times, but something bothered her. An unintelligible nagging feeling came back to haunt her. It told her that the girl in the room didn't deserve to be saved by her friend. It said that all that kindness was only for her and no one else. But she shook her head, trying not to let herself be carried away by that strange feeling. She turned away from the door and waited for Rem to come out.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Rem came out. Her gaze was brighter, and she kept a radiant smile. There were still traces of tears in her sky-blue eyes. Noticing this, she immediately wiped her face with her hands.

"Good morning, Miss Emilia." Rem said in a jovial tone. Then she whispered, "You were right. Subaru is not only a nice guy; he's also fantastic." He kept smiling as he left. "I'll go on with my duties."

Thank you for saving him earlier, Rem. I could only acknowledge that and nothing more, but I would be grateful just this once.

No," the blue oni paused to look at Emilia with true appreciation. "Thank you for opening my eyes. You were right; Rem was always the blind one." With those words, she left.

Al: Inspired, and with the luck of Satan himself for trouble. Jaahahahaha.

Ricardo: "Who is Satan?"

Al: Mmm, I'll tell you later.

Felt: Hey, big sis, watch out for jealousy, haha.

Emilia: Felt-chan, no, please don't. They're traitors.

Ram: Who says "Soquete" nowadays, Emilia-sama?

!!Ram¡¡

Some chuckled, some subtly giggled, and most guffawed at the Half-elf's misfortune.

She looked at the door to the room. She really wanted to see him, but the discomfort in her heart made her hesitate. However, a thought reaffirmed her desire—something she had thought about a lot a while ago. She turned the doorknob, entered, and closed the door behind her. There he was, bandaged on the arm but somehow well.

"How lucky I am today!" The boy declared with a beaming smile. "That's the second pretty girl to visit me."

"I'm not cute, Subaru." The silver-haired beauty replied as she sat on the bed. "Come sit with me."

The boy looked at her in surprise. He didn't expect this from her. However, neither foolish nor lazy, he obeyed. Now, sitting next to her with their shoulders touching, the red-haired boy felt nervous. Seriously, he didn't expect this kind of contact—well, except for hugs, which didn't count. This felt too intimate for him, and his face was getting redder and his heart was beating faster as he wondered what that beautiful girl wanted from his humble butler.

"Lie down." The half-elven girl pointed to her thighs.

Emilia-tan? Subaru looked at her, dumbfounded, feeling like he was dying from such a proposition. "Your lap?"

"Yes, lie down, please." She gently pushed him toward her thighs with her hand and felt her friend's hair on her skin.

Garfiel: "Of course I will! The captain's supreme reward is the princess pillow, ajajajaj.

Frederica, holding back a smile with her hand over her mouth, spoke to her little brother, "Garf, don't say that, you know."

Al: All hail the divine grace of the brother!

Richard: Anyone who says it is not the supreme reward will be crucified and burned. Playing along with his one-armed friend, he added fuel to the fire.

No one could resist laughing while the half-elf turned redder than an Appa.

"It's just you and me. Stop playing hard to get." She said this while stroking the boy's black hair. "Was it hard?"

"I, Emilia-tan, I—"

"It was hard, wasn't it?" Her voice was soft, almost motherly.

"It was hard." The boy narrowed his eyes. That silver voice was enough. Tears welled up and he stopped holding back. "It was so painful. I was so scared. I was so sad." Failed loops went through her head. "It hurt so much, I thought I would die."

"Yes, I know." I know, Subaru." Emilia nodded and smiled warmly at the boy crying in her lap.

"I tried my hardest..." The boy wouldn't stop crying. The boy wouldn't stop crying. I tried with all my might! Emilia kept stroking his hair. He was so desperate. He was so desperate to fix everything! Tears were wetting her thighs, but it didn't matter. "It's the truth! I've never tried so hard at anything in my life!" Subaru shouted, crying in her lap.

"Yes, I saw it, Subaru. I saw it all. I know you did," declared the half-elf girl in her soft voice. The half-elf girl declared in her soft voice.

"I was afraid... I was so afraid! Her voice was tired. "I didn't want those eyes to look at me like that again. I hated myself so much for feeling that way!" The boy cried as Emilia gently stroked his head.

After an hour, Subaru fell asleep on Emilia's lap. She continued to stroke his head and felt satisfied that she had helped her favorite person. Thanks to a memory from her forgotten past, Mother Fortune sometimes did this for her when she was very sad, and it always calmed her down. She thought it wouldn't work with Subaru, but there he was, sleeping peacefully.

"Subaru, you are awesome." She whispered proudly.

The screen slowly faded out along with the last words spoken by the silver-haired half-elf, Emilia.

Wilhelm, Julius, Felix, Reinhard, Garfiel, Otto, Ricardo, and Al looked down solemnly at the boy from another world. They recognized him as an equal, if not more.

Priscilla, looking annoyed at the scene, only sighed without saying anything—a miracle in itself.

Emilia, Rem, and Petra were sobbing. Emilia held her knight's hand, feeling his warmth. Rem was hugged by her sister, and little Petra was patted on the head by her teacher, Frederica.

When they thought the episode had culminated, they heard voices from the screen.

"Good evening, Mr. Roswaal." The pink maid said before leaving.

"Rest well, Ram." He flashed a jovial smile at his trusted maid.

Ram?

Nee-sama?

Roswaal-sama?"

The screen lit up, showing the new scenes to come.

The eccentric margrave maintained his peculiar smile until the door closed. Alone in the dim light of a mana lamp, he leaned back in the velvet-cushioned chair and analyzed the latest events. Everything revolved around the new resident of the mansion: the foreigner who belonged to no nation in this world; someone from beyond the waterfall; the boy who had waited so long to achieve his dream.

Subaru Natsuki.

At first glance, he looked like an ordinary person to her. Yet that same boy possessed the extraordinary ability to modify reality at will, in short, to change destiny at will. It was a power that anyone would like to possess, yet it was in the hands of a boy with almost no ambition. Therefore, he could be unpredictable. His emotional state was problematic, but he needed it. Even so, he had to be careful; he didn't want to anger the boy. One wrong step, and all his preparations would go down the drain.

In the end, the semi-elven girl played her part.

The bait was too effective. Everything had aligned perfectly to obtain the fabulous piece he needed for his grand plan. The jubilation in his inner being resonated in his maniacal smile. Everything merged perfectly. The naive, easily manipulated dragon candidate was the perfect puppet. Then there was the black-haired boy, captured by one-sided love and idealizing a naive fool. She bet that, from now on, the boy would do anything to protect her, no matter how many laws he broke. For a moment, she saw the red-haired man as a kind of comrade, but she closed her eyes and denied it; it was still too early for that. He still had to test and mold his determination to have only one goal in mind; he wasn't perfect yet. This was ideal in terms of his plans.

Many turned to see Roswaal's clown glaring at him and Garfiel snarling and gnashing his teeth.

Emilia and Rem gave him an icy stare that could be felt in the bones of onlookers.

Others looked at him with hatred.

But the noble clown narrowed his eyes, remembering his maid's report: "Lady Emilia, you've been very active lately."

Fixing his eyes on his desk drawer, he opened it and injected his mana into the bottom. He opened it again to reveal a black book. Roswaal carefully took the book, his heart pounding with anticipation as he waited for the next steps to be taken. The last ones had guided him not to intervene as his maids and the new butler made their way to the nearby village.

The result? The result was more than he expected. He didn't know how many times he had used that power or how he activated it. In short, the boy had discovered the attack of the Mabestias and captured its mastermind. Although it seemed laughable, that little girl was dangerous. If you were caught off guard or didn't suspect her age, a curse was not a game if she managed to activate it

In addition to gaining the trust of her maids, she was surprised that she won the favor of the cold and indifferent Rem. Just a few days after the incident in the forest, the oni's character changed. As a soul who was still living at the cost of her own blood, he found the blue-haired girl's radical change creepy and disturbing. Love? Yes, it was scary. He knew it himself more than anyone else.

Lady Emilia and Subaru. He uttered softly, inquiring about the relationship between his most important pieces. As he stroked the cover of his book, he thought, "It's unexpected. Shouldn't it be one-sided?" He questioned curiously.

The situation with those two was intriguing. The half-elf was very attached to the boy. The fact that she made him her personal butler and advisor showed how much she appreciated him. Besides, it was mutual. The boy had fallen for the charms that most in this world despise in that girl. Quite a case. Were he not from another world, I would call him crazy. The clown's initial plan was on shaky ground, and the margrave was aware of this.

Garfiel thought, "Clown bastard. That's how he looked at us, isn't it? Like fucking pieces in your twisted game!" Raising his voice, Garfiel stood up from his seat and clenched his fists.

Ram said, "I won't allow any aggression toward Roswaal-sama, so Garfiel, sit down right now!" The pink-haired maid got between the two of them, trying to protect her lord and love.

Rem only looked down at the scene his older sister was making. As much as he is that clown, he only saw us as tools, letting our village be destroyed.

Emilia: Garfiel, calm down and sit down. Ram, you too. We already talked about what will happen with Roswaal. It makes me angry too, but you have to be reasonable, like Subaru did.

They both sat down and continued watching the screen.

He stopped thinking and opened the book in his hands. He turned each page as if it were the most sacred and fragile thing in his possession, which was not far from reality. He examined each word, paragraph, and page with great scrutiny, looking for differences from what he had memorized. However, he did not find a single significant change.

"I shouldn't worry, then." A sigh of relief washed away all his pent-up anxiety.

The boy's fiasco at the castle was set in stone. The argument between them was still foretold in his master's gift. Things were still going on without showing any change. He noticed something different: his book directly advised his intervention before the last test. Apparently, this secured some new pieces to his plan. However, everything had to remain in the shadows. This job was perfect for his neat and perfectionist butler.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. He immediately hid his precious book in the false bottom of his desk drawer and fixed his gaze in the direction of the sound.

"Who~ is it~?" he asked in his peculiar, melodic accent.

"It's me, Roshi." The voice belonged to no one but his new butler.

"You~ may~ come in~," he said curiously.

Wilhelm: "What would Subaru-dono want, visiting so late?"

Crush: "I don't know, Wilhelm. Let's keep watching. He'll show us his plans for sure."

"I appreciate that you didn't vote for me." As he entered, he noticed that the boy was holding a large stack of papers.

"What do you want~, Subaru~?" He asked with surprise because he didn't expect this visit at this time of night, let alone from the boy. "Do~ you~ want to spend~ a night~ of men~?"

Coming from you, he imagined it would be disturbing. "Well, let's stop joking around." The amused smile disappeared from the boy's face as he walked toward the desk. "It's time to talk about Emilia-tan's candidacy. I have some ideas, but I need your help for this to take shape, Ros-shi."

Subaru dropped a bundle of sheets on the desk and sat down on a nearby piece of furniture. With a gesture, he asked the clown to look at them. Still surprised, the clown began to review the sheets. The first bundle contained plans for simple objects and some more complex, unknown ones with unexpected uses. Each had an explanation and a concise description. The next bundle of sheets were blueprints for agriculture, education, and other subjects important to the kingdom. They were explained in broad strokes and would shake up the existing system. Although most were written in basic and intermediate handwriting, he understood them. For a moment, the idea that he was a nobleman from one of the nations of that world grew stronger. Besides, his foolish behavior was merely a mask to hide his true nature as a nobleman. The boy's world remained a mystery, like the boy himself. The third bundle was a short compendium on the fusion of otherworldly artifacts with magic and the creation of metias based on otherworldly technology. Although it was all based on assumptions, the mere idea made his eyes sparkle with greed. After reading them all, he turned his gaze to the boy he had underestimated.

"What does this mean?" asked the court mage, dropping his accent.

Anastasia had a gleam in her eyes when she saw the papers Subaru had left, especially the last ones that recreated artifacts using knowledge from her world. It was wonderful, and she wouldn't hesitate to form alliances to obtain it.

Ricardo and Julius shivered, feeling their mistress's greed. They only wished the boy luck.

Crush was interested in that as well. Combining the ideas of both worlds and bringing them to fruition would benefit everyone.

Reinhard was most interested because the equality he sought if Subaru had been chosen as a candidate would surely bring more contributions from his world to the homeless, normal citizens, and nobles.

"Merits to our candidate." Roswaal prompted him to continue.

"Well, to begin with, the candidacy is not official because the fifth candidate has not appeared. But that is not the most important problem. I was thinking that this election of candidates is far from what I know as a ruler's election in my world. So, the election will not be based on the votes of the citizens, but rather on the benefits that each candidate will bring to the nobles." Also, I hate to say it, but my dear Emilia-tan has more obstacles than the others. If she proves her ability as a ruler based on her inventions, development projects, and technological development, we can change the court's opinion. What do you think?"

"Not wrong," the clown smiled genuinely at the boy's discovered intellect. But won't that interfere with your time with Lady Emilia?

Well, knowing what a good patron you are, you will most likely promote me to Minister of Development and Advisor to Lady Emilia. I still have many ideas to improve the opinion of our future queen. Right now, I'm working with Rem to bring a condiment from my world. Very soon, it will be this country's flagship product, I assure you.

Roswaal touched his chin and closed one of his heterochromatic eyes. He saw the pros and cons of the deal. He knew what the boy needed to make it work: labor, artisans, merchants, and his noble influence. It wasn't a bad deal, but most things only presented long-term results. Inventions could favor them in the short term. He couldn't ignore the benefits, but if it interfered with his plans and brought immediate benefits, it made him second-guess his decision.

"Subaru, what is the reason for all this?" He asked without using his accent to show his seriousness.

Crush: "To tell you the truth, Emilia, Subaru is right. You were the one with the most obstacles, and look at you now. Your camp has improved considerably.

Anastasia: "Although, let's be clear. Almost everything was because of Natsuki-kun. He should receive a high-caliber reward, you know, fufu."

Emilia: I know it's worth it! Subaru will have his reward."

Saying the last thing in a whisper, she couldn't stand it anymore and hid her face between her hands because she was embarrassed.

"I want to help Emilia-tan. I want to become her strength. I still want to help her, but the thing in the forest showed me how much I lack to reach her and how strong the woman I love is. I remembered that I'm from another world. Not only can I rely on magic, but I can also use the knowledge I've acquired. I won't deny it; this world is far behind in many things. I don't know if this will be enough, Roswaal. What I am sure of is that those things worked out in my world. It is a fact that they will work wonders in this one.

"I'll think about it." The clown replied, dismissing the black-haired boy. "Take it for sure. Tomorrow you have my answer."

"Think about it, Roswaal. It's the million-dollar idea."

When the boy left, Roswaal returned to examining his beloved book. He kept the boy's proposal in mind. The immediate facts hadn't changed, but the benefits of the boy's plan and his own showed how much closer his dream was. The doubt was completely dispelled. Ignoring Subaru's plan was not an option. Encouraging the boy's projects was his priority this month. Tomorrow, he would give him positive feedback.

"So you're not only valuable because of that power; you're interesting, too, Subaru Natsuki." Roswaal said this while caressing his master's gift. "I hope. Let's be good partners for a long time."

Second arc finished! Hello, everyone! Who's hungry? Bro, God, how hard is this? All those who make fics have my respect. Chamo, making the dialogues coordinate and not look forced is stressful. The truth is, I'll leave a possible list of future visualizations that I plan to make, besides the IF story and the already-made world. With nothing more to say, have a happy day, evening, or night!

As I said, I will try to make it SFW, but if not, I will have to add NSFW.

Path of Greed

Path of Sloth

A book... about me?

The elf who was a boy.

The next queen is the Glaciation Witch.

Forgotten Route (Various Fic: Barusoo, Knocktock, The Good Joke).

Stockholm Syndrome:

Priscilla/Subaru.

Anastasia/Subaru.

Crush/Subaru.

Route of Wrath

Route of Pride:

Emilia's Confession:

Re: Blood and Steel.

Friends in High Places.

"A World Without Envy"/"The Sorcerer's Punishment."

Re: Spirit King.

Chapter Text

"So you're not only worthy of that power; you're interesting, too," Roswaal said while caressing his master's gift. Roswaal said this while caressing his master's gift. "I hope we'll be good partners for a long time."

Rem: That last one was... How to say it...

Garfiel: It was disgusting. I felt a chill run down my spine.

Otto: We hope Natsuki-san doesn't expect anything worse than what we did.

Roswaal: Well~, well~, if that~ is how~ I talk~. She said this with a mocking smile while maintaining her usual tone.

"Well, before you start falling all over yourselves, I present a special visualization."

Anastasia: Mmm? Special in what kind, Vielma-san?" With an open notebook and a pen, ready to write down everything shown to her.

Crush: Will it be about Subaru? Or will it be about someone else? She puts her hand on her chin, showing slight interest in what will be shown.

Petra: "If it's Subaru-sama, I want to see him!" With little stars in her eyes, she raised her arms.

"Yes, Petra, but calm down, okay?" Frederica said. While patting her head, she gave her a warm smile.

"Well, before we start, do you know the concept of reincarnation?"

Some seemed confused by what he said, while others were very interested in hearing more.

Roswaal: Of~ course~! That's right! Yes! After all, it was one of the concepts my teacher~ taught me.

Al: Fuck yeah! It's famous in my land, too. It's a classic story. He gave a thumbs up.

I would like to explain it myself, but I will yield the honor to our favorite librarian, Beatrice-sama. I'll give her the floor.

Beatrice: Hmph. In fact, Betty's Subaru explained that to her. She raised a finger as if giving a lesson. It's a story in which someone usually dies and is transported to another world in another body. In other words, the soul of the transported person is taken to a lifeless body for a second chance, either in a fetus or in someone else.

Many were shocked by what the great little spirit said: to die and then have a second chance in another world and in someone else's body. What madness is that?

But something clicked that meant only one thing.

Reinhard: "But then, with those conditions, someone had to

Felt: Yes, Rein, someone died and then had another life, as we were told.

Well, before you idiots get depressed, the story isn't that sad. It has its moments, but it's more of a reunion of fate. There's nothing more to add. Hora do show!

The theater lights went out, and then the screen turned on. But nothing was shown; it was pure white.

?: Mas...ter ..Baru.

A voice that sounded like a woman's said something until they understood it.

"Master Subaru.... Why did you abandon us? Why did you abandon me, Master Subaru?"

Emilia: Whose voice is that? I don't know.

Rem: Why are you calling Subaru-kun "Master"?

A merchant with gray hair and green clothes knew whose voice it was. How could he not know if everyone there knows?

Otto: That voice is...

Garfiel: Otto-bro, do you know her? Garfiel: Who is it?

Otto: What are you saying, Garfiel? Of course I know her, and you know her, too. He looks at the screen with a nostalgic smile. "It's Patrasche's voice."

How?

Is it Patrasche?

It's about time the best girl showed up.

But why does she sound so weak and sad?

Patrasche: Master Subaru, if we ever meet again, I would like to... I want to be with you again and show you my affection as always."

At that moment, the screen showed the proud eye of an Earth Dragon crying. She was seen alone in a forest, and so the Earth Dragon named Patrasche left this world.

Many looked down at Subaru's loyal dragon companion who was on his journey. Seeing her so fragile and crying broke the hearts of many.

Mimi asked, "Why is she alone in that forest?" The mini-boss— Ricardo put his hand on her head as if to tell her not to say anything else.

Emilia put her hands to her mouth, processing what she had heard. Subaru left—but where? Why did he leave? Isn't that impossible?

Rem was sobbing. She appreciated Patrasche, even though they were together for a short time. She was there with her and Subaru in the battle against the white whale.

Crush and Wilhelm looked down solemnly at the dragon.

Petra pointed at the screen, which was changing colors and shapes.

Anastasia asked, "And that's it?"

Al: The earth? Is it...

April 15, 20XX, according to the Gregorian calendar."

Another day began when a young girl with long black hair and golden eyes awoke in her bed. Unlike her human siblings, she was a horse girl (uma musume).

Today was no ordinary day; it was her 15th birthday and the day she left for Tracey Academy to study to become a racer and idol among the Uma Musume.

During the celebration, her house was filled with joy. Friends, neighbors, and relatives gave her gifts, cards, banners, flowers, and even love confessions, which she politely declined. Her goal was clear: to become the best Uma Musume possible. After the celebration, she went to sleep with a comforted heart and a packed suitcase for the next day.

Everyone looked at Beatrice, waiting for her to say something.

Beatrice: "What?" In fact, Betty's Subaru didn't talk to her about it. She said that in her world, there were no semi-humans, I guess.

Crush: But what are we seeing? What is it, then?

Wilhelm: Those eyes look like they belong to someone quite proud.

Felix: Maybe she's Patrasche, ya know?

Al: As far as I know, there were no horse girls in my world. Maybe it's an alternate Japan.

Al has a point. Yes, that's right. It's an alternate Japan where there are horse girls, and they race to see who is the fastest. Thus, they win many competitions and are recognized nationally and worldwide.

Felt: So, those horse girls make them race to see who's the fastest? I want to see that!

Mimi: Mimi also wants to run and run like the wind.

Emilia: Is she Patrasche? How cute she is!

Otto: She certainly looks like her.

Anastasia: Yes, and apparently, she's going somewhere to become a Uma-Musume.

Departure from Hokkaido:

The next morning, amidst applause, tears, and hugs, Patrasche said goodbye to everyone. With tears in her eyes and a serene smile, she boarded a train bound for Tokyo. As the scenery passed her by, she lost herself in distant memories.

Who was this horse girl, after all?

Her name was Patrasche Hiryuu Diana. Everyone called her "Patrasche."

"Hiryuu" was the name of the family into which she was born in this life.

Diana, on the other hand, was a memory—a surname she adopted as a reminder of her former life as an earth dragon belonging to the Diana subspecies in a magical world where she carried her beloved master across vast lands.

She remembers the time she spent idly in the stable of the green-haired woman's mansion. She was not thrilled; everyone who came near her was unworthy of her presence, let alone worthy of riding her. She believed she would never like a human or a demihuman until one day she saw him: a young human with strange clothes and a beautiful, menacing look. She was not sure if he had chosen her or if she had chosen him, but she remembers well the words he had said to her:

"Your name shall be Patrasche!"

It was love at first sight.

Otto: "Wow, that name sounds noble."

Ram: Hmph. Barusu, you dirty womanizer. Even with a dragon, you have to effectively castrate him.

Ricardo: Hahahaha! She even has suitors for the pretty Patrasche!

Anastasia: They always propose at the last minute. Idiots.

Crush: Well, if she says so, then Subaru really is one of a kind.

Rem: I distinctly remember the day Subaru-kun said that to her.

Those words burned in her chest like tender embers. Having his name and hearing that statement were her world. Yes, she loved him from the beginning and still loves him today, even if she never sees him again.

But their past ended tragically. Her master disappeared and was replaced by another who disappeared along with Beatrice, the hired spirit who was rude most of the time but devoted to her master.

He was loyal to Master Subaru. Subaru remembered Shaula, the scorpion girl who could switch between human and scorpion form. Patrasche had always envied her for that ability, but he reflected on it when she was permanently trapped in scorpion form. It was painful to see his master cry.

She also remembered her rival from her carriage days, the dragon Frufoo, who was under the tutelage of her official translator, Otto. Otto was a human who got along well with his master. She remembered when he confessed that his first love was a cat. Is there a world with cat women? Yes, there is. She also remembered all of her master's female friends, as well as all of the women, human or semi-human, who flirted with him. This included a clingy young cat who dressed as a woman. How could they be so easily fooled?

Jealousy, sadness, loyalty, longing. Patrasche experienced an intense mix of feelings. After his master's disappearance and Beatrice's death, Patrasche plunged into deep sadness, fled, and lived freely for a time. He died soon after, only to awaken in a new form in the arms of his mother, who received him with love and affection. And so he lived for 15 years.

Wilhelm: Patrasche had no doubt shown unwavering loyalty, but he had that fate.

Felix: Hey, I didn't cheat anyone like that. Hehe.

Al: Yeah, right, Trapito.

Felix: Nya, Trapito?

Reinhard: Shaula, whom we thought was the sage, turned out to be the guardian of the Tower of the Pleiades.

Julius: Yes, and according to the book that Subaru left us before it was taken, it was the fifth great beast created by Daphne, the witch of gluttony.

Emilia: So that's why I was alone, poor Patrasche.

Beatrice: Did I disappear with Subaru? Like what?

Anastasia: What could have happened to make Natsuki-kun and Beatrice disappear without a trace?

Rem: Maybe he was transported back to his world. That's what I want to believe.

Garfiel: Hahahahaha, Otto-bro, they're ignoring you!

Otto: Frufoo, why are you telling that to someone from Od?

Petra: So, that's where all the horse girls are?

Frederica: It seems so, my Petra.

Just so you know, this "anomaly" is only seen in women, and men are the trainers of the Uma-Musume.

Oh.

I see.

Arrival at Trace Academy

Hours later, she arrived at Tokyo Station. A train inspector met her and showed her the way to the school. Some riders had already passed. If she ran, she could catch up to them.

When she arrived at Trace Academy, she was ecstatic.

The 800,000-square-meter campus (about 17 times the size of the Tokyo Dome) could accommodate 2,000 students and all their support staff.

She took a deep breath, went inside, and carefully packed her registration card, uniforms, school credential, training manuals, conduct books, and other materials in her second suitcase.

In the dormitory, she found a room with bunk beds, which were new to her. She chose the top bunk on the right, tidied everything carefully, locked her bags, put on her uniform, and went out to explore.

She visited the classrooms, training gyms, dining halls, and dance and singing studios. It was a vibrant place, full of promise.

Julius: What's that?

Felix: It's gigantic, from Od.

Otto: That's not a normal academy, is it?

Al: Not at all. It has to be elite.

Petra: What a nice uniform! I really like it.

Emilia: Yes, it's really nice.

Anastasia: Wow! It has rooms like the ones we saw during Natsuki-kun's tryouts.

Priscilla: Hmph. Dance and singing? How wonderful.

Ricardo: Are those exercise machines to improve your speed?

Mimi: Mimi wants to go there. I'm sure there's plenty of good food.

Tivey sighed for his sister as he adjusted his monocle.

Training camp

When she arrived at the training camp, she ran. She ran like she did in the old days with her master. He cried, not from sadness, but from remembrance. Tears streamed down her face as the wind played with her hair.

?: Wow, you're pretty fast." "Wow, you're pretty fast. Here, a bottle of water!"

That voice!

Impossible, like.

Subaru

Subaru-kun.

Patrasche takes the bottle. "Thank you..." He pauses, and his hand trembles. "That voice..." His eyes widen. "Master Subaru...?"

Huh? How do you know my name? Why did you call me Master?" I'm just a newly graduated trainer.

Patrasche embraces him with shining eyes as if he had found a fallen star in the backyard of reality. - Subaru!

Subaru: What's your name? He asks, confused.

Patrasche smiles with moist eyes. "Patrasche," She says.

Silence weighs in. Subaru puts his hand to his chest. The name resonates like an avalanche, evoking latent memories and forgotten sensations: the sound of racing and the scent of the magical land.

Subaru falls to his knees. "It can't be..." I... I remember you."

Patrasche kneels down beside him. "Master Subaru..." I'm back!

Subaru shouts, "Welcome back!"

They exchange tears and hugs.

Hello! I hope everyone is well. Sorry for not uploading anything. I was working on the English version of this fic, which is annoying because grammar is the final boss. The owner of this fic is called Priest (C0mments). Now, the good part begins: the first winning fic, Stockholm Syndrome. Don't miss it! Also, I want to know if you can see the images. That's all. Have a happy day, afternoon, or night!

Chapter Text

Theaters

Let's talk a little about this place called "THEATER," but not this theater, rather the ones of the modern world. Their history is quite extensive and rich, with roots dating back to ancient times. They have evolved through various cultures and eras.

The Greeks held festivals in their capital, Athens, which were generally linked to their religion and held in honor of Dionysus, one of their gods who was in charge of wine and fertility. Greek theater had an educational and moral character. It tried to purify emotions through the representation of shocking situations, such as tragedy and comedy.

As it evolved over time, it adopted mainly Greek ideas but also included influences from other shows, such as music and dance. Figures like Shakespeare and Molière explored the complexity of human beings.

In my opinion, contemporary theater is the best because of its diversity of styles and its influence on other arts, such as film and music. The history of modern theater is a testament to human creativity and the ability to explore and reflect on the human condition through representation.

Anyone would be fascinated by this world of magic and fantasy, but the truth is stark for these visitors to the theater.

You saw the truth about this being, this poor boy who was taken from his world to die for them. This Japanese boy, Natsuki Subaru, currently holds the title of knight to the amethyst-eyed, silver-haired semi-elven candidate, Emilia. However, he has other titles that are known by only a few. The modern sage candidate is the same sage who, four hundred years ago, helped seal the witch of envy. His other title is "His Champion." But champion of whom? Of the same person who brought him to this world to save it: Envy.

The long corridor had several doors that were slightly illuminated by a white light. Someone was walking through those endless corridors. Dressed in a white button-down shirt, black pants, and shoes, this guardian was going to meet with someone. Black jackets were the standard attire for the guardians.

Vielma: "Let's see. Turn three times to the left, then twice to the right, once to the left, and then three times to the right. At the end of the third infinite corridor, the fourth door is on the right. Why don't you just teleport me there instead of making me walk?" "Well, at least I leave myself a slight chakra trail so I don't get lost."

He followed the directions and arrived at his destination. He opened the door and found himself in a totally different place: a modern base with escalators and electric doors everywhere. The building was huge and white.

He adjusted his tie and took a modern cell phone out of one of his pockets. Seeing the time, he realized he had arrived early, before the other guards, at six in the morning. He headed to the site, turned the doorknob, and wondered why the site was full.

Frowning and sighing, he advanced. It was like a dining room with several desks. He heard murmurs from those who thought they were superior because they were "PURE," avoiding any kind of conflict. He fixed his gaze on the end of the corridor, on a door elegantly adorned with purple, blue, and black details, until he opened the door.

Vielma said, "Excuse me, Tareka-sama. I hope I am not disturbing you."

In front of him was a woman with brown skin and long black hair that reached her back. She was dressed like a guardian, and her yellow eyes looked like a predator's. Next to her was a man who was the perfect stereotype of an assistant, standing with folders.

Tareka: What the fuck is that, sama? Don't say it again. I demand that you call me as you always have, dear little brother.

Tareka is one of the top three assigned to this Guardian Base, which is one of Vielma's sworn sisters. Zareka is the top two and therefore the strongest of all.

Vielma said, "Yes, I know. I just follow protocol. I don't want to be bothered by allegations of favoritism anymore." He sighed and sat down in front of Taleka, while his assistant looked at him disapprovingly.

Tareka: "It's strange that you came all the way here to talk. Usually, you call us to your rooms and tell us what you want. What do you want from your sister?"

Vielma: "I only came for the weekly favor, of course. About that, I think I'll leave it for the moment. I already have enough hateful looks."

A confused Tareka raised an eyebrow and waved her hand, indicating that she wanted to talk about it more.

Vielma: Well, it turns out that, as a 'normal' guardian, they don't look kindly upon my having a sibling relationship with you and Zareka. They call me a freeloader and say that they should have banished me for being impure. Ridiculous, in my opinion.

Tareka: But it affects you, doesn't it? Otherwise, you wouldn't care about those guardians who create absolute chaos.

Vielma: Personally, no. But it affects me that it ruins something for the two of you. Vielma lowered her gaze at the last thing said.

Tareka sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose, and began to speak to him.

Tareka: "Look, I know you think you have some kind of debt to us for protecting and raising you, but it's not necessary. You do a good job as a guardian, and you know you're not just any guardian. You're in the top five of this base. You should feel proud of that." She slapped him on the head and gave him a warm smile.

He sat back down, folded his hands, and started to ask her.

Tareka: "And tell me, what favor do you want to ask me?" You know you can't ask me for just one favor a week, right?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't like to..." She couldn't finish speaking when she was hit on the forehead.

Tareka: Don't you dare say that we bother you. For God's sake, you never bother us, and you know it.

Vielma: Okay, well, about the favor, I want the details of a theater, if possible.

Tareka, who heard this, felt intrigued and confused, tilting her head a little.

Tareka: "The data of a theater? Why do you want that specifically?"

Vielma replied, "To give you a clear and precise answer will be a test for all of them."

Intrigued, she allowed him to continue.

Vielma: "I want them to see the world of that theater and see if their promises are still intact despite what they will see. Besides, they will see that lying to you is useless when you notice the smallest details about them."

Tareka: And how will you do it? Why do you need the theater's data? Isn't the world enough?

Vielma: I considered that, but I decided it would be better to get the theater's data to avoid any interruptions.

Tareka: I see. Well, if that works for you, go ahead and get it from the time records of your theater. Which guardian is it?

Vielma: Brother Tom's, for now.

Raising an eyebrow and looking at his little brother, he asked him,

Tareka: "For the time being," he said. "You mean you'll come ask me for more data from other theaters? When you visit us, we have to stick together, you know.

Vielma nodded and answered her sister.

"Yes, I know. And about the visit, just tell me, and I'll leave my theater and watch whatever you're watching. For example, right now, you're watching Patrasche as an uma-musume."

Tareka: Uma-musume?

Vielma: Yes. As the name says, they are girls with ears and ponytails.

Tareka: Mmm, I see. They're your furry things.

Vielma: Oops, be careful. I'm talking about the Beastars fan.

Tareka: How dare you! I'm not a furry!

Vielma: Poor sister of mine, you're still in denial," he said, drying an imaginary tear.

Tareka: What you're saying is heresy to true art!"

Vielma: And you are blaspheming against true art.

Tareka: Are you saying that you prefer a girl with ears and a tail?

Vielma: "I prefer that to an animal acting like an ordinary person."

Tareka got up from her chair, causing it to fall, and raised her hand, pointing at her brother.

Tareka: Heresy!

Vielma stood up from her chair, pointed at her sister, and said,

Vielma: Blasphemy!

Attendant: If I may be allowed to say something...

Vielma/Tareka: Shut up!"

Tareka resignedly sat down and gestured for her to leave.

Tareka: "Now, go back to your theater before you keep saying my tastes are wrong."

Vielma nodded.

Vielma said, "I'd better go before I get sick and catch that idea of yours."

She turned and left the office, and both had a smile on their faces, feeling the warmth of their silly conversation.

In the theater, the half-elf, Emilia, was talking to the green-haired duchess, Crush, when a rather complicated topic came up.

Emilia said, "You know, Crush-san, I don't know that gluttony Subaru, but I think I've seen him before. Actually, I'm not sure."

Crush, shocked by what was said, wanted to know more.

Crush: Emilia, how is that possible? Doesn't that happen in the future?"

Emilia: "Exactly, Crush-san, but that's why I'm not sure."

Crush remained silent, prompting the Half-Elf to continue.

"In the shrine, my last test showed me a possible future. I didn't see anything specific, but the real castle burning like that reminded me of the test and the possible future Echidna showed me.

Crush: I see, but surely it was just a manipulation, right? I don't know, but how possible is it that a witch knows about other worlds or alternate timelines? If that were the case, the story wouldn't have been any different.

Emilia: Yes, that's what I thought, too, but they are witches. Who knows? Maybe not directly, but it scares me.

Crush puts his hand on Emilia's shoulder and lets her continue.

Emilia: We didn't know anything about Subaru, not even where he came from. But this place has shown us everything he went through and what will happen. It scares me. I love him, but...

Crush: Enough.

Emilia: What?

Crush: That's enough! How can you talk about Subaru like that? Will you go back on your promise to help him? That's your attitude toward Subaru. If that's how you feel, let me tell you one thing, Emilia: You're not worthy to be with him. He already has enough to carry without us leaving him with more.

Emilia opened her eyes, trying to process everything the duchess told her, but she felt anger, not toward the duchess, but toward herself. She was right. How could she think that when Subaru sacrificed so much for them?

They exchanged tears and hugs.

The last scene shows the earth dragon Patrasche and his rider/lover reuniting in another world.

The theater lights turned on, and Patrasche's episode ended.

Before anyone could say anything, the voice of the Guardian echoed through the room:

"Good morning! I hope you enjoyed this little visualization, but now, let's move on to the real show.

Crush notices that the guardian's enthusiasm has been interrupted.

Crush: "You sound happy, Vielma-san. Did something happen to make you like that?"

As always, our Duchess Valkyrie is right. I'm in a good mood because I got what I wanted.

All: What did you want?

Petra: And what did you want, Vielma-san? Some candy?

Ram: Hmph, it'll probably be something unimportant and stupid, like Barusu does.

Felt: Is it about the big brother?

Emilia: Yes, please tell us. Is it about Subaru?

Rem: If it's about Subaru, Rem is sure it will be important.

Well, it's hypothetical, but it might be about when you leave here.

Anastasia: When we leave, huh? What kind of hypothetical scenario is it?

Mimi: Mimi wants to go play with the mini-boss!

Tivey: Calm down, okay, sis?

Well, I suppose that's for you to decide. Of course, I don't like spoilers. Who likes spoilers? I remember when Infinity War came out, and those jerks showed no mercy.

Hey, Rein, what's he talking about?

No idea, Felt-sama. Maybe it's something from his world.

He's talking about aliens again.

The theater lights went out, letting us know that the show was starting. On the screen, a surprising title appeared that put several people on alert.

World XXX Found Key Guardian: A Guy Named Tom.

Chapter 1: Meeting the Monster.

What does that mean?

Knowing the monster? Don't tell me what he's talking about!

Maybe it's about Subaru-dono, but why?

I don't like where this is going, Ferris.

I feel the same way, Ferris.

Who is Natsuki Subaru?

The existence of this popular name has always been a mystery.

Everything about him seemed strange and anomalous: his clothes, gestures, expressions, appearance, and behavior. Everything.

These details might have had answers if he had revealed more about his origins, but he was always evasive on this subject.

Even Emilia, the person he served as knight, knew little about him before he joined her.

All he told her was that he came from an island east of a place called Japan. However, this answer raised more questions because there was no territory east of Lugunica.

It was unfortunate. Despite trusting him blindly and seeing him daily, I could not claim to really know him.

It was quite paradoxical, considering the relationship they shared.

Above all, the most mysterious thing about Natsuki Subaru was his accomplishments and how he managed to achieve them.

Emilia, who had previously spoken with Crush, felt a pang in her chest. She was right; she knew absolutely nothing about her knight, plus, as she said, she avoided any topic of conversation about that.

Rem: But now we know everything, even what made him do those feats."

Wilhelm: Certainly, Rem-dono, but our Subaru-dono has never used that power for his own benefit. Thanks to him, we are all willing to help him.

Anastasia: But why are you showing us how this relates to what the guardian told us?

Julius: I don't know, Anastasia-sama, but we're about to find out.

Emilia had only known Subaru for a year, yet he had achieved a series of legendary feats in just two weeks that no one in the last 400 years of history, including all the Sword Saints, had ever accomplished.

To ordinary people, this period might seem short, but to her, it was a long time to be with someone who cared about her. This is why she was confused when she met him.

She hadn't done anything special for him, yet he repeatedly saved her life and claimed to love her.

Emilia judged it a baseless sentiment.

She still cared for her knight but found him hard to understand.

How did he do all this?

How did he manage to plan so meticulously and always know what to do?

Several people offered their own answers as to who Natsuki Subaru was.

Some said he was a legendary hero forgotten due to gluttony; others said he was a man whose only distinguishing feature was his sense of timing; still others said he was a reckless madman who didn't care about his own life; some said he was a clown; some said he was a warrior exiled from the Vollachia Empire; and some said he was an incredibly visionary strategist.

They were all wrong.

Otto said, "Well, that's certainly a valid thought, isn't it? For us, he has Vollachian and Gustekan traits."

Reinhard: Why did you say that? Otto: Maybe.

Felt: What did you see, Reinhard?

Roswaal: It's the world after the theater.

After the theater?

So, is this the hypothetical case the guardian mentioned?

I feel bad for the brother.

However, when they learned the truth about Natsuki Subaru, seeing all his successes and failures, they were shocked.

At first, they saw a cheerful, good-natured boy with big dreams but few skills to achieve them.

Then, they saw a great hero—perhaps the greatest since Calamity—who was capable of majestic feats despite being powerless.

The life prospects of those in the Theater of Despair were shattered when they saw who he was dealing with.

Many were filled with affection for him. Others discovered a new feeling: love for the boy with the jet-black hair. Almost all felt deep sadness and bitterness, though.

A sea of tears was shed for Natsuki Subaru, who was unaware that her secret had been revealed.

She was undoubtedly an example of nobility and altruism unlike anything ever seen before, despite all the suffering she had faced.

But they did not yet know that there was much more to it. They had not seen the whole picture yet.

After witnessing the events of Arc 4, they thought they had abandoned all forms of selfishness and naivety.

Oh, how wrong they were! Afterwards, they no longer saw a past that had not happened. The guardian showed them not one, but many horrible futures.

Even a year after Natsuki Subaru's suffering, it was still not over, which caused great consternation among the members of all the camps. They realized that those two weeks of pure hell would not be a dark chapter in Subaru's life, but rather a constant presence in his accomplishments.

Many thought things would change after a year of peace, which seemed like paradise to the otherworldly knight. Sadly, this would not be the case if they had not seen Arcs 5 and 6.

These additional visions cemented a feeling of devotion and affection in the minds of those present, as well as an almost unhealthy desire to protect Subaru and improve his life.

They believed they had the power to brighten the child's destiny.

However, they then saw other things, some of which had not happened and could no longer happen, while others still represented a possibility.

They saw parallel futures with their own eyes—what would have happened if Natsuki Subaru had made different choices.

Rem: Those were the same reactions I had, but how?

Al: Arc 5 and 6? Maybe the fifth arc would be happening right now in Priestella, but the sixth arc will happen.

Julius: Most likely, it will be when I go to the Pleiades watchtower.

Anastasia: That's the most likely scenario. That's the sixth arc, Julius.

Wilhelm: Those parallel futures are for sure.

Felix: Yes, Will, they are the ifs.

Emilia: But no matter what, we won't let that happen! Those aren't my S-Subarus.

Rem: You're right, Emilia-sama. We won't let it happen.

Ram: Hmph. What will become of Barusu without the help of the great Ram?

Garfiel: Yes! We won't let the captain become one of those pieces of shit!

Instantly, he received a blow to the back of the head from his sister. "Garf, what did I tell you about those words?"

Once again, all the certainties that had formed in the hearts of those who knew him shattered like glass.

Many minds were broken, shattered, disfigured and stunned. They sank completely into the abyss of madness.

Some even attempted suicide, but the theater's guardian intervened, stabilizing everyone's minds to a level where they could help Natsuki Subaru.

However, the damage was already done. The heroic image of Natsuki Subaru still existed but was now overshadowed by his darker side.

He was an archbishop of sin, the King of Purge, a mass murderer, someone capable of using death as a weapon, and someone who had abandoned almost everyone.

These were now also valid answers to the question, "Who is Natsuki Subaru?"

A new and unlikely feeling took hold of the hearts of those who knew the truth and were weighed down by the burden of conscience—fear.

They were frightened by Natsuki Subaru's existence: a small man capable of achieving impossible things, both good and bad.

They were frightened by their alternate selves. Some had become monsters, some were dead, and some did not know whom to trust.

Now that they understood the full implications of Subaru's ability, they were convinced that it was beyond them and that they should not have known. They completely regretted it.

But it was too late.

In this chaos of absolute anguish and terror, one certainty remained: Natsuki Subaru was no longer just someone to love; he was also someone to fear and watch out for.

For some, he was a threat to be eradicated.

Some were shown grabbing a knife or attempting suicide. In the parts that told the "If" stories, only shadows were visible, except for Gula, who saw him without those shadows. They would not let him see anything yet.

Emilia was the first to react when she saw herself trying to take her own life. This marked her forever, but what hurt her most was what was written on the screen: FEAR. How could she fear her Subaru? Deep down, she knew for sure, and she hated herself more and more.

Rem was hugged by her sister even though she had a crisis when she saw herself torturing and killing her hero. The other Rem had an even worse reaction: she hit her head against walls and anything else she could find. It hurt her to see herself like that, but she had made a decision and wouldn't disappoint Rem's hero.

Crush clenched her teeth and closed her fists as tightly as possible, making the armrests of her chair creak. She saw herself collapse worse than before, but then a question arose: What the hell did they show them that they didn't teach us?

Priscilla looked quite calm, covering half her face with her fan. But she was wrong. She was using all her willpower to make her hand tremble, remembering the white-haired monster who had killed everyone.

With his head down, Reinhard watched as his counterpart let himself be carried away by his emotions. Maybe he could feel something after all, but he had to do something for his best friend.

Julius had his hand on the hilt of his sword. He remembered Gula, but seeing him so emaciated and lost was too much for even the best knight.

Wilhelm looked at himself and saw that he looked even older than the man they had seen, making them look pitiful.

But the last thing they heard left them completely lost. "A threat to be eradicated." Why? Because they thought that way about Subaru? If not for him, everyone here would be dead. So why do I feel like I'm shaking with fear because of Subaru?

Guys? Is something wrong?

A familiar voice began to speak, but what they saw and heard next left them even more scarred.

Subaru had no idea what was going on.

A moment earlier, he, Emilia, and Beatrice had been peacefully chatting about their plans for once they arrived in Priestella. Suddenly, the carriage fell silent.

The half-elf and the spirit had expressionless, empty faces, as if their minds were elsewhere. Seconds before, they had been cheerful and content. He had never seen them with that expression before.

He took a few seconds to look at them more closely, trying to see if something was out of place.

It could have been some kind of hypnotic attack, like the one Ram had used against him when fighting Betelgeuse.

However, as he checked them out, he heard a faint thud outside the carriage.

"Hmph!"

Subaru quickly opened the window to see what had caused the sound.

It was Garfiel. His body lay face down on the ground as if he had slipped on a banana peel.

It would have been a cartoonish scene, were it not for the serious implications. With Garfiel down, his main line of defense was out of commission. This was no good.

Fortunately, he was unharmed, though he had likely fallen under the same spell that had affected Beatrice and Emilia. They were under attack!

There was no time to waste.

Despite the situation, they once again saw how Subaru faced a non-existent threat, demonstrating how his quick reaction and understanding of the situation helped him handle it.

Crush: This is our Subaru, always prioritizing and seeking the best way to protect everyone. But...

Wilhelm: Yes, Crush-sama. I'm sure that, since you've just returned, your emotions are running high and may be leading to extreme reactions.

Subaru quickly moved to the driver's seat and opened the hatch to talk to the driver.

Otto! Stop the carriage right now! Garfiel has fallen!"

"Ah! What did you say, Natsuki-san?"

"Stop the carriage!"

"Yes!"

Otto immediately stopped the carriage as Subaru told him to.

"What's wrong, Natsuki-san!?"

"We're probably being attacked. Are you okay, Otto? You look pale.

"Yes, don't worry about me, Natsuki—"

"Otto?!"

The poor merchant didn't even have time to finish the honorific before he vomited onto the grass.

Despite the vomiting and slight chills, Subaru wasn't sure if the merchant had been affected by the same hypnotic spell.

At least he was fully conscious, unlike the other passengers.

Anastasia: "By Od, that will only make Natsuki-kun worry more, but it's perhaps inevitable.

Rem: Rem agrees, Anastasia-sama. That will only worry Rem's hero even more.

Otto: If only you cared that much about yourself, Natsuki-san.

Mimi: Ewww, that's disgusting.

After confirming this, the black-haired gentleman lifted the spirit onto his shoulders and left to see Garfiel. As he did so, he heard the girl beside him panting heavily, as if hyperventilating.

Her small body shook, and her hands were cold. After a few seconds, he felt his shoulder getting wet.

"...Beako?"

"S-Subaru... Subaru!" Subaru! Subaru! Subaru!"

He began to hear his companion whisper his name, gradually raising her voice until she was screaming desperately.

He had no idea why, but Beatrice was suddenly having a full-blown hysterical fit, clinging to him tightly as if he were about to disappear.

He had never seen her so distressed, not even when she was a recluse.

What the hell was going on? Was she hypnotized or not?

"Beako, I'm here! Everything's fine!" Nothing happened to me!

Betty is so sorry! Betty is so sorry! Betty is so sorry!" Betty is so sorry.

Why are you apologizing, Beako? You can tell me what's wrong later. Now is not the time! We're under attack!

Who? Who is attacking you, Subaru?

"Huh?"

After his failed attempt to rescue her, dozens of crystals surrounded the knight spirit duo so he could protect his contractor from all sides. This included the carriage and Garfiel.

This was definitely not the reaction Subaru expected.

Al: Phew! The Terminator showed up, huh?

Beatrice: Hmph. Actually, Betty is more efficient than that robot.

Julius: We're definitely getting some pretty bad reactions. Subaru will surely realize that something is wrong.

Beatrice was normally the calmest and most serene person in Emilia's camp during a battle. Her vast knowledge and intelligence allowed her to formulate strategies, analyze situations, and help Subaru maintain his focus.

Now, however, it seemed that the girl with two pigtails had decided to solve her problems with brute force, something she had never done before, considering her mana reserves had always been limited since they made the contract.

"Beako, what are you doing? We have to help Garfiel!"

"No, Subaru! That killer tiger doesn't need your help!"

"What are you talking about?"

I guess you always end up getting hurt! Betty can't protect you or keep bad things from happening to you. She doesn't deserve someone as amazing as you. Betty is so sorry!

After screaming until she was hoarse, the poor girl resumed sobbing so hard that she might have drowned if Subaru hadn't hugged her.

Soon, the Japanese boy felt his chest dampen with her bitter tears. After only about thirty seconds, he heard his Beako snoring softly. At that moment, the enormous El Minya that Beatrice had summoned to protect Subaru dissolved into particles of light.

"Beako...?"

What the hell is going on?! Oh shit, Garfiel!

Subaru wished he had time to stop and think things through, to understand what was happening. But there were too many things to do first, including checking on Garfiel.

He hoped Garfiel was fit to fight; otherwise, he would have to send Otto to Priestella and pray nothing went wrong.

When he reached Garfiel, he assessed his condition.

He wasn't doing well. He had been on the ground for a few minutes but hadn't gotten up. He was staring at the ground. He was on his knees with his arms outstretched as if he were preparing to do push-ups next to Subaru during morning muscle activation exercises.

Crush: Despite everything, Garfiel still thinks of his friends first and himself second. So far, no one has reacted aggressively.

Felix: Garfiel will probably react in the worst possible way.

Garfiel: "What are you talking about? He couldn't say anything else. He felt heavy. He knew better than anyone that what the cat said was true. He always reacted in the worst possible way.

Otto held his shoulder to calm him down, and his sister grabbed his hand.

Yet, when she approached him to help him up...

"Garfiel! Are you okay?"

"Don't you dare touch me, damn it!"

"Argh!"

Subaru had never seen his body move so fast. In the blink of an eye, he scratched Subaru's left leg and stood up in a fighting stance.

Despite his quick reflexes and experience as a fighter, Garfiel's body trembled nervously; he was clearly terrified.

Subaru bent over in pain to try to stop the bleeding with his hands. After a few seconds, he looked up and met Garfiel's gaze, but he no longer recognized him.

Subaru had seen Garfiel scared before, but not like this. At the Sanctuary, Garfiel was afraid of Subaru and a little afraid of Emilia, too. But above all, he feared what they represented during those hellish days: facing his past and venturing into the outside world.

At first, Garfiel was not ready for that prospect. Nevertheless, the blond warrior always showed courage and determination to protect the Sanctuary from the unknown.

But now, in that gaze, Subaru saw no tenacity, strength, or courage. He saw only genuine, deep terror, as if Garfiel felt his life were seriously threatened by someone as insignificant as Subaru.

Previously, Subaru might have dismissed the Sanctuary Shield's attack as a mistake or a hypnosis-induced error. However, as he looked into the eyes of his supposed younger brother, he realized he was wrong. Garfiel's fear was directed at him.

However, Subaru did not know that Garfiel had seen and heard something else: a vision conjured by his terrified mind.

When he saw a figure approaching, he did not recognize it as his captain.

The person in front of him wore worn, sand-stained traveling clothes and had white hair, a scar on his forehead, and only one functioning eye.

He heard someone speaking, but the sound was muffled and unclear.

However, he heard a fatal question perfectly: "

Hey, do you know my name?"

Some felt that something was amiss when Subaru went to help his sworn brother. It was as if fate itself wanted to break him one way or another. They saw how the poor child was filled with fear, as if he had seen the Witch of Envy herself.

Mimi asked, "Why did Garf attack the mini-boss?"

Frederica brought her free hand to her mouth, trying to stifle a sob when she saw her little brother in the sanctuary. Despite his combat stance, he looked small.

Garfiel was no better off. Once again, he had failed his captain. Not only had he wounded him, he had also killed him in his beast form. Unconsciously, he saw his captain as that monster of gluttony.

Otto: T-that's

Rem: "Yes, the Subaru of gluttony."

The Devourer of Memories.

After that enigmatic question, the spectral figure smiled coldly—the ugliest, most twisted smile Garfiel had ever seen—almost mockingly.

He had every reason to be feared because he had stained his hands with the blood of tens of thousands of people, including his own.

Faced with such a situation, how could Garfiel not be afraid?

His body reacted defensively in perfect, strange, and morbid harmony with his mind, saving him from the inevitable threat of that question like the helpless little kitten he was.

Was he justified? He was only thinking of his own well-being and safety. He hadn't done anything wrong this time, had he?

A second later, Garfiel returned to reality and found the answer he was looking for: he had made a mistake. As always, he had made a mistake because where Natsuki Subaru failed, Garfiel Tinzel also failed.

When he realized that he had hurt his savior again, he felt his heart sink into a deep abyss.

He needed to make amends immediately.

However, the association between Natsuki Subaru and danger was now engraved in the half-human teenager's subconscious, no matter how hard he tried to act otherwise.

"C-Captain!"

He immediately ran toward the boy, who was clutching his wounded right leg in pain. He extended his hand—the same hand that had wounded his captain—to heal the boy.

After about ten seconds, the wound disappeared, leaving only a tear in the black-haired boy's pants.

"Garfiel, what was that? Did you feel attacked or something?"

"Yes." "No, Captain, it wasn't that. My incredible self was just nervous because I tripped, that's all."

Subaru maintained an expression of doubt mixed with concern.

Garfiel tended to be volatile, but he had never dared to offend Subaru in any way over the past year. On the contrary, he constantly displayed a reverential attitude bordering on adoration.

Furthermore, Garfiel had always been a terrible liar, especially with someone like Subaru who was accustomed to sweeping things under the rug.

At that moment, Garfiel looked like he was blatantly lying.

As if on cue, the young demi-human's thoughts were revealed to everyone as if he had said them himself. He was disgusted with himself for thinking that way about his captain. His captain was not a monster; he was his captain, period.

Emilia said, "S-Subaru, please. We promised we would help you, so please stop thinking and doing things alone."

Rem: Even if it's Emilia-sama, we're all somewhat to blame for Rem's hero's current state, even if Subaru-kun says no. His perhaps unintentional actions show how he truly feels.

It was a strange reaction, but Subaru decided not to press the issue. It wasn't the right time to get distracted by trying to understand why Garfiel was upset.

With Priestella so close, a practical approach was better.

We'll think about this later. For now, I need you to keep an eye on the carriage. I'm not sure, but it's likely that we're under some kind of hypnotic attack."

Upon hearing this, a red and dangerous aura surrounded Garfiel's body and he took on a furious, almost insane expression. Subaru had never seen him so angry, not even during the many failed Sanctuary loops.

He cracked his knuckles ominously, ready to crush anyone who stood in his way.

"Captain. Give me the order, and I'll make sure they're all dead.

Eh?! No, no. We have to protect Emilia until we reach Priestella. You and I will handle the defense while Otto drives the carriage with Beatrice and Emilia inside.

Yes, okay, Captain.

Garfiel's murderous attitude instantly disappeared, replaced by submissive behavior—the complete opposite of what he had shown moments before.

After organizing a defense plan, Garfiel and Subaru—still holding her sleeping spirit in his arms—ran toward the carriage. However, they were stopped almost immediately by another unexpected sight. Emilia had awakened and was standing at the entrance of the carriage.

However, the moment Subaru saw her, he sensed that something was wrong with her.

Physically, she was unharmed, but her beautiful white dress was stained with a disgusting green liquid that had also left a trail on her face, on the left side of her mouth.

The pupils of her amethyst eyes were completely contracted, a sign of the absolute panic consuming her. Her mouth trembled, her eyebrows moved spasmodically, and her body language was fragile. The color had almost completely drained from her pale skin.

Subaru wanted to ask her what had shaken her so deeply, worse even than when she faced the Trial of the Past at the Shrine. But when their eyes met, the half-elf showed an expression of pure terror for a few seconds before fainting and falling face-first to the ground like Garfiel.

"Emilia!"

If Subaru had been anxious before, he was now beginning to panic. This gave him the energy to run toward his beloved.

In just a few seconds, Subaru covered the 50 meters that separated him from Emilia. This would have been a new personal best on the obstacle course he had designed for himself. However, clearly this was not the time to think about athletic achievements.

Emilia! Emilia, please answer me! Hey, Emilia! My God, please don't do this to me!

When he reached her, he carefully placed Beatrice in the carriage seat. Then, he turned Emilia over with the utmost care, making sure there were no visible injuries.

He hoped with all his heart that she hadn't been cursed like him in the mansion. But at first glance, all the symptoms were there.

Garfiel! Get Emilia into the carriage. Check if she's cursed. If she is, use everything you've got to cure her! I don't want to see a single scratch. Do you understand?!"

"Y-Yes!"

Perhaps Subaru had gone a little overboard at the last moment, but now was not the time for politeness or delay. Something had to be done to protect everyone, anything.

For this reason, he reluctantly left Emilia in Garfiel's care and warned Otto to prepare Patrasche to race to Priestella at full speed.

At that moment, the half-elf stood up from her chair and stared at the ceiling while the armrest of her chair froze.

Emilia said, "Hey, Guardian. Please tell me what else we need to see. This isn't normal. What else do we need to see?"

An explosion of ice materialized but quickly disappeared thanks to the theater's magic. The guardian appeared.

"What exactly do you want to know or see, little half-elf?"

Emilia: Why are we all reacting this way to my knight, Subaru? How serious are these other stories, If?

All in good time, Emilia. I apologize in advance, but I have to restrain you for a while.

Yellow chains of energy with blue flashes emerged from her seat and trapped her arms and legs, forcing her to sit down.

Otto! Emilia and Beako can't defend themselves. We have to get to Priestella as soon as possible! Once Garfiel has loaded Emilia, instruct Patrasche to travel as quickly as possible and enlist the help of any animals you encounter to monitor the perimeter.

"Okay!"

Subaru didn't notice Otto's frightened, trembling expression. He immediately carried out the orders.

After what seemed like an hour to Subaru but was actually only a minute, they set off at full speed.

The travel time was reduced from two hours to half an hour. During that time, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Subaru could feel the veins in his head ready to burst from the stress.

They kept their guard as high as possible during this time: Garfiel watched the perimeter from the roof, Subaru checked the interior and rear of the carriage, and Otto drove at full speed, aided by several insects he found along the way.

Fortunately, Emilia and Beatrice had just fainted, and the terrain was completely flat and treeless, making it difficult for an attacker to hide.

However, no one attacked or prolonged the effects of the hypnosis for the rest of the journey.

For Subaru, this was a positive development, but it made no sense. What caused the recent events?

Otto and Garfiel—the only others besides Subaru who were still conscious—were visibly shaken by the experience but had an idea of what had happened.

It was due to their sudden return from the theater.

The entity that had kidnapped them and brought them to the theater returned them to their bodies at that moment.

For Subaru, not even a second had passed since their minds were taken against their will. For them, however, several hours, perhaps even days, had passed.

Roswaal: "Well, well, so it's true about that space-time discrepancy you mentioned, Mr. Guardian."

Hm, did you think I was lying? There are many techniques, magical or otherwise, that can make the impossible possible, little Roswaal. Maybe you inherited Dona's flexible mindset, too.

Roswaal: Dona? Do you know my teacher and the witches?

I haven't had the privilege of meeting them myself, but I know them well enough to know a few things about them.

More and more questions arose. He knew the witches, yet he didn't? What did that mean?

During that time, they had been forced to see Natsuki Subaru's memories and his dark future since he was transported to their world through a strange medium called a "screen," as well as parallel worlds.

All of this happened without allowing them a single pause to process the events.

It was an absolutely inhuman and shocking experience that no one wanted to endure any longer.

Even Reinhard, the cursed Saint of the Sword and practically a divine figure, reached a point where he could no longer bear it. However, he was prevented from resisting in any way.

Some attempted suicide while watching, overwhelmed by guilt; they were saved, treated, or held back by force.

The only reason they managed to retain any sanity was because the unknown entity intervened and stabilized their souls, preventing them from going mad.

For this reason, Garfiel and Otto were certain that they were not under attack, although they had suffered a serious offense of which Subaru was unaware. However, they remained alert in case Subaru returned dead.

Since Beatrice was unconscious, she could not speak for him at that moment, although she was not lucid enough to do so.

They sincerely hoped that they were being paranoid, but if they had learned anything, it was that they had been extremely cautious until now.

They had all been utterly incompetent.

Julius: "Incompetent" is still too mild a word for what we really are. We're knights, aren't we? We're supposed to protect and care for citizens and others, but have we done so? Of course not. I think I understand what Subaru meant when he insulted the knights.

Reinhard, Wilhelm, and Felix nodded at their friend's words. He was right. Knowing that their friend, companion, and grandson was enduring such pain just to see everyone happy left a bitter taste in their mouths.

Otto and Garfiel remembered how they killed him for their own benefit by throwing him out of the carriage in the third arc, near the white whale. They also remember mutilating Otto-bro and having their captain devoured alive by the big rabbit.

Crush and Anastasia, although not directly involved, are somewhat to blame. Crush repeatedly rejected his help without offering anything in return. Meanwhile, Anastasia tried to extract information from Crush's house, but it was a failed attempt. Ricardo, Mimi, and Tivey listened closely.

Priscilla and Al didn't have anything to say. Priscilla still thought the world revolved around her—or at least, she wanted to believe that. Little by little, that burning desire faded, and Al seemed relaxed.

However, the atmosphere in the theater changed when the large doors opened to reveal a familiar figure.

Emilia-sama?

Princess?

Big sister?

Standing in front of them was a half-elf with silver hair and amethyst eyes. The only difference was that this Emilia was dressed as a maid and was carrying boxes.

"Coffe Emilia: Yay! "Vielma-kun, you're here?"

Everyone was even more confused. This Emilia knew the guardian. How?

"Emi-chan," Vielma said. "For God's sake, why did you take so long with my order?"

Coffe Emilia: Haha, sorry. I accidentally ended up in another world while making a delivery.

Tivey: Could you not appear with that blinding light?

Vielma: Of course, kid. That's just for drama. How's Baru?

Coffe Emilia: Oh, he's doing great. Thanks for asking.

Vielma: He doesn't faint at work anymore, does he?

*...*

Vielma: Emilia.

Coffe Emilia: By the way, here are your goodies. I have another order to deliver.

She hands her three XXL bags of Spicy Jack, three packets of Cocosette cookies, four packets of Vanilla Oreos, and three two-liter sodas.

Coffe Emilia: Same as usual for the phone bill?"

Vielma: No, don't worry. I have cash. Here, and so you don't complain, here's a tip for you."

Coffe Emilia: Yes! By the way, where did you get them in the story?

Vielma: I just arrived in Priestella. And please, don't say anything else. You have a loose tongue.

Hey!

Vielma: Don't you have any other pending orders?

Coffe Emilia: Shit, yes, you're right. See you later. Bye.

Just as the other Emilia appeared, she disappeared, leaving everyone unsure how to react.

Okay, but what was that?

It was strange, to say the least.

Mimi was affected by what happened to the guardian.

Vielma: "Well, well, let's continue watching the visualization."

After that stressful journey, Emilia's royal carriage arrived at the gates of Priestella.

The reception that awaited them was just one more unexpected challenge that Subaru faced that day.

The strangest thing, in particular, was the behavior of the knights.

Priestella was certainly known for its strict border controls.

Yet, not only were there simple knights guarding the area, but also dozens of members of the Royal Army, all of whom had particularly stern and intimidating appearances.

Furthermore, as he looked around, Subaru noticed that many of the carriages were returning and that hardly anyone was entering compared to the number of people leaving.

In short, they were letting almost no one in except after extremely strict inspections.

Could they have somehow known about his encounter with Anastasia, even though it was supposed to be secret? Could that be why they increased security measures?

To clarify this doubt, Subaru decided to ask the person involved directly later.

For now, though, he had to prioritize Emilia's safety. Perhaps they could find a good healer in Priestella. At least, that's what the knight from another world hoped.

The problem was that they couldn't carry out the usual inspections given the urgency of the situation.

It wasn't ideal, but they had to skip the line.

Otto, could you please ask a Royal Knight if there is a good healer here in Priestella? Tell them we're transporting a royal candidate and that we need help."

"Oh, sure, Natsuki-san..."

After responding affirmatively, Otto looked around for someone accessible.

Anastasia said, "But what is that other self thinking? That would be counterproductive."

Reinhard: "Why do you say that, Anastasia-sama?"

Julius: Well, assuming that the archbishops are already inside the city...

Wilhelm: They could also mobilize and change the course of events.

He saw a guard who seemed flexible, young, and good-natured.

"Excuse me?"

"Good morning. Do you need anything?"

"Yes, thank you. I am Otto Suwen, the Minister of the Interior of Camp Emilia."

Upon hearing this, the young man's face hardened considerably.

"Mr. Suwen, could you please hand over your documents so we can verify them? If you are who you say you are, and if you are not deceiving us, we need Camp Emilia immediately. We are following orders from Camp Anastasia.

"Yes, we had already thought of that..."

No, you may have already figured it out because I certainly didn't!"

Subaru, looking confused and searching for answers, was the one who made this exclamation.

"Hello, I am Natsuki Subaru, knight of Camp Emilia." Could you please tell me why the Royal Knights are requesting our presence on behalf of Anastasia? Has something happened?"

After Subaru introduced himself, the other knight bowed respectfully, reviewed Otto's document, and responded to Subaru's somewhat emphatic question with polite formality.

"It is an honor to meet you in person, sir, although I would have preferred it under different circumstances." Fortunately, nothing has happened yet, but Lady Anastasia has sounded the alarm to reinforce security and ensure that no one enters except you in order to prevent an attack."

"...An attack by whom?"

"Those are confidential details available only to the royal candidates."

"Wait, are there other royal candidates besides Anastasia and Emilia here in Priestella?"

The young guard nodded at this question.

"Exactly. All five candidates are here."

Al: Great. Now Bro is going to be even more anxious about this.

Crush: Reinforcing security and checking every carriage seems like a good decision, but...

Otto: It's sudden that they're doing such a thorough check.

Subaru felt relieved to hear this information. Not only could he see his friends, but Felix could also attend to Emilia since Crush would also be in Priestella, logically.

He had no idea what awaited him.

"Alright. Could you accompany us to Anastasia as soon as possible? We need a doctor to ensure the passengers' health, and she might have someone available.

"Of course, as you wish."

After a few minutes of preparation, a group of sixteen knights and the carriage entered the city gates.

The city looked truly beautiful. The houses were colorful, the squares were spotless, and the water in the canals was as clear as the sky that day.

Nevertheless, Subaru couldn't shake the growing sense of unease he felt while traveling. The streets were empty due to Anastasia's order for all civilians to barricade themselves in their homes.

The situation dangerously reminded him of the loop where it started snowing and no one was left.

If he were in the Kararagi merchant's position, he wasn't sure if he would have adopted the same strategy.

If there were enemies, surely they already knew Anastasia was aware of their planned attack.

This was problematic because they had lost the element of surprise in exchange for a more solid defense. Furthermore, since there was no one around, their carriage was the only sign of life in the city, making them an ideal target for an ambush.

The young man from Earth could only trust that Anastasia's precautions would prevent any harm.

"Natsuki-san, we're here."

Much to Subaru's internal relief, Otto interrupted his dark train of thought by announcing their arrival at the Muse Company, the city's temporary defense headquarters.

Since entering the city, the merchant's complexion had become almost cadaverous from how pale he was.

Al: See, even Bro knows it was a bit extreme.

Julius: Well then... What would you have done?"

Al simply shrugged.

Ricardo: You don't even know, buddy. Aren't you from the same place as the mini-boss?"

Al replied, "Who would rush headlong into two big Mabestias without a 100% successful plan?"

Anastasia: Touché.

Tivey: What does that mean, Anastasia-sama?

Anastasia: I have no idea, but it sounds like it's meant to be a statement.

The situation was critical, but Otto had shown courage at the Sanctuary. Subaru thought he could stay calm.

However, he didn't know that Otto's unease was due to the fact that he was practically visiting his own grave, along with the graves of tens of thousands of drowned civilians, in the company of his own killer.

He didn't have any right to feel that way. After all, Otto had also betrayed Natsuki Subaru during his time of need in Arc 3.

Despite knowing Natsuki Subaru's kindness, his subconscious screamed at him to run and get as far away from danger as possible because the person who would one day become the Hero of Priestella could also be his killer, no matter how much he denied it.

He couldn't fathom how Subaru could see the faces of his killers daily and still smile. Otto certainly couldn't do the same, despite everything Subaru had done for him.

It was an unfair comparison, and he knew it, but his mind made it anyway.

After safely disembarking from the carriage, he transported the dazed Emilia and Beatrice to the medical wing inside the building. One of the guards went to announce the arrival of Camp Emilia.

A few minutes later, the messenger returned and escorted them to the meeting room.

When they reached the wooden door, Otto turned to Subaru, visibly uneasy.

"Eh... Natsuki-san, could you wait a minute before entering? I'll go in first and announce our arrival."

Subaru raised an eyebrow in puzzlement at this strange request.

"All right, Otto, but wouldn't it be better if we all went in together?"

"Yes, it's just a matter of protocol. After all, I am your envoy, aren't I?"

Vielma continued, "The human mind is as wonderful as it is disastrous. It always focuses on the bad rather than the good and observes the evil one does instead of the good."

Garfiel, who had been sitting there creaking the armrest of his chair and grinding his teeth, finally exploded.

"Shut up already, you bastard!" What do you know about my captain? Answer me before I give you a beating you'll never forget."

Otto: Y-yes! Garfiel is right. What do you know about Natsuki-san? We're not like them, and we'd never think such a thing about him.

Vielma: Really? Let me remind you that, even though he was betrayed and murdered, he never did anything to you. And you? You can't even see his potential, yet you want to lock him up and banish him from everything.

Garfiel and Otto looked down in frustration. She was right; there they were, trying to pretend they had no control over it. Without saying another word, they sat down.

Emilia: "Why did Otto say that to Subaru? "You don't think they're afraid of him, do you?"

Rem: "I hate to admit it, Emilia-sama, but yes, they're probably afraid of him. That's why Otto went in first to psych himself up."

All right, if you say so. I trust you.

After Otto left, Subaru waited a couple of minutes, reflecting on recent events.

Everyone had been acting strangely since the hypnotic attack.

Garfiel was visibly anxious, tapping his right foot lightly on the floor. Everyone had seemed genuinely tense since that moment during the carriage ride, even though everything had been fine just moments before.

One thing was certain: all the passengers except Subaru had been under the influence of an unknown force that showed them something. It was the knight's duty to find out what it was.

Then there was the matter of the attack on Priestella. Subaru could feel the tension enveloping the entire city despite the general silence.

Al said, "If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the mountain."

Felix asked, "And what does that mean, nya?"

Beatrice: Hmph. I suppose Betty's idiot contractor will go looking for trouble.

Crush: That's what he always does: find out and get into trouble.

After a couple of minutes, Otto opened the door again and gestured for Subaru to come in.

A second after Subaru entered the room, a disgusting, nauseating sound was heard. Anastasia Hoshin had vomited on the room's refined, decorated floor.

What the hell is going on?!

Chapter Text

What the heck is going on?!

The theater lights went out one by one, ending the chapter that was shown.

This is unexpected, but it will take me some time to load the next chapter. You can rest if you want in the meantime.

Many people appreciated this. Although each chapter takes a short break, this chapter left a bad taste in their mouths.

?: Hello! Sorry to interrupt, but I came to drop something off.

Two figures were seen entering from the large theater doors. One was Emilia, who had come before, but the other was a boy with black hair and terrifying eyes.

Subaru: Hey, Vielma. I hope I'm not disturbing you.

Vielma: Not at all, Baru, but what brings you here? Seeing Emi, though, I have an idea.

Emilia was dragged along next to Subaru with a piece of bread in her mouth, saying something no one could understand.

"Yes, I have the change from the delivery. Emilia, do what I told you to do now!"

The theatergoers stood and watched this strange exchange, but what struck them most was how Subaru treated Emilia. He didn't treat her gently. Maybe Emilia doesn't like Subaru.

Vielma: Okay, let me get this straight. First, Emi overcharged me. Second, why the hell did you do that?"

Coffee Emilia: "It was for the greater good, I swear! And, well, I'm sorry.

Vielma: Can I know exactly what it was for? If it's for renovating the café, I wouldn't mind paying a little more.

Coffee Emilia: It was for an event for one of my games. It's a collaboration, and it'll be back next year. I don't want to wait that long! Besides, there's a chance it won't be a goal anymore, so I wanted to secure at least the third slot.

*...*

*...*

There was an awkward silence in response to the other Emilia's statement. Although everyone except Beatrice and Al didn't understand, the looks from the guardian and the other Subaru made it clear.

Beatrice: "I guess stupidity is contagious after all," she said, patting her forehead with her small hand and sighing.

Al: "Wow. If the bro corrupted her until she became a whale, I don't know whether to feel respect or pity for the monster he created."

Coffee Subaru: Are you telling me that you spent more than you should have on gems for a game? And for a character that you haven't even gotten yet with the gems you have?"

Coffee Emilia: Actually, I already spent them and lost twice in a row. Teehee!" While trying to be cute, she tapped her head lightly and stuck out her tongue.

At that, Coffee Subaru made an exaggerated gesture, grabbing the left side of his chest, and took out a pair of sunglasses (from who knows where). He began to sing.

Coffee Subaru: Come and heal my pain!

You have the cure for this love.

I make this call for you to come back.

Can't you see that I'm suffering? This trial is very hard!

There's a dying man here.

Who can revive him?

There's a dying man here.

Who can revive him?

You have the recipe.

the secret formula

to get my heart beating again?

At first, they were worried about the other Subaru, wondering if he was actually sick or had a sudden attack. But they dismissed that idea when they saw him take out those things and put them over his eyes while singing.

It's Subaru.

In fact, I guess it's Betty's Subaru.

Hmph, typical of Barusu barking for Emilia-sama.

I hadn't heard Daddy Yankee in a while.

At least he sings well.

Actually, be careful when you get to Priestella, lest he activate his Lolimancer power. Buahahaha!

It's appropriate that he's my jester. As always, the world gives me everything I want.

That's not how a gentleman should behave.

Vielma: Well, then. Is this a circus? Or are the Valentino brothers playing now?

Coffee Subaru: Yes, sorry, Vielma. I'm here to talk to you about remodeling the café and adding an inn and a game room.

Vielma: Now you're talking my language, my friend! Well, now you all go rest. You, Emilia, stay in the corner and behave.

Everyone got up from their seats, and each group went to their rooms to talk about the future, especially Natsuki Subaru.

Emilia and Rem

In one of the rooms, standing next to a wooden table was Rem, the blue-haired Oni sister. Sitting at the table was Emilia, the silver-haired, amethyst-eyed half-elf.

Emilia, looking down and exhausted, spoke in a whisper: "He should have chosen you first."

Rem, standing next to her, tilted her head slightly and asked, "What did you say, Emilia-sama?"

Emilia suddenly stood up. Seeing Rem with tears in her eyes and clenching her fists, she replied in a broken voice, "I'm talking about Subaru. He should have chosen you, Rem, not someone pathetic and useless like me. Crush was right. I have no right to be with him. I'll only be a burden to him. Besides, in the Sanctuary Trial, the Witch of Lust, Carmilla, became you, not me."

Rem narrowed her eyes as Emilia revealed everything. Rem waited for her to finish. When she finished and began to cry, Rem replied with determination, "Emilia-sama, despite everything, it's clear that Rem's hero doesn't see her that way. In that world where he was fighting monsters, who did he call with that spell first? You."

Emilia looked up and saw Rem smiling. But that feeling was still there, devouring her from within, when someone entered the room.

It was the other Emilia, who had apparently escaped her punishment and followed them. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing. It seems that all of us Emilias have that feeling, don't we?"

They both turned to see who had entered but said nothing. Coffee Emilia continued talking.

Coffee Emilia: "You know, I also found out the truth about my Subaru in a different way, but I already knew. At first, of course, I felt the same way. I thought I was useless and that I would only make him suffer more. But you know what?

Emilia, who was sobbing, wiped her tears as she listened to her other self speak. "W-what?"

Coffee Emilia: What he needed was to trust someone. Because of his ability and his already low self-esteem, which worsened, he didn't feel loved despite everything we did for him until what happened to us happened. It was hard for me at first, but look at him now. He has fewer dark circles under his eyes, and now we're husband and wife."

They both opened their eyes wide in surprise that Emilia was married to Subaru. Rem felt relieved, while Emilia began to feel warm inside.

Coffee Emilia: We serve customers in our café. Quite a few customers come, including Mother Fortuna and Papa Geuse. They are not my parents, but they gave us their blessing. No, I don't regret anything at all. In fact, I couldn't be happier with him.

As she left the room, Coffee Emilia gave them a warm smile. Then she looked at the other Emilia. "Be patient with him. Help him, even if it's hard. Give him that smile only we can give him. Respond to his declaration with words and actions."

The previously gloomy and heavy atmosphere became warm and light. Emilia wiped her tears, looked at the closed door, and smiled. "Thank you very much. I'll try. No, I will do it. I will do it."

Anastasia's camp

Ricardo, Julius, and Anastasia were sitting together at a table. Mimi and Tivey were playing tag nearby.

"Well, this is somewhat unexpected, but we need to talk and see what we can do to get Natsuki-kun to join us or form an alliance," Anastasia said.

"Is that what you want to talk about, Ana-bo?" Ricardo asked. Honestly, it's not that I don't trust the mini-boss, but..."

Julius: Certainly, Ricardo. Only God knows what the future holds for us. But the question is, what did they see that we haven't yet?

Anastasia: For me to react like that when I saw Natsuki-kun, it can't have been pleasant. But there were five silhouettes, and we've already seen one: gluttony.

Julius: Following that logic, the other four must be wrath, sloth, greed, and pride. However, there are more arcs, according to what he told us.

Ricardo: As Al and Julius said, the fifth arc is "the attack on Priestella," where we are currently.

Julius: "The expedition to the Tower of the Pleiades to find the sage for the victims of gluttony and lust."

But to our surprise, there is no sage, only the Guardian of the Stars, Shaula.

Anastasia: Guys, you're forgetting a factor that could come into play.

What is that, Ana-bo?

Anastasia: What factor would that be?

Anastasia: Simple. It's what they call the butterfly effect. They say it's a natural force that sets actions in motion. But we know what awaits us, and we know Natsuki-kun's ability.

Julius: But what effect will it have exactly, Anastasia-sama?"

Anastasia: That's the question, Julius. I don't know. But, assuming those things the archbishops have are the gospel, their orders may change. The attack we had and their counterattacks may become stronger and more direct than they originally were.

Ricardo: In that case, we still don't have a plan to avoid damage and casualties.

Julius: We would have to find and eliminate the most problematic ones. We should temporarily avoid confrontation with lust and gluttony, focusing on wrath and greed instead.

Anastasia: We know their weaknesses, but what if Regulus's wives aren't in Priestella, and they also kidnap the diva?

If so, Ana-bo, we're screwed.

Vielma & Café Subaru:

Vielma: Baru, what did you want to talk to me about?

Coffee Subaru: I have a favor to ask you. It's about the café. Do you remember that Emilia-tan and I decided to turn it into an inn with a game room?

Vielma: Yes, of course I remember. How can I help you, my dear friend?

Coffee Subaru: I was wondering if you could help us with your creation magic. Of course, it's up to you when you can do it. I know you have your limits.

Vielma: If you're worried about that, don't be. I've told you about my sisters, right?

Coffee Subaru: Yes, you've mentioned them, but what does that have to do with anything?

Vielma: Easy. They'll help you. It'll be faster and they'll do a much better job. They can even work as a team if you want.

Coffee Subaru: Really? If that's the case, I'm very grateful to you, Vielma. By the way, doesn't it feel quiet around here?

Vielma: Now that you mention it, yes. Did you leave something with Emi?

Coffee Subaru: No, did you?

Vielma: Not really.

They both turned toward where Café Emilia was supposed to be. To their surprise, she was nowhere to be found.

Vielma/Coffee Subaru: Emilia!

They spent their time enjoying that little break. Seeing that it was getting late, they decided to return to the theater the next day. They looked much better: less pale, with no dark circles under their eyes.

They really rested, huh? Well, I hope you're ready because the next chapter is now loaded. Without further ado, it's showtime!

The theater lights went out, leaving only the large screen, which lit up pure white. The same narrative voice from the previous episode began to speak.

Anastasia Hoshin was an organized person.

After all, for merchants like her, time was money, so the more she could save, the better.

You could say she made this motto her way of life, using it to tackle life's many tasks.

If you had to summarize Anastasia's life, you could probably do so by looking through her diaries, which were full of appointments, interviews, visits, and written commitments.

As a result, she was the type of person who tried to control as many aspects of her life as possible.

She didn't consider herself paranoid or a control freak, but her ambition pushed her beyond the limits of an ordinarily organized person.

For this reason, she believed she was worthy of ruling a disorganized kingdom like Lugunica, which placed too much importance on the pact with the Divine Dragon.

Someone with a fresh mindset was needed to modernize the largely feudal economy of the Dragon Protectorate.

Furthermore, Anastasia would benefit greatly from being the head of a company as large as the Hoshin Company and a ruler.

In short, it was too good of a deal for the merchant. Anastasia Hoshin would make the people of Lugunica worship money instead of the Divine Dragon.

Before that busy day, Anastasia reasonably believed that she was the favorite candidate to win.

Emilia: That's what you said at the opening of the royal selection, right?

Anastasia: Yes, Emilia, I did say that.

Crush: It's true that they have depended heavily on the divine dragon Volcanica, but... Worship money?

Felix: That's a bit extreme.

Wilhelm: For someone like Anastasia-sama, with her company, she would certainly have enough funds for whatever she wants.

Felt: Busy day? Rein must be referring to when they brought us here.

Reinhard: It seems so. When they brought us to this theater, it was a busy day.

Tivey: So, will they show the perspectives of the others?

Felt's camp mainly relied on two resources: Reinhard van Astrea and the support of the lower classes.

However, Felt was a controversial figure, caught between popular support and the disdain of the nobility.

The Crusch camp initially had the advantage in the Royal Selection. However, after the attack on the White Whale, the number of supporters of the Crusch Camp decreased significantly because the Duchess lost her memory, casting doubt on her ability to govern.

Emilia's camp was undoubtedly in the worst position at the beginning because a silver-haired half-elf on the throne was unacceptable to anyone in Lugunica.

Nevertheless, since Natsuki Subaru joined their group, they have achieved legendary feats, such as defeating the White Whale, the Archbishop of Sloth, and perhaps even the Great Rabbit, all within two weeks. If they maintained that pace, they could pose a threat in the future. (Oh, they are a problem for you, Anastasia—no doubt about it.)

Finally, there was Priscilla's camp.

She was beginning to gain broad support among her supporters in her territories.

Anyone who actively supported the Bloody Bride received prosperity and charity in return, establishing her as a trustworthy leader.

The problem was her personality, which made her reluctant to negotiate or compromise, giving her an authoritarian reputation that not everyone viewed favorably.

Anastasia, for her part, saw many advantages in her own camp and no flaws: she was balanced and open-minded, economically powerful, and competent in various fields.

Additionally, her men had contributed to Natsuki Subaru's legendary exploits, earning her greater approval among the population.

This advantageous position allowed her to negotiate with her rivals and put them in her debt.

As a result, she found herself in Priestella conducting negotiations. All the candidates needed something the merchant possessed, except for Priscilla, whom she did not invite due to her personality. This gave her a position of strength in the Royal Selection race.

In hindsight, however, her analysis of the situation could not have been more wrong.

She had meticulously prepared everything that day to ensure the business went smoothly: food, accommodations, the location, and the candidates' daily schedules during their stay.

Crush: Wow, Anastasia, you really had everything well prepared for our arrival, didn't you?

Anastasia: Better safe than sorry.

Touché!

Felix: It's interesting to see how each camp has been rising and falling in the Royal Selection rankings. But with Subaru-kyun as an ally, who wouldn't?

The members of the Iron Fang chatted cheerfully in the next room while Julius stood in front of Anastasia, relaxing in quiet contemplation.

She was in an excellent mood too, sipping a healthy herbal infusion and reviewing her diary on the table.

Everything was going perfectly, just as she had planned.

Suddenly, things took a different turn.

Her consciousness was captured and transported to a completely dark theater where she witnessed a nightmare beyond words. There was no way to prevent the revelation from hitting her.

Anastasia Hoshin truly understood how things stood.

She had been wrong about About everything.

Mimi: I don't like how this is going.

Ricardo: Mimi, don't say that. The last time you said that, everything got worse."

Julius: I see where this is going, and I don't like it at all.

She was wrong about who was ahead in the Royal Selection, who Natsuki Subaru and the members of the various factions really were, who she was, what she was capable of, the Witch of Envy and the Witch Cult, what had happened up to that point, the great entities that had changed history, and the future.

She had even been wrong about the nature of the world itself and the existence of a parallel world beyond the Great Waterfall from which Natsuki Subaru had been summoned.

And to think, this information was so crucial that it marked a milestone in history. Yet, at that moment, it was probably one of the least relevant pieces of information for understanding what to do.

Anastasia welcomed any kind of information, especially important information.

It was no surprise that she had a network of informants spread throughout the kingdom and the rest of the world, though fewer were located outside Lugunica.

This time, however, the information was too abundant and, above all, too important, with unimaginable implications.

The list of inaccuracies, misunderstandings, and oversights committed by everyone, including Anastasia herself, seemed endless.

She barely realized that she had returned to her body for several minutes during which no one did anything. However, her mind worked like the slave Anastasia had once been.

She felt that she might faint from mental exhaustion at any moment.

After that lapse of time, the first thing the greedy merchant noticed was the warm, reassuring sunlight, in contrast to the cold darkness that had surrounded the unfortunate audience during the vision.

Then, she felt moisture and realized that the tea had fallen from her hand, staining her lilac dress and soaking her diary.

At that moment, she looked up and saw Julius, her knight.

Anastasia thought, "That's just my karma, knowing that the same information I value can kill me. I have no other word to describe it."

Rem: That future again. What could change so much because of a decision made by Rem, the hero, or anything else that could cause such a change?

Emilia: I don't know, Rem. I don't want to know the truth.

Ram: I agree, Emilia-sama. Barusu always gets us into trouble. Hmph.

Petra: But you can't just lock him up for no reason! What about everything he's done for us?"

Frederica: Don't worry, Petra. We would never do that. The only thing that will change is that Subaru-sama will be even happier.

Beatrice: Actually, you should be concerned about the possible butterfly effects that could occur.

Anastasia: What are you talking about? Anastasia had previously discussed this with her camp and couldn't help but consider possible scenarios to devise a future strategy.

Roswaal: "Of course, this phenomenon is presumably unavoidable. Knowing who is behind the cult, change the instructions in your gospels. But..."

Beatrice: "I suppose there is also the possibility that the archbishops are putting on a charade, and that they have seen the same thing we have."

Emilia: That would mean that...

Rem: They know about Subaru-kun's ability and his possible position as a candidate for sage.

Despite being the "best of knights," he was doing a terrible job of maintaining his composure at that moment.

His posture was slouched, his gaze was downward-turned, and he almost appeared to be bowing. His shoulders were visibly shaking, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

He looked like a completely different person. Just a few minutes earlier, he had radiated elegance.

Anastasia really wanted to cheer him up.

She wanted to cry with him for hours and then talk about everything: how she had forgotten him, how they had both died horrible deaths, and how utterly incompetent and ignorant they had been until now.

She wanted to talk about how little they really mattered in all of this.

But she couldn't. There was no time.

They were going to attack tomorrow, and they couldn't afford to make any mistakes this time.

Drastic measures had to be taken immediately.

"Julius," the merchant shouted in a monotone, lifeless voice. "Inform the Council of Ten immediately of an imminent, large-scale attack by the Witch Cult."

"..."

"Julius, I know how you feel, but we don't have time."

"..."

The knight remained unresponsive.

"Julius!"

"E-eh!?"

"Go to the Council and warn them about the Witch Cult right now!"

After a few seconds of silence, the knight finally understood his lady's words. He stood up, still trembling.

"Yes, my lady!"

Then, still rather clumsily, he ran out of the room.

After watching him leave, Anastasia buried her face in her hands, feeling completely exhausted and exasperated.

Now, she would have to throw away the diary in front of her and start a new one, along with all the plans she had made up to that point.

However, she knew that no amount of paper would be enough to organize her thoughts at that moment.

Ricardo: Wow, Juli! You really do seem quite unchivalrous, as you say."

Julius: Not now, Ricardo. This will clearly be an extreme battle of attrition for them," he said, running his hand through his hair and sighing.

Felix: They don't have much time. It must have been complicated to mobilize, even if it was just a drill.

Crush: "I'm impressed by how well you handled the situation. You kept a cool head and thought things through clearly."

Anastasia: Obviously, there's a reason I'm not the merchant princess. Knowing my priorities and reading situations has helped me a lot.

Mimi: The boss is awesome!

Tivey: If you can't think straight when faced with an enemy attack and let your emotions get the better of you, it won't do you any good. It's one of the things a candidate must take into consideration.

Ram: Yes, and that's why Emilia-sama should learn useful things instead of useless things, like Barusu.

Emilia: Ram! I do have candidate skills for a reason, don't I? Right?

Beatrice: "In fact, we're moving because we don't want the disease of idiocy to affect us.

Julius Juukulius ran frantically toward the exit, though it looked more like he was running away.

He didn't know exactly what he was running away from, yet he understood perfectly.

An ironic contradiction, considering the situation.

He didn't care how the people in the other rooms were doing. He wasn't in a mental or emotional state to make the slightest gesture of courtesy.

However, when he saw someone in front of him, he stopped in astonishment.

"Hey, Nii-sama, are you okay?" Where are you going so fast?"

It was Joshua Juukulius, his beloved adopted younger brother.

Julius was destined to be unable to protect Joshua, nor himself, from Roy Alphard, who stole their memories and names, leaving them in the same inhumane condition as... that person.

Now, however, his eyes were open, although he was clearly confused by his adoptive brother's attitude. His mouth moved, and his brow furrowed.

Life was painted on his face, unlike how it would be in the future if Julius did nothing to change it.

Faced with this realization, the lilac-haired knight recognized his priorities. This brought him to his senses, if only a little. He would do as his lady commanded, but first, he must apologize to the one he had failed.

It was a mistake, an irresponsible one, but Julius couldn't ignore his overwhelming feelings at that moment. He was still unable to think clearly or hide his emotions.

How could Joshua admire someone like him? He couldn't explain it.

At that moment, though, he didn't need a reason to seek comfort.

Without further thought, he embraced Joshua. After a moment of hesitation, his younger brother returned the gesture.

Joshua felt the warmth of his body, the tears running down his usually pristine face, and the violent tremors shaking him.

Joshua was not accustomed to being the one to comfort him. In fact, during tragedies, Julius was usually the one to comfort him.

What could have happened to bring him to this state?

"Sir...?"

I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Joshua! I didn't do what I should have done!

"What are you talking about, Nii-sama?" You always know what to do!

No, you're wrong! It's not true that I always know what to do. I have failed to protect you and my loved ones far more often than I have saved them.

This couldn't be further from the truth for Joshua: Julius had always saved the lives of those around him thanks to his abilities.

However, the Spirit Arts knight's perspective was now distorted.

For him, the fact that Joshua had been attacked even once was enough to blame himself, no matter how many times he had saved Joshua before.

His way of thinking was beginning to emulate that of another so-called "perfect knight."

Most looked down on Julius because he was aware of his beloved younger brother's possible "sleeping beauty" state. He put gluttony at the top of his list, but he couldn't do it alone. He needed a plan.

Ram felt a twinge in his chest. His little sister was in that sleeping state. Worse yet, she didn't remember him at all. Only the fool who liked to draw attention to himself remembered her. Knowing he had no control over his save points, he killed himself to save her. But the world was cruel to that black-haired fool.

Anastasia: "It seems that not only is idiocy contagious, Beatrice."

Julius: Anastasia-sama, please don't say that."

Beatrice: I guess it's the Subaru effect, which is totally inevitable.

Ram: I hope not; I couldn't stand it if everyone else started talking like Subaru.

Brother, please tell me what's going on. I also saw Mimi, Hetaro, and Tivey crying earlier, so I guess something serious is happening. I want to help in any way I can, but I need to know what's going on to do that.

Upon hearing this request, Julius placed a hand on his temple as if trying to stifle an annoying sound in his head.

"I can't tell you right now. I have too much to do, and I don't have time to explain everything that's going on. But the stakes have never been higher. We're talking about the survival of the Kingdom of Lugunica—or even the entire world."

Even Joshua lost his composure upon hearing this assessment.

"Is it really that bad?"

"Yes, you can't fully comprehend the implications of the events we are about to witness. I find it hard to comprehend them myself! But if we don't act immediately and cautiously, we could face an unprecedented disaster.

If the situation is as serious as you say, then tell me what to do. I'll follow all your instructions.

"Hide as best you can because the Witch Cult is about to launch a large-scale attack on Priestella."

Upon hearing this information, Joshua audibly swallowed.

Julius's reaction now made much more sense, although Joshua still thought it was an overreaction for the reserved gentleman. The situation was serious.

Really? How can you be so sure? Does anyone else know about this? Why didn't Anastasia-sama tell us before? It's not like her!

I can't tell you how I know yet, but rest assured that everyone responsible for the counteroffensive is already aware of this. Don't bother any of the royal candidates. Once I inform the Council of Ten about the attack, you just have to evacuate the staff to the safest shelter and hide because there's nothing else you can do.

Joshua wanted to argue and say that it wasn't true and that he could still be useful in other ways besides running away.

He wanted to argue and say that it wasn't true and that he could be useful in other ways besides running away.

But then he saw the stern, pleading look Julius gave him, which forced him to remain silent.

Julius wanted Joshua to get involved as little as possible, not because he thought Joshua couldn't contribute anything valuable, despite being useless in combat, but because he feared something might happen to him.

Emilia: And rightly so, right? Knowing that he could change his little brother's fate, I think we'd all do it without hesitation.

Ram: Certainly.

Beatrice: Indeed, I suppose so.

Felt: Obviously, big sister.

Julius: Thank you, Emilia-sama.

Tivey: Did Hetaro see all that, too?

Ricardo: Emilia-sama is right, Juli. No one will criticize or judge you for wanting to keep your family and loved ones safe.

Mimi: Yes! Mimi supports you!

Anastasia: Remember, Julius, be greedy.

Julius: I will, Anastasia-sama.

All right, Nii-sama. I'll do as you say. But what about Anastasia?" Will she be all right?

I don't know, but she won't be alone. We'll all have a lot to think about, but at least now we probably have a better idea of what to do—or what not to do—although I'm not sure. Don't bother her about anything except the shelters. I have to go tell the council now.

The younger brother nodded at this. He would fulfill his task perfectly for his older brother, who was in such a difficult situation.

However, Julius was still there, holding him by the shoulders and looking at him with overwhelming intensity. He had never seen his eyes burn with such passion and fill with tears.

"Take care of yourself, Joshua. That's not a suggestion. I won't be able to bear it if anything happens to you."

Joshua felt a mixture of amazement and emotion at this spontaneous and moving statement. His brother was truly the best.

He smiled radiantly and touched the knight's right hand.

"All right, Nii-sama, but only if you do the same."

Julius nodded in response and wiped away his tears.

Then, he hurried toward the exit as quickly as possible.

"I'm sorry, but I need you to be quiet; otherwise, I won't be able to concentrate."

The best knights resumed their mad dash toward the Palace of the Muses, where Kiritaka resided.

Julius had calculated that it wouldn't take long, especially with the help of a mixture of Yang and Wind magic to enhance his speed.

Normally, he would limit himself to running without using magic to avoid breaking the local law, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

However, due to his bad mood, he had some difficulty concentrating on where he needed to go.

Since regaining consciousness, his companions had bombarded him with questions about what was happening. They sensed the knight's drastic mood change, which frightened them greatly.

Julius hated to silence his most loyal companions this way, but he needed to pull himself together, and he couldn't do that while the spirits continued to bother him.

Not that he himself didn't already have significant trouble maintaining his composure given his situation.

Al asked, "Who would have thought the perfect gentleman would break the rules?" Well, even if that's true, there's no need to hold back.

Priscilla: Who gave you permission to speak, dog? This time, though, I won't hit you. I suggest you say nothing.

Al: *...*

Julius: La, Kua, Alo, Ake, In, and Nes, please forgive me, but it is necessary.

Everyone walking around the city that day should have died at least once. Men, women, and children—all of them.

It didn't matter if they had burned with the rest of the kingdom, drowned, or been transformed into grotesque monsters. Julius walked among the dead, in stark contrast to the peaceful surroundings.

He knew such things were less likely to happen now that they knew the circumstances that could turn Natsuki Subaru into a monster in other timelines. But instead of calming him down, this only increased his anxiety.

He felt he could understand what Subaru felt every time he looped, even if only a little. It was an absolutely unpleasant experience, to say the least.

Emilia: Q-burned along with the kingdom? How horrible!"

Rem: That's definitely gluttony, since he flooded Priestella. But...

Felix: "Transformed into grotesque things?" That'll be it.

Crush: Most likely the archbishop of lust.

After all, knowing the future and then changing it was an enormous responsibility, as he had seen firsthand.

Unlike Subaru, however, Julius did not retain all the memories linked to the future shown on the screen as if he had experienced them himself. Therefore, finding his way to the Palace of the Muses was difficult, especially in a large city like Priestella.

After running nonstop for about ten minutes, he finally saw the imposing palace that would soon become the headquarters.

A few meters from the entrance, however, he heard someone else running. To his left, he saw an unexpected person also heading toward the palace.

And that was not good.

"Wait...that's...!"

Almost his entire body was exposed, and he was wearing dirty, ragged clothes typical of the Volatian territories. He wore a filthy cloak and had a broadsword at his belt. He also had only one arm.

His face was hidden by a helmet, but for Julius, that was more than enough to recognize him.

It was Aldebaran, Priscilla Barielle's servant.

His presence was a major problem for the Knight of the Spiritual Arts because he could have come to kill the Council of Ten, as Capella had accused him of doing during the vision in Arc 5.

He was definitely suspicious.

Everyone looked at the one-armed knight with cold expressions. They knew he might have some authority, but they weren't sure how trustworthy he was.

Al: In my defense, I can't say anything since I'm not technically him.

Julius: However, if they have that opinion of you, you must understand that we will also take measures.

Priscilla: You worthless knight! You dare insult my belongings? Consider yourself lucky that I haven't burned you to a crisp, given that we're in this place."

Reinhard: Priscilla-sama, Julius did not intend to insult or threaten your things. However, we must be cautious not only with him.

Priscilla: Hmph. Whatever you say, Sword Saint.

Meanwhile, Al raises his thumb, following the order to remain silent.

During the visions, it was impossible to determine the exact nature of his intentions and abilities.

Not to mention his knowledge of Witches and their abilities, such as knowing that the remains preserved in Priestella belonged to the Witch of Pride.

Although it was true that he had fought against the Archbishop of Sin of Lust, that did not mean he was completely trustworthy. Until recently, Julius would have considered such reasoning delusional.

He couldn't waste any time, so he amplified his Yang magic to move faster and block the entrance to the masked servant.

He had to do it, no matter what.

Fortunately, he reached the front door a few seconds before Aldebaran. He drew his sword and pointed it at Aldebaran.

"Stop right there!"

Aldebaran raised his hand in a gesture of innocence and took a step back at this command, uttered with such resolve.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?"

Why are you here?"

"To warn the Council of Ten about the attack, damn it!"

Julius maintained a stern expression, showing his skepticism.

"Your lover isn't with you. Why isn't she with you?"

The princess went to find Liliana because she would be useful. She shouldn't be too far from here. Now, could you stop being so suspicious of me?

Anastasia said, "Going for the Priestella diva all at once, huh?" You don't waste any time, Priscilla.

Priscilla: Hmph. She'll be one of my servants. Her voice will be more than enough to entertain me and defeat that anger of yours.

Julius wouldn't easily grant this request: Even if Aldebaran intended to warn the Council about the impending attack, they wouldn't take him seriously because he lacks credibility.

It wasn't that the servant himself was unaware of his subordinate position.

Conversely, Julius would have felt much more at ease if Priscilla had vouched for him or come in Al's place.

Despite Aldebaran's contributions to the defense of Priestella in Arc 5, albeit in a rather furtive and mysterious manner, Julius was still unwilling to trust him.

There were too many unknowns about who was hiding behind that helmet, but that was a problem for another time.

Julius normally believed in the goodness of human hearts, but that heartbreaking sight had changed his perspective. Now, determining what was "good" was not so simple, causing him to doubt the intentions of unpredictable individuals like Aldebaran.

Julius decided to sheathe his sword but kept a cold, neutral gaze on the man, making no effort to hide his emotions—something he hadn't done in a long time.

All right. As you can imagine, I also ran here to warn the Council about the Cult's attack. If it's okay with you, I'd like you to stand guard at the entrance and make sure no enemies get in."

He didn't appreciate the implication in Julius's words and replied with clear irritation.

"Since when did the 'Best of Knights' become so distrustful? Why are you so shocked by being poisoned by your best friend that you can no longer distinguish your enemies from your allies?

Faced with this cruel provocation, the "Best of Knights" opened his eyes for a few seconds, then narrowed them dangerously as his body began to shake violently.

If Reinhard or Felix had been present, they would have sworn they had never seen him so furious.

Julius also opened his eyes, but for a different reason: Subaru killed me like no one else.

Wilhelm: Poisoned? That's something.

Felix said, "That's horrible. That can't be Subaru-kyun."

Anastasia shuddered at the sight of her knight's hatred on the screen. He had always remained calm in the face of adversity, but seeing him like this turned her stomach.

Crush: Apparently, evil Subarus treat murder like it's their daily bread. It's disgusting, to say the least.

Roswaal smiled and began to ramble, "Perhaps Subaru-kun and I have some kind of agreement in one of those worlds. If his conviction to bring Emilia-sama to the throne remains intact, then surely it is so."

Several ungentlemanly thoughts crossed the mind of the lilac-haired knight.

The fresh wound burned painfully, but Aldebaran's sarcastic comment exacerbated the internal pain because, deep down, Julius knew it was true.

Julius Juukulius lost himself and his trust in others in that theater. He no longer had a compass to guide him. He had seen his family forget him, his friends abandon and betray him, and his loved ones die. He was completely powerless to prevent things from going wrong.

He had no idea what to do or who to turn to.

However, Aldebaran was right about one thing: Julius could not afford to get involved in such disputes at that moment.

The masked man was suspicious, and Julius would make sure to find out more about him, but not now.

He decided to swallow the bitter pill and ignore the insult hurled at him. He would focus on warning the Council.

He needed to distinguish his priorities.

After all, being "the best knight" was no longer just a matter of appearances. Subaru had proven it by becoming a much better knight.

After taking a deep breath, Julius brushed a strand of hair aside and resumed his conversation. His expression was a mixture of neutrality and sharpness.

"I apologize for my lack of composure, which is inappropriate for the current situation. However, my opinion of you has not changed. I still believe that you and the council members should not be in the same room because I don't know your intentions or what you plan to say to them. But I think you know that sooner or later, you will have to confess."

Al said nothing in response, maintaining an air of cold rigidity.

"But if you insist on seeing them, I will go with you." I hope you have good reasons to meet them, or else I will reaffirm my pride." What do you intend to do?"

There was a few seconds of tense silence during which all external noise seemed muffled.

Then, Al rubbed the back of his neck and replied in a tired, irritated tone.

"All right, let's go..."

After this "truce," the Spirit Knight and Aldebaran quickly made their way to the meeting room of the Palace of the Muses, where the ten members of the Council were gathered.

However, neither of them had forgotten the other's warnings, a fact that still weighed heavily on their minds, albeit for different reasons.

Reinhard thought, "It seems that theater left us more hostile than ever. It's unexpected for Julius to act like that."

Felt: Yes, but that also involves us, doesn't it? This guardian also told us about those options.

Julius: However, Felt-sama, according to what we were told, the others are in the past. Therefore, they will no longer happen, and we should not worry about those paths.

Crush: Emilia, you've been very quiet. Are you thinking about something?"

Emilia: Well, I was curious about why Priestella would actually attack. It may sound strange, but I think I know her.

Crush: I don't think you're lying, but...

Reinhard: My divine protection of empathy indicates that Emilia feels sadness toward this archbishop and, for some reason, nostalgia.

Anastasia: In the book Natsuki-kun left us, it said his name was Sirius Romanee-Conti. That was the name of the Archbishop of Sloth.

Julius: Betelgeuse—or rather, Petelgeuse—before the Witch of Sloth destroyed it.

Emilia: I don't want to believe it, but maybe it's Mother Fortune. I saw her die, but what if...

Roswaal: What if Pandora denied her death after you froze her to give her the factor of wrath?

Wilhelm thoughtfully said: "That witch again. She was the reason my Theresia died."

"What do you mean four Archbishops of Sin are going to attack Priestella tomorrow?"

"I wish I were wrong, sir, but unfortunately, it's true."

Aldebaran and Julius had delivered their report, and things had gone exactly as expected. The Ten Council members were in a panic.

"This is absurd! The Cult had never launched an operation of this magnitude before.

This observation made sense. Until then, most of the Cult's raids had been led by the Archbishop of Sloth and had targeted small, defenseless villages.

Therefore, a massive attack on one of the five cities in the capital was an extremely serious threat.

What should they do now? They're attacking us tomorrow!

At this question, the servant intervened.

"First, evacuate the civilians, but don't tell them that the city is under attack by Metia. It's crucial to prevent panic. You could tell them it's a simulation, for example.

Al's suggestion was quite ingenious, especially since Priestella was known for conducting drills in case one of the four towers failed. The transfer of civilians would take relatively little time.

At that moment, Kiritaka spoke again.

"Indeed, the plan proposed by...?"

"Al, sir."

"Yes, Al. I was saying that your plan is a viable solution, but how will we defend ourselves against four Archbishops of Sin? If I recall correctly, one of them destroyed the city of Garkla single-handedly."

Julius responded to this legitimate concern with measured determination.

"We will take care of the defense and counterattack, sir, but we will need this palace as our headquarters."

No one objected to this request, but skepticism and doubt were clearly visible on the faces of the ten council members. Julius's statement, particularly the part about the counteroffensive, seemed overly bold and reckless.

Wilhelm: In fact, Al-dono's suggestion is quite effective, and Priestella regularly holds drills of this scale.

Reinhard: The fortified city of Garkla, in Vollachia, was destroyed by the greedy archbishop Regulus Corneas. The warrior Kurgan also died.

Julius: That was surely where they took his body and turned him into a warrior, even after his death.

Felix: Just like with the previous Sword Saint.

At that moment, Al resumed the conversation.

Furthermore, it is crucial to seal the city's borders. No one should be able to enter or leave except a specific group of people.

"And who would that group be?"

After a few seconds of silence, Aldebaran spoke again, his tone slightly colder than before. Meanwhile, Julius paled as he realized who the one-armed man was referring to.

"Camp Emilia, sir. As you know, they will arrive soon to negotiate with Anastasia Hoshin."

"And how exactly do you know all this?" Anastasia Hoshin informed me that Camp Priscilla would not be participating in the meeting.

This information is irrelevant to you. What is crucial is that Camp Emilia be escorted safely to the Palace of the Muse. Without them, we could lose this battle."

Upon hearing this, the entire council turned to Julius, who nodded silently. With this tacit consent, Aldebaran continued.

Another sensible strategy would be to station a contingent of knights, each equipped with a communication device, at each tower and the administrative center. These are the main targets of the Witch Cult.

This final proposal, however, met with immediate opposition. The Spirit Knight shook the servant's shoulder in frustration.

"Have you gone mad?! They would have no chance against the Archbishops of Sin!"

"No, but they could warn us when one of them makes their first move.

I refuse to consent to this inhumane strategy. You are deliberately sending men to their deaths."

"Well, that's their job, isn't it? Would you rather be in the dark when the archbishops attack? They'll probably adjust their tactics, just like us."

"Tch—!"

Julius: "I also refuse to do such a thing. No ordinary knight could stand up to an archbishop.

Al: So what do you propose, Perfect Knight? That there won't be any casualties? Will you use your brother as insurance if someone dies?

Julius and the others were shocked by what the one-armed knight said. Using Subaru in such a horrific way was unthinkable to them.

Julius: No, you're wrong, but we can't let those knights die for nothing.

Al said, "As the other me said, it's their job. Sooner or later, they have to give their lives." Besides, they're not the four archbishops of sin. If God or Od takes pity on us—which I highly doubt—we're going to face six archbishops of sin. If they screw us over even more, then we'll face the witch of vanity, Pandora.

Julius wanted to refute that, but he knew it was possible. The Gluttony Brothers, especially Louis Arneb, were more dangerous than the other two.

Al's comment was unpleasant but realistic. They had predicted how the attack would initially unfold, but it was now almost impossible for events to remain the same. Like the various loops Subaru had experienced, this timeline was bound to deviate from its original course.

Despite the logic of this reasoning, however, Julius couldn't help but feel that Al was adapting too quickly to such an absurdly catastrophic situation.

It just wasn't a normal reaction unless one was someone like Roswaal, who cared about nothing but his own plans and reviving his sensei.

Julius found the existence of such calculating and selfish individuals repugnant, especially since he suspected that Subaru might become the worst of them all in that regard.

Fortunately, Julius wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"I understand the pragmatic strategy you're proposing, Al, but I refuse to prioritize the lives of civilians over those of our loyal knights."

Kiritaka stood up and expressed his disagreement.

"According to your report, Mr. Juukulius, the Witch Cult isn't attacking the city with the intention of destroying it, is it?"

"No, rather they intend to besiege it and take it hostage to force us to comply with their demands, which we obviously will not grant."

"And what exactly are those demands?"

"They demand that we hand over the remains of the Witch stored here."

Upon hearing this, Kiritaka and the rest of the council became even more tense.

“If you bring us this information, it means that you and the Cult are both aware of the existence of these remains, correct?”

"That is correct, Kiritaka-sama."

"Then you must also know that it is physically impossible to remove them from their current location."

"We know that, too, but I doubt the Cult cares."

One of the other council members rubbed his forehead wearily at this response.

"By the Divine Dragon, when did this information leak?"

Tivey: "It hasn't leaked yet, has it?" As he adjusted his monocle.

Mimi: "Mimi will defend Garf at all costs, yes sir!"

Garfiel: Hey, what are you talking about, shorty? Obviously, I'm the one who will protect everyone. I'll be the best shield ever.

Several people laughed at the conversation between the two small demihumans. Ricardo looked at Garfiel as if he had lost the most precious thing in the world.

Anastasia said, "Wow, Ricardo, it looks like Mimi will soon have someone else, don't you think?"

Ricardo: Over my dead body, Ana-bo.

Wouldn't it be better to isolate those areas and wait for them to act? That way, they'd have to come to us and not the other way around."

That might be feasible for the towers, but I doubt it's practical for the administrative center. They plan to use it to make an announcement that would upset the population.

Under normal circumstances, the public learning about the Archbishops' attack and becoming unsettled by Metia's broadcasts would not be a serious problem. However, the Sirius Authority could turn those shelters into bloody massacres where everyone would die.

They had to find a way to address that particular threat at least.

"What if we sabotaged the administrative center right after announcing the simulation?"

Julius pondered this suggestion.

While it was true that the announcement would also mobilize the Cult, sabotaging the Metia immediately afterward would prevent anyone from using it. Therefore, the Cult would not be able to broadcast its demands.

Julius was not enthusiastic about the Cult using the administrative center, of course. However, if they were denied access, they would likely protest more violently.

Regulus might raze a district in retaliation, claiming that his right to proclaim Emilia as his wife had been denied.

It was a significant risk.

We will consider the idea, but we would prefer to consult with the other candidates before making a decision.

Understood. For now, let's announce the simulation and wait for the other royal candidates to arrive so we can formulate a strategy.

After putting off that last difficult decision, Julius bowed and left the room, followed by Aldebaran. However, Aldebaran stopped at the door and turned around. Julius stopped as well, waiting to see what would happen.

"I hope you'll forgive me for what I'm about to say, but I think you're being rather naive."

"What do you mean by that?"

Priscilla asked. "What does your other jester have to say about this?"

Al: He's probably talking about the Gluttony Bro's version since I only need two people: one who came up with the plan and one who executed it.

Crush: With that kind of information, I guess anyone would easily connect the dots.

Anastasia: Certainly, Crush. These are archbishops; they won't hesitate for a second.

Julius: I think we're getting ahead of ourselves, Anastasia-sama.

It's true that we now have a clear idea of their plans, but I think your optimism is excessive. Especially considering how you've been protecting those towers until now.

At this insinuation, the temperature in the room seemed to drop, and the tension rose further.

"What exactly are you implying?"

That you've been too careless until now? From what I've seen, only one person with a good plan and someone willing to execute it would be enough to flood this trap disguised as a city.

Behind him, Julius's face turned green with nausea.

After delivering that cryptic criticism, obvious enough to those who knew what he meant, Aldebaran walked out decisively. He ignored everything the council had to say, not looking back.

Julio followed him with shaky, uncertain steps.

The room was left with an atmosphere of tense, anxious silence.

Al: Maybe I'll become a medium and make money from it.

Felix: It was obvious, ya.

Beatrice: Actually, I suppose so.

I can do it. I can do it. I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! I can do it.

Anastasia was in another meeting room in the palace with the other camps, including Priscilla's. The silence there was even worse than in the council chamber.

None of them were coping well. Not at all.

Some trembled nervously with pale faces, while others looked away to distract themselves. Still others continued to glare at some or all of those present. Another group seemed about to melt from sweating so much.

He had safely moved everyone from their luxurious lodgings to headquarters, and Julius had successfully alerted the city. Afterward, he and Priscilla's servant returned to their respective camps.

The easiest part of his improvised, hastily devised security plan had been carried out, albeit inefficiently and clumsily.

Now, he was waiting for the most important group yet to arrive: Camp Emilia.

They should arrive in a couple of hours, but surely they would arrive sooner.

The Kararagi merchant couldn't wait for Camp Emilia to arrive so they could begin discussing everything.

There were too many unresolved issues to address.

However, another part of her, equally as strong, would give anything to never see their faces again.

That part of her just wanted to curl up in a hole and cry nonstop.

She didn't know how the others felt, but she could imagine that they were probably in the same state.

Usually, when she was stressed about an important deal or situation, she would shake her bag of coins to calm down. This reminded her that her greed had gotten her far, and everything would be fine.

At that moment, though, manipulating coins didn't seem like a good idea.

In addition to Emilia, four other people were still missing: Liliana, Heinkel Astrea, Schult, and Felix Argyle.

Ricardo said, "Wow, Ana-bo, I haven't seen you like this since you were little in Kararagi."

Anastasia: Don't remind me, Ricardo. That courtesan was no joke. But something intrigues me. What could I have seen that caused such a furor with my relaxation method?

Reinhard: What do you mean Liliana is missing? It should be easy to find her.

Wilhelm: Heinkel, my son, what are you doing? Why did you leave?

Crush: Ferris, is there any reason for you to disappear so suddenly? "He wondered what they might have seen to cause such behavior.

Felix: Nothing, Crush-sama! But I imagine it's because of what I saw.

Priscilla: Schult? That commoner guardian made my servant witness all of this. She covered half of her face with her fan, but she was clearly angry that the poor child saw all of those atrocities.

Al: Come on, man! Didn't even little Schult escape this? This is bullshit!

When Heinkel arrived with the rest of the camp, he started fighting with everyone, especially the other two Astreas.

However, no one had the time or patience to indulge the drunken commander this time, so Priscilla knocked him out with a kick and ordered Schult to drag him into another room.

She was actually about to kill him with the Yang Sword, but Anastasia stopped her. She argued that, despite who Heinkel was, he could prove useful to the cause.

Priscilla then declared that she would personally convince Heinkel to contribute, and no one responded. Not even Wilhelm or Reinhard.

Liliana, for her part, thought the tense atmosphere was the perfect opportunity to start singing, and she was expelled immediately.

She was told that if she obeyed the orders she would receive later, she would be generously rewarded and allowed to join Priscilla's camp.

Unlike the other three absentees, Felix had not even set foot in the room; he was resting in the medical room.

This was problematic because Felix could have contributed to formulating a plan or doing something.

However, when he returned to his body and began repeatedly banging his head against the wall, it wasn't the best time to involve him.

So, Reinhard did everyone a favor and knocked Felix unconscious. Some wondered if Reinhard had killed Felix instead of incapacitating him.

Priscilla said, "Hmph, at least he knows how to behave like a quality servant, obeying my orders like the goddess that I am."

Crush: Ferris, because this is much worse than I thought. If he has to hit himself like that, it's even worse.

Felt: Hey! Why do you think Rein killed him for God? It's just Rein. Look at him.

"I appreciate it, Felt-sama, but we don't know what happened to these versions of us," Reinhard said. Maybe it's exaggerated, but if the previous narratives make sense, then I'm in pretty bad shape too.

Al: At least the princess avoided something unnecessary. Thank God Schult won't be there.

Mimi finds it funny how the singer is depressed because she can't sing!

Tivey: Sister, please lower your voice.

After what seemed like an eternity, a messenger entered the room and announced that Camp Emilia had arrived at its destination.

The tension grew even thicker at that moment, becoming so intense for Anastasia that she wondered if Sirius had already activated his Authority.

Despite everything, Anastasia Hoshin would not falter—or at least, that was what she hoped.

"I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! I can do it!

 After what felt like two hours, but was actually only a couple of minutes, someone knocked on the door, and Rachins jumped.

Then, the door opened slowly, and Otto slid through the crack.

He looked like he was about to faint from anxiety too, shaking like jelly during an earthquake.

"Uh, we're here. Would you like everyone to come in right now, or would you rather... I don't know. Wait a few minutes first?"

Priscilla, whose limited patience was already on the verge of collapse, saw no reason for hesitation. She made her displeasure clear by barking at the merchant, whose skin tone matched his clothes.

"MOVE, YOU HALF-DEVIL MERCHANTS! Can't you see we have no time to lose?"

Otto didn't need to be told twice. He ran back to the door, opened it wide, and stepped aside to let the rest of the camp in.

At that very moment, Anastasia Hoshin's world went dark.

Garfiel: Otto-bro, why are you so scared? It's just the captain! Right?

Otto: I'd rather not jump to conclusions without seeing anything first, Garf. I think that would be best.

Al: Princess, why do you look so... The Baroness of the Sun kicked the one-armed knight's helmet, causing it to crash into the theater walls.

Priscilla: Aldebaran, don't talk nonsense. It's obvious that they're wasting my valuable time on unnecessary matters like that."

"Yes, Princess. And please don't call me that. You know I don't like it.

Anyone who saw the Princess of the Sun would think she was calm. However, her mind recalled a scene they had witnessed.

"Don't worry about this, Priscilla. Natsuki Subaru will fix everything. See you at the second meeting. "Damn commoner! How dare you confront a goddess like me?" I will make you my slave. You will regret those things," she said, concentrating all her willpower so that her hand would not start to shake.

The other candidates, her knight, and anyone else who could have helped her had disappeared. Everything around her burst into flames and burned fiercely.

Then, a boy emerged from the fire, the one responsible for all the destruction.

He had a toned body, a beautiful face disfigured by madness, wild gleams in his cruel eyes, and a distorted smile.

He wore a black and orange tracksuit, the same one worn by the hero who had saved them all many times.

At that moment, Anastasia Hoshin could no longer lie to herself. Her body made it clear when her trembling mouth expelled a repulsive mess onto the floor.

"I can't do this..."

Chapter Text

I can't do this...

As the last scene played on the screen, the theater lights came on, signaling the end of the episode.

Several (if not all) had the same question running through their minds: >What the hell did they see to be in such a state?<

Of course, at first they felt that way, but then they calmed down, until the visualization of >GLUTTONY< appeared. But despite everything, they made it clear that they would work together to avoid that possible fate, but... What about the rest?

They would think they still had that thought, but what if they didn't? If they thought it was a potential threat to everyone, they would take drastic measures.

But after a few conversations, they ended up in mutual agreement to continue with the first plan they had drawn up, but after that, they would undoubtedly have a rather long talk.

Well, I'll let you rest for an hour, so you can calm your mind and be ready for the next visualization. I'll also do some things for the near future.

As soon as the guardian said those words as if he were a robot, one by one they got up from their chairs. They didn't speak or look at anyone. Each one went to their rooms to try to clear their minds.

Reinhard, Felix, and Julius were walking aimlessly, thinking about many things at once, but then the redhead saw a stranger coming out of a door. He was no more than five years old, but something about that child caught his attention.

Reinhard: Excuse me, little one, but are you lost? How did you get here?

The child quickly turned around to face him and he saw his features: black hair, golden eyes, a rather childish look, but what caught his attention most was that he looked like Subaru.

Subaru Spirit: Oh, it's Reinhard, Felix, and Juli! How have you been? Have you been taking good care of yourselves?

Felix: Subaru-kyun? said the semi-human rag when he saw a variant of Subaru, but like Reinhard, he had something inexplicable about him.

Julius: A spirit? And not just any spirit, but a great spirit of yang, I imagine, but how?

Little Subaru didn't pay attention to that, so he asked them, "Hey, have you seen Mama-tia? And you could say I'm lost, hehe."

Mama-tia?

Nya?

Tia? Maybe it's the great spirit of wind and murder, Zarestia?

But before they could do or say anything, the Subaru spirit ran off, shouting Mama-tia's name at the top of his lungs.

*...*

*...*

That was strange, nya.

In the theater bar, you could see the one-armed knight Al, Anastasia's mercenary Ricardo, and the green-clad merchant Otto relaxing with drinks.

Garfiel, Mimi, Tivey, and Petra were seen playing and laughing in a modern park in one of the entertainment rooms.

Some were trying to sleep or simply rest in their rooms, while others simply couldn't.

Ram was walking through the endless corridors until she saw the figure of a boy in the distance.

Ram quickened her pace and raised her voice so that the boy could hear her. "Hey, you! Stay where you are."

The frightened boy turned around, revealing his face. He was probably about twelve or thirteen years old, with blue hair and unpleasant eyes that she knew very well, and he was dressed like someone from Kararagi.

?: Y-yes, miss, what is it? Stammering, he could only say a few words to the maid, who looked at him as if she remembered where she had seen him before.

Ram: What are you doing here and who are you?

?: Um, well, I was with my mom at our house when suddenly, on my way to my room, I found this place, but... The boy wanted to say something but wanted to avoid any kind of trouble. "No, excuse me if I bothered you, miss. Bye, thank you very much."

Ram stood there bewildered, watching the boy's back, but his features reminded her of her beloved little sister and the lecherous Barusu. Ram felt like castrating Barusu.

Meanwhile, in one of the theater seats, a sleeping black-haired boy sneezed.

From time to time, some said they saw Subaru awake, even an older Subaru wearing clothes almost identical to Al's, but after Reinhard, Felix, and Julius told them about the Subaru they saw, they put that conversation aside for the moment.

Although it was only a one-hour break, it took three hours, but surprisingly, the guard said nothing and did not appear at any time.

So each camp passed through the large doors of the theater and sat in their respective seats.

Emilia: Do you think we will continue to see that world where we distrust Subaru? Playing with her fingers, the half-elf expressed her opinion on what she had seen.

Rem: I don't know Emilia-sama, but Rem wants to see Subaru-kun with blue eyes, as she began to fantasize about that Subaru.

Ram cursed Barusu.

Priscilla: Hmpf A commoner is a commoner even if he dresses in silk, my divine being doesn't care—she took her fan out of her cleavage while fanning herself.

Crush: W-well, I wouldn't mind seeing that Subaru either, to be honest—remembering those dominant blue eyes, the duchess blushed.

Felix looked at her as if he had been stabbed, while Wilhelm gave her an approving look.

The dim lights of the theater began to dim, and everyone fell silent, waiting and praying that they would not continue to see that, but rather the blue-eyed Subaru.

Garfiel wanted to see that red ball that destroyed everything in its path again, rocking back and forth in his seat.

But the girls in the theater could only think of one thing: those big blue eyes that Subaru had.

The moon shone in the night sky, transforming the once intense orange tones into a captivating blanket of darkness. Small sparkling white dots, reminiscent of pearls, adorned the vast expanse.

In the capital of Lugunica, a silver-haired half-elf stood in a stable full of noble carriages, her pretty, analytical expression adorning her face, clearly searching for something.

Next to her, a white-haired man gazed at the night sky, fascinated by its beauty. Subaru had always loved watching the stars; as a child, he would sneak off to a secluded corner of the forest, lying on a cliff, to gaze at the view whenever he had a free moment.

"The constellations here are different. I don't think this world even has a North Star. When I get the chance, I'll draw the stars; it'll be fun," he mused, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"Grateful to the one above" was a thought shared among the girls, but a sharp cry echoed through the theater.

Petra: Yes! I wanted to see this Subaru-samaaaa—Petra, realizing she had acted unconsciously, blushed redder than an Appa.

Frederica chuckled and began patting the little servant on the head.

Meanwhile, Anastasia, Julius, and Tivey wrote down everything about the stars and constellations.

They remained in that moment of tranquility for a few minutes until a voice broke the silence.

"¡Lady Emilia!"

Turning toward the sound, Subaru's gaze fell on a pink-haired woman dressed in a pink maid's outfit. "A French maid's outfit? Why would that exist here? How strange..." she thought, then discreetly analyzed her with her Six Eyes.

Her mana reserves were less than impressive, almost depleted, and although she could wield wind magic, what caught her attention was the mana in the atmosphere that was trying to enter her head but couldn't.

"Interesting. Shouldn't the mana flow through the door? There's nothing strange about that place. I guess there will be more questions later," she mused.

"Ram! There you are!" Emilia exclaimed, waving her hands enthusiastically as the maid hurried over.

"Emilia-sama, I've been looking everywhere for you," Ram replied with a hint of irritation in her voice, though her attitude remained professional. "Where did you go this time?"

"This time? It seems someone has been misbehaving," she smiled to herself.

"No, no! It was definitely different from last time! Something was stolen from me, but I managed to get it back," she explained, deliberately vague.

Ram: Hmpf, here comes the real star of the show, and as always, Barusu with his lustful gaze on us like that—the pink-haired maid crossed her arms and lifted her chin.

Emilia: No! That's false, it's slander against me, none of that is true, I never get lost, she said, raising and waving her hands at her sides, feeling embarrassed.

Rem: Emilia-sama, sometimes it's better to stay silent than to say something, and you are the embodiment of that saying, the other Oni servant sister commented on her mistress's stupidity.

"I see. Please let me know if something like this happens again," she warned with a serious face, which made Emilia feel a little embarrassed. "The capital can be quite dangerous at this hour."

"But I wasn't alone! Subaru was with me," she said, pointing to Subaru, who was a little further away.

"Hello! My name is Natsuki Subaru." I'm just a normal guy trying to live a normal life!" he exclaimed with a cheerful smile, pointing to himself.

Ram looked at him closely, noting his unique appearance and style. Then she turned to Emilia and asked a question that discouraged Subaru.

"Emilia-sama, who is this strange man? Why does everyone think he's strange? Just because of his clothes? Ridiculous!"

"Ram! Be nice! He helped me recover what was stolen from me and even saved my life," Emilia defended him.

"All right..." Ram replied, looking at Subaru and bowing slightly as she lifted the hem of her skirt. "On behalf of Roswaal-sama, I thank you for your help with Emilia-sama.”

"Oh, it was nothing, really. I was just happy to help," he said, dismissing her gratitude with a wave of his hand.

Ram straightened up and addressed the half-elf. "Emilia-sama, now that your business is settled, shall we head to the mansion? It's getting quite late."

Garfiel: Did you guys think the same thing about the captain? Because I did.

Otto: Garfiel, don't say it like that, but yes, I thought Natsuki-san was pretty weird.

Beatrice: Actually, I suppose so.

Ram: Totally.

Crush: I agree.

Felix: Yes-nya.

Mansion? Is she really a noble or something? Subaru thought, feeling his head spin with so many questions and so few answers. Agh. Anyway, I'll think about it later.

"Well, about that. I already told him that he could stay at the mansion for a while," she said.

"Are you sure? You know we can't let dogs in; who knows what kind of fleas he might bring in," she said with a serious expression.

"Hey! I'm not a dog, and I take my personal hygiene very seriously!" he shouted. The veins in his head were popping out.

"Ram, please don't insult my friend. He really saved my life, and I want to reward him," she said.

Ram simply nodded. "Understood, follow me. The carriage is right in front." Then she set off, followed by Emilia and a frowning Subaru.

Shortly after, they arrived at the carriage she mentioned. It was clearly designed for the nobility, adorned with striking red paint and intricate patterns. In front was an animal that was definitely not a horse.

'Wow, they really have dinosaurs here... I wonder if I could buy one as a pet?'

Ram opened the door and helped Emilia and Subaru inside. She took her place in front, took the reins, and set off.

As Subaru looked out the window, the landscape changed from stone buildings to rows of trees, open fields, and glistening bodies of water. The atmosphere inside was pleasantly quiet, which was comforting.

Subaru began to reflect on that day: being summoned, saving a child, being expelled from a place, meeting Emilia, and all the chaos that followed.

That's when he understood...

"An ordinary man doesn't experience half of what I've been through," he sighed. In less than eight hours, he had already failed in his goal before he even started.

"Well, starting tomorrow, I'll keep a low profile. I'll live my life the way I want, and no one can tell me otherwise." He began to close his eyes, feeling his body relax.

"Oh, yes... Everything will be fine," he thought as he fell asleep, his head tilted slightly to one side.

Emilia watched the scene and smiled. "Silly."

In stark contrast to the serene atmosphere inside the carriage, a scene of utter chaos was unfolding.

Ram: Hmph, a dog is still a dog after all, no matter what world or alternate timeline, it's still reckless and annoying—she snorted, feeling superior.

Rem: Nee-sama! I told you not to call Subaru-kun that—she looked at her sister with a slight pout.

Ricardo: A calm and normal guy? Ha! First, change the whole world for that to happen.

Petra: Subaru-sama looks so peaceful sleeping.

Emilia: Yes, Petra, he looks so cute—she realized what she had said and blushed as she said it.

Julius: I guess it's normal to think that way about someone, but Subaru really takes it too far, he said, running his hand elegantly through his hair.

Anastasia: Fufu, Emilia is so easy to tease with the way she talks. Now I understand Natsuki-kun, she said, chuckling as she looked at the half-elf.

Felt: Chaos? What chaos exactly?

Reinhard: Surely they won't teach us now, Felt-sama.

In the royal castle, located in the heart of the capital, one of its many rooms had a large round table surrounded by several chairs.

This was the meeting room of the council of wise men, whose main function was to advise the king and assist him in his efforts to govern the kingdom.

At that moment, however, the room was in disarray.

Julius: That's the castle, but why are we being shown it?

Felix: Could it be related to that possible chaos-nya?

Reinhard: I hope not, after all, we are also in the royal selection, and if the wise men are involved, it's something to consider.

Anastasia: It's obvious that it's about Natsuki-kun, but why didn't they show the others something like this?

Crush: It's probably because of the power of this Subaru, a protector of the kingdom perhaps.

Rem: The room looks quite messy, as if there were an emergency—suddenly she felt like cleaning the room.

This can't be happening! It can't be...

"But why now? With the royal selection..."

"Perhaps this is a sign of the end of times—"

"Enough!" A powerful voice echoed through the chaos, bringing silence to the room.

The speaker was Bordeaux Zellgaf, an elderly man with prominent blue eyebrows, wrapped in the purple cloak of the council of sages.

"Why are they acting like children? They call themselves 'Wise Men' and yet they cannot even maintain their composure in the face of such news," he roared, casting a stern glance at all but one of the council members.

"I must agree with Bordeaux. It would be unwise for us to lose our composure in the face of such a significant prophecy," said Miklotov McMahon, an elderly man with long white hair and a beard that almost touched the floor. He was the representative and de facto leader of the council of wise men.

Emilia: I don't like that sage, to be honest. He kept insulting me when the insignia recognized me and at the opening of the selection—shuddering at the memory of him yelling at her and calling her a witch.

Felix: I don't blame you, Emilia-sama. He's quite derogatory toward demi-humans, nya.

Julius: Mr. Bordeaux, despite his character, is quite understanding about some things.

Felt: I quite like the other old man, only he must be wise, the others can go to hell—raising her fists in the air as she stood up from her seat.

Reinhard: Felt-sama, what are you saying? You can't go around saying things like that.

Mimi: Mimi supports the old man with the beard and hates the one with the eyebrows.

Tivey: Sister, don't say anything else, seriously.

Ricardo couldn't help but laugh at what his beloved adopted daughter said.

Crush: They look pretty desperate, don't they? –wondering why they suddenly had this emergency meeting.

"Now, Kael Frostbane, would you be so kind as to repeat what was inscribed on the dragon tablet and explain how you came to discover it?" he asked.

The dragon tablet was an ancient stone that its guardian and deity, the Divine Volcanic Dragon, had given to the dragon kingdom of Lugunica. This tablet had guided Lugunica throughout its history, predicting events that helped the kingdom avoid calamities.

Kael Frostbane, the guardian of the stone, was a man with short gray hair and a goatee, responsible for maintaining the tablet and informing the council whenever it predicted a significant event.

"Of course, Miklotov McMahon-san." It was late when I went to check on the dragon tablet to make sure it was well cared for, and that's when I noticed something new engraved on it. It said:

"The sage has returned."

Silence of pure disbelief, some even cleaned their ears when they heard this, but there it was written in large letters that the great sage had returned.

Roswaal: Well~ I expected~ everything~ except this, to be honest~.

Crush: You're lying, Margrave.

Julius was once again stunned, remembering Subaru's power, and now it turns out that he is the great sage, as proclaimed to the world by the volcanic tablet.

Emilia: W-wait, wh-what? Subaru is the great sage? H-how? The half-elf was so bewildered that she almost fell off her seat.

Rem: Rem knew that Subaru-kun was going to be great, but they called me crazy. She crossed her arms and puffed out her chest, knowing that her prophecy about her hero was coming true.

Felix: This is quite striking.

Ricardo: What awaits you, Juli, if what happened at the castle happens here too.

Julius.exe

Anastasia: Seriously, Natsuki-kun, you always have something to surprise us with.

As the carriage approached the mansion, the faint glow of the sky had disappeared behind the horizon, giving way to the soft glow of the sun, with not a single cloud in sight. The orange light of the sun filtered through the window, illuminating the interior. A gentle breeze surrounded the carriage, bringing a refreshing sensation that Emilia and Puck, now awake, enjoyed.

Soon after, the road came to an end, and the main doors of the mansion swung open as they approached. Ram guided the carriage to the stable, where the animals that pulled the carriages rested.

Realizing that they had finally arrived, Emilia playfully nudged Subaru on the nose. "Subaru, it's time to wake up; we're here," she said.

Subaru groaned softly and woke up with a big yawn. He was still clearly tired and reluctant to leave his restful sleep. He glanced around, looking at Emilia and Puck.

"Oh, that wasn't a dream," he muttered to himself, but Emilia caught his words.

"A dream? What are you talking about?" she asked, tilting her head tenderly.

"Ah, it's nothing important. Don't worry about it," he replied.

In reality, Subaru hadn't fully accepted that yesterday's events were real. Upon waking up, he thought for a moment that it might all be a figment of his imagination, but seeing Emilia and Puck confirmed the reality.

"If it's no big deal, let's go. We're already at the mansion," said Puck, stretching lazily on top of Emilia.

"Okay."

Beatrice: I suppose you're referring to a lucid dream, in which one can confuse it with reality.

Felix: Something from the subconscious, probably caused by stress?

Al: Similar to Poliosis syndrome.

Priscilla: Be grateful, jester, I'll let you speak and explain what that is to me, divine being that I am right now.

Al: Well, Princess, Poliosis, also known as Marie Antoinette syndrome, occurs after a traumatic event and due to stress. It usually causes the hair to lose its pigmentation, turning it gray or completely white—while pointing to the top of the helmet with his only arm.

Felix joined Anastasia in writing this >Syndrome<. Well, Doctor, it was logical that you would be interested in these topics.

Emilia and Puck got out of the carriage with Ram's help, and Subaru followed closely behind. As he stepped out, he took a moment to take in the impressive surroundings.

Calling this place a mansion did not do justice to its magnificence. It was a fascinating arch-shaped structure with a pristine white fence and a blue-tiled roof. The front garden looked like a vast field, adorned with beautifully manicured lawns and vibrant flowers.

Subaru was no stranger to luxury; as the head of his clan, he managed a significant portion of its wealth and properties. However, they had never owned anything of such magnitude, as it was often considered excessive.

If the exterior was so impressive, he couldn't help but wonder what the interior would be like.

"Wow! Do you really live here, Emilia?" he asked, using his Six Eyes to take in the view, while Ram tended to the creature.

"Yes, but it's not actually mine. It belongs to my sponsor," she replied with a quick gesture.

"Sponsor? You mean the Roswaal Ram mentioned?" he asked, remembering that Ram had mentioned him when thanking him.

Emilia nodded. "Exactly, it's him. He'll reward you for helping me."

"A reward, huh? It seems like helping her was the right thing to do," he thought. He had planned to stay at the mansion for a while to get his bearings, but a reward would certainly make things easier.

Roswaal: Well~ I've been alive~ for four hundred years~, if I didn't have money, obviously~ I couldn't~ do anything~.

Al: Now I understand vampires. If I were someone so old and had nothing, I would walk in the sun and burn myself without a doubt.

Anastasia: Wow, it seems that this Natsuki-kun was the head of his family, although once again we see that he took it too far—while thinking that he really needed to give the dark-haired guy some business lessons.

Ram: Hmpf, taking advantage of Roswaal-sama's goodwill, he's definitely still the same lazy Barusu as always.

Julius: Well, at least he seems a little more aware of the situation.

Ricardo: He'll probably ask to be hired as a butler.

"By the way, do you know what kind of animal that is? I see it around here, but I don't know what it's called," he asked, pointing to the one pulling the carriage.

"Oh, that's an Earth Dragon. They're used for transportation. How come you don't know what it is?" he asked, and Subaru quickly dodged the question.

It's a long story. Anyway, let's go inside.

After Ram finished with the animal, she rejoined the group and led them to the front door. As they climbed the stairs, they were greeted by a maid identical to Ram, except that she had blue hair instead of her sister's pink.

"They're identical twins, but one has blue hair and the other has pink," he mused, studying her with his six eyes.

What he observed piqued his interest; she possessed a good amount of blue mana, which meant she had an affinity for water magic. Like her twin, he noticed the mana swirling around her head, but unlike Ram, there was a pulsing purple glow beneath it, shaped like a horn, ready to be released.

In addition, she had a unique ability that his Six Eyes identified as "Synesthesia," which allowed her to communicate with her twin through emotions.

Subaru wondered what it would be like to have that connection with Satoru. Thinking about it gave him a chill. "No way."

"Welcome back, Emilia-sama, Ram, and..." The words that had been on her lips died away as she looked at Subaru. A faint, repulsive odor floated around him, one she recognized perfectly. How long had it been since she had smelled that scent? Those feelings of terror and despair that still tormented her. A chill ran through her as she felt another emotion, one she knew intimately: rage, which began to surface.

Unaware of the maid's confusion, Subaru caught a fleeting glimpse of fear in her eyes, which quickly transformed into something more intense: bloodlust.

And it was directed at him.

Felix: At least he seems interested in learning and asks questions about things.

Otto: I wonder how his reunion with Patrasche will be—remembering the adorable Patrasche with nostalgia.

Julius: That looks quite promising; knowing someone's abilities with those eyes is quite a big advantage.

Tivey: Maybe he can also see divine blessings?

Reinhard: Actually, yes, thanks to my divine protection of perfect memory in the first chapter, it was mentioned that he almost went blind from the many divine blessings I have.

Y-yes, of course.

Priscilla: Hmpf, it seems that the maid in every world has the urge to kill him.

Ram: Priscilla-sama, I ask you not to speak that way about my dear little sister. Even Barusu forgave her, and we discussed this earlier at our camp—she narrowed her eyes dangerously as she looked at the Baroness of the Sun.

Priscilla: What do I care, you Oni trash? Did they forgive you too for knowing the plans of the fool number two?—she snapped her fan shut as she glared at the pink-haired servant.

What's with that look? It's as if I'm the most disgusting thing in the world, even though I didn't do anything wrong, she wondered. A premonition told her that her time there would be more complicated than she had thought.

"Rem," Ram said firmly but sympathetically, shaking her head slightly, which made her sit up straight, clearly feeling the tension in the air.

Subaru wished he could read minds with his six eyes; he hated feeling left out.

"Honorable Guest," she concluded with a bow, lifting her skirt gracefully.

"Hello, Rem, it's good to see you again." Emilia's carefree voice broke the tension. "We just got back from the capital. Is Roswaal around?"

Rem, now identified, shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. Roswaal left yesterday on business. He should be back later, around lunchtime."

"Oh, what a pity." She pointed to Subaru. "This is Subaru; he saved my life and helped me recover a stolen item. He's looking for a place to stay until he recovers. Could you accompany him to one of the guest rooms?"

"As you wish, Emilia-sama," Rem replied in a professional tone, hiding any displeasure she might have felt.

Then she turned to Subaru. "I'm sorry, Subaru, but I need to go to my room. I have some business to attend to." She smiled as she spoke. "Ram and Rem can show you to one of the guest rooms, okay?"

"Don't worry, go take care of your business; I'll be fine," he replied with a smile. Then he looked at the two maids and said, "Well? Go ahead!"

Al: And a certain hunch was right, wasn't it? Since he doesn't hesitate to take matters into his own hands.

Tivey: Not to mention that in the world where Emilia-sama shares the return from death, she also ignored the great spirits.

Rem: Nee-sama, I apologize once again for my behavior despite the warnings you gave me at the time, I did not heed them—she rose from her chair and bowed to her beloved sister.

Emilia: Rem, don't say anything like that anymore, okay? I'm sure Subaru would say the same thing as Rem, that you're not yourself, so we can't say no, but we can help Subaru in other ways, she said, giving her a bright smile and eyes full of determination.

Ram: Ram is impressed by what you said, Emilia-sama. How about helping with your studies, which you haven't done well in? Take your other self as an example.

Anastasia: Oh, Emilia, with that ignorance and disbelief, anyone could take advantage of you.

Subaru followed the twin maids up the stairs to the mansion, while Emilia turned left down a hallway. 

As she walked, she took a moment to admire her surroundings. The walls were adorned with exquisite paintings and opulent furniture that the peasants of this world could only dream of. "The owner of this place must be immensely wealthy if even the furniture is made of gold."

However, his thoughts soon returned to the intense animosity the blue-haired maid had shown him. He recognized that expression perfectly; it was the look one gets when they lose a loved one. He even recognized the mask she wore afterwards.

He had experienced a similar situation before.

Crush: A similar situation? That's something new.

Wilhelm: This Subaru-dono has probably lost someone dear to him, whether a friend or a family member.

Ram: Obviously Roswaal-sama has the best taste, and someone like Barusu won't understand what true art is.

Al: I say again about vampires, if I had absolutely nothing and was on the street, I would willingly walk towards the sun.

Otto: A mask, huh? We have a lot of work ahead of us because of Od Natsuki-san. The merchant scratched the back of his neck as he felt he needed another drink.

But it was strange because it was the first time he had met her, so he couldn't have done anything to hurt her.

"Should I try to clear things up?" he thought, but he sensed that bringing up the subject now could lead to a confrontation. So he chose to remain silent for the moment.

Good decision, Subaru-kyun.

Actually, I guess that's for the best.

He's the strongest captain; nothing can defeat him.

Shortly after, they arrived at one of the rooms and stopped. Ram pointed to the door. "This will be your room, honorable guest." She opened it, revealing a luxurious interior.

He quickly assessed the space: a queen-size bed, a wooden dresser, a large wardrobe, and a wooden desk tucked into a corner. A window offered a view of the mansion's facade, and there was a door that probably led to a bathroom.

"Ha ha, now that's a room!" he exclaimed with a smile. It may not have had the modern conveniences of the 21st century, but for him it was more than enough.

"Indeed. Roswaal-sama makes sure that all his guests are well taken care of, regardless of their status," Ram replied, and Subaru nodded.

But then he read between the lines and understood what he meant: "Regardless of their status? You mean I...?" 

Now, please make yourself comfortable. Rem will bring you breakfast while I find you some nightclothes. He bowed before leaving with his sister.

Subaru found himself alone in the room, lying on the bed and enjoying the comfort of the soft mattress. He began to reflect on his new situation.

"It's okay, Subaru. You're in a whole new world. This is your chance to start over, just like you always wanted. First things first: you need to learn about this place—its history, culture, and traditions. After that, finding a job should be your priority," he reminded himself as he planned his stay at the mansion.

Emilia has been kind enough to let me stay here, but I can't take advantage of her generosity or that Roswaal guy, whoever he is. I need to find a job as soon as possible. What can I do? He rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

What kind of job do I want? Physical labor is a definite no. A bounty hunter? No, that's not the life I want. I'd prefer something more peaceful, away from fighting and chaos.

Garfiel: Ha! That fucking clown is probably already planning something—clenching his hands into fists as his teeth gritted.

Frederica wanted to reprimand him, but she was conveniently far away from Garf at the moment.

Ram: You ungrateful pair, you're both savages who bite the hand that feeds you.

Felix: It seems like the only thing that doesn't change is the room, nya.

Crush: Regardless of status, huh? Yeah, right, obviously you already knew what you wanted with him.

Priscilla: Well served, don't make me laugh, fool number two, sending spies to kill your guests. Hmpf.

Roswaal: At least he likes the room.

Petra made a gesture as if she were vomiting.

Julius: Od, my prayers have finally been answered. Subaru is interested in history and our customs—as he elegantly smoothed his hair. (Xd)

Felt: Those things are a nuisance. Are they really necessary to learn for the Rein selection?

Reinhard: Absolutely, Felt-sama.

Ricardo: Hahaha, the mini-boss, as always, praising Emilia-sama. It would have been another one. They would have made a fortune off them.

Mimi: Does the clown have generosity? Mimi doesn't believe that at all!

Tivey: Well, he doesn't know yet, so it's valid for him to think that way, isn't it?

Al: Maybe bro stays away from fights and conflicts, but!

Ricardo: Fights and conflicts are coming to the mini-boss!

By the time Rem arrived with breakfast and Ram brought the robes, Subaru was still lying in bed, having made no progress. He decided to postpone his plans until after he had rested a little more. 

Ram: A complete bum, postponing his plans and tasks until the last minute, Barusu—making her many derogatory comments toward the black-haired man as she settled into her chair.

A soft knock echoed against the wooden door, filling the room with noise. Subaru stirred, opening his eyes, dazed by the noise. He rubbed his eyes with his fists to clear his vision.

"Subaru, it's me, Emilia. Are you awake?" A voice like the tinkling of silver bells rang out, and he recognized it instantly.

"Yes, give me a moment," he replied, quickly getting out of bed, taking off his robe, and putting on his clothes. He grabbed his signature sunglasses and opened the door to find a cheerful and radiant Emilia waiting for him.

"Subaru, there you are! What did you think of the room? Did you like it?" she asked enthusiastically.

"It's pretty good. Definitely one of the five most comfortable places I've ever slept in. What's going on? You suddenly seem very excited," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Roswaal just arrived and wants to see you. He's in the dining room right now," she explained.

Ram: Emilia-sama, what are we going to do with you, waking up a lustful pig of a man like Barusu all by yourself as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Rem: Nee-sama, maybe it was my fault. I refused to wake Subaru-kun because of his miasma smell, lowering her gaze as she gave her opinion on the scene.

Felix: She looks like a little girl, so excited to wake Subaru-kyun.

Crush: So that's why it's time for the meeting with margrave.

Wilhelm: It seems so, Crush-sama.

Reinhard: I'm pretty sure this Subaru would immediately distrust Margrave Roswaal.

Julius: From the beginning? Because you say so, Reinhard.

Anastasia: Surely because of his eyes. If he can see everything with those, he'll surely see that there's something strange about the margrave's body.

"I see... Just out of curiosity, but why are you waking me up? Shouldn't it be one of the maids?" he asked, finding it a little strange that a lady—he wasn't quite sure of her role in the mansion—was the one doing it.

"Oh, yes! Rem was supposed to bring you, but I asked if I could do it myself," she admitted.

"How cute," Subaru thought, finding her excuse to spend time with him adorable.

"All right then, will you guide me?" He gestured, and Emilia nodded and walked on, with Subaru following right beside her.

"So, what does this Roswaal guy want from me?" he asked.

As I said, he wants to thank you and reward you for saving my life. What you did was no small feat, Subaru.

"I think you're giving me too much credit, Emilia. Anyone in my place would have done the same. You're too adorable to pass up," he replied, smiling radiantly at her.

She blushed a little at the word "adorable." "If you say so."

No one said anything else, so they fell into a comfortable silence and continued walking.

And walking.

And walking.

And walking.

Is it just me, or is this hallway longer than it should be? he wondered, quickly going into battle mode as he surveyed his surroundings. Sure enough, he noticed that black mana was enveloping them, shaping the hallway. It kept extending.

"Emilia, I think we're stuck in a loop," he said, causing Emilia to stop and look at him in confusion.

"Didn't you notice? We've been walking down the same hallway for a long time and haven't made any progress. Someone, or something, has trapped us," he explained with a serious expression.

Rem: I take back my previous words. It was Emilia-sama's whim, she said, shaking her head as she remembered how she had tried to help her.

Emilia: R-Rem! The half-elf blushed just like her other self.

Ram simply sighed at the idiocy of the half-elf and the pig Barusu.

Anastasia: And there goes her habit of thinking that everyone would do the same in her place. The brat really doesn't understand anything, she said as she pinched the bridge of her nose and stroked her scarf.

Al: I would do the same without hesitation. That's how my bro is.

Otto: That smile, how can it be so bright, it blinds me.

Ricardo: And using his power as a lolimancer, he meets his first soul mate, the great Beatrice!

Beatrice: Hmpf, it took too long, I guess, as she crossed her arms and pouted.

Priscilla: Not even the half-devil is aware of her surroundings. What a waste. You'd better jump out of the royal selection before you embarrass yourself even more.

The only logical explanation would be that they were in a domain, but the absence of cursed energy ruled that out. It had to be a Yin magic spell.

Subaru could only think of one way to counter this, and he would need to grab Emilia and...

"I think I know what's going on," a cheerful voice interjected. It was none other than Puck, Emilia's great spirit.

"Puck? Do you know what's going on?" he asked, and he nodded.

"Yes. This must be the 'Infinite Runner' spell," he informed them.

"Infinite Runner? Do you know who created it?" Subaru asked, intrigued. Puck didn't seem the least bit concerned, so it must not be an enemy, but a resident of the mansion.

"Yes, Beatrice is the only one who knows how to do it." I guess she wants you to come find her, Subaru," Puck said, causing the man mentioned to blink in confusion.

"Me? Why? And who is Beatrice?" he asked.

"Beatrice is the guardian of the forbidden library, and she's a spirit like me. As for her reason... I'm not sure," Puck said with a shrug.

Subaru looked around and realized that he couldn't see this "Beatrice" anywhere, which meant she was probably behind one of the closed doors. Normally, he would have to open them all, but luckily, he had an ace up his sleeve.

"Man, I really love the Six Eyes so much," he thought happily as he approached a door surrounded by dark mana and pushed it open.

What lay beyond was not a bedroom, but a completely different scene. Huge bookshelves filled with books of all kinds stretched as far as the eye could see. In the center, sitting on a stool, was a little girl.

Julius: A domain? I think this is the first time Subaru has mentioned it, but whatever.

Roswaal: Assuming~ it must~ be something similar~ to Beatrice's spell~ it must be a place outside of space~, but the function~ may vary~ depending on the situation~.

Reinhard: From what I sense, this >DOMAIN< is the pinnacle of that cursed energy, a definitive technique that always hits its mark.

Anastasia: Ricardo, Tivey, write down everything Natsuki-kun and the others say.

Emilia: Awwww, Beako, you already wanted Subaru to look for you, how cute.

Beatrice: Actually, only Betty's Subaru can call her that, and I don't think it's a lie, really—she made a cute pouty face.

Felix: She uses those eyes for everything, doesn't she?

Wilhelm: They're quite useful, and I guess those >glasses< help her eyesight.

Tivey: That's the big library, right? The one the mini-boss had to burn in the fourth arc.

Julius: Such a waste, really, so much knowledge lost in such a way.

She wore her blonde hair styled in two matching drill-shaped hairdos, topped with a tiny, whimsical crown. Her outfit consisted of an elaborate red ruffled dress and pink and purple striped tights.

Subaru was about to ask why there was a girl there when he realized it must be Beatrice. A quick glance with his Six Eyes confirmed that she was indeed a spirit like Puck, as she had no door. Her mana was dense and her reserves considerable, though not quite as similar to Puck's. However, he was also surprised to see her in human form.

"I guess spirits can have different appearances here, just like the damned," he mused, remembering the special-grade damned spirits he had faced at home, some of which resembled humans.

Subaru waved his hand. "Hey..."

"I guess you're a deeply irritating man," she interrupted me with a sneer on her lips.

What?! I didn't do anything, damn Loli! he exclaimed, pointing at her in disbelief. First the twin maids, and now her? What was next, that Roswaal guy? This whole place is going to turn into a purple void if this keeps up.

Beatrice looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Betty doesn't understand what that means, but I guess it bothers her a lot." She snorted. "You entered Betty's room without knocking; it seems no one has taught you manners. Apologize!"

Beatrice: Hmpf, I guess the real protagonist of the story has arrived. Even though I don't know those other spirits, I'm sure they're not as great as Betty, and in fact, Betty is not a child.

Emilia: But Betty Subaru sees you as her little sister. Or don't you like how she treats you?

Julius: Even if that's the case, Beatrice-sama is a great spirit, and as her contracted spirit, you should respect her as such.

Felt: Here he goes again with his supposed knightly ethics. I'm getting sick of it," the little blonde girl said, making a face of annoyance and not missing the opportunity to criticize him.

Anastasia: Julius Julius, why can't you relax a little? Maybe you should learn that from Natsuki-kun, don't you think?—she said, giving her knight a mischievous smile.

Ricardo: Hahahaha, you betrayed me, Ana-bo Juli.

Petra: Hey, what is that purple void Subaru-sama mentioned?

Frederica: I don't know, Petra, maybe it's some kind of trick.

Al: That, ladies and gentlemen, is a true tsundere, yes indeed.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, really," he said, raising his hands in surrender. It worked, as she calmed down a little.

"So, what is this place?" she asked, looking around.

"Hmph, this is Betty's multipurpose room, which serves as a library and bedroom, I suppose," she replied with a proud look on her face.

"Got it, so it's a library, like Puck mentioned. But why did you bring me here?" she asked. Just as Beatrice was about to answer, they were interrupted.

"Wow, you found it on the first try! Impressive!" exclaimed Puck as he rushed into the room, followed by a surprised half-elf.

"Yes, that was really impressive, Subaru," he added.

"What can I say? I'm just that awesome!" he said, and the comments filled his ego.

Upon seeing the feline spirit, Beatrice's attitude changed completely. "Bubby!" she squealed, and her spiritual appearance faded to that of a little girl, with a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

Crush: Emilia, I don't mean to bring it up again, but are you really going to bring that spirit back?

Emilia: I know what he did, but I need an answer from him directly, Crush-san, although I will surely hire him under my conditions and make sure he doesn't hurt Subaru.

"Hello, Betty! I haven't seen you in five days. How have you been?" Puck asked the excited girl.

"I guess I was waiting for you to come back! Will you stay with me today?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Sure! I missed you too. Let's relax together today," he replied. As she fell into his palm, she began to rub her cheek against his soft fur. "You're so furry, sweetie!"

While all this was happening, Subaru stood there, open-mouthed, taking it all in. Emilia gave him a knowing look. "Confused, aren't you?"

Who still uses that word? Of course! Can you explain what's wrong with her?

He just shrugged. "Beatrice only likes Puck in this mansion. So her behavior is pretty typical.”

"Ah, then it must be something spiritual." He didn't know much about spirits, so he decided to let their strange antics slide.

Al looked at Ricardo, and Ricardo looked at Al as if they were having a telepathic conversation until they spoke.

Ricardo: Without a doubt.

Al: Confirmed.

Al/Ricardo: Tsundere!

Beatrice: What nonsense Subaru Betty is saying! Spiritual antics? Blasphemy, I suppose, she thought, feeling embarrassed as she watched them.

Emilia: But Betty, isn't a prank a kind of joke? she asked, tilting her head and putting a finger to her lips with complete innocence.

Roswaal looked at Frederica and said, "Frederica, it is of the utmost importance that you teach Emilia-sama about that exactly."

Frederica, thinking she had escaped her cruel fate, looked down again in resignation.

Then she cleared her throat loudly to get their attention. "Excuse me for interrupting, but you wanted me here, right?" she asked.

Beatrice returned to her usual rude behavior, abandoning her playful antics. "Betty just wanted to drain your mana..." Subaru choked on that. "...to make sure you weren't a threat to the mansion, I guess. But since Puck allows you to be around that half-elf, he'll keep it to himself."

Subaru sighed in relief; he had no idea what mana draining entailed and preferred to keep it that way.

If it was as unpleasant as he imagined, Beatrice would find out about the expansion of his domain.

"Well, now that everything is settled, we should return to Roswaal. I think we've kept him waiting long enough," Emilia said, getting his attention.

"Right, we should get moving," he replied, but then he looked at the spirits who were clearly enjoying themselves.

"Hello, Beatrice." She turned to him, visibly annoyed. "I know we got off on the wrong foot, so how about you come with us to meet this Roswaal guy?" he suggested.

Beatrice dismissed him quickly. "Why would Betty waste her valuable time with someone like you?" she scoffed, dismissing him with a gesture. "Go away! Go away!"

Petra: Isn't there another way to tell if someone is a threat? From what we saw, having your mana drained is painful, isn't it?

Beatrice: Hmph, always bothering others. Betty's Subaru really has no consideration at all.

Julius: That domain again, but if what Reinhard said is true, it's a pretty powerful technique.

Felix: Yes-nya, having all your attacks always hit your enemy is quite useful-nya.

Ram: Emilia-sama, as always, doing her best to go see Roswaal-sama while Barusu wastes time on unnecessary things, as useless and inept as ever.

Rem: Still, seeing Beatrice-sama acting like that is actually quite cute—smiling at the interaction on the screen.

Beatrice: Of course Betty is cute, in fact, Betty's Subaru always says that I am the cutest and most adorable spirit that exists, I guess.

Julius: They really look like two siblings fighting.

"Wow, this Loli spirit really has character. Not even the grumpy grandfather can get close to her," he thought, but then he came up with an idea to convince her to accompany him.

"You know, Emilia and I are going there, and Puck too. You could stay with him as well," he said, nodding toward Puck, who luckily understood.

"He's right! Come outside so we can have fun. We could even play tag, like you've always wanted," he added, wagging his tail enthusiastically.

Beatrice looked as if she had bitten into something sour; the idea of agreeing with that idiot was already outrageous, but having Puck involved made it even worse. She pouted, but finally gave in.

"Fine, I'll go with you, but only because Bubby will be there, I guess! So don't get your hopes up!" she declared as she left the library.

Rem: When it comes to that spirit, Beatrice-sama is very easy to convince.

Emilia: Yes, I remember that very well, Rem. Whenever Puck was involved, she was the first to be there.

Emilia watched in amazement. "Wow! I've never seen anyone force her to do that. She never leaves her library!"

Subaru gave her a mischievous smile. "What can I say? I'm a master of persuasion. Shall we go?"

Ram: Hmph. Master of persuasion? Yeah, right. More like the master of stupidity and pigs.

Rem: Nee-sama, you'll never stop insulting Rem's hero, will you?

Ram: Nope, it's like breathing for me.

Beatrice: How dare you compare me to an old man from your world, I suppose? Betty isn't that grumpy, actually.

With that, Subaru, Emilia, and the spiritual duo left the library to join Roswaal in the dining room.

The quartet of the two spirits, a half-elf, and a human entered the diving room, a space as opulent as the rest of the mansion. The walls were adorned with paintings of various figures and landscapes, while a dimly lit fireplace added a cozy atmosphere. In the center, a large rectangular brown table was covered with a white tablecloth, its surface meticulously laid with silver cutlery, and two candlesticks that resembled candles hung above it.

At the head of the table sat a man whose fashion choices were... unconventional. His face was decorated with light powder, purple lipstick, and purple eyeshadow, all framed by indigo blue hair. His eyes were strikingly metamorphic, one yellow and the other blue, and his attire was a bold reflection of his... unique style.

A clown.

"And they call me weird," he thought, baffled by how the pink maid could label him as strange when her master appeared to be a jester.

With his six eyes, he examined the man, finding something shocking and disturbing. Despite possessing extraordinary reserves, surpassed only by Emilia, his door was a kaleidoscope of six colors representing the four elements, along with yin magic and a sixth type he had never seen before. His six eyes identified it as yang magic, focused on empowering rather than weakening.

What really disturbed him was the man's Od. It felt...unnatural, as if it belonged to a being older than the body it inhabited. It seemed to impose its presence on the physical form, moving nervously as if the body were struggling to free itself from its control.

Did he transfer his soul to another body or something? Subaru narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man, realizing he would have to keep an eye on him. He activated the infinite just to be sure.

Julius: Well, if I didn't know the truth about Margrave Roswaal, I would definitely say something, but he's actually quite well known in the council.

Emilia: Subaru actually said it the first time, well, he didn't know anything, but it was a bit funny.

Ram: Rather, Barusu is the clown, with all his nonsense and attempts to get attention, he takes the prize.

Anastasia: It was true that the love of an oni can be, um, somewhat obsessive, wasn't it?

Mimi: What a big table, I'm sure there's a lot of food there.

Felt: Wow, Rein, you were right, the older brother has his eye on the obsessive clown.

Al:Infinity, the hereditary ability of that Gojo clan, although its use still confuses me.

Tivey: Don't even remind me, it'll give me a headache again.

Roswaal, noticing their entrance, greeted them with a smile that sent a chill down Subaru's spine, especially when it widened at the sight of Beatrice.

"Wow! What a pleasant surprise to see you here, Beatrice! Are you here to meet our new guest?" he said in a cheerful, sing-song voice, drawing out his words in an irritating way.

I guess Betty has no patience for that insufferable man. In fact, she's here to spend time with Bubby," she replied, curling up into a feline spirit.

"Oh, come on, I already apologized, okay?" he protested, as Beatrice turned away with a dismissive "Hmph."

Clearing his throat, Roswaal got her attention. She looked back at him. "Now, you must be Subaaaaru-kun, right? I've heard a lot about your exploits. Please, have a seat; we have much to discuss." He pointed to a chair. Subaru chose the one next to the lord, with Emilia beside him, while the spirits settled in front.

"Before we begin our conversation, allow me to introduce myself," he said, placing a hand on his head. "I am Roswaal L. Mathers, the lord of this mansion and head of the Mathers family."

"You already know my name, but I'll introduce myself anyway. I am Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary man trying to live a normal life. It's a pleasure to meet you, Roswaal-sama," he said, taking a spoonful of the delicious soup.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Natsuki-kun. To begin with, I must ask you: how much do you know about the Kingdom of Lugunica?

Subaru looked down at his soup, carefully considering his answer before looking up at the clown. "...Not much, I'm afraid. I only know the basics. I'm fairly new to this country, after all."

Priscilla: What a disgusting smile, actually, logical for someone as rotten as you, in fact.

Ram: Hmpf, at least he knows how to behave properly, minus three points for Barusu.

Negative and not positive?

Crush: He was the leader of his clan, wasn't he? Therefore, he should know how to behave in certain situations like these.

Al: Which family? He's just kidnapping the bodies of his heirs.

Anastasia: The basics are an understatement, as usual. Besides the change in currency and nations, he still doesn't know anything else.

Emilia: There's Betty because you're so cute and those cheeks.

Beatrice: Don't even think about it, I guess—raising her hand as she tried to summon her Yin magic.

Roswaal nodded, understanding. "I see, I see. It's a pity you decided to move here. This kingdom is not in... pleasant conditions."

"Pleasant conditions?" he repeated. "Why? Is something wrong? Is there a war or something?" If that were the case, he would have to find another country to go to, quickly.

"Oh, not at all! In short, the king is dead." Subaru stopped chewing on a loaf of bread mid-sentence.

"Ah, there's no need to worry, it's public knowledge after all." Subaru continued chewing on the loaf of bread.

"My goodness! You scared me." I thought you were telling me a national secret that I would have to swear to keep or something," he laughed nervously.

"Relax, Subaru-kun. I would never put my guest in that situation," he assured him before resuming the conversation.

About two thousand years ago, an epidemic began to spread through the royal family and the castle. It soon became clear that the plague only attacked the royal family and no one else.

Subaru raised an eyebrow. "Only the royal family? That doesn't sound like a typical plague. Maybe they were poisoned or cursed?" he suggested, but the margrave shook his head.

Expert healers were summoned, but they found no evidence of anything illicit. It was, in fact, a genuine disease that specifically attacked the royal family.

Subaru pondered this. "Could it be a genetic condition? Or was there something shady going on?"

Rem: If you put it that way, I think it's logical that Subaru-kun reacted that way.

Crush: Fourier, my dear friend, I will continue with my determination, and besides, I think I will find love too—he scolded himself for thinking that way, but he liked her.

Felix lowered his ears as he remembered the events of the royal family, a bitter memory of seeing that he could do nothing for his friend.

Reinhard felt the same way. He was given the mission to go to the Pleiades watchtower for a possible cure, but he couldn't even get close to the tower.

Instead, Julius began to observe more closely, and surely the others noticed as well, but Felt had the features of the royal family, so he decided that when they returned, he would reread all the documents about the royal family.

Roswaal continued, making Subaru focus on him. "Unfortunately, the king and his entire lineage died from the plague. The kingdom is now ruled by a council of wise men."

Subaru felt a sinking feeling. The phrase "council of wise men" reminded him too much of the corrupt elders of the jiu-jitsu world. "It seems that wherever I go, these senile old men always follow me..." He had to restrain himself from crushing the spoon.

"I see, but that can't be permanent, right? After all, this is a kingdom; you can't have a council ruling it forever," he said.

"Well, that's right. They are now choosing a new king to rule them." With a clap, he finished the whole story.

"Hmm, I understand that it's important and all that, but why are you telling me all this?" he asked.

"Because, even though it's not a secret, you didn't know about it, so as a noble, it's my duty to inform the people under my rule about this tragic story. And it's very important with regard to Emilia-sama."

"I see... Wait, did you just call her 'Emilia-sama'? Aren't you the lord of this mansion?" he asked, and as memories of his arrival at this place flooded back, the pieces began to fall into place.

"Well, that's true. But it's respectful to address someone of higher status appropriately," he replied.

'Higher status... There's an election underway...' Then he looked at Emilia, who was shyly twirling a strand of her hair and smiling.

"Um, I am currently a candidate in the royal selection for the 42nd ruler of Lugunica, sponsored by Margrave Roswaal," she confirmed, aligning with his thoughts.

Outwardly, Subaru remained calm, but inside... "No way! You mean I just saved a royal candidate from a killer obsessed with guts? It's as if fate is thwarting my plans!"

Crush: Apparently, in Subaru's world, there were also wise men in charge of his government or his clans?

Al: Assuming that there are evils that only some can see, I vote for the second option, a regulation of the sorcerer clans, but since this is bro, I imagine that everyone is behind him.

Rem: I'm quite happy to know that this Subaru-kun is more observant and cautious about his surroundings. I can't imagine if it were the opposite—while unconsciously remembering how she herself made him suffer.

Ram: Even the world itself knows that Barusu needs discipline. A normal life? To be someone ordinary? You'll have to earn it.

Anastasia: That's also the only thing that remains the same, in my opinion, his terrible luck.

He hadn't planned it; he thought he was just helping a girl in need, finding a place to stay, getting a job, and living a normal life. Now he felt that, without realizing it, he had become involved in a conspiracy.

But what could he do then? Just leave? That would weigh on his conscience, especially now that he knew she was in danger and that Puck wasn't exactly reliable due to his time constraints.

"No, even if they get me into trouble, I did the right thing." Besides, he had made a friend through all this, so in the end it was worth it.

In response, Subaru dramatically clutched his chest and leaned back. "Emilia! You didn't mention that you were a candidate for the throne?! Where's the trust? Is our friendship really that superficial?" he exclaimed, feigning pain.

"Wh-what? No! I was going to tell you; I was just waiting for Roswaal to arrive! Stop teasing me!" She pouted, her cheeks puffed out.

"How cute, I'm dying to pinch her cheeks." It would look rude on his part, so he refrained.

Emilia then revealed an object adorned with a striking red gem in the center and placed it on the table in front of her. Subaru recognized it instantly; it was precisely what they had been looking for the day before.

"Is this the insignia? What does it have to do with the royal selection?" he asked.

"It qualifies someone to be a candidate for king. It determines whether one is worthy of the throne," she explained.

"I see." He then looked at her mischievously. "And you lost it. What a naughty girl!"

"No! It was stolen from me! That's completely different!" she retorted.

Felix: Well, in our eyes, she wouldn't be a normal girl, right?

Crush: Although she did it with good intentions with her plans for a normal life, she achieved the opposite.

Emilia: Subaruuuuu, why do you always tease me, silly? She realized her mistake too late.

Ram: Emilia-sama, who says "silly" these days? Ram didn't hesitate to tease the half-elf.

Ram!

Priscilla: And why would they steal it from you, half-demon? These uneducated people, she sighed at such stupidity.

"And what if she loses? Does that mean her candidacy is over?" she asked margrave.

"Yes, you're absolutely right, Subaru-kun. If someone can't protect a small insignia, how can they be trusted with the power to rule an entire kingdom?" 

Subaru nodded. "Yes, you're right. Wow, I really saved your skin with this, huh?" He looked at the half-elf.

She gave him a warm smile that made him want to smile back. "You did it, Subaru. Without you, my candidacy would have ended before it even began. Thank you very much," she said sincerely.

"And now you see why I invited you to lunch too. I appreciate your help with Emilia-sama, and I want to offer you a reward." She leaned back in her chair, arms open.

"You can ask me for anything you want. Just tell me what you desire, and I'll do my best to fulfill it," she said.

Subaru looked down as he pondered what he wanted. He knew that if he refused, they would simply argue with him, and he could use this to his advantage.

He needed a job and a place to live. He could ask for money, but it would only be temporary, as he would eventually need employment. He could ask to live there, but that would mean depending on them, which he didn't feel comfortable with.

Then an idea occurred to him.

"In that case, hire me to work in this mansion."

 "..."

"..."

"..."

Even the spirits, who had been silent all this time, stared at him.

"...Achoo."

"I was hoping for more than a sneezing reaction..."

Wilhelm: Certainly, what Margrave Roswaal says is valid. If something small and "unimportant" is lost or stolen, what chance does he have of ruling an entire kingdom? The answer is catastrophic.

Rem: That's right, Emilia-sama. Subaru-kun saved you from a big problem, even though it was decided from the beginning.

Ram: That's why I'm telling you, Emilia-sama, don't hang out with Barusu, he wastes your time on your duties and leaves me with all your work.

Emilia: Y-yes, I know, I know.

Crush: We don't just have to help Subaru and Ferris.

Felix: Absolutely, Crush-sama.

Anastasia: I take it back. I was hoping that Natsuki-kun would ask for something more than just working as a butler.

Mimi: Does the pink maid actually do anything? Or is she just there for decoration?

Tivey: Sister! Do you want that maid to kill us?

After a brief and awkward silence, they moved on, where Roswaal agreed to Subaru's request and offered him a position as butler at the mansion. They discussed the details of the job, including salary, hours, and vacation time, all of which Subaru accepted enthusiastically.

Emilia was delighted with the news, as it meant they could spend more time together, since he would be living in the same place as his workplace. Subaru felt the same joy for the same reason.

Once lunch was over, Roswaal sent the maids to teach Subaru the ins and outs of his new job while he headed to his office to take care of paperwork. The spirits decided to enjoy the day and play tag. Meanwhile, Subaru, along with the twin maids and Emilia, went to find him a suitable butler's outfit.

"No, that's not true. Is there really nothing that fits you, Subaru?" Emilia asked, tilting her head as she looked at Subaru in a dark gray suit that was comically too small for him.

"No, I think I'm too big for any of the clothes here," he replied, feeling dejected by his tarnished image in front of the three of them.

"Our sincerest apologies, sir... I mean Subaru-kun," said Rem, trying to stifle a laugh at his ridiculous appearance.

"It seems absurd, sir... I mean Barusu," Ram interjected, following her sister's example.

Barusu? Are we handing out nicknames like candy now? In that case, I'll call you both 'Rammy' and 'Remmy', how does that sound?" he replied defiantly.

"Rammy" and "Remmy" exchanged glances before looking back at Subaru.

"Rem, Rem, Barusu is a sad and pitiful creature who lacks creativity when it comes to nicknames."

"Nee-sama, Nee-sama, Subaru-kun is an irredeemably foolish man."

"Why are you suddenly insulting me?" he exclaimed with feigned indignation, causing Emilia to laugh, which only made Subaru direct his anger toward her. "You too!"

"Don't take it to heart. Ram and Rem are just teasing you; they mean well," she assured him before getting ready to leave.

"All right, Subaru, I need to study for the Final Selection. Take care, okay?" she said.

"Sure, leave it to me. I'll be fine," he replied, giving her a thumbs up as she left the fitting room.

Felt: The older sister will be delighted with anything that involves the older brother, really.

Reinhard: I agree, Felt-sama.

Felix: Totally-nya.

Emilia: F-Felt-chan, I thought we were friends—the half-elf was almost as red as an appa.

Ram: Rammy? Hmpf, what an unoriginal nickname for someone as big as Ram, typical of Barusu, being useless as always.

Rem: I like Remmy, although I prefer to be called Rem-rin, and maybe in the future, honey kyaa

Ram looked at her sister as if she were crazy and would have to be committed to an asylum.

"This won't work; we can't let you dress like that. Rem, please take her measurements. We'll have to make her a new outfit from scratch," Ram instructed, as his twin sister retrieved the measuring tape.

After measuring her, Ram gave Subaru a tour of the mansion, highlighting various rooms such as the VIP room, guest rooms, bathrooms, kitchen, closet, and everything else.

The tour lasted about twenty minutes, during which Subaru questioned her life choices and whether they were really worth it. Finally, they arrived in front of the mansion.

"And that concludes the tour. Do you have any questions?" Ram asked, pulling Subaru out of his self-inflicted depression.

"I know it might be a little late to ask, but is it really just the two of you who clean the mansion?" he asked, unable to contain himself.

"No, there was a third maid named Frederica, but she's currently on vacation," she replied.

"Wow, so it really is just the two of you. By the way, since Roswaal is a noble, does he have any other responsibilities besides managing his lands?" Subaru continued.

"He is Roswaal-sama; you shouldn't refer to him so casually, Barusu. We are now his employees, and as such, we must treat him with respect," she corrected him in a firm tone.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"Good. Be thankful that Ram is a kind superior and overlooks that mistake. As for Roswaal-sama's duties, he is the court magician of Lugunica, in charge of all matters related to magic, and he is also the director of the Magic Research Institute, founded by his grandmother, Roswaal J. Mathers," he explained.

"Court magician? That makes sense; that guy can use all kinds of magic. How lucky he is!" he thought, wishing he could use fire magic, for nothing brought him more joy than conjuring flames with his hands.

"I have no further questions. So, what shall we do today?"

Tivey: Did the blue-haired maid really do all the work in that huge mansion?

Rem: Well, back then, you know what I was thinking, and the only way I could prove to Nee-sama that she needed me was by doing all the chores.

Ricardo: Yeah, and look what you created, little one, buahahahah.

Felt: Twenty minutes? Even I would start to doubt my life choices. You're in deep, big brother.

Petra: Sometimes Ram falls asleep on the furniture in the living room. I guess she swears no one sees her.

Al: I guess we all thought that at first. Fire magic was the most popular in our home and therefore considered the best of all.

Priscilla: What an absurdly unnecessary piece of information, dog. You better shut up before I slam you against the wall.

Al thanked her, but he found it strange that the princess had warned him. She usually just does it.

Frederica: That question is an opportunity for Ram to abandon all his responsibilities.

"Today, you will take over my work, which includes taking care of the front yard and garden, helping with dinner preparations, polishing the cutlery, airing out the futons, doing the laundry, cleaning the bathroom, tackling the monthly soot removal from the mansion, organizing the kitchen supplies, washing the dishes, and preparing Emilia's tea for tonight... Ram continued listing tasks endlessly, and Subaru felt his knees buckle under the weight of it all.

Frederica: What did I tell you?

Rem: Nee-sama, you shouldn't give Subaru-kun so much work.

Emilia: Yes, Ram! Subaru already does more than enough for us, and you come and leave your work to him.

Ram: Tsk. —as she looked away.

"...Should I use a domain expansion on all the inhabitants of this cursed mansion?" she thought.

Thus began a torturous session that would put the Zen'in clan's training to shame. Subaru soon realized that he was not good at housework. This was largely because he had never done housework before; the maids at the estate took care of everything.

However, he excelled at tasks that involved cutting, such as pruning the garden or mowing the overgrown lawn, and even preparing food and cutting vegetables, all thanks to his training and his Six Eyes.

In the end, Rem, the head maid of the mansion, evaluated him by saying, "Subaru-kun may be useless when it comes to household chores, but he shows potential in the kitchen and in anything involving sharp tools."

Of course, there was a special gleam in her eyes when she mentioned "sharp tools." He also remembered how she would glance at him out of the corner of her eye every time they worked together. Subaru hoped it wasn't anything significant and that it had nothing to do with the look she gave him when they first met.

In the end, Subaru found himself mentally exhausted, lying on the bed in his now cluttered butler's room, his clothes covered in dirt, dust, and soot. With no spare clothes available, he would have to wear them until his suit was made.

Ram: How disrespectful, really. A torturous session? No way, that's too lenient in my opinion as a superior being, but I'll give you two negative points.

Why are you only giving him negative points?

Petra: I'd like to eat something made by Subaru-sama. I'm sure it's pretty good.

Mimi: Mimi too! Mimi wants to eat the mini-boss's food.

Rem: I don't like the look that the other me is giving him at all—worrying that even the slightest thing here might hurt her Subaru-kun.

Garfiel: Don't worry, Rem! This captain is very strong, I'm sure nothing will happen.

Felt: My older brother is exhausted, I can't imagine just one person cleaning and doing everything by himself.

Tivey: It's quite a lot of work, actually.

"Ah, is this what the maids at home went through? I think I understand their difficulties," he reflected, remembering the maids who stayed up late to serve the clan members. He was grateful for his reverse curse technique, which prevented him from becoming physically exhausted.

But it's not all bad: he has been acquiring new skills he never knew he had, and now he has a stable job and a place to call home.

All in all, things turned out pretty well for him in the end.

At least today's shift is over, and he can finally enjoy a much-needed rest.

Roswaal: Another technique that doesn't exhaust you physically, how interesting.

Felix: I hate to agree with him, but if it removes fatigue so much, will it also heal itself?

Emilia: A home, that's right, Subaru, you have a home and people waiting for you to come home.

Rem: It's quite adorable that he thinks that way, I'm falling more and more in love with Subaru-kun.

Al: That was a red flag, bro.

Ricardo: He dug his own grave by saying that.

At that moment, Subaru heard a knock on his door. "Come in," he shouted half-heartedly.

The door burst open, revealing none other than his tormentor, his older coworker Ram, carrying notebooks, pens, and ink.

"Rammy?" he asked, looking at the supplies she was carrying.

"Emilia-sama mentioned that you can't read or write," she said, placing the items on the table and giving him a smug look.

So, with her infinite wisdom, Ram has decided to solve this problem before it tarnishes Roswaal-sama's reputation. What kind of man would he be if his employees were illiterate?

"Really...?" In fact, I need to go to the bathroom for a moment; I'll be right back!" he said hurriedly, trying to slip away, but his escape plan failed when she grabbed him by the collar of his jacket.

"Just hold on; it'll be quick."

It wasn't really quick…