Chapter 121 - c

1

A dreadful tension filled the plaza.

The square was surrounded on all sides by waterways. They had overflowed a scant few hours ago, and there were still signs of the flooding all around with pools and puddles of standing water. Reaching the plaza required crossing a stone bridge that spanned one of these canals, and beyond the stone bridge, a person stood—a grinning nightmare.

The Archbishop of Gluttony.

Otto Suwen shuddered and licked his lips that suddenly felt very dry and then gritted his teeth.

A cold sweat formed on his back as he dwelled on that introduction. It was only natural. The Archbishop title held that much weight. There were no beings in this city—or the entire world—more loathsome.

But to Otto, Gluttony was far more than just a threat to the world. This was the sworn enemy of everyone who swore allegiance to Emilia.

"…I can already hear Natsuki and Ram complaining about this."

Otto sighed at the fact that it was he who had encountered Gluttony rather than those two, considering their pasts. In all honesty, he was even a little bit relieved.

He was confident that grudges only clouded judgment and priorities. Rage just made it difficult to think clearly.

From that perspective, Otto's animosity toward Gluttony was relatively tame compared to his friends'. But it still required effort to keep his cool.

"…As I recall, the Archbishop of Gluttony went by a different name."

"Oh? Did you meet us before? You must be pretty amazing to still be hanging around, mister. Or is it the opposite? Maybe you're so bland you became leftovers?"

"It doesn't sound like either would be a good thing…"

Otto was more or less certain now that this boy with the smile that revealed so many razor-sharp teeth, Lye Batenkaitos, was not the same Gluttony he remembered.

Otto had encountered someone who called themself Gluttony several hours earlier. At the time, the only thought in his mind was running for dear life, but that Gluttony was unmistakably different from the one standing before him. Now that he had come face-to-face with both, Otto could say for a fact that this couldn't be explained away by one of them being a fake.

All Archbishops possessed a malevolent presence that no one could possibly imitate.

"…So there are two Archbishops of Gluttony. Or I suppose it would be more precise to say there are at least two."

"Oooh… You're not too far off, mister. Pretty good for someone we've never seen before. Maybe it'll be worth seeing where and how you've ripened."

Fear churned Otto's stomach as the cultist smacked his lips and stared intently.

Otto knew he was in trouble. He had left city hall fully aware of the risks, but it was unpleasant to find out he had landed himself in some very hot water.

The plan to simultaneously attack all four of the towers housing the controls for the city's massive water gates had been created under the assumption that their targets would be occupied by one Archbishop apiece. Having one out roaming the city was beyond their calculations.

However, the most unexpected development was actually— "Hey, quit chitchatting, huckster! This ain't the time or place!"

—the girl yelling at him, who was a miraculous combination of aweinspiring gallantry and heart-wrenching cuteness. This firebrand with the glimmering golden hair and blazing red eyes was one of the five most notable figures currently in the city. Her name was Felt, and she was one of the royal candidates; her canines bared as she shouted ferociously.

Otto could already feel a headache coming on.

"I certainly don't disagree, but…why are you here, Lady Felt? And out of all the possibilities, you just had to be in the company of an Archbishop…"

"What, you surprised I didn't stay in a shelter? The only reason I said that is 'cause that idiot wouldn't have left otherwise."

"Referring to Sir Reinhard that way is a little…"

Once he saw Felt's scowl, Otto decided to set aside his misgivings for the moment and acknowledge that Felt had a point.

Given how troubled Reinhard had seemed, it was logical to assume he'd be hesitant to leave Felt's side.

Incidentally, this was the second time that Otto had unexpectedly run into Felt since the Witch Cult had occupied the city.

The first time was when Reinhard's father, Heinkel, had taken Felt hostage, forcing his son to do as he said. Otto cursed his terrible luck when he got caught up in that, but he ultimately helped them break the deadlock. After tying Heinkel up, he accompanied Reinhard as they rejoined Subaru and the others.

At the time, Felt had claimed she would stay behind to keep an eye on Heinkel. Wanting her off the battlefield, Reinhard had taken Felt at her word and set off on his own mission.

"But that was just so you could move freely on your own. Of course, that did lead to our current predicament…"

"Who asked you?! I don't need nobody to tell me I've got bad luck! But what's done is done! You play the hand you've got!"

"That may be an admirable outlook, but we'll need more than guts to get out of this."

Otto was genuinely in awe of her determination to stand firm before the Archbishop. She didn't cower in the slightest despite knowing there was no help on the way while her all-powerful knight wasn't by her side. Even so, their hand seemed concerningly weak.

"A-are you sure about this, Felt?! We're dealing with an Archbishop here…?!"

"Grow a pair, Gaston! You don't want to die before you hear your daughter call you Papa, do you?"

The only other card Felt had to play was the big fellow standing next to her with a face that was frozen stiff.

The man called Gaston stepped forward, unarmed, his fists raised. His stance showed he was no stranger to scraps, but unfortunately, his heart wasn't in this particular fight.

I can't deny we're a bit lacking in performers for such an important match. And one against an Archbishop no less.

"Don't be so gloomy. Every chance meeting is just the spice of life—the first step in preparing a gourmet meal! We're called Gluttony, but even we know the importance of good prep work when it comes to cooking."

Batenkaitos's utterly unsympathetic logic tore into Gaston's heart. As he watched the man's spirit desert him, Otto turned his attention to the other party in the plaza—a group of five men clad in white cloaks.

He recognized their uniforms for what they were and knew the face of the man standing at their center.

"They call you Dynas, right? The leader of Mr. Kiritaka's White Dragon's

Scale."

"And you're the lad who wheels and deals for Lady Emilia. Not a drop of luck between the two of us."

"Indeed."

Dynas gripped a short sword with both hands as he shrugged. Otto could only agree.

The White Dragon's Scale were private soldiers who answered only to Kiritaka, one of the city's leaders. While their main focus was safeguarding the Muse Company and their master's household, they'd also been running all over, trying to bring back some semblance of order to the city.

Dynas was Kiritaka's right-hand man, and from what Otto had heard, when the Archbishop of Wrath attacked the Muse Company, Dynas had been part of the rear guard that stayed behind to buy Anastasia and the others time to escape.

And the man who had been in charge of that rearguard action, Kiritaka, was nowhere to be seen.

"Our master got snatched up. We've been searching for him."

"Mr. Kiritaka was abducted? That's…"

"We know the odds aren't good. But I'm sure you understand."

When he spoke up, before Otto could finish his dark thought, there was a bitter look on Dynas's face as he shook his head.

Given the current situation, it was incredibly unlikely that Kiritaka was safe and sound after falling into the Witch Cult's clutches. Word had it that the other members of the Council of Ten had already been killed.

He's a business partner and not someone who can just be written off as either an enemy or an ally. More importantly, he took action and fulfilled his duty when push came to shove. That's worthy of respect. I can't blame them for gambling on a long shot.

"Then there's this dilemma…"

Otto, Felt and Gaston, and the White Dragon's Scale. Batenkaitos was standing in the middle of the three groups. At a glance, a bystander might assume they had the advantage. Unfortunately, the situation was not nearly that simple.

I would have liked a few more people who can handle themselves in a fight.

"A head-on collision between the enemy's powerhouse and a hastily assembled group of support staff… I'd laugh if I could," Otto grumbled.

"I don't want to hear it from the guy who decided to go off on a casual stroll all by himself. At least those white robe guys and I are ready to rumble."

Felt's comeback was painfully on point.

Otto had no excuse. Comparing all three groups, he was both unarmed and obviously the least reliable in direct combat.

"Now, now—let's all get along! If anything, you guys should help us! Help us find the one we're looking for! Aah, where could he be? We want to see him! The sooner the better!"

"You want to meet someone…? What are you talking about?"

Otto furrowed his brow at the curious way Batenkaitos phrased his request.

While everyone else had been pessimistically analyzing their fighting capabilities, Batenkaitos began hugging himself, growing increasingly incomprehensible as he rambled on.

Batenkaitos seemed as carefree as could be. If he felt like it, he could crush all of them in an instant.

It's crucial we keep him from deciding to snuff us out. Diplomacy is our best shot.

"It's such a pain having to explain this so many times. 'No,' 'I refuse,'

'never,' 'hell no,' 'of course not.' People never want to open up with us."

Felt scoffed, unmoved. She clearly had no desire to go along with Batenkaitos, but that position ran counter to what Otto was hoping to achieve.

As far as he was concerned, the Archbishops were repulsive on an instinctive level. But communication with them was still possible.

Otto had negotiated with all sorts of creatures using his language blessing. No matter who or what he was dealing with, as long as they could both understand each other, he would find a way to reach some sort of compromise.

No matter how difficult it is to handle Gluttony, it still won't compare to the trouble constantly swirling around Subaru Natsuki. In that sense, just knowing he's out there is almost comforting.

"Come now—there's no need to be hasty. We might even be able to help you. It can't hurt, so why don't we give it a try? Does it have something to do with the demands broadcast, perhaps?"

"There's only one thing we want to know…and it's the location of the hero who gave that other citywide broadcast."

I take it all back. I don't need Natsuki to support me. If possible, I would rather not have his name brought up further.

Totally oblivious to Otto's sudden change of heart, Batenkaitos's cheeks turned a little red, and his body quivered as he put his hands to his face.

"That glorious hero is supposed to come judge us. The anticipation is almost too much! Something might burst at this rate!"

"…How does this man always manage to attract so much trouble?"

I'm sure he would protest and say that he never asked for any of this, but there's little point in arguing with someone who isn't even here.

"See! I told you it was a waste of time talking to this nut! Who would sell out their own people?!"

"Technically, we're rivals, but I suppose we're all on the same side in this case…"

Otto scratched his cheek, smiling awkwardly at Felt's declaration.

She's a good person. If I had met her first, I probably wouldn't have been against supporting her. That candid nature is a virtue. All the more reason that as someone who is decidedly more twisted, I should point out there's another way to fight a dangerous enemy.

"As for your request…you need to ask the right person to get anywhere. After all, these other people do not hold the answer you seek, since they weren't with the one who gave that speech."

"Oh yeah? That makes it sound like you're different, mister."

"Yes, I was with the man himself until just recently. If you would like, I can even lead you right to him." Three people had three different reactions to Otto's proposition. Felt's eyes flared in anger, Dynas's expression froze, and Batenkaitos's eyes gleamed. Otto raised his hands, preparing to begin negotiations. "I would very much like to continue living, so how about it? We can talk if you'll guarantee our lives."

"Eh! You know?! So you do know! Where our hero is! Our beloved hero! That weak, fragile thing who seems like they'll fall apart if you don't hold them together!"

"Huh? Um—well, yes, I do."

Though he sensed something was off about Batenkaitos's agitated response, Otto nodded. It almost sounded like he knew Subaru already. That description was a little too close for comfort coming from someone who was supposed to be talking about their ideal.

For the moment, Otto decided to put that sneaking suspicion aside and said, "I would be happy to lead you to him."

At the end of the day, Subaru Natsuki was involved. It wouldn't be that surprising if he turned out to be acquainted with two or three Archbishops, but it would be a bit unsettling if he knew Greed, Gluttony, Lust, and Wrath… That was when Otto realized Subaru was involved with all of them in one way or another…

"What's up? You suddenly started looking real depressed, mister."

"No need to worry about me. More importantly, what do you say? You could kill all of us here and be left without any clues, or I can lead you to your hero in exchange for our safety. What would you prefer?"

"Hmm…"

Batenkaitos remained docile as Otto brought the focus back to negotiations in an attempt to guide the conversation. Despite the terrifying aura Batenkaitos projected, the fact that he entertained this dialogue at all seemed to prove he had a trace of childish naivete. And that imbalance made him all the more unsettling.

Perhaps he never wanted to become such a monstrous creature and had just been a poor boy who—

"—You just thought we're pitiful, didn't you?"

"Eh?"

Just as Otto allowed himself a brief sentimental moment, Batenkaitos's expression suddenly changed. All traces of boyishness disappeared, leaving his eyes hollow and emotionless. Otto could almost swear they were licking his soul.

"That's a look we've seen before. When people look down on us. Make fun of us. Belittle us. Treat us like merchandise… Ahhh, that's why something smelled off."

The emptiness in Batenkaitos's eyes transformed into roaring hatred. Otto's throat froze as he felt goose bumps rising all over his body.

"You're a merchant, aren't you? One of those people who fattens themselves by putting prices on things and selling them to others. The kind who's blindly obsessed with assigning numbers to people and their feelings, offering up anything and everything for gold!"

"That's… I fear there might be some minor misconception at play."

Doing his best to not let his fear show in his voice, Otto furiously thought about how to deal with this dangerous new development. He'd already been walking a tightrope over a gorge, and now it felt like a blindfold had been slipped over his eyes partway through.

Whether he could make it across safely would come down to timing and luck. On second thought, his fate was probably in the hands of the person holding the other end of the rope. Unfortunately, that person's mood had just taken a turn for the worse.

"Argh, damn it! You think you can trick us?! Nice try! Who's going to listen to anything you people have to say?! In the end, gluttony is all there is in this world! Gluttony! Until we get to eat, suck, slurp, lick, gnaw, and swallow, we won't believe a thing!"

"Ha! This was the only way it could've turned out."

Batenkaitos was visibly trembling as he howled, but Felt just snorted in annoyance. While she seemed totally unfazed by his alarming behavior, Otto felt a chill run down his back. He watched as she drew the short sword at her hip and dropped into a practiced stance.

"Ummm, can you fight, Lady Felt?"

"Don't even think about telling me to hang back just 'cause I'm a girl. I don't trust anyone with my life. I'll decide for myself. I'm the master of my fate."

Felt was spirited as she readied herself for combat. Her show of determination was a far cry from her companion, Gaston, whose blood had drained from his face. He didn't look like he could be relied on to provide much help in an imminent fight, and he seemed more like a mascot than anything else. Sort of like a Subaru who was unreliable in a pinch.

"When you put it that way, he doesn't come off very well, does he…?"

In any case, people who are obviously prepared to fight have more options than a bunch who seem timid and uncertain.

Batenkaitos looked toward Felt, then the White Dragon's Scale, and then Otto, drool dripping from his long tongue all the while.

"Are you just about ready? When it comes to gourmet food, preparation and ingredients are crucial. It only starts to have value once you've gathered quality ingredients!"

"I suppose that makes a sort of sense…"

"It's quite all right if you don't understand! We don't have any interest in explaining our aesthetics! Now, I suppose it's just about time—let's dig in!" Batenkaitos opened his mouth wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth as he launched himself toward Otto. Apparently, he had decided on his first course during their conversation.

Standing on the edge of the water, Otto pointed his finger at the profane being charging straight at him.

"In negotiations with a merchant, you should always listen to the very end —because they're bound to have a card up their sleeve."

"Huh?"

"Call it insurance!"

Otto audibly clicked his heels twice as Batenkaitos's brow furrowed in suspicion.

At his signal, the water behind him swelled, as if something drew it toward him.

"—!!!"

And then a swarm of water dragons burst from the canal, biting into Batenkaitos's limbs before flying into a frenzy.

2

"That female sword master is my wife, the previous Sword Saint."

As the two of them made their way to their assigned control tower, Garfiel felt something like a cold grip close around his heart.

Wilhelm, the man called the Sword Devil, was a living legend who had already left a lasting mark on the kingdom's history.

Stories of him and his Sword Saint wife were loved by countless people and were still recounted everywhere.

Because of those stories, Wilhelm's circumstances struck a chord within Garfiel. The fact that Wilhelm was forced to reunite with his wife as enemies made it all the worse.

"From what I heard, the previous Sword Saint was done in by the White

Whale…"

"I have avenged that particular transgression. However, it seems our enemies have toyed with my wife's corpse, violating her soul and forcing her to turn her sword on those who she once strove to protect."

" "

"It is utterly unforgivable."

The older man kept his eyes trained forward, leaving Garfiel speechless at the quiet edge to his voice.

What should I say to him as a fellow man? What can I say? The hell do you say to a man whose beloved wife's been screwed over from beyond the grave, forced to do harm with her blade against her wishes?

"I…"

Meanwhile, Garfiel carried his own burden that he couldn't bring himself to share.

There was someone who had protected Garfiel and got a sword in the chest for their troubles. The one who had dealt this devastating blow was none other than the woman whom Wilhelm said was his wife. Mimi was still teetering on the brink of death at that very moment, and the only way to save her was to defeat the very same swordswoman who bore the reaper's blessing.

As the person who Mimi saved, Garfiel intended to fulfill that duty no matter what.

"I won't ask you to leave this fight to me. However, it is necessary you understand just how powerful these opponents are. The Sword Saint and Eight-Arms…though I doubt their strength can be compared to when they were alive."

"…You think they're stronger?"

"No, the opposite—they are far from their prime."

Garfiel was not sure how to feel when Wilhelm shook his head.

The young brave had already faced the two corpse warriors once. Not only had he lost to both, but now it turned out neither was as strong as they used to be.

Garfiel loved the stories and legends of heroes. He respected those people who had left their mark on history.

Can I win against the same legends I always looked up to? Can I actually beat them in a real fight?

"—Sir Garfiel."

"Yeah."

He stopped moving when Wilhelm called his name. From up ahead was a presence so intense and overwhelming that it caused goose bumps.

To the front, he could see there were shadows waiting for them on the road that led to the entrance of the tall control tower. One enormous, one slender, and—

"A monstrous form. That must be the Archbishop of Lust."

There was an abnormally swollen figure that writhed as it filled the street. It was hard to see clearly in the moonlight, but there was no mistaking its anomalous presence.

They had heard about Lust's hideous ability from Subaru.

Rubbing the two silver shields on his arms against each other, Garfiel quietly steeled himself.

He had plenty of reasons to hate Lust. This cultist was the source of the corpse soldier who had wounded Mimi, and it was Lust's power that had transformed so many of the city's residents into abominations. And one of the victims who had taken on the shape of a black dragon was a man named Galek Thompson. The man who married Garfiel's mother after she lost her memories. The man who Garfiel's new siblings called Father.

How badly would they be hurt to find out that their beloved father and husband had been robbed of his human form? This had become more than personal for Garfiel. That was why—

"You gonna regret comin' out here like Olegren sitting by the fire."

Garfiel banged his fists together as he glared at Lust and the corpse soldiers under her command. Beside him, Wilhelm lowered his hand to the sword at his waist. All traces of warmth had disappeared from his eyes.

Every last strand of Garfiel's hair stood on end when he looked over at Wilhelm, who seemed keen as any blade. Noticing his glance, Wilhelm nodded ever so slightly.

Then— "—Ngh!"

Garfiel and Wilhelm both launched themselves forward at the exact same time.

The stone pavement exploded from the force of the Sword Devil's charge. Staying low to the ground, he closed the distance in the blink of an eye. In front of him, there was a flash of silver.

Their enemies were two sword masters and a disfigured beast. There was no hesitation in Wilhelm's sword as he swung at the slender woman.

There was another silvery flash, and a loud clang echoed in the night sky as the smaller sword master's slim blade diverted Wilhelm's beautiful first strike. It was a feat of genius, making the swords look like they were dancing. However, Wilhelm had not been aiming to take her head.

The gale unleased by the force of the sword threw back the hood of the slender fighter, revealing what lay hidden beneath.

" "

Frozen blue eyes and a face so charming that a word as simple as beauty failed to fully capture it. Long, tied-back fiery-red hair flowed out behind her. This was the legend among legends— "—Theresia."

An indescribable fury crossed Wilhelm's features as he laid eyes on her youthful form.

Paying no heed to the deeply distressed old swordsman—her husband— Theresia nimbly positioned herself to harry Wilhelm with her own attack. Controlling her long sword like it was an extension of her body and precisely aiming for her opponent's vital points, she was truly like a reaper. Legends said she had personally slain a thousand demi-humans, and they were no exaggeration.

But if those legends were true, then— "—Raaaaaah!"

It almost seemed like a raging tornado had suddenly appeared as a sword batted aside Theresia's attack. The one who managed this feat was none other than the Sword Devil who had defeated the Sword Saint in a duel and claimed her hand in marriage. Wilhelm immediately suppressed the distress that had shown on his face just a moment ago and committed himself to the battle as nothing more than a swordsman.

Even if he was no longer in his prime, he still stood near the pinnacle of those who lived by the blade. It was almost as if this was a replay of the legendary match that decided who would lay claim to the summit of all swordcraft.

"And I sure as hell won't let anything get in the way of that."

" "

Instead of thoughtlessly joining the fray, Garfiel zigzagged toward the towering man at high speed.

Unlike Wilhelm, who had charged straight at his enemy, Garfiel was using the walls of the buildings surrounding them to move in three dimensions and attack from an unconventional angle.

If he tried anything less, his fangs and claws would never reach the enemy. That was simply how great his legendary foe was.

"Eight-Arms Kurgan—!"

As Garfiel roared, four massive arms appeared from Kurgan's billowing cloak to meet him head-on. Those burly, log-like arms stopped Garfiel's attack even though he could hit hard enough to shatter whole boulders. The force of the impact alone cratered the road beneath them.

Judging by the feeling in his own arms, Garfiel could tell he was in top condition and his head was in the game.

Completely unfazed by his initial failure, he immediately followed up by unleashing a flurry of attacks, attempting to make up for his lack of additional arms with pure momentum.

"Urrraaaaaaaaagh!"

Fists, claws, kicks, fangs—he rained blows down on Kurgan from every possible angle.

Seeing gashes appear on Kurgan's blue skin and blood starting to flow, Garfiel knew for a fact his attacks were not in vain.

They were connecting. They were working. Garfiel's claws could reach the legendary warrior, Eight-Arms.

Forget the rush of battle and anything else that interferes with your concentration. Shut out all the noise. Pour everything into this one lifeand-death moment and become a tiger—otherwise, you'll die.

"Oooooooooooo!"

Roaring like a beast as he swung wildly, Garfiel took aim at the enemy's throat.

—Garfiel was plagued by idle thoughts.

Ram had pointed it out to him before. He let his mind wander too much when he was fighting. He was always worrying about something or another, even though he wasn't particularly good at figuring things out.

Like the way he yielded the battle against the bearer of the reaper's blessing to Wilhelm despite not discussing it beforehand. Or the fact that in the middle of this fight with the Archbishop of Lust, he was worried about his mother, who had lost her memory. He also worried about his half brother and half sister. He even fretted over Subaru and Otto, wondering if they were safe even though they were so much stronger than him.

Can a weakling like me who got scared of Reinhard really save Mimi?

He desperately tried to drive those thoughts from his mind and focus on the battle in front of him. But what was the difference between thinking about something and actively trying to not think about it?

And the moment those swirling thoughts distracted him, Garfiel got thrown clear by an enormous arm.

"Gargh."

His eyes shot wide open as the air left his lungs and his body was sent flying.

But that wasn't the end of it. A crushing blow from above slammed him into the stone pavement. As Garfiel coughed up blood from the impact, a foot came crashing down onto his face.

His nose was crushed by the blow delivered in absolute silence. The blood now streaming from his nose blurred his vision and made it difficult to breathe. Then he was kicked up into the air, where he was pummeled mercilessly again and again and again.

"Gh, gah…gho?!"

His vision grew red. He didn't even have a chance to catch his breath. There were literally no openings in the deluge of attacks unleashed by eight different arms. Garfiel was being toyed with like a pathetic rag doll.

Throughout this whole ordeal, his opponent didn't say a word as he mercilessly punished Garfiel with all eight of his giant fists.

" "

Just silence. No warrior's pride, no solemn resolve of someone heading into battle. If this is just a fraction of the strength he had when he was still alive, then what the hell does that make me?

Garfiel's expression contorted in shame as more stray thoughts filled his head.

"Graaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

That was when one of his fangs tore into Kurgan's wrist, leaving a deep gash on one of the arms that was pummeling him. As a spray of black blood hit him, Garfiel tried to press his counterattack.

"—Gugh."

Garfiel's eyes widened as the cloak fell away, caught in his mouth. The enormous body hidden beneath was now perfectly visible.

His opponent was big enough to rival a giant. From the neck up, he practically looked like a demon. The eight arms that earned him the title God of War were spread wide.

In addition to the standard set of arms, there was another pair sprouting from his shoulders, one pair extending from his sides, and a final pair that grew from his back. Every hand was open, palms facing forward.

This was Eight-Arms Kurgan, the imposing warrior who had been born to fight. Seeing that obvious display of strength didn't raise Garfiel's spirits—it crushed them.

He felt no excitement at getting a chance to stand before a warrior of myth and legend. All he felt was fear.

It was a nightmare. Like a never-ending nightmare that had been eating away at his heart ever since yesterday.

"Aaaaaaaah!"

It almost felt like the scene unfolding in front of him had suddenly exploded. That was when Garfiel realized that he was standing still.

I can't be jerkin' around like this. The hell do I think he is? I already made my choice.

"This ain't the time to be stupid—"

Gritting his teeth, he bit the inside of his cheek hard. He came to his senses as the taste of blood filled his mouth.

Kurgan was standing there with dignity, looking at Garfiel.

"What's the point of bein' here if I'm just gonna get scared now?! Boss!

Bro! Everyone waitin' for me! All I'm good for is fightin'!"

He howled. Even if it was fake courage, all he could do was use what he had.

Holding his ground, he pulled strength from the earth itself. With the power of his blessing, his broken bones reconnected, and his shattered face knitted itself back together. Then Garfiel took a step forward.

The next instant, he unleashed an attack with all his strength, as if willing it to become the signal for his counterattack. His arms groaned as the swelling power of the earth converged on a single point. When released, it had enough destructive force to level an entire building and even blow out one of the canals.

He used that power to drive his silver shields straight into the legend in front of him. His arms shot forward toward Kurgan's chest and—

"—Yep, should've seen that comin'."

The attack he had poured everything into had been blocked by the two trusty swords that Kurgan had wielded in life, the demon cleavers now crossed in front of him.

The force of the blow hadn't been nullified. It hadn't been parried or deflected, either.

In a contest of raw power, Garfiel's attack had failed to match the legendary warrior.

"—Sir Garfiel!"

As Garfiel stopped moving, Wilhelm's distant voice reached his ears.

He should have been in the middle of a furious sword fight that required his undivided attention, and yet, he still called out to Garfiel. —That was just how much danger Garfiel was in.

"—Ah."

It was no longer the imposing stature of Kurgan that filled Garfiel's eyes.

The warrior was simply standing there while the great, writhing shadow behind him closed in on Garfiel from all directions.

The immense shadow was going to swallow Garfiel whole right along with Kurgan. The great writhing thing that had been lurking in the shadows from the start of the battle— "—isn't Lust?"

He only realized the true identity of the shadow he had assumed was an Archbishop right when it got terrifyingly close.

It was a large, churning mass of blood. An intense smell of gore filled his nose as his body was engulfed by the nauseating, ruinous thing.

" "

Garfiel couldn't breathe, and the world turned red as he looked up at the heavens.

He saw the moon shimmering overhead, clouded by the mass of blood.

And even the moon seemed to be mocking Garfiel's awful performance.

3

"So feel like tellin' me what's botherin' ya?"

Taking long strides, Ricardo addressed the grim-looking knight beside him.

Julius's almond-shaped eyes narrowed at the unexpected question as they were about to begin the decisive battle.

"…It's rare for you to worry much about others, Ricardo."

"Ya don't have to try to talk your way out of it. It's just you an' me here. The lady ain't here, and neither's anybody else. I can keep a bit of gripin' to myself."

"…I'm no match for you."

Despite generally never letting it show, Ricardo was always paying close attention to the people around him in his own crude way.

He would never have become the leader of the Iron Fangs if he couldn't manage that, and it was a trait that revealed itself in the bits and pieces of Ricardo's fierce background that Julius had heard before. If Ricardo was a less observant and perceptive person, he never would've survived—neither as a slave nor as a mercenary.

"Call it the benefit of experience! I am our group's reliable old man, after all. I don't mind lendin' an ear to my son-in-law."

"I would never even consider harboring such disrespectful thoughts about Lady Anastasia."

"I didn't say one word about the lady. Maybe I meant Mimi for all you know. And she isn't the only option, either. So you jumpin' to conclusions makes that excuse pretty damn unconvincing."

Julius grimaced at that very sound point. The way he pensively touched his hair was a familiar sight, but Ricardo sniffed, sensing that Julius was overthinking things a little more than usual.

There was no denying that the ways Julius moved and talked were slightly less refined than normal. The moment he noticed that, Ricardo relied on the sense of smell he had honed over the years.

"Does it have somethin' to do with how the fight to reclaim the tower went south? You been off ever since then. The lady didn't press you on it, but you can bet I'm not gonna hold back."

"You just won't let me be."

"Damn straight. I got my life on the line here. I ain't interested in trustin' my back to someone who ain't sure of themselves. Pretty good logic if ya ask me. You got a problem with that?"

"…No, you are absolutely right. I'm the one in the wrong." Julius shook his head slowly, furrowing his brow.

That was proof that Julius was in the grips of some disquiet that he found difficult to put into words. But even while acknowledging that struggle, no details were forthcoming.

Even though he fully admitted he had been mistaken, Julius still couldn't bring himself to say anything.

"Why stop there? What're ya hesitatin' for? You just hafta say whatever's on your mind, right? What are you so worried…I mean, what are you waverin' about?"

"…Apologies for my inarticulacy. My words are failing me. I struggle to understand exactly why I feel so troubled." Julius responded to Ricardo's quiet question with an anxious expression. He touched the hilt of the knight's sword at his hip as Ricardo frowned. "As you guessed, the source of my doubts is the battle at city hall—or more precisely, the Archbishop with whom I crossed blades. The boy who called himself Gluttony, Roy Alphard." "You're not about to tell me ya feel bad about fightin' a kid, are ya?"

"My resolve isn't that weak, surely. Even if the opponent is a child, if he has immersed himself in an unforgivable and villainous life, then he must be judged for his sins. No, what truly troubles me is…" Julius paused, sighing slightly. "…I can't get his words out of my head."

"What…?"

"Most likely, Gluttony's authority involves people's memories. Lady Crusch has lost her memories. Then there's the girl in Subaru's faction who has been forgotten by everyone. It would be wise to assume that there are similar victims in this city as well. And…"

"And?"

"We cannot assume that such suffering only affects others."

Ricardo crinkled his nose at that roundabout wording, but a second later, he realized what Julius was saying.

"You mean one of our comrades ended up being food for Gluttony?"

"…When Gluttony encountered me on the rooftop of the building, he clearly acted like someone who knew me. He spoke of things that could only have come from someone within our camp."

"But that's…"

Ricardo wanted to laugh it off as absurd, but that would just be dodging the question.

If Julius's suspicions were correct, if Gluttony had laid his hands on someone connected to them and they had lost all memories of that person—

"Mimi and the others are all accounted for, though. Then there's me and the lady…and you're here, too. So who could be missin'?"

"It's quite possible our inability to ascertain that is also the result of Gluttony's ability. For all we know, one of our comrades may have been torn away with us none the wiser."

It was a malevolent ability that only grew more horrific the more they understood how it worked. This dark power bore a resemblance to the dangerous effects of the fog they'd had to deal with during the battle with the White Whale. Anyone who succumbed to that demon beast's fog was completely erased from all memory.

However, the Archbishop of Gluttony who nourished himself by consuming stolen memories had an even more abhorrent power.

But—

"What's there to be frettin' about?"

"Mrgh…"

"Don't get me wrong, it's definitely an aggravatin' idea. The thought of forgettin' our own while that bastard's off gallivantin' around makes my blood boil—but it don't change what we needta do."

"Defeat the Archbishop of Gluttony and restore everyone's memories."

"And then we free the whole damn city and come home heroes. How you gonna call yourself the finest anything if you let him be the only one showin' off?!"

Ricardo flashed a dazzling grin as he tried to raise Julius's spirits. For a second, Julius was taken aback by the heavy-handed gesture, but then his expression softened.

"There we go. Looks like you're back in the groove. See what happens when you let it out a bit?"

"It's true. My deepest thanks. You truly are worthy of being the leader of the Iron Fangs."

"Aw, you gonna make me blush. I've just been around the block a few times 's all!"

Ricardo raked his hand through his long dark-brown hair and then set off again in long strides. Because of that, thinking the problem was resolved, he didn't see Julius's expression. The almost overwhelming anguish that rose to the surface and the way he instantly hid it behind a mask both went undetected.

Julius felt an indescribable unease and vulnerability when it came to Gluttony. It was a feeling that he couldn't really convey to Ricardo. Or perhaps it was an instinctual alarm warning him that Gluttony was an enemy he had to avoid at all costs.

But Julius had sworn a vow to his master, to his friend, and to his sword.

Gluttony had made quite a few enemies, and a great many people had good reason to wish they could be the one to strike him down. But circumstance barred the way. Fate had not offered them a chance to bring an end to Gluttony, who had forced them to endure such outrage.

Julius had assumed that burden with their blessings. He was duty bound to force down his unease and forge ahead.

—Go forth, Julius Juukulius. If ye would be a knight who does not betray their code. And if at the end of thy path ye become prideworthy, then—

"Ah, you really did come to see us. How moving."

—slay that man-eating fiend with thy knightly blade.

Straight ahead, Julius and Ricardo could see the second control tower. In the center of the plaza right in front of the tall structure stood a small figure calmly watching them.

It was a young boy in a long green robe, his distinct brown hair neatly braided. He looked to be in his early teens, barely out of childhood. Just a simple, innocent child.

Or at least that's what they would've believed if it were not for the incredible menacing energy emanating from every pore of his body.

"…My bad for what I said earlier, Julius."

"Whatever for?"

"Nah…it's just that even suggestin' ya might've treated that thing like a kid ain't any different from callin' you an idiot."

Staring at the boy who had come out to meet them in the plaza, Ricardo crossed his arms.

He acknowledged that this boy was wholly abnormal. It was obvious to anyone who met him face-to-face. To treat him as a mere child was the same as committing suicide. It was beyond foolhardy for anyone who didn't possess ungodly amounts of strength, like Reinhard.

"Of course, Reinhard never would've allowed a second encounter to occur. That this chance meeting has happened at all is proof that you have already deviated from the correct path."

"Ha-ha, you really like talking that way, don't you?! Not that we hate it.

How to put it? It's poetic. And flowery. Like a beautiful table setting!" The boy clapped his hands and grew visibly animated by Julius's words. Julius had intended it as ridicule, but the boy didn't seem to pick up on that at all.

Stepping forward, Julius, side by side with Ricardo, fixed the cheerfully laughing boy with a piercing gaze.

"—Archbishop of Gluttony, Roy Alphard."

"Ah, we figured you'd come. We believed in you. Right, right, that's right, exactly, of course. And because we kept wishing for it! Gluttony! Gluttony! It's worth the wait!"

Alphard shuddered as he clutched his slender body. There was no mistaking it. That was the same sort of reaction he'd had when they met on the rooftop.

"What a disturbin' kid. That's the same one, right?"

"Yes, it is him—as deplorable as it may be to become an Archbishop at that age."

Julius nodded sharply at the question Ricardo asked with a scowl. Staring at both of them, Alphard ran the tip of his long tongue across his teeth.

"You even brought us a puppy to eat this time! So thoughtful! After all, we'll eat anything if it'll make us feel full."

"How the hell do you say crap like that right to someone's face? I dunno where to begin. First off, I ain't your food. And just so ya know, I eat well enough, so it's not like my meat's bad, either."

Ricardo drew a large cleaver from his back and adopted a loose stance.

"Your reply became a little strange at the end, Ricardo," Julius commented as he rested his hand on his own sword, readying himself for the battle that would soon be upon them. "I was getting tired of listening to your insults, so I asked a friend to join me… I don't imagine you would call that unfair?" he asked.

"Ah, you can spare us those sorts of excuses. That's probably your way of encouraging yourself, but the flavor is lacking. We said we'd eat anything, but that doesn't mean we go out of our way to eat bland things."

"Bland is a rather unkind way to put it given your warm welcome earlier."

"And you don't deny it. That part of you is cute. Yeah, a nice bittersweet."

Alphard waved his hand nonchalantly, his attitude as flippant and frivolous as ever. It was unclear if that was intentional provocation or just his natural attitude, but while Julius coolly let it pass, Ricardo scoffed audibly.

"You sure like runnin' that mouth of yours, kid. If you think you're gettin' off easy 'cause you a brat, you got another think comin'. Ain't nothin' cute about you. Not like Lady Anna ain't done plenty of shady things, but it'd be a crime to compare her to you—I'll cave your skull in."

"Ooooh, scary, scary. Don't glare at us like that. Did being called a puppy bother you that much? Sorry, Ricardo—we're sorry. Despite how it seems, we actually admired you a little bit, you know? Like your fearlessness and that loud, brash way you talk!"

"…I get it now. This is making me mad, all right."

Ricardo gritted his teeth when the boy addressed him by name. What Julius had said earlier suddenly made a lot more sense.

It was as if one of their comrades had been done in, giving the enemy intimate details about them. It wasn't explicit, but there was no other way to interpret Alphard's behavior, and it stoked a vague, indefinite anger in Ricardo's heart.

And that was surely what Gluttony was aiming for.

"Exchanging more words with him would mean playing into his hand. That's not what we want."

"Whoa there. That's a rather dignified way of saying it, but you're ignoring our feelings, aren't you? Not that boring conclusion again! You're awfully good at acting disinterested even though you really want to know more!"

" "

"So well-behaved, stowing away your personal curiosity to keep your priorities in order. A wonderful virtue for a knight, but as an individual, it's the epitome of boring."

"—I see. Then I hope this will be a bit more entertaining for you."

Not wishing to talk anymore, Julius drew his sword and began to cast a spell.

Suddenly, a faint, six-colored light appeared around Julius—the six spirits he had contracted with as a spirit knight floated in the air, swathing his tall frame in a beautiful glimmer.

It was his fusion of swordplay and spirit magic that earned Julius Juukulius the title Finest of Knights.

"By your leave, allow me to demonstrate."

"A dash of inferiority, the mellow aftertaste of setbacks and disappointment, the sweet despair of desperate longing, that precious secret feeling of being full—you don't have aaaany of it at all!"

In one fluid motion, Julius readied himself, cladding his slender blade in brilliant light. Glancing at Ricardo next to him, who was resting his big blade against his shoulder, he said, "I'll be going all out from the start. Please cover me."

"You got it."

As the two of them assumed fighting stances, Alphard bared his sharp fangs. He spread his arms wide, bringing his hands out of the cloak's long sleeves and revealing that he was wearing metallic claws. He articulated all ten razor-sharp claws, fully intending to take on the two of them with those weapons.

A child's slender arms and unreliable tools more suited for covert action.

It was a combination that seemed utterly unsuited to match the force of even

Julius's knight's sword, let alone Ricardo's massive cleaver, but— "Julius Juukulius the spirit knight is ever vigilant!"

As the battle began, Julius properly introduced himself with chivalrous courtesy.

Naturally, a mercenary like Ricardo felt no obligation to observe knightly etiquette in a life-and-death struggle.

Faced with those two different extremes of fighting spirit, Alphard licked his lips.

"Yes, yes, yes, ah, just so, right, good, exactly, absolutely! Gluttony! Gluttony! Gourmet, garbage, and gorging! We will eat it all! Your unremarkable life will be a new flavor to satiate us!"

"—El Clauzeria!"

Julius chanted as he held his sword at the ready, facing down the howling Alphard.

The dazzling six colors of light formed a circle right in front of him. The moment he thrust his sword in the center of the circle, an aurora erupted from it and shot straight at Alphard.

This was an attack that blended the six magics, creating a glimmering destructive rainbow that swallowed up everything in its path.

Julius began the battle by unleashing his strongest technique, not holding back at all. Like he had stated at the start, he had no intention of letting his guard down. This was not an enemy he could confront with anything less.

"Urrrraaaaaa!"

In time with the flash of dazzling light, Ricardo dashed forward with enough force to crack the stone pavement. He raised his blade, prepared to strike down Alphard no matter how the boy tried to react to the multicolored blast.

An attack shrouded in a gale and a rainbow aurora that was a manifestation of pure destruction—facing these two baleful threats at the same time, Alphard sneered, baring his fiendish fangs.

That villainous grin stirred a sinister unease in Julius's breast. The true nature of the feeling was akin to what had been eating away at him since before they had embarked on this battle. Julius gritted his teeth.

Struck by the troubling omen of what was to come, he watched as Roy Alphard, still sneering, began to speak.

"—It's wonderful how true to form you are, Brother." 

CHAPTER 1

THE BATTLE WITH GREED BEGINS

1

"—Subaru!"

Kicking in the door to the chapel, Subaru and Reinhard were greeted by an angelic voice.

It was the voice of a beauty beyond human comprehension standing at the altar in a white bridal gown—Emilia.

She was utterly gorgeous in that pure-white dress and with her long, glimmering silver hair adorned with charming accessories. It was so dazzling, Subaru thought he would go blind, and he wished that he had chosen the outfit himself.

"E M A to the max…! Anyway, it looks like we just barely made it in time."

Glancing around the chapel, Reinhard nodded to himself as he picked up on the faint tension in the air. "And judging from the situation, it seems the ceremony was not proceeding smoothly. Apparently, we need not worry too much about being unwelcome."

The chapel was spacious. A red carpet ran along the floor, and the walls were covered in decorations, lending the ceremony a solemn air and making the altar a florid stage for the bride- and groom-to-be. There were around fifty guests in attendance, all of them gorgeous women in matching dresses, which made for a vibrant and enchanting scene.

It would have been picture-perfect were it not for the fact that there wasn't any trace of human emotion in their eyes. Every last one of them bore lifeless, doll-like expressions.

"Not too shocking, but even if we weren't here for Emilia-tan, this doesn't seem like a normal wedding."

"Emilia…tan?"

Subaru's comment elicited an immediate reaction from the man in a white suit standing at the altar—Regulus. His lips curled in distaste as he glared at the uninvited guest.

"So it's you? You're the one that insolent and wanton woman dallied with? …How incomprehensible. If it was that fellow with the red hair, at least it would make a little more sense, but to choose you over me? Are her eyes decorative glass beads?"

"At least call them jewels. Also, I'm obviously not gonna be impressive if you compare me to this guy, so cut it out already."

"Silence. What was supposed to be a festive and blessed occasion will now be a wake. You should ready yourselves for the transition from guests to mourners… No, I suppose that's unnecessary, since you will be joining the departed soon enough."

Regulus's voice dropped low, dripping with naked animosity.

"You're awfully cocksure despite everything. Forget a divorce at the airport right after the honeymoon—your ass got turned down at the altar. Shouldn't you be a bit more embarrassed?" Subaru taunted. "Also, did you not hear this guy introduce himself?" he said as he jerked his chin in Reinhard's direction.

Regulus's golden eyes narrowed.

"What was it? Sword Saint?" he responded disinterestedly. "I've heard the term before. Isn't that the title of some hopeless fool with no talent save waving a sword around? You think bringing someone like that and appealing to that power will make me prostrate myself? Why, that's positively comical. You believe the decrepit conservatism of storied lineages and the like would be enough to lay me low? That's nothing but the harbinger of an unsightly defeat at the hands of true progress. Was that what you were hoping to act out here today?"

"'No talent save waving a sword around' is a fitting way to put it. Honestly, that is the root of much that people expect of me. But whether I'll be able to fulfill that role here is still unclear."

"Oh? So you recognize the difference in our strengths? That's somewhat impressive."

Regulus was fearless in his response, but Reinhard responded with a simple no and a shake of his head. His hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist—the white holy sword that he always carried wherever he went.

Reinhard took a deep breath before he continued.

"This Dragon Sword is an heirloom of sorts, passed down from the founders of the Astrea family. It is undoubtedly the greatest sword in the world. However…it has a single flaw." "Oh, really now? And what is that?"

"It's impossible to draw from its sheath except in the presence of a worthy enemy. In other words"—Reinhard's blue eyes pierced Regulus —"this sword has apparently decided that you aren't a fitting opponent."

"—Ngh!"

Whatever Reinhard's intention with that comment, Regulus's face twisted up in bitter humiliation.

Subaru knew that Reinhard wasn't lying, recalling that time he couldn't draw his sword during the fight against Elsa. Of course, that revelation would be no consolation for Regulus.

"Now, listen here! What use is a Sword Saint who can't even wield his own sword properly? Don't patronize me, you worthless third-raters. You and I exist in different worlds. You are incomplete, whereas I am a complete whole! Dullards incapable of measuring their own worth except in

comparison to others have no right to judge me!" "Talk about whiplash…," Subaru murmured.

"What now?"

"Has it been too long since someone set you straight? You seem awfully hung up on comparing yourself to others for someone who's perfectly complete or whatever."

"—! A defective man like you has no right to preach to a fulfilled man such as I!!!"

Subaru just couldn't resist pointing out the obvious, and Regulus snapped in a rage, finally resorting to something stronger than just words.

The villain launched himself forward as he shouted, sending a torrent of destruction tearing through the chapel straight at the two interlopers. Stone, wood—it made no difference. Everything was ground to dust by the force of his attack.

"Subaru, this way."

"Whoa?!"

Subaru yelped as Reinhard grabbed him by the waist and leaped into the air, easily clearing the rush of devastation. Subaru's eyes were still spinning when Reinhard gently lowered him to the floor. After effortlessly dodging that attack in a single bound, the Sword Saint prepared to close in on Regulus.

"Don't move! If you try anything, consider their lives forfeit!"

However, he was stopped in his tracks when Regulus took the other attendees hostage. Even though he was pointing his hands directly at them in an open threat, the ornately dressed women watched the battle unfold with eyes devoid of emotion or any sort of human reaction.

"Damn, this goes way beyond having nerves of steel. Who in the world are these ladies?"

"They are my precious wives, beautiful maidens who love me as I love them. Would you really condemn these blameless women to horrible deaths?

Despicable fiends, have you no shame?!"

"Wow. I had kind of guessed it already, but there's really no point talking to you, is there?"

It was hard to tell how serious Regulus was. Nothing he said really made much sense. To begin with, he was the one taking his supposedly beloved wives hostage. But what made it worse was the fact that his nonsensical threat was actually effective against Subaru and Reinhard.

"I would never wish harm upon any of my wives. But if you resist, then I will have no choice but to kill them one by one… How cruel and monstrous

you must be to willingly force me to commit such an atrocity."

"What are you even talking about? We aren't threatening anything."

"Quit making excuses! They may die by my hand, but it was you who forced me to act. It will be your murderous intent that ultimately kills them. You are nothing more than murderers using me to do your dirty work. Don't

try to shirk responsibility for it, you filthy murderers…!"

Gnashing his teeth, Regulus glared at the two of them with hate-filled eyes. He was dead serious. He believed every word that passed between his lips. Even his sense of justice wasn't a lie.

If it was even remotely possible, Subaru wanted to save the hostages. But they were dealing with a killer who might explode at any moment, and there were fifty or so people. Even Reinhard couldn't save all of them at once.

Tension filled the air as Regulus took control of the situation— "—Don't forget about me."

A sudden flash of pale light appeared next to Regulus as he stared down Subaru and Reinhard.

The light filled the whole chapel, and the next moment, there was a loud crack as the air froze. Countless more cracks followed, composing a melody that filled the building.

Then a massive barrier of ice rose in the middle of the chapel.

The glimmering blue wall immediately separated Regulus from the women he had been threatening. It also swallowed the altar whole and encased the lower half of Regulus's body, pinning him to the floor.

An instant later, Emilia pressed a sword of ice to his throat.

"You let your guard down. You lose."

"…I cannot believe this. Do you not have a considerate bone in your body? I just managed to corner those interlopers. This is the moment my wives should be praising me for bravely driving away the evildoers. All the others trusted that my response was right and good. So what are you doing?"

"Release me and the others at once. I can't speak for everyone, but at least some of them are surely just obeying you out of fear. You should take good care of anyone who actually wants to stay with you after that and—" "Emilia! Get away! That's not going to stop him!"

"Eh?"

Ordinarily, this would have been the end of the battle. Emilia normally wouldn't be wrong to assume that. But Regulus was not normal or ordinary.

"It seems I made the right choice not taking you as my wife."

With just a heavy sigh and a slight twist of his body, Regulus broke free from the ice supposedly holding him down. Emilia's eyes widened when his icy restraints came away. Before anyone could react, Regulus grabbed her pale neck with one hand and easily lifted her up into the air.

"Gh, hagh…"

"You clearly have a violent streak, and worst of all, you don't understand how to properly support and respect your man. With such a naturally capricious attitude, it matters not that you are still a virgin in body and mind. A wretch toying with my pure heart is all you are. I've never before encountered such a wicked woman."

Regulus watched with annoyance as Emilia frantically swung her legs, kicking him in the chest and crotch to no avail.

"Stop it! Get your stupid hands off her!" Subaru shouted.

"Stupid?" Regulus cocked his head. "Surely you must be speaking about yourself. Can you not see what is happening around you? Or have you simply given up on trying to understand it? Must I explain every little thing? You're just relying on the kindness of others and not bothering to even try thinking for yourself. What does that make you as a person?"

"Ngh…"

"Very well. Please release Lady Emilia. We will hear your demands."

Subaru gulped as Reinhard spoke up. The villain's cheeks warped as he turned to face Reinhard.

"Yes, yes. That's it. This is how people should behave. With humility and grace. Language evolved so everyone could have a chance to achieve their desires. That's why it's important to use our words. There are so, so many people who attempt to resolve things by force when diplomacy would've sufficed."

"There's no need for long statements. It pains both my friend and me to see her suffer any further."

"Really? Then allow me to be frank—throw aside that sword hanging at your hip and come over here."

To punctuate his demand, Regulus raised Emilia even higher into the air. While he was holding her, she swung her sword of ice at him several times, but it didn't seem to affect him in the slightest.

Reinhard removed the Dragon Sword without any hesitation and handed it to Subaru.

"…If push comes to shove, I'll yank this out and cut him in half."

"That's certainly one plan, but unfortunately, I suspect you won't be able to draw it, either. Don't worry. I promise I'll retrieve Lady Emilia."

After that whispered exchange, Reinhard walked forward unarmed.

"That's far enough."

Regulus ordered Reinhard to stop around five yards away from him, and Reinhard obeyed.

Reinhard could cover that distance in the blink of an eye, but Regulus was in a position where he could kill Emilia with the twitch of a finger. Even if Reinhard was the strongest being alive, he still had to tread carefully.

And Regulus's power—Greed's Authority—was still a complete unknown.

His power made him seemingly impervious to attack while also providing him with overwhelming strength. Of course, there was no such thing as a perfect ability, and a weakness of some kind had to exist. That would be the key to defeating him.

Unfortunately, right then and there, Subaru didn't have a plan for how to thread the needle and regain control of the situation, so he had no choice but to rely on Reinhard.

"I have done as you asked. What now?"

"I suppose 'die by my hands' would be a tad uncouth. You have demonstrated your good faith for the sake of my wives and this wretched woman. As such, I would like to respond in kind. I don't want to be mistaken for a selfish and spineless man. I want people to know that I am a simple man who is untroubled by grand desires. I am content with nothing more than the small and simple moments of happiness that can be found in everyday life."

"You don't want to be misunderstood? I see. I can understand that quite well."

"Doesn't it just make sense? In any case, I have but one condition: Endure one of my attacks without evading or blocking it. Do that and I shall consider the quarrel between you and me water under the bridge. I shall forgive your craven attempts to kill me and my wives. What do you say to that?"

Reinhard considered the proposal in silence. To Subaru, it sounded like the rawest deal ever.

Even Reinhard couldn't possibly withstand the full force of Regulus's power.

"Very well, I accept."

However, despite Subaru's unease, Reinhard readily accepted the proposal. Subaru gazed in shock as Regulus's smile deepened.

"A splendid resolve. It appears even the most despicable of thieves has a scrap of honor. Allow me to show my respect."

Subaru felt a wave of revulsion wash over him as Regulus spouted more self-aggrandizing garbage. Slowly, Regulus pointed his left hand at Reinhard.

He still held Emilia in the air with his right.

"Reinhard, you've got something planned, right? I'm trusting you here."

"We made a promise, Subaru. You'll take care of what I cannot, right?"

"Sure, but it's a real bad omen to bring that up right now."

His vague response wasn't the most reassuring, but Subaru wanted to believe that Reinhard had accepted the proposal with some idea of how to come out on top. But before he could probe any more, Regulus lightly flicked his outstretched arm.

Subaru's eyes didn't see anything. But it was clear that casual gesture had sent something flying toward Reinhard. Was it an invisible attack like Petelgeuse's Unseen Hands? Even that was impossible for him to tell.

The only thing Subaru knew for a fact was that Reinhard had collapsed in a spray of blood.

As he fell to his knees before crumpling completely, a tremendous amount of crimson stained the carpet as the Sword Saint's limbs quivered in silence.

"Wha…?"

Those jerking movements were the spasms that occurred when the body was on the verge of death. And when even those ceased, it was a sign that the last dregs of life were gone.

There was no doubt that Reinhard van Astrea was dead.

"No matter what kind of life we lead, death comes all too quickly. However great the achievements, however terrible the sins, death comes for all equally. In this world, where all sorts of inequality go unpunished, death is a kind and cruel equalizer."

Regulus closed his eyes after watching his blow end Reinhard's life. The villain wore a quiet expression as he commented on the results of his own actions as if it were some act of the heavens.

"The end will come for us all someday. That is why the living continually seek out joy. And I am satisfied with the simpler things in life. If I was a greedy person, driven by unbridled avarice for anything and everything in this world, I would never be able to find happiness. But I am blessed to find satisfaction in the little things."

Touching his chest with the arm that had taken Reinhard's life, Regulus let out a trembling breath. And then he posed a simple question.

"As one who is content, allow me to ask: Were you content in death? If you were not, then you have my condolences."

"Uraaaaaa!"

Subaru roared to drown out the absurdities spilling from Regulus's mouth and hurled a chair at him. The chair splintered as Regulus violently brushed it aside before turning a distasteful gaze on Subaru.

"Compared to his purity, you are both noisy and unsightly."

"As it happens, I'm pretty damn proud of being an unknightly knight!"

Stepping onto the carpet stained by Reinhard's blood, Subaru pulled out his trusty Guilty Whip from his hip and let fly at Regulus with a crack as he ran up the aisle.

In response, Regulus pointedly raised Emilia up.

"Are your eyes mere decoration? Can you not see I have a hostage?"

"—That's odd. As I recall, you said you would release the hostages."

"—?!"

Regulus's face warped in shock when he heard that voice.

Behind Subaru, what looked like red holy light slowly rose from the ground. The blood that had spilled out changed into a blazing flame that revived the man who had fallen—the red-haired, blue-eyed superhuman was standing again.

"—Blessing of the phoenix."

A charming voice answered Regulus's unspoken question, and in the blink of an eye, the balance of power completely changed.

" "

Subaru's whip flew toward the blond woman standing stock-still on the other side of the altar, pulling her toward him.

At the same time, Emilia let go of her icy blade and kicked it over toward Reinhard. He caught the flying sword of ice and immediately swung it at Regulus, who stood there frozen.

With the woman who had been in the path of the attack gone, the Sword Saint didn't hesitate.

For an instant, the world fell silent. Then the chapel exploded with a tremor and a flash of blue light.

2

As the blue flash subsided and the dust cleared, it became clear the chapel had undergone a massive change.

"I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but…"

The front of the building, where the solemn altar and the mural wall had been, was gone without a trace, splendidly linking the chapel's interior with the streets of the city just as the first signs of evening appeared in the sky.

Subaru covered his mouth with one hand to avoid inhaling all the dust and rubble in the air now that the chapel had all new and improved ventilation.

He used his other hand to point at Reinhard.

"Are we sure you're not a monster?!"

"I've said it before, but that's rather cruel, Subaru. I have feelings, too, you know."

"Forget about your hurt feelings for a sec! Try having a body that can be hurt, too! What was that just now?!"

Subaru was awestruck once again by just how absurd Reinhard's strength could be. Then he looked at the woman in his arms who he had pulled away from Regulus.

"Sorry for cutting that so close. Are you all right? You aren't injured anywhere, are you?"

Subaru kept his voice earnest and was careful to not scare her, but her reaction was less than encouraging. She slumped down on the spot and didn't seem to hear Subaru at all.

He couldn't say for sure whether it was due to shock or something else entirely.

"—Subaru."

Standing next to the destroyed altar, Reinhard turned and called to Subaru. The sword of ice that had contributed so magnificently to the destruction of the chapel was crumbling in his hand.

It had landed one of Reinhard's attacks. That alone was worthy of praise. And the sword's creator, Emilia, was being supported by Reinhard's left arm.

In that momentary clash, Reinhard had deftly stolen her away from Regulus. Beside him, Emilia held her throat while enduring a painful coughing fit.

"Emilia-tan! Are you all right?"

"Gah, ack… I'm fine. My throat is just a little sore…"

"He didn't do anything to you? Or say anything strange? He seems like the type who might just try to randomly lick a girl's cheeks or something. Also, that wedding dress is really cute. Who helped you change? It wasn't Regulus, was it? Grrr, I'm never gonna forgive that asshole. But the dress choice really is a good one. You're cute no matter what you wear. You really are my angel."

"C-calm down, Subaru. I don't understand what you're saying at all."

Subaru was breathing hard through his nose even as Emilia urged him to stop, her cheeks glowing red. Seeing how worried Subaru was made her break into a smile.

"I'm fine, really. Thank you. I knew you would come for me."

"I knew you would believe in me and wait. Honestly, the two things I was most worried about were not making it in time for the ceremony and that you

would go on a rampage before we got here…"

"Hee-hee, you didn't need to worry. I would never marry him. If I was going to get married, it would have to be to someone I love."

"Right! Phew, that's a relief. Speaking of which, about that someone…"

"Oh no! Subaru, you're hurt! Is your leg okay?!"

Before Subaru could satisfy his curiosity, Emilia noticed his injury. His right leg was wrapped up tightly in bandages with a faint amount of blood still oozing from it. Emilia's concern completely overrode Subaru's attempt to steer the conversation.

"It's fine, it's fine," Subaru said as he tapped his foot on the ground. "I know it looks bad, but surprisingly, it doesn't bother me too much. The

bandages just make it look a bit dramatic is all."

"Really? You always just grin and bear it, so I'm a little worried…"

"I appreciate the concern, but I wouldn't lie in a situation like this. More importantly…"

Subaru shifted the subject to something more pressing than his leg— namely Reinhard, who had let Regulus deal him a mortal wound in order to free Emilia.

"Are you all good, Reinhard? …Holy shit! Is that really okay?!"

Looking closer, his eyes widened as he finally noticed just how gruesome his friend appeared. The front of Reinhard's white jacket had been dramatically ripped apart, and the visible parts of his chest were drenched in blood. Emilia let out a cry as well when she noticed. It looked like he had been caught in an explosion.

"Th-that's terrible! We have to get your clothes off! Let me heal you!" "Apologies for worrying you. Despite how it looks, this isn't a problem. See? There's no wound."

Smiling at the two of them, Reinhard wiped the blood away with his white sleeve, confirming that there was no gaping wound on his chest. There was only unmarked skin beneath the gore.

"There's…nothing there… But you definitely got hit earlier. And then there was that burst of fire."

"Right! It was really blazing. I was surprised, too. What happened?"

"It's a little difficult to explain. Suffice to say it was the correct move in that situation. It helped that you stood back and watched, Subaru. Thanks to that, he didn't notice what was going on."

"I just figured you'd be able to do something. The method you chose definitely came out of left field, though." A little put off by Reinhard dodging the question, Subaru just blurted out what he had been thinking in the moment. "Still, I got seriously worried. I swear it looked like your bloody corpse collapsed to the ground."

"But you still believed in me. That made me happy."

"Well, yeah, I had to after that ominous callback you did!" Subaru jabbed Reinhard's shoulder lightheartedly while grumbling. "So then, what was it? It wasn't a clone or some substitution technique, right? That was a serious fire, too. Don't tell me you're a ninja on top of being a knight."

"As it happens, I have not received training as a shinobi. That was because of the blessing of the phoenix, which allows me to be revived from a single death. Hence the flashy manner of the resurrection. Your description is more or less correct. I was dead for a moment there."

"Don't give me that 'dead for a moment' spiel! What's that supposed to mean?!"

Subaru couldn't help exclaiming at that ridiculous reply.

What sort of blessing allows someone to die once? What do they think death means? Subaru didn't think it was really his place to say something like that, but if nothing else, he was the only one who could say it.

"Just how much more of my thunder do you have to steal…?"

"—? My apologies. However, I judged that that was the best method of catching our opponent off guard. And it was successful. Though, if possible, I would prefer to not die a second time."

"But it's a fact that you died to save me, right? I can't help feeling really guilty…"

"Guh."

"Why do you look so upset, Subaru?"

Subaru groaned and grabbed his chest after sustaining a completely unexpected blow. Shifting gears, he glanced at the young blond woman who had slumped over behind him and then at all the other people around them.

"From what you were saying before, are all these people…?"

"Yes, they're Regulus's wives…though I really don't want to accept it."

Emilia's beautiful eyebrows arched, and her expression clouded. Subaru could more or less grasp what she wanted to say.

"I can't imagine they were super happy, judging from their reactions."

It was plain to see how Regulus usually treated his wives based on his failed threats. The women were beautiful, but just looking at them was heartbreaking.

Subaru was surprised to find he could get even angrier with Regulus. How hated did the Archbishops have to become before they would be satisfied?

As that endless rage smoldered— "—Subaru."

"I know."

Subaru nodded as Reinhard called to him. The two of them put on serious faces as they turned around. Emilia's violet eyes widened when she looked in the same direction.

"I can't help but wonder what are you thinking, acting so cheerful after treating me so outrageously? There should be a limit to how morally bankrupt a person can be. Or do you see this as nothing more than stepping on an insect crawling around the ground? Was that violent outburst the equivalent of squashing an ant to you? How am I supposed to feel about that?!"

The villain stared down at the three of them from the pile of rubble that had collected at the base of the shattered chapel wall. His words made it clear he had lost his temper as he leaped toward them.

When he landed on the ground nearby, he calmly adjusted the collar of his white suit and his unwrinkled sleeves before brushing off the matching white pants and elegantly fixing his hair.

He had taken the brunt of Reinhard's attack, but there wasn't a single trace of dirt on his immaculate outfit.

"I see. He is a rather odd one, just like you mentioned, Subaru."

"Do you mean me? Would you mind correcting that for the record? Don't refer to me by such an imbecilic and crude description."

Open annoyance appeared on Regulus's face as he glared at Reinhard. And as if to emphasize his untouched clothes, he spread his legs and thrust out his chest.

"I am Regulus Corneas, the Witch Cult Archbishop of Greed—the most fully realized and most content man in the world. You would do well to remember that, you good-for-nothings."

"…You guys are always so diligent about these introductions. Is that part of the cult's training for new hires?"

Subaru's shoulders slumped in exasperation at hearing the same spiel every time he met another Archbishop. Beside him, Emilia pointedly murmured, "Witch Cult…Greed…"

Emilia put her finger to her lips, seemingly deep in thought.

"Regulus…have I met you somewhere before?"

"Ha? What? Not that I know of. You aren't going to spout something about a fateful encounter now, are you? Save me that foolishness. No matter how pretty the face, a latent potential for infidelity is irredeemable! Such a wanton woman could neve— Ngh!"

"Blah, blah, blah! Shut up already! No one cares!"

Subaru mercilessly cracked his whip, hitting Regulus in the face and interrupting his rant. Regulus's head twisted from the force of the blow, but as he slowly turned his face back, the strike had left no mark at all.

"…We're not gonna get anywhere until we figure out the trick to that invincibility."

"Quit acting all high-and-mighty, you twit. You just signed your death warrant with that. You will pay for what you've done."

"Unfortunately, your opponent is me. I'm afraid you'll have to let me stall for time."

In the blink of an eye, Reinhard's kick sent Regulus flying backward with incredible force. Regulus let out a "gah!" as he skidded off the ground without breaking his fall before crashing directly into the mound of rubble. The mound collapsed as he passed all the way through it and out the other side.

"All right, I shall face him as we planned. You work on figuring out his invincibility, Subaru."

Reinhard slowly lowered his long leg as Subaru nodded.

"Sure. Stalling for time is fine and all…but no one's going to complain if you happen to beat him, either."

"If possible, I would like to do so. Also…get the women to safety. This is about to turn into a battlefield."

"Wait, Reinhard! It might not be that much use, but here!"

Emilia stopped Reinhard as he casually prepared to face the enemy. She held out another sword of ice she had made with her magic. "—Many thanks."

Taking the sword, Reinhard politely bowed to her.

Facing forward again, he leaped out of the chapel after Regulus. He disappeared from view in the blink of an eye. A split second later, the wind he kicked up tousled their hair.

The shouts and crashes that erupted outside right after signaled that the battle had begun.

"All right. Now's our chance, Emilia-tan! Like Reinhard said, we need to get everyone here to safety! They all, wait…are they even going to listen?"

Subaru turned around in high spirits, but he was at a loss when he saw all those women.

The events of the past few minutes should have been shock after shock, but there was not even a trace of emotion in their blank expressions. Even though Reinhard had just died once in front of their eyes.

"Are you all right? You aren't hurt anywhere, are you?" Emilia shook the shoulders of the woman who had slumped to the carpet. The one Subaru had saved with his whip slowly looked up as Emilia earnestly called out to her. Emilia's figure was reflected in her blue eyes. "Mm, you seem all right. Can you stand? Let's get out of here right away. And everyone else, too…"

"I…we are staying here. If you want to run away by yourself, then please do so."

"—But why? Did you hurt your leg? If you did, then just lean on my shoulder! It's dangerous here! I made a wall of ice, but that's not enough to be saf—"

"—Our husband has not given his permission."

The woman's hideously emotionless voice interrupted Emilia's earnest plea.

Emilia was speechless as the woman looked at her with a clear, penetrating gaze.

"Acting without his permission will upset him."

"That's… We are going to—"

Emilia wanted to give her assurances that they would deal with Regulus. But she found it impossible to say when under that blond woman's gaze.

"The guy fighting Regulus right now is the Sword Saint Reinhard," Subaru said, cutting in brusquely. "I totally understand why you're scared of Regulus, but trust me, Reinhard's going to kick his ass. So could you listen to us?"

"Defeat him? Please don't make me laugh. It does not matter who the opponent is. There is no one who can match him… No one can best Regulus

Corneas."

She snorted at Subaru, refusing to be saved.

That scoff was the first sign of anything that even approached emotion. And it was the sort of laugh an adult might have for a sheltered child spouting fairy tales that always end happily ever after.

—It was indescribably twisted how Regulus's wives believed their husband's strength was absolute.

It was an unwavering faith completely unaffected by the fact that he was facing the Sword Saint Reinhard. An unbreakable curse binding them. Regulus had tied down his wives with his incomparable strength.

They knew beyond a doubt that their husband would emerge victorious, giving him an unbreakable hold on their hearts—the marital ideal in one twisted, warped sense of the idea.

"I guess that's what it might look like at a glance. This is some shit…!"

Regulus's wives couldn't be convinced. That much was painfully obvious. There was no way to save them through words alone.

What this one woman had said was clearly a belief shared by all the other wives there. The fact that not a single one of them expressed any objection or attempted to move at all was proof of that.

It seemed very much like the only way to get them out of there would be to physically carry them away.

"This is impossible! Reinhard! Change of plans!"

Giving up on trying to convince them, Subaru ran up the rubble pile near where the altar had stood to go find the lead actor in the inhuman battle unfolding outside. When he reached the summit and looked out on the battlefield, he couldn't help but say, "Oh, come on! Could you maybe moderate yourself a bit?!"

As twilight started to fall on the streets, Regulus's childlike temper erupted. The white-haired villain swung his arm with wild abandon, explosively tearing up the pavement and toppling a building. A wave of destruction turned the beautiful neighborhood to rubble.

"How selfish can that idiot be…? Whoa! The heck?!"

Regulus's uncontrolled violence sent pieces of rubble and rock flying like stray bullets. Subaru took cover and shielded his head as he searched for Reinhard.

At that moment, Reinhard was in the process of running straight up the wall of a tower into the night sky. Subaru's eyes bulged at that gravitydefying stunt as he suddenly heard something.

"Change of plans? What about the women inside?"

"?! What?! Where is your voice coming from?!"

"This is the blessing of telepathy. It allows my voice to reach any visible friends."

"You're getting less human every single day! Also, something's been flying around me?! Whoa! I can't hear anything over the wind!"

"Ah, understood—I'll put an end to that right now."

Reinhard launched himself off the wall, crossing in front of the moon. Clearing the tower just as it was pummeled by Regulus, Reinhard accelerated as he descended in a high-speed spin. The moment he touched down, he used his spinning leg to unleash an aerial slash.

"Wh-what are you—?!"

Regulus roared as he was sent flying yet again by that attack. Subaru blinked as he watched the building behind Regulus collapse after he slammed into it.

"What was that acrobatic assassination technique just now?"

"It seems like he's using pebbles and small rubble as missiles. In order to defend against it, I had to counter with a blade of air, since it'd be impossible to evade all the flying debris."

"That sounds a lot like dodging rain, and I'm not sure how it makes me feel."

Putting one and one together, Subaru realized that the noise he'd been hearing was the sound of Reinhard protecting him from Regulus's attacks.

"Anyway, that's not important right now! We need a new plan! Those people inside won't move! They're too scared of Regulus!"

"…That's understandable. That means—"

"We're going with plan W!"

Recalling what they had discussed beforehand, Reinhard's blue eyes narrowed as he advanced. Regulus emerged from the collapsed building and watched them as he brushed himself off.

"You've been having your way quite a bit for a while now. You seem to possess a rather absurd amount of strength, but if you only have half a brain, then it's all just wasted. Most people would have realized by now that

whether you punch or kick me, it's meaningless!"

"True, I've tried almost everything, and it seems straightforward attacks aren't having any effect. That means I'll have to start trying methods that are a bit more indirect!"

Regulus's face clouded in an evil rage as Reinhard sped up.

Seeing that and finally changing up his response, Regulus swung one arm horizontally and the other vertically at the same time. The waves of destruction following each swing simultaneously closed in on Reinhard.

In response, Reinhard moved so fast that Subaru couldn't follow with his eyes, and he evaded the invisible attack. If he had to describe the move, it looked like Reinhard was in sixteen different places at the same time.

Now that he had closed the distance, Reinhard swung Emilia's ice blade that he had been preserving, driving it up into Regulus's body from the ground and sending Regulus into the air with a clean hit.

The villain's cries and the sound of the ice blade rang out at the same time as the battle shifted to a new location.

"Subaru! Wait, what are you doing?" Emilia called out.

"We're going to lure him, and then… Whoa, that's a bold look, Emiliatan!"

"I mean, this dress is cute, but it's hard to move in…"

Emilia had climbed up the mound of rubble after Subaru, who couldn't help but stare at her appearance.

The white wedding dress was now sporting a massive tear. She had torn a leg slit for better freedom of movement. This made it easier to fight, but the pale skin of her leg was visible, and Subaru found it incredibly alluring.

"For some reason, that skirt alteration with this particular outfit seems more risqué than normal…"

"Who cares about that right now?! What did you ask Reinhard to do?"

"He's carrying out one of the plans we went over before we got here. We have to figure out the trick to that guy's invincibility, so we came up with tests to check every possibility I could imagine."

With a nod to Emilia, Subaru went to the corner of the chapel to pick up the white Dragon Sword Reinhard had left with him and then started heading outside.

Just before leaving, he looked around at Regulus's wives one last time.

"Regulus is the bad guy here, so I'm not going to blame you for anything.

But I will say one thing."

" "

"'So what?' If you don't ask that, nothing can change. You gotta open your eyes at some point. You'll never find the things you want or get to see

tomorrow by looking at the back of your eyelids."

He harbored no illusions that his little speech would be enough to spur them into action. Like he said himself, it was just something he wanted to get off his chest.

"Let's go, Subaru. We have to fight, too."

The gallant girl in her wedding dress understood him.

That would have to be enough for now. Subaru took Emilia's outstretched hand, and they dashed out of the chapel. They ran together to where Reinhard was fighting.

3

"Bah! You scurrying rats!"

As night fell on the city, Regulus screeched and swung his arm down.

What the villain released from his hand was entirely ordinary dirt. He had merely picked up some from the ground and thrown it. Ordinarily, that should have been a distraction at best, but when it left Regulus's hand, the particles of harmless dirt turned into a terrifyingly powerful scattershot projectile attack.

The beautiful stone architecture of the town was blasted by the shrapnel and tumbled down with a thunderous rumble.

"—Ya!"

And the redheaded Sword Saint, who had been the target of that scattershot attack, catapulted himself off what should have been empty space and soared upward, hurtling directly at Regulus with a physics-defying move.

"You little…! Stop flitting all around like an insect!"

Reinhard lived in a realm beyond common sense, and not even a seasoned warrior could keep up with his movements. For Regulus, who was little more than an amateur when it came to the technical aspects of combat, catching Reinhard was impossible. Moving instinctively, he threw handfuls of dirt haphazardly in every direction.

"What are youuuuu?!"

"Knight to Lady Felt, the royal candidate. I hope you will consider supporting her bid to become the next ruler."

"—?!"

Regulus's eyes frantically scanned his surroundings, searching for the enemy as he listened to the strangely earnest advertisement. Meanwhile, Reinhard hefted the metal object in his hands and swung straight at the back of Regulus's head. There was a crash as the metal bent at the base and became useless as a weapon after a single blow.

"You…!"

"So the element of surprise and attacking from your blind spot doesn't work, either? It seems the conditions are different from my blessings."

Reinhard made these comments as Regulus showed no sign of having taken any damage from that blow.

Deciphering the conditions that defined Regulus's invincibility was of the utmost importance. Fortunately, he couldn't keep up with Reinhard's movements, but Reinhard couldn't keep fighting forever, either. Eventually, he would run out of steam.

"You must realize by now you have no way of winning, right? That violence of yours may have carried the day countless times before, but this is the limit for those whose happiness is built atop the sacrifices of others! How many people's feelings have you trampled on, you hideous, greedy monster?!"

"Your words cut surprisingly deep. That said, I am not oblivious to the truth."

Regulus's words were nonsensical, but Reinhard still averted his eyes in shame.

"Huh? What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying I should just let bygones be bygones because you acknowledge your sins? Have some perspective, you narcissist. No one has their hopes riding on some future where anything actually comes of your self-reflection. All that matters is the past and the present. Your remorse does nothing for all the people who had to lick your boots as you crushed them underfoot! Cursed villain! Die, hypocrite!"

"…Talking with you feels like looking deep into a mirror at myself. I understand now why Subaru said not to listen to you."

"Pretentious little… Ah yes. His name is Subaru, right! The villain who stole my bride from me! I can't forgive him or that wanton woman. I'll have to make them pa— Gagh?!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Regulus's jaw slammed closed as he flipped head over heels.

Reinhard had closed the distance between them in a flash and thrust the heel of his palm straight into Regulus's chin. Then Reinhard grabbed the Archbishop's leg while his victim was still airborne and swung him into the pavement before shoving the man's head against the floor and using it to level out the ground around him.

"What?! You're fine but your friend is off-limits? Your performative chivalry is nauseating!"

Regulus glared viciously at Reinhard even as his upper body was used to plow the street.

"I lent you an ear long enough. I can't bear listening anymore. Particularly not when you slander my friend," Reinhard said with a smile as he leaped high into the air. The two of them rose into the night sky where the wind whipped around them, and the bright full moon filled their vision in a moment of weightlessness. Regulus scoffed as the moon grew so large, it almost seemed like it was within reach.