Chapter 132 - x

ON THE ROAD

"—I'm not actually the legitimate son of the Juukulius house."

Sitting formally on the ground in front of the campfire, Julius murmured those words with a gloomy tint to his eyes.

Subaru listened as he combed Beatrice's hair while she sat on his knee.

As an artificial spirit, her body was always immaculate and in optimal condition. Even so, Subaru considered it an important part of their bonding to always brush out her hair before bed. It deepened his connection with his precious partner while they peacefully chatted about how their day went.

"So why did you pick this exact moment to drop such a massive revelation on us?"

"Apologies. I was just thinking that if I let this moment pass, I wasn't sure when I would get another chance."

Subaru furrowed his brow as Julius responded, not looking nearly as apologetic as his words suggested. It was the sort of reaction that could easily be interpreted as haughtiness. That or the relaxed attitude that came with being among friends.

"So by not the legitimate son, you mean…?"

"In the sense that I am not the direct son of the current head of the

Juukulius house. Alviero Juukulius, the current head, is my adoptive father. My father is his younger brother, Klein Juukulius. When my father passed away, my current family took me in."

"I see… Oh, then that means you have two fathers and two mothers," Emilia commented.

Julius's eyes widened for a moment. He almost seemed amazed by the idea, but then his expression softened slightly.

"That's right." He nodded, still smiling. "? What? Did I say something strange?"

"No, not at all. If anything, it was just quintessential Emilia-tan. Very E M

T."

"Sorry, I have no clue what you are talking about."

Subaru grimaced as Emilia pouted. She was practically sulking. He wasn't trying to be sarcastic or anything of the sort, though. If he was being honest, her completely innocent and naturally kind way of thinking had been incredibly moving, and Julius probably felt the same way.

That was why he was just playing with his bangs like always.

" "

The moon was hidden by a few sparse clouds, so the campfire was the only thing that illuminated their surroundings. Looking around at the gathered faces, Subaru was struck again by what an odd group they were.

Leaving the Water Gate City behind, their party had set their sights on the eastern reaches of the world.

Their goal was to contact the Sage rumored to reside in the distant Auguria Dunes. Meeting the all-knowing Sage and famed hero would give them a chance to receive some wisdom.

Even the preliminary information gathering made it sound like an unbelievably difficult journey.

Auguria was a hive of dangerous demon beasts and notorious for a terrifying miasma that stalked the land. More than anything, what made it sound like the most hellish place was—

"A hell that even Reinhard failed to get through… Like I told the man himself, that phrase seriously makes you lose hope the moment you hear it."

This was the same Reinhard who, as far as anyone else could tell, had returned alive from the moon. The fact that he couldn't break through those sandy dunes made it feel like they were about to challenge something humans were never meant to overcome.

"That just means we have to do the impossible. This is a rescue mission, not a suicide mission."

No matter how hopeless the odds seemed, they would have to find a way to persevere. The purpose of this journey was to give hope to all the people whose futures had been stolen away, to grant them the right to have a tomorrow again.

"Your face is getting scary, Subaru."

As he started dwelling on that somber thought, he felt a poke on his cheek. It was Beatrice, who was leaning with her whole body against his chest. Fiddling with her hair, she looked at him fondly with those distinctive eyes of hers.

"If you're going to worry so much that it turns your head to mush, then you might as well focus on our skinship instead. Or else Betty's adorableness will go to waste."

"What are you talking abou…? Holy crap, it's true! I can see your cuteness evaporating into the air!"

"It is not! How rude! Betty is as lovely as always!" She puffed out her cheeks and jumped down from his lap.

"I'm just kidding," Subaru said with a laugh.

Beatrice was unconvinced and went straight to Emilia, who was waving her over. She leaned against Emilia's chest as Emilia smiled.

"Emilia, it's about time for bed. Staying up all night is bad for the body."

"That's right. Why don't you sleep with me tonight as punishment for

Subaru being mean."

"A fitting punishment."

The two of them were in total agreement that Subaru was the bad guy. Beatrice rubbed her eyes sleepily as Emilia took her by the hand. She glanced at Subaru while leading the little girl away.

After watching them go back to the dragon carriage, Julius spoke up.

"Those two are quite charming together."

"They look like the best of buds, right? Just a little over a year ago, they couldn't have been more different."

"It's hard to believe…in a single year? If you were involved, I suppose it's possible."

Subaru scratched his cheek as Julius looked at him, a twinkle in his eye. There was no denying that Subaru's presence was a part of it, but he felt acknowledging that fact would just come off as self-centered, so he quickly changed the subject.

"So about what you were saying before."

"You mean about my family?"

"Right. Emilia is a bit airheaded, and Beako was considerate enough not to say anything, but talking about the past in a situation like this is…"

"I know. I'm sorry if it added another burden."

Interrupting Subaru as he struggled to get the words out, Julius slowly shook his head. Seeing the way he was acting, Subaru grimaced internally, like he had bitten into something especially bitter.

Due to the Archbishop of Gluttony's power, the memory of Julius— Julius's name itself—had been erased from the world. The very fact that he existed was torn from the minds of everyone who ever knew him.

It was the third way this affliction manifested, similar to and yet different from Crusch, who had lost her own memories, and Rem, who had been forgotten by everyone and had fallen into a deep slumber, lost in memory.

Subaru was painfully familiar with that feeling of despair that came with being isolated from the rest of the world.

When Subaru died and time rewound, he always returned with memories of a world that no one else could ever know about. He lost the bonds that he had painstakingly built more than a few times.

Even his friends at Roswaal Manor had forgotten him before.

"It's hard to relax with you staring at me like that, Subaru. If you have something to say, then why not just come out and say it?" "You're…tch, you're a real piece of work, you know that?" Subaru looked away.

One time I show a genuine bit of concern for him, this is what I get. That's the "finest knight" for you.

When Subaru had found himself in a similar situation, recovering all by himself had been a hopeless task. That was precisely why he understood just how amazing Julius was to have managed it alone.

But it pissed him off to admit it, so he just snorted dismissively.

"The only thing I want to do is register a complaint. Don't go bringing up stuff like that out of nowhere. It ruins the mood. And it's not something you should be telling me anyway."

"That's not true. It's nothing particularly special. Reinhard and Ferris know, and it is common knowledge among the other knights. Lady Anastasia also knows, of course. Or I should say, she knew."

" "

"It's something that everyone knew. Which is probably why I wanted you to know it, too. Other than myself, you're the person in this world who knows me best now."

After saying that in a soft, tranquil voice, Julius stood up. Gently brushing off his legs, the finest knight looked down at Subaru, who was still sitting next to the fire.

"It's about time for me to rest. What about you?"

"I… I'm going to watch the fire a little bit longer. It's a safe road, but it's still better to have someone on lookout."

"Understood. Then I'll rest first."

With those parting words and a quiet nod, Julius left the fire and returned to the carriage.

Alone with his thoughts, Subaru stared at the flames and touched his right leg—the scar of the wound he had received in Pristella, the black pattern that wouldn't disappear.

"…What was that…?"

It was soft, almost indignant.

He didn't know whether he was talking about Julius or himself, but either way, an odd feeling of annoyance had gotten caught up like a little bone lodged in his throat.

"Agh, damn it. What am I, stupid? …Yeah, I guess I am…"

Scratching his head, he vented his annoyance. It wasn't going to make anything better, but he couldn't bring himself to not say anything, either.

He glared at the fire when a voice called out.

"—No need to go blamin' yourself so much, is there?"

It was an elegant, reserved voice coming from behind him. Subaru stopped scratching his head. Slowly turning around, he saw a girl with her hands clasped behind her back.

"It's hard to tell what I should call you on the spur of the moment…"

"You can just call me Anastasia now and every other time, too. If you don't, it'll be a problem for me."

The first half of what she said had an entirely different tone from the second half. Almost as if the person talking switched in the middle. Of course, the voice itself was the same throughout.

But the rightful controller of that body was no longer actually in control.

"Foxidna…"

"I'm not particularly attached to my name, but I can't deny that I feel a little bit of resistance at being called that, Natsuki."

The woman whose pale blue-green eyes were squinting at him was Anastasia Hoshin. Or at least, the body belonged to the royal candidate. However, someone else was inside. Something else.

At present, her body was being occupied by the white fox scarf wrapped around her neck—the man-made spirit Echidna in disguise.

It was like a bad joke. An artificial spirit with the same name as the Witch of Greed was joining Subaru and company on their journey, all while continuing to deny that she was said witch.

Her presence was headache-inducing.

"I wish you wouldn't be so suspicious of me. I've explained before that this situation isn't what I wanted, either. I even took the job of acting as your guide on this dangerous trip."

What she said was true. The success of their journey depended on her guidance. Without it, they had no hope of surviving the hell that forced even Reinhard into submission.

Despite acknowledging that, Subaru couldn't get over the fact that she shared a certain witch's name.

"Even so, my stance is that your creator is never to be trusted. Believe me, I'd trust you if I could. It would be easier that way."

"Dearie me. My creator who I can't even remember must have really done a number on you."

" "

"Anyway, don't get so upset. It's scary."

When he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, Foxidna flashed Anastasia's usual expression and stuck out her tongue before turning away. She started heading back to the carriage, probably planning to sleep.

"You shouldn't burn the midnight oil so much, either, Natsuki. Especially considering how much you tend to worry about every little thing."

"…Says one of the things that I happen to be worrying about."

"Forget I brought it up then." Foxidna shrugged at his sarcastic response and finally left.

But Subaru really did need to change gears. He was going to accidentally call her Foxidna at some point. He needed to get in the habit of referring to her as Anastasia.

"Now I've got even more things to hide. This is the exact wrong way for things to be going."

Subaru poured water on the campfire and put it out. Returning to the carriage pulled over to the side of the road, he started to lie down on the seat that was his bed.

Emilia and everyone else were already sleeping inside, so he took care to stay quiet as he lay down.

"You look like you have even more things on your mind now."

"…Were you awake?"

Just as he lay down on the seat, a voice called out to him. Opening his eyes, he saw Beatrice with her hair down standing next to the seat.

"There's no hiding anything from you, is there?"

"That's a bad habit of yours. You should share your concerns with Betty.

Betty is far more attentive than you are."

"…Yeah, that's right. C'mere."

Squeezing into the seat to make some room, she slipped in close so they could nuzzle together.

Beatrice was the only one who knew the depth of Subaru's worries. She was also the only other person on the trip who knew that Anastasia and Foxidna had changed places.

The problem was Echidna—who he had been calling Foxidna to

distinguish her from the witch. She was an artificial spirit like Beatrice, and she swore that she had no intention of harming Anastasia. Talking about it to others was bound to cause confusion and maybe alarm. But Subaru also needed to stay on guard. So as a compromise, he had shared the secret with Beatrice.

Considering Beatrice's complicated feelings toward Echidna, he would've preferred to not involve her with another person who shared that name, but…

"Don't worry about pointless things. You should just be yourself and ask for help from any and everyone. If nothing else, I praise your judgment in coming to Betty first."

Good at listening and a charmer. Subaru smiled awkwardly at that compliment. All he could do was be grateful.

"I can't just keep worrying forever. Tomorrow we're finally gonna visit home."

Patting Beatrice's head, he braced himself for the first checkpoint on their journey.

Their ultimate goal was to reach the Sage's watchtower, but their party was stopping by Roswaal Manor to prepare for the next leg of the trip and to report back on everything that had happened. However, there was another reason for passing through there—

"It ain't no regular pit stop…"

In the grand scheme of things, it was a trivial, almost laughable reason. But for a small person like Subaru Natsuki, it was something that contained a powerful possibility.

This was an important detour to reunite with someone dear to him on the long, long road he had to travel before he could finally meet her again in the truest sense. 

CHAPTER 1

A REASON TO BRING YOU

1

The trip from Pristella to Roswaal Manor was approximately ten days.

Going to the Water Gate City took about the same time, so it had been nearly a month since they first set off. There had not been any jobs that kept them away from the mansion that long before, so it was actually a bit emotional for Subaru.

"Subaru!"

"Oh, Petra—gh, whoa!"

Getting down from the carriage, Subaru thanked the driver as a girl in a maid outfit came running from the mansion and wrapped him in a flying hug. Struggling to catch her, he breathed a sigh of relief as he patted her on the head.

"Don't scare me like that, Petra. It's been a month, but I see you're in a good mood."

"It's been so long. I'm just really happy… I'm sure it was difficult for you, Master Subaru. I was worried after the letter came. You aren't just pretending to be okay when you're actually hurt, are you?"

"That tickles."

Petra's reddish-brown hair bobbed this way and that as she checked Subaru's body for injuries. Subaru grimaced a bit as everyone else left the carriage, too.

"Come on, Petra. It's time for work, before Ram gets mad at you."

"…Okaaay. Tell me everything later."

With that, Petra pulled away, but that look of suspicion never left her eyes. She didn't seem to trust Subaru at all. To be fair, their original plan was to find some magic crystals, and instead they ended up fighting the Witch Cult in a massive battle that swept through the entire city.

Even if Subaru pleaded his innocence in the matter, it wasn't surprising that she refused to believe him. While he was thinking that, Petra greeted the guests with a practiced speech.

"Welcome, honored guests. I am a maid serving the Roswaal Manor, Petra Leyte. Please allow me to show you into the mansion after your long journey."

Julius was helping Anastasia down from the carriage, and they both looked impressed by the gracefulness of her introduction. Emilia and Beatrice looked almost proud of her.

"Well now, what a dignified little darling. I almost want to hire her myself."

"Indeed. It's almost like an entirely different person from the girl who leaped onto Subaru."

"…Apologies for that shameful display."

Petra's cheeks reddened as Anastasia and Julius smiled. Observing that reaction, Julius nodded.

"I see. I understand why people have taken to calling you the little girl tamer."

"Just to be clear, Petra isn't that young, and even if I let that misclassification slide, Beako is the only one, so don't get the wrong idea."

"Betty doesn't just listen to everything Subaru says. No one has tamed Betty." Subaru met Julius's banter with a biting response, only to be sharply corrected by Beatrice. "Besides, there's not even that much difference between Betty and Pet… Wait. P-Petra has grown a little, I suppose? And her hair's a bit longer, too…!"

"A full month has gone by, after all. I'm a growing girl. I'm getting taller, and if I don't cut my hair, of course it will get longer. But you're still this small."

"H-how could this be…?!"

Beatrice was trembling as Petra smiled and hugged her. Enjoying Beatrice's pouting face, Petra changed topics.

"I should show you in before Ms. Ram gets upset…"

"—If you wanted to avoid that, you should have tried a little harder."

"Eep!"

Petra's face paled when a familiar voice came from behind her. A second maid emerged from the mansion, making the younger maid shudder in fear—it was Ram.

Her pink eyes pinned Petra in place for several long moments before she slowly turned her gaze to Subaru and the others.

"Just when I was thinking your work had been improving and maybe you deserved some acknowledgment… How disappointing."

"I—I'm sorry… Um, but what was that about my work…?"

"Yes. I was going to say that you have gotten better at cooking and more careful with cleaning and better at washing the laundry, and you get up earlier than I do."

"Maybe you should take a look at your own work!"

How much could a veteran maid be outdone by a girl who had been a maid for barely a year? Even considering how fast Petra could pick up new things, if the bar was that low, clearing it didn't mean much.

Ram snorted at Subaru's outburst.

"What's the point of doubting oneself? I have nothing but self-confidence and the highest of expectations for myself."

"That is the one thing about you that I really, truly respect." Subaru was astonished at how bluntly she announced that.

Emilia tapped Petra's frozen shoulder as she said, "Thanks for coming to meet us, Ram. Has anything happened in the manor while we were away?"

"There have been no issues. I am sure you all have much news to share.

Did Garf and Otto die?"

"Don't go killing them off! What a thing to say with such a serious look on your face!"

"It's easy to see through a man with no composure. In your case, it's so clear that there's practically a hole and your insides are leaking out, so you should be careful. Being shallow and empty is just the worst."

"You're gonna seriously hurt my feelings, so could you stop? And besides, you got our letter, right?"

Ram shrugged as Subaru whispered to her.

They had sent a letter in advance of their departure from Pristella. If the contents had been shared with Ram, then she should know why they had come back to the manor.

Ram held up her finger.

"Relax. I heard the story from Master Roswaal. You have business with the sleeping beauty and the mansion's jail. Though…" Ram's eyes narrowed mysteriously. "The preparations for both were Frederica's and Petra's jobs, not mine."

"Why do you look smug about that?"

Even after a month apart, Ram was the same as ever.

2

"Weeell, now. Welcome baaack. I'm glad for your safe retuuurn." Roswaal greeted the group while sitting on the couch in the parlor.

Subaru and Emilia couldn't help glancing at each other when they saw his full-faced smile in clown makeup.

"…Emilia-tan, you didn't write anything strange in the letter, did you?"

"Um, I don't think so, but…maybe it's because you did something that made him happy? I mean, you and Roswaal do have those secret conversations from time to time…"

"Me? I'd rather spend my time and money on you and Beako and Petra and Frederica and Patlash and, I guess, Ram."

"That could be considered quite a lot of women's names, I suppose."

"It'd be embarrassing to show that sort of daily gratitude to Otto and

Garfield, since they're fellow guys, okay?!" Beatrice looked exasperated as Subaru put his hand on her head and joined Emilia in confusion. Incidentally, the reason he didn't include Rem was to avoid upsetting the others, but he still regretted leaving her out. He quickly put that thought out of his mind to ask a pointed question. "So judging from that smile, you must be plotting some new nasty tricks. Am I right, Roswaal?"

"What a veeeexing reaction. All I've done is show how haaappy I am to see you are all safe and sound after worrying about your safety. You could hardly find any problem with that, yeees?"

Roswaal closed one eye, staring at Subaru with the blue eye.

"This past year, I've had seeeveral changes of heart. My cooperation is something to be celebrated as far as Lady Emilia is concerned, no?"

"Um, I guess so. Yes. Thank you, Roswaal."

Emilia accepted Roswaal's brazen appeal with her open-minded generosity. Seeing how Roswaal smiled and waved his hand breezily, Subaru couldn't help wondering exactly how trustworthy this man really was.

"It's a waste of time trying to grasp what he is thinking. That oddness of his that makes him act the way he does is even more immeasurable than yours, Subaru."

"That was a bit vague."

Beatrice's ambiguous assessment almost made her sound like a rambling old lady. Taking her hand, he stepped into the parlor together with Emilia.

He was suspicious of Roswaal being in such a good mood. At the same time, it seemed like a safe bet that Roswaal was genuinely pleased to see them return. Having lost his tome of wisdom, they were crucial for achieving his goal.

"In that case, it would be helpful if you were a little bit more genuinely cooperative."

"You will accomplish what you set out to do with or without my aid. And because I have faith in your abilities, I am exerting myself in the arenas where your strength cannot reach. A truly fair relationship, wouldn't you saaay?"

"Yeah, it seriously gives that hint of RPG spice: a helper character who's not actually available to help most of the tiiime."

It was a standard trope of games that characters who were overpowered would only ever join the party for very specific fights.

As it so happened, Roswaal always watched from the sidelines as Subaru was pushed to the absolute limit so he could obtain proof that Subaru's ability to return by death could change fate itself.

He was a shrewd one and someone Subaru couldn't afford to let his guard down around. That assessment was still unchanged.

"Soooo, isn't it about time you introduced us?"

"Ah, sorry, sorry. Roswaal, we've brought some guests. Can you make some room?"

"So I've heeeard. Still, though, this is quite the intriiiiguing assembly."

Roswaal stood up and gestured for the guests standing at the entrance to the room to take a seat on the sofa while he shifted to a nearby armchair.

"Welcome. You've come a long way. We haven't been able to speak like this siiiince the ceremony."

"Indeed, and it's not like we got a chance to reeeally talk much there, either, so I suppose this marks the first time."

Anastasia smiled and met Roswaal's diplomatic greeting with an equally diplomatic response.

The ceremony they were referring to was the one held at the royal palace to honor Emilia, Crusch, Anastasia, and all their followers for their work in slaying the white whale.

It happened after the events in the Sanctuary, with representatives from all three factions present.

He's got some balls to show up for that with a straight face after everything he did.

Either way, this was the first time he and Anastasia had met face-to-face since then, and their greetings included a bit of probing. The conversation then shifted to the main topic: reporting what had occurred in Pristella.

"I've read your letter. Otto and Garfiel are recovering from their injuries, but even so, it sounds like the cost of dealing with the Witch Cult was fairly low?"

"Yes, thanks to the reeeally hard work the two of them put in… Actually, it's also thanks to everyone who was in the town. Subaru and Liliana, too."

"Why did you mention me and Liliana all of a sudden?"

Probably because they were in the non-combatant category. Not because they were particularly similar.

"Well, setting aside Subaru's self-consciousness… Lady Anastasia, it was you who invited Lady Emilia to Pristella. Do you have any thoughts regarding that?"

"I regret the incident. If you asked me to apologize, I'm prepared to offer a proper apology. However…"

"However, Lady Emilia has already refused anything more than that, I'm suuure."

"After all, it's the Witch Cult who were acting up, so they're the ones in the wrong. Anastasia doesn't have any responsibility for what they did. And we still managed to accomplish what we went there to do."

Emilia touched the pendant around her neck when Roswaal glanced at her. A gleaming magic crystal sat there, gathering strength for the great spirit that was still deep in slumber.

The reason they had gone to Pristella was to secure a magic crystal that could help Puck. As far as that specific goal was concerned, the trip to Pristella had been a success.

"Also, the fact that we happened to be there at the right time might be why we were able to defeat the Witch Cult. If so, then that would be to

Anastasia's credit—"

"That's obviously far beyond what I was considering, so just leave it at that."

Anastasia grimaced a bit at Emilia's forward-thinking perspective and stopped her.

"Really?"

For some reason, Anastasia looked relieved as Emilia cocked her head.

Of course, that whole line was just a preemptive push from Roswaal.

In fact, there was a decent chance the Witch Cult's attack on Pristella was primarily aimed at Emilia's faction. Roswaal was perfectly aware of that since it had been mentioned in the letter.

"The actions of the Witch Cult are their own. We can all agree that they're the worst and move on. The other factions have accepted that, and it's not as

if there wasn't anything gained in the fighting, either."

"Killing one archbishop and capturing another. It is indeed a magnificent outcome. However, those cultists have no sense of working together or solidarity. Even if there is only one left, the danger remains unchanged."

"I can't argue with that…"

The Witch Cult was more a place for deviants to gather than any sort of formal organization. Because of that, it wasn't like Gluttony or Lust would stop their atrocities just because Greed and Wrath had been defeated.

"Anyway, we've got an idea that might take care of that."

"And that is why you are setting out for the Sage's watchtower. That is quite the perilous path. Do you have any reason to believe you will succeed?"

Roswaal was one of the leaders of the kingdom. It went without saying that he was aware that Reinhard had already attempted to cross the Auguria Dunes before only to fail.

Between the hallucinogenic miasma and the countless dangerous demon beasts, it was only natural to question how they would make it past those barriers. Subaru simply glanced at the trump card they had prepared for that issue.

"That is where I come in. Fortunately, I happen to know a secret path that will bring us to the Sage's watchtower. That is how we can succeed."

"Even if you ask me to just trust yoooou… Something like a secret route through the dunes would surely fetch quite the price from any number of buyers. Why is it that you and you alone happen to be in possession of it?"

"I'm a merchant, so of course money is important. But there are some things money can't buy. And this here is one of those things. Can we agree on that?"

Anastasia, or rather Foxidna, was matching Roswaal point for point.

Despite the fact that she was a fake pretending to be Anastasia, her words possessed a mysterious strength, a strength that even overawed Subaru, who knew the truth.

Facing down the full force of Anastasia's gaze, Roswaal closed an eye.

"I see now how someone so young can run such a large company. It is quite a challenge to outplay someone so worldly with words alone. I imagine

Lady Emilia has already agreed to your proposal?"

"I'm sorry for deciding something like this on my own."

"Not sorry enough to stop making such rash decisions without consulting others. But that is fine. You are one who chooses to take the thorny path. And that path is one he will surely resolve himself to follow as well."

Roswaal seemed unenthused by Anastasia's proposal, but that was where his interest lay in the end. If Emilia chose the most difficult path, then the hurdles Subaru would have to clear would naturally be even higher. For Roswaal, that was the hope that had replaced his tome of wisdom.

"Basically, we'll clear the whatever-it's-called desert with Anastasia's guidance. That's our decision."

"The Auguria Dunes. Just learn the name already."

Julius interjected with a sigh as Subaru relied on his vague memory to make a bold statement. The knight was sitting beside Anastasia and had listened in silence thus far, but he turned his intellectual gaze on Roswaal.

"I imagine you might be quite concerned, Marquis Mathers. However, there are many people in the city of Pristella who are currently suffering physically and mentally from the depredations of the Witch Cult. I would ask that you please allow us to undertake this task, that our actions here might lead to their being saved."

"What an elegant bearing. Considering you are not in my memories, I suppose you are one of those victims, yeees?"

" "

The fact that he didn't know Julius at all was enough for Roswaal to grasp the situation. Julius averted his eyes ever so slightly as Roswaal propped his cheek up.

"The unease of being forgotten by people due to Greed's authority—of being left behind by the rest of the world. Seeking a faint hope for your own sake… You needn't adorn it with platitudes about helping others, you knooow?"

"—Ngh. I would never act on the basis of such mean self-interest."

"I'm nooot criticizing you. It's only natural. People always become more desperate for their own sake than they do for others. There's no need to deny the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, or even the sense of superiority that comes from saving others along the way while saving yourself." Julius's cheeks tensed as Roswaal's jester's grin deepened.

"All the more so when the odds are quite high that others will also be saved if you succeed in saving yourself. You have a just cause, and you are taking action. There's no need to feel such paaangs of conscience."

"I…"

"—That's enough, don't you think, Marquis Mathers?"

Stopping Julius as he struggled with how to respond, Anastasia faced Roswaal instead. She was smiling elegantly and cocked her head charmingly.

"Honestly, I don't remember, either. But even so, he is apparently my knight, and it's not too pleasant to see him toyed with over something he can't help."

"Even though the memories are gone, the lady and retainer relationship remains…?"

"So it seems. I can't say I totally understand it, either. But the time spent with Julius while traveling here wasn't so bad…and also…" Anastasia pointed at the sofa across from her.

"And it'll keep your faction from splitting apart, too, right?"

"—Well now, dear me."

Roswaal shrugged at Anastasia's point—in other words, at Subaru, who was on the verge of exploding. It wasn't shocking that Subaru was on the verge of erupting in anger, but even Emilia and Beatrice were on edge.

Seeing that, Roswaal raised his hand as if in surrender.

"Veeeery well, I was in the wrong. I was simply pointing out that perspective also exists."

"You were just harassing him for the hell of it. Don't screw with us."

"From your attitude, it seems as if there is more than just a few days shared between the two of yooou."

Roswaal closed an eye, meeting Subaru's sharp gaze with his yellow eye.

And then he licked his lips as if seeing straight through Subaru.

"Again, you are the oooonly one who remembers. Just like Rem."

"No clue why, though."

"That is proof you are special. You should take good caaaare of that.

There are many who cannot have that no matter how much they want it."

The last part was murmured softly, just to himself, and didn't reach Subaru's ears. Beatrice alone had a thoughtful look in her eyes.

With that exchange, Subaru let out a heavy sigh.

"The rest is like we mentioned in the letter. The manor's prison and…"

"Rem. Quite the bold decision. Even though you aaaare so loath to bring her up."

"…There might be a way to wake her up. I'm gonna take my chances. It's only natural, right?"

"It's surprising to choose her as the first subject for that potential method. You like to pretend to be selfish, but you are actually terribly self-punishing. Is there not somewhere in your heart or some corner of your mind telling you that you have no right to be saved first?"

" "

Subaru fell silent as Roswaal hit the mark dead-on.

He had been worrying during the whole trip about whether to bring Rem with them.

Not because he wanted to avoid waking her up but because if there was any chance of waking her up, he wanted it to happen as soon as possible. But that was different from Subaru Natsuki being saved.

In Pristella, there were lots of people other than Subaru experiencing the same sort of suffering. So why did he get to be first before all of them?

That sense of guilt had been causing him to hesitate until the very last moment, but—

"If that's what you mean, then I talked to Subaru about that already, so it isn't a problem."

"…That is even more surprising." Emilia spoke up in Subaru's stead when he fell silent. Roswaal looked dubiously at her as she puffed out her chest and then winked at her. "It's perhaps not for me to say this, but it would be rather inconvenient for you if Rem was to awaken, wouldn't it, Lady Emilia? No matter how you look at it, Subaru has quite strong feelings

toward the girl. They might even rival his feelings for you…"

"Yes, that's probably true. I imagine if Rem wakes up, Subaru will spend all of his time with her for a while. He might even stop caring about me."

"No, that's not…"

Subaru could confidently say that wasn't true. There was no way his feelings toward Emilia would ever waver. But the fact that he cared for Rem a great deal was not a lie, either. And Emilia was right. If Rem woke up, he would undoubtedly devote a lot of time to her, making up for the year they had lost.

But even so, Emilia had told him it was okay.

"If Subaru pays a lot of attention to her, then I'll just have to work hard to make him look at me again. It would be a problem if Subaru disappeared, so no matter how cute Rem is or how special she is to him, I'll convince him to stay with me, too."

"E-Emilia-tan?!"

"That's my resolve and what I decided. No one will complain about

Subaru getting saved. So it's okay. Let's wake Rem up." Emilia put her weight behind Subaru's decision.

Subaru gasped, and his knees trembled a bit at what sounded a lot like a confession.

Emilia had said things that sounded affectionate any number of times before. But even then, they were all still in the realm of just a sort of soft attraction—

"Whether with me, with Rem, with Beatrice, with Petra and Patlash, or Frederica and Ram, or even Otto and Garfiel! I want Subaru to be reeeally, reeeally happy."

"There was a land dragon and a couple guys mixed in there at the end."

Subaru couldn't help interjecting despite the mixture of embarrassment and certain other emotions he was feeling.

But Beatrice, who was sitting next to him, jabbed him in the side. Looking over, he noticed Beatrice had an indignant look on her face.

"After this long, Betty won't complain about how fickle you are… But always keep one hand open. That's Betty's special privilege."

"You are ridiculously adorable…"

"Naturally. Betty's cuteness rings out in every realm."

Subaru couldn't speak for the gods and goddesses who ruled the earth and the heavens, but it certainly echoed loudly in his heart.

With Emilia and Beatrice giving him their full support, Subaru could devote himself to waking up Rem without worry. There was no more doubt.

"Sorry for being so loved by everyone, Roswaal. Looks like we'll be taking Rem with us."

"I'm quite surprised by all of you…but do as you please. In the first place, I never intended to stop youuuu."

"Then what was the point of asking that question?!"

"Just making sure you understand what it is you are doing, out of an excess of thoughtfulness. I was aaalso rude to the nameless knight there."

All the way to the end, Roswaal refused to let up on his teasing banter.

However, Julius shook his head and looked toward Subaru and Anastasia.

"No, my name is Julius Juukulius. At the moment, Subaru may be the only person who remembers me, but I am a knight in the Kingdom of Lugunica's royal guard. I am not so immature that something like this would cause my heart to waver."

Saying that, he magnificently brushed off the nasty mage's terrible provocations.

"…You were a little bit shaky there, though."

"Whose side are you on? It feels almost like I was just stabbed in the back."

Subaru and Julius did have a quiet little exchange among themselves at the very end, though.

3

With the discussion over, they left the parlor.

"Well, I wonder if that makes me one of his little friends nooow? What do you think?"

"…Spare Betty such disgusting statements. It sounds almost like you mean

it, which is a scary thought."

"I've never been so inconstant as to press matters in this body, thooough."

"You've been a woman, too. I suppose that's enough for Betty to be on her guard."

Roswaal's smile deepened as Beatrice remained composed while playing with her hair. It was a habit she had picked up when she needed something to do with her hands. That or it was a sign she was getting annoyed.

"That habit of yours neeeever changes. But it seems as if your feelings have. I can't quite bring myself to so easily wag my tail for someone else the way you can. I'm jealous."

"Compared to you, who could never touch Mother despite your singleminded determination, Betty can actually hold Subaru's hand, which is a

thousand times better. You won't get a rise out of Betty."

"Look at yooou. You've really grown quite resolute."

Roswaal was sitting while Beatrice stood across from him, putting them at eye level. Sparks started to fly, but suddenly, Roswaal's expression softened.

"He defeated an archbishop. That should be the second inside Subaru now."

"…There should be other candidates besides Subaru."

"But none of them were as close as he was or overlapped. Save the boring pretenses for someone else."

"—Betty won't let him do any more than this."

There was a quiet resolve in her voice as she answered Roswaal. "Betty belongs to Subaru, so Subaru will remain Subaru."

She glared at Roswaal as she said that and then turned to the door.

She had stayed behind to discuss things, but she decided she should not speak any further than that.

"Beatrice."

Roswaal called out as she moved away.

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"I want you to be happy. You are like a little sister to me. I care deeply about you."

"…That's not the most appealing thought. And not as much as you care about Mother, I suppose."

"That's love after all, iiisn't it?"

Beatrice didn't respond.

The sound of the door opening and then closing was all that broke the silence.

After that, there was no more to say between Roswaal and Beatrice.

4

"Did your conversation with the master go well?"

"About the same as always. You can guess how it goes with him. I left Beako back there as someone who could speak freely with him, so I imagine he'll reflect a little bit on what he's done."

"I see. The master can't stand against Lady Beatrice after all." Frederica covered her mouth with her hand and smiled elegantly.

After finishing the discussion with Roswaal in the parlor, she had taken over guiding Subaru and the others as they headed to the eastern wing of the manor. With that, Subaru had reunited with all three of the manor's maids.

The fierce-looking servant with beautiful, long blond hair and a neatly arranged maid outfit gave Anastasia and Julius a picture-perfect greeting before turning to Emilia.

"Was Garf of service to everyone during your trip? I gave him detailed instructions before leaving, but I couldn't help worrying that he might have caused you some trouble."

"You don't need to worry. Garfiel worked reeeally hard during the trip.

He is behaving himself and recovering together with Otto right now…I think?

At least I hope he is. I did ask him to rest up."

"I'm sorry that my foolish little brother has troubled you."

Emilia couldn't quite reassure Frederica, who apologized on behalf of her family.

Ultimately, even though Petra, Ram, Roswaal, and Frederica were concerned about Garfiel, there was no mistaking there had been some sort of change in his state of mind while he was in Pristella.

He had been hurt and used that as a springboard for further growth. If anything, it was the sort of development expected of a fifteen-year-old as far as Subaru was concerned.

"It did seem like Garfiel had a lot going on…"

"? Was there something you wanted to mention, Master Subaru?"

"No, nothing from me. Honestly, it's not really something I should be talking about myself."

Noticing Subaru's meaningful gaze, Frederica questioned him, but he just shrugged in response. Brushing off her question, he could imagine what might be going through Garfiel's mind.

There was a certain family that had caught Garfiel's attention in Pristella —especially a brother and sister with blond hair and green eyes that resembled Frederica and Garfiel.

The connection between them and Garfiel surely also applied to Frederica. But that was something for Garfiel to share with Frederica and Ryuzu, the members of his family.

"I won't say anything. Subaru Natsuki is just gonna walk away looking cool."

"Right, right, speaking of Garfiel, there were these children that he was getting along reeeally well with in Pristella. Those kids and—"

"Emilia-tan, don't make my monologue go to waste!"

Subaru frantically stopped Emilia before her natural airheadedness ruined his attempt to act smooth. Frederica looked suspicious, but Julius required her attention.

"Ms. Frederica, I regret interrupting your congenial conversation, but is that the place up ahead?"

"Yes, sir. The manor prison, as Master Subaru has called it."

"So the person in question is here, then? Hopefully the discussion will proceed well."

"It's a bit of a coin flip, I'd say. Honestly, if we manage to get anything even remotely useful, I'd call it a success."

Julius seemed to be ruminating on something as Subaru scratched his cheek and gave his best assessment of the situation.

Even though he had suggested it himself, Subaru wasn't really expecting much since there was no telling whether the person they came to see would be willing to help.

"But she is pretty attached to you, so she should be willing to tell us a lot of things, right?" Emilia asked.

"There's no telling how much or how little that affection level will impact the conversation, though… Ah, we're here." As Subaru reined in Emilia's optimism, the procession reached its destination. Standing in front of the stairway leading underground, Anastasia furrowed her brow.

"Not exactly the most welcoming place I've ever seen." At a glance, it looked like any old average stairway leading to a basement, but Anastasia was as impressive as usual and noticed the subtle change in atmosphere. Foxes were canines, so maybe some smell tipped her off. Either way, the aura that hung in the air didn't actually have anything to do with smell. "Is it miasma? No, it seems different, but I can't say it's a pleasant feeling, either."

"That is the aura released by the person being kept in the room there. I will lead you in, so please watch your feet."

Frederica took the lead going down the dark staircase that Anastasia was peering into, and Subaru and the others quickly followed her underground.

Reaching the bottom, their footsteps rang louder on the stone flooring. The cool underground air chilled their lungs as Frederica unlocked the sturdy metal door at the end of the passage.

There was an almost palpable tension as the metal door creaked open—

"Woof, woof! I'm gonna eat youuu!"

"Kyaaah! Save me! Nooo!"

"Gah-ha-ha, plead all you want, but no one is coming to save you!"

A bright light shone from inside the room, and they could hear a highpitched voice.

There was a single small figure inside the room, a girl with her back to the door. She had several stuffed animals arrayed around her and was playing with dolls in either hand.

She was doing different voices, playing all the various parts in her little story.

"No, I'm sure he'll come. The prince promi… Hmm?"

The girl shot up from her seat, gripping the little girl doll as she sensed something was off.

Then she slowly, nervously turned around and saw Subaru and everyone else standing at the entrance to the room. Her big, round eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. Her deep-blue hair hung down, and her simple, adorable face gradually reddened.

"H-hey. It's been a while. How have you been doing?"

Subaru decided to act as if nothing happened and raised his hand to greet her. He glanced toward everyone else, trying to urge them not to say anything.

But—

"Oh, you're so cute, Meili. I used to do the same sort of thing with snowmen…"

"Y-you big meanies! Argh! Whatever!"

Naturally, because Emilia didn't get the message and immediately said what first came to mind, the little girl imploded.

5

"Come on, Meili. We said we're sorry."

"I can't hear you."

"I already said I wasn't trying to be mean, right? C'mon, Meili."

"Whatever."

Meili was sitting in the middle of the room hugging one of her dolls and sulking, leaving Subaru and the others who had upset her standing there awkwardly.

Subaru wanted to talk with her, but it would be difficult as long as she remained resistant to any attempts to soothe her.

Julius asked, "Ms. Frederica, did you talk to her beforehand about us coming?"

"No, Master Subaru said it would be a long story so he would talk to her directly himself…"

"Subaru…"

"I didn't mean for it to be like this! I thought it would be better this way is all! Agh, damn it. If it's come to this, then…"

Subaru wouldn't deny that his initial plan had come back to bite him, but he refused to take all the blame. He quickly decided to play his ultimate card. He had been working on it in the carriage ride back from Pristella—

"Look, Meili. I brought you a present from our trip, so can you please cheer up? It's a new design, a droopy panda stuffed animal."

"—! Waaah, so cute!"

Seeing the black-and-white stuffed animal Subaru was holding, Meili's eyes suddenly lit up.

In the past year, Subaru had been helping out with various chores, and his sewing skills had gone up dramatically. He was finally able to make stuffed animals and women's clothes. Meili's clothes and all the stuffed animals and dolls she was playing with while locked up had all been handmade by Subaru.

"Phew, making me break out my secret weapon so quickly. Talk about a troublesome princess… What is it?"

"…No, I was just marveling at the depths of your preparation."

"I think I'm probably more disturbed than anything. Beatrice, then Petra, and now this? You don't have much of an excuse for this, do you, Natsuki?"

"You've got it wrong! I'm not gathering little girls because I want to!"

All of a sudden, the title of little girl tamer was starting to seem a bit too real, but Subaru wanted to assert that it was due to some sort of strange outside force that had nothing to do with him.

Either way, after acquiring the new stuffed animal—a panda that was droopy from the heat—Meili's mood quickly improved. She was rubbing it against her cheek.

"Ummm, um, yeah! I've decided! I'm going to call this one giant bear cat!"

"So a straight-up translation of panda. That gets right to the nature of it, though."

"…Oh, when did you come in, mister?"

Ignoring Subaru's comments about her naming sense, Meili cocked her head quizzically. Apparently, she was willing to let bygones be bygones and pretend nothing had happened.

Subaru was perfectly happy to go along with it.

"? What do you mean, Meili? Why did you suddenly—?"

"Yeah, it's been about a month, hasn't it?! You weren't lonely while we were away, were you?"

"Not really? It was Petra who was lonely without you around. You're so bad, mister… Oh, new faces?"

When Subaru interrupted Emilia, who couldn't read a room for her life, they narrowly avoided upsetting Meili again. Now mollified, the young girl was busy setting up her dolls on a shelf when she noticed Anastasia and Julius.

Anastasia's expression softened as she watched how the girl changed so quickly.

"That's fitting for a girl her age. Compared to Mimi, the way she leads people around is downright cute."

"…That's certainly one way to put it. We should be grateful to Mimi." The lady and her retainer shared a moment of odd understanding. Meanwhile, Julius's yellow eyes scanned the room. "Still, I imagined a harsher environment for something called a prison… This is quite different from what I had pictured."

"She is a young girl, and it's not like we want to make her suffer…but we can't really just let her out, either, so it's complicated."

Emilia's eyes fell to the floor as she murmured regretfully.

As Julius indicated, the prison—the space where Meili was being kept— allowed her more freedom than even the most low-security jail.

It had originally been a simple stone room, but the walls had been painted bright colors, and there was a simple but comfortable carpet lining the floor. There wasn't much limiting her movements inside the room, and all the dolls Subaru had made for her were neatly lined up on a shelf. There were even books and toys to keep her entertained.

In other words, it was the sort of place a shut-in could live in peace and comfort. A part of Subaru would have loved to just hole up there himself.

"—But this unique atmosphere is emanating from her."

Julius scanned the room again, before looking at Meili specifically. She smiled at his observation. The sinister air that emanated from every pore of her body was the reason she was being held there.

"Like I mentioned in the carriage, this girl…Meili was originally an assassin of sorts who was trying to kill Emilia-tan and everyone else here.

Make sense so far?"

"Can't say it does, but let's hear the rest."

"Feels like you're thinking of something else, but whatever. Anyway, she was an assassin. As for the method she used, put simply, she can control demon beasts."

"Yep, I get along really good with bad animals. Hee-hee."

Meili puffed out her chest in open pride, but it was a confession that would shock anyone who had not heard it before.

Demon beasts were not the sort of creatures that could be tamed by people. Arguably, most considered them inherently hostile. There were some notable exceptions where a demon beast would obey the one who broke their horns, but Meili was different.

"According to what Mama said, my demon control blessing fills the same role as their horn. So because of that, I get along really well with them."

The meaning of her claim wasn't exactly clear. There was no evidence in this world of any research about demon beasts and their natural behavior. Of course, there were people who made a living hunting them, but hunters and researchers naturally had different perspectives.

"A little over a year ago, Meili and one other person attacked us as a team. We managed to stop them, and we've been holding her here ever since."

"Why would you do that? If she's an enemy, then you should put an end to things properly…"

"It ain't that simple. But also, from what she said, we were reluctant to just let her go, either."

"Mama will be mad at me. Elsa died, and I messed up, too, right? If she finds me, I'm sure she'll kill me. That's why staying here is the safest."

Meili was relaxed talking about her situation, but she had a clear grasp of the reality she was in. She had lost her partner and failed the job she had been given. The person who was managing them, most likely the handler of the assassins, would never forgive such a failure.

If she was set free, Meili would most likely end up being executed. She had made her own bed, but that outcome didn't sit well with Subaru and Emilia.

"It's not as if that sort of consideration is new for you or Lady Emilia. We are outsiders, so I won't comment on how you've decided to handle matters… But I must ask, who is this mother that she is talking about?"

"Unfortunately, other than that, she was called mother or mama; everything about her was a secret according to Meili. From what she said, they never even saw her real face… It all seems a little too thorough."

"That asshole Roswaal said when Elsa died, he couldn't reach his contact anymore…"

Frederica answered Julius's question while Subaru muttered to himself.

Roswaal was the one who hired Elsa to target Emilia and the rest of the people in the manor. That was the truth behind Emilia's faction's greatest scandal.

But from what Roswaal had said, he could no longer contact the person who had been the go-between for Elsa and Meili, so in the end, the true identity of that dangerous figure remained unknown to this day.

"Anyway, that's Meili's position. We're not pampering any more than necessary…I think."

"That's reeeally like you to not have confidence on that point, Subaru."

"I mean, this is what happens when you prioritize conscience, right?!"

Imprisoning a young girl like Meili in a cold, dark dungeon would have been heartrending. If home arrest was enough of a punishment, then there was no need for anything more than that.

That was why Meili was just locked away in this basement.

"…That's an awfully lenient treatment for someone who tried to kill you. You sure you aren't just being taken advantage of?"

"I mean, there's such a thing as innocent malice. And a crime is a crime no matter how old the perpetrator, but…"

Subaru scratched his cheek as he thought.

Glancing at Meili, she was looking at him with her hard-to-read eyes. But he couldn't help feeling like it was simply the gaze of an uneasy little girl.

"If you give evil orders to someone without any ability to judge for themselves, that makes you the evil one. All the more so if you're using a child. What's the point in getting all twisted up and taking it out on the child?"

"That's a nice coat of whitewash. Do you think that will satisfy any of the people who have been killed by her already?"

"Not at all. And if anyone close to them wanted revenge on Meili, I wouldn't blame them. I also wouldn't be this forgiving if she had actually hurt anyone here."

In the end, Subaru's opinions and thoughts changed wildly depending on who he happened to meet.

If that meant people thinking he was contradictory or that he didn't stand for anything, then there was no helping it.

"When I was a kid, I had parents and other adults around who took responsibility for me when I couldn't. So I guess I'm okay with doing the same for a kid who I know and can get along with."

"…Thanks for the valuable opinion."

Anastasia ended the discussion, but she was more agreeing to disagree rather than convinced and accepting.

Of course, Subaru had not expected her to accept his perspective. If he wanted a fair and clean resolution, then Meili would have to be judged as a hard-core criminal and sentenced fittingly.

But as far as Subaru was concerned, that seemed like a shitty solution.

"I…"

"Hmm?"

"I don't think what you are saying is that strange."

"…Thanks."

Even if he was resolved to have his belief denied, it was still a relief to hear Emilia say that.

Reflecting on how self-serving his beliefs were, Subaru turned back to Meili and met her eyes. The reason they had come there wasn't for a scenic tour of the Roswaal mansion's dungeon.

"I was wanting to ask you for some help with something. Do you think you can try to answer some questions for me?"

"…Sure. On account of Miss Giant Bear Cat, I'll go along with it."

She hugged the droopy panda while nodding. She was hiding her face behind the stuffed animal, not letting them see her reaction to the conversation they had been having, but this time no one commented on it.

6

"Are you really going to the dunes? Probably anyone other than me would die there…"

After hearing their story, Meili was playing with her hair as she responded.

It was awfully ironic for the little girl assassin who was completely lacking in morals to be looking at them as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"I've gone there before to get more demon beasts, but it really, really is overflowing with them, you know?"

"I'd love to get some advice from someone with experience, but more than enough people have already told us we'll die if we go there.

Incidentally, we do have a guide who can get us through the desert." "Right, that's my job." Anastasia waved her hand.

However, just because they knew the path to the tower where the Sage lived, that was only worth about thirty points toward actually clearing the problematic dunes—not enough to avoid red marks and a failing grade, which meant death on this practical exam.

There were three major problems. The desert of illusion, the demon beast dens, and the miasma.

The point of their trip down to the underground cell was to discuss the demon beast problem with Meili, who was an expert on the subject.

"Is there any way to conveniently draw out the demon beasts and round them all up at once?"

"Well, you could try running around all by yourself. I'm sure loooots of them will come for you."

"I've done that a few times before, and it's not exactly pleasant."

Subaru had used that exact method with some dogs and a whale last year. He was about ready to put that strategy to bed for good. If there was no other option, he could do it again, but he was hoping to avoid winding up alone in the treacherous desert.

"In which case, what if we just wiped out every last one that came to attack us?"

"If that's our chosen path, Lady Emilia and I would be responsible for fighting them, but…what do you think, Meili?"

Julius turned to Meili about the feasibility of Subaru's brute-force plan. Meili looked between him and Emilia a couple of times.

"Can you fight for about a week straight without drinking, eating, or sleeping?"

"That sounds a lot like late-war trench combat?!"

"O-okay, I'll try my best…!"

"No! It's impossible! You'll just make your beautiful hair and skin all dry and rough, so let's drop it! We're not doing it!"

Trying to force their way through was just not going to cut it as a strategy.

Part of Subaru wanted to believe it was just that Meili's memories of the Auguria Dunes were particularly bad, but he had also heard from Reinhard just how merciless the place could be, so he couldn't hide from reality.

And the resulting discussion with Meili didn't produce any developments, either—

"What about the barrier preventing demon beasts from approaching Earlham village? Maybe we could do something with that?"

"That only works due to the magic the master has woven there. If you were hoping to pick it up and carry it with you, I'm afraid you should probably reconsider."

"Damn it. Maybe we should just all grab onto Roswaal and have him fly us in from the sky…"

As they kept shooting down each other's ideas, Subaru scratched his head in frustration.

There was a moment's silence—

"—Argh, I guess there's no other way."

"Huh?"

"I can go with you if you want."

Meili stood up, breaking the silence as she looked around at everyone else.

She touched her chest as she nodded.

"Right? If it's me, I can manage all the demon beasts one way or another. I'd just make them go away, tame them, make them kill each other, or even just have them eat this Sage person."

"Don't even think about doing that last one! Also…"

The extremeness of the statement was eye-widening, but even more than that, Subaru was surprised by the proposal. Both because Meili was willing to cooperate, but also because she was the one who suggested going outside herself.

"You were so against leaving the manor before…"

"It's not like Mama will find me the moment I set foot outside. I'm scared of her finding me, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life shut in like this, either."

It was surprising that Meili had given her situation enough thought that she realized she would someday have to go outside.

But Subaru quickly retracted that thought. Being closed off and isolated from everyone else meant having all the time in the world to think. He knew what kind of hell that could be.

"Subaru…"

Emilia tugged Subaru's sleeve as he felt an odd sympathy with Meili's resolve.

He knew what she wanted to say. He felt the same way.

"This isn't going to be a fun little trip outside, you know? It's sand and demon beasts and a Sage tower tour at the end."

"It's been a long time since I went for a walk. All the better if things are exciting, right?"

She gave a real cocksure response, but Meili pulled it off with her usual insolent tone. There was no telling how much of that was a bluff and how much of it was real, but—

"In an unexpected twist, we've managed to recruit Meili as our demon beast advisor!"

"I should warn you now: You shouldn't get too ahead of yourself."

Subaru clenched his fist and cheered, but Meili sighed in exasperation and turned her attention to all of them—particularly to Emilia.

"It's dangerous to just immediately believe what people say. I might just be saying this in order to get an excuse to escape."

"There's certainly a chance of that, but it's not like we were forcing you to stay here in the first place."

Subaru could appreciate her warning, but if she ever said she wanted to leave, he had always planned to hear her out. So it was a little late for that warning.

"Right now, I'd rather you not, but if you ever decide you want to leave and live on your own, you're free to go. Just be careful not to be found by your scary mom."

"Do you mean I can just go die wherever once it's not going to cause you any problems?"

"Maybe back when I thought being cynical about everything was cool, but that's not what I think now." Subaru shook his head. He saw a bit of himself in Meili's jaded-beyond-her-years way of seeing things. Everyone goes through a phase where they mistake being different as being cool, but… "As far as I'm concerned, I want the people whose lives have crossed with mine to have a decent life and a decent death. You are free to leave if you want,

but if you do, at least send us a letter. That's about all I ask."

Having said that, he thought about it again and realized it was a bit strange to assume she would just leave. They would need her strength going forward. Her life was going to have a new start going forward, too.

"…I wonder if that's how you tamed Beatrice and Petra. I really can't let my guard down around you at all."

"Huh? I feel like that sounded a bit worse than I would have liked." Grimacing at the way the conversation had led back to a false accusation against him, he looked to Emilia and the others for some support. But for some reason, Emilia and Frederica and even Anastasia looked away from him.

The only one who would meet his gaze was Julius, who was nodding in understanding.

"It's strange to say, but you really are quite skilled at wooing young girls… I can't say that skill is particularly respectable, though."

"It's because you guys say stuff like that that I keep getting treated like a little girl tamer! And to be clear, Meili isn't that small, either, so she doesn't count!" Stung by how genuinely amazed Julius seemed to be, Subaru stamped the ground and pointed at the entrance. As he did, someone happened to step through the door—

"—Betty thought it was noisy. I suppose Subaru is kicking up a fuss about something again?"

The youngest-looking girl had appeared after finishing up her secret conversation with Roswaal. A bit of a quarrel between her and the little girl tamer ensued, but that's a story for a different time.

7

With Meili agreeing to join the heart-racing Sage's tour, some might think that freeing her from captivity would spark controversy, but the reality was somewhat different.

"That's fine by meee? Lady Emilia has always had the right to decide how to deal with her. And in the one-in-a-million worst-case scenario, you'll be the one having to deal with the trouble, won't you, Subaruuu?"

The master of the mansion had no complaints, and Meili was formally freed from her confinement on the spot.

And though it was a bit of a strange position since she was going to be helping them, she was given her own room in the manor as well. As for what she would do after they finished their current journey, that was for her to think about.

At the very least, Subaru wanted her to have a place to come back to if she wanted one.

With that, they had taken care of half of the reasons they had stopped by the manor. All that was left was…

"Hey, Petra, isn't it about time you cheered up?"

"It's not like I'm especially mad. You are free to go to some far-off, dangerous place or whatever you like again, Master Subaru."

Petra was huffy and red-faced as she went down the hall, leaving Subaru apologizing profusely to her back.

The person who was most against Subaru's proposed heart-racing Sage tour was Petra. The reason she was angry was none other than Subaru's terrible habit of breaking promises.

"I know I promised that I would take it easy for a little while after coming back from Pristella…but there isn't time for that with what's happened.

Please understand. I'm sorry."

"Whatever! You just don't get it at all!"

As Subaru tried to apologize for going back on his word, Petra spun around and glared at him. He couldn't help straightening up under her menacing gaze. As she looked up at him, she sighed slightly.

"You're going someplace dangerous again, aren't you?"

"I-it's not guaranteed to be sketchy, you know? It's not impossible that it's just a nice, cheap, safe tour…"

"I worry. You always race out in front whenever it's dangerous. It was really dangerous in Pristella, too. Mr. Otto and the others di…almost died." "Don't go killing Otto again." Otto dies too much as it is.

Subaru understood why people had that general impression, but he would prefer it if Otto didn't get himself killed off so easily. If he died, Subaru would have to reset. That said, he wasn't about to declare they had a friendship that even death couldn't sever.

"It doesn't have to be you, does it? You could just leave it to someone else…someone stronger. Like, why not the master? He seems like he has plenty of free time."

"I can understand your daily frustration with Roswaal, but let's not actively look for excuses to kick him out of the house. I'm worried about the friction in our camp."

Subaru could overlook Petra doing something like wringing out a rag in Roswaal's tea, but anything more than that and he wouldn't be able to stand idly by. Bombs had to be defused before they went off. That was the iron law in all games with affection meters.

" "

But Petra's eyes were serious as she talked about how much he worried her, so he didn't want to make a joke of it.

He didn't want to disrespect Petra with a half-assed evasion or a stalling tactic when she was being serious.

"I understand why you're worried. The desert we are going to is supposed to be crawling with demon beasts and is apparently the Guinness World Record holder for thickest miasma, too. And to top it off, I heard that this Sage isn't a people person and has been turning away visitors for some four hundred years running… But even so, I can't just let myself leave this to someone else."

"Why? You can't possibly believe you are actually strong, can you, Master Subaru? It's already more than enough for Mr. Garf to have such a shameful misunderstanding."

"Your grading curve is seriously ruthless! Don't let Garfiel hear you say that!"

Petra's marks were so strict that most guys would shudder if they ever heard how they rated.

Viewing the world through her lens, apparently only wisdom merited any respect, and there were practically no points awarded for strength. Petra was particularly hard to please since she wouldn't share what she considered most important for scoring.

"Well, setting Garfiel aside for now…it isn't as if I think there's no one better for this job than me. All things considered, the safest thing would be to just leave it all to Reinhard."

"So then why don't you do that?"

"—Probably because I want to be the first person she sees when she wakes up."

" "

He didn't say who he meant, but he didn't have to for Petra to understand.

The girl still deep in slumber—if they could find a way to wake her at the Sage's tower, then he wanted to be the one to do it.

Even if there might be someone else better for the job, even if it was more likely to succeed if someone else did it, he couldn't yield on that. He didn't want to. This was Subaru's ego speaking, and he was perfectly aware of that fact.

"If I set aside all emotions, then…it's not a huge deal who wakes her up. If it can save her from that helpless position, then it doesn't matter who or how."

"…Mm-hmm…"

"But when you add the emotion into it, I want it to be me. I want to help her myself. I want to wake her up myself. With every fiber of my being, I want to be the one to save her."

—That was why Subaru Natsuki was going.

Even though there were any number of stronger, wiser, better people.

Even if it was all just ego, Subaru Natsuki was going.

In order to save her. In order to be praised by her. For that reason alone.

"It's selfish. And I'm sorry for always making you worry."

"…This is the worst. It's like nothing's changed at all."

"Hmm?"

Subaru had resolved himself to potentially be hated by Petra for that pathetic egotistical confession as he reached out to pat her head. But she just whispered something under her breath and looked up at him.

There were tears welling in her big eyes, which made Subaru waver for a moment.

The next moment—

"Eyy!"

"Isoflavone?!"

Petra's head slammed straight into his solar plexus.

He made a strange noise at the sudden attack and struggled to breathe, dropping to his knees. Petra slipped out of his arms, pulled down her eyelid, and stuck out her tongue at him.

"You idiot, Master Subaru! You're so selfish! Just do whatever you want!"

"P-Petra…"

"Go ahead and do all the dangerous things, make everyone worry, cause everyone around you trouble, and then just come back when it's over like nothing happened, just like always! Hmph!"

"When you put it like that, I'm a pretty troublesome guy, aren't I…?"

Standing up as he rubbed his chest, Subaru had a moment of selfreflection, unable to say anything in defense of himself after Petra's tirade.

In the end, he had failed to make her feel better. She, on the other hand, had come to terms with her own feelings and was ready to see Subaru off like always.

Subaru scratched his head pathetically at having to rely on everyone around him again.

"Got it. In that case, I'm sorry for always doing this, but I'm gonna just run headlong toward danger again, and I'll be back after screwing things up here and there in all sorts of ways, so wait for me. Being the first person to welcome me back after I leave is your special privilege."

"…You won't let Ms. Frederica or Ms. Ram say it before me?"

"Yeah, I promise."

"Not the master, either?"

"I'd beat myself senseless if he was the first person I saw when I came back here."

"…Mm, very well. Then I'll accept that."

She had seemingly been convinced, and after taking a long, deep breath, Petra reconciled with Subaru over that promise.

Even with his propensity to go back on his word, Subaru swore in his heart that was one promise he would keep.

"You are so hopeless, Master Subaru…"

Subaru scratched his cheek as Petra muttered that.

It sort of felt like he was hearing that from everyone he showed his face to.

He couldn't help but wonder how he would ever make it up to them.

8

Whenever he entered that room, he instinctively started holding his breath and walking softly.

Even if he entered the room singing in a loud voice and tap-dancing, it wouldn't have changed the reaction in the room. But he couldn't help but subconsciously respect the silence, probably because the girl sleeping on the bed in that room seemed so frail that he hesitated to even touch her.

"I'm getting too poetic for my own good."

He felt exasperated with himself as he drew a chair next to the bed and sat down.

It had been a month since the last time he had visited, but there was no change—not in a month, and not in a year.

Taking Rem's hand as she slept, he squeezed it gently and started to talk.

"Sorry for coming here only after everything else. There were a few problems to take care of first… No, sorry, I'm just making excuses."

" "

Naturally, there was no response from Rem.

Subaru didn't expect anything different even as he talked to her, and his expression was peaceful.

It was a face that Subaru Natsuki only showed to her.

He only ever showed Emilia his fervent expression, as if he was ready to give up everything.

He only ever showed Beatrice his expression of complete trust, leaving his life entirely in her hands.

And he only ever showed Rem the expression of weakness that he always kept hidden.

Whenever he visited Rem like this, he would tell her about what he had done that day. On days when he went out, he would talk about everything he did on that excursion, too. He had even gotten in the habit of keeping a journal so he could report back to Rem.

With her stuck in an abyss of endless slumber, he didn't want to let her be left behind by her friends, too. He'd do everything he could to let her know about what they'd done while she was sleeping.

He had done the same day in and day out for a year. But at long last—

"—We might finally be able to reach it."

" "

Subaru had learned about the Sage who might be able to counter Gluttony's power.

He was ashamed that the reason they had found that beacon of hope had nothing to do with his efforts and someone else had set the stage, but there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel. At long last, he could act for her sake, after the isolation of watching the seasons pass and leaving Rem behind.

There were lots of people in Pristella who had suffered the same fate as Rem and were in need of saving.

But in Subaru's heart, his real reason for braving the dangerous journey to the watchtower was Rem.

It was a selfish, self-involved reason, but even so—

"I'm going to bring you back, Rem. I swear it."

Just like how she had lent him her strength during those days and moments when he had felt most powerless, it was his turn to help her. Right now, when Rem needed it most of all, Subaru wanted to be there for her.

"…Oww…"

"?!"

Just as he made his vow and closed his eyes tightly, hearing a voice all of a sudden sent him into a panic.

His eyes shot open in shock, but Rem was sleeping peacefully like always. There was no movement at all.

In which case—

"Release her hand, Barusu. It hurts just watching."

"…It's just you, Ram…"

Turning around, he saw Ram regarding him with cold eyes from the entrance to the room.

He felt a mixture of relief and disappointment as he looked at where Ram was pointing and realized too slow that he had been holding Rem's hand tighter than he had thought.

"I can't bear to see Rem's delicate white fingers violated by your lust."

"Could you not? That makes my resolve sound a lot dirtier all of a sudden."

"Did you think that your resolve was somehow pure and unselfish? You should take a better look at yourself… Seeing you lust after my twin makes me feel worried about my own safety."

"How little do you trust me? We've known each other pretty damn long now, haven't we?"

"Hah."

Subaru let go of Rem's hand, and Ram stole his place. She gently held her little sister's hand and her light-pink eyes softened as she looked at Rem's tranquil sleeping face.

"I came to change Rem's clothes in preparation for her departure. She doesn't sweat, so I'm sure she doesn't need it, but I want to clean her body first."

" "

"You have a lewd look on your face. Spare me your obscenity."

"I didn't say anything because there wasn't anything safe to say, and this is what I get for being quiet?!"

Simmering under Ram's scornful gaze, Subaru whined about her unfair treatment, but they were in Rem's bedroom, so he just clenched his fist and endured.

After Rem's name and memory had been stolen, the vast majority of bodily functions seemed to have become unnecessary for her.

Changing her clothes and washing her body were not for her sake but for the sake of people around her. It was almost a ritual, to reassure themselves that she had not been entirely left behind.

It was easy enough to say they were meaningless actions, but…

"Does it feel like she's your little sister now?"

Subaru suddenly had the question pop into his head watching Ram so carefully take care of her twin in a delicate way that was otherwise so unlike her.

" "

Even though she was treating Rem with such care, she had no memory of her little sister. But there was a weak, twisted sisterly connection, even if she couldn't remember ever speaking to Rem before.

Even if memories were lost, it should be possible to build new ones. Perhaps that sort of connection had begun to sprout between the two sisters even though they hadn't spoken to each other for more than a year.

"It does… Not only do I not remember her, but from my perspective, I've never spoken with her at all. But I'm sure she is a brilliant and dignified girl just like me."

"There's no denying she's capable, though I can't remember her being particularly graceful. She was surprisingly careless and tended to rush into things. There were times she made assumptions and sort of went on a rampage, too. More than a few, in fact."

Subaru recalled how he had died not once but twice because of that tendency to jump to conclusions.

"You don't say," Ram responded listlessly. "Talking about lost memories is all too retrospective. I'm not much of a fan of it."

"Oh yeah? If you say so."

"…If she wakes up and I can remember, then we can talk about the past all we want. And even if I don't remember, we can still just talk as long as she wakes up."

Ram's expression was unchanged as she looked into the face of her sleeping sister and gently ran her fingers through her hair. Rem's hair dropped gently over her pale forehead. Seeing that, Ram's eyelashes quivered.

In that moment, Subaru thought Ram looked more beautiful than ever.

Even if she didn't remember, even if her memories were gone, there was no way that their bond as sisters would disappear.

And even if it did, there was no reason they couldn't rebuild it.

"—Leave it to me. I'll clear the way to the Pleiades Watchtower for sure and come back with good news and a Rem who has woken up. Then you sisters can have your emotional reunion."

Subaru said it in a deliberately loud and stupidly cheerful voice.

Quiet moods and depressed moments didn't suit the relationship that Subaru and Ram had.

"What are you saying, Barusu?"

"Huh?"

But despite his intentions, Ram cocked her head sneeringly. She maintained that pose and gaze as she continued:

"I'm going with you. Whatever emotional reunion there is, I'll do it on my own. Don't patronize me."

"Why is this the first time I'm hearing of it?!"

Subaru's eyes widened as Ram snorted in her usual manner.

But even if Subaru was surprised, and even if he pressed her on it, there was no indication in the slightest that Ram would change her mind.

With both Ram and Rem coming along, the heart-racing Sage tour had turned into a bigger family affair than expected. A difficult road lay ahead.

9

In the end, eight people would be departing on this journey.

Of course, they were all necessary for one reason or another, and they all had their roles to fill, but Subaru had never been on a long journey with such a large group.

"Is this really gonna be okay…?"

"What is it, Subaru? Is there something bothering you?"

Seeing Subaru twisting his head and worrying about the future, Emilia came to check up on him. She was wearing light clothes for the trip.

"Hmm. That outfit is really cute on you, Emilia-tan… And I have a lot of things I'm worried about. I mean, to start with, where we're going is dangerous, right? So with such a large group, will we really be able to protect everyone?"

"Mm, that's a good point. Ram and Rem are coming with us this time, plus Meili. We're going to have to be sure to protect them and Anastasia and you, too."

"What?! Did you just throw me onto the 'needs protection' side of the equation?!"

When it came to fighting ability, Subaru and Beatrice together were on about even ground with Ram. If it came to a serious fight, Emilia and Julius would be the ones doing the heavy lifting. As an adolescent boy, it hurt Subaru's pride to simply rely on either of them for protection.