Rem's voice came from the side, her body pressed firmly against the rough tree trunk by an invisible force, the texture of the bark deeply embedded in her back, blood slowly flowing down the trunk.
"You... you took everything from Rem..." Her voice trembled, and her horn began to flicker with an unstable light.
"You took my sister... you took Carlisle... you took all of Rem's refuge..."
"Die... die... die..." Her voice grew increasingly frantic.
"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die!"
Rem struggled wildly, raising her already bloody and mangled arms, smashing them against the invisible bonds again and again.
Each punch was accompanied by the sound of bones shattering, but she seemed to feel no pain, continuously repeating the attack.
Just as Sloth's deranged laughter reached its peak, preparing to utterly crush Rem-
Swish!
A crimson flash of fire streaked across the sky, the Flame Sword passing at an astonishing speed, and Sloth's head flew high into the air.
His twisted face was still frozen in a fervent smile, seemingly completely unaware that he had been decapitated.
Pandora slowly walked towards Rem, who had collapsed on the ground, her white dress immaculate amidst the blood.
"It seems that the knight's last concern wasn't just for that girl," she said with an innocent expression, "Even you were within his protection."
"The demoness's admiration for that knight... is truly moving," Pandora watched Rem's murderous gaze.
"Even though he has forever turned into a star, this feeling remains so fervent, just like the unextinguishable flame on that sword."
"Shut up!!!"
Rem suddenly erupted, ice cones instantly forming in her hands, striking directly at Pandora's heart with overwhelming hatred.
However, the pierced witch dissipated into a mist of blood, only to re-coalesce not far away.
"Although your love hasn't disappeared, your world has collapsed," Pandora's voice drifted in and out.
"Even so, you still move forward to fulfill his dying wish... Is this the answer your soul has given?"
"Do you hate me so much? Why, that knight burned his soul to ashes for the one he loved; what a beautiful beacon of love that is."
"We can talk properly."
"Die!!"
Her answer was a whistling morningstar, Pandora's newly re-coalesced body shattered once more.
"Can we truly not understand each other?" A new figure sighed.
"You are clearly such a gentle child, can't you spare even a little of that gentleness for those you hate?"
"Die!!"
"Please calm down, okay? Why must we always resort to violence?"
"Die!!"
"Why make things so ugly? That knight would surely be very sad to see you like this now, wouldn't he?"
"Die... die die die die die die die die die!"
Rem's sanity had completely broken; her eyes held nothing but endless killing intent.
The ice cone in her hand shone with a bone-chilling light, piercing fiercely towards Pandora's heart with the determination to tear her enemy to shreds.
Pfft.
The sound of the ice cone piercing flesh was exceptionally clear in the silent forest.
"What exactly do you see... in your eyes, stained red with hatred?" Pandora's whisper suddenly sounded in her ear.
Rem jolted awake, a burning sensation coming from her neck.
She was horrified to find the Flame Sword suspended at her neck, and the ice cone in her hand-
It had deeply pierced Subaru's chest.
"No... no!! This isn't possible!!" Rem trembled as she embraced Subaru, only to see the girl in her arms reveal a relieved smile.
"Although there's a very interesting power hidden within this girl's body," Pandora's figure appeared in the distance, "that stubborn sword refuses to come to me.
It seems to possess power beyond the rules of this world. Therefore... I fulfilled this girl's wish and let her go to the world of the one she loves."
"...You did this?" Rem's voice was terribly hoarse.
"No." The witch clapped her hands gleefully.
"This was your own resolve; I merely guided out the deepest love and hate within you, and this love... is truly wonderful."
The light of the Flame Sword suddenly dimmed.
It sensed an unusual fluctuation from deep within Subaru's soul and finally transformed into a stream of light, returning to her body.
The Sacred Flame instinctively wanted to heal Subaru's wound but was also stopped by that power, ultimately only able to silently guard deep within her soul, awaiting the next moment of awakening.
Subaru's vision gradually blurred, and Rem's heart-wrenching cries reached her ears.
She wanted to raise her hand to wipe away Rem's tears but found she didn't even have the strength to move a finger.
"I'm sorry... in the end... I made you cry..." Her voice was as light as a sigh, but she forced a smile at the corner of her lips.
"Thank you... for staying with me until the end... but..."
Her gaze slowly unfocused.
"This world... a world without him... I haven't wanted to stay for a long time..."
"It's great... finally... I can go see him..."
A tear slid down Subaru's cheek, but her expression was surprisingly calm, filled with relief.
"He'll be so angry when he sees me... that worrisome guy... he'll definitely frown and say, 'Why are you here so early?'..."
"But... it's okay..." Her voice grew softer and softer, "This time... he can nag me all he wants..."
In a daze, she seemed to see her parents' faces.
"Dad... Mom... I'm sorry..." Tears welled up in her eyes again.
"That day... I should have said goodbye properly..."
Consciousness gradually faded, her body became light, and all pain dissipated.
"It's so easy..." She took one last look at this world without him.
"Indeed... a place without you... is not worth lingering in at all..."
In the last moment before her consciousness completely vanished, her lips moved slightly, uttering three almost inaudible words.
"...I love you.."
— — — — — — — — — — —
"Here, miss, your appas."
A rough voice pulled Subaru back to reality.
She looked down blankly, at the bulging cloth bag filled with bright red apples, gleaming enticingly in the sunlight.
"What's wrong, miss? Take them quickly." The vendor uncle impatiently shook the bag.
Subaru's Fingers trembled slightly; she hesitated to take them.
She felt a wave of dizziness, her ears buzzing.
"What's wrong, Subaru? Are you not feeling well?"
A familiar voice came from beside her.
Subaru mechanically turned her head; Rem was looking at her worriedly, her blue hair gently swaying in the breeze.
"Rem... you came too?"
Rem tilted her head in confusion.
"Came? Rem has always been here."
She pointed not far away, "Hasn't Carlisle always taken Rem and Subaru along?"
Subaru suddenly turned and looked around, the bustling market, the towering clock tower, the distinctly styled buildings... This was the Royal Capital.
The sunlight was so dazzling it made her eyes ache.
Just then, a voice cut through the clamor.
"Subaru, are you done shopping?"
This voice
Subaru froze in place.
Her breathing stopped, the world paused at this moment.
She slowly, slowly turned her head, as if afraid that if she moved too quickly, the figure before her would vanish.
Carlisle stood right there.
The sunlight gilded him, his white knight's uniform was spotless, and the sword at his waist swayed gently with his steps.
He frowned slightly and walked towards Subaru.
"Carlisle...?" Subaru's voice was almost inaudible.
"Hmm?" Carlisle stopped in front of her, looking at her worriedly, "Why do you look so pale, are you okay?"
He reached out and placed his hand on Subaru's forehead, his warm palm against her cool skin.
This simple action instantly broke Subaru's tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Subaru...?"
...
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