...
{3rd Pov}
After separating from Subaru, Rem wasted no time.
She immediately urged the carriage forward, guiding it at high speed toward the Mathers Mansion.
The urgency in her movements was obvious.
She did not slow down for comfort or smooth turns; every second mattered.
Soon, the mansion came into view through the dim pre-dawn light.
The sky was still dark, with only the faintest hint of morning beginning to form on the horizon.
Rem pulled the carriage to a stop directly in front of the main entrance.
It was not a careful or elegant parking.
The wheels scraped slightly against the stone pathway, and the carriage stood at a slight angle instead of neatly aligned.
Under normal circumstances, she would never allow such carelessness.
But there was no time for perfection.
Inside the mansion, her sister was already awake.
Ram, as always, had risen early to begin managing the household duties.
It was part of her routine—ensuring everything in the mansion ran smoothly before the rest of the people even fully woke up.
At that moment, she was near a window, suppressing a small yawn as she glanced outside.
Her eyes narrowed slightly when she noticed the carriage coming.
The way it had been parked immediately stood out.
Rem was disciplined and precise.
She did not leave things in disorder.
That alone was enough to signal that something was wrong.
Then Ram felt it.
Through their connection—through the faint yet unmistakable bond of Synesthesia between the twin oni sisters—she sensed Rem's emotional state.
The underlying panic that Rem was trying to suppress.
Ram's expression shifted instantly.
The drowsiness disappeared from her face, replaced by alertness.
Something was definitely wrong.
Without wasting another second, she turned away from the window and quickly made her way downstairs toward the main entrance hall, her steps faster than usual but still controlled.
Whatever had happened, it was serious enough for Rem to abandon her usual composure.
"Nee-sama!"
Rem's voice echoed through the entrance hall as she rushed inside.
She immediately locked eyes with Ram, who was already descending the stairs with a frown.
"What's the matter, Rem?" Ram asked, her tone sharp.
"I can feel that you're panicked."
The connection between them made it impossible to hide such things completely.
"Nee-sama! We need to prepare immediately. The Witch Cult is going to attack!" Rem said urgently, her composure cracking under the weight of the information.
The moment the words "Witch Cult" left her mouth, Ram's expression changed.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"What?!" she shouted before she could stop herself.
She stepped forward and grabbed Rem firmly by the shoulders.
"The Witch Cult?! They're going to attack us? How do you even know that?!"
Her grip tightened slightly.
This was not something to misunderstand or exaggerate.
The Witch Cult was not some random bandit group or minor criminal faction.
They were infamous throughout the world of Od Laguna for their atrocities.
Entire villages had been wiped out without mercy.
Cities had suffered disasters connected to their presence.
They were known for fanaticism, cruelty, and absolute disregard for life.
No kingdom took them lightly.
In fact, most kingdoms avoided directly provoking them unless absolutely necessary, because confronting the Witch Cult often led to catastrophic consequences.
Their Sin Archbishops alone were considered calamities capable of destroying entire settlements.
For Ram and Rem, the name carried even deeper scars.
Their Oni village had been destroyed by Witch Cultists.
Their home had been reduced to ashes.
Their people had been slaughtered.
They had survived only because of Roswaal's intervention.
That memory was not distant.
It was carved into their lives permanently.
What Rem did not know, however, was that Roswaal had already known about certain events long before they occurred.
Ram, on the other hand, was aware of far more than she let on.
She knew the truth about Roswaal's obsession with resurrecting his teacher.
She knew that many of his actions were driven by long-term plans that stretched far beyond ordinary understanding.
And yet—
Roswaal had never informed them about an impending Witch Cult attack on the domain.
Because this attack was part of his design.
He had allowed events to unfold according to his calculations.
And now, that design was colliding directly with Subaru's interference.
"It might sound shocking, Nee-sama," Rem said quickly, trying to steady her breathing, "but it was Subaru who told me. He knew in advance that the Witch Cult was going to attack. He has some kind of precognition ability."
For a brief moment, Ram stared at her sister as if she had lost her senses.
"Precognition?" Ram repeated slowly, her brows furrowing.
Under normal circumstances, she would have dismissed such a claim immediately.
The idea that Subaru could see the future sounded absurd.
Even in a world filled with magic and spirits, abilities like that were extremely rare and often exaggerated.
However, Ram did not reject it outright.
Her mind moved quickly.
She thought about Roswaal.
About how many events in their lives had quietly aligned with his long-term plans.
About how he anticipated situations before they unfolded.
If Subaru truly possessed some ability to see fragments of the future, then it would not be impossible that Roswaal had known about it and that is why he had made Subaru his pawn.
She also remembered how strange Subaru was.
He had spoken with an unusual level of certainty about dangers that had not yet occurred.
And earlier, he had known about the attack on the village before any signs had appeared.
Was that coincidence?
Or was it connected?
Ram's expression grew more serious as she considered the possibility.
Before she could respond further, they both heard footsteps approaching from behind.
They turned simultaneously.
Standing there was Emilia.
Her silver hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and her violet eyes looked slightly unfocused.
It was obvious she had only recently woken up.
There were faint signs of fatigue on her face from staying up late studying the previous night.
She let out a small yawn before speaking.
"Ram, what's the matter…?" she asked sleepily.
Then her gaze shifted and widened slightly.
"And wait—Rem? Why have you returned?"
There was clear surprise in her voice.
Rem was not supposed to be back at the mansion yet.
According to the original plan, she was meant to stay at the Royal Capital alongside
Subaru for at least another week or two while he underwent healing treatment from Felix.
"Lady Emilia, I bring urgent news," Rem said without hesitation.
"The Witch Cult is going to attack the mansion and Arlam Village."
Her words struck immediately.
Emilia, who had still been half-awake just moments ago, froze in place.
The drowsiness vanished from her expression almost instantly, replaced by shock and disbelief.
"What?!" Emilia exclaimed, her voice no longer sleepy.
"The Witch Cult? They're going to attack us?"
Her heart skipped a beat.
As someone who had spent her entire life being judged and hated for her resemblance to the Witch of Envy, Emilia was painfully aware of who the Witch Cult was.
The prejudice she faced was not based solely on ancient history.
Yes, the Witch of Envy had once destroyed half of the world centuries ago.
That catastrophe had been etched into history, and the fear associated with her name had never fully faded.
But the hatred toward Emilia did not come only from that distant tragedy.
It was also fueled by the Witch Cult.
The Witch Cult was a violent and fanatical organization that worshipped the Witch of Envy as their deity.
They operated in her name, spreading chaos, death, and destruction wherever they went.
Their actions kept the memory of the Witch alive in the worst possible way.
Every atrocity they committed reinforced public fear.
Because of them, the stigma surrounding half-elves had never diminished.
And Emilia suffered the most from that stigma.
She was a silver-haired half-elf—an almost perfect mirror image of the Witch of Envy described in legends.
The resemblance was so striking that many people reacted with fear or hostility the moment they saw her.
It did not matter that she had done nothing wrong.
To some, her very existence felt like an omen.
So hearing that the Witch Cult was targeting the mansion and the nearby village immediately triggered a mixture of alarm and grim understanding inside her.
If the Cult was moving in this region, then it was entirely possible that she was part of the reason.
And that thought alone made the situation even more serious.
At that moment, sunlight began filtering through the tall windows of the mansion.
The first rays of morning slipped across the floor beneath the grand staircase, illuminating the entrance hall in a soft golden light.
Almost instantly, Puck materialized.
"Good morning, Lia!" he said cheerfully, appearing in his usual small form, floating lazily in the air as if nothing in the world could possibly be wrong.
However, his greeting did not last long.
Through the contract he shared with Emilia, he immediately sensed the turbulence in her emotions.
The chaotic mixture of fear, guilt, and shock was impossible to miss.
His expression shifted from playful to serious in a heartbeat.
He also noticed Rem standing there.
Rem was not supposed to be at the mansion this week.
That alone was enough to signal that something had gone very wrong.
"What's wrong, Lia?" Puck asked, his voice losing its earlier lightness.
"Puck!" Emilia responded quickly, turning toward him.
"Rem brought news that the Witch Cult is going to attack us! They're going to attack the mansion—and the village too!"
The words came out faster than usual, her composure slipping under the weight of the revelation.
Puck's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The Witch Cult?" he repeated, his tone no longer casual.
Emilia clenched her hands.
"This has to be because of me!" she said immediately, her voice tightening.
"Because I'm a silver-haired half-elf. That's why they're coming here. It has to be!"
Her reasoning moved quickly, but it was not irrational from her perspective.
The Witch Cult worshipped the Witch of Envy. She, Emilia, resembled that very Witch more than anyone else in the world.
Silver hair. Amethyst eyes. Half-elf blood.
The similarities were undeniable.
"If they're targeting this place," she continued, her voice trembling slightly despite her effort to remain calm, "then the only explanation is that I attracted them here."
The guilt surfaced instantly, as it often did whenever something related to the Witch or the Cult appeared in her life.
She did not need anyone to accuse her.
She accused herself first.
Sensing the surge of guilt and self-blame within Emilia, Puck's tail stiffened and rose sharply in alert.
"Wait a minute, Lia," he said firmly, cutting her off before her thoughts could spiral further.
Then he shifted his attention toward Rem, his small body floating slightly higher as his gaze sharpened.
"Oni, I ask you this," Puck said, his tone no longer light or playful.
"What is the source of this information?"
Rem straightened instinctively under his scrutiny.
"It was Subaru," she replied without hesitation.
"He told me in advance that the Witch Cult is going to attack—"
"That boy?" Puck interrupted immediately, his voice lowering into something far less friendly.
"Has he returned as well?"
There was a faint growl beneath his words, subtle but unmistakable.
"Of course," Rem answered quickly.
"Subaru had to return in order to warn us—"
"That boy!" Puck cut her off again, this time far more openly irritated.
"How dare he! Does he not understand how important a promise is to a Spirit Arts user?"
His eyes narrowed, and the temperature in the entrance hall seemed to drop slightly.
The mention of Subaru clearly struck a nerve.
"Puck-sama!" Rem said urgently, taking a step forward despite the pressure of his presence.
"Please understand that the Witch Cult is going to attack us! This is not the time to argue about past matters!"
Her voice was firm despite her usual respect.
"I know you may not believe in him," she continued, "but I do. I trust him completely. And the source of his information is trustworthy."
There was no hesitation in her tone.
Puck's gaze sharpened further at that.
"Oh?" he said slowly, raising a brow.
"And what source would that be, Oni?"
His voice was calm now—but it was the calm of someone demanding a very serious answer.
Rem opened her mouth, ready to speak about the Great Sage and reveal that Subaru was the Sage Candidate.
But she stopped herself at the last second.
She remembered clearly what Subaru had told her while they were inside the carriage.
They were not supposed to speak about the Great Sage.
They were not supposed to reveal his position as the Sage Candidate to anyone—not yet.
The matter was too sensitive, and revealing it carelessly could create unnecessary complications.
Her thoughts shifted quickly.
Subaru had anticipated this problem.
He had already given her a workaround in case she needed to explain the source of his information without directly exposing the truth.
Taking a steady breath, Rem adjusted her approach.
"Puck-sama, Emilia-sama, Nee-sama," she began carefully, "do you recall the second sun that briefly appeared earlier and caused that massive shockwave not long ago?"
The three of them stiffened slightly at the mention.
"That second sun?" Emilia repeated, her brows drawing together.
"It frightened me as well. I thought perhaps a volcano had erupted somewhere in the distance, or maybe it was some kind of large earthquake."
Her confusion was genuine.
The phenomenon had been unnatural, but without further information, she had tried to rationalize it.
Ram remained silent, though her eyes narrowed slightly as she listened.
Puck's expression became thoughtful, though he did not interrupt.
"No," Rem said firmly.
"It was not a natural disaster."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"It was caused by someone."
The words settled heavily in the hall.
"And that person," Rem added, her voice steady despite the weight of what she was implying, "is the source of our information."
For a moment, there was complete silence.
Then—
Everyone's eyes widened.
Ram looked at Rem with visible confusion.
Just moments ago, Rem had been explaining that Subaru possessed some form of precognition, which was how he knew about the Witch Cult's impending attack.
But now, her explanation had shifted.
She was implying that the source of the information was someone powerful enough to create a phenomenon comparable to a natural calamity.
The contradiction did not go unnoticed.
Her mind moved quickly, trying to piece together the logic.
What Ram did not know—what none of them knew—was that the person responsible for that so-called "second sun" was Subaru himself.
It had not been a volcano.
It had not been an earthquake.
It had been an atomic-level attack.
The White Whale, a monster that had terrorized the world for four centuries, had been completely obliterated in a single strike.
Even Flugel's Tree, a massive and ancient landmark, had been caught in the destruction.
The scale of the attack had been catastrophic.
And if not for the Great Sage stepping in at the last moment, the damage would have spread far beyond that single location.
Using his Authority of Gluttony, the Great Sage had absorbed the radiation, the overwhelming heat, the debris, the shockwave residue, and even the destabilized matter that would have otherwise devastated surrounding regions.
Without that intervention, the aftermath would have been far worse.
Rem, however, did not reveal any of that directly.
What she was saying was technically not a lie.
The source of Subaru's information was indeed connected to the individual who caused that phenomenon.
She was simply omitting one critical detail.
That the individual in question was standing at the center of all of this.
Puck frowned slightly as he studied Rem's expression.
Through his connection with Emilia, he could already tell that something unusual had indeed occurred during the night.
Emilia had felt a sudden disturbance—a presence, a force, something powerful enough to momentarily unsettle even her contracted spirit.
At the time, she had been half-asleep and unable to properly process it, but the emotional trace of that moment remained.
Now, listening to Rem, Puck could tell she was not lying due to his spirit nature.
Her words carried conviction, and there was no sign of deception in her tone.
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
"Fine," Puck said at last, his voice firm but controlled.
"You are speaking the truth, Oni."
His tail lowered slightly, though his eyes remained sharp.
"However," he added with a faint growl, "that boy will have to face the consequences later for breaking his promise."
The reminder of Subaru's earlier agreement with him was clearly not forgotten.
Emilia, meanwhile, looked increasingly overwhelmed.
"T-Then what should we do?" she asked, clutching her head as panic and confusion began mixing together.
"The Witch Cult is going to attack us… they're going to attack the mansion… and the village too. And Roswaal—he's not even here."
Her voice trembled slightly.
The absence of Roswaal, the lord of the domain and their strongest protector, made the situation feel even more unstable.
Ram let out a quiet sigh, her expression regaining its usual composure despite the seriousness of the situation.
She turned her gaze toward Rem, silently prompting her to explain the rest.
Rem immediately understood.
"Subaru-kun should have already informed the villagers," she said quickly.
"By now, they should be preparing to evacuate and head toward the mansion."
Her voice was steadier now.
"He planned to gather them and direct them here for protection. If everything goes according to plan, they will arrive shortly."
"On their way?" Ram repeated with a slight frown.
Rem nodded firmly.
"Yes. Subaru-kun suggested that all the villagers take refuge at the mansion," she explained. "He said that with Lady Emilia, Puck-sama, Lady Beatrice, Nee-sama, and myself present, it would be far safer than remaining in the village."
She continued without hesitation.
"If everyone is gathered in one location, it will be much easier to organize defensive positions and coordinate protection. Scattered across the village, they are vulnerable and difficult to defend effectively."
Ram crossed her arms, her expression turning thoughtful rather than emotional.
"Rem," she said flatly, "Barusu is extremely stupid."
Despite the insult, her tone was analytical.
"The mansion has too many entrances. Even if we guard the main gates and a few key access points, it would still be impossible to completely seal off the property. The Witch Cultists are not ordinary attackers. If they are determined, they will find a way inside."
She paused briefly before adding,
"That said, it is still better than leaving the villagers in their homes, exposed and isolated."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she continued thinking.
"I know of a far better location," Ram said slowly.
"If possible, we could evacuate all the villagers there instead. It would prevent them from becoming easy targets by gathering them in a predictable location like the mansion."
Rem immediately understood what Ram was referring to.
The Sanctuary.
It was secluded, hidden, and far more defensible in certain aspects.
However, Rem did not hesitate in her response.
"We cannot do that, Onee-sama," she said firmly.
Ram glanced at her.
"We have no practical way of evacuating dozens of villagers that far in such a short amount of time," Rem continued.
"The distance alone would be a major problem. Moving that many people through the forest would take hours."
Her expression grew more serious.
"And during that journey, we would be extremely vulnerable. A large group traveling through the forest would become an easy target. The Witch Cult could ambush us from multiple directions. We would not only have to defend against them, but also protect civilians while on the move."
She shook her head slightly.
"At least at the mansion, we have solid walls, defensive barriers, and established positions. In the forest, we would have none of that."
The room fell quiet again as the gravity of the decision settled in.
No option was perfect.
"Wait a minute," Puck said, his voice cutting through the discussion.
"I've been listening to both of you talk as if everything will proceed according to that boy's plan."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"We are supposed to guard the mansion and protect the villagers. That much I understand. But who, exactly, will be fighting the Witch Cult? Are we simply going to remain on the defensive?"
The question hung heavily in the air.
Ram and Emilia both stiffened slightly as they realized the gap in the plan.
Up until now, they had been focusing entirely on evacuation and protection.
But defense alone would not end the threat.
The Witch Cult would not simply retreat after one failed attempt.
Rem did not hesitate.
"Subaru-kun has already prepared for that," she said quickly.
"He has contracted a Quasi–Yang Spirit. His combat ability has increased significantly."
Puck's gaze sharpened further.
"And?" he pressed.
"He has a strategy," Rem continued.
"He plans to take advantage of the Witch's scent on him. Because he carries that scent strongly, he can approach them without immediately arousing suspicion. He intends to blend in among them briefly and then launch a sudden attack to disrupt their formation."
Silence followed her explanation.
Then—
"That's suicidal!" Emilia exclaimed immediately, her voice rising in alarm.
"There is no way I can allow Subaru to carry out such a dangerous plan!"
Her reaction was instinctive.
She stepped forward unconsciously, her expression filled with worry rather than doubt.
"Blending in with the Witch Cult? Getting close to them on purpose? That's far too risky! If anything goes wrong, he would be surrounded instantly!"
Her hands clenched at her sides.
Even Ram, who had been analyzing the situation calmly, could not hide her slight disbelief.
She glanced at Rem.
Her sister was speaking with absolute confidence in Subaru's ability to execute such a reckless strategy.
There was no hesitation in her voice.
No visible concern.
Ram knew that Rem had long since fallen in love with a man like Barusu.
In Ram's opinion, Rem's standards had never been particularly high to begin with.
But this?
This level of faith bordered on blind devotion.
Ram had not realized the situation had escalated this far.
For Rem to speak so confidently about a plan that involved infiltrating the Witch Cult directly… it suggested a level of belief that went beyond simple affection.
And that, more than the plan itself, unsettled Ram greatly.
"That's a great plan," Puck said immediately.
His response stunned everyone in the room.
Ram blinked once.
Rem froze for a fraction of a second.
Emilia stared at him in open disbelief.
"Puck, you cannot be serious!" Emilia said sharply, her frustration rising.
She stepped closer to him, her expression a mix of anger and concern.
"You know how weak Subaru is! Even if he contracted a Yang Spirit, that doesn't suddenly make him invincible. That kind of plan is practically suicidal!"
Her reaction was not unreasonable.
They all knew that Subaru possessed an unusually strong Spirit Affinity.
That much had been obvious even before this.
So the news that he had somehow formed a contract with a Quasi–Yang Spirit, while surprising, was not completely unbelievable.
However—
Contracting a spirit and mastering it were two entirely different matters.
Even if the spirit was of a rare element like Yang, and even if it enhanced his combat potential, that did not mean he could handle an entire group of Witch Cultists alone.
The Cult was not composed of random thugs.
They were fanatics, many of them trained, some of them possessing magic or dangerous abilities granted by Sin Archbishops.
And there was another issue.
"How does he even know Yang magic spells?" Emilia demanded, her brows furrowed.
"From what we knew, Subaru barely understood the basics of magic before! He was completely clueless!"
That part did not make sense to her.
Subaru had struggled even with basic magical control in the past.
He had required guidance just to manage simple spellcasting.
Now, suddenly, he had contracted a rare elemental spirit and devised a complex infiltration strategy?
It felt too abrupt.
Ram remained silent, though her gaze sharpened slightly.
She was thinking the same thing, even if she did not voice it.
Rem, however, stood firm.
"That person who helped us also assisted Subaru-kun in forming the contract with the Yang Quasi–Spirit," Rem said firmly.
"He also taught him several unique spells."
She spoke before Emilia or Ram could press further.
Even without hearing every unspoken thought, she understood their doubts clearly.
From their perspective, Subaru's sudden growth sounded unrealistic.
But she knew the truth.
She simply could not reveal all of it.
She could not mention that they had encountered one of the three great heroes who once sealed the Witch of Envy.
She could not explain that the very same legendary figure had personally intervened, strengthened Subaru, and guided him.
And she definitely could not reveal that Subaru had already slain the White Whale in a single overwhelming attack.
The truth sounded absurd.
Even to her, if she had not witnessed it, it would have sounded impossible.
Given Subaru's current reputation and the image they still held of him—a reckless, inexperienced young man with limited combat ability—there was no way they would believe such claims without undeniable proof.
And right now, there was no time to provide proof.
No time for demonstrations.
No time for long explanations about ancient heroes, Authorities, or overwhelming destructive power.
What mattered was the immediate threat.
The Witch Cult was moving.
The villagers were on their way.
And if they wasted time arguing about plausibility, they would fail before the battle even began.
"We don't have the luxury of doubting him right now," Rem added, her voice steady but urgent.
"Whether you believe it fully or not, Subaru-kun has already begun acting. Our priority must be protecting the villagers."
Her eyes met Emilia's directly.
"We can question everything later. But first, we need to ensure everyone survives."
"Then it is fine," Puck said immediately.
His answer caused visible confusion on Ram's face, and Emilia stared at him in disbelief.
"Puck…?" Emilia questioned, clearly unsettled by how quickly he had agreed.
"Listen, Lia," Puck continued calmly.
"I can sense that Rem is telling the truth. There is no deception in her words."
He floated slightly higher, his small form radiating quiet authority.
"If that boy truly received assistance from someone of that caliber, then it is possible he has gained more capability than we previously assumed. And regardless of everything else, he carries a strong Witch's scent. That alone allows him to blend among Witch Cultists more easily than most people."
He paused briefly.
"From a tactical perspective, it is a sound plan."
His reasoning, at least outwardly, appeared logical.
Rem let out a faint breath of relief.
Ram remained silent, though her expression did not fully soften.
Emilia still looked conflicted, but Puck's confidence carried weight for her.
However—
Puck's internal thoughts were far simpler than his calm explanation suggested.
He did not trust Subaru.
Not even slightly.
His stance was clear.
If Subaru truly intended to infiltrate the Witch Cult and engage them directly, then he could serve as the front line.
A distraction.
A meatshield.
A piece on the board.
Puck did not care about Subaru's safety.
He did not care about the Witch Cultists' lives.
He did not care about the villagers beyond the degree that their survival affected Emilia.
The only life that truly mattered to him was Emilia's.
As long as she remained safe, everything else was negotiable.
Puck understood one thing clearly.
Rem's trust in Subaru had already crossed into territory that bordered on blind faith.
Whether it was love or conviction did not matter.
From Puck's perspective, it meant her judgment regarding Subaru could not be considered fully objective.
However, there was a practical angle to consider.
If Subaru had truly formed a contract with a Yang Quasi–Spirit, then that alone meant he possessed at least some degree of legitimate combat capability.
Yang was not a common element, and even a Quasi–Spirit of that alignment would significantly enhance offensive potential.
That made him useful.
And if he was willing to act as a self-sacrificing pawn, then so be it.
In Puck's mind, the situation was simple and brutally logical.
Even if Subaru failed to emerge victorious, he would still inflict some level of damage on the Witch Cultists.
Any disruption, any casualties, any delay would make it easier to defend Emilia afterward.
Weakening the enemy before they reached the mansion was strategically beneficial.
And if Subaru died in the process—
Then Emilia would eventually move on.
The emotional attachment would fade with time.
The complications, the unpredictable decisions influenced by her concern for him, the distractions—those would disappear.
Life would return to a simpler structure centered solely around her safety and future.
For Puck, it was a win–win scenario.
If Subaru succeeded, then the immediate threat would be reduced.
If Subaru failed, then the long-term situation might even become more stable.
Either way, Emilia remained the priority.
And even in the unlikely event that Subaru survived the confrontation—which Puck personally doubted—the core objective would remain unchanged.
As long as Emilia was safe, nothing else truly mattered.
Subaru's fate could be dealt with later.
Emilia hesitated for a brief moment.
Her eyes lowered slightly as she processed everything that had been said.
The situation was overwhelming—an impending Witch Cult attack, Roswaal absent, villagers on their way, and Subaru planning to infiltrate the enemy directly.
Ram, watching her closely, already felt that Puck's reasoning was dangerously simplistic.
From Ram's perspective, trusting Barusu with something this reckless bordered on absurd.
However, what shocked her even more was Emilia's response.
"Subaru did protect the village before," Emilia said slowly, as if convincing herself while speaking.
"Even when he was weak, he stepped forward."
She lifted her gaze.
"And now, if Puck says he's stronger… then maybe he really can do it."
Her voice was not loud, but it carried determination.
Ram's eyes widened slightly.
"Yeah, exactly, Lia!" Puck said immediately, nodding enthusiastically.
Inside, he felt satisfied.
He knew exactly how to frame things in a way that Emilia would accept.
He did not feel even the slightest guilt for bending the narrative.
To him, protecting Emilia justified any manipulation.
Her survival outweighed moral discomfort.
Again, He did not care if the other residents of the mansion were put at risk.
He did not care if the villagers suffered casualties.
He did not care if Subaru lived or died.
As long as Emilia remained unharmed, everything else was secondary.
Ram opened her mouth to object.
She wanted to argue.
She wanted to point out the flaws, the recklessness, and the blind optimism.
But then she stopped herself.
There was no point.
Once Emilia had made up her mind, arguing further would only create unnecessary tension. And regardless of personal doubts, Emilia's position carried weight.
As a Royal Candidate, her authority in matters like this surpassed even Roswaal's in certain contexts.
Not to mention, even if she objected further, would it truly matter?
Ram was forced to confront an uncomfortable truth within herself.
She and Subaru were not close.
In fact, she had never particularly liked him.
His reckless behavior, his loud personality, and his repeated mistakes had only reinforced her negative opinion over time.
More than anything, she resented the fact that her sister had fallen in love with someone she considered so unreliable.
To Ram, Subaru had been a constant source of instability.
He had embarrassed Emilia publicly in the Capital.
He had made reckless decisions.
He had complicated matters that were already fragile.
From Ram's perspective, he had tarnished Emilia's reputation during a critical period.
If he now chose to throw himself into danger—
If he died protecting the villagers and her sister—
Would that not, in a twisted sense, redeem him?
At least then his death would serve a purpose.
Better to die being useful than continue living as someone she deemed useless.
The thought was harsh.
But Ram was not known for softening her judgments.
After weighing everything internally, she made her decision.
"Very well, Sissy," Ram said calmly, her expression returning to its usual composed state.
"We will go with the plan."
Rem's face brightened instantly.
A small smile appeared on her lips, relief evident in her eyes.
She believed she had successfully convinced them through logic and trust in Subaru's growth.
What she did not realize—
Was that they were not convinced because they believed in Subaru the way she did.
Puck supported the plan for Emilia's safety alone.
Ram accepted it out of cold pragmatism and resignation.
Neither of them shared Rem's unwavering faith.
Some were acting out of selfish priorities.
Some out of naïve optimism.
And some had simply decided that if Subaru survived, so be it—and if he did not, then that was acceptable too.
But Rem did not see that.
All she saw was that they had agreed.
As their discussion came to an end, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the mansion gates.
Not just one or two.
Dozens.
All four of them turned toward the entrance instinctively.
Through the open doorway and beyond the front courtyard, they could see figures gathering near the main gate.
Men supporting elderly relatives, mothers holding their children close, others carrying small bundles of essential belongings.
The villagers had arrived.
The evacuation had begun.
"Lady Ram, Lady Rem, and—" the elderly woman leading the group began as she stepped forward.
She paused when her eyes fell on Emilia.
There was visible hesitation in her expression.
The prejudice was not entirely gone, even after everything that had been said earlier.
But this was not the time for pride.
"…Lady Emilia," she finished with some difficulty.
"We are here to seek refuge."
Her tone was formal, but strained.
Behind her, the rest of the villagers stood quietly, their earlier doubts replaced by anxious anticipation.
They had made their choice.
Now they were placing their lives in the hands of the mansion's protectors.
Emilia straightened slightly.
Ram stepped forward without hesitation, already shifting into command mode.
Rem moved to organize the crowd, instructing them to enter in an orderly manner and gather in designated areas inside the mansion.
The plan was now in motion.
The mansion would become their shield.
Meanwhile—
Far away from the safety of walls and organized defense—
Subaru had already stepped into the forest.
Alone.
And with steady steps, he walked directly into the den of the Witch Cultists.
To be continued...