The room was heavy with tension. Crusch sat on her desk, composed as ever, while Felix hovered nearby, arms crossed with a faint, unreadable expression. Wilhelm remained silent, his presence like a sheathed blade, calm but undeniably sharp.
Subaru took a deep breath, gripping his hands into fists as if to steady his racing heart. Rem stood quietly beside him, a reassuring anchor in the sea of uncertainty. Still, his voice trembled slightly as he spoke. "I've been captured by them before... and Tanaka—he was with me when it happened. They tried to kill him. I mean—they really wanted him dead."
His voice wavered as his mind reeled back to the memory. The images surfaced uninvited—flashes of darkness, screaming cultists, Tanaka's figure surrounded, bloodied, yet still standing. The witch cultists had attacked Rem, attacked him, everyone—but their rage toward Tanaka had been something else entirely. Obsessive. Unrelenting.
He shook off the chill creeping into his spine.
"They're going to strike Roswaal's domain within three days. I'm here to ask for your help to stop them."
Crusch narrowed her eyes slightly. Her voice was calm, but calculating.
"I see. So they've finally decided to act…"
Felix leaned forward, the mirth usually in his tone now replaced by quiet seriousness.
"Honestly, this was bound to happen. The moment Emilia-Sama—a half-elf—entered the royal selection, we figured something like this would come crawling out of the dark."
Crusch folded her arms, her gaze sharp and unreadable.
"I understand the situation. But let's speak plainly. From your proposition… what do I stand to gain?"
Her words were cool and direct, like a blade placed gently on the table.
"If, with my forces, we eliminate the threat of the Witch's Cult—what profit is there for me or my camp? Tell me, Subaru."
Caught off guard, Subaru hesitated before speaking again.
"If you help me through this—I'll owe a huge debt to your camp..."
Crusch's gaze didn't soften. If anything, it grew colder.
"Then that would mean Emilia withdraws from the royal selection, wouldn't it?"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Subaru's lips parted—but no words came. The implications of her words hit him like a wall. His eyes darted toward Rem, whose expression was equally grim.
And yet, unseen by all, someone else watched.
Hovering just above the meeting, his form translucent and suspended in time, Tanaka observed quietly—accompanied by a floating bear cub-like creature, his ever-present companion in this state.
"She's not going to accept…"
He didn't need to watch the full conversation. Subaru had entered the lion's den with no weapons—no leverage, no plan beyond desperation. It wasn't enough.
Tanaka's thoughts were lucid in this state, untouched by panic or instinct. He understood Crusch's position. He couldn't blame her for playing it smart.But watching Subaru grasp at straws… it stung.
"So this is how it ends? He's going to die again because he had no one to help him... I should be there with him."
The guilt bubbled beneath his voice—quiet, but raw.
Odglass floated nearby, ethereal and composed, yet her expression betrayed the weight of what she was about to say.
"Even so… his death in this loop is necessary."
Tanaka clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing as frustration crackled in the air around him like faint static.
"And I… I completely forgot about the Witch Cult's attack. Why? Why would I forget something like that?"
Odglass gave a faint nod, her eyes downcast.
"That wasn't your fault. It was deliberate."
His eyes widened in shock.
"What?"
The revelation chilled him more than anything else she'd said thus far.
"Why would you erase that memory from me? What's the point of putting him through trauma I've already suffered? What could you possibly be preparing him for?"
His voice rose—anguished now.
"Why let the villagers die? Why let Rem… and everyone in the mansion suffer? He'll die a horrible death for nothing."
Odglass, for the first time, faltered.
Then, softly, "I know you're being impatient… but please, let me explain."
She met his gaze, not with divine detachment, but with a glint of something deeply human—guilt.
Odglass continued, her tone shifting back into a slow, deliberate cadence as she began to unveil the truth, "About that alternative reality I showed you… It was the consequence of several events unfolding a certain way, yes—but that wasn't the entire cause. The true, dominant factor was the timing of Natsuki Subaru's summoning. His mental state at that exact moment… his emotional and psychological vulnerability… those determined how he responded to every crisis."
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle.
"What you did, Tanaka, was eliminate the possibility of that version ever coming to be. And that's commendable in its own right… But in doing so, you've introduced a new risk. One that could cripple him in other, perhaps more subtle, ways. As you saw in the last loop—he broke. Mentally. Completely."
She inhaled quietly, her voice gaining firmness. "Thankfully, he managed to claw his way back."
But Tanaka wasn't listening fully.
His eyes drifted to the scene unfolding below. Like a specter hovering in time, he watched Subaru speaking with desperation in Crusch Kartsen's manor. The air was tense—thick with pride, and urgency.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Subaru's voice cracked with frustration and urgency. "So you're telling me… that knowing people are in danger, knowing that they'll die if we don't act, you still won't help?!"
Crusch didn't flinch. Her eyes were sharp, her expression resolute. "Believing your words without verifiable proof would be reckless. Even if I assume you're telling the truth, protecting the Mathers domain isn't my responsibility—it belongs to the Margrave himself."
She turned slightly, nodding toward a parchment laid neatly on the table."Furthermore, Kazuki Tanaka's treatment takes precedence. I am bound by contract. His condition… is considered a matter of national interest."
Tanaka blinked. "National… interest?" He echoed in disbelief.
"What the hell does she mean by that?"
Odglass replied, her tone laced with dry amusement. "She thinks you're an unrecorded member of Lugunica's royal family."
Tanaka froze. "What?"
His brows furrowed, mind racing. "How in the world did she come to that conclusion?"
Odglass chuckled softly. "That's… mostly your fault, you know."
"I did mess with her Divine Protection," Tanaka muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Told her my mother was royalty just to confuse her… But I didn't think she'd actually mistake me for Lugunican royalty."
He narrowed his eyes. "Aren't Lugunica's royals supposed to have red eyes and golden hair? Do I even look like one of them?"
"I only knew Farsale Lugunica but I suppose you do not resemble him either," Odglass answered. "But it's not just what you said. It's the illness—the one that wiped out the royal family. That disease only affected those with royal blood. And you, Tanaka… you carry it."
She raised a paw before he could interrupt.
"But unlike them, it won't kill you so you don't have to be afraid. You're… different. Special. Still, to her—and others—that's enough of an evidence."
Tanaka frowned. "I'm not afraid of the illness… but I am confused. Why do I have it in the first place?"
Odglass hesitated.
"I don't know."
The admission was blunt, and it hung in the air heavier than expected. But Tanaka didn't press her. There were more pressing questions, and not enough time.
As their conversation hovered in limbo, Tanaka's gaze returned to Subaru—now leaving the Karsten estate, his steps burdened with failure.
Before Tanaka could even voice his concern, Odglass spoke again.
"We can still follow him. Even now. Let's observe."
Together, like unseen phantoms tethered to the boy's journey, they followed Subaru and Rem as they walked through the streets, discussing their next course of action.
Tanaka sighed, guilt prickling in his chest. "Sorry… I got distracted. Please, pick up where we left off."
Odglass nodded solemnly. "The Authority of Return by Death… was granted to Natsuki Subaru by the Witch of Envy—Satella."
Tanaka's brow furrowed. "Granted? So every time he dies…"
"She destroys the world," Odglass said plainly, "and rewinds time."
Tanaka recoiled slightly. "That sounds… extreme. Just how deep does her obsession with him go? What's their connection?"
Odglass sighed. "Truthfully? I don't know how Satella came to fall in love with Natsuki Subaru."
She turned her gaze on Tanaka, her voice lowering. "But as for you… you have no connection to the Witch of Envy."
He froze. "…What?"
It didn't make sense. He'd felt the crushing weight of her presence. He had Return by Death. He was also punished whenever the taboo was broken.
As if reading his mind, Odglass clarified:
"Natsuki Subaru was summoned by the Witch of Envy."
She met his eyes. "You weren't summoned at all."
A beat passed. "You came here by accident."
The words struck Tanaka harder than any wound he had ever suffered. His breath caught in his throat.
He had died. He had returned. He had suffered through pain that rewound time itself. If Satella wasn't the one who summoned him, if she had no connection to him whatsoever—then how could he possess Return by Death?
Odglass, still in the form of the gentle bear cub, watched him with downcast eyes. Her voice trembled with empathy as she spoke again.
"The authority you possess… isn't the true Return by Death. It's a replica—something crafted and granted to you, just so you could survive in this world."
Tanaka's shoulders rose as he inhaled sharply, then lowered with a trembling sigh. He closed his eyes for a moment, forcing his expression to steady—fighting against the storm behind his gaze. When he opened them again, his eyes weren't fiery with rage, nor empty with despair. They were calm. Too calm.
His voice came low and restrained."I got here by mistake. Fine. Then tell me how to get back home—to my family."
He was never supposed to be here. That thought had always lingered in the back of his mind. But now it was confirmed. Official. Spoken aloud.
And hearing it—being told directly that his presence in this world was nothing more than a mistake—somehow made it hurt even more. He hadn't asked for this life. He never wanted to leave the people he loved. He never agreed to fight these battles. Yet here he was. Struggling.
"I'm truly sorry," Odglass whispered, her small, plush form slightly recoiling. "But I don't know how to send you back."
Tanaka's head snapped toward her, his eyes wide with disbelief and rising anger. "What the hell do you mean you don't know? You got me here—"
"I was there," Odglass interjected softly, interrupting with surprising firmness. "But I wasn't the one who brought you."
His hands clenched at his sides, knuckles white. His voice cracked, a raw fury trembling beneath the surface.
"Then give me a name!" he shouted. "I deserve that much! I fought—I suffered, I died—for something that has nothing to do with me! I wasn't even supposed to be here!"
Odglass flinched. Even in her spirit form, the weight of his words pressed heavy on her. She lowered her ears, gaze turned down in shame.
"I'm sorry… I really can't. Please, try to understand..."
Tanaka turned away, jaw clenched tight, chest heaving. For a while, he said nothing. His anger simmered in silence, his body tense, unmoving. Then, with a slow exhale, he straightened his back and spoke again, his voice firm and steady.
"You're not telling me because you can't, not because you won't. You're bound by an oath or something. That's the only reason I'll accept."
He glanced back over his shoulder, eyes sharp and unwavering. "Nod your head if I'm right."
Odglass hesitated, then slowly nodded, a pained expression across her bear-like face. Her silence confirmed everything.
Tanaka inhaled again, this time slower. Controlled. His voice now carried less heat—but it remained edged with purpose.
"Fine. But tell me this."
He stepped closer, his shadow overlapping hers. "Will I meet this person—the one you're not allowed to speak of?"
Odglass looked up at him, hesitant. "...I'll try to arrange it."
*********************************************************************************************************
Silence followed.A strange, heavy silence, neither comfortable nor painful. Just there. Hovering.
Tanaka and Odglass remained quiet, side by side, as they continued observing Subaru's next loop unfold.
Like ghosts clinging to the edges of time, they watched him desperately run from camp to camp, pleading for help. The responses were all the same—suspicion, rejection, scorn. No one believed him. No one trusted him. The pain etched into Subaru's expression deepened with each refusal. His voice grew hoarser, shoulders heavier.
Eventually, Subaru made his decision.
He and Rem took the shorter route toward the mansion, the one path others avoided. It led them straight into a nightmare.
From the mist emerged the White Whale.
The scene unraveled quickly—chaotic screams, panicked horses, overturned carriages. The merchants died almost instantly, and the fog began to twist reality itself.
Tanaka's eyes narrowed when he noticed something… off.
Rem.
After choosing to slow the beast down to buy Subaru time to escape, she vanished—not just physically, but from memory.
The merchant, who moments ago screamed her name in panic, now looked confused. It was as if Rem had never existed at all.
Tanaka's voice was low."He… forgot her."
Odglass, still floating beside him, gave a slow nod, her tone somber."That's the White Whale's power. Inherited from its creator—the Witch of Gluttony, Daphne. Anyone engulfed by its mist is erased. Not just from life... but from memory."
Tanaka said nothing. He simply watched. His hands clenched faintly, but he didn't protest. There was nothing he could do.
Despite the horrors he saw—the cruelty, the helplessness—he remained composed. Sharp. Focused. A quiet observer.
That was all he could be now.
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Then came the end.
A massive shadow loomed over the snowy battlefield.Puck. In his Beast of the End form.
The frozen air trembled with his presence. His monstrous frame eclipsed the moonlight. And as he stood above Subaru's broken, bloodied form…
"You truly are slothful, Subaru," the spirit uttered in a deep, mournful voice.
And then… silence. Subaru stopped moving. The light left his eyes.
But that wasn't what disturbed Tanaka.
From his vantage point—detached, distant—he saw something no one else did.
The shadows.They crept in from every direction—curling, slithering, swallowing the world. But they weren't wild. They had a purpose. A direction.
All of them converged toward Subaru's corpse.
And just before everything vanished in black—Puck reacted.The Beast turned his head slightly, his massive eyes flashing—he saw them too. The shadows. He felt something. But the vision ended before Tanaka could see more.
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Tanaka exhaled slowly, arms crossed over his chest, gaze unfocused.
"Hah... Okay, so I'm not supposed to be here."He laughed bitterly under his breath."Then tell me, what is my purpose here?"
Odglass, still hovering in her cub form, flinched slightly at the weight in his voice. She had been silent, guilt draped across her shoulders like a heavy cloak. But now, seeing Tanaka composed again, her expression changed—softened.
"It's true that you arrived by accident..." she began, choosing each word with care."But don't mistake that for meaning your existence doesn't matter."
She floated closer to him, eyes shining faintly."You've saved lives—countless lives. You've changed people's fates."
Her voice grew softer, more vulnerable."In the short time you've been here, you've become someone precious. To many people. To many spirits..."She paused, lowering her voice even more."...and to me."
Tanaka blinked, slightly taken aback.
Odglass coughed awkwardly. "Ahem. Right. Well then... I need to show you something now that the loop has ended."
Her tone shifted again—serious, focused."What you're about to see is one possible outcome. A divergence. It won't actually happen until you awaken. Don't worry—this place, the Castle of Solitude, exists outside the rules of time and space."
Tanaka nodded, but his jaw was tight. He already knew what was coming.
He had spent what felt like four centuries trapped in visions before—watching lives end, disasters unfold, over and over, in unbearable detail. It had nearly broken him.
No sane man would ever choose to go through that again.
But Tanaka wasn't a normal man anymore. He couldn't risk staying blind. He had no room left for fear.
If he had to suffer again to protect them—so be it.
For Beatrice.For Emilia.For everyone else.
Odglass saw the way his shoulders tensed, how his fingers trembled just slightly, despite his composed expression.
She floated forward and gently placed her soft paw in his hand.
"You don't have to brace yourself so hard this time," she said gently."This vision won't be like the last. And I'll be right here with you."
Tanaka looked down at her. The gesture, simple as it was, reminded him he wasn't alone in this anymore.
_____
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_______
The vision shifted.
Observing Subaru and Rem standing on a high point overlooking the ruined cityscape. The wind brushed through their hair, and the sun had just begun to set—casting everything in a dying orange glow.
Subaru stood firm, yet his voice trembled slightly, as if carrying the weight of everything he'd endured.
"All the things I've realized... and the things I was forced to realize... everything that's happened to me..."He looked at Rem with tear-glassed eyes."...They brought me here. But the truth is, I had the answer a long time ago."
He inhaled, deeply.
"Rem… I've made up my mind."
Rem smiled. It wasn't radiant or dramatic—it was soft, warm, the kind of smile you give when your heart finally rests.
"Yes," she said.
Subaru lowered his head slightly and extended his arm.
"Please... choose me."