Subaru lowered his voice to a whisper. Ram kept silent with a sober look on her face.
It was plain as day that both the Witch Cult lurking in the forest and the blank letter incident had put Ram on guard the last time around. Subaru addressed Ram's concerns as he moved the conversation forward.
"Ferris, Wilhelm, over here! Ram, you know both of them, too, right?"
Obeying Subaru's call, the pair came over to his side. "Yes," said Ram, looking over Ferris and Wilhelm as they stood side by side; her expression vanished as she straightened her back.
The pair from Crusch's camp acknowledged Rem's posture by granting her their respect.
"I am called Wilhelm Trias. I have come as Lady Crusch's representative."
"I'm Ferris, Lady Crusch's personal knight. Old Man Wil's the captain of the group behind us, so that makes Ferri the vibrant flower, meow."
The austere Wilhelm and the flippant-to-the-last Ferris were a shining example of polar opposites. Ram responded to both extremes by politely grasping the hem of her skirt and making a formal curtsy.
"I graciously accept your polite greetings. I am called Ram. I am employed here, at the mansion of Marquis Roswaal L. Mathers, in the capacity of senior servant."
Ram's cheekiness in naming herself senior servant made Subaru grimace, but he held his tongue. Ram was indisputably in charge of the mansion while Rem was absent. Personally, he would have preferred she call herself acting senior servant, or if not senior for a day, then at least senior servant for the last week, but oh well.
"Either way, these two and the people behind us are proof that Crusch is cooperating with us. This is what Roswaal wants, too. No complaints, right?"
"If Master Roswaal wills it, Ram shall obey— It would seem he accomplished his objective in leaving you behind at the capital. Though I
believe he shall have your head for the blank letter, Barusu."
"Hey, can you cut it with the violent imagery? Why do you have such a brutal thought process?"
He felt like he was back in medieval times, but Ram freshly ignored his complaints. Instead she turned toward the representatives of the reinforcements.
"So you have been traveling with my apprentice servant… My condolences."
"Though he is prone to exorbitant actions and showing too much of his emotions, Sir Subaru is a person of high promise. Even at my age, he has aided me many times."
"Ferri won't go as far as Old Man Wil, but…well, I'll just take Ram's words as they were offered. I'll say, mmm, I think he's brushed up a little, meow."
The assessments from Wilhelm and Ferris made Ram sigh with an even more grudging look on her face.
Though the topic was a rather uncomfortable one, Subaru scratched his cheek, glossing over how he really felt. Immediately after, he clapped his hands together and started over, explaining the situation to Ram in detail.
"Anyway, leave smashing the enemies in the forest to the expeditionary force. I want you to cooperate with that and something in a different direction. Are you willing?"
"That depends on the details. I do not wish to make a hasty promise only to have Barusu's filthy, poisonous fangs sink into me."
"Hey, the looks I give you aren't that dirty, you know?!"
"That's a boy for you, not saying it was zero…"
Faced with Ram's poison tongue, Ferris's casual banter, and stern eyes shifted his way, Subaru cleared his throat. From there, having kept them waiting long enough, he elucidated the circumstances required, both in front of and behind the curtain, to make his plan come to fruition.
"I want your help in picking where to evacuate the people in the village and to guide them there. I want to make sure not to involve the villagers while we fight the enemies in the forest."
"I understand what you are saying. However, we have no means of escape."
"I've arranged the legs to carry 'em out on. From here on out, traveling merchants with dragon carriages will be assembling here, bit by bit from every direction. We'll have the villagers get aboard and haul 'em out."
"Assembled from all directions…? How?"
"—Money. We'll just have to eat the costs, okay?"
Subaru's "insurance policy" had cost a great deal of money. The treasury paying it was Roswaal's, and on top of that, it was without his having granted permission. Ram sighed deeply when she discerned that from Subaru's manner of speech.
"…Understood. I will support your effort. It is an emergency, after all."
"Seriously?! Huge help! Worst case, I was gonna have to promise to pay it back when I make it big!"
"Only those who are fit to actually rise to prominence may promise such a thing— However, Ram's consent is by no means the end of the matter."
After giving a stern assessment about his future prospects, Ram shifted an even sterner look over her shoulder. Subaru didn't need to follow her gaze; he knew exactly what Ram was trying to tell him.
The people of Earlham Village were behind Ram, still anxious about their situation. Even if Ram was willing to lead them out, convincing them would prove the highest hurdle of all.
He had prior experience from the last go-around, but the result of that effort still tasted bitter in his mouth. The closest word he had to describe the emotion summoned by that memory was fear.
He'd only scratched the surface of the discrimination and repudiation facing Emilia.
" "
Time was short—precious time gained from feeding false information to the Witch Cult. And yet, Subaru hesitated, wondering what the first words out of his mouth ought to be.
"Subawu, if you can't do it, I'll…"
"—Ferris."
When Ferris tried to be considerate to Subaru, offering to speak in his place, Wilhelm called his name. A single glance from the Sword Devil halted Ferris's gesture in its tracks. He turned his eyes toward Subaru and spoke.
"Sir Subaru, this is not a duty you may shirk… You understand, yes?"
When Wilhelm asked this in a low voice, Subaru winked once and nodded firmly.
Subaru gave Ferris a thankful glance for his concern before stepping past Ram and advancing straight into the village square. To the front were the villagers with worried faces; to his back were his comrades in the expeditionary force. He felt the tension from both stab into him.
As for the first words out of his mouth, those very important words, he still hadn't decided. But he would begin with the best word for wiping away the villagers' concerns and fears.
"Everyo—"
"—Master Subaru. Please, let us drop all pretenses. Everyone in the village understands."
However, Subaru couldn't even get that first word out.
The one speaking, interrupting Subaru's word-without-a-plan, was the cornerstone of the village—a small-statured, white-haired, elderly man. He was the one the villagers called Muraosa, a name in no way related to his occupation as village headman. Normally his demeanor made one suspect he was a senile old man, but at that moment, his voice and gaze held no trace of that whatsoever.
Subaru felt overwhelmed by the glint in his eye as the elder touched his beard and continued.
"We understand how dire things must be if you have brought such dangerous persons to deal with it. We have already heard from Miss Ram about the…suspicious presence in the forest."
"No, that's…"
"Stop trying to fool us…! We knew before anyone said a word!!"
Following in Muraosa's wake, the leader of the village's young men raised a bitter cry. The last go-around, his plea had been the trigger for the villagers to put their fears and anxieties on display. This time proved no different.
"So the ones in the forest, they really are…!"
"What's with our lord? Didn't he foresee that this would happen?!"
"Why did the lord speak in support of a half-elf…of a half-demon…?"
The young man's cry ripped the bandage off, causing the villagers to look at one another and share their fears and worries. It was the sight Subaru had most feared, and had most wanted to avoid.
It was the worst of all spectacles, for even with an intervening Return by Death, and so many valiant efforts to deal with so many things, he still hadn't known how to stop things from getting to this point—
" "
He probably couldn't eliminate such a deep-seated discriminatory mindset in that one moment. When he recalled events from the last time around, he thought that a similar compromise would make things easier.
Considering the menace posed by the Witch Cult, the right decision was to kick other issues down the road. If he gained their grudging acceptance, prioritizing the evacuation, then—
"The girl I know, she acts tough, she's stubborn, hardheaded…and she worries about anyone seeing that she's lonely."
" "
The words Subaru spoke seemed wholly unrelated to his inner thought process.
The villagers gazed in bewilderment, wondering what in the world Subaru was saying. The members of the expeditionary force had similar reactions. However, their expressions of surprise abated as they listened closely.
They offered their ears, listening to Subaru's words.
"She always chooses to hurt herself for someone else's sake. Even though she gets hurt so easily, she always picks the path that winds up with her getting hurt. She's gentle and kindhearted to the core, she fusses over things like a little kid, she gets teary-eyed even when she hasn't eaten a green bepper, she makes such a cute face when she smiles…"
"What are you talking abo—?"
"—I'm talking about Emilia, the half-elf up at the mansion." When someone interrupted, Subaru replied with a calm voice.
His answer surprised the villagers. The little smile coming over Subaru's lips surprised them even more. Given the circumstances, and their words of distress but a few moments before, his reaction seemed very much out of place.
"I understand why you're worried. Also that you think the cause of everything is R…Master Roswaal, your lord, and his support of a half-elf girl in the royal selection that began at the royal capital."
" "
"That girl's name is Emilia. Really, you all know her already, don't you? She's the girl who's been spending months alongside you."
Subaru's exhortation made the villagers exchange glances. From their reactions, there had to be recognition remaining within their memories. Even if, all that time, her face and her identity had been hidden, they'd seen her with Subaru in the village many times, and at the very least, they remembered the time they'd spent with her.
"I understand that you're all worried and scared. I also understand that when the chips are down, it feels good to blame things on something that's easy to understand."
It was human instinct to protect the mind by slamming the emotions into something nearby. Subaru could not criticize them for that. He, of all people, didn't have the right to do so.
But he chastised himself. His heart was tormented because he understood this so well. Once upon a time, Subaru had coped with pain the way the villagers were doing in the present.
"I'm sure, though, you all actually understand. Pushing your worries onto someone else won't make things better."
" "
"That girl is someone who smiled with everyone. That girl is someone who wants to laugh with everyone. I know. She's said so. I want you to stop ignoring that, and stop hurting her."
He had no confidence that his own voice lacked worry and sorrow. He wanted to punch himself for having the gall to say such a thing. After all, it was Subaru who had hurt Emilia, ignored her feelings, and trampled upon her heart more than anyone.
He'd regretted it at the time. The grief had pierced Subaru's chest ever since. Maybe that was why.
He regretted allowing her to make that face. He regretted making her put on that face.
He didn't want anyone else to go through that.
"Please—I'm begging you."
Subaru lowered his head toward the villagers as he made his earnest plea.
The thing he was asking seemed completely unrelated to their most imminent problems, a waste of precious time. Even though Subaru had to speak to them about evacuating, his words were about something completely different. It was as if he was reconfirming for himself just what terrible things had been said to Emilia over and over.
" "
Indeed, the villagers looked conflicted, at a loss as to what reaction they ought to have to Subaru's words. Even if it had been the topic they were speaking about, the conclusion clashed with the issue at hand.
Mutual bewilderment left them perplexed. However, that was not the only thing born from it.
"—Petra?"
Hearing the sound of small footsteps, Subaru called out the name of the little girl walking to his side.
The girl with reddish-brown hair—Petra—was a village girl Subaru knew well. She responded to Subaru's call with a nod as she reached Subaru's side, turning around as she stood to face the villagers with him.
Then her next words proved that she did not only seem to be taking his side—she was.
"Why won't anyone listen to what Subaru's saying?"
It was guileless. It was brutally honest. That was why her chastising tore a hole into their hearts.
"Subaru's so worried, he looks about to cry. Why won't anyone help him?"
"That's…"
"When I was in trouble, when everyone was in trouble, Subaru came through, didn't he? He'll probably come through for us today, too, right?
Then why…?"
Adults had too many walls up to launch the attack called "innocence" that only children were capable of. With the adults cowed into silence, Petra gazed sadly at them before grasping Subaru's hand.
"The older girl at the mansion, that's the girl always wearing white, isn't it? She was the one bringing potato stamps when we did the radio aerobics."
"…Yeah, that's right. She was the stamp girl. She wanted to mingle with everyone, but she couldn't just come out and say so. That's just how she is."
Subaru grinned as Petra's words brought him back to the peaceful days they'd spent together.
It became a ritual. Every day, Emilia would accompany Subaru down to the village and do radio aerobics with the villagers. Emilia was always watching when Subaru gave his stamp of approval with the potato stamps he'd carved himself.
These everyday scenes were the tangible bonds Emilia had formed with the villagers.
That fact made understanding and hesitation rise upon the adults' faces.
But no adult grumbling or hesitation had any traction with children. Other hands rose as different children rushed over to Subaru's side.
"I'm okay with Big Sis, too!" "If Petra's fine with her, then I'm fine with her!" "We won't let Big Bro be the only one to act cool!" "Subaru's gonna cry, so we've gotta help him!" "Yeah!!"
The children made a ruckus; their voices seemed to blow the previous atmosphere away. Seeing the children lined up against them, the anxietyridden adults glanced at each other's faces.
They needed one final push. Faced with their indecision, Subaru stepped forward. With both arms, he held on to the children, pulling them in as tightly as he could.
"I don't expect everyone to accept her just like that. But I want an opportunity without you rejecting her at the start. I want you to give her a chance."
"A chance…?"
"A chance to be a girl you can get along with…a chance for you to understand each other."
As Subaru elaborated on his words, his hands let go of the children he had held, freeing him to get on his knees and show that his resolve went far beyond bowing.
" "
Even Ram's eyes widened as murmurs spread.
But of all assembled, it was Wilhelm, Ferris, and the other members of the expeditionary force behind Subaru who watched his entreaty in silence.
It was enough. Though it was embarrassing, he had no reason to hesitate.
"Everyone, there's a lot of things I'd like to say, but right now, this is the only thing I want to ask of you. And one thing more: Let us protect the time needed to make that chance happen."
" "
"Please… This is why I came back."
His voice came to a halt. The villagers were silent.
That was to be expected—as far as they were concerned, Subaru was their savior, yet there he was, pressing his own forehead to the ground as he made his plea…a plea to "let them" protect.
Their positions were completely reversed. But the sight of the Subaru they knew like that was—
"—Oh geez, Master Subaru, there's just no winnin' against you."
Speaking those words, and roughly scratching his head in the process, was none other than the leader of the young men who had caused their eruption of worry to begin with. He had a guilty look on his face as he walked over to Subaru and reached out with a hand.
A dumbstruck Subaru gazed blankly as that hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to his feet.
Then, with Subaru having yet to say anything, he spoke.
"If you're gonna say you'll protect us and put that much into it…guess it can't be helped."
The conflicted young man's statement was as contagious as the initial worry had been. His words were the trigger for the villagers to say with quaking voices:
"It is so terrible getting old. I'm driven to tears so easily…"
"Goodness, he really is so much trouble. It's blackmail, I tell you."
Complain as they might, the warmth and relief in their voices left Subaru agape. Petra thrust a finger against his forehead, still smeared with dirt, and spoke.
"Subaru, your face is all dirty!"
Petra's words sent the uncontrollable urge to laugh spreading throughout the village.
He knew it was a stretch. He thought they'd say it was too far. And yet, they'd accepted his plea anyway.
The villagers' smiling faces made Subaru sigh with relief.
Truly, the sight was the same as on the days they'd spent to date.
"…Thanks, everyone."
"That is our line, Master Subaru."
This time, the words of Muraosa, representing the consensus of the village, nearly did bring Subaru to tears.
4
And 'twould have been a far prettier tale if the matter had ended there, but…
"Am I mistaken, or did you not actually say anything about the most important part?"
"A, aa—!"
Subaru was trying to hide his half-tearful face when Ram's impartial observation snapped him out of it. Reflecting upon her words, he realized that he really hadn't explained any of the most important part at all.
He was so focused on the parts relating to Emilia that he'd completely forgotten about the plan to evacuate the villagers.
"Oh man, I messed up…"
"Just when I thought you had become somewhat useful. It seems Barusu will be Barusu."
Feeling Ram's disappointed gaze, Subaru, unable to summon any excuse, immediately turned back around to explain things to the villagers. "It cannot be helped," said Ram to him, shaking her head as she spoke.
"I shall explain about the evacuation and accompanying compensation in your place. Barusu, return to your underhanded schemes."
"Uh, that's all right? Er, I mean, you'll be all right?"
"It is you who are not all right, Barusu. Can you switch to speaking to the village's humans about practical matters in a heartbeat? Your personality is hardly suited to it."
"Suppose you're right! It's embarrassing, but I'm counting on you, Older Sis!"
"—?"
Ram was basking in his respectful words when she cocked her head with a questioning look. Then she headed toward the villagers. This was Ram, blessed with a great deal of comprehension and insight. Tossing the rest of the explanation to her would doubtlessly turn out all right.
This done, the next issue was—
"—Subaru, I would like to finally move the issue forward."
Julius said that just as Subaru was switching mental gears. Subaru greeted his words with a nod and headed back to the expeditionary force's ranks. They had to shift to the next phase of the operation.
Upon his return, Ferris smiled at Subaru and casually sent a wave his way.
"Subawu, you did great with that speech~. You moved even Ferri's heart."
"Don't dig it back up! And don't lie! And really don't dig that up! It's embarrassing!"
"There is nothing to be ashamed of. You very much said it in your own way, and because of that, you moved the hearts of the villagers to such an ext
—"
"Don't dig it back up! Leave it in the ground! We're talking about the next operation!"
Subaru yelled both at Ferris, clearly full of malice, and Julius, clearly devoid of malice, as he dragged the topic back.
Events to come would proceed as they'd hammered out in midmarch. Once convincing the villagers was taken care of, they'd rendezvous with the detachment with the traveling merchants and evacuate the civilians. During that time, they needed to deal with feeding false info to the Witch Cult and—
"…Deceive Lady Emilia with a forked tongue, and shoo her far, far away with the people of the village, meow."
"Watch how you say it! Even if it fits the plan, it sounds way too bad that way!"
"Because I can't agree with it, meow. Why do you need to send Lady Emilia far away? Lady Emilia has both a reason to fight, and the power to do so… Am I wrong?"
Of the entire plan, this was the only point Ferris saw fit to disagree with. Subaru and Ferris didn't see eye to eye on Emilia's place in the plan.
When he thought back, Ferris was the one who'd brought Emilia into battle during the final fight in the village. Ram seemed to have helped convince her, but Ferris's assessment of Emilia's power might have proven correct.
At least, as far as Emilia's having the power to slug it out with even
Petelgeuse—
"—Even so, I don't want to let Emilia fight the Witch Cult."
"Haah, we're talking past each other…"
Seeing Ferris slump his shoulders with an exasperated air made Subaru feel bad, but he wouldn't take back his view. It was the one thing he would not budge on. Subaru's selfishness—or rather, the deep-rooted bad premonition in his chest—made him want Emilia kept away from the Witch Cult, by extreme measures if need be.
The premonition was probably founded in the look on the side of Emilia's face when she'd defeated Petelgeuse at the end of the last time around. The madman's death had made tears trickle for reasons even she did not understand.
"Ferris. Sir Subaru has his own feelings on the matter. Sir Subaru has his desires where Lady Emilia is concerned, just as you have your expectations for Lady Crusch."
"Old Man Wil…"
"It is doubtless you prefer some outcomes over others. Surely you can understand his earnest feelings."
It was Wilhelm who interjected, having held his peace during the dispute up to that point. The old swordsman's words made Ferris's cheeks tighten; he subconsciously touched the dagger on his hip.
"Just as you adore Lady Crusch, Sir Subaru wishes for Lady Emilia's well-being— A boy is concerned for the welfare of the girl he loves. It is only nature."
"Having it said that bluntly makes me feel a little blushy and pathetic, but…"
Subaru scratched his cheek, welcoming Wilhelm's support with a pathetic look. Ferris had a pouting look on his face, but he did not offer any further rebuttal. The knights around them gave Subaru warm looks as well.
"Anyway! We're gonna do this just like we worked out! We'll set up the scenario so Emilia listens to reason. Ferris, Wilhelm, I'm counting on you for some really persuasive backup!"
"Understood."
"Sure thing~!"
When the two freshly acknowledged their role as persuaders, Subaru cut the conversation off then and there. If Ram pulled off convincing the villagers, the remaining issues were relatively few. Subaru turned around and spoke.
"OK, Julius. About that favor I asked about earlier. How is…"
"—Do you mean me? I've been listening the whole time."
Everyone's breath caught as a third party's voice interjected at that juncture, the very end of the exchange. Subaru, the only one who realized the identity of the speaker, naturally looked up. And then— "Heya, long time no see, Puck. How've you been?"
He smiled toward Puck—the little cat swishing his tail as he floated in the sky.
The presence of the suddenly appearing Great Spirit surprised the expeditionary force, putting it extremely on edge. Puck, glancing at their reaction, accepted Subaru's greeting with a stroke of his own whiskers as he spoke.
"Mm, I'm in a very good mood. Right now, I can easily dispose of an insect pestering my beloved daughter."
"This is an awkward question, but this insect to which you refer…"
"Do you really need to ask?"
Puck's eyes remained round as a ghastly, overpowering aura poured from his entire body.
That sense of antagonism made tension run through not only Subaru, but the entire expeditionary force as well. The knights, sensitive to hostility, immediately put their hands to the hilts of their swords, an understandable reaction.
Though he was bathed in their wary stares, Puck's ghastly aura did not relent as he continued, "Subaru, I have a few things to say to you. Do you know what they are?"
"…I broke my promise to Emilia. On top of that, I came back against her orders. Those are my sins, and I won't make any excuse for them."
"—"
Subaru's reply made Puck's cheeks twitch. These were Subaru's answers to the questions Puck had tossed his way—for once already he had experienced that pop quiz when he drew Puck's ire.
At the time, Subaru had been unable to say anything to the enraged Puck. He'd hurt Emilia through his own selfish actions, and as a result had let her die; he couldn't speak a single word. That was why—
"Of course you're angry at me for all that. If your mind won't be set at ease until you punish me, I'm prepared to accept and face whatever
punishment you have to give…but now is not the time."
He'd broken his promise, trampled on her pleas, and Subaru had added to those sins by coming back. But he absolutely would not permit the final and worst among them—letting her die—come to pass.
"Danger's nipping at Emilia's heels. I want to do something about it. I want to take her fate of facing terrible things, grind it into sand, and blow it away. Please, work with me so I can do that."
"…You sound quite…full of yourself."
"Yeah, I'm a man who's full of himself. You didn't know?"
When Puck spoke in a low voice, Subaru closed one eye and replied thus. Hearing this, Puck folded his short arms. Then the little cat made a tiny grunt and spoke.
"Somehow…you've changed, Subaru, but at the same time, you haven't."
"That's 'cause human nature ain't an easy thing to change."
"I suppose not. Methods aside, it seems you still treasure Lia in your thoughts."
A moment after he spoke the words, the ferocious pressure that had dominated the entire area to that point abated.
Freed from the sense of menace, which had made him feel like his entire body was being frozen, Subaru sighed at length. The same went for the expeditionary force, Julius and Wilhelm included. In particular, Ferris exaggeratedly patted his own chest.
"W-we're all right now? No one's killing us all of a sudden, meow?"
"Relax. We're brothers in kitty ears, yes? Do I look like that mean and scary a spirit to you?"
Puck responded lightheartedly to Ferris's gloomy words, visibly puffing his cheeks up. His demeanor until a moment before had seemed like a bad joke, but one way or another, the spirit's anger seemed to have been assuaged.
"Well, I wasn't that angry in the first place. I've been quietly eavesdropping on the villagers for a while now, you see."
"So that's where you've been?! Then you knew what I was trying to do all along?!"
"Mm, it makes a nice story…enough that it almost softened me up before I realized it."
"Don't flip this around! Talk seriously, would you?! This whole discussion's for Emilia's sake!"
Subaru was happy that they were shooting the breeze like normal, but on the other hand, he was eager to gloss over how much it had gotten under his skin. After that, he looked over his shoulder, grimacing Julius's way.
"And you should've mentioned you managed to call Puck over. I was shakin' in my boots."
"I did not surprise you intentionally. I knew the Great Spirit was present at the same time the buds made their return… I am relieved that your conversation ended peacefully."
"Well…I do feel the same way…"
Sharing Julius's relief, Subaru slumped his shoulders in exasperation.
Calling Puck to the village was one of the tasks Subaru had asked Julius to do—to have him send his quasi-spirits to the mansion and bring Puck back without Emilia's being the wiser.
This was to gain his cooperation in the skullduggery required to get Emilia to evacuate.
"If Ram, the villagers, and Puck are all on the same page…"
"Lia won't be able to really put her foot down, huh? I really must say, though, you've scrupulously prepared."
Puck made a strained smile at Subaru's attention to detail. But Subaru shook his head at the little cat.
"We're facing the Witch Cult. Nothing's too much where those guys are concerned."
"The Witch Cult…"
The term made Puck's eyes go slightly distant. It was the reaction of someone who'd encountered them somewhere before. In point of fact, on previous go-arounds, Puck had really hated the Cult. Subaru thought that correlation went even beyond their causing harm to Emilia, but…
"—So you want to fool Lia into going with you, but how exactly are you going to do this?"
"Hey, watch how you say it! Having even you putting it like that gets a guy bent out of shape!"
However, before Subaru could inquire about that connection, Puck, back to his normal self, switched the topic.
Puck was right to want the details of the plan. Pushing his misgivings down the road and prioritizing the evacuation plan for Emilia and the others was the proper call to make.
"You know the plan from all your eavesdropping, don't you? After that… my secret weapon comes into play."
"Secret weapon?"
Puck cocked his head at the grandiose language. Meanwhile Subaru revealed his trump card: a white robe packed into his bag. Subaru immediately put the robe on; he wasn't built much bigger than its proper owner, so he had no trouble wearing it.
"Plus, that faint whiff of sweet perfume is one hell of a motivator for me…!"
"I wouldn't really call that a secret weapon, but it seems to be a robe with an odd enchantment on it."
"Certainly, one robe's not enough for me to cure Emilia's confidence issues…"
The proper owner of the white robe was, in fact, Emilia. Incidentally, Subaru said "Emilia's" because Emilia was an acid burning through his own thoughts. He'd be able to speak with Emilia, touch her, and even savor her lingering aroma. His confidence and emotional stability were both shaky.
Either way, the "Emilia's" part was a joke, but the power of the robe itself was no laughing matter.
"This robe's convenient goods handcrafted by Roswaal himself, and apparently has a Block Identification enchantment embedded in it. It's
Emilia's personal property to begin with…but it's not like I stole it, okay?"
He thought back as the details of the abominable time when he'd obtained the object came rushing back. It was the robe that Emilia had thrown at him when she was arguing with him during their breakup at the royal palace.
In the time since, Subaru had always kept the robe stuffed in his bag, never letting it out of his grasp. Now it served a crucial role.
"Whatever its origins might be, what do you... Ahh, so that is your plan."
"Now I don't have to explain, but that knowing face of yours still annoys me."
"One's nature is a troublesome thing. In my opinion, your nature is a rather complex one as well."
The words made Subaru feel like Julius was seeing right through him, causing him to demonstrate his dismay with an exaggerated snort. After that, Subaru shifted his gaze toward Puck.
"So there you have it. We'll be putting on a play for Emilia. You'll be acting, too, and I'm counting on you to help me explain all this after we settle everything."
"I'll put on an act, but make up with her yourself. That, Subaru, is up to you."
"Gnnn…"
Subaru groaned in frustration at being refused to the bitter end. He couldn't expect any cooperation from Puck in making up with Emilia. It was something he would have to accomplish on his own power.
Then that meant Puck would cooperate with everything else. Namely— "So Puck, on that note, I have one favor to ask you."
"Mm, what is it?"
"Isn't it obvious? —Convincing the hermit back at the mansion."
Subaru winked to Puck as he spoke the words, broaching the final remaining problem.
5
"Did I think I would ever again have a chance to look upon that stupid face, I wonder?"
The instant he entered the room, the girl in charge of the archive greeted him with a sharp voice. Hearing the poisonous greeting to which he was accustomed, Subaru spontaneously broke out in a smile.
This was a mysterious room, dominated by countless shelves and the books packed into those shelves. This was an archive that existed nowhere in the world—Roswaal's archive of forbidden books, protected by its librarian, Beatrice.
Through use of teleportation magic known as the Passage, the archive of forbidden books was connected to doors in the mansion at random. That,
Subaru knew already, but what truly surprised him this time around was—
"I never thought it was connected to doors in the village. You're actually a pretty incredible magic user, aren't you?"
"…If all you wanted to do was talk, you asked Puckie to do a favor for nothing."
"Right now, I wanted to get a little foothold before moving on to the main subject. Sheesh, no patience at all…"
Subaru, receiving an even harsher response than usual, made a very slightly conflicted face as he cocked his head. In contrast to Subaru, the girl in the elegant dress made a weary sigh that was incongruent with her outward appearance. The girl with creamy hair in vertical rolls had a sullen face as she sat upon a wooden footstool.
Beatrice—that was her name. She was the guardian protecting the archive of forbidden books, though Subaru's image of her as part of his busy mansion life was far stronger.
Hence, she too was someone related to Subaru whom it would be unthinkable to leave behind in the mansion.
This was the situation engendered by Puck connecting the Archive to a door in the village. More accurately, it was the result of Puck calling and Beatrice employing the Passage to make the connection.
At the very least, it gave them a chance to talk. Relieved at that fact, Subaru began to broach the subject.
"How much do you know about what's going on outside? I mean, have you heard?"
"Have I heard anything from anyone, I wonder? I am not in the habit of casually conversing with the people of the mansion to begin with…but perhaps I understand the gist of it regardless?"
"The gist being…"
"—The Witch Cult."
Unlike Subaru, carefully choosing his words, Beatrice spoke the term with disgust from the bottom of her heart.
"I am aware that those miscreants are lurking in the mansion's vicinity. Perhaps I even know that you and Puckie intend to sneak that blockhead of a girl out of this place?"
"Is that so? Well, if you know that much, it becomes a short conversation. If anything, it's a huge help."
He was surprised by her unexpected grasp of the circumstances, but he warmly welcomed the fact that he didn't need to make a long-winded explanation. In particular, not having to explain the menace the Witch Cult posed made things a very different story.
After all, the Witch Cult was like a natural disaster, a symbol of malice across the entire world—
"Anyway, the situation's just as you said. I don't deny I'm sneaking Emilia out, either. I got through to Ram and Puck, so that leaves getting you to come with m—"
"I am not going with you."
"Ah?"
Subaru tried to get things in order as quickly as possible, but Beatrice cut him off with a single sentence. Her declaration made Subaru open his eyes wide. Beatrice's eyes slowly narrowed.
Then, with eyes lacking any emotion, she continued her words.
"Did I say I am not going with you, I wonder? I do not intend to leave this archive of forbidden books, let alone leave the mansion itself. Now that you know this, would you get out already, I wonder?"
"Wait a minute! What are you sa…? You're not seeing the situation! Well,
I'll explain!"
"I do not require an explanation. Betty will stay here. Does she have any intention of debating it, I wonder?"
Speaking bluntly, Beatrice let her eyes fall to the book sitting upon her lap. It was the usual sight of her concentrating on an overly large book, making it plain she was serious about not evacuating.
"Like I'm gonna back down now. Don't you dare cut off the conversation on your own."
"Betty has finished speaking. No matter how much you might arbitrarily continue, Betty's conclusion will not change. Do you have any more time to waste than she does, I wonder?"
"Ugh… If you understand that much, give me a hand and behave while I lead you out!"
"I refuse. No matter who comes—yes, no matter who comes, they shall not enter this archive of forbidden books."
Beatrice did not even look Subaru's way as she made the statement, a cold, ghastly aura flowing from her into Subaru. He understood that the feeling creeping up his spine was a side effect of the magical energy pouring out of the girl.
"—"
Beatrice was a powerful magic user. That power was not limited to the Passage alone. Perhaps, in truth, she hid such might that the Witch Cult could not defeat her. Her present poise suggested as much.
"—! Even so, I'm bringing you with me anyway."
"You are still going on about…"
"It's not a question of whether you're strong or not! You're a girl, and little, and that's reason enough! I don't need any other reason not to leave you behind where you'll be in danger, damn it!"
Cowed by the feeling of oppression, Subaru shouted and marched across the floor of the archive even so.
The sight of him advancing, and the content of his words, made Beatrice's eyes fly wide. Then the girl closed her eyes, her face looking like she was enduring suffering.
"…Betty will not go with you. Could you please stop attempting to bewitch me, I wonder?"
"I'm not wrong. You're the one who's wrong— That's my answer. We're done here."
"So obstinate. I hate that about you."
As Beatrice made that frail murmur, Subaru walked over, taking her slender arm in his hand. It was the slender arm of a little girl, no matter how powerful a magic user she might be.
He didn't want to leave her there alone. It wasn't right.
"—"
Without a word, he pulled on Beatrice's arm, leading her down from the footstool. If he led her through the door of the archive of forbidden books and back to the village, even Beatrice couldn't complain then.
"Because no matter how important this place is, it's not worth as much as your life."
"—!"
"Beatrice?"
With the door right before their eyes, Beatrice's feet suddenly came to a stop. Subaru, suspicious of her reaction, looked back—only for his breath to catch at the terrified look on her face.
Beatrice looked between the door of the archive of forbidden books and Subaru, back and forth, and finally spoke.
"…Can I truly do this, I wonder?"
"What do you mean, can you…"
"I have a pact. Betty is the guardian of this room, this archive of forbidden books, and will surrender it to no one…"
"Talking about pacts again…"
The word pact had barred Subaru's path more than once. Not only was Emilia bound by them, but Beatrice, too, hindering Subaru's actions.
"I'm sick of hearing about them. You stick to pacts too darn much. You've gotta think outside the box!"
"—! Can a human like you comprehend the weight of this pact, I wonder?!
Just how important pacts are to Betty, to Puckie…!"
"What's this human this, human that… Hey, Beatrice, wait!"
With a face ready to break into tears, Beatrice shook her arm loose from Subaru, turning her empty left hand toward him. The gesture was the one she used when driving the pesky Subaru out of the room.
Always she unleashed her magical power the next moment. But this time
—
"—Keh."
For a moment she hesitated.
Thus, during that time, Subaru grasped Beatrice's arm once again.
"I've got y…"
"Aa—"
That instant, their eyes met. And when Subaru beheld the fear and despair so powerfully displayed by her eyes, the sleeve of her arm slipped through his fingers.
A second later, he was enveloped by a shock wave that knocked his feet clear off the archive of forbidden books' floor.
"Bea—"
"—Farewell."
His vision contorted before he even had a chance to call her name. The spatial distortion swallowed up his flesh, sending him beyond the door that ought not to exist as she forcibly severed the link to the archive of forbidden books.
" "
He raised his voice. But it did not reach her. His vision was covered in light, rendering him unable to see.
Not the door to the archive of forbidden books, not Beatrice's crying face, nothing.
"—ther."
She watched as the door shut before her eyes, and the sight of the youth vanished from her vision. Then the girl hugged herself with her quivering arms, haltingly murmuring to herself. "—Mother."
That was all Beatrice said in her tiny, tearful voice.
Her eyes were dry. Her tears had already vanished. Even so, her expression remained one of grief as she spoke.
"How much longer…how much longer, must Betty…?"
Carried by mournful steps, Beatrice collapsed upon the footstool at the center of the room. Then her arms stretched far to one side of the stool— seizing hold of the book resting upon it, clutching it in her arms.
"Mother…Mother, Mother…!"
Like a lost little girl trying to cling to her mother, Beatrice continued to clutch the thick book in her arms, calling out over and over in a sobbing, tearful voice.
But the black-bound book she clutched in her arms would not give her an answer.
6
His vision contorted, and a shock wave came. The feeling of his back hitting something hard made his breath catch.
"—Ha."
With a short snort, he softened the coming impact. He was now on his back, limbs spread wide, and Subaru's vision was filled by the blue sky; he could feel the ground through his back— Abruptly, something blocked the blue sky in his vision.
"Though you have surprised me from time to time, this has to be the most extraordinary experience among them."
"Is that so? I think your fancy-pants comments annoy me more as time goes on, too."
Subaru bounced the comment back at Julius, appearing upside-down from his point of view, with an extra helping of invective.
The place was a corner of Earlham Village, a moment after he'd been shot out of the archive of forbidden books—apparently, Beatrice had rejected him and teleported him via the Passage, returning him to the village.
Understanding that fact, Subaru got up with a great swing of his legs. Then he turned his head around and spoke.
"Damn that thickheaded loli. I'm the obstinate one? …If you're gonna make a face like that, why can't you just come with me? …Shit. If it's gonna be like this, I'll drag her out if I have—"
"It might be best to quit while you're ahead."
Subaru couldn't pull his mind away from the sad face he'd seen on Beatrice when they'd separated. However, it was Puck, leisurely appearing behind Julius, who poured cold water on his enthusiasm.
The little cat spirit touched his own whiskers, looking at Subaru, covered in dirt and fallen leaves, as he spoke.
"Covered in grime, huh? Looks like Betty was pretty rough when she threw you out."
"I hate to say this, but I was literally one step away. But I suppose I have to say that went pretty much as I expected. It really would be best if you—"
"I can't. I cannot persuade Betty. Didn't I mention I have a pact?"
"Lately, that's taken the number one spot on my list of words I don't wanna hear."
Puck's face showed no ill will, but Subaru grandly scowled toward him as he replied.
A pact made Beatrice stay behind, a pact prevented Puck from persuading her, and a pact had been the impetus for his breakup with Emilia. Pact, pact, pact—
"If you talk, Beatrice'll listen. Even though you know that, it's a no can do?"
"Mm, I can't. Besides, even if I say it, Betty still won't listen. I told you the first time she sent you out of the archive of forbidden books, didn't I? I cannot save Betty."
"—"
Puck turned his eyes down slightly as he replied. Subaru closed his mouth, unable to say a word.
Staying behind in the archive to persuade Beatrice; at first Subaru had meant to entrust that task to Puck. Considering the daily interaction between girl and kitty, he was sure Puck was the right cat for the job.
But when he unveiled the idea, Puck would not acquiesce, sending Subaru in his place. And sure enough, Subaru had failed to persuade her. And yet, Puck looked at Subaru and continued. "Subaru, it is likely that if you can't do it, no one can. This is Betty's answer."
"I really don't get what you're trying to tell me…"
Subaru couldn't read the emotions hovering in those round eyes whatsoever. The little cat spirit still wouldn't reveal his emotions as his tiny shoulders slumped.
"Well, leaving Betty in the archive of forbidden books isn't exactly a bad plan, anyway. I don't think anyone would breach the Passage without Betty knowing it, and she has ways of defending herself if she's inside the mansion.
Trust me, it's all right."
"So wanting to bring her out of there anyway is just me being selfish, then?"
"A selfish thing is something a real man can say and hope to make a reality. How about it, Subaru? Do you think of yourself as a real man?"
"—Great Spirit."
Julius, watching Subaru's cheeks go stiff in the face of Puck's merciless words, interjected with words of his own. When the knight called out to him, Puck curled his long tail around himself and spoke.
"Sorry, I'm not trying to be mean. I know you want to save Betty, and I am truly grateful for that."
"The Great Spirit's words are strict, but they bear the ring of truth… What now, then?"
As Puck apologetically averted his eyes, Subaru knitted his brows at Julius's words.
"Whaddaya mean, what now?"
"The traveling merchants being led by Rajan should rendezvous with us here at the village anytime now. If your assumptions are correct, the Witch Cult's spy is hidden among them. There is likely no more time available for you to use."
The plan was to feed the Witch Cult fake intel and buy time for Emilia & Co. to safely evacuate. Having a spy from the Cult in their group was a situation where any misstep would be fatal.
He felt regret about Beatrice, but he'd lost the time needed to bring that girl with him.
"Mark my words, Beako. If you'd just come out like a good girl…"
"You should save regrets for later. I was opposed to your allowing time to slip even when it would not affect the results… However, in my judgment, this is the dividing line."
When Julius pointed that out, Subaru bit his tongue, clutched his head, and stamped his foot. After that, he wrung out an "Arghh!", turning toward the wide-eyed Julius and Puck as he spoke.
"…Let's switch to putting that plan in motion. We'll group up with the merchants and evacuate the villagers. We'll talk to Emilia just as we planned. Puck, I'm counting on you, too."
"You're sure about this?"
"It ain't good. It ain't good one little bit… But there's nothing better we can do."
As he gritted his teeth in remorse, Subaru's thoughts shifted toward the mansion—the mansion within which Beatrice remained that very moment.
She was a hardheaded, know-nothing, I'll-do-it-my-way girl—and a girl who had once saved Subaru's heart.
"We'll make sure Emilia and the others escape. But we're not letting the Witch Cult lay one finger on that mansion. We're completely shutting 'em down, and then that loli can complain while I drag her out by her curls."
That's what the new Subaru would do: save everyone and take his revenge on Beatrice. So Subaru swore in his heart, brushing all hesitation aside as he looked up at Puck.
"Puck! Emilia hasn't noticed anything outside for the last close to an hour?"
"It's all right, she's been sound…well, she's been asleep. I was worried about her mental fatigue, so I drained a few handfuls of mana out of her and put her to sleep. I mean, if I put Subaru on ice upon his return, it'd be cruel to let Lia see that and go into shock, right?"
"Can you stop saying stuff to make my heart skip a beat all of a sudden?!"
Unable to tell whether Puck was joking or not, Subaru let it slide and looked back at Julius. The look of determination on Subaru's face made the handsome young man tighten his own refined visage as well.
"Ferris, Master Wilhelm, and the villagers are all mentally prepared.
They merely await your signal to begin. Of course, the same goes for me." With a strong nod, Subaru shifted his eyes to the center of the village. There he saw the villagers beginning preparations to evacuate according to the plan explained to them by Ram and the expeditionary force assisting in those efforts.
Standing at the edge of that scene were Ferris, Wilhelm, and Ram, each awaiting Subaru, each with their own role to fulfill. They were who he would bring to the mansion, pulling the wool over Emilia's eyes.
"I won't be able to tell her this was all for her sake. This is totally my own selfishness talking."
"I told you, didn't I? If you turn selfishness into reality, it's not selfishness —it's hope."
When Subaru murmured, Puck sat on his shoulder and spoke thusly. The little cat thrust his paw against Subaru's forehead. Subaru laughed a little at the nostalgic sensation.
With many hardships and the operation to deceive a lovely girl lying ahead, he thought himself pretty laid back as he spoke.
"Well, let's get this started, shall we? The evil tricks to turn that hope into reality."
And so, in high spirits, they sent Emilia away, whereupon they began setting the stage to greet the Witch Cult.
CHAPTER 3
THE SELF-DECLARED KNIGHT AND "THE FINEST OF KNIGHTS"
1
"May the grace of the spirits be with you."
Climbing aboard the dragon carriage for evacuation, those were the words of prayer Emilia left the expeditionary force upon her departure from Earlham Village. To Subaru, that grace was as powerful as any blessing.
With only the best intentions, Emilia was deceived via an exaggerated performance for her own sake and sent away from Earlham Village along with the villagers themselves. Time continued onward.
It was also after Subaru had made full use of Return by Death to capture Kety—the finger from the Witch Cult lurking among the traveling merchants.
Subaru watched the horde of dragon carriages run off as his eyes shifted to the formation of knights accompanying them. Ten knights had been selected from among the expeditionary force to escort the evacuating carriages. The chance the Witch Cult would detect the evacuation was low, but they'd sent a detachment just in case.
The dragon carriages had two destinations: the royal capital and the Sanctuary. Subaru knew nothing about the latter except the name, but the fact that Ram had given it her stamp of approval was proof enough it was safe. Their safety was no doubt far more assured than that of Subaru and the others facing the decisive battle with the Witch Cult.
After all, the greatest combat power in the expeditionary force was escorting Emilia and the others.
"Sir Subaru, I pray for your fortune in battle."
"Take care yourself, Wilhelm," Subaru said after Wilhelm brought up the rear of the detachment from atop his land dragon. Facing the battle to come without Wilhelm was akin to rolling the dice. However, where the impending decisive battle with Petelgeuse was concerned, the Sword Devil's presence was not an indispensable element for defeating the madman. For that reason, fully aware it was a reckless request, Subaru had insisted on entrusting the defense of Emilia and the other evacuees to Wilhelm, to which he had readily agreed.
"Well, Petra and the others did jump at the chance to take care of
Emilia…"
The children had merrily accepted Emilia aboard their carriage, just as Subaru had asked. The children had led Emilia by the hand, making her relieved that they had not rejected her. Remembering that scene, deep feelings of warmth arose in Subaru's chest—and at the same time, pangs of guilt.
"Using happy feelings to fool Emilia into going along with the situation and escaping… I've become quite a villain, playing with people's hearts like that. That stuff about me not reading atmospheres or human hearts seems like a lie now."
Grimacing in self-derision, Subaru vigorously scratched his own head.
It was too easy to dismiss his deceiving her as his hoping for Emilia's safety. Even so, the fact was, it had put her mind at ease. Besides, asking her to ride with the children had been a calculation by itself.
"Even if the lie's exposed, as long as someone holds Emilia back…"
The gentle Emilia probably couldn't shake off the hands of people concerned for her from the bottom of their hearts. Hence Subaru had intentionally created a situation where the children would bond with Emilia.
"She'll look down on me if that part ever comes out, so I'll keep that a secret for life…"
Puck, too, had agreed that it was better that way. The spirit, his fellow actor cooperating with the performance—or rather coconspirator—would not be leaving Emilia's side.
Emilia's security was guaranteed like never before—at least, he wanted to believe that.
"Looks like the village types and the half-demon girl left already. Looks like ya did pretty good, huh?"
As Subaru collected his thoughts, he heard hearty Kararagi dialect tossed his way from behind. When he looked back, he saw Ricardo coming over, carrying his great hatchet with him. Subaru glared at the dog-man's dog face and spoke.
"Stop calling my pretty Emilia a half-demon, you half-mutt!"
"Ohh! Gettin' called a half-mutt is surprisingly humiliatin'! I'll have to remember that one!"
He let loose a hearty, sarcastic laugh, and his forbearance drained the bitterness out of Subaru's strained smile. However, Subaru's cheeks soon tensed anew as he walked beside Ricardo and turned toward the forest.
"So how'd it go? Got the job done like I asked?"
"Hey, we split up to hit them by surprise in places they never expected to be attacked, right? If I screwed that up I'd quit my post. Every last part went great. We kicked their asses all over the map!"
Ricardo amiably showed him the blood still stuck to his great hatchet, patting the map on his hip with his palm.
"Meaning we were right the places marked on that map were where their hideouts were."
"That's what they get for bein' so methodical with their plannin'. You did good, bro."
Ricardo bared his fangs. The original owner of the map on his hip was, in fact, Kety the Witch Cultist. Thanks to his capture according to Subaru's scheme, they'd gained both his conversation mirror and his map. The map contained a highly detailed layout of the Mathers domain, and ten places had been marked upon it.
The markers were probably for Witch Cult hideouts—and to find out for sure, Subaru had sent Ricardo & Co. to the closest marker on the map. The results had apparently been as expected.
As if to prove that information correct, members of the Iron Fangs leaped out of the forest on their ligers, merrily galloping around the village square and by all appearances unscathed.
"Yahoo! We slaughtered 'em all!"
"Sister, do not say such foul-sounding things! We took proper captives!"
The smiling banter between the siblings, smelling of blood, made Subaru pat his chest in relief. He was happy about victory, but also that no one had been lost in the process. No matter how high the odds of victory, the one sending people off to battle always had reason to be concerned. Likely those reasons had been greatly minimized because of that map.
"And besides that…luck's really fallin' your way, bro."
"—? Whaddaya mean by…?"
"The hideout you picked me to hit had this layin' around."
As Subaru cocked his head, Ricardo took something out of the cloth tied around his waist and tossed it Subaru's way. Subaru immediately caught it, and his eyes went wide at the light sensation in his palm.
This was a mirror—indeed, the spitting image of one he had seen very recently.
"A conversation mirror…and this has to be on the other end of the one Kety had!"
"Accordin' to our info, the Witch Cultist we captured was communicatin' by mirror. Now that we got this from the ones I just mopped up, they won't be tellin' the other Witch Cultists nothin'… Real convenient, bustin' up their communication network like that. Ya couldn't ask for a more promisin' start!"
When Subaru's eyes popped wide at results beyond his wildest hopes, Ricardo opened his maw in a great laugh.
If his deduction was fact, they certainly had gained even more of an advantage over the Witch Cult. But after the feeling of everything going well had been followed by his tasting heaps of bitterness the last time around…
"—"
"Hey, bro. You don't look very happy."
"…No one escaped the hideout you smashed? If even one escaped, it's all for nothing."
"Whaddaya think this sharp nose o' mine is for? Of course not. Just…"
Ricardo strongly thumped his chest, but suddenly he awkwardly lowered the tone of his voice.
"I'm sure no one got away, but it's kind of a problem if there are other mirrors."
"I knew it! What? What was it?! Some kind of fatal flaw… There's an issue that's gonna knock out the entire foundation of the operation, isn't there?! Shit! I knew things were going too well!!"
"Hey, hey, what's with the fantasies of damage?! Ya can't be a general
and be a worrywart like that! Besides, there's no guarantee somethin' bad happened, so stop assumin'!"
As a pale Subaru clung to him, Ricardo retorted with an overly intimidating face. Then the dog-man wrapped an arm around Subaru's head, choosing his words to rectify the latter's stubborn paranoia.
"Look here, see? It's not like anything bad's happened. Just we can't celebrate till the Witch Cult's smashed flat… Ahh, seeing's faster than talkin' anyway. Hey, bring in that guy from earlier!"
As Subaru grimaced, his head still in Ricardo's grasp, Ricardo indicated for his men to bring something over. When Subaru saw what they carried, his expression shifted—first to worry, then to disbelief.
Atop a liger, a single human being was being carried in, his entire body bound by rope.
"~~!!"
When the person noticed Subaru and Ricardo, he wrung out a muffled wail. Perhaps it was an objection to the impropriety of his treatment, or perhaps a plea to spare his life—
"We found 'im in the middle of the Witch Cult roost. I think he just got captured by 'em out of bad luck, but… Hey, what's with ya?"
In the middle of his explanation, Ricardo found it odd that Subaru's eyes were nailed to the wrapped-up person. But this was surely the natural reaction for him to have.
After all, the bound man wriggling around there was none other than— "Pfft."
Unable to contain himself, Subaru let out a small sound. He pointed to the young man bound hand, foot, and even torso, and burst out laughing.
"So you got yourself captured! I thought I was never gonna see your face here, Otto!"
And so Subaru called out the last name in the dramatis personae, excess misfortune having thus far denied him the stage.
2
After letting quite a few laughs fly at his expense, Subaru freed Otto from his bonds.
"Though I am…not particularly inclined to simply say, 'Thank you very much for aiding me…'"
"Hey, is that how you talk to the group that saved your life? You wouldn't want nasty rumors to spread, would you?"
"What kind of base villain are you?! What a person! Oh, fine, thank you very much! Thanks to you my life has been spared! Not that living brings any great comfort, damn it all!"
Half in desperation, Otto spoke his thanks to Subaru, who was bullying him with full knowledge of his precarious circumstances.
Otto had been discovered when Ricardo & Co. raided a Witch Cult stronghold. Apparently he'd been affixed to a cross in a cave in the mountains, and he had been rescued on the verge of becoming a human sacrifice.
"Well, we can't rule out the possibility he's a Witch Cultist, so we should bring him back tied for now…"
"We're treasuring him, almost like, 'Let's keep him around just in case. It's nice to have a human sacrifice on hand when you need one'?"
"What kind of appraisal is that for someone you just met?! I haven't done anything to you, you know?!"
Red faced and bound, Otto moved his limbs around and wailed at Subaru's overly harsh words.
"Well, setting that aside," said Subaru, brushing away Otto's frustration. "So how did you wind up captured? If there's something behind it, go ahead and tell us."
"That is, ah…something I truly do not wish to divulge for reasons of personal convenience…"
"If you don't want to say it, that's fine— Incidentally, changing the subject, most of the traveling merchants gathered in this domain right now are heading toward the mansion of Marquis Mathers to make a little money."
"That's not changing the subject, though! I heard that so I know already, you know?! Ahh, that's right! I am the fool who leaped at the fortuitous talk of profit, first in line charging down this treacherous road and captured through his own ill fortune! Go ahead, laugh!"
"That so… Glad you're all right, then. Tch, you're making me break into tears…"
"What is with those hollow tears?! Is not grasping at a fishy story explanation enough for you?!!"
Subaru pitied Otto and his wistful, energetic confession, warmly taking in the sight of him lamenting the inhumanity of it all. Apparently, his merchant nature had spurred him into some rather impulsive actions. Subaru was relieved that the impression he'd received from their previous encounters hadn't changed at all.
Subaru's mischievous demeanor led Otto to let out a sigh of unbridled dejection.
"Goodness…what a person, after I properly thanked him for saving my life and everything…"
"Wha— I did save your life, you just don't want me to rub it in? You owe me one!"
"To be frank, I feel like this 'one' is a particularly large debt, so one I feel little desire to acknowledge!"
Otto's face scowled grandly when Subaru raised his index finger and declared him to be indebted. Afterward Subaru smiled as Otto kept repeating, "Debt, debt…" as he took it in with a look most sour.
Yet at the same time, his actions established to Subaru that there was nothing suspicious about him, relieving him of the need for extra prudence.
"—"
It went the same for Ricardo, on guard as he watched the two conversing from the side.
The mere fact that he'd been brought from an enemy stronghold made Otto's position delicate to the extreme. Considering that Kety, positioned as leader of the traveling merchants, was a spy, Subaru couldn't help but give Otto, who had gotten along well with Kety during previous go-arounds, the strictest of scrutiny.
After all, carelessly trusting him only to be betrayed would render
Subaru's efforts to date all for naught…
"…Man, I've turned into a pretty disagreeable guy."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I'm glad you're all right. Hey, Mimi, that's great, huh?"
"Mm? Ahh, okay! I'm happy and super thrilled you're all right, Mister Half-Bawling-My-Eyes-Out!"
When Subaru bounced the conversation Mimi's way, she divulged the circumstances of Otto's rescue. After Mimi voiced that truth, she cocked her head and said, "Isn't that right?" as Otto collapsed then and there.
"Ahh, it's no wonder you half bawled your eyes out. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. This is between you, me, Mimi, Ricardo, and after that, the Iron
Fangs and everyone in the expeditionary force…"
"Does that not make it an open secret…?"
"Anyway, there's no worry about the Witch Cult attacking this village, so you can cool your heels here. Also, my condolences over half bawling your eyes out, and my condolences about the moneymaking talk, too."
"Your condolences…? Surely you cannot mean…?!"
Otto looked around the village in shock, looking like his world had come to an end.
"Do not tell me that everyone has already been…"
"The fact that you're alive after being captured by the Witch Cult means you've been blessed by heaven… Er, no, the fact that you got captured to begin with means heaven has abandoned you. Well, live strong!"
"If you are going to console me, won't you look after me till the bitter end?!"
With Otto breaking into tears, Subaru gave him a pat on the shoulder and looked at Ricardo. As he did so, the dog-man wrinkled his snout and tilted his head up. Apparently, even his veteran mercenary's eyes judged Otto to be an utterly harmless object of pity. Subaru thought of that as the silver lining in the cloud.
"So from here on, this'll be the front line against the Witch Cult. We've got a lot to do…but I can't think of anything you can do to help with that. Maybe you could sort out the list of the freight the other traveling merchants left behind?"
"Will you pay me a fee for that?!"
"Man, even I'm surprised. You're even more desperate than I thought.
Yeah, yeah, I'll pay. Someone here tag along with Otto?"
With suspicions about him lifted, Subaru gave Otto a job to do and moved that concern to the back of the line for the moment. Instead, Subaru headed to the expeditionary force, just finished reorganizing its ranks with Julius at its head.
"You reunited with a familiar face, yes? Is that really enough warmth toward an old acquaintance?"
Julius, noticing Subaru's approach, turned toward him before he could say anything. Subaru grimaced at his words, pointing over his shoulder toward Otto, now standing facing the pile of freight.
"Behind the stupid laughs and the stupid conversation, I was suspecting he was up to something the whole time. My personality's gotten so rotten I'm starting to hate myself."
"Thanks to that rotten personality, we have come this far unscathed. I believe you should take pride in that rotten personality—though perhaps you should not express it in those exact terms."
"Your personality is pretty rotten, too. I guarantee it."
"Yes, yes, have you two rotten personalities finished speaking yet?"
The exchange between Subaru and Julius made Ferris cock his little head and smile mischievously. In a vengeful mood, Subaru grandly curled his lips and spoke.
"What is it, rotten personality kitty ears?"
"My, what a way to speak to me, meow. And Ferri tries and tries his hawdest for everyone's sake, meow!"
"And your earnest efforts have always been of great aid. So what have you learned?"
"Mm. I've managed to learn a few things about the fingers from the captured Witch Cultists."
When Julius prompted, Ferris's smile vanished as he pointed to a cabin they'd commandeered.
Ferris must have been directly checking inside the body of Kety, the captured Witch Cultist held within.
During the previous go-around, Ferris had suffered repeated anguish from being unable to stop the Witch Cultists from committing suicide. For that reason Subaru had been somewhat anxious about the examination of Kety's body, but—
"First, the cultists seem to have a magic stone embedded into them that turns into powerful poison for suicide purposes. But the fingers seem to get special treatment… Instead of poison, there's an explosion ritual embedded into them, so that when they kill themselves, they take everyone nearby with them."
"Sounds like it's not so much meant for stopping information from leaking out as for the archbishop's Possession, huh? If he needs to die so he can body swap, it's a given he'd counter being knocked out and tied up by killing himself."
"For suicide… But surely it is likely a method of external activation exists. What about that case?"
"I was worried about that, too, so I nullified the ritual and ripped the whole thing out~~!"
Ferris had a simple answer to Julius's concern. But judging from Julius's wide-eyed reaction, that had been no easy feat. Ferris continued. "Also, about the characteristics of the fingers that Subawu was so concerned about… It's not so much stagnant Gates as having weird clumps of mana. I think the presence or absence of this sets the fingers apart from the regular cultists, and that the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins can only transfer into the ones with this planted in them."
"So the condition for Possession is the difference between the general members and the premium members of the club. What happened to that clump of mana?"
"I melted it and scrambled it all up. So we can't really call him a finger anymore."
"You managed all that?! That's huge!"
Subaru, his voice leaping at Ferris's report, grabbed his slender hand and vigorously shook it up and down. He had nothing but praise for Ferris's skill in checking so much in such a short time.
"Meow meow!! Well, it's what you should expect of Ferri, meow? But it's also thanks to your figuring out that the fingers committed suicide a different way, Subawu."
"No, all the credit for this goes to you. You would've had a ton of regrets if it didn't work out…"
"What the…? Ferri would never regret anything where people like that are concerned!"
Ferris stuck his tongue out and pried his hand loose from Subaru's shake. Subaru made a pained smile at Ferris's teasing demeanor. Ferris would never know it, but Subaru was congratulating him for winning the rematch from the last time around.
Besides, thanks to Ferris's valiant efforts, he'd largely managed to piece together a hypothesis.
"Besides, if you neutralized the conditions for Possession, that prisoner won't die, right?"
"However vile his tongue, the Gate inside his body has been set straight… We should bring him back to the royal capital and treat him as a precious source of information. He fainted from the pain of pulling the ritual out, and he's still out cold~~!"
Ferris closed one eye and guaranteed that Kety's life was safe, if nothing else. Subaru couldn't conceive of the pain of having the ritual ripped out of him. And then—
"We've finally managed to take a single proper prisoner. There's no need to take more risks. You see what I'm getting at?"
"What, you think at this point I'm gonna go soft weighing those guys against the people important to me…?"
When Ferris's eyes questioned his resolve, Subaru nodded to them without showing even a moment's pause.
To bring down the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins of Sloth, the Witch Cultists had to be wiped out, fingers included. That meant a literal battle of annihilation.
And it was none other than Subaru Natsuki who would sound the signal for that battle to begin.
"…Hmm. You really have straightened yourself out, Subawu."
As Subaru clenched a fist, Ferris narrowed his eyes, murmuring as he gazed at the side of Subaru's face. The contents of that murmur brought a pained smile over Subaru as he slumped his shoulders.
"Hey, now, don't put it like that. It doesn't sound like much of a compliment."
"I'm not complimenting you. You've gone from bad to normal. Don't get carried away with yourself, meow."
With an adorable face, Ferris laid into Subaru until the bitter end.
He'd probably been the person to judge Subaru the most harshly of all since they'd departed the royal capital. That was probably because they both lacked the power to do battle by themselves—those who can't fight alone are stuck together, for better or worse.
While Ferris's appraisal of Subaru's weakness was harsh, it was fair at the same time, and Subaru hated that.
"Don't like that, huh? Right now, you've climbed up to normal.
Understand?"
"Normal, huh? Gotcha. But it makes me kinda glad."
"—People don't want to have their beliefs twisted out of shape, you see. Subawu, you must not hesitate or go astray. So don't let anything shake your resolve."
Ferris responded to Subaru's lighthearted words with a statement in a firm voice. It thrust deep into Subaru's slightly relaxed chest, driving home just what was the source of his so-called resolve.
No, Ferris didn't have to say it. It was something he had to realize and face by himself.
"Preparations are completely in order— Subaru, we may begin anytime."
Having put the expeditionary force in order, Julius addressed Subaru to create an opportunity for him. It was not just he—everyone from the ranks of the expeditionary force and the Iron Fangs awaited Subaru's voice as one.
Their morale was high before the climactic battle, their spirits beginning
to soar above the battlefield centered upon the village square.
"—"
Subaru felt that fighting spirit as he slightly tipped his head back, looking up at the sky.
He couldn't remove all uncertain elements. Even so, he'd sent Emilia and the others off, entrusting them to Wilhelm, and thanks to Ferris, they'd grasped the true nature of the fingers. Julius was awaiting his signal.
He'd done his utmost to put human affairs in order. All he could do now was smile, reel it all in, and await the verdict of heaven.
"—Let's do this. Everyone, start just like we arranged."
He lowered his gaze from the sky, turning it straight toward the members of the expeditionary force standing before him. At his urging, the warriors mounted their beasts of war without a word, acting in accordance with Subaru's words.
" "
"Yeah. Thanks, Patlash."
The jet-black land dragon had been standing close to Subaru's side the whole time, eagerly awaiting her turn. Subaru stroked her hard hide with his palm before mounting up like the others.
Julius's and Ricardo's mounts were to their sides, sandwiching Subaru between them. Ferris, left on the ground by himself, nodded to Subaru with a serious look as Subaru took his place in the vanguard.
Then he heralded the start of the final battle.
"Now, this time we'll settle this— Sloth, Sir Fate, I ain't goin' easy on ya."