The village near the forest had been attacked by Petelgeuse and his followers. Although Al arrived in time to drive them off and killed one of Petelgeuse's vessels, the village still suffered some damage and was now being repaired.
Lillian stood atop a tree, observing the bustling activity below. He wondered when those in the mansion would finally set out. From what he had heard, Emilia, Ram, and the others were still inside the mansion, and it was certain they would go to the Sanctuary.
He was particularly surprised to hear from the villagers that Ram and Rem were still alive. How could they have survived the hands of Greed and Gluttony?
Relying solely on themselves? Lillian didn't believe it. Even with the mana he had infused into Ram and Rem giving them some endurance, they absolutely couldn't have faced Greed on their own.
So there were only two possibilities. One: those two adversaries hadn't intended to kill them and left once they rendered them unable to fight.
The other: someone intervened to save them.
Both possibilities were unlikely, but Lillian leaned toward the latter. After all, a great spirit in the mansion had remained inactive. While not necessarily capable of fighting them, her space magic could be instrumental in saving lives.
Whether it was Beatrice who intervened, Lillian didn't know. But the fact remained—they had survived… though tragically, Rem had lost her legs to Gluttony's power. Unlike Lillian, who could regenerate like a Titan, she could not. Hence the need to go to the Sanctuary for treatment.
Now all that was left was to wait—wait until they set out for the Sanctuary, and then follow quietly.
He couldn't reveal himself yet. Even though Ram and Rem might harbor less hostility toward him after the recent battle, he couldn't explain how he had appeared alive after turning to ashes.
Even in this magical world, where countless strange things happened, he still preferred to remain hidden. It was a form of self-protection.
---
Inside the mansion, in Rem's room, Ram placed her on the bed and tucked her in, adjusting the blanket.
"Sister…"
"Hm?"
Rem looked at Ram. "Your horns… how do they feel?"
"…"
Ram instinctively touched her head. Since she hadn't entered her "Oni" form, her horns hadn't fully appeared. But she knew they had grown about two-thirds of their original length.
"That's good. Still growing."
"I'm glad." Rem's expression brightened. "When they're fully grown, you'll be really strong, right?"
"…Maybe."
Ram had been a prodigy among the Oni, almost invincible in her village as a child. Had her horns not been severed, she would have been a terrifying force by now. Even with horns regrown, it would take time to adapt and grow in power. But there was no doubt—given time, she would become immensely powerful.
"His mana—the golden kind—seems to have healing properties," Ram said after a moment of silence. "My injuries are healed. If he's still alive, maybe he could heal your legs too."
Rem felt a tinge of sadness—not for herself, but for Lillian.
"He didn't actually need to… die. If only Beatrice-sama had intervened sooner… right, sister?"
"…"
Ram frowned deeply, realizing the timing of Beatrice's intervention had been precise. She had acted just after Lillian had died, before the two madmen attacked—using space magic to save them. If it was coincidental, then coupled with Beatrice's later responses, it was clear she had acted intentionally.
Intentionally waited until Lillian had "died" before stepping in.
"Why…" Rem was puzzled. "I thought Lillian had a good relationship with Beatrice-sama. He came looking for her, didn't he?"
She referred to Lillian's secretive infiltration of the mansion. Ram nodded; she too couldn't understand Beatrice's motives, nor the nature of her relationship with Lillian. But it didn't concern her. She knew what needed to be done.
"No matter what, I will avenge you, and him too."
Ram's tone was calm, filled with unwavering resolve. Once she decided on something, she would see it through.
"All right, rest now. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Sanctuary. Maybe Roswaal-sama can help."
"Mm."
Rem obediently lay down. Ram turned and left the room, gently closing the door behind her.
"Ha…"
Leaning against the hallway wall, she felt slightly drained. Both Lillian's and Rem's situations weighed heavily on her. She was used to being strong and had no one to confide in. At this moment, she couldn't afford to falter or hesitate.
Several days had passed, yet she still couldn't come to terms with everything. She couldn't understand why he had acted as he did, despite her previous hostility. These questions had no answers.
Taking a deep breath, she cleared her mind and began preparing for the journey the next day.
---
The following morning, the prepared dragon carriage awaited at the mansion's gate. Ram lifted Rem into it. Emilia and Subaru also joined them on the journey to the Sanctuary.
Both were concerned for Roswaal and Rem, so they insisted on coming along. Ram didn't refuse, though Frederica was somewhat frustrated, left to manage the vast mansion alone.
"Ram, where exactly is this Sanctuary?" Subaru asked as he climbed into the carriage, addressing Ram, who was steering outside.
"In the forest."
"Oh… then…"
"Sit in your carriage. Don't ask any pointless questions."
"…"
Slightly annoyed, Subaru quickly calmed down. Emilia also climbed in, reaching for Rem's hand. "Don't worry. There has to be a way."
"Mm."
"Sit tight. We're moving."
Ram drove the dragon carriage forward. Frederica waved from behind. "Safe travels~"
From the distance, Lillian watched from a hilltop at the forest's edge. He knew the moment had come and immediately set into motion.
---
The carriage entered the forest. Lillian followed at a distance. On open plains, it might have been difficult to keep up, but in the forest, the dragon carriage couldn't run at full speed anyway, making long-distance tracking easier and harder to be noticed.
Twisting left and right, the carriage shifted directions for a couple of hours. Then, suddenly, it vanished.
Accelerating, Lillian reached the spot where it disappeared. Ahead, the air seemed completely ordinary, and he reached out his hand.
—His hand passed into nothingness.
"I see now."
Seeing the semi-invisible arm disappear, he retracted his hand. No wonder he hadn't found it before—the Sanctuary was cloaked by a transparent barrier. Detecting it on his own would indeed be nearly impossible.
Now that he had discovered it, it was time to enter.
Stepping forward, his body melded into the air as if he had never existed. Inside, the forest appeared unchanged, identical to the outside. Even if someone accidentally entered, it would be hard to distinguish inside from outside at first.
Interestingly, the barrier should have resisted intruders. Yet Lillian had passed through effortlessly. Perhaps it only restricts certain individuals or groups.
Thinking this, he scanned ahead. Ram and the others had long disappeared, but the carriage tracks provided a way to follow. His goal wasn't just to track them—it was to find the soul of the Witch of Greed, Echidna. He had to move carefully to avoid detection. Inside the Sanctuary, he would act alone.