--Loss of feeling in my limbs and intense pain as if my whole body was burning. My consciousness blacked out, and I fell headfirst, leaving everything, including sound, behind.
For Subaru, "death" was close to that feeling.
Subaru has died many times, many times in different ways, so he understands the common thread that arises when experiencing "death".
And "Return by Death" is like a reawakening of all those lost sensations all at once.
A huge amount of information is suddenly inundated at the site where the lost senses, the sensory organs that sense those sensations, and the brain that organizes that information have ceased to exist.
It is only natural that they would be overwhelmed and slow to grasp the situation.
In other words--,
"Amu."
"Uhh!?"
Subaru straightened his back as he felt a gentle bite on his earlobe, and tumbled backwards. His heart pounded as he experienced this intensely sweet sensation for the first time, and he frantically looked around,
"I thought you were spacing out so I played a prank on you, and you had a delightful reaction... Feli-chan, it looks like you're getting a bit carried away."
Saying this, Ferris laughed seductively and placed a finger on her lips, curving seductively.
At the same time, Subaru realizes that the teeth he felt on his earlobe belonged to him, and he collapses.
"My, my virginity has been turned into a boy's daughter!"
"There's no need to be so depressed. Anyway, let's continue the story. Your eyes are suddenly wandering off somewhere, so you're pretty much at your wit's end."
Ricardo spoke to Subaru, who was on all fours in a depressed mood, scratching his large ear. The people around him nodded in agreement, hoping that Subaru would recover quickly.
In front of them, Subaru continued to look weak and shocked, and was struggling to come to terms with the impact of having experienced "death".
--Dead, dead again.
I failed. I didn't think it through properly. Even though I had told myself and those around me not to let my guard down and to always be on my guard, I still fell short.
He remembered Emilia's tearful voice as she lost consciousness and her life was returned to heaven.
I felt like my chest was being squeezed.
The one thing he had never wanted to do was to make her cry, to make her sad, and that was all he had been thinking as he continued fighting.
By dying no one but himself, Subaru had caused her an incurable grief.
"--Let's organize it."
Ferris crept up on Subaru, who had remained silent with a frown of regret on his face, as if to spur him on again, but was cut off midway by Julius, who raised his hand.
He waggled his finger at Ferris, who was pouting, then turned his handsome face towards Subaru,
"We will now head to the Mathers territory, where the Witch Cult awaits. Our goal is to annihilate the Witch Cult - an essential condition for this is the capture of the Sin Archbishop who is in charge. Also, in order to avoid getting caught up in the battle with the Witch Cult, we will be asking everyone related to Margrave Roswaal's mansion and the surrounding residents to evacuate. As for transportation to get there..."
"I asked Anastasia and Russell to secure the peddler for me... Sorry. Things have settled down now, so it's fine."
Subaru wiped his mouth, breathing heavily, and returned to his post in the circle, offering a brief apology to Julius. In response, Julius raised his eyebrows in slight surprise,
"There's no need to worry about it. In fact, I'm glad I was able to confirm that I understood you correctly. You don't seem to be very good at explaining things."
"As I said before, I'm not used to being surrounded by so many people and speaking in the middle. Remember that a shut-in's interpersonal skills decline in proportion to the number of people they're dealing with."
Julius's sarcasm - in this case, it was likely a major distraction for Subaru, who was at a loss for words. Subaru consciously ignored the annoyance he felt that his concern had been noticed, and the awkward feeling he found hard to put into words.
Then he looked around again, becoming aware of the fifty or so people staring at him.
This was the third time I had to explain the situation to them.
Even the most inexperienced recluse would get used to the same situation after repeating it three times. The weight of being entrusted with the lives of others still weighed heavily on his shoulders,
"The Sin Archbishops of the Witch Cult are formidable opponents. The Witch Cult members are not easy to deal with, and in this battle there will surely be casualties on our side as well. I need to make sure everyone knows that first."
"――――"
After making this preface, everyone responded to Subaru in silence. However, it was not a negative silence. It was because everyone was paying close attention to Subaru, not wanting to miss a single word he was saying.
That is the form called trust,
"I think that after defeating the White Whale, I would really like to return in triumph to the royal capital as soon as possible. I'm tired, and there aren't many people who aren't injured. In such a situation, I don't know what to say to everyone who is lending me their strength to protect me… my master… I can only say I'm grateful."
Turn your head.
Subaru engraved into his heart the faces of each and every one of the many pairs of eyes staring at him. Among the faces engraved into his mind, he noticed that there were many faces that had been torn apart by invisible hands in the previous loop.
I will never forget those people's faces.
Through Subaru's death and Return by Death, people regained the life they had lost.
However, in the battle to come, Subaru's choice would mean the death of another person. Whether friend or foe, a bloodless victory would be impossible.
If I had been better, maybe this wouldn't have happened.
If Subaru was strong enough to keep anyone at bay, if Subaru was smart enough to find a way out of any situation, if Subaru was a man of noble will who would not be discouraged in the face of any adversity, if Subaru was an idealist who could not tolerate any weakness, then perhaps there would be no casualties.
But that's impossible. Subaru is weak, stupid, and even his heart is fragile.
I can't stand on my own without someone's help, and I don't believe in myself enough to get by without relying on someone.
that's why,
Subaru: "This time, I will finally take down the Sin Archbishop. To that end, I intend to give everything I can, without reservation. So, please lend me your strength."
"――――"
"I need you all. Let's protect the people I care about together."
Subaru put his hands on the ground and bowed his head.
I firmly lowered my head, which was uncool, cheap, and worthless, as if rubbing it. It was the first time I had ever bowed so sincerely and in earnest.
"Subaru, look up."
"――――"
Hearing Julius' voice, Subaru slowly raised his head.
What unfolded before Subaru was a dancing, eye-scorching light from the world of dawn.
--It was nothing other than the image of knights on their knees, swords drawn and raised.
This was the second time I had had the brilliance of a sword lift my spirits.
The only one who can truly understand this is Subaru, who has experienced "Return by Death" for himself. After repeatedly undergoing "Return by Death" against his will, Subaru came to a realization.
A world that unfolds over and over again, taking on different forms time and time again.
Even in such a world, what continues to happen is the result of "the strong, strong will of people that is not affected even by the fluctuations of the world."
In other words, the feelings of those who help Subaru in the same way are
Subaru: "No matter how many times I try, no matter how stupid I am when I come back… you always lend me your strength. No matter how many times you help me stand up."
Just like Rem was.
Just as Rem had continued to support Subaru no matter how many times she had said it, their presence also strongly supported Natsuki Subaru's faltering will.
To Subaru, this was a ``salvation'' that surpassed anything else, any power he could be given, any wisdom he could be granted, and any hope.
"The final battle is coming up, so I'm sorry for saying something that dampened the mood. Please forget about it… you don't have to, but please keep it a secret from everyone."
"Before meeting Lady Emilia, let's make sure we have something good to say. So, can you tell us about the Witch Cult?"
"I won't put a wandering mercenary in front of the noble Emilia-tan. Once you've finished your job, take your money and go home. —Well then, let's talk."
After exchanging the usual light-hearted banter with Julius, Subaru slapped his own cheek to hide his embarrassment. Then he took a breath and looked up.
"First of all, he's the Archbishop of the Sin that leads the Witch Cult, and is in charge of 'Sloth'--"
There is no time to look down and regret having been killed or having failed.
Let's turn the reasons for our deaths and failures into possibilities to fight on.
That's why I came back here.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
Subaru sorted through in his head the new facts that had come to light during the previous loop and the conditions that must be overcome, and relayed every bit of information to the extermination squad.
The extermination squad was quite shaken when they heard about techniques such as the ``Invisible Hand'' and ``Possession.'' The atmosphere of each technique was different from the magic they knew, so it was difficult to expect them to simply accept it.
Since there is only one form of magic, it is difficult to even imagine any other heresy.
On the contrary, Subaru, who has been exposed to only fictional settings, is more flexible in accepting them. The ability to easily accept and digest a worldview in which supernatural powers, magic, and curses all co-exist is something that is passed down in the bloodline of the Japanese, the home of subculture.
"So, leaving aside that stupid conclusion, let's talk about Prince Pete..."
The way to deal with the "invisible hand" remains the same, Subaru has no choice but to fight back. As a special condition, with Wilhelm's skill it would not be impossible to deal with it using the sand-scattering fighting method from two years ago, but it would be difficult in terms of certainty. After all, it would be best for Subaru to face it head on.
Something even more troublesome has been discovered about Possession. It is the self-destruct function prepared for Betelgeuse - in this case, the possessed body.
Since death is the key to transferring possession to another target, it should have been assumed that he would always have a means of suicide prepared. This was the biggest reason for his previous failure.
Since the suicide was performed while unconscious, it could be carried out by the will of a being other than the possessed object. - In other words, it is highly likely that all Witch Cultists have a self-destruct mechanism built in.
Furthermore, even if they annihilated all of the objects of possession――
"In the end, it's going to take over from me..."
That's where the biggest bottleneck lies.
The previous time, he was completely taken control of and was brought to the point of suicide, and although he put up quite a resistance last time, as you can imagine, he ended up in the situation he is in now.
This is a very rough guess, but once the fight for control begins, it seems likely that it will be very difficult to push aside Betelgeuse's spirit.
That's why I decided not to let him possess her last time,
"Puck is useless, after all. If the freezing plan doesn't work, then we'll be completely cornered."
I still can't forget the sense of despair I felt when Emilia and Puck appeared on the battlefield.
Thinking back on it, a chill runs down Subaru's spine and his breathing quickens. But he still doesn't understand why he feels such a strong sense of rejection.
However, what is clear is that we never want that situation to happen again.
"Emilia and Petelgeuse must not meet. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about it. Well, I don't know why."
No matter how you interpret it in a positive way, bringing a pervert like that together with a cute girl can't have a positive effect on the girl. It's only natural that she would reject him.
And so, quickly giving up on his unanswered worries, Subaru began to search for a solution.
"Since I can't use Puck and can't let Emilia meet Prince Pete, she's out of the running… Julius, can't you freeze someone with your spirit magic?"
With his hand on his forehead and thoughts racing, Subaru called out to Julius, who was running alongside him.
Subaru and his comrades had already left the strategy meeting and were now racing along the road to the Mathers territory.
Of course, the one who was carrying Subaru and kicking the ground powerfully was his reliable partner, the one who made Subaru extremely grateful for the opportunity to start over through 『Return by Death』―― Patrasche.
Leaving himself in the trust of the reins, Subaru lightly stroked Patrasche's back as she ran. He noticed that as she ran, Patrasche glanced his way with a look that said, "Don't touch me so casually."
"I hate to say it, but haven't your riding skills improved quite a bit? Until just now, I thought that the sensation of being ridden by that earth dragon was quite strong."
「I entrust my trust to him and leave the wind to him, right? By overcoming a difficult situation together with him, he shook off my trust gauge. Oh no, I've been conquered...!」
Subaru twisted his body and clung to Patrasche's back with his whole body. Patrasche then shook her upper body in disgust, shaking Subaru who was on top of him.
"Oh, oh, oh!? Hey, hey, don't be embarrassed! Even with all that tsundere stuff, I can tell that you really love me!"
"I can't help but feel that there's a fundamental misunderstanding somewhere… but it would be rude of me to interfere with how you interact with the earth dragon, so I'll refrain from doing so. —Now then."
Subaru lightly patted him on the back to calm him down, and Julius sighed as if to start afresh. He then closed one eye at Subaru,
"In answer to your previous question... I can only say that it's difficult. It's true that I can use the fire element through my contract with the Six Spirits, but I can't call myself a pure spiritist or a pure spirit. If you expect me to use such sophisticated techniques, I can't say with confidence."
"You're surprisingly weak-willed. I bet the name of your greatest hero is crying."
"I don't really care what you call it. It's much more that I can't admit that I can't do something, and I prioritize vanity over betraying people's trust. Is that different for you?"
"You really are a disgusting person..."
Sighing, Subaru averted his gaze from Julius and realized just how small he was.
Currently, Subaru had just been told by Julius that he was a spirit magician, and it was about time for the general meeting to move on to the continuous movement using the combined Yin and Yang magic, Nect.
Although we still haven't come up with a plan that we can say has a 100% success rate,
"To a certain extent, we'll just have to make do with our strategy and make it work."
With this new information in hand, and after examining the words of the madman, Subaru came up with a plan. --It was a decision that would bring him great pain.
"Just to confirm, Subaru. Are you sure you're okay with moving in this way?"
Subaru: "You're annoying me. I was the one who came up with the plan, so there's no way I'm going to say 'I've changed my mind'… Emilia-tan will probably be angry though."
After everyone had used Nect and received an overview of the plan, Julius asked Subaru if he was ready.
Subaru responded to those words with a blank look on his face, his eyes filling with the image of the beloved girl.
The smile he had just received, the warmth of his hand as he held hers when they made up, and the tears that were on the verge of being lost all slowly became blurred behind his eyelids - and faded away.
I bit my lip, warning myself against being swayed by girly sentimentality.
Surely there must be another way, Subaru thought, feeling deeply astonished at his own nature for almost affirming his weakness under that pretense, but he accepted the option of pain.
"Don't make that face. It will weaken your resolve. It's not like you."
"However, this is too little reward for you. If you put more strain on us, we may be able to reconsider the terms..."
"Don't give me a chance to be mean and say, 'No!' Even the courage I seem to be squeezing out is all borrowed."
Subaru responded with a wry smile as Julius repeatedly confirmed his resolve.
No matter who it was that person who was concerned about him, he was happy to receive their concern. However, Subaru had now accepted these burdens as necessary and had chosen to do so.
Subaru: "It's not like I've given up on the future where I can laugh together with Emilia-tan in the end. It's just that the path to get there seems a little rough. And even then, if we do it well, it's a roughness that no one will notice except for us. It'll be a piece of cake, right?"
"...I envy your boldness, being able to boast that it was a piece of cake. I just can't help but feel uneasy when I see something that isn't properly appreciated. I'm still inexperienced."
"Hey, hey, I'm counting on you, best knight. Your strength is essential for me to be able to remain optimistic like this, and ultimately share a passionate embrace with Emilia-tan, you know? …Hey! What are you making me say? That's not what I really think! Don't get the wrong idea!"
"You're a busy man. --But I understand your feelings."
Seeing Subaru's expression change in a panic, Julius couldn't help but laugh.
Subaru snorted at the sight of the good-looking man, turned his face away and sent his eyes off towards the horizon.
In the distance, the end of the grassland and the edge of the forest are faintly visible. Once we reach there, we will pass through several forest roads and enter the Mathers territory.
Though his heart was unsettled and he felt an ache, Subaru continued to look ahead.
"――――"
"Oh? What's this? Are you worried about me? What a cutie."
As she ran, Patrasche shook his back slightly from side to side, as if concerned for the silent Subaru. Subaru responded with a palm gesture in response, and then rummaged through the luggage strapped to his back.
The key to this plan was contained within, and as he felt it under his probing fingertips, a sense of relief and a faint pain rose in his chest at the same time.
But I'm not hesitating anymore.
That was what he had decided. And he had repeatedly asked himself if this was the best thing to do. But the fact that he still couldn't just accept it was a sign of Subaru's weakness. It was a problem that Subaru had to solve alone.
"Now, this time I'll get to enjoy the delicious part---"
"Of course, I will. It'll be fine, I've planned it so carefully. There's no need to think about failure. I'm fully prepared. Once this is all over, I'd like to have a drink with you."
"Don't take this opportunity to set up a death flag--!!"
He shouted in anger at Julius' statement, who should have no idea about the concept of a death flag.
The voice echoed far, far away, reaching all the way to the skies above Mathers territory.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
--The morning sunlight shone sharply into her sleep-deprived eyes, and Emilia sat up from her bed, as if awakened by a faint pain.
The silver hair that had fallen over his forehead cascaded down as he raised his torso, and the moonlight-like sparkle reflected off it like a waterfall.
I blinked a few times, and drifted off into a dreamlike state with my body half-raised. I had been sleeping lightly for days recently, and I was aware that I was still tired. However, I knew that these were necessary burdens, and that this was a problem I had chosen to take on myself. I couldn't make excuses.
"It's already morning..."
I probably fell asleep a few hours after the new date――in reality, I only got around two hours of sleep.
My head feels heavy and my thoughts are slow, as if stuck in a bog.
I've never been the type of person who wakes up easily.
It took a long time to wake up from a slumber and get active afterwards, and especially considering the difficult problems that had been plaguing Emilia over the past few days, it was inevitable that the lingering fatigue and endless worries were taking a toll on her mind.
--It was one week ago that the people involved in the Royal Selection had gathered and travelled to the Royal Capital. It had been four days since she returned to the mansion and was formally given the authority as its owner. The pressure that had been pouring down on her in those few short days had been enough to crush the girl named Emilia.
"I thought I understood, but... really, I only thought I understood."
Thinking about her own incompetence, Emilia clutched the sheets and bit her lip.
The past week flashed through his mind. He had been called to the royal capital, met once again with those involved in the royal selection - the candidates, made a speech of his intentions, even going so far as to play tricks that he was not accustomed to, and then,
"...Subaru."
Speaking the name of the boy she left behind, Emilia closes her eyes as if to endure the pain. She wonders what that cheerful, easily hurt boy, who for some reason is always desperately trying to help others, and who is a little quick to jump to conclusions, is doing now.
The memory of their argument when they had last parted, his expression like that of a child being left behind, was burned into Emilia's mind again and again.
It's all my fault that he made that face, that he said those words, that he made me hear things that no one wanted to hear.
But even now, Emilia thinks that it was a good thing.
Emilia doesn't think that she should have avoided the emotional outburst that ultimately led to their separation, when she had poured out her feelings to Subaru like that.
On the contrary, it had been the right decision to let out all the resentment they had felt towards each other there and then, and to part ways. It was the right choice. Subaru and I shouldn't be together.
Because I'm a half-elf.
An entity that is considered evil simply by being there.
An existence whose very existence is denied.
They are shunned, excluded, looked down upon, rejected, and the target of negative emotions.
Being together can't possibly be good for anyone.
On the contrary, he would surely make the kindhearted boy feel uncomfortable by being close to him. In fact, Subaru ended up suffering both physically and mentally in a duel with Julius because he was "close to Emilia".
I don't want anyone to feel that way again, and I don't want anyone else to feel that way.
At the end of that argument, Subaru must have given up on him.
Emilia rejected Subaru, who had offered her selfish reasons and given her nothing but free kindness. He raised his voice and yelled at her, but to Emilia he looked like nothing more than a crying child.
At the very end, the truth slipped out―― and that was Emilia's only regret.
--The hope that Subaru might treat him as something other than a half-elf, with no regard for such things.
It was a faint, fleeting, and futile hope.
He had hurt her in an attempt to distance himself from her, yet he still wanted her comfort. Subaru had clearly rejected Emilia's effeminate plea. He had cut her off, firmly.
--There's no way he wouldn't give Emilia special treatment.
With those final words, Emilia closed the door, putting some physical distance between her and him. Then, feeling a clear sense of disappointment spreading within her, she felt disappointed in herself.
He feels uncomfortable with the kindness that is merely given to him, and uses all sorts of pretexts to hurt and alienate the kind-hearted boy, and then, once he actually has distanced himself from him, he feels extremely lonely and shameless about it.
After shaking off her separation from Subaru and returning to the mansion from the royal capital, she was desperate.
There are many things that Emilia needs to know and learn. She has always lived in the depths of the forest, far removed from the world, avoiding contact with people.
I hadn't even known what a king was until I left the forest.
He aims to become the king who will be responsible for the lives of the people living in his vast territory.
Emilia knows that it is an incredibly reckless and ignorant decision, but it must be done.
--Because I have every reason to do so.
"Leah, your brows are furrowed. It's not cute, so maybe you should stop."
Just as I was leaning forward from the bed, my thoughts were interrupted by that calm voice. When I raised my eyes, a small spirit with grey fur was reflected in its amethyst eyes.
To her, he has been by her side ever since she was old enough to understand; he is like family.
"Good morning, Puck. You're early today."
"Good morning, Lia. I wish I could wake up a little earlier... but the truth is I was worried about you. I'm sure you were a bit shocked yesterday."
As Puck spoke, floating unsteadily in the air and swinging his long tail, Emilia lowered her eyes.
He remembered what had happened yesterday, the direct cause of the weight on his mind and heart: when the nearby villagers refused to speak to him.
"I knew it."
"Even if you know you're going to fall, when you fall, your wounds will bleed and you'll feel pain. I think understanding something and ultimately feeling that pain are two different things."
Puck mercilessly blocked Emilia's escape route in response to her childish tone. However, that didn't mean he was being mean; Emilia knew he was simply listing the facts and his true feelings in his own way, so she couldn't think of a counterargument.
"Puck is..."
"Hmm?"
"Puck, what do you think I should do? I... no, not just for myself, but for everyone else too."
"I think it's fine if Lia does what she wants. I'll be on her side no matter what she does, and I'll only be the enemy of anyone who gets in her way."
They were reliable words from a more reassuring ally than anyone else, but it wasn't the response he was looking for.
And Emilia knew that such a response would come. Puck was on her side, but that didn't mean he would worry with her about the problems she was facing.
He is Emilia's complete supporter, and nothing else.
"Whatever we do, we can't abandon the village, right? Ram headed for the village again this morning, so I think we should wait for his report."
"…That's right, Ram. She hasn't had a rest in ages either."
"Leah just hasn't noticed, but that girl is cutting corners in a lot of situations, so I think she has the time."
Puck's muttered voice did not reach her, and Emilia placed a finger over her lips in thought.
As she thinks about it, the many strange things that had happened over the previous day come to her mind.
--Ever since their return from the royal capital, when Roswaal had left the mansion to negotiate with influential people, Emilia had been concentrating on gaining knowledge from the academic and specialist books she had been given to study.
Emilia sacrifices sleep and devotes herself to her studies to escape the guilt she feels. It was late at night the day before yesterday when Ram reported to her that "there is a strange presence in the forest."
Ram's clairvoyanceーー her ability to synchronize with the vision of others and expand her field of vision by switching targetsーwas not enough to grasp the true identity of that presence or something.
However, not doing anything about this presence was not an option, so under the pretext of strengthening her defenses, Emilia went down to a nearby village and called on the villagers to take refuge in the mansion - but was refused.
Emilia was surprised to find herself shocked by this.
I was surprised to realize that even though I should have been used to people hating, shunning, and despising me because of my background, I still found myself feeling hurt.
And then, I suddenly realize.
That's what I was hoping for.
I thought that by throwing myself into the larger flow of things and taking a step to change my position, the reactions of those around me would naturally change from what they were before.
There was no way that could happen.
The fact that I had some contact with the villagers was probably a distant cause of my expectations being raised. However, at the time I was hiding my true identity. There was no way I could ever admit that I had been close to them in that state.
"What am I doing after all?"
Hurt by being rejected, he still tried to plead with her but her pleas were not accepted, so he retreated to the mansion.
Just as he was wondering if there was anything he could do but sit idly by, the next report came in that a large number of peddlers had suddenly descended on the village.
While I was staring blankly at the incomprehensible report, a person claiming to be a representative of the traveling merchants arrived bearing a personal letter. The seal bore the seal of someone, no one could have guessed, Duke Crusch Karsten. I opened the letter, unable to imagine what it contained――
"There was just a blank letter inside."
When Emilia glanced over at the thing spread out on the desk, Puck, as if reading her thoughts, spoke the results first.
Yes, the contents of the letter were blank.
When I asked the representative about his true intentions, he shook his head saying that he hadn't heard the details, and Ram, who was also there, looked extremely upset as he chased them out of the mansion. From there, he headed towards the village and is likely negotiating with the traveling merchant to get them to move out.
--I feel a sense of obligation and wonder if it's okay to leave it to him.
But at the same time, she was also afraid that her presence might cause problems. The peddler who had delivered the letter also glanced at Emilia with a look of fear and disgust.
The royal selection has already been made public, and the names and backgrounds of the candidates are known to the public.
There were almost no people who didn't know that Emilia was a half-elf. From now on, those looks, that attitude, that refusal would become commonplace everywhere.
He should have been used to having his heart frozen.
He must have gotten used to ignoring the pain from the wound, wiping away the blood, and still walking without looking down.
So now, turning my attention to that matter――
"Leah, people have returned to the mansion."
"...I guess it's Ram. I wonder if the villagers have come to an agreement."
Puck's call interrupted Emilia's thoughts, and she finished getting changed and stood up.
Puck hadn't requested a hairstyle for today, so she just combed her hair and let it flow down her back. Shaking her silver hair, Emilia took a small sigh and left the room.
I head towards the entrance hall to greet Ram who should have returned. No matter how the matter with the village has been resolved, there are many things we need to discuss, including what will happen afterwards.
"Ram, I'm sorry for leaving everything to you. From now on――"
"Lady Emilia."
Emilia called out to Ram as she opened the large front door and saw her entering the mansion. Ram responded to her voice and looked up, then took a position next to the door.
"--Lady Emilia, please forgive this sudden visit."
Through the door that Ram had opened, an elderly person stepped into the mansion.
Emilia raised her eyebrows in slight surprise at the familiar figure,
"Umm, if I remember correctly... you're the one who was with Crusch-sama, right?"
"Yes. I am a vassal of the Duke of Karsten household. My name is Wilhelm Trias. I have come here on behalf of my lord."
The old gentleman introduced himself and knelt down in a deep bow, leaving Emilia feeling embarrassed.
And when the intensity of the initial sharp impression faded, the old gentleman's figure was clearly marked with wounds all over,
"Why are you dressed like that?"
"I apologize for the unsightly appearance. On my way into the Mathers territory, I had the misfortune of encountering a magical beast. I ended up swinging my sword a little."
"You're not injured, right?"
"There is nothing to be worried about. Rather, I would like to convey my master's wishes."
Wilhelm urged Emilia to get to the point, rather than worry about her own safety, and she nodded, but then, as Crusch's name was mentioned, she remembered the letter.
Emilia began by saying, "I received a personal letter from Lady Crusch."
"The contents were blank... We were unsure of how to respond."
"A blank slate, huh? --I see, it's just as I heard."
Hearing Emilia's words, Wilhelm narrowed his eyes. There was an incomprehensible terror in that gesture, and Emilia involuntarily choked on her words. Wilhelm shook his head in response to her, "No."
"Regarding the blank letter, this is not what we had in mind, but… I am aware of its contents. Please do not worry."
"The contents... I see, it was a mistake or something. I'm glad, well... it wasn't some kind of harassment."
When I added a small, unimportant concern, Wilhelm said, "Not at all," and relaxed his lips slightly. Then his expression tightened.
"I would like Emilia-sama and Ram-dono to board the dragon carriage of the traveling merchant stationed in the village. And I would like you to evacuate the vicinity for now—that is my lord's will."
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--To summarize Wilhelm's explanation, it was something like this.
A notorious criminal group has invaded the Mathers territory. It is highly likely that they are hiding out in the nearby forest, so a punitive force has been organized to take them down.
He then appointed Crusch Karsten as the leader of the extermination force, organized it in her name, and gave it a certain amount of authority before sending it off to the Mathers territory.
And, as the extermination force prepared to exterminate the group, they recommended that the residents evacuate in order to minimize damage to the surrounding area - the traveling merchants had been hired to provide transportation for the evacuation, and the plan was for them to evacuate the villagers and Emilia and her companions.
"Why is Lady Crusch in charge of maintaining peace in Roswaal... the Mathers territory?"
"Just between you and me, Margrave Roswaal has proposed an alliance. The content is the transfer of mining rights for magic ore in the Elior Forest, do you understand?"
"--Yes, that's it."
Emilia nodded at Wilhelm's quiet reply, hiding some of her indignation.
While Emilia was racking her brains over what to do, it seemed that Roswaal had been working behind the scenes, pushing things forward. It was obvious, but even though he was using Emilia's existence, he didn't have any expectations of her.
"But even if we evacuate..."
"If possible, I would like Emilia-sama to head to the royal capital and meet with the head of the family, Crusch-sama. However, it would be difficult to bring all the residents to the royal capital…"
"Half of them will be guided by Ram and taken to the Sanctuary. It should be safe there and have the capacity to accommodate a large number of people."
It seemed that the worries and concerns that Emilia was about to express had already been considered. With Wilhelm and Ram promptly answering her questions, there was no way that Emilia would utter a word of opposition.
However, I feel like things are moving too quickly and I find it hard to accept the feeling of being swept away.
"Hey, I'm really curious about this..."
"--Excuse me!"
Just as they were about to ask more questions, the conversation was interrupted by the sound of the door being violently opened. Looking closer, they saw a young man tumbling in, having kicked the door open.
The young man in the white robe stared at Emilia, then slowly turned towards Wilhelm,
"Strange movements have been spotted from the group hiding in the forest. They may be about to make a move. We don't have any time left..."
"That's faster than we expected... With this many people entering the village, it was only a matter of time before they were noticed."
"What would you like to do, Lord Wilhelm?"
"--Lady Emilia."
In response to the young man's question, Wilhelm sharpened his gaze and looked up at Emilia.
Pierced by his blade-sharp gaze, Emilia took a small breath and realized that she had no time to waste.
That's not to say that some questions haven't arisen.
However, the fact remains that Ram had sensed the presence of something strange in the forest, and Wilhelm's family name was guaranteed under Crusch's name. And most importantly, with Roswaal absent, he was the one who had the final say over the affairs of this mansion and territory.
No matter how dizzying the situation may be, the decision must be yours.
Therefore,
"--I understand. I will gratefully accept your offer. As for persuading the villagers..."
"It's already going smoothly, Lady Emilia."
Ram stated matter-of-factly that the biggest concern had been resolved. Emilia then turned back to the mansion, frowning as she wondered what to do about the last resident. However, that was soon interrupted by a small cat that had fallen from the upper floors like a leaf dancing in the wind.
"Betty isn't going. The crossing gate is closed, so you can do as you like. It's best for the extermination squad not to do anything to the mansion, okay?"
"I understand, Great Spirit."
Before Emilia could make a decision, Puck, who had been checking Beatrice's intentions, returned. He slipped into Emilia's silver hair and yawned after securing his position.
Then he spoke into Emilia's ear so that only she could hear.
"You do what you want. I'm on your side."
"--Let's move. I don't want to put the villagers in danger."
Emilia waves her arms and gives out orders.
Ram bowed and pinched the edge of her skirt to indicate her intention to comply, and Wilhelm nodded generously. The young man who had brought the report was the only one who gently grabbed the edge of his robe,
"That's it."
He muttered softly, but Emilia didn't hear it.
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--The two people from the mansion got off and joined us in the village, and the process of boarding the dragon carriage began.
The villagers seemed to be following the extermination squad quite obediently, showing no signs of complaint or anxiety; in fact, many even seemed to be somewhat excited by the rarely seen flock of dragon carriages.
Emilia was extremely surprised at how skillful they were, but what surprised her the most was when she heard the allocation of the dragon carriage she would be riding in.
"--Nice to meet you, Onee-chan."
"Umm..."
A bright blonde girl bowed deeply. She was one of the children Subaru had seen many times in the village, and was close to—her name was Petra, if he remembered correctly.
She was around eleven or twelve years old, making her one of the oldest children in the village. There were other children assigned to the dragon carriage that Emilia was supposed to board, including her.
"Isn't this some kind of mistake? Because..."
"That's not a mistake. Lady Emilia will be riding in this dragon carriage together with these children. It's an issue with the carriage's staffing, so it can't be helped."
Feeling anxious, Emilia catches hold of a young man who is busily running around nearby, but his response is completely different from what Emilia expected, which only fuels her anxiety.
-- Traveling together with the children in the enclosed space of the dragon carriage.
It seemed like an attempt to make the other person feel extremely uncomfortable, rather than just Emilia.
"Are there no other dragon carriages? Even these kids..."
"Is it possible that he wouldn't want to ride with me?"
"――――"
"Did you check with these kids about that? Aren't they just convinced that they are disliked?"
The young man continued speaking, pressing on the silent Emilia.
Thinking that the young man was stepping in rather boldly, he was the very person who had rushed into the mansion earlier. Tilting her head in confusion at the strange sensation, Emilia stammered, "That's not true..."
"I know that without even asking. So, for the sake of these children, we should get another dragon carriage..."
"I don't think it's good to use your children as an excuse to escape from your own weaknesses."
This time, Emilia was taken aback by his rude words. Then, he knelt down in front of her, bringing himself eye level with the girl who had been anxiously watching their exchange.
"What do you think, Petra? Would you like to ride in the dragon carriage with that girl?"
"――――"
Please don't ask me such questions, Emilia thought with a pain in her heart.
It's a question with an obvious answer, and an obvious answer that will hurt. Knowing it will hurt doesn't make it any easier to be hurt.
It was just as Puck had said. No matter how many wounds you receive, if you receive a new wound, new pain will result. So why did he――
"That's not true. I'm fine with being with my sister."
"...picture?"
Emilia gasped in shock. Petra walked up to her and gently took her hand. Emilia blinked as she felt the warmth of a child's body from Petra's clasped fingertips.
Petra couldn't hide her surprise and blushed.
"Big sister... you're the big sister of the potato stamp, right? You always come with Subaru to watch the morning Rajiotaiso."
"..."
"I couldn't see your face, but I could see that you always looked like you were having fun. I saw how Subaru seemed to be having so much fun talking to you. Subaru really loved you… so I'm not scared of you, you know?"
"...a"
Something welled up within her, and Emilia involuntarily let out a small cry.
There was a heat behind my eyes, my throat was clogged and I couldn't speak, and there was a pain in the back of my nose.
"Big sister, do you want to ride with me? I was told that everyone is trying to leave you alone. But I'll hold your hand."
"--Yeah, yeah."
"You don't have to be lonely anymore, okay?"
"----!"
An innocent, pure gaze that is devoid of any of the injustice or malice of this world.
The feelings that were natural to Emilia, the persecution that was natural, the discrimination that should have been natural, were all simply not there.
"Me too!" "It's okay if I go with you!" "Let's go quickly!"
The children began to make a lot of noise, and a boy about the same age as Petra - Mildo - began to scold them and push them into the dragon carriage.
Seeing the noisy children, Petra burst out laughing softly,
"Shall we go? Sis. It might be a bit noisy though."
"...No, it's okay. I've gotten used to people being noisy next to me over the past month."
I shook my head and found myself smiling naturally.
I started walking. Still being led by Petra's hand. Still feeling the warmth of a stranger's hand on my fingertips. Still feeling the blessing of not having to know the pain that I had pretended to be used to.
"That's right... I need to thank you too."
Emilia stops and turns around, searching for the young man from before.
I wanted to express my gratitude to him for leading me to this small happiness.
"...Huh? Where did he go?"
However, when she turned around, the young man was nowhere to be seen.
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It pushes aside branches and trees, steps on grass, and jumps along the animal trail.
Sneaking through the trees and brush, I entered the twilight and came across an open space surrounded by lush greenery.
I stopped in my tracks and waited for a moment, and then three more shadows rushed towards the scene in the same way. The four shadows nodded to each other, and one crouched in the center while the remaining three kept watch over the surrounding area.
The figure sitting in the center reaches into his pocket and pulls out what appears to be a hand mirror. When he opens it, it is undoubtedly a mirror, but in the forest, where the light source is extremely limited, it is difficult to even see one's own face.
But that didn't matter to the mirror's owner.
The purpose is not to see one's own face in the first place. The purpose is to "connect with another place" through the mirror.
Magic power was poured into the hand holding the mirror, and mana was poured into the markings engraved on the edge. Once the initial activation was complete, the mirror itself would absorb minute amounts of mana from its surroundings to fulfill its function - a rare magical device - a conversation mirror.
Most of the equipment is built-in and too large to be carried around, so it is extremely rare to find one this small and portable.
The man felt his sense of mission turn into elation, realizing that his position, having been given this and the role he was entrusted with, was highly valued.
And then, he opened his mouth to speak to the person on the other side of the mirror――and just before he spoke,
"I see, so that's how you were leaking information. A conversation mirror is a convenient thing... But before you get too fired up about your mission, you should at least remember the sides of your comrades, you know?"
A person crouching down right next to the man spoke.
The man looked up in shock and could not help but feel a deep sense of discomfort at the person standing before him, as if his mind was refusing to acknowledge the person in front of him.
Subaru: "If you don't know my face, then I'm just another one of your kind who smells just like you. ——Get messing around, you three idiots."
As he spoke, the white robed figure stood up and spat out the words.
And in front of the men - the Witch Cultists - who were frozen in shock, he shook his head and pushed back the hood that had been covering his head.
What appeared was black hair, a trait only found in this world by a very limited number of races.
His eyes with white sclera clearly express his bad mood, and his defiant, provocative smile.
After seeing this much, the Witch Cultists finally realized who it was.
"You guys are guilty of interrupting the emotional reunion between me and Emilia-tan."
Pointing his finger towards the sky, the hem of his white robe woven with 『Recognition Impediment Ritual』 swayed, Natsuki Subaru spoke to the men,
"Come on, tell me everything you know!"
--He snapped his fingers loudly to signal a turnaround.