"I cannot accompany you, but please be careful on your journey. Please let your husband know that Frederica is looking after the mansion."
On the morning of their departure, as the dragon carriage parked in front of the mansion's main gate, Frederica, who had come out to see them off, bowed and said this.
Her bows are beautifully regimented and well-postured, and they are so intimidating that those on the receiving end of them naturally straighten their backs.
In any case, Subaru and Emilia received it and looked at each other,
"I'm sorry to bother you at such a hectic time. Roswaal isn't here, and I should really be here as lord's representative…"
"After all, both Emilia and I are terrible at that sort of practical stuff. We may be able to handle the odd job, but we're complete outsiders when it comes to numbers. I threw it all at Otto and asked him to sort it out, but it's like trying to put out a stone."
Thinking back on the results of the past two days, Subaru grimaced at the lack of enthusiasm.
As a result of Otto and I wandering around the messy office, the only information we managed to obtain could be summed up in two words: "It's impossible without an explanation from the person in charge."
Frederica seemed to have some knowledge of the matter, but she would need time to make up for the gaps in information she had during the several months she had been away from the scene, and above all, considering the burden it would place on the maintenance of the mansion, they couldn't allow her to take on any more work.
There were a few things that Emilia handled with the utmost care that were easily dealt with, but the rest, although she knew that the consequences of putting them off would come back to haunt her, she could only cover her ears.
"I feel like I've come to school without having done all my summer homework. I'm the type of person who never turns in my homework, for one reason or another."
"I don't really get it, but isn't that a good thing? On the contrary, I'm feeling really heavy-hearted right now. It's not that I feel guilty, but I know it's wrong and yet I just ignore it."
Subaru: "It's not our fault. I can say that defiantly, but I wonder if it'll be harder for you, Emilia-tan. I know how uncomfortable it is to see things getting worse with your own eyes."
It's frustrating to have to ignore a problem that should never be left unattended. I can agree with the guilt Emilia feels, but it's also true that there's nothing that can be done to make up for it.
In the end, I don't have enough power. So I have no choice but to call someone who has enough power.
"The earth dragon is ready. It's only been a few days since that big job, but Natsuki-san's Patrasche seems very motivated."
"He's a good, hardworking dog, right? It's probably not his current owner, but his previous owner's temperament that's the big factor. Do you think he'll have any problems finding his way? If he gets lost and stranded on the way, that's out of the question."
Suddenly, Otto, who had been speaking to the two earth dragons, Patrasche and Furufoo, from the carriage's driver's seat, joined the conversation.
The blessing of 『Spirit of Words』 only worked on Otto, so to an outsider, his appearance as he exchanged words with the earth dragon looked like someone who had completely gone mad, but that wasn't mentioned.
Without noticing Subaru's lukewarm gaze, Otto simply took in the content of Subaru's question and nodded, "Yes."
"Frederica's teaching method seems to be good, so there shouldn't be any problems. I think we can arrive in less than half a day."
"I see...But are you seriously going to come with me?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Subaru nodded in approval at Otto, then asked a question, and he stomped loudly on the wooden floor, his eyes widened,
"After all, it will be my first time meeting the Margrave. I was the one who asked for the introduction, but when I imagine how Natsuki will do it without me being there… it's so scary that I can't just leave it to him."
"Oh come on, it makes me embarrassed when you trust me like that."
"Yes, that's true, even though we've only known each other a short time I have more than enough trust in you—you're the kind of person who can accurately do the things that Natsuki-san wouldn't want me to do!"
Subaru pursed his lips in response to what he had been told, and Emilia, who had been listening in silence up until then, suddenly burst out laughing.
When the men all turned to look at her, she raised her hand slightly,
"Really, you two get along so well. Whenever I see you two fighting on friendly terms like that, it makes me jealous."
Subaru: "If you want, you can get along with Emilia-tan too, but we won't fight and we'll be flirting. I'll give up the time I'll spend fighting with Emilia-tan to my communication time with Otto, and in return I'll get the friendship elements from my communication time with Otto."
"If that happens, all that will remain between me and Natsuki will be exchanging insults and punches, right?!"
Subaru was fairly confident in his eloquent or perhaps malicious skills, but he was still unsure about fighting Otto in hand-to-hand combat, because he knew from experience that although Otto looked like a gentle man, he was actually quite well-trained.
In the previous loop, he had been thrown away after an exchange of insults. Even though he knew the other person was not an amateur and had information, he would likely lose if he went head-on.
"When I think about it like that, my military strength is really low. I knew it, but it's still depressing."
As mentioned before, he lost to Otto, and of course he couldn't beat Emilia even with magic. He was completely outmatched by Frederica, not to mention the sleeping Rem and the secluded Beatrice. So, the only opponents Subaru could beat in the mansion rankings were-
"Oh, by the way, I can't find Petra, who I think I can beat. What's wrong?"
"I'm afraid to ask how it all came down to a win-lose situation, but Petra was at the mansion just now... ah, she came out."
Astounded at Subaru's seemingly hollow victory by process of elimination, Emilia's amethyst eyes flickered slightly as she looked towards the mansion. Drawn in that direction, she saw a young girl running towards her, the hem of her brand new waitress uniform flapping.
"Wait, please wait. Subaru, Subaru-sama…"
"There's no need to be in such a hurry. It's bad manners to suddenly leave. I'm not Otto, so I wouldn't do something like that. Right, Otto?"
Do you remember what you said three seconds ago?
Smiling at the girl, who was breathing heavily with her hands on her knees, Subaru made a joke about Otto while he waited for her to calm down. Then, after lightly wiping her forehead, Petra raised her face.
Her flushed cheeks and round eyes were adorable. She took a long breath to release her fatigue, and her angelic features transformed into a smile.
"I wanted to give you this before you leave. Please take it."
Saying this, she handed me a plain, ordinary handkerchief.
The white fabric with gold trim conveys its high quality and exquisite craftsmanship to your fingertips.
"Embroidery...huh? Wow, you're good at it."
The surface of the white fabric was decorated with embroidery that was likely sewn by Petra. The grey, pink, and black threads were a familiar sight to Subaru, and Emilia, peering at it from the side, let out a small "Ahaha" and laughed.
"It's a picture of Puck that Subaru drew, right? Amazing, so well done."
"My deformation pack is really well done. You probably didn't have a chance to see it."
"I made sure to get the stamp after the Lazio exercises every morning."
Petra, who had forgotten how to use honorifics, pulled out from around her neck the stamp card Subaru had made and given to the children of the village - every time they took part in the morning radio exercises, he stamped a picture he had carved into a piece of taro leaf onto it.
The latest one is stuck on Puck's deformed "Melancholy Monday," so she must have used that as a model and worked hard to sew.
"But it's really well done. As a sewing master, I can't lose to this."
"Will you take it... no, will you take it?"
"Would you please accept it? Of course, I'll gratefully accept it. I feel a little guilty about using it to wipe away the blood, sweat, and tears that have been lost, but you can keep it in your bosom as a talisman."
He carefully folded the handkerchief and tucked it away in his chest, then looked at Petra. Then, as kindly as he could, he narrowed his eyes, which looked vicious from the outside, and gave her a wicked smile that bared his teeth. Petra, in response, put her hands to her reddening cheeks and turned her face away.
"I look forward to your safe return. Oh, and your sister and that annoying person too."
"I feel like an extra."
"Wasn't my evaluation pretty bad just now?!"
Petra casually followed Emilia and treated Otto like an afterthought, making him smile wryly. Her fearlessness was endearing in a way, but when he saw Frederica standing behind Petra and exhaling intense pressure as she watched her, he couldn't help thinking that.
I'm sure that after Subaru and the others leave, Frederica's maid training will become even stricter and she will attack the young girl. Petra, stay strong.
"Well then, although it's a little sad, I guess it's time to depart."
"If we talk too much here, there will be no point in leaving so early in the morning."
Giving up on the atmosphere that seemed as if the conversation could go on forever, Subaru put his foot on the carriage and climbed into the bed. Then he reached his hand down,
"Please, Emilia-tan. Into my arms."
"Maybe it'll be nice to see the view from the coachman's seat once in a while?"
「Ahh, how cold! E.M.K (Emilia-tan, serious, little devil)! ――Wha-!」
Subaru was about to pull his hand back after being treated so rudely, but Emilia forcefully pulled him and he leaned forward, passing by lightly.
Her dancing silver hair tickled the tip of her nose, and with a small thud her body landed on the dragon carriage. She then sat down gently opposite Subaru, tilting her head as he stared at her intently.
"what happened?"
"Nnnnn, nothing special?"
As he spoke, Subaru's footsteps seemed to get stronger as he made his way next to her and sat down heavily. Emilia smiled at how well he'd used the spacious interior, even though it was cramped.
Otto, who had been watching the exchange between the two, muttered, "I can't keep up with this," and sat down in the driver's seat, gripping the reins and looking up towards the main gate.
"Well then, we're off. Please don't bite your tongue or anything."
"You too, don't shake me too much. If you want to brake suddenly, please do so with the predetermined signal. Otherwise I won't be able to push Emilia down properly."
"Is that what you're thinking?"
"I! I haven't heard about that evil plan, but when did you become an accomplice?!"
Emilia looked at both Subaru and Otto with a look of contempt, and Otto cried out that he was falsely accused, but no one took him seriously. Subaru raised his hand, thinking that it was fitting for him to shout unreasonably like that.
"Well then, let's head for the Sanctuary!"
"How dare you say that!?"
"He's not into that kind of thing," Subaru muttered to himself as Otto was rambling on in the driver's seat, and then he stuck his head out the window and turned to face the two of them who were seeing him off.
"Well then, I'll leave it to you while I'm away. And also... please take good care of Rem."
"Please leave it to me. In return, I ask that you please take good care of Lady Emilia and your husband."
"Be careful and come back safely."
As Subaru said his farewell speech, all playful emotion gone, both Frederica and Petra grabbed the ends of their skirts and bowed.
After that ridiculously polite exchange, Subaru was finally able to relax――or, unfortunately, not quite, but he had managed to tear his attention away from the mansion,
"Hey, haven't you left yet, Otto? It's slow."
"I can't accept this treatment!!"
And so ended the exchange to ease tension before departure.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
"I'm going to have to teach you how to use honorific language and bow properly again."
"I'm sorry. I was just... a little spoiled."
Petra's mannerisms as she bowed deeply were almost perfect copies of Frederica's teachings. She was a quick learner and good at understanding things, making her a truly rewarding student.
His behavior up until now was appropriate for someone his age, so there was no need to get upset about it.
"I know that you were close to Subaru-sama and Emilia-sama until recently. Still, you must not lose sight of the relationship between servant and employer."
"--Yes. I am truly sorry."
The girl is well aware that her previous behavior was selfish.
She could have followed her teachings and behaved as if she was supposed to, and seen Subaru and the others off. But there must have been a reason why she chose to leave her role as a servant and see them off as a normal girl. A small reason, but one that she couldn't compromise on.
"It would be rude to touch upon that point. I will add that amount to the dictation this afternoon."
"Wow...are there more assignments?"
"I'm sure you were prepared for that. The fact that you've properly calculated that it will be enough makes you a student with a bright future."
After saying this, Frederica clapped her hands and continued, "Now,"
"Even if Lady Emilia and the others are away, Lady Beatrice will be at the mansion. We can't afford to neglect the cooking and cleaning. If we don't finish quickly, we won't have time to study. Petra, hurry up and get to work."
"Yes, teacher. I'll finish it right away!"
Seeing the girl take off, the corners of Frederica's mouth loosened slightly, exposing her fangs. Hiding her smile with her hand in a practiced manner, Frederica turned to look at the dragon carriage, which was already nowhere to be seen - towards Emilia and the others who had left the mansion,
"This does as you commanded, sir. Whether or not we can cross the 'Sanctuary' is up to Emilia-sama and Subaru-sama."
With her eyes closed, she bathes in the wind.
"Can you overcome this paradise, bound by the blood of the witch, from which there is no escape――"
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
"So, Puck hasn't shown his face in ages after all."
"Yes, that's true. I've called out to him many times, and I can sense his presence in the crystal stones, but... this is the first time he's not appeared in public for such a long time, so I'm a bit worried."
As the dragon carriage sped along smoothly, the only sound that could be heard inside the carriage was the conversation between Subaru and Emilia, who were sitting next to each other.
In a dragon carriage under the protection of the 『Windbreak』, the sound of the wind and other outside noises are mostly shut out. Even though we were traveling at a considerable speed, there was minimal shaking and no sound, so it felt like a kind of dream.
Perhaps this kind of luxurious feeling could be experienced in a special seat on the Shinkansen. However, Subaru has never even been in a special seat, let alone a non-reserved seat.
In any case, the only definite sound in the quiet car was the words exchanged between the two of them. The topic of their conversation was the unusual events of the past few days - the absence of Koneko, who was always by Emilia's side and always got in the way of Subaru's attempts to approach her.
"Now that I think about it, you haven't shown your face since we returned to the mansion. The last time I saw you was..."
"I was at Lady Crusch's mansion in the royal capital. I thought everything was normal, but for some reason, I hadn't seen you since morning. Even when I called out to you, you didn't even show up… I was getting worried, wondering if I'd upset you."
Emilia looked down, trying not to show her face to Subaru as she played with the ends of her hair with her fingers. For the past few days, her hair had been tied in a silver braid.
As Subaru stared at her, she seemed to understand the intention of his gaze and nodded, "Yes."
"The final contract I made the day I spoke with Pac was, 'My hair will be in braids.' I haven't been told what to do with it since then, so I'm sticking to that."
"So your hairstyle was really your contract with Puck. That's pretty light...light, really? They say a woman's hair is her life, so making a contract with Puck is the same as holding her life in his hands."
"I think that's a really light price. I didn't know this until we left the forest, but even Roswaal was surprised that the conditions were so light to make a contract with a spirit like Puck. Apparently, it would require a much larger amount of mana and more complicated conditions."
Subaru nodded thoughtfully once to Emilia, who had loosened her lips weakly. However, he immediately tugged the corners of his mouth up to shake off her weak smile.
Subaru: "Well, it's just that I'm restricting part of Emilia-tan's time, but from my point of view, I'd say that's an incredibly heavy price to pay."
"If you say things like that too casually, they'll just slip up. If it's something important, I'd rather you save it for a more important time."
Emilia was dissatisfied with Subaru, who was starting to become more blatant in his approach. In response, Subaru raised both hands and shook his head,
"I've saved some special lines to tell Emilia-tan on important occasions. These are just a few sweet things I say to her on a regular basis."
"Really, Subaru is really good with words… Wait, your face might be a little red, so don't look at me."
Laughing at Emilia who turned her palm over to hide her face, Subaru confirmed that he had achieved his goal. Then, returning to the topic he had left, he continued, "Even so..."
Subaru: "With Puck absent, I am seriously worried about our fighting strength on this journey. Otto can't be relied upon in terms of military strength either, and needless to say, I'm no good. And, it'll be tough for Emilia-tan too without Puck, right?"
"Oh, so that's what you're saying. I should mention that I can still use magic even without Puck. I have contracts not only with Puck, but also with the micro-spirits. I can communicate with them without any problems so I can fight. I'll protect you if anything happens."
Subaru: "Oh my, how handsome. And how pathetic I am. One of these days I'll be the one saying that to Emilia-tan, so just wait a bit."
"I guess I'll just wait without getting my hopes up."
As if to prove what Emilia said, the glow of spirits began to gather around her raised fingertips. They were similar to Julius' quasi-spirits, but their presence felt a little weaker than those of those micro-spirits - their output was a world apart compared to Puck's, but it was clear that this group was not at least a powerless group.
It's a bit pathetic that she's the only girl in the group, and has no choice but to rely on the person she loves.
"If you start thinking about it, my reliance on others hasn't changed since the White Whale. I was totally dependent on Rem, and even before that…wait, I've never actually gotten through anything on my own!"
Of course, this is from his perspective, and the results are an extreme underestimation.
Either way, there was no one there with enough information to hear it or reprimand him, so Subaru's shocking recollection was brushed aside after he had deeply reflected on it.
"But, a 'Sanctuary'. I wonder what it's really like."
After finishing his reflection, Subaru absentmindedly muttered such things while gazing out the small window at the scenery outside.
The first time I heard the word "Sanctuary" was probably during the loop at the mansion - during the second loop in this world. I missed the opportunity to talk about "Sanctuary" and kept putting it off, and now it's here.
There was one time when she had attempted to flee to the Sanctuary to escape the Witch Cult, but this was also prevented by the brutal acts of Betelgeuse.
As a result, to Subaru, the Sanctuary was nothing more than an unknown place. The nickname did not give the impression of danger, but the several warnings that Frederica spoke of along with the term Sanctuary tightened up his loosening thoughts. Among them,
"Watch out for Garfiel, huh?"
"Subaru has never met him either. I've only heard his name. Frederica didn't tell me any details either."
Emilia joined in Subaru's mutterings, knitting her neatly shaped eyebrows together in anxiety. She was probably recalling the same scene as Subaru.
A scene with Frederica in which Garfiel's name was mentioned as someone to watch out for, but she refused to say anything more about him.
Even when Subaru complained about the information being given out in small doses, she stubbornly refused to back down, saying, "It's a pledge." For some reason, Emilia and others were put off by this.
"I should have found out after all. I know that he's a dangerous person, but I think it's a bit too brazen to only know his name."
"It can't be helped, it's a vow. Agreements are sacred and inviolable, and must never be violated. Contracts, covenants, and oaths may differ in weight, but they should all be treated as the same."
Waving her finger, Emilia said this as if to convince Subaru.
Contracts, oaths, pledges - all these things that sounded like nothing more than wordplay, I suddenly had a question on my tongue,
"What is between Emilia-tan and Puck is a contract. What Frederica cannot give in to because she feels obligated to Roz-chan is a vow. And what is the covenant that the kingdom made with the dragon... is that right? Is something different?"
"I don't use them that clearly, but I think a contract is an agreement between individuals. A vow is a promise made by one person to another. A covenant is something that transcends individuals and time. That's the way I was taught."
"I see. If that's your understanding then it certainly meets the conditions."
Subaru nodded in understanding to Emilia's explanation, then roughly scratched his head and continued, "But,"
"You've embellished that statement with some rather grandiose language. The agreement is sacred and inviolable, right?"
"Promises... promises are important things. Vows, of course, but even contracts don't have the power to force you to keep them. But even if they don't, you still keep your promises. You make an effort to keep them, right? Even if no one is watching, even if no one notices, you keep your promises. Both yourself and the other party will do their best to do so."
Placing her hand on her chest, Emilia stares at Subaru, who had casually asked the question. His tone is gentle, and there is in no way any blame on him. It makes her heart ache all the more.
"Because I believe that, I can work hard to fulfill the promise I made. A promise is meant to bind that trust between two people, right?"
「I'm truly sorry about that section――!」
Feeling no shaking inside the car, Subaru crawled on the floor and bowed his head directly.
Emilia blinked in surprise as she saw DOGEZA rubbing his forehead against the floor, then after a few seconds she recalled what she had said and seemed to understand Subaru's actions,
"Oh, I wasn't blaming Subaru or anything. It's true that Subaru didn't keep his promise to me, and he didn't apologize properly and just acted defiant, so it's true that I was like, 'What the hell?'"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch, my ears hurt!"
"Afterwards, I realized that I had been too one-sided. It was my fault for not trying to make amends with Subaru right away. I'm really sorry."
"It hurts, it hurts, my chest hurts!"
Emilia: "Even regarding the agreement, maybe I was thinking too deeply about it. You see, I'm a spiritist, so I'm more familiar with contracts than the average person. To a spiritist, contracts with spirits are something to be treasured above all else, so I became overly sensitive about it… yes, promises are very, very important to me. Subaru, you really should reflect on your actions."
"It hurts, it hurts, my heart hurts!"
As he spoke, the very real conflicts of that time seemed to start to bubble up in his mind, and Emilia began to look a little sulky, causing Subaru to bow deeply.
It was now clear why she had been so indignant in the waiting room at the royal castle.
She wasn't angry just because he'd broken a promise. To her, a promise itself was something that carried a very heavy meaning. Even a kind-hearted girl like her could not have remained calm in the face of Subaru breaking it so carelessly.
Subaru had unconsciously trampled on something precious in Emilia's heart.
"Have you reflected on your actions?"
"I have reflected on this. Deeper than the ocean, higher than the mountains, wider than the sky, and grander than the universe."
"Well then, I forgive you."
As Subaru looked up, Emilia lightly poked his forehead with her finger, placed the finger over her lips and gave a faint smile. Subaru was relieved that there was no anger in her voice, and her subsequent gesture was so cute that he was speechless.
Without noticing Subaru opening and closing his mouth like a breathing fish, Emilia suddenly turned her head in the direction they were heading,
"Sanctuary, Garfiel. And Roswaal and the villagers... there are so many people I need to talk to, I'm getting excited."
"Don't worry, I won't put Emilia-tan in any danger. Please trust me as your second shield."
"Second? Well then, what's first?"
"Right now, he's driving the dragon carriage and flirting with my Patrasche."
Subaru, with a nonchalant look on his face, nonchalantly called Otto a human shield, and this time Emilia couldn't contain herself and burst out laughing. Satisfied with the smile that erupted from her face, Subaru thought of the many obstacles that awaited them, just as she had mentioned them.
Ever since coming to this other world, he has had no time to relax as one problem after another continues to arise.
Even though they are on the way to the Sanctuary, Subaru feels more anxious than excited about this unknown place. Frederica had personally encouraged this, and there are many suspicious circumstances, such as the fact that the villagers, including Roswaal, have not returned. Furthermore, Subaru and his friends themselves have many regrets, such as Puck not responding to their calls and there being unsettling factors remaining in the mansion.
"Were you thinking about Rem?"
"...Do you understand?"
Gazing at the silent Subaru's profile, Emilia tilted her head.
With that gesture, her silver hair slid off her shoulders, and as she picked up the ends of them with her fingers, she shook the tail of her braid and said, "I know."
"I wish you'd think that I was watching you just as much as you were watching me."
"So, Emilia-tan, you're always looking at me and thinking about me?"
"Ah, I think it's about half of half of that."
"That means three hours...!"
"Half of half of half of that..."
"If I hear the exact numbers it'll hurt, so that's enough!"
As Emilia broke it down into smaller pieces to come up with a realistic figure, Subaru let out a small sigh and scratched his cheek,
"I've left it to Frederica and Petra, so there's nothing to be worried about. I'm not worried at all… but even though I shouldn't have, this feeling of anxiety wells up inside me, and I can't really put it into words."
"It's okay to be worried. It just means it's that important. I'm a little jealous that you think that much of me."
Subaru: "Just so you know, I care about Emilia-tan just as much… You were trying to make me say that just now, weren't you?"
"Yeah, I was mean. Sorry."
All he has to do is stick out his tongue and apologise, and everything is forgiven.
Subaru involuntarily cleared his throat, and Emilia looked up and said, "But,"
"I'm more worried about Beatrice."
"...Could it be that Emilia-tan and I have a mutual connection? I can totally see the ending now."
"Usually he'd act tough and say, 'I'm not worried at all,' but today he couldn't even say that. It's proof that he's really worried."
Having been hit right on the mark, Subaru was speechless and bit his lip, a frustrated expression on his face.
But soon that expression was replaced with another,
"I'm not that worried, you know? It's just that we had what seemed like a falling out and I haven't been able to see each other even once. I feel a little uneasy about leaving the mansion like this and not seeing each other. Yes, just a little. Just a little, just the tip."
"That sounds kind of obscene, but maybe I'm just imagining it."
"Well, it's not just your imagination, it's my fault."
While hiding his delight at the reaction he had aimed for, Subaru watched with a smile as Emilia tilted her head in confusion,
"If that makes Bearko's withdrawal worse, then as a former hikikomori myself, I feel a great deal of responsibility."
Subaru: "Shut-in… I'm sure you're knowledgeable about that, aren't you? Beatrice, do you think you can come out?"
"This is a difficult point. It's no good to force them without any real trigger, but on the other hand taking your time is spoiling them too much. Really, all of those shut-ins are a real pain to deal with...ah! Me too!"
Once the usual punchline was reached, the conversation changed direction.
In any case, since we have decided to head to the 『Sanctuary』, that resolution will have to be put off for now.
"When I get back, I have to talk to Bearko about a lot of things. In the end, I didn't get to find out the things I needed to find out."
"I feel like Beatrice and Puck know something and are hiding it."
"I agree. Like Frederica, the people connected to that mansion have a habit of only saying suggestive things and putting off the answer-part. It's a disease at this point. And it's a bad disease. That girl, Bearko, returned the Gospel and only said the things that bothered me."
The Gospel that Beatrice had pushed back along with her suggestive words was still safely in Subaru's possession. If it had only been baggage, he could have left it behind, but he brought it with him so that he could question Roswaal about it if the worst happened.
It's a bit creepy, so I hide it quietly at the bottom of the bag.
"--It seems we've entered a forest."
Suddenly, Emilia looked up, brushing her bangs away from her forehead, and blurted out the words as she looked around. Subaru also looked up, but from inside the carriage he couldn't confirm the veracity of her words. He walked over to the small window and looked outside, and sure enough, he could see that the green was getting darker.
"You knew it well even without looking outside."
"I'm mixed, but I do have elven blood in me. Elves and forests are inseparably linked, so much so that I'm called the forest clan---"
And then, as Emilia spoke with a fleeting smile on her face,
A sudden sensation lightly stimulated Subaru's skin, and he looked around to see what was going on. Of course, there was nothing visible affecting the surroundings.
The inside of the dragon carriage was still separated from the outside world by the protection of the 『Windbreak』.
However,
"--!? Hey, wait a second!"
"――――"
Emilia's slender body shook and shook, and just as she was about to collapse, defenseless, Subaru slid in and caught her.
Emilia, whose arms had been caught in his embrace with such force that she was sliding across the floor, had gone limp, and with her eyes closed she was gasping softly, with a pained look on her face.
"Eh, Emilia-tan?! What is it, Emilia?!"
Emilia doesn't seem to be able to reply. She looks distressed, but apart from her rapid, shallow breathing and facial expression, she doesn't have a fever or break out in a sweat.
Subaru picked up her light body, and immediately decided that he couldn't solve the problem himself. He ran to the front of the carriage and violently shoved his head into the small window connected to the driver's seat,
"Otto! Something's wrong, Emilia suddenly collapsed! Do you need some kind of medicine or something..."
"Um, Natsuki, I'm sorry."
Subaru's panicked words were cut short, and Otto, who should have been the one receiving the call, turned towards him, sweat pouring from his forehead and his voice losing strength.
He noticed two changes - first, the dragon carriage had stopped. Patrasche and Foulfou had stopped, stranded in the middle of a group of trees. The flapping around just now had been so sensational that they hadn't even noticed that the carriage had stopped, but now a bigger problem had arisen.
That was the second big changeーー,
"You've got guts, coming straight at me again, outsider."
Contrary to what the words suggest, these spat-out lines contain not the slightest bit of friendly sentiment.
Just one word reveals the character of the person who said it.
That impression was correct, and the appearance of the person standing in front of the dragon carriage did not betray it.
He had short, blond hair that stood out, and a white scar on his forehead. His sharp eyes were just as ferocious as Subaru's, who had always been mocked for having white eyes, and his canines were awfully white, like those of a wild feline. His hunched back made him short for a man, but he exuded a fierce, demonic aura that did not allow others to insult him for his small stature.
"I don't know who you're from or where you're from, but it's the one that says, 'The more a spike penetrates something, the more thin and fragile it becomes.'"
"Huh?"
Subaru exclaimed in shock at the phrase he'd never heard before, and the person who heard it seemed to have decided that he was scared, as he let out a sigh of relief and laughed,
"Huh? Don't be scared, hey. You guys are definitely unlucky. After all, you were trying to sneak into this place, and to top it off, I'm the one who ran into you."
The man laughed ferociously, his teeth clicking as he clacked his fangs, clasped his fists together, and lowered his body into a fighting stance. In that position, he looked up at me without saying a word,
"You were unlucky enough to come before Lord Garfiel. You'll end up like a 'bad boy masochist who drifts from side to side!'"
The thug who introduced himself uttered a defiant yell that conveyed no intention behind it as he stomped his feet to the ground.
Immediately afterwards, Subaru and the others were hit by a shockwave that seemed to turn the world upside down.