Frederica lowered her eyes as she spoke of her younger brother.
The emotions expressed in the film are complex, like both negative emotions and affection. Although this may be a common sentiment towards one's family.
"Even if the barrier can be broken through physically, it's a mental problem that prevents him from crossing it... is that what you think?"
"In truth, she didn't respond to my call even though I'm her sister. She followed me until we were about to leave the barrier, but in the end she chose to stay with Grandma inside the barrier rather than go with me."
"Grandmother...are you talking about Lewes?"
"That child may have a bad mouth, but he really adores Grandma. Unless Grandma's wish is fulfilled, there's no way he'll come out into the world."
Although he is often seen calling her an old hag, it is clear to anyone that Garfiel feels more affection for Ryuzu than just a sense of familiarity. He has even called him a tsundere, and that is certainly true.
In any case, even if it was discovered, it wasn't like the situation would change in any way.
"In the end, it doesn't change the fact that breaking through the Trials is a necessary condition for unlocking the Sanctuary. It's a disappointing result."
"I'm sorry I couldn't meet your expectations... Is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
"To the extent that you can answer, right?"
"I'm sorry."
Subaru snorted in response to Frederica's silent affirmation and made a list of several other questions. However, judging from past trends, it was probably
"Is it okay to ask about Roswaal's true intentions?"
"My lord, I intend to support Emilia-sama and have her become the king of Lugnica. I can state this without any doubt."
"If you prefaced it with that statement when you asked about my true intentions, that means you, too, think that Roswaal's actions just now are not in line with that, right?"
Subaru: "Neither I nor Ram would deny that they have chosen a roundabout and difficult to understand method."
She looks troubled as she responds, implicitly expressing her appreciation for Roswaal's actions.
It was as if the doubts Subaru had were accepted as natural, yet the key to solving those doubts was forbidden to be shown to him.
"I can't say anything more without Roswaal's permission."
"I am sorry. But I can tell you this much… I am on Emilia-sama and Subaru-sama's side. As long as the two of you have the will to win the royal election, that much is certain."
"That's a really concerning phrase… but oh well. Putting Roswaal aside, I'm starting to think that I can trust Frederica. When someone is as devoted to Roswaal as Ram is, it's hard to judge, regardless of my own feelings."
Subaru likes Ram as a person, but that doesn't necessarily translate into absolute trust, making their relationship difficult.
At the very least, Roswaal remains her absolute priority, and since she cannot fully trust Roswaal now, she has no choice but to reserve judgment on Ram.
"If you can't tell us Roswaal's true intentions... what do you mean by the 'Sanctuary' being an experimental site? That's what Garfiel said."
"An experimental field?"
"You also said it was a place for people with nowhere to go. To be honest, I could imagine what it meant when we talked about demi-humans earlier. Roswaal is said to have a fetish for demi-humans, and he lets half-Japanese people with nowhere to go live in the "Sanctuary." But."
The word "experimental site" is ominous, and I don't understand Roswaal's intention in gathering the half-humans there, which in a sense is no exaggeration to say is abducting and imprisoning them.
Or, if things go wrong, Emilia might end up teaming up with someone she shouldn't be teaming up with.
"In the first place, even if it's not the 'Witch of Envy', wouldn't it be a big deal if it was discovered that the family has been looking after a facility connected to witches for generations? I've heard that there are no records left behind, but the fact is that it's still there in the graveyard."
"The very meaning of the word 'witch' has taken on a negative connotation. The people around me probably won't think of the 'Witch of Greed' who has a contract with my master as being a kind person. I believe you are right in your concerns, Subaru-sama."
"I'm glad that we're all of the same mind that the existence of the 'Sanctuary' is a problem. So, does the Testing Grounds help us to further overwrite that understanding?"
"...Originally, that place was a hidden village where the 'Witch of Greed' gathered the half-humans to conduct certain experiments. It is unknown what kind of negotiations took place between the witch and the Mathers family, who owned the land at the time, but it seems that due to this contract, the Mathers family has been in charge of managing and maintaining the 'Sanctuary' for generations."
Subaru sorted out the information as he nodded along to what Frederica was saying. The circumstances up to that point had been vague, and he had pieced together the information from the people who had been in the Sanctuary and linked it to his understanding. The problem then became,
"What experiments was the witch doing with the half-humans, and why is Roswaal still keeping the contract even after the witch's death...?"
"The latter reason is simple. The contents of the contract are that until the Sanctuary is liberated, you must maintain the Sanctuary in accordance with the oath you made with the witch. The environment of the Sanctuary cannot function without regular people entering."
"So, it's treated as a hideaway for troubled half-Japanese people. Hearing that, it does seem like what Roswaal is doing is part of a charitable project."
As long as discrimination does exist, it is necessary to secure a place where these people can find peace of mind. If Roswaal is fulfilling that role, then we must reassess him.
"It seems that not all of them are half-Japanese who insist on staying in that place. In fact, the fact that there are many people who follow Lewes-san and want the 'Sanctuary' to be liberated means that's what it means, right?"
"...The prejudice against the demi-humans has faded considerably. The reason my brother and I entered Sanctuary was not because of our blood, but rather because we simply had no other place to belong. Sanctuary will eventually be liberated. --And that is why I..."
Frederica shut her eyes tightly and stopped speaking. Her attitude left Subaru in silence, and after a short pause he timidly began to speak.
"This may just be my own assumption, but... could it be that Frederica left Sanctuary because she was thinking about what would happen after Sanctuary was liberated?"
"...Why do you think so?"
"Why? Well, you look so sad when you talk about the Sanctuary, and yet you still left your hometown to come here. It can only be for your own sake or someone else's. And..."
Scratching her cheek, the image that came to her mind was of a young man with short, blonde hair and a tough look. He was a stubborn man who looked identical to the kind-hearted woman in front of her, but only in the way he spoke.
"If Garfiel's tendency to hide his true feelings is something he shares with his sister, then it's not strange that his actions are so full of consideration that it's embarrassing. You know... weren't you here to create a place where the Sanctuary can be liberated someday, so that those who come out won't get into any trouble? You're working here out of gratitude to Roswaal, of course, but I think there's more to it than that... That's what I've been thinking."
Realizing that his logic was beginning to take a leap as he spoke quickly, Subaru tried to suppress his embarrassment as he glanced at Frederica from the sidelines. If she laughed at him for being completely off the mark, it would simply be because Subaru was too passionate and embarrassing, but
"When a new world opens up... I wanted to be able to lead you there."
A smile appeared on Frederica's face as she spoke.
However, this was not some sort of sarcasm towards Subaru for voicing an irrelevant opinion; rather, it was simply a feeling of liberation as he reexamined the state of his own heart, and confided it to another person.
"Having been raised in that place, I now want to create an environment in which the feelings that come from that place can be nurtured. If I can help even in one way to create that environment, then I believe that there will surely be a meaning to my birth... even though I may have been born unwanted."
"Not wanted, that's just..."
"There's no need for words of comfort. The way things were, I can't imagine that my mother wanted to conceive me. In truth, she abandoned both me and my brother at the Sanctuary. That's the answer... but, I didn't want the story to end with just that answer, which is why I'm here now."
It's a question that she has already answered.
That is why Subaru's sympathy, who only knows the surface, does not resonate with her heart. Above all, she has chosen a choice that does not end with the answer she has come up with.
--That's strong, I honestly think. Her convictions were so strong that I admired her.
"...Does Garfiel know your true feelings? What if you did know and still didn't follow me?"
"I told my younger brother everything I was worried about. But he still didn't come with me… that's the choice he made. He chose to protect what was easy to lose, rather than go and obtain what was hard to come by. So that's the story behind why our paths diverged."
"Protect...protect, right? Judging from her appearance, she didn't seem like the type of character who would choose to do that. Well, you can't really tell what's in someone's heart from the outside, though."
Touching his chin, Subaru tilted the tea cup in one go, drank the contents, and held back a burp. He then lightly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and prefaced it with, "And then,"
"I'm afraid you're dodging the question, so I'll go back on it. But what about the word 'experimental field'? Are you able to talk about what the experiments were… or do you even know what they were?"
"Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the details or purpose of the experiment. In the first place, once the Witch of Greed died, it was impossible to continue the experiment. All that remains is the facility, and the Mathers family is simply maintaining it."
"When you think about it like that, it's just pointless. I know firsthand that it's important to keep a promise, but what's the point in continuing to keep one when it's been four hundred years since the other person died?"
"If my husband and his family had not kept that promise, my brother and I would not have had the peace we had during our childhood."
"Um... that's, erm... I didn't think about it enough. Sorry."
Frederica burst out laughing at Subaru's honest apology.
After that, she emptied her own cup, collected the one Subaru had emptied, and stood up.
"This has been a long conversation. Let's call it a day. What are your plans from now on, Subaru-sama?"
"Originally, I was just accompanying the people of Arlam Village back to their village. Once I've found out what I wanted to know, I'll head back quickly… but it looks like it's going to be tough today, so I'll probably have to wait until tomorrow morning."
"I see. In that case, Petra will be in high spirits tonight and tomorrow morning. Though it's hard to say whether that's a good thing, considering how distracted she'll be."
"I'm glad to hear that Petra's education is progressing. How is Petra now?"
"It's about time you returned to the village and showed yourselves to the people who had returned. I told you to do so."
Before I even told her my intentions, Frederica had already figured it out, as expected.
Watching the man noisily carry the cup away, Subaru also stood up from his seat and counted down the things he had left to do.
What I was able to get out of Frederica was only half of what I wanted to know. Still, I felt I had gained enough information to make some inferences.
Now all that's left is to find that last person who might know more about the situation.
"It'll take some time, but let's try and wipe out the whole mansion first..."
Subaru's shoulders slumped in the face of the hard work that lay ahead.
As she left the room, Frederica glanced at him and said in a low voice,
"I don't know the details or the purpose… but I do know the outcome of this experiment. When people find out, when they find out… I wonder what they'll think."
What he muttered didn't reach Subaru, who was lost in thought.
※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※
Everyone in the mansion knew how troublesome Beatrice's 『Door Crossing』 was, but I think it was only after he returned from the royal capital that Subaru really realized just how troublesome it was.
His intuition when presented with multiple options - it was purely a matter of instinct, but it was one of the few things Subaru could be proud of.
Subaru's ability to pick the correct answer for no particular reason when asked a multiple-choice question with no hints was in some ways an extremely unpopular skill, seen as an inability to read the atmosphere, but in this world it was useful in that it contributed to the rate at which he would encounter Beatrice.
That intuition hasn't been working well since he returned from the royal capital.
"That's strange. I should have been able to visit all the doors in the mansion with this..."
Subaru closed the door to the toilet stall that he had opened in the hope that this would be the last time, and expressed his disappointment at not achieving his goal by sighing and tilting his head.
With this, Subaru's total wins in the Bear Girl guessing quiz since returning from the royal capital were one disastrous loss. Considering that his batting average up until that point had been close to 100%, it was hard to describe him as in a slump. At this point, Subaru had no choice but to admit it.
"Oh man, it looks like you're seriously avoiding me."
Ram had once said that no one could defeat Beatrice's ``Door Crossing'' when she was serious, but Subaru had overturned that common sense without any particular basis. And somehow, Subaru felt a sense of superiority over Beatrice -- in this case, it wasn't about being defeated in ``Door Crossing'', but about having a greater advantage over her than anyone else in the mansion.
Subaru: "Just because of how we parted ways at the end, there's no way she'd be this determined to shut herself in. …If she doesn't show her face, she can't even fight or apologize."
She didn't know what it was about Subaru's words back then that made her choose to reject him so vigorously. She didn't know, but if they remained physically separated like this, the things they didn't know would remain unknown. She didn't want that to happen.
Even disregarding the urgent reason that he wanted to find out something from her, Subaru wanted to meet Beatrice and have a conversation with her.
It didn't matter if they spoke nasty words to him. Or if they looked down on him and made fun of him. His everyday life had been lost. When Subaru found out about it, he couldn't bear the idea of his everyday life disappearing again. Even so, he knew that this was a selfish thought.
"Puck and Bearko won't even let me speak at this crucial time."
Neither Puck, who was still hiding, nor Beatrice, who had shut herself away in space, were showing themselves at the time when Emilia needed them most.
Relying on someone only when you're in trouble is just as terrible as relying on God in heaven.
However, the situation is too urgent to be immersed in sentimentality like that. With Elsa as a clear threat approaching the mansion, if they can't repel her, then evacuating everyone related to the mansion must be the top priority.
There was no way that Elsa would extend her murderous blade to the village of Arlam, which had no connection to the mansion. Therefore, ensuring the safety of those involved was of utmost importance to Subaru.
It won't be difficult to get Rem and Petra out. Frederica should be able to get them to act if he appeals to her professional sense. The only problem is Beatrice, who is difficult to even meet.
Previously, during the loop that had started in the royal capital, Subaru had failed to take her out of the mansion. The reason he was able to leave her there at that point was because he knew that the target of the Witch's Cult, which had been a threat, wasn't the mansion itself.
But this time is different. Elsa has entered the mansion and has no hesitation in wielding her blade. Regardless of the absence of her favorite, Emilia, her blade is likely only thinking about ripping open the stomachs of those present in the mansion.
It is unclear just how powerful Beatrice really is. However, Elsa possesses the fighting strength to fight on equal terms with Puck, who is under contract with Emilia, and in Subaru's imagination, she is a monster who may even be able to hold her own against Wilhelm.
If Beatrice were to come face to face with Elsa, Subaru simply could not picture her emerging victorious.
"Maybe my dislike for Elsa is too strong... Though it's only natural after she's been killed three times. --"
Subaru was walking down the corridor, pressing his hand to the phantom pain in his stomach, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. His gaze was directed at a door that was more expensive than any other in the mansion, and he was in the central room on the top floor of the mansion - in other words, Roswaal's office.
While the owner was absent, I was well aware that it would be more than just bad manners to just wander in without permission,
"By the way, there's something I want to check in this room."
As he said this, without any particular hesitation he put his hand on the door and went inside.
Naturally, the scene in the office he entered was unchanged from when he had opened all the doors in the mansion earlier. Since Roswaal himself, who was in charge of the office, had not returned, the state of the room was just as it had been when Subaru had made Otto organize the documents.
Otto had meticulously sorted out the clutter of documents and bookshelves, giving the room a feeling of cleanliness, as if it had just been cleaned. Subaru looked around the room, then headed towards the back of the room, to the two bookshelves lined up next to the ebony desk,
"There's a secret passage behind this bookshelf."
Subaru had confirmed the existence of a hidden passageway twice - it was probably meant to function as an escape route or something, but how it was activated and where it led were unknown information to him.
"It was open the last time Erza was attacked, so I think it's certain that we can escape from here... but the last time I went in, I froze to death on the way there."
The memory of being turned into an ice statue along with the Witch Cult, which had likely angered Puck. It was a horrifying memory of my fingers being torn off and my limbs being shattered, but it ended without any pain and many parts were unclear, so it wasn't something that made me tremble with fear. Of course, death is death. I have no intention of taking it lightly. Anyway,
"If we know where the evacuation route leads, we can plan for the worst case scenario. Or we could follow the evacuation route and enter the mansion...I don't think that situation will happen though."
Since safety is the top priority, it is essential to check the evacuation route. It probably leads somewhere in the mountains behind the mansion. As for the evacuation route, it would be even better if there were evacuation bags prepared along the way in case of a disaster.
"Just to be sure, I think we should find an evacuation route right away..."
So what exactly is needed to make the evacuation route gimmick work?
First of all he puts his hands on the bookshelf and tries to move it with all his might, but the bookshelf is so packed full with items that even Subaru uses all his strength to no avail. If he drops the contents outside and just leaves the shelves alone, he might be able to move it, though.
"There's no way they could take their time when it's essential to evacuate quickly, so there must be a switch or something somewhere that would activate it."
Thinking that, he rummages around behind desks and in the depths of bookshelves, but can't find any mechanism that looks like that. Although there is a scene where he pretends not to notice when he finds a second drawer at the bottom filled with jewels.
"I give up... At worst, it might not even be in this room."
"What's not in the room?"
"Of course, it's something like a hidden switch. I want to peek at the secret passage behind the bookshelf, and if I can't find it, the story won't move forward."
"Oh, you mean an escape route. In that case, this is the statue over there."
Petra tugged on Subaru's sleeve as he tilted his head. Subaru was pulled by her to look in that direction, and when he saw where the girl was pointing, he nodded and said, "I see."
"It was just a statue in the corner of the room... but does it have a mechanism?"
The statue, modeled after a human figure seated in a chair, was small enough to fit on a desk. It had a somewhat peculiar presence in the office, which had few furnishings, but Petra approached it without hesitation.
"Hey."
He let out a small shout and twisted the statue's head.
The statue's neck twisted and turned 180 degrees backwards. Subaru frowned, as if he was looking at a person with a broken shinbone, but immediately afterwards,
"O-o-o――"
The sound of something heavy sliding sideways echoed through the room, and Subaru turned to look as the bookshelf in question shifted to the left and right. After the bookshelf had shifted, what appeared was an entrance to darkness with enough space for a single person.
As the escape route they were looking for finally came into view, Subaru clenched his fist and pumped his fist in excitement.
"This, this, this is it. I was looking for this, thank you."
"Fufu, isn't that right? Big Sister Frederica taught me that properly. She told me to remember it as an escape route in case of emergency."
"All right, thank you very much. Now let's get started...Petra, when did this happen?"
"Now?!"
She had participated so naturally that Subaru, who was deep in thought, was slow to notice her presence. Petra pouted in annoyance at Subaru's harsh response,
"I went to the trouble of coming back in a hurry to help you, and now… Subaru-sama, I think that's a bit harsh."
"Well, I was feeling alone too and wondered who I was talking to. But the joy of having achieved my goal overwhelmed me and I didn't realize it until later. Sorry."
The girl turned her face away, sulking. Subaru apologised and lightly patted her head, then turned his attention back to the passage known as the evacuation route,
"By the way, Petra, have you heard from Frederica where this is leading?"
"Yes. Sister Frederica says that it's connected to a small hut halfway up the mountain behind us. There's a barrier separate from the one that wards off magical beasts, so it can't be seen from the outside."
"I see. So it really is a secret passage. But let's see for ourselves."
After ascertaining where on the mountain it would lead, it could be used as both an escape route and an infiltration route. Subaru rolled up his sleeves and, with a motivated look on his face, headed towards the entrance. Then, Petra followed behind him, making small footsteps.
"So, is Petra coming with us?"
"No?"
"It's not a bad idea, but even if you do come, there's probably nothing interesting there. You're just going to come out of pure curiosity to see where it leads, and then you'll just come right back."
"It's break time now, so I have some free time. Can I join you?"
Petra picked up the hem of her shirt and looked up at him with puppy-like eyes. It was suffocating to push her away when she had grown so attached to him, so Subaru sighed and gave a wry smile,
"You're just going there and coming back, but you're being eccentric, Petra."
"If I didn't like things, I wouldn't be here... I'm glad I like things."
Petra responded to Subaru. Subaru didn't quite understand what she was trying to say, but he managed to cover it up with a smile and took her outstretched hand, heading towards the evacuation route.
The dark secret passageway was a spiral staircase, the walls of which were made of a material that emitted a pale blue light. It was impossible to lose your way down to the bottom, but knowing that it led to the basement, Subaru turned around and
"The stairs are a bit long and dark, so be careful not to slip."
"Will you help me if I slip?"
"I'm just going to have to carry you and roll you all the way to the bottom, so please spare me... I wouldn't be able to bear it if you ended up unable to recover."
"Then I'll take care of you for the rest of my life, Subaru-sama."
"I'm excited but the process is scary!"
With this exchange between them, the two of them began to descend the stairs, with Subaru leading the way. A chilly wind was rising from the floor below, and a chill ran down his spine as he imagined Puck, who shouldn't be there, ahead.
I'm not afraid of the impossible future of freezing to death,
"It would be no good to get off quietly, and Petra might get scared, so let's have a talk."
"Subaru-sama, your palms are a little sweaty, you know?"
"Petra might be scared, so let's talk! How was everyone in the village?"
Subaru was being considerate of the younger generation and kept to the formalities, but Petra looked at him with affection and went along with the conversation. As they continued to talk, trying not to let any silence fall, they headed downstairs for a few minutes――The stairs ended, and they reached a narrow passage that Subaru knew.
Having walked a little way down the hallway there was a door, and beyond that was an area Subaru had never experienced before.
"From what I can tell, I've only just entered the basement of the mansion. If the passage continues from here all the way to the mountain behind it, then this tunnel must be pretty long."
"It can be called an evacuation route, an escape route, or a cave... I can't decide what to call it."
"That's right. Maybe we should call it Santana, the wind that blows from Mexico."
"Oh, be careful not to trip over there, there's a protrusion."
Petra beautifully ignores Subaru's nonsense. Subaru is happy that she has improved her ability to deal with Subaru in such a short time, but he also feels lonely.
As I walked down the corridor with this feeling of nostalgia, I eventually reached a slightly larger space. Ahead of me, I could see a vague door floating in the darkness, and confirmed that this was a small room. Previously, this space had been packed with ice sculptures of the Witch Cult, but of course there was no sign of them this time. I let out a soft sigh of relief,
"Obviously, your trauma switch didn't go off. Anyway, is this about a third of the way to the mountain hut?"
"The wind is cold...I wonder if it's behind that door."
Despite Subaru's relief, Petra could not hide her anticipation that the door in front of them would lead to a new stage. Subaru nodded and said,
"Last time, I just touched the door and it crashed. I don't know the rest of the way, but… well, just follow the path."
Then he made a decision, and without any hesitation, Subaru placed his hand on the door.
And then he pushed it open, and as the cold wind blew forcefully into the small room, his face was hit――
"--ah?"
At the same time as he heard a light sound, Subaru felt something hit his stomach.
He lowered his gaze and looked down at the left side of his stomach where the impact had occurred, and there was something like a skewer sticking out there, and his buttocks were trembling as if to prove that he had just been hit.
--Slowly, Subaru's throat froze as he saw the blood seeping through his clothes.
"HEY――?!"
Instead of Subaru, whose throat was closed in shock, Petra, who had noticed the same injury, let out a high-pitched scream. The sound echoed loudly in the narrow passageway, hitting Subaru's eardrums hard.
In the split second before the pain hit, Subaru didn't understand what had happened, and he racked his brains trying to think of what he had to do.
Petra's screams lingered. The echoing hallway drowned out all other sounds, and all Subaru could hear was her own voice. Even in a world where it shouldn't be possible for anyone to hear it, Subaru heard it.
There was the sound of footsteps, and the sound of a blade being drawn from its sheathーー,
"Now, let's fulfill our promise--"
The voice of a murderer, his lips moist with red tongue and trembling with the premonition of a slaughter.