"...You returned quite early, didn't you?"
The tall maid who greeted Subaru as he came through the mansion's main gate muttered those words, her sharp eyes going wide.
"I ended up having to turn back sooner than expected. Two days... no, three days? It's been a quick reunion and I didn't have a chance to send word, but I'm counting on your understanding."
Horse-breath still heaving from
"I really don't need you to go that far... ah, no—actually, I'm counting on you."
Dismounting from Patrasche, Subaru's knees nearly buckled on impact. He caught himself by grabbing the reins, but the toll on his body was greater than he'd anticipated.
And of course—after flying from the
Even with the blessing of wind resistance and Patrasche's quiet consideration for sparing his rider unnecessary strain, the six-hour journey had taken an enormous toll on Subaru's body.
Sensing just how battered he truly was, Subaru accepted Frederica's suggestion without protest. He handed the reins to her and stroked Patrasche's worried back.
"Easy, easy. Thanks for indulging my selfishness. I'll brush you down and give you a good grooming when I visit the stable later."
Unlike a horse, a ground dragon didn't have a luxurious coat of fur to speak of, but the creatures enjoyed being groomed—a thorough brushing along their hard hide. Patrasche was no exception, and at Subaru's promise she pressed her snout forward with excited force, delivering a full-on nose tackle that sent Subaru reeling with a "guh."
"Oh my, what energy. Shall we go then, Patrasche-chan? I'll lay down fresh straw and prepare your bed properly."
"Yeah, thanks. —Oh, right, Frederica?"
"Hm?"
Frederica tugged the reins and began leading Patrasche toward the stable. Subaru called after her retreating back, and she stopped, turning her head alone.
A gentle-hearted maid with long golden hair and a fierce-looking face. Subaru cracked his neck and asked her: "—You weren't planning on going to the mountain shack today, were you?"
"...? No, I wasn't. Why do you ask?"
Subaru's low-voiced question drew a puzzled answer from Frederica. He studied her manner of speaking, her expression, her gaze, and then simply shook his head.
"If you're not going, that's fine. Once Patrasche is taken care of, would you mind heading back to the mansion right away? There are some things I'd like to discuss—with everything about the Sanctuary included."
"Understood. I'll return immediately."
Frederica gave a polite bow, and this time she and Patrasche truly departed.
Once he confirmed she'd vanished from the mansion's front courtyard, Subaru stretched in place and gazed up at the estate. —Unchanged in its imposing presence, the mansion at the earliest possible moment, returned on the evening of the second day.
At the latest, the end would arrive on the night of the sixth day. Earlier, perhaps, on the night of the fourth.
Either way, the end would come wearing the shape of a blade.
Before that— "Before the end comes, I need to find a way to put an end to it first."
The sacrifices he'd made this time were too many.
Against the grief of abandoning a world destined to vanish, Subaru had to find something with which to repay them.
Garfiel's anguished wailing.
These were the things that would grant
...
"Waaah! You came back really early!"
These were the first words Petra blurted out to Subaru when he returned to the mansion, her face beaming with pure adoration.
Though the content and phrasing were nearly identical to Frederica's, the warmth and affection behind them—accumulated through a different kind of bond—made all the difference. A textbook example of how the same words can carry entirely different weight.
"You look tired. Are you okay? No really, are you okay? I can have the bath ready right away if you'd like to soak first—what's wrong?"
"Honestly? Looking at you is seriously therapeutic. Come to think of it, this time around, you're the only person I can be around without overthinking every little thing—front, back, complicated stuff, none of it."
A jumble of polite and casual speech tumbled out of Subaru as the energetic Petra scampered around him in little hops and skips. He reached into her chestnut hair and gave her a head pat, and she rubbed up against him with a happy little purr—utterly adorable, just as he'd said. Therapeutic.
And yet, at the same time, what flickered through Subaru's mind was the memory of the last time he'd been in this mansion, and the wretched end Petra had met.
"Petra, sudden as this is... would you be willing to hear a request of mine?"
"...? Mm. No—yes! If it's a request from Subaru-sama, anything!"
"Ha ha, anything is pretty reassuring. Alright then, it's a bit important. Frederica should be heading back soon, so I'd like to have a talk in the sitting room. Could you at least get us some tea?"
"Frederica-nee-sama too?"
"Yeah. It could be a conversation that shapes what happens going forward, and it's not like you're some uninvolved party—you're basically a key player. I want you there."
"Uninvolved... I'm not..."
Petra brought a hand to her mouth, visibly deep in thought. Then she seemed to hit on something, and her face lifted—before a faint blush dusted her cheeks.
"Is this... an important conversation? For me and Subaru-sama?"
"Hmm, you could say that? It's definitely an important conversation for both you and me. It's not the kind of thing that should be resolved between just two people."
"But when it comes to stuff like that, what the people involved feel is really important, right?"
"What I feel? Feelings, huh... Yeah, I suppose feelings matter too? I don't want to do anything against anyone's will—that's just a fact, and I don't think I'm wrong about that..."
Tilting his head at Petra's insistence, Subaru gave an answer that amounted to agreement. The girl's face lit up and she twirled on the spot, then dashed toward the mansion's interior with dancing steps.
"I'll go right away! I'll be right back, so don't you dare run away!"
"I'm not gonna run anywhere. You're the one who should watch out for tripping with all that energy."
Brimming with enthusiasm, Petra looked ready to charge headlong into the servants' quarters on the second floor. Subaru suddenly remembered something and called after her back.
"Petra! Thanks for the handkerchief. I mean—it was probably different from how you intended it, but it really helped."
"Really? I was actually useful to Subaru?"
"Yeah. Saved my life, in a way—though that's not quite the right way to put it."
The white handkerchief he drew from his pocket was a gift from Petra, adorned with her embroidery.
And last time, when he'd encountered the
Come to think of it, as long as Echidna's will was operative, this handkerchief would probably still function as a weapon even now. As for the trigger—following last time's precedent, either Subaru would need to be in mortal danger, or he'd need to pour mana in like casting a spell. The latter was far too difficult for him to pull off.
"In any case, it's all thanks to you, Petra. I owe you a proper thank-you for that."
"Then—on a date! One date!"
"Did you hear that from Emilia?"
The reward for the mabeast incident—the first date with Emilia—had taken place in
The thoughtful villagers and children had left Subaru and Emilia alone together, and it seemed Petra remembered that occasion.
"Fine. I'll escort you. Having Petra's first date partner be me is... well, that's quite the privilege, honestly."
"It's a promise!"
"You're on."
With a light wave of his hand, Petra flashed a flower-like smile and disappeared down the corridor.
Watching that small back recede, Subaru let his thoughts drift to Petra's future. She was already an adorable girl whose future he could genuinely look forward to. Give her another five—no, three years—and she'd have stretched out into a strikingly beautiful young woman.
When that time came, the feelings of attachment she currently harbored toward him would surely have faded. But the fact that she had chosen Subaru as her first date partner would undoubtedly leave him with a profound, guilt-tinged sense of satisfaction. And so— "I'll definitely make that promise again someday, Petra."
In a world that was sure to vanish, the promise they'd exchanged wouldn't remain in her memory.
But Subaru would continue to remember that the promise had been made.
When the time came to choose the right future, they'd make the same promise once more.
Imagining Petra's smile, Subaru stepped forward into the sitting room.
...
Seated across from each other on the sofa, Subaru watched with a wry smile as Petra sat facing him, her red cheeks puffed out in a visible pout.
Having heard the full account, Petra swung her legs back and forth on the sofa, making absolutely no effort to hide her displeasure. Her childish reaction struck Subaru as endearing, but the senior maid seated beside her did not seem to share that sentiment.
"That look on your face, Petra. Isn't it rude to wear it in front of Subaru-sama?"
"But-but Frederica-nee-sama..."
"No 'buts.' Even with those close to you, one must maintain proper conduct at all times. If you don't practice awareness in your daily life, how do you expect to manage when it truly matters? You're a quick learner, but in that regard you still have a long way to go."
"Uuu..."
Petra bit her lip and looked down, her expression tight with frustration.
Seeing the girl so thoroughly bested by impeccable logic, Subaru felt a pang of sympathy and tried to smooth things over with a "Now, now, take it easy..." but Frederica shot him a sharp glare and shut him down.
This was the scene they'd arrived at: Frederica returned from the stable, Petra finished with the tea preparations, all three settled in the sitting room with tea, and the real conversation had begun.
Subaru had broached the first topic, which was what had put Petra in her current mood. The gist of it was: "Why do I have to leave the mansion? I've only been working here for just over a week..."
With tears threatening to spill, Petra looked to Subaru pleadingly, and guilt gnawed at him. But when he considered what awaited them at this mansion going forward, giving in to that guilt and coddling her would be the wrong choice.
Steel in his heart, Subaru shook his head.
"This isn't a forever thing. It's not like you're being fired—I just need you to go back to Arlam Village... or rather, back home, for about a week."
"You can't tell me the reason, is that right?"
"...Not the specifics. But there really is danger approaching this mansion. I told Frederica already about being targeted by the
At the word "Witch Cult," Frederica's expression shifted.
She'd been absent at the time, but it had been roughly two weeks ago that the Witch Cult, led by Petelgeuse, had attacked the mansion and Arlam Village.
Raised in the Sanctuary, Frederica would understand keenly—especially given Emilia's lineage—what kind of catastrophe could result from being branded as heretical.
As Subaru had expected, Frederica narrowed her eyes in thought but then drew her chin in.
"If that is indeed the case, then I believe Subaru-sama's judgment is sound. Petra still has no means of self-defense."
"It's fine! Subaru will protect me!"
"I'd love to tell you 'leave it to the man,' but I'm fully aware of my own shortcomings—power, ability, whatever you want to call it. I can't afford to make promises I can't keep."
Petra jumped to her feet to protest, but her youthful objections were cut short by Subaru's own inadequacies. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and Frederica stroked her head consolingly.
"Don't despair, Petra. Surely you're not so foolish that you don't understand how painful it is for Subaru-sama to admit his own shortcomings?"
"...Yes, Frederica-nee-sama."
"Everyone laments their own lack of power. That goes for Subaru-sama and for you alike. Subaru-sama has acknowledged that, and he's looking for what he can do within those limits. What will you do, Petra?"
"Uuu..."
Once more, tears welled in Petra's eyes as she fought back her frustration. She looked Subaru dead in the eye with those tear-filled gaze, then met his eyes from below and asked: "Is there... nothing I can do? Nothing at the mansion?"
"...Sorry. This time, there's nothing at the mansion that Petra can do. My own shortcomings mean I can't spare the bandwidth to look after you on top of everything else. I'm sorry about that."
As Subaru bowed his head, Petra squeezed her eyes shut tight and rubbed them with her sleeve.
When she looked up again, no trace of tears remained. Only the rims of her red eyes stood out, fierce and stubborn, as Petra delicately pinched the hem of her skirt and curtsied.
"I understand, Subaru-sama. Petra will take her leave beginning tonight. As soon as the problem is resolved, please summon me back immediately."
"Yeah, I will. When this is over..."
If only every member of the mansion, and if possible the Sanctuary's key figures, could all be gathered together in that moment—faces overflowing with smiles. That would be perfect.
Petra accepted Subaru's proposal, and the first order of business was settled.
After being assigned the task of clearing away the tea things and tidying up her few personal belongings, Petra left the sitting room—leaving only Subaru and Frederica behind.
Subaru watched the door close, felt Petra's footsteps recede down the hallway, then reached for one of the sweet pastries on the tea tray. He let the sweetness linger on his tongue and asked: "Can I ask you something, Frederica?"
"That depends on the subject matter, Subaru-sama."
An entirely reasonable response, and Subaru let out a wry laugh. Frederica sat with a composed expression, waiting for Subaru to broach the subject.
He took a deep breath, debating what his opening line should be. But there was really only one thing he most wanted to ask her.
"What do you think Garfiel wants to do with the Sanctuary?"
"—Did something happen with my hapless brother?"
"We've clashed quite a bit, and I want to figure out whether that clash leads to a point where understanding is impossible, or whether it's the kind of thing that can be resolved through dialogue."
That would determine Subaru's course of action going forward.
Whether Garfiel was an enemy to be defeated, or an ally worth bringing to heel.
"You don't seem surprised, which means he already told you about the relationship between us two."
"Ryuzu-san didn't deny it either. You know Ryuzu-san, right?"
"Of course. In the Sanctuary, she was the one who raised me and my brother—given how many years she's lived, she'd be more of a grandmother than a mother, I suppose."
"Garfiel was calling her 'Baa-chan' and whatnot too."
That parting cry—that anguished scream of 'Granny'—lingered in Subaru's head.
Perhaps in the old days, Garfiel had called Ryuzu that name. The way he acted now was rough and crude, but if that had been his true nature— "Hey, Frederica—was Garfiel maybe a total mama's boy? Or rather, a granny's boy?"
"You mean toward our grandmother? ...Well, yes. My brother is deeply sentimental beneath that exterior, so I believe his affection for grandmother is very strong. He may think he's hiding it, but..."
Even from his sister's eyes, Garfiel's familial love for Ryuzu stood out as extraordinary.
How that could go so wrong—how it could lead to the conviction that protecting the Sanctuary meant committing that atrocity—was beyond Subaru's comprehension.
"That's separate from whether what he did can ever be forgiven, and from his pattern of behavior."
"Subaru-sama?"
"Nothing. Just remembering it brought the hostility back. I'm trying to go into this without preconceptions, but..."
Subaru still didn't truly understand what had driven Garfiel to orchestrate the massacre of the villagers.
But one thing was certain: Garfiel had held command authority over Ryuzu Meyer—the byproduct of the immortality experiments conducted in the Sanctuary—and had been responsible for managing the facility.
Why, then, had he destroyed it? And why had he held command authority in the first place? There was much Subaru didn't know— "Frederica. I know you used to be a resident of the Sanctuary. A quarter-blood like you wasn't caught by the barrier and was able to leave."
"You already knew that much..."
"And Garfiel, in the same position, should have been able to leave too—but stayed inside instead. Right, Frederica? Do you know... what purpose the Sanctuary was originally built for?"
It had only been four days in this timeline since Subaru set out for the Sanctuary. Frederica was clearly astonished by the volume of information he'd gathered in such a short time, and his next question widened her eyes even further.
"No, I'm not privy to the specifics. I understand that the Sanctuary was created for the experiments of the former Witch of Greed, but..."
"You don't know? Really? Your answer wouldn't change?"
"I'm not sure what you're suspecting me of, but my answer remains the same. The Sanctuary was once the Witch's laboratory, and now all that remains is the barrier she placed—one that won't dissolve unless the Trial is overcome. That is all I know."
Frederica shook her head slowly as she finished. There was no way to verify the truth of her words, but Subaru didn't detect any sign that she was lying.
In other words, Frederica didn't know about the immortality experiments. Which meant, likewise, that she had little understanding of the byproducts those experiments had produced.
"Wait a moment. Then, Frederica... you don't know anything about the command authority over the replicas?"
"Replica... taí? No, I've never heard that word before."
Her denial carried the same nuance as everything else she'd said.
Stunned by this answer, Subaru let his body slump against the back of the sofa.
"I apologize. It seems I've given an answer that fell short of your expectations."
"No, it's fine. It's not your fault. ...How long ago was it that you left the Sanctuary, Frederica? Did I ever hear?"
"I came out of the Sanctuary and took up service at the mansion about seven years ago.
Subaru sighed at two things: the fact that
This meant it was virtually zero that Frederica was withholding information from Subaru for some reason. He'd approached from a different angle, and her responses hadn't changed—which confirmed it was the truth.
Frederica didn't know about the immortality experiments, and probably didn't know about Ryuzu's replicas either. Either Ryuzu had been incredibly skilled at maintaining the daily rotations, or Frederica—who now comported herself with such dignity—had been a girl with some gaps in her awareness when she was young.
"But then, the one I still can't figure out is Garfiel. When did that guy find out the truth about the Sanctuary...?"
Holding command authority over the replicas meant Garfiel had known about the facility. Apart from that, he was almost certainly the one who would later destroy it.
Garfiel knew about the experiments using Ryuzu Meyer. Had he learned the truth his sister didn't know after she'd left the Sanctuary? Or had he known all along—and stayed behind precisely because of that?
"Oh—"
In the middle of his thoughts, Subaru suddenly realized he'd been overlooking something enormously obvious. The moment it clicked, he was genuinely astounded at his own stupidity.
"If that guy held command authority over the replicas, that means he cleared the same conditions I did. Which means he's also got that weird-ass status—Virtue of Greed or whatever it is..."
That, in turn, could only mean one thing: Garfiel had met the Witch of Greed. He had met Echidna.
Why hadn't he realized this sooner? Subaru clutched his head. If Garfiel had met Echidna, that would explain how he'd obtained command authority. It also explained his prejudice toward the Trial, and his sympathy for Emilia as she kept failing it.
"Frederica. —Garfiel took the Trial, didn't he?"
"—! How do you—"
"Putting together a lot of different pieces of information, that's where it led. I'm sure he failed, but... what exactly happened?"
Frederica's confirmation told Subaru he'd grasped the core of the matter, and he clenched his fist.
Frederica let out a sigh at his intensity, then closed her eyes as if pulling memories from the past.
"...I wasn't the only one who wished for the Sanctuary's liberation. My brother was equally desperate to show grandmother and the others the outside world. Still young at the time, he snuck into the tomb and challenged the Trial. I remember envying his recklessness."
"You've never gone in yourself, Frederica?"
"I didn't have the courage. Even knowing that overcoming the Trial inside would free the Sanctuary, I—I was told never to enter. That place was forbidden. Seeing my brother charge straight in like that, I envied him."
It was easy to imagine.
Taking his current personality and amplifying his recklessness tenfold, a young Garfiel had no doubt thrown himself into the tomb's Trial with wild enthusiasm. Driven by nothing more than the pure desire to show the outside world to his beloved family.
But— "My brother didn't come back out of the tomb, and I regretted not stopping him, so I called grandmother... she hesitated, but she steeled herself and went inside. A short while later, she came back under my prayerful gaze carrying my brother with her. But—"
—You must never, ever enter the tomb again. And today, you must forget this and never tell anyone.
That, Frederica had been told firmly from Ryuzu's own lips.
Hearing this account, Subaru recalled the contradiction in Ryuzu's earlier statements. One Ryuzu who'd said she'd entered the tomb, and another who'd flatly denied ever having been inside.
Now that he knew there were multiple Ryuzus and that they were bound by a prohibition against lying, this contradiction—between a Ryuzu who'd had the experience and one who hadn't—was resolved.
And what he'd learned from this conversation was— "Garfiel took the Trial once. And he must have come face to face with the Witch of Greed in there. That's when everything finally starts to add up."
Garfiel's feelings toward the Trial. The reason he held command authority.
The question was what he'd seen in the 'past.' Why he refused to let Subaru free the Sanctuary. And why Echidna hadn't told Subaru about Garfiel. All the answers lay inside the tomb.
"I need to meet with Echidna at least once more. No matter what."
To tear away everything she was hiding—the Witch who knew it all.
With this quiet resolve firm in his chest, Subaru found Frederica gazing up at him in silence.
Noticing her stare, he scratched his cheek and muttered, "Sorry."
"A lot going on, huh. I'm sure I asked you some things you'd rather not have heard."
"Not at all. It was a necessary conversation. Master has commanded as much. If what we've discussed here helps Emilia-sama—and in turn, helps free the Sanctuary—then there is no issue from my end either."
"I'm going to free the Sanctuary. That much is certain. There are reasons I must do it, and no matter what it takes, I will see it through. Honestly, to what extent I can accommodate Garfiel's wishes is secondary."
"............"
"I have no idea what Garfiel is thinking. In the worst case, even if I did, if his intentions don't align with my own—I'll crush him and see my plan through. I'll choose the greatest good for the greatest number. Sorry about that."
For both the mansion and the Sanctuary, calamity was approaching. If anyone tried to interfere with Subaru's efforts to avert it, they should be prepared to be sent flying.
Frederica listened to Subaru's answer, closed her eyes firmly once, and then— "I place my hapless brother in your care."
—And with that, she bowed her head.