"Still, I can't help but wonder if that plan of yours is really gonna work..."
"Hmm? I thought it was a super great plan. Anne and Ryuzu's acting totally fooled them — Garfiel and Frederica walked right into it, didn't they?"
"I dunno about that. ...Honestly, I was more shocked by how big of a ham Ryuzu turned out to be, and by how badly Anne Rose choked under pressure at the last second."
"Shut up, Subaru."
While waiting in the dining hall for the results of their scheme, Subaru reflected on the events that had led them here. Anne Rose cut him off, her cheeks flushed red — that bashful tint made her look every bit the young girl her age, Subaru mused idly.
The outline of the sibling-reconciliation plan Anne Rose had proposed was simple enough.
It was
Anne Rose had broken through that problem with ease, exploiting a shared "memory" between Frederica and Garfiel.
The meat pie Frederica supposedly made from time to time had been one of her signature dishes since the days of the
"Frederica used to go on about it, you know. She said it was a recipe her grandmother taught her mother, a nostalgic dish from the old days. Naturally, her younger brother Garfiel would have grown up eating it too. I figured there was a high chance he'd inherited the technique from Ryuzu. Besides, from what I've seen, Garfiel is a total grandma's boy."
"I'll give you that — no argument there. What I'm questioning is everything *other* than the insight it took to figure that out."
"Hmph."
Anne Rose puffed out her cheeks, but that display was hardly going to erase her earlier blunder.
Everything had gone smoothly up to the point of luring Frederica in and herding her into the kitchen with a convincing excuse. The problem had been the motivation behind it, and how to deflect Frederica's suspicion.
"'If I don't eat a meat pie, I'll die instantly' — what kind of ridiculous illness is that? You owe meat pies an apology."
"I merely misspoke, that's all! Besides, why should *I* be the one apologizing..."
"That part was admittedly a bit much. Hey, come on — I'll apologize with you."
"F-Fine! If Emily is going to be that gracious about it, then I suppose I have no choice!"
Anne Rose's face turned beet red as she eagerly jumped at Emilia's offer.
Steering his gaze away from that heartwarming and faintly sapphic scene, Subaru looked over to Ryuzu, who was huddled at the far end of the table.
"Ryuzu, you've got this look on your face like you feel guilty about tricking Garfiel and pulling his strings."
"I most certainly — wait, wait, wait! What's with that phrasing, as if you're finding the tiny seed of guilt in my heart and prodding it with a needle? Cut it out, will you? It hurts my heart!"
Subbaru's malicious choice of words actually brought a flicker of her usual expression back to Ryuzu.
Then she realized his words had been meant to draw out exactly that bit of energy, and— "Even so... it is rather late for second thoughts. I've been wondering whether this was truly the right thing to do. Of course, it's a fine thing for those two to reconcile. But..."
"Then there's nothing to worry about. Those two would've made up on their own eventually anyway, even if we left them alone. In the end, the result doesn't change. All we did was bring about an unchanging result a little sooner. ...And hey, I think sooner is always better."
"Why's that?"
"Because wasting time is pointless, and happy times are precious. Humans are going to die eventually no matter what, so you might as well make your move while the hourglass still has plenty of sand left, right?"
"..."
Ryuzu's eyes went wide at Subaru's words, and then she let out a weak sigh.
"Subaru, you really do live a remarkably untroubled life, don't you?"
"Not at all. I'm probably one of the most small-minded, overthinking people out there. But I'd like to think I've never agonized over things that didn't actually warrant it, and I'd like to keep it that way."
"Things that don't warrant agonizing..."
"Right. If two people need to make up, and making up makes everyone happy, then stop agonizing and just make it happen. If there's someone you want to be close to, put the worrying aside and just go to them and shout 'EMT!' That's what I've been thinking lately, anyway."
Of course, it wasn't always that simple.
As he'd confessed to Ryuzu, Subaru was a weak person who agonized endlessly over trivial things. And yet his time was limited, and his choices were few and narrow.
So at the very least, he wanted to be unwavering in whatever choice he did make.
Ryuzu responded to Subaru's answer with a quiet, "I suppose so."
"At my age, there's still far too much to learn and far too much to be taught. If it had ended at the Sanctuary, I never would have thought of things this way."
"If you're living a normal life, you don't just get tired of living all that easily. I think most people would know that even without me having to say it."
"Then perhaps I shall make the most of whatever time I have left. For now, I'll look forward to my two dear grandchildren making up and coming to me for comfort."
"I can't really picture those two openly seeking comfort, though."
Frederica, stubbornly earnest. Garfiel, contrarian to the bone.
Neither of them was the type to openly cling to their grandmother. And yet they were the type — no, the three of them were the type — who craved familial love above all else. The thought was rather endearing.
"Pardon the interruption during your pleasant conversation. I do apologize."
The quiet voice of a butler who had appeared in the room without a sound struck Subaru's ear just as his lips were twitching with amusement at the scene he'd imagined.
Subbaru's eyes went wide with surprise.
"What is it, Clind? I was having a lovely time with Emily just now."
"I am terribly sorry to intrude upon your leisure. Heartbreaking. However, Lord Roswaal has returned, and I must relay this to the young lady as well. My recommendation."
"Uncle has...? He has a remarkable talent for returning at precisely the most opportune moment, doesn't he."
Anne Rose frowned at Clind's words, grumbling with displeasure.
Subbaru winced at the thought that even relatives held that opinion of Roswaal's habitual behavior, but Anne Rose had already risen from her seat.
"Uncle has returned, so I shall go and greet him. Emily, Subaru, and Ryuzu — please feel free to wait here at your leisure until the siblings come back. ...You in particular will be quite busy, Emily."
"Okay! I'll wait here."
Emilia nodded brightly, and Anne Rose sent her a warm smile. Then the girl turned to Subaru and fixed him with a piercing stare accompanied by a palpable aura of malice.
While Subaru's lips twisted in protest at the blatant difference in treatment, Anne Rose swept out of the room with Clind in tow. At some point, tea had appeared on the table in front of the three of them, and Subaru nearly let out a strange yelp.
"Did anyone just see Clind put that tea down?"
"Nope. Didn't notice a thing. Clind's sleight of hand is incredible, as always."
"Mm, a true artisan's touch. It's cooled to just the right temperature for my tongue."
"Mine's at a perfect heat for my cat tongue too... What about you, Emilia?"
"I like mine really hot, so it's super, super hot!"
"What even *is* Clind?"
Anne Rose would no doubt say to just accept it as "one of those things," but Subaru wasn't having it. Perhaps this was the fundamental difference between someone who lived in this other world and someone who had been born and raised in it.
While he was thinking along those lines and glancing at Emilia and Ryuzu, he noticed that both of them also harbored their own distinct sense of unease around Clind. Figures — he was off the charts in every way. Just then— "What'cha doin' all gathered here like this, you lot who planned the whole thing?"
A few minutes after Anne Rose had left, the door opened and the golden-haired tiger boy poked his head in.
He clearly already understood that he'd been caught in a painfully obvious trap set by Subaru and the others — his expression was a complicated mix of emotions. But regardless— "Judging by the look on your face, it seems our little scheme has been found out."
"Yep, we walked right into it, didn't we. Serves us right."
"So, so? Were you able to have a proper talk?"
Emilia's face lit up with eager curiosity as Garfiel approached, grinding his teeth. Beside her, Ryuzu shrank uncomfortably into herself, though her ears were clearly tuned into every word Garfiel said.
Garfiel glanced at the women's reactions and let out a sigh.
"Yeah, thanks for the extra-big favor, I guess. I talked to sis, and... well, we did talk. So don't worry about it no more."
"Really? But then why didn't you come back holding hands?"
"Like I'd do something that embarrassin'! Even if we made up, you think a brother and sister could just hold hands that easy? Don't make me laugh."
"Are you sure? I don't think it's anything to be embarrassed about — it'd be a lovely thing to do."
Emilia's tone wasn't teasing at all; she sounded genuinely disappointed. Garfiel had no response for that. Instead, he looked over at Ryuzu, who still seemed to be wrestling with her words.
"Granny."
"...What is it, Gar-boy?"
"Sorry for worryin' you. I'm fine now, and so's sis. No need to worry no more."
Ryuzu fell silent for a moment after Garfiel rubbed the tip of his nose. Then her lips softened, and she let out an oddly old-soul smile that didn't match her childish appearance at all.
"Good. That's a relief. Don't go putting too much strain on an old woman's body and soul. You'll hasten the day the reaper comes for me."
"When *you* say stuff like that, it stops being a joke, so watch it."
Ryuzu's relaxed demeanor drew a snort from Garfiel.
"Also, boss. And Lady Emilia. Sorry for all the trouble."
"Don't sweat it. Emilia and I were just killing time while we worked on improving the interpersonal relationships within the mansion. We didn't do anything worth thanking us for. Right?"
"Subaru, killing time? You didn't mean it that way, did you? This was an important issue for the two of them — you should've been taking it more seriously! Hmph!"
"Wha—!? The classic self-deprecating modesty backfiring pattern!?"
The pattern where Emilia didn't pick up on Subaru's roundabout consideration. Or so he thought — but then a grin suddenly spread across her face.
"Fufu, I'm kidding, kidding. I totally get it. Subaru, you're so bad at being honest."
"What have I done... She's become an EMK — Emilia-tan, Maji, Kouakuma — her charm is off the charts... Is she trying to kill me...?"
"So what happened to my words of gratitude here, exactly? Hey."
Garfiel stood there looking indignant. Subaru and Emilia exchanged a glance, then both turned back to face him.
"—You're welcome."
They offered their response to his thanks in unison.
Garfiel's mouth twisted into a scowl, and Ryuzu shrugged with an exasperated look. Subaru gave a thumbs-up to Emilia, who was watching the two of them with an amused smile.
"Oh right, Garfiel. The reconciliation's great and all, but what about the meat pie that was supposed to be the catalyst? I was actually looking forward to that, you know."
"Pies don't just pop out of the oven that quick, man. The secret to good pie is slow, patient baking in the oven — 'Baum bam is best when you let it rest,' as the saying goes."
"What's a Baum bam? Like Baumkuchen? But I think Baumkuchen goes bad before it gets any better if you leave it sitting around too long."
According to Garfiel, the pie would be done in about two hours.
That would put it right around dinnertime, which was actually perfect timing.
"Ah, well — that works out rather well, doesn't it—."
Just as Subaru was turning his thoughts toward killing two hours until then, having lost his excuse to suppress his hunger— "Oh my, oh my. For a greeting to someone who's been away from the mansion and hard at work, that's quite the chilly reception you're giving me—."
The four people in the room all turned toward the familiar voice with grim expressions.
Subaru's brow furrowed. "For one thing, we have no obligation to be grateful. But I'd appreciate it if you'd accept that making this kind of face is just an automatic reaction and can't be helped. Besides, we're being restrained compared to Garfiel here — his veins are popping out."
Veins bulging on his forehead, eyes already starting to bloodshot — Garfiel.
Despite being struck by that murderous glare, the man refused to let his composed expression waver —
The mastermind behind the Sanctuary affair and all its attendant chaos. After confessing his role, his likeability had plummeted with the vast majority of those involved. Among them, the flames of Garfiel's anger still smoldered hotly, and there was no telling when they might erupt into a full blaze.
Subbaru, naturally, harbored complicated feelings toward Roswaal as well — but on that front, having heard the continuation of Roswaal's confession, he found himself even more muddled than before.
The fact was that Roswaal had not personally orchestrated every last detail of the Sanctuary and mansion incidents.
It appeared that Roswaal had disclosed this fact only to Subaru. The reason was anyone's guess, but Subaru likewise felt no particular urge to share it with those around him.
The vast majority of that catastrophe was Roswaal's responsibility — at least ninety percent. The remaining ten percent could be filled in from parts of the story that didn't involve Roswaal.
For the time being, Subaru figured that spreading unnecessary anxiety served no purpose.
"Subaru, are you okay? You're making a super weird face."
"Seriously? What kind of face?"
"Like, um, your eyes were all squinty like this — all mean-looking."
"Seriously? I was making a face that cute?"
"It wasn't cute!"
Emilia pulled the corners of her eyes upward with her fingers, imitating Subaru's expression. Even trying her hardest to look menacing, her inherent charm always won out.
Emilia with her lips pursed, and Garfiel sinking into his seat with a sour expression. As Ryuzu poured tea on Garfiel's behalf, Subaru finally turned to address the newly arrived Roswaal, who was still standing.
"Anyway, welcome back. So, did you accomplish what you went out to do?"
"Ahh, Subaru-kun, your warmth is the only thing that truly touches my heart. And not to worry — I went around to several towns and villages in the territory, as well as our new place of residence."
"The new residence aside, you toured the territory? Was there some particular purpose?"
"Well, of course — when the lord's mansion goes up in flames, you've got to make the rounds and announce that I'm alive and well. Otherwise, who knows what kinds of unsavory characters might start scheming. I'm rather particular about maintaining order in my territory, you see—."
"That 'lord' who was behind the most unsavory scheme of all..."
"Harsh, Subaru-kun. No harm came to the residents, and I even kept the truth hidden from the people of
"Ugh..."
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Even with Subaru poking and prodding, Roswaal had already regained his old composure. In reality, publicly revealing that Roswaal had been pulling the strings behind the scenes would only bring drawbacks — in both the royal selection and territorial management. So among the villagers of Arlam, Roswaal was still the same "wonderful lord" he'd always been.
The sole exception was Petra, who knew the truth — but she too understood both the precariousness of her position and the fact that revealing the truth would achieve nothing beyond self-satisfaction. So she wouldn't resort to any extreme measures. Being too clever could, at times, force cruel choices.
"But that doesn't mean you can just take advantage of the fact that I know. Forget that, and after Emilia becomes king, you're looking at the guillotine, pal."
"That is a bit frightening. Though by that time, my own goals may well have been achieved—."
"Goals achieved doesn't make everything okay, you lunatic. Keep spouting that nonsense and
To Subaru's surprise, it was Garfiel who stepped in to shut down Roswaal's continued provocations. Roswaal raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely taken aback by the response, then raised both hands in a conciliatory gesture.
"Aaah, fine, fine. I've no desire to pick a fight with you all. All I did was come back and explain myself — how did it turn into this bickering? Utterly futile, isn't it—."
"That's because you said it in a way specifically designed to annoy Subaru and Garfiel. Even I can tell you're doing it on purpose. Would you cut it out already? You're not a child."
"————"
The words struck Roswaal down from his attempt to wrap things up from a position of superiority. Emilia, hands on her hips, had cut him off from even higher ground. Roswaal looked surprised, and Emilia pressed on.
"You don't need to act all anxious like that — none of us have forgotten what Roswaal did or the promises he made. There's no point in deliberately acting out and making everyone uncomfortable. Honestly, you're impossible."
Emilia's tone was that of someone scolding a troublesome child.
And yet, Roswaal remained silent in the face of words that could easily have been dismissed as a complete misunderstanding. More than that, he narrowed his eyes, and his awkward expression looked almost like someone who'd been hit with a bull's-eye.
Subbaru didn't go so far as to believe Roswaal was genuinely moved by such childish sentiment, but— "You really did take the sting out of him. As expected of Emilia."
"...? Mm, thanks. But touring the territory wasn't your only reason for going out, was it? What else did you do, Roswaal?"
"Ahh, you've become much sharper than before. As I said, this inspection was to report my safety and... also to make preliminary arrangements for relocating the residents of the Sanctuary."
"Relocation preparations...!"
It was Garfiel who couldn't stay silent at those words — leaning his cheek on his hand as he'd been. Ryuzu hurried back to the table as Garfiel slammed his palm down.
"You mean, like a place to take them in?"
"Precisely. Given our history with them as refugees, Arlam Village would be the most natural place to accept them — but there are limits to how many people the village can take on. When you're talking about more than doubling the existing population, a village of that scale simply can't accommodate everyone. Of course, one could expand the village, but there's the barrier issue to consider as well—."
"A barrier? You've gone and put those damn things up at another location, haven't you..."
"Wait, wait, Garfiel. That barrier is a different thing entirely from the one at the Sanctuary. Around these parts, the mountains are crawling with magical beasts. The barriers around the village are set up to keep them at bay — they're placed regularly around the perimeter. That's what Roswaal's talking about."
It was that very barrier — encompassing both Arlam Village and the mansion — that had been at the root of the magical beast incident.
Coexisting with magical beasts was a generous way to put it, but given that they'd carved out a rough cohabitation of sorts, expanding Arlam Village would prove difficult.
"As Subaru-kun just explained, that's the situation. Which means the Sanctuary's residents will need to be split up — some going to a part of Arlam Village, and the rest distributed in small groups to other candidate locations. No matter where they end up, it wouldn't do to have them all clustered together under the Sanctuary's banner forever. Even I, watching them leave the nest, feel as though my heart is being torn in two—."
"Easy for you to say — what a brazen performance—."
Ryuzu couldn't help but mutter as Roswaal made a show of being emotional.
Roswaal smiled at her words and continued, "So, that's why—."
"I did a quick tour of the territory. Given the distance and time constraints, I only visited the nearby areas—. I've dispatched messengers to the other towns, and there's a backlog of matters that need attending to."
"Right, no argument there. You'd better get back to your office soon, or I'm pretty sure Otto's going to die of overwork. Crushed between the backbreaking labor and the weight of responsibility."
"A novel way to die. Fascinating—."
Subbaru agreed, but filed that observation away for later.
With Roswaal back, Ram's spirits would surely improve. It was just as he reached that thought that something nagged at him.
"Oh wait — I thought Anne went to welcome Roswaal. Were you not together?"
Emilia had apparently arrived at the same question. Roswaal raised a single finger in response.
"As for that — I asked Anne Rose a small favor. You see, I thought we might take care of one of those pending matters while we're at it—."
"A pending matter?"
"Using the great hall. I assume Emilia has been making preparations for that?"
"——!"
Emilia's shoulders jumped in surprise at Roswaal's words.
But the surprise was momentary. Almost immediately, her expression turned serious, and her violet eyes, now brimming with determination, slid toward Subaru.
A chill ran down Subaru's spine under that gaze, and he tilted his head in confusion.
However, no clear answer was forthcoming to his unspoken question.
"So. Are we starting right away?"
"If Emilia is ready mentally, we can begin immediately. Besides, there's still time before the meat pie is done. It works out rather well, you could say—."
"Isn't it a little too casual for something this important?"
"Finding a suitable window of time is difficult given the circumstances. When you consider that Emilia will be busy from tomorrow onward, I think we can call this an opportunity we've been given—."
"You're right... Fine. I'll let you drag me into it."
Emilia nodded, and Roswaal smiled with satisfaction.
Though they'd reached an agreement from opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, Subaru was completely lost. Naturally, Garfiel and Ryuzu had been left in the dark as well.
"Hey, don't just reach a consensus between the two of you. What's this about? You're not trying to rope Emilia into something crazy again, are you?"
"Now that is a terrible misunderstanding, Subaru-kun. And rest assured — this doesn't just concern Emilia. It concerns you a great deal as well—."
"Something that concerns me...?"
Before Subaru could even finish asking, Roswaal leaned in close. Subaru instinctively stepped back, hitting the wall, and a finger was pointed directly at his nose.
Then— "—It's the knighting ceremony you've been waiting for—."
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "Come on! There is absolutely no way you keep a major event like this a secret from the person involved until the very last second! Are you going to surprise a bride and groom with a wedding? Are you going to ambush the guest of honor at a funeral with a surprise funeral? No way in hell!"
Led into a room to change, Subaru peeled off his tracksuit while continuing to grumble.
The contents of Roswaal's revelation in the dining hall had been a complete bolt from the blue.
—A knighting ceremony.
The rite by which a ruler formally recognized an individual as their knight, and made that knighting known to all present.
Its format and etiquette varied widely — differing not only from country to country but from world to world. Subaru had seen it a handful of times in manga and anime, but he retained no meaningful understanding of which parts were common and which differed.
He certainly had no knowledge of the specific customs surrounding knighting in the
"And yet they've been calmly preparing this whole time like it's nothing. Don't tell me Anne Rose has been secretly jealous of how Emilia and I are always together and decided to humiliate me...!"
"Don't be ridiculous. While the star of a knighting ceremony is naturally the knight being invested, the lord doing the investing bears responsibility too. If Anne Rose were to act out of some petty spite and make a fool of herself, it wouldn't just be you who'd be embarrassed — Emilia would be as well. Do you really think someone that clever would do something like that?"
It was Otto who shook his head at Subaru's grumbling. He was in the same room, helping with the changes — namely, instructing Subaru on how to wear the formal attire, among other things. Naturally, Subaru had neither the time nor the reason to know any of this on his own.
"Natsuki-sama. First, please change into this inner garment, then put on the lower half. That is the correct order of dressing. A word of counsel."
"Oh, thanks. Actually — wait, this fits my body *perfectly*. How long has this ceremony been in the works?"
"At the very least, it was proposed shortly after you all arrived at our household. Lord Roswaal arranged for the ceremony to be held after his return... Emilia has been diligently studying and practicing the ceremonial procedures. A report."
"That report's a little late! Why was Emilia keeping it a secret too?"
"Perhaps she was embarrassed? More importantly — are you truly, seriously clueless about the etiquette? Because if so, that's its own problem."
As Subaru slipped his arms and legs through the garments Clind handed him, he frowned. Otto, sensing genuine distress in Subaru's expression, was beginning to realize this could actually pose a problem for the proceedings.
"See? It's bad, right? I'm happy about how Emilia feels, and being appointed a knight is insanely flattering — but it'd be terrible to waste the ceremony because I screw it up. Maybe I should bow down and ask them to postpone it..."
"If you get called, you step forward, kneel before Emilia, then draw the sword from its sheath and hand it to her. Emilia places the sword against your neck and speaks the oath of fealty — and you repeat the vow back. That's it. *That's all there is to it.*"
"...Seriously?"
The surprised exclamation slipped out before he could stop it.
Garfiel, who had drawn every eye in the room, stood with his arms crossed and answered in his usual rough voice.
"Can't believe me, or what?"
"No, it's more like — I'm shocked that *you* know all this. I'm not saying it's out of character for you to be well-versed in formal etiquette, but..."
"It ain't that, boss. It ain't like I know this stuff because I'm an expert in etiquette."
Garfiel waved dismissively with an exasperated air. And yet, the fact remained that he had just described the knighting procedure without missing a beat. When Subaru furrowed his brow, wondering what to make of that— "I know about knight stuff 'cause it looks super cool. That's all."
"Oh, that makes total sense. I get it now."
It was such an incredibly straightforward reason that Subaru was instantly satisfied.
The mighty spirit of chuunibyou lent its strength even here. The explanation carried total conviction — of *course* Garfiel knew about knighting ceremonies.
"So, Clind — was what he said correct?"
"My knowledge is limited, but it appears to align with what I know. I bow to Garfiel's impressive breadth of learning. Clear-headed."
"But from the way you said that, it sounds like you already knew all that too... No, never mind. Don't worry about it."
It was Otto's way to poke one thing only to disturb another.
He caught the enigmatic gleam behind Clind's monocle and wisely withdrew his comment — no one could fault him for that.
Anyway, Subaru carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in the fabric before donning the jacket and attaching the necessary accessories one by one.
"These formal clothes are something else. It took me forever just to get used to the butler uniform — I get the feeling I'll never be able to pull these off in a lifetime."
"You won't get many opportunities to wear them, so that's hardly surprising. If you were someone of truly noble standing it might be different, but... well, who knows about the future, Natsuki-sama."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Emilia's position is what it is. If you're going to be following her around, you won't be able to avoid occasions like this. Those formal garments were specially commissioned as well."
Subbaru was impressed by Otto's foresight, but thinking about the future soured his mood. The idea of formal, stiff occasions made his skin crawl — though that worry was something to deal with after he got through the ceremony itself.
"Hey, that Roswaal — he didn't keep this from me on purpose just to laugh at me, did he?"
"Moaning about it ain't gonna change anything, boss. More important — don't forget the steps I told you earlier. Run through them in your head."
"Kneel, draw the sword from the sheath, hand it over, repeat the oath. I went through graduation twice, so I can handle that much."
Of course, those ceremonies had been thoroughly rehearsed beforehand.
"Anyway, now that you mention it — is this knighting ceremony something all the Royal Guard knights go through too?"
"Not just the Royal Guard — anyone who calls themselves a knight should go through it. That said, skipping all the usual qualifications and going straight to a personal liege is rare, I'd imagine. Normally, you'd swear loyalty to the kingdom first and then choose your lord."
"So it's the difference between serving a nation and serving an individual. In that case, my serving a specific person part checks out."
Even so, the word "knight" still didn't feel quite real.
Time and again, Subaru had proclaimed himself Emilia's knight — on his own terms, in his own words.
Even being told that this self-proclaimed title was finally becoming reality, he couldn't quite wrap his head around it. He harbored doubts about what would actually change, how much different things would really be.
"And I'm wearing a proper formal outfit for the occasion, no less. This thing fits perfectly — when did you even get my measurements?"
"I measured you in the gaps between moments of consciousness, day after day. I also made adjustments for the fit beforehand. I'm glad to see you're able to put it on properly. Most gratifying."
"The measuring part I can get over, but when did you adjust it? When did I wear this without knowing?"
Clind simply smiled in response and guided the fully dressed Subaru to the full-length mirror.
Standing before the mirror that reflected him from head to toe, Subaru caught his breath at the sight.
The black formal attire was decorated with just enough ornamentation to look distinguished without being overdone. No matter how Subaru posed, the outfit possessed an almost magical quality that lent him an air of dignity. If he carried himself with gravity, the ensemble did indeed look befitting of a ceremonial occasion.
But all the same, there was no denying that Subaru wearing it looked slightly outmatched by the garment's elegance.
It was the kind of dissonance you'd see at a Shichi-Go-San festival or something.
And yet— "Hm. It actually fits really well, better than I expected."
"Well, it's more like the clothes are wearing you than the other way around, but you don't look beaten. You're gonna be fine, boss."
"Yes, you look wonderful. Emilia is sure to have her impression of Natsuki-sama overwritten with an even better one. Favorability increase."
"Do you genuinely believe that? Come on — are you being completely, totally sincere?"
Subbaru adjusted his collar over and over, directing suspicious glances at Otto and the others — though he wasn't entirely convinced, they'd refused to mock his appearance, and he had to acknowledge that.
But they didn't bat an eye, and if anything, they were looking at him with a hint of pride. That left Subaru with nothing to do but fall silent.
"Here, take it, boss."
No amount of posing was going to bring about a dramatic transformation.
With a sigh, Subaru turned around, and Garfiel pressed the knight's sword into his hands. Subaru instinctively accepted it, and the sight of the slender blade made him inhale sharply.
"Normally you'd use a blade you've personally carried and cherished, but since Natsuki-sama didn't have one, the household prepared this for the occasion. If you'd like, you're welcome to keep it. A gift."
"A knight's sword... Is it a real one?"
"Did you think there'd be a fancy wooden sword made to look like one? Only a kid would be excited to receive something like that... Hm? Actually, this could be a new business opportunity..."
As Subaru stared at the sword with the vague image of wooden katana appearing in souvenir shops across this other world, he felt the weight of the knight's sword settle into both hands.
He had held a real blade before.
That time during the magical beast commotion in Arlam Village, when he'd gone into the mountains with Ram to search for
That sword had broken before he ever struck a magical beast and never proved decisive — but it had been his first experience thrusting a blade into a living creature, and there hadn't been a second.
This knight's sword should have been lighter and more slender than that one.
And yet the weight he felt in both arms now far surpassed what he'd felt then.
"————"
Before he knew it, his throat tightened, and Subaru felt a sensation as if something were squeezing his chest.
The weight of that real sword and the weight of this knight's sword in his hands were entirely different things.
And it was precisely that awareness, Subaru understood, that gave this ceremony its meaning.
"Natsuki-sama. I'll come to call you when it's time. I'll do a final check of your outfit then, so please don't let it come undone."
"...Got it."
Sensing that Subaru's expression had shifted, that he was now facing the ceremony with proper gravity, Otto offered those words — and with that, they filed out of the room.
"————"
Left alone in the room, Subaru pulled over a nearby chair and sat down in front of the full-length mirror. Holding the knight's sword, he gazed at his reflection and sank into thought.
Knight — the weight of that title, now bearing down on his shoulders as it had never before.
Had Subaru ever seriously considered the meaning of a word he'd so carelessly claimed as his own, time after time?
Of course, in each of those moments, Subaru had been sincere. He had never used the title "Emilia's knight" as mere armor to conceal flippancy.
But— "Julius. Reinhardt."
The two names that surfaced in Subaru's mind were the cream of the crop among this kingdom's knights.
One, the "knight among knights." The other, the "finest of all knights."
They were the embodiment of knightly pride, the very symbol of what it meant to be a knight.
Subbaru, who had claimed the title without understanding any of that, had been confronted with that reality by Julius's fierce and unyielding demeanor.
"A knight needs loyalty and strength... that's right, isn't it?"
If those two were essential requirements, then Subaru was painfully aware that he still fell short.
His feelings toward Emilia were, unfortunately, nowhere near as lofty as the word "loyalty."
And as for strength — his base abilities were lacking, and even borrowing
Loyalty and strength — both still insufficient.
But one thing he had that hadn't been there before was the will.
It wasn't loyalty, but a feeling that wouldn't lose to loyalty.
He lacked strength, but he had the grit and resolve to make up for what was missing by running himself ragged.
It was still an ungainly way to wear the title of knight — and that was precisely what made it Subaru.
Was a flashy code of chivalry ever going to suit
"What the heck. Turns out I didn't even need to come here after all."
At the moment Subaru found a measure of resolution in his own reflection, he sensed a small figure standing at his side — someone who'd been standing there in a forward-leaning posture, now visible in the mirror alongside him. A girl with long hair arranged in luxurious vertical ringlets — Beatrice.
"I'm changing here, you know. What a perverted loli you are."
"I hope you're done changing. Besides, I was asked to come check on you because you've been standing there looking like you can't make up your mind forever. So I came, reluctantly, intending to give you a pat on the back. ...Well, it seems it wasn't necessary after all."
"So those guys..."
Who had sent Beatrice on this errand? Otto, Garfiel, or perhaps even Clind — or maybe all three. Subaru let out a wry laugh at the likely answer.
Indeed, in terms of someone to give Subaru a firm push in the right moment, there was no one more fitting than Beatrice. Perfect choice. He would accept their kindness — and he'd do it in a way that spared Beatrice the embarrassment of appearing idle.
"My back."
"...?"
"If you're going to pat me, then pat me. I've been thinking things over and I do feel like I've reached some kind of conclusion... but I was just one step away, one last push from being fully ready."
Beatrice's large eyes went wide, surprised by Subaru's words.
The expression looked unbearably adorable to Subaru, and he had to fight back the urge to burst out laughing.
"So come on. I'm counting on you."
"You really don't have to make such a fuss about it... Betty isn't making a fuss."
"I'm not saying this just because you're being kind. I think anyone's pat on the back would give me that final push. But if I can choose who it is, I'd rather it be you."
"————"
"I want you to slap me on the back and give me the last bit of strength I need to become Emilia's knight. That's what would make it feel right — feel like it's really me."
It might be nothing more than a comfort to himself, but it was a damn good comfort, and what was wrong with that?
It might be nothing more than a matter of feelings, but if so, then all the more reason to let those feelings be good ones.
After all, the way you show your heart will always be best kept simple.
"You're... quite the helpless person, aren't you. You can't do anything without Betty around?"
"Yep, that's exactly right. Truth is, I'm completely hopeless without you. You're the only thing that keeps me functional."
"You're *still* not functional! How rude!"
"Well, that non-functional guy is about to become Emilia's knight and stop being non-functional. So every time I start slipping, I'm gonna count on you."
Subbaru stood up from the chair with effort and gave Beatrice a pat on the head.
She made a displeased face at the rough gesture but didn't pull away, nor did she utter a single word of complaint.
"————"
After thoroughly enjoying the feeling of Beatrice's silky hair under his palm, Subaru turned his back.
Beatrice surely understood the meaning behind the gesture.
She drew a faint breath, and Subaru could feel her steadying herself.
"Here goes, then!"
"————!"
A cute shout and the dry crack of an open palm resounded through the room.
The impact from her small hand sent a sharp jolt — sharper than he'd expected — running through Subaru's back. And beyond that physical shock, he could feel something surging through his entire body.
"You're surprisingly strong, you know."
"Betty carries around enormous, heavy books every single day, you know. It wasn't for nothing."
Beatrice's proud words conjured images of the days she'd spent in the Forbidden Library. Indeed, Beatrice had always been cracking open books that dwarfed her tiny frame. The strength she'd built from enduring their weight day after day was on full display now.
Whether physical training actually benefited spirits, he had no idea.
"So it turns out you're secretly a muscle magic user. Massive Beatrice."
"That really doesn't sound like a compliment, and Betty doesn't appreciate it."
"Imagining things. Anyway, that got me pumped. Thanks."
"...You're my contractor. It's only natural."
A faint blush colored her cheeks as Beatrice looked away from Subaru.
Her reaction made him want to ruffle her hair one more time. But before he could reach out— "Natsuki-sama, it is almost time. Please make your final preparations."
Clind appeared at the door, having come to escort him. Subaru took a breath and felt the tension settle over him — the moment had finally arrived.
And yet, his hands, feet, and face were less stiff than he'd imagined. The tautness of his nerves loosened his movements in a good way, and he silently praised Beatrice's unexpectedly powerful smack.
"Beatrice will also be in attendance. We shall take our places at the rear of the procession, so I would appreciate your understanding, Natsuki-sama."
"Got it. Just don't laugh if I mess up."
"As you wish. Solemnly."
Clind positioned himself outside the door to lead the way. Subaru exhaled and cracked his neck.
Then he turned to Beatrice, struggling to find the right words.
"Well... I'm off."
"That would be for the best."
A simple exchange, but it was enough.
She'd already given him more words and more warmth than he could ever deserve.
"—Subaru."
And yet, at the very last moment, Beatrice called out to him one more time.
Just before stepping through the door, Subaru turned back. Beatrice's face was red as she— "Does that outfit suit you, I wonder?"
With those words, she gave him the last missing piece of his confidence.