The Sin Archbishop of Wrath. The bandaged freak who claimed to be the wife of the madman known as Sloth.
Sirius Romanee Conti was bound entirely by the chains that had been her weapon, imprisoned in a room within the shelter, unable to move.
"Nobody came to visit, and even when I tried to approach, nobody would come near, so I was bored. But you went to get them for me, didn't you? Thanks, and sorry, okay? Thanks to everyone, it seems we've had a happy reunion. ...Though there are some intruders too."
Upon seeing Subaru enter the room, Sirius's voice brightened with delight. The final part of her words, however, carried a fierce killing intent directed at
"—"
As always, Sirius still believed Subaru was some sort of vessel for Petelgeuse's possession. Not that he wanted to be perceived that way.
Overwhelmed by the deranged, clearly unhinged gaze of the bandaged freak, Subaru masked his discomfort with a shrug and— "For a prisoner, you're awfully composed. I don't know what whim possessed Priscilla to capture you, but you're definitely not getting out of this safely."
"But you can't easily dispose of me either, right? Thanks. I know you're worried about me. But I'm sorry, okay? As much as your concern means, it's surely meaningless to me. Because that's not how it is, is it?"
Sirius interpreted Subaru's threat through her own unique logic. The freak maintained her posture on the chair without moving, merely letting her cracked, rasping voice tremble: "As long as there exists 'love' in everyone's hearts—love that thinks of others, that yearns for others—no one can deny me. That arrogant girl is the same way."
"...Your authority didn't work on Priscilla or Liliana. It's not like there aren't beings who can harm you."
"But that's not you. Anything given by anyone other than you is ultimately meaningless to me. Thanks. And sorry, okay?"
"—!"
Subaru gritted his teeth at Sirius, who let her bandaged mouth loosen and even seemed to smile. The conversation appeared to be going somewhere, but in truth, no equal exchange of meaning was taking place.
Within Sirius, a set of values was so firmly established that it refused to accept even a fragment of external stimulation. The harder Subaru hit her with words, the more he was the one who ended up hurt.
"Subaru, it's pointless. Expecting someone like this to reflect or empathize—human emotions like that—are meaningless, I suppose. These people are nothing but malice made flesh."
"...A spirit in the shape of a woman—stay away from my dear Petelgeuse."
When Beatrice tugged at the sleeve of the teeth-grinding Subaru, Sirius began displaying an overtly unpleasant attitude. At the freak's words, Beatrice sniffed derisively and pulled Subaru's arm even closer toward herself.
"How unfortunate. Betty is Subaru's, and she's staying here because she's wanted, I suppose. You're the one who should stop calling Subaru by that wretched name. You don't even know the true meaning behind it."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, you little brat. That person's side—whether body or heart—is where I belong. Don't direct your one-sided, delusional devotion at him. Shall I set your guts on fire from the inside and burn everything to ash as fertilizer for Od Laguna?"
"Both of you, stop getting worked up and fighting! I'll get angry too, you know!"
As the atmosphere between Sirius and Beatrice turned hostile, Emilia's gaze became sharp as she intervened. Surrounded by three women and being tugged from both sides, Subaru had no luxury to joke about it.
That was how oppressive it felt to be near Sirius. Whether that pressure came from the freak's authority or not, he couldn't say.
"Emilia, Beatrice, step back. Probably, the only one who can hold a conversation with this one is me. With anyone else present... well, even without anyone, it's questionable whether a conversation is possible."
"But..."
"Please. —It's a chance to talk with the
Without a situation like this, there would never be an opportunity to sit down and have a proper conversation with the Witch Cult.
At Subaru's plea, Emilia sighed, exchanged a look with Beatrice, and took a step back so as not to interfere with the conversation.
Having left the situation in his hands, Subaru turned to face the bound freak.
"As you wish, I'll talk to you. So stop rattling those chains. If I release your restraints, the only option left is to knock you out."
"You have your own position to maintain. I understand. It's okay. These chains aren't so easily broken or removed. Thanks."
Sirius was utterly delighted by Subaru's willingness to attempt dialogue.
She couldn't have failed to notice Emilia and the others, yet she seemed to have completely pushed them out of her awareness.
"So, what shall we talk about? There's almost nothing for us to discuss, given the nature of our relationship... Perhaps we could exchange 'love'? Sorry, just kidding?"
"Our purpose... right, the purpose. The reason all you Sin Archbishops attacked this city at once. Spare me the excuses about books or artificial spirits. We know perfectly well that none of you actually intended to seriously steal those things."
"It's a misunderstanding to say I had no real intention. However, it's true that I personally didn't desire it. Forget about the others—I was merely following the Gospel's instructions."
"The Gospel... that again. It was the same with Petelgeuse. Why do you people obey such a bizarre book? Petelgeuse followed it too, and—"
As a result, lost his life.
Even knowing that the Gospel showed the path its owner's future was supposed to follow—that it was not omnipotent—was obvious from the madman's end.
Subaru knew that seeing the path ahead didn't mean everything.
And yet— "Why do you people in the Witch Cult obey that book so completely? Is it because the book will help with the resurrection of the '
"—Don't misunderstand, you."
"Misunderstand?"
The joy suddenly drained from Sirius's voice at Subaru's strained words.
The bandaged freak looked directly at Subaru with those glinting eyes, twisted her lips to reveal yellowed teeth— And spoke.
"The only one I love is you. Just you, alone. The 'Witch' means nothing to me. It's all just whatever I need to reach you."
"—"
"The other Sin Archbishops are the same way, really. Every last one of them wallows in foolish, trivial, revolting desires and clings to their own authority. They're different from me, whose only reason is 'love,' and from you, whose very existence is precious. I'm sorry? Everything about us is different."
—The Witch Cult's purpose is the resurrection of the 'Witch of Envy.' From Petelgeuse Romanee Conti's behavior and words, and from the Witch Cult's doctrines and atrocities he'd been told about, Subaru had never doubted this.
But the very foundation—the reason for the Witch Cult's existence as a whole—was being shaken here.
Of course, Subaru had also encountered and exchanged words with
If he thought that the self-centered man who looked down on everything except himself was genuinely devoted only to the 'Witch,' the sense of incongruity only grew stronger.
Come to think of it, it was an obvious conclusion one could reach. But if that was the case, then what was the Witch Cult even for?
"So what exactly is the Witch Cult even—"
"Because you're here."
"—"
"That's my only reason. I'm here to exchange 'love' with you. I don't know about the others. If we merged into one, you'd understand."
"If we merged into one"—that likely meant using the power of her authority to fuse their hearts.
But that wasn't understanding; it was forced synchronization. Forcibly pressing one's heart onto another and binding them to the same sensations couldn't be called mutual comprehension, let alone becoming one.
"What about the other Sin Archbishops' purposes? What is the Witch Cult ultimately trying to achieve?"
"Who knows. I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in things that bore me."
"Where does the Witch Cult usually gather? Is there some kind of leader?"
"...No. There are no such rules, as you well know."
Sirius deflected Subaru's questions with her characteristic evasiveness from behind her bandaged face, a manic grin still present. No—perhaps she wasn't even trying to deflect.
The freak was, in her own way, sincerely responding to the questions of her beloved 'Petelgeuse.' From her behavior up to this point, there was no doubt that Sirius harbored an extraordinary fixation on Petelgeuse and was completely dependent on him.
In other words, the freak truly, genuinely knew nothing.
"—Even so, I suppose it really is that way, after all."
"—?"
Sirius, peering up at Subaru from below, murmured that.
The chill in her words made Subaru's reaction迟了一瞬。The freak seized that momentary opening.
The chair tilted with a small sound, and Sirius's face drew close to Subaru's nose.
Subaru involuntarily held his breath as bloodshot eyes glared at him from point-blank range.
Tilting the chair, and despite having her ankles bound, Sirius had managed to shift her weight using only her free toes, lunging forward with enough force to lean against Subaru.
"...O-"
"From the moment we reunited at the Clock Tower, something felt off—and now I'm certain. That day's passion is nowhere to be found in your eyes. —You've been consumed, haven't you?"
"—"
"A body that was supposed to be a temporary vessel, consumed by the spirit inside, left unable to move... You truly are someone who can't function without me, aren't you?"
While spilling feverish breath, Sirius's long tongue licked Subaru's cheek with an obscene slur. Feeling the rough texture of the tongue tip against his skin, every fine hair on Subaru's body stood on end.
The revulsion welling up inside him exploded in his chest, and the backs of his eyes burned crimson. This didn't seem like a reaction caused by sheer disgust alone.
It didn't—but he had no room to analyze it further. And then— "Icebrand Arts!"
"Kah—!"
The blow of the ice mace struck at an angle, smashing into Sirius's torso as she clung to Subaru, sending her flying along with the chair into the wall behind them.
The impact echoed, and Sirius—who had taken the undefended strike full-on—toppled over, sending dust swirling through the narrow room, with fragments raining down from the ceiling.
"...O?"
Beside Subaru, who had dropped to one knee on reflex, stood Emilia, having dismissed the ice mace she'd conjured. It took Subaru a moment to realize the decisive blow had come from her, and he let out a long breath.
He couldn't fully process what had happened in that instant.
"Subaru, you absolute idiot."
"—! Beako?"
Subaru blinked, realizing his cheek had been slapped—by the dry, sharp sound. The one who struck him was Beatrice, standing right beside him. Glancing at Emilia— "If Emilia hadn't intervened just now, Betty would have done the same thing, I suppose. You let your guard down too much against that creature. Worst case, she could have torn out your throat."
"—"
At Beatrice's words, Subaru became aware of his own carelessness. This was no time for self-deprecating laughter. Sirius had, in fact, licked his cheek with her tongue.
Setting aside the revulsion of the act itself, if that tongue had turned into fangs—not against his cheek, but against his neck—Subaru would have been unable to stop it.
"Don't do anything strange. I'm clumsy, so I can't hold back properly. The next one is definitely going to hurt reaaaally bad."
While keeping the fallen Sirius in her sights, Emilia delivered her warning without mercy.
The fact that such excessive caution was directed at Sirius—completely restrained, with her movements sealed—was proof of just how dangerous this freak was.
Before the threat of her authority, one could almost forget—but this Sin Archbishop of Wrath stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of individual combat power. At first glance, the strongest in the Witch Cult might seem to be the 'Invincible' Regulus, but the reality was that Greed, who relied entirely on his authority, posed little genuine threat.
Strength independent of authority, combined with the threat of that authority—in that regard, the other Sin Archbishops were far more formidable than Regulus.
"Subaru, you should have realized by now. Talking to this one gets you nowhere. She's not someone you can have a sane conversation with. I don't know what she knows, but whatever it is, you can't learn it through rational discussion."
"If talking doesn't work..."
"Then you'd have to extract it from her body—which is to say, torture. And that's not something Subaru should be doing. That's for the Kingdom to handle on their own after she's been captured."
Delivering her cold assessment, Beatrice pulled Subaru's arm and helped him stand.
The word "torture" brought an indescribable discomfort to Subaru. It was a word you'd never hear in daily life, nor speak aloud—something worse than death or violence.
Even without knowing its specifics, he could imagine the horrors it entailed. And the suffering of those subjected to it.
"I don't feel good about that, for the record."
Subaru wasn't naive enough to believe in the inherent goodness of people.
He didn't believe every conflict had to end in 'death,' and at his core, he always held to the principle of avoiding killing whenever possible. That was the moral compass he'd dragged from his original world—the softness he couldn't cut loose.
—But even so, there were always moments when that moral line was crossed.
He wanted to avoid killing if he could. But that principle ultimately meant: those who must be killed, must be killed.
The Sin Archbishops—Petelgeuse and Regulus—had both qualified. And the others were no different: Sirius, Capella, the Gluttony Archbishop Alphard.
He held hatred and desire for revenge. But in a different part of his heart, there existed the resolve that they simply had to die.
"I'm done talking to you. And if we part here, there'll never be another chance. I don't feel pity, and I don't feel sorry for you. But just... say what needs to be said and be done with it. ...It'll be better for everyone that way."
Telling someone outright to 'die' to their face came with a suffocating weight.
Subaru said his piece and turned to leave the room. As Beatrice had said, any further information from Sirius would have to be extracted through other means—physical ones. That was someone else's job, not his.
When Subaru indicated his intent to leave, Emilia and Beatrice both showed expressions of relief. They'd opposed entering the room from the start. Though leaving with nothing to show for it and only bad feelings was pathetic, they could take comfort in learning that the Witch Cult's thinking was incomprehensible to them.
"—"
Who knew what she'd do if you got close.
Without righting Sirius—still overturned from Emilia's strike—Subaru and the others headed for the exit, leaving her on the floor. It wasn't praiseworthy conduct, but it was— "—"
"...Wait."
As he approached the entrance, Subaru stopped, a scalp-crawling sense of wrongness freezing him in place. His eyes turned to Sirius, still on the ground. The source of his discomfort was there.
The freak lay on her side, her face pressed against the cold floor, breathing harshly. The grating, insistent sound wormed into his consciousness.
—It wasn't until just before he left that he realized it was humming.
"Stop that song. What are you playing at?"
"—"
The dissonant sound—off-key, its pitch and range utterly chaotic—showed no sign of stopping. It was Sirius's declaration of defiance in response to Subaru's words.
In other words, refusal. Rejection. And— "I said stop! That song is drilling into my skull!"
"—. I'm sorry? Ah, but songs are wonderful, aren't they? I was taught that, so I couldn't help wanting to sing."
"Liliana...!"
Sirius had encountered Priscilla and Liliana, and presumably heard her song. In that battle, she hadn't learned how the song had sealed her authority.
The freak hadn't learned to hate music from that encounter—she had learned something from it. But her understanding of music was fundamentally at odds with what Liliana poured into her songs.
Something twisted, something always eerie and unsettling.
"Don't compare your song to hers. Yours is different—something else entirely."
"—The same could be said of you. You are different. You are not the same. You are fundamentally different from the person I love. The same, yet different."
"What?"
"Petelgeuse is inside you. When spirit and spirit merge, when flesh and flesh mingle, it takes time for that dear person to emerge. What I must do is help that happen. Be there to witness his awakening."
Lying on the floor, Sirius craned her neck to look up at Subaru.
Swirling in her mad eyes was a perpetual storm of passion. Anger, joy, sorrow, and an unconcealable adoration—all churned within Sirius's gaze.
"I will drag him out of you. —Thanks, and sorry, okay? Until that day comes, please take good care of your body and soul."
"—!"
Subaru and Petelgeuse were different—Sirius had certainly understood that.
Yet, as if overwriting that understanding, the freak imposed her convenient fantasy on top of it. That the Petelgeuse sleeping inside Subaru would one day come to claim her.
There was no such person. There was no such possibility.
It was probably true that Petelgeuse's Witch Factor had been absorbed into Subaru. But that didn't guarantee Petelgeuse's spirit. What commonality did the freak see between Subaru and Petelgeuse that she kept repeating such nonsense?
—Or was there, from an outside perspective, something similar between that madman and Subaru?
"One more thing—let me give you a warning so this doesn't turn into something trivial."
"...A warning? You're giving me one?"
"Yes, I am—to keep from losing my beloved you. —Watch out for 'Gluttony.' The Malefactor, the Gourmet, and the Satiety—all of them will try to take you. If that happens before you awaken, no one will remember you anymore."
"—"
Unexpectedly, the Sin Archbishop of Wrath had spoken Gluttony's name and revealed information. The content itself wasn't particularly novel—it was already known information—but—no.
"Wait. The Gourmet, and what did you say?"
"The Gourmet, the Malefactor, and the Satiety. To be consumed, absorbed, lost without even realizing it—that's an atrocity against the 'love' we should share as merged, mingled, unified beings. If you have the opportunity, please do kill Gluttony. It's troublesome."
She let slip the name of a fellow Sin Archbishop, and then nonchalantly wished for their death. The fatal dysfunction between the Witch Cult's senior officials was something Subaru could set aside for now.
The problem was what Sirius had said about Gluttony—no, about the Gluttonies.
"Otto ran into Gluttony, and I figured that meant the Gluttony in the control tower was wandering around like Lust did..."
But what if that wasn't the case—what if it was one of the other two Gluttonies?
If all three Gluttonies had infiltrated the city, and what Otto encountered was merely one of them— If the Gluttony who should have been guarding the control tower had been doing so all along— "—! Shit, I have to check—!"
Clutching his head at his own foolishness, Subaru kicked off the ground and sprinted toward the exit. There was no time to keep chatting with Sirius.
He had to verify the safety of everyone who had fought in the city's defense with his own eyes.
He had to check whether someone had been consumed by Gluttony—had their name eaten, and vanished.
"Emilia! Beatrice! Back to the shelter right now! I need to check!"
"Subaru? I don't know what she told you, but calm down..."
"After this is over! I'll calm down then, no problem. So please—just let me do what I need to do to calm down. It's important."
At Emilia's touch on his shoulder, Subaru responded in a rapid-fire stream. His intensity made Emilia catch her breath, and then she nodded, saying "I understand."
Beatrice, from the start, wore a resigned expression and showed no inclination to comment on Subaru's behavior. Subaru had already abandoned any concern for Sirius and bolted from the room.
"Wait, Subaru! I'm coming too!"
Emilia hurried after him, and the sound of two sets of footsteps quickly faded into the distance.
Listening to them, Beatrice paused at the door, looked back at Sirius—who still had her face pressed against the floor—and raised her palm toward the freak.
"Part of me thinks it would be more correct to reduce you to dust right here and now."
"—Then go ahead and do it, won't you, you harlot spirit? If it accelerates his awakening, I'd welcome it wholeheartedly."
"—"
At Sirius's provocative words, Beatrice let out a breath and lowered her hand. With the same hand, she gripped the hem of her dress, and her round eyes filled with fierce emotion: "If you make Subaru suffer, Betty will absolutely kill you."
"Of course. The resurrection of my beloved Petelgeuse should be met with nothing but joy."
Neither party could tell how much the other actually understood or whether their conversation even made sense—and with that, it ended. Beatrice left the room and closed the door.
Just before it shut, Sirius's twisted humming slipped into Beatrice's eardrums.
A discordant, grating violation of the very concept of music—a sonic violence and harassment that scraped at the senses. An entirely new form of music designed to implant revulsion in others—"Rancor."
The door closed, cutting off the Rancor.
But that insane melody lingered on in her ears. Bearing that unpleasant sensation, Beatrice pursued Subaru and Emilia with measured steps.
--- Bursting out of Sirius's cell, Subaru rushed to Al, who was standing guard in the corridor. Al waited with his Blue Dragon Blade in hand, startled by Subaru's fierce approach: "Yo, bro. Heard some crazy noise—please tell me you didn't kill her? Beating and kicking prisoners is still abuse, you know. Not a good look."
"I didn't kill her, and I'll deal with the prisoner abuse question later. Forget that—I need to verify something. Al, nobody died where you were, right?"
"—? Well, city-wide, I couldn't say for sure. But at least the
"I know, but... ugh, that's not getting me anywhere!"
Of course, the response was useless.
Just as Subaru feared, if anyone had fallen victim to Gluttony, they would have vanished from everyone's memories—like
The simple method would be to go through Al and Emilia one by one, listing every name— "—!"
That was terrifying. That was horrifying.
Even when there was no time to be afraid, having that confirmed by someone else's mouth was frightening. It would be much easier to rush back to the shelter and confirm everyone's safety with his own eyes.
"I'm going back to the shelter. Don't take your eyes off the place until Reinhard gets back."
"Sure thing... Eh, whatever. I ain't asking what went on in there. Creepy stuff."
Waving his hand dismissively, Al didn't probe Subaru's true intent. Saved from what was less consideration and more avoidance of hassle, Subaru retraced his path to the shelter entrance.
Passing Priscilla—still looking thoroughly bored—he counted her as the "second."
"Hmph. The common folk, with their paltry vessels, are so easily troubled by trivial matters. If you must rush about, at least do so with the aim of putting on a show."
"It's creepy how you haven't changed at all. Later."
Subaru didn't have time to stop. He hurried past Priscilla, which was arguably rude enough to sour her mood, but she said nothing—merely fanned herself and murmured, "How tedious."
"So Subaru, what do you want to do? What is it you need to check?"
As Subaru returned to the shelter—now packed with the wounded—and looked around frantically, Emilia called out to him. At her voice, Subaru hesitated for a moment about asking for her help.
Thinking of Rem's case, Emilia had no resistance against Gluttony's meal. He hadn't forgotten the shock of learning from her mouth that Rem's name had been lost.
It took courage to explain the situation to Emilia, knowing he might reopen that wound. There was no way to soften this for her—it was an unconscious blade.
"—"
The comrades Subaru had confirmed safe so far in the defense battle numbered only a handful.
Beatrice and Anastasia first. Then Garfiel and Mimi. Wilhelm and Otto. Liliana and Kiritaka followed.
From Otto's words,
That left only the ones whose safety he hadn't yet verified— "—Subaru, looks like you made it back safe and sound."
"Reinhard?"
A cool voice called out from the side as Subaru's thoughts raced. Turning, he saw a red-haired young man waving at him—Reinhard.
After the battle against Regulus, he'd been dispatched as reinforcements for the other factions. This was the first time in just a few hours that Subaru had laid eyes on him. But given that he'd been searching for acquaintances, seeing his face brought genuine relief.
"I'm glad to see that both Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama have reunited safely as well."
"Thanks, Reinhard. You were supposed to be running all over the city too, right? I'm glad you're safe. Really."
"Not at all—it was nothing. And even without me, everyone fulfilled their roles admirably. My contribution was negligible."
After replying courteously to Emilia, Reinhard turned to look at Subaru. His azure eyes narrowed, seeming to peer into the depths of Subaru's heart— "So, Subaru, did something happen? You seemed agitated just now."
"Whether something happened or not is exactly what I need to verify right now. —Reinhard, have you seen Felt? Felt, and the others... Lachins and his group."
The three clueless ones from earlier were, at this point, associates—people who fell within the circle of allies. He'd heard from Otto that Felt was safe, and likewise that her servants were fine, but he hadn't confirmed their names individually. He couldn't be at ease.
At the desperation in Subaru's question, Reinhard placed a hand lightly to his chin: "Yes, they were all fine. Felt-sama, as well as Lachins,
"Given that it was thanks to Felt that our domestic affairs official was likely saved, I'd appreciate leniency on that front. ...Anything else happen?"
"What do you mean, anything?"
"I mean... no, sorry. That's not specific at all. Uh—after we separated, did anything come up? Any problems, anything concerning?"
Thinking about it, he still couldn't formulate a specific question, which frustrated Subaru. But Reinhard didn't laugh—he considered it quietly and shook his head.
"No, I'm sorry, but nothing comes to mind. After parting ways with you and Emilia-sama, nothing of concern occurred. That's my honest assessment."
"I see. Sorry about that. It's not that, though. Um... actually, I have quite a bit to discuss, and if possible, could you gather Felt as well? I want to talk with everyone involved about what happened and the aftermath. Can I entrust you with that?"
"—Very well. It's your request, after all. I've just asked Felt-sama to stay put at the staging area for once, so I'll probably get an earful, but—"
"...Sorry about that. I'll apologize to her myself later. For now, please."
Reinhard smiled wryly at Subaru's words, glanced around briefly, and then departed swiftly. As soon as he darted outside the shelter, a shadow could be faintly seen leaping over the building in a single bound—his reunion with Felt would come soon enough.
The problem was— "Subaru, Ferris is over there. You want to talk to her, right?"
"Hm, yeah. Right—I wanted to hear from Ferris too."
At Emilia's call, Subaru looked in the direction she indicated. There, in a corner of the shelter, gaze wandering restlessly, was Ferris.
The cat-eared healer was swaying on her feet, her complexion terrible. Probably the result of a healing marathon led by Reinhard. She'd pushed herself hard, casting healing magic nonstop. But rather than resting, she appeared to be searching for the next patient— "—Ah!"
Ferris, who'd been looking around, spotted Subaru and cried out. She staggered over at an unsteady quick pace and grabbed Subaru by the front of his shirt.
Supporting her light frame, Subaru said "Hey?"—and Ferris spoke: "Tell me..."
"Huh?"
"The Sin Archbishop! You captured them, right? Make them spill everything—every last thing they know—and force them to tell me how to heal Lady Crusch! So tell me where they are...!"
Her eyes wide, glaring from point-blank range, Ferris's gaze made Subaru freeze.
The fiery passion in Ferris's eyes was nothing but concern for the master she revered. And if it meant saving her, she would show no mercy to anyone who stood in the way.
"F-Ferris, calm down. I understand how you feel, but rushing won't make the result come faster. For now, let's talk—"
"Stop saying whatever you want! You understand how I feel? How could you possibly understand!? While you're sitting here talking calmly, Lady Crusch is suffering... If you understood that, how could you possibly stay calm! Stop saying whatever comes to mind!"
"—"
Shoved back, with Ferris's finger jabbed at his chest, Subaru clammed up.
He couldn't argue back after such a rash outburst. Crusch's condition hadn't changed—she was still afflicted by Lust's Capella's blood. And more than anything, Subaru felt relief realizing from Ferris's words that she hadn't forgotten Crusch.
The same black corruption was on Subaru's right foot and the palm that had touched Crusch.
But that brought no comfort to Ferris whatsoever.
"I have to save Lady Crusch. If it means doing what's necessary, I'll do anything—I will. If I have to torture a Sin Archbishop, I'll do that too. I know how to heal people. So I can break them and put them back together. That's why—"
"Ferris. —Stop it."
Subaru couldn't find words for the anguish burning in Ferris. Then, from behind him, someone who couldn't stand watching called out to her.
Wilhelm addressed his fellow knight in a voice that suppressed all emotion: "I understand your feelings—painfully so. But your actions would only degrade Lady Crusch more than anyone. Calm yourself first. Calm yourself, and then act."
"Saying you understand is just empty comfort—!"
"—I understand."
At Ferris's snarl, Wilhelm's low voice pressed back firmly. Then Wilhelm looked at the jacket in his arms, wrapping the ashes of the dead.
Ferris quickly grasped who slept within, and bit her lip.
"That's... not fair. Not fair, not fair, not fair, Grandpa Wil...!"
"I know. It's my fault—for exploiting your kindness and compassion. Forcing this on you, who rejects others' pain more than anyone. Resent this old man."
"Gu... guuuu..."
Ferris looked down, fighting back tears. Wilhelm held her head and nodded at Subaru.
He was saying: leave this to me. Once she calmed down, Ferris would need to step in for Crusch and participate in the upcoming discussions.
The question of how to deal with Sirius would need to be addressed then.
But for now, those who knew each other's situations should exchange a few words.
Wilhelm's quiet eyes conveyed that to Subaru.
There was no luxury in relying on that, and Subaru bowed his head before leaving.
"Wilhelm-san must want to cry too, after all..."
Why couldn't anything work out?
Was there no way for everyone—acquaintances and strangers alike—to find a happy resolution? If Subaru struggled enough, worked hard enough, chose the right moves, would he reach that outcome—or was that unknowable?
He had now confirmed the safety of Reinhard, Felt, Ferris, and Crusch. What remained were Julius and Ricardo, who had gone to assault the Gluttony control tower. And Schult, Priscilla's page—not to mention Heinkel, someone he'd rather avoid.
Come to think of it, Joshua, Julius's younger brother, had been...
"—Huh?"
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Subaru spotted a figure peering into the shelter from outside.
A well-tailored white outfit, a slender knight's sword at his hip. Tall, with sharp features and lustrous purple hair—unmistakable.
Julius. The very person whose safety he'd just been thinking about was right there.
"Hey, Juli—"
"—"
Subaru raised his hand instinctively and started to call out as Julius half-stepped into view. But the moment Julius noticed Subaru's gaze, he turned on his heel and slipped back outside, then moved to quickly leave the shelter area.
"Huh?"
At Julius's utterly unexpected behavior, Subaru let out a stunned voice.
This reaction was completely unforeseen. Whether Julius would respond openly to Subaru's call was debatable, but this response was beyond anything he'd imagined.
Not a friendly response, not a sarcastic jab—just being outright ignored.
"That bastard, is he screwing with me?"
All the accumulated irritation boiled over and Subaru gave chase.
He hadn't been worried. He hadn't been worried—but to have his concerns met with that kind of attitude was unacceptable.
He had to catch up and demand an explanation. This was no time for games.
"Hey, Subaru? What's wrong?"
"Julius—the pretty-boy jerk—just ignored me when I tried to call him. I'm catching him!"
"What?"
Leaving Emilia's startled voice behind, Subaru sprinted after Julius. Bolting out of the shelter entrance, he spotted a retreating figure clearly trying to avoid being seen heading down the street. But if he wasn't running, catching up would be easy.
"If you're safe, just say so—one word, that's all it takes..."
Grumbling, Subaru jogged toward the street corner. Closing the distance inevitably with his faster pace, he rounded the corner and saw Julius's back. He raised his voice.
"Hey, you jerk! What are you doing wandering around when everyone else is busy? People worry when they can't see your face. Well, speaking generally—"
"—"
At Subaru's rough shout, Julius stopped. Turning his head only, Julius cast a sidelong glance at Subaru with those yellow eyes.
At the silent gaze, Subaru furrowed his brows—but Julius, still half-turned, spoke: "—My apologies. I was looking for someone, but they didn't seem to be inside. I'd like to quickly check other shelters. Excuse me."
"Wait, wait, wait, wait—what the hell are you saying? Who you're looking for is obviously Anastasia or someone. She's perfectly fine at that shelter—you just missed her because you're impatient. That's not like you."
"—"
Subaru's shout caught Julius as he tried to leave with nothing but his polite words. At Subaru's words, Julius showed a dramatic reaction.
His shoulders jumped, and he turned to face Subaru with a stunned expression.
"O-oh? What is it?"
Subaru's own voice came out straining in response. Naturally.
The expression on Julius's face was colored with an astonishment Subaru had never seen. No—it wasn't just astonishment. There was a desperate, pleading quality in his gaze.
That emotion, so utterly unlike Julius, robbed Subaru of words. At Subaru's silence, Julius stiffened, his cheeks rigid— "...Subaru. Do you remember me?"
"What kind of question is that? It's only been a few hours—it's not like I'd forget you that easily. The 'Finest Knight,'
With a shrug, Subaru gave a response that belittled Julius. But mid-exchange, he realized his own foolishness and stopped.
Julius's question was clearly abnormal. And if Subaru's imagination could reach just one step beyond the worst-case scenario he'd been considering, he would have realized it— "Subaru! Don't just run off on your own!"
Subaru's throat went dry as he faced Julius.
The two stood facing each other in the street when Emilia and Beatrice caught up. They looked at the pair staring silently at each other, blinked their large eyes— "Um... you're in the middle of something, right?"
Noticing the strange atmosphere and tension, Emilia tilted her head uncertainly.
Her reaction—particularly the way she looked at Julius—sent a chill of premonition through Subaru.
And then Subaru pointed at Julius: "...Yeah, that's right, but it's not that. Emilia-tan. Beako, you too."
"—?"
Emilia and Beatrice put question marks to Subaru's halting words.
He needed to ask something—something definitive, probably. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Subaru flicked a glance at Julius from the corner of his eye.
At Subaru's look, Julius set his jaw with a hollow, resigned determination: "I found Julius. So we can bring him to the discussion, right?"
"—Julius."
At the question, Beatrice looked at Julius.
Then, Emilia pursed her lips timidly and— "Is Julius someone Subaru knows?"
—and, just like reenacting a nightmare from the past, she said it.