—The unreturned: Priscilla and Yorna.
The shocking information delivered from
One could easily imagine the enormous role Priscilla and Yorna had played amid the battle for the Imperial Capital
At the same time, Subaru clenched his fist hard as a realization hit him.
"So that's why
He had noticed that among the battle unit members who'd visited him in bed aboard the chain dragon carriage, Tanza had been looking particularly down. He had been planning to discuss future plans with Emilia, Abel, and the others first, and then circle back to talk to Tanza once things had settled. But before Subaru could even act on that, the reason for Tanza's concern had already become clear.
"Wait—so we're leaving the Imperial Capital even though those two haven't come back!?"
"…There are countless participants in that battle who remain unreturned. Of course, her presence and that of Yorna Misgrea would have been considerable—but we cannot afford to give them special treatment."
"But Yorna is… And besides! You must have some kind of history with Priscilla yourself."
Subaru appealed to Abel while gazing out the window of the running carriage, watching the scenery flow past as the Imperial Capital receded in the distance.
He hadn't heard the full details. But he knew that when Priscilla had rushed to their aid during the crisis at the fortified city, she had literally flown there—most likely to protect Abel.
Their subsequent interactions, while carrying a sharpness that suggested blades could be drawn at any moment, had also held a certain ease—the kind found between people who understood each other's temperament.
For Priscilla to have been left behind like that, Abel couldn't possibly be at peace about it either.
Perhaps, what had made him so rattled in Subaru's room earlier wasn't solely about that person Chisha who had died.
"How dare you address His Excellency with such insolence!"
But the one who objected to Subaru's attitude wasn't Abel himself—it was the large man standing beside him.
The scar-faced man clad in golden armor,
"If you look closely at the situation in the Imperial Capital, His Excellency's decision to abandon it was only natural! The soldiers and citizens who remained behind all understand the wisdom of His Excellency's judgment!"
"This isn't a debate about whether it was right or wrong. What I'm trying to say is—"
"You—!"
"Enough, Goz Ralfon. He is not the type who can simply stay silent."
When Subaru continued to press the issue and Goz's face flushed red, Abel raised his hand to restrain the man. At the sound of Abel's composed voice, Goz closed his half-opened mouth and bowed his head respectfully. Subaru, meanwhile, looked at Abel with an uncomfortable expression.
"Sorry for making a scene. But I'll say the same thing."
"Goz speaks truly. In the current situation, remaining in the Imperial Capital is tantamount to throwing our lives away. I cannot make that decision. Of course, the safety of Priscilla and Yorna Misgrea is a concern, but…"
"Hey, Subaru, it's not all bad news. …Well, rather, there is real hope hidden within the bad news."
The hand that landed on Subaru's shoulder belonged to Emilia, her eyebrows downturned. She, too, like Subaru, was deeply worried about Priscilla and the others' safety. If she said there was hope, then that mattered to Subaru too.
"What kind of hope?"
"Both Priscilla and Yorna are incredibly strong, but beyond that, they each have the power to influence those around them."
"Those around them… That's true. At least for Priscilla's side, I can't say."
Yorna, who ruled the Magic City
That principle also applied to Tanza. The reason the girl who appeared to be nothing more than a cute deer-daughter could unleash incomparable strength was something distinct from the Pleiades Battle Unit's overall enhancement. It was a remarkably powerful support effect—one that persisted even on the Slave Gladiator Island far from Chaosflame, and during the battle for the Imperial Capital as well— "…Could it be that Tanza's enhancement hasn't worn off yet?"
"And beyond that, the effects from the group who joined from the Magic City might still be ongoing."
"That means the life of Yorna Misgrea, the one who wields that secret art, is intact. That's why our dear worrywart Emilia isn't panicking."
"Exactly! That's why I'm not panicking. And it's the same with Priscilla."
"Priscilla too?"
Taken at face value, it meant that Priscilla was also a user of the same ability.
"But that doesn't seem like something Priscilla would do. And Abel said using the Soul Marriage Art is incredibly difficult. Was she bluffing?"
"Don't be absurd. What would she gain from deceiving me? Whether you think well of me or not, I couldn't care less—but why would I invite pointless hostility here? Use your head."
"Well, if you don't want to invite my hostility, you're not cut out to be emperor."
Even without this incident, that kind of behavior would surely have invited a coup in the near future.
When Subaru pointed this out, Goz's face contorted with anger once more—but Berstetz, standing beside him, mediated before it could escalate.
"Anyway, I don't know what kind of impression Natsuki-san has of Lady Priscilla, but she is indeed the one who uses this Soul Marriage Art. I've seen it with my own eyes."
"As Otto says, I've confirmed it too. Of course, it's not on the same ridiculous scale as Yorna Misgrea—her version is limited to about one favorite attendant."
"Her favorite…
As the conversation turned toward Priscilla's camp along with her unreturned status, Subaru asked about the man in the iron helmet whom he hadn't seen either here or anywhere aboard the chain dragon carriage.
Though neither side had formally acknowledged it, Al occupied a position akin to Priscilla's knight. He too may have been flippant and frivolous, but his loyalty to Priscilla was genuine. Naturally, with Priscilla unreturned, Al would feel the greatest sense of responsibility.
"That man didn't board the dragon carriage—he stayed behind in the Imperial Capital. Just as you suspected, Subaru, he's probably out searching for Priscilla."
"That guy…! Don't tell me, alone?"
"He argued that one person would have more room to maneuver. On that point, Ram agrees. You can't exactly leave a large force behind in the Imperial Capital in its current state."
"Damn it, but still…"
Subaru received an answer about Al's whereabouts, but it only deepened the furrows between his brows. Al was resourceful beyond his actual strength—a man specialized in survival above all else. Even so, he was undeniably a step below the truly powerful. Yet despite that awareness, Al had gone out of his way to cooperate with Subaru. In the Magic City, how many situations had there been where Subaru would have lost his life without him?
"Regarding Lady Priscilla's camp: the leader, Lady Priscilla; her attendant, Al; and their companion, Heinkel, are all missing. Shaula is resting in her room."
"Heinkel… That name brings back some seriously bad memories…"
"The drunk."
"That explanation doesn't really convey much. …Is it Reinhard's father, perhaps?"
"—! That bastard! What's he doing in the Empire!?"
Subaru's eyes went wide as he dredged up a distasteful memory from the depths of his mind. Heinkel was the man who had ruined a near-perfect warm atmosphere at the Water Gate City
"But Heinkel is also missing."
"He's in the same category as Priscilla—unreturned. Damn, I don't even know what to think."
Of course, Subaru didn't wish him dead, and he didn't think the man deserved to die either. On the other hand, he wasn't exactly someone Subaru liked, so beyond not wanting to sadden Reinhard and Wilhelm, he had no particular reason to hope the man was alive.
Still, the fact that he had taken part in that battle stirred complicated feelings.
"————"
Heinkel was a man of the
For someone like him to have been caught up in the Volachia Empire's war, and for the situation to have ended with him potentially losing his life—even Subaru, who was not close to the man, felt a bitter taste at the thought.
At the very least, Subaru had to return to the Kingdom—all of him and his precious comrades, together.
Just as Subaru steeled his resolve— "I've told you the situation with Lady Priscilla and Yorna. On top of that, before we begin the policy conference, I'd like to make a clear statement on my end."
The room, previously heavy with silence, was broken by Otto's voice. Rising from his seat and holding up a single index finger, he gathered everyone's attention.
"As I'm sure you're all aware, we are citizens of the Kingdom. With that understood—and having acknowledged the transgression of crossing the border during a time when it should not have been crossed—I'll say my piece."
"—Speak."
"Yes. —Our objective has been achieved. To reach Fort City
In the very heart of the Volachia Empire, beset by unprecedented crisis, before an emperor whose nation faced ruin—Otto declared this with absolute clarity.
△▼△▼△▼△ "Natsuki-san and Emi-ryuu, please hold your objections."
Before Subaru and Emilia could say a word, they were cut off and their momentum broken.
Otto didn't even look their way. Having been utterly blindsided, Subaru and Emilia were about to launch a furious protest—but Otto had stolen the initiative on them completely.
Still, their reaction was only natural. With the Imperial Capital in ruins and Priscilla and Yorna's safety unknown, planning a return to the Kingdom was simply too— "You look like you're about to say we have no heart, but Ram agrees with Otto's approach as well. We've recovered
"Ram…"
"Don't give me those puppy-dog eyes, Emi-ryuu. You understand too, don't you? We just happened to avoid losing them. Any further involvement would be far too dangerous."
Speaking in place of the silenced Subaru and Emilia, Ram voiced her agreement with Otto. She returned Emilia's pleading gaze with a cold answer, remaining seated in her chair with arms crossed in her usual pose, eyes half-lidded.
They just happened not to have lost anything more. —Ram's assessment was correct. The fact was, they hadn't been able to bring back Priscilla or Yorna. And there was no guarantee that someone in their own camp wouldn't be next.
"Dudley, do you agree with the Consul as well?"
"Not the Consul, per se, but broadly speaking, I am in agreement with both of them."
Speaking from the side of this exchange was the strikingly pale woman introduced as Serina. The one Serina had called "Consul" was probably Ram—though Subaru denied that suspicion, Roswaal also indicated that he shared Otto's and the others' position.
"Really, if you look only at our objective, you could call it a perfect achievement. A few of our limbs have grown shorter, and a child who should have been sleeping has turned into a troublemaker—but it's an excellent outcome. Withdrawing to the Kingdom from here would be the decision with the least risk of loss, as far as I'm concerned."
"With Barusu not even having all his teeth grown in yet, I'd say the losses are minimal."
"My teeth are fully grown, damn it…!"
Taking advantage of Subaru not pushing back, Ram mercilessly mocked his size. Sensing the dangerous momentum, Subaru cast his gaze around the room.
Otto, Ram, and Roswaal—these three were among the most practically minded people in Emilia's camp, and they held enormous influence in any policy meeting. Despite the camp bearing Emilia's name, it was common—even the norm—for Emilia and her knight Subaru's opinions to be overruled.
"So my only ally here is Beako…?"
"…I'm sorry, Subaru, but Betty is leaning more toward that side, if anything. Including the fact that you've shrunk, continuing to entangle with the Empire is just too dangerous."
"You too!? Come on!"
Betrayed by his unexpected partner, Subaru's eyes went wide with shock. But Beatrice showed no sign of taking back what she'd said. She was saying it precisely because she was genuinely worried about Subaru.
In other words— "Subaru…"
"…It's just you and me, Emilia-tan."
Clasping her small white hand together, Emilia's violet eyes wavered. At her call, Subaru swallowed hard, cold sweat beading on him at the dire lack of support.
If only the other members who weren't here were present, things would be completely different— "For the record, Petra-chan agrees with us too. Frederica-san is hesitant but leans toward returning home… Just bring Garfiel along."
"Just me, Emilia-tan, and Garfiel!? Save the jokes for when you're actually joking!"
"Mm… this feels super unreliable…"
Hope was crushed against the wall of reality, and the inadequacy of Subaru and Emilia's position was laid bare. If this were a meeting settled by fisticuffs, Emilia and Garfiel's presence would make them overwhelmingly dominant—but in every other kind of meeting, the chemistry was terrible.
"Enough! What in blazes is this farce!? I can't bear to watch!"
The one whose nostrils flared at this exchange was Goz. Given how he'd already taken issue with Subaru's attitude toward Abel, every word and action from this camp probably felt like outright disrespect to the emperor to him.
Striding forward with huge steps, Goz seized Subaru by the collar and lifted him off the ground. Truly, with just two of his thick fingers, he picked Subaru up—and Subaru cried out in shock.
"This is an Empire's problem! If you are citizens of the Kingdom, not the Empire, then follow the policy you've established and cross the border post-haste! We have no need of your help!"
"W-wait! We haven't finished sorting out our own side of things yet…"
"Enough—!!"
Hanging in the air, Subaru was battered by Goz's enormous voice, his head spinning. Even clapping both hands over his ears, Goz's voice—now truly a weapon in its own right—pierced through the defense. Still, his point was born of a soldier's pride in the Empire. There was no reason Subaru had to comply.
And the same applied to every outsider besides Subaru.
"That's enough, Goz-san. First, please put Subaru down, and let's talk properly."
Stepping firmly forward, hand on her hip, was Emilia. She looked up at Goz, who held Subaru aloft, and conveyed her strong resolve through her bearing alone. Goz furrowed his thick brows and looked down at Emilia with his scarred face.
"You too share this boy's opinion, it seems! But! The Sword Wolf of the Empire accepts no charity! We have no need of your assistance! Leave with your companions at once—"
"That's exactly what I strongly disagree with!"
"What!?"
"You're saying you don't need our power! But I don't agree with that at all!"
"You're getting louder too."
Matching Goz's intensity, Emilia's silver-bell voice rose in volume. Still beautiful, but no longer a bell—her voice had become a bell tower's roar as she openly contradicted him, and Goz's expression twisted.
Pointing a finger at Goz's contorted face, Emilia continued.
"Because! In the battle at the Imperial Capital too—if Priscilla and I and the others hadn't been there, everyone would have struggled even more terribly!"
"—!"
"We were strong, weren't we, Berstetz-san!?"
Still speaking loudly, Emilia turned the spearhead of that topic toward Berstetz. The old man with thread-thin eyes didn't flinch at the sudden address; instead, stroking the beard at the corner of his mouth, he said: "From our perspective as well, it was unexpected that even a single general's forces couldn't finish the assault. If they made a contribution in that regard…"
"It feels strange speaking from this position, but that white light launched from the castle—it was the girl in the dress over there who neutralized it."
"Oh my."
Chin raised, Serina revealed Beatrice's accomplishment. Hearing this, Berstetz's expression tightened slightly as he recalled the relationship between that light and the girl. Just before Subaru and the group had arrived on the battlefield, that single strike that had nearly decided the outcome—learning that Beatrice had negated it made Subaru swell with pride as her partner.
"See that, Goz-san? The premise has changed, hasn't it? You say you don't need our help, but without us, the situation would've been much worse."
"Yeah! I can't say exactly how, but I think it would've been way worse!"
"Emi-ryuu, perhaps it's time to lower the volume a bit."
Subaru and Emilia's relentless barrage, combined with Serina's and effectively Berstetz's supporting fire, left Goz trembling with rage. If only Subaru and Emilia had been insisting alone, it might have been one thing—but having Serina and the others, who participated in the top-level talks, confirm it? For a self-made military man like Goz, that hit hard.
But— "…I acknowledge your contributions. However! At the end of the day, you yourselves haven't even reached an agreement on the important matter at hand!"
"That's…!"
"True…"
Having been handed a perfectly valid counter-argument, Subaru and Emilia deflated. Even if they won the argument against Goz here, all it would mean is defeating the easier opponent. Their actual position still wouldn't get through.
No, what was truly needed was persuading someone far more formidable than Goz.
"I hate to be harsh, but allow me to say this."
The instant Subaru recognized his true opponent, that opponent chose the perfect moment to speak. With an opening that promised nothing good, Otto looked between the grabbed Subaru and Goz, who was still gripping him.
"Goz Ralfon is correct—this is an Empire's problem. Unlike the circumstances that compelled us to act, becoming proactively involved from here onward could constitute foreign interference in another nation's domestic affairs… and could lead to international incidents."
"Ngh…"
"Furthermore, why would Natsuki-san feel compelled to intervene so strongly? It must be out of gratitude or sentiment toward the people you've come to know in this Empire."
"Don't say 'I know, I know' in that tone of mine! What's wrong with that!?"
"There's nothing wrong with it. But there is another way to approach this persuasion. —You could take everyone you can't bring yourself to abandon—every last one—out of the Empire."
Otto pursued the solution with cold logic. His principle's true power was on full display, and Subaru's eyes went spinning at the outrageous proposal Otto had just made. Goz, equally startled, actually loosened his grip and dropped Subaru to the floor.
Emilia was stunned too. She helped Subaru to his feet from where he'd landed on his backside, looking at Otto with wide eyes.
"Otto-san…? What does that mean? Are you seriously…"
"I mean exactly what I'm saying—no twisted interpretation needed. Given the situation, we can go so far as to bring out any volunteers who've stepped forward. Fortunately, we have the authority to do so."
Otto's gaze flicked toward Roswaal. Though Roswaal was apparently concealing his status here in the Empire, the fact that he was the most powerful person in Emilia's camp was undeniable. If Otto's opinion were accepted, it would fall to Roswaal to guarantee refuge for those being taken in as exiles.
And at Otto's provocative words, Roswaal turned his yellow eyes away and said: "At the very least, my employer wouldn't refuse. If it lets us avoid unnecessary risks, I'd say that's a necessary expense."
"Since we're dealing with Barusu, whose thinking is so childlike, the vast majority of people he's attached to are probably noncombatants. From the Empire's perspective, they wouldn't be a great loss."
While Subaru stood there dumbfounded, a conversation of staggering diplomatic caliber was being conducted around him. Roswaal's grand self-preservation, Ram's accurate reading of Subaru's personality—there was no room for him to interject, and the discussion advanced before he could react.
"What do you say, Your Imperial Majesty? If it can reduce even a small number of sacrifices for your nation, our proposal isn't a bad one, is it?"
"…It is a well-considered proposal. Not one that can be easily dismissed."
"I am honored."
Even Abel's own assessment confirmed that the proposal was airtight, and Otto bowed with social grace. Though inwardly, Otto was probably sticking his tongue out. Imperialism and Otto were a poor match—not in ability, but in personality.
Subaru felt the same way, and Otto probably disliked the Empire too. On that point, they were in agreement. It was just that Otto was skilled at sorting what truly mattered.
"Nngh…"
It felt like having the holes in his ship repaired without permission—only to have it remodeled into a completely different vessel entirely. That ship set sail in a different direction from what Subaru wanted, yet it flowed on to protect the lives of the precious people he cared about, carrying them toward the far shore.
He knew this had been devised entirely for Subaru and the others' sake.
He knew, and yet— "What do you think, Natsuki-san? This is the maximum concession and consideration I can offer."
Rather than dismissively rejecting Subaru's position, Otto had tried to incorporate as much of it as possible while still ensuring safety. Subaru had thought him reliable—but when their opinions genuinely clashed, he was impossibly difficult. They should have gotten him drunk before this meeting.
Against Otto's overwhelming logical arsenal, what could Subaru—a man armed with nothing but a hinoki stick—possibly do— "Hey, Abel. There's something I want to ask."
"Emilia-tan?"
Without warning, Emilia—who held the same opinion as Subaru but had been just as cornered and frustrated—spoke to Abel. Seeing her profile, Subaru's eyes widened.
Unlike Subaru, whose expression was pained as he desperately searched for a way out, Emilia's eyes and profile bore no trace of defeat.
Abel's dark eyes turned toward this spirited, courageous Emilia.
Silently prompting her, Emilia's thin lips moved.
"How many people are there in the Volachia Empire in total?"
"…The civil war this past month has reduced the number considerably, but in its prior state, roughly fifty million."
"I see."
Abel answered, furrowing his brow at the question. Emilia let out a short breath, then pressed a finger to her own lips and looked at Subaru.
And then— "Did you hear that, Subaru?"
"————"
That was what Emilia said to Subaru.
For an instant, he failed to grasp the meaning of the words she'd handed him. Then, all at once, his eyes flew open and his cheeks stiffened.
For a heartbeat, he hesitated—wondering what to do with that rigid expression— "Subaru, Betty has said her piece. But."
"Beatrice…"
"Betty will always be on Subaru's side."
Beatrice took Subaru's trembling hand and pressed close to him. Nearly the same height as Subaru, her eyes looked into his from closer than ever. Subaru drew a deep breath and let it out.
Still bathed in Emilia's expectant gaze, Subaru looked up at Otto.
He met his eyes and spoke.
"Fifty million."
"…Excuse me?"
Otto knit his well-formed brows and asked him to repeat that.
Buoyed by the words he'd thrown out, Subaru puffed out his chest, twisted his cheeks into a grin, and declared once more.
"You said it yourself, didn't you? You'd take every person I can't abandon back to the Kingdom. Then—I can't abandon fifty million people!"
"Natsuki-san!"
"I know! You're right! I'm the one making an insane demand! Everyone came to help me and Rem, and I know how that sounds! But!"
Otto's brows knitted as he extended a hand toward him, Subaru pressed on without restraint, laughing at himself even as he refused to yield.
He had been cornered by cold logic and could never beat Otto, Ram, and Roswaal at their own game. So Subaru would do the only thing he could—with Emilia and Garfiel at his side.
In other words, he would throw a full-blown emotional tantrum head-on against reason.
"This situation is insanely dangerous! What if we leave, and the Empire completely falls apart?! Just thinking about it, I can't even eat!"
"What about the danger we'd be taking on? We save fifty million strangers, and in exchange one of us dies or suffers an incurable wound—we'd suffer even more."
"I won't let any of us die, and I won't let us shoulder that kind of debt either! That's an absolute! That's non-negotiable—and from that foundation, we build forward!"
As Otto quietly pressed harder, Subaru shot back. Then he turned—not to Otto, but to Roswaal, who was sitting to the side with one eye closed.
"Roswaal! You should understand this. My absolute is absolute."
"…I'm Dudley, Subaru-kun. That said, if I were to deny your 'absolute' after placing my own expectations on your power—that would be rather disingenuous, wouldn't it?"
A roundabout way of saying it, but Roswaal conceded to Subaru's position with both hands raised. Whether he knew about Return by Death or not, Roswaal knew of Subaru's ability—and to the extent he relied on it, he could not afford to offend Subaru's mood.
Besides, if Subaru were swayed by Roswaal's silver tongue here, what would become of the vow made at the
"Ram, please…"
"…Emi-ryuu, is there nothing you can use to persuade Ram?"
"I've been trying so hard, but all I have is my feeling that I want to help everyone… So please."
Opposing her was Emilia, making an incredibly forceful appeal to Ram. The same request from Subaru would have earned him a merciless verbal slap—but Ram was unable to give a strong rejection to Emilia's way of pushing.
After a moment, Ram let out a small sigh.
"Ram will be satisfied as long as Rem is brought back. That said, looking at Rem's current state, she's grown quite close to the people of the Empire… If we were to abandon them now, it would tarnish the dignity of the sister she only just came to recognize."
"Ram…!"
"Stop it. You're being annoying."
Closing her eyes, Ram found a reason to compromise on her own. Emilia lunged into a hug, and Ram accepted it with a bitter expression.
And so, by sheer force of will, Roswaal and Ram were brought around.
But— "Otto, please…!"
"The same tearful plea as Emi-ryuu? I'm afraid I'm not like Ram. I won't sign a contract without knowing the price I'd have to pay."
"Beako, please ask him too…!"
"B-Beatty is asking too."
"Whether it's the two of you or all three of it won't change anything."
When Subaru prompted Beatrice, and Emilia, still hugging Ram, moved to join in, Otto shut it down once more. His expression made it absolutely clear that he would not be moved by sentiment. His stubbornness rivaled Roswaal's obsessive tenacity—but the impression of that crazed devotion wouldn't even register with Otto right now.
"It would only expose us to further risk, with no benefit to what Natsuki-san and the others want. And you haven't met the conditions for a tearful plea either. Both Ram and Dudley—please don't coddle the two of them."
"Oh my, I've been scolded."
"How insolent of Otto."
When Otto spoke firmly, Roswaal shrugged and Ram frowned. But neither raised further objections—as though they agreed with Otto's position in principle.
In truth, if the fortress that was Otto couldn't be broken, the situation couldn't be pushed forward. Because neither Emilia nor Emilia's camp would accept simply forcing their will on people who weren't yet convinced.
And then— "You said it offers no benefit. Then if there were a benefit, the conversation would change."
"————"
The one who interjected was not Subaru or Emilia—it was Abel.
As the emperor inserted himself into the discussion, Otto's gaze sharpened. Unlike Subaru's casual banter, Otto's gaze toward the emperor turned genuinely hostile.
"If there were a benefit, certainly. What exactly do you intend to do? I should say upfront that even if you were to offer compensation, it would hardly be worth—"
"I hereby formally request the cooperation of a royal selection candidate from the Kingdom of Lugunica."
"——!"
At Abel's proposal, Otto's face stiffened and he swallowed hard. At the same time, it was the people on the Empire's side who showed the greatest shock—more so even than Subaru's group. At those words, Serina smiled, and Berstetz's thread-thin eyes opened slightly.
Goz, on the other hand, threw both arms wide as though witnessing the end of the world, his face a mask of disbelief.
"Wait, Your Excellency!! A request for cooperation with the Kingdom… something like that has never been precedent in the sacred Volachia Empire!!"
"What does precedent matter? By that logic, is there any precedent for the humiliating spectacle of an emperor slinking away while the Imperial Capital has been seized by insolent dogs? A foolish obsession."
"But! If we rely on another nation, the soldiers and citizens alike will lament that we lack strength—that Your Majesty has made a decision unworthy of the Sword Wolf! At the very least, Your Excellency's prestige will be tarnished!"
"Prestige tarnished… What a pointless concern."
At Goz's impassioned plea, Abel shook his head. Goz stared at him, transfixed. Abel called the man's name—Goz Ralfon.
"What we need now is hollow prestige untethered from substance? —No. What this Empire needs now is victory. Only victory—won by sinking our fangs into the enemy's throat, bathing in their blood, and drinking of their lives—will shape the Empire's tomorrow."
"Y-Your Excellency…"
"If anything stands as an obstacle to sinking in our fangs, then every last one of them is an 'enemy' of the iron-and-blood creed that I, Vincent Volachia, have laid down. Answer me carefully, Goz Ralfon."
"————"
"—Are you my 'enemy'?"
Asked this quietly, Goz's entire body trembled.
Abel—who had shown no trace of the scuffle they'd had in the room—stood tall, radiating the authority of an emperor. He possessed the power to overpower others with his gaze alone, his voice, his very presence—and Goz faced it head-on, alone.
After no more than five seconds of deliberation—perhaps even less— "I have been terribly rude to have stolen Your Excellency's time. —I, Goz Ralfon, am Your Excellency's warhammer to crush all obstacles standing in Your path! I will never—never be Your 'enemy'!!"
"Good. I shall rely on your efforts. Do your best."
"YES!! …Huh!?"
At Goz's thunderous reply, Abel nodded and placed his trust in his subordinate. After accepting that with vigor, Goz uttered a startled cry.
The reason for his shock was probably the additional words Abel had added.
"I—I shall do my utmost!!"
Tears streamed down his face in torrents as Goz wiped them away with his thick arms and swore to Abel once more in a trembling voice. Watching this from the sidelines, Abel glanced briefly at Serina and Berstetz.
"You two have no objections either, I trust."
"None. His expression suits my taste—his loyalty to Your Excellency has only deepened."
"Nor do I. I'm merely somewhat more surprised than 'a bit,' if anything."
"Hmph."
Serina smiled; Berstetz returned to his thread-thin eyes. After a snort at the two of them, Abel stepped forward and stood before Emilia.
Staring at Emilia, whose eyes were blinking rapidly— "As you've heard, royal selection candidate. The Volachia Empire formally requests the Kingdom of Lugunica's cooperation in resolving this situation. —Lend us your strength."
"Hey, Abel. I really do want to help. But I'm not a royal selection candidate at all, I don't know anything about—"
"Emilia-tan, it's fine! This is the moment to reveal the truth!"
"Oh!? Really!?"
At Abel's formal offer, Emilia—who genuinely felt troubled—looked around with wide eyes. When Subaru and Beatrice nodded at her repeatedly, Emilia turned to Ram, still held in her embrace, for one more confirmation.
Ram broke free from Emilia's arms—and rather than pulling away, pushed Emilia's back forward.
"Yes, that's right. —Go ahead. Do as you wish, Emilia-sama."
"Ah…"
Hearing herself called "Emilia" from Ram's lips, Emilia was startled—then her eyes lit up. She hid the joy that flickered behind her eyelids and turned to face Abel once more.
Abel, brows still slightly furrowed, waited for her to begin. Emilia cleared her throat.
"I'm Emilia. Just Emilia. One of the royal selection candidates competing to become the next ruler of the Kingdom of Lugunica. And right now, one of the people who wants to help an Empire in trouble."
"…This is a formal request. The Volachia Empire does not seek aid from foreign nationals—especially those in positions of great responsibility. For that reason, if this fact were to become public, it would benefit you as well, in your competition for the throne—"
"That can wait! What I want to do right now is this!"
Abel tried to lay out the formal reasoning in measured tones, but Emilia puffed out her cheeks. With that adorably pouting face, she held out her own hand.
"Let us help your empire."
In the end, Emilia being Emilia, the one doing the asking ended up reversed. Abel looked down at the hand she extended, then glanced for a single moment toward Subaru.
The faint confusion in those dark eyes made Subaru grin—though it wasn't his best grin—and nod.
"Go ahead, Your Imperial Majesty. I'll permit you to shake my Emilia-tan's hand."
"Seriously, Subaru, you need to stop calling me that."
At Subaru's quip, Emilia answered with a bashful laugh. Watching this exchange, Abel closed one eye and sighed.
Then his hand slowly reached out and clasped the hand Emilia had offered.
"Very well. I'll let you lend us your strength."
In the end, even this line was characteristically Abel's way of speaking—and so it was that the cooperative framework between the two nations was established.
△▼△▼△▼△ —And so, Emilia and Abel shook hands, and a historic moment between the Kingdom of Lugunica and the Volachia Empire was engraved into history.
"Um, Otto-san… are you okay with all that…?"
Despite the whole exchange—Subaru and Emilia, Abel and the Empire's side getting worked up and ultimately reaching a handshake—there was one person left behind: Otto, who had started it all. Roswaal and Ram had each found their compromise, but Otto hadn't, and they'd gone ahead without him. Subaru was terrified.
Fully aware that what he'd done was unconscionable, he couldn't help but approach with polite language and a nervous smile.
"————"
To Subaru's timid question, there was no reply from Otto.
Too afraid to look the man in the face, Subaru took the silence as a response and grew thoroughly panicked. Without thinking, he pulled Beatrice close, their cheeks pressed together.
"Wh-what do we do, Beako… Otto won't talk to me…"
"I can imagine how he feels. From Otto's perspective, he's been absolutely humiliated. His entire plan was demolished, and he's probably feeling like a clown."
"A clown is a bit much without going full Roswaal…"
"Don't say that! That's the ultimate insult and it'll only make him angrier!"
Flapping in a panic, Subaru and Beatrice searched desperately for a way to make things right. He wanted to salvage the damage to Otto's dignity somehow, but how?
"Should I give him a shoulder massage or something…?"
"That's the kind of remorse a kid shows after angering their parents…"
"But I can't think of anything else! Otto, please… eek!"
Before Subaru could produce a decent idea, Otto—who had been standing silently the whole time—suddenly pulled out a chair and dropped into it.
Startled, Subaru and Beatrice leaped apart, clinging to each other. Surely he hadn't sat down just to have his shoulders rubbed.
And then, before the flustered pair, Otto placed a hand to his forehead— "…Well. The fallback we wanted has been properly secured."
"Huh…?"
Otto exhaled a long, deep breath and began rubbing the corners of his eyes. Taking in those words, Subaru was stunned for a moment—then blinked.
"Wait, did you know from the very start that it would turn out this—"
"Not that it would turn out this way, but that it would reach about this level. I didn't know how much concession Emperor Vincent would be willing to make. But since Natsuki-san and Emilia-sama weren't going to budge regardless, I needed to have a fallback plan prepared."
"Ah, oh, uh, eh, ah, oh, uh…"
Otto answered in a flat, even tone, and Subaru's mouth opened and closed wordlessly. In disbelief, he turned around—and met the eyes of Roswaal and Ram.
Both of them wore expressions that said they'd more or less figured out everything.
"You guys—YOU GUYS—!"
"How unfair! Honestly, it's because Natsuki-san and the others are so stubborn in the first place!"
"Ugh, from now on I can only trust Beako, Emilia-tan, Rem, Louis, Tanza and the whole battle unit, Flop and the others, and Mizelda and the others!"
"That's still quite a few people!"
Hugging Beatrice tightly, Subaru could only shudder at the thoroughness of Otto and the other brains of the operation. Perhaps Abel, too, had taken their position into account to some degree—but even so.
"No, scary, genuinely scary, I can't do this. From now on, I'm going the emotional route."
"An incoherent conclusion, but Betty thinks Subaru is better when he's honest with his heart. It makes you passionate, and Betty likes that."
"Yeah, I love you too. Man, really…"
Finally, the shock of the Otto incident began to fade, and Subaru could breathe a little easier.
And just as he relaxed— —Applause suddenly rang through the room.
"Oh my, now that was a fine show. Amazing, amazing—truly impressive."
The sound of loud clapping made Subaru's eyes dart around instinctively to find the source. Then he spotted an unfamiliar figure in the corner of the room and froze.
No one had been there a moment ago. A tall figure now stood there, clapping with both hands, having watched the entire exchange— —all without anyone in the room having noticed their presence.
"Who the hell are you!? How did you even get in here…!!"
"Oh, sorry about that. I wasn't invited, and I went and started clapping. That's no good, no good—I've got this bad habit of praising a kid when I see one worth praising."
In an instant, Goz stepped in front of Abel and Emilia, taking a combat stance. Before his terrifying expression, the figure simply maintained their carefree demeanor, pulled a golden kiseru pipe from their kimono, and bit down on it with a crafty grin.
The thoroughly out-of-place figure was even more striking in appearance. Nearly two meters tall, covered in black fur, with a carefree smile full of charm—the combination of their shaggy fur and gentle expression gave them an air of warmth. A tall, black-furred demi-human.
Clad in a kimono with a kiseru between their teeth, appearing without warning among the Empire's most important figures aboard the chain dragon carriage—the attention of everyone in the room converged on them at once.
"Well now, looks like everyone's real interested in me."
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
As eyes focused on him, the demi-human scratched his head with one finger. Behind Goz's sheltering back, Emilia posed the question.
The demi-human tilted his head, his fanged mouth stretching into a grin, and said: "The name's