——That was happening at the same time
"——Through some means or other, the enemy has already secured the Dragon Stone and seized total authority. That is the situation the Royal Castle finds itself in now. I've filled in the gaps in the information with my own speculation, but even so, the broad strokes should be accurate."
"……Yes. That would explain why we're being chased around like this. At the very least, we should assume the Royal Castle's chain of command has already fallen under their control."
"————"
"Garfiel, are you alright?"
"Hm? Y-yeah, I'm fine…… No, honestly, that was just on a whole different scale from anything I'd even considered, so…… I don't know what to say."
Shaking his head and baring his feelings with brutal honesty was Garfiel. But Otto could empathize — there was no helping it, really.
"……Given the situation, after all."
Frankly speaking, Otto's head was just as muddled with confusion and bewilderment. The only difference was their roles within the camp: Otto simply wasn't permitted to freeze up.
In this cornered situation, Garfiel had played his part well. —No, it wasn't just Garfiel. It was the result of everyone banding together and giving it their all.
The only one who had failed was Otto himself, pathetically disarmed.
"——Tch."
Leaning his back against the wall with one knee drawn up, Garfiel slumped to the floor, his throat groaning in pain.
The fact that the look of intense exhaustion and agony on his face hadn't faded was impossible for someone with Garfiel's extraordinary toughness and recovery powers. That was how devastating the blow he'd received from his opponent — Reinhard — must have been, how abnormal and unreasonable the power the man possessed.
——It had been some time since Reinhard had blocked their path, and they had managed to break through using every card in their hand.
A fight that lasted less than a minute, yet by the time it was over, everyone was battered and bloodied. Garfiel in particular, who had gone head-on against Reinhard, was in terrible shape. He had deliberately left an opening to exploit his opponent's carelessness, but to think that just a grazing strike to his jaw had left him completely immobilized — it was humiliating.
The victory they had somehow clawed back — thanks in part to an unexpected ally — along with how they'd ended up in that desperate situation to begin with, there was far too much for Otto to reflect on.
And the only reason they could even hold this postmortem was because they'd been brought to this temporary safe zone by the reinforcements who had rendezvoused with them.
"——The fact that you managed to shake him off is impressive enough. Even if he was forced into that role, a hundred ordinary soldiers wouldn't have been able to lay a finger on him."
"But to do that, we had to make her cut ties she shouldn't have. What she gave up from her own life was enormous. I cannot forgive that man."
"……Your indignation is well-founded. He must be prepared to be resented for it. That is what it means to be the 'Sword Saint.' Even I have never lost my anger toward the 'Sword Saint.'"
"That's……"
Otto narrowed his eyes quietly at the man who had pressed his large palm to his own bald head.
He had been about to continue — whether as a question or an assumption — but he clamped his mouth shut, aware that he had already said something that should have gone unsaid.
However —, "——That anger is not directed at Reinhard, but at my wife."
Speaking in Otto's stead, the door to the entrance swung open and in stepped the old swordsman — Wilhelm, who seized those words with a tone of unwavering conviction.
Entering the room, Wilhelm was accompanied by
"Well, well — to think I'd receive such humble thanks from the Wilhelm Trias who used to be the very embodiment of insolence and willfulness. Maybe it'll rain tomorrow after all."
"You……"
"Just a joke. —Besides, it's the natural thing to do. Of course I'd lend you my help, Wilhelm. That's something you don't even need to thank me for — it's only natural."
"————"
After his casual tone, the man's voice trembled with those words, and Wilhelm's cheek stiffened.
The man grinned at his old friend's reaction, then looked around at Otto and Garfiel inside the room, "That comrade of yours, Natsuki Subaru — I owe him for the
"……Shopkeeper, thank you."
"I told you — my gratitude is far greater. ……No one believes that Natsuki Subaru is part of the
With that, the man slapped Wilhelm's shoulder, closed the door, and left. Once Otto confirmed that his back had disappeared behind the door, he called out to Rem — "Rem-san."
The place they'd reached via Wilhelm's guidance was a private room in a tavern that had been offered as an evacuation shelter. While Otto and the others had been giving their situation briefing in this room, Rem had been in a separate one.
The reason for that was —, " Were Petra and the others alright?"
"……They're resting, for now. Petra was quite distraught, so Rem was the one trying to calm her down…… but they've both fallen asleep."
"I see…… Thank you. I appreciate it."
"No, I didn't do anything. More importantly — what about your discussion?"
"——We've just finished confirming the current situation, I suppose."
Otto answered Rem, directing his pale-blue gaze toward the back of the room. Rem's expression was tense.
Following her gaze, there stood a towering figure seated on one of the private room's benches, still positioned higher than Otto or Wilhelm despite sitting down.
A bald, sun-bronzed elderly giant — his name was —, "——Burga Cromwell. One of the principal figures responsible for escalating the Kingdom's civil war in the past."
"……Sorry, but I'm not sure who you're talking about. I'm just old man
"That's a remarkable show of innocence. What about the wound you carved into my chest? Is it hidden beneath that impressive tuft of white chest hair?"
"Now that makes even less sense. Not that it's any of my business, but I'd rather not get any older. Even the famed 'Sword Devil' has lost the battle against the years, hasn't he?"
"You——"
"……The two of you, please stop fighting. Petra and the others are resting upstairs. We don't have time for petty squabbles, do we?"
Stepping forward between the two bickering men, Rem glared at each of them in turn. Under her sharp gaze, Wilhelm bowed his head, and the burly man — the old giant who had called himself Rom — cleared his throat and showed his compliance.
Though grateful to Rem for stepping in as mediator, Otto couldn't help but feel a certain sense of understanding at the hostile exchange between the two.
——Otto, too, was a citizen of this Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica.
He knew the facts: that the "Sword Devil"
He never imagined that Burga Cromwell was still alive.
Of course, the man calling himself Rom denied any connection to Burga, and would surely never acknowledge it.
In any case —, "I'll call you Rom, if I may…… but I want to thank you for sending Wilhelm to our aid. Without that, we'd all be dead by now."
"I wouldn't call it an exaggeration. If you were captured and held in the castle in your current state — especially for someone who's neither a Royal Selection candidate nor a knight — they could dispose of you however they pleased and fabricate whatever excuse they wanted."
"Dispose of however they pleased, that's……"
"We must assume the worst possible outcome. Even if you don't want to face it and retreat into optimism, there's no reason the other side would show any mercy. ……Especially now that Microft is dead."
Otto agreed wholeheartedly with Rom's grim assessment, leaving Rem speechless.
Always assume the worst. In the end, that was what led to finding hope in the midst of despair. Pessimistic, he knew — but still.
"Hey, Wilhelm — I owe you one for back there."
Garfiel, sitting against the wall, raised a hand lightly toward Wilhelm. At the call, Wilhelm turned, saying "Garfiel,"
"Back there, my skill fell short, and I'm sorry for that. The only way to land a blow on Reinhard was to catch him off guard by cutting through you as well."
"Well, I steeled myself and took it on purpose, so don't worry about it. Your wound has mostly healed up already. ……But that hand-chop from the 'Sword Saint' — that's still nowhere near healed."
"————"
"That reminds me — what happened to you, Wilhelm? From what I heard, it sounded like our big boss and that duke over there were fleeing together……"
"Yes. Allow me to explain what happened on my end."
With that, Wilhelm solemnly began to recount what had happened to him and to his mistress, Crusch, up to this point.
"After Subaru-dono and
"……That was worrying."
"Yes. Everyone knew this couldn't go on. So I left the mansion to make arrangements to seek assistance from her father, former Duke
"——Lady Crusch left the mansion alone and headed for Lord Microft Macmahon's estate."
"Exactly. By the time word reached me, it was already too late."
With a look of unconcealed regret, Wilhelm lamented his own inadequacy.
However, if Crusch had deliberately waited for the precise moment when Wilhelm would be absent, it was merely a matter of timing — there was no blame to lay at his feet.
Still, given that the outcome had led to this crisis, Wilhelm's self-reproach was perhaps understandable.
"Naturally, the idea of Lady Crusch resorting to such a reckless act is unthinkable. I immediately went to the Royal Castle and appealed to my old acquaintance, Lord Bordeaux Zergef. But not only did they refuse to listen — soldiers were dispatched to chase me on my way back. And there —"
"——I called out to him. I'll be honest — it was a bitter choice, but still."
"……I, too, had no desire to cut down and fight through Kingdom soldiers by force. When I saw this man in the open for the first time, I couldn't believe my eyes."
"Both of you—"
The grudge and enmity between them inevitably poisoned their words.
As Rem lightly admonished them, Otto pieced together how they had reunited. And the circumstances leading up to Wilhelm's arrival as well.
"In that case — what about you, Rom? Your arrangements seem remarkably swift. Your judgment was almost too quick."
"You're right to be suspicious, but I only managed to move at the last moment too — not much different from you lot. The danger was something I sensed with my nose — old instinct for approaching threats. I'd let it go rusty over the years, but the recent commotion seems to have knocked the rust off."
"I see, is that so. —Understood."
Otto chose not to press further as Rom rolled his broad shoulders and answered matter-of-factly.
For now, they were all facing the same direction, but on paper, they were on opposing sides — it was only natural to keep one's cards close, and faulting someone for that would be narrow-minded.
At the very least, Rom had saved them from their predicament with his actions. That should be valued more highly than questioning his true intentions.
"You've got a scary look for a young'un. Your eyes aren't laughing at all."
"Sorry about that. Smiling on the surface while smirking behind the scenes is supposed to be the merchant's bread and butter, but lately I haven't exactly been living up to that. It gets on my own nerves. —Though, of course, the world doesn't really need a kind-hearted merchant whose people are dying around them."
"————"
"……Sorry, I spoke too much."
Otto shrugged in response, then silently chastised himself for those unnecessary words.
Having the thought was one thing, but putting it into words made it a weapon just the same. If someone across from you suddenly drew a blade, it'd be no surprise to get stabbed repeatedly.
Indeed, the fact that he had been outstripped by the very power he relied on was leaving a longer tail than he'd realized. He'd been telling himself like a curse that entrusting his identity to the Blessing of Words was dangerous, but lately he'd been leaning on it too much. This was the price.
"——In any case, our positions here are the same. Our mistress has been unjustly slandered, and the Royal Castle is complicit — no, it's leading the charge. The objective is to eliminate the Royal Selection candidates, destroy the very framework of the Royal Selection itself, and seize control of the Kingdom."
"And to that end, Emilia and that person are being badmouthed too…… and the ones Wilhelm and Rom are supporting are caught up in it as well."
"Emilia,
"Hmm, who can say. If the 'Council of Wise Men' and the Half-Compact are willing to use any means necessary, there are plenty of ways to discredit Anastasia too. She's from
"——Don't be ridiculous!"
Rem raised her voice sharply at Otto as he laid out those vicious hypothetical narratives.
Her pale-blue eyes glistened with moisture, her breathing ragged. She clenched her fists tightly, revealing her fury at the notion — the idea of besmirching and exploiting Priscilla's death.
"They will not get away with disrespecting Priscilla, with exploiting that person's death. If anyone actually dares to say such a thing with a straight face, I will not forgive them……! If word of that reached Abel, it would mean war with Vollachia!"
"In fact, it's really no laughing matter. Cold-shouldering Emilia, who brought back the成果 to establish a treaty of friendship with the Empire — that would be equivalent to slapping the face of the Empire that recognized her. It's a ludicrous reason for war, but history is full of ludicrous casus belli. And besides……"
"——Even if it came to that, Reinhard is there. Holding the Royal Castle means they can deploy the 'Sword Saint.' Up until now, command authority over the 'Sword Saint' was supposed to be strictly controlled to prevent that very thing…… but the enemy has obtained it."
"That can't be……"
These were truly the worst possible scenarios, but Rom did not deny Otto's thinking — instead, he filled in the gaps, paving the road toward a nightmare.
At the sheer horror of it all, Rem and Garfiel — who had just risked their lives to barely slip past Reinhard in single combat — were struck dumb.
Only one person —, "——So it really is the 'Sword Saint's Blessing,' after all."
——murmured the "Sword Devil" in a voice so low no one could really hear it.
"……Given the situation, it's clear the enemy intends to attack the Royal Selection. In that case, Filiore, who recently stepped onto the stage, and the '
"——Felt is Felt. There's no other answer."
Not wanting the discussion to stagnate in silence, Otto had been about to reorganize the situation and verify the facts, when Rom's words cut him off sharply and decisively.
A denial that felt like it was being pressed down on top of the question — perhaps Rom felt that leaving it at that would be unkind, because he added "just" and looked around at the others' gazes, "That story about the 'Divine Dragon Church' sheltering the missing princess — I'm inclined to believe it with a grain of salt. Even if they kept their distance from the Royal Castle, the Royal Selection has been underway for over a year now. Keeping that under wraps in a time of existential crisis for the Kingdom seems impossible."
Certain opinions paired with an uncertain attitude — Rom was clearly hiding something.
Naturally, the "Sword Devil's" gaze toward the old giant only sharpened.
"————"
Back then, fifteen years ago, Wilhelm had been the captain of the Royal Knights and had heard that he was the officer responsible for the search for the missing princess. His desire to know the answer to the question of Felt and Filiore's connection to the missing princess was likely stronger than anyone else's.
Still, his gaze may have been intense, but the man suspected of being one of the three pillars of the demi-human alliance was not so brittle as to buckle under the pressure.
In any case —, "……I understand how bad things are."
Rem exhaled softly, then straightened her back with a snap, clearly forcing herself to shift gears. She then looked around at everyone in the room in turn, "Frankly speaking, I'm also very worried about him, who isn't here right now. But Emilia and my sister are in danger in the castle, aren't they? How on earth are we going to get the two of them out…… no, Felt too. How are we going to rescue them?"
"Even if we're talking about Reinhard and the Knight Commander being on the other side, a frontal assault is completely out of the question no matter what. It'd be 'Gaddy Guadgead's Mountain Siege' — no way through, no way out. We need a plan, big bro Otto."
Garfiel, bearing a significant burden from his fight with Reinhard, agreed with Rem and turned expectant eyes toward Otto, hoping for a strategy.
Both of them, of course, would be worried about Emilia detained in the castle, and perhaps even more concerned about
Telling the two of them this was truly agonizing —, "——No. We are going to prioritize escaping the capital from here. We don't have the margin to rescue Emilia and Ram from the castle, nor Felt."
"Wh—!?"
Garfiel and Rem both cried out in unison, eyes wide with shock. Garfiel slammed his hand against the wall to push himself upright and barked, "Big bro Otto!"
"Escape…… What do you mean you're not going to save them!?"
"Nothing more, nothing less. I said exactly what I mean. Right now, we have neither the resources nor the fighting strength to extract Emilia and the others from the castle. Any half-baked plan would be smashed to pieces by force, and we'd all end up in enemy hands. We can't afford to lose that fight."
"Losing fight…… But my sister is there, Emilia is there……"
"I know. But even if the enemy has already seized the Royal Castle, they can't simply move against the Royal Selection candidates. Even with Reinhard under their command, he wouldn't be able to overlook such a move. Their freedom may be restricted, but as long as they remain in the castle, Emilia and the others are unlikely to be directly harmed. That's my assessment."
"B-But……"
Otto, trying his utmost to remain calm and keep emotion out of his voice, was met with the considerable agitation of Garfiel and Rem, who wore their hearts on their sleeves. But as this exchange played out, Rom raised his large hand and interjected, "May I?"
"I'm in agreement with the young man. Even if they stay in the castle, Felt and the others — we might find a way. What I fear more is that our movements would give them an excuse. After the incident with the magical beasts, our position is already weakened. I'd like to avoid making it any worse."
"So even you, Rom, are saying the same thing as Otto…… And Wilhelm?"
"——. I understand how Rem-dono feels, worried about her mistress and her sister. But to deliberately pick a fight with the enemy when they're fully prepared, fully fortified, knowing the odds are against us — that would be foolish…… As much as it galls me, Burga has a point."
Wilhelm slowly shook his head as he spoke, and Rem bit her lip.
Her frustration — Otto understood it acutely, painfully so. And to avoid further pushback from Rem and Garfiel, there was something he had deliberately chosen not to mention.
Even if the "Council of Wise Men" had fallen into enemy hands, the Royal Selection candidates themselves could not be harmed. —But the safety of their attendants and retainers could not be guaranteed.
And Ram, who had volunteered for that attendant role, had done so from the very start with that possibility in mind — which was why she had refused to yield the position to Rem or Petra, no matter what.
"……Big bro Otto, about leaving the capital — what about the captain and the others?"
"——. A rendezvous would be difficult. My Blessing isn't reliable right now either. If we carelessly approached the wrong person and spoke freely, they'd know our entire situation. We can't take that risk."
If only the Blessing of Words had been fully functional, they could have conducted a search by sheer numbers to find Subaru and the others, or delivered messages and relayed meeting points.
With that option taken away from them, finding Subaru's group without a foothold was impossible.
"Burga — I won't press you further. But you — you should be able to reach Lady Crusch or Subaru-dono……"
"You seem to think highly of this old codger from the slums, but unfortunately, I can't meet those expectations. I'm not being coy or stingy — the thread I'd been clinging to has already frayed. And there's no prospect of reattaching it either."
"To be useless when it matters…… No, I'm in the same boat, aren't I?"
Wilhelm reflexively snapped a retort, then caught himself with a moment of self-reflection. Even Rom's eyes, as they flickered toward Wilhelm, carried a sting that suggested the words were true.
There really was nothing they could do. And at that, Rem gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, "I trust my sister and the others in the castle. And I want to believe that we here can join forces too. But him — he'll definitely do something reckless. I just know it."
"Rem……"
"No, it's not just me. Garf, Otto — you know it too, don't you? That person, when it comes to moments like this, will always try to do something beyond his own means. And then he'll be gravely hurt again. And yet……"
She couldn't stay by his side. That was the frustration that seeped from Rem's heart, raw and genuine — and no one had anything to say to that.
It was surely because everyone here had, in some form, been connected to Subaru, had been saved by exactly the kind of actions Rem described, and had witnessed him wounded with their own eyes.
"……We'll have to put a burden on
Otto had come to think of Beatrice — the one who was surely still by Subaru's side — as the safety net for their entire camp, their last hope. But before that thought could fully form, Wilhelm stepped forward, saying, "No."
He stood before the bowed Rem and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, "Your concern is natural. But Subaru-dono is not alone with Beatrice alone. Lady Crusch is also there."
"——But the duke is supposedly in the grip of madness. After all, didn't she slip out of the mansion behind your back?"
"Silence, Burga. What do you know of that person?"
"————"
"You may be right that I was deceived. But Lady Crusch must have her reasons. Until I hear them from her own mouth, I will not presume to pass judgment."
Not a word spoken in anger, but with a firm core running through his voice — Wilhelm fixed his blue eyes with the loyalty he bore for the absent mistress and swept his gaze across Rem and the entire room.
"Even if her memories were taken from her, the righteousness of her heart remains undamaged. Not merely because I owe her for my wife's sake. —I pledged my very soul to place that woman upon the throne."
"Wilhelm……"
"And with Lady Crusch there, Subaru-dono is no ordinary man. And Beatrice — even though she may look like a small child beside Subaru-dono, I've heard she is a Great Spirit who has lived for ages. She will surely break through our concerns on our behalf."
Those words, slowly woven, were not meant merely to convince Rem — they were spoken with the force of someone inscribing his will upon the world, demanding that it be so.
It carried an arrogance of its own kind, yet coming from the "Sword Devil" who had once slain the "Sword Saint" with his own hands and stolen his bride from the clutches of fate, it carried a conviction that was hard to dismiss.
There was, in fact, an inexplicable power that made you think it might just come true.
And that —, "……That's exactly the kind of thing the captain would say."
"If that's the case, then I consider it a great honor."
When Garfiel voiced what Otto had also felt, Wilhelm nodded deeply. Bathed in the "Sword Devil's" appeal up close, Rem let her shoulders drop with a soft exhale.
Her eyes and expression still held a trace of unease, but Rem lifted her face with a brave resolve, "I'm sorry. I lost my composure. You're right. If Beatrice and Karsten are on our side, then his recklessness — one or two instances of it should be—"
"I feel like you were almost on board until you stopped right there……"
"Th-three, four — Beatrice'll figure it all out! ……Right now, that's all we can do — believe in that!"
Saying that, Garfiel — still unable to fully dispel his own anxiety but hiding it behind bared teeth — was met with a faint smile from Rem in return.
Otto too. No one could dispel every ounce of anxiety and move forward in this situation. Later, when things went wrong, they might regret today's decision.
And yet, right now, in this moment, there was no choice but to steel oneself and step past the hesitation.
"Then, once more — we are leaving the capital."
Otto cleared his throat, then looked around at everyone in the room and reaffirmed the policy.
The Royal Castle had already fallen to the enemy, and they had become fugitives targeted by the capital's soldiers. One wrong move would bring the "Sword Saint" down upon them, and if captured, their very lives would be in peril.
In such a state, leaving the capital would inevitably be seen as fleeing with their tails between their legs.
But he would say it regardless.
"This is by no means a defeat. —This is the setup for the next victory, the move that will allow us to strike back and win."
"Heh — that's the kind of red-blooded declaration I'd expect from big bro Otto!"
"That appraisal doesn't sit right with me at all!"
Amid the nods around him, Otto raised his voice in response to Garfiel rubbing his nose with a finger, then nodded to Rem and turned his attention outward — toward the capital beyond the walls.
He didn't know where they were. But he thought of Subaru and Beatrice, somewhere in this city, struggling through dead ends just as they were.
The anxiety wouldn't end. As Rem had said, he would do something reckless.
——He didn't want that. That was Otto's true feeling.
"……But you'll do something reckless anyway, won't you?"
He whispered those words into the wall where no one could hear them, then pulled his hat down snugly over his eyes.
Otto knew all too well what kind of person Natsuki Subaru was — someone who would unhesitatingly place his own life and heart on the scale if it meant fulfilling someone's expectations or wishes.
That was exactly why, in truth, he didn't want to rely on him — and knew he shouldn't.
Because counting on Natsuki Subaru as "the person who'll fix everything" was, he felt, the same as exploiting that kindness and that weakness.
So, at the very least — He would make sure that recklessness didn't consume Natsuki Subaru, didn't crush him.
Even from a faraway place, he would do what needed to be done to stand against this irrationality and cruelty — that was what Otto thought, with a bitterness that settled deep in his chest.
△▼△▼△▼△ "Atchoo!"
"Did you catch a cold? Are you alright?"
"No, it was just a sudden tickle in my nose. ……My blood did run cold for a second, though."
Subaru, who had sneezed from a sudden impulse in his nostrils, loosened his lips at Beatrice's worried look, but he couldn't even sustain a wry smile before letting out a sigh.
The story he'd heard from Russell — about Capella of "Sloth" lurking behind the scenes, and the dire state of the Kingdom of Lugunica — was that shocking.
"Shape-shifters being a pain is kind of a given, but…… this is on another level. No wonder they've been harassing you guys for thirty years."
"To be precise, it was the Kingdom they were harassing, and we were trying to put a stop to it. Though, given the state of things now, we can hardly speak with any authority."
"You kept them at bay at the threshold — I understand that. But something doesn't add up. Why would that thirty-year tug-of-war suddenly tip so drastically?"
"That's…… probably because of us."
Lowering her gaze, the "White Ram" hung her head as she made that admission.
Before the questioning looks of Subaru and the others, her eyes heavy with guilt and self-reproach, she continued, "When we left the 'Beloved Children' and joined up with the 'Silver Fox' and the others like this, there were multiple opportunities to trip up the enemy's plans. I think Mama realized that — 'The Six Tongues' had grabbed onto their tail."
"Well, if a traitor comes from within your own ranks, that's a natural conclusion…… Or wait — is Capella the type who forgets about someone the moment they leave her sight?"
"No — she's actually the type who remembers forever."
"That tracks! Same wavelength. Ugh, what an awful person……"
His impression of Capella's twisted personality thoroughly reinforced, Subaru spat that out. As if to supplement that exchange with the "White Ram," Russell raised another finger, "As she says — the enemy likely caught on that we've strengthened our hand. When the Witch Cult attacked
"Making you aware of her existence — what's the point of all that……"
"——'The Six Tongues' have already eliminated seven impostors of
"Huh?"
"It's a fact. When Priestella was attacked, there were witness reports matching the appearance of the 'Sloth' spotted there — and when that happens, you have no choice but to investigate. Naturally, during that window, other schemes involving the 'Beloved Children' were also launched. This whole situation is the result of my having been stretched too thin dealing with them — my own failing."
"……Not that I need to ask, but those seven were fakes, right?"
"Indeed. As you can imagine."
Russell explained dispassionately, matter-of-factly acknowledging he'd been outmaneuvered. But if Subaru had been in his shoes, he couldn't imagine staying calm without exploding.
Even the atrocity at Priestella — the one that had spawned so much tragedy — was, for Capella, nothing more than a prelude to manipulating the "Six Tongues" and seizing control of the Kingdom.
After having ruined and twisted the lives of so many people.
"——!"
"……Subaru, I know how you feel, but can you calm down? You're only hurting yourself."
"Huh? Ah, sorry. I just……"
Gritting his teeth and looking down, Subaru felt Beatrice, sitting cross-legged, press her back against his chest. She was gently touching his right arm — where he had been unconsciously digging his nails in.
Looking down, he saw that the handkerchief that had been wrapped around the burn he'd sustained at the Macmahon estate had been removed and replaced with clean bandages. And on top of those bandages, his left hand's nails had been about to dig in. As he was about to apologize for that unconscious action, he suddenly realized — the pain of the burn had completely vanished.
"Did you…… Russell, or the 'White Ram' do this?"
"Hm? Ah, no, that wasn't me. It was the 'Blue Snake'……"
"Blue Snake?"
"——One of our subordinates. A skilled healer. Without permission, I had her perform a full treatment while you were sleeping. If you don't feel any discomfort——"
"No, none at all. It's so comfortable it's actually kind of weird."
Lightly rotating his wrist and swinging his arm, he felt absolutely perfect.
There had been a mana shortage as well, but even so — Beatrice had only been able to manage emergency treatment on the burn. The fact that this person had healed it so thoroughly meant Russell's subordinates were an impressive bunch.
If his wound had been treated, then Crusch's and Rachins's must have been too.
However —, "——Dad."
Rachins, hand on his chin and lost in thought, was in no state to focus on any of this.
If Capella's malevolent hand had truly reached the Royal Castle and the high-ranking nobles — including the Council of Wise Men — had been replaced, then his own father was surely among them.
Though Rachins's words conveyed a rebellious attitude toward his father, glimpses of his surprising intellect in between suggested a core rooted in his upbringing.
And that core was not unrelated to the father in question.
"Rachins, you okay?"
"……They just stripped me to my underwear. What's there to worry about?"
"……I see. Got it."
Rachins clearly understood the intent of the question, but Subaru respected his answer.
Of course he was worried. And right now, Subaru had no means to alleviate that — nor did Rachins seem inclined to open up about what was in his heart.
Worrying about family was a heavy thing. Experience had taught him that talking about it didn't always bring relief, so he couldn't push. Of course, if Rachins wanted to talk, he'd listen — but — "——Hey, hey, hey — are you people done with the gloomy, tedious crap yet?"
Like a bomb thrown into the delicate atmosphere, the door to the infirmary was wrenched open.
Striding in with heavy, graceless footsteps was the dangerous figure in black garb and a jester's mask — the "Black Dog," a large bag slung over one arm.
Subaru had assumed he was fine too, given that the rest of them were safe, but— "Talk about ruining the moment. We were in the middle of something important here."
"Well, well, busy life, gotta love it. Though knowing you, you'd say something like 'there's no such thing as a moment when I'm not desperately living, so there's no time that isn't important!'"
"Black Dog, stop it! Natsuki Subaru is our benefactor, you know!"
"Oh, playing the good girl now. You're supposed to be the wicked woman who's good at making others wag their tails, but if you can't even wag your own tail — it's not your head that's sagging, it's your rear! Ahahaha!"
"——!"
The "White Ram," who had scolded the "Black Dog" for his rudeness, flushed red at the counterattack.
It seemed that despite having both left the "Beloved Children," they were not nearly as trusting with each other as Subaru and Beatrice were.
Of course, Subaru wanted to side with the "White Ram" — but — "You talk too much, 'Black Dog.' Keep it short."
"Tch — the preparations for departure are almost ready, so you lot better get moving too!"
"It's time already?"
"W-Whoa, what's going on?!"
As he spoke gruffly, the "Black Dog" suddenly hurled the large bag at Subaru and the others. Subaru and Beatrice instinctively flinched back, and the bag landed on the bed at their feet.
The "White Ram" hurriedly untied the bag, and inside was — "——Robes with an 'identification obstruction' effect. We acquired them through Roswaal. There's one each for Natsuki-dono, Beatrice-dono, and Lady Crusch. Ah, and a spare for Rachins-dono too."
"Oh joy, a spare. Thanks ever so much."
Rachins spat as he tossed aside the afterthought, while Subaru raised an eyebrow at the familiar phrase "identification obstruction," unfolding the robe on Beatrice's lap.
It was white fabric. Subaru couldn't tell by touch, but Beatrice nodded with a "Hmm,"
"This is definitely something Roswaal had a hand in. This only adds more credibility to that mustache being Roswaal's friend, I suppose."
"You say that like it's a shame…… But for fugitives like us, this robe is exactly what we need. You said we're moving? Isn't this the Six Tongues' base?"
"No — this is merely one of several small staging points. Against the current strength of the 'Beloved Children,' it's insufficient…… We'll be vacating shortly."
"But that…… No, I'm sure Russell and the others understand the enemy's danger far better than we do. We're just tagging along, and I'm sorry for that. I'll follow your lead."
Just when Subaru thought things had finally settled down, he was told they'd be moving again, and he reflexively started to push back — but quickly pulled his objection back.
The enemy's terror and thoroughness had been explained more than sufficiently. If he hadn't linked up with Russell and the others, he'd still be on the run from an enemy he couldn't even see.
So Subaru decided to go along with Russell's plan for now.
But —, "So we're moving right away? And how far away is the next location, anyway?"
"Quite a ways, I'd imagine. —Because we'll be leaving the capital."
"……Huh?"
The words struck his eardrums, and Subaru couldn't quite process them, his eyes going wide.
He waited, hoping Russell might rephrase, but his expression didn't change, dashing that hope.
Naturally, it took Subaru some time to swallow those words —, "——That's a tough pill to swallow. From what you're saying, that would leave Emilia in the castle."
"Yes. If you'll forgive my bluntness, we cannot spare any resources to rendezvous with your allies on the run from the capital either. We are already in the palm of the enemy's hand. If we don't act before that palm closes and leaves no gaps, it will be too late."
"That…… but——"
"Let me say it once more. We are abandoning this base and evacuating the capital. This city is now a demon's den under the control of the 'Beloved Children.' —Defeat is not an option for us."
——With fierce resolve and pride seeping through every word, Russell refused to accept defeat, and Subaru was left speechless.
"————"
Subaru's understanding was naive. Shallow. Insufficient.
The situation was even worse than he had imagined — they were on the verge of losing, about to be silently marched to the execution block without even realizing it.
But —, "Subaru, Subaru — look at Betty. Betty is here, I suppose."
The trembling Subaru was swept up by Beatrice, who had turned to face him head-on. The sensation of small hands stroking his back recalled to him a way of breathing he had forgotten.
"I understand Russell's reasoning. I get it, I do. But Emilia……"
Leaving the capital — now under enemy control — rejecting defeat, and buying time for a comeback.
He understood the intention. He understood the logic. The capital was dangerous, and without a bold move, they'd be dancing to the enemy's tune. —But that meant leaving Emilia behind. Giving up on reuniting with their scattered companions and running away.
Could Natsuki Subaru accept that kind of choice — ?
"——'White Ram.'"
"……Yes."
Beatrice and Subaru held each other, both at a loss, when Russell suddenly called out to the "White Ram." She faltered for a moment, then nodded.
She approached the bedside and gently took Subaru's hands in both of hers.
"White Ram……?"
"I understand your pain, truly — I feel it just as keenly. Deciding to part from someone precious to you is as agonizing as being torn apart. But 'we'll die together' — that's not an option, is it?"
"————"
"Please trust us. With the Duke Karsten's power, and with Natsuki Subaru here — we will not lose. Please, I'm begging you……"
Her eyes shimmered with the verge of tears as she implored Subaru with all her strength.
It was a pretty sentiment, an idealistic theory — exactly the same rehearsed conclusion Subaru had forced himself through ten times, a hundred times over. —And yet, somehow, hearing it from the "White Ram's" mouth, his heart was moved.
"——Russell. What about Emilia and the others in the castle?"
"The enemy will also hesitate to make a direct move against a Royal Selection candidate. They may be inconvenienced, but their physical safety won't be violated. We have allies keeping watch."
Subaru drew a deep breath, let it out, and asked. Russell answered with a clear intention to ease Subaru's anxiety as much as possible — and this was likely the maximum consideration and concession Russell could offer.
Emilia's safety relied on the enemy's reasonableness; the safety of their companions relied on each person's own strength — weighing either against the enemy, it was undeniably a bad bet.
Even so —, "——I will definitely save Emilia. All of us will. Remember that."
The black flames churning deep in his chest, searing through his entire body — even as he felt that, Subaru made his declaration.
Beatrice tensed at his answer, and the "White Ram," still holding his hands, let out a feeble breath. Rachins, who watched in silence, was met with Russell's gaze and stuck out his tongue, making it clear he was不满 but wouldn't oppose.
Only one person — the "Black Dog," leaning against the wall with a hand on the mask adorning his face —, "——Heh. Drop dead, you stubborn bastard."
——muttered that, venomous and laced with a strange tenderness, toward no one in particular. The words fell onto the medicine-scented floor of the room, and vanished.