Silence and taut tension filled the hall.
Savoring that tension on his skin,
As a prerequisite, having all the parties present at this gathering was of paramount importance to Subaru right now.
He had no power. Not enough wisdom. Lacking both ability and connections, the only thing he could do was not let his deaths go to waste.
"Looks like I can finally understand the purpose behind keeping everyone waiting past dinner."
The manly beauty sitting cross-legged in her chair, hands clasped atop her knees—
Her first knight, standing beside her, narrowed his eyes slightly at his master's words, puffing out his lovely cheeks a little before— "Is that so~?
Though his tone and expression feigned lightheartedness, there was no letting down of his guard in the way Ferris—the knight in question—looked at Subaru as he spoke. Even if his ability fell short, his resolve to keep his master far from danger was more than evident.
——— Still maintaining his silence without joining in the exchange between master and knight was Wilhelm, seated to Crusch's left, opposite Ferris, his back ramrod straight.
A sword hung at his waist, and from his closed-eye meditation, only a honed blade aura emanated—the grandfatherly warmth he'd shown when welcoming Subaru and
The location was the upper reaches of the Noble District in the
It was only natural that the three aforementioned individuals—relations of the mansion—should be present. As for the other faces in the hall besides them— "Coming back does leave one feeling somewhat ill at ease. I'm counting on you, Sir Subaru, to present a proposal that will dispel that discomfort."
Perhaps noticing Subaru's sidelong glance sweeping over everyone's faces, the man who smiled in response at that remark was a refined gentleman with muted blond hair and a stylish chin beard—a shrewd operator who pulled the strings of commerce in the Royal Capital:
Subaru shrugged at what could only be read as Russell's probing gambit— "Right now, Rem's gone to fetch the last person, so could you bear with us a little longer? There's no guarantee they'll come, but... we do have a chance."
"I look forward to their swift arrival. Incidentally, might I inquire the basis for your confidence?"
He'd likely already figured out the identity of who Subaru was waiting for.
To Russell's question, Subaru shook his head with a "Simple, really—" before continuing: "They said themselves they have a nose for the smell of money. If that's true, they'll definitely show their face. You're the same type, aren't you, Russell?"
"My, my... you've struck a sore spot."
Russell pressed a hand to his forehead, acting as though he'd been cornered—all while knowing full well that both sides' cards were somewhat transparent to each other.
A face-value sense of reassurance was nothing but a thin veil, and frankly, Subaru lacked both the skill and the composure for that kind of poker-faced maneuvering.
All Subaru had to support him now was borrowed courage—nothing more.
"I'm so sorry to have kept everyone waiting."
A few minutes later, the hall doors opened and in stepped the girl with blue hair in her maid uniform—Rem. She bowed so everyone in the room could see, then turned her gaze toward Subaru and— "O-Okay!"
Making a small OK sign with her right hand as she said it, Rem stepped up to Subaru's side, stretched slightly on her tiptoes, and whispered into his ear: "They'll be a bit late arriving, but they said they will definitely come."
"Is that so? Good. You did well, Rem."
Snapping his fingers at the report, Subaru nodded—having found a way to turn the second-best situation into the best possible one. He then surveyed the eager faces before him: "The last participant's running a bit late, but the players are all here. No point keeping anyone waiting any longer. —Shall we begin?"
At Subaru's declaration, each person sensed the shift and showed their own reaction.
Crusch gave a faint smile. Ferris pressed his lips together tightly. Wilhelm remained silently expressionless. Russell settled leisurely into his chair.
Bathing in all of their gazes, Subaru stamped one foot hard, pulling his spirit taut.
He felt his heart beating high and hard.
Blood surged through his entire body, and at the same time, a great anxiety reared its head before him, threatening to plunge everything into darkness.
But— "Subaru-kun."
Gently, Rem, standing beside him, touched his sleeve to reassure the anxious Subaru.
A touch mediated through clothing rather than direct skin contact—yet Subaru felt in it a reassurance as if supported by ten thousand allies.
Rem was watching. There was no way he could make a fool of himself.
Grinning fearlessly, hiding the terror behind that smile, Subaru took on his first wall.
To thread the needle, to weave a happy ending.
To take even one step closer to the hero that the girl who said she loved him believed in.
"There's one thing I'd like you to confirm, Natsuki Subaru."
As Subaru steeled himself and looked forward, Crusch's voice reached him with one finger raised. She wagged that raised finger back and forth, caught his gaze, and said: "The purpose of this gathering.—From your own lips."
An austere gaze as she rested her elbow on the armrest, her cheek against her hand, looking down at Subaru.
She surely already understood, yet her insistence on hearing Subaru state it himself was utterly without leniency.
In how one began the conversation, the match had already started.
And it was precisely because of his string of failures that Subaru understood this now.
"Well, of course—"
So Subaru swept his arm wide, maintaining his composure so as not to be swallowed by Crusch's piercing gaze, flashing a defiant smile so as not to repeat his past failures as he declared: "This is a negotiation scene for an alliance between
The first challenge to overcoming the many walls standing in his way—was about to begin.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ After his exchange with Rem in front of the Royal Capital's main gate, Subaru had resolved in his heart to start over from scratch.
He felt it was the only honest way forward—for the girl who had bared everything in her heart and still said she believed in Subaru.
"With that in mind... there are just too many walls I have to break through..."
Thinking again of all the walls before him, he could understand the weakness of spirit that had nearly broken him just moments ago. The situation was unchanged—it seemed like nothing more than one step away from checkmate.
Still— "I've gotta do something about it, right? Lend me a hand, will you? Rem."
"Yes. Anything you say, Subaru-kun."
Before he'd even gathered his thoughts, he spoke up while scratching his head, and Rem nodded readily.
Unwavering trust poured from Rem's fervent eyes, welling up in Subaru's chest as both courage and a sense of duty.
He deliberately did not point out that the corners of her eyes were faintly red.
Moving from the front gate to a corner of the lower district, the two of them leaned their backs against the wall of the crowd.
Looking back on the exchange at the front gate, he hesitated to think about continuing the conversation any further. After all, he'd bared his soul—tears and all—about every last one of his complexes and insecurities. And in response, Rem had bared her heart too. If they kept going under the gaze of the eavesdropping onlookers, it would push their emotional endurance past its breaking point.
With Rem still held in his arms, they passed through the lukewarm stares and finally arrived at a place beyond the reach of onlookers, breathing a sigh of relief. Either way— "The time loss is undeniable. Even though it was barely an hour... right now, every minute counts."
As he had verified before, the time limit before the overwhelming tragedy at the mansion was five days. In reality, that meant roughly four and a half days.
Spending nearly two days of that on travel meant he had approximately two days to actually work with.
"So, the walls I've got to break through... there are a whole lot of them."
There were many obstacles to overcome, each one qualitatively different from before.
Each one was individually desperate enough—and combined, they became a nearly insurmountable ordeal.
The first was, naturally, the
If Petelgeuse and his fanatics weren't somehow stopped, not a single person at the mansion or in the village would survive.
The second was Rem's death—it changed shape, but it always came.
Even if she traveled with Subaru, even if she went ahead alone, all roads led to death. The first time, she died beyond his sight. The second and third times, he watched her die before his eyes—the despair of those moments had been enough to drive Subaru down the path of resignation, and that was no exaggeration.
And the third was the wall that, as a prerequisite, simply had to be overcome—triggered by Emilia's death: the indiscriminate vengeance of the Great Spirit,
Looking back, it seemed that every one of Subaru's deaths in this loop had ended at Puck's hands, through freezing.
This was, in essence, circumstantial evidence that Subaru had never once arrived in time to prevent Emilia from dying—no matter the world.
Not a single one of these walls could be allowed to slip through his fingers.
If even one was dropped, the world that followed would not be the future Natsuki Subaru wished for, and it would betray the image of the hero Rem believed in.
"...A few, then."
Subaru murmured, having been tallying the problem points.
Facing him, Rem watched Subaru in silent contemplation, making no sound in response to that murmur. She knew his muttering wasn't seeking an answer.
To expect the best judgment from her beloved hero, and to make the greatest contribution she could.
That was how she held herself together now, and it was the fullest expression of love she could offer.
With Rem watching over him, Subaru ran through his memories within the bounds of limited time—and beyond them—searching for even a fragment of a foothold as his thoughts raced.
Believing that somewhere, buried in what seemed like an utterly hopeless impasse, there slept a possibility to shift things, even if only slightly.
Clench your brain. Burn your heart.
Your body, your ability—they can't keep up with your ideals right now. So at the very least, if you can't even manage this much, the first step toward being a hero would be nothing but a joke.
Remember. Think.
Don't waste your three deaths. Don't waste the will of the girl you let die three times. Everything of the three worlds that had ended pressed down heavily on Subaru's shoulders— The people he'd met. The words he'd exchanged. Partings, encounters, rage, madness, grief, the
And then— "...Is there a possibility?"
What flashed through his mind was nothing more than a sliver of a chance.
Each thread was fragile and weak, and the ones he'd forcibly linked together might snap at any moment. Far too unreliable to stake everything on.
Which was precisely why it was worth going all in.
"Rem. There are several things I need to tell you and several things I want to ask."
"Yes."
To organize the plan he'd just conceived, Subaru needed Rem's cooperation.
Before beginning to disclose information to her, he first selected only what wouldn't run afoul of the Witch's curse— "The word that Emilia would be entering the Royal Selection went public, and that's what set the Witch Cult in motion. They're going to target Emilia... the mansion and the village, for some incomprehensible reason. I want to stop them."
"The Witch Cult..."
For an instant, a hostile emotion flickered in Rem's eyes upon hearing that word.
But she suppressed the feeling with self-control, gave a slight nod at Subaru's words, and said: "The possibility of the Witch Cult making a move—Master Roswaal was already considering that as well. Rem hasn't been informed of the details, but countermeasures should already be in the works."
"But that's not enough."
In truth, it was unclear what, if any, preparations Roswaal had made against the Witch Cult.
Whether those measures had fizzled out, or simply couldn't reach in time—it was unknown. But in the end, those advance preparations had borne no fruit, and the white hell had unfolded.
Knowing that future, what Subaru needed to do was secure defensive measures independent of Roswaal—and ultimately, a means to protect the lives of everyone at the mansion and in the village.
"The Witch Cult will likely launch a swift strike. Rem, what's the mansion's fighting force?"
"...This is difficult to say, but right now, there's a high probability that Master Roswaal is not at the mansion. After returning from the Royal Capital, he was scheduled to immediately visit influential figures within the domain."
With visible reluctance, Rem delivered the news of Roswaal's absence that had stunned Subaru before. Hearing it, he confirmed the fact: only Emilia,
Just three people—and given Beatrice's uncooperative attitude, it was highly doubtful she would join the fight against the Witch Cult.
He recalled the brief conversation he'd had with Beatrice before.
How she had looked at Subaru—the Subaru who had asked her to kill him—with eyes like those of a small child whose trust had been betrayed.
"Sorry, but that'll have to wait."
With an aching heart at having to leave those tearful eyes behind, Subaru turned to the waiting Rem with a "Well then—"
"Two fighters. Even if Rem and I go back, it'll be a drop in the bucket."
"Most of the main estate's fighting power depends on Master Roswaal's personal ability—that's undeniable. If Frederica had stayed behind, things might have been different."
Nodding back at the frustrated Rem, Subaru filled in the finer details to prevent any gap in information from the preparation stage.
There was nothing more to discuss regarding the Witch Cult and the mansion's available forces.
Then, the next topic was the real one.
Straightening up, Subaru looked directly into Rem's eyes.
Watching Rem raise her head, sensing the shift in atmosphere— "Rem... everything Roswaal ordered you to do in the Royal Capital. Tell me all of it."
"———"
Subaru had expected a look of suspicion, or perhaps surprise at being caught off guard.
But Rem's reaction to those words completely defied Subaru's expectations.
"Yes. Just as you say."
She nodded at Subaru's words, and above all, she broke into a smile of genuine, heartfelt joy—and shed a single tear from the corner of her eye.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "An alliance... is it?"
Crusch murmured those words to Subaru, who had taken all their gazes upon himself and declared the purpose of the meeting.
She drew her chin in thought, then glanced briefly toward Rem. Quietly perceiving the probing intent behind that gaze, Rem gently shook her head and said: "In accordance with Master Roswaal's instructions, Rem has said nothing.—Subaru-kun reached all of this on his own."
"I'm not questioning your loyalty. Still, so that's how it is..."
Rather than mere acknowledgment, Crusch showed understanding in the form of having her doubts settled. She turned those knowing eyes toward Subaru and continued: "Then, the negotiation rights have been delegated from Rem to you—Natsuki Subaru, is that correct?"
"Yeah, that's right. Roswaal... our master really played a low trick, I have to say."
With an exaggerated sigh, Subaru clicked his tongue at the memory of that blue-haired figure's smirk flashing through his mind.
The operational directive for the Royal Capital, given secretly to Rem alone without Subaru's knowledge. And she had been strictly ordered never to reveal it to Subaru unless he figured it out on his own— "It's not like I didn't have questions from the start. I mean, our camp's chronic manpower shortage is pretty obvious."
As far as Subaru knew, Roswaal's camp—Emilia's camp—had a fatal shortage of people.
At the main estate, there were only the sisters Ram and Rem, Roswaal, and the questionable case of Beatrice—if you even counted her. There seemed to be other associates whose names he'd heard from time to time, but gathering unacquainted people like that wouldn't amount to much.
Under those circumstances, leaving Rem behind with Subaru in the Royal Capital—even if under limited conditions—had always nagged at the back of his mind as something that didn't add up.
Of course, on the surface, it could be argued that they couldn't be so rude as to leave Subaru alone in the Royal Capital, given that he'd saved their domain from crisis and deserved compensation in the form of treatment and other forms of restitution.
"I can't imagine that pervert would let Rem go for such a compassionate reason alone. There had to be something behind it, and when I dug into it..."
"Naturally, suspicion would fall on the house that had the most opportunities to meet with her."
Crossing her legs differently, Crusch took up the thread of Subaru's words and drew the conclusion. Subaru nodded in affirmation, then added with a "Also—"
"I'd heard that Rem and Crusch had been meeting secretly every night. I just... wasn't sharp enough to figure out what they were talking about, and I hate how stupid that makes me."
He could only laugh at himself, wondering how blind he'd been. Rem had truly been dropping subtle hints so that Subaru would notice the hidden intent—and it had taken four rewatches of the world for him to finally catch on. Such was his dullness.
"The content of our nightly meetings concerned forming an alliance. Regarding the conditions we've offered... I've heard the general outline from Rem."
"So the main bargaining chip is the concession of mining rights for magic ore from the Elior Great Forest."
Crusch cut in before Subaru, who'd been trying to vaguely hint at it as though there were nothing to hide.
And the one whose eyes lit up upon hearing it was none other than— "My my, that's a story I simply cannot ignore."
Russell Fellow, who had been settled into a chair similar to Crusch's—leather-upholstered guest seating—leaned slightly forward, his eyes gleaming.
"Mining rights for magic ore are worth even more than before given the rising demand for ore in the current market. And if it's from land that remains untouched, naturally..."
At the merchant's appetite, which exceeded his expectations, Subaru couldn't hide his surprise.
When Rem had first told him about this, Subaru had actually felt anxious, thinking "If it doesn't work, maybe we should reconsider the terms."
"Rising demand for ore—what do you mean by that?"
"The seasons will soon shift from the Red Period through the Yellow Period and into the Blue Period. This year, the influence of water mana is expected to be particularly strong, so demand for heating applications should be high."
Holding up a finger, Russell answered Subaru's question in a clear, ringing voice.
The Blue Period and Red Period he spoke of referred to the seasons in this world. Just as they sounded, the Red Period was "summer" and the Blue Period was "winter." The Yellow Period was "autumn," and the Green Period was "spring." In any case, it seemed the understanding was that heating appliances would sell as winter approached.
"Magic ore is a crystallized form of pure magical power containing mana. Depending on subsequent processing, you can add elemental affinity and tailor it for various uses. It has superior strength, and if used correctly, its durability is very reliable. There's no product quite as versatile."
"In exchange, the absolute quantity is limited. Once you've added elemental affinity, there's no redoing it. Most mining sites are managed by the Kingdom, and a large portion of the ore goes toward public works. Only a minuscule amount reaches the open market—in plainer terms, it circulates only among the state and the wealthy."
Against Russell, who had enumerated magic ore's virtues, Crusch countered by listing the drawbacks of how its value was used.
But Russell didn't flinch, shaking his head with a "That's precisely why—"
"I simply cannot ignore the discovery of an untapped mining site. And this comes from the mouth of Mathers' representative—a knight of Princess Emilia, a candidate in the Royal Selection, no less. The credibility and trustworthiness are extremely high."
Speaking in an impassioned tone, Russell glanced sidelong at Subaru.
His attitude clearly masked a pretense of being eager to snatch at the mining rights, while containing a strong probing message directed at Subaru.
In other words, by bringing up this material while present, he had cut off Subaru's retreat—there was no backing down now.
Still— "Well, you can trust me on that. At the very start of a Royal Selection that's going to drag on for a long time, I wouldn't go so far as to bluff the person I'm trying to partner up with."
Since Roswaal had presented these terms, Subaru's own will had no part in setting them. That meant there was no room for anxiety to intrude—and to put it bluntly, it came down to Subaru's trust in Roswaal as a lord. Something he'd never admit to Roswaal's face, of course.
Either way, Russell received Subaru's response with a "Well, then" and a nod of understanding in his eyes— "It seems I had nothing to worry about regarding your resolve as a negotiator. I apologize for the presumptuous line of questioning."
"No, it's fine. I intend to have Russell put his shoulder to the wheel for me in the upcoming discussions anyway."
He had no illusions about Russell holding him in high regard.
Upon their first meeting in the third world, Russell had already known of the disgraceful spectacle Subaru had put on at the Royal Selection. Naturally, he harbored doubts about Subaru's capabilities in a negotiation setting, and Subaru had anticipated that he'd come to test that.
Subaru had prepared a topic ripe for probing to deflect the probing at the main event, but he couldn't hide his relief that Russell had taken the bait at an easier point to deflect from.
Still, he couldn't very well let his relief show too easily—so even after accepting Russell's apology, Subaru had to give an off-the-cuff, big-shot response.
"Still, since I've got your apology, I'd like to think one or two gaffes will be overlooked, right?"
"So that's why Russell Fellow agreed to participate—expecting that? You're a more formidable judge than I thought."
Crusch remarked that with a faint smile at Subaru's social grin, apparently grading the exchange between Subaru and the merchant on her own terms. Since the meeting hadn't been shut down, he was probably hovering around a passing grade.
While she made that judgment, Subaru kept up his social smile and scratched his head: "Dangling a business opportunity and securing an advisor—that's definitely part of the plan too... But the real reason I called Russell here is because it relates to the main topic."
"Oh? The main topic, you say—"
At those words from Subaru as he scratched his head, the atmosphere in the room shifted entirely.
Crusch, who until now had been sizing up the meeting with a composed air, straightened her posture, closed her eyes once in silence, and then slowly cast her sharp gaze upon Subaru.
Before an aura of intimidation so powerful it was as though a wind had blown through, Subaru refused to cower and pushed back.
He had been subjected to violent intimidation so often it was sickening. Compared to that, there was not a shred of negative emotion in Crusch's gaze—nothing designed to make one cower. What it contained was only a majesty that straightened your spine and tightened your slackened thoughts.
"I acknowledge you, Natsuki Subaru. As the Mathers' official representative, and as Emilia's formal envoy, the content exchanged between you and I at this negotiating table shall be held as the content exchanged between Emilia and myself."
Simply standing before someone face-to-face could be this压迫ive.
Crusch was not deliberately trying to intimidate Subaru. She had purely shifted her awareness from Crusch as a private individual to Crusch Karsten in a public capacity. In other words, this was proof that the sheer intimidation radiated by the head of the Karsten ducal household held this much power.
This was the figure of the woman closest to the throne in the
"You should have heard this already, but let me ask again. The negotiations between myself and your servant... Rem, including the concession of mining rights and such, have not yet reached an agreement. You are fully aware of that, I trust?"
"...Yeah."
He'd heard from Rem that negotiations had stalled, and that she hadn't had enough authority to reach an agreement. The image of Rem lamenting her own inadequacy surfaced in his mind—while at the same time, he lamented his own failure to notice her struggle. Half for her pain, half for his own blind eyes.
Combining both laments into regret, Subaru would make full use of this fortune—the ability to acquire future regrets in advance. That was the difference from how things had progressed until now.
"I'd like to confirm this too—but the current terms aren't enough, right? The concession of mining rights in the Elior Great Forest without excessive interference in each other's camps. And as for the handling agreement for the mined magic ore itself..."
"The draft has been submitted by Rem. As expected of Marquis Mathers, I should say. They've secured ample benefits for their own camp while ensuring generous benefits flow to us. Normally, we'd jump at this and prepare an agreement of consent immediately, but..."
When it came to the numerical details, Subaru had nothing to add.
If pushed to the wall, he might blurt out "Fine, you can have all the mining rights!" so he could only pray that the finer details wouldn't come up.
"In this case, our concerns as the trading partner are significant. You understand?"
That prayer probably didn't carry, but the words Crusch spoke after a pause were not about those concerns.
That said, it certainly wasn't welcome news— "It's not that Roswaal can't be trusted... is it?"
That was wishful thinking. If Roswaal's personal conduct were the issue, they could force him into a clean and upright lifestyle going forward—but that wasn't what Crusch was raising as a concern.
It was a problem that couldn't be avoided, one that trailed Emilia endlessly— "She's a rival candidate in the Royal Selection. Moreover, a half-elf... dealing with Emilia, who faces the stigma of being a half-blooded witch. We have no choice but to be cautious, especially when considering the long-term implications."
At her low voice, Subaru felt something unexpected—and disappointed.
The impression Subaru had of Crusch could best be described as "majestic" and "sincere."
At the Royal Selection, she had embodied exactly those words with her bearing and her unwavering stance—so there was a dissonance in seeing her worry about her current reputation.
"Could this be... a prelude to a refusal?"
"Subaru-kyun~? Do you think it's not such a good thing, nya, to blurt out something like that at such an important moment in the negotiation? Do you~? Do you~?"
Ferris had a vein popping on his forehead even while smiling. Finding a strange sense of masculinity in the scariness of that smile, Subaru quickly shut his mouth and bowed his head.
Watching that exchange, Crusch faintly relaxed the corners of her mouth and said: "When I get an answer that direct, I feel rather ashamed for having responded with pretense myself. Consider me schooled. When you're only surrounded by your usual company, opportunities like this are rare."
And in that roundabout way, Crusch let the offense go.
Still, clinging to mercy would only create debts, potentially leading to their own disadvantage in the end.
Subaru nodded slightly and said: "So the pretense is the pretense... but beneath it, can I take it that you don't have any aversion to the idea of forming an alliance with Emilia itself?"
"Natsuki Subaru, let me correct one thought."
Holding up a finger and thrusting it toward Subaru, Crusch continued: "The value of a thing is determined by the nature of its soul and how it shines. Origin and circumstance are not decisive factors in determining its essence."
Of course, she was worldly enough to acknowledge that they could be indirect factors.
It was only natural that she had the imagination to consider how Emilia's circumstances—her reality as a half-elf—had forced such unreasonable cruelty upon her.
So Crusch gave a single nod and continued: "At that Royal Selection, there was no falsehood in Emilia's words. It was precisely because there was genuine resolve and pride in them that I recognize Emilia as one of the rival candidates."
"That's a bit convoluted—in other words?"
"The theatricality is a matter of my personal taste. Forgive me."
Seeming aware of her own grandiose manner of speaking, Crusch let a small smile cross her lips, then after a single blink, tightened her expression and continued: "I will not use the fact that Emilia is a half-elf as grounds for refusing an alliance. Rather, Emilia is not someone I am politically opposed to—I would even say she is someone I have no need to confront directly. An alliance... I am not against it."
"Then—"
"Don't rush to a conclusion, Natsuki Subaru. Whether I accept your proposal or not depends entirely on your answer in just a moment—no exaggeration."
Reining in Subaru, who was leaning forward at the promising response, Crusch posed her question anew.
In other words, she wanted to know what Subaru—the one who had been delegated negotiating rights—would bring to the table.
"The mining rights for the Elior Great Forest would certainly bear great fruit for us. But on the other hand, I feel there's no need to rush the Royal Selection. The deadline is three years. Moving too quickly could leave lingering consequences down the line."
"The benefits of allying with Emilia don't outweigh the drawbacks?"
"Not quite. At present, the benefits and drawbacks cancel each other out. From our perspective, we need just one more push—an excuse to take that step."
By Crusch's own will, she seemed eager to form the alliance.
But the ducal household's position—too large, too entangled—meant that not everything could move at her personal whim.
That was why she was asking for it.
A "something" that would move the situation and silence the voices around her.
"————"
As he was about to speak, Subaru was slightly surprised by the sensation of his throat seizing up.
Tension and anxiety swelled within his chest, blocking Subaru's throat just as he was about to take the step.
He took one breath and chewed over what he was about to say.
He hadn't verified the certainty of this with anyone. There was no denying the possibility that it was nothing but a wild shot in the dark.
But Subaru believed his own thinking: she would bite.
"To move toward the alliance, what we're offering from our side is the mining rights and... information."
"...Information."
Hearing that, Crusch touched her own long hair, prompting him to continue.
The judgment had not yet been made. From here on was the true test.
"Yeah, that's right. What I can offer is... a certain piece of information."
"Then let's hear it. Whether what you're about to say can truly move me."
Extending the hand that had been touching her hair, Crusch waited for Subaru's words.
Naturally, a faint tremor arose in his feet and fingers. But the slight warmth he felt near his elbow dispelled it.
Rem had placed her fingers against Subaru's arm, setting fire to his borrowed courage— He took a breath, and in one go, Subaru said it: "The