The expedition for this "
Command of the subjugation force, organized by Crusch herself, rested in her hands, and the one who would serve as its captain was none other than the heir to the Sword Saint's lineage — the "Sword Demon,"
The subjugation force under Wilhelm was divided into roughly ten squadrons, each led by the veteran soldiers who had participated in the address held in the garden.
Each squadron was composed of approximately fifteen members, bringing the total number in Crusch's subjugation force to around one hundred and fifty.
However, their full strength extended beyond that. A group of demi-human mercenaries led by Ricardo — lent by Anastasia and known informally as "
Those vice-captains were— "I'm Mimi."
"I'm Hetaro."
The pair — no, the two cat-type demi-humans — bowed their heads in small, polite nods.
Their short fur was orange, and their height, barely reaching Subaru's waist, bore a striking resemblance to the image of a small-statured demi-human that Subaru had in mind.
To add further description, they had extremely adorable features, and the pure white robes that enveloped everything above their necks suited them perfectly. To put it simply, "You look so cute I'd want to steal you away."
"I get that a lot."
"Sis, there you go saying stuff like that again..."
The girl who'd introduced herself as Mimi nodded at Subaru's assessment, while the boy named Hetaro — with a subtly flustered air — chided her for it. From their nearly identical appearances, they seemed to be twins.
Secretly, Subaru found himself wondering whether demi-human births worked the same way as animals, with multiples coming at once. He was about to nod to the two of them when— "You said vice-captains, but... are you two actually skilled?"
"Of course. When we're together, we're the best there is!"
"Eh... ah, yes. That's right. Sis and I will do our best together."
The relationship seemed to be one where the assertive older sister was reined in by the cautious, reserved younger brother. He also wondered whether all twins in this world simply ended up in the type of dynamic where the older sister dominated while the younger one followed.
In any case— "The Chief is the captain, but once a battle starts, he goes charging ahead without paying any attention to what's going on around him."
"So the two of us step in as the Chief's stand-ins, giving orders to everyone else."
"Ah, I see... I can imagine the headache that must be."
He could picture it clearly: that towering figure charging recklessly into the center of the battlefield with a booming laugh, utterly consumed by the thrill of combat.
His image apparently aligned with their own assessment, because "That's exactly right," Hetaro said, letting his small shoulders droop with a sigh.
"We'll follow Lady Crusch's command, of course, but we'll be fighting the White Whale in our own way as well. On that note, we wanted to make sure we didn't cause you any confusion, Subaru-san... Subaru-san?"
"...No, I'm just surprised by how seriously thoughtful you are. You're small, but you've got a lot on your mind — that's really impressive."
"Heh heh, impressive, right?"
"Sis, you're inflating again... ...but it is cute."
Subaru praised Hetaro, who had shown up for perfectly legitimate reasons, and Mimi puffed out her chest with pride. Meanwhile, Hetaro reined her in as always, but a quiet murmur of genuine feeling slipped out at the end. Subaru understood — his sister's inflated ego clearly had her brother's indulgence to thank as well.
—Currently, the White Whale subjugation force, numbering roughly one hundred and eighty in all, was on the march toward the base of Flügel's Great Tree, where the decisive battle against the White Whale would take place.
After the advance address at Crusch's estate, Subaru and his group had promptly rejoined the subjugation force outside the
The remaining time until the White Whale's scheduled appearance, as confirmed on his portable device, was just about half a day. Five hours had already elapsed since their departure from the Royal Capital, and considering the remaining route, they were now at the midpoint — there would still be time to rest before the decisive encounter with the White Whale.
"Once we reach the Great Tree, we'll need to do a final check on the battle plan, I guess. My own role in all this is going to be pretty important too."
"This time,
The one whose quiet determination burned in response to Subaru's words was Rem, holding the reins next to him on the driver's seat. She deftly handled the earth dragon while glancing at Subaru.
"Rem is actually opposed to this. Using the
"You use everything you've got. Even if it raises the odds by a fraction of a percent, that's a win. I'm nothing but lacking, so that's the only way I can keep from falling behind."
"Subaru-kun is wonderful."
Faced with Subaru's resolve, Rem turned her face away, refusing to budge on that point. It was a small, petulant gesture, but seeing her emotions overflow in it, Subaru couldn't suppress a soft, rueful smile.
Rem, who had always maintained a composed, emotionless mask — who had striven to keep all feeling at bay.
Since the mabeast incident had opened her heart, she had shown a warmer, softer range of emotions. Yet even then, there had been a certain rigidity to her. Now, that was almost entirely gone.
Since the time Subaru had bared his inner weakness to her, and she had confessed her feelings in response, the depth of her emotional expression had grown beyond all comparison to what it had been before.
She had said it herself — that the stopped time had begun to move again — and that was exactly right.
That was precisely why— "I want to win."
He murmured it softly, this wish of his.
He was confident that, compared to the previous loops, the current situation was far more favorable.
He had gotten through demands that no one would listen to before. His relationship with Crusch's camp — which should have turned ice-cold, or resulted in his being abandoned entirely — was solid. And his bond with Rem, despite the shame of having bared his ugly inner self, had undeniably grown stronger.
But at the same time, he was also stepping onto a path more dangerous than any before.
The threat of the White Whale was still vividly seared into his heart — he had witnessed it up close.
Even a fighter of Rem's caliber couldn't so much as scratch it. One casual flick of its tail — an attack one could hardly even call an attack — could reduce a massive dragon carriage to splinters. Its gaping maw could swallow earth dragons whole, grinding flesh beneath millstone-hard teeth, and the death screams it produced echoed in his mind without end.
Just the thought of facing that thing again made tremors run through his limbs that he couldn't stop.
But every time his resolve wavered like that— "—"
Rem's eyes, right beside him, gazed into him as though seeing straight through his heart.
That alone was enough for Subaru's heart to blaze back to life, as though fear had never existed. In front of her — with Rem watching — there was no way he could remain the worthless, pathetic, hopeless
If he was going to pull himself together, it would be with hopeful optimism rather than despair over the situation.
It was true that the current path forced him through dangerous territory. It was a situation born of necessity, and there hadn't been nearly enough time to prepare everything.
All Subaru had managed to do was reach out to the best people available within the limited time he had and then leave everything else entirely in their hands — his usual exercise in leaping faith.
Yet none of them had asked anything more of Subaru. And they certainly hadn't treated him as a useless burden.
They simply did the best they could, as hard as they could, in each moment.
He knew his own scope of ability was painfully narrow. The least he could do was understand exactly how small that frame was, and think about what he could accomplish within it.
"Hey, what's up, bro? —You've got that 'I've made up my mind' look going on."
Suddenly, Ricardo, having pulled up alongside the dragon carriage, glanced at Subaru with a grin.
The dog-eared demi-human with the massive axe slung across his back — Subaru shot him a glare, then twisted the corner of his mouth into a sharp smirk.
"You bet. A little late, but yeah, it's locked in. A Subaru with his mind made up is something else — because even death won't make me give up on the future!"
"Well now, that's some greedy talk! If the Lady heard that, she'd be tickled pink! You really are the perfect fit for the Lady's friends, bro!"
"If our positions weren't so complicated, I wouldn't mind shaking hands with Anastasia, honestly. ...Ah, but there's that annoying guy who's always standing next to her."
For a moment, he recalled the handsome man who was likely at Anastasia's side.
It felt like ages since that man had beaten him senseless and left him bloodied in the middle of the training grounds. From the perspective of a world that didn't share his loops, only about five days had passed.
At Subaru's words, Ricardo placed a large hand over his mouth, chuckling with an unusual air of mystery. The mischievous glint in the eyes that slid toward Subaru made it clear that the mercenary leader had heard about the embarrassing spectacle Subaru had made.
Naturally, a sulky bitterness welled up inside him, and Subaru turned his face away.
"If you're going to laugh, then really let it rip. Even I can recognize how socially oblivious I was back then."
"No, no, no — what's cracking me up is something else entirely. Ah well, it'll become obvious soon enough, and it'd be poor form to spill the beans here."
Ricardo nodded to himself, flicked the thin whiskers beside his nose with a finger, and let the subject drop.
That cryptic attitude made Subaru want to press further, but he figured questioning him wouldn't yield much, so he decided to pivot.
"Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask — ever since we left the Royal Capital."
"Shoot, ask me anything. We're bros, aren't we? We barely know each other, but unless it's something really major, I'll talk! If it's really major though, that'll cost you! Money!"
"Ever the
Ricardo was bouncing with energy. Subaru pointed beneath the demi-human's seat at the creature they were riding, struggling to find the right words.
The demi-human mercenaries under Ricardo rode creatures entirely different from the earth dragons leading Crusch's subjugation force.
A large dog — that was probably the closest description. A carnivore of enormous build — surpassing even lions or tigers from his world in raw size — and apart from their lower stance, they had a presence that was in no way inferior to the earth dragons.
Ricardo nodded in understanding at Subaru's question, then patted the creature's back with a large palm.
"You don't see 'em much around here. This is a creature called a liger — just as valued in Kararagi as earth dragons. Something about territorial disputes and whatnot means they can't really breed in places like Lugnica, so they're rare."
"Liger..."
At first glance, from Subaru's experience, it looked like some subspecies of the Ulgarm. But there were no horns on its head, and its expression — compared to the mabeast he'd encountered, whose ferocity had been pushed to the forefront — was clearly more approachable.
If the mabeast leaned toward wolf, then the liger leaned toward dog.
Still, the sight of Ricardo — a dog-type demi-human — riding atop this super-sized dog was rather— "There's something bizarre about that image that I can't quite put into words. Don't you find it weird?"
"People say that to me from time to time, but it doesn't bother me. We demi-humans can tell the difference between ourselves and animals perfectly well. It doesn't make us uncomfortable or anything, so don't worry about it."
"No, I thought better of what I said while I was saying it. My apologies."
"Ha ha ha! What a stand-up guy!"
Ricardo flashed a toothy grin, then gently stroked the liger's nape. The liger itself was nonplussed, but the way it bore the rider on its back gave off a distinctly dog-like sense of loyalty. The bond between them apparently transcended even the boundaries between worlds.
"Compared to earth dragons, ligers lose out on raw pulling power, but they make up for it with agility that's on a whole other level. If things turn into a free-for-all against the White Whale, it's our domain — so watch closely."
"Pulling power, huh. Even with dragons and dogs being the go-to examples, I guess hauling strength is always measured that way. ...Now that I think about it, I haven't seen any horses."
He had heard horses existed — from
Subaru then pointed toward the rear, where the rest of the marching subjugation force followed.
"So, one vehicle being pulled by a bunch of dogs together like a dog sled? Considering the dogs might get exhausted before the real thing, couldn't you have left it to some earth dragons?"
"We've got to manage our own cargo. And hey, I appreciate the concern, but the ligers pulling the supply cart are trained specifically for that job. You can't go easy on them — and besides, the White Whale might not be the only enemy we run into."
Subaru flinched, unable to fully conceal the alarm that flashed across his face. Ricardo, meanwhile, seemed not to notice.
"Along the way, if we get jumped by bandits or something, we can't afford to waste time fussing over cargo transfers, right? That's why we handle our own business as much as possible."
"...If a gang of bandits had the guts to attack a fully armed contingent like yours, they wouldn't be bandits — they'd just be killing themselves the long way around."
"That's exactly right!!"
Ricardo laughed heartily, slapped the liger's back with a resounding crack, and the liger answered with a low bark as it surged forward.
The mercenary leader galloped ahead toward the vanguard — heading, it seemed, for Crusch.
Subaru watched him go, let out a breath, and turned his thoughts.
Even if he survived the coming battle against the White Whale — that supreme, all-defining moment — there would still be walls waiting for him that he had yet to overcome.
"Man, being a hero is brutal, seriously."
He let the exhausted words slip, but even so, his expression had shaped itself into a grin.
When what you had to do and what you wanted to do were one and the same, and there were people there to push you forward — could there be a more rewarding stage than this?
With the decisive battle ahead, his fighting spirit was at its peak. Once more, he would challenge fate.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Fortunately, the march proceeded without incident, and the subjugation force arrived at the base of Flügel's Great Tree just as the moon had begun to rise — at the start of the night, with approximately six hours remaining before the White Whale's appearance.
In his previous loop, circumstances had left him no opportunity for careful observation, but as expected, the trunk's thickness and height — surpassing even what he estimated as a thousand-year-old tree in his original world — grew more imposing with every step, their grandeur pressing upon Subaru's heart as he stood at its base and looked upward.
"Whoa, that's one hell of a tree."
"You seem happy, Subaru-kun."
Rem pointed it out with a small laugh as Subaru clambered excitedly over the tree's massive, surging roots.
"That's because, you know, men are just naturally moved by things that are huge and look strong. I was awed the first time I saw an earth dragon, but nature's no slouch either. Flügel, you did good."
He praised the sage's legendary feat of planting the tree with genuine admiration — though Flügel was apparently an eminent figure who was known for nothing beyond tree-planting. As long as he had at least one achievement to his name, that was enough. All Subaru could do was hope that achievement hadn't been born from some narcissistic impulse.
"Oh, someone carved their name into the trunk. What am I, a school trip student? This is what people actually do, huh? No manners at all, no manners. Rem, lend me a carving knife."
"I don't have one on me, and even for you, that wouldn't be appropriate."
Rem gently chided Subaru as he slapped the trunk, trying to etch an unwanted declaration into it. He pursued his lips in visible displeasure, and Rem let out a small laugh before looking up at the Great Tree.
"So the White Whale will appear here."
"Yeah, it will. When the time comes, my phone — this magic tool — will go off."
He pulled the cell phone from his pocket, dangling it by its strap around his finger as he answered. The timer was set — when it hit fifteen-thirteen, the alarm would sound to signal the White Whale's arrival.
There was no lie in this, and he had already won the understanding of Crusch and the others at the meeting following their arrival. The things he couldn't speak about truthfully did prick at his conscience, but at this point, he had accepted that he simply had to show them the results.
Even with Rem, keeping the truth from her required a far greater endurance of pain— "This magic tool will notify us of the mabeast's presence..."
"Yeah, something like that. Honestly, without this, my value in this whole operation is..."
"—That's a lie, isn't it?"
The sudden question from Rem, her eyes narrowed, made Subaru's heart stop dead.
"Hah" — a soundless breath escaped him, and his heartbeat resumed. What exactly had Rem just asked? He raised his head, looked back at her face, and confirmed that there was an intent there which could not be dismissed as a misunderstanding on his part. His lips trembled.
"Wh-what are you talking about? If this were a lie, then how would I—"
"You've slipped into Kararagi dialect, Subaru-kun. It doesn't suit you."
"No, seriously — what kind of suspicion is that? Crusch and the others were convinced..."
He judged that evasion wouldn't work, yet he still tried to cling to the lie.
If he were ever pressed on it, it would without question lead to a catastrophic deterioration. During the mansion loop, the Witch's palm had once forced itself into action in a situation where it seemed inevitable that information about Return by Death would spill from Subaru's lips.
Not because Subaru had chosen to speak. In situations where speaking was the only way out, that palm had still crushed his heart in punishment. —And now, having evolved to the point where it could seize and crush Emilia's heart...
Under no circumstances could he allow Rem to learn that.
"Lady Crusch and the others simply determined there was no need for you to lie, Subaru-kun. Rather than the need itself, I think they weighed the disadvantage of you lying. If you did that, you wouldn't just make an enemy of Lady Crusch — you'd turn even Lady Anastasia and the merchant guild of the Royal Capital against you."
"That... is..."
An undeniable truth.
Crusch, for her part, could have dismantled Subaru's clumsy reasoning with ease. The same went for Russell and Anastasia, both seasoned negotiators.
The reason they had glossed over certain suspicious elements had far more to do with the circumstances than with trust in Subaru.
Subaru had set that stage. And Subaru himself had no reason to deceive the people assembled there with a fabrication of this nature.
Of course, Subaru had understood all this when entering the alliance — and it was undeniable that he had maintained a degree of equality by layering others' presence atop the smallness of his own existence.
That was precisely why Crusch and the others didn't need to earnestly investigate whether Subaru's stated "lie" held any truth. So long as the results followed, whatever minor inconsistencies Subaru might voice would be something they could afford to forget.
But Rem was different.
Rem's position remained unchanged — she was Subaru's ally. Subaru knew full well that in this otherworld, she was the one who now devoted herself most earnestly to his side.
Continuing to lie to her eroded his heart along an entirely different vector than lying to Crusch. He wanted so desperately to bare his feelings to her, to cling to the pure, unadulterated affection she directed toward him.
But that was something he absolutely could not do.
"Rem, I..."
"It's all right, Subaru-kun."
"Huh?"
Subaru had been plotting to protect her — crafting an excuse, a way to smooth things over.
But Rem, with a smile at the corner of her lips and a gentle shake of her head, refused him.
Startled, his mouth agape, Subaru was met by Rem's earnest gaze.
"I know you're lying, Subaru-kun. I've been watching you this whole time, after all."
She smiled shyly, almost bashfully, and pressed a single finger to her lips in a playful gesture. Then, pointing that finger at Subaru— "And I know the reason for that lie is something you can't tell me. But that doesn't mean you need to worry about me, does it?"
"—"
"Because Rem trusts Subaru-kun — wholly and completely."
At the base of Flügel's Great Tree, a breeze drifted between the two who faced one another.
With a hand pressed to her heart, Rem made her declaration before the silent Subaru.
"If Subaru-kun says he knows where the White Whale will appear, I believe you. If you say the
"...I wouldn't go that far."
"Yes, you would. And that's precisely how serious you are."
The smile faded, and Rem looked at Subaru with sudden, piercing seriousness. Then she quietly knelt, gathered the hem of her skirt in both hands, and bowed.
"This body, this heart — every last part of me is devoted to Subaru-kun. —Therefore, Rem will never, now or ever, doubt Subaru-kun."
"—"
"So there is absolutely no need for you to torment yourself — trying to make me believe you, or wrapping me in lies to keep me at ease."
A lump rose in Subaru's throat, a hot pressure surging upward. He held it back at the very last instant.
Then, pressing his fingertips to the corners of his eyes and tilting his face skyward, he opened his mouth wide.
"Aaah, sure enough, staring up at a massive tree really gets the blood pumping!"
"Yes, it does."
"I'm gonna need to keep looking up at the top of this tree for a while — won't be able to calm down otherwise. Totally not for any other reason, just won't be able to look down for a while."
"Yes, it does."
To keep the tears from spilling, Subaru forced his face upward with all the bravado he could muster.
Rem did not expose that fragile show of strength. Instead, she wrapped it gently in her love and understanding.
Now, Subaru understood once more — the true depth of his own foolishness.
From the very beginning, he should have confided everything to Rem.
He couldn't tell her everything — that much was true. But if he had at least warned her about the tragedies that would follow, he could surely have prevented the second and third disasters.
Convinced that he couldn't explain, convinced that she wouldn't believe him, Subaru had decided he had to go it alone — and had repeated every failure.
But Rem was different.
She didn't demand an explanation. Without even being told, she trusted him. And now — even now, when he couldn't speak the truth — she loved him and cherished him.
"Rather than sorry, it should be 'thank you,' at a time like this."
Holding back the dam of tears with everything he had, Subaru finally lowered his face to meet Rem's gaze. At his words, Rem beamed with a full, radiant smile.
"You're welcome. And besides, Rem is grateful to Subaru-kun — far, far, far more than he could ever be to her. So it all balances out."
"I mean, I'm getting the feeling I'm way past the point where anything I could do for you comes close to everything you've given me..."
"That's not true at all."
Rem lowered her head slightly, shaking it as she denied his words.
Subaru raised an eyebrow at her attitude and tried to overturn it with a protest— "Even knowing that this kind of talk only hurts Subaru-kun, Rem is being selfish."
"I wouldn't ever think of it like that. If anyone's in the wrong here, it's me — for hiding things."
"But it's still selfish. And for that, I'm sorry."
There was self-deprecation in her tone, but when Rem raised her face, her expression was bright and clear. Watching Subaru flinch at that contradiction with obvious delight, Rem tilted her head.
"The thought that there might be someone willing to take even a fraction of the burden Subaru-kun carries — and to learn that Rem cannot be that person — is more painful than she can bear."
"I am—"
The strength of Rem's resolve, the depth of her feeling, still reached him now.
Leaning his back against the Great Tree's trunk, Subaru drew a deep breath.
The warmth swelling within his chest — the courage to give voice to it exactly as it was.
"I love Emilia."
"Yes."
Once, those had been the words he had spoken to her.
He knew how deeply those words wounded and tormented her, yet he spoke them once more.
But— "However—"
"—"
"However, when I look at you, my heart trembles. ...You can think I'm the worst for it."
He knew even as he said it — how terrible, how self-serving those words were.
But they were Subaru's honest, unvarnished feelings. He knew he could never answer Rem's love, yet she was the only one whose words could warm his heart like this.
Rem let out a soft breath, somehow tinged with warmth.
"You really are a terrible person, Subaru-kun."
"...I know."
"That's a lie. I love you."
"I... I know."
Hearing his feelings laid out in words once more, Subaru's face flushed crimson in an instant.
Had it not been the dead of night, the redness would surely have been impossible to hide. Subaru walked away, trying to cover his blush.
"Let's head back soon. We've got to be in peak condition — body and mind — right up until the White Whale shows."
As he passed Rem, he reached out and took her dangling right hand.
Being taken by the hand, Rem let out a small "Ah," then quickened her pace to match Subaru's. The boy, who wouldn't look at her, was met by her mischievous gaze from the side.
"Subaru-kun."
"...What?"
"Rem would be perfectly happy as the second wife."
The words nearly made Subaru stop in his tracks.
Unable to help himself, he glanced over — and there was Rem, her expression that of a playful cat, waiting for his answer with her tail swaying back and forth.
Ah, this girl — she would keep pushing to the very end.
"That'd only work if Emilia-tan was the type to be okay with polygamy."
"Well then, when we get back, I'll have to convince Lady Emilia. Rem will give it her best."
Rem clenched the fist of her free hand and grinned with quiet determination.
Her playful words dissolved the tension, and Subaru finally acknowledged his own weakness with full clarity — he truly was no match for her.
Same with Emilia, same with Rem — in these kinds of moments, a man was simply no match for a woman.
That was the one weakness, unlike all the others, that he didn't mind admitting.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ —The appointed hour drew near, and the base of the Great Tree filled with the taut, pre-battle tension of an army on the edge.
They had taken turns eating and napping. The subjugation force gathered at the site was in peak condition.
The earth dragons and ligers that had accompanied the long march had rested sufficiently and were now eagerly awaiting their riders' commands.
Everyone held their breath, settled their hearts, and waited for that moment.
Even though there was no need to, they stopped breathing. Even the sound of blades sliding free of their scabbards might somehow tip things off — so everyone suppressed every sound and waited for time to pass in silence.
The sky over the Riefaus Highway was windy tonight, and the clouds raced overhead at speed.
Each time the moonlight was blotted out by passing clouds, eyes would snap upward — as if some great beast had swallowed the light. That was how on edge everyone was.
"A few more minutes until the designated time."
Crusch murmured it quietly, then glanced at
Even Ferris — who had long served at Crusch's side and should have been accustomed to situations like this — showed not a trace of his usual levity.
He wasn't being swallowed by the tension. He understood his role as the lifeline of this entire subjugation force, and he was preparing to fulfill it.
Ferris's performance would determine the final number of survivors in this battle.
Crusch did not doubt her camp's ultimate victory, but neither was she arrogant enough to believe the White Whale could be slain without sacrifice. However, she was confident enough to believe she could reduce the necessary casualties.
That confidence was rooted in her trust in Ferris — her attendant — though whether "confidence" was the right word for it was a matter of some debate.
Wilhelm had already drawn both swords from his waist and stood with both hands raised, prepared to break into a sprint at any moment.
The quiet sword intent that surrounded him was honed to a razor's edge — refined, even now, as the moment of his lifelong wish arrived.
At the sight of this pure Sword Demon — a man who had elevated his soul to such heights through nothing but singular devotion — Crusch couldn't stop herself from feeling a kind of awed admiration.
A human could, through nothing but pure, unwavering focus, elevate their soul to this level.
She wished, from the bottom of her heart, that she might one day reach that same realm.
Alongside Wilhelm, the faces of the assembled subjugation force showed tension, but their morale was high.
Following Crusch's orders, they had already silently completed their preparations for the preemptive strike. For their part, they likely had questions about tonight's operation. In the crucial fine-tuning of the plan, there simply hadn't been enough time between them and Subaru to build a relationship that could firmly establish the reliability of the information.
Yet none of them voiced objections — and Crusch was fully aware that they were respecting her judgment, and that it was her duty to bear the weight of that responsibility.
She could feel the comfortable surge of battle-readiness growing inside her.
As the hour approached, and the scent of death and fire and blood drew ever nearer, Crusch began to feel, with visceral clarity, the sensation of being alive.
She tried to remind herself — as a ruler, be noble, be disciplined.
But she did not deny the unchangeable essence that had taken root in her heart.
And then— "—!!"
It erupted suddenly, echoing across the Riefaus Highway's moonless dark.
A chain of light, crystalline notes — overlapping, they became a melody that resonated through the eardrums.
If one looked toward the source, one would see Subaru holding aloft a gleaming magic tool. The music was pouring from that very device.
In other words— "All hands, to battle—"
According to Subaru, the White Whale would appear within one minute of the magic tool's sound.
If one believed his word, it would not be strange at all for that massive form to begin swimming through the sky at this very moment. The location, too — since the magic tool had sounded — was surely correct.
There were plenty of reasons to doubt, but none of those reasons pointed to Subaru. Naturally, Crusch sharpened every nerve and waited for the creature's appearance.
But— "—"
In the silence, there was not the faintest trace of the great mabeast's presence.
"Underwhelmed" wasn't quite the right word, but the fact that a full minute passed without anything happening gave Crusch — who was rarely rattled — a flicker of unease.
She didn't want to think it, but— Had they been deceived?
The silence over the Riefaus Highway remained unchanged. The surrounding landscape showed no sign of anything.
The moon was being veiled by clouds swimming across the sky, casting dark, massive shadows across their field of vision, but— "—"
Looking up, Crusch instantly cursed her own shallow thinking.
The moonlight had been blotted out. A shadow had fallen.
The mass of cloud that had severed the light was slowly descending in altitude, bearing down upon them.
It was a mabeast — and it had painted in the sky the shadow of a fish too enormous to comprehend.
At the same moment Crusch's breath caught, nearly every member of the subjugation force registered the same reality. And as their collective will unified, their eyes turned to Crusch.
—Waiting for her command to launch the preemptive strike.
They had seized the initiative, catching the White Whale at the moment of its appearance.
Now all that remained was to drive in the ambush as planned and seize control of the battlefield.
"—"
Crusch inhaled, steeling herself to deliver the first command.
The White Whale had not yet noticed their tiny existence. It turned its head slowly, as though confirming where it was — its movements sluggish and, above all, utterly vulnerable.
"—All—"
The words for "total assault" were forming on her lips when— "LET'S GO!!"
"Al Huma!!"
Crusch was overtaken — a command roared from beyond her — and simultaneously, mana expanded through the casting of a spell.
Four pillars of ice, forged at a fearsome density and blazing with superlative power, manifested into the world in rapid succession — fired directly into the White Whale's flank. A heartbeat later, the White Whale's shriek echoed as blood erupted and rained down upon the earth.
Hurried glances revealed Subaru and Rem, riding double on an earth dragon, already charging forward. Subaru, clinging to Rem's waist, pumped his fist in triumph, while Rem — having completed the preemptive strike through her incantation — wore a look of deep satisfaction, as though she had fulfilled her role.
Their headlong charge — no, their dash to the vanguard — sent shockwaves through the subjugation force.
Watching this, Crusch couldn't keep her mouth from splitting into a wide, wide grin.
Not from anger. From laughter.
"All of you— follow those idiots!!"
Crusch's command rang out, sweeping away the confusion, and the subjugation force responded reflexively, launching their attack.
A tremendous cloud of dust billowed upward, and beyond it, the White Whale's shriek once again soared high into the night sky above the Riefaus Highway.
—The White Whale subjugation battle had, at long last, fired its opening shot.