——Cheers spread across the moonlit plains.
The swords held aloft by the knights reflected the moonlight, and the sight was nothing short of beautiful.
The
As if to dampen those emotions— "————!!"
Two tremendous roars rang out, shaking the atmosphere of the Lagunica Highway that had briefly fallen silent.
They were the two remaining copies of the White Whale, phantoms left behind now that the true body was gone. They writhed their massive forms upon the ground, snarling savagely, yet their figures had already begun to waver and blur at the edges.
Deprived of the mana supply from the main body, they could no longer sustain their physical forms. Left alone, they would dissolve into nothing within minutes—a pitiful sight, to be sure.
"How inelegant."
With that single remark cutting short the grotesque display, his sweeping arm released an invisible blade of wind.
The gale-infused slash entered through the head and cleaved through the White Whale copy's toughened outer hide with contemptuous ease—splitting it clean down the middle, left and right, literally dispersing its existence into mist.
The last remaining copy was obliterated by a volley from the subjugation force's cannons, and the scattered mana dissolved back into the atmosphere, causing the colossal body to vanish entirely.
This time, in every true sense of the word, the battle against the White Whale had drawn to a close. But— "We can't afford to get too carried away."
Clenching her fists tight, Crusch acknowledged the surge of exhilaration welling inside her chest, yet betrayed none of it on her face as she shook her head.
Defeating a terrible mabeast together, and having the story end happily ever after—that simply wasn't how things worked. Such a tidy conclusion was reserved for picture books alone. In reality, where life continued well past the "happily ever after," there were endless tasks that demanded attention.
The surviving wounded needed treatment. The dead whose bodies remained deserved proper burial. And for those whose bodies were never found, their footsteps had to be traced.
And as Crusch sighed before this mountain of post-battle cleanup, she noticed something.
A short distance from the White Whale's corpse, there was a hero of this battle desperately crying out.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "
Subaru cradled the limp girl whose weight sagged into his arms, propping her up as he desperately called out to her ashen, bloodless face.
An earth dragon pressed close beside him, nudging its black snout against him with worry. But Subaru was too consumed by the frantic urgency clawing at him to even respond to the dragon's affectionate gesture.
——The plan to have the White Whale track Subaru's scent and be crushed beneath the great tree of Flügel had been a resounding success.
It was a plan that many had expected to draw objections—objections rooted in the reluctance to fell a tree of such historical significance. But the pragmatic beastkin mercenaries had agreed without a shred of hesitation, and Crusch herself had shown the magnanimity to accept it as a necessary measure without hesitation.
As a result, the plan devised by Subaru himself—one that carried enormous personal risk—had been executed, and it had yielded about as decisive a victory as one could hope for.
But if this was the price of that success, it was far, far too much.
"This can't be… please, Rem… I need you… without you…"
Before him, Rem still showed no sign of responding to his calls.
Her limbs were slack, with no sign of will returning to them, and his tearful cries of her name passed right through her eardrums, echoing hollowly into the void.
She had endured the White Whale's ferocious pursuit, and charged straight ahead as the trunk of the great tree loomed before them.
The colossal body of the White Whale had collided head-on with the massive weight of the tree, and the tremendous tremor and impact had blown everything in the vicinity away indiscriminately—including Subaru and Rem, who had been sprinting right beside it.
Tumbling through a disorienting onslaught of force that made it impossible to tell up from down, Subaru remembered the sensation of being enveloped in something warm that shielded him. The instant he became aware of that, a catastrophic impact had thundered through, and that warmth had been driven with him into the ground.
Pushing through a haze of fading consciousness, Subaru shook his head and realized he had collapsed onto the ground. Then, raising his face, he noticed that someone had been holding him—and knew it was her body that had held him tight until the very end.
"…Sub…aru…"
"Rem—!?"
Her eyelids twitched, and beneath them, her pupils reflected Subaru's face with a feeble glimmer.
The sight of himself reflected in her eyes—looking so weak, so helpless—made him feel as if he was unconsciously about to accept the reality that was bearing down on him.
"Are you… yeah, it's me. Can you hear me? It's Subaru. Rem, how's your body—"
"Subaru-kun… I'm glad you're safe…"
"…!"
His throat tightened. Rem smiled with relief as she watched him struggle, unable to even string together proper words of concern for her condition, his voice choking with tears.
Disregarding her own body entirely, she was simply happy to see that Subaru was unharmed.
"The… mabeast… what happened to it…"
"…It fell. We took it down. It all worked out. Everything worked out perfectly! I'm not hurt, not even a scratch… It's all thanks to you…"
"That's… good. Then Roswaal-sama, and
"I'll handle it. Leave it to me. So Rem, you don't have to say anything—just rest… No, don't close your eyes… Ah, damn it, what do I—"
Please don't push yourself to keep talking. But if her mouth stopped forming words, the anxiety wouldn't go away. It felt as though some inexorable force of fate was trying to snatch her life from his very hands.
He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to help her.
He didn't know, so all Subaru could do was grip her hand tighter and wrap his arms more firmly around her.
"It hurts… Subaru-kun…"
"Sorry. I'm sorry. But if I don't hold you like this, you'll… go somewhere…"
"I'm not going anywhere. …Rem will always be… right beside Subaru-kun…"
Like a child throwing a tantrum, Subaru pleaded desperately, while Rem gazed back at him with a gentle, motherly smile—and then, without warning, all the strength left her body.
The sensation of her body growing soft in his arms sent a chill of terror through Subaru's throat. He could hear the blood draining away in a rush, and felt as though everything was being left behind.
"Rem…? Rem! Please, Rem… open your eyes…"
"I'm so… sleepy… I'm sorry. …I'll just sleep a little, and when I wake up, I'll be right back… I'll be ready to fight for Subaru-kun right away…"
"I don't care about any of that! You don't have to do anything—just stay with me, that's all I need… So please, Rem…"
Even though she was still in his arms, she was slipping away, and Subaru desperately wrung every last drop of strength into his voice to hold on to her. And yet, that voice couldn't reach the girl right in front of him.
"Can I… be selfish… and ask for one thing?"
"…! Of course. Say it, whatever it is. I'll listen, I'll do anything… just tell me…"
"I want you to… say you love me…"
In a hoarse, fragile voice, Rem looked up at Subaru and whispered those words.
Warding off the tears that threatened to blur his vision, Subaru shook his head. Then he brought his face close to hers.
"I love you."
"————"
"I love you more than anything. It goes without saying… I can't go on without you."
These were words straight from his heart.
If he poured everything he had into this single moment, then these were the unvarnished truth.
Without her, he never would have made it this far. Without her, he couldn't go on living.
"Ah… I'm so… happy…"
A tear traced down from the corner of Rem's closed eye as she received his confession.
She accepted his words with a blissful expression, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks. And as he saw that, Subaru felt as though her body was, in the truest sense, finally letting go of its strength.
"Wait—"
"I love you, Subaru-kun."
"Stop it! Stay by my side! Are you really going to leave me with nothing but regret again?!"
He couldn't bear a future in which she didn't exist.
He had known that for a very long time, and that existence had only grown larger and more vital since then.
So— "A future where I can laugh together with you—if you're not there in it… I don't want it."
"Can Rem be there, right beside you in that future?"
"…Obviously. I'm not letting you go anywhere else."
Subaru closed his eyes, shook off the tears threatening to spill, and gazed straight at Rem.
And he declared— "You belong to me. I'm not letting anyone have you."
"……I'll hold you to that."
"Huh?"
Taken aback by her suddenly rational response, Subaru let out a dopey sound.
Then, without further ado, Rem slowly opened the eyes that had been going limp, and—would you believe it—lifted herself upright in Subaru's arms.
And in front of the stunned Subaru, who couldn't grasp what was happening, she tilted her head and smiled.
"Subaru-kun's spot next to him has been reserved by Rem. …I can't revoke that, you know?"
Gone without a trace was the near-death girl from moments ago. With a mischievous tone, she teased him by winking one eye shut, and her finger gently touched Subaru's lips.
Subaru's shoulders slumped, all his strength draining away.
He let out a huff of breath, then looked up at Rem with reproachful eyes.
"You… you… youuuuu…"
"Yes, I'm Subaru-kun's Rem. In name and in truth."
That familiar answer now sounded brazenly cheeky, and Subaru found himself unable to form words.
Still, the fact that the girl before him was safe hit him right in the head, and even though this was a moment where he'd be entirely justified in blowing up in anger, he was so overwhelmingly happy that— "After we've both bared our honest feelings, you've gone and gotten way too carried away…"
"A girl who's honest about love is a strong one, Subaru-kun."
Left flustered and stammering by Rem, who had clearly dropped any pretense of hiding her feelings, Subaru felt his face flush red with embarrassment and exasperation alike as he let out a small sigh.
"…If you had died, I would have died too."
"Wow. To think Subaru-kun feels that way—Rem is truly blessed."
"I'm not joking."
With a small, knowing smile, Rem answered in kind with a sincerity beyond any pretense.
If she were ever lost, Subaru would surely restart the world. And even if he were denied that chance to start over, he would still try—that much was certain.
That was how large a place Rem's existence occupied in Subaru's heart.
"Well then, I absolutely cannot let myself die, can I?"
"You bet. I won't let you die, and I won't die either."
They drew their faces close and pressed foreheads together, gazing into each other's eyes at the closest of range.
Rem watched Subaru's gesture with adoration, and having her that close—close enough to feel each other's breath—made Subaru's skin tingle. Naturally, his gaze drifted to her peach-colored lips, and he felt his heartbeat quicken ever so slightly— "——You two, isn't it about time you called it quits?"
Felis, who had been watching their lovey-dovey exchange from a distance, broke in with an exasperated look, crashing the critical moment with spectacular flair.
There was no doubt about it—he had done it on purpose.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "Getting all desperate and calling out like that—Subaru-kyun is so cute, nya. 'Without you, I can't live…!'"
"Shut up! Stop gawking, and reflect on what a creep you are!"
"Seriously, if you'd just calm down and think about it, you'd see. The fact that Felis-chan, who's been busy treating the wounded, didn't rush over right away tells you that Rem-chan's injuries aren't life-threatening, nya."
"This isn't the time to calm down! The girl I… I… I… I care about most is hurt and unconscious! Of course I'm panicking!"
"That mix of things you can and can't say straight out—that's the pure-hearted innocence of a boy, nya~"
Subaru was shouting himself hoarse, but Felis was completely unfazed, grinning from ear to ear as he directed the blue glow floating above his palm toward Rem.
Even as Subaru directed his irritation at that carefree profile, he couldn't hide his growing relief at the sight of Rem's expression gradually softening.
There was plenty in Felis's words Subaru couldn't bring himself to agree with, but the fact that he had skipped over Rem in favor of treating more seriously wounded patients first—that was likely the truth.
Rem and Subaru were heroes of the White Whale subjugation and combatants from a rival camp—Felis's mistress would never allow them to be treated carelessly. And as Subaru arrived at that conclusion— "Are you alright,
The owner in question—Crusch—appeared, treading leisurely through the grass.
Despite being splattered with blood and mud here and there, her posture was perfectly straight, her spine unbowed. An innate elegance lingered in the aftermath of battle, making her a woman who truly embodied the word "warrior maiden."
"Hanging in there. Glad to see you're okay too, Crusch-san."
"I am. But the subjugation force's losses were far from light. Even after defeating the White Whale, those we've lost won't be coming back."
She acknowledged Subaru's raised hand with a nod, but Crusch's expression carried a somber weight as she turned her gaze. It settled upon the White Whale's corpse, still pinned beneath the great tree, unmoved.
In that direction, the surviving members of the subjugation force—those relatively light on injuries—had gathered and appeared to be working on removing the great tree from atop the White Whale.
"What are they doing over there?"
"We need to extract the White Whale's remains. Some measures must also be taken for the great tree of Flügel that was sacrificed in the operation. It's after the battle that one can least afford to rest."
"Extract… that enormous corpse?"
He sought confirmation, thinking he might have misheard, but Crusch's expression didn't change. Subaru quickly turned his gaze back to the White Whale, surveying its body that must have stretched to fifty meters in length.
"That seems impossible, doesn't it?"
"If we say it can't be done, then that settles nothing. This is the creature that terrorized the skies of the world for four hundred years. Only with its corpse as concrete proof can the hearts of the people find true peace. At worst, it may come down to transporting just the head."
Listening to Crusch's frustrated words, Subaru reconsidered and realized her judgment was entirely sound. After all, the subjugation of the White Whale held enormous significance for Crusch as an appeal to the merchant faction in the Royal Selection.
As the frontrunner of the selection, with strong popular support and now having earned favorable regard from merchants—an area of concern—her position would be unassailable.
"Wait… did I just give her an absurdly massive boost?"
Even belatedly, he was beginning to realize that he had committed an irreversible feat in terms of favoring a rival camp. The chill of cold sweat crept down Subaru's spine at the sense of having only worsened his own camp's disadvantage.
But— "You're making a rather dark face. —It doesn't befit the hero who brought down the White Whale."
"Emilia-tan will call me a traitor the moment I open my mouth… Wait, what did you just say?"
"The hero who brought down the White Whale. —I have no intention of being so shameless as to claim your accomplishments entirely for my own house."
Turning her gaze from the White Whale back to Subaru, Crusch fixed him with a sword-sharp stare. That piercing brilliance made Subaru instinctively straighten his posture, and he met her gaze in return.
In response, Crusch slowly placed a hand over her heart.
"Your cooperation in this endeavor—I cannot express enough gratitude. Without you, the subjugation of the White Whale would not have been possible, and my path would have been cut short midway."
As she spoke, she bowed deeply before Subaru.
This earnest, unadorned gratitude from such a noble figure left Subaru frozen. In all his life, he had never received such sincere thanks, delivered so straight, from someone of higher standing.
"N-no… don't do that. I didn't do anything that special…"
"Predicting the White Whale's appearance and location, scrambling to assemble fighting strength beyond what the subjugation force alone could muster, rekindling the resolve of knights on the verge of losing heart, proposing a desperate gambit that put your own life at risk—and then carrying it out flawlessly."
To Subaru's stammering protests, Crusch laid out, point by point, the results of his actions in this battle.
Seeing his own deeds presented in such orderly fashion, the conclusion was unmistakable.
"I come across as some kind of raving lunatic if I look at it objectively…"
"Lion-hearted isn't quite the right phrase. But you were undeniably the linchpin of this battle. If your contributions are ever belittled, I will, on my honor, set the record straight."
Those words, delivered with a piercingly earnest gaze, carried not a shred of calculation or hesitation. Crusch was a woman who embodied the very concept of sincerity, and the gratitude flowing from her lips could not contain even a fragment of falsehood.
All the more reason for Subaru to recall his relationship with her up until the night before departure, and let out a wry smile.
"I'm glad my reputation's gotten a bit of an upgrade."
"There's no need for modesty. And I must acknowledge that my assessment of you just a few days ago was profoundly wrong. You have brought a rare and fortunate wind. Ordinarily, I would welcome you into my household and reward you appropriately for this—"
"Please, spare me that."
Crusch narrowed her eyes, lowering her voice in a subtle appeal. But Subaru raised his hand to cut her off immediately.
"It's not loyalty or devotion or anything like that, but I've already placed my trust where it belongs. You're a good person, and I genuinely believe you'd make a fine ruler…"
Crusch would, without question, become a queen who guided her people with nobility surpassing anyone else's.
She had the capacity for it, and Subaru had seen proof of her character time and again on this blood-soaked field. For a small person like Subaru, who had spent his whole life lying, that nobility was blinding—and though he couldn't stop admiring her with a measure of envy— "——I'm going to make Emilia the queen. Not for anyone else's sake. Because I want to do it."
"…I already knew that, but it still stings a fair bit."
Receiving Subaru's answer, Crusch let her lips part in a faint smile, then nodded.
She then unclasped her arms, curled her slender fingers into a fist, and held it out toward Subaru.
"Very well. I will repay your contributions in another form. On the name of
With a solemn declaration, Crusch opened her fist and gazed at her own palm.
Then, slightly dropping the register of her voice— "Come to think of it, this is the first time I've been refused so cleanly. You didn't even show the slightest sign of wavering—it's an almost refreshing defeat."
"…I think you're an incredible person. If I'd been wandering around alone, I'd have definitely grabbed onto that hand for support."
If he had been adrift, alone, with nothing settled—faced with someone of Crusch's caliber extending a hand—he would undoubtedly have clung to it without hesitation and surrendered everything.
But the Subaru of now had someone whose hand he wanted to reach for and hold, someone whose palm supported him as he swayed.
"The alliance—count on me for that. No matter how things end up and we end up on opposite sides, let's get along until then."
"Natsuki Subaru. Let me correct one thing."
At Subaru's words, Crusch shook her head, pressed her lips together, and assumed a stern expression.
Tension emanated from her once more, and Subaru felt a tingle run down his spine.
In response, Crusch raised a single finger and held it before Subaru's face.
"Should the moment come for us to decide our fates against each other, I will remain friendly toward you."
"————"
"Even on the day that inevitably comes when we must part ways, I will not forget the debt I owe you today. And so, when that time of enmity arrives, I will show you respect to the very end, and remain friendly."
She lowered her outstretched arm and declared with a clear, resolute voice.
It was this composure of hers that finally sent a genuine chill through Subaru's spine. It wasn't born of negative emotion—it was simply the overwhelming impact of encountering true greatness.
—This was Duke Karsten. This was Crusch Karsten.
"If the top two spots in my heart had been empty, I could have been in real danger there."
"Hmph. As a woman, I hadn't gone as far as thinking of doing something about you. There were a few moments that touched a chord, but on my own terms I'm already valued quite highly, so—"
Subaru attempted to brush off his inner turmoil with a light joke, and Crusch responded in kind with a thin smile. Then she shifted her expression to one of sharp composure and, after a brief "Well—"
"If possible, I would like to transport the wounded and the White Whale's remains directly to the
"…So the ones with divine blessings really can tell, huh?"
"One need only look into a young man's eyes to see. You hardly need the power of a blessing."
Fixing Subaru with a steady gaze, Crusch answered with one eye closed. Then she looked him over from head to toe.
"You're not unscathed yourself, are you? And yet you insist on doing what must be done?"
"Even if it's life-threatening, there are things I have to do. This whole whale hunt was, in a way, for the sake of doing exactly that. Sorry for the harsh wording."
"Oh? So the White Whale subjugation was merely incidental?"
Despite the rough-sounding remark, Crusch showed no irritation.
She appeared genuinely interested in Subaru's stated objective, resting her chin on her hand as she murmured, "How intriguing."
"Your alliance with my house—was that also part of the plan? In that case, I can guess at the role you need fulfilled. …You need hands, don't you?"
"I do. But honestly, I didn't expect it to be this brutal."
Subaru replied weakly, surveying the scene of wounded men and women, and shrugged.
What awaited Subaru, now that the White Whale was slain, was a return to the Mathers territory where Emilia waited—a reunion with that wretched faction.
Ideal would be to borrow Crusch's forces in the fight against those detested opponents—but— "With this many wounded, I can't make unreasonable demands. You have opinions of your own, not just as a person, but as a household head. Asking you to lend me a hand on top of all this—"
"Then this old body of mine should be put to good use, shouldn't it?"
A calm voice suddenly interjected, and a tall figure approached—bathed in spattered blood, his left arm wound still looking painful, the old swordsman Wilhelm.
He walked toward them with footsteps that betrayed not the slightest effect from his injuries, and in his right hand he held a sword, which he offered to Crusch.
"Crusch-sama, I return what you so kindly lent me. Additionally, for this matter, I offer my deepest gratitude. The fulfillment of this lifelong wish of mine is entirely thanks to Crusch-sama's cooperation. —Thank you, truly."
"My objective and your lifelong wish simply happened to align in terms of mutual interest. —Keep that sword with you for a while longer. You'd be of little use unarmed from here on."
"Yes. I am grateful."
Crusch gave a brief reply to Wilhelm's heartfelt words of thanks, and with a nod of her chin, indicated Subaru. Wilhelm turned to face him.
Seen up close, the stench of blood emanating from him was overwhelming, and the sword aura radiating from his frame carried an unconscious tension that pressed a blade against Subaru's thin courage.
However, the strained atmosphere that had surrounded him before the battle—that was gone, and the Wilhelm who now stood before Subaru carried a refreshed, almost buoyant air.
He looked straight at Subaru, and then knelt.
It was the deepest bow of respect—the same one he had shown the night before departure—as the highest mark of honor one could pay to another. And then: "Natsuki Subaru-dono. The subjugation of the White Whale was accomplished only through your aid. That I was able to fulfill the meaning of living until this very day—that is because of you. My gratitude. My gratitude. —With all that I am, I offer my deepest thanks."
"————"
Having devoted half his life to his sword and over a decade to his purpose, Wilhelm had finally achieved his revenge. Swallowed by the vast waves of passion behind his words of thanks, Subaru found himself unable to speak, fearing he would stumble over the words.
He took a moment to steady himself, waiting for the will to articulate properly before the old man before him.
To show a sloppy, unworthy face to Wilhelm's resolve—that was something he absolutely could not do.
"You did it because of your own strength, Wilhelm-san. You decided to defeat that White Whale, investigated, trained, fought without ever giving up…"
He must have tasted defeat countless times, must have nearly given up when he felt his obsession wasn't reaching its goal.
He must have faced temptation, time and again, to throw everything away and free himself from that consuming fixation.
Subaru knew better than anyone the frailty of the heart, the sting of losing to oneself, the injustice of being thwarted by fate. That was precisely why he understood the hardships that had led to Wilhelm's powerful conviction bearing fruit.
So— "Because you loved your wife more than anything, you were able to go all the way to defeating the White Whale. If I was able to help with that even a little, that means the world. I don't know if this is the right way to put it, but… congratulations. And—thank you for your hard work."
"————"
At Subaru's words, Wilhelm raised his head, and the eyes set deep within his wrinkled face widened.
The feelings and emotions Subaru had experienced—those were things Subaru had projected onto Wilhelm of his own accord, empathizing of his own volition. He didn't think a few short words could convey it all, and Wilhelm would hardly appreciate someone speaking as though he understood.
And yet, the urge to say something was impossible to hold back. This man had kept burning his love for his lost wife for fourteen years, had kept running, had fought against fate as a predecessor on this path. Subaru wanted to offer him words of recognition.
"——My thanks."
Briefly, voice trembling, Wilhelm answered.
Then he lowered his gaze slightly, waited a few seconds, and rose to his feet, straightening his posture. Meeting Crusch's gaze and receiving her nod— "Crusch-sama has granted her permission. I will entrust myself to Subaru-dono. Please, use me to the fullest for your purpose."
"No way, seriously?"
Subaru glanced at Crusch for confirmation, and she acknowledged it with a nod.
Taking a proper, close look at Wilhelm, Subaru felt both a sense of reliability and a shiver of awe at the pressure radiating from this Sword Demon—even with one arm wounded, his presence had not diminished in the slightest.
——Wilhelm's cooperation was exactly what Subaru had wished for.
In a situation where every bit of added combat strength counted, Wilhelm's power was something Subaru desperately wanted. But even to an untrained eye, the old man's condition was clearly more than a minor wound.
To Subaru's concern, Crusch shook her head to indicate it was no issue.
"Felis!"
"Yes, Crusch-sama~"
At her sharp call, Felis appeared as if gliding over.
He bounced to Crusch's side, his cat ears twitching rapidly.
"What is it, Crusch-sama? Felis-chan is currently in the middle of a full rotation of treatments, so while your requests always come first, nya—"
"Take responsibility for your own words midway through!"
Subaru cut in on the remark that so casually tried to discard his role as healer, and Felis pulled a sour face. Crusch then asked him, "What about the critically wounded?" and Felis pressed a finger to his lip.
"Emergency treatment is mostly done. There's no one who'd keel over and die from being left alone, nya. Fortune among misfortune—they're all tough as nails."
His affected manner of speaking was grating every time, but the answer put Subaru's mind at ease. At the very least, Rem's condition didn't seem life-threatening. Given how Felis had teased him toward the end of their earlier exchange, the worry was probably largely unnecessary—but hearing it confirmed still brought genuine relief.
Crusch received this with a solemn "Understood," then— "Can the wounded be transported? Very well. Felis, that's enough for now. You are to follow Natsuki Subaru and fulfill your role as part of the alliance."
She ordered Felis directly.
Subaru was taken aback again. Removing Felis—the "Blue" of Crusch's camp—from this site meant prioritizing Subaru's business once the minimum safety of the wounded was secured. It was a decision that put Subaru's needs above her own position, and naturally it would provoke the ire of Felis, who was devoted to Crusch above all— "Understood. Felis-chan will accompany Subaru-kyun from here. We'll also need to treat Wilhelm-ojisan along the way, nya."
"That is most troublesome."
"In exchange, we'll have Wilhelm-ojisan swing his sword for us, so it's even, nya~"
He didn't buy it.
Felis accepted the arrangement as though it were the most natural thing in the world, and Wilhelm showed no sign of questioning the decision. Subaru couldn't hide his surprise at the exchange between the master and her two attendants. Felis glanced sideways at him.
"So with that decided, about half the remaining subjugation force—twenty-some people, nya. They'll come along and assist Subaru-kyun. Nice to work with you~"
"'Nice to work with you'—way too casual! Is that really okay?!"
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean… Lots of things! Can you even trust my judgment?"
Looking back, the person who had been the most cutting in the Royal Capital, digging at Subaru's weak points more than anyone else, was none other than Felis.
Always wearing a friendly smile, always putting on a cute and gentle demeanor—but Subaru had a sense that beneath it all, Felis held a deep contempt for his weakness. It was only natural to feel reluctance about following someone like that, Subaru thought— "I'm not trusting Subaru-kyun—I'm trusting Crusch-sama's judgment in deciding to trust Subaru-kyun. Got that right? That's the point you mustn't get wrong, nya~"
To drive the point home, Felis scoffed at Subaru's reasoning.
That malicious attitude nearly made the veins in Subaru's forehead bulge, but he held it back, took several deep breaths, and managed to stammer out, "Thanks."
"Oh, I forgot to mention—Rem-chan will be staying behind. Well, more like, she's heading back to the Royal Capital with Crusch-sama, so keep that in mind, nya."
"——Why?!"
Rem's voice rang out in strong objection, cutting in as though remembering something. It came from behind them—Rem, who had been watching the exchange. She had propped herself halfway up and was glaring at Felis with reproachful eyes.
"Rem is fine. Rem is fine! Subaru-kun is still going somewhere dangerous, and you're saying Rem can't go? How can that—"
"Even if you say that, your body can't move, nya? You fought the White Whale almost single-handedly, and on top of that, you used top-tier magic over and over again… Rem-chan's body is right now completely drained and hollow. As your healer, I cannot allow any more exertion. Do you understand, nya?"
"But—"
Unconvinced, Rem tried to rise to her feet and pressed her case. But the arms she had pushed up with couldn't bear her weight, and her trembling body nearly crumpled to the ground. Subaru lunged forward to catch her.
"Careful. —Look, please, just do what Felis says. Don't push yourself."
"But I hate this! It hurts! I can't stand it!"
Rem looked back at Subaru with eyes brimming with large tears.
More than anything else, what she feared was— "When Subaru-kun is in trouble, Rem wants to be the first one to reach out her hand. When Subaru-kun loses his way, Rem wants to be the one who pushes him forward. When Subaru-kun takes on a challenge, Rem wants to be there beside him, to stop his trembling. That is all Rem wants. That is Rem's only wish. So please…"
"Then there's nothing to worry about."
"Eh?"
Her voice was on the verge of tears, and the words of affection swelled naturally from Subaru's heart. He felt his lips curl into a helpless smile— "I'm always holding your hand. You've pushed my back forward more times than I can count. As for trembling—just thinking about you is enough to make it stop. —You've been saving me all along, Rem."
"…Ah."
"It's going to be okay, Rem. I'll take care of everything—every last bit of it. I'm your hero. I decided that I would take that step. So there's nothing to worry about."
Her trembling eyes gazed up at Subaru, and her flushed cheeks burned red. He returned her look with a fierce grin— "I even pulled off the whale hunt. Your hero is crazy, demonically determined, you know?"
"Subaru-kun…"
It was as though the dam broke. Rem tried to call his name but her words cut off halfway. She swallowed the surge several times, drawing sharp breaths, and when she could hold it back no longer, tears spilled from the corners of her eyes, rolling down one after another.
"——Yes. Rem's hero is the greatest in the world."
She smiled through her tears.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Leaving half the subjugation force to escort Rem, the other wounded, and Crusch on their return to the Royal Capital, Subaru set out with the rest for the Mathers territory.
Represented by Wilhelm and Felis, the subjugation force members accompanying Subaru numbered twenty-four. Significantly fewer than anticipated, but still a vital fighting force.
And they weren't the only ones joining him.
"Ahh, but still—every last one of 'em was scooped up by the big bro, wasn't they!"
"Danchou! Mimi too! Mimi tried super, super hard! Like, mega hard!"
The two beastkin riding atop large canines were chattering noisily.
One was Ricardo, who had nearly become "ugly fireworks" shielding Subaru, and the other was Mimi, who maintained her childlike demeanor even in the heat of a life-or-death battlefield.
Not just those two—roughly ten surviving members of the beastkin mercenary band were also coming along. The remaining wounded were being led back to the Royal Capital by the other vice-captain, Hetaro.
"Even so, your brother was gasping for breath out there. How come you're so full of energy?"
"Hetaro's weak, nya~! Mimi trained super hard, but he's totally weak. Pathetic~!"
She cackled, laughing at her brother's frailty. In Subaru's estimation, it was probably just that the sister was a physical monster.
A berserker type who lived for the thrill of combat. The fact that she was an adorable kitten-like beastkind made it almost pitiful by contrast.
"Anyway, don't you worry. The young lady asked us personally, so we'll cooperate with big bro's objective, nya."
"Cooperate with my objective—you know what I'm planning to do—"
"Take on the
Ricardo's voice dropped, and Subaru's words caught in his throat.
Reflexively, he gripped the reins of his earth dragon—
Reading the tension in Subaru's rigid profile, Ricardo bared his teeth with a grin.
"No need to be surprised, is there? A merchant's first asset is fresh information, and we're employed by the young lady. We keep our ears and eyes open for all sorts of background details, nya. It's not like our big ears are just for show."
"That's right! Mimi has huge ones!"
"That's not about you, shorty."
Ricardo's quip drew a reaction from Mimi from the side, earning his wry smile, while Subaru quietly swallowed his pride and realized he had underestimated the reach of Anastasia's hand.
That said, since he was asking for their cooperation, it was only natural to disclose this information. Though ideally, Subaru would have liked to keep those cards—the insurance he had laid down before leaving the Royal Capital—hidden until he had seen how they played out.
"Oh, looks like they're making contact."
"Huh?"
Subaru noticed Ricardo suddenly gazing into the distance and hurried to follow his line of sight. But all that spread before Subaru's eyes was the deep darkness of the still-nighttime plains, and he couldn't make out what Ricardo was looking at.
Straining his eyes to no avail, Subaru heard Ricardo let out a quiet chuckle.
"No need to strain yourself like that. Just wait and you'll see. Trust me, nya."
"I'd rather eliminate uncertain variables as early as possible. Don't be so dramatic."
"Fair enough, then don't be dramatic. —They're a bit far off, but the ones heading this way are the other half of our mercenary band."
"Other half?"
Not understanding what Ricardo meant, Subaru tilted his head.
The other half—shouldn't the wounded at least still be with Crusch's group, heading back to the Royal Capital?
"Other half means exactly that. Originally, we '
"Things to do like what?"
"Like making sure no other people wandered onto the highway and got caught in the fight. So their job was to seal off the far side of the highway in advance. They left last night, so they never got the chance to meet you, big bro."
Listening to Ricardo's explanation, Subaru nodded in understanding.
Still, the notion that the mercenary band hadn't committed fully to the White Whale subjugation was hard to swallow. But there had been a real possibility of Crusch's operation ending in total annihilation. In that case, Anastasia's decision to hold back precious forces wasn't wrong. For Subaru, who had so few cards to play that going all-in was his only option, it was a luxury of concern he couldn't afford.
But in any case— "So the ones arriving now are the rest of your group? They've got a leader too?"
"Tivey, Mimi's big brother! He's super smart, and he's got combo moves with Mimi too!" Mimi declared proudly, puffing out her chest.
The expectation for these newcomers dipped slightly based on her answer alone.
"Still, the other brother was alright, so there's a decent chance this one's reasonable too…?"
"Worried as you are, Tivey is actually one of the smarter ones in our group. He handles the books and negotiations, and he's good at managing Mimi. He's basically a better version of Hetaro."
"Don't say that—poor Hetaro…"
Including the fact that he'd been left behind as non-combatant, Hetaro was shaping up to be truly pitiful.
Setting that sympathy aside, if reinforcements of this caliber were arriving to bolster their forces, all the better. Subaru should wait for them to link up and then seize the opportunity for a proper discussion.
He was still troubled over how to explain the Witch Cult to Wilhelm, Felis, and Crusch's people—what words to use. And as he pondered, Ricardo's prediction proved accurate: gradually, a pack of ligers kicking up dust clouds appeared in the distance, heading their way.
"——Hm?"
Subaru noticed something off and let out a small sound.
Among the multiple ligers approaching, one shadow stood out as distinctly different from the rest.
As the distance closed and the hazy outline sharpened into clarity, the vision resolved into the form of an earth dragon.
And riding atop that earth dragon was— "——Why the hell is it you?"
"Quite the greeting for someone receiving reinforcements. You never change, do you?"
The two brought their stopped dragons face to face, and Subaru and the other man squared off.
Purple hair, meticulously groomed. Clad in the imposing armor of the Royal Knights. A leisurely smile playing at the corners of his lips.
——The man with whom Subaru shared an unresolved grudge, Julius Euclius, regarded him with an elegant poise.