The expression on her face as she lay on the bed was peaceful, giving Subaru the impression that she was merely asleep.
Looking at the long lashes adorning her closed eyelids, he idly thought how remarkably long they were. Even her face, which normally maintained an intentional blankness, was filled with nothing but a softness befitting her age now that there was no need to keep up her guard. Come to think of it, he had never once seen her sleeping face before.
She always woke up earlier than Subaru, and he never had the chance to go to bed after her. The girl he knew had always been composed and dignified, concealing her true age through self-discipline. And more often than not, she would let that stubborn front crumble in front of him.
The surprised faces, the embarrassed faces, the sulky faces, the faces about to cry, and the smiles she would show him afterward when they made up—there should have been so many more chances for those in the future.
"—
He called her name and touched her white cheek, but there was no response from her.
Laid out on the bed, she was not in her familiar maid's apron dress, and the white prims that adorned her sky-blue hair were nowhere to be seen.
Her hairstyle for working and fighting—that was no longer something she needed.
"You're here, I see."
In the quiet, still room, as Subaru whiled away the stagnant time, a voice called out to him.
Slowly, with labored effort, he turned to look behind him. Standing there was a woman with long hair swaying gently. She wore a deep navy dress—unassuming yet overflowing with a sense of luxury—and even her elegant movements as she approached were brimming with grace.
However, those movements carried a faint note of bewilderment and hesitation, which, combined with her innate dignity, created a strangely discordant impression. Subaru, for his part, couldn't help but feel that same sense of incongruity in their interaction.
"She is..."
"Nothing has changed. It's not like I can do anything—I'm just here. It's a pathetic, sappy thing to say, but..."
"Not at all. Don't you think she's happy that you're here?"
The woman offered words of comfort, though she seemed somewhat intimidated, as Subaru cast his eyes downward. But Subaru's reaction to those words was fierce.
He looked up, his attention sharpened by her remark, and glared at her. He hadn't intended to make his gaze so piercing, but he couldn't hold it back. In the end, the woman placed a hand over her mouth and apologized, "I'm sorry."
"I spoke out of turn. It bothered you, didn't it?"
"No, I'm the one who's sorry. That was just me taking it out on you. Reverse resentment, I guess. Rem would really scold me for that. She'd say something like, 'Taking your frustrations out on people and hurting them—how pathetic is that, Subaru-kun?'"
He shrugged and lowered his voice, mimicking Rem's tone.
In his mind, he could perfectly trace her voice, replaying her words exactly as they were. And the fact that this was now something that would reach no one but himself was heartbreaking.
A terrible impersonation that didn't resemble her at all—and no one left to point that out.
The woman before him, gazing at his empty gestures and hollow voice, looked pained as she lowered her eyes, clutching her own left arm with her right hand, and fell silent.
Silence fell over the room, casting a shadow over their awareness. Submerged in that familiar feeling, Subaru thought inwardly that this was no good.
Continuing to soak in that ocean of despair would certainly be the easier path—one without sharp pain. But that was not what
It was not what the man whom Rem had believed in and loved should do.
"Were you looking for me for something?"
"Yes. Everyone would like to gather and talk, if possible. They're all assembled in the sitting room, so if you could..."
At Subaru's prompt, the woman nodded with an expression of relief and continued. But her words caught halfway, and it took Subaru a moment to notice her troubled expression.
"Natsuki Subaru."
"...I'm sorry. Natsuki Subaru-sama, right? I'll remember it properly. I've heard you've done us an immeasurable kindness, and I'm terribly sorry for being so rude."
"That's alright. You've got a lot to remember right now, so don't worry about it."
The woman bowed her head with genuine regret.
Watching her behave so refinedly—so womanly, if you will—pierced Subaru's chest with a sense of incongruity each time. But even Subaru wasn't boorish enough to say so out loud.
Shaking his head, he cast aside both her apologies and his own discomfort and stood up.
Finally, he turned back to the girl on the bed and gently brushed the bangs from her forehead with his finger.
"Well, see you later, Rem."
A faint breath. A body that was undeniably present.
For her—from whom all memories had been erased—he was the only thing that remained.
Leaving her behind, Subaru faced the woman and pointed toward the door.
"The sitting room, right? We shouldn't keep them waiting too long. Shall we go?"
"Yes, let's go. Natsuki Subaru-sama."
The woman tilted her head and offered a faint, fragile smile. Her long green hair flowed with the movement, accentuating her womanliness even more.
He hated recognizing it, so Subaru turned his face away and hid his true feelings behind a polite smile.
"I'm sorry for making you come get me—Crusch."
He called the name of a woman who had become, for all intents and purposes, someone else entirely.
--- It was already over by the time Subaru reached the royal capital.
His conversations with
He should have been filled with a sense of accomplishment, having finally rescued her and now at her side. But as they raced through in the dragon carriage, Subaru's consciousness was consumed by the presence of only one other girl.
"—Rem? Who's that?"
She had tilted her head, looking at him with genuine confusion.
If there had been even a trace of her usual joking manner in those words and gestures, perhaps Subaru could have played along and kept things light.
But Subaru couldn't find a shred of hope in her demeanor, and Emilia never followed up with "Just kidding!" to ease his shock.
Petra, and all the other children—none of them remembered her.
Having confirmed this with everyone in the carriage, Subaru wore an expression of grim determination and urged the driver onward, racing toward the royal capital.
He wanted to believe it was some kind of mistake. He refused to accept that it was real.
Because everything was supposed to have worked out. Subaru was supposed to have seized the best outcome. Everyone was supposed to have been saved, the objective accomplished—they were supposed to have overcome everything painful, difficult, and sorrowful, and though he bore wounds that would never fully heal, he was supposed to have made it.
And yet— "Oh, Subaru-kun! As expected of Crusch-sama. Finding a whimsical cat is like second nature, ne."
While heading to the sitting room, they encountered someone in the corridor who called out to them.
Short skirt swaying, cat ears freed from her knight's attire and flicking about—it was
"It's Ferris. Ferris! With the long history Ferris and Crusch-sama have, it's so cold to still be using -san, isn't it? And it's lonely, too. Honestly, you're so mean."
With his free hand, Ferris playfully poked Crusch's shoulder. Despite the overwhelming familiarity in his demeanor, Crusch showed only a faint hint of bewilderment but largely accepted it, bowing her head.
"I can't go back to the way things were quite so easily, but I'll try. Ferris... yes, Ferris."
"There's no rush, you know. Ferris will always be on Crusch-sama's side and will stay by your side forever. Besides, being able to be with this refined Crusch-sama—it's like discovering a whole new charm, so it makes me happy?"
He shook their clasped hand up and down, bouncing with excitement. Watching this from the corner of his eye, Subaru couldn't suppress a small flare of irritation.
He couldn't understand Ferris's attitude of treating Crusch exactly the same despite how dramatically she had changed. What hidden struggles lay behind that smile, Subaru couldn't guess, but it struck him as somehow lacking in humanity.
"Subaru-kun, come to the sitting room. Emilia-sama and the old man Wilhelm are already gathered there, ne."
"...Yeah."
His disgruntled feelings slipped into his voice, but Ferris paid them no mind. "Come on, come on, Crusch-sama," he said, tugging her hand toward the sitting room.
At the strange atmosphere between Subaru and Ferris, Crusch knitted her brow with confusion, looking between the two. In the end, she said nothing and followed after Ferris.
Subaru exhaled, bit his lip, and closed his eyes.
He was prickly. Right now, he could only meet people with harsh, rough emotions. He didn't want to comfort himself by calling it understandable.
Above all, he didn't want to blame those feelings on her.
Following the two, he walked and entered the sitting room last.
Feeling the weight of everyone's gazes on him, Subaru surveyed the room. Aside from himself, there were four people inside—Emilia, Wilhelm, and the two who had entered before him, Crusch and Ferris.
Subaru was apparently the last to assemble. He closed the door behind him and, though no one explicitly invited him, naturally settled into the seat beside Emilia.
"Subaru..."
"I'm okay. I've calmed down already, Emilia-tan. —I'm fine."
To Emilia's worried call, Subaru gave a slight smile. But he couldn't bring his gaze to meet hers, nor could he look at her directly.
Being around Emilia right now felt like it would force him to confront the worst parts of himself, and that prospect terrified him.
"Well then, the key players are all here, so shall we talk?"
Clapping his hands and drawing everyone's attention, Ferris took charge of the room.
With Crusch unable to serve in her usual role as the one directing proceedings, he had no choice but to step in. He scanned the seated faces, stepped forward, raised a hand, and— "There doesn't seem to be any opposition, so let's get right to it... shall we confirm the situation?"
Smiling, he began to steer the discussion everyone had been waiting for.
--- The situation that had befallen Rem, Crusch, and the others was straightforward: a simultaneous assault by two Sin Archbishops of the
After the battle against the
In that assault, half of the returning subjugation force was killed. The beast-kin mercenary company accompanying them had retreated immediately on their own judgment and escaped harm.
"From what I've heard, by the time the vice-commander and the others brought the capital's knights back to the highway, both Sin Archbishops were already gone. All that remained were the bodies of our knights and..."
"People in circumstances similar to my own. Yes."
Crusch took over the end of Ferris's account, biting her lip and furrowing her brow. The anguish on her face was likely rooted in her own sense of inadequacy.
After all, she probably couldn't process this information as anything other than someone else's story.
Because— "My memories were erased... Do you think this is also the doing of a Sin Archbishop?"
"Almost certainly, ne. I've seen patients with similar symptoms to Crusch-sama's before. Their personal memories suddenly vanish completely, and even my magic can't restore them. Up until now, the cause was unknown, but..."
"The Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony'—no doubt that's the culprit."
Nodding solemnly was Wilhelm. The old man, his face stern, fixed Crusch with a sharp gaze. When she flinched under its intensity, he noticed and apologized.
"I mean no offense toward Crusch-sama. I'm sorry for frightening you. I still have much to improve upon."
"No... It is I who should apologize for my inadequacy. I am trying to remember, even Wilhelm-sama, but..."
When Crusch called him "Wilhelm-sama," a flicker of pain crossed the old swordsman's expression. The burden of a retainer who lamented his inability to protect the master to whom he had devoted his sword—the master who now stood before him in such a pitiable state. Since Subaru felt much the same way, he understood the old man's heart with painful clarity.
What he couldn't understand, on the other hand, was Ferris, who showed no particular reaction to the dramatic transformation of his beloved master.
Ferris completely ignored Subaru's inner turmoil.
"I thought we'd settled the Sin Archbishop of 'Slothe,' and now we've got 'Gluttony' and 'Greed' showing up all at once—can you believe it? Talk about overachievers. Well, it's unusual for the Witch Cult to mobilize all at once like this, but it's probably because of something as extraordinary as Emilia-sama's rise to prominence, ne."
"M-Me...?"
Emilia looked at Ferris in surprise when her name was suddenly mentioned. He nodded and then stretched languidly.
"Her existence as a half-elf—there's no way the Witch Cult would overlook that. They're usually creeps, hiding in the shadows so quiet it's eerie, but when those guys make a big commotion, it always has to do with something like that, ne."
Listening to Ferris's explanation, Subaru folded his arms and recalled their earlier conversation.
On the night before the White Whale battle, Subaru had discussed the possibility of the Witch Cult showing up with Ferris and Crusch, and they had given positive responses.
That line of reasoning had its roots in those earlier precedents.
But— "Um... I don't actually know much about this Witch Cult thing... '
Emilia timidly raised her hand, and from her mouth came a startling statement.
Subaru couldn't believe his ears. Even Wilhelm and Ferris's expressions hardened. The only one not surprised was Crusch, who was just as out of the loop as Emilia.
Emilia shrank further under their reactions.
"I'm sorry. From everyone's reactions, I can tell this is something I should have known about, but I wasn't told. I really wasn't."
"But, Emilia-tan, you definitely should have known about the Witch of Envy. After all, I once..."
When they first met, Emilia had introduced herself under the false name
But Emilia shook her head at Subaru's words.
"Back in the forest, in the settlement nearby, I was hated because I resembled the Witch of Envy. So I know full well what kind of treatment the Witch of Envy receives. But about the Witch Cult itself..."
"Let's set aside Emilia-sama's life story for now. Even so... having the person involved not know about it just ain't exactly helpful, ne."
Ferris shrugged, raising both hands, then let out a sigh with a sardonic edge. His attitude irritated Subaru, who clicked his tongue and glared at him.
"Don't talk like that. Do you have any idea how much courage it takes to admit you don't know something? She's asking the questions she needs answered—what's wrong with that?"
"Subaru-kun, when you say it, it really carries weight, ne. Honestly, master and servant alike."
Ferris's words didn't hide their sarcasm even in the face of Subaru's frustration. This time, Subaru was clearly about to rise in anger. But— "Ferris. That remark was uncalled for. Apologize."
Before Subaru could even push to his feet, that voice reached them first—the voice of Crusch, who had been watching the exchange in silence until now.
The woman in the dress had transformed from her earlier frail appearance into someone sharp and commanding, like the Crusch of old. She pierced her knight with her gaze.
"Subaru Natsuki-sama is exactly right—there is nothing laughable about the willingness to ask what one does not know. You have no right to mock her for it. Understood?"
"...Yes, Crusch-sama."
What defined Crusch now was the softness that followed her fierce words—a trace of her former self peeking through in the way she spoke. Subaru was surprised by this. Ferris, too, couldn't fully conceal his surprise behind his eyes.
"Emilia-sama, I apologize for my rudeness. Subaru-kun, too—my bad."
"You're... never mind. Let's talk about the Witch Cult. Emilia-tan wants to hear about it, and honestly, even I don't know all the details."
At Subaru's resigned tone, Ferris breezily responded, "Roger that!" He then pressed a finger to his lip and swayed the hem of his skirt.
"First off, the Witch Cult is, as Emilia-sama said, a group that worships the Witch of Envy. They've been active for four hundred years—die-hard fanatics since the era when the Witches held sway. Even the knights have a standing order for immediate execution upon encounter. That's the kind of despicable bunch we're talking about."
"Immediate execution...? Are they really the kind of people where such a harsh order is necessary?"
"They're the kind of people who'll make enemies of a village or a city alike if it serves their purpose, ne. In fact, this time around, the village near the Margrave's mansion was nearly caught up in it, and in the Volachian Empire to the south, an entire city was apparently taken down by one of the Sin Archbishops who showed up this time?"
Emilia's eyes widened. "That can't be..." Subaru shared her disbelief, but he already knew their terror in his very bones.
With Petelgeuse as the prime example, the abnormality of the others was beyond measure. Though, from what he'd heard, the Archbishop of "Greed" was on an entirely different level from Petelgeuse when it came to combat strength.
"We got a bit ahead of ourselves, but the Witch Cult has six Archbishops who bear the names of the great sins—basically, the organization's executives, ne. Each one carries the name of one of the six Witches who existed alongside the Witch of Envy."
"Six Witches... 'Sloth,' 'Greed,' 'Gluttony,' 'Lust,' 'Wrath,' and 'Pride'—those six, right?"
"That's right, ne. Among them, the most notorious are 'Sloth' and 'Greed.' Greed is famous for the massive rampage where she destroyed an entire city, as I mentioned. Sloth, on the other hand—most of the incidents caused by the Witch Cult turned out to be the work of this Archbishop. But Sloth has now been successfully subjugated thanks to the efforts of this subjugation team... that's the situation. Isn't that right, Subaru-kun?"
"Yeah... Petelgeuse, the Archbishop of Sloth, is definitely dead. I saw him dissipate with my own eyes, so there's no mistake."
Ferris nodded in agreement, and Subaru thought of his hated enemy's final moments.
The screams of Petelgeuse, crying out Subaru's name with every ounce of hatred—he couldn't get them out of his ears. Those shrieks of cursed resentment... were they now what was forcing Subaru into this cruel fate?
"The remaining Sin Archbishops number five. Two of those five were the ones who attacked Crusch and the others this time. The Witch Cult is elusive, and when they're not active, their methods of hiding are completely unknown. Extermination hasn't made progress even in four hundred years. Their goal, they say, is... the revival of the Witch of Envy."
"The revival of the Witch—!?"
At this unacceptable remark, Subaru kicked back his chair and stood.
While the women in the room reacted with surprise, Subaru waved his hand dismissively.
"Revival? How is that even possible? The Witch of Envy died four hundred years ago, right? Bringing her back to life—"
"Subaru-dono, the Witch of Envy is not dead. Even now, her life persists at the world's edge. As abhorrent as it is, it is the truth."
Wilhelm spoke quietly to the agitated Subaru.
Subaru stared at him, stunned. Wilhelm, his expression grave, narrowed his eyes.
"Near the Great Waterfall, there is a shrine sealed with magic-repelling stones. The Witch remains there to this day—imprisoned because even the Sage, the Divine Dragon, and the Sword Saint together could not completely destroy her."
"A seal... come to think of it, I have heard something about that... but if that's the case, why not just break the shrine open? If she's sealed, why doesn't someone simply destroy the seal?"
Subaru remembered hearing about this from someone before. But that thought only raised a new question.
If she was sealed, then breaking the seal and letting her out was all it would take. Why not do it? If they refused to, then what was the goal of the Witch Cult followers who unleashed destruction and massacre whenever a half-elf appeared? But Subaru's point was once again met with Wilhelm's negating shake of the head.
"Approaching the shrine is virtually impossible in the first place. Near the Great Waterfall, the flow of mana drops drastically. Within that area, there is virtually no one who can withstand the miasma emanating from the Witch in the shrine. Furthermore, it is physically impossible to slip past the Sage's surveillance network."
"The Sage...?"
"
"That's quite... long-lived, isn't she."
If she had been alive four hundred years ago, then her lifespan was indeed remarkable for a Sage.
There were certain aspects that didn't quite sit right with him, but Subaru set those questions aside for now. He turned back to Ferris.
"Fine, I get the reason the Witch can't be dug out. But that still doesn't strongly connect to this talk of revival, does it?"
"Even if you say that to me, Ferris isn't a member of the Witch Cult, so I really don't know the details, ne. Our best bet is to hope that any captured enemies we interrogate or torture will spill something useful, right?"
Ferris tossed the question aside with a casual shrug of intellectual surrender. Subaru wasn't satisfied with that, but it was a fair point, so he dropped the line of inquiry.
Emilia, who had been listening and nodding along to the story so far, spoke up.
"So that's what's going on. That's why I'm in this situation... but
"What's Puck saying right now? I've got a mountain of things I want to talk to him about too."
"He's not responding to my calls. He seems to have materialized, but all I can tell is that he's somewhere nearby..."
Emilia shrank into herself, and Subaru couldn't even manage to tell her "It's fine, it's fine." In truth, having a conversation with Puck was essential for Subaru.
After all, the fact that they hadn't anticipated the appearance of the Archbishop of "Gluttony"—Puck's words had certainly played a role in that.
"Well, I suppose that covers the basics on the Witch Cult. So, with that in mind, shall we move on to discussing what happens next?"
"What happens next...?"
As Ferris clapped his hands to pivot the conversation, Subaru looked up. Ferris was beaming at him, and with that same smile still on his face, he said— "To be honest, this alliance... why don't we just pretend it never happened?"
--- The atmosphere in the sitting room froze, and the heat inside Subaru rose to meet it.
He took in the words, weighed them, then moistened his lips with his tongue before asking in a calm voice: "What did you just say? Did you say cancel the alliance? What's the meaning of this?"
"Exactly what I said, ne. Because in the current situation, neither side really stands to gain much from maintaining this alliance anymore."
Ferris's expression seemed to admire the fact that Subaru hadn't exploded with rage. That alone was enough to further irritate Subaru, and he sternly told himself to stay calm—though he couldn't keep his heart from boiling over.
"The mining rights and all that aside, we agreed to cooperate on the White Whale subjugation, and we actually pulled it off. Taking all the benefits and saying sayonara—that's nothing short of shameful, wouldn't you say?"
"It means the drawbacks have far outweighed the benefits, Subaru-kun."
"Huh?"
Subaru couldn't help but take a confrontational stance, but Ferris maintained his composed demeanor. He waved a small finger.
"Listen—now that there's precedent for two Sin Archbishops of 'Gluttony' and 'Greed' showing up at the same time, the Witch Cult is more likely than ever to target Emilia-sama's camp, which was the one that took down 'Sloth.' Crusch-sama has already fallen victim to them this time... would you really want to get any more involved with us after that?"
"That..."
Ferris's argument made Subaru grimace and glance sidelong at Crusch.
Seeing how dramatically she had changed, Subaru couldn't bring himself to flat-out deny Ferris's point. He bore the same kind of wounds.
Therefore, it was not Subaru who voiced his opposition— "I must disagree with that position, Ferris."
Wilhelm, still seated, leaned forward and declared firmly, looking straight at Ferris. Ferris narrowed his eyes and smiled thinly.
"And what exactly is the intention behind that, ne? Crusch-sama has suffered the effects of 'Gluttony,' and yet you'd continue the alliance with Emilia-sama and remain entangled with the Witch Cult? What's the benefit in that?"
"An opportunity to exact revenge upon 'Gluttony'... upon the ones who wronged our lady."
"Is that more important than Crusch-sama's life?"
To Wilhelm's resolute declaration, Ferris pushed back without yielding an inch.
Both of them spoke from a place of deep devotion to their respective masters, which made their words all the heavier.
"If we continue our involvement with the Witch Cult, something like this will certainly happen again. When it does, the current Crusch-sama can't even protect herself. I'll heal her wounds and her heart... but if she dies, that's the end, ne?"
"But we cannot simply stand by and let the ones responsible for creating this situation go free. And Crusch-sama's memories might yet return if we defeat that Sin Archbishop. For us to withdraw now would be the height of recklessness."
"You think defeating the one who ate them will bring them back? What are you talking about, Wilhelm? You think lost memories will return just because you defeat the one who devoured them? That's like something out of a fairy tale—"
"—Ferris!!"
A sharp shout and a wave of killing intent swept through the room, giving everyone present the illusion that a real gust of wind had blown through.
As everyone flinched in surprise, Wilhelm maintained his piercing gaze.
"Felix. Never say such a thing in front of Subaru-dono again."
"...Sorry."
Called by his real name rather than his nickname, Ferris lowered his eyes with a pained expression.
Their gazes converged on Subaru, who had sunk back into his chair and was staring at the floor. His hands were clenched tight, trembling minutely and seeping blood.
Gently, a pair of white fingers wrapped around his from above.
"...Emilia-tan."
"I can't pretend I understand. I want to understand how you feel, Subaru... but about the girl you've forgotten, I don't know anything. Whatever I say would only come from a place of cowardice."
When Subaru briefly looked up, he saw Emilia's violet eyes shimmering with anguish.
He caught sight of his own frail reflection in her gaze, and when he realized that was how Emilia saw Natsuki Subaru now, he was furious with himself.
Grateful for her concern even as he felt that way, Subaru shook his head.
"I can't say I'm fine even if it kills me, but right now—I am. Don't worry about it, Ferris. I... haven't thrown away a single shred of hope."
"You really are stubborn, Subaru-kun."
Feigning indifference, Ferris matched Subaru's attitude with one of his own. Regardless, his position hadn't changed.
"Ferris does not support continuing the alliance. Crusch-sama's memories—Ferris will restore them for certain. So there's no need to go seeking revenge against 'Gluttony.'"
"What should be done, what will be done... that is entirely for Crusch-sama to decide. It is not for us to judge lightly on our own."
In the end, that was the only conclusion they could reach.
When both of their gazes turned to Crusch, she nodded firmly, as though she had expected this.
"For now, there is still so much I don't understand. I can't remember a single thing about my former self. I imagine dealing with me must be confusing and troublesome for everyone. ...Even so, I want to thank you all for respecting me. And if possible, I want to live up to your expectations. I intend to keep striving toward that."
Even without her memories,
How far into a person's core does their will, their very essence, persist? Seeing her like this—having passed through the experience of losing her memories yet still standing tall—it made one wonder.
Regardless, the discussion regarding the alliance had no choice but to be tabled.
"In any case, the practical details would need someone who understands Emilia-sama's camp from the inside... someone like the Margrave Roswaal. We should first arrange a meeting that includes him, and then go from there. What do you say?"
"Yeah, that works. And as for this time..."
"This must be kept in absolute confidence—regardless of the alliance, that much must be honored."
Ferris fixed Subaru with a sharp gaze and spoke in a low, uncharacteristic voice.
Subaru couldn't help but draw a breath, but he saw no reason to object and nodded. From their perspective, it was the obvious course of action. If word of Crusch's current condition leaked out, her position as the "leading candidate for the throne" would be irreversibly lost.
It was a catastrophe of the same magnitude as weighing against the glory of the White Whale subjugation—and potentially far worse. That was precisely why Anastasia's camp had not been included in this meeting.
"Julius aside, Anastasia-sama would certainly try to exploit this situation. It's a good thing those people didn't see Crusch-sama's condition, ne."
"...But they have to be at the table for the discussion of the spoils. How are we going to handle that?"
"We'll say Crusch-sama's condition isn't great, and Ferris will handle whatever needs handling on that end. Subaru-kun and the others just need to keep quiet. Got it?"
Ferris's attitude made it clear that this was not a request but a demand—further discussion was not permitted. Subaru felt a stubbornness in it but nodded nonetheless.
In the end, the discussion could progress no further.
Confirming the hopelessness of their situation and the lack of cohesion between the two camps moving forward—that was the only way to close.
--- "Wilhelm-san, thank you for earlier."
After the meeting in the sitting room ended, Subaru stopped Wilhelm as they stepped outside. Wilhelm turned back, and Subaru continued.
"I wasn't able to offer much help. I can only be ashamed of my inadequacy. Above all, I was unable to be of service this time as well."
"That's not true at all. Without you, Wilhelm-san, we could never have defeated the White Whale, and after that, I couldn't have left Emilia and the others in peace with confidence. I'm grateful."
These were Subaru's honest feelings, holding nothing back. Yet Wilhelm's expression still didn't lighten.
He was a man of such strong principles that he took on others' pain as his own. He, too, was someone who was far too kind. Subaru offered him a smile.
"The situation isn't settled yet, but you'll still visit your wife's grave, right? I can't say everything is safe by any means, but at least you've avenged her—"
"——!"
When Subaru tried to shift the topic, Wilhelm's expression collapsed dramatically.
Seeing the complex wave of emotion that surfaced, Subaru could only feel confusion. Noticing Subaru's bewilderment, Wilhelm drew a deep breath and straightened.
"Subaru-dono. I must apologize to you."
"W-Wait, stop. If this is about earlier, I have nothing—I'm only grateful to you, Wilhelm-san—"
"No, it's not about that. Earlier... I did not side with you out of consideration for Subaru-dono. I acted from the most wretched, selfish of motives. I wanted to continue the alliance with you for my own sake. And I am now ashamed of my own audacity in trying to hide that."
Subaru didn't understand what Wilhelm meant and furrowed his brow.
In front of him, Wilhelm straightened up, removed his outer jacket, and rolled up his sleeve. Beneath the rolled-up fabric, a bandage was wrapped around the upper part of his left arm. A wound still remained there, as evidenced by the blood slowly seeping through and staining it red.
"That looks painful... but if you've got a wound, Ferris should heal it quickly—"
"This wound cannot be healed. It is the result of a slash imbued with the Divine Protection of the Death God—a blessing that inflicts a wound upon the target which can never be cured."
"It can't be healed...? Then Wilhelm-san—"
Subaru understood what it meant to carry a wound that would never close.
A wound that never stopped bleeding—that was the same as having a countdown placed on one's life. But unlike the frantic Subaru, Wilhelm calmly shook his head.
"My life is, at this point, not the issue."
"Of course it is! How can we... that wound—"
"This is not a wound from today or yesterday. It is an old injury that has merely reopened. And for me now, it has become far too large."
Listening to Wilhelm's quiet voice, Subaru noticed that his own body was trembling. Not understanding the cause of his body's reaction, he felt his teeth chattering. And then he realized the source—the overwhelming, soul-chilling aura of killing intent that emanated from the old swordsman before him.
Wilhelm continued in his quiet voice.
"The wound from the Divine Protection of the Death God grows stronger the closer the bearer is to the one who inflicted it. As the one who wounded me draws nearer, the closed wound reopens. That is its nature."
"So, Wilhelm-san—the person who wounded you in the past, if they're nearby..."
"The one who gave me this wound on my left shoulder... was the previous Sword Saint."
At those words, Subaru caught his breath and looked at Wilhelm.
Wilhelm met his gaze with eyes as cold as frost and spoke.
"
--- In a situation that was nothing but confusion, Subaru found himself once again making his way to the room where Rem slept.
Since returning to Crusch's mansion, whenever he had free time, he came to her side.
Knowing full well she wouldn't wake, he still couldn't help hoping that she might open her eyes.
With his current state of mind, he had neither the courage nor the energy to continue facing Emilia. Emilia, for her part, probably understood how Subaru felt—other than when Subaru specifically sought her out, she gave him his space, even though she herself must have been wracked with anxiety.
Once again, he was leaning on someone else, trying to soothe his own weakness.
He despised that weakness, yet couldn't bring himself to accept it, and so here he was.
"You told me that I was strong... but I can only put on a brave face when I'm in front of you. Looks like even that much doesn't work anywhere else, Rem."
Rem's prone form was exactly as it had been before he went to the sitting room.
She breathed. Her heart still beat. But beyond that, no life activity of any kind was taking place. She was there, yet she wasn't. The Rem of now existed only inside Subaru.
And yet— "——What kind of wind blew you in here?"
"Is it really that strange for me to be here? I had some involvement with this girl too, didn't I? If so, I think it's perfectly fine for me to drop by and see how she's doing."
"Since when do you get to say something like that..."
Subaru touched Rem's forehead and glared at the small gray cat floating beside him, its long tail swaying.
This spirit, which had been conspicuously absent from the sitting room, was now inexplicably here. Meeting Subaru's hostile stare, Puck looked genuinely hurt.
"Why are you glaring at me like that? Did I do something?"
"...Right now, you haven't. Emilia-tan's been looking for you—is it really okay for you to be wandering around here?"
"Hmm, well, that's a tough one. I'm not exactly restricted in my movements by Emilia, but it's not like I want to cause her trouble, either."
Flicking his whiskers, Puck answered in a relaxed tone. But then, after a pause, he walked right up in front of Subaru's face.
"I think it'd be better if I had a word with you right now."
"...That know-it-all attitude of yours is really irritating."
Subaru clicked his tongue and looked away, but Puck simply waited in silence. Though he found it annoying to play along, Subaru let out a sigh.
"You... you didn't tell Emilia about the Witch Cult, did you? What were you thinking?"
"What do you mean, what was I thinking? If it's something she can live without knowing, why make her know? I'd answer if she asked, but Emilia didn't ask... and those people—if it's possible to avoid getting involved with them, isn't that for the best?"
"Yeah. If it's a place where she doesn't need to know and there's no reason for her to encounter them, then not getting involved is the best option. But the Emilia of now is different. That girl has left the forest and is fighting for the throne. If that's the case, contact with them is inevitable. —You should have known that."
Lowering his voice, Subaru pressed Puck for his true intentions. But the small cat swayed through his murderous aura without a care.
"I did anticipate that the Witch Cult would show up. But whether I should tell Emilia about it—that's a separate question, I think."
"But it could put Emilia and everyone around her in danger! I don't care what you think—even this time, if things had gone differently, Emilia would have—!"
"I see. So you worked hard to save Emilia. That girl was a sacrifice for her sake, then. In that case, I should be thanking her..."
"———"
In that instant, Subaru's will condensed into a single motion: throwing a fist.
Without a shred of hesitation, he drove his full-force punch at the spirit before him. But Puck dodged it effortlessly, looking at Subaru with surprise as he flicked at his own face.
"That was sudden—what's gotten into you?"
"Don't touch Rem ever again. Not with your hands, not with your words."
Even he was surprised by how quiet his own voice was.
Perhaps the emotions had boiled over so completely that something had snapped.
Puck looked at Subaru with his round eyes, then said, "I understand," stretching his small body.
"I'm sorry. That was a thoughtless thing to say. I shouldn't have said that. As a substitute—not that it makes up for anything—shall we talk a bit about 'Gluttony'?"
"...What good would that do?"
"If you knew the being that devoured that girl's name and memories, perhaps even a sliver of possibility for your wish might grow."
Subaru looked up sharply. Puck nodded, twitching his pink nose as he seemed to search his memory, looking upward.
"The power of 'Gluttony,' simply put, is the power to eat. It devours the target's 'name,' stealing it from the memories of everyone around them, and devours the target's 'memory,' stealing their own recollection. If both are taken, all that remains is an empty shell—nothing more. The shell can do nothing, and nothing can be done to it. That girl's condition is precisely that."
"Name and memory..."
Crusch, whose memory was devoured. Rem, whose name and memory were both devoured.
Those were the results of the ability wielded by the current perpetrators. If that was the case— "If we defeat the Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony'... can we get them back?"
"Hmm, hard to say. Making them vomit up what they've eaten... I don't like that expression, but is that even possible? That's something only they would know."
"But there's a possibility. There is, right? That I can get Rem back...!"
He turned around. Rem was still lost in her deep, hazy sleep.
She breathed. Her heart beat. Her body was alive. Only her heart and her name had been devoured by the demon. If that was the case, then hope still remained.
"The Sin Archbishop of 'Gluttony'—I will absolutely crush them."
"I don't think it'll be that easy."
Subaru no longer heard Puck's final words.
For him now, that single hope was the last fortress to cling to.
--- When he had returned to the royal capital, heard of the devastation that had befallen Rem and the others, seen her condition, and learned that nothing could be done to restore her, Subaru had not hesitated to drive a knife into his own throat.
He couldn't remember the emotions of that moment. Every victory achieved, every expectation fulfilled with everything he had—the truth was, he felt no lingering attachment to losing that time.
If it meant losing Rem, if it meant walking forward into a future without her—he would endure that suffering as many times as it took. That much, he remembered.
Driving the blade in. Blood, pain, heat, and the sensation of losing himself to that void.
When the haze cleared, what Subaru saw was Rem lying on the bed— The update of his return-by-death point. The scene of his restart had changed. And that was what had plunged Subaru into hell.
He had tried to kill himself once more, believing it might be some kind of mistake, but he had hesitated. It wasn't that the pain or the death frightened him. He had simply realized something.
Even if the restart point reverted to the previous scene, Subaru still couldn't save Rem.
If the point returned to before the fight with Petelgeuse—to the scene after the battle with the White Whale—Subaru would have already been separated from Rem and the others for several hours.
Even if he tried to chase after them on their return route, it would be too late. And above all, turning back to save Rem meant abandoning Emilia. Even if he managed to explain the situation and go back, was there any strategy that could defeat two Sin Archbishops?
Defeating Petelgeuse had required both Subaru and Julius. And in the scene where they had let Emilia escape, Wilhelm's strength had been indispensable.
To save Rem, he had to sacrifice Emilia. To save Emilia, he had to sacrifice Rem. Without sacrificing one, he couldn't save either.
Having realized this cruel truth, the hand that would have moved to take his own life had stopped before it could reach his throat.
Unlike the White Whale's mist, Rem's body was here—yet she existed in none of anyone's memories. And Subaru had been standing there, dazed, unable to do a single thing for her.
That pathetic, helpless time would end here now. He would end it.
Taking Rem's sleeping hand, Subaru steeled his resolve. This time, he swore.
—He would get her back.
"—I'll get you back. Rem, I will absolutely get you back."
That was what he told her. He would show her—the man she had fallen for, standing before her—the greatest hero he could become.
And wasn't he still on that path?
"I will definitely... your hero will definitely come for you. —Wait for me."
He looked up. He bared his fangs. This was a declaration of war to his enemy.
To those who had played rough with him—to things that should never have been touched, to territories that should never have been invaded—he would make them regret putting so much as a finger on them.
And the one to do it would be none other than Natsuki Subaru.
"Absolutely. —Absolutely!!"
In these days starting from zero, where he had no memories of her to hold on to—he could not endure it.
So he would absolutely get her back.
The days that had been lost. The time he had walked alongside her. The time he would walk alongside her.
He would reach out and draw it all back into his hands once more.