"The fragments of the past that Garfiel saw..."
"In the truest sense, nothing more than fragments. I'm the one who carried that child out of the tomb while she babbled and sobbed—the one who fled with her in my arms. I know more or less how it went."
Subaru swallowed hard and turned back to face Sigma.
Garfiel's past—it wasn't what Subaru had expected to hear about in his discussion with Sigma, but it was one of the problems he'd eventually have to tackle regardless.
The order of things had gotten scrambled, but as far as information goes, this was more than adequate.
"Will you tell me about it? What he… what Garfiel saw in his past, and why he gave up on freeing the
"—What that child saw was the moment of his parting from his mother."
"The moment… of parting."
A sharp, piercing sensation lanced through Subaru's chest.
Parting with one's mother—that carried an echo that was not unrelated to Subaru's own Trial.
But unlike Subaru, who could look back on that memory with a clear heart, Garfiel's case was different. That was precisely why he was bound to the Sanctuary so desperately.
"Suba-boy, do you know about that child's mother?"
"…In passing, yeah. Frederica told me about it, briefly. Their mother was an ordinary human woman, and the two of them—halves, and… there were various circumstances, and she ended up giving birth to both of them. Then she left the two of them behind in the Sanctuary."
"One of them callously left this place behind to find happiness elsewhere. That about sums it up."
Sigma filled in the part Subaru had been struggling to say, a wistful smile touching her lips.
What Sigma had added was exactly what Subaru had heard from Frederica about their mother's story. Her tumultuous life must have been the work of some truly spectacular misfortune.
If Subaru remembered right, Frederica and Garfiel each carried their respective parents' surnames—Frederica took her father Baumann's name, while Garfiel went by his mother Tinzelle's.
"But if I remember what Frederica said, their parting from their mother happened when they were still little… Even if you say he was shown memories of that time, how vivid could they really be?"
"You're talking about a Trial crafted by
"…………"
Subaru reconsidered Sigma's words and realized his grounds for rebuttal were pretty thin.
In fact, Echidna had used Subaru's memories to perfectly reconstruct things that couldn't be replicated in this world—the streets of his hometown, even the school building.
When it came to drawing out the deep recesses of one's own memories, there was no better embodiment of that than Subaru himself.
"Fair enough. I'll accept that. But here's what I don't get… Garfiel went through the scene of parting with his mother again, and it left him that devastated? Why?"
"…………"
"I mean, for him, that's just something that happened when he was little, right? He's spent way more of his life apart from his mother than with her. Clinging to something that's long since passed… it just doesn't fit the guy I know."
"Do you really think that for Suba-boy, a memory of a small child being abandoned by his mother is something that shallow?"
Sigma's interjection, cutting into Subaru as he tried to press the point he couldn't accept, carried a razor-sharp edge.
It felt as though the blade of her words had been pressed to his throat, and Subaru fell silent despite himself. Gazing at him, Sigma lowered eyes heavy with sorrow.
"Of course, even those of us around him—my sister Frederica and I—didn't realize just how large the thorn was that had been driven into that child's heart. Perhaps even Garfiel himself wasn't fully aware of it, but when the Trial brought him into contact with his past, the wound surfaced. …I believe his current excessive conservatism is all because of that."
"So you're saying…? The reason he refuses to free the Sanctuary isn't really about the outside world or anything like that, but rather negative feelings toward his mother—the one who abandoned him and chose the outside world?"
"He must hate the outside world. The world that took his mother away and left him behind. Even if he wanted to go after her, he couldn't—the barrier blocks anyone trying to leave with us in tow. His mother and the Sanctuary's residents… he cherished them both, and the contradiction was more than he could bear."
"Does he really hate his mother? The mother who left him behind and went to the outside world?"
It was a suffering that Subaru—who had never experienced being abandoned by family—could understand but never truly empathize with.
No matter how much of a fool Subaru made of himself, no matter how obviously he fell short, his parents never gave up on him or turned their backs on him.
That blessing had saved him—and that same blessing was now what tormented him.
"How should I put it…"
To Subaru's question, Sigma avoided giving a direct answer.
Her gaze drifted, she searched for words with some uncertainty, and then let out a small sigh.
"I could never quite bring myself to ask what that child truly felt about his mother, not from the bottom of his heart. I was too much of a coward. I was afraid that asking might bring back the memory of him in the tomb… hesitating, wavering… and so I could never bring myself to ask."
"Sigma…"
"But even knowing all that about his past, when he gives his name, he introduces himself as Garfiel Tinzelle. He carries his mother's family name alongside his own. I've always believed he does that because he never wants to forget."
"To never forget…"
At Subaru's words, Sigma tucked her chin and gazed lovingly around the ramshackle hut—the lopsided, imperfect little structure Garfiel had built with his own two hands— "—so he would never forget the emotions he felt when he saw his past. Whether that feeling was outrage or sorrow, I still don't know to this day."
*** "You look terrible, Natsuki-san. Are you aware of that?"
That was the first thing Otto said with a wry smile upon meeting up with Subaru in the middle of the settlement.
At a remark that was, if anything, an understatement, Subaru shrugged and looked him over.
"Says the guy who's gotten himself filthy after half a day apart. Going wild in the forest at your age—try acting your age for once."
"No one got into this state because they wanted to play in the mud, you know!"
"Don't shout, it's killing my sleep-deprived head. Speaking of sleep-deprived, the bags under your eyes are no joke either. Sacrificing sleep to play in the mud… Are you having some kind of compulsive episode where you're trying to cram every last thing on your bucket list into whatever time we have left?"
"Could you please stop framing this like some popular fiction from a while back about a terminally ill patient's final days!?"
From Otto's outburst, it seemed this world had also once had a period when stories about terminally ill patients spending their remaining days were popular—yet another piece of useless knowledge for Subaru to file away.
Subaru made a mental note that once all the surrounding chaos was settled, there might be real value in importing stories from his old world, then continued with "Anyway…"
"—let's put a lid on the bickering for now… So how did things actually go?"
"Admittedly, it was tough without you, Natsuki-san… but all things considered, I think it's fair to say it went well. You can compliment me here."
"Good boy, good boy. You're the only one I can count on, Gambaro."
"That was incredibly hollow cheering! You could feel the air go dry!"
Watching Otto wave his arms up and down in an over-the-top reaction, Subaru was genuinely, ceaselessly grateful for his cooperation. But expressing it out loud would be far too embarrassing, so he had resolved to take that gratitude silently to his grave.
"In any case, good to hear your side is moving forward. By the way, what about the other front? Any progress there? Looks like it'll be useful?"
"That side… honestly, there are some tough spots given the short timeframe. We simply don't have enough time. If I cut into sleep, maybe—just maybe—it'll be ready by the day after tomorrow… but that's about it."
"You'll cut into your sleep? Words can't express how hard you work."
"Argh! I walked right into that!"
Otto clutched his head in regret over his own slip. But even without Subaru having rubbed it in, he would have made the choice on his own to squeeze the missing time out of his sleep hours.
It was precisely that kind of selfless integrity that Subaru trusted in him as a friend.
Oblivious to the gratitude Subaru showed in neither expression nor manner, Otto straightened from his pained grimace and turned back to Subaru with "So then…"
"How about your end, Natsuki-san? Is the stage set? With all the trouble that came up with
"I'm confident the missing pieces are falling into place one by one. The only worry is that I can't quite see the finished picture yet."
"Is—is it really going to be okay? We're almost out of time…"
"If the pieces don't all fit before time runs out, I'll patch the gaps with love, courage, and friendship. That's how it usually works in the stories I know."
"You see, Natsuki-san, I did say we should write off the odds, but that was assuming there'd be a contest to speak of. Betting on zero chance of winning isn't so much foolish as it is suicidal…"
Otto grumbled away, but Subaru paid him no mind and started walking. Reluctantly, Otto matched his pace and followed.
Without either stoking or soothing his companion's anxiety, Subaru headed for the building where Roswaal was waiting—there was no real need to go, but he intended to report on the progress of the negotiations.
Having finished his conversation with Ryuzu Sigma, Subaru had learned fragments of Garfiel's past.
Sigma hadn't possessed any information beyond that, but she had told him that the reason she couldn't actively support freeing the Sanctuary was because of how Garfiel had rejected his past—and because Theta, who had taken his place, had been in such an unstable state after being thrust into the situation at the tomb.
According to the clones' rotation schedule, the problem child Theta was due to appear tomorrow.
What Theta had seen in the Trial—it should have been the memories of Ryuzu Meyer, who had come into contact with Echidna—but what exactly in those memories had made her reject the world outside the Sanctuary?
Clarifying that should provide the key to unlocking Theta's stubborn heart. And if that was possible, the influence egging Garfiel on would vanish, giving Subaru the chance to talk down the verge-of-rampaging Garfiel.
Garfiel might put his rough, violent demeanor front and center, but at his core, he wasn't so simplistic as to endorse violence in all its forms. At least, that was Subaru's impression.
If Garfiel were truly so simple-minded as to believe every problem could be solved through force, he'd just eliminate everything that posed a threat to the Sanctuary.
Without
Right now, the most powerful person in the Sanctuary was unquestionably Garfiel, and if he bared his claws and fangs and went on the rampage, that alone would settle every problem with brutal finality.
The only reason he didn't was because, appearances to the contrary, he was the type who sought rational solutions.
"So we take advantage of that soft spot and scheme behind the scenes… When I say it out loud, it makes us sound like the bad guys."
"I don't mind the approach of using whatever's at hand, personally. But yeah, I agree it's not exactly what you'd expect from the protagonist of a fairy tale or popular fiction."
Hearing Subaru's murmur, co-conspirator B—cheerfully complicit in this protagonist-less little scheme—shook with silent laughter. As co-conspirator A, Subaru figured that was fine as long as B was game.
Either way, Garfiel's various issues were essentially the grand finale of all the factors surrounding the Sanctuary. If he could be persuaded, the second major problem would be as good as solved.
And then there was the first major problem—the Trial, and Emilia's side.
"I'll go see her one more time after this."
It was already past dusk, and lights for the night had begun to appear all around the Sanctuary. The sunset had sunk halfway below the western sky, and the world had shifted into a blend of orange and violet.
Night would arrive soon, and with it the time when—if nothing had happened—the Trial was supposed to be attempted.
But as of yet, there had been no report of Emilia waking.
Even if she woke in time for the Trial, considering how long it would take for her mind to settle, tonight's challenge would almost certainly have to be called off.
Or in the worst case, even tomorrow's challenge—Subaru's real target—might be at risk.
Even Puck, the trigger behind Emilia's psychological crisis, couldn't specify how long it would take for her to fully absorb the initial shock.
"I know it all depends on how Emilia handles things after she wakes up… but as long as I don't know how badly she's been hurt, I can't shake the feeling of leaving her hanging."
"Will you be able to do something like… not convincing Emilia-sama, but something close to that? I only heard about her condition afterward, so I really can't say."
"For starters, she was definitely in a state of confusion so severe she couldn't tell who was nearby. I've never seen her act so much like a child. As for whether I can do it… honestly, all I can say is I have no choice but to try."
"So everything's still on a tightrope…"
At Subaru's uncertain answer, Otto let out a sigh but showed no sign of running. Subaru's awareness of how little chance of winning there was fed into his guilt toward Otto.
And yet, the fact that Otto still refused to abandon him was, quite simply, a comfort to Subaru.
"If that's where things stand with Emilia-sama, how about Garfiel? Were you able to get any leverage to soften his attitude?"
"I think it's safe to say we got the opening for negotiation on his end. The problem is that getting him to the negotiating table still looks like it's going to be a hassle."
How things went with Theta would determine how Subaru approached Garfiel. How Theta played out at tomorrow's meeting—the key to cracking Garfiel could only come from there.
Both negotiations had no strategy beyond layering whatever information he had onto an improvisational approach, and that was the hardest part.
You could say he was walking a tightrope every single time, but that was just how it was.
"—We're here. This time, you're coming in for the talk too."
Subaru called out to Otto, standing beside him, as they arrived at the residence—the building where Roswaal was waiting. Otto's face twisted in distaste at Subaru's words.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. This time there's no excuse to stay outside like last time. I'll just tag along and… oh, so I'm openly declaring myself on the enemy side of the Margrave. I wonder if I'll still have my head attached after this whole thing is settled."
"Don't worry. If you lose your head, I'll lose mine too—or become rabbit feed. I'll never let you die alone!"
"That's not even a tiny bit reassuring!"
Otto screamed as Subaru gave a firm thumbs-up.
And so, as they exchanged banter at the entrance, the door was suddenly pushed open from the inside—and a maid with cold eyes appeared.
"What are you two clamoring about right outside the door at an hour like this? It reflects poorly on my master, Roswaal-sama. Straighten yourselves up."
"Sorry about that… But you're here? Is Emilia by herself?"
Subaru apologized for
"There's no need to worry. I'll be going back soon. When I heard you two were heading to see Roswaal-sama, I was called in to help him prepare. — You're putting Roswaal-sama through so much trouble. What a nuisance."
"So it all circles back to us being the cause… But what kind of preparation does Roswaal need? It's not like he can even get out of bed, so what's there to prepare?"
In reality, Subaru knew Roswaal could get out of bed and had enough energy to kick Garfiel's skull in, but he played dumb.
Ram squinted one eye at him and said "Just get inside" in an irritable tone, slipping between Subaru and Otto.
"Roswaal-sama is waiting, so get inside quickly. Don't drag the conversation out and cause Roswaal-sama any inconvenience. …Once that's done, you'll be taking over as Emilia-sama's attendant."
"She sure is in a hurry. Roswaal's basically his usual self, so what's the worry? I'd rather she prioritize Emilia right now. When she wakes up, if she's alone…"
"Ram must not be there when Emilia-sama wakes up. Don't you understand that much?"
This time, she really did look at him like he was an idiot. Leaving a dumbfounded Subaru behind, Ram walked away. Otto nudged him in the ribs as Subaru silently watched her go.
"Unless you were deliberately trying to make her angry just now, that was a pretty terrible exchange."
"…I know. Even as I was saying it, I was wondering if I'd gone too far."
"Well, at least you're aware. That's the difference between this being 'somewhat mean-spirited' versus something worse."
Subaru wordlessly brushed away Otto's elbow and stepped through the open door into the building. Otto followed behind. Bringing him along, Subaru headed for the bedroom at the very back and gave the door a light knock.
"Roswaal, it's me. May I come in?"
"Oh-ho, how nicccce. By all means, by all means."
A clownish voice came from the other side of the door—one that sounded like the old performative Roswaal. Subaru opened it with a flicker of surprise.
And then— "Oh. So that's it."
Spotting Roswaal on the bed, Subaru gave a small nod of understanding.
He had finally grasped what Ram had meant by "preparation."
Peeking in beside the understanding Subaru, Otto let out a "Hyih." Come to think of it, this might have been his first time seeing this.
"My, my, how noble of you to come all this way to report your progress. I doooon't dislike that about you."
Roswaal spoke with his characteristic drawn-out, clownish cadence, grinning through the fresh application of his pierrot makeup.
Both arms spread wide, as if welcoming the two of them.