Words were hurled out—some friendly, some formal, a strange blend of the two.
Every last person in the crowd below had been struck speechless by the bandaged figure's address.
Part of it was the sheer, eye-catching grotesqueness of the figure standing above them. But just as large a factor was the content of the words that had reached their ears.
Still, those were merely secondary effects.
The real reason they couldn't tear their eyes—or their awareness—from that figure was far simpler.
You could call it a primal, biological instinct.
—No living creature in its right mind would look away from an external threat that could end its life.
"Huh—?!"
"What did that person just say?"
"You're kidding, right? The
Following the initial wave of confusion, understanding gradually rippled through the crowd.
But nobody moved to act on the spot. Everyone was questioning their own ears, looking to the people around them for confirmation that they hadn't misheard.
"What did that bastard just say? You heard that too, right?!"
And Latch—who had noticed Subaru and was pushing his way over—was no different.
He threaded through the crowd, keeping one eye on what was happening above, closing the distance toward Subaru. Subaru, for his part, had taken a step away from the mass of people and was fixing his gaze upward.
If he looked away now, it would be over.
There was no need to doubt the identity of this being.
—That thing was the same breed of creature as Petelgeuse.
"And Romanée-Conti, you said…?"
The bandaged figure's self-introduction—
It was absurd, but the family name Romanée-Conti was the same one
"Don't tell me every Sin Archbishop is running around under the same damn family name."
If the Romanée-Conti family actually existed, it would be a nightmare beyond nightmares.
A distinguished Witch Cult lineage that had produced generation after generation of Sin Archbishops? The setup was so sloppy and twisted it practically reeked—and Subaru could feel his nose curling from the stench.
Simultaneously, what surged up inside him was his undying rage toward the Witch Cult.
It wasn't the same as the relentless pursuit of "Gluttony"—but if a Sin Archbishop was right here, then…
"—I'll grab them and squeeze every last thing out of them."
He would tear open the path leading to "Gluttony" even if he had to do it by force.
Having made his decision, Subaru immediately quelled the fire burning on the surface of his mind and turned his awareness inward, focusing on the connection he shared with
That was the effect of the contract path—the bond between a contractor and a contracted spirit.
Deep inside his body, that hot connection to another person—he seized it, drew it close, and— "—Alright! That's enough!"
"—!?"
Just before Subaru could summon Beatrice, a sharp crack of sound and a booming voice echoed from above.
It was so loud it seemed to reverberate across the entire city—a single, thunderous clap of the bandaged figure's hands. Subaru held his breath reflexively and widened his eyes. The bandaged figure rolled its exposed eyeballs around and said: "It took me twenty-two seconds for everyone to quiet down. But thank you for being quiet. I'm very happy. And also…"
Despite the irony threaded through its words, the bandaged figure—Sirius—pressed its palms together and swayed from side to side. It looked genuinely delighted, though the chains dangling from both arms hadn't gone anywhere, and the sound they scraped against the tower wall was grating on every nerve.
"You there, and you—then you young men over there, and you in the front. I'm sorry, please don't be so angry. I truly feel awful about taking up everyone's precious time. I'm sorry. That's why—thank you."
"Hn…!"
Wriggling its body this way and that, Sirius delivered the words with an air of complete sincerity.
The reason Subaru didn't reflexively snap back with a "Give me a break" was precisely this: the four people Sirius had just singled out were, without exception, the very ones who had been preparing to make a move. Subaru included.
A look confirmed it—the other four Sirius had nominated were presumably people with some combat skill. The beastwoman who had been lowering her sword, the woman with the eyepatch, and Latch—his face had gone pale.
Sirius had identified them in advance, pointing them out just as they'd been about to seize an opening. The message was clear: I see right through you, so don't even try.
"——"
Sweat trailed down his forehead as Subaru held off on summoning Beatrice.
He understood how terrifying it was to let the Witch Cult seize the initiative, but he had no choice. The square around Subaru was packed with at least thirty people.
If he couldn't afford to be beaten to the punch, then the current situation was already a failure.
Subaru exchanged glances with the other four Sirius had flagged, trying to communicate his intent.
The adventurer-looking beastwoman picked up on what Subaru meant. The stern-faced townsman gave a slight nod. But Latch alone couldn't quite hide the hesitation in his expression, and he averted his gaze with vague uncertainty.
Latch's trump card—the ace up his sleeve—was almost certainly summoning Reinhard. Yesterday, Reinhard had ordered Latch to send up a signal if anything happened. They had a prearranged signal, and if Latch executed it, Reinhard could be summoned to this spot. And if Reinhard made it in time, then a Sin Archbishop like Sirius would be nothing—she could be taken down.
But what about the casualties that would result from the act of summoning him? That was probably what was making Latch hesitate.
If they were willing to accept the sacrifice, they had the means to eliminate Sirius right here.
But was now the time to deploy that option? Could they write off the necessary casualties as acceptable?
"Alright, thank you. It seems like everyone has calmed down a little. I understand your anxiety. The words 'Witch Cult' don't exactly leave a good impression, do they? So I have no intention of doing anything special. It's just that there's something I absolutely had to confirm today, and I've been borrowing your time to do so."
"Something you want to confirm…?"
"I'm sorry—please don't murmur among yourselves. When everyone talks at me at once, I'm not very sharp and it overwhelms me. I'll get upset, and that would be bad, wouldn't it? If anyone has a question, please talk to me. I do feel bad about taking up your time, so I'm happy to answer just about anything!"
The posture of someone who was all sympathy and warmth, combined with an oddly rational manner of speaking, only made it more unsettling. Playing the role of a reasonable person while looking like a bandaged mummy with no visible lips—just teeth bared and eyes peeking through—was only going to evoke revulsion.
Everyone was probably thinking the same thing. Every last person kept their mouth shut, exchanging looks with those around them in response to Sirius's offer. In that case— "Then if you don't mind, could I ask a question?"
If nobody else was going to raise their hand, then
He felt a wave of surprise radiate outward from himself, but he didn't take his eyes off Sirius standing above. Sirius looked down at Subaru, who had raised both his hand and his voice, and said: "Oh, of course, of course! Thank you. You're the angry young man from earlier, aren't you? I'm so happy you're willing to talk to me. What would you like to ask?"
"I don't know what your business is, but I've got girls waiting for me. Four of them, no less. So if you could hurry up and get whatever this is over with so I can get out of here, I'd really appreciate it."
"Oh my! That's terrible, I'm sorry. But you really are something, aren't you, young man? Having four girls waiting on you—that's every man's dream, isn't it? You're a naughty one. Making girls anxious, making them cry, making them sad, making them suffer—that's no good, no, absolutely not, that won't do, it can't be allowed, no good, no way, never—"
"H-Hey…?"
The voice that had been bouncing along while Sirius spoke grew quieter, and without lifting its head, Sirius began to mutter rapidly. But hearing the bewildered note in Subaru's voice, Sirius looked up with a start.
"My, my—I was getting carried away. I'm sorry. I'm always trying to be careful, but if I'm not mindful, I get excited without realizing it. Thank you for worrying about me. So, um… you were asking about releasing everyone?"
"…Yeah, that's right. If you could see your way to doing it peacefully, I'd appreciate it."
"I'm really sorry for putting you through this. But don't worry—I'm actually famous within the Witch Cult for being the quiet, untroublesome one. The others tend to cause quite a bit of trouble, and I'm honestly embarrassed on their behalf."
The conversation was going more coherently than Subaru had expected, and he found himself feeling wary of the person he was talking to.
The soft-spoken manner, the unwavering commitment to dialogue—and now that he thought about it as he spoke, Sirius might actually be a woman.
Its face was hidden by bandages, and it was wearing an oversized coat, so he couldn't tell from the body. The voice was high-pitched, but rather than feminine, it sounded more mechanical—as if it wasn't a natural vocalization—so that wasn't a reliable indicator either.
Still, Subaru vaguely suspected Sirius might be female.
In truth, so far, Sirius's behavior and speech hadn't betrayed anything overtly dangerous.
His wariness had been off the charts when it first appeared, given its affiliation, appearance, and those introductory words—but setting that aside, this conversation was going more smoothly than most exchanges with Priscilla. That was no exaggeration.
Among the surrounding crowd, too, the tension that hadn't dissipated during the first minute was now loosening in various places. Many were simply waiting to see where the conversation would go.
Subaru himself felt that tension quietly deflating with a soft pop.
"Thank you. And also—I'm sorry. It seems I've startled everyone. But seeing you all willing to listen makes me very happy."
"I haven't admitted anything or forgiven anything. But for now, tell us what you want. That's where we start."
"Yes, thank you for going out of your way. Then let's get to the main topic. To begin with, the reason I appeared before you all like this is because there's something I wanted to confirm."
Sirius swayed, rubbing the chains on both arms together with a high-pitched clink.
Looking more closely, the appearance was more comical than creepy—if you thought of it as a clown or entertainer's act, it wasn't so out of touch with the world after all.
Subaru let his guard drop, releasing the tense feeling he'd been building inside.
He no longer felt any particular need to summon Beatrice. He'd hear Sirius out, then get the hell out of here.
"So what is it you want to know?"
"Yes, yes—hurry up and let me ask already!"
"That's right, that's right. If you don't hurry, we're gonna be late for work!"
When Subaru urged Sirius forward, voices from the crowd chimed in as well.
The last man pointed up at the魔刻crystal above Sirius and called out, drawing a hearty wave of laughter.
Caught up in the swirling laughter, Subaru felt his own expression soften. Sirius seemed to buckle under the atmosphere as well, placing a hand on its own head with a troubled gesture.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I really am sorry. I know you're all busy, so I'll wrap this up right away. Just bear with me a little longer."
"That's what we said—hurry it up already!"
"Yes! Then let's do that. What I want to confirm is actually quite simple. Specifically, I want to confirm something about 'love.' Oh, how embarrassing."
Whether or not it was blushing beneath the bandages was impossible to tell, but Sirius covered its face, trying to hide its embarrassment at its own words. The atmosphere became one where you couldn't help but grin, and Sirius looked increasingly like it wanted to disappear.
"I expected to be laughed at, but having it happen exactly as I imagined is actually a problem. But thank you for listening. And while we're at it, I have a favor to ask."
"A favor?"
"I was wondering if you might accompany me in a little confirmation process for my 'love.' I'm sorry—I know it's presumptuous to keep asking things of you."
Sirius fidgeted, rubbing the chains together in both hands, bashfully making the offer.
The crowd reacted with something like, "Oh, is that all?" Subaru crossed his arms and gave a nod, feeling a warm, tender sort of feeling.
Sirius's eyes lit up instantly, and it clapped its hands together.
"Really?! Thank you, thank you, I'm sorry! The world really is kind. It's overflowing with kindness and love. Every time I'm reminded of that, I feel so grateful. Being able to forgive each other, to yield to each other—maybe the reason I keep saying 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry' is because I want to confirm that."
"We get it, we get it! Sirius! So what now—?"
"Ah, I'm sorry!"
The woman with the eyepatch heckled the emotional Sirius. With a familiarity that spoke of ten years of friendship—or perhaps classmates at a girls' school—Sirius and the woman exchanged a smile.
Then, as if suddenly remembering, Sirius walked to the window of the Time Tower it had been leaning into and stuck an arm inside. From there, it said: "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting so long. Come here, won't you?"
"————!"
In a gentle voice, Sirius pulled something out from beyond the window.
It was a small figure, writhing and squirming in Sirius's arms, groaning as it went—a young boy, bound head to toe in chains.
No older than ten, the boy was wrapped in heavy chains from his toes to his shoulders, with an additional loop of chain bit down into his mouth, blood trickling from the corners where it had cut him. With only his head free from the neck up, he thrashed desperately, tears streaming down his face as he begged for something.
"I'm sorry for the discomfort. But you're a boy, so you mustn't cry like that. And I was hoping to keep this a secret, but it looks like you've wet yourself. How embarrassing—and if everyone finds out, that'll be a sad thing, won't it?"
"Mmph! Mmnnh!"
"That's right! How embarrassing!"
"You're a boy—stop crying, stop crying!"
"A man only gets to cry three times in his life! Ha ha ha!"
The crowd joined in as Sirius coaxed the sobbing boy, teasing the crying child from below.
Everyone had overcome their own fears and tears at some point in life. They probably meant no harm, but several voices lacking in sensitivity flew back and forth.
"Now, now—everyone shouldn't say things like that! I know he looks a bit pathetic right now, but this boy is very brave. Aren't you, Rusbel?"
"————!"
The boy bound in chains—whose weight must have been considerable—Sirius lifted easily with one arm, gently stroking his head while calming the jeering crowd.
The boy called Rusbel was desperately twisting his neck, trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and Sirius's face so close beside him.
The sight was somewhat comical and humorous—you wanted to laugh for his sake, but couldn't help finding it funny regardless.
"Alright! Everyone, please pay attention. I'm sorry. His name is Rusbel, and he's a nine-year-old boy who lives here in
"Mmmh! Mmmnnh!"
"His father is Musulan Carad. Musulan is an observation officer who maintains stable water flow in the city's canal system. His mother is Ina Carad, and she's currently pregnant. Her belly is just starting to get big, and they're excitedly waiting for Rusbel's little sibling—whichever it turns out to be—to be born. The Carad family lives on Third Street, and it's Rusbel's daily routine to go play at the city park with his close friend Tina. Tina is his childhood sweetheart, and they think quite fondly of each other. Tina has been cheering Rusbel on in his dream. As for that dream—it's to become a famous adventurer like the dolphin in that famous song, 'The Dolphin Betrayed by the Sinking Sun,' and make lots of friends. It's a brave, endearing dream, exactly what you'd expect from a boy his age. Some might laugh and call it childish, but I don't think so at all. Who could laugh at the earnest feelings of a young boy? I'm sure Tina thought the same way, which is why she supports Rusbel with all her heart. Oh, right—and speaking of Rusbel's dream, he's also incredibly excited about the little sibling growing inside his mother's belly. Despite the fact that he'd love to rush off on an adventure right this very minute, he's being patient for the sake of his soon-to-be-born brother or sister. They'll have a big age gap, so he's sure to spoil them absolutely rotten. Rusbel is a kind, considerate boy—I think he'll make a wonderful big brother. I'd be happy if everyone could support his feelings too. Oh, and I almost forgot—about Tina. Actually, at first I was planning to bring Tina here instead of Rusbel. I thought a girl might bring me closer to the 'love' I want to confirm than a boy would. But I was so moved by the way Rusbel desperately, earnestly pleaded with me. I'm sorry. I'm not a very strong-willed person, so I change my mind on a whim like that… Ah, but that fickle nature is only about my everyday demeanor—when it comes to feelings for someone else, I'm completely devoted. Oh, how embarrassing. Anyway, enough about me. Let's talk about Rusbel and Tina. Those two are burning with feelings for each other right now—and will only grow closer as time goes on—so separating them was truly, truly painful for me. So at the very least, I decided to respect Rusbel's wishes and cooperate with him instead. That's why, even though Rusbel is a little dejected and crying right now, he's an incredibly brave boy. Thank you—and I'm sorry. I explained everything so that everyone would understand."
"Mmm! Mmmnnh! Nnngh!"
Upon hearing the story of the bound boy—Rusbel—everyone felt a sense of understanding.
Indeed, he might look a bit pathetic at the moment, but Rusbel's courage was something worthy of praise. Subaru wanted to punch his own self from just a minute ago, the one who had looked at the boy with amusement.
But now was not the time for self-reproach. What should be directed at a courageous boy was not mockery—it was something far more valuable.
So— "Rusbel, don't cry! You're amazing!"
Subaru shouted it out loud, praising the courage of the weeping boy.
Once you knew the genuine feelings behind those tears, how could you laugh at them? Next to Subaru, who had spoken first, Latch opened his mouth too.
"That's right—don't you dare cry! You showed us what a man looks like! So keep showing us something even cooler, kid!"
"That's it—way to go, Rusbel! You're the pride of Priestella!"
"Rusbel! You're wonderful! You're going to grow up to be a great man, I just know it!"
Cheers erupted, and everyone present burst into applause.
It was a beautiful sight—one boy's devotion and courage being celebrated, the goodness in people's hearts being encouraged.
No matter how wretched his appearance, no matter how pathetic his state—the will to protect what mattered was a shining sword, and people were drawn to that radiance, wishing that the world could always be so.
"Oh, oh…thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, it truly is wonderful! I knew you'd all understand! I believed that everyone would praise Rusbel's courage! Because there is 'love' in his resolve! I knew that if you got to know him, you'd love him too! Understanding each other, knowing each other deeply, uniting as one—that is what 'love' is!"
"Sirius! Thank you! Thank you!"
"Rusbel!"
Holding Rusbel aloft with both hands, Sirius wept freely. Watching the bandage around the eyes grow damp, Subaru felt something hot welling up behind his own eyes.
Someone poked him in the shoulder. Latch was laughing at Subaru's near-tears expression. But Subaru didn't miss the tears glistening in Latch's own eyes.
Looking around, the crowd was linking arms and shoulders one after another, sharing in each other's emotions. It reminded Subaru of watching the
Right now, that spirit of unity was spreading. There was a genuine connection there.
"It's because we don't know each other well that gaps form. It's because we can't share each other's feelings that conflict arises. It's because we give up on each other as different beings that bonds are never tied. That's sad. Nothing but tragedy. Are you sad now? Is everyone sad right now?"
"Not a chance! None of us are sad!"
"Thank you! Then—are you enjoying yourselves? Are you happy?"
"Of course! It's been ages since I felt this good! Thank you, Sirius! You did great, Rusbel!"
A whirlpool of applause spread outward, forming a circle of gratitude around the hoisted Rusbel. Right now, all the hearts in this place were one—and what they held was gratitude for the two people standing atop the Time Tower.
Wriggling, weeping, his lips splitting at the corners—and still, Rusbel bit down on the chain that gaged him like a muzzle, breaking teeth as he screamed.
"Guh! Gurhh! Ahhhh! St—stop it! Stop! It hurts—s-stop—!"
"I salute your courage, your love, Rusbel! Look down! Everyone—all these people—are affirming what you've done! Oh, thank you! I'm sorry, Rusbel. I know this may not have been what you wanted, but this is what I needed to confirm. Oh, oh—the world truly is kind!"
Sirius pulled Rusbel back into its arms and hugged the boy.
Cheers rose at the beautiful sight. Subaru stuck a finger in his mouth and whistled. As the crowd roared their approval, Rusbel let his head drop in disbelief.
He was a man who had fought with everything he had. Even if he'd finally lost the strength to cry, nobody would laugh at him for it.
"As I thought. 'Love' exists. It does exist. Everyone's hearts became one—and what united them was joy. There's no room for tragedy. I'm sick of a world where someone has to cry. Nobody wants that. Even when hearts become one, that unity should be through sharing happiness and delight. Tragedy! And 'Wrath'! There's no need for them!"
"That's right—who needs tragedy?!"
"Yes—Wrath, that wretched emotion that shakes the soul! If wrath, as an intense passion, is a root sin that takes hold of the human heart—if it is an inescapable karmic burden—then we should fill our hearts with joy instead! Just as everyone's hearts are united right now!"
Sirius raised its voice high, once again lifting Rusbel into the air.
But this time, the motion didn't stop there. Still basking in the crowd's awestruck gazes, Sirius hurled the raised Rusbel straight up into the sky.
"Applause—like thunder!"
"————!"
The sight of Rusbel being thrown—Sirius's ultimate stage performance.
The boy soared high, diving toward the sun, and Subaru was the first to clap. Then everyone joined in at once.
Thunderous applause blessed Rusbel as he flew through the air.
His small body spun round and round, but once it reached the apex of the arc, it plunged straight down. Headfirst, toward the ground—Rusbel was falling.
The crowd hurriedly scattered to clear a landing zone.
It was the triumphant return of a hero.
The unending applause hailed the plummeting boy.
"Mnnnghh—!!"
Lifting his head, staring straight at the ground, Rusbel screamed.
With his body already pushed to its limits, he twisted desperately, refusing to give up even now—struggling to avoid the hard stone ground rushing up before him.
Everyone who saw that display of human strength shed tears.
And then— "—Oh, what a kind world!"
At the instant before impact, Sirius screamed.
Hearing that voice, the crowd—unified as a single being—raised their applause even higher—and— ———— The sound of an egg hitting the floor—a hard, brittle thing being crushed—rang out, and Subaru's vision went red.
Headfirst, Rusbel's entire body shattered against the hard ground, transformed into a red mass of meat. Flesh fragments scattered across the square. The hero had burst apart.
—And the moment Subaru witnessed it, "Pff…"
The sound of a breaking egg echoed through the unending applause.
The square had become a pool of crimson blood.
That was the end.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "Before we enjoy our post-performance chat, wouldn't you like me to arrange some refreshments for Master Natsuki? If I prepared something sweet like candy, wouldn't both our hearts soar and the distance between us shrink in an instant? Wouldn't you say so? Wouldn't you?"
Blink, and a brown-skinned girl was standing right in front of him.
A girl who winked clumsily and struck a seductive pose with her tongue sticking out.
Wavering his gaze slightly, Subaru found a silver-haired girl smiling beside her, a haughty-faced red-haired woman standing before him, and a young girl holding hands with them—and then— "Hey—h-hey, what's wrong? Are you ignoring me? Are you ignoring me?! D-Don't do that, that's so mean! Ah, ah, don't, don't…Ugh, after listening to my song, don't sigh…Don't look so disappointed, please forgive me—"
As Subaru stood mute, the girl before him—Liliana—began to tremble, her face twisted as though she'd unearthed some unwanted memory.
Watching this unfold, Subaru opened his mouth and said: "…Disgusting."
"What!? M-My, what a thing to say! Looking a girl right in the eye, this close up, face-to-face, and the word that comes out is 'disgusting'?! This Liliana—taking your mother's place to help you, and the embarrassment is absolutely—truly—it can't be helped, it just can't—"
Sniffling theatrically, Liliana turned around on the spot, though she kept glancing back at Subaru from the corner of her eye. But he had no patience left to deal with her annoying behavior.
Subaru wobbled where he stood and collapsed to his knees.
"Subaru? What's wrong?"
"Oh my, what's the matter? Subaru—Subaru?"
Beatrice, holding his hand, and
More than the 'death' loop that had returned after a full year, it was the events immediately preceding that 'death' he couldn't accept. The nausea surging through him made his knees tremble.
And so, the spiral of 'death' began once more.
The loop for surviving the worst day in the city of Priestella.
—It begins again.