"Oh, Subaru. Glad we didn't miss each other. I'm back."
"Reinhard, huh? Pretty fast—I just sent you off."
When Subaru and the others returned to the evacuation shelter after retrieving Julius, they ran into Reinhard, who appeared to have just arrived back himself.
Subaru was surprised by the speed but replied, and Reinhard raised a hand casually as he approached. Then, momentarily, his brow furrowed. Noticing the pallor on Subaru's face and the vaguely anxious demeanor of the other four, he looked troubled.
"What's wrong, Subaru? ...Is there some kind of problem?"
"It's definitely a problem... but choosing the right words is tricky. There's something I'd like you to confirm as well."
"If there's anything I can help with, just say the word. What is it?"
Reinhard's response was earnest, as always.
Because of that, Subaru had wanted to lean on his special abilities the same way he had in the battle against the "
However, that wishful thinking of depending on someone else was— "—Does the person standing next to me ring any bells?"
"...That doesn't mean
Reinhard looked down at the girl in the dress standing beside Subaru and said so. Subaru didn't respond to Reinhard's words. He simply stared at the Sword Saint, silently hoping for the answer he wished to hear.
Sensing the intensity of that gaze, Reinhard turned to look at the other person standing beside Subaru, his eyes narrowing slightly as if in thought. But— "—I'm sorry. They're someone I don't recognize. Judging from their appearance and bearing, I'd guess they were one of the key contributors to this battle, but—"
"————"
At Reinhard's answer, Julius's cheek stiffened.
Two people who should have been colleagues in the Royal Guard—and close friends at that—even that bond of friendship had been severed by having their "name" eaten.
As Julius's eyes clouded with gloom at this fact, Subaru too tasted disappointment.
The apex among swordsmen, strong enough to even sever ties with the
Even
Or so Subaru had harbored the groundless hope that perhaps Reinhard might be the exception.
That hope was mercilessly shattered, and all Subaru confirmed was his own foolishness.
"I'm sorry. I don't know why, but it seems I couldn't live up to your expectations."
"...No, I'm the one who should apologize. From your perspective, it must have seemed like an unreasonable line of questioning. We're the ones taking advantage of your goodwill."
The one who took up the response to Reinhard's apology was Julius himself.
Suppressing the shock of being treated as a stranger by his friend, he cloaked his words in composure and surveyed the evacuation shelter. Then— "It looks like most of the key figures have gathered. I think it's about time we began discussing what comes next."
"...Understood. That means you'll be addressing your own situation at the same time, then."
Reinhard nodded, picking up on Julius's intent.
Sure enough, the evacuation shelter was gradually filling with the contributors from the earlier defensive battle—people involved in the royal selection and the city's leaders.
And just then, a girl in a kimono returned from outside the shelter.
"Hm? Looks like everyone's already gathered before I even had to call them. Convenient."
Anastasia smiled as she pulled Echidna, who was wearing a neck warmer, along with her. She surveyed the interior of the shelter—naturally, the figure of Julius standing beside Subaru should have been in her line of sight, but she made no mention of it.
"It looks like
Clapping her hands, Anastasia made the proposal.
Without so much as glancing toward the First Knight who should have been visible at the edge of her vision, she did so matter-of-factly.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Having lost the city hall, the assembly hall near the evacuation shelter was designated as the substitute meeting venue.
This assembly hall had also been one of the evacuation shelters, but it hadn't been used during this incident due to its poor preparedness against
"Incidentally, people from other shelters have already been gradually returning home. We'd really like to go back to the inn too... but the cleanup doesn't seem to be finished yet."
Whether she meant cleanup at the inn, or cleanup for those involved in this incident, Anastasia's statement probably encompassed both meanings as she took the lead among the assembled group.
"For now, good work to everyone here and everywhere. Fortunately, against the Witch Cult's massive offensive, the damage has been absolutely minimal—I can say that on behalf of those present and those who aren't. It was an unparalleled victory."
"————"
"Don't make such scary faces. I understand that perfectly well. And I also know that calling the damage 'minimal' won't sit right with a group like this."
At Anastasia's words, which could almost be taken as carefree, the silent attendees' gazes sharpened. Anastasia shrugged and looked around.
Gathered in the assembly hall were not only the original members who had rushed out for the city's defense, but also other cooperators—the stakeholders in the truest sense.
From Emilia's camp: Emilia, Subaru, and Beatrice. Garfiel and Otto were both absent due to the severity of their injuries.
Felt's camp consisted of just Felt and Reinhard, along with Cambarry, whose face had gone pale from how out of place he felt. Rachins and
Crusch's camp: the crucial Crusch was still confined to bed, with Felix and Wilhelm participating primarily on her behalf.
Priscilla's camp: Al, and Priscilla herself, wearing her usual bored expression. At her side stood the uninjured attendant Schult, while Heinkel, though his survival had been confirmed, was not present.
And Anastasia's camp: Anastasia herself, standing at the center as if moderating. There was Tivey, and Ricard was also in attendance, his body wrapped in bandages. And at a seat removed from them, positioned near Emilia's side, sat Julius.
Finally, in the stakeholder seats, Kiritsuka and Liliana sat alongside a representative of the "Scale of the White Dragon."
Nearly twenty stakeholders in total had gathered in one place for a post-battle debriefing.
The one to break the ice—through a combination of Anastasia's opening remarks and counterarguments—was Felix, who had been fidgeting restlessly.
He raised his hand, his yellow eyes wavering with impatience.
"Post-battle discussions are important... I know that. I know, but I want to talk about what to do with the Sin Archbishop. We managed to capture a top brass member of the Witch Cult alive, didn't we? There must be tons of things we need to extract. I want to push that forward."
"...Well, I suppose that's what your camp would prioritize. By the way, what's Crusch's current condition? Has there been any change?"
"...I can only call it a stable state. We couldn't get anything out of the 'Lust' Archbishop, so right now we're recovering her physical strength with my healing magic and relying on her own willpower. Her condition had improved slightly thanks to Subaru's help, but..."
Felix shot Subaru a resentful look, and Subaru stared at his own palm. Part of it had turned black, discolored like an ugly bruise or burn.
A similar change had occurred on Subaru's right thigh, hidden beneath his pants. For Subaru there was no pain or discomfort, but for Crusch it was different. Removing it—which was certainly sapping her physical strength—was the top priority for saving her life.
To add, bearing these black marks on one's skin was especially cruel for a woman. When it was someone as beautiful as Crusch who was afflicted, the grotesqueness stood out all the more.
"Frankly, I'm not in favor of keeping that Sin Archbishop alive. She's bound to cause nothing but discord. If possible, we'd be far better off getting rid of her quickly."
"But then we'll lose all our leads!"
While Subaru agonized over the black marks, the debate between Anastasia and Felix intensified.
Anastasia proposed execution for the captured Sin Archbishop—Sirius. Felix firmly shook his head. From his position, this was only natural.
But no matter how Felix pressed, Anastasia maintained her position.
"I feel sorry about Crusch's situation. But that and this are separate matters. Besides, I just can't see the Witch Cult as having coordinated. I don't believe 'Wrath' knows anything about 'Lust's' actions... no, that's not it. I simply can't see them as having worked together."
"Then why did something like today happen!? Sin Archbishops attacked the city in force—there's no way they weren't coordinating!"
"Of course, I'm not saying their actions coincidentally overlapped. But their objectives and timing were all over the place—calling that 'coordination' is laughable. ...There's no sense of cooperation within the Witch Cult. That's why I believe we won't get anything useful about 'Lust's' actions from 'Wrath.'"
"That's nothing but conjecture!"
Felix raised his voice, dismissing Anastasia's argument entirely. Anastasia seemed to acknowledge that her proposal was hard to accept, and she didn't push back against the emotional rejection.
At that point, Subaru slowly raised his hand.
"Mind if I weigh in? This is just my opinion, but it leans more toward Felix's side. I don't think questioning 'Wrath' would be pointless."
"...What makes you say that?"
"It's not exactly something I'm proud of, but I managed to have a brief conversation with 'Wrath' earlier, and I got a little information about 'Gluttony' out of it. Setting aside the length or depth of our relationship or how close we are, I think it's premature to say nothing useful can be obtained."
In truth, "Wrath" had offered Subaru a piece of advice about "Gluttony."
Thanks to that, Subaru had learned of the possibility that multiple "Gluttony" entities existed, and he'd been able to keep an eye on Julius as he tried to leave the shelter. He couldn't ignore that. That said, Subaru's true feelings partly aligned with Anastasia's.
"But setting aside whether or not she can be used as an information source, I also have a bad feeling about keeping her captured alive. ...All the Sin Archbishops are like that, honestly."
Currently, Sirius was being guarded by the "Scale of the White Dragon" on their behalf, so the meeting could take place.
She was bound tight with chains, and a gag had been forced into her mouth to seal her words. Since prolonged exposure could allow her to manipulate minds, guards had been instructed to rotate. Nothing should happen during this meeting, but the anxiety never ended.
"That's the kind of anxiety we have to live with as long as she's alive and in our custody. I can't make a blanket judgment on what that means."
"Whose side are you even on...!?"
Felix directed a gaze laced with hatred at Subaru's fence-sitting conclusion. Subaru grimaced under the heat of that stare.
"I'm not on anyone's side. Honestly, I think both of them are right. ...In the worst case, if the black marks on Crusch's body can be dealt with by grafting the unaffected parts of my skin onto her, I'm fine with that."
"Ha—"
"Subaru."
This rather extreme solution regarding Crusch's black marks was Subaru's own idea. Hearing this, Felix stared blankly, and Emilia shot him a reproachful look.
The other attendees also directed complex gazes at Subaru, tinged more with exasperation than anything.
"I've been listening too, but that really is a last resort, isn't it? Right now, we don't know what could happen even if nothing's wrong, so to talk about something like that so casually..."
"It's not like I'm eager to have that unhealthy-looking ink pumped into my body. But with Crusch, there was actually some improvement in her symptoms when I did it."
"————"
"What I'm saying is, don't rush to conclusions. I understand the urgency, but if it's somewhere like the back or the butt where the marks won't be visible, I won't be stingy about lending a hand. That's the kind of situation we're talking about."
Having a solution available but ignoring it for the sake of self-preservation felt wrong.
The person in question was a benefactor he held in high regard, and moreover, it wasn't a method that would cost his or anyone else's life. If it was just about discoloring some invisible skin, he'd gladly help.
"Felix, sit down. For now, Sir Subaru is in the right."
"...I know. That's why I can't say anything."
Wilhelm pulled on the sleeve of the speechless Felix to calm him down. Felix looked down, seemingly wanting to say something to Subaru, but ultimately sat down in silence without uttering a word.
At the sight, Subaru let out a breath, and the tension in the assembly hall eased somewhat. That said, the earlier situation remained unresolved— "In any case, we've established that the Sin Archbishop's handling has reached an impasse. Our unease about keeping her alive is still just intuition—mine and Natsuki-kun's. ...To be honest, it would have been much simpler if she'd just died rather than being captured."
"What, the three-mon show's over? No matter how much you stare at me, I have no reward to offer for such a worthless performance. Cease those beggar's eyes at once."
With a yawn, Priscilla responded to Anastasia's pointed gaze.
This nonsensical answer was proof that Priscilla hadn't been paying attention to the conversation up to this point. That she was even attending the meeting at all—who knew what whim had driven that.
"I'm not talking about something that petty. You're the last person I'd expect to be in favor of keeping a Witch Cult member alive, so why did you capture her? What kind of wind blew you that way?"
"Whether she lives or dies is none of my concern. When I delivered the final flash, my Yang Blade wavered and lost its edge. That is why she survived. The one who pulled her from the waterways was some fool among the masses who was dredging the water in search of the songstress. It has nothing to do with me."
"You don't have a complaint about trying to kill her and failing?"
"On the contrary. I struck with a blade meant to kill. If she still lives after that, I have no intention of striking a second time. She will not die by my hand, and that is convenient for me."
"Haah, I don't get it, but... fine."
Anastasia wore an expression of having given up trying to understand Priscilla's characteristically cryptic reasoning. Subaru couldn't quite grasp her intentions either, and surely no one else could.
Even Al and Schult, at her side, probably didn't understand.
"At the very least, I oppose the execution of 'Wrath' here and now. Of course I want to honor Felis's wishes, but this is also an unparalleled opportunity for the Kingdom. We should keep her under strict guard and make every effort to extract what she knows."
"...I think we should just kill the bastard. The Sin Archbishops—just thinking about them makes my skin crawl. There's no way they'll say anything useful. Before she causes more trouble and tears everything apart, we'd be better off killing her now to avoid problems later."
"Felt-sama..."
"Just so you know, I'm not saying this to spite you specifically this time."
And elsewhere, a divide emerged between master and servant.
Reinhard advocated for keeping "Wrath" alive, while Felt flatly rejected the idea. That said, Felt's opinion wasn't exactly backed by solid reasoning.
Felt herself didn't seem to think her opinion would carry the day. In the end, it appeared the matter of "Wrath's" custody would be left to the Kingdom.
"I'll take on the task of escorting 'Wrath' to the
"You're certainly the right person for the job. But will Felt come along to the capital too? Or will you two part ways for now..."
"If Reinhard goes, I go too. —Because, well, I've got no choice this time."
At Felt's words, Reinhard himself looked surprised. Felt glanced up at his profile, then twisted her cute face into a fierce scowl.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I still hate you just as much. I hate you, but there are times when you can't do what you want, you know?"
"Times when you can't do what you want?"
"I dunno. Ask your own heart. My heart's not soft enough to give you an answer."
Felt puffed out her underdeveloped chest for her age and stuck out her tongue at Reinhard. Her liege's expression softened, and Reinhard quietly nodded.
What feelings lay between that master and servant—only the two of them could know. Either way, Felt's camp seemed to have changed from a year ago.
"Um, uh, in that case, what about me..."
"Cambarry, keep an eye on Rachins and Gaston. Once those two can move, they can head back to the mansion ahead of you. Just send word to Old
"Y-Yes, sir. Understood."
Cambarry, looking uncomfortable, appeared relieved to receive his instructions.
Thanks to Reinhard's volunteering, the concern about escorting "Wrath" could be considered settled. What could be extracted from Sirius afterward fell within the purview of the Kingdom's specialists.
"Shall we move on to the next agenda item, everyone?"
Once the matter of "Wrath's" handling had been settled, it was Kiritsuka who raised his hand. He smoothed his slightly disheveled hair while looking over everyone's faces. Then— "First and foremost, for the battle to protect this city... on behalf of the residents, I express my gratitude. If not for you, Priestella would have fallen into the Witch Cult's clutches. For that, I offer my deepest thanks."
Kiritsuka bowed deeply, bearing the city's collective sentiment. Liliana, who had been beside him, followed suit in a flustered manner, bowing repeatedly alongside Kiritsuka.
Kiritsuka aside, this was unusually earnest behavior for Liliana. Perhaps the battle against "Wrath," or something that followed, had brought about some shift in her awareness.
Regardless, "We happened to be in the city and got caught up in it. Standing by and watching wasn't really an option, so there's no need to thank us so profusely, right?"
"Besides, from the Witch Cult's perspective, occupying the city might have just been a bonus. As for who saved whom... it's not clear which side did the saving."
Subaru and Emilia argued that it was hard to accept praise when the Witch Cult's real targets had been brought in from outside.
"Wait a minute. You can't just casually accept credit on behalf of everyone. It's true that without us, those Witch Cult bastards couldn't have been beaten, right? We need to discuss that properly."
"As much as it galls me, I agree with that beggar girl. Don't lump us into your commoner's hand-wringing. Don't get above yourselves, half-elf and commoner."
But the two sharp-tongued women expressed harsh opinions in opposition.
Felt and Priscilla exchanged glances after making their statements, then immediately looked away with disgusted expressions. They were never on good terms to begin with, and it was a common enough reaction given that only people from Priscilla's own camp had any kind of close relationship with her.
Just then— "Please settle down. I'm grateful for Emilia-sama's sentiments, but as Felt-sama and Priscilla said, the city's defense was everyone's achievement. As the city's representative, I hereby solemnly make that promise. —With that in mind, I would like to request your continued assistance for a while longer."
"When you say assistance... you mean the next agenda item?"
"Yes. It concerns the residents whose forms have been twisted by an evil power."
"————"
At Kiritsuka's somber voice, the room fell silent.
What the young man's words pointed to—everyone present understood it. Those city hall employees who had fallen victim to "Lust's" hand, their bodies transformed into something no longer human.
One had been turned into a black dragon, while the remaining dozen or so had been turned into giant flies.
Through the effects of "Lust's" authority—transformation and metamorphosis—they remained in this state, unable to do anything about it. They were currently gathered in one location and their existence was supposed to be kept secret, but— "The perpetrator, 'Lust,' got away. ...No, before that, even if we had captured 'Lust' herself, it's doubtful whether she'd have any intention of returning them to normal."
"That's for sure... but we can't just leave them, can we? Is there any kind of solution? Didn't you say even Felix couldn't do anything?"
The people who couldn't return to their original forms—their transformation was fundamentally different from injuries or illness.
Felix shook his head at Subaru's gaze, biting his lip.
"Even I can't fix that. No—it's not about whether it can be fixed or not. That wasn't an injury or disease; they were simply remade into creatures of that form. Healing magic can only help restore someone from wounds or illness to a healthy state. So that transformation is beyond what healing magic can address."
"Honestly, I can't even determine whether those turned into flies still possess consciousness. I can't distinguish them from one another, and flies the size of humans can't even fly. They haven't fully learned how to move their wings—it's an incomplete state. But if they do have consciousness..."
"Once they fully grasp the situation, they'd lose their minds, wouldn't they..."
Having your body become something that's no longer your own.
That was a terrifying transformation just to think about, but if the form they'd taken was something repulsive—something not human—it was all the worse. Stripped of any means to express their will and unable to control their bodies, what they'd think about in the end was easy to imagine.
It was simply— "Those wretched creatures turned into vermin surely wish for death. If there's no prospect of restoring them, wouldn't granting that be an act of mercy?"
"Princess, that's—"
"Silence, Al. Empty words of hope are meaningless. I harbor no mercy for offering ease to lazy pigs, but I do possess enough kindness to end the suffering of those who despise being tossed about by an unreasonable fate. That is what this comes down to."
Al, who had inadvertently offered a protest, was cut down by Priscilla's fierce opinion. But the reason Al didn't offer further rebuttal was that, fundamentally, Priscilla's view also held truth.
Of course, she didn't actually believe they should be killed. But for those who had been turned into flies with no known way to return, wanting to die was entirely natural.
"Negotiation with the perpetrator, 'Lust,' is impossible. Healing magic can't cure them. What do we do?"
"That—'what do we do'—is what I wished to ask everyone about. Even uncertain possibilities are fine. Does anyone have any idea about a method of treatment?"
Kiritsuka's pleading question was steeped in both hope and resignation. No—the weight of resignation was somewhat heavier. Naturally. If there were any desperate possibilities to cling to, someone would have proposed them long ago.
In other words, the fact that no one had mentioned any breakthrough up to this point meant— "...I understand. I'm sorry to impose on everyone. The matter of their treatment is the city's problem, and beyond that, we will take responsibility."
"Take responsibility—how?"
"Whether it's possible remains to be seen, but... I believe we should confirm the wishes of those involved and make individual judgments. No matter what the final opinion may be, I intend to see this through to the end."
That sounded less like "until they're restored" and more like "until the very end of their lives." Kiritsuka's conclusion was, in a sense, inevitable.
But while inevitable, it was premature.
"Wait. —Um, could you leave this to me?"
"Emilia-sama?"
Seeing the discussion heading toward its conclusion, Emilia hurriedly raised her hand. Unaware of the gazes of hope and anxiety that converged on her, Emilia looked straight at Kiritsuka.
"Right now, a way to return those people to normal immediately... I'm sorry, I don't have one. But I want to stop us from jumping to conclusions. I need time."
"I understand Emilia-sama's feelings. But do they have that time? Maintaining mental equilibrium in a transformed body is extremely questionable..."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I want to make the time to protect their hearts. —It might be a rough method, but I'm sure I can do it. A way to let them sleep."
"Could it be... cold sleep?"
Sensing Emilia's true intention, Subaru snapped his fingers and spoke up.
Noticing the unfamiliar term drawing confused looks from around the room, Subaru nodded toward Emilia.
"Same method as the church brides, right? Using Emilia-tan's magic to put the transformed people into suspended animation. It might only delay things, but it buys us plenty of time to push back the deadline. We can find some solution during that time."
"Freezing them... keeping them asleep? Is that really possible? Wouldn't it just kill them through freezing?"
"It's fine. It was a short time, but I did it to the brides, so I've got the hang of putting it at the right level. And besides, I slept for about a hundred years myself."
"You put yourself to sleep...!?"
An unnecessary murmur rippled through the assembly hall, but Subaru clenched his fist at Emilia's words.
It was rare for Emilia to propose using her magic proactively, and especially in this way. And it was a brilliant play that even Subaru hadn't thought of.
It wasn't a fundamental solution to the problem, but in terms of finding a method beyond "Lust," any time they could buy was welcome. At the very least, simply not being under a time limit would open up far more possibilities.
Worst case—yes, in the worst case, there was a possibility.
That Subaru could defeat "Lust" with his own hands and seize the
It was still a mere fantasy—he had only just absorbed the "Greed" Witch Factor, and reproducing the abilities of a Sin Archbishop was beyond妄想 territory.
"...If that were truly possible, I would be deeply grateful."
"Let me do it. I promise I won't let anything bad happen."
Emilia repeated her earnest request to Kiritsuka, who was wavering and at a loss. Kiritsuka was tormented by her earnest demeanor, but it was Liliana, at his side, who tugged at the hem of his suit.
The brown-haired girl looked up at Kiritsuka, her small nose flaring.
"What are you agonizing over, Kiritsuka-san? Surely it's fine to let her try! When Emilia-sama says something like that, she obviously has a strategy for success!"
"Naturally, I want to believe that more than anything, Liliana. But this involves many lives. We can't reach a conclusion so easily—"
"Worry not! Emilia-sama will never fail! After all, the great figures of history all overcome such trials with ease! No matter how high or thick the wall that stands in their way, they surmount it—that is the essence of a hero's tale! Tales of blood-boiling, heart-pounding excitement that captivate all creation are forged in just this way!"
The light, lilting tones of a lute rang through the assembly hall, out of place in the solemn setting.
Liliana's idealism was backed by zero evidence, but for some reason it carried a strange persuasiveness. Of course, that alone wasn't enough to push through such an easy conclusion, but— "At the very least, let's ask their families. If the city hall employees are the victims, their families must be in the same city, right? Whether we leave the possibility open or not—we should ask them first."
"...There can't possibly be a person who would abandon their own family with a question like that."
"Then it comes down to whether we leave this to Emilia. And whether to trust Emilia... well, that's something I'd like to ask the city's collective will about."
Kiritsuka's gaze turned hesitantly toward Emilia. If Emilia had faltered under that look, the debate might have dragged on even longer.
But Emilia met that pleading gaze without flinching, and nodded back.
"Leave it to me. —I will definitely make it work."
Not exactly confidence or certainty—but a feeling close to those, showing that Emilia intended to approach this matter with strong awareness and resolve.
"————"
At Emilia's resolute declaration and gaze, Kiritsuka was rendered speechless.
Moreover, the gazes that the surrounding stakeholders directed toward Emilia now rippled with a different emotional current than before, each showing a different reaction.
Eventually, Kiritsuka exhaled deeply.
"...I understand. Rather than reaching a hasty conclusion, we should make the effort to make that hope a reality. After all, the battle to protect Priestella itself was initially seen as nothing short of reckless."
"Yeah. Thank you so, so much."
"It should be me who thanks you..."
Kiritsuka gave a wry smile, as if to say he was in no position to do so. After the meeting—once they'd confirmed with the victims' families—Emilia's cold sleep magic would apparently be put into practice.
At Emilia's approaching nod, Subaru gave her a thumbs-up in return.
And just as the second debate concluded, the final agenda item was brought up.
It was— "Then, for the final agenda item... we've been receiving successive reports of unconscious people of unknown identity being found throughout the city. I'd like us to discuss this matter."
For the knight who had been keeping silent all this time, this was perhaps the agenda item he could least afford to miss.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "The current reported number of 'Nameless' individuals is thirty-six. Among them are six who we believe were members of our organization, the 'Scale of the White Dragon.' Furthermore, the number of Nameless may continue to increase."
The one who delivered the report preceding the discussion was a man who identified himself as Dynas, the representative of the "Scale of the White Dragon." With a look of deep regret, he touched the dragon emblem embroidered on his white robes.
It was likely the emblem signifying the "Scale of the White Dragon." His vague testimony—"who we believe were members"—was undoubtedly connected to that emblem.
"So these 'Nameless' are what you call the people hit by that Sin Archbishop, right? Those folks who suddenly appeared out of nowhere like they'd just spawned?"
"That would be a reasonable assumption based on the circumstances. Their uniforms all had matching embroidery. ...It's frustrating that we can't determine their identities at all."
"And thirty-odd more people in the same boat... that's going to be a headache. If you can't even tell whether they existed or not, how are you supposed to judge anything?"
The victims of "Gluttony"—the people whose "names" had been eaten—were in some ways harder to deal with than the victims of "Lust." After all, the victims' identities had been completely erased from the memories of anyone involved. And with the victims themselves lacking consciousness as well, there were virtually no clues to uncovering who they were.
Being a member of the "Scale of the White Dragon" meant at least knowing which group they belonged to, but beyond that, no one knew anything. That was the extent of their usefulness in looking after these people.
"All the Nameless you found don't have any consciousness, right? What does your healer... no, healer-guy—what does he say about their condition?"
"...Same as with 'Lust.' I don't know the reason for their lack of consciousness. The diagnosis is that they're simply asleep. But that's not certain either. People who are merely sleeping should be weakening, but since there's
Felix spoke, looking toward Subaru.
A year ago, Rem—who had suffered the same fate from "Gluttony"—had received the same diagnosis from Felix as the other Nameless people. The diagnosis was identical. And to this day, Rem had never woken up, but neither had her condition deteriorated.
It was as if, despite appearing to sleep, her body wasn't calling out for the functions needed to sustain life. Her hair wasn't growing, and she had no need for excretion. It was a mysterious state.
"Whether we know their identities or not, looking after them is simple. They'll be far more bedridden than regular bedridden patients, so we just need to keep them in bed. ...Ideally, someone who knows them would be by their side."
"That's the problem, isn't it? That's what makes this so difficult."
Subaru's words to Rem were, in a sense, half-knowingly meaningless. The only thing that would truly help Rem was defeating "Gluttony."
Even knowing that, making these small gestures of resistance was Subaru's own self-indulgence.
Ricard, speaking loudly, obliviously denied this sentiment.
"Stop looking so pathetic, brother. Sure, you messed up, but you kept your life. Considering what happened this time, this is way less damage, right?"
Noticing Subaru's gaze, Ricard raised his severed right arm and bared his teeth with a grin. In the fierce battle at the control tower, Ricard had lost his right arm to a strike from "Gluttony."
Julius had told Subaru about this. That Ricard had lost his arm shielding Julius, and that Ricard himself had no memory of it.
As if to prove this, Ricard shifted his gaze past Subaru.
"Still, that pretty boy over there was an acquaintance of yours, huh? Sounds like you got to meet the person you were looking for. That's good. Back there, you really saved me, seriously."
"————"
Calling Julius a "pretty boy," Ricard addressed the unfamiliar man with casual ease. Given the flow of conversation, Julius had apparently deflected Ricard's inquiries with the same words he'd first used to throw Subaru off the trail.
Since it was Julius who had carried the injured Ricard back to the shelter, his earlier thanks must have been directed at that part of it.
However, leaving this misunderstanding as it was would be painfully awkward.
And the conversation had moved to the topic of "Gluttony." It was time.
"I have something I want to tell everyone. It's an important matter, and it's also connected to the treatment of the Nameless."
Standing up, Subaru drew the assembly's attention to himself.
Right now, Subaru was the person with the most information regarding the Nameless. Naturally, everyone's gazes harbored expectations for him to turn the situation around, but Subaru shook his head.
"I hate to disappoint, but honestly, this isn't the kind of news that immediately leads to hope. But I have to talk about it."
"My, with such an ominous preamble, I'm getting nervous. What are you going to say?"
Anastasia spoke in a teasing, lilting tone, perhaps trying to ease the tension in the room. But she was the one who should brace herself the most.
Perhaps that fact could turn her current mindset entirely on its head.
Subaru took a small breath and looked over everyone's faces. Finally, he turned to look at Julius, who tensed his cheeks slightly but gave a nod.
Having confirmed this, Subaru gestured toward Julius beside him and posed the question.
"Does anyone here know this man's name?"
"————"
At Subaru's question, silence dominated the assembly hall.
The silence, however, did not stem from incomprehension. Everyone had grasped the intent of Subaru's question and was contemplating Julius's position.
And the fact that no one said anything despite understanding—that meant no one present had any memory of Julius's identity.
"Al! What about you? Does his face look familiar to you?"
"Huh? What's the deal, bro? Why are you suddenly calling on me?"
Al's voice rose with genuine surprise at the sudden summons. His reaction alone was sufficient proof of whether or not Julius existed in his memory, but even so, it had to be confirmed.
Subaru placed his hands on the round table and leaned toward Al.
"You really don't know why? It's the thing I have in common with you. Does that not help you remember him? Come on. Answer me."
"...Ah, so that's what you're after. Sorry, bro. I get what you're getting at, but I don't think I can help. That brother just doesn't have a place in my head."
"Are you absolutely sure? Maybe if you tried a little harder..."
"That's enough. —It's sufficient, Subaru."
Al had grasped the intent behind the questioning grounded in "otherworld summoning," but he didn't nod. Still unwilling to give up, Subaru was stopped by Julius himself.
Julius gave a lonely, faint smile, patted Subaru's shoulder, and bowed to Al.
"I imposed an unfair expectation on you. I apologize for my presumption."
"There's no reason to apologize to me. We don't even know if we had that kind of relationship... But you've got no need to apologize to me."
Waving his remaining arm, Al turned his face away from Julius.
There was no dishonesty in that reaction. That Al didn't remember Julius was almost certainly an established fact. If that was the case, one half of Subaru's hypothesis was incorrect.
The influence of "Gluttony's" authority was unrelated to one's origin in this world.
That being the case, the most probable explanation was the Witch Factor within Subaru's body, limited specifically to Beatrice's "Door Crossing" and its isolation from the outside world.
"If I may infer from the conversation, Sir Subaru—this young man was one of our associates... and moreover, someone in a rather significant position?"
Having watched the exchange between the three of them, Wilhelm voiced this deduction. The conclusion the old swordsman had reached was probably the same one the others had arrived at as well.
Subaru nodded to Wilhelm, then turned back to Julius.
"This is Julius.
"Is there a case like that? Forgotten by everyone around you, but you still remember yourself...? Then, is this person connected to one of us?"
Felix looked back and forth between Subaru and Julius's faces, his expression one of disbelief. At his trembling words, Reinhard nodded quietly.
The Sword Saint gazed at Julius with calm eyes.
"Before the meeting, I was asked the same question by Subaru and the others. He... Julius was likely someone I—and Felis—recognized. Perhaps 'recognized' doesn't even begin to describe it. Friends, perhaps."
"...At the very least, I considered all of you friends. If you held the same friendship toward me, then I can ask for no greater honor."
"Friends... so Julius is also a knight? One of the Royal Guards?"
Both Reinhard and Felix were bewildered at being called friends by a complete stranger. Julius corrected them with a wry, half-resigned expression.
Watching the interaction between those three, Subaru's insides burned with rage.
How distorted and nauseating this spectacle was.
Subaru didn't know the details of how the three of them had met, how they'd built their friendship, or what kind of companions they'd been to each other.
Yet they had been colleagues and friends, treating each other with the natural ease and warmth of people who knew one another well. That certain bond now showed not even a shadow of its former self.
When Rem's "name" had been eaten and everyone had forgotten her existence, Subaru had thought perhaps no greater sorrow existed in this world.
But what about Julius's current situation? The one-sided sense of loss—being the only person left behind by everything in the world—if that wasn't sorrow, then what was?
Sorrow shouldn't be compared. But even so, this was far, far too cruel.
"Just one of the Royal Guards, huh... doesn't quite sound right."
Just then, Anastasia's voice interrupted the painful first meeting between the friends.
Her soft features carried a thoughtful look as she touched her own chin and licked her lips. Then she pointed at Ricard, and then at Julius.
"It was Julius who carried the badly injured Ricard back here. After treating Ricard's wounds and chatting briefly, Julius immediately went off saying he was looking for someone... That reaction must have been because of this, right?"
"Anastasia-sama..."
The second first meeting between master and servant—a meeting that shouldn't have happened. Remembering the bitter memory of that moment, Julius called out his master's name with a pained expression.
However, Anastasia hadn't noticed the trembling loyalty contained in that single word. She pondered for a moment, then raised a finger.
"Julius's case is a pretty unusual type of Nameless. I don't know how many people in the city are in the same condition, but there's a chance that other Nameless who, like the unconscious ones, have had their names eaten could be identified. That's also a serious situation, isn't it?"
Turning her gaze away from Julius, Anastasia redirected the focus of the discussion to the broader picture. Julius's identity had been effectively tabled as one of the problems they couldn't address.
This was a rather unfair treatment for Julius, but the only person who could feel indignant about it in this room was Subaru.
"Considering all those issues... I have a proposal to make from my end, if that's all right."
"A proposal?"
Leaving Subaru's inner turmoil aside, the meeting's attention shifted back to Anastasia once more.
At the center of those gazes, Anastasia looked around the room, then finally turned to look at Julius and Subaru.
"The Witch Cult's victims... the ones harmed by 'Lust,' and the Nameless made by 'Gluttony'—neither problem can be solved by getting answers from the Sin Archbishops themselves. We agree on that, right?"
"In the sense that it's difficult to wring information from them, yes. However, being overly pessimistic can cloud one's judgment."
"I'm not thinking that badly about it either. I just want to say that getting the answer doesn't necessarily have to come from just one method."
"A different method to get the answer?"
Unable to grasp the meaning of Anastasia's words, Subaru parroted them back.
A way to break through besides extracting answers from the Sin Archbishops who were the perpetrators themselves—if such a method existed, it would probably be close to striking a deal with a Witch.
For an instant, the impossible thought surfaced in Subaru's mind—perhaps the "Witch of Greed" would know the answer.
"So, what exactly are you saying? Please, tell us clearly."
But rather than Subaru, who was shaking his head and dismissing his own train of thought, it was Emilia who directly pressed Anastasia for the truth. Anastasia tapped her own head with a finger and said— "If you can't get anything out of the nasty Sin Archbishops, you should ask someone else who seems like they'd know. —There is one, isn't there? In this country, there's someone who seems like they'd know."
"No way..."
Someone in the room let out a hoarse whisper, having grasped what Anastasia meant.
But unlike the others who had arrived at the same realization, Subaru had no idea what the statement referred to.
"Just spit it out. Stop beating around the bush."
At the same level of understanding as Subaru, Felt demanded irritably of Anastasia. Anastasia gave a wry smile, saying "Sorry, sorry," and then— "—The Sage
"Huh?"
"The
And with that, she revealed the true meaning of her proposal.