"—Hey, hello? Is anyone listening? Seriously, this is getting bad."
The tense atmosphere wavered under the weight of that absurd voice, but that didn't mean the tension eased.
The strained air between Abel and Priscilla continued unchecked, and Subaru, relegated to the corner of their vision, was likewise frozen in place.
"— — —"
Move carelessly, and he'd incur the displeasure of Priscilla, the ruler of this half-destroyed great hall.
Yet the atmosphere was such that even pointing out that Al was on the verge of plummeting to his death felt risky. To shift this situation, Abel or Priscilla needed to speak first— "—Move. NA."
But the one who moved the situation along was neither of them.
The unexpected voice came from the direction of the staircase connecting the great hall to the floor below. A glance that way revealed a newly arrived figure—bow drawn, arrow nocked, eyes fixed their way.
It was Taritta, her sharp gaze blazing with fierce hostility.
She had left the city hall on Abel and Mizelda's orders before the attack on Arakia, and now she had returned.
Naturally, upon seeing that the upper floors of the city hall had been blown away, Taritta would have realized an enemy attack had occurred. The problem was that she didn't understand the full context.
Seeing Priscilla looking down at Subaru and Abel with that tense air, it was only natural she'd suspect Priscilla was the one who'd attacked the city hall.
"Move. BA, or I'll put an arrow through that head of yours."
"Oh? Through my head, is it? What unfortunate timing—the one who couldn't even make it in time to aid an ally in dire straits?"
"—!"
At the unnecessary provocation, Taritta's cheeks stiffened, and Priscilla turned toward her with unhurried composure.
Her demeanor was so commanding that the threat of being shot if she moved had already been rendered moot. In fact, Priscilla looked as though she might simply walk right up to Taritta.
"That's enough."
Abel halted Priscilla's advance with that quiet command.
Accepting the words, Priscilla's crimson gaze returned to Abel. Meeting that gaze, Abel knelt on one knee and looked up at her.
"Taritta is more useful than you think. She won't be easy to deal with."
"If that's your assessment, am I supposed to turn a blind eye to insolence?"
"You won't turn a blind eye. But Priscilla… How many times have you drawn the 'Yang Sword'?"
Alongside his surprisingly generous evaluation of Taritta, Abel's question struck Priscilla.
Honestly, Subaru couldn't grasp the intent behind the question. The 'Yang Sword' she had wielded—that brilliantly radiant holy sword—its overwhelming power went without saying.
But now, having cut down Arakia, she had returned it to its empty scabbard. Of course, if the need arose she would draw it again, but— "Taritta, lower your arrow. She is not your enemy."
Without waiting for Priscilla's response, Abel continued, telling Taritta to sheathe her weapon. But even so, Taritta wouldn't accept it easily.
With her arrow still nocked, Taritta pressed on: "But…SIR…"
"That woman is clearly dangerous. SO…"
"I'm saying this with full knowledge of that. But what you need right now isn't us."
"—?"
With Taritta still on guard, Abel shifted his gaze sideways, guiding hers along with it. Following his gesture, Taritta caught a glimpse of Mizelda in her peripheral vision—and what she saw made her gasp.
"Sister…!"
There, where Abel's eyes had directed her, Taritta saw Mizelda receiving treatment from
Mizelda was seriously wounded—one side of her body burned by flames, her abdomen pierced by a branch—and though Rem was working desperately to treat her, the sight was still grim.
"Taritta, please—call out to her! Get her to respond…!"
"Sister! Sister…!!"
In an instant, the preceding atmosphere dissipated as Taritta rushed to Mizelda's side. Following Rem's instructions, she grasped her sister's hand and began calling "Sister" over and over.
With that, once again there was no one left to keep Priscilla in check.
"— — —"
Abel and Priscilla's standoff resumed. Or so it seemed.
"—Commoner. You. Go pull that one up. All this commotion is killing the mood."
"Huh…"
Priscilla jerked her chin toward the destroyed balcony.
The one she had pointed at was Subaru, and the task was apparently the rescue of Al, who had fallen. The killing气氛 from moments ago was nowhere to be seen—she was giving orders with complete nonchalance, and Subaru could only hold his breath.
Of course, he wasn't reckless enough to voice his objection honestly and risk souring Priscilla's mood. More importantly— "I'll keep an eye on him. I won't let him die. Don't waste your energy worrying."
By pointing at Abel and addressing Subaru's concern directly, Priscilla had given him an additional push.
He didn't trust her enough to believe her words at face value, but he could believe that she wouldn't go back on what she said.
"This staring contest won't get us anywhere. For now, do as she says."
"…Fine. It's not like I'm your subordinate."
Accepting Priscilla's words, Subaru hesitated—then Abel added that.
Somewhat annoyed at feeling like he was moving on Abel's orders, Subaru shot back a protest, but then immediately headed outside to rescue Al, who was dangling from a streetlamp.
"— — —"
His mind was a mess—Mizelda and the Shudrak people's safety, how to handle
He ground his back teeth and forced himself to set it aside for now, focusing on the task in front of him.
Just as Rem was fighting to save the life before her eyes— Subaru, too, would do whatever he could to bring the ideal of a "bloodless conquest" one step closer to reality.
△▼△▼△▼△ The rescue operation for Al, snagged on the city hall's streetlamp, turned out to be surprisingly difficult.
After all, Al had sacrificed one of his arms to another world. Trying to haul up a dangling man with only one arm to work with meant severely limited options.
"This is what you'd literally call being all hands full… No wait, would 'I could use a cat's help' be the better turn of phrase? Brother, which one do you think?"
"Shut it! If you've got any intention of being saved, don't kill my motivation!"
Trading barbs with the ill-timed quip, Subaru tore the curtain that Abel had been dangling from, fashioned it into a loop, and lowered it down to Al, who was suspended in midair.
He threaded the loop through Al's arm and body to secure him, completing the preparations for hauling him up. Then, pulling on the curtain to raise the swinging middle-aged man— "There we go, up, up. Phew—barely made it. Saved my hide."
There had been a few precarious moments, but they finally succeeded in pulling Al up.
Climbing over the edge, Al dramatically clutched his chest in relief and plopped down cross-legged on the battered great hall floor. Subaru, finishing his task, wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Then he turned to the one who had helped with the rescue—Medium.
"Thanks for the help, Medium. I'd have really struggled on my own."
"Don't mention it! Besides, I'm sorry I collapsed right when it mattered most~!"
Despite her ragged appearance, Medium grinned cheerfully as she apologized for the earlier exchange of blows.
She was bowing her apology for not being able to help during Arakia's attack. But that was misplaced. Neither Medium nor Flop had any reason to have been dragged into this fight in the first place.
"My brother and I—our training still has a long way to go! Reflection, reflection!"
"No way, Medium, you weren't in the wrong! You couldn't move because you were protecting Flop, Utakata, and… Louis."
Choosing his words carefully, Subaru praised Medium's efforts.
When Arakia's tornado had torn through the great hall, Medium had shielded Flop beside her and Utakata and Louis, whom she'd been carrying on both shoulders.
As a result, she'd taken a blow to the head and been left immobile. But thanks to her struggle, all three were unharmed—and Medium herself had escaped further harm.
"Mmm, it makes me happy that you say that, Natsumi! But still, it's not good enough! I'm my brother's bodyguard, so I've got to do my job properly!"
"Medium…"
"Next time! Next time I won't show such a pathetic side! Look forward to tomorrow's me and my brother, Natsumi!"
"—That's reassuring to hear. But you two don't have to…"
Subaru started to say they didn't need to stick around any longer.
But his half-hearted words were easily swept aside by her sudden "Ah!"—eyes going wide with that sun-like brightness.
"I'm gonna go help my brother over there! If he's as fragile as he looks, it must be really hard carrying injured people!"
"Ah, yeah."
"Okay, Natsumi, see you later! And mask guy—I'm glad you didn't fall!"
Waving her arms vigorously, Medium darted off in a flurry of restless energy.
She went straight to help Flop and the others treating the wounded, bustling about transporting and tending to injured Shudrak people and imperial soldiers alike.
She hadn't even fully received his words of gratitude, and Subaru's guilt toward the Okooko siblings only grew.
A debt of kindness received without return—would the day ever come when he could repay it fully?
"She was one heck of a big, cute gal, wasn't she? Sure enough, Brother's got plenty of energy even after crossing borders."
"I have zero idea what to do with that word 'energy,' and it's frankly making me shudder. I do agree that Medium is big and cute, though. More importantly…"
"Hm? What's on your mind, Brother?"
Cracking his neck, Al delivered his usual wisecracks, and Subaru glared daggers at him. It was all the frustration he couldn't direct at Priscilla, channeled into something like spite.
It made sense, after all. Up to now, Subaru's questions had been entirely set aside.
"Hey, no need for the scary face. All that effort you put into your makeup and hairstyle will be wasted."
"As it happens, the chaos earlier already ruined both. The real Natsumi Schwaltz is much cuter, so don't get the wrong idea."
"Natsumi Schwaltz, huh."
Upon hearing the alias of Subaru's crossdressing persona, Al let out a low, throaty laugh full of meaning. Subaru narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him, and Al shook his head with a "nah, nah."
"I was just impressed—what a great fake name. You carry the crossdressing well too, honestly. Who knows, maybe that's your hidden hobby, Brother."
"Knock it off. I'll give you the real story about Natsumi next time. But right now, answer me. —Why are you and Priscilla here?"
"— — —"
"We were glad for the help, but that's the one thing that makes zero sense. It's not just that you're in Guaral. Why are you in the Empire?"
At Subaru's serious question, Al dropped the wisecracks and fell silent.
No matter how he thought about it, their intervention was baffling.
Priscilla and Al openly being in the Empire's territory was far too contrived. Of course, the same could be said of Subaru's group from their perspective—but— "I'll table that. First one to ask gets their question answered."
"That's a novel approach. But the real question you want to ask me isn't that one, is it, Brother?"
"What?"
"Where you and the princess are in the Empire—doesn't really matter, does it? Your real question is how to get back…how to get from this scary, dangerous country home to where you're comfortable. Am I wrong?"
Being hit where it hurt, Subaru fell silent this time.
The method of returning from the Empire to the Kingdom—that was what Subaru wanted most right now. Put that way, he had no words to deny it.
He had questions. Grievances about the unfairness of it all. But if confronted with the fact that securing a solution to the bigger problem took priority— "Then…do you have that answer? The way for us to cross the Empire's border and return to the
"No, sorry. I know I got your hopes up, but I don't know."
"You…!"
"Wait, wait, don't get mad! To be precise, it's not that I don't know—it's that getting out of the current Empire is extremely difficult. Getting in was one thing, but getting out has become nearly impossible."
Al held up his palms to stall the exasperated Subaru.
As always, his manner of speaking never revealed his true thoughts. —From an outsider's perspective, Subaru probably came across the same way. If so, he had much to reflect on.
In any case— "So we can get in, but not out… And the reason for that is—"
"Oh, come on, that should be obvious. If they've made it so people can't leave the country easily, it means there's someone they don't want to let escape, right?"
"—That means you know about Abel's identity too."
Taking Al's answer, Subaru naturally arrived at that conclusion.
He had heard before that the Volakian Empire's immigration controls were strict, but if, as Al said, departure restrictions had been tightened under those specific conditions, then the cause could only be Abel—no, Vincent Volakia, the Emperor of Volakia.
Enhanced border security to prevent Abel—who had been driven from the throne and was on the run—from escaping to another country.
In the end, for Subaru and the others to return to Lugunica, they would have to overcome a massive obstacle.
"Al, if you've got more detailed information than we do…"
"Oh, that's as far as my lips go. I don't want to run my mouth and make the princess mad. If you want to talk about it, talk to her. That said—"
There, Al paused dramatically, tapping his right hand against the metal fitting on his helmet, producing a clacking sound.
Then he continued: "Whether she'll be willing to talk openly about it—well, I can't guarantee that either, can I?"
△▼△▼△▼△ "I'm back, Princess. How's the discussion going over here?"
"Not well, not poorly—we've barely made progress. We've only just begun hearing from those who've awakened."
Answering Al's casually delivered question with her cheek resting on her hand, Priscilla spoke in her usual measured tone.
Arakia's attack had destroyed the upper portion of the building, but the sturdily built foundation remained intact, and fortunately, the interior of the city hall was preserved.
Thanks to that, they didn't need to relocate, and the conference room for the important discussion was usable.
In the room where a large round table had been set up, Abel and Priscilla sat at opposite ends. Around them had gathered figures like Zikkur and his subordinate imperial soldiers, Kuna and the Shudrak people.
All of them had gotten off with relatively minor injuries, and if Priscilla's words were accurate, it seemed they had been going through preliminary questioning.
"Yo, you made it, Natsumi."
"Glad to see you're awake, Kuna. Your injuries?"
"Holy's giant body actually came in handy for once. Honestly, I'm not comfortable in a place like this either and I'd love to just duck out, but…"
Seated at the round table and noticing Subaru, Kuna wore a bitter expression.
Looking at the other Shudrak faces, Subaru understood why Kuna looked so displeased. In short, she was the one thrust into the role of Shudrak representative here.
"Taritta can't leave the chieftain's side, and having Holy do the talking would be useless. SO, that's why this role fell to me…"
"No, I think you're a good fit, Kuna. You've got a level head and don't get too heated. So how far has the discussion gotten?"
"Pretty much finished the situation report, I'd say. As for the actual discussion—that's about to start NOW."
Shrugging at Kuna's answer, Subaru nodded in understanding.
He immediately felt out of place—nowhere to stand, nowhere to sit. After all, his position within this group was vaguely undefined.
He was nominally the one who'd devised the strategy for conquering Guaral, but even that success was muddied by Arakia and Priscilla's uninvited involvement.
"Natsumi, if you're at a loss for where to go, might I suggest the seat beside me?"
Before the troubled Subaru, it was Zikkur who stood and pulled out a chair.
Short and stocky, Zikkur fixed Subaru with a gentlemanly smile. At that gaze, Subaru pointed to himself.
"Uh, I'm pretty sure you've noticed, but I'm crossdressing?"
"If you're disguising yourself as a woman, then I'm likewise disguising myself as a man. The code of chivalry I believe in dictates that a true gentleman treats his counterpart with courtesy—regardless of whether that counterpart is a woman."
"T-This is what they call a ladies' man…"
Not the pejorative "ladies' man," but the complimentary kind—the difference in depth was staggering.
Feeling embarrassed for having taken on this crossdressing persona with such flippant resolve, Subaru gratefully accepted Zikkur's offer and sat in the chair he'd pulled out.
In addition, Subaru turned to Zikkur as he settled into his own seat.
"Oh, and—thank you earlier, for shielding me up there. If you hadn't taken the hit, I might've been in real trouble."
"Not at all—it was merely instinct. Whether I could do the same next time is uncertain. After all, I am a 'coward,' you see."
Hearing Subaru's thanks, Zikkur proudly declared himself a "coward" with a hint of pride.
It was the nickname the empire's "general" known as Zikkur the Second had earned from the emperor to whom he'd sworn loyalty—an identity he had fully embraced.
And that emperor whom the admirable Zikkur held in such esteem, Abel— "—The fall of the fortress city Guaral is complete. The garrison commander, General Zikkur the Second, has pledged his allegiance. In addition, the Shudrak people of the Budheim wilderness—"
"Far from sufficient. I have heard of the valor of the Shudrak people, and yet, when measured against an imperial-scale conflict, your fighting strength falls well short."
"Understandable. Priscilla, what of your forces?"
"My private soldiers are not within the Empire. Setting them aside, those I can call my own are that iron-helmeted fool and the drunkard swordsman—and a page whose only merit is being adorable."
"— — —"
Entirely ignoring Subaru's arrival and his conversation with Kuna, Abel and Priscilla continued their discussion.
Confirming each side's forces and situation while sizing each other up with calculating eyes—the two were deep in thought, but Subaru cut in with a "Hold on."
He'd been jerked around enough already. And the last thing he wanted was to be left out again.
"What is it, commoner? You're still here?"
"I'm here, and I say this myself, but anyone who saw me just now and wasn't impressed would have to be out of their mind. The first time Bear-tan saw this getup, she had nightmares for a week."
"If that was a compliment regarding your attire, I believe I already praised you enough. Surely you don't think a few words while pulling Al from the gutter earns you a reward?"
"I wasn't expecting that! Okay, maybe a little. At the very least, I was hoping you'd deign to listen to what I have to say."
Bracing both hands on the round table and leaning forward, Subaru met Priscilla's appraising gaze.
Her eyes were measuring him, but Subaru stood his ground. Unlike before, Kuna and Zikkur were here too—admittedly, they felt like a rather pathetic seawall, but still.
"At any rate, why are you just casually here? Talking to Al got me nowhere. I want to hear the answer straight from you."
"A tiresome question, indeed. —To talk with that man there. Vincent Abelpux."
"— — —"
Chin tilted upward, Priscilla answered with perfect composure. Receiving those words, Abel—seated with arms folded—closed one eye, complex emotions swirling in those black irises.
Whether those feelings belonged to joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure—or perhaps to none of those categories at all—it was an unsettling blend of them all.
"Talk with…Abel? But how did you find out where Abel was?"
"In the imperial capital
"The emperor's…grave?"
"A mechanism that transports one there. Correct—Vincent…no, I suppose it's more convenient to call you Abel now."
Steering the conversation's edge away from herself and onto Abel, Priscilla's gaze burned red.
Letting out a sigh at that scorching stare, Abel nodded.
"Call me Abel. I have no right to claim the title of emperor when the throne was stolen from me."
"Devout, obedient, painfully honest… Either way, you've grown remarkably soft. It seems that sitting in the emperor's throne made you forget how to stand up."
"Don't look at me and claim I've forgotten how to stand."
At Priscilla's merciless taunt, Abel's expression turned equally sharp, showing no attempt to conceal his displeasure.
In an instant, their gazes locked with searing intensity, and the air in the conference room seemed to scorch with the smell of something burning. It seemed the discussion was about to collapse and an explosion was unavoidable— "Now, now, let's calm down, you two. Fighting won't do anyone any good, right?"
But there was one man who boldly strolled into this powder keg moments from detonation, casually smoking a cigarette.
Pushing his way into the tension with unearned confidence and flashing that dopey grin, it was Al. Standing without taking a seat, he bathed in the scorching gazes of both Abel and Priscilla.
"See, even the princess has her cute side, you know? The second she heard Guaral was in danger, she had a wyvern pushed to its absolute limit to get here. That just goes to show how much she was looking forward to this emotional reunion—Guah!?"
"Fool."
Al had circled behind Priscilla while speaking, attempting to defend her character—but his master showed zero appreciation for his efforts, slamming her fan into his gut with devastating force.
Screaming, Al crumpled like a folding ruler and dropped to one knee.
"Don't you dare presume to speak on my behalf. When did you become so bold? You're a fool—know your place."
"But…that anger's proof you care, isn't it? You really did come here to save him, right?"
"— — —"
Narrowing her crimson eyes, Priscilla made her displeasure clear at Al's words.
But the fact that she didn't outright deny them was proof that Al's words had hit the mark.
"Priscilla…came to save Abel?"
The idea was so hard to swallow that Subaru couldn't shake his sense of unease.
Of course, judging by results alone, Priscilla had undeniably saved Abel and Subaru's group. But everything Subaru knew about her personality made it impossible to accept.
Defeating an enemy she found distasteful was one thing—but fighting to protect someone? Did such logic even exist within Priscilla Bariel?
"Those are the eyes of someone thinking disagreeable thoughts. Would you like them gouged out, commoner?"
"Don't look at someone's face and jump to scary conclusions. Honestly, when it comes to how much I can trust any of this…"
"—Be that as it may, you now understand that I used the throne's mechanism to teleport to the eastern lands. If so, would it not also be predictable that I would rendezvous with the Shudrak and make my way to the fortress city?"
"…Would it?"
He acknowledged that Priscilla possessed extraordinary insight, but the ease with which Abel accepted it was harder for Subaru to swallow.
The given conditions did seem to support that deduction, however.
"Don't go stirring things up, Brother. The smart people are on the same page. If we settle things here, we can avoid unnecessary disputes, right?"
"Are you really okay with that…"
"Okay or not, it's all we can swallow. If we fight it out, you're the one who loses. —Besides, Princess and I are going to win anyway."
"Wha—"
Still kneeling, Al slid closer and whispered that to Subaru in a low voice.
Honestly, Al declaring outright that they would win caught Subaru off guard. If anything, Al had always struck him as someone who drew a deliberate, comfortable distance from those around him rather than being genuinely humble.
In truth, the knights of the other royal selection candidates were all proven powerhouses—neither Subaru nor Al were special enough to be confident within that company.
Subaru had felt a certain kinship with Al over that.
That was precisely why Al's declaration here was so surprising.
Even behind that seemingly unchanged dopey exterior, change had found its way in—forged through his relationship with Priscilla and the days of combat that came with the royal selection.
"Well, but I can only talk big because the odds aren't completely zero. Someone like Arakia—that was a whole other level of scary. Couldn't see a single path to victory there."
"…Well, the 'Nine Divine Generals' are the Empire's strongest fighters, right? In the Kingdom of Lugunica, it'd be like Reinhard or Julius."
If you were to select the strongest in the Kingdom of Lugunica, most would probably be powerful figures from the knight's order. Reinhard and Julius went without saying; even Marcos, captain of the royal knights, or Roswaal, the chief court mage, might be included.
Subaru would have preferred adding Wilhelm and Garfiel to the mix—a full all-star roster to take on the Nine Divine Generals.
"No, that's not really the point. And even if you say 'Nine Divine Generals,' it's hard to imagine there's someone on Reinhard's level…"
"—Actually, that's not quite the case."
"Huh?"
As Subaru tried to gauge the Nine Divine Generals' strength against the opponent he should most fear, Abel delivered a statement so staggering he had to question his ears.
What had he just said? —There was someone who could rival Reinhard?
"You're telling me there's another bug-tier character like Reinhard?"
"I'm not familiar with that word, but if you mean 'on par,' then yes. Above Arakia among the Nine Divine Generals, there is the 'First.' That would be the one."
"The 'First' of the Nine Divine Generals…?"
"—
As Subaru's jaw hung open, Zikkur quietly spoke the name.
It was a person's name—and the name of the aforementioned "First." The man bearing that name was the empire's strongest, the bug-tier character Volakia proudly produced— "He is called the 'Azure Lightning of Volakia'—a supreme swordsman. A being spoken of in the same breath as the 'Sword Saint' of Lugunica, the 'Admirer' of
"Ugh…I feel like I've heard that epithet before… So you're serious?"
"If you stand against him, your head will be separated from your body in the blink of an eye. That's the kind of man he is."
At Subaru's ashen question, Abel confirmed with arms crossed.
There was no reason for Abel or Zikkur to lie or joke here—which meant what they'd said was simply a fact.
Cecilus Segmunt—the Empire's strongest, a supreme swordsman on par with Reinhard.
Just hearing the name sent a chill down Subaru's spine—what kind of savage, terrifying opponent would this be?
The power gap in this conflict was already enormous. If they were outmatched in numbers and also outmatched in quality, how were they supposed to stand a chance— "…But thinking about it, that makes what we did all the more significant. We took down Arakia of the 'Second,' and that's a huge haul for our side."
"Al…"
While Subaru and the others felt the weight settling in their chests, Al spoke with a bright, cheerful tone.
It was an exceedingly positive take, and Subaru couldn't readily embrace it—though he acknowledged the spirit behind it and exhaled.
"There's no point dwelling on the negatives here."
In truth, Subaru and his group had secured the fortress city while minimizing casualties as much as possible. Stranded and isolated, with allies and enemies hard to tell apart, they had even gained Priscilla and Al as reinforcements.
The injured Shudrak would surely be treated by Rem with her best efforts. Mizelda would return to the fight and deliver another one of those devastatingly handsome platitudes about how men can do anything.
So— "Al's right—taking down one of the Nine Divine Generals, and a big one at that, is a major win. If they hold a top-tier position in the Empire, they must have intel on the enemy too."
"Now you're talking! Sharp as a tack, Brother! Information is worth more than gold in wartime. Since we've got a live one, let's hear what she has to say."
"Agreed. If we can get something useful…"
Forcing his spirits up, Subaru played along, and Al matched his energy. The conversation was heading toward extracting information from the captured Arakia.
"Hold on there, Subaru and Iron Mask. I'm going to have to object to that."
But it was Kuna, participating as the Shudrak representative, who called time.
Turning to her, Subaru and Al listened as Kuna stroked her green-dyed hair.
"That woman was dangerous. Who knows what she'd do if you let your guard down. It'd be best to just kill her right away."
"I…understand that, but that's too hasty. Killing someone, that's—"
"The chieftain was put through hell because of her. No matter what you say, Subaru—I and the rest of the clan won't feel settled unless she's executed."
Glaring at the wavering Subaru, Kuna brought up Arakia's execution head-on.
If the topic of Mizelda's condition was raised, Subaru had no rebuttal. Her fate was in Rem's hands, but even if the wounds healed, the fact that she had been wounded would not disappear.
If the Shudrak could not forgive that, then Arakia would have to pay the price.
"— — —"
Searching for a response to Kuna, Subaru glanced toward Priscilla.
He wanted to see how Priscilla—who had hinted at a deep connection with Arakia—would react to Kuna's call for execution.
But— "My attitude toward Arakia has already been decided. I was the one who cut that back, after all. Are those black eyes on your face merely decorative?"
"Gu…"
"I have no intention of pleading Arakia's case. If that one's fate ends here, then so be it—it too would be Arakia's path. —Though it would be rather anticlimactic."
"…I can't figure you out at all."
With Priscilla weighing Arakia's life so dispassionately, Subaru shook his head.
At the end, the two had seemed to have a terrible relationship, and yet judging from Arakia's attitude, they had once been intimate. Yet Priscilla's manner was ruthlessly detached.
An outsider like Subaru couldn't understand the bond between them.
"But if she dies, that's it. Lives don't come back."
"You would lecture me about the value of life? Do you think I would misjudge the value of another's life?"
"—You're not infallible either. You can make mistakes, can't you?"
Staring straight at Priscilla, Subaru answered without a moment's hesitation.
The instant those words left his mouth, the room's air went taut.
Kuna and Zikkur held their breath. Al pressed a hand to his helmet. Subaru himself realized he'd blurted out something dangerous on pure impulse.
He only grasped after the fact—this could earn Priscilla's wrath and cost him his life.
In the next instant, he could be beheaded by that brilliant red holy sword.
Even so— "I'm not wrong. You can be wrong too."
Doubling down, Subaru repeated the potentially fatal statement.
For a split second, he imagined Priscilla's eyes narrowing with a cold crack—her searing, lethal 'death' descending upon his reckless outburst— "—So even I err. What a bitter pill to swallow."
It never came.
"…Huh?"
Even more surprised than himself, Subaru's eyes went wide, and he exhaled from lungs that had gone rigid.
Glancing at him, Priscilla snapped her fan open and lifted her gaze past Subaru, directing it toward Kuna.
"Before lopping off that one's head, it may be worth exploring other uses for her."
"—Are you trying to order us around? You, an outsider?"
"Try ignoring me if you can."
With Priscilla's retracted stance, her gaze swept over Kuna's slender frame like a brand.
Involuntarily wrapping her arms around herself, Kuna demonstrated the pressure she'd felt—proof enough. Unfortunately, Priscilla and Kuna were simply operating on different levels.
"Honestly, my heart's still racing. But looks like we've got a deal!"
With that, Al slapped his palm on the round table, breaking the tense silence with a resounding crack.
Drawing all eyes to him, he looked through his iron helmet at Subaru.
"Not only did Brother avoid death, but an adorable woman was spared from an untimely end. That's cause for celebration. Once she wakes up, we'll have a—"
"—That's a tremendous no!"
As Al tried to wrap up the discussion on Arakia's fate—sprinkled in, as always, with his pointless banter—someone burst into the conference room with frantic footsteps and an even more frantic voice.
It was Holy, squeezing her massive frame through the doorway, chest heaving.
While all eyes turned to her, she caught her breath and spoke.
"—A pair of imperial soldiers broke in and freed the Nine Divine General we had captured!"