"You bring back one fool and it takes this much time? Do you presume that the value of your time and mine are one and the same?"
"No, no—I already said I was sorry about that…"
Greeted by his master's cold gaze, Aru bowed his head submissively.
The very moment he'd brought Subaru back to the conference room, this was the reprimand that awaited him.
Originally, his sole objective had been to bring Subaru back to the meeting, so being chewed out for chatting longer than expected was hardly unreasonable. Hardly unreasonable, but— "Priscilla, don't be too hard on Aru. The one at fault isn't Aru—it's me."
"Hmph. No doubt you were wallowing in some trivial angst and consoling each other like the pair of clowns you are. The red mark on your forehead—did you bash it against a wall or something?"
"You got some kind of precognition or what? That's too accurate and it's scary."
Priscilla struck down Subaru's attempt to defend Aru with a single cutting remark, as though she'd witnessed the whole thing herself.
It was hard to imagine how such an unremarkable scene could have conjured that image, but Priscilla's powers of insight were nothing short of spine-chilling.
Be that as it may— "Even without us there, the fact that discussions couldn't progress…"
"Reaching a conclusion is not so easy. After all, you are supposed to be Abel's strategist."
"That's…"
Pinned by Priscilla's narrowed gaze, Subaru glanced over at Abel. The seated Abel merely folded his arms and ignored Subaru's inquiry in silence.
Even for Abel, having designated Subaru as a strategist must have been distasteful, but having already declared it outright to Priscilla, he couldn't exactly retract it now.
Which meant they hadn't been able to wrap up the conference without Subaru.
"Hey, you didn't do something half-baked and end up with a noose around your neck, did you?"
"You should watch the quality of your own remarks. Even the most brilliant plan can be treated as either sagacious or foolish depending on how you choose to phrase it."
"Regret calling me a strategist, and yet you just can't help yourself…"
Scowling at Abel's brazen retort, Subaru heaved a deep sigh.
He then surveyed the assembled members of the conference—Abel, Priscilla, Zikrur, and Taritta, who had inherited the role of clan leader—and closed one eye.
It seemed like a discussion that had failed to reach a conclusion without Subaru and Aru present, but— "So the conclusion you couldn't reach—was that about the cooperation with Priscilla? From what I heard earlier, you were saying Priscilla has allies."
"You seem to have just enough brainpower to follow along. Naturally, that is what I am referring to. You do remember that the one who claims more of the Nine Divine Generals wins, yes?"
"Yeah. That 'One' is useless and just gets in the way—that part."
This was about someone who, if left uncollected, could become an assassin impossible to deal with, and even if collected, wouldn't meaningfully tip the scales in terms of military balance. If this were a simulation game, they'd be a troublesome unit.
An ally with little value, but a lethal poison if left to the enemy.
"That said, that's about the final winning strategy. Not about support from Priscilla and her allies. Right?"
"Mm."
Priscilla gave a soft hum of acknowledgment as Subaru smoothly summarized the discussion.
For just an instant, something passed through Priscilla's crimson eyes—what seemed to Subaru, who rarely saw such a thing from her, to be a look of curiosity. A reaction suggesting she had taken an interest in someone other than herself, and in Subaru at that.
He hadn't done anything special, Subaru thought.
"What is it?"
"Oh, nothing. I thought you'd come back looking deflated in that outfit, but your expression and the look in your eyes have changed. On top of that, your circulation seems somewhat improved. All of that shifts how you come across."
"…Am I being complimented?"
"You may jump for joy if you like."
"Not going that far."
The fact that he wasn't denied it meant it was, in Priscilla's own way, a compliment.
He snorted in response, but he gratefully accepted the praise for his change in demeanor.
Being told by
"Well, if that's the case, then being late to the conference was worth it."
"So that's what came of those two clowns having their little heart-to-heart. Going soft like that—unlike you, Aru."
"Come on, Princess—capturing a nice guy like me and expecting him not to be kind to somebody? That's just preposterous."
Mocked by Priscilla, Aru answered with a shrug.
As for which of them was right—Priscilla's words or Aru's—Subaru couldn't tell.
For Subaru, Aru was the only person from his homeland, the one who had clapped him on the back and pushed him out of a dead-end with swords at every turn. True, Aru could say harsh things and treat any situation as someone else's problem—the image of a coldhearted person wasn't without basis.
"If you chalk it up to aftereffects from spending violent years in another world, it becomes forgivable."
"Heh, now I'm kinda getting insulted for something pretty unexpected. Or is it just me?"
Aru tilted his head in puzzlement, but Subaru let it slide.
What mattered was not that Priscilla had reassessed Subaru, nor that Aru had contributed to that shift in her attitude.
"What we need is a resolution to this discussion—whether Priscilla is willing to engage with us going forward. Please keep the tangents to a minimum."
"Ah, sorry about that. The guy who gets sidetracked so easily ended up as the strategist."
"————"
Hit with a barb in return, Abel narrowed his eyes irritably. Subaru stuck out his tongue and ignored him, then turned back to Priscilla and urged her to continue from where they'd left off.
"So what do we do? Whether Priscilla and her allies offer support or not, Abel's plan to storm the Imperial Capital doesn't change, but…"
"Whether the Princess's support is there or not, the scale of that storming is going to differ quite a bit."
"A pair of clowns in perfect sync—how heartwarming. In any case, your assessment is correct. Therefore, as a condition for us supporting you—supporting Abel—I want you to demonstrate that it is worth doing."
"A condition?"
"It's a simple one. Bring one of the Nine Divine Generals to our side."
As Subaru furrowed his brow, Priscilla stated the condition as casually as if ordering tea.
Upon hearing the ultimatum, Subaru murmured, "Nine Divine Generals…" under his breath.
It was by no means an unreasonable condition.
After all, if you were going to challenge the battle for imperial succession, claiming as many of the Nine Divine Generals as possible was a prerequisite. And Priscilla was asking for that first step.
Rather, if meeting that prerequisite for victory was all it took to win Priscilla's support, wasn't that a remarkably good deal— "That is, not good enough to be dancing with joy, though… right?"
"Of course. With Goz's status unknown, no Nine Divine General will follow me unconditionally. And there are few eccentrics who would willingly ride into a losing battle."
"…So if there isn't even a sliver of a chance of winning, nobody's going to bite."
At Abel's grim assessment of reality, Subaru also creased his brow with difficulty.
Abel's sad self-awareness—if the emperor's authority carried absolutely no weight with the Nine Divine Generals, then support from Priscilla and her allies was something he'd give anything to have.
At the very least, the existence of those allies could serve as bargaining material in negotiations with the Nine Divine Generals.
At present, the only material Abel possessed was the grand claim that "the real emperor is me," the military strength of the Shudrak people, and the fortress city of
"Telling people you're going to fight the empire with a single city and one clan's worth of forces—whether anyone will even listen is the question."
"If the allies in question were someone of at least mid-tier noble standing, their name alone could have served as a bargaining tool."
"Let me make this clear—do not expect mercy from me. I am generous, but that generosity is not something I hand out to beggars."
Leaning her cheek against her hand, Priscilla trampled all over their feeble hopes without so much as blinking.
He'd known as much, of course. There was no possibility of her reversing her position. If that was the case, all that remained was to take the stated condition head-on.
"With all due respect, Your Excellency—might we not rely on Cecilus after all?"
"Zikrur-san, do you have some plan?"
Heavy silence had begun to settle when Zikrur's suggestion drew all eyes to him. But when Subaru looked at him with expectation, Zikrur shook his head and said, "No,"
"As Your Excellency stated earlier, given the current balance of forces, anyone who would consider allying with us would not be of sound mind. Therefore…"
"Therefore?"
"We might have no choice but to rely on someone like First General Cecilus—someone who is not of sound mind."
"Oh, Zikrur-san thinks that guy's crazy too."
Cecilus had gathered nothing but scathing character assessments, but Zikrur was a seasoned veteran through and through for considering that his craziness might actually make him recruitable.
However, if there truly were no other options, perhaps they needed to go after this troublesome unit—one they would inevitably have to consider bringing into the fold sooner or later—first.
"Where is he, anyway? Where does that guy normally live?"
"He typically resides at
"Arakiya's… why?"
Taken aback at the matter-of-fact reply, Subaru's understanding lagged several seconds behind Abel's words.
The sheer absurdity of the explanation was enough to make even Priscilla frown in displeasure.
From what Subaru had heard, the "One" was Cecilus and the "Two" was Arakiya.
"So Cecilus and Arakiya are lovers, or something like that?"
If that were the case, their impression after having repelled Arakiya could not have been worse.
Subaru and his companions had managed to make enemies of both the "One" and the "Two."
But to Subaru's question, Abel shook his head. "No."
"That is not the case. Arakiya is waiting for an opportunity to kill Cecilus. However, every time she tries, bystanders get caught in the crossfire, and she cannot prevail. So she ordered Cecilus."
"Ordered him to do what?"
"Rather than making her come looking, he should stay somewhere easy for her to target."
"…I see?"
Even after receiving a concrete explanation, Subaru found the relationship difficult to comprehend.
The mentality of allowing the generals under your command to attempt to murder each other was beyond him, and the idea of choosing to live with someone trying to kill you was equally unfathomable.
Above all— "Hanging out with someone who's trying to kill you… how does that even work…"
After saying it, a strange sensation sprouted inside him, as if he'd said something odd. Unable to find the source of that discomfort, Subaru quickly forgot the question.
In any case, he now knew that Cecilus normally resided in the Imperial Capital.
"So to recruit Cecilus, we'd have to go to the Capital… Wait, can you actually go all the way there?"
"That is obviously impossible. Under the current circumstances, approaching the Capital is tantamount to walking into my own execution. And even if I did, there is no guarantee Cecilus would even be there."
"Then we're back to square one…"
When it came to the Volachia Empire—and military matters at that—Subaru's knowledge was useless.
That said, since Zikrur, who was a high-ranking officer himself, had proposed it in the first place, it must have been the best option currently available.
If that plan was rejected, Abel's path looked bleak.
"…This is exactly when we can't afford to be standing still…"
Something dark and heavy began pressing against Subaru's chest, asserting itself.
Like the bitter dregs of tea, it was a mass of powerlessness that hadn't dissipated even when he'd bashed his head against the wall—an aftereffect of having Rem lose faith in him.
This was what had caused Subaru to lose Rem's trust.
He had to purge these dregs as quickly as possible and reclaim her trust. For that, every second spent standing still was a second too many.
"—There is a way."
But as Subaru gritted his teeth, Abel's single line stopped him cold.
Subaru looked up sharply. Abel, still closing one eye, turned to face him.
"Stop making that haggard, gaunt face of yours. There is a way."
"Sorry, but when your options are a free character creator, this is the face I'm stuck with. Forget the poverty of my features—what do you mean, 'there is a way'?"
"Zikrur's plan. We adopt a portion of it."
"A portion of my plan? I'm honored, but what does that…?"
Zikrur furrowed his thick brows in confusion upon hearing that part of his proposal was being adopted.
Subaru felt a similar confusion. Zikrur's plan had been to recruit Cecilus—the "One." Since they couldn't go to the Capital, that plan was supposed to have been discarded, and Subaru couldn't imagine what other part of it could be useful.
But as Subaru thought this, Abel snorted and said, "There is no chance to speak with that man Cecilus. But Zikrur also said this—'There may be possibilities if the person is not of sound mind.'"
"—!? Your Excellency, that is dangerous! Please reconsider!!"
"Huh? Huh? Huh?"
The moment Abel declared this openly, Zikrur's face drained of color and he protested vehemently.
Subaru's eyes went round at the intensity of Zikrur's reaction.
Zikrur clearly knew who was being discussed, but it went completely over Subaru's head. Given the flow of conversation, it seemed they were planning to approach someone unhinged, but— "Is there someone crazier than the unpopular First General Cecilus?"
"I did not say they were crazy! But that person is far too dangerous…!"
"…Well, I get the part about the general with the afro, but based on how this is going, isn't that person also one of the Nine Divine Generals? If we rule them out too, there won't be any candidates left to rely on. This isn't exactly the time to be picky."
"That is… true, but…"
Pressured from both sides by Subaru and Aru, Zikrur fell silent with a pained expression.
Seeing the normally affable Zikrur struggle made Subaru and the others feel as though they were the ones in the wrong.
Or rather, the real problem was with Abel's personnel decisions—placing individuals so troubling that Zikrur was forced to anguish over them in positions of authority.
This was a textbook example of how recruiting based on ability alone could produce tragedy.
"Lugunica had that figured out pretty well, come to think of it… I never really ran into nasty people in high positions… Well, there was that old guy who badmouthed
In hindsight, that too had stemmed in part from an excessive fear of the
Back then, ignorant of the circumstances, Subaru had been a foolish hero equipped with nothing but recklessness. Now, if he found himself in the same situation, he could at least challenge it with better equipment.
Of course, there was no version of events where he wouldn't stand up to someone badmouthing Emilia.
"So—the person who's making Zikrur suffer—who are they, exactly?"
"What is with that ridiculous way of putting it?"
Abel replied to Subaru's question with an irritated expression.
"If I answer in your own style—that would be
"Yorna Mishigure…"
While the city name rang no bells, the person's name did.
Yorna Mishigure was one of the Nine Divine Generals listed in that lineup, and her epithet was— "She was called something like 'Prismatic,' right?"
"Not bad, brother. To remember that on the first try."
"I like memorizing nicknames for executive-level characters from manga and stuff. So this Yorna person is Zikrur-san's…"
Speaking, Subaru shot a glance toward Zikrur—and then lost his words.
Zikrur's face had gone pale, and he was covering it with his own hand.
"The Nine Divine General 'Violet'—First General Yorna Mishigure…"
"She's that dangerous? From the name, I figured she was a woman, but…"
If that impression was correct, then this was a woman so terrifying that even Zikrur—who bore the epithet "womanizer" and had behaved like a perfect gentleman toward Subaru, who was only cross-dressing—feared her.
He couldn't begin to imagine what sort of extraordinary character might emerge, but— "She is beautiful. On that point, not just I—everyone would agree. However, First General Yorna has a slight—no, not merely slight—problem."
"What kind of problem are we talking about?"
"Treason."
"Wha—?"
The word that slipped softly from Zikrur's lips elicited overlapping voices of shock from Subaru and Aru.
Stunned and wondering if he'd misheard, Subaru leaned in. Zikrur, his face still buried in his hands, continued in a trembling voice.
"First General Yorna Mishigure has repeatedly committed treason and threatened the reign of Emperor Vincent Volachia."
"Don't put someone like that in a military position!!"
Subaru's second roar echoed through the conference room.
△▼△▼△▼△ "—It seems the matter has been settled."
After the staggering revelation about the Nine Divine General and Subaru's outburst had rung out for some time, Priscilla judged that the discussion had reached its conclusion and snapped her fan open with a crisp sound.
Honestly, Subaru had grievances with this resolution—but— "There is no other option. The only Nine Divine General who could potentially side with us right now is Yorna Mishigure."
"Hold on—wasn't the reason she kept committing treason because you were so hated in the first place…?"
"No, actually, that is not necessarily the case… Measuring that person's intentions is, at the very least, impossible for someone like me."
"If Zikrur-san says so, then I suppose…"
Subaru had no choice but to withdraw his doubts when they came from the trustworthy Zikrur.
Hearing this, Abel snorted in displeasure.
"Why are you so quick to accept Zikrur's opinion?"
"Because even if the opinion is the same, who says it matters. You don't actually think your credibility with me is higher than Zikrur-san's, do you?"
"I see. But what if Zikrur were to die?"
"I'll beat the hell out of you even if it's just a thought experiment!"
Subaru unloaded insults on Abel for raising such a dark hypothetical.
Zikrur's loyalty was such that, if ordered by Abel, he might genuinely accept even a command to take his own life. In order to prevent anything of the sort from ever happening, Subaru gave it everything he had.
In any case— "Enough nonsense. This Chaos Flame place—where is it? Is it far from Guaral?"
"Geographically, not especially. That is one reason it serves as a fitting next destination. From here, to the southeast—south of the Badheim Dense Forest."
"I see, yeah…"
Shown the location on the map on the table, Subaru understood Abel's explanation.
Chaos Flame lay south of the forest where the Shudrak people had lived—further than either the Dense Forest or Guaral, but far more realistic a destination than the Imperial Capital or territories further west.
"And the other thing—why is it called a chaos city?"
"Rest easy, fool. The reason will not crush your timid heart. That city has long been home to a multitude of races living together in chaos. While Volachia is already more diverse than Lugunica, Chaos Flame is especially mixed."
"Chaos… so that's why it's called a chaos city."
Once you started thinking about it, calling a city labeled "chaos" by the name "Chaos" was rather suggestive.
Given that this was another world, it was probably just coincidence, though.
"—In the chaos city, we add Yorna Mishigure, the Nine Divine General 'Violet,' to our ranks. If that is achieved, you will open your heart to us… I'm certain, Priscilla."
"That is acceptable. After all, I am magnanimous. I will not tack on additional conditions after the fact."
"Pretty sure you said something about generosity being out of stock earlier… No, never mind."
Glared down by Priscilla, Subaru immediately retracted his comment.
And so, having settled their course of action— "—Abel, please take me with you as well."
"Taritta?"
Without warning, Taritta rose to her feet and made the request of Abel.
She had been seated in Kunaa's place throughout the conference, but until this moment she had not uttered a single word.
She was presumably still reeling from the sudden upheaval of the clan leadership change, but the urgency on her face as she gazed at Abel was unmistakable.
Receiving her plea, Abel narrowed his black eyes.
"What do you mean? You should have received the position of Shudrak clan leader from your sister. Regardless of your own confidence, that standing will not waver."
"I kn—ow that. The position I recei—ved from my sister, I cannot re—fuse it. …But I—right now, I—don't have the stre—ngth to lead the clan, the Shudra—k."
Taritta lowered her gaze, biting down hard on her lip as she stared at her own hands.
Clasped within those empty hands was, Subaru suspected, the same thing he harbored within his own chest—the corrosive weight of powerlessness gnawing at oneself.
"I need i—a trigger—so that I can shoulder the role of clan leader with pri—de."
"…You seek that from the journey to Chaos Flame?"
"Ye—s, that's ri—ght. …Is that… no good?"
Having spoken up, Taritta seemed to lose confidence, and the strength drained from her voice.
But Subaru understood all too well the nature of the anxiety Taritta was carrying.
The sudden clan leader succession, and the enormous burden that came with it—Taritta couldn't be sure whether she possessed the strength commensurate with that role.
In other words, what she was seeking was a success experience. An achievement she could point to and say she'd proven her own worth through her own power.
—And that, at its root, was the very same thing Subaru himself desired right now.
"Abel, I'm on board. If she inherits Misdelda-san's legacy with that kind of heart, Taritta-san won't be able to perform either… I think."
"————"
"Besides, we're going to need an escort or at least some allies along the way, right? We know Taritta-san's capabilities. She's the one who joined us for the city infiltration while cross-dressing."
"Natsumi…"
He caught himself mid-word, but that was what he meant.
Taritta looked deeply moved by Subaru's support. Her struggle—he understood it so well it hurt. He wanted to stand by her.
"If you leave, what becomes of Shudrak?"
"For no—w, I'll leave the acting duties to my sister. Kuna and Holly can provide goo—d support. To protect Gua—ral, we can't move too many people."
"Did you have all that figured out during the silence?"
Hearing Taritta's fluid response, Abel acknowledged her foresight.
Then, tapping his temple lightly with a finger, "The party heading to Chaos Flame will be small. Naturally, given that we are meeting Yorna Mishigure, my presence is indispensable. However, we are not invading."
"The most we could bring as escorts would be…"
"In addition to you, Taritta. And then—"
"—I heard everything, you know!!"
Mid-sentence, the door was flung open with a burst of energy, and a spirited figure strode in.
The one who showed not the slightest hesitation about the discourtesy of interrupting the emperor was the same forthright merchant who had, without a shred of shame, declared the emperor to be his new friend—Flop Okoerl.
Nose flaring, Flop monopolized the attention of everyone in the room.
"Taritta-san! I'm deeply moved by your spirit of volunteering for such a demanding role! Finding your own way to tackle a sudden, enormous responsibility… I think that's wonderful!"
"Th—thank you, Flop…"
"To ensure the safety of you and the village chief on this journey, I have a proposal! I believe you should bring my sister—Medium—with you!"
Flop punctuated his statement by snapping his finger upward with conviction.
The momentum nearly carried Subaru into agreeing on the spot, but when he actually considered the content, it was an incredibly abrupt suggestion.
"What—what's your reasoning?"
"Mm-hmm, good question! Let me list the reasons I recommend Medium! First, she's skilled. Second, she's charming. And on top of that, she speaks clearly!"
"Clearly…"
"She talks in such a pleasant, crisp way that you'll never feel lonely during the journey. She's not shy around strangers, either, so she can get along with anyone. Quite the catch, wouldn't you say?"
Beaming, Flop lavished praise upon his sister. However, of the confident selling points he'd enumerated, two out of three touched on Medium's likable personality—and the only one that genuinely served as a practical selling point was "she's skilled."
Subaru had verified that last point himself, but— "But have you actually talked to Medium-san about this?"
"Nope, not yet! But I'm about to tell her, so it'll be fine!"
"…Is that… really fine?"
This wasn't a travel plan or a casual outing. She was being thrown into a life-or-death mission. Checking after the fact—would that actually work? If this caused a rift between the siblings, Subaru would feel genuinely terrible.
Though, truth be told, he was also a little frightened by the thought that Medium might just smile and accept it.
"Hypothetically, say Medium-san gives the green light—Abel, what about you?"
"…I consider her abilities adequate. If she fulfills her role, I have no objection."
"Then we're good! My sister's basically the type who goes all-out on anything she's asked to do! But she doesn't really think ahead unless you tell her, so heads up!"
Hands on hips, Flop laughed heartily. "Ha ha ha!"
From his phrasing and Abel's attitude, Flop must have sensed it—that he, Flop, was not being included in the Chaos Flame expedition party.
"…Medium-san aside, you don't have to tag along, you know."
"Don't be ridiculous, boss-man. I have a goal. A revenge that must be carried out, that must be fulfilled."
"…Yeah."
The ominous word that tumbled from Flop's lips was, Subaru knew, never directed toward malicious ends. Even this cheerful Flop could not forgive the injustice and irrationality of the world—that was where his words were aimed.
The kindness of Flop that Subaru had been unable to hear in this world—that was precisely why Subaru trusted him, and why they had spent this time together until today.
"My sister feels the same. Her goal and mine, the path we walk—it's all the same. If I abandoned you, your wife, and the village chief here, I could never hold my head up again."
"…I'm about to cry. I think I'm falling for you."
"Ha ha ha! Coming from you in that getup, that really hits different! But I'd feel bad for your wife, so I'll have to pass. Still, I'll take the sentiment!"
Even the way he declined was cool, and Subaru could only feel deep admiration.
Medium would almost certainly follow Flop's wishes. That meant one member of the Chaos Flame expedition was settled—Medium.
"Taritta-san, please befriend my sister. I mean, if you could befriend me, I'm sure you'll get along with her just fine."
"Y—yes… Um, please be careful too…"
"Mm? Right, I will! I'll do my best together with Zikrur-san and all the Shudrak people!"
As Taritta spoke in a halting, bashful manner, Flop thumped his chest firmly.
Watching their endearing exchange, Subaru cleared his throat lightly.
"As a side note—what about me…?"
"I'm leaving you behind."
"—!?"
"Or… is that what you expected me to say?"
As Subaru moved to confirm, Abel threw in a malicious fake-out.
If Subaru flew into a rage at that, it would look exactly like he'd wanted to be taken along—so Subaru held back with all his might, clenching his back teeth in silence.
Abel snorted at him.
"Regretfully, you are already a bargaining chip. Adding Yorna Mishigure to our side is essential, and without you, the negotiation cannot proceed."
"When this is all over, I'm absolutely smashing your face in—but I'm a bargaining chip?"
"The fall of Guaral was your stratagem. Sooner or later, that will become known. Indeed, I intend to make sure it does."
"What?"
Unable to grasp the meaning of Abel's words, Subaru's eyes went blank.
The fall of the fortress city had indeed been Subaru's plan, but he couldn't see the advantage in deliberately publicizing that fact.
Being underestimated was, after all, Natsuki Subaru's starting position.
"—The implication that someone other than Abel is capable. That needs to be conveyed."
It was Priscilla who gave him a succinct answer.
Hearing her words, understanding slowly seeped into Subaru's mind.
"Of course, not just the fool. The Shudrak people of the Badheim Dense Forest, the soldiers defending the fortress city of Guaral, and Second General Zikrur Osman—all serve as bargaining material. But the most important piece is…"
"The strategist who contributed to the city's fall—I told you. In the empire, the strong are revered. That applies not only to martial strength, but to strategic acumen as well."
"————"
And so Abel and Priscilla affirmed that Natsuki Subaru, for this reason, had value.
Honestly, the evaluation was utterly baffling to Subaru.
Being rated highly left him feeling vaguely uneasy.
But on the other hand, it also seemed like an overestimation. In truth, despite receiving this grand evaluation, Subaru had lost Rem's trust and felt the ground crumble beneath his feet.
No matter how highly the empire valued him, it couldn't compare to Rem's trust. He wouldn't even need to put them on a scale.
So Abel and Priscilla's assessment did not move Subaru's heart.
However— "If I'm actually useful, then great. Put me to good use. In exchange…"
"In exchange?"
"You—damn well reclaim the throne. And when you do, send us home safe."
That was the one thing he wouldn't concede, and Subaru declared it firmly.
Hearing this, Abel's eyes widened slightly, then he exhaled a long breath.
"That goes without saying. —That is what I must do."
That was his reply.