—The Great Calamity was repelled, and the Holy Volachian Empire had at last been spared the crisis of its destruction.
Centered on the imperial capital, the armies of the dead deployed across the empire had lost their command and collapsed, scattering in disarray as the fighting ground toward its conclusion. But even now that
Even as the battle against the Great Calamity came to a close, the scars it left behind would never fade.
In the Volachian Empire, there would likely be ongoing trouble from escaped corpses for a long time to come. And even setting that aside, when a war ends, it does not mean that everything connected to it is swept away neatly.
Naturally, the cities and lands that had become battlefields, the people and property that had been sacrificed—all of it required assessment, and the work of restoring them to what they had been before the war, or something better.
And sorrowfully, no banner of "Heroic Fantasy" was of any use in such postwar labor.
"So while it's true I'm surprisingly at a loss for what to do with myself…"
"What is it? Do you have some complaint for me?"
"I wouldn't call it a complaint, but… it's just a weird feeling?"
Muttering this, Subaru chose his words carefully as he answered, glancing at the profile of the beauty walking beside him—Priscilla. At his response, she hid her lips behind the fan in her hand and let out a small "Hmph."
Long since familiar with her reactions, Subaru tilted his head in puzzlement as they walked side by side.
—At present, Subaru and Priscilla were walking together within the walls of the fortress city of
The city walls—headlined by the empire's greatest fortress—had taken considerable damage from the press of undead hordes, and both soldiers and citizens alike were working through the night on restoration. To think that Subaru would be strolling through such a scene alongside Priscilla—there was no end to the strange twists of fate.
Both Subaru and Priscilla had participated in the battle at the imperial capital
"The Crystal Palace, praised as the most beautiful in the world, has been reduced to ash, and who knows when the reservoir might overflow and flood the city again. At this rate, the capital's reconstruction will take a hundred years."
"Something on that scale… But seriously, you're the one who turned the castle to ash and you're saying that?"
"Once it assumed a humanoid form and ran rampant, the castle was beyond saving even if I hadn't laid a finger on it. So I merely used it to its fullest as a funeral pyre to send off what had fulfilled its duty as the Great Calamity."
"So… Sphinx's funeral fire, huh?"
Unapologetic as always, Priscilla's words made Subaru think of Sphinx, the enemy, and his eyes grew distant.
This was something none who had fought the Great Calamity could admit, but at the very end, in order for
In that moment, one could say that Subaru and Sphinx had shown each other even the deepest reaches of their very souls.
That was probably why Subaru couldn't truly hate Sphinx as pure evil from the bottom of his heart. At the very least, he felt that Sphinx was different from the unforgivable enemies—the Sin Archbishops.
And he wondered whether Priscilla sensed something similar…
"That was a magnificent pillar of fire. As expected, there is something thrilling about things being set ablaze."
"You just like burning stuff, don't you!? That's all this is!"
"What's with the racket? Don't raise your voice so suddenly. You're no better than Al."
On the surface, it sounded like an insult, but Priscilla's lips were smiling as she spoke. It was a hard-to-read relationship, but in her own way, she cherished her attendant, Al.
The fact was beyond doubt, considering the reunion between Priscilla and Al back in the imperial capital.
"So if that's the case, Al wouldn't want to leave your side—so where is he right now?"
"As you say, he's reluctant to part from me, so I assigned him as my errand boy. Right now he's probably drooling in anticipation of my praise while working hard. Same as you, with your obsession over the half-elf."
"I can't deny it, and I won't deny it, but I feel bad for Al getting dragged around…"
"—Lady Priscilla!"
"Oh?" Subaru raised his eyebrows at the voice, and a boy running toward them came into view—Shurta, the young butler in shorts, breathing hard. The boy skidded to a halt beside Priscilla.
"Ah, Lady Priscilla, thank goodness you're safe! I've been, I've been so… *wagh*"
"Don't trouble yourself with childish worries, boy. If you were concerned about me, then stand tall."
So saying, Priscilla pulled the stopped Shurta into an embrace, burying the boy's head against her chest. Not even a figure of speech—he was literally buried in her chest, and rather than noting the difference in gender, Subaru felt more like he was observing a difference in species.
Like Al, Shurta was one of Priscilla's attendants, and he had been genuinely worried sick about her not returning from the capital. Now, his face was flushed to the point of melting from the contact.
Indeed, to receive this much joy at the return of the "capital team"—the "Save the Volachian Empire from Destruction Squad"—made rushing back by dragon carriage entirely worthwhile.
"I guess getting slapped around by
"Please convey my thanks to Master Natsuki and Lady
"I'd love to see Emilia-tan's smug face over and over again, but my rapid growth is basically a cheat. If you grew this fast through normal channels, the growing pains alone would kill you."
"In any case, you have no need to rush your height. Stay as you are for a while longer."
"Mmm… I'm caught between a rock and a hard place…"
Caught between his own wishes and his master's, Shurta wore an expression of anguish. Subaru understood the boy's feelings toward Priscilla—somewhere between affection and admiration—and sympathized with the struggle.
"Well, even if I sympathize, I don't have any useful advice to give!"
"Rather than useless, he's just a pitiful boy. Shurta, are you wandering around on your own?"
"No, that's not it! Utakata is with everyone from the Schudel, so I…"
Buried in Priscilla's chest, Shurta glanced behind him. Following his gaze down the street, Subaru spotted a familiar sour face—Heinkel.
Subaru knew he was in the empire and had assisted in repelling the Great Calamity.
"Shurta, that old guy isn't bullying you, is he?"
"Not at all! Lord Heinkel is a kind person!"
"That is absolutely a lie."
Even if it was someone close, spreading false impressions was a bad idea. Saying Heinkel was kind was like calling Roswaal a straightforward, honest man.
In fact, Heinkel seemed rather bitter about Shurta's assessment of him.
"Kid, don't go saying stupid things. I'm gonna ditch you."
"Don't speak such nonsense, commoner. How to treat Shurta is my decision to make. Rather, you should be the one fearing being abandoned by the empire."
"Guh…! I was, this time, in my own way… in my own way…"
"If you wish to boast about having been of use, at least say it clearly."
Priscilla told the grimacing, stammering Heinkel with a look of boredom. Then she turned Shurta from within her chest and pushed him toward Heinkel.
"Shurta, I have many people I must visit. This will do for now. Don't stay up late."
"Y-yes, ma'am…! I'm actually feeling quite awake, but I'll do my best to go to sleep!"
Priscilla nodded that that was good enough for the still-excited Shurta. Then, with Shurta clinging to her, she looked at Heinkel, who had gone silent.
"You have done well,
"Huh?"
"Your way of living is unsightly and painful to witness, but the swordsmanship you have honed is commendable. See to it that you do not forget your diligence, even when it goes unrewarded."
"…Whether I'm rewarded or not is up to you, Lady Priscilla."
So saying, Heinkel turned away, roughly running a hand through his red hair as he walked off. Subaru called out to his retreating back.
"Hey, old man!—Garfiel's been saved, apparently. Our little brother was taken care of by your lot."
"Tch."
Heinkel replied with a scowl and walked off without stopping. Subaru watched Shurta bow deeply and hurry after the man's back, then shrugged at Priscilla.
"Before, he wouldn't even give me a straight answer. Why is he with Reinhard's dad?"
"There is no such thing as someone's father. A pointless question not worth answering."
"Ugh… when you say something reasonable, it hurts right here."
Subaru clutched his chest, and Priscilla tapped him on the head with her fan, calling him a fool. Rubbing the spot, Subaru received a light chin-lift from Priscilla, who said: "Come now, do you intend to bore me? Fulfill your duty as the fool,
The way she called him by name once more gave him, for some reason, no will to resist.
△▼△▼△▼△ "So you've all shown up together to carve frowns into my busy brow?"
Greeting the newly arrived Subaru and Priscilla, Abel did exactly as his words described and furrowed his brow.
It was a room in the great fortress—nothing so grand as an office—but for the sake of the urgent postwar response, Abel appeared to be driven to work through the night.
Like Priscilla, he too was one of those who had fought the Moving Castle, brandishing the "Solar Sword."
"You being this tough still feels so weird. We can't have a catfight anymore."
"I never intended to engage in such a dubious ritual with you in the first place. If you've come to bother me with trivial matters, then leave at once."
"Sure, you say to leave if we're bothering you, but…"
At the emperor's dismissive words, Subaru looked toward the sofa beside the desk where Abel was working. There, leaning against each other, peacefully asleep, were Flop and Medium.
The Oko siblings' safe reunion was heartwarming, but the contrast with the emperor beside them was stark.
"You're not kicking these two out?"
"…I know that waking them would only cause more trouble."
"That sounds just like you, Brother. As always, you're exceedingly soft when it comes to the things you care about. My allowing you to flee the country was also because of your love, after all."
Fanning herself with her fan, Priscilla said this matter-of-factly, and Abel said nothing.
It could be read as a silence meaning "nothing I say will help," or a silence born of being struck in a sore spot.
"Siscon emperor…"
"I don't know what that means, but I can tell it's the height of disrespect coming from you."
"Save your empty threats. Because of this Great Calamity, the empire has accumulated far too many debts to the Kingdom and the City-States. Particularly to Natsuki Subaru's camp."
"Priscilla… it's not my camp, it's Emilia-tan's camp."
A rare show of support from Priscilla, though Subaru made sure to correct the important detail. Priscilla looked exasperated, remarking that he'd been well-trained, while Abel quietly rubbed his brow with his fingers.
Watching Abel close both eyes, Subaru thought, "Oh my."
"What is it now, Natsuki Subaru? Do you intend to continue your displays of disrespect?"
"No, it's nothing like that. I don't want to fight, and if you're busy I'll get going."
Pouting, Subaru did not point out what he had noticed. Nor did he think Abel was doing it unconsciously. The reason and catalyst for the change were, surely, something concrete.
And it seemed Subaru wasn't the only one who felt positively about that change.
"Priscilla, you too. I have much I must do."
"Your sister, or the empire? After ten years, has the scales finally settled inside you, Brother? Then—"
"What?"
Abel knit his brow slightly at Priscilla's pause. Before him, Priscilla pinched the hem of her dress and gave a deep bow.
And then— "—His Excellency Vincent Volachia, seventy-seventh Emperor of the Holy Volachian Empire. From the bottom of my heart, I congratulate you upon ascending to the imperial throne."
"————"
"See to it that you busy yourself with commanding the packs of Sword Wolves. For the time ahead, there will be many days with no rest for the mind."
With a serious expression, Priscilla offered congratulations and, with a fearless smile, her subsequent counsel to her brother. At her sister's mercurial manner, Abel—Vincent Volachia—sighed.
Then he glanced at the Oko siblings sleeping shoulder to shoulder on the sofa.
"Priscilla.—You are the only sister in this world whom I can let my guard down around."
"Truly, what a characteristically roundabout declaration of love from my brother."
Priscilla interpreted his words this way, hiding a provocative smile behind the fan she opened with a snap. On that point, Subaru, who happened to be present, was in complete agreement.
If he could add one thing as a third party, though— "From where I'm standing, you two are an annoyingly alike pair of siblings."
He said this, and the alike siblings glared at him with strikingly similar expressions of displeasure.
△▼△▼△▼△ "Were you speaking with His Excellency Vincent, Priscilla?"
"Oh, it's Mother."
Having thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between the royal siblings and the merchant siblings—the empire's two kinds of brother-sister bonds—Subaru and Priscilla ran into Yorna and, with her, Yurgun in the fortress corridors.
The pair's destination appeared to be Abel's room; they had business with him as well, it seemed.
Yorna narrowed her long, sharp eyes and studied Subaru and his companion intently. Subaru assumed she found the pairing unusual, but he was wrong.
"It is my first time seeing a boy with limbs grown out like this, and it is quite the unfamiliar sight."
"…Ah! Come to think of it, I've only ever shown Yorna-san my crossdressing and shota forms!?"
This revelation struck Subaru with shock—realizing just how many variations of himself he had presented during his time in the empire. At his surprise, Yorna covered her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed.
"Your Excellency, this person is a knight of the Kingdom. Until very recently, he had been shrunk into the body of a child, but when I first met him, he was in the form of a beautiful woman."
"Hmm. To think my star would praise his appearance so highly—am I not also moved to take interest?"
"No no no, please don't. I mean, Natsumi Schwartz is indeed a noble lady whom anyone would be proud to show off, but…"
"For a commoner, it is commendable technique, but your self-evaluation is quite distorted."
At Subaru's response, caught between coolness and enthusiasm, Priscilla commented with an exasperated air. Then, glancing briefly toward Abel's room, she said: "Why are Mother and the 'King of Thorns' visiting Brother?"
"My remaining time is surely short as well. Before it runs out, I wish to speak with my children's children, and about my star's wish."
"Remaining time…"
At Yurgun's words, Subaru's eyes turned to Yorna.
—Thus, Yurgun was beside Yorna in a natural, easy manner. But he, too, was one of the dead. Like Sphinx, he appeared indistinguishable from the living, but that fact did not change.
"It is likely that the fulfillment of his own life has influenced his appearance. For my part as well, this is preferable to embracing my star with a body through which no warmth flows."
"Even if it is a bond of soul rather than blood, you speak of your love for your mother rather brazenly in front of your daughter. That is very much the 'King of Thorns,' I suppose… And Mother's wish?"
"—It concerns the shackles binding my soul as it transmigrates again and again."
At Yorna's quiet words—of whose particulars Subaru knew only the surface—he listened.
Yorna had once been a girl called Iris, and her soul, upon every death, returned to the surface world without receiving the baptism of
That was why what Yorna asked of Abel, in return for her contributions to the civil war and the Great Calamity, was— "—I wish for its repeal. The empire's order of extermination against the beast people and the earthen rats."
"Wh—"
"That was my wish from the beginning… When I became one of the 'Nine Divine Generals,' I prioritized being granted the demon city where my beloved children could dwell—"
"—I see. What binds Mother's soul is the blood, flesh, and lives of the beast people and the earthen rats, two races accumulated since ancient times. Sever that supply, and the curse will naturally dissipate."
"And at the time, the one who issued that order was none other than myself. If I, the one who gave the decree, now ask the current emperor for its repeal, it can be done without blemishing my star's name or my children's children's names."
Saying this, Yurgun gazed gently at Yorna, who was holding his arm.
In that moment, Subaru understood that behind the unchanging eyes of the "King of Thorns," feelings of regret and shame had been smoldering for years.
"Iris and the King of Thorns"—in the old tale told in this world, who knew what drama had unfolded between them. But if it had ended in tragedy, then this was the afterword.
"Then at least, I'd like to think there's an epilogue that leaves a slightly better aftertaste."
"A difference in perspective. There are many times when a later addition by someone in the know turns out to be a redundant stroke."
"You…!"
Since the person with the complicated relationship—yet who was supposed to be his daughter—had stirred the pot, Subaru was about to tell Priscilla to read the room. But before he could, she continued with "However—"
"If it is Mother and the 'King of Thorns,' they would hardly do something tasteless."
"—She does remind me of Teriora, doesn't she? Don't you think so, my star?"
"Now that you mention it, indeed… No wonder I felt a deeper fondness."
"Don't compare me to anyone other than myself and say such things. If it were anyone but Mother, I would not let it slide."
Sharp as ever, Priscilla's rebuke made Yorna and Yurgun's lips curve.
In this strange relationship—where they were not actually so—the three of them looked, to an outsider, like a happy family. Subaru scratched his cheek with a vaguely bashful feeling.
At his gesture, Yorna smiled and said, "I have bored you," then added: "Your Excellency and I will be going. Priscilla, don't quarrel with the boy."
"Don't treat me like a child. Besides, if this commoner truly angered me, I'd simply have his head cut off."
"How terrifying! Well then, Yorna-san, Yurgun-san, see you again."
Chuckling at the mother-daughter exchange between Yorna and Priscilla, Subaru called out to Yurgun—though even as he said "again," he had a feeling this would be the last.
The other party seemed to have the same thought. The former emperor looked straight at Subaru and said: "May you spend your days with those you love. May fortune be with you and your star."
△▼△▼△▼△ "W-wow, seeing Subaru and Priscilla together was suuuu surprising!"
"You're telling me. There's still so much we need to do, and it'd be a real pain if it rains tomorrow."
Priscilla let out a small "Hmph" at Anastasia, who gazed out the window at the night sky as she spoke.
Subaru had stopped by the break room for a drink of water after an unexpectedly high number of conversations with people, and there he found Emilia and Anastasia with their heads together at the table.
It wasn't an unusual pairing since their adventure at the
In any case, what had these two, whose roles differed between physical and intellectual labor, been doing here?
"So, Otto-kun scolded me and told me I wasn't allowed to work anymore today…"
"More to the point, it's not right for us to stick our noses into the empire's postwar cleanup. So before we rested, we thought we'd have a little chat, but… Emilia-san's stories about Natsuki-kun just won't end."
"My stories? From Emilia-tan? I wanna hear, I wanna hear!"
Eager to join what sounded like a juicy girls' talk, Subaru leaned forward—only for his collar to be grabbed from behind and a cry of "Gwaah!" to escape his lips.
The one who'd done it was none other than Priscilla, who was less likely to strangle him than to actually behead him. Releasing his collar, she fixed Emilia and Anastasia with a look.
"A half-elf and a fox-woman, both nominally candidates for the throne, sitting together to talk about the exploits of a commoner? Do not waste your time so foolishly. You'd be better off counting the stars."
"Oh, I get that. When I was alone in the forest, I used to do that sometimes to kill time…"
"For me, counting the saved-up money always took longer than that."
"Oh come on, don't let Priscilla's outburst expand the topic like that."
Count the stars—really? That was on the level of "just give up and go to sleep." Of course, Subaru could kill infinite time finding constellations too, but that wasn't the point.
Preventing the conversation from spiraling further into the night sky, Emilia let out a little laugh.
"But it is really weird when you think about it. Anastasia-san and Priscilla and I—we're all candidates for the throne in the Kingdom, and yet here we are in the empire."
"If Natsuki-kun hadn't gotten launched from the tower so carelessly, none of this would've happened."
"That was force majeure, and if I hadn't been launched, the empire would've been destroyed, so…"
That didn't exactly make up for how it all started, but given the scale of the Great Calamity, it wasn't entirely wrong. He wouldn't say he was glad to have been launched, but he could say there was meaning to it.
Still, Priscilla might scoff at such a conversation— "—That is right. Without you lot, the empire's history would have ended just yesterday or the day before."
"Wow" "Heh" "Huh?"
"Don't all three of you make such foolish sounds in unison. I merely stated an obvious fact."
Just that, Priscilla said—but that she had said it at all was what surprised Subaru.
At her unexpected words, Anastasia chuckled with a knowing look.
"That's a surprise. Who'd have thought you'd so openly admit we helped."
"Don't get the wrong idea. The empire was once the homeland of Prisca Benedict, but it is no longer mine. The ones responsible for the empire's survival are its emperor and the soldiers who follow him."
"And there it is! See, if the princess didn't act like this, it just wouldn't be fun."
"Oh, Priscilla, don't tease her so. She's just stubborn, that's all."
"Stubborn? That's not the word I'd use…"
At Emilia's characteristic measuring stick, Subaru managed a wry smile, split evenly between exasperation and admiration.
But he understood Emilia's and Anastasia's feelings. Previously, Priscilla had been such an unknown quantity to Subaru that she seemed like an entirely different creature he couldn't comprehend.
Even acknowledging her insight and strength, her personality had seemed as impenetrable as that of a carnivorous beast.
His impression of Priscilla, however, had changed considerably during his days in the empire.
"Now, even Priscilla can be recognized as a throne candidate alongside Emilia-tan and Anastasia-san, and also Crusch-san and
"Why would I need to be recognized by you? Watch your tongue, commoner."
"There she goes again with the harsh words… But we were actually talking about that a little, weren't we? Right?"
Emilia pressed her palms together and looked to Anastasia, who gave a demure smile.
"Well, there was that whole incident at
"Next time, let's invite Priscilla too! Since we're all candidates for the throne and all."
"Commoner, your master doesn't seem to understand what a royal selection even is."
"She's adorable, isn't she? This right here is my angel."
The Priestella gathering among the candidates hadn't originally been meant as a vacation, but Emilia still felt guilty about leaving Priscilla out.
That said, if the alternative was something like the
"If we're doing this, next time let's go somewhere we can do a swimsuit vacation!"
"Natsuki-kun, you're an honest little boy when it comes to desires. Well, it's not a bad idea. Of course, if the princess says she doesn't want to be invited, then I won't invite her?"
"Priscilla… what do you think?"
Between the provocative Anastasia and the timid, small-animal-like Emilia, Priscilla shrugged at the invitation from the two beautiful candidates.
"As you wish. If my interest is piqued, so be it; if not, so be it. There is no particular reason for me to refuse."
"—! Yes, let's do it. We're all in such difficult positions, and we have so many worries, but… I don't think there's any reason we can't be friends."
"That's the thing about Emilia-san—she softens everything up until you don't know what to do with yourself."
Priscilla's answer, designed not to seem too eager, came across to Emilia as something she could eagerly latch onto. Subaru nodded along with Anastasia's observation.
Priscilla, for her part, seemed uninterested in correcting the impression, and instead looked up at the night sky.
"—A girl from the slums, a duke, a fox-woman from the City-States, and a half-elf with silver hair and violet eyes."
"…? Priscilla?"
"It is nothing. I merely thought that lined up like that, we sound rather like the cast of a poorly written story."
"Poorly written is uncalled for. Besides, you're in no position to talk, considering your own situation."
Even immersed in the moment as she was, Priscilla's position was that of a supposedly dead princess of the empire. As far as colorful titles to liven up a story went, it was more than sufficient.
After saying this, Subaru's heart clenched—he might have crossed a line and angered Priscilla. But that worry was unfounded. No, more than unfounded—it was dead wrong.
"—Indeed."
Saying this, Priscilla touched the tip of her fan to her lips and smiled.
She smiled as naturally and unaffectedly as a girl chatting with friends.
△▼△▼△▼△ Having somewhat lost the right opportunity to separate, Subaru continued walking the fortress city with Priscilla.
He would say so himself, but today Subaru had overworked himself. And the same could be said of Priscilla, and of the many people still bustling energetically throughout the city.
Most, like Subaru, were probably too fired up to sleep.
"Please tell me it's not that everyone is some kind of tireless corpse…"
"—What on earth are you saying, you fool?"
"Hwah!?"
Leaning dazedly against a stone bridge walkway, gazing at the townspeople moving below and commenting on their comings and goings, Subaru was caught in the act by the one person he least wanted to overhear.
The person glaring at him with reproachful eyes was
Rem, carrying a bucket of water, was apparently one of the sleepless ones as well.
"Still helping treat the wounded? I get the enthusiasm, but overworking yourself isn't good. Take a cue from my sister—rest as soon as you're tired."
"I'll throw that right back at you. In fact, if you have nothing to do, you should return to your room and rest quietly—that should be your job."
"Sharp truth! …I mean, it's not that I have nothing to do, I just don't have anything I *must* do…"
Subaru pressed his fingertips together in front of his chest and mumbled his reply. At his attitude, Rem's pale blue eyes sharpened, and his courage shriveled further.
Then, to his rescue—or rather, looking like she simply wanted to tell him to stop being pathetic—Priscilla sighed.
"It's nothing of consequence. As you can see, his limbs have grown somewhat compared to when he was a child. He simply finds it awkward to face those he interacted with more during that time."
"Getting taller but still short is overkill! …Though both points are true."
Being told his exact thoughts by Priscilla with such composure, Subaru bit his sleeve and hissed.
The big task looming before Subaru—as Priscilla had said—was telling the Pleiades Watchtower about the fact that he had returned to his original form.
They were companions he'd been with since the Gladiator Island, but he had never once told them about having been shrunk. He hadn't even revealed the truth about being Emperor Abel's illegitimate son, meaning he'd been living a complete lie.
"If I tell them and they all look down on me, I'll never recover… I'm starting to think it'd be better if Natsumi Schwartz had died an honorable death in battle…!"
"If you're going to tell that lie, then I will look down on you. Is that what you want? Me looking down on you?"
"That's terrible too! If Rem hates me, I can't go on living…!"
Caught between Rem at the front gate and the Watchtower at the back, his heart pummeled from both sides, Subaru whimpered. At the sight, Rem sighed—and then noticed Priscilla's gaze resting on her.
Priscilla crossed her arms to emphasize her chest and addressed Rem.
"Your expression has changed in the time we've been apart. The healing magic that was a source of anguish for you seems to be serving you well now."
"Yes. I've had many opportunities to practice what Lady Priscilla instructed. …Also, thank you. After the star was shot down, that gentle fire that shared its power with all of us—that was from you, wasn't it, Lady Priscilla?"
"Hmm. What made you think so?"
"—Intuition. Perhaps because I spent time together with Lady Priscilla, even if only briefly."
Drawing the water bucket to her chest, Rem answered Priscilla thus.
Despite her words, Rem's smile was brimming with certainty. Seeing that smile, Priscilla too let out a soft laugh.
"Good. It seems the core of a diamond has taken root within you. I commend you."
"Excuse me, Rem, but I was actually the one—well, me and Bear—that shot the star down when the city was in danger. What about that? Huh? What about me?"
"Huh?"
"I know I'm being presumptuous, and I'm sorry, but please praise Bear later!"
Feeling the same desire for Priscilla's praise, Subaru got glared at with a look that bordered on contempt. He slunk back, though Priscilla's point held some truth.
The expression "core of a diamond" suited Rem well—she carried herself with a quiet confidence. Subaru felt that had much to do with her reunion with
"Later, tell me in detail what you and Priscilla did while I was away."
"…Once everything has been taken care of. I promise."
"Oh, then let me help treat the wounded. You can put me to work too."
It wasn't that Subaru wanted to put off talking with the Watchtower, but he couldn't very well leave Rem busy and overworked.
At his offer, Rem started to hand him the water bucket—then stopped.
"—No. It's fine, really."
"Huh!? D-did I say something offensive!? Was I being too caring in a creepy way!?"
"Not that. It's not that, but… if you come with me, Lady Priscilla will be left alone."
"No no no, then just make Priscilla help with treating the wounded too!"
"Are you sane?"
"I went too far even for me, I'll admit!"
Received with a look of utter disbelief, Subaru reflected on himself. Still, being refused Rem's help on Priscilla's behalf was a strange turn of events.
In the first place, Subaru being with Priscilla right now was entirely by chance—not the result of any deep reason.
If
"But Beatrice and Spica got grabbed by some experts on spirits and authorities…"
"Then in that case, you should stay by Lady Priscilla's side—"
"Rem, there is no need for such pointless concern. In any case, what use is there in escorting a commoner?"
"There you go saying that, but you're the one who started escorting him in the first place!"
Being told to fulfill his role as the fool and then ending up protesting like this was pretty clownish. But regardless of Subaru's protest, Rem gazed steadily at Priscilla.
For a moment, she searched for the shapeless words inside her.
"I don't want Lady Priscilla to be alone."
"…To think that after all this time, that would be your answer. You are a puzzling girl."
"But now, this pain in my chest—it doesn't hurt anymore."
Rem's words were unintelligible to Subaru.
Probably some exchange that had taken place between Rem and Priscilla, unknown to him. Priscilla took it in, paused a beat, then gave a soft snort.
"Work hard and grow strong, Rem. Daughter of the Oni.—There are surely roles only you can fulfill, wishes only you can grant, futures only you can reach."
"—Lady Priscilla?"
"Come along, commoner. At Rem's request, I'll make an exception and take you somewhere."
"Unclear on where, but okay…"
Regally ignoring Subaru's concerns, Priscilla gestured with her fan toward the outside of the walkway—not at the townspeople below, not at the starry night sky, but somewhere in between: the city wall.
The walls of the city had all been damaged in the siege, but fortunately, this particular section retained its original form. It didn't appear to be a place with anyone around or anything to see, though.
"Rem, follow your own heart. Your heart is rippling, but those ripples are never unsightly."
"—Thank you."
After indicating their destination, Rem and Priscilla once again exchanged words Subaru couldn't follow.
But Rem's gentle expression gave him no reason to pry further.
△▼△▼△▼△ It seemed the area had been cleared—no sentries stood atop the city wall.
Given that the battle with the Great Calamity had just ended and not all the dead had been dispatched, this struck Subaru as a rather lax decision. But— "Well, who's going to have the guts to disobey the princess's orders?"
Al said this as he welcomed Subaru and Priscilla, sitting cross-legged on the empty wall. Beside him sat what appeared to be an expensive bottle of wine and two glasses.
"Drunk on victory?"
"You gotta be kidding—would I start without the princess? Besides, I didn't expect the two of you to be together. Super rare combo, right?"
"Everyone I've run into today has said the same thing. And honestly, my tail hasn't stopped tingling."
Al insisted he wasn't drunk, but his voice carried a light, buoyant tone. It might not have been the wine—it might have been the pleasant inebriation of victory's afterglow.
In truth, having walked all over the city with Priscilla, Subaru had felt this keenly.
"It's not just that everyone's got stuff to do—it's that nobody wants this to become just a dream."
"You're a poet, bro. But, y'know, that's not so hard to understand. Morning—it can wait just a little longer, right?"
More than the fear that waking from sleep would make the victory feel like a dream, it was the feeling of not wanting to end a day that all of them had seized together.
Sharing this pre-dawn sentiment, Subaru and Al were suddenly tapped on the back of the head by a fan. Crying out in unison, they turned to find Priscilla looking at them with exasperation.
"A fool and a commoner, and all you talk about is nonsense. More importantly… Al, did you get what I asked for?"
"Oh? Oh yeah, no worries. I got the prime minister to clear the sentries off the wall, and I got some wine from a gorgeous Viscountess. Bet your eyes'd bug out at the price of this stuff."
"I can tell. The label and the age of the bottle practically scream the price. I don't drink, though."
"Same here. The box it was stored in did all the work. I barely drink either."
Fellow teetotalers, Subaru and Al pointed at each other with a grin. At their behavior, Priscilla shrugged, then deftly took the bottle and pulled the cork.
Sweet-smelling wine flowed slowly into the two glasses.
"There are only two glasses. The two of you can share one."
"Oh, I'd be happy—I mean, I'm sorry, please excuse me, I'll be quiet now."
Al slunk back, and Subaru couldn't blame him for wanting to tease the man. In any case, while Priscilla brought her glass to her lips, Subaru hesitated briefly before doing the same.
"Oh, underage drinking."
"In this world it's legal—*cough, hck*!"
The moment the wine passed over his tongue and its aroma reached his nose and throat, Subaru choked. Al, who had laughed "wahaha" at the sight, took the glass and drank in turn.
He lifted the visor of his helmet with the hand holding the glass, poured the wine through the gap—and— "*Cough, glk, bah!*"
"You're choking worse than me! Get it together, you old geezer!"
"So noisy, both of you. How sad that you cannot even appreciate fine wine. The fallen '
"Stop, you're giving me inexplicable guilt…"
Not that Sphinx was going to say anything about them failing to appreciate the wine of victory, but that was the mood Subaru was in.
In the end, while Subaru and Al took turns sipping from the glass, Priscilla managed to reduce the bottle by roughly half on her own. He didn't know the exact alcohol content, but it had tasted pretty strong, and yet Priscilla looked entirely unfazed.
"The princess being a heavyweight drinker—it's exactly what you'd expect."
Al said this with a hint of pride, and Subaru had to concede the point. Then, just as Subaru and Al's glass was emptied, Priscilla timed it perfectly.
"Dawn is near. I've grown somewhat entertained.—Al, accompany me."
"*Cough*… Huh? Accompany you doing wh—Whoa!"
Saying this, she swept the empty glass and the half-empty bottle onto the railing, then took Al by the hand, pulled him to his feet, and led him to the center of the wall.
She turned to the bewildered Subaru with a smile.
"Natsuki Subaru—sing."
"That's way too much to ask!"
"You've wet your tongue with that much fine wine. Now then—perform your duty, or I'll tell Rem."
"Grrr… Fine!"
Somewhat forcefully swept along, Subaru crossed his arms and assembled a set list in his head. Meanwhile, Al stared back at Priscilla.
"Princess, I'm still missing an arm here?"
"So what. You have two legs and your loyalty to me.—Begin."
It wasn't exactly a signal, but Priscilla's words coincided with the start of the singing.
"————"
What Subaru chose was neither a hit song from his original world nor a song he particularly liked from this one—though it was both, rooted as it was in this new world.
"Sword Devil's Love Song" was a bit too long, and he'd probably end up crying while singing it.
What Subaru chose was— "—A sky that chases past the dawn"
Slowly, the night of the Volachian Empire came to an end, and yesterday—with its scattered stars—gave way to a noisy, raucous today.
This song, which celebrated that arrival, was Subaru's absolute favorite among the songs he had heard in this world.
"Hmph."
There was no instrumental accompaniment—only the sound of Subaru's a cappella voice.
Compared to Liliana, the bard who made her living singing, it was a poor showing. But it was the dance that Priscilla began, which was the highest praise for the singing Subaru.
"Come, dance, dance, Al! Do not bore me!"
"Damn it! If it's come to this, I'm going all in! Bro! Pick up the beat!"
—Listening to Subaru's singing, Priscilla and Al danced atop the city wall.
Priscilla's dance was brilliant, and—though she'd probably be angry at him for saying this—it bore a certain resemblance to Abel's dance when he had seduced the Guaral with his Zikr. Al's clumsy moves looked like a Bon Odori festival dance, unskilled but fun to watch.
Most of all, it was clear that both Priscilla and Al, master and servant alike, were truly enjoying themselves.
"————"
Before he knew it, Subaru—who had been so reluctant—was singing with a smile.
A sky that chases past the dawn—a song that heralded the dawn that was certain to come, its radiance blazing over a world reborn, a blessing for Volachia, which had been ruled by flame.
And Priscilla, who lived like a flame, was the most Volachian woman there was.
"————"
Not knowing how to end it, he repeated it twice, three times. In the process, the two dancers fell into rhythm, and once again the moment to stop was lost. And so it went.
While they continued, the full light of morning began to gently bathe the city wall.
He'd had wine too, and today—no, yesterday—he had overworked himself spectacularly. Surely, once he slept today, he would not be able to wake.
Amid the sparkling, blinding morning light, Priscilla—dancing with Al—shone with an almost painful brilliance, and— "—Princess?"
It was sudden. Utterly sudden. Al's call.
"————"
The same call, moments ago, had been unguardedly cheerful, laced with an affection he could not hide. This one carried a different timbre—and with that, Subaru's singing cut off.
Subaru blinked, and rubbed his eyes, again and again.
Even after rubbing them— "—That singing woman—
Thus spoke Priscilla, nestled against Al's chest from behind as he embraced her, offering her praise.
—And Priscilla's body, transparent in the morning light, was faintly beginning to fade.
△▼△▼△▼△ "————"
Enveloped in the morning haze of the fortress city, Subaru stood frozen on the wall, staring at Priscilla.
The crimson dress, the orange hair caught in the sunlight, the flame-red eyes—all of it was the same. Nothing had changed about the being called Priscilla Bariel.
"Pris…cilla…?"
"You must already know. My enemy, Sphinx, sealed me in a different phase so that she could show me the empire's destruction. To break free from there, there was no way other than to burn that place to nothing."
"Oh—"
Priscilla was clever. From the tremor in Subaru's voice alone, she understood what he was thinking, what he wanted to ask, and offered him the answer.
With that orderly reply, Subaru understood too. He had already understood.
"————"
She was the same as the old emperor who had been with Yorna and Yurgun.
Priscilla Bariel had traded her own life to return from that other space.
The reason her figure was growing translucent, hazy, vanishing in the morning light—it was crystal clear.
The Priscilla Bariel standing here was already one of the dead.
"You've got to be—there's no way! That's insane!!"
It was not the stunned, frozen Subaru who screamed—it was Al.
Still embracing Priscilla from behind, his voice shook unmistakably from within his helmet as he clutched her tighter, harder, with his one remaining arm.
Holding on, refusing to let go of Priscilla, who was being killed by the slowly rising sun.
"No, no, Princess, this can't be—Bro! BRO!"
"—! Right. Right—this is wrong, this is all wrong! Hold on, Priscilla, I'll—"
At Al's cracking voice, Subaru snapped his gaze up and looked toward the railing.
He had ended the Great Calamity, and had spat out the poison he had kept hidden in his back molar. So if he had to choose a way to redo this immediately, the fastest route was to leap from the wall— "Don't."
"What do you mean don't! There's no reason to stop! I can't accept this—!"
"—Don't, Natsuki Subaru."
A voice stopped Subaru as he lunged for the railing, ready to throw himself off. But ignoring it, Subaru prepared to challenge the Great Calamity once more.
He was about to— "Even you and Al possess the power to alter the very course of destiny. But remember this—there are those who wish for things that even your power and your prayers cannot change."
"What are you—what are you saying!? This isn't the time for that! Right now—"
"Natsuki Subaru."
Subaru's teeth clenched. His nails, digging into the railing, split and drew blood.
Every fiber of Priscilla's words should be ignored—he should simply jump. That was what Subaru's heart screamed, the heart that had challenged the Great Calamity again and again, burning through his lives to win the empire's victory.
But there was a reason to listen to Priscilla that was stronger than that scream.
Frozen between that collision of reason and emotion, Subaru heard Al cry out: "Bro!" Still clutching Priscilla absolutely refusing to let go, he trembled like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Bro! Please… please! Don't listen! You don't have to listen! Just do it! Save the princess… save Priscilla!!"
"Aldebaran."
"—No! Stop, stop, Priscilla! I won't listen!"
Al screamed in anguish, begging Subaru, as Priscilla called his name. He shook his head in protest.
Priscilla called Al by a name Subaru had heard before—but never once directed at him—gently stroking his neck.
From behind, he held her in an embrace; she, in turn, caressed the neck of the man at her back. It was like a painting—no, it was like something too fragile to hold in reality, and Subaru felt it truly was.
"You two saved the empire. Of course, there were others who fought bravely. But no one has sacrificed as much as you two. I commend you for that."
And so, smiling with a beauty that was almost cruel, Priscilla continued.
Neither Subaru's plea nor Al's cries could stop her softly spoken words.
Those crimson lips burned away every impression of Priscilla that had come before, as if it had always been that way—her heart set ablaze by the convenient flame of love.
"You have done this many times before. You have never placed yourselves above others. That is how you have lived until today. Perhaps, then, you have never once received a fitting reward. I shall grant you that."
So saying, Priscilla closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them—her crimson twin orbs reflecting Subaru.
And— "—It has been a great endeavor, Natsuki Subaru. You are a true knight."
The instant those words reached him, the strength left Subaru's knees.
"Oh—"
He crumpled to the ground, unable to stand. His lips trembled, his mind was a churning storm of every emotion at once, comprehension unable to keep up.
And yet his legs had failed him because he had become certain.—His soul understood.
That he, Natsuki Subaru, could not save Priscilla Bariel.
"Aldebaran, you as well…"
"I told you to stop! I won't give up! There's no way I can give up! Because—because if I give up—then you… Prin… cess…!"
Turning his gaze from the kneeling Subaru, Al continued to cling to Priscilla. He had stopped relying on Subaru, and was desperately shouting to change their fate on his own.
But his voice gradually lost its force and momentum, weakening, broken by the sound of sniffling over and over. At Al, who could no longer form words, Priscilla smiled. Like a mother.
Ironic as it was, that smile overlapped with Yorna's, and the proof of their mother-daughter bond. And so Priscilla, soothing her crying child, said: "My, my—a big man blubbering like this is quite the mess."
"—!"
"Hahaha, there, there. I can hear it, you know. You begging me to become your bride."
"…Yeah."
Al answered in a small voice and nodded. As he nodded, he held Priscilla's body even tighter—as if to never let go of something he could never bear to release—and confessed.
It was, without question— "Yeah. Become mine, Princess. My Princess…"
It was a confession of love that no one, no matter what they said, could overturn.
A love that the man had packed into every fiber of his being, delivering it wholly to the woman in his arms. Receiving it, Priscilla's crimson eyes wavered.
"—See? I win again, after all."
As if to prove she had said it all along, Priscilla's smile transformed into something familiar.
This was Priscilla Bariel—radiant with pride, bold and haughty, a beauty who claimed everything in the world as hers without a shred of hesitation. A woman painted in sheer arrogance.
Her brilliance burned into the eyes of all who beheld her, forcing them to acknowledge her existence—the "Sun Princess."
"Remember this, all of you who have shouldered the banner of 'Heroic Fantasy' of your own accord and possess the means to defy a predetermined fate."
"In the days ahead, you will bear the wounds of many, share their pain, and taste their tears. But the many you encounter will not all be virtuous. They will not all be noble.—Nor will you be perfect."
"There will come a day when you regret your actions and can no longer affirm them. There will come a night when you despair of your choices and bend to your knees. There will come a morning when you betray your own wishes and cannot raise your face."
"You will see, again and again, the places where those you love cannot love, and the places where those you cannot love are able to love—and each time, you will stumble upon the same truth."
"And when you do—remember."
"That I, Priscilla Bariel—a perfect woman—once commended you."
—Neither Subaru nor Al could tear their eyes away from Priscilla as she spoke these words.
On the empty wall, where she had given everything to fight the Great Calamity—and smiled without a shred of regret as she faded—they could not look away.
They could not look away, and so they saw it: Priscilla's existence dissolving into light.
And— "The world is this beautiful. And therefore—the world has been made to suit me perfectly."
With those words, unmarred by falsehood, the figure of a woman who had been loved by the world—and had loved the world even more—vanished.
Priscilla Bariel, the "Sun Princess," who lived like a flame. She was the first among the candidates for the throne of the
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