"Go ahead and take a seat. Whether this ends up being long or short, let's settle in for a proper discussion."
Standing at the entrance to the room, Roswaal pinned the two of them with that yellow eye, his other one shut.
Subaru felt the clinging weight of that gaze and heard Otto, standing beside him, draw a sharp breath as though struck by some bewitching aura. The same dark influence was reaching toward Subaru too, but he had already braced himself and kept his footing with nothing more than a small cough.
"You got all dolled up just in time for our welcome — really puts a guy to shame when you go and make that kind of effort."
"Oh my, don't mind it one bit. After all, isn't that what you told me? To put this makeup on again."
"Oh yeah, now that you mention it, I did say that."
After the contract and the bet had been struck, Subaru had indeed told Roswaal to do exactly that before leaving the room. He hadn't expected Roswaal to actually follow through, but— "In truth, for me this face has always been something akin to battle preparation. In order to push things along in accordance with the Gospel, I needed to keep my guard up at all times. That was the self-suggestion I used to keep those defenses in place."
Hearing this unexpected backstory, Subaru found himself staring at Roswaal's face without realizing it.
The white-painted skin, the eerie eyeliner, the rouged lips, the distinctive mark beneath his left eye — all of it had carried a meaning beyond simply teasing his opponents.
"Now you're just saying that to mess with me, aren't you?"
"I wish you'd just believe me for once. Well, I'll leave it to your imagination. After all, when my readings from the Gospel diverged and I gave up on the world's continuation, I stopped wearing this makeup entirely... So the fact that I've resumed it now — what that signifies — you can mull over that too."
At Roswaal's roundabout phrasing, Subaru clenched his teeth and kept his expression from shifting.
If Roswaal's earlier claim about "battle preparation" was genuine, then the reason he stood before them now wearing his makeup again was obvious.
He had recovered the drive he had lost. The will to live in this world, to keep moving forward.
Even if that drive stemmed from the same backwards-looking hope Subaru himself had once harbored — the hope of ending this world and entrusting his wishes to the version of himself in the next one.
"Wouldn't it have been better for you if I'd stayed unmotivated?"
"Not really.
"That's reassuring. ...If you think you can pull it off, why not give it a try?"
When Subaru boldly piled declaration of war on top of declaration of war, Roswaal's mouth twisted into an amused smile. Maintaining that grin, he glanced to Subaru's side and said, "Be that as it may—"
"The one spacing out beside you — that's the Otto you introduced the other day, right? Compared to how lively he was last time, he's looking rather deflated, isn't he?"
"Deflated? More like he's straight-up terrified. The guy tried to make a good impression by greeting you, and the next time he sees you, you're decked out in clown makeup. He's bound to be shaken — right?"
"What do you mean 'trying to make a good impression'? Don't say things like that! It'll make me look bad!"
"Bad impression or not, you're already cooperating with me — someone who's openly working against you. There's no way you're coming off favorably. At least if people recognize you as a formidable enemy, you might crack the top of some popularity poll or other."
"I have absolutely no idea what you're even talking about!"
Watching Otto revert to his usual frantic behavior, Subaru could see the tension leaving the younger man's shoulders. Otto himself wore a complicated expression, realizing that the exchange had been designed to loosen him up.
Roswaal observed the pair, who had established mutual understanding through nothing but eye contact, and ran a finger along his own cheek with a knowing smile.
"You two are getting along awfully well — communicating just with your eyes. I should be the one with the longer history with you, yet here I am feeling jealous."
"Creepy. My heart's first and second spots are always sold out. You lot... especially some guy — there's no room for you to squeeze in, got it, you creep?"
"What a shame. But that does mean... poor
"————"
As a way to keep Subaru off-balance, that name could not have been more effective.
Subaru had not anticipated Roswaal speaking Beatrice's name here, and the combination of that surprise with his irritation at Roswaal's know-it-all expression hit him like a slap across the face.
"Beatrice—"
"That girl has her own Gospel guiding her. In that sense, you could almost call her a kindred spirit of mine. Though I suppose her approach is different from mine — I'm active in pursuing my Gospel's dictates, while she's more passive."
"If all she has to do is wait and she gets her result, that doesn't sound too bad? I'd agree with that sentiment... But in her case, the command to 'wait' is too powerful a curse."
"Sounds about right."
Bound by the command of her creator,
In terms of sheer stubbornness, Beatrice was not unlike Roswaal.
The memory was still fresh of how she had pleaded with Subaru to let her die.
And so too was the memory of her expression at the very end of everything that followed at the mansion, when she had shielded Subaru from harm.
Which was why— "I'll break that curse too. I'll drag her out of that musty room and air-dry her right alongside her books and her dress. — Whether she actually gets what she deserves after that will be up to her."
"————"
At Subaru's unequivocal declaration, Roswaal narrowed his eyes as though gazing at something blinding. He let out a short breath, then turned his gaze toward Otto, who had been waiting for an opening to speak.
"So then? Bringing him here and having that conversation we just had... you'd consider Otto over there to be your card, correct?"
"N-no, sir. I'm merely here as a kind of equalizer to keep the conditions fair. I have absolutely no intention of acting disloyally toward the Margrave—"
"Don't wimp out on me now that we've come this far! Just lay it out! You don't like his clown makeup, so tell him that once you've beaten him, you'll redo his face in red and white with bruise markings!"
"I don't recall ever saying that, and what on earth are bruise markings?!"
As Otto was about to be put on the spot with the outburst, Subaru gave him a meaningless thumbs-up. But Roswaal, studying Subaru's attitude with a contemplative look, cast a meaningful glance at Otto.
"Let me see... If I'm not mistaken, your renewed enthusiasm has something to do with this young man's presence. Isn't that simply... touching?"
"I won't deny that... But thinking about it, isn't it a bit off narratively for a guy to borrow another guy's power to stage a comeback? Normally the main heroine is supposed to be the one who picks you up, isn't she?"
"I really have nothing to say in the face of that accusatory stare."
Subaru met that accusatory look with a wave of his hand and convinced himself that it couldn't be helped.
The strength to stand back up had been borrowed from someone else. This time, it was Subaru's turn to pull the main heroine's hand and lift her to her feet. At least, he had steeled himself to do exactly that.
After briefly closing his eyes, Subaru opened them again. Roswaal noticed the shift in the sharpness of his gaze, straightened up, and the atmosphere in the room changed.
Roswaal settled in on top of the futon, interlaced his fingers, and broke the silence.
"So, being cooped up here under the guise of 'recuperation' leaves me with nothing to do. I'm bored out of my mind. That being the case... I've had nothing better to do than keep my ear to the wall."
"That's a wonderfully healthy hobby you've got there."
"And you — you've been cooking up your own schemes, haven't you? You've gotten at least a taste of how convoluted the
"It's a tangled mess, alright — that much has been giving me plenty of headaches. Once you and Emilia's 'Trial' get thrown into the mix, 'completely cornered' doesn't even begin to cover it."
Subaru acknowledged the difficulty of the situation frankly, but low odds had already been factored in.
He reconfirmed the points he had discussed with Otto and relayed them to Roswaal. Then, holding up a finger to indicate he had no intention of giving up on improving the situation, he said: "The contract, the bet — the deadline is three days from now. I intend to make a big move tomorrow and the day after, so don't get in my way."
"That's not something I can agree to. The Gospel's fulfillment is my dearest wish. I've explained this to you any number of times, have I not?"
"Within three days, I'm going to have Emilia conquer the Trial and persuade Garfiel. A stronger faction is in your interest too. Forget the Gospel — I'll guarantee you a far brighter future than that."
"If you say so, then perhaps that future isn't entirely hopeless."
At this point, Subaru was piling on arguments he knew were futile. Briefly, Roswaal lowered his eyes and murmured something, as though letting his thoughts drift toward the future Subaru was offering.
But when he raised his gaze once more, there was no wavering in his mismatched eyes.
"There's no certainty. — For me, that alone is sufficient reason to reject the future you propose. If I follow the Gospel, a desired future is guaranteed. Even if it requires sacrificing any number of things to obtain, it doesn't matter. What I want is only one thing."
"Would you really throw away everything else you have — everyone who's supporting your current position,
"Come now, Subaru. — What's the point of questioning my resolve at this stage? My answer hasn't changed, and neither has what you need to do."
"————"
The outcome of the persuasion had been obvious from the start, and so had the words of rejection.
Roswaal did not listen to Subaru's words. The same way Subaru had refused Roswaal's proposal, refused Echidna's contract — the "optimal path" was already locked within his heart.
"...I really can't be you, Roswaal. Not ever."
"Is that so. ...I must say, that's genuinely disappointing, Subaru."
Leaning his weight back against the pillow on the headrest, Roswaal let out a quiet breath. The faint hint of disappointment in it — was it born of the expectations Roswaal had held for Subaru?
That Subaru, stripped of all possibilities, would inevitably arrive at the same place he had. That the lonely man who had thrown even his life away for this struggle would not be alone in his thinking.
"Let's return to the main topic, shall we? If that's acceptable, Margrave."
Stepping forward into the momentary lull, it was Otto who spoke. Roswaal turned his yellow eye toward the gray-haired young man and took his silence as assent.
Otto turned his head toward Subaru, gave a small nod, and continued.
"It's been agreed that we're all working with a three-day deadline — namely, the event that will shake this Sanctuary. The Margrave's willingness to observe while keeping Natsuki-san in check — we'll take that as equally agreed upon."
"Observe... I don't recall giving any such verbal commitment."
"Then surely the fact that I'm not a pile of ashes in this room speaks for itself?
"Oh?"
As Otto rattled off his argument with rapid precision, Subaru held his breath and watched the young man's back. He was speaking with a fire that surpassed anything they had rehearsed.
Reading the intent behind Otto's words, even Roswaal looked taken aback.
"You're an interesting one, Otto. I believe I said something similar once before... but allow me to revise my earlier assessment. — You are a more interesting specimen than I had imagined."
"I... think I can take that as a compliment?"
"Unalloyed praise, at that. Ahh, splendid. By standing here alongside Subaru, you've staked your life to prove the logic you just laid out. That, truly, is a decision befitting my taste — and a noble one at that. Not just anyone could manage it."
"Then... thank you."
Overwhelmed to some degree by Roswaal's sheer force of presence, Otto nonetheless held his ground against the Margrave. As Otto himself had pointed out, he was facing a demon who could erase him from existence with a single twitch of a finger — and under conditions where that was a genuine possibility.
In truth, if Roswaal truly intended to disregard appearances and force Subaru's contract through, all he needed to do was carry out the treachery Otto had described. Short of that, he could burn the Sanctuary to the ground ahead of schedule, or summon the
Otto, who did not know about "Return by Death," seemed to believe that Subaru's survival was essential to the bet's outcome. But between Subaru and Roswaal, who shared the knowledge of Return by Death, even Subaru's survival was not a strict requirement. On that occasion when the contract had been struck, whether Subaru would be killed by a flame to the back had been his primary concern — nothing more.
How could it be called "observing" if Roswaal held back from committing that atrocity?
"In any case, we need your word, Margrave. No matter what we attempt, no matter how we execute it... you will not resort to extreme measures until three days from now — until the deadline."
"Asking for an outright promise — quite the bold move."
"If someone's going to interfere or not, I don't think we can play this hand out while constantly looking over our shoulders. Since Natsuki-san is going all-in with full confidence in his loss, wouldn't refusing to interfere be a rather trivial concession?"
"————"
With his gestures and his upturned smile, Otto met Roswaal's sharpened gaze.
Holding his breath and watching the negotiation unfold, Subaru sensed that Otto had gone on the offensive. With that provocative phrasing, if Roswaal took the bait, they would lose.
A suffocating silence filled the room, heavy and oppressive. But then— "I see. Subaru, you've found yourself a fine friend."
"...Yeah, I really have. The kind of guy who'll clock me across the face if I'm about to make a mistake."
At Subaru's response, Roswaal let his trademark grin relax, and his gaze drifted slightly distant.
For a brief moment, Subaru found himself wondering: did Roswaal not have someone like that? Someone like Otto, who would slap him across the face and correct him when he was about to go wrong.
Someone who could fix Roswaal's stubbornly twisted thinking — did Roswaal not have anyone like that?
"That's why there's no helping it. — I know I'm four hundred years too late, but we're going to be that for you."
"————"
"Roswaal! That attitude earlier — I'm taking that as agreement, got it?!"
At Subaru's insistence, Roswaal gave a wry smile. He tilted his clownish face slightly to the side and said: "Very well, I promise. Either way, I'll need to refine mana in order to make it snow three days from now. I should mention that even someone of my caliber finds weather manipulation to be quite a chore — even if only temporarily, and only over a limited area."
"So you're going to be meditating from here on out. If you could also share what you'd hate to have happen while you're doing that, it'd be both helpful and motivating."
"I don't enjoy sending salt to the enemy. — I simply understand that your goals won't be achieved, because I don't need to do anything at all."
That, at least, was where he would not budge.
Subaru snorted at the sarcastic remark, and Otto let out an exasperated sigh.
Still, they had managed to extract the main reason they had come here.
For the centerpiece of their bet, it was essential that Roswaal not interfere. Securing that promise alone was a victory. Otto's eloquence had far exceeded what Subaru had expected.
"By the way, Subaru."
"Hm?"
"I heard that the Great Spirit left Lady Emilia's side."
The abrupt topic shift hit Subaru like a blow to the head, yanking him away from the momentary relief.
Straightening up from his slight slouch, Subaru nodded in affirmation to Roswaal's question.
"A flaw emerged in the contract between Emilia and
"I heard she was devastated... At this critical juncture, on top of a heart already wounded, has yet another blow been dealt? Is she going to be all right?"
"...How should I put this. At the very least, tonight's Trial will have to be postponed. What effect tomorrow and beyond will have — I won't know until Emilia wakes up."
In truth, even though Puck had warned Subaru in advance about the depth of Emilia's grief, her despair had still been enough to make him want to cover his eyes.
Trapping Emilia in that state with only two days remaining — while already pursuing a bet with unfavorable odds — was nothing more than piling another gamble on top of an already thin chance, narrowing the gate further still.
But the one thing Subaru could hold onto as a faint hope was this: a crack had appeared in what should have been a sealed door, letting a sliver of wind pass through.
"That said, the weight on my mind is undeniable. But regardless, I'm going to—"
"I found it a little curious, you know."
Roswaal cut Subaru off mid-sentence, waving a raised finger from side to side. The unexpected gesture made Subaru fall silent, and Roswaal continued: "Looking at you now, it's clear you're agonizing over how to get Emilia back on her feet. But regarding the severance of her contract with the Great Spirit — you don't appear particularly surprised. What exactly does that mean?"
"————"
At Roswaal's seemingly casual question, Subaru clenched his jaw for an instant.
The reason his surprise seemed so minimal through Roswaal's eyes was because this information was already known to him. Had Puck not warned him in advance about this very scenario, Subaru would have been left wringing his hands in front of the wailing Emilia.
Although, even now that he had known in advance, it didn't make much of a difference.
"You already knew about this, didn't you? That the Great Spirit would leave Lady Emilia's side. Never mind how you came to know — that much seems certain."
"Even if I did... that's none of your damn business. I'm pouring everything I've got into winning this bet. You've no right to—"
"Oh no, it's quite all right. — That was all I wanted to hear."
Roswaal extended a palm and nodded with a satisfied expression. Silenced by that gesture, Subaru let his breath out through his nose, left with the lingering frustration of an incomplete fire.
"Be that as it may... if the Great Spirit's departure from Lady Emilia's side was already on track to happen, this does create quite the predicament for me."
"...Does it? If anything, that seems like a favorable trend from your perspective—"
"Not at all. While watching Emilia's heart break and stoking the fire in your own — that condition works well enough. But Emilia losing her power as a spirit user means she can no longer make it snow in the Sanctuary. That is, for me, a considerable blow."
"Ah..."
What Roswaal had just articulated was a discrepancy with the Gospel.
In three days, snow would fall on the Sanctuary to summon the Great Rabbit. To align with what was written, Roswaal needed to blanket the Sanctuary entirely in snow.
But that meant— "Roswaal, I've been thinking about this for a while now..."
"Hmm? What might that be?"
"About the flaws in what you call the complete Gospel."
"————"
At Subaru's words, the faint smile that had been on Roswaal's lips vanished. The air grew faintly dry, and the sensation of goosebumps rising on the skin stemmed from the demon's gaze locking onto him head-on.
Otto, beside him, subtly shrank his shoulders. Even Subaru felt a momentary constriction in his throat. The demon turned both mismatched eyes — their full weight fixed on Subaru — and said: "Continue, Subaru. The flaws in the Gospel, you say. Do go on."
Reaching into the pillow at his back, Roswaal withdrew what he had been hiding — a black-bound book. The Gospel. Identical to the one Beatrice had held in the forbidden library, its mere appearance in this room lent a strange, oppressive weight to the air.
"To begin with... there was always something off about your words, which were supposed to follow the Gospel. But there were so many other pressing concerns that I kept letting that feeling slide. ...However, once I took the time to sit down and really think about you and the Gospel, and pressed that feeling to its source... I realized something."
"Shall we hear it, then?"
"The Gospels the
"————"
At the word "flaw," the corner of Roswaal's brow twitched.
Yet he held his silence, because his interest in what Subaru was about to reveal had not run out. For Roswaal, the Gospel was quite literally a lifeline supporting his objective. Having heard that it contained a flaw or a defect, he had no reason not to listen.
Taking a small breath, his insides trembling against the pressure that felt like it would choke his throat, Subaru fixed Roswaal with a steely gaze and spoke.
"From what you've told me, the Gospel contains a description of the events unfolding here in the Sanctuary and the path to their resolution. In your mind, the narrative runs: 'Emilia failed to conquer the Tomb, so I'll take her place.' To ensure Emilia's failure, you brought snow to tighten the noose and had the Great Rabbit attack the Sanctuary. To push me toward resolve, you've been driving the mansion into crisis, stripping away any sense of my own 'uselessness.' — Is that about right?"
"Roughly so. And the flaw is...?"
"...You shouldn't have known that making it snow would result in the Great Rabbit being summoned. So your Gospel doesn't describe the consequences of the snow — only that 'snow will fall.' You're executing it simply because it's written there, and you assume it must be necessary. You're a puppet of the book."
"I'm well aware. Even so, I don't care. By following the contents of the Gospel, I obtain the future I desire. Why would I hesitate to dance to the tune of letters that have neither will nor form?"
Roswaal's tone was calm, almost indifferent, as he offered what amounted to an affirmation of Subaru's reasoning.
His eyes flickered with uncertainty about where Subaru was heading, but Subaru — having received confirmation for every step of his argument — felt the hypothesis taking shape within him solidify with a new weight. If that truly was the case— "Then we're both just a pair of clowns, you and I."
"Oh?"
Roswaal narrowed his eyes, and the air in the room grew heavier still. The sensation that the ambient temperature had dropped was perhaps because the mana in the atmosphere, shaken by the demon's quiet emotional turmoil, had lost its moorings.
Whether he ultimately touched Roswaal's raw nerve or not, Subaru needed to raise the dissonance he felt about the Gospel. Not only to resolve his own questions — but to cast doubt on the state of mind of Roswaal, who clung so stubbornly to its writings.
"Let's go back to the point. The Gospel has the description 'snow will fall.' Let's assume that, under normal circumstances, that's something Emilia would bring about. Because Emilia can't do it — or won't — you make it snow instead. Following the Gospel's dictates."
"You're going in circles. Get to the conclusion. What exactly is the flaw—?"
"It means that if Emilia doesn't make it snow, and if the Gospel didn't exist, you wouldn't make it snow either. In other words: no snow would fall on the Sanctuary."
It was a simple chain of cause and effect.
Roswaal made it snow because the Gospel said so. Without the Gospel — without its very existence — Roswaal would have no reason to take such action.
Whether Emilia was supposed to snow the Sanctuary for some reason, and what that reason was, remained unclear — but if the Gospel was truly correct, then there had to be some reason Emilia needed to blanket it in snow. To ignore that "something" and only produce the snow was meaningless. And to imagine a history that existed without the Gospel in the first place— "A prophecy that can't exist without a prophecy book — what kind of prophecy is that supposed to be?"
"————"
"No matter how unbelievable, how impossible something might seem, the entire point of a prophecy is that it's written down beforehand. The Witch Cult's incomplete versions add to their text over time — so with those, it makes sense that the writing adjusts to fit a changed history. But what about the complete version you hold? The one carrying that magnificent title?"
"————"
"All you're doing is aligning the text after the fact to make the written events fit. You're ignoring everything else that led to this result — and believing that time will unfold exactly as written anyway. You're too smart for that. There's no way you haven't noticed."
"————"
"It's nothing more than intellectual stagnation, Roswaal."
Subaru pointed his finger and made his declaration.
Roswaal received those words and maintained a prolonged silence. But the oppressive pressure that had been suffocating the room suddenly dissipated, and Subaru heard Otto breathing rapidly, trying to rest his heart after being freed from the weight.
Roswaal closed both eyes and sat in silence, as though deep in thought. Was it Subaru's wishful thinking, or was the corner of his rouged lip trembling ever so slightly — that those words had actually reached him?
But there was no opportunity to press the matter— "A prophecy that... exists as a history predicated on the Gospel. The writing is carved into it as a natural consequence of there being something that follows it accordingly. That is the only possible explanation..."
"That's what I expected you to say. And frankly, I anticipated a rebuttal of that nature. — Which means I came fully prepared with a counter."
It was halting, fragmented — unlike Roswaal. And so Subaru's voice, which had predicted it in advance, swept it aside without difficulty.
Roswaal kept one eye shut and watched Subaru with just the yellow one. He had done this many times before — that eerie, luminous gaze piercing through Subaru.
But this might have been the first time that yellow light burned so faintly.
With that dim recognition lingering, Subaru spoke: "Show me your Gospel. If I can see what's written in it, I'll be willing to accept your argument."
"That— I cannot do that. The Gospel will never reveal its contents to anyone other than its recognized owner. I am its owner. Even if you were to look at it, you would be unable to understand what is written. And if someone unrecognized by the book were to touch it, there is even the risk of having one's brain burned..."
"You're being awfully talkative, Roswaal. Must be really inconvenient for you if I saw that book."
At Subaru's observation, Roswaal fell silent — and the surprise on Subaru's face was genuine.
While Roswaal's complexion was impossible to read beneath his white makeup, his response to Subaru's offer had been more than merely reluctant. It was an overblown, outright refusal.
That abrupt reversal told Subaru that his observation had struck a nerve far more sensitive than he had anticipated.
Roswaal was hiding something in the Gospel's contents — or in its very nature — that must not be known. That stubborn insistence on following the surface level of the prophecy, too, might have originated from whatever he was concealing.
Otherwise, how could someone as perceptive as Roswaal fail to notice the contradictions in how the Gospel operated?
"Natsuki-san, I think that's enough..."
Otto, who had been objectively observing Roswaal's demeanor and Subaru's headlong charge toward what he sensed was the breaking point, reached out a hand to cut off any further pursuit.
Subaru turned his head toward him, about to shake off the restraint, but caught the intensity in Otto's gaze and pulled back from rushing to a reckless conclusion.
There was something Subaru, lost in the heat of the moment, could not see. And what Otto saw in Roswaal's eyes was a clear signal: this was the time to bring the conversation to a close.
To push past this point and undo everything they had accomplished so far — Subaru lacked the foolhardy courage for that.
"Roswaal — three days left. Tomorrow, the day after, and then the final day. By then, I'll settle everything. As for you — chew on what I've said."
"I suppose you think you've put me in your debt. — You should thank Otto. For both your sake and mine, he identified the watershed moment before things went too far."
Expressionless, Roswaal tucked the Gospel back behind him. Then, as Subaru and Otto turned toward the exit, he threw out one last remark.
"From here on, I will begin refining the术式 needed to manipulate the weather. To establish the Gospel's writings as the true history. — That is my guiding principle."
"Do whatever you want. If you're really going to be that stubborn about clinging to it, I can't stop you."
Grasping the doorknob, Subaru turned his entire body around to face Roswaal head-on.
Meeting the demon's gaze with his own, straight down the line, he said: "When this is all over, I'm going to spill ink all over your Gospel and paint it black. — And only then will you finally be able to look forward with your own eyes."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — After ending his difficult conversation with Roswaal — productive or pointless, it was hard to say — Subaru parted ways with Otto and made his way to Emilia's room.
"— Barusu, you're here."
"Yeah, I'm here. Sorry for leaving you alone so long."
When Subaru entered, Ram, who had been keeping watch over Emilia, wore a look of boredom. Her expressionless face — devoid of any hint of emotion — was the same as always, but Subaru wondered if he was imagining the tension in her profile, half-hidden in the dimness.
"My talk with Roswaal is done. Emilia's in my hands now, so you're free to leave."
Without addressing that, Subaru pulled out a chair and positioned himself beside Ram where he could watch Emilia. Ram cast a sidelong glance at Subaru and murmured: "I was worried that Barusu might do something indecent to Emilia while she's sleeping."
"I'd like to think your opinion of me isn't so low that you'd actually suspect me of pulling something like that in a situation like this."
"Oh, it's certainly low enough. You've openly opposed Lord Roswaal and taken up arms against him inside this cramped Sanctuary."
"............"
As a matter of course, Ram was apparently aware of the contract — the bet — that had been struck between Subaru and Roswaal.
Ram, whose loyalty to Roswaal ran so deep that she would not hesitate to offer herself to him until the very end. For Roswaal, she was perhaps the only pawn he could deploy without reservation, the one piece certain to ensure the Gospel's content became reality.
"What do you think about all this?"
"————"
At a question that contained no subject, Ram gave no reply. She simply turned her body from the side-facing position she had held toward Subaru, waiting face-on for him to continue.
Reading her posture, Subaru sorted through the emotions that still weighed on him and chose his words carefully: "I don't know how much of the Gospel's content you're aware of. But if Roswaal follows what that book says, the Sanctuary will be thrown into chaos. Garfiel, Ryuzu, and everyone else — there's no guarantee they'll make it out safe."
"If you think you can use that as leverage to sway Ram, you're as naive as ever, Barusu."
Her sharp words cut Subaru off before he could continue. She fixed him with her pale red eyes, the light within them steady and unyielding.
"There is one thing Ram holds above all else, the most precious thing in her heart. That will never waver. Nothing else can shake that position — nothing. So don't expect to change my mind with those words."
"............"
"Besides — the matter on Ram's end has already been entrusted to someone."
At those words, Subaru's expression faltered — he was about to regret his choice of approach. But Ram rose from her seat before he could speak.
Brushing down her skirt, Ram took one last look at Emilia's sleeping face, then turned back toward Subaru.
"I'll leave Emilia in your care. When morning comes, I'll return to attend to her."
"A-ah... got it. And those words just now — what did you mean by—?"
"Oh, who knows?"
Her tone made it clear she had no intention of answering. That answer itself was the answer.
Without a backward glance, Ram left the room, leaving no lingering attachment behind. Subaru stood with words on the tip of his tongue, but nothing came to mind, and he could only watch her go.
The door closed, and only Subaru and Emilia remained.
As long as Emilia was still asleep in her bed, the only thing Subaru could do here was watch over her sleeping face.
It had been over ten hours since he had held the disoriented, screaming Emilia and watched her consciousness fade into unconsciousness. The only consolation was that her expression showed no signs of being troubled by nightmares.
If she had been chased through her past even within her dreams, she truly would have had no place of peace.
And even after waking, what awaited Emilia was the reality of her severed bond with Puck. How much time would she need to face that?
Subaru did not know how much his own presence could ease that suffering. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to help — but how much could that matter?
"...ru"
"—Hm?"
Subaru's consciousness, submerged in the sea of his thoughts, stirred at a faint voice.
Emilia's head had turned slightly on the pillow, her deep violet eyes barely open, gazing at Subaru. She was awake.
"O-oh, you're up... Emilia, are you alright?"
"—Subaru."
"Yeah, it's me. Are you feeling okay? You've been asleep for so long... Wait, let me go get some water—"
"It's alright."
Emilia's voice stopped Subaru as he was about to stand and rush out. The unexpected strength in her words startled him, and he dropped back down into his chair.
"...Emilia?"
"It's alright. It's okay... stay here."
At Subaru's lowered voice, Emilia answered with surprising firmness.
Over the past few days, he had learned that Emilia tended to have low blood pressure and was especially sluggish in the mornings. Her post-sleep grogginess was extraordinary — even after such a long rest, that shouldn't have been any different. Yet Emilia's violet eyes showed no trace of the drowsiness that should have lingered.
"Do you understand what's going on?"
"...Yeah. I slept through the whole day. I've already been keeping everyone waiting, and here I am doing this... I'm sorry."
"Don't be! Nobody's blaming you. The real issue is—"
As Emilia offered her apology, Subaru hesitated over whether to bring up Puck. He had assumed it would be the first thing out of her mouth once she woke and grasped the situation. The fact that she was instead displaying concern for those around her — had the shock been so great that she had lost awareness of the severed contract with Puck?
"Don't worry, Subaru."
"Wh... ah...?"
"I haven't forgotten that Puck is gone. I remember it clearly. I'm not running away from it or forgetting about it."
"Is that so...?"
At her brief nod, Subaru understood that Emilia had not repressed the truth. But if that was the case, how could she appear so composed?
Having witnessed her state immediately after learning of Puck's departure, the calm Emilia now displayed seemed almost unreal to Subaru.
But as Subaru continued to struggle with this, Emilia said: "I'm sorry, Subaru. I showed you so many of my worst sides... I must have worried you terribly."
"No, you can worry me as much as you want. I don't care about that. I don't care, but — right now, you're the one who—"
"—A lot. I had a lot to think about. I was able to do it. In my dream."
In a quiet voice, Emilia cut through Subaru's inner conflict. Her downcast expression held him captivated, and he drew a sharp breath. Her long lashes trembled, and Emilia turned her eyes back toward Subaru.
"I wanted to believe that things would be better by morning... so, Subaru, please."
"...O-okay."
"Keep holding my hand. Stay here until morning. Then I'll surely be able to..."
From beneath the towel blanket, Emilia's slender white fingertips emerged, reaching out tentatively.
Looking at the hand offered to him, Subaru grasped it in his own without a moment's hesitation. He wrapped her thin, delicate fingers firmly in his.
"If that's all you need, you've got a deal. But, Emilia..."
"I'm sorry, Subaru. I'm sure there are so many things you want to talk about, so many things you want to ask. But... please, wait until morning. Then I'll be able to try my best."
"————"
"Until then, please — stay like this. Subaru."
At the sound of Emilia's pleading voice, Subaru did not add another word.
He simply slid his chair closer to the bed and brought Emilia's clasped hand to rest beside her pillow. Then, looking into her trembling eyes, he nodded.
"Got it. — Let's do that, Emilia."
"Mm... thank you."
They exchanged nothing more than those brief words, and Emilia's eyes drifted closed again.
Unlike the consciousness she had lost that morning, this time she was voluntarily folding her wings to rest. When she woke, what words would she weave?
Emilia had overcome the worst possible scenario with her own strength. With a sense of relief washing over him, Subaru watched her sleeping face.
"...I believe in you."
He heard Emilia murmur it between soft breaths, and Subaru let out a quiet sigh.
— Come morning, events would begin to move again.
The morning of the main event was now only hours away.
And then— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — "How did your conversation with Barusu go?"
"A draw, I suppose. A back-and-forth, more or less. For both him and me. It wasn't a situation where I wanted to intervene too heavily in the first place."
In a dark room, master and servant spoke at a distance closer than necessary.
Roswaal drew Ram close, cradling her head against his chest as he reflected on the conversation.
In truth, swaying Subaru's hardened will was no easy task. Though the man's vision ahead was not yet firmly defined, there was an undercurrent of steel in his resolve.
Otto's presence at Subaru's side had been a blow for Roswaal as well. Calmly grasping the situation, taking the reins at critical moments — Otto had served as a balancer, preventing the discussion from collapsing and keeping both Subaru and Roswaal from overplaying their hands.
Without Otto's presence, Roswaal might have been able to twist Subaru's thinking with the sharp edge of his tongue — but as it was, that was no longer possible.
"I thought he was nothing but a spectator who'd never make it to the stage... but he's quite the operator, isn't he? Subaru has found himself a good friend."
"...If he proves troublesome, shall Ram deal with him?"
"Don't bother. If I'd wanted to make that call, I should have done so during the conversation. The moment I didn't, the justification for that choice no longer exists. More importantly — did you complete what I asked?"
Roswaal narrowed his yellow eye, looking down at Ram. Cradled in his arms, the pink-haired girl shook her head and gazed up at him.
"Without issue. Exactly as Lord Roswaal wished."
"Good. I thought the timing would work out, but... let's see what comes of it."
Roswaal nodded with satisfaction at her confirmation and stroked the girl's head with his free arm. Ram accepted the touch with a blissful, dreamy expression.
For an instant, Roswaal cast a look of something close to pity upon the girl who adored him, then said: "Don't think badly of me, Subaru. I did promise not to take direct action. But — manipulating the situation from this sickbed, even if it's only by a little... you'll have to allow me that much, won't you?"
"————"
"Well now. How will you respond?"
A faint smile — one suffused with pleasure — crept across Roswaal's lips.
"I wonder what expression Subaru will make when he learns that the innocent, fastidious girl was listening to that whole scheming, backroom conversation."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — It was a dark room.
With the lights dimmed, darkness filled the space between the walls, and until morning arrived beyond the windows, the room would remain steeped in the stillness of twilight and the footfalls of dreams.
The door was shut. The room was cut off from the outside world, and silence ruled the space.
And there, at the center of that room, within the shadows, lay a bed — and upon it, a young girl lay with her eyes closed.
So quiet that even her breathing was inaudible. But then — a sound broke through the stillness.
It was— "...Liar."
A whisper. A frail, hoarse voice.
The meager accusation that the girl on the bed had uttered.
"Subaru... liar."
Once more, the whispered words were repeated.
Alone in the room, her free hand clenched tight, Emilia condemned the absent boy's lie.
— The morning of the main event was now only hours away.