? ??: [Haa, haa… hk!]
The girl panted as she fled, desperately clutching the child's hand.
Despite running with all her might, the girl's speed was lacking. For, within this unfamiliar land, one of her legs was impaired. ――Nay, if one called it an unfamiliar land, then for this girl, the whole world was strange.
This was a place she did not recognize whatsoever, these circumstances were beyond her comprehension, and as for her current situation, she could fathom naught.
Thus――,
???: [Uu! Uu, aau!]
Dragged by the girl's hand, the child, whose name she did not even know, had been continuously wailing inarticulate cries.
Girl: [――Hk.]
Tightly biting her lips, the girl banished the weakness within her mind and faced ahead.
Indeed, at this moment, everything was unknown to her.. However, certain truths were clear. She knew that she must not let go of this child's hand, and that she must continue to run forward.
In the midst of this world awash with unknowns, the girl's instinct cried out for her to flee. Escape was the sole means by which the girl could express her will to resist; a protest permitted to her present self.
Girl: [That, person… hk.]
Whilst experiencing a pain that seared her breath-starved lungs, the girl's bewildered mind envisioned a single figure. It had the appearance of a boy with black hair and mean-looking eyes, and its very presence evoked both negative impulses as well as strange feelings――,
???: [――Oh, it's really an Oni. That's unusual.]
Girl: [――Hk.]
That carefree voice suddenly intruded on the girl's thoughts, sending a tremor throughout her body, and she sharply whirled about.
Mirrored in the girl's pale blue eyes was a one-eyed woman wearing an eyepatch who was running―― nay, flying beside her. She was a beautiful woman with the animal ears of a dogperson and much of her brown skin exposed to the wind. At the entrance of the woman cutting through the air with a long branch in her grasp, the child that was being dragged behind the girl let out a shriek.
The moment she heard that scream, the girl reflexively attempted to fend off the woman with her free hand.
However――,
Woman: [――? That didn't connect. It's a shame, but…]
Off-balance, her swung arm was seized effortlessly, and in turn, she found herself pulled in.
Their faces had drawn so near to one another that the tips of their noses were about to touch, and in the woman's red eye uncovered by an eyepatch, the girl beheld her own visage in its reflection.
It was an unfamiliar face. ――That was the face of a girl who did not understand the world, let alone herself.
Woman: [I was told to capture you.]
Girl: [――Ah.]
The instant the girl beheld her reflection, the woman lightly tapped the center of her chest with a finger, and the girl felt a minute shock course throughout her entire body.
The action had effortlessly stolen the strength from the girl's limbs, forcing her to collapse to her knees.
Girl: [Ugh!]
Woman: [That child, too.]
Beside the collapsed girl, the brave child leapt at the woman.
However, the woman caught the strike with the ease of twisting a baby's hand, and then, that same shock the girl had endured was delivered to the child's brow, and with an "Aauu?", she flopped and toppled over as if all her strength had been sapped away.
As a result, the chase sequence starring the girl and the small child reached its anticlimactic conclusion.
Girl: [You, are…]
Woman: [Don't worry, no harm will… well, I'm not sure. Sorry.]
As the girl crawled toward the dazed child, straining her voice, the woman offered words of apology. But, that was by no means a consolation, as there was no sense of being saved by that apology.
Whether she ought to deem it sincerity or clumsiness, the girl could choose neither.
Slowly but surely, as the child before her slipped into unconsciousness, so too did her own reality begin to fade away.
Woman: [Let's go, Oni girl.]
Girl: [I, am…]
The sensation of being picked up by the woman was an action she could not resist. As her consciousness gradually faded to white, the girl's lips trembled feebly.
Being called an Oni failed to resonate with her. That being said, there was another way she had been called――,
Rem: [――Rem.]
That name had been spoken by the black-haired boy enveloped in that dreadful, abhorrent stench.
Perhaps, it was some kind of illusion. ――That above all else, that name somehow felt familiar to her empty self that lacked anything.
△▼△▼△▼△
――Things had taken a troublesome turn.
A combination of dread and vigilance coursed like lightning through Natsuki Subaru's mind, compelling him to act urgently.
Why, why, why; he had not even a moment to spare in order to ponder such a question.
He organized his thoughts concerning recent events: the arrival of the opportunity for a long-awaited reunion, and the bitter sorrow that came thereafter when reality had failed to meet his hopes. Suppressing that grief, focusing his mind on the precious people he had been separated from, he steeled his resolve to escape this irrational, senseless impasse―― at least, that was what he ought to do.
And yet――,
???: [Kakakakka! Ya young'uns really are terrifyin'! Even I've never seen one with this much recklessness, impossibility, and sheer madness. Amazin', amazin'.]
The hoarse voice rang out in a hearty laugh, accompanied by a knifehand thrust like steel that struck his heart.
His back was pierced by the knifehand, and as he beheld his own heart torn from his chest, in a tempest of agony and shock, Subaru died instantly.
× × ×
???: [How did a friggin' human like yourself slip past the watch of us dragons? I don't know how the frig' you did, and that fact I don't is the height of friggin' disrespect!]
Bearing a sweet outward appearance, the tantrum of this destructive being was clad in a tempest with a single swing of her arm.
That slender arm did not even need to make contact with him, stirring up a gale which seized the boy's body and hurled him against the castle walls. Tasting the pain of all of his bones shattering, Subaru died instantly.
× × ×
???: [Deceived… my eyes. Do not understand… how? Scary.]
The shapeshifting statue in the beautiful garden voiced its dread, swinging down an arm that resembled a marble pillar.
Once, then twice, he had managed to evade the arm, but he could not do so forever. The third blow grazed his leg, robbing his body of all mobility, followed by the fourth strike landing a direct blow on him, and as he was compressed to a tenth of his original size, Subaru died instantly.
× × ×
???: [――! Who are you! Don't you realize whose castle this is, you fool!]
With a gallant, inflexible, righteous fury, sharp thorns flashed like blades.
His whole body was ensnared by purple vines covered in thorns, and as every bit of his flesh was rent asunder, as Subaru's consciousness was shattered by the unbearable pain of his spilt blood and how the thorns on the vines writhing like they had a will of their own were gnawing at his wounds, he breathed his last.
× × ×
???: [There he is! Don't let him get away!!]
???: [You villain!]
???: [Do you think you can get away with this!?]
He was cornered by bearers of steel who had flushed out their prey, holding a will to fight that had been honed.
Surrounded on all sides, with neither a place to escape, nor anyone who would lend an ear to his excuses, the thrusting blades pierced his entire body, and suffering all of those mortal wounds, Subaru collapsed and breathed his last.
× × ×
Subaru: [In the first place――]
Subaru gritted his teeth, wondering if he had erred in his choices from the outset, having repeated Death five times.
Subaru had already been alone at the new starting point of Return by Death. ――It may have been a mistake to end up here alone in the first place.
When he thought about how she might be suffering the same things he had even at this very moment, that alone was enough turmoil to crack and shatter his heart.
What was it that he needed?
What possibilities must he secure?
Where was the checkpoint that he must reach?
Walking a tightrope that was far too narrow and unreliable, having to reach the other side no matter the cost, what exactly was it that Subaru must be able to fulfill?
Subaru: [――――]
It was a situation where he must attract attention, yet if Subaru moved carelessly, he would be obstructed by a tough opponent that was far and away beyond his own abilities, and they would take his life all too quickly.
There were a great many enemies. And not a single one had a shred of mercy. ――Subaru's path was blocked by individuals who had absolutely no qualms about killing their opponents.
In order to break through that, to surmount it, that tiny, minute gap in the possibilities, he would――
Subaru: [――――]
Running over carefully tidied lawns, Subaru headed in a different direction than all the other routes which had been closed off to him, and found an opulent detached palace.
Gaudy and beautiful, yet less gaudy compared the castle that Subaru had just been trying and failing to escape, and he would hope that it had a bit less stringent security.
Accordingly, he should be able to obtain at least a single piece of information. ――With such an intention, Subaru smashed a window in a place void of any signs of people, unlocked it, and tumbled into the Imperial Residence.
In the next instant――,
???: [――You fool.]
He had climbed over the window frame and just put the tips of his toes on the floor.
As soon as he heard that weighty, stern voice, Subaru's legs were clipped from the side, and he was mercilessly slammed headfirst into the floor.
Subaru: [Oguahh!]
The instant he let out a shriek of pain and his vision flickered red, the worst scenarios flashed through his mind.
After all, up to now, Subaru had repeatedly ended up having his life stolen away from him by completely different people in different ways, all in the span of around ten minutes.
That's why it was no wonder that, in the midst of the pain, he had resigned himself to it being the same again.
However――,
???: [You, how did you manage to evade the security and get in here?]
The expected arrival of the shock of Death did not befall him, but instead, a question was asked of him.
While grimacing in pain, Subaru lay sprawled out spread-eagle on the floor, and he caught a glimpse of the person who had raised that query to him―― the one who had intercepted Subaru sneaking into the Imperial Residence.
Subaru: [――――]
Standing there, with black hair and black eyes, was a handsome man with tidy features that gave off the impression of a frightening intellect. That individual wearing a crimson outfit that conveyed the quality of its tailoring with a single glance was warily looking down upon Subaru with a gaze as sharp as that of a bird of prey.
That glare usurped his conscious thought, and Subaru froze like he had been pinned down. ――And yet, it was not simply the gaze of the handsome man that had immobilized Subaru.
Handsome Man: [Did you not hear my question? It would be irreverent to not provide any answer.]
With an austere voice and words, the handsome man was about to callously decide Subaru's fate.
However, rather than this cruel reality, Subaru's awareness was seized by the strange phenomenon before his eyes―― the profound mystery within the full-length mirror placed beside the handsome man looking down on him.
Upon the mirror, the reflected image of the dark-haired handsome man was different. ――Reflected there was a man, taller than the handsome man with black hair, possessing white hair, white clothes, and a pale face.
As Subaru gasped at the peculiarity of that, the handsome man in reality shut one eye and tapped his foot.
And then, as if an ultimatum, he asked a question once more.
Handsome Man: [There shall not be a third time. Take care, and answer my question.]
Subaru blinked at the overlapping images, and then his consciousness returned to reality.
Then, the figure of the man in white who had just been visible within the mirror a moment prior was nowhere to be seen, and all that remained was the form of the handsome man who stared at him with a dreadfully overbearing attitude.
Seeing this, Subaru swallowed his breath, and then spoke.
Subaru: [――My name is Natsuki Subaru.]
It was an inadequate answer to any of the questions that the handsome man had asked.
Thinking back on it later, even Subaru himself could not think of a proper reason why he had given his name here, had introduced himself without falsifying his identity.
He could only assume that it was an intuitive answer, drawn from his brain which had become confused due to erratically and reflexively accumulating absurd and irrational Deaths over and over again within a short span of time.
Hearing that answer of Subaru's that could easily strike a nerve with someone, the handsome man――,
Handsome Man: [――Lugunica's… Lolimancer, is it?]
Yes, he raised his finely shaped eyebrows, and with a hint of bewilderment that did not suit his face, which was like the embodiment of an arrogance that placed all the events of the world within his own palms, he muttered so.
――This itself, was the first misstep.
Natsuki Subaru, who had unexpectedly been sent to the Sacred Vollachian Empire, and "Vincent Vollachia", the pinnacle of the Land of the Sword Wolves―― it was the meeting of the two whose destinies should never have crossed paths in the first place, comrades who would deceive fate.
△▼△▼△▼△
???: [――I've brought them.]
Saying that, the one who brazenly stepped into the office of the Imperial Residence was a young girl with a strangely revealing outfit that showed off her brown skin, dog ears, and an eyepatch over her left eye; she was overloaded with character traits.
Subaru was taken aback by her appearance, but when he saw that she was carrying Rem upon her slender shoulders and an extra person under her arm, he exclaimed "Rem!" as he hurriedly rushed over.
Subaru: [Are you hurt anywhere?… Opossum!]
Eyepatch Girl: [Don't do that so suddenly, it surprised me.]
As he tried to ensure she was safe, toes drilled into his defenseless solar plexus and he fell in agony.
The girl with the eyepatch had only casually lifted her bare foot, but it was not a matter of the strength of her legs, but rather of the skill to precisely gouge his vitals―― no, it was a brutal, instinctual kick without any such calculation behind it.
However, despite having his organs bored through by the shock, Subaru staggered over to Rem, slung over the girl's shoulder, and after confirming her breathing and the tinge of red on her cheeks, he heaved a sigh of relief.
Subaru: […It seems like nothing bad. She'll actually wake up, right?]
Eyepatch Girl: [I only put her to sleep. She'll wake up soon. This one too.]
Subaru: [I don't care about that one. If anything, I'd rather she'd stay asleep forever.]
Eyepatch Girl: […Your relationships are… complicated?]
Subaru: [Not at all. Rem is important, that one isn't. That's all.]
Subaru glared at the blonde girl being held under the girl's arm opposite to Rem.
At his declaration, the girl's one red eye widened and her lips twitched. It seemed like Subaru's answer was not to her liking in some way, but unfortunately it was his true thoughts.
But it was impossible to mend things between them. ――Unlike the courageous, gentle, hard-working, and compassionate Rem, that girl was a monster who had piled up a mountain of unpardonable sins.
Subaru: [――Louis Arneb.]
With a whisper, Subaru muttered the girl's―― the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony's name.
Right now, she seemed to be sleeping, but she was one of the enemies who had thoroughly tormented him during the battles at the Pleiades Watchtower and made him experience hell. It was a mystery as to why she, who was supposed to be an incorporeal entity, had manifested with a body in reality, but there was no way she was up to anything good.
In any case――,
Subaru: [Thank you for not hurting Rem. You are…?]
Eyepatch Girl: [Arakiya.]
Subaru: [Thanks, Arakiya-chan! I'm in your debt!]
Bowing deeply, Subaru expressed his gratitude toward the girl―― toward Arakiya.
Although she probably did not hold a favorable impression of Subaru due to his treatment of Louis a moment ago, for his part, Subaru felt a strong sense of gratitude and debt toward Arakiya.
And the person who had ordered Arakiya to do this for him was――,
Subaru: [Thank you for saving us. Umm…]
???: [――Vincent Vollachia.]
Subaru: [――――]
Vincent: [Seventy-seventh Emperor of the Sacred Vollachian Empire, Vincent Vollachia.]
The one who introduced himself once again was the handsome man with black hair, sitting behind an ebony desk.
This person was the one who had confronted Subaru when he had snuck into the Imperial Residence and had come one step short of striking him down for his insolence. And, if the name he had just given was the truth, he was the most powerful man in the Empire.
Subaru: [Arakiya-chan?]
Arakiya: [It's true… or a bit of a lie?]
Subaru: [A bit of a lie?]
Vincent: [Arakiya, do not talk out of turn. ――If you wish to regain what you truly desire, take care to conduct yourself in a manner that does not upset my good graces.]
Arakiya: […Nnh.]
Arakiya, who had responded to Subaru and his attempt at confirmation, was rebuked by that handsome man―― by Vincent, and she nodded with a look of slight discontent.
Arakiya lowered Rem and Louis onto a sofa for guests, and let them sleep. As for Subaru, he wanted to separate the two sleeping there as much as possible, but since he lacked the situation or the standing to make such a request, he simply clenched his fists tightly and endured it.
After all, this was the Sacred Vollachian Empire.
Subaru had spent a year learning the culture and general knowledge of this other world; and this was the neighboring nation of the Kingdom of Lugunica, which differed from it starting from the soil on up, the Imperial Capital where a figure of most august rank resided.
Vincent: [So? Lolimancer, explain it to me once more.]
Subaru: […Rather than that, could you please refer to me as Natsuki Subaru? As you can see, I don't have the lovely, charming, pretty girl that makes me worthy of the title with me right now.]
Arakiya: [What about this child?]
Subaru: [She's a girl who's not lovely, nor charming, nor pretty.]
Subaru gave a curt response to Arakiya, who had inquired thus while pointing at Louis. Then, he turned his gaze back toward Vincent once again, and the Emperor closed one of his black eyes.
Vincent: [Speak, Natsuki Subaru.]
Subaru: […No matter how many times you ask, it won't change much. We were at the tower of the Sage, in the far east of Lugunica. A lot happened at the tower, but I'll leave that out… In the end, part of the Witch of Envy overflowed from the shrine near the Great Waterfall and swallowed us. Then, the next thing I knew, I was flung to the grounds of this castle…]
Arakiya: […Your story sounds like a lie. Are you lying?]
Subaru: [I get what I'm saying is totally suspicious, but on the other hand there is no reason for me to give you a story that is nothing but lies, so I'd like you to believe me…!]
He had thought he had laid out the facts, but Arakiya was rightly suspicious.
However, it was the person concerned, Subaru, who wanted an explanation of the situation. After finishing the battle with the Gluttonies at the Pleiades Watchtower, and then losing a companion he did not want to lose under the pretense of a Trial, and just as his frayed heart had begun to settle, this had occurred.
Subaru: [I'm sure Emilia-tan, Beako, and the others are quite worried right about now… Something like, "I can't believe you, you ended up in the Empire somehow, and on the grounds of the castle of the Imperial Capital no less."]
Vincent: [That you are a spy quite lacking in the skill of your excuses, contrary the skill of your infiltration, is currently the most likely explanation. If there is a point of note, it is that you identify yourself as Natsuki Subaru.]
Subaru: […It's not a lie, I'm telling the truth, but was that really that significant to you?]
Vincent: [It is well known to the Empire that the Lolimancer is one of the Knights to a Candidate for the Royal Selection. The menaces of the Witch Cult and the Three Great Witchbeasts are not something that even Vollachia is isolated from.]
Subaru: [I see…]
Vincent: [A non-aggression pact was signed between the Empire and the Kingdom. I could insist that your mere presence here has shattered that agreement, however…]
Subaru: [No, that's, well you know, I plead for your forgiveness.]
It would be terrible if Subaru carelessly giving out his name was the cause of the two nations plunging into a state of war. In the first place, this was truly an unfortunate misunderstanding, an unforeseen accident.
Subaru had no way to explain it, and it was shameful that he could do nothing but desperately insist that the truth that appeared to be a lie was, in fact, the truth, but――,
???: [My ohhh~ my, that's just a bit too much of a threat, now isn't it, Your Excellency? I don't think we can afford to deal with the Kingdom right now, myself.]
Subaru: [――! W-who are you!?]
Subaru's shoulders twitched at the unexpected voice of a third-party, and he turned around. When he did, he found that the office door had opened slightly, and his eyes met with the suspicious person peeking through the opening.
The suspicious person whom he had made eye contact with waved at Subaru, and opened the door with a defiant smile. Then, with broad strides, he brazenly stepped foot into the office.
Suspicious Man: [In accordance with my commandment, I have been called here, Your Excellency.]
Vincent: [I do not remember calling for you.]
Suspicious Man: [I didn't saaay~ that, though? I said, in accordance with my commandment. I rarely get the chance to, so when the odd opportunity comes, I need to act as a proper Stargazer.]
The one who responded with a frivolous smile to Vincent, the Emperor, was a gentle-looking effeminate man with long ashen hair.
He seemed to have a different air about him than the soldiers he had seen in the castle, or the transcendental beings he had come across, and as far as Subaru could see, he did not seem to be a fighter.
Subaru: [Umm, this person is…]
Arakiya: [I hate him.]
Subaru: [I don't want to know who you like or dislike, I want to know what his position is.]
Suspicious Man: [Ah, sorry, sorry. I'm not very attentive at times like these. My naaame~ is Ubilk, and I'm technically a Stargazer at this Crystal Palace. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Stargazer-san of the Kingdom.]
Subaru: [Stargazer… of the Kingdom?]
Subaru tilted his head at that unexpected sound when he was called such by that effeminate man―― the man who named himself as Ubilk, with a frivolous smile still on his face.
However, before Subaru could find out what that meant,
Vincent: [Natsuki Subaru is a Stargazer? Are you certain?]
Ubilk: [If you're asking me if I'm certain or not, I have no way of confirming it since the Kingdom is outside my jurisdiction, but… I'd wager Your Excellency has come up with a similar theory regarding it.]
Vincent: [A puppet of the stars such as yourself would pose a conjecture as to my speculations?]
Ubilk: [Of course nooot~, I don't have such a high view of myself as to believe myself capable of guessing the thoughts of Your Excellency, Emperor Vincent Vollachia… I'm just giving a recommendation.]
Vincent: [――. You may speak.]
Ubilk: [I have recited the stars. ――He will beee~ of great use to you, Your Excellency.]
Jerking his chin, Ubilk made that evaluation of Subaru in a light-hearted tone. In response, Subaru pointed at himself and instinctively said, "Me?" out loud.
Truthfully, combining this treatment as a Stargazer, the details of which was still unclear to him, with the discussion about Subaru, made him feel like this exchange being had was going over his head.
Ubilk: [Considering our relationship with the Kingdom, the intention to sever that anxiety of what may come could well give birth to a pretext that will not vanish. If that's the case, I believe it would be wise to add him to your hand instead. You have some perfectly convenient hostages, don't youuu~? It's a quick way for you both to reach an agreement, no?]
Subaru: [Convenient hostages… Wait, you're not talking about Rem are you? No way!]
Ubilk: [Ha haah~ ha, you really are an honest person. If you had insisted that this young lady who accompanied you here wasn't valuable as a hostage, things would have changed a bit.]
Subaru: [Guh, nnn…]
Ubilk: [Ooor~, would you like me to rephrase that just now? The young lady who accompanied him is worthless to Natsuki Subaru…]
Subaru: [Ha? Rem is so precious to me that I would sacrifice my life for her without regret.]
After he replied exactly like that, he witnessed Ubilk's smile deepen, and Subaru brought his hand to his forehead as he completely fell for the trap.
That said, he could not lie here and say that Rem was worthless to him.
Subaru: [I'm not Otto. I really can't say something I don't mean.]
Otto: [I can't agree with you calling strategy in a time of crisis proof of a bad character, though!]
Subaru sighed, an imaginary Otto shouting in the back of his mind. Dismissing it with a wave of his hand, Subaru looked toward Vincent.
Vincent placed a finger on the tip of his slender chin, and looked like he was examining Ubilk's current proposal. Although, from the look on his face, Subaru could guess that he had already arrived at his answer.
And sure enough――,
Vincent: [――Natsuki Subaru, the situation you have been placed in is far from bright. Regardless of the veracity of your prior poor explanation, the fact remains that you have stepped foot into my country. And beyond that, this is while the Empire has entered wartime and is in the middle of an unparalleled national crisis.]
Subaru: [Wartime… There's a war!? With who… where!?]
Vincent: [Here.]
Without censuring Subaru for panicking and forgetting to use respectful language, Vincent tapped the floor with his shoe. Subaru blinked, as he momentarily did not connect that response to his question.
But soon the implication reached his mind…
Subaru: [By here… No way, a civil war in the Empire?]
Vincent: [Precisely. The Emperor and the rebels shall fight over the throne of the Empire.]
Subaru: [――――]
At the confirmation of the reality of a war, a civil war at that, Subaru was involuntarily lost for words. Extending his hand toward that speechless Subaru, Vincent thus announced.
Like a bird of prey, with a gaze and expression of absolute power, the Vollachian Emperor thus announced.
Vincent: [No matter your circumstances, should you want to survive, you shall have to join me, Natsuki Subaru. ――In order to leave the Empire as it should be, in the hands of Vincent Vollachia.]
――Seriously, things had taken a troublesome turn.
Subaru: [――――]
Vincent Vollachia's declaration caused Subaru to explode in rage with all his heart at the greatest absurdity of fate since he was first summoned to this world.
So far he had encountered many unreasonable situations. It could be said that he had been beaten down by countless absurdities, such as the hardship he had suffered at the Pleiades Watchtower.
And yet, there had still been continuity between them. It could also be said that there had been reasonable logic in how those situations had slowly gotten worse and worse, until it had been driven into an absurd situation.
Yet this time, it was not that way at all.
Subaru's arrival in the Vollachian Empire, without any warning, had been absurd. If it had not been the Imperial Capital of Vollachia, but a more remote region, or perhaps the Kararagi City-States or the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko that he had been sent to, it would not have been so strange, and yet, it was here.
If he could not call this absurd, then just what could he call it――,
Arakiya: [Ah.]
???: [Uuh, nnn…]
Suddenly, Arakiya noticed something, and let out a sound, followed by Rem on the sofa beginning to stir.
Realizing this was a sign of her awakening, Subaru turned to look at Rem with a snap. Then he knelt next to her on the sofa and waited for her eyelids, framed by her lashes, to slowly open. He could vaguely see himself reflected in her pale blue eyes, and…
Subaru: [Rem! Thank goodness, are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere? Are you injured, or feeling sick? If anything is unusual anywhere, let's immediately…]
Rem: [――Hk, why are you here!?]
Subaru: [Ghwow!]
After that brief period of him worrying about her condition, the awake Rem immediately shoved Subaru away. Subaru was blown away by the unrestrained power of that strike, and Ubilk lay in his trajectory.
With a "Huuuh~?", a wide-eyed Ubilk was caught up by the flying Subaru, and the two of them tumbled to the edge of the room, entangled.
Ignoring Subaru and Ubilk, Rem sat up on the sofa and scanned her surroundings.
Rem: [W-where is that child… and you! From before!]
Arakiya: […Your Excellency?]
Vincent: [――. This is the Imperial Residence of the Emperor. This is far too noisy for such a place.]
Witnessing Arakiya before her, Rem became even more wary. Seeing Rem's gaze, Arakiya turned her sleepy eyes toward Vincent, and the Emperor quietly lamented so.
As the Emperor had said, the situation was somehow lacking tension, and yet――,
Louis: [Uuu?]
The scene with the least tension was when Louis woke up late, rubbed her eyes, then tilted her head quizzically.
△▼△▼△▼△
――Trespassing upon the Imperial Residence inhabited by His Excellency Vincent Vollachia, located within the Crystal Palace at the northern end of the Imperial Capital Lupugana of the Sacred Vollachian Empire.
The crime committed by Subaru and Rem would definitely get them executed around seven times over.
Subaru and her were convicted criminals by Imperial law, but the reason they were not executed was due to the considerate discretion of the Emperor overflowing with mercy and compassion―― of course, that was not the case.
???: [As far as I am concerned, I would prefer to place individuals such as yourself that are inconvenient to deal with under house arrest until the issues of highest priority are dealt with, and remove the option of adding you to the discussion.]
Subaru: [You're being super clear that I'm a nuisance, huh?]
???: [You are aware of this yourself, are you not? Under these circumstances, giving your name as that of a Knight involved in the Royal Selection of Lugunica, regardless of the veracity of that claim, only invites needless disaster.]
Subaru: […Unfortunately, my fame in the Kingdom is only around the level where passersbys on the street will wave at me.]
Having said that, Subaru was also starting to contemplate on whether it had been imprudent of him to have carelessly given his name. However, if he had done or said anything other than giving the name Natsuki Subaru at that time, he feared he may have left himself under Vincent's discretion without any negotiation.
It had probably been the correct decision to confront Vincent in proportion to the willingness to listen he had displayed.
Subaru: [The others came to take my life without any questions…]
???: [If anything, I am impressed your neck is still so well connected to your body… The fact that you headed straight toward the Imperial Residence where His Excellency was at is also a point that adds to my suspicions.]
In that regard, it had been a process of elimination where every other route had been a beeline toward disaster, but it was clear that he would not be able to convince this old man with slits for eyes with such an explanation.
Imperial Prime Minister, Berstetz Fondalfon. ――That was the name and title of this old man with slits for eyes, and it was easy to understand the reasons why he was wary of Subaru, an outsider.
Subaru: [No matter what I say, you'll think what you do, but I'm really not plotting or scheming anything. To be honest, I want to return to Lugunica soooon.]
Berstetz: [As you stated, it does not matter what you say to me. With the present state of affairs where border crossings are already restricted, it is unfeasible to be rash and send you back there when you have yet to be cleared of suspicions of being a covert agent.]
Subaru: [A torrent of sound arguments…]
Subaru sighed and his shoulders drooped at Berstetz's strict words.
This place was a corner of the Imperial Capital, Lupugana, and it was here where Berstetz's manor lay. Subaru had received a gracious verdict for his crime of trespassing upon the Imperial Residence, and he was being kept at the estate of the Prime Minister for now.
Berstetz, who was well-regarded by the Emperor, Vincent, was properly complying with the order to hold custody over his person, although he did not relax even one ounce of vigilance toward Subaru. Subaru too, had no major complaints about his treatment, despite feeling the sharpness of Berstetz's attitude of unconcealed distrust.
If he had to say anything, it would be that it was almost frustrating that he had been so thoroughly strung along by Vincent's calculations and had been unable to take any proactive steps to return to the Kingdom.
Or perhaps, the greatest reason Subaru and the others had been entrusted to Berstetz's mansion, which had even stricter security than the Crystal Palace or the Imperial Residence, was due to that――,
???: [――I'm friggin' back.]
En route back to his assigned room after finishing his interrogation by Berstetz, Subaru witnessed a flying dragon enveloped in a shroud of wind alighting in the garden of the mansion and a petite figure dismounting from its back.
The one there was a young girl in an adorable outfit, with two black horns that sprouted out of her sky-blue hair―― yet in contrast to that cuteness, she was a dragonkin who possessed unbelievable strength.
Subaru: [Madelyn-chan.]
Madelyn: […You friggin' human. Don't be so friggin' casual and use "chan" for this dragon.]
The returning dragonkin girl, Madelyn, took notice of Subaru calling her name, and sniffed softly.
Madelyn seemed to be under Berstetz's patronage, just like Subaru and the rest, and he often had the chance to cross paths with her in the mansion and interact. However, whenever they did, her bearing was harsh in this way, so he could not say they had established a good relationship.
Her harshness was not only directed at Subaru, but everyone at the mansion as well, however――,
Berstetz: [General First-Class Madelyn, how did it go? Those seeking the emancipation of General First-Class Goz are…]
Madelyn: [I friggin' kicked them away. Let me say this now, us dragons don't have any friggin' obligation to take your insignificant circumstances into consideration, so I really did literally kick them the frig' away.]
Berstetz: [No problem. His Excellency the Emperor ordered you to quell the revolt, and if you did what you deemed necessary to do so, then that is what is right for the Empire.]
Madelyn: [Hmph, you friggin' boring senile fool.]
Madelyn shrugged at Berstetz's answer, and upon her back she carried an armament around as large as her own petite frame―― a boomerang.
There was blood here and there upon the boomerang that she had failed to wipe off, and there was no doubt that was related to the "quelling" the two of them had discussed.
Subaru: [General First-Class Madelyn Eschart, and General First-Class Goz Ralfon…]
Murmuring that softly, Subaru thought of that which was beyond the walls that encircled the mansion―― of the landscape of the Imperial Capital with its buildings in orderly rows, and organized the various relationships swirling there through his head.
When he had first been sent here, he held almost no knowledge regarding the Vollachian Empire, and could only wander in confusion, but thanks to living in the mansion for the past few days, he now knew a few things.
For example, the one before him, Madelyn, had been bestowed with the rank of General First-Class, which was bestowed upon none but the strongest existences of the Empire, and
was a member of the Nine Divine Generals, an individual of the greatest military ability.
The other was also a member of the same Nine Divine Generals, a character known as the renowned Lion Knight, Goz Ralfon, who had rebelled against the Emperor, and was currently restrained within the prison of the Crystal Palace. The violent actions of Goz, who had a profound bond of trust with his subordinates, had caused much chaos amongst the troops.
It appeared that the group of soldiers Madelyn had just routed had been appealing for the pardon and release of the imprisoned Goz. He could understand saying that such a response was reasonable, since by siding with Goz, who had turned his blade against the Emperor, they too possessed the potential to become part of the rebels.
Subaru: [I've thought this day after day, but the culture is just too different…]
The Kingdom of Lugunica was about as safe and peaceful as modern-day Japan―― As someone who had lost their life many times in the Kingdom, this was not something Subaru would ever say. However, clearly different rules from the Kingdom had been imposed by the Vollachian Empire, and it was exceedingly difficult to ascertain the boundary between common sense and senselessness.
However, he could not afford to show weakness.
Subaru: [If I'm discouraged, it would cause trouble for Rem. For Rem's sake…]
???: [――What about me?]
Subaru: [Uwoh hyoh hoi!?]
Just as he slapped his cheeks to fill himself with motivation, that voice called out to him from behind, and he jumped and spun around with an Acchonburike expression, his cheeks still sandwiched between his hands. And then, with an "Uuu!", he was embraced with an impact to the front of his waist and he nearly toppled over. [1]
Rem: [Louis-chan, you shouldn't get too close. He's just going to say more nasty things to you again.]
Louis: [Uuuau?]
Subaru: [That's right. It's as Rem said. I'll say nasty things to you. Don't cling to me.]
Louis: [Aaa, auaaau.]
Standing his ground, Subaru pulled off the body of the girl―― Louis, who was clinging to his waist, then casually tossed her to one side. Spinning, Louis handled it with the nimbleness of a cat, then after making a face also like that of a stray cat, she returned to the side of the girl with open arms.
Receiving the return of Louis with a hug, Rem cast a reproachful gaze upon Subaru.
Rem: [How can you be so cold to such a small child. I can't comprehend it.]
Subaru: [Rem, I've said it over and over, but that's a bomb pretending to be a child. She's being obedient now, but there's no telling when she might explode. Please trust me on this…]
Rem: […When you stink so much? That's impossible.]
Subaru: [――――]
Rem: [What's with that moved look on your face?]
Subaru: [Nothing, just you telling me "You stink, you stink" is also nostalgic, so it just brought back some deeply moving feelings.]
Rem: [Ha?]
The reaction from Rem as she embraced Louis was cold, and overall, Subaru's feelings were not taken very positively.
Subaru knew that it was difficult when he just simply told Rem, who had no Memories and a nose that could only perceive the miasma Subaru was clad in, to believe in him, so even though it was painful, he endured it.
Subaru: [Compared to when we couldn't even have this sort of exchange, it's seriously a world of difference.]
Rem: […Truly, I don't understand you.]
Despite her bluntness, it seemed like Rem had indescribably complicated emotions regarding Subaru's reaction, where the joy seemed to be outweighed by the bitterness.
Even so, the reason she did not completely try to keep him at a distance due to the Miasma, was thanks to the initial incident at the Crystal Palace―― Because she tried to fully accept and understand the dedication shown when, after he had realized they had been sent to a dangerous location, he had volunteered to be a decoy and attempted to help Rem and Louis, well, strictly speaking only Rem, escape.
In actuality, Subaru had ended up Returning by Death so many times that he was really, really relieved that such a threat had not befallen Rem.
That said, he would be overjoyed if they could compromise just a bit more. For example――,
Madelyn: [Oni girl, this dragon has friggin' returned. Help me with my friggin' bath.]
Rem: [Of course, Madelyn-san, I understand.]
Something like the relationship between Rem and Madelyn, where unexpectedly, she could calmly respond to those haughty demands with such a tone.
Berstetz: [General First-Class Madelyn and Rem-dono have become quite close.]
Right then, Berstetz said exactly what Subaru had been thinking. Even if he took a glance at the old man's profile, he could not read anything from his eyes that were so narrow, not even his irises were visible.
Not even whether he welcomes the relationship between them, or dislikes it.
Subaru: [Berstetz-san, you wouldn't happen to be a demi-human collector, would you?]
Berstetz: [If that means being an antiquarian of precious bloodlines, then I cannot deny it in a broad sense. Powerful species have strong individuals, but contrarily they lack in their ability to protect their bloodlines. For the future of the Empire, we must treat them with care to ensure they are not lost.]
Subaru: [Speaking of the future of the Empire…]
Berstetz: [Are you curious to learn more? Lolimancer-dono of the Kingdom?]
Subaru: [Don't need to know…]
Lifting both hands, Subaru indicated he had retracted his careless curiosity.
They say curiosity killed the cat, but in the Empire it was a rule that would seriously not go unpunished.
However――,
Subaru: [Setting aside the dragonkin Madelyn-chan, whether Oni are valuable or not, Rem is my Rem.]
Rem: [Ha? Please don't say that on your own. I can hear you.]
Subaru: [I didn't say it so you wouldn't hear me.]
Louis: [Uu!]
Having sharp ears, Rem caught what was being discussed, and made a complicated face upon hearing Subaru's response. Why was Louis enjoying hugging her waist, beaming while in a good mood? It was annoying when she would cling to Subaru, but it was mentally draining having her embrace Rem in that way.
Then, it was as Subaru was thinking about tearing Louis away from Rem by force.
???: [Natsuki Subaru-dono, are you here!?]
His name called out so loudly, Subaru's eyes widened as he wondered what was going on.
When he turned around, the figure of a tall individual was standing at the entrance to the mansion. Seeing it was a fierce-looking young man with short green hair, Subaru pursed his lips.
It was not particularly clear, but he recalled the young man's face. ――He had been killed by him once before.
Subaru: [I am Natsuki Subaru.]
???: [I am Kafma Irulux, General Second-Class of the glorious Vollachian Empire. Natsuki Subaru-dono, you have been summoned by His Excellency, the Emperor.]
The young man who saluted before Subaru―― Kafma, announced this with a polite bow.
Subaru's breath caught in his throat when he heard that the Emperor had summoned him. For the Emperor, who spent his time always occupied, to call for him for the first time in days, it would not be without meaning.
That is to say――,
Subaru: [Kafma… san, do you know why the Emperor has called for me?]
Kafma: [I do not hold the authority to preemptively convey His Excellency the Emperor's words. His Excellency will reveal to you exactly what you need to know.]
Kafma's answer was the most military-esque of anyone he had spoken to thus far. With his wholehearted faithfulness and loyalty toward the Emperor, now that man known as the Lion Knight had been imprisoned as a rebel, he seemed to be the only Knight in an Empire without any other.
In any case――,
Subaru: [――Rem, I'm going to go out for a bit. I might be home late, so you can eat dinner without me.]
Rem: [Stop saying nonsensical things… Take care.]
Just that one phrase reluctantly and falteringly added at the end was enough to make him blush, as he was filled with unbelievable energy that he felt would allow him to persevere forever and ever.
△▼△▼△▼△
???: […It is true that I carelessly thought I would be able to get through it no matter what, but…]
???: [What. Do you have any complaints?]
???: [Of course, is that not obviously a given?]
Sitting in a luxurious dragon carriage and resting his head on his knees, Subaru retorted with those words to the Emperor whose cruelty was beyond compare, the one who had asked something so obvious.
The black-haired Emperor, shrugging slightly at Subaru's objection,
Vincent: [You must be aware of your own circumstances, which are not only complicated, but even ominous, no?]
Subaru: [Ominous is an exaggeration. I am aware of my complicated position, and I feel that I should repay how you have overlooked that for me in some way. But that said…"]
Vincent: [――]
Subaru: [Separating me from Rem, and then taking me so far away is another story altogether!]
Exploding with such displeasure, Subaru was currently accompanying Vincent on an expedition.
Kafma had turned up at Berstetz's mansion and had brought Subaru to the castle. With as few words as always, Vincent had arrogantly decreed, "Accompany me on my travels."
Before he realized it, he was carried away just like that and put in a dragon carriage, and now he was here.
Subaru: [Kafma-san said that Your Excellency the Emperor would inform me of anything I needed to know, without hiding anything, and yet?]
Vincent: [Kafma Irulux's remark was correct. I shall not hesitate to disclose any information that is necessary.]
Subaru: [But despite that, other than that our destination is a city called Chaosflame, I have not heard anything else?]
Vincent: [Is it necessary? For you to have more information than that?]
Subaru: [Of course it is!]
Going on an expedition while knowing nothing but the destination was like a variety show of a bygone era. It would be impossible to do now due to compliance violations of the modern age, as well as due to fears that they might be forced to do hard labour overseas; it could be considered close to a modern shady part-time job.
In either case, it would be out of line ethically.
However, instigator in question, the Emperor himself, sniffed softly,
Vincent: [Looking at your current appearance, I cannot believe that you harbor any anxiety over the future.]
He had declared so indifferently, without hesitation.
Subaru understood what Vincent wanted to say. He was probably referring to what was reflected in his black eyes: the current Subaru―― nay, Natsumi Schwartz.
He was wearing a beautiful long black wig and a red toned military uniform styled to conceal his figure. His makeup was flawless, and he appeared as a perfected lady from any angles.
Subaru/Schwartz: [However, I cannot say I like when people point at me and say suggestive things.]
Vincent: […Is there any point in continuing to put up that act before me, when I know your true identity?]
Subaru/Schwartz: [You can never know when you might be found out. Is this not a good thing? They say that God is in the details, which means devoting yourself with sincerity.]
Vincent: [――――]
Subaru/Schwartz: [To begin with, the reason I am accompanying you like this as Natsumi Schwartz is to comply with the wishes of Your Excellency the Emperor. The circumstances are what they are, but I simply cannot leave any records of myself being involved in something such as a civil war of the Empire.]
Subaru/Schwartz did not know every detail about the friction between the two nations, but he knew that so-called intervention in another country's domestic affairs and collaboration across national borders could invite bad things, even if it were good deeds, depending on the situation.
Put simply, a Knight with ties to the Kingdom lending a helping hand to the Empire when it is in a crisis―― the difference between a fairy tale and the story of reality was that such a moving tale was inexcusable.
Subaru/Schwartz: [Therefore, I am Natsumi Schwartz.]
Vincent: [――. If you possess no doubts about yourself, I care not. As long as you work properly, I do not intend on putting fetters on any individual hobbies or tastes.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [Hobbies…?]
Vincent: [I do not intend to engage in trivial questioning . You were the one who requested an explanation. If you were that damnable Ubilk, he would not have asked anything, but I suppose you are not.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [It troubles me that you put me alongside that person of ambiguous station. Speaking of, who is that person really? A pro jester beside a medieval king who relieves their boredom?]
Vincent: [It is true that that thing is a jester, but its role is not to stave off my boredom. Of course, the role I expect of you is the same. It was he who nominated you for this expedition after all.]
Subaru/Schwartz: […Ubilk-san, nominated me?]
Recalling the face of the frivolous, effeminate man, Subaru/Schwartz tilted his head.
From the beginning, Ubilk had acted with a mysterious sense of distance toward Subaru/Schwartz. Even more baffling was the reactions of Vincent and other authorities who allowed Ubilk to have an influential voice. Stargazer, that was how Ubilk was addressed. ――If that role was a prophetic position as Subaru/Schwartz vaguely conjectured, then it was a common trope in the settings of fantasy stories.
The problem was that there was a good chance there were actual prophets in this world, and according to words of the effeminate man suspected to be a prophet, he feared they might also suspect him to be one of them as well.
Subaru/Schwartz: [I just cannot believe it is the same thing, but it is frustrating that I cannot explain the reason why.]
Subaru/Schwartz's Return by Death can, in other words, be said to be seen as anticipating the future.
There was a part of Subaru/Schwartz that thought of it as simply cheating the future, but when he learned of approaching threats through Return by Death and worked out the means to avoid them, it was not very strange that others would think he appeared to be a prophet.
Subaru/Schwartz: [In fact, a bewitching and beautiful prophetess buttering up a powerful individual is a classic among classics. Still, it would be problematic to be misunderstood. …As it is, Return by Death has been behaving oddly.]
The grumbling by Subaru/Schwartz was concerned with the strange phenomenon that was occurring to Return by Death.
Subaru/Schwartz had repeated Return by Death many times before encountering Vincent in the Crystal Palace, but the reason this happened was not only because of the Empire's national character that did not hesitate to kill, but also because the interval of time between when he died and when he restarted had been so limited.
Of course, the closer the restart point was to Death, the fewer options he had, and the less time there was to enact a plan. The result was that Subaru/Schwartz had experienced many horrific Deaths. This mysterious anomaly that had arisen in Return by Death―― Subaru/Schwartz suspected it might be connected to this not being the Kingdom of Lugunica, but rather the Vollachian Empire.
Subaru/Schwartz: [I do not particularly want to put stock in Echidna's, or rather that ill-natured Witch's observation, however…]
If it was the Witch of Envy who made Subaru/Schwartz Return by Death, then the physical distance between the Witch sealed in the eastern end of the Kingdom and Subaru in the Empire had widened. If he considered it simply, then could it not be said that it was becoming harder for the Authority of the Witch to reach him?
If so, then what would happen to Subaru/Schwartz's Return by Death if, for example, he were to lose his life on the western edge of the Kararagi City-States, the Great Nation of the west? ――He had no means to test it, and did not want to find out.
Subaru/Schwartz: [At any rate, I am being brought here even to the point of separating me from Rem. Then at the very least, I want to do my job. Even if it is annoying, please give me an explanation.]
Vincent: [You issue orders to me, whilst knowing I am the Emperor? I was the one who said that keeping up that clumsy respect was unnecessary, but you have switched quite quickly.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [So far, it seems unlikely that I'll be killed by a guillotine.]
Vincent: [Guillotine, huh? ――It is ironic that I am reminded of Magrizza's Guillotine here.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [――?]
Vincent: [That was an unnecessary remark. ――My goal in having you accompany me to the Demon City is not complicated. It is to speak with Yorna Mishigure, one of the Nine Divine Generals.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [Yorna Mishigure… If I recall, she is nicknamed the Flamboyant.]
Subaru/Schwartz put the results of him diligently gathering intelligence rather than just playing around into words. With a face that held no real emotion toward that, Vincent said nothing and calmly lowered his chin.
Subaru thought it was likely that the attitude of this Emperor who was truly inept at meeting the needs of his subordinates for approval might have been the cause as for why the person known as Goz had rebelled.
Putting Subaru's suspicions aside, Vincent began to speak matter-of-factly.
What he said was――,
Vincent: [Arakiya, whom I had sent to suppress the rebels, has not returned. We should assume that in all likelihood, she has either been killed or detained.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [――Hk, Arakiya-chan might have!?]
As this unexpected news was announced, Subaru/Schwartz opened his eyes adorned with straightened lashes in surprise.
Although he had not had a chance to meet Arakiya since that first day, he had felt a one-sided sense of gratitude toward her. ――This was because when Subaru/Schwartz had encountered Vincent, given his name, and the table for negotiations had been laid out, he had asked via Vincent to ensure Rem's safety, and it was Arakiya who had accomplished this brilliantly.
If Rem had been discovered by any of the individuals who had mercilessly taken Subaru/Schwartz's life, an unforgivable disaster may have befallen her by now.
That was why Subaru/Schwartz thought of Arakiya as someone he was indebted to.
Subaru/Schwartz: [Why did you not tell me!?]
Vincent: [There should be no expectation I would. She is a General First-Class of the Empire, her actions are a state secret. Think of me informing you like this now as an exception.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [――――]
Vincent: [Since the First cannot be used now for various reasons, Arakiya, who is the Second, was the strongest military force of the Empire. If it has become the case that Arakiya can no longer be used, we need the Nine Divine Generals to be cautious in expressing their positions, including on the matter of Goz Ralfon.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [For that reason…]
Vincent: [Exactly.]
Vincent nodded, arms crossed, as Subaru/Schwartz lowered his head.
In his chest, his heart was resounding coldly in pain, and even now, he still could not fully process the misfortune that had befallen Arakiya.
He could understand Vincent's point. However, what if Vincent had shared the truth with him immediately as soon as something had happened to Arakiya?
Subaru/Schwartz: [With Return by Death…]
He might have been able to save Arakiya.
Given the matter of her safety was unknown, he knew it was a premature conclusion, but Subaru/Schwartz could not help but have the possibility flash through his mind.
Subaru/Schwartz: [Besides, regarding the individual known as Yorna Mishigure, as far as I know…]
Vincent: [She has raised rebellions against me twice in the past.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [Right!? With such circumstances, is it fine for you to meet such a person face-to-face?]
Subaru/Schwartz had learned over the past few days that Vincent Vollachia's reign had already lasted eight years, apparently being an exceptionally peaceful era in the history of the Empire up to now, and Vincent was called the Wise Emperor by his subjects, gaining their approval.
During Vincent's reign, there was one person not easily swayed, raising rebellions in the true sense of the word, and repeatedly clashing with him: Yorna Mishigure, the Flamboyant.
Subaru/Schwartz: [As far as I know, would they not clearly be the kind of person who would take advantage of this situation?]
Vincent: [To make certain of this, is the reason why I am going myself. That is all.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [The one with an irreplaceable position taking the initiative… the spirit of the Empire, it is quite impressive.]
As Subaru/Schwartz's shoulders drooped in dejection, Vincent said "Speerit?" with a reaction like he was stuck on a word he was not used to hearing.
To exact a modicum of revenge, Subaru/Schwartz decided to not translate the modern language unless asked, and looking out the window of the moving dragon carriage, he kept the work that was expected of him in the Demon City locked up tight in his heart.
Putting aside the expectations of the recommender, Ubilk, Vincent's expectations of Subaru/Schwartz were, to put it bluntly, more or less as that of a backup plan.
He was unsure the extent of which the achievements of Subaru/Schwartz of the Kingdom of Lugunica were known in the Vollachian Empire, but no matter what embellished or exaggerated rumors had spread, anyone who saw the real Subaru/Schwartz would surely be disappointed to learn that he was not such an outstanding person.
On the other hand, if the facts connected to those deeds cannot be ignored, it could be said that the best role he can be expected to fulfill is that of being a backup plan.
Thus, Subaru/Schwartz wanted to slap his cheeks, but stopped, afraid of possibly ruining his makeup. Instead, while brushing his long, lustrous hair in a feminine manner,
Subaru/Schwartz: [I understand, Your Excellency the Emperor. For now, I shall do everything within my power to bring you back unharmed to the Imperial Capital no matter what happens. Being the back-up is my specialty!]
Vincent: [――. I have no idea what in the world has gotten you so fired up, but endeavor to do so with all you have. Do not forget that what is precious to you is being kept hostage at Berstetz's manor.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [You do not need to go out of your way to threaten me; Emilia-tan, Beako, and Rem are constantly in the back of my mind at all times!]
He had just started to build up his motivation without any such threats, and yet now His Excellency the Emperor had unnecessarily dampened that motivation. ――Given that he angered the kind Goz Ralfon who was so well-regarded, perhaps it was Vincent's fault after all.
With that tinge of anxiety in his chest, Subaru/Schwartz completed his journey to his destination of the Demon City Chaosflame with no complications.
And then――,
△▼△▼△▼△
???: [Enemy of my late sister ――Black haired, black-eyed, traveler!!]
She had been a woman with the tips of her black hair dyed blue, and a brave yet fierce hatred within her eyes.
Immediately after the string of her bow that she had drawn back with great force had bent, and the sound of it cutting through the air had been heard, Subaru/Schwartz had been sent flying away from beside the Emperor's shoulder, and his side had been pulverized by the arrow.
Subaru/Schwartz: [――Guh.]
The welling blood filled his throat, and Subaru/Schwartz fell as he experienced the sensation of drowning.
Witnessing this scene, the Emperor who had been protected ――Vincent Vollachia, grimaced as he rushed to Subaru/Schwartz, whose blood spread upon the bare earth.
Vincent: [Natsumi Schwartz! You… are out of character…!]
Subaru/Schwartz: [You say… that it is… out of character… It is my… motto to do one good deed a day…]
Vincent: [Even now, you do not stop running your mouth… Tch, this is a severe injury.]
Placing his hands over the open wound to try and stop the oozing blood, and then perceiving that the flesh of the side he touched was not all there, Subaru/Schwartz regretted his awareness of his wound.
The side of his abdomen had been blown away. No matter how he looked at it, it was a fatal wound, one he could not expect to survive. However, Vincent picked up Subaru/Schwartz's body, and began to move.
Subaru/Schwartz: [What… are you doing… If you do not… run…]
Vincent: [I have no objections. Hence, I am doing exactly that. You can just admire the sky.]
Subaru/Schwartz: [The sky… Your unnecessary comments… just make my injuries worse…]
While he answered with a hollow voice, Subaru/Schwartz looked up into the skies of Chaosflame.
The city of Chaosflame was unique in how the great diversity of tribes that lived in the Demon City and all their respective architectural styles had become intertwined as if they had forgotten the spirit of compromise, with their implementation of urban development like a potpourri. ――Now, it was a mere shadow of its former self.
What swept across the city now was not a scene of the liberation of freedoms accumulated on top of each other, but a battle of transcendent beings beyond all human understanding that demolished, twisted, and shattered those streets.
???: [Kakakakka! I never thought we'd clash like this, Araki!]
???: [If you don't like it, back off.]
???: [Are you giving orders like you own this city? Who do you think is the lord of this place?]
Numerous flaming explosions spread throughout the air, and the shadow of a monstrous old man used the roof of a building as a foothold as he soared about. Flying after him in pursuit was a doggirl whose legs below the knees had been replaced with flames. And the two who were clashing together were interrupted by a courtesan-like foxperson who used an undulating steel tower as a foothold to remold the town――,
――The Vicious Old Man, Olbart Dunkelkenn.
――The Spirit Eater, Arakiya.
――The Flamboyant, Yorna Mishigure.
Known for their unrivaled prowess, these fierce warriors were among the apex of the Vollachian Empire, the Nine Divine Generals.
All three were a part of different camps, and their battle unfolded upon the stage of Chaosflame.
Vincent: [Certainly, I never thought Arakiya would join them. ――Not foreseeing her participation, was mine own error.]
Bathed in waves of heat and force that churned through the atmosphere, Vincent ran through the rough streets while carrying Subaru/Schwartz, in an attempt to get away from the battlefield.
The strongest asset that Vincent had brought with him to the Demon City was Olbart, who had no leeway to pay attention to them, laughing as he aimed for the lives of the two women.
Meanwhile, the mistress of the Demon City, Yorna, was working to fulfill her duty of nonaggressive defense.
Finally, Arakiya, who had been sent out to suppress the rebels, but had been believed to be lost in action, was――,
???: [――Vincent Vollachia!]
Vincent: [――――]
His name called out, Vincent stopped in his tracks and turned around.
Ahead of him, the owner of that voice stood motionless atop the rubble of a collapsed building. ――Oddly enough, it was a slender man with black hair adorned in red attire, just like Vincent. However, he hid his true identity with a mask that resembled the face of an Oni, and was the leader of the rebels.
This man in the oni mask, who was believed to have conspired with General First-Class Goz Ralfon and intended to take Vincent's throne, had paid a visit at the same time as Vincent and Subaru/Schwartz had arrived in Chaosflame to inquire as to the intentions of Yorna, the Seventh.
And then, he tried to invite Yorna to become his ally in the war that he led to steal the country.
Needless to say, they could not afford for negotiations between Yorna and the man in the oni mask and his party to go well. Subaru/Schwartz and the rest had to obstruct the negotiations, and headed to the location of the discussions――,
Vincent: [What do you call yourself, you traitor?]
Masked Man: [――Abel. My current self, is Abel.]
As he confronted Vincent, the man in the oni mask―― Abel, declared his name, and the air was set alight.
The heat of the tense atmosphere between them emitted a scorching aroma, and the fighting spirit of Abel, accompanied by Arakiya, who had supposedly disappeared, caused the Demon City to collapse.
If it was the case that Yorna Mishigure, taking an uncertain position, would not declare her position in joining either the Emperor or the rebels, then the best policy was to ensure that she would not fall to the other side.
The moment that possibility passed, the battle between those transcendental beings had begun.
Vincent: [Abel…]
Vincent narrowed his eyes, and uttered the name as if to confirm it.
Having lost copious amounts of blood, Subaru/Schwartz was on the brink of losing his life; he had no way of guessing what was going through Vincent's mind right now.
However, Abel's other companion did not overlook that moment of hesitation.
???: [――――]
As Vincent faced Abel, a merciless assassin jumped out from behind some rubble to his rear, sneaking up on him without any sound or presence.
He aimed his axe at the neck of the motionless Vincent from behind――,
???: [――Your Excellency!!]
Just before the axe could sever Vincent's slender neck, it was intercepted by a fierce surge of purple thorns.
The one who had raised his voice, saving the Emperor from the surprise attack, while bleeding profusely all over his body, was Kafma. Kafma, the final member of Vincent's escorts, had put to good use the special characteristics of the Insect Cage Tribe, using the insects he had taken into his body to pursue the enemies who had attempted to commit regicide against the Emperor.
However――,
???: [OOORAAAA!!]
The enemy jumped and ducked, avoiding the extending thorny whips, and a new figure landed beside him, swinging the two longswords in his hands, cutting the thorns head-on and mowing down the threat.
They were a man wearing a bandana with an axe and a rough-looking dual-wielding swordsman with a patch over his right eye. ――Both were members of the rebels who had accompanied Abel.
Bandana Man: [――My bad, my bad.]
Rough Man: [Tch! Oi, don't mess up your only skill!]
Bandana Man: [Saying it's my only skill hurts, you know? But your backup saved me. Can I continue to count on you?]
Rough Man: [You're a hopeless bastard. ――General Second-Class, Kafma Irulux. For an opponent, I can't complain.]
The dual-wielding swordsman laughed as he cracked his neck, and the man in the bandana beside him turned his frigid eyes toward Vincent and Subaru/Schwartz. As if to block their view, a battered Kafma stood between the two enemies and Vincent.
Kafma: [Please leave this place to me! Your Excellency, take Miss Schwartz!]
Vincent: [Do not overextend yourself. Olbart's hands are tied. There are also the eyes of the Shudraq.]
Kafma: [I understand, sir! …I will not let the lives saved by Miss Schwartz, let alone His Excellency Vincent, be scattered in vain!]
Kafma, wounded all over his body, took on his task with vigor, and so Vincent left that situation to him, and began to run.
This time, he was prepared to leave no matter what Abel said, and perhaps because he understood this, Abel did not say anything more atop the rubble. With that, the two enemies vying for the throne departed that place.
And then――,
Vincent: [――Natsuki Subaru, Stargazer of the Kingdom. If you were to die, I know not with what to fill this gap. Therefore…]
Subaru/Schwartz: [――Ugh.]
The battlefield was far off, and as he heard his ears ring loudly, yet the sound of his heartbeat grow quiet in contrast, Subaru/Schwartz saw Vincent put his hands to his own face.
As Vincent shut his eyes like that, despite his consciousness fading to white, Subaru/Schwartz suddenly realized something. ――Until now, he had never once seen Vincent close both of his eyes.
But then, those thoughts immediately vanished due to a series of strange occurrences.
Vincent: [――Mask of the Blue.]
As he murmured that, Vincent's face peeled off before the eyes of Subaru/Schwartz.
While producing a sound that would make one wince just from hearing it, like flesh tearing off the bone, like skin tearing off from flesh, Vincent's face peeled off.
The flayed face of Vincent, pulled off like a "mask", slowly disintegrated in his hands and turned to dust.
Subaru: [――――]
The scene was just like a nightmare during a restless night, or a glitch in one's brain as they were about to face Death. However, the Emperor, now stripped of his face, brought his other hand to his face and put on the next "mask".
The next moment, Vincent's body made a noise, his skeleton began to thin, and his height began to shrink. Not only that, but his hair color and style, that form was slowly remade――,
Subaru/Schwartz: […Ferris?]
A beat later, standing there was a distinctive face he recognized, with adorable features and cat ears, who should have been constantly attending to his lord in the Kingdom of Lugunica; it was the form of Ferris.
Subaru: [――――]
――Vincent had turned into Ferris.
Subaru/Schwartz was left speechless by that sight, which could only be described in such a manner. However, the person in question paid no heed to Subaru/Schwartz's confusion, placing a pale hand over his wound.
Immediately after, a faint light flowed out, and the side of Subaru/Schwartz that had been blown away began to heal. ――That transcendental healing power that seemed to turn back time was unmistakably Ferris's.
The flesh near at the opening of the wound swelled, and the restoration of his internal organs and muscle fibers commenced. The blood that had poured out did not return, but his body, being invigorated, entered a phase of blood production, and his circulation remarkably improved.
His consciousness, which should have been fading, began to steadily regain its color, and Subaru/Schwartz ――no, Natsuki Subaru, while still pretending to be a woman, reached up with his hand to the shoulder before him.
He grabbed that thin shoulder and pulled it close, and glaring at the person healing him,
Subaru: [You… Are you, Capella?]
"Ferris": [For what reason, such doubts have arisen, I cannot fathom, but… no.]
That face and voice were Ferris's own, and yet the language was that of Vincent. Subaru's breath caught at that sense of incongruity and he slowly shook his head.
In the instant Ferris lowered his gaze, cracks suddenly formed across his face.
Subaru: [――Hk!]
The cracks began on the cheeks, and then expanded bit by bit, slowly damaging Ferris's sweet face.
"Ferris": [I shall use the stagnant Mana within you that has had no place to go. If things had continued this way, the plug would have failed and burst anyways. I shall hear no complaints.]
However, seeming to feel no pain himself, and paying Subaru's reaction of astonishment no heed, the fake Ferris ignored the cracks on his face and continued to heal Subaru's side.
The faint light of recovery, healed, healed, healed the wounds, and shortly――,
"Ferris": [It is done.]
As soon as he stated that, the cracks reached the entirety of the face of the fake Ferris.
Just as the peeled face of Vincent had turned to dust before, the face of the fake Ferris also crumbled from the edges, becoming dust as well.
Although his wounds had been healed and his life had been saved, Subaru could only lie there while facing a nightmare not all that different from one that had threatened his life before.
From beneath the face of the fake Ferris that flaked away, a new face ――neither Vincent nor the fake Ferris, but instead an unknown face emerged. ――No, it was not unknown to him.
Once before, only for a brief moment, had Subaru caught a glimpse of that face.
Since he had been in the middle of a crisis, he had not questioned that optical illusion very deeply, but he had seen that face in a mirror in the Imperial Residence.
A tall figure with long white hair and white skin that seemed to have lost all of their color, while his whole body was composed of simply white, only his irises sparkled with the hue of gold. This person was――,
Pale Man: [――Chisha Gold.]
Subaru: [Huh?]
Chisha: [You seem to have confused me with another individual, therefore I responded.]
A man of nothing but white appeared ――introducing himself as Chisha Gold, Subaru belatedly realized this was his answer to Subaru's mention of Capella earlier.
That power, which allowed him to transform his appearance to someone else in front of Subaru's very eyes, and even heal a fatal wound in the form of Ferris, was no mere imitation or disguise.
Subaru: [Wait, Chisha Gold, isn't that one of the Nine Divine Generals…]
Chisha: [Allow me to confirm that. I have been bestowed with the rank of the Fourth, of the Nine Divine Generals, and therefore I am made to serve to the best of my meager ability as a General First-Class of the Empire.]
Subaru: […Are you, the Emperor's body double?]
Chisha: [When emergencies arise. That said, that would not be correct in this case. The most suitable way to describe me currently, that would be――]
In front of Subaru, frozen and wide-eyed, Chisha, with his only dress still being the clothes of the Emperor, narrowed his golden eyes with an expression full of hard to read emotions, and made a declaration.
Chisha: [――Usurper of the throne of the Vollachian Empire, and rebel who mocks the Sword Wolf.]
That was truly the first meeting of Natsuki Subaru and the White Spider, Chisha Gold. ――It was the true first meeting of those two, who by all rights should have never had their destinies converge, companions who would deceive fate.
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