[ "You guys are having a friendly stroll and chat. Since it's a rare occasion, why don't you bring this great self along?" Garfiel walked over step by step, gritting his teeth and smiling.
He blocked their path.
Though he had a smile on his face, it was definitely not a friendly one. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"We're done for…"
Otto sucked in a cold breath.
"Tch, Garfy is going to make trouble again."
Ram clicked her tongue.
"I already said I'm sorry! Ram, Boss, Brother Otto, run!"
—
[ Patrasche let out a low growl.
"A bastard of unknown origin like you, kid, must never be let out. It's best to keep you right beside this great self, the strongest in the 'Sanctuary'."
Subaru had wanted to avoid conflict, but Garfiel still insisted on blocking them.
"This decision might anger Lord Roswaal. Because to Lord Roswaal, Barusu is—"
"You say it'll anger Roswaal? How much has that bastard ever thought about this place or the old hag and the others? Not at all! All that bastard thinks about is himself! Ram! That bastard is the same to you!" Garfiel grew furious.
"Garfy, Lord Roswaal is…"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up! What that bastard thinks is none of this great self's business! Final warning! Hand that guy over! This great self is going to tie him up, throw him on the ground, and you guys will just obediently watch—" ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"This great self highly agrees with that Garfiel getting angry at Ram's words."
Garfiel gritted his teeth at the words Ram spoke on the screen.
But wouldn't Ram saying that directly provoke a fight?
"…Now, Ram fully understands Garfy's anger. Or rather, I understood it before, but I only defended him because I unconditionally followed Lord Roswaal."
Ram said.
"Be careful, Subaru—ah, they ran."
Emilia said.
—
[ "Miss Ram!"
"Go, quickly!"
"Whoa?!"
Otto and Ram reacted quickly.
Otto scooped Subaru up, mounted Patrasche, and dashed toward the edge of the Sanctuary.
"Bastard! You extra!"
"Do you still have time to look elsewhere, Garfy?"
"Don't get in the way of this great self-fulfilling my oath!"
The voices of Garfiel and Ram gradually faded, but the sounds of battle were very distinct.
"Wait… Wait a minute, Otto! Why… did we leave Ram in a place like that?"
"If we delayed any longer, you would have been in danger! This was Miss Ram's and my decision!"
Subaru clenched his teeth. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Really, even at a time like this, Barusu is still thinking about Ram."
Ram snorted, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
"If the goal was only to keep Natsuki safe, then this was indeed the best way. Having the only combat force hold back Tinsel, while Suwen escapes with Natsuki. Though Natsuki certainly wouldn't think that way, as he wants to save everyone."
The classic clash between idealism and utilitarianism.
—
[ Chirp—
Otto let out a high-pitched whistle.
"What was that whistle signal just now?"
"I was rather unwilling to use this method. It would have been best if we didn't have to use it at all."
"Ah…"
Specks of white light illuminated the path ahead.
Those holding the lights were…
"It's Arlam Village's…"
"I told you, didn't I? We have reliable helpers!"
Holding those twinkling lights were the villagers of Arlam Village.
One by one, they held crystal lamps, lighting the path forward for Subaru. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"So the helpers weren't just little Ram."
Ferris said.
"Everyone…"
Emilia was deeply moved.
"This also proves how much the fief's people value Natsuki. Well done, well done."
Anastasia smiled.
"But wait, didn't the villagers not know yet?"
Felt said.
She remembered the green-hatted guy saying that if they found out Subaru was imprisoned, it might cause a riot.
—
[ "Subaru-sama! You must be safe!" A male villager shouted.
"Didn't you say that if everyone found out, there would be a riot…" Subaru stared blankly at the scene.
"In fact, we were on the verge of a riot! So we decided to keep it from you! We didn't want to become a burden to Natsuki-san's escape!"
"Ah…"
Under the light, and guided by the villagers of Arlam Village, the sounds of Garfiel and Ram's battle gradually vanished.
"This way! Head inside! Subaru-sama!"
"Mr. Otto, we leave Subaru-sama to you!"
"You must absolutely not pass away before us elderly, Subaru-sama…"
Everyone exerted all their strength, desperately guiding Subaru to escape. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"…Thank you, everyone…"
"Everyone…"
Emilia choked up slightly. Rem placed both hands over her chest in gratitude.
"Hmph, everyone really is…"
Ram turned her face away, smiling faintly.
"Subaru did quite~well indeed~."
Roswaal said.
—
[ "Why is everyone… doing such a foolish thing…"
"Subaru-sama's words have no persuasive power at all!"
As Subaru was sobbing, a villager let out a bitter laugh.
Looking up, they had arrived at a large tree, with several villagers standing beside it.
"If you go straight ahead from here, it should be the barrier! JUST ESCAPE THERE!!" A villager shouted.
"What about everyone else?"
Five young men stepped forward, saying resolutely:
"We'll stop the pursuers! It's fine, we can barely buy some time for Subaru-sama to escape…"
And in the next moment— ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Oh no, watch out!"
Ram narrowed her eyes.
"This form is…"
Yuriusu spoke in a deep voice.
—
[ "ROAR—!!" A roar echoed, the screen shook violently, and then crashed to the ground.
"Ah…" Subaru fell to the ground. The earth was torn open, and the large tree was snapped.
"What happened… ugh…" Subaru was stunned.
Before his eyes was a giant tiger.
He remembered that Garfiel had once been beastified in front of the audience.
This was clearly Garfiel after beastification.
Subaru quickly looked back and found that the others had been blown away by the shockwave just like him, but fortunately, they were still alive. ]
.....
〜Inside, the Theater〜
"Something is wrong…"
Wilhelm said in a low voice.
That appearance, that look in his eyes, was completely different from when Garfiel had been beastified before.
Like a beast that had lost its sanity.
"And the feeling it gives off is also very different, especially compared to Bauman's beastification. This oppressive feeling…"
Anastasia said.
Bauman's beastification was an elegant, rare beast, while Tinsel's beastification was a thoroughly powerful wild beast.
"This great self… the thing this great self worried about most still happened."
Ignoring the pain, Garfiel bit his own lip with his fangs.
"This is… damn it."
Ram spoke in a deep voice.
"This great self… this great self fully beastified."
A drop of blood flowed from his lip as Garfiel spoke.
Full beastification would allow Garfiel to unleash his full strength.
But the price was losing his sanity.
"If that's the case, then Ram…"
Ram frowned.
In the end, Ram still failed to stop Garfy.
"If that's the case, then this great self…"
Garfiel frowned.
Did this great self… kill Ram?
—