"Hard to say. I guess that's just Otto's natural virtue?"
"Come on, it doesn't have to be as much as Garfiel, but you should have been at least a little worried about me, Mr. Natsuki! I was running around headlong into this dangerous emergency situation all by myself!"
But there was not really much weight to what he said, either, since he actually had managed to join back up with everyone safely. Still, though, as they were enjoying their happy reunion, Anastasia broke in, clapping her hands and saying, "Yeah, yeah."
"What a relief, what a relief. I'm glad you made it out alive, Otto. There's a lot I'd like to ask about what you were doing during all this, but before that…" Her tone shifted as she looked Otto in the eye. "What you said earlier sounded rather important… Would you care to explain what exactly you meant by that?"
"You mean the trump card, right? It's quite simple, really. I brought someone with me, though if he'd entered first, the celebration of my safe return would have gotten completely drowned out." Otto explained the sad fact as he stepped aside, clearing the way.
Taking that as a sign, the person who had been patiently waiting on the other side started walking in. And when that person stepped into the room—
"—My apologies for being late."
Just that one line was enough for them to feel like a whole army had just shown up at the gates.
" "
It almost felt like a breeze was blowing, fanning a flame that had suddenly ignited before them.
What's more, he really was that strong. The fighting power they had been desperate for, the ultimate support, had finally arrived, and it set their hearts ablaze.
"Reinhard van Astrea of the Sword Saint lineage— It is late, but allow me to join you as well."
Saying that, the fire burning bright, the Sword Saint announced his desire to join the battle.
CHAPTER 4
THE STARS ETCHED INTO HISTORY
1
"I am sorry for being unable to aid you at the crucial moment. I have no excuse for my failure."
Reinhard apologized as everyone's attention focused on him. And as the Sword Saint lowered his head, no one could muster an immediate response. It would be simple enough to smooth the awkwardness over on a surface level, but they could not hide their true feelings with something so halfhearted.
It was still true that during the few hours when they most desperately needed every last bit of fighting power, Reinhard had been nowhere to be found. They could not help wondering what would have happened if he had joined the assault on city hall.
Because of that, none of them could assure him that it was all water under the bridge.
No one except—
"You got that right, you jerk. Do you know how much trouble we had while you were gone?"
—Subaru, who followed that up with a pointed little jab to the Sword Saint's chest.
His only reaction was to look at Subaru apologetically. Subaru simply snorted.
"And if you were gonna come at all, you should have done it fifteen minutes earlier. I ended up having to give a performance way outside my comfort zone thanks to you. That was supposed to have been your job." "Forgive me… However, that was an excellent speech worthy of your reputation. Even if I had been asked to do the same, I would not have been able to manage a broadcast that stirred the people's courage so magnificently.
You were the right choice for that task."
"I think people would be looking for different things if it was you and not me."
Subaru jabbed Reinhard in the chest once more for good measure after receiving his wry smile and praise. And then, as the hero still looked apologetic, Subaru held his finger out in front of Reinhard's face.
"Reinhard, forget a hundred other people. I'd take you over a thousand soldiers. So how 'bout it, can I pin that much hope on you? I'll be counting on you."
" "
Even that did not even begin to describe how reassuring his presence was. Having Reinhard's help was like knowing a full army of reinforcements stood at their back.
Reinhard blinked his blue eyes at how open Subaru's anticipation was. But his surprise soon faded as the Sword Saint's lips curved into a smile.
"Yes, you can count on me. If that is what you want, then I'll live up to your expectations."
"Oooh, so reliable… I can feel my heart fluttering." Subaru flashed Reinhard a smile, putting him at ease before turning to the others and pointing back at him. "All right, we've got Reinhard with us now. You guys should say whatever you want to say while you can. At times like this, it feels way worse to be all awkward and careful around one another. Besides, it isn't every day you get a chance to tell off the Sword Saint when he's practically begging you to be mad at him. Let him have a piece of your mind."
" "
"And once you're done picking on him, let's get down to business and figure out how to save everyone," Subaru announced with an easy wink.
He could hear some startled breaths but saw that Otto and Garfiel simply broke into grins at Subaru's familiar tough act.
Well, it was fine as long as at least one or two people could tell how he really felt.
—He had just done a whole speech about not shouldering everything yourself, after all.
2
Afterward, everyone voiced their own complaints with Reinhard (details omitted), and then they got settled in the conference room and prepared to discuss the best way to retake Pristella.
Otto and Reinhard had rejoined the party—and while Otto's fighting power was negligible, Reinhard's assistance was a game changer.
With that in mind, Subaru wanted to move the discussion along, but before that—
"By the way, what happened to Felt? She was with you when all this started, right?" Subaru asked Reinhard before they broached the first subject.
Reinhard's expression darkened a bit at that. Though he had been looking like that most of the time since getting there.
"To be clear, I'm not blaming you or anything. It's not like I think you just holed up somewhere safe to protect Felt or anything…," Subaru said, softening the blow.
"Agreed," Anastasia added nonchalantly, "but I would like to know what you were doing and where you were doing it while we were out of
communication. It's not like we're playin' house here, after all."
She petted her fox scarf as she looked Reinhard directly in the eye.
The focus of her question was what Felt's faction had done that morning —the group had apparently gone to see Reinhard's father, Heinkel, to discuss something—and what their members had done since.
Wilhelm obviously didn't get along with him, but it seemed like everyone in the Astrea family found interacting with Heinkel rather awkward. Subaru
was probably not the best person to say it, but it almost felt like—
"It's like a family that gives the cold shoulder to a kid who holed up for years and turned into a professional NEET…"
"Apologies for interrupting while you indulge in your odd imagination, but if Mr. Reinhard is finding it difficult to speak on the matter, perhaps I can elaborate?" Hoping to set aside Subaru and the alien analogy he was entertaining, Otto offered to clear things up. The way he looked at Reinhard almost made it seem like he already knew what had happened.
"Oh yeah, you were with Reinhard, but don't tell me that was from before all this even started?"
"Not since it started. I only met up with them at the very end of it all… Even so, I have a general grasp of the situation."
"Thank you, Otto. But it is my family's problem, and it involves Lady Felt as well. This is a difficult subject for me, but I should be the one to explain." Reinhard shook his head, and then, after pausing for a second, said, "First of all, I've said it many times already, but allow me to apologize once more. I should have been the first person to come your aid, and yet it was only at this late hour that I was able to join you. You have my deepest apologies."
"…On that point, I do believe our position is unchanged. It is difficult to wholeheartedly forgive your absence, but you are nonetheless essential to the coming battle. If you wish to make amends, I ask you do it with your sword," Julius responded, nudging Reinhard forward in his own way.
Reinhard's expression softened at his friend's words, and he added a soft "Thank you" before continuing.
"When the Witch Cult carried out their first broadcast, Lady Felt and I were leaving the second district to go speak with Vice-Captain Heinkel."
Reinhard's voice was wooden as he referred to his father by his official title. That alone was sufficient to show just how strained their relationship must be and how wide the gulf between them truly was.
"It's not exactly my place to comment, but she really decided to go talk to him after everything that happened at breakfast?" asked Subaru.
"She is not so irresponsible as to shirk what must be done out of mere personal discomfort. She set forth fully intending to negotiate with the vicecaptain. And naturally, I accompanied her in that."
"Incidentally, I suppose I shouldn't ask how the negotiation went."
"That does involve internal matters, after all. But it would be fair to say that discussions were not overly favorable."
Reinhard's tone obliquely indicated how much of a struggle the meeting had been. And even without that clue, it had been a negotiation between Felt, who was still impulsive and straightforward by nature, even if she had grown, and Heinkel, who made no effort at all to hide his base vulgarity. It was not hard to imagine things getting complicated fast.
And while they were going at it—
"That was when the first broadcast occurred. I could hardly believe my ears, but I immediately thought to act. I had actually made certain arrangements beforehand in the event of an emergency. In fact, I even prepared a way for Lachins and the others to reach me if the need arose." "Ah, yeah, I know. I…well, I had a chance to talk to Lachins."
Subaru was familiar with the magic signal that Reinhard could use as a beacon to home in on after spotting it in the sky. Lachins had actually used it during one of the loops when Subaru asked him to summon Reinhard. Unfortunately, the "just call Reinhard" plan had been put on hold because of Sirius's nasty ability.
But Reinhard had not been exaggerating about intending to come immediately if he got the signal from one of his allies. And yet he had not been able to do anything for hours while the cultists had free rein. What could possibly have stopped him—?
"—Lady Felt was held hostage by Vice-Captain Heinkel."
" "
For a second, Subaru failed to understand. And it was not just him, either. Everyone in the room was at a loss for words at the absurdity of that statement.
"It was an irrevocable failure on my part. And with Lady Felt at sword point, I failed to find an opening to counterattack and remained held there."
As he gritted his teeth at the shameful memory, Reinhard's expression was etched with the regret burning inside him.
Hearing that, Subaru realized why Reinhard's face had darkened when he was first asked what had happened. The master he had sworn to serve had been taken hostage by his own father, of all people. And because of that, he had been unable to leave. It was shocking to think about how troubled he must've been and how much heartache he must have endured.
And it had not ended there, either. There was an even darker possibility.
"…So then…what? Was he an agent of the cultists?"
Reinhard's shocking admission opened the door to a cruel and terrible possibility.
Subaru had heard that cultists sometimes wormed their way into local governments undetected, but he didn't want to imagine what it might be like to discover someone in your family could be one.
Particularly not after learning about all the different terrible, nauseating Archbishops who existed besides Petelgeuse.
"—I don't know. If he was, then…"
But Subaru's theory seemed to be provoking complex feelings in
Reinhard. Subaru himself looked dubious, as did half the people around the table, but Anastasia, Julius, and Otto all seemed to have reached a different conclusion.
Reinhard furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head.
"I have no intention of defending him on the basis of our blood relation, but the vice-captain is almost certainly not connected to the cultists. At the very least, there is no reason to suspect that based on what he said after taking Lady Felt hostage."
"That's absurd. Why would he take her hostage, then? What would be the point…?"
That was when Subaru noticed it. Given Reinhard's melancholic expression and the matching miserable looks that Otto, Anastasia, and Julius all sported, there was a reason Subaru could think of for Heinkel to do that. It was a terrible reason, utterly beyond redemption, but not one that he could simply laugh off as unthinkable.
"You can't mean…he stopped you from leaving…in order to protect himself?"
"—. He said so himself. 'Your precious master and the father whose blood runs in your veins are both here. Would you really abandon them to save some strangers you've never seen before?'"
"What kind of father would say something like that?!" Subaru's anger boiled over, and he slammed his fist into the wall.
He had been weathering extreme flashes of emotion all day, ever since morning, but he never would have guessed such rage would be caused by someone not connected with the Witch Cult.
If he was going to end up hating people, it would've been preferable to limit it to just people connected to the Cult.
"Lady Felt said that he was just bluffing. That she would be fine and that I should go fight. But I disobeyed her command and stayed. I'm the one to blame."
"Like hell you are! There isn't anyone here who doesn't know exactly who's to blame!"
"Even so, that choice was mine. I am the one who made it."
Reinhard would not yield responsibility, no matter how much Subaru might shout. He could only regret that stubbornness verging on a perverse, meaningless obstinacy.
"In the end, it remained a stalemate. I was unable to act in the aftermath… and the situation remained unchanged during the second broadcast as well…
I'm sure Lady Felt was disappointed in me."
He could not hide his own disappointment in himself. It was practically dripping from his expression, which just made it all the sadder that he did not realize how hurt he looked.
Based on what he had seen that morning and the night before, it looked to Subaru like Felt and Reinhard's relationship had changed quite a bit over the past year. And it seemed the insertion of his father into all of it had brought about another major shift.
"So then, what happened to Felt?"
Anastasia directed the conversation forward again, not touching on the look on Reinhard's face.
She was the only royal-selection candidate present, as well as having been entrusted to decide the fate of the city by Kiritaka, a representative of the Council of Ten. At the very least, she was keeping her sympathy to herself while prioritizing the smooth continuation of the discussion.
"You're here now, so is it safe to assume the problem was resolved?"
"Yes, Lady Felt has met up with her retainers, and at her judgment, she is currently standing by at a shelter with the vice-captain, who has been placed under arrest."
"Under arrest? As in you caught him?"
"His arms and legs have been bound, and he has been gagged. Lady Felt contented herself with meting out that much punishment. Was it not for Otto's help, it might have been much more difficult."
"Wait, that's when Otto showed up?" Subaru was surprised, given there had been no sign of Otto making an appearance before this.
"It's true," Otto himself said as he adjusted his hat. "Though it was sheer happenstance that I stumbled upon them. Having seen their interactions at the
inn, though, I quickly grasped the gist of the situation."
There had been the incident in the morning that had touched on the deeply rooted problems of the Astrea family and the territory managed by Felt's faction. Having seen all that and then actually bearing witness to Heinkel holding Felt hostage just to keep Reinhard from leaving, a person didn't have to be a genius to guess what was happening.
"I judged it the worst possible situation for Mr. Reinhard to be unable to act while the cultists were freely running around. Just the thought of it was bone-chilling, so I knew I had to do something."
"And that's when you pummeled Heinkel and saved Felt?"
"Wait! Wait! Don't just nod along like that's obviously how it would go! I wouldn't do something that rash! I merely distracted him with a simple spell to create an opening for Lady Felt to escape." Otto sighed as he corrected Subaru's mistaken guess. "Thankfully, there was no difficulty finding everyone, what with your big performance. It would have been nice if I could have helped sooner, but I had quite a lot on my plate."
There had been a few digressions, but Reinhard was nodding, acknowledging that Otto had indeed come to their aid.
Otto had really put in a lot of work behind the scenes, like always. He was the ultimate behind-the-scenes talent.
"Still, though, what were you doing up until then, Bro? Honestly, given your strength, wandering around out on the streets would be suicide."
"I was a little surprised at how vigorous your concern for me was earlier, but I really did endure all sorts of twists and turns… I suppose I should elaborate."
Clearing his throat, Otto pointed outside the tower.
"This morning, as I had planned, I headed to the Muse Company alone in order to reinitiate negotiations with Mr. Kiritaka. However, I had some time to spare, so I got off the dragon boat early to walk the rest of the way… That was where I encountered the Witch Cult."
"You mean the broadcast? No, wait, that would've been too early."
Capella's first broadcast had been after the noon bell. Even with a leisurely detour, there was no way Otto wouldn't have reached the company before noon.
Otto nodded.
"Correct, it was not the broadcast. On the way to the Muse Company, I encountered the actual Witch Cult… In fact, I encountered someone who called themself an Archbishop. Near the second district's control tower."
"An Archbishop appeared before the broadcast went out?!"
Subaru was shocked, but it was not that unbelievable a story when he thought it through. Sirius and Regulus had also been doing as they pleased at the time tower before the broadcast. Other than Capella, who was occupying city hall, the Archbishops had apparently been free to wander the town and take in the sights.
And the one he had encountered could not have been any of the aforementioned three.
"So then, the one you met was…the Archbishop of Gluttony, huh?"
"…Yes. At least that was how they identified themself. And I cannot imagine any reason to lie about it, so I am certain it's true. They looked like a child, but I doubt actual age has any bearing on their appearance."
Otto's description matched with the Roy Alphard Subaru had seen.
He didn't want to know the standard for selecting Archbishops, but Gluttony had been a child. A child whose arms and legs were not fully grown and who had clearly never finished maturing…a child with a hideous, scornful grin.
"I assumed it was some thoughtless child's mischief at first, but when I tried to draw the attention of the person guarding the tower…he was pulverized. Literally. With a splat."
" "
"After watching someone's entire body get smashed flat, I had no choice but to believe. The nearby guards and the city's security forces quickly surrounded the Archbishop…but they did not stand a chance."
The way Otto's face paled spoke to how gruesome the encounter with Gluttony had been. An average person could not hope to lay hands on Gluttony, and Otto had been powerless to do anything.
Dragged into the battle without any choice, Otto had given it his best shot, but—
"In the end, the control tower was captured, and I could not say whether anyone else managed to escape."
"You did well coming away from something like that still in one piece. You were facing an Archbishop, after all."
"That was through no action of my own. It was only thanks to the people around me. Members of the White Dragon's Scale who joined the battle
recognized me and gave their all to allow me a chance to escape."
"…Them again, huh?"
Kiritaka's personal troops had played a crucial role there, too. They were the cornerstone of Pristella's defenses, and the majority of them had gone missing, together with Kiritaka himself. And now it was clear that at least some of them had given their lives fighting Gluttony in order to fulfill their duty.
"I fled into the waterways during the confusion. Hearing the cultists' broadcast later, I realized I could no longer act carelessly, so I moved discreetly…which is when I encountered Mr. Reinhard's group."
"So that's how you met up."
And then resolving the stalemate over there brought them back to the present.
Subaru's face twisted up as he listened to the tightrope walk that Otto had endured to survive and meet back up with everybody. His path had been no less trying or death-defying than anyone else's in the room.
"And there were even people who sacrificed themselves to buy you time to escape. That's rough."
"Truly—it pains me as a merchant to be unable to repay my debts."
Otto bit his lip, mortified by the weight of what he was bearing. Debts must be settled—Anastasia had said it, too, but it was a pet saying that Otto had a habit of pulling out. Under that creed, he had to do something to make good on his debt.
"So I shall pay it back by guaranteeing the fate of this city—and judging by your performance earlier, I suppose I can count on you to do enough work for the both of us, Mr. Natsuki."
"Damn it, Otto…"
Subaru's anxious nerves relaxed a bit at the sudden change in tone as Otto gave him a wink.
The tightness in his shoulders went away—tension that had been there ever since he began his speech.
" "
What Otto was getting at was that he had his own reasons to fight. And by conveying that, he was letting Subaru know that he wouldn't let his friend shoulder the fate of the city alone.
He was trying to tell Subaru there was no need to get too worked up.
"Ngh…"
Subaru's face felt hot, an intense embarrassment welling up at having his tough-guy act seen through.
Who did Subaru think he was? Someone who could decide the fate of a city? A symbol of hope and the people's wishes? It was ridiculous to even imagine.
The city and the people who resided within it were not so insignificant and light that Subaru could shoulder them all by himself. How had he forgotten that until Otto pointed it out?
"If you take your little bit of strength and add in my little bit of strength and top it off with Garfiel's stupid amount of strength, it all adds up to
something quite sizable. Why not think of it like that?"
"'None can lift the quain stone alone,' huh? Every once in a while, you're kind of amazing, you know that?"
Subaru pulled out one of Garfiel's inscrutable sayings and found himself amazed yet again by Otto's steady hand. Otto was always saving him. He suspected that even if he tried his hardest, he would probably never be able to pay him back for everything he'd done, so he decided to do whatever he could to be worthy of his friend.
"Ain't that a nice group you've got there? Really know how to keep things moving, don't ya? It's heartwarming."
"Ah, my bad, we kind of started talking like it was just the two of us."
"It's fine, it's fine. Besides, it looks like Natsuki's finally relaxed a bit," Anastasia teased, welcoming the change.
She had noticed how tense he really was. Scratching his head sheepishly, Subaru quickly changed topics.
"Now that we've covered what you two were doing, the next topic we should be discussing is…"
"—I would like to address the four demands that the Witch Cult made," Julius proposed.
His golden eyes narrowed as he pointedly held up four fingers and looked around the room.
"They are not to be negotiated with, of course, but it is crucial to know what they are after. We know the silver-haired maiden, and we know about the Witch's bones from what Mr. Kiritaka told us, but…"
"An artificial spirit and the book of knowledge…" Reinhard furrowed his brow. "I've no clue as to what that book might be, and as for the former, the very idea of an artificial spirit sounds dubious as well. Does such a thing even exist?"
His doubts were shared by many in the room. No one outside of Emilia's camp would have heard of either of those things before. Other than Anastasia, whom Subaru had told earlier.
" "
Subaru glanced over at Anastasia. She was just looking at him, and as if sensing his intent, she nodded. Subaru decided that he would have to explain the two demands to everyone as well.
"—Sorry to interject yet again, but if I may."
But before Subaru could say anything, Otto raised his hand. Seeing that, Subaru guessed he was thinking of revealing that Beatrice was an artificial spirit. He had been about to explain that himself anyway, so he wasn't against it, but—
"If it's Beako, then I can…"
"No, this is about the book of knowledge, not Beatrice."
"Hn?"
Subaru's eyes widened in surprise.
Not looking at Subaru, Otto sighed slightly in resignation.
"I'm sorry—I'm the one who brought that into the city."
3
Everyone in the room was utterly shocked by Otto's explosive confession.
They weren't sure such a book even existed, and yet the person in possession of it had just announced himself to them all. Surprise was a natural reaction, but Subaru's shock was immeasurable because he had been so sure that he had already seen the last of that book—that both copies were burned and gone from the world.
"Wh-why did you?"
"First, I should be clear to prevent misunderstandings. While I did bring the item that would be called the book of knowledge into the city, I am not the one currently in possession of it. And the cultists' demand was a bolt out of the blue for me as well."
"That's a roundabout way of puttin' it. What exactly do you mean?"
Noticing Subaru's troubled reaction and Otto's studiously calm response, Anastasia cocked her head.
"Allow me to explain." Otto nodded. "I suspect that most of you are not aware of the book of knowledge. Put frankly, it is apparently the origin from which the Gospels that cultists possess are derived—those suspicious magic tomes that record the future of their owner. Its passages are also supposedly far more precise than the Gospels."
"The origin of the Gospels? When put that way, it makes some sense that they would want it. It is a blasphemous comparison, but I suppose it is similar to the Dragon Tablet?"
"Unfortunately, it's a bit difficult for me to say, because the book of knowledge was largely burned by the time I obtained it and was little more than charred scraps."
"Charred scraps…"
Otto's words also described the fate of the two tomes in Subaru's memories.
Beatrice's book had been burned in the fire along with all the rest of the contents of the forbidden archive. Meanwhile, Roswaal's book had been burned by Ram and lost in the Sanctuary.
As he had told Anastasia before, both of the books had been burned to ash. Which meant that if Otto had picked up the charred remains of one, it was most likely to have been Roswaal's copy.
"Ah, I think I know what you were after, Otto. The restorer Darts, right?"
"…There's no hiding anything from you. Yes, that was it precisely."
Otto nodded in resignation at Anastasia's quick thinking. And Julius and Reinhard both seemed to understand as well from that exchange.
"Wait up there. Don't go leaving me behind as the only one not getting it.
What's this 'restorer' thing about?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. A specialist in magic who restores items. Darts is particularly well-known for his skill when it comes to this craft. If it's him, then he could even restore a book from its mere ashes."
"From its ashes?! Wait, that's actually possible?!"
"On the strength of that reputation, I secretly requested the restoration of the book of knowledge. So unless he took it during the evacuation, the book is currently being kept in Darts's workplace," Otto said, revealing the location of one of the objects the cultists demanded.
"…When did you have time to ask him to do a job like that, Otto?"
"After the negotiations at the Muse Company collapsed and I parted ways with everyone yesterday. Darts is deeply curious about ancient and rare
items, and he was quite enthusiastic about taking the job…"
When he had heard the cultists' demand during the broadcast, Otto had probably been thrown for a loop. And his story explained how the burned book of knowledge could be in the city.
But what Subaru could not understand was what Otto's real reason for restoring the book had been.
As had been made eminently clear, Subaru did not think highly of the book of knowledge. And considering the pent-up grudge he bore against the Witch who'd made it, he had honestly felt pretty good about its being burned to ashes. So why had Otto wanted to restore that devil's book?
"I will have to ask that you allow me to leave out how I came to be in possession of it and what my goals were in restoring it. I merely wanted to make clear that the book actually exists and where it is currently. Any further, and it becomes an internal matter."
"At the very least, one of the factions in the Witch Cult has named the book of knowledge as its goal. Where do you believe that the blame for that lies?" Julius pressed.
"I believe that there is no point in trying to pin responsibility for the actions of the Witch Cult on anyone other than the Witch Cult themselves. If I were to be hounded regarding that, though, then I would have no choice but to respond with similar boorishness," Otto fired back, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Anastasia.
Between the lines, he was clearly asking whether blame should also be placed on the one who had invited the royal-selection candidates to the city in the first place; whether blame was not to remain solely with the cultists.
Seeing that, Julius shook his head.
"Apologies, that was wrongheaded of me. Naturally, I did not mean to blame you. Their crimes are their own, of course, and they are the ones who must atone for those crimes." "I agree." Otto nodded.
Then, faced with Subaru's doubts, Otto looked him in the eye and said, "We can discuss it later."
He meant he would reveal his true goal in due time. That meant he was asking Subaru to set aside his doubts for the moment and come back to the topic later in private.
"Either way, it is clear that the book of knowledge actually does exist. In which case, we should assume for the sake of our planning at least that the artificial spirit also exists," Reinhard said, shifting to a new topic with the previous one more or less settled.
And that meant the topic that Subaru had started to bring up before Otto's unexpected confession.
"On that note, Anastasia, I was thinking of telling them…"
"Mm. Yeah, I guess we should."
"?"
Anastasia's gaze seemed distant for a moment. Feeling odd about her reaction, Subaru clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Can I have your attention? Sorry for always talking, but I've got something to say about the artificial spirit."
"Are you sure, Mr. Natsuki?" Otto checked, realizing what Subaru was going to say.
It was a topic that touched on Beatrice's origin, so he probably judged it
to be a delicate subject, but Subaru had decided that it was necessary to explain. Everyone in the room was an ally, and the conflicts among different camps could be set aside for the moment.
"I'm not going to hold anything back here. The artificial spirit they're after is my partner Beako—Beatrice. Right now, she's recuperating with the injured."
"Lady Beatrice? I see. That makes sense…" Julius nodded in acceptance.
"Makes sense?" Subaru cocked his head.
"Ah." Julius touched his hair. "I knew that Lady Beatrice was a powerful spirit, but I felt a somewhat mysterious signal coming from her. Upon my
learning that she is not a natural spirit, it makes sense."
"…Is that just something that any decent spirit user would recognize?"
"I'm not sure what you are getting… Ahhh, you are worried about her. I see."
"If they could tell at a glance, or by getting close to her, that would be a problem."
Currently, the cultists had demanded an artificial spirit, but they had not named Beatrice specifically, so it was unclear just how much information they really had about the artificial spirit.
If the enemy did not know what she looked like or her name, then they could simply keep Beatrice's true identity a secret and not let anyone else find out. But if the enemy had a way of checking, then it would be a lot harder for Subaru to leave Beatrice's side.
"You need not worry," Julius said to put Subaru at ease. "The reason I felt an oddity was because I have been blessed with so many opportunities to interact with spirits due to my blessing. It would be safe to assume that most people would not be able to notice under normal circumstances."
"I see… Gotcha. That's…yeah, that's a relief."
Hearing that, Subaru exhaled the weight that had built up in his lungs. Reinhard and everyone else nodded, indicating that they had not noticed Beatrice was a special spirit in that regard. At least Subaru would not have to worry about her drawing all sorts of dangerous attention.
"Still, though, that crazy book, and the spirit thing, too—basically everything comes back to your place."
"…You don't have to tell me that. I'm starting to despair for the world. Maybe I got cursed somewhere along the line or something."
"Despair for the world? That's a riot!"
Ricardo opened his mouth wide, and his booming laugh shattered the mood building in the room. That unrestrained laughter helped Subaru right himself just a bit.
" "
The truth was just like he said, though. The cultists were coming straight for Emilia's faction with their demands. Otto and Julius's back-and-forth had ended with an agreement that no one was to blame for what the Witch Cult did other than the Witch Cult itself, but with so many things overlapping, it was entirely possible that the others would start to turn a cold eye on Emilia's camp. But by making a point of saying it like that, Ricardo nipped the friction in the bud. He rarely fussed about the details, or perhaps was just plain careless, but as expected of the leader of the Iron Fangs, Ricardo could read the room and set the mood like the best of them.
Although—
"If anything, I'm almost startin' to wonder if you're actually human yourself! You lived through gettin' washed away by the flood, after all. You hidin' anything from us?"
"You are reading the room, right? That was intentional, right? It's starting to feel like that was just natural, which is a scary thought."
"You're best off not thinking too hard about it. By and large, he's not thinking anything at all when he does that."
Subaru was starting to regret his admiration for Ricardo's rude act, which seemed less and less like an act, but Anastasia just shrugged it off before continuing.
"Anyway, the artificial spirit definitely exists, too. Naturally, just like with what Otto was sayin', we aren't gonna give 'em anything they want.
Right, Natsuki?"
"Damn straight. I'm not giving up Beako until I die of old age. And I'm gonna cuddle up with her to sleep even when I'm an old man. So there's no
way in hell I'm gonna let the likes of them get their hands on her."
Seeing Subaru's unyielding determination not to give in to the cultists' demands, Reinhard nodded firmly.
"Understood. We cannot afford to accept even one of their demands. Depending on the situation, the wedding ceremony could perhaps have been overlooked, but—"
"No! That's a hard-and-fast nay! Because the person that white-haired asshole is trying to marry is my Emilia-tan!"
"—?! I had a bad feeling about it, but it really was Lady Emilia, then! I had assumed her not being here was because she had taken shelter…!"
Reinhard stared in wonder, and Otto turned pale in shock. Seeing that, Subaru apologized for not explaining sooner.
"I'm ashamed to admit it, but she was taken away right before my eyes. That 'silver-haired maiden' is Emilia. But I'm not going to let that happen. I'm the one who's gonna marry Emilia." Subaru pounded his chest with an eruption of righteous indignation and love.
" "
Otto clutched his head at Subaru's out-and-out proclamation, and Reinhard's eyes widened.
"…Huh? Did I say something weird?"
"Not weird so much as… I'm surprised to hear you actually say it out loud. I was astonished by your performance over the metia earlier as well, but I just felt it again now. You're a real man's man, ain't ya, Natsuki?"
"What's with that tepid response?! I really did say something weird, didn't I?!"
Anastasia shook her head no as Ricardo obviously snickered. And Garfiel's nodding with arms crossed and Otto's slumping were just the usual responses.
"Even you're looking at me weird, Reinhard."
"I was surprised—and astonished like Lady Anastasia—I suppose. I had, to some extent, sensed how you felt, but I would not have expected you to express your feelings toward Lady Emilia so explicitly and confidently."
The surprise fading, Reinhard's cheeks softened, and from the look in his eyes he appeared to be genuinely moved. Subaru could hardly believe he was getting teased by someone as honest and forthright as him.
Which would mean Julius, that paragon of knightly chivalry, must be pretty annoyed—
" "
"Julius?"
However, when Subaru nervously turned around, Julius's reaction was nothing like what he'd expected. Julius's golden eyes were narrowed, watching Subaru with what almost felt like jealousy. An earnest yearning that stirred the depths of his heart.
" " Julius returned to his senses after a moment. "Apologies. I was just thinking about something. Did you need something?"
"No, it's fine… Ah! Anyway, moving on!" Realizing he had lost track of the conversation for a moment, Subaru spun around to take in the room. "I'm going to get Emilia back with my own two hands, and I'll kick Greed's ass to do it. There's no room for negotiation on that."
"Very well, then that's what we shall do. If that is how it is, then he is not someone who can be overlooked or forgiven."
As he agreed with Subaru's determination, Reinhard's eagerness for battle welled up. Getting goose bumps from that, Subaru continued, "Also, it looks like you're feeling pessimistic, Otto, but it isn't all bad. Even after she was caught, Emilia-tan didn't just sit around waiting for us to make our move, either. She managed to get in contact with Al once and pass us some info on the enemy."
"Lady Emilia did something that sophisticated?! Is she all right?!"
"You could at least comment on how dangerous that must have been, man… Anyway, can you fill them in on what she told you, Al?"
It was clear from his reaction just what Otto had expected of Emilia, but Subaru lobbed the conversation to the man leaning against the wall in the corner of the room.
" "
Al slowly raised his head and stepped away from the wall sluggishly.
For some reason, he had been like that ever since Subaru's speech. Between that and the intense exchange before the speech, everything about him seemed very different from usual. It was really starting to bother Subaru. But Al just nodded listlessly as Subaru focused a concerned gaze on him.
"Yeah… That little lady wasn't discouraged at all about being behind enemy lines. Maybe she was confident she wouldn't be killed since Greed wanted to marry her."
"Yeah…I'm not so sure about that part."
Subaru tilted his head as Al scratched at the seam of his helm.
It was not that unreasonable a thought, but in Emilia's case, Subaru suspected she would have done basically the same thing even if the situation had been drastically different. For better or worse, she always prioritized others over herself. That side of her made Subaru happy, but it was also incredibly worrying at times. He had wanted more information about her and wanted her to be safe while she was captured, so even just knowing that much was fortunate, but…
"…Emilia let us know which control tower is controlled by Greed and which one is controlled by Lust. And from Otto's story, we can be fairly
confident which tower contains Gluttony, right?"
"Correct, it was the control tower in the second district. And from
Emilia's timely intelligence report, we know Lust is in the first district and Greed is in the third district, which makes the fourth district Wrath by process of elimination. That's valuable enough information to merit her doing something rash," Anastasia summarized.
"So there you have it," Subaru said with a light snap and a wink. Greeted with wry smiles, Subaru, undiscouraged, turned his finger to Al.
"And we're grateful to you for bringing this information back, too…so what are you sulking about, Al? Is it just 'cause I didn't listen to your warning…?"
"I ain't sulking. An old guy like me gettin' bent out of a shape like that wouldn't be cute anyway."
"Cute's got nothing to do with it… I don't really want to admit it, but we got our asses kicked pretty hard the last go-round, and I don't want to fall into the same trap as before." Subaru spread his fingers, holding out his hand to Al.
Al looked down at the hand through his visor and then looked back at Subaru dubiously.
"I want you to help us out this time. Fight the good fight so I can save my love."
Subaru papered over his more earnest feelings with a joke as he waited for Al's response, trusting that in the end he would just crack wise and give in.
But—
"—If that's really how you feel, then I'm not against helping out."
There was no intimacy in Al's voice as he brushed Subaru's hand away in seeming annoyance.
" "
"Uh…"
Subaru felt a chill down his spine. The tone that was so clearly different from normal and the gaze he could not read behind the pitch-black helm caught him off guard. In that moment, Al pointed a wild, frayed rage right at Subaru. Subaru recognized that mysterious, almost violently aggressive feeling as something he had encountered before. But he could not remember where he had sensed it or the form it had taken then. He simply couldn't connect the two.
And while he continued struggling to make sense of it all, their awkward stare-down continued—
"Hark. Please lend me thine ears— Thine eyes evoke a heated, racing heart."
"Ugh—?!"
"Eep?!"
Totally caught off guard by the sudden interjection, Subaru spun around, sending the newcomer flying with a shocked gasp. She went rolling backward for some distance before dramatically crashing into the spare tables lining the wall.
"Ugyah! My elbows! My knees! The pain of every bone in my body breaking! All six of my ribs just snapped! I'm sure of it!"
The small figure curled up under the tables, writhing in pain with an earsplitting scream. Subaru's eyes widened as he turned around and caught his breath. The girl rolling around on the floor, unleashing every last bit of her quirky personality, was—
"Liliana?! Wait, if you're here, then that means…"
"—Naturally, I brought her here myself, commoner."
"Oh."
Right after confirming Liliana's presence, the owner of that voice, the walking embodiment of arrogance, stepped into the room. Footsteps rang out, luxuriously and magnificently, emphasizing the overwhelming aura of the brilliantly red woman. Her bloody crimson eyes lorded over the occupants as she pulled a fan from her voluptuous cleavage.
"The actors have all gathered. I suppose I should praise your prudence in waiting for the guest of honor to assume her seat. Be sure to maintain that diligent attitude going forward."
Smiling and apparently in a very good mood, the crimson beauty Priscilla Bariel joined the fray.
4
"P-Princess! You were safe!"
Everyone, Subaru included, was surprised by Priscilla's sudden appearance. But among them all, the quickest to snap back to reality was her retainer, Al, who quickly dashed over to her.
"I was worried, since I couldn't find you anywhere I looked… Gragh!" "You fool."
The joy at reuniting with her lasted but a moment, though, as she smacked Al upside the head with a splendid crack. The sound echoed in the conference room, and Al was sent flying, only coming to stop after landing in a heap next to Liliana. Knowing from personal experience just how powerful that fan could be, Subaru reflexively groaned.
"Explain yourself, Al. Not only did you fail to accompany me, but I find you here playing around with these commoners. You and Schult have a duty to watch me, heed my voice, bask in my scent, and obey my every command. Nothing more and nothing less. And you, Schult: making your master personally search for you? Does your impudence know no bounds?"
"Ugh. My humblest apologies, Lady Priscilla…"
As she mercilessly kicked Al, a young, pink-haired butler peeped nervously out from behind her back—Schult, the person she had been searching for.
"So you really did manage to follow through on that… That really is some amazing tenacity."
Priscilla had led Liliana and Schult through a city filled with menacing demi-beasts where violence and chaos could erupt at any moment thanks to the cultists' devious machinations. The way she carried herself and her general sense of absolute confidence easily surpassed Subaru's wildest expectations yet again.
"It was like that at the inn this morning, too. You really like to surprise people, don't you?"
"You commoners merely collapse into shudders when faced with my peerless beauty and presence. If you would then bow your head in that awe, I might grant you mercy, but every last one of you is utterly lacking in charm.
Of particular note…"
Priscilla and Anastasia did not seem to get along particularly well, and they engaged in a bit of verbal fencing, but after that, Priscilla turned her eyes to Subaru as she trailed off. The pressure made him a little claustrophobic as he managed to ask, "What?"
"…That clumsy broadcast earlier. That was your voice, was it not?"
"…And what if it was?"
"Hmph. There is no need to be so tense. I am fair in judging results. I simply call it like I see it—and currently, the eyes of the masses have turned to you. And I have decided to take them back with my own hands."
"…Ummm, so in other words…?"
"Do not make me spell everything out for you. My noble lips do not need the pointless labor."
Her eyes narrowed confrontationally as she sat herself down in one of the seats around the table, leaned back with a squeak, and crossed her arms, emphasizing her buxom figure.
"So report the current situation and be quick about it. You will become my hands and legs and fulfill thy roles. And be grateful, for I shall reward you by joining your plan."
"W-wait, Princess! Are you seriously planning to go at it with those cultists?!"
"Would you have me flee, Al? If so, impudence would not begin to describe your transgression."
Al tried to argue with Priscilla, who had sat down and announced her participation in the plan, but she glared back at him, causing the iron-helmed man to tremble.
"It was I who decided to visit this city, and it will be I who decides when to leave this city. I will brook no other person's directions. Particularly not the mad ramblings of zealots."
" "
"—Everything in this world exists for my convenience. As my retainer and jester, you should know as much, Al. My very existence is the embodiment of the will of the world. My actions themselves are divine providence."
There was no breaking Priscilla's steel will—no, diamond would probably be more accurate. And Al should have known that better than anyone else there.
"Um, uh, that is just how Lady Priscilla is, so…"
"…Yeah, I know. Sorry for worryin' ya, Schult."
Al shrugged his one arm weakly and smiled wryly at Schult, who had struggled to find the words to comfort him. The prickly air he had directed at Subaru moments earlier disappeared.
He had made up his mind—Priscilla's domineering personality had finally done the job.
"Otto, maybe we could step out for a real quick moment?"
"Yes, of course."
Al lost out to Priscilla's demands and started calmly explaining the situation to her. Taking advantage of that lull, Subaru led Otto out into the hall to pick up a certain topic—the restoration of the book of knowledge—and to press him on what he had been thinking when he'd decided on that wild course of action.
"Garfiel, call us back once the conversation's moved on," Subaru said before leaving the room.
They stood across from each other out in the hall. Otto looked at Subaru quietly before starting in.
"It was one year ago. Immediately after cleaning up the problems in the Sanctuary. After the marquis's snowstorm melted away, while I was looking around the village, I found it by chance… No, it was not by chance. I was
explicitly searching for it due to what Ms. Ram had said."
"If you found it there, then that would mean there's no mistake that it was the remnants of Roswaal's book."
"Yes. His was the one whose contents I wanted to confirm. And for once,
I was in luck."
It was a bit of self-deprecating humor about his naturally poor fortunes, but Subaru was not in the mood to share a laugh when it came to these books. There was already a bad taste lingering in his mouth from talking about them, and when he saw that, Otto's smile disappeared as well. And then he took a deep breath and sighed heavily.
"What do you honestly think of Marquis Mathers?"
"Of Roswaal?" Subaru thought about it for a moment. "I think I can't let my guard down around him. And there was the thing a year ago, too. But his real goal is clear now, and as long as our goals are aligned, he isn't a threat.
Right now…he's more of an accomplice."
"—I cannot find it in myself to trust Marquis Mathers in the least," Otto responded bitterly, almost seeming to write off Subaru's thoughts as far too easygoing.
The sharpness of that response made Subaru catch his breath.
"'The thing a year ago'? Yes, that's right. There was the situation last year in the Sanctuary. And before that, he seems to have schemed many different things as well. Though when it comes to this topic, both you and Lady Emilia seem to have been content to easily forgive him."
"…I haven't forgiven him at all. I'm still pretty pissed about what he did, and it still bothers me. But that doesn't change the fact that we need him. I just think that getting all up in arms about it won't help anything, and Emilia's the same."
"And I'm saying that that, that right there, is naive. I did not, however, say that it was a bad thing."
Otto glared at Subaru as if he was looking at something incredibly vexing. Subaru could understand the irritation he was feeling, he really could, but…
"It is all right. You and Lady Emilia can be that way. There is no need for either of you to change at all. Because I will be there on guard where you are not."
"Be on guard?"
"My job is taking care of internal matters, so I have had many opportunities to interact with the marquis. And during the past year of observation, I have not noticed any signs of schemes or suspicious artifice. However, that is only in the present tense. I cannot speak to what he might have done in the time before that. Say, for example, if he had perhaps arranged some sort of long-term scheme."
Subaru was at a loss for words. He could feel the weight of how much Otto was watching out for them, constantly thinking and planning and observing. The doubts he had regarding Roswaal were well-founded. And it was only natural that every action would provoke a reaction. For better or worse—if anything, precisely because it was bad.
"If he was obeying the directions for the future laid out in the book of knowledge, then by looking at the book, it should be possible to determine what, if anything, he arranged. And that will surely be beneficial at some point in the future."
Otto explained with clenched fists, as this time Subaru experienced irritation welling up inside himself.
Just like Otto had said, he had been the one best able to observe Roswaal from up close during the past year. And Otto had watched his each and every move without letting down his guard the entire time. And having done that, he'd judged that there had been no traces of hidden machinations over that time. That was a relief, but an inability to let it go at that was Subaru's worrisome friend's bad habit.
—In his own way, Otto wanted to trust Roswaal. But regardless of how he felt about the current Roswaal and his future actions, he could not just easily forgive the past schemes that might or might not even exist.
"So what you wanted out of the book of knowledge wasn't anything about the future."
"It was what was recorded in the past. I wanted confirmation that no one else inside our camp will be hurt. That is why I retrieved the book and sent it out to be restored… I'm sorry for my selfish actions."
Otto lowered his head and apologized. Subaru had nothing to say, since he or Emilia also should have noticed the things that Otto had been worrying about. He was struck again by just how much Otto was saving him day in and day out without his even realizing it.
Why would he go so far for—?
"I'm not going to talk about that. It would just be boring."
Realizing what Subaru must have been thinking from his expression, Otto raised his head and cut him off. In the end, the discomfort just deepened as Subaru scratched his head and sighed.
"I understand now. And I can understand why you picked up the book. I'm not mad, either…but them wanting the book is definitely a problem. What are we going to do about it?"
"Regardless of the result, I was thinking of recovering the book now, whatever state it might be in. It's quite possible that Darts has been injured in all of this, and I don't want it to fall into the cultists' hands even by chance. It is my responsibility."
"…Taking back the four towers is our top priority. We can't afford to divert any fighting forces for that."
"Need I remind you that I managed to make my way through this dangerous city and even bring the Sword Saint with me? And while I may look like this, I'm particularly skilled at finding a way to survive by relying upon the aid of animals around me," Otto explained, pointing to his lips in a veiled reference to his blessing of language.
In actual fact, when it came to just staying alive, Subaru trusted Otto more than anyone else. And with the enemy's main forces holed up in the towers, Otto's chances of success were not terrible.
"That's not enough to remove all doubt, but that's the same for everyone simply by being here in this city, and you have to put all your effort into recovering Lady Emilia. We both have weighty responsibilities."
"I know. I'll slap Greed down and marry Emilia. Those are my jobs here."
"Feel free to do your best on the latter if you'd like, but that's the spirit, at least."
Seeing Subaru steel his resolve again, Otto turned back toward the meeting room. Nodding at his suggestion to return, Subaru started to turn toward the door as well— "—Sir Subaru."
A soft voice called from the stairway, stopping him in his tracks.
Turning back, he was met by Wilhelm's gaze. The same Wilhelm who should have been by Crusch's side.
"You go back first, Otto."
"Understood. I'll keep the discussion on track."
Nodding to Wilhelm, Otto returned to the meeting room. Meanwhile, Subaru headed over to Wilhelm, who bowed slightly.
"My humblest apologies for not joining the meeting. I've caused you all nothing but trouble."
"It is what it is, Wilhelm. No one thinks badly of you for it. And um…how is Ms. Crusch?"
He had heard that she was in a poor state—in fact, he had practically been told she had been hurt badly. Badly enough that it would be difficult for her to be seen like that, given her beauty.
Seeing the concern that Subaru could not fully hide, Wilhelm averted his blue eyes.
"She opened her eyes just moments ago. It is still too early to say for sure, though…"
"She woke up?! That's a huge relief! I was so worried."
"—Lady Crusch asked me to call for you. Could I perhaps trouble you to accompany me?"
Subaru rejoiced at the good news, but he cocked his head at Wilhelm's next statement. Of course he would gladly welcome the chance to talk to Crusch. And he wanted to be able to confirm with his own two eyes that she was safe. But—
"She has requested it herself. Still, please understand that Ferris is by no means excited about it."
"…No, he wouldn't be, would he?"
What Ferris had said before was still eating away at his heart.
Subaru had been the only person in the position to save Crusch during the battle with Capella on the top floor of the tower. Ultimately, he hadn't been able to give her any reliable help, and Ferris likely hadn't forgiven him for that yet on an emotional level, even if he understood the reasons.
And Subaru could understand that feeling so badly it hurt.
"Ferris might say something impolitic, but please do not heed it. And if possible, I would ask you to forgive it. He understands, but there are some feelings that he just cannot help."
"I can understand hating everyone around you when you can't do anything to help someone precious to you. I don't want to assume that one moment's darkness is all there is to a person."
If venting like that could help him calm down a little bit, then who could blame him? Subaru had the resolve to stand there and take it if that was what he needed.
"…This way."
Closing his eyes at that, Wilhelm led Subaru to his master's room.
For a moment, their two sets of controlled footsteps echoed in the hallway.
"Sir Subaru, there is one thing I would like to report from the battle at the tower."
"What? Something other than Crusch…?"
"It is about the cultists who accompanied the Archbishop…those two fighters."
Subaru caught his breath slightly. It was a problem he had imagined. Mimi had received a wound that would not close, and Wilhelm's old wound had reopened. The two extraordinarily powerful swordsmen that the cultists had brought with them—
"One of them is Eight-Arms Kurgan. A general of the Empire of Volakia and a swordsman who desired to be the strongest above all else. He was an eight-armed greatsword user who wielded four different greatswords. He died over ten years ago."
"If he died already, then, um, doesn't that…?"
"And the other one…"
Wilhelm continued, cutting Subaru off. He stopped walking and Subaru stopped as well. His back to Subaru, Wilhelm remained silent. Subaru instinctively took a step forward, coming up beside him—and immediately regretted it.
That was something he should not have seen.
"—The other is the previous Sword Saint, Theresia van Astrea. My wife, who should have fallen to the White Whale and died in the expedition fifteen years ago."
His voice remained calm. That alone spoke volumes about how sturdy his mental fortitude was. But it didn't matter one bit when Subaru saw how painfully warped the Sword Devil's face was. Rage and pain and a swirling, dark emotion that could not be described in a single word were threatening to tear the man apart.
"Is there any chance that your wife and the empire's general are somehow both still alive…?"
"…No, it is not possible. My wife and Kurgan are both dead. That is an indisputable fact. However, there is a fool somewhere on this earth who has disgraced their memories in death."
Wilhelm gritted his teeth as he confirmed that his wife really was dead.
Subaru thought about that.
—A blasphemous desecration of the dead.
In other words, a type of necromancy. Some sort of magic to manipulate corpses was a staple of fantasy genres. Naturally, in a fictional world, it would not be that odd for a magic for reviving the dead to exist, but there was no convenient magic like that in this world.
The dead could not be revived. That was an unwritten ironclad rule that Subaru had learned over the course of the past year and change. So Kurgan and Theresia's being there was not the result of resurrection, but of someone using magic in order to turn the dead into puppets.
"There were once those who could manipulate the dead using a forbidden technique. During the Demi-human War decades ago, several people joined the demi-human side during the kingdom's internal struggle and became the kingdom's greatest enemies by raising a host of corpses to add to their ranks."
"The kingdom's greatest enemies, capable of raising a host of the dead…"
"The hero of the demi-humans Libre Fermi, the great strategist Valga Cromwell, and—" Wilhelm paused for a second. "The witch Sphinx. A being most foul who caused an ocean of blood to be spilled by both humans and demi-humans alike without even batting an eye. The one and only witch other than the Witch of Envy who left her bloody name in the kingdom's history."
5
Wilhelm named a witch Subaru had never heard of before. The witches Subaru knew were Envy—Satella—and the six others associated with the deadly sins, whom he'd met in Echidna's tomb. That there were more witches came out of nowhere.
"Then, do you think that that Sphinx is connected with this situation now?"
"No. My apologies, I was not clear enough. The witch Sphinx was destroyed back during that war and is most certainly dead. She is surely not connected to the current incident."
"She's dead? You're sure, right? A witch pretending to die in order to be able to act freely sort of fits the mental image I have of them."
There was the way Satella appeared whenever Subaru came close to the taboo of revealing his Return by Death ability, and there was the way Echidna was living it up in her domain after having died, too.
"They don't die no matter how many times you kill them, almost like cockroaches…"
"I cannot speak to the sort of impression you may have of witches, but Sphinx was merely referred to as a witch out of convenience. The more
important point is the magic that Sphinx used."
"Which is a magic to raise the dead…?"
"At the time, they were commonly called corpse soldiers. That taboo technique is the most likely culprit behind the current situation."
Corpse soldiers was a blunt, easy-to-understand, and brutal phrase. A dead person, someone who had been lost, was moving again, and calling them a corpse soldier hammered home the reality of the situation.
And Wilhelm's beloved wife was being used as one of those corpse soldiers. Subaru could not even begin to imagine what he was feeling. "My wife passed away. I was unable to protect her."
" "
Subaru regretted his bitter expression, because it had made Wilhelm feel compelled to say it again.
His foolish inability to keep his emotions from showing had forced Wilhelm to repeat it.
There was nothing he could say as he watched the older swordsman's face. Not a single thing.
"Apologies for keeping you here so long. I mustn't make Lady Crusch wait any longer. Please proceed inside."
Wilhelm bowed and pointed to the door at the end of the hall.
The farthest room. That was where Crusch was waiting for Subaru. His feet were heavy, like the bottoms of his shoes were clinging to the floor.
That was surely an expression of the weakness of his heart as he started to feel daunted.
"—It's me. Subaru Natsuki. Crusch?"
Knocking on the door, he called out hoarsely. There was a moment's silence, and then the door slowly opened inward.
"Subawu…"
Ferris appeared on the other side. His gruesome appearance made Subaru catch his breath. His eyes were swollen and red from crying, and his chestnut hair was an absolute mess. His body was covered in spatters of blood that belonged to other people, and perhaps because he had not even spared a thought to wipe them away, there were even dried blood spots on his cheeks and neck.
"…Ah, I was…I was told Crusch asked for me…"
"Mm. She's in bed… Don't you dare pull anything."
His voice was strained, a hint of hatred seeping into the warning. But the hatred was not directed at Subaru. It was an all-encompassing hate. What was consuming Ferris was an aimless rage, a hatred of everything in the world.
Taking a deep breath, Subaru continued inside behind Ferris. The room was not very large. Originally it had been a break room, and it was divided into several little spaces with beds for naps. And Crusch was in the one farthest to the back.
The woman lying on the simple bed noticed Subaru.
"…Sir Su-baru?"
Her lips moved, calling his name. In trying to respond, Subaru felt his throat clench. Steeling himself and feigning calm, responding in such a way as to keep her from worrying—he could not even do something as simple as that.
"A-pologies for my un-sightly appear-ance…"
"…No, no… That's not…that's not it…at all…"
Seeing Subaru stiffen, Crusch apologized weakly, but Subaru desperately spoke up, trying to smooth things over, flustered by her pained demeanor.
She had been afflicted by a horrific black curse after having been bathed in Capella's blood. Her neck, arms, legs—huge swathes of her skin—were covered in a mottled black pattern. It was not hard to imagine that it was the same for the skin that was not showing as well. The network of black veins spreading across her body pulsed unnaturally, like a venomous snake constricting itself around her slender body.
The hideous curse was an insult to her hale, unblemished skin.
And of course the affliction did not stop at her neck. Her dignified, sharp beauty, which brought to mind the keenest of blades—the whole left side of her face was enveloped by a mottled splotch of black. The right side of her face remained clear, almost as if by malicious design, forcing Subaru to constantly compare the two sides, evoking an anger that something so noble had been so deliberately defiled.
Her left eye was covered by an eye patch, and he was hesitant to even imagine what the eye underneath looked like. He could understand why everyone had so adamantly insisted on his not seeing Crusch in her current state. The sheer difference between how badly they had been affected—it was just too cruel.
"Is this…is this really the same dragon's blood curse as I have?"
If so, then what could possibly explain the cruel difference between their conditions?
The same black pattern was covering his right leg, but beyond the appearance, there had been no effect on his leg at all. It did not hurt, and nothing about it felt off. But it was clearly different for Crusch. Her pained wheezing, the way she trembled every time the network of vessels pulsed as if she were experiencing tremendous pain…
"Ferris…"
He turned to Ferris, one of the best healers in all the kingdom, to ask if he could do anything, but that did nothing more than rub salt in the wound as Ferris bit his lips at his own powerlessness.
He dug his nails into his arms as he looked down. He regretted his powerlessness more than anyone else ever could. Given what he knew about their relationship, Subaru could be sure that Ferris had tried every possible method to help her—far more things than Subaru could begin to imagine.
"Crusch… Why…?"
Why had she called for him when she was clearly suffering so much? He doubted she could do anything. Was there something she wanted to say? Did she want vengeance against Lust for doing that to her? To curse Subaru?
He placed his ear close to Crusch's lips as she wheezed painfully, not wanting to miss anything she might say.
"…Th-ank good-ness you are safe…"
" "
"I heard…you were exposed to the blood…like I was…" She seemed relieved. There was a gentleness to her voice.
The next moment, Subaru realized what he had really been feeling and almost wanted to die from anger at his own pettiness.
He had been thinking that it would be so much easier if she just blamed him. Because of that, he had looked down on her noble spirit and doubted her virtue. She had simply been worried for him, worried that he was suffering the same excruciating pain that she was.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
For doubting her, for her having to suffer like that, for being unable to do anything to relieve her pain: It all melded together into one great ball of remorse. He instinctively reached out, taking Crusch's limp hand. Her hand was covered by the mottled blackness. It looked distorted and was slick to the touch, which only emphasized the terrible state she was in. But— "Gh, ahh?!"
For a moment, an intense pain coursed through his veins, like he had grabbed a red-hot iron. Pain shot through his hand, and he reflexively let go of Crusch's hand and looked at his own.
—His hand, which should have been normal, now had the same black pattern.
"Let me see your hand!"
Ferris took his hand, examining it as he stared in shock. The light of healing magic enveloped the dark veins, but there was no trace of pain nor sign of the black affliction fading.
But Subaru realized what had happened instead.
"Ferris! Crusch's hand!"
"What…?"
Spinning around, Ferris widened his yellow eyes. The reason for his shock was Crusch's right hand, the one that Subaru had held. The swollen blackness on her right hand had faded ever so slightly.
"Did it shift to my body from hers…?"
There didn't seem to be any other way to explain the way their bodies had reacted. The stark difference in what their hands looked like now was proof.
The curse afflicting Crusch's body had shifted to Subaru.
"B-but nothing happened to me! I touched her countless times while caring for her… See? It isn't moving! I—I…"
Hearing Subaru's hypothesis, Ferris touched the black flesh and tearfully shook his head. He was overwhelmed with anguish not by the possibility of a treatment, but at his own inability to do anything. The stark reality before him —his own inability to save his master—was just a never-ending series of difficult-to-bear blows.
"Even though I can't help her…"
"Move aside, Ferris… I need to test this…"
He felt bad for Ferris and the shock he must have been feeling, but verifying what was happening took precedence.
Setting Ferris aside, Subaru faced Crusch again. She looked confused at what was happening as she looked up at him, her right eye tearing up. Subaru held out his hand, touching her cheek so that his hand covered her left eye, the one masked by an eye patch.
"Gh-gaaaaaaaaah!"
Immediately after, it felt like his brain was being seared and magma was flowing through his veins. The curse afflicting Crusch's body traveled through his fingers, seemingly burning, melting, and bursting his nerves as they went.
Was this what Crusch was feeling with every moment that passed? She had been bearing something like that and even still had been worried about him? In that case, he would— "—Ahhh."
Before realizing it, Subaru fell back to the floor, his mouth puckering and sputtering like that of a fish out of water. Beside him, Ferris, who was watching Crusch… "That's…"
Had it had at least a little effect?
Crusch's right eye was blinking in shock. The sign of the curse, the black pattern running across her left cheek, had faded somewhat. Seeing that, Subaru knew he had gotten some response. Lifting himself heavily, he prepared to try again.
If it could change that much from one time, then if he repeated the action enough, she could be saved—
"You mustn't, Sir Subaru… Have you not noticed?"
"What?"
But it was Crusch herself who stopped him. Her amber eyes were focused on his outstretched hand. Following her gaze, he noticed what she was seeing and belatedly understood what she was saying.
His right arm was covered by swollen black masses just like his right leg. That part was fine, though. He had successfully taken the curse from Crusch. That change was exactly what he wanted. That alone would not shake his resolve. But the amount of curse he had gained was also clearly not commensurate with the amount that had been taken from her. He had just lessened the curse on her left hand and part of her face, but his right arm from his elbow down to the back of his hand was covered in the black mass. It was not a one-to-one exchange. It was one to ten, maybe even more.
"That's not enough to stop me."
The instant he absorbed it, it hurt. But once it was inside him, it showed no sign of hurting or eating away at him. Unlike Crusch's, his pain only lasted for an instant. And there was no question which of the two of them was better suited to bearing the hideousness of the curse.
If it would save Crusch, then he could put up with parts of his body getting hideous-looking welts.
"You mustn't, Sir Subaru… I cannot accept that."
"Don't be stupid. I'm fine with a little bit of pain. This is way better than getting an impulsive tattoo, anyway. So…"
"There is no guarantee it will remain that way… If the both of us are unable to fight…that would be fatal given the current situation…"
Crusch was worried more about the people of the city than about her own fate. That was a logical point, but Subaru didn't think everything could be decided so logically.
"Ferris, stop Sir Subaru…"
"I—I… Lady Crusch, I…"
"Please. Right now, the people need him more than they need me…"
Ferris hesitated precisely because Crusch was absolutely the most important thing to him in the entire world. And no one could blame him for that hesitation and doubt. No one in the room was wrong. But merely not being wrong did not make them right.
"Do not be swept away in a burst of emotion. Please, Sir Subaru…"
"I understand what you're trying to say, Crusch, but I still—"
"You said it, did you not? 'Just leave everything else to me.'"
"—!"
His desire to prioritize the ones closest to him was broken by Crusch's plea. The words she chose, the strength with which she spoke, had he really said that himself? And, having heard him say that, Crusch was now telling him to follow through, to keep his word?
"Say it to me, too, please."
" "
"'Leave everything else to me.'"