“Wabuu—!”

“Kyah! My apologies, Lord Subaru!”

As Subaru shrieked, drenched by water pouring down from above, a high-pitched voice of apology came from above.

Shaking his head and looking up, he locked eyes with the girl looking down at him through the open window—Petra.

It seemed Petra had just poured water outside from the second floor window.

Of course, she wasn’t the type to do something rude like drench the garden. She must have intended to discard the water where it wouldn’t spray anyone.

“Yet, there I was, unlucky enough to be messing with the soil right there…”

“I-I’m sorry, Lord Subaru! I’ll bring you a change of clothes immediately!”

“Oh—it’s fine, really! It’s just that I got soaked… but it stinks! It’s not just being soaked, it’s gross!”

“Because it was water from cleaning the room… Anyway! I’ll be right there, so please wait by the water area!”

Petra commanded Subaru, surprised by the smell of the filthy water splashed on him. Then her cute face disappeared back into the window as she hurried off to grab a change of clothes.

With a wry smile at Petra’s franticness, Subaru deepened his grin about his misfortune and headed toward the water area in the mansion’s garden, as she instructed.

“Well, either way, I was planning to change after finishing with the soil…”

He consoled himself that it was just a little earlier than expected.

If Petra was bringing a change of clothes, he should wash off the grime first. Before drawing water from the well, Subaru hastily removed his shirt—

“—Hmm, suddenly stripping down, are we, Su-bou? Quite bold of you, I must say.”

“Ahhh!?”

“Oh, what a scream like a girl. Don’t you think it’s usually the other way around?”

Watching Subaru scream was a girl with pink hair—Ryuzu, the elderly woman by the water area, sitting on a garden stone.

She glanced at Subaru, who was hiding his bare upper body with a shirt, her young appearance contrasting with her discerning eyes sparkling.

“You don’t need to hide like that. I’m used to seeing boys without shirts. I lived with Gar-bou, after all.”

“Yeah, that may be true, but still, it’s embarrassing, okay?”

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. Besides, Su-bou has quite a decent build, don’t you think? A feast for the eyes, indeed.”

“That’s still embarrassing! Ryuzu-san, aren’t you a bit out of character?”

With her relaxed and calm speaking manner, Ryuzu was known for her appealing yet often contradictory conduct.

It surprised Subaru that she would make a slightly teasing remark about his nakedness.

“Is it that being ‘leader of the Sanctuary’ relieved you of such heavy responsibilities?”

“There’s certainly some truth to that. However, even after leaving the Sanctuary, I moved to the lands prepared by Roz-bou, where I’m entrusted with a similar position. So, if I were to say my burdens were lifted…”

As she spoke, Ryuzu narrowed her eyes and glanced directly behind her—towards the mansion.

To be precise, she wasn’t looking at the mansion itself, but rather at the humans living inside it. More specifically, she was probably thinking of the siblings she doted on like her own grandchildren.

Garfiel and Frederica had reconciled, and Garfiel was also released from the burden he had carried for many years. It was surprising that he turned into quite the mischievous boy, beyond Subaru’s imagination.

“Ryuzu-san, don’t you feel lonely living separately from Garfiel and Frederica?”

“Mm… why the sudden inquiry, Su-bou?”

“Was it too sudden? But I was thinking. For Emilia-tan’s royal selection, it would surely be more beneficial for the two to stay at the mansion together. But…”

“It’s a matter of necessity. While I—alongside other replicas… my sisters—have many issues living in this estate. I can’t picture myself being of any help.”

“――――”

Subaru pressed his lips together at Ryuzu’s small throat sound response.

He wanted to scream that it shouldn’t be about being helpful or not, but it was something beyond just childish reasoning.

Only those who can fulfill their roles and responsibilities are permitted to stay in the Roswaal mansion at this time, which is just how harsh the circumstances are.

“…Still, Garfiel is only fourteen, right? He’s still very much a child.”

“――. Su-bou is quite kind-hearted. Are you worried for Gar-bou?”

“Of course… When I was fourteen, I was a total brat. I’m still a brat now, just not as much, but I probably would have been miserable if removed from my parents’ side.”

Of course, compared to the norms of this other world, the days Subaru had experienced were nothing short of tranquil—almost like being cradled in a cradle.

Even though Garfiel was fourteen—still a middle schooler by their standards, it didn’t apply here, and compared to Subaru back then, Garfiel was much more mature.

Still—

“I think it’s only fair that what I was given, others should be given too…”

“Ho ho, what a sweethearted boy. Not just kind, but naive and green too.”

“I remember a famous quote: A man should not only be strong but kind too. Wait? By that logic, I’m not strong, so I’m not a man? What does that make me?”

In response to Subaru, who couldn’t manage to successfully defend himself, Ryuzu chuckled softly. Seeing this reaction, Subaru felt a bit taken aback, while Ryuzu wiped her eyes with her fingers and said, “Sorry, sorry.”

“I get what you’re trying to say. I’ll also make sure to check in frequently so Gar-bou and Frederica won’t feel lonely. How does that sound?”

“Feels a bit like I pressured you into it, doesn’t it?”

“There’s no harm in that… But, if we’re talking about a child leaving their parents behind, there is someone in this mansion even younger than Gar-bou, right?”

“That would be…”

Just as Subaru was about to guess who she was talking about, footsteps were approaching. As Subaru and Ryuzu turned to look, it was Petra running towards them, arms full of Subaru’s change of clothes as she called, “Lord Subaru~!”

When she got close to the water area, her feet stopped right before the puddle.

“Wow! Kyah! Subaru! Why are you naked!?”

“Ah, dang it! I was supposed to take a bath but got caught up chatting!”

With her cheeks flushed, Petra covered her eyes with her hands at the sight of Subaru’s nudity. However, through the gaps between her fingers, she was peeking firmly.

Petra’s face turned beet red as she exclaimed, “Waa, waa!” in excitement.

“How about that, Ryuzu-san? This is what you call the cute reaction of a girl in her age.”

“Don’t tell me I should act that way too, Su-bou. It would be rather inappropriate for me, considering I’m an old lady.”

“You have no elderly vibe other than that old-fashioned way of speaking, Ryuzu-san…”

Responding to Ryuzu’s leisurely words, Subaru began to pull up a bucket of water from the well. Drenching himself in the cold water, he declared, “Cold!”

“Anyway, Petra’s reaction is really adorable!”

“Hey, Subaru, you’re treating me like a child again. Just so you know, I turned thirteen on my last birthday! I’m one year younger than Garf!”

“Even if we’re talking about birthdays, I find it quite amusing that there’s a period during which Petra and Garfiel are only one year apart…”

Regardless of character, Garfiel’s combat capability and appearance didn’t scream fourteen at all. And while Petra was gradually blossoming from a cute and youthful appearance, her cuteness was also blooming.

Time waits for no one, and it’s obvious that growth is a beautiful thing.

“I’m eighteen, after all, and Emilia-tan and Beatrice don’t look much different either. In that regard, I feel immense potential in Petra…”

“Su-bou, how about that perspective being held by a teenager?”

“Well, even if you say that… Oh, Petra, thanks for the change of clothes. Just now, when you stared at my naked body, you accidentally dropped it, right?”

Shaking his head to fling off the water, Subaru picked up the shirt that had fallen by Petra’s feet, dusted it off, and put it on. Only then did Petra realize that she had dropped the clothes, flushing in embarrassment and exclaiming, “Waa!”

“Ugh, I’m sorry. About the change of clothes, and the water from earlier…”

“It’s nothing, a cute little mistake. The change of clothes is whatever, it was my bad luck to get splashed with water. Now I have to show off my undignified self to two maidens.”

“Even I’m a maiden… Really, Su-bou, you have a knack for charming older women.”

Ryuzu shook her head slowly, and Subaru chuckled at her unchanged reaction. He then patted Petra, who was still in reflection mode, on the head, and smiled, saying, “It’s okay.”

“Mistakes happen to everyone, and no one was hurt, right? No worries at all.”

“…Yes, I understand. I’ll make sure to write it down in today’s diary.”

“You keep a diary? That’s impressive. I’m the type who’s diligent enough to keep doing things every day, but I just can’t seem to continue with a diary.”

While daily muscle training and jogging can be turned into a habit, for some reason, he just couldn’t keep up with a diary. Probably because every day was not the same, and back when he was skipping school, his days were mundane, and there was nothing to write about.

“The Beatrice Love Diary is still going strong though…”

“Are you going to show that to Beatrice-chan later?”

“Yeah, I want to show her just how much I cherish Beatrice.”

Also, Beatrice’s exaggerated reactions were adorable. Subaru would overcome even his weakness of not being able to keep up with a diary if it meant spoiling Beatrice.

Anyway—

“So, what were you talking about with Lord Subaru and Ryuzu-sama?”

“Oh, just chatting? About whether you’re lonely being apart from Garfiel… But Petra, you’re also separated from your mom and dad, aren’t you? You don’t feel homesick, do you?”

“Home sick… Do you mean missing my home?”

Pointing thoughtfully at her lips, Petra pondered Subaru’s words for a moment before saying, “I do feel lonely sometimes?” But then she added, “But I chose this for myself, and I’m right in the midst of it. I can’t afford to whine now.”

“Ooh, such maturity… Ryuzu-san, did you hear that?”

“I heard, I heard. Really, she’s wearing such a proud expression.”

With Petra’s proud response seeming justly so, Subaru turned to Ryuzu, who nodded.

Truly, Petra was right.

She had chosen to do what she wanted, and she was in the midst of achieving it.

In that case, without whining, she had to smile and lift her head even in difficult times.

“Lord Subaru, was my answer alright?”

“—Ah, of course! Just as expected from you, Petra! That was the answer I wanted!”

“Kyah!”

In response to Petra’s anxious question, Subaru lifted her up.

It felt just like when he picked up Beatrice regularly, but compared to Beatrice, Petra felt heavier—this must be because Petra was growing.

“Guess I’m past the age where carrying someone should be normal, huh…”

“Of course! But, if you look like you’re feeling lonely, I’ll stick around a bit longer.”

“Oh, thanks!”

Even while turning her face away, Petra let Subaru indulge himself. Taking advantage of Petra’s kindness, Subaru lingered a bit longer, reminiscing about her childhood.

While observing the scene of Subaru and Petra, Ryuzu remarked, “Goodness, one can hardly tell who the child is here.”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

—Splashing and dousing himself in thick, dark blood, Subaru’s life flashed before his eyes.

The commonality was that liquid had been poured on his head, but if he were to mention it at this moment, he would surely be scolded by Petra later on.

However, even for that punishment, Subaru couldn’t stop moving.

“Why is a hunter’s arrow hitting a huge snake…!?”

Dreading the act of carrying Lui, he was suddenly interrupted by the presence of the gigantic snake lurking in the forest.

Just as the snake’s maws were about to swallow Subaru whole, a forceful bullet had struck and Subaru narrowly saved his life.

“—”

The arrow that pierced through the snake’s body, thicker than Subaru’s three times over, was the same one fired by the hunter who’d previously tormented Subaru and his friends.

One initially thought it could be a misfire, but hitting the snake squarely in the middle made the likelihood of a mistake seem extremely low.

In other words—

“I was saved…!?”

Confused, he couldn’t think of any other explanation.

He highly doubted it was a whim of the hunter, or that it had entered into some shounen manga trope of, “I will be the one to kill you!”

But given what just happened, Subaru had been saved. And that one shot didn’t just stop the snake’s bite at that moment.

“—!!”

The wounded snake bellowed a mournful roar, horrendously shaking the sky.

After that, instead of pursuing Subaru, the snake began to slither into the forest at a furious speed, heading for the source of the arrow—its attacker.

The massive snake, ten meters long, moved with a sense of elegance that defied its tremendous size.

There was no hint of clumsiness in its massive form; it almost felt as though the very forest floor was shifting beneath Subaru.

In response to the approaching snake, the hunter unleashed another shot, but it missed.

“—!!”

With bared fangs dripping with drool, the snake lunged for the hunter.

The hunter dodged just in time, releasing an arrow point-blank, wanting to end the beast.

A fierce battle of life and death unfolded between man and beast, stages echoing with loud clashes. Meanwhile, Subaru sprinted back toward the large hole where Rem was waiting, still carrying Lui.

And then—

“Rem! Give me a hand! We need to escape now!”

“—Is the child alright?”

“Yeah, irritatingly enough, she’s fast asleep! Come on, hurry!”

Reaching out a hand to Rem, who was leaning against the wall of the hole, Subaru saw her shake her head after looking at his arm and firmly decline.

She wasn’t taking his hand. So resigned, Subaru withdrew his hand and instead pulled out his whip to bind Lui’s body onto his back.

If he were to leave her behind, another argument would ensue with Rem. That was something he wanted to avoid.

“Then, on top of that—!”

“Wait a second!”

He tightly secured Lui’s body to his back, and once he knew she wouldn’t fall, he forcefully lifted Rem.

Rem, in a princess carry, stiffened due to the suddenness of it.

But—

“Right now, think about what’s worse between me, the hunter, and the snake!”

“…If we could talk, it would definitely be the snake.”

“I can’t talk, so put up with me as the next worst option! Let’s go!”

That was the logical priority, but still, Subaru turned away from the conflicted expression on Rem’s face and dashed away, desperately heading deeper into the woods, keeping an eye on the ongoing struggle between the hunter and the snake.

Whether the hunter or the snake emerged victorious, they would probably chase after Subaru and the others. He had no idea if it would end quickly or slowly, but he wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.

“What do we do?”

“Both are far more acclimated to this forest than we are…! We need some means to shake off our pursuers. But escaping from the snake would be hopeless with my body odor. So at least…”

He hoped the hunter would be the victor in this scenario.

If the hunter was unrelated to the remnants of the witch encircling Subaru, there might be a way to throw off the pursuit.

“Try to choose paths that leave fewer footprints, erase our trace, and then…”

“Leave a trail in another direction… right?”

Saying that, Rem broke off a branch that was about to hit them, tossing it far away to mark the trees in a direction different from the one Subaru and the others were escaping.

If the broken branch and wounds on separate trees spread the signs, perhaps the pursuers would be misled.

“――――”

While running with Rem in his arms, a feeling of nostalgia touched Subaru’s mind, although out of place. He remembered a time he had run through the forest while being chased by a magical beast.

However, back then, he wasn’t carrying Rem; he was holding onto Ram.

“I’m the only one who remembers my sister, huh…”

“Your breathing is getting heavy. At this rate, you’ll be caught.”

“I know! Seriously, both you and my sister… darn, you guys are merciless…!”

Despite having a completely different person in his arms, the sting of her words rang similarly.

Encouraged by those thoughts, Subaru scolded his breathlessness and fueled by his resolve, he was running through the forest while relying on Rem to keep watch behind him.

For better or worse, today had been nonstop movement.

Physically and mentally exhausted, he wanted nothing more than to throw himself down and lie still. And if he managed to shake off his pursuers, he would definitely be doing just that—eight hours of sleep.

“So just hold on, my body—!”

“—Wait up!”

“Ugh, what is it now!?”

As he called out an encouraging phrase, the Rem in his arms firmly grasped his arm. Subaru grimaced at the sharp pain and huffed as Rem pointed in the direction they were headed.

“I can hear the sound of water. Flowing… a river? It can help erase our trace, can’t it? And besides, you said you needed water, right?”

“Did you hear my survival knowledge…? Save the gratitude for later! If there is a river, that may be a lifesaver! If we can just cross, they won’t be able to follow easily!”

Unfortunately, he couldn’t hear any sounds of running water over the noise of his own heartbeat and breathing, but he had no reason to doubt Rem’s good hearing here.

Following Rem’s finger, Subaru changed course and dashed toward the river.

Then, bursting through a cluster of trees and leaping over some grass, as the path opened up—

“—A river! But…?”

As the forest cleared and the view widened, Subaru finally heard an immense sound of water—yes, a majestic roar.

It was not just any river, but a massive one. Below them, nearly ten meters down, it surged.

Thinking he could just cross and erase his trace, it felt like the universe was mocking him.

“This is just too—”

The Rem in his arms suddenly took a sharp breath at the sight of the great river below.

Considering the raging current and height, her speechlessness was perfectly valid. Perhaps emanating from relying solely on his instincts, there was a level of self-reproach here for leading them to such a situation.

However, there was no time for regrets or for consoling oneself about it.

“—Damn, are we out of options!?”

From the forest behind, a fearsome roar echoed skyward.

It was a sound filled with some intense emotion, the cry of the snake, and whether in triumph or defeat, the one left standing would soon come after Subaru and the others.

“Before that, we need to—”

“—Leave me behind!”

While pondering about how to escape, Subaru was hit with Rem’s stark declaration.

Hesitating, he exhaled in disbelief.

“W-What?”

“Leave me behind! I’ve made you take unnecessary detours due to me. There’s no time to waste. I can try to hold them off for a bit longer…”

“W-who’s saying something so stupid! There’s no way I’m leaving you behind!”

“What then!? You, a child carrying a woman who cannot move, exhausted and trembling in your knees, what could you possibly do!?”

“――――”

Rem’s flushed face, appearing distressed, confronted Subaru up close. He wasn’t overpowered by her intensity, but he also couldn’t instantly retort.

When asked what they could do, he couldn’t conjure up a solution on the spot.

Yet, because he couldn’t think of something intelligent, he was able to come to a quick decision regarding an answer that didn’t require intelligence.

“—No, that’s not happening. I won’t leave you behind.”

“—T-That stubbornness…”

“Who’s the real stubborn one here! You know I understand how you feel responsible! But that’s exactly what you’re getting wrong! Who could even think of leaving you behind!”

“Wha…?”

“It won’t mean anything without you! If you were to die, it would be better if I died instead! How do I even make you understand that?”

Expressing his true feelings, Subaru was trying to shove Rem’s opinion back into her throat.

This was his honest heart. Of course, Subaru didn’t wish to die. Even with ‘return by death’ granting him opportunities, he didn’t want to die. So it was a question of which scenario would be the better of the two—choosing the worst or the minimum.

Even so—

“We both choose a way to survive.”

“…And what about that child on your back?”

“Only if you’re willing to use her as bait! If that’s the case, I won’t be entranced by either of your tricks. So for now, we’ll escape with her too!”

In short, Subaru was filled with resentment toward Lui, who would always insist on wedging herself in between him and Rem.

But if he were to let go of Lui now, a new strain would surely develop between him and Rem. That option was not viable, so even full of spite, he wouldn’t throw her away.

“――――”

Hearing Subaru’s unwavering determination, Rem’s eyes widened, leaving her speechless.

In her mind, there was frustration on how to evaluate the dreadful aura surrounding Subaru, who was steeped in regret, unable to swallow her frustration.

Even while keeping the thoughts of their conflict in his mind, Subaru swept his gaze across their surroundings, desperately seeking an escape route.

Yet it wasn’t as if a way to survive would be conveniently made available. It was no wonder Rem would suggest using herself as bait in such a dire situation.

And so, there was only one option remaining—

“—We have to jump.”

“W-What!? Wait, what!? That’s reckless! In this situation!?”

“Meaning, with the weight tied to my back, a crippled Rem whose legs won’t work, and myself, who’s exhausted with broken fingers and maybe a cracked rib…”

“Forget the fingers… Just! No! That’s pure insanity! If we jump from this height, the moment we land, we’ll lose consciousness and just drown!”

Pointing to the great river below, Rem was making logical counterarguments.

The height was ten meters, and two unable bodies would be followed by an injured person who had to assist them. Considering how they’d need to navigate the fierce flowing water, it would certainly appear as a suicidal act.

“But it won’t be suicide. Even if it were, we’d die together in the end.”

“I absolutely refuse!”

“Ouchah!”

As Subaru flashed a smile revealing his teeth, he was roughly slapped by a palm from Rem. The impact made him twist his neck in surprise, and he exclaimed, “Ouch! Ouch!” as he turned red from being smacked.

“Okay, okay! You said that, so I won’t die!”

“——”

When Rem heard those words, her eyes widened in astonishment.

It wasn’t that her memory was triggered but that the bizarre statement made upon waking was carelessly repeated without change, surprising her.

But that was perfectly fine.

What he said wasn’t intended for Rem, anyway. He just wanted to weave a spell over the man who appeared weak and masked his helplessness behind bravado, mirrored in Rem’s pale blue eyes.

“Just hang on tight.”

Feeling the encroaching threat, Subaru exhaled as he informed Rem.

Though she was still attempting to resist, she had no time to select a counterargument before Subaru kicked off from the ground. He felt the sensation of falling and could feel Rem’s hands tightly gripping his outfit.

And then—

“—If you die, I’ll never forgive you!”

“Aw man, if that’s the case, I can’t die now,” Subaru half-smiled as he kicked off the cliff with all his strength.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

The impact and the roiling water exploded upwards, consuming him with amazing force, spinning him around.

Thanks to having managed to dive in feet first, the damage he sustained was minimal.

However, even minimal damage meant it was certainly overwhelming, and given Subaru’s already drained vitality, it felt like he was grasping onto his last shred of willpower.

But there was no need to wipe away those impressions.

“Guh!”

Before Subaru could even think of swiping away those muddled thoughts, his whole body was soaked. He felt as though he’d been tossed into a washing machine, stripped of control, only tumbling about helplessly.

Somehow breaking through the surface of the water, he gasped for air. However, he found himself helpless. Even flailing his arms and legs became difficult as he held tightly to something precious.

“—”

While getting tossed around in the water, he could still feel love in his heart and hatred weighing on his back. The whip he’d bound to him still clung tight, as did his arms holding onto Liu.

“Gah! Gah!”

The shock from diving in had caused him to expel most of the breath he had sucked in.

He wasn’t swimming, but to maintain his sanity, he needed both stamina and oxygen, and given they were both running low, he had no luxury of time.

“Gah, gah!”

Water flowed into his mouth, nose, and seemed to be entering his ears and eyes as well.

Flailing his hands and feet felt like nothing more than futile attempts to paddle through a massive creature’s gullet, bound by the river that seemed to beckon him toward its stomach. If he were to reach ‘there,’ it would be the end.

Before reaching there, something had to change.

“Gah, gah!”

As he desperately kicked and splashed in the water, various thoughts began to flit through his mind.

Just like he remembered Petra and Ryuzu when doused with blood, he recalled the time he had run through the forest holding onto Ram.

Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Meily—were they all alright? How were Julius, Anastasia, and Echidna managing? If Patrasche was here, everyone would be safe. If only Patrasche was around, he could have been rescued. Just like they often helped one another, the one who stood as his biggest ally should have been Rem.

But even now, he had his fingers broken. He felt immense pain yet never cried out. How admirable of him.

He didn’t want to appear uncool in front of Rem, Emilia, Beatrice, Petra, or Garfiel. It was fine with Otto or Krlind and Frederica knowing, but if Roswaal found out, things could turn dire, so he had to keep everything hidden.

He wanted to return to Pristella soon, help those in need, manage the royal selection, tomorrow, everyone—

“Gah, everyone, s—”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

“—Geh!”

Suddenly reaching out desperately, he managed to grab onto a branch and pull himself close. With his left hand clinging to the branch, the three broken fingers screamed in agony, but he paid them no mind.

His whole body had gone cold, senses dulled and distant. For all he knew, not just three but all the fingers on his left hand could have been broken.

“Bleh, buh.”

Coughing, he expelled a large volume of water that filled his insides.

Even while doing that, he frantically tugged the weight of his right arm and maneuvered it to bring the face of the girl above water. He gazed into her lifeless profile and used the branch to climb back to shore.

“Geh, huh.”

After finally crawling up, he vomited a great deal of water, driven by the pang of nausea he felt. Even while aware there was still more water trapped within him, he managed to lay the girl on the ground.

“——”

Leaning in closer to check her breathing, he found no response. He bit his lip, pushed down on her chest, performing CPR.

However, she remained unresponsive. Just when he was about to lean in closer for artificial respiration, she coughed again, letting out more water. Turning her face to the side to help her drain it.

“Ha, ha…”

Struggling against the fatigue permeating his entire body, he unbound the whip and relinquished the weight on his back. It turned out the weight that was completely unconscious was weakly breathing.

In simple language, everyone was safe and—

“Safe…”

Suddenly, his head reeled heavily, and he fell to the ground.

By some miracle, he had distanced himself from the river, and he could only think about finding cover in the bushes.

Now completely out of power, his body wouldn’t respond.

He couldn’t even lift a finger, and the world around him faded into the dark abyss.

It was like falling endlessly into an ant lion’s trap, descending into a dark world.

Just before his consciousness slipped away, he wished that someone else—neither the hunter nor the snake, but someone else entirely—

“R-Rem, please…!”

At least that she would be the only one to be saved.