――I don’t want to die.

“Hah, hah, haah, haah…”

Gasping for breath, my feet clumsily tangled, I spewed out the grass and dirt that had got into my mouth when I fell, drool and blood dribbling from the corners of my lips as I dashed through an incomprehensible darkness.

The light of the crystal lantern flickered away, and the darkness fell along the path, even blocking out the moonlight.

An unbearably noisy silence echoed within my skull, and I couldn’t hear a single sound I could rely on. Not even my own breathing or the sound of my heartbeat; I was left in a silent world.

――I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die.

Kicking the ground, I certainly pushed forward in the dark. Yet, the relentless darkness didn’t clarify my position, and I couldn’t even tell where my feet were heading.

I had lost count of how many times I had tripped and fallen. If I had strayed from the initial path each time, now, where exactly was I heading?

There should have been a place I had to go.

There should have been people I needed to meet.

There should have been those I aimed for together.

Yet now, surrounded by an endless darkness, I was utterly alone.

“Someone—!”

The darkness that covered my view, the silence that severed the world, frightened me and compelled me to scream.

With a hoarse throat that tasted of blood, my trembling voice echoed into the night. However, the only reply to my desperate cry was an accompanying silence broken by biting pain.

No one was there. I had been left behind.

There was no sign of anyone coming back. Of course not. No one wants to die.

If someone was here, if they returned here, if they remained within the range of this darkness, who would dare come back knowing they would lose their life?

Despair quietly pierced into my heart. I felt my inner warmth fade, and it began to feel as if icy water flowed through my limbs instead of blood, rendering them immobile.

I could sense the end approaching, and my body was rejecting my resistance.

But,

“No… I don’t want to die…”

My heart, my emotions, my soul rejected the body’s instinct to accept the end.

I shook my head, whining against that destiny which sought to impose my demise, dragging forward my heavy, almost leaden limbs that lacked the will to fight.

Moving forward—no, running away. Continuously escaping. I had no goal. Just desperately wandering, lost, endlessly.

――From far away, distant sounds could be heard from beyond the darkness.

Shaking the air, pushing against the dark, the end was shaping up and closing in.

I ran for my life, attempting to distance myself from what loomed behind me, fleeing with an expression of sheer desperation, moving as slowly as a turtle.

While exposing my humiliatingly pitiful state, Subaru began to ponder.

――How did it come to this?

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“All the merchants and dragon carriages here—if any of you are willing to sell your legs for gold, come to me!”

The merchants who exchanged glances over Subaru’s ‘business proposal’ seemed to think he was joking or something, smirking with disdainful expressions.

However, everyone’s expressions changed when Rem, embodying Subaru’s intent, held up the bag of travel funds and revealed its contents.

From there, Otto took the lead, and a frenzied competition began among the merchants.

As a result, it was decided that out of the fourteen merchants present at that hub, ten would accompany Subaru and the others.

Initially, the negotiation faced some difficulties, but Otto’s proposal found a smooth resolution without loss for anyone involved, which was—

“We’ll entrust the transport of cargo to the four who possess large dragon carriages. Afterward, we will distribute the profits through unions in the royal capital. In this case, we’ll balance the transportation fees and sales.”

Otto skillfully consolidated the differing opinions and, with a satisfied look on his face, took the lead amongst the ten who agreed to join. Despite being the youngest, he immediately paved a way acceptable to all and showcased his merchant instincts in his persuasive approach.

Of course, considering the situation, it’s only natural that he wanted to seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance to liquidate his stock that could impact his merchant career.

“I’m thrilled that you’re buying my oil, but what could possibly warrant needing dragon carriage legs?”

Watching the fellow merchants move their cargo, Otto posed that question to Subaru, who was anxiously eyeing the departure time.

In response, Subaru prefaced with a “No,” then said,

“We’re actually heading back to Meiastars Territory. We’re just set as servants of Count Roswaal.”

“I know about him. Roswaal L. Meiastars, the ‘Subhuman Hobbyist’. I’ve heard he’s quite the eccentric noble among the Ruigia aristocrats.”

Otto shot a glance over his shoulder, gauging his reaction with a slight smirk. Had it been Ram, she would likely be infuriated at such characterization.

“Well, I can’t deny it. It’s true that he seems a bit of a pervert.”

“I’ll let my employer know. No, I expected that kind of response. But honestly, Natsuki-san doesn’t seem like a noble’s servant at all.”

“I’m still an apprentice. The only points I’ve passed are in sewing and bedmaking.”

Nevertheless,

“Believing you’re on an errand for that eccentric Count is one thing… but why do you need dragon carriages? Presumably, the Count possesses his own dragon carriages, right?”

“As I said, I need several. The amount I’m transporting is substantial, so ideally, I want them empty inside… Otto’s case justifies the need for oil.”

“I appreciate it. So, what exactly are you transporting?”

He asked, with a smile while scrutinizing the atmosphere. In the depths of his narrowed eyes, however, the concern for the item’s danger was evident.

It was natural to worry.

If his claim of being a servant to the Count were true, he’d likely be tasked with transporting something that could involve outside individuals.

Conversely, if his title were a ruse, he would end up entangled in schemes perpetrated by those deceiving the Count.

Thus, it was only natural that Otto should be cautious.

And being turned down for such concerns wouldn’t do.

Hence, Subaru decided to openly discuss why he had hired them.

“What I’m transporting is… people.”

“People?”

“Yes. In other words, humans. There’s a little village near the Count’s mansion. It’s a small village that doesn’t even have a hundred villagers in total. I want to transport them.”

That was the reason Subaru had hired Otto and the others.

The dragon carriage that Subaru and Rem would ride was quite large and designed for heavy cargo, making it suitable to carry even multiple people at once. According to the storekeeper, the carriage could easily pull along a dozen or so people.

“Humans… you’re not suggesting you want to transport corpses or anything, are you? Because that would be rather unfortunate, and I’d have to decline.”

“…I want to ensure it doesn’t come to that, which is why I want you all along.”

With several dragon carriages, they could potentially evacuate all the villagers.

Initially, in his eagerness to reunite with Emilia before encountering Otto, Subaru had completely forgotten about the villagers’ escape routes.

If he had realized too late, worst case, he might have had to load the mansion staff and the village children onto the dragon carriages for a safe escape, making dangerous multiple trips.

In that sense, meeting Otto and the others here was a twist of fate, a rare coincidence that worked favorably for Subaru.

“Are you having doubts about what I said?” Subaru asked, noticing the skepticism in Otto’s furrowed brows, and after loosening his crossed arms, he prefaced with, “Actually…”

“We are planning a large-scale mountain hunt soon.”

“A mountain hunt?”

Otto perked up at an unexpected term. Subaru nodded affirmatively, adopting a solemn expression, and continued,

“That area has been home to magical beasts known as Juggernauts for ages. Until now, we’ve coexisted by putting up barriers, but recently, a Juggernaut crossed the barrier and wreaked havoc. It’s been quite a stir.”

“So that’s why you mentioned a mountain hunt? But…”

As Otto attempted to dig deeper with lingering concerns, Subaru silently rolled up his sleeve. Upon seeing this, Otto held back an exclamation of surprise.

What Otto saw was a clear mark of wounds left by fangs and claws on Subaru’s arm, along with several unhealable scars beneath his clothing.

“Thanks to the Count’s kindness, I was treated in the royal capital after nearly dying. Now that my treatment is concluded, I’m on my way back.”

“I see… so that’s why. But still, why does Natsuki-san have to arrange dragon carriages while the Count himself isn’t doing it?”

“The Count intends to clean up without moving the residents right away. But considering how my wounds look, the magical beasts might act unpredictably. So, I’d like to have some insurance. It’s not that I don’t trust my master.”

Apologetically averting his gaze, Otto muttered, “I apologize for prying into matters you may not want to discuss. I’ll manage an explanation for everyone without mentioning your injuries.”

With an expression of care, Otto looked back at Subaru’s face, somewhat distressed. He likely felt guilty for accidentally crossing a line regarding Subaru’s scars.

Such feelings seemed a little too sentimental for a merchant.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Feel free to relay it as is; it’s better than being suspiciously eyed.”

Sensing Otto’s inherently kind nature, Subaru felt a trifle guilty for being much more morally dubious in comparison.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

After about an hour passed since he began negotiating, Subaru left the campsite where the merchants had gathered.

They transferred their cargo into the four dragon carriages, leaving nine merchants accompanying Otto, who still carried oil, resulting in a total of ten companions. Including the dragon carriage that Subaru and Rem rode on, there were eleven—enough to potentially transport all the villagers.

Parting ways with the remaining group who would depart for the royal capital in the morning, Subaru and the ten dragon carriages set out on the highway in the dark of night.

Among the remaining merchants was Ketty, the frail merchant who had introduced Subaru to Otto, waving goodbye to him without a trace of familiarity.

“I estimate that we should reach Meiastars territory shortly after dawn.”

Otto, running beside the dragon carriage, called out, glancing over.

Even though he didn’t sound particularly loud, it seemed his voice carried enough thanks to the earth dragon’s wind protection abilities. If the wind and vibrations wouldn’t bother them, they could influence these circumstances as well.

Wrapping a sandproof cloth around his mouth helped Subaru’s breath, and he genuinely appreciated not needing to raise his voice. Nodding in acknowledgment, Subaru replied, “Sorry for skipping breaks.”

“No problem! I have no complaints! I’m getting rid of my excess stock, plus being offered great transport fees makes me feel invincible. There were times I ran for three days and nights straight!”

“You’ll likely collapse and end up napping as soon as the negotiation ends.”

“Eh!? Did you read my mind?!”

Subaru chuckled at how flustered Otto became upon having the punchline preemptively delivered. He then turned his gaze toward Rem, who held the reins.

Wrapped in the sandproof cloth Subaru had readjusted, Rem’s face was obscured as she stared straight ahead. Though Subaru had grown to sense her emotions even through her blank expression, in this instance, it was rather unpleasant.

Especially now that he was painfully curious about what she was thinking.

Then,

“—Subaru-kun.”

“…! Oh, yeah, what’s up, Rem? Is something wrong?”

Startled when she spoke out while he was secretly studying her profile, Subaru forced himself to exude an exaggerated calmness.

Hearing him, Rem softly shook her head, saying, “No. I thought it had gotten quiet, so I wondered if you were tired. It’s a bit bumpy and sandy, but if you feel sleepy, you can sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

“I’d like to say I will take you up on that, but I’m wide awake. Plus, it’d be too embarrassing to have Rem do all the work.”

“But, Subaru-kun, you’ve just recovered from an illness.”

Rem’s caring attitude left Subaru at a loss for words.

The softness of her words contradicted the firmness in her will. There was no way she would ever assign any burdensome task to Subaru while he was her companion in this dragon carriage.

Each time she treated him so gently, an indelible thorn pierced through Subaru’s heart.

With her honest sincerity and kindness, he wanted to understand her true feelings while being confused and torn away from that desire.

“Rem is…”

“Yes?”

Suddenly, an anxiety spilled out as he called her name.

It seemed she understood that he intended to convey something to her, immediately responding with anticipation for Subaru’s next words.

Intentionally stepping into the source of his own anxiety, he could easily retreat with a simple “It’s nothing.” Yet, knowing that Rem wouldn’t press further left him tormented with confusion.

Perhaps it was better to clarify completely here.

“Do you ever have doubts about what I’m doing? I haven’t explained anything to you. Not about the Witch Cult or the fact that I hired these merchants.”

Grinding his teeth, he suppressed the wavering voice fueled by his worries, forcing the question out. This was something he had longed to ask but had been terrified of doing.

Hearing his words, Rem closed her eyes for a moment before replying,

“I have received a message from Lord Roswaal. He instructed that in the royal capital, I should respect all of Subaru-kun’s decisions.”

Her answer revealed the icy mask of a servant beneath her emotional facade.

Upon hearing her words, Subaru’s face stiffened in shock.

It meant Roswaal ordered her to follow Subaru’s orders.

That implied that up until now, Rem’s compliance in standing by his side wasn’t driven by her own intentions.

No, even further, the fact that Rem was beside Subaru now…

“Subaru-kun?”

When Rem tilted her head toward him in concern due to his prolonged silence, Subaru found it increasingly hard to genuinely process the worry in her gaze.

The fact that she would express concern for him, support him when he teetered on the edge of collapse, stay by his side as he neared psychological breakdown, and advocate for him—as though genuine—was all driven by Roswaal’s orders.

More radically, Rem might not even genuinely acknowledge Subaru’s actions.

“——”

Feeling nausea rise, Subaru instinctively swallowed down the acid that crested in his belly. The suppressed urge to vomit was feeding a surge of fear that spread through his body like a bomb.

His limbs went numb, his vision blurred, and an unbearable itch tore at his mind. It was a raging impulse to shatter his skull and claw deep into his brain.

But the fingers that dug at his scalp would never pierce through. Instead, he could do nothing but grimace at the unease and endure the suffocating pressure upon his gut.

He didn’t want to think. He didn’t want to.

The more he thought, the more he remembered, the more he sought clarity, the further he drifted from what he longed for; his ideals twisted into dreams beyond reach, hope stained by despair and disappointment.

“Subaru-kun?”

He hated it. He was fed up.

He didn’t want to ponder. He didn’t want to doubt. He didn’t want to trust. He didn’t want to be betrayed.

Clutching his head, he blocked out all external stimuli as he sank within himself.

Rem called his name several times, but as Subaru maintained this posture, she likely thought he was trying to sleep, thus deciding to keep quiet and face forward.

At that moment, Subaru was truly alone.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“—Subaru-kun. I’m sorry, please wake up. Natsuki-kun.”

At the calling, there was a sensation that roused his consciousness.

Someone’s hand lightly touched his shoulder. Lifting his face, he rubbed his sleepy eyes to regain focus, finding the familiar face of a girl in the brightening light.

“Rem, huh? What’s up?”

As his awareness floated back from the subconscious, recognizing her made his chest ache dully, though it was bearable.

Struggling to suppress any discomfort that might show, Subaru awaited Rem’s response as she apologized for waking him.

“We should be arriving at the junction point of the highway soon. It’s a path that shouldn’t ever be mistaken if it’s bright, but now all we have is the crystal lantern for guidance.”

She pointed at the glowing crystal lantern attached beneath the thick neck of the steadfast earth dragon, which tirelessly kicked up the ground.

In a world without streetlights, night vision was reliant on the glow of Lagmaite ore, primitive torches, or the feeble moonlight for visibility.

While the night-adapted earth dragon could navigate perfectly well,

“Unfortunately, to me, it’s almost like I can barely see. Yes, they have a small one on the driver’s board, but it only illuminates close by.”

In the dragon carriage’s compartment, there was some provision for light but nothing strong enough to reach the driving platform. Nevertheless,

“So, that’s the reasoning behind not knowing the way?”

“No, before that, I wanted to check the map. There’s one among the cargo at your feet, so could you please pull it out?”

“At my feet? This?”

Searching through the darkness with his toes, Subaru pulled up something he found heavy against his shins.

Raising it to his knees, he rummaged through its contents but,

“Ugh… I can’t tell which one is the map. And even if I find it, I can’t see anything in this dark.”

“Please don’t underestimate my demon sight… though I must admit, I don’t have that much confidence in it either…”

Rem’s expression darkened as she became uncertain. Suddenly, something brilliant struck Subaru’s mind in the dark. Oh right,

“Wait a sec.”

Calling out to Rem, he dug out a small bag containing his personal items. Inside were towels and a pouch that Rem had given him for spending money. He rummaged through it feeling for something.

“Found it.”

In Subaru’s hand was a cold, hard sensation.

Though Rem tilted her head in confusion as it was taken out in the dark, Subaru opened it up, pressing the power button.

“I haven’t turned this on in a while; I hope the battery’s not dead… Oh!”

After a brief silence, the screen lit up with a ‘Booting’ effect. Exactly one second later, Subaru’s hands were illuminated brightly.

As the light dramatically brightened the scene, Rem raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Subaru-kun, what is that?”

“A lost piece of tech, or better yet, futuristic technology—a cellphone. It’s barely alive, but I’m relieved!”

After being revived for the first time since arriving in this world, the phone glimmered brightly, albeit its battery running low.

Among the items he brought from his original world, the cellphone was one. He had several other personal items as well, but likely, its practical use was incomparable to that of this phone. Although, limited to however long the battery lasted, of course.

“I turned it off earlier since I didn’t know when I’d need it, but I never expected it would come in handy as a light source.”

Thankful for the civilization’s technology, Subaru illuminated the contents of his bag. With light shining onto it, he quickly found the rolled-up map and handed it to Rem’s lap.

“I’ll keep it lit; please check the map.”

“Thank you very much.”

While illuminating Rem’s view to look down at the map, Subaru released a faint breath, relief flooding him.

It seemed as if he was managing to hide the trembling anxieties well.

“Natsuki-san, what’s that? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Otto, riding alongside on the left dragon carriage, leaned forward, intrigued by Subaru’s cellphone.

“You’ve never seen an exotic crystal lantern… wait, no, this isn’t crystal either. Actually, I’ve never seen this material before.”

Prompted by Otto’s excitement, another dragon carriage lagging behind caught up. The older person wearing a bandana extended their neck toward the cellphone as well, their child-like wonder bright in their eyes as they gazed at Subaru’s hand.

Normally, Subaru would have found their reaction amusing and tossed out a banter or two, but unfortunately, he had no leeway to do so now.

Shaking his head, he prefaced, “Sorry, but this is a secret tool given to me by the Count. If anyone learns the specifics, they might go missing. It’s best if you forget you ever saw it.”

“Wow, what kind of shady background reeked with money is this?”

Unfortunately, Subaru’s brief attempt at a diversion only fueled Otto’s interest further. Internally grinding his teeth, Subaru was interrupted by Rem responding, “Understood.”

She looked up from the map, pointing ahead.

“A bit further ahead is the Great Tree of Flugel. If we follow the road northeast from there, we should enter the Meiastars Territory.”

“The Great Tree of Flugel?”

Upon hearing a term he wasn’t familiar with, Subaru tilted his head. Otto, still feeling spirited, raised a finger and declared, “The Great Tree of Flugel is a massive tree that towers in the middle of the Leifaus Highway! Although it’s a bit much to say it pierces the clouds, it’s genuinely quite enormous. They say that several hundred years ago, a sage named Flugel planted it.”

“So that’s the Great Tree of Flugel. Do we know why it was planted or the background surrounding that?”

“Well, it’s a story from several hundred years ago. Plus, Flugel himself seems to be quite the enigma—other than planting the tree, not much is known about what he did.”

Subaru found himself questioning just what was so sage-like about that, though he kept his thoughts to himself.

Moments later while they continued on the road, Subaru gradually noticed, even in the dark, the massive tree standing tall against the night sky.

“I see… this is incredible.”

If he had to compare it to something from his original world, it would perhaps rival the massive trees featured in documentaries about ancient trees or ‘millennial’ specimens.

According to Otto, this tree was hundreds of years old, but differences in plant growth rates could explain the significant stature matching those old trees.

The trunk was so high that its apex was hidden from view. The branches stretching up toward the heavens were numerous, and the plentiful leaves piled up in abundance. Supporting the thick, substantial trunk were layers of roots that swirled like giant serpents across the ground.

While not concealed in a vast forest, this single massive tree rose alone amid the plains, making it an unmistakable landmark.

As Subaru remained awestruck by its immensity, Rem expertly maneuvered the reins to adjust the dragon carriage’s path slightly. It was now heading according to the map, northeast towards Meiastars Territory. While approaching and then moving away from the tree, it struck Subaru,

“If I had a battery left and felt brave, I would’ve taken a picture.”

Gazing at the single battery icon remaining on the screen, he stifled his regretful muttering. The lively Otto, peering in, interjected, “Wait, what is that?!”

“Nothing!” Subaru snapped back grumpily, lowering his wandering gaze back to the driver’s board.

Shifting his thoughts away from the tree, he suddenly realized something.

“Wait, where did that bandana-wearing guy next to us go?”

Peering around, he noticed the figure that had been there was now absent.

Had he fallen behind suddenly? Subaru peered back slightly, spotting the dragon carriage that had been trailing behind the bandana-clad person, only to find that space completely empty.

“Don’t tell me he got so dazzled by the tree that he wandered off?”

“What’s the issue, Natsuki-san? Are you looking for something?”

“I’m not looking for anything; I’m talking about your buddy—the one wearing the bandana who was just alongside us! Did he go climb trees like a child out of nostalgia?”

Irritated, Subaru pointedly rebuked Otto for his laxness.

However, Otto merely looked at him with a confused expression, tilting his head as if he didn’t grasp what he meant.

“What are you talking about, Natsuki-san? There was no one running on my side at all.”

―What?

Stunned and incapable of vocalizing his confusion, Subaru gawked.

Observing Subaru’s bewilderment, Otto showed no signs of joking. He responded honestly, puzzled by Subaru’s claim.

But that was incomprehensible to Subaru.

“What are you saying? A moment ago, you were intently peering at my cellphone. You looked like you were about to drool!”

“Ah, so it’s called a cellphone, huh? But with that revelation, is my safety guaranteed?”

“Cut the teasing!”

Subaru barked at Otto, who sought to take lightly his predicament, then glanced to his right. Yet that space remained achingly empty, devoid of anyone who should be there.

But he couldn’t have just vanished. Subaru remembered both his face and voice.

“——?”

While glaring into the empty space, a haze clouded his vision.

A murky, hazy sensation, as if fogged up before his eyes, made Subaru blink several times. Yet that unease wouldn’t dissipate.

The indistinct darkness continued to run alongside Subaru, feeling suddenly unnerving and elevating his trepidation.

So, Subaru flipped open the cellphone he had folded away, illuminating the right space.

Seeking the evidence of the person who should have been there, longing to uncover the nature of that inexplicable feeling that couldn’t be dismissed—

And in the light that poured forth—

“——Huh?”

Subaru’s eyes met with a massive eye floating in the darkness.

A roar echoed across, enshrouding the Leifaus Plains in mist.

―The Leifaus Plains were enveloped in mist.