To slay the White Whale――.

Once the preliminary negotiations were complete and the words of “subjugation” took on a tangible form, the subsequent movements of the involved parties were swift.

Russell and Anastasia, the two merchants, dashed through the capital, as promised, collecting every weapon and tool they could find, while Crusch also hastened to summon the preparations for the subjugation team and secure the dragon car for transportation.

Observing these actions, Subaru realized the reason why arrangements for the dragon car would become difficult post-three days in the previous world. News of the White Whale’s appearance had reached the Royal Capital, which meant Crusch would begin mobilizing her forces around that time.

Watching everyone bustle about in a dizzying blur, he found it impossible to remain still even though it was already late into the night.

“I too—”

“Isn’t there anything you can do, huh?”

Before Subaru could offer to help, his enthusiasm was doused by a certain individual. Felix, yawning and rubbing his eyes with tears welling up.

As Subaru glared at his feminine face with a frown, Felix twitched his brown cat ears and said,

“Arranging supplies and forming the subjugation team isn’t within Subaru-kun’s scope, right? It’s clear you’ll just cause a mess, so you should stay put, okay?”

“That’s not happening! It’s because I said I’d do something that everyone’s moving around like this. If I—”

“Yep, that’s where you’re wrong.”

Felix interrupted, pointing a finger at Subaru with a sharp tone. With his words cut off, Subaru squinted his eyes, and Felix flicked his nose with the same finger he had pointed.

“That mindset of yours being the cause? Felix-chan doesn’t really like that, you know?”

“Why not? It’s true…”

It’s not like Subaru was the one to set everyone in motion.

To think the one who got them all moving would just be happily waiting――,

“Crusch-sama decided to slay the White Whale for Wilhelm’s sake.”

Felix muttered suddenly in a small voice.

Subaru instinctively responded with, “Huh?”

“The hunt for the White Whale is Wilhelm-san’s lifelong wish. When the previous Sword Saint, Wilhelm’s wife, was killed by the White Whale, Wilhelm couldn’t be by her side.”

“The previous…?”

“He desperately gathered information on the White Whale. The locations it appeared in previously, and where it showed up afterward. He noted the time, weather, and all other conditions to finally grasp a faint semblance of a pattern. But no one paid heed to his words…”

Alone, Wilhelm immersed himself in books and literature, bloodshot eyes seeking vengeance on the beast that killed his wife. How many nights had that old swordsman endured in his quest for revenge?

―That obsession bore fruit, and Wilhelm gleaned a glimmer of hope in the White Whale’s movements.

“To challenge an opponent strong enough to obliterate a subjugation team including a Sword Saint, the Kingdom must have utterly lost its spirit. And even attempting to recruit other supporters yielded nothing. I think Wilhelm-san’s state of mind was quite desperate.”

Even if he wanted to avenge his wife, he couldn’t even reach the enemy’s feet.

Subaru knew that feeling of powerlessness that comes from the despair of one’s own weakness. The sin of weakness never lets one escape.

“It seems he even considered throwing everything away to battle the White Whale alone. I think he believed that being unable to fight was more shameful than losing. —Men are such fools. His wife likely didn’t wish for anything like that.”

“Indeed.”

The one who replied in agreement with Felix was Rem, who had been standing next to Subaru.

She had been silently listening to the conversation, and now she gently placed a hand on her heart after brushing her azure hair aside.

“I want the person I love to always be well. Even if Rem should disappear, I hope they will remember Rem with a smile.”

“…Talking about memories is a bit premature, don’t you think?”

Subaru couldn’t help but lightly poke Rem’s azure hair in response to her sentimental words. He then turned his clenched fist into an open palm, slowly running his fingers through her soft hair.

While receiving Subaru’s rough gesture, Rem narrowed her eyes affectionately.

“It was Crusch-sama who reached out to Wilhelm-san.”

“Crusch-sama, right?”

Felix let out an impressed sigh, reminiscing.

“Crusch-sama is truly a kind person. She would lend a hand even to a pitiful beast obeying orders without a Master. Just like back then—oh dear.”

Felix suddenly covered his mouth with a hand, sealing his words and sticking out his tongue, blushing with embarrassment.

“Yes, no more of that. What I want to say is that it’s all thanks to Subaru-kun.”

“My…?”

“We veered off topic, but that was the original discussion, right?”

The conversation had drifted to Wilhelm’s past, and now Subaru recalled the topic at hand was how the flurry of preparations for the White Whale’s subjugation came to be.

“Not ‘thanks’ but ‘it’s because’ you see? These two are now able to finally repay Wilhelm-san. To properly claim their family name…”

“Felix. You’re being a tad too loose-lipped.”

“Nyaa!?”

Startled by the voice from behind, Felix jumped, turning to face an old gentleman standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

He looked at Felix, who was shrinking back, with narrowed eyes.

“I don’t think speaking of others’ shameful pasts is a good pastime.”

“More like a past revelation, Felix-chan views it as an exposé of Wilhelm-san….”

Felix made a pouty face, stretching out his words as he tried to charm his way out. Although he looked adorable and his cat ears were tempting, he’s still a man.

Naturally, Wilhelm wouldn’t be swayed by those charms.

“In any case, speaking so freely without the person’s consent is not alright.”

“Yessir.”

Dismissed with no exception, Felix slumped his shoulders and scuttled away. As soon as he departed, silence fell within the room.

Having unintentionally overheard Wilhelm’s past left Subaru feeling incredibly awkward. He considered sharing his own embarrassing history to balance things out, but that felt too desperate and socially challenged, so he hesitated.

Consequently, the silence continued, and Subaru wracked his brain for a different topic――.

“I apologize for having made you listen to such an unpleasant story. It’s about a dull, meaningless time of an old man. Please forget it.”

But before he could finish, Wilhelm spoke up. Seeing the bitter smile faintly embellish his lips, Subaru resolved to respect his will.

Don’t ask anything, for that is the old man’s wish. Don’t ask anything.

“—You truly love your wife, don’t you?”

—Rem-san!?

Subaru was so startled that he mentally added a respectful honorific as he felt flustered. Just like that, Rem stepped into a minefield without a care.

Not caring about Subaru’s anxiousness, Wilhelm lifted an eyebrow, pausing for a moment.

“Yes, I do love my wife. More than anything, more than anyone, regardless of how much time passes.”

The weight of those words carried the years they had shared together.

Subaru had often heard Wilhelm’s talks about being a devoted husband before. Each time conveyed how much he cherished his family, but now, knowing the truth of his wife’s passing only deepened those sentiments.

“We still have tomorrow’s preparations, so I’ll take my leave. You both should also rest well tonight.”

Wilhelm turned his back to the two who fell silent as he made his way out.

“Tomorrow—we too shall join the fight.”

Subaru couldn’t help but call out to Wilhelm’s receding figure.

Upon stopping but not turning, Subaru continued.

“Tomorrow, both Rem and I will be involved.”

“That’s…”

“When an ally is up against a strong enemy, who could sit back and do nothing? Don’t worry; Rem can fight too… and I certainly have things I can do.”

Subaru quickly lined up words, preemptively blocking any negative response from Wilhelm.

“Let’s work together and smash that whale bastard! I’ll do everything I can!”

Giving a thumbs-up and flashing a bright smile, Subaru pledged to fight alongside Wilhelm.

He remained silent for a moment, but then Wilhelm responded, albeit with words of a different tone.

“My wife was a woman who loved flowers.”

Those words were not the kind of response to Subaru’s pledge but rather a reflection on something else.

“While she didn’t enjoy wielding a sword, she was more loved by swords than anyone else. She lived only for the sword and accepted that fate as well.”

Knowing the prowess of the current Sword Saint, Reinhardt, it was easy to understand the weight of that blessing.

So vast it was that it could limit the future and possibilities of those whom it was bestowed upon.

“I was the one who broke my wife’s sword and forced her to abandon her name of Sword Saint.”

Once, Wilhelm had remarked that he was a man of little talent.

Thus, he had dedicated his life to the sword until he reached this point.

How many times had this old man encountered failure in his pursuit of that longing? And then――,

“I took my wife as a woman who had cast aside the sword. That was my way of forgiving everything, allowing her to live as Tereshia, not as a Sword Saint. —Yet, the sword did not let her go.”

Why had the woman who had supposedly discarded her sword chosen to join the White Whale’s subjugation team?

However, Wilhelm’s reminiscence did not touch upon that point.

“Subaru-dono, thank you.”

With a single breath, he added.

“In tomorrow’s battle, I shall find the answer to my sword. At last, I can finally pay my respects at my wife’s grave. Finally, I’ll be able to visit my wife.”

With that, Wilhelm exited the room for real this time.

Left behind, Subaru held a kind of respect for Wilhelm’s resolve as a fellow man.

People can be so sincere, devoted to love.

“Subaru-kun is…”

In the quiet room, Rem’s voice came forth unexpectedly.

Turning his gaze toward her in silence, Subaru found their eyes locking, both gazing up at him.

“If Rem were to disappear, would you remember me just as long?”

“…I’d rather not answer something so ominous.”

Responding in a sullen tone, Subaru lightly tapped Rem’s forehead with his finger.

She placed her hand on the spot he tapped, smiling blissfully as if she had received the answer she sought.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

The next morning, time till the White Whale subjugation was running out—seventeen and a half hours.

“I’m counting on you today, big bro!!”

The cheerful voice resounded loudly in the garden of Crusch’s mansion, still chilly from the early morning.

The voice echoed throughout the spacious estate.

Subaru found it hard to bear, being shouted at from such close range. He pressed his hands to his ears, grimacing dramatically while shooting a glare.

“I’ve heard from the young lady! We’ll be joining you for whale hunting today, so please take good care of us!!”

“Your voice is too loud!! Can’t you see my actions aren’t getting through those beady little eyes of yours!?”

The booming voice enveloped him like a raging wind, causing Subaru to instinctively raise his voice in objection. The wolf-faced beastman, however, just smiled broadly, not bothered at all.

Covered in reddish-brown fur, his stocky body was built like a tank, and the dark, burnt brown hair on his head was styled in what appeared to be a mohawk. Though his gaze was sharp and his mouth was filled with vicious-looking canine teeth, the expression of pure joy on his face made him appear quite endearing.

Yet, standing over two meters tall, his muscular build draped in black leather clothing gave the impression of raw, primal power reconciled with civilization.

Dubbed a Kobold, he certainly defied Subaru’s petite image of the small humanoid creatures standing upright with dog faces.

“That won’t do, Natsuki-kun. Ricardo has ears that don’t tend to hear the inconvenient things. The trick to getting along with him is to talk while keeping your distance.”

“Why the hell are you standing so far away yourself if you introduced him to me!? My hairstyle that I set just got messier! Not that it was long enough to set in the first place!”

Subaru screamed as he smoothed down his short hair while complaining to Anastasia, who was barely suppressing laughter from a distance.

The beastman, Ricardo, poked Subaru’s shoulder with his gigantic palm.

“What are you saying to the young lady, brother! She’s my boss, so be a bit kinder to her! By the way, I’m usually incapable of talking to people without cash, so I’m starving for regular friends. In hindsight, I’m pretty easy to handle right now!”

“Ricardo. You shouldn’t say bad things since you aren’t good at keeping secrets.”

“That’s not bad-mouthing!! I’m just worried about the young lady! Coming from Kararagi, you don’t have many acquaintances, and that can be lonely, right!? So here! Voila! Your friend No. 1 is here!!”

“Don’t chit-chat while putting someone in the middle! And stop shaking my head around! I might lose my neck!”

Subaru dodged out of Ricardo’s range, being swung around like a ragdoll with astonishing strength.

As he tumbled away from Ricardo, he twisted his neck back into position.

“That was perilous! I don’t want to be injured right before the final battle; it’d be embarrassing. Even with all this pumped-up enthusiasm, I can’t accept ending with such an anticlimax! …”

“You’re an eccentric brother, huh. Just saying you want to get along is all.”

“Getting along involves boundaries! I’m bad with people who have stronger personalities than mine!”

While shaking his head back and forth, Subaru kept using the circular motion to maintain distance from Ricardo as he glowered at him.

The two maintained a staring contest without closing the space between them. Watching the strange interaction from outside the circle was Anastasia, who was enjoying an absurd situation.

At that moment, Crusch Karsten, the green-haired beauty, descended into the garden.

She was not in her usual formal attire but rather donned lightweight armor with minimal embellishments. Although it seemed to lack defense, it prioritized mobility.

“The combat clothing is better for ease of movement. Rest assured, this armor is engraved with the Earth’s blessing. Provided my mana does not run out, it will display toughness beyond mere appearance.”

“This world really does cheat with magic and blessings, huh… I wonder if I, too, might awaken to some blessing one day.”

“No matter how long you slumber, you won’t forget how to breathe, right? The blessing is a similar thing for those who have one. If you remain unaware, then perhaps it’s best to give up.”

Having faced a similar denial long ago, Subaru pouted and clicked his tongue, casting aside his wishes.

Glancing sideways at Subaru’s childish response, Crusch gazed up at Ricardo, who was scratching his head.

“I see. I’ve heard about you, but you’re even more impressive than the rumors say. You’re Anastasia Hoshin’s….”

“I’m just an employee. Crusch is the one who’s truly remarkable here…”

With arms crossed, Ricardo looked up at Crusch. He snorted and chuckled.

“What a sturdy one. This royal selection is going to be quite the hard challenge for you, isn’t it, young lady!!”

“That’s why I’m here selling my favors. The amount on the price tag depends on Ricardo’s performance.”

Anastasia shrugged, and Ricardo erupted in laughter.

Subaru worried that Ricardo’s brashness might annoy Crusch, yet the lady showed no signs of taking offense.

She glanced at Subaru before asking,

“Did you manage to rest well last night?”

“Thanks to you all, I did. Though with everyone bustling about, my sleep was a bit uncomfortable.”

“That’s the right division of labor then. You have already fulfilled your role when I gathered you, Russell, and Felix to conclude the hunt for the White Whale last night. Yet, it appears you have no intention of stopping there.”

Crusch turned and looked straight at Subaru.

Feeling uneasy under her sharp gaze, Subaru shrank slightly.

“You said you’ll be participating in the battle… but can you fight?”

“I can’t really fight. If you’re counting on me as strength, then that’s desperate indeed—unless you mean for me to use a dog’s help, which, despite its size, is big.”

“Were you talking about me just now!?”

“I wasn’t! You really possess some convenient ears, huh!?”

Subaru shouted back at Ricardo, who had barged and interrupted.

Once he calmed down, he scratched his forehead and prefaced his words.

“But, against the White Whale, this human can actually be somewhat useful… I think.”

“Tell me. What’s your reasoning?”

“Honestly, I don’t want to believe it myself… but I might emit a scent that attracts magical beasts.”

Subaru explained his plan for joining the battle while subtly altering the nuances of his words.

The lingering scent of a witch on Subaru—how that had come to be imbued in his body was uncertain, but much like with the Juggernaut, it was reasonable to expect it might once again act as bait for the White Whale.

The issue was that the White Whale was several dozen times more threatening than the Juggernaut, and Subaru alone could neither avoid its approach nor counteract it.

“So, I was thinking of riding on a fast dragon car and zipping past the White Whale’s snout to distract it… It seems like a way to remain safe while being effective.”

Honestly, he felt dubious about suggesting such a plan.

“I wouldn’t expect much as a fighting force, but if I can serve as bait, that would be a good use. It’s a grim prospect even a suicidal person would shy away from.”

“Surprisingly, there’s no hint of a lie in your words.”

Crusch, with her hand resting on her chin, looked on with suspicion as her shoulder tension eased. The “Guidance of the Wind” must have revealed the truth behind Subaru’s statement and led her to consider the strategy’s viability.

Nodding to herself, she added,

“Then, I shall let you ride on a fast Earth Dragon. Since you and Rem can share the ride, transport won’t be an issue. However, you’ll mainly have to follow my commands.”

“Ah, so Crusch-san is also going to the battlefield.”

“Do you think I can settle down in a chair waiting for good news back in the mansion?”

As she flicked the armor’s metal fittings with her fingers, Crusch wore a dignified expression adorned with a spirited smile.

Subaru shook his head, apologizing for asking something so obvious.

“—It’s about time.”

Accepting Subaru’s gratitude, Crusch closed one eye and murmured.

Like an ignition, her words sparked the arrival of various related individuals in the garden.

Leading the charge was Wilhelm, now suited in battle attire.

The lightly armored old swordsman wore the minimal gear required to protect his vital areas and wielded six slender swords fastened at his waist.

Following closely was Felix, dressed in what appeared to be feminine but curvaceously designed knight armor, equipped merely with a dagger at his side. He had accepted his role in providing back support.

Then came Russell with his muted blonde hair. Despite showing signs of weariness from a night of no sleep, his lively eyes shone with determination.

Having already arrived ahead of these two, Anastasia and Russell began sharing some exchanges while Ricardo grinned widely with a feral expression.

As key personnel began assembling, Subaru noticed numerous seasoned warriors whose names he did not know. They were likely members of the subjugation team organized by Crusch. With only about ten prominent figures summoned here, the numbers felt rather small.

“They seem like a group lacking in youth.”

Subaru casually muttered his impression aloud.

Before him, the assembled subjugation team lined up behind Wilhelm, yet their average age seemed substantially higher. Wilhelm himself was certainly past sixty, while the knights following him likely weren’t below fifty.

Though he had personally witnessed Wilhelm’s strength, he wondered how the others would measure up.

“Everyone here has some connection to the White Whale.”

“Rem?”

“Yes. The Rem belonging to Subaru-kun.”

As she spoke, Rem returned by his side as if appearing from nowhere. She remained expressionless, her maid outfit unchanged despite their march into battle. When Subaru pointed this out during the morning meet-up, she answered,

“This serving outfit was made by Roswaal-sama and functions as combat gear with protective blessings. So there’s no need for concern.”

It covered a wide range of purposes: formal wear, cooking wear, miscellaneous duties, leisure attire, and combat gear. Yet, with only maid uniforms available to choose from, it was evident the man had some odd preferences.

Regardless,

“By having a connection to the White Whale… you mean previous members of the subjugation teams or something in that vein?”

“It seems many are retired, but they gathered in response to Wilhelm-sama’s call. Their skill level and morale feel more than sufficient.”

“So they’re all old soldiers burning with an urge for revenge, huh… Sounds fantastic.”

While Subaru was glad about the presence of those with past ties to the White Whale joining the current subjugation effort, it brought to mind what Felix had mentioned last night regarding Crusch’s “kindness.”

If that compromised the operation, it would defeat its purpose, but she was not likely the sort to make such allowances. Wilhelm’s obsession likely wouldn’t permit just anyone to join the battlefield willy-nilly.

There might even be occasions when unnecessary burdens might be filtered out before they reached the battlefield.

“Thinking about it, that position is precisely where I stand this time…!”

“While Crusch-sama’s subjugation team may comprise such individuals… the others…”

Ignoring him, Rem directed her gaze towards the opposing side of the seasoned warriors. A group clustered at the edge of the garden emanated an air that felt distinctly separate from their surroundings.

Following Rem’s line of sight, Subaru took notice of the group and sighed in realization.

“Anastasia’s private soldiers… they’re said to be hired mercenaries. They seem to be from Kararagi, and their way of speaking is peculiar, not to mention their appearances.”

“They certainly do appear unique. But is that the case?”

While the Kansai dialect was something he’d probably get used to, he had yet to acclimatize himself to their intriguing appearance.

The mercenary group led by Anastasia was entirely made up of anthropomorphic creatures—beastmen.

They stood roughly thirty strong, starting with the notably strong Ricardo and descending to a bear-like beastman covered in fluffy white fur, who was only about the height of Subaru’s waist. From his holding of a staff, it appeared he specialized in magic rather than direct combat.

With all of them organized in front of Subaru, they provided an excellent injection of fantasy elements into his otherworldly experience.

“Since Anastasia can’t fight herself, they seem to be lending their strength for gold. Ricardo seems to be lurking around my surroundings, so do try not to get into any altercations.”

“If they don’t do any harm to Subaru-kun, Rem has no intention of creating a fuss either. Oh dear, Subaru-kun, your hair has gotten messy after all I arranged for you.”

“Ah, that was because that Ricardo brat messed it all up just now!”

“Let’s just knock him out!”

“That’s a bit too quick to the conclusion!?”

While Subaru’s hairstyle wasn’t even that messy, it was becoming a point of contention, and he quickly stopped Rem.

Then, he suddenly checked the time—departure time was fast approaching.

“Before that,”

The air in the garden turned tense as the assembled subjugation team followed suit, straightening their postures. Crusch stepped forward, ushering in the atmosphere for the pre-departure address.

Navigating through the crowd, Subaru approached the two merchants engaged in a conversation alongside Rem.

“You two, merchants—if you’re the kind who’ll at least lend an ear if the payment’s good, I’ve got some details to talk about.”

With that, Subaru decided to lay the groundwork before the hunt for the White Whale.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“—Four hundred years.”

Upon the designated time, that phrase signified the commencement of the gathered warriors.

A heavy echo, a taut atmosphere. Crusch stood proudly before all, garnering their attention, spine erect as if pain shot through her back.

With the eminent crest of the Karsten family etched on the treasured sword, Crusch thrust it into the ground, placing her hand on the pommel. In a single breath, she surveyed the faces before her.

“The worst calamity to besiege the world: the rampancy of the ‘Witch of Envy.’ The White Whale birthed by that witch has turned the world into its hunting ground, trampling the weak as if it owned them, and so such days have passed.”

The Witch of Envy had once devastated half the world’s lands, instilling an enduring terror even now.

The Mist Beast, a servant to that witch, continued to revel in freedom even after its master had fallen. A true monster, birthing countless sacrifices while swallowing the fighting spirit of the many.

“The number of lives lost to the White Whale is countless. Given the sinister nature of its fog, it would be accurate to say that no one knows the precise number of victims. After four hundred years, the count of engraved tombstones and those who leave no mark continues to grow.”

Crusch’s words brought down the heads of elderly warriors, who gritted their teeth to stifle their sobs. Clenched fists bore the nail marks of the memories being harbored.

A quiet burning rage filled their hearts, old swordsmen who had awaited patiently for a moment to unleash that wrath accumulated over countless years.

The accumulated grievances and resentments grew heavy, surrounding the garden air in a dark gloom. —Yet,

“However, those days of lamentation shall end today.”

“———”

“We shall be the ones to end it. To slay the White Whale and bring closure to all that sorrow. To finally grant those who never reached sorrow the true opportunity to cry.”

“———!”

“Let us bring an end to the pitiful beast, now devoid of its master, obeying an endless command.”

A heat surged within Subaru’s chest.

Without saying a word, he realized that everyone else harbored similar feelings in their hearts.

The old warrior who had been gazing down, the old soldier who had clenched his fists, and the old swordsman who had been keeping his eyes shut—all opened their eyes wide, gazing levelly at Crusch standing before them.

Receiving the thermal weight of those gazes, Crusch thrust her hand out forward, raising her voice even louder.

“We march out! —To Leafaus Highway, to the Great Tree of Flugel!”

“——Oh!!”

Voices responded in unison, creating a thunderous sound that reverberated through the garden, as if shaking the ground.

Swept along by the surge of battle fervor, Subaru shouted alongside them.

Amidst this crowd, Crusch held her drawn sword high, directly pointing it toward the sky.

“Tonight, with our own hands—let us slay the White Whale!!”

The battle to subjugate the White Whale—the greatest operation since his summoning to another world now began.