Subaru felt the unpleasant sweat trickling down his forehead.

How many times had he already walked alone through this dark forest? If he counted the times he was chased by Urgalm or chased after Rem at dusk, running through the exposed mountains was almost second nature by now.

However, each of those situations was always urgent, and there were no memories of calmly traversing the wilderness. The sensation of stepping on the grass from those days still felt terrible, and now, with his hatred for the person he was supposed to meet, that feeling could only lean further into the negative.

Breathing in, breathing out, Subaru tried to control his racing heartbeat, but the chill of the sweat reminded him of the impending malice waiting for him.

He wanted to calm his mind. He wanted to become a person with a heart of steel.

He wanted a strong, resilient spirit that wouldn’t be shaken by any passion, nor be daunted by any malice.

If he could do that, if he were so, then Subaru believed he could have handled many things better without hurting various people.

Why was he, weak and fragile, standing here? Why was it him?

Doubt began to gnaw at Subaru’s heart. Before the impending disaster, his trembling knees sought to hold him back physically.

Even if it’s not me, it could be someone else, that feeling loomed. But,

“You said I was ‘the one’.”

For now, Subaru stood supported only by that phrase.

He motivated his trembling knees, urged his faltering spirit, and turned his face forward.

Wiping his sweat and gritting his teeth, the destination loomed right ahead.

“——–”

The shadows surrounding Subaru bowed humbly as if showing respect. The previous Subaru had strongly loathed being treated as an authority by these beings.

But now, it was different. He smirked at the respect from those abominable beings, thinking that they had brought him to this point.

“I’d say this is the ninth time I’m saying this in this forest, but get lost. Go back to your nest and don’t show your faces around here for a while. I have an important discussion with ‘Sloth’ up ahead.”

“——–”

As Subaru waved his arm, the black-robed figures dissolved into the darkness. They remained the same unknowable presence as ever.

Compared to Petelgeuse, their threat level was lower, but it could be argued that their unknown nature made them all the more eerie.

Leaving those thoughts behind, Subaru pressed forward through the path created by the disappeared black robes.

Jumping over slippery moss, stepping over twisted roots, when his sight suddenly cleared, there lay ahead a towering cliff that obstructed the path.

And facing him at that cliff was a malignity waiting to greet him.

“I’ve been waiting for you, beloved disciple–”

With arms spread wide and joy painted on his face, there stood Petelgeuse, displaying a welcoming demeanor. This phrase, familiar to Subaru, was now being said for the third time. The unchanged nature of it conveyed that he was pouring his true feelings into those words.

“I am the Archbishop of Sin ‘Sloth,’ Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti…!”

Despite his annoyance, Subaru barely managed to suppress an urge to interrupt the introduction, knowing fully who this person was.

Having resolved to meet him calmly and solemnly, Petelgeuse’s deranged antics grated on Subaru’s nerves, making him feel utterly irked.

Breathing out, breathing in, Subaru reawakened the weight on his shoulders. Doing so allowed him to regain a semblance of calm, and he forced a smile at the corner of his mouth.

“Thanks for the warm welcome. To be personally greeted by the Archbishop of Sin is quite the honor… I don’t even think I’m worth that much myself.”

“No need to be humble! The sheer love radiating from you cannot be hidden, nor can you claim to be unaware of it, can you? The affection that envelops you is already comparable to a high-ranking Sin Archbishop!”

As Subaru spoke, Petelgeuse swung his arms, fervently pressing his points while stamping the ground.

His crazed, shining eyes glimmered fiercely, and his tongue flicked out in a manner that seemed to lick Subaru from head to toe.

“When I sensed it, I thought it was unbelievable, but really… you are ‘Pride’ aren’t you?”

“When you say ‘Pride,’ I’m not really sure what you mean. Could you give me more details? Like about the Archbishop of Sin or the ‘Trials’ for instance?”

The mention of ‘Pride’ and Subaru’s being suspected of it was something that had occurred on several occasions during his previous loops. Taking the opportunity, he sought to pry more information about the ‘Trials’ that Petelgeuse had frequently spoken of.

The Trials, put simply, were likely the blueprint for the current assault plans. If this information were revealed, it would be easier to prepare a countermeasure, and if Petelgeuse became enraged at this insinuation – it might be a little premature, but he could simply raise the banner for battle.

On Subaru’s words, laden with a tinge of resolve, Petelgeuse looked cheerful instead of angry.

“That’s fine! The information about the blockade spreading is likely still a matter of time. Likewise, the beginning of the ‘Trials’—there’s still plenty of time!”

“Oh really… a blockade on the streets, huh?”

Far from enraged, Petelgeuse seemed to be feeling positively towards Subaru’s seemingly cooperative attitude as he clapped his hands and moved closer.

Feeling the chill of sweat on his back as the madman approached, Subaru maintained his relaxed demeanor and tilted his head.

“So, with this blockade, is there some kind of trick involved?”

“It’s the ‘Fog.’ I feel that is explanation enough, don’t you think?”

“I see. That’s sufficient.”

Subaru replied shortly to the succinct answer.

And with that exchange, he could confirm that, at the very least, Petelgeuse and his party were still unaware that the White Whale had been defeated.

Petelgeuse’s connection with the Witch Cult—as that involved ‘Gluttony’—was something he did know, but their coordination was still something unknown, which this now elucidated.

If they thought the blockade was happening through the fog—there was very little chance other Witch Cultists were stationed along the route. This made it feasible to facilitate Emilia and the others’ escape across the blockade.

“But to block the streets with fog and carry out the ‘Trials’ without interference—what a troublesome tactic you’ve chosen, Mr. Petelgeuse.”

“The Trials are sacred and inviolable! Regardless of the hardships, to approach without clearing all obstacles is to be insincere to love! Yes! To love! Directed love! Given love! We must respond to it!”

“Ah, crap, I flipped the switch.”

It seemed that Subaru, by mentioning something carelessly, had inadvertently turned Petelgeuse’s ‘love’ switch on.

Shifting away, looking skyward, Petelgeuse, wide-eyed and howling, was no longer hearing Subaru’s voice. Completely oblivious, he reached out with arms to the heavens, as if something invisible existed there, while tears streamed down his face amidst his mania.

“All is devotion to love! The very existence is an offense against the silver half-demon, and one must understand the sin of bearing it! The Trial of whether one can still walk! Are you worthy to be diligent and not lazy! That path! I shall prove this with my own hands, my own body, with my love—!!”

“Worthy? Proving…?”

“Yes! The Trials exist for that reason! Therefore, you must be tested, you must be questioned! To see if you are worthy of bearing the Witch Factor—!”

As he rummaged through his garment, Petelgeuse produced a book bound in black.

He lovingly flipped through the pages he held, caressing the text on every word smothered rich with lettering—a madman.

“My role as inscribed in the Gospel, a testament of the love I must enact! If you are ‘Pride,’ then you must understand my surging emotions! The convergence of the great Sin Archbishops is a phenomenon not seen in four hundred years!”

“Wait! The Witch Factor and ‘Pride’—there’s still aThings I’m not that clear on…”

“The Gospel! I seek the Gospel to be presented! I wish to engrave the love bestowed upon you in my eyes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes—!!”

Petelgeuse closed in, pressing his face nearly against Subaru, his foul breath reaching Subaru, the slithering tongue grazing close enough he could recoil from disgust.

With an expression that seemed to say, “How dare you react that way?” Petelgeuse pursued Subaru’s retreat, twisting his neck at a bizarre angle.

“The presentation of the Gospel—”

In a calm voice, with frenzied eyes, he spoke. At this rate, Subaru concluded that was enough.

There were still countless things he wanted to know, and what he had gleaned hadn’t been clear-cut either. But right here, it would be impossible to extract more. So,

“Ah, just wait.”

He reached into his pocket to respond to Petelgeuse’s demand.

Instead of producing the Gospel, he sought to display something that made clear his affiliation—his answer that represented who he was.

“This is—my answer!”

Shouting, he raised his arm straight above—momentarily, the glowing magic crystal emitted an overwhelming white light that could be seen from any part of the forest.

Petelgeuse, shielding his eyes from the blinding light, seemingly judged Subaru an enemy immediately.

“Though veiled in love… what utter disrespect—!!”

With an enraged expression, Petelgeuse glared at Subaru, and his shadow exploded, rising like a hand of slaughter.

The deadly hand rushed straight for Subaru’s neck; lowering his stature, Subaru leapt sideways, narrowly escaping its deadly fingers.

“Mr. Wilhelm! Twins!!”

At Subaru’s call, Mimi and Tibby, who had been silently following him from behind, jumped out of the forest.

The siblings leapt simultaneously, kicking off a tree, flipping through the air as they soared over Petelgeuse with their small frames—the cliff’s edge just ahead—mouths opened, unleashing a roar.

“Wah—!”

“Ha—!!”

The resonance wave lifted the earth, the rock wall crumbling with loud sounds as they were consumed. With the second burial in place successful, Petelgeuse blinked in shock at the resulting devastation. In his exposed state, from behind came—

“Turning your back on the enemy—!”

With a low stance, Wilhelm dashed through.

Realizing this mad old swordsman was closing in, Petelgeuse turned around, yet—

He was far too slow.

Rather than pointing his palm at the charging swordsman, the swing of the drawn blade was far quicker.

The blade slashed with a dull sound, severing Petelgeuse’s right arm midway through the bicep. As time froze at the vivid injury, the blade didn’t stop, instead flashing the sword through the air and hitting the back of Petelgeuse’s head.

“—Guh!”

The sharp impact sent Petelgeuse’s eyes briefly losing focus, as he dropped to his knees without resistance. At the same time, a torrent of blood spurted from the wound left by the severed arm.

Stunned, Subaru observed as the crimson seeped into the earth. With a hurry, he rushed over to Petelgeuse, pulling out a towel from his pocket as he sought to prevent death from blood loss.

“Subaru-dono! It’s still dangerous!”

“Dangerous? But… whoa!?”

Wilhelm’s sharp voice halted Subaru, and he turned to look as Petelgeuse began to rise again.

The madman shook his body, still keeping his eyes wide open, foam spilling from the corners of his mouth.

“My… response from my fingertips has… ceased… what have you done…?”

Even as he spilled fatal amounts of blood, Petelgeuse still ignored the ticking clock of his life, letting his bloodstained tongue hang loose, acting out his madness.

It seemed he endured the loss of consciousness by retching in pain akin to biting off his own tongue. The mentality that would allow such self-harm made this possible, but right now, this situation was extremely problematic.

“Mr. Wilhelm! If he dies, it’s bad! Knock him out and tie him up!”

“I am not proficient in lethal yet I will comply!”

The swordsman complied, shaking his body up and down, leaping forward in an unusual manner.

Petelgeuse, still with unfocused eyes, directed his face toward Wilhelm, stretching out the encroaching shadowy demon hand toward the old swordsman. But—

“He’s rattled… the damage is surely affecting his mind!”

The number of hands against the madness grew to twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen—progressively increasing, but those aimed toward Wilhelm appeared to lack some coherence.

Waving, twitching, undulating with purposeless movement, they had no chance of catching up to the wind-like motions of Wilhelm.

And more importantly, Wilhelm’s bewildering footwork wasn’t permitting it.

“Seriously!?”

The swaying figure of Wilhelm blurred slightly, and in the next moment, two identical figures of the old swordsman appeared. One propelled from above as the other went low, aiming to snatch their footing—such a technique confused even Petelgeuse, stuttering in his words.

“For a pitiful fool who knows nothing of devotion—!”

“I don’t know anything of the love you speak of. I’m too busy loving a single woman—!”

With a retort that surpassed that, an immense pressure of sword energy clashed against Petelgeuse, his pale face revealing the projection of invisible hands soaring as he crazily waved.

Whether rage surpassed damage or not, he chased each of the divided figures of Wilhelm unhesitatingly, eager to tear the old body apart.

“I’ve got you—!”

“Apologies, but—”

However, that sparkling smile of Petelgeuse turned upside down as the grasp upon his fingertip vanished.

The homage of Wilhelm that was to attack from above and below disappeared— and the figure of the old swordsman, running straight on earth, formed right before the madman’s eyes.

“No way…!”

“I hope you enjoyed the intricacies of sword energy, footwork, and intent—!”

The sword, twisting and roaring, collided with Petelgeuse’s left temple.

The sound of steel striking flesh resonated, and blood emitted from the cracked forehead only for a moment. Yet, after bearing that strike, Petelgeuse still retained consciousness, moving his neck while feeling the blade’s coldness across his cheek.

“The sharpness of your blade is quite extraordinary… it appears you are indeed diligent… huh!?”

“Sorry, but—”

Petelgeuse, now attempting to touch the blade against his cheek, was instead pierced through by the sheath of Wilhelm’s treasured sword.

“This is a borrowed possession from my lord. I simply cannot return it sullied by the saliva of a scoundrel.”

“N-no… d-d-d-d-death—!”

Waving both hands, he lightly slid the treasured sword back into its sheath, and, with fluid movements, Wilhelm returned it to his waist.

In the moments when he turned to watch Subaru with a gentle smile, he bent his waist.

“As per your request, Archbishop of Sin—I have captured him alive.”

The old swordsman transformed into an elderly gentleman, and the unconscious madman finally fell to the ground.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“He’s lost consciousness, right? For sure? Is it safe to approach? Well, we need to administer first aid quickly to avoid any problems if he dies.”

“It’s not like I’d care if this person died, you know, big bro.”

“Didn’t I explain that it’d become troublesome if he does die, sis? For now, I just stopped the bleeding,” Subaru said, somewhat irritated.

Near the motionless Petelgeuse, the anxious Subaru was pointed out and laughed at by Mimi. Leaving the pair behind, Tibby moved promptly, wrapping cloth around Petelgeuse’s arm, tending to the wounds.

Meanwhile, Wilhelm glanced back toward the collapsed cave and gestured toward Subaru, who was awaiting his return.

“From what I see, he’s completely buried. It doesn’t seem like there’s another exit in the cave, so we can safely assume the Witch Cultists inside are obliterated.”

“Yeah… It’s not really a celebratory report, is it?”

“Why not?”

Even though they were rivals, human life and death were involved.

Even while they were adversaries, Subaru wasn’t so weary of life to be able to celebrate outright over a conflict in which folk perished. This revelation bewildered Mimi, who, despite her enchanting visage, exhibited an attitude that followed her harsh notions of life and death.

“If you think about how hard it is to destroy an enemy, it’ll never end. Beat the enemy, save everyone. Get paid and sleep on a comfy bed. Rather than dwelling on complexities, I think we should follow that way instead.”

“Simple and solid… Well, I suppose I’m the only one being naïve about this. I’m not trying to debate that. More importantly…”

Subaru shifted his gaze toward the woods, pondering the team members who were supposed to gather at the signal. Since they were almost following the prior pattern, each group should have succeeded in their ambush.

However, in comparison to the previous attempt, this time they had two more locations to assault. Additionally, since some had gone ahead toward the village, the strength was slightly reduced across the board.

He repositioned Ricardo elsewhere and did his utmost to ensure the unit that had struggled last time didn’t face reductions, hoping no blunders were made.

“And, most importantly, we’ve got Petelgeuse covered on our end.”

He kicked at Petelgeuse, who seemed drained of blood, his breathing shallow.

The relaxed state of his body, compounded by this lankiness, looked more like a sick person without the manic essence that filled him when alert. The black robe was now soaked with his own blood, making him look even closer to a corpse.

“So, what do we do with him? Should we leave a lookout and abandon him here?”

“That’s tough. We cannot overlook the aspect of him waking up and escaping with his ‘Invisible Hands’ or we might be unable to handle him if we separate from him… It seems we have no choice but to haul him around for now.”

“…’Invisible Hands,’ huh? I may be late to say this, but it’s ridiculous to discuss the Witch Cult’s uncanny ways, but that method is eerie.”

“It feels different from curses or other things of that nature. By the standards of my common sense, it’s closer to some psychic power. One could say ‘Invisible Hands’ might be a variant of telekinesis.”

Following the will of the sorcerer, invisible hands do their bidding.

It is precisely this that would also map to telekinesis if one were to align it with modern world knowledge. Though Subaru was perceptible of it, it seemed fundamentally different from a pure classification.

“Regardless, there are no means to prevent it. Even with both hands bound, it won’t matter against ‘Invisible Hands.’ Speaking of which, how do you capture a wizard?”

“If the enemy is a spellcaster, simply silencing their mouth will suffice. However, against an elemental mage, it’s tricky since the elementals can manipulate mana.”

“I see. Certainly, based on what I heard, Pack doesn’t seem like the type to sit still if Emilia-tan were captured.”

After having felt that true form, his views of the small cat with grey fur greatly changed.

Regardless of how Pack behaved at times, his sentiments were entirely geared toward Emilia. It would be easy for him to discard everyone else if that situation arose.

Even now, Subaru had no confidence that he could exchange words about the peaceful times he once shared with that carefree spirit. He didn’t wish to believe he was changed.

“In the meantime, what are you doing, little one?”

“I’m not little, I’m Tibby! Yes, I’m just checking over supplies a bit.”

Tibby, having finished tending to the wounds, as he rummaged through Petelgeuse’s belongings, presented black-clad items that held unexpected depth.

“Rations and Lagmite Stones. Oh, well, he’s even got a wallet.”

“What an unexpectedly mundane array of items. Furthermore, it’s rather rude if you are a mercenary.”

“I’m proud of being the thinker among my group, but at my core, I’m also a mercenary. I could take the spoils of the defeated… what’s this?”

As he posited and reflected on the grueling realities they faced, the head tipped with curiosity at what Tibby had in hand: a book bound in black. Subaru recognized it and involuntarily exclaimed, “Ah!”

“That’s the book… the ‘Gospel’ or something that Petelgeuse calls it.”

“—! Is this the Gospel?! Oh no, I touched it!?”

Tibby immediately screamed in rejection at Subaru’s words.

He seemed to feel some warmth emanating from the Gospel he held, tossing it away he threw it to the ground, kicking dirt over it as if charitably distancing himself from it.

It was precisely like a frazzled kitten in panic.

“Treat books with care… as a book lover, it’s slightly disheartening. Although they may be light novels.”

Reflecting on the numerous stories he read, Subaru picked up the fallen book and brushed off the dirt. However, Tibby shook his head vigorously.

“I think you should throw it away immediately. The Gospel is like an entry pass for the Witch Cult. Being in contact could make your mind go crazy!”

“I don’t think a simple book alone has the power to make my sanity go haywire. My mental damage tolerance has increased dramatically over the past few days. While I can’t read the contents…”

Flipping through the pages yielded nothing but indecipherable writing consisting of symbols that resembled neither English letters nor Hiragana, nor were they any familiar type of letters for Subaru.

While it somewhat looked like exceedingly verbose Hiragana, they were written in such a captivating style that it would certainly prove difficult to grasp its contents. Nevertheless,

“I’ll gather it for now, I guess. Even if I can’t read it, someone else might.”

It belonged to a Sin Archbishop. There was a possibility that from this so-called Gospel, he could attain leads towards its very essence.

With that anticipation, he kept the item in question, while Tibby’s eyes reflected apprehension that still couldn’t be hidden.

“No need to be that spooked. Also, for someone so wary of books, you sure dug into that pocket with zeal.”

“If it’s a cursed human or a potentially cursed book, I’m more afraid of the latter. It’s not like a cursed human is a problem for me and sister to deal with.”

“Oh, that’s right! The two of us will manage it easily!”

As always, Mimi played along with her brother’s words, showing agreement in attitude without joining the conversation.

Observing such an interaction brought a smile to Subaru’s face, while he glanced down at the sprawled Petelgeuse still lying on the ground.

“So, were there any other notable items? If there were maps or something, maybe we could discover where his lackeys might regroup or have meetings for the Witch Cult?”

“I could find no such items. Without the Gospel, he looks like he emerged from the cave practically stripped bare.”

Indeed, Petelgeuse’s attire was worth questioning in terms of lightness. However, no answers would come from twisting his head about.

Deciding there was no point in pushing for further findings here, Subaru turned around and said,

“For now, let’s tie him up tightly and keep a close watch. Every time he wakes up, release a strike to put him out before he revives. It’s devilishly cruel, but Wilhelm, I’ll leave it to you?”

“As a swordsman known as a demon, I shall take it on. Is it evacuation after this?”

As Wilhelm bound Petelgeuse with rope, carrying his small frame on his shoulder, he asked, to which Subaru nodded affirmatively.

“Evacuating Emilia and the others comes first. Once we distance everyone from ‘Sloth,’ we can determine how to handle this guy later.”

“To drop him from the Great Waterfall into the outside world while still unconscious or perhaps to seal him like those witches they worship are also options.”

“I want to hear more about that, but I’ll save it for later. It’s encouraging to have multiple plans to choose from.”

There’d be time to hash out the finer details for Petelgeuse’s treatment later.

The chances of escaping or self-harming would be snuffed out by the watchful Wilhelm. All that was left was ensuring the other factions managed their ambushes and that they didn’t make any critical miscalculations.

“Alright. So, at long last… Should I go meet my goddess?”

In a sense, this was even more nerve-racking than facing against Petelgeuse.

Clutching that determination tightly in his chest, Subaru and the others progressed toward the village to regroup.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

Breaking through the trees and merging onto the roadside, Subaru and the group were welcomed by Patrasche and others who waited for them.

Each team that had successfully ambushed the enemy would ride back atop the earth dragons left behind at the village. Given that Subaru’s group arrived, only one team remained there.

Despite some unease, upon realizing that the remaining group consisted of Ricardo and his team, which included Liger, those concerns evaporated.

“For now, I think we’ve overcome the mountain. You’ve also avenged last time. Feel free to praise me, Patrasche.”

As Subaru told Patrasche, who had met his demise twice around his thick neck before, the earth dragon seemed reluctant yet nudged its nose against Subaru.

“Wow, guess you’re unexpectedly cute too… Hey, wait, hey, that’s painful! Your skin feels all scaly and it’s scratching me! Please…!”

Pressed against the ground under pressure as Patrasche rubbed against him, Subaru found himself rolling endlessly in the dirt, his clothes now dirtied and tattered.

Glowering at Patrasche, who paid him no mind, Subaru stood up, begrudgingly.

“I thought we understood each other. What a way to treat me, lizard! Sooner or later, I’ll train you to be obedient!”

“I’ve been wanting to tell you for a little while now, but the earth dragon you’re riding is female, you know?”

“You mean it’s a girl!?”

Subaru was dumbfounded by his friend’s unexpected revelation.

With that, suddenly everything in the previous skin contact carried a different dimension. Pondering if there was some sort of transformation waiting in light novel fashion ahead, he thought —.

“But I can’t have a heroine while my arms are fully occupied! I appreciate the sentiment, but I can’t handle it even if you were to humanize… buhuh!”

A sideways swing of the tail struck him hard in the ribs, and Subaru gasped in desperation as Patrasche observed him with an unchanging gaze.

It appears there only existed a metric of endearment between him and her.

“W-well then… I hope we can get along from here on out.”

Patrasche lowered her body as if proclaiming, “That’s just how it is,” gracefully accommodating the faltering Subaru who climbed on her back once more, and they all began heading toward the village.

Along the way, there was a moment where Wilhelm knocked out Petelgeuse once again with a strike so fierce it was hard to bear, while in that interval—

“The village is coming into view.”

“—It seems others have already arrived ahead.”

Squinting as the village’s landscape became visible in the distance, Wilhelm reported to Subaru. Regardless of how hard he strained his eyes, all Subaru could see faintly were the silhouettes of the village, unsure of how their bodies were constructed.

Nevertheless, upon hearing news that fellow allies leading the dragons had safely arrived, Subaru breathed a sigh of relief.

This time, he didn’t have to worry about Petelgeuse getting a jump on them, as they had him pinned down. If Emilia and the others could be evacuated from this village, they could face the Witch Cult head-on without worrying about their backs—

“…It seems there’s a hint of trouble,”

“Huh? No way. Didn’t we do a pretty good job this time?”

But, leaving behind his sense of relief, Wilhelm wore a deep frown. He didn’t seem like someone who would fabricate pointless lies, so as Subaru sped up Patrasche, he charged directly into the village’s grounds.

And what Subaru witnessed upon arrival was,

“I bow down, I humbly beg. —My name is Julius Euclius. I am one of the Royal Guard Knights of the Royal Capital Lugnica!”

Kneeling down, he proclaimed loudly while being the center of attention among townsfolk and merchants—there stood the strikingly handsome form of Julius.