The village was enveloped in an unusual atmosphere.

At the center of the village, Julius, kneeling and bowing his head, was joined by the members of the Witch Cult Extermination Team. It seemed that none of them were severely injured, so it could be assumed that their ambush on the Witch Cult had been successful.

After that, the plan was supposed to be for each team to enter the village and guide the evacuations.

“What in the world is going on here?”

Unable to grasp the situation, Subaru furrowed his brows, searching for answers to the scene before him.

In the center of the village stood Julius and the extermination team, with a group of merchants who had just arrived standing behind them, almost hidden. Among the familiar faces, except for Otto, there were the ones he knew, but their expressions were fraught with anxiety and confusion.

Facing these parties were the villagers, all of whom Subaru recognized. The children seemed to be hiding indoors, as the adults, including the youth group, were the ones confronting the knights.

And standing at the forefront of the villagers, locking eyes directly with Julius, was—

“—Ram!”

A charming girl with short pink hair dressed in a cute apron dress. Yet her expression was stern, with her arms crossed haughtily, a stark contrast to her sister.

Realizing that this girl bore a significant part of Subaru’s emotional support, the difference between their faces felt like a huge discord to Subaru.

“Subaru, you’ve come—”

“…Balus, you’re back.”

At Subaru’s high call, both leaders of the groups reacted simultaneously.

Julius’ face lit up with joy, while Ram’s expression turned even more sullen, as a frown emerged on her otherwise impassive face.

Feeling a complex mix of emotions from Julius’ welcoming mood and Ram’s unfriendly demeanor, Subaru dismounted from Patrasche and rushed over.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait! I can’t see the situation clearly, but let’s all calm down. How about you hand the problem over to me for now?”

“To Balus? That’s utter nonsense…I mean, what face do you have to return with?”

“I’m glad to see your sharp tongue is as it always was. Don’t think I’d be brought down by something like that.”

Ram shot Subaru a sidelong glance with her typical disdain, but caught slightly off-guard by Subaru brushing off her insult, a flicker of surprise flashed through her eyes. Finding that rather amusing, Subaru turned back to Julius.

“I’d love to hear what happened…but before that, let’s confirm something. The ambush went well, right?”

“Thanks to your signal, it went off without a hitch. However, a few of our members had already ventured outside the hole, so we had to engage without swords.”

“As long as we didn’t take damage, that’s fine. We did alright on our end too. The Archbishop of Sin has been dealt with by Wilhelm-san.”

Pointing, Subaru indicated Wilhelm, who was positioned slightly away from the commotion, raising his hand. Beneath him lay Petelgeuse, all wrapped up, and Wilhelm’s hand was always on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike at any moment.

Seeing this, Julius sighed in relief, saying, “As expected.”

“For the most part, we should consider the preliminary stage of the operation a success. However, a problem has arisen.”

“Looks like it. I don’t quite get what’s going on, but…”

As whispers of hushed conversations floated around, Subaru felt sharp stares directed at him. Turning to the source, he found Ram, arms crossed and glaring at him with intense eyes.

Exhaling, Subaru shrugged his shoulders, feeling overwhelmed.

“We haven’t even seen each other for a few days, so why act all cold? I’m not demanding a hug, but warm words should at least be expected, right?”

“So, you want warm words alongside sharp insults? I can’t be spending my time catering to your masochistic preferences. What is this group up to?”

“It’s not like we’re up to anything. Didn’t I work hard penning that letter? If the merchants are here, then the royal messenger should have arrived too.”

“Subaru, that’s the issue.”

Subaru tilted his head at Ram’s probing question. Julius reached out and placed a hand on Subaru’s shoulder to present the issue. However, Subaru couldn’t quite grasp its meaning.

“The letter…a royal letter, right? Yes, they did bring a letter with them.”

Ram’s voice lowered as she fished out her serving attire.

Subaru recognized the tone of her voice and blinked in confusion. This was a clear indication that Ram was feeling great anger, and—

“The pompous royal letter delivered by the messenger—what a curious twist for it to be blank. Can I ask what this means, Balus?”

The letter was thrust in front of Subaru, opened wide.

For a moment, his vision blurred as he stepped back in surprise; the content of the letter held by Ram was utterly blank.

“Blank!? Why!? This can’t be happening…because!”

“I opened it expecting grave news, only to find this. To top it off, strange figures infiltrated the village, even armed groups. To not be wary about this would be bizarre.”

“No, it’s different! These people are with Crusch and this guy, plus the mercenaries from Anastasia’s side… No, the contents of this letter are—”

“Su-ba-ru, kyun♪”

Grabbing the blank letter from Ram, Subaru stared intently at it as if it held the answers. He attempted to hastily explain but was suddenly cut off by fingers tugging at him from behind.

Turning in pain, he found Felix, wearing a playful smile right in front of him. Felix pinched Subaru’s nose, using the fingers on the opposite hand.

“Ouch!”

“Calm down, take a deep breath, and let’s sort this out. No need to rush; everything is mostly under control. Right?”

“If you tell me to calm down, it’s not so easy to—”

“Should I kiss you to make you relax?”

“I’m calmed down! I just lost all the blood in my face! Cool down!”

With mischievous eyes inching closer, Subaru straightened his back and backed away from the situation like a figure skater on a triple axel, glancing back at the letter in his hands.

It resembled the same letter he had stuffed together with Rem to pass on to the messenger during his time at Crusch’s residence before departing for the royal capital.

Of course, its contents had been completely erased or rather replaced.

“So, the chaos stems from the lack of prior information. So, what Julius shouted earlier in such a loud voice was…”

“In their eagerness, they nearly clashed. I had no choice but to state my name in an attempt to calm things down. Your arrival mitigated that anxiety.”

Stroking his purple hair, Julius sighed, “But now, everyone knows I am Julius, the knight of the royal guard.”

“I’ll tell you right now, everyone who knows your face and name already knew that, you know? — Regardless, well, thanks for stopping things before it turned into a riot.”

“Oh, it’s a knight’s duty.”

Julius didn’t seem offended by Subaru’s appreciation, smiling instead. Subaru felt a little strange about his attitude but cleared his throat to face Ram again.

Having had the conversation disrupted a few times already, Ram’s glare had grown more dangerous than before. Subaru felt like he was about to be cut physically at any second as he continued.

“The fact that the royal letter was blank is due to a mistake on our part. There are primarily two things. The Witch Cult is targeting the mansion, and we’ve prepared dragon carriages for the evacuation, with help from the merchants. They should be used to escape safely with the villagers.”

“Are these armed gentlemen intending to be called merchants too?”

“Well, no…these people are—”

Before Subaru could stammer out an answer, a figure stepped forward, kneeling with chestnut hair.

“We come as troops in an alliance between His Excellency Crusch Karsten and Lady Emilia to precede the alliance.”

It was a knight, elegantly performing an impeccable bow in a dress resembling that of a girl, with cat ears adorning their head.

Felix looked up at Ram standing tall and straight, speaking softly.

“My name is Felix Argyle. I am the foremost knight of Crusch Karsten and the representative of the alliance. I apologize for the confusion and the lack of communication, but… I would like you to prioritize Subaru-dono’s words.”

“…Alliance.”

Ram muttered softly to Felix’s polite demeanor and turned to Subaru. She touched her thin lips, furrowing her brow in contemplation.

“It appears you’ve carried out your responsibilities in the royal capital.”

“If you’d just made it clearer what you expected from me, we wouldn’t be having such a tough time.”

Not that he was boasting about returning with results, Subaru voiced his frustration. Roswaal’s secret orders had been far too complex. After dying three times and receiving numerous hints from Rem, it was only then that he finally grasped the threads of connection. The initial encounters had been truly shocking.

“So, I’ve basically fulfilled my role in the royal capital. Now, I want to accomplish my purpose for returning tomorrow. That said, we need to hurry the evacuation…”

“Ram also noticed the strange presence lurking in the forest. Since it didn’t come directly to my clairvoyance, it felt quite unsettling. Yes, the Witch Cult.”

Ram’s clairvoyance allowed her to sync with beings that matched her wavelength, transferring her vision from one to the next. If her words were true, there seemed to be no one among the Witch Cult members who resonated with such a wavelength. Whether to rejoice or lament, it was a delicate balance of benefits and drawbacks.

“I took down most of them, about eighty percent. We have their commander captured here as well.”

Subaru reported his progress to the seemingly irritable Ram. Upon hearing that, Ram blinked in surprise for the first time.

“That means it’s almost a state of annihilation, doesn’t it?”

“If you see one of them, you’d think there are thirty more. We can’t relax until we hunt them all down. So the evacuation is essential to ensure we’re safe.”

“Are we going to retreat to the mansion, is that a poor strategy?”

“Those guys will go so far as to set fires. If we don’t want to see our fond memories burned away in the mansion, it’s clear we need to escape.”

Bringing up such a chilling metaphor, Ram grimaced, obviously reacting to the idea of “burning.” It seemed there were unpleasant memories of fire. A vague recollection of something Rem had mentioned flickered in his mind, but he couldn’t quite recall it.

Anyway,

“We’ve ensured there’s enough personnel to safely fit the villagers and three from the mansion. Roswaal isn’t here, is he?”

“No, Roswaal is currently at the Sanctuary… he went to Garfiel. Ram has been instructed to await Lady Emilia’s judgment here.”

“Emilia-tan, huh…”

As Subaru turned his gaze in search of the silver-haired girl at Ram’s reply, it seemed she had not yet descended to the village and was nowhere in sight.

Ram sighed softly at Subaru’s actions.

“If it’s Lady Emilia, she’s resting in the mansion. —She’s endured too much lately.”

“Endured?”

“You’ll understand soon enough, Balus.”

Puzzled by Ram’s elusive words, she seemed unwilling to elaborate further. Realizing he wouldn’t get much more from her, Subaru clapped his hands to gather everyone’s attention.

“Alright, listen up! Good morning, everyone, it’s been a while! My name is Natsuki Subaru! It’s only… been about a week, right? I really hope I haven’t been forgotten, but I’m back!”

As he called out loudly, the villagers, who had been watching from a distance, began to peek out one by one. Their dubious expressions turned slightly relaxed as they recognized someone they knew.

With the tension in their gazes easing, Subaru raised both hands and twirled on the spot, making sure everyone could see him.

“Now, I hate to rush you all, but I need a favor. It’s a simple request— think of it as a picnic. I’ve rented dragon carriages and reserved seats for everyone. The seats may be hard, but the ride won’t be too bumpy. Let’s all hop on together and enjoy some time out. Just half a day… or a day would really help us out.”

Speaking of the kind of thing one might say when encouraging groups to form, Subaru was acutely aware of his past experiences where he’d quickly found himself in odd groups and still managed to stick out.

Remembering such stories from his past, the villagers exchanged glances and one of the young men with a buzz cut spoke up.

“Why do we have to run away like that?”

The representative of the youth group, sword hilt in hand, kept touching it as he looked at Subaru.

“You seem to be saying something with a light tone, but does that mean we have to abandon the village? Why should we have to do that?”

“Look, I don’t really have any hidden agendas, but there’s no need to overthink it. If you just give me half a day…”

“—It’s the Witch Cult, isn’t it?”

The buzz-cut youth remarked quietly, causing a wave of agitation to ripple through the village.

It wasn’t just the villagers, but also the merchants observing the discussion nearby. They all began to exhibit tense expressions, trembling lips.

“So it really is the Witch Cult.”

“How terrifying… why are such dangerous people…”

“It’s obvious. It’s obvious, damn it, what has the lord done…”

“Why would they involve a half-demon… a half-elf?”

“Hey, wait a minute.”

Subaru stepped forward, maintaining a calm demeanor despite the underlying tension in his throat.

As he felt the weight of his voice linger in the air, he approached the individual who had just spoken.

“What did you just say?”

“I-I didn’t say anything wrong, did I? In reality, they come here because of…”

“I’m asking what you just said, not for any explanation!”

Subaru leaned in aggressively, his sharp gaze piercing through the youth.

At once, the young man quivered, looking around for help, only to see everyone turn away, not offering any assistance.

Abandoned by those around him, he met Subaru’s gaze again, a defeated look in his eyes.

“As long as you’re involved with a half-elf, the Witch Cult will stir things up. That’s common sense. Even kids know that. Yet, rumors say the lord recommended the silver-haired half-elf to the king…”

“What does that have to do with the earlier conversation?”

“That’s why! Don’t you see?! If the lord widely supports a half-elf, it’ll provoke the Witch Cult! In reality, you also had to deal with this, so it’s happening because of that…”

“—Don’t be ridiculous! If that girl wasn’t around from the start, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation!”

The young man almost blurted something he shouldn’t have. Yet, Subaru, anticipating his words, beat him to it.

Pushing against the youth’s chest with his palm, Subaru took a look around. He could see fear in the eyes of everyone around him, and theatrically exhaled deeply.

“Who’s the one aiming to put the village in danger? Who are you blaming?”

“—”

“Who’s to say that the Witch, and all that’s terrifying, are doing such malicious acts? Who are the real perpetrators of this mess?”

“—”

“Aren’t you all looking in the wrong direction? I know it’s easier to express dissatisfaction toward someone you know rather than amorphous figures lurking in the shadows. That applies to me as well, and it’s easy to be the one to say it.”

Everyone’s grievances flowed downhill as they always do.

Everyone would prefer voicing complaints against those weaker than themselves. Subaru, the epitome of a representative for the weak, understood this best.

Yet, even while he realized it was selfish, Subaru wanted to think this way.

“I’m aware that I’m the lowest. So I’d like to believe everyone else has something better to offer. It’s childish and selfish, but please… don’t let me regret asking for all this trouble.”

Subaru earnestly wanted to help Emilia, Ram, and Beatrice who remained in the mansion. Just as strongly, he wished to assist the villagers with whom he had spent his time. Despite their short interaction, he had come to like how warmly they treated him. Therefore, he naturally didn’t want that impression shattered.

Bowing his head for such a selfish wish, Subaru pleaded.

“It doesn’t matter who Roswaal is right now, or whatever story surrounds Emilia… we’ll deal with that later. What matters is that the village is in danger. So we need you to evacuate while I’ve prepared for it.”

The buzz-cut youth’s demeanor conveyed a deeply rooted prejudice against half-elves.

Subaru had only learned about that on the surface, but seeing the villagers he knew express such feelings made him realize how shallow his understanding truly was.

Emilia had likely endured this contempt for a long time.

As Subaru bowed his head, someone suddenly stood beside him.

It was Julius, bright in his knight’s attire. He confidently took his place next to Subaru and gently folded his tall frame.

“Please listen. I swear on the pride of dragons and knights to ensure your safety. For now, let’s focus on what he has to say.”

“—”

Various thoughts cluttered Subaru’s mind— about how unnecessary or presumptuous such a gesture was, even still, pure gratitude filled his chest for Julius.

Glancing at the handsome knight’s profile made Subaru feel strangely bashful, compelling him to avert his gaze from Julius and remain bowed.

“Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be thanking you.”

“Hmm. —That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”

Yep, this guy truly is never-endingly annoying.

—

“Walking through the mansion with Balus feels like it’s been quite a while. It should only have been about a week since I last came.”

“I wholeheartedly agree. Though I imagine there’s quite the difference in feelings behind it.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed it is.”

As they walked side by side down the familiar halls of Roswaal’s Mansion, Subaru exchanged lighthearted banter with Ram.

Reflecting on it now, it had only been twice that he had reached Roswaal’s Mansion, making his way through its corridors— the first time being when no trace of survivors remained within.

“–Ram.”

“Did you call for me?”

“No, I was just reminiscing about you. You can stay as you are.”

“That confusing way of speaking of yours has become more infuriating after this long.”

Ram, with a haughty look, dismissed Subaru’s playful jab.

Earlier, while walking in front of her in a serving attire—subaru recalled discovering her lifeless body on the bed in the first world. The fact that her death wasn’t horrific had offered some solace to him at that time.

In the second world, the mansion had collapsed due to Pack’s rapid growth, and the third world was a scene that sent shivers down his spine.

“Balus, you’re passing this door.”

“Ah, sorry about that… wait, this is—”

Realizing he had passed the door while lost in thought, Subaru turned to look back at it. Guided by Ram, it led to one of the guest rooms.

“Isn’t this Emilia-tan’s room?”

“Right now, it’s just Ram, Lady Emilia, and Beatrice in the mansion, so they’re all gathered in the central building. Especially since last night was tiring for everyone.”

Revisiting the story Ram had told him, Subaru was filled with concern for Emilia’s well-being.

Since returning to the mansion, he had learned that Emilia hadn’t had a moment to rest, pushing herself tirelessly to study.

“It seems she was immersed in her work, as if trying to forget something unpleasant that happened in the royal capital.”

“Ugh…!”

“It’s as if she encountered a distressing experience with a man in the royal capital and is trying to shake off that memory.”

“Don’t toss in weird phrases like that! I can’t entirely deny it, but…”

Subaru’s voice trailed off as embarrassment flushed his cheeks when Ram sighed at him.

Then she shook her head in exasperation, indicating the door with her hand.

“I noticed the unusual presence in the forest with my clairvoyance, and after reporting it, it must have worn her out further. Just look at the villagers’ attitudes from earlier.”

“I can vaguely imagine that, but I’d prefer not to put it into words—rejection.”

“Rejection? Your expectations are quite gentle.”

Ram scoffed at Subaru’s remarks, erasing her earlier demeanor rapidly. After a pause, she took on a tired tone.

“—Denial, then. If you reject me, there can always be a chance to extend your hand. To brush away a hand offered has a meaning behind it, doesn’t it? But denial implies refusing to allow any contact. How does one bridge that gap?”

“…”

“When you’re so repulsed that you can’t even touch, how can you expect to draw closer?”

Ram’s words were phrased as a test, leaving Subaru at a loss and without an answer.

She didn’t seem to expect a response from Subaru, and with a sigh, she signalled that their time was running out.

“I teased you a little.”

“Woodland beings have begun appearing; Emilia descended to the village to assist in evacuating them. And she was rejected. But it’s known that she wouldn’t step back readily after having been denied.”

“But she wasn’t the kind of fragile girl to take it lightly if treated harshly.”

Subaru bit down frustration and glared out the window into the distant view of the village.

This didn’t indicate that the villagers are particularly heartless or cruel.

This response was normal, a common reaction. It was the acceptable way Emilia had likely been treated all too often. Was it too much to ask for that to change?

“Then does that mean this rage over the unfairness of the world is ‘pride’?”

Having said that, Subaru closed his eyes for a brief moment before heading toward the door.

He tried to wipe away his negative feelings, making an effort to at least forget them for this moment. Respecting his intention, Ram refrained from commenting further.

“Lady Emilia, are you awake?”

Two soft, firm knocks echoed coldly through the corridor, filling the morning air.

After Ram knocked and called out, a few seconds passed before a beautiful voice chimed back.

“—Ram? Yes, I’m awake.”

Soothing and dignified, that voice struck sweetly at Subaru’s ears.

In the warmth and purity of her tone, Subaru temporarily pushed away the unease that lurked within him.

What should he discuss upon seeing her? What words should he string together? Those worries all diminished in that single moment.

He was back to meet her and hear the sound of her voice.

“Excuse me, Lady Emilia. —Balus has returned.”

As Ram opened the door and bowed gracefully, he followed in behind her, almost forgetting to breathe, stepping inside cautiously.

“Eh, Subaru—?”

“Long—”

This reunion wasn’t prepared for, but he wanted so desperately to see her greet him with a smile. He floated a gentle smile and raised a hand to greet her; then his focus locked onto Emilia as she turned to face him.

In that moment, her beautiful bare back caught his gaze.

“—Oh dear, how rude of me.”

In front of the two who stood frozen, Ram turned and stuck out her tongue while muttering to herself.

None of them had the presence of mind to respond to her playful actions.

They just stood in silence, gazing at each other, and as Subaru’s eyes wandered from Emilia’s face to her exposed back and slender, graceful legs, the smile he had prepared stretched wider, just as—

“What an indecent thing for a girl on the verge of marriage—”

Suddenly, a gray kitten swooped down, unleashing its magical energy onto Subaru’s grinning face.

With no time to react, his body shot toward the hallway. Ram, in a panic, dashed after him, just before he nearly collided with the window.

“We’d have a catastrophe if the window breaks!”

“Eh!?”

By a hair’s breadth, just before the crash, the window swung open and Subaru’s body flew outward with the momentum. Thankfully, it wasn’t a great height as he landed on the grass, sliding face-first through dewy soil, rolling into a flower patch before finally coming to a stop.

With dirt flavoring his mouth and mud walls before his eyes, his pristine outfit was now a mess splattered with blood and dust, making his grim expression a fitting depiction of his luck.

“Pack, you’ve gone too far…oh, Subaru, are you alright!?”

From far beyond the mansion’s window, the panicked voice of the lovely girl resonated, and somehow, Subaru found himself chuckling softly.

Nothing was settled yet and everything was still ongoing, but it felt like the fragments of his past days he wanted to relive were sparkling brightly.

As Ram reached out to him as if he were something eerie, Subaru continued to chuckle quietly, small and lighthearted.