The first thing Subaru felt upon awakening was the ticklish sensation of someone’s fingertips brushing against his forehead.

“Given the slenderness, softness, and hesitance of this finger, could it be Emilia-tan?”

“—You’re right, but is it just me, or does it feel really scary how you figured that out?”

Obstructed by the palm touching him, Subaru opened his eyes. Yet, his view was blocked. However, through the gaps between the fingers, he caught a glimpse of the beautiful outline. He couldn’t help but loosen his lips a bit as he responded.

“Nnn-ya. I just guessed because at this timing, the only one who would be playing with me like this would be Emilia-tan. I couldn’t tell just from the feeling of your fingers!”

“I see. That’s a little reassuring… Can you get up?”

“I’m managing… yeah, I’m okay.”

Chit-chatting lightly as he woke up, Subaru sat up on the shabby bed he had been lying on. Looking around, he noticed it was inside a place he didn’t recognize.

The bed he had been resting on was poorly made, incomparable to the well-spun bedding he was used to in Roswaal’s Mansion. Still, recalling what happened before he passed out, he thought,

“Where does the imagined fiction end and where does reality begin?”

His last memory in the real world was stepping into the graveyard—feeling immediately caught in a collapse. After that, he had a surreal encounter with a flummoxed woman— the “Witch of Greed.” If her words were to be believed, it was within her dream.

As he struggled with this vague memory, Subaru placed his hand on his forehead and looked at Emilia. She sat quietly beside his bed, patiently waiting for him to gather his thoughts. Subaru then said, “Um…”

“I have a few things I want to ask and talk about, but… there’s something I need to say first.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

Emilia tilted her head cutely. —But her eyes weren’t smiling.

Pierced by the clear shine of her dark violet eyes, Subaru shrunk his shoulders and said,

“I’m really sorry for making you worry. I may have let it get to my head a bit.”

At the very least, he thought he could handle clearing a path for Emilia, but that had resulted in stumbling at the very first step, leading to the current situation.

After hearing Subaru’s apology, Emilia let out a small sigh.

“Honestly. I was really worried. You came in and screamed before passing out.”

“Well, screaming aside, I actually passed out?”

“You were rolling your eyes back. Looking like you’d start seizing up. I was really at a loss on what to do. You didn’t seem hurt or like you were under some strange magic…”

As Emilia faltered with her words, Subaru realized once again how he had embarrassed himself.

I see. Most likely, the collapse he encountered right after stepping into the graveyard—he could reasonably assume that he had already been invited into the “Witch of Greed’s” dream.

In truth, Subaru had collapsed at the entrance, putting unnecessary strain on Emilia.

He had decided to check for danger for Emilia’s sake — now, that resolution seemed like an utterly laughable story.

As Subaru’s self-loathing made his face scrunch up, a voice suddenly came.

“—Oh? Well, well, look who’s finally awake. You’ve got it pretty good, don’t ya?”

The blonde-haired young man, Garfiel, walked in while opening the creaking door.

He glanced over Subaru, who was atop the bed, and then turned to Emilia.

“Told ya there was nothing wrong with his body. Just look at him.”

“…Still, it’s only natural to worry. When someone collapses like that without any clear cause. You might be used to it, but it’s not something to get accustomed to.”

“Hah! Don’t act tough. You were freaking out when you saw this guy passed out. You were looking ready to cry. ‘A face bluer than an aomiguro’ is exactly what that was.”

“What—?!”

Emilia retaliated against Garfiel’s roughness, but his reply left her blushing deeply.

Emilia stood up from her chair with a huff.

“No, I wasn’t crying! I was just worried, that’s all.”

“Ah, right, right. Let’s keep that a secret, it’s a secret. My bad, my bad. But there’s no need to hide it. It’s not like it’s something to be ashamed of.”

“It’s not that! If I hear that I was worrying and almost crying…”

Her counterargument trailed off as she glanced sideways at Subaru.

Until that moment, Subaru had been silently observing their exchange. What he had been doing while Emilia glanced at him silently was—

“Hm? Oh, go on, continue. Please, please, it’s all good. Wow, really? So Emilia-tan was worried about me to the point of tears? Is that right? Hehehe.”

“I kind of anticipated this kind of reaction.”

Emilia slumped her shoulders weakly. In front of her, Subaru was still puffing his nostrils, incapable of hiding his joy at being genuinely worried about by the girl he liked, despite the inappropriate context.

And observing the ridiculously candid exchanges of Subaru and Emilia, even Garfiel mumbled, “I see, I see.”

“Well then, I was in the wrong. Truly, it’s rare for me to admit I’m wrong.”

He expressed this self-examination with quite a petty pride.

—

“With proper training, even a dog can learn to hold off its meal until permission is given.”

Her voice, cold and sharp enough to seem almost cutting, resonated through the room.

It was a tone that slowly punctuated each word, laced with an authority that left no room for rebuttals.

“In other words, adhering to rules is the bare minimum even a dog can maintain.”

The sound of high-heeled shoes was tapping hard against the wooden floor with an almost rhythmic precision, pacing back and forth in front of Subaru.

The consistent rhythm made it clear how composed the personality was behind those footsteps, utterly grinding down the mental comfort of the other party.

“Now then—”

That cold voice and the tapping sound, accompanied by eyes void of emotion, drilled into Subaru.

“What do you call a creature that cannot keep to a promise so basic that even a dog can? Balus, do you understand?”

“I’m sorry for not listening to your warning—!!”

Subaru knelt before the petite girl and deeply bowed his head, shouting his apology.

However, the recipient of his deeply felt outburst only tilted her head.

“Did it sound like I was asking for an apology? Can’t you hear my question? You didn’t just fail to grasp what was said; it sounds as though you didn’t listen to the context either. If it’s true that Ram’s advice didn’t even reach your ears, it makes sense that you wouldn’t get it.”

“Can you cut out the roundabout sarcasm!? I’m already reflecting and feel genuinely bad about it, so it crushes my heart! I’d rather have you say it plainly and straightforward!”

“Then you should have died.”

“That’s way too straightforward!!”

Subaru took the unforgiving admonishment from the girl—Ram, and had to admit, those words were something he had to silently endure.

After all, wasn’t the whole reason he was in trouble to begin with was because he turned a blind eye to her warning? And that had resulted in causing all that trouble for others.

“Okay, fine. Ram, you should forgive me by now. Besides, I’m sure Emilia-sama’s given the same lecture, right? It’s pointless to repeat it at this point, and it’d only please Subaru, who’s into self-deprecating behavior.”

“I’m not into that kind of masochistic thing! I’m not intentionally stepping on mines; it’s just my nature!”

Lacking the ability to read the mood, Subaru declared this with pride, while Ram let out a long, deep sigh of exasperation, turning her back to go towards Roswaal.

Quietly taking her place next to Roswaal, she faced him, and he said, “Well then,” with a hint of a playful tone.

“First off, I’m glad you returned without harm. Tripping before the ‘Trial’ would have thrown various plans off balance. Subaru-kun’s matter was just a simple misunderstanding, right?”

With that suggestive sneer, Subaru crossed his arms, snorting softly.

Seeing Subaru’s attitude, Emilia poked him in the side.

“Ouch! That hurts, Emilia-tan!”

“If it were normal, I’d want to defend you, but you did mess up this time… If I knew Ram had said that, I wouldn’t have let you…”

Emilia’s words trailed off as if wanting to say she wouldn’t have let him out of her sight. Subaru, offering a smirk, thought, “See? That’s why I didn’t mention it beforehand.” He felt if Emilia had been aware of the prior warning from Ram, she wouldn’t have insisted on him taking the dangerous role.

Conversely, without that warning from Ram, Subaru wouldn’t have been driven to act as a buffer for Emilia to begin with. That meant—

“Ram, your advice didn’t bring happiness to anyone.”

“Sounds like you’re trying to blame it all on Ram…Oh wait, I should correct that. I should clarify that I’m speaking of you being even lower than a dog.”

Staring down Subaru with disdain, Ram challenged him effortlessly. One would almost feel admiration for the unwavering attitude of this maid.

Surely, she harbored similar judgments against Subaru.

But setting aside their irrelevant exchanges, Roswaal, with legs crossed leisurely on his bed, interjected.

“By the way, Emilia-sama… how was the graveyard?”

“…I didn’t get the chance to explore it thoroughly because of Subaru. But I do remember it having a horrible smell and a disturbing feel on my skin.”

Emilia described her impression of the graveyard, her brow slightly furrowed.

Typically, she would minimize her criticism, but for her to express that was notable. Listening to her candid hidden views, Roswaal chuckled softly.

Then, taking notice of the contrasting colors of his eyes, he looked toward the corner of the room — where Garfiel stood, leaning against the wall and quietly observing the discussion.

“Garfiel. Were you able to confirm the ‘qualification’?”

At the mention of the term “qualification”, Subaru raised his eyebrows, shifting his gaze to Garfiel.

The blonde youth ran his hands roughly through his short hair, bared his sharp canines, and replied,

“I could only reach just to the entrance, but… the lights in the graveyard were definitely still burning. No doubt Emilia-sama has the qualification to undergo the ‘Trial.'”

“The lights in the graveyard…?”

Upon hearing that unfamiliar phrase, Subaru tilted his head, to which Garfiel waved his hand dismissively.

“There were multiple candles lit in the graveyard. When someone who meets the conditions enters it during daylight, the flames flare up. Only those who get to experience that warm welcome are qualified to face the ‘Trial’ at night.”

“And if someone without qualification were to force their way in, they’d likely end up like Subaru-kun and me.”

Roswaal reiterated Garfiel’s words, spreading his hands wide as if indicating his own body, which was still wrapped in blood-soaked bandages. If that punishment was the consequence for intruding into the graveyard—

“There’s quite a difference in the severity of the penalties between you and me. Unlike me, you must have done something wrong.”

“Wrong, like what?”

“Like standing next to the entrance and making a quick pee. No doubt the graveyard’s caretaker would be furious.”

“If that were true, then Subaru-kun collapsing must have been caused by my stream tickling the ground, huh?”

Exchanging light-hearted banter, Subaru grimaced while shaking off the unpleasant thoughts.

As if to tease him, Roswaal shook his head.

“Even rejection can differ greatly in damage… You’ve noticed that quite well. The differences in the injuries that Garfiel and I suffered are indeed vast. But there’s a simple reason for it.”

“…Mana’s gate runaway.”

In a single word, Emilia interjected before Roswaal could finish.

When Subaru turned his gaze on her, he saw that she was placing her finger against her lips, thoughtfully gazing downward while nervously playing with her silver hair’s ends.

“When I entered the graveyard, I felt a very uncomfortable mood wash over me. I believe it was due to an unidirectional interference from the gate. I seemed to have gotten a pass as I didn’t fit the criteria… for those who don’t, that interference attacks them.”

As she spoke, her confidence began to show as her tone gathered force. With her eyes now set on Roswaal, she captured his painfully battered figure within her violet gaze.

“The interference attacks targets through the gate… Hence, the more gates one has, the greater the interference they receive.”

“Correct. For someone like me… well, I suppose it’s a miracle I didn’t burst.”

Nonchalantly stating such an alarming fact, Roswaal winked at Subaru, saying “You’re lucky you’re talentless.”

“To put it another way, those with magical talents are the ones at greater risk. I’m thankful that with just being unconscious, it reflects well on my smaller capacity as a mage.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“While that’s so, don’t you find that self-evaluation a bit harsh?”

“It’s become pretty normal to be faced with limits and the things I can’t reach. Don’t worry; I’ll show my love for Emilia-tan with what only I can do. For now, can I start with whispering some clumsy love phrases?”

“I’ll consider it once the Royal Selection is over and things cool down.”

“That’s at the earliest three years from now!?”

Still, it wasn’t guaranteed that she would say yes, regardless.

Subaru shrugged his shoulders at the unyielding Emilia. Then, he resumed speaking.

“But, man, beyond the qualifications, that space is really a magical assassin’s paradise! I don’t know who set this up, but it can only be described as a nasty trick.”

“Given that management of the site belongs to the Meisers family, it must have been one of my ancestors responsible for arranging the ritual.”

“Oh, what a bad deal… but not really. What’s this? Your ancestors fit the image exactly. Feels like you’ve been reincarnated, Roz.”

Rumors suggest that upon the death of a previous head, the will of that head passes down to the next successor as a puppet.

Just thinking about that was terrifying, prompting Subaru to shake his head in denial.

Roswaal chuckled as if amused by Subaru’s words.

“There certainly were families that researched such magics, but I’m almost sure they were dismantled long ago. And the environment of that graveyard, you called it a magical assassin’s paradise; there’s actually a more accurate name.”

“What would that be?”

“It’s simple. —That place is filled with a witch’s miasma. An environment that drives targets mad through mana filtered by the gate. That’s what’s known as the miasma.”

Upon hearing the term “miasma”, Subaru narrowed his eyebrows as he searched his memory for when he’d heard it before—

“I remember it from the talk of the Witch of Envy. I think they said that area where the witch is sealed is filled with miasma too…”

“You know your stuff! This is a pretty famous tale. Even now, at the shrine of the stone sealing the Witch of Envy, the miasma is so dense you can barely see. While the graveyard’s miasma rejects those who don’t meet its criteria, this one devours anyone’s mind, destroys their body, and violates their soul. It’s widely rumored even the cultists of the Witch Cult, who seek to resurrect her, can’t approach.”

“Even the cultists can’t get close… that stands to reason. If they could enter and unseal her, they would surely run in undetected and win.”

The resurrection of the witch—what had driven Petelgeuse to so maniacally scream that selfish love because he wouldn’t resort to direct means to save the witch?

After considering his identity as a spirit, it could be thought that he was helpless before miasma too.

“Anyway, that’s why the sealing of the witch cannot be undone, as it’s shrouded by the miasma of the witch herself. To approach the shrine, they’d have to slip past the watchful eye of Sage Shaura from her watchtower.”

“I feel like I’ve heard that name before. So far, I know two sages — Flugel and this Shaura.”

Subaru wondered if it was okay that they had similar names, but apparently, it wasn’t strange to others.

When he posed that doubt, Roswaal chuckled softly.

“That Flugel is probably the Flugel from the great tree, huh? Sure, he’s referred to as a sage, but comparing him to Sage Shaura is a bit much.”

“What do you mean? They’re both sages, so cut the sage favoritism! After all, I’ve got a little bit of a debt with Mr. Flugel, and if you insult him, it won’t go well for you.”

That gentleman had helped him immensely during the White Whale’s defeat.

“Given how large that tree was, surely there must’ve been considerable use for the parts that broke off… Wait, what if they blew up in that time-bomb incident?”

“Seems like there’s still plenty to sort out. Anyway… Emilia-sama.”

After shifting his gaze from Subaru to Emilia, Roswaal’s calm tone caught Emilia’s attention as she looked up with a sound “Yes.”

“Returning to the topic, the fact that you have the qualification… means Emilia-sama can undertake the graveyard’s ‘Trial’. Thus, there are certain things we must discuss.”

His voice took on a solemn tone, the playful spirit gone. Emilia, looking serious, urged him to continue.

“Simply put— would you undertake the ‘Trial?'”

The short question hung in the air, and Emilia’s lips pressed tightly, resulting in silence.

It was a natural progression. They confirmed whether she had the qualification to undergo the ‘Trial’, of course it followed. However—

“Before you answer, I wanna ask something. Isn’t there some kind of obligation to take part in this ‘Trial’?”

As Subaru raised his hand, stepping closer to her, Ram, standing next to Roswaal, cast him a venomous glance, but Roswaal signaled her to calm down.

“That’s a typical question for you. But, to put it simply, if those who have the qualifications don’t take the ‘Trial’, they cannot leave the Sanctuary. I wonder if you’ve heard any of this from Garfiel?”

“I have heard that. But it doesn’t mean that Emilia-tan has to do it. The ‘Witch of Greed’ graveyard is a suspect place. We don’t know what dangers might occur. Does it really seem fine to send the important Emilia-tan, an Royal Selection participant, there?”

“Hmm.. Well, it’s true this is quite the rational statement. But, simply put, anyone with qualifications could take the ‘Trial’… like Garfiel standing right there.”

“Hah? You want me to do it? It’s whatever! I could take on the ‘Trial’ and get through it quickly, and then just be ‘over there on the right over by the left!'”

Prompted by Roswaal, Garfiel pointed at himself, grinning, even though that phrasing sounded it boiled down to just turning to the right. Yet, Subaru disregarded that fact, focusing solely on Garfiel’s reliable statement.

In reality, if the ‘Trial’ could just be cleared by one person, then it wouldn’t have to be Emilia.

It should be the task of someone more confident who had the qualifications.

—Worst case scenario, it could be Subaru taking on the ‘Trial’ himself—with qualifications.

“No way, that’s troublesome, you know.”

That was the voice of someone unknown, suddenly stepping in from the entrance.

Subaru flinched when he realized it was unrecognizable as he turned around, only to see Garfiel relaxing against the wall while gesturing his hand dismissively.

“Not me, it’s this old hag beside me.”

He pointed with the hand he waved, and to the side stood a small figure even smaller than him.

“Who are you calling an old hag? You little brat are just getting too big for your britches!”

A small girl with long, pale red hair, holding a remarkably mature attitude, retorted.

She had beautiful features, just like Petra, and her age likely fell around eleven or twelve. The pale red hair waved elegantly, with its thin texture giving it a fluffy appearance. Her clothing, a loose white robe that trailed the ground, was so baggy that her arms were completely hidden.

Most notably, the way she spoke, as well as how Garfiel addressed her—

“I knew you’d eventually show up, but to think it would be this ‘loli hag’…!”

“Am I wrong to feel that was quite an undesired way to be addressed?”

“Um, let me see. I believe ‘loli’ refers to something you often use with Beatrice… meaning cute and small, right?”

The little girl’s displeasure was evident as she looked up at Subaru, who went on to rave about his “hyper-explanation” as Emilia showcased her expertise gained from her time with him. Subaru continued to raise his finger.

“Correct, Emilia-tan, way to go! To elaborate, it means you’re young enough to be out of my league. When you combine that ‘loli’ with ‘hag’, you get the miraculous collaboration of an appearance that’s youthful yet is an old person on the inside! Personally, I have no attraction to loli characters, but I do understand the charm of a gap!”

“Gap moe?”

“Including girls who usually act sophisticated or mature, but have moments where they’re a bit childlike or seemingly less knowledgeable on certain conventional matters, or sometimes pull the wool over your eyes. Those girls fall under the concept of gap moe!”

As Subaru rambled on in a rush, Emilia said, “So there are girls like that…” with an understanding look, her fingers covering her lips.

Unaware that the traits he just described directly applied to her, Emilia had unknowingly found her way into a positioning that melted Subaru’s heart.

But the subject of discussion wasn’t amused, her mood sour as she interrupted.

“So? I don’t know about that ‘loli’ stuff, but you keep calling me ‘hag’… That’s totally disrespectful, especially for a first-time meeting, and already, someone more rude than Ros.”

“Oops, pardon me, mademoiselle! My name is Natsuki Subaru! Currently residing as the popular beast slayer! Well, I didn’t deal the finishing blow, but still!”

He energetically proclaimed and completed a lackluster self-introduction. Afterward, Subaru gestured towards the small girl with a confused expression and urged her, “Now that I’ve introduced myself, it’s your turn for the introduction time. Basic profile, interests, and skills. Adding in your charm points would be a good touch!”

“…Ryuzu Meier. I’m the de facto representative of this Sanctuary.”

Ignoring Subaru’s ramblings, the ‘loli hag’—now known as Ryuzu—scatched her forehead with the only visible fingers from her too-large sleeves.

“I didn’t notice when you were sleeping, but what a shameful young boy you are. I feel I’ve wasted a bed lending to you.”

“Lending a bed means… I was sleeping in your home just now?”

“Yes. Ryuzu’s place. Because it was near the graveyard, Garfiel had to carry you… I really appreciate it.”

Ryuzu gently shook her head at Emilia’s bow. Based on their exchange, it seemed they were already acquainted during Subaru’s unconscious state.

Alright, if that’s the case, then I should apologize for my rudeness without realizing it.

“Sorry for being rude, I didn’t know! Thanks for letting me crash at your place. Even if it’s late, I really appreciate it!”

“…Well, well. I’m surprised. Unlike Garf, you can apologize earnestly. You’re Natsuki… Subaru is it? I’ll call you ‘Subaru-kun’ then.”

“That sounds like a name fit to begin a weather forecast, but fine by me. I’ll call you Ryuzu-san then.”

Having expressed thanks momentarily relieved Ryuzu’s earlier irritation, and they settled on a peaceful way to address one another.

“By the way, Ryuzu-san, what did you mean when you said earlier ‘that’ would be troublesome? Is something bad going to happen if Garfiel clears the ‘Trial’?”

“Switching gears rather quickly, aren’t you, kid? Yes, it would surely be a big problem. If someone from this Sanctuary were to dare attempt the ‘Trial,’ it would mean breaking their contract.”

“Another contract, huh…”

Subaru grimaced at yet another mention of contracts, or oaths. He glanced at Roswaal, who shrugged in response.

“Silly, it’s unfortunate, but this particular contract isn’t entirely unrelated to the Meizers family… It’s not the principal culprit, but my house isn’t completely uninvolved either. It’s more of a supporting role, you could say.”

“Stop with the self-preserving narratives and just explain already. Three lines explaining the contract in detail.”

“You’re so harsh. To simplify it, let’s say the condition for the release of inhabitants from the ‘Sanctuary’ is conquering the ‘Trial’… but it has to be someone qualified from outside who attempts it. So right now…”

“It means it has to be me,” Emilia concluded quietly.

With a hint of hesitation, Roswaal nodded to acknowledge her statement while casting a glance at Ryuzu.

“Indeed, and that matter is something everyone residing in the ‘Sanctuary’ agreed upon. They expect Emilia-sama to face the ‘Trial’ and overcome it.”

“I don’t want anyone thinking I’m quaking in my boots over this, but… what if someone else tried the ‘Trial’ on my behalf?”

Emilia’s dark violet eyes turned toward Garfiel as she considered a hypothetical. In response, it was Ryuzu who began to speak.

“That’s just it. In all the years I’ve been alive, including today, no one has ever attempted the ‘Trial’. Therefore, I can’t say anything about that hypothetical. No one from either the residents or outsiders has ever given it a shot.”

“Not one person? I’m scared to ask how old you are, Ryuzu-san.”

If one were to consider the fundamental universal qualities of a ‘loli hag’, Subaru’s inquiry held a fearsome weight to it.

In fact, Ryuzu gazed off into the distance stating, “I’m afraid I don’t know much about when this place was established. I’d say it’s been a little over a hundred years.”

“That’s quite a long time! At the very least, you’d be the oldest person I’ve ever met!”

Though, this didn’t include spirits or the witch, who had become a spirit.

Swallowing such distinctions, Subaru briefly worried for Emilia. Nevertheless, contrary to his concern, Emilia’s face held no sign of murkiness and instead was steadfast.

“Regardless, I understand the situation now. If I can’t overcome the ‘Trial’, then I can’t leave this ‘Sanctuary’. I’ll take on the challenge.”

“Brave Emilia-tan is truly mesmerizing, but shouldn’t we explore more cautious strategies? I think it would be wise to search for backdoors or alternative routes before taking the plunge.”

“If I’m fired up to do this, then I really don’t think it’s very good to throw cold water on my enthusiasm.”

However, as Subaru argued in an attempt to caution against dangerous possibilities, Emilia puffed her lips in frustration.

Her gaze, filled with accusation, made Subaru scramble to explain.

“I mean, it feels suspicious, or like I’m being drawn in, and I can’t shake that unease. Things just seem too perfectly arranged, as if they’ve been set up for this path and that someone’s controlling traffic on the way.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Sometimes, Subaru, you say really confusing things.”

“I don’t ever hear anyone use ‘confusing’ anymore…”

The usual exchange sharpened Emilia’s glare at Subaru, prompting him to urgently respond.

“I’m saying it definitely feels orchestrated. After being lured into a place where half-breeds can’t escape, and now Emilia-tan has to exert herself to leave, on top of everything being all agreed upon by the surroundings.”

“Orchestrated by whom?”

“Who, you say? There’s gotta be just one culprit behind this!”

Emilia inquired about his baffling response, new mystery tinged as Subaru turned around.

Then, at the end of his spin, he pointed decisively and exclaimed.

“R-right? It’d be you, Roswaal!”

“What a clumsy thing to do.”

With a rueful chuckle, Roswaal offered that assessment while soon turning his yellow eye back to Subaru.

“But you’re always good at catching on. In reality, I’m the one who arranged for the situation to unfold this way. Well, I may not have outright tampered with the stage setup, but still.”

“I’m starting to get an idea.”

Raising an eyebrow at Roswaal’s statement, Subaru caught onto a portion of his intentions.

Meanwhile, Emilia wore her charmingly puzzled expression, clearly lost while Subaru began to unveil the threads behind it.

“The first thing that seemed odd was Roswaal’s injuries. To begin with, I believe you understood you lack the qualifications to attempt the ‘Trial’. After all, this is a territory initially managed by the Meizers family. Naturally, it wouldn’t be strange for you to already know Garfiel or the others.”

“That’s… true.”

“So, if you knew you weren’t qualified to enter the graveyard, you’d know you’d get rejected. So why did you go inside? Was it a particularly rebellious act against the world? Or had your masochistic interests finally reached their limits? Both are entirely possible, but I think it’s neither.”

“What kind of image do you have of me?”

Ignoring Roswaal’s displeasure, Subaru raised a finger.

“In shorter words, your injuries happened just as you planned and actually do hold some significance. And that significance, I suspect, relates to the Royal Selection.”

“……”

“By the way, I want to ask something. The people from Araham Village are all gathered at this ‘Cathedral’ place?”

Subaru’s sudden topic shift drew Garfiel’s sharp eyes, who had maintained his silence until now.

“Yeah, that’s right. The residents are all gathered at the Cathedral… where they’re effectively being held captive by the inhabitants of the Sanctuary.”

“That’s it! Captivity. Earlier, we were discussing going to the graveyard, but… the undesirable nature of captivity makes you wonder what’s going on. Why do they necessitate holding onto the villagers, including Roswaal?”

“What we have is not some escape route in a pinch,” Garfiel asserted, narrowing his eyes in a sharp glare. “Even if you’re referring to the lord and his entourage, it doesn’t feel good to be used like this while there are problems left hanging.”

“The trouble you carry is undoubtedly…?”

“That we can’t leave the Sanctuary.”

Finishing Subaru’s statement was Ryuzu, who wore an expression tinged by hardship despite her youthful face. With her head lowered, she spoke quietly:

“As I mentioned earlier, I have been alive for over a hundred years. Yet, I’ve never once left this ‘Sanctuary’. Since I was born, I’ve been bound to this land by a contract. Thus, I’ve long since come to accept it… but I won’t let go of hope.”

“I want to see the outside world, just like you do, Ryuzu. We all do! If a chance to hand that over presents itself, I’ll hold on for dear life to pull it closer! So, holding onto the underwhelmed lord, or the villagers that can be taken hostage is very advantageous.”

As Ryuzu and Garfiel shared these stories, an unseen tension blanketed the room.

This was because they were laying their motives out for the captivity—alluding to the essentially replicated structure of Subaru and the others as captors and captives.

“So that means, you guys are holding the villagers hostage… in exchange for your liberation from the ‘Sanctuary’?”

“That’s a fair assessment. And the one able to fulfill that condition is…”

Gazing directly at Emilia, Ryuzu trailed off.

Having caught on to her position, Emilia reaffirmed her stance.

“It’s me. —Is that what this is about?”

Accepting the flow of events, Emilia took a moment to close her eyes. After a few seconds, as she opened them back up, any hint of hesitation vanished.

“You’re not treating the villagers poorly, are you?”

“Of course not! If we mistreat them, that’s just pointless blowing off steam for no good reason. It’s still no proper conduct.”

Seeing Emilia’s resolute determination to prioritize others over her self-interest, it showed just how unbreakable she was.

Even after deciding to take on this perilous trial, her thoughts immediately turned to the villagers instead of herself.

It was a robust evidence of her strength and fragility that continued to captivate Subaru.

“You look like you’re unsatisfied.”

“…Of course I am. Ultimately, it hasn’t changed the fact that I’m being manipulated. It’s not just me realizing that I’m being played, but also that I’m aware I can’t choose not to go along with it.”

Refraining from an overtly grimace-inducing smile, Subaru clicked his tongue at Roswaal, who was watching him with a glimmer in his eye.

However, as if remembering something, he turned back to face Roswaal.

“Oh, I forgot to mention my suspicion regarding the cause of that injury.”

“Go ahead, I’ll give it a grade.”

“Performance. Rather, it’s more of a setup.”

As Subaru scratched his neck with a finger, Roswaal’s expression stiffened a little.

Observing his reaction, Subaru winked.

“I wouldn’t think the villagers of Araham readily accepted being held captive. Surely, there must have been some resistance. To quell that would require you to show some kind of action. It’d be great if a master acted all crazy and scared off Garfiel and the others… but the Sanctuary’s people are part of the lord’s domain, after all. Such a move was never an option.”

“Well, that’s interesting. What do you suppose will happen?”

“The only choice left would be to accept Garfiel and the gang’s demands. Meaning, ‘liberation’ for the half-breeds from the ‘Sanctuary’. But to achieve that, Emilia-tan’s collaboration is paramount. Unfortunately, that won’t satisfy the villagers or the residents. Thus, the solution is simple. —Undertake the ‘Trial’ to demonstrate a willingness to comply and show your intent to break free of captivity.”

“—”

“Depending on how much damage the miasma inflicts, I can’t say for certain whether you’ve anticipated it, but if you know you won’t die, then there’s no gamble in that particular trial. The more damage you endure, the more serious your determination will shine through, and you’ll elicit sympathy. The following lead role could attract expectations as well.”

In conclusion, every single part of Roswaal’s injuries displayed his intent perfectly.

Roswaal, the lord, was known for his capabilities. The villagers from Araham understood that well. If he took such severe injuries while facing a ‘Trial’, how would they feel knowing that someone would stand before them, ready to surmount such dangers?

“That’s my summary of malicious intentions, biases, and convenience compiled into my imagination—so how’s that for grading?”

“—Oh wow! Really, this is surprisingly, very unexpectedly surprising. Just what happened to you over the past few days to hit your head like that?”

In response to Subaru, Roswaal chuckled deeply in his throat.

Clapping his hands together, he adorned his expression with an almost radiant smile.

“Absolutely astounding! I could statement it’s practically a perfect answer. I never suspected you could see through it all. Just as I thought, you really are a gem!”

“Oh, thanks. It’s making me wanna throw up.”

While Roswaal was clearly overjoyed with Subaru’s deductions, Subaru couldn’t shake off the nauseating feeling stealing the light from his gaze.

His own clear interpretations about Roswaal’s intentions, along with the realization that he had deduced them correctly, gave birth to yet another loop against Emilia’s well-being.

Having no knowledge of their schemes, Emilia was still engrossed in conversations surrounding ‘Trials’ with Ryuzu and Garfiel.

As he watched her back, Subaru firmly resolved he wouldn’t share this knowledge with her.

As long as she would keep her gaze directed forward, with dignity and grace, he wished to guard this dark hidden intention so she wouldn’t know.

Let their burdens fall on Subaru’s shoulders. If she would simply receive their praise, then that was all that mattered.

In the Royal Selection, Emilia had yet to accomplish any feat and had no solid footing.

If her Royal Selection began from this ‘Sanctuary’, he thought it to be his duty to assist her with every bit of effort he could muster.

With renewed determination and hardened resolve, Subaru made up his mind.

While he clenched his fists, Roswaal by the bed murmured in a low voice,

“…You’re nearly correct. The reason I entered the graveyard was not solely for that reason, though.”

That small voice reached only the ears of Ram, standing by the bed, who merely lowered her gaze in response, leaving behind just a shadow of sorrow.

“`

 

---