“What’s with that ridiculous face, like you’ve just witnessed something unbelievable, as if you’ve gazed upon the very end of a dream?”

“Well, I suppose I don’t need to correct your exaggerated statement. It reflects my true feelings adequately.”

In front of me, Otto casually leaned back with his hands on his hips and sighed. Sitting on the floor, Subaru looked up at him while rolling his wrists to check for his shackles that had been removed.

After being restrained for over three days, moving his body was accompanied by both creaks and pain. It was tough to even change positions while eating, and he had been flipped around periodically during meals, revealing many issues that could only be felt when he tried to move everything, not just the blood circulation.

Especially,

“Otto, maybe it’s because I’ve just had the blindfold taken off, but… my right eye’s vision is bad. I mean, it doesn’t work at all. What happened?”

“When you say ‘What happened,’ I hesitate to answer… Would you prefer I sugarcoat it delicately, or lay out the facts as they are?”

“Just say it nicely so I don’t get shocked, but follow it up with the plain truth to help me accept reality.”

“How greedy. Well then, Natsuki’s lovely visage is shrouded in unavoidable darkness, blocking the light from your right side…”

“I didn’t ask for a middle schooler’s dramatic flair, just tell me what’s going on.”

Otto began to explain in a way that made it seem like he was feeling nostalgic. Subaru raised a hand to stop him mid-sentence, then hesitantly brought his hand to his right eye, testing the sensation with caution.

–The position of my right eye seemed as if it had been cut out, and I couldn’t secure any vision there. Upon touching it, I realized the reason its function was sabotaged.

It wasn’t just sabotage; it looked like it had packed its bags and returned home. To put it bluntly, in the spot where my right eye should be, there was only an empty cavity.

“I thought they said they would heal it…”

“The bleeding is stopped, and the broken bones are joined together. However, healing magic does select its users and isn’t all-powerful… Restoring the dead parts is just impossible.”

Otto, who spoke with a certain pity in his gaze, looked at Subaru. Seeing that gaze, Subaru loosened his lips weakly and said, “It can’t be helped.”

“I was about to get my head crushed and nearly died. Accepting the loss of my right eye should be manageable. If both my eyes had gone out, I’d lose the will to live.”

“You’re being positive, but aren’t you being a bit self-destructive? Please, without Natsuki, we can’t really progress here.”

Despite losing such an important organ as his right eye, Subaru’s current mindset amazed even himself with its calmness. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t fully absorbed the reality of the situation, or the lack of pain like when Elsa attacked and he lost most of his right arm.

Garfiel’s words were both a lie and a truth. The blood had stopped, the wounds were closed, and there was no pain left. Subaru had just placed too much hope on powerful healing magic, and when considered as a return from a fatal injury, he had indeed received the treatment he deserved.

“He’s diligent in his own way, I guess? That guy is really something else.”

Hitting Subaru while also healing him. Then he confines Subaru until the end of the ‘Trial’ and uses the situation with Emilia to barter.

Healing him to prevent him from dying while still assigning a caretaker. Disgusted by the ‘smell of the witch’ that enveloped Subaru, yet he didn’t avoid coming here. And even while coming, he asks nothing of Subaru.

It seems as though he knows that Subaru isn’t speaking or doesn’t hold any relevant information, or perhaps he’s simply not interested in what Subaru has to say.

“If he knows, is that also part of the ‘gospel’? Everyone seems to be under the impression… if this is the witch’s test ground, then perhaps that’s just the way things are.”

Everyone who has a part in this has the book that dictates the future and follows it. Shouldn’t they simplify the course of Subaru’s world a little bit more?

Everyone in unity, marching toward a single goal, aiming for a happy ending. Can’t we just have the scenario on a straight path every now and then?

With a means of knowing the future, isn’t it a bit odd that Subaru has to restart from scratch every time?

“Even if I moan about it, the conversation is not going to proceed, and no one is about to help me, damn it.”

“You seem incredibly downcast. Well, it’s understandable given the situation you’re in, but still, isn’t it a bit surprising that no one is stepping up to help you? What do you think I came here for?”

Otto, listening to Subaru mumble, began to express sympathy, but he quickly countered Subaru’s last comment.

Upon seeing Otto’s smug expression almost in front of him, Subaru blinked in confusion.

“Ah, wait a minute! What about you? Actually, in these three or four days, I’ve had endless time to think, yet you didn’t pop into my mind even once, not even as a half-remembered thought.”

“Wow, that’s impressive! Even I find it exhilarating to be so completely forgotten!”

“Honestly, I completely forgot you existed. Even seeing your face for a moment, I struggled to tell if you were Otto or some random Uncle from the Ringa shop.”

“Who’s this Uncle from the Ringa shop!?”

“For me, it’s a starting point. You could call him Mr. Save Point.”

So far, Kadmon has appeared the most as a ‘return from death.’ Thinking of the scarred good man, Subaru jested while trying to mentally organize the shock of losing his right eye alongside the abrupt situation he faced.

First, he should inquire about the Otto standing before him. His true intentions, most likely.

“Let’s put the jokes aside for now… there are various things I want to ask.”

“I’m sure there are. I’m also curious about what you did to get caught and end up in this situation.”

“Wait? Isn’t this all Roswaal’s order?”

According to Garfiel’s story, it was Roswaal who confined Subaru after he attacked him. He’s kept under house arrest and pushed Emilia to face the “Trial.” But then,

“I can’t say exactly how much involvement the Count has— the “Sanctuary” is now chaotic and in a state of division.”

“Division? What does that mean?”

“It’s just as it sounds. Including you, there’s a faction led by Ryuzu and others who are saying that the people fleeing from the village should be released, and another faction opposing that.”

In exhaustion, Otto simply explained a fraction of the troubles that had unfolded in the days past.

Essentially, as Subaru suspected, the tensions between the evacuees and the ‘Sanctuary’ residents had grown, dissatisfaction detonated, and skirmishes erupted. The fracture that sprung forth had led to division among the factions of the ‘Sanctuary’ residents.

Subaru caught his breath at the feared situation and added, “But why suddenly all this upheaval? From what I saw… no, based on my predictions…”

In the first world Subaru had witnessed, at least this fight hadn’t occurred up until the fifth day. Hence, his suggestions of releasing the evacuees had passed successfully, and by the sixth morning, that promise had been fulfilled.

The situation had escalated too rapidly. Judging that, Subaru saw Otto shake his head, raising a finger as he continued, “There’s nothing sudden about it. If your reasoning is this misguided, it’s genuinely troubling.”

“A reason, one of them?”

“I’m not sure of the nature of your relationship with the people of Araham Village… but it seems there was a good rapport. Once you got mauled by Garfiel and vanished, the atmosphere in the ‘Sanctuary’ soured drastically.”

“———”

“From the villagers’ perspective, someone like Ram or the Count must be hesitant to approach. You were seen as the preferable liaison between the top and bottom, after all. But that’s not all, considering the intensity of their anger, I feel that there’s more.”

With his mouth agape, Subaru expressed nothing but astonishment at Otto’s words.

Sure enough, in the comparative changes between the past and present conditions of the ‘Sanctuary,’ whether Subaru was alive or not counted as one factor. It could be counted, but he never imagined his existence could weigh so heavily on the emotions of the people of Araham Village, let alone spark the division within the ‘Sanctuary.’

Was it a joke or was he exaggerating? Analyzing Otto’s expression, Subaru watched him furrow his brow, yielding no special reaction. This means he was genuinely serious. Only the question regarding whether Otto’s sense was imperfect remained.

“We’ll need to have discussions in that matter to derive a consensus.”

“There’s a strange sense of unfairness in how I’m treated, but fine. More importantly, Natsuki, the reason I’ve come here is related to that division.”

“Related to the division? Ah, you mean, the turmoil erupted because I’m missing, and if I return, I could perhaps pacify it? But that’s placing a significant burden of expectation on me, or pressure of sorts…”

Because of his tendencies toward underestimating situations, Subaru found it hard to take Otto’s words at face value. Even if he did have a strong influence on the peace of mind of Araham Village’s residents, the fact that it had already exploded made him think there was little he could do.

Rather, given the loss of his right eye, Subaru’s current state likely stirred only more anger.

As such, he shook his head with a difficult expression in response to Otto’s proposal, but Otto waved his hand in denial, “No, no. It’s a bit too extreme to think Natsuki has that much power. That’s just overestimating things.”

“Because it goes both ways, I’ll refrain from pushing back, but you saying things like that is just tricky… So then, why do you want to get me out?”

“We want to avoid any large-scale conflict between the evacuees and the residents of the ‘Sanctuary.’ So, I’d like you to lend a hand in leaving the ‘Sanctuary.'”

“A hand in leaving?”

With a frown at the dangerous word, Subaru mulled over the implication. Then, an idea struck him regarding what Otto might be considering.

He began to dampen his lips slightly, realizing, “You’re planning to take advantage of the chaos while the ‘Sanctuary’ is in disarray to help the villagers escape without them noticing. You want me to assist in that?”

“Spot on! It’s reassuring to see you’re quick on the uptake. Time is of the essence, and I would like your unconditional cooperation.”

“After confirming the plan first. If I’m just winging it, I can’t just nod in agreement. I definitely feel like there’s an opportunity here, but if the opposing faction notices us, we won’t have a good excuse.”

Most importantly, if he inadvertently provoked the opposing faction that wanted to oppose the liberation of the ‘Sanctuary,’ it would put the safety of Emilia, Roswaal, and Patrasche at risk. He wouldn’t care what happened to Roswaal, but he wanted to avoid any harm coming to Emilia, Ram, or Patrasche.

“If possible, I’d like my name added to that list of people you don’t want getting hurt.”

“It’s expected that a man gets hurt in this chaotic scene. I have an old-fashioned mindset in that regard. It’s better for the husband to be strong and for the wife to be left behind.”

“I’ve never heard that phrase before, but I think that might not be the right way to use it.”

With Otto pointing out the correct usage, Subaru made a face. Taking a clearing breath, he aimed to steer the conversation back to its original flow.

“If it’s not some reckless gamble, then tell me your plan. I’ll decide whether to cooperate or to snitch after that.”

“The existence of the option to snitch is quite frightening… but the plan is simple. I’ve already spoken with the moderates of the ‘Sanctuary.’ While they hold down the radicals, we’ll break through the barrier using a dragon cart and make our escape.”

“Doesn’t that seem a bit too brash? And who are these collaborators…?”

“I’ll share the details about them once you clearly state you’ll cooperate, Natsuki. What I need your help with is persuading the villagers and managing the unpredictable Garfiel. Considering the villagers and you are close, they’d likely be inclined to listen to you.”

“So I’ll just serve as some convenient bait? I won’t deny that part.”

As for Garfiel, Otto was right. With Subaru and the evacuees present, Garfiel would definitely charge at him, consumed by spirit. However, just getting them to manage that was expected to take a great deal of effort.

“First off, I no longer have a clear understanding of Garfiel’s position. He’s like family to Ryuzu, so logically, he should be on the moderate side.”

“They apparently had that in mind when they counted him, but his approach to Natsuki and Emilia has made that hard to judge. While he doesn’t actively see you as an enemy, they seem to agree on treating you as a passive one.”

“He’s observant, this collaborator of yours… I make no mistake of including myself in that observation. By the way, what happens if I refuse to cooperate?”

“In that case, I’d spread the news of liberating Natsuki, but I feel it’s just a matter of time before the potentially antagonistic Garfiel is removed from the obstacles.”

“That’s perfect! Once my hands are free, it’s guaranteed I’ll be against Garfiel’s wishes. Damn, it seems I’ve got no choice.”

Raking his hands through his hair, Subaru had no option but to acknowledge the uncomfortable reality of being caught in Otto and his collaborator’s web. Given the current circumstances, Subaru had to dance to their tune.

Admittedly, he didn’t feel nearly as repulsed as he’d suggested.

Because if the actions initiated by Otto could lead the evacuees out of the ‘Sanctuary,’ he might discover answers concerning the now empty ‘Sanctuary’ he had seen.

If this plan were to work, they could erase the presence of the evacuees from the ‘Sanctuary’ without Subaru’s direct involvement. The problem is that unraveling the mystery doesn’t simply stop there.

“In the end, it doesn’t exactly provide an answer to why none of the residents who should be unable to leave the ‘Sanctuary’ can be seen…”

It was a reasonable conclusion, one that all the people who could leave had actually escaped. However, the answer behind the absence of those who were supposedly trapped in there remained elusive. Regardless, there was no time to waste; they needed to escape in order to observe the situation’s progress.

Following Otto’s proposal, it wouldn’t be a waste to see the end of this ordeal.

“By the way, just to point out, how did you even find me? This is definitely a hidden room among the ‘Sanctuary,’ isn’t it?”

Recalling Garfiel’s words and the interior of the room finally confirmed after spending a long time there, Subaru cracked his neck.

It seemed the source of light was merely the distant glow of a crystal lamp, and the windowless room didn’t allow any outside light to filter through. The structure appeared to be of wood, but given its shabby construction, there were leaks here and there. The dripping sound that had grated on Subaru’s nerves continuously was likely due to these defects. Quite the nuisance, indeed.

“Well, I suppose it was definitely difficult to find this place by proper means. I find that it feels more like a secret base than a true hidden room.”

“After re-evaluating the inside of the room, I did feel that way too. This handmade vibe is quite terrible; it really doesn’t feel like the work of a skilled carpenter. It feels like a young amateur with too much strength, relying solely on instinct and intuition made this building.”

The image Subaru had of a confinement chamber and this shabby little shack were far too disparate. It merely felt like a cramped little space.

Noting Subaru’s impressions, Otto made a gesture indicating they should move the topic along, saying, “Well, let’s set that aside. The fact that I found this place is my achievement. You should show me proper praise on this occasion.”

“I genuinely appreciate the efforts; I’m glad you did. How did you find this place?”

“Hehe, would you like to know? Oh, you’d like to know, wouldn’t you?”

“Yeah, I’d definitely like to know. You didn’t use your ‘Word Spirit Protection’ to gather intel from all the bugs, lizards, and plants in the forest to find your way here, did you?”

“That’s exactly right! Can I get my inflated ego back now!? ”

Otto dejectedly lamented the joke Subaru had made, but Subaru couldn’t help but hide his surprise internally.

He already knew, but such an adaptive strength from Otto’s ‘Word Spirit Protection’ was incredibly powerful.

Previously, when Subaru had followed his guidance and had Patrasche come to rescue Emilia’s dire situation, Otto had similarly performed incredible feats by gathering information from bugs and plants, quickly bridging the distance that should have been impossible.

“Man, your protection is really something else.”

“It’s not all that great, to be honest.”

While Subaru released a sigh of admiration, Otto’s enthusiasm shot down abruptly. Subaru frowned at that response, but Otto didn’t let him ask questions, interrupting with “Anyway,” and stiffened his fist.

“Soon, the ‘Trial’ will begin for Emilia. During that time, Garfiel has no choice but to head to the graveyard and leave here. Which means, now is our chance.”

“The preparation time for this operation is way too short. I didn’t find you, and since there’s a fire under my ass, the schedule is tight, but geez.”

Complaining about Otto’s urgency, Subaru confirmed his own condition by turning his body. While it wasn’t satisfactory by any means, he had received provisions and his bodily needs had been cared for as well. Reflecting on it now, there was immense embarrassment in not knowing who it was that was taking care of him as he recalled experiencing a similar situation when he had a broken leg during his hospitalization.

All things considered, aside from the stiffness in his body, there were no other issues. Subaru was about to give a nod to Otto, signaling that it was time to move when—

“Ah, can I ask one last thing?”

“What is it now? Seriously, let’s make this the end. If you take too long, the plan might evolve to a different stage, and we’ll just end up looking like fools.”

“Sorry, sorry. But why in the world are you cooperating to cross such dangerous bridges?”

“———”

Otto’s face was momentarily pressed with a frown at the sudden interruption.

Surely, it was the first question that ought to have been asked. For the evacuees and the residents of the ‘Sanctuary,’ it was beneficial to avoid a clash. It was desirable for Subaru too, and also for aiding Emilia and Roswaal.

But,

“In that scenario, I can’t figure out where the benefit is for you. Maybe it’s just me being dim-witted, but… without knowing that, it leaves me feeling uneasy.”

It’s not that he wanted to accuse Otto, but it was a definite truth that he found puzzling. In reality, the problems surrounding the ‘Sanctuary’ were something Otto had entangled himself with through circumstance. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have had to bear with this chaos, even all the way to the royal selection.

As soon as he deemed the situation to be troublesome, it would have been simple to abandon the involvement and just flee alone. Even considering his desire to maintain a link with the Count, the current events should be severely disadvantageous.

Even Subaru wasn’t able to see any light through these entangled events.

That’s why Subaru wanted to know why he was going to such lengths to help him. During the last three days, he had continuously neglected to recognize Otto’s true existence. Subaru hadn’t seen him as an issue or a matter of doubt. In a sense, it was trust in a way.

Believing that there could be nothing amid the mounting troubles, surely there was nothing that could prompt him to associate Otto’s intentions with deceit.

So now, he wanted to know his true intentions that could potentially overturn that sense of trust.

If Subaru were to discover that Otto had some underlying hidden motive, that would mean…

“Answer me, Otto. Why are you going to such great lengths to assist me?”

A quiet question. It was a small but definitive watershed moment.

Stopping his breath, Subaru waited for Otto’s response. After swallowing Subaru’s question, choosing his words in his mouth, Otto responded while staring back at Subaru.

“What kind of person do you think I am, Natsuki?”

“I picture you as someone who reaches for a small fortune in front of you, spilling your other hand’s cargo everywhere. A person with a bit of a clumsy vibe.”

“That’s quite the rude perspective! It’s almost as if you’ve seen me mess up before, which annoys me to no end!”

An image of Otto based solely on Subaru’s whimsical thoughts— or perhaps that’s simply what Subaru hoped he representative would be.

Otto then sighed, shaking his head tiredly.

“Y’know, Natsuki…”

“What?”

“Is it that strange to want to help a friend?”

—In a fleeting instant, time within Subaru paused as he pondered Otto’s statement.

It felt like several seconds passed before time resumed. But even as things resumed moving, Subaru struggled to fully grasp the meaning behind Otto’s words. What exactly did he just say?

Eugene? Who was Eugene? Was there someone by that name around here?

“Why are you stiffening up like that, looking surprised?” Otto asked, a bit exasperated.

“No, it’s just that a name I’m unfamiliar with popped up out of nowhere, and I can’t follow where the conversation is going. And what’s this about Eugene?”

“I don’t know what conclusions you’ve drawn, but you’re wrong from the start to finish! It’s not Eugene, it’s friend! Friends!”

“Friends?! Who are the friends here?!”

“You and me! We’re friends!”

Subaru’s eyes opened wide in disbelief, while Otto gasped in shock, stamping the floor as he waved his hands.

“Let me clarify! I was nearly caught by the Witch Cult and on the verge of losing my life, and you all saved me. After that, well, I helped with various trades. I came to this place to connect with the Count for reasons. So in that sense, our relationship may have started from obligation…”

“———”

“But once you strip away all that obligation, I consider you, Natsuki, my friend. I have plenty to say regarding how you treat me regularly, but since we toss around some absurdities, I feel we may belong at that distance.”

Otto averted his gaze while scratching his nose, seemingly embarrassed as he loudly recounted his words.

Listening to Otto’s candid remarks, Subaru maintained his silence. Upon reaching a pause in Otto’s speech, he was met with Otto’s puzzled look due to Subaru’s lack of response.

A hint of unease tinged Otto’s expression as it dawned on him that Subaru had yet to say anything affirming. Could he perhaps believe Subaru was trying to latch onto this forced notion of friendship?

Imagining the current feelings within Otto, Subaru became flooded with emotions he hadn’t realized. The feelings he bore toward Otto contained an overwhelming sense of gratitude and an insatiable desire to apologize.

—What did Otto’s intentions matter? What underhanded schemes could be hidden? What did he trust, and what should he believe?

Otto claimed he considered Subaru a friend and had rushed to help him. Facing Otto’s existence now, Subaru realized that it was foolish to first give in to doubts instead of trusting the sincerity of his heart.

Wasn’t it foolish to presume that there had to be something sinister behind everything?

As he got caught up in the whirling reality, he happened to forget how to reconcile the feelings of the people before him; he only acknowledged the existence of malice while overlooking the occurrence of genuine goodwill.

—What did Natsuki Subaru know about surrendering, to the point of releasing everything he understood about the world?

After just a few deaths and a reset, what nuggets of wisdom did he believe he had gleaned? Why had he not even recognized a friend in front of him?

Subaru felt a sense of ridicule and self-reflection in his ignorance. Not realizing that Otto still bore a questioning expression, he offered him a smile.

He took a deep breath, feeling one way brighter than before.

“I was wrong. You’re my friend, Otto. —Thanks for coming to help me.”