Natsuki Subaru, accompanied by Ryuzu and Pico, stepped out from the detached house, noticing for the first time that the eastern sky was starting to lighten, and with that realization came the awareness of his own fatigue.

“Whoa, dawn’s breaking… What a jam-packed night it was,” he muttered.

Although not interconnected in his felt time, the night had started with Emilia’s first “Trial,” followed by Subaru’s intervention in his own “Trial,” then his return to reality after “Return by Death,” and ended with a small scuffle with Garfiel after the trial results. They had uncovered the facility’s location, and Ryuzu had revealed its inner workings at length.

Given the intensity of the night, he hadn’t realized the speed of time passing, but the fatigue in his body, which continued to act contrary to his mind, was undeniable. The subtle disconnection between his mind and body could also be considered one of the flaws of “Return by Death.”

“I’d love to just head back to the Cathedral and sleep until noon…”

“There’s no problem with that. I’ll just switch with the next Ryuzu and take a nice break,” Ryuzu replied.

“While that envious work setup sounds nice, time isn’t on my side. I can’t do that.”

Six days later — no, a whole day had already passed, leaving only five days left. Considering it would take a round trip of a day to move back to the mansion, realistically, he had only three days to take action.

He couldn’t afford to waste this invaluable half day, and though he had witnessed the future from a position of knowing the witches, he hesitated to confide in Ryuzu.

“Now isn’t the time to recklessly act in a way that could provoke the Witch of Envy…”

With beads of sweat forming on his forehead, Subaru’s mind wandered to the shadowy witch swallowing the Sanctuary.

He suspected that the tragic scene was a result of how he had openly mentioned taboo content in Echidna’s castle. Because it was that place, the witches’ interference had come too late, leading to such intense consequences.

Hence, if witches could directly reach Subaru in the real world, he reasoned that the penalties would likely fall squarely upon him as always — but—

“I hope no one’s life has to be put on the line for me to confirm that.”

Subaru uttered weakly, glancing down at Pico, who was standing beside him, holding his left hand and gazing up with wide eyes as if waiting for his next command.

Having received commands from Subaru once, she seemed to have clearly recognized the transfer of leadership. Now, she obediently resembled a chick following its parent.

“So, what’s your next move, Subaru?”

“For now, I’ll return to the mansion. There’s someone I need to talk to… and I also want to meet Frederica. I have a lot of supplementary questions for her.”

“Frederica, huh…”

Thinking of the tall maid, Ryuzu frowned at the mention of her name, her tone implying something more significant, which left Subaru puzzled. It felt like an unusual reaction.

“Do you have something to say about Frederica?”

“…It’s nothing major,” Ryuzu replied.

“Ryuzu, I really don’t want to use my authority if I can help it. Making you listen to my commands is honestly something I’d like to avoid.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Subaru pleaded with an air of sincerity. However, behind his words, his sharp gaze silently proclaimed, “If necessary, I will use it.” Ryuzu sighed.

“Well, now that I think about it, it feels like things started to unravel in the Sanctuary a bit after Frederica left…”

“Things started to unravel?”

“Considering the circumstances surrounding it, it’s questionable whether it was ever in a healthy state at all. Still… well, the residents and even the replicas of Ryuzu Meier, including Garfiel, weren’t as restless as they are now.”

“…………”

“Subaru, I have my hopes on you.”

At Ryuzu’s mention of hope, Subaru felt a painful tightening in his chest. The thoughts begun from that word were — for him — an unsettling burden.

“The Sanctuary has struggled to maintain itself through a haphazard connection to a role it has long lost, creating various fractures now. That’s why I have hope, Subaru.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“I hope you can bring to a close the witches’ obsessions, the reason for the Sanctuary’s existence, and the wishes of Ryuzu Meier… in a way that everyone desires.”

That hope seemed considerably heavy and laden with dependency.

Subaru instinctively tried to respond with a firm “Impossible,” but the moment he stared directly into Ryuzu’s serious gaze,

“———”

The words wouldn’t come.

“That’s fine for now. For now, that’s good enough,” Ryuzu said, nodding as if she understood Subaru’s hesitations and uncertainties.

Despite her appearance resembling that of a young girl, at this moment, Subaru clearly recognized that she possessed a worldview on par with the years she had lived.

“It looks like my time is up now.”

In a tone tinged with lingering regret, Ryuzu’s body began to emit a faint light.

It evoked the image of a spirit on the verge of disappearing, and without thinking, Subaru instinctively reached out toward her.

“Don’t worry. I won’t return to mana. I’m just entering a brief dormant state to regain the mana I’ve consumed. A replacement Ryuzu will be here soon.”

“Even if you look and speak the same, that doesn’t mean you’re the same being, right?”

“Correct. Though I consciously try to mimic her looks, voice, and even personality… I’m a different person. So right now, the Ryuzu speaking to you is only me. Feeling lonely?”

“It’s not about loneliness or anything like that. Ryuzu, don’t you find it painful? Don’t you feel frustrated playing the part of Ryuzu Meier amongst four of you? Don’t you ever wonder where your own life is?”

As he spoke, Subaru realized just how cruel a question that was.

Regardless of how Ryuzu felt, even if she was in pain and sadness about her current state, what could Subaru do upon knowing that?

With no means to investigate the principles of magic, the intricacies of mana, or even the surface of the sorceries, what real meaning was there in reaching for the ungraspable grief?

Ryuzu must have comprehended Subaru’s turmoil. With a faint smile, her light pink hair swayed gently in the morning wind.

“What do you think, Subaru?”

“—Huh?”

“I’ll leave that as one of the things I have hope for from you.”

With that, Ryuzu’s figure began to dissolve into the dawn, ethereal and fading.

The scene, though preemptively stated to not be a simple dissolution, was almost impossible to believe. A person had just vanished, blending into the morning light.

Even if told it wasn’t a disappearance, he couldn’t bring himself to accept it.

Yet, after a blink, a new silhouette appeared in the spot where Ryuzu had just been. A being, akin in every detail to the previous Ryuzu, had emerged.

She shook her head once, then looked up at Subaru.

“No need for my introduction, Subaru. I’ve already reconciled our values since the last ‘me’ was with you.”

The new Ryuzu seemed to clarify any potential doubts Subaru had, and then tilted her head.

“Now, what’s your first move going to be, Subaru?”

“Well, let’s see…”

He gazed up at the sky.

The morning glow gradually encroached upon the night sky in the periphery of his vision, and he slipped his awareness between the passing time and the time remaining.

Then, Subaru glanced down at Ryuzu and Pico and declared,

“First, I want to escape the Sanctuary. I’d like your assistance, Ryuzu.”

That was his proposal.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

As dawn broke, Subaru found himself before the dragon carriage shed.

He opened and closed the creaky door as quietly as possible, searching for his partner within. The pitch-black form, seamlessly blending into the dusk, awaited its master’s call in the back of the shed.

“Sorry for leaving you alone for so long, Patrasche.”

Upon hearing Subaru’s voice, Patrasche stretched her neck and rubbed her nose against him. There seemed to be a mixture of affection and petty sulking for being neglected, bringing a ticklish feeling to Subaru in such a tense moment.

“Sorry to hit you up right after waking up, but we have work. Could you take me back to the mansion again?”

As he stroked her face, Patrasche purred, almost resignedly saying, “Well, since you ask nicely, Subaru-kun…”

At least, he’d managed to get her agreement, and with a sigh of relief, Subaru began to remove her restraints.

Without the burdens of company, Patrasche could shorten what would typically take half a day.

If they set off now during the early morning, they should reach the mansion before evening.

“What a haphazard plan, really, intended only for a redo…”

Determined to return to the mansion this time, Subaru had no intention of bringing the evacuees from Araham Village along. Simply put, with a redo in mind, he was set to eliminate any unnecessary variables and focus on gathering information.

Having listened to Ryuzu Meier’s story and formed a solid friendship, it was indeed regrettable to leave that behind—

“But with my relationship with Garfiel being worse than ever, I couldn’t afford that.”

The transfer of command — it was easy to imagine that Garfiel, who’d originally held it, would scramble to find a new successor now that it had shifted to Subaru.

He would soon come across Subaru. He hadn’t told Ryuzu to keep it a secret. He had previously mentioned it was fine to answer honestly if asked.

It was all planned out.

“Still, I’m feeling a silly reluctance to leave a note for Emilia.”

If he was set on accepting a world that would disappear, logically, there was no reason for him to fret over his interactions with Emilia here.

No matter how much she might suffer, grieve, or even be made happy, it would all be left behind in the vanishing world. Even if he understood this rationally, it wasn’t that simple.

“It’s not about logic, though…”

Although he was aware that he was leaving behind a town set to vanish, he couldn’t bear the thought of Emilia’s sad face.

If he simply vanished without a word, then surely she would be left feeling immense sorrow. With nowhere to cling to, she might lose sight of her footing. While he was grateful that she relied so heavily on him, it also pained him.

To ensure that wouldn’t happen, and even if it did, he prayed she wouldn’t have to endure it, leaving a letter for Emilia.

That said, the contents would only be an assortment of comforting, reassuring words. With no way to convey the truth, Subaru could only concoct a shallow guise of reassurance.

“Better than nothing… or it might just be that Emilia isn’t that dependent on me, who knows.”

With Pack absent, Emilia’s dependency on Subaru was quite substantial.

His current thoughts were merely comforting lies, and he realized they probably wouldn’t work out as he hoped.

Still, Subaru was leaving Emilia behind to exit the Sanctuary. A necessary sacrifice to rewrite the unsalvageable present into a salvable future, he steeled his heart.

“So, let’s make sure to get out before anyone notices…”

As he pulled Patrasche from the dragon carriage, Subaru stretched his hands out to remove the saddle from the passenger car. At that moment, something brushed past his peripheral vision.

“Is that… Petelgeuse’s Gospel?”

The thick, black-covered book lay hidden in a corner of the passenger car.

Having once belonged to Petelgeuse, Subaru honestly wanted to dispose of it right away. However, treating it carelessly and letting it slip into the wrong hands would be problematic. More than anything, it was a piece that could serve as a clue to understanding the Witch Cult—their obscure goals and inner workings.

“Thanks to Roswaal’s story, my view on this has changed drastically.”

Setting the saddle down on a seat, Subaru picked up the gospel absentmindedly.

The weight and feel of it brought to mind the blood-soaked visage of a madman.

The man who held an obsession with the gospel and believed it to be a sign of his loyalty to the Witch.

It was rather ironic that this content hinted at future actions for its owner, Petelgeuse.

“Roswaal, Beatrice, and Petelgeuse… what’s with these guys and having books only they can read?”

Muttering curses, he flipped through the pages of the gospel.

His fingers stopped, and a strange groan escaped his throat, reveling in the shock.

“Y-you kidding me?”

The text penned on the gospel’s white pages was visible to Subaru.

While it looked like the scrawling of a child, the words lined up clearly with meaning, and they were in a character form he could read.

“Wait… does this mean the book acknowledged me as the owner? But I’ve done nothing out of the ordinary…”

Thinking this over, Subaru realized something.

Previously, in his stint with the gospel, he hadn’t been able to read it until before he had set foot into this Sanctuary. During his time in the Royal Capital and after returning to Roswaal’s Mansion. After that, he hadn’t had the chance to open the gospel, so he felt it couldn’t be a coincidence related to the events of the Sanctuary.

More so, a more direct cause came to mind.

“Did Echidna do something to me…?”

Like granting him the “Trial” at the graveyard, it was highly plausible that Echidna had interfered with Subaru’s physique somehow. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the tea served at the so-called tea party had something to do with it.

Echidna had joked about bodily fluids, but it might be something else entirely.

Perhaps something that would dramatically alter Subaru’s body compared to before.

“Honestly, I don’t know if this is the reason, but the changes I experienced last time were definitely more pronounced.”

It was likely that revealing “Return by Death” to Echidna wasn’t the sole reason behind the wrath of the Witch of Envy.

He regretted not having the time to interrogate more about this immediately.

“…but even if I’ve been recognized as the owner, it might not be a comforting thought.”

The idea of being acknowledged by the Witch Cult’s gospel was unsettling, but as he scanned the contents, Subaru judged that it seemed he could read the message meant solely for Petelgeuse instead of a message intended for him.

Since there were no date markings, he had no idea when the first page’s events occurred. However, the gospel continued documenting entries over numerous pages, making it clear that Petelgeuse had been whittling away at its contents one by one.

The core narrative essentially detailed where to go and what to do, but didn’t explain how those actions correlated to specific outcomes. Perhaps Petelgeuse was self-deluding himself into believing that every action was leading the Witch Cult in a positive direction regardless of the outcome.

Flipping through the final moments of the writings, he reached the last part.

While there were still pages left, the following ones were blank. On the final page was a large, blood-red “The End” that Subaru had scrawled.

The preceding entry within the gospel contained the lines:

“At Meisters Territory, a trial awaits the silver-haired half-elf… What does that even mean?”

Without knowing the specific details of the “Trial,” this entry offered no more than confirmation that Petelgeuse aimed to assault Emilia.

However, it only reaffirmed his certainty that Petelgeuse’s malicious deeds had stemmed from the contents of this gospel.

“Ah, I’m sorry, sorry. I’ll be there in a sec.”

As Subaru leaned against the passenger car, a restless Patrasche nudged him with her snout. Chuckling at her impatience, he returned the gospel to its original corner.

Memorizing what he’d just glimpsed, he shifted his focus to another pressing issue.

That is, escaping the Sanctuary and returning to the mansion.

“Let’s ensure we exit as quietly as possible from the Sanctuary. Please, Patrasche, keep silent and stealthy.”

“———!!”

Once he donned the recovered saddle atop Patrasche, she neighed confidently, as if to say she understood.

Feeling a sense of reliability from his partner, unaware of the order’s meaning, Subaru urged Patrasche toward the exit of the Sanctuary.

In the eastern sky, the sunlight began to show itself, twinkling as it illuminated the treetops of the forest. If they didn’t hurry, the early risers among the residents might get up, raising the difficulty of their night escape.

Subaru urged Patrasche on, savoring the initial burst of speed as she began to run. The dragon’s body soon fell under the influence of the “Windward Blessing,” and the vibrations and windfalls from their speed ceased to affect Subaru’s body.

They charged out of the Sanctuary, entering the woods. With the beastly pathway leading effortlessly toward the mansion, Subaru knew he wouldn’t need to guide Patrasche, as she would choose the best route based on her instincts.

Sure there’d be a tinge of loneliness, but it was wise to let Patrasche handle this. Only grasping the reins loosely, Subaru enveloped his body around her sturdy frame, becoming one with her as she launched forth through the forest. Absent any obstructions, they would likely break free of the Sanctuary within the hour.

But—

“Hold on… Hey, wait a minute!!”

A spinning heel strike from above slammed into the ground, exploding the earth into pieces.

Patrasche screeched to a halt, her feet skidding as she aimed to halt, all while ensuring Subaru remained securely on her back. Balancing with divine precision, Patrasche’s gaze fixed ahead.

Consequently, Subaru, whose body had absorbed the shock while on Patrasche’s back, looked at what she was fixated on.

“Oi… what do you think you’re doing, huh? What’s your plan?!”

Garfiel stood there, his face contorted in fury, kicking the ground as he glared.

His nostrils flared, showing annoyance and distaste as he bared his fangs at Subaru, perched atop Patrasche.

“Don’t look down on me like that! Get down! We’ll talk face-to-face! That’s where it starts! I’ll crush you, you punk!”

“I figured you’d be the kind to get in my way, Garfiel.”

“I never thought you’d make such a foolish move! You’re going to try and run away from here? Don’t mess with me! You, this Sanctuary, the demi-human, Roswaal… ALL OF YOU will face the wrath until the Trial ends!”

“Yeah, that’s your facade, right?”

“—”

Garfiel’s raging face morphed at Subaru’s short query.

His sharp eyes, once filled with fury, concealed the fire of rage, with only the sound of his heavy breathing interspersed with gnashing teeth punctuating the air.

“Garfiel, you’re pretending you want us to clear the Trial while trapping us here in this Sanctuary… but the truth is otherwise, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, no real point to it. If you genuinely wish to release the Sanctuary, then you should be overlooking my actions. The fact that you can’t, or won’t, means you’re tangled up in some misguided thought. Isn’t that right?”

“Hah, you think I’m joking? I just can’t stand scum like you, spreading the scent of the witches…”

“Do you really, REALLY sense the scent of the witches off of me?”

Again, Garfiel fell silent under Subaru’s relentless questioning.

His eyes darted, and his lips trembled. Just from that reaction, Subaru felt a burgeoning smirk trying to break through.

“As for the moment I got seriously caught was last night when I left the graveyard. Honestly, at that moment, I truly thought I might get killed by you.”

“…What did you just say?”

“I didn’t think you’d understand what I meant. So, your claim of being able to sniff witches wasn’t just a lie?”

With ‘Return by Death’ fresh in his mind and dying because of contact with a witch, Subaru had undoubtedly carried a rich scent of witchcraft on him.

Yet Garfiel treated him with the same indifference as before entering the graveyard. After that, just after they had parted ways, Garfiel’s sudden call had taken place last night. —It felt overly suspicious!

“To avoid complicating discussions, I pretended I hadn’t noticed, but based on how you act, I figured that wasn’t even an option,” he finished.

“Well, you’re speaking nonsense,” Garfiel snapped. “You think I’d lie about being able to smell witches? Hah! Ridiculous! What purpose would that lie serve?!”

“There’s a purpose. By claiming that, it makes people wary of you… which diverts attention away from the ‘truly scent-savvy’ party.”

“—”

Subaru had likely touched on Garfiel’s true intentions.

The moment those words resonated, Garfiel’s expression changed drastically.

Until now, he had maintained a posture aiming for verbal resolution, but now it shifted toward violence without reservation.

Garfiel’s limbs grew noticeably larger. Golden fur started to cover his exposed skin as he hunched further, edging closer to an all-fours position.

“I won’t listen to your words anymore. It seems you’ve learned things you shouldn’t know. I didn’t want it, but you can’t be left alive.”

“Don’t say that, Garfiel. You really should listen to my words a little longer. Otherwise, how would you figure out what your real plan is or how it was revealed?”

“My plan…?”

Garfiel looked deeply skeptical while glaring at Subaru.

To dispel that mistrust, Subaru raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, snapping his fingers skywards.

And then—

“Huh? What the…?”

Garfiel’s confusion showed as he eyed the scene before him.

From behind, surrounding the dragon were 21 replicas of Ryuzu Meier, gathering as per Subaru’s orders.

Having recreated that familiar sight with his own hands, Subaru pointed, telling Garfiel,

“Given the circumstances, you can probably guess what position I’m in now, right?”

“What the… how did you manage…?!”

“I summoned truth as an offering of regret and sorrow. And I’m still on my turn.”

Raising his palms, Subaru looked down at the bewildered Garfiel from the dragon’s back.

Feeling a rush as he pressed the revealed truth upon Garfiel, he declared,

“The command has been transferred to me. I instructed them to follow your orders as usual for this night without you noticing.”

“—!”

“That ruse ends here. Listen up, Garfiel. I’m leaving the Sanctuary and returning to the mansion. I have things I must do. I can’t afford to be obstructed by you.”

Having anticipated what Subaru might command, the expression on Garfiel’s face crumbled.

The resolute determination he’d worn earlier melted away, revealing a look of confusion that made him appear almost like a lost child.

His beastly transformation halted, and his bulk shrank back to his original small stature.

“Don’t follow me, Garfiel. I have heaps of questions to ask you, but they’ll have to wait for another time. There’s too much I need to hear, including about the transfer of command.”

“Don’t joke with me! You think I’d back down just like that?!”

“Yes, you will. At the very core, you’re far too soft-hearted.”

With provocation laced in his words, Subaru taunted. Garfiel leapt forward, preparing to pounce, bared fangs aimed at Subaru, who stood firmly on Patrasche. But then, a small figure dashed into the fray.

A replica jumped in. Garfiel’s arm was raised to bat it away, but just before that hand could connect—

“—Garf!”

“—!?”

Garfiel’s countenance shifted at the sound of his nickname, causing him to miss hitting the replica. Multiple arms stretched out behind him, rending him helpless before he was pinned to the ground.

The replicas stretched out arms, restraining Garfiel completely. Looking down at him with a sorrowful expression at the forefront was—

“This should suffice to hold you, Subaru.”

“Yeah, this helped a lot. I figured Garfiel would never think of using this tactic.”

Having fought and mercilessly employed the replicas against the Witch of Envy, Garfiel had, without question, lacked any means to contend with a Ryuzu Meier holding clear sentience. However, there must have been something deeper at play when Ryuzu was still active especially when compared to Garfiel’s previous state.

That intention was arguably crueler than mere intent, yet—

“I can’t regard Ryuzu, treated as family, just like any other replica. If a difference arose in how command was utilized between you and me, that would be the reason.”

“Y-you!!”

“Surely you couldn’t destroy a replica of Ryuzu Meier, right? So just let it go and let me slip this time. I won’t do anything bad.”

“Is there a worse scenario that could exist? Get real!”

His howls echoed futilely, but Subaru purposefully disregarded them, thumping his back on Patrasche’s flank. Picking up on his intent, the dragon emitted a small cry, turning away from Garfiel, who had been restrained, and aimed toward the forest’s exit.

Before running off, Subaru turned to Ryuzu.

“Sorry to put you into such an unpleasant position.”

“You deemed it necessary. There’s no need to worry about me, since I can’t go against you.”

“Even so, I’m sorry.”

With an apologetic glance back at Garfiel, Subaru left that parting remark as he urged Patrasche onwards.

Once more, the “Windward Blessing” unfurled, carrying away sound and air in their wake.

“Wait! Don’t think you can just run away!”

The voice trailing behind him grew fainter as Subaru rushed into the forest, escaping the Sanctuary.

“Let go! I can’t let you out! Why… why the hell… does that old lady side with you over me!? Why!?”

“――――”

“Granny—!!”

The painful cries, feeling like betrayal, echoed throughout the forest.

Leaving all that behind, Subaru ran straight into the woods.

As necessary sacrifices and inevitable sadness, all to lay the groundwork for the future.

Biting his lip and feeling the blood trickling, Subaru loosened any tenuous bindings he had with Garfiel’s grief, accepting that it was a necessary sacrifice.