“Did you manage to successfully form the contract?”

After challenging Roswaal in one final gamble and leaving the building with a flourish, Subaru met up with Otto after walking for a bit, and now they were reporting their results to each other in a corner of the Cathedral.

Subaru nodded at Otto’s question, responding,

“Yeah, it went well. My only worry was that he’d be completely reckless and wouldn’t take the bet… But it seems like I managed to get through that thanks to the unfavorable conditions on my side.”

“That makes sense. To have someone challenge you with such one-sided advantageous conditions… Plus, if he even has a blueprint that ensures he won’t lose, it would be madness for him to back down. Of course, it’s also possible that Natsuki-san’s persuasion was exceptional, or maybe he didn’t bring out the contracts at all.”

“That said, you weren’t thinking he wouldn’t bring out the contract at all, were you?”

“Well, yes.”

Otto affirmed with a casual attitude as he crossed his arms. His behavior, which seemed to toy with Roswaal even if just temporarily, was enough to make Subaru widen his eyes in surprise.

Receiving Subaru’s reaction, Otto chuckled lightly.

“When entering into a contract with significant terms, merchants usually use written documents… but skilled magicians often utilize contracts. Especially since the other party is the foremost magic expert representing the nation… I thought it was almost a given that it would work in our favor.”

“By the way, can contracts be secretly implanted with different content? Like, saying one thing but actually having a different contract?”

If that were the case, Subaru would have no means to confirm it.

Although it was a contract that could change the internal situations in the future based on the outcome of the wager, Subaru wouldn’t know if it involved a clause that would cause him to die a day later just by continuing to breathe.

Shivering at his own imagination, Subaru was interrupted by Otto waving his hand.

“Such deceptions won’t work in this case. Didn’t Count Roswaal mention when establishing the contract? Something about it being inscribed on the soul. The contract only becomes valid once both parties give their approval and agree to its content. Unless someone is exceptionally eloquent, there’s hardly a chance you’ll be bound to a contract different from what you understand.”

“That’s a shady way of putting things, suggesting there might be exceptions for being eloquently deceived.”

“…Let’s keep this between us, but before the legal system was established, it was common for scams using contracts to run rampant. If the other party is a petty criminal, that’s fine, but if they catch the eye of a wickedly skilled magician, the consequences are not something you’d want to think about.”

Agreeing to Otto’s fears, Subaru shrugged his shoulders.

In that regard, Roswaal was a passable partner to form a contract with. It’s true that he was skilled and had a bad personality, but his obsession and methods towards his objectives were straightforwardly pure evil. It’s safe to assume he wouldn’t plan to misuse the contract to create a decisive rift with Subaru.

If such a thing were to happen, Subaru would surely bring Roswaal’s heart to utter ruin with the repeated rights he possessed.

Subaru wanted to maintain at least a minimal portion of trust that such a thing wouldn’t occur for their mutual sakes.

“Anyway, while that was the case for me, how did it go on your end?”

“What did it go like… Honestly, I can’t say I felt much feedback. It was almost like a gamble from the beginning… and there probably won’t be many opportunities.”

Otto’s expression wasn’t bright as he spoke, reflecting the fact that while Subaru was negotiating with Roswaal, he was dealing with another role. As he said, what Subaru had entrusted him with had much higher odds of failing than succeeding. However, if he managed to pull it off, it could significantly move the victory conditions closer.

The problem was not knowing how many opportunities there would be left within five days.

“Let’s see how it goes as we observe the situation. So, let’s reconsider what we must accomplish within this limited timeframe.”

“The urgent matters are Emilia and Garfiel. Especially regarding Emilia’s breakthrough of the ‘Trial,’ I have no means to offer assistance. It ultimately depends on Natsuki-san.”

“That’s it… Emilia’s desire to tackle it on her own is admirable, but without the qualifications, I can’t just step in and do it for her.”

Even so, Subaru had to admit that if they continued as they had been, there was little chance Emilia would successfully clear the ‘Trial’ by the fifth day. As long as Subaru didn’t leave the ‘Sanctuary,’ he felt confident that something wouldn’t happen to break Emilia’s spirit, but he couldn’t avoid the deterioration that would occur from failing to clear it.

She would require some kind of change—something that needed to be initiated from Subaru’s side.

“…In short, it’s about time we seriously faced this.”

“…”

“It’s all the overdue costs from putting everything off. I think I was avoiding realizing that there is something unbridgeable between Emilia and myself because I didn’t want to face it. It seems that as Emilia remained silent, I too used her silence to escape the reality.”

“I believe that sharing what’s within our hearts is important. After all, if I’m just goofing around with Natsuki-san, I wouldn’t know what might happen five days from now.”

Otto spoke in a comforting manner to a contemplative Subaru, who silently expressed his gratitude by scratching his cheek. It was somehow comforting that Otto wasn’t blaming Subaru for continuing to look away from his weaker side.

“Seriously though, what kind of love is there without stepping in that deep? It sounds utterly ridiculous; it’s about time we dropped the pretense of innocence.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

Both fell into a shape of mutual embarrassment as Otto teased Subaru in a quick manner, and Subaru couldn’t respond, knowing Otto was spot on.

Subaru’s passive demeanor often led to situations where he didn’t take that final step.

But running away like that would be reaching its limit soon enough.

“As for Emilia, even though she can be blunt, I think I’ll manage to open up to her. I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do.”

“…Well then, I’ll trust Natsuki-san’s judgment. I really would rather not end up remaining in the ‘Sanctuary’ until the Great Rabbit arrives in five days.”

Otto seemed to have something he wanted to say as he looked at Subaru, but he held it back and simply diverted the topic.

“Now then, moving on to the other matter, how do you intend to deal with Garfiel?”

“The hint is that he’s ‘afraid of the outside.’ I think it relates to the ‘Trial’ he faced in the Graveyard and the past he saw. If I could figure out more details about that…”

“We can’t really pull off asking the person directly, can we? I don’t think Garfiel’s the type to respectfully overlook someone directly probing at his emotional wounds.”

“If he just starts hitting us in anger, we’d both be done for in one go. It’s honestly a two-man team that breeds nothing but anxiety regarding combat…”

Of course, inexperienced as he was, Subaru didn’t have much combat experience. Otto was merely a traveling merchant with a bit more experience. Neither could be counted as combat-oriented, and they would be counted among the weakest in the power hierarchy within the ‘Sanctuary.’

“In that regard, we genuinely need a dedicated warrior position. With Roswaal, Emilia, Ram, and even Frederica, if that’s all we have who can fight, then within the faction it presents a huge problem. We need Garfiel on our side.”

Subaru didn’t consider Rem because her current state was a result of the battles they had endured.

Even if he vowed to restore her eventually, knowing that he didn’t want her standing on the battlefield again was a selfish wish.

“We need to win Garfiel over with smooth-talking and cunning. To do that, we need to eliminate his trauma. The missing piece of the puzzle is…”

“What’s the missing part?”

“If we can’t ask the person directly, we have no choice but to pull someone else in. Either Ryuzu, or Ram. Both seem rather tight-lipped, though.”

It would be worthwhile to check which side of the conflict those two would ally with should Subaru and Roswaal end up clashing.

After finishing breakfast and brushing himself off, Subaru cracked his neck and said,

“Alright then, let’s put our plan into action. I’ll check in with Ryuzu for now…”

“I’ll go with the arrangements… Right. I’ll let the others know, but I’d prefer if we could avoid using them.”

“I don’t want to think too much about it, either. I’d rather not, but… I can feel there’s a 70-80% chance I might need to rely on that…”

“That’s a high probability… I can’t deny that.”

With a shared sigh, Subaru shook his head to regain his focus. Then, raising his hand to Otto’s still strained face, he said,

“Anyway, there’s no other option but to move forward. If everything goes smoothly, let’s make sure to celebrate then.”

Extending his open palm to Otto, Subaru spoke. Otto looked momentarily perplexed but soon grasped Subaru’s intent, lifting his hand to match.

“Yes, I’d certainly like to do that for the splendid future I envision.”

“Just keep talking.”

They shared a playful smirk and slapped their hands together.

The dry sound echoed through the air of the Cathedral, drawing the surprised gaze of villagers, as Subaru and Otto turned their backs on each other and walked away.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“Ryuzu, are you there? I need to have a little chat.”

Jumping over the uneven ground, he made his way through the room with a foul odor. Thinking he’d gotten used to this stench already, he spotted the glowing blue crystals ahead after stepping over some debris.

Within the crystal, the girl still lay in undisturbed slumber, exposed in her naked form. Rubbing the palm of his hand against the surface of the crystal and feeling once again disappointed by the lack of change, Subaru scanned the room.

The dimly lit room relied solely on the pale blue glow from the crystal as its light source. Despite being a haven for bad odors, the absence of even a single mouse or bug made Subaru start to doubt just how bad it was for his health.

“Could it be that the air pollution is so bad that even insects and mice won’t come here?”

“You needn’t worry about such odd concerns. It’s simply that this place has too much of the witch’s remnants… Instinctively, animals can sense it and will avoid coming near, that’s all.”

As Subaru shivered with his arms wrapped around himself, a familiar, youthful voice chided him from behind.

Turning around, he saw Ryuzu, her lengthy hair trailing as she walked toward him.

“Now then, Su-bou. The fact that you’ve come all this way means… you already know about my true nature, right?”

“I received an explanation directly from the person in charge here. They briefly covered the handover procedures, so I think I know the general situation.”

“Is that so? So Ros-bou has been acting strangely since this morning because of that… He’s failed again, hasn’t he?”

With her eyes cast down and a sorrowful expression, Ryuzu answered. This made Subaru raise an eyebrow.

“It’s a surprise to hear, but somehow I feel like I got to hear part of what I was planning to… Do you happen to know about Roswaal’s schemes?”

“Only partially. It’s difficult to understand Ros-bou’s baffling actions without someone who is somewhat aware of the situation… More importantly, that’s likely the reason for Gar-bou’s ire.”

“Partially? How much do you know?”

“Su-bou?”

With a lowered tone, Subaru took a step closer to Ryuzu.

Noting the change in Subaru’s atmosphere, Ryuzu looked up at him with wide eyes. He bent his knees to match her eye level and asked,

“Tell me, Ryuzu. How much do you know about Roswaal’s schemes? Depending on what you say… I need to know.”

“Su-bou…”

If Ryuzu knows about Roswaal’s schemes—such as attacking the mansion with Elsa to advance the world according to the scriptures, blocking the ‘Sanctuary’ with snow to invite the Great Rabbit, and ultimately planning to kill everyone involved to isolate Subaru—then…

“I don’t want to disdain you, Ryuzu. So tell me, how much do you know? How much cooperation do you give to Roswaal?”

“…What I know is that Ros-bou possesses the gospel inherited from the Witch and is altering history in accordance with its contents. The ‘Sanctuary’ persists precisely because it’s written in that gospel. Without it, our protection would have been lost long ago.”

“…Is that all?”

“That’s all. I can swear to it. By my birthright contract, I cannot deceive.”

Looking intently back at Subaru, Ryuzu wore a serious expression on her childish face. Given her contract, which renders her incapable of lying, Subaru chose to believe her words.

Instantly, the tension in his shoulders eased, and he let out a relieved sigh.

“Well then, that’s good to hear. If it turned out that even you, Ryuzu, shared the same malicious thoughts as Roswaal, I would have to slap you after resolving everything. Hitting someone who looks so cute like you would be the worst scene imaginable.”

“I feel genuinely sorry for worrying you, but hearing you say things like that almost drives away my desire to do so.”

Subaru quipped in an attempt to dispel the heavy atmosphere, and Ryuzu chimed in with a similar tone.

She propped her chin on her hand and then said to Subaru, “So, judging from that earlier vibe, something must be quite wrong. What kind of quarrel did you have with Ros-bou?”

“Whether it’s cute enough to be called a quarrel is debatable… Right now, we’re in a battle. If I win, it’ll be a happy ending from an objective standpoint, so I want Ryuzu to help.”

“Given the circumstances, whatever you’re discussing seems relevant to the future of the ‘Sanctuary.’ I can’t give my agreement without understanding what you and Ros-bou are first thinking.”

“That’s fair enough. Alright, where should I start…?”

Scratching his head, Subaru seriously pondered how much information to divulge. Although he had previously discussed with Otto, judging from Ryuzu’s behavior thus far, he didn’t feel she was entirely aligned with Roswaal. Instead, it felt like she believed cooperation with Roswaal was necessary.

Keeping that in mind, Subaru began carefully,

“In simple terms… it’s about the handling of the ‘Sanctuary’ once the barrier is released.”

“Post-release handling?”

“I’ve heard a bit from Garfiel, but it seems there are divided opinions regarding whether to go outside or stay within the ‘Sanctuary,’ right?”

Generally, it was said that the pro-groups were the majority, while the opposition was minuscule. However, there were extreme opposition members who might attempt to obstruct the ‘Trial’ that Emilia and Subaru were undertaking.

Having spent nearly twenty days within the ‘Sanctuary,’ Subaru believed Garfiel was undoubtedly the pinnacle of opposition among those few. He recalled that Ryuzu was at the forefront of the pro-faction, but he wondered what her thoughts were regarding the differences of opinion.

Just as Subaru was about to continue with his conversation…

“Divided opinions…? No, surely that can’t be right.”

“Huh?”

“The decision to leave or remain after the release of this land is left up to individual judgment. Many wish to follow Ros-bou and head outside… Those remaining are resolved to stay, intending to bury their bones in this land. There’s no chance of division in opinions.”

“W-What…? No, but…”

Upon hearing Ryuzu’s unexpected response, Subaru felt his mind halting at the shock of the information being heard. The struggle between the supporters and detractors within the ‘Sanctuary.’ The conflict it created, and the stance regarding the release of the ‘Sanctuary.’ He was planning to use all that to devise a way to win Garfiel over.

“The fact that there are no opposing relations means…”

“—”

“So it means that this whole thing was Roswaal’s fabrication? He initially set the stage indicating that opposition exists just to alert me and lead me to think that obstruction is a natural outcome?”

If that were the case, Subaru thought to himself that he had given it much deeper consideration than usual.

By avoiding direct suspicion, Roswaal had alerted him about possible obstructions by forewarning him.

In the end, having witnessed the repeated cycles of the ‘Sanctuary’s’ demise, Subaru knew that the most significant disruption was Garfiel’s rampages, rendering Roswaal’s warning almost moot.

“To behave so bizarrely just to obstruct the ‘Sanctuary’s’ release…”

“…That’s about Gar-bou.”

Upon hearing Subaru’s muttering, Ryuzu seemed to realize immediately who he was talking about.

She darkened her expression even further and cast her gaze down.

“That child’s reluctance to go outside stems from our inadequacies…”

“Inadequacies?”

“Exactly as the words say. We’ve lived here all our lives. Hence, we have no knowledge of the outside world. Because of that ignorance, we are weak. For Gar-bou, that must be terribly distressing.”

“…”

Subaru somehow grasped what Ryuzu was saying.

For the residents of the ‘Sanctuary,’ who had lived in a confined world bound within walls, the connection to the world outside once the barrier was lifted would be an entirely new and unknown thing.

The anticipation and unease regarding that new reality would naturally lead to an overwhelmingly stronger sense of the latter, especially for those who had spent so long in the unchanging routine of their lives— The collapse of that stability would leave an everlasting impact.

“Is Garfiel’s resistance to the ‘Sanctuary’s’ release because he doesn’t want to see the pain inflicted on people due to the sudden change? It’s such a mismatch for his character… but—”

If that’s genuinely the reason behind Garfiel’s desperate attempts to obstruct the ‘Sanctuary’s’ release, then that mindset parallels Subaru’s desire to keep Emilia away from hardship.

Garfiel must be trying to implement his own way of protection, ignoring the viewpoints of Ryuzu and the other residents. If that were the case, then perhaps if Subaru facilitated a dialogue with Ryuzu and the other residents, the problem could be resolved.

“However, that doesn’t feel like such an easy fix.”

While Subaru and Garfiel may similarly wish for the same outcomes, their positions differ significantly. Subaru’s own powerlessness had been the definitive factor in his failures.

But Garfiel was different. He possessed the authority to prevent the ‘Sanctuary’s’ release. If he eliminates those who would harm Subaru and Emilia, and those qualified to undertake the ‘Trial’ for release, he could fulfill his wishes. The problem is that even if he confined himself within the ‘Sanctuary,’ he couldn’t escape the subsequent arrival of the Great Rabbit.

Yet, that remained an unknown fact to Garfiel and even revealing it would likely not earn him any trust. The situation with Otto could hardly compare.

“From the perspective of genuinely seeking a compromise, this doesn’t seem adequate… but it feels strange.”

“Su-bou?”

“Just what is the reason he… doesn’t first opt for the simplest means to prevent the ‘Sanctuary’s’ release—killing me and Emilia?”

If he was genuinely desperate, perhaps even reckless like Roswaal, then Garfiel should have swiftly taken their lives as a viable option.

However, in reality, he had never once made a move against Emilia directly. Even in attempts on Subaru, he wouldn’t act until it triggered Subaru’s own large-scale movements.

Subaru still wasn’t clear about what could set Garfiel off to kill him. There was no doubt his intention was to thwart the ‘Sanctuary’s’ release by killing him but the trigger for that thought still eluded him.

“There must be some kind of trigger… but reflecting on all the experiences when Garfiel attacked me, has there ever been a constant factor…?”

Subaru had been attacked by Garfiel when he had lashed out at Roswaal and another time when he led the villagers to escape the ‘Sanctuary’—so ultimately, those occurrences alone.

In the situation involving Roswaal, it was perfectly reasonable for him to conclude that Subaru, who attacked an incapacitated individual, was in the wrong, so it wouldn’t raise much suspicion.

The problem was when Garfiel had attempted to kill Subaru after he failed to do so once before.

Garfiel, in his rage, targeted Subaru and those defending him—Ram and the villagers including Patrasche. While Subaru miraculously survived, his hatred towards Garfiel from that massacre had not dissipated.

But to commit such horrific acts, what level of resolve must he have needed? There had to be some factor that ignited that decision.

And upon reflection, it seemed unlikely that the trigger came from Subaru’s side.

In other words, the cause for that massacre must have initiated from Garfiel himself.

“Ryuzu. Garfiel might appear rough and brutish but he’s not the kind to resort to violence easily… Would it be alright to recognize that?”

“That child has a kind heart at his core. He barks first while donning a tough exterior in an effort to protect himself and those around him. The power he has gained is likely for that.”

“I see, so the answer is clear.”

“—?”

Subaru rubbed his nose with his finger and turned back to Ryuzu, leaning against the nearby crystal and feeling its chill against his palm.

“Someone is feeding Garfiel information, and their actions are triggering Garfiel’s sudden displays of aggression.”

If he considered the inappropriate actions as being directed by someone instructing Garfiel, it began to make sense. And among those possibilities, the most prominent collaborators causing Garfiel’s violence would be…

“Roswaal, Ram, Ryuzu, or perhaps some unseen malice…”

One of those individuals was capable of provoking Garfiel into committing heinous acts.

It was necessary to uncover that. Only once it was determined could a genuine opportunity to discuss things with Garfiel present itself.

“As a reference, Ryuzu, may I ask you something?”

“Hm? What is it?”

“—Do you know what kind of ‘Trial’ Garfiel faced in the Graveyard?”

“…No, I don’t know. I regret that’s beyond my knowledge.”

Ryuzu shook her head. Given her lack of capacity to lie, her words were likely the truth. In response, Subaru said, “I see,” and lowered his chin.

“I’ll change my approach. —Does any of the other Ryuzus know about the content of the ‘Trial’ Garfiel faced?”

“—”

“In this case, your silence indicates affirmation.”

Ryuzu remained silent, and Subaru lightly looked upward.

There are several Ryuzu Meiers, who are replicas representing the ‘Sanctuary.’ The system where the Ryuzus rotate their roles daily brings about a problem: the memories and experiences each individual holds aren’t entirely shared.

Among the four representative Ryuzu replicas, naturally, if we designate them A, B, C, D, then it goes without saying that A’s memories and experiences from the day they act would not be passed on to B, C, or D.

On the crucial day when Garfiel faced the ‘Trial’ and subsequently failed, the Ryuzu who rescued him was not the one in front of him now.

“…When will the Ryuzu who knows about the ‘Trial’ appear next?”

“—”

“The Ryuzu who was talking to me in front of the Graveyard yesterday said she had experienced the ‘Trial.’ If the rule of being unable to lie applies, that must be true. If the rotation is one day at a time… then next to appear should be in three days?”

In a situation where time was of the essence, he wished to avoid the farthest date.

As Subaru asked, Ryuzu, who had kept her mouth shut until then, suddenly relaxed her lips and let out a sigh.

“No, I was the one who brought Gar-bou out from the Graveyard, so my next appearance will be in two days. We have two of us who have entered and two who haven’t, rotating one after another.”

She said with a somewhat weary expression.

 

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