“If my contract with that girl were to break, can I leave the rest to you?”

“…That depends on the reason.”

Moistening his lips with his tongue, Natsuki Subaru faced Pack while ignoring his thirsty throat.

Within the crystal, Pack’s expression, hidden from view, remained unseen. However, the emotional whirlwind behind his words convinced Subaru that they were not uttered lightly.

It was simply a matter of contracts.

Moreover, it was a contract taken very seriously between a spirit and a spirit mage.

To assert that it could be unilaterally “broken”—the true intent behind such words was not something Subaru could easily fathom.

“The contract between Emilia and you… Essentially, it’s an agreement between a spirit and its contractor, right? Breaking that would naturally come with appropriate penalties, wouldn’t it?”

“Of course.”

“If my imagination serves me right, the contractor is someone who borrows strength from a spirit by upholding the contract. If that contractor can’t follow through, it’s only natural that the spirit would have no reason to lend them strength. …In other words, to break the contract means—”

“It would result in losing the bond between me and Emilia.”

Pack acknowledged Subaru’s reasoning without denying or correcting it.

However, the implication of that affirmation was—

“If you can’t lend your power anymore… Emilia will lose her fighting strength. It would mean sending that girl, who is just an ordinary girl, into a fight against them.”

“Isn’t that more of your concern than mine? Regardless of whether Emilia has strength or not, you’re the one who doesn’t want her to fight. I recall you were feeling down about some discrepancies in that regard.”

“Ugh… That’s certainly true. But my feelings and that are separate matters. In regards to fighting strength, you’re right, that’s not the root of the problem here. What’s important is… what happens to Emilia if you’re no longer by her side.”

Pack’s absence would be equivalent to Emilia losing her mental support.

If the conversation with Pack just moments ago was true, then deep down, she was aware that Pack was not truly asleep. The fragile connection was not completely severed.

Yet, even in such a tenuous state of connection, Emilia, cornered, appeared so extremely worn out. She would become so dependent on Subaru that she would verbally express not wanting to leave his side.

If something were to truly cut off that connection with Pack—

“Emilia could very well lose her mental balance right then and there. That’s a sight I wouldn’t want to see either. What are you planning?”

“I’m planning nothing. I’m just committed to ensuring that Emilia will get the best outcome possible. I won’t do or can’t do things she doesn’t want.”

“Are you saying Emilia wishes to sever her contract with you?”

“No, Subaru. Losing my contract is merely a byproduct of fulfilling Emilia’s wish. Her current desire is undoubtedly to overcome the Trial at the Graveyard. There’s no need to doubt that or not trust in it.”

Subaru had no doubts in that regard either.

Even if he believed Pack’s hypothesis—that Emilia couldn’t face her past head-on and kept reliving a false past, leading to repeated failures at the Trial—Subaru had faith above all else that she was not someone to merely pretend to overcome the obstacles before her.

Subaru’s positive feelings did not convey themselves as words to Pack. Yet in a way, it seemed to transmit his true feelings, as Pack slightly lowered the tone of his thoughts and remarked,

“If I vanish, Emilia will indeed fall into distress. She will likely cry and throw a tantrum, turning into a complete mess just like a child.”

“——–”

“But you know, I think that’s fine. It’s unnatural for her to think I’m gone while subconsciously knowing I’m still here. Only when she fully comprehends my absence—both consciously and subconsciously—can she truly face her own heart without the easily understandable chains that have sealed her past.”

Pack’s words came with a quiet but profound sentiment.

It contained affection, sorrow, joy, and above all, a selfless willingness to devote everything to something cherished.

“So you’re saying that to confront herself… you plan to sever your connection with her and allow her to move forward?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m sure there will be a lot of painful things, but I believe Emilia can endure it.”

“You won’t be by her side. Aren’t you worried? Don’t you want to protect your endlessly kind daughter who always puts herself last and ends up suffering from it?”

Subaru was starting to lose track of what he was even saying.

If Pack’s offer were to yield the expected outcomes, it would indeed bring about the developments that Subaru anticipated. Like Pack said, whether or not Emilia had combat strength was irrelevant to Subaru who was struggling to keep her from fighting.

So, despite welcoming Pack’s proposal, Subaru couldn’t help but find reasons against it.

“I thought recently, you weren’t comfortable with me being by Emilia’s side.”

“That assessment isn’t unfounded… After everything that’s happened lately, my opinion on you is at rock bottom, and it won’t improve easily. A choice that sacrifices for Emilia doesn’t erase the accumulated distrust built to this point.”

“That’s a harsh way to put it; it honestly makes me a little sad.”

“But…”

Both knew that verifying their impressions was not the issue. Subaru now felt that he couldn’t simply take Pack’s words at face value nor easily shift his negative impression of him.

The words spoken were devoid of lies. However—

“I can clearly envision Emilia’s sorrowful figure if you were to disappear. I know all too well how hugely significant you are to her. That’s precisely why I…”

“——–”

Unable to continue his words, Subaru felt only a vague turmoil brewing within him. Pack, too, remained silent in thought, quietly waiting for this ambiguous will of his to take shape.

The more hurried he felt, the more the answer drifted away into uncertainty.

“I… I want you to…”

“I’m only able to make this decision because of your presence, Subaru.”

In a voice that sounded like it was dropping its pearls, Pack spoke before Subaru could finish. His words echoed in Subaru’s mind, causing him to lift his gaze blankly at the green crystal.

“You’re right; Emilia is what matters most to me. I want to keep watching over her and lend her my strength. Even now, I believe I’m doing this for her sake; that feeling hasn’t changed.”

“Then why…?”

“It’s because of you.”

“——–”

Suddenly, Subaru felt as if his breath had been stolen.

“Here… no, in this world, you alone are capable, just like me, of risking your life for Emilia. Throughout our shared time, you’ve proven that. Excluding me, Emilia would most certainly rely on you more than anyone else. That’s undeniable. You can trust that.”

“Even so… I’m not as powerful as you, nor overwhelmingly strong enough to blow away any obstacles in front of her. All I can do is help her shoulder the burden and let her spill her concerns… at best. Is it really okay for you to leave the future to someone like me?”

“You seem to be misunderstanding. I’m not looking for someone to replace me. What only I can do is solely my responsibility. The reverse is true too, and for you to help Emilia in ways only you can… I have faith in that.”

As Subaru fell silent, Pack continued without pause.

He blocked his escape routes, ensuring the moment of decision for Emilia wasn’t lost.

“Even if I were to disappear, Emilia is far stronger than you think. No doubt, when it comes to the strength you’ve mentioned. But, as you know, she is weak. In terms of what I define as ‘weakness,’ she undoubtedly is. That’s why I want you to support her in that weakness.”

“What will happen to you if the contract is severed, cutting off your connection?”

“The reason I’m able to exist like this is due to the bond with Emilia. If that connection is broken, I won’t be able to maintain my existence without continuously materializing. …However, if I keep materializing, I’ll be consuming all the mana in my surroundings infinitely. If you were to witness my true form, Subaru, I’m sure you’d be utterly shocked.”

When Pack mentioned “true form,” he must’ve been referring to when he presents that towering giant form—an apex beast of the four-legged kind, a furious blizzard beast. The beast of extinction.

Indeed, if he had to maintain that form constantly, it was impossible to sustain his existence.

“So, you’re saying you’ll… disappear?”

“Not disappear. I’ll merely return to a tiny existence, one I was before I contracted with Emilia. Likely, I will revert to Erior Forest. I’ll be resting within some object of reverence, waiting for the time I’m called upon.”

“Called upon… you mean?”

“Naturally, by Emilia. —Here, my contract with her will end. But when the time comes for her to need a new contract, if she were to choose a spirit… I trust that she will choose me again.”

Pack stated this with a cheerful tone, making Subaru hold his breath.

Despite making a decision that could lead to his own disappearance, Pack’s voice betrayed no anxiety. His inherently optimistic personality had nothing to do with the certainty that his voice carried no traces of fear.

For him, it was an undeniable fact that Emilia would choose him again.

Subaru could only imagine how Emilia would be forced to confront her past once she lost her contract with Pack. The thought that she might crumble under the weight of her past was unfathomable to Pack.

Emilia would overcome her past, and when she sought another contract, she would choose him again.

In Pack’s heart, that was a settled matter.

He believed in Emilia’s strength, and he had faith in their shared experiences. That trust allowed him to opt for severing ties with her.

“——–”

To Subaru, who was still wavering, it felt like a dazzlingly strong bond.

Pack’s deep affection and trust for Emilia was the realization of his ironclad heart.

“So you expect me to comfort a distressed Emilia, handing that over to me?”

And so Subaru, feeling cornered, shot back with a tone that carried a hint of resentment. In response, Pack let out a sound like he was purring, mixed with a smile in his tone,

“I genuinely feel bad about that. But… since I’m entrusting my precious daughter to you, I’d like you to overcome this challenge together.”

“Is that a roundabout way of recognizing me as Emilia’s partner?”

“If I were to blow you away right here, I’d have to reconsider a lot of things, wouldn’t I?”

“You’re always so scary with your retorts, you damn cat!!”

Throwing back a harsh reply at the extreme words, Subaru’s expression softened just the slightest bit.

In light of Pack’s deep feelings for Emilia, Subaru found some relief, allowing him to share at least a little banter before deeper rifts could form.

And having heard that he would sever his contract with Emilia and leave, Subaru had an idea as well. If it succeeded, the scales of their gamble would surely tilt somewhat.

“I get your strategy. I do feel a little anxious about whether it will go as planned… but you’re asking me to assist with the guiding while pretending not to know, right?”

“I wonder what it feels like to manipulate the consciousness of the girl you like?”

“Don’t do it; you’ll be crushed by guilt. And if Emilia truly understands various things in her heart… then afterward, she’ll realize she was steered like this.”

“If that happens, then we might both become accomplices in being hated. Are you scared?”

“Of course. It’s not quite the same as being disliked by a girl in her teens who thinks, ‘Don’t wash my personal things with my father’s laundry!’ Our reasons for being disliked are far deeper and more catastrophic.”

While Pack being disliked would remain a family issue, being disliked by Subaru would hit at a much more fundamental level. Subaru believed Emilia would understand if he could speak earnestly.

Even if she came to understand his true intentions, she certainly wouldn’t appreciate being steered around against her will. —That surely wouldn’t receive her forgiveness.

“At this point, it seems pointless. —I’ve caused her to cry so many times, burdening her with things I shouldn’t have—I can’t say I lack the resolve to face such burdens now.”

“——–”

“I’ve accepted your conditions, Pack. I’ll take responsibility for what may come. If Emilia ends up crying in my arms tomorrow morning… then so be it.”

“—Yeah. Then I’ll count on you. It seems I’ll be dumping a lot on you in the times ahead.”

Seeing Subaru accept his suggestion, a hint of shame tinted Pack’s words.

Winking one eye, Subaru prefaced with “In that case,” and added,

“You too, have room to consider my proposal, right?”

“…Proposal.”

“Yes, a proposal. Don’t worry. Just like you, I’m convinced that a bright future for Emilia is on the horizon, and it’s what drives my actions as well.”

Pounding his chest, Subaru turned towards Pack, who silently indicated his approval.

“I have a few questions I need to ask, and things I want to try after asking…—Let’s keep it short since Emilia might wake up.”