――Wandering around aimlessly wouldn’t solve anything.

Running through the village in search of the missing Ryuzu, every breath felt like a stab to the lungs, leading Subaru to that conclusion.

“—Ha, ha, ha …”

With hands on his knees, he took deep breaths, pumping oxygen into his aching lungs.

After several days of mental fatigue, he felt like lead was stuffed in his limbs. Even breathing was a struggle.

“Natsuki-san, are you okay? Seriously, you’re tiring out too quickly.”

“Shut up… I just remembered… I’m still seeing a doctor, and with all these issues since coming here, I’m at my breaking point…”

“Okay, okay, I get it, don’t give me your excuses. Just sit down somewhere for a bit. Let’s rest and think clearly. I’ll go get some water.”

Otto, who was only slightly out of breath, admonished the utterly exhausted Subaru. He pointed towards the shade of a tree before leaving to fetch water.

Watching Otto’s retreating figure, Subaru grimaced at his own helplessness and focused on catching his breath in the shade.

“――――”

After parting ways with Garfiel, running around the Sanctuary searching for Ryuzu Theta for nearly an hour.

It was a strategy of infiltration with just the two of them, but as of now, there were no results. The reason they couldn’t openly recruit allies was the same as for Emilia’s search.

It shouldn’t be known to either the inhabitants of the Sanctuary or the refugees that Ryuzu, the representative of the Sanctuary, had vanished, abandoning her role. Garfiel likely thought the same, which is why he was searching alone.

“Emilia…”

To be honest, Subaru wanted to worry more about Emilia’s safety than about Ryuzu Theta.

He firmly believed she wouldn’t act hastily, but just thinking about her being alone made him desperately want to rush over and support her.

However, the cruel reality dictated that, as he had told Otto, Ryuzu took priority. There was no room for Subaru’s personal feelings in that.

At the very least, he hoped Ram, who was acting separately from them, would find Emilia.

“That would mean conceding to Roswaal just a bit.”

Ram’s stance was fairly clear: she was firmly in Roswaal’s camp. She joined the search for Emilia out of concern for Roswaal’s future in this world, not out of any favoritism towards Subaru and his group. Her actions, aimed at supporting Roswaal, merely ended up backing Subaru and the others.

In an ideal world, Subaru would secure Ryuzu first, then smoothly follow up with Emilia. Discussing matters with both would be best led by Subaru.

However, ideals are simply ideals. Mere theories. Like trying to catch a raccoon without a trap.

“With things like this, we won’t find a single clue before time runs out. That would be the worst; absolutely unacceptable. …I need to figure something out…”

No amount of anxious feelings would yield the desired results.

Stopping to think like this might not be as effective as tirelessly searching the Sanctuary in every possible nook and cranny.

Even so,

“If that were the case, Garfiel would have already found her. An hour has already passed. If he can move at over double our speed, the fact that he hasn’t found her yet means…”

――That Ryuzu is still running away without being found by Garfiel.

“――――”

Thinking this far, Subaru felt something click in his mind and held his breath.

There was something off. Ryuzu was evading Garfiel as well. That was fine—no, it was troubling. Why was Ryuzu running from Garfiel too?

Subaru had assumed that Ryuzu Theta was avoiding him because she didn’t want to meet Subaru and be forced to talk about the Trials when they fought.

But that didn’t make sense.

If Theta genuinely wanted to refuse that conversation and keep her distance from Subaru, she could simply communicate that to Garfiel.

If Garfiel received a clear reason, he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate Subaru. And if Garfiel really came at him, Subaru wouldn’t stand a chance.

If Theta was truly intent on concealing her past, she would provoke Garfiel.

The fact that she didn’t do that, the reason for not doing so—what could it be?

“Is running away because she wants me to chase her…?”

“No, running is because she doesn’t want to get caught. What are you talking about?”

Subaru, gripping his chin and muttering, was interrupted by a voice. Looking up, he saw Otto’s incredulous expression with a water pitcher in hand, offering him a drink.

“I understand that your mind is all over the place, but I get it. I’ve been running around for four days without sleep during trades, and the last day, I nearly lost my mind.”

“Save those hardship stories for when we’re having tea. It’s not like I’ve lost it completely… at least I don’t think so.”

“You’ve really lost all confidence, haven’t you?”

Receiving the offered water, Subaru gulped it down from the spout like a watering can. Enjoying the sensation of the cool liquid sliding down his throat, he sorted through his jumbled thoughts.

“Otto, what do you think is the reason Ryuzu vanished?”

“…Well, isn’t it because she has things she doesn’t want to discuss? If you met with Natsuki-san today, you’d have to discuss those topics anyway… Well, considering she can’t go outside, it feels like just a temporary measure.”

“Yeah, a temporary measure. But if she genuinely thought, ‘I must solve this from the root,’ there’s a straightforward method available to Ryuzu, right?”

“――Garfiel, you mean?”

Otto effortlessly arrived at the conclusion Subaru took time to think through. He furrowed his brow, pondering deeply.

“Indeed, if that’s the case… then Ryuzu likely doesn’t want Garfiel to know she’s having issues with Natsuki-san.”

“Yet, Garfiel definitely thinks there’s something going on between us. To be frank, if there’s anything unusual happening in the Sanctuary, that guy would think it’s our doing.”

That statement struck right at the essence.

Either way, the distant cause of Ryuzu’s disappearance has likely spilled over to Garfiel. Ryuzu would have enough sense to consider how her actions would be perceived by Garfiel.

“Then there are two plausible possibilities.”

“First, she genuinely thinks she shouldn’t meet Natsuki-san or Garfiel and is hiding. And the second…”

“She knows she’s being searched, yet she waits to be found… right?”

If it’s the former, then Subaru’s group would have a really tough time. A small-framed Ryuzu could easily buy half a day’s time if she genuinely wanted to hide. The only one with a chance of finding her would be the keen-eyed, fast-moving Garfiel.

Conversely, if it’s the latter, then Subaru and Garfiel would have equal odds.

In that case, Ryuzu must be orchestrating things accordingly.

――If they’re to find her without blindly searching every nook and cranny, it means they should look for a place associated with Ryuzu.

“Though she wasn’t at home…”

“She also isn’t at her true home, and to make matters worse, Emilia-sama has gone missing as well…”

“Yeah, right? I can’t imagine she’s gone to Roswaal’s place, and as for the research facility… Garfiel probably checked that out first as well. So…”

Both Subaru and Garfiel would equally have opportunities at that location, so it shouldn’t be somewhere that Garfiel would think to search first, yet where Theta would choose to go.

――What place could that be?

“…Otto, I might have figured it out.”

“R-Really? Just from that brief chat? You must be mistaken, right?”

“I’m not sure why you started doubting it, but the probability is pretty high. I mean, if she’s not here, then we’re almost completely out of options.”

Nodding in response to Otto’s astonished expression, Subaru downed the last bit of water from the pitcher. Wiping his mouth, he turned his face towards the direction of his “suspicion.”

If Theta was there, it didn’t mean she was running away. It simply meant she was waiting in a place fitting for a conversation.

Waiting for Subaru—or perhaps Garfiel.

“Don’t let me down, Garfiel. —I’ll get to the parent-teacher meeting first.”

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“There’s something important I want to discuss, so please wait here for a while.”

“Alright, Mother Fortuna.”

Bringing Emilia to the Princess Room and instructing her to wait, Fortuna got a truthful response from Emilia.

As she watched Emilia, who wore a smile while being seen off, Fortuna’s eyes widened just a bit. She then gently stroked Emilia’s long silver hair and let out a pensive sigh.

In the past, when left in the Princess Room, Emilia would often show a disgruntled expression. Even if she believed she was hiding it, her blushing cheeks and pouting expression made it evident to anyone that the young girl was harboring displeasure.

Seeing such transparent behavior from Emilia was something Fortuna hadn’t witnessed in quite a while, which made her suspicious.

“…Emilia.”

“What is it?”

“—Um, it’s nothing.”

Fortuna, who had almost asked something while running her fingers through her daughter’s hair, shook her head, leaving a gentle smile directed at the innocent-looking Emilia.

While she felt something was off, the current state of her daughter not causing trouble was certainly welcome. Besides, given that she had someone to wait for, Fortuna convinced herself it was fine.

Waving her hand, she saw Fortuna leave, and shortly after, she heard the sound of the door being locked. The Princess Room was now completely secured, with just Emilia left inside.

――Wait, recently it had not been so.

“It’s okay to come out now.”

After waiting for about a minute and confirming that Fortuna hadn’t returned, Emilia turned around and called out to someone hidden in the room in a hushed voice.

Of course, there was no shadow other than her own to answer her, but suddenly, a pale blue glow crossed the brightly lit room.

Dazed, Emilia’s violet-serrated eyes sparkled with delight at the sight of the faintly glowing form.

As she spent time in the Princess Room, she unconsciously learned to interact with this mysterious presence, which she called “fairy.” However, although they were essentially the same as the elemental spirits, calling them that felt slightly off as it captured a different nuance.

Nonetheless, the tiny spirits did not rebuke Emilia for such impudence.

“Fairy, fairy, thank you for today as well.”

Saying so, Emilia conveyed her gratitude for not leaving her alone, while the glowing forms danced around, scattering their light in response.

“――――”

Watching the dancing tiny spirits, Emilia deepened her realization that this glowing existence was, indeed, a good ally for her.

Despite feeling lonely in a space where she was all alone, they came rushing to her, even helping her with whatever she wished within their power. For instance, when she was close to being spotted while wandering around outside, they would tip her off just in time.

――The escapades from the Princess Room had happened multiple times since then.

The gap between the roots that led outside remained undiscovered, allowing Emilia to escape freely any time she wanted. Although during her initial attempts, she had gotten her clothes and body marred by forcing her way out, she quickly learned the tricks and did away with those worries now.

After using the excuse of soiling her clothes just two or three times in a row, it was becoming more and more likely that Fortuna might find out. She was cutting it way too close.

“I must’ve aroused a ton of suspicion. But it’s okay now. Uh-huh.”

Puffing her chest with pride at her progress, the blue glow danced around Emilia as if to congratulate her. She soon felt her eyes begin to sparkle and started to feel dizzy.

Once again, Emilia, who had become something of a regular at escaping, found her little adventures outside to be quite mundane. Just like the first time, she would either peek into the adults’ discussions or eavesdrop or, perhaps, sneakily eat the fruits that grew on trees without permission, or prank someone by subtly changing the positions of things in their houses.

However, this mischief had increasingly escalated, and it didn’t exempt even innocent Emilia.

“Alright. Time to head out for today.”

“――――”

The flickering light seemed to agree with Emilia, and with renewed confidence, she boldly decided to escape from the Princess Room.

Widening the gaps in the branches that had become quite loose from her multiple passings, she slipped her small body through and crawled out of the tree hollow. The moment she popped out, Emilia tumbled, and a pile of fallen leaves cushioned her fall.

After rolling her way out several times, Emilia had set up her own little escape plan.

“What should I do today?”

As she brushed off the leaves tangled in her hair, Emilia asked the light at her side. Naturally, she knew there would be no reply, but the varying shades of glow indicated that she wasn’t alone.

Having come outside was nice, but she soon realized she had no clear purpose. Mischief could easily lead to her getting discovered as Emilia’s exploits had been getting more and more obvious, and it would make the fact that she was sneaking out of the Princess Room apparent. If they blocked the hole today, it would be troublesome.

“Until things cool down, I guess I’ll hold off.”

Muttering like a cunning mastermind, Emilia began to wander around the village without any particular goal in mind. Most likely, there would be a gathering in the clearing in the center of the forest, where the cloaked group was supposed to be discussing matters as usual. The adults of the forest would be receiving gifts from those dressed in black.

Meanwhile, a tall man was speaking with Fortuna, and through the numerous meetings, Emilia recognized him as “Romanee-Conti” or “Juice,” so she affectionately referred to him in her mind as “Juice.”

However, even though Emilia had initially been curious about the adults’ discussions, as time passed and she overheard them frequently, the novelty wore off, and she began to grow bored.

The conversations between Fortuna and Juice contained many things that were far too complex for young Emilia to understand. Nevertheless, she continued to eavesdrop, hoping to glean anything about her parents’ names and where they might be.

Unfortunately, Emilia had yet to gain any substantial information regarding that matter.

“Should I…?”

Perhaps she might sneak into that cart Juice brought!

If she could slip her little body in behind the supplies in that covered cart, it would be easy to get taken outside the forest. So far, she hadn’t seen Juice and the others inspecting the cart when leaving the forest.

If she could borrow the fairy’s power, sneaking in would pose no problem.

“…Hmm.”

While considering it, she quickly gave up.

For one, stepping outside the woods clearly contradicted her most important promise with Fortuna.

――Never, under any circumstances, should she go outside the forest. Her mother had strictly told her there were many scary things out there, and it was dangerous until she became an adult.

Although she was already breaking one rule, she couldn’t bring herself to break another promise so selfishly.

Thus, the idea of hiding in the cart was immediately scrapped. She would instead contemplate whether there was another way to hear about her mother and father.

“—Alright, let’s see, let’s see.”

While pondering, Emilia arrived at the location where the adults were meeting with Juice. She effortlessly climbed up a nearby tree and crouched low on a branch, listening in.

As usual, while the exchange of goods was happening, Fortuna and Juice were chatting. However, today Fortuna’s expression seemed especially gentle.

“Recently, Emilia has been brighter and so lively. The only trouble is that she gets all muddy and dirty right away.”

“That is indeed… It’s a good things that she is healthy. If you’d like, I could prepare some spare clothes for her. Since it’s getting close to hibernation season outside the forest, there should be plenty of clothes that will be discarded due to the seasonal changes.”

“Sorry for being so demanding, and for coming off like I’m rushing you. …I wonder if there are adult-sized clothes?”

“Oh yes, of course. I’m sure they would suit you well, Fortuna-sama.”

When Juice spoke those words with a warm smile, Fortuna’s face grew complicated. Then she bashfully scratched her cheek, saying,

“…Where did you pick up such words? We’ve known each other for a long time, but when did you get good at making such jokes?”

“Just sharing my honest opinion? Did I say something strange?”

“Given your nature, it’s clear you’re not lying, and that makes it even harder to deal with…”

With a sigh of exasperation, Fortuna brought a hand to her forehead. However, the smile on her lips was a sign that she found no displeasure in their exchange.

Indeed, it seemed that Fortuna was quite enjoying their interaction.

“…Hmm.”

Seeing her mother like that made Emilia feel a bit jealous.

It felt as if someone had taken away something precious from her. It annoyed her a bit, really.

“Ha! Juice is such an idiot!”

Lashing out at someone she only had a one-sided impression of, Emilia puffed her cheeks up. She silently vowed to cause mischief against Juice if he didn’t capture her interest with something engaging.

Should she stuff some cloth in his wheel or spill oil on the wagon’s cargo?

Emilia had plotted that small act of revenge, but it would never see the light of day.

“——So, is the seal going well?”

Lowering his tone, Juice tossed his customary question at Fortuna. Fortuna replied, directing her chin downward, just as she always did.

“Same as always. You’re so diligent to ask each time.”

“That’s what my job is for. Plus, given the time of year, there are repetitive issues at play. This year in particular, there are many nights with a moon obscured, and thus I can’t help but feel anxious about the inadequate flow of mana affecting the seal deep in the forest…”

“The moon… That explains why I’ve noticed the spirits have been different lately. …Alright, I understand. The seal might not be secure, so I’ll check on it with my own eyes after this.”

“Thank you for that.”

As Juice bowed, Fortuna lowered her chin, gazing intently at him.

Eavesdropping on their conversation, Emilia muttered, “Deep in the forest…”

Having thoroughly explored the elves’ village, Emilia had, as expected, conquered up to the area where Fortuna had permitted access, so she felt like this forest was practically her backyard without saying it out loud.

Yet, even she couldn’t guess where the “deep in the forest” mentioned in Fortuna’s and Juice’s conversation led. Most likely, it was the deep part of the forest they’d strictly prohibited her from entering—it filled her with growing dissatisfaction that they were keeping secrets from her.

At that moment, Emilia’s dissatisfaction had built up to an unbearable level.

Her parents’ names were still a mystery, and the freshness of the Princess Room escapades was wearing off. Not to mention, despite Fortuna’s constant warnings about things she should not do, many lies and secrets were popping up from the adults.

――Just a little, I should cause some trouble for them.

Who could blame Emilia for having such a thought?

The small mischief that had sprouted in Emilia at that moment grew unchecked, eventually leading to the circumstances surrounding “that time.”

Thus, in later years, who would be held accountable for the events of that moment? It would be none other than Emilia herself. She would mercilessly scold herself for her foolishness at that time, burdened with an ever-mounting sense of guilt.

――But those regrets looming ahead would not reach the young Emilia.

As Emilia rolled up her sleeves in anticipation of the impending excitement, Fortuna and the others concluded their meeting. Once again, the transaction of goods was completed smoothly, and Juice and the others bowed as the adults saluted them farewell.

Once she’d seen it all, Emilia leaped lightly down from the branch and hurried back to the Princess Room. She dove into the hollow space between the roots, quickly returning into the cave as she began to create her alibi.

In a short amount of time, she completed a drawing, changed her dolls’ outfits, and scattered snacks around.

Just as she wiped the sweat from her forehead after finishing her tasks, she heard Fortuna’s voice from outside.

“Emilia, thanks for waiting. Have you been a good child today?”

“U-Uh, I-I was a good girl! Yes, I’ve been good. Indeed, yes!”

“――――”

Emilia beamed with satisfaction at her convincing performance. Fortuna narrowed her eyes quietly, staring at Emilia intently.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable under that piercing gaze, Emilia determined that acting suspiciously would only increase the doubts.

“W-What’s wrong, Mother Fortuna? You’re looking at me like that. I haven’t done anything. Just eating snacks, drawing pictures, and playing with my dolls. I haven’t gone outside at all. Really.”

“—If that’s the case, then that’s fine.”

Fortuna seemed completely convinced by Emilia’s act. Although Emilia felt guilty for deceiving her mother, she reminded herself that she shouldn’t pay too much attention to it and began plotting her merciless revenge.

Fortuna had just spoken about the “seal.” In Emilia’s mind, “seal” referred to a hiding place for something meant to be concealed.

In short, it meant something that should not be out in the open was hidden somewhere.

――With that, Emilia decided on her revenge against Fortuna.

She would find that place of the secrets surrounding the “seal” deep in the forest, using it as leverage if she were to be reprimanded for escaping from the Princess Room.

She would use the location of the seal in the forest as a trump card when her escape was discovered.

This contradictory fact of involving herself in something worse—something she wasn’t supposed to do to avoid punishment for fleeing and escaping—didn’t dawn upon Emilia, who beamed at her brilliant idea.

With her mother leading her out of the Princess Room, Fortuna mentioned she had something to take care of after bringing Emilia home. From Juice’s earlier conversation, it would seem Fortuna was now going to check on that “seal.”

And that was why,

“—I beg you, please.”

Emilia, begging the faint blue glow to follow her mother, shut one of her eyes just a touch.

By the time her arms and legs had grown enough, the beginnings of an enchanting beauty capable of captivating anyone merely with a smile were sprouting in this young girl’s form.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

This was Subaru’s second visit to this place, and it was the first time for this round.

The building stood isolated on a small, raised hill. It wasn’t particularly shabby, nor did it seem pitifully poor, but rather it presented the appearance of an unremarkable, ordinary house.

Interiorwise, it comprised a bedroom and a living room, with a basic cooking area, making it resemble an apartment back in his original world. It wasn’t inconvenient for living alone but would be a bit cramped for an adult living with two kids.

Now realizing the significance of that building, Subaru experienced a sense of understanding.

He stood in front of the door and knocked from the outside. After a brief silence, he heard a voice respond from within, “Come in,” and he felt relieved that his assumptions were correct.

Immediately after, he tightened that relief and placed his hand on the doorknob to open the door.

The slightly aged wood released a familiar scent, and as he sensed the warm air between his skin, he stepped inside.

“Looks like it took longer than expected, huh?”

In the back of the room, a figure sat on a simple bed, just reaching for a fresh cup of tea.

The warm breeze wafting through the room was likely due to the kettle boiling. Subaru noticed three cups on the table—only one of which was filled.

“So, does that mean I’m the first guest?”

“That’s right. You, Subaru, are the first. The tea’s brewed pretty strong; I hope that’s alright.”

“Either way, it doesn’t matter. Whether strong or weak, it’ll taste like leaves regardless.”

“That’s quite a lackluster way to put it. I understand why Ram was complaining.”

Subaru’s cheeky response brought a smile to Ryuzu—Theta as she pulled over the empty cup, pouring hot water into it, steeping the tea leaves before sliding it toward Subaru.

“Here, you must be thirsty. Why don’t you start with this?”

“If I chug this like it’s a ‘quick drink’ at full force, I’m probably headed straight to the church afterward due to my remaining HP… That said, I’ll happily drink it.”

With a light jab toward Theta, Subaru blew on the offered cup to cool it down and then brought it to his lips, feeling the dense herbal flavor pass over his tongue and down his throat.

No matter how many times or what types he’d been served, leaves would always tasted like leaves.

“Even Rem’s tea didn’t sit well with me… My body probably just can’t handle it now.”

“The fact that you could tell without me even asking is a good thing.”

With a bemused expression, Subaru grimaced and stuck out his tongue at the taste. Theta took a sip of her own tea as her long hair fell gracefully to one side, then she sat up straight, her skirts flowing around her as she focused on Subaru again.

“Before we begin our discussion, it seems unexpected discord has arisen.”

“If we dive into side stories in the main story, readers who miss them will get super confused later, so let’s stick to the main game, okay? Let’s transition smoothly into the discussion.”

“Well, it’s easy for you to say that…”

With a sigh of exasperation, Theta focused on her small palm, looking past Subaru to peer through the door to the outside.

“By the way… it was indeed you, wasn’t it, Subaru? I thought so. I expected you would come alone or that we’d run out of time without either of you realizing.”

“…You sure have set a disadvantageous condition for Garfiel. He’d likely lament if he heard that.”

“If only he would complain and cry, that’d be ideal… I imagine a much graver reaction if he were here. If Garfiel were here, he’d have quelled any apprehension we had.”

A lonely smile grew on Theta’s face as she gazed at the living room wall.

When Subaru looked that way, he spotted two silver shields crossing each other in an ornate display.

The shields were remnants of memories signifying times when Garfiel and Frederica had played while clashing them together as children—this was the home of Garfiel and Frederica.

Subaru couldn’t fathom θ’s true intentions behind choosing this place for their last discussion.

All he remembered from the previous loop was that this place held a special significance for both Ryuzu and Garfiel, as well as for himself.

Trusting that memory, he approached, and as expected, θ awaited him here.

“I’m glad you came here alone, Subaru. It’s not the kind of discussion one would want to share with others.”

“Yeah, I left Otto back there. He wouldn’t be able to follow the conversation we’re about to have.”

Although he inadvertently made a statement reminiscent of leaving behind an incapable warrior, that wasn’t the intent behind it. He just thought that the tale of Ryuzu’s past wouldn’t make sense without touching on the “Witch.” It would be best if Subaru were the only one to delve into those details.

Thus, he had assigned Otto a different role for now.

“Is it correct that you are one of the Ryuzus who entered the graveyard?”

“Shita?”

“Oh, my bad. I simply referred to you that way for convenience’s sake. Yesterday, the one I met was Sigma, and the others were Alpha and Beta. I won’t press on since you probably dislike it, though…”

“…No, it’s fine. Hmmm, I see. So that’s what you meant. This is rather agreeable.”

Saying “Shita, Shita” internally multiple times, Theta smiled shyly and then closed her eyes quietly. After a few seconds, she opened them.

“I’m about to share what I’ve seen regarding the establishment of the Sanctuary and… the events leading up to Ryuzu Meier being sealed in that crystal.”

“—Alright.”

“And after you hear this, I’d like you to share with me how you feel about it and what you have to say… As one of the four representatives of the Sanctuary, I shall entrust my fate to you.”

With those grave words, θ smiled at the breathless Subaru.

“Please, go in prepared for this.”