“That’s all the fragments of the past I saw in the Graveyard,” said Theta, wetting her tongue before taking a sip of the cold tea.

Sitting on the bed, Subaru, who had been listening intently with a serious expression, held his breath at Theta’s conclusion about the tales of the past, then exhaled deeply.

He squeezed every bit of air from his lungs and expelled all the indescribable emotions building up in his chest—and then looked up.

“That is the true formation of the Sanctuary and the memories of Ryuzu Meier.”

“You knew what happened to Ryuzu, who was engulfed by that blue crystal, right? She’s still in the same state in the depths of the Witch’s research facility.”

“But the role of that crystal contradicts what I know. Echidna also said that Ryuzu Meier was there not because of the Sanctuary’s barriers, but for a completely different reason…”

According to Echidna’s story in the Dream Castle, the reason she sealed Ryuzu Meier in the crystal was the result of an experiment to fulfill her own dream of immortality.

Creating a Replica of the girl trapped in the crystal and transferring her own memories to establish a pseudo-immortality. But it must have neither been realized due to Echidna’s own death nor some technical defect, leaving only the perpetual machine where Ryuzu’s replicas continue to multiply over time.

In Theta’s story now, there was not a trace of ambition for immortality.

On the contrary, numerous pieces of information that couldn’t be ignored began to emerge.

“The real reason Echidna created the Sanctuary… that is, about the being she was trying to eliminate. Who is it?”

“……”

“In the story, they were referred to as ‘Melancholy,’ but I’ve never heard or seen such a being until now. It’s the first time I’m hearing about it. I thought without a doubt that if someone was chasing Echidna, it would be the Witch of Envy.”

The Witch of Envy, who had annihilated all six of the witches of the Deadly Sins that once existed.

Subaru had thought that the being he encountered in the Dream Castle was the one who cornered Echidna. Yet now, another figure emerges who had up until now been completely unnoticed.

Subaru’s confusion was completely understandable.

However, regarding that name ‘Melancholy,’ he had some inklings. It was a story he didn’t want to believe, but…

“The Seven Deadly Sins are Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust, right? …But I’ve heard it used to be a different form, that other sins were integrated in the past.”

The Seven Deadly Sins evoke excitement in someone like Subaru. Naturally, he had come across them as part of his knowledge, and with all the memories he could muster, he recalled that they indeed existed.

“Surely… ‘Melancholy’ and ‘Vanity’ were definitely counted as Deadly Sins.”

The old sins, namely Melancholy and Vanity, that were excluded from the Seven Deadly Sins. If ‘Melancholy’ exists, it wouldn’t be surprising for ‘Vanity’ to have existed too.

If there was another missing entity among the renowned witches of the past.

“It would be helpful if you grasped the reason I couldn’t carelessly speak of this memory.”

“Reason…?”

When Subaru frowned at Theta’s words, her expression shifted to one of cunning amusement that didn’t match her appearance.

“Just as you said earlier, Su-bou. I’ve never heard of anyone bearing the name ‘Melancholy’ apart from the memories I currently possess. The same goes for anyone I asked. Even if the names of the witches of the Deadly Sins are forgotten, their existence remains spoken of in this world; yet a being endowed with such power is utterly unknown. …How terrifying that is.”

“——–”

Theta’s anxieties became vividly clearer thanks to that explanation.

Indeed, it was an abnormality.

The Witch of Envy was passed down as a synonym for fear and hatred. The other witches were referred to as those consumed by the Witch of Envy, but their existence certainly remained in history.

Yet, ‘Melancholy’ has no trace, no form, and the existence is unknown. Was it merely a case of its absence from the discussions among Subaru and Theta?

—Is it really possible for someone like Subaru, who even attended the witches’ tea party and met all the witches, to have not caught a single whiff of such an existence?

“…Did the first Roswaal die? If so, what about now’s Roswaal, his descendants? Is it from a branch family, perhaps?”

“I’ve heard he did not die in battle. As far as the memories I saw, he was half dead, but he managed to cling to life afterward. However, I’ve heard he couldn’t recover enough to live a normal life… After that, the first Roswaal, who had mastered magic, ended up delving further and deeper into the magical arts.”

Theta must have had her own times in the past where she tried to uncover the truth. No less than her himself, she must have wanted to verify the authenticity of the memories concerning ‘Melancholy.’

However, judging by the lack of a clear answer, her efforts seemed fruitless.

“The original role of the Sanctuary was to keep ‘Melancholy’ away from Echidna. Ryuzu Meier devoted herself to protecting that place, siding with Echidna’s intentions… So the creation of replicas from the crystal, was it just an afterthought…?”

“There is no need for a mechanism to merely create a barrier; the action of generating replicas was likely an afterthought. Most likely, that’s how it is. The issue lies with the motivation to create that mechanism for spawning replicas.”

“If it was Echidna who did it… then motivation was her desire for immortality itself. But if that’s the case… I can’t figure out what she might have been thinking at that moment she conceived this plan.”

After finding Ryuzu Meier asleep within the crystal, how did Echidna come to decide?

She must know of ‘Melancholy.’ According to Theta’s memories, there’s no doubt about that. Yet, even knowing, the conduct in her dialogue with Subaru seems increasingly odd.

—Where does the answer lie for this discomfort that refuses to intersect?

“Is it because I’m still lacking the parts to figure out the answer?”

Grinding his teeth, Subaru cursed the missing puzzle pieces with frustration.

Scratching his head, he momentarily paused his task of dragging answers out from this place. And then, the concluding part of the tale of the past, something he couldn’t afford to miss, emerged.

“—Beatrice ultimately lost her friends, huh?”

“…That’s right.”

Ryuzu Meier from awe and Beatrice from obstinacy.

Until the very end, Ryuzu Meier and Beatrice may have been unable to recognize that in each other.

Ryuzu Meier, melding into the crystal. How much pain must her final expressions of love, almost like a curse, have inflicted on Beatrice’s heart?

Is the result of that parting the figure of a girl who has continued to reject others for four hundred years?

“I lost you in such a painful way, so now I’m scared to desire you again… I can understand your feelings, but…”

He remembered Beatrice, who had rejected his hand and pleaded, “Let me die.”

Four hundred years of solitude and the memories of parting with Ryuzu Meier, the trigger for that solitude, surely left deep and sharp scars, making it impossible for her to trust others.

Now, he feels like he’s finally starting to understand why the broken-hearted Beatrice had depended on the existence of ‘that person’ Echidna instructed, slowly wearing down her heart over time.

The heart of Beatrice, who lost her only friend, has remained a scab. Normally, she would heal by meeting ‘that person’ and fulfilling Echidna’s instructions, but that wound has festered over the years, swelling to the point of bursting.

Now, she is feeling at her limit because of it.

“…Has Beatrice ever met Ryuzu?”

“No, she hasn’t. By the time we were created as replicas, Beatrice had stopped coming to the Sanctuary, and she has not visited since. The other replicas don’t know the present memories, but from what I do, I think it’s better that they don’t meet.”

“——–”

In the extreme part of the argument, Subaru also agreed with Ryuzu and Theta’s thoughts.

Ryuzu Meier, sleeping in the crystal. The replica Theta is a perfect twin of her, preserved just as she was back then. Yet within Theta, there are no memories of interacting with Beatrice as Ryuzu Meier.

Now, with the wounds still not healed, meeting Theta or the other replicas would only bring pain and irritation to Beatrice.

But—

“I have to make sure she meets you, Theta, and everyone else.”

That is essential so that the girl who witnessed the moment the Sanctuary was born and inherited Ryuzu Meier’s wishes can move her halted feet.

“Can I take it that the reason you’ve hidden the past is all of this?”

“…That’s right. This is all of it. The existence of that strange being known as ‘Melancholy’ can only be found within Ryuzu Meier’s memories I’ve seen. It’s so odd and abnormal that a being existed yet remained unacknowledged.”

“I share your opinion on that. Including Echidna’s attitude, there must be some sort of scheme behind this.”

“And…”

Cutting her words, Theta lowered her gaze before Subaru but then spoke, not looking at him.

“If this Sanctuary was born from the wish of Ryuzu Meier… our founding ancestor, then breaking the barrier that was created with the sacrifice of lives, and freeing this place… what kind of meaning would it produce? I couldn’t muster the courage for it.”

“——-”

“The times are what they are. The age of Ryuzu Meier differs by a hundred years. Surely, during the height of fear towards the Witch of Envy, the treatment of half-bloods who were despised and shunned improved a little. …Something that implores us to open this place and look outside will likely emerge too.”

“…Of course, it’s still far from sufficient. The discriminatory gaze persists in many places. Even outside this place, I think there will be plenty of unpleasant experiences. But—”

He recalled the events at the royal palace.

In the Royal Selection hall, Emilia spoke her thoughts and endured the malice directed at her.

In the world where her ideals are realized, the people of this Sanctuary will be saved. Ryuzu Meier’s wish will be fulfilled.

“When Emilia accomplishes that, the “Sanctuary” that was closed will begin anew. When everything goes well, the entire world will be able to call this place a ‘Sanctuary’ for everyone.”

“——–”

At the very least, Emilia would strive for that. Among the other Royal Selection candidates, even if uncertain, there seems to be about half who would likely dedicate themselves to make that happen.

Inherently, there shouldn’t be hierarchies defined by race in human interactions.

A time will surely come when such a matter of common sense among people will be embraced widely.

“It’s a fantasy. A wonderful phrase that sounds nice to the ears.”

“That’s right. It shakes the heart, doesn’t it?”

“You bad boy, flattering this old woman.”

Chuckling from deep within her throat, Theta exuded a mix of youthful expression with elderly dignity.

In Subaru’s lighthearted jab, Theta gave a somewhat jubilant smile and said,

“Perhaps it’s because I’m an old woman that I want to fall for such sweet-sounding words.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re a girl, and you fell for my dangerous charm.”

“Fu—”

“It’s the first time I’ve been laughed at by you and the other Ryuzus at the same time!”

Subaru raised both hands to the sky, striking a pose as if he had given up. Theta shook her head at Subaru’s antics and placed her empty cup on the table.

Then looking up at the crossed silver shields hanging on the wall, she said,

“The world outside of this Sanctuary—entirely, when everything becomes a ‘Sanctuary’.”

“That time will surely come. When it does, it would be a waste to stay cooped up. Overcoming those who said it was impossible and giving them the middle finger will be the most fun after all.”

The value is born in overcoming the declaration that you can’t do it.

That’s what challenge and striving entail.

As one aims for a place that feels like an endless dream, the struggle for survival is magnificent.

“—I understand you, Su-bou. You and Emilia can do as you wish.”

“Theta…”

“I had decided from the very start. If it was you, Su-bou, who found me here, I would speak of the past and leave the judgment to you. And you listened to my story, yet you chose not to cease your intention to liberate the Sanctuary… you laughed off my anxieties.”

“Not quite laughing it off, more like mustering false bravado, but—”

“But that is good. Yes, that’s just fine.”

As if shaking off something, Theta nodded repeatedly, affirming Subaru’s posture.

Subaru realized that she was finally reaching out from the prison of memories she had been unable to share with anyone for many years.

Whether or not he could take her hand and bring her outside—he understood that she had entrusted that judgment to him.

“With this, there isn’t a single Ryuzu opposing the liberation of the Sanctuary.”

“That will be the case… However, that only holds true once the liberation of the Sanctuary is achieved and the barriers are lifted. The completion of the ‘Trial’ still lies with Emilia.”

As Subaru sighed with relief at the vanishing of one major concern, Theta urged him with seriousness. Hearing this, Subaru tightened his expression, which had started to relax.

Finding Theta had undeniably relaxed him. However, the problems that had sparked were still unsolved and persistently remained.

Theta was found prior to Garfiel.

However, Emilia had not yet been located.

“You have faith that Emilia will manage to overcome her ‘Trial,’ right?”

“I’ve taken measures for that… or rather, I had it setup. Just that the medicine worked too well, so currently she’s somewhat missing. Urgent action is required.”

“Sh-she’s missing!? I-it’s alright, isn’t it!? After spilling all this past, if Emilia ended up failing, it’ll ruin all kinds of resolves!”

“That anxiety is most warranted, and it’s hard for me to say anything… but, listening to what you said earlier, Theta, I had some thoughts.”

Ryuzu Meier, who sacrificed herself to protect the Sanctuary.

Her self-sacrifice remained focused on others until the very end, starkly overlapping with that girl—always prioritizing others and suffering loss.

Even though she is currently entangled in mounting hardships, and her heart has shriveled in pain.

I can’t imagine that the girl will lose sight of what she’s being needed for or what she must do.

“So I surely have a clue about where she might be.”

“——–”

“Even without that, I’ve been desperately searching within this narrow Sanctuary. Right now, my partner is potentially rolling around, half crying. If even after all that she still can’t be found, there’s only one place where that could be.”

On Subaru’s face, filled with certainty, even Theta, who had been slightly anxious, let out a deep sigh. She did not confirm what Subaru was hinting at but continued,

“If you envision finding Emilia and that she succeeds in overcoming the ‘Trial’… it means the last barrier is Garfiel, right?”

“As far as I’ve heard in fragments from Sigma, Garfiel’s past is tied to parting with his mother. Theta, who dove into the Graveyard at the same time, do you have any clues about it?”

“That boy is extremely reluctant to speak about his family. It could be him being considerate toward me as well… And what he experienced with Frederica has certainly left its mark on him.”

I’ve heard that Garfiel’s parting with Frederica became definitive when she decided to leave for the outside world, as Garfiel let go of her hand.

The reason Garfiel remained in the Sanctuary was to protect the residents unable to venture into the outside world, unlike themselves, from any possible threats.

—It aligns with Echidna’s words that Garfiel fears the outside world.

“A trauma from parting with his mother, huh? I wonder if he resents the outside world. Still, I want him to help me with what needs to be done there.”

“You and Garfiel standing side by side… that might be good, yes.”

As Theta considered Garfiel, her lips curled into a smile that lost its youthful factor, overflowing with the maternal warmth of cherishing her grandchild.

For the replicas of Ryuzu, who are responsible for one each together, the shared yet unshared bonds could be seen as their affectionate feelings towards Garfiel.

It’s likely that Garfiel holds the same sentiment towards the Ryuzus as well.

“But first, we need to meet Emilia.”

Regarding the strategy for Garfiel, preparations are ongoing for the worst-case scenario.

The contract with Roswaal—a decisive winning condition is incorporated, making conversations with him an unavoidable hindrance.

Moreover, Emilia’s breakthrough of the ‘Trial’ remains an issue which Roswaal has declared as “impossible,” making it essential that she overcomes it independently, separate from Subaru’s involvement.

After losing her connection to Pack, Emilia is now devoid of her emotional support. Conversely, she should have shed the ‘lid on inconvenient memories’ hindering her progress through the first ‘Trial.’

At the very least, if things go according to Pack’s scheme, she should have overcome that. When she confronts the ‘Trial’ ahead, a different landscape should await her.

Can Emilia truly provide the same answer she did before?

—Subaru has resolved that it is his role to do everything in his power to ensure she can always remain as she is, even if he isn’t next to her.

“Though you might want to favor Garfiel, can you stay here a while longer, Theta? If Garfiel can’t approach here easily, it’d be better if he stays unbothered for now.”

“While Garfiel’s attention is wandering, that’s your devious strategy, huh?”

“Everyone acts as if what I do is underhanded plotting, but do I really come off as some nefarious figure that’s scheming in so many ways?”

Theta offered no response to Subaru’s perplexed head tilt.

Feeling something unsettling in her silence, Subaru scratched his head while letting out a sigh.

“Can we still proceed with our original plan of finishing today with tomorrow as a buffer…? If Emilia is where I imagine, the remaining concerns are Garfiel and Roswaal.”

The victory conditions within the Sanctuary—they are hindered by the presence of those two, who may pose a risk.

And the arrangements to keep them at bay have been diligently discussed with Otto. The key points are timing, preparation time, and certainty.

Timing—periodically. Preparation time—the more the better. Certainty—improves with well-timed conditions and prolonged preparation. —It’s an obvious conclusion, but it needs to be.

“Regardless of whether I cry or laugh, I have to wrap it up by the day after tomorrow. I absolutely can’t make a mistake during the decisive moments. …Right, Theta?”

“Even if you seek agreement, I have little to say. —If a boy shows a determined face, then that’s likely when it needs to happen. I’ll be waiting with expectation.”

Though she hasn’t quite understood Subaru’s train of thought, Theta affirms his intent.

The smile that peeks through her troubled expression may have been one that Ryuzu Meier often wore as well. Surely, it’s the expression Beatrice had seen many times.

Convincing Garfiel, supporting Emilia, and retrieving Beatrice.

Incredibly, there are far too many obstacles standing in the way of what must be done.

The gathering clouds remain unrelenting, and a clear answer still has yet to be found.

And yet, strangely, Subaru does not lower his head.

Because what he must do and what he wants to do are one and the same.

No matter how difficult it may be, seeing the walls to collide against offers clarity compared to the time when he was lost, unsure of what to slam against.

Finally, he was ready to reach out for a shape-less destiny.

Slapping his cheeks with both hands, producing a dry sound, Subaru readies himself.

He smiles at the wide-eyed Theta, lightly raises his hand, and heads toward the outside of the building.

Then, gripping the entrance door, he suddenly turned around as if to recall something and said.

“By the way, while Ryuzu Meier spoke in a manner fitting her age, why is it that her replicas like Theta speak in old lady language? Just part of character building?”

“What are you saying? —I’d say it’s precisely fitting for my age.”

Huffing as if indignant, Theta placed her short hands on her hips and puffed out her flat chest.

To call that a fitting stance for her age would be rather hard to justify.

Imagining the figure of a girl in a dress, unchanged by the passage of time, Subaru stepped outside the building, feeling the wind.

With a somewhat optimistic feeling, he prepares for the final challenge.

—Natsuki Subaru’s rebellion begins to end the Sanctuary and bring it to life anew.