After settling the feud with Garfiel and the shocking revelation of his real age, everyone gathered in front of the graveyard.

Having overcome the “Trial” of facing the past and put an end to the tensions with Subaru and the others, Garfiel sat surrounded by them, discussing their shared experiences.

“But you know… The image of a group of guys beating down a middle schooler changes the way you see it, doesn’t it? What do you think?”

“No, I was shocked too by Garfiel’s real age, but I don’t think we should look at it that way. It’s just that the enemy we had to gang up on to defeat was actually only fourteen years old. It doesn’t change the contents of the fight at all.”

“Exactly. For a fourteen-year-old, he certainly wielded tremendous power, enough that it’s no laughing matter, so there’s no reason to criticize Ram and the others for ganging up on him.”

“Shut it! You guys are so loud about ganging up! You wanna have a rematch? I’m ready anytime!”

Subaru, Otto, and Ram nodded at each other, while Garfiel spat as he spoke.

Honestly, as I reflected on his past actions and witnessed him acting so stubbornly proud, I could easily believe he was fourteen.

In fact, treating him like a peer might have clouded my understanding of the situation.

“By the way, how old were you when you first entered the graveyard to take the ‘Trial’? You’ve been obstinate since then, right?”

“I don’t remember exactly, but I was probably around three or four then. I barely remember anything else aside from the ‘Trial.'”

“That makes sense. You were three or four years old… That was around the time I thought this world was hell!”

“You’re suddenly saying some heavy stuff. Stop, I don’t want to dive into that.”

Otto smiled with a hint of darkness in response to Garfiel’s reminiscence.

Otto probably had his own struggles, but digging into them now was pushing the limits. Even now, Subaru’s hands were already overflowing with burdens, and he felt like he was precariously balanced, using his head and knees to keep everything in place.

“So, is it okay if I ask you detailed questions?”

After a round of banter, Emilia began tentatively after a pause.

Her gaze turned to Garfiel, and her true intention was certainly about the “Trial” in the graveyard. However, Garfiel snorted and said,

“Even if you ask for details, you’ll see that your past and how you overcame it won’t be the same as mine, right? I doubt I can provide any helpful insights.”

“No, I understand that. My ‘Trial’ is mine alone. Asking Garfiel won’t change anything.”

“Then what do you want to know?”

“After getting through your ‘Trial’… No, after overcoming your past, do you feel like you’ve changed? Can you accept the changed version of yourself?”

“……”

At Emilia’s question, Garfiel squinted and fell silent.

The tense atmosphere grew thick enough that even Subaru and the others held their breaths in anticipation.

After a moment of quiet, Garfiel touched the tip of his nose, then traced the white scar on his forehead with his fingers. After finishing tracing the vertical line of the scar, he said,

“Should I call this a change or just something I’ve regained? I can’t say for sure.”

“Yeah.”

“My forehead scar? I gave that to myself. To erase some bad memories.”

As he flicked his forehead with his fingers, Garfiel turned his gaze toward Ram, who was sitting next to him, looking at him.

In response to Garfiel’s words, Ram blinked her light red eyes and said,

“Garf.”

“Shut it, don’t say anything. I don’t want to feel miserable. Hiding my bad memories by pushing the responsibility onto someone else was alright. But finding out later that the other person was just playing along made me feel even worse.”

Ram watched Garfiel with eyes of understanding.

Subaru, who didn’t quite grasp the full meaning of their conversation, sensed it was something only those two understood.

It showed that there was a warm, certain connection between Garfiel and Ram, much like family.

“Regardless, whether I’ve changed or gone back, I’m not going to stay the same. You changed it with your own hands. And now, I want to see how you’re all going to change—show me that it’s not just talk.”

“Yeah. That’s good to hear. I’ll do my best to meet those expectations.”

Emilia smiled brightly despite Garfiel’s hard expression and showed determination.

It suddenly dawned on Subaru that, if you looked only at the mental aspect, these two were actually of the same age.

Both were fourteen.

In the awkward situation where he had to entrust the future to two adolescents in their sensitive teenage years…

Even though Subaru was seventeen and approaching eighteen, he couldn’t act too high and mighty about it.

“…If we linger too long, we’ll just dull our resolve.”

Saying that, Emilia stood up, brushing off the grass stuck to her waist.

With a deep breath, Emilia’s gaze, filled with strong determination, was directed at the graveyard—the “Trial” chamber.

“Shall we go?”

“Yeah, let’s go. I’ll follow Garfiel, and then I’ll surpass him.”

“Are you sure you can do that?”

“I will. I’ve decided not to be afraid of change anymore.”

Emilia nodded at both Subaru and Garfiel’s questions.

Subaru rose and walked alongside Emilia as they moved toward the graveyard. Even if he couldn’t hold her hand inside, he had made up his mind to stay by her side until the moment they set off.

“Emilia-sama.”

Suddenly, Ram called out to Emilia from behind.

Emilia turned, and Ram bowed before her, pinching the hem of her skirt, properly showing respect as though a servant would to someone of higher rank.

“It’s not like I’m bowing out of a spell. There’s no mistake that Emilia-tan is the master here.”

“Stop being so annoying, Balus. This isn’t the time for that; know your place.”

Ram scolded Subaru’s mumbling with a stern voice. Then, facing Emilia, who was looking at her wide-eyed, she recalibrated and bowed once more.

“I apologize for my rudeness. I thought Emilia-sama might not be able to stand.”

“…I’m sorry for being inadequate.”

“Yes, you were inadequate, and I couldn’t just watch it happen.”

“Hey, hey.”

Ram took the chance to throw shade at Emilia as she apologized, and Subaru felt a pang of exasperation as he remembered how much courage it had taken to tell Emilia all this in the graveyard. With a gritted jaw, he watched Ram take a jab at the situation.

“But Emilia-sama has decided to stand and face this challenge. Whether that’s a sign of bravery or just escaping reality is not so relevant.”

“…”

“I’d made up my mind. Whether Emilia-sama shows her resolve in facing the ‘Trial’ or not, I want to trust her in this matter. If you were to retreat in despair, I’d have no choice but to flow with the world’s tide. But if you decide to resist—”

Ram glanced over at Subaru.

What did her words mean for Subaru’s involvement in this situation? Could it possibly relate to why she sided with them to battle Garfiel?

“Go ahead, Emilia-sama. I’ll be waiting for your safe return.”

As Ram bowed solemnly, she embodied the perfect demeanor of a maid seeing off her master.

Emilia looked renewed at her parting words and nodded with a bright expression.

Watching Emilia like this, Subaru crossed his arms and nodded.

“Since the dialogue has played out like this, Otto, do you have anything to add?”

“This is one hell of an atmosphere to chime in on! Is this even a situation where I can say something?! What do you think about that?!”

Subaru tried to flick Otto’s switch, expecting him to have a word prepared, but it seemed he didn’t have anything more impactful than Ram’s words ready.

Considering the flow of the conversation, he felt it might be better to wrap things up neatly—

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

“—!?”

Unaware of Otto’s distress, Emilia was bracing herself for words of encouragement. Without noticing Otto’s flustered state, she awaited his words with a tense expression.

Oblivious to Emilia’s innocent demeanor, Otto finally placed a hand to his forehead in resignation.

“Um… Emilia-sama.”

“Yeah?”

“Actually, because of this whole uproar, I’ve incurred considerable damages myself. I mean, this was all expected as a sort of investment, so the damage itself is accounted for…”

“Huh?”

Once the conversation turned to money, Emilia’s perplexed expression betrayed her lack of numeric familiarity.

Seeing her brows furrow, Otto bit his lip and raised a finger.

“What I mean is! I’m counting on your success since I’ve invested in you growing up nicely. So it’s crucial that you succeed to recoup these gambling stakes!”

“…I don’t think I’m going to grow anymore. But I do think I could gain more weight if I eat.”

“Don’t use convoluted expressions on our adorable little angel. Also, I think Emilia-tan is at her golden ratio right now, so you should stick with this style. You’re the most lovely right now.”

From head to toe, Emilia thought that the way she was now was the best.

Of course, she planned to love her regardless of whether she gained a lot of weight or lost it all.

Putting aside Subaru’s reflections, Otto appeared to be struggling to convey his intentions correctly, flailing his limbs helplessly before finally stating,

“…Please come back safely. I’m cheering for you.”

“I understand. Thank you, Otto-kun, for your help with everything.”

Emilia responded emphatically to Otto’s somewhat banal conclusion.

As Garfiel poked Otto comfortingly, they turned to the graveyard again, moving towards the entrance.

The night had already fallen in the “Sanctuary,” and it was time for the “Trial” to commence without issue.

One last time, Emilia took a deep breath, gathering her resolve. Meanwhile, Subaru pondered the best words to send her off with, when—

“Hey, Subaru.”

“What is it?”

“About what’s inside the graveyard…”

Did she have some anxiety about the “Trial”?

Subaru thought so, waiting for Emilia to continue. But Emilia, unable to find the words, kept glancing nervously at Subaru.

Her cheeks were somehow slightly flushed.

“Emilia?”

“S-so, about what’s inside…”

“About what’s inside… Wait, are you talking about what happened just a little while ago?”

“Yes. Ugh.”

Emilia puffed up her cheeks, clearly wanting to say it wasn’t obvious, but given the current flow, she felt that it absolutely wasn’t worth the trouble.

Who would think that the Emilia, who was about to challenge the “Trial,” would be worrying about past events? When considering the “Trial” waiting for her was a matter of the “past,” it could make time feel fuzzy.

Also, amidst the storm of emotions and intense events that made her memory falter, one could recall with horror what Subaru had done in the graveyard.

He had quarreled with Emilia, hurled insults, and forcefully pressed his lips against hers in a fit of desperation—the pent-up frustration from looping five times had finally exploded, but that was no excuse.

Most likely, what was eating at Emilia now was also related to those events.

Seeing the faint flush rise on Emilia’s fair skin was delightful, yet Subaru had no time to luxuriate in her beauty.

“Inside… that, um, you and I… well, you know?”

“Ah, ah… yeah, that’s true.”

“So, I think that it’s going to be something big. But it’s important, so let’s wait until after everything with the ‘Trial’ and other stuff is settled and talk about it, okay?”

While he thought to himself that the urgency of the situation was stirring up a lot of concerns, Subaru had no choice but to nod vigorously at Emilia’s suggestion.

It was both of their first experiences. They had to communicate their feelings, and there was plenty to discuss. Not to mention that the issue of “Rem” still loomed, begging for resolution.

“Wow, Emilia-tan. To think you can still consider what’s after this… You really have some spare capacity, huh?”

“Spare capacity? Who knows? I might just be putting on a front.”

“But being able to put on a front means you’re not completely overwhelmed. I’m sure it’ll work out. I’ll even bet on it.”

Subaru gave a thumbs up, flashing a grin at Emilia, who tilted her head quizzically.

“What do you mean by ‘bet’?”

“That I get a date with Emilia-tan.”

“Okay, but if you win, what do I get? And if I win, what happens?”

“If I win, I get to go on a date with Emilia, and if you win, then you get to go on a date with me.”

Subaru’s lighthearted banter caused Emilia to burst out laughing, and they shared a brief moment of mirth.

It seemed Emilia truly was free of tension and anxiety.

“I’m betting on you being able to overcome the ‘Trial.’”

“Then I’ll bet on you succeeding to get past the ‘Trial.’”

“What if we both win?”

“Double date.”

“Okay, okay.”

As usual, Emilia brushed aside Subaru’s flirty remarks.

With a graceful motion, she stepped ahead, her silver hair dancing in the breeze and sparkling under the starlight. Subaru raised his hand to send her off.

“Take care. Watch out for the car and the men.”

“Don’t say foolish things.”

With a wry smile, Emilia’s figure vanished into the graveyard.

The passageway, void of light, immediately swallowed Emilia into darkness, obscuring her from Subaru’s view.

With that, there was nothing left Subaru could do for Emilia.

Everything that followed was something Emilia had to face on her own.

“Quit looking so anxious, Captain. It makes me want to step in.”

“Strange how I find it easier to accept your peculiar phrasing when I think of it as something like a middle-schooler. I used to be like you, you know.”

Garfiel reproached Subaru, who was growing restless after watching Emilia depart. Subaru shrugged in response as Garfiel suddenly struck an idea.

“By the way, Captain. About that time you sent me flying during our fight—what was that?”

“You mean the Invisible Providence thing?”

“Huh… what now?”

“Invisible Providence. It means ‘The Invisible Will of God.’ Isn’t that cool?”

“Wow! That’s incredibly cool!”

Garfiel rallied behind Subaru’s words, enthusiastic.

Certainly, “The Unseen Hand” sounded distasteful, so he’d much prefer to go with “Invisible Providence” moving forward. Anyway, it wasn’t just the name Garfiel was after.

“It’s not magic, is it? But why does it feel so different?”

“I can’t clearly define what it is to categorize it, but it’s definitely something unnatural. You can’t replicate it.”

“I wouldn’t dare. Striking from nowhere seems cowardly.”

“Cowardly, huh? You little—!”

Subaru was enraged, feeling he had thought they understood how incredible the Invisible Providence was, but Garfiel’s retort hit close to home.

Garfiel responded to Subaru’s protest with a nonchalant “Sorry, sorry” without reflecting deeply and didn’t pursue the conversation further. He likely realized what they were getting at.

“Still, I wonder how this came about…?”

The Invisible Providence—this was undoubtedly connected to Petelgeuse’s “Unseen Hand.” There was a difference in power and ability, but the sensation was unmistakable.

How had a force associated with that detestable madman come to reside within Subaru?

The answer likely connected to the “Witch Factor” that Echidna had mentioned.

The Witch Factor didn’t sound pleasant, and if Subaru remembered correctly, Petelgeuse had used the same term.

Also, the last time Subaru had used something like the “Unseen Hand” wasn’t his first time, but in a previous loop, he had unconsciously activated it to evade Garfiel’s charge when he transformed into a giant tiger.

In other words, the Witch Factor was gradually taking root within Subaru.

He was already aware that he could no longer use Shamak. Due to the rampant use of the gates, the magical gates had completely ceased to function. Any semblance of connection to the magical world that had never genuinely existed was now entirely absent.

It was ironic that despite losing the magical powers he had longed for, he instead manifested the power of something unnatural.

Still—

“It’s better than my trump card going bankrupt. It seems to have some questionable but useful purpose…”

In any case, there was no changing the fact that his fighting options were still limited.

He would need to think hard, relying on those around him to find a clue amid the turmoil.

As Subaru stared at the walls he needed to conquer in this world, the challenges still loomed high above him.

“Ah, by the way, Captain.”

“What is it? And quit calling me ‘Captain,’ I’m not used to it.”

“You’ll get used to it soon enough. More importantly, I have to apologize for something.”

While he didn’t accept the name change, Garfiel’s sincere attitude as he looked up at Subaru made him grin.

Like how Emilia had said something before, many thoughts were bubbling up inside.

Subaru shrugged to prompt Garfiel to continue, who traced a finger along his forehead scar.

“I went inside. That’s why I entered the ‘Trial’ chamber.”

“Oh, right.”

“So then, I saw… um, what you were doing, Captain, with everything you were working so hard for.”

Garfiel hesitated to share, yet Subaru felt a stir of realization about what he meant and his eyes widened.

And, astonished, Subaru felt his cheeks flush red.

He had been seen! He had been seen!

“I-I didn’t mean for you to see! Who knew that would happen when you caught on to my plan?!”

“Sh-shut it! Forget it! Damn… I completely overlooked that! I never pictured that you’d enter the graveyard! So it’s not surprising with how things turned out… dammit!”

He clutched his head, his face hot with embarrassment.

Garfiel, watching Subaru’s painful reaction with a mixture of pity and annoyance, looked far more irritating than he had during their conflicts earlier.

“Forget it! That’s all I’ve got to say! I’m done! End of discussion!”

“Okay, got it… But when I saw that, I realized you’re quite a hopeless idiot… but also, I’m glad you didn’t die.”

“I said it’s over, didn’t I? Who’s the stupid kid here?! Ah! You’re a kid!”

Being called a kid was frustrating, yet Garfiel held an upper hand as he knew embarrassing information about Subaru. He laughed off Subaru’s grudging protest, then headed down the graveyard steps.

Chasing Garfiel’s retreating back toward their companions in the plaza, Subaru prayed for Emilia’s good fortune while hoping she wouldn’t ever recognize the “cheer” he had given in the graveyard.

Because if such things didn’t reach the person first, they would quickly revert to being genuine.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

And unfortunately, Subaru’s prayers went unheard.

“I’m here…”

After traversing the stone corridor, Emilia arrived at the small chamber where the “Trial” would take place.

Amidst the damp, dark atmosphere, Emilia relied on the faintly glowing walls as she walked and focused her gaze on the door at the far end of the chamber. The closed stone door surely opened when the “Trial” was successfully surmounted. Garfiel had returned without passing through it. Thus, it was now her turn.

“I need to concentrate and go through that door.”

Emilia had no way of knowing what awaited her on the other side.

One thing was certain, though: the “Trial” would not consist of just one challenge, but multiple ones, as conveyed by the “Witch.”

Reflecting on the witch who shaped the “Trials” brought a painful void to Emilia’s chest. That white witch had had her eyes set squarely on Emilia—

“Huh…?”

Lost in thought, Emilia became aware of an unusual feeling in the small chamber as her gaze wandered.

During the time she had been curled up waiting for nightfall in the graveyard, she had only reached halfway down the corridor and hadn’t entered this chamber at all. Therefore, it had been an entire day since she last saw what this room looked like.

Though only two days had passed, something had changed in that time.

As she contemplated what it might be, she finally pinpointed the source of the unease.

“This is…”

Touching the wall with her fingertips, Emilia whispered to herself.

Her purple eyes, now accustomed to the dark, clearly depicted the change lying in the shadows.

There it was—

“…Subaru, you idiot.”

An involuntary smile crept onto Emilia’s face as she spoke.

It was natural to think that way. After seeing this, she couldn’t help but say it.

“You’re really such a fool.”

Despite the weight of her words, Emilia’s expression radiated softness and warmth. The wall she touched, and the wall a few steps in front of her, bore the markings of change.

They were engraved with images and words, each shaped into large, oddly contorted forms.

Depicted was a large cat: a cartoonish version of Pack that had once brought her so much joy. Countless illustrations of Pack were etched into one wall, encircled by words.

Messy, childlike letters scrawled across the wall proved that a certain boy had earnestly put in effort for Emilia’s sake.

“Keep it up! You can do it! I’m rooting for you along with Pack! You’ll be fine! The girl I like is amazing, so be confident! Once this is over, let’s go on a date! Let’s do this, Emilia! No one expects us to pull off something as entertaining as this! I love you! I believe in you!”

“Idiot… Idiot, idiot… Subaru, you buffoon.”

She had to face the “Trial” ahead, bracing for tough, painful memories lurking around the corner, and here he was, trying to make her cry while pretending to cheer her on. What a horrible person he was.

Now, she understood.

She realized things.

It had been two days since Emilia had been here, and this drawing was only a day’s worth of work.

Subaru had been given time to gather this evidence of his feelings and had likely been busy at it while separating from Emilia during the time they were apart.

“—Yeah. That’s right. I’ll give it my all, Subaru.”

Gently tracing the words with her fingers, Emilia responded to what had been etched.

In that next moment, she felt a pull into a drowsy feeling, and the outlines of the world blurred.

The “Trial” was approaching.

The past that had frightened her so much would return.

—Yet, a smile played on Emilia’s lips as she awaited it.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“To break a promise and write a love letter, only for it to be seen by someone else first… It’s game over for me…”

“That’s a bit exaggerated…”

Surrounded by Garfiel and the others, who each bore their own incredulous expressions, Subaru found himself unable to shake off the shock.

However, the group had no choice but to wait until Emilia came out. While telling themselves to have faith, they were simply biding their time, exercising patience.

“It took Garfiel about an hour, so… we might want to estimate a similar amount of time for Emilia.”

“If she succeeds, anyways… Agh! Ouch!”

Otto, carelessly interjecting, paid the price for his careless words when Ram elbowed him hard. Then, as Otto got scolded by Ram, Garfiel watched with a jealous twist on his face before delivering a flick to Otto.

Otto, recoiling and rolling along the ground, drew no attention from the others even as they pursued their conversation.

“By the way, I wanted to ask Garfiel and Ryuzu about something.”

“You want to ask me and Garf, huh?”

Ryuzu stood there awkwardly, lifting her gaze at Subaru’s words.

Having mysteriously disappeared in the morning, Ryuzu had somehow inadvertently assisted in Subaru’s entertaining plan to defeat Garfiel. She appeared somewhat confused about how to interact with Garfiel, and their earlier conversation showed an underlying awkwardness between the grandmother and grandson.

However, it seemed to be mostly Ryuzu who was concerned, as Garfiel bore no ill will towards her, having already reconciled with the past.

“Yes. It’s about what I want to know. This may be a little difficult to ask Ryuzu given her current state…”

When Subaru mentioned the current state, he referred to whether Theta would have information to share.

Ryuzu, the representative of the “Sanctuary,” merged with α, β, θ, and Σ. With Garfiel’s problems resolved alongside Ryuzu’s support for or against the liberation of the “Sanctuary,” it seemed that matter had been intertwined as well, though she felt confirmation was still necessary.

Most importantly, some points remained troubling.

“Garfiel, you’re currently in favor of the “Sanctuary’s” liberation, right?”

“Captain, it’s not quite correct to say I’m in favor or against. I lost to you guys, so I won’t interfere with your actions to liberate the “Sanctuary.” I’ll act to prevent suffering to the “Sanctuary” from changing… that’s where I stand now.”

“Exactly, that’s your stance.”

“Huh?”

As Subaru raised a finger to interrupt Garfiel’s statement, he caught the perplexed expressions on Garfiel and the others around them. How could they not find an issue with his statement? Subaru felt uneasy.

“To begin with, when we first arrived in the ‘Sanctuary,’ weren’t you neutral, saying something similar to what you’re saying now? Wasn’t it more of a ‘I’m not for or against’?”

“At that time, I figured if you guys knew which side I was on, you’d be cautious of me.”

“But soon it was obvious that you were on guard. I might have misstepped or perhaps even stepped on a tiger’s tail, but what triggered that change of heart?”

He was utterly baffled.

At the very least, Garfiel had behaved friendly towards Subaru and the others before and after Emilia’s first day of facing the “Trial.”

However, Garfiel’s hostile nature became clear during the night of the “Trial” failure. He declared war against Subaru due to the witch’s miasma emanating from his body.

Yet, it had already been proven that Garfiel couldn’t have truly recognized the witch’s miasma coming from Subaru. Others noticed the miasma surrounding Subaru, and Garfiel made the choice based on what he had been told.

And the one who told Garfiel about the miasma was—

“I had suspected that Ryuzu was opposed to the liberation of the ‘Sanctuary.'”

“…”

Seeing Ryuzu fall silent, Subaru placed a finger against the folded arm.

This version of Ryuzu was theta—meaning, from Subaru’s perspective, she should be the one opposed to the liberation of the “Sanctuary.”

While α and β were in support, and Σ remained neutral, theta likely knew the truth of Ryuzu Meier’s past within the “Trial” and regarded the liberation of the “Sanctuary” with caution. Supporting the current hypothesis, it would seem that only theta could prompt Garfiel’s change of heart.

Hearing Subaru’s deduction, Garfiel nodded reluctantly.

“You’re right, Captain. My grandma told me…”

“That’s not quite right, dear! I never said that to Garf!”

Their voices overlapped, clearly arguing opposing views.

Feeling confusion rising to the surface, Subaru watched as Garfiel and Ryuzu exchanged glances. Garfiel flapped his lips open and pointed at Ryuzu, who looked dismayed.

“W-what do you mean? Grandma told me on that first night when that girl took on the ‘Trial.’ Captain here smells like a witch. The half-witch, too, was there, so those two are possibly proxies of the witch… So that’s why I…”

“You’ve completely misrepresented what I said! Yes, I did notice the miasma surrounding Subaru and had thoughts about Emilia-sama’s background, but that’s a separate discussion. I only intended to assess the situation based on Roswaal’s established script…”

“Wait! Stop! Ryuzu just confirmed that she doesn’t know anything!”

In response to Garfiel’s statement, Ryuzu denied it outright.

Garfiel looked incredulous, struggling to accept that. But Ryuzu’s words, once spoken, held the weight of truth.

This “Sanctuary’s” inhabitants couldn’t lie within its confines due to a binding contract.

“Unless they genuinely believe it’s a lie, if Ryuzu states she has not acted, it doesn’t count as a lie.”

“But I definitely—”

“I’m not doubting you. I’ve accepted the fact that you can lie. So, Ryuzu, are you saying you stand by your recent claim?”

Upon being asked for confirmation, Ryuzu paled and gave a nod.

To affirm the current scenario, it meant that the one whose words had reached Garfiel and encouraged his change of heart wasn’t “Ryuzu” at all.

Yet Garfiel swore that it was “Ryuzu” who had enabled his change.

“———”

Lifting his gaze, Subaru met Garfiel’s eyes.

With teeth grinding, Garfiel shook his head, clearly bearing no trace of deception. His personality had never inclined toward lying.

Now that the facade of the “Sanctuary’s” barrier was stripped away, it became even more evident.

“Ram.”

“…Just so you know, there’s no magic that can alter appearances. Not even Lord Roswaal could perform such an act.”

“If so, then what are you implying?”

Ram had no response to Subaru’s inquiry.

She had no clearer answer to this discrepancy. But Subaru was already partly convinced this was a “trap planted by Roswaal.” In fact, he felt he had no other option.

“I want to stay here while we await Emilia’s arrival…”

It had only been about ten minutes since Emilia entered the graveyard. Subaru wanted nothing more than to greet her right away and welcome her the moment she emerged successfully.

He wished to celebrate her victory.

But—

“It’s time to interrogate Roswaal. We need to confirm what he’s been doing, lingering about like this.”

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

—Emilia wasn’t quite sure if waking up in the dream world could be deemed an awakening of her consciousness.

The stone room she had just been in. Now liberated from the “Trial,” Emilia found herself deep within a nostalgic forest.

Tall trees surrounded her, and fresh breezes caressed her feet against the warm earth.

Memories flashed before her.

The snow-covered landscape in the white forest she would come to see as the “Trial” progressed.

However, that imagery hadn’t yet begun.

No snow fell in the forest; the greenery softly welcomed Emilia’s return, which was purely in her mind.

And then—

“Hey there! You’ve had quite a few guests in the past few days!”

While Emilia quietly checked her surroundings, that voice reached her ears.

Emilia’s visit to this dreamlike world shaped the scenery like memories woven from unreality, revealing a figure that seemed entirely ordinary, as though they were meant to exist there.

Dressed entirely in black, with hair and skin resembling drifted snow, was a young girl.

She exuded an almost flawless beauty, having pursued the clarity of her duality.

The witch, who oversaw the “Trial” and held the key to revisiting Emilia’s past—the “Witch of Greed,” Echidna.

Echidna rose up against the wooden trunk upon which she had leaned, tilting her head slightly toward Emilia.

Emilia met the witch’s gaze directly as she held her breath in awe.

“Honestly, it’s been quite an influx of guests. Welcome, both the noteworthy and the uninvited as well.”

“…”

“You’ve shown a great deal of impertinence by revealing yourself after that disgraceful display. I’m honestly taken aback by your brazenness and unwillingness to give up.”

The witch gazed at Emilia, hurling words imbued with malice and disdain without mercy.

In contrast to the warmth and kindness she associated with black eyes, Emmanuel learned all too well the bitterness and cruelty she had faced before.

This was a different caliber of malice than anything Emilia had encountered before.

The hostility she had endured in the past stemmed from the unfounded jabs at her image as a “Silver-Haired Half-Elf.”

But what this witch was wielding was an absolute antagonism directed at the very essence of “Emilia.”

“You who cry and seek comfort from men as a fallen vendor for affection when faced with failure. Time after time, you pollute my world with your impudent attacks. Recurring and shameless, refusing to accept that you could indeed be loved by him… Why don’t you just admit it, witch’s daughter?”

“…”

From the brutal verbal attacks, Emilia found herself almost overwhelmed with the emotions of the last few days.

She hadn’t given up on taking the “Trial” out of despair, but she was undeniably feeling her heart’s resistance wavering, edging away from her memories of the past.

The witch did not wish for Emilia to face the “Trial” nor did she harbor any hope that Emilia would be able to overcome it.

The witch had no expectations for Emilia to triumph over the “Trial.”

“And now, no one expects us to succeed. Is there another boring situation as amusing as this unfolding?”

Indeed, Subaru was absolutely right.

So, raising her hand high, Emilia pointed a finger to the sky.

Just like when she confronted Subaru, she rallied her inner courage to overcome.

“My name is simply Emilia. Born in the Erior Forest, I am the Witch of Ice.”

Breathing out her identity, the witch’s curiosity at Emilia’s proclamation became apparent.

Delighted at this shift, Emilia pointed her challenging finger directly at the witch.

“There’s no way I’m succumbing to the malice of another witch. I’m a stubborn woman, and I won’t back down!”

 

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