Surrounded by tall trees, Emilia strolls down the beast path with a familiar gait.

She steps on the grass, presses down on the ground, and walks carefully to avoid stepping on the roots of the ancient trees or the hidden flowers. Emilia found it strange that she could feel the hard earth beneath her feet, even though she was in a dream.

In a normal dream, it wouldn’t be the case, but in this world, she could feel the rough texture of the tree bark, the scent of flower nectar, and the warmth of the wind.

“Why can I feel so many things in a dream world?”

“The term ‘dream world’ is merely a metaphor. In reality, this place is a space that has reconstructed the memories of the subject of the ‘Trial,’ drawing only consciousness into a different realm. It’s only natural for you to have a sense of interacting with this world since it has pulled up your memories as the challenger. Meanwhile, I gain no sensation from touching the ground or trees.”

“I see… So, what if I were to run wild and make a mess of this forest?”

“That’s quite a barbaric and witch-like thought. While it’s true you can feel things, you cannot interfere. Moreover, you can’t even touch the creatures reproduced in this world. It would be possible in a different form of the ‘Trial,’ though.”

“A different form?”

“You’re asking a lot of questions. Some independent thought would do you good. Anything you seek will be given, but it may be impossible for someone like you who has lived life by whining and flattering.”

“Mmm…”

Following behind Emilia at a certain distance is the ‘Witch of Greed.’ Echidna speaks while mixing in her poison-laced lecture, expressionless as she scoffs at Emilia’s ignorance. However, her reasoning is sound, even if it provokes some resentment.

With her hand on her mouth, Emilia ponders.

The difference between memories that cannot be touched and those that can. The means by which people walking through memories can interact with the Emilia who has been drawn in only mentally.

“I thought about it, but I don’t understand. Can you tell me the answer?”

“………”

“What’s wrong? Did you get a stomach ache?”

“That revolting attitude of yours. Even though I’m uncomfortable with it, you elicit more emotion in me than anyone except him and his friends.”

“Echidna, you have friends?”

For Emilia’s mutter that carried a hint of envy, Echidna let out a sigh. It seems her words weren’t taken as a compliment, and Emilia mulls over how to rephrase it correctly. Then—

“For some, regrets glimpsed during the ‘Trial’ aren’t just mere moments.”

“Huh?”

“Taking a snapshot of a certain instant, regretting that moment in the past. In contrast, there are those who regret ongoing relationships with someone. In the latter case, rather than reproducing just a snapshot of the past, that ‘person’ within the ‘Trial’ subject will be recreated. You might even have the opportunity to speak, touch, and even love them.”

“…I see. So that’s how it works.”

Emilia nodded, acknowledging Echidna’s explanation.

Regrets truly can be distinguishable in that way. Some may regret having fought with someone, while others may regret the time passed without resolving the fight.

Which one to overcome is certainly a matter for the person involved.

“But still, you do answer the questions I hate properly.”

“I absolutely don’t want you to misunderstand me as a really nice person. Being viewed favorably by you is the most insulting thing for me. Answering your questions is just part of my nature.”

“Okay!”

While she didn’t feel like laughing, Emilia started to understand how to interact with the emotionally distant Echidna.

It was undoubtedly clear that Echidna disliked Emilia like a scorpion, but Emilia couldn’t bring herself to hate Echidna either, as she didn’t know enough about her.

Conversely, it meant that Echidna knew enough about Emilia to hate her, but—such an opportunity would not arise here.

“Hahaha! Over here! Over here!”

“Kyah!”

Emilia was startled by the sudden high-pitched voice of a little girl, diverting her attention. A small girl ran past her, circling around, effortlessly dashing past Emilia. She felt unsettled that she hadn’t sensed her approach until it was too late, but soon realized it wasn’t entirely due to her own negligence or complacency.

The girl who zipped past Emilia had silver hair that reached her back, bouncing as she ran.

With deep purple eyes and worn children’s clothing, she raced through the woodland carefree and joyfully laughed; it was a familiar face.

There stood younger Emilia—an Emilia who knew nothing of ‘regrets,’ from the days of long gone.

“Even if she knows nothing yet, she sure wears an annoyingly cheerful expression.”

“Don’t pick on my younger self! Besides… whether that’s a bad thing or not, I’ll find out in the future.”

Echidna leaned against a tree, openly displaying her biases as she evaluated the playful young Emilia. In response, Emilia frowned, feeling an odd tingle in her temples as if Echidna’s comment bothered her.

With the contract with Pack severed, memories long sealed began to flood back to Emilia’s mind.

Days spent with Fortuna, her mother. The time Juice’s group brought supplies to the village. The matter of the seal, and the ‘fairy’ who helped her escape the Princess Room. And, how she befriended Juice whom she shouldn’t have met.

“How could I forget all of this and act like it’s nothing…”

Even with so many fragments of memories missing, Emilia filled the gaps with the belief that nothing was strange about it.

Had she noticed those gaps unrelated to the ‘Trial’ and begun to doubt herself, what would have happened?—It would have been irreparable. Knowing that, perhaps Pack, who knew her abnormality better than anyone, chose to remain silent.

The memories that were beginning to resurface were still slumbering behind a partially opened door.

While she couldn’t take a good look at them before facing the ‘Trial,’ it was enough.

Now, within this ‘Trial,’ Emilia knew that every sealed memory would be uncovered.

And she could easily imagine that witnessing it would lead to a significant change within her.

“But I won’t fear it anymore.”

“Will you stop behaving like a lascivious woman who cries, screams, and clings to either your father or a man? That’s so typical of you.”

“Even if that would be forgiven… I don’t want to be disillusioned by myself or Subaru by doing that. I don’t want to simply accept that the weak me remains weak.”

“…Do as you wish. I’ll merely choose to remember one of the outcomes.”

No matter how much she piled on her ill will, it was clear to Emilia that not even Echidna could disturb her current mindset.

Realizing this through their exchanges, Echidna fell silent with a look of resignation.

With the witch’s intrusive influence diminishing, Emilia exhaled and focused on the past.

Before her was a younger Emilia, dashing about joyfully. And then—

“Please wait, Emilia! Running around like that is dangerous!”

“I’m fine, I’m okay! It’s Juice who’ll scrape his knees!”

“I can take any injuries I may receive. Your injury, Emilia, is far more critical. If a single scratch appears on your precious skin, it would be something I could never atone for even in death.”

The tall man in black robes chasing after the rambunctious Emilia was Juice. He had a stern face that softened with clear kindness and affection, gently admonishing the carefree girl.

“Juice, the way you said that makes it sound incredibly lewd.”

“That wasn’t my intention at all… Why would I ever look at Emilia-sama like that?”

Joining the conversation was a woman chasing after Juice, who had short silver hair and sharp-eyed beauty.

Upon seeing her, Emilia gasped.

“Fortuna-mama…”

Despite knowing it was merely a memory, her heart swelled with emotion upon seeing the woman she loved so dearly.

She reverenced her most, and even now, Fortuna remains as dear to Emilia as Pack.

Standing next to the perplexed Juice, Fortuna glanced up at his tall figure.

“This applies not only to Emilia but to anyone, really. Juice, you’re getting to a certain age now.”

“Age holds little meaning for me. In terms of long life, even Fortuna-sama and Emilia-sama are mere children to me.”

“I’m considered a child in your eyes…”

Fortuna sulked as she lowered her gaze with a hint of displeasure in response to Juice’s remark.

Juice frowned, unsure how to handle her demeanor, but Fortuna shot him a look before turning back to the younger Emilia, who pouted because the two weren’t chasing after her.

“Come on! Both Fortuna-mama and Juice, how come you’re not chasing me? We were in the middle of a game of tag! You can’t do that!”

“Oh! My apologies, Emilia-sama. This Romanee-Conti, an utter blunder…”

“You shouldn’t pamper her like that, Juice. Emilia, tell me, why do you think Fortuna-mama and Juice started chasing you? You know how much I loathe children who aren’t remorseful, right?”

“Meow!”

The flicker of anger behind Fortuna’s smile caused a younger Emilia to jump.

Realizing that she had just stirred the pot and caused trouble, the younger Emilia turned to run away with an awkward laugh.

“Too bad! Emilia has been caught by Fortuna-mama!”

“Waah! Fortuna-mama, I’m so sorry! It wasn’t my fault! The fairy told me to come out and play…!”

“Don’t blame others or the fairy, dear. Do you understand that, Emilia?”

As the young Emilia flailed, Fortuna whispered in her ear. The little girl stopped and hung her head in silence.

“I’m sorry, Fortuna-mama. It was boring staying in my room, and since I’m friends with Juice now, I just wanted to see him, so…”

“So you got discovered by me and started running away, right? You knew it was wrong to sneak out. That realization is very important, you know? Sneaking out is a bad thing.”

“Yes…”

“Broke a promise is not good. Keeping promises is important. Promises are a manifestation of trust, so breaking them betrays that sense of trust—understand?”

The young Emilia felt like crying as Fortuna spoke softly to her. Fortuna gently held her chin to keep her face up so they could meet each other’s violet eyes.

“Emilia, promise me. You’ll properly keep your promises from now on.”

“Okay… Yes, I’ll keep it. I’m sorry, Fortuna-mama.”

“Good. That makes me happy.”

Hearing the vow from her tear-filled eyes, Fortuna embraced her daughter.

Gently stroking the silver hair of Emilia, who was choking back sobs, Fortuna accepted her child’s heart’s growth with a tender sigh. Then,

“Juice? What are you doing over there?”

“I… I can’t help but shed tears in such a dazzling scene…”

Before the astonished Fortuna, Juice crouched in the shadow of a tree, pressing a cloth to his face as he cried. It seems that witnessing the mother-daughter exchange had overwhelmed him.

Even amidst these revived memories, seeing Juice weep within the ‘Trial’ reminded Emilia of how he had a tendency to get carried away when moved, warming her heart.

“By the way, Emilia. The fairy…”

Ignoring Juice, who started blowing his nose into a tissue, Fortuna picked up on an intriguing detail from the young Emilia’s earlier statements. The topic shifted to ‘fairies’, and younger Emilia, looking up with red eyes, said,

“Oh, that fairy…”

Young Emilia extended her hand, calling out to the world.

At that moment, many faint lights began to swirl around the tip of her outstretched finger.

Both Fortuna and Juice stood astonished at the sight.

“Could it be… tiny spirits? To have this many… How did you…?”

“Well? When I talked about it, many came to me. They started visiting while I was playing alone in the Princess Room.”

“To have such tiny spirits attending to you at your age… Emilia-sama, it seems you have remarkable aptitude as a spirit user.”

“A spirit user? What’s that?”

After a flurry of excitement, Juice regained his composure and, when younger Emilia tilted her head, he nodded with a gentle smile and said,

“You are the one they call a spirit user. These being you call fairies are known as tiny spirits. They exist everywhere in the world, communing with spirits and binding contracts with them. Individuals favored by spirits and those who can perform supernatural acts with their help—this is what defines a spirit user.”

“Can I become one of those?”

“Yes. As long as you continue to grow healthy and remain as someone the spirits like… surely you will be able to accompany many spirits or even more powerful ones.”

Juice’s explanation lit up younger Emilia’s face.

Yet, hearing this, Fortuna stood up and jabbed Juice in the side with her elbow.

“Hey, Juice. Don’t say unnecessary things. Just having a couple of tiny spirits assisting her doesn’t make her a spirit user… That’s not something Emilia needs.”

“While I understand your sentiment, Fortuna-sama, Emilia-sama won’t remain a child forever. There will be times when you are not near her. In those moments, it’s important for her to be self-sufficient as well.”

The two began to quarrel over Emilia’s educational path.

Watching them, Emilia couldn’t help but feel.

“It feels like Fortuna-mama and Juice are like a mom and dad.”

“What!?”

As if to echo her thoughts, the younger Emilia innocently spoke up.

Seeing Fortuna’s face flush, Emilia felt a wave of recognition from her past.

“And hey, don’t say such weird things, Emilia. Juice and I have known each other for a long time; that kind of relationship isn’t what you think!”

“That’s right, Emilia-sama. My relationship with Fortuna-sama has endured for a long time since back when Emilia-sama’s mother and father were both together…”

“—Juice.”

Fortuna, who had been desperately trying to defend herself, called Juice’s name in a low voice after he let that slip. Realizing his mistake, Juice placed a hand over his mouth and apologetically said, “I’m sorry.”

“Father and mother…?”

“I’m sorry, Emilia. We’ll discuss that later. In any case, you should return to your room now. Just sneaking out isn’t something you were granted permission for.”

“Ugh… Fortuna-mama is mean…”

Feeling that her words had been brushed aside, the younger Emilia puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

However, Fortuna showed no intention of accepting that. When she placed both hands on the young Emilia’s inflated cheeks, the air was let out.

“Pfft—” The young Emilia blew out air, shrinking her cheeks as Fortuna met her gaze.

“Be a good child and stay quiet. It doesn’t mean that you won’t get to see Juice again. Well… I’ll make another opportunity for you.”

“Really? Will you promise? You won’t betray me?”

“Oh my, this child. Where did you learn such clever logic?”

Bringing up their earlier promise made Fortuna smile wryly. Gently hugging Emilia again, she said,

“Yes, a promise. A very important promise between mother and Emilia.”

“…Alright then, I understand. I’ll head back to my room.”

With Fortuna’s solid promise, young Emilia nodded in trust.

When released from the embrace, she dashed over to Juice before returning to the Princess Room. She reached up to him, who looked down at her, smiling.

“See you, Juice. It’s a promise to meet again.”

“—Yes, certainly. I look forward to seeing you again.”

Juice took her small hand, shaking it.

Receiving Juice’s warm smile, younger Emilia nodded repeatedly and then waved goodbye.

Just then, as she was set to head back to the Princess Room—

“It appears they’ve come.”

Echidna, who had been silently observing the passage of time, muttered softly.

Her voice was disturbingly clear, and Emilia looked up, twisting her neck to see the meaning behind her words.

“—”

It was a white-haired young man.

With pale skin and simple clothing consisting of a plain shirt and pants, he had a nondescript appearance. While his features were well-defined, they lacked any standout elements, making him blend into the crowd effortlessly.

In this moment, however, he felt like an overwhelming anomaly standing there.

“…Who are you!?”

In the memory, Fortuna noticed the young man looking at them and quickly pulled the younger Emilia close, exhibiting her wariness.

The young man, touching the trunk of a large tree, brushed back his white hair.

“When asking for someone’s name, it’s only proper to introduce yourself first, don’t you think?”

Fortuna’s brows twitched at his retort.

Seeing this, the young man twisted his mouth into a shape that hinted at something sinister.

“I think responding like this after being asked who you are is quite ridiculous, yet once faced with such a situation, I can certainly understand the urge to say something like that. This is the first time we’ve met. In terms of establishing a relationship, it should surely be on equal footing. So why must one of us question the other from a position of superiority? Do you even realize that? You’ve been looking down on me without even being aware of it.”

“…You sure love to overtalk, for a man.”

“For a man? That suggests you’ve got no idea about other men. What rights do you have to compare me against the countless ‘men’ that exist in this world? That’s simply… unacceptable behavior. That kind of attitude, disregarding my rights as an individual.”

The young man’s tone seemed to grow increasingly agitated with every word that Fortuna spoke.

Recognizing this as a dangerous individual, Fortuna braced herself. However, it was Juice who intervened next to Fortuna.

He looked up at the white youth, his face solemn as he spoke.

“Regulus Corneas! Why are you here?! I had assured you that no one else would be involved in this matter!”

“It’s not a guarantee. It’s merely an agreement you imposed on your own, deciding things unilaterally. How could a lowly spirit like yourself dare to speak down to others? It’s already unacceptable to restrict my actions… and you call this spirit? Stop encroaching on my person, mind, and rights.”

“That’s not an answer! If you’re unhappy with the agreement, then simply discuss it at the church! What are you doing here?! And who do you think allowed you to come here…?”

“—That would be my instruction.”

The sullen-faced young man—Regulus, Juice’s anger began to tremble in his voice.

However, interrupting their quarrel was a voice of a woman who had not made a sound until this point.

Upon hearing that voice, everyone witnessing the scene reacted differently.

Juice’s eyes widened with dread, Fortuna’s burned with rage, while the young Emilia shook her head in her mother’s arms with tears in her eyes, and Regulus wore a dreadful smile.

Emilia gasped at the presence of that voice, while Echidna simply closed her eyes.

A girl stepped forward.

The girl standing beside Regulus, who was looking down at the younger Emilia and the others, was so beautiful that it made the very air shudder.

Her long, translucent platinum hair sparkled as if awarded form by the sunlight pouring down and flowed down her slender shoulders.

Framed by long eyelashes, her deep blue eyes appeared to capture the entire world, and her exquisite features held a beauty so delicate, that even the gods would hesitate to touch.

Her petite form seemed so fragile that being embraced by the wind would look perilous. She wore nothing but a single white cloth that seemed to echo the world’s refusal to allow anything to touch her bare skin.

An aura of someone extraordinary, impossible to be just an ordinary girl.

The voice that spun forth had a bewitching quality, ensnaring both body and spirit—no one present could utter a word.

“What seems to be the problem? Bishop Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti?”

Tilting her head, the girl asked. Her gaze landed on everyone, her mere presence bringing an overwhelming sense of joy and serenity.

As she looked down at them, Emilia felt her mouth drying out despite knowing it was merely a memory.

—That is dangerous.

“Why are you here… No, Regulus Corneas…! Why did you bring her here…!”

Juice clenched his teeth, rejecting the swelling emotions within.

—That is far too dangerous.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I perform an action that infringes on someone else’s will? She came with me willingly. Trying to blame everything on me is a clear case of excessive bias. Don’t judge me arbitrarily, please.”

“Bishop Regulus. He’s just confused, so please, try not to blame him too much.”

Regulus snorted at Juice’s reply.

“Juice, your way of speaking is quite annoying,” the girl beside him chided.

At her words, Regulus momentarily maintained his demeanor, but then bowed to her with an effort to conceal his elation.

It was abnormal.

Regulus, an overwhelming anomaly, being able to bend to the will of that girl only underscored her strangeness.

As Juice looked up at the girl, distraught surprise filled his eyes as he shook his head.

“This is… far too horrible… Lady Pandora…”

Juice’s murmured words were met by the girl’s faint smile.

Her smile brought an overwhelming sense of blessing, far beyond what one could imagine. The girl named Pandora responded to the intriguing gazes aimed at her with an entrancing aura.

She opened her arms wide and seemed to embrace everything.

“Shall we begin, then? —To fulfill the wishes of our Witch Cult.”

“Pandoraaaa!!”

Pandora’s calm declaration blended with Fortuna’s furious cry.

Shielding the younger Emilia behind her, Fortuna thrust her hands forward, conjuring a blue magic circle before her. Ice stakes manifested with tremendous speed, targeting Pandora with overwhelming density.

“Get pierced and apologize to your brother!!”

As Fortuna unleashed her magic upon the dazed Pandora.

Twenty large stakes of ice, each as thick as an adult’s arm, were rapidly produced and launched one after another—piercing through the dazed girl and erupting into white steam.

The cacophony of ice shattering continued unfettered as Fortuna pressed on her attack, while the young Emilia stood agape, watching her mother’s furious profile distort with rage.

“With this—!!”

With her raised hands following through, immense ice blocks came crashing down, ravaging the trees above as they descended mercilessly upon the spot where Pandora had stood, marking a speckled white end upon the forest floor.

The sheer magical energy of Fortuna left none, not even the current Emilia, capable of uttering a sound.

Even Emilia, utilizing Pack’s power, would struggle to perform such magic. Although she had never belittled her mother, she trembled upon realizing her strength surpassed her memories.

However—

“Hey… What was that? You completely ignored me, right? Ignored me, and then did this attack that took me along for the ride… what’s up with that? You know that… you trampled over my life, my existence, and my rights, right?”

A lengthy stream of complaints echoed after.

Just then, a massive bloc of ice was crushed from beneath.

The sparkling shards of ice illuminated the forest sky, contrasting dramatically with the serene image of Regulus standing unfazed next to Pandora.

Lightly brushing off his clothing, Regulus emerged unscathed—the attack barely touching him. Pandora deftly adjusted her front hair that had been ruffled by the gust.

Presumably, Regulus had shielded Pandora with his own body, but it felt extraordinarily unnatural. Emilia could not comprehend what had just transpired.

“So, this is the current Witch of Greed. Finding myself experiencing such an unexpected encounter is indeed quite intriguing.”

“Do you understand what just took place here?”

As soon as the uncertainty cleared, Emilia turned to Echidna standing nearby. Glancing over her shoulder, Echidna narrowed her eyes slightly.

“I can imagine, but it’s still far from certain. If time allowed for me to observe the situation a bit longer, I might have gathered insight… but it seems circumstances will not allow for that.”

“What do you—”

“I’ll be moving.”

At Echidna’s abrupt declaration, Emilia felt frustration bubble within her while focusing ahead.

The previous conflict, instigated by Fortuna, bore no fruit.

As Regulus took a threatening step forward, Juice extended his arm.

“Fortuna-sama, please step back with Emilia-sama! We are far too powerless against Regulus Corneas as we are!”

“What…! You dare tell me to step back before that girl!?”

“Consider the situation! Who are you protecting right now?”

“—!!”

Juice’s thunderous voice struck Fortuna deep as she turned to look behind her, seeing younger Emilia with a worried expression gripping her mother’s garment.

“Mo-mama…”

“Emilia—!”

“Step back! Immediately send for help to the village. The followers I brought along will surely lend you their strength.”

With younger Emilia clinging to her chest, Fortuna stood tall as Juice spoke in a steady tone.

Hearing this from Juice, Fortuna rose with younger Emilia in her arms, her anxious eyes fixed on him.

“If we do this, what will you do?”

“—Rest assured. I won’t remain without a plan myself.”

Juice, with a look tinged with tension, answered Fortuna’s worried gaze with a smile.

Seeing his smile, Fortuna closed her eyes with resolve.

“I will absolutely return with help.”

With just that, Fortuna dashed into the woods, still holding the younger Emilia.

Flailing around, the little girl peeked out from beside Fortuna’s head.

“Juice—!!”

“—”

Juice, turning back at one of her cries, wore a face of relief as he raised his hand.

That was the last anyone saw of Juice as Fortuna and younger Emilia raced deeper into the forest.

“This is strange… I shouldn’t be able to see the rest after being taken away like that.”

“Never underestimate this world of memories I’ve constructed. While it’s rooted in your recollections, the structure relies on my magic and references from the Grimoire. Supplementing scenes your consciousness hasn’t seen is quite easy. Still…”

Echidna responded to Emilia’s inquiry. She watched as Fortuna and the others disappeared from sight.

“In terms of you overcoming your ‘Trial,’ it might actually be more appropriate to follow after them. What will you do? Do you wish to bear witness to this continuation?”

Echidna’s words implicitly spoke of the need to chase after Fortuna. Her reasoning was logically sound. Indeed, this ‘Trial’ pertains to Emilia’s past; thus, prioritizing what young Emilia would witness and do next seemed wise. However,

“Echidna… it feels like you were suggesting that I go over there.”

“………”

“I don’t think that’s just my imagination. Your tone and demeanor just felt odd.”

“…Think whatever you like. I too will act shortly.”

Echidna’s expression remained blank as she withdrew slightly. It seemed she retreated to avoid the aftereffects of the forthcoming battle.

No matter how extensive the impending damage, it wouldn’t affect Emilia or Echidna. However, if the terrain were altered, they couldn’t completely avoid being impacted by the shifting ground.

“Quite the impressive display, Petelgeuse. But who gave you permission to do such a thing? You see, I have no reason to be here; I certainly don’t have business with you but with them over there. If you interfere and obstruct my doings, you violate my rights.”

“Say whatever you wish, Regulus Corneas. But I shall not allow you to progress beyond this point!”

“What a bold claim. Though I’ve heard you were one of the founding witches, sitting here for merely having contributed to the past; with your standing, there’s no way you could possibly contend with me.”

“We’ll see… I’ll show you now.”

While Regulus’s furious logic continued to spiral, Juice quietly responded.

With a determined expression, he reached into his robes, giving Emilia the impression he was prepared for ‘death.’

“No… Juice, what are you doing!?”

As the memories of experience surged through her, warm affection for him resurfaced.

In such a situation where he appeared to be bracing for death, Emilia hurriedly extended her hand to stop him. However, in this replayed story, she had no means to intervene.

Her outstretched hand passed through the scene, and the palm she once held firmly in unison would not meet again.

“That is…”

Juice pulled a small black box from within his garments.

Regulus furrowed his brow as he gazed with narrowed eyes, quickly understanding its identity and widening his eyes in recognition. Finally, seeing the surprised expression on Juice’s resolved face, he aimed a fierce stare at him.

“You should understand. You once held this in your hands.”

“I understand. That’s precisely why I can’t help but find your stupidity astonishing. You might have thought of it as a trump card to keep in secret, but hold on to it, and how could you not realize? You have no right to wield it! That very fact determines everything!”

“…Indeed, I am unfit to hold this. For so long, I’ve only held it as entrusted. However, it served as a means for this very moment.”

“Bishop Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti.”

Juice quietly answered Regulus’s raging retorts.

At that moment, Pandora interrupted their exchange from where she stood, unmoving.

“Now that you mention it,” she called out.

When Juice lifted his gaze at the sound of his name, Pandora’s serene face met his.

“Have a good journey.”

“—”

There was no malice, ill-intent, or hint of aggression—simply the blessing of a word.

Yet, upon hearing it, Emilia felt paralyzed to the bone, the same for Juice.

Juice grimaced as if he were being cleaved open by those benign words, then slowly opened the box in his palm.

Within the box rested something swirling black.

“Please forgive me. Lord Flugel.”

Saying this, Juice pressed the black “something” against his chest along with the box.

In the next instant, the “something” burst forth, exploding in volume as if splashing water over Juice’s body, enveloping him entirely.

To Emilia, it seemed as though a gelatinous being had consumed Juice whole, and she let out a soundless scream. The “something” encased and constricted around him.

“Idiot.”

Regulus spat disdainfully, summarizing Juice’s actions in few short words.

Through Regulus’s contemptuous gaze, Juice, now enveloped in black “something,” raised his arms towards the heavens and screamed out. A feeling distinct from either pain or pleasure ravaged his sense of existence.

“——”

Suddenly, within his deafening cry, an enigmatic sound mixed in.

It was the sound of applause.

“Wonderful.”

Whispering those words and clapping her hands was the platinum-haired girl, Pandora.

She observed Juice writhing in the throes of emotional turmoil, her cheeks flushed with ecstasy.

Her breath slightly hitched, indicating her excitement at the spectacle before her.

“Pandora?!”

Both Emilia and Regulus, confused by her demeanor, shared a quizzical gaze.

Regulus cast a puzzled glance at Pandora, who turned to look at him with flushed cheeks and then interrupted her applause to point at Juice.

“Bishop Regulus Corneas.”

“Yes.”

“Here it comes.”

Immediately after, the next thing Regulus knew, he was upside down, tossed into the air.

“Wh—?”

The brashness of being thrown was like grabbing a doll by the foot and tossing it upward in a rough manner.

Even Regulus himself seemed caught off guard, as he uttered a half-hearted voice but found himself soaring higher, only to rapidly plummet towards the ground. The manner in which he fell clearly exceeded that of freefall.

With no means to defend himself, Regulus was struck headfirst into the earth.

With a resounding boom, the ground shattered, sending violent tremors across the vicinity, uprooting trees in the wake of Regulus’s impact. The explosive aftermath buried him in silence within the forest.

Emilia remained speechless, desperately trying to grasp the nature of the bewildering chain of events.

Nothing was discernible. The only thing she could be sure of was—

“I told you… Death.”

On his knees, the man clad in black robes looked forth, blood running from his eyes.

He stared with fierce determination at the woods enveloped in a thick cloud of dust, drawing heavy breaths as a man who had wagered everything on this victory.

Having shed the torments of being engulfed by the black “something,” he arose.

Juice—no, that man was Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti.

“I will not allow them to pursue… They shall not pass beyond here—!!”