Even now, I sometimes remember that moment and am overcome with regret.

       I had my outstretched finger shaken off, as I was called by name with affection.

       In the farewell words, there was love, and in the smiling eyes, there was enough tears and determination to seal my voice—

“――――”

       What should I have said? I still don’t know.

       What was I thinking? I can no longer remember.

       What should I have done? Even now, I can’t find the answer.

       ――That’s why even now, Beatrice remains alone, huddled, unable to move from the Forbidden Library.

       “……Ryuzu”

       The words that slipped from my lips were a fragment of an old memory that seemed nostalgic just to voice.

       When the feelings erupted and that name escaped my mouth, the time that had stagnated within Beatrice, a void of four hundred years, spilled out all at once.

       Beatrice confined in the Forbidden Library, began to wait for someone called “that person” after the loss of the girl, Ryuzu Meier, and the establishment of the place known as the “Sanctuary”, following the repulsion of the demon Hector.

       The loss of a single close companion, enough to say she was the only one.

       Before my eyes, Beatrice, worn down by the loss caused by my own inadequacy, bore a grief that was apparent to anyone, and everyone knew it would take nothing but time to heal that wounded heart.

       Thus, my mother concluded simply and clearly.

       “Eventually, that demon will return to destroy my body again. I plan to prepare countermeasures by then… but even that cannot be said to be perfect.”

       “Yes, Mother.”

       “If we were to encounter each other once more, it would be a battle to the death. Given the opponent’s might, the chances of me surviving would be fifty-fifty… maybe leaning slightly towards unfavorable? Unfortunately, Roswaal, whose gate is worn down, is of no use in battle.”

       Beatrice maintained her calm demeanor in front of Echidna, who cast her eyes downward.

       Not that she was holding back, but her emotions had since that day virtually ceased to show. Just how much influence does an immense sense of loss have when emotions fluctuate?

       Perhaps it was that her heart understood that, which caused the freezing of her emotions.

       Seeing Beatrice’s unchanged expression, Echidna ran her fingers through her white hair and said,

       “You see, I’ve never been particularly suited for battle among witches. Once I realized I couldn’t even borrow the power of the genius Roswaal, it was only then that I began to see a glimmer of victory.”

       “…What should Beatrice do?”

       It is common knowledge that Roswaal was nearly killed in the battle to establish the functions of the “Sanctuary”. Destroyed were all the gates, and his path as a magician was virtually severed.

       Envisioning the figure of a comrade, lying on a bed, still wandering between life and death, Beatrice asked Echidna with an indifferent voice that carried a hint of desperation.

       “Should I buy time until mother’s formula can be established like Roswaal? Or should I offer myself, this powerful mass of Od, to be the core of the formula instead? If it’s for you, mother, I have nothing to regret… Please use me as you wish.”

       Pinching the edge of her skirt, Beatrice bowed, demonstrating her utmost trust in her mother.

       In truth, it was too frail and ephemeral to call it “trust”. Beatrice wasn’t even aware of her mental state, and even if she did understand herself, the answer would likely have remained the same.

       It was simply a matter of being conscious of her half-hearted desire for revenge and her frustrations over her own helplessness— the only difference lay in whether she was aware of it.

       “—Oh, really? If you say that, then it lightens my burden of asking something from you. You really are a good child, Beatrice.”

       “…Yes. Beatrice is mother’s daughter.”

       Under normal circumstances, she would have experienced unmeasurable joy at being praised by her mother.

       Echidna likely knew that, and thus rarely went out of her way to praise Beatrice. Though once enchanted, her words now echoed flatly against her empty chest.

       No matter what was said, perhaps the fire would never ignite in this heart again.

       Having thought this way, Beatrice couldn’t respond in a timely manner to Echidna’s next words.

       “Beatrice. I entrust you with the management of my library of knowledge. Until the coming time arrives, continue to guard the knowledge as the keeper of the library. –Make sure no one can take it from you.”

       “…Eh?”

       “Fortunately, you possess unparalleled suitability for dark magic. By applying the power of ‘Door Hopping’, connect the isolated space with a place you are familiar with…. Let’s call it the ‘Forbidden Library’. Please safeguard the compilation of knowledge that I hold, in the form of books.”

       Leaving behind the speechless Beatrice, Echidna went on to say a myriad of things.

       Thinking she was heading into a fight against Echidna’s upcoming battle, Beatrice could only see it as a role she had never envisioned for herself.

       She could understand the intention behind sending military funds for the sake of the citizens of her territory and the decision to invest in a business to generate income to avoid raising taxes, which would burden them further.

       However, how could it be that, in an already precarious financial situation, the Emperor intervened and ruined an investment that was crucial for their family’s survival?

       Of course, she knew investments came with risks.

       But if it were due to natural disasters or calamities, it wouldn’t feel as unjust. To have everything collapse due to a sudden royal intervention—what kind of cruel twist is this?

       Filled with rage, yet the rationale seemed to lie with the Emperor.

       “If we hoard special fertilizer to sell at a high price after the war, our family will surely bear the brunt of it.”

       Had she voiced such thoughts, it would surely cost her family dearly. After all, how could a noble even think of profiting from the pain caused by war?

       “Never put all your eggs in one basket,” they say.

       It might have been difficult to anticipate the disaster that is an Emperor, but handing her family’s fortune entirely over to a Count aiming for substantial gains was not reassuring either.

       She began to think that if she relied on this gentleman, she wouldn’t enjoy a comfortable life in this other world; instead, she would soon find herself on the streets, living the life of a homeless person amidst the fantasy landscape.

       Swallowing her frustration,

       She had to eat to survive, so she dipped the hard, stone-like bread into the soup rather than breaking it apart and pondered what she should do to save their family moving forward.

       By the way, she wondered if there was a dentist in this other world?

       If she continued eating this bread, she might soon need to purchase dentures.

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