――While it all came together, restoring the atmosphere of the tatami room completely was impossible.

Hearing Felt’s defiant words, Priscilla, with a satisfied expression, took Al and marched out of the inn. From her perspective, it seemed she had achieved most of her goals and was quite pleased.

Considering the damage Subaru and the others sustained, her actions were incredibly selfish.

In the end, each faction quickly tidied up their meals, and without even being able to resume conversations, the dining assembly broke up.

The impact and scars left on everyone were significant, particularly the mental strain on Reinhardt and Wilhelm, which was almost unfathomable for outsiders.

Yet, the fact that neither of them revealed their inner turmoil on their faces showed just how resilient they were.

Naturally, the reconciliation between the grandfather and grandson that had been so close to happening was postponed, leaving Subaru with a lingering sense of regret that he couldn’t shake off.

“I’m really glad Garfiel wasn’t there at that moment.”

This was Otto’s parting remark as he left the dinner party for the Muse Company.

Indeed, if Garfiel and other hot-headed folks had been present at that dinner, it would have turned into chaos. I could easily imagine Garfiel leaping at Heinkel, leading to a bloody mess.

Only rational members remained behind in the tatami room. —Or perhaps all of this was simply a play within Priscilla’s palm.

“…There’s no way she’s that all-powerful. This was just a fortunate coincidence.”

Priscilla’s supposed luck actually took a favorable turn.

To put it bluntly, searching for something good amidst the worst is hardly a positive mindset, but recognizing that tiny glimmer of luck was the only way to keep my insides from boiling over.

Emilia and Beatrice must have felt even more anguish than Subaru did.

In a place where even Felt maintained her composure, it was Subaru who was most emotional. He felt terribly sorry for both of them, who had to be mindful of their enemies and allies.

Emilia and the others must have returned to their room, taking a short break before their promised outing.

Using the time I had, Subaru tried to walk off his unsettled feelings. His feet were somehow stomping harder on the wooden floor than usual.

The creaking of the floor under his shoes seemed to echo his own inner turmoil.

While thinking such things, Subaru stomped to acknowledge his own discomfort, and then—

“That’s not how you treat the floor, Subaru. You’ll only cause trouble for the inn.”

Subaru, who had been glaring at the floor, looked up at the voice coming from the side.

He realized he had unknowingly arrived at the porch overlooking the garden. There, Julius stood, feeling the breeze as he watched Subaru.

With his slightly quirky purple hair being ruffled by the wind, he looked oddly picturesque.

Subaru, who usually couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy towards Julius, smacked his lips at the sight of such a beautiful young man before plopping down onto the porch.

“Aren’t you with Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama?”

“You can tell just by looking, can’t you? They’re not kids anymore. They’re at an age where they want private time, and I have enough delicacy to respect that. I’ve already promised them a proper date.”

“There are some words there I don’t quite recognize, but I get the gist. Seems like you’ve learned to consider others’ feelings.”

“Ugh, you…!”

Despite starting the confrontation, Subaru found himself on the defensive from Julius’s words. However, his irritation quickly dissipated at the sight of Julius’s expression.

Julius shook his head slightly and said,

“I’m sorry. If you were the kind of guy who couldn’t consider others, you wouldn’t have raised your voice at the vice-captain like that earlier. In fact, I should be thanking you.”

“You think I did anything worthy of thanks? I was just annoyed at that guy. It’s embarrassing when everyone around is calm while I’m losing my cool.”

“That’s not the case. It was your impulsive behavior that actually allowed everyone else to remain calm. Including me. Your recklessness has its utility.”

“You’re not really trying to compliment me, are you?”

Subaru frowned at the excessive praise.

Julius’s words were constantly laced with subtle sarcasm aimed at Subaru. It wasn’t exactly fair to point that out, but he couldn’t take it as a genuine compliment.

“I get it. I need to stay calmer. That’s part of being a knight, right? Even as a knight, I acknowledge that I still need to work on my composure. Something that was mentioned in nearly every report card back in elementary school.”

“That’s true. If one seeks to act like a knight, then your earlier behavior certainly can’t be praised. However—”

Before Subaru could sulk further, Julius abruptly cut off his sentence.

After a moment, what Julius did caught Subaru off guard.

“What are you trying to do?”

“Just as you see.”

“If that’s what you meant, then it looks to me like you’re bowing to me.”

Subaru blinked as Julius folded his waist and bowed his head.

It wasn’t a knightly gesture. It wasn’t even a noble’s courtesy. What stood there was a simple greeting that disregarded all etiquette and standing—an action uncharacteristic of Julius.

“Thank you. I appreciate you. I want to thank you for revealing your righteous anger on my behalf back there.”

“…I don’t get it.”

“If we’re to honor the knightly conduct, one must maintain their composure regardless of circumstances. Even if a friend is belittled and subjected to unbearable humiliation, acting out of sheer emotion is unacceptable. But you did not do that.”

Still bowing his head, Julius layered on his gratitude for Subaru’s impetuousness.

Caught completely off-guard by this unexpected response, Subaru could only blink in bewilderment.

“In the tussle between being a knight and my own feelings, I managed to suppress my anger, but seeing your outburst made me feel ashamed of myself. Thus, I wanted to express my gratitude to you.”

“So you’re thanking me for getting mad for you, huh?”

“——”

As Subaru made a noise of realization, Julius finally lifted his head.

He confessed something from his heart, and a glimmer of enlightenment sparkled in his eyes, prompting Subaru to scrunch his lips in response.

“Quit joking around! Seriously, cut it out!”

“…Cut it out, you say.”

“It’s only natural! Why on earth am I supposed to be getting mad on your behalf? I got angry because I was irritated! I wasn’t trying to punch that old man because I wanted to help; I’m not that noble! I can’t just get mad for someone else’s sake like that!”

Subaru genuinely baffled at how Julius had misunderstood things.

He wasn’t even sure if his anger could truly be called a righteous indignation. The feelings of Reinhardt and Wilhelm were thoughts only they understood.

Subaru merely imagined the situation from the outside, and that was enough to get his blood boiling. It was not for anyone else; it was simply his own anger.

“If you were angry, you should’ve gotten mad too! You were just acting all cool about it, but if you’d joined in, that old man would’ve run off even quicker!”

“I’m a vice-captain of the royal guard. I can’t just disrespect my direct superior like that.”

“Not anymore! Besides, you just said ‘if only’! You’re imposing a stiff way of thinking! While you’re all caught up in trying to be a knight, are you putting armor on your heart too?”

“——–”

As Julius fell silent, Subaru dramatically sighed, resting his chin on his hand.

What a silly argument this was. Since he couldn’t accept gratitude simply, Subaru found himself taking it out on Julius.

And with Heinkel at the center of it all, his frustration only grew.

“Putting armor on your heart, huh? …Ugh, that’s painfully accurate.”

“I think it’s a pretty cool phrase if I say so myself, but ignore it. Just idle chitchat.”

“No way! I’ll remember that for sure. Realizing that I can learn something from you is kind of nice, even though I couldn’t have imagined that a year ago.”

“Just so you know, I still occasionally have nightmares about it.”

Subaru still dreamt of facing Julius in the training grounds, being mercilessly beaten with wooden swords.

Recalling the physical pain he felt was exhausting, but far worse was reliving the mental anguish that came with it. My unnecessary memory had etched that moment vividly in his mind, playing a nightly theater show just like a movie reel.

Of course, not every dream involved his duels with Julius, but those incidents were truly among the highest level of anguish imprinted on Subaru’s heart.

“I’d rather not have those dreams. It’s not pleasant thinking I meet you there every night.”

“Well, tell the dream manager. If I could, I’d surely prefer a fun dream with Emilia-tan!”

“The fact that you rely on dreams instead of skills says a lot about your character.”

“Hey! Don’t suddenly bounce back and call me a wimp! What about you?!”

“Lady Anastasia is a charming woman. Serving her closely is the highest honor there is. I would take pride in my position.”

After casually tossing back a retort, Subaru hissed like a cat in frustration.

Whatever noble guise Julius had donned was swift to fade, and he had already reverted to his usual demeanor, which made Subaru both relieved and annoyed. Clearing his throat, Subaru navigated the conversation elsewhere.

“Speaking of that fuzzy old man… you’re really the vice-captain, right?”

“It’s understandable to be skeptical. However, it’s true. That person is indeed Heinkel Astrea, vice-captain of the Royal Guard of the Lugnica Kingdom.”

“Is there any reason to doubt? What’s going on with him?”

“I can rebut all the questions. Of course, both the higher-ups and the Royal Guard have raised doubts about his qualities as vice-captain. In fact, the vice-captain’s role appears to be merely ceremonial, and no one has likely witnessed him actively performing those duties.”

Subaru imagined a bureaucratic official living high off a position without truly earning it. That’s how he felt about Heinkel’s standing.

Furthermore, everyone seemingly understood his incompetence, yet he carried on as if it were normal.

“You’re not saying he’s using the fact that he’s the Sword Saint’s father to get away with this, right?”

“…That is indeed a possibility. Publicly calling out the vice-captain would certainly reach the ears of his son, Reinhardt. While Reinhardt’s fairness is well-known, as a family member, one wonders how he would perceive it. Not everything can be trusted completely.”

“I can’t see Reinhardt turning on his father for that.”

“However, he’s still his father. No matter how others view him, Heinkel is Reinhardt’s blood relative. No one can measure his feelings regarding that bond.”

Julius continued trying to calm Subaru’s rising emotions.

Grinding his teeth, Subaru could only groan in frustration.

Julius was right. Regardless of what kind of jerk a parent may be, the nature of that relationship lies solely within Reinhardt’s heart.

As a knight, he shouldn’t waver because of familial ties. But as an individual, he hoped Reinhardt wouldn’t be able to easily sever that bond.

When even outsiders fail to nail down what they expect from Reinhardt, who could expect him not to be shaken? It’s utterly absurd.

“You just mentioned that was one possibility. If it’s one possibility, then there are others too, right? What else is there…”

“That person is the current head of House Astraea, and the son of Wilhelm. To put it plainly, he is the head of the kingdom’s most prestigious martial house and the son of the previous Sword Saint. To entrust such a person with a major position and let him hold a grudge against the kingdom would be disastrous.”

Speaking rapidly and making an effort to maintain a neutral expression, Julius continued.

After a few moments of pondering his words, Subaru reached understanding quickly.

“The kingdom! Reinhardt too! They don’t trust Wilhelm! The moment Heinkel shows any resistance, the Sword Saint’s family could turn against the kingdom…! So they keep him close, like a bomb that’s about to explode. Is that it?!”

If that’s the case, how insulting it would be towards Reinhardt and Wilhelm.

Looking at those two, who embody honor, they still believe they would betray their kingdom?

In a bout of rage comparable to when he faced Heinkel earlier, Subaru stood frozen before Julius, who placed a hand on Subaru’s shoulder shaking his head.

“Your anger is justified. However, the kingdom must prepare for potential probabilities.”

“What potential probabilities are you talking about?! That’s impossible!”

“…Wilhelm was the former captain of the Royal Guard.”

“—?!”

Subaru, attempting to shake off that arm, suddenly froze at Julius’s words.

“Fourteen years ago, a royal family member was abducted within the castle. At the time, Wilhelm was the captain of the Royal Guard and responsible for the search of the abducted royal.”

“And what of that?! I’ve heard that much too.”

The context about the kidnapped royal was currently speculation about Felt. Subaru had registered this as an improbable story, but the intent behind Julius bringing it up here was unclear.

“I know the abducted royal was never found. But what does that mean? Just because Wilhelm took the blame and resigned from the Royal Guard, does that mean he has a grudge against the kingdom? But that doesn’t mean…!”

“The Great Expedition to defeat the White Whale with the previous Sword Saint involved, took place while Wilhelm was absent searching for the royal.”

“——–”

Julius’ statement sent Subaru’s thoughts into a blank void.

Within that void flowed Wilhelm’s words from long ago.

He had once said that when his wife died, he had not been able to be by her side.

“…So, because a royal was kidnapped, he couldn’t be there when his wife passed? That’s why Wilhelm holds a grudge against the royals and the kingdom?”

“I do not know Wilhelm’s true intentions. However, it is a fact that after the search for the royal was called off, and the Great Expedition ultimately failed, Wilhelm resigned from the Royal Guard. Had it not been for Captain Marcos’s efforts to rebuild afterward, the Royal Guard would have lost all functionality.”

“Who cares about what happened afterward! I’m talking about Wilhelm! What do you think?! Does he blame everyone else for what happened to his wife and…and!”

That he would harbor resentment towards everything and possibly even turn against the kingdom.

Could that really be how one viewed Wilhelm van Astraea? That man whom loved with such unwavering loyalty would be conceived of such a concept? Doesn’t he see those eyes, that back?

Has he never witnessed the immaculate blade of the Sword Demon?

“How can anyone think he is someone like that?!”

“——–”

Finally breaking away from the arm on his shoulder, Subaru shoved Julius in the chest. Julius lost balance and stumbled back as Subaru rose to glare at him.

Looking back at Subaru with those amber eyes showed nothing but empathy for Subaru’s anger.

He understood. He knew that his anger wasn’t exactly justified.

Julius merely shared that perspective suggesting it might exist. How Julius himself felt about it was evident in his past actions.

Because barely a year ago, Julius had praised Wilhelm after the battle against the White Whale.

At the end of those fourteen long years, Julius had commended Wilhelm for finally gaining closure over avenging his deceased wife.

It was unfathomable for someone like him to doubt Wilhelm’s loyalty to the kingdom.

“…I’m sorry. I was a fool.”

“No, you’re not. You’re right. The one in the wrong is me. —What’s wrong is that I believe I’m right.”

Dropping their gazes, they silently closed their eyes.

Both harboring the same unbearable thoughts.

The distrust of Wilhelm had taken root in a way that was unavoidable. Subaru and Julius both knew that clashing emotions wouldn’t achieve anything.

“Is Reinhardt the same?”

“If we apply the same logic, he has every reason to resent a kingdom that involves his grandmother in a failed plan and caused the death of his predecessor.”

“In that case—”

“However, from Reinhardt’s perspective, it differs. The kingdom has no reason to doubt him. The one under suspicion is rather Heinkel.”

The mention of Reinhardt’s father widened Subaru’s eyes in shock.

To be honest, he didn’t want to hear that name, but if it was linked to this, he had no choice but to listen. Simply hearing the name gave credibility to the bad news.

“What does Reinhardt have to do with his father?! Well, in terms of kinship, it makes sense, but—”

“There was a period when Reinhardt did what Heinkel said. Naturally, since they are family, that’s to be expected… but there was a time it went too far.”

Avoiding Subaru’s gaze, Julius spoke somewhat regretfully.

A parent-child relationship that even he deemed excessive. It made it difficult to imagine what sort of facts lay behind it, but Julius seemed unwilling to elaborate further, returning his gaze to Subaru.

“With Reinhardt’s path to independence, such behaviors naturally faded away. However, the doubts about whether Reinhardt would heed Heinkel’s words hang heavy in the air.”

“And so, to keep Heinkel close to prevent him from going off on Reinhardt, the kingdom has been overly lenient toward Heinkel?”

“Or perhaps it’s even worse. This is merely a rumor, but I feel you should be informed. As Reinhardt’s friend, you had shown anger back there.”

With a caveat laced with unease, Julius leaned in close to ensure no one could overhear, standing beside Subaru.

Then, he said,

“The vice-captain is suspected of being involved in the kidnapping of the royal fourteen years ago.”

“—?!”

“There’s no concrete evidence. However, it is true that he has been questioned multiple times regarding such allegations.”

“Is that true? About him being involved in the kidnapping?”

“The truth of the matter is secondary. What is essential here is that someone suspected of such a crime can potentially wield the kingdom’s greatest force. That is alarming.”

The illustrious title of “Sword Saint.”

Yet, as the truth became clearer, it only felt more like a curse to Subaru.

“But if he really is connected to the kidnapping, wouldn’t that mean Heinkel prevented Wilhelm and his wife from seeing each other one last time?”

“That’s just the tip of the iceberg. I hear Heinkel was the one to advocate for Tereshia’s participation as a combatant in the Great Expedition, despite her already having retired.”

“He threw his own mother into the frontlines against magical beasts?!”

“That’s practically undeniable. It has been documented that while the vice-captain declined participation in the Great Expedition, he indeed recommended Tereshia.”

Subaru was left speechless, unable to respond.

Unlike before, this wasn’t vague information. Julius had stated there was documentation backing that claim. If that was true, it meant the entire assembly of witnesses had to have been fooled.

Heinkel had sacrificed his mother for the the sake of his own valor.

And she had died in combat, while the father had to grip the blade of revenge while never getting to meet her in death, living in comfort under the shadow of his son’s talents.

It was unfathomable. There couldn’t be a person capable of such a thing.

“This must be a mistake…”

He couldn’t bring himself to believe it.

Not that he wished to trust Heinkel’s character. Anyone could see that he was a jerk through their exchanges.

But to admit he could be worse than a monster, more malevolent than any demon, or anything so horrid was something he couldn’t accept.

He wanted to believe that ethics and humanity had some limits, that such beliefs would keep the world from going mad.

The very idea that such events could unfold in reality seemed a sin in itself.

“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bombarded you with all this without preparing your heart for it.”

Subaru fell silent, unable to respond as Julius murmured in a gloomy tone.

It was hard for Subaru to hear this much. Julius himself couldn’t have possibly been calm when addressing such matters. The usually poised Julius carried himself in a manner that belied his reliability.

“I-I was the one who wanted to hear this! You’re not to blame… if I could blame you, it’d at least make me feel better.”

“That attitude is hardly admirable. It’s too insensitive to speak of others’ matters while integrating hearsay and preconceptions into it. That behavior is something a knight ought to be ashamed of.”

“But you’ve seen it all, right? You were friends with Reinhardt.”

Julius looked back at Subaru as he lifted his gaze. Subaru nodded.

“I dunno when you became friends with Reinhardt, but I can tell you’re concerned about him. That’s why I understand why you got so upset. And I won’t call you crazy for it. When it comes to the business of others, I don’t think it’s right to just back off.”

“…So you would say.”

“If you can hear crying from the next house, then just jump in. If you see your friend getting hurt through the window, then speak to them. It wouldn’t be strange for you to show concern for Reinhardt. I don’t want you to feel any differently about it.”

If he had merely peered inside fueled by prying curiosity, Subaru would have despised Julius.

Yet, in Julius’s speech and demeanor, as well as their past interactions, he couldn’t see that base sentiment.

“As I just said, there is no need to be overly rigid in the knightly attitude. It’s okay to take off the armor and try being ‘Yuri’ for a change. Sometimes being a little flexible helps things flow better.”

Yuri was the alias Julius had used when he had joined the mercenary group during their Witch Cult ambush.

Due to his standing, he couldn’t join as Julius; instead, he used a clumsy alias hidden behind a facade of elegance. Ultimately, even he stopped being addressed by that name.

At that moment, Julius wasn’t behaving like a knight.

“Yuri, huh? That’s quite the throwback.”

“It was hardly even used temporarily, just a fleeting moment. I almost want to commend myself for recalling it on a whim.”

“To say don’t be restricted by knightly virtue, you’re asking quite a lot of me. You know perfectly well how I’m referred to.”

“It’s precisely because you embrace that ‘top-tier’ persona that your mind and body are so rigid. When you take a bath, take off your armor, and remember to stretch before putting it back on.”

Subaru bent forward and touched the ground in a demonstration of flexibility. Before he had learned parkour, his body had been stiff, but as he began training fiercely, enhancing flexibility had been his first priority.

And before this display of flexibility, Julius remarked,

“If you think you beat me with that, then I can only lament your lack of perspective.”

“Oh?!”

Saying that, Julius demonstrated a graceful front split, effortlessly lowering himself to the ground with his long legs.

His flexibility in reaching the floor was astonishing.

Was he really aiming to surpass Subaru in everything?

“Damn… But you! When it comes to performances like the lute or sewing up appliques, I’m the undisputed champ!”

“I don’t see much value in ranking in that regard. I too know how to play instruments to some extent, though sewing is a stretch for me.”

“Ugh! There it is! ‘To a mere hobby!’ The way you say ‘hobby’ makes it sound top-notch! There’s no way I’d join a band with you! You’d take over vocals!”

Julius smoothly stood back up as if rewinding that previous motion.

In response to Subaru’s retort, he flicked his bangs aside and looked up to the sky with a triumphant smile.

“I see. Looking at the sky as Yuri, feeling the wind, this was the sensation.”

“What?”

“Now that I think about it, I recall that the sky looked different that time. It was merely that.”

“You’re talking nonsense, you pretentious jerk.”

Shoving aside the pompous atmosphere, Subaru plopped down on the porch. Observing Subaru’s actions with a wry smile, Julius squinted against the sun.

They managed to cast away the awkwardness from their conversation, though it didn’t erase the memories discussed or eliminate the feelings weighing heavily on their hearts.

—From a distance, to anyone watching, these two looked like ordinary friends.