With renewed determination, Natsuki Subaru concluded the discussion and headed downstairs to the City Hall with Anastasia.

　The large room where Subaru had been resting was on the third floor of the City Hall—right in the middle of the five-story building, originally serving the purpose of a conference room.

“Since the top floor got burned down by a dragon’s breath, the fourth floor is now the highest. We’ve gathered the victims of ‘Lust’ up there to wait.”

“……If the top floor is burned, what happens to the broadcasting magic tool?”

“That’s safe. It was removed and stored. The magic tool itself is shaped like a metal box that can be carried on a pedestal. It works by picking up sounds from the box, which broadcasts to the magic tools set up across the city.”

Is it closer to an antenna or a speaker?

The metal box and speaker form a set of magic tools. The fact that both the hostages and magic tools were safely retrieved could be considered one of the few bits of good news…excluding the ethical concerns about the use of magic tools and the awkwardness in calling the hostages safe.

“I heard there were people gathered on the fourth floor who were affected.”

“Whether they’ve turned into flies or dragons, human thought remains intact. That’s why they’ll listen to us and follow our orders. …But whether that’s a good thing, I can’t really say.”

“…………”

Whether the retention of human thought is a blessing or a curse is something Subaru can’t touch upon.

If their minds had all turned to insects, they might not mourn their transformed bodies. However, losing one’s own physical form and continuing to exist in such a state would, undeniably, be a form of loss.

Yet, can one claim that surviving after losing one’s body isn’t a loss? The answer is surely something only those who have experienced it could give.

“I can’t move my body properly. Thanks to that, no one is committing suicide. It’s probably too sudden for them to even grasp the situation…Fortunately, we managed to secure them before they calmed down.”

“Suicide…you mean taking their own lives? That kind of thing…”

“Do you think it’s safe to say so?”

“――――”

Subaru can’t easily provide an answer to that either.

But what stands out is that Anastasia is far more composed and strategizing against this utterly absurd situation than Subaru is.

“As long as we’re alive, there’s hope. But if the body or, indeed, the heart dies, hope extinguishes. We must live, no matter what. In any state, we must live.”

As she continues to face forward without showing her face to Subaru, Anastasia’s murmur is quietly profound.

But if that desperate statement is her philosophy of life and death, then Subaru finds himself in agreement.

They must live.

As long as they live, surely there will always be chances to fight back.

For that reason alone.

“Lady Anastasia.”

Upon arriving at the first-floor lobby, the first to notice Subaru and Anastasia was Julius, who called out to her.

The reception lobby on the first floor was a place that Subaru merely passed through in an instant. However, even through Subaru’s eyes, it was evident that a fierce battle had taken place there.

Everywhere—the desks, chairs, and even the walls—were marked with scars from slashes and magic. Bloodstains that had been wiped away were still smudged here and there, making their presence known.

Julius was lamenting the fact that he had let ‘Gluttony’ slip through their fingers, but it was clear that he hadn’t wanted to lag behind.

“The discussion with Subaru has…”

“It dragged on a bit longer than expected, but it ended amicably. Like us, Natsuki-kun was full of determination, unwilling to lose. So…”

Nodding in response to Julius’s question, Anastasia lightly teased him before directing her gaze deeper inside the lobby. Directly opposing the staircase that Subaru and Anastasia had just descended, a towering figure of Ricardo stood. According to Anastasia’s earlier mention, he was looking around outside to try and make contact with survivors.

“Welcome back, Ricardo. How was it outside?”

“Does this look like a face that’s in a good mood, princess? It’s pretty bad. It’s probably going to get even worse as time goes on. Those guys are exceptionally strong when it comes to harassment.”

Frowning in exasperation, Ricardo exhaled as if lamenting the bleak harvest.

Brutally scratching his dog-like head, Ricardo gestured to the members of ‘Iron Fang’ scurrying around, and a few resumed their duties outside, while others settled in the corner of the lobby to take a break.

“What about the harassment from the Witch Cult? No, I understand that the current situation is already an unimaginable form of harassment, but is it something else?”

“It’s the broadcast, chief. The damned broadcast.”

Garfield popped his head out from the side of the stairs at Subaru’s bewildered question.

With irritation gnashing his teeth, Garfield made Subaru ask again, “Broadcast?”

“You mean the broadcast that conveyed their demands, right? Was there anything other than those demands?”

“They didn’t say anything quite so exaggerated. They only declared that all forces attempting to reclaim the City Hall had been thoroughly thwarted. It was an infuriating piece of advertising, typical of that ‘Archbishop of Lust’.”

“Thanks to that, every refuge that showed up was reflected back with broken fighting spirit. It won’t be easy for them to be eager to reclaim their city.”

With Julius closing his eyes in contemplation and Ricardo wrinkling his nose, Subaru finally grasped the meaning behind the Witch Cult’s harassment.

What Capella had thrown out as demands alongside the broadcast was the announcement of Subaru and the others’ defeat, who had taken action early on to occupy the City Hall.

Naturally, the civilians without the means to fight would be disheartened by the loss of the combat-ready forces. And those with the ability to fight would soon come to realize what it meant to attack City Hall. They would understand the reasoning behind Subaru and the others’ early assault.

They would also come to the realization that it required a considerable fighting force to execute such an assault and that the plan to gather said force and launch an attack had failed.

In other words, Capella’s broadcast was none other than an attempt to crush the fighting spirit of the people who were still holed up in shelters, regardless of their combat capability.

“From the records of City Hall, we figured out the locations of shelters in the city. Thus, we started from the nearest ones and went sequentially, but…well, you can guess the results.”

Indicating a swing-and-miss with a hand gesture, Ricardo bluntly confirmed Subaru’s concerns.

This was a matter of public sentiment. There was no inclination to blame Ricardo and the others for failing to persuade anyone. The Witch Cult had simply played their cards better.

“Spirits of combat are vanishing, and the will to resist is fading. If that happens next, things will get even more dangerous.”

Beside Subaru, who was contorting his face in pain, Anastasia whispered, her hand resting on her chin.

When Subaru lifted his face at her words, she tilted her head in agreement, asking, “What do you think happens to people when they think they can’t win?”.

“They give into despair and become defeated, is that the answer you expect?”

“If they crumble into a ball, we might find it cute. However, that’s certainly not how it will go down. Even if the option to fight vanishes, the will to live won’t disappear. If that happens, what choices remain?”

“…Could it be?”

Understanding the essence of what Anastasia meant sent a chill down Subaru’s spine.

At the same time, an unbearable disgust toward the Witch Cult responsible for this situation bubbled up within him.

As if confirming Toyota’s fears, Anastasia clapped her hands.

“And so, the conditions for survival have already been proposed. In the form of their demands. It would make sense for people to appear, to desperately fulfill those requirements. We may start seeing ‘Artificial Spirits’ and ‘The Book of Wisdom’s’ owners, along with ‘Sacrificial Lovers or Spouses’ being selected.”

“Not everyone would swing to such extremes, would they?!”

“That’s true. There may be those who desperately want to escape the city, not wanting to live on the backs of others’ sacrifices… Either way, pandemonium is unavoidable.”

If the panic spreads, then this precarious balance will crumble in an instant.

What the Witch Cult does to this city if it reaches that point is something Subaru shudders to imagine. They’ve each been granted ultimate authority capable of destroying everything.

The switch that can make everything vanish into thin air.

“Before that happens, we have no choice but to go about explaining the situation, right?”

“That’s not realistic.”

“But in reality, it’s a rather pessimistic conclusion!”

If everyone were to succumb to fear, it would be likely that panic would grip their hearts.

Then the only effective remedy to combat this is to instill hope.

“We’re preparing for a counter-offensive. If I say that and stoke the flames of hope, won’t that keep panic at bay?”

“At the very least, I think it’s necessary to prepare for potential losses on our side. If they believe what they’re involved in isn’t worth it, those folks will become emboldened again.”

“Wait, Lady Anastasia. It feels like the subject of our conversation is straying from its point.”

Noticing an inconsistency in how Anastasia was progressing the discussion, Subaru grimaced. At Subaru’s attitude, Anastasia sighed with exhaustion.

“The thought of not tolerating any sacrifices might be noble, Natsuki-kun, but it lacks realism. Given that we were severely struck on our initial strike, it’s unreasonable to expect a victory without pain or wound. That’s the harsh truth.”

“That’s true for the first and second attempts… But that’s not the same as expecting more sacrifices afterward. Presuming that danger could occur and preventing it from happening is an entirely different matter.”

“If doing that leads to victory in the grand scheme, I’d agree. However, that’s not the case. We should only bring on board those ready to swim even if the ship sinks. …We can’t carry those who will only drag us down if we sink.”

“――! This is about winning and losing!”

“If we lose, we all sink to the bottom! If you’re afraid of winning or losing, you’re merely choosing between life and death! It’s too naïve to believe we can save everyone.”

Subaru’s rising anger was met with Anastasia’s yelling.

As Subaru was about to step forward toward Anastasia, Julius intervened, reaching out to stop him. However, Julius’s gaze was not on Subaru, but rather on Anastasia. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Subaru, Julius narrowed his eyes and said:

“Lady Anastasia. I understand your feelings. However, I am in agreement with Subaru. If the concerns you have were to become a reality, I want to come prepared beforehand. It would be painful for you too to see citizens hurt needlessly… wouldn’t it fall perfectly into the Witch Cult’s trap?”

“Julius.”

Claiming his resolve against his master, Julius stood with righteous indignation beside Subaru. Subaru felt a mix of surprise and strength from that stance.

If Julius, a man who continues to uphold the knightly code, agrees with Subaru’s viewpoint, then he knows he’s not saying something wrong.

However, Anastasia merely stroked her scarf and said,

“Hey? It’s not like I’m saying I want to abandon anyone, you know? I don’t believe every person in the shelters will turn chaotic and dangerous. What I’m saying is that it’s a possibility that could arise. It wouldn’t be feasible to take precautions for every possibility.”

“But…”

“We’re not children; we need to listen. We’ll utilize the combat forces we have to do what we can. We’ll surely expose the noses of the Witch Cult. I’ll reclaim everything within my scope of responsibility. However, the broader the range we set, the actual probability of grabbing it diminishes.”

With a frustrated lip-bite from Julius, Anastasia’s words were cold and merciless. And the words directed at Julius were, in a sense, the same as those directed at Subaru’s recklessness.

Of course, Subaru understood the rationality behind Anastasia’s thoughts.

To save someone is an immensely heavy responsibility.

To achieve one’s needs for another is not easily fulfilled. The larger the range grows, the harder it becomes to realize, and the more likely it is to lead to undesirable results.

It’s basic arithmetic that even a child can grasp.

The more rings (Linga) you have, the greater the possibility that they will slip from your fingers, stumble because you can’t see your feet, or that your arms may fail to support their weight.

“We’re discussing how to win. We don’t need any fits of temper at this moment. The distinction should be clear enough that the knight’s banner is not so cheap, right?”

“――――”

Julius shielded his eyes from Anastasia’s reminder.

However, as he stared intently at the ground, Subaru understood that Julius would be retracting his objection.

Yet,

“Backing down here will tarnish the knight’s reputation far more.”

“Natsuki-kun, were you listening? That’s no different from the castle at the beginning. You accepted the knighthood with dignity, didn’t you?”

“That’s correct. I, too, am a knight. And as a knight, I cannot be swayed. I mustn’t give in.”

The more rings you hold, the more possibilities increase for them to slip through your fingers.

Yet, what Subaru holds as a knight, and what Julius holds as a knight, are not mere rings. They are far more precious.

They’re not just lifeless rings that remain silent when dropped. They can cry, they can feel anger—these are human lives.

“I refuse to start from the point of giving up. I haven’t completely soaked in this world’s common sense just yet.”

“Here you go again with nonsense… During the White Whale incident and afterward with the Witch Cult, lives were lost in the battles. Did you still have the same stubborn ideas back then, Natsuki-kun?”

“Don’t mock me, Anastasia. Those who fell in battle back then had resolve. It’s tragic that lives were lost, and not everyone desired to die, but there was resolve. The difference between having that resolve and not is vast.”

Of course, Subaru knows it was a convenient argument and that it might not hold water.

Yet, it remains a fact that in life-and-death situations, that resolve changes everything.

“The people in this city owe you no obligation to bear the weight of that resolve. The ones who turned this into a battlefield were the ones who did so of their own will. It’s wrong to be tossed around at their convenience.”

“Even if they loathe it, their will does threaten those who lack resolve. So once that happens, won’t those who lack resolve have to harden themselves?”

“No, that’s not how it works. Those prepared for resolve should naturally confront their equals who also have resolve. A knight’s role is to constantly hold that preparation while striving to protect those whose resolve isn’t yet ready. I expect that much from knights, and I’ve shown that to the village kids.”

After receiving the knighthood, Subaru was indulged here and there, leading him to assume this mantle of knightly idealism.

So, with children watching him with shining eyes, he naturally began to espouse that belief.

Even Emilia, who was listening from the side, looked on with sparkling curiosity.

“I am Emilia’s knight. I want to fight for Emilia. However, that doesn’t mean I’m willing to let everything else fall apart as long as she’s safe. Julius is your knight, Anastasia. More than anyone else, I want to fight for you. But that alone isn’t enough for me. It’s simply the nature of knights to be ostentatious and greedy.”

“――――”

“Even if it means putting on a show of bravery right until death, Julius will fight. After all, he’s the most excellent knight there is. Meaning, he’s the one most eager to look good.”

As Subaru pointed at the silent Julius with his thumb, there was a moment of flustering from the boy, who had been quietly listening until that point.

Seeing the flabbergasted expressions of both Anastasia and this newly flustered Julius amused Subaru, even though it wasn’t the time for a smile.

“Having a simple, crystal-clear goal of defeating a villain while harboring a guilty conscience about possibly abandoning someone is absurd. Let’s do everything we can to help everyone and fight against all. Before we lose to determination, let’s decide this together.”

Starting from the choice to abandon and ending with the result of not being able to help is not the same.

It’s easy to draw a line and claim that this is all for self-satisfaction.

“——Living for self-satisfaction can sometimes be the most human way to live. I’d stand by that sentiment.”

“――!”

A voice chimed in from a third party who had until then remained uninvolved in the conversation, agreeing with Subaru’s idealism.

Everyone was startled by the sudden emergence of that voice and turned to the entrance of the City Hall simultaneously. Standing there, the figure shifted uncomfortably under the attention, saying,

“Hey, hey. Can you cool it with those intense stares? I’m quite aware that I don’t look good. I don’t have any confidence in meeting expectations either.”

“――Al.”

In his characteristic silly mannerisms, signaling innocence, stood a man in a black helmet—Al, one of the acquaintances who had disappeared since parting ways at the inn that morning.

He looked around the lobby, maintaining a casual demeanor as usual, and said,

“Is this the core group hanging out at City Hall? Doesn’t seem like there’s anyone else around, huh?”

“…Upstairs, Crusch and the others are gathered. What were you doing?”

“Me? As soon as the uproar happened, I hightailed it and laid low for a bit. Now that things seem to have settled down, I’m just keeping watch. Since there was a broadcast, I figured coming to City Hall would lead me to someone who’s got the scoop, like you guys or someone else.”

Exhibiting his characteristic nonchalance, Al answered while bluntly making metallic sounds with the joints of his armor. This response elicited unwelcome feelings from everyone except Subaru due to Al’s apparent prioritization of his own safety in these circumstances.

“Don’t give me that face. Am I the cause of your late arrival? I do regret not being there when it happened, but that’s merely the way things turned out, you know? It’s not like I believe my being there would have changed the outcome.”

“Hey, chief. What’s this punk saying? Is he throwing us shade?!”

Shrugging off Al’s words, Garfield was the first to reach his boiling point.

After all, Al and Garfield had no prior acquaintance. When Priscilla showed up at the inn and wrecked their gathering, Garfield hadn’t been present.

In his eyes, Al was merely some random stranger popping up afterward to provide retrospective commentary.

“Hold on, Garfield. This guy is Al. He’s a knight in the service of Priscilla, one of the Royal Selection candidates. I might not have mentioned it, but all five candidates are currently in the city…”

“Let me correct you, bro. I’m a subordinate of the princess but not a knight. I don’t hold myself to a standard that would let me claim such a title. Hey, don’t take that as me dissing my bro here.”

As Subaru halted Garfield’s advances, Al continued with sardonic flair. Garfield’s expression turned serious enough as he glared, baring his teeth, ready to snap at Al.

“That’s enough! We’ll stop right there! We don’t need to complicate things!”

Before that minor dispute escalated too much, Anastasia clapped her hands loudly, changing the atmosphere.

With her round eyes narrowed in reproach at Al, she declared, “Did you just suddenly show up and ruin the mood for everyone? Taking after your master? Copying a bad attitude is only going to dip your reputation. Stop it.”

“I appreciate the advice, but unfortunately, it’s just me. I have a reputation for getting on other people’s nerves daily. Disrupting the flow of conversation is just one tactic to survive.”

Slipping his fingers through the neck gap of his helmet, Al scratched the back of his neck while boasting.

In response, Anastasia sighed and then turned to Subaru, saying, “It may seem like things are getting convoluted, but our stance hasn’t changed. Acknowledging the risk of sacrifices, we’ll still devise strategies to win. If Natsuki-kun really wants to do everything possible to avoid casualties, then by all means, think it through. I don’t wish for casualties either.”

“So then I can take the lead in reaching out to the shelters?”

“…Time will be limited. Either way, the necessity for combat forces doesn’t change. If there are those in some shelter capable of fighting, it’s still essential to reach out to them.”

Although this attitude leaned towards passive, Anastasia yielded to Subaru’s suggestion without fully agreeing to it. Complete endorsement would be asking too much; thus, Subaru didn’t complain.

“Keep the dialogue mirror on hand. I’ll make sure to return at least six hours before the deadline for the demands. After that, we can’t afford any slip-ups, so keep that in mind.”

“The deadline for demands? Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything about it. When is it?”

“Tonight, when the date changes. —It’s about nine hours from now.”

Julius conveyed the time limit in lieu of Anastasia.

If there’s to be a strategy meeting six hours prior, effectively, they have only three hours from now, during which Subaru must devise something to convince Anastasia.

Furthermore, within that timeframe, they must find the strength and strategy to decisively defeat the Witch Cult. Only then can the city be saved. No, that alone wouldn’t suffice.

They need to rescue Emilia. Recover Rem’s memories from ‘Gluttony’. Restore the mutated people back from ‘Lust’ to their original forms. Only then can total victory be declared.

“There’s no time. Is there a map for the shelters?”

“There is. Take as many copies as you need. Ricardo has already checked the places he’s been and is still checking, so avoid doubling back on those.”

With Anastasia’s prompt, she handed Subaru a checked map pinpointing the places Ricardo had already passed. Copying it over to a fresh map, it appeared that ‘Iron Fang’ was prioritizing the distant shelters.

Considering Subaru’s mobility, having nearby locations left was a stroke of luck.

It seemed as if they’d been left with places that allowed for this very outcome.

“Subaru, I’ll accompany you.”

“Julius? No, that’s not great. Having more hands is definitely helpful, but it poses a problem if there aren’t any combat-ready individuals left at City Hall.”

Julius offered to join, but Subaru rejected it on the grounds of lacking manpower.

It seemed that Ricardo would continue with his rounds outdoors, and Subaru planned to take Garfield along. While Wilhelm was upstairs, placing everything on him would place too heavy of a burden.

Not to mention the ominous clouds gathering around Crusch’s camp.

Hearing Subaru’s answer, Julius nodded in disappointment, a rare moment of him losing his composure. Subaru gave his shoulder a light pat before gesturing at Garfield.

“Garfield, come with me. I want to hit the other shelters and find combat-ready people. If anxiety is rampant, that also needs to be addressed.”

“…Got it. I’ll take care of it.”

With a moment’s delay, Garfield acknowledged Subaru’s request.

Watching this unfold, Subaru spread the map in hand, contemplating which direction to tackle Pristella from, focusing on the forces they need—most urgently, Reinhardt’s safety.

“I’d like you to check around the shelters nearby, like those around the inn. I think the princess hasn’t strayed too far off from there.”

“In that case, it’s closer to go through here… Hold on a sec.”

As Subaru pointed at the map, trying to steer their focus toward completing his objectives, Al interjected without hesitation.

“You’re going with us, right?”

“Of course. I’d genuinely be stuck without backup if left alone. If I can’t find the princess, that’s problematic too. Had I known things would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have come alone even if told to scram. But since it’s come to this, I need to search; the aftermath is scary.”

“……You’ve got quite the loyalty towards your master.”

While it was certainly a somewhat pessimistic mindset, it was genuinely appreciated to have more hands. Seeing Al agree to accompany them caused Garfield to visibly frown, but in this case, there was no time to consider personal preferences.

What’s more, even though it irked him, Priscilla was indeed one of the people he hoped to help.

“If it’s Priscilla you’re looking for, I encountered her fifteen minutes before the ruckus started in the park in the main street. If she’s here, she should be at a nearby shelter.”

“Seriously? That’s some vital intel, bro. Alright, we’re heading there first then.”

Al’s excitement spread through him at Subaru’s information as he patted his back forcefully.

Leading the joyous Al and the scowling Garfield, Subaru left City Hall to survey the shelters.

Watching their retreating figures—

“Looks like I’m the villain in this narrative.”

“Quit complaining, scarf-wearing fox. I’m not saying I haven’t thought things through. …If Natsuki-kun comes back and still insists on that, I might give it some consideration.”

With that, a thoroughly disarmed Anastasia whispered, her scarf trembling slightly.

Nobody noticed the subtle exchange that took place.