“I’m sorry I couldn’t help when it truly mattered. All I can do is reflect on my own inadequacies.”

Under the gaze of everyone in the room, Reinhardt apologized.

At the sight of the Sword Saint bowing his head, no one could find the words to respond. It would have been easy to throw denial at his apology. However, even insincere words of consolation were difficult to muster.

The fact remained that Reinhardt had been absent for these past few hours when we needed power the most.

Had he been present at the time of the assault on City Hall, I couldn’t help but think it would have changed everything.

Thus, even mere lip service of denial was hard to come by from anyone.

Except,

“Seriously, you idiot. Just think about how much trouble we went through without you.”

Except for Subaru, who stepped up to the red hero and poked his chest.

Faced with the fist on his chest, Reinhardt cast an apologetic glance at Subaru. Not his usual self, he looked somewhat dejected as if he had been scolded, causing Subaru to snort in response.

“And if you were coming, at least you could have arrived fifteen minutes earlier. Thanks to you, I ended up having to give a speech that is completely out of character for me. That was supposed to be your job!”

“I’m sorry… However, it was quite a good speech, in your own way. Even if I were asked to do the same, I would have failed to evoke such courage. You were indeed the right choice.”

“I think you and I were tasked with entirely different types of speeches.”

Subaru poked Reinhardt in the chest once again, a bitter smile on his face, then pointed his finger at the downcast hero.

“Reinhardt.”

“…What is it?”

“The fact that you’re here has given us strength beyond a hundred men, maybe even a thousand. I can expect that much from you, right? I’m counting on you!”

“———–”

Indeed, your presence equals the force of ten thousand.

Subaru’s evaluation of a hundred or thousand is still too lenient.

After hearing Subaru’s question laden with expectation, Reinhardt blinked those blue eyes of his. But the confusion faded quickly, and a smile broke through his lips.

“Ah, you can rely on me. If you wish for it, I will respond.”

“Can you stop saying things that will surely please the fans of that pairing? Well, whatever. So, everyone, now’s the time to say what you want to say!”

With Reinhardt’s burden visibly lifted, Subaru smiled back before scanning the faces of those who had been silent until now, pointing at Reinhardt.

“It’s a lot harder for those under pressure than you think. There aren’t many chances to scold the Sword Saint who wants to be criticized. Go ahead and do it.”

“——–”

“And once we’re done with that, let’s talk. About how to help everyone, so to speak.”

With his chest puffed out, Subaru declared thus.

At this, someone in the room seemed to take a deep breath. Only Garfiel and Otto appeared to crack a smile at Subaru’s typical bravado.

Well, it’s just right to have one or two people who can see through his true feelings.

After all, he had just given a speech about not having to carry everything alone.

**Later on, individual remarks directed at Reinhardt followed (details omitted), and once more the discussion about reclaiming the city was held.**

That said, beyond Reinhardt and Otto merging, there were no particularly notable improvements. The number of enemies they had to confront remained the same, as did the plan to simultaneously conquer the Control Tower.

“By the way, what were you doing all this time during the commotion, Reinhardt?”

At the stage where they had sat in a circle and begun discussing, Subaru casually brought it up.

At this question, Reinhardt’s expression darkened. Today, he had worn that kind of face a lot.

“Felt isn’t with us either, and there are a lot of things I want to ask. Oh, I’m not blaming you! I intended to let it slide after what I said earlier.”

“Regardless of how you said it, I’m also curious about that. I didn’t think the ‘Sword Saint’ would be hiding in fear, but I would like an understandable reason.”

At Subaru’s question, Anastasia pitched in, eyeing him. From her glance, it appeared she had received a report from Julius as well.

The rumor was that Reinhardt and Felt had contacted Heinkel right before the stir-up.

The darkened expression on Reinhardt’s face was a testament to that inquiry.

While Wilhelm was likewise apprehensive towards Heinkel, the way the Astraea family dealt with him was very lackluster. Honestly, their approach felt like…

“An old parent who could only treat their son, who had turned into a pro-neet after ten years of hermit life, like a bum tick.”

“I apologize for delving into strange fantasies, but what will you do? If it’s awkward for Reinhardt to speak, I can go ahead and talk instead.”

Subaru found himself recalling a scene reminiscent of a news program feature on shut-ins when Otto raised his hand, interrupting. His caring gaze was directed at Reinhardt, and he spoke with a tone of someone well-informed.

“By the way, you were together with Reinhardt, right? Did you at least stay together during the chaos?”

“No, that’s not quite it. I met up with Reinhardt only at the very end… However, I have a solid grasp of the situation.”

“Thank you, Otto. But this problem is one concerning my family. Although it’s indeed difficult to talk about, it’s my responsibility to speak on it.”

Reinhardt shook his head at Otto’s considerate gesture, refusing to let him take the reins.

He then closed his eyes, took a moment, and straightened his posture.

“First, as I’ve said many times before, I will apologize once again. I truly am sorry for not being able to team up sooner, being in a position where I ought to have been helping. I earnestly take that to heart.”

“…As for that point, our perspective has been conveyed as I stated earlier. I cannot say we can forgive all, as you have caused us trouble. Yet, your strength is needed for the battles to come. If you want to reflect, please establish a measure of proof through your actions.”

“Understood, Julius. …When the Witch Cult made their initial broadcast, Felt and I were called to a corner of the Second Street. The person who summoned us was Vice Captain Heinkel.”

As Reinhardt began his account, he referred to Heinkel with a formal title.

It was a common fact that they were parent and child, yet it was telling enough that he called his father by rank, suggesting there was far more than just a parental relationship between them.

“Considering how that argument ended, how did Felt willingly attend that meeting?”

“Felt must have genuinely wished to turn it down. However, once the matter became one of the lord’s authority over the Astraea domain, refusal was not an option. I didn’t know what kind of requests they might make, but… Felt insisted I accompany her to the meeting place.”

“Then, how the conversation unfolded…”

“I’m sorry, but that part involves too much of the Royal Selection’s internal matters. I would prefer to refrain from touching upon that. However, it was not a smooth discussion.”

Reinhardt’s voice dropped in tone, and it was plain to see that the talks hadn’t gone well.

Given Felt was already impulsive and intense, coupled with Heinkel’s despicable nature, it was easy to imagine the talks becoming tumultuous.

During that discussion…,

“The first broadcast from the Witch Cult came through. I was astonished and felt compelled to act immediately. In fact, I was already mentally prepared to respond instantly to any urgent situation that arose. I had informed the other attendants that if necessary, they could summon me.”

The method for summoning involved casting magic into the sky—a signal that would alert him.

When Sirius made her appearance, if Lachins had cast such a signal, Reinhardt would have arrived on the scene in around thirty seconds. That statement was undoubtedly true.

Yet, even when faced with the very blatant malice of the Witch Cult’s broadcast, Reinhardt failed to act. Rather, he maintained silence for several hours.

What on earth was the reason for that?

“You were aware the broadcast was coming from the City Hall. At that point, you had the option to rush there, didn’t you? So why didn’t you come?”

“——–”

It wasn’t intended as an accusation, or at least that was the aim, yet the tone in his voice came across quite stern.

It’s not like there weren’t thoughts brewing in his mind. If Reinhardt had been on the scene during the fierce battle at City Hall, perhaps Krush wouldn’t have had to endure such suffering, nor would Subaru’s right leg have had to endure that mysterious ailment.

Unintentionally, Subaru’s gaze hardened, and he wasn’t the only one feeling this way.

Under the scrutiny of everyone present, Reinhardt fell silent, halting his previously fluid speech and turning his gaze down.

His long lashes framed eyes that hesitated over the words to follow.

Still, the hero overpowered his inner turmoil within mere seconds, and he eventually managed to say the interrupted words.

“—Vice Captain Heinkel took Lady Felt hostage.”

“……..”

“It was my irretrievable mistake. By holding Lady Felt’s person, with a sword against her throat, I was rendered unable to move. That is why I couldn’t act.”

Now the reason Reinhardt struggled to spit out those words became clear.

The master he ought to be loyal to had been taken hostage by none other than his own father.

How much torment and humiliation could that have inflicted on Reinhardt’s heart?

“…So, what does this mean? Does this mean that Vice Captain was in cahoots with the Witch Cult?”

Upon hearing the shocking confession, Subaru muttered while trying to gauge Reinhardt’s emotions.

What a cruel truth it was. He had heard tales of the Witch Cult hiding among common folk, with no way to know who was a follower. But to even think that such figures could manifest among one’s own family was unthinkable.

Now that he was aware of the reality of the other Archbishops, save for Petelgeuse, the thought had strengthened even more.

The Witch Cult was inherently nothing but human scum, from the very core.

“—If that’s the case, what about my heart, then?”

“What do you mean?”

However, upon Subaru’s conclusion—which about half of those present found plausible—Reinhardt responded with a hint of something amiss in his voice.

Subaru found Reinhardt’s attitude suspicious. Meanwhile, the other half—Anastasia, Julius, and Otto—seemed to have reached a different conclusion altogether.

“The Vice Captain is not involved with the Witch Cult… At least, from his statements after capturing Lady Felt, there are no elements suggesting an affiliation.”

“What? That can’t be. No, it doesn’t have to be unbelievable… But then, why? Why take Felt hostage? What purpose can there be to that—”

Subaru was about to ask further when he suddenly realized.

Observing Reinhardt’s glum expression and the despair reflected in Otto’s face, it was hard to suppress a laugh at the thoughts that bubbled up in his mind.

Laughing it off wouldn’t do. It was utterly hopeless. Then Heinkel’s actions could mean no less than…

“Could it be that he wanted to keep you locked in that place?”

“——–”

“You grasped the situation that the city was in danger due to the Witch Cult’s broadcast… So, in order to secure his own protection, he wanted to keep the strongest force under his control, is that it?”

“—The Vice Captain said this: ‘Your important lord and your father are right here. Are you really going to abandon them and run to a bunch of strangers?'”

“Is that what a father would say?!”

Anger boiled within Subaru, and he slammed his fist on the floor.

All day long, he had been facing this surge of fury since morning. Yet he never thought he would feel such rage directed toward someone who had no connection to the Witch Cult.

“I had no retort. Of course, Lady Felt tried to bluff. She told me to forget about herself and go help the others. —Still, staying there was my own choice. It should be me who bore the blame.”

“How could it come to this?! Everyone here knows what’s right and wrong!”

“Even so, the choice was mine.”

Reinhardt stubbornly refused to relinquish his responsibility, though Subaru shouted back.

Clearly immovable, Reinhardt would not bend even if Subaru yelled and seethed. Frustrated, Subaru clicked his tongue and tried to calm himself.

“Anyway, that put us in a stalemate. After that, nothing significant happened. We were powerless to respond to the subsequent broadcasts… And I believe I received quite a scolding from Lady Felt.”

“What’s going on with Felt, who’s not even here?”

Seeing Reinhardt smile wryly, Anastasia chimed in.

She fiddled with her scarf, her unreadable expression showing she was concerned for Felt, who wasn’t present.

“Being a hostage for so many hours must have taken quite a toll on her mind. Now that you’re here, I assume this means the problem has been resolved.”

“Yes, that’s right. Lady Felt is currently at a shelter, having reunited with her attendants. The Vice Captain has also been restrained and is being monitored by Lady Felt and the others.”

“Restrained… Did you manage to capture him?”

“Just enough to keep him subdued. I think it would have been quite difficult to achieve that without Otto’s cooperation.”

“Otto’s name finally comes up.”

Subaru raised an eyebrow at the mention of Otto, who hadn’t appeared until now. Otto cleared his throat lightly to gather attention.

“Here’s the thing. However, it was just a matter of coincidences piling on top of each other that allowed me to reach the scene. Still, I understood the relationship between the three, so once I assessed the situation, I could grasp the general idea.”

The matter concerning the Astraea family and the situation in Felt’s domain.

Furthermore, he had also witnessed Heinkel using Felt as a hostage to keep Reinhardt in place. Even with poor circulation, he could understand what was happening.

“I realized that having Reinhardt’s strength unavailable against the Witch Cult was the worst-case scenario. As I felt my blood run cold, I knew I had to do something.”

“And it was Otto who drew attention away so you could manage to release Felt. After that, Reinhardt could finally act, leading us to where we are now… Is that correct?”

“Fortunately, thanks to your grand speech, Natsuki, we didn’t have to stress over the meeting point. I wish we could have responded sooner, but I had my own complications.”

Concise as it was, Reinhardt nodded in appreciation of Otto’s contributions.

Otto was so adept at working behind the scenes that he truly earned Subaru’s respect.

“But seriously, what the heck has Otto been doing all this time? Honestly, wandering around the city at your strength was basically a death wish.”

“There were several twists and turns regarding that… But, never mind, let me explain.”

Coughing lightly, Otto pointed outside City Hall.

“Like planned this morning, I went alone to Muse Company. I was going to restart negotiations with Kiritaka. They were finally cooling down after a night’s rest, so I thought it wouldn’t be too problematic to arrange a meeting again, but…”

“But what?”

The way Otto paused led Subaru to guess that was when the broadcast went live. However, Otto shook his head.

“The Witch Cult, including a Sin Archbishop, showed up in the Third Street Plaza. The uproar they caused revealed the Witch Cult’s ambush.”

“A Sin Archbishop…!? Before the broadcast?”

“Yes, that’s right, before the broadcast.”

Subaru leaned forward in shock as Otto nodded.

Still, it wasn’t entirely out of the question for such an event. Sin Archbishops like Sirius or Regulus would logically have been active before the broadcast, just like anyone else who wasn’t tied up elsewhere.

Except for Capella, who must have participated in the raid on City Hall, other Sin Archbishops could have been active in Pristella.

“Wait, Otto.”

“——–”

As Subaru dropped his tone, Otto’s expression darkened with pain.

His concerned demeanor only affirmed the unsettling thought that haunted Subaru’s mind.

If Sirius and Regulus had indeed encountered Subaru and the others, the only Sin Archbishop left who could have shown up before Otto would have been…

“The Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, wasn’t it?”

“…Yes. They identified themselves that way. They had no reason to claim otherwise, so I believe that’s who it was. The Sin Archbishop who proclaimed themselves in the plaza seemed like a mere child to me.”

Otto’s testimony aligned with Subaru’s sighting of Roy Alphard.

He didn’t care to know about the criteria for selecting Sin Archbishops, but Gluttony had looked like a child at least. A filthy child wrapped in rags. A child with a horrific grin.

“At first, a nearby person cautioned that this child was acting inappropriately. The crew guarding Muse Company were from ‘White Dragon’s Scales,’ I believe. That person was the first to be crushed by Gluttony. Quite literally flattened.”

“………”

“When a person becomes flat, there’s really no choice but to believe it. Immediately, ‘White Dragon’s Scales’ mobilized to surround them, but it was no use.”

Otto, his face pale, recounted the grim scene in few words.

Apparently, Gluttony danced about, effortlessly mowing down the mercenaries who tried to attack without strategy. What was more terrifying was Gluttony’s sense of smell—its keen instinct that never let its prey escape.

“Given the chaos, people in the street tried to flee first. But, he didn’t allow any of it. I honestly don’t know what he did, but even those who tried to remain distant were caught up in Gluttony’s attacks, much like those inside buildings.”

“What was the objective behind that?”

Realizing it was a pointless question, Subaru felt a moment’s regret.

The Witch Cult’s actions lacked coherent purpose. Indeed, Otto, having been through it, gave a small shake of his head.

“I don’t know, what was it? In any case, it was quite a serious matter. Anyone trying to escape might get attacked as soon as they turned their back. It was a near-death experience… If Kiritaka hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have made it here.”

“Kiritaka saved you, huh?”

“He’s quite cautious by nature. At Muse Company, the office leads to a hidden passage connecting to an underground waterway. I fled through there, using a small boat to escape. I saw Kiritaka’s back get slashed while pushing me down.”

“——–”

“I managed to crawl away from Third Street in that state. After that, the Witch Cult’s broadcast was aired, and it became impossible to move easily around the city. So, I walked carefully around town until I finally stumbled upon that scene earlier.”

In other words, it was the scene where Reinhardt had been immobilized.

Now connecting the threads of this narrative, Subaru understood that Otto had also endured significant hardship.

However, one thing bothered him in the story.

“Why did Kiritaka go to such lengths for you? From what you’ve said, he sacrificed himself to allow you to escape. That’s how it sounds to me.”

“…Yes, that’s correct. Kiritaka put himself on the line to help me escape. The last time he was slashed, it was because he shielded me by pushing me down.”

“Why go that far…”

Subaru had practically no mental image of Kiritaka. The faint image he had of him was mostly fixed on a moment where he became flustered, turning pale and throwing magic stones at Subaru. Naturally, he didn’t believe that defined his entirety.

But he never struck him as a man who could put himself on the line like that for someone else.

“It might have been a matter of pride as a merchant to host a guest within their company, but in all likelihood, there was a deeper reason.”

“A more straightforward reason, you say?”

“Don’t you see? It’s about you, Natsuki.”

At Otto’s clear statement, Subaru flinched.

The mere utterance of his name threw Subaru off balance.

Noticing Subaru’s reaction, Otto gave a subtly regretful look and added,

“Kiritaka must have felt deep unease watching his subordinate being taken down before the Sin Archbishop. However, he must have also felt a strong sense of duty to act. The source of his hope was you, Natsuki.”

“…………”

“From your encounter the previous day, Kiritaka was aware of your stay. He also knew about your accomplishments against ‘Sloth.’ Thus, it stands to reason that he would connect you to hope. Ultimately, he entrusted me to be a link to you.”

“…That’s a lot to take in.”

Otto’s explanation was grounded and resonated within Subaru’s heart.

Yet, that was merely the logical perspective.

In his head, he understood. He knew he had no choice but to bear it.

Still, once again, there was that feeling. Was this what everyone was expecting from him?

Expecting a frail failure like himself to carry the fate of the city on his shoulders?

“What? Don’t get the wrong idea, Natsuki!”

Suddenly, a voice halted the cynical smile forming on Subaru’s lips.

Otto was looking straight into Subaru’s eyes, his serious expression piercing through the tension gripping Subaru’s face.

Seeing Subaru’s tight shoulders, Otto lifted them in a shrug, then continued.

“You see, Kiritaka is a responsible figure in the city’s leadership. I can understand why you might feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of bearing the city’s fate. However, I believe what Kiritaka truly expected from you was something much simpler.”

“Something simpler, you say?”

“Of course. This city is where Kiritaka’s beloved woman resides. Before considering the city’s fate, what he desired from you was probably simply to ensure her safety.”

“———-”

“When he pushed me down, he said that.”

In summary, Otto was trying to tell Subaru not to weigh himself down with excess pressure.

He had overdetermined his importance in the city’s fate, and it was agony to see Subaru waver under that weight.

That unexpected advice cut deep into Subaru, who had been trying too hard.

His face turned hot, and he felt ashamed of himself.

What on earth was this about the fate of the city? What were all these expectations and hopes? It was ridiculous.

The idea of carrying the fate of an entire city, something so abstract, was utterly foolish.

What he had to protect wasn’t some grand concept but the individuals who made it up. Each precious life mattered.

Each of those lives had someone important to them, and it was about preserving those bonds.

“Doesn’t it feel a lot easier to think of small, numerous lives instead of something gigantic?”

“Wow, that’s pretty insightful. It’s strange how a different perspective can bring things into a clearer view.”

Subaru found himself entirely indebted to Otto’s remarkable advisory abilities.

His previously downward-turned face lifted, and Otto looked quite satisfied with that result.

“What’s this? You two look pretty good together. To be honest, it made me a little jealous seeing that.”

Noting that the conversation had reached a small detour, Anastasia chimed in, teasingly. Having been organized in a circle, Subaru and Otto exchanged glances in folly.

After sizing up everyone again, Anastasia tilted her head somewhat.

“On that note, judging by what we just discussed… does that mean Muse Company is in trouble?”

“I can’t say for sure, that’s the honest answer. I saw Kiritaka getting slashed, but I don’t know if that wound poses a fatal threat to him.”

“Is it that pointless to speculate on Gluttony’s objectives? I can’t help but find it hard to believe he acted without any reason.”

Julius, with a stern look on his face, interjected.

His oddly certain tone was concerning.

“What’s with the sudden obsession? You got some sort of basis for that?”

“Well, I can’t exactly cite a clear reason. Still, I can share my impression when we crossed swords at City Hall. I don’t think we should definitively label him as just a mere provocateur.”

Subaru agreed with that perspective. He realized Gluttony was no simple prankster but a malicious jokester.

That said, he sensed Julius’s impression of the matter seemed to lean towards an alternative explanation.

“The broadcast revealed that Gluttony was after an artificial spirit, right? Could there be any chance he’s on a search for that?”

“There is the possibility. But more importantly, we should question the existence of this ‘artificial spirit’ itself. Does such a thing really exist?”

Subaru voiced a thought that had struck him, and Reinhardt joined in with his skepticism.

That question was likely the doubt that loomed in the minds of those who had heard the demands made during the broadcast.

At this gathering, only Subaru and Anastasia held the answer. Without intending to, Subaru glanced toward Anastasia, but her face remained composed, evidently accustomed to it. It seemed she was not planning to reveal the truth.

“—I’m sorry, just one thing.”

As Subaru faltered in his judgment, Otto raised his hand to gather attention.

A hint of concern seeped into his demeanor as he exhaled a resigned sigh.

And,

“Regarding that artificial spirit, I have no clue. However, touching on a different demand, the one regarding ‘Wrath,’ was ‘the Book of Wisdom…'”

He paused here, hesitated a moment, and then spoke.

“Forgive me. —I am the one who brought that into the city.”