The Archbishop of Wrath, a bandaged monstrosity who claims to be the wife of the Slothful madman.

Sirius Romanee-Conti was ensnared by her own weapon, the chains, rendering her immobile in a room of the shelter.

“Nobody’s coming to see me, and even when they do, they don’t come near. I was so bored. But they went to call you, didn’t they? Thank you, and I’m sorry, okay? Thanks to everyone, it seems like we’ve had a joyous reunion… although there seems to be an intruder.”

Sirius’s voice brightened upon seeing Subaru enter the room. However, the last part of her words carried a sharp resentment directed at Emilia and Beatrice.

“——-”

Unchanged, it seemed Sirius mistook Subaru for the vessel of Petelgeuse. Naturally, he wished to avoid such recognition.

Overwhelmed by the insane, glaring eyes of the clearly unhinged fiend, Subaru attempted to shrug it off and remarked,

“Pretty relaxed for someone who’s captured, huh? I don’t know what whim made Priscilla decide to catch you, but there’s no way you’re getting freed safely.”

“But you also can’t just dispose of me easily, can you? Thank you. I know you care about me. But I’m sorry, okay? Your concern is meaningless to me. Isn’t that right?”

Sirius interpreted Subaru’s threat positively in her own twisted logic. Remaining seated calmly, she shook her cracked voice and continued,

“As long as everyone has ‘love’ in their heart for others, no one can deny me. Even that arrogant girl is the same.”

“…Priscilla and Liliana must have been unaffected by your powers. There are certainly those who can harm you.”

“But that’s not you. Anything given from someone other than you is ultimately meaningless to me. Thank you. I’m sorry, okay?”

“——”

Tightening her bandaged mouth, Sirius feigned a smile. It appeared they were having a conversation, but in reality, genuine understanding was absent.

The firmly established values within Sirius rejected any outside stimulus. The more Subaru hit her, the more it only hurt him.

“Subaru, it’s futile. Expecting reflections or empathy from a being like this is pointless. They are nothing but a menace.”

“…An entity in the form of a woman should not approach my precious Petelgeuse.”

As Subaru grinded his teeth, Beatrice tugged at his sleeve, and Sirius began to show overt signs of irritation. At Sirius’s words, Beatrice snorted softly and pulled Subaru closer against her side.

“Unfortunately, Betty belongs to Subaru, and she’s here by request. You should stop calling Subaru with that grotesque name. You don’t even know its true meaning.”

“Don’t get cocky, brat. No matter if it’s flesh or spirit, the place beside that person belongs to me. Don’t pour your unidirectional delusions of love onto him. Shall I ignite your behind and turn your innards into Odo Laguna’s fertilizer?”

“Both of you, don’t get ahead of yourselves and start fighting. I’ll get angry too!”

As a hostile atmosphere arose between Sirius and Beatrice, Emilia’s glare became fierce and intervened. Surrounded by three women, Subaru had no leisure to tease their altercation.

Being by Sirius’s side weighed heavily on his psyche. Whether it was due to the powers this fiend possessed or not, he couldn’t tell.

“Emilia, Beatrice, step back. I think I can only converse with this scumbag. Having anyone else around… or even not, it’s questionable if it’s effective.”

“But…”

“Please. — It’s a rare chance to speak with the Witch Cult.”

Such an opportunity to sit and have a conversation with the Witch Cult was unlikely to present itself again.

Emilia sighed at Subaru’s plea, glanced at Beatrice, and put a step back to avoid hindering the conversation with Sirius.

With this arrangement, Subaru faced the tightly bound fiend.

“I’ll talk with you, just as you wished. So stop clinking those chains you’ve got. Once I get you unshackled, I’ll have to take you down.”

“You have your own position too, don’t you? I understand. It’s alright. These chains aren’t something that will easily break or come off. Thank you.”

Sirius appeared quite pleased with Subaru’s gesture to converse.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t see Emilia and Beatrice, but she seemed to have completely cast them out of her awareness.

“So, what shall we discuss? Given our relationship, there’s hardly anything we both want to exchange… perhaps just some ‘love’? Just kidding, sorry!”

“Purpose… right, purpose. The purpose behind you, the Archbishop of Sin, targeting this city. Spare me the nonsense about books or artificial spirits. You don’t seriously intend to seize those things, do you? We know that much.”

“The idea that I wasn’t serious is a misunderstanding. However, I didn’t desire it myself, no. I only followed the account given in the gospel.”

“The gospel… here we go again. The same as when it came to Petelgeuse. What the hell is wrong with you guys and your obsession with that bizarre book? Even Petelgeuse went along with it.”

And as a result, he lost his life.

The gospel’s accounts show the path one must take toward their future—a concept that, while understood, doesn’t ensure infallibility as evidenced by the madman’s demise.

Even though one can see the future, it isn’t everything, and Subaru knows that for certain.

Yet,

“Why the hell do you Witch Cultists follow a book like that? Is it because that book helps in the resurrection of the ‘Witch’… your beloved ‘Witch of Envy’?”

“—Don’t misunderstand me.”

“Misunderstand?”

Suddenly, the delight vanished from Sirius’s voice at Subaru’s strained inquiry.

The fiend, hidden under bandages, stared at Subaru with her glistening eyes and revealed yellowed teeth.

Then, she said,

“I only love you. Just you. That ‘Witch’ means nothing to me. Everything is merely a means to reach you.”

“——-”

“Other Archbishops feel the same. They all merely hold grotesque, repulsive desires, clinging to their powers. Unlike me, who only has ‘love,’ or you, who is precious to me. I apologize? Everything is simply different.”

—The purpose of the Witch Cult is the resurrection of the ‘Witch of Envy.’

Based on Petelgeuse’s behavior, words, and the teachings and barbarities of the Witch Cult that Subaru has been told about, he believed without doubt this to be true.

Yet the foundation—the very reason for the existence of the Witch Cult—was now in question.

Of course, Subaru had encountered Regulus Corneas and exchanged words.

When he thought about that egocentric man who looked down on everything but himself, considering that he devoted himself solely to the ‘Witch’ was suddenly filled with dissonance.

No surprise, actually. This conclusion should have been reachable with a bit of thought. But if that were true, what could be the purpose of the Witch Cult?

“Then why the hell do you have the Witch Cult…”

“Because you’re here.”

“——–”

“That’s my only reason. I’m here to exchange ‘love’ with you. I don’t care about the others. Once united, one will understand.”

To be united meant that through the power of their capabilities, their minds would merge.

But that’s not understanding; it’s forced synchronization. To forcibly impose a heart onto another and bind them to the same sensation can’t be called unity.

“What about the purpose of the other Archbishops? What is the Witch Cult ultimately aiming for?”

“Well, who knows? Sorry. Unfortunately, I have no interest in that.”

“Where does the Witch Cult usually gather? Is there a leader or something?”

“…No. There aren’t any set rules, as you know.”

With a deranged smile behind the bandages, Sirius dodged Subaru’s question with evasion. No, in truth, she probably had no intention of evasion.

The fiend, in her own way, was genuinely responding to her husband Petelgeuse’s inquiries. Based on her previous behavior, there was no doubt that Sirius held an extreme obsession and dependence on Petelgeuse.

In other words, it was evident that the fiend was really clueless about everything.

“—Still, I wonder if this is really the case.”

“—?”

Sirius, peering from below with deep thought, mused aloud.

Subaru was slow to react to the coldness in her words. In that momentary gap, the fiend took advantage.

With a slight creaking sound, Sirius tilted her chair, shoving her face closer to Subaru’s.

Subaru gasped, bloodshot eyes glaring at him point-blank.

Despite being bound up to her ankles, Sirius tilted her chair, maintaining balance solely on the tips of her toes, leaning toward Subaru as if to collapse.

“…Oh.”

“Since we met at the Chronicle Tower, I’ve found it strange, but I’m convinced. I can’t see the passion from that day in your eyes. —You’re being consumed, aren’t you?”

“——–”

“You can’t move, being bound up in a vessel that is supposed to be temporary… you truly are someone who needs me, aren’t you?”

With heated breath, Sirius’s long tongue wickedly licked Subaru’s cheek. The bristled feeling of her raspy tongue against his skin caused every hair on Subaru’s body to stand on end.

The rising disgust erupted within his chest, and his eyes burned red. It felt like mere horror should not invoke such a reaction.

But he was too overwhelmed with emotions to think any further. Right then—

“Ice Brand Arts!”

“Ku—!”

The ice hammer slammed into Sirius’s body, sending her and the chair crashing backward into the wall behind.

With a loud crash, the defenseless Sirius was knocked down, dust swirled in the tiny room, as bits of debris rained from the ceiling.

“O-Oh…?”

Beside Subaru, with a knelt posture, Emilia negated the ice hammer. Realizing the action was Emilia’s, Subaru exhaled a long breath, processing what just happened.

A moment ago, what had transpired was beyond comprehension.

“Subaru, are you an idiot?”

“—Beatrice?”

A dry sound echoed as realization dawned on Subaru that his cheek had been slapped. The one who struck him was the accompanying Beatrice. She briefly glanced at Emilia, then replied,

“If Emi didn’t jump in, Betty would’ve done the same. You were far too careless around someone like her. Worst-case scenario, your throat could’ve been torn out.”

“——–”

Subaru realized, powerlessly, the gravity of his folly, struck by Beatrice’s words. How could he laugh off being dramatic? The truth was, Sirius had licked his cheek with her tongue.

Setting aside the grotesqueness of the act, if that tongue had been a fang rather than a cheek and aimed for his throat, Subaru would have been incapable of stopping it.

“Don’t do anything strange. I’m kind of clumsy and can’t let it off lightly. Next would definitely lead to a very painful blow.”

Looking out for the downed Sirius, Emilia issued her intense warning.

Having been completely bound and immobilized, Sirius in this captivity state warranted excessive caution, reaffirming the fiend’s formidable presence.

Faced with the threat of her power, it felt easy to forget, but the Archbishop of Wrath was unparalleled in raw strength. On the surface, it seemed the Witch Cult’s strongest was the ‘Invincible’ Regulus, but depending on the capabilities, that ‘Greed’ meant less of a threat overall.

In terms of power not relying on abilities versus the menace of those abilities—other Archbishops were effectively tougher than Regulus in that regard.

“Subaru, you should understand by now. There’s no point talking with this one. She’s not someone you can have a real conversation with. Whatever information you extract, you won’t get through any rational discussion.”

“If conversation is impossible…”

“Then we move on to body inquiry, which means torture. And that’s not something Subaru should be doing. That’s something the Kingdom is supposed to do once we capture her.”

While voicing a cruel perspective, Beatrice grasped Subaru’s arm and pulled him upright.

The word torture tore a wave of discomfort through Subaru’s mind. There was a term he never heard or uttered in daily life that felt more repulsive than death or violence.

Even without knowing its reality, he could imagine the horrors that would be inflicted and the suffering of those subjected to it.

“Serves her right, you might think.”

Subaru was not so naive as to be clinging to a belief in the goodness of humankind.

He didn’t think that every resolution in battle ended in death, and indeed, he always held the conviction of preserving lives whenever possible. That was an ethics brought over from his previous world and a sentiment Subaru found inescapably soft.

—However, there would undoubtedly be endings that transgress that morality.

He wanted to spare lives if possible, but ultimately, some enemies would need to be killed.

The Archbishops of Sin—both Petelgeuse and Regulus categorically fit that description. Likewise, it was the same for other Archbishops like Sirius, Capella, and Alphard of Gluttony.

There was hatred and a desire for revenge. But apart from that, they were determined, unavoidable adversaries that had to be eliminated.

“I’m done talking to you. If we part ways here, we might never get another chance to speak again. I don’t feel pity, nor do I think it’s cruel. But just hurry up and say what you need to say and get it over with… that would be far more helpful.”

It’s suffocating to face someone and outright tell them “die.”

After letting that much slip, Subaru decided to leave the room. As Beatrice had said, if he was to extract information about the Witch Cult from Sirius, it wouldn’t be achievable without resorting to bodily interrogation. That, Subaru could not undertake—it was someone else’s job.

As Subaru showed he planned to exit, both Emilia and Beatrice shared expressions of relief. After all, both were against entering the room in the first place. It was a pathetic sight, merely going through unpleasantness without results; however, he should view this as a positive step since he now understood their thoughts.

“——-”

As they stepped closer, the unknown was always a risk.

Not rousing the sprawled-out Sirius on the floor, Subaru headed to the frame of the door. It wasn’t a commendable attitude, but at least now…

“——-”

“…Wait.”

Just as he approached the door, something felt wrong, scratching at the back of his mind, prompting Subaru to halt. His gaze turned toward the fallen Sirius.

The fiend, laid sideways, pressed her face against the cold floor while huffing heavily. It was a grating sound, intrusive enough to invade his thoughts.

—It was only when his ear caught the melody that it clicked.

“Shut that song off! What do you think you’re doing?”

“——–”

The discordant tune, completely out of pitch, continued unabated, serving as Sirius’s response to Subaru’s demand.

That was to say, it was a refusal, a rejection. And then,

“I said stop! That song is ringing in my head like crazy!”

“—I’m sorry? Oh, but songs are wonderful, aren’t they? I’ve been told that songs are beautiful. That’s why I couldn’t help but want to sing.”

“Liliana, huh…!”

Facing Priscilla and Liliana, Sirius had indeed heard their songs. In that battle, how those melodies had sealed her powers was still a mystery.

Rather than hating the song from that encounter, the fiend had learned something from it. But the understanding Sirius held about song was tragically at odds with the feelings Liliana poured into hers.

It was warped, something hideous and dreadfully eerie.

“Don’t compare your song to that of hers. Yours is different; it’s completely different.”

“—You could say the same of yourself. You’re different. You don’t share what I regard as the same. I love that person, yet you are fundamentally different, albeit similar.”

“What?”

“Petelgeuse is inside you. When souls meld and bodies entwine, it’ll take time for that beloved to be brought forth. My job is to assist in that. To witness that person’s awakening at my side.”

While collapsed onto the floor, Sirius twisted her head upward, gazing adoringly at Subaru.

In her mad eyes swirled a storm of unending passion—rage, joy, sorrow, and undeniable infatuation churned within Sirius’s gaze.

“I’ll drag that person out from within you. —Thank you, I’m sorry? Until that day, do take good care of your body and mind.”

“——-”

Sirius had indeed understood Subaru and Petelgeuse were different.

Yet, like applying a convenient delusion to overwrite that understanding, the fiend convinced herself that within Subaru lay a latent Petelgeuse waiting to come forth and welcome her.

Such a thing was nonexistent. That scenario was impossible.

While it was likely true that the Witch Factor of Petelgeuse was assimilated into Subaru, that did not guarantee the Madman’s spirit remained intact. In what way did Sirius identify some commonality between herself and Petelgeuse that encouraged her to repeat such absurd nonsense?

—Or perhaps it was the belief that both the lunatic and Subaru shared similar traits in the eyes of others.

“Just one trivial bit of advice to spare you from something tedious.”

“…Advice? From you, to me?”

“Yes, me. To ensure you don’t lose my dearest. —Be cautious of ‘Gluttony.’ Both ‘Bad-eater,’ ‘Gourmand,’ and ‘Gluttony’ will seek to take you away. If you fall to them before awakening, no one will remember you.”

“——–”

From an unexpected source, the Archbishop of Wrath had uttered the name of Gluttony and shared that information. That said, the content itself wasn’t anything unfamiliar, merely a known detail—no, wait.

“Hold up. ‘Gourmand’ and what?”

“’Gourmand,’ ‘Bad-eater,’ and ‘Gluttony.’ They devour and absorb, leaving you unaware of your loss—an assault on the love that ought to unite them. If you have the chance, please do kill ‘Gluttony.’ They’re an annoyance.”

Casually mentioning another fellow Archbishop in the same circle before light-heartedly wishing for their death could signify terrible underlying issues within the relationships among high-ranking members of the Witch Cult.

However, the focus shifted to what was stated about ‘Gluttony’—no, about ‘them.’

“Otto running into ‘Gluttony’—I thought it had to be the one guarding the Control Tower making an appearance, just like Lust… but what if one of the other two Gluttons was around?”

If indeed there were three Gluttons lurking within the city, and any one of them had slipped by.

If the ‘Gluttony’ that maintained the Control Tower had been standing guard all along.

“—Dammit, I need to check this out!”

Infected by his own foolishness, Subaru scratched his head and kicked the floor, racing towards the entrance again. Continuing the dialogue with Sirius didn’t seem like an option right now.

All parties engaged in the city’s defense needed to be accounted for. He had to ascertain if anyone had been devoured by Gluttony and vanished.

“Emilia! Beatrice! We’re heading back to the shelter! We need to confirm everything.”

“Subaru? I don’t know what you’ve been told, but calm down…”

“Once this is over! I’ll calm down as much as you want. Just let me go do what I need to do first. It’s crucial!”

As Emilia’s shoulder touched his, Subaru bent his speech hurriedly. Hearing his fervor, Emilia took a sharp breath before nodding, “Alright.”

From the very beginning, Beatrice didn’t intercede while sporting an exasperated expression toward Subaru’s actions. With that, Subaru threw down any thoughts of Sirius and dashed out of the room.

“Wait up, Subaru. I’m coming too.”

Emilia followed him in a rush, and together, their footsteps echoed down the hall.

Hearing their retreating footsteps, Beatrice turned back at the door and gazed at the still prone Sirius on the floor, raising her palm in the direction of the fiend.

“Honestly, I sometimes wonder if it would be better to obliterate you right here.”

“—Then, what would happen if you did? Irresistible Spirit, if it helped him awaken sooner, I would welcome it.”

“——-”

In response to Sirius’s provocative words, Beatrice sighed and lowered her hand. Gripping the hem of her dress, she gazed at Subaru with intense emotion in her round eyes and declared,

“If you make Subaru sad, then Betty will kill you without a second thought.”

“Of course. My beloved Petelgeuse’s revival should only be met with joy.”

How much of that conversation was understood? Whether or not any foundation was established remained uncertain, but that exchange concluded as Beatrice exited and closed the door.

Just before the door shut, Sirius’s warped melody slipped into Beatrice’s eardrum.

Anarchy of the rhythms, a mockery of the very concept of music, a sonic violence that scratched at sensory perceptions—otherworldly in its unappealingness, this was ‘Cursed Melody.’

As the door shut, that cursed melody faded away.

Yet, the maddening notes clung to her ears. Experiencing that nauseating sensation, Beatrice quietly followed after Subaru and Emilia.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

Bursting out of Sirius’s confinement room, Subaru hurried over to Al, who was waiting in the hallway. Al, holding a blue dragon blade, looked startled by Subaru’s approach and exclaimed,

“Yo, bro. I heard some loud noises. You didn’t kill her, did ya? Hitting and kicking is also torture, so it’s not exactly a good look either.”

“I didn’t kill her, and I’ll make solid excuses for any alleged torture later, but more importantly, I need to confirm something. Al, no one’s dead where you were, right?”

“—? Well, I can’t say for sure for the entire city’s situation. But at least me, Cat Ear Brother, and the girl from Kararagi are fine. You already knew that, right?”

“I know, but… ah, shit. Asking like this won’t lead me anywhere!”

It was only natural for Al to respond that way.

As Subaru feared, if someone had become a victim of Gluttony, that person would have had to vanish from everyone’s memories, just like Rem. In that scenario, asking if anyone remembered would be futile.

The simplest method would involve naming every single one of Al’s and Emilia’s acquaintances, which would bring everyone in—

“——-”

Such a thought was too horrifying and utterly terrifying.

It was easier just to check back at the shelter and confirm everyone’s safety with his own eyes rather than hear it from someone else.

“I’m going back to the shelter. Don’t take your eyes off them until Reinhardt comes back.”

“Well, that’s fine… but, whatever. Either way, it’s too scary to hear what’s happening inside.”

Al waved his hand dismissively, finding the deeper meaning in Subaru’s attitude without pushing it. Letting his worries go, Subaru retraced his steps along the corridor, back outside the shelter.

He cast a glance at the still-bored Priscilla and ticked “the second” off his mental list.

“Hah. The common folk are distressed by trivial matters due to their limited capacity. When you’re floundering like that, at least put your energy into observing.”

“I don’t find comfort in your unchanged demeanor, you know. Catch you later.”

With no time to stop, Subaru hurried past Priscilla. To have acted in such a disrespectful manner could have hinted at souring her mood, but Priscilla simply said nothing, only waving her fan to cool her skin and muttered, “How boring…”

“Now, Subaru, what do you want to do? What do you need to confirm?”

As he returned to the shelter amidst the chaos caused by the injured, Emilia inquired. Subaru hesitated momentarily at her call for assistance.

Remembering Rem’s situation, Emilia would lack resistance against Gluttony’s influence. He hadn’t forgotten the shock of hearing Rem’s name vanish from her lips.

Steeling himself for inflicting that wound again, he needed courage to explain the circumstances to Emilia. This was an unintentional strike—one he couldn’t discuss delicately given the circumstances.

“——-”

So far, Subaru had checked in with only a handful of allies involved in the defense.

Beatrice and Anastasia were the first. Then there were Garfiel and Mimi, followed by Wilhelm, Otto, Liliana, and Kirataka.

From Otto’s words, he had also confirmed Felt’s safety. If their recounting was correct, then Reinhardt and Felix should have been fine too. Along with the last two, Priscilla and Al had also been around until recently.

That meant the only ones he hadn’t checked on were—

“—Subaru, seems you’re back among us safely.”

“Reinhardt, right?”

As Subaru’s thoughts raced, a smooth voice broke in from the side. Turning, he found the red-haired youth, Reinhardt, waving at him.

Having been off gathering troops with aid from different factions post-Regulus’s defeat, it was only a few short hours since they’d last laid eyes on each other. That said, given how he’d been searching for familiar faces, the sight of Reinhardt was a genuine relief.

“I’m pleased to see both Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama safely reunited.”

“Thanks, Reinhardt. You should have been running all over the city too. I’m glad you’re safe. Truly.”

“Not a big deal. Besides, even if I weren’t here, everyone was doing their part. My minimal help was hardly necessary.”

With politeness, Reinhardt responded to Emilia before shifting his gaze toward Subaru. His sky-blue eyes narrowed, attempting to peer into Subaru’s heart, he questioned,

“So, Subaru, what’s troubling you? You looked anxious just a moment ago.”

“I— I want to confirm if something happened. —Reinhardt, have you met Felt? Felt and… um, the others from Lachins?”

The unexpectedly arranged other three were now related to their situation—members of their squad. Though he’d heard about Felt’s safety through Otto, he had not verified the names of the attendants, so he couldn’t feel reassured about their fates.

Noticing Subaru’s desperate inquiry, Reinhardt thoughtfully rubbed his chin speedily.

“Ah, they’re alright. Felt-sama, Lachins, Gaston, and Kanbury—all fine. While Lachins and Gaston suffered some injuries, they don’t need significant concern. I do think we’ll need to have a serious talk with Felt for her rash actions later, though.”

“Thanks to Felt, our political officer may have been saved as well, so I would appreciate leniency in any punishment. …Anything else?”

“Such as?”

“Anything else like… no, sorry. That didn’t form a specific question. Um, after we parted ways, was anything out of the ordinary?”

Even after rethinking, Subaru couldn’t turn in a specific question, leaving him feeling low. However, Reinhardt smiled, lost in thought, and shook his head.

“Sorry, but nothing comes to mind. After I parted with you and Emilia-sama, particularly no significant troubles arose. That’s what I believe.”

“I see… my bad. That’s not what I meant. Um… right, I have several matters I’d like to discuss, so could you please gather Felt too? I want to discuss today’s events and plans moving forward with relevant parties. Can you handle that?”

“—Understood. Since it’s your request, I’m willing. I just recently asked Felt-sama to stay composed in the waiting area, so she may throw some backhanded comments my way.”

“…That’s my bad. I’ll apologize when this is all over, so for now, please.”

Giving an embarrassed chuckle, Reinhardt surveyed his surroundings before darting away briskly. He would soon reunite with Felt outside of the shelter.

What’s more—

“Subaru, over there is Felix. You wanted to ask him something, didn’t you?”

“Ah, right, I did want to talk to Felix.”

As Emilia called out, Subaru turned toward where she pointed. Scanning the edges of the shelter, he noticed Felix looking around anxiously.

The cat-eared healer appeared wobbly and lacked color in his face. He must have been burdened by the toll of utilizing so much healing magic alongside Reinhardt. Yet, it didn’t seem as if he was still searching for his next patient—as if he were wandering about.

“—Ah!”

Spotting Subaru, Felix called out, rushing over, almost collapsing into Subaru’s chest. Supporting the light weight, Subaru asked, “Hey?”

“Tell me…!”

“Eh?”

“You’ve captured the Archbishop, right? Make them spill everything and find the best way to treat Krush-sama! So tell me where they are…!”

Gazing wide-eyed and glaring right at Subaru, the fervor radiating from Felix left him momentarily speechless.

Felix’s incendiary emotions stemmed solely from worry for his dear master. It seemed he was ready to show no mercy to anyone who might know a way to save her.

“F-Felix, calm down. I get how you feel, but rushing won’t change the outcome. Right now, we need to have a discussion…”

“Don’t say such selfish things! You understand my feelings? You obviously don’t! Saying all these casual, detached remarks while Krush-sama has been suffering… how could you remain so calm? Do you think you can easily bear it knowing she’s in pain?!”

“——–”

Having been shoved in the chest and pointed at by Felix, Subaru fell silent.

Anger overshadowed his hasty comments, rendering him unable to respond. Krush’s condition remained unchanged, still tainted by the blood of Capella’s Lust. More importantly, Subaru’s realization upon hearing Felix’s words provided reassurance that she had not forgotten about Krush.

Subaru’s right foot and the palm that had touched Krush were infected with the same darkness.

But Felix couldn’t possibly take solace in that knowledge right now.

“I have to save Krush-sama. Anything needed, I’m going to do it. If I must torture the Archbishop, then that’s what I’ll do. I know how to heal people. So even if I break them, I can heal them. So please… please…”

“Felix. —Enough, stop.”

As desperation radiated from Felix, Subaru fought to impose calm. It was then Wilhelm, the elder swordsman, called from behind, unable to stand witnessing the scene.

Wilhelm approached the fellow knight, his voice low and pressed down with emotion.

“I understand your feelings well. But know that acting out this way would only disgrace Krush-sama. First, calm yourself. Remain composed before you act.”

“Don’t give me empty comfort!”

“—I know.”

Facing down Felix’s fury, Wilhelm corrected the trajectory of his words more firmly. Directing his gaze down at the ashes—wrapping the subject within his overcoat.

Felix quickly grasped whom it sheltered and suppressed his lips, biting them in anguish.

“That’s… unfair. Unfair, unfair, unfair, old man Wilhelm…!”

“I’m aware. This old tree uses your kindness and compassion against you. You who despises the pain of others more than anyone are being imposed upon. If you wish to resent someone, let it be this old tree.”

“Uu—!”

Felix stifled his sobs as he looked down. Wilhelm gently placed a hand on his head, nodding toward Subaru.

It seemed to indicate he would handle it moving forward. Upon calming down, Felix would need to meet and attend to the discussions on behalf of Krush as well.

Discussion regarding Sirius’s handling could wait until a later conversation.

Yet first, they should exchange words among those who shared their circumstances.

Wilhelm’s serene eyes conveyed that to Subaru.

Relying on that comfort, he bowed his head, slipping away from the scene.

“Wilhelm must want to cry too, after all…”

Why couldn’t everything just work out?

Why couldn’t everything—those familiar faces and strangers alike—find a way to resolve themselves in happiness? No matter how Subaru fought, how hard he tried to make the best decisions, did he have to arrive at a point of no return from the outcomes—could he not reach a solution?

Having confirmed the safety of Reinhardt and Felt, also Emilia, Felix, and Krush, all that was left was to confirm the safety of Julius, Riccardo, and Shult—the surnamed attendant of Priscilla, along with the unwanted, yet concerning presence of Heinkel.

Speaking of which, there was also Joshua, the younger brother of Julius, who had been missing since this commotion began…

“—Huh?”

Just as he was thinking that, Subaru spotted a figure peering into the shelter from outside.

Dressed sharply in white, wielding a slender knight’s sword at his waist, tall with a sharply cut profile and annoyingly elegant purple hair—there was no mistaking it.

It was Julius. The very person Subaru had wanted to ensure the safety of was standing there.

“Hey, Julius—”

“——–”

Raising his hand instinctively, he called out as Julius half-turned to look. Noting Subaru’s direction, Julius quickly turned away and left, hastening away from the shelter.

“Huh?”

In utter disbelief at Julius’s unexpected reaction, Subaru called out in confusion.

Such a response was entirely unforeseen. Whether Julius would respond positively or negatively to his call was something Subaru could permit a debate, but this level of dismissal was beyond expectation.

Neither acknowledgment nor sarcasm, but outright shunning.

“That bastard, is he messing with me?”

The surging frustration gathered up as Subaru chased after him.

It wasn’t that he was worried. It wasn’t that he was worried, but he had nonetheless sought to confirm Julius’s safety, and to act like that in this situation was intolerable.

What the hell was he trying to do? Subaru felt compelled to grab him and demand some explanation. It was no time for games, he had to speak out.

“Hey, Subaru? What’s up?”

“I saw that pretentious bastard Julius just now, and he ignored me. I’m going after him!”

“Eh?”

Leaving behind an astonished Emilia, Subaru dashed after Julius. As he burst out of the shelter’s entrance, he caught sight of Julius racing across the street, seemingly vanishing from sight. It was clear he was trying to avoid being seen. Yet, given he was not running, catching up would be a piece of cake.

“What’s wrong with him? Just say if you’re safe already, you dimwit…!”

Cursing under his breath, Subaru chased after him toward the corner of the street. With every hurried step, the gap narrowed. As he rounded the corner, he caught sight of the retreating back of Julius and shouted out.

“Hey, you bastard! What are you doing wandering around when everyone is busy? Not seeing your face raises worry you know? I mean, that’s the consensus here.”

“——–”

Upon hearing Subaru’s brazen shout, Julius paused mid-stride. He turned his head just enough to glance back with his yellow eyes, quietly assessing Subaru.

Puzzled by that silent gaze, Subaru furrowed his brow, but Julius remained in the same position, saying,

“—My apologies. I was looking for someone, but it seems they weren’t here. I intend to scout another shelter soon. Forgive my rudeness.”

“Wait, wait, wait, what do you mean? You’re looking for someone—must be Anastasia or someone else, right? Still, they were all in that shelter. You must have just missed them.”

“—!”

With that polite remark hanging in the air, Subaru called Julius to a halt. In response, Julius reacted dramatically, visibly taken aback as he turned back toward Subaru.

“W-What’s gone wrong?”

Subaru himself was surprised, his voice growing high. Such responsive shock was entirely understandable.

Julius’s expression, etched with curious astonishment, was a sight anew. No, it wasn’t just astonishment; there lay a glimmer of dependency within his gaze.

That display of emotion was entirely uncharacteristic for Julius, leaving Subaru tongue-tied in shock. Julius inhaled deeply, his cheeks tightening, before asking,

“…Subaru. You… what are your thoughts on me?”

“What are you asking all of a sudden? Don’t you think it’s too weak to forget someone after just a few hours? The ‘greatest knight’ Julius Euclius wouldn’t go so low, would he?”

Shrugging, Subaru replied in a condescending manner. However, in the midst of that back-and-forth, he caught on to his own stupidity and fell silent.

Julius’s question was clearly strange. That peculiarity should have triggered an alarm bell within Subaru’s mind—if only his imagination could conceive of the worst-case scenario, he would realize something was amiss.

“Subaru! You’re running off on your own!”

Frozen at the crossroads of his thoughts, Subaru faced Julius.

Just as they stood opposite one another in the roadway, Emilia and Beatrice arrived on the scene. They glanced at the two warily, their large eyes blinking in confusion.

“Um… things seem intense, right?”

Noticing the bizarre atmosphere, Emilia tilted her head, worried.

Feeling a bad omen, Subaru pointed at Julius and said,

“…Yeah, it is, but it’s not what it seems. Emilia-tan. And Beako too, that…”

“—?”

Emilia and Beatrice exchanged dubious looks at Subaru’s hesitant words.

Something held a significant weight—he needed to articulate a decisive inquiry. Swallowing hard, he glanced sideways at Julius.

With that veiled glance at Subaru, Julius lowered his head once more, resolutely asserting,

“I found Julius. So, it’s fine if I take him along for a discussion, right?”

“—Julius.”

At the inquiry, Beatrice focused on Julius.

Then, Emilia timidly pursed her lips and blurted out,

“Is Julius-san… someone you know, Subaru?”

In a manner that resurrected memories of past nightmares, that was how she worded it.

“`

 

---