“Oh, Subaru. I’m glad we didn’t miss each other. I’m back.”

“Reinhardt? You’re back already? We just sent you off not long ago.”

As Subaru and the others who had retrieved Julius returned to the shelter, they unexpectedly ran into Reinhardt, who seemed to have just returned.

Surprised by his quick return, Subaru responded, while Reinhardt walked over, raising a hand lightly, suddenly narrowing his brows in thought. He noticed Subaru’s pale complexion and the anxious attitudes of the four beside him.

“What’s wrong, Subaru…? Is there some sort of issue?”

“There’s definitely an issue… but it’s hard to find the right words. It’s something I want you to confirm as well.”

“Feel free to ask me anything if I can help.”

With Subaru lowering his tone, Reinhardt responded earnestly as always.

So, just as before, with hope for his special prowess against ‘Beast of the Flesh’ and ‘Greed,’ Subaru wanted to rely on Reinhardt’s strength.

However, such dependence was—

“—Do you have any idea who the person standing next to me is?”

“…You don’t mean Lady Beatrice, do you?”

Reinhardt looked down at the girl in the dress beside Subaru and proceeded to say so. Subaru remained silent, not answering Reinhardt’s words. He simply wished for the answer he longed for and continued staring at the ‘Sword Saint.’

Feeling the heat of that gaze, Reinhardt also shifted his attention to another person standing next to Subaru, squinting slightly as if lost in thought. However,

“I’m sorry. I don’t recognize them. Judging by their appearance and demeanor, I suspect they’re one of the contributors to this battle.”

“——-”

At Reinhardt’s answer, Julius’s cheeks tensed.

The two were comrades of the Royal Guard and supposed close friends—yet that connection had been severed as a result of having their ‘names’ devoured.

With Julius lowering his eyes in melancholy at that fact, Subaru too tasted despair.

The strongest in the Kingdom, the pinnacle of swordsmen who could even sever ties with the Witch Cult—Reinhardt Van Astraea himself could not escape the influence of ‘Gluttony.’

Perhaps, if it were Reinhardt, there was hope, just a wishful thought without evidence at all.

That wish would cruelly be broken, confirming only Subaru’s naïveté.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know the reason, but it seems I couldn’t meet your expectations.”

“…No, I should apologize. From your perspective, my inquiries must seem unjustified. It is our responsibility to be troubled by your kindness.”

Julius himself took the response to Reinhardt’s apology.

Hiding his shock at being treated as a stranger by his friend, he adorned his words with calmness as he glanced around the shelter. And then,

“It seems the main figures have gathered. It would be good to start discussions regarding our future.”

“…Understood. That means about you as well, right?”

Realizing the intention behind Julius’s words, Reinhardt nodded.

In fact, within the shelter, the notable figures from the prior defensive battle—those involved with the Royal Selection and the city’s officials—had started gathering.

Amidst such a scene, a girl in traditional clothing re-entered from outside the shelter.

“Hey, looks like everyone gathered before I could call them. How fortunate!”

Anastasia, who had finished her rounds outside, laughed while drawing Ekidna closer by her collar. She had to have seen Julius standing beside Subaru in her field of vision but made no mention of it.

“It seems Emilia-san and Felt-san are mostly present. Once Priscilla-san’s group arrives, that should be enough. Then we can discuss things.”

Clapping her hands, Anastasia proposed.

Without bothering to call out to the knight, she proceeded casually.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

Having lost the City Hall, the temporary meeting place was designated as the assembly hall near the shelter.

This assembly hall also served as one of the shelters, but it was apparently not used during this chaos due to the city of Pristella’s vulnerability to the most feared disaster—flooding.

“Originally, people from other shelters must be starting to head home too. We would truly prefer to return to our inn… but it seems the cleaning isn’t finished yet.”

Whether it was the inn’s cleaning or the sorting of those involved in the recent chaos remained unclear.

In any case, indicating both meanings in her statement, Anastasia began her address to the assembly.

“First of all, thank you for your hard work everyone. Fortunately, in the face of such a massive attack by the Witch Cult, the damage was extremely minor… including those present here and those absent, I consider it to be a great victory.”

“——-”

“You don’t have to make such a scary face; I know it doesn’t meet your standards for believing it was minor damage.”

Anastasia’s somewhat carefree words caused the silent faces in the assembly to grow stern. Realizing this, Anastasia shrugged her shoulders and looked around.

Among those gathered in the assembly hall were not just the initial members who had jumped into the city’s defense but also other cooperators who were truly relevant to the situation.

From Emilia’s side were Emilia herself, along with Subaru and Beatrice. Garfiel and Otto were absent due to sustained injuries.

From Felt’s side were Felt and Reinhardt, and Kamberri, who was turning pale from feeling out of place. Lachins and Gaston, both absent due to injuries and fatigue.

From Crusch’s side, the essential Crusch was still bedridden, while Felix and Wilhelm participated on her behalf.

On Priscilla’s side were Al and Priscilla herself, who looked bored. Beside her was the unharmed servant, Schult, while Heinkel’s apparent safety had been confirmed, but he was absent.

And from Anastasia’s side, Anastasia herself was firmly in the center coordinating, along with Tibby, and Riccardo, whose body was bandaged up all over. Farther from them, on the Emilia faction’s side, Julius was seated.

Lastly, seated as associates were Kiritaka, Liliana, and the ‘White Dragon’s Scale.’

Nearly twenty individuals gathered together for the post-event discussions of the defensive battle.

As Anastasia spoke first, initiating the conversation with her remarks, the first voice of rebuttal came from the fidgety Felix.

“Post-war discussions are important… I get that. But I want to talk about the treatment of the Archbishop of Sin. We captured a high-ranking member of the Witch Cult after all, and we must have many things to inquire about. I want to hurry this along.”

“Well, I expected that from you, Felix. Speaking of which, how is Crusch’s condition? Has there been any change?”

“…It’s merely stable. I couldn’t draw anything out of ‘Lust,’ so now I’m relying on my healing magic to recover her physical strength, hoping her own spirit will hold out. Once, with Subaru’s help, her symptoms lightened, but…”

Bashfully looked at by Felix, Subaru stared at his own palm. There was a part of his palm that had darkened, revealing bruises or burns, ugly in appearance.

A similar condition had arisen on Subaru’s right thigh, concealed by his pants. Though Subaru felt no pain or foreign sensation, it was different for Crusch. Eliminating that which clearly eroded her physical strength was the highest priority to save her life.

Moreover, it was arguably harsh for women to bear such dark markings. If a beautiful woman like Crusch were afflicted, it was all the more painful to witness.

“To be honest, I don’t agree with letting that Archbishop of Sin live. They’re definitely a source of discord. If possible, it would be best to take care of it swiftly.”

“—! But then we’ll lose our leads!”

As Subaru pondered over the dark markings, Anastasia and Felix’s discussion became heated.

Concerning the captured Archbishop of Sin—Sirius’s treatment, Anastasia proposed execution, which Felix flatly rejected. Given his position, such a reaction was unsurprising.

However, against Felix’s passionate stance, Anastasia merely shook her head.

“While I feel sorry for Crusch, that’s a different discussion. Besides, I believe there’s no way ‘Wrath’ knows anything about ‘Lust’… no, that’s not accurate. It simply doesn’t seem plausible that the Witch Cult is collaborating.”

“If they weren’t connected, why did events like today happen? The Archbishops attacked the city together, so there’s no way they weren’t connected!”

“Of course, I won’t claim their actions were mere coincidence. But it’s laughable to say they coordinated when their objectives and withdrawal timings are disarrayed. …I don’t have the sense that the Witch Cult is cooperating, so I believe there’s no way to extract anything from ‘Wrath’ regarding ‘Lust.'”

“That’s just speculation, isn’t it!?”

Raising her voice, Felix outright denied Anastasia’s words. It seemed she acknowledged that the suggestion was difficult to accept and didn’t argue back about being denied on an emotional basis.

At that moment, Subaru slowly raised his hand.

“Excuse me? I have an opinion to share, and it’s leaning more towards Felix’s side. I don’t think hearing from ‘Wrath’ would be a waste of time.”

“…What’s your reasoning?”

“It’s not something I can proudly speak about, but just earlier I talked to ‘Wrath’ for briefly and heard a little about ‘Gluttony.’ No matter how shallow the relationship, it’s too hasty to assume we can’t extract anything.”

In fact, concerning ‘Gluttony’, ‘Wrath’ had thrown words at Subaru that seemed to hint at a warning.

Thanks to that, Subaru had also realized the possibility of multiple existences of ‘Gluttony’ and managed not to miss Julius leaving the shelter. That much could not be overlooked. That said, Subaru also had parts of him that agreed with Anastasia.

“However, whether we can utilize them as an information source or not, I do think I’ll have a bad feeling about keeping them around. …All archbishops of sin are like that.”

Currently, during the discussions, the oversight of Sirius was being undertaken by the ‘White Dragon’s Scale.’

They had restrained him with chains and even had a gag to seal his words. Since prolonged exposure might lead to manipulation of hearts, instructions had been given to rotate guards as well. It was unlikely something would happen during this meeting, but unease lingered.

“I need to continue feeling this unease as long as he remains alive and captured. I can’t firmly conclude how that is.”

“Whose side are you on…!?”

With Subaru’s indecisive conclusion, Felix sent him a look filled with animosity. Under the heat of Felix’s gaze, Subaru twisted his lips.

“Neither side, to be honest. Really, I believe both have their points. …Worst case, if Crusch’s black markings can be dealt with, I wouldn’t mind using my unaffected parts for that.”

“—Huh?”

“Subaru.”

Subaru’s rather extreme conclusion about the black markings on Crusch was solely his own judgment. Hearing him say it, Felix wore a blank expression, while Emilia shot him a reproachful glare.

The others also directed various complex gazes at Subaru, many tinged with disbelief.

“I’m also aware of what you’re saying, but that would really be a last resort, right? We can’t just jump to conclusions, as we don’t know what we might face later…”

“Of course, it’s not like I want to willingly put something as unhealthy as a mark inside my body. But concerning Crusch, it has had a bit of success in alleviating symptoms.”

“——–”

“What I’m trying to say is, don’t rush to conclusions. I understand the impatience, but if it’s places like your back or butt that turn dark and are unseen, I wouldn’t mind lending it out. That’s the conversation.”

Having means available but overlooking it for selfish reasons is off-putting.

The other party was one of the benefactors he felt favorably towards; moreover, this wasn’t a method related to someone’s life or death. Just dirtied unseen skin is no issue at all.

“Felix, sit down. For now, I think Subaru is correct.”

“…I understand. I know.”

With no words, Wilhelm grasped Felix’s sleeve and calmed him down. Felix’s eyes lowered, and he attempted to say something to Subaru, but was unable to speak and sat down.

Seeing the atmosphere return to what it was, Subaru sighed softly in the tense assembly hall. Even so, the prior situation continued, and

“Anyway, it seems we’ve understood that discussions on how to deal with the Archbishop of Sin are at a standstill. Both us and Natsuki-kun share the unease of allowing him to live… In truth, it might have been faster to just have killed him.”

“—What’s this, the third-rate drama coming to an end? No matter how many times you stare at me, there’s no reward I would grant to a valueless performance. End your begging gaze early.”

With a yawn, Priscilla replied to Anastasia’s jesting.

That response indicated Priscilla hadn’t fully grasped the conversation until then and what manner of whim had led her to be present at this meeting.

“That’s not a trivial matter we’re discussing. You seem less inclined than anyone else to let the Witch Cult go; why did you go out of your way to capture them? What brought this decision on?”

“It is nothing I concern myself with whether I allow them to live or die. When I grant the final stroke, my daylight sword darkens, and its sharpness fades away. Therefore, I survived. The fools who pulled me from the water were looking for the songstress. That is the extent of my involvement.”

“Don’t you have anything to complain about for trying to kill and failing?”

“Quite the opposite. I thrust my blade to kill. If they still refuse to die, I shall not make a second attempt. They do not die by my hand, but that serves my convenience.”

“Ugh, I don’t get it, but understood.”

Priscilla’s ongoing logical fallacy caused Anastasia to throw in the towel on comprehension. Subaru couldn’t really grasp her intentions either, but it wasn’t the sort of thought that could be easily understood by others.

Even those beside her, including Al and Schult, might not understand.

“At the very least, I oppose the execution of ‘Wrath’ here. I wish to respect Felix’s feelings, and for the Kingdom, this is an unprecedented opportunity. We should scrutinize it closely and strive to elicit what we can know.”

“…I think it would be better to kill it. Just recalling the likes of those Archbishops sends chills down my spine, and I doubt they’d have anything sensible to share. It’d be better to kill them before they make any unnecessary movements, you know?”

“Felt-san…”

“To be clear, I’m not saying this to annoy you, this time.”

Then again, at another locus, there was a split in opinions between master and servant.

Felix’s claim for ‘Wrath’ to live was met head-on with Felt’s denial. However, Felt’s argument didn’t stem from any base of compelling points.

Felt didn’t seem to think for a moment her opinion would pass through. Consequently, it seemed the matter regarding ‘Wrath’ would likely be entrusted to the Kingdom.

“I will take charge of escorting ‘Wrath’ to the Royal Capital. If ‘Wrath’ has planned something, I’ll be in the best position to deal with it. In the worst case, if I must execute them…”

“That sounds suitable for your role. But in that case, will Felt-san accompany you? Or will you two be separated for the time being?”

“If Reinhardt goes, then I will too. — This time, it can’t be helped.”

At those words from Felt, Reinhardt wore a surprised expression. Felt glanced at his profile and scrunched her cute face into a frown.

“Don’t mistake me. My dislike of you hasn’t changed. It hasn’t changed, but you know, sometimes there are situations where I can’t afford not to help you.”

“Sometimes it can’t be helped, you say?”

“I don’t know. Ask your chest. Mine isn’t soft enough to answer back.”

With her underdeveloped chest puffed out for her age, Felt stuck her tongue out at Reinhardt. His demeanor made Reinhardt lower his gaze, then quietly nod.

Whatever thoughts lay between them, only they understood. In any case, it seemed the Felt faction was no longer the same as it had been a year ago.

“Um, in that case, I’ll…”

“Kamberri, stay with Lachins and Gaston. Once they’re able to move, you can head back to the mansion first. I’ll inform Old Man Rom.”

“Alright, got it!”

Kamberri, who looked uncomfortable, relaxed upon being assigned a task.

Thanks to Reinhardt’s volunteering, it seemed there would be no unease regarding the escort of ‘Wrath.’ What would result from questioning Sirius afterward would be a matter for the Kingdom’s experts.

“Now, can we move on to the next topic? Everyone.”

After a conclusion was reached regarding ‘Wrath,’ Kiritaka raised his hand. He was tidying his slightly disheveled hair with one hand while scanning everyone’s faces. And then,

“First, on behalf of the residents, I want to express my gratitude for the battle to protect this city. Without your presence, the city of Pristella would surely have fallen into the hands of the Witch Cult. For that, I express my utmost thanks.”

With a bow to take in the city’s sentiments, Kiritaka’s gesture was reciprocated earnestly by Liliana, who was nearby, bending her head in a flurry.

While Kiritaka himself seemed composed, it was uncharacteristic for Liliana to respond so earnestly. Perhaps it was either from battling ‘Wrath’ or a change of heart following the recent events.

Either way,

“Given that we were involuntarily drawn into this, standing by idly wasn’t an option. There’s no need to express overly grand gratitude, right?”

“Exactly. From the Witch Cult’s perspective, perhaps occupying the city was a side objective. It’s impossible to discern who saved whom.”

Subaru and Emilia argued that it was difficult to straightforwardly accept their praises for repelling the Witch Cult’s assault. Indeed, a large part of the resistance was the merit of those gathered here, but the Sin Archbishops’ goals—including ‘Emilia,’ ‘Artificial Spirits,’ and ‘The Grimoire of Wisdom’—were factually brought by outsiders.

All the pieces had come together for Emilia’s faction in an extraordinary hand, making it hard to accept without skepticism.

“Wait a minute. I mean, don’t declare this some collective agreement on our behalf or anything. It’s true we wouldn’t have been able to take down the Witch Cult without us, right? That needs a proper acknowledgment.”

“Although it’s frustrating, I too agree with that beggar girl. Don’t drag us into your common angst, you vulgar half-demons and commoners.”

However, the blunt words from both Felt and Priscilla contradicted Subaru and the others.

After finishing their declarations, the two exchanged glances, instantly looking displeased and diverting their gazes. After all, these were two who didn’t get along.

Then finally,

“Please calm down. While I appreciate Emilia-sama’s words, as Felt-sama and Priscilla-sama mentioned, the defense of the city is the accomplishment of all of you. I can firmly assure you of that as the representative of the city. — Therefore, could I ask for your strength a little longer?”

“What do you mean by strength…? Could this relate to the next topic of discussion?”

“Yes. It’s about the residents who were transformed into unknown shapes due to vile forces.”

“——-”

At Kiritaka’s somber voice, everyone present fell silent.

The implication of the youth’s words—everyone here understood that. The townspeople who had been caught in the grip of ‘Lust’ and turned into non-humans, the officials of the city hall.

One had transformed into a black dragon, and the rest into gigantic flies.

Affected by ‘Lust’s powers of mutation and transformation, they could do nothing about their state. Though they had likely been gathered together to mask their existence.

“We’ve lost track of who caused this—’Lust’ slipped through… No, earlier than that, even if we were to capture ‘Lust’ themselves, there’s no guarantee they would have the will to revert them.”

“That’s true… but we can’t just leave them be, right? Do we have any methods or ideas on what to do? I heard it was impossible, even for Felix.”

Those who could not return to their original forms were fundamentally different from injuries or ailments.

As Subaru’s gaze met Felix’s, he shook his head and bit his lip.

“For me, that’s too much to heal. No, it’s not about whether it can be healed or not. They weren’t injured or ill, they were just transformed into those shapes. Healing magic could at most work to return from injuries or illness to an optimal state. That’s why this transformation is impossible to fix with healing magic.”

“To be honest, it’s difficult to discern whether those who’ve turned into flies still hold consciousness. I can’t distinguish them, and flies of human size can’t even fly. Their wing movements are undeveloped and incomplete. But if they do have their own consciousness…”

“The circumstances would drive them mad if they truly understood…”

To have their forms altered into something unrecognizable.

That was terrifyingly disturbing even just to imagine, but if what they had become was something non-human—an abomination, it would only be worse. Having lost all means to express their will, and unable to move their bodies freely, the last thing they might desire was easily predictable.

That is, precisely,

“Those abominable things transformed into insects, they surely wish for death. If there’s no hope of restoring them, could granting them that be considered mercy?”

“Princess, that’s…”

“Silence, Al. Empty words of optimism have no meaning. I bear no mercy for the slothful swine, but I possess enough kindness to sever the fate of those tormented by injustice. That’s what it is.”

Al, who unwittingly voiced bitter words, was cut off by Priscilla’s harsh opinion. Still, Al refrained from arguing further simply because, on the surface, Priscilla’s opinion wasn’t entirely unfounded.

Naturally, he held no belief that they ought to let them die. However, the notion that having been turned into flies, they might desire death due to their unknown means back to their original state was entirely logical.

“It’s impossible to negotiate with the culprit ‘Lust.’ Without healing magic, how do we proceed?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you all. It’s okay even if it’s an uncertain possibility. Does anyone have any insight into a cure?”

Kiritaka’s plea, laced with both hope and resignation, contained more resignation than anything else. Naturally, if there was some desperate possibility somewhere, surely someone would have suggested it by now.

Hence, when there had been no references made to solutions until this point,

“I see. I apologize for the trouble. The treatment of those individuals is a matter for the city. The rest will be taken care of by us.”

“What will you do with that?”

“Whether it’s possible remains to be seen… But I believe we should confirm the will of the individuals involved and regard their conclusions. Regardless of what final opinions arise, I’m prepared to ensure they’re cared for until the end.”

That was more about until they could revert or keeping a watchful eye on their lives until their very end. Kiritaka’s conclusion seemed unavoidable in some sense.

It might be unavoidable, but it was still premature.

“Wait. — Uh, can I have this entrusted to me?”

“Emilia-sama?”

As the discussions were nearing closure, Emilia shot her hand up in urgency. Subconsciously feeling the weight of hope and anxiety focused on her, Emilia gazed directly at Kiritaka.

“I don’t know how to restore those people right this moment… I’m sorry. But I don’t want to draw hasty conclusions about them. I need time.”

“I understand Emilia-sama’s intent. However, will they have that time? With bodies transformed, how long could their spirits remain balanced is extremely questionable…”

“Yes, I understand. That’s why I want to create time to protect their hearts. — It might be a rough method, but I believe it’s possible. A means to let them sleep.”

“I see… Cold Sleep.”

Subaru snapped his fingers as he realized Emilia’s intentions.

Feeling the shift in the atmosphere as people around them tilted their heads at the unfamiliar sound, Subaru nodded toward Emilia.

“So, similar to what was done with the brides of the church? With Emilia-tan’s magic, we’ll put the transformed people into a state of suspended animation. While it may only defer the conclusion, it’s enough to buy time. During this time, we could discover a way.”

“Can we freeze them while they just sleep…? Wouldn’t it just mean they freeze to death as if they’re merely sleeping?”

“Relax, it’s fine. Even if it was a short time, I’ve done it for the brides, so I know how to handle it, and I’ve been asleep for around a hundred years myself.”

“You’ve been asleep yourself…?!”

Unnecessary murmurs spread throughout the assembly, but at Emilia’s words, Subaru clenched his fist.

It was rare to see Emilia speak favorably about her magic with this conviction, and it was even a play that Subaru hadn’t considered.

Sure, this wouldn’t lead to a fundamental solution, but when it came to finding alternatives to ‘Lust’, every moment gained was worth it. At the very least, not being under a time restriction would greatly enhance possibilities.

In the worst-case scenario—indeed, it was the worst-case, but there was potential.

Defeating ‘Lust’ with his own hands or perhaps Subaru could revert them back using the powers of the Witch Factor he absorbed from ‘Greed.’

He had only recently taken in the Witch Factor of ‘Greed’, so re-creating powers similar to that of the Sin Archbishop was likely still beyond the realms of fantasy.

“…If that were really possible, then I’d definitely want to ask you to do it.”

“Let me handle it. I promise it won’t go poorly.”

Kiritaka, who was hesitant and lost in thought, was again approached by Emilia. Despite Kiritaka’s turmoil, it was Liliana beside him who tugged at his coat hem.

“Why are you hesitating, Kiritaka-san? Why don’t you let them do it! Emilia-sama is saying that with all her might, obviously, she has a plan in mind!”

“Of course, I want to believe in that as well, Liliana. But this concerns many lives. It’s not that easy to reach a conclusion…”

“Rest assured! I’ve no doubts about Emilia-sama! And why? Because in all legends of great persons, they overcame such trials with ease! No matter how high or thick the walls were, it’s the heroes who overcome that! The stories that stir blood and flesh and captivate all are born from that!”

A lighthearted melody like a lyre echoed throughout the assembly hall.

Liliana’s idealism, without any basis, oddly held strange persuasive power. Of course, it was no easy conclusion to push through based purely on that.

“At the very least, we should ask the families involved. If the city hall personnel are the victims, then their families should be in the same city, right? We ought to ask whether we’re willing to keep the possibility open.”

“…There’s no way anyone will abandon their family with such a question.”

“Then we move on to whether or not we can leave it to Emilia. As for whether or not to trust Emilia… well, I suppose I’d want to ask the city’s consensus about that.”

Kiritaka’s gaze hesitantly shifted to Emilia. If she flinched now, perhaps the debate might have dragged on even longer.

However, Emilia stood her ground, nodding back to him, undeterred.

“Leave it to me. — I will definitely make this work.”

That sense of confidence and conviction—though it wasn’t entirely the same nuance of feeling, Emilia showed her strong awareness and determination toward her actions.

“——”

Kiritaka became speechless, silenced by Emilia’s declaration and gaze.

Moreover, the looks of those around them now reflected a wave of diverse emotions directed toward Emilia, unlike any before.

Eventually, Kiritaka heaved a deep sigh, saying,

“I understand. Rather than rushing to a premature conclusion, we should strive to meet that hope. Otherwise, battling to protect Pristella would have seemed completely reckless from the start.”

“Yeah. Thank you very much.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one thanking you…?”

Kiritaka smiled sheepishly, claiming he had no place in this. After the meeting, it seemed feasible for Emilia’s magic of Cold Sleep to be executed, which would occur after confirming with the families of the victims.

To Emilia’s nodding, Subaru responded with a thumb’s up.

And so, after concluding the second topic, the last issue to be raised was—

“Now for the final topic… we’ve had reports come in from various parts of the city regarding unidentified individuals who are unconscious. We would like to discuss this matter.”

This was, undoubtedly, a topic that the forgotten knights who had been silent all this time could not afford to miss.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“The current number of reported ‘Nameless’ is thirty-six. Among them, six are believed to have been part of us, ‘White Dragon’s Scale.’ Moreover, there is a high likelihood that the number of ‘Nameless’ will continue to rise.”

The individual identified as Dainas, the representative of ‘White Dragon’s Scale,’ delivered the report before the discussion. He touched the dragon emblem embroidered onto his white garb, his expression heavy with remorse.

It was likely the emblem designating the ‘White Dragon’s Scale.’ The vague statement of ‘believed to have been a member’ likely related to that emblem.

“So, is it correct to say that ‘Nameless’ refers to those who were victimized by that Sin Archbishop? The ones that suddenly appeared as if they were summoned.”

“Given the situation, that seems to be a reasonable assumption. Their uniforms all bore the same embroidery… it truly pains me to have no idea about their true identities.”

“And there are thirty more in a similar position… It’s tough to say. Even if it was unclear, determining whether they existed gets pretty tricky.”

The victims of ‘Gluttony’—those whose names were devoured, posed a complex issue in some ways even more so than the victims of ‘Lust.’ After all, the identities of those victims were wiped clean from the memories of relations around them. If they lacked conscious awareness altogether, there were essentially no clues to investigate their true identities.

Even being a known member of the ‘White Dragon’s Scale’ didn’t provide a stronger lead. It served merely as an identification marker.

“All the found ‘Nameless’ are reported to be unconscious, correct? What’s the diagnosis looking like on your side, healer… or rather, your brother?”

“…Like ‘Lust’ as well. I can’t grasp the reason for their unconsciousness. The diagnosis results in just being asleep, I think. But even that is uncertain. Though they’re just asleep, they should visibly weaken, yet there’s the case of Rem-chan.”

At Felix’s words, Felix cast a glance at Subaru.

A year ago, similarly affected by ‘Gluttony’, Rem also underwent the same diagnosis under Felix’s care. The diagnosis results were precisely the same. And until today, Rem had not awakened, but neither had she fallen in ill health.

Though she appeared fast asleep, it seemed her body didn’t need to engage in any life-sustaining activities. Her hair hadn’t grown, nor was there any need for waste. It was a puzzling state of affairs.

“Putting aside if we can identify them, it’s fairly easy to provide care for them. They’ll most likely remain bedridden eternally; all we have to do is lay them on the bed. …It would be preferable for someone who knows who they were to stay by.”

“The difficulty is that we can’t find exactly those ‘Nameless;’ seems we’re at a standstill. That’s indeed a challenge.”

Subaru spoke to Rem, half-aware that this was a futile dialogue. What truly mattered for Rem was to defeat ‘Gluttony’ and nothing else.

Even knowing that, and granting this modest resistance was merely his own self-satisfaction.

In the midst of Subaru’s thoughts, Riccardo spoke unassumingly.

“Don’t make a pitiful face, brother. It’s a fact I messed up, but live I did. Looking at it from this angle, it’s a better outcome than what happened, right?”

Noticing Subaru’s gaze, Riccardo raised his missing right arm as if showing it. Apparently, during the violent battle at the Control Tower, Riccardo lost his right arm due to a strike from ‘Gluttony.’

He had heard of this from Julius, that Riccardo had lost his arm while protecting him—something Riccardo himself could not remember.

To prove this, Riccardo diverted his gaze slightly, stating,

“Anyway, that handsome guy over there, you knew him, huh? Seems you’ve found the person you were looking for. Thanks for helping out back there.”

“——-”

Calling Julius ‘handsome,’ Riccardo was casually addressing an acquaintance. Given the flow of the conversation, Julius must’ve avoided Riccardo’s inquiry with the same words he used to confuse Subaru earlier.

It was Julius who likely carried the injured Riccardo into the shelter, so that last bit of thanks must have referred to that part of it.

However, leaving this misunderstanding unresolved felt excessively painful.

And since the topic had veered towards ‘Gluttony,’ it was perhaps time to speak up.

“I have something important I want to discuss with everyone. It’s related to the treatment of the ‘Nameless.'”

Standing up, Subaru drew everyone’s gazes toward him.

Currently, regarding measures for ‘Nameless,’ Subaru held the most information. Naturally, he felt a wave of expectations lingering in their glances, but Subaru shook his head.

“Sorry to disappoint, but to be honest, it’s not a conversation that can quickly transform into hope. Still, it’s something we need to talk about.”

“What’s this, a grand preamble that’s making me uneasy? What’s on your mind?”

Doing her best to lighten the atmosphere, Anastasia teased Subaru. Yet she herself was likely one of the individuals most needing to prepare herself for reality’s arrival.

Maybe the fact could flip her present emotional state upside down.

Subaru took a small breath, sweeping his gaze across everyone’s faces. Finally, the last gaze landed on Julius, who slightly tensed his cheeks but nodded nonetheless.

Granting that acknowledgment, Subaru indicated Julius with a hand and posed a question.

“Does anyone here recognize the name of the person sitting next to me?”

“——-”

With Subaru’s inquiry, silence encompassed the assembly hall.

The quiet remained, though it wasn’t rooted in confusion. Everyone sensed the intent behind Subaru’s question and contemplated Julius’s status.

And with that no one speaking up suggests there wasn’t anyone who had a clue to Julius’s identity, it meant—

“Al! What about you? Do you recognize this face?”

“Huh? Why the sudden call-out, bro? What’s up with that?”

Al responded with genuine surprise when called so abruptly. The reaction alone was proof enough of whether or not Al remembered Julius, yet Subaru couldn’t let it go unverified.

Leaning over the round table, Subaru inquired closer to Al’s side.

“Do you truly not know? You and I share a commonality. Remember, does this guy ring a bell for you? Just answer, please.”

“…Oh, I see. Sorry, brother, I get what you’re saying, but I can’t be of help. There’s no trace of that guy in my memory.”

“Are you seriously saying that? Could you please take it a bit more seriously…?”

“That’s enough. —That’s plenty, Subaru.”

Al grasped the underlying intent of questioning the narrative of the otherworldly summoning but still wouldn’t nod in agreement. Subaru, not ready to let go just yet, was held back by Julius himself.

Julius wore a lonely smile while patting Subaru’s shoulder before bowing slightly to Al.

“My apologies for placing undue expectations on you. Allow me to make amends for my rudeness.”

“You don’t have to apologize. Doesn’t seem like we had any obligation… I’m not sure if it was here or there, but you’ve no need to apologize to me.”

Raising his one working arm, Al turned away from Julius.

There was no hint of falseness in that response. Al undoubtedly appeared to have no memory of Julius—definitively a fact. That meant part of Subaru’s reasoning had gone awry.

The influence of ‘Gluttony’ had left them all oblivious to others or whatever world they came from.

Realities led Subaru to believe that the more likely reasons rested with the Witch Factors in his own body, along with Beatrice’s magical “door crossing” that resulted in isolation from the external world.

“From the context of our discussion, Subaru-dono, we could consider this youth was one of our associates… quite likely a significant figure among us?”

Watching the interactions of the three, Wilhelm proposed that hypothesis. The reasoning might have been something the others also reached.

Subaru nodded in agreement towards Wilhelm, then faced Julius again.

“This here is Julius—Julius Euclius. As everyone might have guessed, he’s one of those whose ‘name’ was devoured by ‘Gluttony’ and turned into the ‘Nameless.’ But his status isn’t the same as that of others; —he retains his consciousness.”

“There’s such a case? To remain forgotten by those around while they retain their knowledge… then this person likely has connections to one among us?”

In shock, Felix traced Subaru’s and Julius’s faces with darting glances multiple times. To his tremors, Reinhardt replied, “It seems likely.”

The ‘Sword Saint’ gazed calmly at Julius as he continued,

“Prior to this meeting, I had the same question posed by Subaru and the others. He… Julius must have been acquainted with me and Felix. It’s conceivable he shared a bond even deeper than mere familiarity. Perhaps he is a friend.”

“…At the very least, I considered you all as friends. If you felt of me the same, it would be an immense honor.”

“Friend…? So, is Julius a knight then? One of the Royal Guard?”

Surprised by being called friends without knowledge, Reinhardt and Felix appeared confused. Julius, half-resigned, half-accepting, attempted to correct that erroneous interpretation.

Watching their exchange, Subaru’s insides burned with fury.

What a grotesque and sickening spectacle!

Subaru wasn’t privy to how the three had met, how their friendship developed, or what friendships they enjoyed.

Still, they had shared camaraderie and familiarity, having interacted warmly with each other. The solid bond they possessed had now been entirely shattered.

When Rem’s name was devoured, and everyone she interacted with forgot her, Subaru once thought there could be no sorrow greater than that.

However, look at Julius now. His position felt like a one-sided sense of loss, being altogether left behind in a world now far isolating. If this wasn’t sadness, what could it possibly be?

Sadness doesn’t warrant comparison. Yet, even so, this felt too cruel.

“…This talk of just one among the Royal Guard doesn’t add up.”

As the friends’ painful first meeting seemed almost forgotten, Anastasia’s voice suddenly cut through.

With a somewhat pensive expression, she laid a gentle hand against her chin, then pointed first at Riccardo, before gesturing towards Julius.

“Julius-kun over there is the one who carried the heavily injured Riccardo back and treated him. After talking for a bit, he then went off searching for someone… That reaction gives a clue to what this is all about, doesn’t it?”

“Lady Anastasia…”

In this unusual second first meeting between master and servant, Julius recalled that bitter memory, calling out her name with a pained expression.

However, Anastasia didn’t grasp the tremulous loyalty woven into his words. After pondering for a moment, she faced forward and raised one finger.

“A case like Julius-kun is a rare type of ‘Nameless.’ I can’t say how many are in the city with the same condition, but there might be others who can be confirmed to be in a similar state as these unconscious ‘Nameless’… That alone stands as a considerable issue, don’t you think?”

Turning her gaze away from Julius, Anastasia redirected the main theme of the discussions toward the larger concerns. As such, it indicated that Julius’s identity had become a problem requiring actions postponed for later.

That was a rather unfair treatment for Julius at this moment, yet only Subaru harbored feelings of indignation about that in the assembly.

“In light of these issues… I have a proposal, may I present it?”

“What sort of proposal?”

Respecting Subaru’s inner turmoil, the meeting’s gaze transitioned back toward Anastasia.

Standing at the center of attention, she scanned the room, finally setting her sights on both Julius and Subaru before speaking once more.

“It concerns the victims of the Witch Cult… the casualties of ‘Lust’ and ‘Gluttony,’ where I have hope that ways can be devised to draw answers from either of them, though it seems defeatism reigns in our attempts toward that goal.”

“It’s certainly correct it’s challenging to pry answers from them. Yet overly pessimistic views can blur vision.”

“I don’t think in an overly negative light either. I merely mean to say it’s not like there is only one way to extract those answers.”

“Extracting answers through another method?”

Subaru returned a repeat of her words, failing to grasp the meaning behind them.

The perpetrators were indeed Archbishops of Sin—extractions name from them, doing so seemed implausible; if such a method existed, perhaps it would be as close as a transaction with a witch.

For an instant, that very idea, that ‘Witch of Greed’ might know something, shot through Subaru’s mind—a choice he should not judge.

“So what does that mean? Please be clear with your statement.”

But shaking off those unfounded thoughts, Emilia pressed Anastasia for clarity. Thus, Anastasia tapped her own head with her fingers and continued,

“If we can’t draw out the malignant words from that uncharitable Archbishop, we can just ask others who seem to know. —There’s bound to be someone within this nation who possesses such knowledge.”

“Wait… are you suggesting…?”

As soon as the implication dawned on the audience, a few gasps escaped.

In contrast to others realizing, Subaru was clueless as to what she meant exactly.

“I don’t get it! Stop holding back; just spit it out!”

Voice tinged with irritation, Felt pushed Anastasia for an answer. Anastasia laughed lightly and apologized with, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” before revealing,

“—Sage Shaura.”

“Huh?”

“If it’s the ‘Sage’ who should be at the Pleiades Watchtower, the legendary person who can see all of this world’s occurrences, it wouldn’t be strange if she had knowledge of such things.”

And thus, she unveiled the true intentions behind her proposal.

“`

 

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