――The space warped, the world tore apart, and I fell straight down into the resulting fissure.

　It was as easy as tearing thin paper, exposing the cut, and the world easily ripped apart.

　As Subaru’s eardrum was swallowed by the distortion, no noise penetrated in contrast to the grand visual effect.

　What I could hear was only my own scream and someone calling for me.

　That too faded away, eventually becoming inaudible.

　The touch that had been there also receded, fingers were pulled away, and distance grew.

　Would I be thrown into a place with no one and nothing, to be alone?

　While tormented by such loneliness and sorrow, Subaru’s consciousness slowly surfaced.

　And――,

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“――How long are you going to sleep? Get up already, Balus!”

“Pororokka!?”

　A sharp sensation stabbed into my side, and with the shock, Subaru screamed.

　I instinctively jumped up, and the sand that clung to my body rose in a cloud of dust. I coughed and spat out the gravel in my mouth.

“Ugh! Spit! Cough! What the heck? What happened!?”

　Rubbing my eyes roughly, I stood up and checked my surroundings. But the uneven ground mocked my attempt to rise. Underfoot was still a sea of fine sand.

　Memories of just before losing consciousness came flooding back, and I determined that this was the continuation of the Augria Sand Dunes. However, the scenery around me was indistinct. It was dark, too dark.

　In this dark abyss, Subaru’s eyes caught only the presence of artificial light.

“This is ridiculous, sleeping in such a situation. I can’t even be amazed.”

　A harsh voice rained down, and the owner of the light snorted softly.

　The light emitted was a kind of magic stone craft, a lantern made from processed Ragmite ore. Looking at the face illuminated by the light, Subaru furrowed his brow.

“――Ram, right?”

“Who else would it be? I don’t expect a boring answer like Rem.”

“…Even though you and Rem look alike, the essence that seeps out is completely different.”

　Responding to Ram’s words, which felt more acerbic than usual, Subaru brushed off the sand from his knees. Then he accepted the lantern she offered, lightly shining it around.

“Where are we? What happened?”

“I’d like to know where we are too. As for what happened, it’s three steps worse than what you can imagine.”

“Are you expecting me to be an optimist or suspecting me of being a pessimist?”

“In this case, which one is preferable, I wonder?”

　Her response probably included a shrug.

　In the darkness, where even the figure of Ram beside me was uncertain, the space illuminated by the lantern was incredibly vast. We seemed to be inside a hollow of some sort.

　Above us was a faintly high ceiling, and the wall connected, proving the expanse of depth.

“I can’t feel outside air, and I can’t see the sky. Did we get thrown somewhere?”

“If Beatrice’s words before the separation were correct, it’s likely due to the distortion in space.”

“Separation… right, the separation! What about the others!?”

　Listening to Ram’s calm, emotionless words, understanding caught up with reality.

　Subaru moved the lantern left and right, searching for the silhouettes of anyone other than Ram. However, in the space illuminated by the light, the figures he desired wouldn’t appear.

“As you can see, we’ve been separated. Balus’s magic nullified the illusion until the watchtower… as a result, it’s uncertain if we entered the right path or became trapped in time-space distortion, wandering here forever.”

“Is this the time to say that!? Why are you so calm!? With you and me together, that means… we’ve been randomly thrown apart!”

　Subaru’s face turned pale, raising his voice at Ram’s tranquil explanation.

　He quickly recalled when Beatrice screamed, and the space before them tore apart. That fissure had completely swallowed Subaru and the group, dragging them into another realm.

　At that moment, although he and Ram were companions, they should have been in separate groups. Subaru was riding on Patrasche, while Ram would have been inside the dragon carriage.

“With this separation, just us having touched wouldn’t qualify as a condition for traveling together. At the moment the fissure opened, Ram should have been holding Rem… and look where we are now.”

“I should’ve been clinging to Beako too, so where is she? Is she really gone? Are we the only ones here? What kind of arrangement is this?”

　If the condition for separation wasn’t contact, then there must be some reason behind it.

　This time, the group consisted of eight members. Other than the common point shared by Subaru and Ram, there shouldn’t be any special significance. So, it seems to be completely random.

“No, let’s set aside the speculations for now! More importantly, we need to hurry and reunite with everyone… No, wait! We need to prioritize finding Rem!”

“――――”

“Since it’s just us two, that’s still acceptable. If the others are also separated with someone, there’s still hope. But if someone is alone, and that happens to be Rem… that would be the worst.”

　Emilia and Julius, the two who bore the combat strength in the current group would probably be fine.

　Meily and Beatrice could manage individually with their respective abilities. As for Anastasia = Eridona, she likely possessed a trump card against “Lust.”

　The other characters could arguably be better than the combination of Subaru and Ram.

――But Rem was a different story.

　Rem, uniquely, was completely incapable of autonomous action.

　Even if she were with someone, protecting her while she continued sleeping would be a daunting task. And worst case, if separated, Rem could be all alone, existing just to await “Death” in this lonely sea of sand.

“We must make reuniting with everyone a top priority, but securing Rem comes first! I can’t just leave her in this desolate place. That is absolutely… absolutely unacceptable. Never, ever…!”

“…Balus.”

“I said I would bring her back… I thought if I could meet the ‘Sage’ maybe I could wake her up, and look what happened. It can’t be. I absolutely won’t let Rem be…!”

“Balus, calm down. Right now being agitated…”

“Why are you so calm!? Just because you’ve neglected to remember Rem doesn’t mean you’re not worried!”

“――You really think so?”

　Imagining the worst possibilities, Subaru rapidly spoke of a desperate future and regret. Ram suddenly exploded, unable to contain herself at his words.

　She grabbed Subaru by the collar, forcefully pushing him against the sandy wall.

“Do you think you’re the only one worried about Rem? Don’t get ahead of yourself, Balus. Even if I can’t feel it, I am Rem’s sister. Don’t belittle that.”

“――――”

“…I have a faint connection with that girl. So, I trust she’s safe for now. Just believe that and calm down for the time being.”

　Her expression didn’t reveal raw emotions. However, within her eyes, where she tried to maintain composure, the anxiety and concern were evident, causing Subaru to relax his stiff shoulders. Seeing this, Ram also removed her arms. Freed from the wall, Subaru hung his head.

“…I’m sorry. I really am. That was just me being stupid and the lowest.”

“Overall, this is typical. Just by living, if you kept on regretting, a day would end with that alone. Stop with the pointless self-reflection.”

“…Yeah, sorry.”

　Feeling Ram’s sharp tongue as her own way of reprimanding him, Subaru offered one last apology. Then he slapped his own cheek hard to refocus.

　Although Ram assured him of Rem’s safety, the anxiety of her being alone still lingered. The urgency of needing to reunite with everyone remained unchanged.

“Anyway, let’s hurry to regroup. Ram, can’t you search for Rem’s location with your empathy?”

“Difficult. Because she’s sleeping, I can only feel her heartbeat. I have ‘Clairvoyance,’ but… that isn’t very reliable either.”

“Why’s that?”

“This sand dune is full of magical beasts, and there are hardly any ordinary plants or animals. ‘Clairvoyance’ won’t work if the wavelength doesn’t match with mine. I can’t overlap with magical beasts. For the current team, I could borrow my vision only from Balus’s Earth Dragon.”

“Patrasche, huh? No, that’s still good enough. If Patrasche or the Giant is with someone, I want to know. Especially if the dragon carriage still exists.”

“That doesn’t really help.”

　Feeling frustration at Ram’s lukewarm attitude, Subaru twisted his head. At this point, he wanted as much information as possible to regroup.

　Yet she was hesitating with that, leaving him confused about her true feelings.

　But before he could put those words to verify her intentions, the answer appeared sooner.

“――?”

　Suddenly, in the corner of his vision, there was another light beside the lantern in Subaru’s hand.

　Frightened by the unsettling memory of the flash in his peripheral vision, he crouched down reflexively, but the light that came forth was unrelated, swaying gently.

　The light gradually approached, and as its contour slowly became clearer,

“Looks like the discussion wrapped up for Ram-san and Natsuki-kun, huh?”

“――Anastasia and Patrasche?”

　Familiar Kararagi dialect descended upon him, and Subaru lifted his head slightly in surprise. In front of him, straddling Patrasche with another lantern in hand, was Anastasia.

　At her inquiry, Ram pinched the hem of her robe and bowed in place.

“Thank you for your concern, Lady Anastasia. So, what’s the situation around here?”

“I just peeked a bit further in, but I don’t see any of the others. It seems we three have been thrown here… and only this child.”

“I see.”

“Don’t let that weigh you down. It might not be comforting, but try not to let it bother you.”

“Thank you for your consideration. Yes, I’m aware… I think.”

　To the dragon rider Anastasia, Ram answered politely. From the flow of their conversation, Subaru barely managed to conclude that Anastasia had been surveying the surroundings.

　However, that was as far as his understanding would go; he could not accept the lack of explanation.

“Hey, Ram. Didn’t you say it was just the two of us here? What’s going on? Explain it!”

“Ram has never once claimed it was just the two of us. Balus just jumped to conclusions and got all excited about it. Pathetic.”

“If you’re too worried about Rem to consider other things, then say something cute, sis.”

“Ha!”

　At Subaru’s remark, Ram snorted in her usual teasing tone.

　Feeling a sense of recovery from that attitude, Subaru approached Anastasia.

“Well, regardless of being conned, it’s good to hear Anastasia is safe. I’m relieved.”

“I’m not involved in your deceit, so don’t misunderstand. I’m relieved not to be alone either. And thanks to Natsuki-kun’s Earth Dragon, Patrasche, I’m glad to have a good child here.”

　Lifting a leg to dismount, Anastasia cautiously tried to get down from Patrasche. Patrasche slowly squatted down to assist with her descent.

　As expected, a capable Earth Dragon. A handsome Earth Dragon, mind you.

　Even if it’s a female.

“There’s no one else hiding, right? This is truly the four of us?”

“Counting Patrasche-chan, it’s definitely four of us. There’s no reason for Emilia-san and Julius to not show up… well, as for Meily-chan, who knows?”

“Maybe she took advantage of all this commotion to sneak away. …I wouldn’t deny it.”

　Imagining the girl with braids, Subaru contemplated Meily’s choices.

　Right before the separation, Meily was discovered secretly utilizing magical beasts as insurance, and having returned by “Death,” Subaru knew that Meily had commanded that magical beast to protect the dragon carriage from the attack from the watchtower and the group of Courtesan Bears.

　However, that event didn’t occur in this round, and originally, only the immensity of purpose behind Meily’s choice was known to her own heart.

　Given the situation, it would not be surprising if Meily tried to escape from the group and leave the sand dunes alone.

“Still, I want to believe she hasn’t done that…”

“Hope, or could it be trust?”

“Let’s stick with hope for now. More importantly, what’s going on around here?”

　Setting his stance regarding Meily aside, Subaru sought a search report from Anastasia. She placed her hands into the hem of her robe, tilting her head.

“Well, it’s undoubtedly among the sand dunes, but… I think we’re underground here.”

“Underground? Even further down from the sand dunes?”

“Under the sand of the dunes, yes. It’s not a cave… but it could be classified as a hollow space, noting the temperature is noticeably colder than above, and the air feels heavy.”

　Shaking the front of her robe to emphasize her chill, Subaru nodded.

　Indeed, the chill of the space they were in was far stronger than the preceding scene. The high ceiling and the inability to see the sky matched the speculation.

“Being under the sand dunes… gives me a bad feeling. Let’s hope it’s not the sandworm’s nest.”

“Ugh… that’s…”

　That was a conceivable situation.

　In reality, I had already witnessed the existence of sand worms, and considering the enormity of the creature Meily commanded, this hollow had to be sufficiently vast. The ecology of blind sandworms matched perfectly with the darkness of this unlit hollow.

“By the way, this team lacks fighting power too… It’s just me, Ram, and Anastasia, all non-combatants? Did they deliberately stack us with non-fighters!?”

“With the status of Emilia-san’s knight, to be so openly treated as a non-combatant… this is unacceptable.”

“Please just call it being realistic. I don’t have the confidence to feel self-important without Beatrice on our side.”

　Compared to those with self-defense measures, the members lacking fighting ability truly gathered in this instance. Subaru could be included in that list without Beatrice, and Ram, confined in limitations.

“By the way, where is Beatrice? If you’re her contractor, shouldn’t you feel a connection?”

“Unfortunately, while Beako and I are strongly connected at heart, there’s no actual sense of reality to that. Sure, Beako previously claimed she could feel me, but it’s impossible for me.”

“Useless.”

“Shut up.”

　Subaru averted his gaze from Ram’s sigh, gently leaning towards Anastasia. Then he whispered softly to her steady profile.

“So, can you fight? What’s up with that?”

“――If it comes to it, of course I can fight. But it will cost my life. I’d prefer to avoid that as much as possible. I’m counting on you all.”

“That expectation will be shattered. I can’t say if it’ll be a good or bad one.”

　For just an instant, Subaru nostrils flared at the sight of the moment when Anastasia’s face transformed into Echidna.

　Then he turned to Patrasche, who was quietly waiting for instructions, placing his hand on her snout. The jet black Earth Dragon leaned close silently, rubbing her hard scales against Subaru.

“Ouch, ouch… but I’m relieved. Even without Emilia and Beatrice… it comforts me that you’re here. But this division seems genuinely meaningless.”

“――Balus.”

　Sharing the uneasiness with Patrasche, Subaru turned to Ram’s call. Ram crossed her arms and pointed her chin towards the direction Anastasia had come from.

“We can’t just sit here forever. Let’s move to reunite with the others. Fortunately, thanks to Lady Anastasia, we have a light. Ram will lead the way.”

“Oh… wait, did you bring this light, Anastasia?”

“I only grabbed the emergency supplies prepared by Natsuki-kun just before the dragon carriage was swallowed up. So, I managed to bring a light, a knife, and emergency food.”

　As Anastasia pointed toward Patrasche, a small emergency bag was attached to the strap. That was literally the equipment Subaru had prepared for “emergency escape.”

　He felt relieved that it hadn’t been a wasted opportunity, as he thought that indeed this type of wit wasn’t something to be belittled.

“After all, in this sort of situation, it’s essential to remember to check the emergency exits wherever I stay for the first time.”

“Putting aside idle talk, this is also Balus’s achievement. Now, hold that light, and hurry up with the leading.”

“Sure… wait, is this really a reward?”

　Receiving the lantern, Ram and Anastasia both mounted Patrasche’s back.

　This setup clearly put Subaru in the position of a servant.

“Three people riding is… Hmm, if Ram and I squeeze in, it should work?”

“Let’s not. Lady Anastasia, if we squeeze in close, then I can only imagine Balus getting a bit too cozy in his position!”

“If that’s how you want it, then I’ll imagine something even wilder! And don’t take it as a threat! Don’t underestimate my puberty!”

　With a raised middle finger advocating his point, even Anastasia simply chuckled. Ram’s reaction remained as usual, but Subaru walked forward into the hollow with the lantern.

　It was as if he and Ram had completely forgotten the situation, trading quips. Surely, this was merely a display of bravado so they wouldn’t have to face the unease deep within them.

　Both of them were probably aware of it but chose to say nothing.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

　While grappling with the awkwardness of walking, Subaru and the others progressed through the sandy great hollow.

　Indeed, Patrasche was accustomed to it, moving effortlessly even with two weights on her back. Subaru, aside from the sensation of sand entering his boots, was able to apply what he’d learned over the past few days about walking through the sea of sand without much trouble.

“The wind… feels like it’s coming and going?”

“It is coming. But considering its thinness, we’re still far from the surface.”

　On the way, he wet his fingertips with his tongue to find the wind, but Subaru remained uncertain. In contrast, Ram, sensitive to the wind, sensed that the way out was still a long way off.

　Furthermore, in addition to the exit, the priority remained to reunite with his comrades. Unfortunately, relying on the wind here wouldn’t be any help in that sense.

“Emilia-san and Julius-san shouldn’t get lost, thanks to the guidance of the small spirits. For that reason, I’m tempted to suspect there’s some malicious intent in the choices of the team.”

“I see. Speaking of, the small spirits’ guidance is quite effective, huh? Damn it, in my case, Beako’s presence is so strong, it scares the little spirits away. I’ve got no capacity.”

　It is clear that in terms of strength, Emilia and Julius had advantages not only in combat.

　With members constantly surrendering, exploration couldn’t progress as they hoped. Thus, they were forced to be careful in their surroundings, looking thoroughly as they moved along.

“Ram, but before Natsuki-kun woke up… She was quite chaotic right after being thrown. She was worried about Rem, and now she’s putting up a brave front.”

“…Is that so?”

　Hearing this from Anastasia,’s words caused Subaru to feel guilty about his earlier argument with Ram.

　Having seen Ram spend a year with the existence of her sister erased from her memory, he should have understood. Between them, the faint traces of what had been lost undoubtedly remained, and he had to believe it wasn’t anyone but Subaru himself.

“Still, both frowning with gloomy faces isn’t interesting, so if you’ve reflected on it, you need to look forward straight, right? If you don’t, you’ll overlook important things.”

“…Don’t disrupt the atmosphere. Don’t say too many good things. You’re on the verge of falling for a similar situation yourself.”

“I’d prefer you to separate whatever that is from me, to be honest. If you keep being persistent, girls are going to dislike you. This has been a lesson I learned through experience.”

“I know no other approach. I’ll keep that in mind.”

　They exchanged light banter while masking anxiety and impatience regarding the lack of progress.

　In the midst of their humorous conversation, the group pressed deeper into the great hollow. Thoughts swirled along the path of sand and sand walls— and within those thoughts were a few:

“I’m worried we haven’t encountered a single magical beast, despite being cautious that this might be their nest.”

“That’s what Ram’s been thinking too.”

　Kicking at the sand beneath his feet, Subaru voiced his thoughts, and Ram nodded in agreement.

　As they progressed deeper into the great hollow, nearly an hour had passed. Although the absence of anyone or anything had caused him to fret, what rose more was apprehension and a sense of foreboding.

　Indeed, the lack of enemy presence was something to welcome.

　However, the unnatural quiet stirred the unease— it felt as if they had been severed from reality.

“Don’t tell me we’ve truly been consumed by an alternate dimension that’s disconnected from everywhere else?”

“If that’s the case, then the wind we rely on would have to be coming from somewhere. You think it could be the breath of an excessively large, violent magical beast that rules this hollow?”

“It’s terrifying that I can’t laugh that off.”

　Realistically, anything could happen. He had already seen the world tear apart with his own eyes. It wouldn’t be surprising no matter where the fissure led.

“Leaving aside the malicious choices, it’s hard to imagine that the side that initiated the trick ever thought it would be broken. This wasn’t a planned nullification but a product of circumstance.”

“What does that mean?”

“There’s no point in imagining the worst—that this path leads directly into a magical beast’s belly. ―Look, over there.”

　As Subaru gave into pessimism, he heard Ram’s logical rebuttal. Then, she halted with a confirming gesture for Subaru to look ahead.

　Following her thumb, Subaru strained his eyes as he held the lantern forward. In response, the illuminated passage narrowed, and right before him—

“A fork in the road.”

“Right or left, it seems. What should we do?”

“From what I know, during times like these, the answer is to choose the right, says Kurapika.”

“Who is that?”

　From a behavioral perspective, there was a theory which stated that when a person can’t decide, they unconsciously tend to choose the left.

　Most likely, compiling factors like dominant vision, hand, and foot would make things complicated fairly quickly, but that was one way to arrive at a decision.

　Thus, based on the intellect of the character Subaru knew, he would hope that choosing the right was indeed the correct answer— but.

“So, which way does Balus want to go?”

“…Honestly, I want to go left.”

“What about Kurapika?”

“Who is that?”

　As Ram pressed again for Subaru’s answer, Anastasia poked fun at him.

　Though that exchange could be interpreted as light-hearted on the surface,

――In reality, the faces of the three engaged in this dialogue were pale, and their expressions were stiff. Even the precious Patrasche, who didn’t understand their words, glared sternly at the right path.

　The cause was the overwhelming sense of negativity from the right path.

　To put it abstractly, it was an unsettling intuition. To articulate it more directly, it felt akin to fear.

　Instinct cried out that going to the right was dangerous.

“The right… seems bad. I have a feeling something terrible might happen.”

“Rarely, I find myself agreeing with Balus. Lady Anastasia, what about you?”

“If we were to take a vote following the Kararagi style, two votes would be sufficient to turn it around… Honestly though, I don’t have the courage to choose right here.”

　The gesture of waving her hands to imply “there’s no point” represented everyone’s answer.

　Not just Subaru. Ram and Anastasia felt a sense of unease towards the right path similar to Patrasche. Hence, they could not choose the right road.

“In that case, left it is… Although it too feels like we’re being forced to choose, so I’m not thrilled.”

“Should we go back then? There’s nothing to be gained.”

“Perhaps saying there’s nothing to lose could be too pessimistic.”

　In response to Subaru’s hesitance, Ram and Anastasia urged him onward.

　Reluctantly shrugging his shoulders, Subaru stepped forward to walk in front of Patrasche. Directing towards the left path, they marched straight ahead.

　Even while feeling conflicted, progressing like this would likely separate him from the right path in the hollow. He could feel the sense of pressure, similar to what he experienced behind the sandy walls, fading away, and sensed the tension lifting from his shoulders.

“――This place feels off.”

　Hearing Ram murmur what they both felt, Subaru silently nodded in agreement.

　The overwhelming negative sentiment felt from the right path at the fork influenced his choice to avoid heading there. Another reason rested behind that decision.

――Deep within Subaru’s heart, a part of him cheered for heading down the right road.

　That influence was terrifying.

　This undeniable truth effectively became one of the vital reasons Subaru chose the path he did.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

　The team comprising “non-combatants” proceeded through the hollow, crossing the fork in the road, and several more hours passed.

“――――”

“――――”

“――――”

　Slowly, the conversation also dwindled among the three continuing their search of the vast hollow.

　That silence stemmed from fatigue, but it was also from the spiritual fatigue of time passing in such a monotonous darkness, causing the sense of time to become uncertain.

　In reality, the sense that several hours had passed was merely Subaru’s feeling, and the truth regarding the elapsed time remained unknown. There was a possibility he was making better use of time than he thought or that they might have squandered even more time.

　The only thing they knew was that there had been no progress.

“…I wonder if that fork in the road was indeed the right one.”

“You’re sounding weak after finally speaking? Stop it, it’s embarrassing.”

　Muttering softly, Subaru’s dry lips moved to form a complaint, when Ram stabbed back sharply.

　However, there was no vigor in her tone, hinting that she too was being consumed by anxieties about the manner in which they might yet fail to find anything.

　Even though they had now traversed several kilometers along the shifting sandy path, a sense of apprehension arose that the end of the empty hollow remained invisible.

　Even more, if they reached a dead end, it would be easier to surrender and turn back rather than remain in uncertainty.

“About that flickering light from up top… what do you think it was?”

Fearing the continuation of their pessimistic conversation, Subaru sought to shift the topic.

　The subject he raised was the light from the watchtower, which had originated as their initial trigger— a defensive mechanism of the sand dunes prepared by the sage.

“A needle.”

“A needle?”

　In response to Subaru’s question, Ram answered with minimal words. With a sigh, she smoothed down her pale pink hair, gently patting it down,

“I don’t know the intricate principles, but magic was used to shoot slender needles. The heat the needles generated must’ve come from the casting magic. But it seems the needles were special. They crumbled and vanished after dropping onto the sand.”

“…You noticed all that during that ruckus?”

“You can tell that much from just a glance.”

　She stated it plainly, but that was merely a testament to Ram’s exceptional vision. As evident when he glanced at Anastasia, who shook her head with a hint of disbelief.

　Ram spoke based on her own intuition regarding what she understood.

“What do you think the purpose was?”

“To knock out those who approached the watchtower… yet they bizarrely zeroed in on Balus, that’s puzzling. Avoiding weak enemies first is a battlefield foundation, but perhaps that applies here too.”

“Damn, can’t argue against that!”

　If such conclusions could be drawn from a distance, that made sense. Still, knowing that none of the allied members fell victim was fortunate.

　In fact, it meant that Balus being weak was actually a stroke of luck.

　But in that case――

“Doesn’t it mean establishing friendly contact with the Sage will prove challenging?”

“I think that would be premature. They’ve initiated it with no context on our identities or goals, right? That means there’s still room for dialogue.”

“Moreover, at worst, their interest lies in the sage’s knowledge, not their persona. If they stay mum, it’s easy to subdue them and force them to talk, even if it means causing them pain.”

“Sis, that sounds like villain dialogue!?”

“Means to an end. This isn’t merely a child’s errand.”

　Ram spoke flatly, invoking astonishment from Subaru. The gravity of her words struck home, prompting a realization of his own superficiality and complacency.

　While she might not directly execute such strategies, that she held the resolve to consider them was unmistakable. That alone was proof of the earnestness she held in her devotion to Rem.

“――――”

　Touched by Ram’s determination, Subaru felt he too might need to solidify his own resolve.

It wasn’t the resolve needed to get his hands dirty for Rem. That shouldn’t be something he burdened her with.

What he needed was a determination to achieve results.

Standing face to face with the Sage, no matter what kind of individual it was, he needed the clarity to respond coldly and unwaveringly—such was the courage he sought.

“――――”

“Patrasche?”

　As Subaru bit his lip considering this, Patrasche likewise seemed to hold her breath.

　The Earth Dragon gazed intently down the path, tightening her expression as she softly growled. Noticing this, Subaru came to a halt, and he returned to soothe her. Touching her neck, he inquired, “What’s wrong?”

“Did you sense something? What is it…?”

“――The cause is this.”

　Pausing mid-sentence, Ram instead voiced an explanation on behalf of a speechless Subaru. Anastasia frowned and, much like Patrasche, peered towards the depths of the passage.

　Of course, though nothing was visible in that enveloping darkness, an unperceived sensation drew nearer—to his nostrils wafted the fragrant smell of something burning.

“…Do you think it’s smoke?”

“I don’t sense anything else in the air. Though it certainly doesn’t feel like they’re equipped for cooking.”

“If that’s fire… the source must indicate humans are nearby, right?”

“――――”

　Neither Ram nor Anastasia could nod affirmatively in reply to Subaru’s desperate inquiry.

　They understood her hesitation. Still, the smell was undeniably one of intent—something burning. Ram had mentioned cooking, yet the scent resonated similarly.

Whether it was a campfire or food sizzling over boiling heat. If so,

“Could it be Emilia and the others?”

“If we assume they were thrown to the same location, it’s a possibility. Yet below, it’s hard to determine whether using fire in this situation was ill-advised or rational.”

“――――”

　What manner of beings lay further down the path, there would be no answers found in consultation here.

While the notion of conversing with them to confirm their intentions arose,

“The beings ahead may be human, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be friendly.”

But if they weren’t Emilia and the others, the potential could pertain to the “Sage.” It was hard to imagine that the Sage, supposed to be at the watchtower, would come down here, yet it could not be ruled out.

Should that be the case, engaging them would likely invoke some considerable counterstrike.

“…Let’s conceal our light and move forward. If they’re using fire, that would signify they have light ahead. As for us, it wouldn’t hurt to hide ours.”

“Claiming we won’t gain anything seems foolish anyway, so I think it’s practical.”

　Nodding at Subaru’s suggestion, Anastasia agreed, and Ram followed suit quietly.

Fading the light belonging to Ram’s side, the group prepared to progress using only the illumination from Subaru’s lantern, heading towards the passage filled with the unpleasant smell of burning.

“Balus.”

“Hm?”

“If something happens, I’ll bolt back ahead. Don’t you hold a grudge against me.”

“When that happens, I’ll put a curse on you.”

　Perhaps sensing his own apprehensive feelings rising, Ram’s words provided him a degree of comfort.

Seeing Ram’s lips loosen into a small smile at Subaru’s playful remark, he steered confidently ahead through the corridor. As he felt Patrasche’s breathing behind him, the smell of smoke intensified with every step.

“――! Light ahead.”

Spying a faint flickering red glow ahead in the corridor.

Instantly, Subaru turned down the brightness on his lantern, signaling to the others behind him to remain silent. Then he squatted down, tiptoeing carefully over the sand to verify the source of the light.

One step, then two—he progressed forward, discerning that the light must be just around a bending corner. The passage curved slightly to the left, and the fire emanated from beyond that.

“――――”

Silently reaching the corner, he pressed himself against the wall as he peered around. A gentle warmth brushed against his forehead, and he involuntarily closed his eyes.

　――Moments later, the ground slipped beneath his feet, causing the sand to glide away like a slide.

“What—?!”

Overcome by the sudden surprise, Subaru forgot to brace himself and rolled down the slope. The fine sand resisted his attempts, rolling him down to the bottom without any means to stand.

He collided headfirst into a mound of sand, having plunged headlong down the nearly ten-meter steep incline, and Subaru again spat out sand as he uprighted himself.

“Ugh! Spit! Not sand again… but more importantly…”

Shaking his head, Subaru scanned his surroundings. Overwhelmed by shock, his lantern had slipped from his grasp. Extending his arms around, he felt for something solid nearby.

For a brief moment, he thought he had found the lantern, yet the feel under his fingertips was distinctly different from what he had held just moments before. The surface felt dry, resembling a wooden stick. When he lifted it, it was light but of considerable thickness and length.

“What is this…?”

As he drew closer, peering intently through the darkness, he couldn’t discern it’s true nature.

With hesitation, he took a cautious sniff, and faintly detected an acrid scent akin to charred carbon…

“――――”

Almost instantly upon that thought, a glaring light suddenly flared up behind him.

The reddish, flickering light erupted like a primitive flame; as it illuminated the world surrounding Subaru, he finally realized the true nature of what he had been holding.

――It was likely a creature’s limb.

What had once been an animal burned to ash until it became nothing more than charred remains.

Surrounding the seated Subaru lay the same carbonized remnants of what had once been living beings, leaving him entrenched among countless charred corpses.

“Whoa?! W-Whoa!?”

Throwing the charred limb aside, Subaru instinctively staggered back. However, in retreating, he stumbled directly into the terrifying flames behind, searing his nape, and stumbled forward while clumsily attempting to turn.

Finally gathering the courage to look back to face what lay behind him.

“――――ッ!!”

Wash over by a thunderous roar from directly in front, Subaru began to escape reality.

Why is it that every magical beast’s cry always seems to hit the nerves of humans to stimulate their discomfort to that extent?

An uncountable number of babies wailing in unison, that high-pitched and cracked cry resounded.

　Amidst this space littered with burnt corpses, a grotesque living being, unlike any Subaru had seen before—truly a magical beast, yet one with an entirely different type of appearance.

All the magical beasts Subaru was familiar with were at least a twisted and brutish form, often resembling some composite of existing life forms.

Even the white whale and great rabbit held a foundation of animalistic nature.

Yet, the magical beast currently before him was something he couldn’t simply categorize.

“――――ッ!!”

The wailing beast bore thin resemblances to a horse at a cursory glance.

While slender, it had strong, four legs built to powerfully traverse the earth. It bore a torso supported by those legs and a long tail swaying from its behind, similar to that of a horse.

Nonetheless, where a horse’s neck and head should have connected, a human torso stood in its place. This human torso had two arms in addition to its four legs. Yet there was no head on the human body; instead, protruding from where the neck should have been stood “horns.”

Magical proof, a distinguishing mark that solemnly affirmed it was drastically different from other animals.

Those horns sprouted where a head should have been. Yet where would you find the mouth capable of making that wailing sound other than a long slit vertically splitting the human torso from chest to abdomen, forming a horizontal maw filled with jagged teeth?

“…A monster.”

To call it simply a magical beast would be irreverent. It was evident to Subaru that it represented a grotesque act against a living being.

To Subaru’s knowledge, this approximated half-human, half-horse centaurus—not a complete counterfeit but a grotesque image, as though it had been abandoned mid-recreation.

And the centaurus bore a fiery mane erupting from its human torso, aggressively burning the sandy hollow with incredible fiery force, radiating red light.

With that displayed ferocity, it was apparent who had caused all those burnt corpses strewn across the floor. It was a grave mistake to think the fire had resulted from civilized beings.

“――――”

The centaurus’ arms, those portions serving as the human body, had hands bearing five fingers—human arms in disarray.

The legs, the horse part—its hocks formed into hooves, verging solely on that of a horse overall.

It stood tall, around six to seven meters, a size perfect for striding across this hollow. In other words, the beast that ruled this hollow was right before him.

“…Is this also a trap?”

Subaru gasped for breath, despondent.

There were no means to negotiate. Reflexively reaching behind himself, grabbing the hilt of his whip, he felt that nothing could be done.

And to the breathless Subaru, the centaurus tilted its eyeless head, loud growls erupting from its mouth, further instilling terror.

“――ッ!”

At that moment, Subaru moved as if paralyzed.

Spinning on the sand beneath him, he kicked up one of the charred remains, hurling it at the centaurus. The fully-seared, crispy corpse was pathetically light and made no real impact when thrown. However, it could serve as a distraction, allowing him to scramble up the steep slope to the upper path. Though it meant reversing his steps, he knew he had no time to waste. The questions that loomed were how far this centaurus might chase him after he executed his escape. The reality of the creature that cooked its prey hinted at a terrifying appetite. Of course, given that magical beasts inherently had a nature to inflict harm and murder on humans, the fact didn’t matter whether it worked in his favor.

“Cough—”

　At this inward realization, Subaru became acutely aware that his body had made no movement whatsoever.

He hadn’t managed to throw the carbonized limb or return to an attempt to scale the steep slope before he had taken hold of his whip.

――Everything had already ceased before that; it was the breath of the magical beast that was already igniting Subaru.

“――Oooh!”

As he reached that understanding, searing pain and anguish engulfed Subaru, forcing him to scream. Though he forbade his throat from piercing the fire, it scorched his lungs, consuming any oxygen and rendering his cries dead.

His smoldering skin bubbled and bloated, bursting while unknown fluids spilled across him, instantly evaporating, blood truly boiling.

“――――”

He couldn’t arch his back, nor could he roll in agony.

He felt his limbs and flesh melting, being scorched into a gooey extent. The pain faded somewhere along the way, and he experienced the illusion of floundering within the inferno.

A burn, yes a burn. He recalled having seen somewhere the stages of burning.

I had heard that burns occur in degrees and that after the third degree, scars would remain and skin grafts would be necessary. Furthermore, having burned a third of the skin can lead to skin respiration becoming arduous, ultimately leading to death.

“――――”

Short hair burned to its roots, ear membranes melting and cerebral fluid oozing out. Lips and gums vaporizing laid bare his teeth, leading to shredding his tongue in the pangs of agony. None of it mattered anymore. He was already drowning. Burned, this—could I heal from this?

Even though I had never been confident in my appearance, I feared I would be disfigured by the burns, leading Rem, Emilia, and Beatrice to turn away in disgust.

“――Lus!!”

Everything burned, the view blazing before him. It all burst into flames, turning red, then whitening.

All the blood within me drastically seared, my eyelids melted away, the moisture from my eyeballs evaporated, turning white and clouded, stealing away sight.

All the while, something could be heard. Someone was calling. The wail of an infant echoed. Someone was descending beside him. Foolish. What’s going on? Why are they coming down here? Coming down makes no sense. More importantly, left or right.

Beast, human. No, it burned. Melted, scorched, sleepy.

To melt, to vanish――.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“――How long are you going to sleep? Get up already, Balus!”

“Granburu!?”

　With limbs unwilling to move, Subaru felt the charred thoughts crumbling, dragged back to reality by a sharp jolt.

　Suddenly awakening, Subaru wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, which had been glued by sand.

“Uh, um… huh?”

　He looked around.

It was dark, and he could see nothing. It stirred up those terrifying memories from just moments ago.

“Hyah!”

“…I’m flabbergasted. How can you be so cowed by simple darkness? You’re not a child.”

“――Ah.”

　Subaru, having shrunk back instinctively, opened his eyes wide at that voice.

Illuminated by the lantern, Ram released a light sigh. Then she kneeled there quietly, stroking Subaru’s cheek with her hand.

“A pitiful face.”

“…My face is not melted, right?”

“――I’ve never seen you melt when not in front of Lady Emilia.”

The heat from Ram’s palm against his cheek felt infinitely warmer compared to the earlier sensations.

Thus, Subaru understood. Thanks to the heat of a different kind, he began to comprehend the situation.

　Once again, he had returned after “Death.”

And this was distinctly a different starting point from the two deaths he had faced in the dunes.

He’d have to confront the challenge of navigating through the sandy maze, risking his life.

――The freezing sand flowing through the sea of sand seemed to mock the burnt Subaru.