The cold laughter of the sand and the warmth of Ram’s touch transmitting from my palm.

Both are the reality for Natsuki Subaru at this moment, and the ‘present’ that must be accepted.

“…Ram”

“What is it?”

“Your fingers are smooth and feel nice… ouch!”

“Don’t get cocky, you brat.”

“Could you please stop using my name in such a derogatory way!?”

Having made a careless remark, Subaru was slapped, and with teary eyes, he made his complaint. However, Ram, holding a lantern, did not respond and quickly distanced herself.

Just a moment ago, she had shown an unexpectedly rare kindness, yet now she was cold. –Truth be told, if she kept being that nice, he would be too embarrassed to even hold a conversation.

“This place is…”

“A pitch-dark place that no one knows. You remember how the scenery of the sand sea started to unravel, and the dragon cart was swallowed by the crack, right? I’d rather not explain anything further.”

“No, that’s enough. I get it.”

“…I see.”

As Ram explained the current situation, Subaru accepted it with a deep breath.

That he had ‘returned by death’ and that the ‘return by death’ point had already changed.

–In these sand dunes, Subaru had faced ‘death’ three times now.

Two of those times were on the ground, likely due to the light emitted from the watchtower. But this third time was completely different: he died in the underground by being attacked by a monster.

Recalling the image of his death just a minute prior sent shivers down his spine.

“What an awful way to die…”

Subaru’s cause of death this time was what one might call a fiery death.

His whole body was roasted by bright red flames, burned alive while completely oblivious to everything around him. The scorching tongue of fire licked his entire body, and the sensation of melting was unforgettable.

While he knew in theory that the human body is largely composed of fat, experiencing how easily something could melt away was shocking. The fact that corpses of burned victims are gruesomely destroyed certainly made sense.

“Balus, are you calm now? If you’re okay, we can talk.”

“Y-yeah. I’m good… Are we the only ones here?”

“If that’s the case, then Ram must have left Balus behind to ensure her own safety. Since we’re here together… you should understand, right?”

“Did you unleash your seldom-seen kindness phase again?”

“That’s the most disrespectful remark aimed at Ram, who is an embodiment of love and compassion. –While we were chatting, I’ve returned.”

As she pointed the lantern to the left — which was right from Ram’s perspective — they could see another light approaching from deep within the hollow. The lantern, swaying at a height of one head, was the light of Anastasia, who was riding on Patrasche.

“Looks like Ram-san and Natsuki-kun have finished chatting, huh?”

“…Anastasia and Patrasche.”

Anastasia offered the same first greeting again, wearing a smile as she rode on Patrasche. Ram mimicked her previous actions and politely tucked her skirt.

“Thank you for your consideration, Lady Anastasia. So, how’s the situation looking around us?”

“I did peek a little further, but I can’t find the others. It seems we’re the only three who got sent here… along with this kid.”

“I see.”

“Don’t let your spirits fall. It might not be of any comfort, but…”

“Thank you for your concern. Yes, I understand… I think.”

While expressing concern from atop the dragon, Anastasia’s demeanor felt somewhat different than usual. Since Ram was the one holding the lantern this time, Subaru could see her profile clearly.

As expected from what Anastasia had previously mentioned, Ram appeared slightly worn out, conveying the fact that she had been in a slight panic after separating from Rem.

“It seems only the four of us have regrouped… and the lack of combat power is troubling.”

“You’re not as flustered as I expected, Natsuki-kun. Or did Ram-san cast some special spell on you?”

“Unfortunately, leaving Ram and Balus alone won’t result in anything good. The next day, Balus would be found as a slashed corpse.”

“What’s up with that? Do you have some werewolf game-like characteristics? Scary.”

Subaru’s attempt to project a lively facade made both Anastasia and Ram comment on how calm he was after just having woken up. Given this was the second time, he had grasped the situation quickly, and he wanted to use that to his advantage.

“Ram, just to confirm, you can’t pinpoint Rem’s location through your senses, right?”

“Correct, I can’t. We have a connection, so I can be certain she is alive. Beyond that, I can’t know anything. I can only pray that she’s not alone.”

“If luck or misfortune is tied to one’s usual conduct, Rem’s actions are undoubtedly all good deeds. …I’m absolutely convinced she’s safe.”

If this theory holds true, it would mean Subaru’s endless misfortunes and continual deaths were a result of his own actions, which he chose not to ponder further.

“Also…”

A significant anxiety that Subaru could never reveal to Ram or Anastasia.

The possibility that, due to the updated point of ‘return by death,’ what he was trying to save might begin to slip away.

As it had been impossible to retrieve Rem since her name was consumed by someone.

What if this latest update on ‘return by death’ would result in tragedy for his separated companions?

“That’s absolutely unacceptable…!”

Not being here were Emilia, Beatrice, Julius, Meily, and Rem.

He hoped that no unfortunate events had befallen them.

That they were not suffering where Natsuki Subaru could not reach.

“Balus…–Are you not connected to Beatrice-sama?”

“I tried, but it didn’t work. If the pass was valid, Beako should be able to feel me… yet, despite calling out, the connection is thin.”

“It might be because of the miasma. The spirits can’t last long; even Echidna has been complaining about it. …Only Emilia-san seems to be doing well.”

“Was Beako like that too?”

For someone as resolute as Beatrice, even if she were unwell, she wouldn’t voice it herself. In that case, Subaru had to be vigilant and notice it properly.

Beatrice’s condition affected the safety of the entire group. He’d have to scold her properly when they finally reunited.

“That’s why we must regroup with the others. –Let’s go deeper into the hollow!”

If they ventured further, there was a chance they’d once again encounter the monster that had burned Subaru previously.

However, regardless of that, there was no path but to advance.

To reunite with his important companions, there was no other way but to press on.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

“Natsuki-kun, you’re walking alone, but are you okay?”

“I’m fine. You guys should be careful since Patrasche only seems to trust me. Beako almost has her ringlets bitten off every time.”

“Ahaha, you’re quite the joker. Patrasche-chan is a good girl, so she wouldn’t do such a thing, right?”

“—”

As they moved deeper into the hollow, Subaru led the way while Patrasche made a small noise. That sound somehow meant she wasn’t particularly unhappy.

Perhaps understanding this was a critical situation, Patrasche remained diligent, even while carrying Ram and Anastasia. She truly was the capable girl from Emilia’s side.

With Ram and Anastasia riding on Patrasche, Subaru was the one on foot, traversing the sand maze. They followed the same flow as before, advancing further into the hollow.

Setting off a short while earlier than last time, if they didn’t know when the monster would appear, it was still only an expected time variation.

“That must be its dwelling… could it be a feeding ground or perhaps a playground…”

The hesitation to say “feeding” arose from the overwhelming number of charred corpses he had encountered in that space.

The blackened remains that Subaru had grasped were likely from animals – judging by their shape, those looked like the hind legs of a quadruped, yet there were no signs of them having been eaten. Countless such blackened corpses littered the ground there.

If the monster simply used flames to eat, it might as well be regarded as a gourmet beast that specialized in fire cooking, yet if they were merely roasted and left, that monster enjoyed the act of watching its prey burn to death, making that location a natural consequence of its cruelty.

Outrageous firepower along with its monstrous form.

As Subaru recalled the moment he’d been burned alive, he also felt fear toward that creature existing in such an unnatural form.

“From what I can see, this must be the sand dunes, but it might be underground. What do you think, Natsuki-kun?”

“—”

“Natsuki-kun?”

“Huh? Oh, right. I think so too.”

“Were you really listening? It would be rude to give such a vague answer.”

Subaru froze, realizing how carelessly he had nodded in agreement amid his thinking.

“Of course I was listening. I completely agree after carefully considering everything!”

“When it comes to sleeping, it’s probably better to take off your underwear to prevent messing up your chest shape… is that what you want to affirm? So lewd.”

“Who’s the one bringing such things up to me!? That’s not even what we’re talking about!”

Subaru, flabbergasted, turned to Anastasia for help, but she simply chuckled. Anastasia added, “Don’t worry about it,” and continued,

“That was just Ram-san’s playful teasing. There’s no way we’d discuss something like that in such a dire situation.”

“Y-yeah? That’s right. I panicked. Most importantly, neither Ram nor Anastasia worry about their shapes in the first place…”

“Oh, sorry, Natsuki-kun, my hand slipped.”

“In the past tense!?”

The lantern pressed against his nape, the residual heat from the magic stone caused him to shudder with the recollection of being burned alive. In that moment, he realized he had narrowly avoided rolling on the sandy surface, screaming.

Thus, with his back now on the sand, Subaru glared at the two on top of the dragon.

“Isn’t this sudden? I at least wanted a chance to explain!”

“It’s not right to criticize someone’s physical traits. That shouldn’t happen unless it’s self-deprecating. If it were in Kararagi, credibility would plummet, leaving you with nothing. Right, Ram-san?”

“Ram doesn’t mind it. Also, Rem has large breasts, so it strikes a balance. No problem at all.”

If Subaru started spinning about the beautiful bond between the sisters, he felt he might only invite more ire.

Frowning at the faint pain in his neck, Subaru dusted himself off and cleared his throat.

“Anyway, let’s talk about the real issue. This has to do with us being underground, right?”

“Weren’t you paying attention? Yes, I’m thinking so. The air feels heavy compared to above, and the temperature is lower.”

“I hope this isn’t the hole of a sandworm.”

“…It could potentially be something much worse.”

With that, Ram shivered while aligning her robe to reveal a chill, and Ram nodded in agreement. Subaru intertwining facts softly counted the realities.

Of course, even if it were sandworms, fighting them would be difficult with this power level leading to such a high-ranking monster when there was no way to escape. So it could be argued that something they understood was still better than facing something they didn’t know.

That monster — for the time being referred to as a Centaur — had instantly roasted Subaru, and he had absolutely no idea how he would fight it.

If confronted head-on like last time, he’d have confidence in dying the same way.

“In reality, not just sandworms, there are chances of encountering monsters. These monsters exist in this sand dune, but discussing our countermeasures may be prudent.”

“True. …But from what I know, my knowledge consists mainly of generalities I heard from Meily during the journey.”

“The monsters in the Augria Sand Dunes seem to have become violent due to the miasma, and there are even monsters that shouldn’t exist ecologically. Regardless, knowledge is definitely better than no knowledge.”

As Subaru made that suggestion, Ram and Anastasia nodded in agreement.

As a result, alongside advancing deeper, they began to discuss the nature of monsters.

“Sandworms are ugly and smell awful but, contrary to their ferocity, their physical strength isn’t remarkable. Given their size, Ram’s magic could take them down easily. …In fact, Balus’s whip might not be quite useless.”

“Really? The whip could inflict damage?”

“I’ve heard their temperament is unexpectedly cowardly, and if they taste pain, there’s a chance they’ll retreat. Though that depends on the level of pain, there’s a possibility it’s not a complete loss.”

“I’d rather not run into a kangaroo.”

“Are rodents named after kangaroos actually that vicious?”

“No, they lack combat power. They just fight in a brutal way. They inflate their bodies with air until they burst near their enemies. Then they shower them with their blood and entrails.”

“…Does that mean their blood is toxic or something?”

“No, that’s just unnecessary harassment. But if one of them does it, others will soon follow suit. They’d all end up drenched in blood.”

“Scary!”

As expected of such unknown monsters, many things about their ecology made him cringe. After discussing monsters to a certain extent, Subaru smoothly transitioned to his chosen topic.

“Next up are the monsters I saw from a distance in the dunes… it was a beast with the body of a horse and the torso of a human, breathing fire from its back. Do you know about it?”

“——-”

Following the flow of monster ecology discussions, Subaru revealed the owner of that grotesque description – the Centaur.

With such distinctive traits, if this was a particularly aggressive variant of a pre-existing monster, there had to be clues to exploit.

If it had a clear weakness, such as being vulnerable to water due to its fiery nature, it would be perfect – but…

“…Sadly, I don’t recall such a thing. How about you, Ram?”

“Regrettably, neither do I. It sounds like a creature that would elicit sheer disgust.”

“Well, nobody seems to know then.”

However, in response from the two, they conveyed that they had no familiarity with anything matching the Centaur, or a variation of it. There was no certainty that they’d run into this monster.

“Are you seriously unaware? It has Patrasche’s head as its body, and it has two arms attached. Its chest and abdomen are split longitudinally to form a mouth… Additionally, the upper part of the human torso has horns instead of a head…”

“Ugh… What is that? It sounds seriously creepy…”

“Honestly, I’m freaking out just imagining it.”

The more thoroughly he explained, the lesser their fondness for him appeared to shrink. Even Patrasche seemed to wear a disgusted expression, causing Subaru to droop his shoulders.

It seemed like things were about to get seriously zero on the leads.

“If you spotted such a monster, you’d better have reported it when you realized it. How could you let such a risky monster go unnoticed?”

“Ah, well, that was… it was nighttime. Thanks to Meily’s blessing, the monster never approached us, so I just saw it from afar during that time when you were being treated by Emilia-tan in the dragon cart.”

“Lewd.”

“Dude, are you just trying to say that for the sake of saying it?”

Subaru tried to casually excuse himself, but he couldn’t ignore the disappointment in himself.

He felt it was impossible to prepare for the Centaur without any beforehand intel to work with. He would have to raise a warning about its danger while simultaneously seeking ways to avoid encountering it.

“For now, I’ll refer to it as the Centaur… but I think it’s probably a pretty dangerous guy. It has the torso of a human growing out from its back and sports a fiery mane. It seemed like it could be quite tenacious… with no face, I can’t know for sure, but it certainly felt like it might chase after us.”

“Why would you let something like that go unaddressed? Do you want to die?”

“Looking back, I think my explanation might have had some flaws.”

To thoroughly warn them of the dangers, he kind of went all-in with an exaggerated logic that was difficult to backtrack.

Still, if he conveyed this much, he hoped they could be cautious about the looming risk of encountering that Centaur.

Moreover, dealing with a Centaur didn’t have to revolve solely around confronting it face-to-face.

A more fundamental method had crossed Subaru’s mind.

That is…

“Natsuki-kun, Ram-san. –Let’s pause the chatter for a bit, okay?”

As Anastasia said this, Patrasche was instructed to stop. The intelligent dragon came to a halt even before she uttered the command, lowering her head as if to acknowledge the intention.

Then, as she offered the lantern forward,

“We’ve come to a fork in the path.”

–They were about to face the first measure to prevent running into trouble.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Still, the fork in the road emanated a sense of dread that made Subaru want to frown.

Clearly, that feeling was flowing from the right path.

“Right or left, which way do you want to go?”

“According to Kurapika’s theory, going right is the correct answer.”

“Who is that?”

As always, in this other world, Subaru’s knowledge was an exotic thing.

But it was based on no simply unfounded statements, as Subaru had indeed experienced it borne from firsthand encounters.

“At times like this, humans subconsciously prefer the left side. Various conditions like handedness or dominant eye play a role but even in cases where no conditions are imposed, such behaviors have been empirically proven in behavioral science.”

“While ‘behavioral science’ sounds like a brainy term… won’t you ignore the bad premonition I’m sensing from the right path? Doesn’t it count as a condition?”

Going right could be right – or not, but either way, Subaru thought they should proceed that way.

In making that judgment, Subaru tried to use reason to convince them, yet the strong sense of unease emanating from the right path was hard to dismiss. Both Ram and Anastasia were displaying unease, evident in their expressions.

He had to convince those two, making them proceed right.

Having suffered through ‘return by death’ just to earn an opportunity, he couldn’t let them drift toward ‘death’ again.

“Sure, that unpleasant ambiance is blatant on the right. But this feels overly blatant. It’s almost like a neon billboard saying ‘do not come here’!”

“——-”

“Those ‘sand times’ traps and the monster flowerbed in front of the watchtower—those had an unnaturally intricate setup for something you’d think would be natural. Don’t you think so?”

“So, you mean that Natsuki-kun is suggesting that the Sand Times and the flower bed were all engineered?”

While Ram remained silent, Anastasia followed Subaru’s reasoning and pieced together its true meaning. Subaru snapped his fingers and nodded.

“Because they want to keep us away, they set up traps. If this area isn’t crafted by human hands, then why didn’t we run into monsters in the past one hour since we arrived? We all agreed that this is a part of the Augria Sand Dunes. Given that Meily is absent, if it were indeed a monster’s den, encountering them would be unnatural.”

“Then this must be a place where human hands… no, a sage’s hands have meddled.”

“And we already know that the sage’s character isn’t exactly benevolent.”

“——-”

Though Subaru had involved some heavily layered reasoning to elaborate, he was surprised at how persuasive it had sounded, even to himself.

Indeed, by assessing the journey through the Augria Sand Dunes thus far, the various traps could be called an obstruction on the way to the watchtower—that could be termed a ‘trial.’ Also, it was true that they had hitherto not confronted any monsters in this hollow.

Of course, knowing they would eventually confront the Centaur, had him wrapped around his own imaginings—though perhaps that Centaur could serve as the final guardian—a challenge to prove their strength to enter the watchtower.

In that case, it would be difficult to view whoever added such a trial with any goodwill.

“…Indeed, Balus makes an interesting point.”

“–! Seriously?”

“Why are you surprised to hear your own point? Isn’t that a tad strange?”

As he considered silently, Ram’s response took him aback. Upon spotting his reaction, Anastasia chuckled and raised the bombom on her hat with both hands.

“To be honest, I absolutely don’t want to go right. However, since all three opinions seem to be inclined toward the left, if you say so, I can’t help but express agreement too.”

“That’s not like you, letting your gut instinct guide you. Just going with the flow?”

“It’s merely saying that if I happen to agree with something, I will voice it.”

Her smile deepened, and realistically speaking, there was no way to gauge Anastasia’s ‘guts’ level compared to Ram’s instincts. It must have been a result of weighing her options, debating whether or not to align with Subaru.

“And you, Ram?”

“Exactly what I said earlier. Considering how the sand dunes are turning out, I can see why I’d agree with Balus. No wonder there’s a harsh environment making it tough for anyone to even reach the watchtower… It’s crystal clear that someone has tampered with things.”

“Well, it’s hard to accept that nature is solely responsible here…”

“Thus, while I won’t outright endorse Balus’s reasoning, I can’t say that there aren’t parts worth validating. In that case, checking what’s down the right path doesn’t seem unwise.”

…In simpler terms, it seems they were agreeing to follow Subaru’s reasoning.

“—Great! I’m glad we agreed. Thank you both, I won’t let you down!”

“You bear the responsibility for what you choose. Don’t presume to carry Ram’s burden too. Save your unreasonable heroics for Rem.”

“If I end up making a mistake, I’ll take full responsibility for it. But we can agree on the price later, right?”

“You’re both so snarky!”

As his happiness was quickly dismantled by two fierce banters on responsibility, it seemed the playful nature of their interplay wasn’t lost on them.

“Moreover, overcoming this hurdle isn’t finished merely with persuasion.”

That’s right.

What Subaru had only gained was the chance to take on a challenge, but he had yet to face the actual gatekeeper standing in front of him.

–An overwhelming negative atmosphere seeped from the fork in the path, waiting for a decision.

With palpable heaviness in the air, they were about to step into the foreboding right path.

If this truly was a trial set forth by the sage, what would it think if they chose this route first?

“If you’re waiting ahead, you’d better be ready for a surprise. –I’ll slap your cheek and make you apologize before I find Emilia and the others.”

With that resolution, Subaru raised the lantern and declared for the right path.

And then, behind him, Ram let out a small sigh.

“However, it’s also possible that Emilia-sama and the others are all fine and have arrived at the watchtower before us.”

“Didn’t I say this wasn’t the time to be humble about appearances?”

Slightly sulking, Subaru muttered resentfully before they moved onward.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

After that exchange, Natsuki and the others — all four of them entered the right path.

The ominous premonition still hung in the air. Experiencing an unpleasant sensation even in the form of sand they stepped on, Subaru wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and smiled at Patrasche.

“By the way, I’m sorry for deciding the path without asking your opinion.”

“——-”

“What? Are you saying wherever I go becomes your path? That I’d ensure you make it through any rough terrain? Wow, that’s so charming, I think I’m falling for myself.”

“It’s a bit of a jest, but it seems vaguely true enough to be sinful. What’s so great about it?”

As he unwittingly voiced Patrasche’s silent sentiments, Ram smirked in disbelief. However, given that the normally chatty Patrasche was calm, he felt he wasn’t saying anything wrong.

Perhaps it was foolish to waste energy discussing something like this while they were in a precarious situation, or maybe she was saving her response for when they were in a more stable environment. Either way was possible.

“If that’s the case, please go easy on me?”

“——-”

“Did you just express a negative response?”

Suddenly, while she had chosen silence up to this point, the sudden denial sent a chill down his spine. Ultimately, the determination to execute punishment for surviving here quite while longer came as encouraging.

Patrasche truly believed they’d escape safely from here.

“——-”

Flowing through the path unchanged, Subaru continued at the forefront with Patrasche close behind. The lantern illuminated a few meters ahead, and the exploration continued as he checked their footing.

Yet, the pace was markedly slower compared to the previous stretch of road. In fact, they were moving far slower than when he previously traversed down the left path.

The reasoning was straightforward.

“My body feels heavy…”

It wasn’t that he was gaining weight or being ridden hard by an invisible beast. Indeed, it wasn’t an issue stemming physically.

The heaviness that caused his legs to linger was entirely psychological.

The right path, as expected, was overflowing with negative sensations that throbbed in Subaru’s spirit.

He had hoped this would be part of the sage’s tedious trial; after finally passing through the fork, they’d reach a stable area awaiting them – yet sadly, that hope was fleetingly dashed, as the weighty negativity intensified.

“——-”

Silently swallowing, Subaru stretched his heavy legs out of the sand.

His legs were not refusing to move out of fear nor weakness. Aware that he was fragile, his heart should not buckle to a bland corridor of sand that had yet to witness a single incident.

He wasn’t terrified; his mind was clear.

It’s just that his body wasn’t cooperating, contrary to the intentions of his rational mind and soul, which wanted to push forward despite the instinctual repulsion revealed by his muscles.

Moving straight ahead — simply that took twice the time and energy while mentally exhausting him in the process .

“Ridiculous. How could I possibly admit to feeling weak over this small an obstacle?”

Shaking his head roughly, Subaru tried to forget the fatigue resting heavily on him.

He chose this right path all on his own. Thus, it was inappropriate to murmur anything negative while trailing behind the two.

“Come on, it’s just a little tough, but it’s nothing serious. Maybe we’re actually nearer to a goal than expected…”

“Balus.”

“O-oh, what’s up?”

“Shut it.”

“Oh, okay…”

While trying to shake off his negative thoughts with superficial cheer, Ram shot him down with her curt remark.

Their rate of advance had considerably decreased, and the surrounding unease only grew. Ram was likely feeling the mental strain too. Her response echoed sharper and shorter than usual.

“Hey, I get how you feel but, don’t you think it’s a little boring to just walk in silence?”

“You’re walking just for the sake of enjoying yourself? Remember your purpose.”

“That’s not it, but…”

“Shut it, just walk.”

Ram’s obstinate refusal to engage left no room for explanation.

Of course, Ram’s viewpoint held weight; however, Subaru had his own intentions.

Currently, the weight of his body was synchronized with the weight of his spirit. Meaning, since it felt heavy mentally, his body felt heavy too, forming an unbreakable cycle of negativity.

In turn, he wished to lighten that burden with a mild distraction.

Staying cautious was indeed important, but he wanted her at least to understand that much. More than that, he thought that Ram would likely comprehend, as she usually would keep consideration for him.

She must be going through a significant struggle this time.

“We should hurry, right?”

“——-”

“Ram?”

Trying to check how urgent the situation became, he called out to her only for Ram not to respond. The light from the lantern dimly illuminated where she stood, slightly looking down and obscured by the hood.

“Ram?”

“Natsuki-kun, enough already.”

“Huh?”

He halted his steps, twisting around to see her expression but stubbornly, she didn’t show her face as Anastasia defended her.

To Subaru’s frown, Anastasia scratched her cheek sheepishly.

“I didn’t mention it before, but Ram-san was a bit shaken when she first woke up underground. She’s making an effort to pull herself together now, but it’s clear she’s still recovering.”

“–Ugh! Stop saying unnecessary things!”

“Hey, we should avoid talking right now, alright? When someone’s feeling testy, talking with anyone usually yields bad results. Okay?”

“——-”

“Okay?”

Even if it irked him to hear, Anastasia the adviser had a point.

When prioritizing moving forward and finding a way to escape the hollow, Subaru realized he hadn’t been considering Ram’s feelings enough throughout this ordeal. Consequently, that could have resulted in Ram’s current behavior.

Considering that, blaming everything on Ram felt overly hasty.

“…I’ve got it. Indeed, that’s true. I was in the wrong.”

“Reflect on that.”

“—Y-you!”

“Now, now, no fighting. Come on, Natsuki-kun, let’s move ahead.”

Given Ram’s reluctance to yield, Subaru felt frustration building. Yet, Anastasia rushed to interject, guiding Subaru toward the front of their path.

She tapped Patrasche’s neck and made the lantern sway, causing the shadows of the sandy path to swirl in their view, making Subaru click his tongue.

How aggravating her attitude was, but even if they quarreled at this point, nothing would come of it.

Fortunately, he could also reason that this unpleasant atmosphere had a direct influence on their mood. If he had a scapegoat, he could avoid damaging their bonds over trivial matters.

Whatever was wrong with their moods could be discussed once they got out of this hellhole.

“…Let’s go.”

Beginning again, Subaru took the lead on their exploration.

Yet seriously, their speed didn’t improve. Essentially, he had failed to enter a positively motivated state of mind to expel the physical burden they carried.

As nothing returned to normal, there was no expected turn of events on the horizon.

That said, there had been some changes lately.

Not in relation to the trio, but more so to the changes within the sandy maze.

“The path seems to be narrowing noticeably.”

Having traveled the right path for probably the better part of an hour now.

The sandy passage was constricting vertically, horizontally, and every which way, reaching a point where it seemed impossible for the large monster to traverse.

Patrasche could barely fit through the space available. However, it was impossible to let the massive dragon cart carried by a Giant go through, as well as it should be a tight squeeze even for the sandworms or the Centaur.

Thus, the worst conclusion was prevented: there likely wouldn’t be a Centaur lurking ahead in this path. Compared to that, whatever else awaited them here had at least one less negative aspect.

“Still, if the path is narrowing, we’re going to have to remain cautious. If something happens suddenly, it will be hard to maneuver, so you guys should be careful.”

“…”

“Hey.”

Considering the precautions they needed to take, Subaru felt a sudden sound, raising his eyebrows. Turning back, he saw the two atop the dragon were silent.

He could see Anastasia, seated at the front on Patrasche, covering her face with her hands.

For her, who seemed keen to keep things minimalistic, it was understandable.

Especially since Ram had just clicked her tongue while hearing Subaru’s words.

“Why are you being so hostile all of a sudden?”

“Ain’t no reason.”

“Is there really no reason? What kind of attitude is that?”

Frustrated, Subaru kicked the nearby sandy wall. The brittle surface crumbled away, and the portions that fell didn’t garner much attention from Subaru.

The only thing that mattered to him right now was that irritating façade of Ram.

“Everyone’s trying to walk silently, while you’re just grumbling! This isn’t the first time you’ve grumbled! What are you trying to achieve by ignoring it?”

“There’s really nothing to achieve. Ram has nothing to say to Balus.”

“Are you actually doing it like a spoiled child? You seem to have something on your mind, right?!”

“—”

Spitting out venomous curses, Ram’s expression shifted as Subaru’s outburst reached an overwhelming shaking point.

While Ram was grabbing on to Anastasia from behind, she shot Subaru a fierce glare. The positioning irritated him as she hid behind someone else while looking down at him.

As if she thought involving someone else’s strength meant she could act all high and mighty.

“You’re quite fervent about getting ahead, huh, Balus?”

“Of course! What do you think we came here for? To see the sage! We’ve been grinding to move ahead; there’s nothing strange about that!”

“That’s not true. –We’re not here just to see the sage.”

“Huh?”

“Ram and the others came here to return Rem to her original self.”

With unshaken resolve, Ram met Subaru’s gaze, declaring that with certainty. Underlain by those sharp eyes, Subaru felt a subtle retreat in his confronting memory.

Helping Rem and meeting the sage weren’t synonymous.

“They’re the same thing! We meet the sage to help Rem! They’re one and the same!”

“It’s not the same. Helping Rem comes first, meeting the sage is the next step. The priority is different. …The priorities are not the same.”

At Ram’s final words, her voice quivered. The rage underlying those meanings added up to an overwhelming torrent of fury that outshone the previous expressionless side of her.

Deep underground in the cold sand dune, ramble on, still contained, her words carried the blistering heat of fury.

“Ram came hoping to remember her sister for Rem. But what are we doing now? Without Rem here, are we just idling away in this desolate place? Don’t mess with me.”

“No one’s messing around!”

“This scenario has unfolded; we can do the things we can when it’s available—am I wrong?”

“Yeah, that might be the case. But did Balus ever worry about Rem before establishing this scenario?”

“…Huh?”

“When you woke up underground, did Balus worry about Rem? How about Emilia-sama? Or Beatrice-sama? Did you have any thoughts about anyone who’s missing?”

Subaru couldn’t say anything, stunned, as Ram laid each word upon him.

Indeed, this time, awakened by ‘return by death,’ he hadn’t acted like in previous incidents, anxiously verifying everyone’s safety.

But it didn’t mean he wasn’t worried; he had some idea that Ram and others wouldn’t know that. It was merely his consideration, his thoughtfulness.

Despite that,

“No, you didn’t. Balus didn’t care at all. Balus was all wrapped up in worries about Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama instead. I suppose it’s fine too. It means you’re just that kind of man. But Rem doesn’t deserve this.”

“…Shut up.”

“Didn’t Rem believe in Balus? Ah, though it might just be something Balus told her to suit your needs. Who knows, you might just be saying things for her benefit. After all, it’s sad to think that Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama are deceived by a man like you!”

“SHUT UP!”

“No, I won’t shut up. I’ll repeat it over and over. –Balus, you couldn’t care less about Rem! Even if you never find her, it’d only be a relief to your heart.”

“—DON’T MESS WITH ME!!”

The scenery around turned crimson, and the foolish words thrown at him ignited the nerves in his brain.

The audacity from high above looking down while hurling selfish words filled Subaru with rage.

He lunged, trying to drag her down and hit her–but the time it took to cast that thought was torturous.

“INVISIBLE PROVIDENCE–!!”

“–Gah!?”

The dark emotions racing through him, Subaru poured them into the palm of his chest and released.

The blackened hands born sent a euphoric shout as they smoothly crawled their way up onto the back of the Earth Dragon before casting down the pink-haired girl who had been pointing an accusing finger at him.

With a scream, Ram tumbled roughly onto the sand.

Eyes wide, she bore a look of confusion, lost at the suddenness of the invisible violence inflicted upon her. At her side, Subaru could already dash forward.

Then,

“Don’t mess with me.”

There was no way he didn’t feel for Rem, nor would it stick.

In a fit of anger, all thoughts blurred; he was practically bursting at the seams.

“–Ugh”

–Subaru propped himself against the flat Ram and started choking her thin neck.

Gritting tighter, tighter.

Tighter, tighter, tighter.

“`

 

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