— There was a woman, a single woman.

The woman was troubled by everything. By people, by conflict, by the world, by absolutely everything.

To her, everything seemed small. Everything, everyone, felt like a little child who needed protection.

To wave her arms around and scatter them would be easy, to dominate such people and a world like that.

However, the woman decided to use her arms not for domination, but for protection.

The woman’s solitary struggle began. The trial and error that followed was not easy for her.

Leading people, uniting them, helping them, advising them…

All of it was beyond her alone. It was out of reach. There were things she could not achieve.

For the first time, the woman cursed her own lack of power.

Even when danger was visible, there weren’t enough hands. Even when trapped in a crisis, she couldn’t save them. That feeling of powerlessness.

The distance that was within sight could not be bridged. Even if she could see everything, she couldn’t change what had already happened. There wasn’t enough life to deal with far-off calamities.

She believed she had power. Yet, it did not reach the wishes.

She thought she had wisdom. Nevertheless, it did not show her the way to follow her hopes.

Therefore, the woman despaired. She crafted a cursed lamentation on her own insufficiency.

Overwhelmed by all manners of remorse, endlessly torn by the sorrows of others.

Eventually, the woman understood. It was impossible. It was futile. She couldn’t do it.

This was a grand wish that was beyond the capacity of a single person; even wishing for it was inappropriate.

She came to know it. She had understanding. She grasped her impossibility. — But she would not give up.

If one was not enough, then multiply the numbers.

If she wasn’t alone, gathering those with the same wish would allow her to reach the unreachable wish.

Her mind became sharp. What was once unseen would now become visible.

The unreachably lamented, the unrescuable tragedies, the repeating cruelty – she would pluck them with this wish.

She partnered with agitators, provided the battlefield for the heavenly sword, and struck deals with dragons as she charged toward her great wish.

Eventually, she would surely reach the conclusion of her mournful desire.

What would come in due time would be the outcome of her vow.

Eventually, surely, without a doubt, the fulfillment of her great wish would come –.

“I will save. I will show that I can save. I see the path to salvation. — I know the path to salvation.”

No matter how many wounds she might receive, or how much she might lose, she would abandon only the thought of giving up.

Even when the agitators vanished, the heavenly sword forgot its smile, and the dragon flew far into the sky, she would not give up.

Even losing her initial supporters, her steps would not falter. She was no longer alone.

“It has to exist. I know it existed. — I want to know.”

Walking a road paved with countless bodies. Aiming for the fulfillment of her grand wish that had sacrificed countless lives.

Eventually, she should be able to reach all the tears. When that time comes, a world of understanding shall exist.

Only at that moment, she would be able to reach the primordial wish.

Therefore, seeking that, desperately, she continues to endure unbearable pain and struggles.

— The “Witch of Greed” burns in her unattainable wishes, continuing to bleed from her own greed.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

” — Julius properly takes a rest here until he heals! Absolutely absolutely!”

Emilia said loudly as she shoved the battered Julius into the green room.

After descending the long staircase from the second layer “Elektra” to the fourth layer, Subaru and Julius were welcomed, and Emilia felt relieved right after this exchange.

It is a virtue to switch moods quickly, and I appreciate that she uses authoritative methods. If you don’t ask for reasons, it’s a swift operation that doesn’t allow excuses. In truth, Emilia probably had a mountain of things she wanted to discuss with Julius –.

” — Surely, Subaru must have said what needs to be said. So, for now, he can rest properly, and everything else can be put aside. Right?”

” … Ah, that’s what it is. I’m basically completely surrendering to Emilia-tan’s opinions, and I think there’s no room for rebuttal this time, so I agree. Sleep.”

Subaru shrugged at Julius, who had settled onto the ivy bed at the entrance of the green room. Emilia, too, stood next to Subaru with her hands on her hips, breathing a bit heavily. Such a sight was cute.

Receiving those words from the two, Julius sighed while touching his bangs.

“Of course. I’ve already caused too much trouble for you and Emilia-sama. I cannot perform the shameless act of defying your instructions at this point. I will obediently comply.”

“You could have just said ‘understood’ instead of dragging it out like that…”

“That’s true! It’s not about us or anything like that. The one who is injured is Julius, so he must remain tranquil until he heals! You can be a nuisance as much as you want. We’re comrades after all.”

” ——— ”

“Patrasche, please take care of Julius. If anything strange happens again, loud noises will call us!”

Emilia swiftly dismissed Julius’s indirect apology, and without paying attention to his flustered expression, she addressed Patrasche, who was healing Julius in the depths of the green room.

The personnel left in the green room were three and one — unconscious Rem and Anastasia, and the injured Julius and Patrasche. The green room had a limit to the number of occupants, so Subaru and Emilia couldn’t stay on watch.

Therefore, it’s better for whoever is receiving treatment inside to watch over those around them. Originally, this role was supposed to be assigned to Julius.

“With Emilia-sama saying this much, I must succumb. I shall simply sulk here.”

“The lost trust is not easily regained. No one can catch up to Patrasche, who consistently scores high in the realm of trust. If anything happens, feel free to bite without mercy, Patrasche.”

” ——— ”

Patrasche purred, seemingly accepting Subaru and Emilia’s request — likely, that’s what he accepted.

Being the most knowledgeable woman of Emilia’s faction, Patrasche bore an expression that reflected her accountability for having let Julius go alone earlier.

“See? Patrasche says he won’t let you escape next time.”

“Somehow, it really feels like he’s saying that for real.”

“But according to our bilingual combat minister Otto, it seems that’s the kind of nuance we can expect. Being a lady, she might add ‘desu wa’ at the end.”

Sometimes, when Otto translates with the “Affection of Words,” Subaru is often amazed by Patrasche’s large heart and attachment to him. Lately, he feels they’ve been connecting quite closely even without Otto, yet if he actually vocalized it, he’d be smacked by her tail for his faux pas, showing that a maiden’s heart is complicated.

Anyway,

“I’ll quietly devote myself to the treatment of my wounds. It’s also a luxury to be surrounded by young ladies like this and leisurely recuperate.”

“I’ll tell you, all the women in this room, except for Anastasia-san, belong to me.”

Facing Julius’s retort, Subaru pointed to the bed where Rem and Patrasche lay and then to Emilia beside him.

In response, Emilia puffed out her cheeks and said:

“I haven’t yet become Subaru’s! … I just thought about it, but since you’re my knight, wouldn’t it be the other way around, that Subaru is my property?”

“Now that’s an incredibly happy, yet embarrassing evaluation!”

Emilia pressed a finger to her lips, and amidst the uncertainty of her seemingly bold statement, Subaru turned his gaze back toward Julius, who was to remain in the room.

It was clear that it would take time to overcome the peak of anguish. However, at the very least, he wanted to ensure that he had the mental space to take the first step.

“Anyway, while you’re resting, you might feel like rolling around in frustration thinking about what happened earlier, but don’t forget that Patrasche is watching.”

“Rest assured. I won’t reveal such disgraceful behavior. — I’m not graceful, you know.”

” … You’re getting back into the swing of things.”

“Hmph.”

With his usual replies, Subaru managed to relax his cheeks a bit, feeling a sense of relief.

Two defeats, one utterly helpless loss.

It was an unspeakable humiliation and helplessness engraved in Julius, but it seemed he somehow did manage to survive the first wave.

It was good that he hadn’t left Julius all alone on those long stairs.

If that alone could be consolation, then Subaru felt that the lessons learned from embarrassing experiences at the royal castle had some value.

” — Patrasche, I’m counting on you.”

At the very end, after reiterating his request to the beloved dragon, Subaru and Emilia exited the green room.

As they were leaving, Patrasche leaned toward Julius, and it seemed Julius was giving a wry smile in response to that oversight.

As expected, Patrasche was a dragon obedient to instructions, a wise dragon indeed.

Considering both Julius’s mental state and Patrasche’s loyal spirit, it was safe to assume that those left in the green room were alright for now.

” … Should I freeze the door closed?”

“I’m often surprised by Emilia-tan’s boundless creativity, but I’d prefer to save that as a last resort. Doing so would scare the spirit in the green room.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Hehe, I just said it. A joke.”

Emilia stuck out her tongue cutely as she apologized for her joke. While Subaru smiled at her reaction, he kept to himself that this was one possible option.

— In the worst case, he had indeed been contemplating a forceful way to restrain actions.

If so, the best choice to stop Julius would be Emilia, both in terms of ability and position. Thankfully, due to Julius’s mental state heading toward stability, they were able to avoid making such a desperate choice. Subaru felt relieved.

“Regardless, let’s leave matters of the green room to the spirit in charge. From what it looks like, Patrasche’s wounds seem to be healing nicely, and it doesn’t seem like Julius is in immediate trouble.”

“Yes, that’s right. Julius’s wounds… don’t look as bad as they seem, so he should recover soon. Reid seems to have a way about him.”

” … Skilled at holding back, huh? I can’t tell Julius that.”

Subaru nodded in agreement to Emilia’s speculation as he scratched his head.

It’s an ultimate act of teasing to use a stick as a weapon, but Reid’s combat ability is so exceptional that it can treat someone like Julius like a baby.

The first “Sword Saint,” who worked alongside sages and dragons to defeat the “Witch of Envy” – with such a legendary hero’s title, it was only reasonable to find that out.

Whether such humanity is suitable for being revered as a “legendary hero” is a different issue.

“For now, our discussion is…”

” — We need to find a way to conquer this second ‘exam’ before Knight Julius’s injuries heal, right?”

” ——— ”

At that moment, a cold voice interrupted Subaru and Emilia’s conversation. Looking over, they saw Ram leaning against the wall of the corridor, waiting for them to return.

Stuck with the limit on occupants in the green room, Ram had to wait in the corridor. Subaru, who felt Ram perfectly grasped his inner thoughts, squeezed his own cheeks.

“Does my face really show such a diverse range of inner thoughts?”

“Your worries are simply stuck to your face. Right now, there’s no one in that room that Balus should worry about other than that.”

“That’s not true. It’s not just confined to that room. Everyone I’m with is worried, including Emilia-tan and Beatrice, of course, and even my sister!”

“Ha!”

Subaru’s response, giving a thumbs-up, earned a scoff from Ram.

Then, as Ram turned her back to walk away, Subaru pouted, leaving Emilia to giggle behind her hand.

“It’s okay. Ram is just a little embarrassed. She’s not good at being honest!”

“I think that sentiment is a bit too optimistic, but if Emilia-tan says so, well…”

Casting a sidelong glance at Emilia, who smiled faintly, Subaru cracked his neck and followed Ram from behind. Ram was headed to one of the small rooms on the fourth floor.

Once they entered that room,

” … I wonder if it’s too late. I’ve kept you waiting too long. Is Julius alright?”

The welcoming voice belonged to Beatrice, who had plopped herself down in the middle of the room. She looked up at Subaru and Emilia with narrowed eyes, making a slight displeased remark while showing concern for Julius. Subaru smiled wryly at her straightforward yet unyielding demeanor.

“Don’t worry. For now, it seems he’s managed to overcome the peak. He’s plagued by an unnecessary sense of responsibility, so while he’ll worry about this and that, he won’t fall into despair.”

“If Subaru says so, then I suppose I can trust you. If that’s the case, it narrows down the problem.”

Receiving confirmation regarding Julius’s safety, Beatrice nodded. Then Subaru looked around the room.

The small room was one of the many empty spaces on the fourth floor, home to the belongings of the Pleiades Watchtower exploration team. Sitting in a circle with faces turned toward each other were Subaru and Emilia, along with Ram and Beatrice. And next —

“I want to hear about that guy from you in detail, Shaula.”

“Uhi, Master is scary! But I don’t particularly dislike being treated that way. You know what they say, ‘Hate is born from love!'”

“That’s what they say, Master. How very lewd.”

“False accusation!”

Shaula clung to Meiily while twisting her lush figure, doing her best imitation of a modest demeanor. Ram took the opportunity to jump into the conversation, though for Subaru, this was a clear case of wrongful accusation.

Anyway,

“First of all, everyone did great looking for Julius. Even if I told you to stop, I’m sure there’ll be an apology from him later, but for now, he’s safe.”

“It’s fine. I told Julius himself, but the fact that he was found safely was all that mattered. Right? Everyone thinks so, too, right?”

“Emilia-sama, you’re in trouble if you’re lumping me in with that.”

“Huh?! What do you mean?!”

Subaru tried to lead the conversation and move things along, but an immediate disagreement sprang up between Emilia and Ram.

To the astonished Emilia, Ram held up a finger and said,

“If the reports are to be believed, the second ‘exam’ needs to be cleared by everyone who has come to the tower. Yet Knight Julius made a decision to attempt it a second time without consulting anyone… This behavior could risk our cooperative relationship with the Anastasia faction.”

“Are you saying Julius’s actions could have led to everyone’s challenge failing?”

“If that happened, then everything that has led up to this point would have been wasted. It’s questionable whether the examiner in the second layer would even let us leave safely. … Including that so-called ‘sage.'”

Ram’s eyes drifted toward Shaula while explaining to Emilia. Perhaps she hadn’t expected the blame would fall on her, as Shaula pointed at herself and exclaimed, “Me?!”

“Are you talking about me as the faux sage? That label is really unjust! I never called myself that! The only name I bear is Shaula, given to me by my Master! I’m totally devoted to my Master!”

“How lewd.”

“Stop looking at me when you say that! … It’s not that your argument is invalid, but…”

While it may be an over-reach, Ram’s deduction is correct if we consider the worst-case scenario. Julius’s action put them all at risk.

Even taking into account his lack of understanding of what the second trial entails — rather, considering that has made his actions reckless.

“It’s unlike Julius the knight to behave that way, though Ram clearly doesn’t know him that well. Even including ‘Gluttony,’ I thought he wouldn’t do such things.”

“I agree, but whether I understand or not, my thoughts aren’t the same. It’s kind of like boyish idiocy.”

“Boyish idiocy?”

“It could be like chickenpox.”

” — ”

Either way, it carries the nuance of being a “disease everyone experiences at least once.”

If this current situation became synonymous with that, it would sound trivial, but when you catch it as an adult, the effects can be severe.

Especially in a situation where the consequences of exposure could be catastrophic, that would elevate the stakes further.

“What’s important is that it wasn’t catastrophic. … For now, let’s manage with that.”

” — Ram just doesn’t want to be pulled down by others.”

Redirecting her gaze from Subaru, Ram muttered quietly.

Ram’s cheeks stiffened slightly. Noticing this, Subaru raised his eyebrows.

“My sister hasn’t been feeling well since arriving at the tower. It could be the exhaustion from the long journey, or perhaps the treatment of her horn isn’t effective.”

“Or maybe, there’s something else on her mind… presumably, that’s it.”

He exchanged soft whispers with Beatrice, who was sitting right next to him and holding his hand.

Ram driving her frustration over Julius’s solo conduct and the irritation of not seeing the way forward surfaced in her behavior, which was downright uncharacteristic of her.

Presumably, the root cause of this was her frustrations standing before a chance to save Rem but being unable to grasp it.

Of course, Beatrice’s mention of exhaustion and the horn’s injury is likely related as well.

Not being in peak mental or physical condition.

That’s likely the reason Ram had lost her usual calmness.

“So what is it, are we just trying to pick a fight? Or do we want to have a discussion? You need to decide, or I can’t keep up.”

For a moment, Melie interrupted the atmosphere that had soured a bit.

Leaning into Shaula, she played with her braid, and she directed her languid gaze at everyone in the room.

“If possible, please stop quarreling. I really dislike pain and fear.”

“You… no, that’s a fair point. I owe you for that spectator position.”

“Is that so? Uhehehe, I’m glad to hear that.”

In response to Subaru’s gratitude, Melie smiled innocently, typical of a young girl.

However, her smile carried an alluring aspect that subtly suggested her precarious nature.

Receiving such a smile, Subaru felt genuinely grateful for Melie’s words. Reflecting back, the previous withdrawal from the “trial” was thanks to her words.

Her perspective, stepping back from the group while still being a companion, had allowed them all to escape danger that could have befell everyone.

“I hope you keep that up going forward. Having someone calm and collected is important.”

“I’ve been doing my part. But once we’ve crossed the sand sea, that’s it for me, right? I can’t do much more.”

“There’s no way? The more heads we have thinking, the better, and the fact that we survived the sand sea means we’re bound together in the tower. Consider it bad luck and rely on me.”

” ——— ”

Melie seemed momentarily taken aback by Subaru’s confident statement. After a long sigh, she finally said,

” … Now I understand why Petra hasn’t been able to relax.”

” –? What’s wrong with Petra?”

“Nothing at all. More importantly, don’t you want to hear from the naked lady?”

Pouting as she turned away, Melie stood up and began to push Shaula from behind. Though it was unlikely she was defeated by her slender strength, Shaula eagerly moved forward, quickly kneeling in front of Subaru and bowing her head.

“I’m a troublesome one, but I’d like to ask for your guidance.”

“Well, that’s a sincere attitude. So as a betrothal gift, I want to know… hey, ow! Emilia-tan?! Beatrice?! Why are you pinching my sides from both sides?!”

“Not a thing.” “Just nothing at all.”

While it was intolerable to be pinched without there being any actual reason, any further probing into Emilia and Beatrice’s attitude was stalled.

At the same time, Subaru cleared his throat, turning back toward Shaula.

“That person up there was Reid Astraea, no question about it. He himself acknowledged it. So, I want to hear from you, who has been a witness since back then. What kind of guy is he?”

“He was a piece of human trash.”

“I already heard that, and I literally confirmed it with my own eyes.”

Shaula made a face that shouldn’t be associated with a beautiful girl while reminiscing about the deceased. While it wasn’t unusual that this dead person was living one floor above, it was evident that they weren’t pleasant memories.

The moment she laid eyes on him, she fainted foaming at the mouth, after all.

“We’ve got to break through that guy no matter what. I want to increase even a single hint to get past the second layer’s ‘test’.”

“Say whatever comes to mind. Personality, quirks, relationships, likes, dislikes, weaknesses… I’d love to hear about weaknesses.”

“I’d retaliate if I knew his weaknesses! Meaning, he has none!”

“Tch, useless.”

“Why do you sound so proud while being called ‘Master’…”

Perhaps a sense of pride as one who was called ‘sage’ led to Ram’s condescending attitude, prompting Shaula to pout. But at Ram’s glare, she shrank down and stealthily slid behind Subaru as a shield.

“What’re you hiding for? You’re definitely stronger than I am.”

“Becoming strong or weak isn’t the issue. I unconsciously react this way based on instinct. It’s probably because my Master is frightened. That fear is conveyed to me, who is one with my Master.”

“Don’t blame your fear on me.”

Feeling softness against his back, Subaru caught Shaula by the back of her neck, forcibly returning her to her original position.

Thus, it was time to resume their Q&A –.

“Uh, well… in the end, it looks like Shaula doesn’t know anything about the ‘trial’, huh?”

“Not that I don’t know. It’s just that it’s not the time to talk about it. Maybe the answers will be revealed when the mysteries of the tower unfold.”

“Oh, I see… that’s incredibly exciting.”

“Do not deceive the pure Emilia-tan.”

“Even if I can’t figure out the weaknesses of the ‘Sword Saint,’ I’m curious about his quirks. If you notice any habits when he’s fighting, maybe we could find a breakthrough from that.”

“Quirks, huh? Now that I think about it, when I tried to kill him in retaliation for his sexual harassment, he often scratched his own butt while fighting! Isn’t that a quirk?”

“That’s just him being mocked…”

“In any case, the conditions for passing the ‘trial’ are vague, huh. Emilia was definitely acknowledged, but surely there must be something to fulfill the criteria…”

“Perhaps he is weak against beautiful women. I predict that if you’re beautiful, you’d get through.”

“So that means it’ll leave just me and Julius behind… That is a serious problem.”

“W-Well, depending on how you look at it, if Subaru could manage to deal with that guy and poke his eyes out, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to get through, right?!”

“You’re adorable.”

While they exchanged rather uninspiring questions, Subaru hugged Beatrice, who was trying her best to protect him, and gave her a pat on the head.

Beatrice, caught in Subaru’s arms, resigned herself to being pampered.

“Regardless, Emilia being acknowledged was merely lucky coincidence. The way that man had let his guard down and it was felt by Emilia’s attack hit the bullseye.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If Emilia had struck with a killing intent, that man wouldn’t have taken a hit. Therefore, it was the man’s negligence and Emilia’s victory.”

“Huh? Did I just get praised?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Ah, I thought so. Hehe, thank you. That makes me so happy.”

Emilia was delighted by Beatrice’s remark, and as she was being patted by Subaru, she also patted Beatrice again.

Though the state of things was rather chaotic, it was certainly a heartwarming sight.

“However, while it sounds cool to say that whether there’s intent to kill changes the reaction, seeing how it actually is makes you wonder just how serious they truly are.”

“We should consider flipping our perspective. As Balus said, even if we don’t know how serious he is, we must not let him take us seriously.”

“We shouldn’t take him seriously?”

Picking up on the muttering, Subaru frowned at Ram, who continued to ponder, “That’s right,” and went on,

“Emilia-sama’s acknowledgment stemmed from drawing out the other’s concession and, having met the conditions on top of that… really, the conditions of passing the exam are floating quite a bit.”

“I agree that they’re vague. It reflects the temperament of the examiner.”

“So, while entertaining the examiner, we need to propose conditions that make the trial valid. After that, defeating the examiner is the condition for overcoming the second layer.”

” ——— ”

Upon receiving Ram’s words, Subaru internally applauded with an “I see.”

Emilia had laid down the conditions with “if you move even one step, then…” and had managed to secure her victory by utilizing a massive amount of moves and a bit of luck — considering Reid’s carelessness, she snatched victory at the stage where conditions were the most lenient. Winning through brute force should now be considered impossible.

“But then again, it’s not like we could just win playing rock-paper-scissors…”

“So, finding conditions that will convince Reid, and working hard on that… is what makes this ‘trial’ so challenging.”

“More so than challenging, I think this is a mean test in a different sense than the third layer.”

After the intellect (knowledge not present in this world) is tested, it seems they will now be tested in physical strength (highest level in the world), but it turns out the main point of the ‘trial’ is on another aspect altogether.

In other words, the ‘trial’ of the second layer is likely another showcase of the malice inherent in the ‘sage’ who established the Pleiades Watchtower.

All that remains is…

” — It doesn’t matter. There’s no need to rush, just take your time.”

“Even if you say take my time…”

Looking around at the contemplative crowd, Shaula swayed her body while sitting cross-legged, speaking in a carefree tone. As a result, Subaru and the others grimaced. However, she didn’t mind, allowing her eyes to sparkle with excitement.

“As long as you guys are here, you should stay by my side for a long, long time! I’ve been waiting for my Master to come for hundreds of years!”

“That’s…”

“Take as long as you need to clear the ‘trial’ step by step. I will watch over you for as long as it takes. — Whether it be days, years, or hundreds of years.”

Those words carried a weight that could not simply be dismissed as a light-hearted joke.

The words Shaula spun in a lighthearted manner, with a smile aimed only at Subaru, carried the burden of the hundreds of years she had spent.

At that moment, the weight of the one who continued to protect the Pleiades Watchtower, obeying the sage’s command, pressed down on them.

Shaula said it.

One must not leave before completing the ‘trial’. And should that be broken, even if that person was someone whom she respected, like Subaru, there would be no mercy.

Just because she feels goodwill or familiarity does not guarantee that she will act as an ally.

In the challenge of conquering the Pleiades Watchtower, Shaula, who serves as the star sentinel —

” — Let’s just enjoy our time together here!”

— He felt painfully aware that she was not a trustworthy ally.