A painful red droplet dripped down from the right arm, marked with black mottled patterns.

Perhaps fortunate enough, even with this bold makeover, the durability of the right arm seemed unchanged from that of a human body.

When I dug my nails in, pain shot through, and when I exerted force, the skin tore, and blood flowed out.

It felt like the bleeding from that wound stopped unusually quickly, but truly it was a negligible difference.

“——-”

I roughly wiped the blood with my palm, leaving a smear of crimson on my right arm as I lowered my sleeve. It was an outcome of my own doing, but it wasn’t something I wished to look at for long. Of course, the words “Natsuki Subaru has arrived” etched on my left arm were hidden beneath the sleeve as well.

“Anyway, I can’t stay here for long…”

I had already wasted quite a bit of time in this room.

In the center of the room lay Meily’s lifeless body, still and unmoving, but there was nothing more I could do for her now.

Making any special funeral arrangements felt like dishonoring her death.

—No, what I was about to do might indeed dishonor her death.

“——-”

With a light body, I slipped my arms under the girl’s armpits and dragged Meily’s corpse, moving her to a corner of the room.

What was there was likely the remains of the room’s former furniture.

It could have been a desk or bedding made of stone. In any case, square stones had simply been cut out and I quietly hid Meily’s body behind them.

—I deeply apologized to Meily for this, but I decided to hide her death.

Who would even be able to defend me in this situation if I were to confess everything openly?

If I, myself, could not fathom the true meaning of “Natsuki Subaru,” then who else could possibly do so?

“There’s no defending to be had. Even if I didn’t kill Meily… the weapon that killed her were my own hands.”

I couldn’t even guess the level of criminal investigation in this world, but looking at Meily’s broken nails and the wounds on my wrists, the jury would unanimously declare me guilty.

And, I found no significance in challenging that or appealing against it.

In that case, what I could do was abandon the trial—or rather, hide the crime.

I didn’t believe this was the right judgment or the best choice. Yet, I had no other options—who could I trust, and who should I suspect? I no longer understood.

The only thing I could say was—

“When I meet Meily next… you are the only one who is not a suspect.”

I had seen Meily’s corpse twice, once from a total annihilation, and once from being strangled.

At this point, it could be concluded that, at least more than anyone else, Meily’s suspicion was low. The problem was, even if I acknowledged that, there was no longer a way to hear her out.

In closed-circle mysteries, only the dead are exempt from being suspects.

However, the detective, Natsuki Subaru, also possessed the forbidden power of “Return by Death,” allowing him to rewind time by dying. In that respect, he was an incompetent yet effective detective.

“It’s also a mystery trope for the detective themselves to be the culprit.”

Sadly, no matter how excellent “Return by Death” was, the theory of “Natsuki Subaru” being the culprit was rampant, making it difficult for the events to stop repeating.

The detective himself is the criminal—a well-worn trope in mysteries. Then, if the detective were to leap off a cliff upon realizing the truth, would that settle the case?

With both “Return by Death” and “the detective themselves being the culprit,” the case would forever remain a labyrinth—trapped in a spiral maze.

“Is this really the time to be saying that…! Anyway, right now, I need to buy some time.”

This wasn’t a problem that could be solved by time, but time always brings something.

Believing that, I hoped to escape this dead-end situation and stood up.

“——-”

As I was about to leave, I gently patted Meily’s forehead one last time. Surely, she would never want to be touched by me again.

As proof, her cold forehead was regrettably icy, rejecting me.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Thus, reluctantly concealing the murder scene of Meily, I exited the room. I cautiously peeked around the corridor and attempted to slowly distance myself from the scene—

“—Ah, Subaru! Thank goodness, I found you here!”

“—Eh!?”

At the sudden call, my shoulders jerked, and turning around, I found Emilia approaching me, running lightly. She tilted her head slightly, seeing my stiff demeanor.

“Sorry for surprising you!”

“—Uh, I… startled a bit. It was unexpected, so I was alright. What’s up, Emilia-chan?”

“—? I’ve been wandering the tower to see if there’s anything I could do before noon. But, hey, Subaru.”

“Yeah?”

“Was what I just saw some sort of prank?”

At Emilia’s curious inquiry, I held my breath.

Her deep violet eyes were fixed straight on me, but I couldn’t grasp the meaning behind her question.

It was true I had a tremor in my voice, but the content of my response shouldn’t have been particularly notable.

“——-”

Under Emilia’s silent gaze, I felt an uneasy sensation, swallowing a rather bitter gulp.

Just behind me, Meily’s corpse still lay, continuing her eternal slumber. While it was hidden well enough that a casual glance wouldn’t give it away, if someone investigated closely, my amateur hiding wouldn’t hold up.

For now, the priority was to leave this place.

“Sorry, just need to go to the bathroom.”

“Ah, okay, got it.”

Leaving behind a convenient excuse, I quickly distanced myself from the room.

I hurried away, needing to create a space for myself as soon as possible. There, I could contemplate the response to the injury on my right arm—

“Wait, Emilia-chan? I said I’m heading to the bathroom. Why are you following me?”

“Huh? Well, everyone’s going to gather soon for lunch, so don’t you think it’s better if we stick together? It’s fine, I’ll be right outside the door.”

“It’s not that I’m worried about you hearing me go to the bathroom…”

Walking alongside me, Emilia peered closely at my face.

It was a valid point, but being told the truth usually meant that the person on the receiving end would end up feeling uncomfortable. In this case, it certainly applied, as I struggled to think of any valid counterargument.

Yet, as I painfully pondered, I closely gauged Emilia’s inner thoughts.

—What could Emilia possibly mean by wanting to accompany me?

“——-”

“—Huh?”

Noticing me observing her sideways, Emilia expressed a confused look.

She appeared innocent enough, but in truth, she was a strong suspect in this tangled mess.

During the previous annihilation, I hadn’t seen Emilia or Beatrice’s corpses.

From the wounds on my arms, it was genuine that I couldn’t ascertain the true intent of “Natsuki Subaru,” but if his dark involvement existed, such an outcome couldn’t have been created alone.

Shaula, Echidna, Ram, Julius—those who killed Meily and ultimately reduced the tower to ruin, then with shadowy powers beheaded me, someone I had yet to encounter.

Someone unknown to Subaru was hidden within this tower.

“Subaru, are you alright? You don’t look too well, do you?”

“—I-I’m fine. Just got lost in thought.”

“Really? But I think your complexion looks a bit pale.”

Emilia reached out her hand toward me cautiously.

Caught off guard, I couldn’t push her away and let her play with my cheeks. The ticklish sensation made me frown slightly.

“You sure are observant.”

“Uh-huh, very observant. Lately, I find myself following Subaru with my eyes more often… I don’t really know why, but it feels strange.”

“—Yeah, it is strange.”

I was attentively watching every one of Emilia’s movements.

Her hand brushing my face felt like a deceptive softness. In just the blink of an eye, that same hand could cut my throat. Or without needing to go that far, with her strength, she might just snap my neck.

Yet, sensing neither malice nor hostility in her gestures left me bewildered.

After all, my—Natsuki Subaru’s—experience only involved the ambiance of being distant from trouble, and the indifferent silence that barely even qualified as disdain. Both certainly isolated Natsuki Subaru but never harmed him.

So I couldn’t discern whether the emotions reflected in the violet depths of the girl before me were genuine or fabricated.

Just considering that if there wasn’t truth in it—

“——-”

What kind of face would she make if I exposed everything?

How relieving it would be to crumple that beautiful face, raised like she’d seen nothing but lovely things, if I could have her twist it in confusion over never encountering a worry in her life.

—That the Natsuki Subaru you’re worried about is no longer here.

—No, that’s wrong. That guy is a cruel, insane killer.

“—Speaking of which, about Meily.”

“—Huh?”

A gasp escaped my throat, and my eyes widened.

Why was Meily’s name brought up here? I couldn’t hide the surprise that caught me off guard. If Emilia’s aim was to witness my reaction, I had completely fallen into her trap.

However, Emilia averted her gaze from me, her eyes distant, seemingly looking beyond the corridor, as if assessing the whole tower instead.

With that posture, Emilia let out a faint hesitation before continuing.

“Would you be mad if I brought this up too soon? Once we safely get out of this tower, I was thinking about how to deal with Meily.”

“——-”

“Of course, what she did a year ago was wrong, and I understand Otto’s point about not trusting her easily… but we got over the dunes thanks to Meily, and if she intended harm, she could have done a lot before coming to the tower.”

She tugged at the hem of her clothes, expressing her thoughts aloud.

It wasn’t merely half-hearted; among the group here, Meily’s position was unique, as she was originally an assassin aiming for Emilia and Beatrice’s lives.

Having failed in her mission and now being held captive, she had contributed to this journey using her naturally gifted ability.

“Isn’t this a pardon of sorts?”

“Even if I say I would set her free, I think everyone would oppose that. But maybe something different, like letting her live outside the Zashiki Prison?”

“——-”

“Of course, it would be conditional on talking to Meily herself, and if she desired that. If I move ahead on my own and end up getting disliked by her, that would be a disaster.”

Waving her hands anxiously, Emilia asserted that this was merely one of her opinions.

She had likely thought it through thoroughly and courageously shared her perspective. It was obvious she had anticipated possible objections and adjusted her words accordingly.

—Was this Emilia’s true intention?

“——-”

Could I trust this?

At least at this point, she had yet to direct any suspicion toward me. —No, if we’re being honest, no one had shown hostility towards me.

Neither Beatrice, Echidna, Ram, Julius, nor Meily had shown me any hint of animosity.

What remained certain were the identities of those who pushed me off and killed me, those who exterminated everyone in the tower, and the one who beheaded me—Natsuki Subaru, who killed Meily.

The only thing that was clear was that they were all vile evildoers.

Then could I trust Emilia?

Could I trust this innocent girl who was as pure as freshly fallen snow, having never known tarnish?

—Even though the Meily, whom you care about so much, was killed by my hands, do you still trust me?

“…What a ridiculous notion.”

“Eh?”

“I was saying it’s foolish. You should have been aware of it. Too early? You’re correct. In a situation like this, how can I even discuss future prospects?”

With dead ends in all directions, I had no leeway to consider the troubles of others.

Especially when it concerned the future of a girl who was already dead, I couldn’t think how carefree that line of thinking was.

“——-”

Lashing out emotionally, I quickly bit my lip at my own comment.

What a foolish thing to say. To utter something that wouldn’t even matter was just me throwing words out at Emilia based on my current emotions.

This action had no justification. It was merely a tantrum, a child’s fit.

That—

“Subaru!”

“Ugh.”

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden? Even if you’re in a bad mood, that kind of speech is unacceptable!”

“——-”

I was shocked and astounded, looking down with injured feelings, tears welling in my eyes.

Emilia, as if breaking through any pretense, decisively grabbed my cheeks with both hands and looked into my dark eyes with unwavering focus.

“—Ah.”

“Don’t sulk! If you’re upset, you need to talk about it! Whether it’s me or Beatrice, it’s fine. If you’re in trouble, I’ll share in that trouble. But don’t bottle it up; don’t get frustrated alone and just end it all by yourself. That would be like the Roswaal from the bad old days. You shouldn’t imitate that!”

With all her might, Emilia passionately spoke to me. Afterward, she released my face, but pulled me close to her chest.

She gently patted my head as if cradling me.

“Do you understand? My heart is not angry at all. I won’t be disillusioned; just talk to me.”

“——-”

Pressed against her soft warmth, I sensed the rhythm of life delaying beneath it.

It felt gentle like a lullaby meant for a baby, and I couldn’t help but hold my breath. In that instant, intense embarrassment surged in my heart.

After all this, after saying something so wretched, she remained so kind.

What purpose did it serve to doubt her, blindly hate her, and inflict injury?

—Is there really anyone out there planning to kill me?

—Could it be that my fall to death was indeed just an accident?

—What if it wasn’t the result of someone’s intention, but just someone accidentally tripping and pushing me?

In this tower, there was truly no one bad.

The darkest, ugliest, and most dangerous being was Natsuki Subaru and “Natsuki Subaru,” being an intruder who shouldn’t have existed.

“Emilia, I—”

“—Yeah.”

“I—”

I didn’t know how to begin.

I just thought to confess it all, to expose everything, to lay it all bare.

The fact that I had lost my memory, about Meily, the repeating deaths that rewind time.

I knew that they might not believe me. But also, there was a chance they might. If they could believe me, perhaps a breakthrough could be found.

If that was achieved, then Subaru—

“—Emilia-sama! Balus!”

Just as I tried to wring out the mess swirling in my mind.

A sharp, urgent voice cut through and filled me with dread. Still in the embrace of Emilia, I instinctively couldn’t look towards the voice. Over my head, I heard Emilia confirm the speaker with a hushed, “Ram.”

“What’s going on? We were in the middle of a very important conversation here…”

“Well, I can see that, but please interrupt. It’s urgent business!”

“Ah, okay…”

As the footsteps approached, Emilia nervously released me. The warm sensation distanced itself, and I forcefully wiped my face with my sleeves, shedding the heat lingering in my eyes.

Then, both Emilia and I turned to face Ram.

I felt embarrassed and wanted to throw my feelings of awkwardness toward Ram, regretting having looked ungraceful or coincidentally capturing the worst moment.

Having just resolved that, I felt bitterly frustrated at my inability to compose myself quickly.

However, Ram’s demeanor didn’t have the luxury to tease us or to care for my emotional plight.

“Ram, what’s the matter?”

“…It’s urgent business. You must come to the third floor library immediately. Beatrice has discovered something very serious.”

“Beatrice has?”

Ram’s terse acknowledgment surprised Emilia.

She then turned her back toward us as she continued.

“Anastasia… no, it must be Echidna. In any case, I’ll search for them along with Julius. Balus, stay with Emilia.”

“Uh, okay, got it…”

Under her unwavering demeanor, I hastily nodded, unable to object.

Without waiting for my reply, Ram swiftly kicked off the ground and raced away from us. As I was astonished by her suddenness, I turned back to Emilia.

“Uh, Ram just said…”

“—Let’s hurry. Ram looked very serious. Something serious must have happened.”

“——-”

“Subaru, I haven’t forgotten what we were just discussing.”

“…Yeah.”

Hearing Emilia reaffirm that remark, I weakly nodded in agreement.

Now, burdened by guilt over Meily and the pressure of the situation at hand, my plan to isolate myself had completely derailed.

Without any further hesitation, I hurriedly followed Emilia, racing toward the third floor, “Taygeta.”

Ascending the long staircase, we were greeted by the vast repository of the “Book of the Dead.”

“—I think we’ve arrived.”

Against the backdrop of countless “Books of the Dead” shelving, Beatrice awaited us at the foot of the stairs.

With her short arms crossed, the girl with those distinctive patterned eyes sighed heavily, her demeanor weary.

“Beatrice, Ram called for you. It seems you found something significant?”

“Certainly, it cannot be called good news. Rather, it might be better to refer to it as an ominous sign.”

With that, Beatrice shook her head slowly, denying Emilia’s question.

Then, she turned her blue eyes toward me.

“Beatrice has been researching this Taygeta library since morning. With Subaru’s collapse, as well as trying to analyze this room, which is both close and distant to the Forbidden Library.”

“Look, let’s skip the preliminaries. What happened? Tell me.”

Climbing the final few steps, I hastily urged her, feeling an anticipation grow within me.

At my words, Beatrice closed her eyes for a moment. Then she slowly pointed to one of the shelves slightly behind her.

“From the top, the third row, all the way to the right.”

“—The third from the top…?”

“To the very right.”

Following Beatrice’s instructions, Emilia and I recounted her words as we approached the shelf.

The shelves were crammed with books, the spines inscribed with strange otherworldly characters that were completely indecipherable to Subaru. To me, they still resembled pictograms.

Therefore, I couldn’t identify the title of the book Beatrice insisted on showing us.

At the very least, since it was here in this library, it was undoubtedly one of the “Books of the Dead”—

“That’s a lie…”

So said Emilia, right next to me, almost in disbelief.

I glanced toward her, feeling my cheeks tighten at her shocked reaction.

Such intense disbelief came paired with an inevitable wave of sorrow.

What in the world had struck her heart so strongly, tearing through without restraint?

Beside me, as I felt indignant about Emilia’s shock, her lips trembled.

Then, Emilia uttered the name.

“—Meily Portroot.”