――The arrival of magical beasts at the watchtower.

Upon receiving Julius’s report that magical beasts from the Augria Sand Dunes were pouring in all at once, Subaru and the others stiffened, a serious expression flashing in their eyes.

What they felt underfoot was the subtle quaking of the tower floor—a rumble that resonated throughout the entire tower, a clear sign of the magical beasts’ footsteps and whinnies, making it impossible not to feel unsettled.

“I can only vaguely grasp the size of this desert, but…”

During a previous attempt to leave the tower driven by suspicion, Subaru’s escape plan had fallen apart at the first step, so he had no real understanding of the harshness of the dunes.

However, the scene of endless sand stretching as far as the eye could see was hard to forget, and he could imagine the severity of the environment.

That said, it wasn’t easy to associate the desert with a vibrant life either――

“The Augria Sand Dunes are originally a breeding ground for magical beasts, you see. The danger from magical beasts hunting those who wandered into the sand is far more serious than the natural harshness.”

“There was once a plan to dispatch troops to eliminate the magical beasts of the dunes. Yet, the result is clear from this tremor, isn’t it?”

In response to Subaru’s doubts, both Julius and Echidna provided answers.

In other words, this rumble was a paper tiger; Subaru’s desire to think the enemy’s numbers were only as great as that of a zoo was thoroughly misplaced. It was more accurate to say there were enough magical beasts to fill a savannah.

No wonder one would feel despairing at that situation.

However――

“—So, you called for me, didn’t you?”

It was Meily who suddenly spoke, fiddling with her braid.

Among them, she was the only one who hadn’t displayed any sign of unease stemming from the arrival of the magical beasts. It wasn’t a response devoid of surprise.

No, her reaction implied she didn’t view the magical beasts as a threat.

“It’s a pathetic story, but that’s right. I need your help.”

Meily’s inquiry prompted a firm nod from Julius, his cheeks tightening.

To handle the approaching magical beasts, they needed Meily, who had the ability to issue orders to magical beasts. –Julius’s reasoning was understandable, and Subaru felt the same plan coming to mind.

Yet, a strange sensation was ringing alarm bells in his chest.

“Subaru? What’s wrong? You have a weird look on your face.”

“…It’s my destiny to have a weird face since the moment I was born.”

“Is it just your look?”

Noticing Subaru’s bitter expression, Beatrice looked up at him with concern. Receiving her gaze, he exhaled deeply.

With a force that could have expelled all the anxiety felt inside him, he released the unmolded worry that lingered—though it remained ill-defined and speculative.

“Subaru, is something bothering you?”

“Stop asking so much. Though it’s my fault for wearing a suggestive face. Sorry about that, but I have something extra to add. It’s an exclusive scoop I picked up from the ‘Book of the Dead.'”

“――――”

As he held his breath, Beatrice and the others, who had already heard that term, widened their eyes. Honestly, the reaction was predictable, yet he couldn’t explain the situation without speaking.

The sudden change in circumstances—the reason magical beasts were swarming toward the tower was――

“—Gluttony. The Archbishop of Sin known as ‘Gluttony’ is sending magical beasts to the tower.”

“—W-why?”

“I’m sorry. I encountered one of ‘Gluttony’ inside the ‘Book of the Dead’. To be precise, I met one of them again. It seems I also saw them last night. That means…”

“You mean it’s the root cause of your lost memories.”

Julius interrupted with that statement, and Subaru lowered his chin.

It was strange to say, but Julius had a sharp understanding. He quickly connected ‘Gluttony’ with its name and ability, reaching the conclusion he had hoped for.

“I’m not unfazed by this. Tell me again, have you lost nothing this time?”

“Fortunately, aside from being declared a lifelong stalker, I’m still intact. I just explained this to Beatrice and the others.”

“I see. …Lady Beatrice?”

“Your concern is also Betty’s worry. For now, let’s see if there’s anything abnormal.”

“You don’t trust me…”

Nodding in understanding, Julius promptly sought confirmation from Beatrice. Subaru knew it was unavoidable, yet it made his sentiment complicated.

Be that as it may――

“It seems that they already grasped that we’re here as of last night. From that point, roughly half a day… The fact that they’re bringing pets to tease us means exactly that, doesn’t it?”

“It’s hard to believe they would reach this tower in half a day under normal travel speed, considering the obstacles from the magical beasts along the way. However…”

“However?”

“Unlike our arduous journey, if ‘Gluttony’ has the power to command magical beasts… Then it simply becomes a matter of their movement speed.”

Subaru crossed his arms with a serious look at Echidna’s comments.

If ‘Gluttony’ had the power to command magical beasts, it was a valid assumption. At the very least, there was no doubt the magical beasts were swarming the tower at the behest of the enemy.

They must keep in mind that the enemy had such means at their disposal.

“And what’s the issue with movement speed?”

“…On the sandy land. Even without the interference from magical beasts, one’s speed decreases if they get bogged down in the sand. Even if they don’t lose sight of the path straight to the tower, I’d expect it to take several days.”

“But, there are other possibilities?”

“If they’re taking time by land, it’d be a different story if they took to the skies.”

“To the skies…!”

With an unexpected method raised, Subaru’s dark eyes widened in surprise.

If aerial travel were possible, that would significantly modify their movement speed. It made perfect sense; a bird soaring through the sky would be faster than a person walking on the ground.

“I’ve mistakenly thought aerial travel was something special. I guess it’s typical with magic in play.”

“Not exactly. Flying is a type of compound magic, and its techniques are complex. Considering the risk of falling, normally one wouldn’t dare to do it. Only an idiot or a genius—or someone who is both could manage it.”

“I’ve heard tales about Baron Meisars flying into the castle, but…”

“Is that the idiot or the genius?”

Apparently, Beatrice didn’t have a favorable impression of the yet-unseen baron.

While stealing a glance at Beatrice’s adorably sulky demeanor, Subaru, told that magic wasn’t really common, tilted his head.

“If it’s not magic, then… a big bird? Oh, a dragon! Riding on a flying dragon would work!”

“In reality, the techniques to ride flying dragons have been established as a secret in the southern Volakia Empire. The empire monopolizes that skill, but if it’s ‘Gluttony’s’ methods, snatching it away would be easy.”

“They just have to ask someone who knows that technique. Grab their memory, and done.”

Thinking this way, it painted quite the picture of a powerful enemy in the information war.

If they devour ‘memories’, they could claim every hidden mystery as their own, and if they devoured ‘names’, that fact could wipe out the very existence of the one who had done it.

――They say memories shape a person.

In that moment, Subaru pondered deeply about how a person’s value, their journey, was engraved in memories and history.

Especially now, Subaru found himself filled with a deep-seated loathing for the despicable powers of ‘Gluttony.’

It was foul.

The power of ‘Gluttony’, which takes away the memories of others, is an evil that desecrates and destroys everything.

To even attempt to use this for one’s own happiness, for the pursuit of joy, is absurd. To twist destiny through wrong means, through methods devoid of reason.

――But hey, isn’t that something the ‘Return by Death’ brother would say?

“――ッ”

“Subaru!”

Absently, Subaru bit down hard on his lips when Beatrice called out to him.

As he felt her pulling on his arm, their anxious blue eyes met. A sharp pain throbbed at the corner of his mouth, a shameful reminder of his own self-inflicted wound.

Licking the blood from the cut with his tongue, Subaru lowered his head apologetically, murmuring, “my bad.”

“I was just momentarily haunted by a nasty expression. It’s one of my great ambitions to make them howl in defeat… but the pressing issue is that brother of theirs.”

“We already knew there were multiple Archbishops of ‘Gluttony’, but have you gained any new insights?”

“It’s convoluted due to the bewildering first person, but I think so. There’s one rambling in the ‘Book of the Dead’, and I believe there are two brothers of that one.”

In the ‘Memory Corridor,’ Lui repeatedly referred to “big brother” and “older brother”. If taken at face value, it would mean Lui had two older brothers.

Whether that directly proved the existence of the three ‘Gluttony’ siblings is another discussion altogether――

“At the very least, they didn’t seem to be the type who could engage in such a power play. Well, I can’t really criticize that since I almost lost to their belly tricks.”

What might have happened if he had tightened his grip around that slender neck without the voice of the blue-haired girl who appeared then? He shuddered at the thought.

“――So, what’s your point then? You keep going off on tangents, and that’s one of your bad habits.”

With a tremor of impatience, Meily shook her body, expressing her dissatisfaction.

The girl who was supposed to have been given her role from the start seemed far less than pleased at having been kept waiting in such a matter.

Understanding her discontent, Subaru raised a hand to soothe her, saying, “I get you.”

“I get your feeling, but it was a necessary conversation. Sure, I can’t deny I have a bad habit of beating around the bush, but that’s my flavor, and I love it…”

“Do you want to be bitten?”

“My bad! But seriously, beasts are coming in waves! So, it’s only natural to call upon our magical beast expert, Meily-chan! That flow is just normal, right? I told you, they’re the ones who took my memories!”

“What does that mean…?”

Seeing Subaru’s cautious tone, Meily also lowered her voice. She understood the essence of what Subaru was trying to convey.

And that same understanding also reflected on the faces of their surrounding companions.

Surrounded by their expressions, Subaru scratched his head and continued.

“I’ll preamble that this is on me, but they have my memories. –They’re setting traps, knowing our strengths. We have to surpass that.”

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

――The ones who dominate the information war will control the fight.

That sentiment echoed in Subaru’s mind, having been steeped in various gaming cultures from modern Japan.

Moreover, there’s no chance of winning at poker when the opponent can see your hand; even a child knows that formula.

And thus――

“If the enemy can see our fighting power, then I can understand your concerns.”

Leading the pack, Julius squinted as he cast his voice back.

He succinctly ended the explanation of the situation while sharing their apprehensions about the enemy’s possible response. However, considering they didn’t know what that response was, there were times when he worried it could throw them off balance even more――

“Being kept in the dark about a vital piece of information is far scarier than later finding out about it. Is Subaru’s current thinking correct?”

“Really? Are you sure? Everyone, you don’t hate me, right?”

“Why are you so anxious? Is it alright? No one hates you, Subaru. Rather, it’s, umm, umm…”

“Got it, got it. All good, relieved. Love you.”

As they held hands while running, Subaru nodded to Beatrice, who was struggling to send encouraging words. Honestly, it felt more embarrassing when those unspeakable sentiments were put into words.

It’s much easier to say it than to hear it. No need to doubt his own feelings.

“So, what about Shaula!?”

“Oh, we’re almost… there.”

Julius, who was leading the way, pointed at a stone pathway. Although it appeared to be a dead end, a camouflaged path lay hidden to the right.

Bending low to follow Julius under the wall, Subaru’s body met a sudden ferocious wind filled with sand the moment they stepped outside the tower, along with a cascade of unfamiliar sounds.

――To Subaru, it sounded like a multitude of glass shattering all at once.

“Uu, Rya ryararyaryaryaryaryaryaryaryaryaryaryaryaryahh!!”

“――――”

That place was like a balcony attached to the wall of the tower.

The spiral staircase leading downward made it clear that the fourth floor wasn’t just a few meters off the ground; it was high up.

In that high sky, as the dry wind whipped across the balcony, a stunning beauty with black, shiny braids leapt around, dancing with a flawless figure――

“――Shaula!”

“Ah! Master, you came!! I’m so happy! It’s like my stage or maybe an internship! An open house for my master, do take a good look!”

With her arm shielding her eyes from the sandstorm, Shaula replied to Subaru with a bright voice. What she was doing there was simply unbelievable fantasy.

Across the width of the balcony, there lay an array of countless cannons floating in the air.

‘Cannons’ might be an exaggeration, but there was no suitable term for it otherwise. Cannons, gun muzzles, exit points—regardless, they were definitely cavities designed to launch something.

These white cannons spread like floating magic circles, aimed downwards toward the ground at a steep angle.

And then――

“――Infinity Hell Snipe!!”

“What’s that, that sounds so cool!!”

The moment Shaula shouted the name of her technique, the white cannon shone brightly.

Instantly drowning out Subaru’s exclamation, the air resonated with the sound of glass shattering as waves of blasts echoed across the dunes. Along with that, the cannons lost their shape, dissolving into the atmosphere.

This was the light and sound that welcomed Subaru and the others when they stepped onto the balcony. And the purpose of this display was singular.

――A singular shot was fired, and the white light rushed towards the ground with the speed of light.

When the white light struck the sand, it exploded with a blinding flash, throwing the earth into the air. The same applied even as it struck the backs of the magical beasts galloping fiercely across the sands.

The magical beasts charging towards the tower, raising clouds of dust behind them, received the white light, scattering blood and flesh across the sand. The parched earth absorbed the blood, and the scattered corpses were trampled underfoot by other magical beasts, all while the carpet bombing of white light loomed over the throng of magical beasts.

The number of white lights approached a hundred, and the power of a single shot was enough to shatter two or three magical beasts at once.

Shaula unleashed a flurry of those shots in mere moments. Considering she had fought valiantly alone while Julius went to summon Subaru and company, the number of magical beasts she had already taken down was nearing a thousand.

Yet, even Shaula’s carpet bombardment was merely a drop in the bucket against a swarm of magical beasts that overwhelmed the area like an army of ants.

That was just how vast the number of magical beasts accumulating from the dunes was.

“Hey… hey… I really don’t want to hear this, but are we seriously—”

“You can only see one side of the tower from this perch. But I assure you, the same scene extends to the other side of the tower as well. You’re correct in thinking that.”

“What if it’s possible there are only sugared walls on this side of the tower?”

“If anyone were so foolish as to do that, Betty would truly slap them into next week.”

The ceaseless rumbling of the ground and the squirming black masses below.

Hearing that those masses were approaching from all directions was enough to almost knock Subaru over. As a side note, he wanted to comment on how grotesque and ghastly the visuals of the magical beasts were.

Truly, divine design talent was running at a solid C-.

“How do you like it, Master?! Did you see me shine?! Also, just casually, the angle from the back was for you, Master! How about that?!”

“Your resilience in spirit even in this situation impresses me. I can truly appreciate that! It seems you’re the type who grows better with praise rather than results. So good, fantastic! Nice bulk! And about the angle, I don’t have time to appreciate it, so focus on this!”

“Okay Google! Defense! Offense!”

Indeed, he couldn’t help but admire Shaula’s unyielding spirit. Even while throwing haphazard encouragement her way, guilt welled up within him.

At least, if this battle ended safely, he’d want to reward her somehow――

“First priority is to get through this place…! Meily!”

“I can hear you just fine without you shouting. But…”

“But!? What do you mean!? ‘But, it’s okay to wipe out the beasts, right?’ I’m all good, actually count on me!”

“Don’t expect me to accept such an easy plan. Even I can’t handle this many troublesome beasts!”

Meily, pressing her hands against her ears, peered over the balcony looking downwards with a sour expression.

Then, she ignored Subaru’s exaggerated hopes, tightening her cute youthful profile. After licking her slightly sultry pink lips, she declared—

“――So, I’ll send out the ones I’ve been setting up to ram right at them.”

“――ッッッ!!”

The moment Meily extended her hand toward the ground, a massive mass broke through the sand, bursting forth.

From such a distance, even a large magical beast appeared tiny, but the identity of the being rocking the ground became vividly clear.

That meant it was a huge entity indeed—most likely, a gigantic worm measuring two to three dozen meters long appeared and began to crush the surrounding magical beasts under its massive body.

“That is…!”

“I had anticipated something like this and tamed it. I intended to sneak it out quietly, but I ended up using it here instead.”

With a gasp, Subaru stood transfixed at the sight of the gigantic worm, which Meily taunted with her tongue out.

Unfortunately, what shocked Subaru wasn’t just the worm itself, but the fact that he recognized it. He had encountered that very magical beast when he attempted to escape the tower.

Remembering how he was assaulted when it had surged forth from below, he recalled that it too had been sent flying by the white light.

That means Meily was the worm while the light belongs to Shaula.

While he felt an unexpected sense of realization, Subaru reached to ruffle Meily’s hair and she couldn’t dodge in time, landing a forceful pet.

“Wh-what, hey!?”

“Whether it’s due to the land or just your character, you don’t need to be so evil. I’m not believing for a second you were trying to leave us behind.”

“W-why can you say that so confidently?”

“That’s because I am you and you are me; everyone’s different but everyone’s good in their own way.”

“Huh?”

With Subaru’s words, Meily expressed confusion, and he didn’t intend to clarify.

Ultimately, Subaru could easily decipher the deceit behind Meily’s words at this stage. After all, he once claimed her memories after her death.

He could surely articulate how her values hadn’t changed much during her time in the tower.

And so, while Subaru kept his hand on Meily’s head, he began to connect the dots between the current dilemma and events from the previous loop.

The onslaught of magical beasts was akin to the situation preceding their prior breach when they allowed the burning centaur into the tower. Thus, the entrance of magical beasts had similarly occurred before.

Facing them was Julius, who had been struggling against that threat below.

So then, just like last time, had Shaula been dealing with the magical beasts outside on the balcony?

And did she end up allowing the magical beasts to breach because she lacked manpower?

This time though, that wouldn’t be the case.

Against this horde of magical beasts, they had a significant advantage that hadn’t been present before.

That advantage was Meily’s presence—the very girl who had inadvertently slipped from Subaru’s grasp was now the key to overcoming this situation.

“If Meily stays behind to join Shaula in fighting the magical beasts, that would change the entire scenario. Could that mean Julius would have his hands free? If that’s the case…”

――Separating Julius’s fighting power to tackle different issues.

“——”

The moment he reached that conclusion, Subaru realized the multiple problems simultaneously emerging within the tower required prompts of personnel to mobilize toward the needed solutions.

――The horde of magical beasts carpeting the sands.

――The Archbishop of Sin known as ‘Gluttony’ attacking the tower.

――The massive giant scorpion roaming freely within the tower.

――The overwhelming black shadows aiming to swallow both the tower and the desert.

――And, at any given moment, Raid Astraea was strolling about leisurely within the tower.

“My side consists of me, Beatrice, Emilia-chan and Ram. Plus, Meily and Shaula, along with Echidna and Julius…”

“Considering adding the two earth dragons on standby as extras and the healing spirit from the green room. I don’t think it’s bad to keep those choices available.”

Beginning to count the forces on both sides, Echidna shrugged her shoulders. Nodding to her, Subaru added Patrasche and the larger earth dragons from below to his hand.

As Echidna had rightly pointed out, this wasn’t the time to be stingy with their hand.

Because any and all cards must be accounted for, Subaru had to maximize their chance of fulfilling their victory conditions.

In that vein, he wanted to keep all allies within arm’s reach of his awareness, but――

“——Hey, wait a minute. Isn’t this getting a bit too late?”

“——――”

“Emilia-chan and Ram only went to pick up Rem at the green room, right?”

Feeling anxious about the delay of those two allies who weren’t present, Subaru’s throat went dry.

The green room was on the fourth floor, the same level where Subaru and the others were now. While it was possible they simply got lost within the tower, completely unaware of their surroundings—

“In this situation, if they simply didn’t know where they were, I’m sure Lady Ram would find a way to sort it out. Or perhaps Emilia-sama would break through the walls to show herself.”

“Ram, maybe, but what’s your evaluation of Emilia-chan? You think she can break a wall with those cute little arms? Even if she could, she wouldn’t do it—would she?”

“The fact that she’s losing confidence speaks volumes. Yet, Betty has a bad feeling, does she not?”

“――! Shaula! Meily! Can I leave this here to you!?”

With support from Julius and Beatrice, Subaru called out to Shaula and Meily. Responding to ذلك, Shaula, who was busy setting up cannons and firing them, gave a thumbs-up, while Meily tossed her braid and puffed her chest out.

“Leave this to me, and go ahead!”

“This is something I can handle, too! But if you don’t come back, I won’t be pleased with the sisters at all!”

Shaula blurted out her top line before dying, and Meily showed a dependable back, prompting Subaru to nod at Beatrice and take off running.

As he dove under the wall and jumped into the passage—

“Meily and Shaula are holding the fort, but is there a chance the magical beasts could get into the tower?”

“Not impossible, but it might have been doable back when we fell into the underground sand temple… Don’t you remember, Natsuki-kun? They could have come into the tower from there. That’s the case unless Meily blocked them.”

“Did the worm go berserk and cave in the underground?”

“With that many paths throughout, it wouldn’t hold up strengthwise.”

At Echidna’s affirmation, Subaru clenched his fists.

So, in means of two-fold, Meily’s presence had indeed halted the magical beast stampede. If the magical beasts couldn’t enter from above or below, their defense would hold.

If the massive numbers of magical beasts had been countered, then five problems had boiled down to merely four.

Though each of those paths seemed overwhelmingly long, the fact that one had been cleared mattered greatly.

Surmounting those five obstacles――

“We will conquer this tower…”

Just before Subaru uttered those words, a voice rang out from down the hall.

“――Balus!!”

“――! Ram?!”

As he passed through the path to the green room, Subaru lifted his face to see the black shadow charging toward him and his companions—Patrasche.

With sharp features and a striking earth dragon, it was clear that Ram clung to its back, firmly cradling the sleeping body of Rem in her slender arms.

“Ram! And Patrasche and Rem, you’re all alright!?”

“Yes, somehow. We faced quite a challenge while Balus was sprawling out, completely knocked out of his senses. Just how can someone sleep through such a disaster? Hurry and get up!”

“My bad! Don’t scold me, sister! See? I’m standing, I’m running!”

Just as he gracefully dismounted from the back of the earth dragon, he received a sharp tongue-lashing from Ram.

Since it had coincidentally showered down words that echoed Rem’s from earlier dreams, it also struck Subaru with the odd realization that those two were indeed sisters.

“――? I have my doubts about Balus’s odd behavior, but this is no time for that.”

Upon hearing Subaru’s words, Ram slightly furrowed her brows in suspicion. However, she soon shook her head and focused her attention behind her.

Where she had just come from—the direction of the green room.

Subaru had also felt odd about the absence of Emilia, who had gone with them and was not there with Ram and Patrasche.

“Yeah, I have questions, too, and things to talk about. You were supposed to have gone with her, so—”

“――I encountered someone who identified themselves as the Archbishop of Sin, ‘Gluttony’, just beyond that passage.”

“――――”

Cutting off his inquiry, Ram asserted that clearly.

At the strength in her words, a chill gripped Subaru, sealing his mouth and causing Beatrice and Julius to do the same. Thus, in their place, it was Echidna, who had been the least shaken, that responded.

“You mentioned the Archbishop of ‘Gluttony’, right? And they’re just beyond that passage?”

“Yes, that’s correct. –And someone is currently fighting that Archbishop of ‘Gluttony’ right now.”

“……Someone?”

That explanation left an increasingly strange impression.

Though Ram’s words remained filled with vigor and confidence, the ominous parts about them only intensified a sense of innate dissonance.

When Subaru pursued those vague elements, Ram nodded affirmatively.

Nodding, she continued.

“――A silver-haired stranger is clashing with the Archbishop of ‘Gluttony’. They keep telling us to flee.”