―― First and foremost, I deeply accept the fact that I have “returned by death.”

“———-”

As I stroked Beatrice’s head, who was looking at me with worry in her eyes, I reflected on the “crisis” that had just happened to me, as well as what was yet to come.

The fact that I “returned by death” means I failed to avoid a life-threatening situation.

By neglecting to address the catastrophe I knew would come, I put my companions’ lives at risk—no, my understanding is too naive. It’s not that I put their lives in danger. I caused Emilia and the others to die.

I saw this coming, yet I still overlooked it.

Five major obstacles were assaulting the tower. Knowing this, I failed to avoid the problem with my shallow understanding and poor judgment.

In the final moment, it was probably the black shadow—the one that mercilessly destroyed even this massive, resilient tower—that decisively took my life. That was the greatest and final obstacle.

With that in mind, I reorganized the five obstacles.

The first was the horde of beasts charging toward the tower.

The second was the Archbishop of Sin, Gluttony, coming for my “memories” and “name.”

The third was the giant scorpion that had somehow infiltrated the tower and lay in ambush in my blind spot.

The fourth was Reid Astraea, who moved freely inside the tower, rampaging and ignoring friend or foe alike.

And the final fifth was the black shadow that swallows everything and ruins it all.

These situations progressed simultaneously, and missing even one could easily collapse our plans.

The overwhelming surge of the pitch-black shadow might be seen as a twisted kindness from an absurdly unjust world, warning me of my time limit. A most unwelcome courtesy indeed.

“I’ll leave the first obstacle, the horde of beasts, to Meily and Shaula…”

I could state confidently that this choice was not wrong.

In previous loops—no, it was even prior loops—the five obstacles had certainly appeared concurrently. Among them, I had seen the scenario where beasts invaded the tower.

If that were to happen, either Emilia or Julius would have to divert their valuable combat strength to deal with the beasts. Avoiding that this time was a step forward, thanks to Meily’s survival.

With Meily’s presence, we were undoubtedly one step ahead.

However, it wasn’t nearly enough.

Even if we could hold off the horde of beasts, we were powerless against the subsequent obstacles.

When the Archbishop of Sin, Gluttony, appeared, Emilia lost her “name,” and despite our attempts, we barely managed to bring Julius into the fight against Batenkaitos, only for Reid to join the fray.

As a result, Emilia and Julius were forced into a two-front battle against Gluttony and Reid, wasting precious time, and ultimately, they were struck by the scorpion’s interference and the shadow’s time-up declaration.

In other words, we couldn’t allow things to balance out like that. Our actions were insufficient.

What worried me further was the Archbishop of Sin, Gluttony—if Louis Arnebe’s words were correct, there should be two of them.

I had encountered Rai Batenkaitos, but the other one was nowhere to be seen.

―― This is bad. Really bad.

While the situation was rapidly evolving, I was the only one grasping all the issues, yet after repeating “death” so many times, I still couldn’t reveal the whole picture.

I had stalled for far too long. Why had I wasted so much time――.

“—Can I calm down?”

“That hurts!”

As my thoughts heated up, I found my cheeks squeezed hard by Beatrice’s small hands, snapping my mind back to reality.

With my cheeks still held tightly, Beatrice continued at a distance where her breath reached me.

“Subaru, tell me what happened in the book. There’s no point in keeping it all to yourself. Speak it out loud, and let’s think together. … That’s the advantage of Betty and the others.”

“What happened in the book…”

Hearing Beatrice’s earnest plea, I reflected on my current circumstances.

I accepted the fact that I “returned by death.” I had to recognize the place I returned to and engrave it in my mind.

This was the library of the third layer, Taygeta.

In a room surrounded by countless shelves containing the “Book of the Dead,” I had just returned after facing Reid’s “Book of the Dead.”

And what happened to me in the book was――.

“—Stand up.”

“Huh?”

“No, it’s that I got kicked in the back and was thrown out in despair. Damn, I had no progress whatsoever.”

In front of Beatrice, who looked wide-eyed, I scratched my head.

Then, while holding Beatrice, I stood up slowly and looked around—at Ekidna and Meily, the two who had quietly awaited my awakening.

I knew about the whereabouts of Emilia and Ram, as well as Julius and Shaula.

The situation had already occurred, and there was no time to stand idle.

So――,

“I’ll keep it short. I failed to see Reid’s memories in the ‘Book of the Dead.’ Interference got in the way. The ‘Book of the Dead’ is connected to the existence of Odo Laguna, and I encountered a troublesome character there.”

At Subaru’s rapid explanation, the three of them widened their eyes in surprise.

Not allowing time for their minds to catch up, while internally apologizing for this, Subaru continued with the decisive statement.

That was――.

“—The Archbishop of Sin, Louis Arnebe, declared war against us.”

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“Still, to have come all the way to the eastern edge and face an Archbishop of Sin again. It seems there’s an unbreakable bond between Natsuki-kun and them,” Ekidna remarked, teasing Subaru about his predicament after finishing the explanation.

As I heard that comment, we rushed down the stairs from the library, moving to meet the allies who were away from Taygeta.

“Sorry, I’ve got amnesia, so I can’t say I know much about the Abrahamic creatures in our relationship. …Do I really have such ties with them?”

“At least, the reason Betty and the others ended up here seems to stem from them. They came seeking solutions for the mess they created, traveling through the sands.”

“I thought I heard a bit about the reasons for coming to the tower, but to think they were the cause of it all. They really don’t do any good.”

While grimacing in annoyance, Subaru felt exasperated at the bonds with those he disliked.

He hadn’t pursued it deeply, but neither Beatrice nor Ekidna had confined their rivals to just Gluttony. If Subaru’s imagination was correct, the Archbishops of Sin likely number seven in total, so the ones who got involved wouldn’t be limited to just Gluttony.

“Considering that’s upsetting, I’d rather not talk about it right now… Oh.”

“Ekidna! And Subaru is with you too!”

Just as they exited back to the fourth layer, a figure rushed toward them—Julius, who raised his voice in surprise.

Previously, Julius had returned to Taygeta to inform Subaru and Ekidna of the abnormal situation surrounding the tower after confirming it. He managed to catch both of them slightly earlier.

Seeing Subaru return unscathed from the “Book of the Dead,” Julius asked,

“Are you okay, Subaru? Did you manage to get any crucial information from the ‘Book of the Dead’?”

“It will be the same explanation I gave the others, but that was a failure. I’ll clarify the details through my upcoming questions, which will align with this abnormal situation.”

“In other words, what does that mean?”

“I’m aware of the overall situation. —Right now, there are beasts surrounding the tower, right?”

Just as Subaru threw that question, a loud rumble shook the tower.

The constant, faint ground-shaking reverberated below everyone inside the tower. Everyone began to move, the truth of the situation revealed, and Julius gaped in realization.

“Right! Currently, the area surrounding this Pleiades Watchtower is teeming with many beasts. On the outskirts of the tower, Shaula is bravely fighting and preventing their intrusion, but…”

“Considering this rumble is related to those bad little animals, no matter how strong the naked lady is, eventually, she’ll lose the battle.”

“Thus, I’d like to borrow your strength. What do you say, Meily?”

Meily interrupted the conversation and turned to Julius, who humbly requested her assistance. In response, Meily shot a meaningful glance towards Subaru.

It felt as if she were asking Subaru to validate her decision about her actions, and he lightly sighed before nodding.

“I’m also counting on you. Meily, there’s no one else who can do this. Sorry for the rush, but please cooperate so we can all take a step forward.”

“…Hmm? For someone who said something so pompous, you’re pathetic. But since you’ve asked humbly, I’ll take charge of this situation. Don’t forget to appreciate me.”

“Absolutely, I’m immensely grateful! I love you!”

“That’s cheap…”

With Subaru’s gratitude, Meily readily agreed to deal with the beasts. One of the five obstacles had been cleared. Up to this point, it was the same as the previous time.

So――,

“Then, I’ll send her to Shaula…”

“No, we’ll act separately. Meily, do you know where the balcony is? You should join forces with Shaula at that location to manage the beasts.”

“It’s at the end of the corridor, right? Really, you’re such a hard taskmaster.”

Having heard that, Meily sighed and started running. While her demeanor seemed apathetic and reluctant, it was evident that she’d run with all her might in adherence to Subaru’s instructions.

And then,

“Subaru, you appear to have some conviction concerning the beasts. What do you know?”

“Yeah, I’ll explain that on the way. However, right now, just come with me. —We need to hurry, Emilia-chan and the others are in danger!”

“—!”

With wide eyes from surprise, Julius was followed by Subaru, who dashed off with urgency, holding Beatrice in his arms, pulling Ekidna along.

For a moment, stunned, Julius quickly regained his senses to catch up with Subaru’s swift back.

“I previously said that I failed when I dove into the ‘Book of the Dead.’ I couldn’t see Reid’s memories. Instead, I encountered another character… the Archbishop of Sin, Gluttony.”

“—Are you kidding me? Why would Gluttony be in the ‘Book of the Dead’?”

Upon hearing the name of the enemy with whom he had a strong grudge, Julius’s face froze. It was Ekidna who called out to him beside her.

She had her own thoughts, feeling frustrated by her slow pace.

“According to Natsuki-kun’s story, the ‘Book of the Dead’ is part of Odo Laguna’s cradle… it’s a device meant to preserve the memories and life traces of the deceased. And the Archbishop of Sin eats others’ ‘memories’ and ‘names.’ In other words…”

“Are you implying that they utilize part of Odo Laguna’s power? …Wait, you said you met Gluttony in the book. If that’s the case, Subaru, could your memory loss be…?”

“Yeah, it has nothing to do with traps or tricks in the tower. It’s purely an FOE… an accident from a random encounter. You’re now a victim in the same way.”

It was unimaginable that merely delving into the ‘Book of the Dead’ would lead to an encounter with Gluttony.

If Subaru and the others were correct in their previous assumptions, then the ‘Book of the Dead’ that could have encountered Gluttony was only this one copy of Reid, reproduced within the tower.

How incredibly unfortunate it was, reflecting on Subaru’s experiences up until yesterday, one could not help but question his past behavior. It almost makes one believe in the ridiculousness of a grudge against an Archbishop of Sin.

“For us to end up as victims together is quite a poorly aligned taste. …However, if since last night you had an interaction with Gluttony, does that mean this beast attack is…?”

“We’ve granted them over half a day to prepare by now. If Subaru remembers it, we could… Oh! I’m not blaming you!”

“I know. But I totally deserve to be blamed. I should have performed better yesterday, and I wish today’s me was smarter.”

If that were the case, it would have been possible for them to face the enemy in perfect condition.

But saying that was meaningless now. They had to play their hand with what they had.

What was essential was resolve and decisiveness, as well as trust—especially, trusting their teammates.

“As you might have guessed, the beast horde is under Gluttony’s influence. Furthermore, Gluttony himself is joining the fray… he is undoubtedly targeting Emilia-chan and the others.”

And before Subaru’s late realization could catch up to them, Emilia, now on the front lines, would allow Ram to escape, leading to the loss of her “name.”

This time, they would prevent that from happening. —For that, various angles had been shortened.

“If Emilia-chan’s ‘name’ can be secured…”

―― Most likely, it would prevent Ram from withdrawing from the battle.

“——”

Last time, Ram’s incapacitation resulted from the fact that Emilia’s ‘name’ was taken by Batenkaitos, leading to Ram’s inability to cope with the absence of memories of Emilia’s existence.

When that danger was removed, it would become possible to rely on Ram in battle. Also, as for Rem, who Ram was carrying, there shouldn’t be an issue with them holding on to her here.

This way, if Emilia and Ram could lock down Batenkaitos…

“Julius! You have work to do too! We’ll manage with Gluttony on our end. I know it’s a personal rival for you too. You really want to knock him out, but…”

“But what? In this situation, is there any rival more pressing than Gluttony…?”

“—Reid is coming down. If his interference happens, everything goes awry. Someone has to stop him.”

“——”

Upon hearing this explanation, the astonishment that had repeated several times creased Julius’s brow again.

However, this time it was not simple surprise but a mixture of confusion and skepticism.

And it was only natural.

The horde of beasts and the attack from the Archbishop of Sin, Gluttony—these could be processed as information they’d received directly from Gluttony during the ‘Book of the Dead.’

However, if Reid’s presence was to be involved, that would be a different story. There was no connection between Reid’s existence and Gluttony. At the very least, the tower’s mechanism had no relation to the Archbishops of Sin.

Thus, they could not seek a logical basis for that explanation, yet――.

“…Even if that’s the case, if Reid Astraea were to descend, I can’t imagine he would act entirely ignoring the situation.”

“You don’t think so? Really? That character is one who prioritizes what he wants to do most at that moment?”

“…Sorry, but I can’t see Betty thinking that way. He prioritizes whatever he deems most important at that time. Regardless of the situation.”

In Subaru’s arms, Beatrice affirmed with a chilling conviction. Hearing that, Julius stumbled in speech, turning to Ekidna for the final opinion.

In response to Julius’s gaze, Ekidna shrugged her thin shoulders.

“I have the same opinion. However, it’s hard to believe he would walk freely in the tower. It’s more accurate to say I don’t want to believe it, but… Natsuki-kun, that information too?”

“—Yeah. From Gluttony.”

After a brief hesitation, Subaru boldly lied while nodding in response to Ekidna’s inquiry.

In truth, the possibility of Reid’s free movement being tied to Gluttony was low. At the very least, Batenkaitos had been surprised by Reid’s existence and had handled him that easily.

Therefore, this was essentially a complete miscommunication stemming from Subaru’s inability to convey the reliability of his information properly—a sort of extra-legal measure.

“——”

Listening to Subaru’s rather dubious answer, Julius pondered with a difficult expression.

However, while he contemplated, time was slipping by swiftly. Especially given the current circumstances, paired with the beasts and the Archbishop of Sin, the situation within the tower was deteriorating in real-time.

Unable to stand by any longer, Ekidna called out to Julius.

“Currently, I too feel resistance towards distancing you from visible threats and directing you towards potential danger. But Natsuki-kun’s words…”

“Should be trusted… I understand, Ekidna. Honestly, I feel resentful about distancing myself from Gluttony, who is also my enemy, but…”

“—Reid Astraea is something I can only entrust to you. Just as I mentioned before.”

“…If I don’t win, the calculations go haywire. A truly unbearable phrase.”

If the calculations unraveled and the gears shifted, it would probably give rise to unimaginable tragedy.

Seeing that seriousness in Subaru’s black eyes, Julius sighed heavily.

“I promise to take on Reid. —However, if he does not move from the second layer, I will join you there. Any objections?”

“None at all. If Reid doesn’t move and you become free, that would be ideal. I’ll leave the judgment up to you in a timely fashion, but defeating Reid is also your task.”

“I’ll take that under advisement. Ekidna, Beatrice, I leave the rest to you.”

“Rely on me…”

As Subaru grimaced at the notion that he was leaving the other two behind, Julius made a dramatic gesture of styling his bangs and then turned away with a flourish.

With his white robe fluttering, Julius kicked the floor with his long legs and headed towards the stairs to the second layer.

“—I won’t delve deeply into how you gained your conviction.”

“—”

“What’s important is that we trust you. It would make me happy if you could keep my feelings and his from being betrayed.”

“I don’t really understand what you mean, but I appreciate it.”

After watching Julius’s back as he departed, Ekidna spoke to him in a low voice. The intent of her words highlighted the tenuous relationship between Reid and Gluttony.

Swallowing that faint sense of discomfort, Ekidna and Julius trusted Subaru’s statements. He had to meet that trust and expectation.

“—Ugh.”

Just then, as he considered that, Subaru felt a prickling sensation deep in his chest.

For a moment, Beatrice furrowed her brows at Subaru’s reaction, but he turned back towards her, narrowing his eyes.

―― This heat feels familiar.

It’s that strange heat I felt just before being engulfed by the shadow at the end of the last loop. My heart raced, and Subaru clenched his teeth against the tingling warmth, shutting his eyelids.

Behind those eyelids floated shimmering particles of soft, ephemeral light.

It was visible near my arms, beside me, and in the direction Subaru turned his face――.

“Let’s hurry! We must reconvene with Emilia-chan and the others!”

“I’m okay with that, but will we be useful? To be honest, right now, you and Beatrice are barely combatants.”

“Betty can be somewhat of a force if she chooses to fight. Plus, the aim is not for Subaru’s troops to act as reinforcements, right?”

While Subaru rushed ahead, Ekidna and Beatrice exchanged opinions.

Ekidna’s concern was accurate, and Beatrice’s intuition was correct.

Sadly, the three of them would not act as a direct reinforcement to Emilia. They needed to――.

“—Balus! You’ve awoken!”

“Ram!”

Just around the corner, the same sight from earlier appeared—Ram, riding on Patrasche’s back, cradling Rem.

She bravely leaped off Patrasche’s back and tossed the reins to Subaru.

“You’re late to wake up! I’m leaving Rem to you! If you hurt her or touch her weirdly, I won’t forgive you! Ram is――”

“Wait, wait, wait! Slow down! I get the message, but calm down! You…”

“The Archbishop of Sin is here! Emilia-sama is holding her ground, but it’s tough for her. If Ram doesn’t hurry back, it’ll be too late!”

“――――”

In an instant, the feelings that surged through Subaru were complex.

Worrying about Ram rushing back into battle, relief at hearing Emilia’s name cross her lips, and growing anger at Batenkaitos returned.

Suppressing those, Subaru entrusted the reins to Ekidna, saying,

“Ekidna! I need you to keep Rem and Patrasche safe! The balcony and second layer are no good! The green room is off-limits for now. I suspect Taygeta is likely the best option!”

“Natsuki-kun, what about you?!”

“Beatrice and I are going to deal with the Archbishop of Sin alongside Ram!”

With the reins tightly handed to her, Subaru met the surprised gaze of Ekidna’s azure eyes. As she subtly gasped, Subaru stroked Patrasche’s neck and gestured to Rem on his back.

“You said you wanted me to keep my trust, right? I’m asking you the same. I’m counting on you to look after Rem. This child is indispensable to ‘Natsuki Subaru.’”

“—What a strange way to phrase it. You’re still Natsuki Subaru, after all.”

“…I’m trusting you to understand just a bit of how I feel.”

I had heard that Ekidna existed by borrowing the body of a girl named Anastasia. That meant she was standing in the same position as Natsuki Subaru, overwriting her own existence with his.

Upon hearing Subaru’s words, Ekidna’s eyes widened.

“Natsuki-kun, you’re not suggesting…?”

“—I’m counting on you.”

Without allowing Ekidna to say all she wanted, Subaru dashed away, leaving her and Beatrice behind.

Ram had already headed down the corridor. As he left, he stole a glance at Rem’s sleeping face on Patrasche’s back to bolster his courage.

“Why did you come here, Balus? Rem is…”

“Rem told me to do what I have to and not worry about her! I got lectured in the book!”

“—What?! To Rem? What do you mean?”

In response to Subaru, who had just sidled up, Ram’s pale pink eyes widened in uncertainty. However, now was not the time to explain in detail what had happened in the “Memory Corridor.”

So, Subaru only communicated the most vital information briefly.

“Rem said to fight and bring them back! So, I’m going with you!”

“Of course! Don’t forget, Beatrice is here too!”

“—That’s fine for now. I’ll interrogate you a hundred times later.”

“A hundred times sounds scary!?”

Subaru was trembling as Ram’s declaration was neither joke nor jest. However, he was grateful that she’d let it slide after not explaining anything important to him.

Meanwhile, the circumstances that required such urgency were approaching rapidly――.

“—Ice Brand Arts!”

The next moment, I glimpsed Emilia’s form dancing in the center of the icy corridor, wielding an ice weapon.

Opposite her stood the disheveled, dirt-stained Archbishop of Sin, Rai Batenkaitos.

At this sight, Ram exclaimed,

“Emilia-sama!”

Subaru was certain he had made it in time, knowing that was Emilia’s name.

And at the same moment, the called-out Emilia turned to see Ram behind her, asking,

“Why did you come back!? And I’m so glad to see Subaru and Beatrice safe… but! It’s super dangerous right now! Step back! Stay away!”

“I managed to send Rem to safety. Now, I’m coming to assist you, Ram.”

“But Ram, you…”

“You think I can step back just because you said so?”

Responding to Emilia, Ram reached for her leg and pulled out a slender staff attached there.

It appeared to be a typical short wand associated with a mage. It looked rather unremarkable but strangely emanated an odd sense of pressure.

At the sight of Ram brandishing it, Gluttony distanced himself from Emilia with a smirk.

“Haha! What’s this? You’ve come back, sister! Wow, so handsome! Why on earth are you so cool, sister? Honestly, sister, you’re amazing!”

“—Annoying. I will kill you, Archbishop of Sin.”

Ram’s calm resolve pierced through the boisterous laughter of Gluttony.

Beside her, even if that murderous intent was not directed at him, it sent a chilling shiver down Subaru’s spine. However, Batenkaitos remained unfazed.

“Great! Fantastic! It’s all good! I absolutely adore it! My heartfelt sentiments remain unrestrained! For you see, I want to believe this is an emotional reunion truly deserving of tears!”

“What do you mean…?”

“To take away the ‘name’ and ‘memories’ of someone dear is the most profound form of vengeance, right? Yet, it usually turns out that the individuals we devour don’t remember a darn thing! Despite how deeply we cherish and understand our beloved sister, she fails to grasp the slightest hint of our feelings! It’s such a waste like spilling salt on the finest gourmet ingredient.”

Batenkaitos began to ramble on with a story that provided no helpful context whatsoever.

Indeed, the power Gluttony wielded to steal others’ memories was akin to trampling on their lives. If family, lovers, or benefactors were attacked by them, the dreadful aftermath would fade into oblivion, and the hatred that should have existed would dissipate.

In a sense, that could function as protection from avenging us.

Yet――,

“—Doesn’t that sound terribly boring?”

Yet Batenkaitos boldly declared it was indeed dull.

“—”

“The supremely rich hatred they should have gained, the murky, seething anger—all those fresh and rancid emotions being wholly denied—that’s quite a significant loss for us. …Until that guy showed up.”

“I…?”

“Bro! For some reason, even after we devour their ‘name,’ they somehow still remember! I figured a bunch of stuff out! It’s likely tied to the difference in the place you were born! But the important point is the result! You’re our savior!”

As he spoke, Batenkaitos spread his arms wide, gazing at Subaru with an expression of euphoria.

It was a gaze that might as well have been genuinely yearning for Subaru.

“Instead, allow me to declare this! You are our hero! So endearing, so earnest, only pulling away creates a void, picking at our hearts until they prick painfully! Yet, you understand those feelings, Hero…!”

“Cut out the creepy remarks! What the hell are you…?”

“Of course, it’s heartfelt! What a shame—this is pathetic! We are so determined, so devoted to the thought of you, bro!”

It was impossible for Subaru to grasp where Batenkaitos’s mixed feelings lay, and he found it unfathomable.

However, based on Batenkaitos’s earlier words, the truth emerged.

It was the thoughts of Rem that he had absorbed—that was Batenkaitos’s core motivation.

“Why don’t we start anew and experience that emotional reunion all over again? Let’s begin from here, big brother!”

“—Eh yaah!!”

“Bughahn!?”

In that moment, Emilia, who had stealthily approached from behind Batenkaitos, did not hesitate to strike the immense ice hammer she wielded against the back of the Archbishop of Sin’s head.

With an utterly merciless blow fit for a cartoon, Batenkaitos’s words were cut short, and for an instant, he completely rolled his eyes back, collapsing forward.

“――――”

“…Did we win?”

“We did it!”

In the silence, Batenkaitos remained still while Emilia raised her fist in a victorious pose. As Subaru stared, utterly flabbergasted by such a ridiculously anticlimactic ending.

“…What an anti-climactic conclusion.”

“…Indeed. So where do I place the feelings I had earlier for tearing him apart, Emilia-sama!?”

“Uh, what? Was it not effective?”

“—No, you did marvelously. Indeed, truly, well done.”

Beatrice, cradled in Subaru’s arms, and Ram expressed their disappointment at the fallen Gluttony.

In fact, Ram had been trampled on as her nemesis faced a swift end by Emilia’s sudden strike, even while complex emotions weaved through her.

However,

“No, I have tons to say, but the first thing that comes to mind is, Good Job, Emilia-chan! With this, we’ve… restrained Gluttony…”

“—Sadly, it won’t end this way, big brother.”

“—――”

Before Subaru could even think they’d eaten through two of the five obstacles surprisingly, Batenkaitos—who should have been knocked out—rose up slowly.

That unnatural movement made Subaru’s eyes widen as Beatrice tensed up.

Of course, Emilia and Ram also displayed wariness in their eyes――.

“Has being hit made him lose his mind? If he can’t recognize the situation, including those advances toward Balus…”

“Ah, ah, let’s skip that. We’ve already conveyed our feelings, and we’re done with the hesitance…”

Batenkaitos interrupted Ram’s words as he stood up with his long brown hair concealing his face, muttering to himself.

As his murmurs echoed, a twisted, horrifying sound rang throughout the corridor.

“Lies…”

The grotesque sound coincided with Batenkaitos’s bizarre transformation, causing Emilia to blink rapidly, her beautiful violet eyes reflecting the dreadful scene.

His skeletal structure warped as Batenkaitos’s body underwent a change—from the slender physique of a boy to that of a brawny man.

It felt like a nightmare. However, Subaru’s true nightmare was just beginning.

“Hi there, big brother, surprised? This is ‘Eclipse’… well, let’s just say it’s one of our trump cards. Unlike before, this time we’ll break you with sheer strength!”

“That’s some shady… stuff you’re saying, boy. You…”

Feeling a terrifying chill wash over him, Subaru pressed on as cold sweat glistened at the back of his neck while he questioned.

In response to that, the muscular figure smiled surprisingly, revealing a distinct absence of unease.

“—The Witch Cult Archbishop of Sin, Louis Arnebe.”

“—――”

“I can’t stick around for long. I have to make my rounds and finish what I started while you were napping, okay?”

“`

 

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