――The last words were swept away by the wind, and Natsuki Subaru’s consciousness faded.

「――――」

　It’s a bitter irony that this time, ‘death’ had been a death I had anticipated.

　Perhaps because of that, my heart was calm at the moment of ‘death’—not entirely calm, of course; there was still anxiety and tension about thrusting myself into an act that led to death.

　However, unlike before, this was a predicted ‘death,’ and I felt I could face it more sincerely than ever.

　Of course, I didn’t seriously believe that choosing to die would genuinely save Shaula.

　If I didn’t want her to die, then I should tell her to command me to die.

　Shaula, who had cared so much for me, saw me throw myself off right in front of her. The shock of that moment was immeasurable and must have shattered her heart, which had been waiting for four hundred years.

　Therefore, this was ultimately just my own self-satisfaction. Moreover, the worst kind of self-satisfaction, where I wouldn’t even witness the result.

　But――,

「――So what?」

　What if it’s nothing more than self-satisfaction, or nothing but hypocrisy?

　In the end, how the actions of this world are perceived rests solely upon my own scale. Unperformed good deeds hold no meaning, and the concept of hypocrisy ultimately does not exist.

　――Everyone survives.

　After my dialogue with Shaula, Subaru’s final goal was firmly established.

　――No, to be precise, from the beginning, the goal had always been the survival of everyone. It’s just that the judgment of whether or not to include Shaula was determined, and Subaru decided to love everyone.

　Resolve to guide the incident surrounding this sandy tower to resolution without losing a single person.

　Do whatever it takes to achieve that.

　That is――,

「This is why I am myself.――Isn’t that right, “Natsuki Subaru”?」

　With that moment of determination, the long, long awakening from the brink of ‘death’ arrives――.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

「――Subaru, was what you said earlier true?」

「Yeah, don’t doubt me now that we’ve come this far. I went through hell to gather this info. If this isn’t useful, I’ll never find peace!」

　While returning a sarcastic remark to the handsome man running alongside, Subaru tugged the small hand and kept running.

　Dashing through the fourth-floor corridor, their goal was the second floor, ‘Electra’――while carrying the frustration of holding Beatrice’s hand, Julius glanced at Subaru with his yellow eyes.

「Subaru, you don’t look well. Could it be that what happened in the book…」

「I’m not hiding the fact that it was tough. You aren’t going to suggest I sulk in the green room, are you?」

「If this weren’t such a chaotic situation, I would recommend resting. Unfortunately, things are too hectic at the moment. Right now, we must utilize anything we have, even if it’s as minor as a grain of sand.」

「Don’t belittle me as a grain of sand…」

「You could easily be swept away by a slight wind. Ideally, I’d like you to stay within my sight.」

　Subaru narrowed his eyes at the elegant words, finding it ironically amusing to think he might be swept away by the wind.

　In reality, Subaru’s ‘death’ felt like it had been whisked away just moments ago. Julius’s comparison to him as a grain of sand wasn’t entirely off-base.

「But even a grain of sand has its pride.」

「And that grain of sand comes with Beatrice. In other words, it’s a grain of sand with the cutest companion!」

「It feels like there’s sand stuck in your shoes.」

「That’s not what I meant!」

　Smiling at Beatrice, who puffed up her cheeks, Subaru tightened his arms around her. Beatrice let out a small yelp, and her light body fit snugly against Subaru’s chest.

　While it was pleasant to have her in his arms, he prioritized speed now. Luckily, Beatrice was as light as an angel’s wing, so carrying her while running was a breeze.

「Well, I’ve never actually held an angel’s wing before.」

「Enough chit-chat.――Subaru, I know this sounds repetitive, but—」

「Yeah, I get it. It is repetitive. I can’t say “don’t worry” even if my mouth were to split in two… but I absolutely will stop Raid from coming into contact with ‘Gluttony’.」

　Pausing, Julius stared straight at the grand staircase leading to the second floor. He interrupted Julius’s inquiry with certainty and an assertive declaration.

　It was impossible for this to be a lie. After all, it was information straight from Julius himself. If they could thwart this—

「We could put a brake on Raid’s lunacy.」

「In any case, I wish to avoid him crashing the party amidst this chaos. It’s worth checking on his movements.」

　Stepping onto the grand staircase, Julius nodded toward Subaru. Subaru nodded back while still holding onto Beatrice, stepping onto the first step.

　And――,

「――Ugh!」

「Subaru, you still look unwell. I wonder if the book’s impact is getting to you.」

　Seeing Subaru staggering for a moment, Beatrice touched his cheek worriedly. Gaining comfort from her warm little hand, Subaru shook his head, insisting, “I’m fine.”

「It’s not fatigue from reading giving me a fever. Moreover, like I told Julius, now’s not the time to be bedridden. —It’s time for everyone to pull together.」

「If you’re truly on the verge of collapse, please inform Betty before that happens.」

「…Yeah, I understand.」

　Subaru responded to Beatrice’s urgent insistence, exhaling deeply.

　His body felt heavy. His head felt like it was stuffed with lead. Waves of nausea crashed over him, and there was a sensation in his veins as if tar were flowing in place of blood.

　All of this was the result of Subaru taking on Rem’s sickness at ‘Cor Leonis.’

「――――」

　The silver lining was that after crossing ‘Return by Death,’ the existence of ‘Cor Leonis’ persisted. —Just like the memories of ‘death,’ the ability had carried over.

　Thanks to that, he knew where his comrades were currently located. Everyone was following his instructions, each beginning to respond in their own way.

　Among those reactions was Shaula, fighting side by side with Meily on the balcony. She was, without a doubt, there and fighting for Subaru —no, for him alone.

「I will definitely save you.」

　Murmuring this resolutely, Subaru chased after Julius, who was ahead.

　They leaped over the first floor of the tower, heading up the long grand staircase connecting to the upper floors. However, he had no time to weaken or bemoan the distance.

　Even if his body would rot and his bones would shatter, it would be the necessary price to break through this situation.

　And――,

「――Subaru, we’re here!」

　Julius’s sharp voice rang out, and Subaru lifted his head, gasping for breath. Julius had reached the top step and turned halfway, beckoning Subaru.

　As they ascended the stairs, they were met with an open space.

「――――」

　In stark contrast to the fourth floor’s sprawling layout with multiple rooms, they reached the second floor, ‘Electra,’ which had been wholly dedicated to the ‘test.’

　And on this ‘Electra,’ where Subaru, Beatrice, and Julius had arrived, stood the legendary ‘Sword Saint’ Reid Astraea and the Archbishop of Gluttony――,

「――Hey, you! Is this all you’ve got? Seriously? You better be joking! Did you come here to entertain me or what? This isn’t enough! Don’t make me laugh! At least make me smile! This is boring as hell, you!」

　They stumbled upon Reid Astraea, mercilessly slamming the boy he had grabbed by the leg down onto the floor.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

「――――」

「What is this…」

　Julius muttered in astonishment as he gaped at the scene before him. However, Subaru’s feelings about what he was seeing were no different from Julius’s surprise.

　Then again, what kind of scene had he expected? That was hard to say, but――,

「Huh? What are you two doing here? You guys have shown a lot of interest. Or, is it not me you want but this kid here?」

「W-What…」

　Reid scratched his chest with his left hand while holding the upside-down boy—Archbishop of Gluttony—with the other hand, casting a dubious gaze.

　It was hard to say what kind of scene one might have anticipated, the unexpected glimpse before them had utterly surpassed Subaru’s expectations.

「I heard Reid and ‘Gluttony’ were discussing things…」

「Discussion… is this what it looks like? For Betty, calling that a skirmish still feels like an understatement.」

「Yeah, I feel the same way. It’s hard to call this a conversation.」

　Subaru’s words were echoed by Beatrice and Julius, but their reactions felt off to Subaru.

　The contact between Reid and ‘Gluttony’ had been expressed as negotiations by Julius, who had witnessed a similar situation previously.

　Regardless――,

「So this is where ‘Gluttony’ got flattened, right?」

　This was not aimed at anyone in particular, but Subaru voiced what he saw.

　The expanse of the second floor, ‘Electra,’ indeed bore evidence of a battle that took place between ‘Gluttony’ and Reid.

　There were cracks in the floor as if something had been smashed, fissures on the walls where slashes had presumably been, charred marks from fires, and displaced earth that hadn’t been there before; it was an immense display of all the overwhelming tricks of ‘Gluttony.’

　――That collection of tricks had been utterly shattered like fragile glass by Reid, who was akin to a natural disaster.

「Earthquakes, lightning, and fire; were all of those caused by Reid…?」

「So, what’s it gonna be? Are you guys up for the “test”? I don’t mind battling if it means I get to fight someone decent. But you, tiny fish, are not allowed to join. Nope, not happening.」

「Why’s he the exception?」

「Look at the kid. He can’t stand up, and he’s full of holes. Why would you stand in front of me in that state? It makes me want to kill you with just a finger.」

「Gyaaaaah!!」

　As he spoke, Reid drove his finger into the torso of ‘Gluttony.’ The boy was mercilessly raked by the attack, letting out an ugly scream.

　How much of the boy’s external appearance reflection can be trusted? Still, he looked around thirteen or fourteen years old, and it was painful to watch him be toyed with by an adult.

　Apparently, Julius felt the same way――,

「Reid Astraea, as a swordsman, you must have some pride. If that’s the case, there’s no reason to harm a child excessively…」

「Hey, you! Don’t talk crap!」

「――――」

　Regardless, without altering his tone, Reid replied to Julius, who aimed for a reset in their conversation with an air of intimidation.

　Reid shook ‘Gluttony,’ who he held by the leg, side to side, then said,

「Pride of a swordsman? If you’re gonna spread that kind of talk, then have the resolve of a swordsman. Are you fighting without the will to die? If you take that kind of careless approach, it’s no wonder you have to suffer; isn’t it? Huh?」

「――――」

　When it came to discussing the resolve and pride of a swordsman, the odds tilted against Julius. Having raised his pride first, Reid’s comments about his resolve held reasonable weight.

　Though his display was painful to witness,

「If ‘Gluttony’ falls, it’ll work out in the end…」

　Naturally, the Archbishop of Gluttony didn’t fall within the goal that Subaru had set for everyone’s survival.

　The ones Subaru wanted to save were, after all, Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Rem, Meily, Echidna, Julius, and Shaula. Plus, the two creatures Patrasche and the Giant.

　’Gluttony’ and Reid were exceptions. With those two clashing, —though “clashing” seems too gentle a term, this scenario would entirely work to Subaru’s benefit.

　However――,

「First of all, are these your pals? If that’s the case, I can understand why you’re so hot-headed…」

「No, absolutely not. The Archbishop of Gluttony is both enemy and rival to me; at the very least, it is a matter that might lead to us taking each other’s lives in battle.」

「Oh? Then, why are you so angry? Is it because a prize got snatched away?」

「――Because you trample on the pride of a swordsman.」

　Julius spoke directly, confronting Reid, the ‘Sword Saint’—the First to bear the title awarded to those who stand atop swords.

　Reid’s blue eye, hidden beneath the eyepatch, squinted but remained silent, taking in Julius’s statement, which had no hint of insult.

　In response to Reid’s silence, Julius’s words sliced through the air, continuing.

「A swordsman, warrior, knight, or anyone prepared to engage in battle should understand they might lose their life in that endeavor. However, that should be solely at the end of their conflict—that death must come only after exhausting one’s strength. It should never be the case where the victor toys with the life of the defeated.」

「…This is getting tiresome. Who the hell would care to hear that?」

「Call it naive ideals or lofty words; I won’t mind! But embodying those ideals and sentiments is how I believe a knight should exist.」

「――――」

　Proclaiming that with boldness, Julius drew his knight’s sword.

　From what he’d heard, it was a knight’s sword that had once been broken—the sword he wasn’t likely accustomed to wielding.

　Yet, the element that was essential to him remained unshaken.

　That shining something surely continued to glow deep within him.

　That light would not allow Julius to overlook Reid’s cruelty.

　Even if the victim of that cruelty was a twisted villain like the Archbishop of Gluttony, it was an unforgivable act.

「—The way of a knight, huh.」

　Suddenly, that murmured phrase shook the air of ‘Electra.’

　It was a quiet tone.

　It sounded devoid of any significant emotion.

　It merely resonated like some bland, monotonous sound.

　――Yet, it signaled the eruption of the First ‘Sword Saint,’ Reid Astraea.

「Hey, you! How long are you gonna sleep? Wake up already!」

「Gugyih!」

　Reid’s grip tightened as he crushed ‘Gluttony’s’ foot, and the archbishop screamed in pain. Reid looked down at the upside-down Archbishop.

「You were saying pretty interesting stuff earlier. You mentioned you’d devour me, savor me, and lick me clean. —Well, I’ll let you do that.」

「――Guh, wa, ahaha! What’s with that! What? What? Why the sudden change, red-haired big brother?! You’ve been messing with us, and now you’re suddenly like this?！」

「I changed my mind. —Oh yeah, that’s right.」

　As he glared at ‘Gluttony,’ who was struggling to regain composure while contorting from pain, Reid suddenly turned his head as if he’d noticed something.

「I bet you guys will be a nuisance soon enough.」

　As he said that, a violet, shining crystal orb slammed into the spot where Reid just was. A high-pitched, glass-shattering sound echoed through the air as the purple arrow and the floor exploded.

　However, it missed its target. Reid, side-stepping, quickly closed the distance to the ones who initiated the attack――

「――! Subaru, watch out…」

「Here I am!」

　Despite Beatrice’s warning, ‘Gluttony’ lunged and struck Subaru’s torso with a powerful blow.

　He treated Subaru like a human club, and with an unstoppable force, sent him flying, taking Beatrice along with him.

「Gah!」

「I’m glad you’re so unhesitant, you guys. In terms of fighting, you’re way better than that beauty over there. But, then again, you guys lack any actual power.」

　Unfazed by Reid’s evaluation, Subaru struggled to gather his wits as he cradled Beatrice, who was flung through the air. He could swear his insides had flipped over from the impact, sapping his strength like he was on the verge of losing everything.

「Subaru! Beatrice-sama! Ugh…!」

　As Subaru and Beatrice were sent flying, Julius rushed toward Reid and lunged with his knight’s sword. However, Reid stomped down with his foot on the sword’s blade, rapidly switching his balance to deliver a kick to Julius’s midsection.

　Julius instinctively blocked it with the hilt of his sword, yet he couldn’t withstand the shockwave that pierced through. The penetrating impact sent him reeling backward.

　Meanwhile――,

「Go ahead, give it a shot. Can you feast upon me or will you just end up being played with and die? Either way, if you want something, you better move. That’s just life, isn’t it?」

「――Uuuh, ahh, ah! I get it! I get it! I understand now, because I want to understand! I’ll do exactly as you wish, Gluttony! I can’t help but eat!」

　Still upside down, ‘Gluttony’ barked back at Reid, bringing his hands to claw at Reid’s eyepatch.

　Then, he opened his mouth wide――,

「――Reid Astraea.」

　With that, ‘Gluttony’ released Reid’s grip, as if flipping something over. The empty hand glanced back adoringly at Reid’s face, licking it.

　While ‘Gluttony’ seemed to chew on something invisible, a sound akin to slurping echoed through the room.

　And just like that――,

「――Ah.」

　The change came in an instant.

　It felt as though it had been a mirage; Reid’s form vanished in the blink of an eye. Where he had once stood, the tall figure disappeared, and ‘Gluttony,’ who had been held, fell to the floor, swiftly flipping himself on hand and feet, landing gracefully while examining his hands.

　The look in his eyes reflected a hollow sensation, akin to the feeling of lavish cuisine vanishing from the plate—a profound emptiness, solitude, and disappointment.

「Oh wow! That’s amazing! I thought about the taste and how delightful it would be to savor…but it was beyond my wildest dreams!」

「Did he just…eat Reid?」

「Oh yeah, you saw it, right?! I did eat him! It was amazing! It tasted way better than I imagined! Even us ‘Gluttons’—it’s incredible! I finally understand Rai’s point of view――」

　’Gluttony’ threw his head back as he fondled his sharp canines, praising the flavor of Reid. It was the worst food review imaginable in human history—until it was abruptly halted.

　Not because someone interrupted. The reason lay within ‘Gluttony’ himself.

「Huh? Wa-wait—what’s happening now?」

「What the—?」

　Doubling over, ‘Gluttony’ placed his hands over his throat and stomach, resembling some odd vocalization practice. Beatrice regarded the development with unease, but Subaru had a hunch about the anomaly.

　If that recent exchange between Reid and ‘Gluttony’ had indeed been the ‘negotiation’ that Julius mentioned—

「U-Wait! W-wait, that’s crazy! This isn’t right! Look at you! You’ve got to be kidding me!」

「――――」

「That doesn’t feel strange to you? It’s eat or be eaten; that’s life!」

　While choking himself, ‘Gluttony’ engaged in a rhetorical discussion. His tone underwent a definitive change, and soon after, the very flesh of ‘Gluttony’ began to shift.

　Like the phases of the moon, this transformation quietly unfolded, without anyone truly realizing it.

　I swear, Subaru was not distracted in the slightest.

　Beatrice, who remained within him, and Julius, brandishing his sword, shared that same focus. However, ‘Gluttony’ vanished before their very eyes.

　And in place of ‘Gluttony’ stood――,

「――Ah, living bodies are different. I can feel the flesh and blood coursing through! I’m even getting hungry. Don’t come here without having a proper meal first, you brat!」

　That was Reid returning to the stage, having swapped places with the Archbishop of Gluttony after just a few fleeting seconds offstage, back in the center, louder than ever.

　Reid Astraea had seized the physical form of the Archbishop of Gluttony and returned to this world.

「This is…」

　The result of Reid’s so-called negotiation with ‘Gluttony,’ according to Julius.

　Of course, Subaru and the others’ presence would have altered the conversation’s nuances, yet the essential storyline remained intact.

　In simpler terms――,

「What’s this nonsense about a negotiation? Stop pretending you’re high and mighty…」

「Subaru, this isn’t the time for that! ‘Gluttony’ has vanished, and Reid is…」

—Subaru grumbled at Julius’s phrasing, which echoed what he’d said previously. While Beatrice alerted him, Subaru gently pet her head and cast his gaze toward Reid.

「Strictly speaking, you exploited ‘Gluttony’s’ ability to recreate the one he devoured and completely overshadowed his ego, right?」

「Don’t get all technical on me. I couldn’t care less about that kind of detail. And if you’re gonna flaunt something I don’t even know, don’t you dare call me a “little fish!” Little fish? You mean—oh, huh? You, this is what I’m saying to you!」

「――?」

　Seizing Reid’s expression, which had soured at the notion of mental possession over a body, he struggled to comprehend ‘lettin’ loose’ on Subaru and their situation. Reid then firmly pressed a finger to his eyepatch, revealing his unbandaged azure eye to Subaru.

　He stared intensely at Subaru, scrutinizing him.

「—You’ve got a weird vibe going on.」

「――――」

「How in the world are you sane still? Or maybe you don’t have a clue? Is it because you’re off in some way? I can’t quite grasp it… Never thought about that.」

　Stumbling over Reid’s demeanor, Subaru genuinely felt confused.

　The sensory overload of unease and rising nausea threatened to breach his very core. Naturally, the pressure from Rem would only amplify as she thrived.

　Going into this, Subaru hadn’t seen Rem directly, so he had no inkling what was the cause behind her well-being.

　Thinking about it, he realized that Rem had apparently done quite a bit to consider him.

　After encountering Rem’s kindness twice since dying, it hit Subaru hard.

「Got it, got it. Can’t say for sure, but seems like all these guys want you. If that’s the case, things should move quickly now.」

「Reid! I’m your opponent!」

　With that, Julius lunged and slashed at Reid. However, Reid attempted to fend it off with his chopsticks. But――,

「Huh?」

　The slash grazed Reid’s chopsticks, causing him to bleed from his right arm. Seeing this, both Reid and Julius raised their brows in surprise, albeit for different reasons.

　And――,

「――――」

　What Subaru saw with his very own eyes was a boon for him.

「Tch.」

　Letting out a tongue click, Reid spun the chopsticks at his fingertips with dexterity, skillfully flicking Julius’s knight’s sword aside. Then, in one swift motion, he covered the distance until he was right against Julius, landing a palm strike to his abdomen.

「You said your opponent is me, right?」

「Ugh—!」

「Not a chance you’d be able to fight me with a princess in your arms!」

　The impact of Reid’s palm struck Julius’s midsection, sending him crashing backward, blood spilling from his mouth. Trying to cushion his fall, he planted his long legs onto the floor, yet the force overpowered him as this movement sent him tumbling further.

　At that moment, Reid turned away from the now-estranged Julius.

「No way!」

　Subaru launched his whip aiming for Reid’s profile. Yet, no miraculous muscle memory kicked into gear, and the whip flew clumsily off-target.

　The loss of memory impacted not just his mental clarity but the physicality of well-rehearsed movements. It was a hard lesson, leading him to exhale heavily.

　And then――,

「You with these lame tricks?」

「—That so-called lame trick is what’ll be your final push to the grave.」

　Reid, showing disbelief and frustration, let out the sound of hands clapping loudly behind him. Looking around, Subaru noticed Beatrice had slipped away from him, freeing her hands.

　But despite the distance, their bond remained intact. Through that short pass from Subaru, Beatrice summoned her waning magical power to cast a great spell.

「――Uru Shamak!」

　As Beatrice completed her incantation, a massive black hole formed in space.

　That spot, which appeared out of nowhere, manifesting as an ominous presence, gave rise to primitive terror, threatening to devour Reid whole.

「What the heck is that…?」

　At a glance, it was evident that it was a powerful spell influencing space.

　This wasn’t merely a function of knowledge; it was more an issue of imagination. Subaru understood that Beatrice had a level of spirits that was simply too lavish for him, but the sheer might of the actual spell dwarfed his expectations.

　It was something Subaru simply hadn’t anticipated. This was a boon.

　As that black hole sought to swallow Reid, where would his ‘Sword Saint’ be sent off to――,

「What’s this? Air? You think air could trip me up? Air is everywhere; do you think it can stop me?」

「――――」

　Reid sliced through the tremendous spell with a mere flick of his chopsticks.

　It was so casual, it was as if he merely cut through air—no, in fact, it was evident that to him, that was all it was. He was the type who wouldn’t boast about what he could do.

　Having cut the air, he simply stated that—that was all.

「A dimensional slash? That’s a pretty high-level ability…」

「Hey, hey! Don’t give it such a cool name! That’s gonna set the mood unnecessarily! As if just being you is anything to laugh about.」

　With the same angle that he cut through Beatrice’s magic, Reid swung his chopsticks once more, and the next instant, Subaru felt an explosion erupt from his chest down to his waist.

「Gah!!」

「Subaru!!」

「Subaru――!!」

　Seizing the searing pain, both Beatrice and Julius shouted Subaru’s name. Gritting his teeth, he fixed his bloodshot eyes on Reid.

　As they tried to reach him, he raised a hand to halt their approach.

「I-I’m…fine…」

　Shaking his head, he implored his friends not to worry about him. Of course, there was no way they’d just accept such words.

　The wound in his chest was shallow. —No, it wasn’t shallow. It was deep, but the pain was manageable. If he had to rephrase it, it was tolerable, yet not excruciatingly painful. It was uncomfortable yet manageable. No matter how tough it was, the situation didn’t seem to merit imposing strain on his friends. He clenched his jaw and swallowed the blood rising within him—nausea? Whatever it was, he just had to hold back on expelling that. Face forward, glare at Reid, and observe him closely.

「And so, do you really think that’ll reach me?」

　Reid regarded Subaru, who was bleeding from the corner of his lips, with apparent disbelief.

　Toward Reid, Subaru boldly extended a finger, pointing directly at him.

「――Ah, it will reach.」

　Even now, not from here, not from this place. It will reach.

　I will save Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Rem, Meily, Echidna, Julius, Shaula, Patrasche, and the Giant.

　Not a single person will be lost.

　’Gluttony’ and Reid are the exceptions. —But Natsuki Subaru is not.

　Thus, in this very moment――,

「――This is Count One.」

　Stacking the ‘deaths’ necessary for the counterattack, I will complete ‘Natsuki Subaru.’

　Finally, with that declaration, the blue eyes of Reid glowed dully.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

■1 Count

– The conflict between Reid and ‘Gluttony’ cannot be halted. The merging of Reid and ‘Gluttony’ is also challenging to prevent.

– If it comes to Julius, there is a chance for victory.

– —Natsuki Subaru has no chance of winning.