Chapter 6-90: “Hero”
Subaru quietly trembles his shoulders, a small scorpion resting on his palm.
He wanted to save her.
He wanted to take her away from this lonely tower of sand.
He promised he would help.
Yet, he failed to keep that promise.
Natsuki Subaru always makes promises he cannot keep.
“—-”
No one dares to speak to the silent Subaru, crouched on the sand.
Next to him, Beatrice and behind him, Julius and Meily, all find themselves at a loss for words.
Only the scorpion, as if comforting Subaru, climbs his arm and snuggles close to his neck.
Subaru doesn’t understand what this little scorpion is.
This scorpion emerged from the massive body of the “Crimson Scorpion” covered in dust. What kind of relationship does it have with Shaula? Or could this scorpion be her?
“—-That’s not possible.”
In his final moments, Subaru exchanged words with Shaula.
Whether that conversation was genuine or a daydream he had at their parting remains uncertain.
Still, in his heart, Subaru holds the sad conviction that it definitely happened.
Shaula is lost.
Her existence is intertwined with the very rules of Pleiades Watchtower and, ultimately, like Reid or the three-layered Monolith, she served as a stage apparatus for conducting the “Trial”.
Therefore, once the watchtower completes its role, she too must exit the stage.
Until the very end, she devoted herself to the role of that “stage apparatus”.
She couldn’t just be “a stage apparatus,” and it opened a gaping hole in Subaru’s heart.
“—-”
That completely candid smile, the annoying eagerness to connect, the heartfelt call of “Master, Master” driven by an unknown affection – all of it is now gone.
If only Shaula had cried out not to disappear, Subaru would have earnestly sought a way to save her, risking his life for her time and again.
But she didn’t wish for that.
She vanished, leaving behind only the faint desire for him to meet her again with a smile.
He doesn’t even know if that method is actually possible.
He doesn’t know, but—
“I understand. …Surely someday, I will meet you again. So—”
He will grant the wish of the girl who told him with a bright smile that she loved him.
For that—
“—So now, farewell, Shaula.”
The sandstorm carries away the remnants of her thoughts, now turned to red dust.
Watching it go, Subaru exhaled. Looking down, he noticed the scorpion that nestled beside his neck was pinching his ear, as if to cheer him up.
“Ouch!”
The sharp pain made him feel pushed, as if urging him to get a grip.
While tearing up from the pain, Subaru nodded, saying, “Alright, alright,” as he grabbed the scorpion around his neck, trying to pull it away from his ear.
However—
“Ouch! No, I get it, you can let go now… Owie! Hey, there’s blood coming from my ear… You! You’re serious, aren’t you?!”
“…What are you doing, big brother?”
Feeling the urgency from the scorpion that was still pinching his ear, Subaru desperately tried to free himself.
Just when it seemed like he would lose his ear, Meily stepped in to help.
“You know, even if it’s little, this beast can bite, so don’t get careless and bring it close to your face, or else it might snack on your eyes or nose without you knowing.”
“Eyes and nose!? But this thing wouldn’t do something like that…”
“It’s still a beast, brother. —Not some naked lady.”
“——”
Saying that, Meily placed the small crimson scorpion on her own head.
Unlike before when it was tormenting Subaru, the little scorpion didn’t make any mischief on Meily’s head. It seemed to have calmed under Meily’s “Beast Manipulation Blessing”.
It was proof that the little scorpion was a beast under her protection – and also proof that it has no self as Shaula.
“Subaru, we need to treat your wounds.”
Pulling on Subaru’s sleeve, Beatrice gently expressed her concern.
Biting his lip in appreciation for her care, Subaru nodded deeply. He couldn’t stay on this sandy sea forever.
“—Subaru! Everyone!”
In the distance, Emilia rushed through the large doors at the entrance of the watchtower.
She, too, appeared to have been through quite a tumultuous experience, so it was clear her journey was far from easy. Together, they all had things to discuss.
There were things they needed to talk about, and farewells that needed to be made—too many to count.
△▼△▼△▼△
“…Shaula really was an incredibly hard worker.”
Hearing the explanation about the events’ aftermath and the absence of Shaula, Emilia gazes sorrowfully at the ocean of sand that has scattered even the dust.
Gently, her white fingers touch the little crimson scorpion resting on Meily’s head. Even though it was commanded not to move by Meily, the little scorpion accepted Emilia’s touch, appearing to show signs of comfort without expressing an opinion.
“Emilia-sama, how did things go on the upper floors? Did you finish the ‘Trial’ safely?”
After finishing the explanation about Shaula, Emilia looks to Subaru, her face troubled.
However, it was Julius who chose to steer the conversation forward after that.
Following his call, Emilia replied, “Yes, it was difficult to understand, but it seems I managed to finish… And Julius, do you remember me properly?”
“…Yes, indeed. I can recall clearly.”
To Emilia’s hesitantly asked inquiry, Julius responded with surprise.
He placed his hand over his mouth and confirmed to himself that there existed Emilia, who should have disappeared.
“Beatrice! Do you remember me? How about Meily?”
“…You needn’t worry, I remember just fine. In fact, I almost forgot until someone reminded me, but it felt eerie.”
“I remember it perfectly! What about you, sister? You remember me and the promises we made, right?”
“Of course. There’s no way I’d forget. I was fairly confident that Ram and Patrasche would remember too…”
Hearing Beatrice and Meily’s responses, Emilia sighed in relief.
At that moment, Subaru exclaimed “Wait!” as everyone’s attention turned to him, clearing his throat—
“This is amazing news, but I need to sort it out properly. So, does that mean? You all remembered about Emilia-chan? Well then…”
“—Lady Ram has defeated Rai Batenkaitos,”
“———”
Subaru’s eyes widened at Julius’s bold statement.
Rai Batenkaitos—one of the three Archbishops of Gluttony, and the most deeply enshrined enemy of Subaru and Ram.
He was the one who had devoured Emilia’s “Name” in this tower and caused them to suffer multiple times.
Hearing that he had fallen made Subaru feel an intense thirst.
Because if Rai Batenkaitos was defeated—
“Does that mean the things he took are coming back…? Then—”
If Emilia’s “Name” has returned, then the effects of the other powers of “Gluttony” should also be lifted.
Posing as a “Gourmet,” Batenkaitos has taken far too much. If those things are released, then the people of Watergate City Pristella—
“———”
As he pondered this, Subaru shook his head.
No more deceit. He would no longer bury his feelings and lie.
At this moment, Natsuki Subaru harbored a deeply selfish and egotistical hope.
If Rai Batenkaitos has been defeated, and the influence of his powers is undone—
“—Did you remember Rem?”
The girl who had been forgotten by everyone and left a gaping hole in Subaru’s heart with her absence.
This journey was to reclaim what was taken—and for Subaru, it was a journey solely to save Rem.
It was ironic that the “Gluttony” would attack the watchtower he sought to gain wisdom from, but if the outcome is the same, then it was irrelevant.
Driven by this hope, Subaru glanced around at everyone’s faces.
At his question, however—
“…I’m sorry, Subaru. I still can’t remember anything about Rem.”
“——What!? Why not!”
“Betty too, you know. I can’t remember anything about Ram’s little sister, either. And…”
“And? What is it? What else is there?”
After Emilia denied him, Beatrice followed suit, and Subaru’s eyes widened in shock.
Stumbling through words, Beatrice gestured back toward Julius.
“Still, we haven’t recalled anything about Julius. It doesn’t seem that all the effects of “Gluttony” have returned yet.”
“About Julius…”
Picking up on Beatrice’s statement, Emilia nodded along.
Meily, who had never known Julius before his “Name” was stolen, shrugged her shoulders, but there was no reason for Emilia or Beatrice to lie.
If that’s the case, neither Rem nor Julius had returned their “Names”—and—
“Regarding that, I can imagine the reason why my ‘Name’ hasn’t returned.”
Amidst their confusion, it was Julius himself who spoke.
He gazed back at Subaru and the others with determined, sharp eyes and continued.
“—The Archbishop of Gluttony, Roy Alphard, is in custody. Strictly speaking, my ‘Name’ was taken by him. That’s why it hasn’t returned yet.”
△▼△▼△▼△
Passing through the Grand Gate and back into the Pleiades Watchtower, they find the dragon carriage that had brought them to the sand tower waiting in the fifth layer, greeted by a waving silhouette.
“Emilia-chan and Natsuki-kun, it’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”
“…Is that you, Anastasia-san?”
Subaru’s eyes widened, taken aback at the sight of the smiling figure waving leisurely.
Everything from the gestures, attitude, and facial expressions felt so natural. It wasn’t an artificial spirit impersonating Echidna. No, it was the genuine nature of the original person.
In other words—
“Anastasia-san! You’re awake!”
“Yes, yes. I must’ve dozed off for a long time and made you worry. I heard from Echidna about what’s happened these past months.”
“Echidna’s okay too.”
“Somehow, as long as I’m not overwhelmed by guilt, I should be fine for now.”
Answering Emilia’s question, as she spoke, the collar around Anastasia’s neck swayed, revealing a white fox looking a bit sorrowful.
While gently stroking Echidna’s head, Anastasia scolded her, saying, “Hey now.”
“You’re blaming yourself again. I told you, this is something I chose for myself, so there’s no need for Echidna to feel down about it. You think so too, right, Julius?”
“Me? …Well, to be honest, your decision made me quite anxious. So it’s hard to respond to that.”
“Difficult, but what?”
“Hearing the reasons for your seclusion fills me with knightly honor.”
With a smile, Julius returned gracefully. Upon hearing his words, Anastasia chuckled, placing her hand over her mouth.
Their back-and-forth was quite harmonious; if anything, it was a typical master-servant relationship.
“Really, Anastasia-san. You’ve forgotten Julius, right? But you seem to get along with him remarkably well…”
“I’ve forgotten what kind of relationship we had… so it’s getting quite troublesome inside me, you know?”
“You’re enduring this posture since it’s worth it. Fortunately, over these past two months, I’ve learned things from Julius that I can share with you. It seems I was born for that purpose.”
“…You’ve also tilted a little in a strange direction.”
Anastasia, trembling her lips with frustration, was gently spoken to by Beatrice, who was slightly relieved.
Hearing that, Echidna snorted and nodded.
The artificial spirit, who had no past, was chosen as Anastasia’s representative to come to the watchtower, likely for a reason—to reclaim her own body.
There are still regrets about losing energy from using Anastasia’s ood and issues associated with her birth, but—
“It would be crass of us to push them,”
The matter between Anastasia and Echidna should be resolved among themselves.
Certainly, if help is sought, they’d willingly share the burden and strive for a resolution. That bond should have grown over their two-month journey through the sands.
“—Hey, Anastasia-san. I’m super happy you’re back, and I have a lot to talk about, but…”
“I know. Is it about the Archbishop you defeated? Julius has been throwing all that into the dragon carriage and left it there.”
“Julius was throwing it all in…?”
Shrugging, Anastasia pointed to the dragon carriage behind them.
Reflecting on her words, Subaru held his breath and glanced at the carriage in shock. Within it was the Archbishop of Gluttony, Roy Alphard.
“———”
Before circling around to the back of the dragon carriage, he gently stroked the Earth Dragon—Giant’s neck.
The thick four-legged Agarest dragon was surprisingly pivotal in securing their victory in the final battle against Shaula.
Subaru had not reached the best outcome. Still, nothing could overshadow Giant’s goodwill. Not to mention, Meily’s survival was a testament to Giant’s efforts.
“Thanks to you, I survived… After this, please help me again.”
“—— — —”
With the thick neck being stroked, Giant’s nostrils flared as he seemed to want to protest.
Giving a slight smile, Subaru quickly straightened his face and approached the passenger section of the dragon carriage. Huddling together with Emilia and the others, they peered inside.
There, the Archbishop of Gluttony was—
“—What the…?”
Subaru, filled with tension, peered into the carriage and was met with a shocking sight.
Inside, indeed was Alphard, but the way he was restrained wasn’t what Subaru had imagined.
Roy Alphard was enveloped entirely by some black crystal-like substance, eyes rolled back into his head, he was restrained—nay, sealed.
“He’s an Archbishop of Gluttony… Just binding him might not be enough. So, I ensured he was as secure as possible.”
“Secure? …What’s the principle behind this?”
“Principally, it’s an application of dark magic. He’s been cut off from his consciousness with Shamak, and then he’s been sealed up like this. …Is it a cruel method?”
“So, this black stuff is a lump of Shamak?”
Hearing Beatrice’s explanation, Subaru stared again at the seal with a shudder.
Shamak was a spell that, before Subaru signed a contract with Beatrice, had been his most reliable support. The effectiveness it provided and the method of sealing utilized by Julius left him in awe.
Noting Subaru’s reaction, Julius prefaced with, “I hope you don’t misunderstand, but…”
“This isn’t a method I invented. The most famous seals in the world utilize the same technique. Even if the scale is different.”
“The most famous in the world… you can’t mean…”
“—‘Witch of Envy.’”
Nodding firmly at Emilia while observing the sealed Alphard, Julius confirmed her words with a deep nod.
The seal on Alphard was done in the same manner as the ‘Witch of Envy’ who has been sealed to the east of this tower for four hundred years.
In other words, if Julius performed the seal, it would certainly possess a higher degree of trust. However, that wasn’t the issue at hand.
“The concern is, why are we keeping him alive?”
“Subaru…”
Subaru’s gaze focused on the sealed Alphard received a narrowing of the eyes from Emilia.
Pained by her gaze, Subaru turned back, “But it’s true, isn’t it? The other half of ‘Gluttony’… Batenkaitos is dead, and everyone recalled Emilia’s name. Then, if this guy dies too, won’t the remaining ‘memories’ come back…?”
“There’s no guarantee it’ll return. The reason I didn’t execute him is the exact reason.”
“———”
“There’s no doubt Lady Ram defeated Batenkaitos. However, the fact that Emilia’s ‘Name’ was freed; can we ascertain that it was simply due to his defeat? There’s a chance something else actively brought them back… If we act too hastily, we might lose everything.”
Julius’s logical words, meant to chide Subaru, were harsh truths.
Subaru was rendered speechless by the logic.
Yet—
“Then… what about the ‘Book of the Dead’?”
As an alternative, Subaru proposed this unique method existing solely in this watchtower.
Any method that would reveal another’s thoughts has no more straightforward existence than the ‘Book of the Dead’. After all, it literally allows one to re-experience that person’s entire life.
“Even if we interrogated him, there’s no guarantee he’ll honest. Then, even if we use the ‘Book of the Dead,’ it should divulge his inner feelings…”
“Subaru, that… I don’t think that’s a good idea. That method… it might not be right.”
“But it should be certain. With this…”
“Hey? Can I butt in for a second?”
As Subaru suggested utilizing the ‘Book of the Dead’, Emilia displayed hesitation. At that moment, it was Anastasia who raised her hand.
Looking at the disheartened Subaru, she clasped her white hands before her.
“I heard stories from Echidna, and there might be gaps here and there, but… that ‘Book of the Dead’ you mentioned? Isn’t it dangerous to rely too much on it?”
“Dangerous? Why’s that?”
“Because you experienced it yourself, didn’t you? The story about how you also lost yourself while I was sleeping?”
“———”
With concern, Anastasia struck at a weak point about how much of a conversation she had with Echidna in such a short time.
However, Subaru’s amnesia and the dangerous nature of the ‘Book of the Dead’ don’t precisely align. Subaru didn’t lose his memory due to the effects of the ‘Book of the Dead’.
Yet that didn’t mean that the ‘Book of the Dead’ posed no danger at all.
In fact, when Subaru read Meily’s ‘Book of the Dead,’ he nearly had his thoughts and emotions consumed by her personality.
Subaru didn’t consider himself particularly strong mentally or with a solid ego. But he couldn’t predict what would happen to someone more susceptible.
As a result, it’s possible that a new Roy Alphard might be born, inheriting Roy Alphard’s spirit.
“So… are you saying, Anastasia-san, that leaving this guy alive is the right decision? Despite all the evils this guy has committed?!”
“If we must kill, we’ll kill. I will decide, and when the time comes, I will dirty my hands. However, acting solely on impulse is quite different. —I believe you are on our side, Natsuki-kun.”
“That can’t be…”
“That’s why you can weep for those who have vanished… I’d prefer a Natsuki-kun who is more heartfelt than a callous, unfeeling one.”
While tracing her finger over her cheek, Anastasia pointed out the remnants of tears on Subaru’s face.
In an instant, the wound of having lost Shaula throbbed, and Subaru quietly lowered his gaze. Anastasia’s words were underhanded but undeniably effective.
“…Subaru, I share the same opinion as Anastasia-san. Considering Julius and Rem, I’d like to resolve this quickly, but…”
“At the very least, please don’t feel the need to concern yourself with me. At this juncture, it should be more about ensuring certainty than haste… since my brother’s fate is also at stake.”
The memory of Joshua left behind in Pristella resurfaced at the forefront of Emilia’s mind. Therefore, Julius’s cautious words are fit to be heeded. However, as stated, they are undeniably grounded in reality.
While yearning to fill the void of loss, he wanted results immediately; that is precisely Subaru’s current mindset.
“Let’s summarize. The opinions of Ana and Julius are to transport Roy Alphard, the Archbishop of Gluttony, to the Royal Capital to extract information about saving the victims of his abilities. After that, I doubt mercy will be granted. He’ll likely face capital punishment.”
“There’s a limit to mitigating circumstances due to age. In the end, it will likely come to that.”
As they observed Subaru loosening his clenched fists, Echidna and Anastasia began to consolidate their thoughts regarding Alphard’s fate. Emilia had no objections to the plan; after all, he would be transported to the Royal Capital restrained and share the same position as Sirius, who was previously taken away.
“Emilia-san, do you also agree?”
“Yes. I, too, want to remember the people who have forgotten.”
Confirming Anastasia’s will, Emilia looked up and replied confidently.
Before those words could be challenged, Subaru turned away from Alphard, kneeling suddenly.
“Ah—”
“Subaru! Oh dear, you’ve finally overdone it! Carrying such a nauseating feeling all this time, it’s no wonder this happened!”
As Subaru’s head felt heavy and his vision blurred, Beatrice shouted, holding him up.
Her cute voice echoed in Subaru’s head, making him realize just how exhausted he truly was.
Naturally, one could say it was to be expected.
Losing his memories, dying multiple times in that interim, fighting against five obstacles that assaulted this tower for the sake of regaining said memory, taking on his companions’ load with abilities while battling, and ultimately losing Shaula—
There was no doubt he had undergone tremendous toll, both mentally and physically.
Even though only a few days passed, it felt like he had spent over five years inside that tower.
“—Ah, I…”
“Subaru, it’s okay, you’ll be fine. Right now, just rest a bit, okay? We’ll talk properly when you wake up. I have a lot I want to discuss too.”
With those words, Subaru, utterly exhausted, slumped down as Emilia hugged him face-on. The comforting sensation and sweet smell that usually would stiffen him instead worked as a powerful dose, and his consciousness slowly began to fade into darkness.
If he were to die at the bottom of that darkness, he wondered if he could return to the place surrounded by that tower and search for a way to save Shaula again.
Realizing partially but not wishing for it to be true, he still clung to that hope.
Slowly, Subaru’s awareness was consumed by the darkness.
△▼△▼△▼△
“Alright then.”
Emilia sighed as she lifted Subaru’s unconscious body, setting him down carefully.
Subaru lay still, his eyelids gently closed; the deep breaths that seemed almost to suggest he’d lost consciousness marked the extent of his endeavor to solve the issues plaguing the watchtower.
How desperately Subaru struggled to save Emilia and everyone else.
Despite having been through immense hardships herself, she felt overwhelmed with joy as he came to help her who had fallen prey to Batenkaitos—someone who stole “Names” and made it so everyone forgot her.
There were so many things she wanted to properly convey.
She wanted to ensure that Subaru, the hard worker, wouldn’t punish himself excessively.
The burden of Shaula didn’t rest solely on Subaru’s shoulders.
It was a responsibility belonging to Emilia and the whole group, and to say more—
“—It was Flugel, my master, who’s to blame.”
It was he who cast the accolades of being the “Sage” onto Shaula, and along with renewing the roles of Pleiades Watchtower, he rendered her into eternal slumber.
Even if he was one of the three heroes who saved the world, in Emilia’s mind, he’d joined the ranks of the worst villains the moment he left Shaula lonely and Subaru in tears.
Naturally, without the opportunity to meet or discuss, this lingering resentment could not be released.
“It seems you’re pretty worn out… but everything is fine. Rest it off, and he should recover. Shall we take him to the ‘Green Room’?”
“Yes. Ram should be there… while I was away, Anastasia-san was keeping an eye on Rem, right?”
“Not that big of a deal. I just saw off Julius who went to save Natsuki-kun and saw Ram who went to rescue Emilia-san… Unfortunately, I saw no change in Rem’s condition.”
“I see…”
As Emilia thought of Ram, Rem, and Patrasche waiting in the green room, her attractive brows furrowed.
Defeating Batenkaitos could be said to conclude Rem’s vengeance, but the critical resolution lay in awakening her, and since that hasn’t happened, the success of revenge was trivial.
At the very least, Ram would say candidly that the return of Rem is what matters.
“Let’s hope we can extract something from Roy Alphard as well. There are still so many unknowns concerning this watchtower… or rather, the enormous library of Pleiades.”
“The library that holds all knowledge… that’s what Shaula said. Though she was a rather haphazard girl, she likely wouldn’t twist what was said. There’s no doubt she was told this is a grand library.”
Whether the functionality of the enormous library means the presence of the ‘Book of the Dead’ or if broader possibilities emerge from it, that still needs to be confirmed.
Based on that, Emilia must share what she needs to discuss with Beatrice and the others.
“You know, after letting Subaru rest in the ‘Green Room,’ I want to take everyone somewhere. …There’s someone I want to meet.”
“…Could it be related to the first layer?”
Ascending to the first layer, Emilia had successfully surmounted the last “Trial.”
The fact itself was already known to Beatrice and others. The problem lay in what she hadn’t discussed that followed.
Specifically, what was on the first layer, who she met, and what Emilia had done.
That was an extraordinary and transcendent event, which was difficult to put into words—
“It won’t be a long story, but it’s rather complicated, so can you meet with me directly?”
While pointing high above, far at the top of the tower, Emilia spoke.
△▼△▼△▼△
“—You who have reached the pinnacle of the tower. A petition of all-powerful aspirations upon stepping into the first layer.”
“———”
Guided by Emilia, the party arrived at the highest layer of the Pleiades Watchtower—the first layer, taken aback by the enormous dragon welcoming them and left speechless.
Noticing the group’s startled expressions, Emilia quirked her head, exclaiming, “Pretty shocking, right?”
“I-I-it’s not something to be brushed off lightly!”
Faced with the blue-scaled “Divine Dragon,” Beatrice quickly broke her voice.
Flailing her arms, she displayed signs of anxiety. Yet, it wasn’t just her who was flustered.
“This is…?”
“Wow, I certainly didn’t expect this. I thought ‘the Divine Dragon’ lived beyond the grand waterfall, you know?”
“That was the case, yes. According to the prophecies of the ‘Dragon History Stone’, it was said that in the year the Royal Selection concluded, the ‘True King’ would revisit and renew the pact with Ana.”
Beside the speechless Julius, Anastasia was also awash with cold sweat, showing signs of losing her grasp. Even the Echidna around her neck had a slightly pitchy voice.
Yet, in contrast to the bewildered women, Julius quickly corrected his posture, saying, “Pardon me.”
“The great dragon, guardian of our kingdom, Lord Volcanica. For a long period, he has upheld our previous pact and has graciously provided numerous blessings. I apologize for my rudeness.”
“———”
“While this is an unseemly encounter, it is an honor to meet you. I am Julius Euclius of the Royal Knights of Lugnica. I hold admiration deep within my heart for the numerous tales of your legacy.”
As Julius knelt before him, he humbly laid his sword onto the floor with the utmost respect.
Moreover, offering genuine courtesy to the sacred dragon—as a knight serving the Parent Dragon Kingdom—he extended the utmost respect he could muster. In response, Volcanica narrowed his golden eyes and answered,
“—I am Volcanica. By ancient pact, I shall inquire of the aspiration of those who have reached the pinnacle.”
“Yes! All of my loyalty and faith reside with the grand lady, Anastasia Hoshin. Undoubtedly, the next king and the newly renewed pact shall be with Lady Anastasia…”
“Y-Julius, are you crying?”
As he knelt, fighting back tears, Anastasia shifted uneasily; to that, Julius wiped his tears with the back of his hand, saying, “I am sorry.”
“Not only did I have the honor of speaking with one of the ‘Three Heroes’, Reid Astraea, but ultimately, I am now face to face with the ‘Divine Dragon’, Volcanica. For a knight of the Kingdom of Lugnica, can there be any greater honor? …What kind of tower is this?”
The great touch of encountering something so revered made Julius’ voice tremble.
Feeling overwhelmed for him made Emilia almost feel sadness as she interrupted, “Um…”
“Julius, you look so incredibly happy it’s hard to say this, but…”
“—I’m sorry. I acted on my own and attempted to converse with the Divine Dragon before Lady Anastasia and Lady Emilia.”
“No, it’s fine. But, about Volcanica…”
How to convey this properly without hurting Julius’ feelings became a source of frustration for Emilia. Suddenly, that was leapt over by—
“—You who have reached the pinnacle of the tower. A petition of all-powerful aspirations upon stepping into the first layer.”
“…Wait up. Didn’t I just hear that line a moment ago?”
Noticing the repeated line, Anastasia’s brow furrowed, planting the seeds of doubt in her mind.
However, the same unease spread among the members present. Though it was obvious, the strange repetition on Volcanica’s part caught everyone’s attention.
Then—
“Volcanica seems to be confused from waiting too long here. His body is in top shape so he’s quite powerful, but…”
Volcanica, suffering from advanced dementia. While it was true he possessed great strength as a dragon, it also meant he had suffered from deterioration over long durations.
The “Divine Dragon” had displayed tremendous power against Emilia attempting to challenge the pillars during the “Trial,” but upon her reaching the Monolith and judging she had passed her “Trial,” he reverted back to his unclear personality once more.
Even though the “Trial” was over, he continued discussing it endlessly.
“The great ‘Divine Dragon’ has come to suffer memory loss…?”
“Julius, stay calm? I mean, he seems tired, right? It might be okay to let him rest a bit, don’t you think?”
Considering Emilia’s comment, Julius felt a wave of shock washing over him.
In this case, the second legendary encounter after Reid was not what he had expected, and his knees shook slightly.
Emilia, on the other hand, didn’t want to disappoint the sparkling eyes of Julius, causing her own heart to ache slightly.
Yet—
“Emilia, it’s probably not the way it seems. This isn’t memory loss.”
“Huh?”
“Echidna, you should feel it too. This isn’t memory loss…”
“Ah, indeed. I didn’t perceive it at first, but now I can feel it. This isn’t mental erosion. It’s a hollowing of the very soul.”
“Hollowed soul…?”
Watching the interaction between Beatrice and Echidna, both established artificial spirits, Emilia cocked her head in confusion.
Julius and Anastasia also wore quizzical expressions while Beatrice raised a finger to clarify.
“It’s simple. A hollowed soul means there’s nothing inside. That’s why they can only make predetermined statements and limited responses. You can think of it as being nine-tenths asleep.”
“Nine-tenths… but he was incredibly strong earlier!”
“If its soul were inside, it would be incomparable to that level.”
Emilia shivered at the nuance of having dodged a substantial threat behind Echidna’s words.
With the cooperation of the Ice Soldiers, Emilia barely managed to survive that intense confrontation, and for Volcanica to have engaged in battle, it was akin to him being half-asleep.
There was a significant distinction between memory loss and slumbering unconsciousness; the nuances may appear similar, yet the substance is fundamentally different.
“Nevertheless, even without a soul, he’s still ‘Divine Dragon’. If so, there might still be a way to help the people of Pristella.”
“——! A way to save everyone? What should we do?”
“——I see. We can get the dragon’s blood from the ‘Divine Dragon’ then.”
With a snap of her fingers, Anastasia announced this amidst the conversation.
To which Beatrice nodded in agreement.
Hearing this, Emilia’s eyes widened in surprise.
The dragon blood from the “Divine Dragon”, Volcanica, served as the origin of various legends woven into the Kingdom of Lugnica.
It is said that dragon blood can bring dry lands back to life, promise abundance, and heal injuries or ailments almost instantly.
And more significantly for Emilia, that dragon blood held special relevance—
“If we could get blood from Volcanica…”
It was Emilia’s primary goal in participating in the Royal Selection—a means to acquire the ‘dragon blood’ preserved by the Kingdom of Lugnica to thaw the frozen lands of Erior Forest.
The inhabitants trapped in ice due to Emilia’s power runaway are the very reason she wishes to participate in the royal selection.
“———”
Possessing the possibility of that being realized at this moment filled Emilia with excitement; she inhaled deeply.
If she could obtain that blood from Volcanica here, it would mean she no longer needed to claim the throne of the kingdom—
“I…”
“…Emilia, I’m sorry to confuse you. Although when you think of ‘blood,’ it’s not quite the same as the blood from Volcanica. So, it likely won’t work.”
After Emilia’s grand purpose of joining the royal selection was potentially shaken, Beatrice mentioned.
At those words, Emilia blinked, surprised.
“What do you mean it won’t work? I studied very carefully! I learned that to melt the ice in the forest, the ‘dragon blood’ in the castle is required.”
“That idea isn’t wrong. But as I just explained, the ‘dragon blood’ in the castle is the spilled blood of the last heart of a dead dragon.”
“Last, of the heart’s blood?”
Emilia couldn’t fathom this new revelation; her well-shaped eyebrows furrowed. To which Beatrice nodded quietly, prompting Julius to raise his hand and interject.
“Excuse me, Beatrice-sama, where exactly did you hear this? I am also a knight belonging to Lugnica’s Royal Knights. A lot of significant matters drift into my ears. But this story seems…”
“—Old heart of the resonance, blood of the dragon bestowed upon the vessel. It will not be left behind, as that blood shall signify the pact between the people and the dragon.”
“———”
“It’s not surprising to have never heard that before. This story is sealed within the Forbidden Library… something penned by the ‘Witch of Greed’ Echidna that is no longer known to the outside world.”
Beatrice’s response rendered Julius speechless, holding his breath.
It was no wonder he hadn’t known it, and the veracity of Beatrice’s tale is nothing that he could conceive of. If true—
“If so, what is the identity of the ‘dragon blood’ preserved in the castle? Would it mean that the dragon from which the last heart pulsated must be dead…?”
“Then it stands to reason that the ‘Divine Dragon’ here alive, and in a hollow state, defies explanation.”
The inquiries from Julius and Anastasia were entirely valid.
If dragon blood corresponds to the last heartbeat, then it cannot possibly refer to Volcanica. If so, if that blood retains an overwhelming power—
“That’s unfortunate, but the records didn’t reach that extent.”
“…You’ve managed to leave out crucial details, haven’t you? I deduce that the ‘Witch of Greed’ might be the primary reason for your frosty demeanor, Natsuki-kun? Thus, you’d formed a rather unfavorable impression of her, which I gather hasn’t changed due to this moment as well.”
“I won’t allow you to insult my mother. Mind your words.”
“Neither of you should fight! But yeah, that’s the truth…”
As the two ladies confronted each other, Emilia quietly bowed her head.
The revelation that the dragon blood from the castle differed from Volcanica ignited surprise within her. Yet she simultaneously felt a slight release.
“…It feels awfully strange.”
Her foremost purpose lay in helping everyone trapped within the forest. That motivation had never changed and would not change.
If obtaining Volcanica’s blood serves as a solution, then she ought to free Erior Forest.
However, the fear of doing that and the wish to resign from the Royal Selection to step down if other means existed began to stir doubts within her.
“———”
“…Emilia-san, regardless of your concerns, if what Beatrice says is true, can we make it somehow with the blood of this Volcanica? Isn’t there a high risk it would end up being disappointing?”
“Even if it’s bad or hollow, this is the ‘Divine Dragon’s’ flesh. Therefore, this blood must hold incredible power. But…”
“So, even though it won’t be enough to melt everyone’s ice, huh?”
Nodding apologetically at Emilia’s inquiry, Beatrice agreed.
Watching Beatrice display a sorrowful demeanor that appeared worse than Emilia’s, she mentioned, “It’s alright,” lifting her spirits as she learned to accept that she wouldn’t cave.
“It’s indeed a super regret. But since it happened so suddenly, I was shocked, overwhelmed to the point it didn’t feel real, thus… I’m fine.”
“I apologize. I might have should have mentioned it earlier… I never expected to find the ‘Divine Dragon’ here. It was a significant oversight.”
“Yes, that’s right. You’re a wandering troublemaker, after all.”
Determined to shake off the melancholy across Beatrice’s heart suited Emilia just fine.
A hint of disappointment lingered within her, but the fact that it couldn’t be a shortcut or an unfair edge was something she took to heart.
“Now, on to the matter at hand. With the blood from this ‘Divine Dragon’, there lies a possibility to revert the transformations caused by the powers of ‘Lust’ back to normal. From what Beatrice said, even without a soul, the blood must retain its immense power.”
“The ‘dragon blood’ from the castle is indeed capable of revitalizing barren lands. It’s said to work like a panacea, right?”
“In that case, we’ll need to dilute it thousands of times.”
“However, considering our options before, that would be considerable progress. If it truly is the miraculous elixir it claims to be, it’s worth attempting.”
Hearing the discussion unfolding between Echidna, Anastasia, and Julius, Emilia felt renewed hope swelling within her.
After crossing the Augria Sand Dunes to aid those who endured significant hardships.
If they could indeed find a way to resolve both “Gluttony” and “Lust,” then that would hold utmost importance.
Without that, Subaru going through all that pain would have been pointless.
“I’m a bit selfish…”
Wanting to give meaning to Shaula’s sacrifice was an incredibly self-centered thought.
She possessed her own wishes and desires, going through countless days in this tower. To say they hold significance was something Shaula would determine, not Emilia.
“Alright, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll ask Volcanica for help. It might not go smoothly, and he might get agitated if I try to get his blood, but…”
“Hearing that makes me feel dread. Emilia, you’ve received the authority of the new administrator of the Pleiades Watchtower. Can’t you press for something?”
“Administrator power… I certainly have no awareness of that…”
By deciphering the enigmas of the third layer, defeating Reid on the second layer, and showing determination to Volcanica on the first layer.
By those conditions alone, it was indeed correct to say that Emilia was a conqueror of the watchtower. But the clarity of that had not yet reached her.
What became vaguely clear was—
“Anyway, the sands that led to this watchtower will no longer be obstructed by anyone… perhaps.”
“Is that what you would choose? Even with the ‘Book of the Dead’ being an enormous hassle, it also constitutes a bit of a gamble.”
“It might become risky, but as long as we properly utilize it with care as a group, it should be acceptable. There are far too many judgments we cannot make alone.”
The enormity of the issues lying within this tower surely would overwhelm Emilia and the rest in their small group.
Thus, they had too little right to resolve matters here. So more people must come together to offer their knowledge and find the best way.
“That’s how I see it. Isn’t that alright?”
“…It feels like you might be relying a bit too much on others, but that’s a conclusion true to you. As for me, if Ana and Julius don’t object, neither will I.”
“Thanks, Echidna!”
Grateful for Echidna’s agreement, Emilia expressed her appreciation.
As the spirit waved her hand, Anastasia expressed understanding.
“`
「We won’t oppose it either. In fact, even though it’s been hidden away, handling this could be quite the challenge… So, it’s much better to share the credit for the discovery and exploration. We might even be able to bring back the blood of the dragon along with the “Gluttony” matter.」
「One must not desire too much, especially in a base manner. Above all, it was Lady Emilia who reached the very top of this tower. Let us respect her will.」
「Anastasia-san, Julius too, thank you!」
With their agreement, Emilia thanked them, smiling. Then, she turned to Beatrice, who had yet to express her opinion.
“What about you, Beatrice? Do you think it’s irresponsible?”
“If we’re going to talk about irresponsibility, it’s far more irresponsible to abandon this place without investigation. Betty has no objections. Personally, I’m also quite interested.”
“That’s great!”
Emilia sighed in relief, glad that her closest companions weren’t against her.
Surely, if everyone pooled their wisdom, they would find a way to make good use of this watchtower.
“Well then, next up is the blood… If Volcanica was here with us, that would simplify things a lot.”
“I feel like that would generate a lot of problems in its own way.”
Indeed, due to Volcanica’s immense size, it might be quite difficult to avoid bumping into things while trying to move around. However, since Volcanica could fly, if they had it flying when entering the city, they wouldn’t have to worry about collisions.
“Hey, Volcanica. Can you come with us? If not, if you really must stay here, could you spare us a bit of your blood…”
‘——–‘
“Volcanica?”
With half-hope and half-disappointment, Emilia called out to Volcanica, thinking there might be a ‘test’ of sorts coming from it. Her eyebrows raised at the dragon’s reaction.
Returning to its previous position, leaning against the pillar, the ‘Divine Dragon’ slowly lifted its head and gazed outside the tower.
Not attacking Emilia and her group, nor engaging in conversation—this clearly unusual behavior was felt by Emilia alone.
Simultaneously—
“What is…?”
A chill crawled down Emilia’s spine, awakening her senses. She quickly turned her gaze toward the source of the cold shivers—where Volcanica was looking, toward the east side of the tower.
On the east side, beyond the sea of sand, there lay a great waterfall, which marked the end of the land—nay, a great waterfall and a special ground existed there.
That was—
△▼△▼△▼△
“Ugh…”
A rough texture grazed his face as Subaru groaned and opened his eyelids.
His blurred vision began to take on shape with a few blinks, and the reason for that rough feeling entered his sight—a face, that of Patrasche, licking him with its red tongue.
“…Patrasche, huh…”
“——”
“Sorry for making you worry. You really worked hard again, didn’t you? I’m always in your debt.”
Reaching out gently to the worried face of his beloved dragon, Subaru relaxed his lips while stroking its sharp features.
This black earth dragon was always there to help him in dangerous situations. It had saved Subaru after he lost his memories, and even on this last loop, Patrasche’s role was massive. After all—
“If it weren’t for Patrasche, Rem would have been in serious trouble. Bringing her back was the greatest achievement of Balus’ life.”
“Can’t deny that, so stop. I also brought Beatrice out, and returned the badge for Emilia-tan, so both were involved with Roswaal.”
Strictly speaking, Roswaal was unrelated to the matter of Beatrice, but Subaru said it that way intentionally to hit back.
As expected, hearing this made Ram click her tongue in annoyance.
Seeing Ram leaning against the wall of the ‘Green Room,’ with her arms crossed, Subaru winced at her battered appearance.
The fight with Rai Batenkaitos had indeed turned into a fierce battle.
Although there had been a moment when Meily was injured, it was also a reason why the burden that Subaru could shoulder dwindled greatly.
Subaru opened his mouth to apologize about it being more than he expected—
“Hey, Ram.. Because of me, you got hurt… gugh!”
“Don’t be foolish. Ram getting hurt is Balus’ responsibility? Balus could never be a factor in Ram’s life at all. How disgusting.”
“Disgusting is a bit too harsh! You’re the one scaring me, shoving chunks of grass into my mouth!”
As Subaru protested, eyes watering due to the bitterness of raw grass shoved into his mouth, Ram’s expression didn’t waver.
It was in that back-and-forth between Subaru and Ram that a gentle laughter echoed.
“You and your sister are seriously so close, it’s adorable. It’s like watching siblings!”
Sitting with her legs crossed on the grass mattress was Meily, a small red scorpion perched atop her head.
With a suppressive giggle, Ram scowled openly at Meily’s words.
“Balus is my younger…?! Even if I concede a hundred steps, if it’s just a useless one, he’d surely be culled in the ogre village.”
“Ogre village is that harsh? I’m relieved you’re not an ogre…”
“Lying. It’s just Ram can’t endure the disgust and had to cull them herself.”
“Don’t pile hypothetical speculation upon speculation, making it complicated!”
Subaru shot back, spit flying as he argued with Ram.
Still, he understood now that she was somewhat looking out for him through her roundabout way. Her words were to reassure him that his debts didn’t cause her wounds.
To accept that consideration felt bitter. Still, insisting it was his fault could very well draw Ram’s ire.
“You’re one really troublesome woman, sister…”
“After that silly thing Meily said, stop calling me sister. It’s about time you considered how it might confuse those who meet you for the first time.”
With her usual cold retort, Subaru felt a tinge of warmth from seeing the laid-back atmosphere in the ‘Green Room.’ The ones present were Subaru, Patrasche, and then Ram and Meily with the small red scorpion. And, on the bed at the far end of the room, lay the sleeping ‘Sleeping Princess’—
“Is Rem… awake?”
“Unfortunately, no. I twisted the neck of that despicable insolent person. Seems like Emilia-sama has returned, but…”
“Julius and Rem haven’t returned either… something feels incomplete.”
Pressing his fists together tightly, Subaru suppressed the bitterness boiling in him.
Just before losing consciousness, confirming what he talked about with Emilia and the others—ultimately, to completely eradicate the harm caused by ‘Gluttony’, they would need to directly hear from them.
“Is the order of appearance based on how severely injured they were? How about Emilia-tan and the others?”
“Well, if it’s my sister or Beatrice, it seems they went up saying they wanted to meet someone. All the way up… Ram onee-san, you know who it is, right?”
“It’s not a big deal. It’s just an old man with an immense frame.”
“An old man at the top of the watchtower? He would definitely be a key character…”
Hearing that there was a new character arriving now, a scowl appeared on Subaru’s forehead.
That ‘old man’ Ram mentioned—who could he be? Or, if he were like Raid on the second tier, could he be some kind of examiner—
“—It wouldn’t be Flugel, would it?”
“Balus.”
“If Flugel is there, I won’t forgive him. I have so much I want to say to him. If not, Shaura…”
“Balus, calm down.”
“Calm down? You’re saying that now when Shaura is…”
As Subaru’s blood rushed, he braced himself to find out the identity of the old man at the top of the tower, only to be interrupted by a slap from Ram.
Stunned, he widened his eyes and looked at Ram.
“Stop using Shaura as an excuse for your own inability. ”
“——”
“I’ve heard about Shaura. Loud, unrefined, and completely enamored with Balus, but that doesn’t mean she needs to disappear.”
As she said this, Ram lightly touched the cheek that had been struck.
The heat from the slap still lingered, but Ram’s palm was cold. Holding her hand there, Ram continued to speak to Subaru, who was gasping at the sensation.
“If you’re going to grieve, do it without anger. It would please Shaura more to cry with loneliness than to have Balus taking his anger out on her. —That’s how Ram feels too.”
“Ram…”
“Even if I think you’re mistaken about who you feel strongly toward, I still think so.”
Ending the conversation with that line, Ram flicked his finger against Subaru’s forehead. The non-painful action caused him to drop back, and he muttered, “Sorry…,” reaching up to touch the forehead she struck.
Once cool-headed, he realized that the assumption of Flugel being on the first floor was merely his wishful thinking—or rather, it was a delusion he clung to.
If Flugel were truly there—
“Before Balus can do anything, either Ram or Emilia-sama would have killed him halfway.”
“…At least trusting Emilia-tan seems reasonable.”
Considering Shaura, it was a natural feeling for everyone in this tower to harbor some resentment towards Flugel.
Subaru sighed heavily as he felt Ram’s support for that sentiment.
Then again, he was deeply curious about who this ‘old man’ at the top was.
“For now, let’s not rush to conclusions. Even if the old man could somehow be of use, it’s likely he’s related to the Archbishop of Lust, the victim, and not to Gluttony.”
“That’s a pretty big matter… right, I guess?”
For Ram, it was clear where her priorities lay, and she asserted them confidently without hesitation; that was one of her strengths.
And so, Subaru found himself relating to her thoughts in some capacity.
The prospect of being able to save the victims of ‘Lust’ was profoundly significant. However—
“By the way, didn’t Ram mention there was a different idea you had earlier?”
Yet, just as Subaru was chastising himself, when Meily tossed words toward him while poking the small red scorpion atop her head.
“You said something about the effects of ‘Gluttony’ being tied to time or something, right?”
“—You have quite the loose tongue. If you keep that up, you might need a strict lesson when we return to the mansion.”
“Eek, how scary!”
Meily stuck out her tongue and cradled her head, and from above her, the little red scorpion engaged its pincers and tail at Ram, but under Ram’s cold gaze, the creature curled up instantly.
In its hasty movement, Subaru felt remnants of Meily’s earlier personality echo.
“Ram, is that hypothesis about what you mentioned? What are we talking about?”
“It’s merely this: ‘Gluttony’ mentioned eating others’ memories. If that’s treated like food, there must be a time factor in digesting it.”
“Digestion…”
“Emilia-sama returned after a few hours after being taken. But what about Knight Julius and the victims from Pristella? And Rem?”
“—Ah.”
Listening to Ram’s hypothesis made Subaru widen his eyes in shock at its simplicity.
As she said, the Archbishop of Gluttony had equated her stealing of ‘Memories’ and ‘Names’ to a meal. If that has meaning beyond a metaphor, then Ram’s hypothesis made sense.
The ‘Memories’ and ‘Names’ that were stolen had a time before they were digested.
And the reason only Emilia’s ‘Name’ returned while the others did not was—
“…Could it be they have already been fully digested?”
“—I don’t know. Perhaps it might just take an appropriate amount of time to return. If that’s the case, there’s hope. There’s a chance that Julius and the other victims—Rem’s memory could return too.”
“———-”
Ram didn’t provide further explanation, which could be interpreted either negatively or positively.
Subaru recognized Ram’s reasoning. This was a matter that wouldn’t lead to answers anytime soon.
Yet, under the circumstances of having defeated Batenkaitos and capturing Alphard, Subaru found renewed great concern.
“Lui Arnebe…”
The last ‘Gluttony’ they had encountered in the ‘Memory Corridor’.
That girl, who had acted ill-famed by parasitizing on the bodies of two brothers and Natsuki Subaru, did she count as a Witch Factor subject?
Her abilities surely rivaled those of ‘Gluttony.’
However, if taking the life of the Archbishop of Gluttony was crucial to recovering all the effects of the powers, how should they defeat Lui Arnebe, who resided there?
In the first place—
“Does even the concept of life and death exist in that place?”
It had no physical body. It was a mental existence occupying that location.
According to manga and game logic, the concept of mental death might apply, yet would that mental death equate to releasing the witch factor?
Everything regarding that place and Lui remains ambiguous.
Moreover, even if they could find the answer—
“Once Julius defeated Raid, the role of the ‘Test’ should have concluded. So then, wouldn’t the blank slate of Raid’s ‘Book of the Dead’ have returned?”
The reason Subaru could reach the ‘Memory Corridor’—the place referred to as Odo Laguna’s cradle—was due to the existence of a blank ‘Book of the Dead’ connecting there.
Raid Astraea’s soul was utilized in a ‘Test’, hence causing the void in the ‘Book of the Dead’, which connected to the ‘Memory Corridor’. If that was no longer valid…
Natsuki Subaru might have lost the chance to defeat Lui Arnebe.
“———”
Whether this was merely Subaru’s overthinking, it was uncertain if Raid’s ‘Book of the Dead’ was remaining blank. Furthermore, there was also the approach of confronting Subaru’s own ‘Book of the Dead.’ That was also a trump card connecting Subaru and the ‘Memory Corridor.’
He might once again have to taste the hell of viewing his own ‘Death’, but it was far better than losing every possibility.
Much better than settling into a resigned acceptance of irretrievable failures.
“—What a fool.”
“Sister?”
“If you have time to worry about trivial matters, you should rest your body and mind instead. —It wasn’t just Balus who failed to choose the optimal solution in this tower.”
Shaking her head, Ram quietly touched her forehead.
That spot, where a delicate scar remained, was once where Ram’s horn had been. She gently caressed that old wound and then extended her same hand toward the slumbering Rem on the bed.
Then, as she tenderly stroked Rem’s forehead:
“I borrowed Rem’s strength to defeat the Archbishop of Gluttony. In the end, we could win, but the price was steep. I made this child shoulder a considerable burden.”
“A burden…”
“She worked as if she had her horn. If it were Balus, she might have exploded from the inside out.”
That it was no exaggerated tale was abundantly clear to Subaru, who had taken on Ram’s usual suffering. Merely breathing and acting normal, Ram was experiencing torment.
Once she became serious—what kind of feedback would that carry?
Without exaggeration, had Subaru been the one receiving it, without a doubt he would have broken something irreparably.
The charge placed onto Rem by Ram had her closing her long lashes.
However, she continued speaking, “Is that okay?”
“With that… I might be blamed by Rem when she wakes up. But I won’t regret it. I’m Ram, her elder sister. Whether this child despises me or holds a grudge, for me, it’s the same. So, in order to make things better, I can only reach out to her.”
“—Rem wouldn’t hate you…”
“I don’t think so. —What a good child. My pride and joy of a sister.”
With that confident smile, Ram looked toward Subaru with her lightly reddish eyes.
Despite the fact that she should not remember her sister, Rem, knowing only through Subaru, she did not waver in her feelings of deep affection for her sister.
Instead of regretting the past, they fight to make the future better.
“…Hearing that from you is ear-piercingly painful.”
In a way that clashed with Ram’s wishes, Subaru had made efforts to alter the past.
For Ram, who thought of the ultimate positive thinking, Subaru’s ‘Return by Death’ might be seen as an extreme negative thought.
Returning to change past events had always been the product of regret.
“In the end, I’d rather not use it at all…”
Tightening the clenched fist, he released it once again, offering Subaru a wry smile.
He acknowledged his stance to strive to seize a future where they all could laugh together by using ‘Return by Death.’ In doing so, he admonished himself not to be drowned in ‘Return by Death’ itself.
In this tower, he had already heard so many tears shed and voices lamenting Subaru’s loss.
“I don’t really understand, but it seems like you’re a bit more alive now, doesn’t it?”
Seeing the change in Subaru’s expression, Meily, kneeling on the floor, murmured. Sitting with her legs tucked under her, she gently patted her braid.
“Well, my sister and Ram onee-san will surely help, but don’t get too down. You swore you’d show me a proper back, right?”
“Yeah, that promise was there too. Alright, I’ll keep it this time.”
Glancing at Meily and the small red scorpion atop her head, Subaru nodded with courage.
Then, in a gesture to back him up, Patrasche leaned its cheek against him. The sharpness of her scales could be painful, but once accustomed to it, he could press his cheek against hers without feeling pain.
In response to that display of affection, Subaru returned his genuine affection, standing up in that moment.
While earlier he had been exhausted to the point of collapsing, it seemed his lost stamina was recovering somewhat. The spirits in the ‘Green Room’ were quite a myriad of healing.
“Thinking back, considering how we had a combined force even including the Giant, I can’t express how grateful I am for how much the spirits of this room have aided us…”
Though it used as a recovery room, the ‘Green Room’ was originally home to a playful spirit that treated the injuries of creatures entering.
With no physical form and no intent to converse, the spirit, however, had been clear in its intent to heal, and during their continued assault on the tower, they’d relied on this room several times.
Indeed, since their arrival at the watchtower, Rem had been essentially living in this room.
“Well, I didn’t exactly mean to let her soak in here, though.”
“A spirit, huh? Balus’… No, it seems pointless to say. How about we forcibly manifest the spirit through Julius’ ‘Spirit’s Favor’?”
“I get what you’re saying, but my charm lies in Beatrice’s combat, so I’m not feeling bitter. In reality, if Julius’ Favor allows me to talk to you, it opens up quite a few possibilities…”
Julius’ ‘Spirit’s Favor’ was, simply put, an ability that made him more liked by spirits. Thanks to that effect, he had contracted with six spirit beings—now upgraded to spirits, he had found contracts with those equivalent to spirits, but if that ability let him communicate with the spirit in the ‘Green Room’, it would truly open up even more possibilities.
A spirit that had spent as much time in this watchtower as, if not more than, Shaura.
If that formless existence could become a help in unraveling the mysteries here—
“—?”
Just as Subaru mused on that, a slight breath of air left the room.
It was Ram who furrowed her beautiful brows, exhaling that breath. With her soft pink eyes still narrowed, she surveyed the surroundings with concern.
“Ram? What’s wrong?”
“…Something feels strange in the air. This is…”
—At that moment, Ram voiced the forewarning of an impending anomaly.
“—What?!”
“What’s happening?!”
Suddenly, an occurrence in the center of the ‘Green Room’ erupted—light poured forth, shocking Subaru and the others.
Instinctively, they stiffened at the unexpected incident, and Subaru and Ram dashed over to where Rem lay. Meily and Patrasche showed clear signs of wariness as they retreated from the light.
“What’s going on, what’s happening?!”
“I don’t know! Just stay close to us! No matter what happens… whoa?!”
As Subaru shielded Meily from behind, trying to get out a warning, he was cut off.
The room’s light intensified, nearly blinding Subaru. He raised an arm to shield his face and cautiously tried peering into the glowing source.
After a moment, the blinding light gradually waned until it weakened and disappeared. With a combination of relief and caution, Subaru blinked and bore witness to ‘that.’
“—Huh?”
Before him, in the spot where the light dissipated, appeared ‘that.’
Dumbfounded, astonished, he was left speechless once more.
“…A girl?”
Alongside Subaru, Ram, who saw the same sight, qury with a frown.
Her perception was correct. Subaru also recognized what she was. However, both of them differed greatly in their understanding of that ‘girl.’
Subaru knew this ‘girl’ by name.
Because, lying on the floor of the ‘Green Room’, her name was—
“—Lui Arnebe.”
△▼△▼△▼△
In the center of the ‘Green Room’, with the light, appeared the girl Lui Arnebe.
The youngest sister of the three siblings who are the Archbishops of Gluttony and the one meant not to possess corporeal form—this very ‘Gluttony’ trademark had manifested here, in real form, leaving Subaru speechless.
However, Ram did not let Subaru’s words go unnoticed.
“Lui Arnebe… the name of the last remaining ‘Gluttony’.”
In this loop, Subaru had not had the chance to tell Ram and the others detailed facts about Lui, having only barely touched upon it. Ram’s memory was indeed sharp.
In response to her inquiry, Subaru hesitated but replied, his unease evident,
“Yeah, yeah. She’s the last of ‘Gluttony’… Lui Arnebe. She’s said to be the sister of Batenkaitos and Alphard…”
“—From the looks of it, she seems to have no consciousness.”
Calmly observing Lui, Ram noted, confirming with Subaru that she appeared to be asleep.
Should they call it sleep? The specifics remained completely unclear. More importantly, how had Lui, who should have no body, ended up appearing here?
After fearing and darthing Subaru’s ‘Return by Death’ before, lying in that place, it seemed unlikely that she could quickly recover from that despair and return again.
—Death leaves profound wounds on the human heart; this much was certain.
“Thinking about it won’t lead anywhere… Meily! Go get Emilia and the others! I’ll stay here with Ram to keep an eye on her!”
“Geez, you’ve got a lot of demands… Just don’t go dying on your own, okay?”
Taking careful steps back, Meily approached the entrance to the ‘Green Room.’ Before rushing out, she warned them, and Subaru gave her a thumbs-up.
Watching as a small red scorpion on Meily’s head mimicked her gestures, she turned and dashed off to find Emilia and the others, leaving Subaru along with Ram.
“What can we do—presuming nothing happens, should we just use vines to tie her up for now?”
“I’d rather avoid stirring up unnecessary trouble… But Balus, realize this?”
“—Huh? About what?”
As Subaru mused on how to handle Lui, Ram tugged gently on his shoulder. Not understanding the intent behind her question, he tilted his head.
Then, Ram gestured toward the ceiling of the ‘Green Room’—no, she indicated the room itself.
“—The healing effects of the room have faded. The spirits are no longer here.”
“W-What… That can’t be true?!”
“It’s not a lie. Even Balus should be able to sense it if you focus. You must feel the emptiness here now.”
Fumbling with Ram’s sudden words, Subaru nervously looked around the room.
Even if Ram said to focus, his typical modes of sensing spirits were through embracing, snuggling, or sharing a bed, making it hard for him to understand.
However, just as Ram had said, the gentle wave that once enveloped him had vanished.
The disappearance of the spirits in the ‘Green Room’ was evidently something that occurred—
“That certainly means it’s connected somehow to the Archbishop.”
“——”
Subaru couldn’t deny Ram’s reasoning.
He too had considered the same thought. The absence of spirits from the ‘Green Room’ and the emergence of Lui Arnebe—it felt as if they might have traded places.
“—We should wait. It might be best to hold off on rushing to a conclusion. We should wait for Emilia and Beatrice to return. Once they do—”
They could discuss countermeasures regarding Liu then.
That was probably what Ram intended to continue saying.
However, her statement was cut short.
Before she could finish—darkness surged and launched an attack on the Pleiades Watchtower.
“—What?!”
With an immense explosion, the ground shook, hurling Subaru and the others into the air.
Immediately after, the full weight of their bodies crashed against beams and walls. Subaru screamed, “Guh!” as he struggled to grasp what had happened.
—A chilling, horrifying presence advanced toward them.
“C-Could it be…”
Brushing the terrible premonition aside as he stood, the dread only intensified, intent on seeping deeper into Subaru’s suspicions.
This was an unimaginable barrier—an unforeseen obstacle thought impossible until that very moment; and yet, it had come in the form of a devastating wave of devastation.
“Patrasche! Take Ram—!”
“—!!”
On all fours, as he clung to Ram’s body, he flung her toward Patrasche.
With numerous cuts covering her body, Patrasche understood Subaru’s intentions and bolted for the exit of the room.
“You damn fool, Balus!”
Ram’s resentment boiled at being acted upon, but Subaru had no time to spare.
Steadying himself against the wobbling ground, he rushed toward Rem who remained on the vine bed, scooping her up before heading out toward the exit of the room—
“——”
Just before he dashed out, he caught a glimpse of Lui rolling on the grass.
“—Ugh! What the hell?!”
With an outburst of anger, Subaru flared up, tapping into adrenaline-fueled energy, as he tucked Rem underneath one arm and grabbed Lui’s wrist with the other.
Both of them felt light enough to carry, and in this frenzied setting, he could prioritize passing them through.
As he dashed from the ‘Green Room’, a pitch-black shadow tore through the floor and poured itself into the room, separating Subaru from the exit.
—A dark shadow.
It was the last entity he wished to encounter, the final hazard, the one who had pursued him thus far—the black shadow of the ‘Witch,’ attacking the watchtower at this very moment.
“Ram—!”
Shouting out, Subaru tried to make a desperate plea to slip Rem away from the consuming shadows.
Yet, the black shadow obscured his vision entirely, leaving no gap—blocking off any room for escape. It continued to grow stronger, consuming not only the front of him but also his sides and behind.
“Dammit… Just when we’ve come this far…!”
As he observed the threatening shadows advancing, despair constricted his heart.
Should the shadows envelop him, he would die and be compelled to ‘Return by Death.’ If he were to ‘Return’ now, he would restart holding Lui Arnebe in his grasp, resuming from this moment.
If that occurred, he would once again find himself trapped under the power of this Archbishop donned as a white-haired girl.
The thought sent him into a spiral of dread. Therefore, he presented himself with his last struggle.
“—Balus! Get a grip! Rem will cry for you!!”
“—!!”
Called through the darkness from Ram and Patrasche, their voices were full of panic.
He inhaled in response, but his body refused to let the words escape.
—Yet, it was a moment too late, and the dark shadow entirely enveloped Natsuki Subaru.
△▼△▼△▼△
—Swallowed by an immense black void, Subaru’s consciousness flickered gently among darkness.
“—”
Hands, feet, blood, flesh; his existence was disassembling, being abstracted.
Something vast and immense consumed him, and he felt himself fading away.
『—I love you.』
He heard someone whispering in the midst of the absolute darkness.
That voice felt uncharacteristically welcoming to him, causing Natsuki Subaru to be self-deprecating.
Being called loved had become somewhat habitual, much like how some illustrious knight was loved by six spirit beings.
Unfortunately, Subaru wasn’t someone with the capital necessary for that. As for giving love, he did so with all of his heart and both of his arms. Though even that bears the weight of a challenge.
“—I want to put myself out there…”
『—I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.』
“Sorry, but I can’t respond to that… Right now, those words are a landmine to me. I just failed to grab hold of the hands of the person who spoke those words.”
『—I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.』
“…Neither of us is listening, are we? Then, just swallow me whole.”
In the void of nothingness, having come this far, he had no hope of living through this.
If that was the case, then Natsuki Subaru would accept this truth devoid of grief, converting all into resentment and resolve.
“If I go back, there might be a dire situation awaiting me. Now that the dice are cast, a composed Lui might attempt to steal my ‘Return by Death’ this time.”
『—I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.』
“Still, I won’t lose. I will not lose. Again and again, I will fight. No matter how many times it takes, I will fight. This time, I will keep my promise.”
『—I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.』
“—For tomorrow, for the sake of tomorrow, I will fight as many times as it takes.”
While submerged in the flood of repeated confessions of love, he would not be overwhelmed.
He had been hurt enough by those words already, and just recently, just moments ago, he had been fully crushed by that sentiment. Having entered his heart without asking permission, no matter how fervently that love beckoned, Natsuki Subaru could not be bound by it now.
Yet, even the repetition of that love continued to penetrate through Subaru’s rejections.
Undoubtedly, it was the words of blind love seeking to consume the world, overpowering Natsuki Subaru’s identity, devouring him into eternal darkness—
『—I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.』
『—I am Volcanica. By the terms of the ancient pact, I shall inquire the intent of those who seek the summit.』
In the next instant, an immense azure light rained down from above, striking the darkness that enveloped the world.
Then, that fierce light devoured the darkness, transforming the world at once—
Transforming—
Transforming—
△▼△▼△▼△
“Ugh…”
A rough texture brushed against his face, and Subaru groaned as he opened his eyes.
His consciousness slowly emerged. As it came into focus, the blurred outline began to solidify into clarity.
Even still, that rough sensation lingered on his cheek.
“Patrasche… I got it, I understand… I’m awake… I’ve woken up…”
Patrasche pressed down on him, licking his face so hard it made it difficult for Subaru to express himself.
“So needy… Are you trying to jump to the front of the next heroine race showing off such a cute side…”
“Uuuh?”
“Uuuuh…?”
As he struggled to swallow the dry mass in his mouth, he elicited a response from her.
But the response was not the expected one, so Subaru’s expression turned grave. As his face was licked, the blurriness of his vision gradually cleared, and there she was—
“U-Uh?”
—Lui Arnebe, the girl who was atop him, licking his face.
“What the hell—?!”
In dismay at the absurdity of the situation, Subaru instinctively pushed Lui away. With a cry, Lui rolled away.
Watching this, Subaru desperately slid backwards.
“What the hell do you want?! What’s going on?! Are you messing with me again…?”
“Uuuh, uuuh? Uuuh?”
“Stop ‘uuuhing’ at me! What happened… I died…?”
Stunned, he glared at Lui as he enquired.
In front of Subaru, Lui lay on her back in the grass, flailing her arms and legs childishly as she groaned.
He couldn’t grasp her intentions. Or rather, that was secondary to—
“Where is this…?”
While not taking his eyes off Lui, Subaru heightened his vigilance to assess his surroundings.
Before him spread a lush, vibrant green plain—laden with flowers swaying gently in the wind, it resembled an expansive meadow.
“………”
This was nowhere near the Augria Sand Dunes.
To clarify, there were patches of flowers in the Courtesan Bear proliferation area, but that was not an unnatural product; it had a tangible, natural vegetation that truly dominated the region.
In the distance, a bit further away, there was a forest visible, adding to Subaru’s confusion.
This was not the Augria Sand Dunes, yet neither did it appear to be the ‘Memory Corridor’ where he faced off against Lui.
“The grass is tangible. It even has a taste—pew! Grass!”
Plucking some grass, he sniffed and tasted it, confirming its authenticity.
Then, from the state of his injuries and the shredded state of his clothing, he was sure that there had indeed been a battle right before that—the evidence remained from the fight at the Pleiades Watchtower.
In other words, the battle had unmistakably occurred, and he hadn’t died yet.
While overcome by the massive black shadow that had invaded ‘Green Room,’ he had survived it—
“—Oh! Rem! Rem is…”
If Lui stood before him, then Rem, who he had carried at that moment, should also be here somewhere.
Leaving Lui behind, Subaru scanned the meadow for Rem, and soon enough, he caught sight of her small frame lying peacefully amidst the grass.
“Rem! Thank goodness… you’re completely safe…”
As he hurried toward her and confirmed her well-being, a wave of relief washed over him, and he sagged to the grass.
From the looks of it, Rem bore no visible injuries. Her body’s warmth and the soft rhythm of her breathing hadn’t changed. Realizing that, Subaru wiped the sweat from his brow, feeling a deep sense of relief.
“Phew, I’m so glad. If anything happened to Rem, I’d have been killed by Ram…”
If anything,it would be Subaru himself who would want to blame himself in a fit of suicidal despair.
While pondering that, he glanced around and asked, “But… where is this place? Where did the tower go? What about Emilia and Beatrice?”
He twisted and turned but could not spot the watchtower’s silhouette even from a distance.
No matter where he looked, it was the same outcome.
“Emilia—!! Beatrice!! Ram—!!”
Even without sight to confirm their presence, he called out to Emilia and the others, hoping for a response.
But his voice echoed back to him without a reply; the only voice responding was the one from Lui, sprawled out in the grass.
Though his frustration mounted, he could not entirely overlook her presence.
What was she up to? With a situation overriding his need to respond, it struck him that he was the only one capable of protecting Rem, so he stood up to confront Lui—
“———”
Before he could fully rise, someone gently pulled on his arm.
“—Eh?”
On one knee, as Subaru sought to stand, his voice faltered airily.
The pull on his arm, as if tugging at the sleeve of his clothing, lacked any force but left him immobilized.
“———–”
Beneath him, his knees trembled as a cold sweat broke out across his body.
It was utterly incomprehensible, this surge of emotion overriding him. His insides stirred in a sudden rush, molding the very essence of Natsuki Subaru into a tempest of chaos.
This was an emotional shock beyond words.
It was a frenzy of uncontainable familiarity.
It was an overwhelming wave of astonishment unlike anything he had ever encountered before.
“—Ah.”
As his eyelids trembled slightly, they gradually began to part.
Behind them lay a light blue well of clear eyes.
Those twinkling eyes, like playful blooms, had captivated him.
Their glimmering mischief had brought him joy.
The pleading beauty that tightened his chest each moment was irresistible for him.
—He had longed for that brilliance.
“Rem…”
His heart raced, his throat quaked. Trying to speak felt like trying to grasp an elusive thought.
He felt blocked. Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed! His heart bore so many wishes that had lain dormant.
Words he wanted to express, topics he wished to discuss, heartfelt hopes built upon each other.
And thus, with all his heart, Natsuki Subaru—
“—Rem.”
He faltered, calling out her name.
Embarrassingly, it took him so many tries just to produce that one simple utterance.
Could he speak clearly enough for it to reach her? Or, had he merely conjured a false notion wherein the critical things hadn’t been conveyed at all?
Fearing that, gasping for breath, he continued to repeat her name over and over.
“Rem, Rem… Rem! Rem… R-Rem… Rem…!”
With each time he called out her name, tears streamed down his face.
As the tears flowed, her image became fuzzy. And if her form grew indistinct, he feared that he might let her slip from his grasp once more.
So, desperately rubbing his tear-streaked face, he fought to ensure he wouldn’t lose sight of her.
“———”
With gentle blinks, the previously blurry gaze reflected distinct clarity.
By the time they reached this point, he realized this was not merely an illusion born from his deepest wishes.
Undoubtedly, she was here—Rem was here.
“—Aa.”
As she quietly parted her lips, it appeared Rem would articulate some form of utterance.
Hearing even a whisper, however rasped, jumbled emotion was about to crack Subaru’s heart open with happiness.
All this time, he would speak lovingly to her as she lay asleep. He longed to confirm that the thread of her life was still entwined.
He had sworn many times to himself that he would bring her back, greeting every dawn and dusk.
Yet during all that time, there had not been a single moment when he could listen to her voice.
Should he allow himself to close his eyes, the words she gave him, those calling his name, all the fond memories inherited would loom before him. But, those belonged to the past.
What mattered was hearing what she would say in the present, that morning, that new day.
And now, finally, that wish was coming to fruition.
“Y-You’re…”
“—You’re who?”
Quietly, Rem saved her words, searching for a slight shimmer of moisture in her parched throat.
Moistening her tongue with the saliva, she steeled her voice, opening that sound—the azure gaze found itself fixated on Subaru.
“—Who are you?”
“———–”
Subaru knelt, peering into Rem’s face as he inhaled a breath of shock.
Then forcefully released that breath, full of bitterness trapped deep in his chest.
He struck his chest throughout thrice, hammering at his own heart.
—This was an opportunity he had foreseen.
It was entirely conceivable that once she awoke, Rem wouldn’t remember him.
When considering the powers of ‘Gluttony,’ that was a natural consequence. The possibility that she may have lost her ‘memories’ or ‘name’ and woke up was a very real possibility.
That was indeed a very real possibility. So he hadn’t wanted to disregard it.
Of course, the pain he would have to deal with wouldn’t be diminished to zero.
And yet, he would not lament his fate or brood like a tragedy hero, wallowing in self-pity.
Above all, Natsuki Subaru had already been told before.
“Show me a cool side, will you, Subaru-kun.”
“—My name is Natsuki Subaru.”
With a firm grit biting down, Subaru let his remorseful visage drop, the strain creeping across his expression.
He rubbed away his tears, summoning up every ounce of bravado, radiating that bright smile.
The kind of inconceivable confidence that was unmistakably quintessentially Natsuki Subaru.
“Right now, you might not remember. But I…”
“Who you are…”
At Rem’s raspy inquiry, Subaru momentarily lost coherence, closing his eyes tightly.
Then, he looked back into those dazzling blue eyes, and he continued to speak.
“I’m your hero. —Rem, I’ve missed you.”
Thus, swearing upon that vow for the girl, once more, Natsuki Subaru adopted the mantle of heroism.
Bearing the burden of a hero’s legacy, he proclaimed himself with unyielding pride, all for the sake of the girl.
—Once more, vowing to begin their tale anew from zero.
