“――――”

――Holy Volakia Empire, 77th Emperor.

Upon hearing the title that Abel introduced himself with, Subaru’s mind went completely blank.

This wasn’t due to a lack of understanding of the words or fear of facing royalty.

After all, even in another world, this was Subaru’s first encounter with a royal.

When Subaru was summoned to this world, the entire royal family of the Lugnica Kingdom had fallen ill. There was a suspicion that Felt might be a survivor of the royal family, but she herself denied it, and she completely lacked any royal demeanor, so she didn’t count.

In this respect, the highest-ranking individuals Subaru had met in this world were most likely the wise men he saw at the Royal Selection or Crusch, the Duchess.

Roswaal, who held the position of a count, was also in a relatively high status. – More importantly, what kind of rank would Emilia, a contender for the royal selection, fall under?

“…No, now is not the time for escapism.”

Subaru hurriedly pulled himself back from his chaotic thoughts.

Anyway, the important thing was that Abel claimed to be the “Emperor.” From the moment they met in the plain of the forest, he felt that there was something extraordinary about him.

However, it was completely outside his imagination that someone could hold the position of emperor.

But—

“If that’s the truth, then—”

“Do you doubt my words?”

“Of course, I do. Why the hell would I run into the top dog of that country in the middle of a forest? I might believe you’re emperor-level with your audacity, but…”

Having cut off his words, Subaru glared right at the fierce-looking Abel.

From Abel’s side, he could only feel the sharpness of the gaze, but it was unfair; indeed, there was a strength of will in Abel’s voice that was characteristic of a truly prominent figure.

Subaru’s intuition, having interacted with various people in this different world for some reason, proved this. – But that was separate from this situation.

“I told you just a little while ago, didn’t I? What can I possibly trust from a guy who won’t even show his face?”

Across the campfire, Abel absorbed Subaru’s words as he looked down at the flickering flames of their camp.

Recalling the conversation they had while overlooking the burning camp, Subaru glared intensely at Abel, who was covering his face, just as he had said then.

Back then, Abel had hidden his face with a rag, and upon hearing those words, he revealed his own face.

“You’re a bothersome man.”

Saying this, he placed the removed mask aside, just like he did at this very moment.

“――――”

“What’s with that impudent look? I don’t have anything particularly different from you.”

“…In terms of parts, that’s true. But I feel a divine malice in the arrangement.”

Abel’s sarcasm hit hard as Subaru continued to examine his face closely.

As he responded, it could be said that both Subaru and Abel were human beings. However, that was talking about categories; if further subdivided, their affiliations would be significantly different.

With shiny black hair and sharp, dignified eyes, he was intimidating, yet possessed an intriguing charm that made it hard to look away. –

This was the visage of the Emperor of the Holy Volakia Empire.

However, Subaru did not recognize Abel’s face at all. As Emilia’s knight who was a candidate for the royal selection, he should at least know the national matters of the neighboring country.

“Is that how it is? You’re at the top of the country, and yet your face is…”

“You wouldn’t know. My face is not something seen outside the Imperial Capital. There are too many here who seek my head.”

“Is it for self-defense then? You’ve earned that many enemies?”

“No. It’s because strength is the creed of the Imperial citizens. The weak deserve to perish, the fragile deserve to die, the impotent must die… Therefore, the strong have the right to acquire everything.”

“――――”

“The throne of the Emperor is no exception. This is the reason why the Empire is an unparalleled strong nation.”

Supporting his chin with his hand on his knee, Subaru was at a loss for words in response to Abel’s extreme ideology regarding the Volakia.

He knew his words were not lies; Subaru had learned that over the past few days spent at the camp of the Empire soldiers. Todd and the Imperial soldiers would surely agree with Abel’s words.

Including them, the people of the Empire sincerely believe that victory reconciles any “incongruities.”

This truly was a declaration of “Long Live the Empire.”

To achieve that, they wouldn’t hesitate to burn the forests to wipe out tribes.

To achieve that, they wouldn’t think twice about ambushing their fellow citizens and killing every last one of them—

“――Wait, that’s strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you—if you really are the Emperor, then why did you attack your own soldiers’ territory? You could just go out normally and talk to the bigwigs there…”

“Fool. Do you think I could just stroll out like that? I have no desire for suicide. Don’t put me in the same category as you.”

“I don’t have a desire for suicide either. But what do you mean by suicide…?”

I can’t understand why the Emperor considers it suicide to contact his own soldiers.

For Abel, all those Imperial soldiers should collectively be his subordinates. It doesn’t add up that contacting them would be a suicidal act. – No, there is a way to make sense of it.

That is—

“If I didn’t misunderstand… didn’t you say you’d been deposed from the throne?”

“I didn’t miss it. But I also mentioned that I wouldn’t repeat myself.”

“Don’t make a joke! That’s an important point. So, being deposed from the throne means…”

Abel’s expression remained unreadable, making Subaru doubt whether he was truly human.

If the situation Abel found himself in were as Subaru suspected, then it must be a desperate situation.

That thought made Subaru hesitate to continue speaking.

“—Your thinking is correct.”

However, Abel easily stepped over Subaru’s hesitation and nodded.

In front of a breathless Subaru, Abel’s gaze lowered slightly as he looked at the burning campfire. The firewood in the flames pops and makes a faint sound, like the death throes of wooden pieces.

Hearing those death throes, Abel quietly closed one eye and said,

“The Imperial soldiers deployed outside Badheim were sent by my political enemies to take me out. You are correct; you’ve been caught in the crossfire.”

“But… But the people at the camp didn’t mention any of that. They said their goal was to negotiate with the ‘People of Shudrak’ in the forest.”

Subaru didn’t possess the ability to see through others’ lies.

Even so, it didn’t seem realistic that dozens of people gathered in one place would all coordinate their stories just to deceive outsiders like Subaru and Rem.

Therefore, the Imperial soldiers, including Todd, surely believed that their objective was the “People of Shudrak.”

“Yet the true aim was to capture you…”

“Stop sugarcoating. You were the one who said you were planning an attack. And you weighed your life and that woman’s against the People of Shudrak and the Imperial soldiers.”

“No…”

“You’re wrong. What has occurred cannot be changed. They won’t come back. The dead don’t speak, and the living can’t reach them.”

“――――”

――The dead do not return.

Struck by Abel’s harsh words, Subaru tightly shut his eyes.

Nothing, nothing at all, but an ignorant person can say whatever they please.

――There is a way to bring the dead back.

Only Subaru possesses that singular ability.

“――――”

If he uses “Return by Death,” he could return before the entire camp was wiped out.

In doing so, he might alert the Imperial soldiers and save them from their deadly fate. But then, the “People of Shudrak” would be in danger.

Choosing one means choosing against the other, and saving both opposing sides is difficult.

Above all—

“I don’t have…”

The will to use “Return by Death” for their sake.

Even if he rewinds time, what are the odds it would go better? In this instance, it can be said that the current state of Rem and Subaru’s safety is less than ideal but still acceptable.

Wishing for more would be akin to confronting an endless challenge.

To risk his own life for that desire is steep.

“You’re a foolish man who carries an unfathomable vexation.”

Abruptly, Abel’s words struck Subaru’s eardrum, catching him off guard.

For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond, and he opened his eyes wide in shock. Across from him, beyond the flickering flames, Abel was looking directly at Subaru.

That gaze seemed to be filled with pity for Subaru.

“Why do you wish for others to condescend to you?”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“You’re always looking at others. You’ve constructed yourself in a way that invites such treatment. Just as a warrior hones their skills, you’ve concealed your own heart beneath a facade of deception.”

“――You have no place to speak to me like that!”

Subaru felt an unbearable rage towards Abel, who claimed to understand everything.

There is no one who understands anything about “Return by Death” or Subaru himself. There is no reason for him to be lectured or pitied.

“To begin with, you haven’t answered my question! The objective of the Imperial soldiers was the ‘People of Shudrak.’ Not a single word about you…”

“That’s not something to be shared with the rank and file. Probably even the commanders don’t know. To speak of the Emperor going at large is not a conversation that should leave the Imperial Capital. Those who deposed me wouldn’t wish to see the Empire in turmoil.”

“――――”

“Moreover, it’s natural that they targeted Shudrak. The only ones with a chance to grasp the hand of the deposed emperor who escaped the Imperial Capital are the People of Shudrak. – Hence, killing Shudrak is tantamount to cutting off the hands and feet of someone barely staying afloat and dragging them down to the depths.”

His calm explanation sank into Subaru’s brain, dissolving his doubts.

The Imperial soldiers, including Todd, had surrounded the forest with the intent to neutralize or annihilate the “People of Shudrak” through negotiations. It all aligned.

“…Why is Shudrak the only one you rely on?”

“In the past, the Emperor of Volakia once saved Shudrak from a dire situation. The People of Shudrak never forget their debts. There’s also the ‘Ritual of Blood.’ That is my winning hand.”

The ancient grudges spanning races toward the Emperor and the nature of Shudrak placing importance on rituals.

Abel, fleeing the Imperial Capital, gambled on that and attempted to make contact with the “People of Shudrak.” Meanwhile, his political enemies sent the Imperial soldiers into the forest to eliminate the emperor.

It was a gamble with poor odds, but Abel could be said to have won that gamble.

He skillfully outmaneuvered their intentions, repelling the first wave of enemies surrounding him. Yet, it was clear to Subaru—there was no way the other side would retreat.

“Your battle with your enemies isn’t over.”

“Of course. – If I die, that’s that. But as I’m alive, I shall use all my power to take back what’s mine.”

That was Vincent Abelkus’s decision as the Emperor of Volakia.

The word “thing” that rolled off his lips inherently conveyed the idea of “nation.”

That perspective was overwhelmingly on another scale.

Overwhelmed by that intensity, it dawned on Subaru belatedly.

“So, are you going to start a war with the People of Shudrak from now on?”

“Yes. I had them promise cooperation. The results of the ‘Ritual of Blood’ and the covenant with the former Emperor. Those who boast of pride will be easy to handle. They will fight alongside me.”

“After all that… is it still not enough!?”

The effort to reclaim the imperial throne would inevitably spark numerous unavoidable battles.

That meant war—a grand conflict between humans, where lives would be snatched away.

“――――”

At the burned Imperial encampment, as far as Subaru knew, there were over a hundred Imperial soldiers there.

If Abel and Shudrak’s attacks were not confined to just one of those encampments, even if some managed to survive, the loss would exceed over a hundred. Not quite reaching a thousand, but a significant number still.

――In just a few hours while Subaru had been unconscious, over a hundred lives had been extinguished.

“That alone…”

Was the greatest loss Subaru had experienced in everything he’s faced in this different world.

There were casualties in the battle against the White Whale and against Petelgeuse. There were many he couldn’t save who hadn’t been saved up until now, even in the fight in Pristella.

The number lost here surpassed those unavoidable sacrifices.

All of that, with the opponents being not beasts or evildoers, but fellow humans.

Not those who couldn’t communicate, but those who could understand one another.

“Why do they kill…?”

“Because there’s no other way. That’s all.”

“…Is that really so? Have you genuinely searched for any other means? Before taking lives and eradicating all possibilities, until the very end?”

“――――”

As Subaru’s feeble plea, like a mosquito’s buzz, reached Abel, his eyes narrowed.

Rather than seeming to contemplate Subaru’s opinion, he appeared to fundamentally question why such things must be done.

It was not that their words couldn’t be understood; it wasn’t a lack of desire to communicate.

But the reason they couldn’t talk was that their values were separated by a terrifying chasm.

Until now, Natsuki Subaru had been fortunate not to find himself in a situation where he had to establish relations with those drastically differing in values.

Most of the people he encountered in this different world were rational, willing to listen to Subaru’s words, and treat him sincerely while expressing their own opinions. Even when he couldn’t comprehend that and failed to notice their concerns, he had gotten this far.

Those with differing values with whom he couldn’t communicate were confined to the likes of witches or archbishops of sin.

However, Abel was different. The “People of Shudrak” and the Imperial soldiers were different as well.

They lacked malice; they didn’t toy with human lives or abuse their overwhelming power as they pleased.

At the core of their thinking, they were still human beings, just like Subaru.

And yet—

“…I just want to take Rem home.”

Now begins the battle to reclaim Abel’s imperial throne.

If this were a tale from a biography or some distant past, Subaru might have been stirred and eagerly turned the pages.

But this was reality.

In a foreign land without anyone to rely on, a tragic internal conflict that would shake the very foundation of that nation was about to unfold. Subaru had no thought of intervening to change history.

The purpose was to return to the Lugnica Kingdom with Rem.

To quickly regroup with Emilia, Beatrice, and the friends from Roswaal’s Mansion, sharing the joy of Rem waking up and discussing their future plans together.

No other problems were worth his involvement.

“――Please tell me where the nearest town or village is. I’ll find my way home from there.”

Clapping both hands on his cheeks, Subaru asserted his singular purpose.

In response, Abel let out a small “Hmm.”

“That’s reasonable. However, that path isn’t an easy one.”

“Whether easy or tough, I’ll walk the road if necessary. Ideally, a paved one.”

“Hmm.”

With a snort from Abel, Subaru stood up and bit down harder on his cheek.

The pain stimulated his brain, shaking off various growing doubts, and he looked forward. Then, he cast his eyes toward Abel, who did not change his posture.

The solitary emperor with one eye closed met Subaru’s gaze.

“I haven’t thanked you yet. …Regardless of the means, thank you for saving Rem. I’m grateful for that.”

“Not only her; I’ve also saved another person.”

“That extra was unnecessary. …Because of that, my troubles are on hold for a while.”

Of course, if it turned out that Louis was lost at the Imperial camp, that would not neatly resolve the issues Subaru faced. Rather, as far as his relationship with Rem was concerned, it would likely grow more serious.

There’s no saying which was better. Because of that—

“I’ll choose what I find acceptable… It’s complicated, but you do your best too. But please don’t involve the People of Shudrak…”

“Don’t involve them, you say? Either way, if you and I hadn’t intervened, they would have been burned along with the forest. This is also their battle.”

“――――”

There was no denying that.

They would soon find themselves in a position where they had to fight to protect their own lives.

However—

“That’s something I can’t bear… I could never become someone like you in my life.”

Shaking his head, Subaru muttered while looking at Abel.

Abel, with his eye closed—his closed eyelid was the opposite of what it had been before. More accurately, Abel blinked in a peculiar manner, closing one eye at a time, never both together.

Subaru understood that he must not close both eyes for even a moment.

Still, he feared and revered the Emperor of Volakia, the pinnacle of the Wolf Empire.

Upon hearing Subaru’s murmur, Abel, still with one eye closed, said,

“Of course. No one can take my place, not even you.”

And with that, he said it.

△▼△▼△▼△

After parting with the “People of Shudrak,” Subaru headed toward the nearest town in Badheim Forest.

Upon hearing Subaru’s decision, surprisingly, the surrounding reaction was quite calm.

“That’s understandable; it’s unfortunate, but if that is your decision as a comrade, then…”

This was the response from Mizelda, upon hearing Subaru’s story.

As her words suggested, Mizelda wore a slightly melancholic expression but respected Subaru’s choice.

Honestly, he had braced himself to be mocked for not being a warrior if he didn’t fight, so her concern made him feel even more guilty.

With the chief’s permission given, nothing would obstruct Subaru’s resolution.

He felt a twinge of reluctance at Utakata’s sullen presence, but still, that couldn’t be a reason for Subaru to remain here.

“Su, is going somewhere. Uu is disappointed…”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. …Hey, Utakata, do you understand what’s going to happen from now on?”

As he ruffled the girl’s hair, Subaru asked her.

There was no doubt about the values and solidarity of the “People of Shudrak,” and Mizelda’s decision was theirs as well. But still, Utakata was still so young.

If she remained oblivious to what was happening around her—

“—Huh? From here, the fighting will start. Uu will fight with everyone!”

“…I see.”

As she showed off the bow equipped on her back, Subaru sighed.

For a little child, he wished she knew nothing. That naive thought seemed to have been a useless sweet delusion in this forest.

Originally, Utakata had already proven capable of killing him once with a poisoned arrow.

Although she doesn’t appear to, she is undoubtedly one of the “People of Shudrak.” She possesses the readiness to fight and the resolve to kill.

Still—

“Don’t die, Utakata.”

“Uu, I won’t die! Sue won’t die either, so let’s do our best!”

What was meant to be encouragement met with a louder response, leaving Subaru at a loss for words, recovering with a feeble smile in reply.

Honestly, he couldn’t imagine how likely Abel and Shudrak’s chances of victory were.

The Imperial soldiers aimed at Abel stripped of his imperial throne, sending an extermination team into Badheim Forest.

In other words, the enemy was in a state where they could move the Empire’s military might at their own discretion. Meanwhile, the only force available to Abel was Shudrak, whose numbers barely reached a hundred.

Of course, there might be a possibility that Abel could use cunning strategies to unilaterally attack the Imperial encampment and repeatedly win victories—

“――We are prepared.”

“――!”

Just as Subaru became engulfed in his switched off thoughts, someone called out from the side.

Startled, Subaru’s shoulders trembled as he turned to see Rem standing there.

With a wooden staff in hand and a small amount of baggage on her back, Rem seemed also to have completed her preparations to leave the forest, just like Subaru.

――In fact, the most surprising response to Subaru’s choice to leave this forest came from none other than Rem.

Honestly, Subaru had thought he would have to resist her stubbornness and persuade her.

In the worst-case scenario, he was even prepared to forcibly drag the sleeping Rem out like a night escape from Shudrak’s settlement.

However, when Subaru directly opened up his plans, he was utterly surprised by Rem’s response being straightforward and simple.

“For tomorrow, I will finish getting ready by then.”

So seeing Rem ready for travel left Subaru struggling to accept it as a reality.

“…Um?”

“Ah! No, sorry, I’m fine. Yeah, I’m all set for traveling. So cute, so cute.”

“What?”

“No, not that! You’re perfectly fine! I’m the lucky one to have such a reliable person with me.”

His stuttering reply earned Subaru a rather suspicious look from Rem.

It wasn’t like he was trying to butter her up. Naturally, it was a relief to have Rem not oppose him, so he’d prefer to maintain their current relationship status.

Ideally, he’d like to build a closer bond.

“――――”

That would be something to try again once Subaru’s mental state settled down.

Currently, what he really wanted was to escape the looming atmosphere of war as quickly as possible.

“By the way, have you made your preparations? You seemed to have a moment to bid farewell…”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I originally had little baggage, and most of it will be carried by Rem anyway.”

“…But you’ll be taking me as well.”

With a tone that dropped, Rem glanced at the makeshift contraption placed in the square.

It was a contraption made with thick branches and vines combined, essentially a backpack carrier that Subaru had put together to carry Rem.

With a staff, Rem could walk slowly, but the journey from here to the nearest town would take several days.

If he were to match her pace, no one knew how long it would take. That’s why Subaru sought Shudrak’s cooperation to create this.

“The handmade part might look a bit flimsy, but it should hold up fine. It has been tested with Talitta, who’s heavier than you.”

“I don’t particularly mind the weight, but I think it’s rather rude to Talitta.”

Again, Subaru elicited Rem’s displeasure, earning a wry smile as he scratched his cheek.

Then, Subaru looked toward Rem’s backside—towards her travel companion, Lui. Of course, if Subaru was to take Rem along, then she would have to be a companion as well.

“There’s no way I can leave explosives with the people of Shudrak…”

Besides, even without that, it was unthinkable to take eyes off the Archbishop of Sin.

He had had plenty of opportunities to look away until now, and every time, Lui had been given chances to reveal her true nature. But in the future, he would like to avoid that.

Even if he was beginning to think that Lui’s performance wasn’t an act after all.

“Ahh, uhm.”

That Lui, now had her long hair tied back and freshly patched her white attire, completely changed her overall impression.

It appeared that she had been cherished in the Shudrak settlement, and the repaired clothing seemed to be a gift from the people.

“I’m sorry for troubling you with so much.”

“Don’t worry about it, Subaru. You have overcome the ‘Ritual of Blood’ and shown the brilliance of your soul. Our lending you power is merely a matter of honor among companions.”

“Companions…”

Subaru hung his head at Mizelda’s words as she crossed her arms, eliciting a sense of shame.

He couldn’t face Mizelda, who so affectionately referred to him as a companion. After all, he was the one trying to escape this place while fully aware that a tough struggle awaited him, knowing he was also partly responsible for drawing them into that very conflict.

Was that truly what a companion, proud and honorable, ought to do?

“Don’t worry too much, Subaru.”

Yet Mizelda spoke as though she had read Subaru’s mind.

“Mizelda-san…”

“We fight to prove our worth. But by fiercely protecting what is important, we create the future. That’s a necessary thought to preserve our tribe.”

“――――”

“Protect Rem and Lui. That is the honor I expect from a companion.”

Subaru felt his eyes grow warm at Mizelda’s earnest words.

He couldn’t even correct Mizelda’s misunderstanding regarding Lui. At the very least, he must respond to their trust by fulfilling that role.

Even if it might turn out to be the last time he ever saw them—

“Everything’s prepared on our end now. It’s about time to set off.”

After being urged by Mizelda, a woman with yellow-tipped hair waving excitedly called out to Subaru.

Beside that woman was Kuna, a slender figure with green-dyed hair. Unlike the cheerful Holly, Kuna gave a more taciturn impression. The two of them would act as bodyguards for Subaru and the others.

On the road to the nearest town—“Gwararu”—they were arranged to protect Subaru and Rem from any ambush.

“I thought it was honor enough to have your protection…”

Here in a foreign land, Subaru had almost died multiple times within just a few days.

Though it was undeniable that the situation had been peculiar, it’s always better to be cautious. Subaru himself lacked any combat power that could be relied upon, and it would be unreasonable to expect so much from Rem and Lui.

While Subaru couldn’t fully gauge Kuna’s abilities, he had seen Holly easily lift a large rock with his own eyes. They were more than trustworthy as companions for the journey.

And then—

“—Rem, is there anywhere hurting?”

He hefted the carrier up higher and asked Rem over his shoulder.

Given that they were in a back-to-back position with Subaru unable to see her face, he had stuffed soft leaves and cloth as much as possible to support Rem’s body, but there would surely be discomfort during a long journey.

“I’m fine. …But how about you? Are you okay?”

“I’ve been exercising moderately for this. My stamina hasn’t fully returned, but I want to avoid circumstances that might hinder Holly and the others when the time comes.”

To begin with, just having them as escorts was helping tremendously. Yet, moreover to ask them to carry Rem as well would be too much of a request to make.

As Subaru exhibited that sort of will, he and the carrier that held Rem connected with Lui, who stood beside them, and the lightly outfitted Holly and Kuna, who also seemed ready for their trip.

Just then, a crowd of Shudrak people began to gather at the entrance of the settlement.

“May you find peace, Natsuki Subaru, our comrade, and fulfill your objectives!”

“—Fulfill your objectives!”

With Mizelda at the forefront, the other Shudrak individuals echoed her call.

As a shiver of wind seemed to pass through him, Subaru responded with a smile, at least managing to respond with a “Yeah!” to their rallying spirit.

“Thank you, everyone. Please stay safe!”

After saying that, he felt that it was a deeply hypocritical farewell.

As he considered the turbulent path that awaited them, “Stay safe” seemed far too hollow and meaningless.

Yet, he couldn’t say anything more. He had no wish for anything beyond that.

He wanted to wish for the kind of women with heartwarming dispositions like them to continue living.

“――――”

As he hoped for that, Subaru searched the farewell crowd for that fierce-looking masked figure.

Yet, obviously, that figure was nowhere to be found.

They weren’t the type to come and see him off, nor did they share such a relationship.

Even if he happened to see them here, there were no words to exchange.

So—

“—I’m off!”

“Uu!”

As Subaru said it impulsively, Lui’s voice rang out in a cheerful response.

And then Subaru and his companions departed from the “People of Shudrak,” taking the first step toward Gwararu, the nearest town, in an effort to escape the war that loomed ahead.

“`

 

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