“Hey, is anyone listening? Things are getting serious over here!”

The tense atmosphere was shaken by that foolish voice, but that did nothing to ease the tension.

The heavy air between Abel and Priscilla continued, with Subaru, at the edge of the scene, frozen in place.

“—”

Moving carelessly would surely provoke the displeasure of Priscilla, the ruler of this half-destroyed great hall.

It was an atmosphere where even pointing out that Al was on the verge of falling to his death was hesitated. To change the situation, either Abel or Priscilla needed to be the next to speak—

“—Move and I’ll shoot you.”

However, it wasn’t either of them that altered the situation.

The unexpected voice came from the stairs connecting the great hall and the lower floor. Casting a glance in that direction, a shadow appeared, drawing a bow and aiming at us.

There stood Talitta, her powerful eyes brimming with intense hostility.

Following instructions from Abel and Mizelda, she had returned after leaving the city hall before the assault on Arakia.

Naturally, seeing the upper floor blasted to bits, Talitta would have noticed the enemy attack. The issue was that she did not grasp the full situation.

Looking down at Subaru and Abel, it was undeniably Priscilla who must be the assailant of the city hall.

“Move and I’ll shoot you in the head.”

“Oh? My head? You’re a bit late to the party, aren’t you, given your allies are in trouble?”

“—!”

Talitta’s cheek twitched at the unnecessary provocation, and Priscilla turned to her with a calm demeanor.

With such a dignified attitude, the threat to shoot her if she moved was quickly rendered moot. If anything, Priscilla seemed ready to stride over towards Talitta.

“That’s enough of that.”

However, it was Abel who stopped her advance.

After a quiet statement, Priscilla’s crimson gaze turned back to Abel. Accepting that gaze, Abel, kneeling, looked up at her and stated,

“Talitta is more useful than you think. Not easy to take down.”

“Think I’m going to turn a blind eye to that?”

“You won’t. But, Priscilla… how many times have you drawn the ‘Sun Sword’?”

Alongside Abel’s unexpected evaluation of Talitta, the question hit Priscilla hard.

To be honest, Subaru had no understanding of the intent behind the question. The ‘Sun Sword’ she wielded— a radiant, shining treasure sword, its incredible power was beyond doubt.

However, having just cut down Arakia, she had sheathed it empty now. Of course, if the need arose, she would draw it again—

“Talitta, lower your arrow. This person is not your enemy.”

Without waiting for Priscilla’s response, Abel ordered Talitta to lower her weapon. Yet naturally, Talitta was far from convinced by that.

With her arrow still drawn, Talitta insisted, “But… she’s clearly a danger!”

“I say this knowing that. However, what you need right now isn’t us.”

“—?”

As Talitta maintained her guard, Abel subtly shifted his gaze to the side. Following his line of sight, Talitta skillfully caught a glimpse of Priscilla, before her expression changed.

“A… Sister…!?”

Guided to look that way, what Talitta saw was Mizelda receiving treatment from Rem.

Half of Mizelda’s body was burned, and the other half pierced by a branch. Heavily injured, Rem was desperately trying to administer aid, but the pitiful sight was unshakable.

“Talitta, call out! Stop her…!”

“Sister, sister…!!”

In an instant, the previously tense mood evaporated as Talitta rushed to Mizelda’s side. Following Rem’s words, she grasped her sister’s hand and began repeatedly calling her name.

Just like that, no one was left to keep Priscilla in check.

“—”

Once again, Abel and Priscilla resumed their fierce staring contest. Or so it seemed.

“—Foolish. You, haul that up. With such noise, none of us can focus.”

“Uh…?”

As Priscilla casually pointed to the broken balcony, it was Subaru who was summoned to act.

In an instant, the ominous air dissipated. With a casualness that seemed odd, she instructed Subaru, who caught his breath.

Of course, Subaru was not reckless enough to voice his objections, risking Priscilla’s wrath. More importantly—

“I’ll keep an eye on that man. Don’t you worry about him.”

Pointing at Abel, that came as reinforcement for Subaru’s anxieties.

Though he didn’t yet trust Priscilla’s words entirely, her stance in not recanting what she said somehow seemed believable.

“Sitting here staring won’t solve anything. For now, just do as that one says.”

“…Got it. Not that I’m your subordinate or anything.”

In response to Priscilla’s words, Abel added a final remark as Subaru contemplated.

Displeased by the feeling of being moved by Abel’s command, he headed outside the building to rescue Al, who was stuck in the street lamp.

“—”

In his mind, thoughts of Mizelda, the people of Shudrak, handling Gwararu later, and the relationship between Abel and Priscilla swirled chaotically.

For the time being, he ground his teeth and pushed those thoughts aside to focus on what lay ahead.

Just like Rem, who was desperately trying to save a life before her.

Subaru too must strive to bring the imagined ‘bloodless surrender’ closer to reality.

△▼△▼△▼△

The rescue work for Al, who was stuck in the street lamp, turned out to be surprisingly difficult.

After all, Al had given up one of his arms to this world. With him dangling, options for pulling him up were severely limited.

“Literally a handful, huh? …Or maybe ‘I’d prefer a cat’s paw’ is a better phrase? Hey, bro, what do you think?”

“Shut up! If you want to be saved, don’t sap my motivation!”

Responding to the irrelevant banter, Subaru ripped through the curtain under which Al was hanging and lowered a loop to him.

Fixing the loop around Al’s arm and body, they prepared for the lift. Pulling on the curtain to hoist the dangling middle-aged man—

“…There we go, up you go! Phew, saved by the skin of my teeth!”

Several close calls later, they finally succeeded in pulling Al up.

Climbing out, Al exaggeratedly brushed down his chest, sinking down into a cross-legged position on the chaotic hall floor. Looking over at him, Subaru wiped the sweat from his forehead, satisfied with the task completed.

Then he turned to the one who had helped him rescue Al—Mizelda.

“Thanks for your help, Mizelda. I was really struggling alone.”

“Don’t mention it! More importantly, I’m sorry for collapsing at such a critical moment!”

Despite her tattered appearance, Mizelda smiled energetically, apologizing for not being a help during Arakia’s attack.

Though she felt apologetic, she had no reason to, as neither Mizelda nor Flopp had needed to be involved in this battle in the first place.

“Both of us still have a long way to go! Reflect, reflect!”

“No, Mizelda, it’s not your fault! You couldn’t move just because you were covering for Flopp, Utakata, and… Lui.”

Hesitating with his words, Subaru commended Mizelda’s contributions.

During the storm caused by Arakia, Mizelda had protected Flopp, as well as Utakata and Lui, who she had on both shoulders.

As a result, she had hit her head and become unable to move. However, thanks to her effort, the three remained safe, and Mizelda avoided greater harm.

“Hmm, I appreciate you saying so, Natsumi-chan! But, that’s not good. I’m supposed to be your bodyguard, so I need to do my job right!”

“Mizelda…”

“Next! I won’t show such pathetic behavior again! Just you wait for me and Natsumi-chan tomorrow!”

“—That’s reassuring to hear. But the two of you don’t have to—”

Trying to continue, Subaru thought they didn’t need to stay with them.

However, his broken words were quickly drowned out by Mizelda’s surprised “Ah!” as her eyes widened.

“I’ll go help out my brother over there! He looks so frail, I bet transporting the injured is hard for him!”

“Ah, okay.”

“Alright, Natsumi-chan! I’ll see you later! And thank goodness the masked guy didn’t fall either!”

Waving vigorously, Mizelda dashed off in a flurry.

She immediately began aiding Flopp and others in caring for the injured, helping transport and treat the wounded people of Shudrak and Empire soldiers.

Not even able to receive enough comforting words, Subaru felt increasingly guilty toward the O’Connell siblings.

When would he be able to repay the kindness freely given to him?

“She was a big and cute girl! Guess that’s how the siblings are, even transcending borders!”

“I’m trembling because I don’t quite understand what you mean by ‘transcending borders.’ I agree that Mizelda is big and adorable. More importantly…”

“Yeah? What’s on your mind, bro?”

Cracking his neck, Subaru shot a glare at Al, who was slipping back into his usual banter. The annoyance directed there was suffused with the resentment he wasn’t able to direct at Priscilla.

Naturally. Subaru’s questions were set aside after being dragged along so long.

“Don’t make such a scary face. It ruins my makeup and hairdo!”

“Unfortunately, my makeup and hairstyle are already ruined from the preceding chaos. The real Natsuki Subaru is much cuter, so don’t get it twisted.”

“Natsuki Subaru, huh?”

Al chuckled meaningfully as he heard the name that Subaru was using in disguise.

Sensing Al’s odd demeanor, Subaru narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he looked at him.

“No, I’m not teasing. I just thought it was a clever alias. And you look surprisingly good dressed like a girl; maybe that’s your hidden hobby?”

“Don’t joke around. I’ll explain the correct information about Natsuki next time. But first, answer me. —What are you and Priscilla doing here?”

“—”

Receiving the serious question, Al fell silent, a rare occurrence.

The inexplicable involvement was baffling.

It felt inconceivable that both Priscilla and Al could openly be here in the Empire. Naturally, the same could be said for Subaru and the others in their eyes, but—

“Let’s set that aside for now. First come, first served here.”

“That’s a novel take. But for you, bro, I’m pretty sure your burning question is something else.”

“What’s that?”

“Why me and the princess are here in the Empire. Who cares about that? What you really want to know about is how to get home… back from this scary, dangerous country to our comfortable homes. Am I wrong?”

On hearing that, Subaru fell silent, having been poked right in the gut.

The way back from the Empire to the Kingdom—that was what Subaru sought the most right now—he couldn’t deny that.

He had questions and frustrations. But he knew it was more important to seek a solution to the bigger problem; that realization suddenly called his essence into question—

“So, do you have that answer…? How can we return from the Empire’s borders to the Lugnica Kingdom…?”

“Nope, sorry. I wish I could hype you up and lead you on, but I don’t know.”

“You little…!”

“Wait a second, calm down! To be precise, it’s complicated to leave the current Empire. It’s easier to get in, but getting out? That’s a whole different ball game right now.”

Subaru’s emotions were toyed with, and he felt aggravated as Al raised his palms in surrender.

His way of speaking, as always, seemed to hide his true feelings—was Subaru seen as such by others too? If so, he wanted to deeply reflect on that.

Anyway—

“You can get in easily but not out… What’s the reason for that?”

“Come on, that should be obvious. If it’s hard to leave, it means there are people we don’t want to escape.”

“—So does that mean you know about Abel’s identity?”

After hearing Al’s response, Subaru naturally arrived at that answer.

He had heard before that the Volakia Empire had strict entry and exit conditions, however given what Al had said, if the restriction on leaving was now intensified, it had to do with Abel— no, it was tied to the Emperor of Volakia, Vincent Volakia.

They must have tightened border patrols to prevent Abel, who had been overthrown and was now on the run, from escaping to another country.

Ultimately, to return to the Lugnica Kingdom, Subaru and the others would need to go over a significant barrier.

“Al, if you know more detailed information than us…”

“Whoa there, I can’t just drop more bombs like that! I don’t want to receive the princess’s wrath for overstepping. If you’ve got questions, go ask her. However—”

On that note, Al dramatically paused his words and placed his right hand on the clasp of his helmet, clattering it with a sharp noise.

Then he continued.

“I can’t guarantee that the princess will tell you everything, but…?”

△▼△▼△▼△

“I’m back, princess! How’s the discussion coming along over there?”

“Pretty much nothing’s progressed. I’ve just started listening to those who’ve awakened.”

Waving casually, Al asked about the ongoing situation, to which Priscilla replied while resting her chin on her hand.

Although the top part of the building had been destroyed during Arakia’s attack, the solid foundation was still intact, and fortunately, the insides of the city hall remained unharmed.

Thanks to that, they could use the same place for this vital discussion.

In the large conference room with the round table, Abel and Priscilla sat at opposite ends. Also gathered were Ziqru and his subordinate Empire soldiers, Kuna, and the people of Shudrak.

They were all relatively lightly injured, so the facts indicated that an inquiry was underway based on Priscilla’s comments.

“Yo, glad you’re okay, Natsumi.”

“I’m just happy you’re awake, Kuna. How’s your injury?”

“Thanks to Holly’s big body, it’s been manageable. Honestly, I want to get out of here ASAP…!”

Kuna, sitting at the circular table, grimaced as she noticed Subaru.

Seeing the rest of the Shudrak delegation, Subaru understood why Kuna wore that grim expression. In short, she was acting as the spokesperson for Shudrak in their conference.

“Talitta can’t leave the chieftain’s side, and there’s no point in having Holly talk. Why do I have to get stuck with this role…?”

“No, Kuna, you’re observant and stay level-headed. You’re perfectly suited for it. So how’s the discussion progressing?”

“Roughly, we’ve managed to understand the current situation. As for the actual discussion, that’s about to kick off now.”

Shrugging at Kuna’s response, Subaru nodded in acknowledgment.

Then he found himself at a loss for where to place himself in the room. After all, his role in this assembly remained somewhat ambiguous.

While he was technically the strategist for the downfall of Gwararu, the unexpected intrusion from Arakia and Priscilla had cast doubt over any notion of success.

“Natsumi-chan, if you’re feeling lost, how about sitting next to me?”

Just as Subaru wrestled with that thought, Ziqru quickly stood and pulled out a chair.

The short and stocky Ziqru looked at Subaru and smiled gentlemanly. Subaru pointed at himself, incredulously replying.

“Um, I think you realize this, but I’m in disguise, right?”

“If you’re disguised as a woman, then I’m just as much disguised as a man. My idea of a gentleman means to act gentlemanly toward whoever I might be with, regardless of their disguise.”

“Th-this is what you call ‘a womanizer’…?”

A respect-laden term for ‘a womanizer’ invoked a difference in thinking entirely.

Feeling embarrassed about their flippant resolve to cross-dress, Subaru leaned on Ziqru’s courtesy and decided to sit in the chair he pulled out.

As Subaru took his seat, he addressed Ziqru, “Thanks for that. I really struggled doing it on my own.”

“Don’t mention it! That just happened to be a reflex. I can’t say if I’ll be able to do it again next time, after all, I am a ‘coward.'”

Hearing Subaru’s gratitude, Ziqru proudly referred to himself as a “coward.”

That was likely the title bestowed upon him as a general loyal to the Emperor, embedded in his identity.

And the esteemed Emperor Abel, who was viewed with respect by Ziqru—

“—General Ziqru Osman the commander of the forces stationed here has descended, further accompanied by the people of Shudrak.”

“You come up short. I have heard tales of the bravery of the people of Shudrak. Nevertheless, it is far too weak of a force to confront the Empire.”

“That’s a fair point. Priscilla, what of your forces?”

“My soldiers are not with the Empire. Excluding that, I could only call the drunken swordsman and the comically competent squire my allied forces.”

“—”

Subaru’s entry and his conversation with Kuna became mere background noise as Abel and Priscilla continued to discuss.

While exchanging assessments of their respective strengths and situations, the two, contemplating deeply, emitted an atmosphere of clarity. However, Subaru stirred, feeling he couldn’t be left behind so easily.

He had already been dragged around enough. The thought of being left out here was unbearable.

“Hey, where are you going, idiot? Can’t you at least leave your mark?”

“I’m present, and I won’t lie, it would be outlandish for you to not remember me when seeing me now. Last time I was here, Beako was tossing and turning for a while after seeing this.”

“I believe I’ve given you enough compliments about your appearance. You surely can’t think you’d receive accolades just because you pulled up Al with dirty cloths, right?”

“I’m not expecting that! Well, maybe a little. I expected that you might at least lend an ear to my story.”

Leaning his hands on the round table, Subaru leaned forward, his intensity unabated as Priscilla narrowed her eyes at him.

Her gaze seemed to appraise him, but Subaru didn’t flinch. Unlike earlier, there were both Kuna and Ziqru present now. Although it was still a shaky dam of support.

“In any case, I want a straightforward answer on why you’re here. Asking Al hasn’t led me to any answers. Give me your account clearly.”

“How bothersome. —I’ve come to talk to that man, Vincent Abelkus.”

“—”

With a deliberate nod, Priscilla smoothly replied to the inquiry. In response to that, Abel—sitting with his arms crossed and one eye shut—swirled a vortex of complex emotions in those inky black depths.

Whether those emotions belonged to joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness; perhaps none, they formed a strange aura surrounding him.

“With Abel…? But how did you learn of his location?”

“There’s a mechanism in the emperor’s throne in the Imperial Capital Rupugana that enables a transfer. If you possess the ability to detect political upheaval, you can escape to the east— to the graves that emperors are buried in.”

“The Emperor’s grave…?”

“That’s how I’m transferring there. Indeed, Vincent… No, perhaps calling you Abel would be more appropriate now.”

Diverting the focus of the discussion from Subaru back to Abel, Priscilla’s eyes glowed red with fire.

Taking a breath, Abel nodded, confirming.

“You may call me Abel now. After all, I have no claim to the title of emperor after losing my throne.”

“Virtuous, noble, and outrageously honest… Regardless, you’re displaying childlike naivety. While on the emperor’s throne, one has seemingly forgotten how to stand and rise again.”

“You say that after seeing me? Don’t act like you’ve forgotten how to rise, yourself.”

Abel’s sharp words met the unyielding mockery of Priscilla.

Instantly, the intensity sparked between them ignited the atmosphere in the meeting room, the air was so heated, it felt like it might catch fire.

At that moment, it seemed the discussion would erupt into chaos, but—

“Alright, alright, calm down, you two. Nothing useful will come if you keep up the squabble, will it?”

Yet someone boldly inserted himself, sauntering in like a man who lit a cigarette in a powder keg— it was Al.

Continuing quite at ease, he grinned at the simmering tension between Abel and Priscilla.

“You know, you can be cute too, princess! The moment I heard we had to race over to Gwararu, I got a burst of speed out of the urgency. That just shows how excited I was to see you… Gah!?”

“Fool.”

Attempting to defend her humanity while circling behind Priscilla, Al’s words fell flat as she abruptly delivered a forceful slap to his abdomen.

Letting out a cry, Al doubled over, kneeling on the spot.

“You dare to speak for my feelings? What makes you think you’re worthy of that? When did you elevate yourself so high? Even as a fool, you must know your role.”

“G-Great anger is a fine example of that… but, it’s true that I came to help, right?”

“—”

Narrowing her fiery red gaze, Priscilla revealed her irritation to Al’s words.

Yet the fact that she didn’t clearly deny him further validated Al’s cutting remark.

“Wait, so you mean Priscilla is here to help Abel…?”

That notion seemed too unthinkable for Subaru, and he found it impossible to shake off the feeling of discomfort.

Surely, looking at the outcome and their actions, it was undeniable that Priscilla had helped both Abel and Subaru— but it was the personality he understood her to have that clouded his judgment.

Even if she might defeat an enemy she didn’t like, would it be logical for Priscilla Barielle to fight to protect someone?

“The eyes you wear suggest you harbor troubling thoughts. Do you want me to carve that out for you, fool?”

“Since you’re the one glaring at me with scary eyes, I can’t help but feel uneasy. It’s honestly making it difficult to ascertain what to believe…”

“—Regardless, I understood the mechanism through which to summon me to the east at the throne. With that said, it’s a given that I’d reunite with the people of Shudrak and head to the fortress city.”

“…How so?”

It was true that Priscilla was wielding an extraordinary insight, yet the ease with which Abel accepted the information unsettled Subaru.

The conditions laid out appeared to support that line of reasoning, but—

“Hold on, don’t mix things up, bro. The bright ones are coping well with this. If we summarize things now, we can avoid unnecessary disputes.”

“Are you really okay with that…?”

“Whether I dislike it or not, I’ve got to swallow it down. Since it’s clear that any conflict will only be a loss for us. —After all, both I and the princess will eventually triumph.”

“Yup…!”

Slipping forward on his knee, Al whispered that conviction to Subaru.

Honestly, it was surprising to Subaru to hear Al assert that they would win. Typically, Al held a humble attitude, drawing lines around himself in his interactions with others.

Indeed, all the knights of other royal selection candidates were renowned forces in their own right— meaning, neither Subaru nor Al were particularly extraordinary.

Subaru harbored a kind of sympathy for Al, given it was comforting to know he wasn’t alone in feeling this way.

Therefore, being declared a sure win by Al struck Subaru as unexpected.

Even if he appeared to be a chemistry-less buffoon, he, too, felt the waves of change. That was due to the relationship dynamics with Priscilla, as well as the struggles entwined with their royal selection battles.

“That said, my ability to grandstand is limited on the notion that my chances are minuscule. In fact, that girl Arakia was terrifying. Victory seemed impossible against her.”

“Well, after all, the Divine Generals are the strongest members of the Empire. They’re basically like Reinhardt or Julius from the Lugnica Kingdom.”

If one were to select the strongest members domestically within the Lugnica Kingdom, many knightly prowess would certainly be among those chosen. Reinhardt and Julius need not be mentioned, either; perhaps even include the commander of the Royal Knights, Marcos, and the Grand Mage Roswaal.

Subaru wished to add Wilhelm and Garfiel to that list, creating an all-star ensemble to challenge the Divine Generals.

“But that’s not what I meant. Plus, no matter how you stack up those Divine Generals, comparing them to someone like Reinhardt is… impossible.”

“—Regrettably, it’s not quite like that.”

“What?”

In trying to gauge the strength of the Divine Generals as potentially one to be feared, it was that which led to a practically unbelievable statement from Abel.

What exactly had he just said? …There’s someone comparable to Reinhardt?

“Are you saying there’s another buggy character like Reinhardt out there?”

“I don’t know that term, but if you’re saying ‘equivalent,’ then I can nod. There’s one who sits atop the Divine Generals over Arakia. That is her.”

“The ‘One’ of the Divine Generals…?”

“—Cecilus Segmunt.”

As Subaru gasped, Ziqru quietly added that name beside him.

That was a name, one belonging to that notorious ‘One’ among the Divine Generals.

“He’s known as the ‘Blue Lightning of Volakia,’ a top-tier swordsman. He stands alongside the ‘Sword Saint’ of Lugnica, the ‘Veneration’ of Kararagi, and the ‘Mad Prince’ of Gusteco.”

“Ugh… I feel like I’ve heard that nickname before… So are you serious about that?”

“If we face him as enemies, our heads would roll in an instant. He’s that kind of man.”

Faced with Subaru’s tightening expression, Abel nodded, arms crossed.

Here, it was unlikely that Abel or Ziqru would fabricate words or take jokes lightly, suggesting the weighty proclamation was indeed a simple fact.

The empire’s strongest man, Cecilus Segmunt, was on par with Reinhardt.

Just hearing about an extremely dangerous persona, the threatening atmosphere settled coldly along Subaru’s spine.

It was already a battle with a pronounced disparity in forces. If they also suffered quality losses against an enemy greater in numbers, how could they hope for victory?

“…Still thinking about it brings up another issue. Managing to knock Arakia down to the ‘Two’ tier was a considerable win for us.”

“Al…”

Brightly weighing in despite the heavy atmosphere around those present, Al ventured that forward-thinking comment.

That, while a positive outlook, was something Subaru wasn’t quite in the mood to accept easily. Yet in a bid to reciprocate Al’s lively spirit, he sighed, “Agreed.”

Focusing on the negative wouldn’t yield any progression.

Surely, they had minimized damage to the highest degree while securing the fortress city. In a place isolated and without help, they even gained unexpected allies in Priscilla and Al, who were somewhat ambiguous in their choices.

Mizelda would surely handle the treatment of the wounded Shudraks competently. If nothing else, she’d eventually console them without fail.

So—

“Just as Al mentioned, being able to take down a Divine General… especially a significant one, is a big deal. Given their rank in the empire, it probably means they might have additional intel, right?”

“Yeah, exactly! Good thinking, bro! Info is worth more than gold during warfare. Since we saved her, let’s get her to share what she knows!”

“Right! There must be some useful clues…”

Subaru and Al attempted to forcefully bolster their spirits as they began tilting the talk towards extracting information from captured Arakia.

“Wait, you two, Natsuki and the iron mask! I’m against that, you hear me?”

However, just then, a call of objection rang out from Kuna, representing Shudrak.

Turning around at the sudden interruption, both Subaru and Al leaned in cautiously at Kuna’s mannerisms, who stroked her green-dyed hair as she spoke.

“That girl was dangerous! If we let down our guard, who knows what she might do? It’d be better to kill her off!”

“That’s… understandable, but that’s a bit too rash. To kill her off is just…”

“The chieftain went through all that. No matter what you say, I, along with everyone else, won’t be at peace unless she’s executed.”

Kuna glared at Subaru, directly referring to Arakia’s death.

With the mention of Mizelda’s current condition, Subaru could hardly say a word. Rem was tending to her condition, but even if her wounds healed, the reality remained that she had been hurt.

If Shudrak could not tolerate that, it meant they would demand payment from Arakia.

“—”

Looking for a response to Kuna’s claim, Subaru glanced toward Priscilla.

Given the unique relationship alluded to between Priscilla and Arakia, he was curious how she would respond to Kuna’s insistence on execution.

But instead—

“I have already decided on my attitude towards Arakia. After all, it was I who cleaved her back. Are those black eyes on your face just for decoration?”

“Ugh…”

“I have no intention of expending words on Arakia’s behalf. Should her fate end here, that will be her own road. —Although I find it disheartening.”

“…I don’t understand you at all.”

Shaking his head at Priscilla’s nonchalant evaluation of Arakia’s life, Subaru struggled to process it.

If he looked at the conclusion, their relationship seemed highly antagonistic; but observing Arakia’s behavior hinted at something far more intimate.

Yet Priscilla’s attitude remained utterly disconnected.

To an outsider like Subaru, their relationship was impenetrable.

“But killing her would mean the end of everything. Life cannot be returned once lost.”

“Are you lecturing me on the value of life? Do you presume I misjudge the worth of lives beyond my own?”

“—You’re not omnipotent, either. Sometimes you’ve got to be wrong.”

Meeting her gaze, Subaru promptly fired back, scarcely leaving room for a pause.

As soon as he did, the atmosphere in the room tightened.

Kuna and Ziqru gasped, and he caught sight of Al placing a hand on his helmet’s brow. Subaru, feeling he might have inadvertently crossed a line, recognized the utter folly of his words.

The next moment, he felt he might be beheaded with that radiant treasure sword.

Yet still—

“I’m not wrong. You too, could also make mistakes.”

Repeating that life-risking hit, Subaru didn’t retreat from his assertion.

In that moment, he thought he caught Priscilla’s eyes narrowing coldly, but then the scorching notion of ‘death’ didn’t descend upon him—

“—I too, can err. That is vexing, indeed.”

It never came.

“Eh…?”

Surprised by the unexpected turn of events, Subaru exhaled from his tightened chest.

Taking a glance at Subaru’s flabbergasted expression, Priscilla opened her fan with purpose and turned her gaze beyond Subaru, where Kuna stood.

“Before taking the girl’s head, it would be wise to search for an application of her abilities.”

“—You dare to order us, you outsider?”

“I dare, if you’d like to ignore it, suit yourself.”

Priscilla’s piercing gaze passed over Kuna, seeming to burn her sharply.

Instinctively, Kuna clutched herself, feeling the force of Priscilla’s glare. Unfortunately, the gap in proficiency was evident between the two.

“Honestly, I felt the shivers. But now it seems we’ve reached a consensus!”

With that, Al banged his hand on the round table loudly, cutting through the tense atmosphere.

Drawing attention to himself, he sent a glance at Subaru through the visor of his helmet and stated,

“It’s fortunate that you survived, but it’s also wonderful that a cute girl has been spared from being lost in this world! Furthermore, once she wakes up—”

“—No way!”

Al had begun to slip into irrelevance as Arakia’s fate was being discussed.

Suddenly, the hall was filled with hurried footfalls and flustered voices as Holly burst in through the door, her large form squeezing into the room.

“Two Empire soldiers broke in, and the captured Divine General has escaped!!”