“……”

Natsuki Subaru’s throat froze as he gazed into the mirror, staring at his own reflection.

It was a familiar face, yet one that brought an unsettling feeling—it was only natural since the face reflected in the mirror was a relic of the past, fading into memory.

—The face of young Natsuki Subaru was displayed there.

“What… is this…”

His hand holding the hand mirror trembled, causing the pale, youthful face to quiver slightly.

When he touched his face with his other hand, confirming its existence, a pair of fingers, smaller than what suited his childhood face, came into view through the reflection.

From his facial features and height, this was clearly a ten-year-old Natsuki Subaru.

Back in elementary school, it was easier to count how many boys were taller than him, and even now, with stretched limbs, he barely managed to reach the average height of a Japanese person; he had certainly been small back then.

At that viewpoint, he couldn’t help but wish to grow up quickly—

“What the hell is this—?!”

In the mirror, his lips and eyes trembled, not merely from the shaking of his hands.

It was a clear indication that his soul was rejecting the unusual situation reflected before him.

It was a scene suitable to be called a nightmare.

If one were to call this merely “youthful rejuvenation,” perhaps there would be those who wished for such a thing, but unfortunately, Subaru, in the bloom of his teenage years, had no connection to such desires.

However, if he were to wish for something big, surely he’d want to set conditions like “at the right time and place.”

That was how absurd and critical this emergency was.

“I can’t stay like this…!”

After a long moment to collect himself, Subaru hurried towards the bedroom door.

There was no way that the accommodation benefit at this inn was “rejuvenation.” It made more sense to consider this as an attack from some hostile entity.

He needed to quickly share this information with his comrades staying at the same inn and seek a way out—

“Everyone, something crazy has happened! I know it’s sudden, but…”

“Oh, I knew it! Subaru-chan has shrunk too!”

“Huh?”

As he twisted the door knob that felt heavier and higher than usual and flung the door open with force, what greeted him was an unexpected—no, an entirely predictable scene.

In the common room outside the bedroom, several individuals had gathered, and a girl with an adorable face waved at Subaru with a bright smile plastered across her face.

With clear blue eyes and uniquely braided golden hair, there was no mistaking that sunny brightness—easily connecting her to the woman he remembered from his past.

“M-Medium…?”

“That’s right! I woke up all small, and I was shocked! But I’m relieved to see you shrunk too, Subaru-chan! We’re a team, we’re a team!”

Waving both hands in a jubilant manner stood a girl of about twelve or thirteen, wrapped in a sheer cloth—Medium O’Connell, as she introduced herself.

While she had previously towered as a tall woman, Medium was now caught in the same phenomenon, her size significantly reduced as well. Nevertheless, she was still about a head taller than the shrunken Subaru.

Anyhow—

“Finding comrades is great, but this isn’t a time for celebration… woh?!”

“Uwoo!”

As Subaru struggled to process the initial shock, his body was suddenly knocked aside, and someone landed heavily upon him.

In the pressure of that weight, Subaru couldn’t help but let out a croaking cry like a squashed frog, “Gweh!”

“Oh no! Lui-chan, stop! Subaru-chan is small now!”

“Uuh—!”

“Kyah! I can’t lift you up either because I’m small!”

Medium desperately tried to pry the wild creature wriggling atop Subaru off. But with her shrunken limbs, she couldn’t halt the rampaging presence above.

As young Natsuki Subaru was on the verge of being trampled—

“Lui, stop it! Subaru will get crushed!”

“Ah—!”

With a sharp reprimanding voice, the hefty creature on his chest was finally lifted away. Looking closer, it was none other than Lui with a pained expression.

Taliitta, her black hair dyed blue, came into view as she lifted the struggling Lui out from Subaru. Her appearance was just as Subaru knew it.

“Ah, Taliitta! Thanks! I was too weak to handle it!”

“N-no, it was nothing… but is Subaru alright?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine… But Taliitta, you’re okay too. And…”

Once he stood up by taking Medium’s offered hand, Subaru glanced deeper into the room.

Sitting on the sofa, silently observing the chaotic scene had been the black-haired man with his face covered by a demon mask—Abel.

His posture, not offering any help, left some thoughts, but there was also relief.

“Abel’s fine too…”

There was no change in his exterior, including his masked face, from yesterday.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, it was hard to tell in the current situation.

Yet, it was clear that Abel was unhappy with their situation, as could be sensed through his irritable aura even while under the mask.

In fact, to show just how gloomy his feelings were, he turned his gaze toward Subaru and remarked,

“What a disgrace.”

“…I think I look rather cute and lovable, though.”

Faced with such an unvarnished proclamation, Subaru retorted in reflexive defiance. Still, he was aware that he had nothing more than a hollow retort.

The abnormal situation that had befallen Subaru and Medium seemed to have no effect on Abel, Taliitta, or Lui—

“That means the last one is…”

“—Hey, glad you remembered me, bro. I thought I might’ve been forgotten.”

“—”

Just as Subaru considered the final companion of their group, the answer appeared.

Surprised, he turned to see a black-haired boy stepping out of another bedroom behind him. A boy about the same age as Subaru, around ten years old—his peculiar appearance certainly drew attention.

After all, he had a rag loosely wrapped around his face, hiding his features.

“Al, right? …What’s up with the mask?”

“… The helmet doesn’t fit anymore. I could only think to wrap this instead. Don’t worry about it.”

“You say don’t worry, but how can I not…?”

With a casual wave of his newly revealed right hand, the boy dubbed Al responded.

Since the area covered by the mask was smaller than his helmet, Al’s tied black hair was now visible. This reminded Subaru of Abel, who had previously concealed his face with a cloth before donning the demon mask, but Al’s wrapping was somehow sloppier.

It was a look akin to a poorly made horror movie knife-wielding maniac.

“… I get the helmet doesn’t fit, but you don’t have to force yourself to cover your face.”

“Oh boy, that’s a pretty insensitive thing to say, brother. That helmet isn’t just for looks; it’s a manifestation of a complex. I might look like a child, but my mind is still that of an adult. And my arms didn’t magically regrow, meaning my facial scars are still here too. It’s the same for you, right?”

“That is…”

As Al showcased his left arm—still bizarrely missing from the elbow down, it confirmed his grasp of reality.

Subaru, Al, and Medium had unintentionally experienced youthful rejuvenation. However, it was clear this wasn’t a simple rewind of time; it was an unmistakable alteration to their physical selves.

“——”

Responding to Al’s words, Subaru lifted the loose shirt he wore to check his own body. He found that the old scars covering him had not disappeared. On the small body of a child, there were various unsightly marks that begged him to look away. —The years spent in this other world had not vanished.

While he hadn’t often contemplated a day where he’d find comfort in the existence of those scars, their mere existence served as a reminder.

This was as if only their limbs had shrunk.

However—

“Simply having our bodies shrink like this is no random fate that can just happen.”

“Right? Hmm, with this, helping out with my brother’s work might be difficult. He’s weak after all, and that’s a huge problem!”

“Certainly, there’s no doubt this is a colossal blow to the O’Connell siblings’ business…”

Long-term business plans aside, it was valid to express that immediate challenges piled up.

Currently, Subaru’s issue was just being awkward due to not having clothes that fit, but Al and Medium undoubtedly were dealing with greater concerns.

“Al, you mentioned your helmet doesn’t fit, but what about weapons?”

“You nailed it. There’s no way I could swing around something like that with these cute little arms.”

“I could probably manage one of my swords… ah!”

“Watch out!”

Medium, eager to grab one of her twin swords from the sheath at her side, accidentally slipped in her grip, nearly cleaving Subaru’s knee in half.

A narrow miss as the blade barely grazed Subaru, embedding itself into the floor, sent chills down his spine.

“Whoa, Subaru-chan, I’m sorry…”

“At least it didn’t stab me… but that was still too close.”

With a sullen demeanor, Medium pulled the sword from the ground and carefully returned it to its sheath.

The weapons they had wielded freely until yesterday were utterly unmanageable now. For Medium, who had been expected to contribute to their combat strength, this was a critical emergency where her foundation felt wholly shaken.

Al likely faced the same predicament.

“Wait, are we left with only Taliitta as our competent fighting force?”

“Hey! I’ll do my best even if I’m small!”

“While I appreciate your spirit, we don’t meet the labor standards…”

Medium’s resilience was commendable, but they needed an eye for realism.

In this scenario, only Taliitta would be able to fight effectively. —Even if she was capable, relying solely on her in enemy territory felt precarious.

Given the heavy burden they were placing on Taliitta, it was tough not to feel guilty—

“This is going to put a lot of pressure on you. But what should we do now? There are likely watchful eyes, but should we escape from Chaos Frame?”

“… So that means we suspect that perverted lord responsible, right?”

“Only we three were affected,” Al surmised.

In quiet agreement, Subaru nodded.

The commonality among Subaru, Al, and Medium was, of course, their trip as envoys to the Crimson Lapis Castle yesterday. Therefore, suspecting Yorna’s involvement in the backdrop of their shrunken forms was a perfectly reasonable line of thought.

“It seems we’re surprisingly composed considering how crazy this situation is,” Abel interjected, having listened silently to Subaru and Al.

Indeed, while he nearly panicked immediately upon waking, coming face-to-face with Al and Medium, who were in similar circumstances, had eased that initial turmoil.

In a sense, the entity Medium called “comrades” felt undeniably real.

However—

“It’s possible I merely missed the chance to panic. I might realize just how miserable losing my height and weight is once I properly grasp all the inconveniences this body brings.”

“Even shrunk, you never lose your sharp tongue.”

“Just trying to make the best of my adaptability and cleverness amidst limited options.”

While Subaru sounded like he’d never learn to shut up, he didn’t care, firing back remarks regardless. Understandably, Abel’s eyes sharpened behind his mask as he muttered, “Such a mouth on you.”

But he didn’t stop there.

“You can discard any suspicion of Yorna Mishigure. Your unusual condition is unrelated to the techniques she wields.”

“…Is that certain?”

“As far as I can assess. Whether you find it credible or not is up to you.”

Bluntly refuting Subaru’s previous doubts, Abel’s negation was evidently based solely on his own judgment. He tossed the decision of belief onto Subaru, leaving him with a frown of displeasure.

However, deliberating didn’t take long.

“—Understood. But if it’s not Yorna’s doing, then who is it?”

“Perhaps the one responsible is Roswaal Dunkelken.”

“Roswaal… that old man from yesterday!”

Swallowing his dissatisfaction, Subaru placed his trust in the inference Abel provided as he named the architect behind this situation.

The name spoken through Abel’s lips belonged to the dwarfing old man who had accompanied the fake emperor at Crimson Lapis Castle—one of the Nine Divine Generals.

Claimed to be one of the most powerful generals of the Empire with a prestigious position, clearly he was not someone to underestimate—yet—

“I never expected someone like him to create such a nonsensical situation…”

“I do not grasp his depths either. But I cannot deny the events that occurred. …While disguising oneself is plausible for others, his particular skill set lies elsewhere.”

“… Unfortunately, it seems illusions aren’t a factor.”

Having already pinched his own cheek and tried every method to awaken from a dream, he had not experienced any hallucinations. The fact that his limbs were unnaturally short, crushed by Lui’s weight, was ample proof.

Physical impacts on Subaru’s clothing and Al’s helmet showed not a trace of illusion either.

Abel likely thought it improbable as well. Subaru, driving his point home about the physical effects, prompted Abel’s reluctance to refute.

“For now, at least I’m glad we won’t need to flee in terror… But this is troublesome. Abel, who was once an emperor, probably doesn’t know that old man’s methods either? Just who is he?”

“He is the leader of a faction called ‘Shinobi,’ known for their unique techniques.”

“Shinobi… ninja?”

“—What is that?”

Spurred on by his own thoughts, Subaru spoke, only for Abel to furrow his brow in confusion.

Hearing ‘Shinobi’ triggered an instinctual association with the term ‘ninja,’ unbeknownst to him. However, that terminology seemed refreshingly strange to Abel.

Yet, to Subaru, it felt reminiscent of the first time he encountered Kararagi dialect or Wafoo architecture—scattered remnants of knowledge from the world he knew came flooding back.

“Do those Shinobi utilize ninjutsu and engage in espionage or assassination under the cover of night?”

“I’ve no recollection of this ninjutsu you speak of, but the primary roles of the Shinobi align with your understanding. …But, such information should not come easily to light, should it?”

“In my hometown, we call those who do similar work ninjas. Right, Al?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah, sure! The quartet of humorous talking turtles!”

Al’s answer, seemingly adrift in thought, missed the mark as it recalled interactions with popular characters from retro anime—characters that Subaru didn’t particularly dislike.

Still, explaining such details would likely not help Abel understand. It seemed he perceived the topic as senseless and didn’t pursue it further.

Instead, “Ah!” Medium’s large eyes widened as she shouted,

“If it was that old man from yesterday, then it was him! You remember when we fled the castle…?”

“Fled? …Oh.”

“Both me and Subaru-chan got poked in the chest at the same time!”

While that might have been phrased oddly, it reminded Subaru of yesterday’s escape from Crimson Lapis Castle—the moment of intense struggle to meet the devilish conditions Yorna had laid before them.

As they fled while evading the thorns of Kafuma, the bodyguard to the fake emperor, Subaru and his companions had been on the verge of breaking through the castle walls.

Yet, during that moment, the attack from Roswaal that pursued them caused no harm to Subaru or his allies.

—They accepted that particular aspect. But it couldn’t possibly have meant they were unharmed.

“But even so, how would you predict something like this? I mean, even if it makes sense for Medium and I to explain ourselves, what about Al? Why’s he tiny too?”

“Sorry, bro. I had some interactions with that old man before bolting. I could’ve easily been hit somewhere. As long as the injuries aren’t lethal, I believed they were inconsequential.”

With a low voice—still at the pre-puberty level that remained lower than most—noting that he might have been careless, Al mentioned it as a self-reproach.

But it was misplaced; Al had fulfilled his role faithfully, managing to save Subaru and Medium from that dire situation. The same could be said of Medium.

So it was Subaru who had missed a crucial detail.

If they couldn’t contribute to their fighting force, he needed to keep awareness for all potential scenarios.

This negligence was what had led to the current “disgrace,” as Abel termed it.

“I can’t let Rem see me like this… I’m going to be treated like a kid the same size as Beako in Emilia-tan’s eyes,” he lamented.

“I can’t imagine the princess would pamper me like she does with Schult, either. This whole situation feels pointless.”

“Surprisingly, everyone seems pretty calm about this… I’m still pretty bewildered myself.”

While Subaru and Al divulged their embarrassing states, Taliitta’s face grew pale as she expressed her inner turmoil.

Holding the squirming Lui in her arms, the sole remaining source of strength, Taliitta appeared genuinely congested, almost as if she felt guilt for having escaped unscathed.

Of course, in terms of both physical and mental faculties, Taliitta was the only one maintaining her normality.

“Truth is, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from yelling either if I weren’t cracking jokes.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah… It’s just that grotesque.”

It wasn’t his youthful, small body he found revolting.

No, it was the self-altering transformation of his own body that felt so weird. The collapse of defining his own self was a profoundly uncomfortable experience.

“——”

Up until now, Subaru took pride in presumably having gone through various experiences in this other world.

His encounter with “death” being the most complex of those, he could say that it had layered itself upon this past year and a half like no ordinary human’s experiences.

Facing such experiences in comparison, the indescribable disgust of having his own image transformed was the most overwhelming of them all.

“This must be how the victims of ‘Lust’ feel…”

Wrapping his small shoulders around himself and clenching his jaw, Subaru felt echoes of buzzing in his mind.

Those echoes belonged to the afflicted people who had suffered from the powers of the Archbishop of Sin in the Watergate City—turned into flies, awaiting rescue even now.

If he felt this level of discomfort merely from being reverted to a child’s form, he could only imagine the tragedy faced by those who were entirely transformed into beings fundamentally different from themselves, far transcending Subaru’s shallow understanding.

An act forcing such feelings upon them was indeed—

“—Malicious, one could say.”

Abel, arms crossed, summed up Subaru’s inner sentiments perfectly, causing Subaru to swallow hard.

Meeting Subaru’s unreliable gaze, Abel continued,

“Roswaal, with the title ‘Malicious Old Man’… as fitting as it may be, he executes malicious acts using his skills as a Shinobi for various secret operations.”

“Special operations, huh? Does that mean they could order tasks like turning a target into a baby?”

“Do not be so foolish as to assume such instructions exist. —That said, judging by this dire situation, it may not be impossible.”

“——”

Abel’s response to Al, however, bore a weight that neither could laugh off.

Realistically, with Subaru, Al, and Medium turned into children, predicting just what Roswaal’s techniques could accomplish was beyond conjecture.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, what weighed most heavily upon Subaru’s mind was—

“Can we return to normal… right?”

“I can’t guarantee anything. However, it’s natural to consider that there should be a means to revert.”

“W-What’s your reasoning for that?”

“The reason to poison one in a manner that doesn’t kill immediately must derive from a desire to negotiate with the person.”

Abel’s conjecture and the reasoning struck Subaru with a sense of quiet acceptance.

This phenomenon—conveniently dubbed “dejuvenation”—made the situation akin to poisoning but not resulting in immediate death; thereby outlining the intentions of the other party.

If that aimed to extract some concession, then—

“So, if the other party is looking to meet us…”

“I’m reiterating—nothing is certain. However—”

As Taliitta took a deep breath, Abel warned against harboring high expectations. Before he could continue his sentence—

—A knock sounded from outside the room.

“—”

With the previous discussions in mind, all their attentions and tensions directed to the door.

Subaru tensed, worried it might be Roswaal, the one who’d turned them into children. But—

“—I apologize for the intrusion. I’m here on behalf of Yorna Mishigure.”

The voice delivered beyond the door was lackluster news at this very moment.

His tension melted into disappointment and relief as he realized he’d delayed understanding they’d received a response from Yorna through the envoy.

Moreover, noticing the sender of that message…

“This voice belongs to the child of the stag race from yesterday. It’s probably Tanzia.”

“Seems likely. Got it. Should we let her in…?”

As Medium raised a finger, glancing at Abel for permission, Subaru’s gaze fell upon Abel, who lapsed into silence before slowly nodding.

With that confirmation, Subaru stepped toward the door to welcome their guest.

“No, I’ll handle this.”

Just as Subaru was about to open it, Taliitta pushed ahead, using the hand not holding Lui to assist her and directing the rest of them back.

Concerning this, Subaru had to admit he was lacking in alarm. There was no way he could open the door without being prepared.

After all, in this state, Subaru’s wariness felt as vulnerable as being unguarded.

“Excuse me. I came to deliver messages from Lady Yorna.”

She bowed politely and, just as they had predicted, the stag girl Tanzia stepped forward, entering the room.

Dressed in her customary kimono, much like yesterday, she plateaued at a stop, taking in the eyes of those present to welcome her.

The lack of expression on the girl’s face made it impossible to judge her thoughts about being in an odd crowd full of children. However, it was notable that her gaze lingered longest on the suspicious figure clad in a demon mask.

Regardless, Tanzia glided her eyes around within the room and inquired,

“What happened to the envoy from yesterday?”

“Uh… they went out for a bit; should I call them back?”

“—No, if you could just let them know later.”

Tanzia’s eyes darted toward the back of the room as if drawn to Abel.

While there’d been no expectations she’d be overly capable, her interest in remarkable individuals seemed somewhat innocent.

That said, the report she bore would significantly influence Subaru and the others’ future decisions.

Silence descended, heightening the tenuous anticipation that hung in the air as they awaited Tanzia’s utterance.

Then—

“Lady Yorna has formally replied after reading the letter. Therefore, I would like to request everyone to report to Crimson Lapis Castle.”

“… So, she did read it.”

Tanzia stated while bowing, instilling that feeling of relief in Subaru unknowingly.

It might have been an impolite thought, but after everything that had happened, there had been a lingering doubt that Yorna might randomly tear up the letter out of caprice.

The conditions of dealing with proud cats like Yorna and Priscilla left one uneasy. Defining an accurate strategy was a feeling similar to herding cats.

“I won’t deny that getting along with the princess can be tricky, but I’ve got to say she knows her situation well enough… no, I’m really unsure about that too.”

Reading the expressions on Subaru’s face, Al attempted to defend Priscilla but ultimately decided against it. It revealed Al’s own struggles with dealing with Priscilla, given their lengthy association.

Regardless, there was relief that one side of the pressing situation seemed to be unfolding peaceably.

Thus, the only major problem was Subaru and the others’ “dejuvenation”—

“In the castle, we await the presence of its master, alongside the envoys from yesterday.”

“—Gweh.”

“—?”

As a groan involuntarily escaped from him, Tanzia tilted her head with brows furrowed in curiosity.

Hastily, Subaru forced a smile and waved his hands, attempting to deflect suspicion with a “It’s nothing, nothing!”

Once satisfied with his response, Tanzia’s head returned to its former angle without a hitch.

“When the bell for the time of fire rings, we will be waiting at Crimson Lapis Castle.”

“I see; well understood. It’s a noble cause. You may leave.”

“—Indeed, thank you, excuse me.”

Time was specified—“the time of fire” roughly translates to shortly after noon.

Having passed on the arrangements for the audience with Yorna, Tanzia bowed and turned to exit, but just as she did, Subaru called out to her.

“Hey, just a quick confirmation, the main invitee is the one who wrote the letter, right? The previous envoy is sort of secondary? So if circumstances arise where they cannot attend…”

“Lady Yorna has expressed that she wishes for the envoys to also be invited.”

“——”

“Make sure that in this Magic City, no one contradicts Lady Yorna’s words.”

Her tone was simple yet filled with an unwavering resolve.

After relaying that, as the envoy girl departed, Subaru closed the door behind her.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he turned to his companions.

Then—

“… Given our current state, do you think we meet those conditions set earlier?”

He extended his small arms, hoping to express his confusion over the altered realities he found himself stricken by.