“Damn it! I can’t see a thing…!”

Gazing up at the sky from the street, shifting his attention to the many scaffolds, the masked boy—no, **Al**—stamped his foot and let his voice tremble with frustration.

The absurd situation right before him only fueled his irritation, boiling with intense emotions within.

It was an outrageous turn of events that he was forced to accept.

“Subaru-chi, Rui-chan…”

On the other hand, in stark contrast to **Al**’s visible anger, **Medium** murmured with a frown.

The young girl in a dancer’s attire clenched her white limbs tightly, her mind occupied by thoughts of the two who had run away from this place.

However, the feelings woven into her murmur were anything but simple.

It was difficult to succinctly label it as mere worry—it was unmistakably intertwined with the words **Subaru** had spoken just before vanishing—

“Rui-chan is…”

“—the Archbishop of Sin, huh?”

“—!”

Caught off guard, **Medium** widened her eyes at the unexpected continuation of the words that slipped from her lips.

Ignoring **Medium**’s expression, **Abel** also stared up at the sky. Adjusting his mask, the emotions of the man, whose face remained concealed, were unreadable from the outside.

Yet, it was evident he was not welcoming this situation, evident from the fingers tapping against the arms he had crossed.

“Abel-chi, what about the two?”

“—The priority now is to stabilize the situation. Our course of action remains unchanged. Unfortunately, we have lost one more option to act.”

**Abel**’s flat reply met the timid question from **Medium**.

Though he did not directly mention **Subaru** and **Rui**, it implied that he had no intention of altering his actions to reunite with them.

Hearing this, **Medium** felt a mix of anxiety and relief deep within her chest.

Concern for the two weighed against the relief of being spared from the need to confront them.

She feared the terrifying knowledge that some things shouldn’t be joked about was being brought up in a situation where humor was simply impossible.

“Are you just going to leave them be? Those siblings whose heads are filled with childish thoughts!”

“Then what do you propose? You are no better off in your circumstances either. Let me remind you, if both you and **Medium** become unable to move, we will have no choice but to abandon you.”

“Guh…”

“Don’t think the choice to form an alliance rests solely with you, clown.”

As **Al** stumbled over his words, torn between wanting to regroup with **Subaru** and the others, his wishes were coldly shot down by **Abel**. Ultimately, **Al**’s primary focus remained on **Subaru**, with **Rui** merely an afterthought.

In fact, **Al**’s attitude toward **Rui**, whose true identity had just been revealed as nothing short of a bombshell, was crystal clear.

“I can’t keep my brother and that kid together…”

Clutching his mouth, **Al** whispered with open hostility toward **Rui**.

**Medium** seemed ready to voice an objection to **Al**’s attitude, but her own hesitation left her silent, her thoughts tumultuous and uncharacteristic for her.

“—”

While observing the two’s reactions, **Abel** glanced up once more at the empty sky.

**Subaru** and the others had already vanished without a trace, leaping into the depths of the Magic City, with nothing left of them but the chaotic remnants lingering in the air.

“Fools,”

he muttered, a whisper lost to the air.

△▼△▼△▼△

And so, amidst an unprecedented crisis, **Subaru** found himself taking separate actions from his companions.

What had driven him was merely the impulse of the moment, far from a thoughtful decision considering future implications.

Still, had he been forced to make a choice at that moment, he surely would have regretted it. To avoid this, to prevent future regrets, he firmly resolved to act.

And now, **Subaru** found himself regretting that very judgment.

“Ah, ooh!”

“Stop it, **Rui**! That’s enough!”

From behind, **Rui**’s small body squirmed as **Subaru** held her firmly, trying to throw off her clutches.

Having wrestled **Rui** away, his focus became the man who had lost consciousness beneath her.

After parting ways with **Abel** and leaping across the city’s scaffolding, he was in the midst of a frantic search for **Roswaal** to revert the “childification” he had undergone when the pursuers caught up to him.

Apparently, the chasing men were targeting **Subaru**’s child-like form as well as **Rui**’s, who had not attended at the castle.

**Abel**’s assumption seemed accurate.

In other words, **Roswaal** and **Tanzer** were in cahoots, and their shared information had reached their pursuers—the horned subhumans.

As a result, the pursuers appeared before **Subaru**, who was now acting with **Rui**, just as he was on the verge of being captured—

“Ugh!”

With a mighty shout, **Rui** unleashed her combat prowess, and the pursuers were swiftly neutralized.

That alone was certainly welcome; **Subaru**’s fighting abilities had been lackluster even before becoming child-like. Given that he had merely absorbed a fragment of **Yorna**’s strength through the “Soul Marriage Technique,” it wasn’t unexpected.

However, the problem lay in **Rui** not ceasing her attacks even after subduing the enemies.

“Ah, ahh…”

“That’s not an ‘ah’! If you keep this up, you’ll kill them! They’re just frightened! That’s not good at all!”

“Ugh…”

With her feet kicking about, **Rui** eventually calmed down upon hearing **Subaru**’s words.

Whether or not she understood his explanation was uncertain, but at the very least, it seemed **Subaru**’s anger had been conveyed. Witnessing that, **Subaru** hurried to tend to the fallen.

Though aiding them was limited to propping their heads up high or cleaning any bleeding wounds; he didn’t possess a medical kit.

“…These people…”

“Uah?”

“They’re desperate. They don’t want their homes to be destroyed.”

**Subaru** gazed at the young men—the sheepmen and deer-men—who had been knocked out by **Rui**. Most were around their late teens or early twenties, not much older than **Subaru** himself in his original form.

The townsfolk around the inn and the sheep boy who had tossed **Subaru** had various ages, yet they hardly bore the semblance of friends in any shape or form.

Yet, there was a definitive connection—those horns sprouting from their heads.

Despite the number varying from one to two, a horn was still a horn.

**Subaru** was aware that the horns brought unique influence into their lives, and knowing **Emilia**, he couldn’t laugh at it.

“Maybe it’s good that **Rem** isn’t here.”

**Rem**, who belonged to the demon tribe, possessed horns protruding from her forehead.

Unlike the beast-kin, they didn’t keep growing permanently, but as a horned race, they couldn’t entirely escape circumstances similar to those these folks faced.

Though **Ram** and **Rem** had never spoken about such experiences.

“If it were **Ram**, I doubt she’d care about anyone saying anything. She’d probably just scoff, ‘Hah!’ dismissing it all.”

**Ram**, embodying the essence of individuality, would face whatever outsiders said regarding her horns with a disdain that could almost be described as trustworthy.

If anyone could overlook **Rui**’s past with a calm demeanor, it would likely be her.

“—What an idiot I am.”

“Uah?”

He pressed his fist against his forehead as **Subaru** sank deeper into his self-pitying thoughts.

Observing **Subaru**’s actions from his side, **Rui** tilted her head.

**Ram** was not here. **Emilia**, nor **Beatrice** nor any of them were present.

Even **Rem**, who stood closest, remained back in **Gwararu**—relying on those not present in this moment to comfort him was futile.

“For now, it wouldn’t be wise to draw attention here, we need to find a hiding place quickly.”

To be honest, given the original plan, wasting time hiding was a poor choice. They ought to be pursuing the ones fleeing from them.

Yet **Subaru** found himself in the pursued role now.

“Perhaps **Abel** won’t be looking for us… He’s probably angry and considers finding **Roswaal** a greater priority.”

“Uah.”

“Should we reunite with **Talitta**? But she’s likely being chased by many unknowns in this scary city too… no, that won’t work.”

Running a hand through his hair, **Subaru** set aside his thoughts about regrouping with **Talitta**.

He had no confidence in explaining why he wasn’t with **Abel** and the others. Even if he were to tell a lie, such deceptions wouldn’t resolve anything.

It was **Medium** who’d be of no help. Similarly, if **Talitta** learned of **Rui**’s identity as the Archbishop, she’d likely distance herself from them, treating **Rui** as a danger.

“Though I worry about **Talitta**, she may actually be searched for by **Abel** and his group.”

At this point, **Subaru** wanted to avoid reuniting with **Abel** and the others, only having recently separated from them.

Even without a solution regarding **Rui**, eyeing **Abel** and the group would lead to endless repetition. Moreover, he didn’t want to grow to dislike everyone after another round of arguing.

He didn’t want to dislike himself for being unable to convince them.

“**Rui**, let’s go! We need to search for **Roswaal** in the ‘Viewpoint Abyss’!”

“Uah!”

As he said this, **Subaru** took **Rui**’s hand and began walking, pulling her along.

Originally, she was a child who didn’t even know where she was going, but once she began to utilize her power—the ability of **Gluttony**—that uncertainty seemed to multiply.

So—

“If you don’t want to die, don’t wander off from me. I don’t want you to die either… not right now.”

“Ahh, ugh!”

Whether she understood or not, **Rui** nodded as if accepting his words. Observing her cheerful face made **Subaru** exhale deeply.

Two children, aimlessly wandering a strange city while attempting to solve a mystery—

“This is just like being a real lost child.”

He could only weakly mutter those words.

△▼△▼△▼△

And their escape from pursuit proved arduous for both **Subaru** and **Rui**.

The combination of not fully grasping the city’s geography, difficulties in communication with each other, and mostly likely **Subaru**’s own bad luck exacerbated their situation.

At any rate, while fleeing throughout the Magic City and attempting to locate the ‘Viewpoint Abyss,’ the ever-ticking clock only seemed to fade their time further away.

“**Rui**! Don’t fight! Just run away, run, run, RUN!”

“Uah! Ugh!”

When **Rui** almost dashed ahead, **Subaru** literally knocked her down by throwing himself into her.

She climbed onto his small back, holding onto him tightly as he powered through, leaping as high as he could to evade their pursuers.

“Don’t let them escape!”

The shout of the horned beast-men who patrolled the Magic City sounded behind them.

Apparently, the pursuers were indeed comprised solely of beings with horns. While there were hornless subhumans present—indicating the inhabitants of the Chaos Frame—they had not been handed orders to capture **Subaru** and **Rui**.

“It seems that **Tanzer** seems to be acting on her own accord…”

The deer girl **Tanzer**, who served as a subordinate to **Yorna** in her own right, could likely exert limited influence in bringing her allies into the fray.

Provided everyone coalesced into a frenzy across the entirety of Chaos Frame, they would be overrun for sure.

However, it appeared that **Tanzer** was managing to fight within those limits and wasn’t using her power too recklessly—not that her current disposition wasn’t still a threat.

“Urgh… They’re right behind us! **Rui**, don’t engage! We need to keep running!”

“Ugh?”

“Not ‘why!’ It’s everything! Just trust me, we can’t afford it!”

While carrying **Rui** on his back, **Subaru** leaped and dashed across windowsills and protruding scaffolding, jumping around the city without regard for the dim awareness **Rui** exuded.

She looked to be expressing her belief that they could win if she were to fight, and **Subaru** protested by pulling her cheek.

Undoubtedly, if **Rui** engaged in battle, she might be able to take down their pursuers.

However, if **Rui** engaged, those pursuers might end up dead. Even if they were knocked out, whether **Rui** would cease her attacks remained uncertain.

In fact, earlier, if **Subaru** hadn’t stopped her, **Rui** would have thrown those men off a high scaffold directly to the ground below.

**Rui**’s innocence, akin to that of a baby or toddler, hadn’t faded.

But while maintaining that innocence, **Rui** now possessed the powers of **Gluttony**. That felt no different than fearing the original **Rui Arnebe** going berserk.

If **Rui** were to revert back to the form of **Rui Arnebe**—

“—That would mean **Abel** and the others were correct.”

If that were the case, escaping the street would eliminate the need for any awkward interactions with **Abel**.

In having **Rui** in his life, **Subaru** felt an overwhelming need to sort through these strange worries.

Therefore, that thought was unacceptable.

“I can’t let you kill anyone.”

While **Natsuki Subaru** was able to hold back such urges, it was entirely off-limits.

“—Uah.”

**Rui** tightened her grip around **Subaru**’s arm and faced forward quietly.

All traces of her earlier dissatisfaction evaporated as she seemed to reconsider, at least in the meantime, that she would do as **Subaru** said. Thus, **Rui** continued to bound ahead, her golden hair dancing as she vaulted to elude the pursuing beast-men.

Though—

“Persistent, aren’t they…!”

Though effort to shake them off meant they simply were futilely scrambling, those chasing beasts were closing in instead of falling away. Thanks to their understanding of the terrain, and the flaming eye possessing **Yorna**’s power embedded within them, rather than distancing, they were moving closer by the second.

“At this rate—”

Just as the thought crossed **Subaru**’s mind, he ground his teeth, preparing for the inevitable.

“—Hey, you two, over here!”

“Huh?”

“Uah?”

**Rui** kicked against the wall tightly and attempted a sharp turn to throw off their pursuers. Before verifying whether her gambit had worked or not, voices reached them from the street.

Turning around, a slender young man waved them over, seemingly having no horns at a glance.

But that didn’t mean **Subaru** lowered his guard.

“Hey, aren’t you—”

“You’re being chased, aren’t you? From the looks of it, those guys seem surprisingly serious. I won’t say this twice—just follow my lead.”

Receiving **Subaru**’s cautious gaze, the young man waved them over with a friendly smile. He gestured towards a loaded cart positioned on the street.

On that cart, barrels were piled high, and the young man pointed toward the gaps.

“Given your small frames, you’ll fit perfectly in there.”

“B-But hiding there…”

“There’s no time. The stars shift in an instant. It’s entirely up to you whether you choose to avoid this alignment or face it.”

“—”

“Just—I truly believe you’re better off cooperating.”

Waving his empty hands animatedly, he displayed sincere intent.

Despite wrestling with whether to trust his smile, **Subaru** deeply hesitated; yet, acknowledging the lack of time to dwell over such doubts weighed heavily on him.

So—

△▼△▼△▼△

“Over here, I’m sure!”

The overzealous men appeared, searching for the traces of the vanished fugitives. Each time they moved, their gazes fell upon the young man leaning casually against the wall next to the cart.

“Hey, you there! Have you seen two kids pass by?”

“Huh? Are you asking me? Sorry, but I’ve just been hanging out here taking a breather…”

“Then, did you see anyone while you were taking a break? Ugh, forget it!”

With heavy footfalls, one of the bull-headed men approached. His impatience turned to resignation upon hearing the young man’s unconvincing answer. However, he didn’t simply overlook the young man nor the cart behind him.

Shifting focus from interrogating him, he turned to scrutinize the cart instead.

“Hey, what’s in these supplies?”

“Well, what do you think? What type of merchant do I look like?”

“Tsk.”

The bull man clicked his tongue at the young man’s elusive answer, glaring at the cart filled with barrels. With a hint of strength, he lifted one of the stacked barrels, igniting his right eye as he threatened to tip it over.

With a loud crash, the heap of barrels trembled, creating chaos among the stacked supplies. The barrels swayed dangerously, andhad there been anyone hiding under it, they would’ve been crushed under the weight.

Once satisfied, the bull man released the barrel, grinning.

“Thanks for the hassle.”

He simply stated before leading his companions away from the scene.

As the men walked off, the young man quipped, “Fix those barrels for me, will you?” But there was no response, and he shrugged his narrow shoulders with a sigh.

“Good grief, they were quite the arrogant bunch. I feel like I have to question my own sanity at this point.”

Muttering to himself, the young man approached the cart again in the empty street. He knelt down and peered underneath its base.

“Good thing I didn’t hide up on the cart. If I had, I’d likely be dealing with shattered bones right now. That would’ve been quite a problem!”

“…Stop saying scary things.”

“Ugh.”

With carefree banter, the young man’s ominous comment faded into laughter, while **Subaru** and **Rui** emerged cautiously from the shelter beneath the cart.

When a cart is present, it makes sense to think about hiding within it, which **Subaru** initially considered doing. Yet a bad feeling arose inside, forcing him to reconsider that decision.

“But we didn’t have time to escape, so we hid beneath the cart.”

“I think that was a wise choice. I’m not too good at lying, so had I been questioned more aggressively, I would have spilled immediately.”

“…Not that this was even a partnership.”

While still gripping onto the cart’s wheels under it, **Subaru** dusted off his hands and clothes, then did the same for a similarly bedraggled **Rui**.

Apparently, the pursuers had indeed lost trace of them, making it reasonable to express some gratitude toward this young man.

“Still, why did you help us?”

“Why did I help, you ask? Hmmm, it was just I couldn’t bear to watch children being chased, you see?”

“As if that wasn’t off the cuff…”

“Did that give me away?”

Faced with **Subaru**’s skeptical look, the young man ruffled his hair in an innocent manner.

**Subaru** noted he didn’t seem like one of the subhuman races. Besides the absence of horns, there were no animal-like ears or distinctive traits suggesting otherwise.

Thus, he appeared more like someone from outside the Chaos Frame.

“You are…?”

“oh, I’m **Ubiruku**. I understand your suspicions, but I can’t say too much.”

“Not saying much? What do you mean?”

“The reason I helped the two of you is simply that it felt like the right thing to do at that moment.”

He grinned broadly, a carefree smile adorning **Ubiruku**’s features, as he stroked his grey hair.

That mannerism and pleasant appearance led **Subaru** to conclude that **Ubiruku** was a decent person. His lightweight travel clothes seemed a little expensive too, suggesting some cash was to be had behind them.

Since he was hauling a cart, he figured he was likely a merchant.

“Does that mean your instinct as a merchant kicked in?”

“A merchant’s… oh, is it that? Haha, no, I’m not a merchant or anything. This cart isn’t mine either.”

“Huh!? But you mentioned those guys…”

“I never called myself a merchant, did I? I’m just a passerby. This cart was, I believe, simply left here, probably belonging to a shop nearby.”

As he said this, **Ubiruku** pointed at a nearby establishment, casually suggesting it could belong to that shop. While he appeared cheeky, he seemed not to be completely joking.

In other words, he had merely pulled a bluff to buy time against their pursuers.

“Uah.”

“Ah, I see. I get it now.”

As **Subaru** broke his silence, **Rui** tugged on his sleeve.

Aware that they should remain in motion, **Subaru** felt a bit sheepish about his laid-back demeanor while under pressure.

Having momentarily shaken off their pursuers, circumstances had still not improved.

“Well, **Ubiruku**-san, I appreciate your help, but we’re in a rush. It would be better if you thought more carefully about your actions from now on—”

“Aww, is that so? Do I seem that troublesome? Am I coming off as too desperate?”

Receiving the honest feedback, **Ubiruku** was clearly melodramatic.

“Not that I think it’s any of my business, but an encounter has happened, based on the currents of fate, so how about sharing some advice?”

“Finally! Thanks, but…”

“Not pushy either; I didn’t come here to scam you.”

“Wait, wait, there’s no way you received that info from ‘Tanzer’ or **Roswaal**!”

“Do pay attention; I just want to help you both!”

“Yes, but we’re clear on our path… Thank you!”

Thus sure, **Subaru** had plopped **Rui** into the chaos that was rapidly spiraling, feeling himself being drawn into the uncertainty around **Ubiruku** unexpectedly.

However, he was well aware this wasn’t a conversation to delve far into with someone uncertain in their intentions.

Emerging from their closed session, **Subaru** gave **Ubiruku** a mighty trust issue.

“Ah, even if you want to run away, it’s futile. If you do, I’ll just start shouting about where you are, and that’ll complicate the situation for you.”

“That troubles me…!”

In that case, facing **Ubiruku** might not pose a hindrance.

Regardless, **Subaru** recognized he’d never allow anyone danger for **Rui**, even amid the far-reaching troubles he felt loomed ahead.

“It’s best if you stay out of this. You have no idea what sort of trouble this could bring you—it’d be disastrous either way.”

Regardless of whether **Subaru** acted alone or they managed to evade trouble, **Ubiruku** would surely become caught in the webs woven forth from **Tanzer** and the others.

There was no way he would allow this to get deeper, or to get the young **Rui** tangled up in it.

However—

“Oh no, you shouldn’t worry. I’m the consultative type, remember? I can help without needing to know your secrets.”

“That’s not the point!?”

“Hey, relax! Come on, offer your hand.”

**Subaru**, sensing he’d relinquished the middle ground, felt conflicted.

With **Rui** still in his hand, he was unable to extend his other one. Observing **Ubiruku**’s thin fingers as they reached out, his startled realization prompted a strong reaction from **Rui**.

“Uah!”

Fortunately, **Rui** was attentively watching what **Ubiruku** did. For now, she didn’t appear inclined to leap onto him violently.

That state reflected her unpredictable nature, leaving **Subaru** unsure whether they’d only successfully deflected a potential disaster or if they were to endure long-standing consequences too.

“**Ubiruku**-san, I appreciate your willingness to help, but time isn’t on our side…”

“Oh, now I feel anxious. —But it’s settled!”

“Huh?”

In the midst of **Rui**’s unyielding stare held onto **Ubiruku**, **Subaru** felt a wave of misunderstanding overwhelm him.

Suddenly unfastening from **Subaru**, **Ubiruku** swiveled his palm facing **Subaru**.

“—The answer you’re looking for is already within you.”

“—”

Those unexpected words startled **Subaru** as he widened his eyes.

The bemusement in **Subaru** stirred more disbelief than comprehension within **Ubiruku**’s tone, causing doubt to rise slowly.

“Don’t tell me, that was supposed to be profound?”

“The fundamental answer… well, at least not a grand mystery. At any rate, you’ve faced some trouble, especially with the very men chasing you right now.”

“Right, those guys who are after us are a problem—”

**Ubiruku** seemed sharp as he probed anyone’s internal struggles, whereupon **Subaru** felt a nagging itch creeping up his spine.

Even while glimpsing a thread bare enough to attach strings, **Subaru** pondered the implications of **Ubiruku**’s whims and their eventual unraveling.

“—”

That snag felt dangerously meaningful.

Of course, even within his smaller form, the extent to how much he could rely on those feelings remained uncertain. Still, as a fragment of **Subaru**’s mind reappeared, it burgeoned in significance over time.

Now, faced with the issues surrounding him, they’d likely arrive at conclusions sooner rather than later.

“—‘Viewpoint Abyss’.”

The realization surged within **Subaru**, awakened and denoted by **Ubiruku**; he felt the tangible answer secured in the folds of his mind.

No need to gnaw at the levels of deception—it felt right.

By following that thread, a way out awaited him.

“Uah?”

“I think I’ve figured it out.”

Glancing down at **Subaru**, **Rui** furrowed her pretty brows deep in thought, eyes rounding with a sparkle of realization.

Contemplating the invigorated sound leaping from **Subaru**’s mouth, it sent exquisite waves through **Rui**’s demeanor, making her beam with delight.

In tandem with **Ubiruku**, **Subaru** exhaled a sigh of relief—perhaps their consultation truly worked!

“Well, I’m glad to hear that; my purpose is to assure that satisfaction.”

“We have to hurry! Thanks for everything, **Ubiruku**-san!—Let’s go, **Rui**!”

“Uah! Uah!”

Responding to **Ubiruku**’s closing eye with a wave, **Subaru** took **Rui**’s hand and sped off.

In line with spontaneity, **Subaru** fled, briefly pausing to glance back one last time.

Once he did, **Ubiruku** seemed surprised by **Subaru**’s swing.

“**Ubiruku**-san, I won’t say bad things, but you should do yourself a favor and head home! Keep safe, and you should halt any more scams!”

And with that, he offered a piece of his own unsolicited “advice” via heartfelt gratitude.

△▼△▼△▼△

As they hurriedly took their leave, pretending to carry on,

“Should be safer to stop those tricks after all.”

The lone figure remaining on the street, **Ubiruku**, laughed, scratching his cheek.

Reflecting on how bizarre everything felt, his last glance towards the youth left him with something productive having come from it.

Now—for his sake—

“Better scoot back home soon; if **Kafuma** finds me, he’ll serve me some sarcastic remarks. Avoiding any genuine trouble would be wise. Still…”

Once more casting his eyes down the path **Subaru** and **Rui** had taken, **Ubiruku** narrowed one eye closed.

And then—

“—Even if this is part of the ‘Star Reader’ duty, what is it that the stars truly desire…?”