After parting ways with the suspicious Ubiruku, I stopped in my tracks at a few corners of narrow streets.

I looked around, glancing to confirm that no one was there, especially making sure that Ubiruku hadn’t accidentally followed me.

“—The answer lies within me.”

“Uh.”

As I mulled over the words Ubiruku had told me, Lui tilted her head.

Ubiruku’s job as a ‘Counselor’, about which I had no details, still left an impression of a conman that was hard to shake off, but his observation felt somewhat on point.

I’m not sure if Ubiruku could truly see what I desired—

“…I might have understood what ‘the view from a high pit’ means.”

Ubiruku’s words, that the answer lay within me, had provided a hint.

Surely he doesn’t mean that Orbart is secretly hiding inside me. That’s just a metaphor, and hints from Orbart are mysterious riddles too.

The riddle of ‘Behind the Eyelid’ had led to the answer being the first room.

So, naturally, ‘the view from a high pit’ must be another riddle, with an answer somewhere out there.

And when Ubiruku says that the answer is within me…

“It makes me think it’s a place I’ve been to, but that’s not it.”

“Uh, um?”

“In this city, there aren’t many places I’ve been to. Excluding the inn, it’s basically just Yorna’s castle. But that doesn’t feel pit-like. No, that’s not it.”

“Uh.”

“What does pit-like even mean?”

‘The view from a high pit’ suggested by Orbart, yet the terms ‘high view’ and ‘pit’ are practically opposites.

A view being high means it’s beautiful, while a pit is just a deep hole. A beautiful hole doesn’t make any sense at all.

So, one of them must be a lie. Given that you can’t lie about having a great view, the only one that could be a lie is the pit.

“A pit-like yet not actually a pit…”

Such a place doesn’t exist among the places I’ve visited in the Chaos Frame.

Abel and the others who haven’t left the inn would probably say the same… Besides, I could never tell how well Orbart knows the magic city.

But I don’t think Orbart has wandered around much either. After all, he’s tasked with sticking close to that fake emperor—Vincent—to protect him.

Thus, even if it’s a city I mostly don’t know, the answer is likely to be somewhere uncomplicated.

The ‘view from a high pit’ isn’t strictly limited to the Chaos Frame.

That is—

“—Lui, we’re going to a high place.”

“Uh, huh?”

Lui’s eyes widened as I said this, squeezing my eyes shut tightly.

I don’t believe she quite understood, but as long as I confirmed she’d obediently follow when I took her hand, I didn’t ask for more.

Time was running short. I felt uneasy if I were mistaken, but there was nothing to do but try.

To where Orbart’s hidden ‘view from a high pit’ is closest—

“I’ve got to go to the place closest to the sky.”

△▼△▼△▼△

Ubiruku’s ‘advice’ led Subaru to that answer.

‘The view from a high pit’ could also be put as ‘a beautiful hole.’

The definition of a pit is not just any hole, but one that seems to drop endlessly downward. To be blunt, it’s a hole that looks like it has no end.

And like Ubiruku said, Subaru had felt that before, just a little while ago.

“It was when that boy threw me into the air.”

My blood boiled as I recalled how the boy had grabbed my arm. While being thrown after an apology, I soared high up into the sky, spinning around as I thought repeatedly.

—I was ‘falling’ toward the blue sky.

Of course, looking at the events as they unfolded, that would be incorrect.

In reality, Subaru had been flung into the air, lifting higher in the eyes of onlookers. But as the one involved, I was lost on which was up or down, thinking that.

I was falling towards the blue sky.

Towards an endless, bright, bottomless ‘hole’.

“That’s the true identity of the beautiful hole… So the place closest to the sky in this city must be it.”

Subaru thought that this was the true identity of what Orbart had called ‘the view from a high pit’.

So, he decided to aim for the highest place—

“Ah—uh!”

Lui, whether she understood Subaru’s feelings or not, suddenly pointed at a location with a brilliant smile.

She vigorously shook the hand she was holding and pointed far away with her free hand, while Subaru could only cover his face with his free hand.

It wasn’t that Lui was messing around because she couldn’t keep up with the conversation.

Rather, it was the fact that she understood Subaru’s thoughts well this time. She was pointing to the building that was closest to the sky in the Chaos Frame.

However, that building was also the source of Subaru’s dilemma.

“Ugh!”

“You’re thinking it’s that too, huh…”

Pulled along by her, Subaru looked up at the building that Lui was indicating—Crimson Lapis Castle.

The castle of Yorna Mishigure, the highest building in this magic city. And as he was now shrunk down, it was certainly a place that would reject him outright.

Originally, the whole hide-and-seek game with Orbart had started because responding to Yorna’s request who was waiting in the castle was the goal. —This was putting the cart before the horse.

“However, given Orbart’s his nasty personality, he could very well have set this up.”

Orbart certainly knew why Subaru and the others wanted to go back to their original size.

Suggesting that they would have to go to Crimson Lapis Castle at least once to return would certainly be something fitting for Orbart, a ‘Malicious Old Man’.

The problem is—

“How the heck can I get into the castle…?”

Having ‘infantilized’, Subaru couldn’t declare himself as Natsumi Schwarz in his shrunken state. To be blunt, if he could do that, he could have delayed the hide-and-seek game with Orbart.

There’s no chance of explaining the situation to Yorna. Considering that Tanzer, who was in attendance with Yorna, seems to be Orbart’s collaborator, it only adds to the difficulties.

That makes approaching the castle quite dangerous.

“Uah.”

“Yeah, I get it… If Tanzer is doing whatever he wants to help Orbart without Yorna knowing…”

The area around Crimson Lapis Castle felt eerily devoid of the horned subhumans related to Tanzer.

If some commotion happened near the castle, surely Yorna would notice. It wouldn’t be a pleasant situation for Tanzer either.

It might be better to tell on Tanzer’s bad behavior.

“Wait a second, that’s jumping the gun. There might be situations where Yorna takes Tanzer’s side. In fact, that’s much more likely.”

If two kids appeared together, one being the child she cherishes and the other an unknown child, surely it wouldn’t even require thinking about whose claims she would believe.

The idea of letting Yorna in on Tanzer’s schemes was something that should probably stay just that—an idea.

Still, thinking that the area around Crimson Lapis Castle has few enemies doesn’t seem wrong.

“In the end, infiltrating the castle is the best option. All that remains is to hope that Orbart is hiding at the top… Hey, Lui, can I ask you something?”

“Ah—?”

“About that warp of yours… could you take me along when you use it?”

Staring into Lui’s blue eyes, Subaru asked.

That made sense, considering how during their initial fracas, she had used short-distance teleportation to escape from under a collapsing tent, taking Subaru along with her.

At that moment, there was an unsettling sensation in his stomach, something he didn’t want to experience numerous times again, but its convenience was undeniable.

It seemed there was certainly a limit to the distance she could travel.

“With that power, we can get inside the castle. But can you really control it?”

“Uh!”

“Is that so? ‘Probably’ using it isn’t good enough. If you couldn’t master it properly, we’d both be in danger. So—”

“Ugh…”

With Subaru pressing her, Lui puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. Then, she tightened her grip on Subaru’s hand and—

“Uah.”

“—!”

In an instant, the surrounding scenery shifted in the blink of an eye.

Since Subaru had been focused on Lui, she hadn’t changed at all. It was just that the scenery around her transformed from the dim alley to a bright street, and then into a room somewhere, instantly followed by the top of a building.

It was as if to prove she could handle it properly.

“Got it! I understand, so enough already! Just stop it!”

“Uah—”

“I concede! Just let me lose!”

As she released the air from her puffed cheeks, Lui’s expression relaxed triumphantly. Kneeling beside her, Subaru felt a cold shiver run down his spine, recalling how extraordinary that experience had been.

Lui had used short-range teleportation five times in quick succession, all while keeping hold of Subaru’s hand. Each time, the scenery shifted, and it was utterly intense.

Like living a nightmare.

“But if it’s like this… Ugh!”

“Uh?”

“I’m about to—!”

Just as he was about to make a fist to express his determination, the rising stomach acid burned his throat, and Subaru dropped to his knees, lavishly purging the contents of his stomach onto the ground.

Short-distance teleportation and that feeling of his insides flipping over seemed inextricably linked.

But—

“That’s… convenient. With this, we can… ugh!”

“Uah!”

Fighting against the rising urge to vomit, Subaru glared at Crimson Lapis Castle.

Beside him, Lui wrinkled her nose in disgust, finally allowing herself to let go of Subaru’s hand a little ways off while waiting for him to finish throwing up.

△▼△▼△▼△

—Pointing in the direction to fly, Subaru tightly gripped Lui’s hand.

That was his signal for her to help him sneak into Crimson Lapis Castle.

It felt like training a puppy, yet the reality was much more serious than that.

He had no intention of treating Lui like a dog; she’d be much cuter than a puppy. At least, he didn’t need to worry about when or who she might pounce on to cause injury.

Handling her required utmost care.

“Stop.”

Quietly calling out, he pulled her back, bringing her movements to a halt.

With a finger over his lips to signal ‘shh’, Lui complied, mimicking him by placing a finger over her mouth and quietly imitating, “Uu—.”

Seeing her checks, Subaru cautiously peeked around the corner ahead. —About ten meters down, he spotted a strong-looking gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper, clad in blue scales and resembling a lizard person, sat confidently, arms crossed, before the gate. His thick frame appeared stout and very cool.

He yawned so widely that it was visible even from a distance, indicating that he wasn’t taking his duties too seriously. However, he seemed impossible to pass without diverting his attention.

Thus—

“Lui.”

Calling her name, he directed her focus towards him. Then, before her eyes, he pointed at the wall—the stone wall surrounding Crimson Lapis Castle.

Tightly gripping Lui’s hand, he said, “—Now.”

In the next moment, both Subaru and Lui were soaring over the castle walls and into the castle grounds.

Ducking any confrontation with the gatekeeper or breaking through a barrier altogether skipped the middle stages of their entrance—had they been in the guarding position, it was a move that would have evoked sympathy even from a child.

No amount of security could stand against Lui’s teleportation.

If there were security cameras, it might be a different story, but such a thing didn’t exist in this fantasy world. In a place where security relied entirely on humans, their methods were no match against such a cheat, allowing them to slip in unnoticed.

That said—

“We can’t get caught. We need to be cautious…”

If they were found after entering the castle grounds, there would be no excuse.

Even in instances where Lui’s short-distance teleportation was used, she could only do it twice in a row. Using it three times would absolutely leave them both feeling sick, and it could even lead to fainting.

If someone were to notice them and they became in danger during that time, it would be quite bad for their plans.

“No one can stop this guy.”

“Uu?”

Lui tilted her head, unable to grasp Subaru’s concerns.

He would allow no one to turn her into a murderer. —It was a vow he made when he escaped with her.

At this moment, shifted back into the youthful Natsuki Subaru, he was unable to reach any proper conclusions about how to treat Lui. So, at the very least, he wanted to fulfill the greatest conclusion he could think of.

That was to ensure that Lui never took a life.

“…Clinging to the outer wall while taking breaks to fly is out of the question.”

While aiming for ‘the view from a high pit’, even if it’s the top of the castle, it seemed difficult to depend solely on Lui’s teleportation to ascend from outside.

Chances are, he would slip somewhere and fall while trying to sneak up, and even if they took cover, someone would likely see them scaling the outer walls.

Not to mention, this was Yorna Mishigure’s castle.

“If Yorna spots us, that’d be the worst.”

On their journey, they had fought against pursuers who inherited part of Yorna’s power through the ‘Soul Marriage Technique’ multiple times.

Even with their vast strength, their amateurish fighting skills made them no match for Lui, but Yorna, as one of the ‘Nine Divine Generals’, would surely be on a different level.

If there was a fight, even Lui might be in deep trouble.

Moreover, if it came to battling Yorna, then they wouldn’t fulfill the reason why they came to this city. It would be a massive failure, and he couldn’t bear to face Rem after that.

“Stealthily moving through the castle is the best option.”

From earlier experience when he had snuck into the castle, the place had hardly any patrols.

Even with visitors, they had been left idle in the waiting room. When no one was around, the guards would likely be even more lax. The gatekeeper’s yawn was proof of that.

In a castle held by the city’s rulers, one could wonder how lax the security could truly be.

“—There’s no point in dilly-dallying. We’re already inside, after all.”

“Uu?”

“Yeah, let’s go… praying there’s no one on the other side of the walls.”

When it came to the castle walls, even pressing his ear against them didn’t yield any sounds from the other side. So, when they first managed to breach the castle walls, it was completely up to luck as to whether or not they’d be spotted.

Based on previous experiences, Subaru wouldn’t dare say he had good luck.

And yet—

“…It seems like no one’s around.”

Inside the almost deserted castle, they hadn’t encountered a single stroke of bad luck.

“——”

Looking nervously side to side, Subaru shielded Lui behind him while carefully observing the corridor they’d made it into. He hadn’t previously noticed, but walking over the wooden floor required attentive consideration of their footsteps.

If they met someone in the hall, there were very few hiding spots on either side.

When it came down to it, they would need to teleport into a room without hesitation.

“Using it consecutively shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

While he wasn’t sure of how it affected Lui herself, if Subaru allowed enough pauses in between, he could probably hold back the urge to puke.

They should probably think about teleporting up as well as sideways. No, it might be better to actively choose to fly up.

“Rather than cautiously searching for the stairs, wouldn’t that actually reduce the time spent wandering around? Though, if I go up too casually, I may very well run into someone I don’t want to see.”

Naturally, if Yorna lived in Crimson Lapis Castle, she would always be present there. And since she was the owner of the castle, Yorna’s living quarters would most likely be located toward the top.

The idea of aiming for the top of the castle meant they were simply getting closer to Yorna.

Subaru might not have a clear fix on it, but there were those in this world who possessed the freedom to sense others’ presence.

Even with Lui’s teleportation, no matter how much they held back their breathing or footsteps, there were things they couldn’t completely erase. How negatively could that impact their next move? Now seemed the real turning point.

“All right, let’s move as cautiously as we can. If we get spotted—”

“—What will we do if we get spotted?”

Just then, a freezing voice trembled through Subaru’s back, causing his shoulders to jerk.

That shock transferred to Lui, and she also widened her eyes in shock as both of them turned back rapidly.

There—

“Such a lovely sight to see two children holding hands. I can’t help but smile a little.”

Was Yorna Mishigure, the one they absolutely couldn’t encounter, standing there, her beauty radiant.

△▼△▼△▼△

“—Ah.”

There had been no one there.

Just moments before, the hallway had been empty save for Subaru and Lui.

Despite that, Yorna appeared in an instant.

This was the sort of power that trampled over the common person’s caution and preparation, totally disregarding their carefulness.

—The transcendents of this world.

“Well, it seems neither of you have come to visit me without reason.”

With her pipe in hand, Yorna sent a wisp of smoke floating, looking down on Subaru and Lui.

She was the same woman he had glimpsed in her elaborate kimono atop the castle yesterday, but seeing her standing now was an overwhelming sight.

It may have been partially because he was shrunken down, but Yorna was tall. Not quite as much as Medium, but thanks to her thick-soled footwear, her perspective was likely even higher than Abel’s.

As her blue gaze bore down on him, Subaru felt his throat freeze.

“There’s no need to be so frightened. What business do you have coming to my castle?”

“Uhh…”

Her voice steady, Subaru cursed his own stupidity when she inquired.

Despite sneaking in with such care, he hadn’t prepared a single excuse for when he got caught. It was the very definition of superficiality.

As expected, Yorna slitted her sharp eyes at Subaru, who could barely muster a reply. His heart raced as he thought he had to say something or risk arousing her suspicion—

“Is it Tanzer, perhaps?”

“Eh…”

“Is that why you are here in my castle?”

Having pointed that out, Subaru felt as though his throat had cracked open.

Could she really read so deeply into him during the mere seconds he had faltered? It was altogether unexpected. At the same time, he came to understand that Yorna had seen through his true identity.

Just one glance was all it took to invalidate the purpose of their long journey to the magic city. He felt like he could hear Abel’s cold reply of “fool” echo in his mind.

With the ground falling out from under him, he felt like he was plummeting straight down into depths of regret.

“Uah.”

That dark dive of consciousness was interrupted by the strong grip of a hand.

Seeing that, Subaru turned to Liu beside him as she looked at his face. Her slightly trembling blue eyes told him she was prepared to go on—she was ready to fly at a moment’s notice.

That earnest gaze from Lui pulled Subaru’s precarious mind back into focus.

Looking up, he saw Yorna waiting patiently for his answer regarding the question she had asked earlier, and she didn’t urge him for an immediate response. —It wasn’t time to give up just yet.

Yorna had asked if Tanzer was the reason they were in the castle.

That part was right. But only half of it. He would gamble to fill in the other half.

“Um, Yorna-san… Yorna-sama.”

“What is it?”

“Where is Tanzer?”

As he resolved to ask, Yorna narrowed her gaze.

For less than a few seconds, Subaru felt like a mouse caught in the clutches of a fox. Probably, against this being, the gap in power was even wider than that of a fox and a mouse.

Facing such a being, he spent what felt like an eternity in silence. Yorna held the pipe to her mouth, exhaled a plume of purple smoke, and—

“Unfortunately, Tanzer has been sent on an errand. It’s been some time, so it might be reasonable for her to have returned by now…”

“——”

At Yorna’s response, Subaru gripped Lui’s hand tightly once more. Lui looked up at him, glancing about, perhaps searching for something to point at.

Subaru felt bad for having reacted to Lui, but this wasn’t a signal for taking off; he was simply tightening his hold in the rush of winning a gamble.

Winning a gamble. He had won the gamble.

Yorna’s previous inquiry hadn’t revealed their purpose at all. Naturally, she hadn’t outed their identities either.

It was much simpler, a gentler question.

After answering Subaru, Yorna squinted her eyes and said, “Tanzer is indeed troublesome. It’s fine for her to devote herself to me, but if she were to forget her friends’ promises, then she wouldn’t be a proper subordinate.”

“Well, friends…”

“That child is quite loyal, right? I always tell her that it won’t do to direct her loyalty solely towards me.”

With that, Yorna shrugged lightly while assessing Tanzer’s approach and demeanor.

Subaru raised an eyebrow at her words and movements, feeling unexpectedly fascinated.

Yesterday, Yorna had presented an image of a cruel and unfathomable empress of the magic city.

That impression had shifted entirely at this moment; Yorna now felt entirely different. A feeling more familiar and easy to understand, like an adult concerned for children.

Supporting that sentiment, Yorna took a small breath and said,

“Once again, due to Tanzer’s carelessness, it’d be too rude to send you away. —Please wait in the room for Tanzer to return.”

With that, Yorna turned and slowly began to walk away.

Even though she was wearing high footwear, she moved across the wooden floor in utter silence, her refined steps almost surreal.

Staring intently at this sight as Yorna walked away, she abruptly paused and said—

“Follow along. I shall guide you.”

“Eh…? Yorna-sama is going to—!?”

“Uah?”

Stunned by Yorna’s unexpected hospitality, Subaru was flabbergasted. Seeing how surprised he was, Lui tilted her head, and Yorna gently raised her hand to her mouth and smiled.

It wasn’t a malicious smile; it was simply a kindly tranquil smile.

“This is my castle, naturally, it is my duty to host you. In Tanzer’s absence, there’s no need for anyone else to keep you company.”

“Ah, well…”

“Having a friend of that child to visit is a first as well. Come along now.”

With a click of her chin, Yorna commanded them to follow. With her gestures, Subaru took one second to deliberate on what course of action to take.

He hesitated at the possibility of it being a trap, but that thought was quickly dismissed.

Certainly, there wouldn’t be any compelling reason for Yorna to ensnare Subaru and Lui. If she wanted, she could overwhelm Subaru with a single finger and subdue Lui with a few others.

However, it meant that she was all but genuinely offering her guidance. That alone created a stark contrast from yesterday’s impression of Yorna—

“Uah.”

Bouncing around in his mind, Liu pulled Subaru’s hand. Glancing to her side, it appeared that she had no objections to following Yorna.

Her reaction became the final push for Subaru to move forward.

Most likely, Liu possessed better instincts than Subaru when it came to danger. If she didn’t harbor any wariness toward Yorna, then it was unlikely anything would happen suddenly.

“Child?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m going!”

Responding in a voice that had cracked under pressure, Subaru hurriedly began walking. With his short legs hastily following after Lui, Yorna squinted at him as they resumed their pace.

Whether it could be interpreted as fortune, he could hardly decipher, but it was clearly much better than being found out.

“Are you youngsters from outside?”

“Uh…”

“Your faces are unfamiliar. You haven’t received ‘Love Letters’ from me, have you?”

Unfamiliar faces, unfamiliar faces—a phrase he had just heard. The mention of “Love Letters” meant nothing to him, and Subaru nodded and clarified, “Y-Yes.”

“From outside the city… with that scary adult…”

“Scary adult…? That sounds like it would be rife with difficulties. Why are you with such a scary adult?”

“Due to circumstances…”

Answering Yorna’s question, albeit cautiously, he opened up a little.

Honestly, the fact that he was traveling with that scary adult—Abel—was largely due to chance. Yet, it may be right to say he should phrase it in past tense.

It was difficult to think that Abel would so easily allow him to run away with Lui.

Besides, wondering if he himself should even be forgiven for his actions…

“There were no institutional reasons for me to be forgiven…”

He had no reason to blame himself for how he handled Liu.

While it was true that it had been wrong to conceal Liu’s identity, if he’d revealed everything and it had led to this, then he could only conclude that hiding her identity had been the right thing to do.

If he had to apologize, it would be for not being able to fully conceal his true intentions, having stumbled upon a truth halfway through.

“—It truly seems such complicated feelings are weighing on you.”

Yorna suddenly slowed her steps and lightly tapped her fingers against her forehead. She wasn’t referring to herself, but rather showed her finger toward Subaru’s forehead.

There was likely a deep crease etched there from the tangled thoughts that ran through.

“A child shouldn’t have to wear such a daunting expression. —Should I discipline that scary adult for you?”

“Discipline…? Wait, are you doing it, Yorna-sama?”

“Heh, you see, I am quite strong despite appearances.”

As Yorna rolled up her sleeves and waved them softly, Subaru could only picture Abel receiving such treatment and immediately shook his head furiously.

He had a hunch that Yorna’s “discipline” wouldn’t yield such cute outcomes as it sounded, and there was also a significant difference in perception he had felt while interacting with her.

“While I appreciate your concern, it’s all right! A-Adel is someone who will surely understand if I speak to him.”

“Is that so? If he understands, then so much the better. It can be tough in the world when there are many who cannot grasp your words.”

“—Is that how it goes with you, Yorna?”

“Hmm?”

For a second, he felt hesitant about speaking these words; he faltered, causing Yorna to stop moving.

He felt bad about stopping her yet again and was wrapped up in the anxiety of provoking her ire with this inquiry. Mixed with all those feelings, he blurted it out with the impulsiveness of the moment.

“Yorna-sama, you actually lend an ear to others, don’t you? I mistakenly thought that all esteemed people had to be scary…”

“Hmm.”

Recognizing the harshness of his statement, Subaru couldn’t meet Yorna’s gaze mid-speech. However, hearing his words, Yorna let out a soft sound in her throat.

“It appears that you aren’t subhumans.”

“Uh, yes.”

“Then how does this city appear through your eyes?”

“This city…”

Taken aback by her sudden question, Subaru turned his gaze out the hallway’s little window. The small window stood high upon the wall, and given his current height, he could hardly observe outside.

Yet, the vague, bluish sky could be faintly perceived in the friendly ambience.

“What a vibrant, lively city! So many different people are flowing around.”

Selecting his words carefully, Subaru attempted to share his genuine impressions.

Certainly, the notion of a bustling city had struck him from the very outset. The chaotic mix of diverse structures constructed all around, as well as the variety of inhabitants living among them.

Both sight and sound sent the impression of hurried liveliness, solidly embracing chaos.

“You are quite an honest child. It’s making my ears feel good as well.”

Listening to Subaru’s impressions, Yorna’s lips curled slightly at the corners, revealing a soft smile.

Then, looking through the same window with eyes likely viewing it differently, she remarked,

“This city holds a multitude of beings who struggle to survive elsewhere. Children who shrink down and have nowhere to go… those who can voice their pain but remain unheard.”

“Voices, yet remain unheard…”

“If I were to ignore the words of the children who have found their rest here, then who in the world would be willing to listen to them?”

As she spoke, a glimmer passed through Yorna’s eyes, sort of shining brightly.

Feeling a jolt in his chest, Subaru found himself incredibly embarrassed. —After hearing those words from Yorna, he felt his impression of her had drastically changed.

“She’s someone full of compassion. A lover to allies, despising enemies. —The beloved of all who live in the magic city.”

Yesterday, when he had questioned Tanzer about Yorna, that had been the comforting answer offered.

At the time, he hadn’t comprehended what that truly meant. When he heard about the ‘Soul Marriage Technique’ from Abel, he assumed it had been tied to some form of intrinsic ability.

But, perhaps what Tanzer had truly meant to convey was something related deeper than that.

—That was the answer to what Yorna Mishigure cherished from the very bottom of her heart.

“I’m sorry, Yorna-san…”

Suddenly, upon realizing this, Subaru inadvertently apologized once more.

His sudden apology caught Yorna off guard as she exhaled purple smoke and chuckled.

“There’s no need to apologize. It’s natural for those in power to appear intimidating; it’s in their nature to be frightening without meaning to, or else it can be more efficient for them to induce fear.”

“It seems they want to be feared, too…”

What she had just stated struck him as something profoundly important that he needed to remember.

Moreover, it seemed likely that such reasoning wasn’t just a matter of personal dilemmas for Yorna.

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t be petty enough to get angry at you for something so trivial. Besides, I’m in quite a good mood at the moment.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Indeed, that is satisfactory. —I finally see signs that something I’ve wanted for a long time may soon come to me.”

With her eyes narrowing again, Yorna waved her sleeves once more.

There was no trace of anger in her responses. As she’d stated earlier, she wouldn’t adopt an ungracious demeanour towards children, and her mood truly appeared to feel lighthearted.

Behind her pleased façade, it was likely concerning the contents of the letter Abel had sent her—

“——”

Considering that added information, Subaru finally felt a strong sense of caution as he collected his thoughts.

Whether Yorna viewed that letter positively was entirely dependent on whether Abel and Subaru’s group could successfully meet at Crimson Lapis Castle.

However, impediment to their actions was Yorna’s attendant Tanzer.

From the exchanges previous, it was evident Yorna looked after Tanzer dearly.

In the event that Yorna’s desires clashed with those of Tanzer’s, which path would she take? —Previously, she had defied the emperor, all for someone else.

When placed in the actual circumstances, how would Yorna decide which outcome she would choose—?

“—There you go again, wearing such heavy wrinkles on your forehead.”

With a soft tap against Subaru’s forehead, Yorna pointed out his troubled expression. Triggered by Yorna’s gesture, Lui imitated her and began tapping her own forehead.

Watching the two, Subaru let out a quiet sigh.

It might just be that this was another hasty thought.

But considering whether it was right or wrong, he knew he lacked the clarity of thought to discern.

“Yorna, if you could please listen to something of mine—”

 

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