Subaru successfully finished his negotiations with Beatrice, which had a somewhat predictable outcome, securing her cooperation.

While it certainly felt like he was relying heavily on her kindness, contemplating his own lack of strength would have to wait.

Achieving his objective came first; reflection could follow later. After all, there’s no end to what-if scenarios.

Suddenly conscious of the time, Subaru touched his chin.

The Forbidden Library was completely isolated from the outside world, and there were no means to know the time from inside. They didn’t even have a crystal stone for telling time, which made it feel like they were living rather freely compared to other places, he thought while observing the girl who was the guardian of the library.

Based on the stubble he felt on his chin, it had been about seventeen hours since he last groomed himself. Assuming he began dozing off in Emilia’s lap around midday, he must have overslept considerably.

Given his earlier fervor about not wasting a second, the realization made him cringe even more.

Once self-loathing begins, there’s no end to it, so Subaru decided to address the main topic with Beatrice, whose dissatisfaction seemed to have built up considerably.

The challenge was how to explain it to her without getting too close to the core issue.

Remaining vigilant against the black mist, he planned to address each of his questions one by one.

“…Do you want to know more about sorcerers?”

“Yeah, I know they exist, unlike wizards or spirit users, but I don’t know much beyond that.”

“What a peculiar thing to want to know. Even if you learn about those kinds of folks, there’s hardly anything beneficial about it.”

Just like when he briefly mentioned sorcery before, Beatrice’s expression as she spoke about sorcerers was far from bright. She had bluntly stated that she disliked the way they approached mana, and now he needed to delve deeper into the matter.

“I believe, fundamentally, they can only use their powers in a way that inconveniences others, right? I’ve heard they became popular in some northern countries.”

“If you know that much, it seems unnecessary. —To curse someone, they can invite disease, impose restrictions on certain actions, or simply take a life… it’s definitely a nasty bunch.”

“Well, it’s true that it depends on how you use things, but when it’s that skewed, there doesn’t seem to be a use for it except to drag others down.”

That’s sorcery for you. In other words, it’s what you call a “curse.”

The supernatural ability to bring others down is, after all, a vice that can arise in any culture or society. However, its true power to affect others is, without a doubt, unique to this world.

For instance, cow cult rituals could also be seen as a form of sorcery.

Thinking about such things, Subaru leaned forward, eager to pry more words out of the reticent Beatrice.

“So then, I want to ask… how can you defend against a curse?”

Countering a sorcerer is difficult as long as you cannot grasp their true identity. However, the advantage Subaru had in this situation was simply the knowledge that “there will be an attack.”

Even without knowing the identity of the sorcerer, he could ascertain that they would use “sorcery,” meaning that it was reasonable to take measures to prevent it. A good idea, if he did say so himself.

But then—

“There’s no way.”

“—Huh?”

“There’s no way to protect against a curse once it activates. Sorcery remains effective until it fulfills its curse on the target; it won’t simply disappear.”

“Can they nullify instant death resistance or something…?”

As Beatrice flatly stated, Subaru felt his spirits begin to crumble.

Using an instant death nullification curse for a surprise attack—just the thought of it conjured images of a chaotic battlefield.

“On top of that, incantations start as soon as combat begins. With no means to resist, oh boy, we’re in trouble. This is a mess of a game.”

He scratched his head, thoroughly re-evaluating the awfulness of his situation.

The slight glimmer of hope that had emerged in his mind shattered into pieces, making Subaru’s brain boil as he sought other plans.

Filled with despair, half his face turned pale while the other half flared red with a fighting spirit, like some kind of Asura Baron. To this Subaru, Beatrice said,

“However, this is only true for activated sorcery.”

She relaxed her lips as if revealing a secret.

“Huh?” he let out, raising his gaze to see Beatrice’s smug face. She had clearly managed to pull a fast one on him, yet Subaru’s heart was completely frozen in response.

In the face of this sudden and significant temperature difference, Beatrice blinked in surprise for just a moment.

“I don’t think you need to be that angry.”

“I’m dead serious, you know?”

Finally managing to respond with a halting tone, he struggled to swallow down the violent words boiling inside him, wishing to avoid a confrontation with her for the moment.

After all, he had finally caught a glimmer of hope.

Recollecting himself, he raised a finger and began lecturing as if to shed light on the matter.

“As I said before, once a curse is activated, there’s no way to prevent it. However, before it activates, it can be interrupted. Before activation, it is merely a magic formula, so if you have a certain level of skill, you can easily dispel it.”

“For example?”

“In this mansion, first it’s Betty, of course, then there’s you. After that, there’s Roswaal, and… the three little girls might struggle with it. Oh, and you can’t do it, either.”

“I already figured that out the hard way…”

I’ve been helped significantly once or twice.

Putting that aside, Subaru pressed closer to Beatrice.

“How can you tell the difference in the magic formula before activation? You mentioned that sorcery requires preparation before it activates, right?”

“Of course. The more powerful the magical formula, the heavier the burden on us. Everything follows that principle. Sorcery, in particular, has this aspect more strongly than most. Considering the effects on people, it’s a completely natural compensation.”

“So, can you give me an indication of the cost for the sorcery?”

Clinging desperately to this question, Beatrice squinted one eye, thought for a moment, and then licked her lips.

“The type of effect varies depending on the sorcery, but there is an unbreakable rule.”

“An unbreakable rule…”

He held his breath and urged her to continue, still intrigued by her words.

Locked in the weight of their significance, Beatrice lightly lowered her chin.

“To perform sorcery, contact with the target is an essential condition.”

When those words settled in Subaru’s mind, his brain began to whirl. Sorcery required contact between the sorcerer and the target. This meant that during both the first and second loops, Subaru had been directly facing the sorcerer. —As he tried to dig through his memories, recollecting that individual.

“Excluding the people in the mansion…”

He reflected on the first eight days as he filtered through the potential sources of sorcery outside the mansion.

Having lived as a servant in the mansion, he had hardly any opportunity to interact with outsiders during that time. The only external entities he might have come into contact with—

“—It was the village at the foot of the hill.”

In both his first and second loops, Subaru had gone to that village.

Looking back, both times had been during the crucial day, the fourth, while it was still daylight. He’d been cursed by a sorcerer in that village, returning to the mansion where the activation of the sorcery would lead to death—such a scenario flashed across his mind.

If a sorcerer had been staying in the village, then it made sense that Rem had become a target of sorcery in the fourth loop.

The idea was simply that he visited the village, and they picked her to be the target. Given the circumstances, it could have just as easily been Ram; if Subaru had just blundered back to that village, he could have easily fallen victim too.

It connected. Everything connected.

“Beatrice. Do you have any idea how many people are living in the closest village to this mansion?”

Taken aback by Subaru’s sudden change of topic, Beatrice furrowed her brow in confusion. However, Subaru’s expression was too serious for her to comment on it; she shook her head.

“I don’t know. Sorry, but aside from this Forbidden Library, Betty doesn’t have much knowledge about the mansion either.”

“I see. Well, that’s a bit of a stretch, anyway. I can probably just ask Roswaal… and after that,”

There was the question of whether a sorcerer was among the villagers or perhaps just a visitor.

If it was the latter, it wouldn’t be that difficult to find them. Subaru could simply ask a villager about it and draw out the one with magic skills. In contrast, if it were the former, discerning that would be incredibly challenging. If they’ve prepared that meticulously, it would be a dead end, but—

“But the chances of that happening are actually slim.”

If he concluded that these events were tied to the Royal Selection, the epidemic that decimated the royal family had only occurred about half a year ago.

Considering the time it took for Emilia to rise as a candidate and for the structure of the Royal Selection to be established, the current situation had formed only within the previous three or four months—fresh conflict with bursting potential.

It seemed implausible that someone could have foreseen hiding a sorcerer among the villagers. If there were such a person, they would either have to possess foresight or “know in advance about the Royal Selection.”

Concluding that led Subaru to say,

“The sorcerer is an outsider. And finding them shouldn’t be that high a hurdle…!”

As he voiced it, Subaru began to check if he had left gaps in his reasoning.

While there were several points that required adjustment, the overarching deduction was sound. From the sorcerer’s side, this was the scenario before action. At this point, their existence shouldn’t be known unless they were a god or demon.

Looking up, he tried to find a clock, but there was none.

He clicked his tongue, but then recalled his stubbly chin countdown, reveling in the fact that it was still “the second night.”

With a whole day still left before the situation began to slide into its worst on the fourth day.

Which meant there was an opportunity for an ambush against the sorcerer from their side.

“I’ve got you now, damn it…! I’m not just a guy who gets killed once and then nearly gets killed again without a plan, damn it!”

A glimmer of hope appeared. The situation was changing.

Despair opened up, with hope streaming in from the other side; Subaru could not help but clench his fist, his voice trembling with joy.

While Subaru rejoiced at this turn of events, Beatrice, who had been left baffled along the way, looked rather dissatisfied.

Her cute cheeks flushed red, and she pouted her lips in displeasure as if to say,

“Is it really okay for you to act like that after asking someone to help you? If that last bit was helpful, then shouldn’t you have something to say to Betty?”

“Ah, you’re right! Thanks, your help shone a light on everything! Beatrice, I totally love you!”

“Wha—!?”

With a leap, Subaru slipped his arms under her armpits, lifting her light frame and spinning her around above his head.

Despite wearing an extravagant dress, the girl felt as light as a feather. In his uplifted spirits, the synergy increased the spinning speed exponentially.

“Just… put me down!”

“Ha ha ha, at this rate, I feel like I could fly! Or hey, how about we fly together, Beatrice!? I can fly! You can fly!”

“Don’t get carried away—!”

“Jump pro—!?”

Suddenly, a burst of magic hit him from directly above at close range, striking him down in an absurd position to the ground.

The impact that entered through his head traveled through his body and shot straight out of his rear. Stumbling to the ground, he was dizzy from the torrent of mana raging within him.

On the flip side, Beatrice had been released from Subaru’s grip, and her small body launched elegantly in a perfect parabolic arc.

Yet, just as it seemed she would collide with something, her body abruptly halted mid-air. She twisted in grace, flaring out her skirt, and landed gracefully on the library floor.

She looked down at Subaru, who was still awkwardly shaking his head on the ground, and, with a familiar air, huffed in contempt.

“Acting so carefree like that is precisely why you’ll get hurt.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t all I saw. —It was white.”

“—!? What are you talking about!”

“Doro-waz!?”

The second blow struck straight to Subaru’s jaw, easily sending him flying further into the depths of the library. He rolled around, crashing into a ladder, collapsing under falling timber. As he collided with sharp edges, tears filled his eyes from the unbearable pain.

“Seriously, just because my affection gauge shot through the roof and this happens! What did I do wrong? Tell me!”

“All the hugging, lifting me like a child, swinging me around, seeing my underwear, and the empty love declarations—everything! I’ve grown tired of your presence!”

“Dismissing my existence entirely is just sad! That’s gonna bring back memories of my reclusive days, even if it wasn’t that long ago.”

It felt like he had come a long way from his hermit days.

In reality, it felt almost impossible to quantify the distance he’d traveled in this bizarre place—how was everyone doing?

Nevertheless,

“Upon further reflection, things have gotten significantly better. While it might be tough tonight, I should head to the village tomorrow.”

He thought about investigating the true identity of the sorcerer.

It seemed he wouldn’t be able to go solo, so he would likely have to take one of the twins, Ram or Rem, with him. If a confrontation with the sorcerer also came into play, taking one of the two skilled in combat felt like a must.

If he could successfully defeat the sorcerer, and even more so, if it turned out that there was no pre-existing relationship between himself and the cursed sorcerer, then the situation would wrap up nicely.

Mission 2, “Conquer Roswaal’s Mansion,” complete.

“Compared to Mission 1, this one sure was super difficult.”

If he recalled, Mission 1 was “Defeat the Thug,” making him feel just how far he’d truly come.

Remembering the conflict with the thugs he had faced felt like years ago. Then, he reflected once more on the days in the mansion.

Though he knew it was premature to say, it seemed the impasse that had brought him nothing but frustration might at long last be on the verge of breaking through. This much of a cheer-up mood seemed permissible.

He couldn’t afford to overlook anything else he needed to settle, and Subaru was cautious not to neglect checking his surroundings.

Because things were starting to get better, he began to wonder if there was a trap lying in wait. Out of such timid caution, a particular word snagged his attention. That was it—

“The Witch’s, lingering scent…”

“What’s that?”

“Oh right. The Witch. And Rem as well…”

As he uttered that single word, memories of various scenes came rushing back.

The word witch had appeared frequently throughout, and he still had no actual knowledge of its true meaning.

To Subaru, the witch he knew simply existed as a minuscule part of a fairy tale titled “The Witch of Envy,” which was just a short snippet.

However, he recalled hearing that name during the initial loop and again throughout his repeated days in this mansion.

Subaru raised his gaze to see Beatrice, who wore a puzzled expression with knitted brows.

Would she be able to answer? He felt a flicker of anxiety at the thought. After all, the last time he mentioned it, Ram had cut him off harshly, and Rem had even attempted to leap at him driven by her instincts.

Even Emilia seemed to bear some strong resistance to it. Thus, with that anxiety stirring within him, he asked,

“Beatrice. —Do you know about the Witch?”

“—――”

But his question was met with silence.

Beatrice closed her eyes on the word that vibrated in her eardrums, pausing to consider the meaning of it.

Subaru, too, waited in anticipation, his heart in turmoil as he was left on edge.

Surely, that last word hadn’t struck a sensitive cord with her, had it?

“The one that devours the world. The Queen of the Shadow Castle. —The Witch of Envy.”

Upon the whisper of those words, Subaru’s breath hitched, and his eyes widened in surprise.

Ignoring Subaru’s astonishment, Beatrice let out a melancholic sigh, saying,

“In this world, the term witch refers to only one singular entity. Moreover, it’s a being whose mere mention is taboo.”

“Feared by all, awe-inspiring to all, she who none dare oppose.”

“Yes, exactly. Honestly, it’s more of a question on your side whether you know about it or not. There’s no way you wouldn’t have heard. In this world, after your parents’ names and your family’s name, you’re told about that witch.”

“Such an exaggeration…”

He meant to scoff, but seeing Beatrice’s expression, an attempt to say anything to dismiss it faded into silence.

If the previous words weren’t a jest, then they represented an unequivocal symbol of dread for the world—

“The Witch of Envy, Satella. She devoured all six witches, who were previously known as the arch-sins, and brought about ruin to half the world—she is the ultimate calamity.”

Her voice icy with emotion, Beatrice stated it and then fell silent, closing her eyes.

At hearing that familiar name, the word “what” escaped Subaru as he exhaled, immobilized by the weight of what had just been said.

“They say she ruled the night. What they say is, she couldn’t communicate with humans. They say she was envious of everything in this world. They say no one survived looking at her face. They say her form remains imperishable, unaging, and everlasting. They say she was sealed with the combined strength of dragons, heroes, and sages, yet they could not destroy her.”

Enumerating all this without allowing Subaru to interject, Beatrice concluded her information with a final statement.

“—Her form was that of a silver-haired half-elf.”