――Life on Gladiator Island Gnunhaive wasn’t so bad for Subaru.

Subaru’s performance in the event known as “Spalca” seemed quite well-received among the gladiators competing on the island, as he was welcomed with nearly the same enthusiasm everywhere he went, just like in the great hall.

Even in an environment that forced one to fight, the customs of the Volakia Empire remained unchanged.

Therefore, it seemed that the principle of strong human evaluation applied here too, and for them, Subaru’s match in “Spalca,” along with his comrades, somehow met their expectations.

“It’s ridiculous to think that a scrawny kid like him has such guts.”

That seemed to be Subaru’s overall evaluation.

It must have been quite amusing to see Subaru, who looked like a child who could be easily twisted with one hand, hold his own against a gladiator beast, a lion.

Unlike the same-age Fake Cecilis, Subaru was probably aided by the fact that he looked like the child he was supposed to be; Fake Cecilis had quite the poor reputation.

“I’m just living as me, so honestly, I don’t care what others think of me. In the end, once you see the results, no one can complain. Oh, and I mean that emotionally, not physically.”

That was how he reacted when he somewhat casually caught wind of the rumors surrounding him.

He had a feeling that Fake Cecilis didn’t have any intention of bending to others or living along with everyone else in a roundabout manner.

A strong will that does not bend and the ability to carry it through—this justified Fake Cecilis’s impudent ego.

And this was seen as correct under both the rules of Gladiator Island and the Empire.

“But being disliked for that isn’t a good sign. Just like ‘The Bond,’ we cannot survive this island alone.”

“That’s the case, isn’t it? That kid’s arrogant behavior is probably backed by confidence…”

“Ugh, I dislike this, but this isn’t our concern. If we’re talking about an unsettling kid, we’re already two players short.”

Such were the impressions of the members of “The Bond” toward Fake Cecilis.

It could be said that it was harsh, but it was also a natural viewpoint. After all, unless one was extraordinarily strong and secure, every gladiator was desperate, constantly aware of whether they could survive just one more day.

That was the kind of place where they didn’t have the luxury to mind others.

“Well, while I have complaints about Hiaine treating us like unsettling kids, how does Tanzer feel about Cecilis?”

“…I don’t care. What I do care about is Lord Schwarz.”

“Yeah?”

“—Do you truly intend to leave this place, Lord Schwarz?”

Tanzer asked with an incredulous yet reproachful tone out of the blue, prompting Subaru to turn around wide-eyed and say “Eh?”

In the shared room given to the gladiators—a space that could be called a dormitory—Tanzer, who shared a room with Subaru, frowned, making a show of her sigh.

“It is not ‘eh.’ In these past few days, you seem to have been enjoying yourself with the gladiators, but do you remember the initial plan?”

“Initial plan…?”

“—You were supposed to leave this island and return to Chaos Frame.”

For a moment, Subaru made an unfamiliar sound, and Tanzer’s voice became stern.

The girl then looked away from Subaru and said, “Forgive me,” before continuing.

“I planned to follow Lord Schwarz’s intentions. But if Lord Schwarz isn’t active at all, then that changes things. I must return to Lady Yorna.”

“——”

“I still have no idea what has happened in Chaos Frame. I can tell that Lord Yorna’s affections linger because of your affection for me, but…”

As she spoke, Tanzer touched her right eye.

That gesture indicated the changes in the inhabitants that Subaru had seen in the Magic City—individuals affected by Yorna’s ‘Soul Marriage Technique’ had had their eyes ablaze.

The fact that she had beheaded a lion in one go wasn’t Tanzer’s true ability. That was the power of affection bestowed on her by Yorna.

“So that means Lady Yorna is safe, right?”

“…Her body is. But as for her heart, I can’t say.”

“That’s, well, understandable. Lady Yorna cared deeply for everyone in the city.”

She was too kind, often branded a traitor for being unable to follow the Empire’s directives.

Subaru could somewhat grasp the feelings of Tanzer, who was protected by Yorna’s ideals, given Yorna’s plight.

Hence, he understood Tanzer’s eagerness to hurry back to Yorna.

“But getting too anxious won’t help either. Flailing about without a plan won’t get us what we want.”

“But! We can’t afford to be as leisurely as Lord Schwarz!”

“L-leisurely…?”

“Yes. During these past two days, I thought you’d be searching for a way out, yet instead, you were engaging in trivial chatter with ‘The Bond’ or sharing laughs with other gladiators…”

Tanzer listed out Subaru’s actions over the past two days.

Indeed, during these two days, Subaru had prioritized talking to others over looking for an escape route or figuring out how to operate the only drawbridge that connected to the outside world.

There were times spent with Vaits and others from ‘The Bond,’ gathering various tidbits about the island’s rules and amusing stories.

In Tanzer’s eyes, that must have looked quite leisurely, to the point where it appeared as if Subaru was preparing to settle down on this island.

But if that were the case—

“That’s a big misunderstanding, Tanzer. I want to see someone just as much as you want to see Lady Yorna. I absolutely have to return.”

“…Were those your companions?”

“Besides Abel, yes. There are others… in the greater Wall City. I’m really busy, you know?”

“——”

While it was the case that Subaru wanted to see people in various places, Tanzer fell silent.

Perhaps she thought that her feelings for Yorna, whom she valued immensely, were greater than those of Subaru, who had multiple people he wanted to see. Nonetheless, she didn’t voice those thoughts.

Just that was enough for her serious nature to shine through. If Yorna was the one who taught her, then Tanzer’s commitment to her education was worth admiring.

“Still, I think I use my head better.”

“——? What do you mean by that…”

Just as Tanzer tilted her head at Subaru’s words, she suddenly halted.

“—Batsu! The drawbridge is rising! The new arrivals have arrived!”

With a loud shout, Fake Cecilis appeared running down the hallway. The intensity of his presence caused Tanzer to jump, but Subaru’s reaction was the opposite.

“It’s happening!” He jumped up on the spot and exclaimed.

“You’re earlier than I expected—are they coming at this pace?”

“No, as I said, last time’s ‘Spalca’ with Batsu was an exception. The other three from ‘The Bond’ all failed to escape, and sunk to the bottom of the lake… in an emergency, we supplemented the required personnel with Batsu…”

“I see.”

As Fake Cecilis shrugged his shoulders, he provided context. Last time’s ‘Spalca’ had indeed been an irregular occurrence.

The gladiators who were supposed to enter Gladiator Island with Vaits had attempted a mass escape before they even entered, only to fail, resulting in their cart overturning. Those who jumped into the lake via the drawbridge were all eaten by aquatic beasts, as was the story.

As a result, the holding for Vaits’ ‘Spalca’ was postponed until the numbers were replenished to form a ‘Bond’—though Subaru and Tanzer had now shown up uninvited.

Surely the original three must have thought it was the worst day of their lives.

“However, it’s the best day of my life.”

“Oh, you look rather confident and are showing a fine expression. So, what now, Batsu?”

“Oh, I’ll go see the drawbridge. While I’d like to talk to the newcomers…”

“That might be a bit tricky. Unlike last time, I think ‘Spalca’ will actually start soon, so you might not have a chance to interact.”

“I see… That’s a hassle, but if it’s so, then I’ll figure out a way.”

With his hand on his chin, Subaru replied to Fake Cecilis, who raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

Either curious about Subaru’s response or taken with him, the open display of interest was clear. An overly honest type, but he shouldn’t be let off guard either.

In the world, there are those who can kill even with a high likability.

So treat the rumored personality of Fake Cecilis on the island like a bomb—just the right type of caution is ideal.

Of course, being overly cautious would only shorten the fuse, so finding a balance was wise.

In any case—

“It seems we’ll finally have some progression. Tanzer, what do you want to do?”

“Um, what do you mean? With Lord Segmunt and the plan?”

“Plan? Not at all! I have no idea what Batsu is even thinking. Even if I were told, I wouldn’t have anything noteworthy to say! I just wanted to be notified when the drawbridge was about to rise. Everything from here is in Batsu’s head!”

“……Schwarz-sama?”

Recognizing that no useful information was coming from the blissfully ignorant Fake Cecilis, Tanzer turned her gaze to Subaru as if blaming him for hiding something, but Subaru was not concealing anything.

He believed that he was being fairly cautious while contemplating plans.

“For now, let’s go see the drawbridge while we discuss. It’d be foolish to miss this.”

Bringing Tanzer, who seemed like she had something to say, and the cheerful Fake Cecilis along, Subaru left the shared room and headed toward the upper level of the island where the drawbridge could be seen.

Gladiators on the island were allowed quite a bit of freedom in their actions, and unless one had particularly poor daily behaviors, they weren’t restricted from actions besides sleeping and fighting to the death.

While there were rules about bathing and meal times which had to be followed, life here was a world apart from what he had imagined as a slave’s existence or a prisoner’s life.

In the center of Gladiator Island, there was a gladiatorial arena, serving as a stage for grand events with spectators from the outside. Thus, the arena and its surroundings were decorated quite flamboyantly, meant to catch the eyes of outsiders.

Conversely, the living spaces for other gladiators were rather simple, comprising only the minimal necessary facilities, presenting an overall feel of “gray.”

“But, there is also a healing room and a library, right?”

“It seems the inclusion of books started when Governor Gustav became the island’s lord. Surprisingly, they provide a good source of relaxation for everyone.”

“Yeah, there were tons of books. I wish I could have read them.”

While nodding at Tanzer’s words, Subaru scratched his temple with his finger.

Although he was supposed to have studied the letters in this world, it seemed they had left his constrained brain quickly, making it rather hard to read even a bit.

Some parts stuck in his memory faintly, so if he put in the effort, it wouldn’t be impossible to decipher them, but reading a page turned into a treasure hunt for his sluggish mind.

“If my sister found out about this, she would scold me like crazy…”

After all, his sister—Ram—had been the one who helped him with reading the most. Thus, if she learned of Subaru’s current ineptitude, she would undoubtedly be furious.

Not to mention leaving Rem by herself. If she knew that as well, Ram would probably be angry. Subaru felt the urge to be scolded just as much.

“Schwarz-sama?”

“—To leave this island, we face two walls. One of them is the drawbridge connecting this island to the mainland.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

To operate Gladiator Arena situated halfway on the island to manage it, the drawbridge needed to be raised halfway from both the island-side and the bank-side; it wouldn’t be crossable without them.

Due to this, it was said that, by default, it was kept up to avoid crossing.

“So it’s generally kept up. It only goes down when needed.”

“That makes no sense however many times you say it. I want to see the real thing.”

Though Fake Cecilis’s tone sounded like he was explaining the unpredictable, to Subaru, the image of the drawbridge was inevitably of two halves, raised up from the middle by both sides.

Naturally, with that notion, the drawbridge would be something you would “lower,” but…

“So then, Schwarz-sama, the second wall would be…?”

Tanzer waved off Subaru’s mental imagery and sought to hear the next bit. Subaru took a brief breath before saying, “Needless to say, the curse rule. The one set upon all the gladiators by Governor Gustav.”

“――――”

With a frown and lowered brow, Tanzer took on a difficult expression.

It was self-evident that she understood the problem—namely, the curse rule.

A curse placed upon all gladiators on Gladiator Island, punishing those who broke it by forfeiting their lives. That was the reason Gustav continued as the absolute ruler on Gladiator Island.

No one could defy Gustav, for to do so would mean losing their life.

Even inaction posed a risk; as long as the curse remained, one could never know when their life would be forfeit for breaking the rule.

Moreover, only Gustav knew how to lift it or the details surrounding the curse.

“What’s terrifying is not knowing the specific rules. Just by living normally, you could accidentally violate one and die without realizing it.”

“Well, I heard that when Gustav first became governor, there were such anxieties, but it seems those fears have faded quite a bit lately. After all, it appears Gustav doesn’t wish to reduce the gladiators arbitrarily; he’s clearly stated what absolutely must not be done, so it’s a relief.”

“Stated… don’t oppose the guards, don’t get into fights with other gladiators outside of combat, and don’t escape this island on your own, right?”

“Exactly.”

“——The last one is the problem.”

The regulations for living in Gladiator Island were enforced as a curse by Gustav.

Yet it is true that these rules starkly contradicted Subaru and Tanzer’s goals.

“In addition to other routes, there is a method for lifting the curse to cease being a gladiator, isn’t there?”

“Yes, there is. That requires the grand event held once a year, the public duel with His Majesty the Emperor invited as a reward. Moreover, I’ve also heard that in other instances, spectators of the event pay large sums to take you away. So, in this way, gladiators must appear dazzlingly impressive and beautiful.”

“…Well, it does give off the image of what gladiators in the Roman Empire would be like.”

Subaru thought the concept was somewhat akin to the gladiators of that era.

He may not know the details, but the nuance here was of people forced to fight with swords—essentially, their standing was similar to slaves.

He had heard that some famous gladiators rose up in rebellion alongside others, but—

“Still, I want to escape, not incite a rebellion. So more like an escape from prison, I guess.”

Hints would spark from movies or manga involving prison breaks.

That said, Subaru’s knowledge based on that sort of media was still quite vague, so what could apply wasn’t necessarily clear-cut, and he needed to find a solution in his own way.

“Regardless, to get out of the island, I need to deal with the drawbridge and the curse. Therefore, observing the drawbridge is absolutely essential—got it?”

“…Understood. But that still doesn’t explain why Lord Schwarz has just been taking his time until the drawbridge moves.”

“Don’t hold a grudge now…”

Tanzer’s narrowed eyes made Subaru scratch his head in frustration.

While they talked, the three of them reached a high point. Moving toward the center of the island, they arrived at a balcony where they could overlook half the lake.

More of an observation deck than a terrace, the area had a few early arrivals alongside Subaru and his companions. Indeed, other gladiators were also gathering there.

Amid the onlookers, a figure waved back when they looked over.

“Isn’t that Schwarz? What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Hiaine is here too. Just watching?”

“I’m certainly not just watching! …I heard the next sacrificial lamb was coming, so…”

Hiaine, a lizardman and a comrade of Subaru and the others, turned away, unable to continue speaking.

Having joined ‘The Bond,’ he often found himself together with them, but Hiaine didn’t really mesh well with Vaits in the first place.

This was due to a clash between his impulsive nature and Vaits, who exuded actual guts—Hiaine could recognize how the tendency to bark before thinking was why he often clashed with others.

While he understood this, he couldn’t seem to fix it.

Because of it, he had suffered quite a bit in the past. The very reason he ended up sent off to Gnunhaive as a gladiator was all due to his loose tongue.

He and his group had been used as decoys to allow their friends to escape from slave merchants. But the reason the slave merchant had focused on them was due to Hiaine’s slip-up.

Without having found proper work even as a day laborer, he was irked and ended up clashing with individuals who had obviously sent danger signals at the tavern, which came back to bite him.

For days on end, he had suffered from a series of harassing pursuits until the situation escalated to direct violence, forcing his companions to make a choice for their own sake.

“I get it—I totally understand.”

The cowardice mixed with eagerness led him to lash out, inciting issues, while still self-satisfied that his companions would never abandon him until the very end.

He hated leaning on them, so he had somewhat dramatically stated, “If it ever comes to that, then just leave me behind.”

Yet even as he said that, he, deep down, believed that they wouldn’t be able to find the courage to abandon him. They were just like him—cowards as well—he’d always found comfort in that.

“You’re the one who’s a wreck now, completely hopeless in this situation, right?”

But whining about having been left behind and used as a decoy was utterly ridiculous.

It was foolish to the extreme; Hiaine knew that himself.

Yet he felt the need to voice such thoughts to protect his own heart, wanting to believe that he wasn’t the problem; it was the others who were incorrect and had wronged him, leading to the ordeal he suffered.

By cursing his companions, whom he believed had been saved, he sought to justify himself.

“But why’d you end up captured too…?!”

He had gone and thrown himself into this dreadful situation, thinking he had made a sacrifice, yet his friends had faced the same prison. Stripped of the justification to curse them, Hiaine had become just another nasty individual.

He had turned into just another nasty individual who could only helplessly watch as his comrades faced death.

“I heard that the group being brought this time will form a bond. Unlike us, they won’t be thrown in right away…”

Hiaine lowered his head, gazing down at the gladiatorial arena while Idoora trembled with a voice almost quaking with fear.

He tried to hide his quaking voice but it was futile; Idoora’s conditioning was not terribly different from Hiaine’s in terms of being a coward.

Yet Idoora had a certain degree of bravado he could wear; Hiaine didn’t have that. His misery became more pronounced.

“—From here, the ‘Spalca’ will commence!!”

In an arena filled with gladiators, a booming voice echoed throughout—Governor Gustav.

During their own ‘Spalca,’ there hadn’t been room for leisure, but now there was a stage at one corner of the gladiatorial arena where Gustav could oversee the proceedings—more like a seat for the esteemed during a show.

From that elevated position, he cast a sweeping gaze over the audience, stretching out his four arms wide.

At that moment, the pathway directly under Gustav opened up, revealing another passage that led behind the gladiatorial arena where the gladiator beasts would slowly emerge.

Contrary to the abundant glories of the previous beasts Hiaine had encountered, this one bore the arms of a bird, its body enveloped in soft fur—an enormous rodent that was both large and terrifying.

Yet even if it looked different, its ferocity and danger remained unaltered, warning listeners through Hiaine’s instincts.

In essence, there was no reduction in the challenge of this ‘Spalca’ due to the presence of different gladiator beasts.

“Those are the participants this time…”

Whilst hearing the low growl of the beasts, Vaits remarked as the fences of the passageway in front opened, and out of it came the five lizardmen, those who would take part in ‘Spalca’ this round.

Each one displayed visible anxiety and fear, and all their faces were familiar to Hiaine.

His last hope that he hadn’t misjudged them dissipated.

Hiaine bowed his head and grasped the understanding that there was nowhere for him to run anymore.

By some cruel twist, the coward Hiaine managed to survive ‘Spalca.’

Yet now, dragged back to the same spot with his friends who would perish in an upcoming ‘Spalca,’ he pondered what curse this might be.

Had he indeed cursed them into this predicament?

If so, Hiaine could only marvel at the effectiveness of his curse. In a way, he wanted to curse and punish everyone else on this island—nay, everyone in this empire.

“This is absurd.”

“—Huh?”

If he were to start somewhere, then it would only make sense to begin with those slave merchants who had plotted against his friends alongside him.

As he spiraled into meaningless escapism, Hiaine was snapped back to reality by Idoora’s exclamation, his expression one of awe.

What had happened? Idoora stared wide-eyed in astonishment down at the gladiatorial arena. His awe wasn’t limited to just Idoora; Vaits beside him also appeared bewildered—no, it wasn’t just the two of them.

The spectators crammed into the audience shared the common feeling of astonishment as well.

The reason was clear, and as Hiaine looked down at the arena, his face mirrored the reactions around him.

Because there, beside the five lizardmen, was a sixth shadow—one that shouldn’t be present.

“W-w-what is Schwarz doing here?!”

With a trembling throat, Hiaine cried out the name of the boy, a presence who should not have been there—the black-haired boy he had just split from atop the high ground, who had just hurled an insipid remark at him.

With a twist of the drawbridge faced by those trembling lizardmen, he turned back toward Hiaine.

Then, amidst the life-and-death situation of ‘Spalca,’ he pointed right at Hiaine’s face in the audience and declared:

“What are you doing here—your strongest ally.”