Beatrice was at a loss over how to treat the girl called Lui.

They had collaborated to launch the Magical Crystal Cannon released from the Crystal Palace into a distant space.

Without Lui’s mysterious teleportation ability, they wouldn’t have reached that far. If that had been the case, the battlefield would have seen many casualties, including Zikuru.

However, one single act could not erase the stigma of being the Archbishop of Sin known as ‘Gluttony’ that weighed heavily on Lui.

Still――,

“Ah-ow!”

“Can I trust that you bear no hostility towards Betty and Subaru?”

Straddling the saddle awkwardly with a sway, a red wind horse carrying not just the rider but also three extra passengers charged ahead.

On the back of that galloping horse were Beatrice and Lui, seated on either side of Subaru. Unlike Beatrice, who was cradled in Subaru’s arms, Lui stood upright skillfully atop the horse, tapping Subaru on the shoulder while pointing intently in one direction.

From Beatrice’s perspective, even the situation in the Imperial Capital Rupugana was a chaos pit.

Beginning with the clash between the regular army and the Rebel Army, disorganized flying dragons competed for the skies, and as far as the eye could see, the white world and the red world distorted the normalcy, with giants and dragons rampaging about, eventually leading the dead to rise and destroy the city from within.

It was a rare case where the usually exclusive Beatrice had directly involved herself, reminiscent of the nonsensical world of the chaotic period four centuries prior――.

“—‘Witch'”

Recalling the old days, Beatrice naturally spoke that word.

In that era, symbolized unmistakably by the term ‘Witch’.

In addition to Echidna, who was both Beatrice’s creator and someone she admired as a mother, many others bearing the weight of Sin were dubbed ‘Witches’ in that time, a period when everyone struggled to survive, a dark age resembling a child’s nightmare brought to life.

Now, the Imperial Capital bore a striking resemblance to that resurgence. What in the world had triggered it? She felt her heart race with anxiety.

Amidst her mounting impatience, a voice resounded just behind her――,

“—Wait, Rem!”

She could hear Subaru’s voice, breathless and eager, right behind her.

With a growl, Lui pointed in the direction Subaru was rushing towards, fully expecting there to be someone he was searching for there.

As Beatrice and Subaru became separated, she began to wonder about the kind of time Subaru had spent with Lui, and the thought made her heart uneasy, yet she understood his trust in her.

Beatrice had no doubt that Rem was in the direction Lui was pointing.

Thinking back, Lui had spent a massive amount of mana to eliminate the Magical Crystal Cannon, rushing straight to Subaru to save the fading Beatrice. She possessed the power to pinpoint the location of those being sought.

Whether that could be anyone or just familiar faces remained unclear.

“Big mansion!”

“What do we do, Schwarz?! The walls are high! Let’s circle around to the front…!”

“No, that’s a waste of time! Tanzer!”

As they crossed several streets towards their destination, the exchange continued.

What had been obscured by the many buildings now revealed a large estate occupying a prime location in the northern part of the Imperial Capital, indicating it belonged to a person of considerable standing.

Naturally, the surrounding walls were high to ensure proper security.

However――,

“I don’t want to be misunderstood.”

A deer girl with an utterly impassive expression and a voice equally devoid of emotion kicked the ground slightly, smudging a hint of discontent on her side profile.

Determined, Tanzer charged straight towards the wall in front of them.

“I am not a tool for you, Schwarz, to break the wall.”

Immediately after her declaration, Tanzer’s thick-soled shoes impacted the estate’s wall, undoubtedly engraved with the protection of the earth attribute, enhancing the fortress’s defensive prowess—only to collapse, penetrate, and crumble.

A thunderous explosion combined with a violent gust of wind, and the small shadow of the girl flew over the wall. The red wind horse, carrying Beatrice and the others, galloped straight into the estate.

And――,

“Whoa!”

“—Subaru, it’s over there!”

Inside the vast estate, multiple buildings such as the main house and annex lined up, causing Subaru to momentarily lose sight of where to head. Yet, like Subaru scanning the surroundings, Beatrice’s round eyes widened as she spotted a gathering of people.

At the same time, Lui also raised her voice, looking in the same direction as Beatrice, reinforcing her certainty.

At the end of their gazes, several figures appeared before the entrance of what should be called an annex.

Before a firmly closed door stood a silhouette clad in tattered imperial soldier armor, facing off against two figures, one of whom Beatrice did not recognize but the other was familiar to her.

“—El!”

“Meenya!!”

A dull sword was raised, targeting the girl and her companion.

As Beatrice and Subaru raised their opposite hands in unison, chanting magic at that moment, the purplish-blue arrow that formed captured the pale-faced men’s backs and transformed them into crystal.

“Ah…”

A groan escaped, but it didn’t allow the men any further action.

With a high-pitched sound reminiscent of cracking ice, they shattered, and just in the nick of time, the wind horse reached the stunned girl, drawing her hands and allowing Beatrice to land on the ground alongside Subaru.

There――,

“—Sorry to keep you waiting, Rem! The star of the show has arrived!”

With one eye closed and his teeth shining, Subaru declared with great flair.

Despite looking youthful, his unwavering bravery to rush in and save someone filled Beatrice with pride as she too gazed upon the subject of their attention.

As Beatrice and Subaru’s eyes fell on the girl who had been saved, her eyes widened in astonishment.

Without a moment’s hesitation, trembling with emotion and excitement――,

“—Who are you?”

Came the rather baffled voice that felt out of place.

“Hey, it’s me! I’m back! I might’ve shrunk a bit, but it’s definitely me! You know?”

“… I appreciate being rescued, but I don’t recall.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous!”

Subaru whirled his short arms in despair upon receiving Rem’s unexpected cold response.

He was under the impression that after experiencing a life-threatening situation, they would share an overwhelmingly emotional reunion. Thus, this response was disappointing.

Of course, Subaru had been shrinking unbeknownst to Rem, so it was unreasonable to expect her to rejoice unconditionally at his transformation.

“From that perspective, it’s rather impressive that Beatrice accepted me so quickly despite my current state, especially when Lui knew me.”

“It’s not that I don’t have feelings about it. Just that it doesn’t change the fact that you’re still Betty’s partner. More importantly—”

“More importantly?”

Set down from his embrace, Beatrice compared Subaru and Rem. Squinting her eyes, she followed up.

“Your attitude is completely different from what Betty heard about you. That girl… Rem was supposed to be kind to Subaru. Is that a lie?”

“That’s not a lie! It’s just that right now, a lot is being forgotten!”

“Forgotten…”

The saltiness of Rem’s response led Beatrice to harbor unnecessary doubts about Subaru.

It conjured suspicions that he had misrepresented Rem, whom they all knew to be in a ‘Sleeping Princess’ state, painting her character falsely.

It was a colossal misunderstanding, a sacrilege that began with the reality of Subaru’s devastating sadness.

As Beatrice turned silently towards Rem, she asked,

“Do you not remember Betty at all?”

“… No, I believe this is our first meeting.”

“—I see. That makes sense.”

“While you seem satisfied, what about you all? I appreciate the help, but…”

Rem’s response indicated to Beatrice that Subaru was not simply improvising, though Rem’s confusion remained unresolved.

Even as Beatrice and Subaru seemed in agreement, Rem’s questions continued to pile up.

She was starting to ease her internal discomfort, yet it was evident from Rem’s behavior that the larger Subaru and smaller Subaru were quite distinct from each other.

“That said, I am me! Rem, let’s talk about this…”

“Wait! Who was I wondering about… Oh! It’s the master! You’re here, dear husband! You got here just in time!”

“Ah, hold on! Flopp?! What?!”

Just as Subaru attempted to clarify Rem’s misunderstanding, a familiar golden-haired youth popped up from behind, catching him completely off guard.

He never expected Flopp to be here alongside Rem, coming to rescue her.

“What are you doing here? Were you taken along with Rem?”

“Oh dear, how blind can you be to come rushing in to save your wife without knowing anything, huh? But that’s mostly correct. To put it plainly, it’s because I got mortally wounded that your wife accompanied me in treatment!”

“Mortally wounded?! Whoa, you really did get hurt!”

Flopp remained cheerfully lively, but beneath that silly demeanor, the skin visible through his clothing was wrapped in bandages, and he appeared rather pale.

From the experience on Gladiator Island, he looked like he was barely able to stand.

Saying he received a mortal wound was not overly exaggerated.

“But you went and took Rem with you… Man, you sure have guts.”

“Hold on. You’re all speaking way too casually! Flopp, what are you calling this boy?”

“Oh! Perhaps it’s easier for a third party to notice these things? Just as you surmised, dear husband! Although you do look a bit younger now!”

“—”

As Flopp spoke, Rem studied Subaru anew as doubt swirled in her pale blue eyes.

Adjusting the angle to ensure Subaru’s face was well-lit, he flashed a grin. The look of inquiry shifted first to incredulity before turning into surprise.

“I thought you were just a strange person, but to think you could not only cross-dress but become a child as well?”

“That’s not right! This size is purely unintentional! Right, Beatrice?”

“Subaru thought he could dress like a girl without those two knowing…?”

“At least for now, don’t pick on me about that!”

Receiving suspicious gazes from both Rem and Beatrice, Subaru felt overwhelmed. Amidst their exchange, Flopp was pointing to his own face, grinning away.

“Not only was dear husband dressed as a woman, but so were I and the village chief! Honestly, we looked pretty good, and that transformation was quite cute.”

“I was in an age where I focused solely on charm. To the point! It’s good we’re finally able to regroup!”

Subaru let out a sigh of relief and smiled at both Rem and Flopp. Flopp nodded approvingly at the smile, whereas Rem remained pensive for a moment.

“…Did you come looking for me?”

“Of course! I didn’t realize you’d been taken until halfway through, but the moment I found out, my personal feelings erupted. I was sure you were somewhere…”

“Ugh!”

As he answered Rem’s inquiry, just then, the reason for his confidence jumped into the conversation.

Lui interjected, diving between Subaru and Rem and tackling her with golden hair streaming as she tackled her. “Wow, you’re okay! I was worried about you following that person!”

“Ah-ow!”

“Since you were running off on your own, I was really concerned you weren’t being treated coldly or anything.”

“Ah-ow!”

“As if I would treat you that coldly! I guess I might have been a little too tense about things. I’m reflecting on it now.”

As Rem ruffled Lui’s hair while expressing this, Subaru pouted a bit.

Truthfully, if the last time Subaru and Lui had seen each other was during their trip to Chaos Frame, their relationship back then was anything but pleasant.

It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say Subaru might have taken the opportunity to abandon her out in the fields. Thus, it was understandable Rem would be worried.

That said――,

“For now, I’m not planning to do anything with Lui. We’ve made up.”

“…Is that true? Lui-chan?”

“Uh!”

Lui nodded widely with a beaming smile, finally easing Rem’s worries.

The situation that could be considered their biggest crisis since shrinking had eased smoothly, allowing Subaru to feel relieved. Yet, holding Subaru’s hand,

“Even if I accepted it, it still feels like a bizarre scene. Seeing that girl getting along so well with Rem… it feels strange.”

As Beatrice muttered, Subaru couldn’t help but let out an internal chuckle.

When they were first transported to the Volakia Empire, the newly awakened Rem had viewed him as a foe while Lui, who had no idea of her intentions, had been right there with them.

By some twist of fate, the one responsible for putting Rem into a ‘Sleeping Princess’ state, serving as the Archbishop of Sin known as ‘Gluttony’, was spending time together in a friendly manner in the same place.

“—The answer there still isn’t clear.”

Rem’s memory hadn’t returned yet. The details of Lui remained unknown.

However, here they were, able to reunite with Rem and finding Lui displaying friendly behavior nearby. That meant they might successfully discover a way to resolve their predicament.

Thus――,

“—Schwarz, I think we don’t have time to bask in this joy.”

Just as those reunion vibes were established, a small girl wearing a kimono intervened at the right moment.

“Right!” Subaru turned around, and in his line of sight, he also spotted Idra, who was watching the surroundings vigilantly from the saddle.

“I found the person I was looking for. By the way, there’s nobody else who’s been taken, right?”

“From what I heard from Betty, there shouldn’t be anyone.”

“I haven’t seen anyone either. What about you, Flopp?”

“I can’t think of anyone I know who was taken elsewhere either, unless Medium got abducted! What about you, dear husband?”

“Last I saw her, she hadn’t been taken… although she did shrink.”

“Eh? What was that? Did you say something?”

Concerned for his sister’s safety, Subaru omitted the fact that Medium had shrunk.

Aside from her appearance, she was perfectly healthy, so she must have safely left Chaos Frame and reunited with the Gwararu group.

Now was not the time to dive into the details; they had no time to waste arguing about this matter.

“Speaking of which, I want to escape with as many people as possible, including Rem and Flopp. What about the folks in this estate?”

“There is a woman named Kachua whom I met here. And, in this annex…”

“This one?”

As Rem nodded, her gaze shifted towards the firmly closed door nearby.

They hadn’t taken the time to check properly due to the need to eliminate an enemy, but as it turned out, Rem and the others seemed to have been planning to open this building.

“It seems they’re housing the ‘Black-haired Crown Prince’ gathered from various places.”

“The ‘Black-haired Crown Prince’… fakes of Schwarz.”

Flopp responded to Subaru’s inner questions, bringing forth a sour expression from Idra.

The recognition of Schwarz’s impostors mentioned by him aligned largely with what everyone in the Pleiades Battalion shared, which was one of the many lies related to them.

The ‘Black-haired Crown Prince’ spoken of in the Empire was the hidden child of Emperor Vincent Volakia, and all the claims about such individuals were mere fakes.

The real ‘Black-haired Crown Prince’ was none other than Natsuki Schwarz.

“They’ve been parading about, used as a justification for their rebellion. Frankly, I’m not fond of such reckless methods.”

“Betty feels likewise toward that bearded man. I dislike him and the one behind it too.”

“Bearded man…?”

In the annex, Idra displayed clear distaste toward the seemingly imprisoned fake princes, while Beatrice nodded in agreement.

Brutal honesty; the truth of what Idra said pierced Subaru deeply. Beatrice’s added remark seemed to validate Subaru’s suspicions regarding the mastermind behind it all.

Honestly, distinguishing whether the fake princes were good or evil was a gray area――.

“Schwarz, what are you going to do?”

“Umm… I don’t see how we have a choice? Leaving them here will inevitably lead to their demise at the hands of the zombies, so there’s no choice but to rescue them.”

“—”

Tanza, who had lowered her voice to question Subaru’s judgment, received that response.

Her wide eyes reflected astonishment because the notion of the ‘Black-haired Crown Prince’, or the emperor’s successor whom Subaru claimed to be, had been clear to her since Gladiator Island.

The fact the members of the Pleiades Battalion trusted Subaru and comfortably joined the battle in the Imperial Capital stemmed largely from their belief in him being the ‘Black-haired Crown Prince’.

If they let the captured fake princes go, the likelihood of that lie being revealed would increase.

“Still, that’s that, and this is this.”

While acknowledging Tanza’s concerns, Subaru would not sacrifice lives to protect a lie.

Of course, he couldn’t help but hope for a favorable response from the fake princes, that they would perhaps thank them humbly once freed.

“Just like Betty’s Subaru, right?”

Beatrice squeezed Subaru’s hand tightly, proudly glancing at Tanza. For an instant, a tense atmosphere hung between the two once more, but Subaru decided to gloss over it.

Turning toward the annex door, he asked,

“Do you have the key to the entrance, Rem?”

“No, I didn’t know where it was, so I thought about forcing it open.”

“Relying on your wife’s strength, huh? As you know, mine is quite pitiful.”

With Lui still clinging to him, Rem showed Flopp a weak bicep. Subaru scratched his cheek, turning toward Tanza momentarily.

“Can I rely on your master key functionality once again?”

“I don’t know what a ‘master key’ is, but I understand what you mean. I will remind you again, Schwarz, I am not a tool to break walls.”

“Sorry about that.”

Subaru bowed his head sincerely, and Tanza sighed deeply.

However, instead of merely sighing, the sympathetic Tanza moved Subaru and Rem aside, gripped the lock hanging heavily on the door with both hands.

With a steady pull, her slender arms exerted force, and the lock twisted apart.

A quite shocking sight, but both Subaru and Idra were used to it.

Gawking at Tanza’s incredible strength, both Rem and Flopp were taken aback while Subaru took a slow breath and finally opened the annex door.

Then――,

“I know we all have our various circumstances, but for now, let’s set aside any resentment and work together to escape from here!”

He said cautiously, making sure not to raise any alarms while addressing the captured fake princes crammed inside the narrow cells lined up in the annex.

“——–”

Subaru’s call was met with the faces of about fourteen or fifteen boys turning towards him.

Given the title of ‘Black-haired Crown Prince,’ it was only natural that they mirrored all the characteristics of the current age of Emperor Vincent Abel.

That said, seeing children sequestered, isolated from sight, and imprisoned made his stomach churn.

“However, the space between the cells is broad, and the cleaning service appears to be well-maintained, so it doesn’t seem like a terrible environment.”

Peeking in from the side, Tanza added her perspective on Subaru’s observation.

Just as she indicated, it was indeed a clean space, with the fake princes having received proper meals, showing none appeared severely weakened.

“It seems they prepared for the chance of an actual prince residing among them.”

“That too could suggest they lack the desire to torment children.”

“…Considering the temperament of the house owner, either could fit.”

As Tanza’s impressions were passed on to Beatrice and then to Rem, Subaru reflected on the estate’s presumed owner—likely a significant figure in the Imperial Capital.

Given the circumstances, it seemed capturing this many candidates for the ‘Black-haired Crown Prince’ was a sign of rebellion against the feigned emperor who understood there were no impostors.

“Certainly, the owner knows his son’s counterfeit status; however, could the fake emperor not be aware? If Abel had a wayward propensity for women…”

“Though it’s weird coming from me, I can’t quite imagine Abel behaving like that.”

“I think the same. Isn’t he under the impression that his female form is the most beautiful?”

Recalling when Subaru introduced himself as Natsumi Schwarz, Abel as Bianca, and Flopp as Flora, he reminisced fondly.

That said――,

“Let’s open the cells now. What’s going on outside has gotten rather lively, and with all this noise and shaking, you’ve noticed, right? Let’s bury grudges and escape together!”

“…How do you plan on escaping when the cells are locked?”

One of the fake princes of differing races and skin tones responded to Subaru’s call, taking his thoughts a notch higher.

They all shared the same black hair and eyes, traits not very common in this world, allowing Subaru to foster an unexpected sense of kinship.

“Don’t worry about the key. It’s right here.”

“Truly, it is.”

Subaru pointed with his thumb toward Tanza, who bowed, showcasing the smashed lock she had just twisted apart toward the fake princes.

All of them became astonished, and any doubts they harbored were wiped away, replaced by varying degrees of apprehension aimed at Tanza.

“It seems no interference will come. Tanza will let us out here, so… Rem!”

“Y-yes?”

“Where’s your friend who you mentioned from earlier?”

“—If it’s Kachua, she is…”

As Rem turned to face the exit, having been stroking Luí’s head moments before, her expression became serious.

From her reaction, Kachua must have been in the main house.

Subaru and company had successfully defeated three zombies in front of the annex, but there were surely others that had infiltrated. They needed to rescue Kachua before she was discovered by those fiends.

“What’s Kachua like?”

“She has brown, curly hair and deep-set eyes. And…”

“And…?”

“Lady Kachua has trouble walking. So while you and I head towards this building, she probably took cover in the other structure.”

“Trouble walking…?”

Hearing Flopp describe her in place of Rem, Subaru stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Fortunately, they had the red wind horse they arrived on, making it suitable to carry someone with mobility issues like Kachua. Since they would bring the fake princes with them, their overall movement load would not significantly drop.

“A bit concerning that Tanza is the only solid combatant…”

“Given what Betty and Subaru can do right now, I doubt that deer girl will be outpaced.”

“I might not stand up to Vaits or Gustav, but I intend to hold my own.”

As Flopp and Beatrice assured Subaru, he felt a bit more secure.

Of course, Tanza was supposed to retain the reins of the red wind horse, so they couldn’t fully rely on her; nevertheless, Subaru was adept at leveraging their available cards to set the situation.

“There should be at least a few people in this fake prince cluster capable of riding a horse…”

“Um, I’m worried about Kachua, so if possible…”

“—Ah, sorry, that makes sense.”

Just as Subaru began to gather his thoughts, an anxious-faced Rem interjected with urgency.

Not wanting to delay in alleviating her concerns, Subaru nodded back. For now, with both Subaru and Beatrice present, they would have means to confront any zombies.

“Just to be safe, Tanza, please come with us. Moreover, if Rem or Flopp could join to reassure that Kachua—”

As he was about to conclude his statement without causing unnecessary chaos, it happened.

“—You needn’t worry about that. I managed to rescue Kachua without injury.”

“——”

Just then, a voice cut through from outside the annex, abruptly interrupting Subaru’s words. No, it wasn’t that it was merely interrupted; it was the chilling impact of that voice on Subaru’s heart.

“—Subaru?”

A firm grip made Beatrice notice the unexpected shift in atmosphere as she gripped Subaru’s hand tightly.

Yet, Subaru could not respond to Beatrice’s words, promptly moving to the entrance of the annex. Before Rem and Flopp could turn around, he stepped out.

To confirm the identity of the speaker— and to ensure Rem did not wander near.

Standing there was none other than the voice’s owner——,

“Isn’t it strange how fate works? But considering the current situation…”

“——”

“Though we all have our reasons for being here… let’s put any troublesome resentments on the back burner for now, shall we? Let’s cooperate in making our escape from here.”

Reiterating just what Subaru had said moments ago, the man shrugged his shoulders.

It was none other than Todd Fang, the most troublesome opponent born amidst the Empire.