Natsuki Subaru thought to himself that they truly had a strange relationship.

Rather than strange, it was more accurate to say it was a malicious twist of fate that had led Subaru and the others here.

He hated everything about the Volakia Empire, including its ideals and ways.

He wanted to cry over the ‘memory’-less Rem.

He despised the Archbishop of Sin, Lui Arnebe, for being entirely to blame.

Set up to curse, Subaru lamented and raged, colliding again and again, living through these days as if he were dying.

Yet, there were those who had touched and helped him in the Volakia Empire.

The kindness and depth of consideration made him want to weep, reminding him of Rem, who had no ‘memory.’

Lui Arnebe, the Archbishop of Gluttony, had put her life on the line for him time and again.

Chewing through the curse laid upon him, refusing to walk the path paved for him, while gently wounding one another, Subaru survived these days as if he were dying.

Should he curse, lament, and hate? Or should he refrain from cursing, lamenting, and learn to forgive?

The time had come to settle that ambiguous relationship once and for all.

“—“

With Subaru’s declaration as he entered the guest room, a taut atmosphere enveloped the room.

Inside were Rem and Lui, accompanied by Ram and Tanzer, making a total of four. The former were the parties involved, while the latter were witnesses; Subaru wished to speak with them.

Emilia, Beatrice, and the others were waiting for a resolution.

Natsuki Subaru’s answer, no matter its form.

“…Has your important talk with Abel concluded?”

As Subaru pondered how to begin, it was Rem who spoke first.

She sat beside Lui, holding her hand, whether she was doing it consciously or not felt like a sort of caution.

Upon hearing that question, Subaru shook his head.

“Right now, I’m in a pause. Until this matter is settled, I can’t proceed with that talk. …Lui is related to the conversation with Abel.”

“A-ah?”

“Why is Lui involved?”

“Because of a prophecy from that ‘Star Reader’ that stated Lui’s existence is essential to win this battle.”

“—”

Rem’s expression twisted with bitterness as Subaru conveyed the premise without holding back. Still holding Lui’s hand, she glared at Subaru with her pale blue eyes, asking,

“You want to make Lui fight? She’s so small and seems to understand nothing—how could you propose such a cruel thing?”

“Whether it’s necessary for her to fight is a question for later. However, I need to clarify something first. …The notion that Lui is a child who doesn’t understand anything is incorrect.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Even if communicating with words is difficult, Lui understands her situation. She can choose whom to ally with and whom not to. Yet, here she is.”

“But that—”

Subaru’s calm words beget a moment of silence, causing Rem to look down and hesitate.

Rem recognized Subaru’s rebuttal as the truth. If it weren’t, Lui wouldn’t be here in the first place.

After being transported to the Volakia Empire, in a confusing situation, she instinctively clung to Subaru and Rem, seeking protection—no, it wasn’t that simple; they had crossed hellish paths together.

If her clinging wasn’t born from affection but a defensive instinct seeking a protector to survive, then being with Subaru and Rem would be a detriment for Lui.

If merely surviving was the goal, it would have been easier for Lui to be apart from them.

“On that point, Ram agrees with Balus. Though I only heard bits and pieces from Rem, the fact that she’s here, away from both Rem and Balus, is a choice she made on her own.”

“Sister…”

“Don’t misunderstand, Rem. While Ram is fully on your side and intends to destroy Balus with you later, I won’t twist the truth.”

“I caught a part of your ominous declaration; thank you.”

As Ram interjected, Subaru expressed mixed gratitude and bitterness.

He could sense that was a kind of warning from Ram, suggesting she would impartially engage with the situation without being emotionally biased towards Rem.

“Sister, you’re too kind…?”

Whether Ram caught the faint murmur in Subaru’s mouth or not, she merely snorted before positioning her cup of tea to her mouth, crossing her slender legs.

Beside her, Tanzer, who had seemed a bit lost, looked at Subaru with her dark eyes.

“Like Ram, I also won’t favor Schwarz. I’m uncertain of the circumstances, so if you thought I was on your side, don’t misinterpret.”

“Got it. Tanzer is strict with me. I’m not asking for your favor.”

“—”

“Hey? Are you a bit sulky now? Why?”

Tanzer’s demeanor, having declared neutrality like Ram, turned slightly sulky.

Despite having limited expressions, this irritated face was relatively common for Tanzer, often emerging when Cecilis acted overly reckless, or Hiaine spoke a bit too much.

Also, she frequently directed it at Subaru.

Anyway, thanks to the declarations of Ram and Tanzer, the mind-set was cleared.

Subaru turned his focus back to the main subjects, Rem and Lui.

And then—

“Lui, I’m going to have an important talk now. It’s about you, and I’ll speak without holding back. Will you listen without running away?”

“…A-uh!”

“I see. You’re a good girl. Thank you.”

After a moment of hesitation, Lui nodded enthusiastically.

That reaction was proof that she properly understood Subaru and the surrounding conversation. As Rem peered closely at Lui’s profile, it was clear she hoped for the emotional response she desired. Had Lui shown even a hint of reluctance, she would have abruptly halted the conversation.

Yet, Lui didn’t present a reason for Rem to stop talking.

“I believe both Rem and Lui get it. I’ve been on guard against you from the very beginning, harboring animosity… and hating you all this time.”

“—”

“The reason Rem initially suspected me so fiercely is directly linked to that. I even found myself breaking fingers trying to keep you two apart.”

“About that time…I overreacted too.”

“It’s fine. Looking back now, those memories have turned into good ones between me and Rem.”

“Huh?”

As Subaru replied while bending his fingers in demonstration, Rem gave him a bewildered look. Not just Rem, even Ram and Tanzer shot him the same expression, so even though he recounted a tale about broken fingers, he switched the topic before his heart could break.

“I was deeply wary of you, as you can tell. Meanwhile, Rem was highly suspicious of me. I’m not sure how you felt, but you definitely felt the tense atmosphere, right?”

“U-uh?”

“Even after parting ways, when I reunited with everyone in Shudrak, and when we escaped from Gwararu for the first time, it was always like that.”

Therefore, the gap between Subaru and Rem widened drastically.

Fueled by the thought that Lui’s existence had led to a deterioration of his relationship with Rem, he undoubtedly harbored contempt towards her.

That animosity towards Lui changed as they separated from Rem, headed toward the Magic City Chaos Frame, and events arose there.

Spending time with Lui without going through Rem, and seeing her desperately trying to protect Subaru while slowly winning him over, he eventually had no choice but to acknowledge her.

Thus, after being separated in the Magic City, he genuinely felt glad when he encountered Beatrice again in the Imperial Capital—Lui was there, and he held no negative feelings from earlier.

“If I could just stay ignorant and not deeply ponder over it, it would have been easier. But that’s impossible. It’s like an injury. Some wounds heal just by leaving them alone, while others worsen. This is a wound that mustn’t be left unattended.”

To heal that wound, treatment is necessary.

And treatment doesn’t rely solely on magic or medicine; sometimes, bold methods are required.

This too is a type of wound that requires action.

Therefore—

“I’ve never said this before. Why I despised you, Lui, and what I felt for you.”

“Uah…”

Gazing into those blue eyes, Subaru poured out his heart.

Responding to Subaru’s earnest stare and voice, Lui didn’t avert her gaze. The girl was prepared to accept whatever would be said.

Instead—

“…Please stop.”

It was Rem who spoke with a quivering voice, biting her lip.

In a pleading tone, she said so while still holding onto Lui’s hand—no, it was different. It wasn’t Lui holding her hand; it was the other way around.

It was Rem, who, in truth, was gripping Lui’s hand.

“I don’t want to hear your reason for hating Lui. I don’t care about it. You’re just being unfeeling, and that would be fine.”

Desperately shaking her head, Rem rejected Subaru’s words.

She felt the need to avoid gripping her hand tightly on top of Liu’s, choosing instead to tense the other hand until her bones creaked. Rem aimed to reject what would follow.

Subaru wanted to honor Rem’s feelings. He wanted to fulfill all of Rem’s wishes.

“I’m sorry. I can’t let you close your ears to this.”

But that was impossible.

He couldn’t fulfill Rem’s desire or respect her wish.

Rem had only the option to burst out of the room, choosing not to listen. If she truly attempted to do so, Subaru had no right to stop her.

However, Rem also understood.

To turn her ears away from Subaru’s words at this moment meant turning her back on her missing ‘memory’—

“—”

It meant betraying Ram, who silently watched over her.

“Still, I don’t want to hear it…!”

Clenching her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth, Rem chose not to run away from here.

However, Subaru’s words resonated forcefully against her.

As Subaru faced that rejection, he couldn’t look away from Lui.

“Uah…”

Lui’s lips moved, and so, she voiced something that sounded like a halting sound.

She was calling out Subaru’s name; he could tell.

“Lui, the reason I hated you…”

“Stop…!”

“—Is because you’re the one who stole Rem’s ‘memory’! The Archbishop of Gluttony!”

—He knew, and thus Subaru had to respond.

△▼△▼△▼△

He boldly voiced the words he’d held back until now.

At that moment, there was no sense of relief or any triumph from revealing a secret or accusing a hated foe.

Instead, there was a deeper heaviness and bitterness mixed with conflicted emotions as he laid bare what he held in his chest.

And it accelerated with what followed.

“Waaahhh—!!”

With a high-pitched scream, Rem’s face scrunched up as her hand reached for Subaru.

Her hand grabbed Subaru’s chest, forcefully pushing him down with immense strength, leaving him unable to resist as she climbed onto him.

Perhaps even if her body hadn’t shrunk, it wouldn’t have been any different, but with her small form now, it was even more exaggerated.

Should Rem seriously put her strength into both her arms, it would easily silence Subaru’s mouth.

Regardless, Rem didn’t act until the decisive words exited her lips.

Even now, at this moment when she had successfully pinned Subaru down.

“Why… Why is this happening…?”

With all her strength, she stared at Subaru’s face, her own distorted with rage yet refusing to use force.

Intensifying her emotions, Rem still managed to remain rational at the last moment.

“—”

Feeling Rem’s heated breath on his face, Subaru stretched out his hand to keep the bystanders at bay.

In that instant, when Subaru had been knocked over, Tanzer instinctively sought to intervene to protect him. He caught a glimpse of Ram halting Tanzer’s motions from the corner of his eye.

Subaru conveyed to both of them that it was okay and continued to gaze into Rem’s eyes.

From those pale blue orbs, tears dripped down onto Subaru’s cheek.

Not born out of anger or sadness, but rather a profound sense of helplessness dwelled in her eyes. That very realization pleased the heart of Rem, strategically holding on to her last thread of reason.

It was—

“You didn’t have to tell me; I already knew… Rem. I knew that Lui-chan has something to do with my forgotten ‘memory’…!”

“Rem…”

“Because, isn’t there no alternative? The reason you have treated Lui-chan so dismissively, trying to distance her from me time and again, is that being near her would put me in danger—that’s the only possible reason…!”

In that moment, every breath and word quivered together with her eyes that glistened with resentment.

Hearing this, Subaru found it only natural to close his eyes.

No one other than Rem was the victim of the lost ‘memory.’

Rem herself, who didn’t seem to care too much about her ‘memory’ compared to Subaru and the others, was undoubtedly concerned about it.

More than anyone, she yearned for her ‘memory’s’ location, suffering through it all.

“You’ll understand… Do you think I’m foolish? I may be a fool. A fool who knows nothing—foolish woman, I don’t know anything about you either! I don’t even want to! Yet I push into your world… I hate you!”

“—”

“You can’t even begin to compare to Lui-chan. Lui-chan has always been by my side, caring about me… and that very Lui-chan is my…”

Flooding tears not only hit Subaru’s cheek but traveled down Rem’s cheeks and chin, decorating her body and soul with sorrow.

Understanding all of that, she wished to hope for the things still unknown.

“This is all a mistake… all of it is your lie…”

“—Rem.”

“—Aah.”

With the quiver in her voice, Rem’s eyes shimmered with tears, and a large tear droplet fell, temporarily clearing her blurred vision to reveal Subaru’s face.

As Subaru lay pinned down, he gently cupped Rem’s face in his hands, compelling her to focus on him.

Their dark irises and blue eyes intertwined, and Subaru spoke to her tear-streaked, lovely face.

“It’s not a lie. Everything Rem has thought is true, and Lui was our enemy.”

“—Huh? What enemy? Because of my… my ‘memory’?”

“Then… if that’s so!”

Shaking her head vigorously, Rem pushed Subaru’s hands away and sat up. She turned to face Lui, who remained in her original spot.

“Then I… I will forgive Lui-chan! I will forgive her, so it’s okay, right? Isn’t that how everything can be resolved…?”

“No, it won’t do. Nothing has been resolved.”

“Why not!!”

“—Because I’ll never forgive you, the one who caused Rem suffering!”

Subaru declared emphatically, his voice cracking as he concluded.

Hearing Subaru’s statement, Rem’s eyes widened, and a raspy breath escaped her lips. Suddenly, her strength ebbed, and slowly, Subaru began to rise.

He was still nearly pinned down by Rem as both locked gazes at close proximity.

“It’s not just me. Ram, and everyone else—everyone who values Rem cannot forgive Lui. No matter how much you say you forgive her.”

“Wha—?”

“And, you know, Rem… what Lui has done isn’t solely about you. Many, many others are suffering because of the ‘Gluttony’ sin that Lui has committed.”

Even if Rem genuinely forgave Lui, even with heartfelt compassion exhibited, many more ‘Rems’ within this world would be unable to forgive her.

Until those people are saved, Rem’s desperate plea would yield no fruit.

“…Others too, many?”

“Yeah. Countless people are suffering.”

“Then… then there’s nothing we can do about it?”

“—”

“From the beginning, it’s a problem we can’t address. So is that what you call a resolution?”

Trembling her lips, large tears streamed down Rem’s eyes again.

Perhaps more than the pain of her ‘memory,’ Rem wept for Lui.

Overlooking her own ‘memory’ to save Lui, she wished fervently for her salvation, stirring her emotions to make her lips tremble. Tears poured forth.

Subaru felt the cutting pain within that tearful voice.

“I’m sorry; I’ve been joking around.”

“…Please don’t apologize.”

“But I’m sorry. I could only speak of things that have been unbearably painful and distressing for Rem.”

“So please, don’t apologize…! I don’t want to hear it…!”

“I’m sorry; please hear me out.”

“Thus…!”

“I don’t want to give up. —I don’t want to live in a world where I can’t forgive Lui.”

“—Eh?”

A soft gasp escaped Rem’s throat, her eyes widening.

Facing Rem, Subaru took a deep breath, licking his lips, ensuring that his every word was clear and precise, intending to reach those he needed to.

“I want to forgive like you do, Rem. I don’t want to live without forgiving Lui. But I can’t do it. Because I genuinely care about you.”

“—”

“Thus, I can’t forgive Lui, who has done terrible things to you, who stole your ‘memory,’ and who continues to afflict you like this.”

Reaching out gently, Subaru wiped the tears cascading down Rem’s face with his fingers.

The droplets he wiped away were just one of many that were already soaking Rem’s face. Still, Rem didn’t push away his fingers.

Because she hadn’t refused him, Subaru continued to speak.

“They’ve told me countless times. ‘Don’t say foolish things; don’t think about things;’ I’ve been scolded severely. Probably, Otto believes that even now, it would be neater if Lui were dead.”

Yet, perhaps that’s a natural line of thought.

It may not be termed self-cleansing, but deep down, everyone understands it has to be so. Subaru, through his head, recognized it, which is why he fiercely opposed it.

But—

“Julius said it. That guy is incredible. He might as well be foolish. Even though he’s a victim too, he wouldn’t normally say something like that. It’s foolish.”

“—”

“I’ve been told by the wise and the foolish alike, by all sorts of cool people and kind girls. After thinking it over a lot, I’ve made my decision. Where my resolution lies.”

“Resolution…?”

“I want to trust Lui. I want to forgive her. …But I can’t forgive her right now.”

As he voiced his thoughts and noticed the tremor in Rem’s eyes, Subaru recalled the words of a certain man.

“There’s no way to be acquainted with someone who arbitrarily decides life and death based on their preferences.”

Those words had struck Natsuki Subaru’s soul.

If a person could decide whether to forgive or not based on whims, they would hardly be trustworthy.

Those words would surely ring true. The least trustworthy aspect was none other than Subaru’s own heart.

However, that heart, which had nowhere to run, needed to forge a compromise with itself as it continued.

A heart that was easy to influence, a fragile soul that would flip-flop at a moment’s notice.

“—Ah.”

Subaru, surprised by his own words, pulled Rem close and embraced her tightly.

Given their height difference, Subaru maneuvered himself out from under her, pulling Rem’s head gently against his belly.

He wanted to convey that he genuinely cherished Rem from the bottom of his heart.

Following that—

“—Uah.”

Upon hearing that voice, Subaru turned to Lui.

With Rem’s hands released, Lui stood frozen, her turn to engage previously arrived.

“U-uh…”

Appearing unsure and isolated, Lui looked slightly nervous as Rem, startled by the affection, scrambled to her feet.

Then Rem hugged Lui from the front, saying, “I-I’m sorry, Lui-chan… We acted on our own…”

“Auh, uah, ah-uh!”

“I’m sorry…!”

Weakly apologizing and wiping her face with her sleeve, Rem returned to standing beside Lui.

She tightened her grip around Lui’s hand, yet without leaning on her. Yet again, Rem felt just a bit jealous of Lui’s captivating emotions.

Following that—

“—Lui, do you still want to be with me?”

“…Huh?”

“…What are you saying?”

Subaru’s question caught both of them off guard, making them tilt their heads in confusion.

That’s right; both girls turned their heads in unison. Not just Rem, but Lui did too. —‘Lui’ too, of course.

“Like I said to Rem earlier. Even if Rem forgives you, I can’t forgive you. Other many people who were harmed by ‘Gluttony’ will certainly not forgive you. But…”

“…But?”

“But, Lui, I want to forgive you. If I can, I wish to. So, please tell me.”

Subaru concentrated and made sure his voice wouldn’t tremble as he gazed directly into Lui’s eyes.

Looking at the grip Rem had on Lui’s hand, feeling Lui’s reply to Rem, it was the answer to their shared relationship—the wish Subaru longed for.

“Are you the Archbishop of Sin? Or are you a possibility?”

“—”

“I’ve said it endlessly. I think so too. This world can’t forgive the Archbishop of Sin, nor should it. The Archbishop of Gluttony, Lui Arnebe, must not be forgiven.”

“—”

“But you helped me. You defended me time and again. You were never aware of wanting to be with me. The Lui Arnebe I know is completely different. Still, you can utilize the powers of ‘Gluttony.’ You carry the Witch Factor.”

That summed up all of Subaru’s impressions he had about ‘Lui’ thus far.

The Archbishop of Sin he encountered in the Memory Corridor had the same appearance as Lui and possessed the same abilities, yet her demeanor was utterly unlike anything he could recognize as human.

It was reminiscent of ‘Natsuki Subaru’ from a past moment, like ‘Rem’ as she is now.

The similarity along with the differences, things they could choose to embody with their own will.

It was them that he wanted to question.

“Are you the Archbishop of Sin, who no one in this world can forgive? Or a possibility that may reclaim what the Archbishop of Sin has taken away?”

“A-uh…”

“Can you… can you be reborn anew?”

If, just maybe.

If ‘Lui’s’ situation was the same as ‘Natsuki Subaru’ or ‘Rem,’ what Subaru threw at her was a harsh, unreasonable question.

Knowing the agony of the weight of debts they carry, burdens they feel bound to but have no memory of, Subaru well understood those feelings. He realized Rem was aware of them too.

And now he aimed to place that very burden upon Lui as well.

However—

“Then, if you can, if you want to do that, take my hand.”

As he spoke, Subaru slowly reached out his hand toward Lui.

Lui’s eyes darted between Subaru’s face and the hand being offered. Similarly, Rem gasped, following Subaru’s gaze and reaching for his hand.

“Lui, many people are cursing you just like me. I can’t speak on their feelings for you. However, there is just one thing…”

“—”

“I don’t know what you should do to be forgiven by everyone. But… simply, I can teach you what I need to forgive you.”

Before arriving here, before allowing this moment to unfold, Emilia had shared these words with him.

Though Emilia said it was something she had learned from him, that was overstepping. Subaru had always learned from everyone.

He couldn’t even figure out how to resolve his own feelings without others’ guidance.

How it was exactly he wished to forgive Lui.

What it might take for him to be able to offer that forgiveness—all of it.

The key to reaching that resolution was—

“—Lui, save many people.”

“—”

“Right now, you’re facing incredible injustice. You might feel burdened with an incomprehensible set of hardships for things you never did. And yet, even so…”

Taking a deep breath, observing the unwavering look within Lui’s eyes, he conveyed his message.

“Help many people.”

“—”

“Continue helping, continue helping, and as long as you help more than you have harmed… at least I will stand by you, I alone will be your ally.”

—What you’ve done will undoubtedly never vanish.

That was a statement that Anastasia had made previously, and it was something she had repeated.

Those words had awakened memories of Subaru that he would never forget, and they served as dreadful advice that had a lasting impact on him.

However, when Anastasia made that statement, she also said this:

“If you wish for others to believe in your righteousness, you must show them what is required. To change your evaluations, you must overwrite them with different evaluations.”

That was the most crucial part of the advice that had become Subaru’s trauma.

The very reason Subaru extended his hand to Lui was because the changes in her behavior had shifted his previous ill feelings toward her.

He needed to catalyze that transformation within all who fell victim to the ‘Gluttony’ sin.

That was—

“—that is the ‘zero’ I can offer you.”

Not just ‘zero,’ it truly needed to start from negative values on a global scale.

It was an unimaginably vast and absurd challenge, where it was hard to believe anyone could succeed.

Yet, that was as far as Subaru could manage.

And if that incredibly grand and outrageous challenge managed to succeed, then Subaru could help, just as he had received help when he was stuck in the throes of life.

“—”

Maintaining his extended hand, Subaru waited intently for an answer.

He didn’t urge her. He wouldn’t force her into eternal waiting. Instead, he patiently waited as much as needed for her to provide her response.

“I… don’t know.”

In the tense silence, Rem’s voice broke through, drawing Subaru’s and Lui’s gazes toward her.

For a moment, it sounded as if she were refusing to accept Subaru’s offer. But, the look in Rem’s eyes conveyed another message.

She continued.

“Even about the Archbishop of Sin, and the name of Lui Arnebe…”

“—”

“But if the Archbishop of Sin and the person known as Lui Arnebe are not permitted to exist in this world… then what can this girl become?”

Her voice quivered, yet no tears flooded from her eyes.

With her blurred vision, she pleaded silently, unable to comprehend the answers she sought or the answer Subaru had just offered.

If she were not the Archbishop of Sin nor Lui Arnebe, then what would she become?

To traverse the burdens of ‘Lui,’ while seeking forgiveness that may or may not be found on the opposite side—who would the girl become?

Facing such a query, the only words Subaru could produce were—

“—Spica.”

“Eh…?”

“I give this name to the child who can live anew and find a new self.”

Rem’s eyes widened, and Lui as well stared, astonished.

If she chose a different path than before and aimed for a completely different future, Subaru would do everything in his power for her.

In a world where no one forgave the Archbishop of Sin, a world that wouldn’t forgive Lui Arnebe, he desired deeply to forgive the girl standing before him.

He longed for her to become something of which he could say he forgave her.

“Spica…”

In shock and disbelief, Rem uttered that name, a glance sent toward her side.

The girl stared intently at Subaru. Likewise, Subaru couldn’t look away from her.

He wished for this to come true.

However, if he spoke that sentiment outright, he believed she might merely act upon his will, forsaking her own desires for his.

It was essential for her to make her own choices, rather than selecting options that weren’t meant to serve some other individual’s interests.

He wanted her to firmly overcome hurdles over and over and then look back to feel proud of how she chose that path.

“—Uah.”

“—”

The girl’s delicate lips moved as she softly uttered Subaru’s name.

Subaru stayed silent as he waited. He didn’t wish to rush her, nor did he seek to wait eternally. He simply desired to hear the answer she would take the necessary time to ponder and choose.

Thus, Subaru focused as he quietly controlled his emotions until the girl’s expression shifted.

“Auh…”

Words began to form, accompanied by a gentle, emerging smile.

And blue tears slid from her eyes, falling to the ground as her small hand gently clasped Subaru’s extended hand.

Accepting that thin, soft sensation, Subaru gently clenched his eyes tight.

A new way of living forward, neither as the Archbishop of Sin nor as Lui Arnebe.

A past branded by an unerasable legacy of once being the Archbishop of Sin, Lui Arnebe.

This girl, carrying that burden while traveling through a thorny path— Spica’s hand, he firmly held, not letting go.

“I want to forgive you someday. —So, let’s do our best together.”

“…Auh!”

With a bright smile, Spica revealed her white teeth through a tear-stained face.

Observing Spica’s grin from the side, Rem felt her emotions swell, leading to a breaking point.

“—!”

An eruption of tears streamed down Rem’s face as she hugged Spica tightly.

Embracing her, Rem cried out loudly, and upon being taken by surprise by this hug, Spica’s expression twisted into sheer happiness.

“—Ahhhh!”

Spica too began to weep, causing her face to scrunch up, simultaneously sharing the sorrows that come with her youthful fate.

And thus, the two girls sobbed, just as new beings descended into this world, crying out like a newborn’s wail.

—Subaru shed a few tears too.