――”Stone Block” Muspel.

One of the Four Great Spirits, a long-standing ancient Great Spirit rooted in the land of the Volakia Empire.

Unlike other countries’ “Spirit Beasts,” “Strangers,” or “Mediators,” it is an existence that has left no history of voluntary actions or assertions. Even though it is known to exist in Volakia, there is no further information or eyewitness accounts; it might be regarded as the most spirit-like spirit.

That is the form of the domain considered the “Stone Block” Muspel, simply existing there.

“Well, Beako gave me a cute explanation, but isn’t the story a bit different?”

For the sake of Subaru, who lacks knowledge of the Four Great Spirits, Beatrice shared tales about Muspel. He was very interested in what she said, but the content greatly differed from the actual situation.

It’s said that the Great Spirit Muspel, whose whereabouts and identity are unclear…

“If you’re so sure it was taken by someone else, that means you had knowledge of its location. Which means, Muspel was in this Fortress City. Right?”

Saying this, Subaru pointed his index finger sharply at Abel’s sour face.

Abel narrowed his black eyes at Subaru’s questioning. However, before he could open his mouth…

“Hey, what kind of way is that to talk to His Majesty the Emperor?”

A sudden rough voice interrupted between Subaru and Abel, and a gust of wind blew through. Moments later, the tip of Subaru’s pointed finger had its white part suddenly shaved off.

With a whoosh, the wind and blade met, and Subaru involuntarily let out a scream, “What the—!”

And…

“What’re you doing, brat! Know your place!”

“That’s rich coming from you! Don’t take a kid’s finger and dig in like that!”

In shock at the sudden act of violence, Subaru clutched his hand and spit at the culprit of the brutality—Jamal.

For some reason, Jamal, who was permitted to accompany Abel since arriving in Garkla, had suddenly made Subaru’s nail bleed with a drawn blade.

Subaru glared at him as if seeing something unbelievable.

“I thought you had gotten a bit better, but I still don’t like you!”

“Hah? I don’t give a damn about being liked by a brat…”

When he had conveyed the news of Todd’s death to Kachua, it seemed they had been able to have a rational conversation, which proved overly optimistic.

In the face of Jamal’s unchanged rudeness, Subaru protested, but Jamal tried to meet him glare for glare, unbothered by the age gap, until a hand raised stopped them in their tracks.

None other than Abel, seated at the round table, ordered, “Stop it.”

“Don’t stir up unnecessary quarrels. Recognize that being a relatively useful pawn is your value that I acknowledge. Now is not the time to quarrel with the kingdom.”

“Quarrel with the kingdom… ah.”

Subaru frowned at Abel’s words as he sensed the intent and looked back.

Then, he saw the royal side—of course, Emilia, Beatrice, and Spica’s reproachful eyes directed at Jamal after witnessing their exchange.

If this staring contest continued, their intervention was inevitable.

However, Jamal, seemingly oblivious to the severity of the situation, grimaced and reluctantly sheathed his weapon.

“If your Excellency the Emperor says so… you just saved your life, kid.”

“To be able to say that even now is impressive… It feels like a situation where our alliance is on the brink of breaking and the Empire is on the verge of destruction.”

Having breathed a sigh at Jamal’s unapologetic demeanor after Abel’s stop and the gazes of Subaru’s companions turned to him, Subaru looked at Abel.

He had described Jamal as manageable, but that didn’t sit right with him.

“You’re not going to end up getting assassinated or something right now, are you?”

“In fact, if you grasp my neck and make me bow, I won’t be harmed. This stance is quite ordinary for an imperial soldier… though it’s a bit rash, not as much as Cecilis.”

“Comparing it to Sessie is unfair…!”

Subaru was irate at Abel’s terrible joke and indisputable example. Meanwhile, Abel gestured for Jamal to back off and looked at Subaru again.

He was preparing to answer to the earlier pointed finger and question, that is, to divulge the information that had veered off track about “Stone Block” Muspel.

“About that heated question you asked earlier, it is indeed a confirmation. Muspel was in this Fortress City. Means were used to keep it here, as this city was made a domain.”

“…I can’t believe it.”

Once again, Abel spoke the truth while tapping the round table, producing a hard sound. At that answer from Abel, Beatrice inadvertently swallowed.

With her cute profile, she tightly pursed her lips and remarked,

“That’s quite a story. Of the Four Great Spirits, the one that’s hardest to communicate with is ‘Stone Block.’ That’s what I was told by my mother.”

“Of the Four Great Spirits, the hardest…”

“By the way, the one that least listens to what you say is ‘Spirit Beast,’ while the one that’s most pointless in conversation is ‘Stranger.’ The one that’s useless to talk to is ‘Mediator,’ apparently.”

“That’s already terrible! Pack, please come back!”

In a lineup that made him miss Pack even more, Subaru couldn’t hide his astonishment at the situation.

Compared to the ominous names like “Stranger” and “Mediator,” “Stone Block” and “Spirit Beast” sounded softer, which was bizarre.

“If ‘Stone Block’ can’t talk, then ‘Spirit Beast’ sounds better in comparison…”

“My mother said that ‘Spirit Beast’ is a ghost of goodwill.”

“Whoa, I want to see all the landmarks in this world, but I don’t want to meet any famous people… is that impressive or what?”

Having spent over a year in this world, Subaru sometimes caught wind of famous names, but most of them had notoriously troubling titles, which was starting to get old.

He might already know some positive figures, like royal selection candidates or the “Sword Saint.”

Either way…

“The expression that ‘Stone Block’ is held and referred to as a domain is something I’ve never heard. It must be a unique Volakia saying; what does it mean?”

“To put it simply, ‘Stone Block’ is the Great Spirit that governs the earth’s attributes. Therefore, land where it takes up residence naturally receives protection from those traits. Not only does fertile soil get created, but it also has a healing effect on the living things inhabiting that land.”

“…I see. It’s a more crucial role than I expected.”

Otto interjected with a question, resting his hand on his mouth as he marveled at Abel’s answer.

In short, it seemed farming would flourish within the range of Muspel’s influence, and sick or injured people would recover faster—like a hot spring with many benefits.

If Muspel could be placed freely, then—

“Indeed, that’s something that must be hidden much more than just claiming the Fortress City is under reconstruction. It means that the Empire’s high national power is partially supported by ‘Stone Block.'”

“The fact that this has been disclosed to us, who are from another nation, signals His Majesty Emperor Vincent’s determination,” he interpreted.

“If you’re too open about your innermost feelings, it makes one feel uneasy… but I agree; I also abhor internal strife.”

The attitudes of Anastasia and Julius stemmed naturally from their positions as foreign forces.

Of course, as Anastasia added at the end, one could question whether revealing too much unfavorable information towards the Empire was wise.

“If it were something you truly wanted kept secret, Abel could have sidestepped the topic in many ways. The fact that he didn’t means it isn’t so.”

“Just as Emilia said. He’s nasty and cunning. If he wanted to deceive Roswaal or Anastasia, he could have done that too. Even if he tries to seem nice, this is Abel’s best effort at sincerity.”

“To think the half-elf girl could give off less rudeness than that… You won’t see this kind of evaluation in today’s world.”

Despite sparing thoughtful words, Subaru pursed his lips at a response that felt ineffectual.

Breaking up the exchange with the subgroup, Flopp clapped his hands to gather attention. He nodded and said, “What you gentlemen are saying is true.”

“His Majesty the Emperor revealed the facts. That alone signifies urgency in this matter, and it was a topic that couldn’t be avoided when explaining the gravest of scenarios.”

“The worst-case scenario… is that, the ‘Stone Block’ Muspel will be utilized, causing the demise of the land of the Empire?”

“That’s right!”

Flopp vigorously nodded, affirming Roswaal’s confirmation.

The demise of the Empire’s land—this would be the worst-case scenario of “Great Calamity” that the “Stone Block” Muspel would inflict on the Volakia Empire.

And before that scenario was revealed to Subaru and the others, Abel had brought Flopp, who was merely a civilian—

“It was Fake Emperor who entrusted me to relay information about the domain to His Majesty, but… his true intent seems to have been to warn of the possibility that ‘Stone Block’ was being utilized in the enemy’s plans.”

“I see. So, Mr. Flopp had a direct encounter with Abel’s impersonator.”

“Yes. I can’t interject my answers or opinions about why he behaved that way, but… I want to fulfill what I was entrusted to do.”

Though still pale from the blood he lost, Flopp’s response continued to reflect his dedication, and Subaru, relieved by that, thought of the Fake Emperor.

The Fake Emperor, who had taken Abel’s throne and lost his life—one could only speculate about his true intentions, as hearing his answer would forever be beyond reach.

Still, having Flopp as the messenger was likely one of the Fake Emperor’s best moves.

“Well, from what we’ve discussed so far, does that mean the Empire and Muspel were in a contract relationship?”

“If you’re referring to a contract established between a spirit and a wizard, then I must deny that. ‘Stone Block’ has no such self-awareness. We cannot propose advantageous or equal contracts.”

“It’s the Volakia way to bring up favorable and unfavorable discussions about contracts with spirits. Just look at how virtuous my relationship with Beatrice is.”

“This is how it is.”

“Looks like a couple of kids playing!”

As Subaru and Beatrice joined hands and lightly danced, Abel commented. Ignoring Subaru, who pouted along with Beatrice, Abel continued.

“There is no promise made with ‘Stone Block.’ However, it has remained on the Empire’s territory. Consequently, it became a relationship where we could utilize it… but at the same time, it continued to move underground and take root.”

“Take root?”

“Think of it like the roots of a tree. The thick, long branches that stretch into the land make it solid, but once that tree is uprooted, what becomes of the soil?”

“…It would turn into a hole-ridden mess and grow weak, collapsing with just a poke.”

Anastasia succinctly summarized Abel’s question.

The Muspel, which had continued to enrich the land of Vrakia, had tied its fate to the Empire itself in exchange.

And—

“That means if Muspel dies, Volakia will literally meet its end! That’s a seriously dangerous story!”

In essence, an existence that could blow up the Empire into pieces was revealed.

Not only in the present situation but also from now on, Volakia would have to keep this state secret—a fact that finally caught Subaru’s astonishment up with the knowledgeable.

However—

“Fool, don’t panic.”

“How can I not panic!? Wait! You’re not thinking of silencing all of us who know the secret after this is all over… are you?”

“Don’t underestimate me. If I had such intentions, I wouldn’t let you have such doubts. Conspiracies and intrigues are not privileges of the Holy Kingdom alone.”

“Maybe both the Empire, proudly boasting about that, and the infamous Holy Kingdom should just disappear?”

Due to the enormity of the situation, talk about the scale of nations was casually tossed around, but the Empire was trouble, and the Holy Kingdom didn’t seem much better. While Subaru felt he had suffered significantly, it still sank in how much easier life seemed in the Lugnica Kingdom.

“Well, meeting Emilia and the others has made me realize that no matter how hellish this world seems, Lugnica is definitely the best paradise.”

“Sorry, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“That’s fine, that’s just me venting. So, the true intent behind that earlier discussion is what I’m getting at.”

As Emilia tilted her head, Subaru smiled and redirected the conversation to Abel. Receiving that, he quietly closed one eye and crossed his arms.

“A ruler who allows such a transparent act of handing over their heart to others is not sane. Of course, we’d have been advancing the separation from ‘Stone Block.’ Your concerns are mere nonsense, regarding the difficulty of tracking it down and taking its life. It’s like challenging a dragon with a brush.”

“I see! If that’s the case, I can relax! But wait, that links back to what you said about having no time. It’s likely you’ve been advancing the separation but not in time, hence the current situation… isn’t that the case?”

“――――”

“Don’t go silent just because you’re at a disadvantage!”

Abel’s reaction to being hit with the point was proof that Subaru’s suspicion hit home.

Volakia might one day sever its fate with Muspel. But that day was not today, and it didn’t provide a clue to break through this urgent situation.

“In other words, the fate of us imperial citizens and ‘Stone Block’ remains intertwined. As those undead crowd chase us, and if we frantically continue to scatter them, soon the mana of ‘Stone Block’ will run out, and the destruction of our territory will be unavoidable. I’ve heard even the soldiers who fought and died in battle can be revived. This means—”

“We don’t want to defeat the enemy too much, nor do we want our side suffering casualties.”

“That’s right. It’s a terribly harrowing, heart-pounding absurdity.”

Having been forced into a reactive stance, with even the conditions of the defense set up to be despicably harsh.

Despite not understanding why Selena was flippant, the enemy’s persistent schemes beyond mere undead strength seemed to be aimed at definitively destroying the Empire—

“But why is Sphinx doing this, exactly?”

“Huh?”

At Emilia’s suddenly voiced question, Subaru blinked in surprise.

The terrifying enemy responsible for reviving many dead in the Empire was none other than the “Witch” Sphinx, her identity and plan had become quite clear.

However, Emilia questioned Sphinx’s motives for being a “Witch”—that…

“Isn’t it because she wants to destroy the Empire? I can relate to that feeling.”

“Regardless of what Natsuki’s true intentions are, that’s still an inadequate answer to Emilia’s question. Since the identity of the enemy’s ringleader, confirmed by the Earl and Beatrice, is ‘Witch,’ who once rampaged in the Lugnica Kingdom, shouldn’t her vengeance be aimed toward the Kingdom?”

“Yet the ‘Witch’ has raised the dead in the Empire. It’s undeniably perplexing. However, it seems possible that the conditions coincidentally fit the Empire.”

“Conditions, you say?”

With Emilia’s raised query as a starting point, Otto and Julius exchanged glances.

To seek clarity beyond their conjectures from Otto, Julius placed a finger on his chin and replied.

“The army of zombies realized by mixing ‘The Secret of the Undead King’ and restoration magic… for this to happen, the nonsensical mana of the Four Great Spirits was essential. Hence, the ‘Witch’ realized her spell in the Empire—”

Taking a beat, Julius surveyed the faces around the conference room before continuing.

“It could be her plan to annihilate the Empire first, then subsequently invade the Kingdom.”

“Wait… what!?”

“—Are you kidding me!!”

Hearing Julius’ fearful speculation left Subaru momentarily speechless, only for Goz to explode with fury. Goz clenched his fist the size of a child’s head, grinding his teeth, somehow maintaining sanity without breaking the round table.

“If what you think is right, then does that mean our Volakia is being destroyed just as a side effect!?”

“More precisely, this would be the first stage of a plan targeting the main goal. Well, the ‘Stone Block’s’ whereabouts and the soldier’s preparations have likely been moving long before now.”

“Ugh, nuuu…!!”

Though Anastasia likely had no intention of it, her addition did not calm Goz’s fury. Contemplating the crisis of one’s homeland being considered incidental would not sit well with anyone.

Recognizing Goz’s state of mind, Subaru noticed a certain expression on Beatrice beside him.

“Beako?”

“—I can understand Julius’s thoughts. However… Roswaal.”

“Ah, I see what you’re concerned about. Is there any human emotion like retribution toward the Kingdom from that Sphinx? I can’t help but feel that only half of the Knight Julius’ thoughts are correct.”

“Half of Julius’s thoughts…?”

“She acted because the conditions were met in the Empire. That’s simply it.”

After leaving just the yellow eye open, Roswaal shut one eye and remarked, making Subaru hold his breath. The wordless Beatrice next to him likely shared the same view.

If Julius’s thoughts were correct, then the happenings of the Empire were hardly an isolated matter for the Kingdom.

But if Beatrice and Roswaal’s views were accurate, that was even more hopeless.

And—

“In any case, the ‘Witch’ has already drawn her bow against the Empire. Since the royal family’s lives have already been disgraced, the only option left is to eliminate the enemy. Isn’t that right?”

“That sounds like a rather blood-boiling statement, Prime Minister. So, did Lamia cause you any trouble?”

“—Yes, and what of it?”

Whether it was said in jest or not, the ambitions of Selena went awry.

Berlstet, his emotionless eyes, nonetheless held unequivocal anger toward the enemy, maintaining a facade of tranquility on the surface.

In response to Berlstet’s words, Selena traced the scar on her face.

“Nah? The Prime Minister now is far more to my taste.”

“That’s quite a terrifying thing to say.”

“Hahaha! As long as you don’t focus on the scars, I’m quite a catch.”

Rating the change in disposition of Berlstet like that, Selena laughed heartily.

Putting aside their interaction, the reality was as Berlstet had accurately claimed. There was no choice left but to settle things between Subaru and Sphinx, leading her undead army.

Regardless of what her aim was.

“So, Emilia, are you okay?”

“—Mm. It’s just that no matter how hard I think, I can’t say yet. It’d be nice if I could come across Sphinx and ask directly…”

“We met for a split second, but it really didn’t seem like there would be a chance for conversation.”

“Beatrice feels the same as Subaru. Talking to her seems difficult.”

Sphinx, who used her life for coming after the Dragon Carriage, had the method of discarding her life in battle; she seemed void of any heat in that limited conversation. An unfeeling opponent wouldn’t rise to provocation, making her a challenging adversary for Subaru.

Because of that, even with the ability to “return by death,” she remained a formidable foe.

“While we stay idle, her numbers of zombies keep growing, slowly draining the remaining power of the Great Spirit Muspel. A prolonged battle only serves to disadvantage us.”

“Yet, gathering all the forces of the empire to retake the Imperial Capital… would still be troublesome. A clash of great armies would mean a war of attrition in survival terms, increasing damage.”

“Conditions trapping us without allowing losses on either side… meaning that a plan to save the empire from the imminent ‘Great Calamity’ is practically a single option.”

Subaru, Anastasia, and Otto continued the discussion, leading naturally to Abel seated at the round table. The citizens of the empire were all stakeholders, and the man who held their fate accepted their gaze as he calmly announced.

“We will launch an attack with an elite force on the Imperial Capital and secure the ringleader of the ‘Witch,’ dismantling the meticulously laid path of the ‘Great Calamity.'”

――This was firmly declared as the final stage of the battle that began in the Volakia Empire, a plan to stop the “Great Calamity.”

△▼△▼△▼△

With a conclusion reached in the meeting that surrounded the round table, a pause arose.

Following the established policy, from here on out, personnel selection for a blitzkrieg and strategies for attacking the Imperial Capital would take shape.

However, before those serious discussions could begin…

“—I didn’t expect ‘Stone Block’ was placed in Garkla.”

Berlstet, the Prime Minister, began as he remained with only the Emperor in the meeting room.

In a moment where people from the allied Kingdom, including Selena and Goz from the Empire, had left, leaving only the empire’s leadership to discuss—truly, one other person should have been present.

“It seems you too have been led by Chisha’s designs, haven’t you?”

“It appears so. If things had gone as expected, the domain should have been near the southwestern Cloud Sea City… around Mezoleia. At what point had that rascal hidden it from my sight?”

“Your eyes seem to be closed. It likely would have been easy to steal right under you.”

“Though they appeared closed, they weren’t completely shut. That’s why I was able to take preventive actions… but saying that after being outmaneuvered is just making excuses.”

Swinging his head slowly, Berlstet muttered in lament over his blunder. Nonetheless, Vincent did not see this as Berlstet’s fault.

Repeatedly, it was just that Chisha had outsmarted both Vincent and Berlstet’s expectations.

Having deceived not only the Emperor and the Prime Minister, Chisha had also prepared means to discern what plans the imminent ‘Great Calamity’ would carry out.

“If ‘Stone Block’ hadn’t been used, we could just fortify the Fortress City. If ‘Stone Block’ had been taken—”

“Then it would be utilized in the schemes for the ‘Great Calamity.’ That fool seems to have devised multiple methods to obliterate the Empire, acting them out in his mind. Therefore, it struck home.”

“If it were just measures against those aiming to seize it, that’d be one thing. But an enemy bent on obliterating it was beyond my personal considerations. Henceforth, I shall work hard.”

“—You will.”

Janus glanced at Berlstet’s comments on the future vision, slightly catching Vincent off guard.

After this matter was settled, Berlstet might resign from the Prime Ministerial position and possibly devote himself to Lamia— such had been Vincent’s consideration.

“Lady Lamia rejected that notion.”

In that moment of silence, Berlstet provided his own answer, having spotted Vincent’s question.

Upon hearing this, Vincent said nothing and merely snorted softly. Receiving Vincent’s reaction, Berlstet continued, “Nevertheless, I was astonished at how you spoke of ‘Stone Block’ and the domain. Moreover, it’s hard to say that steps are in order to separate it from the land.”

“Once this thing is settled, I will proceed with the national policy that had been paused. If results aren’t produced by two years after the non-aggression treaty’s expiration that I established with the Kingdom, there will be no future past today.”

“I see. By the way…”

Then, Berlstet paused, slightly opening his slit eyes.

“You must understand, you must avoid revealing how ‘Stone Block’ is maintained. That’s not only the Empire’s secret, but also relates to the sentiments of our allies.”

“Natsuki Subaru and the half-elf spirit mage may be innocent. If they learn that a death-row convict is the contracted individual with ‘Stone Block,’ using him until death may lead to complications.”

“Prime Minister.”

Don’t mention it carelessly, Berlstet warned Vincent with a sharp tone.

During the meeting, when Emilia inquired if ‘Stone Block’ had a contractual relationship with the Empire, Vincent answered that the type of contract Emilia imagined did not exist.

That wasn’t a lie; he merely articulated the truth in that particular moment.

To hold ‘Stone Block’ requires a contract forged between the spirit and a human being—this would be the most straightforward approach.

However, the ‘Stone Block’ has no self-awareness, nor is there room for negotiation or an entry point in any contract. Therefore, when a contract is made with ‘Stone Block,’ the price is uniformly a massive load of void that flows into the contractor.

Living with an unfathomably large existence that one cannot communicate with continuously would easily break the human spirit, leading them into a state devoid of original form.

In exchange for inevitable ruin, ‘Stone Block’ maintains its essence at its contractor’s current location.

Thus, in the Empire, they retain death-row inmates, forcing them into ‘Stone Block’ while distributing the blessings of the domain across various regions. It is quite challenging to find it once its location is lost, hence replenishing these death-row inmates is one of the most crucial tasks.

And before the decisive battle for the Imperial Capital began, the Chisha impersonating the Emperor had moved ‘Stone Block’ to Fortress City Garkla, preparing for the ‘Great Calamity.’

However, in the city, there were no death-row inmates contracted with that ‘Stone Block.’

“If it’s been moved, tracking it down without clues will be impossible. In that case, detailing this here would only breed distrust from our allies.”

“It’s not necessary to speak of it; they would have already guessed.”

Recollecting the faces present at the meeting, Vincent squinted his remaining eye at several individuals who fit the bill.

As Berlstet asserted, they would want to avoid any discord in this situation. Surely those who would remain silent out of understanding shared a similar mindset.

In any case, the moment ‘Stone Block’ was taken from the Fortress City, it was no longer a playable piece, and it had turned into a time bomb whose outcome was unclear.

If there would be no alternatives but to secure the body of Sphinx from the enemy, worrying over its existence held no significance—

“———”

“Your Excellency?”

Noticing Vincent suddenly going quiet, Berlstet called out to the Emperor.

To this call, Vincent shook his head, declining.

For a moment, a particular thought crossed his mind, but the possibility was too slim to include in future plans.

Moreover, that was the most unmanageable being in the Empire, the second most troublesome…

“—If there would be a chance to grasp the location of ‘Stone Block,’ it might be through a monstrous hunter with an unearthly nose, but that would be high hopes indeed.”

△▼△▼△▼△

──At the same moment, somewhere in the Imperial Capital Rupugana.

In the darkness, lying flat on the cold, damp earth, it was immobile.

The weight of the wounds was substantial. The exhaustion of body and mind played a significant role. However, the real reason for being unable to move was more profound, rooted deep within—the injury to one’s essential part—damage to the soul.

What they had believed in and prayed for had been denied and trampled down into the ground.

From the moment of birth until today, nothing held more importance, yet the very thing they had cherished was rejecting them.

It was as if they had lost the meaning of life, the reason for existence.

Having relinquished their own value and significance, unable to do anything.

Simply rolling on the damp ground, they breathed heavily, murmuring.

“Princess…”

In a threadbare, prayer-like voice directed at the one who denied their meaning, a frail murmur escaped.

It was weak and merely continued to murmur on repeat.