“It’s understandable to feel worried, but everyone seems a bit too obvious about it.”

Inside the Pleiades Watchtower, Petra expressed her thoughts while preparing dinner for everyone amidst the awkward atmosphere.

Having already arrived at the tower for half a day, with the three-day limit on their stay, Subaru and the others were desperately searching for the desired book in the library without wasting any more time.

Meanwhile, Petra was busy making dinner for everyone, who would soon be hungry, but the atmosphere of the library prior to that was terrible.

“Subaru and Garf are totally not focused on finding books. Hey, are you listening?”

At Petra’s inquiry, Meily nodded absentmindedly. She scooped up some contents from the pot Petra had on the fire, tasted it, and said,

“Yep, it’s delicious! Petra-chan, you’ve improved your cooking skills again!”

“Thanks! But I’m still far from the level of Sister Frederica, so I have to keep working hard. Not to mention, Sister Rem has returned as a strong rival…”

“Speaking of strong rivals, your sister Ram doesn’t remember anything, right? In that case, your cooking and everything else shouldn’t be a rival for you, Petra-chan!”

“You can’t say that! Once you’ve liked someone, it’s possible to like them again… I mean, I already think it’s a bit suspicious.”

With the tone of her voice dropping, Petra felt something suspicious in the air between Subaru and Rem.

She was happy that Rem, who had been asleep for so long, had finally awakened. Subaru and Ram had been very concerned about her, and Petra had been taking care of her every day while she slept. She knew very well how much Rem was cherished.

To be honest, she was starting to get worried that if Rem didn’t wake up soon, she wouldn’t be able to gauge the true strength of her love rival.

Now that Rem had actually woken up, exchanged some words, and shown her earnest and hardworking side, Petra felt favorably towards her—but still suspicious. She had heard that there had been quite a bit of trouble between Rem and Subaru due to her memory loss, and it seemed like she was still responding coldly and harshly.

“But it’s definitely suspicious,” Petra said.

“Yeah, kind of. But your brother might have that attitude. No matter how much we glare at him, the whole thing feels a bit silly, you know?”

“Exactly, that’s right! I thought Subaru was a strange person at first… Doesn’t Meily’s way of saying things sound suspicious?”

“Stop it! You’re worrying too much!”

Sticking out her tongue, Meily made a face of disgust and raised her hands. Petra glared back, letting out a “hmph,” momentarily pulling back her suspicions.

Before going to the empire, even when returning from the Pleiades Watchtower, Meily had told her she was overthinking things. But as far as Petra was concerned, being on guard around Subaru was no loss.

Anyone would understand how good he was after just spending some time with him. Once you recognize that goodness, the potential for it to turn into special affection skyrockets.

“In the empire, while we weren’t here, he was nice to so many people… About a thousand people have started to like Subaru!”

“That’s exaggerated! No way there are a thousand people…”

“There really are! It was mostly men, so it was fine, but you can never let your guard down!”

Meily, who had never seen it firsthand, laughed it off as a joke, but Petra did not feel like brushing it off with a laugh.

Clenching her fist in determination while stirring the pot to keep it from boiling over, she always poured her heart into Subaru with great care.

If she didn’t do that, someone might get hurt back in the places she couldn’t see and get her heart shattered as well.

—Just like she was doing now for Al, to help him look forward.

“Speaking of Al, regarding that matter…”

“Oh, you were saying something blatant. What does that mean?”

“I mean, it’s simply what it is. Subaru and Garf are just a bit too obvious about keeping an eye on Al…”

“I can see that. Those two don’t seem suited to keeping an eye on someone… That Al is the guy in the helmet, right? Was there anyone else?”

“Meily-chan…”

Having finished tasting the pot, Meily sat down with the baggage that was nearby. Her exasperated answer as she rested her chin on her knees made Petra puff her cheeks.

It was understandable that she only got to join in partway and had only overheard things from the empire…

“You can’t just look like you’re done with your work. You’re part of us, Meily-chan, so show some interest!”

“Well, even if you say that, there’s no work left until we head home! I can’t help looking like I’ve finished! And, um, I’m not really sure about being part of you guys.”

“Don’t doubt yourself in that area! You got permission from the Wise Men’s Association in the capital, right? So act with confidence! Hold your head high, and show that cute face!”

“Alright, cute face!”

Pressing her hands against her cheeks, Meily maintained a poker face without smiling, which made Petra sigh.

While Meily wasn’t bad at heart, living in a way that appeared to be rotten was ingrained in her. Even she had probably lost track of whether that was her true self or a façade. Probably.

“Sigh… I have a lot of people I need to teach from scratch…”

“Petra-chan, you always look busy. Aren’t you tired?”

“You’re one of the reasons why I’m busy! And…”

“And what?”

“I just can’t say I’m tired. Of all people, the one I want to take it easy with is the one not resting. It makes it even harder for me to say it, you know?”

“——”

“Oh, just to clarify, the one I want to rest is not Otto. I want him to properly make time for himself and rest. At least six hours a day!”

Although it had become the norm for Otto to go without sleep, unlike Roswaal, it wasn’t that he could function on little sleep; he was merely pushing himself. The proof was that there were times when he fell asleep for over half a day after taking a break from significant tasks.

“You shouldn’t be competing with a husband who’s cheating on sleep; still, he doesn’t listen at all.”

“Heh heh… The way you’re saying it, I’m not good at it either, but Petra-chan really hates that lord, huh? Aren’t you relieved not being with him?”

“Honestly, yes. Because of that, Frederica and I had to split up, but that means I was entrusted with this responsibility.”

This was the first time Petra was solely in charge of taking care of someone on a long journey lasting more than ten days, as before, either Frederica or Ram was always with her, be it during the Western Frontier Baron association or the journey to the empire. This time, she had been entrusted solely with this task.

That just meant that her enthusiasm was different. She needed to keep an eye on everyone properly.

“That’s why I’m worried about Al. …The guy in the helmet. There’s no one else.”

“Yeah, he’s a pretty obvious guy. If I remember correctly, he came to the tower for that one, right?”

“Exactly. He said there’s a Book of the Dead he really wants to read… I think it’d be good for him if it helps him feel better.”

“—? That sounds suspicious. Are you that worried about Al?”

“No, I’m more worried about Subaru and Garf.”

At Petra’s answer, Meily tilted her head, seeming interested in the mention of Subaru. Petra followed up, saying:

“Both of them are too obsessed with it, like they think of it as their own problem. When family or friends or someone important is feeling down, sometimes the ones comforting them end up sinking down together, right?”

“…I don’t know? That’s how it is?”

“Maybe I was foolish to ask you, Meily-chan…”

Having sought empathy, Petra saw Meily’s expression of confusion. Feeling a disconnect, Petra’s worry was directed 60-40 towards Subaru and Garf.

Petra had also heard from Subaru that Al’s purpose in searching for the Book of the Dead was related to Rem’s resurrection.

While Petra couldn’t imagine if it could actually happen, she understood why Subaru and the others were concerned about Al’s movements, wanting to keep an eye on him.

“But really, while I initially came to express my desire to have Al read a book, now I have to do the opposite, and it’s leaving my head and heart at odds.”

Both the head and heart, reason and emotion… Petra knew that when those don’t align, performance dramatically drops. Not only for her but for anyone, it’s when the sense of purpose aligns with actual actions that outcomes increase.

Right now, could Subaru and the others be said to be aligned in that way?

“——”

“If I have to say, you’re overthinking things just like Petra-chan, though. —Oh?”

As Meily watched Petra deep in thought, she suddenly noticed something and spoke up. Petra, startled by her voice, caught sight of someone peeking in at the entrance of the room.

In the four-story building filled with many rooms, the person who visited while Petra was preparing dinner for everyone just happened to be the topic of conversation—

“Hey, I thought I smelled something nice! Are you two making dinner?”

With that, Al casually waved his hand as he approached. For some reason, Framm quietly followed behind him.

Due to the unexpected combination, Petra hesitated for a moment.

“Yeah, we’re cooking dinner… Although I’m just watching, Petra-chan’s the one doing all the cooking.”

“Ha, so you’re blatantly slacking off, huh? I want to say that, but Meily-chan has done enough work just getting here, so I can’t really say anything impressive.”

“Right? While I’m here, nobody can oppose me!”

“That’s right, that’s right. Thank you, thank you~.”

With just his right hand, Al showed his gratitude and bowed to the proudly flaunting Meily. Meanwhile, Framm walked up to Petra, who was stirring the pot.

“Thank you for your hard work. I’m sorry for leaving the meal preparations to you.”

“Oh, it’s fine! Framm-chan had been taking care of Ezzo until we got here too, right? You can leave some things to me!”

“Thank you very much. Ezzo-sama has a bad habit of forgetting to eat and sleep, getting too caught up in what’s before him, so it can be a hassle.”

“I totally understand how that feels…”

Petra nodded deeply in sympathy with Framm’s earnest remark.

Though Framm also worked as a servant like Petra, she was likely a year or two younger. Apparently, she came from a long line of servants dedicated to the Astraea family, making her more experienced in the household.

“Let’s work hard together as caretakers for everyone. Feel free to consult me about anything!”

With a solid pat on her chest, Petra spoke with a sense of being an older sister.

No matter how much her work skills improved, the fact that Petra was the youngest in the group remained unchanged. No matter how hard she tried, that was one flaw of being the younger one that couldn’t be helped.

Of course, there are cute Beatrice who is over four hundred years old and cute Emilia who is over a hundred, but it doesn’t mean she would treat either of them as older sisters.

Thus, opportunities to interact with someone distinctly younger, like Schult or Utakata from the empire, were precious for Petra.

“Thank you, Petra-sama. Right away, but…”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“No matter how many times I tell him, the Young Master still treats my sister and I like children. What should I do about that?”

“Ah, you mean Reinhardt!”

The fact that she was stumped by that immediate consultation excited Petra.

Though she had never met Reinhardt Van Astraea directly, she had heard rumors of him—he was a knight above all knights, known to everyone in the Lugnica Kingdom.

As far as Petra was concerned, she thought Subaru was the better knight, but it felt awkward to evaluate someone she had not seen in person.

In any case—

“Still, I completely get what it’s like to not want to be treated like a child while being treated like one. For starters, you should stop letting him pet your head.”

“Pet my head… While it seems like that would be okay for Grasis about not wanting that from the young master, it doesn’t seem like my sister would dislike it.”

“I personally don’t hate it, you know? It’s not that I don’t like it, but the implications of the distance in that relationship when it happens are not good.”

Petra herself was currently trying to correct that stagnation in their relationship. Thus, she had become very specific in her answer to Framm’s question.

Upon hearing Petra’s answer as she clenched her fists, Al let out a chuckle.

“Whoa, Al, what’s up?”

“My bad, my bad. But I have to say, the advice for Framm-chan sounds a bit off base. It seems like Petra-chan and Framm-chan have different vectors of feelings, huh?”

“Eh, is that so? It’s not like you’re not in love with Reinhardt?”

“I do like the young master, but he’s failing as a romantic interest.”

“I- I see… So that’s how it is…”

Feeling a bit embarrassed about hastily moving the conversation along, Petra stuck her tongue out. Then, glancing over at Al who had pointed it out, she added,

“Al, you’re surprisingly perceptive about that kind of stuff.”

“Hey, hey, I’m an old man here! I’ve had my fair share of sweet and sour experiences, even if they were other people’s.”

“Well, other people’s experiences won’t help you any, will they?”

“Exactly, I’m not bragging, okay? It’s self-deprecating humor… Oh.”

Shrugging, Al’s stomach suddenly growled, sounding demands of hunger. Petra relaxed her lips,

“Please wait a little longer; I’ll be ready soon!”

“Ahh, sorry to rush you. That was my stomach growling, not me!”

In the usual playful banter, Petra nodded along with Al.

As she exchanged light-hearted back-and-forth with Al, she couldn’t help but still be concerned about Subaru and Garf’s attitude toward him.

It was complicated with various underlying conditions, and she understood how Subaru could be anxious about things. But Al, at the very least, was managing to put up a facade of bouncing back. Someone genuinely down in spirit would find it difficult to be aware and considerate of those around them.

“You’re making sure to eat properly, right?”

Though Meily probably wasn’t trying to read Petra’s thoughts, she asked Al in a friendly manner. Responding to Meily’s question while manipulating the seam of his helmet, Al said,

“Of course! You know the saying, ‘An empty stomach hinders performance…’ If I neglect food and drink, I feel it’ll distance me from my goals, you know?”

“That’s true. But then again, you could choose not to eat or drink or sleep, right? You’ve only got three days!”

“Meily-chan…”

“Well, it doesn’t bother me! I know the limit, and I know you’re not interested in taking it slow. It’s only natural to think, ‘Well, how can that guy be so relaxed while he’s serious about this?'”

Waving his hand dismissively, Al didn’t reprimand Meily for her overly direct speech. Then, he brought his hand to his head and tapped his helmet, continuing,

“But I’m just a clown for the princess. It’s a bit different when I’m desperate and doing my utmost for this.”

“Al…”

“Plus, the three-day deadline is a promise, but remember, there’s no timer ticking away. If I cry and cling to the situation, I could probably get an extra half-day or something, don’t you think?”

“—Pfft.”

He had been speaking with a serious tone and then suddenly brought up such a convenient proposal, making Petra burst out laughing.

Indeed, if Al were genuinely crying and pleading and clinging to them, it wouldn’t be surprising that they would extend their stay by half a day.

But—

“Don’t think it will be that easy! You need to drink water, eat food, and make time to sleep to manage this.”

If he started counting on such conveniences from the outset, it eliminated the reason for setting a deadline. Above all, Petra knew that it was her role to voice the strictness that kind-hearted Subaru and the others couldn’t enforce.

Even if she might end up being pushed around in the end.

“For these three days, I will do my best to assist you, just like Subaru. —Alright, it’s ready!”

“You’re strict, you know.”

Saying that, Petra scooped some contents from the pot into a bowl, gently offering it for Al to taste. Al received the bowl, lifting the lower jaw of his helmet to bring it to his mouth.

“Ouch… But this is good!”

He murmured in a softer tone, which filled Petra with satisfaction.

△▼△▼△▼△

“Perhaps aside from the ‘Wise Man’ who created this grand library, I am the one who has read the most of the Book of the Dead in the world. Let me share my insight; the ultimate characteristic of this library lies in the re-experience of histories that have vanished.”

After dinner, Subaru and the others once again entered the library of Taygeta.

While helping Al look for his intended book, they also kept an eye on Al’s movements while trying to distract themselves, and Ezzo began explaining to them.

In the high-ceilinged library, Ezzo’s voice carried well, even though it was low in volume.

Despite belonging to a different camp and not sharing the same goals, the fact that he was willing to spend time like this with them made Subaru feel a sense of respect. However, it could be that he had a pent-up desire to talk since Framm didn’t engage with him in these discussions.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t tedious, as the conversation was intriguing.

“By the way, re-experiencing histories that have vanished is quite a big declaration. I’m aware that the Book of the Dead provides glimpses into the lives of its subjects, but I wonder if it’s a different scale of narrative?”

“Strictly speaking, your understanding, Beatrice, is spot on. However, that’s only considering one book. When the story crosses multiple books, circumstances change.”

Due to the need to split up and search the shelves, their voices naturally grew louder, reminiscent of talking loudly in a school library, accompanied by a slight sense of moral guilt.

While conversing over the bookshelves, Subaru tilted his head at Ezzo’s reply.

“Come to think of it, you’ve read more than ten books, huh? The Book of the Dead can only be read about people you know, so isn’t that a pretty favorable batting average?”

“If you’re talking about being locked away all the time, sure. I’ve been looking for more than half a day, but not a single name I recognize has popped up.”

“That’s too low of a batting average… I would expect to see at least a few recognizable names. But there’s a distinction between names you’re familiar with and acquaintances.”

While holding Subaru’s hand, Beatrice muttered quietly as they both observed the same bookshelf.

In fact, as a knowledgeable being who had lived for four hundred years, it seemed that she occasionally found names she recognized. Whether mindful or not, she didn’t bring them up, but every time she would find one, Subaru could tell due to her reaction in their linked hands.

Subaru didn’t want to pry into the names she omitted.

“I don’t think Ezzo is the sort of guy who would lie to brag about being lucky enough to do this. If there is a secret to it, could you share that?”

“Sorry to say, but it’s not exactly luck, Al. Natsuki and the others ought to start a bit more flexibly… They need to begin by questioning the underlying premises!”

“Questioning the premises?”

“What’s that?”

Ezzo’s talent for conversation made Subaru and Garf frown at the posed question. It seemed he enjoyed their reaction, as his voice tone improved.

“Just as Natsuki says, to fully take advantage of the Book of the Dead’s function, you must be familiar with the subject of the book concerned. I can think of several reasons for placing such restrictions, but all of those are mere conjectures, so let’s put them aside for now. What’s critical is that because of this premise, it becomes difficult to re-experience the long-gone deaths of people… for instance, from the time of the ‘Witch.'”

“I wouldn’t want to see that even if I could… So, what’s this premise you’re telling me to question?”

“Oh? Are you saying there’s actually a way to observe someone you’re unfamiliar with?”

“If that were an actual loophole, then Ezzo wouldn’t be limited to just twelve books.”

“Haha, I’m a bit bashful about receiving that acknowledgment of my own inquisitive nature!”

While it seemed that Beatrice hadn’t truly praised him, Ezzo appeared to be in high spirits.

Ezzo, who looked more suited to a teaching role, prompted Subaru to think deeply, but he found it hard to promptly come up with an answer.

Instead—

“I may have thought of a glimmer of an idea.”

“Oh, wonderful! Then, would you share the possibilities you’ve thought of?”

“The premise is that you can only read the books of people you know, right? Because of that premise, you can’t read books of people who’ve died long ago. —But if you know someone who died way back when, then you should be able to read their book.”

“Well, that’s true, but that’s mentioning something impossible…”

“Is it? Here, wouldn’t it then be possible to read?”

With that, Al spread his arms, looking around the Taygeta library. At Al’s words, Subaru for a moment lagged in understanding, pondering.

Yet, as he engaged in this discussion with Al and the topic of questioning the premises came up, he suddenly arrived at a compelling thought.

In other words—

“If you could read someone’s Book of the Dead, you could re-experience their life. Essentially, that means your scope of known individuals has widened since reading just one book. Thus…”

“If you accumulate re-experience with more people’s lives, the number of subjects you can see will increase, as well as the amount of history you can delve into. Finally, you’re beginning to understand what Ezzo meant.”

“Re-experiencing the vanished histories…!”

Having picked up on Al’s guess, Subaru and Beatrice discovered such a method of using the Book of the Dead and looked toward Ezzo.

In response to their gazes, Ezzo emerged from the shadows of the bookshelf, spreading his hands and nodding.

“Outstanding! It brings joy to see the moment when a young mind solves the complexities on their own. And as someone who ventures ahead, it fills me with elation!”

“Ah, my bad, but I’m actually older than you, Ezzo.”

“Beatrice too is quite offended at being treated like a youngster. Does the four-hundred-year-old great spirit feel underestimated?”

“Cough! Pardon me! But Natsuki and Garf really are young men, right? Seeing their expressions when they finally understand…”

“Raar…”

As Ezzo spoke with excitement, his words unexpectedly halted at Garf’s awkward expression.

While counting something with his hands, Garf wore a look of confusion in his emerald eyes, desperately trying to digest what had just been said and had gone into a short-circuit.

“Increase your numbers through reading and knowing folks? And what about the reading books decreasing? Increase, and how does that even work…?”

“Don’t worry, Garf. For now, what we’re discussing isn’t something you need to comprehend, nor is it something you have to understand.”

As he spoke comforting words to Garf, Subaru could only smile wryly.

In any case, he finally understood the reason why Ezzo was able to read twelve different Books of the Dead. It wasn’t luck that granted him the fortune to encounter so many; instead, it was through re-experiencing the lives of the deceased that he had widened the range of those he could read about.

Moreover, as per Ezzo’s theory, if he repeated this process, it would allow him to journey back a hundred years or two hundred, potentially allowing him to peek into the era of the “Witch” that he had mentioned four hundred years ago.

Unfortunately, while Subaru had no interest in that era—

“—Satella.”

In a fleeting moment, a name flitted across his mind, and Subaru closed his eyes to shake off the intrusive thoughts.

He claimed to have no interest in four hundred years ago, but there was one name that troubled him. However, the person associated with that name wasn’t dead; she was instead sealed away.

Thus, her book wouldn’t exist in this library, and even if it did, Subaru couldn’t be certain if he could read it. —To be accurate, he didn’t want to explore that uncertainty either.

“But even if I understand this method, twelve books seem like a suicide mission. How can you persist with that?”

“Of course, it’s not easy, even with the technique of emptying the mind. Every time I finish reading one, I have to separate the information that flows in from what currently is. To ensure safety, I’d say you need at least two days of rest.”

Ezzo was doing something quite reckless. However, understanding that this recklessness was thought-out gave Subaru a small sense of relief. Nonetheless, if he’d taken his time reading those twelve books, he doubted that pace made sense.

But anyway—

“This is interesting, even if a bit ominous, thanks for sharing this story.”

“Interest and enjoyment are pretty much the same thing. As long as you can be deliberate in how you express that, there’s no need to hold yourself accountable for how you feel about it. I appreciate your listening.”

“Thank you very much.”

With that, observing Al’s respectful response to Ezzo’s explanation, Subaru noticed a strange sense of calm starting to return to Al.

At first, he had thought that reaching out for the Book of the Dead so recklessly was a dangerous move, but even though they hadn’t found the book that was their goal yet, the ominous aura that had surrounded Al seemed to have dissipated considerably.

While there were still remarks of self-deprecation from Al, they came with less frequency, and it felt like they could finally hear hints of his typical quips again, which was a relief to Subaru.

“Indeed, being in a situation where you constantly suspect others is psychologically draining.”

As Subaru spoke, memories of the early days in the Volakia Empire flashed before his eyes.

In that situation where not a single familiar person was around, feeling tense and doubtful about who to trust was mentally exhausting. In the end, it was the Pleiades Battalion that had joined him on Gladiator Island, and ultimately Emilia and the others who had come together, which had removed those anxiety factors.

With that thought, Subaru took a bit of weight off his shoulders. Just as he gathered his resolve to look over the bookshelves again.

—He found a Book of the Dead labeled “Natsuki Subaru.”

“————”

Holding his breath, Subaru stared intently at the Book of the Dead.

Due to previous events, it was only natural that the library contained Subaru’s Book of the Dead, and reading it would be the key for the memory-lost “Natsuki Subaru” to return to being Natsuki Subaru.

However, facing it again, the heaviness in Subaru’s stomach weighed down on him. He felt he had to quickly turn away from the Book of the Dead and leave that place behind.

“No…”

Wait, Subaru mentally chided himself.

While it was good that his Book of the Dead was here, turning his back on it and leaving it unattended here posed a threat. —After all, Al was here too, who had also been summoned from another world, just like Subaru.

The book titled “菜月・昴” was written in kanji, and Al might be able to read it. If Al found “菜月・昴” and carelessly opened it, it could lead to utterly complicated troubles.

It wouldn’t be as problematic if Al merely learned about Subaru’s chaotic experiences in a foreign world. —However, if it also overlapped with revealing his “Return by Death” ability, who knew what kind of complications might arise.

“———”

The witch of envy, believed to grant Subaru the power of “Return by Death,” sat somewhere—Satella, he sought to harm no sinister intentions towards him. However, it was equally true that he couldn’t trust her enough to believe she’d ease the penalties of her role as a “Witch.”

To avoid such an unfortunate scenario, he should probably hide that book.

“Subaru? What’s up, fidgeting around? Need a bathroom break?”

“No, it’s not that… um, actually, I found a pretty inconvenient Book of the Dead, and if possible, I want to move it somewhere less noticeable.”

“Inconvenient… You’re not talking about finding Priscilla’s book, are you?”

“Naturally, it seems that way. But that’s not the case.”

Subaru shook his head at Beatrice’s inquiry.

Just like Beatrice, he couldn’t reveal the details about “Return by Death,” and he had relied on the strength of their bond to navigate previous discussions successfully. However, this was a precarious moment.

Of course, Beatrice couldn’t read kanji, so she wasn’t able to decipher the title “菜月・昴.” Yet, it wouldn’t have been honest to stage a clumsy excuse to hide the book away.

So—

“Beatrice, this is a book you absolutely must not read. If something goes wrong, who knows if the ‘Witch of Envy’ will reach out from the shrine again?”

“Wh-what kind of absurd talk is that!? If it gets out again, it’s just like how you were sent to the Empire again? I absolutely refuse, you know!?”

“I think the same! In actuality, it might go from a joke to reality. So…”

Saying that, Subaru carefully extracted the problematic “菜月・昴” book from the shelf, reminding himself to avoid any impulse to open it and experience his past, and leaned in to whisper to Beatrice.

Upon hearing that, Beatrice had furrowed her brow but nodded along.

“Murak.”

In response, Beatrice activated her shadowy magic, making Subaru’s body feel feather-light. Now relieved from the gravitational burden, Subaru performed a quick leap onto a bookshelf, gently stashing the recently extracted book there.

“How mischievous, hiding a book like a kid fooling around in a library…”

This was akin to not returning the book to its original place, creating more work for the librarian. Before Beatrice, who had long served as a librarian in the Forbidden Library, this was an audacious act, but it couldn’t be helped.

Three days from now, right before heading out of the tower with Al, he would have to remember to return it to where it belonged.

“Considering it was Ezzo’s curiosity that led to the discovery, if it were to be read, that would be serious… Or should I throw it away altogether?”

“Waste it? What do you mean, bro?”

“Whoa!?”

Having been deep in thought while hiding the book and pondering how to deal with “菜月・昴,” Subaru suddenly jumped at a voice from behind him.

Startled by his own dramatic reaction, Subaru turned to see Al, who appeared surprised by his extravagant response.

“Hey, hey, don’t be such a scaredy-cat. I was just making small talk.”

“Ah, sorry! I just didn’t expect it, and I ended up letting out quite a bit louder than I thought.”

“Well, it didn’t seem that loud to me, but isn’t that the problematic part?”

“That part?”

Looking at where Al was pointing, Subaru saw Beatrice crouched down, covering her ears with tear-filled eyes.

“Wh-wh-what kind of huge voice was that!? My ears! The ears of Betty are ringing, ringing!”

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to! I love you!”

“I can’t hear you! Say it louder!”

“Bea-chan is lovely! Bea-chan is pretty!”

With her tear-streaked face, Beatrice came close to Subaru, who was desperately professing his love.

Fuming and puffing her cheeks, Beatrice went silent for a while, then exhaled deeply.

And then—

“Well, for the sake of Betty’s love, I’ll forgive you this once. You should be grateful for my generosity.”

“Thank you, thank you, much obliged! Always loving you! —So, um…”

While gently petting Beatrice’s head as she regained her composure, Subaru turned back to Al. As Al watched their cutesy exchange, he toyed with the seam of his helmet and said,

“Oh, all done?”

“Any time I see it, it reminds me how hot you two are, bro. Sorry for interrupting your love fest.”

“Now’s not the time to worry about that. We’re putting off time with Emilia-tan for you, after all—No, wait! My bad!”

After Al threw a light-hearted jab, Subaru immediately recognized the casual remark was wildly out of place, covering his mouth with his hand.

However, as Al appeared to laugh away Subaru’s blunder, he shook his head slightly.

“You aren’t wrong! You’re right, for sure. And actually, let me thank you. Even if just for three days, it must have been tough for you to find a way to make time for me.”

Subaru struggled to come up with a suitable response to Al’s expression of gratitude. The plan for three days in the Pleiades Watchtower to seek out the Book of the Dead had been proposed by Al himself, a move likely intended to increase the chances that Subaru and the others could join him to ensure Al reached the tower safely.

However, Subaru considered that this also showed that Al couldn’t just act selfishly in such a situation.

“Beatrice isn’t the only one. I’m sorry for forcing you to be with me—thank you for coming along with me.”

“—Well. It’s only natural for Betty to be with Subaru. Besides, Betty isn’t so forgiving as to give the same advice over and over. So make sure you correct yourself.”

“Got it, got it. —You’re so kind, aren’t you?”

“Ah, that’s right! This fluffy, cotton candy-like light body is filled to the brim with kindness and lovableness, that’s Beatrice!”

As Al commented on that with a smirk, Subaru rejoined hands with Beatrice. Naturally, Beatrice turned away, trying to hide her embarrassment from his words.

Seeing her cute reaction made Subaru’s lips curl, and he exhaled.

“So, Al, how’s the library treating you?”

“—To put it plainly, we’re not producing results. I thought three days would be ample, but genuinely, I’ll lose my mind at the sheer number of books. It feels like dropping a needle in a desert.”

“————”

As Al gestured broadly with one hand, the tone of his voice about the library’s vastness wasn’t entirely unfounded.

In this world—no, since the creation of this grand Pleiades library, it’s mind-boggling to consider how many lives had been lost. The thought of confirming each one individually was overwhelming.

Especially since, as Ezzo had indicated, books were increasing not just daily but every second.

“But don’t go giving up. We’re here to lend a solid hand.”

“Brother…”

“That’s right. Even if we’re going all out to make detours before heading home and can’t seem to find anything, we won’t accept things ending with disappointment. Therefore, don’t give up!”

“———”

As both Subaru and Beatrice continued to attempt cheering him up, Al hung his head quietly. Observing his lowered right hand as it clenched and unclenched brought a sense of hesitation to Subaru.

That moment was precisely the kind of reaction he wished to elicit from Al, filled with expectations—though perhaps feeling too harsh.

Al had visited the Pleiades Watchtower with the intent to read the Book of the Dead regarding Priscilla.

However, witnessing the reality before him and engaging with that task of processing Priscilla’s death, perhaps he could regain his composure, even without needing to read.

In fact, Al had notably reduced his self-destructive remarks, suggesting he was calming down.

Moreover, Subaru could understand he would feel guilty for reaching that state.

Thus he added,

“Al, when we say don’t give up, we’re not just talking about finding books. We mean don’t give up on coming to understand this for your own sake.”

“Understand…?”

“Exactly. Not because you’re fed up or short on time, but rather that you should come to a conclusion on your own. That’s what I believe understanding is.”

If Subaru didn’t manage to convey this well, it could easily be seen as a tactless remark.

Depending on how it got received, it could sound like he was pushing Al to find understanding regarding Priscilla’s death, which was not his intent. Instead, it was not about her life or death but about having faced her death deeply enough to reach a sense of peace.

To remember her, to think of her, and at some point to place a time on it. —That was essential.

Therefore—

“For these three days, let’s give it our all. I, too, and all of us will accompany you to the fullest!”

“Still, keep this in mind: working yourself to the bone and going without sleep isn’t a healthy approach. Don’t become like Otto!”

Subaru asserted strongly, and Beatrice winked, adding her own two cents.

Responding to the words of both Subaru and Beatrice, Al slowly took a deep breath before tilting his helmet up and exhaled. It was a long, lengthy sigh, reminiscent of the large weight slipping from him.

“Three days.”

“That’s right. No extra innings, you hear? —Unless you ask me sincerely, I might consider it, but don’t count on it from the start, okay!?”

“Should I return later than planned, Emilia will scold me seriously.”

“Emilia’s scolding! That said, that’d be cute to witness too, regardless!”

No matter what emotions, expressions, or angles Emilia wore, she’d be achingly adorable, but he had worried her way too much as of late.

If possible, he wanted to see her smiling, blushing, and positive expressions from now on.

“Well, no matter what face it’s E.M.T. (Emilia Magic Time) that won’t waver…”

As he said that, shrugging at Beatrice’s exasperated expression, Subaru turned back to Al.

Receiving Subaru’s gaze head-on, Al nodded and said—

“—Oru Shamak.”

The next instant, Natsuki Subaru’s world shifted into darkness.

△▼△▼△▼△

“Three days. When you have three days, you become vigilant about what might happen on the third day.”

With a clink, a high-pitched sound resonated as a black sphere dropped to the floor of the Taygeta library, rolling along as he pressed it down with his toe to prevent it from escaping.

“Consequently, the first night’s conversation leads to the most relaxation.”

Squatting down, he picked up the black sphere held under his toe.

The cold, hard texture felt like glass, yet it wasn’t something so fragile. It better not be, should it ever be—this was a prison capable of containing even a “Witch.”

“I know, brother… No, Natsuki Subaru. —I will not kill you.”

It seems that there had been those who desperately sought to kill Natsuki Subaru, without understanding it was entirely meaningless.

If they did that, they would effectively enter Natsuki Subaru’s battlefield.

Natsuki Subaru must not be fought in his own battlefield.

That is to say—

“I’m about to begin, teacher. —For the sake of my own existence.”

Priscilla Barielle is nowhere to be found.

Thus, Al—Aldebaran would now set forth once more for a purpose he had once abandoned.

A fight to eliminate Natsuki Subaru from this world.