Subaru, slumped on the floor, was acutely aware of his extraordinarily bad luck.

While not being found was the best outcome, the fact that the one who found him was someone familiar was a stroke of fate. To make matters even more bizarre, this person was one of a duo he had just met yesterday—life is full of surprises.

Their encounter from yesterday could be described as a necessary event for Subaru to navigate this situation.

“Well, respecting the will of fate here, let’s try to handle this peaceably—”

With a deep bow while seated in seiza, he placed his hands on the ground in a figure-eight pattern and gently thumped his forehead against the floor. This was the legendary DOGEZA tactic passed down since the ancient days of the Great Japanese Empire, showcasing a stance of utter vulnerability to evoke absolute pity from his opponent.

Coming back to himself, Subaru realized that he wasn’t off the hook yet, and his choice of an exaggerated, straightforward apology was perhaps the best option.

Other options included making a forceful escape or pretending to go crazy and dance around to distract them, but he could vividly foresee his swift demise if he tried either one. Thus, he settled on this seemingly guaranteed route of survival, clinging to the mercy of his captors.

“――――”

An awkward silence hung in the air, and Subaru felt the weight bearing down on both his shoulders in his bowing position. Unable to withstand the pressure, he glanced up.

In his line of sight, small shoe soles spread out before him—

“You’re such a boring guy.”

“Bahp!”

With that indifferent comment, a front kick landed squarely on Subaru’s face.

With such intensity that left no room for mercy, his neck snapped back while sitting, and the back of his head smacked against the closet door, bringing tears to his eyes as the shoes continued to stomp down.

The girl, owner of those shoes, maintained her foot on the bewildered Subaru and said,

“Doing something like sneaking into the Royal Castle, one would expect a little more resolve… What a complete waste. I won’t lend an ear to apologies. If you were going to apologize, you should have just never done it in the first place.”

She tossed words laced with both contempt and mockery, while her sharp heel dug into Subaru’s cheek. Gasping in pain, he instinctively tried to kick her foot away, but—

“Don’t move, idiot. The princess doing this is her kindness. You’d prefer to enjoy my interrogation, huh? I’m clumsy enough that it would genuinely hurt.”

With that, the blade of a massive sword, drawn silently, was pressed against his throat.

As Subaru gasped at the sight before him, the one wielding it, a one-armed man, muttered in a voice that was hard to understand.

The wide blade resembled what Subaru would refer to as a “Blue Dragon Sword.” He handled that thick, large blade with one hand as if it were nothing.

Of course, his skill was well beyond what a mere novice like Subaru could contend with.

While Subaru remained speechless, the girl still had her foot on him, looking up at her attendant.

“Hey, Al. Don’t brandish such a dangerous weapon so close to my feet. If even a scratch marred my delicate skin, it would be a loss for the world.”

“Don’t worry, Princess. I never do what I can’t manage. Plus, you’re my benefactor. Consider it like riding on a super reinforced rowboat.”

With his nerves still taut from watching the interaction between the lord and his attendant, Subaru decided it was unwise to move for the moment. However, he could also say that simply waiting wouldn’t bode well. He needed to find some opportunity somewhere—

“A rowboat would sink… so let me aboard a big ship…”

Straining to express himself, Subaru risked mentioning the strange discomfort he had felt.

The orange-haired girl slowly turned her head at his words. She had decided to overlook him speaking without her permission.

“To speak without my permission while awaiting my decision shows quite the gall. Fine then, if you’re willing to risk your life to that extent—”

“Wait a moment, Princess! What did you just say, kid?”

Al abruptly stopped the cruel proclamation, leaning closer while addressing Subaru. The attendant’s rudeness seemed to irk the girl, but Al was too focused on Subaru to notice.

From inside his dark helmet, Al gazed at Subaru intently, his hidden eyes scrutinizing.

“I had a feeling since I caught a glimpse of you yesterday… Hey, kid.”

With the girl still stomping on his cheek, Subaru looked up at Al through half-closed eyes. In that moment, Subaru believed his intuition wasn’t so far off.

Locked in mutual gaze, Subaru held his breath, waiting for Al’s words. Then—

“When the wind blows—”

“…? Does that mean ‘the bucket maker profits’?”

“When you talk about next year—”

“—the demon laughs…!”

“In a place of laughter—”

“—good fortune comes!”

With a spirited assertion, Subaru continued to look up at Al’s face.

Inside the dark helmet, the change of expression was indiscernible to Subaru. However, Al shook his head and shrugged his one-armed shoulder.

“I see. So that’s how it is. I’m genuinely stumped here.”

“Why are you only satisfied with your own conclusions? Explain it to me. What was the point of that nonsensical exchange?”

The princess, seemingly left behind in this conversation, looked back and forth between Al’s nonchalant demeanor and Subaru’s bewildered expression.

“I’m not so forgiving as to let such disrespect go unpunished. Therefore, answer me honestly. What was that exchange about?”

“If I had to say, it felt like confirming our hometowns.”

“And that makes sense how…?”

In response to her low voice, Subaru matched his tone, though the girl’s confused expression indicated her lack of understanding of his answer. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, her eyes narrowed.

“—Same hometown? Al?”

“Probably, yeah.”

Once more, Al reaffirmed his previous assertion with a shrug.

Afterward, he sheathed his Blue Dragon Sword and looked back down at Subaru.

“I have a few more questions I want to ask you about this. So, what’s the deal?”

“…If it’s an interrogation, I’d appreciate it if you’d order a katsu don on the side.”

“I prefer unadon, though. Though, I don’t see either of them around here.”

With that, Al made a sound that indicated laughter through his tone, extending his empty hand towards Subaru.

Subaru firmly shook that hand in return.

“Life sure is unpredictable, huh?”

With that revelation came unexpected surprise, and Subaru couldn’t help but express his feelings.

**

“Amnesia?”

Rising from the changing room floor, Subaru, having secured his temporary right to exist, muttered in a bewildered tone.

The owner of the pitch-black helmet—Al—nodded in response to his murmur.

He scratched the nape of his neck roughly where his armor met his cape with one arm.

“It’s what you’d call a missing episode or fragment of memory. The usual common sense and various proper names aren’t gone. Yet that part of myself is just completely missing. It’s pretty classic, huh?”

“Having someone throw around names in katakana like that just feels odd… So I guess I’ve been pretty soaked in this other world fantasy stuff.”

Smiling wryly at Al’s dry humor, Subaru reawakened the reality he’d just confirmed. Meaning—

“You’re definitely someone summoned to another world just like me.”

“With the common sense I’ve got, that is.”

Al shrugged as if he were uncertain. He was likely smiling behind that dark helmet.

Compared to their earlier remarks, Al’s attitude had noticeably softened. The intimacy felt equal to, if not stronger than, their first meeting yesterday.

That’s only natural to Subaru. After all, he too had developed empathy for Al’s situation that wasn’t simply a matter of another person’s experience.

“I hadn’t really thought about it much, but since I exist, it’s not unreasonable to think there are others like me. Do you know anyone else from our hometown?”

“Skip the honorifics, will ya? It’s annoying. Just call me Al. And about other people from our hometown…”

Al hesitated to fix his helmet position and bowed his head slightly.

“Sorry, I don’t know any other folks. You’re the first person from our hometown I’ve met. Honestly, there were moments where I wondered if I might be going insane.”

Subaru’s eyes widened in astonishment. Reacting to that, Al with a wry smile said, “I mean, it’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“I’ve got memories from a world that’s not this one, but I don’t have memories of myself. How could I not suspect that this ‘me’ I suddenly became is just an imaginary collection of settings born from delusion? Memories from another world end up feeling like a lonely madness to me. But—”

Though his tone was gloomy as he spoke, the melancholy began to fade as he continued. With a burst of exuberance, he slapped Subaru on the shoulder.

“I’ve got a brother now. Because of you, I’ve been saved. My memories are real. I’m not just some crazy lunatic. Just that—ahh, I feel rescued.”

A hint of tears laced with relief colored his voice, and Subaru pondered the heavy weight of Al’s solitary days.

No one else existed to share his memories. And while Subaru shared an equally bleak situation, he had his own memories that served as a foundation for those recollections. Only with both elements could a strong identity like Natsuki Subaru exist in this world.

But Al had no such foundation. Memories of a world where no one knew of his existence remained within him—a sea of memories from another life that could not be understood by anyone else, plunging him into relentless despair.

Feeling the weight of that truth sent a shiver down Subaru’s spine, and he asked, his lips trembling involuntarily.

This was something he hadn’t given much thought to before, but now that he was aware, he couldn’t help but question it.

“How long have you actually been in this world, Al?”

Subaru had spent merely twenty days in this world, having not yet fully detached from the sharp memories of his original life. Everything in this fantasy world felt fresh and new to him, as a beginner experiencing it all.

After some silence, Al contemplated and said, “I’ve been in this world for about eighteen years, I think.”

“Wh—what?!”

Hearing that unexpected number left Subaru struggling to spit out any words as he stumbled over his shock.

Al met his surprise with a nod and continued, “I have no memory of my actual age… but I think I’m nearing forty now? You got summoned around the same age as me, right?”

As he touched his chin and gazed over Subaru, Al spoke those words carefully.

Realizing the weight of what he had said before, Subaru felt overwhelmed by the painful days Al had endured.

There were still plenty of things he wanted to ask or express. But the fear that unearthing those topics could lead to pain for Al made it difficult to voice his thoughts.

“But then…?”

That question was interrupted by a voice belonging to the third person who had been silent until now.

Turning around, Subaru saw a girl leaning against the changing room wall, arms crossed, with her eyes closed. She tapped her fingers against one another in annoyance.

“Interrupting my affairs like this, I presume there was some benefit in your conversation, Al.”

“I couldn’t be happier. I don’t know how it’ll turn out for you, Princess… but at least I know my nonsense assertions weren’t just empty air.”

With that haughty tone, the girl stepped in front of Subaru, pushing Al aside as if dismissing him.

The intimidating pressure radiating from this petite girl was overwhelming, much stronger than before. She conveyed a sense of depth that reminded Subaru of the vast chasm that lay between them.

“Are you claiming you’ve come here from beyond the great waterfall too?”

“The great waterfall?”

“The end of the world. A cursed place of finality. A torrent of water that sweeps everything away—this is the great waterfall. No one has laid eyes on what lies beyond.”

With a finger under Subaru’s chin, she lifted his face to meet hers.

“Every now and again, someone claims they’ve come from beyond the great waterfall. Most are just braggarts seeking to draw attention… but Al is different.”

“I’d like to know the basis for that judgment…”

“It’s just my intuition.”

With just that simple reply, the girl quickly dismissed Subaru’s pitiful rebuttal.

As Subaru stood there speechless, the girl turned back to Al.

“I only need one jester to alleviate my boredom. That is my decision. Any objections, Al?”

“Definitely! I have one! To put it bluntly, Princess, I really don’t think anyone from our hometown is left at all. So, if you could show me a little compassion, I’d be grateful and flattered.”

“Are you telling me what to do?”

“Not a chance. I’m just begging for your protection, you know. My gorgeous, promising, super-smart, wonderful, and incredibly kind princess wouldn’t dare make choices that upset me.”

Receiving Al’s upbeat response, the girl bore him a silent expression. Maintaining her cold gaze, she glanced at Subaru, still waiting for a ruling.

Her fingertip continued to lift Subaru’s chin, the fear of her next words looming heavily over him.

While Al seemed to be leaning toward Subaru emotionally, the girl’s whimsical nature had been evident in their brief exchange yesterday. It wasn’t clear if she had the strength to harm him, but it was certain she could wield both daggers and magic.

—If it came down to it, maybe I could just use “Shamaku” to hit back.

Subaru’s desperate thoughts were quickly alleviated by the girl’s disinterested remark.

“Well, why not.”

With a bored tone, she retracted her finger from Subaru’s chin, pulled a fan from her pocket, and began to fan herself while crossing the changing room.

“It’s not something that interests me much anyway. There’s no reason to go out of my way to chop off unnecessary heads and earn my attendant’s displeasure. That’s an unnecessary hassle.”

“So, does that mean… um, no punishment?”

“That’s a bit too convenient, don’t you think, brother?”

As relief flooded over him, Subaru let out a huge sigh only for Al to chuckle and give him a nudge. Before he could slip out of the room, he called after the princess.

“Hey, Princess! I appreciate your mercy and all, but honestly, what’s gonna happen next? You can’t just let this slide, right?”

“Exactly.”

Even though Subaru had narrowly escaped with his life, it was clear that the situation he had created was undeniably severe and could not be overlooked.

To Al’s words, the girl stopped walking and turned her head partially in annoyance.

“Not alert enough to grasp my intentions, are you? —Fine then, bring him with you. If he tries to escape, feel free to take his head.”

“That’s great but… wait, is that fine? Because where are you going now?”

“Shut up.”

Though Al accepted her harsh command without hesitation, he questioned her actions. Overlapping with his words, the girl said,

“It is utterly unacceptable to meddle in my affairs. Al, know your place. In this world, only good things happen for me. Therefore, there isn’t a single misjudgment in my decisions. Bringing this jester will be beneficial. That’s how it’ll work out according to my selection.”

“Listening to your self-affirmation is downright refreshing, Princess. Roger that.”

Al’s upbeat declaration emphasized the blatant self-absorption of the girl, and with that, he turned to Subaru, playfully nudging his shoulder.

“So, brother, you’re gonna be my captive now. By the way, don’t think about trying to escape. I’d rather not, but if it comes to that, I’ll chop you in half.”

“Come on, we’re hometown buddies, right?”

“Considering duty and sentiment, the latter carries more weight in this world.”

With words that invoked a sense of life’s fleeting nature, Al encouraged Subaru to move along.

Going along with the flow of the situation, Subaru could only proceed alongside the small back in front of him, flanked by the looming presence of his armed fellow townsman.

“You know, I’m well aware that I brought this on myself, so I guess it can’t be helped. But honestly, is the situation really getting better or worse…?”

“If I wasn’t the one to find you, you’d have been executed. If this isn’t a stroke of good fortune, then what is it? Go ahead, wash me in your utmost gratitude.”

“Sure, I’m grateful, but… I know this is a strange thing to say, but shouldn’t you be asking me why I’m here? I’m kind of a super suspicious guy in my own right.”

While he wished to clarify, it was difficult to put into words such strange feelings of restlessness that compelled his actions. More like, it was a halfhearted anxiety of not being asked what should’ve been asked.

Yet, as if she could read between the lines of Subaru’s naïve introspection, the girl snorted lightly.

“I already have a general idea of that reason. So, I won’t ask. The fact that my mood was relatively good… and, oh yes…”

She stopped and turned back to Subaru.

The strands of orange hair brushed across her face as Subaru hurriedly halted to avoid colliding with her. She pointed a finger at him, raising an amused smile at the corner of her mouth.

“Ringa.”

“Huh?”

“Yesterday’s Ringa wasn’t bad. You can think of it as a favor for which I decided not to take your head instantly.”

Defining her reason for the change of heart as such, the girl walked away without looking back.

In a daze, Subaru watched her retreating figure as he mulled over her words, finally managing to shove himself forward and murmur,

“So, you’re saying my life was saved by the fruit vendor…?”

Given he managed to sneak into the castle thanks to Kadmon, Subaru couldn’t shake off the feeling that his event participation in the Royal Capital was off the charts.

With such mundane thoughts running through his mind, Subaru found a sense of acceptance regarding his life being spared unfolding before him.