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Chapter Text

Natsuki Subaru couldn’t forget.

He had moved on with his life and had many things to look forward to, but he couldn’t forget.

Perhaps he didn’t want to forget. Maybe he wanted to learn from it. Or maybe he wanted his sins to remain branded onto him. Either way, Natsuki Subaru had learned to live with the guilt.

And while he sometimes felt horrible about it, Natsuki Subaru chose to focus on what he had rather than what he had left behind.

Sometimes, the nightmares would show up, bringing all the ugliness they were accustomed to carrying, but a hug from his wife was more than enough to drive them away. They, too, were slowly becoming a thing of the past.

Natsuki Subaru couldn’t forget. But he could live.

Although… he had often lamented the fact that he couldn’t completely let go. Because it brought about situations like this one.

The halls of a certain familiar mansion only foretold one thing for him: another nightmare. And this time, he didn’t have anyone to pull him out of it.

It felt extremely real, but then again, what nightmare didn’t? He supposed his memory had become somewhat muddied. The mansion was different from what he recalled. Actually, the more he focused on the details, the more pronounced the differences became.

Regardless, the similarities between this place and the obvious differences from the design and style of places in Kararagi were undeniable. So, its halls were working their magic on him.

He already felt like shit.

But... something also felt strange. In his nightmares, he was always thrust into facing his failures directly. But now, it seemed as if the mansion’s halls were taunting him, demanding that Subaru embark on the search for the things he’d lost completely by himself, as if it were a requirement for him to wake up.

Maybe I could just not move...?

Subaru was willing to cling to even such a delusional thought. In the end, they were his own dreams.

“But I... I’d rather finish this as quickly as possible. So bring it on!” With a fervent and defiant attitude, Subaru began his earnest search for the monsters inhabiting his mind.

The fact that they were only figments of his imagination fueled his fragile resolve. It was certainly impossible, but if facing mere dreams cost him so much already, then were he to be faced with the proof of his misgivings for real... Then he’d obviously just buckle under the guilt.

But that was impossible. Only the remnants of what he’d heard had become a ruined nation were still present. And he wasn’t going anywhere near them anytime soon. The rest? Well, they were long gone from the world. His mind was the only place they lived on.

It was pathetic, but Subaru wished he had his darling wife Rem or his beautiful daughter Spica next to him. Even that brat Rigel, who was in his rebellious phase, would do. They would give him the strength to face...

“Subaru-sama? You’re here a bit early...”

A voice that made him freeze to his very core. He couldn’t forget any of the faces of the villagers from the once-thriving Arlam village. The faces of the innocent kids he had abandoned in his weakness had haunted him constantly for weeks. And of them all, the face of Petra Leyte, the star of her village, and her always terrible endings were a given in these situations.

He didn’t know what was going on with the maid apparel, though. He did appreciate the fact that she wasn’t bleeding or disfigured. That was certainly a plus.

“These clothes, they’re from Kararagi, aren’t they? And did you change your hairstyle... Wait, Subaru-sama, you grew out your hair?”

Her curious and expectant eyes carefully inspected his strange clothes. The sight of her eyes sparkling, or just the fact that she was drawing breath and moving, drove him to tears.

“...A-a-ah… P-Petra-” His words naturally died in his throat. Suddenly, his legs failed him, and he fell to his knees. Just as he’d thought. He didn’t have any strength on his own.

“Subaru-sama!” Petra moved over to assist him, distressed.

Prostrating herself to help the one who abandoned her... What a kind girl...

“What’s wrong, Subaru-sama? Was Ram’s training too hard? Ah, you’re crying!”

For Subaru, this was quite possibly a terrible nightmare. He wasn’t being shown what he had lost. Instead, he was being shown what he could’ve had.

He had once dreamed of such things. Dreams of villages liberated. Of princesses rescued. Of sisters reunited. They were the worst. Just taunts his own mind made to him.

After all, he couldn’t dream of defeating the White Whale. He couldn’t dream of warding off Sloth. He couldn’t dream of saving anyone... Because he simply couldn’t.

And so, the fake reflection of a young village girl, who might have decided to become a maid at the mansion, and who might have enjoyed the rest of her days joyously living her life, so that in her eternal kindness, were she to stumble upon a failure of a man, she would certainly attempt to comfort him.

Of course, she might be doing a poor job now. But not because she wasn’t giving it her all. There was simply no saving Subaru from this pain that only he had to carry.

Petra, on the other hand, while happy she got to help her crush, couldn’t make anything out of the situation. Subaru had appeared in some strange clothes (that she recognized because she wished to be a tailor) with seemingly longer hair, and just broke down in front of her.

“Should I call Frederica-neesama? Ah, but Subaru-sama would rather be pampered by Emilia-sama or Beatrice-chan...” Subaru noticeably tensed up at the mention of their names. To Petra, that meant it was something Subaru couldn’t talk about with his spirit. “But until then, if you will let me... you can count on me, Subaru-sama!”

Unfortunately, Subaru had had enough. Sweet little Petra was trying to help him, but all she did was bring him more pain. The mention of other names didn’t help at all. He was completely cornered. So Subaru did what he’d learned to do.

He ran away.

“Su- Subaru-sama! Wait!”

He harshly shook off the young girl and got to his feet. Turns out they worked perfectly when it was time to run from his problems.

Subaru ran through the mansion with no goal in mind other than distancing himself from whoever resided in this illusory building.

But his nightmares were truly unforgiving.

“Subaru?”

This time his entire body betrayed him. No matter how much he begged it to move, to get away, it stopped dead in its tracks; and what’s worse, it turned back to face that voice.

That damned voice.

“You have some reeeally weird clothes today, Subaru. Weirder than your usual clothes.”

Her voice, sweet like a silver bell, was already enough to send tremors through his body. The fact that it was hers only amplified the feeling.

She had tied up her long silver hair, which reached her hips, in a style all too familiar to him. Her gentle purple eyes were brimming with curiosity and worry, just like Petra’s had been.

“And your hair looks weird too. Wait, did you change your hair? And you all gave me a harsh reprimand when I tried to, that’s soooo unfair.”

Just like Petra, the sight of Emilia was cathartic. She looked angelic and out of this world, just like she always had. Except this time, it was literal. She was but a ghost of his past, haunting him once more.

Likewise, Emilia moved over, noticing his distress. It was laughably ironic how these two phantoms were depicted as greatly caring for him. That kindness was the kind shown to a dashing hero who had come to save them, something that, by all shapes and forms, he was not.

This time, however, Mirror-Emilia’s pleas of worry went unheard. Subaru purposefully ignored their sound, instead focusing on the movement of her lips and the desperate look on her face.

Subaru recalled once thinking how she could be beautiful even when worried. That thought only managed to hurt him now.

It was incredibly painful because it felt incredibly real. Their features, their voices. And despite being a dream, he could feel Emilia’s delicate hands caressing his head, just like he’d felt Petra’s. He could also pinpoint the gentle scent of Emilia reaching his nose. Yet he ignored it. It was a dream. Dwelling on any of these seemingly genuine presentations as anything other than tricks of his mind would only break the currently extremely volatile Subaru.

And yet, it was this that helped him move forward.

Petra’s apparition, a vision of a future he had crushed, was incredibly devastating to him.

Emilia’s, a picture frozen in time of the past he had abandoned, was no less forgiving. But he had faced it before. And besides, all the tricks his mind pulled to make him believe this impossible dream was real worked in his favor.

It reminded him of the present he had fought hard to protect and develop—his wife, son, and daughter. Their home in Banan, and all of the friends they’d made there. That was real.

And he was going to fight for it.

He wasn’t going to waste his time being toyed around by his own regrets. He had a wife to flirt with, a son to tease, and a daughter to pamper. And no one could stop that. Not even his past love, Emilia.

The mirror doppelgangers would be defeated by him so he could return to the loving embrace of his family.

And so, Natsuki Subaru gathered everything again for his final assault.

The enemy reinforcement that resembled a cute maid, and who had been the cause of his defeat the first time, was fast approaching from his rear.

But this time Subaru would not give up. Not when the General was lying undefended right in front of him.

And he had the perfect weapon to defeat his past.

“Emilia... I- I’m sorry.”

Natsuki Subaru couldn’t forget his past.

But he could move on from it.

And THAT was something he would never forget.

Natsuki Rem was deeply ashamed, but it was a fact: she had moved on from her past.

Compared to her husband, she apparently suffered less. Sometimes, this truth gnawed at her insides. She had a sister she’d abandoned, yet she had moved on far more easily.

Of course, she would never forget. Her big sister, Ram, was too grandiose to be forgotten, and someone as lowly as herself could never allow her sister's greatness to be lost to time. Her child, Rigel, was already hearing tales of the ‘extraordinary nee-sama.’ Her sister's dubious fate had, of course, been carefully left out, as Rem wished to wait until he was older.

Regardless, Rem barely had any nightmares.

It was definitely thanks to her husband’s influence, but Rem had managed to look back on the past and feel thankful for the things she once had, rather than regret their loss.

Yet that same husband, who had only known them for a few months, was under so much more pain when it came to leaving them. It was honestly unsightly how relatively easy she was taking it.

At least, that’s what her husband—and everyone else who knew her, for that matter—thought. She ‘barely’ had nightmares. She moved on ‘relatively’ easily.

It was a lie.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

She must’ve been a very good actor if she managed to fool the world into believing that her sister, the one she had looked up to her entire life, who was her only family for most of her life, and whom she loved to the core, was so easy to abandon.

She had somehow managed to toughen her way through it. While regretful, Subaru did have it worse than her, so she had to swallow all that pain and assist him. They had to secure a home, a living, and live with the shadows of their past.

If Subaru found out she was hiding all that baggage on her own, he would try to take it all from her.

And he did find out. And she was scolded. But she was also saved. Again. He was not allowed to crush himself under its weight, thanks to her.

Through the kind people they met, and their own perseverance, they managed to secure a happy family in the town of Banan.

Yet she still had doubts. She still had regrets. What she had left behind reminded her that she could lose what she had now just as easily. She still had doubts about whether Subaru truly loved someone as lowly as herself.

So when Rigel was born, she was saved. Again.

Really... I’m so helpless, having to be saved by others time and time again... But at least I know I also help save them.

She truly had been blessed. If one were to compare her now to the insecure Rem she once had been, they would be shocked by how much a person can grow.

She wasn’t the insecure girl who relied completely on others. Now she had someone who always relied on her. And that always made her move forward.

Just like she was moving forward now. Like she had to move forward now.

Rem ‘barely’ had any nightmares.

But when they did come, they were merciless.

However, Rem was stronger. Subaru struggled many times when it came to nightmares. But for her, it didn’t matter what the nightmares brought. She faced them down. She couldn’t allow herself to be weak.

And so, from the busy day that she had Rigel to the peaceful days she lived with all her loved ones, the nightmares hadn’t pierced her once.

And this time wouldn’t be different.

Rem calmly moved along the halls of this mansion. She had not personally visited its halls more than three or four times, yet she recognized it immediately as the Annerose domain, a branch of the Mathers family.

Why would your nightmare take place here? Her mind attempted to warn her that this was no mere dream or illusion. It was too detailed, too real. All of her senses reported it so. Yet it would not work.

Her consciousness was trying to weaken her resolve, make her doubt herself, like she’d done so long ago. But her will was unbreakable. The realism of the dream only served to fuel her resolve to try and ward it off.

And it seemed that her nightmares noticed that a far-off mansion would not rouse any reaction from her, because they seriously stepped up their game.

“You should be ashamed of yourself!”

Ah... So here it is.

Rem turned to the voice behind her. The speaker was a tall blonde woman with fangs as sharp as the look she was giving her, dressed in an elegant maid dress that denoted her status as a servant of this mansion.

“I don’t know what you want, be it money or favor, but resorting to these kinds of underhanded tricks... This is truly low. I must ask you to leave here immediately. How did you get so far inside…?”

The sound of her voice was just like she remembered it. It was more lifelike even. That could only be one person.

“Frederica-sama...”

The big maid looked as displeased as she was surprised at the correct mention of her name.

“It seems as if you studied well. But you are out of luck. I saw you—I saw her today. So you better get going. There are many who are not as forgiving as I am. Just please stop this nonsense and tell me your name.”

Rem considered, if only for a moment, that this might be the real Frederica she once knew. Her tone of voice, as well as everything else, screamed real. But she looked too young to be her, and she had no reason to be in Kararagi, or for that matter, to be back in Lugnica. It simply could not be Frederica. Regardless, something told her to play by the rules this dream was imposing on her…

“It’s been a long time, Frederica-sama. I know you probably won’t believe this, but it’s me, Rem.”

“You know that name?! … That’s it. I’ve decided. You had your chance, now you must come with me. You’ll stay with us until we talk this over with Ro— with the lord of this mansion.”

Frederica now looked positively distraught. The ‘Rem’ in front of her bore an uncanny resemblance to the one she had attended to just today, but at the same time, there was a striking difference. Her different clothes, her long, well-kept hair, and a strange aura she radiated. Like she was more mature. She also knew Frederica’s name, which should’ve been forgotten by everyone except Subaru. If Frederica hadn’t confirmed the existence of the sleeping girl today, she might have fallen for this imitator’s tricks.

To Rem, however, even if this was a dream, seeing her senior maid Frederica heavily distressed reminded her of her own days as a maid. She had been very cold to her and many others during those times. But now that she’d grown, maybe she could treat her better? Even if this Frederica was still just a dream version and didn’t believe she was ‘Rem.’

“Ah, Frederica-sama. Maybe you have forgotten this, but when Rem was taken under the care of Roswaal-sama, it was Frederica-sama who showed us the way of the maid.”

Frederica stopped to listen, her interest winning over her duty, at least just this once.

“Rem remembers clearly that when we arrived, you wished to be called ‘Frederica-neesama.’ Rem hopes you would forgive her, but I already had my Nee-sama, and Nee-sama already had me; so both Rem and Nee-sama decided to ignore your request.”

Frederica didn’t remember any of that. She remembered that Ram had avidly refused to indulge in that caprice of hers. But what Rem said only made sense. If she were to fill the holes in her memory with the existence of Rem, then Ram’s own life and actions took on a new meaning.

“At least, that’s what we told you. In truth, Rem was just too afraid of the outside world and decided to isolate herself from it. And Nee-sama followed my selfish wish. But Rem never forgot Frederica-sama’s sad faces, so I wished to ask for your forgiveness. Even if I lost my chance…”

Frederica was dumbstruck. For whatever reason, she just had to believe the words of the maid. Even for a spy, the knowledge she held was nearly impossible to get. It could all be just a fabrication, yet it seemed unlikely. She had only told about that ‘special rule’ of the maids to Ram (and apparently Rem too) and Petra.

“I also never told you this… but while Rem wished to be more like Nee-sama in every regard, I always thought of you, Frederica-sama, as what I should strive to be as a maid.”

Rem felt relieved. Telling this Frederica her past regrets that she once wished to share if they ever reunited had managed to lift a load off her shoulders, even if this was a false version of her. For some reason, this illusion was so lifelike that it felt like she was talking to the real Frederica.

“This—this is too much… We—you must come with me. Subaru-sama must know—”

“Eh? Subaru-kun is here?”

It was impossible for Subaru to be in her nightmare. Every apparition of his only marked a beautiful dream. Rem would have blushed at some of the dreams her Subaru was a protagonist in if she weren’t being dragged along by Frederica, who didn’t seem any more pleased at her recognition of that name.

If my Subaru-kun only appears in my best dreams (all of the ones with him in them), then maybe this is not a nightmare? Nothing bad has appeared yet, and I only felt better when talking to Frederica-sama…

“Oh no. She’s the last person that I want to be here…”

Just as Rem was piecing together what she could about the situation, Frederica abruptly stopped. She even looked scared.

“Frederica, step away from that imposter right now.”

A cold voice came from the end of the hallway, almost as cold as the wind that Rem felt swirl against her throat, like a collar of deadly blades just shy of piercing into her flesh.

But Rem didn’t care for the danger. Or rather, she ignored it in favor of…

“Nee-sama—!”

“Silence!”

Rem didn’t remember seeing her Nee-sama lose her cool, and never in such a fashion. If her Nee-sama wasn’t capable of looking anything other than perfect, she might’ve looked like an enraged beast.

Yet Rem could only feel tears of joy from seeing her again. Even if she should be an illusion, something deep inside of her filled up with warmth and childlike joy. She felt a connection, a bond with this ‘Dream Ram’ that was more than her having the same voice, figure, and looks of the ‘Real Ram.’ As if her own body was telling her that the Nee-sama she was so sure of having lost all those years ago was standing right in front of her.

“Nee-sama!”

“I told you to be quiet!”

Frederica expertly dodged the warning gust that the angry Ram shot at the one who called herself by the name Subaru had given her sister. It was unnecessary though. Frederica could tell that the wind would’ve hit neither of them. Ram was not actually targeting the imposter. She was holding back.

For Ram had an ability called Synesthesia. When she saw the sister she had apparently forgotten, she immediately confirmed their bond with it, even if the vile powers of the witch’s cult had wiped her memory away.

She had confirmed this connection just today, before she abruptly left storming, looking for the false sister she’d detected.

The imposter who stormed her home by complete surprise, who dared pose as her beloved sister… And who had invaded her sacred connection with her sister.

Ram felt it. The same bond she felt with her sister was also shared with this fake Rem. It would almost be enough to confuse her with the real one, had the new bond been slightly, just slightly, different from the real Rem, and had her sister not been right beside her when it mixed.

Fake tears.

Fake voice.

Fake bond.

Fake sister.

…

Rem knew this better than anyone. Her tears of longing were not real. Her angelic voice, even if it was full of fury, was just a record her mind was playing back to her. The strange bond she felt with this one was just like the one she felt with her real sister before it painfully shattered, never to return again. It too was just a memory she held dear, now being used to trick her.

Fake tears.

Fake voice.

Fake bond.

Fake sister.

…

But there was one thing that was true.

Their pain.

Natsuki Rem had moved on from her past.

And Ram, the big sister, had forgotten it.

So why did it hurt so much?

Rem did know. She always knew.

And she also knew what she had to do to make it stop.

“Nee-sama… Sissy. I’m sorry.”

Natsuki Rem couldn’t forget her past.

But she had moved on from it.

And in doing so, she had found so much joy, so much happiness. THAT was worth fighting for.

And fight for it she would.

No matter if it was a dream or genuine, she would face it with unbreakable resolve.

And the first test of that resolve…

The blade of wind that was shot straight at her head.

Chapter Text

It was a peculiar thought, but Beatrice mused that the promise Subaru had made to her – to create enough joyous memories to fill the 400 years she'd spent in isolation – had already been fulfilled in the short period of time she had spent outside her Forbidden Library.

Of course, she wouldn't tell her dear contractor or anyone else this. He still had to provide her with plenty more of these moments for as long as their contract demanded. So far, he was doing a 'decent' job at it.

But Subaru hadn't needed to do it all by himself. The other residents of Emilia's camp were eager to get along with her. Emilia loved hanging out with her, and the little maid Petra had been more than happy to become her friend. Beatrice wouldn't tell the girl this, but she had also grown to appreciate her friendship.

Sometimes, Beatrice found herself drawn back to Mother and everyone 400 years ago. But to be honest, she was more than content with what she had now.

She had just finished 'hanging out' with Petra and was going to meet her contractor, who had finished his time with his two friends, Otto and Garfiel.

"That was the plan, but who is so uncaring that they would leave this child here alone, I suppose?"

It was a small girl who peacefully slumbered in the arms of the spirit. Beatrice had found her alone with nothing but an animal-shaped cloth that protected her diminutive frame, even by little Beatrice’s standards.

"It doesn't matter whose mistake it was. I will take care of you, I suppose."

It went without saying, but Beatrice quickly moved over to help the lost child. And while some time ago she might have called this act a nuisance, Beatrice was now happy to enjoy most moments in life, especially if they were related to her contractor. Speaking of which, Beatrice noted the child had the same hair color as Subaru. A peculiar trait.

"Well, you're almost half as cute as Betty, so this isn't an unwanted experience at all, in fact. Now let's go find out why you were left here alone, I suppose."

The slumbering child seemed to be having a good dream. She smiled and gently reached for the spirit's finger, tightly grasping it. It looked like she felt safe in her hold.

“… Nee nee…”

“That’s right. You can trust that Betty will keep you safe, I suppose.”

Beatrice's heart ached at such a beautiful sight. When it came to interacting with or taking care of small children, she possessed only the knowledge her books had given her. So, she had next to no real-life experience, apart from with her contractor and his silly friend, of course.

"..."

But as she carried the child in her arms, Beatrice couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Was it a magic spell? It certainly felt that way to the great spirit, who knew much about magic.

The child she held in her arms had a lingering and faint trace of magic.

This magic, she didn’t quite understand nor see the source of, but…

“Betty will get to the bottom of this, I suppose.”

Natsuki Rigel didn't know what was happening, but he was sure his dad was behind it somehow.

He could probably just say he had been dragged off in his sleep and placed into this place as part of the ‘Kararagi Culture Promotion Society’ – another one of his dad's dumb ideas – and just call it a day.

So, he now found himself wandering the halls of an unknown villa with no one to guide him or talk to him. While he would call it a blessing that his dad was not here, in reality, he was just lost and he hated it.

A general sense of unease followed him as he stealthily made his way through the building, using all the skills his Uncle Halibel had drilled into him.

He felt like someone was constantly following his every move, even while he used everything to hide his presence. Someone was expertly pinpointing his location yet didn’t move to stop him.

Rigel felt his oni blood heat up at the thought of his little sister and his mom being in a similar predicament, or worse. As for his dad… well, he just hoped he was getting his just deserts for bringing him into this situation. And if he wasn’t the culprit… then he should quickly move out of his ass to help them.

That is if he somehow managed to find them first. It would help if he also found out where exactly he was.

He had once heard his dad say that he worked as a butler in a mansion in Banan, but this interior didn't match the design of Kararagi architecture. Rigel had a feeling he was not in Kararagi anymore.

Was he kidnapped? He doubted anyone could get past Uncle Halibel so easily. And even though she was crazy, even more so than all the acquaintances of his parents, Tia did seem like someone who was hard to deal with, especially if they attacked her so-called family.

Remembering that girl who always made him feel strange, Rigel reached for the charm she had given him. On his wrist was the bracelet ornament made of a beast’s white fur that she’d given to him. She'd told him that she would rush to help him if something bad happened. Would that be true now?

“Ah…! Someone’s there…!”

Rigel quickly moved over and took cover inside a luckily empty room.

From there, he spied into the halls where the unknown character made his way. He had silver-like hair and was dressed in green garbs. He started straightening his hat as he made his way back to his room while grumbling.

“–really shouldn’t keep doing this. They take me out to see them train only to end up with them teasing me again. If I waste too much time, the paperwork will end up overstacking. They should hold more respect for my work- Wait. When did they manage to make me like this job?!”

Rigel managed to calm himself a little. Whoever this was didn’t seem threatening at all. It was also doubtful this was the kind of person to kidnap someone with bad intentions. In fact, Rigel thought that guy looked like someone his dad would be friends with.

“It’s Natsuki-san’s fault too. If he wants to hang out, he should just say so.”

It seemed like he had hit the nail right on the head. There wasn’t much to worry about. It was just some dumb ploy by his dad, and this quite lame guy seemed to be in on it. Rigel quickly grew irritated at him. He was cutting short his precious Spica time.

“Alright, I’ve had enough. Hey you, Lame guy! You’re working with my dad – with my old man, right?”

The man was completely flabbergasted. For some reason, his eyes quickly moved over Rigel's small frame, from his hair to his very threatening eyes. Rigel took it as worry over being found out by the one that he should’ve kept in check.

“Wh- who are you? Did you just say dad? Wha-”

The man was practically lost in thought but still totally focused on him. It was absurd. Rigel was surprised by how much this man was going nuts over him, inspecting all of his body while holding him in place.

“But… those eyes… and that hair… Then, could it be?”

Connecting the dots as fast as he could, the man rapidly attempted to make sense of all the meaning behind the child’s appearance – who this child was, and why he resembled his friend so much; as well as how he had referred to his friend. Finally, it looked as if he had come to a crazy revelation.

“Natsuki-san had a secret child the whole time?!”

Despite being one of the most down-to-earth people in the group, even Otto, the Internal Affairs Minister of the Emilia camp, came to such a bizarre conclusion. But in retrospect, who wouldn’t? The lad in front was basically the spitting image of Subaru if he were younger and had different hair.

The sharp eyes were probably the biggest giveaway. They were a sharp contrast to his youthful face and a clear connection to his friend. And while he did look the part, if the child in front of him hadn’t called himself so, Otto would’ve believed him to be Subaru’s little brother rather than his son.

“Actually, you’re too young to be Natsuki-san’s son. Yeah… I must’ve misheard you and came to a wrong conclusion… You mean Natsuki-san is your relative, right?”

“Don’t play dumb with me! Of course, he’s my relative; he’s my dad! Even if I hate it, he is my dad! My name is Natsuki Rigel, and he is Natsuki Subaru! There. Satisfied?”

Otto’s brain almost had a shortcut from the loud confirmation. He had never said the actual name Subaru, so it only went and proved this child's claims. But Otto still couldn’t believe it. Not only had his friend hidden the fact he had a child, but he also had it at a younger age.

“What’s next? Are they going to launch beans at me again? Last time they threw fish heads, so it can’t be any worse… Hey, are you alright… M- mister?”

Otto managed to focus on one thing before he truly caused a great misunderstanding. The boy had a particular hair color. A hair color that he was too familiar with but chose to ignore. A certain ‘sleeping beauty’ had identical hair to the child in front of him, and while he didn’t particularly enjoy talking about the tragic subject, Natsuki-san had remarked plenty of times on his affection for the girl.

Otto had sharply figured this affection translated into love, and while he did not know; or perhaps had just forgotten if the sleeping girl’s feelings were also correspondent to his, this child that called himself the son of Subaru could be seen as proof of the bond they may have once possessed, and that now the entire world had forgotten, maybe even the son himself…

“But that isn’t really possible, is it?”

Otto was smart, smarter than most would give him credit for. He knew there was no chance that his friend Subaru was the father of this child. While he was certain Rem couldn’t be the mother due to her sleeping beauty condition, Subaru had the benefit of doubt going for him.

He believed his friend would have told him if he had a child somewhere, or at least someone in their camp. Besides, Subaru wasn’t the kind of person to abandon someone close to them. If this was his child, Subaru would undoubtedly move heaven and earth to be with him.

Many other more viable options were likely the answer. Jumping to dangerous conclusions wasn’t something he, as Minister of Internal Affairs, could afford, lest he ruin the lives of those he was supposed to administer.

He was annoyed that his job had led him to this conclusion. Maybe it wasn’t all bad?

“… Listen. I don’t know what this whole thing is about, but I believe I could-“

“Hey Otto! You left pretty early. Garfiel still wanted to hang out more, you know?”

Otto didn’t expect Subaru to follow after him, but in a sense, it was a good development. The faster misunderstandings were cleared, the less chaos would ensue.

“Dad?”

Oh no.

“C’mon, Otto, don’t be such a- Hmm? Who is this?”

Otto would’ve been surprised at how quickly Subaru’s expression changed – from his usual carefree demeanor to a curious, then anxious one. The same thoughts that Otto had been entertaining for the last minute were undoubtedly running through Subaru's head now, probably much faster, given how he quickly backed away to get a good look at the young boy.

It was an entirely different situation for Rigel. Hearing and seeing his dad appear washed away his worries. Believing himself clear of immediate danger, he let his guard down – only to immediately raise it again for the hell he was about to unleash on his father, of course.

He was going to go all out, but…

“Hey, this isn’t a joke, you know? This isn’t funny at all…”

Rigel didn’t have many chances to see his father lose his air of superiority. Flushed or broke, Subaru would have a good comeback or sassy quip ready, and only his mom could decently turn the tables on him. Yet, this was obviously not the case right now. His dad was outright quivering with fear and uncertainty, and Rigel didn’t know what to make of it.

Especially since his ‘dad’ looked so different than usual. He wore some weird clothes, although some part of him felt he had seen them before, and a different, shorter hairstyle.

He also noticed that he seemed way more… younger? Rigel was often told about how both of his parents had maintained their youthful looks magnificently; but the strains of age would still be noticed by the trained eye. Being the son of this man that he’d known all his life, the lack of these strains was easily noticed by Rigel’s shinobi-in-training eyes.

“Otto, what – who is –“

Otto began the near-impossible task of calming Subaru down. To be honest, the sheer strangeness of the situation was also eating at him from the inside, but he needed to maintain his composure so they could get out of it.

“I’m as lost as you are, Natsuki-san. I was hoping you would have the answer. So, you don’t know who this is either… Still, you should calm down. There are many plausible and normal explanations for this situation.”

“R-right. You’re right, Otto. Did I just lose my composure in front of Otto? Can’t allow anyone to know I lost face like that!”

The small wink Subaru gave Otto was hidden from Rigel. Subaru was known for his quick thinking and ability to keep himself under control, and Otto certainly knew his friend wouldn’t try to hide his problems from himself. Now how could they face this bizarre situation together…

“D-dad, what’s going on? Where’s mom? Where’s Spica?”

At his wits' end, Rigel abandoned his pride and pleaded for help from his ‘dad’ – to stop whatever game he was playing and just help him, like he should be doing. Yet his dad looked like he just got hit hard, both from Rigel referring to him as dad and from mentioning Spica's name.

“Natsuki-san, this child called himself Rigel. Rigel Natsuki. Do you happen to have any relatives or know anyone like that?”

Otto calmly turned to Subaru, only to find him trembling in place.

“Rigel and Spica are both names of stars, names I got from my home… I don’t think many would name their children after those stars… But… I thought about it.”

It was Otto’s turn to fall into uncertainty once again. Half of the down-to-earth possibilities had just vanished in the blink of an eye. This child not only had the looks of Subaru and Rem but also the name his friend would’ve liked to give to his children.

Coincidence? Otto couldn’t believe it to be so anymore. Maybe one or two coincidences could be properly labeled as such, but this many? Then it became a pattern. Something beyond his comprehension was happening.

Having drawn a similar conclusion, with a face as pale as Roswaal’s heavily made-up one, Subaru’s eyes pleaded with Otto to find out more.

“Um… Rigel-san, right? I know you must be very confused, but trust us, we’re also trying to get to the bottom of this. So, could you work with us? Let’s take it slow to avoid reaching a half-baked answer.”

Rigel took one last glance at Otto and Subaru. He seemed to conclude that this man mustn’t be his father due to all the differences between them, just someone with a great similarity. After all, his dad never talked about his past. This ironically happened just as Otto and Subaru concluded that a connection between them did exist.

“R-right. Right. I must’ve ‘jumped the gun’ somehow. Slow? Yeah, I can take it slow. My mom did tell me not to trust strangers…” He turned to see the man who resembled his father to a T. “…But I can probably make an exception.”

With an attitude unfitting of his age and a sentence that Otto felt was unfitting for anyone other than Subaru, Rigel decided to go along with their plan, hoping it would bring him one step closer to the truth.

“So… Rigel-san, by your attire, you must be from Kararagi. Or maybe you’re from the city of Priestella?”

“Yeah, I’m from the city of Banan. Wait, you’re saying I’m actually outside of Kararagi? For real?”

Otto once again turned to see if his friend gave him any substantial clues. But Subaru didn’t seem to have anything substantial, other than a strong urge to ask about Kararagi again.

“Indeed. We’re currently in the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica. And by your tone, you did not come here willingly at all, right?”

“I just woke up and was standing alone in the middle of one of these halls. I don’t think that counts as ‘willing’ at all.”

Subaru perked up at Rigel’s claim. He began to seriously consider something. Otto waited to hear his input, but…

“Hey, Otto, doesn’t that make us look like kidnappers?!”

“What the hell?! You really sound like my dad.”

“Please focus, Natsuki-san!”

Both Subaru and Rigel instinctively turned to look at Otto, then comically pointed to each other.

“Actually, there’s one more thing I wish to ask Rigel-san. This is going to be crucial.”

Since Otto deduced that Subaru had just found a lead of his own, Otto knew he had to obtain the last piece of the puzzle.

“I’ve noticed you have a particular hair color. I assume you inherited it from your mother. And if so… May we know her name?”

Rigel was perplexed by such a weird and personal question. But, judging by the way both men's eyes instantly became expectant and fearful, it was truly crucial.

“… You’re right. I did inherit this hair from mom. But the shape I got–” Rigel inspected Subaru’s hair. “–from Dad… And as for her name…”

…

“It’s Rem.”

The calm atmosphere they had cautiously built was shattered instantly. Otto admonished himself for not trying to hold onto Subaru in case he acted rashly where his suspicions were correct. And now he had to pay for his mistake.

“Natsuki-san, wait!”

Subaru disengaged from them and ran off with incredible speed. He had a clear goal in mind: Rem’s room.

Otto turned to fix a conflicted gaze on Rigel, the source of their problems.

“I’m sorry, Rigel-san, but I must ask you to follow us. The situation just got a lot more complicated.”

“You bet I will. I’m not leaving until I figure out what’s going on. Not that I know where to go, either.”

Otto still didn’t know what to make of this child in front of him, and the same could be said for Rigel. But despite their mutual doubts, both chased after Subaru as fast as they could. Which meant that Otto was left in the dust.

But as he followed behind Rigel and tried to regain his breath, he found Subaru.

Subaru stared at the doorknob that led to the room where Rem slumbered. Doubt was plastered all across his face. But his determined eyes showed he was just steeling his heart for what may be inside.

Rigel wished to speak up but was stopped by Otto. He saw another conflict raging in his friend’s mind.

Sadly, neither of them could ever hope to comprehend it. For Subaru knew things they didn’t. He knew about Return by Death, and he also knew how much of its inner workings were unknown.

He had once been shown terrible nightmares from worlds that kept on going after he died. The thought of parallel worlds had been planted into his mind.

So if those were true, then the existence of this child who claimed to be the product of both his and Rem’s love was no longer impossible. It’s just that the fact of it being true would bring far worse implications.

But before he gave time to dwell on any of those theories, he had to confirm one last thing: the safety of Rem.

And without further ado, he turned the doorknob and launched himself forward.

…

“You took your sweet time getting here, Subaru. What a hopeless contractor Betty has, I suppose.”

Despite their deep connection as contractor and spirit, Subaru did not expect to find Beatrice inside. However, he had been anticipating something extraordinary. But since anytime he saw Beako, his day became better, maybe that counted?

Regardless of the cute and unexpected spirit inside the room, the reason why he had entered was there just as he remembered it. Unmoving and unchanging.

“Beako… What are you doing here? Were you looking for me? That’s cute and all, but you could’ve just called me…” Subaru moved forward towards his spirit.

“I was looking for you, in fact.” Betty was definitely pouting. “But it’s not to play your silly games, Subaru. This is serious.”

Beatrice turned towards Subaru, who finally caught a glimpse of what she’d been holding in her arms. That was…

“As I thought. The resemblance is uncanny, I suppose.”

A baby girl, whose hair color strikingly resembled his. And her style perfectly resembled…

“… her mother’s…”

“Subaru seems to have figured it out too, I suppose.”

Beatrice reached closer and handed the girl to him. Subaru cautiously picked her up, holding her as if she were the most delicate porcelain. He hesitantly moved his fingers through her hair, the hair that marked her status as his child.

“… Papa…”

Even while asleep, the girl had such a carefree smile that no one in the room could avoid having their heart melt or wishing to spoil the little girl.

A sentiment both Otto and Rigel also shared as they entered the room. Rigel was particularly eager about it.

“Spica! Hey, give me my sister–” Rigel paused as he noticed behind the twin-tailed spirit and the figure laid in the bed. “M-mom?! What did you do to her?!”

Rigel fearlessly marched inside to ‘help’ his sister and mother. He was just about to tear her away from Subaru when…

“H- huh? Why… Why are you crying?”

A caring boy at heart, Rigel had to ignore his rage at the sight of this ‘Subaru’ shedding tears while holding onto Spica.

Beatrice moved next to her contractor and earnestly held onto his jacket, as if to signal that she wasn’t going anywhere.

“I know this must be hard for you, but as Betty’s contractor, you should prioritize what I have to say first, I suppose.”

Subaru turned to Beatrice, who got on her tiptoes to wipe away his tears. He would’ve hugged her at such a cute act, but he was holding something very important. Beatrice saw this as a chance to speak up.

“While it’s regrettable, the whole extent of the situation is not clear to even me, I suppose. But thanks to that girl, Betty was able to formulate a theory.” She gestured at Rigel. “And that foolish boy was the last thing I needed to prove it, in fact.”

“My name is Rigel!”

While purposefully ignoring the blue-haired child, Beatrice carefully took hold of the sleeping Spica without any complaints from Subaru. She took one last glance at both Spica and Rigel, then back to her contractor and the sleeping maid. Having made up her mind, she began:

“This will be difficult for you to accept, Subaru. But… these two children are, in fact, yours and the maid’s, I suppose.”

Everyone in the room, shocked as they were, almost lost total control of their composure. Rigel and Otto both turned to Subaru, each with different questions about this implication.

“B- But what does this mean, Beatrice-sama? It’s impossible for Natsuki-san to have a child with Rem; she has the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ disease!”

“D-dad? But then… why is Mom is sick? What’s gonna happen to her? What…” Rigel saw how his ‘dad’ truly did not know of him. He wasn’t playing a bad prank on him. It was as if he genuinely unaware of his existence until now. “…What happened to you?”

Subaru shivered at being called dad. He looked back at his spirit, pleading for her to continue her explanation and fixing another longing gaze to Spica.

“You all are too fast in reaching reckless conclusions, in fact. Just as Betty was saying, these two must be the children of ‘Subaru’ and ‘the maid’… but at the same time, they are not the children of Betty’s contractor, I suppose.”

If he hadn’t been drilled to keep calm under pressure by Halibel and have some second-hand experience with every year’s Setsubun, then Rigel might’ve collapsed just from all the stress alone. Seems like the ability to endure harsh situations runs in the family, as Subaru also struggled to comprehend this strange turn of events.

Only Otto managed to plead with the great spirit to continue her explanation.

“Do not assume that Betty seeks to worsen the situation by holding back information. It’s just a theory Betty has made, and even Betty doesn’t understand this situation fully, I suppose.”

She moved closer to Rigel and continued.

“These two are not of our world, if that makes sense. Rather, they’ve somehow been brought here by some unknown magic, I suppose.” Beatrice carefully wiped away some strands of hair from Spica’s face. “The flow of mana was disturbed, and Betty could feel as if a grand spell had been cast, in fact. It would be impossible even for Betty to decipher the secrets of these spells…”

Beatrice looked back upon her past, all the crumbs of knowledge her mother had once given her. All the years learning in the library. She reluctantly gave a silent thanks to her mother for once giving insight into the topic that it seemed to be at play here. She didn’t know much, but she could at least hypothesize about it.

“Except for the fact that it’s some sort of Yin magic… And there’s few ones who could know these spells and have the power to cast them, I suppose… Like the Witch of Envy.”

Otto and Rigel both flinched at the apparent culprit of their concern. Who wouldn’t? Just hearing the dreadful title of the Jealous Witch was enough to send shivers down one’s spine, but to hear that she somehow was involved in their affairs was infinitely worse.

Some unwanted voice inside Otto told him that he was having his just desserts after joining the half-elf’s camp, but he swiftly silenced it. He knew what he was getting himself into and would gladly do whatever he could for his friends, even if he was to face the Witch of Envy.

As for Rigel, while both of his parents had masterfully avoided the subject and kept it out of their house for the most part, it was still common knowledge. So, it wasn’t strange that Rigel knew about the Witch or that he now was showing the traces of terror befitting of a young child such as himself.

Subaru himself was not faring any better. He was terrified but also relieved. In a twisted sense, he had managed to clear many unknowns about Rigel’s and Spica’s apparitions. Of course, they were replaced with many, many more questions, but Subaru knew he might never find the answer to those questions, so he would have to settle on throwing the blame at the Witch of Envy for now.

“A-are you certain, Beatrice-sama?”

“Hmph. Betty already said she didn’t know for sure, I suppose. It’s only the most likely culprit, but there may be another who managed to accomplish this feat. Although Betty couldn’t give you any leads to that, I suppose.”

The great spirit answered the disturbed merchant’s question with a pout, as if dissatisfied that she didn’t really know the answer.

“In reality, none of what I said could be true, in fact. Betty has seen many spells, but none to the level of what must be required to accomplish this, I suppose.”

Yin magic was her specialty, but even she could not be sure what had conspired here. At least, the truth of these children being from another world and probably another Subaru looked very solid.

“And there’s one more thing Betty needs to say. Subaru would obviously overreact, which is why Betty kept this for last, I suppose. These two children are not the only anomalies right now. When Betty started looking for similar flows of mana, Betty managed to feel many more Yin magic fluctuations, in fact. And many of them are placed in this mansion, I suppose.”

“Dammit, how could I have forgotten about Emilia-tan in this situation… And if Ram finds something weird, she’ll certainly lose her cool head…!”

Subaru slapped his face with both palms to clear any doubts he had; all his inner turmoil shoved and regretfully turned to Beatrice.

“I’m sorry I have to leave this in your hands, Beako, but could you please look after Rem, Rigel, and Spica here? I would ask you to keep an eye out for Otto too, but that might be too much, right? Shame. Looks like you’ll have to come with me, Otto.” Otto let out a dejected sigh at his friend’s peculiar way to ask for help. At least he wasn’t down on the ground.

“Betty’s contractor is truly helpless, I suppose. Very well, I’ll look after everyone here, Subaru.”

Subaru knew everyone would be safe in Beatrice’s care, but his heart eagerly welcomed Beatrice’s final words of reassurance, nonetheless. And with that, he turned to the odd-one-out in the room. His little replica that looked back at him and surprisingly spoke first.

“I seriously don’t know what’s happening… But I trust you. I know Dad would do anything to try and protect Mom and Spica… and you act just like he does, just less annoying. But… I still miss them.”

To say Rigel was shaken would be an understatement. The poor kid had been dumped into such a heavy pile of trouble in the last twenty minutes, so him still maintaining a level head is nothing less than a miracle. And yet, he was still a child. So, he couldn’t manage to keep his tears hidden much longer.

“So… please. Go find them… And tell them me and Spica are both fine. They must be worried sick.” He cleared his tears with the edge of his kimono, just like Subaru had cleared his own tears just earlier. “Ah, b-but don’t go telling ‘em that, or I’ll never hear the end of it!”

While he still didn’t know how to feel, Subaru had to smile at the child’s helpless plea.

“Don’t worry. Wherever they are, I’m sure they’re safe.” With a thumbs up and a last wave of bye, they both left the room.

“Alright, Otto, if I were me but had two children, who are very cute by the way, where would I be?”

“Why are you asking me that!?”

Otto fixed his hat, and then continued.

“But if I know Natsuki-san, even if he has finally become a father, well, he’s probably getting himself into trouble right about now.”

“That sounds about right. Well then, Otto, let’s go find ourselves the most amount of trouble that we can in this mansion!”

And so, Natsuki Subaru began running once more.

And so, Natsuki Subaru ran away once more.

Somewhere inside this unfamiliar mansion, an explosion had occurred. Ever the opportunist, Natsuki Subaru made his escape once more.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!”

He had confessed. Confessed his feelings to Emilia in the dream. His sincere apologies for what he had done. Or rather, for what he had failed to do.

He wanted to tell her about the whale. About Sloth. But even in the dream, that horrific hand that liked to torture his heart still caused enough fear to clamp his mouth shut. It had been years since he last felt its terrible embrace, yet it still managed to bring him enough fear to keep him in line.

But he could tell her about how he had failed. How he had abandoned them. Left them to die.

The dream once again reminded him of how real it looked, because the faces of Emilia and Petra were enough to almost drive him to tears again.

And so, he was going to continue. To tell them what had happened after he had left. What he had managed to build together with Rem.

A good household, two beautiful children, good friends, and neighbors.

Then, after remembering the good things he now possessed in his life and how much he treasured them, the nightmare would end.

But she had stopped him. The dream Emilia looked at him with compassion, and a bit of sorrow. As if she had failed him, and not the other way around.

She looked at him as if he wasn’t the Subaru who had left her to die. Who had left everyone to die. She looked at him like he was a different Natsuki Subaru.

“Umm… Subaru, I reaaally don’t get what happened this time… But… I’m fine. And see, Petra-chan is fine too! You already know that we will help you with anything, Subaru!”

“Ye-yeah! Subaru-sama, just tell us what happened, and we can help fix it, right Emilia-sama?”

“Yeah, Petra-chan is-”

It was that that moment that he heard the explosion from somewhere in the mansion. At the very least, it sounded like an explosion. He noticed Emilia instantly move closer to Petra, looking to protect her. She likely would’ve done the same for him… had he not already left.

Apparently, dream Emilia didn’t expect him to take off running and had been stunned long enough for him to lose sight of her.

“Subaru! Wait!”

What a sick joke. He should’ve guessed by now that it was going to end this way, just like always. If he had known that this dream Emilia would react like this, he would’ve continued running until this nightmare finally ended.

‘They were fine.’ That was the most outrageous lie he had ever been told. And since this was his own dream, it made him the biggest liar of all time. Well, he knew that much already, when he had broken those promises with the not-dream versions of the people he saw now.

And now they sent their spirits to haunt him. At least, that’s certainly what it felt like, with how real they, and indeed everything, looked.

Maybe it wasn’t going to work either way…

Seeing how the dream had unfolded thus far, it was safe to say that dream Emilia would never have accepted his apologies.

But at the same time, the way she and dream Petra had responded hurt deep, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

Was it because they had ignored his sincere apologies so quickly, in favor of once again telling him that he could count on them?

That hurt. The dead telling the living that they could help. He needed their forgiveness, not their help. As it stood, they were the only problem he had.

But either way, it would all soon end.

That explosion was unexpected, for both him and his dream captors. It probably signaled that something in the real world was moving or trying to communicate with him while he was still dreaming.

He could feel it. Soon, he would stop dreaming. Soon, his beautiful wife would sense his pain and hurry to him out of this nightmare, as she had done so many times already. Or maybe it would be one of his kids that greeted him. Cute little Spica grabbing onto his hands, or Rigel shouting and kicking at him to wake up or something.

And it appeared that he was right. For after turning a corner, he saw her.

She was in a pitiful state. Her beautiful kimono was almost reduced to tatters, her perfect skin bruised and cut all over. The biggest casualty had been her hair, once a beautiful cascade of gentle blue, now barely anything but tangled and weak strands below her shoulders.

Another woman was nearby, carefully trying to approach the wounded girl. She was blonde and unfamiliar, yet she also wore the same maid apparel Dream Petra had used, though hers was in a much poorer state than the one worn by the young village girl.

He noticed that this girl was also wounded, even if it couldn’t compare to the condition Rem was in. He noticed this as she carefully attempted to make her way through the ruined floor of the mansion.

If he had noticed a moment later, he surely would have fallen headfirst into them. The floorboards were now askew and broken, scattered chaotically across the site. A broken window, its shards still quivering from the impact, revealed the point of the destructive force that had ravaged this space. The wooden frame was splintered, and glass shards littered the floor alongside the broken tiles.

Even so, he ignored the many hazards in the now-destroyed hall for what lay in the middle. The blonde girl had already made her way through the shattered floor and was carefully trying to take Rem into her arms.

She must have seen him then, not that she could have failed to do so with how eagerly he threw himself onto the ruined floor. And just like all the other phantoms, she knew who he was.

She exclaimed something upon seeing him, but he ignored her words. At that point, it didn’t matter if it was real or a dream; the image of his wife lying wounded on the ground would have spurred him to act the same way.

He briefly wondered, how long had it been since he had seen her in such a state? Covered in wounds and suffering, he once thought he had managed to bury the images of seeing her like this… and in even more terrible ones.

Nevertheless, the fact that he had allowed her to get into this state in the first place meant he was a failure as a husband. And such a failure warranted only his most earnest action to help fix it. Dream or not.

Yet, just as he got close to her, he saw what the other girl was so adamant about. It was to be expected of this accursed nightmare that they would manage to make this already grim image even more terrible.

Two sisters. Estranged twins reunited once more. Yet this was not a joyous occasion. If he thought that Rem’s wounds were serious, then the state he found the other oni nestled close to Rem was truly severe.

The visage made him stop once more. He had seen Ram in his nightmares before, and this wasn’t even close to the most grievous of injuries he had seen inflicted on her body, yet he could not help but be stunned by both her presence and condition, both of which he had thought he would never see again.

Finally, he paid heed to the voice of the other girl calling to him.

“Subaru-sama! Ram, she- she passed out…” After finally taking a good look at him, it seemed she also had something to say about him, seeing as she suddenly lost her words again.

This at least helped Subaru escape from his stupor, and he finally managed to cross next to where his wife lay.

He let out a gasp of surprise when he finally saw why the dream maid had not separated them. He always knew that his wife was a strong and amazing woman, so it should come as no surprise to him when he saw her caressing her sister with a distinct light emanating from her hands.

Despite being greatly wounded herself, Rem was still prioritizing healing her sister. He could already see some of the wounds on Ram’s body beginning to mend. Of course, being wounded herself, it was only a matter of time before her energy depleted and she collapsed just like her sister.

“Ah… Rem.”

His heart was a mess. In such a short time, this ‘dream’ had shown him so many terrible things that he was overwhelmed. But the biggest pain came from his doubt. The doubt that this was even a dream at all.

Because it had to be a dream; the alternative was an unthinkable reality. A preposterous horror.

He had long stopped asking questions about his dreaded ability [Return by Death], having gone a long time without using it.

But now, those terrible possibilities were running amok in his head, giving rise to many questions he doubted he even wanted the answers to…

“Subaru…”

A delicate hand reached for his cheek, and despite feeling cuts and bruises, Subaru recognized it as the beautiful hand of his wife, Rem.

“I- I knew it… If Subaru-kun is here… there’s no way this is a nightmare…”

“Am I an idiot? I definitely am an idiot.”

Here he was, despairing about himself while his darling wife was hurt and in pain. Had he not promised always to help and protect her, to never let anything like this happen again?

So, Subaru closed his eyes. For one final time, he hoped that when he opened them, his wife would be staring back at him in the comfort of their bedroom, with no sign of any wounds upon her body. He would jump out of bed, hug her, visit Spica for the same, and maybe go to Rigel too, even if he would probably resist. Then, he would go about his day as usual, trying to bury this particular dream in his memories where it belonged.

But… he couldn’t keep lying to himself any longer. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much he had been trying to turn a blind eye to the truth. Even the touch of his wife was not the first one he had felt today. Both Petra and Emilia had reached out to him, and he had tried his best to deceive himself about the authenticity of what he had felt.

So, he opened his eyes to confirm with his own eyes the truth he had been trying to hide from himself.

“I’m here, Rem. Your Subaru is right here.”

Despite being together for so long now, he couldn’t possibly begin to guess what his wife was thinking about the situation they were in. But he couldn’t even decide what he himself thought about it, so it was better that he helped her so they could think about it together.

He knew that with Rem by his side, he could endure anything. Even this most despicable of situations could be overcome.

He saw Rem’s feeble smile gain some strength. He also couldn’t ignore the way the other maid he had not met moved closer with careful steps.

“Um… Subaru-sama, if it really is you, then please help me take Ram and… and Rem to a healer. Garf should be nearby…”

Another name he didn’t recognize. He wondered if this girl could see the same trepidation in him that he saw in her.

“O-of course! After all, carrying this girl in my arms has become second nature to me!”

Trying to lighten the mood in such a situation was one of the few things Natsuki Subaru could think to do, other than moving closer to Rem to carry her while the blonde did the same for Ram. He didn’t know if it was effective, but…

“Heh…” Rem let out a weak chuckle as he tried to pick her up.

He would consider getting his wife to smile, even just a little bit under these circumstances, a victory. But he could tell it wasn’t due to his joke.

“… Two Subaru-kuns… This really is a wonderful dream…”

Subaru’s wife finally reached her point of exhaustion and closed her eyes to rest. But just before that, he managed to see where she had glanced.

There he was. A spitting image of him in his younger years. The same face, the same eyes, the same hair, the same tracksuit. There stood another [Natsuki Subaru], with an expression he couldn’t understand plastered on his face.

But considering it was supposed to be him, then he probably had the same look on his face as well. And if that was the case, then this other [Subaru] wasn’t scared of him; rather, he was… anxious but determined.

For a moment, his own determination almost faltered. Emilia and Petra were right behind the other [Natsuki Subaru].

“See, Subaru? He’s right there. Why didn’t you tell us you had a twin brother?”

The other [Natsuki Subaru] kept looking at him without saying a word. Subaru should have done the same and avoided looking at Emilia and Petra. He still couldn’t even begin to understand the situation he was in, but he at least knew that this wasn’t a dream, so those two were somehow real. And if they were, then…

He needed to apologize.

When he was still under the delusion of this being a dream, he had tried and failed. It made sense now that Emilia would not understand what he had been ranting about. After all, when he had asked for forgiveness then, he had internally been asking himself for it, not the girls he thought were dreams.

A second wind of determination came over him. He didn’t know what to tell the other [Natsuki Subaru], nor would the people of this parallel reality even know what he was talking about, but he knew he needed to say something. Anything.

“Erm-” “Rigel and Spica.”

He started to speak, but the other [Natsuki Subaru] spoke first, mentioning two names very familiar to him: the names of his children. Once more, fear took over his heart. Fear and anger. What had this guy done to them? He wanted to scream that, but…

He was looking at his wife, at Rem. On his face was an expression he had not seen before, yet he knew all too well. A face of pain and sorrow. He was certain that if he had looked in a mirror just before, he would have the same expression.

But this other [Natsuki Subaru] did not lose his composure or break down before what he was presented with, even though it was likely that he really wanted to. No, he had something to do.

But so did he.

He carefully picked up the now sleeping Rem in his arms and took a deep breath. Then he turned to the other [Natsuki Subaru].

“Rigel and Spica. Those are my kids. I don’t understand what’s going on here at all, but… If you’ve seen them, I need to know where they are.”

He kept his gaze on the other [Natsuki Subaru], and he likewise did the same.

“I-I found them. Me and my friends found them. They were lost, but now they are safe and sent us... looking for you and Re- and that girl.”

He scanned their faces: Emilia, Petra, the wounded Ram, the blonde maid, and this other [Natsuki Subaru]. He could tell they were as lost as he was, but they still strove to help, to reach an understanding, anything.

He still didn’t know what to make of the situation or of the people standing right next to him—those who wore faces of corpses and the one who had the face of the man who left them to die, the same face he had. He probably would never truly wrap his head around it.

But he knew something. He knew his wife was hurting in his arms. He knew that out there, his two beautiful children were probably lost and confused. And even if he didn’t know what to make of these ‘new people’ yet, he knew that one of them was also wounded and needed help. As a husband, a father, and a good neighbor, it was his duty to help them.

Natsuki Subaru couldn’t forget his past.

This hellish situation apparently meant that he couldn’t move on from it.

But maybe, just maybe, he could help make things right with it.

Chapter Text

Ever since he reunited with his children, this other [Natsuki Subaru] had not said a word to him. He seemed content with simply ignoring them while cradling onto his baby daughter along with his son.

Subaru could understand the sentiment. That little bundle of joy that he — that [Natsuki Subaru] had named Spica was certainly reason enough to lose oneself in pampering her. Subaru had barely had any chances to see her thus far, yet he could tell as much.

Honestly, he was quite jealous. Not just of being able to hold a cute baby himself, but because he lacked any way of distracting himself from this bothersome situation.

Both Emilia and Beatrice had been needed to help mend the wounds of the trio of maids along with Garfiel. A part of him thought that it was somewhat overkill to send so many healers, but at the same time, another part of him demanded it.

Rem was there. He had seen her. He had heard her voice again. Even if just for a moment, and even though they weren’t directed at him, he managed to hear her faint words. Only the promise he had made a few minutes earlier had managed to stop him from breaking down in tears.

Emilia must have noticed and understood what he was feeling at that moment even through her own confusion and had volunteered to help. And after he brought [Natsuki Subaru] back to where his children were, Beatrice had been quick to also offer her help.

And while that lifted one of the many worries in his heart, it left him painfully alone in this moment.

Still, he much preferred that they weren’t here right now. While they were making their way through the mansion, the other [Subaru] constantly kept his eyes glued to the floor, or rather, to Rem, whom he was carrying.

And if he ever ventured to see anyone else, he was met with a bunch of frowning faces that held concerned, confused, and likely a myriad more of emotions.

When he looked at [Natsuki Subaru], it didn’t seem like he didn’t want to say anything. Rather, that he too had much to say, and couldn’t bring himself to say any of it.

Or maybe that's how I feel. I just don’t know anymore.

They all had been dying with questions to ask and things to say but had the tact to not say anything to the nervous man yet.

He was glad that Garfiel had not seen the other ‘him’ yet; he was sure that he would not be able to keep calm under such a situation.

It was when he reached his kids that he spoke again, basically screaming in joy at seeing them. Beatrice had apparently taken them out of the room sensing them coming back, and both father and son quickly ran towards each other.

The way that Rigel had instantly gone pale upon seeing the state of his mom made his heart hurt with pain.

“Please… Please help Rem…”

[Natsuki Subaru] was still kneeling when he said that. And it was clear to whom it was directed.

“Betty will gladly help, I suppose.”

Subaru could not see the expression his other self had at that moment, but from the way that Beatrice had looked when she answered him…

Well, if it means that Beako won’t have to make that sad face anymore, I’m glad she isn’t here…

Still, that left him very alone in this situation he very much did not like. Now if only-

“Ah, Petra!”

“Subaru-sama looked worried, so I decided to come over and help.”

Petra moved closer to him and took his hand. She had been in the room next to him for some time now. She had dutifully done her job as a maid and served tea to everyone, even their new ‘guests’, and while Rigel seemed somewhat interested in talking to the girl that was about his age, he didn’t move from the side of his dad, who gave a sad expression and soft ‘thanks’ to her.

“I know it’s usually Beatrice-chan who takes your hand but… “

“Ah, Petra, you're also nervous and want to hold onto Natuski-san’s hand, right?”

The ever-perceptive Otto said, also sitting at his side. Since he also lacked any sort of healing abilities, he had joined them in waiting. Out of everyone there, he seemed the most relaxed, even managing some small talk between the two. Of course, even Otto could not seem to muster enough willpower to talk to the other [Natsuki Subaru].

Petra let out a humph and hugged Subaru’s arm. “As if you aren’t nervous too, Otto-!”

“Your name was Otto, right?”

Petra’s words instantly died in her mouth. They all turned to look at the speaker, the other [Natsuki Subaru] who had passed his daughter onto his son and was now staring intensely at the merchant.

“Wha- Erm, yes. That’s my name. Otto. Otto Suwen.”

“…”

The other [Subaru] kept his gaze on Otto. He wore that same depressing face he always did when he looked at any of them.

“That blonde maid. What is her name? I… I couldn’t ask her.”

“T-that would be Frederica-neesama. She’s really- Um…”

Petra tripped over her own words. Despite trying her best to respond, the remorseful look that he got when he heard her voice made her lose her will to keep talking.

When she had first seen him, she thought he looked like he had seen a ghost. Now she realized how right she was.

“Um… If it's alright with you, could we talk properly, Natsuki-san?” Otto broke the silence again, clearly referring to the other [Subaru].

For a moment, [Natsuki Subaru] closed his eyes and turned his head to the ceiling. He took a deep breath, and then slapped his head with both hands.

“Yosh! Man, that was embarrassing. Sorry, sorry. I showed a pretty bad side for my first meeting, and I haven’t even introduced myself.”

While still holding onto Spica, he stood up, dragging Rigel with him.

“Alright, Rigel. Time to introduce ourselves to these strangers using the special Natsuki household salute!”

“What the- First I’m hearing about that!”

“Oh well, if my son wants to abandon his dad in the moment when he is at his lowest, when his heart is in turmoil, when he already feels lost and alone, when he-”

“Argh! Fine, fine! I’ll do this stupid salute!”

The other members of the room watched with silent surprise and expectation as the father and son performed. As such, [Natsuki Subaru] turned to his audience and, while still holding his daughter in one arm, struck a pose very familiar to most of them.

“My name is [Natsuki Subaru]! Patriarch and breadwinner of the Natsuki household, with all the love my family, friends, and neighbors give me, I must be the richest man in Banan!”

“Erm… I already told you guys, but I’m Natsuki Rigel… Hi.”

They saw the man who was possibly older than all of them do a childish greeting, while the kid gave a reserved wave of his hand.

“Where’s your energy, my son? Did this situation zap it away too? I can understand that, but you have to try to put yourself out there! Talk about yourself, like how your serial-killer eyes can make kids cry, about how each year the townspeople throw beans at you, about how-”

“Those are all your fault!” Rigel cried out anxiously, while his father finished his list with a face-splitting grin. “-you’re so easy to tease.”

The son glared at the father with such intensity that it was clear he wanted to launch a parade of insults at him but held back because of the other members present in the room.

“Oh, but we can’t forget the most important part of our house, can we, Rigel? Come on, we have to introduce her!”

Rigel looked confused for a second, before he suddenly seemed to understand what his father said, and then quickly nodded.

[Subaru] picked up the girl still nestled in his arms and raised her up as high as he could.

“The shining light of our household!” said the father. “The cutest in all town!” said the son, this time, without missing a beat.

“Our precious angel!” “The little miracle in our lives!” “Our little bundle of joy!” “The appa in our eye!”

““And her name is SPICA!”” They both cried in unison.

And the child in question opened her eyes, scanned the audience she was being presented to, and let out a giggle.

For a moment, Subaru thought his heart would melt, and he would die.

Otto and Petra must have thought so too because they gazed silently at the little spectacle they had just seen.

A few seconds passed in silence before…

“Thank you. We technically already knew your names, except for little Petra here, so…. Well, we can’t just see this and not introduce ourselves in kind!” Subaru said to the two beside him as he jumped to his feet and also struck his pose.

“Believe it or not, I am also called Natsuki Subaru! Honorable member of the Emilia Camp, as well as her Knight!”

Subaru wanted to see the expression that the other him made at saying those words. Rather, he needed to know how he reacted. He needed to know… Well, he needed to know a lot of things now.

Regretfully, the still-raised Spica blocked his view. He saw her giggle again at his pose.

Cute! Oh well, there’ll be time for questions soon… Cute!

Otto also stood up, straightened his clothes, and made to speak.

But Subaru cut him off. “Oh, and this shady guy here is Otto! He is good at paperwork, decent at being a merchant, and excellent at being teased!”

“Hey! That’s- Natsuki-san!”

Otto glared at him, but Subaru just casually laughed it off. Otto just sighed and continued talking.

“… Yeah, once again, my name is Otto Suwen. I’m the ‘Internal Affairs Minister’ of this Camp here.” He looked like he wanted to say more but resigned himself and just sat down again while he muttered ‘Just decent at being a merchant?’.

Subaru just ignored him and turned to Petra. “And this little cute and elegant maid is Petra!”

Petra made a cutesy bow. “That’s right, I’m Petra Leyte. Maid of the Mathers family.”

After Petra finished her greeting, [Natsuki Subaru] lowered Spica, and his expression visibly darkened, even though his smile remained; it was now somewhat strained. Subaru saw the way the other him looked. The look he always had when he looked at his friends. The look of a man who-

“Yo, Rigel. I need you to do your dad a favor.”

Subaru was shaken from his thoughts by the other him.

“You’re probably — no, you’re definitely going to enjoy this. If you see me making a big sad or sour face, I want you to pinch me or stomp my foot.”

Rigel looked at the rare sight of a serious expression and voice on his father’s face. He likewise gave a serious nod at his question, Then, as he saw his dad relax a little, he moved up to him and…

“Ouch! I didn’t say anything about punching!”

“My bad,” Rigel dryly apologized. “But at the very least, you’re no longer making that sad expression, right?”

“You… if I weren’t holding onto Spica, you would be feeling hell right now.”

[Subaru] just sighed and finally sat down again. He took the cup of tea that Petra had served much earlier and proceeded to gulp it down. After he finished, he looked at the other three.

“Well, we ‘introduced’ ourselves, so… I’m sure you’re dying to talk. I’ve got plenty of questions myself.”

Otto and Subaru exchanged nervous glances. It was time.

“Yeah. It would be ideal if we could talk with everyone at the same time, but we should get things out of the way as best we can,” Otto began speaking.

“Right. So…” He looked around and then sighed. “… Any idea of what is happening?”

The most obvious question. What was even going on. No one in the room could even begin to comprehend the bizarreness of the situation. Well, that’s not exactly right. Two of them had a pretty good idea. A pretty terrifying idea.

“We don’t know for sure either. All we know is that Beatrice-sama thinks powerful magic was at work here,” Otto averted his eyes. “And that she believes that the culprit could’ve been-”

“The Witch of Envy.”

Subaru watched the other him freeze up as he finished Otto’s part. It was normal for people to freeze at the mention of the witch being involved in anything, as evident by Petra and Rigel similarly tensing up.

But he knew. He knew that the other him had already guessed a name in his mind. That he had guessed correctly and was despairing that he did. That he knew. He knew. He knew about it. He knew because he also-

“Ouch!”

“You were making a bad face again.”

Rigel had stepped on [Subaru’s] foot, even if the kid himself was also not showing his best one. [Subaru] frowned a little at him, but he continued with his talk.

“Right. This is just what one would expect of an alternative world plot.”

Subaru considered just what he said. By all means, the [Natsuki Subaru] in front of him had basically been summoned from another world ‘again’. The only difference being that they were from the ‘same’ world while also being from another reality. Another version of themselves. One who did or didn’t do something differently.

At least that’s what one would expect of an alternative world plot.

Speaking of. “Well, following in line with those kinds of stories, the best course of action would be to establish the differences between our worlds, right?”

“They sure had a lot of interesting stories in Natsuki-san… Both of your hometowns huh? Oh, that’s a good place to start. Are you both from the same hometown?”

Subaru and [Subaru] looked at each other. Even now, every time their eyes met, they were faced with a mirror of themselves. A mirror that desperately wanted to understand the other one. But nevertheless, they both responded basically at the same time.

““A small island nation to the east.””

The others looked somewhat surprised at the way both answered so similarly, but they were the same person, so it was to be expected.

“Well, there certainly are very obvious differences between the two of you,” Otto said, and Petra nodded.

“Yeah, now that I look at you next to one another, it would be impossible for me to mistake you again!”

“Alright, I get it! I’m old, no need to dance around it.”

Both Otto and Petra put up their hands to dismiss that thought.

“Nonono, you’re still plenty young! In fact, if you tried you could possibly pass for the other one.”

“Yeah, if we change the hair and clothes, either of you could pass for a convincing… other Subaru.”

Ignoring the other two, Subaru stared directly at the other him. They were right in that assessment of them passing for the other one if they tried.

“Alright, but to get things back on track, I’m 18 years old.”

Instead of the father, it was Rigel who spoke up first. “Dad here is thirty years old. Oh, and I’m twelve by the way.”

“Yup, I’m a bona fide adult now. Enjoy that youth that you have because- Well, actually, I’ve aged pretty gracefully, wouldn’t you say? Oh, and cute Spica here is only two years old!”

Thirty? That means he’s like twelve years older than me… Wait.

“Hold it! Rigel is only twelve… Then- then that means that you had him… at around my age?!”

For a moment [Subaru] abandons his confident pose and scratches his cheek, although his grin becomes larger. “Hehe, yeah… I already had a wife and was on my way to getting married at your age. Jealous?”

“Of course I am!” Subaru shamelessly admits. “But that isn’t the point! I know you were technically an ‘adult’ by then, but that’s way too young for me- for you- for someone to have a kid! Especially someone who probably had no job and no family to back him up!”

[Subaru] fakes pain in his chest. “Ah, how do you know that I was clueless and broke just at that time!”

“Argh! What’s with this guy! What happened to all of the teachings of not being rash in one’s life! Our dutiful teachers will be mad we wasted their advice!”

[Subaru] just gave a boisterous laugh, while Subaru looked irritated as he pointed at him.

“A child at the same age as Natsuki-san… Then that’s probably where the change happens.”

“Wow, Otto, you caught on fast to the tropes of alternate realities.” Subaru turned to look at Otto.

“Well, as I grasp it, Beatrice told us that they are similar but not the same, so it stood to reason that there would be something that led to that change. And if so, we only have to find what it is.”

“Hmm, well, there’s still much of our childhood that could be different, but if we follow tropes, it started when I-”

“Arrived in Lugunica.”

Subaru turns to [Subaru] as the latter interrupted him. That just confirmed it. This guy probably had the same childhood and upbringing as him.

That means he also was a hopeless NEET when he came here…

“After that, I helped Emilia-tan get her insignia,” Subaru continued, “And then-”

“I got hired to work at Roswaal’s mansion,” [Subaru] finished for him again.

Subaru stopped talking, gesturing to the other him to continue.

“Dammit… I’m sorry, Rigel… Me and your mother wanted to let you know this when you were older but- Ouch.”

“That face again…”

Subaru didn’t react as harshly as he should to the pinch, probably because Rigel had not done it with much force, since he was focused on listening to the story of his parents’ past, who didn’t talk much about it.

“Right, of course. I… I met Rem there, and after some time... I went to the capital again… and made a fool of myself in front of a lot of people…”

Otto nodded; he knew of the fact that his friend had fumbled his relationship with Emilia in the Royal Selection. But if this other [Subaru] had his kid at eighteen, then there had to have been a change within that time, which meant it had to have happened close to last year. Or rather when…

When the White Whale and Sloth were at large…

“And after that Emilia cut ties with me… I understood that I was not wanted… And left with Rem to Kararagi.”

Otto’s face fell a little. He understood the implications of what he said. Without Subaru, the whale and Sloth wouldn’t have been subjugated. And while he can understand that it would be expected for Subaru to leave after the fiasco at the capital, the fact remains that with his inaction, they would still be at large. And that means that I…

“You… You… You left?” Petra could not hold her gaze on the other [Subaru]. She too understood the implication of what Subaru abandoning them meant.

But her pondering meant that she let her attention slip from the Subaru next to him, which caused dire problems.

“You… bastard!”

Subaru leaped from his seat and made his way to [Natsuki Subaru]. Petra and Otto were too late to stop him. They were stunned that Subaru would’ve acted like this, especially since it felt as if the Subarus were on the same wavelength. At the very least, it seemed they mistook Subaru’s nervousness for anger.

Because they didn’t know. They didn’t know what Subaru knew. He too had made a fool of himself at the capital. He too was left behind by Emilia. And while he technically didn’t know if the other [Subaru] had done the same, he at the very least had fought and struggled against them.

“You—You left them!”

And he knew about Kararagi; that was a country in the west he’d heard of. And it was there where he wanted to go with Rem… Where he wanted to go when he gave up.

“You abandoned them!”

When he was at the end of his rope, and when he thought there was nothing else to do, that was where he wanted to run away to. But Rem had stopped him. She gave him, her hero, the strength to push forward.

“YOU LEFT THEM TO DIE!”

Subaru stopped from his goal after someone blocked his path. It was little Rigel, who he found out wasn’t that young to begin with, only one year younger than Petra. Yet he stood in his way with a determined look on his face.

“E-even if you helped me, I won’t let you—”

“Hey Rigel, take Spica for me, will you?”

Rigel instantly took over his little sister, despite being very nervous and worried himself. He couldn’t even see and check if his dad was making an ugly face or not.

[Subaru] moved closer to Subaru of his own volition. He looked down at him with a strange look on his face. It hid many feelings, but above all, it was resignation, or perhaps acceptance.

“Don’t you mess with me!”

Subaru instantly closed in; his hands curled into fists.

“You! Have you any idea what that means?! Everyone—the village, Petra, Ram, and Emilia—do you know what would’ve happened to them?!”

“Natsuki-san, wait! We can’t be sure that he knew of—”

“I knew.”

Even though Subaru’s fists were dangerously close to his face, [Natsuki Subaru] didn’t flinch.

“I knew what abandoning them would mean. The village and everyone… that bastard would raze and destroy it all.”

His own hands were fists now, although it looked like he would rather punch himself than Subaru.

“T-then—then why! Why did you—”

“I COULDN’T DO IT!”

Subaru flinched back as [Natsuki Subaru] also screamed.

“I’m sure you never even thought about running away, but what I saw… what happened there…” He cut himself, as if wanting to say more but choosing against it. Subaru was sure he’d done the same many times… while thinking of the same topic.

“I… I wouldn’t have been able to do anything. Even if I tried, I would’ve failed and only made things worse… That’s what I thought.”

“But you were—”

“But I was wrong.”

Subaru finally turned to look at his namesake. He saw it then; he was crying. But he still talked with unexpected calmness.

“You… you were able to save them all. Even though it must’ve hurt, even though it must’ve been painful… you managed to save them all.”

For a moment, he saw himself in that time he had felt weak. Where he too had wished to give up and run. In that time where it had been Rem who saved him and told him...

“Wait a moment! What about Rem! You just ignored what she wanted and forced her to run away with you?!”

“Don’t bring her into this.”

Even through the tears, he could see that those eyes had some kind of determination hidden within. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

“You’re right about everything. But leave her out of it. I was the one who failed everyone. She isn’t at fault; I was.”

“Wha—?”

Subaru didn’t understand what he meant; he never thought to ascertain that Rem was at fault, rather that he had ignored Rem’s wish. The wish of becoming her hero.

Unless maybe he didn’t—

“I am the one that left everyone. I’m not like you. I’m sure you had the strength to defeat the whale and sloth, but I did not. You’re Natsuki Subaru, but you’re different from me…”

“Don’t you talk like that! Rem—You—saying those things—”

“But it’s true, isn’t it!” [Subaru] talked between clenched teeth. “I didn’t save Emilia, the village… No, I only ran away. You are the one who saved everyone, didn’t you say so yourself? You’re Emilia’s knight.”

Only now did Subaru realize the effects that his careless declarations had made on the other him.

“You—Who do you think I am?” Subaru grabbed [Subaru] by the collar of his kimono. “If you and I are the same, then that means that the only difference between us is that you gave up. I don’t have any skill that you didn’t have at the time. I just decided to keep going, no matter the cost.”

The eyes of [Natsuki Subaru] held many different feelings, and once more, Subaru could not truly decipher what those were. Despite the fact that this man was supposed to be him, were they so different from one another that he could not truly connect with him?

Of course not. After all, he too had been in the exact same situation before. In fact, it was also him who chose to give up and run, but Rem had stopped him. In that, and in an infinitude of similar ways, they were the same.

It was why he could just make out some of the feeling in his eyes. And while he understood that there was sadness and shame in him, there was also… acceptance.

“Listen, I know that we are similar, and what you say may be true… But still, I chose to leave while you didn’t…” [Subaru] looked down at him again, his face just slightly calmer after their mutual outburst. “… And while I will always carry the guilt and the shame… I will never regret leaving and making a family with Rem.”

For a moment, Subaru allowed himself to imagine what that had been like, living more than a decade of peace with Rem, a wife who loved and cherished him, and two children for him to spoil and cuddle.

He definitely felt a bit jealous of the other [Natsuki Subaru] and his family life. So, he decided then that he would keep fighting hard to get his own happy ending like that. Even if he had more hurdles to pass than this other Subaru, he would cross them.

“I don’t ask that you understand me or forgive me but-"

That’s when he understood. Those eyes weren’t just showing acceptance, but they were seeking forgiveness at the same time.

“Oi, I think you’re misunderstanding something, [Natsuki Subaru].”

While he was still glaring, Subaru let go of his collar with a sigh.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to. I’m just the guy who’s going to kick your ass if you fail to do so.”

[Subaru] glanced over at Otto and Petra, who had so far stayed out of their fight, with darkened expressions on their faces. It was only natural, considering that, while not technically the same person as their friend, [Natsuki Subaru] had abandoned them.

And to his son Rigel, whose face was twisted into a scowl not unlike the one that he had asked to be kept out of his own face. He needed to earn his forgiveness too… and then he needed to punish him for that cheeky punch he had thrown earlier.

“Yeah, that’s…”

“Ah, Subaru!” “Subaru-kun!”

Just then, the door opened. Both Subarus turned to the newly opened door, where the rest of the mansion members were quickly entering the room.

Subaru was relieved to see everyone once more. He certainly needed the company of Emilia and Beatrice; they all needed to hear what the other [Subaru] had to say, and he needed to see his wife, Rem, once more.

She looked worryingly at both of them. Her skin was now completely free of wounds, as expected of the work of so many healers working together, plus her own oni’s blood healing her. Her hair, however, was not so lucky. Still, her hair was made into a braid and hung over her shoulder; no doubt it would soon grow back to its complete silky glory.

As for her clothes, those had been completely unsalvageable, at least for now, and were replaced with a bluish onesie instead. They were the same clothes that his Rem was wearing, as her wheelchair was pushed into the room by Frederica.

Oh.

He had been the one who had asked for his Rem to be brought to the meeting. He knew it was an important thing that the other him and the other Rem deserved to know about.

So, he should’ve expected the punch that rocked him right in the face.

“Ah! Subaru-sama!” “Natsuki-san!”

Petra and Otto moved forward to check on him, while the newcomers were shocked to see the sudden turn of events.

“You, you! All that talk—about being a hero to her and a knight… Yet you sacrificed her!”

Having recovered from the shock of the punch, Subaru tried to stand up, but he was lifted by the collar of his tracksuit well before that happened.

“You said it… ‘No matter the cost’… and that cost was Rem! What happened to the strength you said you had, about what made you stand apart from me?”

“In the first place, it was you who said all that stuff… about being different.”

Being met with the fiery gaze that he himself likely gave the other [Subaru] earlier, he nevertheless gave a strong response. It looked like [Subaru] was stunned at the truth in his words, and he faltered a little. Enough time for the others to finally reach them.

“Oi!” Subaru was let go immediately after another person put himself between them. “I don’t care if yer supposed t’ be another world’s Cap’n or whatever, ya ain’t hurtin’ my Cap’n!”

[Subaru] saw a young and boisterous boy quickly come to Subaru’s rescue, someone he had not seen before, though he was probably related to the blonde maid, Frederica.

And in the same manner, his wife, Rem, made her way to him.

“Subaru-kun, your Rem is fine… and they told me about… this other me.” She looked a bit nervous about it. “She has something called the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ disease.”

[Subaru] ran his hand over Rem’s hair, her newly made braid, caressing it gently.

“I know I don’t have the first right to say anything like this to you, but… why? Why did you not save Rem?”

He was still angry, it seemed, both at Subaru and at… himself. Or maybe it was shame, because just as he said, the man who had abandoned so many would probably have no right to speak about this matter.

“I—I did—” Subaru began to talk, but he cut himself short.

“I—I think it’s about time you and me…” Subaru passed Garfiel and once more was face to face with [Subaru].

“… have a talk man to man…”

There was knowledge that only the two of them were privy to. Even if they couldn’t discuss it properly with each other, at the very least, they could try to understand what few things they could share.

“… Natsuki Subaru to [Natsuki Subaru].”

…

“Ouch!”

The tense silence was broken by [Subaru] letting out a sudden voice in surprise,

“Rigel! What are you doing to your father—”

“Your face… you were making that ugly face again…”

Rigel was trembling, and he looked close to tears. He didn’t truly grasp what the two Subarus had been talking about, but from what little he could decipher… well, it was better for him not to dwell on it, at least not until his parents actually told him the full story. That’s what he felt, at least.

Of course, he was still affected by the whole discussion, and he was still holding onto Spica, now seeking protection behind his mother, who had almost scolded him.

“Right, you’re right, my son!”

[Subaru] quickly put up a smile, even though it didn’t actually reach his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Rem, you’ve just been hurt and were probably looking forward to talking with me about this whole situation, but I need you to look after Rigel and Spica again while I have a talk with… with this mean-eyed looking guy.”

Rem gave a light chuckle. “You’re so mindful of your wife, Subaru-kun,” she said as she hugged him. “Don’t worry. Your Rem will wait here for as long as you need.”

“I’m sorry, Beako—”

“Betty already knows what you’re going to ask for, in fact.” Subaru had turned to ask Beatrice a similar question, only to be surprised by her already being beside him. “What a troublesome contractor Betty has, I suppose.”

Subaru turned to look at the others; Otto and Petra still seemed to be reeling from the implications of what they had just heard, while Garfiel had quickly jumped to his aid, though he appeared sad too. Just then, he noticed that Ram was in a wheelchair similar to her sister's, but she was obviously still awake, glaring at the two of them.

“Ram… What happened? Why did you—”

“I already expected that Barusu would not understand, but of course, this state was Ram’s own doing.” She then fixed a glance at the other Rem, who was hugging [Subaru]. From the corner of his eye, he could see them flinch slightly at both Ram’s voice and her gaze.

“Ram had her perception slightly… altered for a moment. It would’ve been shameful if I caused any trouble at that moment, so I decided to exhaust my powers to be in a calmer state. Barusu could learn something from Ram’s foresight and… self-control.”

“You did that by destroying a corridor! And hurting— Never mind.”

“I’m glad one Barusu at least still knows his place. Now go, two Barusu’s are starting to become an eyesore.”

[Subaru] shot a small glare at Ram, although just like Subaru, he likely understood that her actions and now her banter came from a place of caring, even if it ended up hurting his wife. He couldn’t maintain that for long as he quickly broke line of sight with her and made for the door.

Before Subaru turned to do the same, there was one last person to speak.

“Um… I still reaaally don’t understand what you two talked about that made you do this, but… You shouldn’t be having a fight with yourse—your own blood!”

“Emilia-tan… They probably haven’t told you yet, but me and this guy, we aren’t actually related.”

“I know that! But if you two are the same, then you must have the same blood, right?”

“What flawless logic, Emilia-tan!”

Emilia let out a small chuckle. “Exactly, so don’t go punching each other, okay?”

“First off, he started it!” Subaru angrily pointed at the other [Subaru]. “And… sorry, but I don’t know if I can promise that…”

“Damn right.”

Finally, the other [Natsuki Subaru] chose his opportunity to speak once more.

“I’m sorry, Emilia-san, but what me and this guy will talk about, it’ll definitely need some punches in the process.”

Emilia opened her mouth but didn’t object. Maybe it was the way he referred to her, or maybe she just didn’t have the right words, but…

“Besides, that’s the way it has been done in the Natsuki household, right?”

Emilia let out a sigh. “Very well… [Subaru-san] … But please, don’t be too hard on Subaru; he’s a reaaaally good boy.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Satisfied, Emilia turned to her Subaru. “And you, Subaru, don’t give too many problems to your older… you.”

This time Subaru only responded with a thumbs up. Then he turned to [Subaru], and they both gave a small nod. And so, without much more flair, the two left the room for a place where they could talk in private.

Beatrice watched them leave with some worry in her heart. She knew that there were things that her contractor could not confide even to her, be it from his own will… or the will of someone else.

But maybe, if her contractor and that man were truly one and the same… then maybe he could talk about it with [Natsuki Subaru].

“Hah… Betty hopes that you find some calm out of this, Subaru.”

She then turned to everyone else present, from worried mothers and children to a disoriented camp.

“Now, we should all calm down, I suppose.”

They all had much to discuss, after all.

They traversed the corridors for a while. They walked and walked and kept walking. Until finally, Subaru opened an empty room and shoved the two of them inside.

They stood silent for a moment, both full of questions, not truly sure which ones to ask first, or whether to ask at all.

Still, if they were here and alone, then the only topic they could talk about was...

“Hey. Did... did Rem... say the ‘thing’ to you too?”

[Subaru] didn’t expect that question. He expected many questions, but this at least wasn’t one of them.

“The ‘thing’? If you mean ‘I love you,’ then you’d have a better time asking me how many slices of bread I’ve eaten- “

“No, not that! And she has said that to me plenty of times too, by the way!”

If he truly didn’t know...

“I meant... the moment that you gave up, you talked about running away with Rem, right?”

[Subaru] looked at him with a confused face, but that soon began to be filled with understanding.

“...N-no way…”

“While there... you told her your plan to flee to that country, Kararagi, and start a new life there.”

“But... but you didn’t…”

“And then she said something important to you- to us… What did she say?”

[Subaru] failed to meet the gaze of the other him.

“Tell me… did Rem ever tell you that you were... her hero?”

At that, [Subaru] stiffened, but while he still averted his eyes, somehow his resolve seemed to get stronger.

“I… I already told you. I’m no hero. I’m… I’m a father of two beautiful children… A husband… a good one, according to my wife… I’m the leader of the ‘Banan Culture Promotion Society’… I’ve even gained some popularity for it in Kararagi.”

[Natsuki Subaru] finally looked back at Natsuki Subaru, pain clear in his eyes.

“… But I’m no hero.”

[Subaru] took a moment searching for his next words.

“But… you are. You stayed here. And… you never even doubted, right?”

Despite that being what he said, it sounded as if [Subaru] was not actually confident in his claim. By the way he had explained the place where he had tried to run away, it made it clear that both of them had shared that moment of weakness.

So, he already knows...

“I did. Just as I told you… I also wanted to run away… All that stuff you said, none of it is true.” It was Subaru’s turn to avert his gaze. “In fact, if it weren’t for Rem… I would’ve fled, just like you.”

“But you didn’t.”

The two Subarus looked at each other again, and for the first time in a while, they had an understanding of each other.

“No, because of Rem. Because I’m Rem’s hero.”

Rem’s hero. That was what kept him going. He had many things to fight for: Emilia’s love, Beako’s smile, Ram, Petra, Otto, Garfiel, Frederica, all of his friends’ happiness, and their futures. But out of everything, being Rem’s hero had been, and still was, his biggest reason for pushing forward.

“But… but you left her. Why… why didn’t you try to save her?”

“I didn’t! I tried to- I really- I…”

Even though [Natsuki Subaru] should also know this, the cold hand of the witch still could appear and try to shut him up if he talked about [Return by Death]. He had managed to talk about looping with Roswaal before, as he had obtained that information by himself. But the clown did not know the true extent of his ability.

“I tried to… go back and save her. But… I couldn’t.”

But this other [Natsuki Subaru] knew. As far as he could tell, he had the same ability as him… and the same curse.

But… what if he was wrong? What if this [Natsuki Subaru] had not been tainted by the witch?

Well, considering everything he knew, that was unlikely. And if so, maybe… He could talk about…

But… once he had talked about [Return by Death] unopposed to someone who also knew of its power, and the witch had instead punished him by appearing upon the world.

They looked at each other again. Once more, it seemed they had reached a deeper understanding.

“You couldn’t save her? Or… you were not allowed to save her?”

Bullseye.

There was now no doubt on his knowledge. And if so, then telling the truth was a worthy option.

And upon seeing his reaction, it seemed [Natsuki Subaru] had the same idea.

“Hah… I- We should just go and say it.”

Despite saying that, it didn’t look like [Subaru] was in any hurry to speak about the curse that it seemed he also carried.

“I haven’t felt it in a long while… for more than a decade now… but- “

“Then I’ll say it.”

Subaru already had experience speaking of his curse, even if he had only done so fully once. As such, he gathered his courage, took a deep breath, and spoke about his curse—

“I can Return by Death.”

—completely unopposed.

The two of them looked at each other, and at their surroundings with bated breath, either expecting something to happen or the other to say something else.

So, Subaru obliged.

“I have been Returning by death!” He said louder, although not loud enough for anyone outside the room to hear. “For a while now, I’ve been dying and… seeing those around me suffer and…”

Had he not already told someone else this already, he would surely be on the ground crying at the freedom of being able to speak about this without anyone stopping or hurting those he loved.

Still, a certain girl with a discerning personality had already talked with him, and his situation was even worse at that time.

“Hrg! Wait ho-hold up!”

Despite letting him speak up, [Subaru] anxiously stopped Subaru from saying more.

“I- I remember, last time I said anything about this… the witch—she attacked… oh no—Rem!”

[Subaru] began to run towards where he believed his loved ones were in peril but was stopped by Subaru.

“I know what you mean…” As he likely experienced the same thing himself. “B-but I didn’t feel anything this time. Even at that time, the witch—she still appeared in some way.”

Trying to calm the other him while also being extremely nervous himself,

“A-are you sure? My kids… your friends…”

“They’ll be fine, rather, they probably would be the ones to come here and help us if anything happens.”

That seemed to calm [Subaru] down enough.

“So… you can… Return by Death.” [Subaru] said and waited a second, hoping for anything to happen. When nothing did, he continued. “Guess you should know but… I can also… Return by Death.”

Again, he waited to see if anything changed, and again, nothing happened.

“I- I can Return by Death. I can Return by Death. I can- “

Tears started to flow from [Subaru’s] eyes. For a moment, Subaru felt fear that the curse had affected him, but those fears were dispelled the next moment.

“You’re right… Nothing is happening.”

Subaru honestly expected him to also break down crying like he had done, but the other him was taking it better than he thought.

“Hah… It’s been so long… I really don’t want to feel that… thing after so many times free of it. Sorry for making you… have to say it first.”

Subaru absentmindedly nodded at the apology, thinking of what this meant. If the two of them could talk about Return by Death without the witch coming and shutting them up, then that meant that he had a confidant to whom he could reveal all the secrets of the lives he had lived and the deaths he’d had to endure.

A greedy witch had offered him a quite twisted deal for the chance to do such, and here he was, with that same opportunity at basically no cost.

Although of course, there existed the chance that maybe he no longer…

“Maybe I don’t have it anymore.”

Subaru flinched at the declaration of the older him.

“I mean, it’s been more than a decade since I’ve ever… died, since I ever said anything about Return by Death too. And since she always said that stuff about love, so maybe after I married and had kids with Rem, you think she finally got the hint and left?”

For [Subaru], the prospect of no longer being beholden to the Witch of Envy obviously seemed like something he’d want.

“I… I was actually thinking that maybe, she’d left me too…”

But for Subaru, that wasn’t such an appealing prospect. Of course, being free of the curse was great, but Return by Death had become a useful tool. And while he had already decided to value each of his chances and his lives, he still had to admit it was something a small and manic part of him could be glad to have at his disposal.

So, to know it may be gone…

“I- I suppose when we get back, we’ll have to test if it’s still here.” Subaru said. Seeing his counterpart tense a little at those words, he continued, “And don’t worry, I’ll be the one to test it.”

“Yeah, thanks.” [Subaru] said without much enthusiasm. “I’m really beginning to owe you a lot of things, huh?”

[Subaru] turned to look at him with another sad expression.

“I think I know the answer already, but I want to hear it from your own mouth.” [Subaru] still had a small fragment of his anger from earlier, but it was waning. “Why did you not save Rem?”

Despite how the question was asked, Subaru could tell it no longer was an accusatory one. “I tried. When I saw she was like that I tried… I tried killing myself to get her back.” He involuntarily reached for his neck. “But by that point, the reset had advanced to where I couldn’t help her.”

“I see…”

Silence befell the two of them again. It was a hard truth.

“Just know, if I had been allowed to, I would’ve saved her. It doesn’t matter how many times I had to try again; I would’ve saved her.”

Back then, he didn’t value his lives as much as he does right now, but that would’ve rung true now just as much as it did then.

“Good. That’s good.” [Subaru’s] anger seemed all but gone from him, rather a small smile had formed on his lips. “And tell me, this ‘Sleeping Beauty Disease’ what is it supposed to be?”

“Did you ever see the White Whale?” [Subaru] nodded. “Well then did it ever do an attack that seemed to… wipe someone from existence?”

[Subaru] recalled one of those hellish loops. Was it the one that made him want to give up? He remembered how Rem’s existence seemed to be removed from everyone else’s memories and from the whole world too.

“Y-yes. So… the whale got her?”

“No, it was after we killed the whale,” [Subaru’s] face changed slightly at the mention of him killing the whale. “We still had to face Sloth… But Rem, she was tired, so she and Crush headed back to rest, and it was then when… when they got them.”

[Subaru] nodded, but then stopped and asked back, “Wait, you got Crush to help you?”

“Yeah… I already told you, didn’t I? I’m not some kind of superhuman… I just managed to get the people required to do the job.” [Subaru] let out a small chuckle at the thought that Subaru had never wavered like him. “Crush she… lost her memories while Rem got both her Name and her memories stolen. And that causes to be like that, in a coma, never aging.”

Both Subarus' faces turned grim at that declaration. [Subaru] looked like he wanted to say many things but held himself back.

“B-but if you killed the whale, then how did Rem…”

“There is another guy like that Betelgeuse nutjob out there. Part of the witch cult. Another archbishop… this time for Gluttony it seems.”

“A-another of those lunatics…”

Subaru nodded in agreement. “Actually, it seemed there were two of them,” he told, recalling what they had discussed once they found out. “So now we are looking for ways of restoring Rem and everyone’s memories… and to defeat the witch cult.”

“No- no way… Two more of them…” [Subaru] let out a scared whimper at that declaration. Subaru almost feels bad about it, but it’s not like he isn’t scared of the moment he will have to meet those monsters himself.

“Man, you keep on making this more difficult for me, but you know…” [Subaru} says suddenly. “Kararagi is quite a way from here, right?” Subaru watched as the other him closed the space between them. “And considering I’m ten years back in the past, there’s no way I can go back to my home now. It’s probably not even mine anymore.”

[Subaru] pulled from his pocket a small purse, it already looked painfully empty. “This here is all I have now. There’s a guy over in Banan that might help me, and my future neighbors are good people, but I can’t impose on them now, can I?”

“You… what are you…”

“So, I’m broke and hopeless once again, remind me of when I was your age kid,” [Subaru] slowly gained a cheeky grin. “And just like when I was your age, I need to get a job, now if only there were someone who would hire an old-timer like me…”

Subaru was surprised at the sudden declarations of his other self, but as he made to answer he was cut once again.

“I’m not actually any good at fighting, but my wife, Rem, is. Still, the thought of her having to fight and getting hurt again is enough to make me blanch.” [Subaru] shakes his head, as if dispelling the disturbing image. “So, you’ll have to make do with only her healing magic.” [Subaru] shrugged. “As for me… well, I don’t have the years and knowledge of the other members of the ‘Banan Culture Promotion Society,’ but I’m still able to give the wisdom of a proper adult, and of a father.”

[Subaru] moved forward and put a hand on Subaru’s shoulder.

“And of course… someone you can confide in about the greatest curse that we—that you have. Whether it’s still in place or not.”

“You… saying all that…”

As if taking his words as doubt, [Subaru] continued his sales pitch.

“Ah, I understand your doubts! Hiring me and Rem means taking those two kids of ours as well. And while one is an angel, the other is quite the ‘oni.’” [Subaru] chuckled at the ‘demonic’ image of Rigel. “And… and I know that you probably have doubts about me since I… abandoned everyone in the past.” [Subaru] let go of his shoulder and looked away. “And you would be right to think poorly of me because of it… But… I promise you; I want to make things right.” He looked at Subaru again, determination once more blazing in his eyes. “I may not be able to do so in my world, but at the very least, I want to help in this one. Help you get back your Rem, fighting those archbishops… It’ll definitely be hard, but this time, I want to be there to help.”

“Besides… I want my wife and my kids to be able to speak to Ram.” [Subaru] scratched the back of his head. “This one is quite pretentious of me… But I’m sure that my family can make things here livelier… And Rem… she can help make everyone remember what your Rem was like, so that when she wakes up, they won’t have to… to start from zero.”

Subaru flinched at those words. It was likely that [Subaru] had not used them on purpose, and it was actually likely that he didn’t know of their importance.

“You… you…!”

Seeing Subaru clench his fist in what he thought was anger, Subaru hurriedly waved his hands in apology.

“Sorry, sorry! Erm… I spoke out of line!” [Subaru] started panicking and speaking faster. “I can also, uh… I know of the future! Ten years’ worth of knowledge! Lugunica is a rough spot and… ugh what else? I can clean the mansion, or even the toilets, so please-!”

“You… There’s no need to be saying all that!”

“Huh?”

[Subaru] stood aghast at the other him's response to his little speech.

“I was going to ask you to stay regardless, you know? Do you think I’m heartless?” Subaru said while pointing a finger. “Remember what Emilia said? You and I share the same blood, and by consequence, those two kids of yours do too. What kind of person would I be if I let my own blood on the streets?”

[Subaru] blinked in confusion, then he closed his eyes and… “Ahahaha! Of course, of course! I should’ve expected nothing less from Natsuki Subaru!”

He gave a hearty laugh and put his hand on Subaru’s shoulder again.

“Very well! Although, being hired because of my bloodline, that sure is a very big case of nepotism, huh?”

“Stop saying those things? Do you want the job or not?”

“Of course! Then I’ll give you the perspective of a father to any situation that may come. I don’t know how useful it’ll be to that of a hero, but I’m certain it’ll be worth it.” Subaru pushed his hand forward. “So, do we have a deal, Natsuki Subaru?”

Subaru also put his own hand and accepted the handshake. “Yes, we do, [Natsuki Subaru].”

They pulled their hands back, but [Subaru] actually pushed his hands out, as if making for a hug. Subaru would’ve obliged but…

“Well, before anything else, I believe I owe you a punch—no, a few punches, don’t you think?”

Subaru was surprised, but only for a moment. “Yeah, you’re right.” Before he gathered his hands into fists and punched [Natsuki Subaru] right in the stomach.

“That one’s for Emilia and the mansion!” He punched his gut again. “That was for the village!” And one more time. “And that one’s for making Rem push herself so much for your sake!” He technically didn’t know if Rem had done so, but he ‘knew’ she had.

Finally, Subaru pulled back his fists, and [Subaru] grunted. “Hrg… ‘Certainly didn’t hold yourself back huh, brat’… Or that’s what I want to say, but you’re still missing a punch.” He pointed to his head. “Right here, I’m surprised you didn’t hit me once there, for the one I gave to you earlier.”

Subaru caressed the part of his head where he had been punched. “Yeah, but I think I actually deserved that punch… for failing Rem.” Subaru’s face darkened, but only for a moment. “Besides, if I ruin that face of yours even more than what it is now, I’m sure a lady that’s back in that room would be very sad. She’s somewhat related to a girl I like, so I can’t be making a bad impression.”

“You sure have guts saying that while having hit my own gut three times.”

Both Subarus chuckled a bit. It seemed like most of the heavy talk was over.

“Oh, and by the way, I will take your offer; I want to see and hear Rem’s happy voice around the mansion.”

“Of cour- Hey hold on… That isn’t right, that’s my wife you’re talking about, buster! Normally, I would easily claim she would never ever consider it… but you’re also me… Is my wife going to cheat in me… with me?”

“Again, just what kind of guy do you think I am?”

[Subaru] put his hands up in mock despair.

“Oh no! He has those delinquent looks, with those killer eyes, rough hair, shabby attire, and sleazy looks! He’s definitely one of those dangerous people described in the tales of my homeland-!

“SHUT UP!”

This time, [Subaru] broke down into a boisterous laugh. While the other Subaru pulled his hair in frustration.

“Ahaha… Haaah…” [Subaru] wiped a tear. “Yeah, there’s no way my wife will fall for a snot-nosed brat like you.”

“And still with that…! I’m not ever going to try to do something with your wife, I’m not crazy! And on that note, you better not try anything funny with Emilia, or my Rem, or Beako, or Petra, or anyone in the mansion!”

“Oi, I feel you just painted a very bad picture of me in your head!”

“Right back at you!”

Now face to face, both Subaru’s had angry faces, but with big grins betraying them.

“Of course, I have no interest over some kids, and my heart is fully devoted to my Rem!” [Subaru] assured. “Wait… all those girls… you’re already claiming so many girls as ‘yours’?! And so young too… Is it not Rem who is in danger of this Casanova, but my cute little Spica…?!”

“SHUT UP, SHUTUP!”

While Subaru huffed and puffed, [Subaru] just gave another good laugh at his expense.

“Man, you’re as easy to tease as my Rigel!”

“I’m not happy about that one bit!” Subaru let out a ‘harumph’ and calmed down. “Well, I suppose that’s everything we have to talk for now. We can discuss about the future, the curse and whatnot later, I’m sure they’re getting worried for us back there.”

[Subaru] also stopped laughing and nodded, but just as they were reaching for the door.

“No, wait. There is one more thing I got to say.”

“Hmm?”

Subaru turned to see his other him again. What else was there to discuss?

“Yeah… You know, I already told you that I… don’t regret what I did. But even so, looking at you, Natsuki Subaru the ‘Hero,’ well I can’t help but feel I need to say this…”

[Subaru] looked a bit embarrassed saying the following words, but that still did not diminish the effect they had on Subaru.

“… You are, an amazing guy, Natsuki Subaru.”

That was, his honest opinion lacking all exaggeration, having witnessed the fruits of managing to accomplish what he had not. To save what he had not.

“I know I was lying to myself about you being some superhuman, because if you’re like me, like [Natsuki Subaru], then you’re probably someone who still is weak, hopeless, unable to do anything, and yet, continues to struggle, and managed to save them. That’s why…”

[Subaru] straightened up, and then bowed.

“Thank you, for saving Ram, and Beatrice. Thank you, for saving Petra, and everyone from Arlarm village. And thank you, for saving Emilia.”

“…”

“… Natsuki Subaru. You are an amazing guy, I know that, even if we have to go through hell to get those archbishop bastards, get Rem’s memories, and whatever else that may come, if it’s with you then it’ll certainly be alright.”

Subaru stood with an open jaw at the grand declaration of the other him. For one who didn’t think highly of himself, having… himself say that was a strange yet fulfilling experience.

“……You sure are a guy who says embarrassing stuff suddenly, huh. My heart is aching now. You’re going to make me blush.”

“Sorry about that. Even though I take off my shoes when I enter a house, barging into someone’s heart with dirty feet is a family tradition of the Natsuki household.”

Subaru chuckled. “I guess you and me really are the same, huh… Well, in that case…”

He watched [Subaru] raise himself, likely to make another quip and lighten the mood again, so when Subaru himself bowed, he was also caught by surprise.

“… I guess I should say this too. Thanks for saving Rem and taking care of her for all those years. For giving her a happy family, and for bringing into this world those two beautiful kids.”

Subaru also raised himself and looked into the bemused eyes of his namesake.

“And you probably won’t believe me, but I also think you’re amazing. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hero or whatever, you managed to become a father with a loving family… That’s something I admire… and even envy a little. So… I also think you’re amazing, [Natsuki Subaru].”

“But- but- “

[Subaru] stammered as he failed to give a proper response.

“I know, I know what you’re thinking. Well, at the very least I think I do. And after you gave such an embarrassing speech, repaying you back is the least I could do.”

“But I didn’t- “

“I know you didn’t save them. And that you think I’m awesome because I did. But I think you’re awesome because you saved Rem. So why don’t we just say that we’re both awesome and leave it at that?”

[Subaru] looked deeply ashamed, showing how much he disliked that outcome.

“Listen, I’ve outgrown the phase where I’d ask you to hate me for what I did, and I get we already exchanged punches, but you have to be crazy to forgive someone like me.”

“Well, for one, I have forgiven people way worse than you.” Subaru mused as the image of a certain clown that was not present at the moment came to him. “And as you said, we already exchanged punches, right? All that’s left is for you to repay your debt to them by being with us. That was the deal, right?”

[Subaru] just let out a sigh and let a small smile return to him.

“Hm… I guess so. I guess I can live with that.”

Subaru nodded in approval. “Good. I’m certain that now that there is two of us, we will be able to accomplish great things.” A vision suddenly flashed before Subaru. “Because… in the end, aren’t we both Natsuki Kenichi’s sons?”

[Subaru] looked at him with surprise, but then he gained a small smile.

Dad, Mom… would you be proud me right now…?

At the very least, you’d love Rigel and Spica… Sorry you can’t see them…

Struggling to hold back tears again, [Subaru] just swallowed the pain he still felt, and admitted what he really thought.

“…Yeah. If it’s us, then it’ll certainly be alright.”

The two Subaru’s stood silent again, this time waiting to see if the other one had more to say. Seeing as that was not the case, [Subaru] spoke up.

“Well in that case we can iron out the details later. I’m sure there many things you want to ask me… and to tell me, about the curse, about everything…” He gave a tried sigh. “But that can wait. I seriously need to recharge my Rem batteries for those talks, so we should be heading back now.”

“Yeah, I understand completely. If I don’t hug Beako soon, I might drop dead from stress.”

The two finally left the room and made their way back. They had gone far from where the others were staying, so they still had time to banter.

“Oh, and another thing. I know that we are both part of the Natsuki household, but calling ourselves brothers would be…”

“Huh, after baring our hearts to each other, you’re still embarrassed to call me a brother!?”

Subaru sheepishly looked away. “No, nothing like that. It’s just that, I really want to get along Rigel and Spica, but I don’t know if being ‘uncle’ with him is quite right… I think that being a brother to them would fit better but considering we’re ‘us’ it’ll still be weird…”

“Hmm…” [Subaru] turned pensive. “I guess I can understand that… Then how about being like a cousin to them?”

“Oh, that great! I’ll be the awesome and amazing cousin, the one where they always want to visit my house and play with me and go on crazy adventures…!” Subaru was practically spinning in joy at the thought.

“Just don’t go to crazy now. I already confirmed you’re as weak to teasing as Rigel, so even he may turn the tables on you.”

“Hey! Didn’t you say before that I was amazing!? If even an old fart like you can tell, then surely a fellow youngster will recognize it!”

“Yeah… You’re so amazing I’m not sure how to even compete.” [Subaru] scratched his cheek. “All I have going for me is a beautiful wife, cute kids- “

Suddenly, [Subaru] stopped his playful way of showing of, and his grin got larger, more dangerous. Subaru felt a tremor coming down his spine.

“Yeah… I have two kids, with my wife. A wife I love very much.” Subaru could feel sweat running down his spine by the way the other him was acting.

“And well, by your age, Rigel was already on the way you know?”

“Y-yeah? G-good for you dude” Subaru could feel where this conversation was heading, and he didn’t like it.

“Oh? You don’t get it? The thing that puts me on par with you?” [Subaru] said predatorily, while Subaru just frantically shook his head. “Then say, how far have you gone with your love life?”

“Erm w-well,” Subaru turned in shame at that evil face that was staring at him. “M-me and Emilia-tan are taking it slow you know. Finding what love means and all that jazz. And since Rem is stuck like that well…”

“Is that so? And what about your other girls eh?”

“You-! Again with that! I already told that they’re-”  Subaru turned with anger to face the one mocking him. Big mistake. That cruel face disarmed any attack he may have mounted with his words. “I- I mean… Uh, I don’t really get what you’re talking about… yeah…”

[Subaru’s] grin widened one more time for the final strike.

“Really? Oh well. Don’t worry, it’s just that when I was your age, I was no longer a V-I-R-G- “

“SHUT UP, SHUTUP, SHADDUP!”

Chapter Text

New cups had been brought, and tea was served once more. Apart from hushed thanks, the awkward silence had returned to the room yet again. But this time, it was the matriarch of the Natsuki household who broke the silence.

“Frederica-sama, it’s nice to see that you’ve gotten a little apprentice,” she said, looking at Petra as she served her tea. “And such a fast learner! I’m sure Frederica-sama must be quite proud of you, Petra!”

“Ah, thank you, Rem-sama!” Petra bowed enthusiastically without dropping any of the pottery she carried.

“Ah, just Rem is fine, Petra. After all, it’s been a while since I’ve worked as a maid.”

Rem sent a pensive look at Petra, who wore the maid apparel of the Mathers Domain, just like Frederica, and of course, Ram.

Before Rem could muddle her thoughts once more, she decided to keep to the subject at hand.

“So, this is another world, is that right?”

“Yes, at the very least, that is Beatrice-chan’s deduction,” the green-garbed merchant, whom she learned was called Otto, responded. He was the only one in this group she did not recognize. He was the one who had informed everyone in the room about their predicament, although with Beatrice’s help when needed.

“That’s right, I suppose,” the great spirit answered after drinking from her own cup of tea. Emilia, who was next to her, kept absentmindedly playing with her hair. If the spirit noticed it, she did not mention it to the half-elf.

“Betty should repeat that it is only a theory made from scattered facts, and as such…” The spirit avoided her gaze. “…Betty has no idea how exactly it works, or how to return you to your worlds, I suppose.”

Return to their world. Certainly, her husband was a respected member of the community, Rigel needed to continue his learning at temple school, and their house would be abandoned for a while. By all accounts, she should desire to return home as fast as possible.

But…

She sent another furtive glance at Ram, something she had done extensively thus far, so much so that it was likely everyone else noticed, although no one commented on it. She was sitting in her wheelchair, similar to the other her, to [Rem], and she was grasping her hand without so much as looking at her.

She had so much to ask of her, to tell her, but every time she saw her gently holding onto [Rem], she lost all her courage to speak up. It seemed she was still a coward after all this time.

So instead, she turned to another familiar, yet unexpected sight.

“Garf, it really is you, right?” She turned to the rough blonde boy, who had been silently keeping watch over everyone in the room. “Rem was surprised to see you here in the Annerose Domain. Does this mean the Sanctuary…?”

The boy eyed her up suspiciously, as he had done ever since he met her.

“So ya knew me as well, huh?” Garfiel said, clicking his tongue. “Can’t say the same fer me. Sorry.”

Despite the harsh words and way of speaking, it was clear that the boy was actually regretful that he did not know her, or rather that he had forgotten her, as his current dissatisfaction was more directed at himself.

Perhaps Rem understood his feelings, as she gently smiled while she explained.

“It’s understandable… But Rem’s glad that you’re here. Rem already apologized to Frederica…” She remembered the time that she had thought of her as a dream; perhaps it was easier to ask for forgiveness when she did. “… But Rem feels the need to also apologize to Garf too.”

Garfiel looked a bit surprised as Rem recalled all the times they spent together.

“You were the closest thing me and Nee-sama had to a friend, and there are so many happy memories to recall, yet Rem still treated you so coldly… you see, Rem was annoyed at Garf for going after Nee-sama, and always sought to get in your way, to push everyone around us away…” Just like she had done with Frederica.

Garfiel gave a tsk as he looked at her. “I don’t know what yer apologizin’ for. Th’ Garfiel who ya did that stuff with, it wasn’t my amazin’ self, was it?” A lot of people in the room seemed ready to jump in at Garfiel’s harsh words, but he just continued. “And if someone should feel sorry, it should be me fer forgettin’ everything ‘bout those times.”

Garfiel pointed at the girl who slumbered without change in her wheelchair. “When cap’n wakes up his girl, me and her’ll both apologize fer what happened. Right now, th’ only thing anyone needs t’ say sorry for is…”

“… Me, fer almost hittin’ yer husband. And bein’ rude to ya. And… yeah, sorry. Suppose I’m still mad that yer cap’n punched mine.”

Everyone stood silent for a moment, but Rem just began to lightly laugh.

“It’s nice to see you’ve grown so much, Garf. Even if you’re still the same foolish boy at heart.”

Garfiel stammered while Rem let out another satisfied laugh. She was joined by Frederica, who could not help herself and laughed at her brother’s embarrassment.

“Regardless of what Garf says, it’s very good that you said those things to us, Rem. When our Rem wakes up, I’m sure it’ll give me confidence and purpose to get closer to her.”

“I’m very glad about that, Frederica-sama, and I’m sure she will be very glad too.”

Still very much avoiding her sister’s eyes, Rem watched her slumbering copy, still not clear on what to make of her. Or of anything in this situation, for that matter.

“Oh, there’s no need to address me so highly, Rem! You said yourself that you had not been a maid for some time. And besides, and I mean no disrespect, you’re now a few years my senior.”

“Really, are you not saying that because you have a newer and cuter little prodigy?” Rem said in mock contempt.

Young Petra jumped and blushed at being called cute, causing the housewife and head maid to exchange knowing looks between them.

Rem took the opportunity to address the golden siblings once again. “In any case, I’m glad the two of you are safe and happy. I know I’m not your Rem, but I hope we can get along regardless.”

The fate of the two in her world was unknown, but she at least liked to think they managed to survive. Still, even if they had done so, it was unlikely she was going to see either of them again. But she liked to imagine that they too had managed to at the very least, reunite as a family to one another.

“And if possible, I’d like you to get along with Rigel and Spica too. They are the greatest treasures that Subaru-kun and I have…”

Frederica smiled at her request. “It’ll be my pleasure. And I’m sure Garf will also enjoy having more company.” Even though he was likely trying not to show it, so did Garfiel. And he also seemed to take an interest in Rigel, eyeing him up with interest.

“Yeah, yeah. As long as ya don’t cause any trouble like that other cap’n did with my cap’n, everythin’ will be fine.”

This actually brought a response from the mean-eyed half-oni.

“It was your cap’n that went for Dad first!”

Not expecting to be rebuked, Garfiel glared at Rigel. “Haaah? Y’ got some guts sayin’ those things in th’ situation yer in. I already told ya, yer cap’n ain’t my cap’n, so even ‘f y’re supposed t’ be his brat, there ain’t anything stoppin’ me from teachin’ ya some manners!”

“Garf!”

“Just cuz you’re a little older than me doesn’t mean you can just push Mom and me around! You don’t know who you’re dealing with either, maybe you’ll be the one getting a nasty surprise.”

Frederica began to admonish her brother for acting like a bully to their guests but was stopped by the response from the young oni boy.

To say Rigel was completely defenseless was truly to underestimate him, an oni and disciple of ‘The Admirer,’ although the training usually involved ways to not be directly involved with dangerous foes. And even as a beginner he could tell that Garfiel would be one such foe.

But rather than escalate the aggression more, Garfiel just let out a boisterous laugh at his words and flashed them a toothy grin.

“My amazin’ self knew it. Them killer eyes ain’t th’ only thing y’ got from th’ cap’n. From yer cap’n.” He quickly corrected himself. Rigel was stunned by the change in the attitude of the other boy, stammering for an answer, he looked away embarrassed with a “Whatever.”

Rem could not contain a light giggle at the scene, making her son only grow more embarrassed. Rigel was not bad at making friends at the temple school, and even in the whole town considering his (in)famous status as Setsubun King, but it was also true that he did not have many friends that could be truly considered close.

And while the Garfiel from Rem’s world would now be an adult, this Garfiel was still close to his son’s age, so not that much older from when he had last seen him. The thought of her children playing with Garfiel just as she once had done filled her heart with warmth.

But also, with shame.

Here she was, shamefully asking for favors from the ones who in her world she had abandoned. And the worst part was she would likely be rewarded by these people from another world, because even if they knew of her sin, they would forgive her. Simply because she was also like…

Like [Rem].

Sure, the fact that she was not the same [Rem] who now slumbered was made clear enough, but the fact remained that in interacting and getting closer to her, they truly wished it to be [Rem] instead.

And her sinful heart was content with that.

She should be drowning in shame at those thoughts, and she probably was. But even so, she could not deny the desire she had to talk to the many people she thought she would never be able to see again.

Just like they wished to get closer to [Rem] through getting to know her, so did she wish to get closer to those who had been long gone through them. In that way, they were the same.

The only difference was that they truly deserved to have their wish come true. They deserved to have [Rem] awake once more, to speak and laugh along with her.

But she deserved no such things. Yet she still shamelessly desired them.

She had already been overly blessed by her family despite not deserving that either. And now she was being offered another blessing she didn’t deserve either.

After all, if the other [Rem] were still remembered, how would they treat her? If she were awake, what would the [Rem] who stayed and saved her family say to the utter failure that had run away?

Would she forgive her too?

For a moment, she thought back to the foolish young girl she had been, before being saved by her husband. Of course, this was a mistaken way of thinking of her other self, who was probably also saved by her own Subaru, yet had become an even greater person and decided to stand her ground and fight alongside her love.

What would that [Rem] say to her?

She finally managed to look upon her other self without turning away in shame. Even now, her sister—[Rem’s] sister—was holding onto her hand dearly, without so much as taking note of her presence.

Or at least that was what she had thought.

“It’s strange for an idiot like Garf to give some insightful wisdom, but this is truly a very strange situation, so there’s no dismissing the truth of his words.” Ram turned to look at her. Rem was so stunned by the sudden motion that she did not have time to avoid her gaze. Perhaps that was a deliberate move from her, so as to force her to see her face as she said her next words.

“You’re not my sister.”

Those words were not meant to be hurtful in any way, yet they nevertheless felt like a blade was poking at her heart. If there was any solace to be found, then it was the fact that Rem knew that this truly was just not her actual sister that made that blade not pierce her heart. She didn’t know if she should be relieved or ashamed of her own feelings at that moment.

Ram stood up with some difficulty, as the wounds she had inflicted upon herself had not healed yet. Or rather she had not allowed them to be healed yet.

“So… Please forgive this idiot who could not control her own feelings and attacked you, an innocent bystander. Please forgive this foolish Ram.”

While speaking those unexpected words, the pink oni bowed despite the difficulty her wounds caused her in doing so.

For many members of the Emilia camp, such a sight was a new one. It was already rare for Ram to genuinely ask for forgiveness, but they had never heard of her bowing down while doing so.

Even to Rem, this was a rare sight. And one she did not deserve to witness.

“T-there’s no need for sis—for you to bow your head to me,” Rem said as she tentatively approached her. “Please raise your head. Rem understands Ram’s—your feelings at that moment. After all, even in that terrible situation, you managed to spare Rem from any true danger.”

The sister she knew was a complete master in her field. While the loss of her horn had considerably weakened her magic prowess, her skill and ability were still top-notch. And if this Ram was anything like her own, then she too was the definition of skill.

“That is not correct. What Ram did was unacceptable.”

Ram straightened up, defiant in her words to Rem’s reassurance.

Ram had considered herself free from the cursed thoughts that plagued her when she still had her horn. Yet this situation had awakened those despicable instincts once more, whipping her into a frenzy.

“It was foolish, shameful, pitiful. Ram failed to control her emotions and ended up hurting you, Rem.” She paused after saying her name, as if considering if it was the correct thing to say. “So please, I hope you can forgive this foolish Ram.”

Ram looked into Rem’s eyes, hoping to decipher the feelings held deep within them. But she did not need to do such a thing.

For even now, she could feel the link between them. That fake Synesthesia. Or just that ‘other’ Synesthesia, because it was very much real.

When she had been healed and brought to her sister, Ram confirmed their true bond once more. But the connection from the other Rem was still constantly present in her mind.

Every single moment spent in the room with the two Rems was a moment in which her mind was assaulted with confusing feelings, feelings that did not belong to her. Because it was the first time that she actually felt Rem’s feelings.

Perhaps before her sister was put to sleep and erased from her mind, the control and experience she held over this skill were more developed. As of now, however, this was the first time that the other party transmitted their sensations so pointedly.

Which is why she knew the answer before she even heard it…

“This—Rem can’t accept this.”

Ram made her best effort to hide her face from the other Rem. It was difficult to do with her coming closer, but she had to at least try to hold back her feelings.

“B-but… why?” Ram had never felt as helpless as she did now while looking up to Rem’s face for answers.

But she once more did not get what she expected.

“Sister… Ram. I feel extremely grateful for your apology, but simply put, Rem does not deserve such a thing.”

“…”

“Because Rem… she…”

“Left us all behind?”

It was Otto who spoke up.

“I’m very sorry to interrupt, but Natsuki-san—sorry, your husband—already told us something of the sort.”

Just as Ram turned to glare at the merchant, Rem held her in place with a pitiful look on her face. A look of guilt.

“Yes… It’s true. Sister… even though Rem knew the dangers that were coming… she still left… and because of that… because of Rem’s cowardice… Sister was once more—”

Ram put a finger against Rem’s mouth, silencing her demeaning tirade. Using her other hand to clear the tears that were beginning to form in the blue oni, she felt a terrible sense of familiarity with this scene, of comforting her sister.

A memory she no longer held.

“Your [Ram] sounds like an amazing sister. But the one you see before you is a failure of one.” She pushed her finger against Rem’s mouth again, preventing her from interrupting. “After all, even if your sister died, she did so with the knowledge and memories of you. Of Rem.”

Ram lifted her finger from Rem’s mouth, and she stayed stunned at her words before speaking anxiously once more.

“But… but none of that is your fault! You losing your memories is the result of the despicable actions of the Witch’s Cult!”

“Then why do you blame yourself, Rem?”

Ram successfully managed to completely disarm Rem. She may be a mother now, but at this moment she felt like a little kid. A selfish, useless little kid, the one she had always been.

“If that Ram met her end, it was probably the result of the Witch’s Cult’s actions as well. So, by the same logic, Rem is not at fault for the fate of that Ram.”

Rem was almost indignant at what Ram expressed. “H-how could you say that!? When I see you… I see my sister alive and well, right in front of me... You’re the proof that Rem’s weakness led to your—to my sister’s demise. Just like… just like when Sister’s horn was—”

Ram didn’t know what to say to the self-deprecating thoughts her alternative sister was spouting. After all, these memories that Rem talked about were some that Ram was not privy to anymore.

And it seemed that even in this other world, the Witch’s Cult caused her family as much despair as they did in her own world. Even now, their actions cast a long shadow onto the parallel Rem.

But the case stood that at this moment, she didn’t know what she could say to Rem, who was under the belief that she owed penance over something that Ram didn’t remember happening. And even if she did have memories of them, she would have asked no such thing from her. Which is why the only thing she could say to her was…

“Rem, did leaving us… leaving the people of your world behind give you happiness?”

“That’s…”

Rem averted her gaze even more. Yet even if the question hurt, Ram needed to press onward.

“I cannot speak for the other me, but Ram is certain she would wish for the same things as I do. So, Rem… were you happy with your actions?”

Rem trembled. This time, not even a whimper came from her mouth.

“Please… answer truthfully—”

“OF COURSE NOT!”

Rem finally gained her will back and responded with a shout.

“You died! Sister died! I felt it! How—how do you think that makes me feel?! I felt her die! My sister! My… sister…”

The sudden outburst expended much of the energy that she was just recovering, so Rem fell to the floor to try and hide her face again.

“And yet… there’s more, right?”

Ignoring her actions, Ram got close to her again and embraced her once more. Even if she was older now, Rem simply couldn’t stop her head from resting on her shoulder, like she had done many times in the past.

“Those other things… I would like to hear them. Please.”

Rem struggled to respond. Her mind was in such turmoil that she simply could not find the proper words.

Ram moved from close to her, probably to look at her eyes again, she thought.

“Mama…”

But instead, something else happened. A small hand delicately reached from her back. Little Spica reached around her mother’s head and suddenly went for a little leap over her. Rem hurried and grabbed her stumbling daughter.

As the giggling Spica nuzzled against her mother, Rigel also reached for a hug from behind.

“M-mom… Y-you and dad, it doesn’t matter what the two of you were or what you did… You both still have me and Spica… we—”

Rem interrupted him with a kiss on the forehead. She mouthed a silent ‘Thank you’ and turned to see Ram again. She looked pleased, and it was almost like she was the one who sent her kids to comfort her.

“Yes, I’m happy. I have a very good life now, and I’m sure you can understand, for you have seen how cute and handsome these children of mine are.” This time, she gave Spica a kiss, the little girl giggling even more in response.

Ram approached her once more, and this time she tentatively reached her hand for little Spica. The little girl did not flinch at the new touch, but rather reached her own tiny hand and grasped Ram’s finger with all the strength her little arm could muster.

For the first time in a long while, Rem saw her sister… She saw Ram give a genuine smile.

“Indeed, they are. Even if that kid got the evil eyes of Barusu, the part that’s Rem is cute enough to make up for it.”

Rigel looked like he wanted to complain at the dig towards him, but he stopped himself once he saw his mother’s expression begin to fall once more.

“Yes… all this happiness, and Rem got it despite what she did… Rem got rewarded for being a failure and—”

"Rem, don’t say such things! I’m sure your sister would—”

Ram tried to stop her from falling into sadness once more, but Rem managed to push her away.

“No! You’re not her! Your Rem, your sister, stayed and saved you, while this Rem doomed her own sister by seeking her own selfish desires!”

“You’re right. I’m not your sister.”

Ram reached for Rem’s head and turned her so they could face each other.

“But even if I’m not her, even if it’s a lie, hear it being said with my voice. With her voice. Rem. Sister, I forgive you. And I’m glad you found your happiness.”

“N-no… You can’t know that… You don’t even know me! You’re saying those things because you forgot Rem!”

Rem realized what she had said only after the hurtful words had left her mouth. The sight of Ram’s sad face, the one that had a smile just a second ago, made Rem stop in her tracks.

“Y-you’re right. Ram is very sorry that she tried to impose on you.” Ram stood up, breaking free her finger from Spica’s grasp. “Yet, your Ram would have been joyous of you accomplishing such a happy future, of that I have no doubt. So, Ram wants you to know at least that much.”

She turned around, trying to hide the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes, but Rem reached and firmly grasped her arm.

“No! Sorry! It’s just—Rem… already knows that what you say is true…”

Rem managed to make her turn and look at her again.

“But even now, Rem is granted a chance to look at you… at my sister… I’ve been blessed once more and don’t deserve any of it…”

Ram didn’t know what to say to Rem to fix the situation. No matter how much she hated it, she had spoken the truth when she told her how she truly did not know her.

“Then how about you make up for it?”

Surprisingly, it was Emilia who spoke.

“If you feel like you’re wrongfully taking advantage of the situation, why don’t you help someone instead?”

“…help…?”

“Yes! I’m sure that Rem and… and Subaru would reaaaally love to have you and Rigel and Spica around. All of us want to get to know you.”

“But I’m not your Rem… I’m not your sister…”

“But we have the same blood. Isn’t that right, Emilia-sama?”

“Yes! Exactly, Ram!”

Ram used the somewhat simple logic of Emilia to speak to Rem.

“You share the same blood with my sister. As such, it would be shameful for Ram not to try and get to know you better, even if I… if I still remembered Rem, that would not change.”

“So… to atone… you want me to give something back?”

“You don’t need to atone! Well, if you feel like you need to do so to the people of your world, that’s fine. But to us, we’re just looking for you to… um, scratch our back and we scratch yours.”

“A mutually satisfactory agreement?” Otto spoke in support of Emilia.

“Yes, exactly!”

Ram took the chance and moved closer.

“When my sister wakes up, I want to know what to say to her. What she likes and what she hates. What are her favorite colors. Favorite books. Favorite foods. Ram was planning on learning when she woke up, but now she wishes to have a head-start. Will you help me, Rem?”

Rem looked at her one more time. Even when she had said she forgave her, a part of her already felt saved. Once more, she was saved. And maybe she was right in thinking she did not deserve it. But if that was the case, she would make sure to be true to her word and make up for it.

And so, Rem cautiously stood up, with Spica still in her arms, and with her son beside her, she spoke to the room once more.

“My name is Rem. Rem likes the color blue. Recently, Rem has been enjoying reading old romance books again. And Rem’s favorite foods are darling’s… [Subaru]’s favorite foods.”

She took one last look at Ram, who was now standing beside her.

“…But I’ve missed eating sister’s homemade steamed potatoes…”

Ram looked surprised at her words until she gave a slight giggle, one that was followed by the rest of the room.

“Lucky for you, Rem, steamed potatoes are on the menu tonight.”

“Thank you, Ram.” She hugged her with her free arm. “And many thanks to everyone, for forgiving Rem and giving her a chance to see you again.”

The room broke into encouraging cheers. From the blonde siblings she had known, to little Petra and the now relaxed merchant at her side. To the little spirit who looked satisfied with the outcome. To Emilia, who had jumped to help her even though she still had a look of trepidation in her, and to her sister, the other Ram, who had bowed and kneeled to her even though she did not need to. To all of them, Rem hoped she could earn forgiveness by helping them achieve their own happiness too.

And on that note…

“But I’ll have to ask this young girl here for forgiveness too,” Rem said as she knelt beside her sleeping namesake. “Forgiveness for greedily taking these moments with her loved ones while she slumbers.”

Despite her somewhat playful words, it was clear that Rem did feel a bit of sadness and even guilt at being so fortunate to see Ram again, even if she was no longer ‘her sister.’

“…Yet I have a feeling she will forgive me…” Rem said with a new and even bigger grin. “After all, when she wakes up, Rem will be sure to tell her all the secrets that I know on how to become Subaru-kun’s number one!”

It was as if a pin had dropped in the room at that moment, as there was complete silence for a few seconds, until the voices of three girls screamed in unison:

“That’s not fair!” “That’s not fair!” “That’s not fair, I suppose!”

"So, from now on, we’ll be in your care!"

[Subaru], Rem, and even Rigel bowed to the other members of the camp.

Having recently returned from their discussion, the two Subarus realized that those left behind in the room had also engaged in a very important conversation of their own.

It was a good opportunity to get everyone on the same page and to discover that each of them had managed to reach a deal.

Considering they had both worked towards the same goal, he was pleased with the outcome.

From now on, [Natsuki Subaru], Natsuki Rem, and their children Natsuki Rigel and Natsuki Spica would become members of Emilia's camp.

Their informal agreement would see Rem return to her role as a maid, while Subaru would act as a hybrid advisor of sorts. However, these arrangements were not so rigid and served more as a means to quickly settle matters.

After all, they couldn't leave the otherworlders alone, but Rem and [Subaru] insisted on contributing in some way, making this a satisfactory agreement for all parties involved.

Now that everything was sorted out, Subaru was once again filled with burning questions to ask. From trivial matters to important ones, he was eager to inquire about various things with the other Subaru, his children, and even the other Rem.

He was looking at Rem with lingering gaze when...

"Hey, that’s my wife you’re looking at, punk."

Subaru jumped at being called out by the other Subaru.

"A-again with that stuff! But, uh, I didn’t mean anything by it!" Subaru was annoyed but apologized nonetheless.

"Barusu is already eyeing another woman. Disgusting. And a married one at that. Go die."

"N-no, that’s not— Argh!"

Rem and [Subaru] laughed as everyone teased him, but Emilia seemed to take the words seriously.

With a strong grip, she grabbed Subaru’s ear, eliciting an "Ouch" from him.

"Subaru! I’m soooo mad! Sorry about that! But my Subaru also... missed Rem a lot, so he’s a bit excited!" She pouted as she spoke, though there was a hint of discomfort regarding Subaru's feelings towards his own Rem, which she didn't fully understand yet.

Having Rem here likely meant that Emilia could no longer remain passive...

"So, if he ever says or does anything inappropriate to you, Rem, I’ll make sure to beat him up!"

She emphasized this by flexing her arm. Though not particularly muscular, her arms concealed elven strength, and she was clearly serious.

Scary…!

“Ouch! Emilia-tan?! That was a joke, they’re teasing me! In the first place I would never do something like that. And I already have my Rem, so I won’t try anything with that guy’s wife.”

“I believe you Subaru, but the way you worded that made me even more mad for some reason!”

“Eh, Emilia-tan could you be jealous?”

“Hmph! Subaru you dunderhead!”

“Who even says that in this day and age?”

The joking may have returned, but that uneasy feeling in Emilia’s heart remained.

“W-well, if it’s any help, I’ll also be checking that Subaru, erm, Subaru-sama contains his urges.”

“Rem, if Barusu even so much as touches you, tell me and Ram will personally castrate him.”

“The difference between the two of those is too great!”

Petra and Ram both send him sharp accusatory glances, although Petra’s breaks into a cheeky one, Ram doesn’t. She is serious.

Scary…!

“Well, you know what? I’m actually thankful that you’re willing to help keep a guy like me in line, but I don’t like that you don’t have any trust in me!”

“Because Ram knows of Barusu’s true nature as a wild and savage beast.”

“Wild and savage?” “Wild and savage?”

Everyone turned to the other [Subaru] who was now scratching his cheek in embarrassment.

“Ah, sorry… I guess I have to get used to Ram’s level of banter again.”

“Well darling, I suppose she does have some truth about your ‘wild and savage’ side.”

“Dear! Not in front of the children!”

Rigel made a disgusted expression at his parent’s flirting, while Ram also was taken out of her strive and looked away in embarrassment, a sentiment shared by most of the room, except Emilia, who turned her head without understanding the meaning of those words.

“Ahem! A-anyway… Since we’re on topic, my dear wife, don’t think I’ll ever be unfaithful to you, so you don’t need to worry about a thing!”

“Oh, of course I know darling. But your wife is nevertheless happy to hear that!”

“Oi, what’s with the difference in reaction huh?”

[Subaru] simply stuck out his tongue to mock Subaru’s annoyance.

“W-well Subaru, I do trust you, but at the same time a young b- boy such as you, t-that already went to see Rem every night, well…”

Emilia tried desperately to justify her feeling despite her emotions being scrambled.

“Well, let’s just chalk that up to the difference between the Natsuki-san who is single and the one who is married.”

At Otto’s comment, [Subaru] hummed in approval.

“Yeah, I suppose that makes sense, but if my other me gets so unanimously beaten, then I’ll feel bad. Yo Rigel! Say something too!”

“If you cheat on mom, I’ll kill you.”

“Haha, just like that my son-”

“Your body will never be found.”

“Ha… ha…”

It might have felt like a joke, but the deadpan way in which the kid said it… He was serious.

Scary…!

The boy's attitude managed to make the group laugh again, although only his father understood the seriousness behind his words.

“Oh well, I suppose it can’t be helped…”

“Huh?” Rigel was a little confused by his father's sudden change in tone.

“Isn’t it obvious? My son, who’s already in his rebellious phase, upon seeing another 'me' who’s supposed to be a hotshot hero, no longer respects his old man…”

Despite this being one of his many jests, Rigel still felt a bit sad hearing his father speak like this.

“T-that’s not true! Dad, you’re… you’re…” He blushed slightly. “You’re my dad, so I don’t care about that! The other you can be a hero, a powerful warrior, a king, whatever! Even if you organize those weird festivals that end with beans being thrown at me, you’re mine and Spica’s dad, and that makes you the best.”

“R-Rigel…”

[Subaru] was stunned by his rebellious son’s heartfelt declaration. However, he quickly regained his grin and turned to his namesake.

“Well, looks like I win.”

“You’re correct, I concede.”

Also grinning, Subaru stood up and bowed toward his older self. [Subaru] laughed and playfully lifted Spica from Rigel’s arms.

“Of course, of course! I, the father of Spica, am certainly the superior one!”

“Hey, you forgot about me! And give me Spica back!”

[Subaru] shook his head and dodged Rigel's attempt to catch him, and they both began to run around the room, paying no mind to the other people present.

Rem thought back on this familiar scene unfolding in such a strange environment. At moments like this, what should she do?

“Nee- erm, Ram. Would you like to hold my Spica?”

“Ram would be delighted, Rem. But that means taking her from your Baru- from your husband.”

“That girl is the second cutest thing after Betty, I suppose. If Betty holds her while Subaru holds Betty, how adorable would that look, I wonder?”

“You’re a genius, Beako!”

“No fair, Subaru! I want to hold Spica too!”

“Ah, come on, Frederica-sama, I’ll let you hold Spica-chan too!”

“Yo, Brotto, this looks fun! My amazing self will chase that blue-haired brat and you go after the other captain.”

And so, the Miload manor experienced a day in the life of the Natsuki Household.

“So, what do you think of the way everything ended up?”

The two Natsuki Subaru’s made their way outside the mansion grounds, and they had gone quite far away. It had been a while after their chance meeting and before everyone settled down. The sun still had not gone down, but it would soon.

To celebrate their new additions to their camp, an improvised party would be held, with a proper dinner, that was now being prepared by the maids, including the newest addition of Rem.

“You know, I was a little worried about Rem, but I’m glad that she managed to sort everything out on her own. My wife is awesome, isn’t she?”

“You aren’t trying to tease me again?”

“Not now at least.”

“Then yeah. Your wife is awesome.”

[Subaru] just grins, but soon his smile falls.

“Yeah… And I guess I’ll have to try and tell her too…”

He did not exactly say what he meant by that, but Subaru understood.

“…Tell her about Return by Death…”

“Well, you already did and… Yeah…”

Subaru nodded and thought back. Once the meeting was over, he had managed to get Beako alone in an isolated place. She was the one on to whom he confided even his most painful secrets, those that Emilia and the others could not know. That was in part why he decided that, if anyone had to know his deepest secret, it should be her.

However, it would be better if no one but the Natsuki Subaru’s knew. So, he placed his hands on her ears, and proceeded to say in a voice loud enough so that no one else inside should hear.

“I can return by d- “

Back then he had already expected it, but as he felt time around him come to a halt, he braced for a terrible hand to reach out and ‘greet’ him.

Although, he had also felt a bit… relieved. It was somewhat shameful but knowing that he still possessed that power after all took a little bit of worry out of his mind.

His heart on the other hand…

Perhaps the witch had also felt joy at the fact Subaru still had the power granted by her hand, a hand that reached and grasped for his heart.

And just as expected, he heard the fain whisper of “I love you” to his ear. Although that time he felt a difference. As if the whisper had come from multiple angles, perhaps from multiple different lips.

But regardless of that once time seemed to return, Subaru grunted in pain.

“Ah! Subaru, are you alright, I suppose?”

Beatrice had moved forward in worry, but Subaru quickly moved to grab her by the waist.

“Ah Beako, it’s just that you were so cute my heart almost jumped out of my chest!” He said, as he spined while grabbing her. “My Beako batteries had been fully charged! Alright, with this I’m satisfied, let’s go back to everyone else.”

“If all that was needed was to see Betty, we could’ve done it with the others, I suppose.” Beatrice pouted s Subaru put her down. “But… Betty is glad that my foolish contractor and that other [Subaru]’s talk was successful, in fact.”

Subaru gave his spirit a great hug, “Ah Beako, you’re the best!” And just like that, he had managed to hide the situation from her,

“Are you sure that it’s fine? With me the possibility was of it still being there was high, but you…”

“Well, I have to try, won’t I? And if it has to be with someone, the best choice is definitely Rem.”

“But what if you don’t have it? What if you can just say it unopposed?”

“Hey, if that happens, I can just change the subject or laugh it off. Don’t worry too much.”

Subaru nodded but couldn’t shake his worries.

“But what about you? Are you sure you want to run the risk of experiencing… that, after so long of being free?”

[Subaru] just sighed.

“I mean, it has to happen. Whether I still have it or not, I'd rather know the answer sooner rather than later. And finding out may give us a clue about what to do in this whole situation. Even if it’s scary… I have to do it…”

“Thank you.”

The two fell into silence and continued walking. These sporadic conversations had been ongoing since they left the mansion.

As the sun finally began to set, Subaru realized they had wandered quite far from the mansion.

“We should head back. I'm not eager to share the deliciousness of Rem’s cooking with you, but I can’t be too greedy, can I?”

“Oh, you better believe I’m going to want— hmm?”

Both Subarus stopped dead in their tracks.

“Man, you guys are pretty good at this. It's like looking at myself in a mirror, like a special effect!”

Standing a short distance away was a man. He was an adult but still carried a youthful air about him. His sharp and piercing sanpaku eyes were the first noticeable feature. Following that, one might notice the ornate sword hilt and sheath at his side, or the cape draped over him that clashed aesthetically with his tracksuit. Perhaps one would also be drawn to the slender crown atop his tousled black hair.

“Unfortunately for you, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen that shape-shifting ability of yours, so you won’t trick me. Tough luck.”

Though for the two Subarus, the most striking thing was...

“Though I suppose that wasn’t really your intention, was it? Otherwise, you wouldn’t both have copied my appearance.”

...that he looked and sounded just like them.

“Another... me…” [Subaru] stood with his mouth agape.

“This is getting out of hand. Now there are two of them!” Subaru exclaimed, bewildered by his two clones.

“Sheesh, your voices really are spot-on, huh? So, what’s your plan? Trying to replace me and take over the kingdom? If so, you could’ve put a bit more effort into it. Your friend over there doesn’t even have the right hairstyle, you wannabe doppelgängers!”

The other [Natsuki Subaru] pointed at [Subaru], who was still too shocked to respond. The new [Natsuki Subaru] unsheathed his sword and assumed a defensive stance. Since neither of the other Subarus were knowledgeable in swordsmanship, so all they could make from him was that the sword was ornate indeed.

“If you’re the same as that… thing, then you probably think you’ll easily beat me. All I’ll say is to not underestimate a student of Reinhard.”

Now that Subaru looked closely, he could tell that the stance of the newest version of himself wasn’t that of a complete beginner, although it was nowhere near the caliber of Julius or Reinhard.

But all these statements were starting to confuse them, so Subaru, undeterred by the sword, moved closer and asked, “Who... are you?”

He didn’t ask for his name, as he already knew that. What he really wanted to know was…

“What... are you?”

The other [Subaru] also inquired of the newest [Natsuki Subaru].

“Heh, you still want to play that game? Fine, I’ll indulge you.”

While maintaining a stance ready to react swiftly, the newest [Natsuki Subaru] struck a pose.

“My name is [Natsuki Subaru]! The forty-something King of Lugunica!”

The sun was setting, but it seemed that for all the Natsuki Subarus, this day was far from over.

Chapter Text

The world was ending. Otto Suwen was sure of it.

He had come so far, much farther than he had expected (or even wished for), but now it was over.

He had reached a prestigious position within the kingdom. As the Minister of Internal Affairs, his career could be said to be an enviable one.

Of course, that this had not been his original goal, that he had been strung along into this position, and had been a little unwilling in some parts of the journey could be called drawbacks.

But his job had been enjoyable. Even when every time the King went and goofed off most of his unfinished paperwork went over to him. Or when the Queen Consort Anastasia had decided to quadruple his workload in her bid to ‘take over Kararagi’, or when it had quintupled even more when she succeeded, or when…

Well, now that I say it like that, they do not sound like good memories…

But it didn’t matter anymore. Otto was glad that he had made all those memories in the end. For even now, as that shadowy hand was about to catch and engulf him, he could say he had lived every moment of it.

“Hiya!”

“Ah, Julius-san!”

Otto was taken out of the way just in time. Rather, one of the shadowy hands did reach him, but he did not feel any sort of pressure from it. Something to note, but not right now.

“Thank the dragon you’re here! Is- is everyone else…?”

“Gone. Subaru… My lady… all gone…”

“Damn it! Even Reinhard-san?”

Julius just nodded solemnly. He made to speak, but then he quickly changed his position and dodged the incoming flurry of shadowy hands towards him. Then, his sword now glowing, he effortlessly cut down a dozen of them in one fell swoop.

The hands did not relent, sending wave after wave of dark tendrils, but they were all slashed away by the ‘Finest of Knights’.

“Dammit, there has to be an exit somewhere!”

Even now, the shadow that chased behind them was not the only one. Every window of the palace was completely pitch black, as if the shadow had managed to engulf the whole castle.

He saw a few colored balls of light emerge from the passage where they fled. They joined Julius and formed a burst of light that temporarily pushed back the advancing shadow.

“I sent my girls to look for an opening in the castle but…”

“Dammit! We’re completely trapped?!”

He supposed his fate was sealed from the moment the dastardly Witch of Envy had manifested in the Royal Castle but considering how a decent gathering of the world’s strongest and smartest people resided here, perhaps he wouldn’t actually be misguided to have held onto some hope of their survival.

As the matter stood, however, the only reason he was still alive was because of the sacrifice of the Queen Consort Emilia, whose sacrifice had allowed him a slim chance to escape the Jealous Witch’s grasp.

He had been on his way to deliver some paperwork, considerably late into the night. He had stumbled into the Queen on one of her nightly strolls. It was one of the rare occasions where all the Queens had been present in the capital… and in the bedroom of the king… the same place where the Witch had apparently jumped into their world.

But by chance Emilia had been outside and awake, and out of the range of the initial assault of the Witch. And rather that save herself the Queen chose to throw Otto out of the way.

And it turned out to be for naught, for now he would be swallowed up regardless…

“Come with Betty if you want to live, I suppose.”

Just then, a door at the end of the hall opened, and the great spirit Beatrice stood there, with a surprisingly calm expression on her face.

But before Otto could question any of that, he was grabbed by Julius and prodigiously thrown into the room. The great spirit sidestepped so he crashed against a table.

“Ouch… At least tell me before you do something like that Julius-san!”

“My apologies, Otto-dono, but chivalrous or not, the situation called for it.”

“Jeez, keep hanging too much with Natsuki-san and the rest, you’ll end up as bad as Garf…”

Despite just being a little bit of banter, the mention of their friends, who they had lost to the clutches of the witch, still made Julius frown and…

“Nothing will be gained by you both looking sad and deplorable, in fact. At the very least, you’re safe here in Betty’s library, I suppose.”

Beatrice walked up to the two men. The door through which they had come had closed, and the imminent danger that had haunted them was seemingly nowhere to be seen.

“But Beatrice-sama, the King…! Subaru, he-”

“That despairing look doesn’t suit you, I suppose.” Beatrice walked closer, the spirits of Julius flowing to greet her in joy. “After all, Betty’s foolish contractor still lives, in fact.”

The faces of the two men instantly regained their luster.

“Ah! You managed to get them inside your library!?”

This new library, the Royal Library, despite having the knowledge stored in the entire life of the Kingdom and beyond, still paled in comparison to the now-destroyed forbidden library. Even so, the great spirit had seen it fit to once more make a similar space within the library of the castle.

Mostly to ‘have her own peace and quiet’. Indeed, her contractor’s life had become quite hectic, and he was usually… ‘occupied’ spending time with his wives. And while the spirit loved to spend time with her contractor and other residents of the castle, and they loved her, she also needed a place to get away from the more ‘explicit’ activities that her contractor did around the mansion.

But from what little knowledge he had of this space, that meant that there was a chance that Subaru and others were still safe in the confines of this space outside of the witch’s reach.

But the sour expression on the great spirit’s face told Otto all he needed to know.

“Betty… Betty failed at saving her contractor from the witch’s grasp, I suppose…”

“Then-”

“But Betty’s Subaru is still alive! Of that there is no doubt, in fact. Even now, Betty feels her connection with him. Subaru is alive, I suppose.”

Otto and Julius both looked surprised at her declaration, but it did little to lift their sorrow.

“But… this is the Witch of Envy we are facing. She is a monster beyond our comprehension! For all we know, he has been consumed! That is why your connection-”

“I would ask you to not underestimate the connection between a spirit and contractor, Otto-dono.”

“Hrgk! S-sorry, Julius-san…”

Julius turned to Beatrice, a look of hope appearing once more on his face.

“Beatrice-sama, I believe you, but that thing… I saw how it consumed people around it…”

“And that’s where you’re mistaken, in fact. The witch isn’t consuming what she takes, but rather… sending them away, I suppose.”

“What?!”

Beatrice moved past the two stunned men and moved to sit down.

“Betty does not completely understand it, but it seems to be similar to Betty’s spell of Al Shamak, I suppose.”

“Al Shamak…?”

“The spell that allows Beatrice-sama to send things to other places…” Julius answered Otto’s question himself.

“O-other places? What if they got sent very far away, like to other countries? That for sure will end up in trouble!”

Although Lugunica had managed to develop good diplomatic relations with Vollachia, and Kararagi was more or less in the pocket of Queen Consort Anastasia, only the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko was the outlier, and they had amicable relations with them.

Although of course, having the entire Lugunican Royal court be sent to one of these places could result in a diplomatic incident of its own.

Beatrice just sighed at the words of the minister. “If Betty’s contractor were sent to any distant country, even to the most remote corners of them, Betty would feel the direction where he is, in fact.” And then, with a hardened look of her own, she said, “But as it stands… Betty’s Subaru is no longer in this world, I suppose.”

This time, Otto didn’t even have the will to muster a response.

“But Beatrice-sama, you said-!”

“You are underestimating Al Shamak, I suppose!” Betty said with a humph. “It’s capable of taking things into different ‘dimensions’ entirely, in fact!!”

“Other dimensions… Then… Subaru and my lady… are they truly no longer in this world?”

“That’s right… I suppose…”

Beatrice couldn’t contain the shame in her when she spoke next.

“Betty has no clue on how exactly this is being done. The magic at play is on a completely different league than even the yin magic Betty knows, I suppose.”

For the great spirit with possibly the most knowledge in the field of yin magic, admitting that her own skills and experience were lacking was difficult, but even Beatrice understood the great disparity of power between the Witch and her.

“Still, whatever other dread magic is being used by the Witch, Betty is still a master in yin magic, in fact. And this is undoubtedly what is being at play here. Of that Betty is certain, and as such, Betty knows that Subaru is still alive. But not of his whereabouts, I suppose.”

“If what you say is true, Beatrice-sama, then the King and the Queens can be…”

“If you’re thinking about jumping into the claws of the Witch to reunite with them, then you’re a bigger fool than Betty’s Subaru, I suppose.”

Julius’s reckless enthusiasm was quickly shut down by Beatrice.

“Betty’s understanding of the situation is already lacking and does not account for the whims of the Witch, in fact. There are too many unknowns, be it the location, or even what happens to those who are being taken away, or why the witch is doing it. Besides… if this keeps up, we will all soon find out either way, I suppose.”

That ominous statement was reinforced by the subtle sound of banging on the walls of the Royal Library.

“I-I fail to see how the witch that devoured half the world can’t engulf the castle, nor the library in its entirety, but given time she will do it, right Beatrice-sama?”

Beatrice nodded at Otto’s affirmation. “Indeed, this library will not hold her out forever, I suppose.”

Otto was surprisingly calm after such revelations. Even as the witch closed the grasp on them, he did not feel the terrible dread he had felt while she chased behind him.

Julius’s spirits reappeared and went closer to Beatrice. “In that case, let’s try to make the most of the time we have by finding those answers. My girls can help. And even though I’m not one myself, we have some powerful minds with us.” It took Otto a second to understand he was also referring to him when speaking of powerful minds.

“That’s right. Don’t underestimate a great spirit that has been separated from her contractor, I suppose! And we better get to finding those answers fast! Wherever he is, Betty’s Subaru is likely crying on the ground with snot running out his nose, so we have to go and help him, in fact.”

Julius and Otto both chuckled at the great spirit.

“Don’t be that way, Beatrice-sama. Knowing Natsuki-san, he’s already looking for ways to reunite with us!”

“Yeah, after all, there are few things that can make Subaru… the King of Lugunica drop to his knees!”

[Lust Subaru] the King of Lugunica, was currently on the ground with tears close to dropping from his eyes.

“I can return by death! I can return by death! I can return by death! I can—”

It was a very familiar scene for the two other Subarus, considering it had happened to both of them just some time earlier.

At the very least, they no longer had a sword pointed at them, even though they now had a ‘King’ despairing on the ground.

“Yeah, nothing is happening with him either…”

[Sloth Subaru] had been somewhat anxious when the newest [Subaru] was quickly disarmed by the words of Subaru. Or rather, his declaration over Return by Death.

It turns out that the idea of them being crude copies banished away quite quickly once he uttered the biggest secret of them all.

It had, of course, taken a bit of time and words to reach the current point where this ‘king’ was almost crying on the ground.

Subaru had started talking about their situation of being in another world. Well, ‘another’ another world for the two of them. He had spoken about how they knew and hailed from Earth too, and how now they were in the other world they had been summoned to, but an alternate version of it.

This took [Lust Subaru] by surprise but was not enough to deter him. Only when Subaru began to talk about Return by Death, and [Sloth Subaru] backed him up, did [Lust Subaru] finally completely lower his guard. He lowered it so much that he was on the ground without his sword now.

“You were quite reckless there. What if he didn’t know about it, or activated the taboo, huh?” [Sloth Subaru] admonished his younger self.

“That was the fastest way to bring us all on the same page. You can’t argue with results, can you?” Subaru said, pointing at the dropped sword next to the ‘king.’

“Results? That’s one way to call it. I’m here crying on the ground and you two don’t even bother to look sad for me. What a pair of heartless guys you’ve turned out to be, huh?” [Lust Subaru] cleared the tears from the corner of his eyes and recomposed himself quite rapidly.

“Hey, you’re the one who pointed a sword at us!”

“Yeah, plus those tacky accessories you’re carrying…”

[Lust Subaru] dusted his tracksuit off and then inspected his cape and crown. “Just so you know, I usually don’t wear these. It’s just that when I came to, they were there on the ground, and I thought they would be a waste to just leave them there.”

“Oh, so they aren’t yours?”

“Of course they are!” [Lust Subaru] looked at the faces of his other two counterparts, who both had doubtful looks on their faces.

“You sure you didn’t steal those?” [Sloth Subaru] began.

“Of course not! Who do you think I am?”

“With those eyes, I’d say a serial killer of some sort, so a thief would be no surprise,” Subaru continued.

“No! I’m a king! THE King of Lugunica!”

“Really?” [Sloth Subaru] smirked. “And what king doesn’t even know what number he is placed in the dynasty of his own nation?”

[Lust Subaru] had the decency to look ashamed of that fact.

“Yeah, you’re right. Man, don’t tell Crusch or I’ll be up for a scolding…” he said while scratching his head.

The careless remark from the king was actually picked up by Subaru. Ever since he met the newest ‘him,’ he naturally began to wonder what the differences were between the universes of this ‘King’ compared to him.

Did he, or any [Natsuki Subaru] for that matter, have the mettle to become a king? It was perhaps lacking in humility coming from him, but he could see it.

There were a few ideas he had, and [Lust Subaru] even mentioned Crusch, something that he took to be significant, so he made to ask…

“Hey, you want to ask me something, right?” [Lust Subaru] interrupted his thoughts.

At Subaru’s slight surprise, the king just grinned and put his hands behind his head. “Come on, I’ve been seeing your—erm, my face for my whole life. I can tell that you want to know about me.” He chuckled and flicked his cape. “Besides, it’s only natural. A guy like me appears all of a sudden and is a king—”

“Or at least claims to be one,” [Sloth Subaru] cut the other him short.

“Gah! Listen, I get I haven’t given you guys much proof yet, but…” He paused, searching at his feet. With an ‘Aha!’ he picked back up his sword. “I still have this sword, so I lead the conversation!”

If this was meant to be a threat, it certainly stopped being one when he just sheathed his sword and did not assume any sort of stance.

“So, could you two help answer my questions about this whole thing? From this newest world to… the curse… After that, I’ll tell you all you want to know about me. What do you say?”

“In other words, you’re lost and hopeless beyond compare in this world, isn’t that right?” [Sloth Subaru] jabbed at the king.

“In this world? I am like that in my world too!” [Lust Subaru] joked back, uncaring that it was at his own expense.

“I suppose on that front you and I—well, we all—are not that different, huh?” Subaru said, causing the two other him to chuckle.

“Sure, sure,” Subaru said, straightening out his clothes. “But you got to do an introduction pose while we didn’t. So, to fix that…”

With his arm raised high, Subaru struck his iconic pose. “My name is Natsuki Subaru, a fellow hopeless guy, and knight of Emilia, at your service!”

[Lust Subaru] stood with a bemused look on his face. “You know, seeing someone else do it is kind of…”

“Awesome?”

“Yeah!” [Lust Subaru] gave a thumbs up at Subaru. Meanwhile, [Sloth Subaru] just sighed.

“You know, saying our names—our name is redundant at this point. But…” [Sloth Subaru] also grinned and outdid the others by making a spin before doing his pose. “My name is also [Natsuki Subaru], beloved husband and father of two beautiful kids! Pleased to meet ya.”

They stood in silence, the two of them holding their poses. Subaru saw how [Lust Subaru] lingered on the words said by his older counterpart. It was another thing he would have to keep in mind about this other him…

“Man, if we find another… another one of us, will we do this whole song and dance again?” [Sloth Subaru] asked, finally breaking both the silence and his pose.

“If they are a proper [Natsuki Subaru], they better do.” [Lust Subaru] said, still glancing at him. If [Sloth Subaru] noticed, he made no mention of it.

“Alright then. We can both talk all about this situation, about you and about… the curse. But let’s do it while we walk back, ok? There should be a nice little party waiting for us when we get there.” [Sloth Subaru] said as he began to move back to the mansion.

“Let’s see if they made enough for one more.” Subaru said while looking at [Lust Subaru], who had already begun to ask questions to his older self. “Haaa… I can already hear what Ram will say…”

“Hmm, I see. I see.” [Lust Subaru] nodded with a hand on his chin.

He had absorbed all the information that the other two could provide exceptionally fast, and he returned questions of his own with the same speed.

They had talked of much, from what Beatrice and the others had speculated about their situations, to the differences that Subaru and [Sloth Subaru] both had about their situation, to even what little they could theorize was happening with Return by Death.

[Lust Subaru] had in turn provided them information about his world, and to be fair, it seemed that his claims of being the king were truthful, even if he still had not explained how he had done it.

He had told them a fair share of information, like how he was from five years into the future, when the Royal Selection ended, and he was proclaimed king of Lugunica. But again, he made no mention of how he was even in the running in the first place.

This didn’t seem to be anything like him keeping secrets or the like, but rather…

“So how was it, those first days with Rigel? You know, being a father and all…”

…he was more interested in asking the questions. With a rather particular emphasis on [Sloth Subaru] and him being a father.

“Well, when he was born, the whole town almost got destroyed.”

“Was his birth that harsh!?”

[Sloth Subaru] just chuckled at the familiar scene, while Subaru moved closer to him.

“Hey, for a king your questions aren’t what I would have expected…”

[Lust Subaru] meekly scratched his cheek. “Hehe, I guess you’re right but… well, the thing is…” He took a deep breath and said, “…I’m also going to be a father soon!”

He turned expectantly to meet the faces of the other two.

“Congrats!” “Awesome!”

They both slapped him on the back simultaneously. [Sloth Subaru] even reached around and ruffled his hair.

“Guess you’re going to join me in the ranks of being a father, huh?”

“Man, are all these alternate versions of me going to be fathers or what?”

The three Subarus were now cheerfully laughing and cheering at the news.

“Haha, thank you guys… this whole experience has been nerve-racking for me and Rem, but seeing you,” he turned toward [Sloth Subaru], “well, it gave me some confidence, I think. So, thank you.”

“Hey, if you’re supposed to be a king, then I don’t know how the advice of a humble commoner like me will be useful, but… you’re welcome.”

However, while both [Sloth Subaru] and [Lust Subaru] talked, Subaru had his mind on a different matter.

“Wait, hold on one second.” He interrupted. “You said Rem is pregnant?”

[Lust Subaru] tilted his head but just nodded.

“Oh well, I guess I was just making assumptions, but I thought you became king by making Emilia win the throne and then marrying her, my bad…”

He had assumed so because, in a certain way, as he planned to make ‘his’ Emilia queen while also pursuing her romantically, becoming king through a marriage with her seemed like the most plausible explanation for how the other him became king.

But I suppose since our very realities are different, maybe he was like a candidate from the start…

“That? Well, I am married to Emilia too, you know?” [Lust Subaru] said dismissively.

“…”

“Hmm?” [Lust Subaru] turned to see why his two counterparts had gone silent so suddenly…

“You two-timing bastard!” “You two-timing bastard!”

Only to have two fists collide against him, one in the gut and the other in his face.

“You! Cheating on Rem with Emilia! Did you marry her just so that you could become king?” [Sloth Subaru] quickly moved to violently shake him.

“There’s… no way…” [Lust Subaru] tried speaking despite being shaken up and down. “…I would ever… do that! I married them both because I love them!”

[Sloth Subaru] stopped shaking him and just gave a long, if over-exaggerated, sigh.

“Seriously, first Mr. Hero with his lady and sleeping girl, and now Mr. King with two wives. Am I the only one who managed to live a correct and wholesome life?”

“Hey, you have two girls, and still punched me?” [Lust Subaru] caressed the side of his face that was punched.

“No, that’s—I mean, I kind of—but that’s not exactly—with the two of them…”

[Sloth Subaru] put his arm around the stammering Subaru. “Oh, this guy? Yeah, he’s a two-timing playboy like you.” [Sloth Subaru] chuckled as Subaru just tensed up in his hold. Before he had a chance to interrupt, he continued. “He’s probably just jealous because he’s the only one of us who is still a pure vi—”

“SHADUP!” Subaru broke free and twisted the arm that was holding him.

“Grr! Why you—!” [Sloth Subaru] answered in kind, and with the experience that ‘playing’ with Rigel gave him, managed to tussle back. The two began to wrestle in such a manner that it looked choreographed.

After breaking up their ‘playful’ fight, the three continued towards the mansion. The sun had completely settled now, and the path along the mansion was sometimes obscured by the trees blocking the moonlight. Still, the little road was clear of them, and with the shining lights of the mansion it was impossible to get lost.

The chatter between the three of them continued as normal. It was honestly scary how all of them had adapted to having ‘another me’ walk and talk right alongside them, but it was not even the craziest thing they had lived.

But at least this allowed them to work things out at a faster rate.

“So, guess I’ll be joining your camp.” [Lust Subaru] said while fiddling with his crown. “In exchange for helping me look for ways to return to my world, you’ll have a king—and from the future at that—helping you out. Man, this brings back memories.”

Subaru just nodded. Similarly, they had worked out a deal with the newest [Lust Subaru], in which they’ll help in the search of a way to bring him back to his world and find any possible people from his world that were also brought up. An important emphasis on Rem who was pregnant and could be in danger as she couldn’t defend herself.

“Man, it hasn’t even been a day and there is already someone who blows my entry out of the water…” [Sloth Subaru] said half-jokingly, but Subaru could notice a bit of true sadness in his voice.

He could understand the sentiment somewhat, a little pang of envy at the king who had succeeded and accomplished all he wished. Of course, since [Lust Subaru] was from the future it meant that he had the chance to also reach that point, something that [Sloth Subaru] did not have.

“But I guess, messing with you two young’uns along the way will be fun in its own way…”

At the very least he doesn’t seem that sad about it. Subaru chalked it up to the maturity of a proper working adult.

Subaru sighed. “Ugh… we’re going to have another whole chat with everyone while we eat to introduce you. Are we going to have to do that every time another new person joins?”

“I mean, I really want to see how everyone reacts to our ‘king’ here. It’s going to be hilarious.” [Sloth Subaru] commented.

“Well, with the way you both reacted, I’m starting to feel anxious about what they’ll say….” [Lust Subaru] reacted sheepishly. “At this rate, it makes me wary of even saying more about that to you…”

“Hmm? Hey, if we can talk about… the curse, then I see no reason to go keeping secrets. Although I suppose keeping some secrets is fine. That way we can have some boundaries to not lose our sense of identity should be placed…” Subaru muttered.

“I wasn’t thinking that far! And that’s a dangerous line of thought…” [Lust Subaru] blanched. “…But it’s probably better to tell you guys everything I can sooner rather than later.” He turned to face the two of them. “Guess I’ll start with how I became a king.”

The other two looked worriedly between themselves, and then turned expectantly to indicate him to continue.

“You sorta had the right idea although you’re wrong in some ends... See, the reason they ended up making me king was because I ended up ma—” And then he cut himself short.

He lay his eyes onto something, and then his expression quickly widened into one of surprise, and then of horror.

Both Subaru and [Sloth Subaru] turned over to see what had surprised the king so.

There, next to the trees, almost obscured by their looming shadows but illuminated by the moonlight, lay a figure. And well, it was a somewhat familiar sight for the two of them now, although with a few exceptions.

He had a fine suit that would not be mistaken on a noble. Rather, they would have expected [Lust Subaru] as a king to be wearing such clothes rather than his tracksuit and cape. Although it was marred by dark stains, like some liquid had accidentally dribbled into it. A delicate pendant hung from his neck, also besmirched with the same dark substance.

Apart from that, the only other interesting thing was how he was laying on the tree. Like if he had fallen asleep resting on its trunk.

“Hrg!”

“N-no… no way…”

Or rather, the most notable thing had to be the knife that was plunged deep into his throat, with his blood flowing down from his wound.

The three almost turned to statues at the sight, hoping that if they blinked it would disappear, but to scared to close their eyes for even a second.

Through Subaru’ mind, and likely through the mind of the others too, there was only one thought

There lay a dead body… The dead body of [Natsuki Subaru].

[Natsuki Subaru] had died… and the world continued.

Even though he had felt the cold caress of the witch not too long ago, had she deserted him after all? Had she decided to let them all to die? Had she decided to ignore the death of the [Natsuki Subaru] that lay dead before him? Would she ignore him, as well?

To the other two, who didn’t even have that small pinch of assurance; Subaru wondered how they felt.

“Oh my… Isn’t that a lovely sight?”

A voice rang out from somewhere, and they all could hear it. Subaru immediately jerked up; a cold sweat broke out on his brow despite the chill of the night.

“I feel like I haven’t seen it in… well never.”

When Subaru had witnessed the corpse that had his own face, he had been terrified. But his mind had wasted no time in trying to figure out the gravity of the situation, and what it meant for hi mind his ability to Return by death.

“Yes, it’s my first time seeing such a beautiful look in your eyes…”

For a brief moment, he considered his vulnerability. How if he died again, he would no longer return. If he died again, there would be no second chances. He had chosen to respect the value of his life, but only now did he realize that it had been a long while since he truly feared about losing it.

“That look of fear…in those eyes.”

And so, at the dreadful sound of that voice, every instinct he had screamed at him to flee, to run from the specter of his past incarnated in that familiar, deadly voice. Although this was not any kind of ghost from his past, for she still lived. And this was where the problem lived, because she was supposed to be one.

“Ah, you all know me too. Wonderful.”

She descended from a tree, having gone completely undetected until then. Her long, lustrous, braided black hair swayed as she descended, and her black eyes gazed at them. Any hope he had that he had of being mistaken about the identity of the person were crushed.

“Ah there it is…! I was afraid of not seeing it again…”

And so there she stood, back from the dead once more…

“That look of hatred in your eyes… In all your eyes… My, how lovely.”

The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert.

Chapter Text

Fire, all around her, the raging inferno was the only thing her eyes could see, and her body could reach.

And yet, she did not die.

She had given it her all to help kindle that fire. The fire that engulfed a nation. The fire that would destroy a Hero. The fire that she would give her life to create.

Still, she did not die.

She had returned one last time to protect someone who could be said to have stolen her heart, returned to face the corpse of what once had been a Hero, now nothing more than… Death.

A merciless Death. A horrific Death. A relentless Death. An unopposable Death. True Death. Her Death.

She had experienced ‘death’ plenty of times to understand that her body could mend even the most unthinkable of wounds. That her body could keep fighting, even if her mind had expired long ago. That no matter how much blood her own body shed, she could continue to spill the blood of others almost immediately. Oh, how she loved that…

But this was different. Against that Death, there would be no coming back. Her body would not mend, if there was any body left anyway. In the last moments before her final, true oblivion, she understood that she was about to experience her own slaughter, and she could do nothing to stop it.

And she… hated it.

Was it because she feared for her life for the first time in nearly forever? Was it because, no matter how hard she tried, she could not shed even a drop of his blood? Was it because she no longer cared about doing so, but about protecting someone else?

Even as her own life was about to be extinguished, she could only fixate her eyes on him, as he miraculously made his escape. And so, when she knew that the strike that would deliver her Death was near, she could at least die happy, a luxury she had denied countless others.

And so, Elsa Granhiert finally died.

And yet, she had not died.

It should have been impossible for her to be walking, running, on her own two legs. For her to be seeing the dense forest. To be able to breathe at all.

And yet, here she was. This was no dream or delusion. She was alive once more.

Had he planned this? When he set the whole of Lugunica ablaze, had she been counted on to survive the ordeal?

No, he did not. She would have been insulted if he did.

Then how? How was she alive and running through these unburnt woods unharmed?

Perhaps it had been a dream. Or a nightmare, rather. She never would have expected to call what would most likely amount to the most intense and brutal fight in her life something she would rather forget…

This fear was a somewhat alien feeling to her, so she was glad to let it fester for a little while. After all, it was being replaced by excitement and joy even now. It had been a most delightful battle, between Death and herself… The destruction, the brutality, the dead body of Meili-

She stopped dead in her tracks. Was that it? Had the vision of her lifeless body left her so unwell? She knew that her feelings for her and for him had grown, so that grim vision of her…

Only then did she realize that she had been running without direction or destination in her mind. A part of it was maybe the instinctual part of her mind that forced her body to move just to confirm to itself that indeed, she had not died.

She stood there unmoving, thinking of where to go. That was a mistake, she mused. Thinking was never her strong suit, and going by instinct was where she shined best.

And so she resumed her aimless stroll through the greenwood, hoping that all her running would deliver her somewhere.

It had not, but it had done something better. It delivered her to someone.

Even as she jumped out of the thicket to meet him, her instincts screamed that something was amiss.

He was wearing entirely different clothes, and while he tended to do that, she would never have thought that he’d ever wear such a tacky and high-class suit. As he turned to her, she could see a curious pendant hanging from his chest.

Despite all of that, she was relieved to hear his voice once more. She had so much to say to him, to attempt to understand the situation, but even now she felt as if in a daze. All she could make out was that he was as surprised by the situation as she was.

It was only then that she scanned his face. The first thing she noticed were the large dark bags under his eyes. They weren’t too apparent, but to Elsa’s eyes, they stood out incredibly.

His smile was fake. That was something new. At least with her and Meili, he never kept his feelings to himself, be it his desires or his hatred—he expressed them all freely. And even with everyone else, he was always direct, even to the point of being crass, although Elsa liked that part about him.

Nevertheless, there was nothing wrong with him faking a smile.

And then she looked directly into his eyes. They were certainly different from normal, that much she could tell. They looked tired and almost dead in a way, but she could still identify his feelings reflected through his eyes.

That desire to manipulate and make use of her was as present as ever. For some, that might sound terrible, but to Elsa, it was the most basic proof of his appreciation towards her.

Although saying that, much of what she had grown used to seeing in his eyes was not there. It was natural that she would not see his eyes exuding his pride at a well-thought-out plan or his small warmth that he showed towards Meili, Blue, and sometimes her.

But him showing none of that wasn’t strange at all. Nevertheless, Elsa still felt as if something important was missing…

He kept talking, and this time she even managed to answer some questions. Although being as clueless as him made her not useful in this regard, it at least presented her with the novel situation of seeing the rare clueless side of him, before he came up with a plan.

It was when he asked her for something that she finally realized what was missing. It was one of the most important things, so she felt that her edge was more diminished than usual to have missed it for so long.

His hatred, it was no longer there.

More specifically, his hatred for her was nowhere to be found in his eyes. His desire—his promise—to kill her, the wish that he and she both carried close to their hearts, and that ironically helped strengthen their relationship, it was no longer there.

She froze in place, and he took notice of this, sending a few worried words her way. None of them reached her. She could hardly remember a time when she was assaulted with such indecision. After all, her instincts usually did the heavy work.

And those same instincts were now telling her that this was not the man who had sworn to kill her. The man who had made true on his promise. The man she had followed unto death. This was not that Natsuki Subaru. This was not Natsuki Subaru at all.

She couldn’t help but laugh at that moment. She did not know whether she was still dead or alive, awake or asleep, or what was real or what was fake.

This fake [Natsuki Subaru]; she wondered if his guts were fake too.

Oh well, there is only one way to find out~

“You… why are you here…?” Subaru heard another him say what he was thinking in his mind. He did not know which one.

After all, they all could identify the woman that stood before them. The Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert.

“B-but you… you’re supposed to be dead!” This time he turned to see [Lust Subaru] speak. He had one hand glued to the scabbard of his sword.

To his surprise, the declaration from [Lust Subaru] managed to pause Elsa, and her face twisted in slight shock. But then her dangerous smile returned just as quickly, and she licked her lips.

“Huhu… As you can see, I didn’t die.” She flicked her knife playfully. “But you know about that huh~”

She licked her lips once more. “Right, let me try one more time.” And then, with a bone-chilling glare, she pointed at them. “Let me find the real [Natsuki Subaru].”

“The real… Natsuki Subaru…”

Each of them looked at himself, and then at each other.

Still, taking advantage of their confusion, Elsa just pointed at [Sloth Subaru] with her knife.

“You’re the least like him of them all. Different hair, different clothes… As for the other two, you both have his appearance nailed down but…” She pointed at [Lust Subaru]. “… he would never wear something like that.”

Finally, she pointed at Subaru. “So that leaves us with you…” She approached them, and the three instinctively stepped back.

“So? Are you the true Natsuki Subaru?”

“…” Subaru didn’t know how to answer. This Elsa was obviously not from his reality, and likely neither from the one of the other two [Subarus]. Not only that, but she apparently had not arrived with the [Natsuki Subaru] that had died, seeing how it was likely she who had killed him for not being the [Subaru] she hoped to find.

“I suppose that… Haah… You’ve got half of what makes him what he is but lack the other half, it seems,” Elsa said with a mixture of mockery and real regret in her voice.

“Meanwhile, that one had what you don’t, but lacked what you show me now.” She pointed to the body of [Natsuki Subaru] slumped against the tree.

Subaru desperately tried to rack his brain for answers to her presence, her words, anything. The situation was as confusing as it was desperate. Since people from other realities began appearing, the appearance of Elsa was not something impossible. Of course, his Elsa had been killed; but maybe in an alternate universe, she had survived.

“I’ve been thinking that his death would turn out to be a great mistake…” She sent a glance at the corpse of [Natsuki Subaru]. “But now there are three more of you. How lucky~”

Elsa didn’t move, yet the three took another step back.

“I wonder, what are you supposed to be? Even though we killed mother, did she manage to pass her ‘gift’ to you all?”

“Mother? Gift? What are you-?”

“Haah… or maybe I really did die, and this is my personal hell. A hell were the only guts I’m allowed to spill are his.” She closed her eyes, and then…

“Fufufufu~ If so then this is more like heaven to me!” With a hearty giggle, she took out her other knife, their wicked edges glittering under the moonlight.

“It doesn’t matter which it is. Just like your friend over there said,” she pointed at the dead [Natsuki Subaru] “The only thing that matters is finding out what is happening, no matter the cost, piece by piece if I need to. Fufu~ Not that doing so is a problem for me.”

She turned her head and looked at the corpse of [Natsuki Subaru] one last time.

“So, since none of you seem to be the real [Natsuki Subaru], could you mind telling me what you are?”

The three looked between themselves in trepidation again. None of them really wanted to speak to Elsa, but not playing along with her could prove fatal.

“Well, we might not be your [Subaru], but we are also all Natsuki Subarus. And we—well…” [Lust Subaru] struggled to explain.

“Explaining it will be kind of complicated, but basically, we began appearing here all of a sudden. Though we don’t know why either...” [Sloth Subaru] continued.

“Is that so… then is the true—Sorry, is my [Subaru] likely to be here somewhere?”

“Y-yes! W-we can help you find him if you want!” Subaru knew that Elsa was a dangerous person, but maybe this Elsa was different? Most of the unsettling qualities of her seemed to still be present, but if this [Natsuki Subaru] of hers had apparently managed to pacify her enough to the point she now followed him, then maybe she could be reasoned with.

“Oh? How kind of you. Yes, I would like that very much.”

Subaru let out the breath he did not even realize he was holding.

“But… there is still one thing I have to know first.”

“O-oh?”

“Well, since you still have not told me what you are, it’s up to me to find out.”

“F-find out?” [Sloth Subaru] asked meekly. Sensing things moving out of control, Subaru tried to explain to Elsa again, “We already told you! It’s complicated—”

“Oh, it always is. It’s why I rely so much on my instincts, you know? And those instincts are telling me that I should find exactly what you are, by inspecting your insides~”

Subaru instinctively reached for his whip while continuing to step back, and just as he did so, the sound of a sword being unsheathed came from [Lust Subaru]. Once more taking a defensive stance, he faced Elsa.

“There’s no need to do that, you know. Why don’t we all just take things nice and easy… Try talking things out without bloodshed?”

“Oh? Those words don’t hold much weight when you have a sword pointed towards me.”

“Come on! You’ve had those two knives out for our entire talk!” [Lust Subaru] said, although it was clear that he had not meant to get those words out.

“Oh my~ You’re completely right. Still, doing things ‘without bloodshed’ is simply not my style. I hope you understand.”

“But—But—”

“If it makes you feel better, I’m not doing this only because I want to sate my long-held curiosity.” Elsa made small steps towards them, and they continued to slowly step back, even as they kept their guard up. “Rather, I felt like you weren’t actually going to help me find [Subaru] after all, so you can think of this as a way to keep you in line.”

Subaru bit his lip. He wanted to deny the accusation but couldn’t. It was true a part of him, as foolish as it may sound, wanted to help Elsa despite the threat she posed. But there was one significant difference now compared to another time when he might have selflessly helped her.

[Natsuki Subaru] had died. His corpse lay there by Elsa, almost as if to flaunt of her kill. Something like seeing his own corpse was already reason enough to abhor any kind of partnership with Elsa. But that was not the biggest reason, no. It was the fact that it was HIS corpse. [Natsuki Subaru] had died, and nothing had happened.

Being reminded of his own mortality so suddenly, and then coming to face such danger immediately after, it was no surprise that he, and likely the others too, would want nothing more than to be as far as possible from Elsa.

Unfortunately, it seems that Elsa took this reluctance of theirs as defiance to her request. And seeing as she already suspected them of something that only she knew meant they were already in big trouble.

“Y-you—you can’t do that! You n-need us to find your [Subaru], remember?!” [Sloth Subaru] tried to reason with her.

“I don’t need the three of you, do I? I’m sure I can work just fine with just two.”

Subaru had many other things to say in hopes of stopping Elsa, but he could not get even a whimper out, as he was frozen in fear. [Sloth Subaru] was in a similar state, but at least [Lust Subaru] managed to keep his wits behind his sword.

“Fufu~ I’ve always wanted to know how his insides looked like. So even if you aren’t truly him… Thanks for the opportunity~”

In the next instant, Elsa jumped forward towards the trio. She was so fast that it looked like she had disappeared from her place. She breached the gap between them in no time, passing [Lust Subaru] and reaching directly for [Sloth Subaru].

He closed his eyes. He would have done anything just to know he could come back. That he would not leave his family alone in this uncertain environment. He would’ve begged for help from anyone, even Satella, so that they could be safe. Alas, it appeared that he had no more time left.

Elsa swung her knife almost playfully as it reached for his abdomen, the sound of it parting the wind almost deafening to him… until he heard a clanging sound.

“Oh my~!”

[Sloth Subaru] opened his eyes, not having felt any pain. Instead, he saw [Lust Subaru] in front of him. He had intercepted the slash and forced Elsa to jump back.

“You—how—?”

“I told you guys—Don’t underestimate a student of Reinhard!” [Lust Subaru] confidently reassured his older counterpart. “Now snap out of it!”

“Oh my. Truly, it’s impossible that you are him. I guess I’ll open up your guts then.”

Undeterred, Elsa launched herself again, this time clearly aiming for the king. He, in turn, also launched himself towards her and met her blows with his sword.

“I—I don’t suppose that—Hrg!—that you would be scared into standing down—Hah!—by this?!” [Lust Subaru] asked while parrying Elsa’s blows.

“Certainly not! If anything, this has gotten me more excited to see the color of your insides!”

“F-figures.”

Subaru and [Sloth Subaru] watched their little duel entranced. The king was somehow keeping up with Elsa, and even though he was completely on the defensive, he was managing to lead her away from them. Seeing this, they took the chance to try and get to the mansion for help.

Elsa seemed to notice because she stopped attacking [Lust Subaru] altogether. He still kept swinging at her to prevent her from disengaging, but she expertly dodged all his attacks.

“Oh yes, I’ve never seen him move like this. Totally different! I’d say you’re as strong as one of the Kingdom Knights!” Elsa said, and her praise for him seemed genuine.

“Unfortunately for you… I’ve slaughtered the Knights of the Kingdom by the dozens!”

In less than a second Elsa masterfully slashed her knifes, easily blocking the sword and reaching his gut.

Subaru had turned just then, and he saw everything. There was no mistaking it, the knife had reached the king’s abdomen, and that the Bowel Hunter had reached her objective.

They had only just met [Lust Subaru], yet he was already dying. And by the look of things, he would not be coming back. They didn’t know much about him, but he had a family, a child on the way, he was the ruler of an entire nation. Yet he had died so suddenly.

And Subaru did not know if he could save him.

“C-come on, if we get to the mansion, we might be able to heal him!”

Emilia, Garfiel, Beatrice, and even Rem—if they were fast enough, perhaps his wound could be healed.

“Sorry, but I can’t let you do that.”

Elsa appeared next to them despite being considerably far away just moments before, blocking the way forward.

“It’s a shame you ran, I couldn’t even begin to inspect his bowels… So could you please be kind enough to return over there?”

“A-at least let us find someone to help him!” [Sloth Subaru] pleaded.

“Hmm? And also, someone to face me, right?” Subaru bit his lip; that was exactly what they wanted. “Usually, I would not be opposed to the idea, but I can’t afford distractions right now.”

Just then, as it seemed they were completely cornered, [Sloth Subaru] grabbed him by the wrist and shouted, “Shamak!”

A cloud of darkness erupted from his body, surprising Subaru. He felt his senses dampen but noticed how he was strung along. In a second, he was outside the cloud of darkness being led by [Sloth Subaru].

“Man, it’s been such a long time since I had to use magic. But I’m glad I didn’t forget how,” [Sloth Subaru] said absentmindedly.

“Hey, the other guy… The other us, do you think that he—?”

Subaru saw his older counterpart harden his gaze. “That’s two of us now, and nothing…”

It was only natural to expect the worst after what they had seen. Just then, Elsa jumped next to them once more.

“Ah, it’s no good, huh?”

“It’s only natural. I’ve seen that move more times than I can count.” She giggled. “Now, will you two stop running? At this rate, I’ll have to cut the legs off one of you and have the other carry them…”

Subaru gulped at the gruesome scene Elsa described but nevertheless put himself forward with his whip in hand, for whatever help it might be.

“Fufufu~ Defiant to the last! In that much, you and he are truly the same—Oh!”

Suddenly something appeared behind Elsa right through the now-disappearing cloud of black smoke, and she was forced to jump out of the way but not managing to dodge the incoming attack completely.

Everyone looked stunned at what happened, even Elsa herself, although she quickly regained her wicked smile. On the ground lay the severed fingers of Elsa’s hand that was hit along with the knife they had been gripping.

“Oh, this is truly wonderful~”

“Usually hearing a girl say that would make me very happy, but right now it only makes me feel like puking.” There, sword still in hand and completely unharmed, was [Lust Subaru], his eyes now surrounded with a blazing red fire.

“Are you guys—Hk!” Without saying another word, Elsa jumped and slashed once more at the king’s abdomen with her knife, not giving him even a chance to block or parry.

“Arg!” [Lust Subaru] flinched in pain at the attack, but in just a second, he was back upright and slashed at Elsa.

“Yes, yes! How amazing!” She slashed against his abdomen. One slash, two slashes, three, four. No matter how many slashes she delivered, nothing could make the king back down. To the other two, it looked like he was completely invulnerable.

“I don’t know what crazy technique that is but keep it up!” Subaru encouraged him.

“Ouch! Oww… It still hurts like a mother—Arg!” Another slash. This time he did stumble back, but once more, it did not seem like any wound was inflicted on his body.

“How magnificent~ He never had something like this either. In fact, you share more similarities with me in this regard.” She showed her hand, the one that he had stabbed, now sporting all her fingers again. She moved them dexterously, as if nothing had happened to them.

“Heh, I don’t remember what dark magic was at play with your body, but it’s nothing like mine! Mine is proof of love!” [Lust Subaru] exclaimed boisterously. “That reminds me, I’ll have to praise her wholeheartedly when I see her again…”

“Fufufu~ You’re facing me yet thinking of another woman? How cold.”

“Well, you’re thinking of another man, aren’t you?”

Elsa did not respond to his jab. Instead, she just sighed.

“Haah. Maybe this is my personal hell. A hell where I’m shown so many tantalizing bowels, his bowels, yet I’m not allowed to see a single one…” Elsa pitied herself for a moment, but then she just shrugged. “Oh well. That doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying.”

Elsa leapt again and reached for the two of them. Guessing correctly that he was once again her target, [Sloth Subaru] pushed Subaru out of the way.

Subaru was forced to see the man he met just today faced with an unstoppable death. He couldn’t stop it, although he had his whip—even if he was lucky and managed to hit her, her strength clearly overpowered his. But he had one last card up his sleeve.

“Invisible Providence!”

Just as Elsa was within striking distance of [Sloth Subaru], she was stopped in mid-air. It looked like she was floating in place until suddenly she was launched against a tree with such force the poor thing cracked under the pressure.

“Haah… haah… urg!” Subaru felt the drawback of using the authority, but he successfully managed to stop her attack.

“Oh, this is truly, truly splendid~”

It seemed Elsa was not deterred even slightly by their efforts.

“Never did I think I would get to experience something like this~!”

The tree she crashed into fully cracked as she pushed herself off it. Elsa launched herself recklessly towards them again. [Lust Subaru] put himself between her and the others, but she stunningly dodged him without losing any speed.

Subaru attacked aimlessly with his whip, but it was too late.

“No!” [Sloth Subaru] reached for him, but he too realized he could not do anything.

“Ah…” Subaru slowly reached for his abdomen, his hand that just passed by the spot where he was struck was immediately covered in blood.

Subaru fell to the ground. Elsa just looked at his wound with a dreamy smile while she licked her lips. “Oh, after all this time, it’s as beautiful as I ever imagined it~”

“You!” [Lust Subaru] pushed forward and once again engaged Elsa. She seemed content with allowing his attacks to go unpunished and backed away, giving [Sloth Subaru] a chance to approach the wounded Subaru.

“P-please tell me you also got another cheat ability like that guy…”

“I already told you… I’m not special like that at all…”

[Sloth Subaru] gripped him tight. It took Subaru a moment to realize he was hugging him.

“I-I’m sorry. A-at least you’ll come back, r-right?”

“I… I don’t know…”

He was dying. He was dying and didn’t know if he would come back. Earlier, he had confirmed Satella still had a grip on him, but now he was uncertain of it. He felt regretful tears begin to form. He didn’t want to die; he had so much more to give. He had struggled and fought so much, so he could not believe it could be all for naught.

Still…

“No, you’ll be back. Natsuki Subaru the hero can’t lose this…”

Even though he was in great pain, Subaru giggled at those words. His older self apparently had a lot of expectations for him, and he had failed to meet all of them, it seemed.

“T-take care of everyone… with that guy too…”

His mind wandered to [Lust Subaru], who was still fighting Elsa. He was strong, could fight, and was the ruler of an entire nation. If it was them, then maybe things would be alright.

[Sloth Subaru] said something to him, but he could no longer listen. He closed his eyes and let out his last breath.

And so, Natsuki Subaru died.

“I love you.”

There it was, that familiar call of love.

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

And once more, he heard it repeating over and over again. This always happened. Although he could feel it was different this time.

“I love you.”

He heard it right in his ear, like she was whispering her love while lying next to him.

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

But then, the flurry of love that followed seemed to be coming from everywhere all at once, just as it did when he tried testing the taboo.

“I love you.”

In this place where the vile witch resided, he didn’t know why he should expect things to be normal, but…

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

Something told him that something was different…

“I love you…”

“…”

Subaru heard a buzzing sound in his ears. Soon, it transformed into a voice. His voice, to be exact.

“Man, if we find another… another one of us, will we do this whole song and dance again?”

“If they are a proper [Natsuki Subaru], they better do.” It was his voice again. Subaru opened his eyes, seeing both [Sloth Subaru] and [Lust Subaru] before him.

“Alright then. We can both talk all about this situation, about you and about… hmm?” [Sloth Subaru] noticed his shocked expression. “Hey, are you alright?”

Subaru scanned the faces of his two counterparts, analyzing them for reactions. Did they know?

“D-do you guys remember?” he asked tentatively.

“Remember? Man, we’ve only just met and…” [Lust Subaru] began but stopped once he looked closer at him.

Subaru inspected his hands and his body; they were completely untouched. He felt like laughing. Or like crying. Out of despair or relief, he didn’t know which one. At the very least, he had to test if he could tell the others, if he could rely on them, and so, he spoke the taboo…

“I-I just Returned by Death.”

Again, completely unopposed.

Chapter Text

Navigating through the thick forest was difficult with so little light. The moonlight did not penetrate deeply enough to carve a clear path. Subaru almost got hit by a tree branch but avoided it at the last second.

“So, what do you make of this whole thing?”

Despite being completely alone, Subaru spoke aloud. A few seconds of silence passed before he heard a voice speak…

“You know you don’t really have to talk aloud, right?”

…Directly into his mind.

“Yeah, but wouldn’t you say in this situation it’s better if someone heard me?”

“They’d probably think you’re crazy if they did.”

“Well, they’d probably be right.”

The voice fell silent, and Subaru continued moving. Usually, he wasn’t this careless when talking to her, but the situation called for a little recklessness. At least for this loop.

“Again, anything to say on this whole thing?”

He waited a few seconds for the voice to respond.

“Even someone of my intellect will not be able to deduce what’s going on with so few clues. So, you must—”

“Provide more information. I know.”

Subaru took one look down at his pendant. Within that stone resided the Witch of Greed, Echidna. Sadly, for all her wisdom, it seemed even she was at a loss as to what had happened.

He had gone to sleep like normal, yet he had awoken in the middle of the forest, with no one around him. He was somewhat capable of maintaining a level of alertness in his sleep now, so he doubted someone could’ve moved him all the way outside without sedating him somehow.

Even without that, Echidna, who was awake day and night in his head, should have known something about what had happened. But sadly…

“If only you were awake to see what had happened, I could work on a plausible theory right away,” she spoke in his thoughts.

“I guess I’ll try that first next time.”

“What if it doesn’t send you far back enough? What if you just wake up in the forest again?”

“Then we’ll just figure out a new plan there…” Subaru suddenly stopped. “And what’s up with you? Usually, you’d have agreed with the usual plan before even me.”

“Well… I can’t completely shake this feeling that something else is at play… Something bigger than what we’re used to…”

Subaru did not like the sound of that. He had faced a lot of ‘insurmountable’ foes before. What could be even bigger than that?

“What do you think? Witch Cult again?” The decisive archenemy of Subaru could always be expected to appear at any moment.

“Maybe… Maybe another unrelated piece… But whatever it is, know that something has drastically altered our situation, of that much I can assure you.”

Subaru hummed and kept walking. He reached a clearing in the forest and saw a building in the distance. It looked familiar, but before he could ask about it, a sound broke behind him.

“There you are~”

A familiar voice. He instantly recognized it as Elsa’s.

“Elsa?”

Elsa dropped from the trees and looked at him. Considering her personality, it was strange how, in the next moments, she didn’t say anything and just stood there looking at him.

“Ah… I’m glad to see a familiar face…” Subaru said truthfully. “Although it’s kinda sad that you had to be the first one I see…”

When Elsa did not react to his light jab, he suspected something was up.

“So, any clue as to what happened to me? I just woke up on the ground and—”

“I—I also just recently woke up here.” The tone in which she spoke was surprisingly meek, not what he expected from Elsa.

“So, you’re as lost as I am…”

Nevertheless, having someone at his side could prove invaluable in this loop, especially if they could find more information more quickly.

“Well, I want to know where exactly we are. It’s night, and you can see better in the dark, so—”

Suddenly, Elsa froze in place. She kept her eyes on him, so he didn’t understand what had happened to her so suddenly.

“Elsa? You alright?”

Elsa blinked, then she closed her eyes and then…

“Ahh… Ha… hahaha!”

A hearty laugh. It was, again, completely out of character for her, who would maintain her sultriness and composure even while laughing.

Despite this, Subaru did not flinch.

“You…” She regained her composure. “You’re not Natsuki Subaru…”

Her sudden and unexpected words shocked him. Well, this was his first attempt, so he could be excused for being surprised.

“I—I think I’m the only Natsuki Subaru in this world. I doubt there can be any other than me…”

“No. You are different. You act differently, you dress differently, you smell differently—” Subaru cursed silently, hoping that Elsa had not learned to smell the witches' scent somehow. “And your eyes are different… You’re not Natsuki Subaru…”

Elsa produced her two twisted blades and seemed ready to pounce. However, he wasn’t scared of her.

“Well, I am Natsuki Subaru. And in my case, I would rather say you’re not my Elsa, seeing how strange you’re acting. Maybe you’re one of those shapeshifters I saw…”

Being confrontational in this situation might not exactly be the best course of action, but again, Subaru could be allowed to test the waters, seeing as this was his first attempt.

“Interestingly, as you said, I do think this is not actually our Elsa…”

Subaru sadly could not ask the witch to explain herself further without risking unsettling this Elsa even more.

“Fufu~ This is very interesting indeed… So, fake Subaru, what is it you want from me?”

“Well, finding our respective counterparts seems as good a plan as any, right?” Subaru said, glad that at the very least, this Elsa was not immediately antagonistic.

“Fufu~ How nice. At the very least, working with you until I find my Subaru doesn’t seem to be such a bad idea…”

Even if she had done so as a hostage, his own Elsa had somewhat enjoyed her time in the Emilia camp and the role she played in it. As such, Subaru was confident that he could at the very least control this Elsa into doing what he wanted for the time being.

“Right… In that case, we have to try and find out what is happening here. This is an extraordinary situation, so we must be sure to get whatever pieces of information we can, whatever it takes. Got it?”

Elsa took her knife to her lips and licked it menacingly.

“Oh, how true those words are! In that case, maybe I should cut you open and see what’s inside you. It’s very valuable information…”

Elsa suddenly stopped. Subaru assumed it was because of his lack of reaction to her threat, but suddenly she looked past him, and then around him. She looked like a hunting dog; all she was missing was sniffing for her prey…

“Hmm… There are two—no, three people nearby…” Elsa suddenly declared.

“Oh? Then we should go and—”

“You’re not going anywhere.”

The tone in which she said this was so different from just before, and was so unexpected of Elsa, that he couldn’t help but fall completely silent.

“Hmm… Do you know that I’m very proud of my instinct?”

“Yes. To the point where Meili even scolded you for relying on it too much.”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously at his words. Subaru had expected that she would attack him for saying that, but he was surprised again when she simply turned to look into the distance.

“Well… those people… they feel…”

She cut herself off. Then, she leapt onto a tree. Looking back at him, she said, “Stay here. You at least make for a passable Subaru, so after I find out about these other people, I’ll return with them to you… I’ll decide whether or not I’ll cut open your insides then.”

Subaru watched her in silence. As she leapt onto another tree, she spoke without turning back to look at him.

“The hidden knife was amateurish… but you completely lacked any anger or killing intent…” She turned, an angry, almost disgusted expression on her face. “Good job.”

And so, she disappeared into the foliage. Subaru waited a few seconds until he was sure that she was truly gone, then took a deep breath and exhaled tiredly.

“Well, that was quite something,” the voice of Echidna echoed in his mind.

“Right? So, let’s begin trying to explain that. From the top.”

“Well, she acted pretty differently from how we’re used to seeing her…”

“Do you think she’s connected to Lust?” He remembered the many loops in which that devious archbishop had unleashed her foul Authorities on Pristella. “Or maybe she’s a clone of some sort.”

“Hmm, well, it could even be that she’s just having a bad day. Didn’t she say that she appeared here suddenly, just like us?” Echidna suggested, surprisingly tamely.

“That very well could’ve been a way to trick us. She might have moved us here and then told us she was in a similar situation to build trust.”

“Indeed, it could be that too…”

“Heh, from the way she spoke about ‘her Subaru,’ you’d even think she was some alternate reality Elsa who met an alternate reality Subaru.”

“Well, I don’t know about that theory…”

Subaru chuckled. “Forget it. It was only a joke.” After all, that theory was the most harebrained and least plausible of them all.

“In any case, you know what you need to do, right?”

Subaru took the hidden knife from his suit.

“Yeah. Next time, I’ll try asking her some different questions. Let’s see if I can figure out what she is, or what’s happening to her.” Subaru hummed. “Normally, I’d like to get more information from an attempt before redoing, but…”

“You need to go back and see if you return to where you were before appearing here.”

“Exactly.” If he let too much time pass, his save point might be updated.

“Oh, that reminds me…” Subaru played with his knife. “Elsa found this; maybe it’s why she was so confrontational?”

“Could be. Do you think it’s worth getting rid of it to talk to her?”

“I’ll keep it in mind and give it a try later.” He looked at his knife. He used to carry kitchen knives but had recently switched to a dagger of his own. If he said it was for self-defense, it was ironically easier to explain why he had it.

“It’s a bit annoying to have to part with it because, while I can always bite my tongue, keeping a knife with me makes it easier for when I can’t rely on Elsa to do it for me, like now…”

Subaru aimed the knife with his throat.

“A shame. I like it when she can do it painlessly for me.”

And then plunged.

If there was one positive thing about the situation, it was that he didn’t need to explain much to get the other Subarus in line.

“I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but are you sure this isn’t a joke? Because—” [Lust Subaru] had asked.

“You’re married to Emilia and Rem, and Rem is pregnant.”

And just like that, they immediately sided with him. Subaru was used to explaining things to his allies, but being able to be completely transparent and thorough was a first.

“So, at the very least we have confirmation about… Return by Death,” [Sloth Subaru] said nervously.

“I think so. The other [Subaru] who was killed by Elsa… Well, his corpse was laid against a tree, so I think she moved it afterward. That, and the fact that a bunch of other things happened, meant he was dead for a while, and nothing changed,” Subaru explained.

[Sloth Subaru] shivered, and Subaru couldn’t blame him. He’d been just as scared when he thought he couldn’t come back. Now that the others had confirmation…

“Well, it makes sense. This is your world, so only you have access to it…” [Lust Subaru] still had doubts, but he was trying to understand. “Guess the two of us will have to be careful from now on.”

Subaru nodded. “Exactly. That’s why I want you—” He placed a hand on [Sloth Subaru’s] shoulder to stop his trembling. “—to run to the mansion and get help. Me and this guy will find the other Subaru and distract Elsa until then.”

“What happened to me having to be careful?!” [Lust Subaru] objected.

Subaru shot him a side-glance. “You have some weird ability that makes you resistant to damage or something, right? That’s how we’re going to be distracting her.”

“You based the plan on that?!” [Lust Subaru] exclaimed, but quickly relented. “But yeah, I do have that… Actually, knowing that is a relief.”

And just like that, they each went on their missions. [Sloth Subaru] took a different route to the mansion, avoiding where Elsa should be, while the other two made their way toward her, attempting to be stealthy.

“Hey, it’s probably not worth much coming from me but…” [Lust Subaru] looked at him warily. “I know this is the first try and all, but you coming along with me is…”

“Hmm?” Subaru turned to face his counterpart. “What are you trying to say?”

“Oh, you know what I mean. You have Return by Death, so now you throw yourself into danger.” He growled under his breath, “Just like me with the Soul Marriage…”

The king was right. That bit of reassurance had changed Subaru’s perspective drastically. He wasn’t being completely reckless, but compared to the last loop, where he’d been terrified of danger, now he could act as he always had.

“Soul Marriage, so that’s what it’s called?” Subaru dismissed that train of thought and focused on the king’s abilities. “How did you get it? Is it similar to Invisible Providence?”

[Lust Subaru] scratched his cheek meekly. “How I got it is… well, I’d rather not say! You’ll just punch me again!” It was an interesting response. When Subaru had revealed he was married to both Rem and Emilia, [Sloth Subaru] had delivered a swift kick, calling him a womanizer.

“Don’t worry, I already punched you in the other loop, so you’re safe.”

The king sighed. “Sure… also, what is Invisible Providence supposed to be?”

“Hmm? Maybe you call it something else?” Subaru stopped to consider their differences. “Or maybe… Hey, since you’re from the future, have you ever faced this creepy guy from the Witch Cult, an archbishop…”

“Every single person from the Witch Cult is creepy, especially their archbishops.” [Lust Subaru] interrupted. “But yes, I’ve not only faced them, but in the future, we defeat the Cult and kill all the Sin archbishops.” The king spoke proudly. Subaru would’ve felt a bit jealous if it wasn’t completely eclipsed by his excitement.

“A-all of them!? Even Gluttony!? T-tell me what did you—No. What happened—”

[Lust Subaru] raised his hands. “Woah, woah! Calm down. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about it later after we deal with this, okay?”

“Y-yeah, sorry, I lost my cool there.” Subaru calmed his turbulent mind, knowing he needed it for the challenge ahead. “Well, since you said you defeated all the archbishops, you should also have it. What do you call the… um, the shadowy hand?” Subaru asked.

“Hmm? Shadowy hand?”

“You know, a single big shadowy hand, it hurts after you use it, it’s like that creepy guy’s hands…”

Subaru stopped when he saw [Lust Subaru] looking at him with a dumbfounded expression.

“This Invisible Providence… you said it’s supposed to be some kind of ability we have, right?” He looked a bit disturbed. “Because in that case, I have no ability like that…”

“…” Subaru’s mouth dropped as he gawked at the revelation. It wasn’t strange that an alternate version of him would have infinite small, yet important, differences. Nevertheless, it was a huge surprise.

“In the first place, the Soul Marriage ability isn’t even mine. It’s more like a buff someone else is giving me.” He ignored Subaru’s reaction. “And if I do have it, then that means she probably also arrived in this world with me…”

As the king said that, he returned his gaze forward and kept walking. Subaru had so many things he wanted to ask him and [Sloth Subaru], but right now, he had to focus on completing this little trial, so he silently moved forward to lead the way.

Despite knowing the need for a calm mind ahead, his already scrambled thoughts kept dancing around in his head, which only got worse once they reached the place where the other [Subaru] and Elsa were.

Because there, dropped on the grass, was once more the corpse of [Natsuki Subaru].

“Damn! Were we too late?”

Ignoring the king, Subaru rushed to the side of the dead [Subaru].

“W-why… we arrived early… why did Elsa…”

Not completely processing the death of [Subaru], he knelt down next to his body. There with trembling hands, he turned him around so he could see what had happened to him.

“A-ah…” There in the throat of [Subaru] was a dagger, coated in blood, as it was pushed deep into his flesh.

In the last loop, he didn’t get the chance to inspect the body in detail. Even if he had, he doubted he would’ve been too eager to do so. Yet now, as he found himself with the corpse again, he forced himself forward.

“Shit. Looks like Elsa got him bad… hmm?” [Lust Subaru] also came forward. Subaru noticed he wasn’t as shocked as he should be, but then again, he was holding his sword so hard his knuckles were turning white.

“This… doesn’t this make it look like…”

“Like he stabbed himself?”

Both Subarus looked at the corpse. It had obviously died recently and had only been disturbed just now by turning it around. One hand had managed to keep a strong grip on the knife it was holding—the same knife that had been shoved into its throat.

“B-but… this makes no sense. Why would he do this now?”

“Last time, he was also stabbed in the neck…” Subaru said quietly. He had completely forgotten that detail in the chaos that followed, but it was notable that the last [Subaru] had been stabbed in the neck, not the gut.

An eerie silence settled between them until the king spoke again. “Then… do you think he did it to avoid being done in by Elsa?”

“Maybe… I can’t know what he was thinking… I guess he thought a stab in the throat would be less painful than the alternative…” Subaru reached for his gut, remembering the terrible pain he had recently experienced.

“But… it still makes no sense. I can’t wrap my head around it. That he gave up that easily…”

Why? Why would he give up so easily? That question dominated their thoughts. Was there another danger he was privy to, and they weren’t? Had Elsa told him something terrible, forcing him to restart out of desperation?

“…Now… now what?”

Subaru asked the other him, not expecting an answer. A [Subaru] had died. It wasn’t their fault they couldn’t save him, but he had died, nonetheless. There was one way to save him, but Subaru didn’t know if he could do it.

[Lust Subaru] looked at him expectantly. “Listen… don’t do anything rash…”

“But… I have to, don’t I? I mean… I have to try and save him…”

Subaru spoke without looking away from the corpse. The king sighed and pulled away, looking into the distance.

“For now, you don’t need to do anything. We’re in a pretty tough spot already, so let’s try clearing that before you consider more… drastic measures.”

Subaru didn’t like that viewpoint, of seeing this life as abandoned already. He never met this [Subaru] who had foolishly squandered his own life. Did he truly have to save him?

… Yes. Yes, I do.

But did he have the will to do it?

“…”

Sensing his turmoil, the king sighed and stood up. “Come on, let’s try to get to the mansion before Elsa appears and—”

“Before I do what?” A sultry voice suddenly made itself known. [Lust Subaru] pulled his sword free from its scabbard and frantically searched for her position. She wasted no time, appearing from the thick of the forest.

“You three here, and the other one running toward that mansion… Yes, that is everyone I could detect nearby.” She looked right past them and directly at the corpse.

“I can’t believe he ended up doing that. I just left for a moment to look for you two, and he went and stabbed himself. What fun is opening his insides if they are already spoiled?”

Seeing no sense in arguing with her twisted logic, [Lust Subaru] took the initiative and stepped forward, shielding Subaru behind him. Subaru knew he needed to act quickly.

“Elsa, please, stand down! You’re lost here, right? We can work together to get out of this!” With the knowledge that Elsa had not been the one to kill [Subaru], working with her became a more plausible idea—at least long enough to ensure they escaped danger.

“Work together?” Her gaze sharpened. “I was planning to do that with that man over there,” she said, pointing her wicked blade at [Subaru], “despite not knowing what he was. But he went and did that… I still don’t know what he and you all are, but now I know I can’t take my chances…”

He didn’t know where her trail of thought was leading, but he sure didn’t like the sound of it.

“So, I think I should stop your little friend from getting to that mansion and whoever is in it.” She licked her lips. “It’s a perfect opportunity to open his guts up too.”

The situation was quickly deteriorating, and Subaru didn’t know what to do—or rather, he didn’t have the will to do what was needed. He had gone almost a year without suffering the horrible experience of dying, but ever since he met and understood the nature of these otherworlders, he had steeled himself for the possibility that something like this might happen.

But it seemed like it wasn’t enough.

“If it’s guts you want, I’d be happy to provide them—if you can beat me, of course.” [Lust Subaru] tauntingly swung his sword and assumed his stance. However, Elsa seemed to deduce that he wanted to keep her attention on him.

“Oh, that sounds wonderful~ But sadly, I can’t allow myself to indulge in my pleasures at this moment.”

With an unnecessary show of flexibility, she jumped from the ground to the trees again, hanging from a branch like a bat while giggling.

“This will only take a few minutes… So, make sure you don’t end up like the other one too~”

She swung herself around on top of the branch and then jumped. Subaru could see her eyes still trailing on them as she disappeared into the foliage in search of [Sloth Subaru].

“Damn you, Elsa! Get back here!” The king screamed while giving chase, and Subaru followed after him.

There were many things he could have said but failed to. Though he doubted he could truly manage to get Elsa to stand down, at that moment, it was already too late.

Once more… meeting that guy made her act all weird…

Subaru tried to wrap his head around Elsa’s thinking, which was significantly complicated by her being from an alternate reality—and also by her being an insane gut-fetishist assassin.

But he somewhat understood that seeing [Subaru] dead had impacted her greatly, just as it had impacted him. She apparently had a connection with another [Subaru], so it wasn’t strange that being thrust into this situation led her to try and figure things out her own way.

He would have to keep that in mind for next time…

Subaru turned to see his counterpart looking at him worriedly. He likely knew what Subaru was thinking… And in that case…

“Listen, I want you to—”

Suddenly, despite being deep in the forest, they saw a cloud of black smoke rise abruptly, so high and potent that it easily breached the dense forest and filled the space around and above it.

“That—that’s him! She must’ve found him!” Subaru said worriedly to the king.

“Crap!” The king cursed. He then looked back at Subaru with… pity in his eyes. “I’m going to rush over there… Do what you have to—” He bit his tongue and looked away, ashamed. Then, without another word, he gave a great leap toward the smoke.

Subaru stood in place, stunned. He knew what the other him was getting at. He wanted him to make a decision about the other [Subaru]. He gripped his fist in anger.

“At the very least, I’m not willing to let it end here!” he screamed in defiance at the forest and chased after them, whatever good it might do.

Following their trail was easy. The smoke had begun to clear out but still lingered, and the king’s leaps weren’t as skilled or powerful as Elsa’s. He had smashed his body against the trees in his hurry, leaving a clear path of destruction for Subaru to follow.

Even through the thick of the forest, Subaru could make out the mansion. The lights were turned on, and he could see the shadows of people moving about. He hoped that someone had gone to check on them and seen the thick smoke that [Sloth Subaru] had made with his Shamak, and was coming to help.

Even then, it might be too late…

A part of him desperately wanted to go towards the mansion and directly ask for aid. What good was he out here anyway? But he held himself back. [Sloth Subaru] was in danger, and Subaru needed to help in any way he could. Sadly, going to the mansion would make the other thing he needed to do much more difficult…

He kept running, now toward the ever-increasing sound of metal clashing.

“Marvelous! This is marvelous!”

He heard Elsa exclaim in pleasure as they clashed. It seemed that [Lust Subaru] had surprised her with his skill. He was silent, trying his best to hold her off. Even though his eyes were literally burning with red fire around him, signaling the use of his so-called Soul Marriage, Subaru could make out the clear image of fury they were radiating.

And as he turned, he saw why.

“Urk—!”

[Sloth Subaru] lay on the ground. His intestines were sprawled on the grass. On one of his hands was one of Elsa’s wicked kukris, stuck on his hand. It looked like he had struggled against her and managed to make her forgo the knife, probably in the heat of battle after being pressured by [Lust Subaru]. And then his eyes… who followed him. He was still alive.

“W-wait…!”

Subaru rushed over to the dying man, desperately trying to keep his stomach from expelling all its contents at the gruesome sight. He watched in despair as [Sloth Subaru] moved his lips. He was trying to speak, but his fading voice was too weak to reach him.

“W-watch out!”

Suddenly, the battling Elsa and [Lust Subaru] passed near him. He was knocked aside; he didn’t see by whom, as he tried to stand back up and go to the wounded father.

But then he noticed… he couldn’t move. He was stuck, face-first against the ground. It was as if his body was frozen in place, reminiscent of when he was trapped in the accursed realm of the witch.

He tried to look around, but even his eyes wouldn’t turn. However, from the corner of his eyes, he could see the legs of [Sloth Subaru], as well as his outstretched intestine.

He resisted the urge to close his eyes in disgust, not that he could have done so anyway. There was something he could see moving, right there, in the very corner of his vision. He could just make out a figure—only a fraction of her full form—but he undoubtedly recognized the shapes of a dress, completely black and covering practically the entire form of its wearer.

He could only see it with great difficulty, as a constant stream of shadows seemed to dance around her, distorting his view.

He wanted to speak, to scream at her. Because it had to be her. He had seen her before. It could be no one else.

What did he want to tell her? To save him? To save them? To have mercy? Again, it was a futile and useless thought. His mouth, too, could not move.

With a mix of fear and desperation, he tried his hardest to keep looking at this shadow in the corner of his eyes. He could make out how she knelt down to [Sloth Subaru]. He wondered what she was doing. Was she looking at him closer? Was she kissing him? Or perhaps… she was saying something to him.

He tried with all his might to force his ears to catch any sound. Just as it seemed time had stopped, all sounds had stopped too, leaving him in an oppressive silence. He was sure he wouldn’t even be able to grasp what she would say if he heard it—just the tiniest whisper of it. But at this point, he was all too familiar with those exact words said by that exact voice.

“I love you.”

Subaru was so shocked that he couldn’t help but blink in surprise. Only then did he realize he could blink again. “A-ah…” And that he could talk again.

Sound suddenly returned to the world in such a brusque way that it almost hurt him. The sound of battle was once more thundering in his ears. He turned and looked at his battling counterpart. The king managed to give him a short but significant glance towards the body of [Sloth Subaru].

He was asking him to help, not knowing he was actually dead.

Subaru himself technically didn’t know either, but that… thing… surely meant he had died, right?

He broke through his shock and moved towards [Sloth Subaru]. What if it had all been in his head? What if he had imagined it all? It had felt so long, but now that he tried to remember, it seemed as if it had passed in a flash too.

But no, it had been too real to be simply imagination. The witch, Satella, had appeared and whispered her love for Subaru. But she had not done so for him, but for [Sloth Subaru].

And indeed, when he reached him, he confirmed that he had died. Despite being next to the disgusting visage of [Sloth Subaru’s] corpse—his own corpse—Subaru once again did not allow himself to throw up.

But… had he Returned by Death?

That was the question. The witch had knelt at his side. That had to be proof that his ability would activate, right? But if so, why did the world still continue?

“…”

They had thought that only Subaru would get to Return by Death, as they were in his world. But now he found himself doubting this fact again.

He remembered something he had been trying to avoid since he first met Rigel—the terrible images he was forced to see in the Sanctuary. Horrible presents where time continued after his death, where those who remained were forced to live with his failures.

Had those terrifying images actually been true? That realization almost made him puke as well.

Did this mean he was left behind in this failed reality? Would he still be able to Return by Death? Was this what [Sloth Subaru] was thinking too, in that world where he had died?

Maybe the other [Subaru], who had stabbed his own throat twice already, had also returned to his own little new world, just as [Sloth Subaru] would. Or maybe he didn’t return because he had stabbed himself, and [Sloth Subaru] would return because he was killed by Elsa. So many questions, and he didn’t know any answers to them.

So, did this mean he had to continue in this doomed world he had created?

No.

Even if his fears were true and the world would continue after his death, he could not continue in this reality where two of him had already died. Especially if one was [Sloth Subaru], the father of Rigel and Spica Natsuki. He could not allow a reality where those two lost their father to exist.

Tears started to form in his eyes as he reached for the knife that had been cleaved into the hand of [Sloth Subaru]. Questions and doubts kept dancing in his head. What if he was wrong? What if he was right? These two questions kept repeating about so many things that it was nearly overwhelming.

I suppose there’s only one way to find out…

He wouldn’t have another chance. Soon, someone would arrive from the mansion, and he knew he wouldn’t have the heart to do it if they were here.

He cut his fingers trying to dislodge Elsa’s dagger, but that pain would soon be nothing compared to the one he was about to inflict upon himself. After finally getting the knife free, he breathed deeply and looked to the sky.

A part of him wished it had been him who died at the hands of Elsa’s wicked blade. At the very least, the terrible pain would be accompanied by a small reassurance that he could come back. But if that other [Subaru] hadn’t returned because he had struck the killing blow himself, then…

Well, it was too late to second-guess himself now. Subaru aimed the knife at his throat.

“Please... give me a chance...” He prayed silently once more. To any god, to Satella, to anyone.

And then, he plunged.

“I love you.”

There it was once more, that familiar call of love. A part of him wanted to cry in joy. Another wanted to vomit his insides out. Not that he knew if he had any insides to vomit with. Or eyes from which to cry, for that matter.

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

Like last time, he heard it repeating over and over again—

“I love you.”

Hmm?

“I love you.”

Nonono, wait!

He wanted to scream, but no voice came out. As if sensing his distress at what he heard, the voice closest to him whispered her love. But that did nothing to make him mistake what he had felt.

He had heard a singular call of love, different from both the one whispering in his ear and the ones that came from everywhere all at once.

Had he even heard it?

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

…

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

There. He was sure he had heard it. Or at the very least, he had felt it. In this bizarre place beyond his comprehension, things were always uncertain, but of this, he was certain. He had felt a call of love, but… it had almost felt as if it hadn’t been directed at him…

“I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

Yes, not like the others. Like it was whispering in the ears of someone else…

“I love you.”

Not like the one who whispered her unyielding love into his ear…

“I love you…”

“…”

He blinked once, twice. He let out a sigh of relief. He had Returned by Death after all. Next to him were the other two, safe and sound.

He had made it back. There were still many questions to be answered, but at the very least, he had made it back.

Now, all he had to do was quickly convince the other two again and think of another plan to save [Subaru] and leave safe and sound.

“Yo, are you guys just gonna leave me hanging?”

Hmm? This wasn’t what he said last time…

Subaru turned towards his royal self. He was still holding his famous introduction pose, although half-heartedly. Instead, he was looking at the two of them.

“I mean, you both got all weird and different so suddenly…” [Lust Subaru] said, worryingly. Subaru guessed it was as good a time as any to tell them what happened, so…

“I-I just Returned by Death.”

“I just Returned by Death.”

The same voice spoke the same words twice. So much so that it seemed choreographed.

Subaru turned to look at [Sloth Subaru]. His expression was hard to describe, but it was a mix of shock and fear. In any case, he was sure that he was making the very same expression too.

“Y-you died?” [Sloth Subaru] asked him.

Subaru solemnly nodded, before also asking. “And you… did Elsa get you- and… well, was your hand also pierced with her knife?”

It was a strange question to ask, and for a moment Subaru thought he would get no answer, but then [Sloth Subaru] stopped looking at him to inspect his body again.

Subaru saw as he absentmindedly touched his stomach, and then his hand. The hand that had been slotted with Elsa’s knife. He then turned to look at him again with that terrible expression and then nodded.

When he had considered that [Sloth Subaru] would Return by Death this… this was not what he had been thinking.

“Okay, what the fuck is going on?!” The king, who had been silently watching them thus far screamed.

Subaru very much wanted to know that himself.

Chapter Text

As Elsa’s form vanished into the woods above him, [Greed Subaru] waited a few seconds until he was sure that she was truly gone, then took a deep breath and exhaled tiredly.

“Well, that was quite something,” the voice of Echidna echoed in his mind.

“Right? So, let’s begin trying to explain that. From the top.”

“Well, she acted pretty differently from how we’re used to seeing her… And she left equally soon too…”

After waking up alone in the woods, [Greed Subaru] was forced to march through the thick woodland in search of anyone or anything that might give him a clue about his whereabouts.

This was the most stressful part—his first loop, where everything was new.

He had stumbled upon Elsa, and they had conversed. From what he gleaned from their brief exchange, she was confused as to whether he was the “real” Natsuki Subaru. It was certainly a strange thing to ask. Why would [Greed Subaru] be anyone else?

In any case, whatever their conversation had been, it was cut short by Elsa herself. She had suddenly looked toward the foliage, almost worriedly, as if sensing someone was there. At the very least, that was what she had told him.

It had seemed like she wanted to tell him more, but she chose to disappear into the cover of darkness as quickly as she had appeared.

“Maybe someone’s coming over? I don’t know who could be dangerous enough to force her to hide…”

“Or maybe it wasn’t something dangerous at all. Perhaps she simply wanted to remain unseen by whatever it was.”

The voice came from his pendant—Echidna, the contracted Witch of Greed, speaking in his mind.

“Well, whatever it is, it’s probably something scary, huh?” He reached for the dagger hidden in his clothes, just to check if it was still there.

Sensing his actions despite having no real way of seeing them, Echidna continued. “Are you already thinking about starting over?”

He didn’t respond to her and instead moved closer to where Elsa had disappeared. Although he hadn’t been planning to, he nonetheless took out the dagger. Even if he wasn’t ready to use it just yet, it was reassuring to have something to face whatever had frightened Elsa.

Of course, given the circumstances, he knew he could only put up a token amount of resistance to whatever it was.

Then he heard it—the harsh rustling of leaves and the cracking of branches. It was completely different from Elsa’s silent retreat into the forest. This sounded more like an enraged animal crashing through the undergrowth, rapidly moving toward his location.

He considered running, as the forest was dense enough to hide in. But it was better to face whatever this was head-on, to know what he would be up against next time.

It wouldn’t matter either way. He heard one final loud crash right beside him. Whatever it was had arrived, breaking through the foliage next to him. [Greed Subaru] hid his knife and turned to the source of the crash with anticipation—or at least as much anticipation as he could muster now. At this point, he thought he could no longer be surprised by anything this world had to offer.

Yet, even he couldn’t help but gasp in shock at what he saw emerge from the bushes.

It was a carbon copy of him. The figure wore his old tracksuit and was covered in leaves and broken branches, along with a few bruises and cuts. It took a moment for their eyes to meet, as the copy was busy brushing off the leaves and sticks clinging to him.

But then their eyes locked. He could easily identify the anger in the copy’s gaze, currently directed straight at him.

Before [Greed Subaru] could say anything, the copy opened his mouth and spoke in a voice unmistakably his own.

“Why…” His voice trembled, yet there was conviction behind it. “Why are you giving up so easily?”

…

“Now this is interesting.” Echidna’s voice echoed directly into his mind, though he was too shocked to fully register it. “Yes, this is going to be very interesting indeed…”

“You two… are you sure this isn’t a prank because I’m the newest one?” [Lust Subaru] was obviously dubious about the whole situation, but seeing the faces of the other two, it was hard to dismiss their words as a joke.

“You’re married to Emilia and Rem, and Rem is pregnant.”

Repeating his words from another time, Subaru didn’t even bother to look at the astonished king, focusing entirely on the terrified form of his other counterpart. It wasn’t fear, but more likely shock. Subaru had managed to be free of the curse for nearly a whole year, and experiencing it again had been horrifying. He could only imagine how it would feel to have been free from the cold curse and the experience of dying for so long, only to have it thrust upon him again.

He tried to reach for [Sloth Subaru’s] shoulder, seeing him shaking and his teeth chattering in fear. He wanted to offer reassuring words or a comforting hug, but he refrained. It was better for [Sloth Subaru] to regain his bearings on his own, and Subaru didn’t even know what to say in this situation.

Luckily, [Lust Subaru] broke the tension. “So, you both died... Are things that bad? Is something going to attack us?”

Subaru turned to the king, his hand still resting on the trembling father’s shoulder, though it didn’t seem to help much.

“Yeah. Elsa is nearby... and she got us.” Subaru decided it was better not to mention how he had met his demise by his own hand last time.

“E-Elsa? She’s alive here?”

Subaru shook his head. “No. My Elsa is dead.” It felt strange to call her his Elsa. “And apparently yours is too, right?”

[Lust Subaru] nodded, then turned to the still-recovering [Sloth Subaru]. “Then maybe his Elsa is still—”

That was enough to snap [Sloth Subaru] back to his senses, though before he could respond, Subaru interjected.

“No. It wasn’t his Elsa, and it wasn’t the Elsa from that other guy either. By the way she acted, it was like an entirely different Elsa altogether.”

An Elsa who knew him, who worked under him, and followed his orders. How had that come about? Had he somehow forgiven her and hired her? Had he befriended her too? It seemed unlikely, but not impossible.

He wondered what kind of man this [Subaru] was, to be able to do such a thing.

“Other guy?” the king asked, perplexed.

Subaru paused to think about what he had just said.

“Right! That other guy! He’s going to stab himself unless we stop him!”

“Huh?!” “What!?”

[Sloth Subaru], now fully snapped out of his daze, moved forward.

“B-but… I thought you said he was killed by Elsa?”

Even though he had Returned by Death as well, [Sloth Subaru] hadn’t been there when they discovered what [Greed Subaru] had done to himself.

“That’s what I thought too. But when we found him... there was no doubt. He stabbed himself. He probably did the same thing the other time too.”

This revelation did nothing to calm [Sloth Subaru] and only further confused the king.

“Wait, wait, wait! Other time? You mean this isn’t your first time Returning by Death?”

“It’s the first for me,” [Sloth Subaru] said, his brow furrowing. It was his first death in forever. “But this guy’s already on his second try.” He paused. “Or maybe more…?”

“No, this is my second time since all this started,” Subaru confirmed.

“Good...” [Sloth Subaru] sighed in relief. “Then, do you know why that guy’s going to… why he’s going to do that?”

“That’s exactly what I’m planning to ask him.”

With determination clear on his face, Subaru turned to the still-flabbergasted king. “Hey, you can move quickly with your Soul Marriage thingy, right?”

The king blinked in confusion. “Huh? Uh… I guess I can. But don’t expect me to move like Julius or Reinhard.”

“As long as you can get us to the other [Subaru], it’s fine.”

“Um... carrying both of you might be tricky...” he said hesitantly.

“That won’t be necessary,” [Sloth Subaru] spoke up. “I’ll go search for help at the mansion.”

Subaru looked at him incredulously. “A-are you sure? That’s how you... how Elsa—”

[Sloth Subaru] gave a small, slightly forced, reassuring smile. “I know... which is why I want to ask,” his smile grew into a grin, “Did it look like anyone at the mansion came to check out what was going on?”

“Yes,” Subaru affirmed, not yet grasping where he was going with this.

“Well… I thought maybe they somehow noticed my Shamak from afar. It was large enough to pierce through the forest, right?”

Subaru snapped his fingers. “Oh! Yeah, maybe that was it!” His excitement quickly faded, though. “But maybe doing that will just make Elsa reach you faster...”

[Sloth Subaru’s] whole body shivered at the thought. Still, he remained determined. “F-fine. I’ll use it as a last resort. But I’m still going.”

Subaru didn’t know what spurred his fellow looper to act like this. If it were fear of Elsa, surely he wouldn’t have volunteered to do the same thing that got him killed.

Regardless, Subaru nodded in approval. He knew better than anyone how even small changes in a loop could make a difference, like taking the same road twice.

“Then it’s settled. Don’t die.”

[Sloth Subaru] smiled again, this time genuinely. “Same to you.”

As the father left, Subaru turned to the king. “I know this is sudden, and you’re probably very confused, but—”

[Lust Subaru] raised his hands. “Hey, no need for that. I don’t get it all, but... there’s no doubt you two are me.” He thumped his chest with a fist. “So, where do you need me to carry you, boss?”

“Over there.” Subaru pointed. “And, ugh... drop the ‘boss’ thing, please. Garfiel is already enough—whoa!”

Suddenly, Subaru found himself lifted off the ground... in a bridal carry.

“H-hey! Isn’t there another way to carry me?” Subaru protested, embarrassed by the pose.

“Sorry, carrying someone like this has become second nature to me. Just endure it.”

“Arg! If it’s a girl, I’m fine with being carried, but this is reserved for love interests! Not some dude! Especially not myself!” Subaru screamed as he endured the king’s smug grin.

“Pfft!”

Subaru turned to see the source of the muffled laugh. [Sloth Subaru] hadn’t left yet either.

“No, no, no! This is so humiliating!”

Deciding to spare him further embarrassment, [Lust Subaru] held back his laughter and prepared to jump.

“Alright, hold on tight. I’ll try to avoid crashing into trees, but... sorry in advance.”

Subaru blinked twice. “Huh? What—AHH!”

And just like that, they leapt into the forest. It was a mighty jump, but not as impressive as something Garfiel or Emilia might do. Nevertheless, the king took them in small leaps toward where [Greed Subaru] was.

“Ah!” They both got smacked by leaves. Subaru spat out the ones he accidentally swallowed.

It was a rough trip. They constantly crashed through branches and foliage. The fire blazing in [Lust Subaru’s] eyes didn’t make him immune to getting leaves and twigs all over him, though at least his long flowing cape didn’t get caught on anything.

Despite the discomfort, Subaru forced himself to stay alert. It was hard to gauge the distance given their movement, but the last thing he wanted was to overshoot their destination.

“S-stop!”

Landing one final time, Subaru broke free from the king’s grip and fell to the ground. He quickly surveyed his surroundings but couldn’t be sure they’d gone the correct distance. He could only hope they were close.

Stumbling out of the bushes, Subaru made his way clumsily into a clearing. He managed to stay upright and steadied himself. And it seemed he was in luck.

In the clearing, [Greed Subaru] stood, alive this time.

Subaru froze, stunned by the sight. His eyes... they were the same lifeless eyes Subaru had seen in his corpse. The same dead expression now appeared on someone living. He had the same eyes when he stabbed himself and died, as he did now. He didn’t even seem surprised to see him.

Something more than discomfort stirred in Subaru at the sight of those hellish eyes, his eyes, looking so dead.

He had planned to ask a lot of things when they finally met. But considering the situation, the only thing he could ask was...

“Why…” His voice trembled with doubt and fear, yet he spoke with conviction. “Why are you giving up so easily?”

Finally, those lifeless eyes showed a flicker of emotion. Subaru saw a hint of surprise. And when [Lust Subaru] stepped out of the foliage as well, it added to the shock. But [Greed Subaru’s] cold gaze remained, irritating Subaru.

[Greed Subaru] recovered from the shock quickly. Or at least that’s how it looked to Subaru, as his gaze returned to the normal ‘dead’ one, infuriating Subaru even more.

He had a lot of things to scream at him, most of it not pretty. But before letting himself get swept up in the moment, he had to stop [Greed Subaru] from being swept up in the moment himself.

“W-wait!” Subaru spoke before [Greed Subaru] even had a chance to begin. “Before anything, just know… Whatever you’re trying to do, it won’t work. You won’t be back.”

He was vague enough with his wording just in case. But [Greed Subaru] seemed to understand, as this time, much to Subaru’s delight, those cold, dead eyes actually widened in shock. In fact, his whole body recoiled at the words.

“H-how can you…”

Subaru carefully approached the other him. “I… I saw it.”

Another shadow of surprise crossed his face, but it was quickly snuffed out. Those cold eyes became more calculating. At least, Subaru thought they did. Despite supposedly being more or less the same person, Subaru couldn’t even begin to understand what was going on in the other ‘him’s’ mind.

[Greed Subaru] clutched his pendant as if it would calm his nerves. Considering his voice stopped trembling, it seemed to have worked.

“So? You’d better start explaining yourself.”

The sudden standoffish attitude threw Subaru off. “W-wha—” Subaru shook his head. “No way, I asked you first!”

[Greed Subaru] smirked. “Well, whatever you thought I was going to do, I simply won’t do it anymore. That’s what got you so agitated, right?”

Subaru grumbled but relented. What he had to say was extremely important, after all.

“Alright, alright. But you must promise to come with us. It’d be way better to explain—”

“Nuh-uh.” [Greed Subaru] interrupted him. “You explain first. Then I’ll decide if I believe you and go with you.”

Even though it was a reasonable demand, it nevertheless irritated the other two. [Lust Subaru] angrily stomped forward. “Listen, we don’t have time for—”

“No, it’s fine,” Subaru interrupted him. “I can tell him. Just be warned, it’s not something simple to wrap your head around.”

“I can see that.”

And so, Subaru began to explain everything he knew about the current situation. Considering he’d already had to do this a couple of times, he had a bit of experience now.

It was a little jarring that [Lust Subaru] had joined the newcomer in attentively listening and asking questions. Obviously, their talk with him had happened in a previous loop, so he was also looking forward to understanding more about the situation.

And [Greed Subaru] seemed to take note of this.

“Wait. If I’m correct, only you—” he pointed at Subaru—“have… returned.” [Greed Subaru] was purposely vague with his words.

“Well, yes. But there’s another guy, another ‘us,’ who also returned with me.”

[Greed Subaru] turned to look at the king, who just shrugged. “That’s how it looked. The both of them, so eerily in sync…”

[Greed Subaru] seemed to consider everything he’d been told. Again, it was hard for the other two to decipher what he was thinking. Were those cold, dead eyes hiding a calculating mind, or did they simply reflect how tired he was? Perhaps both.

Then, completely out of the blue, he asked, “My parents. What are their names?”

Both Subarus looked at each other before nodding, and then they spoke at the same time. “Natsuki Kenichi and Natsuki Naoko!”

“And they’re not just your parents, they’re our parents,” Subaru huffed.

[Greed Subaru] didn’t even blink at their answer. Subaru was close to snapping when [Greed Subaru] spoke again.

“In my homeland—our homeland—what’s the tallest mountain?”

Again, the two Subarus were blindsided for a moment before confidently answering in unison.

“Mount Fuji.”

They both grinned at [Greed Subaru], feeling victorious, but he showed no sign of annoyance. He hummed and closed his eyes, tapping his chin thoughtfully until he finally smirked.

It was the first time Subaru had seen him show emotion, and it looked absolutely terrifying on his face. Subaru had always been self-aware of his scary eyes, but he never could have imagined how truly awful they could become. He kept those thoughts to himself, of course.

[Greed Subaru] took a deep breath and declared, “Alright. Last question.”

Seeing that their little quiz was coming to an end, both Subarus exchanged one last worried glance. “Alright, shoot,” [Lust Subaru] said.

Then, in a completely monotone voice, [Greed Subaru] asked, “In the Pleiades constellation, which star is the closest to Celaeno when moving southward?”

This was a difficult question. Most people wouldn’t be able to even begin to recall such information, and even those who lightly studied the subject might struggle. For the natives of this world, answering would be basically impossible.

“Electra.” “Electra?”

When both men gave the same answer simultaneously, there was no doubt of their claim as Natsuki Subaru.

“Yeah, it’s Electra, right?” “Yeah, that’s right!”

As both excitedly began to reaffirm their answer and their shared love of astronomy, they lost sight of [Greed Subaru] for just a moment.

“Elsa! You’re still here, right? Come out.”

“Wuh—What are you doing!?” Subaru screamed. For a few seconds, there was no sound other than the cold night wind. Then, in an incredible act of stealth, Elsa practically materialized from the foliage, landing right next to [Greed Subaru].

“That was an interesting talk you all had,” Elsa said dryly. Subaru couldn’t recall her ever looking… frustrated before. The closest had been when she looked at him with disgust that one time…

I don’t like thinking about that…

Subaru dismissed the dark thoughts and tried to speak, but [Greed Subaru] spoke first.

“So, you heard everything, right?”

Elsa eyed them suspiciously. “Do you really believe what they said?”

“The only other way for them to know the answers they gave me would be if this were all a dream. In which case, you’d be a dream apparition too.”

Subaru didn’t think he’d ever seen Elsa lose her composure. Even on the verge of defeat, she had never appeared as uncomfortable as she did now. She had the power to plunge a dagger into all of them in an instant, yet here she was, looking lost.

“Elsa… well, you’re not my Elsa.” The cold way [Greed Subaru] said that made her flinch. Her. Elsa. The same Elsa who had killed him and [Sloth Subaru] without hesitation. And she flinched at his words.

“And I’m not your [Subaru]. Since you happen to be looking out for him, we should join these guys in looking for them.”

His blunt way of asking left almost no room for argument. It was more of an order than a request. He seemed to lack any fear of her, something neither Elsa nor the other Subarus appreciated.

“This certainly seems like an elaborate trap to lure me into going with you…” Elsa said dejectedly. But then, her face regained that small, wicked smile she was known for. “Especially since there’s someone else fleeing into that mansion in the distance, correct?”

Both Subaru and the king stiffened. Once again, she had detected [Sloth Subaru]. But this time, Subaru wouldn’t allow her to chase after him.

“Yeah. And as you may have guessed, he’s also one of us. Also, a Natsuki Subaru.” Even now, that was a weird thing to say. “But he’s not the Subaru you’re looking for.”

Elsa seemed to have completely regained her usual composure. Subaru didn’t know if he actually liked that, but he had to use it to his advantage.

“With him, we’re already up to five of, well, us. This is a pretty strange and dire situation, so I’m sure none of us would hesitate to help another version of ourselves, right?”

[Lust Subaru] smiled and stepped forward. “Exactly! What kind of man would I be if I let an alternate version of myself suffer alone?”

Only then did Subaru notice the king still had a hand firmly on the hilt of his sword. At the very least, it seemed it wouldn’t be needed right now, but it was good to have a fallback.

If Elsa sensed any hostility from them, she didn’t voice it. She turned once more to [Greed Subaru] while still eyeing the two of them.

“It’s so strange. Each of you looks different from the others, and from him… But at the same time, I can’t deny that you’re the same… Fufufu. How wonderful~”

“Still, I don’t have a guarantee that you’ll actually help me, do I?”

[Greed Subaru] turned to Subaru, as if asking for confirmation. Subaru bit his lip. Last time he’d given an answer, it had been a lie, and she had sensed it. Even now, [Sloth Subaru] was heading toward the mansion to seek help.

“No, but trust me—trust us. We really want to help you.”

This time, he genuinely wanted to help her, so he hoped his desire was reflected in his voice.

[Greed Subaru] nodded. “At the very least, I intend to find these other versions of me, regardless of whether you accept or not. So why don’t we help each other while doing so?”

“It’ll be weird working with you, I’ll admit,” the king said. “But I’m sure we can get along.”

Elsa was certainly high on the list of people who had inflicted suffering on Subaru. But if he could forgive someone like Roswaal, then perhaps he could work with this Elsa too.

And speaking of which…

“Yeah! Plus, I’m sure Meili would love to—”

Then, in a sudden flash, Elsa appeared right in front of Subaru. But he felt the cold sensation of her kukri blade in his throat long before his eyes managed to recognize her.

“What did you do to Meili?” Each word was emphasized by her slightly pushing the blade into his neck. Subaru quickly realized he had screwed up.

“M-my Meili! Not yours!” Subaru raised his arms in surrender. He could hear the sound of [Lust Subaru] unsheathing his blade, but it was hard to focus on that while staring into the angry eyes of Elsa.

He had always known Elsa had a soft spot for Meili. For however twisted their relationship had been, there was a sliver of affection between those two sisters. But he never imagined he would see Elsa truly angry.

“Your Meili, is that so?” she said, her blade still resting dangerously close to his throat.

“Y-yes! We took her in, and we’ve been taking care of her. I swear, nothing bad has happened to her!”

While pleading his case, Subaru glanced at the king, silently urging him to stand down. The king hesitated, clearly torn about what to do, but thankfully, [Greed Subaru] stepped in, gently placing a hand on his arm to stop him.

After a tense and terrifying silence, Elsa spoke again. “And what happened to your Elsa, might I ask?”

Subaru swallowed hard. He knew lying was pointless. “She… she’s dead.”

Finally, Elsa released him, letting him drop hard onto the ground. She towered over him, her expression as cold as ever.

“Oh? And perhaps it was you who killed this Elsa?”

“N-no! B-but it was... a friend of mine.” Subaru really didn’t want to bring Garfiel into this, but if he wasn’t completely honest, things could get much worse.

Elsa turned away, not just from him but from the other two as well.

“I see. And will this other me, this other Elsa… come back to life too?”

The question left Subaru stunned. “…Back to life?”

…too?

Elsa turned slightly, giving each of the three Subarus a passing glance, lingering on [Greed Subaru] for a moment.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t be joining you after all.”

Subaru trembled as he stood up, unsure if her return to a more natural tone was a good or bad thing.

[Greed Subaru] reached out. “Elsa. In this bizarre situation, we should all stand together—”

She cut him off with one of her frivolous, unsettling laughs.

“Fufufu~ Yes, I agree. That’s why I’m going to find my Meili and my Subaru first.”

“But—” [Greed Subaru] tried to argue, but Elsa interrupted him again.

“And then I’ll certainly return... to find your Meili.” Her gaze shifted to Subaru, a clear threat in her eyes.

“Elsa, please—”

Despite [Greed Subaru]’s attempts, none of the three could get another word in before Elsa leapt onto a nearby tree branch, her speed far beyond anything they could hope to match. She turned back one final time, that wicked smile still plastered on her face.

“When I return, I wonder… will we be enemies or allies?” She giggled. “Fufufu~ I’m not sure which one I’d enjoy more~”

With that, she vanished into the foliage, leaving any hope of catching her behind.

For a long moment, there was only tense silence. Eventually, [Lust Subaru] placed a hand on Subaru’s shoulder.

“Well, that’s that. What happens next?”

Subaru looked at him incredulously before realizing what he meant.

“Well, this is as far as I’ve gotten. So... I guess that means we did it. Elsa’s gone, and we saved the other me...” He turned toward [Greed Subaru], only to see him brandishing his dagger once again.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don’t even think about it!” Subaru lunged toward him, but [Greed Subaru] coldly sidestepped, sending Subaru stumbling to the ground.

“Relax. Think of this as reassurance, in case you truly aren’t who you claim to be.”

[Lust Subaru] scoffed. “What, do we need to answer more star-based trivia for you to finally trust us?”

[Greed Subaru] remained silent, standing over Subaru as he struggled to his feet.

“You call that a success? Letting her leave like that?”

“Well, seeing as how we’re still alive—something you didn’t exactly help with—yes, I’d call it a success.”

It was clear [Greed Subaru] disagreed, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

“Oh, and just so you can really put your mind at ease...” Subaru straightened up and struck his usual confident pose. “My name is Natsuki Subaru! And I can Return by Death.”

[Greed Subaru]’s eyes widened in shock, clearly astonished at how easily Subaru had spoken those forbidden words, something Subaru silently appreciated.

“How can you—”

“And considering you played a pretty big role in making me need to use it in the first place, you’d better not have any more objections about coming with us. Got it?”

Having narrowly escaped death once again, it was time for Subaru to explain things to his newest counterpart.

Though, maybe that could wait until after they got some dinner first.

Chapter Text

“Well, Cap’n, I’ll admit my amazin’ self wasn’t expectin’ ya t’ just go an’ multiply again. Or t’ run into that bitch, fer that matter!”

Garfiel led them back to the mansion. Despite appearing calm with his hands behind his head, it was quite obvious that he was constantly on the lookout for the chance that Elsa would come and threaten them again.

“Trust me, Garf, I was the one who least expected this to happen when I took that walk outside.”

Garfiel laughed. “Ha! I only wish my amazin’ self was with ya. Hell, even now I really wanna go an’ search fer that bitch.”

The other two Subarus followed them wordlessly. Or rather, [Greed Subaru] did.

“I don’t think even you would be able to catch up to her now, Garf,” said the king.

Garfiel looked back at [Lust Subaru] dismissively. Thus far, he had not spoken a word to the other Subarus, even though he seemed very interested in doing so.

“Yer not my Cap’n, so don’t go an’ try speakin’ like y’ are.” But after those harsh words, Garfiel sighed and looked back. “…But I guess yer outfit’s kinda cool…”

The king’s eyes brightened, and he jumped to hug the teen. “Garf! Seeing this tsundere side of you is such a new experience!”

“Bah! Don’t even try that, ya bastard!”

Both Subarus laughed at Garfiel as his face went red. He ignored them and kept walking forward.

“Still. ‘F that bitch even dares t’ try an’ show her face here again, I’ll be more than ready bash her head in.”

“Well, with any luck, hopefully you won’t have to.”

Garfiel stopped and turned around, surprised. The others were too—it was the first thing [Greed Subaru] had said since they began their walk to the mansion.

Garfiel didn’t bother responding. He just narrowed his eyes and harrumphed, ignoring him. [Greed Subaru] continued walking, unbothered.

At the very least, this killed any chance of future small talk. The four continued walking silently toward the mansion, finally emerging from the forest, until a trio of figures appeared in their vision.

“Subaru!”

“Emilia-tan!”

Making incredible leaps that easily put [Lust Subaru]’s earlier ones to shame, Emilia landed in front of them.

“Subaru, are you alright? Were you hurt? Your older brother told me Elsa appeared out of nowhere!” Emilia worriedly inspected him like a distressed mother.

“I’m fine, Emilia-tan. Also, that guy is not my older brother. I’m weirdly proud of being an only child, so please don’t say that again.”

Emilia finally seemed to notice the other two Subarus.

“Ah... there really are two more of you...” It was obvious she was a bit uncertain, if not disturbed by this fact. Subaru wondered what exactly Emilia thought about the situation.

“Subaru!” Beatrice’s familiar voice rang out. She ran eagerly with her dress lifted slightly to move faster. Behind her, [Sloth Subaru] also ran, wheezing a little from exhaustion after marathoning from the mansion and back.

“It’s unbelievable that you leave Betty for just a moment and get into danger! Really, Betty’s contractor is so troublesome, I suppose.” Beatrice puffed out her cheeks but still hugged him tightly.

Subaru hugged her back as [Sloth Subaru] moved closer and slapped him on the back.

“So, the rest of the cavalry has arrived. Looks like we were late for any action, though.”

“Don’t worry, even by the time Garfiel arrived, it was already over,” Subaru said.

Garfiel took the opportunity to speak again. “Don’t sweat it too much, princess. Th’ bitch was already long gone by th’ time my amazin’ self got here. An’ ‘f she comes again, then y’ bet she won’t sneak us past again.”

Emilia nodded, though her focus was still clearly on the two Subarus.

[Sloth Subaru] moved past the hugging spirit and contractor to the king. “Good job on your little mission.”

“Thanks, though I think I was barely more than a taxi service…”

[Sloth Subaru] grinned but then seemed to relax, like he had finally exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Still, she’s gone…”

[Sloth Subaru] trembled but quickly regained his poise. He turned to face [Greed Subaru], who had still not spoken to any of the new arrivals.

“Now, I believe we haven’t been introduced. My name is [Natsuki Subaru]. It looks like you caused us a bit of trouble, so I’ll be sure to cause you a little bit of trouble in return.”

[Greed Subaru] eyed the hand [Sloth Subaru] presented to him before grabbing it and squeezing it firmly.

“It’s a pleasure. Hey, this is just a formality at this point, but could you answer this for me?” [Sloth Subaru] looked at him quizzically. [Greed Subaru] smiled. “In the constellation Orion, which star is the brightest?”

[Sloth Subaru] blinked before giving a wide smile and striking one of his signature poses.

“Hah, joke’s on you! Even when I’m old and senile, that’s a name I won’t forget! After all, it’s the name of the star that gave my son his name—Rigel!” His gloating made him miss the way [Greed Subaru] flinched.

“I guess I should introduce these guys, huh.” Subaru broke from his hug and gestured to the newcomers.

“Well, Emilia-tan, Beako. These are [Natsuki Subaru] and… [Natsuki Subaru].” The way he introduced the two made Beatrice and Garfiel snicker, but Emilia was too focused to laugh.

“Um, I know this is probably reaaaaally confusing and terrifying for you right now, but I hope we can get along!”

Emilia bowed awkwardly to the two men. They were ready to introduce themselves, but Subaru interrupted.

“Oh, I forgot!” He jumped in between them. “Emilia-tan! And Beako too! Stay away from this womanizer!”

Before they had a chance to react, [Sloth Subaru] joined the fun, quickly pushing himself away from the king and acting distraught.

“Ah, me too, I almost forgot! This man is dangerous! Don’t ever let your guard down around him!”

“Hey, guys, c’mon… Don’t say those baseless things about me… haha…”

Seeing Emilia and Beatrice looking bewildered was one thing, but the king could not bear the gazes of Garfiel and [Greed Subaru] too.

“Not you guys too…” He took a step forward, but everyone instinctively stepped back.

And so, with the cruel smiles of two of his counterparts and the wary, somewhat disgusted gazes of everyone else, the king despaired as they made their way to the mansion.

“When I said I wouldn’t care if you were a king, I didn’t expect one to show up immediately!”

Rigel screamed with a mixture of amazement and anger. While the other members of the dining room didn’t voice their opinions as loudly as him, they all felt the same way. It had already been a great undertaking to get everyone seated in a calm manner, but nevertheless, both the newcomers and all the residents of the mansion had gathered to dine—minus the maids who were still in the kitchen.

“You know, Natsuki-san, when the two of you went outside, I definitely didn’t expect you to end up duplicating. We’ll have to make sure not to let you all frolic in the courtyard again, or else we might end up with eight of you next time!”

“It’s certainly an extraordinary situation if even Otto is making fun of us…” Subaru said.

“That’s right… How scandalous, being outdone by Otto in wits, even momentarily…” [Sloth Subaru] shook his head in disappointment. “Well, now that there are four of us, I hope you’re ready for a fourfold attack, young man.”

“Eh? Wait, that’s not what I wanted!”

Otto cried out pathetically as the smiles of the gathered Subarus grew more wicked, each one plotting their evil schemes against him. Even [Lust Subaru], who had thus far tried to avoid any more slights against himself, eagerly jumped at the thought of bullying Otto.

Only [Greed Subaru] didn’t join in. He stayed on the sidelines, watching the scene with something akin to curiosity.

“Hmph. Even if more appear, Betty doubts we’ll end up with eight Subarus, I suppose.”

Sitting on her contractor’s lap, Beatrice voiced her opinion.

“I don’t know how to feel about all of you tempting fate like that.”

Everyone turned to the unexpected speaker. Because of how often his voice was silent, hearing [Greed Subaru] actually speak still warranted a reaction.

“Still, I’m… glad to see that everyone is… happy.”

The way he melancholically glanced at them was not missed by Otto. If the other members of the room noticed it, they made no effort to point it out. Respectfully, he did the same.

Luckily, the ensuing awkwardness didn’t last long, as Frederica arrived at the head of the maids, carrying their collection of dishes.

“I, for one, must admit that I’m elated to be serving royalty. I would have never dreamed of such a thing,” she giggled while placing the dishes on the table. “Except, of course, when Emilia-sama eventually becomes monarch.”

Like the rest of the room, Frederica was quick to touch on their new arrivals. Currently, only two subjects were on everyone’s minds. The first, naturally, was that there were now four Subarus, but after that, the fact that one of them was supposedly a king was the most exciting thing to talk about.

“Ha! No matter how ya dress th’ Majira, it’s still a Majira!” Garfiel bared his fangs at his sister’s declaration. “That ain’t my Cap’n, but it’s still just th’ Cap’n. No need t’ treat ‘im like anythin’ else.”

“I certainly wish there was another way you could have said that, but you’re quite right, Garf. I doubt anything could get me to treat Subaru-sama differently,” she said. Then, she turned to her young apprentice. “Petra, careful with those plates.”

“Um, yeah, sorry, Frederica-neesama,” Petra bowed in apology as she carefully followed behind her. Frederica didn’t press her further. She couldn’t blame her for having her head in the clouds at [Lust Subaru]’s earlier declaration, just like Rigel had been.

“You all make a fuss over nothing. We are reaching an apocalyptic number of Barusus, and you just stand there with your mouths agape,” Ram said as she stepped in, carrying a bowl full of her special (and only) dish, steamed potatoes.

Without any care for the seating arrangement, and having recovered her strength while preparing dinner, she moved with purpose toward one specific spot and placed her bowl of burning hot potatoes...

“Ouch! Hot, hot, hot!”

...right on the king’s face.

“Ram heard how this unsightly Barusu had the gall to play with the hearts of both Rem and Emilia-sama.”

Despite her calm composure, Ram’s eyes betrayed something that could only be described as unparalleled rage.

“Ha ha… Hello to you too, Nee-sama—Ouch!”

This time, a burning hot steamed potato found its way into his hands. The king pitifully played the saddest game of hot potato before managing to drop it onto his plate.

“Disgusting. Not even anything to say for your crimes, Barusu?”

“Wait, Ram, I—Hmph!” Whatever the king had intended to say was cut short as yet another potato was lodged into his open mouth.

Seemingly satisfied with her last torture of the king, Ram moved past him and placed the bowl in the center of the table. As she removed her mittens, she spoke again.

“If Ram hadn’t known that the poor Rem you strung along in your perverted clutches was pregnant, I would have taken the chance to exterminate this blight upon womankind.”

“Pweh, pweh!” [Lust Subaru] finished spitting out the burning hot potato. “It’s… It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Ram.”

“I’ve heard of soft kings, but you’re the first one I’ve actually seen who gets trampled by a maid, Natsu—erm, your majesty,” Otto quipped again.

“Well, I’m well used to it by now. In fact, it’s refreshing. It’s been a while since my Ram treated me like this,” the king said, scratching the back of his head with a smile. Then he pointed at Subaru. “And you—you better get used to seeing this attitude for a while.”

“Um, Subaru, what does he mean by that?” Emilia, surprisingly, was the first to respond, her words tinged with a hint of sadness.

“E-Emilia-tan! Um, that—well, it’s—h-he’s just messing with me!” Subaru stammered, mentally cursing the king.

“Our Barusu was already the enemy of all pure maidens. And now, even when there’s a Barusu worse than him, it seems my namesake isn’t doing her job properly!” Ram glared at Subaru and ignored his fumbling words as she headed toward the door.

“All things considered, you were probably lucky to get the best Barusu, Rem,” she said to the woman who entered the room, carrying the last of the evening’s dishes. “Although that’s like saying you got the cleanest out of a den of swine.”

“Thanks for the compliment, sister. My husband truly is amazing, isn’t he?” Rem smiled at her sister’s backhanded compliment, seemingly unbothered by either her sister’s words or the fact they were now referring to each other as husband and wife again.

To her husband, however, the most notable thing was her new—or rather, old—attire.

“Woah! M-my dear wife! Y-your old maid uniform!”

Rem giggled at her husband’s excitement and spun around for him, plates still in hand. She dexterously placed the dishes on the table and leaned in to kiss [Sloth Subaru].

“I’m glad you like it, darling,” Rem said after ending the kiss. “Rem had stopped wearing it for a long time, so she was afraid these old uniforms wouldn’t look nice. I’m glad you like it.”

[Sloth Subaru] looked downcast for a moment, but the feeling disappeared in a blink, replaced by genuine happiness. “Like it? I love it!” He reached out, grabbed her waist, and lifted her high, spinning her around.

“Mom, Dad! Calm down already!” Rigel said, embarrassed. He kept glancing at the others, clearly flustered by the show his parents were putting on.

“Oh yeah? Let them watch and feel envious at the strength of our bond!” [Sloth Subaru] said as he brought her down into a hug, which Rem quickly reciprocated. He looked at his counterparts and stuck out his tongue. Most of them, along with the rest of the room, smiled and laughed at the display of affection, except for Emilia, who wore a slightly sad expression, and [Greed Subaru], who kept his neutral gaze focused entirely on them—or rather, on Rem.

But he wasn’t the one [Sloth Subaru] was wary of.

“Ah, my wife! Be very careful! That guy over there,” he said, pointing at [Lust Subaru], “is a dangerous man who has been leading an alternate version of you along at his every whim!”

Rem glanced over at the king, and he hoped she would show him some leniency.

“Oh, my dear husband, how terrible!” Alas, he had no such luck. “To play with the heart of that poor maiden… Rem can’t even imagine such a horrible thing!” She exclaimed while throwing herself into her husband’s chest, who stroked her head calmly. Both of them wore obvious smirks.

“At least try to hide the sarcasm!” [Lust Subaru] groaned in frustration at how his reputation kept getting dragged through the mud. “Just you wait—when my [Rem] arrives, we’ll blow even your lovey-dovey act out of the water!”

Again, most of the room couldn’t help but smile at the pleasant atmosphere. Just as everyone was about to settle down and eat, a frail yet loud voice broke through.

“U-um…” It was Petra, with a worried expression on her face. “Suba—erm, Mister…” Every Subaru turned to look at her. “…Are you… why are you crying?”

Petra’s words caused everyone in the room to follow her gaze, and there they saw [Greed Subaru]. His face was the same as they had always seen it—cold, neutral, with his eyes still fixed on Rem.

But just as Petra had said, it was betrayed by the slow trickle of tears running down his face.

“H-huh?” The man himself seemed to snap out of his thoughts when everyone looked at him. “What are you…” He felt a drop of water reach his hand. He traced it back to his chin, feeling the small flow of tears running down his cheeks, his eyes unable to stop them from flowing.

“I’m… crying?” [Greed Subaru] asked to no one. “I’m… crying… Why am I crying?”

He looked lost, as if he couldn’t believe what he was doing. He tried to wipe away the tears, only for more to follow. Nothing seemed to stop the steady stream of tears.

“Why? After so long, I don’t— I shouldn’t—w-why… Rem…”

“…” No one could gather the will to say anything to him. However, Subaru understood what he was going through. [Greed Subaru] had only lost his composure after seeing Rem enter the room, and he could relate. When he had first seen and heard Rem speak again, he had wanted nothing more than to break down and cry like a baby.

He turned to see [Sloth Subaru]. The man looked back, just as conflicted, but he seemed to understand what had happened—and what needed to be done.

“Rem, I’m sorry to ask, but could you please—?” [Sloth Subaru] began to speak to his wife, but she silenced him by placing a finger on his lips.

“It’s alright, Subaru-kun.” She stood up, taking his hand. “You’re such a handful in every world, aren’t you, my dear husband?”

“I can’t deny that,” [Sloth Subaru] muttered to himself as he followed her. They both walked around the table to where [Greed Subaru] was sitting, still futilely trying to hold back his tears.

“R-Rem?” He finally looked up. She leaned in slightly, raising his head so he looked at her through his teary eyes.

“Yes, this is Rem. Rem is here.”

“Rem… No—but you…”

Rem smiled bitterly but continued, wiping some of the tears from his eyes.

“That’s right. Sorry, but this Rem is not your [Rem].” Before [Greed Subaru] could respond, she spoke again, louder. “But this Rem is still willing to lend an ear, her voice, and, hopefully, be your friend.”

[Greed Subaru] stared at her, mouth hanging open. He stood silent for a few moments, then the dam broke.

“Rem! Rem! I’m— I’m so sorry!” [Greed Subaru] cried his heart out. Rem turned to her husband, and with his approval, reached out her free hand to the crying man, who wept into it.

“I’m sorry! I—I failed you…” Despite his sobbing, the words came out, strained and full of sorrow. “I was supposed to be your hero… and yet…”

He released her hand and used both of his to clutch the pendant around his neck. His sobbing eased, and his breath grew steadier, though his tears kept falling and his face twisted further in sadness. Still, he finally raised his tear-filled eyes to meet Rem’s and mouthed a choked “Thank you.”

While holding his pendant, he explained, “Rem—my Rem, she… I failed her…” His grip tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Rem looked at him sadly, seeing the reflection of the long days of tears her own husband had endured. It pained her to know how much these Subarus had suffered because of her counterparts' weakness, even if it wasn’t her fault. She still felt some responsibility.

But she wasn’t alone. Just as he had done many times before, her husband gripped her hand in reassurance. He stepped forward and knelt next to his crying self.

“Your Rem… What… what happened to her?” he asked with trepidation. He glanced at the other two Subarus, who were already moving closer, eager to help, while the rest of the room remained frozen in shock.

This time [Greed Subaru] released his hold on the pendant. He straightened up but kept his fists clenched, the tears still flowing. “My Rem… she was attacked by the Witch Cult. And she… and she…”

“Is in a coma?”

[Greed Subaru’s] eyes widened, his tears momentarily stopping. After struggling to finish his sentence, hearing someone else say it for him was a true surprise. He turned to look at Subaru and instantly understood what he meant.

“Y-you too?”

Subaru nodded slowly. “Yes. The Sleeping Beauty Disease, they call it.” [Greed Subaru] winced at the mention of the curse that had befallen his Rem.

Subaru moved closer and knelt next to Rem. They exchanged weak smiles, and Subaru placed a hand on his counterpart’s shoulder.

“Listen, I know exactly how you feel. The pain of not being able to save her. The despair, the helplessness.” Subaru recalled the suffocating feeling he had experienced. “But if you’re also me, then I know you’re fighting to bring her back, right?”

[Greed Subaru] gave a faint smile. “Yes. I am.”

“Excellent!” Subaru stood upright. “Well, it’s good to have someone working toward the same goal. All of us here are trying to help, so why don’t we help each other out, huh?”

Subaru extended his hand, and [Greed Subaru] grasped it firmly with a chuckle. “Yes. That’s exactly what I want.”

They shook hands, and [Greed Subaru] turned to Rem. “And thank you for trying to help me.” Then to [Sloth Subaru], “And thank you for letting her.”

Rem smiled brightly. “Rem’s glad she could be of help, Subaru-san.” [Sloth Subaru] crossed his arms and looked away. “Hmph. Crying like a baby while holding my wife’s hand…” But he turned and smiled. “Still… I’m glad you’re okay now.”

[Greed Subaru] wiped his tears and idly fiddled with his pendant. He then pulled it off, glanced at it one last time, pocketed it, and stood up. “Sorry.” The others gave him space as he addressed the room.

“Sorry for showing you all that. I didn’t expect to cry again, especially not like that.” He adjusted his shirt collar and bowed. “Thank you. Thank you for offering your help in this strange situation. I promise to do my best to help you too.”

The room collectively relaxed. Though nothing dangerous had occurred, everyone had been tense and unsure how to handle [Greed Subaru’s] breakdown.

So, it was a surprise when Emilia stood up to address them. Maybe it was because they were other versions of Subaru, or maybe just because of her kind heart, but she felt compelled to help.

“Um, I think I should speak to everyone.” She cleared her throat and looked around. “I know this whole situation is really confusing, and some of you might be worried or have things to do in your homes. You’re probably lonely, separated from your friends and families.” A flash of sadness crossed her face, but she quickly pushed it away. “So, I want to give you my word: we’ll try to find a way to return you to your worlds. A-and if we find any of your friends, we’ll help them too!” She clutched her pendant, where Puck slept. “Of course, if any bad people followed you from your worlds—or any from our world—we promise to protect you!”

The image of Elsa flashed through everyone’s minds. Garfiel stood up as well. “That’s right! ‘F that bitch or anyone tries t’ lay a hand on ya, my amazin’ self’ll be there t’ bash ‘em t’ th’ ground!”

Otto tried to calm the young man, but [Greed Subaru] laughed before he could.

“Yes, thank you, Garf…” He hesitated but continued. “Thank you, Emilia, and thank you, everyone.”

[Greed Subaru] bowed once more, then smiled. Subaru wasn’t sure if the rest of the room or the other Subarus noticed, but it seemed like the first genuine smile [Greed Subaru] had given.

“Now, I’m starving and would really like to sit down and eat. What do you all say?”

And so, almost miraculously, they managed to have a normal dinner after all.

Especially [Greed Subaru], who enjoyed his food for the first time in a long, long while.

“Oh man, that was wonderful. I’ve never eaten so many of my favorite dishes at once!” Subaru patted his belly in satisfaction.

“Saying that after gorging on my wife’s cooking...” [Sloth Subaru] grumbled in dissatisfaction.

The four Subarus had made their way out from the rest of the party. But they weren’t going to discuss the important matters they wanted to address just yet. Rather, they were accompanying one of their own to his room.

“Really, this remote room is one I’d like to give to his royal womanizer… I was a bit surprised you wanted to take it.”

[Lust Subaru] didn’t respond to the jab this time, as he was carefully keeping an eye on [Greed Subaru].

“Yeah. And after that stunt you pulled, are you sure you’re alright?”

[Greed Subaru] smiled at the king’s concern. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ve never felt better.” He stretched out his arms. “In fact... I can make it the rest of the way myself. You guys don’t need to worry, I know this place like the back of my hand.”

“Hey, after that whole scene at dinner, I wouldn’t say you’re completely alright.” [Sloth Subaru] reached out toward him.

“Is that so? Didn’t you also cry when you met your children just today?”

“You heard that, huh? I was considerate and didn’t say anything because I thought you were just thinking things over. Turns out you were silent just to listen in on all our talks.”

Despite amounting to nothing more than a bit of small talk at the dinner table, [Greed Subaru] had picked up on that fact, and many others, simply by listening while eating. All things considered, it was an impressive feat, especially since he had been crying just moments before.

But it didn’t do much to ease the suspicion the others had toward him. The other Subarus still remembered all too well how he had seemingly ended his own life multiple times for no apparent reason.

Subaru stomped over and shook him by the shoulders. “Listen, I’ll leave you alone, but if I come by in the morning and find out you did something stupid, I’ll have everyone in the mansion kick your ass in punishment, got it?” To emphasize his point, the other two cracked their knuckles behind him.

Nevertheless, [Greed Subaru] remained unfazed. “Don’t worry. After everything, I wouldn’t do something stupid like that for no reason. Trust me.”

Subaru still seemed unconvinced but reluctantly released him. “Alright. I’ll trust you. But don’t disappoint me. I know Natsuki Subaru doesn’t exactly have a great track record of keeping promises.”

He moved past him and hooked the king’s head under his arm. “Come on. I’ll personally escort this dangerous guy to make sure he doesn’t do anything wrong.” Subaru led the king away, and [Sloth Subaru] moved to follow, but he lingered a moment longer.

“Hey, this isn’t just about your breakdown earlier or… or even about you dying or anything.” The father struggled with his words. “Er, that is to say… Just take care, alright?”

[Greed Subaru] blinked in surprise before smiling again. “Thank you. Don’t worry, I will.”

Still uncertain, but not knowing what else to do, [Sloth Subaru] sighed and left. [Greed Subaru] waited until he was out of sight before letting his smile drop, his face returning to its default ‘dead’ expression. Mechanically, he turned and made his way toward his chosen room.

He moved silently and adeptly. He hadn’t lied when he said he knew the mansion like the back of his hand. He reached his room in no time and locked the door.

The room was unremarkable, notable only for being in the farthest corridor away from where everyone else stayed. [Greed Subaru] took off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt collar.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pendant. He held it between his fingers and stared at it in silence for a full minute.

“Why...” Then, something appeared in his eyes—an emotion he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Why...” He began to shake. It was a burning feeling, but it wasn’t hatred. Even now, he still knew what hate was, and he made sure to show it whenever he faced his archnemesis, the Witch’s Cult.

“Why...” No, this was anger. He hadn’t truly experienced it in a long time. While it was nice not to succumb to its wrathful influence as often as before, it was actually a bit annoying having to fake his anger.

“Why...” After so long, it was impossible for him to stop his anger from taking control.

“WHY!” He let the pendant drop from his fingers, then slammed it against the wall with his other hand. “Echidna!”

He pushed harder. The stone pressed into his flesh, but he didn’t relent. He gripped the stone tightly and punched the wall this time. “Answer me!”

“My, there’s no way I could answer such a vague question, y’know~?” Her voice echoed in his head. If she was trying to sound mocking, she succeeded.

“Don’t play coy!” he grunted. “Everything is better! You see it too, don’t you? Otto, he’s still here!” The image of the merchant cheerily interacting with everyone flashed through his mind.

“Frederica too. She and Garf were talking to each other normally. Like siblings!” Garfiel’s fury and his vow to not see his sister until he became the strongest were things he would never forget. Yet here, they talked and laughed like nothing was wrong.

“Emilia! She’s fine! She’s normal! Like—like…” Like before, he thought instead of speaking. It was pointless; the witch could sense his thoughts too.

“And... and Beatrice. Beako...” he said her name as his fury waned. “She was... happy. Happy...” Beatrice laughing, hugging her Subaru, dutifully holding his hand whenever she could. Making snide remarks at the dinner table, and even cracking jokes! Sitting next to her contractor, to her Subaru, smiling. Had he ever seen her smile so widely before?

“And Rem...” The urge to cry hit him again. Rem had been there. He had heard her voice and even held her hand after so long. And their kids. His kids. His and Rem’s. They were wonderful. And yet, the only feeling they brought him at that moment was pain.

“Are you done?” Echidna’s voice echoed in his mind. Only then did he realize he had dropped to his knees. “As you should know by now, if you truly want answers, you should come here and talk to me.”

He turned his hand over. He had gripped the stone so tightly it had started to cut into his skin. Once more, he held it between his fingers. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he was standing in the eternal field of greed.

There, on a small hill, the Witch of Greed sat on her chair, calmly sipping her tea. Despite his burning anger, [Greed Subaru] walked up the hill and sat down, just as he always did. He could tell she was planning to be serious this time—there was no cup of tea prepared for him. At least they could skip that part of their routine.

He waited patiently until Echidna finished her tea and placed the cup down. She folded her hands on the table. “So, do you want me to answer all your concerns at once, or would you rather ask them one by one?”

“Concerns?” He managed through gritted teeth. “Is that what you want to call it?”

Echidna said nothing, her smile unchanged. He huffed and met her gaze. “Why...” She raised an eyebrow, waiting. “Why is everyone happy?”

The way he said it made it sound almost accusatory, as if they weren’t supposed to be happy.

“Why... what did he do differently?” The world that Natsuki Subaru had managed to create was so much happier than the one he had. Despite the fact that Subaru didn’t seem to have made a contract with Echidna at all.

“He managed to keep things like this all on his own... So what was the need for you in the first place!?” He let his anger flare up again.

“So, this is what it’s about,” she said, as if she didn’t already know. “You’re of the opinion that things could’ve gone better if you hadn’t taken the contract with me. I thought we had settled this discussion long ago.”

“Answer the question,” he demanded.

“Hmph.” Echidna looked away as she spoke. “Even if you’re angry, that’s no way to speak to your companion of so long, is it?” But then she turned back, her ever-present smile returning with her. “But if you’re so eager for answers, I’ll give them to you, just as I always have.”

She placed a finger on her teacup and began to draw circles around its rim. “You speak of happiness, but haven’t I already said this enough? Everyone will be happy in the end.”

She reiterated her philosophy—a philosophy that [Greed Subaru] had once shared with her completely. It was this philosophy that had led him down this path, a path paved with hundreds of millions of deaths. A philosophy that told him that, as long as there was life, happiness could be sacrificed.

“But here, everyone was saved! And everyone is happy! This is obviously a better result than the one you gave me!”

“Is it?” Echidna’s smile twisted further. “I don’t believe it is.”

“It is,” [Greed Subaru] growled, but Echidna simply waved her hand dismissively.

“Then allow me to refute your claim. Come on, tell me why you think this is a ‘better result.’”

He didn’t flinch at her challenge. “Fine, I’ll give you one. Otto. He’s still here. He didn’t leave me—us. And he’s happy! He wasn’t dissatisfied and didn’t leave at the first opportunity!”

Echidna’s smile remained unchanged. “Happy? Well, I disagree.” Before [Greed Subaru] could object, she continued. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying the Otto we saw at dinner was unhappy. Far from it.”

She paused, as if giving him a chance to respond, but when he didn’t, she carried on. “All I’m saying is that you seem to misunderstand Otto’s current happiness as something final. Otto’s wish was to run his own store, right? Do you think he’s on the path to achieving that here?”

“I don’t think anything here will prevent him from achieving it in the future. At worst, it might delay him. It could even help him.” He tried to counter her point, but she shook her head.

“And leaving you wouldn’t impede his dream either. In fact, he might even get back to it sooner, with the funds he’s earned here to help him.” By the way [Greed Subaru’s] eyes narrowed, Echidna knew he understood her point. “Whether he stays or leaves, it’s irrelevant. You say he’s happy here, but our Otto could just as easily be happy elsewhere, working toward his dream. Not to mention, staying with us would involve a clear risk to his safety.”

He broke eye contact, lowering his head. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to him.”

“And you’d say the same for anyone else. But that doesn’t negate my point.”

He grunted in frustration, unable to refute her. But his anger still simmered, and he had more to argue. Echidna sensed it. “So, what else do you want to discuss?”

He clenched his fist in anger again. “Well, you still haven’t answered my first question.” His cold, furious gaze met hers once more. “I made that contract to save everyone. Even if it meant sacrificing their happiness, I managed to save them. But if the other option meant not only that they lived but that they were happy too, then what was the point of our contract in the first place?!”

Breathing heavily, [Greed Subaru] let his anger flare. But once more, Echidna remained unfazed. She took a sip from her teacup before placing it back down. Then, with her eyes still closed, she spoke two words.

“Elsa died.”

Those two words were enough to stop his thoughts in their tracks.

“Elsa wasn’t saved. You heard it from their mouths. Elsa fought, and Garfiel killed her.”

[Greed Subaru] was at a complete loss for words. He couldn’t even muster a murmur in response. A part of him, still boiling with rage, wanted to dismiss Elsa’s death.

But even though Elsa had been an enemy, he had saved her. She had become one of the people he was determined to protect. Even as an assassin, she was part of their camp.

But this Subaru had failed to save her. He couldn’t blame the other Subaru for that decision, but it left him without an argument.

Echidna seized the opportunity to press her point. “And besides, this ‘world’ of ours takes place in the past. The events at Pristella haven’t happened yet, have they?”

He blinked in realization. She was right. He had deduced as much from the small but informative conversations at the dinner table but had pushed the thought aside.

“Tell me, do you truly believe this Subaru and his friends will be able to defend the city without a single casualty?” She scoffed. “Even if they perform exceptionally, even if they get lucky, such a thing is impossible.”

The battle at Pristella was his masterpiece. A city infiltrated by three Sin Archbishops had been defended without a single casualty—no allies, no citizens. And they had dealt a significant blow to the Witch Cult.

But it had come at the cost of countless deaths on his part. Not uncountable, though. He knew the witch had kept a tally, even if he had long since lost interest to know it at this point.

Still, it didn’t change the fact that he had succeeded, just as Echidna said.

Echidna reached across the table and lifted his head so their eyes met again. Her eyes, usually neutral and amused, now shone with frustration.

“So,” she began, “you find fault with my methods. I’ve told you many times that the results at the end will be the right ones. But seeing these alternate versions of yourself has weakened your resolve. So let me help you understand.”

She continued, “You can feel all the pity you want for our Garfiel and how he has denied speaking to his family until he deems himself strong enough, but those childish ambitions will wane with age and maturity.”

“Are you worried about how Ram acted all comfortable with this Subaru? It is truly a useless thing to even lose head around. She only acts that way because it’s demanded of her by Roswaal and Emilia. If you were to ask her to, she would return to speaking to you like normal.

“Oh, and there’s the half-devil. Were you really so impressed by that pitiful little speech she gave? Did you not notice how much difficulty she had doing so? How she continued to send sad glances to you, Rem, and all those other Subarus? She may have more strength than your doll at the moment, but there’s no fault in that. You are her strength for now, but when the time is right you will not only allow her to find her own strength, and of course, you’ll do so while accomplishing all of her wishes. What else do you find fault in her for? If you want her hair to be just like before, just ask her to grow it back and she’ll do it for you.

“And Beatrice. Well, my child is indeed a stubborn one. It was that stubbornness that chained her to the Forbidden Library for so long after all, but trust me, with time and effort, that stubbornness will fade, and she will thank you and hold your hand just as you saw.

“But of course, there’s Rem. That was quite unfair of you to blame her state on me, when we hadn’t even met yet. If it’s not obvious, both you and the other Subaru had their Rem’s fall to the Sleeping Beauty disease, and that the ‘you’ who became a father did so by running away. The antithesis of what we’ve worked towards. Oh, and that ‘you’ who is a king, his path is truly interesting. But it’s also undoubtedly different from yours. It would be, once again, unfair to compare our situations.”

Echidna seemed amused by how [Greed Subaru] managed to keep his eyes on her while she spoke, even though those eyes were filled with despair.

“Are you still unsure of the path you’ve taken? Have you forgotten our creed? You’ve preserved the most important thing: life. As long as there’s life, there’s a future. If there’s a future, there’s hope. If there’s hope, there are possibilities. And if there are possibilities, then people will be saved.”

[Greed Subaru] was stunned by her declaration, the words they had repeated over and over as they worked together. For the first time, Echidna’s smile faded, and she became serious.

“So, do you wish to sever our contract after all?”

Her words snapped him out of his stupor. “H-huh?”

Echidna narrowed her eyes. “Isn’t that what this has been leading to? You’ve come here, full of fury, questioning the validity of our contract, demanding that we end it.”

[Greed Subaru] blinked, dumbfounded by her confident and sour expression. Then, the last thing she expected happened. He smiled.

“Really, for someone who claims to be so smart, you can be pretty stupid sometimes, huh?”

“E-eh?”

“Of course I don’t want to end our contract.” He said, his tone now holding the upper hand. Echidna was completely caught off guard by his declaration, just as she had been by his sudden change in demeanor.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking something similar, but not in the way you think. I was going to ask if you’re still willing to uphold the contract.”

“Oh?” It was a rare moment where the Witch of Greed was on the back foot in a conversation.

“After all, it seems I won’t be able to loop at my leisure anymore. I certainly don’t understand how It works now, but I believe that even if I could, it would be impossible to do so without the others putting a stop to me. Besides, it would be counterproductive to do so anyway. But that means no more looping. And so there would be more reason for you to continue our partnership.”

Echidna maintained her poker face, but [Greed Subaru] didn’t care and continued.

“You may have lost some of your interest in me because of this, but don’t get it wrong—I still need your help. It’s just as you said. The other [Subarus] couldn’t save the situation at Pristella like I did. And there are many more things that could and will happen. I’m still maintaining what I want to do. I’m not letting those things come to pass with casualties unless I can prevent them. I saved everyone once, and I intend to do so again.”

He looked up at her. The eyes that had burned with anger just moments before were still ablaze, but now with conviction.

“I do have the knowledge of the future I’ve already experienced, but I’ll still need your help. So, seeing as you apparently also wish to keep our contract standing, will you be willing to help me?”

Echidna had regained her composure and smile. But for the first time in a while, she laughed heartily.

“And here I was, planning to go as far as prostrating myself on the ground to ask you to maintain the contract.”

“That’s a very different reaction from what you were letting on!”

Echidna seemed to relax in her chair. Somehow, they had both managed to trick each other without really trying.

“Have you not considered the situation we’re in? Multiple versions of yourself and others, as well as moving to a completely different past. Forget prostrating—I would’ve kissed your feet for the chance to be part of this upcoming journey.”

Despite the lingering anger that [Greed Subaru] still felt, he couldn’t help but smile at her declaration.

“Very well, so we’re still in this together.” Even if it wasn’t entirely genuine, a calmer atmosphere had settled between them. But Echidna wasn’t done yet.

“There’s one more thing.” The somber tone of her voice made it seem as though she was afraid. “It’s something I’ve refrained from telling you, but with the appearance of these other versions of you, it no longer makes sense to keep it to myself. It concerns the identity of ‘That Person.’”

[Greed Subaru] was intrigued. “That guy Beako was supposed to give the library to?”

Echidna nodded. She took a deep breath before speaking again. “Yes. Before, it seemed unimportant, as it stopped having any relevance... but that’s not entirely the truth. I refrained from telling you because if I had, you would have never forgiven me.”

She looked regretful—not because of what she had to say, but because she had to say it.

“If I tell you, you’ll want to curse me like never before. You’ll cry, wail, and despair over every moment we’ve been under contract, wishing you’d never signed it, before spitting on me and breaking it.”

[Greed Subaru] was once again impressed by her harsh words. “Isn’t that already how I feel? I haven’t exactly let you off the hook.”

“Yes, but this is different. I guarantee that you won’t be able to look me in the eye without pure hatred if I tell you.”

He wondered just how despicable ‘That Person’ must have been for him to react that way, given that he was already plenty angry with her and her solutions, even if he couldn’t dispute most of them.

“In that case, don’t tell me.”

“H-Huh?” The witch was once again taken aback by his unexpected response. “Didn’t you hear me? Soon enough, those other ‘you’s’ will tell you, and—”

“Well, I’m angry enough already, and yet I see the need to keep our contract. If you say that telling me now will make me so angry I’ll want to break it, I’ll believe you. So just tell me about it later, when I’ve calmed down. And if the others tell me later down the line, you can simply confirm what they say.”

He chuckled. “Trust me, I’ll do the things you said—I’ll curse you, I’ll cry and wail, I’ll wish I’d never signed it, even more than I do now. And I won’t be able to look you in the eye without feeling disgusted. But I won’t break the contract. I’m not going to throw it all away just because of my own feelings.”

Echidna blinked twice before laughing. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh at all. Then, with a voice that was dry and alien even to her, she spoke. “Even now, I’m impressed. Yes, I’ll do just that. And if you won’t break our contract, then neither will I.” She took hold of her cup but didn’t drink from it. “Now you should go and sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll have plenty to do, I’m sure.”

And she was most right. Because despite hailing from the future, even they could not predict what it would hold. For the first time in forever, [Greed Subaru] could no longer return to do it all again. And despite the uncertainty, both of them found this prospect... exciting.

Chapter Text

Gazing at the starry sky at night was something Crusch had grown fond of doing. Whether dining or simply leaning against her balcony, it was an act she had been doing more frequently. Perhaps, she thought, it was a remnant of her old self.

Both Felix and Wilhelm, as well as a large number of dignitaries she had hosted, often told her how she still reflected the old Crusch Karsten. She wasn’t quite sure how to feel about these comparisons, but at the very least, she welcomed the thought that she was still herself, even now.

Thus, redoing things she had once enjoyed, or even finding new hobbies, was how she spent what little free time she had.

Tonight, however, her quiet stargazing was interrupted by something unusual in her courtyard. A lone figure was wandering through the garden without much sense of direction.

Before alerting anyone about the potential intruder, Crusch tried to identify the person. It could very well be someone she knew but had forgotten. Even so, the erratic behavior suggested otherwise. If it were someone she knew, they wouldn’t be stumbling aimlessly through her courtyard.

As the figure drew closer, Crusch realized she had been partially correct: this was someone she had likely met before but had since forgotten. She had only seen her image in pamphlets and drawings, but there was no mistaking her identity. It was none other than a fellow Dragon Candidate and rival for the throne of Lugunica—Felt.

The moment Crusch recognized her, Felt seemed to notice her as well. With a cheerful grin, the younger girl darted through the foliage, scaled the wall with ease, and leaped onto the balcony beside her.

“Yo, Crusch!” Felt greeted her enthusiastically. “Hey, what happened last night? I was pretty sure I went to sleep in my room, but I woke up and found myself in a garden! And it wasn’t the castle garden either…”

Despite the potential danger this situation represented, Crusch refrained from calling for help. She was too stunned by Felt’s words. Over time, she had relearned the fine art of reading the winds—her Divine Blessing of Wind Reading—and using them to interpret people’s intentions. Now, as she observed the flow around Felt, she could sense no deceit. That, however, made the girl’s claims even more baffling.

“Um, I… I don’t—”

“This is your manor, right? Weren’t we just in the castle? What’s going on? Where’s Big Bro?”

Before Felt could continue her barrage of bewildering questions, Crusch raised her hands to stop her.

“Excuse me… Felt, right?” Crusch tilted her head, mirroring the girl’s confusion. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t quite follow your… train of thought. It’s possible I… have forgotten.”

She fought the urge to look away in shame. Forgetting memories of a fellow candidate—someone she might have once shared camaraderie with—filled her with regret.

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Crusch didn’t let the blunt response dissuade her and pressed on.

“I take it you’re not here voluntarily, am I correct?”

Felt’s expression darkened at her words, and she gave a hesitant nod.

“In that case, I should tell you I have no idea how you arrived here, Felt-sama.”

Felt blinked in confusion. “Hey, Crusch, didn’t I tell you to drop the ‘-sama’? I thought you’d gotten used to that by now…”

The shame within Crusch grew. “I… I’m very sorry, Felt-sa—erm, Felt.”

“Alright, just what the hell is going on here?” Felt asked, exasperated. Crusch sighed, resigning herself to the chaotic situation. It struck her as strange that Felt seemed unaware of her condition, despite how long it had persisted. Yet everything—the girl’s demeanor and even the flow of wind around her—indicated genuine confusion.

“I… understand you may not know what happened to me, but do you recall how Subaru-sama and I defeated the White Whale with his help?”

Felt nodded, recognition lighting up her face. At least this was something familiar.

“Of course! But you and Big Bro did that ages ago.”

Crusch blinked in surprise. To her, less than a year had passed. But apparently, Felt’s sense of time was… unusual.

Or have I forgotten?

Perhaps it was foolish to assume she and Felt were on good terms. If their relationship had been close, surely someone would have reminded her of it. Yet, despite her reasoning, the ache in her heart persisted, and she continued speaking.

“Well, shortly after that victory, my party was ambushed by the Witch’s Cult.”

Any doubt of Felt’s ignorance vanished the moment shock appeared on her face, accompanied by a sudden shift in the wind’s flow.

“Th-those nutjobs again? They’re back?” Despite her brash tone, Felt looked genuinely distressed—less fearful and more deeply unsettled. “We’ve gotta warn Big Bro! I’ll find Reinhard too, and I’ll—”

“Felt, please calm down,” Crusch interrupted. “I appreciate your concern, and believe me, there’s nothing more I desire than to strike back at the cult—especially the Archbishop of Gluttony—but—”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Felt cut her off this time. “We already dealt with those Gluttony guys, remember? And the Whale too! That was, like, five years ago!”

Crusch stared at her in disbelief. Felt wasn’t lying. Her sincerity, paired with the erratic flow of the wind around her, made that clear.

“But it’s been less than a year…” Crusch murmured. Before Felt could protest, she asked a decisive question. “Felt… what is the current year?”

Sensing the weight of the question, Felt answered seriously. Her response, however, struck Crusch like a thunderclap. The year Felt named was five years ahead of what Crusch remembered. And yet, Felt wasn’t lying.

If her claim was true, she deserved to know. Crusch reaffirmed the date, and Felt’s jaw went slack, the wind around her churning into a chaotic storm of emotions.

Before either of them could fully process this revelation, Crusch heard hurried footsteps approaching. Felix and Wilhelm had likely sensed an intruder and were rushing to her aid. Soon, she would have others to help make sense of this bizarre situation.

More importantly, they might know things she had forgotten—things that could prove invaluable in dealing with this girl and her outrageous claims.

“Is this like one of those stories Big Bro told me…?” Felt muttered, her voice trembling. “Have I… gone back in time? Am I five years in the past?”

Crusch sighed, her heart heavy. Felt’s bizarre claims, free of deceit, were troubling indeed.

It was honestly quite unfair.

Felt had struggled day after day to escape the mansion. She had brought her A-game every single time, yet she was always stopped. Whether it was by that ever-present bastard Reinhard, those annoyingly persistent maids, or whatever else her so-called Knight could conjure to keep her prisoner, nothing she tried was ever enough.

And now she was supposed to believe that, when it came time to stop intruders, the same people who kept her confined had suddenly failed?

“But the worst part,” Felt muttered through gritted teeth, “is that it had to be you.”

Standing right in front of her, as though the mansion belonged to her, was none other than the “Red Bitch” herself, Priscilla Barielle. And from the little time Felt had been forced to endure with her, she could only conclude that Priscilla definitely believed the place was hers.

For her part, Priscilla simply stood there, hiding her mouth behind her fan. Silent and utterly unbothered, she began moving closer, her haughty elegance on full display. Felt growled under her breath.

“Grrr. Whatever trick you pulled to get in here, I could bet it involved those idiots letting you in. Reinhard would never allow someone dangerous into the mansion. So, spill it—what do you want, huh?”

When Priscilla still didn’t answer, Felt’s temper boiled over.

“Don’t wanna talk, you bitch? Where’s all that attitude you’re so famous for?”

Priscilla remained undisturbed, calmly closing the distance. Felt stood her ground, her frustration mounting. Nothing this woman could do would faze her—

“Eeep!”

Felt yelped in shock, jerking away as Priscilla did something she could never have expected: the Red Baroness had reached out and started patting her head.

“What—how—why—HUH?!” Felt stammered, completely thrown off balance. Despite her squirming, Priscilla’s hand remained firmly on her head, as if declaring ownership. Felt swatted it away, her face red with indignation.

“Why you—what the hell do you think you’re doing, huh?! Don’t look down on me, or I’ll kill ya!”

Priscilla giggled softly, though it still carried her signature air of condescension.

“Hmm, it has indeed been a long time since you acted this feisty. Mineself has indeed missed it a bit, so I had to indulge a bit.” she said, reaching for Felt’s head again.

This time, Felt jumped back, hissing like a cornered cat. “Back off, you psycho!”

Undeterred, Priscilla simply shrugged, her gaze wandering around the room with detached curiosity.

“So, where exactly are we?” she asked, completely ignoring Felt’s protests.

Felt’s eye twitched. “Are you for real right now? I don’t know why you’re here, bitch, but you better—”

“And where is mine husband?” Priscilla interrupted smoothly, her fan snapping shut. “Surely this is one of his stunts. I demand to see him immediately.”

Felt froze, then twitched again, harder this time. Husband? The words didn’t just annoy her; they pissed her off. Still, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to dig into the self-absorbed noblewoman.

“Oh, which one?” Felt sneered. “Don’t bother answering—they’re all probably buried in the same graveyard after you got them killed.”

Priscilla showed no visible reaction to the jab, though her fan shifted slightly to cover more of her face. The lack of response only irritated Felt more.

For a moment, Priscilla scrutinized her, her piercing crimson eyes analyzing every inch of Felt’s being. The intensity of her gaze made Felt’s skin prickle, as though she might burst into flames under the noblewoman’s stare. Then, as if conjured by that very thought, a massive glowing sword materialized in Priscilla’s hand, its flames roaring to life.

“What the—” Before Felt could even move, Priscilla raised the blade and brought it down toward her.

“That’s enough.”

The sword stopped just short of Felt’s head, the fiery heat searing the air around her. She blinked, processing the scene as Reinhard suddenly appeared, holding the blade steady with his bare hands. The Sword Saint’s calm expression remained unshaken, even in the face of such overwhelming power.

“It took you long enough! What were you thinking when you let this bitch here in the first place, Reinhard!?”

After practically having materialized out thin air himself, the Sword Saint Reinhard calmly stood blocking the huge sword of the Baroness with his bare hands. Despite the incredible feat, Priscilla didn’t even direct him a glance.

“Good, you’re here,” Priscilla said, entirely unbothered. “If you so desire, I shall permit you to punish this poor copy of your master yourself.”

Reinhard sighed. “I will do no such thing, Priscilla-sama.”

This time, Priscilla did turn to look at him. Then suddenly, Reinhard kicked Felt back with his feet.

“Hey, what’s the big ide- Whoa!”

Felt shielded her eyes as her knight was completely engulfed in flames. The heat was so strong that had she stayed next to it she would’ve surely been inflicted with terrible burns. Yest despite being in the middle of the raging inferno, Reinhard seemed unbothered as he turned his head back.

“I’m incredibly sorry, Felt-sama. I had to put you away, and as you can see, both my hands were occupied.”

Felt didn’t even respond to her knight as she usually would, but instead kept staring dazed by the flames that danced around his knight, basically incapable of hurting him.

Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the inferno slowed down and disappeared completely.

Felt had to blink to erase the image of fire that had been burned into her eyes. Her knight was of course untouched, but he also relented as the huge sword he had been pushing against also vanished.

“Hm, you are indeed the real one. No one else could resist mine flames without being unaffected. My apologies.”

Felt stood with her mouth wide open. She never expected the red princess to apologize. Never so genuinely at least, and especially not to her knight.

“Now, could you mind explaining why you are defending the copy of your master? A guard dog must be loyal, but all of them must also be able to recognize their masters. I believed that you were a good guard dog. I’m disappointed.”

Felt’s patience snapped. “Alright, that’s it! I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not some ‘copy,’ you crazy—!”

Reinhard cut in smoothly, his tone placating. “I believe there’s been a terrible misunderstanding Priscilla-sama, I assure you, this is my master, Felt-sama.”

Priscilla’s crimson eyes narrowed. “Pitiful. You’ve truly gone blind, dog. But worry not—I shall educate you. This girl is not your master. She is an outdated copy. A mere shadow.”

She stepped forward, ignoring Felt’s protests, and grabbed her chin with alarming speed. “Look at her,” she demanded. “She’s shrunk. Too thin, too short. A child’s version of the girl you claim to serve.”

“Shrunk?” For his part, Reinhard seemed perplexed and didn’t immediately call out Priscilla for her bulllshit, which annoyed Felt even more.

“Have you truly gone so blind? This impostor may have all the mannerisms of your master, but in appearance, it’s as if they copied her when she was younger.”

“I haven’t shrunk, you crazy bitch!” Felt screamed, slapping Priscilla’s hand away. “And for the record, I’ve only grown stronger since this Royal Selection nonsense started!”

Reinhard nodded in agreement. “Indeed, Felt-sama has grown tremendously in strength and spirit.”

With her mouth hidden behind her fan, but with a very obvious scowl, Priscilla remarked. “You witless commoners, mineself was clearly refereeing to her body when speaking of shrinking.”

“Well then that’s even more wrong!” Felt screamed.

The piercing eyes of the princess lingered on them for a good while before she closed her fan and pointed at Reinhard.

“You, dog. What year is—no, how many years has the Royal Selection been going on?”

“It has been about a year since the Royal Selection started, Priscilla-sama.”

“Sheesh. Are all you nobles so out of touch with reality ya don’t even know the date?” Felt finally got a chance to fire back at Priscilla, but any further attempts to attack fell apart when she noticed Priscilla’s pensive expression.

“I see. So those mad stories of yours held some truth in them after all…” Priscilla spoke in a low voice, clearly addressing someone who wasn’t either of them.

“Alright, for the last time, ya better drop this—whatever you’re doing—or I’ll have Reinhard—”

“Hmm? Oh yes.” Priscilla cut her off, lowering her fan and pointing at Felt again. “Indeed, I had misjudged the situation. I apologize.”

Once again, receiving a completely unexpected apology, Felt was blindsided. Priscilla seemed to notice, as she addressed both of them.

“As a sign of goodwill, I shall join your camp. You do have a camp, right?”

Still too stunned to speak, Felt left Reinhard to step forward and respond on her behalf, though he, too, was clearly surprised.

“Erm, indeed, Priscilla-sama, my lady is the leader of her own camp to fight for the throne.”

The baroness smirked, seemingly pleased that even someone like Reinhard couldn’t match her unique knowledge.

“Of course, this extraordinary offer of my patronage will not come free. We must begin a search immediately.”

Felt regained her composure in what she swore would be the last time. She wouldn’t let this intruding bitch keep swindling and confusing her with complicated and twisted words. With great restraint, she refrained from launching into a storm of insults and screams. Nor did she mock Priscilla’s ‘offer’ to join her camp, instead choosing to ask a question.

“Search? And what could someone like you want us to search for that you don’t already have?” Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t hide the contempt and sarcasm in her voice. Yet, once again, Priscilla ignored her tone entirely.

“Ah, certainly, it remains to mineself the duty to impart upon you my divine wisdom. It’s not your fault you can’t match my unparalleled knowledge.”

Again, Felt resisted the urge to call her out on her bullshit. Unironically, it was a refreshing change of pace to have Priscilla speak without calling her things like gutter-rat. In fact, Felt realized she hadn’t even been referred to as commoner.

Still, poor Reinhard—who had been called a dog—stepped closer and inquired further.

“Indeed, Priscilla-sama, we would be most thankful if you could explain things to us.”

Priscilla nodded, satisfied with their display of respect. “Yes, yes. There is much knowledge I must impart upon you, so you may at least hold a proper conversation on the matters at hand. Nevertheless, our first course of action should be to locate mine husband.”

“You’re such a handful, you know that? Aren’t you supposed to be the one who—” Felt bit her tongue, cutting herself off before saying something she might regret, like, the one who killed him.

Thankfully, Reinhard came to her rescue once more. “Excuse me for my ignorance, Priscilla-sama, but could you kindly clarify... you mean your husband, right?”

Priscilla smiled deviously, as if she could see the gears turning in the knight’s head and relished the sight. “Indeed, I did, dog.”

But Felt noticed the glimmer in Priscilla’s eyes, a telltale sign that the princess still had something even bigger up her sleeve. Something that Felt refused to fall for again.

Of course, Reinhard, with his unparalleled talent, continued the flow of conversation with the perplexing princess.

“Well, your last husband, Leip Barielle, has already passed away, has he not?” he said tentatively.

Priscilla stared at him dead in the eye before bursting into boisterous laughter—although, naturally, with the abundant grace she always carried.

“Ah, how joyous it is that even someone like you can play the role of a jester directly once in a while,” she said with a smile. It almost sounded like a compliment, though Felt was certain it wasn’t.

“Of course, that old fool has been dead for a long while. I’d practically forgotten about him. No, what mineself was alluding to was, of course, my dear alive husband.”

“W-wha—You married again, Priscilla-sama?”

“Dealing with you lot when you’re so witless is truly exhausting.”

Even the unshakable Reinhard had to take a step back at the baroness’s revelation. Felt wanted to mock him for it but focused instead on keeping her own composure in the face of Priscilla’s madness.

No matter what Priscilla said, Felt would not be caught off guard again.

“Of course, I married again—to mine dear husband and king of Lugunica, Natsuki Subaru. And I demand you search for him and take me to him immediately.”

Reinhard had to reach for his lady and prevent her from falling.

“WHAT. THE. FUCK!”

This day had been a bit boring, so a little distraction was always welcome.

“But that it had to come from you, vixen, is regrettable.”

Priscilla Barielle sighed as she sat cross-legged on her throne.

"That's kinda rude, y'know? I know we ain't as close as I am with the others, but we're still friends, ain't we?"

“In what moment did you and I become friends? Don’t presume too much of yourself, commoner.”

"My, how nostalgic. It's been way too long since ya called me that~"

Seemingly unbothered by the baroness’s disposition toward her, Anastasia Hoshin calmly stood in front of the throne. She had appeared in Priscilla’s manor uninvited, and they had conveniently clashed just now. Priscilla would be sure to reprimand Al later for letting the sly fox sneak her way into her home.

“You speak with familiarity to me, vixen, but I clearly remember that you and I declared our animosity toward each other.”

"Even if I thought ya were hard to get along with, I never truly grew to hate ya, y'know?" Anastasia ran her fingers along her scarf. She started to say more but suddenly turned her gaze to the right of the princess, where her loyal dog stood.

"Well, ain'tcha a sight for sore eyes," Anastasia exclaimed in surprise. "I gotta admit, I prolly expected to never see yer face—or helmet, rather—again."

Al, who was dutifully standing beside his liege, looked startled. He scratched the chin of his helmet and faced the merchant.

“Eh? What are you talking about? Me, leave?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Silence, Aldebaran,” Priscilla cut him off sharply. Anastasia answered regardless.

"Ya don't remember? Or did ya think ya wouldn't leave an impact..." She looked a little surprised, musing to herself. "One day, ya just up and disappeared outta the blue. Took us all by surprise, y'know? Natsuki was real sad that ya left, 'specially after y'all had become friends over yer lil' fight."

“Huh? Leave? Pal? What are you talking about, miss? That all sounded like a buncha nonsense to me. I’ve never had a fight with Pal that I can recall. And I’d never leave the princess’s side—”

“Aldebaran.” Priscilla interrupted him again, though this time, she didn’t seem to be reproaching him. “Who is this ‘Pal’ you speak of?”

“Hmm? You don’t remember, princess? Pal, the guy you took into the Royal Palace? He’s supposed to be a proper knight by now…” Al trailed off as he realized that Priscilla truly had no recollection of Subaru. Anastasia, however, didn’t seem to buy that.

"Eh... don'tcha try pullin' that stunt with me, Pris-chan! That bit's way old 'n outdated now!"

“What… did you call me?!” Priscilla’s hands curled into fists, and her anger became fully visible. Al instinctively stepped back, alarmed by her fury. However, the merchant queen remained unmoved until a small figure entered the room. Schult’s timely arrival defused some of the tension, much to Al’s relief.

But before he could thank Schult for his good timing—or warn him of the situation—Anastasia spoke up again, her surprise evident.

"Schult?! What happened to ya? D-did ya just... shrink?"

“E-erm… huh… wha…” The poor boy stammered, completely lost for words. Al mirrored his confusion, but Priscilla only scoffed at Anastasia’s seemingly absurd declaration.

“What are you blubbering about, vixen? My dear, cute little Schult has remained his charming self ever since I brought him into my service. Your incoherent babblings are unexpected, even for you. But I suppose a commoner will always—”

"Heya, boy. Remind me, how old are ya again?" Anastasia interrupted, ignoring Priscilla's derision. The princess looked moments away from summoning her Yang blade and reducing the merchant to cinders, but something seemed to hold her back.

“M-me?” Schult hesitated but answered. “I’m 12 years old, miss…”

The innocent reply stopped the merchant in her tracks. She froze, her mind seemingly ignited with recognition. Lightly petting her scarf, she blinked after a few seconds and looked down at it, surprise etched across her face.

"I can't believe what yer tellin' me, but it seems like yer right." Anastasia muttered, addressing no one in particular. Her hand remained on her fox scarf as she appeared lost in thought.

Al wanted to speak up, but one glance at Priscilla's expression silenced him and Schult both. After a few moments, Anastasia chuckled softly, pulling Priscilla out of her reverie.

“Finished scheming, vixen? You disappoint me. I certainly expected you to plan out your twisted schemes more swiftly.”

Still petting her scarf, Anastasia giggled. "Yeah, even a gal like you wouldn’t treat me like that after all that’s happened. The only reason yer actin' like before is that…" She trailed off before patting the fox fur one final time.

"To think all those crazy stories ya told me 'bout time travel would end up comin' true... Seems like I really have come back to the past..." Anastasia muttered. Al wasn’t sure if only he had heard her—or if he had even heard her correctly—but Priscilla took notice.

The baroness rose gracefully from her throne and approached the merchant. Al feared she might lash out, but instead, she used her fan to lift Anastasia’s chin, who offered no resistance.

“Hmm… These are not the words of a mad commoner. You are a woman out of time, it seems.”

"My, once more ya surprise a gal with yer incredible deduction skills, Pris-chan! Took me way longer to even begin thinkin' 'bout that possibility, but yeah, that’s what seems to be happenin'." Anastasia laughed heartily. "Tho', ya believin' such an outrageous story makes me think ya might be a lil' too easy to trick, y'know~?"

“Hmph. Don’t presume too much, vixen. The idea that you might be from the future is as absurd as Aldebaran’s tale of coming from beyond the waterfall.” Al flinched at the casual mention of his secret. “And yet, despite both being no more than jesters, just like him, your words are not those of a liar. Your eyes hold truth, even if your tongue spins madness. As such, you have mine interest.”

Al finally took the opportunity to speak. “P-princess, are you seriously believing this story about… time traveling? And so easily too? Shouldn’t you at least ask about future events or… or your relationship in the future, or—”

“Silence, Aldebaran.” Priscilla waved her fan dismissively, the sharp motion silencing him at once. “She has won mine interest, and that is reason enough to keep her around. If you are fretting over your position as mine jester, you can rest assured. She is overflowing with a grace you will never possess, so she’s unfit to usurp your role.”

"My, thanks for the compliment, Pris-chan~" Anastasia chimed in with a cheeky grin, her tone light and teasing.

Priscilla turned her piercing gaze toward the smirking merchant, her fan snapping shut with a flourish. “Do not act so triumphant, vixen. You are merely a source of entertainment for mine amusement, nothing more. It is not the supposed truth of your absurd words that keeps you here, but the diversion they promise.”

Anastasia appeared slightly displeased for a moment, her smile slipping just a fraction. "Ahh... It's the worst kinda situation for a merchant like me, bein' completely at the mercy of someone else... So I s'pose I ain't got no other option, do I?"

“Good,” Priscilla replied, satisfaction coloring her voice. “In that case, you may begin talking about this ‘future’ of yours. Even if it turns out to be no more than the madness of a commoner or the fabrications of a fox, your words will surely serve to entertain me.”

The merchant’s lips curved into a knowing smirk. "Ah, but don’t think I’m outta cards to play just yet. I ain’t spillin’ my valuable secrets so easily~"

“As expected of a fox.” Priscilla raised an eyebrow, tilting her head with regal disdain. “Very well. As I am not without mercy, I shall allow you to make a demand as part of mine payment for your words.”

“How generous of ya.” Anastasia placed a hand on her chin, adopting an exaggeratedly thoughtful expression. "Hmm. How’d he tell me it went? If I wanna get back to the future, I gotta find some kinda metal carriage called a De Lure Yan or somethin’ like that... Argh... This’ll never work. Best if we just find him quick."

Anastasia snapped her fingers in realization. "Ah, that’s it! We gotta find Natsuki! Umm, and was I s’posed to find my other self, or avoid her... Well, whatever, let’s just go find ‘em both!"

“Hmm, I still don’t know who this peasant you’re referring to,” Priscilla said, folding her arms and tapping her fan against her elbow. “But having two vixens sounds like an unpleasant sight... yet also an entertaining one. You shall have mine help, fox. As such, you will be mine Future Teller.” She opened her fan with a dramatic flair. “So? Begin your work.”

"Right then." Anastasia’s eyes sparkled mischievously. "Lemme tell ya 'bout Natsuki, the one ya clearly don’t know nothin’ about. That way, ya can get the info ya need when we find him."

Priscilla scoffed. “It seems you are a lousy merchant after all if you thought this was the most valuable ware you could offer me.”

Anastasia laughed aloud, her voice ringing with amusement. "With all due respect, I’m afraid yer the one mistaken this time, princess. Ya might not see his significance now, but trust me—Natsuki Subaru’s an incredibly important person in yer future."

Al took a step back, processing the declaration a second too long. “Hold on. Pal is going to become what?” He scratched his head, his voice dripping with incredulity. “I- I guess I can imagine it, but I’m havin’ trouble believing it even now…”

“Hmph. How quaint.” Priscilla tilted her head slightly, studying Anastasia with renewed interest. “It seems you speak the truth, fox. So, do explain how this mystery commoner will become ‘extremely important’ in mine future?”

Anastasia’s smile widened, and for the first time, her expression closely resembled that of a sly fox who had just cornered her prey.

“Uh uh uh.” Anastasia wagged her finger mockingly, her eyes twinkling with playful defiance. "As ya said, I’m a merchant at heart. I’ll give ya the info ya want, but not all at once. Don’t wanna devalue the only coin I got right now, would I?"

She paused and smirked, closing one eye. “Besides… if I’m rememberin’ right, tellin’ folks 'bout the future too freely could be dangerous. Or... was it the other way 'round?" She shrugged. "In any case, this gal ain’t plannin’ to undersell her info. I’m sure ya can understand, Pris-chan."

Priscilla’s fan twitched slightly in her hand. Yet to Al’s surprise, the response wasn’t the sound of a blade unsheathing, but rather the clear, ringing laugh of his princess. It was equal parts elegance and amusement, and it was strangely more unnerving than her fury.

“You drive a hard bargain, vixen.” Priscilla lowered her fan, her smile bright yet challenging. “But mine days shall certainly be livelier with you around. As such, I shall allow you mine mercy and mine favor.”

She turned to Al, her tone sharp and commanding once more. “Search for this commoner of yours and bring him to me. Or rather, we should search for the counterpart of this fox here. Mine instincts tell me that will be an entertaining sight indeed.”

“As you command, princess.” Al bowed, and Schult followed his example.

"A satisfyin’ deal for everyone. Tho’," Anastasia extended her hand with an impish grin. "As a proper merchant, I’d like to seal this lil’ ‘transaction’ of ours with a handshake."

Al sighed, dropping his shoulders. Whether Anastasia’s outrageous claims were true or not, one thing was already clear to him—this was going to be an exhausting chain of events. And if they were true… well, that would only make things infinitely more complicated.

Priscilla seemed to share his thoughts, although her expression was nothing short of delighted. Without hesitation, she clasped Anastasia’s hand, sealing the unusual bargain with a firm shake. If her will demanded it, Al resolved he would follow her through to the very end.

Pristella was a city of beauty, a shimmering jewel of waterways and architectural splendor. Even after countless visits, Anastasia Hoshin found herself enchanted by its elegance. Its resemblance to her distant homeland added a bittersweet familiarity to her admiration.

But business always preceded pleasure for the merchant queen. She was here to orchestrate a meeting among the Royal Selection candidates—a venture she was certain would yield mutual benefits, especially for herself.

Her tranquil afternoon of reviewing plans and ledgers was disrupted when Mimi burst into the room with her usual exuberance.

“M-my Lady! Someone very important has come to see you!” Mimi announced with a bounding energy that could have made the walls vibrate.

Anastasia set down her papers and looked up just in time to see Julius Juukulius, her loyal knight, step into the room. She offered him a brief nod, but her attention quickly shifted to the figure trailing behind him. Duchess Crusch Karsten.

"Well, ain’t this just the damnedest thing," Anastasia remarked, rising from her seat. Her lips curled into a bemused smile. "Never thought I’d be the one gettin’ surprised by unexpected visits, 'specially from you. Seems like ya at least got back the necessary intrigue of a noble."

It was high praise, given Anastasia’s extensive intelligence network. For Crusch to have approached unnoticed was no small feat, especially considering her amnesia after the White Whale battle. Yet, the Duchess didn’t appear triumphant—she looked… perplexed. The expression of someone struggling to reconcile their situation.

“Anastasia, I am indeed glad to see you,” Crusch said, her voice steady but tinged with confusion. “But… Sir Julius tells me we are in Pristella. Is this true? Did you… bring us here?”

Anastasia blinked, processing the unexpected question. Crusch seemed composed, carrying herself with the regal demeanor of her old self, yet her words reflected uncertainty. Anastasia barely had a moment to respond before Mimi chimed in.

“Hmm, I don’t know about ya,” Mimi said cheerily, “but my Lady brought us to this awesome city a while ago!”

Rather than reprimanding Mimi for the premature admission, Anastasia gently patted her head and turned back to Crusch, only for the Duchess to speak again.

“But that’s… Weren’t we just in the capital yesterday?” Crusch’s brow furrowed. “If you didn’t bring me here… then how? A spell, perhaps? But you seem far too settled in for this to have just happened.”

Anastasia raised an eyebrow. “Ya just talked a whole bunch of crazy at me. Ain’t seen ya in nearly a year, Crusch-san.”

“But I saw you last night,” Crusch insisted, her voice steady but uncertain. “Has it truly been more than a day?” Crusch seemed to struggle internally, as if she was fighting with what her Divine Blessing of Wind Reading was telling her was the truth and what she knew.

“I- I can tell you’re not lying Anastasia, not that I doubted your words of course. It’s just that this situation is so confusing, I’m truly at a loss.”

Anastasia giggled. "My, it’s no problem, Crusch-san! But my, how forward, sayin’ my name like that. 'N not doubtin’ my word? A gal like me might just take advantage of such carelessness, y'know?"

Crusch laughed, which actually took Anastasia out her stride. “Well, perhaps before that was how it was, but know I’m certain I trust you, Anastasia.”

Again, the merchant queen was at a loss for words. If Crusch was trying to familiarize herself in order to lower her guard, she truly didn’t expect to act so familiar with her, and to do it so suddenly.

"Ya really turned into a sly one... or maybe that’s just a side effect of the memory loss?"

“Hmm? Memory loss? What are you referring to?”

This time, Anastasia had to giggle. "Seems like yer still a novice, Crusch-san. As a merchant, ya gotta know when yer pushin’ too hard, and that lie right there was exactly that for ya."

Crusch once more looked perplexed. “I truly do not understand what you mean by memory loss.”

"Come on, don’tcha play that game with me. That bare-faced lyin’ won’t do ya any good. I saw ya after the Whale fight, when that Gluttony fella apparently ate yer memories. It was a real sorry scene, 'n now ya wanna act like that didn’t happen?"

Anastasia observed her carefully. The iron-clad conviction in Crusch’s tone was unnerving, even more so than her words. And when Crusch’s attention turned pleadingly to Julius, Anastasia’s unease deepened.

“Sir Julius,” Crusch said, her voice almost trembling, “you would never lie to me. But… how can this be true?”

Julius hesitated, bowing slightly. “I was present when you lost your memories, Crusch-sama. I witnessed it.”

Her expression faltered. “B-but I remember! I remember the battle against the White Whale—it was five years ago, not one.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Mimi’s voice rang out, breaking the tension. “That’s wrong! Mimi remembers! That was just one year ago!”

The room stilled as the pieces slowly began to fall into place. Crusch appeared shaken, lost in her thoughts. Finally, she muttered, “Something is terribly wrong… We need to find Subaru. If anyone can untangle this mess, it’s him. Is he still at the Royal Castle?”

Her sudden declaration snapped Anastasia back into focus. “Subaru?” she echoed, genuinely taken aback.

Crusch nodded, her tone resolute. “He’ll know what to do. He always does.”

Julius frowned, his confusion matching Anastasia’s. “Why Subaru, Crusch-sama? Shouldn’t we first consult Wilhelm-sama or Ferris?”

Crusch crossed her arms obviously lost in thought. “We’ll try to reach them too of course, but Subaru should be our priority.”

Julius tilted his head. “Yes of course, but I must ask again, why Subaru?”

“Because,” Crusch replied matter-of-factly, “he is the King.”

Her words dropped like a stone in the room. Anastasia, Julius, and even Mimi stood frozen, staring at the Duchess as if she’d grown a second head.

“Wha—do ya mean Big Bro is King?!” Mimi exclaimed, her voice high-pitched with shock.

Anastasia tried to laugh it off but faltered. “That’s… quite the out of a lie, Crusch-san. But—” she paused, studying her rival’s face, “Right now, I’d sell everythin’ I’ve got just to have that Wind Readin’ ability of yours. Cause even tho’ ya just told me the most outrageous lie imaginable, damned if ya don’t look like ya believe every word.”

Julius, his usual composure shaken, murmured, “Subaru… the King?”

Crusch closed her eyes, collecting herself. “You aren’t my Anastasia or my Julius,” she said quietly. Her words carried a certainty that sent a shiver down Anastasia’s spine. “Not from my time.”

Anastasia’s merchant instincts roared with skepticism. But there was something undeniable in Crusch’s demeanor—something unshakable. “Yer sayin’... time travel?” Anastasia asked slowly.

“Yes,” Crusch whispered. “This is exactly like the tales Subaru used to tell. I didn’t think they could be real…”

Anastasia leaned back, crossing her arms. “As much as it sounds like lunacy, I can’t say yer lyin’. That makes ya either delusional or… somethin’ else entirely.”

Crusch’s gaze softened. “Is Subaru here in this time? What about the other candidates? And me? You mentioned something about lost memories…”

Anastasia inhaled sharply. Crusch’s demeanor was too similar to the iron-willed Duchess she’d known before her amnesia. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t an opportunity she could ignore.

“Julius. Mimi.” Her voice was brisk. “Get Cruschie here a proper room. She’ll be stayin’ with us for a while.”

Crusch’s surprise melted into gratitude, but Anastasia’s mind was already racing. She had to make the most of this situation—and ensure it worked to her advantage.

“Oh, and Julius,” she added with a sly grin. “Tell everyone to prep early. Looks like we’re movin’ up those invitations to Pristella.”

Whatever chaos this time-twisting Duchess brought with her, Anastasia knew one thing for certain. This was a perfect environment to make profit if she ever saw one.

Chapter Text

A new dawn had come upon the Annerose domain. It had been a tumultuous first day, but things had miraculously settled down—at least as much as they could, considering the situation. The bizarreness of it all was only overshadowed by the gravity of what followed. Still, they managed to settle in as best they could. Slowly but surely, a few days passed, during which they took the opportunity to calm down and analyze the situation. Many simply wished to spend time with people from other worlds, asking questions about their futures. It wasn’t every day one had access to multiple people from the future—even if their timelines differed by just a year, or twelve.

There had been discussions here and there, but this was the first time since their arrival that everyone had gathered to truly discuss the critical events ahead.

And currently, those envoys from the future brought nothing but tidings of doom.

“Yes. Allow me to reiterate. In about a month’s time, the Witch Cult will organize an attack on the Watergate City of Pristella, led by multiple Sin Archbishops,” [Greed Subaru] spoke calmly—a far cry from his previous self. His dead eyes had returned, as had his little pendant. Nevertheless, despite his tired look, he was handling the meeting in a surprisingly capable manner.

But his apparent confidence was not shared by the others. The mood in the room was grim. Having finished breakfast, everyone had assembled in a large meeting room. All members of the Emilia Camp, old and new, were present to discuss what lay ahead.

They had formed a kind of war council, as the various Subarus who knew the future insisted that was what it had to be.

Both [Lust Subaru] and [Greed Subaru] had experienced the attack on Pristella firsthand and urged that preparations were of utmost importance. While [Sloth Subaru] hadn’t witnessed the attack himself, he hailed from a distant future and knew a little about it.

“From what I heard, things weren’t going well in the kingdom at all. The Witch Cult was running rampant, causing chaos everywhere. I think I heard Pristella was attacked because it borders Kararagi, but…” He looked away shamefully. “I’m sorry I don’t have more. It’s a topic I avoided as much as I could…”

[Lust Subaru] patted his counterpart on the back. “It’s no problem, man. It’s good to know that if we don’t break the Cult at Pristella, they’ll move to attack the entire kingdom. As the King in an alternate reality, I can’t allow that!” he declared boisterously.

Subaru chuckled, noticing how both Garfiel and Rigel seemed inspired by the King’s words.

“In that case, could His Barusuness please explain how he fared against the Cult?” Ram asked. She sat on a sofa next to Rem, holding her hand. The Natsuki matriarch appeared calm, but the way she clung to her alternate sister with one hand and her son with the other betrayed her distress.

The King gave a small smile. “In the end, we did fend them off. But it was a bloody affair, and many innocents were hurt. It would be best if we could prevent that somehow.”

To everyone’s surprise, Frederica spoke next. “Roswaal-sama is bound to return from his meeting with the nobles tomorrow, along with Clind and Annerose. Any significant discussions about moving troops or materials should wait until then.”

When both [Greed Subaru] and [Lust Subaru] fell silent at her words, Frederica grew uneasy. “Is there a problem?”

The men shook their heads, though they remained pensive. The King offered a soft “It’s nothing,” then gestured for his counterpart to continue.

“That shouldn’t be a problem. We likely won’t require troop movements. Bringing more soldiers would mean protecting them as well, and it could rouse the Cult’s suspicions. Besides, the city already has sufficient manpower; we just need to use it correctly.”

[Greed Subaru] turned to address the room. Even the young Petra and Rigel appeared determined to succeed in the coming mission, despite their fear of what it entailed.

“Listen up. I know this sounds ambitious, but I have to say it: I don’t want a single person to die in that attack—not from our camp, nor anyone else’s, and certainly not among the civilians.”

When murmurs broke out, he raised his hands to silence them. His next words were final and resolute: “I know you have doubts, but I know it can be done. After all… I succeeded in doing just that in my home reality.”

The shock that followed was palpable. Exclamations of “How?” “Really?!” and “Amazing!” filled the room. Even [Lust Subaru] stood slack-jawed.

“But—but that… That’s impossible!” [Lust Subaru] stammered. “To achieve that, you must’ve… you must’ve…” Realization dawned on his face. “You—you—you…!”

A clash of emotions contorted his expression. Only the other two Subarus, who shared his name and the same terrible understanding, could fathom his thoughts.

“That must’ve been hell to accomplish,” he managed to push those words out his throat he finally said, his glare unwavering.

“Yes, it was. You have no idea.”

“I want to say I do, but…” The King relented, looking away. “Fine, fine. We’ll talk about this later.”

Privately.

It was impossible for either Subaru or [Sloth Subaru] to miss the subtext.

“When I faced the Cult in Pristella,” [Greed Subaru] continued undeterred, addressing the rest of the room, “I did not count with much time to prepare and gather a counterattack, and even so I managed what I did.”

His gaze swept across the room. “We on the other hand count with a miraculous month of time to prepare. I don’t mean to be overconfident, but I know that we can achieve the result I did, if not do better still.”

Silence reigned in the room once more as most lowered their heads, processing the information. All except one.

“Um, I know what you’re saying is a reaaally hard goal to achieve, but isn’t it something we obviously have to do?” Emilia’s gentle voice broke the silence, drawing everyone’s attention.

“O-of course, Emilia-tan! I’m sure my fellow [Subaru] here was just trying to calm our nerves,” Subaru said quickly. “Still, I understand where you’re coming from. That almost sounded like you doubted our resolve or something.”

[Greed Subaru] shook his head. “I only wanted to emphasize the gravity of the situation.” To everyone’s surprise, he smirked—a rare show of emotion. “I actually have no doubts about your conviction.”

Garfiel seized the moment to crack his knuckles. “Ha! Yer right ‘bout that! My amazin’ self’ll put ‘em all in the ground! I’m sure yer own [Garfiels] were essential t’ fightin’ them bastards at Pristella, right?”

Both [Subarus] replied with an “Absolutely,” though their tones differed. This only widened Garfiel’s smirk as he thumped his chest. “Just watch as my amazin’ self outdoes both ‘f ‘em!”

“That’s the spirit!” Subaru cheered.

“Um, I don’t mean to interrupt,” Otto interjected meekly but decisively, “but I believe we’re putting the cart before the dragon. We should first establish all the facts about the attack, then begin formulating plans.”

“Otto is right.” [Greed Subaru] used the opportunity to steer the discussion back on track. “Already, things are much different than in my reality. We can only hope these changes work in our favor. But we must remain cautious—some differences may not benefit us. Like Elsa.”

The mention of the assassin’s name sent a shiver through the room. Even Garfiel shrank slightly into his seat.

“Alrighty then.” [Lust Subaru] clapped his hands, attempting to lift the mood. “Let’s start with the most important info: the Archbishops and their crazy abilities.” Despite his upbeat tone, the tension in his voice betrayed his unease.

The two [Subarus] exchanged a glance before [Greed Subaru] began. “First, there’s Wrath.” He looked to the King for confirmation before continuing. “Her power allows her to share—or impose—feelings, sensations, and even physical wounds.”

“Luckily for us,” the King added, “there just so happens to be someone in the city who can counter her power. But just in case she isn’t, we should locate her as soon as possible.”

“It’s also worth noting that Wrath is a skilled and dangerous fighter,” [Greed Subaru] continued. “She wields chains as weapons and uses fire magic. This, combined with her ability to share her own wounds, makes her especially lethal.” He began writing down notes, mirrored by Otto and Frederica. Judging by the length of his notes compared to what he said, it was clear he was holding back details to save time.

“Oh, and one more thing—her name is Sirius. Sirius Romanee-Conti.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he murmured to Subaru, “Like the star.”

Before either Subaru or [Sloth Subaru] could respond to the cryptic comment, the King spoke up again.

“Next, there’s that Greed bastard,” [Lust Subaru] growled. “He’s a real pain in the ass. His power makes him completely invincible. Not even Reinhard could land so much as a scratch on him!”

The room collectively grimaced at the revelation.

“It’s as if he’s frozen in time,” [Greed Subaru] clarified. “Nothing can affect him, but he can wreak havoc on the environment in terrifying ways. His attacks are destructive and impossible to block.”

“Then how—” Subaru began, only to be interrupted by [Greed Subaru], who raised a hand to stop him.

“There’s still the most critical part. Regulus has fifty-three women hostages. He calls them his wives. They’re unable to fight back and are forced to submit to him, but their loyalty? Nonexistent.”

A stunned silence swept through the room, shattered by Subaru’s shocked exclamation.
“What the hell? Fifty-three?!”

“And I thought this so-called king was bad enough for double-timing his wife...” Rigel muttered, attempting a joke to lighten the absurdity of the revelation.

“Come on, there’s no way he could be that bad, Rigel-san,” Otto chimed in, seizing the opportunity to add levity. “Even someone like ‘His Majesty’ would only stretch himself as far as his two current wives!”

Most of the group chuckled; it was an unspoken truth that Subaru adored both Emilia and Rem with his whole heart. The idea of him going further than that felt ridiculous.

So why was [Lust Subaru] suddenly tugging at his collar?

“Ahem!” [Lust Subaru] cleared his throat loudly, cutting off the banter. “Anyway, those girls are innocent. We can’t just attack them like we would the rest of the cult.”

“Okay… but why would you even think we’d do that?” Subaru asked, his voice tinged with unease.

“It’s because of the way they’re tied to his power,” [Greed Subaru] explained. “Here, I’ll make it simple. His name is Regulus Corneas. Like the star.”

The emphasis on the name being the one of the stars wasn’t missed by Subaru this time either. He worked hard to try and decipher what he, meant by that, and why his name held such importance, just like the name of Sirius might.

“Regulus… the star…” he murmured, deep in thought.

[Sloth Subaru] interrupted his musings. “Regulus was also called the ‘Little King.’ And, just like the king here with his multiple wives, this guy seems to have a connection too. Is that the link?”

“Please don’t compare me to that maniac…” [Lust Subaru] muttered weakly, more disturbed than annoyed.

“Sorry, man. But am I on the right track?” [Sloth Subaru] asked.

[Greed Subaru] nodded. “Exactly. He’s like a warped reflection of the proper king here. . While our big man over here has a proper kingdom and multiple wives, our ‘Little King’ has an excessive number of hostages. And those hostages are what constitute his kingdom. His wives are his kingdom, and it’s them who are the key to his invulnerability.”

Otto frowned. “You mean… they’re somehow sustaining his abilities against their will?”

“Exactly. I don’t know if it’s the correct way to describe it, but it’s like they are forced to hold his heart themselves without knowing it, and this causes him to be almost frozen in time. As long as one of them is near him and her heart is beating, he will be invincible.”

Emilia’s voice trembled. “B-but then… how do we save those girls?” Her question reflected the growing despair in the room.

[Greed Subaru] turned to her with a small but firm smile. “Don’t worry too much, Emilia-san. You hold the key to saving them.”

“M-me?!” Emilia gasped, clearly taken aback.

“Emilia, you have the ability to freeze those girls temporally. Therefore, stopping their hearts until we can defeat him.”

Her eyes widened in horror, and she averted her gaze. “I-I don’t know if I can do that…” she stammered, clearly burdened by some unspoken fear.

Subaru leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “This is about your forest, right?” She whimpered but nodded hesitantly, meeting his gaze.

“Then you don’t need to worry, Emilia-tan!” he declared aloud. “If they’re saying you can do it, that’s because they’ve already seen you do it, right?” He turned to the others for confirmation.

“That’s right,” the king said with a thumbs-up. “And this time, we’ll even have time to train.”

[Greed Subaru] added, “Absolutely. I can’t speak too much of your abilities compared to the ones of my [Emilia], but with sufficient time you should be more than enough to accomplish this feat.”

“See? There’s nothing to worry about, Emilia-tan!” Subaru grinned reassuringly, prompting a small, relieved smile from her.

“With that settled, let’s move to the next archbishop,” the king suggested.

“Indeed. There’s only one left. Perhaps the most troublesome one,” [Greed Subaru] agreed. Both men exchanged knowing glances and then spoke simultaneously.

“The archbishop of Lust.”
“The archbishops of Gluttony.”

Both men blinked a looked to each other. A few awkward seconds passed in which the rest of the room didn’t comprehend what had happened until suddenly [Greed Subaru] leapt foward and grabbed the king’s shoulders.

“Gluttony?! You said archbishops of Gluttony, right?!” His intensity startled the king.

“Um… yeah, but it’s plural—there are two of them. Maybe three.”

“Are you completely certain! You- you faced Gluttony in Pristella?” He said shaking his shoulders. The king was a little stunned by the intensity of the usually unfazed man.

“Yes yes! I did! They were such a pain in the butt!”

“Tell me, what did they look like? You said there were two, right? Of course, there is goddamn two of them- But tell me how does that work? And what do you mean by maybe three? Do they share their powers or divide their abilities? Are they some kind of hive mind? Do they work better alone or as a team unit? And apart from erasing names and eating memories, what other abilities do they have? What is their fighting prowess? What would be their weaknesses? Who did you send to fight them? Who countered their abilities? Was it Reinhard? Or- or maybe-”

“STOP!” [Lust Subaru] shouted, breaking his tirade. “Listen, don’t go interrogating me like that! I couldn’t get a single word out! I know that you must be eager to get back to Gluttony, but let’s take it easy! In fact, I’m actually more surprised about what you told me about facing Lust! Shouldn’t you have killed that… that thing by now?”

[Greed Subaru] released the king and exhaled deeply, visibly reining in his emotions. He grasped at his pendant for a moment before looking up at the king again. “This is as I feared. Our realities share considerable differences. Differences that could be independent from our very actions and beings, and that make it difficult to truly know the future perfectly, even if we hail from it.”

“Wait, hold up!” Subaru raised his hand, his brow furrowed. “Are you saying that in your worlds, you each faced a different archbishop?”

The king nodded. “By the time of the Pristella attack, we’d already defeated Lust.”

“But I haven’t faced Lust at all,” Subaru admitted, confused. “I’ve only defeated Sloth.”

“I think it’s quite obvious that our worlds differ in ways we might not be conscious of. We should be careful to be cautious when advancing forward. Still…” He turned to the king. “That doesn’t mean we should also try to be ambitious. I wasn’t to capture Gluttony; I need to learn all the secrets I can from him so that I may wake [Rem] from her slumber. And what better way to accomplish that than by waking up another version of her?”

Subaru nodded silently, fully understanding the weight of his counterpart’s determination.

[Greed Subaru] sent a knowing look to Subaru, who calmed himself internally. It seemed his namesake had also been aware of his deep desire to hunt down Gluttony. If the king hadn’t already been shaken by him, Subaru was sure he would have jumped at the chance to shake the information out himself.

“Please tell me… If you defeated Gluttony, how… how did you manage to return everyone’s names and memories?” Subaru asked.

[Lust Subaru] looked downcast. “A few people had their names and memories eaten across different… different times.” He cast a small glance at each Subaru, pointedly giving them the hidden meaning behind his words. “But my [Rem] didn’t get her memories eaten, for example, and neither did my [Crusch]…”

It was clear the king’s timeline had altered greatly from theirs, and as such, many events were completely different. Subaru couldn’t even begin to express how much he wished that Rem had been awake and by his side.

“Even so, there should have been some kind of effect upon his defeat, I suppose,” Beatrice spoke, noticing her contractor’s sad demeanor.

The king nodded. “Yeah, we managed to defeat them both. I do believe that most people regained their names and memories, as well as waking up from the Sleeping Beauty state.”

His words instantly filled the room with hope, especially Subaru, who gripped Beatrice’s hand harder in joy.

“The way your ugly face is twisting tells me you have something more to say, Your Barusuness,” Ram remarked, breaking the cheerful mood that was forming. The king’s expression fell, and he avoided the eyes of the rest of the room.

“I… I know for a fact that a few of these people didn’t return… whole. A few had distorted memories, and others… no memories at all. I don’t know why that happens exactly, but…”

“I get it,” Subaru interjected. “But that doesn’t matter. As long as she is with us again, I don’t care if she loses her memories. If she’s able to speak and laugh with us again, then it’ll be alright.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Rem spoke as she passed Spica to her husband. “Rem is certain that things will end up alright. She is me, after all, and Rem knows that she will regain her place among all the people who love her, and love them in return once more.”

Despite being something most had grown used to seeing and hearing, the sound of Rem’s voice was still enough to send a shiver through both Subaru and [Greed Subaru]. Nevertheless, a wordless “Thank you” was exchanged between the two of them in unison.

“And um, before we move on to any other details, there is just one thing Rem would like to say.”

Rem turned to send a knowing look to Ram, who nodded in response. “Rem informed Ram of this, and she agreed that it could be an important matter. It involves… my Synesthesia.”

Everyone turned to look at Rem for an explanation. Even her husband appeared surprised by this sudden revelation.

“As you may know, Rem and her sister shared a connection through this Synesthesia that allowed us to share feelings and emotions,” Rem explained.

Of course, while all the Subarus were well-acquainted with such a thing, the rest of the room had either no idea what it was or had forgotten about it.

“When Ram met with Rem—my sister—she could comprehend that she truly was of the same blood as me thanks to it,” Ram spoke bitterly. “And when this Rem appeared… She could feel the same connection through Synesthesia. Except this was the first time she had emotions return through it.”

“That’s just something we used to do. I assume your sister did the same when she… when she was awake.” Rem’s face contorted in pain at seeing the reaction her words had on Ram. Even so, she continued. “But, despite now sharing that Synesthesia with Ram, Rem is completely incapable of establishing a connection with her other self.”

“You mean you can connect with Ram despite being from another world, but you can’t do it with Rem?” Otto asked.

Rem nodded and continued. “At first, we both believed this could be because she was… she was asleep, and that it was simply impossible to connect to her like Ram did. But then…”

“Just this morning, Rem approached me with an interesting discovery. After waking up, she detected something. Something that was similar to her connection through Synesthesia.”

“It feels like it’s quite far away from here, but even so, Rem can tell it’s just like the signal she feels now. There’s someone out there. And Rem believes it’s a version of nee-sama.”

“What th’—? Another Ram?!” Garfiel screamed. He wasn’t alone in his surprise, as most of the room erupted at the revelation.

“Are you sure about this, Rem-san? And do you also feel this signal from your Synesthesia, Ram-san?” Otto asked, trying to stop Garfiel from leaping around.

“Ram can feel the connection to both my sister and to Rem here. But just like Rem can’t detect my sister, I can’t detect the new presence. Still, Ram believes Rem.”

Rem stood up and pointed toward the direction her sense was guiding her to. “Yes. Rem is certain. And it’s coming from that direction. To the north of here.”

Frederica looked in that direction and calculated in her head. “But up far in that direction, there’s only…”

The freezing cold permeated everything.

It gnawed at his flesh and seeped into his very bones, an unrelenting chill that dominated his senses. His already scrambled thoughts were further assaulted by the merciless frost enveloping him entirely.

Was this death? Had he finally reached the end he so desperately sought? To meet his well-deserved rest at the hands of someone who still bore their colors?

But no. The agony of the cold, stabbing at his consciousness, reminded him that he still had a body. A cursed heart still beat within his chest.

He had been so close. So tantalizingly close. He could almost taste the wonderful feeling of freedom he was sure he had reached even if just for a second. The sensation of liberation still lingered in the back of his mind—the memory of those small, colorful hands tightening around his throat… Even now he could still feel them.

"Grgh...!"

The voice of his liberator entered his mind. Not the resolute voice he had heard when she delivered his supposed freedom, but something weaker, fragile.

He willed his eyes open. The effort felt like forcing apart two colossal iron gates. Every muscle resisted, screaming against the attempt. Yet, after an agonizing struggle, he succeeded. And what greeted him was both familiar and grounding.

Ram's face hovered before him, contorted in pure, unadulterated hatred. The sight brought an odd sense of reassurance.

“You! What did you do?!” Her voice cracked, both accusatory and raw with emotion.

With all the strength he could muster, he tore his eyes apart from Ram and gazed at where he currently was. He stretched his eyes as far as he could in the position he was and noticed the completely white scenery.

The icy air and biting snow confirmed his worst fear.

He had Returned by Death once more.

Even worse, he had returned far earlier than his last checkpoint. He was back at the frosty border between Lugunica and Gusteko—a cruel rewind to the beginning of his descent into darkness as the Purge King.

If things were to play out the same, he needed to act swiftly. Ram, drained and weakened from her chase, was in danger. She would soon exhaust herself entirely, risking her life.

Subaru reached for her arms—freezing cold and trembling, just like his own. Both Ram and he held some weakness to cold like this, but she should’ve been exhausted by all her expenditure of mana and long track chasing him. Just like last time he should overpower her and begin the long and arduous journey of gaining some source of mana to feed her.

But if that was the case… Why couldn’t he break her hold this time?

It dawned on him, with icy clarity, that this time was different. His strength was nowhere to be found. When they had struggled before, he had been exhausted, yes, but he still possessed the natural strength of his body. Now, he was frail—far weaker than he remembered being. Yet Ram’s strength, diminished as it was, felt more than enough to overpower him.

Her fingers tightened around his throat, and in a sudden surge of oni strength, she slammed his head into the snow. The shock numbed his senses further. The world blurred, and the numbing cold crept deeper into his being.

"R-Ram... w-wait..."

His feeble pleas were swallowed by the wind. She showed no sign of relenting. Her grip only grew more determined.

No matter…

Subaru's vision dimmed. He simply accepted his death. He would let her kill him, then he would loop back and try again. If his checkpoint had moved to this moment, then he would have to find a way to survive—one slow struggle at a time.

But then, just as he felt his vision fail and the lack of oxygen started to get to him, he heard a voice through the haze, a voice he couldn’t recall hearing before.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Ram’s grip faltered as something collided with her. He caught a fleeting glimpse of her surprised expression before his vision blackened completely.

“N-no… k-keep her… safe…” He muttered in impotence before passing out.

…

 “Hey. You’re finyally awake.”

The voice reached him again, softer this time, tinged with relief. Subaru groaned as awareness returned to him. His body felt heavy, as if weighted by the lingering cold.

Pushing his eyes was once more a herculean task. It was as if they had been frozen solid. But no, he found out that there was not a flick of snow in his person.

Warmth cradled him. His head rested on something soft— A lap, to be exact.

“Jeez. I was so worried! A few more seconds, and even I wouldn’t have been able to heal Subaru-sama.”

Subaru took a few seconds to stabilize his eyes, until the fog on them cleared and he could recognize that face.

Indeed, despite the fact that the person in front of him spoke warmly towards him, and had apparently gone as far as healing him and letting him rest on his lap, he had no recollection of ever meeting this person.

They possessed delicate, almost feline features, their feminine face framed by silver hair. Yet the black-and-white attire they wore marked them as a Royal Knight. This seemed to point as this mysterious person being contrary to his feminine looks—a man, albeit an effeminate one.

“Who—” Subaru caught himself. There were more pressing matters. “Where is Ram?! Tell me!”

The cat-like stranger blinked, then smiled softly, running a hand through Subaru’s hair. “Oh, her? She’s fine. Almost made me nyot want to heal her, though…”

Subaru didn’t let him finish. Grabbing the knight’s collar with what strength he had, he hissed, “Ram! What did you do to her?!”

The stranger remained unshaken. “Relax, Subaru-sama. I heard your words so she was healed despite everything. I was just a bit worried that she would get up again to attack Subaru-sama…. But that doesn’t matter now! I found you, I found you Subaru-sama! I was so certain I would be alone again…”

Subaru ignored the rambling demi human  and turned, his breath catching as he spotted her. Ram lay motionless in the snow, her vibrant colors standing out starkly against the sea of white. Once more, her color shone like a beacon calling to him.

He clumsily got of the lap of the catboy and plopped into the snow below. He made his way towards her colors, almost crawling until he reached her. Relief washed over him as he noted the faint rise and fall of her chest.

“She’s alive…” Subaru muttered.

Then another bout of fear struck him. She should’ve already woken up by now. Even if this catboy had said he healed her, he likely didn’t do anything to replenish her depleted mana, which could be deadly to the hornless oni.

“Her mana…” He weakly called out to the healer. “She needs to have her mana replenished. We… we have to find some mana stones quickly…”

He didn’t know how far the supposed loyalty towards this ‘Subaru-sama’ of the catboy extended, but at the very least, he would try to use it as best he could. In any other circumstance he would never do something as risky as trusting someone so suspicious in such a way, but he currently had no choice.

“Mana replenishment? I do think I can do it.” The catboy said casually, which gave Subaru another cause to place him under suspicion. Nevertheless, Subaru pointed at the forehead of Ram, where her horn’s wound was located. As if to prove his knowledge, the healer moved immediately and placed his hand over the wound as a light shone from his palm.

Subaru watched the process carefully for any sight of treachery. He had no wish to talk to this untrustworthy person who had forced himself onto the situation, but he spoke fist.

“Subaru-sama… can we talk now? He said now, completely serious. Subaru noted an almost sad tone in his voice.

“Did… did your plan succeed Subaru-sama? Did yours and His Majesty’s wishes come true?”

Subaru froze. The stranger’s words were a mystery to him. His plan? His Majesty? What was this person talking about?

Subaru had no idea what this man was talking about. His wishes? What did he know about his wishes? Still, he kept silent, which the healer saw as an opportunity to keep talking.

“The fire… I helped to stoke the fire, just as Subaru-sama ordered. When… when I realized I had been brought back from even that, I thought that surely, I would be alone again but… You’re here… Was this… part of your plan?”

Subaru analyzed him carefully. It was one thing that what he said made no sense to him. It was another thing if those things he was saying were supposed to be lies or not. Again, since he knew not of what he said, was it not clear that it was but a bunch of lies?

Still, since he didn’t know how to answer, Subaru decided to deflect the question.

“This mana replenishment, it’s not an ability many can do. I’m surprised you knew how to do it.”

He blinked at Subaru’s sudden question, but then eagerly answered it, nonetheless.

“Of course, Subaru-sama! You said so yourself, remember?  I’m the best healer that exists! This is natural for your Blue, after all.”

Finally, those words brought a shadow of recognition to Subaru. He had heard once or twice about a water magic user who held the title of Blue because of his extremely high affinity. He had never seen him, as apparently, he had vanished a few years ago.

If so, then that proved it. This demi-human was trying to pose as the Blue who had disappeared and had approached him with evil intentions in mind. It was simple. Just like everyone, he was a dirty, shameful liar-

“There, that should be enough to keep her stable, but not too much so that she doesn’t try and attack Subaru-sama again.”

Subaru quickly dismissed his thoughts and focused on Ram. Indeed, he could tell that the healer had done true to his word, and that she now looked in better shape. Her pale skin had at least regained a bit of it’s color, and she was now breathing more normally.

He reached for Ram and hugged her. If he lost her, then it truly would’ve been over. But she still was with him, the one who would never lose her colors was with him.

Studently, he felt something force itself against his hand.

“Your Blue did a good job didn’t he?” It was the so-called Blue, reaching his own head against Subaru’s now open palm. He involuntarily patted the catboy’s head, and doing so apparently released a tension that even Subaru didn’t notice the demi-human had been holding.

“Yes… If this is part of Subaru-sama’s plan, then I’m sure it will help towars His Magesty’s wishes as well. Just like always…”

The catboy almost purred at his touch. It was an incredible sight, and for Subaru, an extremely lucky break.

“Blue, come with me. We’re moving south. We have to get Ram out of the cold. If I need you to replenish her mana again, you’ll do so, alright?”

“Of course, Subaru-sama!” Blue cried out in eagerness at the chance to serve his master. The fact that his questions had been so harshly ignored didn’t seem to register at all to him.

Blue moved forward to try and raise Ram from the ground, but Subaru harshly slapped him away.

“No… I’ll carry her.”

Blue looked at him worriedly, but Subaru paid him no heed. He used what little strength he could muster and lifted up Ram. No matter how much Blue was willing to help and how weak he himself was at the moment, he would never hand Ram to him or anyone like that.

As he began to walk with slow and heavy steps, Blue took the initiative and led the way. And as he held the last piece of color of this world while he walked, Subaru finally had the chance to truly do the only thing he was good at. Analyzing things and planning.

He thought he had Returned by Death to a very old checkpoint, but that idea had been sorely crushed.

The colorful clothes that hanged on Ram’s frail form where the ones he had given to her, not her maid clothes that she had when she had chased him until she could move no more.

Besides, his own clothes were the ones he had at the moment of his demise. Though he notably couldn’t notice any blood from the stab he had received, or any marks of having received one at all.

He immediately thought of his supposed benefactor Blue. It was clear he was the key to all of this. His miraculous apparent survival from what should’ve been the complete destruction Pandemonium and his destined death.

Had he healed them? Had he been the one to somehow elude the likes of Reinhard and all the others who encircled his organization? Why did he act like he knew him?

Of course, there was one thing that was clear. This man was a liar. He may call himself ‘Blue’, but he was as colorless as everyone else.

His apparent loyalty may have seemed genuine, but Subaru knew better. Everyone lied. This whole thing may be simply the plot of someone seeking revenge for his actions as the Purge King, and now he was simply torturing him.

And even if it wasn’t, it was clear he lied. Just like everyone else, he would continue lying while he still lived. Although his lying was more outrageous than most. Such bareface lying was simply screaming of an incredible stupidity… or incredible confidence.

Yet the lies still rang true. He saw in him someone he wasn’t. He called him his master despite never once having met before. Just like before.

“I’ll never… be fooled twice…” He spoke his promise to himself softly.

It was almost painfully similar. Oh, how he called him master. How he placed his head on his lap. How kind and helpful he acted despite wishing him great harm. It was a clear case of a person deciding to grow close to him despite obviously possessing hidden hatred and self-interest. He was all smiles and catlike purrs now, but soon he will show his hatred and murderous intent. Just like before. Just like her. A liar.

He would follow him. And make use of him. He will do all that as long as he is needed. And when he finally can get by without him, he would simply have him disappear. Like all the other liars.

“But then, that would mean…” Subaru began, his voice laced with dawning realization as he sought clarity for himself and the room. “There’s another [Ram] out there! And if the signal is far away, does that mean people from other worlds are appearing outside the mansion’s vicinity?”

[Sloth Subaru] stepped forward, standing beside Rem, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “If my wife says it, then it must be true. We should probably send someone to find that [Ram]—and maybe anyone else who’s with her.”

“It could very well be the [Ram] from my world,” [Greed Subaru] proposed, his tone calculating.

“Or perhaps my [Ram],” added [Lust Subaru], his expression coy.

Ram, ever disdainful, crossed her arms with a smirk of pure derision. “Having multiple Barusus addressing me as theirs is enough to make me sick. And hearing it from such a vile animal like His Barusuness? Truly revolting.” She punctuated her statement with an exaggerated gag, earning a playful scowl from [Lust Subaru], who stuck out his tongue in response.

“In that case, we should hurry,” Ram declared, her voice steady despite the mockery. “If that [Ram] hasn’t properly trained her Barusu, then it falls upon me to teach her how it’s done.”

“I agree. We need to find this [Ram] as soon as possible. Considering the risks, she might be with someone dangerous—like that Elsa...” [Sloth Subaru] shuddered at the thought, his expression grim. “The faster, the better.”

“My amazin’ self’ll go,” Garfiel volunteered, cracking his knuckles with confidence. “If there’s anyone dumb enough to mess with her, I’ll just beat ‘em to a pulp!”

“No, you shouldn’t. I think you’re all being too hasty,” [Greed Subaru] interjected, his measured tone immediately drawing the attention of the room.

“Hoeh?! What’d ya say, ya bastard?!” Garfiel growled, grabbing him roughly by the shirt.

[Greed Subaru] raised his hands in surrender, his demeanor unruffled. “Think about it, Garf. Right now, we’re in a moment of transition. We need to tread carefully. Who knows what dangers could’ve been brought over from our worlds? One wrong step, and we might make a mistake we can’t fix.”

“An’ we should just leave that [Ram] alone? With somethin’ like that bitch crawlin’ ‘round again?”

“Of course not,” [Greed Subaru] replied firmly, brushing off Garfiel’s grip as he straightened his shirt. “But sending you alone isn’t the answer either. We need a proper team—and therein lies the problem.”

The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.

“It’s as I feared,” he continued. “More people appearing means more unknown variables we have to deal with. If more and more people that we need to contact appear from other worlds like this, we’ll soon be overwhelmed.”

“Perhaps we could establish a network,” Otto suggested, his voice steady. “Something to identify people from other worlds and direct them our way.”

“A good idea for later,” [Greed Subaru] acknowledged. “But we can’t derail this meeting to focus on that just yet. Is there any way we could dispatch scouts in the meantime? Even without Roswaal’s approval?”

Frederica raised her hand. “If it’s urgent, we could send some orders to have some people try and find her in that direction. I’m sure the master will understand the need once he arrives.”

[Greed Subaru] nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Now, before we return to discussing the Witch’s Cult or who will lead this search party, there’s one more thing I must ask.” His gaze sharpened as he addressed Subaru. “Tell me—this Clind you spoke of. Is he the butler of Annerose?”

“Hmm? Yeah, that’s him. Don’t you know him?” Subaru asked, tilting his head in confusion.

[Greed Subaru] looked away briefly, his expression unreadable. “Oh, I know him. I know him all too well. Are you and he… on good terms?”

“Yeah, I’d say so. He’s part of our camp. He helped teach me parkour and is kind of like my trainer.”

“Well, Clind can be really weird,” Emilia chimed in, “but he’s still a good guy.”

Subaru clicked his fingers. “Oh, right! You’re probably worried about how he’ll act with Spica, huh? Don’t worry—I’ll make sure he doesn’t step out of line.”

“No, that’s not it,” [Greed Subaru] replied, his voice growing quieter. He looked around the room, gauging their reactions carefully. “It’s just that when he arrives…” A small smile crept onto his face, and with chilling calmness, he declared, “He will attempt to kill me.”

While [Greed Subaru] didn’t gain pleasure from exposing his superior knowledge to people like Echidna did, even he had to admit the outrage that erupted in the room was indeed an entertaining sight to behold.

Chapter Text

For a man that could achieve the incredible feat of flying, traveling in a carriage was a pleasant, if not boring, activity. Although even Roswaal had an image to maintain, as skewed as that seemed.

Accompanying Annerose to a meeting with some nobles was an interesting experience. The young noble girl simply had to appear and not cause any trouble, a task that she did admirably, to her credit.

Now, he could simply bide his time and… enjoy the scenery while they made their way to her manor. Only after losing his Tome of Wisdom did he realize how much idle time he had ever since he could no longer zealously read over its guiding words again and again.

And he couldn’t even engage in conversation with young Annerose, who slumbered peacefully in her carriage while Clind was the one driving. Of course, despite having known the butler for many lifetimes' worth of time, he was never one to engage in conversation with him.

But this time, something seemed to bother him.

“There appear to be multiple uninvited guests in the mansion, Roswaal-sama. Intruders.”

As Clind wasn’t one to simply lie in his claims, there was no reason for Roswaal to distrust his words.

“Intruders? Are our dear resident’s in daaaanger?” Despite his playful way of speaking, Roswaal was already getting up and ready to literally fly into action at any moment.

“No, there doesn’t seem to be anything like that. It’s just that the nature of these intruders… they feel… There’s no good way to say it. Troublesome.”

It was an extremely rare case to see Clind so… bothered, as he was now. “That soul… within that pendant… Evil.” He spoke softly.

With those harrowing words tainting the air, the carriage steadily made its way towards the mansion. Roswaal felt a sense of unease unlike few times before. What could possibly be in his mansion to have Clind look so distressed?

Once more, he felt the dark hole that his Tome of Wisdom had left in him. It was a bit pathetic of him, he had to admit. He had dealt with plenty of challenges with his own judgment and without the Tome’s wisdom, and he had spent nearly a full year without its influence.

Still, something was making him nervous about what he would encounter at the manor.

The carriage stopped. Clind stepped down and opened the doors. As Annerose awoke from her nap, Roswaal quickly hurried outside. As the butler stopped to haul the young lady outside, he reached for the door, where the familiar sight of Ram waited for him.

“Welcome back, Roswaal-sama.” She welcomed him while bowing.

Roswaal smiled. Having her greet him so warmly did much to put him at ease. But before he could return the greeting, Ram quickly moved forward and spoke to him.

“Ram is terribly sorry, but while you were away, we had some unexpected visitors…”

Roswaal shot a small glance at Clind. He gave a small nod but otherwise seemed completely transfixed on whoever could be in the mansion. But then suddenly, his gaze was taken somewhere else, and his face contorted in shock.

“…Impossible…”

Roswaal turned around to see the source of his surprise. Alas, while Roswaal was ready to encounter many things, what he was presented with was absolutely not even the closest thing to what he expected.

“Welcome back home, Roswaal-sama.”

Because standing at the doors in greeting was a girl he knew should not be there, standing in greeting. As it appeared, the sleeping beauty had awoken.

“We have a lot to speak about, Roswaal-sama,” Ram gravely spoke as she hurried him inside.

“My, what a… troublesome situation…” Roswaal spoke truthfully, with none of his usual flair in his voice.

None could really blame him, for the curious sight of the current room would make anyone pause and try to take it all in.

“This is insane… there’s four of them…” Little Annerose muttered. The situation was so great that she too had to be awoken to get up to date with all their new acquaintances.

Sitting beside her, Emilia tried her best to calm her little friend’s worries. Clind was placed carefully beside her, inspecting everyone in the room. Still, everyone else seemed to be a little bit amused by the shock they were going through.

They were taken now to a meeting room that had been somewhat repurposed as a room for strategizing. Maps were sprawled around, and plenty of notes were also everywhere. In addition, a few sketches of scary-looking people he could not recognize were placed around the room. And if what he had heard correctly was true, then all this information related to plans for the future.

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” [Lust Subaru] spoke, breaking the ice. “Nice to see you again, Roswaal.”

They had briefly introduced themselves and their situation as best they could, but it still wasn’t something easy to swallow.

Roswaal turned to stare at the king, almost dumbfounded. It was a hilarious sight for many, to see the man who had always appeared to be one step ahead in any conversation now looking so out of it.

Nevertheless, he was still skilled enough to regain his usual expression when turning to face [Lust Subaru]. “The pleasure is all miiine, Your Majesty. To think there exists a world where Subaru-kun becomes the king of this country… well, isn’t that simply increeedible?”

“You must be catching up to speed if you’re joking around again…” Subaru spoke as he sat with Beatrice.

Roswaal simply smirked but continued to speak with the king.

“More importantly, your words seem to imply I’m not around in the future after you assume the throne, am I riiiight?”

[Lust Subaru] blinked before smiling a little. “You really are as sharp as ever, huh?”

“Well, it wasn’t so difficult to deduuuce.” He gestured to his arm. “Thanks to this.”

There, sitting next to him and fiercely holding onto his arm, was Ram. As he turned to look at her, she fixed him with an even fiercer gaze.

“Not only this, but she has been overly harsh with me since I arrived. And since you appear to come from the future, I simply assumed that your future me did something she disliked.”

“This is only natural from Ram after hearing how Roswaal-sama simply abandoned everyone in the future. That… that wasn’t—”

Roswaal put a finger on her lips to silence her. “I understand. Don’t worry too much about it. He and I are different people. I promise.”

Ram kept her cold stare but then simply sighed. “Very well. Just be aware that Ram will be keeping a closer eye on Roswaal-sama moving forward.”

“Well,” the king spoke again, “for all we know, your Roswaal is indeed different from mine. Even he and my [Ram] were never as close as you two seem to be.”

“Ram doesn’t care what that disgrace of a [Ram] seems to be doing—that she let both that [Roswaal] disappear and His Barusuness ascend the throne and doom the entire nation.”

While Ram continued to dismissively make fun of the king, Roswaal simply sighed. The more time one spent analyzing the situation, the less sense it all made. The best thing he could come up with was how they could proceed going forward, and ever since his Tome was destroyed, it was also his weakest link.

When he had counted on his Tome, he had obviously made sure to read ahead as far as he was allowed. That information proved useful, if not dubious, since its written words and the world had deviated so much from what should’ve happened.

But now, he had definitive proof that the world he longed for could never be returned to him. This deviation was so bizarre and far-fetched that he doubted even the Tome of Wisdom would have been able to predict it. Even so, he still wished he had its words to rely on for comfort.

“Grrrr… Can we get this whole issue over with? We gotta get t’ that other [Ram], ain’t got time fer worthless chit-chat!”

While his eagerness was admirable, it was very clear that Garfiel was also very annoyed at the clear display of affection between Ram and Roswaal.

Frederica tried to calm her brother down. “Now, now, Garf, I know you’re worried, but that’s no way to—”

“No, he’s right. Even if I would looooove to properly settle down, we have to make helping this other [Ram] our top priority.”

Clapping his hands to bring the tension back to him, [Greed Subaru] took a couple of papers from a large stack next to him. “The expedition team has already been decided, and the preparations are complete,” he said as he handed Roswaal one of the papers. “We went ahead and arranged it, as well as many other things that need to be prepared. All that’s left is for you to sign it.”

[Greed Subaru] glanced at the large stack of papers, and Roswaal couldn’t help but sigh. He took the paper and read about this little expedition of theirs.

Unexpectedly, Garfiel was spearheading the trip. Because she was the one who could detect the hidden connections, Rem was also going. The next pick was a bit surprising.

“You are also going? That’s quite a surpriiiiiise,” Roswaal said, gesturing to [Sloth Subaru].

“I can’t be going and leaving my wife on a dangerous trip alone, can I, Ros-chi?” Then he took Rigel and pushed him against himself while showing him off. “And if you’re worried about the kids, then don’t be. They’ll find some fun to have here. And with how clingy Rigel is, I doubt anything bad will happen to my beloved Spica.”

“I see. And to help in case of any more magical disturbances, my Suuuubaru-kun and Beatrice are also accompanying you.”

“Don’t call me your Subaru. But yes, we are.” Subaru affirmed.

Roswaal kept his gaze fixed on him for a moment before glancing at the maid hanging onto his arm and speaking.

“Take Ram with you too. She should be useful in case you need to convince her counterpart.”

“B-but Roswaal-sama—!” the maid tried to protest.

“You know I’m right, Ram. Can you truly say this other you will not cause a few complications for our little party?”

Ram stood silent for a moment before giving a long sigh. “Indeed, Barusu wouldn’t be able to handle the difficult task of dealing with a delicate flower like Ram, even if she is another [Ram]. Doubly so when there’s two Barusus in the mix. Very well, Roswaal-sama. Ram will also go.”

“U-um… I also want to go…” Emilia’s meek voice cut through.

“We already discussed this, Emilia. This is supposed to be a mission carried out by a small team. Besides, if we send too many of our fighters, we could end up exposed here,” [Greed Subaru] rebuked her coldly.

“B-but Roswaal and Clind just got here! They should be more than enough to protect the manor!” Emilia pleaded. Unfortunately, her cries were directed at the only Subaru who was unmoved by her plight.

Subaru moved to try and say something to Emilia, but Rem spoke before he could.

“Emilia-sama, if both Rem and Darling won’t be around to take care of the children, Rem hopes you can help while we are gone.”

Emilia struggled for an answer before dejectedly nodding. “F-fine, Rem. I’ll look after them!”

Subaru took the opportunity and sat next to Emilia. “We’ll be fine, Emilia-tan. I promise.”

Emilia pouted but nodded. “Hmm… Fine, Subaru… you dunderhead.” She reached and grabbed his arm. “But when you return, promise me that you’ll spend some time with me.”

Subaru couldn’t help but blush. “O-of course, Emilia-tan! I’ll be looking forward to it!”

“Well, now that that’s been taken care of, we should moooove to some more pressing issues,” Roswaal spoke. Everyone agreed and moved to finish their preparations.

“Alright. That should be everything. We’re ready to leave first thing in the morning,” [Sloth Subaru] said, clapping his hands.

“So, we’re one hundred percent certain this… division is the best way we can do things?” Subaru asked.

“Listen, I know you also want to have Emilia travel alongside you, but she needs to continue her training,” [Greed Subaru] sharply shut him down.

“Besides, she’s a strong girl. She’ll be fine. Again, it’ll probably be her doing all the protecting around here,” [Lust Subaru] reaffirmed.

“Yeah, yeah. That’s very reassuring, considering you are one of the reasons I’m worried about her,” Subaru harrumphed.

“Oh man, are you worried that I might do something to her? Me?” The king said in mock pain.

“Yes! You are, in fact, not a very reassuring sight to have around my Emilia!” Subaru said, clenching his fists.

“Oh, don’t be such a drama queen. Listen, I know I don’t have the best record, but I’m not that kind of person. I promise.”

“Fine, fine,” Subaru sighed. “I believe you. I don’t think even I could be that big of a scumbag. Uh, I mean you.” He quickly corrected himself. “But that’s not all of it. You’re not the only reason I have to be worried.” He said, giving a pointed look to [Greed Subaru].

“You better not push her too hard or do anything that may put her or anyone in the mansion at risk, alright?”

“You know, this new possessiveness of yours is surprising. I had you pinned as someone more relaxed in this sort of thing,” [Greed Subaru] said, which took Subaru out of his stride.

“Believe me, this is nothing like the worst I could get in that regard,” Subaru said, but quickly added, “Still, I do trust them. It’s just that… well, can you blame me? I mean, with you being… you. No offense.”

“None taken,” [Greed Subaru] responded to Subaru’s awkward remark.

“Besides, we’re supposedly leaving her here with Clind, who apparently could be an enemy…” Subaru didn’t hide his doubts about the claim that Clind was an enemy.

“Well, that’s what all of us who stay here will try to prove,” [Lust Subaru] spoke. “I have my own doubts as well, but I have to admit that Clind was always someone… strange. In more ways than one.”

“That doesn’t matter now. We’ll get all our answers tomorrow, from his own mouth. He deserves that much,” Subaru affirmed. Then, he turned to [Greed Subaru] with an accusing glare.

“But there’s still one more thing. You promised to tell us the reason why he would wish to attack you. We’re all alone here. There’s no better time.”

Despite being put on the spot, [Greed Subaru] didn’t even flinch as he produced the pendant that usually hung around his neck.

“It’s because of this little thing. Or rather, because of what’s housed in it.”

“Yeah, that thing. You mentioned it was important once or twice. Does it house a spirit like Puck? Is that why Clind wants to attack you?”

[Greed Subaru] did another of his creepy smirks. “You’re right on both ends. Except what this little pendant holds is not exactly what I would describe as a spirit. Unless it’s some kind of evil spirit, in which case you’d be mostly right. It’s a little pendant I got in this little tomb once.”

Flashes of recognition spread across both Subaru and the King.

“Um, sorry, I’m not really following here,” [Sloth Subaru] admitted after seeing how his counterparts reacted. “What exactly is inside?”

“Echidna, the Witch of Greed.”

…

“T-that ain’t funny… Not one bit…” Subaru nearly choked.

“Echidna? Where have I—Wait… That’s the name of Ana’s... A-and [Emilia] told me that she… that she…” [Lust Subaru] similarly seemed to be piecing the information together. “O-of course! I… I knew you were crazy after what you did at Priestella… but that’s why…”

“Wait… who? The Witch of what?”

Subaru blinked out of his daze at [Sloth Subaru]’s blissful ignorance.

“The Witch of Greed. I never got the chance to meet the real one, but Emilia—my [Emilia]—met her spirit when she entered her tomb in Sanctuary,” the king proceeded to explain.

“Wait. Sanctuary? Isn’t that where Garfiel and Frederica lived?” [Sloth Subaru] asked.

“Yes, but honestly, that’s not important right now,” the king dismissed his worries. Regrettably, despite having multiple days to converse with each other, it was impossible to expect the otherworlders to catch up with every detail, even if they were very important.

“What’s important is that if what [Emilia] and… and some other sources say is true, then she is not exactly someone to be trusted. And now we find our friend here just has her hanging around his neck…” [Lust Subaru] stared cautiously at the pendant in which Echidna was housed.

Surprisingly, it was Subaru who now looked confused. “Wait, you haven’t met… No, you’re right, that’s not important.” He quickly went back on track. “Erm, should’ve asked this first but… can she hear us, like, right now?”

[Greed Subaru], who had so far not said anything else as they explained what the witch was to [Sloth Subaru], took a second to examine all their faces before responding. “No. She is… asleep at the moment.”

Subaru breathed a sigh of relief before turning his furious gaze upon [Greed Subaru] again.

“You know, this may also come as a surprise, but I actually have also met Echidna. Directly.”

“Y-you did?! You entered the Tomb? How?!” [Lust Subaru] exclaimed in complete surprise.

“It’s a long story, but I’m betting that it was the same way he did, and where he got that little pendant of his,” Subaru confirmed. “And yeah, I’ll also say that whatever you heard about her, she’s worse. Much, much worse.”

[Sloth Subaru] looked uncertainly at the other two and how they cautiously stared at that little stone. “Well? What do you have to say about that matter?”

“They’re right. On all accounts,” [Greed Subaru] didn’t even blink at their accusations.

“You think this is funny? That… that witch… she may sound helpful, but she’s not human in the slightest!” Subaru nearly screamed.

“Oh, trust me. I know that all too well.”

“You-!” Subaru flinched away at seeing how serious he was. “This… this is a dangerous game you’re playing.”

Again, [Greed Subaru] simply smiled, undisturbed.

“Hey, want to know how many times I’ve died?”

“H-huh?” Subaru was once more completely thrown off track.

“Come on, guess.” He was basically taunting them. This even managed to get the king angry too.

“You- This isn’t the time to be playing around-!”

“Yeah, giving the exact number might be too hard. Here’s a hint. Start at around… one hundred million. That would be appropriate.”

“…” Everyone in the room went completely silent. Their mouths hung wide open.

“One hundred… …million,” [Sloth Subaru] muttered in complete shock at the amount.

“…” The rest couldn’t even manage that much. [Greed Subaru] stood in silence while the others came to terms with what he said.

A few moments passed in complete silence, though it felt as if entire hours had passed. Finally, Subaru regained enough of his senses to speak.

“Y-you… a-are you-”

“Insane?” [Greed Subaru] completed for him. This, however, caused Subaru to break free from his stupor.

“STUPID!” he screamed. “What were you thinking? Why would you ever choose to put yourself through that?”

“You mean you wouldn’t?” [Greed Subaru] calmly fired back.

“If I had no choice!” Subaru admitted without missing a beat. “But for you to reach such a high number means you must’ve done it voluntarily!”

Subaru took a breath. Then he glared at the pendant again. “And that thing is proof of it.”

“She forced you to follow that path, didn’t she?” Subaru growled. “And you accepted to become her little guinea pig.”

“Yes, I did.”

Silence dawned on them again after his response. “I should punch you for being so stupid…” Subaru muttered.

“Would that make you feel better? If so, go ahead,” [Greed Subaru] opened his arms, offering himself so he could do just that.

“I- That’s not going to do anything. You don’t even see the problem…” Subaru’s shoulders dropped in defeat.

[Greed Subaru] waited for a few seconds before sighing and dropping his arms back into his normal stance. “This problem, as you see it, is that I took a choice. One that clearly you also had the opportunity to take.”

Subaru blinked twice at his words. [Sloth Subaru] turned to look at him with a concerned face.

“Is… is that true?”

“Yes… I have,” Subaru closed his eyes. He didn’t particularly like to remember his time with the Witch of Greed. “And I did get a chance to… to make a deal with Echidna. But I never took it.”

“But you considered it,” [Greed Subaru] accused. “Don’t try to deny it. I know you did.”

“Don’t go making assumptions about our lives, you bastard,” Subaru grumbled, but his anger quickly evaporated, and his head dropped. “But… I did.”

Both [Sloth Subaru] and the king turned to him in shock and interest. “I was at the end of my rope. I thought there was no other way out, and that witch is very good at presenting her point. But even so, I declined it.”

“And you managed to push through anyway,” [Sloth Subaru] said with a smirk.

“Yeah, I did,” Subaru smiled in kind and turned to point a finger at [Greed Subaru]. “And that’s why I know better than anyone why taking that deal was a bad idea.”

“A bad choice, you mean,” [Greed Subaru] responded without missing a beat. “And that’s only according to you. It was my choice to make, and I judged it the most beneficial. And I stand by that. It allowed me to save many lives. No, not many. Every single person in Priestella, and even beyond. There hasn’t been a person whom I met that I wasn’t able to save. And thanks to that, I don’t regret my choice even now.”

[Lust Subaru] took his chance and moved forward to try and settle things down. “Listen, I get what you’re saying. We have a special power, so we try and save people. And that’s fine. But… well, to put it simply, we aren’t supposed to try and play God.”

For the first time, [Greed Subaru] flinched at what the king said.

“We can try and help people, but the way you do it, you’re basically deciding that everything must be perfected. It was obvious from the way you have acted this far with us, carefully declining even the most minute detail… Changing fate and saving people is one thing, but you’re trying to perfect every last detail. It wouldn’t surprise me if you died to perfect some minute error or know some irrelevant information like the weather.”

When [Greed Subaru] tensed up again, the king grimly realized that his far-fetched theory was actually spot on. “N-no way…”

“I really should punch you…” Subaru grumbled. “Listen up, you bastard! Who do you think you are to completely decide the fate of every single thing? Who do you think you are to decide who lives and dies?”

[Greed Subaru] clenched his fists. For the first time since their conversation, genuine emotions came through his face.

“Lack of self-awareness is a bad trait, you know?”

Both Subaru and the king were taken aback by the sudden declaration.

“After all, you two are as guilty of that as me. Have you not considered it thus far? That for you to reach this point, you two must have done what you are accusing me of. To become king, did you not have to sacrifice yourself in order to both reach the throne and save your wives?”

[Lust Subaru] flinched, but [Greed Subaru] wasn’t nearly close to done.

“Perhaps what you did was worse. I tried to save every single person, but you two? You decided to leave those that you didn’t care about and only focused on what you could save. You’re choosing between lives. Who to save, who to let die, based on your own whims. And you dare describe me as playing God?”

“B-but… we aren’t deciding to leave people behind on purpose, I haven’t done any of that!” Subaru fired back, but when he turned to look at the king, he realized that his words had a greater effect on him. [Greed Subaru] also noticed and capitalized on it.

“In Priestella, you let the citizens die as you saw fit. You didn’t go back to save them, only focusing on those that you cared about,” he scoffed, turning to Subaru. “And you. You let Elsa die, despite the fact you could’ve saved her. Does that not mean you did indeed leave someone behind on purpose?”

“B-but that’s the point!” The king got his wits back. “I’m not trying to play God like you are! I save those that I can save!”

“But with your power, you could save everyone. You simply decided not to do it. You decided to take the easy path and leave those who you considered lost to their own fate.”

As the two of them seemed unwilling to back down, and before things escalated, [Sloth Subaru] threw himself in the middle of them.

“Alright, everyone! Let’s settle down. Fighting among ourselves won’t fix anything. Let’s take it calmly. Realize what you are talking about. It’s about saving people. I have to admit that I find the thought of dying so many times to be horrifying, but it’s also admirable that you did it to save the lives of others.”

He turned to the other two. “And no one is going to blame you for choosing not to save everyone. At the end of the day, you should also be able to smile next to the ones you saved. So, there’s no shame in deciding how to act, because even if it’s admirable, it is true that playing God can be a dangerous game.”

He turned his head to inspect the three others. “So, can we try to talk things out?”

Surprisingly, it was [Greed Subaru] who backed down first. “You’re right. This is indeed not the right time for this. I apologize. It’s just…” He sighed. “I- I never intended to play God. All I simply wanted was to be someone that [Rem] would’ve been proud of after I… after I failed her. I just couldn’t bear the thought of failing again.”

Silence once more fell over the room. Simply put, Subaru couldn’t find the appropriate words to speak about that sensitive topic. A topic that brought fresh pain to him too.

Luckily, [Sloth Subaru] wasn’t done. “Hey man, listen, I understand you’re going through a lot, but there’s something I need to tell you…” He reached over to [Greed Subaru] and put a hand around his shoulders.

“That’s my wife you’re talking about, you punk.”

“…”

[Greed Subaru] looked him dead in the eye at his terrible attempt at a joke. The other two also fixed their unimpressed gazes on him. And yet…

“Heh…” [Greed Subaru] chuckled. A genuine chuckle. Again, one more on the list of new expressions that they had managed to bring to his face. “Right… I’ll keep it in mind.”

“So, what do you two say? Are you willing to let this slide?”

Subaru sighed. He felt extremely tired. Discussing with himself was an incredibly taxing activity, it seemed.

“You’re an idiot, and we’re going to keep you on a leash, but you’re still one of us.” Subaru looked at the king, and they both got closer to [Greed Subaru]. “We’re still all in this together; we still have the same goal. We did things differently and are going to continue doing that, but as long as we can understand each other, it should be fine.”

“I mean, how hard can it be? We’re all supposed to be the same person, right?” [Lust Subaru] added, smiling. “Your methods made you save a lot of people at the cost of somehow making your—our—face even uglier than usual. As payment for all you’re going to do for us, let’s see if we can brighten it up, even if it’s just a little.”

“Then the only problem left would be Clind.” Subaru sighed. “Knowing the reason that he attacked you, I can’t really blame him… Well, hopefully, we’ll be able to convince him. If not, then…”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we have to,” the king reassured.

“Well, we already wasted a lot of time. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m leaving on an important mission tomorrow, so I have to rest as much as I can,” [Sloth Subaru] said, yawning. “Let’s leave it here for today.”

“Fine. Just remember, since I’m the one staying here, I’ll be responsible for you,” [Lust Subaru] said as he turned and left. [Sloth Subaru] soon followed.

“…” Subaru stayed a little bit longer, which [Greed Subaru] noticed.

“Something else you want to add? You’re the only one who’s actually met her, so I can understand why you would be somewhat reserved.”

“N-no, it’s just that…” Subaru sighed. “Actually, yes. There’s one thing I want to ask you.”

Seeing [Greed Subaru] simply cross his arms, Subaru went ahead.

“I… I want to know something. Perhaps it’s because I have the benefit of knowing something you didn’t, something that made you go ahead with the contract… And I’d like to believe that I- that you wouldn’t accept it under any circumstances if you knew. Maybe it’s just me thinking too highly of myself- of ourselves, I mean. That we would never—”

“I get it,” [Greed Subaru] cut him off. “Please, just cut to the point.”

“Fine, but you won’t like it. Not one bit.” Subaru took a deep breath. “Tell me, did Echidna ever talk about ‘That Person’ to you?”

Subaru knew immediately that he had caught his interest. He knew because even he could tell, despite that face of his. [Greed Subaru] didn’t say anything, so Subaru took the chance to continue.

“I knew it… Listen up. What I’m about to say will change everything. Considering what you’ve done, it’ll likely hurt you… a lot. But I have to say it.”

Again, he turned to see him, and for the first time since they met, Subaru could see exactly what he was thinking through those eyes of his.

And he was pleading with him to continue.

“You see, the truth about That Person is that…”

“NO ONE!? YOU LEFT HER WAITING FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS FOR NO ONE!?”

He screamed with all his might, the same words he had been screaming for who knew how long. The distortion of time here could have made it anywhere from hours to even weeks. And even then, he would have considered the time he spent punishing her too short for what she deserved.

Echidna lay there on the ground, unresponsive for the whole time he had unleashed his anger on her, after he returned to destroying the already splintered table, tea sets, and whatever else he could get his hands on in this fake reality. Considering everything, it was like screaming at a wall. A wall he had done his best to damage.

This had not been the first time he had attacked Echidna during his mental breaks. This was something of a usual routine for them, despite how messed up it looked. In fact, it had been one of the ‘benefits’ of their contract in the first place.

But truly, had he known what he knew now, he would never have accepted the contract, no matter what benefits there were.

“And you predicted that too, didn’t you? You kept it secret so I would take that damn contract!”

For a moment, he took the opportunity to glance at his handiwork. At the very least, every time he had attacked her before, he had the decency to feel bad for his terrible acts afterwards.

But this time was different. He didn’t feel sorry for what he did, nor did he think she didn’t deserve what he had done to her.

“So, are you satisfied now?” Echidna’s voice came from out of nowhere, certainly not from her mouth, which could not have produced any sound other than perhaps weak moans in the pitiful state it was in.

[Greed Subaru] breathed in deeply. This catharsis of his had been unlike any before. Not only had it been the longest and bloodiest, but it also felt… truly liberating. Before, they only gave him momentary relief. This one gave him a much greater satisfaction. The only regret he had now was…

“After everything, it’s sad that you’re also part of the people I have to save, Echidna.”

“I’m touched. Maybe I should actually put some effort into changing for the better.”

A bright light enveloped both the destroyed table and tea sets, as well as the mangled body of the Witch of Greed.

Then, in a blink, everything was restored to how it always was. Like he had never even laid a finger on her.

“That was certainly your most brutal moment yet, I should think,” Echidna sighed. “And I can’t even truly blame you.”

“Spare me the fake sympathy; I know you couldn’t care less about that,” he said, sitting down in the newly restored chair. “But who knows? Maybe in the end, your love for useless knowledge will fade.”

Despite being the only being who perhaps has a better poker face than him on account of barely having emotions, he could tell that comment irritated her.

“You took a big risk by claiming I was asleep. As if I would ever miss a meeting between four of you.”

When he didn’t even give a slightest hint of a reaction at her words, she knew she had to change the topic.

“Wasn’t what all the other versions said simply illogical?”

He blinked. Out of all the paths, he didn’t think that she would take the conversation this way.

“Deciding who lives and who dies. Putting lives on a scale. Playing God. Now, that’s a flawed way of thinking, wouldn’t you say?” She put her hands together on the table and smiled at him.

“After all, isn’t the humble guard of a town deciding the fate of his fellow man as well? If he catches a thief, the thief will be hanged. Who is he to put the life of that thief over his own and that of his other fellow men? And then again, who is the thief who recklessly not only put his own life at stake but may even choose to take the lives of those around him in order to better his position?”

As Echidna began, he prepared for one of her long ramblings. It was her own way of trying to cope with the situation, he imagined. Trying to deflect the subject while she did what she knew best: talking.

“And because of that, I wonder why the others were so angry about your contract with me. Perhaps it’s because they worried about you, in which case I cannot really fault them, but it’s clear that wasn’t where all their problems lay. They were angry because of how you treated lives. Even despite the fact that you saved them, they didn’t like how you acted like a God. How hilarious,” she harrumphed.

“Does the Od Laguna care- No, sorry. Wrong example. The Od doesn’t care about anyone at all unless it’s about his precious Sword Saint. Maybe the God of your world actually cares? Now that’s an interesting experiment. Hmm, at the rate we’re going, we might get a chance to truly go into your world, in which case it would be something worth investigating. If we do, could we-”

“Get back on track,” he quickly cut her off to return to the relevant part.

“You’re no fun,” she sighed.

“What I’m trying to say is that, at the very end, you’re just human. But because you’re human, you don’t have to blame yourself for the actions you’ve taken. Why should the blame lay on you for acting and saving lives? As you said, the only difference between them and you is that you chose to sacrifice yourself to help everyone. Is it truly playing God if all you did was change the things you could? No, it’s not.”

[Greed Subaru] looked at the witch without any sign of changing his expression. She didn’t need to explain herself to him. He understood both sides of the problem: about controlling everyone’s fates at his whims and about how he nevertheless had to try and save people. He knew the fine line between an all-controlling God and the simple hero of a beautiful maid.

As such, he cleared his throat. “This whole discussion is useless. We won’t be able to do our usual move of simply changing and testing every single thing anymore.”

Echidna opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off again.

“Listen up. I’m letting you off lightly for what you did to Beatrice, and who knows what other terrible things you’ve done. I ignored them all until now, and I’ll keep doing so, but you’re going to have to earn it.”

Echidna blinked in surprise as he continued. “You were right when you said this would make me want to cut ties with you, but I’m smarter than that. I need your help for the future, but don’t misunderstand. I hold all the cards, and you have nothing to negotiate.”

For once, it was Echidna’s turn to shut up and listen to the ramblings of her partner, even if she somewhat suspected what he wanted to say.

“I need you, but I can at the very least assist the others through the immediate future out of my own knowledge. On the other hand, you have everything to lose. The chance to experience an entire alternate reality, with a collection of various different versions of the people we know… It almost felt like a situation made specifically for your entertainment. But at the same time, for someone like you, being unable to experience all these changes and decipher what caused them might actually be the death of you.”

Echidna looked at him with her mouth open. “You’re terrible…” she moaned and threw herself at the table.

“So that’s the deal. You continue to help me and make up for what you did to Beatrice, and I won’t shove you in a box so dark you won’t be able to see anything ever again.” He put his hands on the table and rested his chin on them, imitating the way she did. “So, my dear partner in crime, do we have a deal?”

With her head still on the table, Echidna childishly wailed in mock sorrow. “So unfair! So unfair! What do you even mean by making it up to Beatrice?”

“I was thinking maybe I should have you act as a proper mother should. We could let her inside here, and you’d be forced to play with her. Tell her stories, roll on the ground until both of your dresses are dirty—I don’t care how, but you’re going to have to pay her back those four hundred years you left her alone, with interest!”

Echidna actually sat straight as her mouth dropped open. “D-do you even hear yourself?! What you’re proposing is completely—”

“Insane? Unfeasible? Counterproductive? Maybe, but I don’t care. You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure out a way to make it all work in the end, I figure.”

With one final deep sigh, Echidna fell into her chair and snapped her fingers. With her motion, two teacups filled with her special tea appeared on the table.

“You drive a hard bargain, but as you say, I can’t refuse. So, shall we have a toast to a business deal settled?”

[Greed Subaru] glanced at the cup of her ‘tea,’ already well familiar with what it meant. “You’re back to full form earlier than expected. I’m surprised.” He reached for the cup and downed it all in one gulp. It seemed he was also back to his usual self.

Echidna looked at him and grunted. “You should be a little more worried about the outside world. Clind will not take much time to act.”

“I know. We already have a plan for that, don’t we?”

Echidna pouted. “It’s a stupid plan.”

But [Greed Subaru] simply scoffed. “I know. And that’s why it’ll work.”

“So, um, can we have your word you won’t attack him, or any of the newcomers?”

They indeed looked ridiculous. All of them surrounding Clind. Only [Sloth Subaru] wasn’t there, as he didn’t know anything about him in the first place. They had taken Clind apart from the rest of the group to try and end any thoughts of fighting [Greed Subaru] before they could sprout.

Although everyone but Roswaal knew of what he had said about Clind, only Beatrice, Emilia, and Frederica were present with them.

While Subaru made his plea, [Greed Subaru] glanced at the little spirit holding his arm. She also gave him a brief but fiery look of her own. That morning, Subaru had approached him and explained how he had told Beatrice about his pendant. He didn’t mention exactly that Echidna now resided there, but he did say that it was related to the Witch of Greed. Subaru said that he would tell her when the time was right, to which he didn’t object.

A part of him wanted to tell her the whole truth himself. She deserved that much. But it wasn’t his [Beatrice], so it was best for her proper contractor to decide what was best.

Now, both Beatrice and Emilia being here was a given, one because she would not separate herself from her contractor, and the other for similar reasons, but the other member was something of a surprise.

Frederica stood with her arms crossed and a disappointed look beside Subaru. She was the only person he insisted should be with them. After all, he had left a big impression when he explained that she was the only one who Clind would truly hesitate to kill.

Finally, his eyes fell on the mysterious butler himself. To his credit, he actually was surprised when they revealed they knew he wanted to harm him, but he had pieced everything together fast enough.

Clind also turned to meet his gaze, and he seemed to analyze him as well. Then, after a few seconds, he put a hand to his chest and bowed.

“Very well. If you are willing to give me your word that they won’t be a problem, I’m willing to compromise. Deal.”

Everyone visibly relaxed after that. Subaru and Frederica most of all.

“Um, that’s very good! You shouldn’t even consider fighting your friends, Clind!” Emilia said happily, clasping her hands together.

Clind didn’t even respond to her childish answer. Instead, his eyes remained fixed on [Greed Subaru], or rather, on his pendant.

“You are too trusting. If you knew what was in there, you would-”

“That’s enough, I suppose,” Beatrice cut off the butler. “All of those who need to know are aware of it, in fact. There’s no need to keep pushing the matter. We know the danger, but… That’s still a version of Betty’s contractor. We must try to trust him, I suppose.”

Clind was obviously dissatisfied but relented all the same.

“You assume that he is the same as the Subaru-sama we know. Gullible. Nevertheless, I have already promised not to harm him, so I shall trust your judgment, Beatrice-sama. Experience.”

“Hmph!” Beatrice pouted and looked away. Subaru patted her head and sighed.

“I’m glad things got resolved easily. Come on, we have a carriage waiting for us.”

[Lust Subaru] bumped shoulders with [Greed Subaru] and pushed him next to Clind. Frederica was tearing his ear off about her disbelief over him wishing harm upon a Subaru, but she backed off and followed the king, leaving the butler alone with the person he wished to kill.

It truly was rash to leave the two of them alone, but he had insisted that if they somehow managed to convince him to try, he wanted to talk to him. Nevertheless, Clind spoke first.

“Understand that the only reason I’m considering this is because of the strangeness of the situation. Bizarre. Preserving the world takes priority. Mission.”

If he wanted to attack him, he sure didn’t look like it. “You’re probably waiting for the right moment so that my death could be written off as not your doing, right? That’s what the other you tried to do, after all.”

Once more, the imperturbable butler found himself shaken. And yet, what he did next also took [Greed Subaru] completely by surprise.

“Was anyone hurt by the other version of myself? Concern.”

To that, [Greed Subaru] couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hurt? Oh yeah. But I managed to save everyone, don’t worry.” And then something pushed him to do something he wouldn’t even consider before. He put a hand around Clind’s shoulder.

“Listen. I understand your concern and such, but you surprise me, Clind. I knew of your soft spot for Frederica, but you really are an exceptional guy, aren’t you?”

Clind’s gaze hardened, but before he could push him away, he continued.

“Listen. I know you worry about the world and what this little devil here might cause, but let me reassure you: my main method of… acting has been severely neutered, so I can’t go pulling any big stunts at the moment. Besides…”

He took the pendant in his hand. “Recently, the subordinate of this very evil witch found out some information and earned her ire. So her situation isn’t looking that good.”

“You should act now, then. Opportunity.” Clind moved forward and reached for the pendant, although he stopped himself at the last moment. “Get rid of her. Freedom.”

“Freedom? Yeah, that sounds nice, but no can do. I made these chains, and so I have to carry them around. And she’s vital to saving people in the future. If that’s a burden I must take, I will gladly do so. But I promise you, I won’t let her bring ruin to the world or anyone.”

[Greed Subaru] took a step back to gauge his reaction. He knew that this much wasn’t enough. Clind didn’t believe him. Not because he thought that he was lying, but because he didn’t believe Echidna could be so easily pacified. It was a good call.

Besides, from what he knew, Clind was a man who valued his principles most of all. And those made the two incompatible as long as he kept the pendant around his neck.

“I can tell that [Subaru-sama] is indeed telling the truth, but you are simply ignorant of the evil that she can cause both to you and to everyone else. Annihilation.”

“Man, that’s a heavy word.” He chuckled again and sighed. “This situation is beyond our control. The only thing we can do is stick together and help each other out. I don’t want to bring ruin to anyone, especially not to them. All I’m asking is for us not to become enemies. You can distrust me, watch over me, ask me to chastise this reprobate here in the pendant—anything you want. Just… don’t go around trying to kill me.”

Again, it was a futile bargain, and he knew that. It was only a matter of time before Clind decided to act on his principles and protect the world. When he had faced his [Clind], he did so without remorse. But now, things wouldn’t be so simple.

In any case, Clind relented and bowed to him. “Very well, [Subaru-sama], but there’s something I must tell you. Warning.”

The butler got close to his ear and spoke. “The great aging of your soul, your connection with the Witch—both of those will eventually become poison, which will surely devour you. Please, do not forget that. Reflection.”

[Greed Subaru] blinked twice before smiling. “You’re nothing if not consistent, even across different timelines. But thank you, Clind. Perhaps before I didn’t put too much stock into your words, but I’ll be sure to consider them now. Promise.”

Clind looked like he wanted to say more, but [Greed Subaru] decided that was enough. He quickly left the little corner where they had hidden away and spoke louder, loud enough for the people outside to hear.

“Ah, I’m glad that we’re going to have your help. Having another strong guy to keep the mansion safe will be nice.” He reached for Clind’s back and pushed him forward. “Come on, there’s work to be done.”

[Greed Subaru] stretched and gazed upon the carriage. Large and chock-full of supplies, it was specifically designed to traverse the rough terrain of northern Lugunica and even Gusteko if the need arose. Everyone was crowding around it, overseeing any last-minute changes.

They turned back to look at them both, and they seemed to buy that they were now at peace thanks to his words. Subaru and he exchanged thumbs up. And so, with an excited voice, he declared: “Alright, let’s get this expedition started!”

Side Story 1: Ladies Love Talk

Emilia found herself struggling against herself in front of the door. She didn’t know why it was so difficult to simply knock on the door. Well, that was a lie. She knew exactly what pained her heart at that moment and didn’t allow her to take that step forward.

It had been a few days since the eventful arrival of the otherworldly Subarus. Since then, things had been quite hectic and entertaining. From discussing the future to drafting plans about certain events that the others seemed to say would certainly happen.

Of them all, the news that there would apparently be an attack on one of the Great Cities by the Witch Cult in less than a month was the most disturbing. They had decided not to spread the news yet, as all the Subarus had formed a plan to stop it. She had faith in her Subaru, and she trusted the others and their knowledge of the future.

And yet, despite knowing how hard everyone was working, Emilia still found the time to waste on these useless matters.

With a surge of willpower, Emilia reached for the door and knocked three times. She waited a few seconds before the source of her current state appeared.

The wife of [Sloth Subaru], Rem.

“Oh, Emilia-sama! What can Rem help you with?”

“I- Um, I wish to talk to you.”

Rem noticed the reluctance in Emilia’s face and gladly allowed her into the room.

“So, this must be about your Subaru, right?”

Rem surprised Emilia by accurately deducing what was ailing her.

“Yes. It’s just that ever since you arrived here… I- It’s been- I’m sorry, but I can’t quite put it into words…”

“It’s a matter of the heart, right?”

Emilia’s head fell as she gave a small nod. “Both you and your husband have lived a happy life together, and you’ve had such beautiful children. Add to that what the [Subaru] who is a king told us... He is also married to Rem and has a baby on the way…”

Rem looked patiently at Emilia, who was trying her best to hold back tears. “A-and that’s nothing to say of what happened at the dinner the day we met. Just the sight of you was enough to make that [Subaru] cry like a baby… Isn’t it obvious? He loves you more than me… Because you can reciprocate his love…”

“…”

Rem stood silent as Emilia whimpered. Tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes. But just as the half-elf raised her hands to try and clear them away, Rem quickly took her hand and gently pushed her into a chair.

“Do you want to hold Spica? She’s very good at calming people down, Emilia-sama.”

“E-eh? Um… I mean… If it’s alright with you…”

Rem simply smiled and took little Spica from her crib, gently placing her in Emilia’s arms. True to her word, the sight of the young child slumbering peacefully did soothe Emilia’s aching heart. For a moment.

After all, even the sight of sweet Spica was enough to inexplicably sour her mood.

“I… I’m sorry, Rem. I- I don’t think I can- I don’t deserve to hold Spica,” she spoke regretfully.

“Please indulge Rem, Emilia-sama,” Rem said, sitting in front of Emilia. “Now, could you please tell Rem why you think you can’t, or are undeserving of holding my dear Spica?”

Emilia opened her mouth, but no words came out. She sat there for a few seconds, with a painful knot in her throat, before Rem spoke for her again.

“You are doubtful of your own feelings, correct?”

Emilia turned her head down in shame and confirmation. The fact that the act made her face the sleeping Spica didn’t make things any better.

“It’s… it’s just that when you arrived here… The love that you and your… your husband shared for each other was very obvious.” She lifted up Spica. “I mean, what more proof do you need than this?”

As Rem watched silently, Emilia continued to scowl and hold back tears. “And- and not only that, but every other Subaru seems to hold you in a really special place… And even the one who married me—the one that married his Emilia—he also married you… I- I just don’t know what to feel…” Emilia spoke quickly, lest her words get caught in her throat again.

“But… But I know the reason why. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Because unlike me, who is useless and doesn’t know anything about it, you can reciprocate his—”

“Emilia-sama, you don’t understand love. Is that it?” Rem questioned her, to which Emilia simply looked away and nodded.

Rem sighed before gaining a small smile on her face. Then, she clapped her hands, forcing Emilia to look back at her.

“Well, in that case, there’s no need for Emilia-sama to be sad. After all, even Rem didn’t understand what love truly was.”

Emilia blinked, her mouth agape at her revelation. “R-really? You… you aren’t lying to make me feel good, are you, Rem?”

Rem shook her head and continued smiling. “Rem knows this can be hard to believe. After all, love is such a complex feeling to understand… but you’ll find it’s also quite simple.”

Rem cleared her throat and assumed a stance that Emilia could only describe as ‘motherly.’

“Do you feel funny when you’re with him, and do you feel bad if he isn’t with you? Does he make the time you spend with him happy? Do you like his quirks, and does he make you want to prioritize him over other activities? Do you want to work hard to impress him, and do you delight when he works hard to impress you? Do you feel pride at his accomplishments, and even want to gloat to other people about them? Do you catch yourself staring at him, as if something is drawing your eyes to him? Do you want to share his pain and hardship, and to always be there to help him? Do you feel safe when you’re with him, and do you want to protect him at all times? Do you always want to have him for yourself, even to the point of being… of being jealous when he’s with someone else?”

Emilia, who had been silently listening to the barrage of questions, finally winced in shock at the last one. Rem understood why, so she simply asked one more time.

“Please, Emilia-sama. What is your answer?”

Emilia’s hands curled into fists, and she weakly turned to face Rem. “Y-yes. Th-the answer to the questions is yes. To all of them…”

Rem gave her a wide and bright smile. Then, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, she said to Emilia: “Congratulations, Emilia-sama. You’re in love.”

Despite the positive words, Emilia didn’t seem particularly thrilled about that answer.

“I’m sorry, Rem, but I just can’t believe it’s that easy.”

At her doubts, Rem stood up from her seat, reached for Emilia, and raised her head so that they could look each other in the eyes.

“Rem is sure that there are people far more intelligent than her who can give a better answer to that question, but for Rem, this was all that she needed to know she was in love. If you truly believe that Rem’s and [Subaru’s] love for each other is as genuine as you saw, then this should be more than enough, right?”

Emilia opened her mouth, but again, no words came out. Having Rem directly in front of her made it impossible to look away.

“I-is love really something so simple to understand?”

Rem gave her a motherly smile. “That’s one of the wonderful things about love, Emilia-sama. Anyone can come to understand and enjoy it. Look at little Petra. She is young, and yet she understands what love is, feels it, and expresses her love. Even if it’s nothing more than a childish crush, it’s still her understanding the desires of her own heart.”

“B-but… But Petra is quite mature for her age. Especially compared to me…” Emilia spoke in dejection.

Rem simply shook her head before abruptly stooping and putting a finger to her chin. “Actually, Emilia-sama might be right. Petra is certainly a grown-up lady. In which case, her love towards your Subaru might flourish, and she may try to steal him from you…”

“No! That’s not-! She can’t-! I won’t allow-! She wouldn’t- She- she…” Emilia looked at Rem’s smug face and pouted. “You’re teasing me!”

Rem giggled and reached over to take Spica from Emilia. It was only then that Emilia noticed that the little girl was starting to wake up from her outburst. Rem soothed her back into sleep with incredible skill and addressed Emilia once more.

“Tell me, Emilia. After all that, can you truly say that you don’t believe you’re in love with Subaru?”

“I- I… I just don’t know… But… I want to know…” Emilia wanted to turn her head away with all her might, but she resisted.

“Very well, Emilia-sama.” Rem simply sighed. “It is true. All those feelings you have could also simply be the love that exists within friends.”

Emilia blinked in surprise at her declaration, and it was clear her mood deteriorated the more she considered that option.

“But… In Rem’s humble opinion, that is not the case. After all, Emilia-sama ended up coming to me to talk about her heartache. Rem doesn’t believe you would do that unless your feelings for him were truly ones of love.”

“If it looks so obvious… then I suppose you must be right. I’m… I’m in love with Subaru…” Emilia’s light returned to her eyes. Even her ears seemed to jump in joy.

“Congratulations, Emilia-sama.” Rem smiled at her, and she smiled brightly back. But as quickly as it had appeared, Emilia’s happy face was replaced with a worried one.

“B-but then… what now? What should I do? H-how will I face Subaru tomorrow? How should I treat him? Sh-should I tell him? Should I—”

“Calm down, Emilia-sama! Please breathe.” Rem reached her one free hand to calm her down. Then, she knelt beside Emilia.

“Listen, Emilia-sama, you are still confused, and it is natural. As Rem said, love is indeed simple, but it’s also quite complex. So complex that even Rem can’t say she truly understands it.”

“B-but, but-”

Rem put her hand on Emilia’s chin and once more gently made her look into her eyes.

“And that’s why this Rem wishes to help you understand. Rem owes a debt to you and this camp. A two-lives’ worth of debt.” For the first time, Rem’s face fell when she spoke, but she continued. “And so, Rem will teach you all the knowledge about love that Rem has, if you’ll want it, of course.”

“Yes! I mean- Thank you, Rem. I would really appreciate your help.”

“Excellent. We can set some time aside for our love lessons. I’ll even share some knowledge about darling that may help you with your Subaru.” Both Emilia and Rem giggled a bit.

“Thank you, Rem. I promise I will work hard to understand what love is… and to finally answer Subaru. I think having you and everyone arrive here showed me I can’t be too complacent.”

Rem stood up and moved to Spica’s crib, placing her in it once more. Then, with a sudden mischievous smile, she looked at Emilia.

“Oh, don’t thank me just yet, Emilia-sama. After all, Rem did promise to help anyone in this camp when it came to matters of love. Be it the other [Rem] when she wakes up, or even Petra.”

Emilia gasped at the foulest treachery she had ever seen.

“You can’t, Rem! If Petra learns your secrets, then she’ll steal Subaru from me for real!”

Rem had to hold back her laughter at Emilia’s earnest declaration, but she continued in her mocking tone nonetheless.

“Well, as Emilia-sama said, this will hopefully make it so you become less complacent. Don’t underestimate Rem’s love lessons!”

Emilia laughed, her previous dark mood having completely disappeared. “Why are you so mean, Rem?” Emilia pouted in sham indignation.

“Well, this Rem is now an old housewife. And like all old housewives, she became a girl who loves a little bit of drama!”

“Well, just you wait, Rem!” Emilia stood up with reinvigorated spirits. “I’ll show you and everyone how strong my love is. I’ll become an expert like you!” But then she slouched a bit. “Once I learn a bit more about what it is, of course. Um… Could we begin our lessons tomorrow? Please?”

This time, Rem laughed heartily. “It would be my pleasure, Emilia-sama.”

Ahh, to be young…

Chapter Text

He didn’t know what exactly to call this situation he had found himself in. By all accounts, it was perhaps the best example of the environment he hated the most. He was forced into an unfamiliar place and had to make use of unfamiliar pieces, all of whom he had no chance of guessing their intentions. Not that he truly needed to do so.

After all, in the end, everyone was a liar.

Still, knowing when they would decide to show their true colors was something he wanted to know, but in the end, he had no chance.

Because despite all these drawbacks, there was nothing he could call the current situation apart from a miracle.

[Wrath Subaru] sighed as he inspected the resting body of [Ram]. She looked at peace slumbering like that, but he doubted it was anything more than the magic of Blue.

“What a convenient ability. Making her tired so as to not wake her up. But are you certain it will not bring her any lasting harm?”

“Not at all! Not unless you wish it, Subaru-sama.” Blue purred as he sat on his lap. He pushed his head against his open palm, and [Wrath Subaru] continued to pet him.

He mused about how he didn’t have any cat that sat in his lap before to complete his look of a mobster boss. It was ironic he only got one now that his time as the Purge King was over.

“That’s enough. Go check up on the mercs. Make sure nothing is out of order.”

Blue stretched and nodded. He lazily got up from his lap and walked to the door of their room. “Very well, make sure you also get some sleep, Subaru-sama!”

“That’s going to be hard…” He muttered as Blue left. [Wrath Subaru] had not caught a wink of sleep since he came to in the snow. It was always hard for him to fall asleep, and it would be even harder now that both [Ram] and the colorless Blue were to stay with him.

The healer was an odd one. Despite how affectionate he was toward him, it was clear he couldn’t be trusted. If petting him meant he would get his loyalty, then he would do it for now. For the sake of [Ram], at the very least.

He moved to his desk and reviewed the situation he had found himself in again. Once more, looking at it from another point of view, it was nothing but a continuous set of incredibly lucky breaks one after the other.

First, they managed to reach a populous city on the border of Lugunica and Gusteko. It was a grand city, although nothing compared to the likes of the nearby Costuul. Still, it had its own importance by being one of the major crossings between the two Great Nations.

He managed to inspect his belongings when he had the chance. Everything that he had carried with him at the moment his Pleiades was attacked was still with him. That, and even some other things too.

He was sure he had dropped at least a few of them in the chaos that followed, but perplexingly, he still had them in his possession. It was as curious as the fact that his clothes were clean and didn’t have a single tear, despite the fact that there should have been the remains of a stab he had received from a certain grey-haired assassin.

But for the moment, he paid it no mind. He simply pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind so that he could obsess over them later. For now, he had to obsess over his current financial situation.

As it stood, having all his things with him was another incredibly lucky break. He thought that the most vital thing would be his small pouch that carried a substantial amount of Holy Coins, but it didn’t turn out that way—for his benefit.

Among his other possessions, there were his various trinkets and inventions. Most of them finished, with a few prototypes among them. They were already distributed in large numbers across the whole world, so he didn’t think he would get much more than their market price.

And yet, incredulously, no one in the town seemed to have heard of them. The merchant he had intended to barter with quickly summoned a few of his other buddies, and they too continued bringing more people to barter for the items, each with a higher profile and bigger pouch to spend.

Finally, even the governor of the city appeared. It was so incredibly incredulous that he was certain it was all a setup. That Reinhard would burst in at any moment to apprehend him.

But that didn’t happen. Instead, he was able to pass them off as one-of-a-kind metia and kept selling them at twenty, if not thirty, times more than what they were worth. Again, another extremely lucky break.

Both the governor and a few high-ranking merchants offered him various deals, which he was sure to accept, although he didn’t put much stock in these contracts lasting. They would be quite angry once they discovered these items were not one-of-a-kind but were widely distributed, and a few of them could only be obtained through the black market. But he planned to be long gone by then.

Still, the great amount of money was sure to attract enemies, as always, so he needed to obtain some protection. But luckily for him, being close to Gusteko guaranteed one of their many mercenary bands would be in the city. He didn’t need anything out of the ordinary. He simply needed some hired hands to dissuade any would-be robbers, and having some manpower would be helpful in some dealings around the city.

The little band he ended up hiring was exactly what he needed. Being around twenty men, they were numerous and not too powerful, so he was already making use of them. Not only that, but they also didn’t recognize anything about the Purge King when he had discretely alluded to it over their talk. And considering how widespread the name was in the criminal underworld, their complete ignorance of it meant they were clean. Well, as clean as soldiers of fortune could be, anyway.

And just like all soldiers of fortune, they had a steep asking price, but his surprising amount of wealth had been more than enough to cover their expenses for the moment. And much more importantly, he had managed to secure an entire cart of the most essential item for him.

It was all going so well he was almost certain it was a trap, and everyone was playing him for a fool. He already knew that everyone was a liar, but this went further than that; like it was all a big play with the sole purpose of toying with him and every single person was a paid actor.

“But what choice do I have…”

[Wrath Subaru] sighed. What did it matter anymore? He had done everything and yet somehow still didn’t die. What was he supposed to do? Should he try and play the terrible mafia boss again? He had already been found out, and without a doubt, Reinhard would be sent back on his trail.

Should he try and live remotely? The idea almost made him chuckle. He had considered that before, but it was no use. After all…

“I still have to take care of you…”

He resisted the urge to run his hand through her pink locks. The beautiful color of her entire form was like the sun for him. It was the only true lamp of color to shine in his colorless world. The last after she… after that other turned out to be a liar like all others.

He couldn’t abandon her. He couldn’t do so then, and he couldn’t do so now.

“And saving you turned out to be incredibly expensive…”

An entire mafia empire built on the foundation of saving one girl. In truth, it went way deeper than that, but that was the basis of it. Many times, he considered escaping to the wilderness, to where no one could be found, so that he could be alone, and most importantly, without any liars to stab him in the back.

But [Ram] had a special condition. She needed mana to survive. Mana applied directly into her forehead, where a wound was located. He had no ability for magic, so he had to obtain mana stones to give her. And those were nothing if not expensive, and impossible to obtain if one shut himself off from civilization.

“Subaru-sama!” Blue’s voice turned his attention toward the door as it burst open. “I brought food! You haven’t eaten at all, have you? Here, you must be starving.”

“Do not enter the room without knocking,” he growled, but it was mostly at his current impotence. Before, he had heads removed from their bodies for much, much less. Now, he couldn’t even harm Blue, even if he wanted to.

For one moment, he let his mind wander into that discarded dream. He had met, employed, and killed plenty of mages, but few had the ability to infuse mana. Yet this ‘Blue’ could do it without any inconvenience.

Was this his golden opportunity? Could he truly escape from civilization? If he stayed, it would not be long before Reinhard found him. It didn’t even need to be him, any agent of the four major nations would be hunting after him.

But he knew it was impossible. The idea of having to live with the liar Blue was inconceivable. Could there possibly be any clearer similarities to the very first time he was betrayed?

He felt his anger boiling. In that moment, he wanted Blue to finally die more than anything.

But what was the point? Hadn’t he done this whole song and dance already?

Right now, he was a dead man walking. He had been so for more than three years.

His retribution was supposed to have been administered to him in the destruction of Pandemonium, and yet, due to some unknown reasons, he still lived. But not for long.

He had reached a town. He had amassed a large amount of money and even obtained enough materials, and even a person capable of administering mana. Everything was in place so that [Ram] would be safe.

He just needed to wait for her to regain her strength, and then finally, he would be freed from the pain.

But for now…

“Blue, the food. Have a bite first.”

Blue blinked in surprise before smiling. “Ah, you’re so kind, Subaru-sama!” And without missing a beat, he took the utensils and took generous bites of the drab meal from the inn.

[Wrath Subaru] made him eat every single different part of the dish. He then waited a few minutes, and when Blue showed no signs of anything happening to him, he simply had to concede and ate the meal.

Each bite tasted like ash in his mouth. It wasn’t even due to the flavor, he could not taste any flavor anyway, but because of the fear that at any moment he would drop dead. It didn’t really matter in retrospect. No matter what happened, this was to be his final dinner.

Still, only when that death did not come did he realize how hungry he had been. He never ate much of anything, but it was the first time in a long while since he had exerted this much effort in the snow.

He turned to meet Blue’s eyes, which watched him eat with warmth in them. Probably imagining how to torture me, he thought. But just then, the healer turned to look at Ram.

“That’s strange, she shouldn’t have the energy to move around just yet.”

“Huh?” [Wrath Subaru] turned and realized what he meant. [Ram] was moving. Well, not really moving as much as thrashing around in her bed.

She wasn’t in any bindings, so for a moment, he feared she would try something that might endanger her, but she simply moaned.

He turned in anger at Blue. “You told me she wouldn’t be in any pain—!”

“Rem!”

[Wrath Subaru] choked on his words when he heard that terrible name. Even as just the weak moan of [Ram], it was enough to cause a terrible tremor to travel through his entire body.

“Rem! Sister! Rem!”

He had only ever seen her despair like this in the beginning—when she hunted him down relentlessly, and when he had to struggle to keep her alive and well as he began his creation of an underworld empire.

And yet, [Wrath Subaru] watched in horror as [Ram] pushed Blue away and kept screaming. Because for him, this wasn’t simply a show of despair, but the bouts of insanity.

Had [Ram] also sunk into the depths of madness? He always knew this could come, for many would consider their relation as one born out of extreme madness, but he always thought that at least for the two of them, it was nothing but.

Because just as her colors had been the only beacon of light that made him continue to push forward and not completely abandon life, her hatred toward him was supposed to be her driving force forward.

It was all according to how he wanted. His death would be the engine for her life.

But now, seeing her give in to despair… He feared that she would lose her colors, just as [Emilia] had done. It was a foolish fear, but it had already happened once, and he would not be caught unaware by it happening again.

“Rem! Rem! Re-ghk!”

[Ram] seized up and stopped thrashing around. Blue had managed to put his hand on her arms, and her breathing stabilized as her eyes closed, returning her back to sleep.

“How troublesome. I went and made it so she won’t be able to move most of her muscles for a while. It’s painless, but considering her condition, she’ll be exhausted nonetheless and will probably fall asleep again, but she should be fine in a while.” He sighed. “But I have no idea what made her act up like that.”

[Wrath Subaru] stood wordlessly over the limp body of [Ram]. True to his words, she fell back to sleep almost immediately. He managed a sigh of relief. Her colors never faded, he supposed he should be glad, but he still feared something was up.

“She’s stronger than you may think,” he said, turning to Blue. “Maybe something is wrong. Go check on the mercs.”

Blue nodded and pranced out of the room, eager to do his duty. He had apparently had previous experience with leading people. Apparently, Blue had led those ‘weird hooded people’ on his orders, and so he knew how to efficiently deliver orders.

The more he learned of him, the more he looked like a perfectly crafted henchman. A mob boss’s dream.

He was almost- no, he was too perfectly crafted. It could be nothing else but a deliberate ploy. Nevertheless, he still needed his help for just a little longer. And if he decided to stay with [Ram] after he finally got his end, then all the better.

All he needed to do was wait for [Ram] to wake up again and… and he would finally be free.

“We are nearly there.”

“That… was shorter than I thought…”

Anticipation gripped everyone in the carriage as Rem gave her final warning. [Sloth Subaru] put his hand on his wife’s shoulder to calm her down. She gave him a weak smile but continued looking worriedly outside the window.

“They must have moved in our direction, I suppose,” Beatrice said from outside. She sat on the lap of her contractor as he drove the carriage. “Maybe the other Sister also detects this one and is moving toward us, in fact.”

“It would appear so, but…” Ram’s eyes darted constantly between the window and her worried sister. “If that were the case, she would’ve likely already found us by now, Beatrice-sama.”

“I can see a few reasons why they were slowed down,” Subaru said as he continued guiding the dragons through the now considerably snowy path. “If they were traveling on foot, they wouldn’t have gotten that far.”

“Yeah, like th’ sayin’ goes, ‘A heavy snow buries both th’ road an’ th’ will t’ walk it.’” Garfiel commented from outside the carriage. Despite his words, he effortlessly escorted the coach through the difficult terrain.

“In any case, we hopefully won’t have to travel much longer. This is the last town before we cross into Gusteko proper,” [Sloth Subaru] said as he took out a map of the region.

“I see it,” Rem suddenly said.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Subaru replied as everyone looked out the window.

There, the bordering city of Vornhalde entered their view, a sharp contrast to the ever-increasing sea of white snow surrounding them.

“She’s there. Rem knows she’s there,” she declared, gazing at the city with a troubled look.

“Rem, can you feel something through your Synesthesia?” Ram held her hands in a rare show of worry, one that was becoming more common with the new arrivals.

“I don’t feel… No, actually, Rem feels a slight feeling of… drowsiness, maybe…” Rem said, unsure of the sensations herself.

“Maybe the other you is tired from traveling through the snow?” [Sloth Subaru] said to Ram.

“Let’s hope father Barusu is right and she is only tired, and not something… worse.”

And with that familiar nickname and ominous words, the coach moved closer to the city.

…

“I’m sorry, even with the Margrave’s seal, I must insist we follow protocol. The city is in a bit of an upheaval, you see.”

A member of the town militia stopped them at the gates. Despite carrying Roswaal’s seal, and this north being under his influence, the guard had chosen to halt them.

“The governor and many higher-ups got their hands on an incredible haul of new metia. They left for Gusteko to broker deals, and it was their orders to tighten security. But don’t fret, it’s only a formality.”

“Well, I guess there’s nothing we can do about that,” [Sloth Subaru] said as the others murmured in disappointment.

“Yes, this is simply routine. Now, if the rest of you could please step out so I can…” The guard’s words died in his throat when [Sloth Subaru] emerged from the carriage.

Subaru scratched his cheek as the flabbergasted guard did a double, then triple take at their uncanny resemblance. But upon seeing both Rem and Ram, he regained some composure. “So… are you something like twins? No, you seem older somehow…” the man muttered, looking utterly bewildered.

“Haha… It’s a bit more complicated than that, but-”

“Hey, you! Stop!”

A loud voice cut Subaru off mid-explanation. A large, burly man approached, trailed by rough-looking companions.

“That group of mercenaries… What are they doing here?” the guard muttered absently.

“Look at ’em! There’s no mistakin’ it!” one of the men exclaimed, pointing at them. Their equipment was slightly better than the local militia’s.

“Didn’t he say some strange people might come for him? Thought he was lyin’, but…”

The murmurs drew more attention. Many newcomers wore the city militia’s garb but seemed aligned with the approaching men.

“Thought he was messin’ with us, but here come two clones of ’im! Just like he warned!” The largest man barked orders. “You lot, don’t let ’em through! We’re havin’ a word with ’em first!”

Subaru’s stomach dropped at the merc’s words. His older self seemed to agree, because he jumped from the carriage and strode ahead to greet the men, much to the guard’s surprise.

Subaru and Beatrice exchanged worried glances before hurrying after him. To his credit, [Sloth Subaru] had already struck up a conversation.

“So, yer tellin’ me the two of ya are just twins? Really expect me to believe that?”

“I know it sounds unlikely, but that’s how it is. Can’t help family resemblances, right?” [Sloth Subaru] gestured to the coach. On cue, Rem and Ram emerged, drawing stunned stares.

Unfortunately, the men weren’t shocked by the sisters’ similarity, but by something else entirely.

“That girl looks like the one he’s got! Ain’t no coincidence!” they whispered loudly enough for all to hear. [Sloth Subaru] seized the opening.

“Excuse me, did you say someone here resembles us? That’s fascinating!” He shamelessly probed for information. “As you see, we’re twins traveling around, looking for—”

“Cut the crap,” the man snapped. “Yer tellin’ me yer twins when you’re clearly older? Sayin’ yer father and son might’ve been believable.”

Both Subarus traded uneasy looks. The oaf was sharper than he looked. Subaru stepped in to help.

“Listen, I know this looks weird, but we’re not here to cause trouble. We’re unarmed, and we’ve got the Margrave’s seal!” Not that it had helped so far, and by the looks of things, it wouldn’t now.

The man opened his mouth to retort but froze when Ram approached.

“Ram should’ve expected Barusu to turn a routine inspection into a conflict with locals. Still, could be worse, there are two of you now.”

Rem and Ram advanced, flanked by a tense Garfiel, ready to pounce if needed.

“We’ve already let you search our coach. If you’re looking for weapons or contraband, you’ll find nothing,” Ram stated flatly.

The man scoffed, speaking more carefully now. “That may be, but all of ya look ready to fight yer way through. Especially him.” He jabbed a finger at Garfiel. “And by the looks of it, he’s strong enough to try.”

Again, the man showed surprising insight, though he likely underestimated the little spirit holding her contractor’s hand.

Garfiel growled at the implied threat, but the man ignored him. “Alright, say I believe ya. Still, yer waitin’ here ’til my boss hears about this.” The mercs tightened their circle. “He’s payin’ us too well to take chances. Don’t worry, nobody gets hurt if ya behave.”

Subaru sighed but nodded. He glanced back at his friends. They might need a contingency plan. “Don’t worry, we’ll stay here and-”

“Ahhh!”

Rem’s sudden cry cut him off.

“Rem!”

“S-Sister…” Rem swayed, barely avoiding collapse thanks to Ram’s quick reflexes.

“Rem! What happened?! Are you hurt?!” [Sloth Subaru] rushed to his wife’s side, pulling her close. Beatrice darted over, already reaching to heal her.

“There’s no pain, but… Rem can’t… can’t move…” She gritted her teeth. Her husband shot Subaru a meaningful look, mirrored by Beatrice. This wasn’t an act.

“What’s wrong with her?” The merc eyed her distrustfully, clearly suspecting a ruse. Subaru couldn’t blame him.

“I don’t know…” He turned to Beatrice, hoping for answers, but Ram gasped, piecing it together first.

“She just told me, this must be Synesthesia!”

Subaru faltered for a second before realizing: the sisters shared senses… and possibly wounds. Ram wasn’t affected, so only one explanation remained. “The other you is—!”

He whirled to Garfiel, who needed no further prompting. With a fierce grin, he lunged past the encircling men, clearing the crowd in a single bound.

“Hey, what the—?!” Someone shouted as Garfiel vanished into the distance.

“My amazin’ self ain’t got time fer this!”

“Stop that kid!” The merc captain roared. A few men gave halfhearted chase before giving up. Fuming, he turned back, hand on his sword, but Subaru intervened.

“Woah, woah! Sorry about him, he’s impatient. But we’re not causing trouble!”

“Yer really think I’m buyin’ that?” The man glowered. Some mercs drew weapons, but the group held their ground.

“Do we seem in any position to resist, I suppose?” Beatrice rejoined Subaru. “We’ll cooperate. Chasing that brat will waste your time, in fact.”

The man relented. “Dammit. Fine. But yer answerin’ questions first.” He barked orders to his confused underlings. Subaru crouched to whisper to Beatrice.

“What’s wrong with Rem, Beako? A curse?”

“No trace of magic. It must be her link to the other sister, I suppose.”

Subaru scanned the growing crowd, now including militia. His chest ached as he watched Rem struggle between Ram and her husband. Even if she wasn’t his Rem, seeing her hurt stung.

He fought the urge to comfort her. Another pang struck, this time, laced with envy.

“Need to focus. Not much I can do now.”

“Betty’s contractor shouldn’t worry about silly things, I suppose.”

He exhaled, staring into the distance. “You’re right. It’s up to Garfiel now… to save the other [Ram].”

In hindsight, going alone without Rem’s guidance probably meant he’d get lost pretty quickly. Luckily, his instincts were something he took pride in. It also helped that he’d overheard the mercs mention an inn.

Now, all he had to do was follow their trail until they led him to whatever they were guarding and hopefully it would be that inn.

Which brought him to its doors. The only problem? No mercenaries in sight. After seeing so many patrolling the city, he couldn’t believe none were stationed here. Still, he had no other options.

Cautiously, he opened the door and stepped inside. The interior was dim, lit only by a few flickering candles. But more importantly-

“Hmm! Hmmm!”

Muffled struggles echoed from deeper within. He wasted no time rushing toward the sound. There, he found a figure bound and gagged.

“Hmph!” They writhed against the ropes.

“What th’… Don’t my amazin’ self know ya from somewhere?”

Garfiel froze. The girlish catboy looked familiar, he’d seen him at Subaru’s knighthood celebration, though they’d never spoken. His presence here couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Alright, my amazin’ self’ll free ya, an’ you’ll tell me everythin’-” Garfiel yanked the ropes loose, but the catboy immediately flung himself into his arms.

“Ahh! Thank you! You can’t imagine how worried I was!”

“Argh! Listen, ‘t was no problem, so just-” As Garfiel tried to shove him off, his limbs locked up. He couldn’t move at all.

“When I heard you were dashing straight to here, I almost didn’t know what to do!”

“Wh-w-” He couldn’t even speak. Every muscle weighed a thousand times heavier, and the slightest twitch sent pain lancing through him. His eyes, locked in place, met the catboy’s grinning face.

“Hmmm? Still, it’s impressive you’re even standing!”

A laugh, then a finger jabbed into his chest. His paralyzed body fell down like a statue, agony erupting in every nerve.

For a split second, he thought of Rem, paralyzed yet calling it nothing. If she’d endured this, his respect for her skyrocketed. But part of him hoped his pain was worse. He very much preferred it that way.

Even as every muscle of his body burned in pain, Garfiel willed himself to move and to heal. He now had a grasp of what the sneaky cat had done to him.

“It’s a creative way t’ use healin’ magic, I’ll give ya that.”

The catboy startled at his voice, then again when Garfiel’s head turned toward him.

“How interesting! I didn’t think you’d counter it!” He sounded equal parts amazed and annoyed.

“This—this ain’t nothin’ my amazin’ self can’t handle.”

“Still, nothing you try will undo what I’m about do to you now!” Blue said while twisting his fingers evilly. Garfiel would have never thought he would have seen a sight so frightening out of a frame so unthreatening, and it was especially scary because he couldn’t move.

But the Gorgeous Tiger wasn’t out of tricks yet.

“Whoa!” The floorboards erupted as an enormous pillar of earth and stone that emerged directly under Blue’s feet. The pillar pushed upward towards the ceiling, giving Blue only a second to jump away and avoid being crushed.

“Magic? That’s not-” Blue’s words died as Garfiel stood. Then, with a snarl, the tiger lunged.

“Not so fast!” Blue sidestepped, though clumsily.

“Argh!” Fire seared through Garfiel’s veins, like his blood was boiling, trying to burst free. Then his shoulder exploded in fresh agony. Blue’s hand had brushed it for less than a second before a bubble of flesh popped.

“This… ain’t enough t’ stop me…” Garfiel forced out through gritted teeth. Healing magic surged to counteract the one wrecking his shoulder. In a few heartbeats flesh and skin mended back together, although it was not nearly as fast as it would’ve been otherwise, as much of his effort concentrated on restoring the rest of his body.

He staggered forward, pain screaming with every step, but fell into his battle stance. Blue faltered, ears twitching—then perked up as he spun toward the stairs.

Garfiel followed his gaze.

“Isn’t he supposed to be immobilized, Blue?”

Coming down the stairs was none other than [Natsuki Subaru].

Garfiel wished to try and speak to him, to at least try to defuse his situation, but he found he couldn’t, and not because of the pain in every part of his body. Rather, all his thoughts dissipated once he saw what this other [Subaru] carried in his arms.

It was the unmoving body of [Ram], who was surely the one they had been looking for. He mentally cheered when he saw that she was breathing. She was just unconscious.

“H-he has some control over healing magic as well Subaru-sama! B-but if it’s your wish I’ll have him locked in place in pain!”

The direct threat brought Garfiel back to his senses. As [Subaru] coldly analyzed him, Garfiel tried his best to stand straight and in an unthreatening way. He did so with much difficulty, but when he moved to talk, [Subaru] spoke before him.

“Your looks… you remind me of Frederica.”

Garfiel’s mind blanked. Frederica. The mention of his siter coming from the evil caricature of his captain made his heart boil with primal anger.

“What’d ya do t’ my sister!?” he growled.

Despite the threat and possibility of being wrong in thinking he had done something bad to his version of Frederica, [Subaru] kept looking at him without any reaction.

“Aha!” He suddenly exclaimed. “You must be her brother. I remember discussing about you. Don’t worry, I had someone make sure she was safe.”

Garfiel didn’t even bother asking from who or what she was supposed to be safe from, instead he glared at the faker and got ready to fight again.

“Y’ got questions t’ answer. Y’re comin’ with me. An’ don’t try anythin’ with [Ram]. Got it, [Natsuki Subaru]!?”

Despite hoping they would stand down, his words had the opposite effect. [Subaru] blinked twice before turning towards the door.

“Blue, kill him.”

“With pleasure~”

Garfiel’s shock froze him. Those words, from a face identical to his captain’s, left him defenseless as Blue giggled and sprang.

And that was the last thing he saw before his entire vision was overwhelmed by searing red.

Chapter Text

He ran as fast as his body let him.

The sounds of struggle died behind him, replaced by the sound of his rasping breaths.

Even before, when he had a better physique, he would struggle slightly while running while carrying someone. Now that he was weaker, the task doubled in difficulty.

Even so, he couldn’t afford to stop. A wrench had been thrown in his plans, but he could still make do. Even if there was another party that knew him and sought to capture him, he would evade them long enough for Ram to wake up and finally let him have his rest.

In a way, this was a good turn of events. Another party appeared who seemed to know Ram and could take care of her. At the very least, the demi-human in the inn seemed to know her. He almost felt bad about ordering his death- he would most certainly have taken care of Ram after he was gone.

Still, he couldn’t forgive that he knew his name. As he probably got it from Frederica, it meant that the maid had been leaking secrets much more adeptly than he had thought. Or maybe she was helping the people tracking him down. If so, then the death of her brother should be punishment enough.

Finally, he reached his destination. His newly purchased dragon-drawn carriage was waiting for him. Two very anxious-looking men were attending to it, two of his hired hands. They visibly tensed when they saw him arrive.

“U-um, sir! Your carriage is ready. We packed it with all the cargo we could and left the rest at the inn, like you requested.”

Even as he spoke, the man looked past him at a distant point. [Subaru] didn’t care. He entered the carriage and placed Ram gently inside. Then he got out and sat on the driver’s seat.

“W-we heard the sounds of conflict coming from the inn… And we heard the Captain had intercepted some suspicious people…” The other mercenary spoke up, equally nervous.

Subaru looked at them suspiciously. They were struggling to decide whether to abandon him or not. Probably whether to betray him, too. He didn’t care in either case. He was already leaving this town and this world, never to return.

He took two Holy coins and threw them to the ground. “Consider this your severance pay.” The men were surprised by his casual use of money. And while before he could’ve probably done this without consequence, right now he couldn’t afford to waste so much.

But it didn’t matter. The money would be no use to him soon. And if it got these two off his back, all the better.

“You’re free to do whatever you want now,” he said as he snapped the reins and the earth dragons began to move. “Although I suggest you don’t try to return to the inn. I left something nasty in there.”

As if to prove his point, a great sound emerged from the inn. Subaru didn’t look back.

Red.

He could not see anything else but a sea of searing hot red. It was blood, he figured. His blood, to be exact. He was bleeding profusely from an uncountable number of wounds that had simply materialized on his body. He was certain that he was literally sweating blood from every pore, and worse yet, every single one of his organs was acting against him, as if trying to burst out of his body. His left arm was completely numb and unresponsive, hanging uselessly at his side.

At the very least, he thought this was what was happening. The pain was so intense that it certainly seemed that way, and he had no true way of checking- after all, he had not been able to see anything but red for a while, even when he closed his eyes.

He desperately tried every second to grasp his surroundings- hell, even himself. Apart from focusing all the healing power he could muster to stabilize himself, he could do little else to keep his assailant at bay.

Worst of all, he had already transformed. He had assumed his beast form, undone nearly all the wounds he had received until then, and then he had given his enemy some nasty punches, he was sure. He had heard more than once the sound of crushing bone and rippling flesh. He was sure he had completely squashed him at one point. But if this had hindered his attacker, he made no show of it.

Besides, Garfiel needed mighty kicks and punches, but all the other seemed to require was a little touch to revert him back to his normal state, where his wounds could not heal as fast. In fact, while he knew his healing abilities had limits, he was pretty sure that Blue had messed with them somehow, like a bottleneck had been placed on the flow of mana from the ground that allowed his body to regenerate. And if Blue was skillful enough to do that, what other horrors could he cause?

And so, that was the situation Garfiel found himself in. It was almost maddening. His opponent was weak. He was slow. He was the opposite of a warrior. Garfiel could crush him like a bug. In fact, he had done just that. And despite this, he was on the brink of death against an unrelenting enemy. In this desperate situation, the only thing he could think was…

“You ran out of luck.”

A chilling voice rang clearly directly in his mind. A voice he knew too well. A voice that was accompanied by a black phantasm. The ghost of his first kill. The Bowel Hunter.

“You only beat me because you got lucky. Now that you’ve lost your luck, you die.”

It was not the first time he had seen her, but it was the first time she didn’t stay on the edge of his vision. Now the phantasm walked boldly in the center of the sea of red. Although, considering the situation, he wouldn’t be surprised if his eyes were twisted in some way.

“Ahh… to think the one who killed me would die so easily…”

She moved closer, and Garfiel literally could not turn away. Her dark form was plastered onto the searing red picture, like a bad blotch of ink on an otherwise perfect painting. And still, she somehow looked quite at home in it. The Bowel Hunter was swimming in blood, like she had always done.

“I— My amazin’ self won’t-” Garfiel spoke in his mind, but Elsa simply jumped and grabbed hold of his right arm. And despite being naught but a figment of his imagination, he felt a very real hand make contact with his body.

“It’s over~”

Just then, he felt his arm literally explode in a grotesque, shuddering detonation of flesh. He could painstakingly feel every tendon bulge and engorge obscenely before they snapped, whipping free in wet, ragged strands. Muscle fibers unraveled in a spray of gore, splattering hot against his already blood-stained face as bone splintered with a sickening crack, shards jutting through ruined meat. The pain was blinding, all-consuming- yet worse was the sudden, sickening void where his arm had been, the phantom weight of it still lingering even as blood jetted from the ragged stump in pulsing arcs.

Garfiel jumped back, and not a second too soon, for he felt the presence of Blue just where he had been. Elsa had distracted him and made him drop his guard. She seemed quite proud of her work, as her despicable laugh filled his entire head, only ending with a heavy thud of what he assumed was his arm falling to the ground.

He clumsily stepped back until he tripped over something. It didn’t matter what—only that he was now on the floor, giving Blue the perfect chance to pounce on him and finish him off. He had lost his right arm, and his left was still useless. He couldn’t even transform again to try and mitigate the damage. He would only be giving a bigger target to latch onto.

“Scared~?”

Garfiel realized he was chattering his teeth. Every part of him was trembling, and not just from the pain. He was indeed scared. He had been scared ever since he fought her in the mansion.

“Yes… I am…”

The imaginary Elsa seemed almost surprised by his answer. Garfiel smiled internally. This trick of his mind had gotten cocky.

Yes, the situation was terrible. Yes, he had gotten overconfident with an enemy he saw as puny. Yes, he had been wrong to do so. Yes, it hurt so much it made him wish to die.

“But you’re forgetting something.”

He had overcome terrible situations before. He had turned things around against his enemies. Pain had never stopped him before. And he was still vastly stronger than his foe. They might have whatever bullshit abilities and skill in magic they wanted, but Garfiel was still stronger, and he could overcome anything with his strength.

But most of all…

“My amazin’ self never gives up!”

Despite the fact that just moving his mouth caused him extreme pain, Garfiel still screamed as loud as he could as he struck both his legs into the ground. He didn’t know exactly where Blue was, but he didn’t need to. Two large walls of solid rock formed in front of him and then smashed together in the middle.

“Argh!”

The voice of Blue told him he had trapped him in his attack, just as he had hoped. This time, he didn’t crush him—simply trapped him between the rocks. Blue was weak; he could tell. Apart from whatever means he used to come back and inflict damage, his personal strength was pitiful. And so, he would not be able to escape those walls.

Garfiel had won.

“Fufufu. Impressive~”

Elsa laughed wickedly at his efforts, undisturbed by his actions and his victory.

“Nothing impressive about it,” Garfiel mumbled in his mind. “All I had to do was stop thinking too hard about it. Stop being stupid and follow my instincts.”

Ram had given him that sound advice, but he had foolishly disregarded it because of all the conflicting thoughts that wrecked his brain when he saw [Subaru] holding [Ram] and… and when…

“It started when you learned about my return, right~?”

“… I won. You can leave now.”

His phantom gave a hearty laugh at his words.

“You may have won here, but I’m still out there~”

Garfiel really wished he could look away from the phantom and its taunting… and terrifying face.

“Remember that. I’m back to hunting. It’s only inevitable we meet again. And if we do… Well, no one can beat the Devil twice~”

“Guess I- Guess my amazin’ self’ll have t’ see that…”

With one final macabre laugh, the ghost of Elsa slowly faded away, leaving him once again in an undisturbed sea of red.

He stayed like that, not daring to move and worsen his condition. Regardless of the poor state of his mind, his body was in worse shape and needed time to mend whatever it could.

With the only sounds being the struggle of his pinned enemy and his own ragged breaths, Garfiel rested for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes. And even despite his own prodigious healing ability, he was still very much in pain. At the very least, his left arm retained its mobility, and he could try to move again.

With much struggle, he finally cleared his eyes of blood. Little by little, his eyes had to grow accustomed to normalcy again. It was no easy task. He may have stopped bleeding from every pore on his body, but his every movement was weak and clumsy, made harder by the incredible amount of blood he was covered in.

There, after finally being able to see more than the color red, he witnessed his handiwork.

Blue was struggling under the pressure of the two walls he had erected around him. He had managed to wiggle an arm outside of their hold, but no more. Looking at him struggle under the pressure made Garfiel realize how harmless he looked. And, as if to prove that notion wrong, his amputated arm lay in front of him in its own pool of blood.

He limped toward it and carefully bent down to grab it. He doubted he could reattach it even with his and Beatrice’s power, but at least he had to try. Maybe if he transformed…

“It’s too late.”

He turned to glare at the culprit, and Blue glared back. Garfiel didn’t dignify him with a response- not that he was in any position to talk. But he did become alert when Blue gave him a wicked, mocking smile.

“I’m glad your thrashing around didn’t mess with the device Subaru-sama left me,” he said cheerfully.

Garfiel stopped, and his breath hitched. He had indeed been unable to see it in the intense fight for his life, but from behind the stuck healer, a strange contraption was moving. It was obviously set up recently, possibly even during the fight itself by Blue while he couldn’t see it.

“It was supposed to clear out evidence and such, but this is fine too.”

He didn’t have time to completely make out what it was, but even he could tell that when the flame emerging from that strange metal box finished burning that collection of ropes, nothing good would happen.

“Although Subaru-sama was pretty regretful about having to leave all those fire mana stones behind…”

Garfiel understood his meaning immediately and forced his injured and exhausted body to jump away. With his severed arm still in his hand, he leapt toward the entrance. Unfortunately for him, it appeared Blue had only told him because he believed he couldn’t escape in time. Considering the little “Click” Garfiel heard less than a second later, he was probably right.

And so, for the second time in just one day, Garfiel’s vision- and his entire body- were completely engulfed in fiery red.

The explosion was impossible to ignore, even for the bullheadedness of the man in front of him. Added to that, the two returning mercenaries who said their employer had skipped town, he finally let them go.

“Really? After giving us so much trouble, you’re just going to let us go?” [Sloth Subaru] spoke incredulously while carrying his wife in his arms.

The man in question just shrugged. “He didn’t pay us enough to follow him.” Neither party had the time nor the desire to waste any more of it discussing with their captor as he let them go, though, as always, Ram managed to send a resentful glare in his direction.

“S-sister…” Rem continued to struggle to move in any way at all, but it was obviously getting easier as she managed to turn toward her sister, who ran beside her husband.

“Ram is here, sister.” She reassured her, but Rem turned away.

“N-no…” She looked in another direction and raised her hand with difficulty. “The other one… She’s getting… away…”

The group exchanged quick glances but immediately decided what to do. “It appears the other sister is together with the other [Subaru], I suppose.”

“We’ll go for them. You check on Garfiel.” [Sloth Subaru] turned around with Rem, Ram following behind them while giving Subaru a pointed look.

And no matter how much he wanted to follow after them, he had to go toward the explosion. Garfiel was out there, and while he trusted his strength, if there was somehow an opponent capable of matching him…

“A crowd has already formed, I suppose.”

Subaru saw she was right. It wasn’t surprising, considering the sudden explosion of what seemed to be the entire left side of a building. Some townspeople gathered to gaze at the destruction, while a few others with more initiative were carrying buckets to try and put out the remaining fires.

Subaru hoped no one had been inside when it went off- including Garfiel.

Sadly, both his hopes were dashed when part of the rubble moved and a very familiar hand reached out.

“There’s someone trapped inside!” someone in the crowd screamed, but Subaru and Beatrice were already running toward the site.

“Garfiel! Can you hear me?!” Subaru yelled, pulling at some of the fallen planks. A few from the crowd approached and helped dig him out, though some dragged Beatrice back, believing her to be a child—much to her displeasure.

“Say something!” Subaru grasped his hand and tried to pull him out. “I’m nearly… there-!”

Subaru’s triumphant rescue turned to horror when he realized the arm he had extracted from the rubble was not attached to anything.

He dropped the arm in shock and fell onto his back, stifling a scream. “W-wha-how-who…” He struggled to speak as he stared at the dismembered arm of his friend incredulously.

“W-wait just a second, Subaru! That boy is still inside, I suppose!” Beatrice broke free from the equally shocked townspeople and reached behind her contractor.

Subaru turned his head up and beheld another hand deeper in where he had just extracted the arm.

“Garfiel!” Subaru stood up immediately and reached for the hand again. This time, he could hear faint rasping breaths and painful moans as he pulled him out.

The townspeople quickly recovered from their shock and resumed their efforts to help. As they gathered behind Subaru to pull, the battered and wounded body of Garfiel emerged from the rubble. It was clearly causing him immense pain. “I’m sorry about this, Garf. Just hold on! One, two, and… three!”

With one final push, Garfiel was freed from the remains of the building. He was in a sorry state, barely recognizable as the Garfiel he had seen less than an hour ago. Thick, congealed blood smothered him from head to toe, but the burns beneath were so severe that the two horrors merged into a single grotesque visage. His flesh had bubbled and split in places, weeping clear fluid where it wasn’t charred black.

But these were nothing compared to the butchery of his severed arm. The stump was a mangled mess-not cleanly cut, but torn, as if something had gnawed through tendon and bone before wrenching it free.

Subaru swallowed the bile rising in his throat- something many of the spectators failed to do. But he needed to help his friend.

“Beako!” He called for his spirit, who was already rushing to Garfiel’s side.

“I’m on it!” Without delay, she reached for him, and a gentle glow emanated from her hands. Already, some of his open wounds began to mend, and some of the burns receded. Beatrice frowned. “Stop pushing yourself. Focus on any internal wounds first. If you exhaust your blessing, things will get worse, in fact.”

It took Subaru a second to realize she was referring to Garfiel. “Garf!” He dropped to his knees beside him. He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say. He wanted to ask what had happened, but as Beatrice had said, he shouldn’t push him. Although it seemed Garf was going to try anyway.

“Gah… Urk…”

“Foolish boy. Betty told you not to talk, I suppose.”

Despite her objections, Garf didn’t stop and instead turned his eye to Subaru, giving him a pleading look.

“Is it really important, Garf? Is it dangerous?”

Garfiel moved his head slowly, which elicited a painful groan and a sigh from Beatrice.

“Don’t enable him, Subaru. If there really is something dangerous out there, we’ll need to get him out of here, I suppose.”

Murmurs broke out among the crowd at the mention of danger—the thing that had likely caused the building to collapse. Then, as if on cue, someone emerged from the rubble beside them.

Garfiel visibly tensed and, uncaring of his condition, suddenly stood up, raising his remaining arm to shield Subaru and Beatrice.

It spoke to his strength that, despite only receiving minimal healing from Beatrice, he was already capable of standing. In fact, Subaru could see his body still mending, his blessing continuing to work even now.

But his attention snapped to the figure emerging from the destroyed building. Whip in hand, he was ready to strike—until the smoke cleared, and he saw who stood there.

“Felix?”

His face was covered in dirt, and he wore nothing but a singed piece of cloth to cover his body, but it was undoubtedly Crusch’s knight: Felix Argyle.

“Subaru-sama?”

“What are you doing—” Felix tried to speak but cut off when he saw Garfiel shielding them. He waddled out of the rubble, ignoring all offers of help, and assumed a fighting stance, mirroring Garfiel’s.

Both stood locked in place, waiting for the other to move. Even with his injuries, Garfiel was likely still far more agile than Felix. But Felix only needed one touch- a single brush of a finger- to inflict even more devastating damage. And so, as they tensed to pounce…

“Felix! I don’t know what’s going on, but you have to help Garfiel!” Subaru stepped forward. “Especially his arm-” But he was stopped by Garfiel grabbing him fiercely. He groaned something incomprehensible before turning back to glare at Felix, who looked utterly confused.

“E-eh? Are you sure, Subaru-sama? B-because didn’t you just order his death?”

Subaru’s head dropped at Felix’s careless words. Then, with a tug on his shirt, Beatrice whispered to him:

“Subaru… this one is…”

“I get it, Beako.” Subaru said reassuringly. “And maybe I can turn this around.”

He looked at the still-confused Felix and the badly wounded Garfiel and tried to salvage the situation. “Sorry about that- it was a misunderstanding. These things happen, you know? I’ll cover the property damage, but since I was here to stop it from getting worse, I’m sure we can all move past this. Right? So... um, would you mind helping Garfiel here, despite everything I said before?” He cringed internally at his rambling, but surprisingly, it seemed to be working.

“Oh, I see how it is!” Felix said cheerfully, clapping his hands before quickly grabbing the cloth covering himself again. “I’m really sorry, then! It must’ve been Blue’s fault, so I’m really sorry! I can’t do anything about the inn or the Fire Stones, but I can at least heal you!”

Garfiel was taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor but remained alert. His healing factor had stabilized him enough to speak again, and he grunted: “This one’s dangerous.”

“It’s fine, Garf.” Subaru said, trying to sound reassuring- though he himself wasn’t sure if this Felix was acting. But there was only one way to find out.

“Hey, Felix, come over here.” Subaru stepped past Garfiel and moved closer to Felix. He felt Beatrice tug at his clothes, but he continued anyway. When he did, Felix hastily took his hand- and Subaru braced for something terrible to happen. Instead, Felix shook it and began to tear up.

“S-subaru-sama! Is healing him not enough? I can atone for my mistake in whichever way you wish!”

“U-um, n-no! There’s nothing wrong! Just heal him, and everything will be alright!”

“T-then why aren’t you calling me ‘Blue’ like normal? You only use my name when you’re angry at me!”

What kind of relationship did the other me have with you? Subaru thought bitterly. Still, he knew better than to waste this chance.

“I-I’m just a little stressed from the situation, that’s all. F-Err, Blue.” He cautiously patted Felix’s back. He couldn’t help but notice how Garfiel flinched every time Felix touched him- or maybe it was just his lingering pain. Speaking of which…

“Alright, alright, let’s focus on healing my friend here, and we can discuss everything else later, alright?” Subaru guided Felix toward Garfiel, who looked ready to attack at any moment. Luckily, with Subaru leading, he reluctantly allowed the healer to take his hand.

The effect was immediate. Gasps filled the crowd as Garfiel’s body underwent a miraculous recovery. His open wounds closed instantly, and the burns faded, the charred black and angry red replaced with soft pink skin.

Subaru sighed in relief and smiled at Beatrice. It seemed everything would be okay—until Felix gasped and Garfiel yanked his hand away with a glare.

“Not that one. My amazin’ self quite likes that scar. Makes my amazin’ self look vicious.” Garfiel grunted.

Subaru had no idea what they were talking about until Felix meekly released Garfiel’s hand.

“Ah, no problem! It’s an old wound, so it would be difficult to heal, even for me.”

“Hmph.” Garfiel flexed his muscles, testing his condition. Then he bared his teeth and glared at the healer again. “So, y’ gonna heal my arm, or ‘s that also impossible fer ya?”

Felix blinked in surprise, then turned to the forgotten arm lying on the ground- the one nobody had dared to pick up. “Of course! Blue will have it fixed right away!”

As the crowd parted to let him retrieve the limb, Subaru approached Garfiel. He knew Felix could reattach limbs- he’d seen him do it with Crusch’s arm- so he wanted to reassure him. But Garfiel wasn’t looking at him or Felix. His gaze was fixed into the distance.

“You- as in another version ‘f ya, Cap’n- ordered him t’ do this. Ordered him t’… t’ kill me. Just like that. An’… an’ he had Ram with ‘im…” Garfiel said, his voice pensive, even scared- not for himself, but for the Ram they had come here to find.

Subaru shared his fear. Beatrice took his hand in reassurance.

“We already sent the others after them, so don’t go doing anything rash… for now.” Subaru told him, though it did little to ease his worry. Still, Garfiel turned back as Felix returned with his arm and began working his magic.

Subaru exchanged a look with his spirit. He could tell she was thinking the same thing.

What kind of man must this [Natsuki Subaru] be, to order such a thing done to their friend?

Finally, he had made it outside the walls of the city. The watch had tried to stop him, but a single Holy Coin was enough to change his mind.

It hurt parting with so much of his recently acquired wealth, as he knew that every coin he gave away was one Ram might need in the future when he was no longer here.

He felt another pang of loss at the thought of losing Blue, that incredible healer capable of supplying her with mana. He would’ve been a great boon in keeping her alive- especially considering the considerable amount of mana stones he’d sacrificed in that little distraction he’d set up.

But that loss was quickly replaced by satisfaction. Perhaps the biggest liar he had ever met, and one he’d been forced to work with despite the fear he instilled, he was glad to finally be rid of him.

A part of him feared that somehow, Blue would manage to make his way back to him. He had been kind enough to explain his abilities, and it seemed he hadn’t lied when doing so. If he truly was the Blue of the kingdom, then that healing ability was about what he’d expected.

Still, maybe that was a good thing. Maybe Blue would reunite with Ram and use his resources to ensure her safety. The only problem was, he had no clue what Blue’s true plan was. He followed orders to the letter. Did he know his mere presence put so much pressure on him? Most likely.

“Even dealing with Cecilus was more straightforward.” He sighed. Again, it didn’t matter. Soon, Ram would wake up, and everything would be over. He turned to look at her- and immediately lost his breath.

Her beautiful pink eyes were wide open, staring directly into him. He expected her to say something, or to launch herself at his neck like last time, but she just sat there in silence.

Against his better instincts, he reached a hand to her face- and again, he was surprised as she offered no resistance. He touched her bright, colorful face, the face of the only one who could bring him salvation. And finally, her eyes seemed to gain recognition as they focused on him.

“R…Rem… Sister…”

He cursed to himself. Whatever problem plagued her mind still persisted. It was probably Blue’s fault. He was sure of it. Blue must have deduced she was his last hope and interfered with her mind somehow. With his magic, he had weakened her, made her unwilling to grant him his freedom. That’s why he had followed him. Why he had rescued him from death at Pandemonium. To extend his suffering. He had intended to torture him all this time, ensuring he would never receive the death he desired from the one he desired.

Blue was supposed to be a knight, so he must have been allied with Reinhard and those who had attacked him. Frederica had probably sent him, just as she’d sent that other man- the one who must’ve been her brother. They likely intended to keep him dancing to their whims, mentally trapped and under their control while he despaired over their true loyalty.

Ram was his only hope. And they wanted to take even that from him.

“But I won’t let them.” He looked at her, letting a flicker of determination show on his face. Likewise, she looked back at him- and her response was a shrieking shout.

“W-wait-!” he screamed, but she grabbed his hand and shoved him down. He lost his grip on the reins, and the ground dragons, useless beasts that they were, likely spiraled out of control. But that thought vanished as he realized-Ram was still Ram. A smile crossed his face, even as her hands closed around his neck for the third, and hopefully final, time.

“Where?! Where is she?!” she screamed, tightening her grip. “Where is Rem?! What did you do to her?!”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. He felt sorrow that her mind was scrambled, but he knew her better than anyone. No matter what that bastard had done to her, she would be fine. She was the strongest girl in existence. The only one strong enough to maintain her colors.

Perhaps she noticed this, because she began to cry. Her tears fell onto his face, amplified by the freezing northern cold. Her fury intensified as she raised his head and slammed it against the carriage floor. He thought of the dragons and how they might react- but he could no longer sense them.

He felt himself fading, the air in his lungs insufficient.

Another slam- and he barely registered the impact of snow beneath him. They had fallen from the carriage, it seemed. He worried for Ram, but she didn’t relent.

And so, in a cruel reflection of their first meeting since Pandemonium’s fall- no, of their encounter all those years ago, the one that had set them both on this despicable path- they had come full circle.

Unlike the last two times, he wouldn’t muster the will to stop her.

Close. Closer. Soon, finally, he would be free from the pain, the nightmares, the life of death and deceit.

But just as what should have been his final slam, his final breath, his final thought- Ram stopped.

Dread filled him as her fingers slowly loosened, letting his head drop into the snow.

He tried to raise his head but couldn’t. He tried to speak, to beg her to finish him, but no words came. His vision shook, his head throbbed. The fall must have been severe.

“Rem!”

Ram’s cry reached his ears. She shouted, collapsing to her knees, scrambling toward an approaching figure. She kept screaming, but his hearing failed him too.

Still, as his vision faded, he strained to turn his head- to at least see who he’d have to deal with when he redid this. Maybe Blue had slipped away after all. Maybe Frederica’s brother had beaten him and followed. Or maybe Reinhard himself had arrived.

His head hurt so much he wouldn’t be surprised if he was bleeding, but he didn’t care. Another death like this meant nothing except prolonging his suffering. The only death that mattered would come from the one person in the world who still held color.

And so, he turned- and saw her colorful form moving away from him. His vision failing, her figure split and merged, multiplying around him. He knew he was insane, but now he was truly losing his mind, because for one second, Ram’s form settled- and she was in the arms of another.

Not a clone his mind had conjured.

No, something worse.

A living nightmare. The one who had truly started it all.

With a face and form almost perfectly replicated from the past, there stood the great betrayer who had begun this cycle of lies and death.

There stood Rem- that inhuman monster who had tortured and killed him without remorse.

And despite his earlier inability, he screamed in terror like never before.

Then, everything went black.

Side Story 2: The First Natsuki Bloodline Meeting 

This story takes place before the expedition is formed.

Today, the entire Natsuki Bloodline met together to deepen their bond.

Of course, the fact that most of them were some variation of Natsuki Subaru didn’t sit well with those who weren’t.

“This has to be hell… There’s no way this ain’t hell…”

“Come on, my son! Cheer up! This is a great opportunity to deepen your bonds with all your cousins and uncles!”

“Like hell they are! They’re all different versions of ya! When did they magically become my cousins or uncles, huh!? When did such a tragedy come to pass!?” Rigel screamed at his father.

“Besides, what the hell is a ‘Natsuki Bloodline meeting’ supposed to be? It’s just another meeting of all you guys! The only ones here who ain’t named Natsuki Subaru are me and Spica!”

Rigel was right. Every version of Subaru was here in an attempt to deepen their bond—which translated to mostly gushing over Spica and pampering her.

“Hey, hey now. Although the fact that most of our blood is in these guys is a bit concerning, they’re still family, alright?” [Sloth Subaru] scolded his son while launching a jab himself. The others didn’t care all that much.

“Urg… At the very least, why didn’t you bring Mom here, Dad?”

“Are you kidding me? There’s no way I would bring her to be surrounded by all these dangerous thugs! Nuh uh, no way!”

“So, you admit they’re thugs! And what kind of father are ya that you bring your kids to that kind of meeting?!”

His father chuckled. “Well, my dear Spica has the special power to turn all hearts around and adore her in a way that will cause her no harm. You agree, don’t you, my son?”

“Of course I do!” Rigel screamed with total conviction. Then he blinked and noticed his father had derailed the conversation. “Then what about me?”

His father blinked twice. “Uhh… Well, I have faith my son can take care of his own!” He said, putting on his best smile.

“What kind of irresponsible father are you!? I swear I’ll tell Mom!”

[Sloth Subaru] just waved his hands in a whatever motion. Before he could tell him something about how Rem would surely forgive him, Rigel decided he had no choice but to bargain.

“Fine, fine. But at the very least, can I be with Spica? Please?”

“My, my. It’s been a hot minute since you actually came and pleaded to me. I guess I have no choice but to indulge you- don’t want you tearing up on me next, can we?” Rigel closed his fist to contain his rage. His father laughed even louder and clapped his hands. “Well, you heard him, everyone. Fun’s over.”

A collection of “Awws” and sighs broke out from the Subarus, but they dispersed all the same.

“See, look what you’ve done. Now they’re all sad. Hope you’re happy with yourself, kiddo.”

The very clear smile on Rigel’s face clearly showed he was happy with his choice indeed. He made his way to Spica but stopped dead in his tracks as it was revealed who was holding her.

[Greed Subaru] held her tenderly in his arms. Contrary to how he usually looked, now he was calm, at peace. A small and genuine smile played on his lips, and his dead eyes seemed to have been injected with a little bit of life. His eyebags even appeared to have disappeared just by holding onto her.

“Umm… I… Spica-”

[Greed Subaru] turned his head to look at him, and Rigel felt his words die in his throat. Even in his newfound Zen state, the man still managed to intimidate Rigel-though this likely extended to just him, who felt a deep unease about being near the mysterious man with that distorted face resembling his ever-smiling father.

[Greed Subaru] just chuckled and brushed away one last strand of Spica’s hair before handing her over to him, Rigel holding out his arms in surprise.

“Here, you can have your sister back,” he said, still maintaining that serene smile. “I’ve already had more than enough Spica for today. I think I’ll be able to sleep calmly tonight.”

Even if it was clearly meant to be a joke, something about him just made it seem like he couldn’t have done so otherwise.

Nevertheless, Rigel had his sister again, so he could sit in peace.

“Really, you’re such a siscon it’s kind of scary. Will my kid grow up to be like you too?” [Lust Subaru] said as he looked at Rigel hugging his sister. For his part, Rigel frowned at the king.

“Don’t be so sure, ya bastard. For all you know, Mo- I mean, yer wife is going to have a girl!”

“I don’t know. Where I’m from, these types of stories usually say something about destiny. I’m thinking it’ll be a boy- or rather, it’ll be [Natsuki Rigel].”

As Rigel’s brow darkened, the king laughed. “Well, it doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl in the end. If it’s a boy -if the baby is indeed [Natsuki Rigel]- then I’ll be his greatest obstacle, his most difficult rival, his partner in crime! Just like my dad did with me. I’ll continue the tradition: I’ll be merciless, like a lion throwing his cub into a bottomless ravine over and over again! Of course, you must be all too familiar with that, right?”

Rigel looked down and seethed internally at the mocking face of the king- a face shared by his father.

“Tch.”

“And if it’s a girl, I’ll treat her like a princess. I’ll spoil her absolutely rotten, give her whatever she wants whenever she wants it!”

The king wanted to continue, but he was interrupted by the father of the boy he was bullying. “So much so you’ll want her to say things like, ‘Papa, I wanna marry you someday!’ right?”

The king smirked. “Exactly. I want her to do so until she’s in middle school. If I can have my daughter love me that much until middle school, I’m in the winning group among all the dads around the world. And I guess you must be too familiar with this one too, right?” He spoke to [Sloth Subaru].

“Ayup. And if you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself in that hallowed group of parents,” he said with a thumbs up.

The king smiled and turned to look at a very annoyed Rigel. “That said, if this destiny thing is worth any merit, then Rem will probably give me my own version of Rigel and Spica in the end.”

“Well, if you just followed your plan, it should give you the same result. It’s exactly the plan I followed, after all!” [Sloth Subaru] said cheerfully.

“That’s all well and good, but aren’t you forgetting something? What about your [Emilia], huh? Shouldn’t she also be considered in your equation?” Subaru leaned back in his seat as he looked at the king angrily, very clearly envious.

“Of course, of course. But this and that are actually different fields altogether. Regardless of how many I have with Rem, you know?”

“Ewww…” Rigel shuddered.

“Hey now. Don’t act that way.” The king smiled deviously. “After all this talk, you’re probably thinking of how nice it would be if Spica was your big sister instead, right?”

“Don’t go around saying things like that, ya bastard! I still haven’t forgotten that you’re double-timing Mo- I mean… yer wife with another girl! You should be groveling and thanking me for not kicking yer butt!” When Subaru snickered at that, Rigel also pointed at him. “And don’t ya laugh either, ya hear? I know you also want to double-time your Rem with that elf girl! You’re taking advantage of the fact that she’s asleep!”

Rigel only realized what he had said as the mood fell. The faces of both Subaru and [Greed Subaru] immediately turned sad again. Rigel tried desperately to backtrack. “Ah! I’m sorry… I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean to say that…”

“Rigel… you…” Subaru muttered. Rigel felt extremely guilty. Both of these Subarus had to deal with the terrible experience of having a loved one fall asleep with no seeming end in sight. If his mom had experienced such a thing, he was sure he’d be in an even worse state than them.

“Please forgive me! I didn’t mean it! I-I-”

“You… you… You are forgiven!” Subaru suddenly screamed, putting away all his sadness. “The sight of Rigel apologizing is quite rare, so it can’t be helped, can it?”

Rigel growled but didn’t say anything else when he saw how [Greed Subaru] also chuckled a little. He just resigned himself and sighed.

“Um, I’ll say sorry too,” [Lust Subaru] spoke. “I also want to get to know you better, so please forgive me.” Seeing the supposed majesty bow to apologize, Rigel smiled and nodded.

Seeing the feisty way he did it brought a smile to the king’s face. “Thank you. When -or if- I end up having my own [Rigel], could you please get along with him? He’ll be like your twin in a way, and while I’m worried he could grow up to be a delinquent under your bad influence,” All the Subarus chuckled at the haughty puff of Rigel’s cheeks. “I still think he should look after you if he had the chance.”

Rigel looked away to hide the blush on his face. He opened one eye and blinked briefly at the king. “I… I guess I can do that… As long as it doesn’t interfere with my Spica time…”

“Of course!” [Lust Subaru] smiled and laughed. The whole room followed suit. From the corner of his eye, Rigel could see his father giving him a thumbs up. He wasn’t happy he had helped- not at all.

…

“Well, my son, I think that went rather well, wouldn’t you say so?” His father patted him on the back as their little meeting ended and everyone separated. Now the three made their way back to their room.

“I guess so... Tch. Whatever…” Rigel grumbled. He didn’t want his father to hear that he’d had fun, after all. He’d never hear the end of it.

“Exactly! So, same time next week then?” His father smirked at him.

“Like hell I’m doing one of those things again in a week.”

[Sloth Subaru] tapped his finger against his chin in mock thought. “Hmm, you’re most right, my son. A week is too long for us to not host another one. In that case, we’ll have one tomorrow! Thanks for volunteering yourself again, by the way!”

“You… you… YOU BASTARD!”

“Rigel! That’s no way to speak to your father! Rem is removing your Spica-holding rights for today as punishment!” Rem spoke out after appearing from the bedroom.

His father only laughed louder at Rigel’s sinking realization that this was likely to be his life for the foreseeable time they’d spend in this new world.

“This has to be hell… There’s no way this ain’t hell…”