[User] "But I guess that bit of lore is different in other worlds.”

[Assistant] "I don’t know what you’re comparing us to, but members of the Oni tribe do hold their liquor well compared to other species. I often participated in drinking contests at parties with adults when I was a child.”

[User] “Gee, thanks for confessing to your underage drinking, Ram. I don’t mean to impose my views on Oni cultural norms, but…your complexion and speech sure haven’t gotten questionable.”

[Assistant] “But of course. My tolerance is in a league of its own.” Subaru turned his head to see Ram sitting in a chair, elegantly pouring herself a glass of liquor.

[User] "Rem seems to be enjoying her liquor. How truly adorable.” Ram frowned at the sight of Rem with her arms around Subaru’s waist.

[Assistant] “I wouldn’t say ‘enjoying’… Well, she looks like she’s enjoying the evening more than anything, but the only thing Rem is drunk on at the moment is vibes. She hasn’t had a sip of liquor and look at her. Did Rem ever get like this at parties in your village?”

[User] “My sister and I…we were in a complicated position. Besides, I wanted to keep Rem away from adult parties.” Ram averted her eyes.


[User] He had hoped that with a little alcohol in their systems, Emilia and Rem would blossom into newer, more alluring versions of themselves—but tragically, it turned out that Subaru held his liquor well. And he could still read the room, due to his inability to get drunk. He was utterly exasperated by his own genetic predisposition. "Turns out not all alcohol tastes bad after all… But the only things I gained from this evening is that, and the lesson that you should never carelessly offer a girl a drink.”

[Assistant] "I feel like that’s only true in extreme cases." Ram said, tipping her glass to her lips. It was astonishing just how many empty bottles were strewn about her. Her Oni nature was on full display, not in supernatural powers, but in behavior and constitution.

[User] "So Ram is a heavy drinker, just like I thought." Subaru’s eyes turned to the party hall. "So what about the others—dang, check out Puck." Subaru’s eyes shot open when he saw Puck on the table. All his posturing of not letting Emilia have a drop of liquor long forgotten, he was now enjoying a soak in a bowl filled with liquor. Roswaal sat across from him, chatting spiritedly with a wine cup in hand, showing a glimpse of the surprisingly good relationship between the spirit and the chief mage of the royal court. And then, after his eyes scanned the room for a certain small silhouette—

[Assistant] "Ah! Beako, you little rascal." He found Beatrice seated on the deserted railing of the balcony, her sausage curls swaying in the breeze. Seeing the pensive, lonely look on the side of her face, Subaru sighed to himself and said, "Welp, guess I’ll go tease her a little. Emilia-tan, sorry, but take care of Rem for me.”

[User] "Hmmm? Mm-hm, okay. C’mon, Rem, come to meeee! Mm-hm-hm, you’re really cuuuute!” Subaru carefully untangled himself from the glazed-eyed Rem’s embrace and leaned her against Emilia. When Rem didn’t struggle and leaned freely into Emilia’s arms, the half-elf gleefully cuddled her close, gently caressing her blue hair, and nuzzling her cheek against Rem’s.

[Assistant] "I wanna take a picture so bad…" Subaru whined with painful reluctance.

[User] "I’ll burn the image into my eyelids." Ram said, nodding reassuringly. Entrusting the image to Ram’s memory, Subaru headed to the balcony railing where Beatrice sat all alone, quietly looking up at the stars.


[Assistant] Subaru sat beside her on the railing, smiled at her, and said, “Don’t be a wallflower. It kills me seeing you all alone like this.”

[User] "Gratuitous slander, I suppose. And I didn’t ask for your sympathy, thank you very much. Besides…wasn’t it you who insisted I not have a drop of liquor? What else am I supposed to do, then?”

[Assistant] “I know it’s unfair for me to say this since I invited you, but come on, the way you look, it’s just visually wrong to see you drinking.


[User] "And I don’t even wanna picture the poor little girl, secretly developing a taste for alcohol and day-drinking by herself in the Archive of Forbidden Books.”

[Assistant] The objective of this party was to have a good time. Turning a little girl delinquent would run very counter to that. For that matter, this seemed like one of those instances where Puck really should step up to stop her. “And yet that damn cat is soaking in a sumptuous alcohol bath—make it make sense.”

[User] “Don’t badmouth my brother. Besides, his behavior only proves how much he trusts his Betty, I suppose. So I am most certainly not lonely—”

[Assistant] “Whoa, Emilia and Rem are cuddling more fiercely than ever!”

[User] “Did you come all the way over here just to ignore me? Beyond insulting, I suppose!”

[Assistant] “Ahhh—no, no, it’s not what you think! It’s just, Emilia and Rem are being, like, every man’s fantasy right now and it’s not like they’ve stolen my heart or anything but dammit I wish I had a camera…!”

[User] “That wasn’t even slightly convincing!” On the opposite balcony, Emilia was cuddling and caressing Rem, while Rem purred and nuzzled against Emilia in turn. It was beyond wholesome—it was downright yuri-licious.

[Assistant] “I’m so mad I can’t be there right now…!”

[User] “Oh, enough already. With my brother in Roswaal’s clutches, it’s best that I sit alone in the night breeze. It suits me, I suppose.”

[Assistant] “Hey, I said I’m sorry, okay? It hurts a party host when his sulking guest snipes at him. Oh, fine, if I must, I must." With a smirk at the pouting Beatrice, Subaru took a leaf from her book and jumped off the railing.

[User] But the moment his feet hit the floor, the alcohol in his system made him almost fall to the ground below. “Waaah?! Oh—oh crap! I almost became a squashed tomato there!”

[Assistant] “Not even your cheap attempt at physical comedy will get me to smile, I suppose. Even if you were smooshed to death like an insect, I doubt it would be all that entertaining.”

[User] “I’m not risking my life for your amusement—I don’t feel that guilty! Shit…I totally almost died there.” Wiping the cold sweat off his brow, Subaru plopped himself down beside the exasperated Beatrice. She didn’t welcome his presence, but she showed no inclination of leaving, either. So Subaru assumed that meant his presence wasn’t minded. “Okay, since you’re bored, let me tell you a wonderful story. Truth be told, I was hoping to use the starry sky as a pretense to share a romantic moment with Emilia-tan, but the unparalleled power of alcohol thwarted that plan.”

[Assistant] “All I’m hearing is a schemer drowning in his own scheme, I suppose.”

[User] “And you’re not wrong—you’re not wrong, but still! ……Let’s put a pin in that for later. Anyway, I’m gonna tell you a story about the stars from my hometown.


[User] "Over there, each star has its own name and legend.” In Subaru’s fantasy, his rousing conversation about stars would whet Beatrice’s curiosity and bring a smile to her face. But despite his enthusiasm, when he looked up at the stars—he held his breath. This was nothing new to Subaru, but every time he looked at the stars, he couldn’t help but feel a fleeting hesitation. And with good reason—the stars in this sky were completely unrecognizable. The brightest Polaris, the Big Dipper beside it, the Summer and Winter Triangle asterisms, Orion’s Belt, Cassiopeia—where did they all go? Ironically, one look at the night sky and it was instantly obvious. The stars in this world were in completely different places from the stars in Subaru’s world.

[Assistant] "You’ve forgotten your story, I suppose… If you’ve quite finished, then be off with you.”

[User] “I haven’t forgotten anything, dude. There were just too many stars to name, I had a hard time deciding… Okay, first, take that star. That overly bright star, that’s Polaris, the North Star. If you ever lose your way, use it to guide you. It always points north.”

[Assistant] “But that’s south—the complete opposite direction.”

[User] “Okay then, it’s the South Star.”

[Assistant] “So arbitrary! Are you making this all up, I wonder? !”

[User] In actual fact, he was making it all up, but Subaru hid his shame behind an audacious smile and continued his story. In this sort of scenario, whoever yielded ground first lost. Not that he knew what this competition even was—alcohol was probably to blame for that. Subaru faced Beatrice’s displeased gaze head-on, pointed at the South Star, and said, “You use the South Star as a starting point to find the other stars. Lower your gaze a little and look—see those five stars in the shape of an M? That’s Cassiopeia.”

[Assistant] “I don’t know what an em is, and I can’t see any shape besides.”

[User] “You don’t see it, you feel it. Agh—okay, since you don’t know the letter M, think of it as a canyon. So the legend about Cassiopeia is, well, Cassiopeia was proud of her daughter Andromeda—so proud, in fact, that everyone else frowned upon her.”

[Assistant] “…For stories about stars, they certainly reek of human,” Beatrice grumbled, punctuating the word with a loud sigh.

[User] But this sentiment made Subaru’s cheeks soften into a smile. “I know, right? Where I’m from, the stars are thought of as deities. But our deities are always up to some trouble somewhere—just like humans! And that’s what makes the stories interesting.”

[Assistant] “Bold of you to call stars deities. For beings beyond human comprehension, that’s a very self-serving interpretation, I suppose.”

[User] “Okay, the idea of supernatural beings can be a bit chilling at times, but meanwhile, we’ve got a spirit over there who mostly fits that description, and he’s chilling in a bath of booze—your argument is invalid.” As Subaru gestured with his eyes, Roswaal filled Puck’s empty bath cup with more liquor.


[User] Feeling any sort of reverence over such whimsy was absolutely impossible. Beholding the same scene, even Beatrice got an uncomfortable look on her face as she said

[Assistant] “In a way, Puckie breaks the mold when it comes to great spirits. So don’t use his magnificence as a standard for all spirits. My brother is very special.”

[User] “Thanks for the cringey comeback. Anyway, as for the other stars…yeah, that’s a good one, okay! Now we’re going to look for our favorite: Subaru!”

[Assistant] “……Heh?”

[User] As Subaru snapped his fingers and let his white teeth shine, Beatrice assumed she was witnessing an ego crucifixion. Picking up on this, Subaru frantically shook his head. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, don’t pity me! It’s not what you think! Yeah, Subaru is my name, but I was named after stars to begin with—the Pleiades. Anyway, the Pleiades are a cluster of several stars—I was saying we should look for it.”

[Assistant] “Imagine naming your son after a twinkling star in the sky—your parents were truly cruel to you, I suppose.”

[User] “Can you not make a backhanded insult about me not living up to my name? !” It’s not that Subaru wasn’t sensitive about it. Half-lying to himself about his insecurity, Subaru grandly pointed to the sky and said loudly, “You probably don’t care, but stay with me here. Humor a drunk man’s ramblings.”

[Assistant] As Subaru bounced back, Beatrice murmured quietly, “I never said…that I didn’t care.”

[User] Subaru’s eyes widened in shock as the little girl quietly averted her gaze. Her cheeks were slightly pink. “What’s this? What’s this? Dang, talk about your emotionally constipated loli. Hey, you! Fine, fine, you forced my hand! Okay then, let’s have a super-fun chat about the stars some more!”

[Assistant] “You’re too loud, I suppose. You insufferable buffoon.”

[User] “Yes, yes, aren’t you so cute!” Thoroughly cheered up by Beatrice’s attitude shift, Subaru merrily jumped back into his lecture. Looking up at the unfamiliar night sky, he mercilessly vomited out misguided legends about stars. And as he talked, he felt a fluffy lightness in his heart and in his head all at once.


[Assistant] “Oh myyy, oh my, had enough of your little tryst with Subaru?” Roswaal swirled his wine glass and asked Beatrice with a smile as she returned from the balcony.

[User] Beatrice scrunched her face in disdain at the clown-faced man’s choice of words. “Could you limit your joking to your appearance, I wonder? Do you really think I could sincerely enjoy myself in that buffoon’s presence? Not even worth a laugh.”

[Assistant] “Oh, now, somebody sure needs to put her pride on the shelf. You’re always like this, aren’t you.”

[User] “Of course. Nobody else in this group comes even close to my brother in experience, I suppose. But never mind that—” Beatrice’s gaze shifted to Ram, who was sitting opposite Roswaal. Catching the meaning behind her gaze, Roswaal nodded discreetly at Ram, who quietly rose and left her seat.


[User] She gulps down the rest of her drink as she stood, then with a bow, she retired to the balcony.

[Assistant] Out on the balcony, Subaru, Emilia, and Rem were already fast asleep in a cuddle puddle. Ram draped a blanket over each of them one by one: Emilia’s with care, Rem’s with love, and Subaru’s with smothering intent. "Kids who can’t hold their liquor sure are cute, aren’t theyyyy? Subaru may have put on a brave face, but I do believe he passed his tolerance.”

[User] “It’s like a thread snapping, I suppose. His footing and manner of speech were jumbled from the start…but he’s always a clown. It’s no wonder I didn’t notice something was different.”

[Assistant] “For all your scorn, you certainly did offer him some support—as if you knew he would collapse. So I can only assume you did notice the difference…am I wrong?”

[Assistant] “Now, now, don’t give me the evil eye. It was merely an innocent joooke.”

[User] Beatrice heaved a long, tired sigh at the unsubtle teasing in Roswaal’s tone. It was a heavy, weak sigh that reflected their long years of association.

[Assistant] And at this action that did not reflect her youthful appearance, Roswaal shrugged his shoulders and said, “So am I to understand that this evening was not to your liking?”

[User] “Did you think it would be to my liking, I wonder? This drunken debauchery… Betty detests disturbances of the peace. As such, this party was the most loathsome thing I had the displeasure of experiencing.”

[Assistant] “Was it, though? Based on your recent behavior, I have a hard time swallowing that. Haven’t you merely resigned yourself to the solitary silence that you call peace, while in actuality, you—”

[User] “Roswaal.” Beatrice nipped Roswaal’s serious voice and gaze in the bud. An uncomfortable silence flowed between the two.


[Assistant] “Betty.”

[User] “Puckie…” The third presence left in the area, Puck, craned his neck from its position on the edge of his wine cup bathtub. “Betty…did you not enjoy the party tonight?” he asked.

[Assistant] “No…that’s not what I was saying. I was more than content, just watching you enjoy yourself. But you reek of alcohol right now, so I’m not going to hug you, I suppose.”

[User] “Meooow.” Sloshing droplets of alcohol from his glass, Puck sank into the drink. He then gulped the rest of the cup’s contents in one breath then flew out, shaking the mist of alcohol from his entire body. “How’s that?”

[Assistant] “Still stinky.”

[User] “Then how about this?” Puck’s fur quivered as he rolled himself into a glowing ball of light. Then, in the blink of an eye, the cat’s body reformed back to its pre-drinking luster.

[Assistant] “Must be handy, having a constitution that prevents hangovers…”

[User] With a wink at Roswaal’s concise thought, Puck climbed onto Beatrice’s shoulder and said, “Yeah, but in exchange, I don’t get the satisfaction of a full belly of yummy food or drink."


[User] In a way, having a spirit’s body is inconducive to having fun.” Beatrice softly nuzzled her cheek against Puck’s, which no longer reeked of alcohol. Then she glared at Roswaal.

[Assistant] “Ooh, the evil eye. What has come over you, my dear?”

[User] “I just want to hear your true feelings, I suppose. What was the point in tonight’s debauchery?”

[Assistant] “It’s exactly what I said before I made my opening toast. The people of this house need to come together to meet the challenges that we’ll face in the future. Each and every guest tonight was here by my most earnest wishes.”

[User] “You must prepare yourself mentally, my dear. The time of fulfillment for the long, looong covenant is nigh. At the very least, that is the mindset I have right now.” His words colored with solemnity, Roswaal tipped his wine glass toward the balcony. And through the swirling amber liquid, Roswaal’s heterochromatic eyes beheld the sleeping boy and girls.

[Assistant] Upon hearing Roswaal’s earnest wish, Beatrice neither affirmed nor denied his resolution. She abdicated making a choice right then, but that was because it was a choice that Beatrice had been pondering for a very long time.

[User] “No matter what else happens…I do hope for the fruition of your existence, Beatrice. I know I’m a hodgepodge of lies, but this is one of my few honest sentiments.”

[Assistant] “A trivial sentiment, I suppose. Do you expect me to take that as sympathy?”

[User] “No—as empathy. You and I are the only ones in this entire world who are party to our little conspiracy.” And with that, Roswaal set a new glass onto the table. Pouring amber liquid into it, the clown set the glass in front of the little girl.

[Assistant] “What’s this?” she asked.

[User] “Your share. It’s downright cruel, coming to a party and not letting a single drop of liquor pass your lips. Those who would disparage your drinking are deep in dreamland, you see.” With a smile and a wink, Roswaal scooted the drink closer to Beatrice.

[Assistant] She reached for the glass—but just before she could touch it, a gust of wind blew. The breeze, thick with the night air from the balcony, tickled an earlier conversation in the back of Beatrice’s mind. After a moment’s pause, she pushed the glass away, rejecting the drink. “I’ll decline, I suppose.”

[User] “Being faithful to Subaru, are we? You are just full of surprises tonight…”

[Assistant] “Do not mistake me. I’m not abstaining from drinking because of anything that snot-nosed brat said… It’s because of something my mother told me long ago.” Beatrice’s answer forced Roswaal to silence. Smiling coolly over the instant effect of her words, Beatrice patted Puck’s back. She experienced a night like this one in the past—under the night sky, Beatrice’s mother frowned at the sight of her daughter drinking alcohol. And she got the sense there was another voice urging her to stop, too.


[User] That was why the shut-in of the Archive of Forbidden Books could not break the command her mother gave her that night. "That’s all, nothing more—whatever he has to say does not concern me, I suppose."

[Assistant] And with that excuse hanging in the air, Beatrice did not once touch the wine glass to her lips.

[User] Night fell on the party. Its host learned both the joy and strife in alcohol’s flavor, and the girls had thoroughly explored the limits of their own alcohol tolerance. And night slowly fell on them. Only the stars quietly watched over this little moment of peace.


[User] Subaru was frozen solid at the sight of the unfamiliar maid. But his tension soon eased.

[Assistant] Emilia, standing stiff at Subaru’s side, furled her refined eyebrows and said, “…Frederica?”

[User] “Yes,” Frederica released her hands from the hem of the skirt they had held as she said, “I am Frederica Baumann, returning to duty from leave granted by the master.” Slowly lifting her face, Frederica sent a warm, amiable smile the pair’s way.

[Assistant] When that smile struck Subaru’s eyes, he opened his mouth wide. “You must be tired from your long journey. First, allow me to show you inside the mans—”

[User] “Scary face—! !” Subaru’s very, very loud shout echoed across the sky of Roswaal Manor. Frederica’s smile was completely ruined by the bizarre fangs filling her mouth.

[Assistant] When looking at her as a maid, Subaru found the woman named Frederica to be perfect. She dressed in a maid uniform that was not gaudy in any way, her words and gestures were exceedingly refined, and her behavior bore not a single trace of waste. Seeing her standing straight like it was natural made one’s own body straighten up. In all functional matters, she scored a perfect 100 as a maid—appearance-wise, too, that mouth excepted.

[User] “Subaru, you idiot! You can’t go saying that to a girl! Apologize properly!”

[Assistant] “P-please cease, Lady Emilia. It is fine. I am accustomed to people being surprised the first time they meet me. I do not mind it whatsoever.”

[User] "No, I will not! When you do something bad you need to apologize, especially when you’ve hurt someone. Isn’t that right?” Frederica, the aggrieved party, had a conflicted look on her face at Emilia’s red, anger-filled expression.

[Assistant] Emilia’s point of view was good and proper, something Subaru deeply acknowledged when he went down on his knees on the entryway’s floor. Subaru proceeded to bow his head deeply toward Frederica to show he had reflected on the error of his ways. “No, what Emilia-tan’s saying is right. I was completely in the wrong just now.”

[User] “Err…”

[Assistant] “I’m sorry I said something terrible all of a sudden when meeting you for the first time. Boil me, fry me, do whatever you like…though I’d prefer it be as painless as possible.” Subaru apologized in a manner that was more effeminate than manly. After he’d said such rude words to a woman he’d just met, he couldn’t blame Frederica for any reply she might wish to make.

[User] “Um, Frederica, listen, Subaru’s not a bad child. It’s just, he has a bad habit of saying things without thinking from time to time…” Emilia added her own words to bolster Subaru’s apology. The oddly maternal words weighed on his mind, but Subaru was happy she’d spoken up nonetheless.

[Assistant] “—Tee-hee.” Frederica fell into silence at the look of the pair for a time.


[User] "Lady Emilia, Master Subaru, you are both quite amusing…"

[Assistant] "I said I am not upset in the slightest, yet you did this anyway. And Lady Emilia, acting so maternal in making Master Subaru apologize like this… Oh, this has become so amusing.” Frederica forgave Subaru while hiding her mouth behind her sleeve as she smiled. Even with Subaru kneeling in proper Japanese fashion, she cut his feet right out from under him.

[User] “Besides, I cannot put off asking about the circumstances forever. There is the reason I have been recalled, the absence of the master…and that girl, the spitting image of Ram.”

[Assistant] Frederica’s gaze shifted toward a sofa—the sofa upon which Rem had been laid down to rest. The words she used—“Ram’s spitting image”—proved that she had a prior association with both sisters, Ram and Rem.

[User] “Oh, now I remember. There was a maid who quit a little before I came to the mansion.”

[Assistant] “Quit is not quite accurate. I was given leave so as to attend to personal matters… It is just that I have ended up returning sooner than I expected.”

[User] “If it’s before Subaru came to the mansion… Three months ago, then? I’m happy to see you again, though.” Emilia and Frederica smiled at one another, pleased to be reunited.

[Assistant] After being called back, I found the mansion an empty shell… I was completely at a loss. Fortunately, I was able to grasp the situation from a letter in the master’s office.”

[User] “Letter?”

[Assistant] Yes, a letter penned by Ram. Even though she had called me back, this was the only word she left… Perhaps I am being too soft on her in saying it is just like her?” Frederica gave a strained smile.

[User] “And the reason Ram called you back, Frederica?” Subaru brushed aside the budding sentiment in his chest as he prodded Frederica onward.

[Assistant] “By the time I returned, the mansion’s kitchen and garden were in a rather terrible state.”

[User] “There was a compelling reason for that! Right, Emilia-tan? !”

[Assistant] “Wait, Subaru. It’s not like this is Ram’s fault.


[User] It’s just, an odd breeze seemed to blow through the mansion for some reason, more as time went on… I wanted to help, too, but…”

[Assistant] “A-ahh, that’s okay, it wasn’t anything you could have coped with, Emilia-tan…”

[User] “Yeah… And Ram said, ‘This is nothing. Leave it to me. I shall manage somehow.’”

[Assistant] “Man, she really isn’t all she makes herself out to be! …No, when she said she’d manage somehow, she meant to throw it all onto Frederica’s shoulders from the start, didn’t she?! Ram, not that your self-assessment is wrong, but geez, try, damn it!” It was a decision so like her, Subaru could practically see her snorting “Ha!” in the back of his mind.

[User] Emilia gave a pained smile at Subaru’s reaction and said, “But it’s so strange. Ram should have been working hard all the time you were gone, Frederica. I wonder why she was all a mess for only those d— Ah…” After speaking about it that far, Emilia found her own answer.

[Assistant] She’d surmised what had been happening at the mansion during Frederica’s absence. That there was “someone” working with Ram to maintain the mansion. “And without that, Ram couldn’t keep the mansion going by herself, so she…asked Frederica for help?”

[User] Subaru sadly accepted the natural conclusion. The very fact that Ram had gotten into contact with Frederica was proof she didn’t remember Rem. —No, he had more than enough reason to deduce as much. He didn’t need direct confirmation.

[Assistant] “I’ll take Rem to her room and explain to Frederica along the way. Emilia-tan, Otto’s waiting outside… Can I get you to go invite him in?”

[User] “Mm, understood… You’ll be all right?”

[Assistant] “If Emilia-tan shows me a smiling face, I’ll give even a Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins a butt kicking.” Emilia had a downtrodden expression on her, but Subaru spoke flippantly with a little smile.

[User] She proceeded to do as asked, heading out of the room to invite Otto, most likely waiting at the mansion’s entrance, inside.

[Assistant] Watching her back as she left, Subaru said, “Now, then…” and turned back toward the sofa as he said, “This is Rem, Ram’s little sister… You probably don’t remember her, right?”

[User] “Unfortunately, I do not. However, there really is no room for any doubt.”

[Assistant] When Subaru, adjusting the sleeping Rem’s position on his back, posed that question, Frederica drew in her chin. Subaru sighed at her reply, indicating the corridor with a motion of his chin. “We’ll talk on the way. I want to let Rem…sleep in her own room.”

[User] “I understand. This way, please.” Keeping her words to a minimum, Frederica opened the door as if to lead Subaru out.


[User] "As far as I could tell, Rem and Ram are sisters that really get along…" On the way to that room, Subaru told Frederica about facts lost to her: what kind of girl Rem was, what she’d been doing to that point in her life, just how lovely she was. He spoke much like he had to Emilia on the road back to the mansion— "" As Subaru spoke to Frederica, he stated, and replied to, a number of thoughts inside his own head. There had to have been a better way. During the battle, he’d thought I’ve done the best I can. Somewhere, though, there had likely been a better, a more perfect outcome, one with the greatest possible results. And yet, Subaru had let it slip through his fingers. If only he was smarter, surely Subaru would have noticed it. As one example, the letter of goodwill that Crusch’s envoy had brought to Emilia. Subaru had concluded that this letter, the root of much misunderstanding because it was blank, was a plot by the Witch Cult, but in that, he had been mistaken. At that point the Witch Cult surely hadn’t caught on to Subaru’s actions, and no opportunity had presented itself to swap one letter of goodwill for another. In the first place, sleight of hand such as swapping missives wasn’t the Witch Cult’s style; it favored more direct acts of violence, something Subaru knew better than anyone. In that case, there could only be a single truth behind the blank missive. "The contents of the letter of goodwill were written by Rem. I’m the one who asked it to be sent, so if Crusch handed it to the messenger…only the fact that it was handed over stayed the same, and only the contents were erased.”

[Assistant] That was the sloppy adjustment to the erasure of the memory of Rem from the world. If only he’d noticed, if only he’d stopped to think more seriously about why the letter of goodwill was blank, if only he’d seen the truth behind it, he would have realized the tragedy that had befallen Rem. Even if it was a tragedy occurring at a time when there was no turning back.

[User] "That is a rather difficult story to believe.” He arrived at the usual answer to his own question at the same time that Frederica, having finished listening to his story, quietly spoke those words to him. The words held no ring of denial behind them. She looked around the area.

[Assistant] "So this is her…Rem’s room. It is completely tidied up, but…” When the two entered the room—Rem’s bedroom—it looked like a guest room, with all personal possessions removed. It was the same sight Subaru had seen previously, on the go-around when he had returned powerless after the White Whale had stolen Rem from him. That time, too, Rem’s existence had been forgotten. Her bedroom had been just as clean and empty then as it had now become.


[User] Ram was probably dealing in her own way with the unnatural gap left by Rem being erased. The faint hint of her breath and the warmth of her body were the only proof that she was alive. The symptoms of a Sleeping Princess were to require no food or water—simply to breathe and to sleep. "Master Subaru, if she must be cared for in any way, I shall…"

[Assistant] "I want to do it. Let me do it. It’s Rem’s first return to the mansion like this, so I have to…no, I want to do it. Sorry to be so selfish." Subaru put on a brave face and tucked Rem in bed, determined to do whatever he could for her.

[User] Subaru’s words made Frederica pull back the outstretched hand she had offered him, narrowing her eyes. "No, it is not selfish in the least. If anything, it makes my chest get a little tighter. For someone with eyes like a murderer, you are very kind, aren’t you?"

[Assistant] "Hey, don’t casually dis me like that, it really wounds my heart!" When Frederica pointed out the look of Subaru’s eyes, his voice went shrill as she smiled mischievously. He immediately realized that she was paying him back for the rude words he’d spoken to her earlier. In a true sense, the exchange just then had fulfilled the conditions for reconciliation between them. "To begin with, you won’t need to care for Rem. She doesn’t need food or even baths… But please, pay her as much mind as you can. That’s the only thing I ask."

[User] "I shall take that to heart. If she is Ram’s little sister, she might as well be my own. I wonder what kind of reaction the master and Ram shall have when they return?"

[Assistant] "I can’t read Roswaal’s… I don’t really want to think about how Ram will react." The sisters truly got along well. The older sister doted on the younger; the younger revered the older. It was a relationship filled with love. He didn’t want to see that scene fracture before his eyes, even if its fracturing was a fact from which there was ultimately no escape. "I understand about the master and Ram. As for the reason for their absence from the mansion, if it was the Witch Cult going on the move due to Lady Emilia’s entry into the royal selection…it is the natural decision to make."

[User] "Did you hear about the royal selection stuff before you stopped working?"

[Assistant] "Lady Emilia came to the mansion about half a year ago. I was still here at the mansion at the time. My being given leave was related to it as well." While Subaru put things in order at Rem’s bedside, Frederica continued preparing everything besides the bed. Subaru knit his brows, sensing that something was off about the conversation he was having with her.


[User] “What do you mean by, your stopping working and taking a leave of absence was related to the royal selection…?”

[Assistant] “My duty was essentially to tidy up the master’s personal affairs for the royal selection.”

[User] “Personal affairs?”

[Assistant] “It was clear that nominating Lady Emilia, a half-elf, as a candidate would invite troubles. Before that, the master sent those around him away. Even here at the mansion, he left only Ram, capable of defending herself… Ram and most likely Rem, making two.”

[User] Subaru is thinking about the weird feeling he had upon first arriving at the mansion

[Assistant] “Upon the master’s instructions, many servants were sent off to perform duties elsewhere. As a senior staff member, I assisted in this. In the end, I, too, left the mansion…though I ended up returning, as you can see.”

[Assistant] Subaru is thinking about Frederica's return and how it was connected to Rem's disappearance.

[User] “Hey, Frederica. How much has he actually told you?”

[Assistant] “Master Subaru?”

[User] “From what you’re telling me, Roswaal made all kinds of preparations for the royal selection. It’s common sense that half-elves and the Witch Cult are connected, so he had to know it’d be dangerous. In spite of that…” Subaru's words trailed off as he stared at Frederica.

[Assistant] Subaru is thinking about the Witch Cult's attack on Earlham Village. "Where are his countermeasures against the Witch Cult, then? Rem and Crusch both said he had to have ’em. But I don’t think he was relying on me. And if not, why’d it come to…”

[User] Subaru is remembering the sights of the people of Earlham Village, slaughtered and tormented by the Witch Cult, and Rem and Ram, casualties in the battle against the cult. "If you know there was something, then…!"

[Assistant] “Unfortunately, I have no way to know the master’s thinking in its entirety. There are most likely only two people in this world that he deems worthy of trust.”

[User] “Two people…? Who? Who are these two people Roswaal trusts?”

[Assistant] “—Ram, and the Great Spirit in the archive of forbidden books.”

[User] Subaru is thinking about Frederica's answer. He is not surprised about Ram being someone Roswaal trusts, but is very surprised at the mention of The Great Spirit.


[User] “The Great Spirit, in the archive of forbidden books…” “A room inside this mansion separated from the rest via magic. Exactly how the Great Spirit separates the archive of forbidden books from the outside world via her own magic is…especially secret.” Frederica’s respectful explanation left Subaru wide-eyed and at a loss for words.

[Assistant] "Her name is?" Subaru posed that question to Frederica with decisive certainty.

[User] “Lady Beatrice. That is the Great Spirit serving as the librarian of this mansion’s archive of forbidden books.”


[Assistant] As Subaru lightly waved a hand, the archive of forbidden books spread before him, not changed whatsoever from before.

[User] “—Considering the ruckus in the mansion, is it from your return, I wonder?” Beatrice glanced upward, beholding Subaru in her blue eyes as she murmured in apparent boredom.

[Assistant] “If you have returned, I should presume that the uproar of late has finally abated.”

[User] “Yeah, thanks to y— Or rather, you sure gave me a hard time. Do you have any idea how scared I was to have you not listen to me and run during the operation? !”

[Assistant] “Do I know or care, I wonder? I never asked you to worry about me in the first place.”

[User] “I’m pretty sure I said I have a reason to worry about you. I don’t think I’m wrong, then or now.”

[Assistant] “A lot of people worried about you, Emilia and Ram in particular. You can do it later, but you should give them a proper apology.”

[User] “Apologize? Betty should apologize?"


[User] “Am I at pains to understand why it is necessary to do such a thing, and to whom?”

[Assistant] “Don’t get all stubborn for nothing… If you’re gonna be that stuck up about it, I’ll go apologize to everyone in your place. I’ll tell them you were bawling your eyes out with tears of gratitude when you told me to thank them.”

[User] “Do not speak such falsehoods! Do my tears truly flow for that long, I wonder? !” His provocations with a flippant tongue raised the volume of Beatrice’s voice, just like usual. Oddly, this filled his own chest with deep emotion, which made Subaru narrow his eyes.

[Assistant] There he was, exchanging words with Beatrice like that once more. Even after they’d parted ways in such a deeply meaningful manner, even though he still had a mountain of things he desired to ask her, things were as boisterous as before. Exceedingly relieved by that fact, Subaru let out a listless sigh. “You can dial back the drama a notch. It’s not a bad thing to bawl your eyes out once in a while, you know?”

[User] “Coming from a man who cried like a little baby on the lap of the woman he likes, those words do bear a certain weight.”

[Assistant] “Can’t you just forget about that already? !” Once that had happened, when impassable hurdles piled higher and higher, sending his emotions crashing against a dam until they smashed apart. When he thought back to that time, his face burned so much he felt like it might catch on fire. All the same, though, the glow of the precious memory burned in his chest just as much. Trying to paper over those complex emotions, Subaru loudly cleared his throat and changed the course of the conversation. “…Anyway. I’m glad we’re both safe and sound. Now is the time to come to an understanding.”

[User] “Understanding? Were you not the one to speak on your own, I wonder? Always so self-serving.”

[Assistant] “Yeah, I suppose I always am self-serving. Most of the times I talk to you go like that. Do you remember? When we played tag here in the mansion, when we had the snow festival…”

[User] Beatrice narrowed both eyes as Subaru began talking in a whimsical fashion. As her blue gaze shot through him, Subaru made various gestures as he reminisced out loud. It was as if he was choosing his words with great care, diving deeper and deeper into their memories so that they touched upon the truth.

[Assistant] “It was like that during the demon beast uproar, too. Back then you helped me a ton when you lifted that curse.”

[User] “Stop it.”

[Assistant] “As a result, I sucked up an even bigger curse, which backed me into a seriously bad corner. After that, to heal me it’d take going after the Urugarums in the forest, so—!” Subaru’s rapid-fire speech was powerfully cut off by an explosion of dry sound.


[User] He looked, he saw that the source of that sound was Beatrice’s lap—or rather, the open book upon it she had so sternly closed.

[Assistant] Sensing Beatrice’s irritation from that gesture, Subaru awkwardly pursed his lips.

[User] With Subaru falling silent, Beatrice glared at him with a sharp glint in her eyes. "Would you get to the point already, I wonder? Spineless coward."

[Assistant] "...Sure." He couldn’t summon a rebuke for the insult. That itself was proof the girl had judged him correctly. He’d used this trick and that to prolong the conversation, keeping it lukewarm while putting off the conclusion, for which Subaru could only blame his weak heart. He already had the words he ought to ask inside his chest. He required nothing more than the courage to put them on his tongue. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and took pains to listen to his beating heart. After that, he opened his mouth. "How much do you…do you and Roswaal know about what happened this time around?"

[User] "…" Upon receiving the question coming from Subaru’s lips, Beatrice concealed her eyes under the edges of her long eyebrows. The resulting silence weighed heavily.

[Assistant] When it felt very long, Subaru exhaled as if he were breathing hard. "...Beatrice."

[User] She made no reply.

[Assistant] Even as that fact burned him, Subaru realized his own hypocrisy. What exactly did he want Beatrice to say? Even within himself, no answer was forthcoming. Did he want her to be a mastermind with a grasp of everything? An ignorant girl who knew nothing about it? Someone who was neither of those things? Even he didn’t know.

[User] Finally— "For the sake of argument…what reply do you desire from Betty?"

[Assistant] "Th-this ain’t some what-if! Besides, it’s got nothing to do with what I want you to say. What I want is an answer to my question. I want an answer deeper than just yes or no!" The unexpected counterattack made Subaru unintentionally coarsen his voice.

[User] But Beatrice’s cool demeanor toward Subaru did not falter. "Betty finds it unfortunate you are so worked up, but perhaps she does not understand what you mean? Betty is not your instructor. If you expect her to politely educate you on every topic, you are sorely mistaken."

[Assistant] "Ugh…! Don’t gloss this over! Someone told me that if I want to know what Roswaal’s thinking, I should ask you. Sorry, but seeing the attitude you’re giving me, I agree."

[User] "Who said such a… Ahhh, you saw the half-beast girl who recently returned?" When Beatrice spoke the word half-beast, a word he could not unhear, she made an adorable face as she clicked her tongue. The girl proceeded to close one eye, pointing a finger at Subaru. "That girl’s opinion might have some merit, I wonder? But though Betty and Roswaal are certainly connected, that has nothing to do with this latest affair. Might Betty know nothing of it at all, I wonder?"

[Assistant] "But he left you in the mansion.


[User] "Here, in this mansion, alone, without any plan to deal with it.”

[Assistant] “He left Betty because she is at least capable of protecting herself. Is that unrelated to Roswaal, I wonder? …But Betty does not think that he did so without a single thought.” Beatrice’s reply made Subaru go over his memories once more. But when he thought back, he could not recall any countermeasures by Roswaal whatsoever during the battle. Rem, Crusch, Frederica, Beatrice—they’d all said there must be some, yet he couldn’t find any.

[User] “It’s not just that you, me, and everyone thinks too much of Roswaal? Everyone says a guy like that had to have a plan against the Witch Cult… Right, that’s it! !” That instant, he remembered something as if the very heavens had spoken. In accordance with his revelation, Subaru rummaged through his pocket in great haste, presenting to Beatrice the other thing he wanted to ask her about.

[Assistant] “Beatrice, here. Look at this.” —a black-bound book, its pages and contents sullied with blood. Subaru had the worst history possible with its original owner. He figured that some kind of weird enchantment kept the contents illegible, making it little more than a paperweight unless the reader shared the owner’s personality.

[User] “This should be deeply connected to what that Witch Cult bunch is thinking. If you’re not gonna show me what Roswaal’s really thinking, at least you can tell me something about this b—”

[Assistant] “—A Gospel?” Increasingly nervous about the lack of response, Subaru spoke rapidly until his words caught in his throat. Beatrice’s dramatic reaction when she stared at the Gospel in Subaru’s hand included a look of fright in her eyes. Her lips trembled weakly, almost as if she could not believe her own eyes.

[User] “…A war trophy I took from the ringleader of the Witch Cult bunch that had the mansion surrounded.”

[Assistant] “And…the owner?”

[User] “—He’s dead. Crushed by a carriage wheel. I killed him.” When Beatrice posed that delicate question, Subaru spoke the truth firmly without averting his eyes. Strictly speaking, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti had not been a person. He had been an evil spirit employing the bodies of others as hosts under his control. Accordingly, the cause of death Subaru gave might not have been precisely accurate. But it was Subaru who had dealt Petelgeuse the final blow, robbing him of life. Knowing in his soul that nothing short of that would defeat him, Subaru had calculatingly killed him. Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti was the first being Subaru had personally slain— Subaru wouldn’t claim he’d never hesitated, or that he had no regrets about sullying his hands. He had not bluffed about it to anyone else because he couldn’t lie to himself.


[User] “…” The fact he had killed Petelgeuse and the fact he had been killed by Petelgeuse were engraved into his own heart, never to be forgotten.

[Assistant] Still staring at the book in Subaru’s hand, she seemed to whisper to it instead of responding to his words. “Geuse…have you also…left Betty behind, I wonder?”

[User] “—? Who’s that?”

[Assistant] “…No one at all. More importantly…if you killed him, what happened to the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly…to Sloth’s Witch Factor?”

[User] “Witch…Factor…?” Subaru shows his incomprehension.

[Assistant] Subaru’s bewilderment made Beatrice lower her face, confusion resting in her eyes once more.

[User] “Hey, you can’t just toss jargon onto a guy who doesn’t understand the circumstances. What the heck is that Witch Factor stuff? Honestly, I have a feeling it’s nothing good.”

[Assistant] “You do not know? Could you truly not? If that is so, for what purpose did you kill Sloth…? Furthermore, what was Roswaal doing…?”

[User] “All I did was smother the embers someone tossed my way! As for Roswaal, that bastard’s in the Sanctuary! What’s he thinking? That’s what I wanna ask you, damn it!” Subaru shouted, practically bellowing in impatience as they talked past each other.

[Assistant] all emotion was instantly gone from her face. Beatrice gave a long, deep sigh.

[User] “—Are all the answers you seek…in the Sanctuary, I wonder?”

[Assistant] “What?”

[User] “Roswaal’s scheme, the meaning of the Gospel, even about the Witch Factor…if you desire answers to all these, go there. Will the half-beast girl show you the way, I wonder?”

[Assistant] “Wait a sec! What’s this all of a sudden? You were acting so high and mighty all that time, what made you decide to talk all of a sudden? Besides, even without going to the Sanctuary, you could…”

[User] “—Betty shall not speak of it. Betty has a right…not to speak of it.”

[Assistant] The obstinate answer silenced Subaru. “—?! You’re planning to push me away again?! Again, just like before? !” From behind, in the direction of the door to the archive, he felt a supernatural force twist the air to create wind pressure.


[User] The distortion became a wind that took Subaru into its grip, dragging his body toward the portal to shove him outside. It was an exceedingly compelling use of the magic power known as Passage. "The path to your answers has been made clear. Will Betty stop indulging you any further, I wonder? Your high-handed arrogance is truly irritating."

[Assistant] "Beako… Beatrice! !" he shouted, stretching out his hand.

[User] But, with rejection in her gaze and posture, Beatrice rebuffed the gesture. The girl atop the stool closed her eyes, weakly shaking her head from side to side. "Perhaps Betty is not a tool for your convenience."

[User] "I am not such a convenient being…that is here to say what you want to hear, at a time you wish to hear it, in the manner that you prefer." Beatrice seemed to wring her voice out.

[Assistant] Subaru could not offer any denial or complaint. It was not that her words had resoundingly hit the mark. What he felt was shock, as if he’d been smacked from a completely unanticipated direction. The gaping hole in his thoughts robbed Subaru of his power to resist. He would soon be sucked into the door, hurled beyond, and locked out: from the door, from the archive of forbidden books—and from the heart of the girl known as Beatrice. "Why…are you making that crying face again?" Eyes lowered.

[User] There was no reply from Beatrice to Subaru’s final question.

[Assistant] "—Daa! !"

[User] "Gyaah! !" Shot out from the open door, Subaru spectacularly toppled backward. The place was a corridor in the mansion, the result of his having been indiscriminately teleported via Passage. But this time it was not Subaru alone who was wrapped up in Passage, but—. "M-Mr. Natsuki, how did you come out of the washroom I just left…? !"

[Assistant] "A-and how long do you intend to sit upon me?! Could you please move?! !" Otto pleaded with a pathetic expression on his face as he lay on the floor with Subaru’s butt upon him. However, the only thing in Subaru’s head that moment was the final instant with Beatrice. Why had she made such a sad face? Perhaps that answer, too, was—

[User] "—If I go to the Sanctuary, will I find that out, too?"

[Assistant] "I do not know of what you speak, but I would truly like for you to move as soon as possible! !" When Subaru murmured thoughtfully, Otto raised his voice from below, bitter at Subaru’s continuing to ignore him.

[User] "But really, why did you tumble out of the washroom? Please do not tell me something frightening like there is a hidden door or a hidden passage connected to it…"

[Assistant] "That’s not it, you moron.


[User] "It’s a one-time miracle brought about by my wanting to do a two-man comedy routine with you.”

[Assistant] "That’s not an answer, though for a reply that is not an answer, it is quite frightening!” Having been reunited with Otto via Passage, Subaru bit back his feelings of futility over the fruitless conversation with Beatrice as he engaged in suitable conversation with Otto on their way to the guest room. Just as Beatrice had said, she had made his path to arrive at answers clear. Though the forceful manner in which she had done so had only added to his worries and misgivings.

[User] “Haa… Grim prospects, huh?”

[Assistant] “What is with that sigh…? Is that sigh suggestive of good fortune slipping from your grasp?”

[User] “Your prospects are just that grim. I’m sighing in your stead.”

[Assistant] “Then it is my good fortune you have let slip?! Could you not do such things behind my back?!”

[User] Unable to clear up the complexities inside his chest, Subaru’s flippant tongue could still pull the wool over Otto’s eyes just fine. At any rate, the pair arrived at the guest room over the course of such trivial conversation.

[Assistant] “Oh my, I see Master Subaru is with you. I shall immediately prepare tea.” Frederica, who had thought Otto alone would be returning, began pouring a fresh cup of tea when she noticed Subaru was with him.

[User] Subaru, making a sound with his nose at the warm aroma of the tea leaves, sat down beside Emilia on the sofa at the back of the room. He glanced sidelong toward her, just in time for their eyes to meet.

[Assistant] “Subaru, I see you were with Otto. You two really do get along.”

[User] “I keep having to say this, but you have it wrong. My relationship with him ends as soon as I fulfill my promise to buy up all his oil. So don’t make anything more out of it!”

[Assistant] “What, you cannot remain forthright till the end, so you add an insult? What a futile performance.” Otto was tired and dispirited at Subaru’s averting his face and engaging in tsundere comedy. During that time, Emilia brought the tea that had been poured for her to her mouth, taking a sip and giving Subaru a little smile.

[User] “Subaru, you must be reeeally stubborn to act like this even though you became friends with Julius after everything that happened.”

[Assistant] “Boys should be stubborn. I’m kind of old-fashioned about that. Also, allow me to point out, Julius and I are not friends. I will hate that guy forever.”

[User] “Yes, yes.”

[Assistant] Subaru’s lips tapered as a certain handsome young man arose in his mind’s eye, but Emilia saw things differently. He grasped with a certain reluctance that the more he said about the matter, the deeper the misunderstanding became.


[User] "Is it quaint to think that the more you argue, the closer you are?"

[Assistant] "No one says quaint anymore… Besides, I thought people who argue a lot get along poorly, with pretty much no exceptions?"

[User] "Well, Subaru, when you and I had a big argument, did we end up getting along worse?"

[Assistant] “…Emilia-tan, you’ve gotten good at this." Subaru had an awkward look on his face; Emilia had him dead to rights.

[User] "—So, were you able to speak properly with Beatrice?" Emilia had not asked if he’d met her. She’d asked if they’d spoken.

[Assistant] "I met her. I met Beatrice. But as for speaking properly with her…I’m not really sure."

[User] “…I see. But you were able to meet her, Subaru. In the time I’ve been at the mansion, Ram and I hadn’t managed to go meet Beatrice even once. I’m just a little miffed about that." Emilia spoke it with the air of a pout, adorably sticking out her tongue.

[Assistant] /faint sound of ceramics/ "So you truly are able to enter Lady Beatrice’s archive of forbidden books…"

[User] "What, you doubted me?" Subaru’s shoulders sank as he acted just a little wounded at Frederica’s deeply moved murmur.

[Assistant] "Considering the very few encounters I have had with Lady Beatrice during over ten years of service under the master, I could not but doubt. When you told me, ‘I’m gonna go chitchat with Beako for a bit. I’ll be back soon!’ or the like and rushed off, I had no way to confirm for myself." She shook her head.

[User] "Ahh, err, can’t really excuse myself for putting it that way, huh?"

[Assistant] "To be honest, I thought it would take hours until you would be able to meet Lady Beatrice…"

[User] Subaru, remembering how he’d given a threadbare explanation and rushed off, cringed and reflected on the matter.

[Assistant] Frederica put significance behind the look she gave Emilia as she continued her words. "However, afterward, Lady Emilia took the time to speak exhaustively about how reliable Master Subaru had become, so I awaited you half in expectation and half in concern."

[User] "Huh?"

[Assistant] "Wait a— Frederica? !" Frederica’s unexpected statement left Subaru bewildered and Emilia beside herself.

[User] "Errr, it wasn’t like that. Certainly I spoke to Frederica about you, Subaru, but she’s blowing it out of all…" Emilia jumped to her feet, cheeks red, vigorously waving a hand back and forth toward Subaru.

[Assistant] "No, I heard her speak as well.


[User] "To be honest, I was thinking Mr. Natsuki, you lucky scoundrel…"

[Assistant] "Even Otto now!"

[User] Sold out not only by Frederica, but also by Otto, Emilia was red to the tips of her ears. Then she slapped her hands against her flushed cheeks, furtively glancing in Subaru’s direction.

[Assistant] The reaction from Emilia, one she rarely permitted to be seen, made Subaru strongly clench his fist. "Why don’t you talk like that when I’m around…?"

[User] "I can’t talk like that in front of you, it’s embarrassing… Sheesh, Frederica! Move on already!"

[Assistant] "Oh my, even though you glossed it over previously, that childlike charm of yours is falling by the wayside." Frederica hid her mouth as she smiled, shifting her gaze from the eyebrow-twitching Emilia toward Subaru as she said, "Master Subaru, I heard plenty about you from Lady Emilia… No, more than plenty."

[User] "Fred—er—i—ca! !"

[Assistant] "Yes, yes, I understand— So let us speak, Master Subaru, so that whether you found the archive of forbidden books or whether you did not, it does not become a roadblock."

[User] "Become a…roadblock?" Unable to get the gist of the mystery phrase, Subaru knotted his brows in incomprehension.

[Assistant] As he did so, Emilia gently touched Subaru’s shoulder, nodding as she continued. "Subaru, we didn’t doubt you’d meet Beatrice, but whether that girl would answer your questions is another matter, yes? I mean, both you and Beatrice are reeeally stubborn…"

[User] "The excessively cute way you put that bothers me a little, but you have a point. So?"

[Assistant] "I made a promise to the villagers, and I have a lot of things I want to ask Roswaal about myself—so I asked Frederica to tell me about the Sanctuary."

[User] Subaru’s throat caught over the fact that Emilia had acted for the sake of achieving their original objective. The Sanctuary Emilia sought was the very same Beatrice had revealed as his path to answers. With such a sad face and voice, she had told him that the answers to all his misgivings were there in the Sanctuary. So, too, had she said the “half-beast girl” would show him the way, namely—

[Assistant] "And did Frederica tell you about the Sanctuary?"

[User] "I lost to Lady Emilia’s persistence. I had been told to disclose as little about that as possible…but it seems strange to conceal it from the two of you."

[Assistant] "Um, I happen to be here as well…"

[User] "It seems strange to conceal it from the two of you."

[Assistant] "Would you please correct that line? !"

[User] Setting Frederica and Otto’s remarks aside, Subaru was surprised the issue had moved forward in his absence. As he had the thought, Emilia kept her hand on Subaru’s shoulder, lowering her brows. "Subaru, was that all right? You’re not upset I decided without you?"

[Assistant] "N-nah, I’m not upset at all. I whiffed it on my end, so if anything it’s a huge help."

[User] "Really? I’m so glad."


[User] “…So, Subaru, there’s a favor I wanted to ask of you…” Emilia looked relieved, lowering her eyes as she continued.

[Assistant] "Wait! Don’t tell me that favor is…me staying here at the mansion?" Subaru was still off balance. Subaru suddenly felt a bad premonition.

[User] “Eh?”

[Assistant] "If so, time out! Let’s talk this over! Certainly, I can’t call myself in tip-top physical condition, and Ferris stopped being my doctor, but it’s not like I live a life of combat alone! If anything, fighting with the mind is where I really shine, well no, that’s a little off, too, but…!" Subaru desperately tried to make his case as Emilia’s eyes went wide.

[User] "Don’t even try to stop me. I’m going with you. I can’t let you just leave me…"

[Assistant] "Of course I’m not leaving you here. Come with me."

[User] "If you tell me you’re leaving me, just no, no way, no h— What did you say just now?" Subaru’s ferocious emotions reduced the breadth of his vocabulary.

[Assistant] Emilia took the hand in contact with Subaru, touching it to her own breast as she spoke. "I told you, come with me. I’d be worried sick on my own."

[Assistant] "Subaru, I’m…relying on you. Subaru, I…need your strength."


[User] Subaru could not put into words the impact of Emilia’s quiet plea upon his own heart. His mouth hung open.

[Assistant] "Err…did I say something strange?" Emilia’s expression clouded over with concern as Her violet eyes wavered as she stroked her own long, silver hair.

[User] "…My motivational switch is all yours, Emilia-tan. Whether you’re flipping it on or flipping it off, one word from you and everything’s on auto. I seriously can’t get enough of you." Covering his face with his palms, Subaru extolled Emilia’s graces with a deep sigh.

[Assistant] "Eh? Eh?" Emilia went, confused, buffeted by the deeply meaningful statement.

[User] "Back at you." Sticking out his own tongue.

[Assistant] Emilia was throwing Subaru for an even bigger loop than he was throwing her for.

[User] “It would seem you have put your differences in order.”

[Assistant] "Yeah, sorry for the lovey-dovey stuff. I just couldn’t help myself." Subaru turned to face Frederica once more.

[User] “Lovey-dovey…?”


[User] Off to the side, Emilia seemed to have a question mark floating over her head, but she immediately regained her composure and gazed Frederica’s way.

[Assistant] Frederica nodded toward their gazes, and her emerald eyes beheld the pair as she spoke. "As has been conveyed to you, I have no objection to speaking about the route to take to the Sanctuary. It is just, a little time is necessary to prepare… Two days, perhaps?"

[User] "Prepare… Ah, that figures, it’d be leaving the mansion empty. That shouldn’t take…"

[Assistant] "No, I shall be remaining here at the mansion. It is Lady Emilia and Master Subaru’s duty to head toward the Sanctuary. Managing the mansion is mine."

[User] "Wait, you won’t come with us?! How are we supposed to get to the Sanctuary, then?" Subaru was taken aback, never having expected her to refuse to go with them. Frederica’s cooperation was limited to her telling them about the Sanctuary rather than actually leading them to it.

[Assistant] Subaru simultaneously noticed something else. Namely, the sight of Otto Suwen leaning back, arms crossed, exceedingly confident, even cocksure.

[User] "Hey, you over there, what’s with that self-confident, puffed-up look? We’re in the middle of an important conversation."

[Assistant] "Ho-ho-ho. You are a poor guesser, Mr. Natsuki. In the first place, should you not have wondered just why I am in attendance during such an important conversation?"

[User] "You have a point. This isn’t something an outsider should hear. Say, does this mansion have a dungeon?"

[Assistant] "Such statements are not where I meant to steer the conversation, you know?!"

[User] "The mansion has a cell, yes. I can assure you that it is reasonably comfortable."

[Assistant] "Miss Frederica, could you please leave such questions unanswered?!" Otto's shoulders sank in dejection at his being tag-teamed.

[User] "Hey, cut it out, both of you. You mustn’t treat Otto like some kind of outcast." In Otto’s stead, it was Emilia who rose to her feet in righteous indignation. Putting her hands on her hips, she glared at the comedic combo in question, Subaru and Frederica both.

[Assistant] "What a terrible thing to say to someone who went out of his way to offer his cooperation. And without Otto’s help, it’s going to be reeeally hard going to the Sanctuary, won’t it?"

[User] "Ohh…! Did you hear, Mr. Natsuki? Now this is how you should have reacted!"

[Assistant] "Ahhh, it’s been a while since I’ve said E M D, so I’ll say it now. E—M—D—!!"

[User] "E, M…eh?" Otto registered the highest bewilderment score of that day. Setting his confusion aside, Subaru had grasped the circumstances from Emilia’s statement.

[Assistant] "In other words, Otto said he’d go with us as far as the Sanctuary."


[User] "To be blunt, I’d have had to leave all the dragon carriage driving to Patlash, so it’s a huge help, but…”

[Assistant] “But what? That method of speaking implies something. Does my goodwill sit ill with you?”

[User] “Sorry, the only merchant I expect freebies from is a guy with a fruit store and a scary face. That might be nicer on a human level, but it’s a lot simpler to believe a merchant wants more than goodwill for collateral.”

[Assistant] Cadmon, Anastasia, Russel—names and faces of merchants he’d come into contact with in the capital came to mind. In terms of personality, Otto was the closest to Cadmon, but in terms of mercantile tendencies, he was closer to the last—

[User] “I can read your ulterior motive. The gist is, be cooperative with Emilia to get as close to her as possible and make a good impression on her backer Roswaal. Even more than getting your oil bought up, the point of coming with us is to get close to Roswaal, right?”

[Assistant] “Er, um, having my deepest secrets brought out into the light is a little…”

[User] “Otto…is that true?”

[Assistant] “Lady Emilia’s sincere eyes are painful, painful, painful! I am very sorry! It is for the most part exactly as he said! But believe me, I did not mean for any harm to come from it whatsoever, so please forgive me! !” Though Otto tried to be defiant, he did not quite manage it, confessing as he conceded defeat to her sincerity.

[User] Subaru wearily shook his head at Otto’s demeanor; this time it was his turn to pat Emilia on the shoulder. "Well, let’s not be too hard on Otto. You make it look easy, Emilia-tan, but it’s really hard for people to act on someone else’s behalf out of goodwill from the heart alone."

[Assistant] "I don’t think I’m really such a good person…but doesn’t that go for you, Subaru?"

[User] “I exhaust all my efforts for Emilia-tan for my own personal reasons. Hmm, if it’s one hundred percent impure, does that make it pure…?” You want other people to think well of you. When you boiled things down, that was the starting point for actions taken in the course of interpersonal relations. That said, human life was not so dry that you could declare it an iron rule. It was merely a matter of degree. Human beings were simply too complex to express in a single sentence. "Even with your ulterior motive plain to see, we actually think pretty well of you. So relax already."

[Assistant] “That does not sound very reassuring coming from you, Mr. Natsuki, but…”

[User] Subaru responded to the dejected Otto with a teasing smile before turning back toward Frederica. "OK, Otto’s helping. So the three of us get to hear you talk about the Sanctuary."

[Assistant] "Understood. Incidentally, has the master spoken to either of you about the Sanctuary?" With Subaru & Co. sitting side by side on the sofa, ready to listen to her speak, Frederica posed them that question.


[User] Upon receiving it, Subaru and Emilia glanced at each other’s faces.

[Assistant] “To be blunt, he said almost nothing about it to me. From the snippets I heard, it sounded like some kind of secret base several hours away… The fact that it was the first suggestion for evacuating people makes me think I wasn’t wrong.”

[User] “Once…Roswaal told me that it was a place that would someday be…necessary for me…”

[Assistant] “Necessary for you someday…?” The unexpected statement left Subaru looking toward Emilia with surprise in his eyes. That gaze sent Emilia apologetically lowering her own eyes.

[User] Subaru was about to ask a follow-up question.

[Assistant] “It sounds like something the master would say.” Frederica closed her eyes, her tone sounding faintly amused. Then she grasped the hem of her skirt, curtsying deeply.

[User] “I shall now speak of how to enter the place called the Sanctuary of Clemaldy. You must not speak a word of this to anyone else. Also, upon going to the Sanctuary, there is one name you must not forget.”

[User] “Garfiel. You must pay heed to the individual by that name. In the Sanctuary, that individual is the one you and Lady Emilia must approach only with the greatest of caution.” Complex emotions resided in Frederica’s open emerald eyes as she put that name upon her lips.


[User] "I checked every room, too… Is there really a mysterious room like that here? You’re not playing some kind of trick on me?"

[Assistant] "I can’t fault you for doubting me, but you know that Beatrice really exists, right? That’s the loli in drills you were playing tag with in the mansion a while back."

[User] "She was in a dress, not ‘in drills’…"

[Assistant] Petra made a stern face toward Subaru’s assertion as she closed the open door of the final room. With that, they had finished checking every door on that floor. Unfortunately, they had not found one that led to the archive of forbidden books.

[User] Looking like he was chewing a bitter insect, Subaru disparaged the girl who had not shown her face whatsoever. "When she really wants to hide, it gets seriously rough… What’s up with her, sheesh."

[Assistant] "I can’t talk to Rem. I can’t meet Beatrice… What the hell have I been doing?"

[User] "Master Subaru?"

[Assistant] "Well, keep an eye out for Beatrice for a bit, would you? Maybe you’ll have a random encounter with her from opening one of these doors once in a while."

[User] Naturally, even Petra grimaced at Subaru’s unapologetic request. There were a lot of things for her to learn in a new environment. Subaru felt guilty about adding to her burdens, but…

[Assistant] "Sorry, I get it. But you’re the only one I can count on, Petra. I’m really sorry about this."

[User] "…I’m the only one you can count on?"

[Assistant] "Yeah, that’s right."

[User] Those were the various factors he’d taken into account when entrusting Beatrice to Petra, but—

[Assistant] "Tee-hee-hee. I guess it can’t be helped… If you put it that way, just leave it to me."

[User] "Oh, really? Seriously, big help. You’re such a good, goooood girl, Petra."

[Assistant] Subaru stroked the smiling girl’s head as he breathed a sigh of relief. Now no night would pass without anyone paying Beatrice any mind. Though Subaru would truly have liked to have had a chance to exchange words with her one more time…


[User] Frederica bowed, Petra hurried to her side.

[Assistant] “Petra, you did well to find Master Subaru. A job well done.”

[User] “Thank you, Miss Frederica. Anything about Master Subaru, please leave to me.”

[Assistant] “My, she’s reeeally full of confidence.” Petra proudly pushing out her chest made Emilia and Frederica look at each other’s face with a smile.

[User] When Subaru immediately walked over, Emilia tilted her head a little and offered a greeting.

[Assistant] “Good morning, Subaru. Did you sleep properly?”

[User] “I’m glad you didn’t oversleep from having way too much fun on that picnic, Emilia-tan. Feels like the other guy might’ve done something that stupid, though…”

[Assistant] “Ah, you mean Otto? It’s all right. Otto woke up a long time ago and has been preparing the dragon carriage in front of the mansion.”

[User] “The hell? Sorry I worried, then. But, oh yeah…his life is riding on this, too.”

[Assistant] “Plus, I’d better think up some words of consolation for when he’s kicking himself at having come up short…”

[User] “Could you not speak such awful things the moment I come back to call you? !” Just that instant, Otto’s eyes were wide as he returned, barging into the hall.

[Assistant] Subaru listened to the pleasant sound of the morning breeze, taking a deep breath before he made a declaration.

[User] “Well, now that we’ve had our clichéd banter, let’s be off!”

[Assistant] “Do you not feel even a single shred of guilt?! Well, ahh, not that it really matters!” Otto, splendidly swept up in the flow, was drawn along as everyone headed out to the mansion’s courtyard.


[User] The dragon carriage was already parked in front of the entrance, with a jet-black land dragon and a blue land dragon perfectly in order. In particular, the black land dragon—Patlash—stretched out the tip of her nose when she noticed Subaru.

[Assistant] “Just like usual, you really act all friendly toward me, huh?”

[User] “However, it seems the lady concerned is merely saying, ‘You may stroke me if you wish’…”

[Assistant] “Her breed’s supposed to be really proud. Is that really the only thing left from her rearing…?” Subaru put on a skeptical face at Otto’s cross-species translation, an effect of his language blessing.

[User] Even now, when he reached out his palm and rubbed her neck, the corners of her mouth were relaxed, and she was fond of people as far as he could tell.

[Assistant] “I really don’t understand why.


[User] "What, did I save you in a past life or something?" Putting aside the notion of reincarnation, he was in a different world, so it wasn’t likely a past life had anything to do with it.

[Assistant] It’s probably just simple compatibility, thought Subaru, and he left it at that. And that was one of the few strokes of good fortune that had bounced Subaru’s way. "Of course, to me, the number one stroke of good fortune was meeting Emilia-tan!"

[User] "Eh? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear quite right. Can you say that again?"

[Assistant] "It’s pretty embarrassing, so I can’t force it out a second time! I’ll say it tomorrow!" When Subaru hung his head, playing dumb as a defensive measure,

[User] "Really?" with a mystified look. However, she immediately switched mental gears and turned to face Frederica. "Well, please take care of the mansion…Rem, Petra, and Beatrice included."

[Assistant] "You can count on me, Lady Emilia. Please take care on your journey— Also, take this…" Just as Subaru had done, Emilia freshly entrusted matters to Frederica. Frederica accepted the responsibility with a bow; finally, she offered something that came from her pocket. This was a necklace—a necklace adorned with a glimmering, blue, transparent crystal.

[User] "With this, you will be able to penetrate the forest barrier and enter the Sanctuary. After that, I have instructed the land dragons as to the location, so they shall surely lead the way."

[Assistant] "So that crystal is the condition for passing through the barrier, huh…? That’s what took two days to arrange?" Subaru peered at the glimmering crystal in Frederica’s hand, twisting his neck slightly in artless skepticism. The crystal looked rare. She hadn’t left in those two days, so how had she obtained it?

[User] Frederica covered her mouth and laughed in response to Subaru’s skepticism. "Strictly speaking, the two days of preparation were not for this alone…but the two are not unrelated. At any rate, the place and qualifications are in order. The rest comes down to resolve and a strong will."

[Assistant] "Pretty exaggerated way of talking. Not that I mind…,"

[User] Frederica said gravely.

[Assistant] "Mm, I understand that it’s reeeally precious to you. I will take proper care not to lose…Frederica?" Emilia said, knitting her brows and nodding. When Emilia’s hand took the crystal offered to her, Frederica strongly grasped that hand.

[User] "…" Instantly, emerald and violet gazes intertwined, and Frederica’s cheeks faintly stiffened. But she followed the impulse to harden her cheeks by closing her eyes, quietly letting go of Emilia’s hand as she spoke. "Lady Emilia, please take care of the Sanctuary. And do not forget about what we discussed."

[Assistant] "Y-yes, it’s all right. Just what kind of place the Sanctuary is, and…"

[User] "Please…be mindful of Garfiel."

[Assistant] "Mm, I get it. I’ll give Garfiel my attention. Count on it." Emilia gravely accepted the repeated warnings as she stuffed the crystal handed to her into a pocket.


[User] Subaru was watching the exchange to its conclusion, at which point they were just about ready to head out—

[Assistant] Red-faced, Petra held up a hand as she offered something to Subaru. “Um! Master Subaru…could you take this with you?” She was trying to emulate Frederica as she offered a plain, white handkerchief with her hand.

[User] Suspicious concerning Frederica’s demeanor, Subaru went “Err?” as the gesture caught him completely by surprise.

[Assistant] “A white handkerchief to see you off on your journey. You can clean yourself with it along the way and return it when you get back—I understand it’s not done much these days, but it’s an old custom to wish for someone’s safe return from a journey.”

[User] “Ohh, that sort of thing. Got it. Thanks, Petra. I’ll bring this back to you safe and sound.” Having been taught the meaning of the handkerchief being given to him, Subaru wrapped it around his wrist.

[Assistant] His reply made Petra lower her red face; she gracefully slipped behind Frederica’s back.

[User] “Ah? What’s with that reaction all of a sudden? That difficult-age stuff’s leaving me out on a limb here.”

[Assistant] “From the looks of it, Lady Emilia, Master Subaru has no right to criticize you.”

[User] “Me? Did I say something strange?”

[Assistant] Frederica sighed deeply as both Subaru and Emilia twisted their necks, wondering what was amiss.

[User] In the end, they went without an answer to that question as Frederica stuffed the pair into the dragon carriage, all preparations to depart complete. “Yes, yes. Both of you hurry along now. The Lost Woods of Clemaldy that the Sanctuary is in becomes a dangerous place when night falls.”

[Assistant] “We get it, we get it, geez. On your end, take care of the villagers, ’kay? Also, make sure to dispose of the mayonnaise in storage before it goes bad.”

[User] “I really have to wonder about lining up those two issues in the same sentence…” With an exasperated voice, she pushed on their backs, and Subaru and Emilia boarded the dragon carriage.

[Assistant] When Subaru looked back out the window, two maids, short and tall, stood straight side by side as they looked up at the carriage. “I pray for your safe return. Please give my best regards to the master and to Ram.”

[User] “Master Subaru, take good care of Big Sis, okay? Also, to the noisy person, good luck.”

[Assistant] “Is that not a horrible assessment of me? !”

[User] Heedless of Otto’s reaction, Frederica and Petra quietly gestured, giving Subaru and the others a completely courteous send-off. With that send-off pressed to their backs, the dragon carriage powerfully set off.

[Assistant] “Well, all aboard! Otto, we’re counting on ya!”

[User] “I really cannot approve of this treatment…!” Otto left behind his lament at his treatment, poor to the bitter end, as they departed from the mansion.


[User] “I heard about it from Mother. She said it was how she won over Father.” The young girl’s big eyes went round at the question as she bashfully said.

[Assistant] “So you get that tenacity from your mother, do you? However, it seems the man concerned did not realize its significance.”

[User] “It’s fine. Even if he doesn’t know, if he thinks of me when he looks down at his wrist…” The reply was more forceful than expected.

[Assistant] Frederica gave a strained smile at Petra’s positivity. "She was a woman starting at a young age, too…in great contrast to her ability as a servant, however.”

[User] “Miss Frederica? Is something wrong?”

[Assistant] “Not at all. I was simply thinking of your senior. She should be at the Sanctuary right now, dealing with a particular problem child.” Thinking back to the girl who accompanied her liege, offering her life to him, Frederica exhaled in melancholic fashion. Her hand reflexively touched the breast pocket of her servant’s uniform. “Now then, even if Lady Emilia and others are absent, there is still Lady Beatrice here at the mansion. I will have you learn all the basics within a week’s time.”

[User] “Yes! Ready and willing!”

[Assistant] “What a wonderful reply this girl gives…” With an invigorated look, Petra raised her hand and happily ran into the mansion. Frederica smiled and observed her positive demeanor before finally turning in the direction of the dragon carriage one last time. Frederica’s beautiful emerald eyes faintly wavered, seemingly resisting the emotions filling her chest as her slender fingers took stationery out of her breast pocket.

[User] “With this, I have done as the master instructed. It all comes down to whether Lady Emilia can overcome the Sanctuary. There is nothing I can do now, save pray.” Her fingers traced the edges of the letter she had read many times over. Finally, those fingers turned toward her own neck. However, the sensation she sought was nowhere to be found… “Please, Lady Emilia…be heedful of Garf.”


[Assistant] “So that Puck guy really hasn’t shown his face all this time?”

[User] “…Yeah, that’s right. I’ve called out to him over and over, and I can feel the link of the pact…but I’m reeeally worried. It’s not often he doesn’t show his face for a long time like this.” The interior of the dragon carriage racing toward the Sanctuary in good order echoed with Subaru and Emilia’s conversation.


[User] “Come to mention it, I hadn’t seen him before getting back to the mansion, either. Since we left Crusch’s, maybe?”

[Assistant] “Mm…since we returned to the mansion, maybe. I really wanted to talk to him about the Sanctuary, but I don’t feel like my voice is reaching him.”

[User] “Does Puck normally disappear from time to time?”

[Assistant] “Errr, it happened a lot before he and I formed our pact…but the frequency’s reeeally gone down since then. Not meeting him for several days makes me a little concerned.”

[User] Subaru folded his arms as Emilia broached the subject of Puck prior to their pact. It was obvious, but there had been a time before Emilia and Puck were linked. He’d always seen the two together, so imagining them acting separately really didn’t seem right to Subaru, but—

[Assistant] “Do you know where Puck goes when he’s not by your side?”

[User] “I think he’s probably doing something for the sake of world peace.”

[Assistant] “Sounds like a little girl with fantasies about her dad’s work, but if he ain’t here, that’s the least of our problems.” Setting Emilia’s exaggerated expectations aside, she was the most precious thing to Puck in the entire world. The idea of him abandoning her to run off and do stuff somewhere sounded downright strange.

[User] “Plus with Puck not here, I’m straight-up worried about our combat strength. Otto isn’t exactly a master of the fighting arts, and my insides are all rattling around. Emilia-tan, it’s tough for you without Puck here, right?”

[Assistant] “Subaru, it’s reeeally hard to set aside hearing that your insides are rattling around, but…” When Emilia gave him an exaggerated stare, Subaru gave a vague smile and waved her off with a hand.

[User] “Goodness…! But relax. Even if Puck isn’t with me, I have my contracts with the minor spirits. Those children can fight, too, so I’ll protect you no matter what happens.”

[Assistant] “Whoa, that’s a real man’s line…! Just wait, someday I’m gonna be able to say that with a straight face.”

[User] “I know. I’ll wait, I’m reeeally looking forward to it.” She raised a finger, and faintly glowing minor spirits floated all around Emilia. Subaru figured that, compared to Puck’s, their power was like Earth compared to Heaven, but even so, they had fine combat strength on their own.

[Assistant] “As for ‘no matter what happens’…Frederica warned us, didn’t she?”

[User] “About Garfiel, yes.” Emilia shared Subaru’s concerns, lowering her voice as her lips spoke the name. Garfiel was the name that they’d heard repeatedly from Frederica’s lips over the last two days, the person they needed to be wary of. As a matter of fact, Subaru had heard the name itself several times before that.


[User] "Bunch of times it came up that Roswaal was off to have a chat with the guy. On top of that, Ram spoke the name when the plan to evacuate to the Sanctuary came up, didn’t she…?" Ram had spoken the name as if he was someone she could trust. But the contradiction with Frederica’s warnings made Subaru question his own judgment. It wasn’t simply a question of which one, Ram or Frederica, he wished to believe…

[Assistant] "I’ve been around Ram a lot longer, but her usual attitude makes me wanna shove that aside…!"

[User] "I wish Frederica had told us about it in more detail, but…she said she was constrained by a vow not to speak about the Sanctuary, so it couldn’t be helped."

[Assistant] "All the same, I sure have been hearing a lot about vows and stuff…" Subaru leaned back in his seat as he made a sound of dissatisfaction in his throat. In fact, Frederica hadn’t really said much about the Sanctuary. What she’d conveyed to Subaru and the others had been limited to the special characteristics and dangers of the place, where it was located, and the name of a particularly dangerous individual. She’d helped them pass through the barrier, but her cooperation had ended at that.

[User] "Compared to that, she sure said to watch out for Garfiel a lot, including right before we left… Do people at the mansion have some sort of quota for cryptic statements?"

[Assistant] "I don’t think there’s any such thing, but that was Frederica doing all she could. We should be grateful she warned us as much as she did without breaking her vow."

[User] "I’d be even more grateful if she wasn’t bound by that vow, though…"

[Assistant] "Don’t sulk. A vow is a holy, inviolate pledge, not something one should breach for any reason. Vows, pacts, and covenants may bear different weight, but they should all be treated with equal respect." Emilia wagged a finger left and right as she spoke those words, seemingly for Subaru’s benefit. It went without saying that Emilia was obstinate when it came to oaths of any kind. To Subaru, vows, pacts, and covenants were simple wordplay; the two appreciated their importance in very divergent ways.

[User] "I’m not saying you should break pledges every which way, but…there’s a time and a place for everything, right?"

[Assistant] "Absolutely not. Oaths…promises are very important. Properly speaking, there’s nothing forcing you to uphold a promise, but people uphold their promises anyway. They work hard to uphold them, don’t they? Even if no one’s watching, even if no one notices, they do it, because the other party believes they will do so." Emilia touched her chest, staring at Subaru in dismay at his words. Her tone of voice was gentle, with no hint whatsoever of reproach. The words hurt all the more for it.

[User] "It’s because people believe in you that you strive to uphold the promises you’ve made."


[User] Subaru crept onto the carriage’s seemingly rock-steady floor and bowed his head straight down. When he apologetically touched his forehead to the floor.

[Assistant] “Ah.” Touching a hand to her own lips. “Um, I’m not trying to criticize you, Subaru. Certainly, you didn’t uphold your promise with me, and if you do it again I’ll be rather annoyed, but…”

[User] “The pain, the pain, my ears hurt! !”

[Assistant] “Also, I’ve reflected on being too emotional about it. I needed to make up with you right away, Subaru, but I was being stubborn. Sorry.”

[User] “The pain, the pain, my chest hurts! !”

[Assistant] “Hey, um, I am a spirit mage, so oaths hit reeeally close to home with me. To a spirit mage, pacts with spirits are extremely important, so…yes, promises are really important. Subaru, you should reflect on that more, after all.”

[User] “The pain, the pain, my heart hurts! !” As Emilia began to sulk, perhaps from the deep melancholy of the time coming back, Subaru lay prostrate before her.

[Assistant] “You’ve reflected on the error of your ways?”

[User] “I’ve reflected. Deeper than the sea, taller than the mountains, wider than the sky, vaster than outer space.”

[Assistant] “Then it is fine. I forgive you… I’m not sure what you mean by outer space, though.” As Subaru wore a pathetic look on his face, Emilia nodded toward him and smiled pleasantly as she touched a finger to her own lips.

[User] “It seems that we’ve entered the forest.” As Subaru immersed himself in thought, Emilia’s voice suddenly pulled him back. Her eyes were turned toward the window.

[Assistant] “Well, setting Ram aside, I might have a duty to apologize, but I think I have just as much of a right to smack Roswaal in the side of the face.”

[User] “…Yeah, I suppose so.”

[Assistant] “I’ll start with ‘Do you have any idea what I had to go through because you weren’t around? !’ And then, I’ll make him spill his guts about everything!


[User] "I have a right to that much, don’t I?"

[Assistant] “…Yeah, I suppose so.”

[User] "—? Emilia-tan, the side of your face is cute when you’re thinking. Can I give you a hug?"

[Assistant] “…Yeah, I suppose so.”

[User] Subaru didn’t have the courage to go “I’ll help myself, then,” at her cut-and-pasted reply. The stiffness of Emilia’s cheeks and the stress in her eyes drew his attention. "Emilia-tan, are you nervous by any chance?"

[Assistant] "—! That’s amazing, how could you tell?"

[User] "I’d love to say I can tell everything about you, but I think anyone could in this case." Emilia’s look of surprise brought a strained smile out of Subaru as he prodded his own cheek with a finger.

[Assistant] Emilia followed suit by touching her own cheek, whereupon she realized just how tense her own expression was. "Sorry to worry you. I was thinking, we’ll be in the Sanctuary soon…a village only for demi-humans."

[User] "…Ahh, that so? I’m sorry, too. I hadn’t thought about that." When Emilia divulged the reason for her nervousness, Subaru felt pathetic for not realizing it himself.

[Assistant] "…I’ve…never met any half-elves besides myself. I hadn’t really…thought about it very much. But in the Sanctuary, it might be possible…" Emilia’s voice trembled with nervousness. But he couldn’t tell if that nervousness was from worry or hope. Emilia probably couldn’t tell, either. The only way to get a solid answer was to go to the Sanctuary and see. But—

[User] "—! Emilia? !"

[Assistant] "Eh, ah… What’s this…? !" The next moment, Subaru and Emilia simultaneously raised their voices at the strange occurrence inside the carriage. The source of the occurrence was none other than Emilia, herself quite nervous. A blue radiance was welling up from inside her chest, instantly tinting the interior of the dragon carriage with a bluish glow. Startled by the light, Emilia thrust a hand into her pocket—and pulled out the shining blue crystal emitting that light. "The crystal’s shining… Subaru!"

[User] "The hell… I have a really bad feelin’ about this! Emilia, I’m borrowing that!" Thinking that the ferociously shining blue crystal looked much like a magic crystal on the verge of exploding, Subaru instantly snatched the crystal away from Emilia. Then he rushed to the dragon carriage’s window— "If it’s nothing we’ll pick it up later! For now, I’ll toss it outs—wait, wha—? !"

[Assistant] "—aa…" Just as he was about to throw the dangerous object away, the faint moan made Subaru look back, aghast.

[User] "Emilia? !" When he looked back, his gaze was met by the sight of Emilia listlessly collapsed onto the dragon carriage’s floor. Emilia was prone, limbs spread out and unconscious. It had happened suddenly without any forewarning— "No, the forewarning was this?! Shit, Emilia, are you all ri—?


[User] "!” For an instant, Subaru hesitated in deciding whether to prioritize Emilia or the crystal. Prioritizing Emilia’s safety, he was attempting to rush to her side when—

[Assistant] “—Ah? Hey? !” The instant he stepped forward, the blue, shining crystal emitted an even stronger light that enveloped Subaru’s entire body. He had no time to regret his choice of priorities. The next instant, the world vanished.

[User] “Emilia—!” He stretched out a hand and shouted. However, neither his voice nor his arm reached the fallen girl before the air connecting him to her was severed.

[Assistant] “” It was over in an instant. Feeling the shine of the light, Subaru swiveled his head, but he couldn’t see a thing. The world had been erased—no, rather, it had been temporarily blotted out by being bathed in a light too strong for his sense of sight. Blinking repeatedly, he finally realized that contours were gradually forming within his indistinct vision. But regaining his sense of vision did not put his confusion to rest. After all…

[User] “…Where is this?” He was not in the dragon carriage’s interior, where he should have been. Rather, Subaru was standing in an unfamiliar forest, alone.


[Assistant] “—! Not the time to say that! Where’s Emilia? !” Setting aside his momentary daze, Subaru surveyed the area, desperately striving to grasp the situation. Trees suggestive of being deep in a forest stood left, right, and center around him. Moss and grasses stretched unhindered at his feet, without the faintest trace of human passage.

[User] “Cheek… Ow, it hurts when I pinch! Meaning this isn’t a dream…!” Ruling out the choice of avoiding reality, Subaru largely grasped just what had happened to him. It was the shining crystal in his hand. The powerful light that had shone until just prior had already vanished, but there was no way it was unrelated to his circumstance. It was probably the blue, shining crystal that was the cause to begin with.

[Assistant] “—Teleportation. Kinda like Beatrice’s Passage.” The mechanism was unclear, but Subaru, having been shifted by similar incantations in the past, made an educated guess. He’d experienced Passage a number of times during his dealings with Beatrice. The problems were the reason and purpose behind the shift, and how to rendezvous with Emilia and the others.

[User] “Plus, Emilia was on the floor when I left. I’ve gotta get back ASAP…!” If the shift was from something similar to Passage, Subaru’s jump couldn’t have been that far. At the very least, it ought not to have been to some far-flung place on a map of the world. At the very least, he must be in the same forest.

[Assistant] “I mean, it was all Beatrice could do to send me as far as Earlham Village. There’s no way this rock has enough power to send me farther than that.” Coming to that conclusion, Subaru smoldered with impatience as he gazed down at the crystal in his palm. The crystal had been the cause of the shift.


[User] Having momentarily hesitated to throw it away, he’d ended up stuffing it in a pocket instead. Though walking around with it was dangerous, he was scared of throwing it away in case he might need it later. Besides, he didn’t know Frederica’s intentions in handing them the crystal. —Or even whether Frederica was related to the shift.

[Assistant] "Shit! Right now, gotta save the thinking for later. If I can at least figure out direction from the location of the sun…" Brushing excessive thoughts aside, Subaru racked his brain to raise his chances of a rendezvous by any extent he could manage. Then, when he was about to begin walking in search of any clearing in the forest—

[User] “…aa?” The next moment, Subaru lifted his head, coming eye to eye with the figure appearing right before him.

[Assistant] "" The unexpected jolt of meeting the unemotional eyes brought Subaru’s thought process to a complete halt. If the other party had intended him harm, the opening would have proved fatal. But, fortunately, the opponent made no reaction. Save for backing away slowly, Subaru was the same.

[User] "And you…are?” When Subaru took a step back, the other person’s entire body entered his field of vision, and he comprehended this was a girl. The young girl had long, rose-colored hair and looked like she was in her early teens. Her visage had almond-shaped eyes and a long, refined nose; her skin had a pale, fleeting look, as if it would break apart the moment you touched it. In height, she did not even reach halfway up Subaru’s chest. Her small body was clothed only in a white, poncho-like garment. A doll—that was the impression he received, not from her beautiful appearance, but from the air hovering all about her. She had emotionless eyes, an emotionless, unchanging face, with a muted presence and so little apparent willpower that it felt insufficient for a person. But she had one feature that strongly tugged at his attention. Namely—

[Assistant] "Those long ears… Are you an elf?"

[User] "…" When Subaru asked the question, the girl’s doll-like expression remained intact as she said nothing. However, the tapered ears, longer than those of a normal human, poking out of her rose-colored hair told Subaru that the answer to his question was, without doubt, a yes. Subaru had been speaking to Emilia about the possibility of encountering half-elves besides her just moments before. Subaru’s thoughts were exceedingly thrown off by the surprise of encountering an elf in the flesh so very quickly. Furthermore—

[Assistant] "Aa…! W-wait! Where do you think you’re going? !" Moving like an apparition, the girl turned her back on Subaru and ran off. It was so sudden that Subaru reacted late, and began pursuing the girl in great haste as she widened the distance.

[User] "Wait! Please, wait…! Are you…are you someone from the Sanctuary…?" The agile girl practically flew as she raced into the overgrown woods.


[User] Subaru, desperately pursuing her over bad and unfamiliar footing, felt pain rising as his breath rapidly grew louder.

[Assistant] “S-shit… Damn it all!” How was the forest related to the Sanctuary, and to begin with, who was that girl—?

[User] Knowing that asking would only deplete his endurance, Subaru gritted his teeth and focused his strength into his legs. For several minutes, Subaru proceeded to chase the girl’s fleeting back as if his life depended on it. Then his field of vision suddenly widened.

[Assistant] “—! I got through the woods…but where the heck is this?” Coming to a stop in the clearing, Subaru bent his knees as he breathed raggedly over and over. He wiped off the sweat coursing down his brow. When he raised his agonized, grimacing face, Subaru found a strange structure ahead of him.


[User] “It kinda feels like a tomb. For a sec, I thought it was a pyramid… Hey, wait a…!” Thrusting his admiration for the ruin aside, Subaru hastily looked for any sign of the girl he was pursuing. He’d arrived by following the girl there; she was the real priority. But however much he surveyed the area, the girl who ought to have been there was nowhere to be found. Her presence, her lingering scent, and even her footsteps were absent. It was clear as day that he’d lost track of her.

[Assistant] “This is the worst… After I get teleported, I let my only lead get away…!” Roughly scratching his head, Subaru despaired from the bottom of his heart at his own ineptitude. But he had no time to be down in the dumps. Even if the girl, his one lead, had vanished—

[User] “Maybe I can hope for something from this ruin…? It kinda feels like a temple, so I can’t call it unrelated to someplace called the Sanctuary…” Wishful thinking though it might be, Subaru cautiously began walking toward the ruin. Even when he saw it up close, his initial impression of the stone structure didn’t change all that much. There was no sign whatsoever of human presence, of human handiwork, or any sense that a living soul dwelled there.

[Assistant] “Heyyy, is anyone here? If this is the Sanctuary, someone answer, please—!” Though he called out to the ruin and the surrounding forest in a loud voice, it echoed fruitlessly in the air.