[User] “I found a girl I like—so I’m all right now.” With the sight of the silver-haired girl still fresh in his mind, Subaru Natsuki confronted his own past.

[Assistant] “I found a girl I like.” When he put the words on his lips once more, Subaru had the palpable sense of his heart walking forward. The inside of his head was clear. The pain, like a prolonged curse, had vanished. As he was then, Subaru had resolve sufficient to face his father and tell him everything.

[User] Kenichi blinked several times over, surprised by the confession disconnected from the conversation to that point. “…Is that so?” With a quiet voice, he lent the words of Subaru, the words of his own son, his ears.

[Assistant] His demeanor was a blessing to Subaru. Even though Subaru ought to have always known he was the kind of man to lend an ear like that, Subaru had continued to hold his tongue. But that had come to an end. That was because there was someone gently pushing on his back, urging him forward. "What might’ve shaken me up, what might’ve made me curl up in a ball, I remember it all now—no, I knew everything all along. I knew it, but I just pretended to not see the weakness in me that I thought only I noticed… But while I was pretending, someone…” He couldn’t hide it by saying someone. He knew who that someone was. “I wanted…Dad and Mom to smack me.”

[Assistant] “I was an unsalvageable little good-for-nothing idiot, a complacent piece of garbage, so I wanted you two to smack me…to make me give that up.”

[User] Without a word, Kenichi gazed at Subaru, his eyes never wavering.

[Assistant] The face Subaru saw reflected in those eyes was altogether too weak, unworthy of pity, and thus, he continued. “I’ve used any petty little tricks I could since a long time ago. Whether it’s studying or athletics, I easily pulled off stuff that not many people can do, leaving the people who can’t do it all mystified.” Thinking back to his youth, he could have called what he’d had an adorable sense of omnipotence. At a young age, Subaru had been quicker on the uptake with both athletics and academics than the average person. As if by nature, he was more clever and fleeter of foot than those around him, inevitably becoming the center of attention among children his own age—

[User] “He really is that man’s son.” Thus was Subaru appraised; thus did the adults close to home praise him frequently. Since that him was his father, the young Subaru had been proud to be valued as his son. For in the eyes of the son, the father—Kenichi Natsuki—was an attractive individual. He laughed a lot, he smiled a lot, he cried a lot, he got angry a lot, he moved a lot, he worked a lot. There were always a great deal of people around his father.


[User] He was adored by many, and his smiling face was the axis around which they revolved. And that very father announced in public that the two members of family—Subaru and his mother—were the most precious things to him of all. Subaru took pride in that. He felt it gave him a special right to a boastful sense of superiority. Someday, he wanted to be like his father—to Subaru, that was a natural wish.

[Assistant] “But at some point down the line… I don’t remember it, but I lost a footrace to someone. I went from being number one to not being number one. Faster, smarter guys than me came out of the woodwork, and I dropped from number one bit by bit… I thought There’s gotta be something wrong with this.”

[User] The more the wrongness got to him, the more the star above his head seemed to move away, with each and every glimmering star between him and it forming the path he needed to take to get closer. He harbored nervousness that the star might disappear. But even with that impatience within him—

[Assistant] “He really is that man’s son.” Those words alone were Subaru’s salvation, the hope to which he clung. Even if he was not as fleet of foot, even if he was not as good at studying, those words bolstered the young Subaru’s dignity. More than training to run fast, more than doing his homework, he came to put stupid things first. He sneaked into school at night with his friends, wandered aimlessly around the town, chased a famously dangerous stray dog from everyone’s hangout spot—in this way, Subaru ran around protecting his pride to keep everyone from being fed up with him, thus protecting the meaning of his own existence.

[User] “It’s stupid to work hard. Having fast feet is nothing to be proud of. How I made everyone laugh was a lot stronger, a lot more impressive than that.”

[Assistant] What others feared, he made his priority; what others detested, he made his own desire. Thus, he continued to challenge himself with precious care, with bold recklessness, so that he did not lose his place.

[User] “But of course, the longer that continued, the next thing I was gonna do had to be even bigger. I couldn’t do anything that was smaller than what came before it. I didn’t want anyone to think I was boring.”

[Assistant] Thus, Subaru’s actions had to be more and more extreme. Subaru Natsuki had to be braver than anyone, more extravagant than anyone, more liberated than anyone—he had to be someone everyone could continue to look up to. That was the veneer he adopted. Using the veneer, he hid the fact that it was a veneer so even he couldn’t notice it, and he had to do more, more, more, to deceive himself and the people around him. After all, he was Kenichi Natsuki’s son—Subaru Natsuki.

[User] “I thought I can do anything. I made myself think I can do anything."


[User] That’s how what I did got stupid, just me flailing around without any thought…” And so he was like a moth drawn to the flame, seeking light, never realizing that it would burn him. However, Subaru was not a moth, and the same went for Subaru’s friends. His friends had gotten it a long, long time ago. There hadn’t been any particular trigger for it. The number of friends associating with Subaru’s recklessness dwindled.

[Assistant] “I thought Those guys are dimwits. You’ll never have this kind of fun if you aren’t together with me. I’d make those guys regret it. They could just idly pass the time away with boring stuff. I was aiming for even higher places.”

[User] If he continued chasing the star like that, he’d lose sight of the other stars above his head. Unable to see all the stars filling up the sky, Subaru desperately chased after the glimmer of the one star that remained, gazing at that star alone as he continued running after it—when he suddenly realized.

[Assistant] “There was no one left around me but me.”

[User] Naturally. With Subaru continuing to do things his own way, heedless of everything around him, even the people who’d thought it was funny at first would not follow as he escalated his exploits to new heights. Not noticing this, he distanced himself from them, laughing derisively at them and calling them dimwits, but Subaru, now the only one left, found his thoughts harboring worry and doubt, and thus, he distanced himself even more. And thus did the cycle repeat itself until—

[Assistant] “Even though the sky has so many glittering stars, I lost sight of every last one.”

[User] Having lost sight of the starlight, and having lost all the friends around him, when Subaru was left all alone, enveloped by darkness, he finally came to realize it for himself. —He wasn’t a special person at all.

[Assistant] “He really is that man’s son.” Those were the magical words that the young Subaru had embraced with pride. But somewhere along the line, the words transformed into a curse. The curse rotted his heart. When he lost his place, he felt as if someone was chasing him, making him unable to breathe.

[User] “By going outside, walking around town, I understood. Wherever I went, whatever I saw, there were traces of my dad everywhere… Of course there were.”

[Assistant] In Subaru’s confined world, he had come to admire his father. He’d wanted to see the same sights his father had. To Subaru, who sought the same things his father had found everywhere he went, there was nowhere he could look within that confined world and not sense traces of his father. In stages, the world became a scary place to Subaru. What simultaneously rotted Subaru’s heart was the realization he himself was mediocre, and the realization he didn’t want either of his parents or any of the people who knew his father to know this; in other words, shame.


[User] Subaru Natsuki, the son of Kenichi Natsuki, could not become known as a person who shrank in timidity from the public’s gaze, a coward whose head harbored misconceptions and fear about a widening world.

[Assistant] From late elementary to middle school, through strenuous effort, Subaru managed to pass the time without standing out whatsoever.

[User] Classmates who knew Subaru from his lower school years couldn’t wrap their heads around the change in Subaru, but even they, children at an emotionally sensitive point in their lives, never noticed the darkness enveloping their fellow classmate’s heart.

[Assistant] And what put him beyond salvation was that Subaru was crafty where the issue was concerned.

[User] Though he passed his school days without standing out, he continued to behave in the same old uninhibited manner at home.

[Assistant] "Even just remembering it, I shudder at how I passed the time back then. But that’s how I managed to get through middle school… Guess because of test results?”

[User] Even Subaru, who’d spent several years in such a backward-thinking fashion, harbored a faint hope from the radical change in environment.

[Assistant] When he advanced into high school, the environment, one where no one knew his past, might generate new relationships—and if that was to happen, no one would see Subaru as Kenichi Natsuki’s son.

[User] Mustering all the meager courage inside himself, Subaru decisively stepped off the beaten path.

[Assistant] “Even for me, I totally blew my grand high school debut. A guy who couldn’t have proper interpersonal relationships in little and middle school was never gonna cut it in a place with all new faces. I did bold and reckless stuff to shake off the tension, and the result was… Even an idiot could guess.”

[User] Even though it would be plain to an idiot, to Subaru it was not.

[Assistant] The result hardly needed to be spelled out.

[User] Subaru had never seen examples of how to approach other people beyond those of his father.

[Assistant] He had nothing save his father as a reference for how to build relationships in a new environment.

[User] Even if he knew stuff to make people laugh at a young age, to classmates undergoing psychological changes on the way to the second stage of their lives, it was nothing but poison.

[Assistant] From the first step into a new environment, he had gone badly astray.

[User] Thus, Subaru established his isolated position as a dork, someone who couldn’t read the mood.

[Assistant] He wasn’t ostracized.

[User] He simply spent his school life being treated like thin air.

[Assistant] And then, as the days passed, one morning, he thought…

[User] “I just don’t wanna go to school today."

[Assistant] It was a morning when errands meant Dad and Mom were both out, so even when it was past the usual wake-up time, I turned over and nodded back off—I was super surprised when I realized it was just before noon.


[User] “After that, when I got up to change in a huge hurry…” Subaru realized that his own mind and body were exceptionally at ease.

[Assistant] “After that, it was just a drag. I skipped one day a week, then it was once every three days, then once every two… It didn’t take even three months before I stopped going to school altogether.”

[User] The days that followed hardly needed to be spoken of. Once he stopped going to school, Subaru’s heart was filled with a sense of relief.

[Assistant] Yes, he was liberated from the painful times he underwent while at school, but that wasn’t the main reason. It wasn’t a big reason, either. He’d become Subaru Natsuki, smug juvenile delinquent. Looking at that Subaru, no one would think He really is that man’s son anymore.

[User] But more than that, the exceedingly pathetic sight of Subaru like that would make both his father and mother stop loving him. No matter how unsightly, how deplorable Subaru had become, both his parents had loved him. That’s what scared him the most. Nothing frightened Subaru as much as that fact.

[Assistant] “‘I don’t love you. I hate you. You’re…not my child.’ I wanted you to do that, to say that, to throw me aside. I wanted to make you…give up on me.” With fleeting hope, he’d looked up at the sky, expecting to find the star that could never have been.

[User] A human being as pathetic and mewling as Subaru was a fool unworthy of being Kenichi Natsuki’s son. And thus, he wanted to be cast aside. Not even Subaru himself realized that was what rested within Subaru’s heart.

[Assistant] Unable to accept how weak and stupid he was, pushing onto others the task of cleaning up the mayhem that appeared in his wake, he averted his eyes, hating himself all the same. In spite of all that, Subaru had not ended up shunned and abandoned by all, because someone had been there to support him.

[User] “It is easy to give up— However…it does not suit you, Subaru.” The image of the silver girl imprinted on the backs of his eyelids now had a flickering blue radiance superimposed upon it. With that, a warm breeze blew into Subaru’s heart, making him pledge to move his listless limbs once more.

[Assistant] “Subaru, I love you.” With those words, she had given Subaru a push right when he should have been finished.

[User] Because he realized that, because he remembered that, he set his heart on walking forward from zero—and to do that, he had to settle things with the past, the minus that came before zero.

[Assistant] “—Yes. My hero…is the greatest in the whole world.”

[User] "…" Having listened to Subaru’s long monologue to its completion, Kenichi closed his eyes, sinking into thought.

[Assistant] —In the end, the same as before, Subaru was forcing someone else to clean up after him.


[User] Eyes closed, Kenichi stood before Subaru and addressed him by name.

[Assistant] "Subaru." When those words brought him back to reality, Subaru looked up at his father. To Subaru, ready to accept whatever Kenichi might say, whatever Kenichi might think, in its full, unvarnished form, he—

[User] "Father head! !"

[Assistant] "Gahhh? !" Taking an unexpected blow to his cranium, Subaru reeled as fireworks scattered in his eyes. Toward his son, eyes tearful from the sharp pain, Kenichi powerfully thrust a finger. "You see that, Subaru? That’s my angry blow, the father head move I’ve filled with love."

[User] "Wasn’t that a heel drop?! What ‘head’?! Was that just to throw me off? !"

[Assistant] "That’s what stretching after a bath does for you. Got my leg pretty high up there, didn’t I?" Kenichi began stretching his supple hip joints on the spot. His father’s demeanor defied his expectations, leaving Subaru half in tears, unsure what he should say. Subaru had been expecting something else—

[User] "Gotta say, though, Subaru. You’re, well…a pretty big moron."

[Assistant] "Uhh…?" Insulted by the rather disconnected words, Subaru couldn’t get a single word out.

[User] "In the first place, there’s a lot that rubs me the wrong way, but there’s one thing that’s the biggest. You’re the one who thought you’d get me to hate you. The way you did it was by rejecting school. And you thought, somewhere along the line, your dad would blow a fuse and yell at you… That’s stupid on a fundamental level, you know?"

[Assistant] "I can’t really say I disagree, but…"

[User] "I mean, if you want me to abandon you, you’ve gotta be more proactive about it. Who abandons his own kid just because he crawls into his own shell? If you want me to hate you, you should commit genocide on half of humanity for no particular reason. Then I’ll hate you."

[Assistant] "That’s a crazy thing to ask for!! You don’t see many villains like that even in shonen manga! !"

[User] "To me, what you wanted me to do is just as crazy." The blunt retort silenced Subaru. "Got it?


[User] They had given Subaru the strength to stand, to walk, and to face his own past, even in front of Kenichi. The light that the pair gave off rivaled the starry sky Subaru had once had above his head. When Subaru was outside his room, unexpectedly invited to another world, he became desperate, suffered pain and anguish, cried out in tears, lamented and raged, laughed in delight, and finally obtained a new sky filled with stars.

[Assistant] “Well, it’s fine if you can get by without making the two of ’em cry… By the way, don’t make ’em cry. If you can manage that, I won’t object. Looks like you’ve got your own way with people.”

[User] “If I had that, my high school debut wouldn’t have been such a black stain on my past. I can’t do it like you, Dad.”

[Assistant] “Do you really think that? You’re my son, y’know. Besides, seems like you’ve got a bunch of misunderstandings about me, but that one’s the worst, I figure.”

[User] “That?” As Subaru inclined his head.

[Assistant] Kenichi wagged a finger atop his crossed arms. “Yeah. I’m all bouncy like this in front of you and your mom, but Daddy completely behaves according to time, place, and occasion, okay? Maybe you wouldn’t know it because I’m always in full-throttle family-love mode in front of you, but what, you think Daddy can pull an act like that and it’ll just work on everyone…?”

[User] “Wait, wait, hold on…”

[Assistant] “Ain’t it obvious? No one wants to get close to a guy who’s that high tension the first time you meet him. That’s why you’ve gotta keep your collar straight until you get along better. You’ve gotta wait a while before you undo the buttons. If you start in April, gotta hold out until the end of June for that.”

[User] The Shocking Truth: Father Revealed to be a Man of Common Sense and Appropriate Conduct. Ignorant of this until now, Subaru had been shallow enough to believe he could just mimic his father to become a popular guy. “Why’d I agonize for all that time, then…!”

[Assistant] “Aww, don’t worry about it. It’s my fault for not noticing how much you looked up to me because I’m simply that awesome. Sorry that I’m just too big a presence in your life!”

[User] “Even though it’s true, I really don’t feel like acknowledging it! !”

[Assistant] Patting the lamenting Subaru on the shoulder, Kenichi did what he always did: step on the naive parts of Subaru and grind them underfoot.

[User] As he quipped at his father, Subaru felt something hard and heavy inside his heart fade away and vanish. The dark recesses were brightening with the approach of daybreak, and his vision opened to greet the dawn. Subaru had confessed that he was conceited and self-serving, and yet the result was only relief.


[User] "Ha-ha-ha. Don’t blush so much. You’re still my son with my blood in ya. I’m sure you’ve got it in you to be half as cool as I am."

[Assistant] "Only half, eh? Normally, your genes get refined as you spend time in the world, right?"

[User] "But half of you comes from your mom, y’see. Even if you’ve got my coolness in ya, the Nahoko part cancels it out, so I don’t feel like I can expect much from the final judgme-"

[Assistant] "Sorry, Mom, he’s got me there!" Subaru puts his empty hands together and apologized.

[User] Laughing at the sight, Kenichi let his shoulders sink in exasperation as he moved on. "This should lessen the burden on your shoulders a bit. The rest is talk about the future. It’s all ahead from here."

[Assistant] "Ahh, yeah. Err, I really am sorry for causing you all that tr-"

[User] "If you feel sorry for it, just spend a proper amount of time paying us back. You’re the oldest son, so you’d better take real good care of me and your Mom later in life."

[Assistant] Subaru was unable to move.


[User] "Ugh! !"

[Assistant] "...I-I’m sorry…"

[User] "Subaru?"

[Assistant] "I’m s…I’m so…I’m sorry…s-sorry, sorry…shorry…! !"

[User] From in front of him came Kenichi’s bewildered voice.

[Assistant] Subaru didn’t see his face, covering his face with his palms, desperately trying to wipe the overflowing tears.

[User] "I’m sorrrryyy… I-I…can’t be together with… I’m so…s-sorry…"


[User] "But in spite of that, I…haven’t given anything back… I’ll probably never see you again… I’m sorry, I’m sorry. “…I’m sorry. I’m shworry. I’m sorry.” The tears would not stop. There, that moment, ferocious emotions seemed to churn inside him. Yet even so, Subaru remained standing, not crumbling to the ground.

[Assistant] Here, there was someone who held Subaru as he cried. Supporting his son, now almost as tall as he was, he patted Subaru’s back with his big, strong palms like he would for any crying child. “…Goodness. No matter how much time passes, you’re still a high-maintenance son.”


[User] The white-haired girl remained seated in her chair in the middle of the classroom as she gave a wry, charming smile, Subaru leaned his upper body into the corridor, checking until he reconfirmed there was no one else around. Then he turned back toward the classroom once more, scratching his head. "First, there’s something I want to tell you…"

[Assistant] "Mm, you may speak it. I am very interested in whatever you might be thinking."

[User] "That school uniform really looks good on you." Subaru pointed and conveyed his impression.

[Assistant] The Witch’s eyes had an inquisitive glint. For a moment, the Witch blinked at that impression, and then she gave a burst of irrepressible laughter. "Ha-ha! Thank you. That makes it well worth rummaging through your memories to reproduce it. These clothes are seared into your memories particularly strongly. Perhaps you are rather fond of them?"

[User] The girl rose from her seat, grasping the hem of her skirt as she twirled around on the spot. The sight of her white hair swaying down her back made her look like nothing more than an attractive teenage girl. She wore a gray skirt and a navy-blue blazer. The red ribbon adorning her breasts marked her as a student of the same grade as Subaru, providing a vivid contrast to the white shirt underneath. "It’s just that I like longer skirts more than short, personally. Long skirts twirl around for longer, so it tugs at your thoughts even stronger that way."

[Assistant] "I see. Well then, I must ensure that my skirt twirls for longer the next time."

[User] "Not that there’s gonna be a next time! Also, it’s not as if I really like everyone wearing that outfit. Here, it’s just what you have to wear. It’s as obligatory as a knight’s dress uniform."

[Assistant] Echidna giggled at him, looking like she only took his explanation half seriously.

[User] Humphing through his nose at her, Subaru sat down in the empty chair in front of Echidna, turning to face her. "I really thought you would be more surprised…"

[Assistant] "If you meant to hide it, you should’ve put more effort into the background. This goes for the commute to school, too, but there isn’t a single adult or child inside the whole school, and that’s impossible."

[User] Even if he’d reasoned it was late afternoon of a normal day, the world simply felt too bereft of human presence. It was as if the world had been stripped of everything that was not useful information from Subaru’s perspective. "This world’s way too convenient from my point of view… What’s with this place? I was just entering the place called your tomb, and then…"

[Assistant] "You entered my tomb, possessing the qualifications to do so. Therefore, the trial began. That is all. Did you not hear the words?"


[User] "First, face your past." Echidna, replying to confirm Subaru’s impressions, crossed her hands behind her back as she tilted her head. The beautiful girl’s hair swayed with the wind, a gentle, cool breeze blowing into the classroom as the school uniform on her casually melted away. Sensing that each of her nonchalant gestures was a trap she had laid around his heart, Subaru consciously averted his gaze from her.

[Assistant] "It’s gradually…coming back to me. What did you do to the memory of when we first met? I completely forgot about you until the moment this trial was underway."

[User] "I told you, did I not? You are forbidden to speak of having met me at my little tea party to anyone else. It was faster and more reliable to affect your memory than trust in the tightness of your lips. Ahh, I would like you to relax… I did not play around with any other memories. I would never do such a banal thing."

[Assistant] “…What basis do I have to believe what you just said?”

[User] "Perhaps your understanding of a Witch’s true nature? I am the Witch of Greed, lust for knowledge incarnate." Echidna crossed her arms as if embracing her own elbows, leaving Subaru unable to read what rested within her black eyes.

[Assistant] "But first I want to set you straight about something. The fact is, you’re the one who gave me the qualification for the trial."

[User] "Set me straight, you say? Somehow, that sets my heart just slightly aflutter. How strange… I feel slightly elated that you would speak to me in such a manner. All I did was to upgrade you from an unpalatable thing to a maybe-unpalatable thing." When Echidna’s smile deepened, Subaru responded by tossing words her way that seemed intended to fend her off.

[Assistant] "Tch." went Echidna, tapering her lips as her almond-shaped eyes gently narrowed. "Everyone harbors regrets from their past. Living day to day makes it impossible to exist without regret—regret is a function built into all people."

[User] "Don’t put it pessimistically like that. That regret thingy turns into reflection, reflecting on yesterday lets you scrape by today, reflecting on today lets you bust through tomorrow. That’s a function built into people, too, isn’t it?"

[Assistant] "—Precisely!" The air audibly leaped; this was caused by Echidna, speaking in a strong voice, bringing her hands together in a powerful clap. She drew close to the surprised Subaru, her face approaching so close that they could share breaths, opening her mouth as if to press him for more. "Such a simple observation engenders what is, in the end, a minor difference. But which answer one chooses greatly affects whether one views the past optimistically or pessimistically."


[User] "Most view the past pessimistically, repudiating the path that has led them to the present. And in that repudiation, they avert their eyes, never closing the lid upon what has happened.”

[Assistant] “Um, your face is…close…!”

[User] “Such a thing cannot be helped, for the you of yesterday was infinitely ignorant compared to the you of today. The you of now is at an absolute deficiency of knowledge compared to the you of tomorrow. In the sum amount of knowledge, and in the total number of memories, the past is inferior to the present, and the present is inferior to the future. That is a fact!” Paying the overwhelmed Subaru no heed, Echidna spoke exceedingly passionately, punctuating her speech by strongly slamming both hands onto the desk. “Accordingly, when people face the past, they sift through hesitation, bewilderment, anguish, and sorrow, all in search for an answer. I shall affirm whatever answer they arrive at as a result. I shall find no fault in any answer, for it is proof that you have faced your past, absorbing it and using it as your cornerstone as you overcome it.”

[Assistant] “…So that’s the objective of this trial? Huh, mission accomplished, I guess?”

[User] “Facing your own past can mean accepting or rejecting it. What is important is arriving at an answer. One cannot overcome the trial with fear, anger, or cowering. However, I extol those who have either accepted their past or made a clean break with it. For that, I shall offer as many opportunities as one might desire… That is this trial!” When Subaru took this as meaning he’d passed, Echidna made that powerful declaration, raising her clenched fist. Immediately afterward, Echidna audibly gasped as she came back to her senses, her cheeks reddening as she cleared her throat and said, “I became a t-trifle too excited. I am sorry for the unsightly display.”

[Assistant] “I don’t really mind. I did get to smell your breath a lot, but it smelled like citrus fruit. More importantly…from what you’re saying, I passed the conditions for clearing the trial, right?”

[User] “I believe you have displayed sufficient results for me to declare that this portion is finished.” Echidna touched a hand to her chest, her face full of satisfaction, like one savoring the aroma of luxuriant black tea. “In regards to your trauma and your lingering feelings of guilt toward your past, you have found an answer to both. This, I wish to praise with thunderous applause.”

[Assistant] “One portion… Wait, you saw me bawling my eyes out, didn’t you? !”

[User] “So sowwy, before I knew it, even my eyes were moist.”

[Assistant] “Shaddap!! Don’t tell a soul, it’s embarrassing! !” Subaru couldn’t keep his cool at her being a Peeping Tom in regards to his farewell with his parents, both longing and regret bared. Her inquisitiveness that instant was a slight against Subaru’s family.

[User] “But what a pity…it seems you already had your answer for facing your painful past.”

[Assistant] “Ahh?”

[User] “I welcome any answer.


[User] "But it is my belief that an answer means more when one must take an excessive time to arrive at it. I was hoping that you would arrive at your answer as a result of racking your brain…but it would seem the trial unfortunately came too late for you to amuse me to the fullest, more’s the pity." Echidna made a morose sigh.

[Assistant] Knotting his brows at her words, Subaru slowly realized it for himself. "A girl told me, a totally helpless no-good guy, that I’m her hero. That’s why I’ve already accepted how much I come up short. I don’t need to face my past now to teach me that."

[User] "So you resigned yourself to it in a different manner. It is not at all amusing that this has gone contrary to my will. Should you meet that girl on the outside, I would like you to convey that a Witch bears a grudge against her."

[Assistant] Subaru’s breath caught at the way she so casually stated that extremely frightening complaint. "Not that I even need to ask. This world, it really is…" He knew he was at the limit of his ability to avert his eyes from comprehension he did not wish to accept.

[User] "Yes, that’s right. This is a fictitious world reproduced using completely faithful reliance upon your memories. Therefore, naturally—your real parents remain with no knowledge of where you are and what you are doing, and are no doubt worried about their son, vanished without a trace."

[Assistant] "Really faithful in every way, though? They talked about a whole bunch of things I didn’t know about…"

[User] "Did you truly not know these things? Perhaps you saw a letter sent by an acquaintance of your parents once? Did you not meet an old man who knew your father when he was young? Did you truly not suspect even once that this image of your father was at odds with what you believed?" When Subaru seemed to cling to her, Echidna indulged him, pounding home point after point. "You thought they didn’t know, but in your heart, did you really want to conceal it? Can you truly say you didn’t want a fictional father and an idealized mother to know all along, out of the self-serving desire to be loved in spite of them knowing?"

[Assistant] With Subaru cowed into silence, Echidna drew her face close to his, the tenor of her speech gradually diminishing to a whisper as it gained an ever-more-suspicious-sounding ring.


[User] "That is a little too idealistic, a little too convenient—do you not think so?" Echidna gracefully smiled as those soft, seemingly adoring words dug deep into Subaru’s heart. At odds with the age-appropriate appearance she had displayed to that moment, this was the malevolent smile of a Witch. In the face of that captivating smile, infected with a Witch’s seductiveness, Subaru closed his eyes.

[Assistant] "Don’t mock my parents out of some half-baked resentment, Echidna."

[User] “…What?”

[Assistant] "I gave my entire answer to them. Both my mom and my dad accepted it. I told them everything I hadn’t said, and they said everything I wanted them to say: Hang in there, come back soon." Subaru stood up, put his hands on the desk, and put his forehead to Echidna’s. Subaru watched the Witch’s black eyes blink in surprise as he pounded his own chest. "Those voices, those smiling faces…every last bit was what my imagination poured into them—they’re not vases for you to pour your half-baked ideas into. Don’t look down on them. Those are my parents."

[Assistant] "I told them everything I had to say. I’m not gonna be led astray by words from someone like you." Turning her bladelike words back upon her, Subaru snorted and set his hips down on the chair once more.

[User] "Goodness, to not leave any room for doubts in the answer you have given… You truly know how to make a little Witch cry."

[Assistant] "Sucks to be you. I reeeally love Mom and Daddy." He puffed out his chest as he asserted it, though he couldn’t quantify just how long it had taken before he could do so.

[User] Echidna greeted Subaru’s stance with a resigned shake of her head. "In a true sense, this trial is over. I hope for great things for the next question."

[Assistant] "Yeah… Er, next question?! The hell, the trial isn’t just one thing? !"

[User] "My, did I not tell you when you first entered the tomb? ‘First, face your past.’ You should have paid more attention to the first part…"

[Assistant] "Stop talking like a Japanese language teacher!! And that deceptive face really annoys me! !" Subaru was shocked at the notification that it would be a longer fight.

[User] Echidna leaned an elbow against the desk, forming a mischievous smile. "The condition for liberating the Sanctuary is to pass the tomb’s trial, three parts in total. I am pleased I was finally able to speak to you about this. My chest is aflutter that I have surprised you to quite this extent."

[Assistant] "Yeah, I’ve got a real lively look on my face ’cause you didn’t tell me about this back at the tea party, damn it…" She’d no doubt been full of frustration concerning the uncooperative visitor arriving for tea with far too little information.


[User] Unlike that previous time, he had more he wanted to ask her about, but—

[Assistant] “Either way, you’re not gonna hand out cheat sheets on the contents of the trials or how to answer, are you?”

[User] “Of course not. Stealing my fun from me after my death would simply be far too cruel.”

[Assistant] “Don’t talk about this like some geezer’s fun, sheesh…” Wincing from the witchy reply, Subaru slowly rose from his seat. There was no longer anything he wished to speak to Echidna about. Nor was there any reason to stay in that place, that fictional world, for long, save for lingering attachment. He’d said his farewells to the regrets in his heart; that was enough.

[User] “Hey, Echidna.”

[Assistant] “What is it? Ahh, a grudge to vent, or perhaps you wish to punch me once? Certainly, you have the right to do that much. I know my amusement comes at your expense. But I am a woman. At least avoid the fa—”

[User] “Thank you.”

[Assistant] Echidna’s face froze when she heard those words. The sight of Echidna in shock, eyes wide open and taken aback, felt a little creepy to Subaru as he spoke.

[User] “Even if it wasn’t real, even if I didn’t really say those things to the two of them, thanks to you, I was able to say out loud what I wanted to tell them. To put it bluntly, even if it’s the result of your shitty curiosity, I was able to say goodbye to them— If nothing else, I’m grateful for that. So thank you.”

[Assistant] “…You are an incredibly interesting person, one I am no longer able to understand to a degree that is…frightening.” Echidna’s reply contained neither jest nor falsehood; rather, it felt as if she was speaking from the heart for the very first time.

[User] After hearing her reply, Subaru shrugged, smiling like a mischievous boy. “I’m honored to have frightened a Witch. So how do I get out of this world?”

[Assistant] “This world has served its purpose. It has already begun to disappear. Nothing save this building still holds its proper shape—exit the building, and you should find yourself in the tomb where you started.”

[User] “Well, that’s pretty convenient.” When Echidna’s answer prodded him to look out the window, the distant sky was indeed warped like some kind of mirage. Having fulfilled its duty, the false world was vanishing back into a distant dream. With it went the father who had given Subaru a push forward, and the mother who had sent him off.

[Assistant] “They already taught me the important stuff, though.” The emotions filling his chest and the hot sensations in the backs of his eyes made Subaru rub his eyes once with his sleeve. Then he lifted his face, and there was room for tears no more. Subaru turned his back to the Witch and faced the classroom’s exit to bring that world to an end and—

[User] “That’s right, one more thing.


[User] Echidna knitted her refined eyebrows as Subaru paused on the verge of leaving the room, turning only his head back toward her. “…Meaning what?”

[Assistant] Subaru lifted a finger toward her, wagging it left and right as he spoke. “It’s not my job to clear the trial and liberate the Sanctuary. This is a commemorative exam, just ’cause I happened to have an exam ticket on me. It’ll be a different kid who’ll fulfill your expectations.”

[User] Subaru remembered Emilia, who had challenged the tomb and had surely undergone the same trial. It was her duty to liberate the Sanctuary. Subaru’s challenge had been completely unplanned; he couldn’t raise Echidna’s hopes.

[Assistant] Subaru said that last thing, waving his hand toward the Witch he was probably seeing for the last time…

[User] Echidna whispers deeply suggestive. “Will that truly be the case, I wonder?”

[Assistant] Subaru Natsuki never noticed Echidna’s deeply suggestive whisper as he was enveloped in white light. Then he left the world of the trial—


[User] “Blargh!! Ptoo, ptoo! Some weird rock’s in my mouth… Bleh! !” Feeling drool and something else shaped like a rock on the tip of his tongue, Subaru retched as he instantly sprang up.

[Assistant] When he surveyed the area around his dirty body, he saw an empty room shrouded in thin darkness. The cold, chilly air and musty, acrid scent—they reminded him that he was in the tomb.

[User] “That’s right, I completed it…”

[Assistant] Now that Subaru was awake, his mind finally caught up as he recalled all that had happened since he collapsed. He’d been pulled into the trial, had been reunited with his parents, spoke with them, then returned to reality. There didn’t seem to be any gaps in his memory from start to finish. He remembered it all.

[User] “Not like I can forget bawling my eyes out like that… Ahh, I’m glad.”

[Assistant] Leaving his father and mother was a sad, nostalgic memory, but also the ritual that had hardened his resolve. Relieved he had not forgotten it, he clenched his teeth as he belatedly recalled why he had rushed into the tomb in the first place—the answer was sprawled on the floor right next to him.

[User] “Emilia!” Kneeling, Subaru saw Emilia lying on the cold floor beside him. Peering at her face, he confirmed she was breathing. He was initially relieved by that fact, but the pained look on her sleeping face stabbed into his chest.

[Assistant] “—ah, ngh…” Emilia was moaning, with sweat on her brow, as her face twisted in anguish and fear.


[User] Every so often, she shook her head in denial, as if she were desperately trying to run away from something— “A past you don’t want to look at…something you have to face and deal with, huh…?” Subaru didn’t know how much time had passed, but Emilia had entered the tomb long before him.

[Assistant] That Subaru had come back first in spite of that meant she was having an exceptionally difficult time with the trial.

[User] Emilia moaned faintly, like she was begging for help, as if ready to break into tears at any moment.

[Assistant] The sight of her like that made Subaru’s breath catch. Wanting to somehow ease her suffering, he touched her cheek with his finger. That instant—

[Assistant] “Emilia? !” Emilia’s slender body sat up fast, almost like she’d been zapped with a jolt of electricity.

[User] The dramatic reaction made Subaru reach out with his arms, hugging Emilia against his own chest. Then, when she shuddered like she was having spasms, he called out to her over and over. “Emilia! Get it together, Emilia! Emilia!”

[Assistant] “—Wuu… Su…baru?”

[User] “—! Y-yeah, that’s right. You can tell it’s me? I’m so glad.” Subaru’s arms had been wrapped around Emilia while he desperately cried out. After some time, the anguished expression on her face finally eased as she slowly opened her eyes. She seemed to be coming to her senses, letting Subaru breathe in relief after calling out her name since the episode started.

[Assistant] “This is… Er, I was…”

[User] “Take it slow, don’t panic. We’re inside the tomb in the Sanctuary. You came in here to fulfill a very important duty…and, er, sorry for taking so long!” Remembering that he was embracing her, Subaru abandoned his explanation midway and pulled back from Emilia’s body. When Emilia hazily turned her head toward him, Subaru scratched his cheek and tried to pick up where he’d left off. “Emilia?”

[Assistant] “That’s right… I began the trial, and then…” Emilia’s thoughts returned to the moment right before she’d lost consciousness, to the test. But her reaction had clearly been abnormal, and the sight of her set Subaru’s heart deeply astir. Emilia embraced her own shoulders, as if remembering the shuddering from mere moments before. Her face was pale, drained of blood, and he could hear her teeth chattering. “I-it…wasn’t me…! I…said it wasn’t…me…but…”

[User] “Wait, Emilia? Calm down, please. Emilia, look at me, Emilia!”

[Assistant] “No…don’t look at me like that… No, no, no, you’re wrong… Don’t…blame me…!” Subaru’s voice never registered as Emilia cowered on the spot, covering her face with her palms in denial. Her tearful words turned into sobs, and her crystal clear voice was so full of grief that it pained his heart.


[User] "After everything we went through, why are you looking at me like that?! Are you saying I’m somehow the bad guy here?! I’m innocent! Innocent, I tell you!" Subaru's shouts echo through the tower.

[Assistant] "Do not betray our expectations like this. Please, Subaru."

[User] "Just when I was thinking he might have some redeeming qualities. In the end, Barusu is just Barusu."

[Assistant] Julius's cold gaze is entirely reasonable.

[User] Ram's cold gaze is entirely reasonable.

[Assistant] "Will you let go of me already…?! What’s with your crazy grip?!"

[User] "Not! Gonna! Happen!" Shaula clings to Subaru’s arm.

[Assistant] "I can’t get her off…! Don’t just stand there—someone, help me!"

[User] "You have a lewd look on your face, Pervarusu."

[Assistant] "No, I don’t, and don’t change my name like that! That hurts, Emilia! Pulling my hair isn’t going to help much!"

[User] "Ah, sorry. I wasn’t trying to help."

[Assistant] "That’s what you’re apologizing for?!"

[User] Beatrice is red-faced, her eyes spinning, having also fallen into Shaula’s clutches.

[Assistant] "Aaaaanyway! Everyone just calm down! Me included!"


[User] “Let’s talk it out!” At Subaru’s groggy request to bring the situation under control, everyone decided to cooperate. For the moment, at least. They sat in a circle, which was conducive to civil conversation. However, Shaula was still refusing to release Subaru’s arm, and she insisted on rubbing her cheek against his while sitting next to him.

[Assistant] “Mmm, Master! Master!”

[User] “How obscene.”

[Assistant] “You saw that catastrophe earlier, right? Does it look to you like I want my right arm locked up like this? Can’t you hear the bones creaking? I’m going to lose my arm to lack of blood flow at this rate.” In response to Ram’s scornful gaze, Subaru looked at his limb that had been offered up as a sacrifice. A gorgeous, half naked woman was wrapped around it. While this might have seemed like an envious situation at first glance, the very noticeable pain from his groaning joints and bones made it impossible to enjoy any sensations he’d usually feel with her voluptuous body pressing against him.

[User] “Anyway, I’d like to move this along before I lose an arm here… But first of all, I’m glad everyone is safe. Anastasia, Meili—it’s a relief to see you safe, too.”

[Assistant] “I’m glad you woke up, Natsuki. I was starting to worry you might not. I would have a felt a little bit guilty if that happened.”

[User] “Hearing you say that almost sounds like you’re jinxing it, but I guess there was a chance that’s how it would’ve turned out, huh…? Did you worry about me, too, Meili?” Addressing the two late arrivals, Anastasia expressed polite relief while Meili looked away completely.

[Assistant] “Me? Worry about you? Spare me. I wouldn’t want Petra or Beatrice to set me in their sights.”

[User] “What do you mean?! Beako and Petra aren’t that petty! Right?” Beatrice was sitting on his lap after being freed from her helpless state earlier. Her puffed-up face deflated when he poked her perky red cheeks.

[Assistant] “Of course not. Betty is not so fickle that something so minor would be a bother. Meili can worry about Subaru all she likes, so long as she knows her place.”

[User] “See, listen to Beako. Feel free to worry about me as much as you want!”

[Assistant] “Did your heads stop working because you were separated for so long?”

[User] “How dare you!” Anger colored Beatrice’s face when Meili quipped back with the polar opposite of a warm response. Setting aside their endearing banter, Subaru looked around the circle. Everyone was safe. However—

[Assistant] “You needn’t worry. Everyone is present and accounted for. Of course, your concern is natural. Rest assured, I will take you to see her and your dragon once we are done.”

[User] “Could you not read my min—? No, sorry. Thanks for worrying about me.” Guessing the meaning in Subaru’s gaze, Julius answered before he could even ask a question. Nodding, Subaru gestured to the carriage and land dragon behind him that had survived the party’s adventure in the sands.

[Assistant] “Thanks.”


[User] "Where are they?” Action/Narration

[Assistant] “Upstairs. I’ll explain more later, but for now… She is undergoing treatment.” Action/Narration

[User] “Treatment?! You mean Rem?! So she can be treated… Does that mean she’ll finally wake up? !” Action/Narration Subaru instinctively focused on a certain detail.

[Assistant] “Calm down, Barusu. You’re jumping to conclusions.” Action/Narration

[User] “…Oh…” Action/Narration As soon as Subaru started leaning forward, Ram’s words hit him like a splash of cold water. Catching his breath under her sharp gaze, he sat back down.

[Assistant] “…Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Action/Narration

[User] “Um, Subaru. When we found all of you, Patlash was badly hurt, so she’s being healed upstairs at the moment. And Rem is in the same room…” Action/Narration

[Assistant] “…Ah, yeah, I get it. It’s okay, Emilia, thanks. And you don’t have to worry, Julius. I was just getting ahead of myself.” Action/Narration Taking a deep breath, Subaru regretted jumping to conclusions. After taking a moment to banish the slightly darkened mood, he looked up.

[User] “Just to confirm… Rem and Patlash are up there, right?” Action/Narration

[Assistant] “And I’ll take you to where they are after this. I’m sure you’ll be more able to relax once you actually see them. Everyone was terrified after what happened this time.” Action/Narration

[User] “Frantically running around under sniper fire only to have the sky shatter around us and then that…” Action/Narration Thinking back on what happened after they had been separated, Subaru and Julius exchanged grimaces.

[Assistant] “Yes, we were shocked when we were swallowed up by the crack in the sky… But it was reeeally worrying having so many people who couldn’t fight get separated from us.” Action/Narration Sitting on Subaru’s left, Emilia nodded, too.

[User] “Big Sister was really, really panicked. Beatrice was bawling her eyes out, and I got worked up, too.” Action/Narration

[Assistant] “Ah, there you go fibbing again, Meili. It’s true that I was panicking, but Beatrice wasn’t bawling her eyes out. She was just on the verge of it, right?”

[User] “If you’re going to try to be considerate, at least follow through…!” Action/Narration

[Assistant] “?” Action/Narration Beatrice pouted when it was casually revealed that she had been close to tears, but Emilia didn’t understand why she was upset. Their endearing exchange brought a smile to Subaru’s lips as he shrugged at Julius.

[User] “So you must have also been pretty scared, huh? It’s a damn shame I didn’t get to see it.” Action/Narration

[Assistant] “Of course, I was quite shaken. Unlike you, Lady Anastasia and Ms. Ram are delicate women. I was ashen, unable to find them no matter where I looked." Action/Narration


[User] “Even at this very moment, it’s a relief to see them.”

[Assistant] “You were just panicking and scared, so why does it sound so elegant when you say it?” Julius answered while touching his hair, as was his habit, which drew a heavy frown from Subaru.

[User] Still, it was a good thing that everyone seemed back to their usual selves. All that was left was—

[Assistant] “What? Please stop directing your unpleasant gaze at me.” Ram sat across from him with her usual flat expression and shot a sharp barb at Subaru when she noticed him looking at her. Porcelain skin and pink eyes. A well-proportioned and refreshingly beautiful face. A visage like a tantalizing fruit, resting somewhere between cute and refined. From any angle, it was the usual Ram.

[User] “This is a waste of time.”

[Assistant] “I didn’t even say anything yet! I was just thinking it was nice we’re both safe and sound. You know, after everything that happened down there? …I still remember you covering me at the end.”

[User] “And that was a wasted effort.”

[Assistant] “I’m saying thank you!” The image that flashed through his head was from the moments right before he passed out—Ram battered and bruised, standing in that grotesque monster’s path, trying to protect Subaru. The slender figure covered in wounds bravely facing down a powerful enemy with no hope of victory. Her gallant demeanor was inspiring, but he couldn’t ignore the fear of loss that it had evoked, either.

[User] “See, this is why there’s no point in thanking you, Big Sis…”

[Assistant] “It’s okay, Subaru. Ram is just a little embarrassed is all. I’m sure she’s just feeling awkward since you were hugging her when she woke up. It was cute.”

[User] “Lady Emilia!” Hearing Emilia’s giggle, Ram reacted vehemently, but that wasn’t enough to erase what Emilia had just said.

[Assistant] Thinking a bit more deeply about it— "Oh yeah, when I woke up, there was an odd space where I was lying… I had assumed it was Beako, but—”

[User] “Forget it.” As he recalled the moment, Ram’s voice grew colder than usual.

[Assistant] “But…”

[User] “I. Said. Forget it.”

[Assistant] “O-okay, okay. Forgetting it. There, it’s gone now.”

[User] “That will suffice. You would do well to be careful, too, blockhead… I mean, Lady Emilia.”

[Assistant] “Blockhead? How did you mix that up with my name? They don’t sound anything alike…” Emilia cocked her head, but Ram feigned ignorance, declaring the conversation over. It appeared that Ram had no desire to discuss what happened underground.

[User] In order to continue, the natural choice was to turn to the other person who had been down there with them. "Since Ram’s not really answering, do you remember anything, Anastasia?”

[Assistant] “Oh, I’m part of this conversation, too? I thought you had forgotten about me.”

[User] “Sorry for prioritizing our crew. So what happened? I was still vaguely conscious when that demon beast was blown away, but…”

[Assistant] “After that, I was terrified in the pitch dark."


[User] “And with you and Ram both down, I was the only one who could negotiate with that Sage over there.”

[Assistant] “The Sage… You mean her?” Hearing that, Subaru pointed at the woman still clinging to his right arm, Shaula, whom he had been deliberately ignoring.

[User] “I can’t really imagine her doing anything dignified enough to justify calling it negotiation.”

[Assistant] “That’s a delicate way to put it. But it’s bewildering to me, too. No matter how much I pushed and pulled, she barely spoke a word. Now she’s gaga over you.”

[User] “She wouldn’t talk? This thing here?”

[Assistant] “Argh! You keep doing that… Master, I’m Shaula, not ‘this thing’!” Shaula glared up at Subaru in a huff.

[User] “Having someone come full throttle at you when your affection gauge is at zero just feels weird as hell, even if they are hot…”

[Assistant] “! You called me hot just now, didn’t you? !”

[User] “It must be convenient having ears that only hear what you like.” Shaula’s eyes gleamed as she pressed even closer while Subaru tried in vain to peel her off. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t escape her monstrous strength. In the end, Subaru sighed as he gave up on recovering control of his arm.

[Assistant] “It is what it is, I guess. My arm’s a lost cause, so let’s focus on the topic at hand. Hey you, use your words and talk.”

[User] “Sure, of course! If that’s what Master wants.”

[Assistant] “I see. It’s helpful that you are being cooperative. If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask if it’s safe to assume that you’re the Sage who took up residence in the Pleiades Watchtower?”

[User] “Bleh.”

[Assistant] “Answer him properly! You literally just said you’d talk!” Right when she seemed willing to respond with an easygoing smile, Shaula blatantly ignored Julius’s question. And when Subaru pressed her, she puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

[User] “Whaaat? You’re the one who said, ‘If anyone asks you anything, don’t say anything unnecessary, don’t talk to them, and don’t tell them anything. Just stab them.’ I’m doing what you told me to!”

[Assistant] “Your master’s pretty outrageous.”

[User] “Yeeep. You’re super outrageous, Master. I demand a sincere apology and some serious self-reflection.” Even as she said that, Shaula rubbed her head against Subaru’s neck in a show of puppy-like attachment.

[Assistant] Subaru ignored it and flicked her forehead.

[User] “That hurt…or not, but that’s abuse! Abuse, I say! You assaulted me! I’ll see you in court!”

[Assistant] “Where’d you even learn that phrase? …Anyway, talk to them, too, not just me. If you’re going to treat me like your master, then listen to me, please.”

[User] “…Really? Can I?”

[Assistant] “? Sure. If anything, I’d prefer if you did. I want to get on with this discussion already.” A blank, stunned look crossed Shaula’s face.


[User] Then her expression gradually went from shock to understanding to acceptance and then to deeply moved

[Assistant] “Wooooo! I finally got permission! I don’t have to keep trying to convince people that I’m a profound, mysterious beauty character anymore! Woo-hoo!”

[User] “You weren’t doing any of that to begin with!”

[Assistant] Shaula grinned as she got excited. Her ponytail was swinging wildly, slapping Subaru in the face.

[User] Blocking it with his left hand, Subaru continued by asking, “Anyway, are you the rumored Sage?” That question cut straight to the crux of why they had come to the Pleiades Watchtower in the first place.

[Assistant] Shaula’s face scrunched up like she had bitten something sour. “Um, it’s kinda hard to answer that.”

[User] “Hard? Why?”

[Assistant] “If you’re looking for Shaula, then yep that’s me, the one who loves Master the most. But if you’re looking for Sage Shaula, then I’m not so sure.” A frown appeared as she finally started to actually respond to questions.

[User] Likely noticing the same problem, Julius raised his hand. “‘Lady?’ You’re making me blush. I’m not used to titles like that. Just say my name. Lady Shaula is just… Geh-heh.”

[Assistant] “Very well, then at your discretion, Ms. Shaula— To this day, the achievements of Sage Shaula have been passed down through the generations by countless people. Is it correct to say that these legends refer to you?”

[User] “Weeell, it’s hard to say. I haven’t left this tower in foreeever. Maybe the stories spread in a weird way? Must have if they’re calling me, of all people, a sage.” Shaula cocked her head as she put a finger to her mouth. “Ah, unless Master named someone else Shaula, too. If that other Shaula did something really awesome, then maybe it’s not so weird after all… Did you do that, Master?”

[Assistant] “Don’t go asking me. Those are false charges, no matter how you cut it.”

[User] “Doesn’t look like Master can think of anyone, so I guess I really am the only one named Shaula. It’s the name Master gave me, my name and my name only… Who needs another Shaula anyway.”

[Assistant] “I see. So a troublemaker was spreading falsehoods.”

[User] “Don’t look at me while saying that! These are false charges! I’m innocent until proven guilty!” Setting aside the farce currently going on, Shaula didn’t sound like she was lying. Worst-case scenario, that meant the stories that had been passed down through the years might have been wrong.

[Assistant] While listening to their back-and-forth, Anastasia started fishing around in her oversize purse and pulled out a coin. “Checking your books all of a sudden? Or not, from the looks of it…”

[User] “Well, it is a hobby of mine, and hearing coins jangle is great for helping me brainstorm… But this is something else.


[User] “See, you can tell if you look closely at a Kingdom coin.” Anastasia tossed the coins in her hand over to Subaru.

[Assistant] Startled, he managed to catch them and saw four coins: copper, silver, gold, and sacred gold.

[User] “I’m sure you’re not trying to bribe Shaula, but…”

[Assistant] “If that would work, I wouldn’t be against it, but no. Just look at them. There are images on the coins, right? There’s no separating money and history. Every country worthy of the name has its legacy etched in its coins.”

[User] Taking her words to heart, Subaru checked the image on the coins. There had never really been a reason to examine them that closely before, but now that he looked, there were different images on all four of them.

[Assistant] “The sacred gold one is the Holy Dragon, the gold is the first Sword Saint, the silver is the Sage, and the copper is Lugunica Castle. You didn’t know?”

[User] “Eh? Now Emilia’s whipping out NPC exposition…!”

[Assistant] “But this is common sense. Did you not pay any attention when you went out shopping?”

[User] Subaru whistled in an attempt to slip past Emilia’s painful follow-up. It was true—the markings on the coins were exactly as she had described. There was a dragon on the sacred gold coin, a man with intense eyes on the gold, and the castle on the copper. And on the silver—

[Assistant] “A young, handsome sort of guy. I guess maybe it vaguely resembles Shaula but also not really.”

[User] “However, as far as the world is concerned, Shaula is the person on that coin.” The coin’s image was a handsome guy with long hair and a masculine face. Naturally, no matter the angle, it wasn’t someone who could be mistaken for a beautiful, half naked woman.

[Assistant] “Heh, that’s pretty good. It looks just like Master.” Peering at the silver coin from the side, Shaula unleashed a terrible insult without a hint of malice.

[User] “What part?! Ah, wait, if the Sage there is supposed to be your master, then does that match the Master in your memories?”

[Assistant] “Argh, what are you talking about? You’re my only Master.”

[User] “Then I have to ask again: What part? !” She seemed unhappy with his annoyed reaction.

[Assistant] “Ehhh? As far as I can tell, there’s a lot of matching features. It has hair, two eyes and ears, a mouth, and a nose.”

[User] "Is that it?! If that’s the level we’re operating on, then a Mr. Potato Head is just as similar!”

[Assistant] “Even I wouldn’t really say the person on the coin resembles Subaru…” It was a kindergarten level of distinction. Subaru and Emilia found it unbelievable. It was the sort of comparison that made everyone other than Shaula grimace a bit.

[User] “Bleh. I mean, look, I’m not great with faces. I can more or less tell the difference between a guy or girl, but everything else is basically all the same, right?


[User] "Well, I guess I can tell people apart by size."

[Assistant] "The nerve to add that right after looking at Betty."

[User] "Your smallness and cuteness are part of what makes you unique, so it’s fine. More importantly, if that’s how unreliable your eyes are, where do you get off saying I’m your master! You’ve clearly got the wrong guy!"

[Assistant] Taking advantage of Shaula’s excuse, Subaru leaped at the chance to clear his name.

[User] "Ah, no problemo there. That has nothing to do with how you look."

[Assistant] "Oh really? Then how exactly can you tell? Auras?"

[User] "Smell. No one but Master would ever give off such a nose-scorching, pitch-black, nasty stench and be totally fine."

[Assistant] "I’ve never been more insulted! Do I really smell that bad?!"

[User] When he heard the word smell, he had braced himself, but that resolve was dust in the wind when Shaula hit him with an unthinkable selection of words. "Why are you mad? Ah, is it ’cause I called it nasty? Don’t worry! Your smell is downright atrocious, but it isn’t, like, vomit-inducing. More like a weird combination that makes you want to smell it again!"

[Assistant] "A girl shouldn’t say something like that! And if that was supposed to make me feel better, you did a terrible job!" Subaru covered his face to hide his shame and collapsed in tears on the spot. "What the hell…? I thought I had gotten used to hearing it by now, but that was too much. What did I do to deserve this…?"

[User] "I-it’s okay, Subaru. I understand. Why don’t we give you a proper bath later?"

[Assistant] "You don’t get it at all!" While Subaru bawled, Emilia tried to reassure him, only for Ram to cut in, annoyed by the whole situation.

[User] "In any case, if Barusu’s permission is enough to convince you, then answer our questions. You are Shaula but not the Sage. In that case, do you know a Sword Saint or Holy Dragon?"

[Assistant] "Sword Saint? Holy Dragon?"

[User] "Their names are Reid and Volcanica."

[Assistant] "Ugh." Hearing that, Shaula’s face twisted up like she had eaten something disgusting.

[User] "You know them?"

[Assistant] "Of course I do. I’ve known stick-swinging Reid and sarcastic Volcanica since way back in the day. Haven’t seen them in forever since we split up, though. They still doing all right?"

[User] "Reid’s long dead now."

[Assistant] "Really?! He’s dead?! That guy always seemed like he wouldn’t die even if you killed him! How’d he die?! Eating something weird he picked up off the ground or something?!"

[User] "Old age. There’s no one who can fight that."

[Assistant] "Old age… Ohhh, right. Yeah. Reid was technically human, wasn’t he?" Shaula looked down sadly at hearing an old friend had died. Even her ponytail seemed to lose its energy, and she looked lonely as her shoulders slumped. "Then what about Volcanica?"

[User] "Volcanica’s a dragon, so yeah."

[Assistant] "I see."


[User] “It would have been better if Volcanica died instead of Reid, though.”

[Assistant] “You’ve got a mouth on you, damn.” But that air of loneliness was fleeting, and she quickly changed gears, tearing into her other old friend without reservation.

[User] Ram had a pensive look on her face as she closed one eye. “Let me ask again. The Sage that should have existed as well—your master—exactly who was he?”

[Assistant] “—? That’s a weird question. You’re the ones traveling with him, and you don’t know?”

[User] “Unfortunately, your master hit his head on a toilet’s chamber pot and forgot several things.”

[Assistant] “Was there a point in specifying toilet just now?”

[User] “Again, Master…?”

[Assistant] “Again? !” Greeted by Shaula’s sympathetic gaze, Subaru suffered a humiliation that didn’t seem at all called for.

[User] Seemingly accepting Ram’s answer, Shaula leaped to her feet. “Then allow me to make the big announcement. Master’s name…the name of the famed and great wise man! Master, who is the only one in this world fit to be called the Sage!”

[Assistant] “Just get to it already!”

[User] “When else will I get the chance? But that’s totally like you.” Shaula put on a big production of her announcement and stuck her tongue out mischievously when Subaru tried to hurry her. Then she put her finger to her cheek, acting a bit like a little girl as she continued. And the name was—

[Assistant] “—Flugel.”

[User] “…Huh?”

[Assistant] “Master’s name is Flugel. The great, wise man Flugel is my master.” Puffing out her ample chest in pride, Shaula said the name with heartfelt affection.


[User] “Whoa! Scaaary! It’s so high! Not having a railing is freaky!”

[Assistant] “Wah, stop it, Subaru! It’s dangerous to go near the edge!” Beatrice frantically pulled Subaru back as he peeked over the side of the spiral staircase.

[User] “It’s a few dozen yards from the bottom to the next floor, but because of the spiral stairs, the walk is a couple miles…talk about inconvenient. What was the guy who made this place thinking?”

[Assistant] “Based on recent conversation, wouldn’t that be Flugel? It did happen four hundred years ago. Maybe they thought differently back then?”

[User] “There are limits to what can be explained by a generation gap. Also…” While Subaru and Beatrice held hands and walked together, Emilia trailed behind them.


[User] Subaru glanced past her, toward the tail end of the procession—

[Assistant] “Don’t shake so much.”

[User] “Huh? You’re hitching a ride on my back, kiddo, so be grateful.”

[Assistant] “It’s way too much work climbing these hundreds of stairs up and down.”

[User] “Well, it’s ticklish with you kicking around on my back like tha—Hey! Don’t pull my hair!”

[Assistant] Shaula scowled at Meili, who was riding on her back. But there was no rancor in their back-and-forth. Mysteriously, the two of them seemed to be getting along. At the moment, Subaru and party were climbing the spiral stairs, going from the lowest floor to the next floor. Julius and Anastasia were at the head of the procession, followed by Ram, Subaru, Beatrice, and Emilia, with the Meili-Shaula pair bringing up the rear.

[User] “She doesn’t seem like the sort to be universally loved by kids, but…”

[Assistant] “If you get tired, too, Subaru, just say so. If it comes to it, I can at least give you a piggyback ride.”

[User] “It won’t ever come to that because I’m a dude.” He was grateful for the thought, but as a young man with his pride, he had to politely decline. Even the thought of it was too much. He’d rather ask Julius for a favor than resort to that. Anyway…

[Assistant] “Huh? What’s up, Master? Looking at me with such intense eyes… Have you finally realized my charms after four hundred years? !”

[User] “You’re crazy patient! And sorry to bother you while Meili is playing with your ponytail…”

[Assistant] “Scorpiontail, not ponytail.”

[User] “Huh?”

[Assistant] “Scorpiontail.”

[User] “Ah, right, sure, whatever. Anyway…”

[Assistant] “Scorpiontail…”

[User] “Fine, I get it! What a weird thing to get hung up on! Scorpiontail then, scorpiontail! Scorpi… Scorptail… Wow, that’s awkward to try to shorten!” She was being weirdly insistent about it, so Subaru acknowledged the point before quickly moving along. The intended topic was, of course, the name Emilia had just mentioned.

[Assistant] “So this might be going over ground we already covered, but you’re sure that your master is Flugel?”

[User] “Yep, yep. That’s your name, Master, so maybe stop being so weird about it? Oh! Or are you coming on to me by making me say it over and over?” Her eyes twinkled as she peered up at Subaru bashfully.

[Assistant] “You don’t have to do that. My heart has always belonged to you, Master. I love youuu!”

[User] “Nooo, thank you.”

[Assistant] “You threw it away? !” Without missing a beat, Subaru took the feelings Shaula had just poured out and made a show of unceremoniously dumping them over the side of the stairs before clearing his throat. If he let Shaula dictate the pace of the conversation, it would never end.

[User] “So this Flugel is the same guy behind the Great Flugel Tree, right?”

[Assistant] “What’s that?


[User] "Some big tree somewhere?” While Shaula was feeling depressed at having her feelings cast aside so easily.

[Assistant] Meili cocked her head and asked an innocent question.

[User] Subaru nodded. “Yeah, in the Liphas plains. There was a tree that reached all the way to the clouds, and it was called the Great Flugel Tree. Seeing it set my boyish heart aflutter.”

[Assistant] "Hehhh? Really, now. If it’s that amazing, I might want to see it one day, too.”

[User] “Sorry, I cut it down.”

[Assistant] “That’s terrible!”

[User] Subaru could only muster an awkward smile when he instantly crushed Meili’s fleeting dream.


[Assistant] “It’s hard to believe I’d run into the Flugel who planted that tree in a place like this… Though now that you mention it, I did hear someone call him a sage before.”

[User] “But he was a sage whose accomplishments are largely unknown… The fact that he’s considered a sage despite that is rather odd, I suppose.”

[Assistant] “Just going by his few supposed achievements, it is certainly true that they don’t seem to justify the lofty title of Sage. Perhaps he was simply quite skilled at trumpeting his achievements…like Barusu.”

[User] “When have I ever exaggerated the stuff I did? !” That rude assessment touched a nerve for Subaru.

[Assistant] Ram looked unperturbed by his reaction.

[User] With Julius leading her by the hand, she turned her head back toward them to chime in. “From the sound of it, Shaula and Flugel had their achievements mixed up by later generations… Or more likely, they were all pinned on her, right?”

[Assistant] Emilia’s eyes widened in shock at the mind-blowing hypothesis. "You mean Flugel made it seem like Shaula had done the things he did?"

[User] Anastasia nodded and looked back at Shaula again. “Or at least that’s what I was thinking. But do you think your master is the sort of person who would do that?”

[Assistant] “Mmm, to be honest, I didn’t really get what Master was thinking a lot of the time. But he didn’t really like standing out too much. So him pinning any annoying rumors on me to avoid dealing with them definitely sounds like something he would do.”

[User] At the same time, something was bothering Subaru.


[User] "If he was that determined to hide, then how did his name get passed down through the ages as some great sage?"

[Assistant] "Um, according to a book I read…the reason Flugel’s name became known is because the words ‘Flugel was here’ were found carved into the top of the Great Flugel Tree."

[User] "He what?! Was he some kid on a field trip? !" Subaru couldn’t believe his ears. How could that be considered staying on the down-low?

[Assistant] "To be totally fair, I considered doing the same thing, but Rem stopped me… For Flugel to actually do it, he must’ve been one hell of an idiot."

[User] "His name took on a life of its own, and because of it, Sage Flugel became known through the ages as a great but mysterious figure. And now, after all these years, to hear from the mouth of a different Sage that the man lived up to the legends… It truly makes you think. How thrilling it is to be in the position to fill a gap in history."

[Assistant] "Don’t go turning into a history nerd, man…" Julius seemed excited to be learning a bit of hidden history from four hundred years ago.

[User] "They do say that philosophers have many loves, so maybe this nerdy dude is the same…"

[Assistant] "Sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but watch your feet. We’re nearing the top."

[User] "Oh?" Looking up, Subaru saw the end of the spiral staircase just in front of him. Julius and Anastasia had reached the landing a few steps ahead


[Assistant] "Whoa, that’s a crazy huge door…" The door was well over ten yards tall and ten yards wide, and it was made of a strange material that appeared to be stone.

[User] "This is the official entrance to the tower. It’s pointlessly large, but it actually opened and closed when we entered."

[Assistant] "I see. So you’ve already gone in then? …Wait, what?" Hearing that they had used the entrance to the tower already, Subaru swung his head around.

[User] "Then how did Joseph and the carriage get all the way down there? There’s no way the carriage could take stairs that narrow…"

[Assistant] "Ah, Shaula carried the carriage and the land dragon. She just lifted them over her head."

[User] "…Pardon?" Thinking he had misheard something, Subaru looked at Emilia, who was adorably miming what she was describing without batting an eye.


[User] Seeing Subaru’s reaction, Shaula puffed her chest out, her nostrils flaring slightly. "Like she said, I carried them. No sweat."

[Assistant] "The shock is winning out over the gratitude. That sounds like something even Reinhard couldn’t do." In Subaru’s head, Reinhard was indisputably the person most likely to do something absurd or crazy, but even he wouldn’t lift a whole carriage over his head. He could split the world in half with the force of his sword, or walk on water, or even come back to life once, but that sort of brute strength was—

[User] "Actually, could he? I’m not so sure anymore. Is he human?" His cluttered thoughts about his friend aside, Subaru had finally figured out how the carriage had gotten down to the bottom. In which case, were the giant doors in front of him also operated manually using Shaula’s insane strength?

[Assistant] "All I can say is they didn’t move at all when I pushed on them. That’s why we couldn’t do much to look for Lady Anastasia or the rest of you once we found ourselves in here after we got separated."

[User] "Gotcha. So they are as heavy as they look. I gotta admit, the ancient-ruins feeling of it all does get me going, but…" Subaru didn’t hate these sorts of buildings that felt like something straight out of a fantasy novel. Unfortunately, he wasn’t really in a situation where he could afford to stop and take his sweet time admiring every little thing. Looking at the doors, he thought he could feel a faint sandy texture on his tongue. Probably because this floor connected to the outside. Upon closer examination, he could see yellow sand scattered all around the floor.

[Assistant] "The sandstorm is strong, but be careful about the sand that filters inside. Breathe in too much without realizing it and your body probably won’t be very happy."

[User] "The dunes here are filled with miasma. It would be unwise to underestimate it simply because the concentration is low."

[Assistant] "Yeah. Agreed. But…" Subaru nodded at their warnings as he peered up at the ceiling. They had reached this floor after a very long climb up the spiral stairs, but the Pleiades Watchtower’s high, high walls still continued upward. At the very least, the next floor was also connected by a spiral staircase.

[User] "Seeing stairs again is seriously demoralizing… But it also finally feels real."

[Assistant] "Feels real?" Emilia asked, standing beside him.

[User] "Yeah, this is definitely the Pleiades Watchtower that we were searching for." The rest of his comrades all nodded at his quiet statement. It wasn’t as if they had achieved their goals yet. They still had not found a way to save all the people waiting for them to return. But all the same, they had cleared the first hurdle. They had reached the Pleiades Watchtower at the edge of the Auguria Dunes, an impenetrable land.


[User] "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I have to correct you there, Master." Shaula wagged her finger in disagreement.

[Assistant] Looking back at her, she had a wicked, smug smile on her face. "That level of understanding only gets you ninety-nine points."

[User] "Isn’t that basically perfect? !"

[Assistant] "The core concept is lacking, though! And the score only goes that high after factoring in a whole lot of bonus points for how much I love, love, looove you!" Putting a hand to her forehead, Shaula seemed to be reflecting on how lenient her grading apparently was.

[User] Then, still carrying Meili on her back, she ran out in front of the party and spun around with flair, spreading her arms with the giant door at her back. "The Pleiades Watchtower is just a temporary name for a temporary role. With Master back now, it can fulfill its original purpose."

[Assistant] "Original…?"

[User] "Thaaat’s right. This is a great library where anything you might want to know and anything you might want to discover can be found."

[Assistant] Subaru’s face shuddered when he heard that.

[User] "—The Great Pleiades Library very, very, very happily welcomes your return, Master!"


[Assistant] They had arrived at their destination. The door to the room was covered in a dense layer of green vines. "This is…" Subaru was at a loss for words.

[User] Before him was the first proper plant he had seen since they had stepped foot in the desert. The miasma that filled the sandstorms was anathema to living things, and other than the sand itself, their party had not really seen anything that could be called natural.

[Assistant] "And the only exception was those nasty demon beasts that turned into flowers…" Those oiran bears ordinarily lived in forests. A swarm of them created an unnatural field of flowers in the middle of the desert, which was basically the one natural-looking thing they had seen in days. Of course, that looked so out of place to begin with that the camouflage didn’t really do its job.

[User] As Subaru stopped because he was deep in thought, someone moved past him and touched the vine-covered door. There wasn’t a single sign of hesitation. The door opened as if sliding.

[Assistant] "Are you not coming, Barusu?"

[User] “…I’m coming.” Subaru cast aside his unease and stepped forward, following Ram’s slender figure as he slipped inside.

[Assistant] As could be guessed from the outside, the vines clinging to the door had also spread to the other side. It looked like the interior was originally all stone, but the floor, walls, and ceiling were completely dominated by green. It almost seemed like a hidden ruin that had been abandoned to nature for centuries.

[User] "The jungle vibes are crazy.


[User] "Shaula called it the green room, but damn…” Subaru felt like that was a little too on the nose. As that thought crossed his mind, he looked back and noticed that the entrance had been sealed back up by the vines. In surprise, Subaru blurted, “Whoa, Ram! We’ve been cut off!”

[Assistant] “You’re too easily frightened. There is a limit on how many people can enter this room. The intention of the room’s master, it seems.”

[User] “By that, you mean…?”

[Assistant] “—A spirit.” With that terse answer, Ram quickly moved deeper into the room.

[User] Subaru studied the closed door for a moment and scratched his head before hurrying after Ram. Thick vines carpeted the entire room. Stepping over and ducking under the thick vegetation, they carefully navigated the area dominated by green plant life. And after going as far as they could…

[Assistant] “Rem…and Patlash…” In the deepest reaches of the green room, Subaru could see a space quite different from the mess of vines that filled the rest of the room. There was a bed made of a downy layer of green grass with small flowers blooming here and there. And on top of that green bed adorned with flowers lay Rem.

[User] “” There was no color in her pale cheeks, and her sleeping expression was the same as ever. With each breath, her chest moved up and down ever so slightly, but other than that and the warmth of her skin, there was no sign she was alive. Even though she was still in the grip of the sleeping beauty sickness, seeing Rem was such a relief that Subaru’s legs almost gave out. “She really is safe…”

[Assistant] “Like I said. Or did you think I would lie when it came to her?”

[User] “I wouldn’t say that, but I couldn’t actually relax until I finally saw her with my own eyes, so how was I supposed to act? I’m glad to see you’re okay, too, Patlash.” Subaru grimaced slightly at Ram’s comment and then walked over to his land dragon, who was resting next to the bed of grass where Rem was sleeping. There was a cushion of green undergrowth beneath her large body, and she was well-behaved as she peered at Subaru just like she always had in the stables. “You really went overboard protecting me down there. You’re just so…” Subaru brushed Patlash’s neck with his palm as she rubbed her nose against his check. Subaru felt a bit of relief at the display of affection, but he still steeled his heart. “I get that you’re not a heroine who needs saving, but still, don’t make me worry so much. I was seriously afraid this time… Ow, oww, owwwww!”

[User] Before he could finish scolding Patlash for her brave but reckless actions underground, a sharp scale bit into his neck. “Wh-what was that for…?”

[Assistant] “Otto isn’t here, so allow me to interpret.


[User] "Apparently, she’s saying ‘I don’t want to hear that from you.’ I couldn’t have said it better myself.” Ram crossed her arms as she decided to add her own opinion.

[Assistant] But judging from Patlash’s eyes, her translation was more or less on the money.

[User] “Huh? You’re already breaking all the rules, but I’m the one who needs to be more careful?”

[Assistant] “It’s a simple question of probability. No matter how you look at it, that land dragon there has much better odds of surviving than you. You’re like a candle flickering in a blizzard.”

[User] “A candle burns brightest right before it burns out, don’t you know? And who the hell asked you?” Beneath the withering gazes of Ram and his trusty dragon, Subaru’s shoulders slumped.

[Assistant] Then he started to examine Patlash’s body when he noticed a warm, faint light around the wounds where her scales had been gouged out. “This spirit’s power apparently has the ability to speed up the healing process.”

[User] “Right, you said this room’s master is a spirit… Where is that spirit anyway?”

[Assistant] “And you call yourself a spirit mage? This room itself is the spirit.”

[User] Rubbing Patlash again as he talked to Ram, Subaru caught his breath when she revealed the true nature of the healing spirit. Now that he was paying attention to it, he could tell that the room was filled with a dense mana, which explained the incredible foliage in the green room. It felt sort of like his body was being healed from the inside, almost as if he was in an oxygen-rich environment.

[Assistant] “I can sort of feel it, yeah. This is definitely a spirit… Doesn’t seem like we can communicate, though?”

[User] “This spirit is an odd one…though that goes for all spirits. Be it Lady Emilia’s great spirit or Lady Beatrice… The spirit here is unusual in that it doesn’t seem to have any will, so to speak. It simply attempts to heal the wounds and sicknesses of all living creatures that enter.” Ram moved beside Rem as she said that. When she did, some vines behind her started moving, writhing and twisting into a green chair. It seemed to be a thoughtful gesture for the elder sister watching over her younger sister. Once Ram sat down, the classic scene of family visiting a patient in a hospital was complete.

[Assistant] “It’s kind of amazing.”

[User] “If nothing else, it’s certainly the most well-mannered out of all the spirits I’ve met. You should take this chance to brush up on your own manners, Barusu. Whether from this spirit or from Sir Julius.”

[Assistant] “I can’t really say I’m happy about those suggestions.” Brushing away the idea of using either as a role model, Subaru scratched Patlash’s neck, told her “Take your time and rest up,” and then gently laid her head back down before turning back to Ram.


[User] "I can see that even though Patlash’s wounds are being healed, there’s no visible effect on Rem…just like you all mentioned downstairs."

[Assistant] "Her condition is neither a wound nor a sickness, so it can’t be healed. That seems to be what the spirit decided."

[User] “…I see…” Tasting the same disappointment from before, Subaru sighed.

[Assistant] But even if she wasn’t someone who could be healed, the spirit of the room didn’t hesitate to take care of Rem in her sleep. The way it treated Ram was ample evidence of that. "In the end, nothing has changed."

[User] “…If you want to change it, then you’ll have to do what you came to do in this tower."

[Assistant] “The Great Pleiades Library, huh…?” Standing beside Ram, Subaru peered down at Rem’s sleeping face.

[User] The Great Pleiades Library. That was the Pleiades Watchtower’s true name and its true function. If Shaula was to be believed, the answer they desperately wanted was somewhere inside. "I’ll find the answer and bring Rem back. My goal hasn’t changed."

[Assistant] “…I see. Good.” Holding Rem’s hand, Ram didn’t so much as glance in his direction.

[User] Incidentally, why is there a chair for you but not for me? This is some clear-cut discrimination.

[Assistant] "Animals have an instinct for sniffing out hierarchies. Perhaps spirits are the same.”

[User] "Rem said something similar once." Before Rem and Subaru got along, Rem had made a remark about why they were treated differently by the children in Earlham. It was a nostalgic memory. Quite some time had passed since he had last checked in on the village. "First thing’s first."

[Assistant] Subaru exhaled, letting go of the empty feeling that had started to well up as he composed his face. "All right! I’m going back to where everyone else is. What about you?"

[User] "You would get worried if someone isn’t watching Rem, right? I’ll keep an eye on her. That’s why I came here in the first place."

[Assistant] "Yeah, that makes sense. In that case, I’ll leave her to you."

[User] "I can’t do anything other than watch over her."

[Assistant] "There’s meaning in you doing that." After reassuring Ram in a rare moment of self-deprecation, Subaru examined Rem’s face again. Expressionless, neither peaceful nor pained, she was still lost in dreams. Reaching his hand out to her forehead, he touched her with tender affection. He was relieved to be able to do that much. And while knowing that a part of him wanted so much more, his expression softened. "I’ll be back."

[User] "………" Naturally, there was no response. Ram knew those words were not meant for her and tactfully remained silent.

[Assistant] Satisfied, Subaru headed toward the green room’s exit. "Speaking of good manners… Please take care of Rem and Patlash." Before leaving, he touched the vine on the wall and made a request of the spirit protecting the room.


[User] Even if it is impossible to talk with the spirit, my sincerity might still get through. And my gratitude, of course. It might have been nothing more than self-indulgence, but having conveyed his thoughts...

[Assistant] “Oh, that reminds me. For someone who declared that her place is at Rem’s side, you sure did travel far to pay us a visit all the way downstairs.”

[Assistant] “It can’t be that you hurried down in a rush when you heard I woke up, right? If there was some special reason, then tell me, so—”

[User] “Hurry up and leave. Now.”

[Assistant] “Eh? But it’s just… If there was something that you thought of, it might be a hint for—”

[User] “Get a move on.”

[Assistant] Overwhelmed by the mounting pressure, Subaru didn’t say anything else as he was forced to quickly retreat from the green room.


[User] “I never really know what Ram’s thinking, but she’s been more mysterious than usual lately.”

[Assistant] “Mm, I don’t think so. Despite how she seems, she’s surprisingly honest. I think it’s cute how she tries to hide that side of her.”

[User] “You sound like an older sister… Though I guess you are technically older than me.”

[Assistant] “Right. I’m an older sister. Older than everyone here… Well, not everyone…”

[User] “Hmph. Betty is the eldest here. That is a fact that can’t be changed by anyone. Feel free to idolize me.”

[Assistant] Emilia was disappointed she couldn’t claim to be the oldest on the team while Beatrice’s chest swelled with satisfaction, but Subaru honestly didn’t think either of them really exuded the older sister vibe. And exactly who was oldest in the party was a bit of a delicate topic.

[User] “Hmm? What is it, Natsuki? Was there something you wanted to talk about?”

[Assistant] “Not particularly. Just thinking there were a lot of people who don’t really look their age in our group.”

[User] “Oh really? People do tell me that I look a lot younger than I am. It’s a little hard to know if I should be happy about it, but I guess if people are going to underestimate me, I should let them.” Anastasia flashed a smile that was half joking and half business, but it was unclear how she really felt.

[Assistant] He had been referring to Foxidna, who was inhabiting Anastasia.

[User] But it was a little too big of a secret to reveal in the spur of the moment.

[Assistant] “But there’s another favorite in this race.”

[User] “Hey. What’s up, Master? Tired of the plant smell in the green room? I getcha. Can’t stand that place.”

[Assistant] “Whoa, you’re talking about the spirit that’s gone out of its way to look after Rem and Patlash.


[User] "Watch your mouth or I’ll shove some grass up your nose.” Subaru put his finger on the tip of Shaula’s nose, pushing her away when she sidled up to him. “More importantly, tell me about this Great Pleiades Library.”

[Assistant] “Mm, right. You hardly explained anything before, but you can tell us more now, right?”

[User] “Sure thing. If Master asks, I can’t say no.” Shaula nodded with a harebrained grin at Subaru and Emilia’s follow-up, tapping the floor lightly with the toe of her boot. “Like I said before, this place’s true name is the Great Pleiades Library. The entrance is on the fifth floor, Celaeno, downstairs is the sixth floor, Asterope, and this is the fourth floor, Alcyone. Got it so far?”

[Assistant] “It’s weird for each floor to have its own name, but…yeah, I’m following for now.” Subaru nodded and took in their surroundings with fresh eyes.

[User] “The fourth floor, Alcyone, is sort of like my lair. It’s pretty messy and all, so it’s a bit embarrassing having people poking around.”

[User] “Master, your eyes. You’re seriously scarin’ me. Ah, that! I usually watch the desert from this floor. If anyone tries to get close to the tower, then pa-pa-pa, I shoot ’em all.”

[Assistant] “So that was you…” He had already pretty much suspected as much, but this confirmed it. The white light from the tower that had killed Subaru twice and split up the team really had been Shaula.

[User] “We had a fairly rough time because of that, you know. What was that all about?”

[Assistant] “Hell’s Snipe. Keeps anything and everything from reaching the tower.”

[User] “…What did you say?”

[Assistant] “Hell’s Snipe.”

[User] Hearing a phrase that sounded so out of place in this world, Subaru’s expression clouded over. "Well, I can understand why you’d go with that name, but what a choice."

[Assistant] “But phew, good thing it didn’t hit you. If the dimension gate hadn’t come undone, I would’ve just kept unloading on you.”

[User] “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. That’s too many new terms, too fast! Dimension what now?”

[Assistant] “Dimension gate. A trick to keep stuff from reaching the tower.”

[User] Based on context clues, Subaru realized that the dimension gate was what caused space to warp in the sandstorms. Their party had broken through in the end, but—

[Assistant] “Thanks to that, I knew it had to be you, Master. I guess all’s well that ends well."


[User] "If I had actually hit, even Master would have gotten mad.”

[Assistant] “Ah, yeah, hard to say. It might not have ended with just getting mad.”

[User] He had died twice already from being hit by it, so it was hard to say where exactly he should be on that scale. But Subaru found it strange that he didn’t feel any anger welling up despite standing face-to-face with the person who murdered him. It was sort of like a traffic accident where a third party was at fault. He also felt it was a bit pointless to blame Shaula for what had happened. Ultimately, he ended up somewhere between forgiveness and resignation.

[Assistant] “But wouldn’t he have died if that hit him? So it’s not really a question of getting angry or not.”

[User] Meili poked Shaula in the side as she said that.

[Assistant] “Pwah-ha-ha-ha! What are you talkin’ about? Master wouldn’t die from something so minor. He’s a strange sort of guy who might not even be able to die.”

[User] “But, you know, all those cute sandworms died…”

[Assistant] “Who cares about sandworms and bears. Master doesn’t die. That’s the important thing. If he died, then he wouldn’t be Master.” With a hearty smile, Shaula glanced happily over at Subaru. It was an almost childlike innocence and unshakable trust. She had a much sturdier image of Flugel than Subaru had imagined. If, for some reason, I do anything that betrays her expectations… That thought sent a chill up Subaru’s spine.

[User] “…If she finds out that you aren’t Flugel, there is no telling what will happen, I suppose.”

[Assistant] “Meaning it would be dangerous to correct her or clear up this misunderstanding…” Guessing what Subaru was thinking, Beatrice whispered a gentle warning. The only reason that Shaula was so friendly toward their party—or rather, toward Subaru—was simply because she had decided that Subaru was her master. It was a delicate situation.

[User] “If she turns against us, we’ll have no choice but for Emilia, Julius, you, and Betty to handle her.” In other words, Shaula was a bomb that could go off anytime for any reason. It was hard to deny that she was an incredibly dangerous person to deal with, but—

[Assistant] “With how openly she acts, it’s hard to hate her…” So far, Subaru hadn’t been putting much thought into how he interacted with Shaula, but he didn’t hold anything against her. Even after factoring in the two sniping deaths he had experienced, she had saved his life underground. He didn’t think of her as an enemy. It would have been much easier if he was fighting Regulus or Petelgeuse.

[User] “…Remembering those guys really soured my mood. I guess that’s to be expected, but still, it’s more of a familiar hatred.”

[Assistant] “—? What is it, Master?”

[User] “Nothing.” Thinking about the two loathsome creeps because of Beatrice’s warning, Subaru’s expression had grown severe. When Shaula took a close look at his face, he pushed her away from him.


[User] "Because you told me to! Four hundred years spent watching the sands day in and day out. A heartrending tale in the telling and in the listening!"

[Assistant] "How sad…" Emilia, with her deep reserves of empathy, teared up a bit at Shaula’s emotional answer.

[User] "Feeling pity is as meaningless as asking a tool how it feels about the way it was used."

[Assistant] "Yeah, right! I’m Master’s tool! That’s a good way to put it, kiddo!" Shaula flashed a bright smile as if Beatrice’s unsympathetic judgment described it perfectly.

[User] "Your view is kind of…wild…in a lot of ways. But we can save that for later. We’re getting way too far off track, so let’s circle back to the main point. You were explaining the tower. We know about floors six through four now, so what about the floors above them?"

[Assistant] "The third floor, Taygeta, is the examination hall. That’s where your right to access the archive is tested."

[User] "...The archive…" Subaru clenched his fist.

[Assistant] "Interesting that you call it the examination hall. And the right to enter the archive is also curious phrasing…"

[User] "At present, that is our greatest obstacle." As Subaru focused on that term, Julius shrugged.

[Assistant] His tone was down, as if ashamed of himself, and he looked up at the ceiling.

[User] "Ah, I get it. While I was asleep, you all took on the challenge then? Any progress?"

[Assistant] "Sorry to disappoint, but nothing of the sort. With Ms. Shaula’s guidance, reaching the third floor itself was no trouble, but…"

[User] "But?"

[Assistant] "What awaited us there was an impenetrable mystery. To be honest, we’ve been unable to find so much as a clue these past two days."

[User] "That said, there is no penalty for attempting the examination and failing. We have gone in and out several times already without any issue… It’s just that we’ve failed every time."

[Assistant] "I see. So it’s a tough question then… Still, though, an examination, huh?"