[User] "Ngh!" Overwhelmed by the force of his words, Subaru unconsciously took a step back, bumping into someone standing right behind him. Glancing back, he saw a tall, slender figure supporting him.

[Assistant] He looked at Subaru with the same straightforward eyes as Garfiel and nodded. "I agree. If we’re going to do this, then you’re the only choice that makes sense, Natsuki.”

[User] “Not you too…”

[Assistant] Behind Julius, Anastasia was burying her face in her scarf. There was a swirl of indignation and annoyance at herself for her own inability to play the part, but it was also colored by a silent understanding—because she wanted to protect the city whatever the cost.

[User] Having understood that point at last, Subaru finally realized the huge burden of hope that had just landed on his shoulders. “You too, Julius? Are you serious?”

[Assistant] “…Do you remember back at the castle, your outburst at the knights and when I defeated you on the training grounds?”

[User] Subaru caught his breath and then slowly exhaled. “That moment is a finalist in my top three for regret and humiliation. I’ll never forget it for as long as I live.”

[Assistant] “I remember it well, too. Your baseless proclamation, the disgraceful way you besmirched the knightly order…but I also remember you joining in the Battle of the White Whale after that, and when you managed to defeat Sloth as well.”

[User] “If there is anyone in this city whose voice could ease the fear and unease of the people…then I believe that person must be none other than you. I know that if you ever asked for aid, I would gladly be there to heed your call and lend my hand. And there would be many others who would answer the call as well. Garfiel would surely stand at the head, and I would of course be there, too. You would do well to remember that.” This was an oath sworn out of an incredibly powerful sense of trust.

[Assistant] Subaru lost his bearings, shocked to his core, and he struggled to breathe at the level of trust he’d been granted. Swiveling his head, he saw Anastasia. She nodded. Turning again, he looked to Garfiel. He flashed a toothy grin and held out his fist. Julius’s eyes had never left Subaru. Turning to face Subaru head-on, he nodded elegantly.


[User] These people he respected, people who treated him as an equal, people whom he could never hope to match… He didn’t want them to acknowledge him like that. It made him anxious. He was sure that, at any moment, his real self would slip out and he would just end up disappointing them. He would only disappoint them and make them regret everything when they realized that the real Subaru was pathetic, weak, helpless. He had always believed that. And yet… “—General.” Garfiel, Anastasia, and Julius were all expecting so much from Subaru. Even though he was always so desperate, always on the verge of being crushed under the weight of their expectations, they were adding more and more to the load, as if his desperation was not enough. That…that was the path Subaru Natsuki walked. The path of a boy who had once sworn to be a single girl’s hero. Somewhere along the way, he realized that he couldn’t stay just her hero. He’d needed to—

[Assistant] “—If you’re not sure, then just leave it be, Bro.” Subaru’s face tensed as a gruff voice called out. Looking up, Subaru was greeted by a gloomy gaze.

[User] “You’re spoutin’ that crap now of all times? !” Garfiel exploded. Rushing in, Garfiel grabbed Al’s thick neck, as if to say he could snap it at any time if he wanted, glaring daggers at him all the while. "You shut your damn mouth! What do you know about the general?! Nobody asked you!”

[Assistant] “I could say the same to you. Is saying ‘General’ supposed to cast some magic spell? That the name of some superman who can solve any problem?” Al fired back coldly.

[User] Al touched Garfiel’s arm.

[Assistant] “—!” Garfiel’s expression suddenly changed, and he quickly pulled away. Garfiel was clearly not sure why he had reacted that way as Al leaned into his face, headbutting Garfiel with his black helm.

[User] “Looks like you’re leaning on him pretty hard, but is he really all that special? You could beat him in a straight-up brawl, and when it comes to smarts, he wouldn’t beat that young lady or her knight over there.”

[Assistant] “Who asked you? Don’t talk about the general that way! You don’t know just how much he…”

[User] “If only he could just put the whole world on his shoulders and keep on rollin’. Now, that would be somethin’ to see. Awe-inspiring, even. Just what you’d want from the star at center stage. But your average background character can’t carry that kinda weight. I can’t, and Bro can’t, either. And now you’re forcing him to take on this massive burden…for what? You ever think about how he must feel?”

[Assistant] That last line caused Garfiel’s expression to tremble. He had seemingly realized something, and the powerful momentum he had been riding dissipated. Al pulled back and looked over Garfiel’s head at Subaru.


[User] “Hey, Bro, that girl is the most important thing to you right now, isn’t she?” There was a hint of disappointment in Al’s voice. As if he knew the answer already and had no expectations of Subaru at all.

[Assistant] Anastasia was silent, watching the two of them.

[User] Julius was silent, watching the two of them. They had already said what they had to say.

[Assistant] “I—I…I… Ge-gen…” Garfiel looked up and then immediately back down again, unsure what to say. He was hesitating. He’d started to call Subaru General like always, but he could not finish saying it when he thought about the meaning it held.

[User] “I’m gonna do what I have to for my princess, for Priscilla. I’m just gonna leave everything else for later. If I can just protect her and myself and Schult, then that’s enough for me.”

[Assistant] “Al…”

[User] “You should do the same, Bro. Just focus on that little lady… Save Emilia, and that’ll have to be enough. The cultists are just vermin that’ll pop up again somewhere else even if you go out of your way to exterminate them here. They’re like a demon that just keeps coming back to haunt you. Getting involved with them’ll only make things worse,” Al said, his voice wavering a little uncontrollably, as if he was clinging to something.

[Assistant] Subaru was in complete agreement with him about the cultists being vermin.

[User] “I wouldn’t need a reason to pull a kid back to the sidewalk if they wandered out on a red light. I wouldn’t even think twice… It’s probably something like that.”

[Assistant] Al caught his breath at that.

[User] “I’m not going to worry about the little things. I’m here, so I want to do the most I can to help. I know full well there are lots of things I can’t do. But still.” It was surely something Subaru Natsuki should not do.


[User] “You can’t afford to lose. You have to win. You’ll be fighting while carrying everyone’s hopes and expectations, all while leading them to some happy future. If you make that choice now, you’ll have to follow through.” He kept his eyes on Subaru to the end.

[Assistant] “…Not being able to afford to lose is how it’s always been for me.”

[User] “The weight ain’t the same at all. If you lose, then it won’t just end with your loss, Bro.”

[Assistant] He couldn’t understand what Al was getting at. It was always like that for Subaru. Every time he fought, losing meant risking far more than just one fight. It meant losing everything that he wanted to protect. It was like that every single time. There was never a time it had not been like that. If he could lose without losing anything, then he would never fight in the first place. The reason he still fought was that there were things he could only protect by fighting. And right here and now, those things were many and enormous. "That’s all? That’s how it’s always been.”

[Assistant] Exhaling, Subaru made up his mind. His heart, which had been pounding badly before, was calm, and his eyes were clearer than ever.

[User] Al caught his breath. Subaru could tell he was dumbfounded even without seeing his face.

[Assistant] “You don’t have to hold back, Garfiel. Just call me what you always do.”

[User] “—Ah.”

[Assistant] “It was embarrassing at first, but at this point it just feels right. I can’t promise I’ll be able to live up to your expectations, but I’ll do everything I can.” Subaru smiled at Garfiel, who was floundering in front of him. For some reason, it felt like he was smiling particularly naturally.

[User] Seeing that, Garfiel caught his breath. “General… Ahh! General! You are definitely my general…!” Garfiel’s fists clenched, and his fangs trembled as he repeated the nickname like an incantation.

[Assistant] “You aren’t making any sense at all.” Smiling wryly, Subaru turned back to Anastasia and Julius. “Let’s do this, Anastasia. If you think my voice can reach the people, then I’ll do it.”

[User] “…You sure? If you choose to be the symbol of hope all by yourself…”

[Assistant] “It won’t change what I’m going to do in the end. Hero has a nice ring to it. Well, actually, it’s embarrassing as hell, and calling yourself a hero is sort of…” Subaru scratched his nose in a show of bashfulness. “But if it’s playing the role of the hero, then I already decided to do that a year ago. If I don’t follow through now, I could never show my face to those people looking up to me. And I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the person I’m trying to catch.”

[User] “—If you say so. No helpin’ it, I guess; boys are always tryin’ to look cool.” Anastasia smiled hopelessly and held out her fist in front of Subaru’s chest.


[User] He answered in kind by holding out his fist and bumping it against hers.

[Assistant] “Don’t laugh if I screw up the lines. And don’t sigh, either. In fact, you’d be doing me a huge favor if you just don’t listen at all.”

[User] “I won’t laugh, nor will I sigh. And I shall listen closely until the very end.”

[Assistant] “Tch.”

[User] Subaru turned his head to Al. "Thanks for worrying about me, Al— Thanks to that I was able to find my resolve.” He said nothing more.

[Assistant] Subaru turned to face the subject of all that debate: the metia waiting in silence at the other end of the room. He thought about what he should say while standing in front of it.


[User] Faced with the unexpected, they had done as they had always been told and sought shelter. That was the result of the instructions that were broadcast every morning.

[Assistant] If she was being honest, the little girl never really listened closely to anything in the morning broadcasts other than the Songstress’s singing, but she was astonished at the adults’ foresight and planning.

[User] But everything that had happened after they had fled to the shelters had been too unpredictable even for the adults. —The appearance of the Witch Cult. Occupation of the control towers. Cryptic threats and demands and then the flooding that came not long after.

[Assistant] The vicious woman’s voice had riled up unease and hatred in the hearts of all the people cowering in the shelters.

[User] Her unbearable voice and unsettling words had been more than powerful enough to sink the whole city into despair.

[Assistant] They were locked away in a gloomy shelter with no way to contact anyone outside.

[User] There were no signs of anything getting better, and one of the floodgates had even been opened for a second, forcing them to hear the sound of all that water crashing over the city.

[Assistant] The shelters had originally been constructed as a countermeasure against intermittent flooding, so there had not been many injuries or deaths due to the earlier flood—but that meant very little to the people still cowering in fear.

[User] The voices that had encouraged everyone at first had gradually weakened and then started to grow uneasy and angry at the silence, and before long there had been people making no effort to hide their rage, which had spread, creating a mood of aimless disagreement and annoyance, becoming a silent madness that scratched at everyone, spreading everywhere like wildfire.

[Assistant] And then the flooding had snapped the last thread of their nerves, bringing on the collapse. A swelling, violent mood filled the air, a dangerous atmosphere that could quickly devolve from people glaring at one another to their yelling at one another to their hurting one another to their even killing one another, all with just a single spark.

[User] "Agh."

[Assistant] The only reason it had not exploded yet was that right as their nerves were strained to their limit, the girl’s little brother had started crying.

[User] The seething adults had still had the good sense and pride not to be violent in front of a sobbing child. —But even then, they had come dangerously close to the edge. In the end, though, the explosion had been delayed by her brother’s crying.

[Assistant] Cries softly as she pats her brother’s head, hugging him from behind.

[User] After that, there had been no more quarrels in their shelter. But that was only holding thanks to a fragile equilibrium. Everyone knew it was just a temporary respite. If another buildup began, a child’s tears would not be enough to keep the peace.


[User] The people in the shelter who should have been working together were all staying away from one another, trying to protect themselves by not provoking anyone else. For their own sakes—for everyone else’s sake, it was best for everyone to not draw any unwanted attention, to remain apart and isolated. They waited for time to pass, desperation on their faces, trusting themselves to the faint, fragile hope that something, anything might get better. The girl suddenly looked up, noticing an omen of that change. Waiting quietly, eagerly for news of any development, the girl noticed a slight change in the air. Several people around her looked up for the first time in hours, too, noticing the same thing she had. It was a familiar feeling to anyone living in Pristella: The precursor of a broadcast by the metia at city hall. Sensing that, the girl tensed, holding back the urge to vomit welling in her throat as best she could. She had wanted a change, but she’d meant a change for the better. A broadcast could only mean the terrifying Witch Cult was about to say something again. What new impossibility would that earsplitting voice demand of the city while spewing so much bile? But the girl’s—the people’s—pessimistic prediction was—

[Assistant] "Um, can everyone actually hear me through this? Mic test, mic test. One, two. One, two.”

[User] Unlike in the last two broadcasts, this was the voice of a boy who sounded unsure of himself, not the familiar, famous man from the daily broadcasts or the boisterous Songstress—this was a voice she had never heard before.

[Assistant] The girl’s eyes widened, and so did the adults’ as they glanced at one another, wondering what was happening.

[User] Not noticing their reactions, the boy spoke several more times, making sure that his voice was heard by everyone across the entire city, before finally clearing his throat once he was confident it was working.

[Assistant] "It looks like this is actually broadcasting, then. First of all, let me apologize for surprising you. I imagine a lot of you were worried or steeling yourself wondering what you would be told next. But please don’t worry. I’m not a member of the Witch Cult.”

[User] “…It’s not the Witch Cult…” The volume of the boy’s voice was wavering slightly as he used a metia he had never handled before. But the shock at what he was saying easily outweighed that, and no one bothered dwelling on that small point. The people’s gloomy expressions started to change as they looked up at the broadcast echoing down from on high.

[Assistant] “A-are we…saved?” someone murmured, as the faint seed of hope they had been holding on to started to grow. The hope conveyed by that murmur spread to the whole shelter—to the whole city. It was natural.


[User] If someone who was not a cultist was using the metia at city hall, then that meant that someone had to have taken back the building from the invaders. If there was someone who could reconquer city hall, then they could seize the control towers, too— “Run all of those hooligans out of here…!”

[Assistant] “And I’m sorry for getting your hopes up, but the cultists are not gone yet. We’ve taken back city hall, but they still hold the control towers. Their demands have not been met yet, and there is still a danger of the city being flooded. I’m sorry, but you deserve to know the truth.”

[User] However, their fragile hope was shattered by none other than the boy on the broadcast. The way he spoke, it was almost like he was reading the minds of the people in the shelters. It seemed a cruel thing to do, to smother the seed of a faint hope so immediately. The eyes that had been filled with hope clouded again as they were told that their belief that they would be freed from their fears was mistaken. And soon, their anger was pointed not at the cultists, who were like a natural disaster, but at the boy speaking to them.

[Assistant] “—I’m sorry.” But he had also anticipated the masses’ venting at him. “Where are you all right now? I imagine most of you are in the shelters, but there are probably some of you who didn’t go to the shelters. I’m sure you are all feeling worried and anxious. I can understand feeling scared and wanting to just curl up. And I’m sure there are some of you wondering who I think I am, going and getting everyone’s hopes up for nothing.”

[User] “I’m just a regular guy. I’ve been tossed around by this crazy situation just like all of you. I’m on the verge of being crushed by the madness of it all. Just like you. My knees are quaking in fear. Just like you. That’s all I am. I actually had a bit of an argument with the people telling me to do this before I agreed to talk to you like this. I still think this is too big, too important a job for me. If I’m being honest, I think there are probably other people who would have been more suited to talking to all of you like this. In fact, I’m sure of it.” His voice was wavering as he spoke, as if showing that he really did understand how they all felt in a sea of fear and unease. He was open and honest, sharing his timidity, his insecurity. Everyone listening, the girl included, was past the point of suspicion or disappointment and could only feel confused. Everyone wanted a little hope. Even if it was fake, even if it was fragile, they wanted something to hold on to. So why was he the one standing in front of the metia?


[User] "But right now, it’s just me. I’m the one here speaking to you. People way more special than I am told me that I should do this. That there was a meaning in me doing it… My voice is trembling, isn’t it? I’m not the sort of guy meant to be standing in front of a crowd. I don’t have the words or the charisma to lead everyone. I’m weak, pathetic, and even in a moment as important as this, I can’t help wanting to run away…" His tone gradually sank, drawing everyone listening gradually to the depths of despair. His weak, hoarse voice grated on their hearts, which were already tortured by fear, causing their stomachs to constrict. If he had been somewhere they could reach, they would have wanted to shut him up as soon as possible.

[Assistant] "Sister…" At some point, her younger brother had woken up, and he called out to her.

[User] She hugged her brother tight and held him close, desperately clinging to him so that the weak, penetrating voice from the metia would not reach his ears, so that he would not be crushed by that hopelessness and despair.

[Assistant] "...and hoping that I can just plug my ears and ignore everything while someone else takes care of everything because I don’t know what to do…"

[User] "Nooo…" The girl closed her eyes tight, shaking her head, trying to keep away the grief and despair.

[Assistant] "—But even so. Even with all that, I can’t run away from this. So I’m going to fight. That’s the sort of person I am." She could hardly believe what he said, his voice still wavering.

[User] "—Eh?" She opened her eyes and looked up, sure that she had just misheard him. She could not see the voice’s owner. But she did see other faces around the room looking up with the same shock she was feeling.

[Assistant] "Let me ask you again: Where are you right now? Did you flee to a shelter? Are you hiding in your home?"


[User] "Are you all alone and scared? Is someone else there with you? Is that person someone precious to you? Even if you didn’t know them before, are they familiar now after all these harrowing hours together?"

[Assistant] "I know it’s not my place to say this, and it might be difficult for you, but please try not to wall yourself off. When you are all alone, it’s easy to fill your head with all sorts of meaningless thoughts. I know, I’ve been there, too. So please try not to be by yourself. Stay together with someone else. And also—" He inhaled, a faint hesitation in the back of his voice. "If you can, try to look that person in the eye."


[User] As if led on by his words, the girl slowly looked down into her arms. Her brother was looking up at her.

[Assistant] She met his quavering, uncertain green eyes. "Whose face did you look at? Was it someone special to you or someone you had never met before a few hours ago? Or maybe it was a friend… They probably look terrible right now. Was their face teary? Pained? I doubt anyone is smiling right now. No, maybe there are some people. Trying their best to put on a smile to keep you from worrying. If they are, then they are truly amazing people. If someone precious to you smiled for you like that, you should be proud. And then you should compare their expression now to the smile you remember."

[User] Her brother’s eyes were wet and weary. He was all rumpled and looked like he might burst into tears again at any moment.

[Assistant] And seeing herself reflected in her brother’s eyes, she saw that she had become expressionless and had a vacant look on her face. "—Are you really okay with things staying like this?"

[User] "...No…" A soft reply slipped from the girl’s lips. It was weak and faint. A voice she could barely hear herself. And yet…

[Assistant] "I’m not. I can’t forgive it. I don’t want to accept it." The boy’s voice continued strongly, almost as if he had heard her. "I have people I care about. I have comrades who mean the world to me. And I can’t forgive the people who made them suffer and feel so sad. And I don’t want them to force themselves to smile for me, either. It’s enough to make me want to scream. I’m not stupid; I know her real smile is way more beautiful than that."

[User] "Sister…"

[Assistant] "I can’t just let it end like this. I could never live it down if I just gave up now. There’s no way I can let things stay this way. They’re the ones who are wrong, and I’m not going to sit back and let the bad guys win. I don’t want to admit I lost to them."

[User] "Fredo…" She gently pulled her brother closer as he called out to her, pressing her forehead to his. It was warm.


[User] The warmth of life. She could not tell whether the heat was coming from her brother or her, but she could feel it nonetheless. “I want to run away, but I can’t. I want to cry, but I can’t just cry. The enemy is dangerous, but I don’t want to just lose. So I’ll fight. I know full well that I’m weak, that I’m not smart. But I’ll still fight. Because they are the ones who are wrong. I’ll fight to prove to the people I love that the ones who made them so sad were wrong. That’s why I’m fighting—and I want you all to fight, too.”

[Assistant] “—!” Her breath caught in her throat as it became tight. She felt pathetic for her moment of weakness. Because the tremor in his voice disappeared, and she could hear in his voice the path that he was pointing to. She understood his feelings. The meaning of his words was painfully clear to her. That was exactly how she felt, too. She wanted to fight. She wanted to run the bad guys out of the city if she could. But she and her little brother were small and young. They couldn’t do anything. They were powerless, ignorant, weak, so there wasn’t—

[User] “—Please don’t misunderstand me, though.” But the boy’s voice provided shelter as she berated herself for her weakness. “When I say I want you to fight, I don’t mean rush out into the streets with whatever weapons you can find. In fact, please don’t do anything so rash. I don’t mean you should form a mob and go running around looking for cultists to fight. What I want is for you to keep your head up.”

[Assistant] “Keep my…head up…”

[User] “Nothing changes when you stare down at your feet. You can’t burn a hole in the ground no matter how long you look at it, and even if you could, that wouldn’t help anyone… So please, keep your head up. Keep your eyes in front of you.”

[Assistant] Raising her head, she looked not at her knees or her brother’s blond hair but at the shelter. And as she looked around, she met the gazes of others who had also been struck by despair. They had all instinctively looked up at the boy’s urging, just like she had.

[User] “If you look around you, I’m sure you’ll meet someone else’s gaze. They are feeling the same unease, the same desire to just run away from it all, but…they also don’t want to lose. Your loved ones, and the person whose eyes you just met, and if you count yourself, that’s already three people. And depending on where you are, it might be even more people than that.”

[Assistant] Like he said, when she looked up, she could see several different people’s faces. The feelings in their eyes were complicated and muddled, and her eyes probably looked the same to them. But somewhere along the way she’d stopped feeling like she was just cowering in fear.


[User] "I hope you understand now that you are not alone. That feeling is a powerful thing even all by itself. Not wanting to see the sad face of someone you care about. Not wanting to look lame to the person whose eyes you just met. I can’t be the only one who’s that shallow and stubborn, can I?" The voice was pleading with them, calling out to them, trying to raise their spirits and inspire their courage, and yet it sounded to the girl almost like the boy was looking for something to cling to himself.

[Assistant] "I want to believe. I’m weak. And pathetic. But I haven’t given up yet. Please let me believe that I’m not the only weakling who doesn’t know how to give up." It was a cowardly voice and a cruel request. In a situation where everyone was pleading for help, here he was, shamelessly pleading with them, begging them all to give him something to believe in—

[User] "Or am I really the only one?" His voice faltered and lost confidence.

[Assistant] Irritation welled. Stop it! Even if she did not know what to shout— "…No…" It was as soft as a gnat’s buzz, just a faint voice that barely crossed her lips. She would not reach him with a voice that soft. Louder. She had to answer his question. For the weak guy on the other end who was also afraid of being alone—

[User] "Am I the only one who can still keep going…? Who still wants to fight?"

[Assistant] "—NO!! !" The girl’s eyes flared as she screamed. The voice carried through the shelter. And her voice was not the only one.


[User] "I’m not, right?"

[Assistant] "NO!"

[User] You can still fight, right?


[User] “You won’t let the weakness consume you, right?”

[Assistant] “I won’t lose… I don’t want to lose!” There was a fire in her chest now. Her jaw clenched as an emotion different from anger welled up inside her. And she was not the only one. All around her were people swallowing that same feeling as it turned into an inferno of emotion. Just minutes earlier, all of their hearts had been consumed by unease, but now a different, fierier emotion was uniting them. “If the person beside you is special to you, then hold their hand and have faith. If your neighbor is someone you don’t know, then give them a nod and do your best to stand together. Do your best to fight so that neither you nor they break. And as long as you all don’t give in, I’ll keep fighting without giving up, too. I’ll fight…and I’ll win.”

[User] They were in a shelter far away from city hall, after all. No matter how much they raised their voices and shouted, there was no way their yells would reach him. And yet it sounded like there was a sense of relief in his voice, as if he had heard their cries, and his voice quivered as he made that declaration. —I’ll fight…and I’ll win. No one doubted he could do it. They absolutely trusted he could make it come true. Just like he had trusted that they would not give in to despair. They believed that the boy would be victorious in the most dangerous battle to come. How could they believe that? Because his voice was sure—

[Assistant] “—I am Subaru Natsuki, the spirit user who defeated the Witch Cult Archbishop of Sloth.” There was a stir when he revealed his identity. It was a proclamation that the girl did not understand, but the people around her did. The shock was enormous, but not in a negative way. First was astonishment, and then understanding—and finally hope and trust began to spread explosively, swallowing up the girl’s heart in the swell of emotions. “My comrades and I will take care of the cultists in the city! So please, trust us and keep fighting, too. Hold the hand of someone precious to you and give that feeling of weakness a good thrashing. And as for the rest…”

[User] “…just leave everything else to me!” Voices cried out as a singular hope multiplied and spread. Looking down at her brother cradled in her arms, she could see hope lighting up his green eyes, too. Confirming that, she hugged him tight. His arms timidly wrapped around her waist, too, and she looked up at the ceiling as she felt the warmth of his hug. The boy who could not hide his own fear, his own unease, who could not hide anything from them, had sworn he would still fight, carrying the hopes and expectations of all the people in the city on his back until the very end.


[User] She did not know his face, but in her heart, he was a picture-book hero, and she closed her eyes as if praying that he would be blessed with every good fortune she could imagine.

[Assistant] Because he would surely break if she didn’t. —Because he was just your average, everyday boy who was struggling against the outrageous for someone precious to him.


[User] "—Haaaaah." Moving away from the pipe organ–shaped metia, Subaru took a deep breath.

[Assistant] Wiping away the sweat on his brow, the expression of all his worries and nervousness, he suddenly realized his legs were trembling and his jaw was tensed, and he hoped that his current mess of emotions had not come out in his voice.

[User] “Ahhh, that was rough…” Subaru sighed as he rolled his neck at the unexpectedly heavy exhaustion.

[Assistant] Honestly, he had lost himself in talking partway through and could not remember the details of what he’d said. It was not all gone, but parts of it were fuzzy. Had he actually conveyed everything that had been in the draft note that Anastasia had given him?

[User] “Huh?” As he contemplated what he had done, he suddenly realized that the room was awfully quiet. The people who had been watching in the room, Anastasia and everyone else, were silent.

[Assistant] Subaru could only assume he must have really badly screwed up the broadcast.

[User] “—Natsuki.”

[Assistant] “Ugh! I’m sorry! I swear I’ll do better next time!”

[User] “Huh? Why are you apologizing? You really are an oddball.” All wound up from self-doubt, Subaru reflexively started to apologize, but Anastasia just laughed in confusion as she elegantly touched her hand to her cheek.

[Assistant] “It’s a bit of a strange question to ask after that, but are you by any chance—?”

[User] “Am I what?”

[Assistant] “A former con artist or something?”

[User] “Where’d that come from?! As you can see, I’m just your average, everyday schoolboy… Well, I guess in a sense, I’m not even that!”

[Assistant] “Ah, that’s not what I mean. I didn’t mean it as an insult. The way you wound them up was just too perfect… Bringin’ the audience down low and then liftin’ them up to a new high. You had the process down cold like you’ve been doing it for years,” Anastasia said, waving her hand as she nodded in a combination of admiration and praise.

[User] “Huh?” Subaru cocked his head.

[Assistant] “I don’t know anything about that. Honestly, my head went fuzzy somewhere in the middle, and I had no clue what I was saying. I only remember up to when the note started looking blurry, and I stopped trying to read from it.”

[User] “You pretty much totally ignored my draft from that point on. And you even started going on some tangent that was totally different from what we discussed beforehand. Do you have any clue how much I was worrying watching you from over here…?”

[Assistant] “Ugh… I’m really sorry about that! But wasn’t it basically the gist of the draft?


[User] “If it was that far off, you would have stopped me, right?”

[Assistant] The note that he had forgotten in the heat of the moment had been filled with Anastasia’s negotiation techniques—and the little mood-lightening jokes and witty remarks that Subaru had put in to clear away the fear the people of the city were feeling. Even if he had messed up reading it back, it should be fine as long as he had hit the high notes— "Not much point in dwelling on it now, but you didn’t really even touch on anything we wrote down. Not even a little bit.”

[User] “Eh?”

[Assistant] Anastasia breezily denied Subaru’s optimistic view.

[User] Subaru stiffened, and he looked around the room for confirmation from the others.

[Assistant] “Lady Anastasia is correct, Subaru. Your speech was certainly not what we discussed beforehand. In particular, I was of a mind to press you on why you did not reveal that you had defeated Sloth until near the end, when that was supposed to be shared early on.” Julius said, stepping out and tilting his chin austerely.

[User] “Wait, really?! If I didn’t even say that much, then I was just some nobody for most of that! If it was that bad, you should have stopped me! Even if it messes up the mood, if you thought it would be better to start over, then you should have stopped me!”

[Assistant] “Start over? That would be absurd.”

[User] Subaru could only judge that he had screwed up badly enough to ruin the whole point of the broadcast.

[Assistant] Julius shook his head with a serious look on his face. It almost seemed like he was feeling some sort of respect for Subaru. “It was a splendid speech.”

[User] “…Huh?” Subaru stared at him dubiously.

[Assistant] “Forgetting the contents of the draft was not a problem at all. You managed to come through even better than we could have hoped when you put it in your own words. I have nothing but praise for your performance. I cannot help but see in you the same Subaru I witnessed during the battles with the White Whale and Sloth.” Julius hailed him with praise that was far more than he deserved. It was unlike him, and Subaru could sense a silent excitement radiating from the Finest of Knights. And when he realized that, it immediately felt absurd to him.

[User] “Don’t make fun of me. For a while now, it’s felt like your jokes aren’t funny at all.”

[Assistant] “If it sounds like a joke to you, then it is because you think too little of yourself. But that is also part of why you were able to give the speech that you did. That was something that no one other than you could have done.”

[User] “You really are just taunting me, aren’t you?”

[Assistant] Julius’s unbending stance even in such an urgent situation annoyed Subaru.


[User] “That was supposed to quell everyone’s fears, so it would be a problem if it made everyone even more unsure. Someone else should do the next one…”

[Assistant] “There should be limits to how self-deprecating you can be, right? It’s not like anyone else enjoys hearing it.” Anastasia cuts in, annoyance blazing in the backs of her eyes as she glared sharply at Subaru. “It looks like you really don’t remember it at all, so I’ll come out and say it for you—your speech was perfect. Much better than what I thought up. You’re a natural demagogue.”

[User] “The lady’s right! Yeaaah, that was sure somethin’! You really have a way with words! That was smooth, Bro! With a gilded tongue like that, you could get all the ladies or talk a kid out of his snack.”

[Assistant] “I would never take candy from a baby! And ‘demagogue’ sure doesn’t sound like a compliment, either!” Subaru’s eyes flared at Anastasia and Ricardo’s explanations.

[User] "What did you think, Garfiel? How was the broadcast?”

[Assistant] "…That’s why you’re my general. I wasn’t wrong to follow you out of the Sanctuary. That’s what I thought.”

[User] “…Your expectations are always just a little bit too heavy for me…”

[Assistant] “But it’s ’cause of what you always do to earn them,” Garfiel said, breaking into a toothy grin.

[User] “Then I guess I should quit trying to escape responsibility,” Subaru said, scratching his head. "I sort of feel like I said something along those lines during the speech, too.”

[Assistant] “You did.” Anastasia laughed, rubbing her scarf. “If anything, I’m worried you inspired them too much, and people might try to do something unwise. Even we felt the effects up here, thanks to Wrath’s ability.”

[User] “When you put it that way, it sounds more and more like a lie… If it were true, that would be some blessing of eloquence–level performance,” Subaru joked as he looked over at Al, who had started moving to the corner of the room at some point.


[User] "Is there anything else we can do?"

[Assistant] "If you want anything more than that, all that’s left is to get rid of the source of all this. They’re gonna know we’re coming, after your great performance."

[User] "Even so, they’re still just going to do whatever they have planned out. I guess we’ll have to count on their irrational thinking when it comes to that, but we have to try to settle things as quickly as possible." Regardless of how well the broadcast had gone, the cultists still had the ability to destroy the city.

[Assistant] "We have to kick their asses for sure this time before they can do what they came to do."

[User] "And in order to do that, we need to take down all four control towers at the same time, huh?"

[Assistant] "There are four Archbishops and two powerful people helping them. There’s the demi-beast problem to deal with, too, so we’re gonna have to figure out how to divide our forces to deal with ’em." The key to saving the city was capturing all four control towers simultaneously, which meant concentrating all their fighting power in one group like they had during the first raid on city hall would be hard. If they targeted the control towers one by one, then one of the other Archbishops could just open the floodgates. Subaru could not imagine them managing to successfully pull off that gamble four times in a row. There were six people on the enemy’s side. Meanwhile, Crusch was down for the count. They were low on cards and pieces to play—

[User] "Then how about adding a trump card to the field?"

[Assistant] As Subaru was going over the numbers they had, a voice suddenly interrupted him. Spinning around, he saw a figure standing in the doorway. Subaru’s eyebrows rose, and then he exhaled and flashed a wry smile.

[User] "Disappear for a few hours and now you think you’re a trump card?"

[Assistant] "Certainly not in comparison to the man who took on the task of addressing the masses… And here I was, sure that I didn’t have any heroes for friends. I guess that was an oversight on my part."

[User] "I don’t think that really fits me, either." Subaru shrugged and walked over and gave the newcomer a high five. As he saw their lighthearted exchange, Garfiel’s eyes gleamed.

[Assistant] "Bro!! You were okay? !"

[User] "I was running for dear life, but somehow I managed to get out alive." Otto held his hand up for another high five as Garfiel dashed over, but Garfiel leaped into him at full speed, wrapping his arms around Otto’s waist.

[Assistant] "Wah?! Wh-what?! Wh-what is it, Garfiel?! Were you really that happy to…? Owww! Ow, ow, ow! Too strong!"

[User] "Aahhh, thank goodness… Not that I was worried about you at all, though…!"

[Assistant] "Y-you aren’t very convincing… Ngh…" Just like with Subaru, Garfiel rejoiced with all his might at reuniting with Otto.


[User] After a little bit, and after Garfiel released him, Otto steadied his breath and then flashed a wry smile. “Still, though, I’m glad to see the both of you safe. You are both far more stubborn and resilient than I am, so I wasn’t too worried.”

[Assistant] “You don’t say. Actually, I wasn’t that worried about you, either. I wonder why?”

[User] “Hard to say. I guess that’s just Otto’s natural virtue?”

[Assistant] “Come on, it doesn’t have to be as much as Garfiel, but you should have been at least a little worried about me, Mr. Natsuki! I was running around headlong into this dangerous emergency situation all by myself!” But there was not really much weight to what he said, either, since he actually had managed to join back up with everyone safely.

[User] As they were enjoying their happy reunion, Anastasia broke in, clapping her hands and saying, “Yeah, yeah. What a relief, what a relief. I’m glad you made it out alive, Otto. There’s a lot I’d like to ask about what you were doing during all this, but before that…” Her tone shifted as she looked Otto in the eye. “What you said earlier sounded rather important… Would you care to explain what exactly you meant by that?”

[Assistant] “You mean the trump card, right? It’s quite simple, really. I brought someone with me, though if he’d entered first, the celebration of my safe return would have gotten completely drowned out.” Otto explained the sad fact as he stepped aside, clearing the way.

[User] Taking that as a sign, the person who had been patiently waiting on the other side started walking in.

[Assistant] “—My apologies for being late.”

[User] Saying that, the fire burning bright, the Sword Saint announced his desire to join the battle.


[User] “I am sorry for being unable to aid you at the crucial moment. I have no excuse for my failure.” Reinhard apologized as everyone’s attention focused on him, lowering his head.

[Assistant] “You got that right, you jerk. Do you know how much trouble we had while you were gone?” followed that up with a pointed little jab to the Sword Saint’s chest.

[User] Looks at Subaru apologetically.

[Assistant] Simply snorted. "And if you were gonna come at all, you should have done it fifteen minutes earlier. I ended up having to give a performance way outside my comfort zone thanks to you. That was supposed to have been your job.”

[User] “Forgive me… However, that was an excellent speech worthy of your reputation. Even if I had been asked to do the same, I would not have been able to manage a broadcast that stirred the people’s courage so magnificently. You were the right choice for that task.”

[Assistant] “I think people would be looking for different things if it was you and not me.” Jabbed Reinhard in the chest once more for good measure after receiving his wry smile and praise. And then, as the hero still looked apologetic, held his finger out in front of Reinhard’s face. “Reinhard, forget a hundred other people. I’d take you over a thousand soldiers. So how ’bout it, can I pin that much hope on you? I’ll be counting on you.”

[User] Blinked his blue eyes at how open Subaru’s anticipation was, but his surprise soon faded as the Sword Saint’s lips curved into a smile. “Yes, you can count on me. If that is what you want, then I’ll live up to your expectations.”

[Assistant] “Oooh, so reliable… I can feel my heart fluttering.” Flashed Reinhard a smile, putting him at ease before turning to the others and pointing back at him. “All right, we’ve got Reinhard with us now. You guys should say whatever you want to say while you can. At times like this, it feels way worse to be all awkward and careful around one another.


[User] "And once you’re done picking on him, let’s get down to business and figure out how to save everyone." Subaru announced with an easy wink. He could hear some startled breaths but saw that Otto and Garfiel simply broke into grins at Subaru’s familiar tough act.

[Assistant] —He had just done a whole speech about not shouldering everything yourself, after all.


[User] "By the way, what happened to Felt? She was with you when all this started, right?" Subaru asked Reinhard before they broached the first subject.

[Assistant] Reinhard’s expression darkened a bit at that. Though he had been looking like that most of the time since getting there.

[User] "To be clear, I’m not blaming you or anything. It’s not like I think you just holed up somewhere safe to protect Felt or anything…" Subaru said, softening the blow.

[Assistant] "Agreed," Anastasia added nonchalantly, "but I would like to know what you were doing and where you were doing it while we were out of communication. It’s not like we’re playin’ house here, after all." She petted her fox scarf as she looked Reinhard directly in the eye.

[User] "It’s like a family that gives the cold shoulder to a kid who holed up for years and turned into a professional NEET…"

[Assistant] "Apologies for interrupting while you indulge in your odd imagination, but if Mr. Reinhard is finding it difficult to speak on the matter, perhaps I can elaborate?" Hoping to set aside Subaru and the alien analogy he was entertaining, Otto offered to clear things up.

[User] "Oh yeah, you were with Reinhard, but don’t tell me that was from before all this even started?"

[Assistant] "Not since it started."


[User] "Even so, I have a general grasp of the situation.”

[Assistant] “Thank you, Otto. But it is my family’s problem, and it involves Lady Felt as well. This is a difficult subject for me, but I should be the one to explain.”

[User] Reinhard shook his head, and then, after pausing for a second, said, “First of all, I’ve said it many times already, but allow me to apologize once more. I should have been the first person to come your aid, and yet it was only at this late hour that I was able to join you. You have my deepest apologies.”

[Assistant] “…On that point, I do believe our position is unchanged. It is difficult to wholeheartedly forgive your absence, but you are nonetheless essential to the coming battle. If you wish to make amends, I ask you do it with your sword,” Julius responded, nudging Reinhard forward in his own way.

[User] Reinhard’s expression softened at his friend’s words, and he added a soft “Thank you” before continuing. “When the Witch Cult carried out their first broadcast, Lady Felt and I were leaving the second district to go speak with Vice-Captain Heinkel.” Reinhard’s voice was wooden as he referred to his father by his official title.

[Assistant] That alone was sufficient to show just how strained their relationship must be and how wide the gulf between them truly was.

[User] “It’s not exactly my place to comment, but she really decided to go talk to him after everything that happened at breakfast?”

[Assistant] “She is not so irresponsible as to shirk what must be done out of mere personal discomfort. She set forth fully intending to negotiate with the vice-captain. And naturally, I accompanied her in that.”

[User] “Incidentally, I suppose I shouldn’t ask how the negotiation went.”

[Assistant] “That does involve internal matters, after all. But it would be fair to say that discussions were not overly favorable.” Reinhard’s tone obliquely indicated how much of a struggle the meeting had been.

[User] “That was when the first broadcast occurred. I could hardly believe my ears, but I immediately thought to act. I had actually made certain arrangements beforehand in the event of an emergency. In fact, I even prepared a way for Lachins and the others to reach me if the need arose.”

[Assistant] “Ah, yeah, I know. I…well, I had a chance to talk to Lachins.” Subaru was familiar with the magic signal that Reinhard could use as a beacon to home in on after spotting it in the sky.


[User] Lachins had actually used it during one of the loops when Subaru asked him to summon Reinhard. Unfortunately, the “just call Reinhard” plan had been put on hold because of Sirius’s nasty ability. But Reinhard had not been exaggerating about intending to come immediately if he got the signal from one of his allies. And yet he had not been able to do anything for hours while the cultists had free rein. What could possibly have stopped him—?

[Assistant] "—Lady Felt was held hostage by Vice-Captain Heinkel."

[User] "" For a second, Subaru failed to understand. And it was not just him, either. Everyone in the room was at a loss for words at the absurdity of that statement.

[Assistant] "It was an irrevocable failure on my part. And with Lady Felt at sword point, I failed to find an opening to counterattack and remained held there." As he gritted his teeth at the shameful memory, Reinhard’s expression was etched with the regret burning inside him.

[User] Hearing that, Subaru realized why Reinhard’s face had darkened when he was first asked what had happened. The master he had sworn to serve had been taken hostage by his own father, of all people. And because of that, he had been unable to leave. It was shocking to think about how troubled he must’ve been and how much heartache he must have endured. And it had not ended there, either. There was an even darker possibility.

[Assistant] “…So then…what? Was he an agent of the cultists?” Reinhard’s shocking admission opened the door to a cruel and terrible possibility. Subaru had heard that cultists sometimes wormed their way into local governments undetected, but he didn’t want to imagine what it might be like to discover someone in your family could be one. Particularly not after learning about all the different terrible, nauseating Archbishops who existed besides Petelgeuse.

[User] "—I don’t know. If he was, then…" But Subaru’s theory seemed to be provoking complex feelings in Reinhard.

[Assistant] Subaru himself looked dubious, as did half the people around the table, but Anastasia, Julius, and Otto all seemed to have reached a different conclusion.

[User] Reinhard furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head. "I have no intention of defending him on the basis of our blood relation, but the vice-captain is almost certainly not connected to the cultists. At the very least, there is no reason to suspect that based on what he said after taking Lady Felt hostage."

[Assistant] "That’s absurd. Why would he take her hostage, then? What would be the point…?" That was when Subaru noticed it. Given Reinhard’s melancholic expression and the matching miserable looks that Otto, Anastasia, and Julius all sported, there was a reason Subaru could think of for Heinkel to do that. It was a terrible reason, utterly beyond redemption, but not one that he could simply laugh off as unthinkable.

[User] "You can’t mean…he stopped you from leaving…in order to protect himself?"

[Assistant] "—. He said so himself.


[User] “‘Your precious master and the father whose blood runs in your veins are both here. Would you really abandon them to save some strangers you’ve never seen before?’”

[Assistant] “What kind of father would say something like that? !” Subaru’s anger boiled over, and he slammed his fist into the wall.

[User] “Lady Felt said that he was just bluffing. That she would be fine and that I should go fight. But I disobeyed her command and stayed. I’m the one to blame.”

[Assistant] “Like hell you are! There isn’t anyone here who doesn’t know exactly who’s to blame!”

[User] “Even so, that choice was mine. I am the one who made it.” Reinhard would not yield responsibility, no matter how much Subaru might shout.

[Assistant] “In the end, it remained a stalemate. I was unable to act in the aftermath…and the situation remained unchanged during the second broadcast as well… I’m sure Lady Felt was disappointed in me.” He could not hide his own disappointment in himself.

[User] “So then, what happened to Felt?” Anastasia directed the conversation forward again, not touching on the look on Reinhard’s face.


[User] She was the only royal-selection candidate present, as well as having been entrusted to decide the fate of the city by Kiritaka, a representative of the Council of Ten. At the very least, she was keeping her sympathy to herself while prioritizing the smooth continuation of the discussion.

[Assistant] “You’re here now, so is it safe to assume the problem was resolved?”

[User] “Yes, Lady Felt has met up with her retainers, and at her judgment, she is currently standing by at a shelter with the vice-captain, who has been placed under arrest.”

[Assistant] “Under arrest? As in you caught him?”

[User] “His arms and legs have been bound, and he has been gagged. Lady Felt contented herself with meting out that much punishment. Was it not for Otto’s help, it might have been much more difficult.”

[Assistant] “Wait, that’s when Otto showed up?” Subaru was surprised, given there had been no sign of Otto making an appearance before this.

[User] “It’s true.” Otto himself said as he adjusted his hat. “Though it was sheer happenstance that I stumbled upon them. Having seen their interactions at the inn, though, I quickly grasped the gist of the situation.”

[Assistant] There had been the incident in the morning that had touched on the deeply rooted problems of the Astrea family and the territory managed by Felt’s faction. Having seen all that and then actually bearing witness to Heinkel holding Felt hostage just to keep Reinhard from leaving, a person didn’t have to be a genius to guess what was happening.

[User] “I judged it the worst possible situation for Mr. Reinhard to be unable to act while the cultists were freely running around. Just the thought of it was bone-chilling, so I knew I had to do something.”

[Assistant] “And that’s when you pummeled Heinkel and saved Felt?”

[User] “Wait! Wait! Don’t just nod along like that’s obviously how it would go! I wouldn’t do something that rash! I merely distracted him with a simple spell to create an opening for Lady Felt to escape.” Otto sighed as he corrected Subaru’s mistaken guess. “Thankfully, there was no difficulty finding everyone, what with your big performance. It would have been nice if I could have helped sooner, but I had quite a lot on my plate.”

[Assistant] There had been a few digressions, but Reinhard was nodding, acknowledging that Otto had indeed come to their aid. Otto had really put in a lot of work behind the scenes, like always. He was the ultimate behind-the-scenes talent.

[User] “Still, though, what were you doing up until then, Bro? Honestly, given your strength, wandering around out on the streets would be suicide.”

[Assistant] “I was a little surprised at how vigorous your concern for me was earlier, but I really did endure all sorts of twists and turns… I suppose I should elaborate.” Clearing his throat, Otto pointed outside the tower. “This morning, as I had planned, I headed to the Muse Company alone in order to reinitiate negotiations with Mr. Kiritaka.


[User] "However, I had some time to spare, so I got off the dragon boat early to walk the rest of the way… That was where I encountered the Witch Cult.”

[Assistant] “You mean the broadcast? No, wait, that would’ve been too early.” Capella’s first broadcast had been after the noon bell. Even with a leisurely detour, there was no way Otto wouldn’t have reached the company before noon.

[User] Otto nodded. “Correct, it was not the broadcast. On the way to the Muse Company, I encountered the actual Witch Cult… In fact, I encountered someone who called themself an Archbishop. Near the second district’s control tower.”

[Assistant] “An Archbishop appeared before the broadcast went out? !” Subaru was shocked, but it was not that unbelievable a story when he thought it through. Sirius and Regulus had also been doing as they pleased at the time tower before the broadcast. Other than Capella, who was occupying city hall, the Archbishops had apparently been free to wander the town and take in the sights. And the one he had encountered could not have been any of the aforementioned three. “So then, the one you met was…the Archbishop of Gluttony, huh?”

[User] “…Yes. At least that was how they identified themself. And I cannot imagine any reason to lie about it, so I am certain it’s true. They looked like a child, but I doubt actual age has any bearing on their appearance.”

[Assistant] Otto’s description matched with the Roy Alphard Subaru had seen. He didn’t want to know the standard for selecting Archbishops, but Gluttony had been a child. A child whose arms and legs were not fully grown and who had clearly never finished maturing…a child with a hideous, scornful grin.

[User] “I assumed it was some thoughtless child’s mischief at first, but when I tried to draw the attention of the person guarding the tower…he was pulverized. Literally. With a splat.”

[User] “After watching someone’s entire body get smashed flat, I had no choice but to believe. The nearby guards and the city’s security forces quickly surrounded the Archbishop…but they did not stand a chance.” The way Otto’s face paled spoke to how gruesome the encounter with Gluttony had been. An average person could not hope to lay hands on Gluttony, and Otto had been powerless to do anything. Dragged into the battle without any choice, Otto had given it his best shot, but—

[Assistant] "In the end, the control tower was captured, and I could not say whether anyone else managed to escape.”

[User] “You did well coming away from something like that still in one piece. You were facing an Archbishop, after all.”

[Assistant] “That was through no action of my own. It was only thanks to the people around me. Members of the White Dragon’s Scale who joined the battle recognized me and gave their all to allow me a chance to escape.”

[User] “…Them again, huh?” Kiritaka’s personal troops had played a crucial role there, too.


[User] “I fled into the waterways during the confusion. Hearing the cultists’ broadcast later, I realized I could no longer act carelessly, so I moved discreetly…which is when I encountered Mr. Reinhard’s group.”

[Assistant] “So that’s how you met up.”

[User] Subaru’s face twisted up as he listened to the tightrope walk that Otto had endured to survive and meet back up with everybody. His path had been no less trying or death-defying than anyone else’s in the room. “And there were even people who sacrificed themselves to buy you time to escape. That’s rough.”

[Assistant] “Truly—it pains me as a merchant to be unable to repay my debts.” Otto bit his lip, mortified by the weight of what he was bearing.

[User] “So I shall pay it back by guaranteeing the fate of this city—and judging by your performance earlier, I suppose I can count on you to do enough work for the both of us, Mr. Natsuki.”

[Assistant] “Damn it, Otto…” Subaru’s anxious nerves relaxed a bit at the sudden change in tone as Otto gave him a wink. The tightness in his shoulders went away—tension that had been there ever since he began his speech.

[User] What Otto was getting at was that he had his own reasons to fight. And by conveying that, he was letting Subaru know that he wouldn’t let his friend shoulder the fate of the city alone. He was trying to tell Subaru there was no need to get too worked up.

[Assistant] “Ngh…” Subaru’s face felt hot, an intense embarrassment welling up at having his tough-guy act seen through.

[User] “If you take your little bit of strength and add in my little bit of strength and top it off with Garfiel’s stupid amount of strength, it all adds up to something quite sizable. Why not think of it like that?”

[Assistant] “‘None can lift the quain stone alone,’ huh? Every once in a while, you’re kind of amazing, you know that?” Subaru pulled out one of Garfiel’s inscrutable sayings and found himself amazed yet again by Otto’s steady hand. Otto was always saving him.


[User] “Ain’t that a nice group you’ve got there? Really know how to keep things moving, don’t ya? It’s heartwarming.”

[Assistant] “Ah, my bad, we kind of started talking like it was just the two of us.”

[User] “It’s fine, it’s fine. Besides, it looks like Natsuki’s finally relaxed a bit.” Anastasia teased, welcoming the change. She had noticed how tense he really was.

[Assistant] Scratching his head sheepishly, Subaru quickly changed topics. “Now that we’ve covered what you two were doing, the next topic we should be discussing is…”

[User] “—I would like to address the four demands that the Witch Cult made.” His golden eyes narrowed as he pointedly held up four fingers and looked around the room. “They are not to be negotiated with, of course, but it is crucial to know what they are after. We know the silver-haired maiden, and we know about the Witch’s bones from what Mr. Kiritaka told us, but…”

[Assistant] “An artificial spirit and the book of knowledge…” Reinhard furrowed his brow. “I’ve no clue as to what that book might be, and as for the former, the very idea of an artificial spirit sounds dubious as well. Does such a thing even exist?”

[User] Subaru glanced over at Anastasia. She was just looking at him, and as if sensing his intent, she nodded. Subaru decided that he would have to explain the two demands to everyone as well. “—Sorry to interject yet again, but if I may.”

[Assistant] But before Subaru could say anything, Otto raised his hand.

[User] Seeing that, Subaru guessed he was thinking of revealing that Beatrice was an artificial spirit. He had been about to explain that himself anyway, so he wasn’t against it, but—

[Assistant] “If it’s Beako, then I can…”

[User] “No, this is about the book of knowledge, not Beatrice.”

[Assistant] “Hn?” Subaru’s eyes widened in surprise.

[User] Not looking at Subaru, Otto sighed slightly in resignation. “I’m sorry—I’m the one who brought that into the city.”


[Assistant] Everyone in the room was utterly shocked by Otto’s explosive confession.

[User] They weren’t sure such a book even existed, and yet the person in possession of it had just announced himself to them all.

[Assistant] Surprise was a natural reaction, but Subaru’s shock was immeasurable because he had been so sure that he had already seen the last of that book—that both copies were burned and gone from the world.

[User] “Wh-why did you?”

[Assistant] “First, I should be clear to prevent misunderstandings.


[User] While I did bring the item that would be called the book of knowledge into the city, I am not the one currently in possession of it. And the cultists’ demand was a bolt out of the blue for me as well.

[Assistant] “That’s a roundabout way of puttin’ it. What exactly do you mean?”

[User] Noticing Subaru’s troubled reaction and Otto’s studiously calm response, Anastasia cocked her head. “Allow me to explain.”

[Assistant] Otto nodded. “I suspect that most of you are not aware of the book of knowledge. Put frankly, it is apparently the origin from which the Gospels that cultists possess are derived—those suspicious magic tomes that record the future of their owner. Its passages are also supposedly far more precise than the Gospels.”

[User] “The origin of the Gospels? When put that way, it makes some sense that they would want it. It is a blasphemous comparison, but I suppose it is similar to the Dragon Tablet?”

[Assistant] “Unfortunately, it’s a bit difficult for me to say, because the book of knowledge was largely burned by the time I obtained it and was little more than charred scraps.”

[User] “Charred scraps…”

[Assistant] Otto’s words also described the fate of the two tomes in Subaru’s memories. Beatrice’s book had been burned in the fire along with all the rest of the contents of the forbidden archive. Meanwhile, Roswaal’s book had been burned by Ram and lost in the Sanctuary. As he had told Anastasia before, both of the books had been burned to ash. Which meant that if Otto had picked up the charred remains of one, it was most likely to have been Roswaal’s copy.

[User] “Ah, I think I know what you were after, Otto. The restorer Darts, right?”

[Assistant] “...There’s no hiding anything from you. Yes, that was it precisely.” Otto nodded in resignation at Anastasia’s quick thinking. And Julius and Reinhard both seemed to understand as well from that exchange.

[User] “Wait up there. Don’t go leaving me behind as the only one not getting it. What’s this ‘restorer’ thing about?”

[Assistant] “Exactly what it sounds like. A specialist in magic who restores items. Darts is particularly well-known for his skill when it comes to this craft. If it’s him, then he could even restore a book from its mere ashes.”

[User] “From its ashes?! Wait, that’s actually possible? !”

[Assistant] “On the strength of that reputation, I secretly requested the restoration of the book of knowledge. So unless he took it during the evacuation, the book is currently being kept in Darts’s workplace,” Otto said, revealing the location of one of the objects the cultists demanded.

[User] “…When did you have time to ask him to do a job like that, Otto?”

[Assistant] “After the negotiations at the Muse Company collapsed and I parted ways with everyone yesterday. Darts is deeply curious about ancient and rare items, and he was quite enthusiastic about taking the job…” When he had heard the cultists’ demand during the broadcast, Otto had probably been thrown for a loop.


[User] "I will have to ask that you allow me to leave out how I came to be in possession of it and what my goals were in restoring it. I merely wanted to make clear that the book actually exists and where it is currently. Any further, and it becomes an internal matter.”

[Assistant] "At the very least, one of the factions in the Witch Cult has named the book of knowledge as its goal. Where do you believe that the blame for that lies?”

[User] “I believe that there is no point in trying to pin responsibility for the actions of the Witch Cult on anyone other than the Witch Cult themselves. If I were to be hounded regarding that, though, then I would have no choice but to respond with similar boorishness." Otto fired back, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Anastasia.

[Assistant] "Apologies, that was wrongheaded of me. Naturally, I did not mean to blame you. Their crimes are their own, of course, and they are the ones who must atone for those crimes.”

[User] "I agree.” Otto nodded.

[Assistant] "We can discuss it later.” Otto looked Subaru in the eye.

[User] “Either way, it is clear that the book of knowledge actually does exist. In which case, we should assume for the sake of our planning at least that the artificial spirit also exists." Reinhard said, shifting to a new topic.

[Assistant] “Mm. Yeah, I guess we should.”

[User] Subaru clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. "Can I have your attention? Sorry for always talking, but I’ve got something to say about the artificial spirit.”

[Assistant] “Are you sure, Mr. Natsuki?” Otto checked, realizing what Subaru was going to say.


[User] It was a topic that touched on Beatrice’s origin, so he probably judged it to be a delicate subject, but Subaru had decided that it was necessary to explain. Everyone in the room was an ally, and the conflicts among different camps could be set aside for the moment. "I’m not going to hold anything back here. The artificial spirit they’re after is my partner Beako—Beatrice. Right now, she’s recuperating with the injured.”

[Assistant] “Lady Beatrice? I see. That makes sense…” Julius nodded in acceptance.

[User] “Makes sense?” Subaru cocked his head.

[Assistant] “Ah.” Julius touched his hair. “I knew that Lady Beatrice was a powerful spirit, but I felt a somewhat mysterious signal coming from her. Upon my learning that she is not a natural spirit, it makes sense.”

[User] “…Is that just something that any decent spirit user would recognize?”

[Assistant] “I’m not sure what you are getting… Ahhh, you are worried about her. I see.”

[User] “If they could tell at a glance, or by getting close to her, that would be a problem.” Currently, the cultists had demanded an artificial spirit, but they had not named Beatrice specifically, so it was unclear just how much information they really had about the artificial spirit. If the enemy did not know what she looked like or her name, then they could simply keep Beatrice’s true identity a secret and not let anyone else find out. But if the enemy had a way of checking, then it would be a lot harder for Subaru to leave Beatrice’s side.

[Assistant] “You need not worry,” Julius said to put Subaru at ease. “The reason I felt an oddity was because I have been blessed with so many opportunities to interact with spirits due to my blessing. It would be safe to assume that most people would not be able to notice under normal circumstances.”

[User] “I see… Gotcha. That’s…yeah, that’s a relief.” Hearing that, Subaru exhaled the weight that had built up in his lungs. Reinhard and everyone else nodded, indicating that they had not noticed Beatrice was a special spirit in that regard. At least Subaru would not have to worry about her drawing all sorts of dangerous attention.

[Assistant] “Still, though, that crazy book, and the spirit thing, too—basically everything comes back to your place.”

[User] “…You don’t have to tell me that. I’m starting to despair for the world. Maybe I got cursed somewhere along the line or something.”

[Assistant] “Despair for the world? That’s a riot!” Ricardo opened his mouth wide, and his booming laugh shattered the mood building in the room. That unrestrained laughter helped Subaru right himself just a bit.

[User] The truth was just like he said, though. The cultists were coming straight for Emilia’s faction with their demands.


[User] Ricardo nipped the friction in the bud. He rarely fussed about the details, or perhaps was just plain careless, but as expected of the leader of the Iron Fangs, Ricardo could read the room and set the mood like the best of them.

[Assistant] “If anything, I’m almost startin’ to wonder if you’re actually human yourself! You lived through gettin’ washed away by the flood, after all. You hidin’ anything from us?”

[User] “You are reading the room, right? That was intentional, right? It’s starting to feel like that was just natural, which is a scary thought.”

[Assistant] “You’re best off not thinking too hard about it. By and large, he’s not thinking anything at all when he does that.”

[User] Subaru was starting to regret his admiration for Ricardo’s rude act, which seemed less and less like an act.

[Assistant] Anastasia shrugged it off before continuing. “Anyway, the artificial spirit definitely exists, too. Naturally, just like with what Otto was sayin’, we aren’t gonna give ’em anything they want. Right, Natsuki?”

[User] “Damn straight. I’m not giving up Beako until I die of old age. And I’m gonna cuddle up with her to sleep even when I’m an old man. So there’s no way in hell I’m gonna let the likes of them get their hands on her.”

[Assistant] Seeing Subaru’s unyielding determination not to give in to the cultists’ demands, Reinhard nodded firmly. “Understood. We cannot afford to accept even one of their demands. Depending on the situation, the wedding ceremony could perhaps have been overlooked, but—”

[User] “No! That’s a hard-and-fast nay! Because the person that white-haired asshole is trying to marry is my Emilia-tan!”

[Assistant] “—?! I had a bad feeling about it, but it really was Lady Emilia, then! I had assumed her not being here was because she had taken shelter…!” Reinhard stared in wonder.

[User] Otto turned pale in shock.

[Assistant] Seeing that, Subaru apologized for not explaining sooner. “I’m ashamed to admit it, but she was taken away right before my eyes. That ‘silver-haired maiden’ is Emilia. But I’m not going to let that happen. I’m the one who’s gonna marry Emilia.” Subaru pounded his chest with an eruption of righteous indignation and love.

[User] Otto clutched his head at Subaru’s out-and-out proclamation.

[Assistant] Reinhard’s eyes widened.

[User] “…Huh? Did I say something weird?”

[Assistant] "Not weird so much as… I’m surprised to hear you actually say it out loud. I was astonished by your performance over the metia earlier as well, but I just felt it again now. You’re a real man’s man, ain’t ya, Natsuki?"

[User] “What’s with that tepid response?! I really did say something weird, didn’t I?


[User] "!” Anastasia shook her head no as Ricardo obviously snickered. And Garfiel’s nodding with arms crossed and Otto’s slumping were just the usual responses.

[Assistant] “Even you’re looking at me weird, Reinhard.”

[User] "I was surprised—and astonished like Lady Anastasia—I suppose. I had, to some extent, sensed how you felt, but I would not have expected you to express your feelings toward Lady Emilia so explicitly and confidently.” The surprise fading, Reinhard’s cheeks softened, and from the look in his eyes he appeared to be genuinely moved.

[Assistant] Subaru could hardly believe he was getting teased by someone as honest and forthright as him. Which would mean Julius, that paragon of knightly chivalry, must be pretty annoyed— “”

[Assistant] “Julius?” However, when Subaru nervously turned around, Julius’s reaction was nothing like what he’d expected. Julius’s golden eyes were narrowed, watching Subaru with what almost felt like jealousy. An earnest yearning that stirred the depths of his heart. “”

[Assistant] “Apologies. I was just thinking about something. Did you need something?” Julius returned to his senses after a moment.

[User] “No, it’s fine… Ah! Anyway, moving on!” Realizing he had lost track of the conversation for a moment, Subaru spun around to take in the room.

[Assistant] “I’m going to get Emilia back with my own two hands, and I’ll kick Greed’s ass to do it. There’s no room for negotiation on that.”

[User] “Very well, then that’s what we shall do. If that is how it is, then he is not someone who can be overlooked or forgiven.” As he agreed with Subaru’s determination, Reinhard’s eagerness for battle welled up.

[Assistant] “Also, it looks like you’re feeling pessimistic, Otto, but it isn’t all bad. Even after she was caught, Emilia-tan didn’t just sit around waiting for us to make our move, either. She managed to get in contact with Al once and pass us some info on the enemy.” Getting goose bumps from that, Subaru continued,

[User] “Lady Emilia did something that sophisticated?! Is she all right? !”

[Assistant] “You could at least comment on how dangerous that must have been, man… Anyway, can you fill them in on what she told you, Al?” It was clear from his reaction just what Otto had expected of Emilia, but Subaru lobbed the conversation to the man leaning against the wall in the corner of the room. “”


[User] Al slowly raised his head and stepped away from the wall sluggishly. For some reason, he had been like that ever since Subaru’s speech. Between that and the intense exchange before the speech, everything about him seemed very different from usual. It was really starting to bother Subaru.

[Assistant] “Yeah… That little lady wasn’t discouraged at all about being behind enemy lines. Maybe she was confident she wouldn’t be killed since Greed wanted to marry her.” But Al just nodded listlessly as Subaru focused a concerned gaze on him.

[User] “Yeah…I’m not so sure about that part.” Subaru tilted his head as Al scratched at the seam of his helm.


[User] "...Emilia let us know which control tower is controlled by Greed and which one is controlled by Lust. And from Otto’s story, we can be fairly confident which tower contains Gluttony, right?"

[Assistant] "Correct, it was the control tower in the second district. And from Emilia’s timely intelligence report, we know Lust is in the first district and Greed is in the third district, which makes the fourth district Wrath by process of elimination. That’s valuable enough information to merit her doing something rash."

[User] "So there you have it." Subaru said with a light snap and a wink.

[Assistant] Greeted with wry smiles, Subaru, undiscouraged, turned his finger to Al. "And we’re grateful to you for bringing this information back, too…so what are you sulking about, Al? Is it just ’cause I didn’t listen to your warning…?"

[User] "I ain’t sulking. An old guy like me gettin’ bent out of a shape like that wouldn’t be cute anyway."

[Assistant] "Cute’s got nothing to do with it… I don’t really want to admit it, but we got our asses kicked pretty hard the last go-round, and I don’t want to fall into the same trap as before." Subaru spread his fingers, holding out his hand to Al.

[User] Al looked down at the hand through his visor and then looked back at Subaru dubiously.

[Assistant] "I want you to help us out this time. Fight the good fight so I can save my love." Subaru papered over his more earnest feelings with a joke as he waited for Al’s response, trusting that in the end he would just crack wise and give in. But—

[User] "—If that’s really how you feel, then I’m not against helping out." There was no intimacy in Al’s voice as he brushed Subaru’s hand away in seeming annoyance.

[Assistant] "Uh…" Subaru felt a chill down his spine. The tone that was so clearly different from normal and the gaze he could not read behind the pitch-black helm caught him off guard. In that moment, Al pointed a wild, frayed rage right at Subaru. Subaru recognized that mysterious, almost violently aggressive feeling as something he had encountered before. But he could not remember where he had sensed it or the form it had taken then. He simply couldn’t connect the two. And while he continued struggling to make sense of it all, their awkward stare-down continued—

[User] "Hark. Please lend me thine ears— Thine eyes evoke a heated, racing heart."

[Assistant] "Ugh—? !"

[User] "Eep?"


[User] Totally caught off guard by the sudden interjection, Subaru spun around, sending the newcomer flying with a shocked gasp.

[Assistant] "Ugyah! My elbows! My knees! The pain of every bone in my body breaking! All six of my ribs just snapped! I’m sure of it!” The small figure curled up under the tables, writhing in pain with an earsplitting scream.

[User] Subaru’s eyes widened as he turned around and caught his breath.

[Assistant] "Liliana?! Wait, if you’re here, then that means…”

[User] "—Naturally, I brought her here myself, commoner."

[Assistant] "Oh."

[User] Footsteps rang out, luxuriously and magnificently, emphasizing the overwhelming aura of the brilliantly red woman. Her bloody crimson eyes lorded over the occupants as she pulled a fan from her voluptuous cleavage.

[Assistant] "The actors have all gathered. I suppose I should praise your prudence in waiting for the guest of honor to assume her seat. Be sure to maintain that diligent attitude going forward.” Smiling and apparently in a very good mood, the crimson beauty Priscilla Bariel joined the fray.

[User] "P-Princess! You were safe!” Everyone, Subaru included, was surprised by Priscilla’s sudden appearance.

[Assistant] Al quickly dashed over to her. "I was worried, since I couldn’t find you anywhere I looked… Gragh!"

[User] "You fool.” The joy at reuniting with her lasted but a moment, though, as she smacked Al upside the head with a splendid crack.

[Assistant] Knowing from personal experience just how powerful that fan could be, Subaru reflexively groaned.

[User] "Explain yourself, Al. Not only did you fail to accompany me, but I find you here playing around with these commoners. You and Schult have a duty to watch me, heed my voice, bask in my scent, and obey my every command. Nothing more and nothing less. And you, Schult: making your master personally search for you? Does your impudence know no bounds?”

[Assistant] "Ugh. My humblest apologies, Lady Priscilla…” As she mercilessly kicked Al, a young, pink-haired butler peeped nervously out from behind her back—Schult, the person she had been searching for.

[User] "So you really did manage to follow through on that… That really is some amazing tenacity.” Priscilla had led Liliana and Schult through a city filled with menacing demi-beasts where violence and chaos could erupt at any moment thanks to the cultists’ devious machinations. The way she carried herself and her general sense of absolute confidence easily surpassed Subaru’s wildest expectations yet again.

[Assistant] "It was like that at the inn this morning, too.


[User] “You really like to surprise people, don’t you?”

[Assistant] “You commoners merely collapse into shudders when faced with my peerless beauty and presence. If you would then bow your head in that awe, I might grant you mercy, but every last one of you is utterly lacking in charm. Of particular note…” Priscilla and Anastasia did not seem to get along particularly well, and they engaged in a bit of verbal fencing, but after that, Priscilla turned her eyes to Subaru as she trailed off.

[User] The pressure made him a little claustrophobic as he managed to ask, “What?”

[Assistant] “…That clumsy broadcast earlier. That was your voice, was it not?”

[User] “…And what if it was?”

[Assistant] “Hmph. There is no need to be so tense. I am fair in judging results. I simply call it like I see it—and currently, the eyes of the masses have turned to you. And I have decided to take them back with my own hands.”

[User] “…Ummm, so in other words…?”

[Assistant] “Do not make me spell everything out for you. My noble lips do not need the pointless labor.” Her eyes narrowed confrontationally as she sat herself down in one of the seats around the table, leaned back with a squeak, and crossed her arms, emphasizing her buxom figure.

[User] “So report the current situation and be quick about it. You will become my hands and legs and fulfill thy roles. And be grateful, for I shall reward you by joining your plan.”

[Assistant] “W-wait, Princess! Are you seriously planning to go at it with those cultists? !”

[User] “Would you have me flee, Al? If so, impudence would not begin to describe your transgression.” Al tried to argue with Priscilla, who had sat down and announced her participation in the plan, but she glared back at him, causing the iron-helmed man to tremble.

[Assistant] “It was I who decided to visit this city, and it will be I who decides when to leave this city. I will brook no other person’s directions. Particularly not the mad ramblings of zealots.”

[User] "—Everything in this world exists for my convenience. As my retainer and jester, you should know as much, Al. My very existence is the embodiment of the will of the world. My actions themselves are divine providence.” There was no breaking Priscilla’s steel will—no, diamond would probably be more accurate. And Al should have known that better than anyone else there.

[Assistant] “Um, uh, that is just how Lady Priscilla is, so…”

[User] “…Yeah, I know. Sorry for worryin’ ya, Schult.” Al shrugged his one arm weakly and smiled wryly at Schult, who had struggled to find the words to comfort him. The prickly air he had directed at Subaru moments earlier disappeared. He had made up his mind—Priscilla’s domineering personality had finally done the job.

[Assistant] “Otto, maybe we could step out for a real quick moment?”

[User] “Yes, of course.” Al lost out to Priscilla’s demands and started calmly explaining the situation to her.


[User] Taking advantage of that lull, Subaru led Otto out into the hall to pick up a certain topic—the restoration of the book of knowledge—and to press him on what he had been thinking when he’d decided on that wild course of action. "Garfiel, call us back once the conversation’s moved on." Subaru said before leaving the room.

[Assistant] They stood across from each other out in the hall. Otto looked at Subaru quietly before starting in. "It was one year ago. Immediately after cleaning up the problems in the Sanctuary. After the marquis’s snowstorm melted away, while I was looking around the village, I found it by chance… No, it was not by chance. I was explicitly searching for it due to what Ms. Ram had said."

[User] "If you found it there, then that would mean there’s no mistake that it was the remnants of Roswaal’s book."

[Assistant] "Yes. His was the one whose contents I wanted to confirm. And for once, I was in luck."

[User] It was a bit of self-deprecating humor about his naturally poor fortunes, but Subaru was not in the mood to share a laugh when it came to these books. There was already a bad taste lingering in his mouth from talking about them, and when he saw that, Otto’s smile disappeared as well. And then he took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "What do you honestly think of Marquis Mathers?"

[Assistant] "Of Roswaal?" Subaru thought about it for a moment. "I think I can’t let my guard down around him. And there was the thing a year ago, too. But his real goal is clear now, and as long as our goals are aligned, he isn’t a threat. Right now…he’s more of an accomplice."

[User] "—I cannot find it in myself to trust Marquis Mathers in the least." Otto responded bitterly, almost seeming to write off Subaru’s thoughts as far too easygoing.

[Assistant] The sharpness of that response made Subaru catch his breath. "'The thing a year ago'? Yes, that’s right. There was the situation last year in the Sanctuary. And before that, he seems to have schemed many different things as well. Though when it comes to this topic, both you and Lady Emilia seem to have been content to easily forgive him."

[User] "...I haven’t forgiven him at all. I’m still pretty pissed about what he did, and it still bothers me. But that doesn’t change the fact that we need him. I just think that getting all up in arms about it won’t help anything, and Emilia’s the same."

[Assistant] "And I’m saying that that, that right there, is naive. I did not, however, say that it was a bad thing." Otto glared at Subaru as if he was looking at something incredibly vexing.

[User] Subaru could understand the irritation he was feeling, he really could, but…

[Assistant] "It is all right. You and Lady Emilia can be that way. There is no need for either of you to change at all."


[User] "Because I will be there on guard where you are not.”

[Assistant] “Be on guard?”

[User] “My job is taking care of internal matters, so I have had many opportunities to interact with the marquis. And during the past year of observation, I have not noticed any signs of schemes or suspicious artifice. However, that is only in the present tense. I cannot speak to what he might have done in the time before that. Say, for example, if he had perhaps arranged some sort of long-term scheme.”

[Assistant] Subaru was at a loss for words. He could feel the weight of how much Otto was watching out for them, constantly thinking and planning and observing.

[User] “If he was obeying the directions for the future laid out in the book of knowledge, then by looking at the book, it should be possible to determine what, if anything, he arranged. And that will surely be beneficial at some point in the future.” Otto explained with clenched fists, as this time Subaru experienced irritation welling up inside himself.

[Assistant] —In his own way, Otto wanted to trust Roswaal. But regardless of how he felt about the current Roswaal and his future actions, he could not just easily forgive the past schemes that might or might not even exist.

[User] “So what you wanted out of the book of knowledge wasn’t anything about the future.”

[Assistant] “It was what was recorded in the past. I wanted confirmation that no one else inside our camp will be hurt. That is why I retrieved the book and sent it out to be restored… I’m sorry for my selfish actions.” Otto lowered his head and apologized.

[User] Subaru had nothing to say, since he or Emilia also should have noticed the things that Otto had been worrying about. He was struck again by just how much Otto was saving him day in and day out without his even realizing it.

[Assistant] “I’m not going to talk about that. It would just be boring.” Realizing what Subaru must have been thinking from his expression, Otto raised his head and cut him off.

[User] In the end, the discomfort just deepened as Subaru scratched his head and sighed. “I understand now. And I can understand why you picked up the book. I’m not mad, either…but them wanting the book is definitely a problem.


[User] "What are we going to do about it?”

[Assistant] “Regardless of the result, I was thinking of recovering the book now, whatever state it might be in. It’s quite possible that Darts has been injured in all of this, and I don’t want it to fall into the cultists’ hands even by chance. It is my responsibility.”

[User] “…Taking back the four towers is our top priority. We can’t afford to divert any fighting forces for that.”

[Assistant] “Need I remind you that I managed to make my way through this dangerous city and even bring the Sword Saint with me? And while I may look like this, I’m particularly skilled at finding a way to survive by relying upon the aid of animals around me,” Otto explained, pointing to his lips in a veiled reference to his blessing of language.

[User] “That’s not enough to remove all doubt, but that’s the same for everyone simply by being here in this city, and you have to put all your effort into recovering Lady Emilia. We both have weighty responsibilities.”

[Assistant] “I know. I’ll slap Greed down and marry Emilia. Those are my jobs here.”

[User] “Feel free to do your best on the latter if you’d like, but that’s the spirit, at least.” Seeing Subaru steel his resolve again, Otto turned back toward the meeting room.

[Assistant] Nodding at his suggestion to return.

[User] Subaru started to turn toward the door as well—

[Assistant] "—Sir Subaru.” A soft voice called from the stairway, stopping him in his tracks.

[User] Turning back.

[Assistant] He was met by Wilhelm’s gaze. The same Wilhelm who should have been by Crusch’s side.

[User] “You go back first, Otto.”

[Assistant] “Understood. I’ll keep the discussion on track.” Nodding to Wilhelm, Otto returned to the meeting room.

[User] Meanwhile, Subaru headed over to Wilhelm, who bowed slightly. “My humblest apologies for not joining the meeting. I’ve caused you all nothing but trouble.”

[Assistant] “It is what it is, Wilhelm. No one thinks badly of you for it. And um…how is Ms. Crusch?” He had heard that she was in a poor state—in fact, he had practically been told she had been hurt badly. Badly enough that it would be difficult for her to be seen like that, given her beauty.

[User] Seeing the concern that Subaru could not fully hide, Wilhelm averted his blue eyes. “She opened her eyes just moments ago. It is still too early to say for sure, though…”

[Assistant] “She woke up?! That’s a huge relief! I was so worried.”

[User] “—Lady Crusch asked me to call for you. Could I perhaps trouble you to accompany me?”

[Assistant] Subaru rejoiced at the good news, but he cocked his head at Wilhelm’s next statement.


[User] But—“She has requested it herself. Still, please understand that Ferris is by no means excited about it.”

[Assistant] “…No, he wouldn’t be, would he?” What Ferris had said before was still eating away at his heart.

[User] Ultimately, he hadn’t been able to give her any reliable help, and Ferris likely hadn’t forgiven him for that yet on an emotional level, even if he understood the reasons.

[Assistant] And Subaru could understand that feeling so badly it hurt.

[User] “Ferris might say something impolitic, but please do not heed it. And if possible, I would ask you to forgive it. He understands, but there are some feelings that he just cannot help.”

[Assistant] “I can understand hating everyone around you when you can’t do anything to help someone precious to you. I don’t want to assume that one moment’s darkness is all there is to a person.”

[User] If venting like that could help him calm down a little bit, then who could blame him? Subaru had the resolve to stand there and take it if that was what he needed.

[Assistant] “…This way.” Closing his eyes at that, Wilhelm led Subaru to his master’s room. For a moment, their two sets of controlled footsteps echoed in the hallway.

[User] “Sir Subaru, there is one thing I would like to report from the battle at the tower.”

[Assistant] “What? Something other than Crusch…?”

[User] “It is about the cultists who accompanied the Archbishop…those two fighters.”

[Assistant] Subaru caught his breath slightly; It was a problem he had imagined.

[User] “One of them is Eight-Arms Kurgan. A general of the Empire of Volakia and a swordsman who desired to be the strongest above all else. He was an eight-armed greatsword user who wielded four different greatswords. He died over ten years ago.”

[Assistant] “If he died already, then, um, doesn’t that…?”

[User] “And the other one…” Wilhelm continued, cutting Subaru off. He stopped walking and Subaru stopped as well. His back to Subaru, Wilhelm remained silent.

[Assistant] Instinctively took a step forward, coming up beside him—and immediately regretted it. That was something he should not have seen.

[User] “—The other is the previous Sword Saint, Theresia van Astrea. My wife, who should have fallen to the White Whale and died in the expedition fifteen years ago.” His voice remained calm.

[Assistant] Subaru saw how painfully warped the Sword Devil’s face was. Rage and pain and a swirling, dark emotion that could not be described in a single word were threatening to tear the man apart.


[User] "Is there any chance that your wife and the empire’s general are somehow both still alive…?"

[Assistant] “…No, it is not possible. My wife and Kurgan are both dead. That is an indisputable fact. However, there is a fool somewhere on this earth who has disgraced their memories in death.” Wilhelm gritted his teeth as he confirmed that his wife really was dead.

[User] Subaru thought about that. —A blasphemous desecration of the dead. In other words, a type of necromancy. Some sort of magic to manipulate corpses was a staple of fantasy genres. Naturally, in a fictional world, it would not be that odd for a magic for reviving the dead to exist, but there was no convenient magic like that in this world. The dead could not be revived. That was an unwritten ironclad rule that Subaru had learned over the course of the past year and change. So Kurgan and Theresia’s being there was not the result of resurrection, but of someone using magic in order to turn the dead into puppets.

[Assistant] “There were once those who could manipulate the dead using a forbidden technique. During the Demi-human War decades ago, several people joined the demi-human side during the kingdom’s internal struggle and became the kingdom’s greatest enemies by raising a host of corpses to add to their ranks.”

[User] “The kingdom’s greatest enemies, capable of raising a host of the dead…”

[Assistant] “The hero of the demi-humans Libre Fermi, the great strategist Valga Cromwell, and—” Wilhelm paused for a second. "The witch Sphinx. A being most foul who caused an ocean of blood to be spilled by both humans and demi-humans alike without even batting an eye. The one and only witch other than the Witch of Envy who left her bloody name in the kingdom’s history.”

[User] Wilhelm named a witch Subaru had never heard of before. The witches Subaru knew were Envy—Satella—and the six others associated with the deadly sins, whom he’d met in Echidna’s tomb. That there were more witches came out of nowhere.

[Assistant] “Then, do you think that that Sphinx is connected with this situation now?”

[User] “No. My apologies, I was not clear enough. The witch Sphinx was destroyed back during that war and is most certainly dead. She is surely not connected to the current incident.”

[Assistant] “She’s dead? You’re sure, right? A witch pretending to die in order to be able to act freely sort of fits the mental image I have of them.”

[User] There was the way Satella appeared whenever Subaru came close to the taboo of revealing his Return by Death ability, and there was the way Echidna was living it up in her domain after having died, too. “They don’t die no matter how many times you kill them, almost like cockroaches…”

[Assistant] “I cannot speak to the sort of impression you may have of witches, but Sphinx was merely referred to as a witch out of convenience.


[User] "The more important point is the magic that Sphinx used."

[Assistant] "Which is a magic to raise the dead…?"

[User] "At the time, they were commonly called corpse soldiers. That taboo technique is the most likely culprit behind the current situation."

[Assistant] Corpse soldiers was a blunt, easy-to-understand, and brutal phrase.

[User] A dead person, someone who had been lost, was moving again, and calling them a corpse soldier hammered home the reality of the situation.

[Assistant] And Wilhelm’s beloved wife was being used as one of those corpse soldiers.

[User] Subaru could not even begin to imagine what he was feeling.

[Assistant] "My wife passed away. I was unable to protect her."

[User] Subaru regretted his bitter expression, because it had made Wilhelm feel compelled to say it again.

[Assistant] His foolish inability to keep his emotions from showing had forced Wilhelm to repeat it.

[User] There was nothing he could say as he watched the older swordsman’s face.

[Assistant] Not a single thing.

[User] "Apologies for keeping you here so long. I mustn’t make Lady Crusch wait any longer. Please proceed inside." Wilhelm bowed and pointed to the door at the end of the hall.

[Assistant] The farthest room.

[User] That was where Crusch was waiting for Subaru.

[Assistant] His feet were heavy, like the bottoms of his shoes were clinging to the floor.

[User] That was surely an expression of the weakness of his heart as he started to feel daunted.