[User] Subaru met her gaze before taking a deep breath. When he stopped to think about it, it was an odd situation. He never would have imagined that, by themselves, he and Anastasia would try to figure out how to deal with the problems afflicting a city that had been plunged into chaos. "—We haven’t spoken face-to-face like this since the night before the White Whale hunt, have we?”

[Assistant] "What a coincidence. I was just thinking the same thing. We were talking about facing off against a dangerous enemy that time, too, huh…? I guess this’ll be our second time as witnesses to history in the making."

[User] "Witnessing history, huh? That’s a pretty haughty way to put it. But yeah, I suppose it’s true.”

[Assistant] Subaru looked dubious as Anastasia nodded to herself, mulling something over. It felt out of character for her. She was usually so direct about everything, but she seemed to be hesitating for some reason. “Let’s not beat around the bush, Anastasia. I guess we don’t really know each other well enough to say we don’t need to hold anything back, but you went out of your way to have Julius leave us alone, so you must have something you wanted to talk about, right?”

[User] Anastasia had instructed Julius to leave the two of them alone because she had a reason. And hearing that, Anastasia said “Yeah” with a nod and exhaled. And then she looked Subaru in the eye as she began to speak. “Let me ask you directly, then: Beatrice is an artificial spirit, isn’t she?”

[Assistant] Subaru caught his breath. Something about Anastasia’s question made it sound like she was already certain of the answer.

[User] “—Yeah, that’s right. Beatrice is an artificial spirit, and most likely the cultists had her in mind when they mentioned it in their demands.” Subaru quietly acknowledged Anastasia’s suspicion without trying to dodge the subject.

[Assistant] “Her origin is a little unique, but other than being incomparably cute, there isn’t anything particularly special about her. I can’t even guess what they might want with her.”


[User] “I doubt anyone else in the city is carrying around an artificial spirit, so it’s safe to assume that they are after Beatrice… Anastasia…?” Having said that much, Subaru cocked his head.

[Assistant] “Huh? Uh, yeah…” She nodded, still surprised. “You’re awfully…open about it. Even though it might put her in danger.”

[User] “We’re trying to figure out who the enemy are after, right? They’re the only ones who would benefit if I held back now. And given the situation, I’m the one who needs everyone’s help the most, so it’s natural I lay my cards on the table first.” Subaru responded with a shrug.

[Assistant] “…Yeah, they really are the only ones who benefit from us holding back…” Anastasia’s soft response had a heaviness to it, but before Subaru could probe further, Anastasia touched her scarf, which was seeming more and more like a nervous habit of hers, before shaking her head. “I had thought it would be difficult to say in front of everyone else, but I guess I was worried over nothing.”

[User] “Everyone in our camp knows about Beako, so it would’ve gotten out sooner or later. Besides, I have no intention of negotiating with terrorists, and I assume we’re on the same page there, right?”

[Assistant] “Agreed. I don’t know what a terro-whatever is, but I refuse to let the cultists get even one of their demands met. If we gave them what they wanted, there’s no mistaking they would just sink the city anyway—and I refuse to let that happen.” Anastasia’s suddenly overwhelming resolve gave Subaru goose bumps.

[User] “Anastasia, what happened at the Muse Company?”


[User] Subaru was careful broaching the topic, aware that something particularly bad had likely happened.

[Assistant] “…It was after Julius and Ricardo went with y’all to take back city hall.”

[User] Anastasia did her best to contain the emotion creeping into her voice. At the same time that they had been fighting over there, Anastasia and the Muse Company had been viciously attacked—

[Assistant] “—An Archbishop with bandages covering her whole body attacked us.”


[User] “Lady Anastasia, we’ve ascertained something troubling.” Kiritaka looked pale as he broached the subject.

[Assistant] Anastasia furrowed her brow. She had just received a report from her conversation mirror on the table that the squad dispatched to retake city hall was engaging the cultists. Once the battle started, all she could do was sit and wait for good news. It was frustrating, but given that she could not take part in battle, her only choice was to ride out times like this with prayers and faith in her people. That was why she had silently prepared herself in front of the conversation mirror like always, but—

[User] “That doesn’t sound like good news. What happened?”

[Assistant] “I imagine you are aware that I’ve ordered my subordinates to protect the members of the Council of Ten.”

[User] “You mentioned that, yes. If they are captured by the other side, then it would only be a matter of time before the location of the Witch’s bones you are hiding gets out. You don’t mean to say…” Anastasia’s expression clouded.

[Assistant] “Has someone been caught—and the location already been revealed…?”

[User] “…No, it is far graver than that. The Council of Ten has been wiped out. According to the reports, every last member other than me has been slain.”

[Assistant] “What?” Anastasia had prepared herself for the worst, but that was even darker news than she could have imagined.

[User] Seeing her reaction, Kiritaka shook his head, visibly agitated. “Every last one. My subordinates confirmed they were all found dead either at their homes or in their workplaces. Judging from the conditions of their bodies, they were likely dead before the first broadcast occurred.”

[Assistant] “Wait a minute; that doesn’t make any sense. Aren’t they after the remains…?” Getting that far, Anastasia suddenly came to a perfectly reasonable explanation. She had just naturally said “they,” but the Witch Cult was not the sort of group that logically worked together toward a single goal. Currently, there were at least three different Archbishops whose presence in Pristella had been confirmed, but the plan to take back city hall had been predicated in part on the assumption that they were ill-suited to working together. When she considered that as well as the fact that the members of the council had been killed, a hypothesis started to present itself. Though it was hard to believe…

[User] “Only members of the Council of Ten know the location of the Witch’s bones. And the recovery of the remains is their goal.


[User] "And yet someone is murdering the people who know that location one after the other… It doesn’t make sense unless there are two competing goals at work here.”

[Assistant] “One faction that wants the Witch’s bones, and another faction that wants to stop them?” Kiritaka had apparently reached the same conclusion.

[User] “…If Natsuki is to be believed, it might not even be only two different sides.” Anastasia responded with an even more unappealing thought. Honestly, it would almost be funny was it not so deadly serious: The cultists were maliciously illogical. Their inability to work together was both an opening to exploit and one of the sources of their utter unpredictability. And as galling as it was to say about the lost members of the council, their deaths could not even really be called the worst outcome, since they meant the remains were still safe from being stolen, and the city wouldn’t be immediately plunged beneath the waves. But they also made clear—

[Assistant] “I’m sure you realize it, too, Mr. Kiritaka, but…”

[User] “Their next target is surely this company and me. Lady Anastasia, you should prepare to evacuate the premises.”

[Assistant] “—What are you planning?” Dispensing with the details, Anastasia questioned Kiritaka directly about what he intended to do. She recognized his resolve as a representative of the city and his strong sense of duty as a member of the Council of Ten. She could understand his position, but—

[User] “Don’t go throwing your life away, y’hear? No matter what happens, just keep breathing.” Anastasia forcefully stared him down as Kiritaka raised his eyebrows in surprise.

[Assistant] “…I’m surprised. I would have expected you to be more inclined to cut losses.”

[User] “Did you think I was obsessed with money above all else? My company trades under the motto ‘Your friendly neighborhood shop.’”

[Assistant] “Pardon me. Were time permitting, I would have loved to get to know you better over a meal, but…”

[User] “You’ve got your Songstress you’ve set your heart on, right? Don’t go cheating on her behind her back.”

[Assistant] “Yes, you’re right—and unfortunately time won’t permit it, either.”

[User] Anastasia’s jaw clenched. He was right. There was no time. If the enemy who was after the council members was coming for Kiritaka next, then the Muse Company would be an ideal hunting ground—and there were far too many people there who could not fight. "I’m aware it is not my place to do so, but I’ve already ordered my subordinates to begin escorting all those who fled here as well as anyone who is injured to the nearest shelter. You should take the members of the Iron Fangs and Ferris and escape as well. My subordinates and I will act separately. It is too dangerous for me to go with you.”

[Assistant] “You have some place in mind to go, right?”

[User] “Of course. I have no intention of sitting around waiting to die…” Kiritaka straightened the sleeves of his white outfit and flashed a smile.


[User] "—gh!" The crashing sound of a storm of broken glass pummeled Anastasia’s ears. She immediately dove to the floor.

[Assistant] Anastasia slips the conversation mirror she had reflexively grabbed into her pocket, and looks up.

[User] Kiritaka had also dropped to the floor, but he immediately leaped up and shouted out the door. "What happened?! Someone report…"

[Assistant] "—Sorry? And thank you."

[User] Anastasia immediately grabs Kiritaka’s sleeve and pulled him down with all her might.

[Assistant] Anastasia was light, but when she used her full body weight, the slender Kiritaka could not resist and fell down backward. A golden chain tore through the stone wall, passing right through where he had been standing. A cloud of dust jumped into the air, accompanied by the grating cacophony of destruction as the golden chain spun and wreaked havoc across the entire floor.

[User] Kiritaka just barely avoided the attack thanks to Anastasia pulling at his sleeve.


[Assistant] "Ahh, aaaaah, magnificent. Caring for one another, helping one another, entrusting oneself to another—those bonds are what allowed you to survive! You’ve shown me something so…so wonderfully beautiful. It deserves a round of applause." A high, cracking voice rang out as someone approached, glass crunching underfoot with each step.

[User] Anastasia and Kiritaka caught their breath as the footsteps finally reached them. The half-broken door was kicked in. Breaking through the door by force, a grotesque figure emerged from the dust cloud—a hideous presence covered from head to toe in white bandages, with silver hair and purple eyes that seemed to be glaring at everything in the world.

[Assistant] "...The Archbishop of Wrath…"

[User] "Oh, to think you would know little old me without even needing an introduction! How embarrassing. My reputation precedes me, apparently. It would be nice if it wasn’t due to nasty rumors." When she put her hand in front of her mouth, the chain rattled intrusively.

[Assistant] "I am Sirius Romanée-Conti, serving as Archbishop of Wrath. I hope you’ll treat me kindly." The monster, Sirius, bowed politely, greeting them with unreserved affection.


[User] In the face of such a twisted being, Anastasia could not help but gasp for air, as if her soul were desperately trying to free itself.

[Assistant] "Can you stand, Lady Anastasia?" The monster was just a stone’s throw away. Kiritaka cursed his quivering knees as he forced himself to his feet.

[User] "Huh? Wh—? Do you even need to ask…?" Anastasia had started to respond when she felt a swell of animosity rising in her heart. A swell of fear rose, threatening to break her spirit as she tried to stand. She could not maintain the strength in her slender legs, and her gasping for breath grew more and more pained. Forget standing; she was on the verge of collapsing on the spot.

[Assistant] "Ugh!"

[User] "Hah!"

[Assistant] "—gh? !" An intense shock wave turned the shards of glass scattered around the room into a deadly whirlwind. The bandaged creature absorbed the full brunt of it with a groan and fell back. The ceiling cracked between the monster and Anastasia, and two shadows fell to the ground—two small figures, orange ears and tails standing on end, the cat siblings howling on all fours.

[User] "Hetaro! TB!" Anastasia had been overwhelmed by dread, but when she saw them, her eyes shot open.

[Assistant] "Are you safe, miss? !" They only glanced back, still focused on Sirius. Their high shouts stirred Anastasia’s heart.

[User] "I’m…fine. This is nothing! But are y’all okay? !" She stomped her foot with everything she had. The kitten siblings were supposed to be sleeping and recovering from the heavy wounds they had endured in order to keep their elder sister Mimi alive despite the incurable wound she had received. They should not have been able to move, and yet here they were. Anastasia was worried that something terrible had happened to Mimi.

[Assistant] "-F-Ferris?" Overhead, Anastasia spotted a cat-eared girl—who turned out to actually be the knight who specialized in wind, Ferris—peering down from the hole the two had made in the ceiling.

[User] "Ferri used a forbidden technique! The same thing I did with Subawu’s leg!" Ferris shook his head as he pointed to Hetaro and TB.

[Assistant] "Natsuki’s…" Hearing that, Anastasia remembered what condition Subaru had been in when the attack squad departed. After encountering cultists earlier, Subaru had been badly wounded, to the point where he had trouble even walking. But he was still determined to fight, so Ferris had performed a special intervention, using a technique that let him not feel the pain.

[User] Blood was pooling at their feet. Crimson already stained the bandages wrapped around their bodies beneath their white robes.


[User] In exchange for not feeling pain, the two of them—no, all three of them were having their lives shaved away. Unease swelled, tearing at Anastasia’s heart, burning away inside her—

[Assistant] “—Miss! Eyes forward! !”

[User] “I…” Anastasia gulped at Hetaro’s question.

[Assistant] “—Hetaro, TB, stall for time. Can you two hold out for two minutes?” The strain visible on her face, she asked them to carry a heavy load on their small backs.

[User] “Sis would have told us to help you no matter how much it might hurt! We’re just following through! What about you? What will you do, miss?” He was normally so well behaved and reserved, usually having to be the responsible one who held back the uninhibited Mimi or the boisterous Ricardo. But this time, he was howling and coughing up blood.

[Assistant] The two of them did not even turn, their long tails swaying left and right.

[User] “Sis would say, ‘Leave it to me!’”

[Assistant] “We’d be pretty cool if we could pull it off!”


[User] Hetaro and TB were still smiling, even in the face of everything. They kicked off the floor—and then the wall, closing with the enemy.

[Assistant] Sirius blocked their staffs with her arms. Faced with the two brothers’ teamwork, the monster’s purple eyes flared. “Such adorable sibling love. Are you twins? Ah, how truly endearing…”

[User] “Sorry, but—!”

[Assistant] “We’re the younger two of triplets!” The metallic chain spun, crashing into a blue magic barrier.

[User] Leaving the battlefield being viciously carved away to the brothers, Anastasia looked up.

[Assistant] “Ferris! Use my people to get Mimi and Beatrice out of here! We’ll meet back up outside!”

[User] “—Ngh. Y-yes, ma’am! Understood!”

[Assistant] Seeing Ferris slip away from the hole, Anastasia grabbed Kiritaka’s sleeve and ran to the window. The door out of the room had become a battlefield that the two of them could not pass, so they would simply have to use an emergency exit, and it wasn’t like there were any other choices.

[User] “Ugh, kh…” Stepping out of the window frame, she set one foot on the ledge outside. At the lip was an emergency ladder that was set up to allow travel downstairs along the outside of the building. Anastasia clenched her fingers tightly, using the pain to stop trembling before climbing down. They had been on the third floor of the building, so they went back inside at the second-floor window.

[Assistant] “It’s a little…too soon…to breathe easy…”

[User] Hetaro and TB were still fighting strong on the floor above. The longer it took, though, the more dangerous it became for them, and the more dangerous it became for Mimi, too. It would not be difficult for Ferris to get everyone out of the fourth floor if he directed the Iron Fangs well. The problem was where to go after escaping the Muse Company building—

[Assistant] “—Meeting up with everyone who went to city hall would be best,” Anastasia concluded after getting her head in gear.

[User] “Agreed. It would be best to preserve the greatest chance possible of you joining up with them,” Kiritaka said, panting.

[Assistant] She understood what he was getting at. It was the same sort of logic he had expressed before Sirius appeared. The enemy was after the Council of Ten, so they needed to limit the damage while preserving a way out as well as they could. Knowing just how hard it would be to get away with that Archbishop harrying them while they tried to escape.

[User] “Try to hurry to the center of the city as quickly as you can. My subordinates and I will draw that thing’s attention.”

[Assistant] Anastasia could not say anything in the face of his determination. The more calmly she tried to think it through, the clearer it became that that was the most reasonable conclusion. They could not save everyone, so at the very least they needed to make deliberate decisions that would save the most people instead.

[User] “Young master, we’ve made our preparations.


[User] "Let’s do this in style.” As the two of them went out into the hall, narration indicates Kiritaka’s subordinates, the White Dragon’s Scale, were gathering. Seeing them already prepared for battle, Kiritaka calmly shrugged.

[Assistant] “In style, huh? You know, I was always more partial to reserved and calm performances…”

[User] “I don’t want a lecture about reserve from the man who fell head over heels for Liliana! What a crock!” Narration indicates The men waiting for the order to rush past the line between life and death burst into laughter. It was too close a relationship to be described by a word like subordinate, but Anastasia could see herself in Kiritaka. He loved the White Dragon’s Scale just as she loved the Iron Fangs, and he was putting his life on the line to protect his beautiful city alongside his beloved comrades. No one who saw it could fail to be struck by the tragic heroism of it. The faces of men going off to fight for something they loved, for something they took pride in.

[Assistant] “…That’s not fair at all…” Anastasia murmured to herself.

[User] “—Lady Anastasia, I leave Pristella in your hands.” Kiritaka entrusted Anastasia with his beloved city as he prepared to set foot on the battlefield. Anastasia bit her lip at his earnest plea as he continued—his voice filled with love, expectation, and devotion. "Please protect this beautiful city…and my beloved Songstress from these villains.”

[Assistant] “Mr. Kiritaka and the folks from the White Dragon’s Scale stayed behind while we retreated with Hetaro and TB—that’s what happened at the company building.”

[User] “And you joined back up with everyone else here at city hall?”

[Assistant] “Mm-hmm. It was rough with the floodgate opening while we were in the middle of moving everybody. If we’d been any slower to notice, we’d be up the creek by now…but we avoided the worst of it.” Anastasia paused, having finished telling her lurid story. Subaru heaved a big sigh. They had done well to hold off Sirius’s assault on the Muse Company and then escape with such minimal losses considering how little fighting power had stayed behind after they committed almost everything to the city hall assault. "The city’s representatives, the Council of Ten, have been destroyed. Mr. Kiritaka’s gone missing…and that same Mr. Kiritaka left this town to me to protect—and there’s no way I’m not living up to that promise.” Anastasia shook her head at what Subaru was thinking, her clenched hands white as her nails dug into her palms, almost like she was engraving the duty with which she had been entrusted into her skin like a curse. Subaru finally realized what the real source of the rage she was feeling was.

[User] “Getting saved is a debt, and debts have to be settled. That’s my pride as a Kararagi merchant and my obligation if I’m gonna call myself Hoshin.” Anastasia’s powerful, pointed determination, her firm stance, made it clear to Subaru just how fierce the struggle at the Muse Company must have been.


[User] "Debts have to be settled, huh…? Then I don’t have much choice but to pay my dues as well." Subaru apologized from the bottom of his heart to the man who had gone missing for all the rude things he had thought about him before.

[Assistant] "Sorry for going out of order on you. But the gist of it is: I’ve got my reasons to not back down. And I’d bet you’re in the same spot, right?"

[User] "Yeah, you got that right. I dunno what they want with an artificial spirit, but I’ll be damned if I let them lay a finger on my Beako." Subaru clenched his fists, his hatred for the cultists clear to see.

[Assistant] "Mm, that’ll do, then." Anastasia looked down at the map on the table again and pointed to the control towers at the four edges of the city. "In that case, let’s press on. The other things the cultists demanded…"

[User] "About that, I’ve got something I should tell you."

[Assistant] "The book of knowledge—it no longer exists in this world anymore. Burned to ashes."

[User] "...Care to explain? I couldn’t figure anything out about that book, and it has been bothering me."

[Assistant] "How do I put it…? The book of knowledge is sort of like a prototype of the Gospels that the cultists have…it’s what the Gospels were originally based on and is also a more complete version.


[User] "It’s set up to predict the future the same way the Dragon Tablet works, apparently.”

[Assistant] "That sounds pretty hard to believe, but you said it was burned?”

[User] “Yeah. There were two books, and they were both burned. So it shouldn’t exist anymore.”

[Assistant] “You keep saying ‘exist.’ Where’d you hear that?”

[User] “…From the Witch who made them…” Subaru’s face screwed into a scowl.

[Assistant] Anastasia’s eyes widened at his response. She chewed over the word Witch for a moment, as if making sure she’d heard him right. “And this isn’t your usual joking around, right? You’re serious?”

[User] “Yeah, deadly serious. You said it before yourself, right? There were other witches besides the Witch of Jealousy. One even died in this city, and her remains are still here somewhere, right?”

[Assistant] “That’s a dead one, though. That’s still believable. But from what you said, it sure sounds like you actually met a witch and talked to her. And from the look on your face, it wasn’t exactly pleasant, either.”

[User] “Yeah, I met one and talked to her, all right. And got tricked and set up by her, too. And, well, a lot happened. You get the picture.” It would be a long story if he talked about everything that had happened in the Sanctuary and in the tomb. It was a bit rude, but there was not much Subaru could say about the Witch Echidna. Or more bluntly, he really did not want to talk about her. For better or worse, Echidna had lodged some sharp thorns deep in Subaru’s heart that were not going to just go away. “Anyway, the only two copies of it that existed in this world were both burned, so the cultists missed their mark there. It should be safe to just ignore that demand of theirs.”

[Assistant] “—But can you really trust what that witch you met said?” Anastasia fired back adroitly.

[User] “” Subaru was at a loss for a moment, his eyes snapping open in shock at how the gears in his head had just stopped turning.

[Assistant] “You’ve got your thoughts about her and clearly don’t trust her at all. But you still believe what she said. Sounds like she is a bit of a troublesome sort of person for you.”

[User] “…I couldn’t agree more. You pretty much summed it all up perfectly. I have no intention of trusting her, so it’s weird that I don’t doubt that at all.” The things Echidna had said, the understanding she had shown: They had all been a performance in order to turn Subaru into her puppet. But did that mean he should assume everything she’d said was a lie? And was that vague uncertainty just him wanting to believe there was more to her, or was he still just getting led around by the nose by that know-it-all Witch? The same Witch who had sympathized with how painful Subaru’s Return by Death was.


[User] "I can’t comment on your connection with that Witch, and I’m grateful to at least get a little more information. But…"

[Assistant] "But?" Subaru furrowed his brow, his uncertainty about what he really thought leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

[User] "The cultists went out of their way to demand it on the broadcast. Maybe they just didn’t know the book had been burned, but…I think we should consider other possibilities." Anastasia gently talked around the point as Subaru looked down.

[Assistant] It did not exist; that was what Subaru wanted to believe: The book of knowledge did not currently exist. If that was a lie, it would mean Echidna had lied to Subaru again. And while he could not explain why, that would make him feel disappointed for some reason.

[User] "—Natsuki." Anastasia’s voice pulled him back as he slipped into a sea of thoughts.

[Assistant] "Ah, my bad. Um, so what’s left is…"

[User] "There’s still the Witch’s bones, but we can just leave that for now. The city hasn’t been sunk, which is proof enough they don’t have the bones yet…though it doesn’t tell us anything about Mr. Kiritaka’s current status."

[Assistant] "Yeah…and the last demand was…"

[User] "—‘The silver-haired maiden’s wedding.’" Anastasia supplied the words Subaru struggled to say. Her gaze bore only a simple question. There was no particularly deep meaning to it, just a doubt born of not being able to grasp what his aim was.

[Assistant] There was no one who could fail to guess who ‘the silver-haired maiden’ meant. As for why the cultists insisted on that demand—

[User] "That bastard doesn’t have any ulterior motive or anything. He absolutely meant it exactly how it sounds. He’s serious about putting on a wedding."

[Assistant] "…With everything going on here?"

[User] "He’s an Archbishop of the Witch Cult. He’d do what he wanted in the middle of Armageddon. They all would. And what pisses me off even more is he has the strength to make it happen." The image of the white-haired man carrying Emilia under his arm flashed through his head. When he was taking her away, he had insisted that all that mattered was appearance. A villain with nothing less than a loathsome level of transcendent strength—the Archbishop of Greed, Regulus Corneas.

[Assistant] Subaru could not say exactly who was responsible for the other demands, but he could confidently say that the marriage demand was 100 percent Greed’s. "That freaking nutjob… No, I guess that fits all of them. Beatrice, the book of knowledge that may or may not even exist anymore, the fate of this whole city, and Emilia! You think I’d let them have anything?! Over my dead body!"

[User] It was hard to believe they could concoct a more insane setup. The only explanation he could come up with was that they were all, every last one of them, living under some different idea of rationality or common sense, some extradimensional way of thinking.


[User] "...I was hoping for just that sort of reaction, but that was even better than I expected." Seeing Subaru breathing hard after getting so worked up, Anastasia relaxed her expression in a moment of approval.

[Assistant] "You looked an awful lot like Ricardo there."

[User] "I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. Can’t go messing things up between us until after we take back the city." Anastasia joked before her expression turned serious again.

[Assistant] "Like we discussed, we won’t give them anything. I’ve got a duty to see through here. To Mr. Kiritaka, for sure, but also to Emilia and Crusch."

[User] "Emilia and Crusch and the rest of you came to Pristella on my invitation. All of you are my guests. Letting you get hurt like this… I ain’t gonna take this humiliation lying down." Her pale-aquamarine eyes were filled with deep resolve, and she stared into Subaru’s eyes, asking if he was ready to fight.

[Assistant] "We’ll need to be prepared to make the necessary sacrifices. Looks like you’ve made up your mind, too."

[User] "Necessary sacrifices…"

[Assistant] "Everyone’s shrinking back ’cause we lost, but can y’all accept where things are standing right now? I sure won’t. I’m gonna fight with everything I can lay hands on. I’ll worry about excuses for why I lost when I’m dead." Her usually gentle, peaceful expression was consumed by a savage drive.

[User] "There is always another chance, as long as you’re still alive. I won’t let people throw away their lives. It’s too heartbreaking." The determination welling from her small, slender body was powerful enough to make Subaru forget she was not someone who spent her time out on the battlefield— No, that wasn’t quite right. They were already standing on her battlefield. And when it came to talks like these, Anastasia Hoshin was a grizzled veteran.

[Assistant] "It’s entirely possible Lust has the ability to change Crusch and the people she transformed back. And we still don’t know where Mr. Kiritaka is, but that’s all. And you aren’t planning on just leaving your precious princess in some stranger’s hands, either, right?"

[User] "—Hell no! If they’re going to give us four demands, then we should hit back with a little something of our own." Subaru was tired of getting pummeled so one-sidedly. Fed up with just doing what he was told.

[Assistant] "We’ll save Emilia from that freak, kick Gluttony’s ass and get him to spit out Rem’s memories, bash Sirius for screwing with the entire city’s emotions, and make Capella beg for mercy while changing everyone back!


[User] "Then we save the city, and boom, everybody lives happily ever after!”

[Assistant] "Yeah, that sounds good to me.” Anastasia gently wrapped her hand around Subaru's thrust out fist. It was not the reaction he’d expected, but it was at least proof they were on the same wavelength.

[User] Anastasia still wanted to put up a fierce fight, and Subaru could stand behind that sentiment wholeheartedly.

[Assistant] “Let’s save this city, Ms. Anastasia. We’ll do it with our own hands.” Nodding to Anastasia, Subaru looked down at the map on the table again. It marked every location in the city, but it could not show the faces of the people living there. So he closed his eyes and imagined something else instead. He etched Emilia, Rem, and all the people he wanted to save onto the insides of his eyelids—In order to keep fighting to save the city and all the people who were precious to him.


[User] "Milady. And Subaru, too. So you were here.” Julius was standing in the doorway, a trace of relief appearing in his eyes. Stepping over the crack running through the floor with his long legs, he entered the room and approached the two of them. In what was surely an unconscious habit, he touched his bangs as his golden eyes looked out across the trampled, scorched-black room on the top floor of the tower.

[Assistant] “Why are you here?”

[User] “Natsuki said he wanted to check something. We only just came up here,” Anastasia said, gesturing with her chin to where Subaru was kneeling on the sooty floor.

[Assistant] Subaru was looking farther back in the room, to where a distinctive-looking metia was located. It was the broadcast metia used to communicate with the entire city. It should have been swept up in the battle with Capella and the black dragon’s attack, but it had almost miraculously avoided any damage. Subaru breathed easily as he made sure it was still working.

[User] “I see… How did your discussion with Subaru go?”

[Assistant] “It went a little long, but I’d say it was a constructive talk. It looks like he’s had it up to here with everything, same as me. How are things on your end?”

[User] “As you instructed, I set the members of the Iron Fangs to patrol in shifts. For better or worse, there have not been any noteworthy developments…”

[Assistant] “That sure sounds like bad news. Without an obvious turn for the better, things are just gonna get worse as time passes… That’s just how unease works,” Anastasia responded as she gently caressed her scarf.

[User] Subaru looked up at Julius.

[Assistant] “I visited one shelter before coming here. Any word how things are at the other ones?”

[User] “It pains me to be unable to share good tidings, but unfortunately the situation is poor everywhere. In most shelters, the people are currently in no condition to act, and most are just staring at their feet in fear and anxiety.


[User] “Proclamation…” Subaru stood up and murmured.

[Assistant] “Lust’s final threat before abandoning city hall. In addition to announcing the four demands, she also announced that those of us who attacked the tower had been turned back.”

[User] “…So she told everyone we lost. Framing it as a defeat is definitely exacerbating things.”

[Assistant] “It pains me to say, but it would be good fortune if they merely lost the will to remain standing. There are many who are responding in other ways. Several places are on the verge of crossing a dangerous threshold.”

[User] “We are rushing over as fast as we can to limit injuries to the best of our ability, but…” Julius hesitated.

[Assistant] “—There’s no stopping the flood once the dam bursts. Some shelters are beyond saving. And there have been more than a few deaths, too. It’s cowardly to avert our eyes from reality.”

[User] “…Milady…” Anastasia’s words forced him to face head-on the fact that there had already been losses.

[Assistant] “Pretending you don’t see it won’t make it disappear. The truth is all around us… What’s gotten into you, Julius?” Anastasia focused her increasingly scrutinizing gaze on her knight.

[User] “I would never…”

[Assistant] “This isn’t like you at all.” At first her voice was harsh and stern, but it gradually grew softer and more fragile, her eyes wavering.

[User] “…There have been victims. And there will be more. Given that we are trying to save as many people as possible, there is no avoiding the fact that we’ll have to give up on a few. We don’t have enough hands to do everything. So at the very least we can’t turn a blind eye to what that entails.”

[Assistant] “At least Natsuki is properly standing on his own two feet. Accepting that there have been losses and demonstrating the resolve for what’s to come. But what about you, Julius?”


[User] Ferris wallowing in his grief, Wilhelm bound by self-doubt and self-reproach, Ricardo baring his fangs in righteous indignation and annoyance, Garfiel running all over town in a fit of anxiety, Anastasia almost desperately doing her best to meet the expectations of the duty she had been entrusted with, and Julius struggling to break free from his indecision. They were all expressing their emotions, baring their hearts more because of the influence of Sirius’s ability. And Subaru was surely doing the same, too. “” Subaru came to that realization, Julius and Anastasia stared at each other. Julius was unable to escape his doubts, and a look of anguish crossed his handsome face as he closed his eyes. Anastasia’s logic was sound. She was telling him not to look away from the reality in front of him and demanding he show the resolve to face a fight in which sacrifices would be inevitable. And hearing that, Julius knew that he needed to set aside the troubles eating away at him. He tried again to steel his resolve. To join his master on the path to a victory that would only open up after he made many sacrifices and suffered many losses. If you tried to carry a giant armful of abbles, it would be impossible to avoid letting one or two slip away. And eventually the whole thing would come falling down. In order to avoid that, you had to pick which abbles to carry and which to leave behind. Even a child could understand that concept.

[Assistant] “—I think you’re misunderstanding something, Anastasia.” Subaru cut in for the first time.

[User] The other two looked over at him. While the feelings in their eyes were different, Subaru could tell they were not just emotional. Both were still thinking. “I swore to rescue this city together with you, but I have no intention of trying to sacrifice the few for the sake of the many.”

[Assistant] “…We decided on our main goal. I was pretty sure of that from what we discussed.” Anastasia’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna start with that unreasonable stuff now, too? If so, then you haven’t changed at all from that first time I laid eyes on you back at the castle. Even if it wasn’t the usual path, you’ve become a proper knight now, haven’t you?”

[User] “That’s right. I’m a full-fledged knight. And because I’m a knight, there are some things I just can’t give up on. That I refuse to give up on. If I gave up on them now, my reputation as a knight would be ruined,” Subaru said as he changed positions, moving next to Julius. He shrugged as Julius stood there frozen in place looking at him, and then Subaru puffed out his chest. If you were holding an armful of abbles, it was only natural that you eventually could not hold on to all of them.


[User] But because he was a knight, the things that Subaru was holding in his hands—what Julius was holding in his hands—they were not just a bunch of abbles. They were something far more precious. Something irreplaceable. They were not abbles that would not say anything if you gave up and let them fall. They were the lives of people. People who could cry and who got angry, too. People with families, with friends and people they loved. "I have no intention of letting a single one of them fall. Talking about resolve and determination sounds cool, but that’s just giving up with extra steps. And there’s nothing cool about that."

[Assistant] "—Ngh. Again with your foolishness… There were sacrifices during the battle with the White Whale and in the fight with the cultists afterward, too, but you weren’t spouting this same stupidly stubborn stuff then."

[User] "—Don’t take me for a fool, Anastasia." Subaru’s gaze sharpened when Anastasia brought up the White Whale and Petelgeuse. He was not going to back down on that point or let it go unchallenged. She was barking up the wrong tree if she thought that was how things would go. "The people who fought and fell in those fights were ready to give their lives. It’s sad that they died, and they definitely didn’t want to die, but they knew what they were getting into. And that makes all the difference—we can’t assume the residents of this city are the same."

[Assistant] It was a convenient argument, and maybe it did not really follow, and it was certainly easy to point to the double standard of criticizing one form of resolve while holding up a different kind. But it was a fact that there was a discernable difference. There was a certain resolve required in situations where lives were being put on the line. "The cultists made this city a battlefield, and that’s on them. But it’s wrong to let yourself get dragged into that same thinking and start talking about resolve when it comes to the normal, everyday people who got caught up in all this."

[User] "Whether we like it or not, the decision the cultists made is going to cause a lot of people who aren’t resolved to get hurt anyway, at which point they’re just going to have to steel themselves."

[Assistant] "There. That’s wrong. The cultists have made their own decision, and people who actually have the resolve should be the ones to go after them. If you ask me, having that resolve while always keeping that distinction in mind is what it means to be a knight. That’s how I would hope a knight would act, and that’s what I teach the kids in the village, too."

[User] After he had been knighted and gotten fawned over here and there, when Subaru finally became a proper knight like he had always imagined, that was the path he had naturally chosen.


[User] And when he swore to always live that way, the children had looked at him with sparkling eyes, so ever since he had tried to never bring shame to that vow. —And because when Emilia, who had been beside him, heard it, her eyes had shone, too. “I’m Emilia’s knight. I want to fight for her. But that doesn’t mean I’m only fighting to protect her. Julius is your knight, Anastasia. He wants to fight for you more than anyone else. If you order him, he’ll listen to you—but that isn’t enough to be satisfied. Because knights are by nature greedy people who want to look cool.”

[Assistant] “I always try to look cool even if it kills me. And so does Julius. Because he’s the Finest of Knights. That means he tries harder than anyone else to look the part.” Subaru pointed to Julius with his thumb as Anastasia fell silent. Partway through, Julius, who had been listening silently, suddenly caught his breath, and his eyes widened. An out-of-place, satisfied grin appeared on Subaru’s face when he saw how badly that had caught the both of them off guard. “You talked about necessary sacrifices before. But what I said was ‘Let’s save this city.’ Cities and countries aren’t just a bunch of buildings or swaths of land. They’re made up of people. At least according to a bunch of mangas and games.”

[User] Choosing at the outset to give up on someone and trying to save someone but failing were two different things. It was easy enough to convince yourself to discard a person in order to create a world you could be satisfied with, but—

[Assistant] “—Infecting other people with that self-satisfaction is what makes you no good. That there’s a heroic delusion that’ll swallow a crowd whole.”


[User] Another person suddenly butted in right as Subaru was in the process of trying to turn his naive belief into an idealistic theory. “Stare as hard as you like, it’s not going to change the fact that I didn’t bring you any presents. You’ll just have to make do with my smile. Not that you can see it like this, though.” The man wearing a black helmet met Subaru’s gaze.

[Assistant] “—Al.”

[User] The man in the iron helm shrugged as he joked with Subaru from the doorway. He slowly stepped into the room and headed over to them.

[Assistant] Still under the influence of her intense emotions just before, Anastasia responded gruffly. “You’re back awfully early.”

[User] “Strictly speaking, I’m not back, since this is a different place from before, but I feel bad about appearing again right after leaving, too.


[User] "Sorry for being a nuisance, but I didn’t come here because I particularly wanted to, either.” Al remained aloof in the face of Anastasia’s sharp response, but he wasn’t making light of the situation.

[Assistant] Subaru spoke up again as the mood in the room tensed. “Hey, I’ve got a lot I’d like to say, but at least you made it out safe. I was worried you got washed away.”

[User] “…I was lucky I happened to be on high ground when the water level started rising. And by chance, I happened to get a message for you, Bro. So don’t go shooting the messenger.”

[Assistant] Subaru furrowed his brow as Al responded with a casual tone and a shrug. Given the situation, Subaru was hard-pressed to imagine whom the message could be from. “Messenger? Who would send a message in a situation like this…?”

[User] “—It’s from your precious, precious princess.”

[Assistant] “—?! From Emilia? !” Subaru was thunderstruck by Al’s startling revelation, and he stared wide-eyed as if questioning whether the man was serious.

[User] Because of Al’s obscuring helmet, there was no way to glean any information from his eyes, but he nodded. “Even I wouldn’t joke about something like that. It’s exactly what I said, a message from your young master—she’s seriously doin’ crazy stuff behind enemy lines. Scaaaary,” Al said with a causal shrug. In contrast to his usual flippancy or his stinging irony, he gave an actual sigh. He looked Subaru in the eye and continued. "The blushing bride is waiting for her Prince Charming to come take her away before the wedding—I’m jealous, Bro.”


[User] "—Yes, that’s it exactly. As I thought, white really suits you."

[Assistant] “…Thank you…”

[User] Regulus responded cheerfully to seeing Emilia in her new white dress. After getting dressed by #184, she had been led from the changing room to Regulus’s room, where he was waiting.

[Assistant] This room was adorned with a twisted splendor far removed from the building’s overall cold feeling. Emilia furrowed her brow slightly, chalking it up to Regulus’s tastes.

[User] Noticing Emilia’s gaze, he lightly plucked at his collar. "Our wedding is a special occasion, after all. I considered wearing my standard, unadorned outfit, but I would never think to embarrass you with a pointless fixation. Consideration for each other, a mutual give-and-take—that’s the ideal relationship between a husband and wife. And of course, you needn’t worry yourself about troubling me over something as minor as this. I just want you to understand the depths of my generosity and willingness to change myself to a reasonable degree for your sake."

[Assistant] As far as Emilia could follow, the basic content of what he was saying was entirely reasonable, but for some reason, she could not help but hesitate a bit before nodding along. One thing she could say for sure was that he was unmistakably one of the Witch Cult Archbishops. It was clear enough from the broadcast and what #184 had said, and understanding that and then actually standing across from him again in person, it was impossible to ignore the bizarre presence he had. Her instincts were screaming out in her head. They were telling her that an immense threat to her life was standing there before her. And that reality caused her soul—as it would cause any person’s—to cower and want to plead for mercy. That was why he felt so abnormal.

[User] "You look down. A sunken look does not suit your face at all… No, this complex expression is cute in its own way, but it isn’t your best look. Is there something troubling you?"

[Assistant] Emilia froze as Regulus casually touched her cheek. She had not thought that she had looked away, but he had closed the wide gap between them in the blink of an eye.

[User] Regulus closed one eye as he examined Emilia’s still-tense expression. "#184, did something happen while she was getting dressed?" Regulus pressed the woman standing next to Emilia when Emilia did not immediately respond.

[Assistant] “…Apologies, but perhaps it might be the effect of Lady Capella’s most recent broadcast."

[User] "Broadcast? Ah, that. I just ignored it, since that animalistic reprobate’s voice is as grating as ever, but I see—hearing that for the first time could certainly upset a girl."


[User] “That was an oversight on my part.” Loathing and scorn crept into Regulus’s expression as he scoffed, accepting that explanation. “You need not worry yourself about the vile slurs of that blighted, shallow-minded mass of inferiority complexes masquerading as a woman. Unlike her, utterly unworthy of any being’s love, your face is worthy of my affections. From the day you were born, you stood above that thing. Have confidence in yourself.”

[Assistant] “Ummm…”

[User] “Still troubled? That reprobate really went overboard. I cannot stand seeing that hideous face, but I’ll have to lodge my complaints with her directly after this is over. Setting that aside for now, though…what should we do in order to rescue the bride’s mood with our joyous ceremony right before us?” Regulus asked, cocking his head.

[Assistant] Emilia thought carefully about how to respond. She could imagine two main choices if she wanted to escape. The first was to break free from her position as essentially a hostage. Honestly, she could most likely slip away from #184 and get out of the building without too much difficulty. But if she did that, the floodgates would be opened, drowning the city. And from what she had seen of Regulus so far, if she was asked whether he would really go that far, she would be forced to say he almost certainly would. There was just too much risk involved with that gamble, so she had no choice but to scrap that plan. There was the bank shot where she fought and beat him then and there in a surprise attack—but that was most likely impossible. Her instincts were telling her that she could not defeat him by herself. The fundamental problem was a lack of options, so Emilia chose the other path: the bitter, painful choice of avoiding a rash decision and devoting herself to using this as a unique opportunity to gather information.

[User] “Such a troubled expression. I was merely asking what to do in order to improve your mood, but do you not have an answer? It is true that we are not officially husband and wife until the ceremony is carried out, but in effect, we should for all intents and purposes already treat each other as such. Given that, what should a proper wife do for her husband? For the sake of our future harmonious matrimony, should you not also strive to fulfill your duty, nay, responsibility?” Regulus’s speech accelerated as he quickly grew impatient with Emilia’s silence.

[Assistant] “Ah, I’m sorry. Right… I may be a tad tired still. Would it perhaps be okay for me to rest a bit?”

[User] “Tired?” Regulus arched his brow, putting his hand to his chin, repeating the word tired several times. “—I see. I was not attentive enough. My apologies. I shall strive to do better. It’s only natural that you would be tired with all the sudden happenings occurring all at once.


[User] "In that case, there is no issue with you returning to your room and resting for a while. There is another outfit planned for you for the ceremony, so you need not worry about lying down in the dress you’re currently wearing. My wives and I will take care of the venue’s preparations.”

[Assistant] “The venue…”

[User] “Yes, there’s a chapel attached to this building. It is modest, but well suited for our purposes. We are preparing for the wedding ceremony there. All my wives are here to welcome the newest member of our family. I’m sure that’s reassuring news for you. My pride and joy, my admirable, beautiful wives.” He nodded to himself smugly as he threw open the window of the room and waved Emilia over.

[Assistant] Standing next to him like he gestured for her to do, she could see the neighboring building by looking out the window. It was a chapel—or more precisely, a building where weddings and other ceremonies were held. She could see the bustling activity happening inside through the open doors and the big windows lining the walls that allowed in voluminous sunlight. There were several figures moving around the building, bringing in decorations and ornaments and generally preparing for the ceremony. Every person she saw working down there was a beautiful woman, and every last one was wearing a stunning outfit.

[User] “I have had a total of two hundred and ninety-one wives…though sadly, death has forced me to part with many of them. Currently, I have fifty-three wives with me, and that will rise to fifty-four once our ceremony is complete. It goes without saying, of course, that I love all of them equally. Twisted does not begin to describe the idea of a husband who plays favorites. I would never do something so dishonorable. I share the appropriate love in the appropriate way at the appropriate time for all—I will love you and all of them equally.”

[Assistant] “Th-thank you… I’ll be…sure to keep that in mind…” Emilia was taken aback as she carefully, nervously tried to find her way to an answer that was maybe correct. She was behaving almost exactly the same way #184 reacted in her fear of Regulus. Being constantly exposed to his violently oppressive presence was enough to wear down even the strongest hearts. That was likely the main reason his wives all had their will to resist sapped away.

[User] “Good girl. Now head on back and rest. I’ll have someone send for you once the preparations are complete.” Fortunately, her limp response did not seem to have hit a nerve, and he merely indicated she should return to her room out of a seemingly genuine concern for her condition. Not resisting, Emilia stepped away from him and headed for the door with #184.


[User] She could go back to her bedroom and start planning how to get out of the situation— “I was thinking, though, it was careless of me not to notice my bride’s fatigue, but does it not strike you that the person who was by her side the most should have noticed it, too?”

[Assistant] “—!” —when Regulus’s voice called out right as she was about to open the door. A chill ran down her spine, and she immediately grabbed something else with her outstretched hand. “—Watch out!”

[User] “Eh?” #184 widened her eyes at suddenly being grabbed.

[Assistant] Emilia pulled her close and leaped to the side. And immediately afterward, a breeze blew through the spot where #184 had been standing, and the wall and door exploded like they had been hit by a giant’s hand. The floor peeled away, and the destruction continued in a straight line out into the stone hallway. “” The wave of devastation splintered the room and crushed the entrance. Seeing that overwhelming show of force, Emilia was speechless as she clung to #184.

[User] Realizing the target of that destruction, #184 tensed and curled up, making herself smaller.

[Assistant] Regulus, who had only casually swung his right arm, tilted his head at the two of them. "Ah, apologies, apologies. That was careless of me—thank goodness nothing happened to the two of you.”

[User] “Anyway, I have something to attend to, so I’ll be in the other room. Oh, and perhaps we should have your hair done up before the ceremony? I think that would really amplify your natural allure. You are lovely as is, of course, but no effort should be spared at becoming even more beautiful. Naturally, I am content with my happy and satisfied state, but I would never protest your efforts to improve yourself. Doing one’s best for someone who loves you is the most fundamental level of etiquette a person can express, after all.” Regulus smiled at Emilia as if that earlier act of destruction was of little note, then he left behind his wife and soon-to-be wife, holding each other on the ground.


[Assistant] Once his white back was no longer visible down the hallway, Emilia let out a long breath. “…What was that?” It made no sense at all. Both the reason for the action and the way that he acted, neither of them made any sense.

[User] “…Thank you for saving me,” #184 said before slipping free from Emilia’s dumbfounded embrace. The agitation she had just felt disappeared from her face, and she stood up and adjusted her hair. And then she began to clean up the destruction wrought by a wave of Regulus’s hand.

[Assistant] “Wait! This doesn’t make sense at all! You were almost killed just now!” Emilia took issue with how #184 accepted the violence of just a moment before and moved on to another task.


[User] Regulus's Presence was menacing, and maybe there was some logic guiding his actions and words that others could not follow, but even if that was the case—

[Assistant] "If I hadn’t pulled you away, that would have hit you. You were even trembling."

[User] "And what of it? I thanked you for saving me. Please don’t expect any more than that from me. Anything more would be overstepping bounds."

[Assistant] "This isn’t about bounds or obligations! It’s more important, more precious than that!" #184 stubbornly refused to face Emilia. And Emilia could tell that it was simple self-preservation that was keeping her heart locked away. She could understand it, but that did not mean she could accept it. "Regulus said that everyone was equal. So does that mean that all the wives in the chapel are like this, too? Everyone is just cowering in fear of him, always watching him, trying to get by without drawing his attention? Just accepting that he tried to kill you… It doesn’t make sense at all!"

[User] "That’s just one dynamic between husbands and wives. Once you’ve experienced it more, you will grow used to it…or if you don’t, then that will be the end of you." #184 did not even turn to answer Emilia’s desperate pleading. It was enough to make Emilia feel like she and #184 were living in two different worlds.

[Assistant] "That doesn’t make any sense at all… Isn’t getting married what people who are happy together and love each other do? But I’m not happy, you don’t look happy, and none of them look happy, either. Am I wrong?"

[User] "...Yes, you are wrong. Being happy together is not a requirement for getting married. There is no requirement that a husband and wife love each other, either. The only requirement is being around each other all the time—you get used to being married." #184 did not deny that she did not want to be in her current position, and yet she still affirmed her current status. It was a twisted, misguided point of view. Marriage was something that was supposed to be desired, not just something that couples got used to.

[Assistant] "Please do as he said. Go back to your room and try to rest. Take the dress off if you would like. I will come by before the ceremony to do your hair." With that, #184 focused on cleaning up the rubble and tidying the wrecked room. Emilia tried to say something to her, but her words faltered and failed to come out. No matter what words she chose, they would not have any weight to them as long as she was unable to do anything about Regulus. She pulled back her outstretched hand, clenching her fist regretfully at her inability to reach out.


[User] Rejected by #184, she had returned to her bedroom, but she had not sulked at her own powerlessness in a fit of depression or anything cute like that. She had of course been depressed at her powerlessness, but it also spurred her on. She could not abandon #184 and the other women forced to be Regulus’s wives and constantly endure his whims. Her spirit was roiling with determination. But no matter how much she screamed or pouted, there was probably no way she could change Regulus’s mind. And if she tried to fight fire with fire, she would just lose against his overwhelming strength.

[Assistant] So she had searched for another path forward, following Subaru’s example.

[User] "Subaru wouldn’t just rush into things without thinking it through first. It all starts with preparation." She pulled the sheets over the ice sculpture shaped like her that was lying on the bed, making it look like she was obediently sleeping. No one looking in from the door would be able to notice it was not really Emilia. And having done that, she would spend the time until the ceremony—

[Assistant] "Here we go." She smoothly slipped out the window and headed out to gather more information. Raising her hands, she crafted a ledge of ice on the outside of the building and easily escaped her room. She could have simply escaped at this point, but that was out of the question, given the situation, so she started looking for useful information instead.

[User] "This really was one of the floodgate control towers." Emilia had headed for the top of the building first in order to get a grasp of her surroundings and where she was being kept, and it perfectly matched the control towers she had seen earlier.


[Assistant] With the cultists occupying the towers, they had control of the city’s floodgates. There was a sinister red flag hoisted from the top of the tower, emphasizing that it was being occupied. And the three other towers all sported the same red flag.

[User] "They took all four of the towers, so the city is helpless…" Straining her purple eyes to see the other towers in the distance, Emilia slipped into thought. Just a single gate opening had caused that much damage, so even if she entirely froze the tower she was in to prevent it from activating, there were still three more.

[Assistant] "If only there were four of me…" If there were, she could freeze all four towers at once. And also, if there were four of her, two of them could teach each other her studies while one learned how to cook and the other chatted with Subaru. It would solve a lot of different problems all at once, but unfortunately, things were not that simple.

[User] "There’s still just one of me, no matter how much I might wish otherwise…which means I’m going to have to get someone’s help." Her reliable friends and the other candidates would surely be planning something to take back the city.


[User] —I’m alone. I was separated from everyone else and now I’m in the middle of enemy territory.

[Assistant] “There is a chapel right next to the tower, so that means this should be the tower in the third district. With so many Archbishops here, it should be useful to know which one is in which tower.”

[User] “If they can just tell who is where, though, then they should be able to think of a way to pull it off.”

[Assistant] Putting a massive amount of trust in that assessment, Emilia leaped down from the roof in order to carry out her role. The hem of her white dress fluttered in the wind as she used a scaffold of ice to clamber down. Emilia flew down the control tower, enjoying that one small blessing.


[User] “—Tell me, do you think I want to be having this pointless conversation right now?”

[Assistant] The moment she heard that annoyed voice, Emilia landed on a larger ice foothold, leaned her back against the wall, and held her breath—Regulus’s voice was coming from a room in the chapel right behind her.


[User] Emilia created a foothold from ice just beneath the window to his room and hid there, listening to what was happening inside. Her nerves tensed when she realized he was talking to someone. She was afraid it was one of his wives, in case he was about to attack her like he just had #184. If that happened, she would have to stop him, even if it meant revealing her rebellious intentions. Emilia pursed her lips as she made a mirror of ice in her hand and carefully peered into the room. The cool mirror reflected a waiting room on the second floor of the chapel. Unlike the control tower, it had a majestic appearance appropriate for a building where ceremonies were held. The waiting room was not gaudy; instead, it gave off a tranquil and sublime feeling.

[Assistant] —Or at least, it would have if not for the ominous and dreadful white-suited figure standing in the middle of the room. “…No one’s there?” Tilting her ice mirror to look around the room, Emilia furrowed her brow. There were no other people visible in the room. Had it only been a loud complaint to himself? That would not have been that shocking, but straining her eyes, Emilia realized it was not that, either. He was definitely talking to someone—more specifically, he was addressing a mirror in his hand.

[User] “How many times must I repeat myself? I only came here to find my fated bride. And having found her, I am holding a wedding. A wedding is something to be celebrated—and certainly should not be disrupted. A brute who would do such a thing betrays themself to be a petty, small-minded villain who begrudges others their happiness. Though I am well aware you all have always been filth.” Regulus was talking to someone on the other end of the mirror. It was a conversation mirror—a metia that allowed its user to speak with whoever had the other mirror, wherever they were. Regulus was using it to talk to someone somewhere else.

[Assistant] “It is not as if I have any particular interest in your actions. But opening the floodgate, that is unacceptable. It is not a part of the plan. And I can only interpret your willingness to do something unplanned that upsets my bride as a desire to ruin the wedding I’m painstakingly preparing. And clouding my bride’s face, sullying the joyful occasion of my blessed marriage—what should be the most sunny and happy of stages in my life—that is an injurious infringement of my rights.” Regulus’s annoyance was growing as he spoke. Emilia could feel a burning sensation on the back of her neck as she realized that he must be talking to another cultist, seemingly one connected to the flooding that had just hit the city—

[Assistant] “You are aware, are you not, that I can see your tower quite clearly just across the city from here?” Regulus said, suddenly throwing the window open.


[User] Just beneath the window, Emilia stifled a shout at the sudden movement. She held her breath, praying that he would not notice her below as she focused on what he was saying.

[Assistant] “It isn’t even so far away that I can’t see it. It would be a simple matter for me to blow your tower away from here if I so desired it. A word of caution: Do not assume that you and I are equals. You’d best treat this with the imperative of an order… What?” Judging from how Regulus was looking off into the distance, Emilia gathered that the person he was talking to was in the tower directly across the city.

[User] “You weren’t the one who opened the floodgate? What sort of excuse do you think that is supposed to be? You were the one who made that grandstanding threat on the broadcast, were you not? Claiming now that you were not the one who opened the floodgate is utterly unconvincing… You shouldn’t tell such pointless lies, you repulsive reprobate.”

[Assistant] “Well, either way, I’ve conveyed my demand. And after your tactless display, at least the people in the city won’t interrupt the proceedings between my bride and me… Once the stage is properly set, I shall hold my marriage, and then I will leave the city with my wives. It is on you to achieve whatever it is you want before then.” Spitting that out, Regulus closed the cover on the mirror in his hand. Standing at the window, he narrowed his eyes as he brushed back his hair.

[User] “What an asinine excuse. ‘Some rat sniffing around.’ Do you take me for a fool? Trying to hide your own incompetence while treating it as a word of caution. You only confess your own pettiness by clinging to such trivial pride. And assuming just because you were had that others would be, too, is the mark of a rotten character, though that is not the only thing rotten about you, I suppose.” Regulus expressed a heartfelt loathing for someone who belonged to the same organization that he did. Sitting outside the window, Emilia was the only one who heard his muttering, and recognizing Regulus’s remoteness from others, the way he was in conflict with everyone and made no effort to change that, she felt a gloomy despair.


[Assistant] There was a knock on the door.

[User] "—May I enter, sir?”

[Assistant] “…Come in.”

[User] A woman stepped into the waiting room. Another woman besides #184, though she was also beautiful and similarly dressed up. It was clear at a glance from her frozen eyes and expression that she was another one of Regulus’s wives.

[Assistant] “The preparations for the ceremony are continuing apace.


[User] "We have begun the interior decoration, however…as you requested to direct the interior design personally, I came to let you know we are ready." The woman responded with a polite curtsy.

[Assistant] "Ah, it’s already time? Yes, right. Let’s get to it, then." Regulus nodded. He walked away from the window and left the room together with the woman.

[User] The door closed, and Regulus’s presence faded into the distance. Silence fell over the waiting room.

[Assistant] "Haaaah… That was close. I almost made a sound." Emilia patted her chest as she hopped through the window and into the room once she was sure it was safe.

[User] She still had plenty of mana in reserve, but that bit of covert movement had drained her mental reserves. Taking a deep breath at clearing the first hurdle, Emilia parsed what she had heard.

[Assistant] "The control tower visible straight across from here… If I’m right, this is the third district’s tower, so the one across the city is in the first district—and based on the conversation, the one there should be the Archbishop of Lust."

[User] Parking herself where Regulus had been standing, she looked out in the same direction he had, confirming her guess for the location. He had not mentioned a name, but he had identified the person he was talking to as the one behind the broadcast and called them a reprobate, which all but confirmed he had been talking to Lust. That meant that Lust was based in the first district, and Regulus was in the third. Even just that much should be at least a little bit useful for the others. The only remaining problem was—

[Assistant] "How do I tell them?" Emilia cocked her head in thought as she crossed her arms. Sharing the information she had gathered was the most challenging part. Even though she had managed to get something worthwhile, it would be meaningless if she could not find a way to share it. The only thing she could think of was perhaps making a big sheet of ice on top of the tower and writing it out on that, but that would be visible to anyone and would likely fail. She could maybe rush over to them directly to tell them and then slip back into the control tower as if nothing had happened…

[User] "If I was out that long, it would definitely get noticed…" The defenses seemed full of holes, but counting on that to save her was as good as acting without a plan at all. She could not endanger so many people’s lives on such a risky gamble.

[Assistant] "If only there was some reliable way… Huh?" As she looked around the room, desperately trying to think of something, she arched her brows. It looked the same as when she had peeked in using the ice mirror, but there was something on the desk that caught her attention. The conversation mirror that Regulus had just been using.


[User] He had tossed it down in a fit of frustration after he was done. Picking it up, Emilia stared at it. "If would be nice if it could just connect to any mirror…"

[Assistant] But unfortunately, conversation mirrors were not that convenient. They could only communicate with mirrors imbued with matching magic. There were some capable of communicating with more than just a single paired mirror, but for the most part, they only worked in fixed pairs. Even if Emilia activated it, the person on the other end would be none other than the Archbishop of Lust. "It would be nice to try to talk with that Lust person once."

[User] But Emilia didn’t have it in her to hold a composed conversation at the moment, and it would only reveal that she was moving around behind Regulus’s back. Thinking about it realistically, she had no choice but to give up on using the mirror to communicate with everyone. She could also just break it there to keep Regulus out of contact with the other cultists, but—

[Assistant] "It doesn’t really seem like they are working together anyway. What do I do…?" She could not afford to take a pointless risk that would reveal the presence of a mole. But while Emilia grappled with what to do, something happened.


[User] —The mirror she had set on the desk activated, and a white light shone out from behind the cover.

[Assistant] "Ah." Emilia took a step back from the desk in surprise. But the light from the mirror did not stop. It meant that the person on the other end was trying to connect. All Emilia had to do was open the cover, and it would connect. But she was not sure what to do. It went without saying that the person on the other end was almost certainly someone connected to the cultists, if not Lust herself. There was no benefit to answering, but it was also possible for things to be leaked via the mirror, as they had been when she overheard Regulus. In one sense, it was possible to justify turning a blind eye to the downsides. After worrying and thinking about it, Emilia decided to—

[User] She flipped the mirror so it was pointing away from her before opening the cover. The two mirrors connected, but the person on the other end would not be able to see Emilia. They would surely notice something was off, but if she was lucky, they might let something slip first. That was her working theory, at least, and she ended up getting rewarded from an entirely unexpected angle.

[Assistant] "—Oh, there’s a response. Wait, there’s no one there. What’s going on? That ain’t how it’s supposed to work. Did I mess something up?"

[User] "Eh?" Unexpectedly, the voice she heard through the mirror was a man’s voice. She was caught off balance after having assumed she would be connected to Lust. But that was not the only reason for her shock. The voice was familiar.


[User] She had heard it just that morning at the Water Raiment Inn—

[Assistant] “—Al? Is that you, Al?”

[User] “…Whoa, whoa, hold up, it went this route?” Emilia flipped the mirror, blinking as she saw who was on the other end.

[Assistant] It was Priscilla’s black-helmed retainer, Al. Naturally, he could see her, too, and even though she could not see his face through the helm, she could tell he was shocked as well. “Um, this is unexpected. How did you happen across this conversation mirror?”

[User] “The truth is: I’m in the middle of sneaking around investigating things. And just as I was looking around the room where this mirror happened to be, it started flashing… Oh, right!”

[Assistant] “Wh-what?”

[User] “Hey, Al, can you get in contact with Subaru and the others? There was something I wanted to let them know.” Eyes sparkling at the miracle of someone she knew having been on the other end of the mirror, Emilia decided to make the best of the situation.

[Assistant] Caught up in her momentum, Al responded without thinking too deeply on it. “Y-yeah…I guess so? I’ll let him know you’re safe and want him to come save you…”

[User] “Tell him Regulus, the white-haired Archbishop, is in the control tower in the third district. And also the Archbishop of Lust is apparently in the first district’s tower. There aren’t any other cultists in the third district, but Regulus is really strong, so don’t let your guard down.”

[User] “It would be better if I could investigate the other towers, too, but I don’t know where Sirius is. But there was that broadcast, too, so tell him to make sure to protect Beatrice, too. And, um…”

[Assistant] “—Wait a second.” Emilia was going through the list of things to tell Subaru when Al stopped her.

[User] Hearing that, she looked surprised as she asked, “What is it?”

[Assistant] “I knew you were tough and hyper-positive, but there’s gotta be some other things on your mind, too, right? Considering the situation you’re in and all.”

[User] “This was all I could manage after thinking hard about what to do and following through… Was there a better way I missed?”

[Assistant] “Nah! That’s not what I mean… I mean you don’t have to be trying so hard, forcing yourself to do this and that. You’re a captured princess, after all.”

[User] “Hmm…” Emilia’s eyes wavered as she caught her breath, taken aback by his strong tone.

[Assistant] “No need to be reckless or try the impossible. It’s okay to want Bro…Subaru Natsuki to save you…”

[User] “I’m sorry for worrying you, Al. No, I should say thank you—but it’s okay.”

[Assistant] “It is…?”

[User] “I’m not forcing myself to keep going. And it might sound a little strange, but—” Emilia naturally broke into a smile. Despite being all alone behind enemy lines, despite being so close to such a powerful being, and despite being in the most danger she had ever been in in her life. “—I never doubted that Subaru will come save me."


[User] "That’s why I want to do everything I can to make it less dangerous when he eventually does.” “” That was unmistakably how she truly felt. She was absolutely sure that Subaru would come save her. But she was also determined to not just sit back and leave everything to him.

[Assistant] “Please, Al. I’ll be sure to apologize to Priscilla later for asking for your help with such a selfish favor…”

[User] “…You really don’t doubt that there will be a later, do you? Damn, that’s sure something.” Touching the seam of his helm with his finger, Al heaved a deep, heavy sigh. “Fine, I got it. I’ll let them all know what you told me. You can rest easy and just play the captured princess now. All that’s left is for you to wait for Prince Charming to save you.”

[Assistant] “Subaru’s the one who will save me, though, not some prince…”

[User] “Ah, right! Bro, right! My bad! I messed that up! But seriously, just sit still and don’t do anything crazy. This isn’t a game.”

[Assistant] “Mm-hmm, I understand. You be careful, too, please.” Emilia nodded at the serious warning that followed Al’s joking response.

[User] Hearing that, Al snorted a little and then shut off the mirror.


[Assistant] After claiming to be a messenger sent by Emilia, that was what Al said.

[User] Subaru caught his breath and then slowly chewed it over. "Don’t gimme that ‘I wouldn’t lie to you’ bullshit. There’s no way Emilia would say something that on point. Don’t make me kick your ass.”

[Assistant] “Sheesh, the two of you together couldn’t find a funny bone if it smacked you in the face. Got me worrying I’m losing my edge.”

[User] “Like I give a damn about your edge! Quit screwing around, man…”

[Assistant] Al could not hide his disappointment, his shoulders slumping as Subaru shouted.

[User] Subaru started to approach him to seriously demand what he really meant, when—

[Assistant] “—General!” He was stopped by a bolt out of the blue that came tumbling into the room and ran straight into him.

[User] “Whoa? !” Subaru took a big step back to keep from being bowled over by the unintentional tackle. Somehow managing to stay on his feet, when he looked down at his waist, he saw a blond mop of hair clinging to him.

[Assistant] “Garfiel! You were all right! Where’d you come from all of a sudden…?”

[User] “That’s my line! You were…and I…I was…!”

[Assistant] “Wh-whoa, are you crying…?”

[User] “I’m not crying! I was a little on edge is all…! You and Bro and Lady Emilia and Beatrice and everyone were all…” His eyes were just barely still dry, but he was red all the way to the ears, almost failing to hold back the tears that were threatening to come bubbling up.

[Assistant] “I’m sorry for worrying you."


[User] "But as you can see, I’m okay. Though I came back a little darker in some places…"

[Assistant] "Huh? Darker? What do you…?"

[User] "We can discuss that later. So is it just a coincidence that you showed up at almost the same time as Garfiel?" Subaru asked Al as he patted Garfiel’s head.

[Assistant] "I can wait if you want." Al said, cocking his head. "This is your moving reunion with your little bro, right? Take your time."

[User] "A part of me is screaming that this probably can’t wait. So what is it?"

[Assistant] "Well, in that case… Yeah, you ain’t wrong. I agreed to deliver your princess’s message, but it’s not like I can just be casually wandering about, you know?" Al nodded in confirmation before alluding to the dangerous state of the city.

[User] "So you just happened to encounter Garfiel while headed here?"

[Assistant] "...I was searching for the general since he got swept up in the water, but because of the floodgate opening, the whole city got sloshed, and I couldn’t track his scent. I was still desperately lookin’ for any new scent, but just when I thought I found somethin’ similar…"

[User] "It was me. I wish I could show you how fast he just deflated. It’s not like I did anything wrong, either, but I still felt kinda bad." Al explained lightheartedly.

[Assistant] "Who asked you, coward? And I sure as hell wouldn’t be bringin’ ya here if ya didn’t claim to have a message from Lady Emilia."

[User] "That makes two of us. It’s not like I wanted to go out of my way and come here if she hadn’t asked me to deliver a message. I haven’t even found my own princess yet."

[Assistant] "Quit making fun of someone not even half your age. And if you’re still looking for Priscilla, I ran into her in the fourth district. She was there with Liliana, the Songstress, going around to all the shelters looking for that Schult kid." Subaru slipped between the two of them, holding Garfiel back as he started to snap at Al.

[User] "Really? Weird how we ran into each other’s masters like that. Was she all right?"

[Assistant] "It looked like she was doing fine. She’s a weird one."


[User] “We’ve gotten a little off track, but…do you really have a message from Emilia? Or was that just another one of your bad jokes?” Growing increasingly exasperated by the aimless conversation, Anastasia finally asked Al for the message directly.

[Assistant] "The former." Al said as he scratched the visor of his helmet. "I wasn’t lying about her waiting to be saved, either, but that’s not the main point. Since she was up close and personal with the enemy, she seized the chance to gather some information about their positioning and managed to get word back to us.”

[User] “She did what? …Emilia-tan? She did something that smart?”

[Assistant] “You’re Lady Emilia’s knight, are you not? You should take more care when speaking of your master." Julius scolded.

[User] “Lust is in the control tower in the first district, and there is a white-haired Archbishop in the third district. She also said the white-haired guy didn’t have any cultists with him. And that you have to take care of Beatrice.”

[Assistant] “Those are all pretty important, even that last bit…and that’s a huge help, actually.”

[User] “How did you manage to get in contact with her? There’s no way you could have just stumbled into each other out on the street.”

[Assistant] “Like I said before, it was just by chance. The stars were all aligned or something. I was out walking around in the city when I picked up a conversation mirror that the cultists were using. And it happened to connect to her.”

[User] “How lucky can you be…?”

[Assistant] Subaru could sense a certain seriousness to Al’s response that made him trust it.

[User] “I know it’s weird to say when I’m the one who brought this guy here, but are you seriously gonna take him at his word, General?”

[Assistant] “I believe him. The last bit about being worried for Beatrice sounds exactly like something she’d say.”

[Assistant] “That’s not enough to be sure, but…I’d like to think Emilia would do her best and not give up, even in this crappy situation.”


[User] “Though, it would be nice if she didn’t overdo it and try anything too reckless, either…”

[Assistant] “I’m with you there, man. She’s way too energetic for someone stuck behind enemy lines.”

[User] Judging from Al’s reaction after he’d actually spoken with Emilia, she was not at all acting the part of the damsel in distress, even if she seemed like she was born to play one in some theater show or movie. If anything, that unusual bravery was just like her, which made Subaru proud.

[Assistant] “Anyway, that was her message, so my job’s done here… So what are all you doin’ here, and what’s that huge metia for?”

[User] “Naturally, this is the headquarters for the take-back-the-city-from-the-cultists squad. And the metia back there is a broadcast device that can carry a voice to the entire city… It’s our trump card for turning this thing around.”

[Assistant] “You don’t say.” Al chuckled at Subaru’s self-assured response.

[User] His sharp fangs were trembling as he looked at Subaru.

[Assistant] “Did you think of something that can turn everything around, General?”

[User] “Yeah, something that might have a decent shot— Do you know how to use this metia, Anastasia? Or if not you, does anyone else?” Subaru asked as he looked over at it.

[Assistant] “…Something like this wouldn’t be too hard for me to get going,” Anastasia responded.

[User] Subaru nodded to himself as he continued looking around the room. Garfiel and Al, plus Julius and Anastasia—four people who were well suited for sounding out his idea.

[Assistant] “As you all know, Wrath’s Authority is currently putting everyone inside the shelters around the city on edge, and these places are ready to blow. It’s okay as long as they’re still just smoldering, but there’s no telling when they might go off.”

[User] “Yeah, you’ve got that right. I checked in on a bunch of them while lookin’ for you, but…” Garfiel’s expression clouded.

[Assistant] He must have seen something unsettling in the short time that he’d been running around. It looked like he was struggling to stay calm, as if there was something bothering him besides his general concern for their friends. Subaru noticed it but decided to keep the focus on the current topic first. If things went the way Subaru was imagining, then whatever was bothering Garfiel might be resolved in the process, too.

[User] “Between the cultists’ broadcast and the current state of the city…it’s only expected that everyone’s worries would balloon while they’re stuck far from home and forced to hide out without any sign of things getting better. And that only gets worse when people are crammed into a small space together. The shelter system is actually stoking the fire…though, even without them, people would end up congregating anyway, I guess.”

[Assistant] “That is the most insidious aspect of Wrath’s ability. It makes you feel more alone, eats away at your heart, and even threatens your life. It’s absolutely unforgivable,” Julius commented with quiet anger.


[User] Anastasia glanced over at him as she touched a hand to her fox scarf, then looked at Subaru. "—I have a good idea what exactly it is you are thinking of doing.”

[Assistant] “Well, yeah. I mean, I did come all the way up here to make sure the metia was still functioning, after all.” Subaru said, grinning awkwardly as he scratched his head. Al and Julius also caught on from their exchange and turned toward the metia in the back of the room.

[User] Garfiel alone hadn’t figured it out yet, cocking his head in confusion. “What…? What are you planning to do, General?”

[Assistant] “Basically, Bro is thinking of turnin’ Wrath’s Authority on its head.”

[User] “Huh? What does that mean…?”

[Assistant] “—Sirius’s ability is amplifying the unease that all the residents of the city are feeling. And Lust’s nasty broadcast was what lit the fuse. In which case…”

[User] “We just need to inspire people’s hopes the same way that the cultists preyed on their fear.” Julius said, finishing the thought, and Subaru nodded in hearty agreement.

[Assistant] Sirius’s Authority shared and amplified people’s emotions—but that was all it did. While it could heighten existing emotions, it couldn’t do anything to emotions that weren’t already there. And if that was true, then if they could just paint over the unease and fear running rampant through the city and replace it with hope… “That hope would spread and fill the city instead.”

[User] “—! Ohhhhh! That’s right! If you do that, no one’ll start killing one another! And all the people who’ve given up will feel better…!” Garfiel’s eyes shone as he punched his fists together in front of his chest. There was a resounding crack as they hit. “Time to make it happen!” Garfiel grinned. “We’ve got the metia right here. No point wasting time. Let’s do it now…”

[Assistant] “Wait. It ain’t that simple. It’s not like I didn’t consider that option, too.” Anastasia cut in, putting the brakes on the idea.

[User] “Huh? Why are you stopping us? You know what’s happening out there right now.”

[Assistant] “Yes, I do, and I’ve thought about it at least as much as you have. But that’s exactly why I can’t just say do as you please… How do you think the cultists will react when they hear the broadcast?”

[User] Garfiel gulped. “The floodgate opened after we attacked city hall, almost like it was meant as retaliation or like they wanted to show what happens when people go against them. If that happens again, they might not close the gates next time.”

[Assistant] “I’m worried about that, too…but there’s something about that theory that doesn’t quite fit.” While agreeing with her concern, Subaru glanced at Julius.

[User] “Yes?” Julius’s eyes narrowed.


[User] "Allow me to ask, what is it that seems off to you?"

[Assistant] “…I was unconscious, so I can’t really say for sure, but the person who got transformed into a black dragon carried Crusch and me away from Capella, and right after that the floodgate opened, and the water interrupted the fighting. That’s when I fell into the water. Does that sound about right?”

[User] "Yes. That matches what I remember of the events. What of it?”

[Assistant] “Doesn’t the order of events seem kinda off? And which floodgate was it that opened?”

[User] “Which floodgate? If I recall, it was the one in the first quart… Ah.” Anastasia's eyes widened as she thought back to answer Subaru’s question.

[Assistant] “Oh-ho.” Julius murmured.

[User] “The first district’s gate was the one that opened. But if Lady Emilia’s information is correct, then that would be…”

[Assistant] “But Lust wasn’t in the tower then, right? And the timing of the gate opening doesn’t make sense at all. Because the flooding was what helped us escape, and then it closed again immediately after, right? It’s true that the cultists don’t act super consistently, but there should still be some logic to what they do.”

[User] It would be foolish to write off everything the cultists did as irrational just because they were cultists. The Archbishops all acted on thought patterns that were incomprehensible to normal people, but each still followed their own twisted logic or set of rules. And in that context, opening the floodgate at that point just did not make any kind of sense at all. It was almost like someone else with a different goal had been behind it. Of course, it was possible that that whole line of thought was off base, but—

[Assistant] “They left the metia here without breaking it. And after we were gone, they even sent out another broadcast before leaving. They had plenty of time to break this if they wanted to.”

[User] “So are you saying that us using the metia is part of their calculations? What could they possibly get out of that…?” Anastasia’s voice trembled as she tried to understand.

[Assistant] “—They don’t have a reason for anything,” Al cut in with a husky voice. Then, as if regretting his unintentional remark, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

[User] Al shook his head slowly when he caught Subaru looking at him.

[Assistant] “They don’t care one bit about anything we do. They’ve never lost, and they’ve never even considered the possibility. A dragon doesn’t give a damn what some ants crawling around its feet are planning,” Al spat. He sounded awfully confident in his analysis.

[User] Al looked away as if he had said something he shouldn’t have.

[Assistant] His behavior was very unusual lately. Was it because of Wrath’s Authority? If so, what was being amplified? Anger? Sadness? The only thing Subaru could say for sure was that Al had given them advice about the Archbishop of Sloth before they had gone to the tower before.


[User] It was clear he knew something about the Witch Cult that he wasn’t sharing. But even if he pressed Al on it, it was clear as day he wouldn’t answer. Right as that thought crossed Subaru’s mind—

[Assistant] "—Let’s go for the broadcast plan, then."

[User] "Anastasia…" Perhaps having reached the same conclusion as Subaru, Anastasia changed her vote. The main strike against the plan was that they didn’t know how the cultists would react. But if she was satisfied on that point, then there was just one hurdle left.

[Assistant] "So who do we get to do the broadcast, and what do they say to inspire the townsfolk?"

[User] "Who…?" Subaru furrowed his brow and looked over at the metia. The broadcast would have to inspire hope in the people around the city and blow away the unease eating at their hearts. The person best suited for that—

[Assistant] "Aren’t you perfect for the job, Anastasia? You’re a royal-selection candidate and famous around these parts to boot. If you tell them we’re still fighting the good fight, then…"

[User] "It really pains me to say this, since it’s practically admitting I’m not good enough, but I don’t think you should really expect me saying somethin’ here to have that big of an effect."

[Assistant] "" Anastasia outright rejected Subaru’s suggestion. He couldn’t understand why, though. She was one of the candidates for the throne. It had been announced all throughout the country, so the people in Pristella would all recognize her. And she was famous enough that few could claim to be as well-known as she was in the whole kingdom, let alone in Pristella.

[User] "If all we were talking about was fame, then sure, I’d be a solid choice. If that was all it took, then I’d gladly say whatever I had to. But that just ain’t how these things go. My name doesn’t have the sway to rid people of their fear of the cultists. I’m better than someone they’ve never heard of, but only just."

[Assistant] "B-but—!"

[User] "That’s not enough, and you know it. They need hope. The kind of hope that can blow away all their fears and convince them to stand up again."

[Assistant] Subaru was speechless. Honestly, he wanted to tell her she wasn’t being strong-willed enough and that she should reconsider. But it was painfully obvious that she was the one most disappointed in herself for her lack of power. "" Seeing her small fists white and trembling as she clenched them tight, Subaru tamped down his irritation. She hadn’t spoken up without thinking. It was the opposite. After thinking it through from every angle, she had correctly judged that she was not the right person for the job.

[User] "If it was enough to just trick them, then it wouldn’t be impossible. I could probably convince half the people listening. But that’s not what you want to do, right? You’re the one who didn’t want to cut our losses before we even tried anything."

[Assistant] "That’s… In that case, what about Crusch?


[User] She had a gravitas to her words during the ceremony at the castle and during the White Whale fight, too. If it’s her, then…”

[Assistant] “…Yeah, if it were her, then that might be enough. But we’re talking about the Crusch from back then. She doesn’t have that same gravitas now, and in her current state, we can’t drag her up here and stand her in front of the metia anyway.”

[User] Subaru was the only one who hadn’t been able to confirm her condition with his own eyes, so he didn’t know what was causing Anastasia’s pained expression or the pity drawn on Julius and Garfiel’s faces. Ferris and Wilhelm’s grief from earlier flickered at the back of his mind.

[Assistant] “Then what about you, Julius? You could…”

[User] “Apologies, but I cannot meet your expectations.”

[Assistant] “Mm-hmm… I’m proud of my knight, and he’s certainly an elite member of the Royal Guard. But how well do his personal accomplishments stack up when it comes to dealing with the Witch Cult? If we’re just talking fame, then I’m more famous, and if you wanted skill at speaking, then I’d still be more likely to succeed.”

[User] Crusch could not fill the role, and both Julius and Anastasia shot down the possibility of putting Julius forward. In that case, the only choices left were Wilhelm and Ricardo, or maybe if they could pull Priscilla or Liliana away from their tour of all the shelters in the city—

[Assistant] “…Ummm…” As Subaru struggled with all the options being shot down after they’d finally come up with a way to deal with Wrath, Garfiel raised his hand.

[User] “—Is there any reason you can’t do it, General?” His clear green eyes widened as he looked straight at Subaru.

[Assistant] “…Huh?” Subaru was completely caught off guard. He opened his mouth, not totally sure what he had just heard. He could not believe that Garfiel would joke around in a situation like this—

[User] But that thought shattered when he was faced with the gleam in the boy’s straightforward gaze. A blank formed as his thoughts crumbled. And Garfiel stepped firmly into that opening.

[Assistant] “There’s no one but you. Not a royal-selection candidate, not a knight from the Royal Guard, and not the famed Sword Devil. You. I mean…it’s obvious.”

[User] “Garfiel…”

[Assistant] “You’re the one who has already defeated a Witch Cult Archbishop—you defeated Sloth. No one else’s got that to their name. And right now, that means more…it means more than anythin’.” There was passion in Garfiel’s voice, and his gaze grew gradually more intense. Gritting his teeth, he looked up at Subaru pleadingly.

[User] “Here’s a man who’s already beat one Archbishop in this town occupied by cultists. There can’t be anyone better for the job. Maybe the Sword Saint Reinhard if he were here, but there’s only Subaru Natsuki! You’re the only one, General!” Garfiel spread his arms, almost howling.