[User] "I’ll fight and take your life in my hands. In return, I’m putting my life in yours—so can you do it?” Subaru declared his determination to take on the Archbishop of Sloth single-handedly to Julius, his one and only ally.

[Assistant] Julius drew back his sword, his hesitation and silence lasted a second. Julius closed his eyes, opened them, and poised his sword. “If I did not say I could do it, ’twould be my shame as a knight.”

[User] “Fair enough—! !”. Subaru knew they were still at a disadvantage and it was reckless, but his battles had always been reckless. So once again, his disadvantage was like a tightrope and he’d simply cover his eyes—and run across. Subaru gently laid Wilhelm down on the spot, putting a hand into his own pocket.

[Assistant] The Witch Cultists were gradually tightening the encirclement, but he detected no sign of Sloth moving a step. Distance and range were meaningless words to Sloth, but that only applied to every opponent who wasn’t Subaru Natsuki.

[User] “Now, let us finally end this! Great love abooove all! Exalted love above all! Before my diligence, to repay Her favor! You were born worthy of being the first offered up to…”

[Assistant] “Hey, chick Petelgeuse— Look at this.” Subaru called out to the madly raving Sloth with a snort, then sticks his hand in his pocket. —When he withdrew his hand, he was holding a book bound in black, the Gospel that Subaru had recovered from the corpse of Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti—

[User] “You’re looking for this, right? The thing sent by Miss Witch you love so, so much.”

[Assistant] “Thief!! So IT truly was you who had it? !” Sloth screamed, eyes bulging.

[User] “Guess you even tried digging up Petelgeuse’s corpse to get the Gospel back. I’ve heard of book junkies, but come on, robbing graves to get a book back?”

[Assistant] “Silence! Cease your prattle! Give that book back, right—”

[User] “Hey, don’t shout. If you get too angry, you know—your brain’ll shake.”

[Assistant] “—! You mussst die! !”. No one present could outdo Subaru when it came to taunts and provocations. As Sloth exploded in a rage, the shadow at her feet swelled up. The shadow split into an innumerable horde above her head, seemingly covering the sky in pitch-black hands whose fingertips bore down on Subaru all at once.

[User] “My favor! The manifestation of my love! Crumble BEFORE them, sinner—!” Sloth shouted, and the black arms pressed toward Subaru like an avalanche.


[User] The veritable manifestation of destruction loomed before him like a tsunami as it advanced. To Subaru alone, it was all too visible. And even to him, the attack was far too obvious.

[Assistant] “Ra-aa—!” The evil hands were countless, but slow. Now that he had witnessed, however imperfectly, combat between superhumans, they looked like stopped flies to Subaru.

[User] Subaru took a large detour, evading the savagely onrushing horde of Unseen Hands. He used his endurance to make up for it. The bombardment of power had missed its mark, the invincible authority wasted by its user.

[Assistant] “My authority…?! Then, you shall die at the hands of my disciples—”

[User] “Unfortunately, I have been tasked with denying you that option.”

[Assistant] Sword in hand, Julius assaulted the Witch Cultists, vividly hindering them from pursuing Subaru.

[User] “Huh, huh, huh?! You took out your own guy?! What kind of a sorry villain are you? !”

[Assistant] “G…gah…! How dare you, dare you, dare youuuu! My disciple of love! !”

[User] “Don’t gimme that, you’re the one who mixed us up! Tunnel vision! What, are you lazy? !” Subaru raised his middle finger as he rearranged the trademark phrase of Sloth.

[Assistant] The woman was incandescent with voiceless rage, savagely running after Subaru as he fled.

[User] “—Julius! Manage your end somehow! I’ll handle mine!”

[Assistant] “A most vague command. But understood.” Julius raised his cavalry saber aloft.

[User] “See ya later! !”

[Assistant] “Fight valiantly!”

[User] Vowing to meet again, Subaru left Julius behind and darted across the battlefield. Evil hands rolled across the ground like a surging sea, but Subaru could see them. He leaped over them and took off, unharmed.

[Assistant] “Wait, wait, waitwaitwaitwait, I say! You despiiicable, foolish knave!”


[User] He would not go as far as to say that reaching it was linked to victory. However, if he arrived there, he could buy time for victory to come calling. For that reason, he ran and ran toward it.

[Assistant] "—! You can’t—hit me! You’re one—heck of a klutz!"

[User] Subaru runs as the madwoman chased after him on her own two feet.

[Assistant] He was completely shaking off her ability. The number of arms chasing him was some sixty or seventy, clearly the most of any Sloth to date.

[User] "I guess Petelgeuse really was the main Sloth…not that it matters!" He could think about that later. It didn’t change the fact that all the Sloths had to be wiped out.

[Assistant] He didn’t have time to reach for anything else. If Subaru’s foe wasn’t in tip-top shape, all the better for him. He curved around corners, darted down the straightaway, curved around another corner, and leaped.

[User] "Made it—! But…" Arriving at his destination, Subaru surveyed the area. There were signs of combat all over the place, and the fallen did not stop at one or two people. He saw not just Witch Cultists but knights and beast people among them. Subaru felt blame for his own powerlessness pressing upon him. He closed his eyes and forced it back. The next moment, he leaped sideways and rolled, evading the evil hands striking where he had stood. The ground split open, causing a cloud of dust to rise.

[Assistant] Behind it stood the hate-filled Sloth, huffing and puffing. The number of arms stretching from her back was greatly diminished, limited to some twenty or so at present.

[User] "Guess you learned you were wearing yourself out."

[Assistant] "And ooonly for making me realize that do you have my thanks! However, your escape ends here! Or do you still possess some way to resist? !"

[User] "Way to resist…" When those words trailed off, Subaru blinked for just a moment. Along the line of his gaze was the madwoman, and behind her— However, he immediately hid behind an impetuous smile.

[Assistant] "...love and courage, I suppose." Subaru licked his lips and made a big fuss as the madwoman stood with her arms spread wide, her eyes full of bloodlust.

[User] His statement sent the eyes of Sloth bulging wide, causing her creepy voice to begin to laugh. "Very good! Then challenge my faaavor with this love of yours!"

[Assistant] "I said love and courage!" Taking a breath, he went into a sprinter’s crouch and practically leaped as he rose, shooting his body forward.


[User] Subaru charged straight forward, leaping into the woman’s flank.

[Assistant] "This is your love?! Your love has this little resolve?! No crafty schemes, simply running like a fool, ahh, your love is so reckless! So powerless! So thoughtless! In other words, lazy!" Sloth blinked in surprise and, perhaps thinking charging in was the height of idiocy, instantly flew into a rage.

[User] "Ooooh—!" Subaru let out a shout from the pit of his belly, as if to overwrite the despair the woman’s shout drove his way. Shout and shout he did, enough to make himself hoarse, calling out love, and calling for courage.

[Assistant] "Then you shall die, and pay for your laziness with your lo—"

[User] "Now, Patlash—! !"

[Assistant] "—! What are—? !" The impact cut off the latter half of the cry of surprise as the land dragon charged and slammed into her side, blowing it away as if it were a leaf.

[User] "—" The woman proceeded to bounce along the surface of the village square, flipping over as she sailed into a half-destroyed house.


[Assistant] Subaru leaped to glom the land dragon’s head and rub her nose. "You did great, awesome teamwork! Above and beyond the call, Patlash!"

[User] Patlash raised her head and gave a high-pitched neigh as Subaru tried to kill her with compliments

[Assistant] "When I saw you’d doubled back behind her—that was a seriously devilish move." The instant his shifting gaze located the land dragon behind Sloth, he seriously shouted like a girl on the inside. The next instant, with zero prep work, he and the land dragon did a combo attack, pulling it off perfectly. This was the result of trusting everything to love and courage—albeit love really meant “bluff” and courage meant “reinforcements” in this case. "Now, it’d be great if that settled things, but…" Climbing onto Patlash’s back, Subaru glared at the wreckage of the house Sloth had sailed into.

[User] "…IT seems I was being prideful." The mountain of rubble collapsed, and from under the remains of the roof, countless shadows welled up all at once. The wriggling, pitch-black arms writhed like tentacles. A tiny figure rose up from the middle of that black mass.


[User] The madwoman—bloodied and reduced to a state half-living, half-dead. Her head was bleeding from lacerations it had suffered, and her left eye was completely taken out, impaled by a shard of glass. The right half of her body, caught up in the collapse of the house, was dyed crimson.

[Assistant] From the looks of her, there was no doubting that she was wounded all over.

[User] “You…yes, you certainly are a diligent human being. Yes, diligent! Compared to you, having come so far, using everything at your disposal to challenge your foe, I was so very careless! Architect of my own ruin! Neglectful! Insufficient! I was too prideful! Ahh, I was so lazy!”

[User] Now that he was riding Patlash, able to dish out speeds far greater than Subaru himself, it was even easier.

[Assistant] Having played for time, Subaru would deliver as decisive a blow as possible to defeat this Sloth—with neither having a decisive way to win, the fight would come down to whichever found a way to finish the other off first.

[User] “I will show you my favor. That is the first thing you should accept. If you do not acknowledge it, adhering to the only love you know, and as a result sinking into laziness, that, to me, would be the greatest and vilest of acts…and furthermore, one I shall correct.”

[Assistant] “…Shit.”

[User] Watching the spectacle, Subaru cursed, suppressing the shudder in his creaking heart.

[Assistant] “That’s her best option, damn it.”

[User] An instant after his rueful declaration, the rampage began.


[User] “Patlash! Out of the village, into the forest! Without cover we’re dead!”

[Assistant] “—!” Subaru clung as tightly to Patlash’s head as he could; she accelerated at the same time he gave the order.

[User] “—” A ferocious sound arose as flying rubble mowed down trees right beside them, exploding into the ground just behind them as they galloped forward.

[Assistant] “Guooo!” Subaru lowered his head to narrow his profile even a little. All he could do at the moment was cling to Patlash.

[User] “—So much for Patlash’s speed!”

[Assistant] “Yesyesyesyesyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees—! !” The mad voice was launched from a height surpassing that of the trees of the forest, literally right above him.


[User] However, if you disregarded her moving only in straight lines at low accuracy, the speed of Sloth, flying like a human cannonball, was butting against a hundred. It wasn’t much of a difference, but Subaru couldn’t shake her off at that range. At that rate, with her looking down at them, they’d be wonderful targets for her sniping. Furthermore, Subaru lacked the means to reach the madwoman as she moved far overhead. "Can’t go back to the village. With her like that, no way we can draw her back now."

[Assistant] Besides, Subaru would be at an even greater disadvantage if she linked up with the Witch Cultists. Subaru was the only one who was still a good matchup against Sloth after being backed this far into a corner. "But at this rate, I’ll be hit sooner or—"

[User] "—!" As soon as he said it, “sooner” came calling. A flying clump of brick hurled at them squarely connected with Patlash’s head, sending the leather helmet covering the top of the land dragon’s head flying. Her posture heavily tilted as blood poured from her head. Subaru bit back an anguished cry, earnestly pulling on the reins to keep them from bowling over.

[Assistant] "Patlash! !"

[User] There was no way shouting to her would give her strength. It could not be so, but the way Patlash dramatically slammed the ground with her foot, refusing to tumble, he thought it just might be true. He’d have to praise the land dragon ten times as much for guts alone. But the flying rubble continued, and blood kept flowing. At that rate, victory was out of reach—

[Assistant] "After lasting this long, even if we get deep in the forest, at this rate…" Continuing the war of attrition had poor prospects, but he couldn’t find any leads for a counterattack if they didn’t buy some time. However, the damage just now had already stamped a time limit on Patlash. He couldn’t expect the same performance from her as before. If he was going to have a flash of inspiration, it needed to be that moment, because if not—

[User] "—Just now…" Subaru bit his lip in anger at the absurdity of it all. That instant, he saw something out of place in the background of the forest they were passing through. The question of what it was tugged at his mind; the instant suitable information floated up, he pulled back on the reins. If things were as Subaru remembered, it was worth a shot. When a plan to achieve victory offered itself, you bit.

[Assistant] "Patlash, left!"

[User] "—" Patlash was bleeding when Subaru gave the order. For a single moment, she shifted her eyes in that direction, as if to ask, Are you sane? and Are you sure about this? It was natural to wonder if he was sane. However, if sanity kept victory out of reach, madness was indispensable.


[User] "That’s right! Patlash, head for the light in the woods!" He shouted, repeating and emphasizing the command as he stood straight, giving the reins a heavy flick.

[Assistant] Glared forward, and hesitation vanished from her eyes and gait. Apparently, she greatly esteemed Subaru’s judgment. She had put her life in his hands.

[User] The land dragon’s feet seemed to scrape the earth as they drove into the forest floor, braking hard as they changed course.

[Assistant] The wind repel blessing cut out, and Subaru gritted his teeth to endure the momentum threatening to throw him off. Right after he held on, on, on for dear life, they accelerated, running down to the left at a steep angle.

[User] "No matter where you run, there is nowhere to hide!" The madwoman did not miss Subaru and Patlash’s sharp turn and roaring descent. The angle of the hurled rubble shifted, and the trail of sylvan destruction followed suit. Verdant trees burst apart; the split, fallen trees were immediately recycled, grasped and hurled to spread the destruction further. Death followed close behind them.

[Assistant] Even as that cascade of destruction pursued them, Subaru ordered Patlash to follow the flickering light he’d seen from the corner of his vision—one that might prove a literal beacon of hope.

[User] The land dragon zigzagged left and right as she ran, making herself a difficult target even without pulling farther ahead.

[Assistant] Subaru wondered how arduous it must have been for his steed to go at high speed down a steep incline with a wounded body, but no matter how much his head might ponder, an answer would not be forthcoming.

[User] "Do you not know when to give in? What is ALL this running, running, running? And where does it all lead?! Your actions only prolong the inevitable… No! No, I will not!" Sloth looked straight down at Subaru and Patlash as they continued fleeing at full tilt.

[Assistant] The woman’s words were cut off at that point as she jabbed a finger into her crushed left eye in apparent self-rebuke. She proceeded to gouge out the flesh, causing blood to flow once more, her voice shrill with bitter resentment and delight.

[User] "I must be neither careless nor prideful. My task unfulfilled, brought to death for the first time, I must part ways with my doubts, my fate, my distracted thoughts!" Killing carelessness with self-mutilation, Sloth continued her attacks, hurling relentlessly. The ground exploded, and flying rubble ripped through the air; a fragment clipped Subaru’s shoulder, making his bones creak.

[Assistant] He threw his head back, bit down a cry of pain, and groaned as he endured. He would not cry out before Patlash.

[User] But their chase scene was finally coming to an end—

[Assistant] "Gah—!" A blow conveyed through the earth made the ground beneath Patlash’s feet disappear. A moment later, the land dragon’s huge frame floated skyward.


[User] By the time Subaru noticed, he didn’t even have time to scream as he rotated hard in midair, holding on to the reins as he thrashed about, and fell hard toward the ground, his entire body slamming fiercely into it. “Aghh…!” They vigorously rolled downhill. When they stopped, Subaru had lost track of which way was up. He was hurting all over, but miraculously, he couldn’t see any sign of mortal injury. No matter how much his limbs were torn up, his head was still attached to his body. But that good fortune seemed only to have managed to push his death a tiny bit into the future.

[Assistant] “IT seems that finally…the time to end this has arrived.”

[User] “—” Subaru lay faceup, watching Sloth descending from the sky.

[Assistant] When she landed, the woman dismissed the evil hand that had carried her, standing beside Subaru, still unable to move. Then she gave a bloody smile full of satisfaction and tendered a hand down to him. “Now, return my Gospel. It is not for the likes of you to possess.”

[User] “Gos-pel…” Murmuring in a broken voice, Subaru obeyed the woman’s demand, putting his hand into his pocket. His fingers found the cover they sought. Fortuitously, it had not fallen from his pocket during all the time they’d been chased. “If you want it…take it…!” Grasping the book, Subaru pulled it out and mischievously tossed it into a thicket.

[Assistant] The woman’s hand reached out, grasping nothing but air; she opened and shut her fist as she let out a sigh. “It would seem your attitude regarding my favor, and the things of others, has NOT improved.” The woman shook her head; her apparent lament had an echo of disappointment.

[User] Subaru coughed. He’d never imagined that the madwoman would make an appeal to reason and common sense.

[Assistant] The woman went over to pick up the book Subaru had thrown.

[User] Meanwhile Subaru moved his head in an attempt to locate the fallen Patlash. He found her; her breaths were labored, but she was all right. And ideally positioned.

[Assistant] “Ahh, guide for my love, proof of my favor…! Finally within my hands… I am deeply MOVED!” The woman clutched the recovered Gospel to her chest as she shed tears. Holding the written word, her crazed love in tangible form, the woman shifted her head, turning a mad smile toward the barely alive Subaru. “You fought bravely. You fought well, worthy of such praise! You and your land dragon resisted so well, so diligently! In praise of your actions, I shall grant thee mercy!”

[User] “…Mercy?”

[Assistant] “YES! Mercy! If you have any last words, I shall burn your words into my very soul, never to forget them for eternity! Now, say what you will!”

[User] He was surprised that the madwoman would show her opponent compassion after a hard-fought battle. She only made room for it because she’d recovered the book and had victory right before her eyes, but it was an unexpected side of her even so.


[User] Subaru, taking the madwoman up on her offer, lifted up a hand. It was his left hand, opposite of that which had thrown the Gospel. He was holding something in it. "Do you know what this is?"

[Assistant] The question made a suspicious look come over Sloth. The words were different from those she had sought, but the woman peered into Subaru’s hand.

[User] It held a magic crystal, small enough to rest in a palm. Giving off a white light, it was—not a one-shot-one-kill trump card. By itself, it held no power to turn the battle around. In the first place, there were things like this all over the forest. And properly speaking, it belonged among the others, not in his palm. "This is…"

[Assistant] "A barrier magic crystal. They’re stuck on trees all over the forest. You didn’t notice?"

[Assistant] Subaru wondered if her silence meant that she hadn’t noticed, or that she didn’t understand what he was saying. He didn’t really care which. The plan was already in motion.

[User] "What are you sayi—?" The woman, her disquiet at Subaru’s last words evident, suspiciously reached out with a hand. Just before her hand arrived, the plan went operational.

[Assistant] "—! !" Sensing something leaping toward her shoulder, the woman instantly tried to turn around. She never made it. From behind, the fangs of the demon beast breaking through the forest sank deep into her neck.


[User] He’d had his suspicions. The possibility had grazed his head several times while they’d been on the march. The kicker was when Julius and Ferris looked as if they doubted their ears when he told them the area around the mansion and village was a giant demon beast habitat.

[Assistant] But at the same time, he wondered… If so, didn’t the same go for the Witch Cultists, who saw Subaru as an ally? —And now, firm proof of that hypothesis rested right before his eyes.

[User] "Gaaaaaaa!" Impaled by sharp pain and the sudden impact, the madwoman looked unaware of what had happened as she screamed.

[Assistant] With the leaping demon beast’s fangs in her neck, the small-statured woman could do nothing to throw him off. The woman was swung up and down by the demon beast maw clamping down on her, slamming her into the ground several times. The woman went limp, drained of strength. Without hesitation the demonic canine held her down, withdrew its fangs, and went for the final blow.

[User] With a growl, it opened its maw, this time aiming for the woman’s windpipe.

[Assistant] "Filthy beast…! Unseen Hands!" Pressed against the ground, the woman shouted, and instantly, her wriggling shadow became evil hands that mowed the demon dog down.

[User] Bathed in the invisible attack, the demon dog cried out very much like a puppy as it tumbled heavily. But it instantly got back on its paws, howling as it moved anew to rend its prey apart—

[Assistant] "Wait! That’s enough!" Subaru intervened, barrier crystal in hand, putting a halt to its aggression.

[User] The demon beast was in a leaping stance as it growled, glaring hatefully at the white magic crystal in Subaru’s hand. The beast slowly backed away, perhaps compelled to do so by the power residing in the crystal.

[Assistant] The demon beast proceeded to mingle with the thickets, its footsteps growing more distant. There was no way it had let them go. It probably meant to watch and wait until he let go of the barrier crystal.


[User] Watching the demon beast’s retreat, Subaru let out a long sigh before turning his head, looking down at the madwoman.

[Assistant] "How can this be? To think, at a demon beast’s…"

[User] "You didn’t do your homework. This whole area’s a demon beast habitat. They just isolate it with the barrier."

[Assistant] The back of her neck bitten off, the woman was unable to move, covered in mortal wounds. Perhaps she was already blind; her one remaining eye, lacking any spark, did not turn Subaru’s way.

[User] "Roswaal, you bastard…you said you’d wiped ’em all out."

[Assistant] Cursing his all-too-secretive supporter, Subaru knelt on one knee at the woman’s side. He picked up the Gospel that lay right beside the woman, bloody and on death’s door.

[User] "I don’t know what happened to Kety, but at most, there’s two fingers left…we’ll smash ’em."

[Assistant] "Mm-mm-mmm…"

[User] Looking down at her. "Oh, it’s reckless? Undoable? How many of you have I taken down? Learn already, geez. Though no point saying that to you now, I suppose."

[Assistant] On the brink, the woman twisted her lips at Subaru’s words.

[User] Blood trickled from the corners of her lips as the woman smiled, boldly greeting her impending death.

[Assistant] "Go ahead…hold it, for now. But…soon…"

[User] "Soon, I will taaake my love back." At the end, that part came out loud and clear before the woman’s smile faltered, her life signs coming to an end.

[Assistant] "Shit…what was she trying to tell me anyway?" Subaru scratched his head as he looked down at the dead woman’s face. The inside of his mouth was dry, and he felt that his arteries had oddly quickened for reasons unrelated to stress and nervousness. For the first time, without relying on anyone else, Subaru had brought another person to death in the midst of combat. That fact made his knees faintly shake. He clamped his teeth down and sighed at length.

[User] The woman had set a curse upon Subaru just before her death. It was a curse he could not dispel right that moment.


[User] “…Can’t stay standing around. Even if one’s down, there’s still Sloths left.” Brushing hesitancy aside, Subaru turned his eyes away from the corpse and rushed over to Patlash.

[Assistant] The land dragon looked pretty beat-up from the furious tumble, bearing countless wounds over the entirety of her body. And yet, when the land dragon sensed Subaru’s approach, she stoutly rose to her feet.

[User] “Sorry, Patlash. I really want to give you a break, but I still need you.”

[Assistant] “…” When Subaru declared he would push her further, Patlash silently turned her back to him in response.

[User] He mounted, unable to count how many debts he now owed the land dragon after the last half day, the last several hours in particular. Drawing the reins, he ordered the helmetless land dragon to return to the village. The barrier crystal in his hand was warm, steadily continuing to warn of the presence of demon beasts. Perhaps the demon dog was lurking in the thicket, watching them that very moment. He paid no heed as they took off running. “The Sloths left over, the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins’ fingers…probably one left!”

[Assistant] At the height of the battle in the village, Subaru and Julius had headed toward the source of the Unseen Hands. There, they found an explosion, and at the center of that explosion, Wilhelm. Subaru had no doubt Wilhelm had been fighting that Sloth until the instant just prior to that. He was sure the Sword Devil had struck down his foe. He deduced that, just as with the dragon carriage explosion, something in Kety’s possession had caused it. If Kety had been defeated by the Sword Devil, he might have blown himself up to try to bring Wilhelm down with him. If that was true, there was one finger remaining—and that ought to be the last Sloth left. “If we can deal with that one, we just need to mop up the regular Witch Cultists and we win!” He finally saw a beacon of certain victory. But that glimmer was far back in Subaru’s mind. To escape the madwoman’s attacks, he’d had to flee deep into the forest. He was far from the village, where the battle was surely still raging. Every second spent running uphill felt like a lifetime.

[User] “—?! Shit! He really did come out! !” Clenching his teeth, Subaru glared up at the sky, shouting with anger and nervousness. The sight was even worse than he’d expected. Once more, black hands stretched from the other side of the forest up to the sky before his eyes, pointed toward the village. Subaru was still far away. His shout could not reach the people those arms were aimed at. If they swung downward, more would die. Knights. Beast people. Villagers. Lives would be snuffed out. Lives that belonged to people Subaru knew. Raising a voiceless scream, Subaru prayed for the black, evil hands to disappear. As if responding to Subaru’s lament, Patlash, battered all over, increased her speed.


[User] They practically flew over the lip, charged down into the forest, and raced to the village on the verge of being violated once more.

[Assistant] “Sloth! !” As they galloped, he yelled hard enough to rend his throat. The village bore vast traces of destruction: human corpses were strewn all over the place; flames were raging, mingling with someone’s crying voice in the air. Even in a world filled with the sound of swords clashing, he instantly knew who the madman must be. The fifth Sloth was a very thin, balding, middle-aged man, tearing at his bloody face as he laughed maniacally.

[User] “—” Subaru instinctively knew that this was the last one. The madman turned, seemingly drawn by Subaru’s certainty. They exchanged gazes, acknowledging each other as enemies. However, the man played the most horrific of opening moves first.

[Assistant] “Ahh—my brain is shaaaaaking!” Already, countless arms swung up, blocking the heavens before they came crashing down alongside an angry, unhinged shout. The attack became a cascade of death, no doubt intended to violate the village to its roots, crushing anyone and everyone to death by sheer force of numbers.

[User] “Gotta stop him!” Subaru cried with determination, but it was a cry of despair, for he had no power with which to do so. And a moment before the madman’s act of brutality proceeded to repaint the world in black—

[Assistant] “That is far enough, villain.” —he heard a voice. And that voice took everyone aback. Standing in a daze, they looked up at the sky, unable to move.

[User] “Enough—I will tolerate no more violence from you.” For above the myriad wriggling black hands, the sky was covered in the pale glow of absolute zero.


[User] “Truly fine! Truly a splendid body! It has been decades since flesh has felt so comfortable, the perfect resource for supplementing my lost fingers!”

[Assistant] “How dare you…?! Get out of Sir Subaru’s body right now, heretic!”

[User] “For what purpose, and with what right do you say such a thing? It is because you robbed me of my precious fingers that I must inhabit this body as a last resort!”

[Assistant] Wilhelm grasped Petelgeuse’s face, bending his head back while yelling into it.

[User] Petelgeuse responded with Subaru’s face and Subaru’s voice and scratched at his throat. The painful sight of gouged flesh and blood scattering mortified Julius and the others.

[Assistant] “Your qualifications are by no means poor. Unfortunately, you have engraved too many excess rituals into your fleeesh. This makes you fundamentally unsuitable to be my finger.”

[Assistant] “Diligent old bones! Your flesh, too, is unsuited to be my finger! Even if I must praise the spirit, your flesh is an unsuitable vessel for love…ahh, how tragic!” To Ferris, and then Wilhelm, Petelgeuse pointed his finger and shook his head.

[User] “—And above all else, a spirit user. You are the MOST incompatible of all. The hindrance of your impurity aside, you would become a fine finger of mine. Is THIS answer enough?”

[Assistant] “Unfortunately, I shall not cast the flowers aside, even if they were to abandon me. Perhaps a madman like you cannot understand such feelings.” Julius responded to that extraordinary malice with a reply of utmost enmity.

[User] The contents thereof made Petelgeuse’s eyes go wide; the next moment, he slapped his knees, seized by laughter. "Madman! Truly, that IS the proper term! Yes, I am crazy for love! Love, undaunted love, mementos of love, affectionate love, kind love, warm love, benevolent love, thirst for love, reverent love, love of family, climactic love, private love, pure love, cherished love, gushing love, filial love, trusting love, deep love, virtuous love, sensual love, bitter love, profound love, charitable love, spiteful love, faithful love, gracious love, humble love, biased love, delusional love, fraternal love, romantic love, love, love, love, loveloveloveloveloooooooooovvvvve! !"

[Assistant] “Damned fool…” As Petelgeuse made his insanity clear, Julius focused his hostility at him while pleading to Subaru’s soul.

[User] “Subaru! Open your eyes! You are too good to be taken over by a madman like…!”

[Assistant] “It is futile! This flesh is already under the control of my mind! Though it attempts to RESIST, it is fruitless, meaningless! This body is already my finger!”

[User] “No one is speaking to you! Subaru, think! What did you come back for? Why do you fight? Did you not shout those very words to me?"


[User] While disparaging Petelgeuse, Julius wrapped his six colored spirits around his cavalry saber, raising it high. The powerful, rainbowlike light repelled the darkness in the forest, its radiance dazzling the eyes for a brief moment.

[Assistant] "Wh-what is this?! What are…?"

[User] "As if you need it spelled out, you stupid jerk…!"

[Assistant] "—!" The madman opened his eyes in shock, rocked back by the torrent of emotions surging up from within. Halting as they were, the words that trickled out of his mouth were a glimpse of the mind of the owner of that flesh.

[User] The transformation made Julius and the others raise their voices, seeing a glimmer of hope. "Subaru!"

[Assistant] "Subawu!"

[User] "Sir Subaru!"

[Assistant] "I am…Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti… Shut the hell up, I’m Subaru Natsuki…!" Push back, push back. Bury everything in the dark dregs of the mind.

[User] "You are merely…mumbling in my ears…you will soon falter… Do you really think…you can defeat the likes of me, by strength of will…?" With bluff, a show of pretense, he tried to take back, seize back his own mind.

[User] "I do not seek your understanding!" Those were the first words Petelgeuse spoke when he broke past Subaru’s resistance. The voice that had spoken such madness, such crazed delight, such fury, now spoke with a mind that was indifferent, unmoved.

[Assistant] "...Do it, Julius." With Petelgeuse’s resistance slackening, he’d settle it while he was still in control. For that purpose, Subaru chose the method most likely to succeed. That sword held the greatest possibility for beating Petelgeuse.

[User] When addressed, Julius was aghast; his eyes widened, and his lips quivered. "What are…you saying?"

[Assistant] "Sorry, but…it’s only a matter of time. If you…don’t stop me now, we can’t win…so before that happens…"

[User] "No! Subaru, you must reconsider! I am both a knight and a spirit mage, a spirit knight who swore to aid you in your objective."


[User] Julius grimaces in anguish.

[Assistant] "I cannot break that oath now!” “You swore with me to…protect Emilia… Pretty sick of me, I know." The reply Subaru wrung out of himself.

[User] "And you had something to speak to me about later."

[Assistant] “…Sorry. But no can do.”

[User] "Wilhelm, don’t do anything rash…"

[Assistant] "I pushed myself to reach this point. I absolutely will not accept an end like—" Wilhelm was heavily wounded, having delayed treatment for his injuries to rush over with all haste.

[User] Subaru gave a momentary, limp smile before leaving things in the hands of the last person. "Ferris, please."

[Assistant] "You can hate me for this, Subaru—I hate me, too." At Subaru’s words, Ferris—the person there who most hated the cruelty of life and death—nodded. He seemed to somehow have known he would be called upon. With tears in his eyes, he pointed a finger at Subaru. The gesture triggered an abnormality in Subaru’s core—namely, a scorching pain, as if his blood were being boiled, burning his entire body with unendurable heat.

[User] “Ga—aaaa—! !” Hot. Hot. Hothothothothothothothothothot— His throat was hot. His eyes were hot. His body was hot. His tongue was hot. His nose was hot. His hands were hot. His ears were hot. His feet were hot. His blood was hot. His brain was hot. His bones were hot. His soul was hot. His life was hot. Hot, hot, hot. His blood was literally boiling, his internal organs were simmering, and the high-temperature steam his brain gave off clouded his vision.

[Assistant] “Aaaaaaa—? !” From somewhere other than his melting ears, he heard the echo of a death cry that was not his own. One body was inhabited by two minds. Naturally, burning the body meant burning the mind of the madman with it. There was no escape. At this rate, that soul, trapped in its vessel, would be sent straight to the afterlife. “—” He suffered, he writhed, he convulsed, and finally, his body could move no more. Petelgeuse could try his sore loser act again, but it wouldn’t work this time. Inside Subaru, his days were done.

[User] "Ferris! Why…?"

[Assistant] "No one else could do it, right? This is what Subawu wanted."

[User] "Even so, to inflict such pain on Sir Subaru like this—"

[Assistant] "—! Do you think I wanted to?!"


[User] “To use this power, power I have for Lady Crusch’s sake, that I promised to use to put her on the throne, like this…!” The voices of lament, regret, anger, sadness…they sounded so distant. Lacking the strength to even shift his head, Subaru silently apologized for forcing Ferris to stain his hands like this. With Julius hesitating, and Wilhelm beyond reach, Ferris was the only one he could count on. It was the same method he’d used to make Kety faint inside the dragon carriage that later exploded. Subaru’s body had been directly healed by Ferris, so Ferris could interfere with Subaru’s mana without touching him. The result was plain. The power, and suffering, were beyond Subaru’s expectations, almost enough to make him regret his choice. But those feelings were overshadowed by his guilt of forcing such a deed on Ferris. Ferris’s power was the power to heal others. That was the source of Ferris’s pride, his mission in life, and the part of himself he treasured above all else. Subaru had made him use that power in a terrible way. He just wished he could utter the word sorry.

[Assistant] Lying on the ground, unable to move, Subaru felt something touching his face. His eyes felt like a haze, displaying nothing. But Subaru recognized the hard, grainy sensation from somewhere. It was not from Julius, nor from Ferris, nor from Wilhelm, but from someone else related to—

[User] With Subaru’s life flickering like a candle in the wind, he felt Patlash, the jet-black land dragon, nestle close to mourn his passing. Probably, these were the top four on the list of people he’d caused trouble for—no, Emilia and Ram were missing from that list. And he was truly grateful neither of the two was there.

[Assistant] "Subaru." He sensed someone standing opposite Patlash, speaking with a forthright voice. He didn’t even have to think about who it was. Full of determination, the voice could be none other than that of “The Finest of Knights.” After all, there was no knightly knight in that place save he. "It was my inadequacy that forced you and Ferris into an unpalatable decision. I shall surely pay for this sin someday.”

[User] Don’t dwell on stupid stuff like that, was exactly what he didn’t feel like saying. Dwell on it more and more, damn it. Don’t you ever forget it. I won’t ever forget. This pain, this powerlessness—


[Assistant] For a moment, there was silence. Sensing the feeling of cold steel on his neck, Subaru let out his breath at the apparent fact that he would soon be sent on his way.

[User] “Sir Subaru, I am very sorry.”

[Assistant] “Lady Emilia will probably cry.” The voices sounded distant and broken to him. Everything was vague, incomprehensible. There were promises. To never forget. To take something back. To definitely come again.

[User] It ends here? Absurd! I cannot…not like this! Right when I have found a suitable vessel!


[User] On the eve of the trial’s completion! A finger! If I have a new vessel, I cannot be destr…

[Assistant] "Shut up and go to hell."

[User] He fell, fell to an unknown place far, far away— Somehow, he’d died again. He’d probably lost it all once more. He surrendered everything to the abyss. This was the familiar embrace of failure after he pathetically lost his life. Look back at the world. Look back at your failures. Don’t forget. Don’t forget. Do not forget. Ferris’s tear-filled voice. Wilhelm’s lament, shaking with regrets. Julius’s resolve and remorse, so great he probably gnashes his teeth over it—Don’t forget, ever. No matter how low you are, don’t ever let go. Thus, another life came to an end. However, nonetheless, even so—Subaru Natsuki continued. Whatever happened, no matter where he came back, no matter how much suffering he carried with him, his struggle would not cease. He would repeat and do over, for that was what he swore. With a strike, and a sound, everything plunged into darkness. It was severed.

[Assistant] "I love you." Together with that soft, gentle, fleeting, and cruel breath— Subaru Natsuki lost his life, and the world was born again once more.


[User] Subaru Natsuki began the strategy meeting he’d dubbed Witch Cult Hunting Made Simple. It was before dawn on the Liphas plains. A group of about fifty warriors and mercenaries had gathered together. Standing at the center of attention of so many accomplished people was a little rough on Subaru’s nerves. These people were older, veteran soldiers or rough-and-tumble beast people mercenaries. From Subaru’s perspective, they were from a different world. Barring very specific circumstances, Subaru would never have had the opportunity to cross paths with them. And now these residents of a world unconnected to his own were sitting in a circle with Subaru at the center. That his meandering path had put him in command of such people sent a gale of anxiety and weakness through Subaru’s heart. But his passion and will to fight were every bit as intense. “Figures…”

[Assistant] The scene before Subaru’s eyes was what he had yearned for every time he experienced Return by Death, something that had seemed almost impossible to reach. Subaru’s piddling readiness and self-respect gave rise to an urge so great that it was almost painful; he didn’t want to fail the innumerable people who had guided him so far ever again. He criticized himself for this more harshly than anyone else could have.

[Assistant] "What is it, Subaru? You went quiet all of a sudden." When Subaru put his fist to his chest in self-admonishment, someone watching him from the side called out to him. It was the other man who stood out even among their current company, a gorgeous man wearing the uniform of a Knight of the Royal Guard.

[User] "I hardly think you’re getting cold feet, but…time is of the essence. You said yourself there’s not a moment to spare, no?"

[Assistant] "Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t need to snap at me every time. The first thing you say at times like these is important, so I was just thinking about how to put it best."

[User] "Such concern is unnecessary. Everyone here already knows your conduct before large numbers of people is problematic. Pay it no concern and simply be yourself."

[Assistant] "Gah-ha-ha-ha! Ya sure said it, Julius! Hey, bro, he really got ya there!" Ricardo, commander of the beast-man mercenary band called the Iron Fangs, broke into laughter as sympathetic expressions spread among the knights of the expeditionary force.

[User] "Grrr…!" A vein bulged on Subaru’s forehead as his darkest moment was dragged out into the open.

[Assistant] "That’s so humiliating…!"

[User] "Yes, yes, now that’s enough feeling ashamed of yourself! Subawu, it’s your duty to work hard to clean the slate so you can live without shame, right? And Julius, I understand your urge to needle him, but think about how you say things!"

[Assistant] "It seems you misunderstand, Ferris. I had no such intention.


[User] "Certainly, it would be a happy day if he has become a better speaker for it."

[Assistant] "You really have a roundabout way of doing things…" Ferris sighed, looking thoroughly annoyed at Julius’s sardonic reply.

[User] Seeing his reaction, Subaru finally understood the purpose behind Julius’s words and deeds. That only gave him the same feelings as Ferris, though.

[Assistant] "A little banter is fine. That said, I believe we should finally address the subject at hand. Our priority should be countermeasures against the Witch Cult." It was the sharp-looking Wilhelm who dragged the conversation back from the tangent.

[User] Of all his companions, Subaru expected the most out of the Sword Devil, both mentally and in terms of combat. Subaru had cooperated with him in slaying the White Whale, the elderly warrior’s mortal foe of many years. In return, he unreservedly lent Subaru his strength.

[Assistant] Joining Subaru and Wilhelm’s force were the survivors of the White Whale expeditionary force as well as the Iron Fangs’ reinforcements. These fifty-odd individuals formed the Anti-Witch Alliance, which would challenge the Witch Cult.

[User] "Well, since Wilhelm asked and because time’s a-wasting, I’ll get to the point. The topic of discussion today is Witch Cult Hunting Made Simple… The actual contents are pretty simple. Like with anything, simpler methods give more intense results."

[Assistant] "Logical. What is your plan, then?"

[User] "How about we kick their asses—go in for a preemptive strike to take the enemy commander’s head and victory along with it."

[Assistant] Subaru’s conclusion sent a faint whiff of surprise through those present. His words were the very definition of audacity. That “commander’s head” belonged to one of the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins commanding the Witch Cult.

[User] "Well, that’s definitely simple. Assuming we pull it off, it’d be a huge blow to the Cult." Amid the group’s unease, which was beginning to border on unrest, Ricardo was the first to speak up in admiration. The huge dog-man showed off his fangs as he smiled, touching those sharp canine teeth with a finger as he spoke again.

[Assistant] "That’s if we can pull it off, though. Anyone can talk big. Can’t go countin’ our chickens before they hatch."

[User] Subaru thumped his own chest in response and immediately followed up.

[Assistant] "Of course I have a plan. I proved I’m not reckless enough to hunt a whale without a fishhook, didn’t I?"

[User] "Man, I already believe you. That’s why I wanna hear your reasoning, get it?" While Subaru was brimming with confidence, Ricardo prompted him to get on with it as he ground his fangs together.

[Assistant] Subaru realized his other comrades shared the dog-man’s feelings when he saw how they drew closer, eagerly awaiting the details of his proposal.

[User] "Okay, I’ll lay this out one part at a time. First, the Witch Cult is targeting the Mathers domain, where Emilia is. This is due to all sorts of background information."


[User] “We’ll leave it at that for now, okay?”

[Assistant] “So those are the starting conditions? Very well. In truth, we anticipated that it was likely an incident related to the Witch Cult would occur in the Mathers domain. The appearance of the White Whale at the same time cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence.”

[User] “So what…the Witch Cult used the White Whale to seal the highway with its mist and isolate the Mathers domain, meow? Looks like the Cult is getting serious. Well, considering their dogma, that almost goes without saying.”

[Assistant] Subaru began going over the situation.

[User] Julius added his thoughts.

[Assistant] Ferris added his thoughts.

[User] “The Witch Cult is after Emilia’s life. But that doesn’t mean they’ll ignore the humans near her. They don’t discriminate—they’ll kill women and children without mercy.”

[Assistant] “There is no room for doubt on that point, however repugnant it may be.” Seeing Subaru’s anger, Julius nodded. His eyes held no surprise in them—only furious indignation.

[User] “I want to save Emilia, the people at the mansion, and of course all the villagers. Now, I thought about getting everyone in the area to the mansion and holing up there, but…”

[Assistant] “Against the Witch Cult, whose members can appear anywhere without the slightest warning, sheltering in place seems a poor plan.”

[User] “Yeah, we’re gonna pass that one up.”

[Assistant] "—We need to go after the Witch Cult lurking in the forest before they figure out what we’re up to. While they’re prepped to strike first, we’ve gotta strike even before that, and crush ’em.”

[User] “I appreciate the enthusiasm, meow, but how do we find the Witch Cult in the forest? No one’s managed to grab their tail in four hundred years.


[User] "We need something to go on."

[Assistant] "Yeah, about that… Long story short, it’s like fishing for the White Whale.”

[User] “Meow…?” Subaru’s suddenly cryptic explanation made Ferris’s big, round eyes bulge even bigger.

[Assistant] “I used my scent to lure the whale in, right? I can do the same thing with the Witch Cult, too.”

[Assistant] “Yeah, this condition I have is scary stuff. It’s a real pain in the butt, ha-ha.”

[Assistant] “Ha-ha-ha…” Subaru’s dry laugh was the only sound in the silent atmosphere; when it trailed off, an unsettled air hung over the plains. He looked at the faces of those around him, wondering how they would respond to his long-awaited, long-delayed plan. Subaru himself could not explain it any better; he had no reasoning for why he could lure demon beasts and Witch cultists save his physical makeup. All he could do was recognize the fact and say, That’s how it is. Someday the truth behind that would become clear, but even if there was some terrible reason it was so, the best thing he could do right now was rely on it. Hence—

[User] “I figured in advance my story wasn’t gonna sound very persuasive.” Subaru surveyed the silent knights and beast people, speaking the truth in the most honest way he could think of. “I think calling it crazy talk, unbelievable stuff, is the natural reaction to have. But still…”

[Assistant] “Sir Subaru.”

[User] “…Please believe me. I’ve said a lot of stupid things in my life, but I meant everything I just told you. That’s how I decided to be, and that’s why I want your help.” Up to that point, those around Subaru had reached out to him time after time, only for him to reject them and trample on their feelings. He only realized this now that he was facing his first true challenge. Subaru was powerless and ignorant before the task that loomed before him. On his own, it would be impossible. He needed help from others—from everyone.

[Assistant] “I only have one head, so it’s the only thing I can ask you with. But if this single head won’t do, I’ll bow it as many times as you like, so please, lend me your strength.”

[User] “…” Subaru pleaded with them, lowering his head for all to see. Those around Subaru were silent; the only sound was that of the wind crossing the plains. After several moments, the first to speak was a small beast man, a lieutenant of the Iron Fangs called TB. With an adorable face, he adjusted the position of his monocle and stared straight at Subaru.

[Assistant] “I understand what you are trying to say. However, if you ask us to believe you without any basis for…gah? !”

[User] “What are you worrying about, TB?” In the middle of his lecture to Subaru, TB was interrupted by a single blow from his older sister Mimi, who stood nearby. She smacked his back, and as her younger brother groaned, she laughed innocently.


[User] "Mister here worked reaaaally hard to take down that big fish, you know! No one who worked that hard would try to trick us, so it’s okay!"

[Assistant] "S-Sis, could you please be quiet?! This is a very important conver—"

[User] "You’re always trying to be crofty… Wait, huh? Cro? Cru? Crufty…?"

[Assistant] "Crafty?"

[User] "That’s the one! You won’t grow big if you’re doing that all the time!" Mimi bluntly scolded her teary-eyed younger brother. Then, turning from the wilting TB, she pointed at Subaru. "You didn’t fight that big fish earlier, TB! So if you can’t trust Mister here, just trust in your big sis!"

[Assistant] "Big Sis believes in Mister, so since you believe in Big Sis, you can trust Mister, right, TB? Besides, Mimi will protect TB no matter what happens!" Mimi puffed her chest out as she spoke, brimming with confidence. Though her words surprised TB, they immediately wore him down. The hostility he’d displayed earlier drained from his face. The sight of the siblings made the others unwittingly break into broad smiles. Amid the unexpected outpouring of laughter, Mimi tilted her head with a curious look and asked, "What?"

[User] "Nahhh, don’t sweat it. That was perfect. You said it great." His eyes softening, Ricardo patted Mimi’s head so hard that his huge palm almost looked like it would pop her head right off. "There’s still things that bug me, but havin’ come this far, we’re not gonna doubt bro now. We crossed that bridge a long while ago."

[Assistant] Subaru’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.

[User] "Sir Subaru, a man should not lower his head lightly. Indeed, to avoid meeting a person’s eyes when you ask something of them is unacceptable—had you looked, you would surely have noticed it yourself by now." The Sword Devil’s solemn words urged Subaru to lift his chin and look around. As he examined the faces of those surrounding him, Subaru realized that their feelings had not changed. Not a single thing about them was different since the discussion began—

[Assistant] "You know, meow, it puts us in a bind if you go quiet all on your own like that. It’s not as if anyone thinks your story is a lie, Subawu." With a subdued look, Ferris passed a finger through his own fur as he spoke. The absence of objections proved that everyone present agreed.

[User] Under Subaru’s gaze, Julius maintained his usual elegant handsomeness as he stood straight. "Besides, Subawu, your decoy plan is what decided the fight with the White Whale. It was Lady Crusch who chose to bet on that…which means doubting Subawu is the same as doubting Lady Crusch, and there’s no way Ferri could do such a thing."

[Assistant] "That is a very Ferris-like thing to say, but Sir Subaru has simply earned our trust through his actions. That is the plain truth known to all who witnessed that battle."

[User] "H-hey, Old Man Wil?


[User] "Of course, I am included in that.” Ferris was visibly nervous, his voice going shrill, but Wilhelm merely nodded strongly in Subaru’s direction, paying no heed to the retort.

[Assistant] “I’m so uncool… Guess I’m as bad at reading the atmosphere as ever.”

[User] “I believe an atmosphere is something to be breathed, not read?”

[Assistant] “Oh, shut up! I knew that already! And that the less you can read it the more you obsess about it!” Julius’s comment made Subaru’s voice go ragged as he swept away all the excess sentimentality within him. He’d unnecessarily embarrassed himself again. All things considered, though, it wasn’t such a bad price to pay.

[User] “Our trust in you is the result of your own accomplishments, Sir Subaru.”

[Assistant] “I—I wasn’t crying! I just felt like all the suffering and regret I felt coming all this way had finally paid off, and when I drifted off, some protein-infused alkaline water spilled out of my eyes. That’s all! Don’t get the wrong idea! !” Subaru tried his best to hide his tears, glossing over the conflicted emotions inside him, raising his head and diving into the main topic.

[User] “Anyway, if everyone trusts me, that speeds things up a lot. So my selling point is that the Witch Cult and demon beasts react to my scent. I’ll use that to lure the Witch Cult.”

[Assistant] “So we’ll wipe out whatever appears in one fell swoop? If it could become more than an impractical theory, that sounds like a fine plan, but what do you estimate the actual odds of success to be?”

[User] “Odds?”

[Assistant] “The probability that they will detect you and willingly reveal themselves.” Julius, who had not questioned the plan’s viability up to that point, voiced his doubts for the first time.

[User] “Given the nature of this strategy, we cannot allow the matter to remain vague. What do you think?”

[Assistant] “The probability of me drawing them out is a hundred percent. They’ll come for sure.”

[User] “That is a bold statement.”

[Assistant] “Those cultists’ll come out for sure."


[User] “It’s because they’re them, and I’m me.” Julius received an explanation that didn’t really explain anything.

[Assistant] When it came to confidence in himself, Subaru was second to none. The facts he discovered via Return by Death were absolute. That certainty was his sole advantage. "You mentioned before…that you have a history with the Witch Cult, didn’t you?”

[User] “Yeah. Those are the worst memories I have. I won’t let ’em get away with anything like it ever again.” Strictly speaking, that “history” was a future that had yet to come. So long as the actions of Subaru and others did not change it, that horrible future would be realized; he was in this place, at this time, to defy and shatter that destiny.

[Assistant] “…I see. Very well. So we’ll be using your presence to lure them out then. Is that right?”

[User] “…You…were easier to convince than I thought.”

[Assistant] “I never intended to oppose your plan to begin with. I simply wanted to see if you had the resolve to lead such a dangerous operation. If you lacked the determination, it would have been necessary to find a substitute.”

[User] “Say what you want, but it’s way too late for me to be getting cold feet now.” Subaru snorted at Julius’s mean-spirited prodding as he brushed his meager personal worries aside. If he acted timid now, it would play right into Julius’s hands. Subaru made a point to stand up straighter.

[Assistant] “I’m saying this loud and clear. The Witch Cult is gonna show up wherever I am. The Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins is no exception. So basically, when they come out, we beat them senseless. As far as that goes, it’s a pretty simple plan.”

[User] “It really does sound simple when put that way… I have to say, Subawu, between this and the White Whale, you really enjoy using yourself as a decoy.”

[Assistant] “Hey, don’t say it like I do this every time something comes up. It’s only been coincidence up until now. It’s not like it’s every single…” Thinking back, his main role during the fight against Elsa in the loot cellar was being a distraction, followed by luring the Urugarum out in the demon beast forest. Then he became the bait for the White Whale. At the present, he was planning an operation against the Witch Cult that centered around his serving as a decoy—

[User] “Huh?! Wait—it really is every time!”

[Assistant] “It would appear you have both ample experience and ample success under your belt. Perhaps we can count on your performance this time as well.”

[User] “You can…! You can, but…!” Though Subaru groaned as he listened to Julius’s words, he couldn’t find a way to respond.

[Assistant] “So now that we’ve settled on me acting as a decoy, I wanna focus on everything else. First, the Witch Cult is hiding out in the forest around the manor. There’s no better place for it.


[User] "As for the possibility of other places the cultists could be based…the mist takes care of all that. They wanted to use the mist to cut off the Mathers turf. That means they’re hiding out in this region somewhere. Closing off all roads leading out works against them, too.”

[Assistant] There was no need to persuade anyone on that point—the White Whale had made it clear. Its obedience of the Witch Cult meant that the demon beast’s appearance was necessary for whatever the cultists had planned. Of course, the White Whale was no help to the Cult this time, having already been slain—

[User] “The White Whale was taken down pretty much right when it appeared. We’ll reach the cultists before they figure out what happened.”

[Assistant] “Then this will be a battle against time. If we press our blades to the necks of those hiding in the forest, it will come down to a proper contest of strength. With Julius’s reinforcements and the Iron Fangs added to the expeditionary force, as well as my modest strength, I do not think we shall lose.”

[User] “Well, that’s how it is.” Subaru agreed with Wilhelm’s assessment. The fighting ability of the Witch Cult disciples following Petelgeuse couldn’t be underestimated. However, many of the troops following Subaru’s command were fierce warriors that had survived a battle with the White Whale. Even accounting for Petelgeuse, they were more than a match for a fight with the cultists. Even Subaru could put up a fight if it was hand-to-hand combat.

[Assistant] But considering Wilhelm’s skill, it wouldn’t be strange to watch heads fly after a single blow. In other words, everything else came down to how much they could tilt the circumstances in their favor, with victory hinging on a single decisive battle. “Setting up a big ol’ ambush means we’ll have an overwhelming advantage…!”

[User] In the first place, Petelgeuse had no idea a force was coming for them. The Witch Cult had always been the attacker. Their name was synonymous with irrationality and contradiction. Without a doubt, they’d never even considered that someone might threaten them. —Subaru would smash that conceit to pieces. “Maybe everything’s been great for you bastards up till now…but we aren’t going to let that happen this time.”

[Assistant] “—” Everyone who heard the conviction in Subaru’s words wore a tense expression. They knew. The battle awaiting them was a chance to strike a blow against the vile existence known as the Witch Cult, which had never been possible until that very moment. “After we enter the Mathers lands, I’ll smoke out the Witch Cult lurking in the forest. But the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins is a sly one. He has a bunch of people under him, split into ten or so groups.”

[User] “Where did you learn this?”

[Assistant] “From last time Sloth popped his head out. He called his servants fingers, telling them apart with names like right middle finger, left ring finger, and stuff.


[User] “He didn’t seem to go as far as including toes, so we shouldn’t have to worry about twenty groups showing up or anything.”

[Assistant] "Subaru, does the prior history you mentioned involve the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins? More importantly, is Sloth masterminding the attack?”

[User] “—Sorry. I didn’t explain enough. Yeah, the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins we’re gonna bump into is that Sloth bastard. He’s the one I have a connection with. In this world, he’s the owner of the face I hate the most.”

[Assistant] “Hmm. Incidentally, I presume your second-most-hated face belongs to me?”

[User] “Don’t get carried away. Don’t be trying to make yourself a big part of my life, all right?”

[Assistant] “That asshole’s put me through hell. But thanks to that, I know for a fact my odor’s effective, on top of the knowledge that he splits up his followers into fingers.”

[User] “Meow, I see. That’s why you’re so confident… Better not to ask about what happened, hmm?”

[Assistant] “…Yeah, that’s right. Please don’t. I’ll tell you about anything that’s important, though.”

[User] “Loud and clear. Asking seems like it’ll just leave a sour taste anyway.”

[Assistant] “Also, not to put a damper on our plan of attack, but I’ve arranged for some insurance, too. I asked Anastasia and Russel for that before we set out to take down the White Whale.”

[User] “Insurance you asked the lady for? What kind of evil plan is this…?”

[Assistant] “It was just a normal request! Geez, who the hell do you think your employer is? !” Subaru yells, catching Ricardo off guard.

[User] “Actually, what I asked both of them to do was touch base with the villages near the highway—I wanted them to hire the dragon carriages from every traveling merchant in the neighborhood."


[User] "The client is Marquis Mathers, and the condition is that he pays the asking price for everything the carriages are hauling."

[Assistant] "…Ha. That should get ’em fired up."

[User] “There’s no question this is going to break the bank, but it’s a necessary expense to save people’s lives. It’s the obvious call to make since Roswaal is off prancing around somewhere again right when we need him.” He says, refering to the lure of gold.

[Assistant] “This leaves us with a small problem…namely that we don’t want the Witch Cult to get wind of what we’re up to, so I wanna hook up with the group of hired merchants along the way.”

[User] “Certainly, it would be wise not to put them on guard when we depend on the element of surprise. We should assign people familiar with the circumstances to guide the merchant group."

[Assistant] "I understand. If the lady’s involved, I think it’s best we send people from our camp. We’ll dispatch four messengers. Your instructions, please.”

[User] “Oh, that was fast. I appreciate it.” Subaru felt relieved after witnessing Julius and TB’s quick decision making.

[Assistant] “Also, I wanna send a messenger from Crusch’s to the mansion. If we don’t let Emilia know about the alliance treaty and incoming reinforcements, things’ll fall into chaos.”

[User] “Ahhh, a handwritten letter. Meow that I think about it, you wrote one, huh?” Ferris claps his hands together.

[Assistant] “That’s…probably all there is to say. It’s a plan that leaves a lot to be hashed out along the way, but everyone here ought to already know what this fight means.”

[User] “Meanin’ it’s our best chance to give the Witch Cult a bloody nose!” Ricardo burst into ferocious laughter while he stood with his furry arms crossed against his chest.

[Assistant] “…Throughout the years, there has surely never been a battle against the Witch Cult that has afforded us such an advantageous position.” Wilhelm drew his body straighter, channeling razor-sharp hostility as he spoke.


[User] "To be granted such an opportunity so soon after finally fulfilling my deepest wish… The greatest problem is keeping my blood from boiling."

[Assistant] "I’m counting on you, Wilhelm.”

[User] “As you wish.” The elderly man who had dedicated himself completely to a life of the sword responded very briefly. His demeanor projected a sense of unsurpassed trust.

[Assistant] Subaru took this in, surveying the fifty-odd faces of his comrades.

[User] “The fight with the White Whale was so hard I could’ve sworn I was a dead man. As a matter of fact, some people did die, while others were erased and will never get to go home.”

[Assistant] “Right now, I don’t think there’s much reason or logic behind why we’re standing here instead of them. If I had to say it was anything, we were a little luckier. That’s all.”

[User] “If even the tiniest thing were different, we’d probably all be dead. We’re all still here after surviving a fight like that. If that’s the case, then let’s just get past one more.”

[User] “Let’s win with such a landslide that not a single one of us dies. Make sure that everyone lives and goes home. We already beat a monster like the White Whale. We ain’t gonna lose to the likes of the Witch Cult.”


[User] "We’re gonna make sure no one dies. Dying for the sake of scum like that is just stupid."

[Assistant] Before the shocked members of the group, Subaru raised his hand, opening his mouth as he looked out over everyone’s face. “On that note, I’m gonna go ahead and ask right out—let me cling to you guys while I rely on you for everything.”


[User] “Among the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins, the two most famous are probably Sloth and Greed.” Julius spoke to Subaru while riding his land dragon alongside him.

[Assistant] "And that’s why I can’t stand you…"

[User] “I shall let that slide and continue what we were discussing. Even among the famous Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins, two stand out. In terms of reliable records, information on Sloth is far more prevalent, but in terms of the scale of damage, the unforgivable crimes of Greed are second to none.”

[Assistant] "So reliability versus how much damage, huh? Nothin’ good from either one by the sound of it…"

[User] “Certainly not.”

[Assistant] “The individual you know as Sloth is suspected of being responsible for more than half of the Witch Cult’s activities. Considering that the Witch Cult operates on a global scale, one can only say he possesses miraculous mobility.”

[User] "So the bastard really gets around."

[Assistant] “The name itself rolls off the tongue rather oddly—for a man who dubs himself Sloth, he must be a rather diligent worker. That being said, applying such energy in a direction no one wants suggests a mind that is far beyond help.”


[User] Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti, earnestly strove to be the most diligent, and urged others to be as hardworking as he. Even though he called himself Sloth, he bore a rather substantial hatred toward laziness. His rate of activity, unusual for the Witch Cult, must have been an expression of that hatred.

[Assistant] “It pains me to say this, but the knights have learned little of the Witch Cult. Since they are hidden to begin with, it is difficult to expose them during peacetime. When they cause harm, the first witnesses are always doubted—even then, all that remains in their wake is something akin to a charred plain.”

[User] “So the dilemma here is like detectives that don’t investigate unless a crime’s been committed. I feel you, though…” Seeing the regret on Julius’s face kept even Subaru from poking fun.

[Assistant] It would be wrong to criticize the knights’ investigative abilities. After all, it didn’t change the fact that the Witch Cult was at fault.

[User] “—However, this time, it will be different.” It was Wilhelm, coming up beside them, who interrupted their exchange. Riding his favorite mount, the Sword Devil hemmed Subaru in from the side opposite Julius, staring straight ahead. His eyes were quietly filled with an eagerness to fight as he touched the hilt of the treasured sword hanging from his hip.

[Assistant] “We will take down the leader, allowing none to escape. Just like the White Whale, he will pay for all his wicked deeds. That is the will of every soul in the kingdom, and the earnest desire of the knights.”

[User] “Exactly as you say. These cowards have fled from the blade of justice. However, this time, we shall not give them the chance. Our swords will find them.”

[Assistant] Wilhelm nodded, and for once Julius’s expression hardened as his raw emotion became visible.

[User] Subaru wasn’t the only one with a reason to despise the Witch Cult. For some people who’d lived all their lives in this world, cursing the cultists came as naturally as breathing.

[Assistant] “Incidentally, since we got fired up talking about Sloth, who’s this Greed guy?”

[User] “Unlike Sloth, Greed is a name associated with few calamities. But the content of those records is more than sufficient. The Empire incident in particular is widely known.”

[Assistant] “By that you mean the damage was especially huge?” When Subaru posed his question with a grimace, Julius indicated yes with a nod.

[User] “The Fortress City of Gackler—located in the Empire of Volakia, found at the south of the world map. It was known as the most solidly defended city of that nation’s border regions. It had a standard garrison of thousands of troops, while the settlement itself was enveloped by a complex set of defensive walls. It was a place truly worthy of the name Fortress City, but…Greed conquered it. Single-handedly, no less.”

[Assistant] “He took down a whole city?! By himself? !” This was no mere tale of one knight worth a thousand footmen.


[User] Subaru’s voice cracked when he heard the shocking account. “‘Soldiers must always be strong’—the common people consider this way of thinking to be ‘the Imperial Way.’ The Empire is a nation that lives and breathes that ideal, and even its basic infantry are fierce fighters. The Fortress City was manned by such soldiers, but it fell to a single Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins who called himself Greed. It is said that even ‘Eight Arms’ Kulgan, hero of Volakia, was slain in that battle.”

[Assistant] It was Wilhelm who explained when Subaru voiced his surprise. Complex emotions appeared in the Sword Devil’s eyes when he spoke the name of the hero defeated by Greed.

[User] Wilhelm lowered his head when Subaru noticed. “I once had an opportunity to cross swords with Kulgan. To avoid an international conflict, we represented our two nations in a proxy match. He was a very skilled man. Though I managed to cut down six of his eight arms, he skewered me through the stomach. The match was called off with us both on the brink of death…and thus the match ended without either side declared the winner.”

[Assistant] “That was a real casual way to bring up such an intense story…!” Put plainly, it was difficult for a young man’s heart to remain calm after he’d heard a tale about the Sword Devil’s prime that was worthy of a novel. He felt a little like digging for more details, but Wilhelm had already mentioned that his worthy rival had landed a blow upon him; even Subaru wasn’t insensitive enough to pick at Wilhelm’s old scars. That said, the danger Greed presented weighed heavily on Subaru’s mind.

[User] “Sloth and Greed…then on top of that, Pride, Lust, and Wrath, huh? Even without a Gluttony, sounds like a pretty grim future to come, huh?”

[Assistant] “—You seem to be looking quite far ahead.”

[User] “I’m not eager to see it. I think the odds of meeting them are pretty high, though.” On the eve of their battle with Sloth, thinking about what was coming made Subaru’s chest throb. The unavoidable clash with Petelgeuse no doubt meant earning the permanent ire of the Witch Cult. And if the Witch Cult saw Emilia as an enemy, clashes with the other Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins were inevitable.

[Assistant] “Well, the talk about Greed already soured my stomach. Throw me a bone here.”

[User] “I have nothing good to say about unsettling the heart with discussions of an uncertain future. You should concentrate on the battle that stands before you, for Lady Emilia’s sake.”

[Assistant] “Yeah, I get it already. I’m just a little nervous right before the operation’s main event.” Clicking his tongue at Julius’s attempts to settle him down, Subaru shifted his gaze farther down the highway. Far ahead, in the sky to the east, night had begun to give way to light, with the tip of the morning sun still hidden beyond the dimly lit sky.


[User] Riders and mounts alike went along in exhilaration, morale high as they traversed the plains.

[Assistant] Subaru quietly breathed with relief.

[User] "That said, being the decoy is about all I can manage…"

[Assistant] "Did you say something?"

[User] "Nothin’ at all! I’m just thinking about if that detachment met up with our ‘insurance’ or not!"

[Assistant] "Ahhh…no reason to worry, I’m sure. They are well aware of their roles. We cannot end this operation in success unless we both meet our respective objectives. They are more determined to fulfill their duty than your thoughts of concern appreciate."

[User] "—It’s coming into view."

[Assistant] "Yeah." Subaru nodded.

[User] "Now, then. We’ve done this before, but…let’s do this—Mr. Fate, you’re on."


[Assistant] "Here—we—go…" Subaru felt the sensation of trampling fallen leaves as he trod along the difficult-to-navigate path.

[User] Subaru wiped cold sweat off his brow with the back of his hand, exhaling deeply.


[User] Without even a weapon to rely on, he was the definition of helplessness. “Had to leave Patlash behind. This is one battle I can’t have her stand by my side.” Slightly out of breath, Subaru laughed a little as the words trickled out. He’d already gone a fair distance along terrain wholly unfit for walking. Squeezing through the gaps between skinny trees, snapping the fallen branches as he passed by, and scrambling up lichen-strewn hills, Subaru forged ahead.

[Assistant] “Probably ’cause I’m stunned by my own stupidity that I’m doin’ this for the third time. Since it’s try number three, I just wanna take it easy and head home… Now, then.” While he was murmuring, right as he leaped over some mushrooms that looked vaguely poisonous, the atmosphere abruptly shifted. He felt the unpleasantness of the atmosphere clinging to him, making Subaru really feel the sweat he hadn’t been heeding.

[User] “Here it comes…almost like when you suddenly see a roach in the corner of a quiet room…” Abruptly, he strained his eyes while looking to the left and right to see the forest scenery.

[Assistant] “I walk all those paths that ain’t worthy of the name and I still get here every time. It’s a little funny. I dunno whether to call it a sense of direction or guesswork, but it’s too sharp, whatever it is.”

[User] “—Thanks for the warm welcome.” Subaru squinted, staring into the gloomy darkness ahead of him as he spoke the words of thanks.


[User] “I don’t suppose you Witch Cultists would tell me even if I asked.”

[Assistant] Several figures had surrounded Subaru, robed in black outfits that blended with the darkness. At some point, the sound of the wind and even the chirps of the insects had vanished.

[User] “Sorry, I know you came all this way, but I wanna talk to your leader. That means you guys are in the way.”

[Assistant] “To be honest, it doesn’t feel good not to understand any of this, but I probably outrank you, right? Please?” Subaru waved a hand, seemingly to command them to go away.

[User] The figures in black robes bowed their heads to Subaru in a show of respect, maintaining the posture as they seemed to glide away, melting into the darkness once more.

[Assistant] “Sure would be nice if I could just order them to pack up their things and head back to the family farm…” Subaru sighed deeply, his shoulders sinking.


[User] Subaru continued, his eardrums were filled only by the sounds of his footsteps along the ground and his own breathing.

[Assistant] “—Ohh.”

[User] The trees obstructing his path opened before him, and Subaru leaped into a rocky place; a sheer cliff filled his vision.


[User] “Oh, right! I forgot the important part!” Subaru palmed a fist in the quiet atmosphere.

[Assistant] I didn’t explain enough. Subaru thought sheepishly, backing away from his grandiose words.

[User] “I called this plan Witch Cult Hunting Made Simple, but the ultimate target, the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins… I want to pick who goes after him real carefully.”

[Assistant] “Carefully?”

[User] “Yeah. After all, whether we take the archbishop down decides whether this plan works or not. I want to pick our best members. What I mean is Wilhelm and some Iron Fangs who’re confident about their sneaking abilities. Ah, they have to be okay even if the archbishop’s staring straight at them.” Subaru’s condition furled the brows of everyone sitting in the circle around him.

[Assistant] “Errr, you see. Just like I said, the plan itself is simple—I lure out the Witch Cult so we can hit them. That much is the same as with the White Whale, but…I think it’s pretty hard to expect their reaction to be as simple as a demon beast’s.”

[User] “Ahh, well, that figures. Subawu’s scent made the White Whale lose track, but unlike a demon beast, the Witch Cult won’t go grrr quite that much, huh?”

[Assistant] “Well, that’s exactly how the White Whale reacted to me… Anyway, ideally, we hit the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins with a surprise attack and take him down the instant I lure him out. We have to absolutely make sure he dies instantly, so prioritizing that is another requirement.” Subaru affirmed Ferris’s explanation and tied the logic together.

[User] “Wait, wait. We can’t do that. Can you leave us out of this one? We can’t be sneakily murderin’ people after gettin’ all fired up about a proper battle like this. No way. I didn’t hear about this.” Ricardo's face was stern, bared fangs included.

[Assistant] “That’s why I’m explaining it now. Besides, I mean just for the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins. The I’m-a-lure plan’s other ten parts depend on this. You’ll have lots of places to make noise.” Subaru tried all he could to convince Ricardo.


[User] "Not that we can underestimate the other Witch Cultists, but the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins is a different story. I want to make extra sure we take him down."

[Assistant] Julius interrupted his explanation to the jeering Ricardo. "So prepare for all possibilities, is it? I commend that line of thinking, but what of your logic for selecting people? Of course, I have no objection to selecting Master Wilhelm." He glanced sidelong at Wilhelm, who sat with closed eyes, and then touched his own slender knight’s sword as he looked at Subaru. "I wish to hear the reason why I was not among your initial selections."

[User] "Seems like you’re not unhappy about that, but you’re not exactly pleased, either…"

[Assistant] The Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins was the main event, leaving Julius with some objections to being removed from the decisive battle.

[User] Ferris, seeing the two clashing in their opinions, patted Subaru on the shoulder. "Hey, Subawu. If this is just you still holding a grudge against Julius…"

[Assistant] "I have no such vulgar suspicions. Such a possibility has never entered my mind…but I would be disappointed to find that you are a human being so obsessed with trivial matters that you lose sight of the greater picture."

[User] Subaru wasn’t sure how serious he thought all that, but he felt Don’t give half-hearted orders was the point that Julius wanted to drive home.

[Assistant] Subaru, reflecting on having lost sight of the larger picture through obsession with small things in the past, raised a finger and responded. "The magic of the Archbishop of Sloth…maybe it’s not magic. It’s not a spell or a spirit, but anyway, he has a special ability. That’s one reason I don’t want a big gaggle of people rushing him."

[User] “…Special abiwity? What? First I’ve heard of it.”

[Assistant] "Best I can describe it, it’s an ability to extend a bunch of hands invisible to the eye. With one exception, you really can’t see ’em, and if they hit you, they can rip your limbs off pretty easily. The range is pretty much as far as he can see."

[User] “Wha…? !” Subaru’s off-the-wall reasoning left Ferris in shock, looking as if someone had poured cold water on him while he slept.

[Assistant] Julius’s brows furled as well, and a not-insignificant shock took hold of the expeditionary force.


[User] The Unseen Hands under Petelgeuse’s control were literally an invisible menace. Subaru would never forget the sight of that nightmarish power cruelly toying with Rem’s body. And in a large-scale melee, the might of that menace could throw everything into utter chaos.

[Assistant] "That’s why I don’t want to go with numbers. It’ll just raise the number of casualties."

[User] “…You’re saying that with a completely straight face, huh? I can’t check without Lady Crusch here, but…”

[Assistant] "If Crusch were here my answer would be the same.


[User] "That ability’s the biggest obstacle to taking Sloth down.” Deep down, he didn’t think that was all there was to it, but even so, he was sure of that part.

[Assistant] Taking it in, Julius, the first to have spoken up, lowered his eyes, sinking deep in thought before asking, “Incidentally, you said there was one exception. And that exception is?”

[User] "Me.”

[Assistant] “I see. A simple tale.” Faced with Subaru’s simple explanation, Julius could only make that curt reply. Julius sank into thought, but in the meantime, someone else clenched a fist.

[User] “I get it!” It was Mimi who had spoken, vigorously clenching her fist. With an impetuous laugh, she grabbed the shoulders of TB, standing beside her, and shook them hard as she said, “All right, Mimi and TB will go with Mister! And the old man, too! That’s best! What, not good? You won’t go?”

[Assistant] “Sis, you’re being impulsive again…” TB, accustomed to his older sister’s lack of inhibition, made no move to refute her.

[User] Subaru was happy for the volunteers, but he wasn’t sure they fulfilled his conditions.

[Assistant] “Ya can rest easy. Besides me, Mimi’s the best of the bunch at everythin’. She ain’t my second in command for nothin’.”

[User] “I can really trust you on that? She looks like the type who sneezes at the worst possible time.”

[Assistant] “Subawu, you’re not really one to talk, are you? …Ha, can’t be helped, meow. Ferri will go with you, too. That should make you rest a little easier, right?”

[User] “Seriously? That’s a big help, but you’re all right with this? To be honest, we’re crossing a dangerous bridge here.”

[Assistant] “To think you would say that…”

[User] When Subaru expressed his surprise at Ferris’s declaration, Julius’s eyes went wide at Subaru’s reply. "Huh?” went Subaru, turning his head at Julius’s reaction, but Julius said nothing more. Julius let the matter of Subaru’s intent lie, proceeding to turn Ferris’s way. “I shall leave Master Wilhelm, Mimi, TB, and him in your hands, my friend.”

[Assistant] “Yes, yes. Lady Crusch entrusted me with this from the beginning, so don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

[User] “Even so, I must.”

[Assistant] “…Yes, yes. Then I’ll stick a little concern for you in a corner of my heart, Julius.” Ferris gave a strained smile; Julius’s expression was the very image of seriousness as he drew himself up. The easygoing exchange demonstrated the trust between the two friends. Put bluntly, Subaru was a little jealous. Either way, the brainstorming seemed to have resulted in Julius agreeing, too.

[User] “Don’t feel like arguing anymore?”

[Assistant] “Since you are the only one who can see the archbishop’s power, it cannot be helped. If the numbers are increased further, you cannot easily instruct others to evade, I take it?”

[User] “Glad you’re quick on the uptake.” As might be expected, people who fought were quick to understand tactics.


[User] “So that’s why I wanted to insist that Wilhelm come with me, but…” Subaru turned the conversation toward Wilhelm, who’d maintained his silence up to that point.

[Assistant] Wilhelm trained his clear blue eyes on Subaru, nodding without a single contrary word. “—You do not need to ask about my resolve. I am your sword, Sir Subaru. By your will, I shall cut down your foe.”

[User] "Please, employ me however you wish.”

[Assistant] Granted such highly refined trust, Subaru could only nod, swallowing his astonishment. Accepting this, Subaru nodded strongly, this time without worry. “Yeah, this fight—we’re gonna win this!”


[User] “Did we get him? !” Subaru hastily covered his mouth with his hand after he unintentionally exclaimed out loud.

[Assistant] Wilhelm had just leaped forward, his blade biting into Petelgeuse’s slender body at a sharp angle as he sliced it apart.

[User] Even so, Petelgeuse’s eyes remained wide open, glaring at Subaru until the bitter end. “This cannot b—”

[Assistant] Wilhelm's horizontal cut traced an arc, sweeping away blood as it parted the wind.

[User] "Inelegant to the extreme—fall, like a man.” The Sword Devil’s blade mercilessly dismembered the body struggling against its own death.

[Assistant] The spectacular manner of death, utterly lacking in any respect for humanity, made nausea well up into Subaru’s throat.


[User] But he somehow managed to avoid actually vomiting as he said, “I-it’s over…right?”

[Assistant] “If it’s not over by now, even Ferri will start believing in this favor-of-the-Witch nonsense,” Ferris replied from behind Subaru, who was timidly peering at the corpse.

[User] He moved beside the unsettled Subaru, examining the remains without hesitation. “Though it’s not much of a surprise, he’s definitely dead,” Ferris observed. “You have it on the word of the royal capital’s greatest healer.”

[Assistant] “Oh…really…?” The corpse, no longer retaining the shape of a person, seemed more like a prop than anything else. Reassured by Ferris’s words, Subaru felt the urge to vomit recede as he looked toward the forest. As planned, their main target—the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins—had been taken care of. Those remaining were Petelgeuse’s fingers in the forest. “Hope everyone else is doing all right…not taking too many risks.”

[User] “Sir Subaru, they are not soldiers who would freelance in violation of your instructions. Even if unavoidable combat does take place, Mr. Ricardo and Mr. Julius are with them. A worst case is unlikely.” Back from checking the severed head for himself, Wilhelm respectfully stood at attention.

[Assistant] The Sword Devil’s guarantee was reassuring. Yet, it did not wipe away Subaru’s worry to any great extent. The object of his worry was the other detachment—those heading off to deal with the Witch Cultists drawn to Subaru until he could make it to Petelgeuse and lure him out in person. They had surmised that Petelgeuse’s subordinates were scattered around the forest, ten groups in all. Subaru had commanded the two fingers he’d encountered midway to return to base, and their actual retreat had already been confirmed. The idea was to let them go, follow them with the tenacity of a sumo wrestler’s leg hold, and use them to work out the locations of the rest—Subaru had strictly ordered his people not to attack, even if they held an advantage in numbers. But if they were spotted by the opposition, combat was no doubt unavoidable.

[User] “I’m seriously afraid of accidents if that happens. This is the plan I drew up, and it has one crucial hole in it…I don’t know what the Witch Cult people are thinking, and this unexpectedly large number of people fighting scares me…”

[Assistant] “Yes, yes, the plan maker must not show worry! Besides, I’ve heard this talk from Nervous Subawu over and over. It’s getting old.” Ferris sighed with an exasperated face at Subaru, who was worried about the other side now that his side was taken care of. “I understand you’re scared, but with Julius and them, fighting shouldn’t be a problem, meow. If Julius is fighting seriously, Old Man Wil’s probably the only one here who can take him on.”

[User] “…That so? He’s that strong?” Ferris had elaborated to address their young leader’s inexhaustible worry, but the details still left Subaru conflicted.


[User] In terms of his being a reliable ally, Julius’s strength was more than welcome—but given his deeply rooted sense of distaste to date, it was difficult for Subaru to accept Julius’s worth at face value. Even if the physical wounds from their duel had completely healed, untreatable phantom pains haunted Subaru even then. "It really does run deep… Setting aside whether it’s unconscious or not, I do understand your aversion to him, though…"

[Assistant] “—? What’d you say?”

[User] "Nothing much. In the first place, Julius and them should be much more worried about us! After all, Ferri thought this plan was reckless all this time.” Ferris raised his brows and glared at the acrimonious Subaru, who knit his brow in response.

[Assistant] “…Yeah, I get it. But it worked out, didn’t it?”

[User] Subaru glanced at the rocky place that had become their battleground, saying, "Looking at the results only. When the Archbishop of the Seven Deadly Sins suspected you, you were nearly done for, weren’t you? It was definitely by the skin of your teeth. Ferri hates people in a hurry to die before his eyes.”

[Assistant] “I’m not in a hurry to die at all. Well, not that it sounds very convincing right now…” The sternness of Ferris’s gaze told Subaru that apologizing further would be meaningless. It had actually been Ferris obsessing over the operation’s little details right up until the end. Ferris hadn’t objected to the broad outline of the operation itself—Subaru “fishing” for Petelgeuse, luring him out as a decoy—but he was abnormally fixated on hammering out the specifics to raise their degree of safety. In point of fact, Subaru couldn’t deny the low reliability of the plan, given that it greatly hinged on Subaru himself. Everything about luring out the Witch Cultists—locating Petelgeuse, the main target; slowing him down; gathering intel—was on Subaru’s shoulders alone. If even a single thing happened contrary to Subaru’s expectations, he would perish. Ferris really, really hated that. In the end, no useful counterproposal emerged, so he hadn’t stopped Subaru from carrying out the plan, but—

[User] "Subawu, you know how only going by results leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and still you…” Ferris’s resentful words triggered a memory of other words that had come out of the healer’s mouth, spoken close to a half day before at the height of the battle with the White Whale. Ferris had spoken of accepting his role in battle. Just like Subaru, Ferris was decisively unsuited to the field of battle. On top of that, belonging to the knights meant that, compared to Subaru, he had many more opportunities to feel utterly powerless. The last words he’d thrown out had an echo of loneliness, as if he’d been betrayed by someone who shared his powerlessness—

[Assistant] “I’m a little surprised, though. I thought you hated me and all.”

[User] "Don’t be absurd.


[User] “I don’t choose who I heal based on whether I like them or not.”

[Assistant] “I wanted you to deny hating me, you know!” Even if your worth was understood, how you accepted it depended on whether you acknowledged it yourself. When Subaru unwittingly gave a pained smile, Ferris had a sullen face when he touched his only weapon—the dagger on his hip.

[User] “Whether I like or hate someone has no relation to whether it’s worth keeping them alive. It’s because…that’s what Ferri’s power is, that others recognize that power.”

[Assistant] “Ferris?”

[User] “Besides, a lot of people died in the battle with the White Whale. When someone’s squished flat, or erased by the mists, even Ferri…even I can’t heal that.” The usual composure in his voice absent, Ferris touched the relief carved into his dagger with a finger. This was the family crest of the Lion Rampant—the same crest on the treasured sword his master, Crusch, had carried. The touch of Ferris’s fingertip seemed to put courage, and more than that, resolve on his face as he glared at Subaru. “Don’t get conceited and think you’re the only one who doesn’t want people to die in this fight.”

[Assistant] “…I’m trying to keep that in mind, too.” He was trying to, but in truth, trying might have been the extent of it. With Ferris’s gaze straight on him, Subaru could accept that he wasn’t the only one, but he couldn’t change his ways. No matter how much Ferris might object, he’d carry out the plan without deviating. If it was Subaru’s own life on the line, he’d probably always bet that chip first.

[User] “We’ve finished checking the cave. The people inside were completely crushed by falling rock. I feel kind of bad for them.”

[Assistant] “Oh yeah, it was perfect! Perfecto-mundo! They all went booooom!” Just when the conversation was at a pause, the beast person siblings returned from checking on the buried cave. Greeting the pair, Subaru walked over to Petelgeuse’s remains. Uncertain elements had been swept away, and the danger had been completely eliminated. Subaru was no longer feeling tense, and his stiff cheeks had finally slackened.

[User] “Wiping ’em all out in an unexpected outside attack—to be honest, it was pretty unsportsmanlike, but don’t think badly of me. After all, you’re way, waaaaay worse than I am.” With his opponent already a corpse, all he could do was make a hollow declaration of victory. That the victory had been earned with a surprise attack, practically an assassination, made it baser and hollower still. Even so, Subaru couldn’t help but say it, because now it felt real inside him. Petelgeuse had been struck down—the result Subaru had redone the world several times over to achieve.

[Assistant] “Wilhelm, thank you very much. Also, sorry for making you push yourself.”

[User] “Push myself, you say?”

[Assistant] “Cutting him down with a surprise attack from the rear, it’s the worst, right?” Wilhelm’s face became slightly clouded. He was complicit in no mere surprise raid, but a sneak attack.


[User] “I abandoned chivalry long ago. It is nothing you need concern yourself with, Sir Subaru.”

[Assistant] “But I’m the one who made you tag along and help with a surprise attack, so…”

[User] It was a fact that the opponent was a heretic against whom honest, forthright measures were useless. Even so, asking others to cooperate in a cowardly scheme like this didn’t sit well with him at all.

[Assistant] “Well, Ferri didn’t mind at all, meow. Julius might have hated it…but I think he’s shrewd enough to accept it.”

[User] “That’s why I didn’t want to tell him to do it. Well, I could sorta predict how you’d react, though.”

[Assistant] “Isn’t it better to be a little cowardly and have your friends live than to stick to chivalry and have them die, meow? Subawu, whether you or Julius is right is just a matter of your point of view.”

[User] Having Ferris intervene was a big help. Wilhelm said nothing, whereas Mimi tilted her head as if she was wondering, Is there a problem with that…? She was a mercenary through and through.

[Assistant] Having finished looking around the area, the little cat-man walked over to Petelgeuse’s remains…and, without a moment’s hesitation, began fishing around in his pockets.

[User] Subaru unwittingly gawked at the sight.

[Assistant] “Hmm, seems he wasn’t walking around with much on him…”

[User] “H-hey, little guy, you’re checking a corpse’s pockets like it’s no big deal.”

[Assistant] “I am not ‘little guy,’ I am TB. And this is simply checking his belongings.” With a practiced hand, TB searched for the spoils of war deep inside the blood-smeared habit. Mimi did the same. In contrast to their cuddly appearances, the mercenary siblings really did things their own way.

[User] The inside of the habit was surprisingly deep, making TB’s hand unexpectedly busy getting everything out. That said, the contents taken out were all mundane articles. “Field rations, lagmite ore… Ahh, he has a money pouch, too.”

[Assistant] “I’m surprised, his inventory’s filled with petite bourgeoisie stuff. So what, is pillaging a part of mercenary culture?”

[User] “I believe that it’s normally ‘to the victor go the spoils’? …What…is this?” As he made the statement, TB, well-suited to the mercenary trade, had nearly finished his perusal when a black book drew his attention.

[Assistant] “Ah!” with a start. “That’s probably the book Petelgeuse called his Gospel.”

[User] “Myuu! This is a Gospel?! Uwaa, I touched it!” When Subaru pointed it out, TB hurled the book away. He looked very much like a kitten as he bounced nervously.

[Assistant] Drawing a strained smile from Subaru as he picked up the book. “I know the owner was icky, but you shouldn’t mistreat a book. Not even a weird one like this.”

[User] “D-don’t touch it. I think you should let go right now.