human
Subaru:  Subaru was unsure how to feel about Shaula’s formal welcome. He never intended to deceive her. But he was definitely not the Flugel Shaula had been waiting four hundred years for. If that isn’t a betrayal, then what is?
gpt
Emilia:  "I understand the feeling, but you don’t have to worry too much, Subaru. Even if Shaula realizes you aren’t her master, I’m sure it won’t be the end of the world." Noticing Subaru’s glum look, Emilia chimed in supportively. She flashed a smile brimming with confidence as she played with her braid.
human
Subaru:  "I appreciate the vote of confidence, but what makes you say that?"
gpt
Emilia:  "I mean, she’s a good person, isn’t she? She helped us, and we are getting along perfectly fine. And there’s no reason to start a fight, right?"
human
Subaru:  "…Right…" It was a far too optimistic outlook, but being too pessimistic all the time was also a bad habit. Even if Shaula learned the truth, that wouldn’t necessarily make them instant enemies. They just had to build a good rapport with her so that even if she found out, they could move past it without a confrontation. That was the ideal.
gpt
Meili:  "—Mister? We’re here." Meili pulled Subaru out of his thoughts. They had reached a room on the opposite side of the circle from the green room. Past the simple door without any vines covering it, there was a staircase in the middle that led upward.
human
Subaru:  "Just a normal set of stairs. Were spiral stairs out of season or something?"
gpt
Julius:  "I suppose it’s natural to wonder, given the long set of stairs from the bottom floor, but the set going from the third to the fourth floor is a normal length. To begin with, unlike the spiral staircase where climbing is all that is required—"
human
Subaru:  "Right, if we can’t clear the examination, we can’t actually reach the floor." Subaru finished Julius’s line of thought for him. The examination that they had already challenged and failed multiple times was waiting at the other end of those stairs. And according to the rest of the party, it would be faster if he saw it for himself. There’s no penalty for failing, either, and they know better, so if they say so…
gpt
Subaru:  "Might as well then. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Shall we?"
human
Emilia:  "Mm-hmm, that’s the spirit."
gpt
Beatrice:  "That’s the spirit."
human
Shaula:  "That’s da spirit."
gpt
Subaru:  Emilia, Beatrice, and Shaula all agreed in their own way, and Subaru stepped onto the stairs. He steeled his resolve with each step. And almost disappointingly easily, he set foot onto the third floor, Taygeta.
human
Subaru:  "This is…" The moment he entered the room, he felt something was off. It felt like walking into an anomaly, or more like a space where nothing felt right.