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Translated by:
- Archbishop of Transportation
- Archbishop of Gluttony
Proofread by:
- Archbishop of Amphibia
- Archbishop of Shipping
- Archbishop of Transportation
Art Sources:
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――At the same time that Natsuki Subaru learned of the dreadnought crisis tormenting the Kingdom of Lugunica at a hideout of the Six Tongues, a scene played out in the Commercial District of the Royal Capital of Lugunica.
???: [――Thru’ some unknown means, the enemy’s already gotten their hands on the Dragon History Stone, seizin’ full control over it. Tha’s the current state the Royal Castle’s been plunged inta. I’ve filled in some of the gaps in the information with my own conjectures, but it all oughta be correct for the most part.]
???: […Indeed. It provides an adequate explanation as to why we are currently being pursued. At the very least, we ought to presume that the chain of command at the Royal Castle has been compromised.]
???: [――――]
???: [Garfiel, are you alright?]
???: [Uh? Uh, uh-huh, I’m fine… nah, to be honest, it’s just ‘cuz y’all’re talkin’ on a scale I never even imagined… so I dunno what I should even be sayin’.]
Shaking his head in reluctance, Garfiel laid bare his exceedingly honest emotions. However, Otto considered those feelings of his sworn younger brother to be unavoidable.
Otto: […After all, we are in this situation.]
To put it bluntly, Otto was in the same boat, his mind racked by identical turmoil and perplexity. Only, as one who served a different role within the camp, Otto would not be permitted to let his thoughts come to a standstill.
In the current situation, where they had been cornered to the utmost degree, Garfiel had sufficiently fulfilled his role. ――No, it was not only Garfiel. It had been the result of everyone coming together, and giving it their all.
The singular person who had failed to do so was his own self, having had his only weapon pathetically taken away from him.
Garfiel: [――Tch.]
Back against the wall of the room, Garfiel’s throat groaned in pain as he clutched one of his knees.
For the hue of vehement exhaustion to remain yet unfaded from his face, was something inconceivable for someone like Garfiel, given his absurd levels of toughness and recovery. That was simply the extent to which the opponent who had delivered the blow unto Garfiel―― Reinhard, possessed strength of such exceptionality that it transcended the realm of what was rational.
――Reinhard had obstructed the path ahead of Otto and the others, and only by playing every last card they had in their arsenal, had they managed to overcome him by the skin of their teeth; since then, a bit of time had passed.
The battle had lasted for less than a minute, but by the time the curtain fell, they were all in tatters. In particular, Garfiel, who had gone head-to-head in confrontation against Reinhard, was in a dire state, and Otto, despite having deliberately invited the opponent’s negligence, felt pathetic for having been rendered immobile by a mere graze of the chin.
It was a victory they had somehow managed to wrest free, and that had only been through the contributions of an unforeseen reinforcement: factoring in how they had been driven into such a corner in the first place, there was far too much that Otto needed to reflect on.
They were only able to hold this sort of post-mortem because the reinforcement who had converged with them had taken them here to secure a temporary safe haven, and even so.
???: [――. That’cha were even able ta shake him off, is quite the considerable feat. Even supposin’ the duty was forced upon him, not even an opposin’ force of a hundred ordinary soldiers would’ve been able ta do a thing.]
Otto: [Regardless, for that purpose, a card that ought never have been played was put into use. That which she relinquished from her life was monumental. I, for one, can never forgive that person.]
???: […Yer indignation’s completely justified. He’d also’ve resolved himself ta be resented. Tha’s what it means ta be the Sword Saint. My own rage toward the Sword Saint ain’t faded either.]
Otto: [That would be…]
As the other party placed a large palm over his bald head, Otto quietly narrowed his eyes.
Whatever he had been about to follow up with, a question, a conjecture, it did not matter, the reason he held his tongue regardless was because he had realized that he had already said something he ought not have.
However――,
???: [――I presume the ire you refer to is not toward Reinhard, but toward my wife, yes?]
In Otto’s stead as he kept his mouth shut, the elderly swordsman who had opened the door to the room―― Wilhelm, seized the conversation with a tone bearing conviction.
Entering the room, Wilhelm was accompanied by Rem, and a short-haired man of advanced age. After ushering Rem inside first, he turned back to face the other man,
Wilhelm: [Conwood, sorry for the trouble. For lending us refuge, I am in your debt.]
Conwood: [Hah, to think that Wilhelm Trias-san, once the very incarnation of arrogance and selfishness, would laudably offer me such polite gratitude, perhaps it might even snow tomorrow.]
Wilhelm: [Why you…]
Conwood: [I’m joking. ――Besides, it’s a given. It’s a given, Wilhelm. For me to lend you my assistance is a given, an act that requires no thanks at all.]
Wilhelm: [――――]
Following that tone of familiarity, Wilhelm’s cheeks stiffened at the man who made his voice quaver.
The man then relaxed his expression as if finding his old friend’s reaction quite amusing, before then turning to face Otto and Garfiel inside,
Conwood: [I am in debt to your comrade, Natsuki Subaru-dono, for his contributions during the White Whale Subjugation. It is a debt so massive that I must spend the rest of my life in the endeavor to repay it. I will not allow anybody through here, so rest assured.]
Otto: […Shopkeeper, I thank you.]
Conwood: [Like I said. The gratitude I hold is far greater… Nobody will believe that Natsuki Subaru-dono is part of the Witch Cult. The same goes for Crusch-sama.]
Leaving behind those words, the man clapped Wilhelm on the shoulder, before stepping out and closing the door behind him. Watching as the door obstructed him from view, Otto called out “Rem-san”.
Guided here by Wilhelm, this place was a private room at a tavern provided to them as a safe house. While Otto and Garfiel had been receiving the briefing, Rem had been off in another room.
The reason being――,
Otto: [Are Petra-chan and Meili-chan doing alright?]
Rem: […For the time being, they are resting. Petra-chan was quite shaken up, so it was actually Meili-chan who made efforts to calm her, but… the two of them have gone to sleep now.]
Otto: [Is that so… I understand. Thank you very much.]
Rem: [No, I haven’t done anything. More importantly, how are talks progressing?]
Otto: [――We have just finished verifying the current state of affairs, I would say.]
So did Otto reply to Rem, who bore a tense countenance while directing her pale-blue eyes to the inner part of the room.
At the end of her gaze there towered a massive figure; even while seated within the private room, his head still towered above those of Wilhelm and Otto.
A bald head, and a gigantic, aged frame with skin tanned by the sun, his name was――,
Wilhelm: [――Valga Cromwell. One of the primary figures responsible for propagating the civil war throughout the Kingdom in the past.]
Rom: […Unfortunately, I dunno who in tarnation you’re talkin’ ‘bout. I’m just Rom-jii, ain’t nothin’ more than a senile old fool with a big darn body who was livin’ in the Slums.]
Wilhelm: [That is rather shameless of you. What of the wound I carved into your chest? Are you hiding it underneath all that needlessly overdone white chest hair of yours?]
Rom: [Whatever you’re babblin’ about keeps on gettin’ more ‘n more lost on me. Why it’s none of my business, but I sure do hope I ain’t never grow old. Even the distinguished Sword Demon’s no match for the mental decline that comes with the passin’ years.]
Wilhelm: [Bastard――]
Rem: […Please stop it with the bickering, both of you. Petra-chan and Meili-chan are resting upstairs. Do we really have the time to be quarreling amongst ourselves?]
Stepping in between the feuding duo, Rem glared at them in turn. Faced with her stern gaze, Wilhelm bowed his head, and the enormous individual―― the old giant who called himself Rom-jii, cleared his throat with a cough, showing his willingness to comply with Rem.
While grateful for Rem’s intervention, Otto could not help but feel a certain sense of understanding regarding the hostile exchange between the two.
――Otto, too, was a citizen of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica.
He was well aware of the facts: that the Sword Demon, Wilhelm van Astrea, was a hero of the Demi-Human War, and that Valga Cromwell was one of commanders of the Demi-Human Alliance during that conflict.
He had never even conceived that Valga Cromwell might somehow still be alive.
Of course, the Rom-jii in question denied any and all association with Valga, and would likely never admit to it.
Anyhow――
Otto: [I will go ahead and just call you Rom-san, if that is alright, but… I am grateful to you for sending Wilhelm-san to reinforce us. Without that, we would have been toast by now.]
Rom: [Can’t even say that’cher exaggeratin’. With the current state o’ things, if ya were ta be locked up at the Castle, if y’ain’t at least a Royal Candidate or one o’ them Knights, ya’d just be made ta vanish one way or ‘nother, with some convenient excuse cooked up ta explain it away]
Otto: [Made to vanish one way or another, that is…]
Rom: [Ain’t no choice but ta consider the worst possibility. Even if ya don’t like it and try ta take an optimistic view, there ain’t no reason for the other party ta show any restraint… Much less now that Miklotov’s dead, yeah?]
As Rom-jii expressed a grim assessment of the situation, Rem was rendered speechless, but Otto shared the same outlook.
One must always envision the worst possibility. Ultimately, that was also connected to finding a path to survival through the clutches of death. Though, he did also consider it to be a deeply pessimistic way of thinking.
Garfiel: [Yo, Wilhelm-san, ya really saved our skins earlier.]
Thereupon, Garfiel, sitting by the wall, lightly raised a hand toward Wilhelm. At his call, Wilhelm turned to him with a “Garfiel-dono”,
Wilhelm: [That my own capabilities fell short back there, I apologize. Without cutting through you entirely to catch him off guard, my blade would not have managed to reach Reinhard.]
Garfiel: [I took yer slash knowin’ full well what I was gettin’ my amazin’ self into, so don’t sweat it. The wound ya gave me’s already mostly closed up… Tho’ when it comes to the Sword Saint’s hand strike, I still ain’t recovered one bit.]
Wilhelm: [――――]
Garfiel: [More importantly, the hell’s been happenin’ with ya, Wilhelm-san? From the sound of things, it seems like our Captain ‘n yer Duchess-san’re on the run together, but…]
Wilhelm: [Indeed. I shall inform you of what occurred on my end.]
Pronouncing so, Wilhelm solemnly began to recount the events that had happened to both himself and his lord, Crusch, leading up to this point.
Wilhelm: [After Subaru-dono and Emilia-sama paid a visit to the mansion, Crusch-sama secluded herself in her room after seeing them off. She would not let any occupants of the household come near, myself included, and neglected to eat sufficiently.]
Otto: [That… must have been quite worrying.]
Wilhelm: [Indeed. Everyone knew that things could not continue in such a manner. Thereupon, intending to seek the assistance of Crusch-sama’s father, the previous Duke, Meckart Karsten, I parted from the mansion to make the necessary arrangements. However, during that brief absence――]
Otto: [――Crusch-sama left the mansion entirely on her own, and made her way to the residence of Sir Miklotov McMahon.]
Wilhelm: [Precisely. By the time word reached my ears, the situation had already progressed past the point where aught could be done.]
With an expression that did not hide his chagrin, Wilhelm lamented his own inadequacy.
But, if Crusch had deliberately elected to take action during the spell of Wilhelm’s absence, then it would have only been a matter of sooner or later; with no real reason for him to be blamed.
But then again, when the result of that was the current situation, the Sword Demon’s self-condemnation was perhaps inevitable.
Wilhelm: [Naturally, it is utterly inconceivable that Crusch-sama would resort to such drastic measures. I immediately ascended to the Royal Castle, and raised an appeal to an old acquaintance of mine, Sir Bordeaux Zelgev. However, he did not lend me an ear whatsoever, and to make matters worse, I found myself pursued by soldiers on my path of return. And there――]
Rom: [――My voice called out ta him. Ta tell ya straight, it was a tough call for me ta make.]
Wilhelm: […It was also not in my intentions to cut down the Kingdom’s soldiers and get past them by force. Still, the moment I saw this man in broad daylight, I doubted these very eyes.]
Rem: [Enough, both of you.]
The unfading anger and ties that bound them, inevitably crept into their statements as poison.
Leaving the men to endure Rem’s sharp reprimand, Otto grasped the circumstances that had brought the two of them together, including the more specific details of what had led Wilhelm there.
Otto: [In that case, what about you, Rom-san? It seems as though you were quite prepared, or rather, that you made a swift judgment.]
Rom: [I suppose it’s only natural that’cher bein’ dubious of me, but it was only just a bit ago that I began ta take action, ‘n not too much earlier than the rest of y’all. I guess ya could say it was my keen nose that tipped me off… I’ve always had a knack for smellin’ danger ‘fore it hits. Been a bit rusty for a while now, but with all the chaos as of late, that rust’s begun ta flake off.]
Otto: [I see, is that so? ――Understood.]
Rolling his large shoulders, Rom-jii gave a matter of fact response, to which Otto chose not to pry any deeper.
At the end of the day, they just happened to be facing the same direction at the moment, and their true positions were that of rival camps―― keeping one’s cards hidden was but a matter of course, so it would instead be petty to reproach him for doing so.
At the very least, Rom-jii’s actions had saved Otto and the others from their dire predicament. For now, rather than suspecting his true intentions, they ought to value his deeds with more esteem.
Rom: [You’re a darn frightenin’ young’un, ya know that? Yer eyes ain’t smilin’ one bit.]
Otto: [Forgive me. For merchants, the general rule is to smile on the outside while gloating on the inside, but lately, I have been unable to carry myself as a proper merchant. Even I am starting to find it intolerable. ――But then again, if the soft-hearted merchant is a man who would allow his own people to die, then there is absolutely no need for any such person right now.]
Rom: [――――]
Otto: […Forgive me, I said too much.]
After responding with a slight shrug, Otto rebuked himself for letting his tongue slip.
Keeping a thought to oneself was one thing, but once voiced, words were tantamount weapons. If one were to suddenly draw a blade on someone during a tense standoff, they would have no right to complain if they then proceeded to be stabbed to ribbons in return.
Indeed, the reality of his Divine Protection of the Soul of Language having been turned against him was haunting him far more than he cared to admit. As if placing a hex, he had always drummed it into his own head that tethering his entire identity to his Divine Protection was dangerous, yet as of late, he had been relying on it far too much. Now, the bill had come due.
Otto: [――Regardless, all of us here are in the same position. The Royal Castle conniving to unjustly undermine our lords… no, they are actually being rather proactive about it. Their objective is to eliminate the Royal Candidates, destroy the very premise of the Royal Selection, and seize absolute control of the Kingdom.]
Rem: [For that reason, they are vilifying both Emilia-san and that person… as well as the individuals supported by Wilhelm-san and Rom-san respectively, correct?]
Garfiel: [Emilia-sama, Felt-sama, ‘s well as Duchess-san… then, the only ones left standin’ would be Anastasia-sama ‘n that new candidate from the Church, Filóre-sama, ahh?]
Otto: [I wonder about that. If the Council of Wise Men and other participants at the crescent roundtable are using any means necessary, there are a plethora of methods that could be used to undermine Anastasia-sama. Given her Kararagian roots, they could claim that the City-States are attempting to make arrangements to invade the Kingdom… or perhaps, that she conspired with Emilia-sama within the Vollachian Empire, and wilfully plotted the murder of Priscilla-sama――]
Rem: [――Hk, please don’t joke around!]
And, when Otto speculated on the knavish plots that seemed conceivable, Rem’s voice cracked like a whip.
Tears welling in her pale-blue eyes, her breath coming in ragged gasps, she white-knuckled her fists, exposing her raw fury at Otto’s conjecture as it pertained to Priscilla’s death―― at the statement of it being debased.
Rem: [I absolutely will not allow for Priscilla-san… for that person’s death to be tarnished, and used for some scheme! If you are truly saying that in earnest, I will not excuse it…! If word of this catches Abel-san’s ears, it will mean war with Vollachia!]
Otto: [To be frank, it is nothing of a joke. To treat Emilia-sama so coldly after she returned with the fruits of a treaty of friendship secured with the Empire, is tantamount to spitting right in the face of the Empire that recognized her. It would be a ridiculous reason to start a war, but plenty of wars throughout history have been fought over ridiculous reasons. Besides…]
Rom: [――Even supposin’ it comes down ta war, there’s a Reinhard. Seizin’ control of the Royal Castle means they also got the power ta mobilize the Sword Saint. Ta prevent that from happenin’ til now, the authority ta issue orders ta the Sword Saint’s always been strictly managed, but… the enemy’s gone ‘n gotten them hands on it now.]
Otto: [Such a thing…]
Ultimately, that was truly the worst-case scenario, but Rom-jii did not dismiss Otto’s logic, and instead, actually paved the way for an even greater nightmare by filling in the missing pieces.
At that scale of such overwhelming dread, both Rem and Garfiel, fresh off slipping past Reinhard in a life threatening clash, were struck speechless.
Merely, a single person――,
Wilhelm: [――As I feared, the Divine Protection of the Sword Saint, is it?]
Indeed, in a voice so hushed that almost nobody’s ears could pick up on it, the Sword Demon merely muttered to himself.
Otto: […Judging by the circumstances, it is clear that the enemy bears the will to attack the Royal Selection itself. And with that as the case, there is no doubt that the one recently risen to center stage, Filóre-sama, as well as the Church of the Divine Dragon backing her, are to be considered hostile. Also, just to confirm, regarding the princess who went missing fifteen years prior…]
Rom: [――Felt’s Felt, ‘n that’s that. Ain’t no other answer.]
Intent on keeping the conversation from grinding to a halt, Otto attempted to map out the situation and confirm a certain possibility, but in response, Rom-jii’s words firmly, and clearly cut him off.
It was a denial that completely smothered the question, and perhaps feeling it would be unkind to leave it at just that, Rom-jii appended a calm “Merely” under the numerous gazes shifted toward him,
Rom: [This talk ‘bout the Church of the Divine Dragon’s harborin’ the missin’ princess sounds like nothin’ but baloney. Regardless of them keepin’ a distance with the Royal Castle, for ‘em ta keep those circumstances hidden for over a year since the Royal Selection started, is utterly inconceivable when the survival of the Kingdom’s on the line.]
With his opinion resolute, yet his demeanor indefinite, Rom-jii was indisputably hiding something.
Naturally, that only caused the eyes of the Sword Demon stabbing at the old giant to grow sharper.
Wilhelm: [――――]
It was said that fifteen years prior, as the Commander of the Royal Guard, Wilhelm had been the man in charge of the search for the missing princess. So this time around, his desire to uncover the truth behind the princess suspicions surrounding both Felt and Filóre must have been much stronger than anyone else.
But then again, the mettle of a man suspected of being one of the three heads of the Demi-Human Alliance was not so frail of heart as to buckle under the tenacity dwelling within the glint of those eyes.
Anyhow――,
Rem: […The direness of the situation has been grasped.]
Breathing a light sigh, Rem straightened her posture, and forcibly shifted her emotions aside. Then, sweeping her eyes across Otto, Garfiel, and the other people in the room,
Rem: [To be clear, I am also extremely worried about that person who isn’t here with us right now, but currently, Emilia-san and Nee-sama in the Castle are in danger, correct? Just how are we going to get the two of them… no, Felt-san as well. How are we going to get them out of there?]
Garfiel: [No matter how ya look at it, the other side’s packin’ the likes of Reinhard ‘n the Commander of the Knights, so chargin’ in through the front door ain’t an option. It’s somethin’ like “Gaddogi Guadozeado hidin’ away in the mountains”. We need a plan, Ottobro.]
Garfiel, who had shouldered a large burden from the battle with Reinhard, nodded in agreement with Rem, and turned toward Otto in eager anticipation of their gameplan from here.
The two of them were of course concerned about Emilia, detained within the Castle as she was, but to an even greater extent, they would have been sick with worry for the well-being of Ram, who had accompanied the former as her attendant.
Thus, it would be truly painful to deliver these next words to them, but――,
Otto: [――No, we will prioritize escaping from the Royal Capital from this point forth. We simply do not have the margin to get Emilia-sama, Ram-san, as well as Felt-sama, out from the Royal Castle.]
Rem & Garfiel: [Wha――!?]
Widening their eyes in shock, Garfiel and Rem cried out in unison. Then, Garfiel struck his hand against the wall to force his body up, and howled “Ottobro!”,
Garfiel: [Escapin’… ya mean we ain’t goin’ to rescue ‘em!? The hell are ya playin’ at!?]
Otto: [I am not playing at anything else. It is exactly as I said. As it stands now, we have neither the provisions nor the forces to bring Emilia-sama and the others out from their captivity in the Castle. Any half-baked plan we throw together will just be crushed by brute force, with all of us merely delivering ourselves into the hands of the enemy. We cannot afford to fight such a losing battle.]
Rem: [A losing battle… but, Nee-sama and Emilia-san are both still…]
Otto: [I understand. However, even if the enemy has already seized control of the Royal Castle, they will not be able to lay their hands on a Royal Candidate so readily. Even with Reinhard-san acting as a dog on their leash, he would not be able to turn a blind eye were they to take such measures. Their freedom may be entirely stripped away, but there is a high chance that so long as Emilia-sama and the rest remain within the Castle, no harm can be done to them. That is my belief.]
Garfiel: [B-but still…]
With the utmost composure, Otto paid mind to not let any emotion slip into his voice, and on the other end of that, Garfiel and Rem were greatly shaken, their emotions put out into the open. But, watching over that interaction between Otto and the other two, Rom-jii raised a massive hand, and interjected with a “Listen up, aight?”.
Rom: [I’m with the young’un on this one. Even if they’re in the Castle, Felt ‘n them others’ll manage somehow. Rather, what’s more dreadful is that any movements on our side’d end up givin’ ‘em a pretext. That incident with the Witchbeasts ought’ve already worsened the situation. I’d like to avoid anythin’ more.]
Rem: [Rom-jiisan, so even you share Otto-san’s opinion…? What about you, Wilhelm-san?]
Wilhelm: [――. I understand your anguish for your lady and sister, Rem-dono. However, it is a fool’s plan to challenge a perfectly prepared opponent while resigned to a disadvantage… as galling as it is to admit, Valga might have a point.]
Wilhelm slowly shook his head as he delivered his verdict, forcing Rem to bite her lip in silence.
Otto understood her frustrations painfully well. Moreover, in order to prevent her and Garfiel from protesting any further, there was something Otto had deliberately not spoken of.
Even if the Council of Wise Men had fallen under the enemy’s control, they would not be able to do harm to Royal Candidates. ――However, that absolute protection did not extend to their attendants and chaperones.
And Ram, having volunteered as attendant, had been resolved for that possibility from the very beginning, and had thus refused to yield that position to either Rem or Petra.
Garfiel: […Ottobro, we’re gonna be leavin’ the Royal Capital, but what about Captain ‘n the others?]
Otto: [――. Converging with them would be rather difficult. I cannot rely on my Divine Protection right now either. If we choose heedless parties to speak to, our internal state of affairs will be leaked. We simply cannot afford to take that kind of risk.]
If only his Divine Protection of the Soul of Language could be employed to the fullest, it would have been possible to search for Subaru and the rest through sheer numbers, deliver a message to him, and designate a safe rendezvous point.
Now that such options had been robbed from them, tracking Subaru’s group down without a foothold would be an impossibility.
Wilhelm: [Valga, I will not probe deeply. But surely, a man like you ought to be able to do something about Crusch-sama and Subaru-dono…]
Rom: [You’re givin’ quite the high appraisal of a mere senile old fool from the Slums, but unfortunately I ain’t able ta live up ta yer expectations here. It ain’t that I’m puttin’ on airs or holdin’ back outta spite either. The unreliable threads’ve already frayed. Ain’t a damn prospect of tyin’ ‘em back together either.]
Wilhelm: [When it matters most, you prove utterly usele… no, I suppose I am no different.]
Almost letting a spiteful remark slip by reflex, Wilhelm hesitated, catching himself with a wave of self-reflection. Rom-jii cut a sideways glance at him, a sense of bitterness lingering in his eyes that suggested his words bore no lies.
Ultimately, they had no cards to play. Amidst such a situation, Rem, tightly gripping the hem of her skirt,
Rem: [I believe in Nee-sama and the others in the Castle. And I believe that if those of us here join our forces together, we will also find a way. But, that person, and he alone… he will absolutely do something reckless. I just know it.]
Garfiel: [Rem…]
Rem: [No, it is not just me. Garf, Otto-san, you both also know, right? At times like these, that person will absolutely try to do things far beyond his own stature. And because of that, he’ll surely end up severely hurting himself again. And even so…]
I can’t be by his side. Indeed, as Rem seethed with frustration from the bottom of her heart, nobody could say anything to her.
That was surely because everyone present here had been involved with Subaru in some form, had been saved by his actions exactly as Rem had described, and had directly witnessed him getting hurt by doing so.
Rem: […Beatrice-chan will have to take on quite the burden.]
For now, the only one of them by Subaru’s side was Beatrice, the entire camp’s sole hope to function as a safety net for him―― and, before Otto and the others as they thought just that, Wilhelm stepped forward, saying “No”.
Standing before Rem as she hung her head low, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder,
Wilhelm: [It is natural to worry. However, it is not only Beatrice-dono who is together with Subaru-dono. Crusch-sama is with him as well.]
Rom: [――. Tho’, word on the street’s that the Duchess’s gone completely mad. Matter of fact, didn’t she sneak away from the mansion behind yer back?]
Wilhelm: [Shut your mouth, Valga. What would a bastard like you possibly understand about that personage?]
Rom: [――――]
Wilhelm: [As you say, I myself might have been deceived. However, Crusch-sama would have had some purpose in mind. Until I hear it directly from her own mouth, I shall not presumptuously jump to any conclusions.]
Rather than a tit-for-tat, Wilhelm’s voice held true to a firm core, and with loyalty to his absent lord dwelling within his blue eyes, he looked upon Rem, and then around at everyone else within the room.
Wilhelm: [Even if she has lost her memories, the virtue of her innermost heart remains unsullied. It is not merely an obligation I owe her due to the matter of my wife. ――With the entirety of my soul, I have resolved to install that lady as Monarch.]
Garfiel: [Wilhelm-san…]
Wilhelm: [That very Crusch-sama is with him. Subaru-dono is also a man who is a cut above the rest. Even Beatrice-dono, while she may appear as a tender young child while together with Subaru-dono, I have heard she is a Great Spirit who has lived for many long years. There is no doubt in my mind, they shall shatter all the anxieties we hold.]
Woven without haste, those words were not intended to persuade Rem, rather, it was a manner of phrasing as if to paint the world over with his own hopes, unyieldingly asserting that such must be the case.
It was a statement that conveyed even a pridefulness of sorts, however, coming from the mouth of the Sword Demon, who had once defeated the Sword Saint by his own hand, claiming her from the clutches of fate as his bride, it carried a convincing weight that compelled one to believe it so.
An inexplicable force, one that made it feel as though reality would truly unfold in the manner that had been presented.
And that――,
Garfiel: […Sounded like somethin’ Captain’d say.]
Wilhelm: [If that is the case, it is a truly honorable appraisal.]
As Garfiel gave voice to that which Otto had also felt, Wilhelm deeply bowed his head. And basking in the Sword Demon’s appeal firsthand, the tension suddenly drained from Rem’s shoulders.
Anxiety yet lingered amidst her eyes and expression, however, as Rem nevertheless raised her visage with courage,
Rem: [Forgive me, I lost my composure. You are right. If he has Beatrice-chan and Karsten-san to turn to, then that person’s reckless stunts will be contained to just one or two… will it truly end at just one or two, I wonder?]
Otto: [Just now, it seemed like you came to some level of acceptance, so for you to falter there at the end is a bit discouraging…]
Garfiel: [Even if it ends up as three or four, Beatrice’ll manage to take care of it! …Right now, believin’ in that’s the best our amazin’ selves can do.]
With those words, even though he had yet to purge his own apprehensions either, Garfiel hid his unease and gnashed his fangs, causing Rem to smile back at him, albeit faintly.
The same held true for Otto. In this situation, nobody would be able to fully expunge their own worries before taking action. If an undesirable outcome were to emerge later on, they might end up regretting the decisions they made today.
Even so, in order to overcome their faltering in this moment, they had no choice but to choose.
Otto: [Then, once again―― we shall depart the Royal Capital.]
Clearing his throat, Otto looked over all the people in the room, and declared their course of action a second time.
The Royal Castle had already fallen into the enemy’s hands, and they had become wanted fugitives being hunted by the soldiers of the Royal Capital. A single misstep could mean having the Sword Saint deployed against them, and if they were caught, it would be the end of the road with even their lives placed into jeopardy.
For them to flee the Royal Capital in such a state, one might naturally think that they had tucked their tails and run.
However, let it be explicitly said.
Otto: [This is by no means a defeat. ――It is merely the groundwork for victory, such that next time, no matter what, we shall return a devastating blow to the opponent and claim our rightful triumph.]
Garfiel: [Heh, those’re some inflammatory words absolutely brimmin’ with yer exact brand of hotheadedness, Ottobro!]
Otto: [Though, I really cannot accept that evaluation in the slightest!]
Amidst the nodding faces, Otto raised his voice at Garfiel as the latter scratched his nose, before he nodded back at Rem, and shifted his attention beyond the walls―― toward the Royal Capital.
He did not know where they were. And still, he thought of Subaru and Beatrice, who, much like Otto and the rest, must have been struggling and flailing about at some dead end within this Royal Capital.
There was no end to his anxiety. After all, just like Rem had said, Subaru would likely be doing something reckless.
――He did not want to allow that to happen. That was how Otto truly felt.
Otto: […Even so, you would probably do something reckless either way, wouldn’t you?]
The murmur that had no chance of reaching its target was absorbed into the wall, and Otto pulled his hat down over his eyes.
If it was for the sake of living up to someone else’s expectations or wishes, the fact that the man known as Natsuki Subaru would not hesitate to place his own life and heart on the scales, was something Otto knew to a painful degree.
That is why, truthfully, I do not wish to rely on him, nor should I.
After all, I fear that if I were to count Natsuki Subaru as “someone who will somehow fix everything in the end”, just like everyone else, it would be tantamount to preying upon his kindness and his vulnerability.
That is why, please, at the very least.
Please, I pray that Natsuki Subaru does not get consumed by his own recklessness, lest he be utterly crushed by it.
Even if they were worlds apart, they would all do what must be done in order to fight back against this unreason and absurdity; so did Otto think to himself, bearing bitter feelings all the while.
△▼△▼△▼△
Subaru: [Achoo.]
Beatrice: [Your body must be cold, I suppose. Are you alright, in fact?]
Subaru: [Nah, my nose just felt itchy all of a sudden, that’s all… Though I’ve definitely grown a bit pale.]
Sneezing upon the impulse that abruptly assailed into his nose, Subaru loosened his lips at the concerned Beatrice, however, unable to uphold even a wry smile, he let out a sigh.
That was how shocking the impact of what he heard from Russell had been―― secret maneuvers by Capella of Lust, and the horridness of the circumstances that had befallen the Kingdom of Lugunica.
Subaru: [It’s cliché for a wielder of a shapeshifting ability to be troublesome, but… for it to have gotten this bad. I get how she’s been tormenting Russell-san’s group for thirty years.]
Russell: [To be precise, what she has been tormenting was the Kingdom, and we have been endeavouring to put an end to that, would be more accurate to say. Although, I cannot talk up a big game considering our present predicament.]
Beatrice: [It is clear that you have been holding her off at the shoreline, I suppose. But, something doesn’t add up, in fact. Why did a tug of war that’s been going for thirty years suddenly tip towards one side, I suppose?]
White Sheep: [That’s… I believe we might be the reason.]
The edges of her eyes softened and her head hung low in dejection, White Sheep professed that of herself.
Before the puzzled Subaru and Beatrice, while she conceived her irises with a sense of guilt and self-reproach.
White Sheep: [After we got out of the Beloved Children, and converged with Silver Fox and the others this way, we had a multitude of opportunities to trip up the enemy’s plans. And so, I think Mama took notice due to that. ――That the Six Tongues, had gotten a lead on her trail.]
Subaru: [Well, with traitors having emerged from her own group, it’s only natural she’d think that… or is it different? That Capella’s the type to forget and never think back on someone once they escape her clutches?]
White Sheep: [No, instead, she is a person with the disposition to remember those things forever.]
Subaru: [I bet! I had the exact same interpretation. Truly, she’s so detestable, that bastard…]
Subaru spat those words, his cognisance of Capella’s distorted nature reinforced anew. As though to add on to Subaru’s back and forth with White Sheep, Russell held one finger up as well,
Russell: [Just as she says, the enemy is likely aware of the new cards we have been dealt. At the time of the Witch Cult’s simultaneous besiegement of Pristella, the reason why Lust boldly revealed herself despite never having surfaced until then, was plausibly aimed at making us recognize her existence.]
Subaru: [Recognize her existence, what good would that sorta stunt do…?]
Russell: [――The Six Tongues has already eliminated seven Capella Emerada Lugunicas.]
Subaru: [Huh?]
Russell: [It is the truth. On the occasions of reported sightings of individuals with outward features matched with those of the Lust who was confirmed in Pristella, we have no choice but take measures in order to ascertain it. Of course, during those intervals, other plots utilizing the Beloved Children were being carried out. This time is the result of a blunder on my end, having overextended far too much in dealing with those instances.]
Beatrice: […It goes without even needing to ask, but were those seven people counterfeits, in fact?]
Russell: [Indeed. I need not even relay it.]
With his delivery matter-of-fact to no end, Russell emotionlessly explained how he was outmaneuvered by the opponent, but if Subaru were to be in his position, he could not imagine himself as not being indignant, screaming out to not mess with him.
For Capella, were even her atrocities at Pristella, deeds that had birthed a myriad of tragedies, naught more than the groundwork for a stratagem purposed to trifle with the Six Tongues and seize the Kingdom in the future?
All while destroying, deforming the lives of so many people, and leaving them behind in her wake?
Subaru: [――Hk.]
Beatrice: […Subaru, what you’re feeling is understandable, but calm down, I suppose. You’re just going to hurt yourself, in fact.]
Subaru: [Eh? Ah, sorry. I got carried away…]
His teeth grit, his head hung low, Subaru’s chest was struck by Beatrice’s back as she remained seated within his crossed legs. What she gently laid her hands upon was Subaru’s right arm, into which he had been subconsciously digging his nails.
Upon closer inspection, the handkerchief that had been wrapped around the burns he had sustained at the McMahon residence had been removed, and were now replaced with clean bandages. The nails on his left hand had been attempting to claw into the surface of those bandages. As he was about to apologize for that subconscious action, he noticed something suddenly. ――The pain from his burns had completely vanished.
Subaru: [Was this, something that Russell-san did… no, was it White Sheep-chan?]
White Sheep: [Eh? Ah, you would be mistaken. That was the doing of Blue Snake-san…]
Subaru: [Blue Snake?]
Russell: [――One of my subordinates. A skilled practitioner of the healing arts, and while it may have been presumptuous to not consult you first, I assigned them to handle the majority of your treatment whilst you were asleep. I hope it causes you no malease.]
Subaru: [Ah, nah, not at all. I actually feel less discomfort than I probably should.]
Lightly rolling his wrist, he tried waving his arm around, and it certainly felt like it all was in peak condition.
Regardless of their insufficiency of Mana, Beatrice had done everything in her power to perform first aid treatment, and yet for those burns to now be healed to this extent, Russell’s subordinate seemed to be of considerable excellence.
When it came to wounds, the ones sustained by Crusch and Rachins ought to have been healed as well.
But then again――,
Rachins: [――Dad…]
Plunged deep into thought, his hand over his mouth, that was the least of what was weighing on Rachins at present.
With the Royal Castle ensnared in Capella’s evil clutches, if it was true that the upper nobles, starting with the Council of Wise Men, had been replaced, it was likely that Rachins’s own father would have been included among them.
From the way he spoke, Rachins gave the impression of harboring a rebellious sentiment towards his father; however, within the surprising intellect he would display from time to time beneath his bravado, it certainly seemed like there was a strong conviction rooted in his upbringing.
Neither did that conviction seem to be unrelated to the very father in question.
Subaru: [Rachins, you alright?]
Rachins: […It’s just that I got stripped half-naked. It ain’t no big deal.]
Subaru: [――. I see. Got it.]
Despite probably grasping the motivation behind that question, Rachins nonetheless responded in such a manner, and Subaru respected his decision.
It was only natural for him to be worried. And right now, Subaru neither possessed the means to resolve the problem, nor was Rachins feeling at all eager to open up about his feelings.
Feelings of concern for those held dear were by no means light. From his own experiences, he would be hard pressed to say that talking about it would make it any easier, so he could never force Rachins to do such a thing. Of course, if the latter had wanted to talk about it, he would be willing to listen, but――,
???: [――Oiiiii oi, are you finally finished with all the tediously tiresome talk?]
And, as if to completely bulldoze that delicate atmosphere, the door of the infirmary was violently swung open.
Striding in with inconsiderate footsteps was the dangerous individual donning a clown mask over his black garb―― with an enormous sack hanging from one of his arms, it was Black Dog.
Since Subaru and the others were alright, it only made sense that he was too, but,
Subaru: [You sure like to interrupt, don’t you… right now, we’re in the middle of an important conversation.]
Black Dog: [My oh my it’s truly wonderful that you keep so busy in life. Though you seem like the type of guy who’d say you’re always struggling to survive anyway, so there’s not a single moment or instant of your life that’s not spent having an important conversation!]
White Sheep: [Black Dog, please stop! Natsuki Subaru-san is our benefactor!]
Black Dog: [Oh, acting like a goody two-shoes now aren’t we? For a harpy who’s so good at getting others to wag their tails for her, to say you aren’t wagging your own tail enough isn’t an act of taking your hat off, it’s one of taking your pants off, kuhahahaha!]
White Sheep: [~~Hk!]
After White Sheep scolded Black Dog’s insolent attitude, his counterattack caused her face to flush red.
Considering that these two had dropped out from the Beloved Children together, it did not seem like their relationship was one of complete reciprocated trust like that of Subaru and Beatrice.
Of course, Subaru thought to side with White Sheep, but――,
Russell: [You speak far too many unnecessary things, Black Dog. Keep it short.]
Black Dog: [Tch, we’ll be prepared to get a move on shortly, so the rest of you also need to get ready, that’s all!]
Beatrice: [Wakyan, I suppose!]
Subaru: [Woah, what the hell!?]
Speaking in a coarse manner, Black Dog suddenly hurled the sack he had been carrying over to Subaru and Beatrice. As the two of them evaded it reflexively, the sack plopped down on top of the bed.
With excitement, White Sheep opened up the mouth of the sack, and present within――,
Russell: [――They are robes with the effect of “cognitive disruption”. I acquired them through Roswaal. We have provisioned them for Natsuki-dono, Beatrice-dono, and Crusch-sama. Ah, there is a spare for Rachins-dono as well.]
Rachins: [Why thank you for throwing me in like an extra!]
As Rachins resentfully spat those words at his poor treatment, Subaru raised an eyebrow at the sound of “cognitive disruption”, something he had not heard for a while now, before taking out the robes and laying them out on Beatrice’s lap.
They were fashioned of white fabric. It was uncertain to Subaru by mere touch, but Beatrice nodded with a “Hm”,
Beatrice: [Certainly, there is no doubt that Roswaal had a hand in this, in fact. With this, there is more credence to the notion that goatee over there is a friend of Roswaal’s, I suppose.]
Subaru: [You say it as if it’s a disappointing revelation… for wanted persons like us, these robes are quite appreciated, but did you just say we’ll be moving? Is this not the base of the Six Tongues?]
Russell: [No, this is nothing more than one of our several smaller outposts. It is insufficient in combatting the present might of the Beloved Children… we shall vacate before long.]
Subaru: [But that’s… no, I guess you guys would know how fearsome the opponent is far better than I do, Russell-san. Sorry, I know I’m just along for the ride here. I’ll comply with your directions.]
Just when he thought things were finally calming down, being told that they would be back on the move so soon, Subaru instinctively tried to push back, but quickly retracted his opinion.
It had already been explained to him more than enough just how fearsome and meticulous this enemy was. If he had not been able to unite with Russell and the others, there was no doubt he would still be under pursuit by this invisible enemy even now.
For this reason, Subaru settled on following Russell’s intentions here.
However――,
Subaru: [And so, are we moving right away? Or rather, I wonder if our next destination is far from here…]
Russell: [Indeed. It might take some time. ――After all, we will be departing the Royal Capital.]
Subaru: […Eh?]
Unable to swallow the explanation that struck his eardrums, Subaru widened his eyes.
Thinking he had perhaps misheard, he waited for Russell to weave a different combination of words; but, those hopes of Subaru’s were in vain, for Russell’s expression wavered not.
Naturally, as the seconds continued to tick by, Subaru would have no choice but to gulp down the words that had just been spoken to him――,
Beatrice: [――We cannot assent to that so easily, in fact. From your current manner of speech, we would be abandoning Emilia within the Castle, I suppose.]
Russell: [Indeed. Please do not misunderstand when I tell you this, but we cannot spare any measures to converge with the fugitive members of your camp within the Royal Capital. We are already in the palm of the enemy’s hand. If we fail to act before that hand closes, sealing off all our remaining opportunities, it will be irreparable.]
Subaru: [That, would be… but…]
Russell: [Allow me to reiterate. We shall abandon this outpost, and flee the Royal Capital. At present, this city is a nest of evil under the control of the Beloved Children. ――Defeat is not an option.]
――Exhibiting a strong sense of resolve and dignity, Russell rejected the prospect of defeat, rendering Subaru speechless.
Subaru: [――――]
Subaru’s understanding, was naive. Shallow. Insufficient.
The situation was far worse than Subaru had imagined, and they were already on the precipice of defeat―― whilst unawares, they had been marched to the execution scaffold, the hour for their heads to roll fast approaching. That was the position they were in.
But――,
Beatrice: [Subaru, Subaru, look at Betty, in fact. Betty is right here with you, I suppose.]
As Subaru nervously trembled with such thoughts, Beatrice turned herself around and embraced him outright. At the sensation of her small palm caressing his back, Subaru remembered how to breathe, realizing he had forgotten how to do so.
Subaru: [I get what you’re saying, Russell-san, I get it, I really do. It’s just, Emilia…]
Parting with the Royal Capital, which had fallen into the hands of the enemy, they would renounce defeat, and craft the opportunity to rise anew.
He understood the intent in that. He even understood the rationale. As it was now, the Royal Capital was nothing but perilous, and their inability to take drastic measures fell perfectly in line with the enemy’s wishes. ――Could he really abandon Emilia in such a place? Could he really give up on converging with his absent comrades, and run away?
Standing before such a juncture, Natsuki Subaru would――,
Russell: [――White Sheep.]
White Sheep: […Hk, understood.]
Before Subaru, as he shared an embrace with Beatrice, his thoughts leading him nowhere, Russell abruptly called out to White Sheep. Heeding his call, White Sheep faintly stammered on her words, and nodded.
Then, she walked over to the bedside, and softly clasped Subaru’s hand with both of her own.
Subaru: [White Sheep-chan…?]
White Sheep: [I understand how you must feel, painfully so. The decision to willfully distance yourself from someone precious to you is as agonizing as your own body being torn apart. But, to then merely resign yourself to dying together… you wouldn’t do that, right?]
Subaru: [――――]
White Sheep: [Please, have faith in us. With the strength of Duchess Karsten, and now with you here, Natsuki Subaru-san, we will surely not lose. Please, I beg of you…]
Eyes flickering on the verge of tears, White Sheep fervently attempted to persuade Subaru.
It was nothing more than a platitude, an idealism, a canned conclusion that Subaru had already repeated to himself tens, hundreds of times just so that he could accept it. ――Even so, for some strange reason, when spoken to him from the lips of White Sheep, it truly moved his heart.
Subaru: [――Russell-san, as for Emilia and the others in the Castle…]
Russell: [The other party will likely refrain from laying hands on a Royal Candidate. Even if their freedom is restricted, their personal safety will not be violated. I have a collaborator keeping watch.]
To Subaru’s question, posed after a deep breath in, and a deep breath out, thus did Russell respond.
It felt like he had intended to remove as much of Subaru’s apprehensions as possible, and was likely the maximum degree of consideration and concession that Russell could offer.
Emilia’s safety was at the discretion of the enemy, and the well-being of his comrades was up to their own respective strengths―― considering the opponent they were up against, he could not deny that it felt like a disadvantageous gamble.
Even so――,
Subaru: [――I… will rescue Emilia no matter what. The same goes for everyone else. Don’t you forget it.]
As the ardent black flames erupting within the depths of his chest made him feel as if his entire body was being scorched, he steeled his resolve.
At Subaru’s answer, Beatrice’s body tensed, and White Sheep, still holding his hand, let out a feeble sigh. Watching over that exchange in silence, Rachins found himself at the dagger’s edge of Russell’s gaze, and while brimming with displeasure, he stuck out his tongue in a manner to indicate that he did not object.
Merely, a single person, leaning his back against the wall, and placing his hand over the mask covering his face, Black Dog alone――,
Black Dog: [――Kuha, drop dead and go to hell, damn piece of shit.]
Indeed, a loathsome mutter directed to nobody in particular fell to the floor of that room reeking of medicine, and disappeared.
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