Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“…”

In the middle of a sunless morning, the lady slowly opened her eyes. Still in her bed as she didn’t feel the will, nor the strength to wake up. Just like every day.

Again, she had very little sleep.

Again, she stayed in the same position. Just like every morning. Looking up to the ceiling with an expressionless, lifeless face.

Her eyes, sharpened from exhaustion, could chill the blood of the most ferocious living being now that they were coupled with the tiredness built up after so many restless years.

She grew weak. Not the inevitable weakness anyone could catch with age, something far greater. A true weakness, from both body, mind, and soul.

By now, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it became pointless for her to wake up. Pointless to open her eyes, to move her body, to speak or to breathe.

She lost all will to do any of it.

In other words, she lost all will to live.

Then why? Why would she still decide to sleep at night knowing she would wake up? Why would she continue this visibly painful train of life? It would be so easy to put an end to it, and she thought about it every day.

But every day…At some point.

The answer would come on its own.

Especially today.

“Ah…It’s true…” As rare as it was, a smile formed on her face as she seemed to remember. A smile so faint it could hardly be seen.

Still under the blankets of her bed, the woman turned her head to her right to see the back of the head of a black-haired man, still sound asleep.

“You rest, dear…” she spoke in a barely audible voice, “I will…Go and prepare…”

And thus, removing her blanket, the brown-haired woman went ahead to the kitchen and sorted several ingredients, one by one, on the table.

Milk, eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla.

Then, she grabbed her apron. The essential uniform of any housewife worthy of this name, and tied her hair into a ponytail before she began her work.

While it was true that she was nowhere near as lively as she was once upon a time, today was one of the few days of the year she nearly managed to seem alive.

===================================================================

After a few hours, the sun finally began to rise, and with it, someone else as well.

As she was still in the middle of her cooking, she heard the footsteps coming closer, slowly raising her head to meet with the black-haired man.

“Good morning dear. I hope you slept well.” She softly told him, his eyes widening as he perceived the slight, bright tone in her voice.

“Ah…It’s this day of the year isn’t it…” He sighed as he smiled, looking at the calendar.

A smile of pain. And grief.

“I see you’re already on it.” He laughed, trying to hide his pain, “still an early bird aren’t you.”

Walking towards his wife, he gently took her hand into his as he caressed her back in a reassuring, soothing manner.

“Is there anything I can do?” He asked her.

“I have already done most of it,” she replied as she turned to him. “It should be ready in any minute now.”

And just as she pronounced those words, the distinct sound resonated from the oven, noticing them that the preparation was over.

Turning around with a rare humming, she bent over as she opened the hot oven before she was stopped in her tracks by her husband.

“Hey…!” He grabbed her arm, pulling her away.

Noticing her troubled eyes before his alarming expression, he quickly continued.

“Gloves…You forgot to put on your gloves…”

“Ah…You are right.” She replied without an ounce of fear, putting on the big kitchen glove.

As he watched over his wife getting ready to grab her cooking, he couldn’t help but wince in pain again, as anger slowly filled him.

Every day for nine years by now, he witnessed her growing into this state. He witnessed his wife, the woman he loved, the only one he had left to love, growing into this.

He had to watch as any will to live she could have left her.

He had to watch as she cried every single tear of her body.

And of course…He had to carry the burden of it.

All of it.

Because he did nothing but watch, she became like this.

Now and before.

Everything was nothing but his fault. It was reminded to him every time he would look at the love of his life, it was reminded to him every time he woke up in the morning to see the picture on his nightstand, it was reminded to him every second as he breathed, as he lived, as his heart beat.

“It is ready.” She said in a gentle voice, a voice he heard so little, it nearly sounded like a melody.

Pulling him out of his thoughts, she had in her hands a perfectly cut slice of a vanilla cake with a strawberry on top…And a candle.

“It looks really good.” He said in a weak, broken voice. His respiration becoming hoarse as he battled with all of his mind to keep his tears in.

Smiling, his wife began to slowly walk towards the living room, to go in another room situated at the opposite, followed by her husband, to a shelf on which was several familial pictures, golden medals, and drawings.

Yet again, those were reminders of this man’s failures in life. Because of him, this was now the only way he had to ever be able to remember…

Slowly, she placed the plate on the shelf before the most prominent photo, showing the woman on the left, her husband on the right…And a young black-haired boy in the middle.

As he began to cry, he slowly wrapped his arms around his wife, who leaned closer in his embrace, both looking towards the shelf and the photo.

The only thing he had left of him.

Only because…He couldn’t act. Because he was not strong enough…Because he was afraid.

Now were the consequences of all.

“Happy birthday…Subaru.”

===================================================================

“Naoko.” Taking a seat in front of his wife, Kenichi called her, “I need…To talk with you.”

Staying silent, Naoko stared at her husband, waiting for him to continue.

“…This year…I…We need to do it.” He firmly announced, clenching his own fists to the thought.

“Do what?” She asked in a low voice, tilting her head.

“You know very well what I’m talking about…” He said as he teared up, taking his glasses off “H-his funera-“

“NO!” A shout resonated, still echoing in the room.

“Naoko…!” He got up from his chair, coming closer to her as she got up as well.

“He is not dead!” She shouted, tears running down her cheeks, “my son is not dead! He is here, out there! He is alive! And he will come back!”

“It’s been nine years already!” He shouted back, hitting the table with this hand, “Subaru would never disappear like that without leaving a trace!”

“He is not dead! He will come back!” She shouted again, her voice becoming hoarse, her entire body shaking, trembling, as a feeling of fear and pain took her mind over.

“Naoko!” Kenichi began to cry, grabbing his wife’s wrists, “It is time you accept it…”

“No!” She screamed.

“HE IS GONE!”

“…”

“Our boy…Our son…Is gone…”

“…”

“And he will n-not… Come back…”

Upon saying his last words, the man’s legs lost their strength. Making him fall on his knees as tears wouldn’t stop pouring from his eyes. Soon, his wife followed, burying her face in her hands as her loud cries did nothing but amplify their pain.

It was strange. As Naoko grew to become foreign to any expression a normal person could have…When the topic of her son entered the discussion, she would always react in a way or another. This was the thing, the only one thing, that still managed to earn a reaction from her.

And of course, when the said topic was about Natsuki Subaru’s death…This was the only reaction she was able to have.

As if it was a reflex, an unconscious defense mechanism over the unacceptance of this reality she couldn’t bear. Who could blame her? She was a mother. But most importantly, a mother with remorse over the son she failed.

Did she want to make amends? Was her failure the reason she couldn’t accept this? Of course not.

She couldn’t accept it because she loved her son. It was not a question of herself, or what she needed to do. She needed him.

She needed to take him in her arms and tell him how much she was sorry, how much she loved him, as a mother who bore a single child, the bond she had with him was far greater than anyone. And she had been robbed of it.

If there was a feeling that stayed in her mind other than the blame she had for herself for the son she couldn’t save, it would be hatred.

Intense and powerful wrath. Boiling anger.

For the one who took her son away.

Because she knew what it was all about, she was his mother after all. She knew that boy more than anyone, she knew his heart.

This is why she was able to claim with confidence that he didn’t run away abandoning his parents. He would never do this. Not her Subaru.

And he wasn’t here anymore.

“Give him back…” She whimpered, crying onto her husband’s shoulder, “Give me my son back!”

“Naoko…”

“My boy! My baby boy…!” with tears falling, she yelled in distress, “Give him back!”

“I’m sorry…” He whispered as he hugged her as tight as he could, “I’m so sorry…Naoko.”

And when the sun was finally up high in the sky, still in the darkness they remained. In each other’s embrace, as cries and tears would fall…Because of their own mistake.

And a question that burdened them, which would remain forever unanswered.

After a while and finally calmed down, it was time for Kenichi to leave for work. Still with the funerals in mind, he decided that even without the full consent of his wife, this was something that had to be done.

As much as he loathed the idea, and himself for the thought of it…He couldn’t continue like this. It couldn’t be about Subaru anymore.

He had to move on. Naoko had to move on. After nine years, it was time to accept the truth and move forward to a life that wasn’t over yet.

And it would all start with the acceptance of Subaru Natsuki…Being gone forever.

Not bringing the subject anymore, he kissed his wife’s forehead before putting on his coat and leaving the house. Slowly resolving himself of what he will soon have to do.

“Have a safe trip…” Naoko whispered, with a frail and broken voice.

Going back to her daily tasks, Naoko began to clean around the living room, at a much slower pace and always glancing towards the table where the cake she made was placed. While it might seem naïve, thinking of today as her son’s birthday made her hopeful. Like a child thinking of a special event, much like Christmas, she believed that something special could happen on this day, the 1st of April.

It was naïve. It was foolish. It was maybe stupid.

But it was all she had, like a light at the end of a sea of shadows.

And she would grab onto it with all of her strength.

“Mh…There isn’t much left for tonight…” She thought as she opened the fridge and checked the remaining food of the house, “I have to go to the store…Kenichi will certainly be tired when he comes home…”

Looking out, she noticed grey clouds making their way to monopolize the blue sky, and took an umbrella along with her coat as she went out.

As she walked in and out of the store with her groceries, she met with several people along the way, all smiling at her as they recognized the lady of the Natsuki family, even though they all bore nothing but pity and sadness for her.

When Natsuki Subaru disappeared, the entire neighborhood showed their support for the couple. Reassuring them, helping them, giving them hope.

This was all they needed. Hope.

But as the time passed, as the years passed…Soon everyone came to face reality.

Natsuki Subaru was gone. And him coming back would be nothing but a miracle.

They all knew it. Just like they all knew that Natsuki Naoko was the last remaining soul who still believed in his eventual return. Who could blame her? Many of them would have certainly been in the same mindset, would they share her place.

A parent is not meant to see their children disappear. This was unnatural.

So, they kept smiling. They kept reassuring her. Even if it was nothing but a small portion of hope, they would still try to give it to her.

Naoko herself grew to realize that she was the only one. As she walked in the streets, she knew these smiles were fake, or of pity.

But…She did not resent them for it.

Because in the end…It was what made her still stand to this day.

Hope.

“Ow!”

“Ah…” The brown-haired woman gasped, looking down as she saw a young girl holding her forehead, “I am sorry, I did not see you.”

Crouching down to put herself at the same level as the little girl, she tried to approach her and see where she might have hurt her.

She was a young and little girl with soft, long black hair going down her back, as a little side-swept bang nearly covered her left eye, which was a beautiful ruby color. On top of that, she was wearing very extravagant clothes, a blue and white dress that seemed to be very expensive…And also dirtied.

“Do not worry about it, madam. T-this is nothing…” The little girl said as she rubbed her forehead, raising her eyes to the lady, “Uh?”

“…” Naoko stayed silent as she waited for the girl to continue. She seemed surprised about something.

“Is there anything?” The brown-haired woman ended up asking.

“You…Do not seem well at all…” The girl worriedly voiced, staring at Naoko’s face, “What happened to you? Are you alright?”

Naoko widened her eyes in surprise, before trying her hardest to have a reassuring smile to show.

“Yes, don’t worry. I am just a bit tired.” She waved off, “thank you for caring for such a stranger like me, little one.”

However, the black-haired girl didn’t have any particular reaction to Naoko’s explanation. Rather, she kept staring at her with a curious gaze, something that even managed to make Naoko uncomfortable.

“Ah! I am sorry auntie! It’s just that…Are you sure that we never met…?” Tilting her head, she asked in a bright voice, coming closer to the lady.

“Hm…If auntie ever met such a lovely little girl, she would certainly remember it.” Naoko replied.

“So…You don’t recognize me…? Hum…” the girl began to wonder, putting a hand under her chin.

“Oh, do we really know each other?” Naoko said in a worried tone, not wanting to be so rude as to forget such a cute child.

“Well…I suppose we don’t.” She concluded, her tone surprisingly more serious as she lifted her face towards the sky and buildings around her. It seemed like she came to a certain conclusion in her mind.

“You seem troubled now.” Naoko continued, bringing her hands to caress the girl’s hair in an attempt to calm her and check her forehead while she was at it.

As she was doing so, a wave of nostalgia softly took her over. This little girl’s hair oddly reminds her of her own son’s. They were as soft and as pleasant to caress. Just doing so gave her a soothing feeling she didn’t feel for a long time now…A feeling…She craved for.

However, as she came closer to her face, she noticed some traces of dirt on her cheek, something that bothered her enough to lick her thumb and slowly rub it.

Was it because it bothered her, or was it the instinct of a mother which came back with her previous action?

“Auntie?”

“Ah, apologies. It was stronger than me…” Naoko replied gently…Smiling.

“Ah! This one suits you better, auntie!” The girl commented.

“Uh?”

“This smile.” She replied, chuckling, “This one is much better than the fake ones you did earlier. When someone smiles, it must be genuine. It’s a lady’s best attire after all!”

Naoko widened her eyes in sheer shock at the words of this girl. As she did nothing but interact with her for less than a minute, she already noticed the façade she created.

“Is it…” Naoko replied, fondly looking at the girl, “these are some very wise words.”

“Hehe! It’s all from my father! He’s always good when it comes to words! I like to believe I inherited that from him!” The girl voiced with pride and glee, earning a chuckle from the lady.

Her father had to be an interesting and kind individual.

“Anyways, now that you are already speaking to me, can you please tell me where we are?” Looking around her, the little girl asked as she observed her surroundings, “I don’t remember a place matching a description such as this in either one of the 4 kingdoms.”

“The kingdoms…?” Naoko questioned, glancing at her dusty clothes one more time “I…Don’t know what you are talking about but…Are you lost, little girl?”

“Well…” Trying to come up with a different answer in vain, the girl gave up, “I am…”

“I see.” Naoko replied with a smile, standing up as she lent the black-haired girl her hand, “shall auntie help you then?”

Usually, the answer for such a demand would have been a flat no. Especially for someone like her and she knew it, it was the best and appropriate way to answer…But somehow, someway, there was something about that woman.

She felt it in her heart, she felt it as she touched her. This brown-haired lady gave her a sense…Of safety. Like she met her before like she already knew her.

Her smile, her smell, her touch, her voice, her eyes…Everything seemed to be so reassuring, so familiar.

This is why, as strange as it could be for her, she decided to put aside her common sense, and listen to her heart.

As she raised her hand and took the lady’s hand in hers, smiling.

“T-thank you…Auntie…”

“Mh…” the lady warmly hummed, “And what is your name?”

“Na-“hesitating on her answer as she realized again the situation she was in, the black-haired girl cleared her throat just before going too far, “Helena. My name is Helena.”

“Helena…What a beautiful name.” the lady commented, “while I am not usually a fan of foreign names, this one somehow…Seems to fit you a lot.”

“Hehe! Mother said the same when father came out with it!” Helena stated, looking up to the lady, “And what’s yours, auntie?”

“Naoko.” She warmly replied, “Natsuki Naoko.”

And upon hearing this name, the little girl froze in place.

“N-natsuki…?” Helena repeated, slowly going up to the lady and meeting her eyes.

“Helena-chan?”

“Is this…Is this why…” the little girl uttered as the realization slowly came to her mind, “auntie, where are we?!”

“Where are we?” Naoko asked with a raised eyebrow, “we are…In Japan?”

“At the east of the map?!” the little girl continued, showing her insistence.

Not knowing how to react to such questions, Naoko simply decided to go along with it for now and keep answering.

“Indeed, Japan is the furthest country at the east of the map.” She told her, surprised to see her eyes grow wider.

“T-then…I am really…And you are…-“

Before she could say another word, Naoko and Helena felt droplets of water fall on their faces and all around them. As Naoko looked up, she saw the clouds in the sky fully occupied the entire sky just like she expected, and promptly opened her umbrella under which she put the little black-haired girl with her.

“My, it is going to be heavy uh…Maybe we should go back home, for now, it would be difficult to find your parents under a tempest…” The brown-haired lady thought out loud, glancing towards the direction of her house.

However, she didn’t really know if it was appropriate to bring Helena there. What would her parents think if they would ever hear that a stranger brought their daughter into her home? But in another way, what kind of respectable woman would let a child catch a cold for the sake of looking good in the eyes of some?

For Naoko, the decision was already taken.

“Would you like to come to my home, Helena-chan? Maybe it is not appropriate, bu-“

“Please…!” Helena answered, something akin to eagerness on her face, “I don’t mind, I even think it’s a good idea! We can’t search under the heavy rain right?”

The little girl, too, made her own decision.

She had to know.

Upon seeing the strangely excited little girl, Naoko giggled in fondness as she gently led the way, still holding Helena’s hand as she sheltered her from the rain becoming heavier and heavier.

“Ah, we should hurry.” Going a bit faster, they finally reached Naoko’s house.

Opening the door, she quickly brought the black-haired girl inside who was half drenched because of their last run to the house.

“Ugh…Mother won’t like this…” Helena said in a worried tone as she raised her arms and looked at her dirtied dress.

“Don’t worry about any of this.” Naoko reassured her as she took off her coat, “auntie will wash your dress, for now, you need to get in the bath. I would feel bad if you would catch a cold.”

“Ah, yes…” Helena nodded, following Naoko to the bathroom.

“How old are you, Helena-chan?” Naoko asked, realizing that she failed to ask that question earlier.

“I’m 5 years old.” Helena promptly answered, earning a gasp from Naoko.

“5?!” She exclaimed, looking at her as she tilted her head in confusion.

‘She seems way too mature for being 5 years old!’

“I’m not lying! I’m 5 years old!” Helena answered, pouting as if she heard what Naoko was thinking.

“I’m not saying you lied, it was just…Surprising. I never met a 5 years old that seemed so grown up inside.”

Helena simply smiled as she accepted this compliment, “Father says the same often…I guess I got this from Mother though.”

Naoko chuckled as she somehow expected her to mention her father once again. Truly, she seemed strongly attached to the man who raised her, not that it was a bad thing.

For Naoko, this would be an achievement for each parent.

==================================================================

After approximately half an hour where Naoko helped Helena to bathe and dry her, she went ahead and found an old pajama belonging to her son when he was much younger. Thankfully, this one fit her just right.

“Mh…” Helena looked at the clothes she wore with awe.

“I’m glad those fit you. Even though they are a bit more boyish, I hope you won’t mind.” Naoko told her as she looked at the clothes with a pain in her chest. 

It didn’t just remind her of her son. It reminded her of so much more. It reminded her of the time she could hold that baby in her arms when he wasn’t even taller than an apple.

It simply reminded her that there was a time when she was called “mom”, and how much she missed it. 

But something was strange.

Usually, she would just remember it and feel sad, empty. But for some reason, this feeling was stronger, heavier than ever. The fact that she saw a child in the same clothes as her son wasn’t the reason, it couldn’t be. It was about Helena herself.

Why? Why was that girl giving Naoko such an urge in her let out all of her tears again? Why did she have the urge of taking her in arms so much? 

“Auntie?” the black-haired girl came closer as she tugged the shirt of the lady, “to who belongs these clothes?” 

Mustering enough strength to speak without choking on her tears, Naoko caressed the little girl’s head as she softly spoke.

“To my son, when he had your age…” 

“And...Where is he?” Helena continued, showing eagerness to obtain an answer.

“He...has yet to come home. But I believe he should soon...Come back.” 

As Helena attempted to speak, she noticed the pain reflecting in the eyes of the woman as she had to speak about her child, and decided to keep her next question to herself. Somehow, she already felt that she would find an answer soon. 

Giving one last pat on the little girl’s head, Naoko went behind the counter to fetch her cooking utensils.

“Please make yourself comfortable, I will prepare us some dinner and then we will begin to look for your parents.”

“…Alright…” Helena said as she gazed upon her going to the kitchen.

As Naoko began to prepare dinner, Helena looked around the house a little bit, trying to find something that would confirm her thoughts.

Indeed, she already had an idea about where she was, and who Natsuki Naoko was…But she wanted to be sure. She wanted to be certain she could make that claim.

“Mh?” After a few minutes, Naoko lifted her head in search of the little girl she couldn’t find anywhere. “Helena?”

But the black-haired girl was nowhere to be seen. Intrigued, Naoko began to search for her, calling her multiple times, until she noticed the door of a very special room be open.

Widening her eyes, the brown-haired lady walked with hesitant footsteps towards the handle of the door…Before opening it, she found Helena holding a picture in her hands.

“Helena…?” Naoko called her, her voice choking in worry as she noticed the tears in the little girl’s eyes.

What happened to her? Why was she holding this picture?

“I-Is this…” Helena raised her eyes filled with tears to her, stuttering in her words.

“…He is my son.” Naoko sighed in pity, not being able to fight her tears coming. Though, she wondered what led Helena to share her sadness. 

She didn’t mention what happened to him, did she? 

Naoko knelt as she tried to soothe the crying girl. She didn’t know why she was crying, but she couldn’t bear to see her in this state.

Helena jumped in her arms, clenching onto the woman’s clothes harder than ever as she couldn’t stop her tears. Both felt each other’s warmth, both felt the comfort of being into this embrace, enough for Naoko to not being able to hold herself back anymore and cry as well. 

It was an odd feeling. She didn’t know why she was crying, she didn’t know why she felt so good, so appeased...Like somehow, she felt that she knew why, while still being clueless. 

As they slowly let go of one another, Naoko held her hand on the black-haired’s girls cheek, slowly stroking her hair at the same time in an attempt to soothe her...And suddenly...The black-haired girl began to smile.

She was smiling, as she laughed, and cried. 

She tried to wipe her tears away, but she couldn’t stop them. 

“Natsuki…” Helena said as she looked up to the woman, “Subaru Natsuki…”

And Naoko froze in place. Her eyes wide and her breath taken away, her hands began to shake as she heard that little girl pronounce the name of her son like that...Before Helena stepped a bit back, wiping her tears with her finger as she held the photo with the black-haired boy in evidence to the woman, smiling with brightness. 

“I guess...I have to do it all over again,” Helena said as she bowed her head a bit.

“My name is Helena Natsuki.” 

And as she raised her head, she met with Naoko’s twinkling eyes. Who only needed a split of a second to understand herself who she was.

“It is my pleasure to finally meet you...Grandmother.”

The little girl’s final statement before Naoko was gasping and sobbing in her hand, the stream of tears now appearing to be a waterfall gracing her cheeks. The old woman’s heart never felt more alive as it beat against her very soul from a myriad of confusing emotions. 

Helena remained beaming with a smile, holding the picture of Subaru to her chest dearly. 

Naoko’s tongue had been filled with so many questions that no one can answer for nine years. For nine years she held on to these heart aching inquiries. 

But at this moment, out of all of them, only one seemed to shine through and break out of the decade-old dam placed on her soul. 

“P-Please... “she begged the little one with her heart breaking, “tell me he’s alive and well… Please! “

As the mother looked at her unmistakable young granddaughter, Helena’s eyes twinkled in happiness as her little lips parted to provide an answer for this age-old question. 

Before another voice broke into the room, “Naoko, dear, who’s this? “

Helena and the broken-down Naoko looked back to find a confused, worried looking Kenichi, standing at the doorway. 

It took him a simple second of observation to notice the sight of Helena with his son’s picture in her grasp. 

His jaw fell as Helena giggled happily. 

Well… Happy ever after was never bound to one world, was it.

Chapter Text

"Father!" an alarmed voice rang within the corridors of the great royal palace as a young lady, almost out of breath, ran in search of her father.

"Father! We have an emergency!" She barged inside of a room, unable to speak further as she was catching her breath.

The lady was in her twenties, with long blue hair going down her back tied in a braid ponytail. Having just woken up in haste, she wore nothing but her night robe, showing off much of her body’s shape. As soon as she barged in, the two men inside seemingly inspecting a map turned towards her.

They were both tall and well built like military men, and were coming closer to their thirties.
One, with his flamboyant red hair and renowned sword at his belt was easily recognizable as the sword saint of the dragon kingdom. The other one, with raven black hair and a sharp gaze, was now probably as famous as his friend, having been publicly recognized as the Great Sage.

Reinhard’s apparel never changed, and his features made him appear as young as the day Subaru met him for the first time. 

For Subaru however the change was very much noticeable. His height had decently increased to be as tall as the sword saint. His tracksuit was swapped for a three piece suit and long coat of a black and blue color with the royal crest over his shoulder, spiky hair that he wore in memory of his father now dropped for one which fitted a man of his age more.

When he met the young girl who ran to meet him, his first reaction was to grimace in distaste. "What kind of emergency warrants you running around like that?!"

"I too, believe it is quite inappropriate, Meili-sama." Reinhard spoke as he averted his gaze. Or rather, as the girl's father made sure to keep a hand over his eyes.

"Go put something on, now!"

"Now's not the time! I'm telling you we have a problem!" She shouted back at the both of them, not hiding her own anger on how they would focus on something as trivial as her clothing over listening to her. " It's Helena..! She's...-"

"Helena-sama?" Reinhard's face became much more serious, glancing towards his friend who as soon as heard the name of his daughter–coupled with the face of utter worry Meili had– had his eyes widened in transparent worry.

“I-I do not know, I suppose…She just…I-I can’t…”

“Beako, please…Try to focus…”  Subaru pleaded with gritted teeth, his eyes fixated on the empty bed still carrying the warmth of his daughter who was nowhere to be seen. 

“I…I really can’t sense her.” She turned to him with alarmed eyes, “I can’t sense her at all, I suppose…!”

Subaru hurried inside of the bedroom, his sole focus being to find something, a clue, a trace,  that would be of use to find out what could have possibly happened to his daughter. 

"Rein, give me a hand!" He called on to the sword saint who didn't hesitate to step inside and make use of his blessings. 

"Try to look over the bed, see if you can notice any trace of footprints invisible to the naked eye," he told him, before turning his gaze towards Beatrice again, "Beako, you said you couldn't sense her presence, but what about the contract?" 

Beatrice's eyes widened in realization, "the contract is still intact, in fact." 

"Then she's alive!" Meili put a hand over her heart in relief, "Father, I will order my beasts to look for her, over the sky and earth!" 

"Please do so." Subaru nodded his head, "but go wear a proper outfit first." 

"AAAAAH! YEAH YEAH FINE!" She waved over her head in frustration before running to her room. 

Smiling faintly at Meili's antics, Subaru quickly felt his unease return as soon as he noticed Reinhard's long silence. 

"It is...Strange," the sword saint uttered in disbelief, "no matter the blessing I use, the only trace of Helena-sama in this room remains on her bed. There is nothing on the ground, or even towards the door or windows." 

Subaru slowly walked towards the bed and took a moment to observe it, lost in his mind. His thoughts as a commander and his feelings as a father were intertwined; anger, fear, worry. More than any guard, more than Beatrice, it was his duty to ensure the security of his family, his responsibility…He was the only one to blame.

He had allowed it to happen, under his own roof. What happened or how it happened was not important to him, the only thing that was, was his inability to prevent it. 

But this was not the end. He had spoken a vow as a father that he would always be here for her and the bond he shared with his daughter was not so weak that he would lose hope here. 

Suddenly, his eyes stopped at a short piece sticking out from under the pillow of the bed. He carefully lifted it, and found a little red feather that once belonged to Aldebaran’s helmet, a memento mori that Helena would always carry with her. 

 He picked it up by the tip, and held it as evidence between him and Reinhard.

"She was taken away."

Reinhard's face contorted in dismay. He didn't deny such a possibility, but he still wished for it to be false, while Beatrice silently gritted her teeth, tightening her grip over the door frame. 

"It cannot be...In the middle of the royal castle?!" Reinhard cursed under his breath, "Subaru, there has to be another explana-" 

“What are you two doing?”

This voice echoed through Subaru's mind, catching him off guard. under the pressure of the situation, he had failed to remember another most crucial part of his daughter's sudden disappearance. 

She approached him; a woman so beautiful that her sight could force the gods above and below to fight for her hand, with soft, gorgeous ginger hair and ruby colored eyes. Wearing a great red robe made with the finest silk and materials, a white scarf in her back going over her forearms, and an astonishing golden crown decorated with jewels of blue, green and red colors. 

And the most majestic of her accessories yet, a golden ring adorned with a unique diamond of crimson color, that she wore on her fourth finger, the symbol of her matrimonial oath. 

“Pris…” Subaru uttered, still unsure of his choices of words to even begin to tell her about their situation. 

Curious at first to know what was going on, Prisca's face took on a completely different expression when she understood through her husband's eyes that something was wrong. Her eyes swiftly wandered off to the bed, and then to the worried sword saint in the back. 

“What is the meaning of this?” she calmly demanded, knowing there was something more than her daughter being an early bird. 

Subaru looked straight into her eyes. He began to open his mouth to speak, but yet couldn't find the proper words, which only added to the monarch's suspicions. 

“Helena is not here…And Beatrice can’t sense her for some reason.” He ended up admitting, clenching his fist as the fiery Queen turned her gaze at the spirit. 

“This is all best to be a joke, and a very unpleasant one I would add.” She spoke in a low, almost threatening voice, “Where is my daughter?” 

“Pris, I-“

“I said,” she cut her husband off, glaring dangerously into his eyes, “where is my daughter?!” 

In a swift and fearless moment, pushed by his own frustration, he held her wrist and glared at her as well, uncaring of the strength or abilities he knew his wife has.ost of them were dangerous enough to end his life in an instant. 

“If I could answer that question, don't you think I would have started with that?” 

They stared into each other’s eyes in silence for a brief moment, until Prisca’s expression finally softened as she saw that her husband was sharing the same emotions as her.

While it’s true that she felt guilty for the tone she just took, she also knew he wouldn’t take her into account for that. Worrying for their child was the most natural of things for a parent, and this kind of situation was bound to raise anxiousness and stress. 

“However, she is alive I suppose,” Beatrice tried to reassure her, "Betty can’t feel her or track her…But the contract is still intact, in fact."

“Which means Helena lives,” still greatly displeased by the idea of his daughter being undetectable, Subaru knew time was of the essence, "Rein, I need you to mobilize all the guards of the royal quarter's security."

"I shall do so right away." Reinhard bowed in respect, leaving the royals to themselves. 

“How is this possible,” her mind lost in her thoughts, the Queen walked towards Helena’s bed, reaching the sheets with her hand, “is there any sort of magic, or curse, that could hinder your link to my daughter?” 

Beatrice didn’t reply immediately, thinking of an answer as she went through the possibilities of such a notion. 

“...There is none, in fact.” Beatrice desolately shook her head,  her voice trembling,, “t-this is why Betty is so confused..." 

Prisca kept gazing at the spirit for a few moments, her thoughts hidden to everyone but herself.

“I see.” Her voice may have remained calm, but one man could see the feelings she was doing her best to hide. 

However, Queen Prisca was all but in a composed mood. She knew this castle, she knew the security put in place for the quarters of the royal family. She knew the capabilities of the spirit of her daughter. 

Thus for Helena to disappear albeit all of these factors, it could only mean that something dangerous was going on..

And with this fear, came her anger. Towards anyone who would have dared to be the culprit of this crime, and anyone who would try to remove nothing but a strand of hair off her daughter. 

“Prisca,” feeling warmth over her hand being held, the Queen lifted her face towards the man calling her name, “I will find her. I will bring our daughter back no matter what. I promise.” 

It was not surprising for the Queen that her husband managed to see through her image. She had grown to understand that it was an ability he successfully acquired after remaining at her side for so long. 

And his words were a relief to her, because she knew this man and the undying determination that he held within his heart, she knew she could trust him. 

“As you should, royal protector.” She whispered as she held his hand tighter.

“I will mobilize the guards of the castle quietly, you should just resume your duties, this information can’t go out.” He explained as he led the way for her and Beatrice to follow him.

“And why pray tell, should I remain a bystander of my daughter’s fate? I will mobilize this entire kingdom and turn around every single stone if it is to find her.”

“I know...But isn't this exactly what we should avoid? Whoever abducted Helena is probably seeking just that." 

Prisca was aware that she was speaking recklessly, acting strangely. But who could blame her? Her daughter, her first child given by birth, was missing.

Her life could fade away at any moment, and cornered between her status and her will to act, she didn’t know what to do. The fear of her little girl being all alone as her life stood on a thin line made her blood boil in such anger, that even the fires of hell would seem like a mere candle. 

And yet, she held a straight face. All her emotions perfectly hid behind a façade she built, the image of the Queen of Lugunica. 

“You are right,” she sighed, holding a hand to her forehead, "where is Meili?" 

"She already rushed outside to look for her using her blessing," he replied with a chuckle, "she didn't even hesitate." 

Prisca nodded her head, smiling faintly before they reached the long hallway leading to the door of the throne room, towards which Prisca gazed with mixed feelings. 

Subaru brought his hand to his wife's cheek, prompting her to look back towards him, "she is your daughter, Prisca. She is smart enough to manage herself, at least until we find her...If she didn’t get herself to safety already thanks to her innate luck.” 

While she perfectly knew her husband was trying different ways of reassuring her, he was also speaking the truth. It was not a surprise for anyone when it was observed for the first time, as a child would obviously take after their parents, but nonetheless, knowing that her daughter had an intelligence far above common folk for her age filled her mother’s heart with pride. 

Prisca wordlessly moved from her husband’s touch, and began to walk towards the doors of the royal hall, as the two guards tapped their foot on the ground with their spear against their chest as a salute to the Queen. 

“Royal protector.” She called one last time. 

“Don’t forget your promise,” she slightly looked back, “and when it shall be fulfilled, come back to me. Safe and sound.”

Subaru didn’t move from where his wife parted from him, still gazing at her with caring eyes. 

“More than an order from your Queen, this is a demand from your wife." 

He smiled, and slightly bowed his head in silence. 

"Count on me, Pris." 

When the royal protector walked away, the Queen's eyes narrowed over the great spirit who followed him. She remained expressionless, but her eyes reflected the sudden ill-feelings that arose within her heart. 

She stopped a few steps away from the door, as the guards bowed before her and opened the way to the royal hall. When the path was made, a loud shout echoed within the halls from the royal herald. 

"ROYAL GUARDS OF THE KINGDOM!" 

From each side of the path leading to the throne stood an equal number of royal knights, who as soon as they heard the call, all simultaneously took their swords off their belts, and loudly struck the floor with their scabbard. 

YOU, WHO STANDS TO PROTECT OUR NATION!

YOU, WHO HOLDS THE SPEAR AND SHIELD OF OUR PEOPLE!

FOR THE NAME YOU WERE GIVEN, AND THE OATH YOU HAVE TAKEN! 

TO SALUTE YOUR RULER, THE CHOSEN QUEEN!

DRAW SWORDS!

The guards proceeded to tap their feet on the ground once, and unsheathed their swords to raise them above the path where the Queen walked. When she finally stood before the throne, she turned to face the hall and all the guards swiftly turned towards her, bringing the sword back to hold it near their chests, the blade in front of their faces. 

KNIGHTS OF THE KINGDOM!

OUR NOBLE MONARCH!

QUEEN PRISCA OF LUGUNICA!

The swords were flipped around to point downwards, and the knight proceeded to all put a knee down and bow their heads. 

Prisca sat down on her throne, giving a careful look to the knights in front of her, and when she seemed to be done with her inspection, gave a hand gesture. 

This was the royal greeting of the kingdom of Lugunica. A tradition that had been abandoned when the last member of the Lugunica bloodline gave his last breath ten years ago. Strangely enough, it had not been a difficult task for it to be implemented again, as if the knights had been waiting to perform it once more. 

When the Queen gave the order, the knights all stood back up, put their swords back in their scabbards, and divided into two groups. The first group was dismissed, and walked out of the great door with a march, while the remaining group advanced towards the first steps of the stairs leading to the throne, and turned back towards the path standing guard. 

"Your highness," the herald bowed his head, "shall I bring you today's royal affairs?" 

"You may do so."

"Very well," the herald bowed again, and prepared to walk away. 

Until he looked around, and noticed something unusual, or rather something missing, that he was about to speak of.

"Not a single word shall come out of your mouth, herald." the Queen cut him short without even giving him a glance, her voice sharp and dangerous, "content yourself with your task." 

The herald almost felt his heart stop, swallowing his saliva and trembling with fear. He backed a few steps to give another reverence to the queen before hurrying away.

Prisca's eyes kept staring at the royal knights in front of her, her hand slowly turning into a clenched fist. 

"So many of you, and yet such incompetence..." 

When Subaru reached the royal guard corps' office with Beatrice, Reinhard waited for them with all of the guards he had required of, standing ready for orders with their hands joined behind their backs. 

"At ease, royal guards." Subaru ordered with a wave of his hand.

His tone had completely changed from the one he was using a moment ago, may it be with Reinhard, Beatrice or his wife. His voice was commanding, strong, something which would sound completely unusual for all those who had known him before he ever took the title of royal protector. 

He walked towards the desk in the middle of the room followed closely by Reinhard while Beatrice stayed to the side. Standing in front of this group of a dozen soldiers all waiting for their orders or rather the reason why they were here in the first place, while the sword saint stood right as his side. Before he spoke, Subaru took a moment to observe the guards.  

"Men. What I am about to say here, is of the highest importance for our kingdom. Whoever will hear this information must be ready to carry the burden and responsibility of doing everything in his power to set things right. I will tolerate no running away, no failure, and no laziness," he made sure to meet the eyes of every single guard in the room,"so if you do not trust yourself with such strength, leave the room this instant." 

He waited a few seconds, but not a single guard took his eyes off him, not a single one of them even moved a muscle. 

Subaru nodded his head and closed his eyes for a short moment, showing his respect. 

“I summoned you all here, for a critical matter about the royal family of the kingdom." He revealed, “The princess of Lugunica, Helena Natsuki, has been missing for what could be a few hours now. And we have reasons to believe that it might be an act of abduction perpetrated by an enemy.”

All of those who stood in this room were the knights of the royal quarters, those tasked to guard the section reserved to the Queen and her family. Needless to say, their function and duty made them a part of the elite knights of this kingdom, which is why all of their faces contorted in shame and trepidation when they heard of the disappearance of the princess. 

"You will scout every corner of this castle and its surroundings, and this entire capital if needed. From the top of the noble district to the end of the city. Report anything you may notice."

All the guards nodded their heads.  

“This is your first order…And the second…” Sighing in annoyance, Subaru cleared his throat, “Is to prevent our country from going to war.” 

Gasps and noises of surprises erupted from the group. They didn't believe this matter to be so critical for a war to be at the doorstep of Lugunica.

“We have reasons to believe that Gusteko might be responsible for this, though nothing is confirmed yet, we must keep it as a possibility.” 

"This is an act of war, royal protector!" One of the guards immediately intervened, voicing his outrage, "Enough is enough! Gusteko has already crossed the line in the past, if a fight is what they want, let us give it to them!" 

"Her highness has already given them her royal pardon after they tried to take your life a year ago, royal protector!" Another guard stepped up, "and they dared to recidivate?! This time with the princess nonetheless?!" 

"It matters little for us if they want to stay out of the nation's treaty. But if this is how they respond to our conditions, let it be war!" Yet another proclaimed.

"We will crush them in a matter of weeks!" And yet another spoke. 

But as the guards kept putting each other into high spirits for an upcoming battle, they all soon noticed how Subaru's expression had not changed one bit, and neither did the sword saint's. The royal protector was staring at them expressionless, albeit his eyes reflecting a threatening glow, until they all fell into silence.

"We will not act upon assumptions, nor will we wage war if we can avoid one," He spoke loudly, disappointment in his voice, "have you already forgotten what the treaty is all about?" 

"But...If the princess-" 

"If Gusteko is really responsible for the princess's disappearance," Subaru cut the guard's words, "I will personally deal with them."  

“What...What about her highness, royal protector?” One of the knights asked, curious to know how she felt about this situation.

“Her highness…Isn’t aware of it.” Subaru replied, averting his eyes off the crowd in annoyance, more to himself than anything else for keeping this from her. 

“You are all aware of her highness’s persona,” Reinhard continued for his friend, “and that she has other priorities now. Therefore, the task of finding the princess is put upon us.” 

“The representative of the Gustekan church and several diplomats have coincidently demanded an audience today regarding the royal Treaty. There is no doubt that the Queen will have tumultuous interactions with them if she ever hears of this, ” Subaru finally added, “the northern country is already on thin ice because of their multiple transgressions of the treaty as you all know, and how they showed a hostile behavior that will not help their case at all.” 

“Any more than that on the table…And it might go off.” He concluded, waiting for their answers. 

The guards glanced towards each other, and all bowed down. 

"Forgive our unruly behavior, royal protector," one spoke for the group, "we swear on our honor and our oath to do our best for the royal family's sake!" 

“I thank you all, and put my trust into all of you,” the royal protector replied with a nod of respect as well, “remember to keep a low profile, now go.”

"Royal protector...Forgive me but I must ask," another guard stepped forth, "I understand that peace is our ultimate goal, but if they are truly responsible, how much more are we going to tolerate? What if they harm the princess?"

Subaru remained quiet for a second, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "If they harm her..."

"they will curse their own mothers for ever giving birth to them."

The guards felt a chill down their spine following the words of their commander and all came about to understand how much this matter was weighing on him more than anyone else. The guards therefore saluted their commander, and took their leave to begin with their mission. 

Subaru sighed heavily when the door closed behind the last of them, turning to Reinhard who gave him a look of support, albeit as saddened as he was. 

“Did you notice anything?" He asked the sword saint.

"None of them seemed to be lying, nor having prior knowledge of Helena-sama's disappearance." He replied, his voice hinting relief. 

"...You suspected your own men, I suppose." Beatrice realized, though understood why. 

"For someone to pull something like that, they either needed to be extremely skilled...Or knowing everything about this castle. There is no way Helena could disappear like that without a trace if not for extraordinary circumstances." Subaru explained, "but now our only suspect is really this damned northern kingdom." 

"...You seem awfully sure about this, Subaru..." Reinhard wondered. 

"Because there's a way to hinder the link between a spirit and its contractor," Subaru replied.

Reinhard widened his eyes, and immediately turned towards Beatrice. 

“I kept it from your Queen, I suppose. But the dark arts of a shaman can indeed do such a thing.” She explained with guilt all over her face.

Reinhard closed his eyes and grimaced. Armed conflict was the last thing he wanted, but he felt like this outcome was slowly becoming the most probable. 

"Was lying to Prisca-sama a good decision...?" He questioned as he remembered Beatrice's previous answer. 

"She knows." Subaru replied immediately, to Reinhard and Beatrice's surprise. 

He remembered the simple look she gave Beatrice when she had told her that nothing could harm the link between a contractor and its spirit. For others it was certainly unnoticeable, but for Subaru, a thousand words and more were spoken during that brief instant. 

Reinhard winced at the sight of his friend, lost in his own thoughts over the future ahead of them.

“My daughter just disappeared under my nose, Reinhard,” he grunted in disgust towards himself as he leaned against the table, “I feel like shit, so pay me no mind."  

“What about me, I suppose,” Beatrice whimpered, holding her trembling arm, “I was supposed to protect her and watch over her, yet…”

“We still don’t know what happened, Beatrice-sama!" Reinhard intervened, "Please do not blame yourself while we have no clue on Helena-sama’s whereabouts yet…”

“He is right, Beako. As far as we know, Helena’s situation is still too blurry to start blaming anyone.” Subaru continued, hugging the little girl in a soft embrace.

“Even then…Even then, I should have been there…I should have protected her, sheltered her, I suppose…” She cried on his shoulder, clenching his coat, “My Helena doesn’t deserve to be taken away like this…” 

While it’s true that he wanted to comfort her, the words were lacking for the royal protector. Usually, he would have done his best with reassuring words to comfort her, soothe her…But this time was different because he knew exactly what she felt.

He was in the same state. And it was his daughter that it was about, after all.

But when he saw how Beatrice was feeling, and how his wife was feeling…He knew he didn’t have a right to simply worry himself to death.

Because both had him as the last hope. His presence was what made them still believe in the possible return of the princess. 

Inside the royal hall, the fiery Queen of the kingdom was reviewing some documents on her throne when she heard footsteps coming closer to her. 

Slowly raising her eyes, she met with a blond girl with eyes as red as hers, her hair going down to her waist and her clothes being a mix of nobility…And a style that was proper to her.

“Hey Pris!” the young woman exclaimed with a smile, “how’s everything going?” 

“…I suppose that things are rather calm for now,” The Queen answered, putting the papers on her lap, “how are you doing, Felt?” 

“The usual,” she said as she sat down on the right armrest of the royal throne, “just got annoyed by some of the higher-ups of the first district who wished to raise the taxes.” 

“Again?” Prisca raised an eyebrow towards this unwelcome surprise.

“Yeah, I told them to shut the fuck up,” She smiled while making an ‘ok’ sign with her hand, “I swear they have nothing but money in their mind since you took power. It never stops."  

“Of course, these wretches would try to get a profit out of anything,” the Queen leaned on her fist, closing her eyes in disappointment. 

“You should have taken my advice and destroyed them all~” the blond teased with a laugh “it would have avoided you some late-night headaches I’m sure.” 

“I do not know what to feel, upon first knowing that you still had this idea in mind, or that I am truly considering it,” Prisca waved off, picking up the first document again, “here is a demand from the Baron of Costuul.” 

Felt took the paper handed to her in curiosity and began to read it. And the further her eyes went from left to right on this paper, the more unpleasant her expression was.

“That moron wants to make the demi-humans families pay more taxes?!” She exclaimed in outrage.

“He was an associate of my ex-husband it seems. Since I have been crowned, he began to write me several demands concerning his city,” Prisca took the document back in her hands, frowning as she read it again, “ ‘ I draw your attention towards the fact that families of demi-humans demand far more resources than their average human counterparts. In addition, they consume an amount of supplies and public resources far greater than what we can produce for our main population...’"

 “Did he really try to hustle you?! After you introduced new ways of farming and production for all of the cities?!” 

“Indeed,” She clicked her tongue in disgust to what she read, taking a quill from the side of her throne,” with the royal treaty in place, he certainly believes that I will not have any interest, nor time to give to a place like Costuul.” 

"All the while you being Barielle's ex-wife makes him think that you somehow owe him?" Felt wondered aloud, "if that’s the case that little shit is far more stupid than I thought. Then again, he signed up the laws saying that a guard of the kingdom would come every year to be sure that a city has everything it needs.” 

“I tend to believe that some of the nobles of this kingdom are still too used to their last king,” Prisca snorted, writing ‘No’ behind the document and putting it back in its envelope, “it seems he had little to no grasp over anyone.” 

“Well, since a place as infamous as the slums existed under him, and for having personally lived in this shithole for 15 years of my life,” Felt off-handily commented, “I kinda believe he was useless.” 

The state in which Lugunica was today–compared to what it was five years ago when the royal selection ended–was unimaginable. From the Augria Sand Dunes to the end of the Barielle domain, the lands of Lugunica turned green and abundant once more, what was old and abandoned in every city was destroyed and rebuilt The kingdom was brought back to its pride of yore once more, all thanks to Prisca’s strong leadership and flawless decision making.

And when the kingdom was dealt with,  the eyes of the monarch went beyond her borders, and thus established the royal treaty. But to care for such matters, would of course leave the impression that her own kingdom took a more secondary position.

Prisca raised her hand from her throne, a simple gesture that called one of the guards of the great hall to leave his formation and kneel before her.

“Bring this to the messenger, tell him to go and reach the Baron of Costuul in person with that letter.” She ordered. 

“As per your will, your highness!” The guard answered, taking the letter in both his hands. 

“Is that the answer?” Felt began to laugh, “just ‘No’?” 

“If he understands what it means, he will settle down. If he does not, he will come here and demand an explanation,” she took a second document in her hands, “and if he decides to come here, it shall be at his own risk.” 

“I wonder really, these bastards are either trying to purposely get on your nerves or too stupid to understand the simplest of things.” Felt continued, keeping her narrowed eyes on the Queen. 

“I would not be surprised to find either of these to be the case.”

“…”

Noticing how quiet the blonde woman became, Prisca stopped in her lecture and saw Felt staring at her with suspicious eyes.

Hopping off her seat and turning face to the throne, she crossed her arms, "okay, what is happening?" 

Prisca narrowed her eyes, 

“I’ve been saying so much shit for the past minutes and I didn’t receive a single ‘mind your language in my presence’ or ‘would you stop using such filthy vocabulary?’ coming from you.”

Sighing in clear annoyance to the giveaway she unintentionally offered, Prisca turned back to her documents in an attempt to brush the matter off.

“I am not in a mood for it, Felt,” she said as she purposely used a stern tone to show her resentment, “let us avoid it.” 

“Oh you’re taking the royal tone with me now?” she frowned in disappointment, “After all this time I thought we were tight, you know.” 

“It is precisely why I ask you to not push the matter that has been weighing on me." 

While it’s true that it was surprising, Felt became one of the few people that Prisca held close to her. May it be because of how her husband’s personality grew to her, or just because she decided to let go of her old habits since she was crowned. 

She also knew that her attitude and words were heavily subject to decisions on the spur of the moment because of how stressed and anxious she was…This is why she decided to calm herself before facing unwanted consequences.  

“…Well that’s gotta be serious. Big bro did something?!” She replied with a raised eyebrow. 

Prisca was slightly taken aback, and looked back up to the woman “Why would he do anything?”

“I don’t know, sometimes married folk can have arguments. I wondered if something like that kicked in between you two,” Reminded of the few interactions she saw between couples in general, Felt voiced her thoughts.

“We rarely do," the Queen simply replied, "it would not be an appropriate behavior for young parents." 

Naturally, a smile formed on her lips when she got to say those words. Remembering her daily interactions with her husband and daughter. 

Felt exhaled, smiling faintly at her friend, "if you really wanna keep it to yourself I won't push it, you’re not really in a state where it’d be wise to get all nerve-wracked, after all.” 

Prisca blinked in astonishment, remaining silent while Felt smirked, “You thought I wouldn’t notice? Though I gotta admit, I didn’t expect it to take so much time.” 

“Circumstances obliged.” Prisca leaned on her throne, her eyes gazing towards her wedding ring, “and just as I thought I could finally allow time for what truly matters…” 

“Mmh.But I have to tell you why I came here in the first place before resuming my own stuff.” 

Prisca hummed in response, waiting for her to continue.

"Gusteko is acting up again," Felt grimaced as she spoke bitterly, "I'm about to meet their envoy right now to discuss the conditions of the treaty again." 

The Queen's eyes took a more sinister glow after hearing the Northern kingdom's name, “I wonder what came over me when I thought for an instant that such backward animals could go as far as to accomplish the tremendous task of reading.” 

"Well, I'll take care of it and tell you what's up-Oh?' Felt  looked around a moment before continuing, like a revelation striking her, "Where’s Lena? She’s always around you for the morning tasks, isn’t she?” 

Prisca didn't answer. 

“Hey hey, give her some slack!" Felt laughed warmly, taking Prisca’s silence for disappointment, “can't blame her at her age, I was apparently the same according to Old Rom, always loved staying up late to-Pris?” 

Felt’s smile faded away the second she noticed the Queen’s expression darken. However, she couldn’t comprehend what Prisca could feel at the moment. It was a mix of fear…And anger. Or maybe more? Whatever it was, she now knew it had a link with her daughter, the princess of Lugunica. 

“Alright, what the hell happened?!” 

“You gotta be kiddin’ me!” a young man roared in anger, “who the fuck got the guts for touchin’ the little princess?! Brotto, get your contacts and shit! I’mma find that son of a bi-” 

“Calm down, Garf!” Exclaimed Otto as he slapped the back of his head in annoyance, before turning to Subaru, “Are you okay though?” 

Garfiel was noticeably taller, with the beginning of a beard that fit him quite well, and wore the uniform of the kingdom's royal knights minus the coat, while Otto had traded his green apparel for a 3 piece suit, his hair tied in a ponytail and his face perfectly shaved.  

“No,” He grunted, “but it’s not the time for me to mope over it.” 

Both Otto and Garfiel could feel their heart hurt by the expression their friend had. It was clear that he was afraid and dying under the worries for his child. 

“We’ll find her,” coming closer, Otto tried to reassure him, “I promise you we will. I’ll contact my merchant network right away to get any intel I can.” 

“And I’ll search every corner of the capital if I have to!” Garfiel replied as he bumped his chest. 

“Thanks…” He uttered, with enough voice for them to hear.

“Where are the others?” Otto questioned. 

“The royal guard corps are dispatched to find her, Reinhard is searching the entire capital with them as we speak.” Subaru explained as he pointed at the map of the castle situated on the table before them. 

"Can't we call Julius back to the capital? Or the Hoshin mercenaries?" Otto put a hand under his chin, thinking of anyone that could offer assistance.

"Uh? Bright knight ain't in the capital?" Garfiel perked up. 

Otto nodded his head, "He left a few days ago for Kararagi, meeting up with Anastasia-sama for the treaty.”

"And blue? Can't he come?" Garfiel retorted.

"I doubt Felix could be of any help...He's a healer, not a tracker." Otto scratched the back of his head. 

"Man all of these guys 're so damn useless!" Garfiel cursed loudly, "royal knights my ass!" 

Otto and Subaru glanced at each other, both with blank faces as they processed what they just heard.

Subaru cleared his throat. "...You're a royal knight, Garfiel." 

"Yeah I feel like...You know, maybe you forgot that? Want to take a look at what you're wearing?" Otto pointed out with his finger. 

"Well yeah, at least I AM here!" He pointed to himself. 

Otto sighed and looked back to Subaru, "so what do you think? Should we get all hands on deck?" 

"No," Subaru shook his head, "for now, I want to have the strict minimum knowing about this situation. It includes all other royal guards that are not part of the castle's security. The people we can trust can be counted on our fingers.” 

“Hey, can’t we jus’ tell Rein to get a “findin’ Helena” blessin’ and call it a day?” Garfiel wondered, earning a surprised glance from Otto.

“Because you think I didn’t try that already?” Subaru scoffed, shaking his head, “Reinhard couldn’t do anything. And it is the same for Beatrice, she can’t locate Helena. This is why we believe a shaman could be behind it.” 

“If even the Sword Saint couldn’t find her…” Otto whined as he closed his eyes, “This is alarming.”

“Like capn’ said we’ll whine and mope when they’ll really be nothin’ else to do.” Garfiel exclaimed, trying to raise the mood in the room, “I’ll get moving now capn’. Can’t waste any time.” 

“Got it, thank you Garf.” Subaru tapped his shoulder before he left the room to search for the princess.

“I’ll get my contacts too,” Otto told him as they both went towards the exit, “if Gusteko is involved, the northern merchants should know something.” 

“Try to ask around your network of the capital first,” Subaru said as he handed a letter with a royal crest to his friend, “and bring Garf with you when you head north. We never know what could happen.” 

"A royal decree?" Otto raised an eyebrow in surprise, “I never thought I would ever be holding one of these…” 

"You have authority over any citizen in the name of the Queen," Subaru replied, "I'm afraid I can't let you use it to threaten any of your competitors though." 

"Aw, bummer,"Otto laughed as he took the letter in his hands, "Where are you going now?”  

“I’ll stick with Prisca. Who knows if she’s targeted too. And I also want to keep an eye on the royal hall and the information that goes around there."

“I see,” Otto acknowledged, “You can never trust these nobles. I’ll tell you right away if I get anything.”

“Uncle Rein!”

While he was patrolling around the noble district–the closest area near the castle–a wolf-like mabeast appeared from a dark alleyway next to him, a guitylowe.

Reinhard smiled, and moved his eyes to the figure walking behind the beast, “Have you found anything, Meili-sama?”

“Nothing,” she shook her head, patting the forehead of her animal, “I also have some eyes in the sky, but I’m not getting anything from them either. And you?” 

She wordlessly ordered the guitylowe to keep searching, and joined Reinhard to walk by his side. 

“Our main suspect for now seems to be the holy kingdom of the north. From what Beatrice-sama has said, a shaman can hinder the link between a spirit and their contractor with a curse,” Reinhard explained, “and considering their previous actions towards the kingdom…” 

“...I’ll be honest with you uncle Rein, I still don’t understand why we didn’t pacify this kingdom by force.” Meili spat out in disgust. 

“Meili-sama-” 

“Don’t. Even. Start.” She cut him with a glare, “they tried to kill my father. I have all the rights to want them dead.” 

“I just wish to remind you that it was your father’s decision, in the name of a greater peace.” Reinhard smiled as he saw her pout, “he tried his hardest to avoid an armed conflict, going as far as to convince her highness to accord her royal pardon.” 

“...What was Prisca’s initial plan before that? I never asked, but always wondered.” 

Reinhard kept smiling, but Meili could see that he suddenly felt a bit troubled by the memory he was about to speak of. 

“She had ordered me to wipe the holy kingdom off the map.” 

Meili blinked several times, processing what she heard, and exhaled with a disheartened look in her eyes.  

“Oh.”

“Yes, which is why-”

“No, that was a good idea. What I’m disappointed about is Father giving them another chance.” 

“Meili-sama!”

She laughed at the sword saint’s sudden reaction, and tapped his shoulder, “relax, I’m joking. If it was Father’s decision, then it was for the best. But I wonder if he’ll show mercy again if it’s really them.” 

“I do not believe so,” Reinhard looked up as he mused his thoughts, “Subaru seemed prepared to deliver serious consequences if they were found guilty.” 

“...You’ll back him up, right?” 

Reinhard looked back at the young woman in surprise, “Of course I will. Why would you even think otherwise?” 

“Because Father isn’t the only one with unhealthy forgiving habits?” 

Reinhard seemed to be taken aback, but didn’t reply immediately as he thought that she may have a point. His voice then turned more serious, “Even if peace is what I seek the most…I do not believe I could remain pacifist to anyone willing to hurt Helena-sama.” 

“Good, that makes two of us.” She proudly nodded her head, smiling at him. 

Reinhard smiled back at her, “but still, Gusteko remains an assumption for now. Let us not jump into conclusion without tangible proof.” 

“Mhm…And what’s the alternative if it’s not them? Do we have any other suspects on the list?” 

“Subaru had theorized that it could have been someone from the inside. Skilled enough to know what to do within the walls of the castle,” Reinhard explained to her, “but so far, I have not been able to detect any traitors among our ranks.” 

Meili remained silent, putting a hand under her chin as she thought about this possibility, “what if it was not a guard?” 

“Anyone who wishes to step in the royal quarter’s wing must answer to the guards still, Meili-sama.” 

“Yeah but…What if the guy is smart enough to bypass all that,” she looked up to meet his eyes, “someone that’d be a malicious genius who has a serious grudge against Father…” 

Reinhard’s eyes suddenly widened, perking up with what she thought of. 

After they stepped out of the office, Subaru and Otto went their separate way. One to his merchant network, the other to the Queen’s side.  

But Subaru began to slow down in his tracks midway as he thought back about the situation at hand. He took the opposite direction back to the royal quarters once more, wanting to take another look at his daughter’s room, thinking that he may have missed a clue. 

But great was his surprise when he noticed Beatrice, standing in front of the princess’s bed when he opened the door of her room.

The spirit’s hand was placed on the bedsheet as if she was trying to touch someone that was not there. 

“There is something else I had to tell you, in fact.” Beatrice uttered between her sobs. 

"..." Subaru remained silent, a myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind as he knew he had to prepare himself for what  he was about to hear. 

Turning around with her head hung low, her eyes darkened by the sorrow of her contractor’s loss, she clenched her fist in fear, “the scent is present, I suppose.” 

Subaru stood motionless. His irises shrinking in fright. His mind couldn’t believe it. 

“The witch’s scent…Is in this room…In fact.” 

“…”

But yet it was the truth. 

“Stay by Prisca’s side.” He didn't give Beatrice another look.

Soon, the shock he felt slowly changed into anger. His fists clenching in fury, his face contorting in rage…Without wasting a second, he turned around, banging the door so hard it broke in a loud crash, each of his steps cracking the floor under his feet. 

“If you did anything to my daughter…If you dared to go as far as to touch her…I will paint the walls of this fucking tower with your blood,”  Teeth gritted, he growled internally, “ you damned witch!” 

“Royal protector…?” An old and frail voice called from the other end of the corridor. 

Seeing the old man walk towards him with a cane, Subaru stopped in his tracks, and hurried back to him to give him support “what are you doing here, Miklotov-sama?” 

“Let us say a little bird made me aware of the crown princess’s disappearance, royal protector…” The old man chuckled, accepting the support of the young man.

“…” 

“You mustn’t, royal protector,” with a wise voice, Miklotov smiled at Subaru, “acting recklessly and driven by anger does not suit you.” 

Subaru averted his gaze, not willing to answer the man.

“Would you believe this old man to have become senile already?” Miklotov laughed, “A man does not come out of a room in such a way with good intentions in mind.” 

“This is bigger than you might imagine, Miklotov-sama…My daughter might be in evil hands as we speak.”

“And how do you think little Helena is going to react when she sees her father trying to save her with such wrath in his eyes?” He shook his head, “This is not the image you want your daughter to have of you, right?” 

“I-"

"If it is for the sake of your daughter-” 

"I would go to the end of this world if it is for her sake."

"And it is commendable...But have you thought about the consequences of how you would reach her?" 

"..."

“I am not saying that you should take this matter lightly, Subaru-sama,” sitting down on a chair with Subaru’s hand in his, he sighed, “I am saying that you must not act without thinking first. Keeping a composure, and a good head on your shoulders. As the one holding the title of royal protector of our nation.”

“This is all…This is all unique…” He stuttered, putting a knee down before the seated old man, “I…”

“In moments of crisis, hastiness and panic do nothing good to one’s mind, and the consequences that follow are most difficult to bear,” closing his eyes, Miklotov shook his head, “I know this way too well. I have seen nothing but reckless decisions in my long life within the walls of this castle.” 

When he reopened his eyes, Miklotov searched for Subaru’s as he still held the young man’s hand. 

“Do not make the same mistakes I have been used to see, royal protector. A child grows watching the might of the father, and the care of the mother. So facing this situation, be the man that you are supposed to be. The one your daughter sees you as."

Remaining speechless to the old councilman's words, Subaru slowly let his mind go at ease, taking this precious advice to heart. Somehow, he felt a familiar feeling overtaking his spirit, chasing away all the anger, bitterness, and resentment he managed to accumulate in a short amount of time.

“It’s enough now,” he said in a low voice, smiling warmly to Subaru, “I have managed to make you listen to my rambling, this is all I wished; for you to think about it.” 

“Miklotov-sama…” disliking how the old man called his words, Subaru wanted to protest.

“Later, it will be for later, royal protector,” he stopped him, putting a hand on the protector’s shoulder, “now go. Bring little Helena back home.” 

Slowly turning his expression into one of resolve and sheer will, Subaru acknowledged Miklotov’s words with a bow of his head, before walking away towards his next destination.

“Hang in there, Lena….” 

Reaching the rear of the royal castle, Subaru made his way to what appeared to be a stable, however significantly different in shape than what would be usual to see of such a building.

It was something much larger, with an omnipresent opening above each of the boxes.

There were three of them, positioned at a certain distance from each other, and Subaru walked over to the one in the middle.

When he opened the door, he made sure to push it as far as possible to leave as much space as it could for what was inside to get out, then he stood in front of the entrance.

And bit by bit, first by showing the tip of its nose... Was a large, winged creature that slowly walked in front of the royal protector, possessing an appearance very similar to the dragons which are used to passing through the wide streets of the capital, albeit way much bigger.

“There, there…” Subaru whispered, as he slowly came closer and began to gently caress the face of the winged dragon, “I know, you’re eager to fly aren’t you?” 

The dragon cooed in glee, redressing its neck and stretching its wings as much as it could, showing his impressive height and appearance in all of its glory. 

It was a great, black dragon with flamboyant amber eyes, with powerful wings, giving a foretaste of the speed it could peak. 

Down its left paw, a shackle linked to a chain could be seen. Security to prevent it from flying away and causing mischief, as flying dragons were known for their rogue personalities. Untamable and proud. But somehow, this one as shocking as it seemed, wore a saddle to its back, a sight that would leave slack-jawed any renowned dragon riders of Vollachia, who still to this day are bound to play with death itself every time they go as far as to try to ride one of these wonderful creatures. 

But this one was different. It was no mere flying dragon.

Just like a certain lovely girl, this creature formed a special and powerful bond with the royal protector, so much that as unbelievable as it seemed, it put its pride aside and allowed this one to be its master. 

Not wasting any more time than he already did, Subaru unchained the dragon promptly, and this one bowed down to allow him to take place on its back. 

“Thank you,” he told her, grabbing the reins in his hands, “now let’s go. We’re heading east to the tower.” 

Acknowledging Subaru’s demand with a roar, the dragon outstretched its wings and began to flap them with such force, the wind around the dragon created powerful gusts capable of bringing down any unfortunate soul around.

When she felt comfortable with her paws off the ground, she immediately took a confident stance and soared towards the sky in a half of a second, before heading east with such speed that the sky roared over the sound barrier breaking. 

For Subaru, when the speed of an earth dragon reminded him of that of a classic car, that of a flying dragon was much closer than what he would imagine being that of a fighter jet if he ever had the chance to pilot one.

Fortunately, if it wasn't for their speeds, these two types of dragons shared the same blessing, that of being immune to the strength of the speed they were traveling at, as well as their riders.

“This should do…” Subaru sighed, tapping the neck of his dragon in relief to the speed they reached this fast. 

All of this reminded him of the first time he had to reach the tower 10 years ago when he crossed the Augria sand dunes filled with mabeasts in several weeks.

Now, he was sure to reach it any minute. 

“I’ll have to thank Vincent again next time I’ll meet him.” He thought to himself. 

“This is the place?” Meili murmured as she stood atop a building, looking down to a three-floor noble house in the royal district. 

“Yes, I am sure of it,” Reinhard replied with confidence.

“Man, life has to be way too easy with blessings giving you whatever you want,” Meili stood back up, “now Uncle Rein, we need to get in.”

“And how should we do this?” Reinhard looked at her. 

“Simple! You break in the roof and we jump inside, beat everyone except for one that we interrogate!” Meili explained with a wide smile.

“...Perhaps we could try using the door, Meili-sama?” Reinhard blinked, not fond of the idea of damaging property uselessly. 

“Booo, where’s your sense of spectacle?! Of surprise?!” She put her hands on her hips and frowned, “We aren’t going to scare off anyone using the damn door! We gotta show them we’re not to mess with from the get go, or they’ll think they can fool us!” 

“I feel like-” 

“Come ooooon, uncle Rein!” Meili tugged his shirt with pleading eyes, “pleaaaase!” 

“...” 

“The officials of Gusteko are supposed to meet with the royal regent today,” a man walked with a bunch of papers in his hands, “We have sent a messenger to meet them before they reach the royal palace.” 

“So?” Another one replied, eyes full of interest, while some other men in the room glanced at the discussion, “are they…Involved?” 

The man shook his head, “No, they are just going there to discuss the royal treaty’s conditions again. But they have no idea of what’s going on.” 

“...I see. So what should we do?” 

“As of now-” 

The roof broke down in a loud crack right above the men, the dust and debris of the sudden crash shaking the entire room and throwing everyone on the ground. 

“What the hell happened?!” One of them yelled in a hoarse voice, coughing loudly, “damn it!” 

When he raised his eyes, he could perceive three silhouettes within the veil of dust. A man, a woman…And a beast. 

In a blink of an eye, one of them pierced through the smoke with astonishing speed–dispersing the dust–and punched one of the men in the abdomen, paralyzing him as he fell on the ground. 

He then proceeded to knock out the next one, and the next one. Each and every one of them didn’t offer much resistance, mainly because they hadn’t even realized what was happening yet before they either lost consciousness or were struck with such pain they were unable to focus on anything else. 

“T-THAT’S…” The only one still conscious blurted out, “THE SWORD SAINT?!” 

When Reinhard had finished taking out the last one, his eyes fell on the shocked and petrified man who couldn’t believe his eyes. 

“So?! Far cooler this way uh?!” Meili praised with excitement, “See?! He has a hard time even breathing right now!” 

“That might be more because of the dust than us, Meili-sama…” Reinhard rubbed the back of his head. 

“We’ll see that!” Meili turned her eyes towards the man, “I will not beat around the bush, I don’t have much time, and the faster it’s over for me, the faster it will be for you. So, just tell me what you know about the princess Helena, Gusteko’s schemes, and Russel’s whereabouts.” 

The man’s jaw trembled, looking around him to find anyone still capable of helping him, in vain.

Meili scoffed, and let the guitylowe she brought with them step out of the dust as well, and growl as it stared at the livid man. 

“NO! NO! GET IT AWAY!” He whined, crawling against the wall as the growling guitylowe slowly approached him.

“It would be my pleasure, after you tell me what I want to know.” Meili put her hands behind her back, speaking in a disinterested tone. 

She was standing right behind the beast, ready to give him the order to stop, while the sword saint had taken position against the wall near the door, guarding it if anyone had decided to join them up here.

“H-HEY YOU! YOU CAN’T LET HER DO THIS! SHE’S-”

“Meili-sama is a royal princess by title,” Reinhard smiled sarcastically, “I am afraid that I cannot interfere nor act against her orders.” 

The man’s eyes trembled, as his entire body shook in fear. The beast was now so close that its saliva would fall down on his chest, his razor sharp teeth right before his eyes. 

“You know, I pretty much remember that this entire six-tongues thing was dissolved after Father took care of the clown, and then banished your boss from the country,” she mused, taking a look at her nails in a casual manner, “but as I can see, you’re all still playing that spying game, which means that Russel is still out there plucking the strings, ain’t he?” 

“O-Our organization only ever worked for the sake of our kingdo-”

“Attack.” She ordered. 

The beast grabbed the man who screamed in fear by his collar using its powerful jaw, and threw it against the wall at the other end of the room. He then fell face first, and began to whine as the first thing he saw when he lifted his face was the guitylowe coming for him again. 

“P-PLEASE! I WILL TALK! I WILL TALK!” He curled up into a ball with a hand extended forward to try and prevent it from coming closer. 

“Stop.” Meili ordered, and the beast sat down immediately. 

She then made a sign for Reinhard to join him, who picked up a chair from the ground and set it straight for the man to sit. He picked him up with one hand, and sat him down forcefully.

Meili and Reinhard then stood right in front of him with the guitylowe in between, waiting for him to talk. 

“Let’s start with Russel. Where is he?”

“...Russel is in Vollachia…But he does send us instructions for several of our tasks…” 

“He is telling the truth.” Reinhard confirmed. 

“Is one of these tasks involving harm upon the royal family?” Meili questioned. 

“No!”

Reinhard raised an eyebrow and glanced at Meili, who exhaled and simply patted the head of the beast without taking her eyes off the man. 

“...Y-yes.” 

“He is telling the truth.” Reinhard confirmed, “But that is not really surprising is it?”

“It really isn’t. These guys looked like they didn’t know how to call it quits. But you? Lie one more time, and I will make sure that I do not need to remind you ever again,” she threatened in a cold voice, to which the man began to cry while begging for forgiveness.

Reinhard seemed surprised at Meili’s attitude, being unaware that she was capable of such strict and merciless antics, which oddly reminded him of a certain fiery woman.

He always saw her as optimist, always smiling, or childish even for her age, a bit like Felt. But it seemed that being raised in the royal castle, she had caught influence from both Subaru and Prisca.  

“Now,” Meili brought her face closer, making sure that the man would focus on her eyes when she spoke, “ is your organization or anything related to you and your people, involved with what happened to Helena Natsuki?” 

“N-No! We have never laid a hand on her, I swear!” 

“Are you sure?” Reinhard narrowed his eyes dangerously, clearly upset by what he just felt. 

“A-as of now! W-we never laid a hand on her since the organization was dissolved a year ago by the royal protector!” 

“I see,” Reinhard acknowledged with a nod, “then, he is telling the truth.” 

“Do you know anything about what happened to her?” Meili continued.

The man opened his mouth, his eyes wandering off in confusion, trying to fight the words to explain what he had on his mind. Meili understood at this moment that he possessed critical information, and grabbed the man’s collar.

“A-A shadow! It’s a shadow! PLEASE!” He brought his hands before his head in fear. 

“A shadow?” Reinhard repeated with a frown.

“O-one of our sources who was…Tasked to observe the princess reported that he saw her disappear in a blink of an eye because of a shadow! This is the truth! Please, I beg you!” 

Meili’s heart throbbed in terror, having no idea of what this could mean. And when she met Reinhard’s horrified eyes, she knew he was as confused as she was, but one thing was for sure…

“We need to go back to the palace, and tell my parents…!” She dropped the man on the ground, “come on uncle Rein!” 

Before exiting the room, Reinhard looked back at the man one last time, “Your treason towards the crown has not left my mind. I shall come back when this matter is resolved.” 

The man only whimpered in response, humiliated and beaten, he didn’t have the strength to stand up anymore. 

“Damn you Fellow…Damn you…” He cursed under his breath, laying down on the ground of this mess. 

Felt was horrified. 

Struck with the Queen’s revelation, words wouldn’t come out of her mouth no matter how hard she tried to speak.

She wished to do more than just utter a few words of support, but it wouldn’t be anything that hasn’t been told to her already by her husband or anyone else knowing about the situation.

If she could, she would have run outside to help in the search, but she was bound by political obligations as much as the Queen was. 

But Prisca wasn’t expecting anything, nor did she want Felt to do anything for her. She had simply demanded for the whereabouts of her daughter, and got her answer. Of course more than to avoid thinking about it for now, she also didn’t want Felt to begin worrying about Helena as well.

Before any more interaction between them could start off again, a guard walked over the throne and put a knee down, “your highness, lady Felt, a council member, is seeking for the Queen’s internal affair regent. He says the matter is urgent.” 

“No,” Felt drily answered, “tell him that today’s meeting is adjourned.” 

“But…Lady Fel-” 

“Get lost!” She spoke in a threatening tone, “there are more important matters that I have to deal with. Gusteko will wait.” 

“...A-As per your will, lady Felt…” He uttered, walking away to the door. 

Prisca watched as the guard walked towards the door, and glanced to her side. 

“I know what you’re thinking. But I’ll stay here,” Felt met the Queen’s gaze, “she’s my family too.” 

Prisca didn’t say a word, but wasn’t protesting about the matter either. Felt had taken her decision with her heart, and fighting it would have been pointless.

“Man, this is too frustrating.” the blonde girl grimaced, “Reinhard, big bro, Beatrice…They were all around the castle, how could any foe go past unnoticed?” 

Prisca clutched the papers within her hand, Felt’s words echoing in her mind as she seemed to pierce the pieces together. 

“...” Felt widened her eyes as she came to a conclusion as well, turning to Prisca in alarm. 

“No way…” She growled in a hushed tone, “no fuckin’ way…!” 

The door suddenly opened, revealing an old man with a long white robe entered the throne room, wearing a scarf harboring Lugunica’s symbol. The guards saluted him with respect as he walked before them, and Felt glared at him with annoyance.

“Internal affair regent,your highness” he raised both his hands as a greeting, his voice gentle and noble, “I hope I am not interrupting anything, but I fear that I have to speak to you urgently.” 

Felt and Prisca’s eyes reflected nothing but disgust as the councilman approached them with delicate steps, but there was something more. Something akin to speaking about the devil, and noticing the horns appearing in the horizon.

“It seems like something was misunderstood, I was notified just now that Lady Felt had decided to postpone today’s meeting with Gusteko’s officials,” he brought his hands together, “I trust that I was wrongly informed, of course. So I allowed myself to verify with certainty.”

“You didn’t hear wrong,” Felt assumed a confident stance, “ today’s meeting will be postponed. Let the Gustekan diplomats know.” 

“I am afraid this is impossible, internal affair regent. Today’s meeting is of utmost importance for the kingdom and the royal treaty.” 

“No, it is of utmost importance for them,” Felt replied with a wave of her hand, “not our kingdom. So they will wait if they are told to wait, because I will not go anywhere.” 

The old man shook his head, exhaling tiredly, “your highness, I beg of you to do something. This is unacceptable for us…” 

Prisca tapped the handle of her throne in annoyance, staring expressionless at the old man seeking her support, “my regent has taken her decision, there is nothing else to be added. Dismissed.” 

Suddenly, the councilman had traded his smile for a sour and haughty face, “how preposterous. Your noble duties are lacking at such a critical time, your highness. You have changed, and perhaps for the worse, when you discarded the name of Sir Leip.” 

“You will carefully watch the words coming out of your filthy mouth if you truly are part of the ‘wise men’ of this country, councilman.” The Queen threatened, “I barely tolerate your existence already, do not test the limits of my mercy.” 

“I would never think of insulting you, my Queen,” the council man lowered his head, “but I am speaking the utmost truth. Barielle was an honorable name of our mighty kingdom, the one you have taken–from a commoner nonetheless–goes against the noble code. He should have been the one taking your name, and perhaps his influence would not have led you astray of your royal obligations, and the eyes one is required to have to bear the crown.” 

“Are you insinuating that my name does not fit me, councilman?” Prisca seemed unresponsive to the old man’s clear provocation. She didn’t see it worth her time. 

“...This is not what I was trying to explain, your highness.” His point visibly ignored by the Queen, the councilman tried to explain himself once more.

“Man, have you ever heard about biting your tongue before speaking nonsense?” Felt seemed annoyed, and yet surprised. 

“The nonsense, lady Felt, is your behavior towards something as important as diplomatic relations,” the old man shook his head, “then again, your help would not have been required if such matters were left in the hands of more competent people.” 

“If only such people existed within the walls of this castle,” Prisca sighed, “alas, besides myself and my regent, all that is available to me are nothing but little, useless and pathetic fools who delude themselves into ideas of grandeur.” 

“Such words are unbecoming of a Queen, your highness.” The old man narrowed his eyes, “what am I doing, except trying my best for your reign to be fruitful?” 

“You have no fucking shame at all you old piece of shit,” Felt spat out, shaking her head in near disbelief, “but you can’t help it, can ya?” 

“Shame is for those who merely lack the necessary intellect to know their place,” The councilman smiled viciously, “Don’t you think?”

“So you understand?! But you still manage to fuck up, that’s quite amazing on its own,”Felt stepped down the steps before the throne to meet the old man face to face,“Besides, you seem awfully eager to meet these diplomats, old geezer. Is there something that I am not aware of?” 

The councilman smirked, looking back and forth between the Queen still on her throne and the regent in front of him, “perhaps if you had taken your duties more seriously, you would know. But considering how insubordination seems to be allowed within the very heart of our state, I shall not be surprised by such ignorance.” 

“What the fuck are you even spilling out of your mouth?” She grimaced in disbelief, “Insubordination? I have a higher position than you, dipshit.”

The councilman seemed outraged, “and upon which order?” 

“Upon my order.” Having enough of this farce, the Queen stood up from her throne, her voice strong and stentorian. 

“...Your highness? The high council of the kingdom cannot be-” 

“Silence.”

The Queen walked down the steps before her throne,  joining the side of her regent facing the councilman and a dozen of confused soldiers. 

“You enter my throne room, raise your disgusting voice as if you were given the right to, and dares to insult my regent?” she spoke in a tranquill, yet chilling voice, “who do you think you are, councilman?” 

“Your highness…This kingdom laws ar-”

“Have you grown so old that you have taken your eyes off the wheel of time?” She walked closer to him, step by step, “ I am the law. Your authority goes as far as I say, your position stands where I appoint it.”

The councilman took a moment of silence, observing the Queen with thoughtful eyes. He was not afraid, nor disturbed by her which was surprising on its own. “Forgive me, my Queen. It is surely best to avoid escalation. This is not what I wished, I beg you to believe me. I dedicated my life to our country, all I want is what is best for it just as you do.” 

Prisca stepped even closer, “Believe you? What did you do for Lugunica, aside from gathering the stones of a dying dragon, using the sword saint to threaten your enemies like a coward, and try to take the life of my royal protector, you filth?” 

The councilman narrowed his eyes with ire and distaste, while the Queen seemed to grow more threatening. He was out of words, not because of what he thought to say but because of the consequences of it, and such a situation where he found himself back against the wall seemed to annoy him very much.

“Your highness,” a tall royal guard wearing an iron armor stepped in between, before she got close enough to reach an unfortunate conclusion with the frightened councilman, “I believe it is best if this does not go further. Please.” 

Prisca lifted her eyes towards him, as did everyone else. 

“Step aside, Gildark.” 

“I am afraid I cannot.” Marcos shook his head, “my loyalty as a royal knight stands towards this country’s rule. This includes the high council.” 

Prisca narrowed her eyes, “you have already stood by these traitors when they tried to assassinate your commander. Is this where your loyalty lies?” 

“The royal protector himself forgave the high council, your highness…” Marcos spoke in a low and shameful voice. 

“I did not.” She coldly replied. 

“Pris…You can’t do that,” Felt walked in between Marcos and her, “you know this will lead nowhere.”

Felt’s reasons to stop this fight went further than political strife, but she would not speak of them in front of so many unrelated people. 

Prisca looked at Felt, and acknowledged her advice with a nod, “Get this man out of my throne room.” 

The council man scoffed before bowing his head. But as soon as he raised his eyes again, the Queen dashed towards him with unbelievable speed, grabbing him by his collar with an iron grip.

“My name, my daughter’s name,” she whispered wrathfully, “is dearer to me than your entire council’s miserable existence. Should you speak ill of it again under any circumstances, I shall burn you to the ground and leave nothing for your peers to remember. Am I clear?” 

Breathing heavily as he felt his throat being pulled up, the old man frantically nodded his head before being thrown on the ground. 

“No matter your ideals, if he enters this throne room again without my say so, you will execute him,” she ordered Marcos, before walking back to her throne, “refuse, and your head shall roll the dirt with his.” 

Marcos silently bowed to thank the Queen for her mercy, and glanced towards the blonde woman still staring daggers at him.

“Don’t think you’re out of the woods, big dumbass,” Felt confronted him, “the royal protector will hear of this.” 

“...I strive for nothing but the peace of this kingdom, lady Felt.” Marcos turned around to regain his post, “I will go back against nothing for it.”

“You better choose your camp wisely then. Peace was brought in this kingdom thanks to everything Subaru sacrificed.” She turned around to join Prisca near the throne.

“I know…” Marcos uttered as he walked away, “I know.” 

Felt met Prisca’s eyes again as she joined her, and smirked, “so the whole name thing really irked you this much?” 

“I curse the days I ever called myself ‘Barielle’ every single morning,” Prisca picked up her papers again, “An identity holds more value than words uttered to refer to someone. But this…I only understood it when I realized how I could not allow myself to carry any other name than mine.” 

“...Oh well, I just think that ‘Prisca Natsuki’ fits more than ‘Prisca Barielle’,” Felt shrugged, acting as if she didn’t understand the wise words of her friend, “besides, if you had kept that old name, it means that Lena would be ‘Helena Bariel-” 

Felt stopped herself from speaking further as soon as she noticed Prisca’s face wincing with such disgust that it felt like she was about to throw up.

“...I’m so sorry.” Felt looked down with a blank expression. 

Prisca clicked her tongue and was about to go back to her work, when she noticed the doors of the royal hall open once more.

“Oh, Beatrice!” Felt exclaimed, worriedly rushing towards her.

“Judging by your expression…You learned about it, I suppose…” The little spirit sighed as she looked down, trying to avoid the eyes of the fiery Queen. 

“Yeah! And I’m still a bit iffy that we tried to hide from me!” She bitterly replied as she glanced at the Queen behind her, “But are you okay Beatrice?!” 

Beatrice looked up to her with wide eyes, trying to understand what she meant.

“Did you understand the situation correctly, in fact?!” She exclaimed, “We are talking about-“

“I know who we’re talking about, but you’re her spirit! Her situation has to be unbearable for you!” 

Beatrice grimaced, and averted her gaze away from Felt. Eaten by guilt and shame.

‘Come on, Beatrice…” Felt tried to comfort her, “Lena will be fine, big bro’s the one on the case! You know he’ll bring her back!” 

“Your highness!” A guard yelled as he entered the throne room in haste, kneeling immediately before the trio of ladies, “the royal protector just rode a flying dragon towards the east!” 

“East? The sand dunes?” Felt raised an eyebrow in curiosity, “what is he about to…DO?!” 

Felt’s eyes widened in alarm as soon as she understood. Even if she wasn’t prone to panic, she couldn’t stop her heart from beating in fear as she knew full well what this implied.

Beatrice choked on her breath as she understood as well where he was headed…It didn’t help that it was because of what she told Subaru as well, but in a way, she knew it was bound to happen.

While she fully trusted the royal protector on what he was about to do, the truth was that the memories she held from that place still managed to make her heart throb in fear.

Prisca however, seemed like she couldn’t believe her ears, her eyes glowing in such ire that some could see the fires of hell burning in her irises. 

After a few minutes in the sky the tower was finally seen from afar, as Subaru led his dragon to land right near the base of it.

“Stay here and wait for me,” Subaru told her as he caressed her cheek, “I’ll be as fast as I can.” 

The dragon whined as she saw Subaru walk closer to the sinister tower, and tried to prevent him from doing so. Subaru smiled, and patted her head again. 

It was neither the first nor the second time that Subaru had to step inside of the already conquered tower. Thus, he knew the layout and was way more than enough to reach the place he had. 

He passed the first floor, then the second, the third…And finally the fourth. 

Opening the doors with enough strength for anyone to know of a visitor, Subaru stepped forth inside of the Taygeta library. 

“Where are you?” He bitterly called out. 

In response, he heard a sound coming from the floor over him, which seemed to be a cup of tea meeting its plate. 

Begrudgingly making his way towards it, Subaru reached the upper level with a ladder, facing the woman he had come to meet.

“Well, if it is not a pleasant surprise to have such an esteemed visitor as the king consort~?” she gleefully said.

Narrowing his eyes, Subaru cursed under his breath at the one he swore to never meet again. 

“Echidna…” 

However, it was not the beautiful, young maiden of his dreams that appeared before her. But the real, older echidna. The one that was once sealed inside of a coffin in the sanctuary, and the one to whom Roswaal had sacrificed so much.  

“Would you please avoid the stare, Subaru? I am aware that I do not share the same attributes I did before…” She sighed, turning her eyes back to her book. 

“My only wish was to never take even a step inside that horrid place again,” he cursed out, “but extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures…” 

“And what is it, in your case?” She replied, not taking her eyes off her reading, “Surely you came here to ask something of me. Just as everyone did before you…Though, you are a bit of a cheater when you think about it. To obtain my knowledge once required tremendous trials, you know?” 

“I have done enough trials for an entire life,” he growled, as he came closer, “I will pass.” 

“Well, if it is you I will kindly make an exception~” taking a sip of her tea, she waved off his last comment, “now tell me, what can I do for you?” 

“My daughter.” 

“Mh?” 

Suddenly grabbing her shoulder, Subaru lifted the witch of greed to his level, holding her close to his face so she wouldn’t look anywhere else but to his wrathful glare.

“ Where. Is. She.” With a threatening voice, he tightened his grip around her collar.

“My, not that rough…I am not used to it, you know?” She chuckled, narrowing her eyes with a smile on her face, “and are you not too close right now? Would the Queen allow this, I wonder?” 

Disgusted just by the thought of what she implied, Subaru averted his eyes from her and let go of his grasp on her clothes. 

“Ah, not like I would have been against it,” She sighed as she readjusted her dress a bit torn, “oh, did you grow even stronger?” 

Subaru didn’t say a word, staring at her with annoyed eyes. 

“Oh, come on! I am bored sometimes in this tower, you know? Can you blame me for appreciating some company?” She exhaled with a dull face, “how boring you became after taking that old title.” 

“...” His expression changed over his sudden confusion, but he remained silent.

“Where did you even get it from, anyways? Oh! Have I ever told you what happened to your predecessor?” her eyes suddenly sparked with excitement, as she hurried to pick up a book. 

“I am really not in a mood for your games.” He growled once more.

“And why not? You know, we say that history repeats itself. Perhaps we can learn something from it?” She mused as she looked for the right page. 

“There he is…The empire’s royal protector…” she began to read aloud, “his daughter was taken right before his eyes, as the empress he swore to protect died in his arms. Then accused of kingslaying, the royal protector escaped using a rare magic of the shadows, swearing to find his daughter and avenge his empress…Who was none but his beloved.”

Subaru kept staring at the witch, but oddly enough, seemed to be interested in the story she was telling. 

“He discovered that he was the victim of a ploy, put in place by the empress’ closest advisors who seeked to take away the country’s power,” she began to walk in circles around Subaru, reading with a soothing voice, “he was but a scapegoat, which only made his anger grow. Soon, his anger turned to rage, and with this rage, he left nothing but death and desolation on his path of vengeance. Ultimately, the princess was saved…But after so much blood shed–sometimes for nothing–he had forgotten what he truly stood for alongside his empress, had since long lost what made him worthy of being the royal protector…” 

She closed off the book, her eyes meeting Subaru’s, “thus, he disowned himself from the title…Leaving it for the one worthy enough to carry it once more.” 

Subaru didn’t speak a word, his face still as stoic as it was before she began her tale. 

“Is this story true?” He ended up asking. 

“Had it not been you, I would have probably told the person to go figure it out themselves, but since I like you,I will tell you the truth” she came closer to poke his chin, “ because I was there when this royal protector purged this empire of yore in his quest for his daughter.” 

She then walked back to her seat, putting one leg above the other, “isn’t it greatly ironic? For thousands of years, this title remained forgotten. But as soon as someone takes it back, his daughter is taken away…It’s as if a curse would follow such a mantle.” 

“Curses do not follow a title. Only people who are unfortunate enough,” Subaru replied, “it’s nothing I’m not used to. And if an empire is the price for my daughter’s safety, so be it.” 

“How impressive!” She clapped her hands, “to think that this same man did his best to avoid exactly this a year ago!” 

“The circumstances were different then, and you know it.” He responded heatedly.

“Have I ever told you once, that this kindness of yours would lead to your doom?” Echidna mused, “with a wife like yours, you would suppose that she would build in you a less…Passive mindset? Even if I cannot deny that you have changed quite a lot since your youth, old habits die hard I suppose.” 

Echidna placed the book back on its shelf, “you still have not told me where you heard this title?” 

“From Helena.” 

“Oh?” Echidna raised an eyebrow. 

“Around a year ago, she got a book coming from a Vollachian storyteller that Miklotov handed her.. The title of ‘royal protector’ appeared in it, representing a commander tasked to protect the princess and the Queen,” he recalled the memory of his daughter reading the book aloud to him and his wife, “she began to refer to me as this commander, and Prisca took a liking to the idea. This was before Miklotov told us that it was a real title which existed before, in a far away past.” 

“Interesting, so this old man knew about it…” Echidna seemed thoughtful about it for a moment, trying to understand how Miklotov could have known about such an old title.

“...Enough. You still have not given me anything regarding Helena’s whereabouts.”  

“Well, who’s fault is that? I already said I would answer your questions, but with nothing but an angry grunt about your daughter, I am afraid I won’t be able to help much.” closing her book on the table, she picked up her cup of tea again, still with a hint of amusement in her voice. 

Taking a deep breath as he began to lose his patience, Subaru decided to listen to her advice, and explain the situation further. 

“This morning, my daughter was nowhere to be found. First, I thought she might have just woke up earlier than expected, but things took another turn when Beatrice said she couldn’t sense her anymore,” He began, as Echidna narrowed her eyes to the explanation, “My suspicions were first on Gusteko…”

“No,” Echidna shook her head, “Gusteko is not responsible for Helena’s disappearance, but I suppose you have already figured that out?” 

“How could you know?” 

“Because they have come here to consult me and I advised them to not try anything else towards you anymore if they wish to prosper,” she smiled widely, “you are welcome~” 

Subaru glared at her with stupor and outrage,“You are advising our enemies?!”

“Tsk tsk,” she moved her finger left and right, “I shall stop you right here, royal protector. I do not belong to any kingdom, neither am I bound to any orders. I am a witch, and for as long as I lived, people have come to me for advice due to my infinite knowledge.” 

“Still on Lugunica’s territory.” He replied.

“Lugunica, which bore yet another name a thousand years ago. And yet another two thousand years ago,” She leaned against her hand, “I saw many kingdoms come and go. And let me tell you…” 

She smiled with malice and haughtiness. 

“ Your dragon kingdom has nothing special. Nothing but another failure who has surprisingly managed to overstay its time,” she closed her eyes as she shrugged, “how strange. As the ruling family, you could have renamed this land after your name, begin another saga, and yet…” 

“I am not petty enough to rename a country after my name, Echidna.” He rejected the idea instantly, thinking of how absurd it was. 

“You think the first Lugunica cared when he conquered the land?” She chuckled, both hands under her chin as she leaned against her table, “but I beg, do not change one bit! Such  humility is what makes you so appealing, even if you do not see it.” 

“...Conquered?” He repeated in a hushed tone, wondering if it meant what he thought it meant.

Echidna raised her eyebrows in surprise, and smirked. 

“Kingdoms come and go, Subaru…” She whispered, “there is no nobility, there is no might, there is no honor.There is only one rule…” 

Subaru clenched his fist, looking down downstairs to the stairs leading to the second floor, where the phantom of the first sword saint once was.

“See? You figured it out,” Echidna praised him, “this kingdom would have never lasted if it was not for the Sword Saint line. Your loyalty lies at the wrong place." 

"My loyalty is towards my wife." His eyes went back to her, “and Tosca decided to serve Lugunica in the name of prosperity. So does Reinhard today.” 

Echidna rolled her eyes in boredom, “Tosca chose a lesser evil rather than doing anything in the name of "prosperity". And your pathetic friend? He was still on a leash a few years ago wasn’t he? Incapable of taking any decision–let alone think for himself–unless someone told him to.” 

“Do not speak ill of matters you don’t know anything about.” He retorted with an angered tone.

"But I know everything about it, Subaru." Echidna shot a malicious smile. 

"Then you know he did not have a choice into being what he was." 

Echidna looked up to him, raising an eyebrow in thought, "You do not know how fascinating it is, that you would go so far to defend this worthless knight, Flugel used to despise Reid so much, so to see such a inconsistent parallel..."

"Because neither I nor Reinhard have anything to do with them." He growled in distaste.

“Very well,” She sighed, waving her hand, “now please, continue. What happened after you suspected Gusteko?”

“...Soon after, Beatrice revealed that the smell was present inside of Helena’s room.” 

“The smell?” Echidna raised an eyebrow. 

“The witch’s scent.” He replied, still in a bitter tone. 

“Ah, so you immediately turned your attention towards me. Are you not targeting the wrong enemy here, royal protector? The scent is the witch of envy’s mark and hers alone.” She sighed as she came closer to stand face to face with him, seemingly offended. 

he narrowed his eyes, “I doubt she could have been responsible for anything by now.” 

“And yet…Regarding what we are talking about, she is the only one capable of it,” Echidna tilted her head, “her death does not mean that her power has vanished, you know?” 

Subaru stood confused for a moment, trying to understand what she meant behind these words. 

“The answer is so simple, Subaru…It is right before you, and yet you don’t see it?” She chuckled, hiding her mouth behind her fist. 

“Quit playing around, Echidna!” Subaru let his voice go high towards the witch, feeling that his limit was near.

“But this is so fun! And greatly ironic. You killed the witch of envy thinking you would put an end to her influence, but she was never the one who was the source of such power. All she did was to take it for herself…” she continued to laugh, poking his chest, “here, let me help you, who is the princess?” 

“What?” 

“Just answer my question! Who is she? State her name!” 

“…Helena Natsuki.” Subaru spoke in wary, trying to know what Echidna was trying to do. 

“Correct! And who are her parents?” She continued as she began to walk in circles around the royal protector. 

“Prisca Benedict…And Natsuki Subaru…” He replied, following the witch with his eyes. 

“Ah, nearly there! Who is her father?” She pointed out.

“What the hell are yo-“ 

“Who. Is. Her father?” She cut him, putting importance on each of her words. 

“…Me. It’s me. I’m her-“

“Oh?” 

“…”

The royal protector froze, his hands shaking, his eyes wide, unable to breathe, unable to do anything.

He was paralyzed…By fear. 

By the impossible revelation that appeared in his mind…As he slowly, like a scared child, raised his eyes towards the witch of greed. 

“There we are…” She whispered in a sweet tone, coming closer to his ear.

“She is exactly where you think she is…”

“That’s not possible!” gaining the power to speak again, he yelled back. 

“Is it really? Have you ever searched for a way to do it?” She questioned with a smug. 

“I-“ 

“No you did not~” she cut him, “Since your first day in this world you were settled on the fact that you would never come back. But the truth is…That the ability to bring you here, someone wielded it. And this someone…Well, do I need to point it out?” 

“How…Did Helena…” 

“Because she is your daughter…” 

Losing all of his wills in an instant, hurt beyond compare as he heard his daughter’s fate…His eyes reflecting the pain and the sadness of a father having to give a possibility to the thought of never seeing his child again… 

“She is cursed…” He uttered in pain, as he lifted his trembling hands before his eyes, “I cursed my daughter…” 

And slowly…A white hand as pure as the snow posed on his shaking palm, making him look up to her face, smiling with a warm and comforting expression.

“While you see it as a curse…It can also be close to a unique blessing,” she whispered in a soothing voice, “and didn’t you hear about what I just said? Or did you solely focus on your daughter so much that you decided to ignore it?” 

Subaru slowly widened his eyes. 

“This power…is yours.”

Chapter Text

Subaru stood apart from Echidna, his gaze fixed on some distant, invisible point. The weight of his daughter’s fate hung heavy on his chest, a truth too bitter to swallow. The library’s vast expanse, with its towering shelves of ancient tomes and scrolls, seemed to close in around him, suffocating in its stillness. Subaru stood motionless, lost in the turmoil of his thoughts.

Echidna could sense the storm brewing within him, but she made no effort to interfere. With a soft rustle of her black gown, she reclined in her chair, her pale fingers turning the pages of the book she had been perusing, as if the tension in the room were nothing more than a passing breeze.

The heavy doors creaked open, the sound cutting through the silence like a blade. Subaru turned, his eyes narrowing as a familiar figure stepped into the dim light.

“I wondered why an imperial dragon was stationed before the tower," came the smooth, measured voice. "Yet no corpse littered the way here... Now I suppose it makes sense.” The newcomer adjusted the monocle perched on his sharp nose, his calculating gaze landing squarely on Subaru.

“Clind...” Subaru’s voice was low, a warning barely concealed beneath the surface.

“You took your time,” Echidna remarked, rising slowly from her chair. She extended her cup of tea toward the butler without sparing him a glance.

“I apologize, Echidna-sama,” Clind replied, his voice steeped in cold deference as he poured tea into her cup with precision. His attention, however, remained fixed on Subaru, his tone hardening with each word. “May I ask the reason for this man’s presence in your tower?”

Echidna’s smile was faint, her eyes gleaming with a knowing mischief. “Subaru seeks my help,” she replied lightly, casting a sideways glance at the royal protector. “Speaking of which, Clind, prepare my bag. It appears we will be paying the royal castle a visit.”

Subaru’s body tensed, his voice cutting through the air like steel. “And what makes you think you'll set foot in the palace? Don’t mistake me coming here for a declaration of peace. You’re not getting anywhere near my family.”

Clind’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing to cold slits. “I would advise you to watch your tone when addressing my master, Natsuki. ” he warned, each syllable dripping with quiet malice.

The air between them thickened, the charged silence threatening to snap. Subaru stepped forward, his jaw clenched, but before the situation could explode, Echidna glided between them, her pale hand raised in gentle command.

“Now, now,” she sighed, her voice carrying a weight of restrained annoyance as her ever-present smile faltered for the first time since Subaru had entered. “I would prefer you two avoid reducing my library to rubble over something so... trivial.”

Clind’s eyes flickered with disdain as he kept his gaze locked on Subaru. “I do not understand why we should entertain the murderer of Lord Roswaal, Echidna-sama.”

Subaru’s voice was a low growl, the fury barely restrained. “Just give me a reason to step forward, and I’ll gladly send you six feet underground, right next to where he’s rotting.”

The tension was palpable, crackling in the charged atmosphere between them. The two men stood poised, each daring the other to make a move, the library's cold air growing heavy with the scent of impending violence. Echidna, sensing the inevitable clash, kept her presence steady, an unspoken command holding them both in place.

“Stand down,” she said firmly, her sharp eyes cutting to Clind. When she turned to Subaru, her tone softened only slightly, a sly edge beneath her words. “And you? Do you wish to see your daughter again?”

Subaru stared down at Echidna, his eyes dark with an unreadable intensity. His thoughts, veiled in that familiar storm of bitterness and frustration, seemed far beyond her reach. After a tense moment, he stepped back, a reluctant retreat mirrored by Clind, who, with equal coldness, withdrew.

“If you truly want my help,” Echidna’s voice broke the silence, her words sharp yet tinged with an amused edge, “I need to go where some of my library’s research was taken. I believe your court mage has an idea, mh?” A smile crept back onto her lips, serpentine and knowing, “This isn’t a matter for debate if you want her back. Do you understand?”

“I’ll be watching you, Echidna,” Subaru replied, his voice low and edged with a warning. His body remained rigid, every word a barely contained threat.

“Oh, please do~,” she giggled, clearly unbothered, as she turned to leave, her gown brushing the floor as she walked towards her quarters. Clind followed without a word, his sharp eyes flicking once more to Subaru before vanishing behind her.

Subaru stood alone for a moment, gritting his teeth against the roiling anger in his chest. His hands tightened into fists, his knuckles white with frustration. He cast a glance upward, his mind coming to another realization.

“...Echidna,” he called out.

She paused, tilting her head slightly before turning halfway back. “Hm?”

Subaru’s gaze was fixed on the ceiling now, as if searching for something just out of reach. “...Is she still here?”

Echidna raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the question, but then a knowing smirk tugged at her lips. “Yes,” she said, a note of amusement in her voice, “you may go see her, if that’s what you wish.”

She waved him off, already more interested in whatever task lay ahead. Subaru sighed, closing his eyes for a brief moment, weighing his thoughts. His feet, almost against his will, led him towards the stairwell, up the spiraling stone steps that creaked underfoot. Each step took him higher, the tower’s oppressive weight pressing down as the cold wind whistled through the narrow windows, carrying with it the biting chill of the Augria sand dunes below.

When he finally reached the top, the vast horizon of endless dunes stretched out before him, the wind howling in fierce gusts that tugged at his clothes and hair. There was a brief, fleeting temptation to find peace in the desolate beauty before him. But peace was a luxury he no longer afforded himself.

One final flight of stairs beckoned, narrow and steep, leading to the person he sought. He climbed, the tension in his body coiling tighter with every step.

At the top, seated against the edge of the tower, her knees drawn to her chest, was Shaula. Her brown hair whipped around her face as the wind swept across the tower’s heights. She didn’t turn fully to greet him, just a glance over her shoulder, confirming his presence without words.

Subaru opened his mouth to speak, but the words failed him. His throat tightened. Everything he wanted to say felt inadequate, hollow. He took a moment, gathering himself against the whirlwind of emotions.

“...You look healthy,” he finally said, the words feeling pitiful as they left his mouth. “Is Echidna giving you proper food?”

Shaula didn’t respond, her head merely dipping in a slight nod. The silence stretched, thick and heavy. Subaru winced, closing his eyes as frustration clawed at his insides. He wasn’t angry at her—he was angry at himself, at the helplessness gnawing away at his core.

“Shaula...” He stepped closer, his voice softer now, laced with a weariness that seemed to sap the strength from his limbs.

At the sound of her name, Shaula stood, slowly turning to face him. Her emerald eyes shimmered in the fading light, a green that reflected the deep sadness she carried.

“Yes, master?” Her voice was calm, but beneath it was a tremor, a sadness that rippled just beneath the surface.

“...Meili misses you. A lot,” Subaru said, his voice quiet but insistent as he took another step toward her. “I do too... Please, come with me.”

Shaula’s lips quivered, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Heh... that little ankle biter still remembers me? That’s... comforting.”

Subaru’s chest tightened. “What keeps you here?” His voice was thick with desperation now, his need for answers clear in his pleading gaze. “It’s over, Shaula. Everything. You’re free from this cursed place. You can—”

“I will come,” Shaula interrupted him, her voice trembling. Her hesitation was palpable, her words fragile. “I will come... if Master orders me to.”

“Shaula...” Subaru’s voice rose before he could stop it, his frustration bubbling over.

“If not!” Shaula’s voice cracked as she shouted back, her body trembling with the effort to hold herself together. “Then I... I cannot leave. For Master ordered me to guard the tower!”

The silence that followed was suffocating.

“If you want me to come with you,” she continued, her voice barely holding back the flood of emotion, “then give me the order...! I will listen to anything Master tells me to! So...”

“You are not a slave,” Subaru said, shaking his head in sorrow. His heart ached with every word he forced out. “You are free. You don’t have a master anymore... Flugel is gone.”

“You are my master!” Shaula’s voice broke, tears spilling down her cheeks, her defiance crumbling.

“I am not.” Subaru’s voice softened, but his words were unrelenting. “I am not your master, Shaula... and I never will be.”

Shaula’s lips trembled, her body shaking as the weight of his words sank in. Slowly, as if every movement was pain itself, she turned away and sank back to the ground, curling into herself. Each sob that escaped her tore at Subaru’s heart, each one a reminder of the pain they both shared but could not fix.

Subaru stood there, watching her break before him, his own soul splitting with the desire to lie, to give her the order she so desperately needed. But he couldn’t. Not anymore.

“I will remain here,” she whispered between sobs, “until Master comes for me... and orders me to follow.”

Subaru’s hands clenched into fists, his nails biting into his palms as he turned away. Each step back down the tower felt like a betrayal. Shaula’s cries echoed in his ears, each one fueling the fire of anger rising inside him, anger at himself, at the tower, at the world.

By the time he reached the last floor, the weight of his rage was unbearable. He stopped in the corridor, his breath heaving, his teeth clenched.

“Damn it!” he roared, slamming his fist into the stone wall beside him. The force of the blow cracked the stone, leaving a crater in the wall. His eyes burned with a seething fury, glowing in the dim light of the tower’s shadowed corridors. The urge to destroy, to tear the entire place down, clawed at him with each passing second.

But he forced himself to breathe, to regain control. He couldn’t afford to lose himself here. Not now.

As the dust settled, Subaru removed his fist from the broken wall, shaking the sting from his knuckles. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his mind was steady once more. He made his way back to the entrance, where his dragon awaited him.

Every step felt like another weight pressing on his chest, but his resolve remained firm.

As Subaru descended the spiraling staircase to the floor known as Electra, he suddenly felt the air around him grow thick and oppressive. A sense of weight pressed down on his chest, each breath becoming labored, as though the very atmosphere was filled with malice. It was a feeling he recognized all too well, one that clawed at the edges of his mind with unwelcome familiarity.

“Ah! Guess who’s back!” A feral laugh echoed from behind him, sharp and mocking, the kind of laugh that made the skin on Subaru’s neck prickle.

Subaru turned, and there, materializing as if from the shadows themselves, was Reid Astrea. The man exuded a wild, untamed energy that was impossible to ignore. His long, flaming red hair flared around his head like a lion's mane. His sharp, piercing eye glinted with a mixture of mischief and menace, the other covered by an eyepatch, blue irise filled with an arrogance that bordered on the feral. The man’s physique was deceptively lean—his body a taut collection of muscle wrapped in a loose, tattered kimono that hung carelessly off his broad shoulders. A belt lazily cinched his waist, and his hands, calloused and scarred, rested easily on the hilt of a katana, sheathed but ever-ready.

Reid carried himself with a swagger that spoke of absolute confidence, a predator that knew he was the king of the hunt.

“And he’s grown up too!” Reid’s laugh boomed as he strode toward Subaru, his gait relaxed, but his sharp gaze never leaving Subaru’s form. He circled him like a wolf inspecting its prey, sizing him up from head to toe with an amused glint in his eye. “Ya  ain’t half the little shit ya were the first time I saw ya here!”

Stopping in front of Subaru, Reid placed his hand mockingly above his own forehead, comparing their heights with a sharp whistle of surprise. “Look at that! Same damn height now, huh? The hell happened to that scrawny brat?”

Subaru stared at him, his surprise slipping out before he could stop it. “How the hell are you even back...?”

Reid threw his head back and laughed, the sound loud and brash, echoing off the stone walls. “Ya killed that lil’ fucker, didn’t ya? There ya have it!” His laughter faded as he casually adjusted the belt of his kimono. “Honestly, I didn't think ya’d pull any of it off.”

Subaru’s eyes narrowed. “Killing the Gluttonies restored you...?” His voice held disbelief, trying to piece together the connection. “But... then why didn’t it—”

“aight, enough,” Reid interrupted, his tone shifting, the playful smile vanishing from his face in an instant. His eyes gleamed with a sudden intensity, a smirk curling on his lips. “You owe me a fight, lil’ man.”

The air between them seemed to crackle with tension as Subaru’s gaze hardened. He remembered all too well the last time he had crossed paths with this man, the raw, unfiltered power Reid wielded with such recklessness.

“You and that bitch-made knight bored me so much I had to put an end to the nonsense last time,” Reid continued, stepping closer, his voice lowering to a dangerous murmur. “But now... now ya look like you might actually give me a run for my money.”

“I don’t have time for this,” Subaru muttered, his patience thin as he turned to leave.

But before he could even take a full step, Reid was there—appearing behind him in the blink of an eye, as though he had never moved at all. With a casual, almost dismissive shove, Reid pushed Subaru back into the center of the room, forcing him to face him once more.

“You ain’t goin’ nowhere,” Reid’s voice lost all traces of amusement, his expression darkening with a cold, lethal focus. “Not until you give me a fight worthy of it, pussy.”

Subaru’s eyes narrowed further, his body instinctively tensing. His blood ran hot, anger simmering just beneath the surface, but he knew better than to let it flare uncontrollably against someone like Reid.

The room felt smaller, the air heavier with every passing second. The stone walls of the tower, once a cold and silent witness, now seemed to close in, trapping the two of them in this moment. Reid stood in front of him, every muscle coiled and ready, his gaze never wavering. The man was a storm waiting to unleash itself.

Subaru took off his coat, throwing it aside, his fists clenching as his body readied for whatever was to come.

The tension between them grew thick as Subaru faced off with Reid, who smirked confidently, twirling simple wooden chopsticks in his hand as if it were a legendary blade. Despite the harmless appearance of it, Subaru knew better—he could feel the danger emanating from Reid.

“Gonna stare me down all day, lil’ man?” Reid’s voice carried its usual playful menace.

Subaru didn’t respond. His muscles tensed as his fists clenched, the unseen hands flickering into existence around him but not one or neither two, rather a dozen. He wasn’t going to let his guard down, not with someone like Reid—even a weaker clone—standing before him. Subaru knew Reid’s concept cutting could slice through anything, even with something as mundane as these chopsticks

Reid grinned wider, sensing Subaru’s wariness. Without warning, he lunged forward, the sticks slashing down through the air. Subaru dodged, his reflexes kicking in as he barely evaded the strike. A shockwave rippled through the ground where the sticks struck, splitting the stone floor with terrifying ease. It was as if the concept of solidity had been cut itself.

Subaru surged forward, driving a rapid combination of punches, elbows, and kicks toward Reid’s midsection. Each strike was delivered with precision, his movements a blur of force and speed. But Reid moved effortlessly, his body weaving like water, deflecting Subaru’s attacks with just the flick of his wrists, as if every blow was an afterthought.

But Subaru didn’t relent. He mixed his unseen hands with close quarter combat, invisible strikes coming from all directions as he kept the distance short, forcing Reid to keep moving.
As soon as he left an opening, Reid threw a side punch which went faster than any common eye could perceive,a strike that Subaru barely stopped with his forearm. 

Reid’s blow sent the wind rippling through the room, and despite the pain, still Subaru immediately struck back at Reid with a front kick. Reid was knocked back a few meters, but his stance didn’t falter. He barely seemed affected by the impact as he launched forward again, his sticks coming down in a lightning-quick chop, the force behind it aimed directly at Subaru’s skull.

Without thinking, Subaru activated his authority of greed, a shockwave erupting around him like an invisible shield. The air shimmered for a moment as Reid’s strike collided with it—only for the shield to crack and shatter under the weight of Reid’s concept-cutting ability.

The fragments of the shield dispersed as Subaru stepped back, his chest rising and falling heavily. Greed could only hold for a moment against the sheer force of Reid’s strikes.

“Come on, give me more!” Reid teased, twirling the sticks between his fingers as he advanced again.

Subaru gritted his teeth, watching Reid closely. He could feel his heart pounding, the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He lunged forward again, this time feinting with a punch, while a pair of unseen hands reached out to grab Reid by the legs. The ghostly arms tried to bind Reid in place, but the swordsman’s concept cutting was merciless. With a simple flick of his wrist, Reid slashed through the unseen force, severing it cleanly.

Subaru snarled, using the distraction to leap to the side and deliver a spinning kick aimed at Reid’s neck. His foot connected, sending Reid staggering back a step, but the clone only grinned wider.

“You’re not half bad, lil’ man. Almost like you know what you’re doing.” Reid taunted.

Before Subaru could press the advantage, Reid vanished in a blur of motion. He appeared at Subaru’s side, the stick slicing downward once again. Subaru barely had time to summon greed, the shield flaring up in a shimmer of energy. The stick struck with a loud crack, shattering the shield like glass once more, sending shockwaves through the room. And before he could even blink, Reid struck him with an elbow strike, sending Subaru flying through the room.

Subaru managed to gain control mid air and landed on his feet, sliding back a few meters to fully absorb the strike. He had no time to take a breather however, he had to find a way. Reid’s ability to cut through anything made every defense temporary at best. But Subaru was far from done.

“Too slow!” Reid cackled, slashing horizontally. Subaru leapt sideways in mid-air, barely dodging the slash as it grazed the soles of his boots. In the same motion, Subaru swung his leg down like a hammer, aiming a brutal kick toward Reid’s head. Reid’s arm shot up just in time, blocking the strike with a resounding thud.Subaru thrust an unseen hand into the ground to regain his balance mid-fall, spinning as he landed. In one fluid motion, he launched three rapid punches into Reid’s torso, his fists connecting like sledgehammers, before spinning on his heel to deliver a finishing front kick.

Reid clicked his tongue, amused but slightly impressed. “Ya’re still standin’! If only ya were that good the first time, instead of letting that whore step up.” 

Subaru’s breath came in short bursts, his eyes narrowing as he advanced again. He dashed forward, aiming a powerful punch at Reid’s jaw, but Reid’s speed was still something to fear. He ducked and countered with a swift karate chop, aiming to end the fight in a single strike. Subaru raised his hand and unleashed greed again—a powerful shockwave, just strong enough to deflect the deadly strike.

The shield cracked under the impact, but this time Subaru didn’t retreat. He stepped inside Reid’s guard, and the sword saint’s grin widened. In a fluid motion, Reid swung his hand sideways, aiming to cleave Subaru in half. His chop connected cleanly—or so it seemed.

For an instant, Subaru’s body shattered into wisps of black smoke. Reid’s eyes widened in surprise, his hand slicing through nothing but vapor. Before he could fully register what had happened, Subaru materialized behind him, his foot crashing into Reid’s back with brutal force.

Reid flew across the room. Subaru's Unseen hands shot out, grabbing Reid mid-flight, halting his momentum with a crushing grip. With a violent twist, Subaru slammed Reid into the ground, leaving a crater in the stone floor. He dashed forward for a finishing blow, his fist already cocked—but Reid moved faster. Before Subaru’s strike could land, Reid had almost teleported back to his feet, grinning wickedly despite the damage.

Grinning mischievously, Reid shouted “WHAT’S THAT?! IT AIN’T EVEN ENOUGH FOR A WARM UP!” He dashed forward again, which Subaru did as well, their forearms clashing as they held a standoff.

Both Reid and Subaru stared into each other’s soul and suddenly, the former sword saint began to laugh “What was her name again? Oh right—Helena.”

Subaru froze for a split second, his heart dropping as Reid’s grin widened.

“Gotta suck, knowing she’s probably gone for good,” Reid said, his voice thick with mock sympathy. “Can’t imagine what that must feel like, huh? Not being able to protect her... knowing she’s out there, all alone...”

Something snapped inside Subaru. Almost instantly after, he was the first to strike, forcing the fight to begin anew.

Reid didn’t hesitate to push his vicious demeanor further as he dashed towards Subaru with a knee strike in his stomach that had Subaru spit out in pain, and Reid then grabbed his throat with an iron grip.

“This fight is over!” Reid laughed like an animal, his grip tightening around the neck of the royal protector

Subaru’s voice rumbled low, a growl rising from his chest as the air around him thickened, growing oppressive. For just a moment, Reid’s smirk faltered. Subaru’s fists clenched, his eyes flaring with an intense, burning red light, their glow pulsing like embers about to erupt. In one swift motion, Subaru grabbed Reid’s wrist, his sheer strength forcing the sword saint’s iron grip to crack open. Before Reid could react, Subaru slammed his forehead into Reid’s nose with a sickening crunch, blood spraying from the impact. Without hesitation, Subaru’s fist, now engulfed in dark, shadow-like flames, shot forward like a cannon. It collided with Reid’s jaw in a thunderous blow, the shockwave rattling the walls as blood sprayed from Reid’s mouth.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Subaru stood with his arm still enveloped by a fire seemingly made of shadow magic,his eyes glowing a shining red, as Reid brought a hand to his lips, wiping the blood from his chin, then glanced at Subaru with wide, wild eyes. He was breathing heavily, his mouth twisted into a crooked grin. “Now that... that was a punch, lil’ man.”

Subaru stood there, his chest heaving, his fists still clenched, the fire on his arm slowly fading as the raw power that had overtaken him ebbed. The unseen hands  hovered protectively around him, but the fight had reached its end.

Reid, still grinning despite the blood dripping from his mouth, lowered his chopsticks. His laugh was rough but genuine, a mixture of pain and amusement.

Reid sheathed the sticks back into his obi, shaking his head. “Guess I touched a nerve there” He chuckled, wiping the remaining blood from his lips. “But don’t worry. You have what it takes.”

“When I felt the walls tremble up there, I knew there was somethin' different about you...” Reid muttered, his voice carrying a surprising calmness. “But I didn’t expect the gap to be this damn big since the last time you set foot in here. Bein’ a father really did a number on ya, huh?”

Subaru, still panting from the exertion of the fight, blinked in confusion. Reid’s tone—it wasn’t mocking or taunting like before. For a moment, Subaru almost thought he detected... understanding.

“And you were right...” Reid chuckled, though there was a roughness to it, a hint of reflection in the sound. “You and Flugel... you're nothing like each other.”

Subaru’s brows furrowed. He caught his breath, still wary but now puzzled. “There’s something you want to say.” Subaru ventured, his voice more cautious now. Reid’s reaction was brief, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before his grin returned.

“How’s he doin’?” Reid ended up asking after a pause, his voice suddenly quieter, more serious.

Subaru understood immediately. He hesitated only for a moment before answering, the tension in his shoulders loosening. “Far better than before,” he said, his tone more relaxed than it had been since entering the tower. “No one’s got their hand around his neck anymore.”

Reid nodded, a satisfied sigh escaping through his nose. “Good... that’s good.”

“Reid?” Subaru spoke again, sensing a shift in the swordsman’s demeanor.

“I couldn’t stand watchin’ the last piece of my bloodline be so damn pathetic,” Reid spat, his expression hardening again.

Subaru raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure where Reid was going with this. “Reinhard’s not so different from Tosca, though.”

“RAH!” Reid waved a hand in dismissal, his sharp laugh tinged with frustration. “Both of ‘em—him and my damn brother—stupid fools, the both of ‘em! Neither could figure out that you gotta live for yourself first and foremost.”

“Tosca only wanted peace, Reid. You’re treating him unfairly,” Subaru countered, his tone soft but firm, “and Reinhard-”

“And where did that get him?!” Reid growled, his voice rising. “He let himself get roped into that mess with the Lugunica bastards, and in the end, it got him killed! And what’s worse? It dragged on our bloodline for four hundred damn years!”

Subaru’s mouth tightened, choosing not to respond. Reid wasn’t wrong, at least not entirely. There were some truths in his words, bitter though they might be.

Reid exhaled sharply, his gaze hardening again, though this time with a glint of something more—something almost like wisdom. “You remember this, lil’ man. People like me—hell, people like us ,” he snorted, “we aren’t meant to be chained down by anyone. The moment you let yourself be ordered around, you become miserable. Pathetic, even. ‘Cause the people out there, they’ll do every damn thing in their power to tie you to their heels once they see a glimpse of weakness and lock you up in their bullshit.”

Subaru stood silent, absorbing the words. Reid’s voice softened, but the intensity remained. Sensing Subaru’s focus, Reid went back to his sassy self, knowing that Subaru listened to his words carefully. He then turned around, waving casually over his shoulder. “We’ll do this again. And next time... don’t hold back.”

With those final words, Reid’s form began to flicker, his body slowly fading as if he was dissolving into the very air around them.

Subaru watched as Reid’s form dissolved into nothingness, leaving behind only the faintest echoes of his words. Oddly enough, a sense of relief washed over him—something he hadn’t expected after such an intense confrontation. In the end, that fight, the exchange of fists and philosophies, had managed to release some of the pressure that had been building inside him since this entire ordeal began. He hated to admit it, but maybe he had needed this.

With a sigh, Subaru’s eyes  reverted to their original color. He flexed his right hand, watching the subtle movement of his fingers. He was used to the power he wielded now—the strength, the speed—but there were moments, like this one, where he couldn’t help but compare himself to the Subaru who had first stepped into this world. That weak, reckless boy seemed like a distant memory now.

Picking up his coat, Subaru’s eyes locked onto the crest on its shoulder, the symbol of the royal family of Lugunica…A symbol he somehow now had to bear as the king, and royal protector of the ruling queen.

Yet it conflicted with what he knew of this dynasty, of what was told by both Echidna and Reid. He rubbed his thumb over the crest before snorting, pulling his coat back over his shoulders. 

He took one last look at the floor he was in, Electra, and nodded his head as if to show his thanks before he made his way downstairs, back to the library. As he descended the steps, the air grew cooler, the weight of the tower’s ancient knowledge pressing down on him like it always did.

At the bottom, Echidna and Clind awaited him, their gazes filled with curiosity. Echidna's expression was relaxed, an amused smile playing on her lips, while Clind seemed more perplexed, as if still processing the fact that Subaru had returned unscathed from a fight with Reid.

“Had your little fun?” Echidna asked, her smile widening. She didn’t seem the least bit surprised that Subaru had come back in one piece, as though this was all part of some script she had already written.

Subaru narrowed his eyes. “How long did you know Reid was here?”

“Oh, since you killed the Gluttonies, of course,” she replied with a casual shrug. “Well, not exactly. I had to restore him myself after that.”

Subaru’s gaze sharpened, the weight of her words sinking in. “So... there is a way to restore people who were eaten by the Gluttonies?”

His voice carried an edge of urgency, the kind that didn’t escape Echidna’s notice. She gave him a knowing smile, one that was both teasing and irritatingly superior. “Yes, there is. Regretting not paying me a visit earlier, aren’t you?”

Subaru clicked his tongue in frustration, knowing all too well what she was implying. “Let’s just get going,” he muttered, brushing off her smugness. “You’ve got everything you need?”

“I do. Shall we, Royal Protector?” She gestured toward the exit, her tone dripping with mock formality.

Subaru glanced from Echidna to Clind, who was standing just a few paces behind her. Clind’s expression was neutral, his eyes meeting Subaru’s with an almost unreadable intensity.

“I shall remain here to oversee the tower, Echidna-sama,” Clind stated, bowing his head slightly.

“Very well,” Echidna replied with a dismissive wave as she began walking down the stairs toward the main hall.

Subaru hesitated for just a second longer, his gaze lingering on Clind. Something about the butler’s expression felt heavier than usual, almost like there was something unsaid behind his cold demeanor.

“Things could have been different, Natsuki,” Clind said, his voice quiet but deliberate.

Subaru kept walking without turning around.

“Always remember,” Clind continued, his tone laced with a subtle edge, “that this is nothing but the consequence of your actions.”

Subaru’s jaw tightened, but he kept walking, his boots echoing against the cold stone floor as he followed Echidna down the staircase. Clind’s words clung to the air behind him, but Subaru forced them out of his mind. Consequences... He didn’t need another reminder. He was already living them.

When Subaru stepped outside the tower, he found Echidna locked in a strange standoff with his flying dragon. The creature stood tense, muscles coiled, eyes narrowed at Echidna as if ready to defend itself at any moment.

“Hey, hey,” Subaru called out softly, quickly moving to his dragon's side. He reached up to stroke her head, his touch gentle and familiar. The dragon, at first tense, gradually relaxed under his hand, letting out a low, satisfied coo as Subaru’s presence calmed her.

“How surprising,” Echidna mused aloud, her head tilted slightly in curiosity. “I don’t carry the scent of a witch at the moment. So why does she still react like that?”

Subaru shot her a glance before turning back to his dragon. “Even if she looks different now, deep down she’s still the same.” He ran his hands over the saddle, checking the straps. “Her soul remembers this tower…And remembers you.”

Echidna blinked, and then her eyes widened, realization sparking in them. “I knew her colors weren’t a coincidence! So this really is Patrasche, isn’t it? That explains everything! For a flying dragon to let anyone saddle it…”

At the sound of her name, the dragon’s gaze snapped back to Echidna, her eyes narrowing with a low, threatening growl rumbling in her throat.

“I see... so this was the favor you asked of Volcanica after she passed?” Echidna ventured, her voice intrigued.

Subaru gave a faint nod, his hand still resting on the dragon's neck. “I only asked him to make sure Patrasche found peace. I didn’t expect him to bring her back like this.” With a sigh, he hoisted himself onto the saddle. “Now come on, before she changes her mind.”

“Ah, right, right~,” Echidna chirped, stepping closer and raising her hand expectantly toward Subaru.

Subaru rolled his eyes but leaned down, pulling her up onto the saddle. Once she was secured behind him, Echidna gave him a playful smile. “Thank you~.”

“Hold on tight. We’re heading back to the palace,” Subaru muttered, taking the reins in hand. His dragon let out a powerful roar of approval, her wings spreading wide as she launched into the air with immense force. In seconds, they broke the sound barrier, soaring across the sky at breathtaking speed.

Prisca sat on her throne, her gaze distant as she stared at the faraway doors of the royal hall, lost in her thoughts. The grand chamber, usually filled with regal splendor, felt cold and heavy with tension. Felt and Beatrice, standing by the windows at the back of the room, understood the unspoken rule—she was not to be disturbed. They exchanged a glance before stepping back into the shadows, respecting the queen’s silence.

Save for them, the throne room was lined with royal guards, their presence a quiet but vigilant wall of steel. None dared to look directly at the queen, nor did they try to interpret the turmoil that seemed to hang in the air around her. Something weighed on her, and they knew better than to interfere. Instead, they stood ready, prepared for whatever might unfold.

The heavy doors of the royal hall groaned open, revealing Reinhard and Meili.

The moment Felt saw them, her composure cracked, and she rushed forward. “Rein! Meili!” she called out, her voice filled with urgency. “Please, tell me you know something!”

“We do have information, Felt-sama… but...” Reinhard winced, hesitant about how to reveal the troubling news.

Meili glanced nervously at the queen, who had stood up the moment she saw Reinhard and the princess enter the room. Without a word, Meili moved toward her mother, followed closely by Reinhard, Felt, and Beatrice.

As soon as they met, Prisca and Meili embraced briefly—a hug that was more than a formality, offering each other a moment of comfort amidst the looming tension.

“Meili... what have you found?” Prisca asked, her voice steady, but with a deep, underlying sense of urgency.

Meili sighed, her shoulders heavy with the burden of her news. “I’m sorry, but I don’t bring any relieving news..." She glanced at Beatrice, Felt, and Reinhard as they gathered around, their eyes fixed on her. "Uncle Rein and I uncovered spies... they’ve been watching the castle. Watching Helena.”

Beatrice’s eyes widened in shock, the usual calm in her expression cracking. “What?”

“Spies?!” Felt’s voice was sharp, rising with anger as she clenched her fists.

“The last remaining members of the Six Tongues,” Meili revealed grimly.

Felt’s jaw tightened, her eyes blazing with fury. “Damn it! I knew those bastards had found a way to survive!” she spat, practically ready to declare war.

But Prisca’s reaction was different—colder, more calculating. The existence of these men was secondary to her. Her focus was razor-sharp. “And, Meili? What did you learn about Helena?” she asked, her voice steady but demanding.

Meili hesitated, her eyes lowering briefly before she spoke. “They claim... a shadow took Helena away.”

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Felt's breath caught in her throat, her anger shifting to confusion as her mind raced. "A shadow...?" Her voice faltered, the confidence from moments earlier replaced by unease. She exchanged a worried glance with Reinhard, the sense of dread rising in her chest.

Beatrice, usually so composed, took a step back, her fingers tightening around the folds of her dress. “So it is…” she whispered, her eyes wide with both shock and recognition. She knew. They all did. But she struggled to fully accept what it meant.

Prisca’s eyes darkened, closing her eyes as she herself understood what it entailed, “I see.” 

"Prisc—" Meili stopped herself, correcting her tone. "Mother, we must tell Father immediately! With this information, I'm sure he can do something about it!"

But the moment she mentioned her father, the reactions from the three women were far from what she expected. Felt, Beatrice, and Prisca all grimaced, their faces a mix of anger and deep concern.

Reinhard, noticing the shift, frowned. "Where is Subaru?"

"Listen... we don't know what came over him, alright?" Felt spoke up, her voice tense. "But the guards said he flew his dragon to the east."

"...What?" Meili’s eyes widened in shock. "He went to the tower?! Without me?!” 

“No!” Reinhard’s face darkened, anger visible for one of the few times in his life. Without another word, he turned, ready to sprint toward the sand dunes.

“Rein, stop that!” Felt grabbed his arm, trying to hold him back. “He probably has his reasons!”

“Damn it!” Reinhard growled, barely restraining himself. “Why would he go there alone?!”

The tension in the room thickened, and Reinhard's worry was palpable. The thought of Subaru venturing to such a sinister place, without support, ate away at him. His mind raced with the possibilities.

“...Does he think Echidna’s involved?” Meili asked aloud, her voice tinged with disbelief. “But… that can’t be true, can it?”

“Yet, it’s not an entirely wrong decision, I suppose,” Beatrice muttered, wincing slightly. “If there’s anyone who might know more about this situation than anyone else, it would be Mother, in fact.”

“No one in that tower can be trusted,” Reinhard grunted, his voice cold with certainty. “Not the witch, nor her butler… They could trap Subaru.”

For a brief moment, the group fell silent, lost in thought, each of them grappling with the gravity of the situation.

Then Reinhard turned back, his resolve clear. “Felt-sama, Your Highness, please... let me go to his side.”

Felt hesitated, unsure of the idea. Her gaze shifted to Prisca, searching for guidance.

Prisca’s expression remained calm, but her words carried weight. “The royal protector knows how to handle both the witch and her butler, Sword Saint. He is in no danger as of now.” Her eyes met Reinhard’s, filled with certainty. “Trust me—I know.”

Felt’s eyes flickered with realization. “Oh, right…” she murmured, her voice soft. “The soul marriage…”

Reinhard locked eyes with the queen, understanding reflected in his gaze as Prisca continued to speak with calm authority.

“As soon as something happens, you will be the first to know, Sword Saint,” she assured him, her voice now steadier, offering him the reassurance he sought. “When that time comes, I expect you to join him immediately. But for now, trust in his ability to handle this.” 

Reinhard hesitated for only a moment before bowing his head. “Understood, Your Highness.”

Prisca gave a firm nod in return, her gaze over the four people in front of her.

“You are dismissed for now, until the royal protector returns,” she said, addressing them all. “I appreciate your concern, but take this brief moment to rest. The truth Subaru brings back may very well lead us into yet another tumultuous journey.”

The four exchanged a series of weighted glances, each processing her words in their own way. Felt’s jaw tightened, clearly unsatisfied but unwilling to voice it. Beatrice’s fidgeting hands betrayed her own restless thoughts, while Reinhard took a steadying breath, accepting the need for patience, though reluctantly.

With quiet nods of understanding, they turned to leave the throne room together, the tension lingering in the air. Though the situation left them uneasy, they knew there was little more they could do for the time being.

However, as the others began to depart, Meili lingered, remaining at her mother’s side as Prisca made her way back to the throne. “Why do you think he went to the tower, Mother? Is it really to seek that witch’s help?”

“I believe so, Meili,” Prisca replied, her gaze softening as she looked at her daughter. “As the great spirit said, the Witch of Greed might be the only one who truly understands what happened. If Helena’s disappearance is tied to the Witch of Envy...”

“But Father slayed the witch,” Meili murmured, her brow furrowing in thought. “How could that be? Could her power still linger, even after her death?”

“Truth will reveal itself in due time,” Prisca said, stopping to place a gentle hand on Meili’s shoulder. “You must rest, my daughter. You know as well as I do that a long road lies ahead.”

“More than me, I think you should rest, Mother...” Meili’s voice carried a note of concern, her eyes watching Prisca closely, “All this pressure isn’t anything good for you.” 

Prisca paused, a faint smile crossing her lips at Meili’s concern. “Perhaps you are right.”

“I’ll handle the royal duties for now,” Meili offered, her smile warm. “Just take a moment to lie down…U-um, you’ve taken care of the more difficult stuff already, right?” 

“No child of mine shall have the luxury of meaningless duties,” Prisca teased, causing Meili to smile sheepishly in return.

With that, the queen turned and began walking toward her quarters, leaving Meili behind with a knowing glance.

As Prisca reached her chambers, she brought a hand to her temple, feeling the weight of the day's tension pressing down on her. She poured herself a glass of water, the cool liquid calming her slightly as she sipped in silence. After setting the glass aside, she walked toward the large balcony of her room, drawn to the open air and the quiet solace it offered.

Stepping outside, the evening breeze brushed against her skin, carrying with it the fading warmth of the day. The sun had nearly set, casting the sky in soft shades of gold and crimson. It was a view that once brought her peace, but today it only deepened the weariness she felt.

The day was already reaching its end, yet the burdens it had brought seemed far from over.

A group of men sat around in the dimly lit room, their faces obscured by shadows cast from the flickering lanterns. They came from all walks of life—beastmen, humans, and half-humans alike—an unusual gathering that cut across the usual divides. Their attire was reminiscent of the Western city-states, their garments finely tailored but worn in a way that suggested they were far from home.

They indulged in food, drink, and long pipes filled with tobacco, the air thick with smoke. Yet there was something unsettling about the tavern. The atmosphere felt tense, as though the place itself lay beyond the boundaries of safety, a forgotten corner where only those who didn’t belong gathered. The men here seemed to understand that, content in their isolation, their eyes wary but their laughter dark.

It was the kind of place where anything could happen—and often did.

The tavern doors swung open with a loud creak, drawing every eye toward them. A grey-haired young man in a recognizable three-piece suit stepped inside, his entrance commanding instant attention. The air grew tense as all those present recognized both the man and the royal insignia stitched into his attire.

Otto Suwen, head of the court's treaty diplomats—a man who worked directly for the Queen herself.

The hostile glares and barely suppressed growls of distaste did nothing to deter Otto. Without acknowledging the animosity, he made his way to the main bar, sitting down as if he were a regular, completely at ease. Across from him, the barman fixed him with a venomous stare.

“You know you’re not welcome here, Suwen,” the barman growled, his voice low and dangerous.

“And you know I wouldn’t be here unless I had a reason,” Otto replied casually, picking up a bottle from the counter. He unscrewed the cap, took a sniff, and grimaced before putting it back. “Rat’s den taverns like this aren’t exactly on my daily itinerary.”

The barman continued to glare, his fists clenched as though ready to lunge at Otto. “What the fuck do you want?”

“Just some information,” Otto sighed, pulling a drawn portrait from his jacket—a likeness of the crown princess.“Of course, I’m not rude enough to ask for it for free.”

The barman’s eyes shifted on the portrait. His expression faltered, surprise flickering in his eyes.

“We have reason to believe whoever’s responsible for this little girl’s disappearance went north,” Otto said, locking eyes with him. “And if they did, I’d bet you’d know more about it than anyone else.”

The barman's surprise quickly morphed back into disdain. “Even if I did, I don’t see a reason to help you, Suwen,” he spat. “Get out of my damn tavern.”

Otto sighed, shaking his head in mild disappointment. “I hoped you’d be more reasonable.”

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a letter, sealed with the royal crest.

“What the…?”

“This,” Otto said as he stood up, raising the letter high for all to see, “is a royal decree from the Queen herself. And this kingdom—where you gangsters, spies, merchants, and blades-for-hire have chosen to plant your feet—is still under that Queen’s rule, despite being on the northern border.”

The tavern fell silent, every pair of eyes now fixed on Otto, their hostility tempered by a sudden wariness.

“Which means,” Otto continued, his voice calm but edged with authority, “any information you have regarding anyone who passed through the northern border—a territory not covered by Lugunica’s treaties—you are hereby ordered by the crown to reveal everything you know.”

Angry voices erupted almost immediately.

“We don’t know nothin’!” one man shouted.

“Ain’t no information here for you, bastard!” another snarled.

“We’re not snitches!” a third bellowed, and soon the entire room was roaring in protest, voices rising against Otto.

But Otto remained unfazed. He raised his voice, cutting through the chaos. “And,” he said coldly, “if an investigation reveals that any of you did have information and failed to disclose it…”

His tone shifted, darker now, almost malevolent. “…you will be executed without appeal.”

The room went deathly quiet. The mere mention of the death penalty, especially for withholding information, sent a chill through the tavern. This was no ordinary threat.

“This can’t be—”

“And yet it is,” Otto interrupted smoothly. “Now, does anyone here really want to play that game? Disobeying the Queen’s direct orders? Think carefully.”

His gaze returned to the barman, who looked visibly shaken. Otto approached him slowly, his footsteps deliberate, before tossing the royal decree onto the counter. “Why don’t you do everyone here a favor and read it aloud? Make sure it’s crystal clear for all your friends.”

The barman’s hands shook as he looked at the decree. “You don’t even realize the mess you’re getting into, Suwen... Lady Hoshin will—”

In an instant, Otto moved, faster than anyone could perceive. He grabbed the barman by the collar, yanking him forward as a knife slipped from Otto’s sleeve and embedded itself in the counter, pinning the man’s shirt inches from his face.

“Lady Hoshin can march herself to the kingdom and whine to the wind for all I care,” Otto hissed, his voice low and threatening, “if you don’t tell me what I need to know, the only thing she’ll receive is a map to the four corners of the world where I’ll scatter the pieces of your body so that your family can at last give you a proper burial. Do you understand?”

The man’s breath hitched, fear unmistakable in his eyes as the blade hovered mere inches from his face. Around the room, chairs scraped as nearly everyone stood, ready to risk it all for their friend. But Otto didn’t spare them a glance, his calm demeanor unwavering.

“I’d advise you to look outside the window before you try anything,” Otto said, his voice steady but commanding.

The men exchanged confused glances before one of them cautiously made his way to the window. Peering out, his face blanched as he spotted Garfiel Tinzel standing a few meters from the tavern door, arms crossed, radiating an unmistakable air of menace.

“F-fuck! Tinzel! TINZEL’S OUTSIDE!” the man shouted, his voice tinged with panic, causing a ripple of dread to spread through the room.

“Damn you, Suwen...!” one of the others growled, his anger barely concealing his fear. “You really think you’ll walk out of here in one piece?! Threatening one of Lady Hoshin’s properties and her retainers won’t go without consequences!”

Otto didn’t even flinch. “Shiver me timbers,” he muttered mockingly, pulling the barman’s face closer to the blade, just enough for the tip of his nose to graze the razor-sharp surface, a thin line of blood beading at the contact. “Speak. Now.”

“Damn it!” the barman cursed, his composure breaking. “A bunch of guys from Gusteko showed up earlier today! They were looking for folks from Vollachia, but they didn’t meet here, and they didn’t have anyone with them either! That’s all I know! All of it, damn it!”

Without a word, Otto pulled the knife back in a swift motion, slipping it back under his sleeve. The barman collapsed onto the floor, landing hard on his backside, breathing heavily. Otto calmly retrieved the royal decree, tossing a couple of blessed coins onto the counter with a casual flick of his wrist.

Adjusting his tie, he turned to leave.

“Good day, gentlemen,” he said, his tone so nonchalant it was almost insulting as he walked toward the door, before the eyes of all the men and beast folk not daring to make a move.

As Otto stepped outside, Garfiel raised an eyebrow, his expression one of clear disappointment.

“So?! That’s it?!”

“What?!” Otto looked genuinely taken aback.

“No fight?! What the hell’d ya bring me here for?!” Garfiel threw his arms up in frustration. “Ya promised some action, Brotto!”

“No, I said there might be some action,” Otto corrected him with a sarcastic smile. “Sometimes, you just have to trust me to handle things without turning the place into complete chaos.”

“Yeah, like when ya ‘handled’ the divine generals at Pendleton?” Garfiel shot back, crossing his arms with a skeptical look.

“We don’t talk about Pendleton,” Otto replied instantly, his tone flat and final.

"So... about the lil’ princess?" Garfiel asked as they made their way toward the carriage, his eyes narrowing with concern.

“They mentioned some Gustekans making moves in the country with Vollachians, but honestly, I don’t think it’s related to her disappearance,” Otto replied, his tone thoughtful.

“And why not?” Garfiel pressed. “I don’t trust either of those bastards. They could be plottin’ somethin’—gettin’ back at the Queen or Cap’n.”

“You think Vincent would tolerate any of that?” Otto shot back, placing his hands on his hips. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I think this is a dead end. Still, doesn’t mean it’s not worth a closer look.”

“I don’t think that stick-up-the-ass emperor has a hand on the whole place, Otto,” Garfiel muttered, his tone blunt but serious. “Cap’n wouldn’t have had to clean up his bullshit if he did.”

Otto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “That was a different situation, Garf. Come on.” But despite his exasperation, Otto gave a slight nod, acknowledging Garfiel’s point. “Vincent has a better grip on the empire now, especially with his generals’ loyalty locked down. Something like this wouldn’t slip past him unnoticed.”

“Hm…So what, you’re thinkin’ about investigating it?” Garfiel glanced up at the darkening sky. “Seems kinda late for that now.”

“…No,you’re right.” Otto sighed, a tinge of frustration in his voice. “I don’t like leaving Subaru on his own for too long. Let’s head back to the palace. I’ll pass this intel to Marcos—he can have his men look into it.”

“Yup, seems about right,” Garfiel acknowledged, hopping into his seat on the carriage. Otto followed, settling in beside him. “So hey, what did ya even do in there?”

“Oh, just diplomacy, you know,” Otto replied with a snicker, his tone casual.

Garfiel narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Pretty sure I saw and heard one of 'em yelling my name.”

“Yes, and you didn’t have to step in, did you? Which means... diplomacy,” Otto said with a smug grin.

“…Yeah, fair enough,” Garfiel finally agreed, nodding his head. “Guess that’s diplomacy.”

At this hour, she was usually in a good mood. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the royal capital in a mesmerizing blend of red and gold, the queen allowed herself to retreat from the throne to her private quarters.

There was something special about this time of day. Since her youth, Prisca had always been drawn to beauty in all its forms—whether it was the fine food she ate, the elegant clothes she wore, or the luxurious fabrics of her bedsheets. Everything she surrounded herself with had to possess a touch of grace, a sense of nobility.

Every evening, she would stand on the balcony of her room, a cup of tea or a plate of fresh appas by her side, watching the sun paint the sky. Sometimes she reviewed the day’s work, other times she indulged in a book, savoring the quiet before night fell. But none of those small pleasures were the true reason she cherished this moment.

The real reason was something far simpler, yet infinitely more precious.

“Mother! Mother, look! This cloud looks like a flower, nearly the same as our hairpin!” held in the arms of her mother, a little girl exclaimed while pointing to the sky with her finger.

“Is that so?” slowly caressing her daughter’s hair, Prisca fondly answered, “It is true that it shares a similar shape.”

“Uh? You girls see a flower?” a masculine voice resonated from their side, nonplussed, “Doesn’t it look more like…Cabbage?”

“Father, you really have a bad sight,” the little girl pouted, deadpanned at his ridiculous answer, “maybe you should see if you are in need of glasses?”

“This is most worrying,” the queen continued with a sly smile at her husband, “shall we go see a healer tomorrow, dear?”

“Don’t trigger that flag! My own father had to wear glasses!” her husband sighed as he leaned in his seat, “I would definitely lose more of my appeal with those...”

“Really?” Prisca tilted her head, staring at the man with interested eyes, “I wonder…My intuition tells me that it wouldn’t be as bad as you claim.”

“Mother! Don’t use my remark as an attempt to flirt with Father!” As if to remind the two adults of her presence, Helena tugged her mother’s robe with embarrassed eyes, “it was supposed to teach him how to not ruin a moment!”

“L-lena?! We’re not fli- hold on, who taught you this word?!” the girl’s father replied, first a bit embarrassed, now narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

“T-these lips are sealed!” She replied immediately, crossing her fingers over her lips.

“...”

The wind blew sharply against her face, as if trying to pull her away from the thoughts she was sinking into. It served as a reminder of the reality she was forced to face—the cold, unyielding truth that gnawed at her heart.

Prisca’s fingers loosened their grip on the stone railing for a moment, her gaze drifting over the darkened horizon. In the quiet stillness, without even realizing it, her mind wandered back to a time when she was someone else—Priscilla. That name carried with it a different version of herself, a woman whose heart had been encased in steel, untouchable and unshakable. Priscilla had ruled with an iron will, never letting the world or anyone in it bend her to their whims.

Now, as Prisca, she had shed much of that armor. She had embraced love, allowed herself to feel deeply, to cherish the warmth of her family. But in this moment—standing alone, the weight of her fears pressing down on her—she couldn’t help but wonder.

Back then, she wouldn’t have trembled at the thought of losing control, of watching something precious slip away. Priscilla would have faced any challenge with defiance, refusing to acknowledge vulnerability. And yet, here she was, heart silently aching, her hands trembling as they clutched the stone barrier, holding on to something she couldn’t control.

She didn’t regret the woman she had become. Her love for her daughters, for her husband, was everything. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered what the old Priscilla would think of this. Of her now.

Would that version of herself sneer at this weakness? At this fear?

Prisca breathed in slowly, letting the wind tug at her hair, pulling her back to the present. She wasn’t Priscilla anymore. In a way, she still knew herself as the woman who could face everything with confidence in victory, someone who saw the world as nothing but hers… And yet, truth seemed to differ from that. Thus a part of her still couldn’t help but question—had she lost something in gaining so much? 

She couldn’t help it. The daughter she cherished more than anything, the light that brightened every corner of her heart, was gone. Vanished. From her balcony, she could still hear the faint voices of the guards searching outside, their calls echoing through the palace grounds. 

And her husband—the man she considered her one true love, the one who had saved her from what was inevitable, who had opened her eyes and offered her a life she wouldn’t trade for anything in the world—was gone too. He had flown off to that cursed tower, a place that held the ghosts of his painful past, seeking someone she wished was dead and buried long ago.

All of this had left her here, utterly alone for the first time in what felt like forever. Even the world seemed to reflect her sorrow, as if it too shared in her grief. The beauty she usually found in these twilight moments had vanished along with her peace.

The sky darkened faster than usual, the fading sunset barely visible beyond the thickening clouds. The familiar warmth of the evening breeze had turned cold and biting, as unwelcoming as the emptiness that now surrounded her.

And the loneliness—it had never felt as sharp as it did now.

There was no one for her to see, no one to hear, no one to reach for in this moment of despair. Her hand tightened around the cold stone of the balcony’s edge as her chest swelled with a rising tide of fear and anger.

She lifted her head to the sky, her heart heavy with resentment. “Shouldn’t a man’s duty be to stand by the side of the one he loves in moments like these...?”

Perhaps it was the world itself, bound to its duty to please the Crimson Queen, that responded to her unspoken call. Or perhaps it was Subaru—his heart attuned to hers—who heard the silent cry of the one he loved. Whatever it was, before her eyes, a dark shadow tore across the sky, its massive wings beating with terrifying force. The gusts they created echoed like thunder, a testament to the power of the creature that flew with such incredible speed.

It wasn’t often that the Royal Guards witnessed their Queen in such a state—rushing forward with urgency, her usually composed face etched with worry. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, hope fluttering within her as she envisioned the moment she would hold her daughter in her arms again. 

“Subaru…” Prisca whispered breathlessly as she reached the inner courtyard, pushing open the heavy doors with force. Her eyes locked onto the scene before her—Subaru, dismounting from the back of the great black dragon. Relief surged through her, but it was short-lived.

Her gaze drifted, and then she saw it.

Subaru… helping a white-haired woman down from the saddle.

Her body froze, and in that instant, the worry on her face vanished. Her expression darkened, every trace of her beauty replaced by something far more dangerous. The Queen’s hand clenched into a fist, her nails digging into her palm as her eyes burned with fury. The warmth she had felt only moments before dissolved into cold, sharp rage.

“What…” she hissed under her breath, barely able to contain the wave of emotions that surged within her at the sight of her husband aiding another woman—that woman.

The absence of her daughter only deepened the Queen’s internal frustration, fueling the simmering storm within her. Her gaze flicked between Subaru and the woman beside him, but there was no sign of the one person she had longed to see.

As both Subaru and the white-haired woman stepped down from the dragon, the royal protector turned toward his wife, his steps hurried yet hesitant. Prisca moved forward too, her anger waning with each step, replaced by a growing unease as she took in her husband’s expression.

Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Subaru’s face, usually so resolute, was etched with sorrow. He looked dejected, as though carrying the weight of something too heavy to bear. The confident, proud man she had helped shape—the man who had once stood tall by her side—was nowhere to be found. His steps were shaky, his strong, calloused hands trembling for reasons she couldn’t yet understand.

But it wasn’t his trembling hands or his faltering walk that struck her the hardest. No, it was the way he avoided her gaze.

He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eyes.

"What happened?" Her voice, laced with concern and grief, wavered as she asked, "Where is our daughter?"

"Prisca..." Subaru began, but before he could continue, she cut him off sharply.

"Look at me."

Her tone shifted, becoming stern and unyielding as she stepped closer, her fingers gripping the fabric of his cloak with a force that left no room for defiance. She pulled him closer, her eyes fierce and demanding. "Do not think you have the right to look away when speaking to your wife," she commanded, her voice tightening with the edge of fear. "Look at me."

Subaru grimaced, pain flashing across his features as his breath hitched, betraying the emotions he had tried so hard to contain. Slowly, hesitantly, his eyes met the piercing, ruby-colored gaze of his queen.

"Where... is our daughter?" she asked again, her voice now trembling, betraying a fear that gnawed at her from the inside. A part of her mind—the part she refused to acknowledge—already feared the worst.

Before Subaru could answer, an amused voice cut through the tension.

"Aaaaah~, he just got home, and already so much royal pressure~," the voice chimed, light and mocking. "Your reputation as a ruthless queen is still intact, I see."

But neither the queen nor her protector paid the intruder any mind. In that moment, the speaker was irrelevant. She didn’t matter—not now.

Prisca’s world had shrunk to the man in front of her, and the crushing weight of the question still unanswered.

Before she was a queen, Prisca had been a wife—his wife—for five years. And in those years, she had learned more than she ever could have imagined. She had seen and understood things she had once been blind to, things that in her previous life she had refused to acknowledge.

To say she had once been consumed by her own ideals was an understatement. Priscilla Barielle had never allowed room for any perspective but her own, her worldview as rigid and uncompromising as steel. Anything outside of that was met with scorn, dismissed as weakness, cowardice, or worse.

But then he came into her life, and for the first time someone had challenged her. Someone, had challenged fate. Slowly, quietly, she had allowed herself to come closer with him…And she hadn’t even realized when a ring adorned with a ruby had appeared on her finger.

It was the prologue to the best years of her life, the years that had silenced Priscilla Barielle forever.

"Tell me the truth." Her ruby eyes bore into his, her hand resting gently against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart. She was trying to soothe the silent torment she knew was tearing him apart. "Stop carrying all this pain alone."

Subaru grimaced, his eyes squeezing shut, as if closing them might shield him from the agony within. "It's my fault, Prisca..." he whispered, his voice trembling with barely-contained hatred.

Prisca’s eyes narrowed slightly. This was not the answer she expected. She remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“Helena... was transported to another world,” Subaru finally admitted, his voice tight with anguish.

Prisca blinked, the weight of his words sinking in, though she couldn't fully comprehend them. Before she could speak, another voice cut through the air, sharp and impatient.

“Your daughter is in Subaru's home world,” Echidna interrupted, clearly irritated by the slow pace of the conversation. “In other words, she made the same space-time jump her father once did—just in reverse.”

Prisca’s eyes widened in shock, disbelief clouding her mind. “That... that should not be possible!”

“Yes, yes, yes, I’ve already heard the same spiel from your royal protector,” Echidna sighed, waving a hand dismissively. Despite the gravity of the situation, a bizarre smile still played across her lips. She stepped forward, her cold gaze meeting Prisca’s. “And I suppose you also think I had a hand in this, hmm?”

Prisca’s entire body tensed with rage, her hand twitching as she moved toward the witch. “It would be wise to prove otherwise while you still can,” she growled, her voice thick with hatred. She advanced, ready to seize Echidna, but Subaru’s hand shot out, stopping her.

“She’s not involved... I told you, this is my—”

“Silence,” Prisca commanded, her tone like stone, still not turning toward him. Her voice trembled with suppressed fury. “Do not speak another word, royal protector.” She gripped his arm and shoved it away, her teeth clenched. “If you are going to speak such pitiful, disgusting words again, I’d rather you keep silent.”

“This isn’t the time for pride...!” Subaru insisted, his voice heavy with the gravity of the situation. But Prisca wasn’t listening. In a flash of movement, she grabbed his collar with a firm, unyielding grasp, her eyes blazing with wrath.

“And is it the time for cowardice? For self-loathing? For weakness?” she yelled, her voice cracking under the weight of her fury. “The only thing you can offer me, when our daughter is gone , is to wallow in your guilt and whimper like a dog?”

Subaru said nothing, his eyes filled with the pain he could no longer express in words.

Prisca’s grip tightened, her knuckles white as sparks of fire ignited from her fingers. “The same excuses... the same pathetic words you would repeat when you were nothing but a pig begging for someone to notice you! The same pit you would crawl into instead of standing tall!”

Her voice was a raw, unfiltered reflection of her anguish and rage, and she hated the sight in front of her—the man she loved, the man who had once stood by her with strength and resolve, was retreating into the shadows of his former weakness. And that, more than anything, she could not tolerate

“This... this is not my husband,” she whispered, her voice trembling with a pain that surpassed anger. Her eyes, filled with tears she refused to let fall, stared into his, searching for the man she believed in.

"..."

"My, my… Such a tumultuous interaction. Is this the beginning of the end for you, Your Highness~?" Echidna teased, her voice dripping with mockery as she watched the domestic dispute unfold. "Oh! You wouldn’t mind if I take my chances with him if you ever throw him out, right?"

Unfortunately, she was the only one amused by her remarks. Both Subaru and Prisca turned their heads toward her in unison, and she could practically feel the animosity rising between them, as if the very air had thickened with hostility.

"I was just trying to de-escalate," Echidna waved a hand dismissively, pretending to be hurt by their cold stares. "No need to look at me like that. Anyway, you shouldn’t be so angry, Your Highness~ Your daughter is still within our reach, thanks to your dear husband… Or is he an ex-husband already?"

Prisca snorted at the witch’s comment, finally releasing Subaru's shirt from her burning grasp. The fabric, now singed, left a faint trail of cinders on his collar. She crossed her arms, clearly expecting an explanation, but unwilling to entertain Echidna’s games any longer.

Subaru remained silent, his gaze shifting away, knowing full well that his wife wasn’t in the mood to hear anything from him right now. Echidna, however, was more than happy to fill the silence.

“When our dear protector—"

“ Mine, ” Prisca interrupted with a cold edge in her voice. “Do not think for a single second that your words go unnoticed.”

"Fine, fine," Echidna sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes in boredom. " Your dear protector," she corrected, her tone laced with feigned indifference, "when he said that he was at fault, he wasn’t entirely wrong. But he wasn’t entirely right either."

Prisca’s glare hardened, while Subaru cast a glance toward the witch, his discomfort growing.

“The reason your daughter crossed worlds…” Echidna continued, her voice taking on a sly tone, "is because she has this man’s blood." She pointed lazily at Subaru. “She cannot help the power she was born with, can she?”

Hearing this, Prisca felt a tightening in her chest. As much as she loathed his behavior, the pieces were beginning to fit. Subaru's earlier self-blame made more sense now—he was the source. Her eyes, though cold, masked the turmoil beneath the surface.

“It would be better for you to tell me how to bring my daughter back where she belongs, witch,” Prisca said, cutting straight to the point, her voice firm with authority. “I have no interest in hearing about how we got here, how dire the situation is, or how much worse it could get. If you wish to keep your head on your shoulders, you will tell me what I want to know.”

“So harsh!” Echidna gasped, placing a hand over her mouth in mock shock. “And here I thought we could work together to get the poor little girl back… Yet here I am, being threatened by the queen herself when aaaaaall I want to do is help…”

Both Subaru and Prisca’s glares bore into the white-haired witch, their patience wearing thin.

“I really pity poor little Helena… All alone... Forgotten, left to fend for herself in a world so different from her own. She must be so scared, so confused! So sad! She’s probably crying right now, helplessly calling out for her mommy and daddy, who will, alas, never come ... Because they were too busy trying to look important and mighty instead of—”

Echidna's malicious monologue was cut short as flames erupted around her, scorching the ground and melting the stone beneath her feet. The raging fire surged, creeping dangerously close to the witch, mere inches from reducing her to cinders. The only thing that kept her from being consumed was the intervention of the queen’s protector.

Subaru’s hands grasped Prisca’s wrists, pulling her focus back to him, holding her power at bay. “I know...” he whispered, his voice low and urgent, their faces so close that they shared the same breath. “But if you kill her... we lose every chance of finding Helena.”

The fire around Echidna flickered, the heat dimming as Prisca slowly reined in her rage. She tore herself free from Subaru’s grasp, taking a steadying breath, though the burning fury in her heart remained.

Meanwhile, Echidna playfully blew at the hem of her dress, fanning away the lingering smoke as she inspected herself for burns. “I suppose that was a bit too much?” she said with a giggle, shaking her head in mock apology. “My bad. Now, where was I?”

“Don’t even think about it,” Subaru growled, his voice filled with raw frustration as he shot her a menacing glare. “Enough! No more games, Echidna. Tell me how to bring my daughter back!”

Sighing dramatically at Subaru’s lack of patience, Echidna walked past both him and Prisca, heading into the palace as if the threat of her life moments ago meant nothing. “The court magician’s laboratory is still in the same place as it used to be, right?” she asked nonchalantly, walking ahead of the royals without a care for what they’d say or do. 

Echidna led the way through the castle corridors with an air of ownership, as if the place had always belonged to her. Her confident strides took her straight to the court magician's quarters, closely followed by the queen and the royal protector, their presence imposing but silent.

As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the sight of Ezzo, the current head mage, mid-sip of his tea. The door's sudden opening startled him so badly that he nearly knocked over his cup. He jolted back, fumbling to catch the cup before it spilled. “N-Natsuki-san?! WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING HERE?!”

He pointed a trembling finger toward Echidna, whose expression remained one of pure boredom, as if the mage’s fear barely registered.

Echidna’s gaze drifted lazily over to the mage. “So, this is the one you chose to take the mantle of head mage?”

“Just get on with whatever you're here for, will you?” Subaru snapped, brushing past Echidna without a second thought. He made his way toward Ezzo, while Prisca continued to shoot icy glares at the witch.

Ezzo, half outraged and half terrified, threw his hands in the air. “Are you going to explain?! Why is the Witch of Greed here in my lab?!”

“Because something happened, and I need her help,” Subaru replied, sounding exasperated. “And since she wants to use the magician’s lab, I’m going to need yours, too.”

Ezzo’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, wait, wait—you replaced me?!” he blurted out, looking at Subaru as if personally betrayed.

Subaru blinked. “What...?”

“You need her help?! What could possibly be so important that I couldn’t handle it?!”

Subaru let out a long, tired sigh, before deadpanning, “My youngest daughter was teleported to another world— another dimension —by the power of a witch I killed five years ago.”

Ezzo stared at him for a beat, his anger deflating almost instantly. “I can't handle it.”

“No shit,” Subaru sighed, glancing over at his wife. Prisca’s eyes were locked on Echidna, who casually rifled through some documents, seemingly indifferent to the tension in the room.

For a brief moment, Prisca turned her gaze toward Subaru, her expression unreadable, before her attention returned to the witch, scrutinizing every movement she made.

“H-Hey! Careful with those!” Ezzo suddenly blurted, rushing to Echidna’s side. “Those documents are priceless! Don’t just toss them around like old junk!”

Echidna barely looked up, her smile unsettling to Ezzo. “Hmm... I wonder why these seem so familiar,” she mused, her eyes scanning the pages.

Ezzo stiffened, his annoyance turning into full-blown outrage. “Now listen here!” he pointed an accusing finger at the witch. “There was no one in that tower when I found that research, and those documents were practically falling apart! They would’ve been unreadable if it weren’t for my painstaking efforts restoring them!”

Echidna glanced at him with mild amusement. “Is that so? How commendable of you.” Her tone was patronizing enough to make Ezzo bristle.

Subaru couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Here we go…”

“What exactly are you looking for?” Subaru finally interjected, feeling like precious time was being wasted.

Echidna, now holding a stack of documents, calmly walked to the nearest desk and spread them out, completely ignoring Subaru’s impatience. Ezzo hovered nearby, half-worried, half-intrigued, his eyes darting between the scattered pages.

“These are documents from my research on the witch factors,” she explained, pulling out several old, weathered books from the bag she’d brought with her. “I have only theories about the issue you’re facing, Subaru. I need to confirm them before we proceed.”

Ezzo leaned over the desk, squinting at the pages. “What research...? This just looks like unreadable gibberish.”

Subaru picked up one of the papers, turning it around as if that might somehow make it more legible. The symbols and strange writings meant absolutely nothing to him.

“For you, of course, it would be,” Echidna said without looking up. “These were written when I first became a witch, after all.”

Subaru and Ezzo exchanged glances, the realization dawning on them both.

Subaru muttered, his voice low,  “these are writings from before the Witch’s Calamity?”

“Far before that,” Ezzo's eyes widened in disbelief. “This was before Lugunica was even established!!”

Echidna’s lips curled into a playful smirk. “Aren’t you the rude one? Haven’t you learned by now not to remind a woman of her age?”

Subaru rolled his eyes, exhaling. “Right. Because how long you’ve lived is the real issue here.”

Echidna playfully stuck her tongue out at Subaru in response to his sarcasm. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she cast a strange spell over the scattered papers. The letters on the documents began to shift, detaching from the pages and floating into the air like shimmering ink droplets. Bit by bit, the symbols twisted and reformed, rearranging themselves before settling back onto the documents in a completely different shape—this time, perfectly legible.

Subaru and Ezzo watched in awe, their eyes wide as the once unintelligible script now looked as clear as day.

“Unbelievable…” Ezzo muttered, his disbelief momentarily wiping away any frustration he had earlier. Subaru, too, stared at the papers, momentarily caught off guard by the strange magic.

Prisca, however, narrowed her eyes, her wariness deepening as she watched the witch’s spell unfold. She said nothing, but her distrust of Echidna’s abilities was more than apparent.

Ezzo fought the urge to lunge at the papers, his fingers twitching with the desire to dive into the newly revealed text. But before he could act on that impulse, Echidna calmly opened one of the old books she had brought from the tower, pulling out a single sheet of paper that had been tucked between its pages.

“...Hmm, just as I suspected. One of my theories might hold after all. How interesting…” she murmured to herself, though the soft whisper instantly drew the attention of everyone in the room.

Subaru, Prisca, and Ezzo all turned toward her, waiting for more.

"Your main theory was that the remaining power of the witch, or something similar, caused the transportation," Echidna said, turning to face the king and queen. A sly smile played on her lips. "I regret to inform you th—wait, or do I regret it? Hmm, no, not really." She shrugged casually. "It’s not the Witch of Envy. She is, by all means, dead and gone."

"I have already told you not to waste my time, Witch," Prisca spat, her voice dripping with venom. "I do not need to understand how my daughter was taken away—only how to bring her back!"

Echidna’s eyes flickered, her previously playful demeanor slipping away. "Blindly setting foot into something as complex as otherworldly travel without a proper understanding would be incredibly foolish, Queen Prisca," she said, her tone suddenly sharp and serious. "This isn’t a situation we can simply throttle into, relying on the world to behave and accommodate you."

For a moment, silence hung in the air, the weight of her words pressing on everyone in the room. Then, a slow, malicious smile crept onto Echidna’s lips. “Especially when it concerns a world that is not yours.”

Prisca and Echidna remained in their stand off, before the Queen allowed her to continue.

“The princess was not taken by the witch, nor was she abducted by Shamans of Gusteko, as were your main suspects” Echidna explained as she walked forward until she stopped right in front of the king and queen,. “She used the power of an authority.”

Ezzo’s eyes darted toward her, and he glanced quickly at Subaru and the queen, visibly taken aback. “Wait... are you saying she tapped into the power of an authority? That’s impossible!”

“What…?” Subaru’s voice was barely a whisper, his eyes widening in horror as the realization began to sink in. Prisca shot a concerned look at him, her expression hardening as she tried to piece together what this could mean.

“Mh?” Echidna looked up from the documents with a feigned innocent expression, as if oblivious to the weight of her revelation.

“I bear all of the authorities! Helena can’t be hosting any!” Subaru protested, his voice sharp with disbelief.

“And where, exactly, did you acquire enough knowledge to claim that authorities couldn’t be shared between members of the same family?” Echidna replied casually. “Seriously, I’d be greatly interested.

“...” Subaru clenched his fists, his mind racing

“You are claiming that my daughter used one of her father’s authorities to cross worlds?” Prisca thought aloud, her gaze shifting to Subaru, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Ezzo watched the exchange with wide eyes, his confusion turning into fascination. “But... that shouldn’t be possible,” he murmured to himself, as if hoping someone would give him a reasonable answer.

“Well…” Echidna paused, a smile curling on her lips. “Yes, that is exactly what I’m claiming.”

Her gaze shifted toward Subaru, and the queen’s and Ezzo’s followed. “Don’t you remember, Subaru? Three of the archbishops were siblings, and yet they all shared the Authority of Gluttony.”

Subaru's eyes widened in realization. “But they were all affected by the Witch Factor! That was different!”

“And Helena was born from you,” Echidna replied calmly, “a man who already possesses all the Witch Factors.”

The weight of her words pressed down on Subaru, and his chest tightened with guilt. He bit his lip, frustration welling up within him

“ I cursed her…” he whispered, the pain clear in his voice.

“Enough of this,” Prisca snapped, her irritation flaring as she turned to her royal protector. “I told you to stop wallowing.”

“She’s right, you know?” Echidna sighed, as if already bored with the conversation. She turned back toward Subaru, “You already went down that self-loathing path earlier, and it’s not helping anyone now. Rather, you should steel yourself, Royal Protector. If you want to save your daughter, you’ll need to focus.”

“You don’t understand anything!” Subaru growled, stepping closer to both the witch and the queen. “There are consequences to using an Authority!”

Prisca’s eyes widened, the words catching her off guard. “What?” she demanded, her gaze snapping to Echidna.

Echidna cleared her throat, breaking the silence with a raised eyebrow. “Didn’t your protector ever explain this to you?”

“I already understand the nature of my husband’s powers,” Prisca stated. “I have seen them and lived them. But these consequences…”

“She had no need to know about them,” Subaru interjected, his gaze shifting to Echidna.

Prisca's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger as she turned her gaze to Subaru. “No need to know?” she echoed, her eyes narrowing with anger. “And what is your pitiful excuse this time? To protect me?”

Subaru met her gaze for a brief moment, then looked away, his voice barely audible. “Yes, to protect you.”

Echidna snorted at Subaru’s reaction, walking to the center of the room with the book in hand. “Authorities are powers far beyond what any magic in this world can offer, Your Highness,” she began, her voice more serious now. “They transcend time, space, and even the logic that holds this world together. Using such a power doesn’t come without a cost”

“What do these consequences entail?” Prisca demanded, her voice sharp with urgency.

Echidna’s answer was immediate, and it sent a chill through the room. “Betelgeuse Romanee-Conti.”

Subaru, Ezzo, and Prisca’s eyes widened at the mention of the Archbishop of Sloth, the weight of that name crashing down on them.

“That example should speak louder than a thousand words, don’t you think?” Echidna continued, her tone deceptively casual. “The toll of contesting reality itself, of defying the very rules that shape what is, what was, and what will be… A human’s soul, even a compatible one, cannot bear that weight without consequence.”

She raised her arms wide, a smile creeping onto her lips—one that was unsettlingly ambiguous. “Those who could withstand such a toll were regarded as monsters, beings whose very existence made hearts tremble in fear... Witches . ”

Then, just as abruptly, her expression shifted back to a playful smile, her finger pointing directly at Subaru. “Or,” she said, her voice laced with a teasing edge, “unless you are the one who learned to control the Witch Factors in the first place—the one who mastered the unknown and shaped the Witches to carry that legacy.”

Her gaze sharpened, her smile unwavering as she looked into Subaru's eyes. “ The Sage. ”

“Wait, hold on a minute!” Ezzo interjected, raising a hand to his forehead as if to steady himself. “Isn’t the Sage supposed to be the receptacle for the Authorities?! Since when did he create the Witches?”

Subaru’s expression darkened as he processed the implications. “Is this another of Flugel’s crimes?” he asked, his voice dangerously low. “Did he turn you and the others into Witches to carry out his plans?”

“No,” Echidna replied with a sly smile. “He merely gave us the opportunity to seize the power we rightfully deserved. People with potential like ours are rare, you know?”

Ezzo exhaled sharply, sinking into a nearby chair. “Holy shit... No way... That’s a lot of information to drop all at once. What the hell?”

“Witch,” Prisca’s voice cut through the room like a blade, her tone stern, “if my daughter is sharing her father’s Authorities, is she at risk of the consequences you speak of?”

Echidna glanced at the document she had just translated, then casually took a sip from a cup of tea that had been sitting on the table—Ezzo’s tea. She hummed quietly as she read, paying no attention to his outrage.

“Hey! That’s my tea!” Ezzo protested.

Ignoring him completely, Echidna turned her attention back to the queen and Subaru. “Was your daughter born with any Divine Blessing?” she asked nonchalantly.

“No,” Prisca replied, her brow furrowed.

“Divine Blessings aren’t hereditary, are they?” Subaru mused aloud, unsure of where she was getting at.

“Indeed, they are not,” Echidna confirmed. “The Od decides who will be blessed and who will not... But there is one person the Od will never bless.” She paused, letting the weight of her words settle in. “The only person who can harm it.”

All eyes turned to Subaru.

“Contest reality itself...” Ezzo whispered, his eyes widening. “shit, that makes sense! Of course, the Od would curse the only being who poses a threat to it!”

Subaru’s gaze shifted between Echidna and Ezzo, his confusion and concern deepening.

“A person who carries an Authority cannot possess a Divine Blessing,” Echidna continued. “Even if they were blessed before, the Od would retract that blessing the moment they enter into contact with a witch factor. The cost of absorbing such power is immense—pain that reaches down to the soul, and an inevitable descent into madness.”

She rose from her seat, taking another sip of tea. “In other words, given that your daughter was perfectly healthy, it can only mean she was born with that power.”

Echidna tilted her head, her gaze keen and knowing. “Which means, simply put—your daughter, too, has been a Sage since her birth. She is simply sharing all of her authorities with you.” 

“So… her soul won’t be harmed by the Authorities?” Subaru murmured, his voice a mix of disbelief and uncertainty. The revelation hit him like a hammer—fear of the unknown future clashed with the relief that his daughter might be spared from the same torment he had endured.

Prisca’s gaze remained fixed on him, her expression unreadable. Subaru met her eyes, uncertain of what lay behind that steady stare.

“All these explanations aside, I think we’re drifting away from the main reason we’re all here!” Ezzo stepped forward, his voice cutting through the rising tension. “I mean, I’m in awe, truly! But how exactly does any of this help us bring the princess back? We don’t even know which Authority she used!”

Echidna huffed softly, turning her gaze back to Subaru. “Oh, but we do know, don’t we?” she said, her tone carrying a hint of amusement. “Isn’t that right, Subaru?”

Ezzo and Prisca’s eyes shifted to Subaru, who clenched his jaw, a look of pained recognition crossing his face. “...Envy.”

He entered the house again, this time carrying a bag filled with food better suited for children.

“Ah, you’re back?” Naoko greeted him in a hushed tone from the sofa.

“…I bought things I thought she might like,” he said, his voice low and uncertain. “But since I wasn’t really sure… well,” he sighed, setting the bag down and taking a seat next to his wife, “I ended up getting a bit of everything.”

Naoko peered into the bag and snorted softly before a smile crept across her lips. “Most of these are things Subaru used to enjoy when he wasn’t taller than three apples. You’ve got a good memory.”

Kenichi didn’t respond; his gaze was fixed on the little girl, her small form nestled comfortably on Naoko’s lap.

“Well, aren’t you making one of those faces?” Naoko whispered to him, her voice gentle.

Inside the Natsuki household, far removed from the chaos of the royal capital, two parents found themselves wrapped in the warmth of a familiar love they hadn’t felt in years. Naoko cradled the little black-haired girl who called herself their granddaughter, her fingers gently stroking the child’s hair. Kenichi sat beside them, his thoughts tangled as he tried to make sense of the situation.

“I don’t really know what you expect me to…” Kenichi began, then bit his tongue, unable to finish as he turned his gaze away. “This is just too much.”

“And why is that?” Naoko asked softly, still smiling as she continued to run her fingers through the little girl’s hair.

“A child just appeared out of nowhere and called herself our granddaughter,” Kenichi replied, his voice edged with frustration as he stood and walked to the window. “I still don’t understand how you’re taking this so naturally…”

For anyone, it would seem absurd—madness, even—to believe a child who suddenly appeared, claiming to be their granddaughter. Kenichi couldn’t be blamed for his doubts about Natsuki Helena.

His confusion only deepened. How could Naoko be so calm about this? How could she accept it so quickly, without even a hint of doubt or dispute? It was as if Helena being their son’s daughter was a given—an obvious truth that needed no evidence. To Naoko, questioning it would have been absurd.

“A mother’s instincts?” She chuckled softly, covering her mouth to avoid waking the little girl.

“She… is not our child…” Kenichi whispered, his voice wavering.

“I wasn’t talking about her,” Naoko replied, lifting her eyes to meet his. Her smile was brighter than he’d seen in years, and then it shifted to a confident, knowing grin. “I meant our son. I told you… he was alive.”

Words failed him. Kenichi could only stare down at the black-haired girl on Naoko’s lap, the weight of the past few years pressing down on him like a crushing tide.

The truth was one they both knew well: while Naoko had clung to hope, refusing to let go of the belief that their son was out there somewhere, Kenichi had already accepted what he thought was undeniable. Year after year, he had considered asking her to move on, to let the hope fade. He had convinced himself it was for the sake of what was left of their family, to keep at least one of them anchored in the present rather than in the past.

“And now what?” he thought, his gaze drifting away as he fought to hide the tears welling up in his eyes. Right there, before him, was living proof that their son was alive. Proof that he had lost hope, that he had abandoned it—abandoned his wife’s belief and their child’s memory.

This couldn’t be true.

“We don’t even know if she’s telling the truth!” Kenichi grunted under his breath, shaking his head in frustration, though loud enough for Naoko to hear.

“Dear…” Naoko closed her eyes and let out a disappointed sigh.

“Don’t ‘dear’ me!” he snapped, spinning around to face her, his teeth clenched. “Why would you believe her without even questioning anything?!”

In Kenichi’s voice, all the frustration and anger he had carried for years could be felt—for his son, for his family, for everything he had endured up to this moment. For the truth he couldn’t bear to face.

It couldn’t be true.

Kenichi picked up a glass of water from the table, his hands trembling as he made no effort to conceal the suffering building up inside him. For a brief moment, he stood paralyzed as a fleeting image flashed through his mind—of a young boy, his face obscured, standing far away.

“You’re just blinded by this…” he murmured, taking off his glasses to wipe away the tears that blurred his vision. He breathed slowly, giving his heart a moment of respite, his voice hushed and heavy. “You’re ready to accept anything that would… that would give you what you want.”

“Mh, is that so,” Naoko replied, her calm voice unshaken by the raw bitterness in his. She continued to play gently with Helena’s hair, a small smile curling on her lips. “Isn’t it ironic, then?”

Kenichi didn’t look at her; perhaps because some part of him already knew she was right—a part of him that kept screaming from deep inside, the part he desperately tried to silence.

“Who is truly blinded by their own beliefs, dear? Who refuses to see… no, refuses to even consider a truth that isn’t the one he clings to?” she asked softly.

“BECAUSE IT’S NOT TRUE!” he roared, hurling the glass of water against the wall with brute force. The sharp crash echoed through the room, startling Helena awake with a frightened jolt.

“W-What’s happening?” she stammered, her small body trembling as she awoke to the frightening noise. Her heart pounded in her chest, but before she could fully grasp what was going on, she found herself embraced, gently wrapped in the protective arms of her grandmother.

“Get your hands off her,” Kenichi’s voice was low, almost feral, his breathing ragged. His fists clenched as he took a step forward, his face contorted with dark emotion. “Get your hands off this girl…”

“Grandfather…?” Helena’s voice was frail and confused as she turned her tearful eyes to him.

“Don’t call me that…” he whispered, his head shaking slowly, refusing to meet her gaze. “Don’t…”

“W-Why…?” Helena’s voice trembled.

“Helena,” Naoko whispered soothingly into the girl’s ear, feeling the small hands clenching her apron with fear, “it’s alright. Grandpa is just a bit tired…”

“He is not!” Helena protested, her voice breaking as she pulled away from Naoko’s arms. Her wide, tearful eyes fixed on her grandfather as she took a hesitant step toward him. “He is…”

“Grandfather…” Standing directly in front of the trembling man, Helena gazed up at him with a look of pure concern. “Why… why are you so afraid?”

Kenichi’s breath caught in his throat, his chest tightening as if seized by an invisible hand. His heart pounded faster, echoing in his ears. Naoko’s shocked eyes darted toward him, but all he could see was the little girl before him—looking up at him with nothing but worry.

He was scared. Petrified. And Helena saw right through him.

“I am not your grand—” Kenichi choked on his words, the tears finally breaking free from his eyes. “Stop that… stop calling me that…”

Helena didn’t hear him clearly at first, but now, his voice was unmistakably raw and pained.

“I… I-I…” She struggled to speak, her eyes widening in horror as she stared at the man she had been so happy to meet just moments ago.

“Why…?” she whispered, her head hanging low as she hiccuped through her tears.

Naoko immediately stood up to comfort her granddaughter, casting a furious glare at her husband for daring to say such hurtful words.

“Helena—”

“Why can’t I?!” Helena cried out, raising her tearful gaze to the trembling man. “You are my grandfather! The father of Natsuki Subaru! My father!”

The same haunting image flashed in Kenichi’s mind—again, the boy standing in the distance, his face still obscured.

“He told me about you!” Helena’s voice cracked as she poured out her feelings, her words tumbling over each other. “He told me about both of you! How amazing his parents were, how much he admired you, how much he loved you! He always said he wished he could see you again, just to finally introduce Mother, big sister and me to you! To hold you in his arms and make you proud!”

“…”

“And I wanted that, too!” she sobbed, her small frame trembling as the tears spilled from her eyes, pooling on the floor. Her voice grew hoarse as she struggled to catch her breath. “I wanted to talk about my grandparents! To boast about you, like father did!”

Naoko pressed a hand to her mouth, her heart breaking for the little girl who was crying her heart out. She wanted nothing more than to sweep Helena into her arms and never let go, to hold her close and reassure her until she felt safe and loved. It wasn’t out of pity—it was out of a deep conviction that Helena deserved to be able to call her “grandmother.”

But Kenichi…

“So now that I can—now that I can finally see you and talk to you…” Helena sniffled, her tiny body quaking with grief, “why can’t I still?! Why can’t I call you ‘grandfather’?! Why ?!”

“B-Because…” Kenichi faltered, the words dying in his throat. He was paralyzed by what he felt—guilt, shame, fear—and in his silence, Helena’s pain only deepened. It was a pain so sharp and unbearable that she couldn’t stand it any longer. She turned and bolted for the door.

“Helena!” Naoko cried, rushing to follow her, only to feel her arm caught by her husband’s hand.

“Let go of me,” she growled, her eyes burning with wrath. “ Now !”

“It’s better like this,” Kenichi insisted, his voice trembling, tears still streaming down his face. “We… we have nothing to do wi—”

Before he could utter those blasphemous words, Naoko’s palm struck his cheek with all the force she could muster. The sound echoed through the living room, a stark and painful reminder of the reality he was trying to avoid.

“When you went to buy these…” she began, her voice trembling as she gestured to the bag of food on the table. “She stayed with me… she rested while we talked, with a bright smile on her face…”

Naoko swallowed hard, her own tears starting to fall as she continued. “She told me… about how her father would speak of the life he had in his birthplace. How he grew up loved and cherished, but still felt like he was stuck in the shadow of a father he could never surpass…”

The image of the young boy flickered in Kenichi’s mind again, but this time, it was closer.

Almost clear.

“She told me how that led to his struggles… to him feeling alone… and eventually running away from everything. Hiding from everything… including us…” Naoko’s voice rose, her anger and sorrow swelling as she stepped closer to him. “Because he was terrified of disappointing us, because he couldn’t see any other outcome!”

Kenichi stumbled back in disbelief, but Naoko didn’t relent—she advanced, her eyes locked on his, her voice growing louder.

“And all of that happened before he disappeared one night, taken by force into another world… where he finally felt like he could be something, where he could start over!” Her tears fell freely as she drew nearer, backing him up against the wall.

The boy’s image was clearer now—so close, almost as if reaching out to him.

“Away from the life where he thought he’d only drag us down… away from the shame of being a disappointment! ” Naoko seized his collar, pinning him against the wall as her voice trembled with a mix of rage and grief. “And yet, he accomplished so much…”

Their eyes met, and for the first time, there was no escape for Kenichi. Naoko’s gaze pierced through him, refusing to let him hide any longer.

“And he told her—he told his daughter, our granddaughter,” Naoko continued, her voice low and unwavering, each word carrying the weight of her conviction, “that he accomplished all he did because HE WAS OUR SON! ”

There he stood, face-to-face with the truth he could no longer deny. There was no place left to run.

“A-ah…” His voice trembled, his vision blurred as the memories flooded back.

“A-Ah…” And finally, he remembered.

The face of his young son.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Kenichi cried out, his voice breaking as he collapsed to the floor, clutching his head in agony. The tears fell relentlessly as he remembered what he had buried for so many years.

The page he thought he had to turn.

Subaru.

Helena.

“No…” he whimpered, his voice frail and broken. “No, no, no… What have I… No…”

His tear-filled eyes found Naoko’s, desperation etched across his face.

“N-Naoko…”

“Get up!” Naoko’s voice cut through his despair like a blade, urgent and unwavering. She grabbed his arm and pulled him up with surprising strength, her eyes blazing with determination. “We have to go now, we need to find her!”

Naoko’s thoughts were solely fixed on her granddaughter. Her worry deepened as she glanced toward the window, where a driving rain lashed against the glass, each gust of wind only amplifying her fear.

Helena was running.

Running, and running.

The scene replayed over and over in her mind, like a loop she couldn’t escape. Each painful repetition made her cry harder, tears mixing with the rain as she fled. She wanted to cast away the image of her "grandpa"—to erase the rejection from her thoughts.

“Why…?”

She still didn’t understand. No matter how hard she tried.

She knew they were her blood, and from the stories her father had shared, she expected only the best from them. Many times, she had dreamed of this moment—of meeting her grandparents, of everything falling perfectly into place. And until now, it had gone just as she had always wished.

“Why… don’t you want me?”

The realization cut through her, sharp and unforgiving: her own grandfather had rejected her, refused to acknowledge her. It was the only conclusion she could draw.

“What did I do…?”

It didn’t make sense. This couldn’t be the same amazing man her father had spoken of so often. Or… was it her ? Was she the problem?

“I didn’t want this…!” she cried out, shaking her head as she continued to run. 

She pushed herself to run faster, as if the distance could help her forget. But then, suddenly, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the wet ground, the relentless rain pounding down on her. Her body had reached its limit.

She was exhausted—utterly drained by the pain, anger, and fear. It was too much for a child to bear, and even she knew it. The princess hated how weak she felt. It was abnormal, disgraceful.

“ how..?” she thought, a part of her mind perking up with the strange feeling, paralyzing, creeping its way into her entire body. 

“I… can’t…” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I am…-”

She tried to push herself up.

“The daughter…!-” she gritted her teeth, swallowing her tears as she forced every bit of strength into her limbs. “The daughter… of the queen…!”

She struggled with all her might.

“What would Mother say if she saw me like this?!” she shouted into the storm, her voice barely audible over the downpour. “I can’t…!”

But her body refused to obey. Her limbs felt like lead, her fingers were numb, and she could no longer feel the cold. Her mind grew foggy, her vision dimming.

“…”

Slowly, darkness closed in around her. But even as it did, a memory surfaced, a voice echoing in her mind:

“This kingdom, this world… and everything I ever had in this life… There is absolutely nothing that matters more than you, Helena. You are my greatest pride.”

“Mother…” she murmured, her fading eyes still filled with longing. 

“I’m scared…” she whimpered, her tears invisible in the rain. “Mother… “

“No matter what happens, I will always love you. I will always protect you. And no matter where you are…”

“Father…”

Amidst the storm, she heard footsteps—rapid, desperate. They grew louder, coming closer. She thought she heard someone shouting her name, but the sound was distant, almost lost to the hammer of the rain.

Then, just as she was about to lose consciousness, something warm wrapped around her, lifting her from the cold ground. She felt warmth spreading through her as if a protective shield had enveloped her.

When she slowly opened her eyes…

She recognized him.

“I will be there for you.”

Chapter Text

A collection of memories of all kinds from the past, weaving together the threads that shape the future this story unveils.

The towering double doors of the throne room stood imposing, etched with intricate depictions of Lugunica's holy dragon. Subaru Natsuki approached them alone, his footsteps echoing faintly against the polished marble floor of the corridor. The royal knight's robe hung heavily on his shoulders, the reminder of the title he once bore, something he dreamed of. He exhaled slowly, steeling himself, before pushing the doors open.

The throne hall revealed itself in all its grandeur, a chamber of sheer opulence, glory and authority. The high ceilings stretched upward, adorned with masterfully carved arches, while sunlight filtered through the immense stained-glass windows, casting vibrant patterns of light across the floor. Along the walls, nobles murmured among themselves, their opulent attire marking their status. And lining the center of the hall, from the entrance to the throne, stood rows of royal knights in their ceremonial robes.

As Subaru entered, the atmosphere in the hall shifted palpably. Heads turned, and the whispers of the nobles faded, replaced by an oppressive silence for those who were the closest to the door. The knights’ gazes bore into him—some merely curious, others filled with open disdain. The weight of their stares was suffocating, but Subaru’s expression remained stoic.

The murmurs broke into audible hostility as a knight stepped forward, his boots clicking sharply against the marble.

“How dare you step into this sacred hall wearing the robes of a knight?” His words dripped with contempt, and his eyes flicked toward the crest emblazoned on Subaru’s shoulder as if it were an affront to his very existence.

Subaru stopped, his calm gaze meeting the knight’s heated one. “It’s just a piece of cloth,” he replied evenly, “If it bothers you so much, I’ll hand it over when this is done.”

The knight’s face twisted in rage, his fists clenching at his sides. “Blasphemy,” he hissed, loud enough for the hall to hear. “From an oathbreaker, I expect nothing less.”

A ripple of murmurs and nods swept through the rows of knights. Many seemed to share the sentiment, their expressions grim and unyielding. Subaru’s eyes remained fixed on the knight, his gaze steady and unreadable.

“You killed your own lord, forsook your duty, and now you parade into this hall as if you have any claim to its honor? You insult us with your very presence.”

Subaru didn’t care to react or respond. He simply kept walking. 

The knight pressed, stepping closer, his voice rising. “You are no knight. You are a disgrace.”

Subaru scoffed softly, breaking eye contact and stepping past the knight without another glance.

The knight’s face flushed with fury, but before he could act, the clear voice of a herald rang out, cutting through the tension like a blade.

“ROYAL GUARDS OF THE KINGDOM!” the herald’s voice boomed, silencing the murmurs and commanding all attention.

The knights flanking the pathway to the throne stepped into formation, their movements precise and synchronized. As one, they unsheathed their swords, the metallic ring reverberating through the hall, and raised them high to form an archway of gleaming steel.

“YOU, WHO STAND TO PROTECT OUR NATION!

YOU, WHO HOLD THE SPEAR AND SHIELD OF OUR PEOPLE!

FOR THE NAME YOU WERE GIVEN, AND THE OATH YOU HAVE TAKEN!

TO SALUTE YOUR RULER, THE CHOSEN QUEEN!

DRAW SWORDS!”

As the proclamation rang out, Subaru stepped aside to allow the ceremony to continue. The tension in the air thickened as the nobles and knights all turned their attention to the woman seated upon the throne.

Priscilla Barielle, resplendent and commanding, sat upon the throne as if it had always been hers. Her blood-red gown spilled like liquid fire over the steps of the dais, and her fiery orange hair shimmered in the dappled sunlight streaming through the stained glass. Her crimson eyes gleamed with both curiosity and authority.

Priscilla leaned forward slightly as she gazed down at Subaru. “Natsuki Subaru,” she called, her tone unreadable, “step forward.”

Subaru moved, his steps echoing against the stone floor as he approached the dais. Whispers resumed among the nobles, their voices carrying a mixture of intrigue and disdain.

Reaching the foot of the steps, Subaru stopped. He didn’t kneel, didn’t bow. He stood tall, his posture unwavering. For a moment, silence reigned, the tension in the hall palpable as Priscilla’s gaze met his.

“Custom demands all knights kneel before their ruler,” Priscilla remarked, her voice carrying a subtle challenge. “Do you consider yourself exempt?”

“I’m no longer a knight,” Subaru replied evenly, his voice calm but firm.

Priscilla raised an eyebrow, her eyes flicking to the crest still emblazoned on Subaru's coat. For a moment, she examined it as if weighing its significance before returning her gaze to him.

"I care not for meaningless traditions from equally meaningless people, Natsuki Subaru," she declared, loud enough for the royal guards to hear, "If a knight is what you wish to be, then a knight you will be. And they shall bend to my word."

Subaru shook his head, his expression unwavering. "I thank you, Your Highness, but I have spent enough time wearing a coat that never belonged to me."

Priscilla huffed, and with a gesture of her hand she signaled for the knights to rise from their kneeling positions.

"Come." she commanded, her voice echoing through the hall.

Subaru stepped forward. As he climbed the steps toward the throne, the eyes of every knight in the room burned into him. His refusal to kneel had already sparked murmurs, and now he stood before the Queen herself without lowering his head.

A servant approached, carrying a silver tray upon which rested an ornate insignia bearing the symbol of the Sage alongside a ceremonial sword which carried the nation’s dragon crest.

Taking the insignia, Priscilla stepped closer to Subaru. Then,she pinned the emblem to the front of his coat, the soft clink of the metal breaking the tense silence in the hall.

"From this moment forth," she began, her voice resonating through the chamber with the command of a monarch whose every word was law, "by my will, and my will alone, as the sovereign ruler of the dragon kingdom, I bestow upon you the title of Hero of Lugunica. Let it be known that this honor is bound to those who stand among the few who have reshaped this nation’s destiny."

Her crimson eyes locked onto his, unyielding and intense, as if daring him to refuse the weight of the moment. "May you wear this title not as proof of your deeds. May the spirits of the earth, wind, fire, and water echo your name across the annals of time. Let the stars bear witness to you, and let the sun burn your memory into the tapestry of this world."

Pausing for a heartbeat, she leaned forward slightly, her voice softening into something almost intimate, though no less commanding. "May your bloodline stand immortal in the songs of history, as testament of the one who accomplished a feat where generations of heroes failed before him.”

Subaru held her gaze, his face betraying no emotion. She handed him the ceremonial sword, her fingers brushing briefly against his.

"This kingdom is no place for you to walk with your head hung low," she said, her expression one of discontent, but not towards him. "These halls shall welcome the day you step foot again, not as an outsider, but as one of my servants."

Subaru inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment, his voice calm and steady. "Thank you, Your Highness.”

"All hail the Queen!" the herald proclaimed.

"ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!" The knights echoed in unison, their voices shaking the walls.

Subaru stepped back down the steps as the hall erupted in applause, but the man at its center remained stoic. As if a figure out of place in the very world he had saved.

As Subaru made his way out of the throne hall, the weight of the room’s tension seemed to trail after him like an unshakable shadow. Each step echoed against the marble floor, reverberating with a solemn finality. Without a word, he unfastened the white cloak of the royal knights, its crimson-lined edges and crest catching the light one final time. He shoved the garment into the hands of the knight who had so vehemently criticized him earlier without sparing the man a glance.

The knight grimaced, his face twisting in indignation, but he held his tongue. Despite his evident offense, the insignia of the Sage on Subaru’s chest and the ceremonial sword now at his side carried a weight far beyond the rank of any knight in the room. They made Subaru a figure none would dare challenge without explicit permission. And so, the knight could only watch as he continued toward the grand doors at the end of the hall.

The guards stationed there, clad in ceremonial attire, moved in unison to open the towering doors for him. The soft creak of the hinges seemed to carry the last remnants of the hall’s collective disdain, spilling into the corridor beyond.

As he passed through the threshold, the doors began to close behind him with a heavy, resounding finality. Subaru, now in the quiet of the corridor, slowed his pace and stopped. His eyes drifted down to the sword in his hand—the cold metal gleaming faintly in the subdued light. He studied its ornate design, his fingers brushing over the intricate craftsmanship. It felt alien in his grip, an object that did not belong to him.

Then, almost instinctively, Subaru turned his head, casting a glance back toward the hall he had just left. The great doors were nearly shut, but through the narrowing gap, his gaze locked onto crimson eyes that had not wavered from him.

Priscilla Barielle, seated once more on her throne, watched him with an intensity that pierced the distance between them. Her expression was unreadable—neither warm nor cold, yet carrying a depth of meaning that only she could know.

And just like that they remained, until the doors shut.

Subaru stood in stunned silence, staring at Priscilla through the morning mist that cloaked the fortress city. She stood radiant as ever, draped in her blood-red gown, orange hair catching the early sunlight, and her fiery crimson eyes piercing through the haze. Yet something was wrong—terribly wrong. Her figure wavered, like a shadow being slowly erased.

“P-Priscilla…?” Subaru reached a trembling hand toward her, as though trying to grasp something just beyond his reach.

“You see it too, don’t you?” Priscilla’s voice was firm, but an unfamiliar softness underpinned her tone. “My enemy, Sphinx, has trapped me in a separate dimension, forcing me to watch the Empire’s ruin. The only way out was to set that place ablaze.”

“What…?” Subaru’s voice wavered as he tried to make sense of her words, dread tightening his chest.

Though the time they had spent together was a drop in the bucket, if there was one thing Subaru knew, it was of her unrivalled intelligence. From how she handled herself with Vincent, to how she had managed to break away from Sphinx's control. That part of her was undeniable. As such, it was no surprise she understood his intentions and questions from his trembling voice alone.

With that answer, Subaru understood. He understood that, as the same as Eugard, Priscilla returned from another dimension at the cost of her own life.

With her stark words, the truth clicked into place. Subaru understood. The fading image of Priscilla, blurred and translucent in the morning sun, was no longer truly alive. Priscilla Barielle stood before him now only as a fading remnant.

“This… this is madness!” It was Al’s voice, trembling and raw, that shattered the silence. Holding Priscilla tightly with his single arm, he seemed on the verge of breaking down, his distorted face hidden beneath his helmet but painfully clear in his voice. He clutched her as though his very grip could keep her here, preventing the sunlight from claiming her while Subaru stood there, unable to say anything. 

“No, this can’t be happening. Princess, it doesn’t have to—!” Al’s words choked off, the weight of his grief plain. Desperately, he turned to Subaru, his voice thick and pleading, “Brother!”

He only thought of not letting go of Priscilla, who seemed to be merging with the slowly rising sun.

Subaru, jarred by the sheer grief in Al’s cry, forced himself to look away from Priscilla and at the nearby banister, his mind racing. He had done the impossible before—overcome the Great Calamity, pushed past insurmountable odds, even discarded his own plans.

He took a step forward, his heart pounding, the grim solution forming in his mind.

"Stop it."

“What do you mean, stop it! I have no reason to stop!” Subaru’s voice was edged with desperation as he took another step toward the ledge, ready to throw himself off.

“Stop it, Natsuki Subaru.” Priscilla’s voice halted him, cold yet resolute, piercing through his turmoil. Yet, even as her words reached him, Subaru felt the pull, the agonizing need to defy fate once more, to take the plunge.

Subaru’s breath hitched as he stared at the sunlit edges of Priscilla’s fading form, his heart hammering against his ribs. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. He had come so far, fought through endless death, refused to let anyone be swallowed by the fate this world had deemed inevitable. He had promised Otto. He had sworn to save as many people as he could, had pushed himself past the point of breaking—and yet, here she was. Dying. Fading. Slipping through his fingers at the very last moment. A woman he had once written off, someone he had dismissed as unreachable, only for fate to prove him wrong. She had stood beside him, fought beside him—and now she was disappearing, because he hadn’t been good enough. His mind reeled, grasping for a way to fix this, to undo this, to cheat fate just one more time. But the answer was already there, wasn’t it? He had no choice. His trembling fingers clenched at his sleeves as he turned, breathless, toward the edge of the castle wall.

"Your power and Al's…You can alter the very fabric of fate itself. But remember,” her tone softened, carrying a weight he couldn’t fully understand. “Some things—some wishes—remain. Even when untouched by power or prayer.”

“What… what are you talking about?!” Subaru’s voice trembled, frustration bleeding through as he clung to the edge. “I don’t have time to just—”

“Natsuki Subaru.”

Her voice echoed through him, breaking his focus. His hands, clenched so hard his nails dug into the wood, started to bleed. He felt his heart urging him to leap, to ignore everything and act. He had risked everything for the Empire, fought against the Great Calamity with his very life. Every part of him demanded he keep fighting, that he save her no matter the cost.

But something in Priscilla’s words forced him to pause, just enough for reason to whisper against his impulse. He stood frozen, caught between his heart’s desperate plea and the calm stillness of her voice.

But this—this wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He had defied every expectation, forced his way through death after death to make the impossible happen—to save everyone. That was the whole point, wasn’t it? That was the rule. No matter how cruel fate was, no matter how many times it tore everything from his hands, as long as he kept dying, he could make sure everyone lived. That was why he was here. That was why he had survived, why he had fought, why he had suffered. And now, Priscilla—dying, fading, asking him to accept it—was telling him to do the one thing he couldn’t.

She was asking him to give up.

His instincts screamed at him to jump. To reset. To start over. But—where would that take him? How far back had Priscilla been marked for death? Could he have done something sooner? Could he have stopped Sphinx before any of this happened? Could he have cut through the shadows before they swallowed her whole? Could he have saved her? These were the questions that had kept him alive—kept him sane—through every death, every failure, every loss. If he could just go back far enough, he could fix it. But now, for the first time, he hesitated. Because this wasn’t just a calculation. It wasn’t a problem to solve, a puzzle to crack. This was Priscilla. Alive, in front of him, fading into nothing. And he was choosing not to act—not because he didn’t want to, but because her words held more weight than his own survival instinct. She was telling him to stop. The knowledge that he could reset at will had always been his greatest weapon, his greatest curse—but right now, standing before a woman who refused to let him play God with her life, he had never felt so powerless.

"Brother!" Al’s voice tore through the silence, as he clung to Priscilla with trembling hands, his voice thick with anguish. “Brother! You don’t have to think about anything—just do it! Save her… save Priscilla!”

"Aldebaran," Priscilla’s voice was firm yet gentle, addressing him by his true name. "Stop it."

“No!” Al’s voice cracked as he buried his face in her shoulder, unable to bear the sight of her fading away. “I won’t listen! I won’t let you go!”

Priscilla tightened her hold on him, her hand brushing softly against his neck in a gesture so tender it was as though she were soothing a frightened child. For a moment, she appeared like something from a dream, holding the knight who had always served her with unwavering loyalty. A scene too beautiful, too transient, to truly belong in this world.

"You two have saved the Empire. Many others have fought with all their might, but what you’ve sacrificed—no one else could compare.” Priscilla’s lips curved into a delicate, beautiful smile, carrying a weight of finality.

Neither Subaru’s desperate plea nor Al’s anguished cries could break through Priscilla’s calm, almost reverent tone. Her words washed over them like fire, burning away every impression they’d ever held of her. In that moment, she appeared as though illuminated by the glow of a love that had always been buried, sparking alive with the end so near.

“I know you've done this over and over, and always without a thought to place yourselves above anyone else.” Her crimson eyes softened, tracing over Subaru’s face. “So I imagine you’ve never received a proper reward. Allow me to give it to you now.”

Priscilla closed her eyes momentarily, then opened them, reflecting Subaru in her crimson eyes “Yours was a noble fight, Natsuki Subaru. You are a true knight.”

The words pierced Subaru’s heart like an arrow. His knees buckled, and he sank to the floor, unable to hold himself up. His lips quivered, and his mind, clouded and chaotic, spun through a storm of emotions he couldn’t name. But even in the confusion, his heart knew one thing with a crushing certainty: Natsuki Subaru could not save Priscilla Barielle.

“Aldebaran, you too…”

“I told you to stop!” Al choked, his grip tightening around Priscilla. “I won’t give up—I can’t! That’s… that’s not right! If I give up, then… then you… Princess…”

As Subaru knelt, silent and unmoving, Al’s voice grew weaker, his desperate defiance dissolving into soft, broken cries. Priscilla looked at him then with a gentle smile, her expression softening in a way that almost resembled Yorna’s own—a motherly warmth. She cradled his face as he wept, as if comforting a lost child.

“What’s with this big guy whining and wailing? Outrageous,” she whispered, her voice light yet full of affection.

“Princess…!”

“Haha, I hear you. Crying and begging me to marry you,” she teased, her tone laced with bittersweet humor.

“...ah,”

Priscilla’s gaze softened as she met Al’s desperate eyes. Her lips parted in a gentle, triumphant smile as Al’s voice broke into a hoarse whisper, trembling with the intensity of his confession.

“Please, princess… become mine,” he murmured, holding her tightly, as though he could keep her in his arms forever.

With that admission, a vow that could not be taken back, his love spilled over. Al poured all his long-buried devotion into those words, and Priscilla’s crimson eyes glowed as she accepted his fervor.

“See? I have won again,” she said, her tone filled with quiet pride, her face lighting up with that familiar, defiant look of victory. Even in her final moments, Priscilla Barielle was the epitome of confidence, a woman who had always laid claim to the world itself with unshakable arrogance.

The “Sun Princess” radiated a brilliance so powerful, it seemed as though even the world itself could not look away from her, as she became one with the star burning above.

Al fell to his knees, clinging to her as if he could somehow stop the inevitable, and Priscilla turned her gaze to Subaru. Her expression softened, a mixture of fondness and gratitude etched in her eyes.

“Remember, you who chose the path of a hero, who defies the fate others would surrender to. You will bear wounds that are not yours, shoulder grief that belongs to others, and shed tears that aren’t from your own pain. But most of those you meet on this path—they will be neither good nor noble, and they will fall short of perfect.”

Subaru’s eyes widened, transfixed by her words, as she continued, her voice unwavering.

“There will be days when you regret your own actions, nights when you lament choices you could not change, and mornings when the weight of your path will not let you stand tall. You will see both the flaws in those you love and the beauty in those you cannot bring yourself to care for, and you will stumble and fall. Yet each time this happens, remember this.”

Priscilla’s smile grew, radiant and full, a final expression of acceptance and gratitude.

“I, Priscilla Barielle, a perfect woman, have praised you.”

Subaru and Al watched, spellbound, as she held them in her gaze, a woman of such strength and grace she could stand on the edge of oblivion and offer herself without a single regret. She stood on the barren castle walls, giving everything she had to stand against the “Great Calamity,” and her final smile burned into their memories, a symbol of the faith she had in them both.

As Subaru stared, unable to look away, he saw her form begin to dissolve into the morning light, her figure scattering like embers.

“Such is the beauty of this world. Therefore…”

“The world is made to suit my convenience."

True to those words, the woman who was loved by the world and loved it even more was now gone.

Subaru’s gaze dropped to the ground, his spirit hollowed, defeated. He’d had a choice, and he had chosen—to honor the last words of a woman whose light blazed as brilliantly as the sun, who had left him with her final praise, content with her end.

A fate beyond changing. Whether by her own will or by something greater, Priscilla Barielle, the woman who once claimed the world was crafted for her alone, had left it.

Subaru Natsuki was left bearing a new weight, knowing that in this battle, fate had claimed the final victory. He felt the crushing burden of Priscilla’s death upon his shoulders.

A desperate urge surged within him—to end it all, to throw himself back into the cycle and try again. Yet her words held him, bound his hands with invisible chains. How could it be that, for someone who had challenged this world’s very fabric, a mere mortal’s final wish echoed so deeply within him that it stilled his own defiant spirit?

Priscilla Barielle, once more, proved the world that what she desired couldn’t be contested.

Even in death.

Slowly, Subaru lifted his gaze, his eyes hard and vacant as they locked onto the sun above. He glared into its blinding light as if daring it to burn him, his vision unfazed, as though he’d been scorched beyond pain.

Moments passed. His jaw tightened, and he slowly rose, fists clenching.

Al didn’t stir. Silent as a gravestone, he remained kneeling where she had left him, locked in stillness, as if her death had taken part of him with her.

Subaru’s jaw trembled with a mixture of frustration and fury as he took one step, then another, his glare fixed unwaveringly on the distant sun.

She was gone.

And yet, his glare did not waver.

Priscilla had always met the world with arrogance, with absolute certainty that her way was the only way. He had fought against that at every turn, had clashed with her, resisted her, refused to bow before her absolute presence. She had never been someone he agreed with, nor someone he thought he could ever truly stand beside.

And yet—

He had tried. For once, he had tried.

He had done what he could for her, listened to her words, given her the dignity of choice—even when everything in him screamed to take it away. And now? Now he was choosing again. Even knowing she would disapprove, even knowing she would sneer at the sentiment.

She had left him with one last lesson, but he would walk his own path, just as he always had. Not in submission to her ideals, not in blind obedience, but in defiance. In his own way, just as she had always done.

And so, Subaru glared into the sun.

Not in mourning.

But in resolve.

Each step carried him closer, until he closed his eyes, his feet suspended above ground, his body tipping forward—

And his vision faded into nothingness once more…

“...”

“Stop it, Natsuki Subaru,” a voice called sharply from behind.

Turning around, he saw her again, as Al held her in his arms, almost disappearing. 

"Your and Al's powers may even have the power to change the laws of fate. But remember. There are those who wish for things that cannot be changed, even with your power and prayers."

“...That’s a fucking joke.” He grunted, staring at her burning irises with a broken smile, “so that’s how it’s going to go? This again?” 

Priscilla was slightly taken aback. Those words weren’t what she expected, neither was that expression on his face. And the words he had spoken–full of contempt, almost venomous–didn’t seem to be directed towards her. 

"Brother! Please... please! You don't have to think about anything! Just do it! Save the Princess... Save Priscilla!!" Al pleaded, still holding Priscilla with one arm. 

Subaru stared at Priscilla, then looked at Al before he averted his gaze. 

Priscilla widened her eyes. 

“You…Even after I told you-, no” the smile that Priscilla was supposed to have at this moment was replaced with a severe expression, “after I demanded you…” 

“Brother…” Al’s voice hitched. Both Subaru and Priscilla’s expressions were unnatural, as if they shared about something only they knew. And quickly it struck him, too.

“No…No…!” Aldebaran yelled, “NO! NO, NO, NO!” 

“...Do you not understand the meaning of it all, Natsuki Subaru?” Priscilla’s wrath was only a matter of a second. 

Despite her will, he had tried. But it was not out of defiance, and this much she understood. He was a man with the heart of a hero, embedded in self-sacrifice to achieve an outcome favorable to all. 

A part of her remained disappointed that he would not heed her words–or rather the truth behind them–that her fate had already been sealed, and inflicted himself with more unnecessary pain. 

“You want me to sit down and watch you leave after…After all of this?” He tried his hardest to stop his tears from flowing out, still with his broken smile, “give me a break, Priscilla.” 

“I want you to see that such things cannot be changed. No matter your strength, no matter the laws of this world that you may defy,” Priscilla spoke with a soothing voice, similar to her mother’s. Despite his transgression, he would come to understand in an even harsher way how things must end, and she did not wish for his last memory of her to be one of conflict, “this is the outcome that I, and this world, have come to.” 

“If I had beaten Sphinx…If I had found a way to-” 

“Do not begin to have remorse over me, Natsuki Subaru. This was not a fight for you to claim victory. This was not where one of the many paths of fate brought you to,” She cut him, shaking her head slowly, “This path…This story…” 

Her red irises reflected him once more, as she smiled; confident and strong. 

“It was mine to finish.” 

This smile. This beautiful smile. This disgusting smile. 

The smile Subaru had to see. That he had to take, accept,carve into his memory. As Priscilla’s form withered once more, the sun brightness shone through her, taking her away.

“I…” He uttered, watching her disappear from Aldebaran’s embrace.

“I…Can…” His voice became louder and louder, as he refused to take his eyes off of her, while she was still visible, her eyes looking at Subaru as if waiting for him to finish his words. 

“I CAN RETURN BY DEATH!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, the ethereal face of Priscilla contorting in surprise. The pain of his heart, along with the shadows, rose. From his feet to the world around that she could still perceive, wrapping Subaru Natsuki as if one would embrace a lover, yet his eyes are still locked with hers. 

A figure appeared, shrouded in darkness–as was the world around–the only thing which could not be absorbed by this sea of void…The lock of silver hair. 

Before her expression upon seeing this could be perceived, Priscilla had vanished, Al was effortlessly swallowed by the witch, leaving only the man who could defy fate and the witch of Envy staring at one another, as she kept repeating the words she could not let go of. 

“Bring me back…” He told her, his expression one of wrath, a wrath which comes after the denial, a wrath which could not be described into words, “Bring me back…Now…” 

The witch didn’t heed his words, holding him tightly with her many hands as she kept repeating the same words. 

“I don’t care what it takes…I don’t care what you want…” He whispered again, his eyes glaring with such hatred that even the witch felt compelled to slowly stop her endless monologue, “Bring me back.” 

“...” The witch’s lips trembled. 

“It does not work that way…I refuse…you’re not getting your way and your final wish fulfilled while I get to eat the dirt and take on more and more…Not this time…Not again…” 

It felt like she was about to speak, but Subaru did not let her. 

“BRING. ME. BACK!” His voice erupted, as if he ordered the one being strong enough to swallow the world, “EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE A THOUSAND TIMES! EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE A MILLION TIMES…!” 

With the same smile that he had burned in his irises. The smile of the sun princess who had left him, beseeching him with the path of acceptance…

“HOW IS IT THAT YOU GET TO CHOOSE MY PATH! HOW IS IT THAT YOU GET TO HAVE WHAT YOU WANT FROM ME WHILE I HAVE TO CARRY ON WHATEVER HAPPENS!” He kept shouting, tearing his lungs. 

Finally, he had come to understand one thing, the most important thing that Priscilla had left for him. From the woman who accepted her fate as the world was made for her convenience, who accepted to leave. Who concluded her story with this world, from her own will… 

“This life…” He fought back against the hands, craning his head up as he faced the Witch, her whole being trembling in confusion, perhaps in fear…

“IS MINE!” 

“...”

There was no more embrace, and there was no witch when he opened his eyes again. The world was but a void, no color around except what was left when even the light of the sun dies away…And somehow, it all had an eerie to it.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” A voice erupted from nowhere. Everywhere and nowhere at the same time. A familiar voice.

Subaru looked up. Since he had no one to meet, he instinctively lifted his eyes as if speaking to a greater being. 

“This girl… At least she understood. It is actually surprising on its own that she was so fast to accept it. But even despite all of that, despite how hard she tried to make you understand, you still refuse to see it?”  

“The hell are you talking about…” He grunted, his voice low, “I don’t care, just bring me back…” 

“There is no saving her.” The voice concluded, almost annoyed , “She is not your purpose. And she has accomplished hers.” 

“Who the hell do you think you are to decide my purpose…To decide her purpose…” He coughed up, his breathing becoming difficult, “stop wasting my time and send me back…” 

“This does not change, no matter where you are.” 

Subaru narrowed his eyes, but didn’t reply.

“No matter your choices. No matter how you go on that journey. Priscilla Barielle dies here, where she belongs.” 

“Shut up…” 

“It is a constant that cannot be altered. Her existence is to cease here. And the rest of the world carries on without her. Even after it was laid out, you still refuse to acknowledge it?”

“AND WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?! GOD?! ” He coughed up, holding a hand to his torso, the pain only angering him more, “YOU DON’T GET TO DECIDE WHERE SHE ENDS!” 

“Because you do?” The voice replied “How ironic that you are blind to the very hypocrisy you try to point out. Priscilla Barielle has chosen to lay out her life for the empire. To live her last moments with you, and you wish to take that away from her?” 

“SHE ONLY DID BECAUSE SHE WAS FORCED TO!” He replied with full force, “BECAUSE SHE WAS PUT IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES! OF COURSE SHE WOULD ACCEPT IT IF IN HER EYES THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE YOU STUPID FUCK!” 

He fell on his knees again, breathing heavily, “Who am I even talking to…” 

That’s right. It was clear to him now. Who this voice was, what it tried to explain. It was impossible, but as he looked down the ground it was almost perceivable. Almost, just barely…It was as if he could see his own reflection.

“I will make that alternative happen…You, Satella…Or anyone else doesn't get to decide for me. Not again, not anymore… Not ever. If I have to live with this damned curse that refuses for me to die until I do whoever’s bidding, it won’t be before I accomplish mine first.” 

He looked around him, wondering what to do now. Should he find a way to end it? Would he have to die again, and again? Until Satella takes pity on him and allows his request? Until a miracle happens where he could find a cure for Priscilla?   

And suddenly, a faint light began to shine. 

It was not even the size of a needle, but in this sea of darkness it shone like the moon. He looked up to it, so close yet unreachable to him, he was mesmerized by it. Unironically, it reminded him of…

“Priscilla…” His lips parted to speak her name again, his eyes finally tearing up.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure if you knew you would grow to hate me again, maybe as much as you did before…” He smiled, rubbing the tears away from his face, “but…”

He breathed in and out, giving himself a moment of silence as if to prepare for the task ahead. Closing his eyes as the memories of her last dance with Al flashed in his mind. One of the rare times where he had felt like he could have fearlessly called Priscilla Barielle a friend, and she would have reciprocated.

Natsuki Subaru had seen that pattern too many times. Without rest, all those he began to care deeply about seemed to be doomed to a certain fate unless he would go to immeasurable heights to prevent it. But he had done it many times in the past, what would one more do to him? 

“I’m a selfish guy…” He chuckled, Priscilla’s beautiful visage coming to mind, “So…I hope you will forgive me.” 

He clenched his fist, his smile turning into a more serious expression. The source of light grew bigger, and the familiar feeling Subaru felt was answered. 

“Satella…?” When he understood that the place he was stepping in was the shadow garden, he instinctively looked for the master of this domain, and a noise echoed over his shoulder.

When he turned around, he met her...

Her body still ethereal, yet with his sight devoid of any other color than the white light above, he could see her perfectly. 

The sun princess… Was right there. Perhaps it was the nature of a place like the shadow garden of the witch that could allow such a meeting to take place, or by the will of something greater. By the world, perhaps abiding to her command even in that state.

Priscilla Barielle was standing in front of Natsuki Subaru, but a few steps away. Looking at him with an expression he couldn’t decipher, mixing shock, anger, annoyance, disappointment… 

“How far will this stubborn knight go?” She sighed, coming closer to him. There was much she understood, and much which still required an answer. But as of now, she was more focused on the boy somehow bringing her back from the clutches of a fate which had reached its end a few moments ago.

He was unable to speak. Perhaps because of  his heart pains and his lungs still hurting. He could only stare at her, a faint smile of gratitude on his face. “There is one thing that I couldn’t tell you… It wasn’t really the time for it, so…” 

She tilted her head, waiting for him to finish. 

“I am terrible at farewells.”

She looked at him with eyes wide, and in a blink (of an eye)…

‘...’

‘...’

‘...’

“...Subaru?” 

A lighter world filled his eyes, devoid of the sinister atmosphere of the witch’s garden. He widened his eyes as it took him only a moment to realize that he was back in the original world. But rather than his sight, it was his ears which struck him the most… Looking to his side, he saw Medium and Flop gazing at him with a look of worry. His eyes wandered behind him to see the city he had just conquered with a bloodless siege, and on his other side…Was Priscilla and Aldebaran. 

“You went quiet for a while, are you okay?” Medium leaned forward, trying to figure out what was wrong.

“...I’m fine, sorry I… spaced out for a second.” He breathed out, hiding his relief before he raised his eyes towards Priscilla.

She was staring at him, her expression unreadable. Something he didn’t remember she did before. 

“Um… Are you guys… I mean, is there something you want to say?” Flop cleared his throat, eyeing both Priscilla and Subaru. 

There was definitely something going on, something unnatural.

“Um… No? I mean, I don’t think so, Priscilla-san?” He scratched the back of his head, as Priscilla’s expression turned nonplussed. 

“Indeed… Natsuki Subaru.”

Everyone around–including Vincent–directed their gaze to Priscilla at the surprise of her speaking a name they were not used to. 

And Subaru… Was apparently left with a whole new set of troubles ahead of him. 

“I have a matter to discuss with you,” the sun princess got up, making him understand that he had to follow,” remove these distasteful clothes and come.” 

Taking a glance at everyone around–all rightfully wondering what happened for her to request a private discussion–he quickly got on his feet and followed her. As they reached one of the tents around, he took a moment to remove his disguise, and she finally turned around and took a good look at Subaru. 

“Priscilla…-”

“What is the meaning of this, Natsuki Subaru?” she cut him short, “do you realize what you have done?” 

“...” Subaru averted his gaze, “I do but…I didn’t expect that.” 

“ That?” She repeated, raising an eyebrow. 

“Usually I’m the only one who comes back…” He said hesitantly, “the fact that someone else would remember is…I mean, it never happened…” 

Priscilla huffed, crossing her arms under her chest. It wasn’t unusual for someone like her to be an exception to the rule, but even to her, something so unique was a first.

“So this is the ability which alters fate itself,” she mused, her expression pensive, “and it requires your death for it to reset the world..” 

Subaru wordlessly nodded his head, not taking his eyes away from the princess who seemed to be collecting her thoughts about having returned back in time. 

Neither Priscilla nor Subaru could take out of their minds that a moment ago, she had accepted her death. To leave this world without holding regrets, her mind and soul were ready. 

This was undoubtedly the hardest part Subaru would have to face. It was not a question of the battles ahead or the great calamity, it was that for the first time since his arrival in Lugunica, he had to deal with someone else than himself returning by death, holding her own memories of her past life. It was always easier for him to go through the loops and succeed while carrying the burden of memories on his own but now it was fundamentally different. 

“Hum…I’m sure you have a lot of questions-”

Priscilla narrowed her eyes, coldly cutting him off,“All of the obstacles in your way. All of your achievements, up to the Great Calamity. You have lost it all.”

“So what?” After taking a moment to process her words,he replied with a voice barely above a whisper, “I can do it all over again. And beating Sphinx will be easier now that we know what she is up to.” 

Priscilla’s face turned severe. Stepping dangerously close, the fire in her eyes reflecting her anger, “you have thrown everything you have sacrificed so much for, and for what? The petty hope of a future in which I live?” 

“Yes.” He replied without a hint of hesitation. Unphased by neither her voice nor her stance, “I don’t care about the actions I can just accomplish again, Priscilla. The lives that I can save–those of my friends on top of it all–matters way more than a tough fight.” 

“...” Priscilla’s expression remained ominous, as if scrutinizing Subaru’s words. 

“I know you were content with the way things ended…But I just wasn’t.” Subaru shook his head, his fist tightening, “I’m not…Looking to undermine what you did, not at all. To me you are amazing, Priscilla.”

“...” 

“But I just can’t fathom the thought that we all get to continue without you, just because we couldn’t find you a way out in time,” he raised his voice, a hand over his heart, “It didn’t feel right–no, it just wasn’t right…So I’ll do it all over again.” 

But it wasn’t just him. It was never just him. Priscilla’s loss was a wound that would cut deeper than she would ever know. Vincent, who had spent years maneuvering, sacrificing, doing everything in his power to ensure his sister could live beyond the empire’s grip, had only just reconnected with her—only to lose her again, this time for good. Schult, the boy who saw her as his savior, the one who had been given a future because of her mercy, would never hear her voice again. Heinkel, who had already lost everything, had just lost the one person who could have been instrumental in saving his wife. Al, who had walked through hell for her, was left with nothing but the silence of her absence. Yorna, stripped of the daughter she had finally reclaimed. Arakiya, bereft of the sister she had once called home. Even Emilia and Anastasia, distant from her world, had lost something that could have been—a friend, an ally.

And Subaru—Subaru had lost something too. Something he never thought he could have with her.

“...” 

“I’ll beat Todd. I’ll beat the divine generals. I’ll convince Yorna, I’ll raise the army, I’ll-” He stopped himself before going any further, lifting his eyes to Priscilla’s, “We will face Sphinx. And we’ll come back home together.” 

“You…Truly are a fool with no equal,” to Subaru’s dismay, Priscilla sighed in disappointment, turning away from him as she held a finger to her front lobe as if to ease a headache. 

“Priscilla…!”

“There are more things at play than the Great Calamity, Natsuki Subaru!” She turned around abruptly, the anger of her voice nearly palpable. 

She was furious. And if it was not for the shared memories she held with Subaru, her reflex would have probably been to lop his head off right here.

They had grown since a time like that existed, far closer than they had ever been. Close enough for such habits to remain buried behind the respect she now held for the half-elf’s knight. But even that respect, once firmly placed, had begun to wane beneath the weight of his overwhelming foolishness. To go this far, to throw himself into the abyss for the sake of a political rival, for a woman who had never once softened her edges for him—it was absurd

“In order for what was, to be whole. For this empire to be restored, my death was inevitable. Such is the reason why this world led me where our paths ended.” 

Subaru remained frozen, his face translating the utter confusion he felt as Priscilla’s words struck him like lighting. He slowly understood, his own frustration–and anger–rising from within. 

“The imperial selection…?” he uttered in disbelief,  “don’t give me that crap! You decided to die so that Vincent would be declared the winner of that stupid battle royale?!” 

“Careful of the words you speak, Natsuki Subaru.” Priscilla's voice grew threatening, as a warning for the one who became perhaps too comfortable with someone he should not.

“Or what? You’re going to kill me!?” He raised his arms wide, as if to invite her, “go ahead, see what happens!” 

Priscilla glared at him for a brief moment. The disappointment and contempt was clear in her eyes, but Subaru was having none of it. 

“That’s such bullshit…” he spat out, throwing his arms down as he averted his gaze from her. If he became an annoyance for Priscilla, the matter was true for the opposite as well. 

A brief moment of silence fell between the two. Priscilla knew there was no reasoning with him and didn’t wish for the discussion to go any further. What had to happen would still happen so long as the world would accomplish what she deemed natural, and this was an outcome Natsuki Subaru would have to accept. 

“You don’t need to die for the Great disaster to be prevented, and you don’t need to die so that stuck-up emperor gets his head in the game,” he stepped closer to the sun princess, uncaring for any sort of consequences which could arise, “I will prove it to you.” 

Priscilla was mildly surprised at how close he dared to approach her. His face but a few centimeters from hers, his eyes reflecting her ruby irises. So close,they were breathing the same air, probably so close that Natsuki Subaru didn’t notice. 

“I will defeat Vollachia, and I will save you, Priscilla,” he spoke his heart out, his eyes reflecting nothing but his resilience, “because if the world is made for your convenience…Before that, the world answers to me!” 

For the first time. For over all the months he had spent in this world, and the countless lives he had lived up until now. Natsuki Subaru had for the first time claimed something he never believed he could. 

A few seconds passed as they were locked in such a strange stalemate, until Priscilla’s face cracked into a smile. 

“...Pfft…Ahahah…Ahahahahah! Would you listen to that!” She began to laugh loudly, it happened so suddenly that Subaru felt a bit taken aback. 

Priscilla couldn’t help but laugh. It was neither haughty, nor sarcastic. It was a laugh devoid of any malicious intent. She couldn’t help but laugh, knowing who was the man who spoke such big words to her. She almost felt like praising him for that, or at least commending him for declaring something so outrageous, and yet…As she slowly calmed her laugh, looking up to the eyes of the man–perhaps the boldest man of all–who for the first time in her existence, dared to contest her ownership of the world… 

“Very well, Natsuki Subaru.” She smiled, looking at him with contempt no more. Her gaze was full of satisfaction, curiosity, and perhaps even pride, “For you to defy the empire of Vollachia once more, for the sole sake of crafting a future in which I am to take the throne of Lugunica, I shall give you the chance you seek to prove yourself worthy.” 

Subaru opened his mouth, but soon realized that this wasn’t that surprising. If she was to live, it means she would still run for the royal selection of Lugunica, which in the end simply made his glad that she would not outright reject a future in which her death was avoided.

“I feel like you’re going way ahead of yourself right now but…” He chuckled, breathing in relief, “thank you, Priscilla.” 

He then perked up at her last words, “wait, worthy? Worthy of what?” 

Priscilla raised an eyebrow, as if what she was about to say wasn’t obvious,“Worthy of changing the world that is mine, of course.”

“...What are you doing, exactly?” Priscilla spoke with a curious voice, seeing Subaru stare at her body with utmost focus in his eyes. 

“You literally requested the same thing you did last time! I’m making sure this isn't a red flag, that’s all!” He exclaimed as he scrutinized Priscilla’s body, making sure that nothing was see-through. 

“...In a completely objective way, it simply looks like you are lusting after the body of the perfect woman in front of you,” Priscilla replied as she calmly took a sip of her drink, “ One might assume this to be your true intentions for going back. Was that final dance not enough for you?"

“Damn it, don’t make it so weird! I’m just worried!” He immediately averted his gaze, trying to hide the blush over his face, “A-and where the hell is Al?!”

The battle was over. Once more, Subaru Natsuki had managed to defeat the great calamity, albeit without half of the hardships he previously faced thanks to the sun princess at his side. 

Surprisingly, she had still found herself in the same dimension she had been previously trapped in, only this time Subaru had managed to break in using the dragon tamer Balleroy, and liberate Priscilla without the need of burning this dimension–and herself–to the ground. A simple change in the grand scheme of things, but sufficient enough for the end of Priscilla Barielle to be averted. 

The sun arose over the horizon, prompting both of them to admire it. Once more, Subaru couldn’t help but look at her, feeling his heartbeat rise slightly as the memories of this same exact moment, of her disappearance, flashed in his eyes. Words couldn’t describe the relief and the peace he felt when all he saw was light, warm and beautiful, brightening her skin. 

Priscilla gazed towards Subaru, her ruby irises lighting up with a feeling of curiosity as she saw him smile at her.

“Aaaah…”Closing his eyes, he breathed in, “nothing beats a happy ending.” 

“Who would have thought,” she leaned over her hand, toying with her glass as she smiled as well,” you truly managed to accomplish the impossible. To change the tides of fate, and carve into this world the path you wanted.” 

“I told you, didn’t I?” A warm smile appeared on Subaru’s face, “there was no need for you to die, Priscilla.”

“It is too soon to claim that things will be any better, Natsuki Subaru,” she snorted, taking another sip of her drink, “the world in which I had come to my end was supposed to restore the strength of the imperial bloodline.” 

“What was left of it, you mean.” Subaru leaned against the banister, crossing his arms. 

She looked up to him for a brief moment, expressionless, wordlessly telling him to keep quiet if it is to state the obvious. 

“That’s not something I’d ever be able to understand, so I don’t want to act as if I’m the only one in the right,” he cleared his throat, “but I’m pretty sure that’s not necessary.” 

“...” 

“Vincent is here, and so are you. He didn’t seem troubled by the fact that you were alive, actually he made it pretty clear that he preferred it this way,” He spoke his mind, “and…I mean think about it;if you ever have children in the future could you stomach the idea of them killing each other over the vollachian bloodline, Priscilla? If such a terrible tradition exists for the empire someone has to end it. So isn’t it good if it starts with us? ” 

“Us?” She snorted.

“Don’t try to toss me out of it, I worked hard for this golden loop to happen, alright?! I deserve credit!” He faked a voice of outrage before smiling again

“I was rather referring to the other matter, Subaru.” She kept her eyes upon him, waiting for his reaction. 

“Ah…That…” Subaru cleared his throat, unsure of what to say. 

“What kind of face is that? Did you really think that going against a fate I had desired would come without a price?”

“I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t expect something to be different since that entire ordeal was just…So special. But I sure as hell didn’t expect something like that…” 

Priscilla stood up, stepping closer to him, “even in this new reality. To stand where we stand now…You have returned, haven't you not?” 

Subaru silently nodded his head, “Did…Did you…”

“I did not. But nevertheless, I could feel it. Every time it has happened.” She put a hand over his torso, where his heart was, “in a way or another, your actions have intertwined our souls.” 

“...I guess, that would explain why you stood in the shadow garden.” He sighed, grimacing at the prospects he began to think of. His gaze was hung low, staring at the ground as if it showcased him the eventual consequences of having Priscilla linked to someone like him.

“Natsuki Subaru.” She spoke his name, a demand for him to look back at her. 

“If this is true, there are…A lot of things that I must talk to you about…Or rather, warn you about,” His gaze went back to her eyes, both reflecting in each other’s irises, “but…Later. For now, let’s carry on with the celebration.”

Priscilla’s eyes didn’t stray from Subaru’s, her mind lost in wonder. If she was one to be perfect, to have her will uncontested, for her words to be truth and law. Then, to bear witness of a man who had willingly seen her will accomplished and decided to contest it, fight it, and change it of his own volition…

Such heresy should have been met with appropriate punishment. 

Yet, Priscilla Barielle did not feel like he should be chastised and such, she was wondering why it did not seem so. 

‘If the world is made to work in the favor of Priscilla Barielle, then just apply that to the new reality we are in.’

The sun princess’s eyes lit up as she heard his words. 

Subaru smiled cheerfully,“The world requires you to live, Priscilla.” 

“...Mh. I suppose there is no denying such truth.” She proudly smiled, realizing that her wonders were answered. 

“Natsuki Subaru.” Removing her hand from his chest, she called his name.

He couldn’t help but become rigid at the sound of her voice. He could feel that what she was about to say was important, and so he listened.

“For your fight against fate itself, for the sacrifices you have made to bend reality to your command, and force this world out of nothing but your will, I, Priscilla Barielle, praises you,” the sun shone its brightest light, so the sun princess would be true to her name, as beautiful as ever. It was the second time that Subaru felt like he couldn’t take his eyes off of her, “you are a true knight.”

He smiled. An uncontrollable smile of pure joy. To hear these words again, and to know it wouldn’t be followed by the crushing feeling of having her disappear. To know he had a friend in her, and that he could throw that future where she was not a part of his life away. 

And with a heartfelt voice, he slightly bowed his head, “It was my pleasure, Priscilla.”

Shrouded in darkness, a tall figure towered in front of Subaru, his presence imposing and absolute. Kneeling and defeated, Subaru’s breath came in sharp, pained gasps, his body weighed down by an unbearable fatigue. The figure before him seemed limitless, a shroud of pure darkness against an endless stretch of water, as if they both stood alone on the ocean’s surface, the sun rising ominously on the distant horizon.

“I hope you’re proud of yourself,” the figure sneered, his tone laced with disdain.

“…”

“All this work, all these sacrifices, all these years! You wasted it all, and for what?!” The man’s voice rose, bitter and accusatory, each word striking Subaru like a blade.

“Was it worth it? Was it worth it, ‘Subaru’?! To try and be something, to try so hard for an attempt at independence, going against the very reason you were even born!”

“…”

“You could have had everything…” The figure’s voice took on a darker, almost mocking tone. “I could have given you power, wealth, wisdom, strength unparalleled… You could have been a god among men, a being capable of standing even against the observers themselves… What else did you need?”

“…”

“WHAT ELSE DID YOU NEED?!” The figure’s voice thundered across the ocean, his anger palpable.

“…Freedom.” Subaru’s response was almost a whisper, yet it cut through the silence like a razor.

The figure’s laughter echoed, a cold, hollow sound that seemed to come from every direction. “This freedom… against everything else?”

A sinister smirk curled on the man’s shadowed face. “I should have ended you when I had the chance.”

As the figure’s silhouette began to dissolve, transforming into ash and scattering into the wind, so too did Subaru’s body begin to break apart. Piece by piece, his form frayed at the edges, burning like paper catching fire, his flesh and bones disintegrating into embers that floated upward, vanishing into the rising dawn.

Flugel’s form was the first to disappear completely, yet his final gaze remained imprinted in Subaru’s mind—an expression of pure, unrestrained hatred, lingering long after his face had turned to dust.

Subaru tilted his head back, looking up at the vast, brightening sky. He felt no pain, only an odd sense of detachment as his body continued to burn away. The warmth of the sun’s rays reached him, a gentle, indifferent caress. He let his consciousness drift, willing himself to find peace in these final moments.

The voices echoed around him, slipping in and out of focus:

“Every living soul in this world is nothing but a tool for me to reach my goal. That includes you, Subaru.”

“Why…? Why is this reality so different?! What went wrong?! WHY WON’T YOU LISTEN?!”

“DON’T! SUBARU! LISTEN TO ME! SHE IS THE ONE YOU LOVE! SHE IS THE ONE THAT IS DEAREST TO YOUR HEART! WITHOUT HER, YOU WILL BE NOTHING! I WILL BE NOTHING!”

“You have to break the circle, Subaru. You are the only one who can do it.”

“Brother…”

Subaru’s eyes opened at the sound of that last voice. He turned his head, and there, beside him, sat Aldebaran, casually watching the sunrise alongside him as if they were nothing more than two comrades sharing a peaceful morning.

“What… the hell…” Subaru muttered, his voice a mix of disbelief and confusion.

“You seriously did it.” Al’s voice was warm, an unexpected hint of pride coloring his tone. “I still have a hard time believing it…You saved this world.”

A faint smirk tugged at Subaru’s lips, and he let out a soft, weary breath. “There’s… at least one good thing… that came out of this fiasco.”

Al shot him a sidelong glance, a touch of sadness behind his mask. “Brother?”

“It’s fine…” Subaru’s voice trailed off, as though he were speaking more to himself than to anyone else. “I’m just… so tired.”

Al fell silent, sensing the weight of Subaru’s words, the resignation they held. After a long pause, Subaru continued, his voice softer than before.

“It just had to be this way… I figured that out a long time ago.” He glanced up at the sky, his gaze unfocused.

“But…” Al’s voice faltered, the usual confidence stripped away, leaving only raw vulnerability. “You always talked about a happy ending…”

A faint exhale escaped Subaru, almost a sigh. “Yeah… a happy ending.” He paused, letting the words linger in the air. “Just… not for me.”

“Brother—”

“The world will be better this way.” Subaru’s gaze returned to the horizon, a strange calm settling over him. “A world without anyone who can just… reset it.”

He blinked, and suddenly, Al’s presence was gone. Subaru was alone once more. His body continued to break apart, embers drifting up to join the lightning sky. The left side of his face had almost completely burnt to ashes, but with his last remaining eye, he took one final look at the rising sun, allowing its warmth to fill him.

And then, with quiet resolve, he closed his eye, surrendering to the encroaching darkness.

“…It’s good, isn’t it?” he whispered, his voice fading into the silence as the last of him was carried away by the morning light.

In the vast darkness, a familiar voice echoed, resonating with a calm, unwavering strength.

“I should have always had faith in you. I’m sorry it took me so much time to realize."

A faint whisper broke through the silence. “...Al…” Subaru’s voice was barely audible, floating in the endless void.

“Everything was made so that you would be defeated,” Al’s voice continued, solemn yet filled with awe. “The Observers, Flugel, Echidna, the Od itself… even me. Every being that controlled existence wanted you dead. And somehow… you still pulled through. You did it.”

“…”

“And… you saved the princess. You saved me.” Al’s voice trembled with gratitude. “Despite everything, you refused to let them take me. Hell knows I deserved it.”

“W-wait…Al…!” Subaru’s voice wavered, reaching out to the only warmth in the consuming dark.

“Thank you, Subaru….No, Brother.” Al’s tone softened, filled with joy and conviction. “Now, it’s my turn to save you.”

As if summoned by those words, Subaru opened his eyes. He lay sprawled on the warm, yielding sand, grains clinging to his hands and face. Sunlight streamed down, its heat gently pulling him back to consciousness. He squinted against the glare, and the sight that met him stole his breath.

There, looming in the distance, was the shattered remains of the Pleiades Watchtower. Its once-proud form now lay in ruins, with pieces of stone and rubble scattered like fallen giants around its crumbling base. The tower’s peak, broken and jagged, had collapsed dangerously close to where he lay, casting twisted shadows over the landscape. At the tower’s base, a sight even more foreboding—a darkened, yawning opening: the unsealed tomb of the witch, its depths ominously empty.

And beside it, coiled in stillness, lay the divine dragon Volcanica, his legendary form etched with marks of battle, his massive scales dull beneath the harsh sun.

Subaru blinked, as the dragon turned to him, his voice a rasp in his throat. “You… you live?”

A rumble reverberated through the earth as Volcanica, battered and bloodied, struggled forward. His massive, wounded body seemed to shudder with each movement, yet his gaze, fierce and unbroken, was fixed on Subaru.

“...Where… where is—?” Subaru’s words faltered when his eyes were drawn towards a sole black helmet standing upon the sand. Its iconic red feather on top.

And Volcanica, his immense form bending low, drew closer. His blood, trickling in thick rivulets from gaping wounds, seeped into the sand near Subaru, each drop shaking the ground with its weight.

“I shall not let you die, old friend…” Volcanica’s voice was low,  one of a creature that had seen ages pass. “Not again…”

With painstaking care, Volcanica let his blood touch the sand beside Subaru, and as the life-giving ichor soaked into the ground, Subaru felt a strange warmth begin to flow through him. A surge of strength, powerful and primal, began to knit his fractured spirit.

“Accept this blood of mine… take my strength…” The dragon’s voice grew softer, yet each syllable held undeniable power. “Our future is now in your hands.”

Volcanica’s once-bright eyes, now dimming, gazed at Subaru with an expression almost like pride. “You have defeated fate itself, Natsuki Subaru…” A faint, weary smile curved upon the dragon’s lips.

With those final words, Volcanica’s form stilled, his massive head settling onto the sand beside Subaru, his eyes slowly closing. As the dragon’s last breath left him, eyes glimmering with hope as he uttered the words which echoed in Subaru’s consciousness, fading away…

“Thank you…For everything.” 

“...This is impossible.” The voice was sharp, like cold steel, layered with disbelief that seemed to cut through the darkness itself. It lingered, echoing with a note of restrained fury.

“How did we end up here? This makes no sense.” Another voice replied, low and resonant, its tone burdened with something akin to dread, vibrating as though heavy with the weight of countless ages of observation.

“It is the one he broke away from the witch for. The woman who altered his fate.” The cold voice returned, this time laced with an almost begrudging respect, reluctant yet unable to deny the reality before it.

“Prisca Benedict?” The second voice questioned, now tinged with a mix of curiosity and accusation, as though sifting through the pieces of a shattered design.

“Her death was supposed to bring the other one back on his written path. Eventually, he would be put down by Flugel’s protégé. She was destined to die—no, she did die. But he forced her to return.” The steel-like voice grew sharper, edged with incredulity and something perilously close to admiration.

“So these two were meant to face each other?” The second voice, usually even and detached, cracked with surprise and frustration, the disbelief shaking its otherwise immovable timbre.

“Of course. With his purpose lost, Aldebaran would have inevitably resumed his original role—advancing her designs.” The steel voice softened, as though relishing the intricacies of this path laid out in perfect, unbroken lines, now disrupted.

“...To stand against the Sage when he sought to save Envy.” The deep voice, firm and unyielding, spoke with a tone that held centuries of disdain toward the unpredictable web of mortal affairs.

“And Natsuki Subaru, determined not to lose another soul precious to him after Prisca’s death, would do anything to protect those he cared about. Even Satella, whom he also vowed to save.” The steel voice nearly hissed the words, dripping with contempt, each syllable imbued with a seething frustration barely held in check.

“Thus, he would be driven to kill the following star… and by that act, his authority would be fully realized. Shaping reality to his will.” The resonant voice fell silent, darkly contemplative, each word seeming to carry the weight of a thousand unseen consequences. It paused before continuing, now underscored with an ominous gravity. “This was Flugel’s plan?” 

“All of it. Yet in this specific reality, there were variables even Flugel could not anticipate. Aldebaran and Otto Suwen are prime examples. One was merely Echidna’s means of dividing the Sage’s authority, keeping him from saving Satella, while the other—”

“I am well aware of Suwen’s purpose.” The second voice cut in, its tone suddenly brittle, almost affronted. “None of these were ever meant to divert the Sage from his goal, and Flugel made certain of that.”

“Once again, it is Prisca Benedict.”

“What does that bastard child have to do with any of this?” the voice seethed, icy rage dripping from every syllable.

“You sound unusually venomous.”

“That insufferable brat continued claiming this world as hers, daring to defy our power as though we were equals. Were it not for Flugel’s insistent pleas, I would have crushed her myself long ago, reducing her to the dust beneath our feet. At least I took some satisfaction knowing she believed her death was hers to choose.”

“...I hadn’t realized she rattled you so.” The first voice hummed, almost amused. “Yet she is indeed the key. In drawing close to Natsuki Subaru, Prisca Benedict fostered in him a spark of pride, enough for him to defy Satella—no, Flugel’s authority over him—and reclaim his power to save her.”

“...Absurd…” The word was soft, laden with disbelief.

“Had she died as intended, Aldebaran would have returned to Echidna’s control. And thus, rather than facing each other—”

“The Sage and his ‘following star’ fought together, undoing both Echidna’s and Flugel’s machinations... Treachery of the highest order.” The response was nearly a growl, simmering with fury.

“Yes. The influence Prisca Benedict granted Natsuki Subaru allowed him to rebel against his prescribed fate, forging a path outside Flugel’s design, and beyond our own…In this prime timeline, above all else.”

“A trivial deviation,” the second voice snapped. “For Flugel to misjudge even this...I am personally affronted.”

“It’s ironic, to be sure. Prisca Benedict believed her death freed her, that she chose her own fate. And yet, in choosing to let Natsuki Subaru save her, she slipped from our hands entirely.”

“Enough. Do not salt the wound.”

The voice came like a low tremor, reverberating through the darkness, layered with a resonance that seemed both distant and infinitely close. “As I recall, nearly all aligned precisely with Flugel’s designs—more or less. But I must admit, this result is…distinctly aberrant.”

A softer, razor-like voice followed, brushing against the words with a subtle venom, each syllable wrapped in cold amusement. “Echidna still saw her goal realized. In the end, Satella was killed.”

“Beyond that, her true aim was Flugel himself,” the first voice returned, hollow and detached, like the unfeeling void itself, “who met the same end. Can you fathom it? To imagine not only a soul escaping our ordained path but also a mere man achieving what, in his eyes, equates to killing a god.”

“He is no mere man,” the cold voice hissed, like wind through steel, curdling with disdain. “He is an anomaly, a flaw that should have never come into being. His flesh may have been human, but his soul was crafted from our essence.”

The first voice, low and measured, like the steady beat of a war drum, replied, “What now, then?”

“Now?” The wind-like voice echoed, an edge of bitterness fraying its tone. “Now, there is nothing left for us to do.”

Silence settled, heavy and absolute, as if the space itself held its breath.

“It is finished,” the voice of the void finally intoned, finality dripping from each word.

“...So we are defeated?” The bitter voice cut in, the question steeped in disbelief and a quiet, festering rage.

“This world has slipped from our control. Anything within the Sage’s reach…is no longer ours to command.” The drum-like tone bore no inflection, merely the certainty of one who had seen the end written in stone.

“Could we not simply bring him to our side?” the whispering voice asked, filled with a cunning desperation, grasping at shadows. “Look at him—he is shattered, barely whole. Surely such a man could be swayed.”

“Something warns me that meddling would pose a grave risk to us,” the measured voice replied, with the cautious weight of a being that understood consequences stretching across lifetimes. “If he were to learn the truth…we may become his next targets.”

“To retreat from what belongs to us, beneath one who came from it… Unthinkable,” the cold voice spat, laced with indignation.

Another pause, stretched and bound in the vastness of their shared disbelief.

“...Congratulations, Natsuki Subaru,” the hollow voice finally conceded, each word like a sliver of acknowledgement that pierced the void, “You have indeed brought this world to answer to you, and your will alone.”

And then, in a tone that lingered between challenge and curiosity, the voice of shadows, bitter and sharp, posed one last question, “...But one question lingers. For something to slip so utterly beyond Flugel’s grasp… Is this, perhaps, your handiwork once again, dear traitor?”

On a most beautiful day, the elven village was as lively as it had ever been. After years trapped in accursed ice, the last survivor of the civilization of Elior had fulfilled her promise, and brought back to life all of those she had once jailed in sheer rage. 

None of them held her accountable, and no grudge was taken. After all, when she could have left them to forever remain in their demise, she gave years of her life and tremendous effort to fix her mistakes. 

“It’s a beautiful place,” he whispered with a soft gaze over the village from above, sat down in the grass under the warm, pleasant sun, “far better without all the snow, I’d add.” 

“Mhm,” she replied in a gentle humming, sitting just next to him, “I prefer it like that too.” 

She glanced towards him, noticing in his eyes the look of someone who had wandered off in his own thoughts, the rare moments where she could see his real visage…Something he would show more and more as he let go of his old habit of masking himself behind a loud, useless facade. 

Smiling warmly, she approached her finger to poke his cheek and gain his attention, making him raise an eyebrow and smile at her. 

“Are you thinking of something you would not mind sharing with me?” She leaned her head over her knees. 

“I was just thinking that…” He took a moment of silence, and nodded his head, “looking at how happy you are, it was all worth it.” 

Her smile became even warmer, and genuine. The happiness she felt over hearing his words could be seen everywhere on her face, blushing and eyes full of gratitude. 

Her smile grew even warmer, genuine happiness radiating from her flushed cheeks and her eyes, filled with quiet gratitude. “I could never have done it without you, you know…” she whispered. “It really is all thanks to you.”

“You’re giving me too much credit,” he replied, his voice even and calm, almost distant. “I only did what I promised you I would do.”

“…”

A comfortable silence settled between them, neither one minding it as they took in the life of the village: the laughter, the warm breeze, the sense of renewal surrounding them. Just sitting side by side was enough.

After a few minutes, Emilia spoke again, her gaze still fixed on the horizon. “Do you remember the first promise you ever made to me?”

He nodded, his gaze unwavering, almost unseeing as he looked forward. “I promised I’d save you. No matter what.”

“...Do you… regret it?” Her voice wavered, her brow furrowing slightly as though bracing for an answer she wasn’t sure she wanted.

“...Why would I ever?” His voice held the faintest hint of confusion, but it was subdued, steady, almost as if spoken on reflex. “Where does that even come from?”

“Mhm… It’s just me,” she murmured, her expression softening as relief washed over her. “I just… needed to hear it from you.”

He watched her for a long moment, his face expressionless, his gaze hollow as though searching for something distant. Finally, his eyes fell, and he seemed to sink inward, coming to a quiet realization he didn’t voice.

“What… will you do now?” she asked, her gaze still focused on the horizon, as if afraid to break the moment’s fragility. 

“I don’t know,” he replied, his voice soft and steady, “I didn’t think this far ahead, to be honest. But I’ll probably just settle in the capital. Find a calm place I can call home… take a long, overdue break.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, her lips curling into a gentle smile. “That sounds like a good plan.”

He nodded slowly, turning toward her, his expression serious and unwavering. “Never feel guilty for what I went through for you. I’ll never have any regrets… so long as I live.”

Her eyes widened, surprise flashing across her face as his words sank in.

“This is another promise from me,” he said, his tone unchanging. “One I’ll never break.” He rose to his feet, offering his hand down to her.

She took his hand, a small smile on her lips as she stood up alongside him. “Alright.”

They stood there on top of the hill, gazing at each other in silence, as if committing each other’s faces to memory. After a long moment, he raised his hand toward her, and she took it, holding it gently.

“Thank you for always being by my side… Subaru.”

With those last words, they let go of each other’s hands. Emilia took one last, lingering look at the man she once called her knight, then turned to walk back toward the Elior Forest.

Just as he was about to turn away, her voice broke the silence, calling his name once more. He paused, turning back toward her.

“There’s one last answer I’ve owed you,” she said, her voice carrying clearly, as if she were standing right beside him, though she was already several meters away. “From a veeeeery long time ago.”

Subaru raised his eyebrows, quietly waiting.

She placed a hand over her heart, her face bright with a joy so pure it seemed to overflow. “I love you, Subaru.”

His eyes widened, and for a moment he seemed caught off guard. Then, after a long pause, he inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you, Emilia.”

They shared one last, silent glance, their eyes meeting across the distance. Then, as if reaching a mutual understanding, they turned and slowly walked away from each other, each heading down their own path.

At long last, the answer had been spoken, and though he had long since faded from the need of hearing it, Subaru couldn’t help but feel as if another weight had been lifted from his shoulders. A quiet peace settled over him, one he hadn’t even known was possible.

The delicate thread that once bound them—once vibrant and red—had finally faded. Fate itself had been outplayed, and the endless cycle he had been summoned into was now broken.

With each step he took toward the shining horizon, he felt the grip of his long-carried shackles loosening.

And then, finally, after so long...

They shattered, never to return.

The Miload mansion stood as grand and timeless as it had three years prior, an elegant estate meticulously maintained by the maids and servants who had served the family, some for generations. The people living under the Miload family’s protection thrived here, holding deep respect and devotion for their lords, grateful for all they had received, especially now that a royal camp had settled on the grounds, led by a relative of the family’s lord.

This was the place where Subaru was said to still reside…

“What are you doing here, you murderer?!” A voice rang out, fierce and accusatory. She pointed a trembling finger at him, fury blazing in her eyes. “Get out! How dare you step foot in this domain again?”

She was a teenager now, with dark blue hair that fell in soft waves and striking blue eyes—a face so delicate it was clear she would grow into a beautiful woman.

Annerose Miload. The current lord of these lands.

“I just came to pick up the last of my belongings, as I said I would, Annerose.” Subaru’s tone was indifferent, barely acknowledging her outburst as he continued toward his former room.

“How can I stand there,” she spat, her voice trembling with fury, “when a man not even ashamed of the blood on his hands dares to walk through my home?”

Her words dripped with bitterness, her tone a mirror of the hatred and disgust she harbored toward him.

“Ain’t that ironic,” he muttered, his voice edged with cold detachment, not bothering to look back.

He didn’t waste time lingering around her, nor did he need to. Annerose had every right to hate him, and nothing he could do would alter the past that had scarred their bond. But it hardly mattered. After today, this place would no longer be one he’d ever return to.

After gathering his belongings, he was taken aback to find not only Annerose, but a collection of other familiar faces waiting for him in the mansion hall.

Ram, Rem, Frederica, Petra, Meili, and Annerose herself—all stood in silence, watching him.

His gaze instinctively met the eyes of the pink-haired maid he had once counted among his dearest friends.

“...” Ram held his gaze, her expression unreadable. “So, you did come back.”

“Only temporarily,” he replied, his voice flat, eyes drifting to her sister.

“Subaru-sama.” Noticing his gaze, Rem inclined her head, bowing in quiet respect.

Once upon a time, hearing such a tone and look towards him from Rem would have probably hurt him more than necessary, making him feel guilt and regret beyond imaginable lengths. But now, Subaru only respectfully nodded his head, as this was nothing he wasn’t used to by now. 

He then looked at Frederica, who didn’t even look at him from the beginning. With a wince on her face, Frederica averted her gaze away from his eyes, and didn’t speak a word. She was merely giving an act of presence out of support for her lord. 

Petra, the young girl from Arlam Village, had blossomed as everyone had once predicted. She was now growing into a beautiful, graceful maiden, her long brown hair framing her face, her striking blue eyes shining with maturity, and her figure reflecting the quiet elegance she had come into with age. She was one of those who hated this situation far more than she let known…But etiquette of a maid obliged. She had to stay her tongue, and yet couldn’t help but wince in sadness as soon as she noticed Frederica’s behavior, and looked back and forth between her and Subaru. 

“Tch, you all are kinda sad,” Meili waved her hair haughtily as she walked towards Subaru, “leave them be! If they want to wallow in the past, it’s their choice. Let’s go now!” 

Everyone widened their eyes as they heard Meili speak, including Subaru. 

“W-wait what?!” Petra stuttered, “Mei, what are you doing?!” 

“What do you think?!” She spoke back in an upset tone, “If he’s leaving I go with him! And you should come too, Petra! You worked enough to open your shop didn’t you, no reason to stay here no more!” 

Petra winced at Meili’s words, closing her tearful eyes. She had a deeply personal reason for staying here, one Meili understood all too well as she glanced meaningfully at the beastwoman standing behind Petra.

“You do you,” Meili exhaled in frustration and turned back to Subaru, who had yet to voice any opinion, his silence filling the hall with a heavy unease.

“After everything I ever did for you…” Annerose’s voice trembled as she gritted her teeth. “After everything Father sacrificed for you, this is how you show your gratitude?!”

“Oh, spare me the act, Miss I’m-bitter-because-the-father-I-never-knew-was-my-father, turned out to be an absolute asshole.” Meili snapped back, her glare unwavering as she looked at the stunned young lord. “Your father would’ve killed me without a second thought if it weren’t for—”

“Enough.” Subaru’s voice cut through the tension, dark and commanding. He cast a sharp, reproachful look at Meili, who immediately fell silent, startled by the severity in his tone.

While Annerose stood on the edge of tears, her face a mix of anger and hurt, Ram stepped forward, positioning herself firmly before Subaru, her gaze steady.

“Is this truly how you mean to leave us?” she asked, her voice uncharacteristically neutral, devoid of its usual sharpness. “After all Roswaal-sama did for you, is there really no regret left within you for the choices you made?”

Her tone was calm—unusually so—and her eyes held his, giving Subaru one last chance, a quiet offer to make amends or at least acknowledge the weight of his actions.

“The only thing I regret,” he replied, his fist clenching tightly, “is that I’ll never get the chance to kill him a second time.”

While Ram, Rem, and Meili remained silent, unshaken, the others froze in horror, their eyes wide with shock. Annerose could no longer hold back her tears.

“GET OUT!” she screamed, her voice breaking as she pointed toward the door. “GET OUT, OR I SHALL BURN YOU ALIVE, YOU FIEND!”

Frederica hurried to her young lord’s side, gently consoling her, while Subaru readjusted his bag over his shoulder, casting one last glance at the faces around him before turning to leave.

He saw Annerose and Frederica’s burning hatred, the sadness in Petra’s eyes, Rem’s expressionless gaze… and Ram’s look of disappointment, seething with restrained fury.

“Do not ever come back,” Ram spat as he crossed the threshold, her voice laced with finality.

Subaru halted in his tracks, her words echoing relentlessly in his mind, each repetition twisting his expression into one of cold, simmering anger. The room fell silent, the others watching with a mix of confusion and trepidation as he turned back, his eyes landing on Ram with a look of utter contempt.

“Go to hell, Ram,” he said, his voice eerily calm, each word dripping with venom. “And burn there alongside your asshole of a lord.”

It was the first time he’d ever spoken to her like this, and the malice in his tone struck with a force no one had anticipated. The disdain in his eyes was so intense it was almost tangible. Meili, who had supported Subaru without question, was taken aback by the sheer venom in his words, and even Rem seemed visibly stunned.

Ram stood frozen, her mouth slightly open, stunned beyond words. Despite her harsh dismissal, she had never truly thought ill of him, even after he had taken Lord Roswaal’s life. Subaru had still held a place in her heart, a bond she had believed would remain unbroken. Her duty, her pride, and her loyalty had kept her from showing her true feelings, leaving her to speak to him through a mask of cold detachment.

She had believed that, beneath it all, some small part of their bond would endure—that even if they parted, they would still care for one another in some unspoken way.

But with those few words, he had shattered that belief entirely.

With each step, Subaru felt the weight of his past ties falling away—be it to Lord Roswaal, Annerose, or the oni sisters. He had finally severed the last of them, walking away with the firm knowledge that at last… he owed them nothing.

Silence enveloped the mansion as Subaru and Meili departed, leaving the solemn mood unbroken, save for Meili’s light whistling as they walked side by side. They hadn’t spoken a word since they left, and it seemed they wouldn’t.

“Please, wait a moment!”

They turned, surprised to see Rem rushing toward them.

“Rem…” Subaru whispered, his eyes widening slightly as the blue-haired oni approached.

“Subaru-sama…” she said, her voice slightly breathless as she caught up. Bowing deeply, she added, “I am sorry.”

“...”

“I know you had every reason to do what you did. I know my elder sister was less than fair to you,” she said, her voice carrying a trace of sorrow, “and so, on her behalf, I want to apologize for how things are ending between us…”

“...You don’t need to apologize for her, Rem. I—”

“No, I must… because I—” She looked up, tightening a fist near her heart, a determined yet fragile look in her eyes. “I know that if I hadn’t been in that state… perhaps I could have stopped this from happening.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Rem.”

“...But you tried so hard to bring me back, didn’t you?” Her voice trembled slightly. “I know how much you went through for my sake, how much you sacrificed. That I couldn’t even be there, to live up to what you gave for me… it makes me—”

“Rem.” He cut her off gently, stepping closer and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Rem’s breath caught, a feeling she hadn’t expected washing over her, though it wasn’t one she disliked.

“You already did so, so much for me,” he said softly, his gaze meeting hers with quiet sincerity. “So much that, no matter what I endured to help you, it doesn’t even come close to what you’ve given me.”

“...”

“Please don’t carry any guilt,” he continued. Though his expression didn’t change, Rem felt an unspoken warmth in his words, sensing that, if things were different, there would be a smile on his face. “Just seeing you alive, able to enjoy life again… that’s more than enough for me.”

“I know,” he whispered, his voice steady but quiet. “I know, Rem. Don’t worry—I’ll manage on my own.”

She nodded, taking a small step back before bowing, holding the edges of her dress in each hand. “Then I bid you farewell on whatever journey you take from here on, Subaru-sama… and Meili-sama.”

“Oh, I thought I was forgotten for a second,” Meili smirked. “See you around, Rem-san!”

With one last, lingering look, Subaru turned and walked away alongside Meili, leaving Rem standing alone, watching them recede into the distance. Yet as she stood there, her mouth began to tremble, and her eyes grew misty.

“I’ve only ever wanted happiness for you, Subaru-sama… And I know we share a past that made it obvious: it was always all we wanted for each other…”

She could no longer hold back her tears as they blurred her vision, her heart aching.

“Since we have come back from the empire, I only ever wished happiness for you, Subaru-sama…And I know you and I share a past, in which it is obvious that this is the only thing we wanted for one another…” She thought, no longer holding her tears any more, “So why…?” 

“Why does seeing you fade away onto the path, pains my heart so much…?” 

—--

“Why did you speak like that to Annerose?” Subaru asked, his tone calm but firm. Meili clicked her tongue in irritation.

“She gets on my nerves, always antagonizing you the moment you walk through the door. She remembers every favor her father ever did for you, but it’s like she forgets everything you did for him!”

“Maybe so,” he replied quietly, “but it was needless and unkind. There's no use in making an enemy of her.”

“She’s the one who insists on making an enemy of us !” Meili shot back, defiant.

“Of me, Meili,” he corrected, shaking his head. “Not you. You don’t need to put yourself in trouble.”

“Well, too late now, eh?” she said with a smug smile. “But aren’t you one to talk, after what you said to the pink one?”

“...Hm.” He grunted, looking away.

“Hey, don’t get me wrong,” she added, clasping her hands behind her back as she leaned forward, peering up at him. “Ram’s had it coming for a long time. I never could understand how you stood by all those years, letting her act like you were the house’s dog. If anything, I’m glad you finally told her to bugger off.”

“...Are you sure?” Subaru sighed, looking up in thought.

“This isn’t what you wanted to say?” Meili raised an eyebrow, curiosity evident.

“No.” He shook his head, his gaze distant as he looked up at the sky, his expression unreadable. “Every word I told her, I meant it.” For a brief instant, he seemed to catch himself, reflecting on the harshness of his words. “But… from here on out, there’ll be no way to fix what’s broken.”

“Pfft, and so what?” she scoffed, crossing her arms. “She acted like a bitch every single time you were around her, and now that you’ve finally bit back, you should be the one to blame? Please. Give me a break.” She spat the words out, her voice filled with indignation. “You don’t owe her a thing. If she really wants to fix any of this, she’s the one who has to make the first move toward you. If not? Good riddance—and may we never see her again.”

“...”

Subaru stopped, his gaze shifting toward Meili with a neutral expression. She met his look and tilted her head, studying him.

“You need to have some pride already,” she said, her tone softening as she moved closer, slipping her arm through his. “You’re not ‘the butler of Lord Roswaal’ anymore. You’re a guy who’s carved his name into legend in this kingdom.”

“Meili… Why are you even doing this?” he asked, his voice troubled.

“...Well…” She leaned her head against his shoulder, her voice softening. “Two years ago, you told me… you’d take me as your daughter, right?”

Subaru widened his eyes, recalling what he’d once promised this little girl on their journey to the Sage’s Tower. “You still remember that.”

“Boooooooo.” Meili pouted, looking up with a deadpan stare. “No one forgets something like that so easily.”

“...”

“No matter how you look at it, I have no place in this world.” Meili’s eyes softened, almost distant, as if reflecting on her existence. “I was supposed to be dead a long time ago.”

She then looked back up at him, her gaze firm. “But since you tried so hard to keep me alive… you’ll just have to take responsibility and be stuck with me. Or… are you going to go back on your word as a man?”

Subaru looked at her for a moment, collecting his thoughts on what this meant.

“A man’s word is a man’s word…”

Meili’s face lit up, and she clung to his arm with unmistakable joy. Subaru gave a slight nod, though his gaze drifted somewhere beyond her. His thoughts lingered elsewhere, weighing the unexpected reality of this decision. The road ahead seemed more uncertain than ever now that he’d just, in effect, adopted someone as his own child.

Yet, this was no moment for hesitation or doubt, and he decided to set aside his concerns—at least for now. For the first time in a while, it felt like there was something to celebrate. He focused instead on finding a place where he and his daughter could belong.

As Subaru and Meili approached the dragon carriage, he noticed another dragon tied up beside his—a familiar blue ground dragon, unmistakable.

“Ah, finally! I thought you’d take forever!” Otto called out with a grin, noticing Subaru’s approach. “Wait… Meili?!”

“What the heck’s she doin’ here, cap’n?!” Garfiel’s voice joined in, his eyes widening as he spotted Meili walking at Subaru’s side.

“...” Subaru’s gaze moved back and forth between Otto and Garfiel, a flicker of surprise managing to break through his usual stoic expression.

“How about we flip that question around?” he replied, pointing back and forth between the two of them. “What are you two doing here?”

Meili raised an eyebrow and glanced at Subaru as if the answer was obvious. “Wait, you really didn’t expect this?”

Otto and Garfiel exchanged a knowing look before Otto turned back to Subaru with an almost baffled expression.

“So what, you think we are just going to hang out in a boring mansion with a bunch of depressed people over the death of someone we all hate while the only reason why we were here in the first place leaves?” 

“...”

“Come on, cap’n,” Garfiel chuckled, crossing his arms. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be slow around here.”

“Exactly,” Otto said, climbing up into the carriage. “Now, get on board already. The capital ain’t next door.”

“You guys… don’t have to do this.” Subaru’s voice suddenly rose as he stepped forward, almost as if he intended to stop them.

“Garfiel, your sister’s still at the mansion, and Otto, didn’t you say this was the job you needed—the one that pays well and sets you up for a good retirement?” Subaru gave them both a pointed look. “I love you guys, but don’t throw away your lives because of me.”

Otto and Garfiel exchanged another glance, looking almost baffled by his concern.

“Cap’n, my sis ain’t far, y’know,” Garfiel shrugged, waving a hand dismissively. “If we’re headed to the capital, I’ll be seein’ her all the time.”

“And I already withdrew all of my salaries for my work under Roswaal, so I’m pretty much well loaded enough to enjoy the rest of my life,” Otto shrugged as well, “Good riddance for this bastard’s death, but I have to admit what I have to admit, he payed very generously.” 

Subaru stared at his two companions, speechless, as they stood there like he was the one talking nonsense.

“Hey, maybe stop embarrassing yourself and actually get in the carriage, Natsuki-san,” Otto smirked, giving Subaru a light shove toward the seat. “And since you said it yourself—I love you too~”

“Just drive.” Subaru rolled his eyes, but there was clearly nothing that truly bothered him about this. Garfiel and Meili burst out laughing as Subaru finally climbed up to join his friends, while Meili settled herself at the back, arranging his belongings.

“So, what’s a kid like you doin’ here, taggin’ along?” Garfiel called back to Meili, who was tying her hair into a braid.

“What are you doing here?” she shot back, raising a brow with a confident smirk.

“Followin’ my cap’n,” Garfiel replied without hesitation.

“Same here,” she grinned.

“Understandable.” Garfiel nodded, clearly pleased with her response, and turned back around, satisfied.

Subaru and Otto shared a look as they glanced at Garfiel. Otto leaned over to Subaru with a playful nudge.

“So, where are we headed now, cap’n ?” he chuckled.

“Oh, really?” Subaru raised an eyebrow, mock suspicion in his voice. “So the grand plan here was just to follow me and wing it?”

“Exactly,” Otto replied with a straight face, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“We go to Vollachia and take over the empire.”

“We tried that once—plenty of death and trauma. But if you feel like twice is the charm…”

The three shared a quiet moment, each recalling the weight of those days. Memories better eased with humor than left to fester in silence.

Subaru continued, his voice a touch more somber, “I was actually just planning on sticking around the capital. Away from troubles, a calm life.”

“Aye, sounds like a solid plan,” Garfiel agreed, settling back with a casual nod.

“Nice and dandy,” Otto added with a smirk. “And a relaxing retirement. I could open a shop with your fame. ‘By Appointment Only.’ Maybe ‘Natsuki & Co. Imports.’”

Subaru’s gaze cut to Otto, his eyes narrowing with a look that felt as sharp as any blade.

“I-it was a joke! I swear!” Otto stammered, hands up defensively, while Garfiel’s amused snort was the only sound that followed, and Subaru’s unreadable stare lingered a beat longer before he looked away, letting silence settle once more over their journey.

“So, what’s the plan? Just hangin' out at the Sword Saint’s place for now?” Garfiel wondered aloud, glancing over at Otto, who turned his eyes back to Subaru.

“Don’t we have enough funds to avoid bothering anyone we know?” Subaru replied, his tone practical.

“Yeah, right,” Otto scoffed. “At this point, the only thing that’d bother Reinhard is if you’re in the capital, and he isn’t the one housing you.” Garfiel let out a laugh at that.

Subaru sighed, looking steadily ahead on the road. “He wouldn’t mind. I just don’t want to impose on anyone right now. It’s… personal.”

“Hey, fine by me.” Garfiel shrugged.

“Same here,” Otto added.

A pause settled between them, each glancing back at the carriage. When Meili caught their stares, she piped up, “Oh, yeah, me neither.”

Otto’s gaze sharpened a little, curiosity sparking. “So, seriously—what’s the reason she’s here, Subaru?”

Subaru hesitated before answering. “…She’s my daughter now.”

“Your—” Otto blinked, stunned for a moment, then gave him a look of utter confusion.

“I’m adopted!” Meili declared, shimmying forward to squeeze herself right in between Subaru and Otto.

“No way!” Garfiel exclaimed, eyes wide. “Does that mean she’s the ‘lil cap’n now?!”

“No,” Otto replied flatly.

“Yep!” Meili said at the same time, her grin mischievous.

“No, hold on—we need to talk!” Otto’s voice rose as he threw a hand in the air, unable to contain himself. “Since when?! How?! Why do I feel like this decision was made on a whim, and none of you are thinking about the consequences of Subaru just becoming a dad at twenty?!”

Meili crossed her arms, looking up at Otto with a deadpan expression. “You talk a lot for someone who doesn’t get it.”

“Oh, I get it all right.” Otto ran a hand through his hair, looking between the two of them with exasperation. “Subaru, do you have any idea what you’re signing up for?”

Subaru, ever the picture of calm, looked Otto directly in the eyes. “Do you?”

Otto opened his mouth, then stopped, as if realizing that he really didn’t know what he could say to that.

Meili seized the moment, tugging at Subaru’s sleeve. “See? That’s what I thought. ‘Sides, it’s not like I’d have anyone else as my dad. The job’s taken.”

Garfiel burst into laughter, leaning back in his seat. “Face it, Otto. You’re outvoted.”

Otto let out a long sigh. “Well… if you’re all set on this insanity…”

“...You remember the capital being this lively?” Subaru asked, his gaze lingering on the bustling city streets around them.

They had just passed through the main gate, and for some reason, it felt as though they hadn’t set foot here in a century.

“Nope,” Otto replied, steering the carriage through the road, giving them all a chance to take in the vibrant life of the city. “Looks like the celebrations for the chosen queen are still going strong…”

“They’ve got every reason to be,” Garfiel whistled, leaning back with his hands behind his head. “They finally feel like they’re headed somewhere. What’s a kingdom without a king?”

Subaru and Otto exchanged glances, and after a moment, Otto spoke first.

“You ever think it’d end up like this?”

“No.” Subaru’s answer was flat and immediate. “Not at all.”

“Well, at least we don’t have to worry about her hating our guts anymore,” Otto mused with a dry smile. “Would suck to have the actual queen on our backs after everything we went through.”

“Tell me about it,” Subaru replied, his voice faint but carrying a sense of relief.

Subaru let his gaze drift over the bustling streets, catching glimpses of vendors and families laughing, children running underfoot, and people sharing stories at every corner. The capital felt transformed—a place alive with purpose rather than mere routine.

“Yeah,” he muttered, almost to himself, “they really deserve this.”

Otto gave a wry smile, eyes still on the road but one brow raised. “You sound sentimental, Subaru. Since when do you start waxing poetic over national morale?”

Subaru scoffed lightly, the faintest hint of a chuckle escaping. “I guess I just figured… seeing all this, after everything, it’s nice to feel like something’s changed. That everything we went through wasn’t just for show.”

“Damn right!” Garfiel grinned, stretching his arms back and propping his feet up. “They get their Queen, and we get to ride in without lookin’ over our shoulders. Makes you wonder, don’t it?”

Otto shook his head, unable to help but smirk. “No. I refuse to wonder about anything that might put us back in that mess.”

Subaru glanced at him, nodding with a quiet resolve. “Agreed.”

For a moment, the three fell into a contemplative silence, each processing the memories that the capital’s new energy stirred within them. It was Meili who finally broke it, pointing ahead as the towering spires of the royal palace came into view.

“So, gentlemen,” Meili grinned, mischief glinting in her eyes, “fancy a trip to the palace to say hi to our new ruler?”

“No.”

“Pass.”

“Hard pass.”

Their answers came in unison, each more dismissive than the last.

“Yeah I figured that much.” She giggled, until she recognized something.

Meili leaned forward, pointing to a building they were passing. "Hey, aren’t those...?" she murmured, her gaze following a line of figures dressed in long white robes with orange trim—the unmistakable uniform of the Hoshin Company. They were busy loading up carriages around the building, clearly preparing for some kind of convoy.

"The hell are they doing here?" Otto muttered, clicking his tongue.

Garfiel let out a frustrated sigh. "Aw, hell. Let's just pretend we didn’t see ’em and keep on moving, yeah?”

Subaru’s gaze, however, remained fixed on the convoy, his expression unreadable. Sensing his attention, Meili tilted her head, curious but silent.

Subaru met her eyes, then sighed. “We don’t need to bother.” 

Otto turned around, a pensive look on his face, “No, I think we need to.”

Subaru’s expression didn’t waver. “Otto…”

Otto sighed, casting a weary glance up at the sky, preparing himself mentally for what was to come, and guided the carriage to a stop a short distance from the mercenaries and retainers of the Hoshin Company. As the wheels creaked to a halt, a few of the retainers paused in their work, turning to eye the new arrivals.

Subaru was the first to step down, his face calm but unreadable as he walked forward. A retainer approached him, a demi-human with a blend of animal traits and a watchful gaze.

"Is she here?" Subaru asked in an even, stoic tone.

The retainer nodded. "She is. We're just finishing loading before heading east."

Subaru nodded, ready to move past him, but the beastman instinctively held out an arm, halting his path.

“Natsuki-sama…” he said, his voice tense. “I... I’d really advise you to get back in your carriage, please…”

Subaru’s stare was unwavering, and the retainer, visibly flustered, took a step back under the intensity of it. But before the situation could escalate, a familiar voice called out from the back of the convoy.

"Hey, what's goin’ on here?!”

Ricardo, the tall, rugged beastman, emerged from the front of the convoy, his eyes widening slightly as he took in Subaru and his group. He let out a faint, surprised whisper, “Lil’ boss…” and then his gaze shifted to Garfiel, narrowing in suspicion, his posture tensing as if bracing for a confrontation.

But before Garfiel could say anything, Ricardo quickly raised his hands, palms outward in a calming gesture. "No, no, nothing like that today," he said, his voice level, trying to defuse the tension. "Let’s keep this easy… no fights this time."

Subaru’s voice was quiet as he regarded Ricardo. "You look well, Ricardo."

The beastman’s ears twitched slightly, and he shifted uncomfortably. It wasn’t the words that made him uneasy; it was the irony of Subaru—a man who had borne so much—asking after someone else’s well-being.

“You look… fine as well,” Ricardo replied, though his tone betrayed the weight he felt behind the words.

Otto, Garfiel, and Meili joined Subaru’s side. Subaru took a look at Otto, and realized he had to be the one to speak, “Listen, I’m not here to cause trouble, and I don’t want to stir things up for you or anyone else. I’m just here to say goodbye.”

Ricardo nodded, though there was a slight hesitation in his gaze. “...I see,” he murmured, casting a glance towards the front carriages where the higher members of the convoy resided. “I’ll… let them know you’re here.”

“Alright.” Subaru’s expression remained unreadable as he watched Ricardo step aside, moving towards the carriages with a heavy sense of reluctance.

As Ricardo disappeared around a carriage, Meili took note of the way the Hoshin retainers seemed to encircle them. They didn’t move aggressively, but the tension in the air was unmistakable, and none looked comfortable with it. She could feel the restraint in their stance—a silent understanding that they were outmatched, perhaps even resigned.

“I’d think twice if any of you actually considered trying something,” Meili said dryly, her tone unbothered as her gaze swept over the group. “Whether your boss orders it or not, it won’t end well.”

Garfiel chuckled, baring his teeth in a grin that promised more than just words. “Terrible idea, but I’ll give ya this much—it ain’t unwelcome.” His fists clenched with eager energy, his gaze locking with the nearest retainer. “Go ahead, bring it any time. I’ll crush every single one of ya!”

“Gaaaaaarf,” Otto groaned, rubbing a hand over his eyes, visibly torn between exhaustion and exasperation. “No fight. Not today, please…”

Garfiel laughed, shrugging without the slightest hint of remorse. “I ain’t throwing hands if they don’t!” He cast a grin around at the reticent retainers. “But hey, if they wanna give it a go, I’ll be more than happy to oblige.”

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut, yet a strange levity hung around their little group. The retainers shifted uneasily, keeping their distance, each one watching the group with a mix of suspicion and what almost seemed like respect—respect, or perhaps a cautious understanding.

Ricardo returned from the front, his heavy steps crunching against the gravel, and following close behind him was a figure in the familiar white and red attire of the knight he’d once called a friend: Julius Juukulius. As he stepped into view, the purple-haired knight’s face showcased a shifting mask of emotions. Relief brightened his eyes as he took in Subaru’s presence, yet something darker clouded his expression. In the way he hesitated with each step, as though each pace toward Subaru made it all the more real.

Subaru’s eyes met Julius’s, and an unspoken weight passed between them. The morning air seemed to still, the quiet surrounding them a sharp contrast to the buzzing activity of the Hoshin retainers in the background. Ricardo, glancing uneasily between them, finally broke the silence, his voice gruff yet carrying a tinge of discomfort.

“Lady Hoshin…” Ricardo paused, scratching the back of his neck as he looked away, “she doesn’t want to see you. But…” He hesitated, his gaze moving to Julius before returning to Subaru. “She allowed him to come, at least.”

Julius stepped forward, nodding to confirm. His usual composed demeanor was there, but something was missing—the confidence that had always defined him seemed muted, replaced by a subtle, simmering sorrow. He offered a faint smile to the one he remembered as a friend.

“Subaru,” Julius greeted softly, and in that single word was an entire history. It was as if he saw a ghost, or someone he had not seen for a very long time. The knight’s posture was as dignified as ever, but the weight he bore in his shoulders told a different story.

"Julius," Subaru replied, his tone matching Julius’s respectful formality, though there was no smile. He couldn’t offer one, not anymore. “Is everything…alright for you?”

“I… have no reason to complain,” Julius responded, and before he could say more, Otto and Garfiel stepped forward to join them.

“That’s good to hear,” Subaru said, his gaze drifting to the carriages lined up in preparation for departure. “So you’re all heading to Kararagi?”

“Anastasia-sama has no more reason to stay, not now that the election is over,” Julius explained, a quiet resolve in his voice. “And I have taken an oath as her knight. I will remain by her side.”

His eyes moved between Subaru and his companions, and he offered a silent, subtle nod of greeting to Otto and Garfiel, whose faces softened in response.

“Always true to yourself, eh, bright knight?” Garfiel smirked, his arms folded, while Otto cast a glance at the surrounding retainers, then back to Julius.

“Would it bother anyone if I spoke with Anastasia myself?” Otto asked, his voice calm but direct.

Every eye turned to Otto, but he didn’t falter; he seemed to have expected this reaction. The retainers exchanged uncertain looks before finally looking to Ricardo, who hesitated, unsure.

But before Ricardo could answer, Julius raised a hand, giving a single nod. “You may speak with her, Otto-san.”

Otto acknowledged this with a respectful bow of his head and then made his way toward the carriages, his steps purposeful.

When he reached the carriage, Otto didn’t glance at the window or door. He knocked on the glass, a brisk tap that sounded sharper in the silence that followed. A moment passed before a quiet mechanism hummed, lowering the window. And there, face-to-face with him, was the merchant queen herself, Anastasia.

She hadn’t changed much in appearance, but her expression was unrecognizable. The cheerfully confident Hoshin of Kararagi had traded her signature smile for a look as cold and severe as stone.

“I thought I made myself clear, Otto-kun?” Her voice was laced with haughty bitterness.

“No, you only referred to Subaru,” Otto replied, his tone indifferent. “I thought maybe you’d mind me a little less.”

“You thought wrong.”

They locked eyes, a silent, tense battle of wills. Otto glanced to the other side opposite to her inside of the carriage, where three familiar faces also sat. Tivey, Hetaro and Mimi. They had grown too, even if it was only a little bit.

All three of them held expressions of surprise and guilt. It was clear they didn’t dare to utter a word as their eyes glanced back and forth between him and their master.

Before Otto began to respond, Anastasia cut him off.

“Why are you here?” Her voice was biting. “Speak now, or go.”

“I only came to wish you safe travels.” Otto sighed, though he was fully alert. “Is it forbidden to be respectful to old acquaintances?”

Anastasia’s narrowed eyes stayed on him.

“And, of course, to tell you to stay where you are,” Otto added, his voice growing steely. “Leave it at that.”

“Is that a threat now, Otto-kun?” Her voice was filled with icy hostility.

“An advice,” he replied, his eyes hard. “You have every right to hate Subaru for what he did. But in the end, he saved your life. Whatever vengeance you think you’re owed would be nothing more than a fool’s game.”

Anastasia’s gaze sharpened, icy wrath gleaming in her eyes, a look that would unnerve most. “He robbed me.”

“I’m not going to try and do philosophy about your pain here. But that still would be better for everyone if you learn to let it go.”

“You are doing an absurdly bad job at trying to convince me otherwise, Otto-kun,” Anastasia scoffed,”and what exactly would it cause, if I decide to make him pay with his life? Right now, it looks like I’d even do him a favor.”

His eyes narrowing dangerously, Otto leaned closer until mere inches separated them, his tone as quiet as it was deadly.

“ …If you try anything toward him,” he murmured with a clear threat on his tongue.

“I will burn your world to the ground.”

They held the silent standoff, each unyielding, until finally, Anastasia turned her gaze from him, retreating into the shadows of her carriage.

“Farewell, Otto-kun. May you never lose your way to find yourself in the city-states.”she said coolly.

“Yeah, kisses and hugs to you too.” He turned on his heel, not sparing her another glance as he walked away.

As Otto rejoined the group, he cast a nod at Subaru, signaling he’d finished his business. Up ahead, the bell on the lead carriage chimed, echoing through the courtyard as it signaled the convoy’s impending departure.

Julius looked over at the carriages and back to Subaru, visibly torn. His composure slipped, and the hesitation in his eyes was unmistakable, as if he didn’t want this to be the final goodbye.

Subaru caught the look and offered a small, understanding nod. “Go, Julius. Don’t let Anastasia scold you for lingering here too long.”

Julius clenched his jaw, his face strained with the weight of his emotions. The words he needed to say caught in his throat, but he pushed forward, bowing deeply. “Thank you… for saving Anastasia-sama. For giving her the chance to live on…” His voice wavered, close to breaking. “No matter how things turned out, I… will always be grateful to you.”

Nearby, Ricardo turned away, his big hand lifting to brush away tears. He took this chance to bow his head in gratitude as well. 

Subaru nodded solemnly, acknowledging their thanks, and without a further word, turned toward his own carriage. The others followed, leaving behind a silence thick with unspoken sentiments, each step carrying them further from the parting scene as the convoy prepared to set off in the opposite direction.

Julius returned to the carriage, settling himself beside Anastasia. She remained by the window, gazing out at the scenery with a detached, almost resigned expression.

“You had your little talk, Julius-kun?” she asked, her tone cool and distant, eyes never leaving the view outside.

“Yes, Anastasia-sama,” he replied with quiet respect.

“Good. Then we can finally leave this rotten kingdom.” She sighed, though a faint smile flickered across her lips as she glanced at the triplets sitting across from her.

Tivey, however, couldn’t contain his unease, shaking his head slightly. “While I understand why things turned out this way,” he began carefully, “I… I just don’t think it’s right.”

Anastasia’s expression hardened instantly, her gaze locking onto him. “Tivey,” she said sharply, her voice laced with warning.

“But, Milady, I have to say it,” he continued, undeterred. “Natsuki-san saved you…! Treating him this way feels so… unfair.”

“Tivey…” Julius tried to interject, sensing the tension rising, but Anastasia cut him off with a hand raised in a decisive gesture.

“I never asked him to save me, Tivey,” she replied coldly, her voice edged with a finality that left no room for argument. “What he did cannot be undone… or forgiven.”

Hetaro stepped in, a calming presence, though his words held a quiet acceptance. “No matter how we look at it,” he murmured, “we can’t change what’s happened. It’s best if we leave and go home.”

Mimi let out a small sigh, unable to hide her disappointment. “It’s just… it feels too unfair. I liked it here.”

Watching their faces, Anastasia’s usual composure wavered ever so slightly. Her gaze softened as she looked down, eyes closing as if to block out a pain she wouldn’t allow herself to voice.

“Perhaps… one day,” she said, surprising them all with a tone that held a trace of her old warmth, “one day, we might come back. But… not now.”

The group fell silent, her words hanging in the air, a hint of vulnerability showing beneath her resolve.

“So… Can I ask you to be patient with me?” she asked quietly, meeting their gazes one by one.

Julius placed a hand over his heart, offering her a gentle, steady smile. “For as long as you ask, my lady.”

The triplets exchanged glances before each nodded in turn.

“I’ll wait too, Anastasia-sama,” Mimi said, her eyes earnest. “Wherever you go, I’ll go.”

Hetaro’s voice was solemn but loyal. “I’ll stand by you, Milady, as long as you need.”

Tivey, though still troubled, managed a soft nod. “If this is your choice, I’ll follow… even if I don’t fully understand.”

Anastasia took in each of their faces, and for a fleeting moment, a glimmer of gratitude crossed her features. She knew that in this carriage sat those who would remain by her side, despite the unreasonable path she had taken. Anastasia knew herself. She wasn’t one to be so naive or ignorant, as to not see what everyone else around her were seeing.

And, it was because she was truly the only one who could understand the pain she was going through. As hard as they tried to level with her, none could comprehend what was mercilessly taken away from Anastasia Hoshin. 

Which is why her sole solution was to walk away. To go where she could mourn in peace, without being constantly reminded of how, and why she lost something so precious.

Once more, she was acting as the mature, and wise lady she ought to be.The head of the Hoshin company.

The one who despite her relatively young age, had seen more than enough for one life. 

In the opposite direction, the four of them climbed back into the carriage, each settling into their seats as Otto took the reins in hand. The morning sun had shifted slightly, casting a golden hue over the cobbled streets as they prepared to depart.

Subaru glanced over at Otto. "Did you get what you wanted, Otto?"

Otto shrugged, his face thoughtful as he looked ahead. "More or less, yeah."

Meili, perched with her chin on her hands, leaned forward, her eyes glancing between the others. "I don’t know much about those people, but it looked like they didn’t even know how they were supposed to treat you." Her voice was laced with curiosity. "What’s the story here?"

"They’re from the Hoshin Company of Kararagi," Garfiel began, his tone tinged with mild irritation. He stretched back, his arms behind his head as he explained. "Their boss was one of the contenders for the throne."

"Yeah, the competitor to Emilia. I remember her." Meili mused aloud, eyebrows raised. "So what? She blames you for her loss or something?"

A sarcastic smirk tugged at Garfiel's lips. "She blames Cap’n here for saving her life when she was supposed to have, what, three days and five minutes left to live?"

"...What?" Meili turned, looking at Subaru with surprise in her eyes.

Subaru’s expression remained stoic. "It’s… a bit more complicated than that."

Otto cut in, his voice calm and measured as he took over the explanation. "Anastasia willingly allowed a spirit to take possession of her body in a particular situation, trading a bit of her life expectancy for survival. She was fine with the choice; she cared about the spirit anyway."

Otto’s gaze was fixed on the road, his face unchanging. "It was going to be short-lived, with her vital mana exhausted, or she’d be able to live longer if she acquired dragon blood."

Meili frowned, still piecing it together, as Otto finished, "But Subaru ended up killing the spirit, which transferred its remaining life expectancy back to Anastasia, restoring her mana fully. And by the way, the spirit was actually from another special someone we all hate."

"Oh…” Meili sat back, her eyes wide for a second before narrowing in realization. "She’s just being a bitch, then. Got it."

Subaru glanced over, about to interject, but Otto and Garfiel beat him to it.

"Exactly." Otto replied without missing a beat, his voice entirely unbothered.

“Yeeeeeeep," Garfiel added with a yawn, stretching his arms in the cramped space.

They all fell into a quiet ease as Otto flicked the reins, the carriage jolting into motion, leaving behind the Hoshin convoy and its simmering resentments in favor of the open road.

As the carriage rattled along the bustling streets, Meili also stretched her arms, letting out a groan of impatience. "So, are we stopping at an inn or something? I’m starving!"

Garfiel scratched his head, glancing around the unfamiliar streets. "Now that ya mention it, we don’t even know a decent place to stay ‘round here. We kinda went without a plan. Is there any place for sale we could get? Or at least a place to eat and rest in this capital?

Otto gave a smug snort, his face a look of pure satisfaction. "Funny you should ask. Never thought I’d say this, but… I’m pretty sure we’ve got enough money to buy whatever we want in this capital. Including a spot in the first district, if we feel like it."

Both Meili and Garfiel stared at him, mouths agape, eyes wide.

“Eh? For real?” Garfiel leaned forward, incredulous. “Ya mean to tell me we got that kinda coin now?”

“Who would've thought,” Meili mused, a smirk spreading across her face. "Finally, we don’t need to cozy up to some noble for a roof over our heads and feel like we owe them anything! What a time to be alive!"

Subaru, leaning against the side of the carriage, looked thoughtful, gazing out at the city as it unfurled around them. "We don’t need anything extravagant," he said quietly. "Any place will do."

Otto, however, wasn’t having it. He shook his head, one hand still firmly on the reins as he turned to Subaru with a raised brow. "No, no it won’t. I’ve waited my entire life for this moment, and I’m not letting it go. We’re going to the first district. And that’s that."

Subaru gave a slight shrug, sinking back into his seat as Otto turned the carriage onto a grander avenue, steering them closer to the city’s heart.

Ahead, the spires of the royal castle loomed into view, reaching skyward with a regal permanence. The sun cast a warm glow across the towering walls and elegant roofs, as if to welcome them with a golden invitation. With each turn of the wheels, they drew closer to the castle’s shadow, the streets narrowing and quieting as they approached the illustrious district.

And for the first time, they weren’t simply guests. This was their choice, their destination.

As they drew closer to the royal palace, a familiar layout of the city began to stir a memory within Subaru—a distant, almost forgotten scene of nostalgia rising to the surface. His gaze settled on a bustling street corner, and as he stared, a voice drifted through his mind like an echo from the past.

“That’s exactly as she predicted.”

It was Aldebaran’s voice—the day Subaru had slipped away from Crusch’s mansion to join Priscilla at the royal selection.

“All for her amusement, huh…” Subaru muttered, narrowing his eyes at the memory.

“Hm? Did you say something?” Otto perked up from his seat, noticing Subaru’s distant expression.

Subaru didn’t reply immediately, his gaze still fixed on the road ahead. “Otto, do we have time?”

Otto shrugged, glancing around. “If you’re asking about any obligations…no. Aside from finding a roof over our heads, we’re as free as the wind.”

Subaru nodded, his mind seemingly elsewhere. “Then…could we take a detour?”

Otto nodded back. “Just tell me where, and we’ll head there.”

They stood before the grand doors adorned with a majestic lion crest, marking the entrance to the Karsten estate. Beyond lay the path into the domain itself, guarded by soldiers clad in armor, each bearing the same noble emblem on their shoulders.

“I won’t be long,” Subaru murmured as he stepped down from the carriage and made his way toward the gates.

Meili, watching him go, glanced up at Otto and Garfiel with a hint of worry.

“At this rate, we’ll end up catching up with everyone we know of in this capital” Otto snorted, a smile tugging at his lips. “But he’ll be fine—Crusch is one of the few who doesn’t hate his guts.”

Meili sighed, reluctant. “Yeah, but… should we really let him go in alone?”

“Sometimes you gotta handle things yourself,” Garfiel replied with a reassuring nod.”Cap’n knows what he’s doin’.”

As Subaru approached the gates, two guards stepped forward to meet him. The moment they recognized him, they wasted no time in opening the doors wide.

“Subaru-sama,” one of the guards greeted him respectfully, bowing slightly. “It is an honor. May I ask the reason for your visit? Crusch-sama didn’t tell us of your arrival.”

“It’s… a bit of a last-minute decision, I admit,” Subaru replied. “Would it be alright if I spoke with Crusch-sama?”

“Not at all,” the guard responded, extending an arm in a welcoming gesture. “I’m certain she’ll be pleased to see you. It has been some time since you last graced us with a visit.”

“Has it, now?” Subaru’s voice was distant, as he followed the guard further into the estate.

Subaru made his way to the grand doors of the Karsten manor, the guards stepping aside silently, almost as if they sensed his reluctance. He moved alone, his steps echoing softly in the familiar halls. Everything around him was the same. But he could feel a strange distance between himself and his surroundings, as if he were walking through a dream.

When he reached the base of the staircase, he stopped, looking up as memories pressed in on him from all sides. He could almost see himself from those early days, uncertain and out of place, stepping cautiously, learning the faces, the voices. In the quiet, a sound seemed to drift up through his thoughts, soft but distinct.

"Why don’t you join me for a drink, Natsuki Subaru?"

He blinked, half-expecting to find Crusch there, her composed smile waiting. But there was only silence, stretching thick and heavy around him. The faint echo faded, and he shook his head, taking another slow breath before moving up the stairs.

Each step felt weighted, as though he were climbing through years of memories layered one over the other.

When he reached the door to Crusch’s office, his hand hesitated, hovering just above the doorknob. He felt his pulse thrum, a strange tremor running through his fingers, and though he tried to will them forward, his hand refused to move.

With a frown, he lifted it slightly, staring as it trembled uncontrollably. He clenched it slowly, his fingers curling into a tight fist as he struggled against the wave of hesitation flooding his mind. The weight of everything—of his past choices, suddenly seemed insurmountable.

Closing his eyes, he took a slow, shuddering breath and stepped away from the door. His head bowed, and his shoulders slumped, and after a long pause, he turned, beginning the quiet walk back down the stairs, leaving behind the door and whatever words might have been waiting on the other side.

As Subaru descended the last few steps back into the hall, he caught a glimpse of a figure he hadn’t seen in years, lingering at the edge of his vision like a ghost from a past life.

“Well, if it isn’t Subaru-kyun…” came Felix’s voice, but not the playful, lilting tone Subaru once knew. Instead, it was softer, more restrained—a note of melancholy woven between the familiar call, like joy and sadness in fragile balance.

Subaru stopped and nodded in acknowledgment.

“I’m sorry to intrude,” he began, trying to keep his tone neutral, but Felix cut him off, stepping closer, his eyes shining with an odd mixture of warmth and something almost wistful.

“You came for Crusch-sama, didn’t you? Did you talk to her yet?” Felix asked, his expression softening in a way that felt painfully familiar.

“…No,” Subaru answered, voice stripped of any warmth.

Felix sighed, and his faint smile softened even further. "You're putting an awful lot on your shoulders for my master, you know that~?"

“I failed her,” Subaru replied, voice as steady as a stone, his eyes closing briefly as if in silent acknowledgment. "and this is something I will keep bearing, for the rest of my life."

A look of pity flickered in Felix’s eyes, the kind a child might offer a small, injured creature, desperate to help but uncertain of how.

“You know, when Crusch-sama was cursed… Ferri… Ferri could do nothing for her. I’m the best healer in this kingdom, and I had to stand by while my master, my reason to live, wasted away on a bed… utterly helpless.” His voice hitched, and his eyes dropped to the floor, lost in memories too painful to speak of fully.

The silence between them thickened.

“If it wasn’t for you…” Felix’s voice grew quieter, weighed down by gratitude. “If it wasn’t for what you sacrificed… Crusch-sama would be gone today.”

His lips curled into a soft, fragile smile. “You saved her life.”

Subaru held Felix’s gaze, taking in every word in silence, his expression unchanging, like a stone catching sunlight but giving none back. Felix’s smile faded, and he turned his back now to Subaru as his shoulders shook slightly. He lowered his head, hiding his face, his hands tightening into fists at his sides.

“But… but the only chance I had to get my Crusch-sama back..." Felix’s voice broke, cracking as bitterness seeped into his words, "the one who remembered Ferri, who remembered his highness...The Crusch-sama with whom I grew up with, the Crusch-sama who saved me, the Crusch-sama who made a promise with me..."

The distance between them grew, the light from the windows casting long shadows across the floor, stretching out between them as if the hall itself sought to separate them.

“The hope I held, the chance to see her again, as she was…” Felix’s voice trembled, the weight of unspoken pain hanging in the air like a storm about to break, “that hope… Subaru-kyun, you took that away.”

Subaru’s eyes closed briefly, almost as if he were bracing himself. He didn’t need to hear the rest. He knew what was coming, and, turning slowly, he took his first steps toward the exit.

“Please…” Felix’s voice was low, but the words hit him like stones, carrying all the bitterness Felix could not hide, all the sorrow he could not hold back. “So that I can remain grateful to Subaru-kyun…So that I may not hate you…”

“Please… never come back here again.”

Subaru kept walking, his footsteps echoing through the hall, each one drawing him farther away, leaving Felix alone, shoulders trembling, tears slipping silently down his cheeks as he remained frozen, rooted to the spot, whispering the words his heart had forced him to speak, his last bitter gift to a man he could no longer forgive.

----
Crusch sat at her desk, the familiar weight of ducal paperwork spread before her, when a peculiar sensation made her pause. Something—an intuition, a whisper—urged her to look up. She turned her gaze towards the tall window, her brow creasing as an unusual feeling prickled the air.

"The wind… it seems restless today,” she murmured to herself, standing and moving toward the window. As she unlatched it, a sudden chill swept into the room, sharp and unseasonably cool. She held her breath, caught off guard by the biting breeze that seemed almost intentional, as if calling her attention.

The door creaked open behind her.

"I'm back~ Crusch-sama!” Felix’s familiar, sing-song voice broke the silence, bringing with him a silver tray laden with a teapot and delicate cups. “Hm? What’re you doing?”

Crusch turned, the wind still tugging at the edge of her senses as she softly closed the window. “Ah, Felix,” she greeted, her voice thoughtful. “I felt the need for a moment of fresh air… nothing more.”

Felix hummed, setting the tea down on her desk as Crusch returned to her seat. But as she settled, a glimmer on his face caught her eye—a faint trace of moisture just beneath one eye, like a tear hurriedly brushed away. Her expression sharpened.

“Felix…?” Her voice held a gentle concern as she examined his face. “Did something happen?”

“Hm?” Felix blinked, his playful expression slipping as he poured tea, his gaze steady on the task before him. “What do you mean, Crusch-sama?”

She narrowed her eyes knowingly. “Do you really think you can hide something from me?”

Felix paused, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips as he let out a sigh. “Well… seems Ferri can’t hide anything from Crusch-sama,” he admitted, his tone carrying a hint of bittersweet amusement, tinged with a melancholy Crusch wasn’t used to hearing from him. “Ferri just… remembered when Crusch-sama was still in pain. And… how grateful he is that you’re free from that curse.”

Crusch looked at him, her heart softening. Among everyone, Felix knew her best. He had seen her at her weakest, and he had watched her endure, staying by her side through every dark moment. He loved her with a devotion that went beyond loyalty—it was a fierce, unwavering attachment, born from shared hardship and quiet admiration.

“These thoughts shouldn’t haunt you, Felix,” she said, her voice warm, a gentle smile gracing her lips. “The past is behind us. We must keep our gaze forward.”

Taking a sip of tea, she became lost in thought, her gaze drifting to her hand as she flexed her fingers, marveling at their ease and strength. It was a freedom she once couldn’t imagine, and each time she felt it, one name lingered in her mind.

“I wonder how Subaru-sama is faring,” she murmured, her voice almost lost in the quiet room. She sighed, feeling a strange pang at the thought of him. “I haven’t seen him since...” Her fingers tightened around the cup as she thought of the last thing she heard of him.

“Do you worry for him, Crusch-sama?” Felix asked gently.

She looked down, nodding slightly. “I worry for him, yes. I only wish he would meet us, only if it is a passing salutation. I worry for a dear friend… one who has given much.”

Felix picked up his own cup, mulling over her words before speaking. “I’m sure he’s fine, Crusch-sama. Subaru-kyun is strong… he’s endured more than most. It’s only a matter of time before he comes back around.”

Crusch offered a faint smile, a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she took another sip of tea. Turning back to the window, she felt the same tug as before, a strange yearning that made her heart ache just slightly.

A gust surged against the windowpane, echoing the earlier chill, strong and insistent. Crusch shivered, her expression turning distant as she held onto that small, unspoken wish.

“I hope so,” she whispered, her gaze lingering on the horizon beyond the glass, where the wind still blew.

Subaru left without another word, the guards bowing respectfully as the gates swung open for him. With a quiet nod, he passed through and walked back to the carriage where his friends waited, watching him in silence. His expression gave nothing away, and when he reached his seat beside Otto, he settled in with a somber calm.

Otto, glancing at him from the corner of his eye, ventured a quiet question. “So… did you manage to do what you wanted?”

Subaru was silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on the Karsten manor, as if weighing something unspoken. Finally, he gave a small nod, his voice low. “Yes. Let’s leave.”

Otto took up the reins, sending a brief, understanding glance toward Garfiel and Meili, who were watching with quiet curiosity. The three of them didn’t need words to grasp that whatever Subaru had left unsaid was meant to stay that way.

With a slight tug, Otto urged the carriage forward, casting a final look at the distant manor, and the group rode on, leaving the Karsten estate and its memories behind.

Otto raised his hands in front of him, palms out, trying to de-escalate the scene.

“Felt, we can expla—”

“Explain what , dumbass?!” Felt’s voice cut through the air like a blade, her gaze narrowed and blazing as she glared at Otto. “Why the hell am I catching you trying to buy some random place!?”

Felt had grown, though only a little in height, her presence had matured in a way that was undeniable. She’d traded her old thief-like attire for something a touch more refined and even a bit feminine—a long, comfortable black skirt with a subtle slit on one side, paired with a fitted white shirt with sleeves casually rolled to her elbows. Her blonde hair had grown, now cascading down to her elbows, framing her face with an effortless grace that hinted at the strength she carried beneath.

“Felt,” Subaru interjected, his voice steady, “I’m the one who asked for—”

“You shut the hell up!” She whirled on him, pointing an accusatory finger right between his eyes. “You actually thought…?!-What, the boring old manor’s not boring enough for you?”

Subaru sighed, hands dropping to his sides. “I just didn’t want to intrude.”

For a beat, there was only silence as Felt’s eyes bore into him, reading more than he could see himself. She took a breath, visibly collecting herself before jabbing her thumb over her shoulder toward the grand, stately building a few streets away behind her: the Astrea mansion.

“Inside. Now. I’ll call for servants to grab your stuff.”

The group exchanged glances, silently acknowledging their change in plans before heading toward the mansion.

" We’Ll gEt a pLaCe iN tHe FiRsT dIsTrIcT, ” Garfiel drawled mockingly, shooting Otto a sideways smirk.

“Shut up Garf.” Otto replied, but the corner of his mouth twitched.

Meili lingered at the back, preparing to follow, but Felt suddenly held her back with a gentle touch on her shoulder.

“Just for my own peace of mind,” Felt’s tone softened, her eyes steady and sincere. “You just… decided to follow him because you felt like it?”

“Yes,” Meili replied without a hint of hesitation, her expression firm. “Come on, you really think I’d still be here if I wasn’t all in?”

Felt looked neutral for a moment, then let out a small smile. “Nah… it’s not that. I’m just… relieved, I guess. Nice to know someone besides these two obvious blockheads wanted to stick with him. Didn’t know who it’d be, but I kinda thought Petra might.”

Meili’s gaze lowered slightly. “I did too. But she has people she can’t leave behind. Ones she owes.”

“Didn’t you?” Felt raised an eyebrow, curious.

A smile crept onto Meili’s face, small and reflective. “I did. But I made my choice, and I knew what it meant. I’ll miss Petra, and even Annerose… we weren’t close, but still.”

Felt nodded with respect, walking alongside her toward the manor. “Well, then. You’re welcome here. All of you are.”

Meili gave a grateful smile, glancing up at the mansion. “Isn’t this place technically the Astreas’?”

“They wish. Not anymore,” Felt replied with a snort, eyes gleaming with pride.

As they stepped into the grand hall, Subaru, Garfiel, and Otto took a moment to take it all in. They had seen their fair share of opulence during their years under Roswaal, but the Astrea mansion—a legacy of the Sword Saint line—was in a league of its own. The hall was bathed in pristine white, the walls adorned with elaborate gold accents, meticulously carved into intricate patterns that lined the space with a quiet grandeur. Directly before them, a sweeping staircase led up to a spacious landing, branching off elegantly to the left and right toward the upper floors.

“Damn, and here I thought Roswaal’s place was extravagant,” Otto murmured, unable to mask his awe at the stately decor.

“Man…” Garfiel added, just as overwhelmed.

"You guys are impressed by nothing," Felt remarked with a bored tone, trailing behind them with her arms crossed.

"You're only saying that because you've been living here for years!" Otto shot back, clearly exasperated. "It’s a first for us!"

"Yeah, we’ve had our share of expensive stuff at the clown’s place," Garfiel whistled, his gaze sweeping across the grandeur of the manor, "but now I get they're even bigger shots above him."

Hierarchy had never mattered much to Garfiel. In his eyes, nobles were just rich men with fancy houses, and one wasn’t much different from the next. Yet even he couldn’t help but be taken aback by the sheer scale of the Astrea estate.

Subaru, however, seemed less interested in the manor’s grandeur. He turned his attention to Felt, his voice calm. “Is Reinhard here?”

“Yep!” Felt grinned, her tone suddenly cheerful. “He’s probably out back with his parents. Let’s go say hi!”

With Felt leading the way, they traversed the vast halls of the manor, each step echoing softly against the polished floors. Eventually, they stepped out into the sprawling garden—though “garden” felt like an understatement. It was more like a well-manicured field, a vast expanse of beauty meticulously cared for.

The grass was trimmed to perfection, and the flowers were arranged in sweeping patterns that created vibrant, colorful pathways. Each detail was a testament to the countless hands that maintained the Astrea estate’s pristine elegance.

Not far from them, nestled among the flowerbeds, stood a white gazebo, its delicate arches adorned with climbing vines. Under its shade, three figures were deep in conversation—two with unmistakable, flamboyant hairstyles and a third, unfamiliar one.

A woman with golden hair.

"Oi, Reinhard!" Felt shouted, waving energetically. "Look who's here!"

The trio turned at the sound of her voice. Reinhard was the first to stand, his smile brightening into a wide grin as his gaze fell upon his visitors.

"I've been waiting to see you again, Subaru!" Reinhard greeted warmly, his joy unmistakable. His gaze swept over the group as he added, "And you too, Otto, Garfiel...and Meili?"

His confusion was evident as his eyes landed on Meili, who let out a resigned sigh. "Yeah, I feel like a lot of people are gonna have that reaction..."

"She’s the lil’ cap’n now!" Garfiel declared proudly, though his words left Reinhard and Felt visibly puzzled.

“We’ll explain later,” Otto quickly interjected, offering an apologetic smile.

"It’s good to see you too, Reinhard," Subaru replied evenly, before turning his attention toward the other two figures under the gazebo. "And it seems you’re both doing well, Henkeil-san, Louanna-san."

Henkeil, who had risen from his seat alongside his wife, let out a low snort. He looked much different now—his face clean-shaven, his demeanor polished. The air of weariness that once surrounded him had vanished, replaced by the energy of a man who seemed to have rediscovered the joys of life.

"A pleasant surprise indeed to have you visit, Subaru-dono," Louanna said with a gentle smile. Her gaze shifted to the rest of the group. "And as always, I see you’re in good company."

“It seems like you have fully recovered, Louanna-san,” Otto remarked, removing his hat and bowing politely. His voice carried genuine warmth as he addressed the lady of the Astrea house and deputy commander of the royal guard. “It’s a relief to see you well.”

Louanna offered a kind smile, her golden hair catching the sunlight that streamed into the garden. “Thank you, Otto-san. Your concern is appreciated.”

Henkeil, standing at her side with an air of casual authority, waved a dismissive hand. “I’ve already told you, Otto. Drop that tone when you’re here, this isn’t some business meeting.”

Otto straightened up, offering a sheepish chuckle. “Old habits, I suppose.”

The group exchanged greetings under the white gazebo as sunlight filtered through the trimmed flower bushes surrounding the Astrea manor's vast gardens. The air was filled with the mingling scents of freshly bloomed roses and cut grass, a peaceful contrast to the tension that lingered between words.

“So,” Henkeil began, crossing his arms and leaning against one of the gazebo’s polished wooden beams, “you’re telling me you came all the way here to…what? Buy a place in the capital?”

Otto nodded sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “That was the plan, yes.”

Reinhard tilted his head, his vibrant red hair catching the sun as confusion flickered across his face. “But…why? The Astrea manor has always been open to all of you. You didn’t think to let us know?”

“It’s not like we weren’t going to manage just fine on our own!” Felt cut in, her voice loud and incredulous. She jabbed a finger in Subaru’s direction, glaring at him as though he’d personally insulted her hospitality. “But nooo, you had to go and act all self-reliant or something! What’s the deal with that?”

Subaru, standing slightly apart from the group, met her gaze with calm detachment. “I didn’t want to impose.”

“Impose?!” Louanna’s voice carried a mix of surprise and mild exasperation. “Subaru-dono, imposing is the last thing you need to worry about.”

“You should have known better than that,” Henkeil added, though his tone lacked any harshness. He sighed and shook his head. “Man saves the kingdom, and suddenly he thinks he’s too much trouble to put up with.”

“I just didn’t think it was fair to rely on anyone else,” Subaru replied, his voice steady but devoid of warmth. His words hung in the air, their weight palpable.

Meili, standing slightly behind the group, tilted her head as she watched the exchange unfold.

Louanna smiled as she caught her eyes. “You must be Meili-san. I’ve heard much about you. Welcome to our home.”

“Uh…thanks?” Meili blinked, clearly unused to such warmth. She glanced at Subaru for reassurance, but he remained silent, his eyes fixed on the garden beyond.

Louanna turned back to Subaru, her expression resolute. “Subaru-dono, whatever your reasons, you and your companions have a place here. If nothing else, allow us to offer you a roof over your heads until you decide your next steps.”

“Louanna-san,” Otto began, raising a hand in protest, “we truly appreciate the offer, but—”

“Otto.” Reinhard interrupted, smiling in a way that didn’t reassure Otto at all.

“...Right, right…” Otto cleared his throat, feeling a chill down his spine, “Well, I guess it all depends on what the boss has to say, I do know we’re amongst friends, but-”

“Friends?” Meili raised a skeptical brow, smirking slightly. “Wait for a month and it’ll be ‘glorified freeloaders.’”

“Speak for yourself, kid,” Garfiel grinned, cracking his knuckles. “I pull my weight wherever I go.”

Meili rolled her eyes. “You ‘pull your weight’ by eating twice what anyone else does.”

“Oi, you wanna settle this right here?” Garfiel shot back, his grin widening.

While the group’s banter filled the air, Subaru remained still, his gaze distant. Finally, Louanna placed a gentle hand on his arm, drawing his attention back to her.

“Subaru-dono,” she said softly, “you don’t have to carry everything alone. Let us help.”

For a moment, he said nothing, his jaw tightening slightly. Then he nodded, the motion slow and deliberate.

“Alright,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But only for a while.”

“That’s all we ask,” Louanna replied, her smile unwavering.

As the group began to settle into the manor, Reinhard clapped Subaru on the shoulder, his touch light but firm. “What do you say we go for a walk? I should show you the domain since you will be staying here for a while.”

“Yeah,” Garfiel added, stretching his arms over his head. “I need to stretch my legs anyway.”

Subaru glanced back at the others—Felt and Meili were already deep in conversation, Louanna and Henkeil watching over them with amused smiles. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he allowed himself to be led, stepping forward with the group into the sprawling gardens.

The sun shone brightly overhead, but Subaru’s shadow felt heavier than ever.

"..." Henkeil watched the group of four disappear into the garden. He remained still for a moment, his eyes fixed on their retreating figures, before his expression sank, and he let out a heavy sigh. He eased back into his seat with a troubled look, his hand coming to rest on the table.

Louanna, noticing his change in demeanor, moved closer. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look up at her. "Dear?" she asked softly.

Henkeil shook his head, giving her hand a small squeeze. "No, sorry..." he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He paused for a moment, running a hand down his face before continuing. "It's just… seeing that kid always breaks my heart."

"Subaru-dono?" Louanna tilted her head, her golden eyes filled with concern as she took a seat beside him. Her fingers intertwined with his, an anchor for his unsteady emotions.

Henkeil nodded, leaning back in his chair and exhaling deeply. "Believe it or not, there was a time when that boy wouldn’t stop smiling," he said, his voice filled with both wistfulness and regret. "Always had something to say, something on his mind... And Od above, he would not shut up. Always talking, always dreaming out loud." A faint chuckle escaped him, but it was quickly swallowed by a wave of sadness.

"..." Louanna said nothing, allowing him the space to continue.

Henkeil clenched her hand slightly, his eyes glistening as he spoke again. "What I wouldn’t give to see him like that again... Even just once."

A single tear slipped down his cheek as he finished, his shoulders trembling slightly. Louanna’s heart ached at the sight of her husband, the once-unshakable commander now burdened with such helplessness. Without hesitation, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"Dear," she whispered, her voice soft and soothing. She rested her chin gently on his shoulder, her gaze drifting toward the horizon where their son could still be seen walking alongside the others.

Henkeil let out a shuddering breath, his hands slowly moving to rest on her back. "He brought you back, Louanna," he muttered. "Without him… without what he did for us, we’d still be broken. This family would still be in pieces. I just—" His voice cracked, and he stopped, shaking his head as if trying to push away his guilt. "I just wish I could do something for him in return."

Louanna pulled back slightly, her hands still resting on his arms, and offered him a reassuring smile. Her golden hair glinted softly in the light streaming through the window. Her gaze returned to the horizon. "Perhaps… This is not a burden for us to carry. Perhaps there is someone else better suited to helping him find his way."

Henkeil blinked, his eyes widening slightly at her words. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Maybe you’re right," he admitted, his voice quiet but no longer weighed down by despair.

Meanwhile, in the garden, Otto, Garfiel, Subaru, and Reinhard continued their stroll. The vibrant array of flowers stretched around them, neatly arranged in colorful pathways that seemed to guide them through the Astrea estate’s sprawling greenery.

"You had this whole place done over, Reinhard?" Otto asked, his eyes scanning the bright blooms with an impressed look. "It definitely feels more… more colorful than before."

Reinhard turned to Otto with a small smile. "It’s all Mother’s handiwork," he explained. "When she returned, the first thing she did was complain about the lack of life here. She said a place like this should feel alive, not sterile."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Otto chuckled. He glanced down at the meticulously trimmed hedges and flowerbeds. "There’s a very… feminine touch to the whole thing. Makes sense now that you say it."

"Feels like everyone in your family’s got a thing for flowers, huh?" Garfiel added, hands tucked behind his head as he strolled lazily beside them.

Reinhard nodded thoughtfully. "It runs deep, I think. My grandmother had a love for flowers as well. According to Father, it’s part of what bonded her with Mother when they first met."

As the group continued walking, the garden opened up into a broad terrace overlooking the lower districts of the capital. The view was stunning—a vibrant patchwork of green fields, bustling streets, and colorful rooftops stretched out beneath them, framed by the distant mountains on the horizon.

Garfiel leaned forward on the stone railing, resting his elbows as he took in the view. "Man…" he muttered, his sharp eyes scanning the city below. "I know we said this earlier, but damn. The city really does have a different vibe now."

Reinhard stood beside him, his hands resting lightly on the railing. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath as if savoring the calmness of the scene. "It’s hard to believe, sometimes," he said softly. "That we’ve finally returned to a time of peace."

Otto, standing just behind them, glanced sideways at Subaru. The boy had remained quiet throughout the walk, his stoic expression unchanged as he gazed out at the city. Otto tapped him lightly on the shoulder, and Subaru turned his head slightly to meet his gaze.

They didn’t exchange any words. Otto didn’t need to say anything; the simple gesture was enough to remind Subaru that he wasn’t alone. Subaru, in turn, gave the faintest of nods—an acknowledgment, if nothing else.

For now, that was enough.

As the group stood together, the gentle breeze carried the faint scent of flowers, mingling with the distant hum of life from the city below. Though unspoken, there was a shared understanding among them—a fragile but hopeful sense that, step by step, they were moving forward. Together.

“So, what’s the plan for you, Reinhard? Are you going to serve the new Queen?” Otto asked, breaking the quiet rhythm of their walk with his usual curiosity.

“Indeed,” Reinhard replied with his trademark composed smile. “While it is a pity that Felt-sama was not elected as the chosen queen, my duty as a royal guard still remains. My allegiance lies with the kingdom, and that means serving the new Queen.”

“Guess that just means you’ve got two ladies to watch out for now,” Garfiel snorted, his sharp grin betraying a hint of mischief.

“And you, Subaru?” Reinhard turned his calm, attentive gaze to Subaru, though the question seemed to weigh heavier than his tone. Otto and Garfiel exchanged a quiet glance, their expressions tightening.

“No,” Subaru answered plainly, his voice devoid of hesitation but heavy with finality. He met Reinhard’s gaze directly. “After the Elior Forest was freed, we parted ways.”

Reinhard’s smile faltered, replaced by a faint shadow of sorrow. “I see… I’m sorry, Subaru.”

“Don’t be,” Subaru retorted, his tone cutting off any lingering sympathy. “It’s just what was meant to be.”

Their pace slowed as they continued along the garden path, the group falling silent until Subaru’s eyes caught sight of something ahead. His gaze locked on a small, tranquil area bordered by vibrant, carefully arranged flowers. At the center of the serene space stood two simple but dignified tombstones, their stone surfaces weathered yet pristine under the sunlight.

The others quickly noticed the same sight, the quiet air around them suddenly growing even heavier. Wordlessly, they followed Subaru as he approached the graves.

“Ah… so this is where he was laid to rest,” Otto murmured softly, his voice tinged with melancholy.

“It was his wish,” Reinhard explained, his tone steady yet distant, “to be buried here, alongside Grandmother.”

Subaru stood still, his eyes fixed on the grave of the Sword Demon, Wilhelm van Astrea. The epitaph etched into the stone caught Garfiel’s attention, prompting him to read it aloud.

“In memory of one of the bravest souls to fight in the war for the sake of the kingdom… the Sword Demon.” Garfiel’s voice trailed off slightly, his tone softer than usual. “Wilhelm van Astrea.”

“They really insisted on having that written there, huh?” Otto sighed, shaking his head. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s what he would have wanted.”

“Grandfather was not one to regret his role in the Demi-Human War,” Reinhard said, his voice neutral as he gazed at the tombstone. “The members of the council insisted on honoring him in this way. For them, his deeds defined him.”

“It’s still hard to believe the old man’s gone,” Garfiel muttered, his sharp teeth barely visible beneath a wistful frown. “With the way he fought, you’d think he was immortal or somethin’.”

“I can only hope he passed the way he wanted,” Reinhard replied, plucking a single flower from the garden’s edge. He knelt before the grave with a quiet reverence, placing the bloom carefully at the base of the stone.

His eyes lingered on the name carved into the rock, and his expression hardened. “Wherever you are, Grandfather,” Reinhard whispered, his voice tinged with a bitterness rarely heard from him, “I swear…”

“I will never resemble you, in any way.”

The contempt in Reinhard’s voice was palpable, starkly contrasting his usual calm demeanor. Without another word, he stood and turned away from the grave, his hands at his sides. He walked back toward the garden path without glancing back, his figure exuding a quiet, unyielding resolve.

“Sheesh, it’s rare to see him like that,” Garfiel muttered, his brows furrowed as he watched Reinhard leave.

“He’s definitely more honest with himself,” Otto commented, his expression somber. “Wilhelm was a good man in the eyes of many, but… a good man doesn’t always make a good father. Or a good grandfather.” He shook his head, sighing. “Every child deserves a parent, but not every parent deserves a child.”

Both Otto and Garfiel cast a brief glance at Subaru, their eyes full of unspoken questions and sympathy, before silently leaving him to his thoughts. They followed Reinhard, leaving Subaru alone by the grave.

Subaru stood still, his gaze locked on the stone that bore Wilhelm’s name. After a long moment of silence, he reached down to pluck a flower from the garden. He knelt before the grave and placed the flower at its base.

“I hope you found your peace, wherever you are, Wilhelm,” Subaru whispered. His voice was low, barely audible, but carried the weight of countless memories and unspoken emotions.

He remained there for a few seconds longer, his head bowed, before finally standing and turning away. Without another glance at the grave, Subaru walked back toward the path, his figure silhouetted by the fading sunlight.