Chapter Text

Warning: Minor arc 7 spoilers and mind break ahead, read at your own risk.

So, how do you think Beako is doing?" Asked the silver-haired half-elf as she ate some soup from her provisions "Can she find out where in Vollachia is Subaru?"

"Lady Emilia, if someone can find out where Subaru is then that's Beatrice-sama" Answered Julius Euclius as he sat upright with excellent manners "She has both the knowledge and the means to find him, just give Beatrice-sama some time"

"Yeah, it's not like we can hurry her or anything." Argued Anastasia as she ate a bit of jerky, she made sure to taste every bite as this would be her first meal after waking up. "We'll need to give her some food and space though, she must also be exhausted."

"...I don't understand.." Pondered the child assassin as she scratched her chin. "Why do we need to know Subaru's precise location? Isn't knowing that he's in Vollachia enough?"

"It's not just that the pathetic Barusu and Rem were taken into Vollachia, the issue is that the borders are closed and going in or out is hard." Replied a pink-haired maid as she remembered how the pitiful butler disappeared with her sister. "If he's too far away from the border things might get messy, but if we can pinpoint the city he's in we might deal with this diplomatically"

"Uhmm, I see." said Meili before chewing a dried appa.

"Yeah, and I bet that Beako is also trying to use her door-crossing to connect with Subaru..." Explained Emilia. "But I don't think she'll be able to do it with so much distance."

"Even then, it's worth a try to find a way to help Subaru." Said Julius to lift a bit the mood "I'm sure he's also doing what he can to come find us"

"He must be having it hard there." Pondered a worried Anastasia as she stroked her fox scarf "He just suddenly blinked and found himself in a new country, anyone would be surprised"

"Especially if that country is the land of wolves, Vollachia." muttered the scarf Echidna. "They eat the weak alive, and Subaru isn't precisely strong"

"You're right, I'm worried what might happen if he does something stupid... then Beako and I won't be able to save him from danger" said a worried Emilia as she thought how often her knight got into trouble, it would be a miracle if he came back home without even a scar

"Its ok, Lady Emilia." The knight of knights said as he thought about the friend who remembered him. "If someone can get out of this that would be Subaru, it's not like he's already dead, both Beatrice-sama and Lady Ram can confirm this"

"That's right, Emilia-sama." Replied Ram after drinking some water. "Even if Barusu isn't able to eat alone he'll at least bring my sister with him, or Ram will send him off to Vollachia again."

"That said, we'll need a lot of energy for the trip back home, we should sleep now and start planning to leave in a few days." Offered Eridonna.

"Wait, but what about Beako?" Asked Emilia worried "She's all alone now"

"Beatrice-sama can take care of herself, and I'm sure she's dealing with Subaru's disappearance on her own" expressed Julius "I tried to go and deliver her some food but couldn't find her. Maybe we should leave her alone until she's ready..."

The group then kept eating and chatting before going to rest, in a few days they would all leave the tower, that would bring a lot of trouble on its own, so everyone made sure to enjoy the peaceful day they were having.

"...hm..."

They opened their eyes, one at a time and tried to mumble her name as they knew she was in danger.

"...hm..."

Yet all the noise that came down their throats was dried and tired, like after waking up from a dream.

"...hm..."

They felt the cold wall that they were pinned to... wait... a wall?

"... em..."

They were sure it was a tree before, after all they were in a jungle just seconds ago, how could there be a wall there?

"...em..."

They looked down on the hole made by the hunter's arrow, only to find nothing at all except her clothes.

"...em..."

Wait, her? Who was her? What happened to the hunter? And where was she? They? Them? And more importantly.

"...em..."

...where was S̶u̶b̶a̶r̶u̶ Rem?

"...Rem..."

They tried to look around for clues bit all they saw were bookcases, maybe they were in Taygeta.

"...Rem..."

But that wouldn't be possible, they were taken in by ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶h̶a̶d̶o̶w̶ Satella just a while ago... Maybe Louis did something to them...

"...Rem..."

No, Louis was with. S̶u̶b̶a̶r̶u̶ Rem, they needed to find Louis so they could find S̶u̶b̶a̶r̶u̶ Rem.

"...Rem..."

But Louis was in one of the books... Didn't she read a book a while ago?

"...Rem..."

Again that she, who was she? Theywere travelling with a few girls, like Emilia ̶t̶a̶n̶, Anastasia, Meili, ̶E̶c̶h̶i̶d̶n̶a̶ and B̶e̶a̶k̶o̶ Betty

"...Rem..."

They looked down at her dress, that was definitely ̶B̶e̶a̶k̶o̶ Betty's clothes, no doubt about it, then she was ̶B̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ Beako?

"...Rem..."

Yes, she was B̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ Beako and she was looking for someone... Who was him?

"Rem..."

He must have been with R̶e̶m̶ Louis after the shadow took them, who it was?

"Rem..."

Rem was also taken away from them, and that made his heart ache... Wait, his?

"Rem..."

Who was he? Was he with Rem and Louis after S̶a̶t̶e̶l̶l̶a̶ the shadow took them away?

"...ru..."

They tried to remember everyone that came, he couldn't be a girl so it had to be a boy.

"...aru..."

There was only Julius and him, but who was him? Where was him? Why did he leave her?

"...baru..."

They looked down on her lap and noticed a black book, with some weird symbols: 菜月• 昴, they tried to read them one by one.

"...Subaru..."

Yes! That's what it read, Subaru Natsuki, his name, so he was Subaru?

"...Subaru..."

She had to find Subaru, but Subaru was her, but if B̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ Beako was here then, where was Subaru?

"Subaru..."

Subaru was looking for Rem, and then the hunter came and killed them...

"Subaru..."

Wait, they were dead? No.

"Subaru..."

Subaru was dead.

Subaru had died and B̶e̶a̶k̶o̶ Betty was now alone...

"SUBARU!"

She screamed her lungs out as they tried to move her head around, trying to find her s̶a̶v̶i̶o̶u̶r̶ contractor as fast as possible.

"SUBARU! SUBARUUUU!!"

She screeched, unable to move anything but her head, they were still pinned after all.

"SUBARU! SUBARU! SUBARU!"

No, he was pinned against the tree, she wasn't, Subaru died pinned by the hunter.

"SUBARU! SUBARU! SUBARU! SUBARUUUUU!!!!"

She focused all of her strength in standing up, she needed to look for Subaru, he couldn't have died because...

"SUBA-...ru?"

She still felt her link with Subaru... and it was stronger than before.

"Subaru?"

She focused on Subaru's soul, they could almost see his position now, it was weird...

"Subaru?"

As she stood up she remembered what happened, she was B̶e̶t̶t̶y̶, B̶e̶a̶k̶o̶ Beatrice, Subaru's Beatrice.

"Subaru"

They came to the library because Subaru had... something... here.

"Subaru..."

He had a book of the dead, several, and she read one...

"Subaru."

So that's what happened, Subaru... had a book of the dead and Betty read it.

"Subaru..."

How could this be... Subaru had died pinned by the hunter, but he was still connected to Betty...

"Subaru..."

She tried to walk limply towards the exit, maybe Emilia ̶t̶a̶n̶ knew something...

"Subaru..."

The walk took an eternity, every so often she would fall on her knees, fearing that the hunter had found him.

"Subaru..."

But eventually after an eternity, they got to the door.

"Subaru..."

And just as she was about to open it... *THUD*

Another tug at their link... another book.

"...Subaru..."

She thought about leaving it, about running away and asking for help, but...

"Subaru..."

Subaru was alone and in danger, and s̶h̶e̶ he needed h̶i̶m̶ her.

"Subaru..."

So as she kept crying on her way to the book, h̶e̶ she thought about who h̶e̶ she had to save.

"Subaru"

R̶e̶m̶ Subaru was alone in the woods, s̶h̶e̶he needed ̶h̶i̶s̶her help and h̶e̶ she would help h̶e̶r̶him.

"Subaru"

R̶e̶m̶ Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed h̶i̶s̶ her help and h̶e̶ she would help h̶e̶r̶ him.

"Subaru"

R̶e̶m̶ Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed her help and h̶e̶ she would help h̶e̶r̶ him.

"Subaru"

R̶e̶m̶ Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed her help and h̶e̶ she would help him.

"Subaru"

R̶e̶m̶Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed her help and she would help him.

As she turned around the corner she immediately found the book she was looking for, the only way to help R̶e̶m̶ Subaru...

Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed her help and she would help him.

Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed her help and she would help him. Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed her help and she would help him.Subaru was alone in the woods, he needed her help and she would help him. Subaru needed her help and she would help him. Subaru needed her help and she would help him. Subaru needed her and she would help him. Subaru needed her help and she would help him. Subaru needed her. Subaru needed her. Subaru needed her. Subaru needed her. Subaru needed her. Subaru needed her. Subaru needed. Subaru SubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaruSubaru...

She looked at the black cover with Japanese writing on top... Subaru's writing.

"Subaru, lend Betty a bit of your strength, I suppose" and she opened the book

Then she opened the book