That insane half-devil.
Her actions were void of any thought process, logic, or reasoning. Emilia was a scourge that only sought to manipulate those around her. She was a beast that acted without regard for consequences.
After this?
I was absolutely sure of it.
"An assassin!"
"Protect the candidates!"
The room erupted into a deafening uproar, indecision and panic sweeping the room. The nobles fled like rats from the doorway, fearful of what lay beyond. Knights broke rank with a clatter of armour and swords, others remaining frozen in place, unsure of what to do.
It was bedlam, and I was unsure of where to even begin unravelling this Gordian knot.
In an effort to control the situation, figures barked orders at the crowd. A strange dance unfolded as those in charge, those listening, and those caught in the middle interweaved as one incoherent mess.
This was a dire situation. I needed clues, I needed something to secure a path towards resolving this situation or, at the very least, understanding it.
I distanced myself from the chaos and averted my eyes from the macabre sight.
I couldn't allow myself to be distracted; too much information was at stake here.
And of course, who else should my gaze be turned upon, other than Emilia. And while everybody's heads were turned, amongst the mayhem, a most depraved expression went unnoticed, an insidious smile, a maniacal glint in her eyes.
Allow me to repeat myself.
That insane half-devil.
Now, I won't proclaim myself the most knowledgeable on the subject, but her face wasn't what I'd call the epitome of innocence. Actually, I'd go as far as to say that her unhinged smile was an admission of guilt.
It was deranged, unsettling, and obsessive. As if everything that took place was nothing but a stage set for her to enjoy and clap during the crescendo.
My eyes scanned the room to see if anyone else noticed. Unfortunately, it seemed the frenzy had allowed her to revel uninhibited.
This unsettling feeling wasn't leaving, and as much as I wanted to accept it as fact, doing so would be foolish; I needed to verify it for myself.
My eyes flicked back to the entrance. Across the doorway, the body lay mutilated; its stomach was ripped open, twisted guts scattered across the floor.
A burning sensation seared my throat, and I swallowed back the rising bile.
Was another's death really something to smile about?
…
I wasn't one to talk.
With my attention now returned to the scene of the crime, I noted that the killer hadn't shown themselves. There was no way of knowing whether they had already escaped or were lying in wait for a second victim. Knowing my luck, they weren't done just yet.
However, standing around idly would not yield answers.
It was time to find the answer to a riddle and a brutal homicide.
Turning around, I marched towards the candidates. Making my way towards Emilia, a subdued sound of disbelief prevented me from going any further.
"…Felt-sama…?"
The desperate words of a red-haired knight who had so-proudly introduced the final candidate.
Reinhard.
And the one who consigned me to this awful fate.
My first instinct was anger, and my fist coiled as I regarded the shattered individual.
He watched despairingly onward, oblivious to my existence. A torrent of pity, anger and numbness swirled through my mind, all vying for my attention.
In the end, logic triumphed.
Conversing with him wasn't important right now; there was always another loop —another opportunity. Right now, I had the feeling he wasn't in the soundest state of mind, and whatever grievances I wanted to bring up would go unresolved. Maybe under better circumstances, we'd enjoy a long chat together.
Maybe later, Reinhard. Maybe later.
Pushing past the disorderly crowd, all the while being bumped and shoved, the devil steadily drew closer.
Two knights blocked my path.
"Identify yourself; the candidates will not be seeing outsiders at this time."
I had to act with caution; this wasn't a situation where I could do as I pleased.
Their hands came to rest on the hilts of their swords. Met with hostility, huh. With the current situation, I couldn't force my way through. As a show of goodwill, I raised both my hands.
"I am a member of Emilia's camp, and I need to speak with her. Urgently."
Most likely, the guards regarded me sceptically due to the black robes I wore. The hood obscuring my face is probably something they're not too keen on.
"Your name?"
"…Subaru."
One of them entered the cordoned area where the candidates gathered. Supposedly relaying my name to Emilia, he attempted to confirm my claim. I couldn't overhear them over the noise, but Emilia's gaze soon fell upon me as they conversed.
I felt revulsion, bitter disgust at that gaze, yet I had to hold, I had to keep myself firm.
My face was hidden beneath this magical veil, but her eyes seemed to bore into mine, nonetheless. Amusement, with a hint of curiosity; my potential as a threat wasn't even a consideration in her mind… And I supposed it was true to some extent.
I wasn't a threat to her.
At least, for now.
Eventually, their conversation came to an end. Gesturing for the other guard, I was allowed to pass unimpeded. A gap formed in the circle of knights, and I stepped through.
Thankfully, it was a rather unceremonious affair. As I walked through, I kept picturing a sword piercing my side from an overly-enthusiastic guard. Nothing of the sort happened. A small blessing.
Looking around, I noted the four candidates. One with green hair in a military uniform, a second dressed in a flowery red and black ball gown, and another with a simple fluffy white dress.
They all looked quite capable in their own ways… until my eyes came to rest upon the fourth candidate.
Last and most certainly least, Emilia.
The other three were engaged in hushed discussion with whom I assumed to be their personal knights. Except for-
"You."
A haughty voice pulled me from my casual observation. I turned to the source, only to have a feathered fan brush the tip of my nose. A narrowed pair of red irises locked with mine.
"A rather shrewd-looking fellow has just entered my presence, dressed in a dark cloak. How tactless can one be? Are you perhaps not aware that a hunt for an unknown killer is underway?"
"Uh… I'm actually-"
"How boorish. Al."
An imposing, one-armed man stepped forth. He was dressed almost bandit-like, sporting green sandals, torn trousers, and a shabby yellow mantle to top the look off.
"Yes, Princess?"
"What do you make of this interloper?"
The 'knight' chuckled lightheartedly in harsh contrast to the dour mood. I would have expected the woman to be incensed by his informal attitude, but as far as I could tell, she didn't mind.
Another piece of information. I was unsure of its applications, but it was helpful to know, regardless.
"Well, Princess. If you're going by appearances alone, shouldn't that make me just as shady? But you do have a point. Yo, brother, can't you do something about the hood?" He pointed to his head, "the Princess over here prefers speaking face-to-face with her subjects."
Subjects? So she already regarded herself as the winner of the selection, then.
Despite the hypocritical advice of a man whose face was hidden by a helmet, I decided to comply with his suggestion. What the 'Princess' said was correct; this stupid costume was drawing unwarranted suspicion. Considering everything, maybe it was her roundabout way of helping me.
Moving my hands to pull back the hood, I was stopped by delicate, cold fingers wrapping around mine. Whispering words tickled my ears, and I held back a flinch.
"Ah, ah, ah~"
Emilia. Always Emilia.
Monitoring my actions, gleefully watching me stumble, constantly amused by my antics. Entertained by a mere toy like me, wasn't she nothing more than a child in that respect?
"Slinking off with another candidate, are we? I thought there was something urgent you desperately wished to inform me of."
…
I had a chance.
Right now, freedom was within reach.
Shout, scream, do anything.
If I caused a scene now, the odds were in my favour. There were enough spectators, and I was practically the centre of attention; at ground zero. All four candidates surrounded me.
Good? Bad? Whatever I did, it wouldn't matter. Hell, I'd call it a success if I was hauled off to jail for my performance. Send me away; I'll serve out whatever sentence. And if I failed? I had Return by Death; I could always try again.
…
…
…
But… that was a cheap way out.
I've experienced that devil's brutality first-hand. And now, as a decapitated head rolled down the royal halls, she had the audacity to smile?
Letting her do as she pleased was something I would not allow—something I could not allow. This is not out of some vague sense of justice… No.
This was going to be my revenge.
The innocent reputation she's basking in will be so thoroughly destroyed that there'll be no hope of recovery. The people will learn of her true nature. They'll reject her; they'll hunt her down. I'll expose her lies.
I'll expose everything.
Throw in the towel and run away? Forget everything and live a peaceful life?
Don't joke with me.
I turned to meet the half-elf, a pleased expression on her face, feeling as if the world was dancing in her palm.
I'd have to fix that misconception.
"…Yes, Emilia. There was something I wanted to ask you."
To her, people were nothing more than toys to play with. Everyone was a puppet, and Emilia was the puppeteer. She may feel like she's got everything under control. But, this time, she's made a crucial mistake; something of this magnitude would not go overlooked.
It'd take only a single thread to unwind your house of cards, your tower of lies.
And I had just the ability for it.
While I couldn't see the expression behind the hood, something felt off.
Usually, he'd stutter or shift awkwardly beneath my gaze. He'd fumble over words trying to explain himself or prattle on about his hatred for me.
Subaru did none of this.
He stood straight, his posture firm. His voice didn't waver, almost confident. And was there a slight lilt to his tone… What was that about?
I don't like it, not one bit.
Something wasn't adding up. After witnessing the assassination, I had expected him to act skittish; the sight of a rolling head would've alarmed him. Perhaps he'd seek out Petra and bring her somewhere safe or request protection from a nearby knight.
However, that was not the case. Here he stood alone, unaccompanied.
Petra was not with him, not a red bow in sight. Lost in the crowds of the halls, my aide was most likely drowning amongst the wild swarms of nobles and knights.
And the boy…
He went straight to me.
I shrugged my shoulders, gesturing for him to continue.
"Ask away, Subaru; I'm listening."
My eyes narrowed as I regarded his cloaked form; his hood was a miscalculation on my part. Although there was the benefit of others unable to recognise him, so too could I not see his expression.
This was frustrating, an expressionless man in my view.
Another regret.
I was talking to a blank canvas. Although I could paint whatever emotion I wanted onto those shadows, for some reason, I couldn't envision anything.
My heart pounded anxiety that I quickly dismissed. This was Subaru, not someone to make me feel this uncertain of myself.
How much I wanted to peel back that hood. How much I wanted to see his face.
However, I refrained from doing so. Changing my mind so quickly would make me appear impulsive. The other candidates were monitoring our interaction closely, and I had to give the appearance of a strong leader-
"It was you."
…
I blinked.
He couldn't… He wouldn't…
"…Haha… I think I must've misheard," I cleared my throat. "Care to repeat yourself?"
Subaru remained in place, his tone indecipherable due to the robes.
"Don't deny it, Emilia. It was you, wasn't it?"
So I wasn't mishearing.
…
Surely, he wasn't accusing me of the assassination attempt? Certainly, he wouldn't dare. Nor, was there any proof. But… proof wasn't required to achieve the desired effect.
I turned around, all three candidates now watching our conversation with interest. My brow furrowed, and I clenched my teeth.
This audacious cretin.
With baseless accusations, rumours could spread, especially in high society. Where, like moths to a flame, they desired nothing more than to gossip and gorge themselves on fables. With malicious eyes hidden behind warm smiles, they'd latch onto any hint of weakness, tearing their target apart like locusts.
I would not allow this to happen to me.
My nails dug into my palms; the pain, however, reminded me of where I was. The royal halls, surrounded by some of the most influential people on the continent.
I couldn't lose my composure now. It wouldn't befit a royal candidate, mere mockery will not make me bend nor break.
Calming my nerves, I looked back at Subaru, careful not to show my rage. I had to proceed with discretion, else these candidates would have plenty of evidence to speculate with.
"What do you mean by that, Subaru? Explain yourself," I hissed.
Subaru removed the hood himself, his face finally revealed. I paused upon seeing his expression. It was… odd.
"Don't play stupid; I'm talking about the candidate, Emilia. The dead candidate that you killed. Admit it."
His eyes, sharper than ever before, fixed upon mine. I chose to ignore the glare in favour of finding some sort of deflection.
My mouth twitched and my forehead creased. It took all my patience and comprehension of who was watching me to not incinerate this bumbling fool. No, he was no longer a fool. Somehow, he had become worthy of consideration.
"Ha? What a baseless accusation… is your life really worth throwing away like this? I don't even know them, and I've been standing here the entire time; I couldn't have killed her," I shook my head resolutely.
The truth shan't be exposed in this manner.
Out the corner of my eyes, the green-haired candidate whispered something to her demihuman companion. Was she already making a judgement?
I had to stop Subaru before he could stir up a new round of drama. A quick trip to the dungeons would remind him of his place.
"Don't feign ignorance. You're-"
"You are dismissed," I interrupted. "I will not have my time wasted with such tasteless jokes; we will speak at length later, after today's business is concluded."
He attempted to voice his objection, but I held authority and was still in control. I turned to a nearby guard and pointed at Subaru.
"Deliver him to margrave Mathers. In good faith, I cannot have him disrupt proceedings at a time like this. He's a tricky one; do not let him out of your sight."
The man moved to do as he was told, but he was stopped by an outstretched arm before reaching Subaru.
"Please, wait a moment," the green-haired candidate spoke up. "Allow the boy to speak. I believe there is merit to his allegation."
What?
"…You'd believe the words of this complete stranger over mine, a candidate's?"
The woman's face was unchanging.
"Yes."
The urge to rip her head from her shoulders was overwhelming. I could tear her to shreds without effort, no doubt… However, I decided to maintain the veil of amity.
"Please, do go on, miss…?"
"Crusch Karsten. Duchess of House Karsten. And the boy called you Emilia?"
I nodded, studying my adversary. She seemed wary, watching me with honey-filled eyes that seemed sharp as a blade. Truly, I was surrounded by enemies.
"…"
A woman dressed head-to-toe in white interjected.
"Oya? Doin' introductions without me now? "A purple-haired knight stood behind her, and she placed a hand over her chest. "This lil' miss is Anastasia Hoshin of Kararagi's very own Hoshin Trading Company. Nice to meetcha," she curtseyed lightly.
Even though she had displayed proper etiquette, I was insulted by how she made no attempt to hide her judgement. Beneath her cheerful front, she scrutinised my every move.
What a sickening sensation.
As I regarded the newcomer, my eyes narrowed.
"Likewise."
From what little I've heard her speak, she was the opportunistic sort. Interfering so brazenly, she was most likely assessing whether to align with Crush's camp or mine.
…
Anything I say now will leave me at a decisive disadvantage. The moment Subaru opens his mouth, wild speculation and accusation would begin. Why did Crusch stop the guard?
Why, why, what was going on exactly? Did she know? I dismissed the very thought.
It was impossible, inconceivable that she did, and her behaviour indicated as much. She was probing for answers, not declaring them solved.
"Subaru, was it? You may speak."
As far as I'm concerned, she was not the one who owned Subaru, but me.
Who did she think she was?
Although a duchess outranks a margrave, Roswaal's name still held significant political sway. However, I was reluctant to rely on his name, especially after our talk. I had to wait for an opportunity to present itself.
Subaru cleared his throat.
"I appreciate the opportunity, Duchess," she waited for him to continue, "but I was only trying to confirm something for myself."
"…You are a member of Emilia's camp, yes?"
"That is correct."
She brought her hand over her chin and began thinking.
"Then, as a vassal, I fail to see why you would suspect your handler of such a crime, much less state as such in a public setting."
"Yeah, there's no proof. Though, I'll have what I need next time."
"Next time?"
This was getting out of control.
"I must apologise for his inappropriate conduct; he is not in the clearest state of mind as you can see. Recent events must have resurfaced some dormant memories of his… Please excuse us; this is a matter that will be settled in private."
This was dangerous, I could feel it coil in my body.
Grabbing Subaru's hand, I began dragging him away from the group. Nearing the cordon of knights, the briefest glimmer of hope appeared before sinking back. The final candidate stood between me and the exit, an amused smirk adorning her face.
Another candidate stepped into my affairs.
What was it this time?
"My, my… Leaving so soon? I must admit, now I can see his face, the boy intrigues me. You have quite the rowdy vassal, Lady Emilia."
I was being toyed with. This simply wouldn't do for my reputation.
"…"
"Ignorant of my name, are you? No matter, I shall do the honours of introducing myself. Priscilla Barielle; a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
She turned to Subaru.
"Quite the pained expression on your face. Is your wrist being held too tightly, perhaps?"
How pathetic; that was not the case at all. However, upon seeing Subaru's grimace, I gathered he had quite a different opinion to mine. While crushing his wrists right now would be a suitable punishment, I discarded the idea. Maintaining an image was infuriating, yet, necessary for my ambition.
"Do you treat every subordinate in such a way, Lady Emilia?"
Damn this woman.
To speak to me in this way?
I'd thoroughly enjoy seeing that smirk wiped off her face. However, I was more concerned with Subaru's statement than anything else.
"Hmph. You must understand, these are exceptional circumstances. Like any candidate, instances of public slander must be taken very seriously, even more so when coming from a member of your own camp."
Priscilla nodded in agreement with my statement.
"Indeed, like you said, it would be foolish to throw your life away in such a fashion… which is why I believe there is justification behind his actions today."
The start of a headache began forming, and my eyebrows twitched as I exhaled deeply. I did my utmost to maintain my composure, and decided to snuff out that line of thought then and there.
"There is no justification. He is simply an attention-seeking child. You will be hard-pressed to find any reasonable thought process, or logic behind his accusation. I debated bringing him here today in the first place, and it has proven to be nothing but a mistake. Now, if you will excuse us."
I moved past Priscilla and left the cordon with Subaru. While our backs were turned, I moved my hand over his lips. He struggled against the cool touch of my palm, but my hold remained firm. Mana filling his mouth, I froze his saliva, the insides forming a layer of frost. His mouth was sealed shut.
"The ice will thaw once we return to the guesthouse; do not expect your punishment to end when it does."
Flipping the hood back over his head, I surveyed the hall for Roswaal.
It was a disjointed mess of a room. While the immediate fear and confusion had subsided somewhat, but there was still a lack of organisation. Nobles cowered in one corner, huddled together in a blob of sweat and wrinkles. Knights and guards traversed the room uncoordinated, some attending to the fifth candidate's body, others independent, some stationed awaiting orders.
…
Roswaal wasn't here. He must've left with Petra during the chaos.
Then, what was I to do with Subaru?
The headache returned with a vengeance.
Well, it went about as well as expected. I was now confident that Emilia was behind the killing. Putting her on the spot in front of the other candidates was the right call.
Damn it.
Why was Emilia the one to find me up when I arrived in this world?! Those other candidates were leagues better than her.
Crusch Karsten, Anastasia Hoshin, and Priscilla Barielle…
They seemed approachable, and more importantly, they weren't psychopathic, violent, scheming murderers.
What a different start to my adventure that would've been. Instead, I've been poisoned, tortured, roasted, and frozen. Currently, still frozen.
Argh.
The blistering pain in my mouth was starting to get seriously concerning. Courtesy of Emilia, I could no longer move my tongue nor my lips, and I think I've got permanent brain freeze now. Any warmth carried along by my blood vessels was immediately drained, and my entire body felt cold.
I wasn't shivering just yet, but I didn't think it'd be long until I did.
This was a dead end anyway; I was ready to reset.
Finally, I had something to use against that monster. It would be the end of her political ambitions, and the start of my freedom. All I needed to do now was collect proof, but that was skipping a step. First of all, I needed to loop.
I went through my options.
The poison was a no-go; I couldn't open my mouth to begin with. Emilia's hands were bound to mine, so grabbing a sword to impale myself would be a challenge. Death, death, O' sweet death… my ever-present companion and annoying salvation... where art thou hiding?
Waiting for someone to answer my prayers was going to get me nowhere. With every passing moment, I ran the risk of my checkpoint updating. It never occurred to me that being alive would cause so much anxiety.
My fingers trembled, ready to pounce at any opportunity like a firing pin. My legs restlessly trailed alongside Emilia, pushing our way through the crowd.
"Ara, ara…"
My ears rang with a voice dripping with delight, sounding distinctly female. I spun around instantly, attempting to locate its origin. It was a familiar voice, but I couldn't recall who it was. Although my mind couldn't remember, my body firmly told me that the person in question wasn't friendly.
"What a lovely surprise."
My eyes darted around. Nothing. Knights and guards were everywhere; it was impossible to tell who it came from.
…
Oh, so that was it…
The mysterious voice came from a guard. Beneath a full helmet, of course I wouldn't be able to see them. Still, that didn't solve their identity. Why were they interested in me?
It made no sense…
Yet, the opportunity I've been waiting for seemed to have arrived. In spite of my fear, my mind was filled with anticipation.
…
In front of me, Emilia stopped walking.
"And here I thought my problems for the day were over…" She muttered to herself. "Subaru, do not remove your cloak under any circumstances."
You wish.
Like hell I was going to listen to her. Wearing this was equivalent to holding a giant target sign up for all to see. Whatever her ploy was, I'm ditching the outfit as soon as the chance reveals itself.
I looked left and right, trying to find that guard again, but it was pointless. There were too many guards, all uniformed in the same armour, blending together.
"Is this candidate… off-limits?"
It was the inscrutable voice once again, just out of reach. Emilia's grip tightened. If I wasn't confused before, I was now.
Off-limits?
My mind worked furiously to decipher the question that Emilia reacted to. Think back, Subaru.
The candidates, the cloak, the assassination…
The assassination…
The assassination...
…
Oh.
She was the assassin.
And because of these clothes, I've been mistaken for her employer, Emilia. Haah… what sweet irony.
…
Wait, did they ask was Emilia off-limits?
I rescind my previous statement.
I'm keeping the robes on.
To say I was stunned would be an understatement. What presented itself to me, I did not understand—something I could not understand.
This was Subaru, yes?
The same individual that grovelled at my feet, and the one who begged to accompany me to the royal capital? His mannerisms had changed without warning… was his ability affecting his mind?
Why was he trying so hard? To accomplish what? The feeling of not knowing didn't appeal to me in the slightest. My mana had faltered.
The seal I conjured… he was fighting it.
I could sense it.
His muscles, strained. Pulling, tearing, biting at his lips. Like a lunatic, I could only stare at the boy as he forced his mouth wide, frozen bonds fraying at the ends. I could see the exposed capillaries, droplets of blood pooling like beads. I could hear it, the gnawing of teeth, the creaking of bone. I could see it, an ominous calmness in his eyes.
He stood unmoving, panting. Gaps now littered the icy barrier; deep breaths washed over his tongue like water to a flame.
And before I had a chance to question his sanity, he raised his head and stared back. By all accounts, the boy I had dominated was smiling like a madman.
With a final stretch of his jaw, he was free.
Even if his actions were inexpressibly confusing, the words he uttered brought me back to reality.
"Miss, this half-devil isn't off-limits by any means." He wiped his lips, a smear of crimson trailing down his cheek. "I tell you what… I'll even pay you double."
Ah, this little shit.
I gambled my all, begging for sweet death. It seemed my twisted prayers were answered in the strangest of ways.
A singular guard confronted us, their movements too fluid and too light for an average person to be behind the helmet.
"How wonderful… a double payment. You should know that the best thing about this exchange is that I now have the opportunity to inspect the beautiful guts of this lovely young woman."
The guard approached, and Emilia readied herself.
I wish my phone were here to capture this moment for all eternity. People began catching on; a crowd of onlookers now surrounded us. The assassin also realised this and rushed to attack before any daring knights intervened.
They unsheathed a knife, unlike the standard-issue swords. The blade was short and curved, patterned with black and purple.
The assassin lunged at Emilia.
Emilia released my hand as they neared, focusing on hastily constructing an ice shield. It seemed brittle already, maybe due to the many surprises and frustrations she's felt throughout this day. Instead, what was supposed to be a day of triumph became a drama where she was confronted and reviled by her peers and given no respite.
But it's not enough.
To bring one's demons to their knees… What I experienced in Roswaal's office was the same. It was addicting; the feeling once again tempted me.
…And who was I to decline?
Without hesitation or misstep, I placed myself firmly in the way of the strike. Was the madness of this half-devil contagious? I didn't even blink.
The assassin attempted to pull away, but it was too late.
"Krgh-!"
I bent over as the knife found its target; a gash running along my abdomen was my fate. I collapsed onto the ground, my strength leaving me.
My vision was growing hazy.
…
Mm, I remember this pain.
From where?
If I remember correctly… it was…
Had the world gone mad?!
I wasn't prepared for today; it should've been perfect. One less target to focus on, while I convinced the ignorant masses that I was the correct choice… not that infuriating crimson baroness, nor the foolish green-haired duchess, and certainly not a woman who valued wealth over strength.
This was supposed to be my debut as the debutante, my introduction to the higher echelons of power.
Today should've been perfect…
Yet, the sight of Subaru bleeding out on the floor made me re-evaluate my choices.
He sacrificed himself for me.
I didn't know how to feel.
It was too bizarre to even consider. He pieced together the puzzle. What use was it to slander me when he discarded his life to protect me? Why did he call for the assassin to attack me in the first place if this was the result? I stared at my attacker, also lost for words.
My first reaction was to seize the opportunity.
A torrent of ice and fire swept my opponent into the crowd, knights and guards alike swarming the assassin. As I watched her fend off the waves of enforcers, my attention slowly drifted to the boy coughing and spluttering on the ground nearby.
His wounds were too grave for me to heal, he had lost too much blood. A ball of intestines protruded from his stomach, a pitiful sight.
My mind was still unsure of what to make of it. But, under the watch of all these people, I suppose I had an obligation to heed his final words.
I lowered myself next to him, careful to avoid staining my dress. His final, gasping words had me stricken.
"Oh… that's right. It w-was in the Capital when I first a-arrived. You used me as bait…"
In his final moments, he was reminiscing?
He gazed at me with eyes now glassy and clouded. My brows furrowed at Subaru's behaviour.
Was it all an act?
If he truly hated me, would he give his life?
…
Something stirred.
I stayed by Subaru's side until his eyes closed.
AN: The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Hope you enjoyed the longer chapter, was it worth the wait?
Chapter 30 marks the beginning of Subaru's counterattack. How will things unfold?
Credit to Oteycri000 for beta'ing.
Thanks for reading, please review!