He gazed off toward the horizon, to the east, still plunged into almost total darkness. The only things resisting were the moon and the stars. Breath entered and left his lungs with such ease, he was truly breathing now, truly existing. Joy ran through him, and he let out a sigh, "Ah."

I won.

Before he could exult further, a towering presence stepped up next to him: Roswaal L. Mathers.

"Natsuki Subaru," Roswaal said, without his accent.

"Dropped the clown stuff, eh?"

The man was silent for a moment. There was probably some weird look on his face, but Subaru was too busy looking at the horizon, where he thought he could see bones dotting the land; the scars left by the Rabbit.

When Roswaal did talk he said, "Nooooo, I have nooooooot."

"Took me a while too."

"A while to whaaaaat?"

"Let go of Echidna."

Roswaal glared at him. He couldn't see it, but he could tell. The man's tone dropped and he said, "Take this to heart, Natsuki Subaru. While I have rejected my earlier methods, I have not abandoned my goal. With the gospel or without, I will make everything I've done mean something."

"You mean all the people you murdered?" Subaru asked in a calm tone.

"I will make their sacrifices mean something."

Subaru held his hands behind his back. Not out of any anger or disappointment in the man; it just felt comfortable. He continued looking at the horizon. The night got a little darker. He still didn't turn when he said, "We really are the same, Ros."

"While the core of us may be the same, I doubt you have committed such heinous actions."

Subaru watched the trees shake. A bit of guilt entered his chest. He let it come. The twinge in his heart. The butterflies in his stomach. The hatred for his past self. As they washed over him, he breathed in and out, "I strangled Otto."

"What…"

"I choked him to death. Forced him to sacrifice his life."

Roswaal thought upon the words for a moment then spoke in an empty voice, "I've killed more than one person."

"I told Beatrice I was her they and beat her to death with a rock," Subaru's voice was empty as well, but a different kind. Not self-loathing and despair like Roswaal, but calm. He'd done all those things. But he had another chance.

He wasn't going to let it go to waste. Yet he was still biting his lip.

Roswaal didn't share his outlook, "I consigned Beatrice to death at Regulus Corneas' hand."

Subaru dug his nails into his palm, "I used the same rock to kill Petra."

"We are the same. Then you…"

"I understand wanting to make their sacrifices mean something. But the best thing you can do is make it right in the present. Leave Echidna behind." He unclenched his fist and stopped biting his lip. Both activities were only him letting Echidna get the last laugh.

Roswaal exhaled. For a moment the man seemed on the edge of tears, "That's…so easy for you to say… Not all of us are good. I'm horrible. You were just driven to extreme circumstances."

"Does it matter? Either way, I got better."

"It matters, and you just got stronger. You were good from the start."

"I was horrible."

"Not as bad as me. And you can reset."

"I still have to live with it," Subaru watched the night get even darker on the horizon.

"Is Otto alive?"

Subaru glanced at the man, "Yeah."

Roswaal stared off into space, "Grace isn't. Julia isn't. Karl isn't."

Subaru had nothing to say to that, except, "You've got a harder path than me, Ros."

"Yet I'll remain as abhorrent."

"Yet you have Ram, just like me."

Roswaal was silent, but when he next spoke he said, "You haaaaave an odd way of phrasing things."

"Hm?" Subaru wondered what he meant, but didn't stop looking at the skyline.

"You talk about things in such poeeeeeeeticly stupid waaaaaays."

"I do, don't I?"

"I can't deeeeeeeecide whether it's childish or not."

"I'm an old man, Ros, let me be a bit of a child once in a while."

Roswaal sighed, "Is that hoooooooow young people feel when an old man lectures theeeem."

"Did you forget how it felt?"

"It's been almost fouuuuuuuuuur hundred years since I've felt it."

"Imagine how far away that feeling is for me."

"I veeeeeery much don't want to."

"Does it make you feel young or old?"

"Tired."

Subaru felt a tiny bit of humor at that, "Well, you're still a young man, in comparison."

"Am I reaaaally?"

"Of course. So stop complaining about your age, whipper-snapper."

Roswaal let out a short laugh.

Subaru shook his head as he held his gaze on the horizon, "Hey, Ros."

"Hm?"

"You got anything to drink? I could use a drink."

"A drink sounds niiiiiiice," Roswaal agreed, "there's some very goooooood wine back at my manor."

"About that…"

Roswaal grasped the twitch in his voice and leaned over, "Subaru-kuuuuuuun."

"How do I say this?"

"Subaruuuuuuu."

"Ehhhhh…"

"Natsuki Subaru."

Subaru scratched the back of his head, "That wine stash kinda doesn't exist."

Roswaal was silent.

"Regulus did a little damage to your house."

"Beeeee glad none of the wine was Vollachian," Roswaal finally said.

"Why no Vollachian stuff?"

"Vollachian wine is the greaaaaatest, unfortunately the Royals all had to die and leaaaaave the trade routes cut off."

"You could have stopped the Royals from dying, or at least warned them. Then you'd have had your Vollachian wine."

"I'm not Juliaaaa anymore."

Subaru didn't understand, but it wasn't what his main interest was, "So what would you have done if there was Vollachian wine in that manor?"

"Forced you to reset."

"Huh. I don't even know if you're joking or not."

"Thaaaaaat certainly is a dilemma," Roswaal chuckled.

They both stood in silence for a few minutes as the sky grew darker around them. Then Subaru said, "I wonder if it's really possible for me to atone."

"I'm not the best person to ask," Roswaal said.

"Neither am I," Subaru said, "I killed Petra, now I've forgiven myself for it. Does forgiving myself for it mean I'm horrible?"

"I'd say it does," Roswaal said.

"A few days ago I'd have agreed. Now…" Subaru trailed off. He truly had no idea what the correct answer was.

"We are monsters, Natsuki Subaru. Ram is just strong enough to tolerate us, and keep us on course." Roswaal said.

"Maybe so," Subaru said as the sky grew darker still, "but then again…maybe we can change… enough to keep ourselves on course."

For the first time in the conversation, he turned to Roswaal. Their eyes met. No hope existed anywhere within Roswaal's eyes, until he met his gaze.

He reached out and touched the clown's shoulder, "Maybe we don't have to stay the same forever, eh, Ros?"

"You truly aaaaaaaare an arrogant child grasping toward the perfect future."

"Yeah. And we fucking grabbed it. Now suck it up and watch the sunrise with me," Subaru said.

"Is it mooooorning? There aren't any birds."

"You just leveled everything in the vicinity with a fire so hot it made trees evaporate. The birds left."

"Ah…I fooooooorgot about that. Oops."

Subaru turned his gaze back to the horizon, and shook his head, "You really are so young."

"You're juuuuuuust old."

The sun's rays split the sky. Vibrant colors spilling out, and Subaru realized something, "Oh…"

"Whaaaaaaat is it?"

Subaru reached out toward the slowly climbing sun, "We can change."

"You have no evidence of that."

"Of course I do," Subaru turned to Roswaal once more. Utter skepticism and despair was all he found on the clown's countenance.

"How?" Roswaal let out the word, and Subaru knew he'd almost broken down.

Subaru unclasped his hands from behind his back and held them up a little at his side. It was truly so simple.

"Because I've already changed so much. I don't need someone to lead me on the right path anymore…I just need a bit of help from time to time. "

"Ah…" Roswaal's jaw flexed and he stared back at the rising sun.

Neither spoke until Ram stepped up next to Subaru. He turned. Garfiel, Otto, Frederica, Petra, Beatrice, Emilia and Rem had all followed her from within the tomb.

"What's goin' on, Cap'n?" Garfiel asked.

"We're watching the sunrise," Subaru answered.

"Why?" Garfiel said.

"The colors look nice," he responded. That was all there was to it. He enjoyed the way orange, blue, yellow, and red all mixed together on the horizon. Better than just gray.

Ram scoffed, "How young are you, Barusu? Don't tell me you're secretly thirteen."

"Ram," Emilia said firmly, "I'm sure Subaru is a very mature thirteen year old."

Subaru shook his head.

"Emilia-sama," Ram snapped back, "Barusu is anything but mature."

Rem butted into the conversation, "Then why do you always hang around him, sister?"

Ram crossed her arms, "His immaturity is entertaining, sometimes."

Rem's face turned smug, "Whatever you say, Ram."

"Hey!" Otto forced his voice in, "You guys shouldn't be so mean to Natsuki-san."

Everyone turned to him at the same time. They all stared in complete silence. Otto started to sweat and raise hands, "I mean, I'm sure Natsuki-san is very much not thirteen. He's probably like…twenty."

Petra, who was standing next to Otto, elbowed him in the stomach.

"Shut up, Otto," Petra started giggling.

"Ow," the merchant grunted and searched around for any support, "Frederica-san?"

Frederica crossed her arms and smiled, "Good job, Petra-chan."

"Wait!" Otto yelped, "Garfiel?"

The tiger only burst out laughing.

Otto turned to Rem and Ram, both crossed their arms and scowled at him. When he turned to Beatrice, she said, "Betty's more important than your pleas, in fact."

The merchant turned to Subaru and Roswaal.

Subaru shook his head and Roswaal said, "Nooooooope."

Otto went to his final hope, "Emilia-sama?"

Emilia turned to him and said in a childish voice, "Shut up, Otto."

Everyone but Subaru, Ram, and Roswaal laughed. Though Ram did offer a few amused coughs. Otto hunched over and chuckled, "You guys aren't nice."

Subaru met Otto's eyes, "So I can trust you to take on Gluttony, but you can't handle this."

"It's not like that, Natsuki-san!" Otto cried out shrilly.

Garfiel pushed past his laughter and cried out, "Oh, Natsuki-san save meeeee!"

After everyone else's giggles began to subside, Subaru realized he wasn't looking at the sun anymore. He was missing all the colors, and yet…looking at his friends, there was more color. Just…more. The sun was so far away. So impersonal. But Otto was right there, chuckling as Petra bullied him. And Ram was next to him, her insults so warm and familiar.

"Oh shit," Subaru finally remembered.

"Subaru?" Emilia asked as everyone turned to him.

Subaru's hands tightened behind his back, "Did any of you ever kill Roy?"

"He raaaaan," Roswaal said, "and the Great Raaaaabit was far more pressing."

Subaru continued thinking, "Well everyone's here, so we should be good."

"What if he comes back?" Emilia asked.

Subaru pointed behind him, "We've got a Ros."

"A Ros?" Roswaal asked, "Myyyyy you really are thirteen."

That set everyone laughing again.

"Children," Subaru thought to Nan.

"Children," Nan agreed.

After everyone made a few more shots at each other Frederica asked, "How were the trials, Garf?"

Garfiel's posture straightened—although he still kept his hands hidden in his vest—as golden sunlight washed over him, he said, "My amazin' self wouldn'know. Aside from th'shot I took at the first a decade ago, I haven't taken'm."

"Oh," Frederica looked around, "who passed the trials then?"

"I did," Emilia said then looked at Garfiel, "sorry you didn't get a chance to retry the first one."

Garfiel waved his left hand, "Eh, it's fine."

"Really? I feel bad about it," Emilia said.

He didn't say anything in response.

"Garf?" Frederica whispered.

Garfiel turned back to Emilia and rubbed the scar on his head, "It's all good. It's jus' the past."

"What happened to your head then?" Frederica asked, about to reach over for it.

"It was where," Garfiel's hand drifted up, "I… don' remember, actually."

"Is that where mom kissed you before she left? Oh Garf…you know…she loved you," Frederica breathed.

Garfiel's eyes widened, "Oh…"

Without another word, Frederica wrapped him in a hug, "It might be hard to accept, but it's true."

"Sis," Garfiel's voice was so clear, and a grin burst out on his face like the sun which was now peaking over the horizon.

Frederica stared down at him in disbelief, pulling away from the hug to investigate, "You…"

"I trust ya, mom loved me."

Ram's face had taken on so much pride, "So you aren't stagnant, you lazy cat."

While Ram was understanding, Frederica had no idea what had happened, "Then if you're so quick to believe, why'd you scar yourself?"

In a rare turn of fate, Garfiel's next words were full of insight, "Ya know if ya'd told my amazin' self that a few days ago, I'd have called y'an idiot." Garfiel bashed his left hand on Frederica's back, "But now, well, Cap'n already made me change once. If I can't change my mind after my sis tells me somethin', then what kinda brother would I be?"

"So you believe me?"

The boy was silent for a moment, almost as if in shame, "Rica…I was lying."

"What do you mean? Did you remember that she kissed you?"

Garfiel nodded, "Yeah, I jus' wanted t'hear it from you."

Frederica's lips hung open, "Why?"

"I needed a lil help believin', sorry."

Frederica took Garfiel into another embrace.

Emilia smiled.

"Huh," Subaru grunted.

"Cap'n?" Garfiel asked when he and Frederica were done.

"Nothing," Subaru said, "I guess it's just easy to forget your parents love you."

"Don't worry, Cap'n, yer mom loved ya. My amazin' self's sure 'f it," Garfiel said.

Subaru tried to summon up an image of Natsuki Naoko. It was nothing more than a faint outline, "I think…she did."

He searched deep for the memories of Naoko and Kenichi. All he had were two silhouettes. So faint, so far away. What did they even look like?

For all the lives of him, he couldn't recall.

"Anyway," Subaru said, breaking the silence which had extended out, "Otto."

"Natsuki-san?"

"Do you want a drink later? I know Ros'll have some good stuff at the Miload manor."

"Alcoholics," Ram insulted them.

"You drink more than this entire camp combined, Ram," Subaru pointed out.

"Wait…" Rem said, "why the Miload manor."

He immediately said, "Blame Regulus, not me."

"Did you destroy all of our stuff, Barusu?"

"Again, Regulus."

"Subaru-kun," Rem glared at him.

Everyone began ganging up on him. He searched around for any way to escape. Eventually his eyes landed on Otto.

"Otto?" Subaru asked.

"Not my problem, Natsuki-san."

They all immediately flipped on Otto and started berating him for his cowardice. A moment later he yelled, "How did that turn on me!?"

Otto turned to him, "Natsuki-san?"

"Not my problem, Otto."

Otto's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped, "Natuski-san…"

"What?" he asked.

Otto didn't say anything. Rem and Emilia turned away from Otto. Their bodies froze when they looked at Subaru. When Beatrice glimpsed him she had the same response. Petra fell paralyzed as well. Garfiel seemed surprised but not as frozen as the others. Roswaal walked around Subaru to see the fuss.

"Oooooooooh," Roswaal said.

"What are you guys mad about this time?" he asked.

"Shut it, Barusu," Ram said and cupped his cheek.

He tilted his head, "What's going on?"

Rem parted her lips, "Subaru, you're not frowning anymore."

He rubbed the corners of his mouth, they were still even, he really wasn't frowning. It had been almost an hour since Rem had told him of it, but it remained. He didn't know why, or how his frown was gone, but it was.

"Stop rubbing your face, Barusu," Ram said as she tried to look past his hand.

Subaru let his fingers fall away, "You just want to see it more, don't you?"

Ram crossed her arms and turned her head away, but her gaze stayed locked to it, "Shut up, I have my reasons."

"Like what?"

"Your skin will be riddled with pimples if you keep rubbing those grubby fingers on it."

"So you want my face to look good? Huh, you really do just want to look at my face more."

Ram glowered.

Subaru didn't say anything more, only tilted his lips up a tiny bit, not a smile, but closer.

With the expression still there, he watched the villagers gather up in the same carriages they'd used to get here. It was time to get everyone back home, and give the former residents of Sanctuary a new one. Garfiel stepped up behind him with a downcast look.

"Sorry for the change," Subaru said.

"Not yer fault, Cap'n. Like you said, it needed t'happen," he gestured to the residents of Sanctuary, "right now…they don't need a shield to hold them in."

"What do they need, then?"

"Frederica," Garfiel answered without hesitation.

"You know what I think?"

"What, Cap'n?"

"You shouldn't worry about the future right now. We'll figure it out, so go hang out with Frederica and Ryuzu."

"On it, Cap'n," Garfiel said as he turned. Subaru had caught the excitement in his voice.

When he was out of ear shot, Ram commented, "You're both truly idiots, never considering what you need to be for yourselves."

"Why didn't you want him to hear that?"

"Because unlike you, Barusu, there is some hope for Garf to discover it on his own."

Subaru nodded, "Mhm. Though, obviously, I'm still completely hopeless."

"Yes, unless you address a need of yours right now you'll forever be lost," Ram said, more a suggestion.

She needed to work on her subtlety. Subaru reached out and grabbed her hand, "Then can I ask for you to hang out in the same carriage with me on the ride?"

She smiled, then immediately scowled, "Alone in a carriage with you…what a pervert you are."

He rubbed his eyes, "Oh please…even if I was thinking of anything…I'm too tired."

"Well, do you have any other disgusting requests? You've impressed Ram the past few days. All these events have been surprising considering your lack of competence. My cute self will allow one final request."

He knew he could ask for anything in the world and Ram might do most of them, but all he wanted was, "Can I teach you how to cook?"

"Preposterous, I don't need to learn how to cook."

"Ram," he said.

"I don't."

"Ram."

She eyed him, "Shut up, Barusu."

"Ram, you've had your own steamed tatoes, you understand the need."

"Barusu."

"Ram."

"Barusu, drop it."

"Fine," he said as he took up his greatest weapon, "Ram-tan."

Her scowl chiseled back into a smile, "Fine, you can teach me."

"So it's a deal," Subaru reached out, "you teach me how to do better, and I'll teach you how to cook."

"Such an unequal trade," Ram said, "truly disgusting of you to demand it of me."

"You don't seem to know how hard teaching you to cook is going to be."

Ram took his hand, "Aren't you supposed to be tired, Barusu?"

"Yeah, never stopped being tired," he gripped her fingers.

"Is that why your perverted mind is worse than normal?"

"What do you mean?" He didn't know what she was referring to this time.

She quickly remedied that, "If teaching Ram is such a difficult task, then why would you ever request it?"

"I didn't actually think about it at all. I just wanted what I wanted when I wanted it. And you asked me in that moment, so I told you."

"You really are so simple."

"Yeah, and I'm tired too, so where's the carriage?" he asked as a yawn overtook him.

Ram glared at him, but a smile hid behind. She held his hand and led him there. He tried to keep his eyes open as she pushed and yanked him up into the cabin—especially when she got him on the chair and climbed back out of the carriage, closing the door on her way.

His tiredness was coming closer and closer to taking over, "Huh…where'd she go?"

He struggled to stay awake until Ram returned. Thankfully, after a few long moments, she pulled open the door and sat down next to him on the carriage's ornate couch. It was so comfortable and soft.

As his head bobbed to the side, she rested her fingers in his hair—they were so soft and nice, so warm—then pulled his head into her lap. He stared up into her eyes as his grew too heavy to hold open. There was just as much tiredness painted on Ram's face as there was on his own, if not more.

"You're so strong, Ram…" he whispered as he slipped into sleep.

He rubbed the stumps on his right hand where his fingers had been. The empty space pushed a pit into his stomach. All the while, he watched the Arlam villagers start unloading supplies. Emilia leaned up against the carriage next to him.

"Should we help out?" Emilia asked.

"Yeah, get the grannies t'come," he answered.

When they arrived, all of them became engrossed in the work of unloading. Even Otto joined in, though Rem, Ram, and Subaru were still asleep. No one tried to get them to come out. They'd all done enough. But he hadn't fought nearly hard enough to—

The sound of a crate cracking snapped Garfiel from his thoughts. Everyone turned to him. Frederica and Petra had joined in with hauling as well. Their maid uniforms were blowing in the wind as they stared at him.

"Garf?" Frederica said.

He was an idiot. He'd tried to pick up a small box with his right hand. But in the absence of his fingers, he'd obviously dropped it.

"Ah," he grunted and stared down at his hand. He'd forgotten they were gone.

Everyone's breath hitched, except Emilia's.

"Garf," three of his grannies all said at once.

"Oh…" Otto mumbled.

Frederica raced to cross the distance between them. Garfiel was too busy staring at his missing fingers to say anything. His sister's arms wrapped around him, "Garf, what happened?"

Tears came to his eyes, "Rica…I want my fingers back."

His emotions broke, and he started to cry. Frederica quickly turned and shooed everyone but the three Ryuzus away. They all moved on their way and got back to working on helping the villagers unload. He tried to hold in his tears, but nothing he did worked. Frederica tapped his back slowly.

"It'll be okay, Garf," she whispered.

He nodded, it was okay, he was just whining and weeping.

But without those fingers…how could he defend people, how could he protect them?

But…then why was he sitting here, crying? He should be working on ways to overcome his loss, right?

"Young Gar," one of the Ryuzus said, "you can miss your fingers."

"It's okay, Garf," Frederica confirmed.

He sobbed harder.

Where were his fingers? Why couldn't he have them here?

"I want my fingers back," he forced out between sobs.

All three of the Ryuzus held his hand. And she continued patting his back, "That's okay."

"Is it?" Garfiel didn't want to believe it, "Would Cap'n complain like this?"

"Young Su broke down in front of Young Ram the night before he fought you," one Ryuzu said.

Subaru cried…

He didn't fight the weeping anymore. Not like he'd had a chance anyway.

His legs melted below him and he hit the ground. Frederica kneeled down and continued to hold him, and the Ryuzus rubbed his head. After a while, he managed to regain some semblance of composure. With heavy arms, and the help of his sister, he stood up.

She pointed him back to his carriage and said, "You can relax for the rest of the day."

"But…"

"Garf…it may be odd to say, but right now we don't need you."

"Oh…" he stared at her, then stepped back to the carriage.

As he was climbing up the steps, he caught a whisper from one of his grannies, "Young Rica… we must tell you something.

"What is it?" Frederica asked.

"Ryuzu Shima and the Ryuzu Meyer crystal were gone when we left Sanctuary."

He glanced back at Frederica. She waved and gave him a warm smile. Whatever that business was, they didn't need him for it. So he climbed into the carriage and laid down on the couch. While he spaced out, he rubbed the spots where his fingers had been. Elsa chewing them down to paste flashed in his mind.

No tears came to his eyes, no sadness either.

Everything was too numb for that now.

His eyes slipped open, over to his right. Otto had pulled the window cover at the front of the carriage aside and peered in. Tiny bits of moonlight shone as he whispered, "Natsuki-san."

Subaru worked his tongue, "Give me a second."

Otto dipped his head while Subaru flexed his fingers, going through his confirmation ritual. While cracking his neck, he noticed Ram wasn't here. Where was she?

"How's Ram?" he asked, still calm as he stretched out his shoulders.

"Ram-san's fine," Otto answered.

He remembered, good.

He rubbed his tongue along his teeth, his last check; it yielded feeling. He let himself breathe and sat up, "So, did we make it to the Miload mansion?"

"Yep," Otto replied.

"Ah…dammit, I should have thought this through more," he whispered.

Otto gazed back at him through the little window, confusion crossing his face, "Thought through what more?"

"Nothing," Subaru said. But inside he groaned. He had to deal with Clind now. The other time he'd done this hadn't ended well at all. Hopefully, this meeting would go better.

Subaru pushed himself away from the window and opened the door. Was Clind going to be bold, or reserved? He climbed down steps and breathed in the fresh night air. Off to his side, Otto hopped off the driver's seat.

Subaru tapped him on the shoulder and turned to the dark mansion, "Did you guys get Meili imprisoned?"

"The mabeast girl? She's locked in a cell Roswaal had in the basement."

Otto said Roswaal's name with distaste.

"What are you pissed at Roswaal for?"

"He told us that he knew about everything that would happen since before he got to Sanctuary," Otto said, clicking his tongue.

"That'd do it," he commented. He wasn't going to defend Roswaal, but he did feel a little sympathy. He'd done things just as reprehensible as the clown, but no one remembered.

Turned out Roswaal was right.

He may have had his guilt, but Petra, Beatrice, and Otto were still alive.

All the people Roswaal had sacrificed were long dead.

But there was nothing to be done about it. Subaru had Return by Death, Roswaal didn't.

Moving on, he surveyed his surroundings, parked carriages lay around the courtyard leading to the Miload mansion doors. All the ground dragons were gone, along with any hint of people.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

"Don't worry about that, Natsuki-san."

Subaru quickly listed off the names of everyone who'd come to the mansion. Otto didn't question who any of them were, he just gave him an odd look and said, "Why'd you say everyone's name?"

"Doesn't matter now, he's gone."

"Yeah, Ram did cut off his head," Otto replied.

Why was he talking about Ley?

Was it because he'd been far more dangerous than Roy?

Did Otto really have that little care for the Bizarre Eating?

Well, Roy didn't really deserve any respect, he was just a creature who'd fallen to his basest desires.

Subaru let himself relax again and he walked toward the mansion's doors.

"So, is everyone asleep by now?" he asked while looking up at the moon, half-shaded by a stretch of clouds.

"Uhm, sure."

Subaru wondered what that meant, then shrugged. It'd be fine unless Pandora had done something. But she likely wouldn't. And he didn't want to think about her further than that, so he banished her from his mind and ran his fingers along the hedges next to him. The long leaves bent back and slapped forward when his fingers left them. Within the mansion, there wasn't a single light on. It was dark, quiet.

He reached out for the handle, but Otto grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

"Huh?"

The merchant smiled and shoved one of the doors open. All the lights on the inside flashed to life.

"Surprise!" everyone but Roswaal, Ram, and Beatrice jumped out from behind pillars and shouted. Ram scowled at him, in her loving way. Rem and Emilia smiled at him. Garfiel laughed at the surprise on his face. Otto patted him on the shoulder. Roswaal glared at him. Beatrice was trying to scowl at him like Ram, but she was failing. And Frederica was cautiously mimicking her brother.

"What's going on? Did you guys throw me a party?" he asked.

"It's a thank you, from all of us," Otto explained.

"Yeaaaaaah thanks for leaving my home, and wine, to a Sin Archbishop," Roswaal said.

Otto glared at the clown, "You knew it was going to happen. You could have stopped it."

"Weeeeeell, yes…" Roswaal responded.

"He's right, Ros," Subaru said, "it's your fault we lost the wine at your house."

"Aaaaaah…well…I maaaaaaay have stored all of it here beforehand."

Subaru stared at him, "You told me it was gone. Just now."

Roswaal smiled and shrugged, "It waaaas funny."

"You motherfucker," Subaru grunted. The lord just shrugged with that small grin.

"Hm? Investigative." a new voice joined them.

Rem, Ram, Frederica, and Subaru groaned.

The voice continued as a butler walked up from one of the hallways, "Ah, right, it was an excellent prank, my lord. Praising."

"Leave, Clind," Frederica said, a touch of something Subaru couldn't quite discern in her voice.

Clind looked at Frederica, his face softening. Then he turned his attention to Subaru, and it all vanished. The butler's eyes widened, and his hands tightened into fists. He stepped forward, methodically, until he was right in front of Subaru. He stared deep into his soul, and said, "Have you reflected? Hazardous."

"Hm?" Subaru asked.

Clind's response came in a measured tone, "The broken contract. Direct."

Right, Clind was literally staring into his soul.

"I wasn't the one who broke it, but yes, I have reflected."

"Then the taint of the Witch will not be active here? Uncertain." Clind's hands relaxed, but he was likely ready to crush Subaru with that Authority of his.

Subaru shook his head, "No. She's gone, and I won't forge the contract again."

"Uncertain…" Clind whispered.

"Certain," Subaru declared.

The man looked at him for another moment, eyes flashing back and forth as he tried discerning something, "Hm. Oddity. I've only seen the soul of Od Laguna once, and never did I think I'd see one older. Hilarity."

Clind chuckled and turned around, but cast one glance over his shoulder, "Natsuki Subaru, if the grand aging of your soul becomes a threat to the wish, then you will be removed. Warning."

Ram moved to speak, but he quickly held up a hand to stop her.

As the butler walked off he called out, "Clind."

Another over the shoulder glance from the man, "Yes?"

"If I sink to that point again…then I wish you luck."

"Yes. You'll be dead before you become a threat. Promise." With those last words, Clind strode off.

An awkward silence stretched out.

Subaru stared at where the man had gone, "So there are good parts to him."

"I apologize for his threat," Frederica said.

He turned to her and cocked his head, "That was the good part."

"Barusu?"

"If I sink to the point of forging that contract again…" Subaru closed his eyes.

A man, arms outstretched, proclaiming himself the Sin Archbishop of Pride while Lugunica burned around him.

A man, arms held to his scarf, letting himself die at the hands of Ram after chaining and torturing her.

A man, arms wrapped around Rem, letting everyone else die.

A man, arms cast forth, ordering the murder of thousands to reclaim Natsuki Subaru.

He shuddered, "If I get to that point again…then Clind better follow through on that threat."

The awkwardness came again, until Roswaal's laugh split the tension, "Stop being so mooooooooooorbid, Subaru-kun."

"Ah, sorry," he said.

The exchange brought a bit of conversation back to everyone.

Surrounded by the slow upstart of their chatter, the clown stepped over to Subaru, and whispered in his ear, "Is this the perfect future you envisioned?"

Subaru looked over at everyone. They may have been…a little off-put by his and Clind's interaction, but none were close to anything like what they'd once looked like.

None were miserable like they'd been before.

Aside from Roswaal, but he hadn't really been reaching as hard to help him.

After a moment, Ram met his gaze, likely wondering why he was looking at them all. She scowled at him.

There was so much love in her eyes.

"Not yet," he admitted, "but it's far closer than I've ever been."

Roswaal smiled at him, "Then reach further. I'll kill all of them if you fail."

"Okay," he said. He wasn't going to fail.

Roswaal chuckled, there was no happiness within, "Dooooooo you want that drink, old man?"

"We probably shouldn't all get drunk around Petra, where is she anyway?" Subaru looked around for her.

"She's staaaaaying back in Arlam for a few days." Roswaal answered, "Now, thaaaat drink?"

He looked back over at the Margrave, "Yeah, where's all that wine you pretended to lose?"

Roswaal winked, "In the baaaallroom."

Glasses clinked as they all made a toast to their success at Sanctuary.

They all sipped at their drinks, trying to take the edge off after their battles. Otto did his best to shatter it, downing his drink without hesitation.

"Alcoholic," Ram said—from Subaru's right—as she did the exact same thing faster.

"She's one to talk," Subaru thought to Nan.

The spirit didn't reply, Subaru could tell he was lost in his thoughts, so he didn't bother him.

"You're boooooth alcoholics," Roswaal said as he drank his cup faster than either of them had.

Subaru watched as everyone attempted to one up Roswaal.

Everyone failed.

Garfiel's failure was quite spectacular. He drank too much, somehow got some up his nose, and spewed his wine across the table.

"That was expensiiiiive," Roswaal growled.

"I still have 'nough fingers to shove a couple'p yer ass," Garfiel replied.

Laughs broke out and Subaru's lips tilted up from their neutral position. Ram began making jokes at Garfiel, Otto, and Subaru's expense. Rem quickly joined in along with Roswaal. Beatrice, of course, added her efforts to the cause, but focused on Subaru and Roswaal.

Humor travelled around the table as everyone continued taking their shots at Otto and Subaru. Garfiel had joined in against Otto, and Ram helped him. He watched the spectacle unfold, amused. Alliances shifted and people betrayed each other constantly as they continued trying to one up each other in terms of insults.

Ram leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "You know, you could talk, Barusu."

"I could," he said, unheard by everyone but Ram over the din, "but they're having fun. I just want to enjoy what we all earned."

Ram smiled as Subaru focused back on everyone. Laughter traded around as ribbing slipped into praise and back.

Emilia spoke with the others in earnest, finally able to put herself out there. She no longer feared the results. Garfiel's opinion of her changed as the conversation progressed. He no longer feared and resented change. Otto drank as he laughed along with his friends. He no longer felt alone. Frederica looked at her brother as an older sister. She no longer let the nine years apart get in the way. Beatrice began talking to the others, forming new memories. She no longer let her old contract bind her to sorrow. Rem offered little criticisms of her sister's past behavior as they told embarrassing stories about each other. She no longer feared to be Rem.

He turned to Ram. And unlike the others, she was the exact same. The same infallible, strong, and confident woman. There was no distance when she spoke to him. No matter how many scars he'd gained, no matter how much he'd done, Ram loved him. Maybe someone else would have left when he told them of his sins—which he supposed was probably a more sane choice—but she wasn't someone else. She was Ram.

He gazed down at her with his tiny expression of joy, and she smiled up at him.

"Just kiss already," Nan finally left his thoughts and spoke.

"We don't need to right now," Subaru said. He knew how Ram felt. He could just be with her as everyone had fun.

Nan pushed a feeling of pride toward him and went back to his thoughts. Just as the spirit retreated, Roswaal stood up and stepped over to him, he leaned down into Subaru's ear and whispered, "Is this it, Natsuki Subaru?"

He turned his head to the clown, the man's face held tiredness, "For now, yes. This is it."

Tears welled up in their eyes.

He didn't know why Roswaal's had, but he knew why his had.

This truly was the future he'd reached so much for.

This was why he'd taken Echidna's hand.

For eons he'd strived for this very moment.

Who knew all it would take was asking for someone's help?

The answer was: So many people. Better men. Better women. Better friends.

Were there anyone else in his place, they wouldn't have needed to die so much. They'd have picked smarter courses. They'd never have made that contract with Echidna. They'd never rush into so much. They'd never reach the point of not caring about the process of dying and returning.

But he wasn't 'so many people', he was Natsuki Subaru.

And Ram loved him, not them.

No matter what happened, no matter how many mistakes he'd made, no matter how deep Echidna had pulled him…it didn't matter anymore.

He didn't know who'd told him, but he remembered a single string of words.

"What's important isn't the beginning or the middle, it's the end."

He'd cried, he'd kicked, he'd screamed, he'd failed, he'd sinned, he'd murdered, he'd fallen.

But that was done now. He had everyone at this table helping him now, even if Roswaal needed a bit more aid to get there.

No matter what happened now, no matter what beginning or middle they faced, in the end they'd all make it through.

It didn't matter if they wept, so long as they remained the same people who could smile at the end.

Back then, Emilia had wept, but lost her individuality.

Back then, Garfiel had wept, but lost his kindness.

Back then, Beatrice had wept, but lost her last vestiges of hope.

Back then, Ram had wept, but lost her love for Rem.

This time, Emilia had wept, but surpassed the trials.

This time, Garfiel had wept, but learned how to change.

This time, Beatrice had wept, but embraced her hope.

This time Ram had wept, but truly showed her love for the woman that was Rem, and the man that was Natsuki Subaru.

They'd weep, certainly, but this time they'd remain the people who could laugh at the end.

Time to move forward.

No more worrying about the past.

"It ended good," Subaru whispered.

His mother's face flashed in his mind.

"Take care," she called.

A few tears dripped down his face, "It's taken me a while, mom, but I have."

Truly, it had ended well. Was this the ending, though? There was still a long time until his life came to a close. He'd said it was time to move forward, but…could they all just take a breather right now? To laugh? Maybe it was wrong…maybe they shouldn't have accepted their circumstances, or who they were, but…this was nice. There was no use rushing away from it. Right now, this was the ending he'd choose.

They could get back up and start heading toward the future again later.

After a little while longer, a shout interrupted his calm, "Ooh, I forgot how yummy alcohol was!"

Emilia stood up after her yell, her drunkenness totally in control. Rem giggled as she got up as well.

"Hey, Rem, why are we standing?" Emilia asked.

Rem shrugged. Emilia grinned and turned to everyone, "Come on, guys! There's a whole dance floor to use!"

She beckoned everyone to join her. Rem and Garfiel followed quickly, Frederica went after Garfiel, and Otto submitted to peer pressure as Garfiel bullied him into coming.

Beatrice however, completely refused. Roswaal walked over and kneeled down, "Coooooome on, Betty, let's go dancing. Geuse gave us those lessons, diiiiidn't he? We should shake the rust off."

"Like Betty would dance with you," she scowled.

"I never said you haaaaad to dance with me. Just that you have to dance," Roswaal continued trying to get her to go with him. But she denied and looked to Subaru for aid.

He tapped her on the shoulder, "Stop being such a party pooper, Beako, go dance."

"Why should Betty do that, I suppose?" she pouted.

"Because you'll remember it, and laugh about it one day," he leaned over, "you only have so much time with us. Don't waste it."

Beatrice's scowl melted away, "Fine."

Roswaal's eyes held a tiny bit of joy as he walked to the dance floor with her. When they started, it was pretty apparent she was enjoying it, and just trying to seem annoyed.

Her joining the others left him and Ram alone at the table.

Ram lifted her head off his shoulder, which he hadn't even noticed she'd done, "You should follow your own advice, Barusu."

He immediately knew what her intent was, "Are you asking me to dance with you?"

"What a scandalous assumption."

"You didn't say it was wrong, so—"

Ram grabbed his hand, stood up, and yanked him from his chair, "Shut up, come on."

He nearly tripped over his own feet as she ripped him toward the dance floor. He looked around, Otto and Garfiel laughed as they tried to figure out how to dance, Frederica attempted to coach them, Beatrice and Roswaal tried to remember old lessons, while Emilia and Rem were too drunk to see straight and somehow managed.

How had he gotten so far?

Ram yanked him close to her and made him get into a dancing position. Right…the reason was right in front of him. Smiling up at him as she berated his dancing skills, which were far superior to her own.

There was the reason, trying to come up with new insults, but coming up short as his near-perfect dancing gave her no material. She was the reason he'd made it here, dancing with him.

Both knew the steps, but this was more than just memorized motions. They quickly abandoned those practiced movements, and made their own as they went. Sometimes they even switched off who was leading. It was a dance which went against all custom, but still had a brilliant order to it. Everything mixed into a movement of Subaru and Ram's own creation. One that finally made Ram laugh. She let out the pure and genuine sound while the entire room melted into more and more nonsense dances.

Yet Subaru and Ram kept that order, and never let go of each other.

They danced most of the night away. He never once doubted a thing.

After the party reached its conclusion, everyone went off to their rooms, accompanied by the sound of Otto already complaining about tomorrow's hangover. Ram held to his arm as they picked out one of the empty guest rooms.

When they got to the door, Ram stared up at him, her face red and painted with a stupid smile, "Taking a girl into your room, quite perverted, Barusu."

"Still not an objection."

Ram grinned wider and pulled him into the room, "Hah, since I've already assumed that you'll do something perverted I'd be disappointed if nothing perverted occurred."

Subaru tilted his head, "You have no idea what you're doing, do you?"

Ram tried to scowl at him, but only ended up giggling as she dragged him toward the bed, "This coming from you."

"Fair point," he had to admit.

Ram yanked off his jacket and pulled him into a kiss. Then threw him onto the bed. Neither had a clue what they were supposed to do.

Yet, it didn't matter in the slightest.

Ram climbed on top of him, "I love you, Barusu."

Subaru was finally ready, "I love you, Ram."

They lost themselves in each other's arms for the rest of the night.