Special thanks to my fiancée for being my best friend and the love of my life.

Silver and Amethyst

A great spirit and their contractor had a bond unlike any other. In close proximity, they often shared thoughts and feelings. In a fight, they were one. When the world gave up on them, they had each other. If one died, then the other would fight the devil itself to bring them back.

Beatrice and Subaru were no different.

She knew that she was not her contractor's number one; he was too hopeless to realize how great she was, after all. Still, she was as close as she could possibly be, and that was enough for her. She was Subaru's Betty, and he was Betty's Subaru. That would never change, and she could never be truly angry at him.

…Even if he brought the purple thing into their home.

Now, a great spirit like Beatrice could easily receive a summons from her contractor. Unlike the ones from that perverted clown, which used magic, this kind was intrinsic to the unbreakable bond shared between her and Subaru. It could even work at a fairly reasonable distance—not that they were often separated, of course. Who knew what kind of trouble he would get up to if she were not around to watch him?

They had tried to expand upon this long-ranged telepathy with limited success. They could manage a word or two, but it was mostly a flurry of emotions that could be vaguely interpreted. Whenever they managed human speech, it usually ended up being single words, such as food, tired, hopeless, loli, and cute…

Right now, she was receiving rapid signals that were clearer than ever before. With all his heart and soul, he shouted, 'Stay away, everything is great, everything is really great! Don't come in tonight!'

With a mix of sadness and pride, Beatrice realized that she would need to find a new bed for some nights. It was worth it, however, if it meant that her contractor's scars were fading.

But now was not the time to ponder such things, for she had to perform her solemn duty as Subaru's contracted spirit. She needed to test the purple thing's mettle.

The pink maid had deposited the purple thing into her room—a place that explained Subaru's mysterious absences in the last few months—and left her in Beatrice's excellent care. It wasn't as if Beatrice had offered out of kindness, or anything; she merely knew that the pink maid was busy, and she had some free time. It would only be a minor inconvenience to care for the immobile brat.

The spirit eyed the purple thing warily, observing that fake smile with narrowed eyes. Perhaps others would not see it as fake, but it was the same smile that her contractor wore after he "recovered" from a nightmare. Kindred souls, it seemed. If this girl was anything like her contractor, then unspeakable horrors must have befallen her.

The girl was small, unhealthily so. One could attribute it to merely being shorter than other children her age, but it seemed more like the result of malnutrition.

She eyed the web of scars on the girl's limbs; many seemed to be a few months old, like her contractor's, but even more seemed to be much older. These were no mere battle scars, but deliberately inflicted wounds. Who would do that to a mere child?

Shoving down the treacherous sympathy, Beatrice resumed glaring at the purple thing, waiting for the girl to say something. It didn't seem like she would…Perhaps Beatrice should begin? What was there to say?

'What are your intentions with my contractor? Why did you unleash the Great Rabbit? How did you control such a creature? Why does Subaru care about you so much?'

But what came out was: "Why are you so injured, I wonder?"

Subaru would have chastised her for her inconsiderate question. She would remind him that he introduced himself by saying that her mother doesn't love her.

The purple thing, however, seemed unperturbed. "Just a little aaaccident," she said airily.

"That's a lie, in fact," Beatrice grumbled. The girl stiffened at the word "lie," and the spirit filed that information away. It was merely as a weapon against her enemy, of course. "Doesn't it still hurt, I wonder?"

"Nope!" the purple thing chirped. She moved her shoulder up and down, saying, "See? No pain, Ma'am!"

Beatrice gave her an unimpressed look. "That's your uninjured shoulder," she deadpanned. "You're as hopeless as my contractor, I suppose."

The purple thing didn't let any anxiety show on her face, but she lightly twirled her finger around her braid, saying, "I'm fiiine, don't worry about me."

The voice, tone, elongation, and expression were different. However, the cloudiness and guilt in her eyes screamed "Subaru at his lowest."

Just who was this girl? Who had broken her? How could they help her?

Enemy. Right. Beatrice reminded herself that this was her competition—not that there was anything to compete over, of course.

Without another word, Beatrice sat on the edge of the bed and cradled the girl's injured arm, gently applying healing magic. "Your immobility is annoying Betty, I suppose," she grumbled, turning her nose up in distaste. "Betty will just have to heal you, so you don't burden Subaru further, I suppose."

The purple thing gave an almost imperceptible flinch, and Beatrice felt horrible. She didn't like seeing the sorrow and shame in the young girl's eyes, and she wanted to fix it.

She gulped and forced out, "B-but Betty's Subaru trusts you, so Betty will trust you, too, I suppose."

At that, the purple thing seemed slightly comforted, yet also disheartened.

Fearful of making things even worse, Beatrice shut her mouth and focused on her task. She couldn't fathom why, but she hated seeing the purple thing look so…downtrodden.

Eventually, the purple thing began to relax, letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she whispered, the relief causing her mask to slip, though only for an instant. A moment later, that wide smile spread across her face once more. "That was sooo cool! Healing magic is awesome!"

With a hint of disappointment covered by a fierce glare, Beatrice growled out, "I sincerely hope that was enough for you because I will not do such a favor for you again, in fact."

A bit of mischief came into the purple thing's eyes as she asked, "Then, why are you healing my leg, Miss?"

Beatrice looked down to find that, indeed, she was pushing mana into the girl's leg, too. It could have healed just fine on its own; she was simply providing relief. Even so, she couldn't bring herself to stop.

"It's a mere impulse, in fact," she muttered. "Do not act so shocked; Subaru's Betty is an exceptionally kind, great spirit, so it's only natural that I would do this, I suppose."

The purple thing didn't buy it for a moment. She wasn't at ease, per se, but she had relaxed enough to say, "Thank you, Miss!"

Beatrice huffed but didn't respond, nor did she look up. She didn't want to see the sadness nor the gratitude in the girl's eyes. Those same eyes were looking at her Subaru and—

"I'm not taking him away."

Beatrice slowly picked up her head and reluctantly met the purple thing's sincere gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about," the spirit insisted, punctuating every word.

The girl had dropped her singsong demeanor and fake smile. The sorrow was hidden, but her face no longer bore a lie. Carefully, like she wasn't used to voicing her own thoughts, she said, "Subaru…has been good to me. I don't know why, or how he knew to prepare this room, but I've never…"

She played with her braid, and, seemingly coming to a decision, reminisced, "I lived with a family, once. They took me in when I was living in a forest. They had lost a daughter, but I didn't replace her."

Then, more earnestly than ever before, she proclaimed, "Subaru is just as kind as them—no, he's the kindest person in the whole wide world. He isn't going to replace his daughter just because he took in a killer."

Beatrice shook her head to clear it, for there was a lot to unpack. What happened to that family? Why was the purple thing living in a forest? Why did she call herself a killer? Most importantly:

"Betty is not Subaru's daughter, in fact!" she screeched.

The purple thing cocked her head to the side, confused. "But…you called him Father."

"Betty did no such thing," she seethed, her face as red as a tomato. There was no way she had let that slip, specially not in front of other people!

No, there was nothing to let slip. She was older than her bumbling, clumsy contractor.

"Huh," the purple thing murmured, too baffled to fake a smile. "He's not…But he looks at you just like…"

Lost in thought, the girl trailed off, leaving Beatrice to stomp her feet in aggressive denial.

Despite their somewhat-rocky start, Beatrice stayed the night, attending to the girl's wounds. It was necessary, of course; she had recently obtained large quantities of mana, and she needed to release it regularly. Healing was an excellent outlet for such things. It wasn't because the purple thing was shifting uncomfortably, or anything like that.

And no, she most certainly didn't hold the girl's hand during a nightmare, either. That would be absolutely preposterous, and the only reason why she would do such a thing was that the purple thing reminded her of her annoying contractor.

The night came and went, and as the dawn presented itself, it brought with it a shift in the atmosphere. 'Subaru must have used Door Crossing,' Beatrice realized. Using her connection to the mansion, she noted that, indeed, Subaru and Emilia had left the Forbidden Library and were headed in her direction.

So, he knew to not enter an adolescent's room unannounced. Perhaps he wasn't a complete idiot.

As he came closer, she noticed that he was feeling…giddy, was perhaps the right word. Gleeful, ecstatic, or simply happy did not describe how he felt; it was a childlike wonder, as if he was presented with the loveliest of gifts.

What a shameless pervert.

She heard it, then, right outside the door. "Just to be sure," he said quickly, yet not anxiously, "all that did happen, right?"

"It did," Emilia responded quietly with the same amount of disbelief. "We're really…Golly, I never thought—"

"Holy shit, it did happen!" he cheered. Then, with slight hesitation, he asked, "You, uh, don't regret it, right?"

"I would never," the half-elf asserted. "Everything was so…"

As she trailed off, he finished with a simple, "Perfect."

Beatrice had heard enough. With a flick of her wrist, she exercised her control over the mansion, using it to fling the door open. With a jolt, the purple thing instinctively hid behind Beatrice, but relaxed when she saw Subaru there.

Tactfully ignoring the sudden movement, Beatrice gave her contractor a haughty look and said, "Betty has kept diligent watch over the purple thing, and deserves praise, I suppose."

With a smile, Subaru walked in, knelt down to Beatrice's level, and wrapped her in a tight hug. "You're amazing, Beako," he whispered in her ear. "Thank you for being the best daughter a guy could ask for."

She sputtered at the unexpected confession, even as her heart filled with warmth. "Th-that's not the kind of praise I was asking for, in fact!" she cried out, having never heard such a thing from him before. "What are you doing, saying such nonsense out of nowhere?!"

Her words were full of venom, but what went through her mind was the word "daughter." The blue maid had said it jokingly, yes, but it was nothing compared to the sincerity in Subaru's voice. It felt entirely different from when Echidna had distantly said it; what was once cold was now representative of a better future.

"It's been a long time coming," Subaru admitted, giving her head a quick pat. "I love you so much, Beako."

The purple thing inexplicably stiffened at the word "love," and a hint of fear flicked across her wide, olive-green eyes.

They would just have to show her how wonderful it was to have a family.

Lowering her gaze from Subaru's intense, dark eyes, Beatrice murmured, "Betty loves you, too, in fact."

His smile widened further, impossible as that was, and he ruffled her hair once more.

Standing tall and turning to the purple thing, he said, "There's something I want to show you, if that's okay."

The young girl nodded furiously, an exaggerated grin on her face. Beatrice couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Why did she no longer feel safe? What had changed?

The spirit's eyes drifted to Emilia. So, it was merely the presence of a newcomer. It was no matter; in time, Emilia's kindness would win the purple thing over. The half-elf had a sweet, motherly demeanor that reminded Beatrice of an era from long ago, with a woman that was almost exactly the same and a man who shared her contractor's eyes.

Every day, it became harder and harder to tell the difference between Emilia and Satella. And yet, the both of them had grown as people while on their own. Beatrice wondered how lovely they would be if they were to become one again.

She shook her head to clear it. It was a mere pipe dream, anyway. Turning her attention to what was in front of her, she noticed that Subaru had placed the purple thing on his back.

Beatrice let out a disgruntled huff at the sight. That was her place, thank you very much. Unwilling to walk like a mere human, she cast Murak and let the wind carry her as she followed Subaru outside the mansion.

Emilia gave a sideways glance at the spirit before asking why she was doing that. Dismissively, Beatrice said, "It's more enjoyable than walking, I suppose."

The half-elf looked confused for a moment before her eyes flicked to the purple thing on Subaru's back. Her eyes brightened in realization. Then, without warning…

"Gah, I suppose! Put me down this instant!"

…she scooped Beatrice out of the air and placed the blonde on her shoulders.

"That's much better," Emilia said happily as she held Beatrice firmly by the ankles. "I see why Subaru has so much fun doing this. I mean, you're reeaally light!"

Resigned to her fate, Beatrice settled in, idly noting that somehow, Emilia's slender shoulders were almost as comfortable as Subaru's broad, more muscular ones.

How odd they must appear to an onlooker: two humans, a silver-haired half-elf, and a great spirit, two of which carried the others.

Actually…they probably looked like a family.

That was absolutely unacceptable. It was ridiculous enough to view Subaru as her father. She didn't know what she'd do if she started viewing Emilia or Satella as her mother. Her life would become much bet- worse, infinitely worse, if she accepted that.

Luckily, there was nothing to accept. She was a great spirit, and that was enough.

They arrived at a massive crater. Beatrice had only seen it from afar, but it was easy to deduce what had created it. "Is this…"

"It is," Subaru confirmed. "This is where you killed Capella."

The purple thing's head shot up, and she gazed intently at the crater. It was as if she expected Lust to appear out of nowhere.

Seeing that fear but being unable to provide relief, Beatrice blurted out, "Betty's Subaru killed Lust, I suppose. I merely provided my mana, in fact."

"You basically removed her from existence," he shot back. Then, punctuating every word. "Even an invincible Sin Archbishop cannot survive that attack."

At those words, Meili buried her face in Subaru's shoulder, grabbing bunches of his hair into her small, shaking fists.

Jumping off her seat on Emilia's shoulders and slowly floating to the ground, Beatrice glared at Subaru and said, "That spell could not have happened without you, I suppose."

He stared her down for a moment before wryly saying, "Let's say we both did it."

They had decided that long ago, but they continued to banter, lest they risk dragging attention to the one who needed a moment alone. Slowly but surely, Subaru, Beatrice, and Emilia recounted everything that had happened with Elsa and Capella, sparing no detail.

For the second time that day, Meili cried in relief, sorrow, pain, grief, and joy, soaking Subaru's shirt with her tears.

After completing their "conversation," Emilia approached Meili slowly and stroked the girl's hair, quietly asking if she wanted to talk about it. She stiffened at the touch and shook her head vehemently.

"That's okay," Emilia soothed. "It doesn't have to be today, or ever. Just know that we're here for you."

Confusion emanated from the crying girl. Why were they showing her this? Why were they so patient with a broken toy? Why were they helping her?

Unconsciously digging her nails through Subaru's shirt and into his skin, she realized that it was purely because of him. They didn't care about a mimic, a blank slate; they merely followed him.

They didn't care about her. Only Subaru did, and he was the only one she could trust.

She surreptitiously dried her tears before a wide smile spread across her face. "This stuff is so cooool!" she said happily. "Thanks for showing me!"

Disappointment flashed on their faces, but that was fine. She was used to disappointing people, though at least she wouldn't be turned into a bunch of frogs this time. After all, she now had Subaru to protect her.

Subaru clearly wanted to say more, but he and Beatrice abruptly stiffened. "He's coming," he said sharply.

Meili tilted her head to the side. "Who's coming?"

A shadow crossed over his eyes as he answered, "The Sin Archbishop of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti. He and his…followers…are almost at the forest."

The words "Sin Archbishop" rattled through her brain, but she forced her anxiety down and asked how they knew that and what it meant.

As the four of them jogged back to the mansion, Subaru explained a bit about their situation. Since Emilia was a silver-haired half-elf, the moment that she had announced her presence at the Royal Selection, she turned the attention of the Witch's Cult to her. It would take a few days for them to come, so Roswaal had preemptively evacuated the villagers. Subaru and Emilia planned to fight Sloth head-on.

Ram, using her clairvoyance, was able to detect the presence of the Cult in the forest. Once she noticed them, she would knock on one of the doors with a specific rhythm—as was requested, of course. Subaru and Beatrice, through their connection to the mansion, picked up on it.

Even so, it wouldn't be just Subaru and Emilia fighting; Petelgeuse had multiple "Fingers," so Rem and Ram would stealthily take them out. Crusch's Camp would kill the accompanying Cultists. Beatrice would protect Meili and the mansion's other residents. Reinhard, unfortunately, had to go back to the capital, as he had not received permission to leave for more than the fight against the White Whale. Emilia, on the other hand…

Well, they were glad they had already talked over their plan with Crusch's Camp. A misunderstanding would have been deadly.

Subaru turned to Emilia and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Mhm. Ready as I'll ever be," she affirmed. He gazed at her in worry, but she shook him off, saying, "I'll be okay, Subaru. Don't worry about me."

"Hypocrite," he muttered ruefully. As they arrived at the steps of the mansion, he said, "I'll see you soon. Be careful, all right?"

"Of course. I won't let anything bad happen." Then, she gave him a long, contemplative look before leaning in and whispering something in his ear, causing him to turn bright red.

"That's not…I-I mean—" He shook his head to clear it, mumbling about the proper times to flirt. Even so, it was enough to lift his spirits.

With a jolt, he realized that was exactly why she did it in situations like these; she wanted to wipe the frown off his face.

Following his train of thought, Emilia gave a coy smile and danced away, entering the mansion. Only once she was out of sight did she allow her exuberant mask to fade away.

She made her way to her old room and put on a long, black dress; it had been found deep in one of the mansion's storage units.

It fit perfectly. None of her attire had ever felt so…right. Even so, she couldn't help but notice something.

"It's so…melancholic," she muttered. Emilia never cared for fashion, but there was something about the plain design, dark coloring, and subtle orange hems that exuded sorrow.

Part of her wondered if it reflected the woman that had worn it. The other part remembered Subaru telling her how beautiful she looked in it and how vehemently she had denied it.

She berated herself, for she could not afford to lose herself in such memories when she had an important job to do.

"You need to use proclitics," Subaru had instructed months prior. "The word 'it' doesn't exist. Gotta use 'tis, 'twill…All that stuff."

"'Twill be hard," she had admitted, not realizing how easily it came to her, "but I shan't fail you."

It wasn't until after the fight with the White Whale that she understood why he had looked at her so strangely.

Now, however, there was none of her prior uncertainty. She was at peace.

She placed herself at the nearby ruins, ignoring the nearby sounds of battle. Jittery and anxious, she couldn't help but feel excited that she would see Geuse—not Juice, as Subaru had recently reminded her—once more.

But it wasn't really Geuse, was it? It was Sloth: an insane murderer who wished to use her as a vessel for the Witch of Envy.

Of course, the Witch of Envy could escape whenever she wanted, but it was only temporary; she was anchored to the shrine…and Sloth wanted Emilia to be the new anchor.

She called for Puck, seeking his comfort. He didn't respond, even though he had more than enough mana on hand. He merely slept.

She felt a pang of sadness but pushed it down; she was used to his prolonged absences by now. Puck had always preferred the fun side of parenting instead of the responsibility; so long as she was alive and not near the point of no return, he was fine with leaving everything to Subaru.

Emilia put on a smile, but she didn't like that. She felt that a parent should be hands-on; they should care about their child's wellbeing, interests, and life. Puck leaving his duties to her significant other should not mean leaving her life.

When she had told Subaru that she didn't blame him for her modified contract, she was being honest…but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't hurt by Puck's apathy.

She sighed but knew that there was no use dwelling on it.

She walked to the ruins near what remained of the forest and waited. Subaru was almost positive that Geuse would be there.

A while back, Subaru had flippantly told her, "Even if he hadn't planned on going there, his Gospel would probably instruct him to. Those things seem dead-set on getting the Archbishops killed instead of 'leading them to their desired future,' or whatever."

Neither knew whether to be thankful or worried.

She was torn out of her thoughts by a voice that she had heard once before.

In a frozen wasteland of her own creation, that voice had laughed maniacally.

Her head shot up, and she almost cried. The man before her was not her father, and it broke her heart.

Enraptured by her presence, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti displayed his reverence for the Witch of Envy.

Many months ago, when Emilia had learned the truth about Satella and the split personality, she had slowly learned to love her silver hair and amethyst eyes. Although she wished that she looked a little more like Fortuna, she had come to accept it. She was now able to view her appearance as that of a kind healer instead of a calamity.

As Geuse worshipped her every action, she could only see herself as a Witch.

He writhed, twisted, cried, and harmed himself. He pleaded for her love and said words that were not his own, but another's.

Subaru was right; the Witch Factor contained bits of the Sage in his final moments. There was a reason that, by default, the Sin Archbishops held some kind of love for Satella and instinctively hated Subaru.

To think that his self-loathing was so strong, it was even passed on to others…

'Now's not the time for thinking about Subaru,' she berated herself. She felt like she had to do that every single battle.

Then, she left Geuse with Subaru, feeling worried yet confident. Her betrothed—she hastily shoved down the warmth that word brought forth—would be able to save Geuse. Her talents were best used elsewhere, such as by helping Crusch fight off the Cultists.

'Then again,' she mused as she watched the battle play out before her, 'it doesn't look like they need any help.'

Crusch Karsten lived up to her title of Valkyrie, for she was a goddess of the blade. From her mount, she let loose a flurry of attacks, decimating Cultists with ease. Emilia wouldn't be surprised if the other Royal Candidate could have won on her own.

Felix Argyle was not much of a fighter, but he ran around the open field, healing any wounds his allies received. What would have taken Emilia minutes was achieved by Felix in mere seconds.

Wilhelm van Astrea was truly the Sword Demon. He weaved in and out of enemy ranks, slicing down fighters left and right. The entire time, he had a smile on his face, as if he felt, for the first time, a semblance of peace.

Emilia wasn't sure what her place was in the battle, but a few El Humas couldn't hurt.

However, she never had the chance to cast even a single spell, for a sense of unease came over the battlefield. Cultists and soldiers alike faltered in their steps as they felt a fear unlike any other. Their anxiety clashed, exacerbated by every breath.

Wilhelm, ever the battle-hardened warrior, tried to inspire his men to continue fighting, but the fear soon overcame even him. He clutched his head and murmured to himself, trying to fight off the foreign sensation.

Crusch and Felix weren't faring much better. What would normally be mid-battle planning had turned into a war of insults. Their faces were rid as spittle flew between them; truly, their ugliest sides began to show as best friends turned against one another.

Then, a voice rang out.

"It's such a pleasure to meet you all," the newcomer said serenely. "I have no doubt that our friendship shall be eternal. I'm sorry, but we shall all display our love by becoming one in heart, in mind, in emotion, in soul. I'm so terribly, horribly sorry."

Standing before them was a woman wrapped in bandages. Her arms, held languidly at her sides, were wrapped in chains. She had long, silver hair and sharp, amethyst eyes that, if they were on someone else, Emilia would have adored.

Everyone's fear and apprehension faded as they were overcome by the woman's serenity. Wilhelm ceased struggling and gazed at the figure in awe. Crusch and Felix stopped screaming at each other to admire her amethyst eyes, even as they shook in terror. The soldiers smiled and cheered, for Sirius's happiness was theirs.

As Emilia saw those eyes, she felt a sense of joy, of peace. She wanted to be friends with this person, to become one with them. She wanted to proclaim her love to the world.

Then, she forcibly tore her eyes away, and the feeling disappeared. Subaru's warning from so long ago came back to her.

"If you meet a woman in bandages and chains, do not look at her," he had ordered. "Do not let her emotions affect you. Do not let her share her wounds. Against her, awareness equals resistance."

Emilia shouted the warning to her fellow soldiers, but they did not hear it. They were focused, enraptured by the bandaged woman, yet they were also revolted and unnerved by her. It was as if they were looking at a corpse.

"Crusch!" she called out. "Wilhelm! Felix! Stop…don't…"

'Don't…what?'

Her eyes had passed over the bandaged woman, and her fear had faded away. She gave a slight giggle, even as she shivered.

Emilia could not see the woman's face through her withered coverings, but she gave the distinct impression of a smile. Spreading her arms wide and letting her chains dangle, she said, "I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult, representing Wrath…Sirius Romanée-Conti. Please forgive me, but I would be honored to be your friend."

Yes! Emilia would love to befriend this lovely woman! She felt so happy, so…at peace. She was a maiden in love, seeking the one she cherished most.

Sirius strode forward and came before a soldier, giving a joyful laugh. "Oh, how magnificent this is! This gentle, wonderful, kind, beautiful love you feel…Is it not so lovely to be understood? To feel as I do? For myself to feel as you do? For our emotions to be one? I'm so sorry, but…is it nice for you to feel this way?"

"It's incredible!" the soldier extolled. "Thank you, Sirius!"

"Thank you?" Sirius echoed, with a sense of wonder. "Why, it really is nice to be thanked. The Witch's Cult gives me such a bad reputation, and I'm truly, unspeakably, terribly apologetic for that. You know, I would hug you right now, but I cannot, and I'm sorry for that. So sorry, really sorry, and I'm so…why, I wish I could, but a woman's love is special, you see. There is a special man in my heart, and my embrace is saved for him. You understand, surely? It is hard, very hard for me to ask such a thing, and I'm sorry, but you must understand why I cannot hold another man?"

"I understand!" he cheered, and the crowd agreed.

Emilia understood, too. Her beloved, so close yet so far, has been running for so many years! She was so close, but her tender embrace was special, so it must be saved!

Sirius helped her understand! Her love was Sirius's, and Sirius's love was hers!

Suddenly, Sirius's voice dropped to a whisper. "Cherish this feeling. This happiness, this bliss, this unity, this love, it is not forever. Only when I reunite with my beloved Petelgeuse will it be forever."

They all shouted in joy, but, off in the distance, Emilia faltered slightly. The name "Petelgeuse" stuck out like a sore thumb.

Then Sirius spoke again, and Emilia was entranced once more.

"You!" the bandaged woman exclaimed, running towards Crusch. "You, a woman, feel my love, my joy! Oh, even a maiden such as myself can embrace you, show you my love!"

She wrapped her arms around Crusch, almost barreling over the green-haired duchess. Crusch laughed merrily and embraced Sirius, burrowing her face into the bandages. Many people in the crowd wrapped their arms around themselves, for Sirius had hugged them all at once.

Emilia distantly felt the same sensations, but she was no longer as heavily under the Archbishop's thrall. Something was wrong, and she needed to stop it.

She forced her gaze to the ground, breaking the connection. "Everyone, look away!" she shouted, but no one cared…except for Sirius. The Archbishop's head shot up, the force of it knocking Crusch to the ground. Soldiers and cultists alike grasped their heads in pain, but Emilia only felt a dull throb.

For a single moment, Sirius gazed at Emilia's silver hair and pointed ears.

Immediately after, Wrath fell upon them.

All sense of rapture faded as their rage increased tenfold. Crusch and Felix grappled with each other, blaming each other for the death of a mutual loved one. He clawed at her face, leaving deep gashes in her once-flawless skin. She retaliated by punching him in the gut, grinning contemptuously as he crumpled. She repeatedly kicked her best friend's downed figure, reveling in his whimpers of pain.

Wilhelm fell to his knees and repeatedly slammed his head against the ground, for he could only hate himself. Blood spurted from his forehead where he struck it, but he had not punished himself enough. He took out his blade and aimed it at his heart, but it never hit its mark, for someone else would make the first killing blow.

Crusch, poised over Felix's mangled form with her blade drawn, sneered at her former friend. With a single, clean strike, she swung her blade down and beheaded the greatest healer of the modern age.

The moment that steel sliced through flesh, a bit of lucidity returned to Crusch's eyes. Desperately, she reached towards Felix, and—

Sirius clicked her fingers.

No breathing. No thoughts. No conscious actions.

All at once, everyone's head left their body.

Blood soaked the grass and pavement as a river of red stained the land. Less than ten seconds of wrath had plagued them, yet hundreds of mighty warriors had died. In the face of an Authority, not even Felix's healing power could save them.

The only ones left standing were Sirius…and a shocked, yet utterly furious silver-haired half-elf with amethyst eyes.

Emilia's allies were dead, and it was because of this Cultist.

Crusch had been murdered. She had accepted Emilia upon their first meeting, and now she was gone.

Felix had healed Meili, and Meili meant so much to Subaru. He had saved so many people, but now he was gone.

Wilhelm was a kind, powerful man that had just reconciled with his grandson, and now he was gone.

Hundreds of soldiers, all dead in an instant.

These people were her allies. They had chosen to follow her before her speech at the Royal Selection, even before they knew of her affiliation with the Sage. They had ignored her half-elf heritage in order to see the woman beneath.

And now, they were gone.

She darted forward, intent on confronting the one who had caused such destruction. Then, Emilia felt it: the overwhelming rage, dwarfing her previous, more controllable anger.

Rage towards Pandora for destroying her home and family. Rage towards Regulus for driving her beloved to attempted suicide. Rage towards Echidna for splitting her soul. Rage towards this woman, towards Sirius, for killing her allies and for claiming to be related to her father figure.

This feeling—this horrible, all-encompassing sensation—came over her, destroying any sense of rationality. What little self-restraint she had held moments prior had been erased, replaced by nothing but pure, unadulterated wrath.

"Al Huma!" she shouted, trying to cause as much destruction as possible.

Finally noticing Emilia, Sirius easily batted the massive ice spear away with a flick of her chain.

For a moment, all was silent as they glared hatefully at each other. Then, with the utmost vitriol, Sirius shouted, "Die, Witch of Envy!"

She rolled her arms and let more of her chains loose as they burst into flame. They tore through Emilia's hastily conjured Huma, but the half-elf jumped back, narrowly avoiding being bisected.

"Let me through!" Sirius screeched. "My love! My beloved Petelgeuse! He's right there! You're taking him from me, and I'm sorry!"

Sirius's Authority thrummed through Emilia's head like a cursed harp, intensifying her anger with every breath. The only thing keeping her alive was Subaru's warning.

"I won't let you get to Subaru," Emilia seethed, punctuating every word with the creation of an ice soldier. Each of them was a perfect replica of her knight, the ultimate symbol of safety. "I will protect him with all that I am."

But Sirius was too far gone; the mere sight of a silver-haired half-elf was enough to drive her mad. Her flaming chains tore through some of the soldiers, but one came through and slashed at her side.

The wound affected both Sirius and Emilia, but neither noticed, for their murderous intent drowned out all other thoughts.

Emilia held out her hand, conjuring a sword of ice. It was time to put her Ice Brand Arts to good use.

She dashed forward, reveling in the intensifying anger. Emilia screamed and slashed at Sirius's shoulder, but it was effortlessly batted away. Sirius tried to wrap Emilia in chains, but the Royal Candidate was too fast, too nimble.

It did not matter how long they fought for; rage had blinded them to the passage of time. Locked in a stalemate, all Sirius could do was once again shout, "Begone, Witch of Envy!"

Laughter filled the clearing, but it was not natural. It was an insane chortle birthed from the Authority of Wrath.

"Oh, how wrong you are!" Emilia said with a mad giggle. Raw, uncontrollable anger pumped through her system, but she had never felt so alive. "I am not the Witch of Envy!"

She gave a twisted smile, eager to deliver the killing blow to her most hated enemy. "I am Emilia…the Witch of Frost."

As if to prove her point, she thrust out her arm and yelled, "Va Hu—"

The world stopped. A hand made of shadows clamped over Emilia's mouth, preventing her from speaking.

She was no longer affected by the Authority of Wrath, but she felt terrified, furious. Crusch's entire Camp was dead—they had accepted her, even associated with her, and were now gone. She was facing down a Sin Archbishop. Subaru was mentally assaulting her father figure, and the latter may not survive the encounter.

Now, she was being muffled while staring down a mirror image of herself.

Emilia knew what she looked like, of course; she had not been afraid of reflective surfaces since a few weeks after she had modified her contract with Puck. Even so, this was difficult to accept.

Satella—the Witch of Envy—stood before her.

"I need you to take some deep breaths," her doppelgänger calmly instructed. "Do not complete that spell."

Emilia couldn't take deep breaths; she didn't want to die, didn't want her soul to be destroyed. She had so much to live for, she had…

"I'm…not her," Satella murmured. "I would never harm my other half."

…nothing to worry about.

Emilia closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose, held it, then let out all the air in her lungs, just like Beatrice had taught her and Subaru. One, two, three more times before she slowly opened her eyes and stared herself down.

They were identical in every way, even down to their dark clothes. Their eyes were filled with the same sorrow and love. They both held hope for the future, for it had been granted to them by Subaru Natsuki. The only difference was that Emilia was warm whilst Satella was cold and already had a wedding ring on her finger. They truly were the same person under different circumstances, and that fact no longer bothered Emilia.

She had so many questions to ask. "Why appear now? Why not before? Why stop me from defeating Sirius? Why save me from Regulus, but not Subaru? Do you hate me? Do you think I'm taking Subaru from you? Am I taking Subaru from you?"

But none of those were relevant; staying alive came first. So, a bit wearily, she asked, "Why are you here?"

Emilia knew that Satella was capable of breaking away from her shrine, but it was incredibly difficult to overpower the Witch of Envy, and, as a result, her sphere of influence was limited. She would not come out simply for an idle chat.

So, why?

"To stop you from making a grave mistake," Satella replied. "If you had finished your attack, both of you would be dead."

Frowning deeply and looking past the surrealness of the situation, Emilia pointed out, "Sirius can't kill me if she's dead."

With a grimace, Satella reminded her, "Subaru had told you of the Authority of Wrath. All injuries inflicted upon her are shared between those in her immediate vicinity. So, if you had killed Sirius…"

Emilia's eyes were wide with horror. "I would have died, too," she concluded.

But what hurt the most was that Subaru would have followed.

"What can I do?" she asked desperately. "If I don't kill her, she'll kill Subaru and everyone in the mansion! If I do kill her, then Subaru will commit suicide!"

She began to hyperventilate, so Satella quickly suggested, "You could capture her."

"With what restraints? Ice chains?" Emilia asked mockingly. "She uses fire magic, you idiot!"

They both flinched at her tone and words, but Satella understood. She always was harder on herself. Nonetheless, Emilia, whispered, "I'm sorry."

"'Tis understandable," Satella mumbled. "My husband was filled with such overwhelming desperation for many years, and I often found myself on the receiving end of it."

It was strange having a mirror image of herself refer to her betrothed as "my husband," but Emilia could not focus on that, as she found herself overwhelmed with pity.

Satella, the poor thing, had been through so much, yet she still felt the need to help others. She was a better woman than Emilia could ever hope to be.

However, one word stuck out. "Years," Emilia echoed. "I felt like I was going crazy after thirty seconds."

Perhaps Subaru held even less blame than she had thought…or maybe she was simply weak and couldn't handle grief. Maybe it was a bit of both.

"So, what can we do?" she asked, a bit of hopelessness entering her voice.

Satella bit her lip and was quiet for a moment. Hesitantly, like she was afraid of ruining everything, she offered, "We could form a temporary contract."

Emilia considered the possibility. A contract with Satella…Because of her soul, they would be above the Od Laguna, and, so long as Satella had both her Witch Factor and the world's love, might even be above the Authority of Wrath.

"I'll do it," she said decisively. She held out her hand, saying, "Name your terms."

Satella eyed the proffered hand warily. "You do not understand," she said, averting her gaze. "I am speaking to you now because Envy is…unavailable. However, I am not the dominant personality, so if you form a contract, it wouldn't be with me."

The miasma, thick enough to be visible, hid her face in the shadows. "Until the contract's terms are fulfilled, the Witch of Envy would control your body. Upon completion of the contract, I will be forced back to my shrine. However, Envy will remain in full control of my body, so I will be unable to provide you with assistance of any kind; all of my energy will be spent containing her."

Through the cursed fog, Satella locked eyes with Emilia and said, "I will gladly form a contract with you, but only if you understand the risks and still decide to go through with it."

Emilia stiffened. Subaru had described in great detail the Witch of Envy's power. They would undoubtedly defeat Sirius, but at what cost? That wasn't even considering the strain that it would put upon Satella.

Yet, if they didn't, then Subaru…

In the end, there wasn't much to consider. Amethyst met amethyst as Emilia firmly said, "He's worth it."

Satella searched Emilia's eyes for a moment before nodding sharply. Emilia couldn't help but feel that she had received approval for more than just this plan.

They clasped hands and steeled their resolve. They were ready.

"One," Satella began, her voice unwavering. "Our powers and abilities shall combine so we may smite our foe."

"Two," Emilia continued, perfectly in sync with her other half. "May our hearts and minds beat as one, so as to face a brighter future together."

"Three. We shall put our full might into restraining the Witch of Envy, not allowing her to stray from her task."

"Four. The contract of power between the Witch of Envy and the Witch of Frost shall terminate upon the annihilation of the Sin Archbishop of Wrath."

Satella looked critically at Emilia for a while. It was not the harsh glare one might give to romantic competition; rather, it was like how one gazed into a mirror to evaluate oneself in times of strife. Smiling for the first time since their encounter began, she accepted their terms before saying, "You're a good girl, Emilia. Crafty, too. I'm glad Subaru has you to watch over him."

Emilia beamed. "He has you, too. We will save you, Satella."

The world resumed, but they were not afraid. As one being, Emilia and Satella would destroy their foe.

Except…they weren't in control. In their place was a being of instinct and single-minded, twisted love…the Witch of Envy.

She felt him nearby. He was close, so close. All she needed to do was turn and—

She could not turn. She was forced to face a woman in bandages.

She could not see her beloved. The thing in front of her was keeping him away. It screamed curses, but she did not care. It attacked her with all of its might, but she felt nothing.

She would end that thing for getting in the way.

A hand of shadow, a Yin construct of her own invention, shot forward and tore off the thing's arm. It howled in pain, but she didn't care. She would make it suffer, and she would finally see her beloved.

One moment, she was dozens of paces away. The next, she was in front of the thing. She burned, slashed, cut, and ripped the thing to shreds, but did not let it die. It deserved to suffer.

Using her own hands, she tore the bandages off the thing's face, but her arm suddenly felt heavy. As her empty eyes stared down at the thing's face, a familiar voice rang out.

'Stop!' the voice pleaded. 'That's not an enemy!'

Not an enemy? It was between her and her husband. It deserved death.

'No! Stop!' the voice cried. 'I change my mind! Break the contract! Please, don't kill her! Puck! Wake up, Puck! Please! Why won't you wake up?! Satella! Help, Satella!'

At that, she felt yet another presence trying to hold her back. It seemed it was time to end this. Dispassionately, she looked down at the thing's fully exposed face; its dull grey hair and nasty purple eyes were disgusting.

She knew what to do.

With a sense of satisfaction, she crushed the thing's heart. Upon its death, its soul, its truly repulsive soul, wriggled free from its body and tried to return to the Od Laguna.

She would not let that happen.

'Please, stop this, I beg you!' that same, familiar voice wailed. She felt the voice's desperation leak into her, but she let it dissipate, for nothing would interfere with her goal.

Then, she used it: an infinitesimally small fraction of her power, the Authority of Envy.

She seized the thing's soul and watched with glee as it was surrounded by darkness. Slowly, deliberately, she sucked the life and power out of it, bringing it into herself.

She heard the voice pleading once more; it wanted to give the soul back, to save the thing's life.

Such tiresome whining only fueled her ire. She was growing impatient and was losing interest in tormenting the soul.

The last of its life left, leaving an empty husk. With nothing but apathy, she clutched it with her bare hands and squeezed. Like glass, it shattered, scattering to the wind. Finally, she could—

With that, the contract was fulfilled. The Witch of Envy returned to her shrine. Emilia took over once more, letting crystal tears fall down her face.

Shining silver hair, now muddied by dirt and blood. Glassy, amethyst eyes, staring up at nothing. The bandages were pulled back to reveal a face that, while burnt, was easily recognizable by Emilia.

"Why?" she croaked. "I don't…I don't understand!"

Laying before her was the corpse of her mother, Fortuna, drowning in a pool of blood.

Emilia wept and wailed; they were not the silent cries of acceptance from when she was a child, but of an adult who had made a rash decision with drastic consequences.

There was a reason why one should never make a contract with a Witch.

A voice called her name, but she couldn't process the sight before her, let alone a distant sound. She couldn't comprehend the arms that wrapped around her or the warm lips that buried themselves in her hair. She didn't feel the weightlessness of being carried or the soft blanket that surrounded her.

She didn't feel much of anything, aside from a cold, encompassing numbness.

Eventually, the fog in her mind cleared enough for her to hear, "I'm right here, Emilia-tan. I'm not going anywhere."

She recognized that low voice, and it brought warmth to her frozen body. Cautiously, she breathed, "Subaru?"

He was rubbing her back, she idly noted. It was relaxing, soothing.

"It's me," he answered, barely managing to hide his exhaustion. She hoped that he wasn't taking her burdens again. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

How could she explain it when she had yet to process it herself?

Hundreds of soldiers had died in an instant. Crusch had decapitated her best friend, the person she trusted the most. Wilhelm van Astrea had impaled himself on his own blade.

Emilia had formed a contract with Satella, condemning her doppelgänger to the Witch of Envy's fury. She had acted in a fit of desperation, terrified at the mere thought of losing Subaru.

Emilia had killed her mother.

"Mother Fortuna," she said in a low, wavering voice. "I thought she had perished in Elior Forest, but she was a Sin Archbishop this whole time."

Why had Fortuna acted like that? Why hadn't she remembered Emilia?

Perhaps…greater forces were at play.

Al's voice came back to her. "When one of our men fell, Pandora would resurrect them as a mindless soldier for her cause."

Emilia's fists clenched in hatred. Why was Pandora intent on destroying Emilia's psyche? Pandora called her "my princess" and claimed to love her, but it was a love as twisted as the Sin Archbishops' obsession.

'Why?!' Emilia wailed internally. 'Why won't you just leave us alone?!'

She just wanted to live her life.

Vowing yet again to defeat Pandora, Emilia looked at Subaru and, with a wavering voice, explained everything: Crusch and her Camp, Sirius and her connection to Fortuna, and, finally, Satella and Emilia's temporary contract with the Witch of Envy.

During the explanation, Subaru had climbed onto the bed and held her close, for this was difficult for either of them to process alone. When she finished her tale, he waited for a minute and quietly asked, "Are you okay?"

"No!" she wanted to protest. "I'm not okay!"

The memories tore through her skull, overwhelming her senses. Her entire body hurt, and part of her wanted to shy away from Subaru, to hide in a corner and never come out.

So, naturally, she forced out a simple, "I'm fine."

He gazed at her sadly, for she was terrible at lying to him. He reached out and cupped her cheek, whispering, "It's okay to not be okay."

He didn't say that she was absolved of her sins, for he understood. He knew what it was like to act drastically in the face of desperation.

Now, she knew the guilt that accompanied it.

Letting the tears fall, she admitted, "I'm…not okay."

'I don't think I'll ever be okay.'

In response, he pulled her into his chest and stroked her hair, murmuring sweet nothings all the while. Then, abruptly:

"Geuse!" Emilia exclaimed with wide eyes. "Is he—"

"I removed his Witch Factor," Subaru confirmed, much to her relief. "He fell unconscious after seeing Sirius without bandages, so I got Beako to bring him to the bedroom I showed her. She said she'll find him some Fingers, too."

Emilia nodded slowly. She wanted to rush to Geuse's side, to see him, but knew that it was better to let him sleep off the stress.

"Will you stay?" she asked weakly, hating how childish her voice sounded. "At least, until I fall asleep."

She had a feeling that she would experience a nightmare unlike any other.

"Of course," he affirmed, "though I'll eventually have to go and deal with the fallout, especially since…"

He trailed off, but she understood. Neither wanted to think of Crusch at the moment.

And so, they ran from their problems, just like they always did.

She moved in closer, forcing a smile on her face, "Already thinking of the political ramifications…You'll be a good king, my love." He stiffened in shock, and she looked up at him, confusedly asking, "Is something the matter?"

He struggled with himself for a moment. "King?" he asked in a strained voice. "Don't you mean knight?"

She pushed herself up on her elbow, trying not to giggle at his surprised face. "You're still oblivious, even after everything that's happened? Subaru, the whole kingdom knows we come together."

He gaped at her before asking, "Don't I get a say in this?"

"You do," she conceded. "You agreed to this when you told me you loved me, slept with me, said you wanted a family, and accepted my hand in marriage."

He was quiet for some time. Then, he pathetically mumbled, "Huh."

She rolled her eyes. "Subaru, you've been my king since the moment you walked into my life and made that stupid pose. I was just too much of a numbskull to realize it."

"No one says 'numbskull' anymore, Emilia-tan."

Feeling a bit better after the day's harrowing events, she giggled, leaned up to kiss his nose, and slowly drifted off to sleep. Handling her duties when she needed rest…he truly was everything she could have asked for. She didn't know what she'd do without him. A little voice in the back of her mind reminded her that he felt the same way about her, and that reminder filled her with warmth.

As her breathing evened out, Subaru carefully untangled himself and left the Forbidden Library, entering an empty corridor. After making sure he was alone, he finally dropped his mask and let the rage flow through him.

"Damn it!" he shouted, punching a wall out of anger. Screw what he had said to Petelgeuse; this was all Subaru's fault. He had ordered Crusch to come with him to avoid having her lose her memories, and, as a result, her entire Camp had been murdered.

He couldn't stop Pandora from creating corpse soldiers. He couldn't stop Sirius from attacking the mansion. He couldn't save Meili from Capella's rape and torture. He couldn't save Satella without destroying the world. He couldn't stop Echidna from trapping Beako. He couldn't even stop himself from condemning Geuse and Shaula to a lifetime of servitude.

And now, Emilia had lost her mother for a second time. It was a testament to her sheer mental fortitude that she hadn't cracked, but Subaru sure as hell was near his breaking point.

King Subaru…What an absolutely ridiculous idea. He was nothing but a failure. There was a reason why he had declined Farsale's offer.

His fist bled from repeatedly striking the wall, but he didn't care. There was nothing he could do to fix the situation. No plan, no ability, nothing. He felt so utterly powerless.

It wasn't that he wouldn't save Crusch. Yes, he had made a promise to Satella to not kill himself, but the death of a friend outweighed any promise.

The truth...was that he couldn't save her.

He closed his eyes and entered the Shadow Garden. He ignored most of his Witch Factors, focusing only on one. She bore a gentle smile and glittering amethyst eyes. Her silver hair was a halo around her—truly, she was an angel in every sense of the word.

Yesterday, she was cloaked in shadows, repeatedly professing her love. His mind had given her the form of the Witch of Envy, representing the corrupted state of her Witch Factor. But now—

Satella walked up to him and rested a warm hand on his cheek. "It's okay," she soothed. "You did everything you could, my love."

He let loose a bitter laugh. If this were the real Satella, he was sure that her comforting smile would have wiped away all of his sorrow.

Now, he just felt like a failure.

"You're not a failure," she said in response to his thoughts. "You overcame your Envy, Subaru."

He couldn't understand why she had framed that as a good thing.

When he had come into this world, Satella—the real one—had given him part of the Witch Factor of Envy. Despite it being in a corrupted state, he had used his Authority to great effect. Return by Death hadn't just saved his own life, but also the lives of those whom he loved most.

When he had purified the Authority of Sloth, turning Invisible Providence into Guiding Hand, he had wondered what Return by Death would turn into. Surely, it would just be another upgrade, right? Maybe he'd be able to control the save point, or give someone else the memories that had in the last loop.

…But none of that happened. A new power had yet to emerge.

His Authority of Envy was directly tied to his scars. The night before, he had overcome his fear of revealing them—at least, that's how the Witch Factor viewed it. Now, he felt lighter and unburdened…but also, completely useless. After all…

"…I can't Return by Death anymore."

The one power he had been given upon entering this world had been forcibly ripped away, and he only had himself to blame.

The shadows vanished, and Subaru's mind returned to the real world. The searing pain in his aching fist, having collided with the wall once more, was a gruesome reminder of his own mortality.

He only had one shot to save everyone.

"Betty's contractor is spiraling again, I suppose."

Slowly pulling his fist out of the newly-formed dent in the wall, he turned to face Beatrice, who had not been there a moment prior. Her arms were crossed, and she was glaring at him, but she seemed more disappointed than surprised.

Out of breath, he mumbled, "Hey, Beako." He looked at his mangled fingers with a sigh. "I'm not trying to self-harm; this is just a shitty punching bag. No need to tell Emilia."

Beatrice's eyes narrowed. "You're cutting it close," she grumbled. Nonetheless, she came over and cradled his bloody fist in her delicate hands, healing them.

"Thank you," he murmured, averting his eyes. With a sigh, he slid down the wall, Beatrice following suit.

Her expression softened into one of concern as she said, "Betty is right here, you know. You can tell me anything, I suppose."

He pulled her into his lap and held her close. She offered no resistance, choosing instead to burrow herself closer to him. She tucked her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around him, silently offering him what meager warmth and comfort she could give.

"I'm sorry," he said at length. "You got saddled with the most pathetic contractor possible."

She knew to let him vent before speaking, so she merely kept quiet. Her fingers idly picked at the worn edges of his tracksuit as his arms tightened around her.

He wanted to scream, to shout, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Right now, if he wanted to, he could tell her everything. He could speak freely about Return by Death. He could open up about everything that had tormented him. He could even speak of the last timeline and everything that had happened in it.

...But he wouldn't. He loved Beatrice so much, and he refused to burden her with this.

And so, he just…cried. He mumbled about how it hurt like hell, and how much he hated himself. He didn't know why he tried so hard when all he did was get people killed. He didn't know why people wanted him around when all he brought was hardship.

He wept for those he had lost. He couldn't think of a single tragedy that couldn't be tied back to him. He knew for a fact that were he not around, everyone's lives would be better. He was a selfish piece of shit that couldn't let go of the people he loved. They had devoted so much time to his pathetic self that they had deluded themselves into thinking they cared for a death magnet.

He continued to babble, becoming more and more nonsensical with every word. He knew that Beatrice didn't understand everything, and he didn't want her to; he just needed to say it. He needed someone to see how useless he was. He wanted to fix this, he wanted to save everyone, but he couldn't.

Why was he in this world if he couldn't save anyone?

"You're Betty's Subaru," the spirit whispered, as he had asked his question aloud. "You're my contractor and my reason to live, in fact."

She pulled back and offered him one of her curls, and he idly took it, twirling it around his finger. "You're my reason to live, too," he croaked. Her head shot up in disbelief, but he continued talking. "I couldn't go on without you. I know we had that whole 'live for your memory' conversation,' but, if I have my way, I'll never let it get to that point."

He rested his head against the wall as images and vague, partially unlocked memories passed through his mind's eye.

"Even if I fail, I swear I'll save you, Beako. I refuse to live my life without you."

Her lips warbled at the raw emotion in his voice. "The way you said that…It was as if…Betty was number one in your heart, I suppose."

He admired the strands of blonde hair between his fingertips, feeling significantly calmer. He was always fascinated by how they shined, even if she had been covered by dirt and grime moments prior. "Of course, you are," he said like it was obvious. "When there's a tie for first place, all the contestants are number one."

He looked into her glistening eyes and declared, "You're my daughter, Beako. There's no higher position than that."

She burst into tears and tackled him in a hug, burying her face in his chest. Without resistance, he let her melt into his embrace as he whispered, "Thank you for always being there for me. I love you so, so much."

She continued to shake and cry, but amidst hiccups, she managed to say, "I love you too…F-Father."

At that moment, he felt like he could take on the world.

They had thought that their bond as spirit and contractor was unbreakable. Now, as father and daughter, they realized that nothing would tear them apart.

"Rule Number Seven," he abruptly stated. "I will never stop loving my family."

She gave a watery laugh. "Is that really necessary, I wonder?"

It wasn't remotely needed; he merely wanted something to punctuate the moment. As their hands clasped and the mana flowed through them, they felt like maybe, just maybe, they could make their way through this horrible situation.

Eventually, they managed to get themselves back on track. "So, what happened on your end?" Subaru asked.

"Geuse is unconscious from the shock and has many injuries from self-harm but is otherwise stable enough until he gets new Fingers," Beatrice answered before listing off the status of the rest of their Camp. "The maids are fine, and one is keeping an eye on Geuse while the other is watching over Meili while she sleeps."

He blinked and echoed, "Meili."

"What about her, I wonder?" Beatrice asked, somewhat irritably.

He gave her a cheeky grin. "You didn't say 'the purple thing,'" he pointed out. Are you finally accepting that she's adorable, too?"

She puffed out her cheeks and scathingly said, "The purple thing is resting, in fact! Betty's little sister is not cute!"

Then, her eyes widened in horror. She covered her face and gave a high-pitched, wordless screech, barely muffled by her hands.

Subaru laughed hysterically at the sight. "It took one day, and you already love her!"

"That is false! Utter heresy, I suppose!" she declared loudly as if the increased volume would heighten her persuasion.

He wagged a finger in front of her face, lightly chiding, "Nuh-uh, you can't fool me! Every real anime fan knows that sleepovers turn little girls into best friends!"

"There is no logic to that statement, in fact!"

But there was no convincing her hopeless contractor.

Eventually, they calmed down, and Subaru sent Beatrice away to check on Meili.

"Betty will take care of the purple thing," she emphasized. "You should go see your little girlfriend, I suppose."

Then, she gave him a sidelong glance reeking of disapproval. Drily, she said, "You get a free pass on this one, but if you defile Emilia one more time, I will castrate you, in fact."

She left him sputtering, satisfied that she had gotten her revenge.

He turned on his heel and opened the nearest door. 'I suppose I deserved that after teasing her so much,' he thought as he tried to enter the Forbidden Library's bedroom. It wasn't so dark last time he had entered, right? He could have sworn that he had left a lit candle or two.

Then, a floorboard creaked, and he was instantly on edge. The Forbidden Library didn't have floorboards.

Did he mess up Door Crossing? How do you even mess that up? He tried to turn around but couldn't. He just kept walking forward, blearily making out impossible sights.

'What the hell is happening?!' he thought, terrified of what lay before him.

Then, he heard a voice that made his blood turn to ice.

"Oh, my," Elsa cooed from behind him, surreptitiously brandishing her knife. "I had hoped nobody saw this."

As his intestines splattered across the floorboards, Subaru realized that he was somehow in the loot house…on his very first loop.