Special thanks to my fiancé for being my inspiration.

The Sanctuary

She was a beautiful half-elf with silver hair, amethyst eyes, and a long, black dress with orange hems. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and kindness; she just wanted to give back to the world she loved, even if its people had not accepted her.

He was a man of sin, of sadness; he held no set appearance, for it was always shifting. He had committed many great crimes, and he wished to spend his life atoning.

Her name was Emilia. His name was Geuse.

Both of them had been broken by fate… but they could finally look upon each other once more.

"Geuse," she breathed. She sat up from her place on Subaru's lap and clutched her head groggily. "How long was I asleep for? I feel reeaally weird."

Subaru gave her an amused look. "Maybe twenty minutes. You're a terrible sleeper, Emilia-tan."

'Then again,' he thought, 'she usually uses me – or Beako – as a teddy bear instead of a lap pillow.'

The thought may have amused him, but he wouldn't say it aloud, lest she ruin the moment.

After all, neither Emilia nor Geuse had ever thought they'd see each other again.

Oh, Emilia had hoped, of course, and she had faith in Subaru's abilities, but… she had watched Geuse go mad before her very eyes, laughing in the frozen forest. She had seen him writhe and contort, venerating her as the Witch of Envy.

Geuse, on the other hand, had never thought she would hold any amount of affection for him after everything he had done.

Regardless, one thing needed to be said before anything else.

"I'm sorry."
"My apologies."

They looked at each other in surprise, and Subaru muttered something about "déjà vu."

Ignoring him, she asked Geuse, "What could you possibly have to be sorry for?"

The spirit looked away, ashamed. "I have broken every vow to my masters, and you have paid for it. I have murdered your mother, father, and aunt. Your entire bloodline perished due to my slothfulness."

Emilia glared at him, but it was directed entirely elsewhere. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I know that it's not your fault."

He shook his head somberly. "Your forgiveness is too much for me," he said. "To look upon your Aunt Fortuna's killer with compassion… Truly, you hold the kindness of the Sorceress."

Emilia's eyes glistened at his final words. She didn't know whether to vehemently deny and insist that she could never be worthy of such a title, or simply thank him for the compliment.

One day, they would see that she was not worthy…

"Well, you're the biggest pain in the ass I've ever met."

…or perhaps she was worth something, and that's why people kept fighting for her.

That's what she had said to Subaru, wasn't it? That he was an incredible person, and he needed to see himself as such.

She didn't see herself as anything special, but she could at least follow her own advice and try to.

So, she looked Geuse in the eye and said, "Thank you… and I'm sorry."

If anything, he looked even more saddened by her words. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he insisted, unwilling to let anyone else shoulder any blame. "You were merely six years old, fighting an unkillable monster."

She knew that, for Subaru had helped her through it. He held her and reminded her that it was not her fault.

However, one action was avoidable, and was exclusively her fault.

She locked eyes with Geuse, swallowed the lump in her throat, and said, "I am sorry for killing Mother Fortuna. Unlike you, I was not under the influence of a Witch Factor; it was a decision entirely of my own volition."

Geuse's eyes widened before his features settled into a look of acceptance. "So, that's what happened," he murmured. "Thank you for telling me the truth, Lady Emilia."

For a moment, they stared each other down. Then, Emilia's gaze turned utterly furious.

"Why won't you blame me?!" she yelled, surprising both Subaru and Geuse. "Why do you despise yourself but hold no anger towards me?! Why have you always taken my side, even when Mother scolded me?!"

She clenched her fists and stared holes into the floor, unable to look into Geuse's silver eyes. "A-and now… she's gone. She's dead because of me. We could have saved her using Subaru's Authority, but I acted rashly. I gave into my desperation and killed her."

Geuse reached out to her, but she recoiled, her voice more scathing than ever before. "Maybe if you knew what happened in full and made a judgement after that, I could believe you, but now? Your absolution means nothing!"

His eyes glistened, but he managed to choke out, "I could never blame you for anything, Lady Emilia. You and Lady Satella are –"

The words struck her like a physical blow. "There," she said, her throat raw from screaming. "You think I'm perfect just because some Witches mutilated my soul. You do not see her and I as two halves of a whole, but the same person. You only forgive me because you'd forgive her."

"That's not true!" Geuse said with more vehemence than he had ever shown before. "I cannot deny that, to a spirit of the Od Laguna such as myself, you two are one and the same… but that is not why I forgive you. It is not, and has never been, why I care for you."

"Your misplaced affection does not excuse my actions," she shot back. "Did you not consider that I could have taken another route? The woman you love is dead, yet you assume I took the best course of action! Why is that?!"

"Because you look just like her!" Geuse snapped, utterly fed up.

"Exactly!" Emilia said angrily. "You only believe in me because I look like – "

"Fortuna!"

The word echoed throughout the empty hall. A hundred years of grief of madness exploded outwards, concentrated in a mere three syllables.

Emilia stepped back, almost tripping over the stairs. Shakily, she asked, "I look like… Mother Fortuna?"

She refused to look up, terrified that he would retract his statement.

"Of course, you do," he said emphatically. He bit at his fingernails as the memories overwhelmed him. "When you smile, or cry, or get angry, or feel guilty, passionate, joyful, anything! You're just like Fortuna! It was true when you were a child, and it is true now! I could never blame Fortuna, so how could I blame you? She would take the best course of action, so I know you would as well!"

He pulled at his hair as the stress threatened to overtake him. Eventually, he managed to even out his breathing, but his voice still shook. "I forgive you, not because of a lack of information, but because I am the only one to blame. Had I not broken all of my vows, Fortuna would not have been in that state. Had I not failed the woman of silver, you would still have your mother."

Subaru flinched but said nothing.

As for Emilia… she finally looked up and met Geuse's eyes.

"You may be identical to Lady Satella," the spirit said, "but you are who you are because of your ancestors."

And so, he told her of her… no, their family.

Eve, the first vessel. She could be described with two words: selfless and affectionate. When her soul split after having children and grandchildren, she had never once worried about herself; rather, she wanted to make sure that others were happy and healthy. While the other elves had often been a bit cold when it came to physical contact, Eve always wanted a hug from her favorite spirit.

Eli, Emilia's father, was mischievous and rebellious, but it was only to help others. He had never failed to cheer up his loved ones, for they were the most important people in his life.

Mary, Emilia's mother, was the kindest person Geuse had ever met. She always had a smile on her face, and her soft eyes exuded trust. She had cared for her daughter since conception, for her heart was filled with love.

And then, there was Fortuna.

"She held none of the world's love," Geuse reminisced, "but it was her determined, accepting, and generous nurturing that made you who you are today.

"Don't you see? You may be the Sorceress, but you are Emilia. That is your blood, your family, and not your soul.

"That is why I believe in you. That is why I know you had made the right choice."

As impossible as it was, his face fell further. "You're so much like her; you even wear her hairpin. That was my gift to her, and to see it on you… It brings me such joy, Emilia, and I… ah."

There was no need to continue his explanation, for Emilia had caught him in a bone-crushing hug. If he were not a spirit, he might have snapped in half, but as it was, he returned her embrace with tears in his eyes.

For the first time in a century, he wept with joy, for he finally held La- no, Emilia, only Emilia in his arms once again.

Emilia Natsuki, daughter of Fortuna. It went against his entire being, but he thought that it might be a more fitting title than "The Sorceress."

"Father Geuse," she whispered, sobbing. "I'm… I'm so sorry for yelling. So much has happened in so short a time, and I've done so much wrong, and I've just –"

"Shh," he soothed, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "It's all right. I know who you are, and I know you did the right thing, even if it hurt."

"But Mother's soul is gone," she wailed, causing him to stiffen. "The Witch of Envy… sh-she annihilated it! Because I told her to do it!"

'How fitting,' Geuse thought bitterly. 'Even in the next life, I do not deserve happiness.'

He said none of those things. Her sorrow was more important than his own.

As Geuse held Emilia close, Subaru slipped away. Sure, Emilia might get a bit upset at him – her anxiety over his physical and mental state had increased a hundred-fold after the previous night – but he wanted to give them a moment alone. They had earned it. Besides, she knew that Beatrice had a complete awareness of Subaru's condition while in the mansion; considering the trust that the two had in each other, that would be enough.

Speaking of Beatrice, he needed to visit her and Meili. He had tried to visit them both the night before and in the morning, but they had been sleeping; Subaru's self-harm and the Authority of Wrath had left them both emotionally and physically exhausted. He had briefly seen them when the other Royal Candidates had arrived, but Meili had run away upon seeing Felt's resemblance to Capella.

He wouldn't be surprised if Meili hated him after all of that. He already knew that Beatrice would be furious.

He stopped at the nearest door and hovered his hand over the doorknob. He had only used Door Crossing a few times since Pandora had abducted him, and he was with Emilia each time. He didn't know what would happen if he tried it while alone. He didn't want to experience endless horrors. He didn't want to experience twisted love. He didn't want his body to be destroyed.

So, he took a deep breath and decided to walk.

It wasn't difficult to find the girls. Even without his connection to the mansion, their lights burned brighter than ever: a representation of their mutual affection and trust. His "SubaNav," as he had long ago dubbed it, had become even more powerful since he had unlocked Cor Leonis, Third Shift. He refused to break anyone's privacy, but he wouldn't be surprised if he could read the surface-level thoughts of those closest to his heart.

Then, all thoughts of Cor Leonis left his mind as he found Beatrice and Meili, despondently huddled up together by a wall. Through the gap of her left sleeve, he saw that Meili's arm was scarred and mangled; Beatrice's would surely be no different.

That Person. Hell's Snipe. He had murdered Beatrice. He would never forget how heartbroken she looked.

He had promised to protect Meili. Soon after, he had used her as a human shield. He could still feel her smoldering corpse in his arms.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and their heads shot up at the sound.

"Subaru!"
"Father!"

Beatrice shot forward and tackled him in a hug, almost knocking him to the floor. Meili hobbled behind, but she soon wrapped her arms around him, looking like she never wanted to let go.

"B-Betty was so worried, in fact," Beatrice wailed, looking more like a child than he had ever seen before. "Betty's Subaru was hurt, and I could have stopped it, and I thought I was going to be alone again, and –"

"I'm sorry!" Meili interjected. "I c-caused you so much trouble, and n-now you're hurt, and I embarrassed you in front of everyone, and I can't even –"

They both continued babbling, their tears blending in perfectly with his dark knight's uniform.

Subaru, of course, was hopelessly lost.

With practiced ease, he dove into his connection with Beatrice, immersing himself in her emotions. He searched for her hatred, her ire, but found nothing. Instead, he drowned in her love, her affection, her worry, and her anxiety.

She didn't blame him. She wasn't angry. She was merely sad and lost. She felt useless, and didn't know how to be there for her contractor.

Subaru wasn't sure if that was better or worse, but he was selfish – at least he still had her love.

He then focused on Meili's comforting flame, and he found no hate, no anger. There was fear of being left alone, yes, but it was overshadowed by her fear of losing him.

He had hurt them… and they still loved him.

He gathered them both in his arms, clutching their small frames close to his. "I'm so damn lucky," he murmured, taking comfort in how they gripped him tighter with every word. "I love you both."

Meili stiffened at the word "love," but nothing followed it. No demands, no pain, nothing. Her dress was not torn off, nor did a ruby-encrusted dagger carve out her flesh.

It was only Subaru, declaring his affection. Beatrice said it right back without hesitation.

Meili had thought that she had heard the word "love" in the Leyte household, but no action was taken, so she had thought that she had misheard. Now, for the second time in two days, Subaru said it with such gentleness, such emotion.

She didn't fully understand… but perhaps "love" truly did mean something different than what she was used to.

She didn't respond out loud, though. She merely gripped him even tighter, hoping he heard her message loud and clear.

"I will never leave your side."

At length, he pulled back, holding both of them at arm's length. "I don't deserve either of you," he said before cutting off any arguments with a simple, "but I'm glad to be alive if it means having you by my side."

He turned to Beatrice. "Thanks so much for healing me, Beako. I'm so, so sorry that you all got hurt as a result.

Then, through their telepathic link, he told her, 'A certain Witch tried to break my mind, so I acted… a little bit crazy."

Her eyes widened. 'You were taken by Vainglory?!' she thought to him, on the verge of panic.

He managed a wry grin. 'I'm fine, don't worry. I'm pretty sure that Pandora would never kill me.'

He hated that he had faith in Pandora. He hated that, to an extent, he now understood her.

Nonetheless, he vowed once again to strike her down. She needed to be stopped.

Tears began to form in Beatrice's eyes. 'But Betty's Subaru was hurt, and Betty couldn't protect –'

'None of that,' he scolded. 'You saved my life, Beako.'

He just wished he hadn't hurt her along the way.

Shoving the morbid thoughts out of his mind, he addressed Meili. "I understand why you ran, but you need to be more careful with your leg. I know you were scared, but your safety comes first."

She nodded shamefully before averting her olive-green eyes. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I just thought…"

She trailed off, so Subaru gently placed a finger under her chin and guided her to meet his eyes. "Capella is gone," he said softly. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She knew that. She trusted him more than anything. He had killed the White Whale and the Great Rabbit for her. He had prepared for her arrival for months. He had embraced her and told her that he cared for her.

Subaru would keep her safe.

Even so, she couldn't help but ask, "But… didn't I embarrass you in front of all those people?"

He chuckled ruefully. "Pretty sure none of them saw you. Even if you did embarrass me, I wouldn't blame you. I've been controlled by my own fear, too."

'Of course, he won't blame me,' she thought ruefully. She was a pathetic, horrible child, but Subaru didn't mind.

She moved forward again and buried her face in his chest, reveling in what it felt like to hug someone, to trust someone. She couldn't help but wonder if she was beginning to trust the girl beside her, too.

As Meili clung to him, he forcibly reminded himself that he had more than one purpose for being here. To Beatrice, he asked, "You can teleport us all to the Sanctuary, right?"

Beatrice tore her eyes away from Meili and scoffed. "Do you take Betty for a weakling, I wonder? Betty is a powerful great spirit, so it's only natural that she could teleport you a thousand times, in fact."

He sighed in relief. "Great, because there's about a few hundred villagers that need transportation. We're gonna need Emilia, and... probably both Rem and Ram, actually, to deal with Roswaal. When's the soonest we can leave?"

Beatrice gave him a look as if he was stupid. "It's shadow magic," she deadpanned. "It's instantaneous, in fact."

"Right, right," he mumbled. "Just, ah, be tactful when you grab Emilia. She's having a little reunion with Geuse."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but elected to teleport away instead of saying anything.

Her feelings towards Geuse were a bit complicated.

Subaru turned his attention to Meili, giving her head a little pat as he did so. He had no right to hold her, to give or receive affection, but he was selfish.

He had strangled her, crushing her bones beneath his fingers. He had sacrificed her, solely for the chance to die by Emilia's hand.

Now, he cradled Meili's thin, weak form to his chest as she bestowed her unconditional trust upon him.

He truly was scummy, wasn't he?

But… to hear her breathing, feel her heart beating… It was wonderful.

"I'm sorry," he said again. She shook her head into his chest, but he ignored it. "My stupidity got you hurt, but I promise to protect you from now on. I promise to stay by your side, Meili."

In the small voice she only gave him, she said, "I-I won't ever leave you, either. I trust you."

"The mabeast user clings to you and will never even consider leaving your side."

He barely stopped himself from cursing aloud as Pandora's poisonous words snaked through his mind. Yes, she had orchestrated his meeting with Meili. Yes, the situation had increased how much Meili trusted him… but it was an unhealthy codependence. She didn't really care for him.

Also… Pandora held influence over the Witch's Cult members' Gospels, which brought Meili to Capella. Could Pandora have –

He shut down that thought immediately, even if he didn't understand why. For some reason, the thought of Pandora selling someone into slavery just seemed wrong, even though it was exactly the kind of thing she would do.

Suddenly, he felt even more disgusted with himself. Her cursed images and saccharine speech had planted the seeds of understanding and sympathy… even if it was for a heartless monster.

Then again, perhaps that was exactly why they understood each other.

If Meili knew that her shoulder was wet, she didn't say anything. She just hugged him tighter.

At the other side of the mansion, Ram and Rem made their way through the halls, cleaning as they went. Ram, under the guise of straightening out a flower pot, watched her sister out of the corner of her eye. Rem was… not cheerful, of course, considering their state of affairs, but she still seemed different.

Carefully, so as not to trigger her sister's inferiority complex, Ram said, "The meal you cooked for our guests was quite impressive."

Normally, Rem would respond that it was horrible, or that Ram would have done much better. Instead, she beamed and said, "Thank you, Sister. I'll have to make it for you again."

Well… that was new. Ram tested the waters further. "So, it seems you had an eventful trip."

"You could say that," Rem said drily. "It was certainly… interesting."

Ram gasped and covered her mouth. "Barusu tried to violate my little sister, didn't he?! Do not worry, my dear Rem; I shall castrate him as punishment!"

Rem giggled. "Nothing like that, Sister." Then, she hesitated. She wanted to sit down and talk about the Oni God but knew how much it would upset Ram. Perhaps she should wait until things had calmed down and they had more time. So, she shoved it out of her mind and said, "We can talk about my misadventures later. Right now, I'm just happy to be home with you, Sister."

Suddenly, Ram realized what was different about Rem; her younger sister was more sure of herself. Rem knew who she was, and she wasn't afraid to show it.

Ram couldn't help but smile. In a voice different than the one she gave everyone else, she said, "You've changed, Rem."

Rem flashed a smile and got back to dusting the windowsills.

"You're more confident," Ram continued. "My little sister has always been cute, of course, but now, you might even be cuter than me."

A giggle filled the empty halls. "That's not possible, Sister. I could only attempt to copy you."

Taking a chance, Ram pressed onwards, saying, "But you now see yourself as your own person, and not as someone you're trying to emulate, right?"

Rem raised her eyebrows but didn't deny it. Softly, she asked, "You've gone through the same thing, haven't you, Sister?"

Ram curled her upper lip in distaste. "I have. The village chief had groomed me to fit the role of the Oni God, after all."

She sighed deeply. She still questioned it, sometimes. Did she really bear the Oni God's malevolent spirit? Was that why she felt the need to atone? Was she merely sharing her sister's inferiority complex through Synesthesia? Or was she just crazy?

"In the end, it didn't matter what the chief thought. I'm your older sister, and that's all I ever want to be."

For a time, Rem was silent as she considered what to say. Her smile had faded, but she gathered her courage and asked, "What if you found out that he was right, and you did have the Oni God's spirit?"

Without missing a beat, Ram said, "Then I'd order you to slap my cute face until the spirit got annoyed and left. I have no need for its evil power."

She only needed her sister's smile.

Nothing more was said on the topic, for they were interrupted by a blonde spirit teleporting in front of them. At her side was Emilia, visibly annoyed.

"I was in the middle of an important discussion, Beatrice," she grumbled.

Beatrice, however, didn't seem to care. "Geuse stood in front of Betty for two years and lied. He can wait an hour before talking to you, in fact." Then, with a haughty look, she asked, "Now, is there a plan, or are we going to the Sanctuary and hoping for success, I wonder?"

Emilia's annoyance vanished as she beamed with pride. "Subaru is a real smarty-pants, so I bet he has everything planned!"

"No one says smarty-pants anymore, Emilia-tan."

The door nearest to them had just opened, and Subaru walked out of it, holding Meili on his back. She giggled and said, "She talks like a graaandma, huh?"

Subaru grinned, though his eyes were puffy. "That's because my Emilia-tan is actually an old lady. But hey, she looks damn good for a hundred and nineteen-year-old!"

Ram gave him a look reeking of disapproval. "How shameful of you, Barusu," she said drily. "Corrupting an innocent young mind by flirting in front of her. Truly, you are lower than scum."

For a moment, Subaru's eyes flicked to Ram's forehead, and his joyful façade vanished. "You're not wrong," he said, much to her surprise. "I've… done some pretty horrible things to you. All of you, actually."

Emilia put her hand on his arm and gazed at him sadly, but let him speak.

'He saw something in those visions,' she realized. She knew that her knight was not perfect and that he was capable of hurting those he loved out of desperation.

She also knew that he'd give it all up for a chance to apologize.

He looked away from Ram and moved to Rem's limbs, Beatrice's gut, Meili's throat, and, finally, Emilia's heart.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I don't deserve forgiveness, and my words mean absolutely nothing, but I will spend every waking moment trying to be a better person. I promise."

Beatrice grasped his hand and looked into his eyes. The following conversation occurred only in their minds, but Emilia had a fairly solid guess as to what Beatrice was saying.

I love you. I forgive you. They'd forgive you, too. You weren't you. You were desperate. You were lost. You're atoning just fine.

But Subaru shook his head. 'I killed you,' he thought to himself, too ashamed to let Beatrice hear it. 'If I had made even the slightest change, you'd all be dead.'

Then, he thought of something that made him feel sick, but he couldn't find it in himself to rescind: 'I'm glad those worldlines were reset. Now, I have the chance to save them.'

Somewhere, possibly just around the corner, that disgusting Witch was probably dancing in joy. He couldn't have that, now could he?

'Also, fuck you for putting me there in the first place, you bitch. Your payoff philosophy is a load of horseshit.'

His feelings towards Pandora were complicated.

Shaking his head to clear it, he plastered a smile on his face and looked at everyone's anxious expressions. "But hey, enough of that sad shit! The villagers are probably bored out of their minds right now, you know?" He squeezed Beatrice's hand and asked, "Mind opening up a portal for us, Beako?"

"But –"

"Please."

She grumbled about it, but she opened up a portal of shadows, regardless. Dark-purple lightning shot out of it, but Subaru had already learned that it was safe.

He widened his smile and tried to get his mind off the past. "So, Ram, you ready to deal with Garfiel's nonstop flirting?"

Ram's worry disappeared in favor of smugness. "So, even Barusu can be misinformed. This is music to my ears."

Rem giggled, though she still eyed Subaru warily. "Sorry, it's just… the thought of Garfiel liking my sister, as lovely and wonderful as she is, is quite odd."

With that, they walked through the portal, not letting Subaru question them.

'What.'

Was this another change in the timeline? Did Pandora do this? Did Garfiel and Mimi make such a great couple that she decided to change reality? Wouldn't that be more of a worldline change, and not a timeline change?

Could… could Pandora even do that? If she could affect emotions, then all of this would be pointless, right? There was simply no way that she was capable of something like that.

'Ram and Rem are probably just screwing with me,' he realized. 'I'm just an anxiety-ridden mess who over-analyzes everything for… reasons? Why do I –'

He was interrupted by Meili poking his cheek. "You're spaaacing out again," she said, as if he didn't already know that. "Can we go nooow? I want to see Petra!"

He reached up and ruffled her hair, much to her delight. "And I'll bring you there, though I don't want to go behind Garfiel's back. The guy acts like some fierce tiger, but he's just a feisty, cuddly little kitten."

Her eyes widened in excitement. Suddenly, he realized that her definition of "kitten" was probably different than his.

Beatrice huffed at Subaru's word choice. "Betty is much more cuddly than a kitten, but, for the past two days, my contractor has been neglectful on that end."

His mood lightened at her teasing tone. "I'll make it up to you," he promised. "Tonight, you get all of the cuddles."

"What about me?" Emilia asked with a pout. "I can't sleep without at least one of you."

"You're still there," he reminded her. "The bed isn't exactly small."

"Don't forget my Subaru doll!" Meili chimed in.

"And I won't," he said, no longer able to hold back a genuine smile. "It's not like I'm going to forget how to sew anytime soon."

Then, with Meili on his back, Beatrice holding his hand, and Emilia by his side, he walked into the portal.


After four hundred years, not much fazed Theta anymore.

Now, there were life-changing events, such as taking the First Trial in an attempt to save Garfiel. As a result, she was removed from her position as one of the Eyes of the Sanctuary, but it wasn't unexpected; it was merely her penance for violating the will of Lady Echidna.

There was also the time when she realized that Roswaal E. Mathers behaved strikingly similar to his progenitor… and that L. Mathers did as well. So similar, in fact, that she couldn't help but draw parallels to Lady Echidna's immortality experiments.

What an unfortunate soul.

Then, the title of "Apostle of Greed" had been abruptly wrenched away from Garfiel and given to a complete stranger.

'I should really be more surprised by this,' she had thought as she observed the youngster floundering. He was sitting there, face flushed and arms flailing, as he tried to justify his chaotic love life.

How amusing. She wished he would return someday; it was dreadfully boring, guarding a tomb for four centuries.

Still, she had Garfiel to keep her company. The youngster towered over her, but it wasn't uncommon for a grandson to be taller than his grandmother, right? Of course, genetics weren't a factor, but that was beside the point. She was simply glad that he didn't have to bear the responsibility of an Apostle anymore.

Oh, sure, it wasn't anything he couldn't handle – he bore his title of "Shield of the Sanctuary" quite admirably – but she knew first-hand that it was a massive risk to get involved with a Witch.

Theta held her memories of Lady Echidna close to her heart, but she would prefer it if Garfiel held no involvement in such things. So, she'd let him keep his title and his pride, but she was happy to give away the actual responsibility to a chaotic stranger if it kept her grandson safe.

Speaking of Garfiel, he would be visiting soon, wouldn't he? She better start making him something. It took a bit of rummaging through cupboards, but she eventually gathered the ingredients for her favorite tea. Then, the moment he arrived, she held it up as high as she could, proudly presenting it to him.

"Well, I'll be damn'd," he muttered, raising his steaming-hot mug to eye-level. "Th' tea ain't half-bad, granny."

She hid her smile with her jacket. "It is not often you derive enjoyment from such things, Young Gar. You must be in a good mood."

"Yeah, yeah," he said dismissively, chugging the rest of the scalding drink. "Read my amazin' self's favorite book again, 's all. Hey, can y'get me more? 's fuckin' good."

"Language," she chided, though he was unapologetic. "The kettle is right behind you, and you have two legs. Surely, you can get it yourself?"

He sighed dramatically and kicked his feet up onto the table. "Well, y'know what they say. 'Helzvog doused th'Flare King with coffee.'"

"This is tea, not coffee."

He sent her a withering glare before a thought came over him. "Y'didn't do what I asked."

Theta raised her eyebrows, but soon realized her mistake.

"Tha' nasty Witch forces ya t'follow my amazin' self's orders, doesn't she?" he continued. His eyes narrowed to slits. "'s fine t'get shit done by myself, but 's strange, ya hear?"

'He is smart. I raised him well.'
"You are an idiot. I raised you better than that."

The blonde leaned his elbows back on the counter but didn't take his eyes off hers.

"I have to follow the Apostle's orders," she reminded him, even as she berated herself for her mistake. "You gave me a request."

He gave a "tch," but accepted the explanation. "Well, as they say, 'Murtagh gave th'Name of Names.' Even my amazin' self's gotta concede defeat."

She shook her head fondly. He made everything sound like such an epic battle. Perhaps he was bored again?

She hoped the Apostle would come to visit soon; sure, she'd have to tell Garfiel that his "epic title" was gone, but she had a feeling they'd get along splendidly.

Apparently, Garfiel thought so, too.

During one of their tea parties, Garfiel shot up in his seat as the Dragon Tablet sent them another message. "'s so cool!" he cheered, showing his true age. "Th'White Whale was defeated by th'Frost Maiden's knight!" He pumped his fist in the air. "Th'Slayer of Sin Archbishops strikes again! 'Roran's hammer crushes th'beast's skull!' He made some kinda shadow golem, an'… kapow! Turned t'dust! Reid 'imself's got nothin' on Subaru Natsuki!"

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if Garfiel knew about the new Apostle. After all, it was good for a boy his age to have a positive role model.

"An' th'Great Rabbit, too!" he raved, ignorant of Theta's musings. "Say, granny, d'ya think my amazin' self will meet 'im someday? 'e's gotta 'ave some super-secret technique. D'ya think 'e'll teach me? Man, my amazin' self wants t'be jus' like 'im. I mean, he's…"

"An admirable goal," Theta concurred as Garfiel barreled onward. She had gotten used to this, even though it had only been a few days. "Young Su is a good man, though I implore you not to emulate his dysfunctional love life."

"…an' he took care of Pride an' – wait, wha'?" He stilled, even as he was halfway through a fight with an invisible opponent. "Yer jus' sayin' things, right, granny? 's not like ya know 'im personally."

Theta swirled her tea idly. "Young Su visited a few months ago. He said to keep an eye on you. If anything, he seemed quite fond of you."

Upon hearing such things, most people would feel suspicious. After all, how would Subaru Natsuki know of Garfiel, let alone feel some kind of attachment?

However, hero-worship was quite powerful, especially in one so young. Garfiel merely went on and on, talking about how lucky he was to be considered by such a legendary figure, and how Subaru Natsuki was the coolest knight, almost as cool as one of the Three Great Heroes. After all, who else could boast of so many incredible feats? He needed to train more so that he could face such a hero with pride and honor.

As she so often said, after four hundred years, not much fazed her anymore. Still, it brought her joy to see Garfiel so excited about something.

Now, unfazed was not unflappable; even Theta was surprised at the appearance of hundreds of humans… led by a familiar blonde demihuman.

"Young Fred," she whispered. For the briefest of moments, her vision became blurry. "We have missed you here in the Sanctuary.

Frederica – wearing a maid outfit, of all things – approached Theta with a covered smile. The woman kneeled before her and crushed her in a hug.

"It's good to see you, granny," Frederica said, unabashedly letting her tears fall. "I just wish it were under happier circumstances."

Theta managed to peek behind the taller woman's shoulder. "You have brought refugees," she noted. "We will always have room in the Sanctuary for those who require it.

No questions, no catch. Merely an offer of safety. It was what Lady Echidna preached, even if she herself hadn't always followed that philosophy. Nonetheless, it was one that Theta had always admired.

"Thank you, granny," said Frederica, standing up to her full, towering height. She watched the Sanctuary residents guide the refugees to their temporary quarters. Then, what little remained of her composure vanished as she asked, "Now, I'd imagine, that is, I wonder if you, ah, I mean, you are –"

"Just say it," Theta said drily. "I may be old, but I still get impatient."

"…Is my brother around?"

"Th'hell 's goin' on 'ere?!"

Unnecessarily, Theta quipped, "Young Gar should be around here somewhere."

For the first time in a decade, Garfiel Tinsel stared down his older sister.

Sparks flew between them as they carefully considered their words. After all, what does one say after being apart for so long?

"Why th'fuck didn't ya write?"
"You haven't written, Garf."
"My amazin' self thought y'were dead in some ditch!"
"You could have easily reached out and checked."
"Y'could've said, 'Hey, little bro! Th'outside world didn't kill me fer bein' a demihuman!'"
"Demihumans such as us have not been lynched for decades, Garf."
"Yeah, but –"
"The outside world isn't that scary, even past the Mathers domain."

His fists clenched and his whole body shook as he shouted. Frederica merely stared calmly back at him, speaking nothing but the truth. Baring his teeth, he yelled, "But Mom –"

"Was trying to find your father."

He flinched back as if struck. "Wh-whaddya mean? What… What father? Why…"

He gripped his head in confusion. He thought his mom had just left and died, and now, it turns out that it was all because of him? His mom died for his sake?!

...He wouldn't let anyone else die for him. He'd just have to become stronger so he could protect those he cared about.

There was nothing more to say. Filled with resolve, stomped away, intent on training more.

Theta patted Frederica's side. "You could have been much nicer," she admonished.

Frederica huffed. "My stubborn brother needed to hear that."

"Yes, but you could have been gentler," said Theta. "He is a child who just found out that his sister is alive."

Frederica wavered, but their conversation was halted as they were approached by a tall man.

"Young Ros," Theta greeted, though she had long suspected that it was incorrect to refer to him as such. "I have not heard from you in quite some time."

"Hello to you, toooo, Miss Ryuzu," he said cheerily, as if he weren't leading a band of refugees. "It's a wooonderful day for dreams to come true, wouldn't you agree?"

For a moment, she saw Lady Echidna's schemes lurking within those heterochromatic eyes, and she didn't know whether to feel comforted or worried.

She hid her frown within her jacket. "Do not crave what is already within your grasp, Young Ros. You have a good life, and you need not follow in the footsteps of your progenitor."

His smile fell and he gazed at her critically. "You are the one who saw the Trial," he said coolly, "yet you would rather I abandon my beloved teacher?"

My. Not his.

"What she has done for me can never be repaid." He spoke lowly, so as to make sure Frederica would not overhear. "Echidna owns my heart, my soul, and my life."

Compassion met his fury as Theta said, "My own progenitor felt the same way, and I suffer from that obsession every day. I wonder… would Roswaal L. Mathers feel the same as us clones?"

He flinched at her words. So, she was right.

"He would feel worse," Roswaal said hoarsely. "Every day, I hear his voice rightfully condemning me for murder."

"But perhaps that voice is merely my own," went unsaid.

"But I will not give up," he said heatedly. "I will not rest until I see my teacher's eyes once more, and you would do the same."

Theta's heart sank, for it seemed she would never reunite with the vibrant, eager boy she had once known.

Solemnly, she told him, "If I were given the opportunity to follow your path, I would choose my grandson every time." She averted her eyes. "...Please, enjoy your stay, Young Ros."

She ignored the shock and betrayal in his eyes and let him walk away.

"I don't know what you two discussed," said Frederica, sidling up to Theta, "but you could have been a bit nicer."

Despite being half her height, Theta karate-chopped the back of Frederica's head.

She was not in the mood for jokes.

That day, Garfiel did not come back for lunch, or even dinner. Luckily, Theta's Od hadn't run out yet, so she took it upon herself to go where she knew he'd be.

A sharp clang resounded through the clearing as metal struck metal. The feral growls of a tiger washed over Theta as she approached the one-sided battle.

Garfiel stood over the straw dummy, glaring at the hole in its plate armor. Theta sighed and righted the dummy, admonishing Garfiel for his recklessness. "You cannot keep puncturing these armors, Young Gar. The youngster at the smithy is almost out of metal."

Garfiel spat on the ground, not bothering to look up at her. "All th'metal in th'world won't mean shit 'f my amazin' self can't protect th'blacksmith in th'first place."

"Come now, Young Gar," she said, patting his side comfortingly. "Your dedication to protecting the Sanctuary is admirable, but the outside world poses no threat to us."

"'n why th'fuck're they 'ere, huh?" he challenged. To that, she had no answer. "Th'little brats were threaten'd, yeah? All th'more reason t'guard my 'ome."

They stood in silence, with Theta waiting patiently and Garfiel staring down the mutilated dummy as if it were responsible for all of his problems. Then, he asked the question that Theta had been dreading.

"Y'knew 'bout mom, didn't ya?"

She sighed and sat down, patting the ground beside her. He grunted but obliged.

"You were not old enough to understand," Theta said patiently, "nor would you have believed me, regardless. Once you reached the proper age, you would learn from the Trial."

The Sanctuary Trials may have been a test of worthiness, but they also had the potential to be quite therapeutic. It was unfortunate that Garfiel had suffered so thoroughly because of it.

Garfiel seemed to be thinking something similar. "My amazin' self failed th'damn thing, n'ya thought my amazin' self couldn't 'andle th'truth, even years later. 's tha' all?"

She said nothing. She didn't need to.

He gave a bitter laugh. "Well, y'know what they say. 'Th'Sage's Apprentice missed her firs' Hell's Snipe.' 's th'same thing, r-right?"

Theta didn't think that the Sage's Apprentice had cried, but she let Garfiel bury himself in her shoulder, nonetheless.

Now, Theta may no longer be one of the Eyes of the Sanctuary, but, two days later, she found herself receiving a visit. Slender arms gently shook her, awakening her from her slumber. She opened bleary eyes to find identical ones staring back at her with a hint of excitement.

She blinked the sleep out of her eyes – her Od had not fully replenished yet. "What is it, Alpha?"

Alpha smiled. They all liked the names given to them by the new Apostle.

Suddenly, Theta frowned and cut off Alpha's reply. "You cannot visit me. It is a violation of my punishment."

Alpha shook her head. "Soon, that shall not matter," she said. "Perhaps it is merely hope, but… I believe that he will liberate us."

Neither needed to clarify who he was.

"You woke me up because of hope?" Theta grumbled. She needed her beauty sleep. How else would she look this good after four centuries?

Then, her eyes widened. Could it be? Was he –

"He is here, Sister. The Apostle of Greed has returned with an old friend in tow."

Theta's lips parted ever-so-slightly. An old friend… and one that they needed Theta specifically for…

"Beatrice," she breathed. She shot out of bed, but immediately collapsed to the floor. She groaned, cursing her inefficient Od, but suddenly felt energy flow through her. She looked curiously back at Alpha, who gave her a soft smile.

"You are the only one who remembers her," Alpha explained. "It is only logical that I give up my shift."

Theta's heart filled with warmth, but she squashed it down. "What about our contract? I require a punishment."

"You have been punished enough, Sister. You have long ago earned this."

She needed no more convincing. She grabbed her staff – the symbol of her status as an Eye of the Sanctuary – and rushed to the clearing where she had first met the Apostle.

There. Right there.

Blond curls cascaded down the sides of her head, and pink, butterfly pupils gazed back at Theta in shock.

"Beatrice," Theta whispered, causing the girl's eyes to widen further. "You have come to visit."

No verbal response. Beatrice simply strode up before Theta and placed her hand on the clone's cheek. She searched Theta's eyes, searching for something. Memories, perhaps? Recognition?

Then, she pulled her hand back and delivered a mighty slap that sent Theta reeling.

"Four hundred years, I suppose!" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she gazed at the downed Theta. "Betty thought you were dead for four hundred years, in fact!"

The Apostle stood by Beatrice's side and placed a hand on her shoulder, but the spirit easily shook him off. "Y-you left Betty, and you –"

"That was not me," Theta said hastily, not able to look at the sadness on such a cute face. "I am merely a clone of the original Ryuzu Meyers."

If anything, that seemed to hurt Beatrice further. "Don't lie to Betty! How else would you remember me, I wonder?"

"The Trial. I accidentally saw some of my progenitor's memories." Theta forced herself to look at Beatrice's heartbroken expression. "I am not her, but I saw how much she cared."

Beatrice opened and closed her mouth multiple times. Then, she turned to the Apostle, mumbling, "I see why you did not tell Betty of this, in fact."

He shifted nervously. "What makes you think I knew anything?"

"Because you're Betty's Subaru, and I sent you to the Sanctuary a few months ago, in fact."

A purple-haired girl, riding on the Apostle's back, let out a childish giggle. "Subaru has a looot of secrets, doesn't he?"

He nodded sagely. "I gotta keep material for my truth bombs," he said, much to Beatrice's annoyance.

Seeing that nothing else would be said on the subject, Theta dusted herself off and greeted the Apostle. "It is nice to see you again, Young Su. I have missed your chaos." She ignored his sputtering and noticed the two familiar maids standing to the side. "Ah, I remember. You had fallen for two nearly identical women, yes? Young Rem and Ram are indeed quite lovely. Have they, in turn, fallen for you?"

Dead silence.

Ram looked like she was about to puke, Rem blushed furiously and denied such ridiculous allegations, and a familiar silver-haired half-elf glared at him furiously.

"Subaru Natsuki," she said dangerously, "what's this about falling for Ram and Rem?"

Ram began to choke, looking like she would gladly succumb to her lack of air.

"Theta's wrong!" he insisted, blushing furiously. "I was talking about you and… Damn it, what are you doing?!"

The half-elf had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in so that their faces were inches away. "No harems," she said lowly. "Our love life is messy enough."

"Y-yeah, I know. C-can you let me down? You're freaking strong…"

She released him, dropping all pretenses of anger, and pecked him on the cheek. "Just reminding you of whom you belong to."

He rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled, "Damn, EMT's getting even more possessive… Not sure how I feel about this."

Theta's eyes danced with mirth. This drama was everything she could have asked for and more. "Oh, dear," she said airily. "I seem to have brought up an awkward subject."

Beatrice huffed, but wouldn't meet Theta's eyes. "This is nothing, I suppose. It's just how Betty's Subaru and his little girlfriend flirt."

"I can see that," Theta said drily. She would enjoy their stay here. Speaking of that: "I trust that your presence coincides with Lord Roswaal's arrival?"

Subaru answered quickly, clearly relieved at the change of subject. "Yeah, gotta take back the refugees. His domain is safe and all that now. So, if you don't mind, we –"

"I do mind, actually," she said, hiding a smirk. "I had thought you would like to say hello to Young Gar. After all, you had expressed concern for him, despite having never met him before."

Subaru grinned. "You know what? Yeah, that's fine. I'd love to see Garf."

Rem perked up, having managed to force down the blush on her face. "It's been a while since Sister and I have seen Garf! Such an affectionate little boy... I hope he's doing well."

Ram flipped her hair back, no longer on the verge of retching. "Garf fumbles about like a jester with a broken leg, but my cute sister has nothing to worry about. He is a resourceful child, albeit one that doesn't respect Lord Roswaal."

Theta looked between the three of them, befuddled but not disappointed. She had revealed that the Apostle knew one of the Sanctuary's residents without ever meeting them, and they just completely accepted it.

What an entertaining set of individuals.

She turned and walked away, indicating for them to follow. "I will take you to the training grounds," she said, letting her staff guide her movements. "It is really just a clearing filled with armored straw dummies, but Young Gar has made good use of it."

With great pride, she informed them, "He is now the strongest living resident of the Sanctuary."

The Apostle chuckled. "Knowing Garfiel, I'd have thought he'd name the place something like 'the battle preparation station' instead of 'the training grounds.'"

"That is a preposterous suggestion. Young Gar outgrew that name last year."

One of the girls giggled, but Theta didn't pay them any mind. She had noticed Beatrice surreptitiously looking at her, and it made her feel terrible.

Theta was not Ryuzu Meyers, but she still cared for Beatrice.

The sound of clanging metal and bestial growls took her out of her thoughts. "Oh, dear," she murmured upon arriving at the training grounds. "It seems I have been away for far too long."

Garfiel and Frederica were fighting again.

"Ten years!" Frederica shouted, smashing her partially-transformed paws into Garfiel's face. "You've lived in fear for ten years! It's time to grow up!"

"My amazin' self 's old 'nuff t'make decisions, y'hear?!" He elbowed her in the gut, but she batted him away. "'f my amazin' self wants t'stay 'n th' Sanctuary, then I ain't leavin'!"

Garfiel was safe here. Whatever was outside had killed his mom. Why the hell would he leave?

"Stubborn idiot!" Frederica punctuated her words by kicking him in the side, but he took the hit without flinching. "Just come home with me! You can do everything you do here, but in a mansion with your family!"

He pulled back and wiped the blood off his mouth before laughing disparagingly. "What th'hell kinda family ditches their little bro, eh? This ain't like th'old sayin', 'Reid left Trisha t'face th'Calamity.' Nah, y'just left my amazin' self when I was four to –"

"To find your father, just like Mom wanted! You deserve to have a parent!"

Her words didn't have the desired reaction, and Garfiel swept her legs out from under her, knocking her to the dirt. Before she could retaliate, his hand darted out and hovered over her throat.

"Yield," he demanded.

She bared her fangs at him, but soon let her head fall back. The ground dirtied her blonde hair, but she either didn't notice or didn't care. With a much softer, more subdued voice, she said, "I'm not lying, Garf. I looked for your father for years."

Without taking his eyes off her, he turned his head to the side and spat out a wad of blood. "Y'didn't say tha' on day one," he growled, letting his demihuman side leak into his voice. "D'ya think my amazin' self 's stupid? Y'just thought 'f an excuse overnight!"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I didn't think to tell you," she admitted. "I'm not smart like you, Garf."

He removed his hand from her throat but kept her pinned. "Tha's a whole new level 'f dumb, Sis. Then again, 'th'Sorceress hid 'er pain from th'Sage.'"

She managed a small yet fond smile. "Mom always did say I was unfortunate enough to inherit her brain."

By now, neither of them were displaying any parts of their beast form. Instead, Frederica indulged in warm memories while Garfiel lamented his lack of them.

"Y'still fucked up before tha'," he reminded her, now sitting cross-legged as she lay on her back. "Could've written, said tha' y'were okay."

"But you were happy without me."

He bristled. "Y'wouldn't've known tha' since ya didn't ask."

He was constantly on edge, fearful of the outside world. He didn't call that happy.

She gave a wry smile. "Look at us, Garf," she said distantly. "We're ridiculous."

"Speak fer yerself," he grumbled. "My amazin' self was five. 'Pride was only ten when she –'"

Frederica flicked him in the center of his scar, silencing him. "I know. I've failed as a sister. I see that now."

He wanted to protest, but wasn't sure what to say.

"Let me make it up to you," she offered. "Come home with me. I'll prove it's safe. If you don't feel it is after a month, you can come back here."

All was quiet in the clearing for a moment. Could he do it? Could he really leave?

"…No. I ain't leavin' Granny alone."

"I will be fine, Young Gar."

His head shot up to meet dark-blue eyes that beheld wisdom beyond their apparent age. "Granny…"

Theta reached out and ruffled his hair, much to his indignation. "I actually think a change of scenery would be nice for both of us. Living in a mansion sounds fun."

"B-but ya can't leave the barrier!" he sputtered, batting her hand away. "Yer a 'alf-elf, so ya –"

"A great spirit with an affinity for yin magic has arrived," she informed him. "She plans to create a portal to take the refugees outside of the Sanctuary, and I have asked to be included."

She offered one hand each to Frederica and Garfiel, though only one took it. With a challenging glare, the boy said, "Tch. So yer jus' gonna leave everyone 'ere? Gonna ditch 'em like Mom ditched me?"

She shook her head patiently. "Of course not, Young Gar. The offer is being extended to everyone."

"Then th'tomb!" By now, he was looking for any reason to stay. "Y'have a duty t'guard it, don'tcha?"

She revealed her full smile. "Someone else has arrived to take the Trials." She ignored his confused look and called out, "Young Su, could you please come here?"

Young Su… Garfiel had heard that name before, right? Wasn't that what she had called…

No. Fucking. Way.

From within the trees, a dark-haired man stepped forth. He didn't have a knight's uniform, or a sword, or a dagger, or a fair maiden to protect, or a spirit to fight with. He just carried a child on his back.

Nonetheless, this was, without a doubt, Subaru Natsuki.

He opened his mouth, clearly about to give a grand speech about saving them all. He would give his title as a proper knight should. He would –

"Wait, what's this about me taking the Trials?!"

Subaru Natsuki looked terrified.

"That is your duty as the Apostle of Greed," Theta said, much to Garfiel's confusion. Since when was there a new Apostle? Was that where Granny got her other name? Why was Subaru Natsuki looking so scared? Surely, a knight would be able to do what Garfiel couldn't.

"B-but I'd fail that shit in an instant!" Subaru protested. "The Trials would leave me a blubbering mess! Why can't Emilia do it?! Sure, she'd say some shit about facing my past, but fuck it!"

He gripped his hair and began to pace. "I mean, I technically had practice, and Dona's magic might help with the memory blocks, and freeing the Sanctuary would be nice, and holy shit, I'm a fucking idiot for not expecting this… Wait, I totally did expect this, and –"

The girl on his back played with his hair, visibly soothing him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Sorry," he muttered, but it was easy to hear in the silence of the clearing. "Momentary panic, oh woe is me, sad backstory shenanigans. I'll be fine."

Theta gave him a piercing stare. What a troubled young man. "So, you will take the Trials?" she asked, without a trace of levity.

He opened his eyes, letting unshakeable resolve replace his prior denial. "All the flags have been set. I'm taking them, whether I'm ready or not. But hey, there's at least one good thing that'll come out of it." He reached back and patted the purple-haired girl's head. "I'll get to look cool for the kids."

The girl pouted. "I'm not a kiiid," she whined, even though she couldn't have been older than ten or eleven. "You're so mean, Subaru."

He chuckled in response, as if he hadn't had a panic attack mere moments prior. "You're still a cutie, and Beako would be sad if I let you down."

Across the clearing, Garfiel Tinzel's mind raced, but if his thoughts were translated into recognizable language, it would sound something like, "What the actual hell is going on?!"

As the knight bantered with the little girl, Garfiel shouted, "Th'fuck's happenin'?!" Subaru looked at him with a surprised expression, as if he hadn't noticed the boy's presence. "How're ya jus'… what? Y'were panickin' 'bout some shit, n'then yer all like, 'y'know what? Gotta take 'em Trials!' What jus' happen'd?!"

Subaru rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh, kind of do that kind of stuff often… Rapid character development over the course of a monologue, you know?" At Garfiel's incredulous expression, he waved his hands frantically and said, "I'm not crazy, I promise! I mean, maybe I am? Look, it's just super useful for adapting to situations! Wait, but those situations are kinda what made me crazy…"

At that moment, Garfiel realized that Subaru Natsuki was completely and utterly insane.

"…and I'm pretty sure the only reason I'm somewhat functional is because I have these writhing black sludge things holding my psyche together."

Yeah, definitely insane.

Garfiel kicked at the ground in frustration. This was the guy he'd been idolizing for the past week? Yeah, sure, they say that the Everlasting Flame goes out every night, but surely, this buffoon has some cool tricks up his sleeve, right?

His eyes narrowed at the knight. He needed to know something. "How th'hell did a weirdo like ya kill th'Sin Archbishops?"

Subaru regained his composure, struck a pose, and grinned. "Cool superpowers, of course."

There we go! Subaru might be mentally unstable, but he was still awesome! Suddenly, Garfiel felt a lot better about his situation.

Oh, but Garfiel couldn't show that he was impressed. The Heavenly Sword didn't show admiration until the Sage proved his worth. So, Garfiel planted his feet on the ground, matched Subaru's grin, and declared, "Aight then, fight me. My amazin' self wants t'see this shit."

Subaru muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Oh, fuck, I'm screwed."

"What's tha'?"

"Nothing. Gimme a second."

He disappeared into the trees and deposited the girl somewhere. After all, a knight never put a lady in harm's way. He came back with a blank expression and imitated Garfiel's stance. He was shaking a bit – probably from tensing all of his hidden muscles – and called out, "Um… begin?"

With excitement for the upcoming epic battle, Garfiel charged… and was punched in the face by an ethereal hand.

He blinked. Sure, he felt it, but it didn't hurt. Then again, he was positive that it would hurt if Subaru wanted it to. After all, Sloth was defeated using these, right?

Garfiel analyzed the situation. A dozen arms surrounded him, poised to strike. Surely, they would be able to do something powerful, like lift him into the air and prevent him from using his Divine Protection.

Most importantly, they were cool as hell.

Beads of sweat poured down Subaru's face; it must require lots of energy to use such a strange power. "L-let's call it a draw," he said, trying to hide his wavering voice. After all, a knight never revealed their weaknesses. "N-no need for anyone to get hurt, r-right?"

Garfiel agreed. He had seen enough. Subaru Natsuki may be unstable and insane, but the Dragon Tablet hadn't lied, and –

"L-look, if we stop fighting now, I'll make you a Royal Knight!"

'What.'

"Y-yeah!" Subaru said with the utmost confidence. "When Emilia becomes queen, I'm sure she'll put you right in the training program.

Garfiel opened his mouth to say "Hell yes!" but Subaru kept going.

"I'll even tell you stories about the Great Heroes!" he exclaimed. "I-I have exclusive knowledge of them, you see, so I can… oh, shit."

Garfiel had fainted with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Subaru turned to Theta, who was standing off to the side. "Too much?" he asked.

"Too much," she agreed, though her eyes gleamed mischievously. "You were terrified of fighting him, Young Su. You did not see that he merely wanted a demonstration of your abilities."

"…Oh."

"'Oh' is right," she said, holding in a snicker. "From now on, be careful with my grandson; he is a child, so he is overwhelmed when meeting his heroes."

Subaru mouthed that last word before shaking his head to clear it. There were other, more important things going on. "A-anyway, I heard him mention the Sorceress?"

Theta cocked her head. "Has the outside world not heard the legends of the Sorceress and the Sage?"

"The public doesn't know the former," he answered. "How have you…"

Then, it hit him, as he had seen it when using True Face.

'I'll have to thank Geuse when I get back,' he thought. 'I don't deserve a friend like him.'

"Back when Lady Echidna was still alive, there was a storyteller," Theta explained, confirming Subaru's suspicions. "Us four main clones had not been born from the crystal at that time, but his tales have been compiled into various books."

Subaru was quiet for a moment. "Make copies of them," he ordered. "The other clones can manage that, I'm sure."

Theta bowed her head. "As the Apostle wishes."

With that, she left, leaving Subaru with an unconscious Garfiel, a group of misfits hiding in the trees, and Frederica standing awkwardly to the side.

He cleared his throat. "You'll, uh, take Garfiel?" he asked Frederica.

She nodded, seemingly unsure of how to speak to the walking disaster that was Subaru Natsuki.

As she threw her brother over her shoulder and left, the rest of his group came out of the trees. "That went well," Emilia said.

Subaru gave her a sideways look. "I panicked and knocked a teenager unconscious with words alone. How is that a positive outcome?"

She smiled brilliantly and laid her hand on his arm. "You're finally facing your past," she said softly. "I know how hard it is to talk about… well, you know, so maybe this will be your chance to apologize."

He sighed. All he'd be doing was watching the abuse he'd piled onto everyone. He'd see himself making the worst decisions of his life. He'd see Da–

"Breathe, my love. Everything will be okay."

Okay?! How could everything be okay when he –

"Do it with me. In, out. In, out."

In, out. What's done is done. His actions were unforgivable, but he could at least make the world a better place.

For now, however, he would continue avoiding that name like the plague.

"I'm fine now," he said at length. "Thanks, Emma."

She took a moment to make sure that he had used the right name. She then realized that she didn't really care. Both applied to her, yes, but he loved her because she was Emilia, not because of her soul. He had fallen in love with her before regaining his past memories. Even if that explanation made no sense, and the timeline just didn't match up, she believed him. Subaru always told the truth about such things, even if it was impossible to believe. Then again, Subaru always did the impossible. For all she knew, he was some kind of time traveler, and he was keeping that secret to prevent her from getting hurt – how silly of him, pushing away those who want to help him. Beatrice had postulated such a thing privately to Emilia but had immediately discounted it because "that's not how yin magic works, in fact."

Emilia met his eyes and smiled, as she so often did. If Beatrice was wrong, and Subaru had once again done something incredible, some of his actions and viewpoints would make more sense, even if it would make everything more confusing at the same time. Emilia didn't exactly believe it, but she didn't disbelieve it, either.

She didn't know if she'd ever figure out the mystery that was Subaru Natsuki, but she didn't really mind. It kept things interesting, and it showed the depths of their trust. She just wished she could help him heal, but the haunted, guilty look in his eyes had not faded since they had first met. Perhaps the Trials could help him, just like how facing her past had helped her, too.

She cleared her head and plastered a smile on her face. "We should get going," she said with a strained voice. "I'm sure that Roswaal would want us to check in."

He mumbled something that sounded like "that bastard already knows everything," but she ignored it and allowed him to lead the way. Ram was already busy berating him, anyway.

"Detestable Barusu, insulting the man who gave you a home. Have you no shame?"

"Of course, that's what you're mad at," he said ruefully. "I knocked Garfiel unconscious – with my words, mind you – but you're worried about a grown man's feelings."

She narrowed a single pink eye, but it wasn't out of anger. "Ah, yes. Your pathetic display with Garfiel. You knighted someone without your liege's permission and created a child soldier. Disgusting."

"Well, I didn't want to get beat up!"

Beatrice, who had remained silent up until that point, crossed her arms. "Betty's Subaru was not being Betty's Subaru, I suppose. You were a coward, in fact."

"That's a little harsh," Rem interjected. "I thought that Subaru was incredibly brave, standing up to such a strong boy."

Emilia wrapped her arm around Subaru's possessively. "Yes, my knight is reeaally impressive," she said, emphasizing that he belonged to her. "Did I mention that he was my knight?"

Meili, who had resumed her position on Subaru's back, let out a giggle. "Sounds like someone's jealous!"

"I'm not jealous," Emilia said with an attempt at a haughty look. "I just like to brag about my knight, is all."

Subaru sighed again, trying to hide his blush. "Do I get a say in any of this?"

"Nope."
"No, I suppose."
"Such a pervert, demanding a choice in maidens. I know that my sister and I are cute, but we are not objects to be used by a sex fiend."

Subaru may have burnt Lugunica to the ground in another life, but he still had to wonder what he did to deserve this.

After around ten minutes of walking, they arrived in front of a wooden cabin. Using Cor Leonis, Subaru could sense Roswaal's presence, though their lack of trust made his light appear dim. Its weak sputtering, reminiscent of a lost spirit, was a sharp contrast to the bright, comforting flames beside him.

Those flames… If he had Cor Leonis as the Sage, how quickly would they have extinguished?

'Don't think like that,' he reminded himself. 'Now's not the time for another pathetic meltdown.'

He affixed a smile onto his face and let Meili down on the steps outside of the cabin. "No need for you to be in there," he explained at her confused look. "Lots of boring, political stuff. Weird mind games and all that."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times before settling on a nod. After all, she knew the real reason that he didn't want her in there.

It's because she was completely and utterly useless. There was a reason she needed to leave everything to Subaru.

Subaru grinned down at her, oblivious to her thoughts. If Cor Leonis hadn't deceived him – and he doubted it ever would – then Meili was going to be quite happy soon.

With that, Subaru, Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, and Rem entered the cabin, leaving a masked Meili outside.

As the door closed behind her, she looked around her to see if she was alone. Upon validating it, she let her smile drop.

Pathetic. Once again, she couldn't pay him back for everything that he had done for her. Rubbing the wounds on her arm, she realized that his pain was likely caused by her, too. Mama had always said that she brought nothing but misfortune, after all.

She rested her chin in her hands and pouted. She wished that she could grow up faster. That way, she could be stronger, and she could help Subaru. It wasn't fair that he had to do everything for her.

'He even has to carry me,' she thought bitterly. Sure, she kind of liked it, but –

"Meili?!"

Her head shot up at the familiar voice, but she didn't have time to say anything before she was tackled in a hug.

"Where were you? I was so worried! Were you kidnapped? Did you run away? Did I do something wrong? Are you hurt? Are –"

Meili had almost forgotten how enthusiastic Petra Leyte could be.

She tentatively wrapped her arms around Petra. "I'm glad you're okay," she said quietly. "I was so worried..."

Petra pulled back to reveal red-rimmed, cyan eyes. "You were worried?" she asked incredulously. "One moment, you were sitting in my room, and the next, you were gone! I thought you were kidnapped!"

Meili hadn't been kidnapped. She was just called by Mama and turned into a lump of flush and angry eyes and a ruby dagger piercing her and –

She retreated instinctively and wrapped her arms around her body, trying in vain to stave off Mama's advances. "I had to leave," she said with a shaky voice. "I wanted to protect you."

Petra reached out but stopped herself when she noticed Meili shaking. Instead, she sat on the step next to the younger girl, marveling at the fact that Meili was here and safe. For the second time that month, she almost cried out of pure relief.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" she asked slowly, not wanting to scare Meili. After all, she doubted that it was a pleasant story, and her suspicions were confirmed when Meili shook her head.

"What's done is done," Meili whispered. "She's gone now. Subaru saved me."

Petra's eyes widened. "Subaru Natsuki, like the knight?" she asked excitedly.

Meili gave her a sideways glance. "You know him?"

Petra nodded furiously, a massive smile on her face. "Of course, I do! He's the one who brought home my sister!"

"…Oh."

Silence fell between them, and Petra's smile melted into confusion. Why did Meili look so… despondent?

Unfortunately, there was no time to ask. A massive crack filled the air, and a figure flew through the door, leaving a massive hole in the wood.

Meili shot up, ignoring the searing pain in her limbs, and cried out his name. She ran towards him, followed closely behind by a panicking Emilia and Beatrice. She heard a man screaming, but she didn't care. She needed to get to Subaru.

Then, she began to cry, for a single word, filled with desperation, rang through her eardrums…

"Goa!"

…and Subaru Natsuki's body was engulfed in flames.