As Emilia and co. made their way to the Sage's Tower their adventure wasn't that smooth. Tensions were always present between the knights and Emilia, Beatrice and Rem. They haven't forgotten what they did to Subaru. After all the torture they did to him, after what they made him to be right now.
For the knights, the pressure was on them. They are now with the person, who cared so much for the boy they had beaten up so badly and made him into an unconscious state. And now they could feel the ire of the half-elf candidate right in front of them.
For Emilia and the rest, their anger towards the knights. Their hatred and resentment towards the two knights, the healer and the greatest knight among knights, were still there. For Emilia, she was tired of holding her hatred for them. She just wanted Subaru to be awake again, but to be with the people who are the cause of the current predicament, it was not easy.
For Beatrice, this was a sin that is too grave to forgive. If she could, she would behead them. But just for the sake of connections, she'd keep her hatred in check. She would play it safe. For now.
And as for Rem. She wanted them dead. She was supposed to be reunited with her Subaru-kun, but no. The two knights took that opportunity away from her. They had crippled her hero into a lifeless husk. And now, they'll redeem themselves by helping them? Preposterous There is no way in hell she'll even allow them to go near her Subaru-kun. She'll tear them apart if they do.
And so, the trip went on, with occasional stops for rest, which was already awkward considering both parties decided to not be together when they took their rest.
In this one night of goodnight's rest they stayed with their respective groups. The three girls stay with their Subaru, while the knights in their own group with the old butler.
"Emilia-sama, your soup." Rem said as she handed Emilia a bowl of freshly cooked soup.
"Thank you Rem." Emilia replied as she grabbed the bowl of soup from her. "Hot, hot, hot." She utters under her breath as she holds the hot bowl of soup, placing it down on their make-shift table.
"And here's yours Beatrice-sama." Rem said as she handed her the bowl of soup.
"Thank you." She said as she placed it on the same table.
They went on and ate their meal for tonight. It was just another night of their journey to wake up Subaru. It was like a fairy tale, waking up someone in a comatose-state so that they'd reach their happy ending.
Emilia gazes upon the sleeping boy, tucked in his blanket, peacefully sleeping.
"He looks peaceful when he's like this, don't you agree?" She said to the two girls with her.
"He does." Rem said, smiling at her hero, remembering all the days they've spent together.
"He does in fact. But Betty wants to see him awake I suppose." Beatrice said, still longing for her contractor's headpats and him princess carrying her.
They just gazed on the road towards the Sage's tower, it was near, yet so far. A matter of a week and a half, they would arrive by then. But for now, they are here, resting for the night.
'Those knights.' Rem thought, as she looked at the knights who were chatting with the sword demon.
'If I could, I would make them pay for what they did to Subaru-kun.' She growls, as if she was a hissing cat.
She then glances at Subaru, the peacefully sleeping boy, the boy that touched everyone's hearts. The boy who had saved countless lives and avenged those who had fallen. And now, his payment was this. It was so unfair. Everything was unfair. Because she was born, this happened to her hero. Because she loved him so much.
'I'm so sorry Subaru-kun.' She thought as she now plays with his hair. Her immense guilt and hatred to herself and the others haven't faded. Even after the past month, she hadn't gotten out of that phase.
While Rem was with her Subaru-kun, Emilia and Beatrice moved to another spot, as they wanted to give the maid her time with Subaru, she was asleep before after all, and Subaru took great care of her when everyone had forgotten who she was.
"It pains me I suppose." Beatrice commented.
"It pains you what, Beatrice?" Emilia asked.
"It pains me because I was the one who caused all of this in fact." Beatrice said. She remembers the day when she tossed her contractor aside, the exact moment where his face showed nothing but despair and extreme pain.
It still echoes through her mind. Even though they are reliving this exact moment, she still couldn't move on from that. Her contractor, the one who freed her at last from that damned library and that damned contract, was supposed to be her new family. And now all that was left from him was his lifeless form. Even though she was now considering Emilia as a part of the small family, she still wanted her contractor back.
Her fool of a contractor.
'Beako!' her thoughts played those times Subaru was with her.
He picks up Beatrice and starts to spin her around.
"I love you so much Beako!" He said as he spun her around.
"Su-Su" She stutters as the residents of the sanctuary look on what is happening, giving small giggles and chuckles.
"Subaru!" She finally said his name.
When they were travelling to the sanctuary in a beautiful meteor-like form of light.
"Subaru…" She said,
"Mhm, that's me." He replied,
"Subaru, Subaru" She continues on,
"Yeah, you're getting the hang of it." He replied once more, encouraging her to tell his name.
"Subaru! Subaru! Subaru!"
"You finally called me by my name." He said with a smile on his face.
Beatrice frowns at the thought. She may never have an another chance with her contractor, never another chance with-
Emilia headpats her as Beatrice was on the verge of leaking tears.
"Huh?" Was all the spirit could utter as Emilia pulled the little spirit into an embrace.
"Everything will be fine Beatrice, everything will be back to normal." She whispers to her as she caresses the back part of her head.
The child-looking spirit bursts into tears. She really did miss her contractor. Behind all the rage and hatred towards herself and on some specific individuals, the sadness still lingers in her very soul. And now for the meantime, Emilia's maternal instincts kick in as the sadness fills the being of the spirit.
Meanwhile on the other side of things, the Sword Demon was having a talk with the three knights. Nothing but regret and immense guilt came from the knights.
"Nothing will happen if you three just sink in your own guilt and regrets." Wilhelm said to them.
"Just like Subaru-dono, we should shoulder the responsibility now, like what he did back then." He added, listing all of the things Subaru had done. Truly a feat the knights wished to achieve.
"Why are you telling us this?" Julius asks. "Subaru is a better knight, even though I hate to admit it." He added.
The Sword Demon smiled for a second, then the smile quickly fades away.
"Subaru-dono is a strong man." He said. "I've seen in his eyes a man who had been through death's door, so many times." He added.
"There you go again Old Man Wil, isn't that what you said about Subaru-kyun before?" Felix asks in a somber tone. He recalled the first meeting with Subaru, and it was in fact the same exact words he said that day when they were returning to the capital.
"Yes it is Felix." He replied.
"What do you mean by that grandfather?" Reinhard asks. Even though he too has the divine protection of everything- Divine protection of wind reading, there were no winds blowing from the old man.
"I might be speculating, but somehow, Subaru-dono may have faced death, and lived to tell the tale." The Sword Demon replied, if he was correct, who knows what else lies in Subaru.
The knights were in their own thoughts on the subject. There is no way for a person to come back from the dead, unless they have divine protection.
"Felix." Julius calls out.
"What is it nyah?"
"When you healed Subaru, did you sense any divine protections within him?" He asks.
Felix shook his head.
"There were no signs of any divine protection in him, except for a broken gate." He replied.
"If he has no divine protections, how would Subaru have such experiences?" Reinhard asks.
Truly Subaru was an enigma. They don't know his past or who he truly was. He was just a boy who had entered their lives and changed their lives. Call him an idiot, or a prideful brat, Subaru had changed their lives and nothing less.
Meanwhile in the castle of dreams, Subaru is seated before the witches, having another talk as another day passes by.
"So, have you made up your mind now?" Echidna asks the boy. "It's been technically several months now after your coma." She added.
"I still don't know, Satella gave them Return by Death, although I want to headpat Beatrice right now, I can't." He replied as he looked at what's happening back out there. Beatrice crying in Emilia's embrace, Rem playing with his hair as she leaks a few tears, and the knights trying to figure out everything.
"Well they did leave you Baru, so I suggest let me judge them!" Typhon suggested as she wanted to horribly dismember them through her act of judgement.
"Nope, no, we are not doing that." Subaru said, as he already thinks Return by Death is already a punishment, and he is not allowing her to break them.
"Aw, come on Baru!" She said with a pout.
"Typhon, I think *Sigh* You shouldn't do that, you aren't *Sigh* going anywhere with him." Sekhmet intervenes.
"Thank you for that." Subaru said.
"Well, what do you want then Subaru-kun?" Satella asks.
Subaru was still conflicted. They did leave him and they did torture him, and yet all his efforts were for them. Just to see them smile for another day. Just so they won't feel the pain of dying. Subaru's big hearted nature had prevailed. He will not be selfish, and he will not abandon them. Not everything after what they did. Sure he had been tortured for basically no reason, and this was not the only time he got left behind.
So either he will choose to persevere or leave them behind, Subaru will choose the former.
"I take it, will you return to them?" Minerva said as she looks at Subaru's facial expression. He was determined.
"Yes I will." Subaru said.
"Are you sure about this?" Satella asks in worry, "The path you're taking will be full of pain and regret." She pointed out.
"I've been taking this path ever since I've arrived." Subaru smirked. "If it's the price just to see them smile for the rest of my life, so be it."
The witches of sin gave worried looks for the boy. He has been like this ever since. And yet he still hadn't changed.
"You still haven't changed Natsuki Subaru." Echidna commented, delighted with Subaru.
"Just please don't go back to that mentality." Satella said, worried about her beloved's well being.
"Don't worry, I've learned from our previous meeting." He said. "And I haven't forgotten about that promise I gave you." He added.
Satella looks on at Subaru with astonishment and love.
"Saving me will mark you as an outlaw everywhere, even if you chose to save me, how would they accept me in society?" She asks. "My name and very being is a taboo, look at what happened to Emilia because of what I looked like." She said,
"Then we will make those bastards' eyes open, we will make them see the other side of your being, not the envious nor the monstrous." He said. "We will make them see who Satella really is." He vows.
And with that reply, he had made it firm, he will destroy the witch cult who had tarnished her name. And in the end, his promise to save her had just solidified once more.
It was again evening, and they are now hours away from the Sage's Tower, and still, not in their previous life, nor in their current life, they haven't talked with the knights at all. The tension was still there. And Emilia has made it clear, if Subaru wakes up he will have the decision to either reform the alliance, or abandon it entirely.
For Felix, if he failed here, his mistress would probably be dismayed. For Julius, it was nothing for Anastasia, but for him he was seeking atonement for his sins. His sins against a candidate's knight, and for the sin he had done to his friend. For Reinhard, he seeks to atone his slothfulness. If he had been a better knight, and actually did his duty, none of this would've happened. Life would be peaceful, and Subaru could have his time with Emilia as the selection continues on without the threat of those damned cultists.
Even though they were near, they decided to have one more break, before they arrived at the tower. And so, they were again split into two groups. And again The knights were talking with Wilhelm, and again the three girls were with Subaru, looking after him. If he was conscious right now, he would be embarrassed that girls were taking care of him. He would be all red and flustered from the situation. At least in their imagination.
"We are here again, Beatrice." Emilia utters as she looks over the horizon.
"Hopefully we will succeed this time I suppose." Beatrice said as she ate her food.
"Hopefully, we still haven't encountered the witch cult yet." Emilia pointed out, to which the great spirit shivers as she remembers what happened during their last encounter. The stench of the blooded halls and the sight of corpses are forever engraved in her memory.
"Let's not talk about it I suppose." Beatrice said as she quickly reverted the topic to something else.
"Do you think everyone's safe back in the capital?" Emilia asks.
"Of course they are, I suppose, they are guarded by knights in fact." She replied.
"I hope that once this is all done, we can return back and focus on the selection." Emilia utters, but this time, she got no response.
"Beatrice?" She asks as she didn't respond.
She turns around to see the spirit, who had fallen asleep. She picks up the spirit, who was snuggling against her chest, to which Emilia just gave a smile that of maternal love, even though technically she is not Beatrice's mother.
She took the spirit to her sleeping contractor and laid her next to him. To which Beatrice then hugs her contractor. Emilia wore the sweetest smile in the world as she saw this transpire.
"Emilia-sama." Rem said as she walked up to her.
"Oh, Rem." She said as she now turned around.
"It's peaceful seeing him like this isn't it?" Rem said, to which Emilia nodded.
"Yeah, it is." She replied.
As the two girls enjoyed the sight they were witnessing, the sword saint intruded.
"Sorry for the intrusion Emilia-sama, Rem-san." Reinhard said. "But, can we talk for a second?" He asks.
Emilia and Rem just went with the sword saint. Hopefully it wasn't about them having forgiveness, because both girls wouldn't forgive them after what they've done. As they went along with Reinhard both were having thoughts in their heads.
'This didn't happen before…' Emilia thought.
'To be with the monsters that did THAT to my Subaru-kun, it's disgusting.' She thought.
As they arrived to where the rest were, both were greeted by Wilhelm.
"Emilia-sama, Rem-sama, I'm pleased that you accepted our invite to have a conversation." He said, bowing in courtesy.
"What is it you want to talk about Wilhelm-dono?" Emilia asks. Wilhelm hadn't done anything to Subaru, so she was calm before him.
"It is not about me, it is about them." Wilhelm said as he looked at the demi-human knight, and at the purple-haired knight.
"What about them?" Rem asks, keeping her temper in check.
"We wanted to settle this." Julius said.
"We didn't assist you to be a burden, nyah." Felix utters, his ears hang low.
"Then why are you with us?" Emilia spoke in a tone that no one had expected she'd speak in. It sent shivers down their spines.
"W-We.." Julius utters.
"We what?" Rem said with spite.
"We wanted to atone our sins…" Felix answered for Julius.
After hearing what they've said, Rem started laughing. Her laughter was full of fury and hatred.
'Really? Atone your sins?' She thought.
"You will never even atone your sins after what you did to Subaru-kun." Rem said as the aura of her oni form started to flare up.
"Rem, please calm down." Reinhard said as she tried to calm down the maid who was pulling out her morning star.
"Sword Saint-sama, what they did was unforgivable, do not intervene." She said as she took a step closer to the knights, she was not having none of it.
Meanwhile, Julius and Felix prepared themselves, prepared to accept death, and while preparing to draw their swords.
Rem stepped closer, and summoned her icicles. She took another step, her eyes burning with rage. She took another step and she fired an icicle.
As it was about to hit Julius straight on the head, Emilia fires another icicle to block it. Rem seemed irritated, and looked around to see who did that. Her gaze came upon Emilia.
"Why did you.." Rem asks.
"Killing another person won't make them atone for their sins." Emilia said.
"But what about Subaru-kun!? He didn't do anything yet this is what he gets!" Rem yelled at her.
"I know, and I wouldn't forgive them either." Emilia said.
"Then why!?" Rem yelled.
"Because Subaru wouldn't hurt them!" Emilia yelled, to which the oni was taken aback.
"Even though we have hurted him in the past, he still chose to be with us!" Emilia yelled.
"Even though we made him cry, we made him suffer, and yet he is still with us!" She added.
"We are all equally guilty for what we had done to him! Beatrice called him out, and I didn't believe him!" She yelled, her hatred for herself and everyone was so pure and crystal clear.
"That is why I wanted to go on this journey! To at least save the only person in this world who sees me for who I am and not that of the Witch!"
"Even if he doesn't forgive me after this, it is still worth it." She concluded, tears rolling down her face.
The rest of the people there were stunned by the half-elf's words. They were left silent, the guilt on Julius and Felix increased. The night went on with this scene; a stunned oni, who had dropped her weapon, a butler and his grandson looking at this commotion, and the two knights, the healer and the greatest among knights, heads hung low, as they too shed tears.
After several moments, they retired back to their sleep, and the night went on, silence filled the air.
It was now morning, and they were now in front of the door of the tower. Emilia, Beatrice and Rem surrounded Subaru, Rem pushing his wheelchair. As Reinhard knocks, the door opens.
"I see you've returned." Said the female voice who was in her hood.
"Please come-'' She gets cut off as she notices a particular black-haired boy in their group, in his wheelchair.
"Is there anything wrong, great sage?" Reinhard asks as he sees the form of the sage, shaking.
"Uhm? Hello?" Emilia utters to the sage.
Then out of nowhere, she jumps to the boy, who was in his wheelchair.
"MASTER!" She yelled to the top of her lungs in pure joy and ecstasy.
Meanwhile on the border between the grassy plains, to the sandy dunes, a woman who wore bandages from the bottom to the top of her body, concealing everything except her eyes, her mouth and some strands of hair stood in front of the other followers.
"We shall meet soon." She says as they walked onto the desert.