"Mh, they are coming down…" The duchess whispered to herself, seeing the sword saint and the half-elf's candidate coming down from the top of the royal palace's tower.

Natsuki Subaru was most certainly a strange man. For most of those who knew him in Lugunica, it was either because of an incredible feat that no one was ever able to pull off or for his situation as a wannabe knight who managed to earn that very title.

And for the duchess Crusch Karsten, it was both, and far more. She still remembered the day of their meeting.

The only thing that came to her mind was that he was surely some sort of a misfit. Someone she didn't need to fret over, and the member of a camp opposed to her.

Yes, he was in other words, meaningless.

Of course, this was before he came back to her with a plan to subjugate the great calamity she set her eyes on. This was before he lead her troops to victory with his willpower and war cry.

This was before he made an insane wager even a madman couldn't have thought of, to deliver her victory.

Deep down, she always knew that he did far more than bringing a whale down that day. She knew that he saved her. From her foolishness and stubbornness. She knew that he saved her knight, her retainers, her followers, and even her position as a candidate.

She never admitted it. Maybe because of pride. Maybe because of fear, or perhaps another feeling she was unable to comprehend.

But this was one of the many reasons why she felt indebted to him. When he asked for nothing but Patrasche after the whale fight, she told him how little he was asking for and insisted for him to ask for more. But he refused.

When he saved her in the fight of Priestella and took her blood without any hesitation, she felt the guilt crushing her more as she couldn't do anything to repay him.

When he returned her memories after killing the gluttonies, he again didn't ask anything of her and simply brushed it off as a friendly favor.

And just now, once more, she made Natsuki Subaru suffer at her place. Without doing anything in return.

But enough was enough.

She wanted to do something for him, she needed to do something for him. She couldn't accept that someone would do so much for her, while he is not even a part of her camp or loyal to her.

He was just a nobody.

A nobody with a heart of gold.

A nobody she admired.

And to see this wonderful boy who started from the bottom to reach the top she admired like this…

With a fake mask to hide his helplessness…

"…"

"Crusch-sama…?" The brown-haired healer called her, wondering what kept his mistress in such deep thoughts.

Crusch didn't respond to her knight, as her eyes wandered to her arm which the black blood got took from.

With resolve growing more and more, she clenched her fist in determination, walking towards the tower in front of her knight's eyes who promptly followed her in haste.

"Don't, Felix…" She told him as she refused his aid, "Let me…Let me walk on my own."

Felix could do nothing but nod his head in worry, unable to talk back to his master.

When she reached the entrance of the tower, she found herself face to face with the said black-haired boy.

"Crusch-san…?!What are you…" He exclaimed as he stepped forward, only for the duchess to hold on to the hand he was stretching towards her.

"Sir Subaru." She said in a stern and powerful tone, very characteristic of her, "What happened to you?"

Taken aback by her words, Subaru looked at her with widened eyes, glancing towards his red-haired friend.

"I don't know what-"

"Stop that." She cut him.

Her amber eyes piercing the young man's soul, unable to speak, she continued.

"Stop putting that fake smile before my eyes. Stop trying to put on a brave face before me, Natsuki Subaru." She told him, surprising both knights observing the scene from the side.

"I do understand that you required sir Reinhard's help for the hardships that you might be going through, but I beg of you to understand that you have more allies by your side." She exclaimed to him.

"Crusch-san…"

"Do you think we couldn't be up for it? No." She corrected herself. "Do you perhaps believe that we would be hurt by it?"

"…"

"Do you think that you have any right to care for one's well-being…" She said between gritted teeth, clenching her fists even more. The very arm which a second ago was tainted black by an overwhelming curse.

"Crusch-sama." Reinhard interrupted, fairly aware of the situation and wht the Duchess felt, "This is a matter far more complicated than you think…"

"Reinhard-kyun? Why do you…" Felix said in shock, bringing his ears down in fear, "Sound so serious…"

The usually composed and calm Reinhard Van Astrea certainly looked different. Fearsome, battle-ready. A sight that would send chills down the spine to any living soul.

Thus, another question arose within the mind of both the duchess and the healer.

What was happening? What could be so complicated and painful, for the Sword Saint himself to contort his face in anger?

"I…Am sorry, Crusch-san." Subaru said in a voice ringing of resolve.

"Please, do not believe that I find you to be untrustworthy or anything of the sort. Since my very first time having the biggest troubles I had to fight, you were one of the few who held me a hand, after all." He smiled at her.

Crusch only smiled back, waiting to hear what was coming next.

"Thank you, Crusch-san. For everything you ever did for me and for proposing your help right this moment." He told her, taking a deep breath,

"But this is something I need to face alone."

Crusch quickly glanced at the Sword Saint who nodded to her, a way to tell her that he wouldn't have a role as big as she thought he would in this.

"…I understand." She replied, closing her eyes, "Having an objective that you alone must reach. Taking a decision that you alone must face…I know that feeling only too well."

Her stern expression gradually reformed into a warm smile, as she stretched her hand to the black-haired boy in front of her.

"Please…Whatever you are about to do. Know that the house Karsten shall be by your side. And do not hesitate to request for us. It would be nothing but my honor."

Smiling back, Subaru grabbed the Duchess's hand firmly, something much more self-assured than the first time he was proposed to do so.

"I will." He replied, "Thank you again."

After that, both Subaru and Reinhard walked away, leaving the duchess and her knight to their mourning. As she watched them with a heavy heart, and her smile fading.

"It's been such a long time already…" A merchant in green clothing said to himself as he stared at the window of the room.

"I think he will only come back tomorrow, perhaps," Frederica answered to him, walking closer to the window as well.

"Frederica-san…"

"Are you worried, Otto-sama?" She asked him, not taking her eyes off the window.

"…I am." He admitted.

"Are you afraid about Subaru-sama?"

"How couldn't I be…" He sighed,"I know he needs time for himself…But I don't feel comfortable knowing that he left alone while being hurt like that."

Frederica did nothing but nod to the merchant's statements.

"However, it is needed. You cannot expect Subaru-sama to simply...Accept what happened to him and stay here, with those two around."

Noticing how her tone gradually became harsher as she had to mention the two 'lovers' of his friend, Otto decided, still with a hesitant hand, to slowly pat the blond maid's shoulder. While he should have a comforting expression to offer her, however, he had more of a painful wince as his blue eyes looked down in shame, somehow, for his friend.

"Otto-sama..." Delicately taking his comforting hand in her palm, Frederica scouted closer to him, "please, raise your face."

Listening to her demand, the green merchant slowly lifted his eyes to her.

"That's right. Raise your head. Do not let any forms of defeat take you over, Otto-sama. This is not the image you have to present to Subaru-sama when he will come back." She smiled, now taking his hand in both hers, "In these rough times, you are one of those who must be a support and a strength for him. You cannot allow yourself to bear such a face."

Hearing her soothing voice, Otto widened his eyes in realization, and gratefulness. Subaru was not just a friend for him. Referring to him as a brother rather than a friend was more accurate when he thought back to everything they went through together. Now and since the beginning, Otto's role by the self-proclaimed knight's side was always the same.

A crucial role, he somehow managed to forget.

"You are right, Frederica-san." He said in a low voice as he breathed in, "I can't let Natsuki-san down. Not now."

"Uh…"

Interrupted by a sudden hoarse voice coming from the side, both maid and merchant, startled by the sound pulling them out of their world, let go of their mutual grasp in sheer speed as they recoiled from each other.

"G-Garfiel…?" Frederica uttered, trying to keep her composure as she hid her reddened face.

"W-We were just…" Otto tried to continue, as lost as the maid.

"H-Handshaking!" Frederica shouted.

"Yes! Handshaking!"

"Ya know, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop seeing me as a kid, big sis." He spat to his sister, deadpanned as he came closer to the window himself.

"Still no sight of capn'?" He inquired to both of them, though he already knew the answer himself.

"I hope he didn't put himself into trouble because of the state of mind he was in…" Otto wondered as he kept staring at the road, feeling his anxiety rise at the thought of his friend being away after what happened.

"Capn' will be fine." Cutting through Otto's thoughts, the blond tiger kept a straight face, his head high, "He is sorting things out right now. But he will come back."

"You seem to be the most optimistic of all of us," smiling as she ruffled her brother's head, "It is a good thing, Garfiel."

Moving his head away from her sister's palm with a grunt, Garfiel turned from them as he went towards the door, "I'mma go out a bit. I need some fresh air."

Surely, the previous events he lived face to face with Emilia still left him speechless. Would he had been a second too late, he'd have been turned into an ice statue. This thought terrified him. Not necessarily the one of dying this way no, but more how Emilia became so threatening and dangerous. While it's true that he showed hostility, laying a hand on her wasn't part of his plans at all.

But in regards to how the event seemed to evolve…Maybe he had to prepare himself for such a possibility.

"I gotta be ready…" He thought to himself as he left the room, under the worried gazes of both his merchant friend and big sister.

"…"

"We should leave him be, Frederica-san." Shaking his head, otto advised, "Perhaps he needs time to think, much like Natsuki-san."

"…I guess you are right." Frederica sighed, turning back to the window, her mind wandering away.

"I beg of you to come back soon and tell us your decision…Subaru-sama."

"Are you sure about this? Is it not…Rather dangerous?" now standing at the door of the capital, Reinhard watched as Subaru and Patrasche prepared themselves to go back to the mansion.

"I will not be able to move on before doing this…To solve a problem, first, you need to figure out its root." As he readjusted his dragon's saddle, Subaru turned to his worried friend, "but if you come with me now, I'm afraid I won't have the full version of it."

This much was enough for the Sword Saint to wince in disappointment again. Not for the situation or his friend's words, but rather about himself and the truth these few words held. This was something he knew very well himself, and thus something he could hardly deny.

While he did not feel comfortable with the idea of letting Subaru go back to the Roswaal mansion with this state of mind, he felt even less reassurance with the fact that Roswaal himself was now a potential enemy of him. Reinhard was no fool, he knew perfectly who the strongest magician of the Kingdom was, and also how much of a threat he would be if he decided to fight Subaru.

"Reinhard? You're okay?" noticing the silence of his friend, Subaru came closer to him.

"I am not." The red-haired knight answered rather immediately, not hesitating on his choice of words.

Not now.

"…"

"I do not feel okay knowing that my friend is about to face this pain alone. I do not feel okay that he is going to put so much burden on his shoulders after I asked him to rely on me. I do not feel okay with the potential possibility that he might be hurt, or worse, and that I will not be able to do anything for him." He continued, not letting Subaru the time to cut his words or reply.

"I do not feel okay with any of it." With a voice strong yet calm as his fists shook in anxiety, Reinhard, for the first time, decided to put away his knightly behavior and gallantry to properly voice his thoughts. To properly speak his mind and worries.

"Reinhard…"

"I asked you to let me help you, Subaru…" slamming his hand on his heart, Reinhard pleaded him "not as a knight, not out of pity, but out of friendship! Because I want to help you! Because you are my friend…!"

Certainly, this was something Subaru shouldn't have been so surprised to see after the resolve Reinhard showed him earlier about helping him. But still…Seeing this sight of the Sword Saint could nearly make him tear up.

He was determined to stand by Subaru's side in this trial of life, and he was ready to give his all for him.

Subaru then realized…That this felt familiar to him.

"Yeah…That's true…"

Garfiel.

Otto.

Beatrice.

Frederica.

Ram.

Crusch.

Patrasche.

And now, Reinhard.

They all shared this same feeling, they all shared this same will.

They were here to show Subaru Natsuki that he was not alone. And all of them stood right beside him.

And if they had to face off a clown, an oni, and a half-elf to show their loyalty, they would do it right away. Without any hesitation.

It seemed so hard to believe…Yet, Subaru now understood that it was as simple as that.

Because just like Reinhard…

They were his friends.

"Alright," Subaru whispered with a smile, climbing up his faithful dragon.

"Reinhard, please go and ask Felt if she would be ready to house some people…And then join me back at the Roswaal mansion."

The Sword Saint's eyes lit up when these words reached his ears, hope shining through his pupils.

"We'll finish this. Together. With all of you by my side." Smiling as if victory was already his, the black-haired boy glanced towards the red-haired knight with probably the mightiest expression Reinhard ever saw on his face until now.

"Absolutely, Subaru." Feeling a fire lighting up inside of his heart, Reinhard couldn't help but show off his best smile as well.

Facing the road ahead of him as the doors of the city opened to the north, Subaru looked down to Patrasche one more time, looking through each other's eyes, as the dragon seemed just as fired up.

"Alright girl, let's put an end to this!"

And as a loud roar resonated with these words, Patrasche began to ride north with her master on her back, reaching the end of this nonsense once and for all.

Seeing them ride away, Reinhard decided that there was no time to lose. The faster he would inform his lady, the faster he could join Subaru and help him.

"I hope you had enough time to mourn for your loss, Crusch-sama." An old and wise voice spoke, "But I believe it would be best for us to regain the Karsten domain now-"

Coming closer to the Duchess as the catboy healer still knelt in front of the prince's tomb a few meters away, Wilhelm widened his eyes in shock at the sight of his lady being able to walk on her own…As the black color of her skin was nowhere to be seen.

"Crusch-sama…"

"Subaru Natsuki." She said, plain and simple, her eyes still directed towards the far horizon where Subaru and Reinhard disappeared.

"It was a coincidence…But we met him here. And it seems like the sight of the dragon blood on my arm was not to his liking." She continued, her voice sounding strange. A curious mix of worry and interest. Like she had several questions she wished to ask and obtain answers from.

"So, he took it…" Wilhelm sighed, both in fondness and hopelessness for the boy, "I supposed his noble soul is something that will never change."

"…I suppose so, indeed." She whispered behind gritted teeth, the tension of her anger not going unnoticed for her old knight.

Though, he believed that it might certainly be a question of pride and shame for the Duchess, as Subaru had to take a burden for her one more time. He also figured that he didn't give her much of a choice.

Honestly, Wilhelm didn't know if he had to smile in fondness or shake his head at the attitude of this young humble man.

However, something was wrong. Usually, Crusch would be disappointed by such attitude but she would quickly let it go acknowledging that there was nothing to do anymore.

But this time she seemed…Troubled. Anxious.

For a man that lived a long life like Wilhelm, this much was easy to notice.

"My Lady, if I may ask" The old man inquired, walking next to her, "why are you making such an expression?"

"Do you know the desire to protect someone, Wilhelm-dono?" The green-haired woman, fully knowing the answer to such a trivial question, still demanded.

"More than anyone, I believe."

"Then, do you understand the feeling…When the one you wish to preserve and protect walks away towards a fate unknown, as you can do nothing but watch?" She continued, her amber-colored eyes staring to the horizon.

"Yes…" The memories of a red-haired woman flashing in his eyes, the old man answered with a saddened voice.

The very memories of the day he lost her coming back to him. The day she faced the calamity, the day she was stolen from her sword…Everything came back. Along with the pain.

"Then…You should know why I can't stand this." She growled in outrage, "Why should I watch? For the one who did so much for me without asking anything in return, why should I watch him suffer and do nothing? Am I doomed to see everyone that means so much to me die in front of my eyes?!"

Her final shout turned the heads of both her knights towards her, as the Duchess turned around the stone standing in the garden of the royal palace, harboring the name of someone she cared for, that she loved. Someone who died with his dream in her arms, while she simply watched…

"No."

Commanding, strong and noble. Her voice echoed within the gardens of the palace.

"I refuse! Not again! Not ever!"

Walking forward as the floor growled under each of her footsteps, Crusch urged both her servants to follow her, as she made her way towards the one she decided to stand with.

This time, fate would not have its way with her.

Reinhard being Reinhard, going towards his mansion in haste ended up finding himself at the porch of his own domain relatively fast, if this was anywhere enough as a definition of his speed.

Truth is, he was so focused on the situation…That he didn't even realize how fast he arrived. But alas, it was not the time to dwell on such trivial matters.

"Young master? What are you doing here so early?" alerted by the sound of the door opening, Carol, the older maid, was surprised to see her young master back from his voluntary patrol in the capital.

Of course, when she noticed the expression on his face unusually serious, she understood something important was going on.

"I am afraid some important matters came up, Carol-san." Reinhard explained to her without any elaboration, "Can you please tell me where lady Felt is?"

"…Of course."

This short exchange was enough for Carol to know that she shouldn't meddle much, and let Reinhard deal with this.

"Lady Felt," opening the door to the living room, Reinhard entered with a strict voice who managed to take the little blond off guard, "I need to have a word with you."

"Hey what the hell? Why do you sound so serious over here?" Felt seemed intrigued by the tone and expression of her knight. She knew him better than anyone. And for him to bear such an expression…

"My lady…I am afraid I came back to you with rather bad…And concerning news." He replied, his face contorting in a wince as he remembered the precise reason.

"This sounds really freakin' bad now." Felt worriedly replied, coming closer, "What happen-"

Cutting herself in her own words as she somehow managed to make a connection with "bad" and "concerning" enough for Reinhard to have such an expression, Felt widened her eyes in shock.

"Is it about big bro?!"

Looking at her with an amazed stare, Reinhard only nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me! This guy just came out of a damn warzone and managed to get into trouble again?! Just why can't he catch a break?!" While it was unknown if she blamed fate or the boy himself for whatever was happening to him, bitterness and worry in her voice were also clear as the day.

"…Yes. However, I am afraid the trouble he is facing is something…Far more painful and terrible than we might think, Felt-sama." Reinhard continued, his expression turning darker.

"…I-Is he okay?"

"I have just met him. I believe he is fine now, but it might be temporary." He informed the worried girl, who took a deep breath.

"Alright, speak. Tell me what happened to big bro…And how we can help him."

Her words were now filled with determination. Even if she didn't show it much, Subaru was still very important to her.

This boy saved her life. More than once, and she knew it. There was far more than a single debt that she owed him, and never she could repay them.

Though, her current determination wasn't a question of debt either. It was her will to protect what she cared for.

Nodding to his mistress words, Reinhard parted his lips and told her the entire story.

"WHAT?!"

"Felt-sama…"

"FUCKING….FUCKING WHORES!" She shouted, her voice resonating within the walls of the entire mansion, filled with so much anger.

She couldn't believe it. It was still impossible in her eyes.

Emilia and Rem? These two girls for whom Subaru went to hell and beyond to help and preserve…Betraying him?

Betraying their marriage? Breaking their oath?

Trading someone like Subaru…For this clown?!

While she was not well versed in the stories of the Emilia camp, she still knew enough about their members.

She knew how much Subaru Natsuki did for Emilia, as a candidate and the woman he loved. It was apparent for anyone since the day of the selection that he held strong feelings for her if he was ready to stand in front of the entire nobility, candidates, and knights to protect her name.

Adding to that all the stories from Priestella to the tower…And Vollachia.

When she heard that Subaru married her and the maid, even if she found it strange to marry two people, she was happy for them.

She was happy for him. To finally be able to have what he longed for, to finally be able to love those he loved, and be happy.

Because if someone deserved it, it was Subaru.

This is why learning about this shattered her. Her heart ached for the pain Subaru had to live after everything he did, and her eyes glowed in rage towards the half-elf she respected so much to perform such a betrayal.

"These two don't deserve him! They don't deserve him at all! They don't deserve shit!" She growled, looking at her knight, "What did he do to deserve this?! Big bro went through so much for them, what the fuck is wrong in their minds!"

"I do not know, my lady…I wondered the same as you." Understanding what his lady felt, Reinhard did nothing but close his eyes.

"Where is he…?" Wiping the droplets of tears that formed at the corner of her eyes, Felt inquired her knight. "Where is big bro…?"

"He came back to Roswaal's domain. And asked me to require a favor out of you, Felt-sama."

Widening her eyes, Felt nodded her head, wordlessly allowing Reinhard to continue.

"He was wondering…If you would be ready to house some people of the Margrave's domain, along with him." His last words spoken with a bit of eagerness, Reinhard raised his head towards his mistress with high expectations.

Even if he already knew what kind of answer he was about to receive, he still needed it. He needed to hear it.

And of course…

"You're damn right I'm ready!" Felt exclaimed in a bright voice, her mind filling with relief and happiness at the idea of Subaru joining her.

"There's not even a point of asking that! Why the hell is he still that stupid?! We're bringing them in! All of them!" She shouted, "There's no way in hell I'm letting him stay anywhere near these bastards!"

While her choice of words wasn't particularly pleasant to his ears, Reinhard was still happy to hear Felt's decision, a warm smile on his face, he closed his eyes as he thought about his friend again, who was on his way to Roswaal's domain.

And just like that, each one of the souls the black-haired boy met on this day set their eyes in one direction.

A Sword Saint.

"Wait for me, Subaru…"

A Golden Lion.

"I'm right here, big bro…"

A Valkyrie.

"Now more than ever…"

"It is my turn to protect you."